“Yes.” Li Yuan responded, “The so-called pacification is essentially a policy of appeasement – giving those people some benefits to dispel their rebellious thoughts and make them remain dutiful! Compared to suppression, which consumes enormous manpower and resources and causes countless casualties, pacification is undoubtedly better. Moreover, it would allow the people to feel Your Majesty’s benevolence and virtue.” He hesitated for a long time but finally decided to try persuading Yang Guang – this could be considered his final loyalty to the Great Sui. If Yang Guang could listen, naturally all would be well. Otherwise… he had done his best.

Yang Guang’s expression grew displeased, “According to your meaning, those rebellious troublemakers not only need not be punished, but can also receive benefits?”

“Actually, many of the people have merely made temporary mistakes and are not inherently evil. Your Majesty doing this would give them an opportunity.”

Before Li Yuan finished speaking, Yang Guang decisively said, “No! If we follow your words, wouldn’t it appear that I am showing weakness to those treasonous troublemakers? Absolutely not!”

Yang Guang indeed could not accept his advice. Li Yuan sighed inwardly and made one final attempt at persuasion, “But such large-scale suppression would likely place a tremendous burden on the court. Currently, the court…”

Yang Guang coldly interrupted him, “What? Does Beloved Minister Li think the court cannot afford these expenses?”

Li Yuan heard the coldness in his words and immediately stood up, “The Great Sui’s national strength is at its peak, with abundant treasury reserves. Bearing these expenses is naturally no problem at all. This subject merely feels…” Li Yuan nervously considered his next words, then said under Yang Guang’s dark expression, “This subject feels that although those people have committed wrongs, they were once Your Majesty’s subjects after all, so I hope Your Majesty could give them one chance.” After finishing the last word, Li Yuan was already covered in cold sweat. Accompanying the ruler was truly like accompanying a tiger – absolutely correct. A single wrong word could bring fatal disaster!

His words caused Yang Guang’s expression to soften slightly, then he snorted coldly, “Since those troublemakers dare to rebel, it shows they no longer have me, their ruler, in their eyes. Since that’s the case, why give them another chance? Should we let them rebel again and harm me? Or let people in other commanderies and counties follow their example? I said long ago that anyone who dares to rebel against authority must be executed. Has Beloved Minister Li forgotten?”

“This subject remembers. This matter shows this subject’s lack of thorough consideration. Please, Your Majesty, impose punishment!” As he spoke, he knelt down, and Li Shimin also knelt to beg forgiveness.

Yang Guang stared at them for a moment, “I’ll let it pass this time. I don’t want there to be a next time!”

“Thank Your Majesty for your gracious forgiveness.” Li Yuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then said, “When this subject was in Honghua Commandery, I obtained a rare treasure and have come especially to present it to Your Majesty!”

With his mention of this, Yang Guang also remembered the matter, “What treasure is it?”

Li Yuan took from his sleeve a square aloes wood box. The four sides of the box were carved with lifelike patterns of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea. This box alone was already quite valuable, making one curious about what kind of rare treasure was contained within.

When it was opened, however, it was greatly disappointing. Inside was not a rare treasure at all, but an ordinary white porcelain bowl. Only the two goldfish and lotus painted on the bottom of the bowl were somewhat pleasing to the eye, but that was all. To call it a treasure would simply be a joke – the Purple Forbidden Palace could casually produce tens of thousands of bowls and dishes more exquisite than this.

Yang Guang’s expectant gaze immediately darkened as he said coldly, “Beloved Minister Li, this is the treasure you spoke of?”

Li Yuan knew Yang Guang was angry, but he was not worried. He bowed and said, “Indeed it is.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Guang roared angrily, “Absurd! Such broken bowls are countless – what kind of treasure is this? Li Yuan, you have tremendous audacity to dare deceive me!”

Li Yuan said unhurriedly, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Even if this subject had enormous courage, I would never dare deceive Your Majesty.” He continued, “Please grant this subject a bowl of water. If afterward Your Majesty still believes this subject has deceived you, this subject and my son are willing to accept whatever punishment Your Majesty decrees.”

Seeing him speak with such certainty, Yang Guang began to wonder – could this bowl truly be a treasure?

With this thought, he ordered palace attendants to bring a bowl of water. Li Yuan placed the bowl with painted goldfish on the ground, then poured the water into it, saying, “Your Majesty, please observe!”

Yang Guang leaned forward slightly, and then he witnessed an incredible scene – the two goldfish at the bottom of the bowl actually “came alive,” swimming and weaving among the lotus flowers!

Not only Yang Guang, but An Jiatuo beside him also widened his eyes. After watching for quite a while, he came to his senses and asked in amazement, “These fish… are they real?”

Li Yuan smiled and poured the water from the bowl back into the original bowl. Without water, the two lively, swimming goldfish immediately disappeared, leaving only the two goldfish painted by brush quietly remaining at the bottom of the bowl. Everything just witnessed seemed like an illusion.

This time, without waiting for Li Yuan to act, Yang Guang personally rose, took water, and poured it into the bowl. As soon as the water entered the bowl, the two goldfish immediately came alive again, swimming joyfully among the lotus leaves.

Water entering brought life, water absent brought stillness – real yet illusory, truly breathtaking!

After repeating this several times, Yang Guang clapped his hands and laughed heartily, “Excellent! Excellent! This is indeed a remarkable rare treasure. Though I possess the entire realm, I have never seen such a thing.”

Li Yuan said with apparent regret, “When this subject found this treasure bowl, I heard there was originally a pair – one painted with fish, one painted with shrimp and crabs, both coming ‘alive’ when water was added. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of the other bowl are unknown. Despite extensive searching, this subject could not find it. Please forgive this subject, Your Majesty.”

Yang Guang was fondling the treasure bowl lovingly when he heard this and exclaimed with delight, “There’s actually another one?”

“Yes.” Without waiting for Yang Guang to speak, Li Yuan continued, “Your Majesty, please be assured. After this subject returns, I will certainly conduct a thorough search and definitely find that other bowl for Your Majesty.”

His words greatly pleased Yang Guang. After playing with the bowl for a while longer, he said, “Very well, Beloved Minister Li, you may withdraw for now. I will summon you again tomorrow.”

“Yes, this subject takes his leave.” Saying this, Li Yuan carefully added, “Your Majesty, this subject would like to pay respects to Consort Shunyi. Would this be permissible?”

Yang Guang was in high spirits at the moment and naturally would not refuse, readily saying, “Go ahead.”

“Thank Your Majesty for your great kindness!” With such expressions of gratitude, Li Yuan and his son withdrew from Qianyuan Hall. Once they left, Yang Guang handed the treasure bowl to Zheng Ying to put away, then turned his gaze to An Jiatuo, “What do you think?”

“Your Majesty, this humble monk calculated Li Yuan’s birth date and time – it indicates a life of wealth and honor, with lifelong comfort in food and clothing, but nothing more than that. He lacks the destiny of a ruler, and this humble monk observed that he has no rebellious bone behind his skull.”

“So he is not the Li tree from my dream?” After An Jiatuo nodded, he continued, “Master An, when you said Li Shimin faces great peril earlier, was that true or false?”