Li Er's words put Changsun Wuji in a difficult position.
He is indeed good at business, but he can't control the entire market.
"Your Majesty, this..."
Li Shimin didn't give Changsun Wuji a chance to refuse at all, and when Changsun Wuji hesitated for a moment, he immediately shut him up.
"If you can bring Chang'an back to its former liveliness, I will release Changsun Dan!"
Changsun Wuji was startled when he heard this, thinking to himself that he still had a son working as a laborer in Zhaoling!
If anyone else went to Zhaoling, as long as they gave Yan Lide some money, Yan Lide would naturally turn a blind eye. But if it was someone from the Changsun family who went, Yan Lide would not only not accept a single penny, but would also try every means to torment them.
The reason was simply that Yan Lide was Li Tai's father-in-law.
The biggest reason for Li Tai's failure to win the crown prince position was Changsun Wuji; it would be a miracle if Yan Lide gave them any face.
"hiss……"
"Since Your Majesty says so, then this humble subject will certainly think of a good solution!"
Changsun Wuji's solution was simple: discounts and promotions.
People who purchase goods in the East Market or West Market within three days can receive money in front of the gate according to the amount of their purchases.
The Changsun family has so much money they're practically rotting away, so they're just using tens of thousands of strings of cash to buy a good reputation.
Changsun Wuji's method was very effective. Sure enough, many people went out to shop the next day. They also discovered a trick: the more things they had, the more reward money they would receive.
As a result, ordinary people have become shrewd and basically only buy items that are inexpensive but very large in size.
For example, furniture, farm tools, bedding, and other similar items.
As long as they filled both hands, the servants of Changsun Wuji's household would give them money.
However, there were also those who were cunning and deceitful, such as secretly throwing large pieces of furniture through the walls of the market and then carrying them out from the East Market or West Market to swindle money.
There are also those who collude with shop owners to swindle money. They buy furniture from the shop owner during the day, and then the shop owner transports it back to the shop by horse-drawn carriage at night, and then sells it again the next day.
Although Changsun Wuji's promotional activities had many flaws and were largely unrealistic, Chang'an did indeed appear much more prosperous.
This pleased Li Shimin, who immediately shortened Changsun Dan's sentence to three months.
Changsun Wuji was furious upon hearing this. Did His Majesty intend for him to continue bleeding for three months straight?
Changsun Wuji had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure it.
However, he eventually slowed down the pace of distributing money and began to use other strategies.
For example, big discounts and promotions...
After all, their family is a large merchant family. If they take out some iron ingots to make farm tools, kitchen knives and other supplies, and then sell them at low prices, they can naturally attract many people to come and shop.
As Changsun Wuji continued to bleed the city dry, Chang'an was gradually recovering. Merchants and common people were also getting used to this life and were no longer as cautious as they had been at the beginning.
Just as everything was getting on track, Li Shimin received several more memorials.
After studying at the Secretariat for a month, Li Zhi finally decided to take the initiative to do something.
"Father, I wish to repair the Vermilion Bird Avenue. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission!"
"Repairing Zhuque Avenue?"
"Wasn't it repaired in the past two years?"
"Father, Li Jue only repaired the streets of Chang'an and Wannian counties back then, but did not renovate Zhuque Avenue."
"Because Zhuque Avenue divides Chang'an into two counties, neither county considers Zhuque Avenue to belong to them, so of course they are unwilling to spend money on its repair..."
"Now the roads in the east and west counties of Chang'an have been repaired and renovated, but Zhuque Street is dilapidated and really an eyesore."
"Therefore, Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty rebuild the Vermilion Bird Avenue!"
"Oh oh oh..."
"Write me a proposal, and if I see no problems, I'll agree!"
"Father, I have finished writing the memorial. I respectfully request that you review it!"
"oh?"
Li Shimin glanced at Li Zhi with some surprise. He suddenly realized that Li Zhi seemed to have grown up quite a bit and was much more composed and mature in his actions than before.
Li Shimin sighed inwardly as he thought of this.
well!
If it weren't for Li Jue, Zhi Nu would truly be a qualified candidate for crown prince!
Li Shimin quickly read through Li Zhi's memorial, then smacked his lips and said...
"A mere two million strings of cash is not much. I approve!"
Upon hearing Li Shimin's words, Li Tai, who was dozing against a pillar, was suddenly awakened.
"etc!"
"What? Only two million strings of cash?"
"Your Majesty, I also have a memorial on hand, and I humbly request that Father Emperor review it!"
Li Shimin was now afraid of his fourth son, and upon hearing this, he immediately waved his hand.
"I won't read the memorials. Just tell me what's wrong."
"Your Majesty, my father-in-law Yan Lide has submitted a memorial proposing to expand the existing imperial mausoleum tenfold, so that it will not only serve as Your Majesty's burial place, but also as the final resting place for all the civil and military officials, and the people of Chang'an."
Li Tai's words caused an uproar not only among the court officials but also excited Li Shimin himself, who stood up from his chair.
In fact, no emperor throughout history wanted his imperial tomb to be too deserted.
When Emperor Wu of Han built Maoling, he specially relocated 100,000 wealthy households from all over the country to live there.
Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin) issued edicts more than once during the construction of the Zhaoling Mausoleum, calling on all civil and military officials to be buried with him in the imperial mausoleum. Furthermore, anyone of the sixth rank or above in the court could submit a petition requesting to be buried with him.
However, people in ancient times had a strong sense of family, and many still hoped to be buried in their ancestral home rather than be buried in the imperial mausoleum.
This greatly disappointed Li Shimin, who feared that he would be buried alone in Zhaoling after his death, without anyone to keep him company.
Upon hearing that Yan Lide wanted to expand the imperial mausoleum tenfold and turn it into a cemetery for all the people of Chang'an, Li Shimin was overwhelmed with excitement.
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