Chapter 564: Chen Yan: Wei Zheng and I Still Occasionally Throw a Few Barbs at You

"It must be that a celestial fairy is wildly drunk, smashing white clouds into pieces!"

Outside Ganlu Hall, after everyone had been drinking, Li Shimin suggested taking a walk; Chen Yan extended his hand, and pure white snowflakes kept falling onto it, filling him with emotion.

Unwittingly, he had already spent many deep winters in the Tang Dynasty.

And he himself had also taken the position of Minister of Revenue.

Empress Changsun was slightly startled, then smiled and said, "Zi An, why do you always make just that one timeless line and not write out the whole poem?"

"One line is enough," Chen Yan shook his head, "People, you see, mostly remember the dazzling bloom of fresh flowers and subconsciously overlook the accompanying green leaves."

"Just like Cao Zhi's 'Ode to the River Goddess', who in the world knows only the line 'Graceful as a startled swan, elegant as a wandering dragon' and forgets the rest?"

"Similarly today, everyone in Chang'an knows Chen Yan is unparalleled; he entered officialdom at eighteen, became Minister of Revenue at twenty, yet forgets that without Du Gou, Fang Yizhi and others, I might still be in Weinan County worrying about staffing issues."

Li Shimin turned his head and looked, "Your words are a bit contradictory. You clearly said 'one line is enough', yet the two examples you gave seem to defend the green leaves and Du Gou."

"Zi An, if you can't create it, you can't; no need to make excuses. I understand you," he said.

Chen Yan: "......"

He stared with dead‑fish eyes, "Your Majesty, what if I actually produce the complete one?"

"Then that's impressive, what else do you want?"

Chen Yan: "......"

"Fine, I won't say anything more to you."

Li Shimin pursed his lips, turned his head toward Li Tai, "Qingque, the research institute you wanted, I have already arranged for you. When can the Divine Might Cannon you and Zi An spoke of be completed?"

"Father Emperor, what do you think this is? It's not that fast," Li Tai said wordlessly, wondering why he kept being urged repeatedly.

"Hmm." Li Shimin wasn't in a hurry; he just asked casually.

Anyway, with gunpowder and favorable timing, he wasn't at all worried about taking Tuyu Hun.

"Zi An, you said the undercurrents in the Court have been flowing for so long; when will they finally erupt?"

Suddenly, Li Shimin asked inadvertently.

Cheng Qian and the others fell silent at once, and even Empress Changsun lightened her steps.

Since Zhenguan Year Five, the Court has seemed tranquil, but everyone knows it's only a façade.

Beneath the calm lake surface lies a raging undercurrent.

Later, when Chen Yan returned to Chang'an as Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry underwent massive changes, and then the Ministry of Works was found corrupt, Li Shimin made no comment, only dismissed the original Minister Duan.

And later Cheng Yaojin helped his son propose marriage to a noble family, and just yesterday the top‑level structure of the Court underwent a major shift.

This undercurrent never erupted.

Not even when Li Shimin announced a personal expedition did it manifest.

However, everyone knows that with Wei Zheng appointed as Palace Attendant, Dai Zhou controlling the Great Tang Daily, and Chen Yan succeeding as Minister of Revenue, the undercurrent grew even more turbulent.

Only the timing of its eruption remains unknown.

Chen Yan smiled, "Your Majesty, everyone is waiting now; it's not that quick."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for what…," Chen Yan clicked his tongue twice, "Waiting for the Imperial Examination results. If many low‑born youths truly rise, the undercurrent will dissipate completely; if it's still all aristocratic youths, the undercurrent will explode in an instant!"

"But we needn't worry; whichever outcome, it's good for us!"

"If the examination results are good, we'll promptly expand the library to meet the needs of more low‑born youths."

"If not, and the undercurrent erupts, then we'll conveniently eliminate those who are jumping for joy, along with the rot in the Ministry of Works."

"You speak lightly," Li Shimin said irritably. "This year I don't want any unexpected incidents. If the examination results are poor, they'll be brazen. Though I have confidence to quell them, it will still be troublesome."

"Alas!"

Chen Yan, truly frustrated, "Your Majesty, I really don't understand how you employ the 'bad people'?"

"Could it be that after spending so much money, you secretly formed an investigative organization?"

"Then why go through the extra step?"

"When I first urged you to value the 'bad people' and suggested investing heavily in training them, I hoped you'd embed them in every household, so that you could know exactly how many times a day each official uses the latrine."

"Let me ask you, among all the civil and military officials, who doesn't have a secret? Who doesn't have leverage?"

"Cheng Bo Bo still constantly slaughters draft oxen, sends men to beat officials, and more seriously, when they fought wars before, I never believed their hands were clean."

"I remember my mother, when she was alive, once told me that my father had taken two handfuls back then."

"The world is a mix of black and white; the purpose of the 'bad people' is to grasp that darkness, to find leverage over everyone."

"Then, who would dare to jump recklessly?"

"Before they jump, I suppose you already got the news, then conveniently sent them a preemptive piece of evidence that gives you leverage. Do you think they'd dare to jump?"

Li Shimin: "......"

Empress Changsun: "......"

Chen Yan's words truly silenced everyone present.

They could accept everything else, but the claim that Cheng Yaojin's hands were unclean, that he took two handfuls during war, and Chen Yan's remark that his own father had once taken something, truly left them speechless.

Isn't that so?

Did you just say it so bluntly?

People fight wars risking their lives, and after winning, the soldiers take some things; these are actually tacitly accepted under the unwritten rules.

Li Shimin turned a blind eye to this.

Otherwise, who would push you to the limit?

However… Chen Yan's words are rough but not without reason.

Li Shimin stroked his chin, "Did you mean that originally?"

"Then what else?"

Chen Yan chuckled, "Otherwise, why would I suggest you set up a special investigative organization?"

"Actually, it's just like how you treat the Ministry of Works now—look, the officials there are so well‑behaved, you couldn't find more obedient and useful officials anywhere in the world."

"I even argue with Wei Zheng now and then."

"You see if they dare?"

Li Shimin: "......"

"Heh…… you and Wei Zheng are just like that country squire!"

"All you know how to do is anger me all day!"

Empress Changsun rubbed her forehead, wondering if Chen Yan had drunk too much today—he never speaks so bluntly normally.

He used to be more tactful before.

Chen Yan gave an embarrassed smile: "Your Majesty, I'll just give you an example to listen to; you don't need to take it to heart. As for my proposal… you'll see how it goes—I won't say more."

"Hmph, you mean the outlaws, right?" Li Shimin gave him a casual glance, with a sarcastic tone: "I'll be the first to assign those outlaws to your place!"

"Well then, let's see what leverage you have, Secretary Chen!"

"......"