Chapter 9: A Conversation Between Father and Son

After the meal, Li Shen led Li Shimin to the front hall. He invited Li Shimin and Noble Consort Wei to take the seats of honor, then instructed the maids to serve tea. Li Shimin sipped his tea, exchanging idle pleasantries with his son and the consort.

During the conversation, Li Shimin asked about Li Shen’s studies at the Imperial Academy—what he was learning, how he was faring, and what his insights were. Li Shen’s replies were conventional, balanced, and neither arrogant nor servile.

Li Shimin noticed that his tenth son, unlike his other sons, was not overly constrained in his presence. While others might call this "reverent," in truth, it was simply fear. During the Zhenguan era, the atmosphere within the imperial palace was relatively harmonious.

Li Shimin did not quite understand what his sons were so afraid of. There is a saying that a tiger will not devour its own cubs. As long as these sons did not commit the acts of patricide, fratricide, or treason, even if they were to commit arson or murder, Li Shimin would not take their lives. At most, he would scold them, strip them of their titles, and banish them to their fiefs. After all, the nobility enjoyed special privileges during this period, and the imperial family even more so. Unless an aristocrat committed treason, local officials were not permitted to try them; they were required to send the accused and the evidence to the capital. The Emperor would then summon the nobility for a collective deliberation—a process known as the "Eight Deliberations"—to discuss whether to convict or grant leniency.

Among all his sons, none had ever been as calm and composed in his presence as Li Shen. Even the Crown Prince, whom he favored, was always cautious and anxious in his presence, fearing that a single mistake might cost him his position. Li Tai was also overly respectful and had recently begun to harbor his own ambitions. Then there was Li Zhi, who was the same age as Li Shen and also quite fearful of Li Shimin. This was not even to mention the children born of concubines.

Yet, Li Shen remained poised and articulate, which caught Li Shimin’s attention.

In truth, Li Shimin did not know that the Li Shen of today was no longer the one from before. Within the body of Li Shen resided a soul that had lived for over thirty years in the modern era. He lacked the typical feudal mindset. Though he had heard that the royal family was heartless, Li Shen was accustomed to treating Li Shimin as a father chatting with his son.

"Li Shen, have you encountered any state affairs at the Imperial Academy?" Since the sons of the nobility all studied at the Imperial Academy and were destined to become officials, it was common to analyze court policies in the classroom—essentially a form of modern political science, albeit focused on current events.

"In reply to Father, I have. The instructors sometimes bring up national policies for us to discuss," Li Shen answered.

"And what are you discussing lately?" Li Shimin asked.

In reality, Li Shimin was just making small talk. Having paid little attention to this son in the past, their bond was not deep. He did not expect a seven-year-old child to say anything of substance.

"In reply to Father, we are currently discussing the military campaign against Tuyuhun," Li Shen replied.

"Oh? And what is your take on this?" Li Shimin asked with curiosity.

"Father, Tuyuhun is nothing to fear. If all goes as expected, the troops should be returning to the capital by now. However, Tuyuhun is located on a high plateau, and with the current strength of our Great Tang, it is difficult to govern. Furthermore, it is highly likely that in the future, it will only benefit the Tibetan Empire." Li Shen had seen this in a television drama: Li Jing had wiped out the entire military force of Tuyuhun, and they had surrendered. Later, Li Shimin restored the Tuyuhun state, but eventually, it could not withstand the Tibetan Empire and was annexed.

Li Shimin did not know that Li Shen was a person from the future. Li Jing’s victory was not yet public knowledge—only a few in the court knew. Li Shimin himself only knew because Li Jing had sent a trusted aide ahead with a letter, while the official battle report was expected via an 800-li express courier in the coming days.

Li Shimin was puzzled as to how Li Shen knew. Could there be a spy near him? He immediately shook his head and dismissed the thought. A child as young as Li Shen could not possibly have such capabilities.

"How do you know that Li Jing has been victorious?" Li Shimin asked directly.

"Father, the instructors say that General Li is a master of military strategy, and our Tang troops are strong and well-equipped, so they are sure to win," Li Shen bluffed. He certainly couldn't admit he had read history.

Li Shimin took this as a sign of his son’s strong confidence in the royal house, believing the Great Tang was invincible. He then asked, "Then why do you say it will eventually benefit the Tibetan Empire?"

"Father, do you know who the current King of the Tibetan Empire is?" Li Shen countered.

"I have heard he is called Songtsan Gampo. Last year, the Tibetan envoy came to Chang'an, presented a state letter, and asked to marry a princess to foster generations of friendship and trade. I refused the marriage proposal," Li Shimin replied.

"Father, I have heard from my instructors that this Songtsan Gampo is a man of great talent and vision. Since taking power, he has consolidated his regime, developed agriculture and animal husbandry, promoted irrigation, ordered the creation of a writing system, promulgated a 'Great Decree' to govern the region, and established administrative and military systems. He has promoted comprehensive development in government, commerce, and the military. He commands hundreds of thousands of troops and has been steadily encroaching on his neighbors to expand his territory. This shows his wolfish ambition. Now that our Great Tang has wiped out the entire army of Tuyuhun, the state no longer exists. With such a large piece of meat on the table, how could a wolf like him not want a bite? For now, he is intimidated by the might of our Great Tang, but it will not be long before he loses his restraint. The Tibetan Empire will surely become a grave threat to our Great Tang in the future," Li Shen explained.

Li Shimin looked at Li Shen as he spoke with such eloquence and remained silent, but his heart was in turmoil. Much of what Li Shen said, he already knew, yet none of his civil or military officials had looked at it from this perspective. They merely saw the Tibetan Empire as a barbaric land lacking resources. In the eyes of the literati, those who did not read were savages. Moreover, because the Tibetan plateau was high and unsuitable for farming, they deemed it worthless. Thus, Li Shimin and his court had looked down upon the Tibetan Empire; otherwise, they would not have unanimously rejected the marriage proposal last year.

Hearing Li Shen’s analysis, it actually made a great deal of sense. Li Shimin felt that this tenth son of his was not at all like the rumors suggested. He asked, "Who told you all these things?" He wanted to hear what Li Shen would say, though he decided that he should bring this topic to the court for discussion tomorrow.

"Father, it was the instructors at the Imperial Academy who discussed it with us," Li Shen said.

Li Shimin felt a hint of disappointment, having momentarily wondered if his son was a prodigy.

"However, Father," Li Shen continued, "the Great Tang currently lacks the ability to control Tuyuhun. The years of warfare at the end of the Sui Dynasty consumed our national strength, causing a sharp decline in resources and population. Although things have gradually recovered under your benevolent rule, it has not been enough time. Our population is too small, and grain production is insufficient. Population is the foundation of a country; we can only recover slowly. First, we must solve the food problem. With sufficient food, the population will grow. With a larger population, productivity will increase, more talent will emerge, and the military will be stronger. When that time comes, why worry about a small Tibetan Empire?"

"Sigh. How could I not know these things?" Li Shimin sighed. "First, the population needs time to accumulate. Second, we must first resolve the issue of local officials. I sit here in the Taiji Palace and occasionally make private visits within Chang'an, but I have no idea what the remote counties are like. Whether my decrees are executed depends entirely on the capability of the local magistrates." Li Shimin was reminded of his current predicament: most officials came from aristocratic families, who effectively monopolized the court. If they wished, they could ensure that Li Shimin’s decrees never left Chang'an.

"Father, haven't you already reformed the imperial examination system? In time, more talented individuals will naturally serve the country," Li Shen said, trying to comfort the melancholic emperor.

"It is easier said than done. You are still young and do not understand the complexities of the court. Though I have reformed the exams and established government schools nationwide, the results have been meager in recent years," Li Shimin shook his head.

Li Shen understood what Li Shimin meant. The reforms had some effect, but Li Shimin’s goal was to break the aristocratic monopoly on the court, which required promoting scholars from humble backgrounds. However, because the system was imperfect, the imperial exams still had many flaws. Most of the scholars selected were still from aristocratic families, as many of the officials grading the papers were aristocrats themselves, leading to inevitable favoritism.