The power of Sima Guang's verbal assault had stunned everyone in the Great Hall of Benevolent Rule.
Li Shimin uttered a faint word: "Serves him right."
If Sima Guang's words were true, then he truly deserved it.
With such meager abilities, he dared to compare himself to him. How utterly ignorant of the meaning of death!
If not for seeing the man spitting blood and collapsing, he himself would have wanted to kick him a couple more times.
He just wondered what Zhao Guangyi would think if he knew his thoughts.
"Quick, imperial physicians, examine my great-grandfather!"
Zhao Xu, upon regaining his senses, immediately issued an imperial decree to the physicians. Regardless of anything, this was his great-grandfather. If he were to truly die under his care, he would be branded as unfilial.
After the imperial physicians examined him, they discovered that Zhao Guangyi had only suffered from acute anger, causing him to faint. With proper care, he would recover.
And so, the pathetic old Zhao, along with Lu Benwei and Chen Qun, were carried back to the Imperial Academy.
Qian Yi, feeling uneasy, also accompanied them.
After they left, Wang Anshi and a group of other ministers approached Li Shimin and bowed respectfully.
"Your subject greets His Majesty Taizong!"
"It was our own blindness earlier. We beg Your Majesty Taizong's forgiveness!"
They dared to talk back to Zhao Guangyi, but facing Li Shimin, they wouldn't have dared even if given a hundred times the courage.
This was a legendary figure, a model for countless emperors, and a wise ruler that subjects yearned for.
"No matter. I found it quite entertaining."
Li Shimin waved his hand dismissively, indicating he didn't care.
Watching a show, as long as it was lively, it didn't matter who lost or who gained.
Finished speaking, he glanced to the side and said, "Little Yangzi, didn't Anzhi ask you to find some people?"
"Yes, the Duke did give me a list before he left." Ge Luoyang said, pulling out a piece of paper and handing it over.
The paper contained a table, with names, native places, current official positions, and other information clearly written.
Such as:
Shen Kuo, erudite and knowledgeable, currently serving as太子允中 (Crown Prince's Aide).
Jia Xian, skilled in arithmetic, currently serving as 左班殿值 (Left Hall Guard).
Su Song, skilled in astronomy, currently serving as 馆伴使 (Imperial Guest Official).
Besides them, there were also Qian Yi, Tang Shenwei, Li Jie, and others.
Li Shimin glanced at the list and handed it to Zhao Xu: "You little fellow with weak kidneys, have your guards leave the palace and invite everyone on this paper."
Zhao Xu looked bewildered. Was he referring to him as the "little fellow with weak kidneys"?
He was still a vigorous young man. If he couldn't entertain seven women in a night, he could still manage three concubines. How could he be considered to have weak kidneys?
Seeing Wang Anshi, Ouyang Xiu, and others looking at him strangely, he quickly explained.
"Your Majesty Taizong, my health is excellent!"
Li Shimin said with a serious expression, "Being well now doesn't mean you'll be well later. Your kidney deficiency is inevitable, so it's happily decided!"
"I'll leave the palace to wander around first. The matter of finding people is now your responsibility."
"Remember, you must invite them politely. If anything unexpected happens, I will not be your great-grandfather."
He emphasized the last sentence.
Anyone that Fang Er valued so highly must possess great abilities. He also wanted to know what changes these people could bring after returning to the Great Tang.
After assigning the task of finding people, he led Li Xiuning and a group of women out of the palace.
While the women went shopping, he took the opportunity to observe the livelihood of this era.
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Goryeo.
It had been a full day and night, and the sky over the Japanese islands was still shrouded in red. The sky-piercing pillars of fire remained strong, as if they had taken some blue pills.
The sea occasionally churned with huge waves, crashing against the mountain where they were located.
The wave at noon was the most terrifying, nearly twenty meters high. They could even feel the mountain beneath their feet trembling.
Fang Er had spent a day adjusting the air intake of the helicopter.
In his spatial storage, he had a large range hood like those used in restaurants, with a thick flexible hose that was perfect for extending the air intake.
He cut a hole in the top of the fuselage. One end of the hose was connected to the air intake, and the other end extended into the cabin.
To ensure sufficient air supply, apart from the windshield, the glass on the cabin door was removed and covered with several layers of gauze to filter out the volcanic ash from the air.
Thus, the first helicopter with its air intake extended into the cabin was modified.
"Duke, are you sure there won't be any problems with this setup?"
Wang Xuance asked with unease, looking at the helicopter that resembled a severely injured patient.
"Probably, possibly, maybe there won't be any problems!"
Fang Er was also a little unsure.
The sky was filled with volcanic ash, falling incessantly like snowflakes. He didn't know how long it would last.
He was also uncertain if the modifications to the air intake would achieve the desired effect. However, seeing the massive waves on the sea, it was clearly more reliable than traveling by ship, even if this contraption had safety hazards.
"Duke, will such large waves affect the Central Plains?"
Xue Rengui asked with a hint of worry in his eyes.
Although he was not from this era, strictly speaking, his descendants were there.
Fang Er sighed, "The Dengzhou area should not have too much of a problem, as the waves here are blocked by Goryeo."
"The coastal areas of Jiangnan have the buffering effect of the First and Second Island Chains, so even if they are affected, the consequences should not be too severe."
"It's just those fishermen at sea. I hope they will be blessed by fortune."
"My reach is too short. For natural disasters like this, what we can do is extremely limited."
What he could do now was to seize the Ishimi Silver Mine and then go to Mount Fuji to take a look.
It was said that beneath that volcano lay a vast amount of gold ore, but it could not be mined due to geographical limitations. He wondered if this eruption would spew out the gold.
"Let's go. We'll head to the Japanese islands first to check the situation!"
After speaking, he was the first to get back into the helicopter.
Xue Rengui and Wang Xuance exchanged glances, seeing a hint of compassion in each other's eyes.
But as Fang Er had just said, what could they do?
Even if they dispatched all nine helicopters to the coastal areas to issue advance warnings, how many people would believe them?
They could only place their hopes on the experienced fishermen. With their knowledge, they should be able to detect changes in the ocean in time.
The two returned to the helicopter cockpit. Wang Xuance pressed the ignition button.
The engine let out a rough, roaring growl. The two tubes connected to the air intake began to tremble instantly, and the gauze covering the windows seemed to cave inward at the same time.