The Grand Canal was a taboo for all the Tangs.
Back then, the Sui Dynasty was extremely powerful. Yang Guang, the Emperor Yang, had recruited millions of laborers to build the Grand Canal. In the end, he had exhausted the country's strength, causing the people to be filled with resentment and the world to be filled with evil.
The Grand Canal had only been built halfway when the Sui Dynasty was already in chaos. The Li family could then take advantage of the situation and overthrow the Sui Dynasty.
After the establishment of the new dynasty, Li Yuan and his subjects learned from the previous dynasty and did not dare to use the people's strength to build civil engineering without authorization.
Li Yuan had been on the throne for three years, but he didn't even dare to build a pavilion, not to mention the unprecedented project of rebuilding the Grand Canal.
Now, Li Xuanlie had openly proposed to rebuild the Grand Canal. How could Li Yuan not be shocked?
"Father, your son objects!"
Amidst the shock, Li Shi Min was the first to step forward.
He glared at Li Xuanlie and said righteously,""To rebuild the Grand Canal, we will have to recruit millions of people to serve, and it will definitely cause the people to boil with resentment. Wouldn't our Great Tang repeat the mistakes of the previous Sui Dynasty? Third Brother, what are your intentions in suggesting this?”
"Your son also objects!"
Li Jiancheng did not want to fall behind. With a loud roar, he also jumped out.
"The Great Tang has just been established. Not only are the provinces recuperating and restoring the strength of the people, but the Imperial Court's treasury is also empty. How can we have so much money to rebuild the Grand Canal?”
With the Second Prince leading the way, the officials all voiced their objections to Li Xuanlie's suggestion.
Even old officials like Pei Ji and Chen Shuda tactfully expressed that it was inappropriate to rebuild the Grand Canal.
Li Xuanlie's expression was calm and he didn't say a word, allowing the officials to oppose him.
Li Yuan coughed heavily.
Only then did the ministers restrain themselves, and the hall fell silent again.
Li Yuan said," Xuan Lie, if we build the Grand Canal, the grain in Jiangnan can be transported by water and go straight to Luoyang. How can I not know the benefits of this?"”
Li Yuan changed the topic and sighed." It's just that the fall of the Sui Dynasty was the beginning of Emperor Yang's forced construction of the canal. This bloody lesson is still vivid in my mind. I have to have some concerns."”
Li Xuanlie cupped his hands." Imperial Father, you underestimate your son. How can your son not remember the lesson of the destruction of the previous Sui Dynasty? Since your son dared to propose rebuilding the Grand Canal, he must have a way to prevent the Great Tang from repeating the same mistake.”
Li Yuan's eyes lit up.
Not repeating the mistakes of the Sui Dynasty and being able to repair the Grand Canal, how could he not be excited about such a great thing?
"The construction of the canal requires the use of the people for military service. Once the people are used, it will definitely cause a monstrous resentment. Third brother, you can't have both the fish and the bear's paw.”
Li Jiancheng sneered and glanced at Li Xuanlie, his tone filled with sarcasm.
Li Yuan was unhappy with Li Jiancheng's attitude, but he agreed with his words. His eyes became suspicious again.
"Has Prince Jin forgotten?" Li Yuan sneered."In addition to our homeland, the Great Tang also has the Western Regions, Persia, and Rome!”
Li Jiancheng was stunned and couldn't understand what was going on.
Li Xuanlie looked at Li Yuan and pointed to the west."There are more than 50 million people in all the protectorates of Persia and Rome. If we use them to build the Grand Canal, will Father still worry about the anger of the Tang people?”
Li Yuan's aged face was filled with endless joy, and his eyes suddenly opened up.
Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin, and the other officials instantly suppressed their excitement.
In the end, their situation was far inferior to Li Xuanlie's. They hadn't expected him to have such a solution.
At this moment, they finally began to experience the huge rewards brought by Li Xuanlie's western expedition to Persia and Rome.
"Good, good, good. Xuan Lie's method is safe and comprehensive.”
Li Yuan couldn't close his mouth from smiling, full of praise for Li Xuanlie.
Li Shimin said," That may be the case, but Persia and Rome are thousands of miles away from the Great Tang. They are separated by mountains and rivers, and the roads are extremely inconvenient. Have you thought about the difficulty of recruiting millions of Westerners to build the Grand Canal in the Great Tang?”
"Qin Wang, you worry too much. If you can think of something, how can I not think of it?”
Li Xuanlie sneered and looked at Li Yuan.
"Father, before I returned to the Tang Empire, I had already ordered to stay in the protectorates and forcefully recruit the Persian and Roman people to build a road from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the west to Chang 'an in the east.
When this road is completed, it will stretch for thousands of miles. The labor and wealth of the west will be unimpeded and sent to our Tang.
At that time, the Great Tang will not need to spend a single cent to build the Grand Canal, nor will it need to recruit a citizen of the Great Tang!”
Li Shi Min was speechless, unable to say anything else, and left the room.
The officials were also speechless, and they all looked at Li Xuanlie in amazement.
To build a road that ran from east to west and stretched for tens of thousands of miles, what kind of groundbreaking idea was this!
Such a setup, even Qin Shihuang back then was inferior.
How could the young King Reliance not be shocked by such a bizarre situation?
Not only were they shocked, but they also felt ashamed and felt inferior.
"Xuan Lie is far-sighted and rarely seen in ancient and modern times. For me, Li Yuan, to have such a son is really a blessing from the heavens."
On the Dragon Throne, Li Yuan looked at Li Xuanlie and nodded slightly, his heart filled with emotions.
At this moment, the Royal Forest Guards entered the palace.
"Your Majesty, the Turks have allied with Goguryeo and are splitting their forces into two groups. Youzhou is in a state of emergency!”
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