Chapter 67 Mutual Probing

In the Imperial Study, Li Shimin stared wide-eyed at Su Chen.

Had it not been for Su Chen's past actions that convinced Li Shimin of his extraordinary talent, he might have taken him for a lunatic at this moment.

Could this be the result of yesterday's assassination attempt, leaving him deeply traumatized?

Yet, try as he might, Su Chen showed no signs of a deranged mind.

"Built exclusively for me?"

Fearing he had misheard, Li Shimin asked again.

Su Chen nodded, his expression completely resolute.

"That's right, Your Majesty. In just a few days, you will be able to see it with your own eyes."

Su Chen spoke with absolute certainty.

Though skepticism lingered in Li Shimin's heart, Su Chen had already stated that it would take a few days to be visible, which clearly meant it was not yet finished.

Li Shimin gave a slight nod.

For now, he would let this matter rest.

In a few days, he would see what kind of marvel this young man could produce.

However, Li Shimin held little hope, suspecting that Su Chen was merely talking nonsense.

It seemed that while this fellow possessed fine medical skills and ways to make money, his talent for empty boasting and tall tales was equally impressive.

This largely matched the rumors circulating outside the palace walls.

"Since that place is designated as mine, I shall dispatch men there tomorrow to ensure that yesterday's incident never repeats itself."

Since Su Chen had handed over that property, Li Shimin felt obliged to make some gesture in return.

Naturally, it was necessary to send troops there immediately to keep watch.

This was precisely the outcome Su Chen desired.

Because the things stored within that place were of paramount importance.

Especially over the next few days, nothing could afford to go wrong.

By now, Zhangsun Chong was on his way to Chang'an City.

Su Chen needed to complete the weapons before Zhangsun Chong's arrival.

Only with this ultimate weapon in hand could he secure the recognition of all the military generals, including Li Shimin himself.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Su Chen beamed with joy.

With the soldiers sent by Li Shimin stationed there, let's see which of those aristocratic families would dare to trouble him again.

Moreover, that location was indeed of vital importance, especially during this critical window of time.

Watching Su Chen's delighted expression, Li Shimin couldn't shake the feeling that he had somehow been taken advantage of.

Yet, it felt as though he hadn't suffered any actual loss either.

That matter was temporarily laid to rest. Today, Li Shimin had summoned Su Chen primarily to inquire about any lucrative ventures the young man might know of.

He couldn't simply let Su Chen brush him off with a few casual words.

"Your father departed for his new post in Taizhou yesterday. Are you satisfied with his appointment as the Governor of Taizhou?"

Li Shimin's abrupt question caught Su Chen off guard.

The tone suggested Li Shimin was consulting with him as an equal.

Yet, given his own humble status—or rather, his utter lack of official standing—on what grounds would the Emperor consult him?

It almost sounded as though the appointment of the Taizhou Governor was decided entirely because of him.

"Your Majesty, this humble subject has little understanding of court affairs, but I firmly believe my father possesses the capability to govern Taizhou well."

Su Chen replied hastily. The statement sounded profound while saying absolutely nothing.

He dared not answer directly.

Li Shimin's inquiry had thrown him into momentary confusion.

Should he give the wrong answer and displease the Emperor, the consequences were entirely unpredictable.

Li Shimin looked at Su Chen with a half-smile.

Aside from spouting nonsense, this young rascal was also exceedingly slippery.

The response was perfectly balanced, leaning neither too far to the left nor to the right.

For Su Chen, a direct "yes" would be inappropriate, and a "no" would be suicidal.

Did the Emperor of the Great Tang really need anyone's consent to appoint an imperial official?

Yet, with a single, gentle deflection, Su Chen completely altered the landscape of the conversation.

This game of verbal tai chi was played with exquisite mastery.

"Su Dan has always been diligent, conscientious, and hardworking. I also trust that he will make a fine Governor of Taizhou. At present, the imperial court has expenses on all fronts, and the national treasury is empty. We need more men like your father so that our Great Tang may grow even more prosperous."

In these words, Li Shimin laid his cards on the table: the court needed money everywhere, and the treasury was bare.

Su Chen grasped the core issue immediately.

Even so, what did the court's financial plight have to do with him?

Su Chen was merely a common subject, not an official of the court.

The money he had earned through the Taibai Drunk wine and the tavern was a mere trifle—not even enough to fill the gaps in the treasury's teeth.

Yet judging by Li Shimin's demeanor, it seemed he was stretching out his hand to demand money, as if Su Chen owed him a debt.

Su Chen desperately wanted to retort that he wasn't hiding a fortune.

Naturally, such words could never be spoken aloud.

He would simply keep them to himself.

"Your Majesty, the Great Tang is newly established, so naturally there are numerous hardships. However, I believe that under Your Majesty's wise governance, the Great Tang will surely flourish day by day, and these challenges will naturally be resolved in due course."

Su Chen seized the opportunity to offer a flattering compliment.

At the same time, he neatly tossed the problem right back.

This made Li Shimin feel as though he were conversing with a seasoned statesman rather than a youth.

Su Chen's conversational style was far more slippery than those old foxes in the imperial court.

The two of them traded remarks back and forth for the span of an incense stick.

This filled Li Shimin with covert admiration.

As the saying goes, the blue comes from the indigo and yet is superior to it; Su Chen was evidently far more formidable than his father, Su Dan.

If this young man were to step into officialdom, very few would stand a chance against him.

"Good lad, stop playing dumb with me. I've heard that you are raking in a fortune every single day. The moment Taibai Drunk was introduced, it swept through the entire city of Chang'an, to the point where a single jar is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

Li Shimin finally dropped all pretense.

If he continued to spar with Su Chen like this, the two of them could chat until tomorrow morning without getting anywhere.

Neither would have any idea what the other was truly talking about.

Li Shimin had intended for Su Chen to figure it out on his own or voluntarily offer a contribution.

Instead, Su Chen kept parrying and deflecting, acting like a practitioner of tai chi.

Every word he uttered was watertight.

The boy was nothing short of a little fox.

Ultimately, weary of the verbal tug-of-war, Li Shimin stated his demands outright.

He had grown envious; seeing how well Taibai Drunk was selling, he wanted a slice of the profits.

Initially, Su Chen had kept deflecting simply because he failed to grasp the Emperor's true intent.

He never imagined that Li Shimin would actually covet his business.

No wonder the Emperor had brought up the empty treasury earlier.

"Your Majesty, my Taibai Drunk is merely a small-scale business, relying on small profits and quick turnover. It really doesn't earn all that much."

The primary bottleneck for Su Chen was production capacity; once production scaled up, he would naturally earn far more.

He had never expected that while envy from others wouldn't have surprised him, even Li Shimin would look upon his profits with covetous eyes.

Clearly, Li Shimin was no longer listening to his deceptive excuses.

The boy was a veritable little fox.

When dealing with a little fox, the most effective method was to use supreme authority to suppress him.