Chapter 55 fifty-four

Seeing this scene, Li Chengqian couldn't help frowning, turned his face to Heng Lian and said, "Go and call Chang Sheng here! Let him see how the people of Chang'an live. Can we delay the construction period?" At that time, the emperor put the burden of money and food turnover to the East Palace, and Li Chengqian entrusted Chang Sheng with the most difficult task of repairing the Longshou Canal that was broken by the flood. , He also specially asked Chang Sheng to recruit 3,000 laborers, so that he could start construction as soon as possible.However, the progress of the construction is not satisfactory. Seeing that the food price in Chang'an is getting higher day by day, and the complaints of the people are getting louder day by day, Li Chengqian really can't sit still.

Chang Sheng was called from the construction site to outside the Fuyuan Shengliang Store, and Li Chengqian said to him in a blaze of flames: "You have seen it, the matter of dredging the canal can no longer be delayed, you must repair the canal for me within seven days "Chang Sheng showed a look of embarrassment: "Seven days is really too difficult, and it is only after doing it that the opening is much wider than the original calculation!" Li Chengqian asked: "How much wider?" Chang Sheng replied: "Wide It’s more than ten feet.” Li Chengqian’s face changed, he really didn’t expect it to be so much wider, which means that the construction period will be extended, so will the grain in Taicang be able to last until this day.Thinking of this, he became a little flustered, and led Chang Sheng and others to Taicang in a hurry.

Hu Cheng, the Sicang doctor in charge of Taicang, is the son of Mrs. Sui'an, Li Chengqian's wet nurse, and has always been very close to the East Palace.Li Chengqian looked impatient and asked Hu Cheng to lead him to the granary first.Hu Cheng walked around Taicang with them. There was only 50,000 shi of grain left in the huge granary.Li Chengqian became anxious, and he reprimanded Chang Sheng: "Chang Sheng, you have seen the situation here. There are so many officers and soldiers in Suizhou and Bingzhou who have to eat, and the border towns send people to the court every day to urge food. If you If you don’t practice within seven days, this Taicang will be empty. At that time, it’s not just the people in Chang’an who complain, but the generals in the battalions! You, the Zhonglang of Zuotun Weiyi’s mansion from the East Palace, have a face on your face. Does it look good?"

Chang Sheng fell to his knees with a plop: "Your Highness, to tell you the truth, several people were exhausted to death on the construction site, but with such a big hole, no matter how many people are added, it will not be possible to repair it within seven days!" Li Chengqian stomped his feet in anger. , was about to reprimand him, when his eyes fell on Chang Sheng's foot, the boot on that foot had a hole, and the toes were exposed, and the words that came to his mouth could not help but be retracted, his face was full of anxiety, and he sighed to himself. He said to himself: "It's over now, what should I do, what should I do!"

Hu Cheng on the side suddenly said: "Your Highness, don't worry, please come with me!" Then Hu Cheng took Li Chengqian on his horse, walked for more than twenty miles, and came to a heavily guarded warehouse.Li Chengqian asked: "Where is this?" Hu Cheng replied: "Nancang." Li Chengqian was a little surprised: "Isn't this Nancang Litun horse feed? Why did you bring me here?" Hu Cheng said, "Your Highness, go in and take a look and you will understand." After speaking, he rode forward and let the soldiers guarding the warehouse open the door On that day, the warehouse guards pushed open the heavy wooden door, and a group of people entered the warehouse. Hu Cheng led Li Chengqian into a huge warehouse, which was full of bulging grain bags, piled up to the roof.

Li Chengqian felt even more strange, and asked Hu Cheng, "What is this?" Hu Cheng replied, "It's the emperor's pressed granary. For the Northern Expedition, the emperor has secretly saved grain from various places and sent it to the south granary since the first year of Zhenguan." Hoarding, a total of 400,000 shi of grain was saved in two years, but in order to prevent Xieli from finding out, the matter was kept very secret, and no one except a few important officials knew about it. Your Highness just dial some from inside and send them to various towns for emergency."

Li Chengqian looked at the grain and said: "This grain is used for the Northern Expedition, how can it be moved?" Hu Cheng said: "Prince, the emperor has explained this matter to his ministers in private. At that time, everything will be done according to the prince's wishes, and we will wait later." The water transportation is cleared, just make it up." Li Chengqian was surprised: "There is such a thing?" He felt a little moved in his heart, he didn't expect his father to love him so much, and Li Shimin appeared in front of his eyes in the damp Chengqing Palace. Gritting his teeth to endure the pain and suffering, he couldn't help crying.When the prince cried, Chang Sheng and Hu Cheng panicked and asked why.While wiping his tears, Li Chengqian talked about Li Shimin's suffering from rheumatism, and that his father had to worry about himself when he was so ill, and that he was not capable of repairing the Longshou Canal on time.Chang Sheng and Hu Chengcheng were a little moved by Li Chengqian's words. They persuaded Li Chengqian together, but Li Chengqian sat on the grain pile and cried even harder.

Chang Sheng said to Li Chengqian: "Your Highness, I have an idea, so that His Highness the Crown Prince can repay the emperor's kindness." Li Chengqian stopped crying and asked him what good plan he had.Chang Sheng expressed his thoughts: the price of rice in Chang'an is extremely high now, if we sell the grain from the Nancang first, and after the water transportation is repaired, we can collect 400,000 shi of grain at a lower price. They made a huge difference, which was enough for the emperor to rebuild the Cuiwei Palace.Moreover, it can also allow those who can't buy food to have food, and the people in Chang'an City will naturally have much less complaints against the court.

Li Chengqian thought this method was good, stood up and was about to enter the palace to report to his father.Chang Sheng stopped him and said: "Your Highness can't report this matter to the emperor. First, the emperor may not agree, and second, even if he agrees, the emperor must set an example for the world. He may not be willing to build a palace for the money he earns. It's best After it is finished, repair the palace, and then report to the emperor, then the whole thing is done, and the emperor will not be able to say anything." Li Chengqian thought it made sense, and agreed.He gave Chang Sheng another three days, giving him a total of ten days, and asked him if he could resume the water transportation. Chang Sheng patted his chest and said that there was no problem, so Li Chengqian decided to do what Chang Sheng said first.