Chapter 328 Li Xiang's Combination Punch
Li Xiang was a little sad after the orange was thrown at him. He pouted, took a handkerchief to wipe his forehead which was full of juice, and asked aggrievedly: "Am I not the grandfather's favorite grandson?"

Li Shimin glanced at him and laughed.

"No, my favorite now is Xiaodoudou."

As he said that, he lifted up Li Wushuang and kissed her hard on the cheek.

"Who is Grandpa's favorite grandson?" asked Old Li.

"It's Doudou!" Li Wushuang giggled, stretched out his two little carrot arms, and flapped them like he was swimming.

Li Xiang: …

He rested his hands on his cheeks, looking extremely resentful.

Alas, Aung is really fickle.

Seeing that Li Xiang had been silent for a long time, Li Shimin glanced at Li Xiang and saw that he looked full of resentment, so he smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Li Xiang sighed, "I just feel that the Tang Dynasty is going to be finished!"

"Whether it's done or not doesn't depend on a single policy." Li Shimin put Li Wushuang down and said to Li Xiang, "Your father saw that this policy is beneficial to the government, but you didn't notice that any policy has administrative costs. After all these layers of exploitation, the people are the ones who get hurt in the end."

"If you had told him directly just now, maybe your father would have changed his mind." Li Shimin said again. He glanced out the red window again. It was obvious that the sun had already set. "Now that he has discussed with Du He, Zhao Jie and others, I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to change his mind."

"Why?" Li Xiang asked in confusion, "No, Aung, how do you know that my father is discussing with Du He and Zhao Jie?"

"Besides these two close ministers, does your father have any other close relatives?" Li Shimin said helplessly.

"That's right." Li Xiang scratched his head and asked, "Then why did Grandpa say that after my Grandpa discussed with the two of them, it would be difficult to change his mind?"

"It's very simple. Du He and Zhao Jie are both from a duke's family, and the other is the son of a princess. They don't know the suffering of the people, nor do they realize what this policy means to ordinary people." Li Shimin put down the orange lightly: "In their view, this policy is beneficial to the government, and that's enough."

"When a new emperor ascends the throne, he is just like a new official, full of ambitions." Li Shimin said again: "People like you, Aye, have a dark cloud hanging over him. What he desires most is to make some achievements and prove to history that he is not just my son, so he is eager to make some achievements."

"Then what should I do?" Li Xiang took out a small notebook and a graphite stick from somewhere and asked very obediently.

At this critical moment, you must take notes.

The heaviness of the older generation...

"You should let your father achieve some success. This way, he will think that he has made some achievements and his life will be much better." Li Shimin rubbed Li Wushuang's head with a smile: "Don't make a fuss, don't lose your temper, and don't rush to achieve something and do it at all costs."

"Grandpa is indeed old..." Li Xiang said halfway when he felt that the word was not right.

"Hmm?" Li Shimin activated his killer instinct.

"Old but still strong, old ginger is still spicy." Li Xiang gave a thumbs up sincerely.

"A flatterer." Li Shimin smiled and nodded: "Go ahead and learn. You still have a lot to learn."

"Then is Grandfather..." Li Xiang stretched out his hand and raised it upwards, making a supporting gesture.

Li Shimin smiled and said to Li Xiang: "As I said before, as a retired emperor, any policy of this court has nothing to do with me. How to stop your father is your business."

"This is your Tang Dynasty..." Li Xiang tried to persuade.

"This Tang Dynasty was once mine, but the future belongs to you." Li Shimin's face suddenly became serious: "Although I am still here, if I passed away due to an acute illness, who would you turn to for help?"

"I understand, Aung." Li Xiang's expression gradually became firm.

"Go, don't let me down." Li Shimin said with a smile.

Li Xiang took a deep breath, turned and left.

When he returned to the Eastern Palace, Li Xiang still looked worried.

How should we stop Aye?

"Elephant?"

As he was walking in Yi Qiu Palace, he heard a call.

He looked up and saw his Crown Princess Pei Xueqing.

"Sister." Li Xiang smiled and pulled a chair to sit next to Pei Xueqing.

"What's wrong with you?" Pei Xueqing asked with his head tilted.

Li Xiang thought about it and told Pei Xueqing everything in detail.

Pei Xueqing thought for a moment, then asked, "Before this? What else did Aye say?"

"Before..." Li Xiang raised his head, thought for a while and said, "My mother came before and told my father that there were only two palaces in the Daming Palace, and she wanted my father to build a few more to prevent the harem from being too shabby."

Pei Xueqing smiled and said, "That's it. Xiang'er, why don't you start from this angle?"

"Hmm?" Li Xiang suddenly perked up: "Sister, tell me in detail."

"Come closer and listen." Pei Xueqing stretched out her little hand and waved at Li Xiang.

Li Xiang moved his head closer as instructed, and Pei Xueqing whispered a few words in his ear.

His eyes became brighter and brighter, and finally he couldn't help but hug Pei Xueqing and kissed her hard on her little mouth.

"Well, it's still daytime." Pei Xueqing reminded softly.

"Haha, my sister is indeed my good wife." Li Xiang said happily: "Having my sister is like Emperor Gaozu of Han having Zifang, and Emperor Zhaolie having Kongming!"

Pei Xueqing reached out and gently hit Li Xiang, and said in a charming voice: "You are talking nonsense again. How can I compare with these two?"

"That's right." Li Xiang said with a smile: "Zhang Liang and Zhuge Liang can't give birth to children--"

"You little bastard..." Pei Xueqing helplessly reached out and poked Li Xiang's head. Li Xiang was very happy, after all, Pei Xueqing's suggestion was very good.

In the evening, he took Pei Xueqing to perfect some details. The next morning, Li Xiang left the East Palace refreshed and went to the Daming Palace to persuade Li Chengqian to give up his "great idea".

Perhaps Li Chengqian was too excited yesterday and hasn't gotten up yet.

Li Xiang had no choice but to leave Xuanzheng Hall and go to Zichen Hall in the inner court to wait.

It was not until noon that Li Chengqian finally arrived.

After all, Li Xiang was a filial child. When he heard that Li Chengqian slept very late last night, he did not ask anyone to wake him up, but asked them to wait until Li Chengqian woke up naturally before informing him.

Li Xiang was still thinking in his heart, I am so damn filial.

Of course, what he didn't want to admit was that he was completely worried that Li Chengqian would be in a bad mood when waking up. What if he disturbed him and his relatives disapproved of his bad mood?

You can't force a filial child like me to go through Xuanwu Gate, right?
After seeing Li Xiang, Li Chengqian walked forward excitedly and sat in the main seat opposite him.

"Xiang'er? Up so early?"

"Yes, Aye." Li Xiang nodded.

"I discussed yesterday's matter with Zhao Jie and Du He." Li Chengqian said excitedly, "They both think it's feasible. After all, this matter is very beneficial to the government. The government will receive money, which will undoubtedly reduce various losses on the road."

"Du He told me that nowadays, the physical objects collected by the government often have various problems, such as being replaced by inferior goods by local government, or getting moldy and rotten on the road. It is safer and more convenient to use copper coins, which is a completely feasible policy. It is also very friendly to the people. After all, there is no need for complicated statistics, and only copper coins are required as taxes. It is beneficial to the country and the people."

Li Chengqian finished speaking in one breath, then grabbed the tea beside him and took a big gulp.

He was really thirsty and hadn't had any water since he got up in the morning. When he heard that Li Xiang was coming, he simply washed up and hurried to the Zichen Palace.

He has to be anxious, as Li Chengqian is too eager to make a career.

Seeing that Li Xiang still showed no sign of agreeing after putting down his teacup, Li Chengqian realized that something was wrong.

"So, Xianger, what do you mean?"

"I think maybe this policy is not as good as you imagined?" Li Xiang asked tentatively.

Li Chengqian's face suddenly fell. He quickly went over the whole thing in his mind and no matter how he thought about it, he felt that it was a good policy.

So he asked, "How is it not so good? You might as well make your words clearer."

Li Xiang organized his words and then said, "Aye, what you said before was very good. You explained the disadvantages of in-kind tax very clearly."

Hearing Li Xiang's praise, Li Chengqian nodded with a smile.

Then Li Xiang continued, "But the problem is, Aye, there is this point... that is, when the people go to the market to exchange physical goods for coins, they will be exploited once? When they don't have enough food, they will go to the market to buy food and they will be exploited again?"

"Why did this happen?" Li Chengqian asked with a frown.

"Illegal merchants and wealthy households take advantage of the people's eagerness to pay taxes, and in addition, during the autumn harvest season, they lower the price when purchasing grain." Li Xiang tried to explain to Li Chengqian in easy-to-understand words: "When the people are in a hurry to use grain, they raise the price of grain. Isn't this exploiting the people twice?"

"Then wouldn't it be better for me to issue a decree to prevent such things from happening?" Li Chengqian asked with a raised eyebrow.

Li Xiang smiled and then said, "What if the wealthy families collude with the government? Or collude with illegal officials?"

"Then we should formulate strict laws to restrict such things," said Li Chengqian.

Li Xiang said to himself, "Get some clothes!" Then he said, "No matter how strict the law is, there are always loopholes. As long as they want to find a loophole, they can always get out. I wonder if Aye has heard of this saying."

"What?" Li Chengqian asked with raised eyebrows.

"When the profit reaches 50%, they will be ready to make moves; when the profit reaches 100%, they will take risks; when the profit reaches 200%, they will dare to risk the guillotine; when the profit reaches 300%, they will dare to trample on all human laws; when the profit reaches 500%, they will not even hesitate to sell the ghost-head knives to chop off their heads." Li Xiang modified Marx's famous saying and told it to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath. He admitted that Li Xiang was right, but he also felt that it was a rare opportunity to give up and reduce the losses of the government.

"I admit that you are right, but this method can reduce the losses of the government during transportation." Li Chengqian said.

Li Xiang smiled, and then said to him: "Father, even if it is exchanged for copper coins, the loss during transportation will not be less. There will always be a shortage of rats. Instead of harming the people and letting the government bear less losses, it is better to let the government continue to bear this part of the losses and let the people suffer less."

Seeing that Li Chengqian wanted to say something, Li Xiang launched another combination of punches.

This combination of punches was the one Pei Xueqing suggested to him last night.

"Oh, right, Father." Li Xiang took out a memorial from his arms. "I thought about it after I went back yesterday. Although the treasury is not sufficient now and there is not much money for Father to repair it, I feel that as a son, I should share my father's worries, so I drafted a memorial to take the initiative to share Father's worries... so I prepared this little surprise for Father."

When Li Chengqian heard this, he no longer remembered his previous grand ideas, but lowered his head and spread out the memorial.

"Six palaces, and an extra palace for me to entertain ministers, are expected to be completed within four years?" Li Chengqian asked happily, "This... is this the little surprise you prepared for me, Xiang'er?"

"What else can I say?" Li Xiang spread his hands. "If Father asked me to build a palace for him, it would be suspected of being arrogant and extravagant. But if I asked for it as a son, it would be a filial piety. Different starting points will lead to different results. Father, don't you agree?"

"Yes, yes." Li Chengqian looked at the memorial happily, and felt more and more that this child was truly filial.

"Of course, this is also a manifestation of the unity between us father and son." Li Xiang continued to CPU Li Chengqian.

"Father and son must be of one mind." Li Chengqian nodded heavily: "Father and son are of one mind, and their strength can cut through metal. If we are of one mind, what can't we accomplish?"

After a while, he raised his head suspiciously.

"Didn't you say yesterday that there was no money in the treasury? Why did you propose such a radical plan today?"

"That's exactly what I want to say." Li Xiang had expected Li Chengqian to have this question, so he said with a smile, "When I heard that my father wanted to renovate the palace yesterday, I paid attention to it. After going back and carefully checking the accounts, I found that there is still a lot of surplus money in my chamber of commerce. Anyway, I might as well use it to build some palaces for my father. This is also my filial piety."

"Xiang'er is so filial, I am very happy."

Li Chengqian's eyes became moist.

With a son like this, what more could I ask for?

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(End of this chapter)