Spring is the season for sowing, and autumn is the season for harvest. Since ancient times, China has been founded on agriculture. From the Eastern Zhou Dynasty’s relocation of the capital to the present, over a thousand spring sowings and autumn harvests have passed.

Ancient historians believed that history is composed of a series of events, with each event having its causes and results. The cause of one event is often the result of another event, so the cause of an event is equivalent to spring sowing, and the result of an event is equivalent to autumn harvest. Just as this year’s harvested seeds become next spring’s seeds for sowing, the result of a certain event occurring this year can also be the cause of an event the following year. Therefore, ancient Chinese scholars tended to call history “Spring and Autumn.”

Yun Ye insisted that it was during the Spring and Autumn period that people truly began to contemplate their world and their environment, which is why their thoughts were unbridled and imaginative, with many ideas being highly creative and imbued with romantic humanistic color.

However, this statement works in reverse as well—namely, that many ancient ideas were interesting and entertaining, but absolutely lacked practicality. That great figure from later generations even said he was “crossing the river by feeling the stones.” Wanting to find a suitable path forward for the Great Tang from the “Spring and Autumn Annals” would be like asking directions from the blind.

Just as Tang people cannot imagine the splendor of later generations, people of the Spring and Autumn period could not imagine that later generations would have a country as supremely powerful as the Great Tang. Therefore, their suggestions have no guiding significance for the Great Tang.

Li Er returned to the capital. Before the heavy snow had even melted, his imperial carriage had already arrived in the capital city. As the general actually in charge of guarding Chang’an, Yun Ye had to report to the Emperor about what he had been doing these past days, especially since Zhangsun Wuji urgently needed Yun Ye to explain why there had been so many personnel movements.

Li Er did not return to the palace but went directly to Kaiyuan Gate. This place was not far from the imperial palace. Walking up to the city wall, Li Er pointed at the sixteen heads still hanging on the city wall, covered with snowflakes, and asked, “You killed them all?”

“Military law is merciless!” Yun Ye bowed and answered.

“Did Dugu Mou also kill all the remaining people?”

“One hundred and six people, not one left alive.”

“Did you interrogate anything out of them?”

“No. Di Renjie was investigating when the Marquis of Yunzhong killed all the people.”

After pacing back and forth several times in his great cloak, Li Er smiled and asked Yun Ye, “I heard you’ve been reciting the ‘Spring and Autumn Annals’ recently, never letting it leave your hands. Have you gleaned any insights from it?”

“Your humble subject has been reading the ‘Spring and Autumn Annals’ as a storybook. Your humble subject believes that the accounts there may be helpful for conducting oneself, but for governing the country, your humble subject feels they aren’t of much use.”

“Oh?” Li Er looked at Yun Ye with surprise, smiling as he said, “Such lofty standards! King Wen was imprisoned and演 the Book of Changes, Confucius suffered hardship and wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals—you look down upon such great scholarship? Don’t the old affairs of the Five Hegemons of Spring and Autumn have reference value for the Great Tang?”

Yun Ye smiled and pulled out a scroll of the Spring and Autumn Annals from his sleeve to show Li Er. Li Er took it and casually flipped through it a few times, then closed the book and waited for Yun Ye to provide an explanation.

“Your Majesty, after Master Jin Zhu’s research, it was determined that the original author of the ‘Spring and Autumn Annals’ was not Kong Qiu, but rather the historians of the State of Lu. The Jin state’s historical records were called ‘Cheng,’ the Chu state’s historical records were called ‘Taowu,’ and the Lu state’s historical records were called ‘Spring and Autumn,’ totaling eighteen thousand characters, every character a pearl. This is not something Kong Qiu alone could have produced, and moreover, he served as a historian for the State of Lu, which is why such an error exists.”

“As for the Five Hegemons of Spring and Autumn you mentioned, states with ten thousand chariots—Your Majesty, do you think such countries amount to anything compared to our Great Tang? Lend your humble subject ten thousand Great Tang warriors, and within ten days I can certainly defeat the enemy. If I cannot, please behead your humble subject.”

“Ha ha ha ha…” Li Er burst into loud laughter, pointing at Yun Ye and saying, “You didn’t have such boldness even in your youth. Now that you’ve reached middle age, how have you become so spirited and confident?”

Yun Ye smiled ingratiatingly and said, “That’s because your humble subject has no way to compete face-to-face with Sun Wu. So I might as well speak more boldly—at least it can earn Your Majesty a laugh.”

Li Er laughed even louder. Yun Ye grabbed a handful of residual snow already covered with coal ash from the city wall and held it in his hand, letting it slowly melt to help himself become more clear-headed.

“People who violate military law can be killed—you’re a general, this is routine business. I won’t fault you for it. During the period when I was away from Chang’an, you did well. Qing Que hid in his study, the Empress remained deep in the palace, and you alone handled Chang’an’s affairs, yet still noticed the small matter at Kaiyuan Gate. This can be considered diligent. There’s nothing much to say about that. I just want to know what opinions you have regarding the formulation of the ‘Commercial Laws’ this time.”

“Originally, you should have gone to Jiucheng Palace while Wuji stayed to guard Chang’an, but this time I wanted to set aside you, someone very familiar with merchants, to see the true capabilities of Great Tang officials. Now, it’s time to solicit your opinion. If you have something to say, speak freely. This is the city wall, known only to you and me as sovereign and subject. Speak the truth!”

Yun Ye suddenly threw the residual snow in his hand far away and said, “Your subject naturally has something to say—I can barely restrain myself! Who determined this one-thirteenth tax? Don’t they feel that the door has been opened too wide for merchants?”

“Why must it necessarily be thirty years? Shouldn’t commercial taxes change at any time and place? Since the founding of our Great Tang, commercial taxes have indeed changed many times. One-eighth tax was indeed excessive, but one-thirteenth tax is too lenient.”

“Let us call the agricultural production of the Great Tang the first threshold of all commerce. Precisely because the common people’s labor produces surplus, commerce is born from this—using one’s surplus to exchange for what one lacks. This was how commerce was in ancient times.”

“The birth of a hoe requires four stages: mining ore, selecting ore, smelting iron, and forging. Merchants participate in each stage before the hoe reaches the farmer’s hands. The role of merchants is to accelerate the circulation of goods, so we allow them to earn certain profits from it. Commercial tax is actually a means of restraining merchants—first, not allowing them to earn excessive profits, and second, taking out a portion of the profits merchants earn for the nation’s economy and people’s livelihood, which is to give back to the people.”

“The profit earned from a hoe cannot be too much, or farmers won’t be able to afford hoes, which will affect agricultural production. In a vicious cycle, a situation may truly emerge where everyone engages in commerce. At that time, it will be a national disaster—everyone will cease production and only buy and sell. Such buying and selling has no value whatsoever.”

“You are deliberately encouraging merchants! The nature of merchants is to earn profit. Once there is appropriate profit, merchants become bold. If there is ten percent profit, it will be used everywhere; with twenty percent profit, it becomes active; with fifty percent profit, it takes desperate risks; for one hundred percent profit, it dares to trample all human laws; with three hundred percent profit, it dares to commit any crime, even risking hanging!”

“So Your Majesty, flaying and stuffing with straw cannot stop merchants’ ambitions.”

Li Er looked at Yun Ye with astonishment and said, “I thought you would fully support merchants. What you’re saying echoes Wuji’s arguments. Why do you share Wuji’s view this time?”

“Your subject and the Minister still differ. The Minister is utterly oppressing merchants, while your humble subject wants to limit commerce, not allowing it to lose supervision. These two cannot be mentioned in the same breath.”

“Flaying and stuffing with straw cannot stop merchants’ ambitions?”

“It cannot! The saying ‘people die for wealth, birds die for food’ makes great sense.”

“Even a harsh official like Dugu Mou cannot prevent their ambitions?”

“As long as it’s rule by man, there will always be loopholes to exploit.”

“This is why you requested Xue Rengui to march on Talas?”

“Yes. Your humble subject hopes that Great Tang commerce will prosper in an orderly manner, but does not allow merchants’ wealth to become a tool for splitting the country. This time, your humble subject’s recommendation is a warning. Next time, your humble subject will strike with lethal force! Nothing is more important than a unified country.”

Li Er looked at Yun Ye warmly, stepped forward and patted his shoulder, saying, “You are right. Nothing is more terrifying than a divided country. These years, you haven’t studied the classics of sages in vain. Serving the country has more meaning than serving the emperor.”

Having said this, he removed his fur coat and placed it on Yun Ye’s armor, then turned and left. When he reached the city gate, he stopped again and said, “Persevere well!”

After Li Er left, Yun Ye realized his back was soaked through. Blown by the cold wind, he shivered twice in succession. Speaking with Li Er had become very difficult. He knew that Li Er was now constantly adjusting his policies. At this time, Li Er extremely needed the merchant class to stand on the same battle line as himself. Except for him, no one else could have any connection with merchants, especially the Yun family, this newly rising family.

He Shao’s recent display of arrogance and defiance, to put it bluntly, was the Emperor backing him from behind. Otherwise, even with a thousand times the courage, he wouldn’t dare speak a single harsh word to Zhangsun Wuji. When things are abnormal, there must be something wrong. Yun Ye had only just now figured this out. Behind He Shao was not the Crown Prince, but the Emperor…

Entering the palace, Empress Zhangsun was drinking lotus seed soup. Upon seeing Yun Ye, she had a palace maid serve him a bowl as well. Only after Yun Ye finished the lotus seed soup did she ask, “His Majesty invited important ministers to feast at Wanmin Palace. Why have you come to Liangyi Hall?”

Yun Ye smiled and clasped his hands, saying, “It’s still about the matter of the sixteen princes. They have already reached Qin Province, and in another half month will enter Chang’an. Your humble subject mentioned this matter to His Majesty, and His Majesty said this matter should be decided by Your Majesty. Therefore, your humble subject has come to receive instructions.”

Yun Ye understood the Emperor’s meaning. He wanted to completely turn the matter of the sixteen princes into a family affair. Only in this way could he feel justified in stripping everyone of their princely titles. Handing it over to the Empress was merely to prepare a set of residences for them, to raise them like fattened pigs. This way, he could not only intimidate the princes currently outside but also show the world how benevolent the Emperor was.

Walking out of Liangyi Hall, Yun Ye looked toward the northeastern corner of Chang’an city. There stood rows of residential properties, which would also be the dwelling place of the sixteen princes. The Empress was very generous, bestowing that area upon them.

It’s just that the so-called “princely residences” were merely villa-level prisons. Although magnificent and splendid, with small bridges and flowing water, a pavilion every five steps and a tower every ten steps, their every move would be constantly monitored by eunuchs. Living daily life, studying, marrying and giving daughters in marriage—they could only obediently stay in their luxurious mansions to complete these activities.