Chapter 165: Relieving the Grain Famine

The mansion of the Duke of Song had fallen into extreme dilapidation, looking like a mere relic of the previous dynasty and evoking a deep sense of melancholy. Inside, the elderly doorkeeper dozed off with his chin cupped in his hand, while listless servants lethargically swept fallen leaves from the ground, creating a general atmosphere of ruin and decay.

Luo Gan thought to himself that while he had initially merely advised the Duke of Song to practice frugality in all things, his actions now seemed to have gone a bit too far. After all, the man was still a minister of the imperial court, and misjudging the scale of such measures could easily invite misunderstandings. It might lead Li Shimin to believe that the Duke was deliberately provoking trouble and stirring up complications for everyone. However, being nothing more than the owner of a odd-job shop in the commercial district, he lacked any significant political leverage. The most urgent task at hand was undoubtedly to push forward with the progress of the mission.

The Duke of Song walked straight out into the courtyard and stretched lazily. Luo Gan stepped forward and grabbed him by the arm.

Luo Gan: "I heard I was summoned here. Is there any news?"

Duke of Song: "Naturally. With the massive commotion you've kicked up, who in the entire realm could possibly be unaware of it?"

Luo Gan was somewhat baffled by the Duke's words. He had kept a low profile and behaved himself during this period, merely watching the fires from across the river. Could Sima Ge's affairs possibly have anything to do with him?

Luo Gan: "I don't quite understand..."

Duke of Song: "We are in a partnership, after all, so if there's a problem, we should speak plainly. How could you orchestrate such a massive affair in the commercial district without giving me a prior heads-up? Now that His Majesty has come down to assign blame, I am completely in the dark, and I have no good way to help you even if I wanted to."

Luo Gan: "The commercial district? Wasn't that Sima Ge's business? What does it have to do with me?"

The Duke of Song heaved a long sigh, looking at Luo Gan with an expression of utter disgust as if he were a harbinger of bad luck.

Duke of Song: "Causing a disturbance right under the emperor's nose in the capital might be overlooked or turned a blind eye to elsewhere, but now look at it—His Majesty knows all about this mess and has ordered a thorough investigation. Let me give you the current progress directly. Isn't there an assistant under your command who is connected to the ringleader of the trouble, Sima Ge?"

This undoubtedly referred to Xiao Zhi. After all, Xiao Zhi was Sima Ge's apprentice. Moreover, when evidence was being gathered and investigations were conducted after the deaths, Xiao Zhi had been sent along. The three of them had gone together, yet Xiao Zhi was the only one who escaped unharmed, which in itself made him extremely suspicious. Luo Gan reflected that perhaps his calculations had fallen short in this matter.

Duke of Song: "Why aren't you speaking? I assume it's because your conscience is guilty. That fellow called Xiao Zhi will likely be dragged in for a rigorous retrial, and his unlucky master is ten to one beyond redemption. As for those two local tyrants, there are still people protecting them for now."

Luo Gan: "Why is the Way of Heaven so unjust!"

Duke of Song: "There are plenty of unfair things in this world. What you need to do is finish the game. What do the lives and deaths of other people have to do with you?"

Luo Gan lowered his head in silence, feeling as though his soul and body had been torn apart, plunging him into a state of sheer chaos.

Duke of Song: "I do have a way to temporarily get you out of trouble regarding this matter. Go to Liang Shidu's territory. Now is the right time."

Inside the imperial palace, Li Shimin leaned against a desk and gazed into the distance, while Fang Xuanling beside him delivered a report on the construction of the charitable granaries.

Fang Xuanling: "Thanks to Your Majesty's boundless grace, various regions are now eagerly constructing charitable granaries, and the progress is gratifying. Construction has been prioritized particularly in the Guannei region, and it is anticipated that by the spring sowing, the people will be able to enjoy Your Majesty's benevolence."

Li Shimin was pondering how to bring stability and peace to the common people across the realm. The empire he had inherited from his father, Li Yuan, could be described as highly unstable. Li Yuan was a master of military command and an exceptional strategist, yet he possessed little knowledge or inclination regarding the governance of the state. The severe drought in Guannei was, in reality, merely a catalyst that left countless people without food, thereby triggering a cascade of greater crises. Only by ensuring their survival could one even begin to discuss the concept of a livelihood.

However, the empire of the Great Tang could certainly not be content with merely maintaining the status quo. Li Shimin's gaze was already fixed upon the lands beyond the northern frontier; that entire expanse ought to belong to the House of Li. Despite endless rounds of negotiations with the northern nomads and the conclusion of the Alliance of Weishui, the Turks had never truly abandoned their threat to the Great Tang. Rather than tolerating this indefinitely, it would be far better to bring the matter to a definitive end sooner rather than later.

Li Shimin: "That is exceedingly good. Only after the affairs of the common people are properly managed can we possess the qualifications to contend with external enemies."

Fang Xuanling tended to be rather conservative regarding affairs of state, whereas Changsun Wuji consistently advocated strongly for military action. Li Shimin understood the distinct advantages each possessed, which was why he arranged for them to complement one another.

Fang Xuanling: "Your Majesty is wise. The livelihood of the people must indeed be given the highest priority. From ancient times to the present day, only a state with strong domestic governance could be truly called a powerful nation; otherwise, even if Emperor Shi Huang of Qin swept across the eight wild realms, he remained the ruler of a short-lived dynasty."

Changsun Wuji: "The reason for the downfall of the Qin Dynasty was that it lost the hearts of the people and failed to attach sufficient importance to their livelihood. Yet the Qin also left behind many hidden perils that were not properly resolved until the Han Dynasty, culminating in Emperor Wu of Han, who finally possessed the capability to secure the northern borders."

Li Shimin understood the core of their disagreement. Fang Xuanling naturally hoped to allow the people to rest and recover so that the strength of internal governance could shine through. Changsun Wuji, on the other hand, excelled at strategic planning and was relatively less proficient in domestic administration compared to Fang Xuanling.

Fang Xuanling: "Ah, the times have indeed changed. Whenever I visit the common folk, I sense that what people truly desire is a prosperous era of peace, rather than an age of military conquest and bloodshed. For the common people to live and work in peace, farmers to diligently till the fields, merchants to happily engage in trade, and officials to be upright and incorruptible—is this not the peaceful and prosperous era we all aspire to?"

Changsun Wuji: "Of course this is the peaceful era we aspire to, but we cannot simply turn a blind eye to internal troubles and external threats! Although the great realm is now unified under one banner, you are well aware of the threat posed by the nomads. Liang Shidu and a faction of rebel generals are still committing treason and stirring up rebellion. What kind of stability will make them believe in a peaceful era?"

It was not as though Fang Xuanling was unaware of how chaotic the external environment was; rather, for him, the progress of the game took precedence. Gaining Li Shimin's favor at court was not his ultimate goal. Just a few days prior, Fang Xuanling had invited Du Ruhui to his home to discuss the next stage of game progression—specifically, completing the construction of the charitable granaries while simultaneously defeating a rival player. Both Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui independently concluded that the Duke of Song was a hidden player, which explained why they locked horns so fiercely in the imperial court. A stable domestic environment was naturally more advantageous for Fang Xuanling to exert his influence. Yet for reasons unknown, Changsun Wuji had recently shifted his stance decisively toward the pro-war faction, appearing to align with the Duke of Song, a development that left Fang Xuanling thoroughly perplexed.

Li Shimin: "Very well, I am aware of the progress on the charitable granaries. What is the status of the inventory of previously stored grain? Are the grain reserves across various regions sufficient to handle the current food shortage?"

Fang Xuanling: "Following a thorough investigation, several hundred officials nationwide implicated in corruption have been executed according to the law. A total of five hundred and forty thousand shi of grain have been confiscated, which should be sufficient to resolve this pressing crisis."