Li Shimin's emotions were not without reason.
He had only ascended to the throne a little over a year ago.
Just over a year ago, he had personally killed his own brother and coerced his father into abdicating the throne to him.
In terms of etiquette and law, his behavior was inappropriate.
Perhaps this was punishment from the heavens?
Empress Changsun stood by, unsure of how to comfort her husband. She gently massaged his shoulders, seemingly trying to relieve the pressure from Li Shimin's body.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.
Princess Changle peeked in from outside.
Empress Changsun frowned, "Come in, as a princess, why do you look so unkempt? You might not be spoken well of when you marry into your husband's family in the future..."
Li Shimin waved his hand, "It's fine, who dares to criticize my daughter's appearance?"
Princess Changle walked in with a playful smile, saying, "Father, you're the best~"
"What brings you here today?" Li Shimin asked with a smile. Seeing his daughter, his mood couldn't help but lighten.
Princess Changle whispered, "Father, I visited the Auspicious Supermarket again today."
Li Shimin asked curiously, "Did they have anything new?"
Princess Changle nodded, "Yes, today Mr. Lin brought out a type of food called self-heating rice again!"
With that, she proudly picked up a box of braised beef flavored self-heating rice and placed it on the table.
The packaging in the system's mall was simple, just printed with the name of the flavor, without the flashy appearance of the future.
Li Shimin picked up the self-heating rice, even more curious, "How do you eat this?"
Princess Changle chuckled, "This thing is quite interesting. Father, let me tell you, this is the heating pack..."
"We first take out the food from the packet and place it properly."
"Then we put the heating pack in, pour water, and quickly put the food in this compartment!"
"When the steam comes out, this thing is ready to eat!"
Li Shimin's eyes lit up.
Like Liu Ren, he instantly thought of the strategic significance of this food.
"How much does this cost?" Li Shimin calculated in his mind. If this thing wasn't expensive, even if it was as cheap as fish tofu, one coin per bag, it would be extremely cost-effective for emergency use in war.
Princess Changle shook her head, "Mr. Lin said he's not selling this now."
Li Shimin frowned, "If he's not selling it, why did he bring it out?"
Princess Changle explained, "I talked to Mr. Lin about the locust plague yesterday, and he was very concerned about it. In the afternoon, he went with me to the village outside the city."
"Hmm... Mr. Lin saw the situation there and told me on the way back that he wanted to provide food for the people in the village, so he brought out the self-heating rice."
Li Shimin raised an eyebrow, his tone somewhat complex, "Is he so kind-hearted?"
Princess Changle shook her head, looking puzzled, "Mr. Lin told me that these things are not free..."
"But he didn't tell me what the reward was."
"He just told me to go back and tell the adults at home that he has a way to solve the locust plague."
"If you want to solve the locust plague, go to him with Tang's sincerity."
With a thud, Li Shimin stood up straight, looking at Princess Changle, his gaze very serious, "Did he really say that?"
Princess Changle shrank her neck, "Yes, Mr. Lin did say that..."
Li Shimin frowned.
Walking back and forth.
Princess Changle was still young and couldn't understand the meaning behind his words.
But he understood very well.
These self-heating rice were a gesture of goodwill.
This Mr. Lin definitely didn't want silver...
Otherwise, he wouldn't have said something like "Tang's sincerity."
What did he want?
Li Shimin's mind stirred, picking up a long-delayed memorial from the table.
This was the intelligence that Qian Niu Wei had inquired about from Xinghua some time ago.
It's just that the locust plague was too severe, and he didn't have time to pay attention to these minor matters.
Now it's time to take a good look at who this Mr. Lin really is.
The contents of the memorial were brief.
Lin Shen was not from the Lin family in Xinghua.
Not only that.
After months of careful investigation by Qian Niu Wei's men, they couldn't find any information about Lin Shen before this.
Nor did they find out how that shop transported goods.
In Chang'an City, under the eyes of the Tang Dynasty.
Apart from the Auspicious Supermarket, which was openly placed, they couldn't find any other information.
Qian Niu Wei even dug three feet near the Auspicious Supermarket, fearing that there might be unknown tunnels under Chang'an City.
Of course, they didn't find this non-existent tunnel.
Li Shimin sighed heavily, putting down the memorial in his hand.
Empress Changsun asked with concern, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
Li Shimin shook his head, "No information was found. This kid seems to have jumped out of a rock. Tomorrow, I'll personally go and meet him."
Empress Changsun couldn't help but interject, "Your Majesty, just summoning him into the palace and granting him whatever he wants as long as he solves the locust plague should suffice..."
Li Shimin shook his head again, "This Mr. Lin isn't that easy to deal with."
"I don't want to meet him so early with the identity of the emperor. I just want to see what Tang's sincerity he wants."
Princess Changle didn't dare to interrupt, after teasing Empress Changsun, she hurriedly left.
The next day.
After the morning court session.
Li Shimin, under the care of Empress Changsun, changed into casual clothes, and under the protection of Qian Niu Wei, quietly left the palace and headed to the Auspicious Supermarket.
Inside the Auspicious Supermarket.
Chen San rented a carriage, loaded dozens of boxes of self-heating rice onto the carriage, and followed the route from yesterday, heading to the village outside the city.
Yesterday, only a few boxes were moved, barely enough for one night's ration for the villagers.
Today, he was going to prepare food for them for several days.
He had just left.
Li Shimin arrived at the Auspicious Supermarket.
Lin Shen raised his head, seeing Li Shimin standing at the door, carefully examining this door that Tang did not have the craftsmanship for.
"This is not an ordinary person."
This thought rushed into Lin Shen's mind.
Unlike other Tang people, Lin Shen couldn't see any sense of constraint in him. His attitude toward this titanium alloy door was not just admiration; he was also studying what kind of craftsmanship could forge such a door.
"Is this the elder of the little girl from Changle's family?" Lin Shen squinted his eyes, pondering carefully.
Li Shimin remembered his main purpose
Apologies for the oversight. Here's the continuation:
Reluctantly leaving the titanium alloy door, Li Shimin walked to the counter and bowed respectfully to Lin Shen, "Is the young master the owner of this shop?"
Li Shimin looked at Lin Shen with a curious gaze.
Previously, based on the reports from Qian Niu Wei and what his daughter had said, he didn't have such a profound impression.
But now, seeing him in person...
The aura of this Mr. Lin was indeed special.
There was a sense of transcendence about him.
Completely devoid of the ordinary merchant's aura of vulgarity.