Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

Today, there is truly no one around the Tang Dynasty that can rival it.

In the fifth year of the Zhenguan era, Goguryeo was dismembered into a state of remnant surrender by the Tang Dynasty through various overt and covert means.

With the Tang Dynasty controlling the military power of Silla, even the nominal Queen Kim Deok-man had moved to the East Palace in Chang'an and become one of the concubines of Crown Prince Li Chengqian. Every day, she tried her best to become the second woman to conceive a royal heir after the birth of the Crown Prince.

Japan is in chaos again.

Li Ke, the Prince of Han, was a meticulous and ruthless man.

He had roughly determined the location of the Iwami Ginzan from what his elder brother had said: it wasn't on the same island as Fukuoka, but on a larger island further north.

However, it is very convenient to sail along the coast.

What he's doing now is training troops, building ships, and... training the Japanese Tang army.

Regarding the grain imports from Linyi, Li Chengqian ultimately did not order a massive bombing campaign against these wild monkeys. Since exchanging glass balls for grain was no longer effective, he decided to use handicrafts such as silk and porcelain instead.

We'll just treat it as an export product.

Once the land reforms were completed throughout the Tang Dynasty and sufficient grain reserves were accumulated, Linyi would no longer be so important. Destroying and rebuilding it, and incorporating it into the Tang Dynasty's territory, would then be on the agenda.

"Not bad, not bad..."

Inside the Ganlu Hall, Li Chengqian looked at a geomantic map in front of him with satisfaction in his study, nodding repeatedly.

However, outside the hall, a dozen officials were gathered around Tang Jian, looking miserable and sorrowful.

He grabbed the other person and begged them desperately.

"Your Excellency, you must tell us! We haven't been home for three days straight; we've been working at the yamen the whole time."

"Waaah, Lord Tang, even my beloved wife at home is complaining about me. If I can't even have a day off on the Double Ninth Festival, I'm afraid my household will never have peace!"

"Your Excellency, I beg you, you must speak to His Highness! I'm kneeling before you!"

Surrounded by the crowd, Tang Jian looked helpless and at a loss for what to do.

"What can I do? You're working overtime, so am I supposed to just take a break?"

He took a deep breath and lowered his voice: "I've been at the Ministry of Rites for five days straight without going home! I even dragged my bedding to the office..."

As he spoke, a look of sorrow involuntarily appeared on his face.

Seeing his refusal, the dozen or so officials with dark circles under their eyes exchanged glances and then moved closer together.

"My lord, you are a veteran minister, and you have held the position of Minister of Rites steadily. His Highness relies on you. If you appeal to his emotions and reason with him, His Highness will surely agree!"

"Yes, yes, Lord Tang is a pillar of the nation, loyal and courageous. His Highness will surely feel sorry for him, unlike us... Waaah!"

"Lord Tang, as the Minister of Rites, the matter of holidays and leave is a matter of etiquette. His Highness has repeatedly reduced holidays and leave, even taking away the Qingming Festival holiday. Your Highness, is this in accordance with etiquette?!"

"As the Minister of Rites, shouldn't Your Excellency advise His Highness to abide by etiquette and uphold the rules?!"

"Lord Tang! You should be the backbone of all officials of our Great Tang! The pillar of upholding propriety and valuing the Way!"

"Lord Tang, you're not afraid, are you?"

Everyone chimed in, making Tang Jian sound as if he had become a great minister who had saved the officials of the Tang Dynasty.

.......

"Your Highness, all the slaves from the various countries of the plateau this season have been delivered. The quality of this batch of slaves is quite good, and there are as many as 7 of them."

In the imperial study, Tang Jian, the Minister of Rites, respectfully reported, and saw his prince nod, indicating that he understood.

However, he couldn't help but hesitate.

Li Chengqian, who was looking at the letter sent from Lingnan Road by his fifth brother, Prince Chu, Li You, and at several scrolls depicting the local customs and conditions under the new policies, looked up when he saw that Tang Jian had finished his report and was still not leaving.

"What? Minister Tang, is there something else?"

Tang Jian was a little nervous. He cupped his hands, coughed twice, and finally gritted his teeth, lowering his head and looking down, not daring to meet the prince's gaze.

Speak softly.

"Your Highness, the Double Ninth Festival is approaching."

Li Chengqian nodded: "Yes, time flies, it's already autumn."

Seeing Li Chengqian's sentimental expression, completely oblivious to the meaning behind his words, Tang Jian grew anxious again.

"Your Highness... According to etiquette, officials are entitled to at least three days of rest on the Double Ninth Festival..."

Li Chengqian: "......"

His expression froze instantly. Noticing Tang Jian's tense gaze, he opened his mouth, and a look of bitterness and helplessness instantly appeared on his face.

however.

"thump!"

Tang Jian, however, understood him well and immediately knelt on the ground.

"Your Highness! I know of Your Highness's lofty ambitions and the new policies that will benefit the nation, but... in the fifth year of Zhenguan, the officials were truly exhausted!"

Tang Jian was in tears, looking pitiful, like a loyal minister giving a passionate speech before his death.

“Your Highness, according to the rites, there should be a seven-day holiday during the Spring Festival. Those on duty during the holiday should be rotated twice a day. However, since the third year of Zhenguan, we have not been able to get a full holiday for three years. Some have had five days, others three days, and some have not even had a single day of rest.”

Li Chengqian looked somewhat embarrassed and glanced at Wang De beside him, who also looked embarrassed and at a loss.

"The Cold Food Festival is supposed to be a four-day holiday, with those on duty extending it to seven days. However, due to the heavy workload and numerous official duties, I, the official in the Ministry of Rites of Chang'an, have not received a single holiday for the Cold Food Festival for three years!"

"The Qingming Festival is even more so. On the day when we pay respects to our ancestors, we can only have half a day free. Half a day, Your Highness!"

Tang Jian looked sorrowful and heartbroken, and tears streamed down his face.

He looked utterly devastated.

"The summer solstice is three days away, and the days for the beginning of spring, the spring equinox, the beginning of summer, the beginning of autumn, and the autumn equinox should each be one day. However, we have not had this rest for three years. Your Highness! I also have a wife, children, and elderly parents to take care of!"

Li Chengqian was somewhat embarrassed and slammed the letter in his hand onto the table.

"Hmph! Tang Jian, what do you mean by that? Are you bringing up the system of rites? Since the implementation of the new policies, how does the salary the dynasty has given you compare to that during the Wude era?!"

"And your wives, children, and elderly parents at home, why weren't those benefits delivered to your residences when you were on duty?"

"Those precious royal silks and satins, gold and silver jewels, rare tonics, and your offspring—which one of them wasn't arranged by me to study in the official schools?!"

As Li Chengqian spoke, his initial meager confidence suddenly grew stronger.

He snorted coldly and stood up.

"You're talking to me about etiquette and family matters? Don't those soldiers who fight on the frontiers for my Great Tang have wives, children, and elderly parents?!"

"Don't the soldiers of Xizhou County on the other side of Hexi Road miss their hometowns and parents? Doesn't Wei Zheng, who governs the country in Baikal County, have a wife and children?!"

"If you remain in the capital as officials, firstly, you need not worry about local unrest; secondly, your parents, wives, and children will be taken care of by the court; and if they fall ill, the Imperial Medical Academy will be responsible for their treatment, without you having to spend a single penny. You..."

Tang Jian trembled, remembering what the officials and subordinates had said before he came in, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go on.

Tears streamed down her face pitifully.

"Your Highness! It's not that I'm disloyal, it's just that... I haven't been home for several days, and many affairs at the Ministry of Rites in Chang'an involve confidential matters, so my wife and children cannot come to visit me..."

"I live in the same city as my family, yet I still have to inquire about them by letter... Your Highness, I suffer! The officials of the Great Tang Dynasty suffer!"

Li Chengqian: "......"

Holy crap, is this absurd?

His previously stern expression began to falter.

"solitary......."

Just as he was about to say something, a report suddenly came from outside the hall.

"Your Highness, Minister of War Li Xiaogong and Minister of Works Duan Lun request an audience."

Li Chengqian seemed to realize something, and forced himself to remain calm as he sat back down. However, he gestured to Wang De to quickly summon the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin.

Wang De ran out, and then Li Xiaogong and Duan Lun were... carried in?

Li Chengqian, who had just sat down, suddenly stood up again.

"What's wrong with my two ministers?"

Duan Lun coughed repeatedly and was carried into the hall on a stretcher. One of his legs was in a splint, and his pale face contrasted sharply with his dark circles.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, I fear I can no longer serve you faithfully... I am filled with resentment!"

As Duan Lun spoke, he suddenly looked devastated and ashamed, pounding on the stretcher.

Li Xiaogong followed suit, also looking utterly miserable: "Your Highness... Waaah, I'm so sorry! I'm so incompetent! I'm so incompetent!"

When Li Tai and Li Zhi rushed to the Imperial Study, before they even entered, they heard mournful wailing coming from inside.

However, contrary to what Wang De said when he found them, the voices of the two old ministers, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, could even be heard in the hall at this moment.

However, instead of mourning, they seemed to be seeking credit from the thief.

The two entered the hall.

Upon closer inspection, one could see Fang Xuanling leaning on a cane, one eye bruised and black, as if he had been punched, yet his face radiated the pride of a victorious general.

"That lowly servant dares to say that I neglect my family? How laughable! I have studied the books of the sages, ate the salary of my sovereign, and been entrusted with important responsibilities by His Highness to implement new policies. The people of the world are the greater good. How can I, for the sake of my own family, disregard the well-being of the people and the greater good?!"

"What else does that lowly servant girl want to say? I'll raise my hand and deliver a devastating slap!"

Li Tai and Li Zhi: "......."

The two looked at each other, feeling that the absurdity of today's events surpassed even the most absurd occurrences of the past...

Fang Xuanling was beaming with pride, while Li Chengqian stammered.

"This, this scoundrel of yours, Prime Minister, you're beating up that concubine...!"

Fang Xuanling's eyes widened: "Her? She dares to obstruct me on this matter? She'll be in for a real fight!"

"hiss......."

Lying on a stretcher, Duan Lun, who had accidentally broken his leg while inspecting a construction site, looked shocked and admiring.

Some time ago, Li Xiaogong went to Qinghai City to oversee the expansion of the Qinghai Cong Warhorse Breeding Farm and to inspect the Turkic wolf cavalry. He caught a cold and secretly sighed at the bravery of Prime Minister Fang, saying that he was no match for him.

Li Chengqian felt as if he had committed a terrible disaster.

Fang Xuanling actually gave Madam Fang a huge hard time?!

And it's all because he, as the crown prince, makes him work overtime every day...

"Blue, blue sparrow~"

Li Tai could clearly hear a slight tremor in his elder brother's voice.

However, how could he possibly help?

Before he could come up with a solution, he heard Du Ruhui sneer and glance sideways at Fang Xuanling, who was standing to the side looking smug.

"That's it? Ha! This is what you call serving the country and its people?!"

Du Ruhui had one arm sling across his chest, a clear handprint on his face, and his nose seemed to be bleeding, yet he had a fearless expression.

He took out a prepared memorial from his sleeve and respectfully handed it to Li Chengqian.

"Your Highness, I humbly request permission to divorce that vile woman! I know she holds an imperial title, but even if we divorce, even if all the family property and estate go to her, I absolutely cannot live a life of harmony with such a short-sighted and selfish woman!"

"I humbly request Your Highness to allow this old minister to dedicate his frail body to the country and serve the nation!"

Li Chengqian: "......"

The last time he wanted to call someone a rogue and shameless was when that old bastard, Duke Ashina Quli, led the various tribes of the Western Turkic Left Wing to surrender to the Tang Dynasty.

now.......

"Cough cough, Prime Minister Du, this, your injuries..."

Du Ruhui tilted his head back, his expression mirroring that of Fang Xuanling beside him—a look of triumphant triumph.

"Your Highness, do not worry, it's just a minor injury. That wretched woman is a hundred times worse off than me!"

Li Chengqian: "......"

Spicy balls!