Traveling through Du He, Li Chengqian's rebellion begins

After several important officials including Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling and Li Jing left, Du He walked up to Lu Chengqing, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and asked him in a low voice.

"Minister Lu, how long will it take for the rewards and pensions for the soldiers to be distributed?"

When Lu Chengqing heard Du He's question, there was no surprise on his face.

Because in the past few days, the generals from the Ministry of War have come to him more than once to inquire about the distribution of rewards and pensions.

Lu Chengqing glanced around and found that there was no one within ten steps, so he replied in a low voice.

"Minister Du, tomorrow we will first give out rewards to those above the rank of general."

"Rewards and pensions will be distributed to officers above the rank of lieutenant within five days, and to ordinary soldiers within ten days."

The higher the official position, the fewer approval processes they have to go through, so the rewards will be distributed much faster.

However, issuing rewards and pensions to ordinary soldiers requires layers of approval and counting of the amount of silver, which will take a lot of time.

Du He nodded and said, "Minister Lu, please keep a closer eye on them. The soldiers are getting anxious."

Lu Chengqing replied helplessly: "Du Shangshu, we also understand the soldiers' anxious mood, so all our staff in the Ministry of Revenue have been catching up with the progress during this period."

"Now that the time has been clarified, the rewards and pensions for the soldiers can be distributed within ten days. Please ask them to wait patiently."

As the weather grew colder, the Minister of Revenue Tang Jian paid less and less attention to his affairs and often indulged in drinking with his guests.

Now all matters of the Ministry of Revenue, big or small, fall on the shoulders of this Vice Minister who has just completed one year in office.

Sometimes, when I submitted memorials to Tang Jian, I had to urge him three or five times before he could review them, which seriously affected the progress.

Du He knew that the people in the Ministry of Revenue were almost crazy busy during this period, and he also got relatively accurate information on the issuance time of rewards and pensions, so he did not continue to ask.

He clasped his fists towards Lu Chengqing and said, "Minister Lu, when you are free, let's go to the Duke of Lai's mansion for a drink."

"Okay!" Lu Chengqing responded with a smile, then he clasped his fists and said, "Minister Du, I'll go back to the Ministry of Revenue first, and we'll sit down and talk slowly next time."

After Lu Chengqing left in a hurry, Du He also left the Taiji Hall with several subordinates from the Ministry of Works.

As the chief officers and lieutenants of each department left the Taiji Hall, the remaining fifth-rank officials gathered together in an instant.

They started discussing what happened in the court today.

"Do you think the people in the Ministry of Works can make a useful new plow under the leadership of Minister Du?"

"Your Majesty has personally promised that if the Ministry of Works makes a useful new plow, he will reward them handsomely!"

"The people in the Ministry of Industry are so lucky to have met someone as capable as Minister Du. I don't know how much His Majesty will reward them!"

The rewards for court officials were not all gold, silver and money. In many cases, they were replaced by corn, cloth and refined salt.

Items such as corn, cloth and refined salt are all currencies that can be exchanged for money and other things.

As a middle-aged official posed the question, an elderly voice soon responded with some disdain.

"It's impossible even if you use your toes to imagine it. Does Du Shangshu know anything about farming?"

“It is undeniable that Du Shangshu was a genius in poetry and strategy, but what was needed to innovate Zhili was not talent but skilled craftsmen.”

"It would be impossible to make a better new plow if you didn't work with farm tools all day long."

The old man who was speaking was the junior supervisor of the Military Equipment Bureau. He had been dealing with equipment and armor for decades and knew the difficulties faced by craftsmen.

Anyone can copy something, but making new and useful things is not an easy task.

When the other officials heard that the people from the Ministry of Works might be doing useless work, they all felt relieved.

Now people from other departments have not made any achievements, and they don’t want those from the Ministry of Works to make any achievements, otherwise they will have a very uncomfortable year.

Then they turned the topic to Li Chengqian, Yu Zhining and Zhang Xuansu, wondering how His Majesty would properly handle the relationship between the three of them.

...

Liangyi Palace.

Yu Zhining and Zhang Xuansu, two old ministers, lowered their heads slightly and sat on the cushions on both sides of the hall, feeling very uncomfortable.

At this time, Li Shimin's gaze had just left the two of them and was placed on Li Chengqian.

"Prince, I intend to let Yu Zhining and Zhang Xuansu replace Ma Zhou and Liu Li in the Eastern Palace!"

"I wonder what you think?"

what!

My father actually wants to transfer Ma Zhou and Liu Li out of the Eastern Palace?

After hearing the decision made by his father, Li Chengqian's face suddenly showed a solemn expression.

His hands, hidden under his thick sleeves, were clenched into fists.

At present, the Imperial Censor Ma Zhou also serves as the Prince's Secretary, and the Palace Attendant Liu Li also serves as the Prince's Left Secretary.

The Prince's Secretary is equivalent to the left and right Pushe of the Shangshu Province, and the Prince's Zuo Shuzi is equivalent to the Shizhong of the Menxia Province, so these two positions are of vital importance to the Eastern Palace.

Moreover, Ma Zhou and Liu Li were both among his core supporters, and he felt at ease knowing that they were in charge of important tasks in the Eastern Palace.

Now that the emperor has stuffed Yu Zhining and Zhang Xuansu in, isn't he trying to spy on him openly?

As Li Chengqian remained silent, the atmosphere in Liangyi Hall suddenly became depressing.

Yu Zhining and Zhang Xuansu were equally shocked by Li Shimin's sudden decision.

They noticed that the atmosphere was becoming increasingly depressing, so they stood up one after another and declined.

Yu Zhining declined, saying, "I am grateful for your majesty's trust, but I am incompetent and cannot take on an important position in the East Palace. Please take back your order!"

Zhang Xuansu said bluntly: "I used to teach the crown prince in the East Palace, but I was of no apparent use, and I have no face to return to the East Palace to take up an important position."

"Besides, I have just been promoted by Your Majesty to the position of Minister of Personnel, and I have no time to take care of the affairs of the Eastern Palace in the short term."

Although both of them wanted to return to the Eastern Palace, they definitely did not want to go back in this way.

Otherwise, not only will the prince not recognize them, but he will also regard them as thorns in his side.

Li Shimin shook his head and said, "You two are too modest. You two were originally the left assistants of the crown prince. How can you not be competent for the job?"

"Since Wei Zheng's death last year, the court has been lacking ministers who can speak out and give advice, and you are one of the few loyal and upright ministers."

"With you assisting the prince, he will be able to avoid making mistakes in the future, and no one will dare to point it out!"

The officials currently serving in the Eastern Palace include Ma Zhou, the Crown Prince's Secretary, Liu Li and Cen Wenben, the Crown Prince's Left Assistants, and Linghu Defen and Zhao Hongzhi, the Crown Prince's Right Assistants.

Although these five people were well-versed in classics and history and had outstanding talents, they were not ministers who spoke frankly and gave advice.

The prince did something wrong, but these people did not have the courage like Yu Zhining and Zhang Xuansu to point out the prince's mistakes in public.

His Majesty had said so much, Yu Zhining and Zhang Xuansu did not continue to refuse, but looked at Li Chengqian with embarrassment.

They are just subjects and can only follow orders.

Li Chengqian also knew that although his father had discussed the matter with him, his words just now had already settled the matter, and no matter how he resisted, it would be useless.

There was silence for a long time.

Li Chengqian clasped his fists calmly and said, "I will obey your orders, father!"