People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1763: A great scholar will argue for me
In the afternoon, the ministers dispersed and the palace finally became quiet.

In front of the Ganlu Palace, Xu Lu directed the eunuchs to move the gifts presented by the officials to the various palaces in the inner court according to Liu Jinyu's arrangement.

On the steps, Li Xuan hugged Princess Fuchang, who was already nine years old, and whispered in her ear, "Xia'er, if you like something, just ask your mother for it. Otherwise, your brothers will grab it all in no time."

At the bottom of the stairs, Liu Jinyu seemed to have heard something. He turned around and gave Li Xuan a cold look.

Then he continued to pick and choose with Qu Douer, Pei Shitong, Liu Shubi, Liu Qiongyu, and Zhao Huan.

On the other hand, Li Zhizhao and the others just stood aside obediently. They had no right to choose.

All kinds of exquisite objects such as silver crane incense burners, plates with the picture of Magu offering longevity, double-eared movable-ring bottles with the picture of Three Yangs Bringing Good Luck, copper-plated pine shed fruit covers, various Ruyi jade wares, golden Buddhas, gold ornaments, bonsai, strange stones, screens, calligraphy and paintings, lacquerware, embroidery, and even fresh local fruits were presented to the palace by local officials.

After Li Xuan became the emperor, he could no longer go shopping like ordinary people. He could only look at the gifts sent by counties all over the world to kill time in the afternoon of the first day of the first lunar month.

"Oh, that screen." Li Xuan's eyes swept over it.

A rosewood screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl and embroidered with longevity patterns appeared in Li Xuan's eyes.

The screen is filled with the word "longevity" and almost ten thousand words "blessing" written on it.

"Come here, send it to the Empress Dowager's palace." Liu Jinyu immediately made arrangements, and four eunuchs immediately stepped forward, picked up the things, and sent them to Ouyang's Baifu Palace.

Li Xuan walked over with Xia'er by the hand and asked, "Who presented this? It's so thoughtful."

"Pei County Magistrate Chu Fu." Liu Jinyu glanced at the name and raised his head and said, "He is the grandson of former Prime Minister Chu Suiliang. He was exempted from exile last year and appointed as the magistrate of Pei County."

Because Chu Suiliang was in the party of Zhangsun Wuji, he was dismissed from office and exiled. His two sons were all exiled to death. Only Chu Fu survived because he was young.

Li Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Chu Fu's political achievements are average, but his handwriting is good. He can be transferred to Chongwenguan as a direct scholar to teach calligraphy to the crown prince and other princes."

"Okay." Liu Jinyu nodded and said, "Chu Fu should be thirty-six years old now. He is fine, but his descendants will probably have to take the imperial examination in a few years. Let them enter the Imperial Academy."

"Although the academic atmosphere in the inner school is good now, there are no truly talented young people at all." Li Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "Let all places select talented young people to study in the Imperial College, and then select one or two of them to enter the inner school to accompany them in their studies. This way, Dalang can also learn what a truly talented person looks like."

"My husband is talking about people like Wang Bo, Yang Jiong, and Lu Zhaolin." Liu Jinyu immediately understood what Li Xuan meant.

"Yes!" Li Xuan nodded and said with emotion: "It's a pity that the descendants of Du Shenyan and Chen Ziang are too young, otherwise they would be selected now. Now we have to wait for a few years."

Du Shenyan's eldest son Du Xian was only three years old, and of course there was no trace of Du Xian's son Du Fu.

What Li Xuan is actually thinking of here are people like Du Fu and Li Bai. It's a pity that they are still 20 to 30 years away from being born.

"My husband wants to examine the academic performance of the students on the ninth day of the first lunar month. I wonder if he is serious about this? What can they learn at this age?" Liu Jinyu recalled what happened in Liangyi Palace before.

“We should always see what they have learned. As for them, I don’t plan to let them learn martial arts, so they should focus on their studies. However, study is only the foundation. There is a huge difference between being an official and governing the country. So don’t take academic achievements too seriously. We still have to see how they can do things when they grow up.” Li Xuan’s eyes grew slightly solemn.

Educating children has always been the most important thing for imperial families.

So what if it was the Qin Emperor, Han Wudi, Tang Emperor, Song Emperor, or even Zhu Yuanzhang? Look at the successors they chose themselves.

Even Kangxi was the subject of a fierce struggle for the throne among nine emperors in his later years.

If they are not trained well, they will be waste; if they are trained too well, problems will arise more easily.

"Come over and choose whatever you like. Each person is only allowed to pick one." Liu Jinyu waved to his sons. The sons finally breathed a sigh of relief and started to choose among the gifts, but they were still very careful.

"After the third day of the first lunar month, have the Qianniu Guards deliver the gift money to the provincial governors and county magistrates who presented gifts." Li Xuan turned around and glanced at Xu Lu.

Xu Lu immediately bowed and said, "Yes!"

Li Xuan hugged Xia'er, who was holding a roll of green silk, and returned to the steps. Then he said to Liu Jinyu who followed him, "After the New Year, we will send someone to spread the news of Kaiyuan Ruyi coins to all provinces, states and counties in the world. With the help of Kaiyuan Ruyi coins, let the world know that my husband has held the coronation ceremony in Chang'an."

"Describe the scale of the coronation ceremony in a more grand manner." Liu Jinyu looked at Li Xuan with amusement, then held his arm and said, "My husband, you are now the ruler of the world. Everyone in the world recognizes you. No one opposes you, and no one rebels. Why are you still worried?"

"I know this, too." Li Xuan put Xia'er down, looked up at the sky in the distance, and said softly, "If you maintain this sense of crisis, I will actively deal with the affairs of the world. Without this sense of crisis, I will relax my vigilance and may not even know when someone turns the tables on me."

"Husband, are you afraid that you will become Yang Guang?" Liu Jinyu looked at Li Xuan in surprise.

Li Xuan smiled and shook her head.

Why would he worry about becoming Yang Guang? He was worried about becoming Li Longji or even Zhu Di.

"By the way, you guys are going back home tomorrow, and I won't accompany you, so as to avoid making things uncomfortable at home." Li Xuan changed the subject and talked about returning home on the second day of the Chinese New Year.

Liu Jinyu, Liu Shubi and Liu Qiongyu are all going back to the Liu Mansion. It would be grand enough if the Queen, the Imperial Concubine and the Concubine Zhao went together. If Li Xuan also went, the Liu Mansion would probably be blown up.

"So what are you going to do tomorrow, my husband?" Liu Jinyu looked at Li Xuan with some curiosity. "Go back to the palace quietly." Li Xuan looked in the direction of Peng Wang Mansion. Since he entered the palace and became emperor, he has never returned to Peng Wang Mansion.

……

The second day of the first lunar month is the day to return home.

The Empress, Consort Liu De, and Consort Liu Zhaorong arrived at the Duke of Bian's Mansion, with the Imperial Guards clearing the way and a clear procession of honor.

Concubine Qu returned to the Prince of Jiaohe and to the residence of the General of the Right Guard.

Concubine Pei Shu went to the residence of Minister of Revenue Pei Judao.

Concubine Zheng Xianfei and Zhao Zhaoyuan returned to their respective homes.

In the backyard of Duke Bian, Liu Jinyu unfolded four portraits in front of Liu Rengui and said, "These paintings include those painted by my husband, those by Li Sizhen, and those by Li Sixun and Xue Ji. Grandfather, please select one to be sent to the Lingyan Pavilion, and the other three will be kept in secret in the palace."

Liu Rengui scanned the room and said, "When it comes to portraits, Xue Ji is the best. Li Sizhen and Li Sixun are better at landscapes and even Buddhist statues. As for the emperor, his meticulous paintings are good, but they are still not good enough to be sent to the Lingyan Pavilion."

In today's world, perhaps the only one who dares to say this about Li Xuan is Liu Rengui.

"Then I'll listen to Grandpa." Liu Jinyu smiled, asked someone to put away the four paintings, and then helped Liu Rengui to sit down again.

"What is the emperor doing today?" Liu Rengui asked casually.

"I've returned to Prince Peng's mansion." Liu Jinyu stood to one side and said softly, "I haven't been back to the mansion for a long time. My husband should go back and take a look."

"Alas!" Liu Rengui sighed and said, "Emperor Taizong was the same back then, fearing that he had not done enough."

"Sanniang also thinks so. My husband is always too worried. Now in the world, there is no one else who dares to do anything reckless." Liu Jinyu shook her head. She knew all the situations in the world. The local soldiers had been completely taken over. All the provincial governors and county magistrates had sent their congratulations. Even the common people knew that the world had changed. Li Xuan was recognized as the emperor by the world.

Liu Rengui waved his hand and said, "Because he saw a deeper crisis."

"Aunt?" Liu Jinyu's heart suddenly tightened.

"The world's noble families." Liu Rengui sighed and said, "The world's noble families will never confront you head-on, but they will ruthlessly erode your foundation through various places that you cannot estimate. After Emperor Gaozong destroyed Baekje, he ignored this point, and then he was manipulated and his foundation was dug up, and finally the situation collapsed step by step."

"Baekje." Liu Jinyu thought for a moment, then raised his eyebrows and said, "Aong's Battle of Baekgang."

"That happened in the third year of Longshuo." Liu Rengui shook his head and said with a hint of reminiscence, "In fact, in the fifth year of Xianqing, General Su Dingfang had already conquered the capital of Baekje, and the princes of Baekje surrendered, and even the entire territory of Baekje surrendered. However, only three years later, Baekje almost restored its country by joining forces with Japan."

"Sanniang remembers that at that time the Tang Dynasty had been forced to only have a foothold in the former territory of Baekje, and the situation was precarious. That's why Aong fought the Battle of Baekgang to determine the outcome." Liu Jinyu nodded. She remembered Liu Rengui's great achievements very clearly.

Liu Rengui smiled and said, "In three years, we went from occupying the entire Baekje to being forced to the point where we only have a foothold. This kind of reversal is really sad."

"It's also alarming." Liu Jinyu's expression finally became serious.

"Five years." Liu Rengui looked up at Liu Jinyu and said, "In five years, if the world is stable, then you and your wife will be able to secure the throne. If there is opposition, as long as you quickly quell it and kill all those involved, then your throne will also be secure. But if you cannot eradicate the root of the problem, then you will have to be careful a hundred years later."

Liu Jinyu nodded slightly and took Liu Rengui's words to heart.

"By the way, I heard that Kong Yingda's grandson Kong Huiyuan will come to Chang'an after the New Year. Treat him well." After Liu Rengui finished speaking, he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Yes!" Liu Jinyu nodded seriously and said, "After Kong Huiyuan arrived in Chang'an, he first served as a scholar in the Hongwen Academy and inspected the right tutor of the crown prince. After the imperial examination, he served as the junior secretary of the crown prince."

"Then what about Xing Wenwei?" Liu Rengui asked subconsciously.

"Maybe the Prince's Household Manager, or the Vice Minister of the Six Ministries." Liu Jinyu said softly.

Liu Rengui immediately realized, "Yes, after the imperial examination, Wei Xuantong's position as Minister of Rites will be transferred to Imperial Censor, and there will be a vacant position in the court. However, you can really trust the Kong family to be the Crown Prince's Junior Secretary. Di Renjie and Wang Yinke are both concurrent positions, and the Crown Prince's Junior Secretary is the one who really manages the Eastern Palace."

"Prince Lu went to Qufu last year and offered sacrifices to the sage on behalf of the emperor." After a little hesitation, Liu Jinyu said, "After a while, my husband may let Kong Huiyuan be responsible for supervising the national history."

At the words "supervising the national history", Liu Rengui immediately looked up in surprise, but soon, he sighed and said, "Yes, it is time to revise the national history. The reigns of Emperor Gaozong, and even the reigns of Emperor Zhongzong, Emperor Suzong, and Emperor Jing should all have a final conclusion... Haha, it was the Kong family who made the final conclusion for you."

Liu Jinyu stood respectfully aside, she remembered it very clearly.

In the Lizheng Hall, Li Xuan only said one sentence when he came to this point.

There are great scholars who can debate the classics for me.

The supervisor of national history is the great scholar of the Kong family, who is looking for the most reasonable reason for Li Xuan to ascend the throne.

The world will naturally accept it.

(End of this chapter)