Chapter 58

Although the young prince was not old, his speech and demeanor were very mature, making people easily overlook his age. Despite his simple robe, he exuded a noble and elegant presence. At his young age, he spoke with a natural authority. Xia Hongsheng guessed that this young man in white must come from a distinguished family, not an ordinary household. It was very likely that he was the son of a high-ranking official. However, when he said he was about the same age as Xia Hongsheng, it surprised Xia Hongsheng, because this young man in white was at least a head taller than Xia Hongsheng and looked quite strong, not at all like a teenager, but more like a young man of seventeen or eighteen. Coupled with his mature speech and demeanor, Xia Hongsheng had initially mistaken him for a young man. The young man in white was also sizing up Xia Hongsheng. The youth before him, though young, had a calm and composed demeanor, and his speech was very mature, giving the young man in white the feeling of facing an elder. If he hadn't seen his appearance, he would have thought he was an elder in his forties.

Xia Hongsheng, however, was not as old as that, even if you counted his age from his previous life. It was just that he had experienced too much, making his mental age somewhat older.

"Hey, Brother Jingshi, with such excellent literary talent, why don't you participate in the poetry gathering?" The young prince glanced at Xia Hongsheng, who was sitting on a green stone, leaning against a tree with his eyes half-closed, and said, "Not to mention anything else, just the poem you wrote yesterday, I can guarantee it would definitely surpass all the other students and win first place."

Xia Hongsheng opened his eyes, smiled at the young prince, and asked in return, "So what if I win first place?"

"You would gain the favor of the school's chief administrator, and he would recommend you to take the imperial examinations to serve the country and benefit the people! Without a recommendation, you can't even take the exams." The young prince looked at Xia Hongsheng with some confusion. "Don't you want to serve the court and benefit the people, Brother Jingshi?"

The imperial examination system was established in the Sui Dynasty and continued in the Tang Dynasty. However, initially, not everyone could take the exams, and not everyone who passed could enter the ranks of the gentry. In the Tang Dynasty, selection was based not only on exam results but also on recommendations from prominent figures. Therefore, candidates would seek out high-ranking officials and present their works to them, hoping to gain recommendations, a practice known as "submitting scrolls." This is why the students were so concerned about the poetry gathering, hoping that a good performance would earn them a recommendation.

Xia Hongsheng laughed and said, "Brother Zike, let me ask you, what do the people eat, what do they plant in the fields, how do they plant it, and when do they plant it? What do they wear, how is it made, and how can more people get to wear it? What do you do when there's a disaster or a bandit attack? Do you know?"

The young prince thought for a moment and said, "I don't know."

"Neither do I," Xia Hongsheng shrugged. "When you're starving, would you rather have a table full of delicious food or write a poem?"

"Ha ha!" The young prince laughed. "Of course, I would rather have a table full of delicious food."

Xia Hongsheng clapped his hands. "That's exactly it. Just writing poems and not understanding the four seasons or the five grains, how can you possibly benefit the people? Look at the capable officials and famous administrators throughout history who have been praised by the people. Which one was praised for their poetry?"

"Um..." The young prince was at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond.

However, Xia Hongsheng laughed and waved his hand. "Ha ha, I was just being argumentative. Don't take it to heart. I'm not participating in the poetry gathering because I don't want to compete in these intangible things. It's better to go to Yixiangju for a good meal! I'm naturally lazy, and I apologize for that, Brother Zike."

"Ah? Didn't Brother Jingshi say yesterday that you wanted to 'drive a long chariot, break through the Helan Mountains, and reclaim the lost territories'? With such grand and heroic aspirations, why are you so relaxed today?" The young prince looked at the laid-back Xia Hongsheng with surprise.

Xia Hongsheng smiled even more broadly. Although the young prince spoke maturely, he was still a young man at heart. "These are matters of state, not for us to worry about. If we want to break through the Helan Mountains, there are soldiers and generals and the emperor to handle it. Believe me, no matter how arrogant the Turks are, they won't last much longer. Within five years, the Tang Dynasty will show its teeth and tear the Turks to shreds!"

"Oh?" The young prince's eyes lit up. "Why do you say that?"

Why do I say that? Because that's how history unfolded! After the Weishui Alliance, the Tang Dynasty and the Turks entered a period of peace. During this period, Li Shimin took a series of political and economic measures to strengthen the country and prepare for war. He also sowed discord between the Khagan of the Turks, Jiali, and his brother, Tuli, secretly supporting Tuli to challenge Jiali. It was around the third year of the Zhenguan era when the Turks invaded the Hexi region but were repelled by the general Zhang Shigui. This gave Li Shimin the pretext to launch a full-scale attack on the Turks. By the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, the famous Tang-Turk war would begin. Li Shimin's six armies, fueled by years of pent-up anger, would pour into the northwest grasslands.

However, he couldn't reveal these things to anyone now, or he might be in grave danger.

So Xia Hongsheng smiled and said, "It's just a guess. The Weishui Alliance, although considered a disgrace by the Tang people, was actually a great success and a very wise decision by the emperor..."

"Nonsense!" The young prince interrupted Xia Hongsheng, his face showing anger. "The Turks acted despicably, invading during the emperor's ascension. The Tang Dynasty was forced to sign the Weishui Alliance. How can it not be a disgrace?!"

Young man, you still have a lot to learn! Xia Hongsheng chuckled and said, "As the saying goes, a gentleman can wait ten years to take revenge. At the time, the emperor had just ascended the throne, his position was not yet secure, and many generals were watching from the sidelines. The Turks took advantage of the situation and advanced all the way to the outskirts of Chang'an. If the Weishui Alliance had not been signed, the capital Chang'an might have been destroyed, and the newly stabilized warlords might have risen up again, leading to the disintegration of the country. This would have been a catastrophic outcome. However, the emperor had the foresight to use a feint, deploying a large army while personally confronting the Khagan of the Turks at Weishui. He also ordered the Chang'an troops to follow, making the Khagan believe that Chang'an was well-defended, and he retreated. The Weishui Alliance brought a relatively stable period of peace and development to the Tang Dynasty. During this time, the emperor could focus on consolidating the country, developing politics and the economy, and strengthening the military. He also sowed discord between Jiali and Tuli, weakening the Turks. In a few years, when the Tang Dynasty is strong and well-prepared, the emperor will strike again, and the Turks will be completely destroyed. The Weishui Alliance was a great and far-sighted diplomatic victory, buying time and laying the foundation for the future war against the Turks... cough, cough..."

Uh, I almost recited the historical significance of the Weishui Alliance! Xia Hongsheng scratched his head and turned to see the young prince's face flushed with excitement, his fists clenched, and his arms tense. He said with a tone of admiration, "So, the emperor... is so far-sighted and brave..."

Xia Hongsheng shook his head at the entranced young prince. Damn, another society with a severe personality cult! However, it must be said that Li Shimin, who led China to its most prosperous period and was revered as the Heavenly Khan, indeed deserved respect and admiration.

"Alright, Brother, don't get so excited. These matters are not for us to meddle in. Let's focus on the poetry gathering. The chief administrator has already read two poems. What do you think, Brother Zike?" Xia Hongsheng had just listened to the introduction of a new type of tea and saw the scholars and teachers enjoying it, feeling quite pleased. The poems read by the chief administrator were good, but Xia Hongsheng, having been exposed to timeless classics in his previous life, found them rather ordinary.

"Good, but not as stirring as the poem you wrote yesterday, Brother Jingshi. It made my whole body tremble." The young prince had calmed down and smiled. "Listening to you talk is much more interesting than listening to these boring poems. Why don't we go to Yixiangju for a meal and chat? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Xia Hongsheng shook his head. "Wouldn't that be a burden on Brother Zike? We can chat just as well under this tree in the garden."

"Without wine, the conversation is not complete! It's a great honor to meet Brother Jingshi, and I wouldn't be stingy about a few coins for wine. Please don't refuse!" The young prince bowed and said.

Seeing the young prince's invitation, Xia Hongsheng did not refuse and got up, leaving the garden with him. The poetry gathering disappointed him, and he saw that the tea shop was doing well. Since there was nothing else to do, he might as well chat with the young prince for a while!