Seeing Li Shimin's face as dark as the bottom of a pot, Princess Gao Yang realized that what she just said was somewhat ambiguous. She shrank her head in fear and rubbed her clothes with her little hands, not knowing how to explain it.
Just at this time, a eunuch spoke outside the pavilion: "Your Majesty, Duke Lu wants to see you."
Li Shimin looked at the sky and saw that it was already the You hour. If nothing happened, Cheng Yaojin would not ask for a visit at this time.
Upon hearing Cheng Yaojin's request for an audience, Princess Gaoyang breathed a sigh of relief as if she had been granted amnesty, and quickly let go of Li Shimin's arm and stood up.
Li Shimin did not pursue the matter further, but instead said with pity: "My eyes have turned into peaches from crying. Please step aside first. Duke Lu Guo must be asking for an audience at this time because of important matters. We will discuss your marriage later."
Princess Gaoyang was eager for this, so she quickly saluted Li Shimin and left as quickly as a flying swallow.
Cheng Yaojin was led by the chamberlain to the pavilion in the imperial garden and saw Li Shimin sitting alone at the table, leisurely sipping tea.
"Old minister Cheng Yaojin, please see your Majesty." Cheng Yaojin bowed and saluted.
Li Shimin saw Cheng Yaojin's nondescript look and joked: "You don't have to be polite to Yaojin. I didn't expect Yaojin to be so polite today."
In response to Li Shimin's teasing, Cheng Yaojin, who was thick-skinned and thick-skinned, had no embarrassment at all and sat down beside the table before Li Shimin could say anything.
He picked up the teacup and drank several cups of tea like a cow, and then he sighed angrily: "The Longjing tea made by Uncle Zhongyi is indeed extraordinary. After a few cups, the heat in my body is much refreshed. When I leave, I will
When the time comes, Your Majesty will pack some for someone."
Li Shimin's eyes twitched. Is this idiot trying to make him angry on purpose? He doesn't have much, so he still gives it to you?
What a beautiful thought!
Besides, drinking tea like this is just like chewing peonies, and you may not even taste the taste. I really feel sorry for my own tea, and I have to send this idiot away quickly.
Thinking of this, Li Shimin quickly asked: "Now that the palace is about to be banned, is there anything wrong with Yao Jin entering the palace at this time?"
Only then did Cheng Yaojin remember the purpose of coming here. He pointed to a big box outside the pavilion and said, "As entrusted by Uncle Zhongyi, I will send you something to His Majesty and give Uncle Zhongyi a month's leave."
"What? Asking for leave? What does this kid want to do? He simply doesn't take me seriously and actually wants to bribe me?" Li Shimin stood up and cursed angrily.
Cheng Yaojin didn't care. He smiled and asked: "If your majesty doesn't want it, how about I accept it for your majesty shamelessly?"
Seeing that this thieving and thieving fool was so greedy, Li Shimin certainly wouldn't allow it. He snorted and said, "What's the matter with that kid? You haven't even taken up the post yet, and you want to give up?"
Cheng Yaojin did not pretend to be pretentious, and replied with a straight face: "According to Uncle Zhongyi, the business of Liulician will be put on the agenda. He said that he has to go back to Yangjiaping to supervise it personally."
During this period, the imperial court was not short of money, and its internal treasury was sufficient. Li Shimin almost forgot that he still had this business.
So Li Shimin said calmly: "No wonder that boy wants to take leave. Is that box also a finished product? How much do you earn in a month?"
Cheng Yaojin said: "According to Uncle Zhongyi's estimate, if the operation is done properly, there should be a profit of one million yuan a month."
Li Shimin looked in disbelief and lost his voice: "How much did you say? One million dollars a month?"
Cheng Yaojin affirmed: "Yes, this is still a conservative estimate. Of course, according to what Uncle Zhongyi said, it will decrease when it reaches saturation in two or three years."
Li Shimin muttered to himself as if he was delusional: "One million a month, one year...the imperial court's annual tax is about 13 to 15 million guan."
Finally, he swallowed his saliva and stared at Cheng Yaojin as he asked word by word: "Can I earn 12 million yuan in one year? Isn't that equivalent to having two years of taxes?"
Without waiting for Cheng Yaojin to answer, Li Shimin shouted to the eunuch outside the pavilion: "Bring me the map..."
Soon, a rough map appeared in Li Shimin's hand. The tea on the table suddenly lost its aroma, and the tea set was removed by the eunuch.
The map on the handle is carefully spread out on the table, like a treasure.
The words "The Map of the Territories of the Tang Dynasty" stand clearly on the top of the paper, and the territories of various places are drawn by hand on the lower part. In addition to the Tang Dynasty, several countries adjacent to the Tang Dynasty are also marked.
If Yang Fan were here, he would definitely sneer at this "Tang Dynasty Map".
Of course, he couldn't understand it either.
Because there are no contours at all, the proportions are wrong.
Can this also be called a map?
It's a pity that Yang Fan didn't have the opportunity to complain.
Li Shimin's eyes swept over Silla, Baekje, Tubo, Tuguhun, and Tubo, and finally stopped at that vast territory - Goguryeo.
Looking at the huge territory of Goguryeo, Li Shimin suddenly felt a surge of great pride in his heart.
This was the bane that ruined the great Sui Dynasty. It was the battlefield where the bones of countless athletes from the Central Plains were buried, and the holy place where the great achievements of emperors throughout the ages were accomplished.
From ancient times to the present, no matter which dynasty they belong to, they have taken pride in conquering this land.
As long as he conquers that huge territory, Li Shimin will be the most powerful emperor since ancient times.
All negative influences imposed on him will pale into insignificance in the face of this unparalleled achievement.
This shows that he is a more legitimate emperor than Li Jiancheng, and he is the real son of destiny.
If this land, which had never been conquered by the Central Plains dynasty, could be captured by Li Shimin and included in the territory of the Tang Dynasty, his name would be famous throughout the ages.
Even Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty could only line up behind him.
An emperor through the ages can also look forward to it.
This was such a temptation that he couldn't help himself, and his hand stroking the map trembled slightly.
As long as this pioneering feat is accomplished, can you imagine how domineering and great a feat it is?
He had no money before, so he could only think about it and dream about it day and night, but he never dared to take action.
Now that he has this opportunity, how can he give up?
Looking at the excited Li Shimin, Cheng Yaojin could certainly understand some of Li Shimin's thoughts.
However, he still couldn't help but remind him: "Your Majesty, it seems that you only have 50% of the shares."
For this ignorant fool, Li Shimin glared at him secretly, couldn't he let himself dream about it first? Even if it was 50%, it would still be six to seven million dollars a year.
Then he rolled his eyes and said to Cheng Yaojin with a smile: "Yaojin, you and I will live and die together as brothers, and we have built a great country. Now the people of the Tang Dynasty live and work in peace and contentment, and the country has become more stable. If brothers are in trouble,
I guess Yao Jin won’t just sit idly by, right?”
Seeing Li Shimin suddenly playing the emotional card, Cheng Yaojin suddenly became wary and said with a sloppy eye: "Of course it is, but my ability is limited, your Majesty should find other brothers to help."
He was simply an old fox who couldn't get enough of oil and salt. Li Shimin didn't bother to beat around the bush anymore and said straight to the point: "Yi Jin, you accounted for 10% of the glass business. Anyway, Lu Guogong's house has no worries about food and clothing, and it doesn't cost much silver. It's not as good as this."
How about lending me some money?"
I didn't expect that Li Shimin would be so shameless and openly rob him. If Li Shimin had brought it up tactfully, he could have pretended not to understand.
Now that Li Shimin came straight to the point, Cheng Yaojin could only curse secretly, and then said with a wry smile: "Originally, Your Majesty opened his mouth, so Yaojin had to obey, but there is a large population in the old Cheng family, and so many people are opening their mouths to eat. It is not as good as the old minister just asking for something."
One-tenth of the shares, what does Your Majesty think?"
He knows the principle that if a man is innocent, he will be guilty if he has a treasure. It seems that having more money will make people jealous.
Although such a robbery made Li Shimin blush a little, for the sake of his own dominance, he just accepted it with a few polite words.
But he is not the kind of person who only accepts benefits from others, so he gave Cheng Chumo a promotion by the way.
After Cheng Yaojin thanked his son for his kindness, he heard Li Shimin say again: "I agreed to that boy's vacation. I can let him postpone his report for a month. Go talk to that boy and say that I will borrow 30% of the profit from him."
, just think of it as the money needed to 'marry' the princess, that boy knows what to do."
Cheng Yaojin was dumbfounded by these words. Marrying a princess? But he didn't dare to ask again.
Princess Gaoyang had no idea that she would be betrayed by Li Shimin in the blink of an eye.