For Li Hao's embezzlement plan, Lu Yun rushed back all the way, changed ships twice on the way, and finally arrived in Taizhou on the 15th Lantern Festival of the first lunar month, and Wu Lei had been waiting here with the fleet for three or four days.

Lu Yun got on the boat to see Wu Lei, and after conveying Li Hao's words, Wu Lei immediately sent someone to drive away a hundred big ships, leaving only ten ships, and the silver on these ten ships added up to exactly 6 million taels.

Lantern Festival, Chang'an City is particularly lively, every time such a festival, Li Shimin will order the curfew to be lifted, all the people are happy, the whole night of Chang'an is full of lights and laughter, Li Shimin wears a thick fur cloak to climb the Vermilion Bird Tower, looking at the prosperous Lantern Festival in the city, his expression is very complicated.

"This flower-like world is really gorgeous and colorful, but unfortunately, I don't have much time, and I don't know if this is the last time I will see the lantern festival." Li Shimin muttered to himself in a low voice, and a cold wind blew, and he coughed.

Seeing this, Xu Lian and Xu Yu on the side hurriedly stepped forward, Xu Lian bowed and said: "Your Majesty, the night wind is too cold, and you are infected with the wind chill again, let's go back, the dragon body is important." ”

"Just let me take a few more looks." Li Shimin sighed loudly, "I want to see it in the future...... I don't have a chance. ”

Xu Lian is also an elderly person, so he can naturally understand Li Shimin's attachment to this prosperous world, and he wants to persuade him again, but he has never been able to speak.

At this time, a familiar figure walked briskly towards the Suzaku Gate, Li Shimin was condescending, and pointed to the person below: "Xu Lian, you help me take a look, is that a poetic maniac?" ”

Xu Lian looked in the direction pointed by Li Shimin, and sure enough, there were no other people in front of the Suzaku Gate, and Li Hao's walking figure was particularly conspicuous, and he hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, it is Li Hao, the king of Qiongnan." ”

"Looking at his appearance, it seems that he is about to enter the palace." Li Shimin muttered, walked to the palace wall, held the battlements, and looked down.

I saw Li Hao striding to the Suzaku Gate, and saluted to the Yulin Army guarding the door: "Please be troubled, Li Hao, the king of Qiongnan, asks to face the saint." ”

Before the guard could answer, he only heard Li Shimin say with a smile from above: "No need to pass through, come in!" ”

As soon as Li Hao looked up, he saw Li Shimin looking at him with a smile on the city tower, and immediately saluted in surprise: "Minister Li Hao greets the emperor!" ”

While speaking, the Vermilion Bird Gate opened, Li Hao quickly stepped into the Vermilion Bird Gate, and then went up to the city tower, and the Jin Wuwei and Yulin Army along the way received Li Shimin's order and did not stop it.

Li Hao came to Li Shimin and saluted respectfully: "Your Majesty is watching the Lantern Festival?" ”

"yes." Li Shimin smiled and said, "During the Lantern Festival, I, a lonely family and no one to accompany me, naturally want to see the excitement." ”

"Your Majesty is serious." Li Hao said, "On this festive season, the minister specially brought a good news to His Majesty, so that His Majesty could be happy. ”

"Oh?" Li Shimin smiled and asked, "What's the good news?" ”

Li Hao said: "Your Majesty, the minister's fleet was ordered to go to the Japanese country last year to trade weapons and grain, and now the fleet has rushed back and is in Taizhou Port. ”

Li Shimin's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he hurriedly asked: "How is this trade and how much did you earn?" ”

Li Hao grinned and said happily: "Your Majesty, this trade brought back a total of 12 million taels of silver, according to the previous agreement, the minister will take 6 million taels, and the other 6 million taels will be handed over to Your Majesty." ”

"6 million taels!" Li Shimin was stunned when he heard this, and he couldn't believe it for a long time, "The little Japanese country is so rich? ”

Li Hao said with a smile: "Your Majesty, silver is not very valuable in the Wa Kingdom, and the Wa Kingdom is now flooded with silver, and the only thing that is lacking is food. ”

"Well, great, great, with these 6 million taels of silver, we Datang can do a lot more." Li Shimin was a little overexcited and coughed again.

Seeing this, Li Hao hurriedly frowned and asked, "Is Your Majesty unwell?" ”

"It's just a cold, it's fine." Li Shimin was in a good mood at the moment, and waved his hand nonchalantly.

Li Hao said solemnly: "Your Majesty, no matter how much money you have, you can't buy health, Your Majesty should focus on the dragon body, Your Majesty is well, and the society can be stable." ”

"Okay, how are you as verbose as Xu Lian, I know your intentions." Li Shimin raised his hand with a smile and patted Li Hao on the shoulder, and asked, "Poet maniac, tell me, how to use these 6 million taels?" ”

Li Hao thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty, now we have Zhenguan rice in the Tang Dynasty, and the grain reserves are sufficient, but we are afraid of natural disasters. ”

"Haha, the idea of a poet is the same as me, and I think the same way." Li Shimin sighed, "I am invincible in the world, I am not afraid of any enemy, I am afraid of natural disasters, I plan to allocate 1 million taels of funds to build water conservancy in Guannei, Hebei, Hedong, Henan, Shannan, Jiangnan, Huainan and other provinces, what do you think?" ”

"Your Majesty Shengming!" Li Hao arched his hand and said, "These seven roads are the richest grain areas in my Datang, if these seven roads are eradicated from floods, then my Datang will never have food disasters." ”

"Haha, I take your auspicious words, but I also know that water control is not a one-time effort, it needs to be cured for a long time, and it cannot be solved by a million yuan, but it should also be able to ensure peace for five years." Li Shimin patted the battlements with a smile, looked at Li Hao again, and asked, "For the rest of the money, do you still have a proposal for poetry?" If it's a good idea, I'll do it. ”

Li Hao hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, presumably you have seen the business opportunities of maritime trade, do you still need to say more about these?" ”

Li Shimin nodded heartily when he heard this: "That's right, I didn't expect it, there are really gold and silver mountains overseas, you can rest assured, I will allocate 1 million taels to build a seaport in the coastal areas of my Datang, and at the same time build a shipyard, in a few years, our Datang ships will be all over the entire sea area." ”

"Your Majesty." Li Hao arched his hand and said, "In this way, there are still 4 million taels left, and Your Majesty can seal them in case of emergency." ”

"Alas, there are still 1 million guan in the treasury, which is enough for emergencies." Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "Why are you saving so much money, if you have money, you have to take it out and use it, or for the benefit of the people, or for the country, money, if you spend it, it will naturally have an effect, and if you store it in the treasury, can you still make money?" ”

Li Hao was stunned when he heard this, and couldn't help but sigh secretly, Li Shimin's consumption concept is quite forward, in fact, Li Shimin said well, the country's money, spending will always have an effect, such as the construction of water conservancy 1 million, the 1 million guan spent, the water conservancy repaired, the flood will appear less, the effect received, definitely more than 1 million guan, if you wait until the flood appears to spend money, maybe more than this, but also will die a lot of people, from this can also be seen, Li Shimin is indeed a good emperor who cares about the country and the people.

But Li Hao really couldn't find any place to spend money for a while, and he didn't really want Li Shimin to spend too much, spending too much would make prices rise too fast.

Seeing that Li Hao was silent, Li Shimin suddenly patted the battlements and said slowly: "Poetry madness, I remember that Lu Dongzan committed suicide by jumping from this Vermilion Bird Gate, right?" ”

Li Hao arched his hand and said: "Back to Your Majesty, yes, the minister saw him jump off the Suzaku Gate and commit suicide." ”

Li Shimin said slowly: "I am old, and my body is not as good as day by day, but I still have a wish that has not been fulfilled, can you help me finish it?" ”

When Li Hao heard this, he naturally knew what Li Shimin's wish was, of course, he meant the destruction of Tibet, so he arched his hand and asked, "What did Your Majesty say...... Is it the jackal of the west? ”

"Exactly." Li Shimin turned his head to look at the west from afar, and said leisurely, "Tubo is majestic on the plateau, watching my Tang Dynasty for a long time, since I am known as the lord of the world, how can I allow the Tubo barbarians to show off their might next to my Tang Dynasty, poetry madman, you have immortal talent, can you lead troops to capture Tubo, so that I can see the fall of Tubo with my own eyes in my lifetime, this is my last wish in this life." ”

At the end of his speech, he looked at Li Hao with solemn eyes, his eyes full of anticipation.