Chapter 37: Changsun Wuji
Yun Ye had been in the Tang Dynasty for seven months. Perhaps it was because of the environment, or perhaps it was because of fear. He had narrowed his social circle to a very small group. Except for the barracks, he had no desire to explore the outside world. All the people he knew were related to the military.
Li Chengqian was a special case. He allowed the crown prince of the Great Tang to have close contact with him. Apart from some utilitarian factors, he felt more sympathy for the tragic crown prince.
After all, the person standing in front of him was a child, and he was still very malleable. Out of revenge for his own misfortune, he really wanted to try to change Li Chengqian’s fate and see if he was the butterfly on the wheel of fate, and if the air currents he stirred up could cause a storm in the world of the Tang Dynasty that no one knew about.
Knowing the fate of others gives Yun Ye a sense of superiority, so he doesn’t have much respect for the great figures in history, such as the first hero of the Lingyan Pavilion, Changsun Wuji.
“It turns out to be the great official, I apologize for my rudeness, please forgive me.” The official is small and young, so there is no choice but to play the role of a kowtowing worm everywhere.
Changsun Wuji stopped Yun Ye, who was about to bow in a formal greeting: “Alas, you and Chong’er are close friends. I heard that you call each other brother, so I’m going to call you a nephew.”
In ancient times, when you have adult children, you can call yourself an old man. After all, you get married at 14 or 15, and you become a grandfather at 37 or 38. How can you not be an old man? Anyway, you already have two uncles, so what’s one more?
“Uncle, you are too kind. Xiao Ye was born in white and has received the care of all of you. He has also made friends with Xiao Chong, Huai Ren, and Chu Mo, and has received their favor everywhere. It is really a blessing for Xiao Ye to make friends so early in life. Xiao Ye is so lucky. Please accept a bow from a junior.”
Originally, this bow should have been present by the eldest grandson, Chong. Since they had made a promise, the eldest grandson, Chong, should return the favor to complete the ceremony. However, since he is now suffering in the dungeon, he is naturally unable to return the favor.
Chang Sun Wu Ji helped Yun Ye up and said with a smile, “It’s good for young people to make friends. I heard that you studied under a strange person and were very talented. In just half a year after you were born, you have already made great achievements for our Tang Dynasty. You made salt, made tools, improved the method of iron smelting, and taught the art of body forging. These have made our Tang Dynasty soldiers even more powerful. I didn’t expect that you would cultivate such a miraculous grain that yields 50 jin per mu. When I saw Chong’er’s letter, I thought it was nonsense from this rebellious son. Where in the world could there be such a crop? It wasn’t until the letter from Zuowuwei arrived in Liangzhou that I knew it was true. I hurried to Lanzhou on a starry night, but unfortunately, I didn’t get to see the auspiciousness. It’s a pity. But it was worth it to see my nephew. You and Chong are about the same age, so you should be friends and confidants. I look forward to the day when you will make a name for yourselves.” Yun Ye bowed in agreement.
“Come, come, follow me into the tent and tell me the whole story.”
Changsun Wuji led Yun Ye into the tent, but saw Li Chengqian frantically changing his clothes and combing his hair with the help of an attendant. Seeing this, Changsun Wuji’s face fell.
Li Chengqian hurriedly greeted him, “Nephew greets uncle.”
Changsun Wuji respectfully returned the greeting: “Your Highness is too polite. I already know what you did at Zuowei. I am very pleased that you can share the hardships and joys with the soldiers and that you are not only enjoying the comfort when you see that the city is not captured. I wonder why Your Highness is not properly dressed now?”
Li Chengqian lowered his head and was ashamed. He had been caught by his uncle after indulging himself for the first time, and he didn’t know how to answer.
Yun Ye took over the conversation: “This is all my fault. I bet with the prince to see who could do 50 push-ups first. I didn’t expect the prince to do this for the first time, so he got all dirty.”
Changsun Wuji was very surprised: “What are push-ups?”
“It is a basic body-building exercise that can strengthen the arms, waist and abdomen, and improve the heart and lung functions. Please demonstrate it to the General of the Left.”
Li Chengqian did a few standard push-ups on the ground.
“Oh, I see. I was wrong. Your Highness, please forgive me.”
No wise man would make an evaluation of something he has never encountered before, because it is easy to make mistakes, and wise men do not do it. Changsun Wuji was originally the smartest of the smart, so of course he would not pursue the trivial matter of why the crown prince was not properly dressed.
Without any more words from Yun Ye, Li Chengqian recounted the whole story of the auspicious event, and the waves of emotions in Changsun Wuji’s heart surged one after another.
The years of war had exhausted the vitality of the Central Plains. Although Li Er and his ministers had worked hard to manage the country, the foundation was too thin, and it would take more than a moment to change the fact that the country was still poor. In addition, Li Er had not obtained the country by right. He killed his brother and forced his father to sneak into the palace and no longer appear in the world. He himself ascended the throne.
This gave the ambitious a perfect excuse to rebel. This time, the rebellion of the young Liang had the shadow of the King of the Xixi. At this time, there was an urgent need for a great piece of good news to calm the consequences of killing his brother and brother. Yun Ye’s offering of potatoes at this time was undoubtedly the best gift. After searching through the history books, who in all dynasties had ever had a grain yield of 50 mu? This was not a good omen. What else could be called a good omen?
The birth of potatoes not only solved the problem of food shortages, but also benefited Li Er politically. He used the auspicious name of the heavens to quell the reactionary forces in the country without shedding blood, and used the name of the heavens to do the king’s will.
Changsun Wuji left happily, not even asking about his son being locked up in the dungeon by Lao Cheng, as if the person locked up in there was not his own son, but a stranger.
Later, it was discovered that the only person in the whole of the Great Tang Dynasty who dared to lock the crown prince in a dungeon was Cheng Yaojin. He had even locked up the emperor himself. When he was a general under Wang Shichong, he fought against Li Er, who was still a prince, under the city of Luoyang. At the place of Qunlongling, he surrounded Li Er in a grotto for two whole days. If it weren’t for Qin Qiong turning against Cheng Yaojin, there would have been no story of the Qin King’s 100 cavalry breaking through Dou Jiande’s 100,000-strong army.
Moreover, Old Cheng was a true soldier who enforced military law meticulously. In front of Old Cheng, as long as you were in the barracks, there was no such thing as a prince or a soldier. There was only a soldier who had to execute military orders. If he had committed a crime, he would be executed according to the law. No exceptions. No wonder Changsun Wuji didn’t beg for mercy. Besides, it was only four days in prison. I didn’t see Old Cheng’s son being imprisoned. Who could beg for mercy?
Chang Sun Wuqi was not worried about Lao Cheng’s impartiality at all. Retaliation for personal gain was not Lao Cheng’s usual style. Since he was locked up, there must be a reason for his imprisonment. Having confirmed the auspiciousness of the potato, he had never been as confident in the future of the Tang Dynasty as he was now.
With a wise emperor, brave generals, resourceful ministers, soldiers willing to die for their country, and now the addition of potatoes to complete the final shortcoming, there is no reason why the prosperity of the reign of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing will not appear. As soon as he thought of this, he was so excited that he wanted to announce to the world that the golden age of the Tang Dynasty was coming.