Living leisurely in Tang Dynasty

They were still travelling by horses and the Emperor didn’t want to be bothered by Yuanying. Let’s talk once we are in the palace. Yuanying agreed but still mumbled “There’s nothing much to do now anyway, why can’t we talk? You only need your ears.”

Chengqian listening from the side realized that he needed to learn how to be shameless.  Father seems to obviously like this.

Yuanying couldn’t win against the Emperor and so he put his attention onto returning Little Round Ball home safely. He carried him into Prince Wei’s Mansion. After entering,  Little Round Ball  who had been happily playing with Li Xiang hugged onto Li Yuanying and refused to let go, softly shouting: “Yaoyao!”

“Hey” (to ask the boy what was wrong).

“Papa left without me.” His voice was a little sad. “Does Papa like me?”

He trust Yaoyao the most as Yaoyao will  not lie to him.

Yuanying gently knocked on  Little Round Ball’s forehead with his own.  “Of course, but the journey is far. Your mummy has a baby sibling in her belly and so you guys had to stay behind. Since Papa is not here you’re the only boy in the family. You’ll need to be the pillar!”

Little Round Ball ‘s eyes lit up and he said proudly: “The pillar of support!”

The manly  Little Round Ball no longer needed Li Yuanying to hold him. He struggled to be let off to the ground and ran excitedly into the back room to mother’s side. He then repeated what YaoYao said to him happily.

After returning the child safely, he quickly caught up with the Emperor and continue back to the palace. Yuanying followed after His Majesty  step by step, with a firm look of “I have something to say and I must say it.”

Li Er brought him and Chengqian into the meeting hall and asked him what his new idea was.

Yuanying dragged a small mat and sat next to Li Er and shared his original plan. Dai Ting has journeyed to foreign lands and have opened up a path for those who would like to visit in the future. Therefore this year, he is planning to get Dai Ting to travel back to Tibetan Empire on a different route. It will be best if he becomes familiar with the whole of Tibetan Empire and knows where to engage in trading.

“That way, I can ask Dai Ting to write down his experience. Then we will  know all the good places and good food.”

His Majesty and Chengqian looked at each other and nodded . “Okay.”  

If you really could visit the whole country then we wouldn’t only know where to find delicious and fun things but also be able to find out their secrets.

“In the past I thought that as long as I kept all the birds and animals at Xiangcheng Palace, people would be able to see all the rare and exotic animals at once. Today I heard from General Li say yaks are only used to living in its homeland. So I now think that not everything is able to adapt and live in Luoyang and Chang’an. Therefore, we should go out more often, the further the better; especially the children of our Li family. Why should we eat, drink and have fun only at home? It’s boring and of no use. Why not let them represent Tang and travel around every year.”

Li Er glanced at him: “You want to go out and play?”

Yuanying didn’t fall for the trap and said with a serious face: “No such thing. I just remembered what Teacher Xiao said about taxation. Think about it, so many children from the Li clan, all contributing nothing to the economy. The money we need to spend to run the government is escalating and the land needed to feed the Li Clan is also increasing. How can the normal citizens afford it? So as a descendant of the Li clan, you must do your part for the country.

Yuanying snickered. “If Wencheng can move to Tibetan Empire, what’s stopping the rest? So a handsome boy is no better than a girl? In my opinion, they should be sent out everywhere; to Tibetan Empire, Tuyuhun and to places further north and south. Those that had just passed their exams and had no official posts in the government yet should be thrown into a mission group and send off into foreign lands. Just look at all the men you rely on, which of them haven’t travelled to the south and north for exposure?”

Li Er looked like he was deep in thoughts.

Yuanying finished his speech in a smooth manner before sharing his ultimate goal with great enthusiasm: “If you are afraid that others are not willing, then send me first and I’ll create a good start!”

Li Er wanted to kick him out.

After such a big circle, all the boy wanted was to go out and play?!

“Eating, drinking and having fun at home brings no contribution but going out to do this same thing will? It will cost more money.” (Li Er)

“Of course it’s different. Eating, drinking and having fun at home is setting a bad example. Going out to do it is showing off the power of the Tang Empire. Even if it doesn’t work, You get to be the bad example for others. Isn’t that good? The people from other lands will also learn to eat, drink and have fun!”

Speaking of this, Yuanying wanted to tell Li Er about the story of Zhou Chu’s reformation in <<Account of the Tales of the World>> ^[1]Shishuo Xinyu, was compiled and edited by Liu Yiqing during the Liu Song dynasty of the Northern and Southern dynasties. It is a historical compilation of many Chinese scholars, musicians, and … Continue reading”.

Zhou Chu was deceived by the villagers to go hunting tigers and killing dragons. Everyone thought that he and the monsters were dead together, and they celebrated happily. Only then did Zhou Chu realize how others treated him, and he immediately felt like repenting. Therefore, we should drive out “external harm” to disturb others. After the damage is done, maybe everyone will repent!

Even if nothing works out, there is also no loss. After all, we are already feeding these people, it doesn’t matter where we feed them. Those who are unwilling to fulfill their obligations will naturally receive less rewards. Don’t blame others, who ask you not to word hard?

“So much justification and theories but all still pointing to the fact that you want to go out and have fun. Didn’t you say that you want to be a Jinshi Prince?” He looked at Li Yuanying, “What? Think it’s too hard and decided not to take the exam?”

“No, I’m not afraid of it. Studying don’t mean you have to stay indoors at home to do it. Go out and see things, walk more during the day, and read more at night, you may learn more.” (Li Yuanying)

His Majesty did not comment but  waved his hand. “Okay, I get it, go back.”

Chengqian wasn’t aware that the brothers had such a bet.  After leaving the meeting hall, he asked: “Young uncle, are you really planning to take the imperial examination?”

“Brother allowed me to do it. If I don’t then everything will be in vain!”

Chengqian nodded and said that he was optimistic that young uncle will do well. Just two years ago, Li Yuanying was considered an ignorant little devil. Now he has read much and is confident about passing the imperial examination! If he studies for 2 more years, maybe he might even win best student in the exam!

Yuanying said humbly: “I’ll definitely take the exam but getting the top spot will be too difficult. If the chief examiner doesn’t like my article, there’s nothing I can do.”

He then told Chengqian about his low grade in the monthly exam. He is also determined to convince Dr. Ma. Maybe if he travelled out, he will figure out how to convince him. He would like to travel to the Tibetan Empire to visit Wencheng and the snowy Mountains. Then he wants to visit SIlla with Jin Shengman. If Silla had a female rule, that kids must be awesome!

Li Yuanying happily outlined his wonderful travel plan to Chengqian.

Chengqian was pretty sure that the high-sounding commitment utteed by young uncle were all false. This guy heard that the yaks might not survive, so he wants to visit the Tibetan Empire to ride the ferocious local yaks!

Although he didn’t want to throw cold water on young uncle, Chengqian still had to share some truth: “I think father may not let you go.”

A child who is 13 years old, who would allow him to travel alone? Moreover this brother is raised by the Emperor personally. Even other children of the clan would not be able to play outside at this age. There’s a saying that those who had not grown hair on their lips are not ready to do serious work. Who would send an envoy out lead by a young kid?

Hearing this, Yuanying lost hope and sighed. “I wish I was older.” He touched his smooth chin, wishing that he could grow a beard like his brother the next morning.

“But when you get older, you want to be a young.” (Li Chengqian)

Yuanying didn’t agree with it. He felt that if he was older, he could do more. Anyway, even if he’s not allowed to leave now, he will always have the opportunity to go in the future, so it’s not a total loss!

Yuanying happily parted ways with the Crown Prince and ran home to have dinner with mother.

Lady Liu has been receiving many new recipes and updates from FengThai Restaurant and her life is now more fulfilling. As her child grows up, she is aware that he would spend less and less time by her side, so she make plans to keep busy to prevent her child from being worried about her.

As Yuanying came by, Lady Liu happily gave him a taste of the new dishes she made while listening to him share about his interesting daily encounters.

Mother and son were enjoying themselves . On the other side, His Majesty remembered Li Yuanying’s crooked idea after having a meal.

The clan is indeed quite big. There are 20 sons of the Supreme Emperor and more than a dozen are still alive. Except for Li Yuanying, all have moved to their own lands. He also had many sons and all the older ones have moved away, leaving behind just the younger children. In the future, the clan will have many more descendants. Indeed we need to make them work.

Originally, His Majesty planned to make them governor of different lands in various places. However, Wei Zheng and Zhangsun Wuji opposed to it. They do not want the local governor to become a hereditary system. After all, we don’t know which of these descendants will be born stupid.

Since they are not allowed to hold the position of governor,  maybe it’s a good idea to let them represent Tang as ambassadors to various countries. They are descendants of the Tang Dynasty clan, and they represent the Tang royal family. Wherever they go, won’t others treat them well?

As for the danger, there will be danger, but Li Yuanying make sense. Even Wencheng can move to Tibetan Empire. What will be of the descendants of  Tang if they don’t even have the courage to go on missions to foreign countries?

Envoys can be sent to various countries to stabilize diplomatic relations every year . Who can represent the importance of the Tang Dynasty better than the descendants of the royal clan?

If we are able to gather a group of useful children, that would be the best result. A single tree does not make a forest. The more the Li family is able to produce capable talents, the more stable the Empire will be.

Li Er made up his mind and asked for Wei Zheng and his men. It is impossible to send Li Yuanying now. When he is older and the methodology is more stable then maybe we can consider him.

As soon as his officials arrived, the Emperor told them about Li Yuanying’s harmful idea: let the clan members who are best at eating, drinking and having fun go out to cause harm to others!

Wei Zheng and others were shocked when they heard this.

These brothers are really amazing. One is more shameless than the other, and they dare to express such ideas.

Forget about Li Yuanying, he is a little devil to begin with. What’s the matter with you, Your Majesty. The Emperor. Li Er?

You, the majestic king of a country, do you not feel shame?

Notes from the Author:

His Majesty Li Er: I am just relaying my brother’s thoughts. What do you think of my brother’s idea?

Little Prince: Shameless brother!

References

↑1Shishuo Xinyu, was compiled and edited by Liu Yiqing during the Liu Song dynasty of the Northern and Southern dynasties. It is a historical compilation of many Chinese scholars, musicians, and artists during the 2nd-4th centuries