Chapter 174: Living Yama

Good, this matter is settled like that. Li Shimin was in a great mood.

I will immediately assign more manpower to extract as much salt as possible, determined to make a big profit.

Your Majesty just needs to make the decision. Chen Yan didn't say anything else.

Having said that so clearly, Li Shimin, as long as he isn't stupid, should know what to do.

Besides, he is about to take office in Weinan County; these matters are no longer his concern.

Afterwards, several people happily ate a meal and chatted for a while.

Just as Chen Yan and Cheng Yaojin were preparing to say goodbye and leave, Li Shimin suddenly thought of something: "Right, Zi An, since you want to deal with the aristocratic clans, based on your view, where should we start?"

As his words fell, Empress Changsun and Cheng Yaojin were startled in their hearts.

Because Li Shimin's words this time were not the same as before, asking Chen Yan how to swindle money from the aristocratic clans.

Although Chen Yan had proposed several methods that let Li Shimin swindle a lot of money from the aristocratic clans, this was actually no great harm to them.

Accumulated over generations is no joke; they don't have much else, just a lot of money.

Swindling some money may make them feel the pinch, but it hasn't reached the point of being able to strike them.

What Li Shimin is asking this time, however, is the genuine method for dealing with the aristocratic clans.

Chen Yan blinked, thought, and replied: "I think we shouldn't push the aristocratic clans too hard, after all, even a desperate dog will jump over a wall; boiling a frog in warm water is the best choice."

Hmm, Zi An makes sense. Li Shimin nodded in agreement, gesturing for him to continue.

Seeing that Li Shimin was serious, Chen Yan pondered for a while before speaking: "First, we should gradually eat away at the aristocratic clans' businesses, finding ways to make them dig out the money buried underground and use it."

Then, using methods, we will take their land bit by bit, so they lose not only their money income but also their grain income.

Next, we must find a way to damage the aristocratic clans' reputation, for it is their talisman and must be taken away.

By this point, we can basically say the aristocratic clans' foundations are shaken; next we should break their control over scholars, giving commoner youths a chance to rise, and then use this group to deal with them......

Chen Yan: "Of course, this is only a rough direction; achieving it is not easy, requiring step-by-step effort and a long time."

The advantage is low risk, high reward; aside from taking a lot of time, it can basically be called an upper strategy.

"Upper strategy." Li Shimin had been thinking over Chen Yan's words, but upon hearing this, his eyes lit up.

"Zi An, you say this is an upper strategy; could it be that you also have middle and lower strategies?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, yes." Chen Yan said: "But I do not advise Your Majesty to use the middle or lower strategies; the upper strategy is the most stable."

Li Shimin waved his hand: "No problem, I'm just curious, wanting to hear it."

"Go ahead and speak; if the middle or lower strategies are truly inferior to the upper one, I also have plenty of patience."

To be honest, he initially just asked on a whim.

I didn't expect Chen Yan to actually give a method for dealing with the aristocratic clans, and moreover, there are upper, middle, and lower kinds.

Although he also thinks the upper strategy is very good and extremely stable, it still involves many difficulties and is not easy to achieve.

So he wants to hear the middle and lower strategies before making a decision.

When the conversation reached this point, Chen Yan had no choice but to say: "The middle strategy is to stir up conflict among the aristocratic clans, making them bite each other like dogs as much as possible."

Such conflict must exist in all aspects, including but not limited to mutual killings, commercial opposition, mutual balance and trust; then, taking the opportunity, we should improve the imperial examination system and vigorously cultivate commoner youths to weaken them.

Furthermore, revise a clan status register, issued via government documents to all localities, to lower the aristocratic clans' prestige, while simultaneously supporting another force to enter the field and check them.

Chen Yan: "This method easily arouses suspicion among the aristocratic clans, provoking strong resistance; in recent years, the Tang Dynasty has suffered constant natural and man-made disasters, the treasury is empty, and implementing it would also be difficult."

Therefore, this method is not advisable.

After the topic fell, Li Shimin sank into contemplation, remaining silent for a good while.

The few people nearby knew he was thinking about a problem, so they did not disturb him.

Li Lizhi and Empress Changsun, while taking care of the Chengyang Little Princess and Sizi, were also thinking in their hearts about Chen Yan's words.

Meanwhile, Cheng Yaojin appeared indifferent, his mind thinking about what excuse to find today to slaughter a cow.

After a long while, Li Shimin said solemnly: "This method is indeed not advisable, but it still has reference value; perhaps some parts could be added to the upper strategy."

Having said that, he looked at Chen Yan: "Since this is the middle strategy, what about the lower strategy?"

"Lower strategy..." Chen Yan said with a bright smile: "The lower strategy is to find an aristocratic clan youth, charge him with the crime of exterminating nine generations, and directly strike to kill his nine clans."

"This way, not only can the justification be made to sound plausible, but it also avoids trouble and solves the problem once and for all."

Everyone: "......"

One sentence left everyone dumbfounded, including the two children, no exception.

Sizi and Cheng Yang, though young, heard many things in a fog; they didn't understand what upper or middle strategy meant.

But because they have lived in the imperial palace since childhood, they have some concept of killing.

Cheng Yang never expected that the handsome brother-in-law who had seen him a few times and treated Xiao Sizi's illness would be so ruthless.

Is it okay to directly strike and kill the nine clans?

Cheng Yaojin looked at Chen Yan in disbelief: "Good nephew, how did Old Cheng never notice you were this fierce before?"

"How could such vicious words come out of your mouth?"

"What words, what do you call these words?" Chen Yan said discontentedly: "What do you mean by calling me vicious?"

"Do I have viciousness toward the aristocratic clans?"

"Besides, this is originally the lower strategy; do you still expect the lower strategy to be very clever?"

"To deal with the aristocratic clans, isn't killing them directly the simplest method?"

"Think about it: if someone from the aristocratic clans wanted to rebel, what's wrong with confiscating their property and exterminating their nine clans? Who could find fault with His Majesty?"

Everyone: "......"

No, why do you look like you're still endorsing it?

Just now, weren't you saying we should use the upper strategy?

How come in the blink of an eye we're going to exterminate someone's nine clans again?

"Um...... Zi An." Empress Changsun's expression was hard to read; she weighed her words and said: "I think the upper strategy you just mentioned is excellent."

Why don't you continue to elaborate a bit more?

"Exactly, exactly, Zi An, keep talking about the upper strategy." Li Shimin hurriedly nodded.

Chen Yan was silent for two seconds, then said: "His Majesty, I now think the lower strategy isn't bad either; perhaps you should consider it again?"

This matter is easy to carry out; as long as we find a batch of swords, you then produce a dragon robe, taking advantage of......

"Alright, alright, stop talking." Li Shimin immediately felt a headache.

Still need to find a batch of swords, and he will produce a dragon robe.

You're really a living Yama!

"......"