Yun Ye had been in the Tang Dynasty for seven months now. Perhaps because of the environment, or perhaps because of fear, he had shrunk his circle of life very small. Apart from the military camp, he had no inclination to explore the outside world. The people he knew were all related to the army.

Li Chengqian was a special case. He allowed this Crown Prince of the Great Tang to have intimate contact with him. Besides some utilitarian factors, it was more out of infinite sympathy for this tragic crown prince.

Standing before him was, after all, a child with strong malleability. Out of revenge for his own misfortune, he very much wanted to try changing Li Chengqian’s fate, to see whether he was indeed that butterfly on the gear wheel of destiny, and whether the airflow stirred up by his wings could raise an unknown storm in this Tang Dynasty world.

Knowing the fate of others gave Yun Ye a slight feeling of superiority, so he couldn’t muster much respect for the great figures in history—for instance, the man before him, Zhangsun Wuji, who ranked first among the meritorious officials of the Lingyan Pavilion.

“So it’s Lord Zhangsun. This subordinate official has been rude. Please forgive my offense, my lord.” Being of low rank and young age, there was no choice but to play the role of a kowtowing worm everywhere.

Zhangsun Wuji stopped Yun Ye, who was about to perform a full ceremonial bow: “Ah, you and my son Chong are inseparable friends. This old man has heard that you address each other as brothers. Would it be presumptuous of me to call you worthy nephew?”

In ancient times, once one had adult children, one could call oneself “old man.” Thinking about it, it made sense—marrying at fourteen or fifteen, becoming a grandfather at thirty-seven or thirty-eight, how could one not deserve the title “old man”? Anyway, he already had two uncles—what difference would one more make?

“Uncle honors me too much. This Xiao Ye comes from humble origins and has received the care of all the elders. Having become friends with Xiao Chong, Huairen, and Chumo, receiving their favor everywhere—this is truly my nephew’s good fortune. Having just entered the world and already making good friends, how lucky I am! Please accept this junior’s bow.”

Originally, Zhangsun Chong should have been present for this bow. In forming brotherhood bonds, Zhangsun Chong should have returned the courtesy to complete the ritual, but that fellow was currently suffering in the earth prison and naturally could not return the courtesy.

Zhangsun Wuji helped Yun Ye up, saying cheerfully: “It’s a good thing for young people to make friends! I’ve heard you studied under an extraordinary person and are naturally intelligent. In just half a year since entering the world, you’ve established illustrious merits for our Great Tang: producing salt, creating implements, improving iron smelting methods, teaching body strengthening techniques, giving our Tang soldiers wings like tigers. These achievements alone have already made this old man regard you as a heavenly talent. Who would have thought that you could actually cultivate miraculous grain yielding fifty dan per mu! When I saw Chong’s letter, I still thought this unfilial son was talking nonsense—how could such crops exist in the world? It wasn’t until the official dispatch from the Left Military Guard reached Liangzhou that I learned this matter was actually true. I rushed here day and night from Lanzhou, but unfortunately had no chance to witness the auspicious sign—truly regrettable. However, being able to meet my worthy nephew makes this old man’s hundred-li night journey worthwhile. You and Chong are similar in age and should love each other mutually, be honest friends to one another. This old man looks forward to the day when you establish merits and build careers.” Yun Ye bowed in acknowledgment.

“Come, come, come, follow this old man into the tent and tell me properly about the ins and outs of these matters.”

Zhangsun Wuji pulled Yun Ye into the tent, only to see Li Chengqian clumsily changing clothes and combing his hair with the help of an attendant. Seeing this, Zhangsun Wuji’s face fell.

Li Chengqian couldn’t be bothered with combing his hair and hurriedly paid his respects: “Nephew greets Uncle.”

Zhangsun Wuji respectfully returned the courtesy: “Your Highness the Crown Prince is too polite. I have already learned of Your Highness’s actions in the Left Military Guard. Being able to share hardships with the soldiers, facing difficulties together, seeing the city but not entering it, not enjoying comfort alone—I am very gratified. But I wonder what is the reason for Your Highness’s disheveled appearance at present?”

Li Chengqian lowered his head without speaking, utterly ashamed. The one time he finally let loose, his uncle caught him red-handed. He didn’t know how to answer.

Yun Ye spoke up from the side: “This is entirely my nephew’s fault. My nephew made a bet with the Crown Prince to see who could finish fifty push-ups first. Unexpectedly, His Highness the Crown Prince performed this body technique for the first time, which is why he’s in such disarray.”

Zhangsun Wuji was puzzled: “What are push-ups?”

“It’s a basic body strengthening technique that can enhance arm strength, waist and abdominal power, and will also strengthen cardiopulmonary function. May I ask His Highness the Crown Prince to demonstrate for the Left Military Guard General.”

Li Chengqian very consciously lay on the ground and performed several standard push-ups.

“Oh, I see. This old man has wrongly blamed you then. Your Highness the Crown Prince, please don’t take offense.”

Any intelligent person would not make judgments about things they had never encountered before, because it’s easy to make mistakes—something the wise do not do. Zhangsun Wuji was originally the most intelligent among intelligent people, so naturally he would no longer pursue the minor matter of why the Crown Prince was disheveled.

Without Yun Ye saying more, Li Chengqian recounted the entire sequence of events regarding the auspicious sign. Listening to this, waves of emotion surged through Zhangsun Wuji one after another.

Years of warfare had exhausted the vitality of the Central Plains. Although Emperor Li Er and his ministers worked diligently to manage the country, the foundation was too thin. The fact that the nation remained impoverished couldn’t be changed in a short time. Moreover, Li Er had ultimately obtained the throne improperly—fratricide, forcing his old father to retreat into the inner palace never to appear in the world again, while he himself ascended to the throne.

This gave ambitious men an excellent excuse for rebellion. This time You Liang’s rebellion had the shadow of Prince Xi behind it. At this moment, they urgently needed tremendously good news to quell the consequences of fratricide. Yun Ye presenting potatoes at this time was undoubtedly the best gift. Throughout all the history books, which dynasty had ever had grain yielding fifty dan per mu? If this wasn’t an auspicious sign, what else could be called an auspicious sign?

The emergence of potatoes not only resolved the worry of insufficient grain, but on the political level was even more beneficial to Li Er. Borrowing the name of this heaven-sent auspicious sign, he could quell the reactionary forces within the country without bloodshed, conducting kingly hegemonic affairs in heaven’s name.

Zhangsun Wuji left cheerfully, not even asking about his son being confined in the earth prison by Old Cheng, as if the one confined inside wasn’t his own son but a stranger.

It was only later that things became clear. In all the Great Tang, the only person who dared to confine the Crown Prince in an earth prison was Cheng Yaojin alone. He had even confined His Majesty the Emperor before. When he was a general under Wang Shichong, he fought against Li Er, who was still a prince, beneath the walls of Luoyang. At a place called Kunlong Ridge, he had firmly surrounded Li Er in a stone cave for a full two days. If it hadn’t been for Qin Qiong leading Cheng Yaojin to switch sides, there would never have been the story of the Prince of Qin’s hundred cavalry breaking Dou Jiande’s hundred-thousand-strong army.

Moreover, Old Cheng was a true soldier who executed military law meticulously. Before Old Cheng, as long as one was in the military camp, there was no such thing as crown prince or common soldier—only soldiers who must execute military orders. Whatever regulation was violated would be enforced accordingly, without exception. No wonder Zhangsun Wuji didn’t plead for him. Besides, it was only four days of confinement. Hadn’t he noticed that Old Cheng’s own son was also confined? Who could successfully plead for clemency?

Zhangsun Wuji wasn’t at all worried about Old Cheng’s impartiality. Acting on personal grievances and seeking revenge was not Old Cheng’s consistent style. Since he was confined, there must certainly be a reason for the confinement. Having confirmed the earth-shattering auspicious sign of potatoes, he had never been as confident about the future of the Great Tang as he was now.

The Great Tang had a wise sovereign, brave generals, sagacious ministers full of wisdom and strategy, soldiers willing to die for the cause, and now potatoes had filled in the last shortcoming. There was no reason a prosperous age like the Rule of Wen and Jing couldn’t appear. Just thinking about this, he was so excited he wanted to loudly announce to the entire world that the prosperous age of the Great Tang was about to arrive.