Chapter 129: The Logan Project

"I see nothing particularly significant about this matter," Li Shimin remarked after reading a memorial.

Zhangsun Wuji, his expression composed, advised him, "I have lost count of how many times I have suggested that you should refer to yourself as 'Gu' or 'Gua-ren.' It would be slightly more appropriate."

"I have grown accustomed to it. I was not born a true Son of Heaven; I seized this throne through desperate struggle, and some habits are difficult to break."

"The founding of a nation is the work of mere mortals. Success comes because they are the chosen ones, destined to accomplish great things," Fang Xuanling added from the side.

In Fang Xuanling’s view, Li Shimin clearly possessed the mettle of an emperor, but his mindset had not yet fully transitioned—at least, not entirely. In a society governed by primogeniture, a common man rising to power by killing his own brother was an affront to the natural order. Such naked ambition and desire would typically warrant death by a thousand cuts. Yet, he was the Son of Heaven, and history has always been written by the victors. With a mere stroke of a historian’s pen, his slain brothers, just like Yang Guang, or figures of the past like Wang Mang or even the First Emperor of Qin, could all be branded as incompetent tyrants.

As for the truth? The truth was never determined by the living; it was the truth of the victors. Fang Xuanling understood that throughout history, the Emperor Gaozu of Han had the most authority to speak on the true nature of Qin Shi Huang, just as the Emperor Guangwu had dismissed Wang Mang as a tyrant with a single brushstroke. Given that the current Emperor possessed such great talent and vision, was there anyone more suited to be the Son of Heaven? Of course not! Since that was the case, they should follow the mandate of Heaven and act decisively to help him fulfill his destiny.

As for Li Shimin’s lingering inner turmoil, it was only a matter of time. He had ultimately launched the Xuanmen Gate Incident, taking his fate firmly into his own hands. No matter how reluctant people were, even a stubborn man like the Duke of Zheng had to acknowledge the reality. Li Shimin, however, always felt that his unrighteous act would leave him open to condemnation. In the eyes of his ministers, it was merely a means to save the nation; had the Tang empire fallen into the hands of Li Jiancheng, that would have been the true misfortune of the world.

Fang Xuanling urged him, "If Your Majesty is not yet accustomed to it, you may still proceed with bold, great deeds."

Li Shimin replied, "Great deeds? The domestic situation is not yet stable—rebellions, turmoil among the northern tribes, and severe droughts. It will be a feat in itself just to endure through this."

Zhangsun Wuji countered, "To focus on the past is the way of scholars; to focus on the present is the way of ordinary men. Only by focusing on the future can one be the true Son of Heaven who dares to lead the world. Regardless of the adversity, if we are united, we will surely overcome it."

Li Shimin nodded and asked Fang Xuanling, "How are the preparations for the 'Righteous Granaries' I entrusted to you?"

Fang Xuanling reported, "After the Secretariat drafted the decree, it was efficiently executed across all departments and local regions. It is widely considered a long-term strategy. Henan, Hebei, and the Guannei region are all preparing supplies and building granaries. We have reached agreements with local gentry for funds, and the imperial court is purchasing and transporting grain from them. Within a month, the impact of the drought in Guannei will be partially alleviated."

Li Shimin was overjoyed. "Excellent! If the drought in Guannei can be mitigated by the spring planting season, allowing the land to be irrigated, we can continue to farm and prevent further disasters next year! If this succeeds, Duke Liang, the credit shall be yours!"

Fang Xuanling, trembling with humility, knelt to express his gratitude. "I seek no fame; Your Majesty has already bestowed much upon me. I am unworthy. I only pray for favorable weather, peace under Heaven, prosperity for the people, and the stability of the Great Tang!"

Zhangsun Wuji looked on with admiration, and Li Shimin was deeply gratified. The three men conversed harmoniously in the imperial court.

***

In the city of Dingxiang, Luo Gan and Yanshan emerged after a hearty meal. Over the past few days, they had been getting by on their wits, "pointing out the rivers and mountains" to score free meals. Although they hadn't earned much money, Luo Gan had inadvertently gained a bit of fame as a "Han Gourmet" in this city where Hu and Han peoples coexisted.

"I never expected us to become somewhat well-known here," Yanshan said. "Our leader is truly extraordinary." Yanshan’s greatest strength was his refusal to steal credit, allowing him to get along with everyone, leaving them floating on air with his praise.

"Alas!" Luo Gan sighed. "It is a pity this place is so unstable. Otherwise, it would have been a fine place to develop a career."

"Why don't we just go to Chang'an and open a shop?" Yanshan suggested. "We could make some delicacies; I’m sure we wouldn't do half bad!"

Luo Gan was in high spirits and was just about to agree to this entrepreneurial impulse, but thoughts of the competition crept back into his mind. This happened often. He realized he was caught in the game, enjoying the process, yet he had to remind himself that his goal was the prize money—the happiness of his life in reality.

The era remained on a fixed timeline. Whether it was the trivial, fictional cases in Anping County or the historical events occurring now, everything followed a known sequence. The last clue he had received was likely related to the mission to Liang Shidu. Did this count as deviating from the timeline?

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. Luo Gan clearly realized that he was falling behind.

He hurried into Xiaozhi’s room. That boy only applied himself when working on his wood carvings; otherwise, he was in a state of "suspended animation," either lying limp or too lazy to move. Ever since he left the Tiger Saw Pavilion, the situation had worsened.

"Is the wood carving finished? We are leaving soon."

"It's a semi-finished product," Xiaozhi replied. "If I finish it, it will be too inconvenient to carry."

"A piece of wood weighs roughly the same," Luo Gan argued. "What difference does it make if it's finished or half-done?"

"If it’s half-done, I don't have to worry about it breaking. Once it’s finished, it’s a different story—it becomes delicate, and any mishap would be catastrophic."

Yanshan asked, "What should we do next?"

Xiaozhi looked at them. "I heard you muttering about 'grain, grain' in your sleep last night, Brother Luo. Were you not fed well?"

***

Luo Gan fell into deep thought. Grain? He had certainly been eating well recently, thriving in the barren Dingxiang. His only concerns were the safety of their return journey and the progress regarding Liang Shidu. Thinking of Liang Shidu, Luo Gan suddenly had an epiphany.

"So that’s it. We are about to undertake a great task."

Yanshan and Xiaozhi were already accustomed to Luo Gan’s "great tasks." They knew he possessed the knack for a commoner to struggle and thrive in this era.

"We are going on a mission to Liang Shidu. You both need to prepare."

Xiaozhi asked, "So we are going after all? But what for? To deliver a letter?"

"To persuade him to surrender, most likely," Luo Gan said. "Liang Shidu is destined to fail. This is what the Duke of Song wanted me to prepare for."

Yanshan exclaimed, "But why would the imperial court send commoners like us to interfere in state affairs? That makes no sense."

"On the surface, of course, it makes no sense," Luo Gan replied. "But there are always things done in the shadows. It’s nothing more than the court choosing us for a job that their civil servants don’t want to do."

Xiaozhi sighed, "I fear we won't get any benefits, yet we’ll be putting our lives on the line."

"That is entirely possible," Luo Gan said. "But if we succeed in persuading Liang Shidu to surrender, imagine the rewards we might receive for such a merit!"

At this point, Luo Gan was trying his best to coax his two sidekicks into joining his treasure-hunting scheme.