novelSusiti Chapter 14 Li Shimin Couldn't Sit Still
Chapter 14 Li Shimin Couldn't Sit Still
Chang Le paused for a moment, then a smile spread from the corners of her mouth to the corners of her eyes.
It wasn't the kind of polite, pursed-lip response; she was genuinely amused.
"Young Master Wang speaks frankly."
"There's no need to beat around the bush when talking to my wife. Beating around the bush is tiring, and it's tiring for her to listen to. I'm a farmer, I'm not good at talking."
Chang Le didn't reply. She walked along the ridge, her skirt brushing against the roadside weeds, making a rustling sound.
The little ox had already run up to the carriage and was waving at them, calling out to Big Sister Guo Guo to hurry up.
On the way back, Sizi bargained as usual. Before leaving, she tugged at Wang Zhihuan's sleeve and said that Guoguo would come again tomorrow, because Sizi wanted to see the chicken lay eggs.
Wang Zhi also kept his word: if Si Zi came, there would be scrambled eggs with tomatoes for him; if he didn't come, he would still save some for him. Only then did Si Zi feel at ease and climb into the carriage.
Chang Le glanced back as she got on the bus.
Wang Zhi was still standing at the courtyard gate. The flower on his ear had been pulled off by Si Zi, but a small petal was still stuck in his hair, which he didn't notice.
The carriage left. Wang Zhi turned back to the courtyard, put the bowls and plates on the table into the kitchen, and took a couple of sips of water from the gourd ladle in the water vat.
A prompt from the merit system popped up in my mind at the right time:
"[System Prompt]: The host enlightened a noble person with the idea that 'a masterpiece is born of nature, and a skillful hand may occasionally bring it to fruition,' enabling him to understand that talent should be used for the benefit of the nation and its people rather than for personal glory. If this idea can be widely disseminated, it can correct the superficiality of scholars and guide talent to be used for the benefit of the people. Merit points +400."
As expected. Wang Zhi knew perfectly well. Yesterday's poem, "How Can I Obtain a Vast Mansion," was a raging fire that burned away the other party's defenses;
Today's song, "The Source of Living Water," is like a gentle rain, silently nourishing and permeating everything.
The phrase "a masterpiece is made in nature" is the finishing touch, attributing everything to natural perfection, which not only dispels the other person's amazement but also places oneself in a higher and more transcendent realm.
These words and actions not only demonstrated his talent and learning, but also conveyed the fundamental principle that "talent should be used for the people."
If she can grasp this meaning, she may sow the seeds of pragmatism and service to the people among scholars in the future. This, perhaps, is the true merit.
He put the ladle back into the jar and stood by the window for a while.
A sparrow was chirping in the jujube tree. It chirped twice and then flew away.
He recalled Li Zhi's stunned expression when he heard "Literature is born of nature," and the earnest look on her face as she whispered those ten words.
This girl really listened to what I said.
He moved the bamboo dragonfly closer to the windowsill so it wouldn't crack from the sun tomorrow.
Then he went out and headed to Old Zhang's house—his daughter-in-law had finished her postpartum confinement and needed to go for a check-up to see how she was recovering.
The dirt road underfoot had hardened a bit from the sun, making a clattering sound when you stepped on it.
Smoke rose from the chimneys of tenant farmers' houses in the distance, and someone was calling their children home for dinner.
Spring of the ninth year of the Zhenguan era was passing, and the rice in the fields was about to sprout ears.
Those verses, those words, those pragmatic principles for serving the people, have been sown like seeds.
The next step is to wait and see what kind of seeds they will sprout in, what kind of fruits they will bear.
When Li Lizhi returned to the Lizheng Hall, it was already completely dark.
She didn't rush to speak. She knew that her father had been busy all day submitting memorials and needed to catch his breath first.
After the palace servants served tea, Li Shimin leaned back on the couch and rubbed his temples before she began to recount what she had seen and heard at the farm that day.
But this time, she wasn't just talking about wormholes and Champa rice.
"Father, Mother," she said softly but clearly, "Today, when Wang Langjun was saying that earthworm castings are the 'living water' of the land, he even recited a few lines of poetry."
Li Shimin looked up at her.
Chang Le slowly recited those four lines: "A half-acre pond opens up to reveal the sky and clouds reflected in its waters. How can it be so clear? Because it has a source of living water."
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Li Shimin sat up straight.
He was an emperor who gained power through military force, but that did not mean he was uncultured.
You should know that he was an emperor who could write "The Imperial Capital" and critique the poetry and prose of the world.
As soon as he heard those four lines of poetry, he recognized their significance.
"He said earthworm castings are the source of living water for the land?" Li Shimin asked.
"Yes. He said that the fertility of the land is like the water in a pond, which needs a constant flow of fresh water to prevent it from becoming stagnant and inexhaustible."
Earthworms feed on waste and excrete waste to fertilize the soil, creating a continuous cycle of "living water."
Empress Zhangsun nodded gently: "This metaphor is exquisite. The poem is good, but the meaning is even more profound."
Chang Le paused, then continued, "Later, I was deeply moved by the fact that he could compose such excellent poems one after another. He said..."
She looked up at her parents and repeated, word by word:
"A good article is born of nature, and a skillful hand may occasionally bring it to fruition."
The teacup in Li Shimin's hand stopped in mid-air.
"A good article is born of nature, and a skillful hand may occasionally come up with it..." he repeated softly, savoring each word slowly.
A stroke of genius. A serendipitous discovery.
It wasn't a labor of love, nor was it elaborate crafting; it was the truth and beauty of the universe that was caught by chance by a pair of hands.
Those who can catch it are already extraordinary.
"What else did he say?" Li Shimin asked.
He said that the world is not lacking in beauty, but in eyes that can see it.
It's not that he has any talent; he was just lucky to stumble upon these things that already existed.
Like earthworm castings—they're meant to make the soil soft and fertile; he simply discovered that principle.
Li Shimin leaned back on the couch, remaining silent for a long time.
Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but recall the locust plague of the second year of the Zhenguan era. The locusts blotted out the sky and devoured the land of Guanzhong.
He stood on the city wall, watching the people kneeling on the ridges of the fields and crying. He felt a deep hatred in his heart—hatred for the natural disaster, and even more hatred for himself, the emperor, who couldn't even protect the people from having a single meal.
Now, with this rice—the same land yields twice the grain. Twice! A full double!
And then there are the earthworms. Rotten vegetable leaves and waste straw, things that cost nothing, are used to raise insects, and the insects are used to feed the chickens.
The chickens lay eggs after two months, and their meat is still firm. No grain or money is spent; they just exchange the waste from the fields for meat and eggs.
This isn't about chickens. It's about ensuring that every farmhouse in the Tang Dynasty has a few more chickens in its yard.
An extra piece of meat in the people's bowl, an extra dish of meat on the table during festivals—this is no small matter.
When the people eat meat, they become strong and healthy. With strong and healthy people, there will be a continuous supply of soldiers for the border regions.
He reigned for nine years, and the country was initially at peace. However, the country was not peaceful at that time. People had just experienced war and were returning to normal life. How many of them could eat meat every day?
Li Shimin became increasingly restless as he thought about it.
He stood up and walked around the hall twice, taking large and hurried steps, before suddenly stopping on the third lap.
"Guanyinbi".
Empress Zhangsun raised her head.
"Do you know what I was thinking just now? I was thinking about the locust plague in the second year of the Zhenguan era."
Now, with this rice—the same land yields twice the grain. Twice as much!
His voice echoed in the hall.
Empress Zhangsun looked into his eyes, and there was a light in them, a long-lost light of hope.