Chapter 56 Playing for Real

After finishing official business, Li Jing showed no intention of staying for a meal, even though it was approaching noon, and departed in a hurry.

Seeing this, Li Tai did not try very hard to persuade him to stay. Instead, he asked Bai He to invite Li Chunfeng over to dine with him.

After all, since he had practically sold Li Chunfeng out, he needed to smooth things over with some sweet talk so that no resentment would linger. It would be even better if Li Chunfeng ended up counting money for him voluntarily!

"Greetings, Prince of Yue." Li Chunfeng looked curiously at Zhou Zuo, but not seeing Ma Zhou by Li Tai's side, a subtle doubt arose in his heart.

At that moment, Bai He closed the chamber door, leaving only himself and Li Tai in the room.

"Come, come, stop looking. Chunfeng, today I have specifically invited you to a feast!" Li Tai said, looking at Li Chunfeng.

Hearing this, Li Chunfeng could not help feeling flattered and asked, "What is this about, Your Highness?"

"You have worked hard these past days. That Gaoling can be as prosperous as it is today is largely thanks to your direction of the corvée laborers," Li Tai said.

Hearing these words, Li Chunfeng was somewhat baffled and replied,

"This is the result of everyone's concerted efforts. Not just me, but also Binwang, Chuke, Chuzhi..."

Li Tai raised a hand and interrupted, "I know what you mean, but have you ever thought about the future?!"

"Please enlighten me, Your Highness!" Hearing this, Li Chunfeng bowed respectfully to Li Tai.

To be honest, Li Chunfeng had been following Li Tai for quite some time now. He had witnessed firsthand how Li Tai planned this barren land and, in just one single year, made its population surge.

If the remaining two years passed smoothly, absorbing the populace incorporated into Gaoling County, and crop yields followed suit, Gaoling would undoubtedly secure the highest possible administrative rating.

Therefore, even if he had not initially been convinced of Li Tai's capabilities, seeing Li Tai establish the Agricultural Academy and build up Gaoling from scratch made it impossible for anyone to treat Li Tai merely as a child.

At least in Li Chunfeng's view, Li Tai's internal affairs planning ability was undeniably top-tier in the contemporary world.

"I remember you were originally a Gentleman-Ritter, right?" Li Tai looked at Li Chunfeng and slowly continued,

"Did you ever lament that your talents went unrecognized until you entered my Agricultural Academy? You must speak the truth to me between us, alright!"

Li Chunfeng sighed and said,

"Your Highness jests. I merely stumbled by chance into the Bureau of Historiography and originally thought I would spend my entire life there.

Being able to come to the Agricultural Academy established by Your Highness is truly the greatest fortune of my life!

If not for you, I would never have imagined that mathematics could have such utility. I used to think mathematics was merely a form of pure wisdom!"

At this point, Li Chunfeng spoke with a hint of emotional resonance, because applying mathematics to reality was something he found himself doing with exceptional ease.

Li Tai nodded and said, "Since you have no grand ambition, let me point you in a direction that guarantees you will leave a name in history!"

"Oh?!" Hearing Li Tai's attitude, Li Chunfeng was both amazed and puzzled.

"Let's talk about me first!" Li Tai said. "During these two years in Gaoling County, I will try my utmost in crop cultivation, select the best farming methods, plant them in Gaoling's arable land, and continuously choose the superior from the best."

"Your Highness holds the common people in your heart, and your original aspiration remains worthy of Chunfeng's admiration!" Li Chunfeng smoothly offered flattery.

Waving his hand, Li Tai replied, "That is nothing! If it is only this, the crops I cultivate will at most yield three shi per mou. To break through this limit, I need a much broader arena!"

"What does Your Highness mean?" Hearing this, Li Chunfeng grew thoughtful.

With a solemn expression, Li Tai uttered, "The Zheng-Bai Canal!"

"Does Your Highness intend to farm there?" Hearing these words, Li Chunfeng was quite astonished.

"It is merely an idea at present!" Li Tai looked at Li Chunfeng with an expression of utter sincerity.

"However, if I truly wish to execute this plan, I lack a chief engineer in charge of water conservancy.

Although court officials possess water conservancy skills, who among them understands how to dispatch the corvée laborers we have trained as you do, or knows how to arrange manpower through mathematical methods to maximize work efficiency?

Therefore, I hope you can become such a person—the chief designer for the renovation of the Zheng-Bai Canal, and create an agricultural miracle together with me!"

Li Tai painted a magnificent blueprint of the future right before Li Chunfeng, making even himself feel a stir of excitement.

"Me?" Li Chunfeng was stunned by Li Tai's words. He truly had not expected Li Tai to hold him in such high regard.

The saying goes that a scholar dies for one who knows his worth. Aside from Li Tai, who else would think so highly of him?

Li Tai nodded and said, "Chunfeng, you understand geomancy, excel in astronomy, master calendrical calculations, and are skilled in yin and yang. You are naturally cut out for water conservancy.

What you lack is just a tiny bit of experience. Once that experience is filled, the future development of the Zheng-Bai Canal will definitely require none other than you!"

Listening to Li Tai, Li Chunfeng's heart beat wildly. Was he really as formidable as Li Tai claimed?

He wanted to refuse, but Li Tai told him that this task could not be done without him!

What kind of trust was this!

Seeing that Li Chunfeng seemed somewhat dazed, Li Tai pressed his advantage while the iron was hot and continued,

"Because of this, when Minister Dou expressed his hope that I would recommend someone to go north with him to repair the river channels, you were the very first person who came to my mind.

I hope you can accumulate sufficient experience."

"Your Highness recommended me to Minister Dou to go north and repair the river channels?!" Hearing this news, Li Chunfeng was momentarily stunned. Was he supposed to say thank you?

"Chunfeng, although you lack the quick wit of Ma Zhou, the background of Chuke, or the literary talent of Lü Cai,

whenever a project truly requires someone capable to see it through, you, Chunfeng, are the only choice!"

Li Tai looked at Li Chunfeng and continued with utmost sincerity,

"What you lack is merely experience in water conservancy construction. Once that gap is filled, you will be the chief designer of the Zheng-Bai Canal I have been waiting for!"

Li Tai looked at Li Chunfeng. Whether Li Chunfeng believed it or not, he himself certainly believed it.

As for when he had come up with this Zheng-Bai Canal renovation plan, naturally it was just now.

Otherwise, what was he supposed to tell Li Chunfeng? Should he say, "I chose to sell you out in order to get on good terms with Dou Jing..."

Li Tai decided he still valued his face!

Workable or not, he would draw a giant blueprint here first.

As for what to do in the future, that was simple: later on, he would write a memorial to submit to Li Taizong, and Li Taizong would surely shoot it down.

After all, how old was he? There was simply no way such a grand project would ever fall onto his head!

Besides, if he didn't take charge of water conservancy facilities, how could he arrange work for Li Chunfeng?

Therefore, when the time came, it would definitely be Li Taizong's fault, and it would have nothing to do with him whatsoever.

Hearing Li Tai's words, Li Chunfeng bowed to Li Tai with great agitation and said solemnly,

"Heaven and Earth as my witness, I, Li Chunfeng, shall not fail the trust of the Prince of Yue. I will surely return after mastering my studies to renovate the Zheng-Bai Canal. May heaven and man alike forsake me if I break this oath!"

"Uh... huh?!" Seeing Li Chunfeng suddenly bow to him and take such a solemn oath, Li Tai was momentarily dumbfounded.

Wasn't he just bluffing you into going north to Youzhou to learn how to repair rivers?

Why are you getting so emotional and swearing oaths?!

If I fail to secure this project in the future, won't you just go hang yourself from a tree facing southeast?

To be honest, at this moment, Li Tai was completely baffled.

It felt like a scumbag encountering a chaste maiden—the other party was actually taking things seriously!

A major reason why Li Tai wanted Li Chunfeng to develop in the field of water conservancy was that he truly could not find a water conservancy master anywhere else.

The Tang Dynasty was a rather peculiar era regarding water conservancy. Perhaps because the Sui Dynasty had constructed the Grand Canal—a feat benefiting millennia—water conservancy projects during the Tang seemed somewhat eclipsed, yet in reality, the Tang Dynasty truly lacked no famous water conservancy undertakings.

However, this did not mean the Tang Dynasty neglected water conservancy. In fact, one could see from the evolution of crops that rice, which could previously only be grown in the south, became widespread in the northern Guanzhong Plain during the Tang Dynasty.

This was thanks to both the north-south connection provided by the Grand Canal and the excellent northern water facilities that supplied the massive amounts of water required by rice cultivation.

Simultaneously, the Great Tang promulgated China's first water conservancy code, the *Code of the Water Bureau*, truly prioritizing the development of water conservancy.

These achievements were undoubtedly the result of the Tang court's emphasis on water conservancy.

It was just that the Tang Dynasty's water engineering resembled meticulous repairs in minute details, leaving behind few achievements that echoed through history.

At least for Li Tai, he had no idea who possessed outstanding water conservancy talents during the Zhenguan era.

Therefore, since no such person existed, he would simply cultivate a water conservancy engineer suitable for his own needs.

After all, what Li Tai said to Li Chunfeng was not entirely a bluff.

At least in Li Tai's view, Li Chunfeng was genuinely the most suitable person in this era to transition into water conservancy engineering.

Compared to him, the other talents at Li Tai's disposal fell short in various ways, with the biggest gap lying in mathematics.

Mathematics was a discipline that picked its people; those who didn't get it simply didn't get it!

Although Li Chunfeng was not a master capable of founding a school of thought in mathematics, as a future master of yin-yang and divination arts, he at least was not disliked by mathematics.

On this single point, Li Chunfeng held an absolute advantage.

Li Chunfeng finished his meal with Li Tai in extreme excitement, and upon returning, he immediately received an invitation from Dou Jing.

Without hesitation, Li Chunfeng packed his bags and, full of high spirits and vigor, accompanied Dou Jing north to Youzhou.

Shortly after this, news from Chang'an began to spread toward Gaoling. Because Li Taizong appointed Li Jing as the Grand General of the Dingxiang Military Campaign, Zhang Gongjin as the Deputy General, alongside various regional marshals such as the Prefect of Bingzhou Li Ji, the Inspector of Huazhou Chai Shao, and the Grand Inspector of Lingzhou Xue Wanche, commanding over a hundred thousand troops to launch multi-pronged attacks against the Tujue.

Of course, while this matter was announced, the organizational efficiency of this era could be imagined.

Naturally, it could not achieve the scenario where troops set out the moment the words were spoken, as this involved over a hundred thousand men!

Moreover, due to the fubing militia system—a system combining military service with farming, characterized by citizens acting as farmers in peacetime and soldiers in war—summoning the militia required time to assemble them.

Especially during the eighth, ninth, and tenth months, which coincided with either the autumn harvest or autumn sowing, the commoners were exceptionally busy.

Even though the militia members were basically well-off farmers and above, they still needed to finish their farm work before they could set out with peace of mind.

In this regard, Li Taizong also began vigorously urging local officials to assist the local populace with the autumn harvest and sowing, thereby alleviating the psychological burden on the militia heading north.

Therefore, even though the Great Tang issued the imperial decree around the end of the eighth month, coordinating the northern expedition of over a hundred thousand men would take at least a month, and perhaps even two months before the troops could officially march.

In contrast, Gaoling County was quite the opposite. Because it had just been pacified and stabilized this year, virtually no one had been selected into the militia. While the people of the Longxi region grew busy, Gaoling remained leisurely to a jarring degree.

Naturally, Li Tai entertained a few thoughts and summoned Ma Zhou to discuss them. "What do you think of this idea of mine?"

"Your Highness means... labor dispatch?" Ma Zhou asked, repeating the somewhat awkward term Li Tai had used.

"Yes!" Li Tai nodded and said, "Now that our labor force in Gaoling is in surplus, and the nation's focus is shifting toward the northern expedition against the Tujue, we can appropriately split up our corvée labor teams to assist other regions with the autumn harvest and sowing."
"What do we gain from this?!" Ma Zhou asked Li Tai. "Helping other prefectures and counties for no reason might not be a good thing.

If there is another labor shortage next year and other prefectures ask to borrow manpower from us, what then? Refusing to lend might breed resentment!"

"Then I'll just have Your Father exempt us from corvée labor for a few years in exchange!" Li Tai said.

"Our labor surplus is actually quite rare, mainly because Li Chunfeng went north with Dou Jing, and I didn't dare hand over major projects, only having the corvée teams carry out repairs on the existing basis, while external environmental changes created a labor shortage elsewhere.

For the Great Tang, the most crucial thing right now is to win the war against the Tujue. Sending out the troops a little earlier provides an extra bit of preparedness against the Tujue!"

"In that case, I will no longer obstruct Your Highness!" Hearing Li Tai's words, Ma Zhou could only nod.

In Ma Zhou's view, Li Tai possessed a profound understanding of the bigger picture, or rather, he was always able to grasp the most vital issue at hand.

Just like under the current circumstances, since the war with the Tujue had begun, the war with the Tujue was paramount; everything else, even Gaoling's own interests, had to take a backseat.

As the county magistrate of Gaoling, Ma Zhou did not wish to make moves that might harm Gaoling County's interests, but as a subject of the Great Tang, Ma Zhou had to admit that every extra bit of support from the rear translated into an extra bit of strength on the front lines.

And the fact that Li Tai could part the heavy clouds to see the crux of the matter made this capability exceptionally precious.

With Ma Zhou's consent, Li Tai breathed a sigh of relief and once again mounted his horse to rush toward Chang'an.

For some reason, riding back and forth—though it was now less than half a day's journey—he felt a sense of weariness from a long and tiresome voyage.

It felt as though all these days, he had been perpetually on the road to Chang'an.

"Your Highness the Prince of Yue, returning to Chang'an again today?"

The guards at the Chang'an city gate watched Li Tai's ox-cart approach from afar and whispered among themselves,

"This past ten-day period, the Prince of Yue's carriage has been traveling back and forth quite frequently!"