My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 374 The Crown Prince will be unhappy

Tai Chi Palace.

Li Shimin asked Zhang Ananda to show the memorials submitted by the Prince of Wei's Palace to the ministers for their review.

That was the proposal for casting a pillar submitted by the Literary Institute of the Prince of Wei's Palace.

Chu Suiliang is now considered a member of the Wei Wang party.

When everyone finished reading, he immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty is now powerful throughout the country. You have destroyed the Turks in the east and the Xueyantuo in the north. You have also sent the crown prince to conquer Liaodong, making Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje bow down to you. Yesterday, envoys from various countries cried and kowtowed in the Honglu Temple, saying that all the countries in the Western Regions look up to the Great Tang like the sun and the moon. They are willing to cast a pillar of gold and stone to engrave your Majesty's merits between heaven and earth."

"This pillar is thirty feet high, with copper and iron from all nations as its base. On top is engraved the words of your majesty's "Breaking the Formation Music", and below is a picture of the four barbarians paying tribute. On the top is a Mani Fire Bead, which represents the light that illuminates all nations."

Li Shimin nodded slightly.

He was still very interested in casting columns.

However, as an emperor, there are some things that he cannot say directly.

However, Wei Zheng had a different opinion.

"Your Majesty! I heard that during the Liaodong War, two out of every three male adults in a family were sent to fight. Even today, there are still people in Hebei who have to sell their houses to pay the government and tear them down to make firewood! If you cast this pillar again, I'm afraid the people will starve and there will be starving people in the wild. Your Majesty, do you want to follow the example of Qin Shi Huang, who failed to achieve anything and ended up in chaos?"

These words made Li Shimin, who was in a good mood, suddenly look gloomy.

Seeing this, Changsun Wuji said, "Why do you have to exaggerate? Your Majesty is not Qin Shihuang, and this pillar is not the Afang Palace. In the past, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sealed the Wolf's Lair and carved a stone to record his merits, which became a good story. Now the four barbarians have taken the initiative to offer copper, which shows that our Tang Dynasty wins people over with virtue. If we refuse, it may hurt the foreign nations' desire to submit to us."

Li Shimin's expression then looked better, and he turned his gaze to Fang Xuanling.

Fang Xuanling hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, the countries have donated a lot of copper, but it seems that it does not require much labor, but casting the pillars requires 8,000 artisans and 5,000 laborers, and each person consumes 5 liters of millet per day. A large amount of coal is also needed. This cost is equivalent to the food rations of the people in Chang'an for three months."

Although Fang Xuanling did not oppose it, his words and deeds implied that it would be a waste of money and time.

Li Shimin looked at Chu Suiliang and asked, "My dear Chu, you were proofreading the Book of Han in the Hongwenguan. Do you still remember Chen Tang's words that anyone who openly offends the mighty Han must be punished, even if he is far away?"

Chu Suiliang understood and said: "Your Majesty, Chen Tang erected a stele in the Western Regions, and the Xiongnu Chanyu fled when he saw the stele. Now our Tang Dynasty has erected a pillar in Luoyang, and it is time to engrave the eight characters "The Emperor of Tang is mighty and mighty, and all nations are coming to pay tribute" on it, so that the four barbarians know that the majesty of heaven cannot be violated."

Wei Zheng snorted coldly: "Chen Tang forged an imperial edict to raise troops, and almost caused a disaster! Your Majesty, do you want to learn from him and cause trouble?"

"When Emperor Yang of Sui built the Grand Canal, he said that his contribution would last for thousands of years. However, the day the Grand Canal was completed was the day when the Sui Dynasty fell!"

Seeing that His Majesty's face was becoming increasingly gloomy, Changsun Wuji hurried out to smooth things over.

"Duke Wei, are you comparing your majesty to Emperor Yang? Since your majesty ascended the throne, you have lightened taxes and levied low taxes, and given the people a rest, which is why the country is so prosperous today. The pillars are just an embellishment of the prosperous times. How could you repeat the mistakes of the Sui Dynasty?"

Wei Zheng's gray beard trembled slightly with excitement. He suddenly took off his official hat and threw it heavily on the blue brick floor. "If Your Majesty insists on building the pillar, I am willing to follow Bi Gan's example and die to give advice!"

Everyone in the hall was shocked, even Fang Xuanling, who was usually calm, couldn't help but look at Wei Zheng.

The hem of Li Shimin's dragon robe rose and fell with his breathing. He stared at Wei Zheng's red eyes and suddenly remembered the scene twenty years ago when this stubborn old man accused him of "killing his brother and forcing his father" in front of all the civil and military officials after the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

He was also so stubborn at that time, with his neck erect and straight, like a pine tree that would rather break than bend.

"Mr. Wei, you are too serious."

Li Shimin raised his hand to signal the eunuch to help Wei Zheng up, and there was a hint of fatigue in his voice.

"I know the sufferings of the people. But the four barbarians offered us the bronze pillars. If we refuse, who will guard the border for the Tang Dynasty if the Western Regions become alienated in the future?"

His eyes swept over Changsun Wuji, Chu Suiliang and others.

"You say, if this pillar is engraved with 'The Emperor of Tang is mighty and mighty, and all nations come to pay tribute', would it be more intimidating to the villains than a hundred thousand cavalrymen?"

Chu Suiliang took a half step forward, the cloud pattern on his official uniform swaying as he moved. "Your Majesty is wise! In the past, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty offered sacrifices to the gods on Mount Tai and erected a stele without words to honor his benevolent policies, which led to the flourishing era of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Today, our Tang Dynasty has erected a pillar in Luoyang, not only to show our prestige to the world, but also to let future generations know about the achievements of our ancestors!"

Before he finished speaking, Wei Zheng suddenly started coughing violently: "In the later years of Emperor Wu of Han, the people were displaced by the witchcraft disaster. Is Your Majesty going to follow in their footsteps?"

Fang Xuanling sighed and said, "Your Majesty, the craftsmen and civilians needed to cast the pillars are all recruited from various prefectures and counties. Hebei has just experienced the Turkic turmoil. If we recruit more laborers, it may cause resentment among the people."

Zhang Sun Wuji smiled and broke the deadlock: "Prime Minister Fang is worrying too much. I have ordered the Ministry of Revenue to allocate grain from the charity granary, and asked the Ministry of Works to recruit craftsmen and use wages instead of corvée. This way, it will not disturb the people and will achieve this great cause for generations to come."

Then he said, "Your Majesty, once this pillar is erected, the trade routes in the Western Regions will be unblocked, tax revenues will double, and the mere cost of grain will be nothing more than a drop in the bucket."

Li Shimin was a little hesitant. The stone pillar that symbolized the majesty of the Celestial Empire attracted him like a magnet. Which emperor would not want to leave a mark in history?
The troublemaker now is Wei Zheng.

Li Shimin looked at Wei Zheng and asked, "Duke Wei, you said that if I cast a pillar, I would be learning from Qin Shi Huang. But let me ask you, Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, standardized the writing system and the wheel gauge. Didn't he have any achievements at all?"

When Wei Zheng heard this, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He had been with Emperor Li Shimin for twenty years, and he knew very well that although this emperor seemed brave and decisive, deep down in his heart, he was always wavering between a sage and a tyrant.

"His Majesty,"

He took a deep breath.

"Although the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor had great achievements, they also lost the support of the people because of their arrogance. If Your Majesty can put the people first, even if you build a pillar, the people will be grateful; but if you ignore the people's livelihood, no matter how great your achievements are, they will only be castles in the air."

The hall fell into dead silence, with only the sound of thunder in the distance striking everyone's hearts. Li Shimin closed his eyes and recalled the governing philosophy he and Wei Zheng had set when he first ascended the throne: "Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it."

But now, facing the grand scene of all nations coming to pay tribute, he was a little lost.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan." Fang Xuanling broke the silence.

"Can we postpone the construction of the pillars? Wait until the people of Hebei have rested and recovered, and then choose an auspicious day to start the construction. By then, it will not only show your majesty's benevolence, but also not damage the dignity of the Tang Dynasty."

This is a compromise, which is actually still mainly based on procrastination.

After all, many things will be gone if you delay them.

This will also give Your Majesty a way out and will not damage the harmony between the monarch and his subjects.

Changsun Wuji shook his head in opposition: "If we put it aside at this time, I am afraid that foreign countries will laugh at our Tang Dynasty for being cowardly!"

"Enough!" Li Shimin stood up suddenly, his dragon robe swept across the table, and all the memorials were overturned on the ground. Everyone knelt down in unison, and only heavy breathing could be heard in the hall.

After a long time, Li Shimin slowly said: "I have made up my mind about casting the pillar. Fifty percent of the money will be paid from my treasury." Before the dust in the Taiji Palace had settled, the imperial edict flew to various prefectures like snowflakes.

The night was as dark as ink, covering the palace of Prince of Jin, Li Zhi.

Li Zhi dismissed his attendants and left Li Yifu alone in the study. As the candlelight flickered, he frowned, his eyes full of anxiety: "Now the King of Wei has made a big splash by casting the pillar. Once the stone pillar is completed, I'm afraid his reputation will be even greater. What should I do?"

Li Yifu bowed slightly, a sly look flashed in his narrow eyes: "Don't worry, King Jin. The pillar-casting may seem like a grand event, but it actually hides a mystery. King Wei wanted to use this to win his favor, but he ended up making things worse. However, if we want to overthrow him, we still need to make some progress on the pillar-casting."

Li Zhi stroked the jade ring in his hand and said thoughtfully, "The erection of the pillar was decided by my father. Now it is supervised by Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling, and Zhangsun Wuji. With so many checks, what flaws can be found?"

Li Yifu took a few steps closer and lowered his voice, "Your Highness, it is precisely because this matter is supervised by three important ministers that it is more likely to go wrong. The thousands of craftsmen and civilians consume a huge amount of money every day. Even if Your Majesty pays for it out of the treasury, there will inevitably be omissions."

"Furthermore, were all the copper and iron donated by various countries really used to build the pillars? As long as we guide them a little and spread some rumors, we can make the people in the court panic."

Li Zhi's eyes lit up: "You mean to spread rumors that there was corruption in the establishment of the pillar? But if there is no real evidence, how can the emperor believe it?"

Li Yifu sneered, "No need for real evidence, just let the rumors spread."

Li Zhi hesitated: "Isn't this too risky? What if the emperor finds out that we are behind this?"

Li Yifu said hurriedly, "Prince Jin, rest assured. We only need to secretly add fuel to the flames and leave no evidence. Moreover, the Crown Prince and the King of Wei have been fighting for a long time in the court, and Your Majesty is sensitive about the issue of the crown prince. Once the rumor spreads, Your Majesty will definitely send someone to investigate thoroughly."

"By then, whether there is a problem or not, the King of Wei cannot escape responsibility - after all, the memorial on the pillar casting came from the Literary Institute of the Prince of Wei's Palace."

Li Zhi nodded slightly, his eyes gradually showing a fierce light: "Okay! Just as you say. Also, Chu Suiliang is a member of the Wei Wang party, and he has spoken for him in the court. He can also be involved in this pillar-raising matter."

Li Yifu said in agreement: "Prince Jin is wise! Chu Suiliang is in charge of proofreading documents. If he can do something with the documents related to the pillar erection, such as tampering with the amount of money and grain for the craftsmen, and then try to get these problematic documents into the eyes of Your Majesty, he will be speechless."

Li Zhi nodded: "Okay, I'll leave this matter to you. Please be careful and cautious."

Whether it is the Crown Prince or the King of Wei, they are both enemies of Li Zhi.

As long as there is an opportunity, we will strike back.

Li Yifu replied, "There is one more thing that King Jin needs to pay attention to. Although Wei Zheng has no connection with King Wei, he is upright and honest. If he knew that someone was using the pillar to cause trouble, he would definitely do his best to protect him. We still need to think of a way to keep him from taking care of it."

Li Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "Wei Zheng is devoted to the people and cannot bear to see them suffer. You can send people to spread the news in Hebei, saying that the cost of erecting the pillars is huge and the relief grain that should have been allocated to Hebei has been diverted."

"Once Wei Zheng learns of this, he will definitely rush to Hebei to find out the truth. This way, he won't be able to interfere with our plans in the court."

Li Yifu couldn't help but admire: "Prince Jin's plan is really brilliant! In this way, we can work together inside and outside to put Prince Wei and Chu Suiliang in a desperate situation."
-
Daming Palace.

In the martial arts arena, the sound of golden drums shook the sky.

This is military training.

Li Chengqian knew very well that military power was the kingly way, so he never neglected the training of his soldiers.

Du He asked softly, "Your Highness! The Prince of Jin and Li Yifu are secretly plotting to overthrow the Prince of Wei by using the pillar-raising incident. Your Highness, are you really not going to intervene in this matter?"

The Prince of Jin's Palace and the Prince of Wei's Palace were now like a sieve, filled with Li Chengqian's spies.

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly: "It's just a child's trick, why should I care about it?"

"The people have been through war and need to rest and recuperate. These are the things I should focus on."

Li Yuanchang said, "But Your Highness, the King of Jin is trying to take over the throne. If he succeeds, it will not be good for Your Highness. After all, after the King of Wei fell, he will be Your Highness's biggest rival."

Li Chengqian sneered, "If you can't even handle this, how can you talk about inheriting the throne? I don't want to rely on conspiracy and trickery to get rid of my opponents, but to make the Tang Dynasty truly a prosperous and powerful country that all nations come to pay tribute to. By then, who will dare to question my status?"

No matter whether it is the King of Wei or the King of Jin, Li Chengqian really does not take them seriously.

For now, it's not too easy to kill them.

Zhao Jie frowned and said, "But Your Highness, now in the court, various forces are ready to make a move. If we don't take action, I'm afraid we will be led by them by the nose."

Li Chengqian sneered: "What do you think is the real action?"

"Is he like the King of Jin, doing something shameful behind the scenes? Or is he like the King of Wei, trying to gain favor by currying favor with my father?"

"What I want to do is to implement new policies! It is to take the national strength of the Tang Dynasty to a higher level!"

Du He said thoughtfully: "Your Highness is right. But how easy is it to implement a new policy? Not to mention His Majesty, even if we are not careful in the court, we will be criticized."

Li Chengqian said calmly: "Criticism? Why would I be afraid of that? When my father launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident, how much criticism did he bear? But now, who doesn't praise him as a wise ruler?"

Li Yuanchang put away his folding fan and said solemnly, "Your Highness has made this decision, and we will naturally fully support it. But please let Your Highness know the specifics."

Li Chengqian said: "We should take this opportunity to rectify the administration of officials and reform the imperial examination system."

"This matter will be handed over to the King of Han."

Everyone immediately understood that the prince was going to take action against the officials in Chang'an.

Li Yuanchang immediately said happily: "Don't worry, Your Highness."

The next day.

Li Yuanchang started arresting people according to the prince's instructions.

"Wang Mingde, the mayor of Chang'an, embezzled three thousand strings of silver from the Ministry of Works in the name of repairing Zhuque Street; Zhou Xian, the secretary of the Honglu Temple, accepted bribes from the Western Regions caravan and released contraband goods privately."

Du He came closer to take a closer look, his expression solemn: "King of Han, Wang Mingde is the cousin of Zhangsun Wuji, and Zhou Xian is a student of Chu Suiliang. If we act rashly, it may alarm the various forces in the court."

Li Yuanchang said sternly: "I want to see, whose power is stronger, theirs or my sword!"

"Since the prince has asked me to handle this matter, I will not tolerate any negligence."

Du He hesitated and said, "Perhaps we can start with lower-ranking officials and proceed step by step. For example, Zhang Li, the assistant general of the Jingzhao Prefecture's household department, was recently sued by the people for occupying their land, and the evidence is solid. Appealing to him can deter the scoundrels without angering the powerful."

Li Yuanchang shook his head: "Too slow, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will be unhappy."

(End of this chapter)