Chapter 52

In the winter of the sixth year of Wude, the continuous heavy snow brought a significant impact to the newly stabilized Tang Dynasty. Emperor Li Yuan had a very difficult winter. Disaster reports from all over the country piled up in one corner of the imperial desk, and the high stack of memorials made Li Yuan's head ache every time he looked at them, but he had no choice but to read them.

It had been half a month since Sun Simiao entered the capital, and Li Xiuning's injuries had been effectively controlled. Although she still could not get out of bed, her wounds were recovering well, which was probably the only good news of the winter. Additionally, Sun Simiao had examined Li Yuan's health in the palace. Although it was not in the best condition, as long as he paid attention to rest and nourishment, there would be no major problems. This reassured Li Yuan, as it was the conclusion given by the most skilled doctor of the era.

The Minister of Revenue, Cui Xiang, had already complained several times about the financial difficulties. The national treasury was almost empty, and this was a fact. Not only the national treasury, but even the inner treasury had reduced its expenses. However, this hole was like a bottomless pit, consuming all the money and grain.

"These damned aristocratic families, these peasants, only know how to bury copper coins in their own courtyards. Do they not care about the rise and fall of the country? It seems that unless we use some means, you will not take me seriously. Do you really think it's still the Daejeon period when the country was in chaos and all the feudal lords needed your support? Humph!" Li Yuan made a decision and immediately issued an order: "Where is An Qi? Pass on my command: copy the intelligence we have gathered and place it on the bed of the heads of the families with the most hidden wealth, and make them contribute half of their hidden wealth to help us through this snow disaster!"

"An Qi accepts the order!" A voice responded, and then a dim shadow silently left the Zhaohao Palace, speeding away.

Just as Li Yuan decided to extort the wealthy aristocratic families, another plot was unfolding elsewhere.

Thirty miles outside Chang'an, at the foot of Yushan Mountain. A man in a dragon robe was climbing the mountain, and another person was waiting in a pavilion halfway up the mountain.

"Damn it, why not stay in the comfortable Chang'an and come to the outskirts of the city to drink the northwestern wind? Brother, you really have a good mood!" The voice came from a distance before he even reached the pavilion.

"What mood? The Second Brother is almost defecating and urinating on my head. Even the best mood would be ruined!" The person in the pavilion replied.

The man climbing the mountain was none other than Li Yuan's third son, the Prince of Qi, Li Yuanji. Despite the heavy snow, the two princes, who were skilled in martial arts, easily climbed the small Yushan Mountain. Li Yuanji was dressed in a dragon robe, with a jade belt around his waist and deer skin boots on his feet. The elaborate entourage at the foot of the mountain clearly indicated that he was out for a leisurely trip. However, he was called to this place by a mysterious person, and to his surprise, he found the Crown Prince, Li Jiancheng, waiting in the pavilion. This made him a bit surprised, as they had not met since their last unpleasant encounter, and they did not even speak to each other at court. Why would Li Jiancheng now secretly call him here?

"Brother, did you call me here for something?" Li Yuanji asked with a smile, his small eyes completely hidden by his grin, and his prominent front teeth made him look very lecherous.

"Regarding what the Third Brother mentioned last time, I agree, but under no circumstances should Father's life be endangered. You must remember this clearly, or even if we manage to bring down the Second Brother, I will not let you off!" Li Jiancheng said very seriously.

"Don't worry, my concoction won't kill anyone; it just weakens the body!" Li Yuanji was surprised that Li Jiancheng agreed to his idea, but this expression made Li Jiancheng want to vomit. He was also puzzled: why was this Third Brother so different from himself and the Second Brother? Could he really not be his biological brother?

"Then, can you now tell me what you are actually planning?" Li Jiancheng still wanted to clarify the specifics, otherwise, if Li Yuan caused trouble, Li Yuanji might shift the blame and leave him to take the fall, which was a common tactic of Li Yuanji. In Luoyang, he fled without a fight, leaving Li Jiancheng to take the blame, so he had to be cautious.

"I guess Brother knows what I have been secretly doing these years. I won't hide it from you; I have been secretly minting copper coins." Li Yuanji admitted openly to his illegal coin minting.

"What? Minting copper coins is a capital offense!" Li Jiancheng did not expect Li Yuanji to have such audacity. He knew that Li Yuanji had several mysterious workshops and was buying copper mines everywhere, but he thought Li Yuanji was making copperware, as he had received a bronze horse statue from Li Yuanji.

"It seems Brother's intelligence network isn't very good! Actually, I haven't been very secretive about this. I believe Father and the Second Brother know, but they have tacitly allowed it because the country really needs money. Even though they know the money is secretly minted by me, they still use it as real money." Li Yuanji smiled happily, thinking this was the best thing he had done in his thirty years of life. Even Li Jiancheng, who had always been ahead of him, had to swallow his pride, which made him feel very comfortable.

"What does this have to do with that matter?" Li Jiancheng was confused.

"During the minting process, my people discovered a strange substance. When this substance is placed in water, it slowly changes the water quality. Drinking such water for a long time will weaken the body, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and even hemoptysis, but it is not fatal. I gave it to thirty or forty death row inmates, and none of them died!" Li Yuanji said with a smile, speaking of such inhumane acts with a grin, showing how twisted his mind was.

"Do you plan to give Father this substance? Will it really not be fatal?" Li Jiancheng asked, showing some interest.

"Don't worry, the dose given to Father will be reduced, and it will be placed in a spring with flowing water, so it won't endanger his life!" Li Yuanji replied.

"Are you planning to put it in the spring at Xishan?" Li Jiancheng understood Li Yuanji's plan as soon as he heard this.

Li Yuan had a habit of drinking tea made with water from a specific spring at Xishan. No one knew why, not even Li Jiancheng, but it was a habit Li Yuan had maintained for over twenty years.

"That's right, I have already secretly sent people to do this a few days ago!" Li Yuanji did not hide what he had done.

"What? You've already started? Why didn't I receive any information?" Li Jiancheng was angry. Was his intelligence network really so outdated? This was the second time he had been unaware of something, and he would have to reorganize it when he returned. Those incompetent people deserved to be executed.

"Brother, don't worry. Not only you, but even Father and the Second Brother don't know. Ha ha... They have planted at least five spies around me, and two of them are my confidants. If it weren't for the fact that these two exposed themselves during our cold war, this plan might have been discovered!" Li Yuanji proudly told Li Jiancheng about the spies he had uncovered.

"If there are so many spies around you, there must be even more around me!" Li Jiancheng felt a chill down his back, knowing that his every move was being watched, which was not a pleasant feeling.

"Don't worry, get used to it. As long as you know who the problematic people are, these spies can become a sharp blade against their own masters. If used well, they are invincible!" Li Yuanji, who usually appeared foolish and incompetent, showed his shrewdness, revealing how deeply he had hidden himself.

"But how can I determine who the spies are? There are so many people around me!" As the Crown Prince, Li Jiancheng had many people around him, some of whom had come to him, and others he had recruited and cultivated. It was hard to tell who was a spy among them.

"I can't help with that. The substance I placed in the spring will make Father's health deteriorate within three years. As long as Li Jiancheng is not in the capital at that time, Father will naturally pass the throne to you. Just remember the conditions you promised me." Li Yuanji said indifferently. He didn't care who sat on the throne, as long as it wasn't Li Jiancheng. If that person could help him deal with Li Jiancheng, it would be even better. Among Emperor Li Yuan's many sons, only a few were adults, and the others were either minors or powerless, posing no threat.

"Alright, it's a deal. Once I ascend the throne, I will hand over the Second Brother's entire family to the Third Brother for disposal! When the Second Brother returns, the Third Brother will have to help me resist him!" Li Jiancheng thought for a moment and gave his answer.

"Of course, I dream of beheading Li Jiancheng on the battlefield!" Li Yuanji laughed sinisterly.

After their discussion, Li Yuanji went down the mountain first, leaving Li Jiancheng in the pavilion. He wrapped himself in his sable fur cloak, watching Li Yuanji's footprints gradually disappear under the snow, his expression changing.

"Your Highness, Prince Qi is completely mad. Be very careful when dealing with him!" A white figure appeared behind Li Jiancheng, wearing a white cloak that could blend into the snow if it remained silent.

"I have my own plans. But the spies around me are making me restless. Find them for me!" Li Jiancheng ordered.

"Understood!" The white figure disappeared into the snowy plain, leaving only a faint footprint, unlike Li Yuanji's deep half-foot prints.

"This world will be mine!" Li Jiancheng's eyes reflected a glint of ambition.

PS: Thank you again for Ye Hongxue's third donation. I bow in gratitude!

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