Zhang Anan caught up with Li Shimin and, seeing that Li Shimin was still angry, quickly tried to persuade him.

"Your Majesty, why bother arguing with a child?"

"Who's going to talk to the child about this!"

Zhang Anan found it amusing, his face turning black with anger. How could he say he wasn't angry?

As expected, Li Shimin flew into a rage as soon as he returned to the palace. He not only berated Fang Xuanling for his report, but also picked a fight with Changsun Wuji.

"Our Great Tang Dynasty is so poor, and you're still singing my praises?"

"Your Majesty, is our Great Tang Dynasty poor?"

"My Great Tang Dynasty is very poor!"

"My people are suffering terribly, so much so that they can't even afford meat!"

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling were completely dumbfounded upon hearing this, and felt extremely aggrieved.

When did Your Majesty's standards become so high?

Since ancient times, a prosperous era can be defined as one where people are fed, clothed, and free from war!

What?

In this prosperous era, do ordinary people still have to eat meat?

"Your Majesty, aren't you being too harsh?"

"During the Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, Jin, and Sui dynasties, when were people allowed to eat meat freely?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin let out another dragon-like roar.

"You're all competing to see who's the worst!"

"How can our glorious Tang Dynasty be compared with those dilapidated dynasties!"

"tattered?"

Changsun Wuji fell into deep self-doubt. "Is His Majesty getting too big for his britches? Does His Majesty think the Qin and Han dynasties are worthless?"

Fang Xuanling was also full of questions, unable to understand where His Majesty got such great confidence that he didn't even think much of powerful dynasties like Qin and Han...

"You calculate for me, how much manpower and resources would be needed to build a highway connecting the entire country?"

"What?"

If Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji were just stunned, upon hearing Li Shimin's words, they were so frightened that they knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, why did you suddenly have such an idea?"

Li Shimin waved his hand dismissively.

"It's nothing, just something that suddenly came to mind..."

"Your Majesty, this is not something to be taken lightly. When Qin Shi Huang built a single road, a few hundred li long, it already consumed countless resources and manpower. Your Majesty now wants to connect the entire country; the scale of the project is no less than the Great Wall of Qin and the Grand Canal of Sui..."

"Both of these dynasties perished after only two generations. Does Your Majesty wish to repeat the mistakes of the Qin and Sui dynasties?"

Compared to Fang Xuanling's tactful advice, Changsun Wuji was much more direct.

"Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to execute the person who offered this plan!"

"This man's proposal to build roads connecting the entire country is truly sinister and posed a threat to the very foundation of our Great Tang Dynasty!"

When Li Shimin heard how serious the two men were talking about it, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

"My two ministers, I merely wish to build a highway, how could it be linked to the downfall of a nation?"

"Your Majesty, such a massive undertaking truly risks the downfall of the nation!"

"this……"

"Is it really true that our Great Tang Dynasty can't even afford to build imperial highways?"

Just as Li Shimin was falling into self-doubt, Zhang Anan quickly jumped in to smooth things over, thus rescuing the two powerful figures from their predicament.

"Minister Sikong and Chancellor Fang, you should return first. His Majesty is in a bad mood today. Please forgive him if he said anything wrong..."

"No, no..."

"As your subjects, it is our duty to share Your Majesty's burdens. How dare we harbor any discontent?"

"Since Your Majesty is tired, then this humble subject shall take his leave..."

Upon hearing this, the two hurriedly made their escape. Seeing Zhang Anan personally escorting them out, they immediately pulled him to a nearby grove of trees.

"Lord Zhang, please tell us the truth, what's wrong with His Majesty today? Why did he suddenly get angry for no reason?"

"well……"

"This matter is quite complicated, so you two shouldn't inquire about it. But you should know that His Majesty isn't angry at you two; you were just unlucky to run into him..."

"oh?"

"What about the imperial highways that connect the whole country?"

"You can't say things like that, it could really lead to the downfall of the country!"

"I can't say that either..."

Changsun Wuji thought Zhang Anan was short of money, so he immediately took out two gold leaves from his sleeve and secretly slipped them into the other man's hand.

Upon seeing this, Fang Xuanling quickly turned his eyes to the side, pretending that he hadn't seen anything.

"Thank you for your trouble, Master Zhang..."

Zhang Anan weighed the two gold leaves in his hand, then pushed them back with infinite regret.

"Lord Changsun, this matter really cannot be discussed. Please don't make things difficult for me..."

There was no reason for Changsun Wuji to take back the money he had given away. Even if Zhang Anan didn't say anything, he forcefully stuffed it back into Zhang Anan's hand.

"Consider this my invitation to Lord Zhang for tea, as a way of thanking you for rescuing me from that predicament in the main hall!"

"Then this servant thanks Lord Sikong very much!"

When Zhang Anan saw off Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling and returned to Ganlu Hall, Li Shimin was angrily reviewing memorials.

"Sent them away?"

"yes……"

"My brother-in-law is asking you for news again, isn't he?"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"But I didn't say anything, and I even got two gold leaves for free. I feel so guilty, hehehe..."

"Guilt?"

"You old fool, don't try to act innocent after getting the benefit!"

After Zhang Anan's interruption, Li Shimin's gloomy mood immediately improved.

"Still no news from Yuchi Fan?"

"Your Majesty, Chang'an is thousands of miles away from Qianzhou. How could news arrive so quickly?"

"Even if Captain Yuchi were to fly, a round trip would take at least a month, wouldn't it?"

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