Late Tang Dynasty: I

Chapter 358 Counterattack from civil servants

Wang Yanzhang has been training navy in Mizhou for three years, with more than [-] soldiers and more than [-] ships at sea.The Yushan guards reported that the officers and men were all proficient in sailing out to sea, and the hydrology of Jiaodong Bay thousands of miles north and south was recorded in detail.

But that's all.

Navigation relying on experience has reached a bottleneck.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Quan sent his fleet out to sea as far as the Bohai Sea. In the Tang Dynasty, it was still the same and could only sail along the coastline.

For example, if you go to Silla or the Northeast, there is no problem, but if you sail to Japan, it will be a big trouble. Once the ship reaches the sea, it will become blind. Although the compass, North Star, and the sun can distinguish the direction, there is one thing. Crucial.

That's you never know where you are.

People in the Tang Dynasty believed that the sky was round and the earth was round. They did not know how to use longitude and latitude to determine the location. Even if they sailed to a certain place, they could not describe it clearly using experience.

"The world is round, a ball!"

If this matter is not resolved, Datang's navigation will always be difficult to carry out.

How to convince others of this conclusion requires a warrior.

On the night of Wuji in October of the ninth year of Dazhi
Over Bianjing, a toad eats the moon. Yan Chongben, the young eunuch of Sitiantai, reported to the provincial government that Zhongshu was under attack. Zhongchong invaded the palace. Ziwei was unknown, so there was fear of disaster.

Kong Wei and Du Rangneng did not dare to delay, and hurriedly led Yan Chongben into the palace to see him.

"Your Majesty, if the monarch's words and deeds are inappropriate, he must warn you when he comes forward. Now the toad is eating the moon and attacking the palace. This is God's warning to your majesty. I hope your majesty will reflect on it."

In the middle of the night, Li Ye was called out from Chen Shuyi's bed by these people. He thought he had encountered something urgent, but he didn't expect to talk about such things.

"Then how can I reflect on myself?"

Yan Chong originally said: "Your Majesty, I thought that the scholars, farmers, industry and merchants should each carry out their own business, and the civil and military officials should all keep their duties, and the rise and fall of the world would have its own fair judgment. Now, your Majesty said that the country's decline should be blamed on the landlords. This is actually contradictory, and he also ordered What does it mean for a military attache to be engaged in a civil service and to be in charge of the military affairs? This is because His Majesty has shortcomings in his words and deeds, and God wants to warn you..."

Li Ye's face was as frosty as he looked at Kong Wei and Du Renneng and said, "Do Duke Kong and Duke Du think so too?"

Kong Wei stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, with the dignity of an emperor, your words and deeds should be consistent with the laws of heaven and the Holy Spirit. The words of public opinion have been passed down from ancient times. I secretly think that your Majesty does not accept it!"

"What about you?"

Du Rangneng clasped his fists and said, "I don't know the way of astrology, but since God has visions, he must have his reasons!"

Is this a counterattack?Li Ye introduced military officers into the civil service, of course he wanted to use this power to control everyone in the family.

You know, poor people have no chance to study. Only people from well-off families can study.

That's the gate valve.

Ninety-nine percent of the officials in the DPRK are related to powerful families of all sizes.

Before the rise of Hanmen, their combined power was enough to attract the emperor's attention.

But it's just about paying attention.

His Majesty the Emperor holds the power of the military. Without the Emperor's decree, no one can mobilize a large number of soldiers.

This is the bottom line.

Li Ye was so angry that he laughed back and said to Kong Wei: "On that day, I was discussing theory with Kong Gong. In the book "Political Theory", what I said was well-founded and justified. I said that I would let the Duke refute me, but Kong Gong didn't say, is it okay? I thought Duke Kong also agreed!"

Kong Wei clasped his fists and said: "Your Majesty, not saying anything does not mean agreeing. I don't say that those who are good at sophistry in the world will fail if they argue. It is not inferior. It is the art of Gui Dao!" Li Ye only gritted his teeth in hatred: "I am sophistry. Technique? Kong Wei, am I going to punish you for the crime of disrespect!"

His Majesty the Emperor directly called Kong Wei by name. Are there any such shameless people in the world?It can't be said logically, but to directly draw a conclusion for you is sophistry.

After being the emperor for ten years, Li Ye's character is no longer as reserved as before. Anyone with great power will be arrogant. Someone seems to be saying in his heart, kill this old guy. They are completely opposite to the emperor.

Li Ye took a deep breath, calmed down his mind, and said sarcastically: "In August of the first year of Wende, Li Maozhen invaded Chang'an, and I personally marched on the expedition. Who was there in front of my chariots and horses to persuade me, saying that Li Maozhen was invincible, and made me guilty?" Ji Zhao, to calm the minds of the feudal vassals?"

Kong Wei suddenly became uncomfortable when he heard what the emperor said, and then he heard the emperor say again: "Sage said, what is the way of a monarch and his ministers? The emperor humiliates his ministers and dies. He was guilty before and had his own edict. Now he is saying that I am sophistry. This is Do you do what a minister should say?"

"You keep saying the words of the saints, not to mention whether the holy words are right or wrong. Mr. Kong, are you following the teachings of the holy words?"

"This……"

Du Rangneng had never seen His Majesty the Emperor so angry, not even when Li Maozhen forced the palace.

Kong Wei was even more frightened and almost couldn't stand up.

Yan Chongben lowered his head and looked at his feet, pretending that he did not exist. He regretted it and should not have come at all. Now that the country is unified, the world is at peace, and the emperor's prestige is as high as that of Taizong, it is unwise to offend the emperor's brow at this time.

"I regret listening to other people's words. Even if I am the Prime Minister, so what?" Yan Chong thought to himself.

Kong Wei's face turned red with embarrassment, but he still wanted to fight for it and said: "Your Majesty, I know that I am guilty, but I am dedicated to serving the country and the people, and I am loyal to you, Your Majesty!"

Li Ye waved his hand, he no longer wanted to talk nonsense to Kong Wei.

"Come on!"

"exist!"

"Purpose!"

"Deprive the Duke of Kong Hua Wen of the title of Duke of Lu, remove all official positions, tell the world that Kong Hua Wen has no emperor, and brings trouble to the government, especially the matter of forcing me to issue an imperial edict to sin against myself."

"Your Majesty!" Kong Wei hurriedly knelt down and said: "Your Majesty wants to kill me, so why humiliate me!"

"My words are so strong, why should I be insulted!"

Du Rang was frightened when he heard this. Seeing that things had turned out like this, he hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, when Li Maozhen was so powerful, the whole world was shocked. Please consider Kong Gong's loyalty and spare him!"

Li Ye sneered and said: "I conquered the east and west. It took me ten years to wipe out all the vassals and clean up the world. I introduced Champa rice. Only then did the warehouses of the Tang Dynasty be filled with grain, and there was no need to worry about famine in the world. I personally planted cotton, raised pigs, and improved looms, so that in the Tang treasury, the ropes holding the money were rotten and the money had not been spent. What do you think of my contribution?"

"What was the Tang Dynasty like ten years ago, and how well-fed it is now. The Tang Dynasty has a full treasury, millions of armored soldiers, and a mighty military. How does it compare to our ancestors!"

"How long has it been? How dare you use the changes in the sky to cause trouble to the imperial court."

"Compared to the disaster caused by witchcraft in Han Dynasty, this is even worse!"

"Yan Chongben!"

Yan Chongben stepped forward tremblingly and said, "I'm here!"

Li Ye turned around and sat on the dragon chair. He pointed at Yan Chong from a high position and said, "Today, tell me in detail how the toad eating the moon has anything to do with my shortcomings in words and deeds. If you can't explain clearly..."

(End of this chapter)