Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5015 Family Reunion
Upon hearing Fang Jun's words, Li Chengqian, Liu Li and Xu Jingzong were all deeply shocked. Although it was generally recognized by the government and the public that the imperial examination was a groundbreaking measure that overturned the previous hundreds of years' worth of paths to officialdom and methods of selecting officials, they had never thought that it would be possible to completely change the structure of the entire bureaucracy.

Will officials in the future value both morality and talent, and have both moral integrity and talent?
This is better than Cao Cao's "only talent is selected" and Cao Pi's "Nine-Rank System", and is also better than the imperial examination system dominated by Confucianism. The officials selected under such a strict examination system will probably be the highest-quality officials throughout history.

With the current prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, what kind of prosperous era will there be if such officials are in charge?
I'm afraid the "Hua Xu Kingdom" will reappear...

Of course, everyone knows that this step requires an extremely long process, after countless struggles and compromises, and it is still unknown whether it can be achieved in the end.

However, as long as there is such a grand goal, people from all walks of life are willing to do their best to pursue and achieve it.

After all, Confucianism has not been completely castrated, and the teachings of Confucius and Mencius still retain some pioneering and enterprising spirit...

Where the river meanders, a flat sandy land was washed out, and a thatched cottage was built with wooden piles as the foundation. It looks simple, but in the drizzle, it contrasts beautifully with the clear river water and the green mountains in front and behind. With more than ten greenhouses, it has a leisurely and comfortable feeling of a paradise.

Inside the thatched cottage, several people sat on the ground around a hot pot. Plates of thinly sliced ​​mutton were poured into the boiling soup, along with fresh and green leeks, cabbage, vermicelli and other foods. Sesame paste was stirred with deep-fried chili sauce, and the food was picked up with chopsticks, dipped in the hot pot and put into the mouth. The king and his ministers ate while sweating profusely and exclaimed that it was so delicious.

A clay jar filled with rice wine was hung in the cold river water, and the eunuchs who accompanied them kept pouring the cool rice wine into large bowls and bringing them to the table, until the cups were empty.

When they had eaten and drunk their fill, the table was cleared and the eunuch lit a small stove to boil water and make tea. The emperor and his ministers sat cross-legged, with a cool breeze and a light drizzle.

Li Chengqian drank some tea to relieve the greasiness in his mouth, and sighed with satisfaction: "In the midst of busyness, if I can often let go of the taboos and have a full stomach like this, it can be a real pleasure in life."

His own energy was far inferior to that of Emperor Taizong, but he was always thinking about surpassing Emperor Taizong. Therefore, he placed all the political affairs on his shoulders, exhausting himself and wasting his energy. Not only was his body worn out, but his spirit was also greatly depressed.

I left the palace today, put aside government affairs, and had a great time without worrying about taboos. I felt extremely refreshed.

Xu Jingzong said: "The empire is strong and vast, and the government affairs are piled up every day. Your Majesty is buried in documents and worrying about trivial matters, which is extremely bad for your health. You can relax a little bit. This combination of work and rest is more appropriate."

Liu Li frowned and said, "Your Majesty is the ruler of the world, and the whole world is watching. If you neglect your duties and indulge in pleasure, won't you be criticized by the world? Minister Xu's words are suspected of flattering the emperor and bewitching him! Moreover, as the saying goes, if the superior likes something, the subordinates will follow it. If Your Majesty avoids it from time to time due to busy affairs, I am afraid that all court officials have the same intention. When the time comes, the government affairs will be delayed and the administration will be lax, all because of Minister Xu's flattery!"

To this day, he feels more and more threatened by Xu Jingzong.

This man is an old minister of Emperor Taizong's palace. He has great experience and is rarely matched in the court. He has Fang Jun as his backer and is the Minister of Rites, the first of the six ministries. Now he has the merit of measuring land. His reputation has soared and is almost approaching that of the prime minister.

If he could gain His Majesty's favor again, I'm afraid he would be able to replace him as the Minister of the Central Secretariat in a few years...

Xu Jingzong was furious and retorted, "Your Majesty is diligent in government affairs, but you are also a mortal. Years of hard work will definitely damage your health. Can you take a break when you have free time? Do you have to be exhausted by the tedious government affairs to be a good emperor? As long as Your Majesty can combine work and rest, I would rather be called a flatterer by the world! On the contrary, you, a so-called loyal minister, only care about your own reputation and don't care whether Your Majesty is healthy or not. You are extremely hypocritical!"

He naturally knew why Liu Li was targeting him like this. Wasn't it because he was afraid that he would force him out of the position of prime minister?
That's what he thought!
"Alright, alright!"

Li Chengqian was so annoyed by the quarrel that he said, "I was just expressing my feelings because I was in a very good mood. Why are you two arguing? I don't know what the point of having my good mood ruined by you two!"

Liu Li and Xu Jingzong quickly confessed their crimes.

Fang Jun was drinking tea with a smile on his face. It was obvious that His Majesty was very protective of Xu Jingzong.

This is not surprising, most emperors like treacherous ministers, not because they cannot recognize the true face of treacherous ministers, but because treacherous ministers have a lower moral bottom line, act more arbitrarily, and know how to "please the emperor". People are not saints, even some wise monarchs are just ordinary people. How can they not like a minister who speaks well and does things to their satisfaction?
Of course, a truly wise ruler knows how to weigh the pros and cons, and knows when to win over treacherous ministers to please him and when to use loyal ministers to restore order in the court.

And some so-called wise rulers can easily get out of control...

Night falls earlier in the mountains. Although there is no wind in the valley, it is drizzling and the temperature is very low. Fang Jun asks people to find some dead wood and light a bonfire outside the thatched cottage. The king and his ministers sit around the bonfire and have a long talk.

*****
The temperature is getting higher day by day, and spring plowing in the Guanzhong Plain has begun in full swing.

At the same time, new scholars from all prefectures and counties across the country gathered in Chang'an, waiting to participate in the "Ministry of Rites Examination" to be held in June. Due to the different distances, the time when scholars arrived in Chang'an was also endless. Despite this, the sudden influx of a large population made the already crowded Chang'an City even more overcrowded, and various public security incidents emerged one after another, causing great trouble to Chang'an and Wannian County.

The first problem is housing.

Most of the scholars nowadays are children of aristocratic families with abundant family wealth and comfortable life. Therefore, they arrive in Chang'an in advance and rent houses to live in. On the one hand, they can adapt to the climate and soil of Chang'an to avoid inconvenience during the examination. On the other hand, they can also work hard in peace and stability. It is better to sharpen your sword before the battle, even if it is not quick.

But where are there so many houses in Chang'an City?

By late April, the inns and guesthouses in Chang'an were overcrowded, and the Pingkangfang area was crowded with scholars. Even the post stations outside the city were full of scholars who came to Beijing for the imperial examination. The influx of people had been going on for a long time, and the Jingzhao Prefecture had no choice but to send letters to various temples and Taoist temples inside and outside the city, ordering them to open the door and accept scholars to stay, and finally alleviated the situation...

……

South of the city, Fangjiawan Wharf.

As countless scholars gathered in Chang'an to take part in the "Ministry of Rites Examination", these children of aristocratic families had been living a life of luxury since childhood, so naturally they had to have slaves and maids accompanying them. Their relatives also came to Beijing to manage various relationships, and the resources required were incalculable. Every day, countless ships transported various goods from Kanto to Beijing, causing the docks to be very busy.

Today, Fangjiawan Wharf has long become the leading cargo distribution center in the entire Chang'an area due to its excellent geographical location, complete infrastructure and reasonable design structure. Therefore, the huge wealth it brings to the Fang family every year has made countless people jealous.

Near noon, a convoy consisting of several horse-drawn carriages came slowly from the direction of Chang'an, with hundreds of well-equipped family soldiers guarding on both sides and leading the way from the front. With the assistance of the dock manager, they pushed through the crowded crowd and arrived directly in front of the dock.

Soon, a fleet arrived at the dock by water. After docking, soldiers cleared the nearby berths and placed a gangway from the side of the ship onto the dock. The people in the cabin then walked onto the deck and filed ashore.

Immediately, nearby porters and merchants started to make a noise: "Is it Fang Xiang?"

"Of course! Didn't you see that the Grand Marshal and the Princess's entourage have arrived?"

"Prime Minister Fang is a good parent. After retiring, he went to the rich land of Jiangnan to live out his retirement while managing his fiefdom for Erlang. Erlang, on the other hand, is able to call the shots in the court and maintain his position. Compared with other prime ministers during the Zhenguan period, he is truly enviable."

"Who says it's not true? Look at Zhangsun Wuji, look at Du Ruhui, only Xiao Yu escaped unscathed..."

The dock was noisy, and people were extremely curious about the Fang family. After all, they were one of the most powerful families in the world, and according to the current situation, their wealth was rising...

Fang Jun, along with his wives and concubines, picked up his parents, wife and children who were returning to Beijing from Huating Town and put them on the carriage. Without stopping, he returned all the way to the Duke of Liang's Mansion in Chongrenfang, surrounded by his personal soldiers.

……

There was a bustle in the main hall.

Fang Xuanling and his wife sat at the top, Fang Jun sat at the bottom, and his two sons, Fang Shu and Fang You, held his thighs on the left and right, and climbed up one by one. Fang Jun opened his big hands and held his two sons in each hand. He looked at this and that, feeling relieved.

Fang Jing, who was in Xiao Shu'er's arms, was snatched away by Princess Gaoyang, who kept kissing her delicate cheeks, making the little girl giggle. As Fang Jun's only daughter, Fang Jing was the apple of everyone's eye and was spoiled in every way.

Qiao'er was sitting next to him. Fang Qian in her arms was a little confused by the lively atmosphere. Just when he was about to put his thumb into his mouth to suck it, he was pulled out by his mother...

Fang Xiaomei held Jin Shengman's hand and chatted with him with a smile.

The whole family was reunited, and Fang Xuanling and his wife were very happy and they never stopped smiling.

Mrs. Lu wiped her tears, looked around, and complained to her son, "The only one missing is Mei Niang. How can you bear to let such a beautiful girl go to Luoyang? She is unfamiliar with the place, what if something goes wrong?"

Fang Jun smiled and weighed his two sons in his arms, saying, "Mei Niang is beautiful and intelligent, with lofty ambitions. She is a man among women. How can she be confined to the boudoir? Having such conditions at home is just right for her to show her strengths. There is nothing wrong with that."

Fang Xuanling nodded: "Mei Niang is different from ordinary women, you should not interfere in her affairs."

Lu rolled her eyes. Fang Xuanling kept silent about his other children and daughters-in-law and never commented on them. However, he looked up to Wu Meiniang and often even listened to her opinions. As a result, Wu Meiniang had a very special status in the Fang family.

She looked at Jin Shengman's belly and said, "The due date is next month, so be careful!"