The Final Choice

As soon as Li Shimin finished his words to dissuade Li Zhi, several ministers could not help but curl their lips in silent amusement.

Although the Prince of Jin appeared to be tender in years, anyone who truly regarded him as a mere child would not be far from meeting with misfortune. One only needed to look at this little farce unfolding before them to know that the coordination between father and son was absolute perfection.

Right as everyone was lost in their wandering thoughts, Li Zhi spoke up once more, "Father Emperor, since the plan was proposed by this son naturally this son understands it best."

At this, he swept his gaze across the court officials gathered in the hall, and continued, "Since all the lords are unwilling to usurp such monumental merit, this son has no choice but to shoulder the responsibility without modesty."

The ministers still remained silent. The sole thought echoing in their minds was: *Act on! Keep on acting! Let me see just when the two of you will finally drop the pretense and reveal your daggers.*

Upon hearing Li Zhi's words, Li Shimin shook his head and replied, "This matter is absolutely out of the question. Although the development of Lingnan holds boundless benefits, it nonetheless carries inherent risks. How could We entrust such a heavy burden to a mere child like you?"

The officials still held their tongues, watching the good show unfold from the sidelines.

Li Zhi said, "Father Emperor, the medical science of the Great Tang is presently sufficient to counter the menace of miasma. Since this son possesses medical skills, there will certainly be no danger."

Hearing this, Li Shimin could not help but hesitate slightly. Aside from his tender age, Li Zhi's foresight, intellect, and capabilities were indeed more than sufficient to undertake such a grand responsibility. Yet the harsh environment of the Lingnan region was a grim reality; should any unforeseen accident occur, rescue would surely be impossible. Would it not be a devastating loss if he were to forfeit his beloved son for the sake of a minor territory like Lingnan?

With this thought in mind, Li Shimin prepared to refuse once more, only to hear Li Zhi state, "Father Emperor, this son can guarantee absolute safety on this journey. Please issue the imperial decree with peace of mind; this son guarantees that within five years, a vast granary will be established for Father Emperor."

The moment Li Zhi finished speaking, everyone in the hall drew in a sharp breath of cold air. Only now did they realize that every word Li Zhi uttered was entirely genuine. Otherwise, how could he possibly have offered such harsh and demanding conditions?

Fang Xuanling was the first to step forward in opposition, protesting, "Your Majesty must never allow His Highness the Prince of Jin to personally court danger. This matter requires further deliberation."

Zhangsun Wuji immediately followed up, saying, "Your Majesty, with countless capable ministers in the imperial court, how could it ever come to the Prince of Jin making the journey himself?"

The rest of the officials were relatively unconcerned; they were merely surprised that the course of events differed from their initial expectations. Regardless of the outcome, as long as the burden did not fall upon their own shoulders, they could accept it.

However, Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji could no longer afford to remain silent. Who was Li Zhi? Not only was he a distinguished imperial prince, but he was also the personal pupil of both Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji. Li Zhi's interests and future were inextricably linked to their own.

What kind of momentum did Li Zhi currently possess? As long as he made no grave mistakes, his previous achievements were entirely sufficient for him to firmly establish his footing in the court. Given his youth and standing, he would have ample opportunities in the future to effortlessly earn military and political merits. Why should he risk his life to venture into such a barbaric wilderness to fight for glory?

Wang Gui and Dai Zhou also hurried forward to register their opposition. Having lived in modest poverty for the better part of their lives, they had finally managed to bask in some of Li Zhi's reflected glory, earning a modest share of dividends from his workshops. Now, Li Zhi actually wanted to go off and take such a reckless risk? Should he accidentally lose his life out there, wouldn't they be forced to return to their impoverished ways?

The collective opposition of the ministers made Li Shimin, who had been on the verge of consenting, hesitate once more. If this task had fallen to any of his older princes, he might truly have agreed readily. After all, the potential benefits once the undertaking succeeded were simply too immense. If one of his elder sons could pull it off, he certainly would not stint on lavish rewards. Yet Li Zhi was simply far too young, making it truly difficult for him to bear the thought of letting the boy leave his side.

Unexpectedly, Li Zhi spoke up at this juncture, "Father Emperor, developing Lingnan not only yields endless economic benefits, but can also exert a tremendous, direct deterrence against the southwestern barbarians."

After pausing briefly to organize his thoughts, Li Zhi continued, "Since the Dragon Cavalry Army is soon to be expanded, why not let this son lead them to Lingnan? Not only will this ensure my personal safety, but it may also carve out new territories for our Great Tang once again."

Hou Junji, who had remained silent all this while, instantly saw his eyes light up upon hearing Li Zhi's proposal. He rushed forward and declared, "Your Majesty, this humble subject is willing to travel to Lingnan personally to oversee the development. Even if I should die ten thousand deaths, I shall never fail Your Majesty's expectations!"

At this moment, he no longer cared whether this was a conspiracy directed against him or not. The magnificent blueprint painted by Li Zhi was simply too vast to ignore. Not only would it allow him to establish immortal merits, but it would also grant him the opportunity to command the formidable Dragon Cavalry Army. If he failed to contend for such a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of fortune, he would surely regret it to his dying day.

However, by the time he tried to vie for the position, it was already a step too late. The ministers who had moments before avoided the assignment like the plague were now completely captivated by Li Zhi's proposal. Without exception, everyone began pounding their chests, eager to claim the task for themselves.

Wealth and honor are sought amidst danger. If one could truly accomplish this feat and survive to return, wouldn't they instantly be ennobled as marquesses and appointed as prime ministers?

A single proposal from Li Zhi had completely reversed the mindset of the entire court. What had just been an assignment to be avoided at all costs was now fiercely sought after, to the point where officials were beginning to quarrel over it.

Fang Xuanling and the others stared fixedly at Li Zhi. They simply could not fathom how the boy had managed to conceive such a brilliant and miraculous idea.

Sitting upon the dragon throne, Li Shimin could not find the words to describe Li Zhi. He even entertained the sudden notion of traveling to Mount Tai to perform the grand *Fengchan* sacrifice, just to offer his profound gratitude to the heavens for blessing him with such a fine son.

Yet, after a brief surge of excitement, he forced himself to calm down. The most pressing task at hand was to carefully determine who among them was truly the most suitable candidate to dispatch to Lingnan.

Casting his gaze across the gathered court, he realized to his dismay that the only people he could truly place absolute trust in were Li Chengqian and Li Zhi. Such an endeavor was best entrusted to those closest to him; otherwise, once an outsider seized control of the Dragon Cavalry Army—a fighting force of such immense might—it could potentially become the greatest threat to the Great Tang.

Li Shimin looked back and forth between Li Chengqian and Li Zhi, only to find that sending either of them away felt improper. As the crown prince, Li Chengqian naturally could not easily risk his person, while Li Zhi's tender years left his heart ill at ease.

At that moment, the shadow of Li Tai flashed across Li Shimin's mind, only to be dismissed by his own sober judgment a split second later. Li Tai's vision was far too narrow; he was utterly unsuited to execute a grand strategy of such sweeping scale.

Just as he remained steeped in hesitation, Wei Zheng suddenly stepped forward and advised, "Your Majesty, since His Highness the Prince of Jin has conceived such a grand blueprint, it is only fitting that he personally lead the forces to execute it."

Hearing this, Li Shimin found himself largely in agreement. After all, since the idea originated entirely from Li Zhi, its execution would naturally proceed much more smoothly.

Accordingly, he turned once more to Fang Xuanling and the others, asking, "What do my esteemed ministers think?"

Following the unveiling of Li Zhi's follow-up strategy, Fang Xuanling and the veteran officials were already regretting their earlier interference. Thus, without a moment's hesitation, they chimed in unison, "This subject seconds the motion!"