Not long after, the Xuanjia Army was brought in. Qin Mu recognized the man immediately; he was indeed one of Li Shimin's Xuanjia Army soldiers, whom he had met once in Chang'an.
After confirming the token, Qin Mu asked, "What is Your Majesty's decree? Are you merely passing through Shuofang, or do you wish to make a stop?"
"Your Majesty's purpose for this northern tour is unknown to this general. His Majesty's order is to go to Shuofang, and he will certainly stay for a period of time. Please make preparations, Prefect." The Xuanjia Army replied.
"Understood!" Qin Mu nodded.
The emperor is coming, so preparations must be made: accommodations, security! These all need to be arranged, as do the provisions for the large number of people he's brought.
"Fortunately, the city has been expanded, otherwise it would be really difficult to resettle them," Baili Bing said.
"The new district hasn't been occupied yet. Starting today, all outsiders are to leave. Brother Bu will lead the city guards to enforce martial law. The Six Doors will be responsible for internal checks. We must ensure that no one else is here before His Majesty enters. His Majesty will arrive tomorrow, so everyone stay up tonight to make arrangements," Qin Mu said, rubbing his forehead.
Things happened so suddenly that there wasn't much time to prepare. Fortunately, there was a new urban area. The new urban area of Shuofang is actually an expanded pedestrian street. However, the new urban area of Shuofang is larger, so it didn't have to be rushed like in Chang'an. In addition, Shuofang's economy has not yet developed, so the construction was relatively slow, taking a full two years. Even now, most of it is still not finished, which is why all the people had to be evacuated.
Cleaning and tidying up are still underway, and furniture needs to be put in. There's some good news though. House construction is slow, but furniture making is much faster. Every year during the off-season, skilled carpenters help with the furniture making. Therefore, a large amount of furniture has already been prepared, and even after all the furniture has been placed in the new town area, there will still be some left over.
Following the order, a large number of people were asked to help, and a large amount of furniture was delivered to the new town area. Bowls, chopsticks, basins, beds, and sheets were all prepared. It was completely a new home.
The largest restaurant in the new district is, of course, Rugui Lou. This time, it's a seven-story building, thirty meters high, with a ground floor of 30,000 square meters, which was just right to serve as Li Shimin's temporary palace.
Next to the restaurant is a five-story shopping mall, even larger than the restaurant, perfect for housing the Xuanjia Army. The other shops and houses can easily accommodate the accompanying civil and military officials. The 100,000-strong army on its northern tour can be squeezed into the city without any problem.
After a busy day and night, Qin Mu and other officials personally inspected the area several times before finally breathing a sigh of relief. It wasn't until evening that Li Shimin's imperial carriage arrived in Shuofang. If it weren't for the fact that he still had to work for Boss Li, Qin Mu would have loved to just walk away. Not only had he caused such a chaotic flurry of activity, but he'd also been wasting most of the day waiting.
When Li Shimin made his northern tour, he didn't arrange too many fancy ceremonies. Yuchi Jingde, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, led his men to take over the city's defenses. Similarly, Zhai Changsun, another acquaintance, led his men to take over the defense of the new city area.
With 50,000 Right Martial Guards remaining outside the city and the Left Valiant Guards entering, Shuofang City suddenly became more lively than ever before.
"Your subject Qin Mu greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be well!" With the vanguard arranged, Li Shimin arrived late, and Qin Mu led his men to greet him.
"All of you, rise! Minister Qin, step forward and have a chat with me!"
"Your subject obeys the decree!" Upon hearing Li Shimin's familiar voice, Qin Mu responded and walked towards Li Shimin's imperial carriage.
More than three years had passed since they last met, and Li Shimin seemed much more composed than before. Although his words were gentle and welcoming, Qin Mu could tell that his smile was a habitual one. Li Shimin's aura was even stronger, and Qin Mu could feel himself getting a little nervous as he approached.
"It's been three years since we last met, and you've become much more composed, my dear minister!" Li Shimin looked Qin Mu up and down, his eyes filled with a smile, and nodded slightly.
"Your Majesty, I will soon be twenty, so of course I should be more mature."
"Indeed! My dear minister, you have not yet come of age, yet you have already rendered great service to the country, governing Shuofang with great efficiency. This is a blessing for the Tang Dynasty and a great fortune for me!" Li Shimin exclaimed.
"Your Majesty flatters me. This is all thanks to Your Majesty's indulgence and the support of many elders. Only then have we achieved such a small and insignificant result," Qin Mu said humbly.
Seeing that Qin Mu was neither arrogant nor impatient, Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction and looked at the city gate, saying, "Let's go into the city first! Let all the ministers rest for a while."
"Your Majesty, please! Gentlemen, please!" Qin Mu bowed to the surroundings and then led the way forward.
Knowing that the emperor had arrived, the common people gathered outside the sealed-off area to watch, making Shuofang appear to be packed with people.
Li Shimin looked around, nodding constantly. He naturally had his own judgment about whether a place was good or bad. The houses in the city and the clothes of the people—these things couldn't lie.
"This really is Qin Huaidao's work—neat and grand!" Li Shimin said, pointing down from the fifth floor of Rugui Tower.
Through the railing, you can see most of Shuofang City from the fifth floor, especially the new urban area, which is completely visible.
"I can't believe this is Shuofang. It's completely different from what it was two years ago," Li Ji exclaimed.
The new city area was built outside the old city walls, and it was half the size of the old city area. In addition, a barbican was built outside the new city area. In other words, in terms of area alone, Shuofang increased by 60%. The city walls of the new city area were also taller, so it looked more imposing.
“Yes! Last time I came, Shuofang was dilapidated and sparsely populated. Looking down, I thought it was Chang’an!” Changsun Shunde said as he walked over.
"Your Majesty! The Left Valiant Guard has been fully settled. Currently, the entire city here is filled with people on the Northern Inspection Tour," Changsun Shunde said, bowing respectfully. He was the Grand General of the Left Valiant Guard and one of the people responsible for the outer perimeter security.
"Hmm! What are Qin Huaidao's plans?" Li Shimin nodded and asked.
"Prefect Qin has prepared the food and is waiting for His Majesty to decide whether to hold a banquet or rest for a day," Changsun Shunde replied.
"Take a day off! My dear ministers, you have all worked hard, get some rest. Also, have Qin Huaidao come to see me." Li Shimin nodded and said.
"Your Majesty, we obey!"
Li Shimin sat in the pavilion on the fifth floor, drinking tea and admiring the night view of Shuofang. As servants brought in food, Qin Mu also came to his side.
Li Shimin pointed to the chair next to him, indicating that he should sit down.
"You're curious why I came to Shuofang, aren't you?" Li Shimin asked directly after Qin Mu sat down.
"I am indeed curious, but Your Majesty is wise and powerful, and there must be a reason for your actions," Qin Mu replied with a smile.
"I have two reasons for this northern tour. The Xueyantuo tribe of the wolf clan wants to form an alliance with the Tang Dynasty, but it is a private matter; the other reason is the Tuyuhun Qingniu tribe," Li Shimin explained.
Qin Mu frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and asked, "The wolf clan is nothing more than a wolf clan. Even if they wanted to form an alliance, His Majesty could simply issue a decree. Why take the risk?"
"Haha! You said it yourself, a mere wolf clan! How could I be afraid? Coming to Shuofang is to express my sincerity." Li Shimin was very pleased with Qin Mu's words and laughed loudly, speaking with domineering confidence.
"The army has entered Qinghai, and troops from Longyou Road have also been dispatched. The Tuyuhun will be destroyed in the near future." Li Shimin turned to look into the distance, a confident smile on his face.
"Longyou Road?" Qin Mu asked, slightly taken aback. What did the deployment of troops from Longyou Road signify? It meant that the powerful families of the Northwest had been subdued by Li Shimin, allowing the imperial army to move freely. At the same time, Qin Mu understood the reason for Li Shimin's grand northern tour. It was to spread the news so that the Tuyuhun wouldn't be on guard. No one would have expected that the emperor, having left the capital and not personally leading the campaign, would launch attacks on other regions.
With the protection of the powerful families in the northwest, the army can launch a pincer attack from two sides, which can catch Tuyuhun completely off guard. This is one of his objectives.
Whether the Xueyantuo's desire for an alliance was genuine or feigned, the imperial court would agree. Li Shimin's personal visit to Shuofang was a demonstration of his sincerity and also showcased his strong confidence!
Li Shimin was confident, but certainly not foolish, so it makes sense that he came to Shuofang, not the frontline city of Shengzhou. Remember, the last emperor who was overconfident was trapped at Yanmen Pass and almost couldn't get back!
"In other words, Your Majesty can rest peacefully in Shuofang for a while." At Li Shimin's signal, Qin Mu filled the teacup.
"Hmm, you've done a good job in Shuofang. Would you like to be transferred to another place?" Li Shimin nodded slightly.
"Wherever I am, it's all the same; I'm serving the court," Qin Mu replied in a proper and conventional manner.
Unfortunately, Li Shimin was not satisfied with this answer. He glared at him and said, "Very well, I will arrange for you to go to Lingnan."
"Lingnan is also good."
"Are you serious?" Li Shimin raised an eyebrow.
"I am telling the truth, but Shuofang is currently at a critical juncture, and I would like to stay for another year or two. In addition, I request permission to return to Chang'an for a three-month leave," Qin Mu replied.
"Time flies so fast. You've come of age in the blink of an eye. After this matter is over, come back with me and finish your marriage with Changning. That way, I can rest assured that you're out there." Li Shimin looked at Qin Mu with satisfaction and sighed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"As for the matter in Shuofang, arrange for someone to take over the position of prefect and complete the remaining tasks. Since you don't reject Lingnan, go and help me out," Li Shimin said after a moment of silence.
"Ah!" Qin Mu looked at Li Shimin in surprise, not expecting that he would actually ask him to recommend a candidate for the governor of Shuofang. This showed that Li Shimin trusted him greatly. At the same time, he didn't understand why Li Shimin wanted him to go to Lingnan. He knew that Lingnan had always been outside the control of the imperial court, and more importantly, it was a poor and remote place that the imperial court had never paid much attention to.
“Last year, Feng Ang came to Chang’an in person,” Li Shimin explained. After Qin Mu had digested the information, he continued, “Although Lingnan is located in a remote area, it is strategically important. Your purpose in going there is to help Feng Ang. As for how to do it, that’s up to you.”
Li Shimin didn't speak much, but he revealed a lot. The strategic importance of Lingnan's location had several implications, and Qin Mu guessed the two most important were: Lingnan and Guanzhong, one in the south and one in the north, sandwiched the Central Plains in between, thus bringing the powerful families of Jiangnan and other regions under his complete control. It's important to know that throughout the years since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, several members of the imperial family had been stationed there, trying to subdue those powerful families.
Another reason is that Lingnan also had to resist the monkey tribes further south. With Lingnan blocking the way, the Central Plains would be more stable.
Feng Ang's arrival in the capital was an expression of loyalty; he must have done something to reassure Li Shimin, which is why Li Shimin decided to provide strong support. Qin Mu was likely just one of those people. As for Li Shimin saying he would let him make his own decision, it means he wasn't sure how to proceed. He was simply showing trust in Qin Mu, who had brought about tremendous change in Shuofang, without any ulterior motives, giving him more room to maneuver.
"Your Majesty, I obey your decree! May I ask what position I held in the past? And who were the people I brought with me?" Qin Mu thought for a while before looking up and asking.
"You will go to Lingnan and serve as the Deputy Governor-General of the Annam Governor-General's Office, with Feng Ang as the Governor-General. As for who you want to bring with you, you can suggest that yourself." Li Shimin waited patiently, and when Qin Mu agreed, he smiled and said.
"I need to consider the candidates, but I would like to establish salt fields in Lingnan to produce sea salt," Qin Mu said thoughtfully.
"Sea salt? The same as refined salt?" Li Shimin asked.
“Yes, seawater, like salt lakes, can be boiled to produce refined salt. However, seawater is not as concentrated as salt lakes, so a suitable location needs to be chosen, and the method is different and more troublesome. The advantage is that the sea is inexhaustible, allowing for the production of more refined salt,” Qin Mu explained.
“Yes, the Feng family has guarded Lingnan for generations and has never betrayed the court. Feng Ang is also trustworthy. You can ask him for help now. Lingnan can produce a large amount of refined salt, which will also benefit the court. However, the court’s original plan to provide financial support to Lingnan will be canceled.” Li Shimin readily agreed.
Qin Mu couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Li Shimin was still the same stingy Li Shimin as before. As soon as he proposed a source of income, Li Shimin immediately withdrew the planned expenditure. However, Qin Mu didn't mind. Sea salt production didn't require paying taxes to the court, which would be a huge source of income, no less than what he had donated.
Next, Li Shimin carefully inquired about the development model of Shuofang, expressed high praise, and asked if there was any possibility of its promotion.
Qin Mu certainly couldn't guarantee that the Shuofang model could be applied elsewhere; he merely offered a subtle reminder that while the advanced farming methods here could be promoted and others could learn from them, it was best not to think about forcibly implementing a system of equal distribution of resources in a stable place.
Li Shimin was certainly not an impulsive person. He readily accepted Qin Mu's suggestion and immediately decided to send important court officials to Shuofang to study diligently for the foreseeable future.
"I will recommend you to His Majesty to serve as the Prefect of Shuofang!" Qin Mu said, rubbing his forehead as he returned to the Prefect's residence.
"What! I'm appointed as the governor of Shuofang County?" Baili Bing exclaimed, standing up abruptly and pointing to his face.
"Calm down! Calm down! You're an adult, you're just a prefect, what's so surprising?" Qin Mu glanced at him and said.
Qin Mu's words almost made Baili Bing laugh in anger, and it took her a while to calm down.
"Besides you, where else in the Tang Dynasty can you find a prefect under the age of thirty?"
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