The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 157 Never for Myself

"Brother Shen, what do you mean?"

Li Shen ran away happily again.

Li Chengqian continued to look at the documents in his hand as he sat in front of the East Palace.

Li Lizhi moved a stool and sat over, saying, "I'll help my brother review the memorials."

Princess Changle has always been a good helper to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and often helps deal with memorials from the Eastern Palace.

This is a very common thing in the Eastern Palace, but in the eyes of outsiders, they might be shocked to learn that their memorials might have been approved by Princess Changle.

Li Lizhi looked at the memorial from the Ministry of War and whispered, "The Ministry of War said that Li Yifu arranged 6,000 Tuyuhun people to do hard labor, and now the daily expenditure is as high as 600 coins."

Li Chengqian said, "Reply to the Ministry of War and ask Li Yifu to send all the accounts of recent expenditures. I asked him to do so when he left Chang'an, and he has the accounts in his hand."

"Yes." Li Lizhi nodded and made comments.

Dongyang watched from a distance and said to Li Zhi who had just sat down: "My brother is a very scary person."

Li Zhi said in frustration, "My brother wants to eat the duck."

Dongyang smiled and said, "My Royal Brother can talk to my sister while handling his own memorials. His ability to do two things at once is really amazing."

Half a month later, the Chongwen Hall in Chang'an City was finally completed.

In February in Chang'an, the weather is suddenly warm, with a large temperature difference between day and night.

After the morning court session, Li Chengqian took Li Zhi and Li Shen out of the palace and headed towards the Chongwenguan.

The current Chongwenguan is directly led by Mr. Wen Yanbo, with Yan Qinli as the chief clerk and Di Zhixun as the editor. There are only these three people at the moment.

Although there are few people at the moment and Chongwenguan has just been built, it is not certain that many scholars will come to join.

But Li Chengqian was not in a hurry, because now he had a place to screen talents, and as long as he developed slowly, things would definitely get better and better.

Today is the first day that Chongwenguan is officially completed.

Li Chengqian, along with his two younger brothers and a team of guards led by Xue Wanbei, walked to the gate of Chongwenguan.

Li Zhi and Li Shen looked around curiously. Contrary to their expectations, there were not many people walking around here and the room was very small.

The Minister of Works, Xu Xiaode, has just completed the final inspection and has to wait for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to take a look. If there are any inappropriate places, it will have to be demolished and rebuilt.

Yan Qinli had been waiting outside the door for a long time. "Your Highness, please come in."

Li Chengqian walked into Chongwenguan with his hands in his pockets. It was located in the backyard of Jingzhao Prefecture, so everything here seemed a bit crowded.

Mr. Wen Yanbo stood up from his seat of honor, bowed and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"There is no need for courtesy, old gentleman."

Di Zhixun and Di Renjie also bowed in greeting.

After hearing His Royal Highness the Crown Prince say there was no need to be polite, Di Renjie sat on a chair beside him and swung his legs.

But when the child's eyes moved, he also noticed two gazes.

These two gazes came from Jin Wang Li Zhi and Ji Wang Li Shen respectively.

Seeing that his brother was still talking to the old man, Li Zhi put his hands behind his back, raised his head and asked, "Who are you?"

"My dear boy, Di Renjie of Bingzhou."

"Bingzhou?" Li Zhi asked again: "What is Bingzhou?"

Di Renjie added: "Bingzhou is my hometown."

Faced with Di Renjie's humility and courtesy, Li Zhi felt a little uncomfortable with his arrogance.

Li Shen asked curiously: "Di Renjie? Why did you choose such a name?"

Di Renjie's chubby face said solemnly: "I heard my father say that, but I forgot it after hearing it."

"Hahaha." Li Zhi laughed out loud, "I often forget what my brother said."

With such a smile, the three children soon started chatting together.

While talking to the old gentleman, Li Chengqian glanced at the three children and saw that Li Zhi was actually teaching Di Renjie how to draw a cube.

Children always need friends, and I would feel relieved if he could get along well with Di Renjie.

If they don't get along well, the worst that can happen is that I'll send him to the army to gain experience for a few years.

Wen Yanbo finished reading the article in his hand and whispered, "All of them are about the strategies for governing Guanzhong, but there are no articles on critical thinking."

"Does the old man think that critical thinking is important?"

Seeing that the old gentleman stroked his beard without replying, Wen Yanbo said, "If Your Highness wants more disciples, he needs to have such thoughtful articles. Besides, without good articles and talents, he cannot attract disciples."

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and said, "I should recruit more knowledgeable students, right?"

Yan Qinli rolled up his right sleeve and wrote the word "scholarly family" on a piece of paper with his right hand.

Wen Yanbo said: "Your Highness built Chongwen Hall. If you manage it well, you can get the support of the nobles."

Li Chengqian also picked up the pen that Yan Qinli had put down and wrote the word "villagers" on the paper.

Yan Qinli's expression became more serious, and he asked, "What do you mean, Your Highness?"

Li Chengqian sighed, "It was my teacher, Prime Minister Fang, who proposed the construction of Chongwen Hall, and my father allowed it, but I never interact with the children of the aristocratic families."

Wen Yanbo took a deep breath and asked, "Since I am the head of Chongwen Hall, I will definitely make everyone in Chongwen Hall obey the orders of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"I know that the old gentleman also hopes to march eastward as soon as possible."

Wen Yanbo nodded with relief.

Li Chengqian continued, "The children of the noble families often have family connections. Their identities are very complicated and their backgrounds are even more complicated. They may be related to their mothers, or their sisters. Although the noble families are ready-made, recruiting them can save a lot of time."

"But they are not the people I want." Li Chengqian put his hands into his sleeves again and said, "I don't want to be controlled by them right now. Among the millions of people in this world, the gentry is only a small part, but the vast majority of people in this world are simple farmers in the countryside."

"In other words, these thousands of simple villagers are what I want. The practice of this from ancient times to the present is recorded in history books. As an elite collective of an era, the gentry's monopoly on scholars is precisely a shackle."

Wen Yanbo sighed quietly, and the beard on his lips moved as he exhaled.

Li Chengqian said slowly: "Old sir, this is just my personal opinion."

Wen Yanbo stroked his beard and looked at the article in front of him, remaining silent.

At this time, Li Zhi walked over and said, "Old sir, what the emperor said is right. The main producers have never been the gentry. The so-called elites are just those who want to get out of production. In order to get out of production, they will continue to annex fields."

Seeing his brother's serious look, Li Zhi smiled awkwardly and said, "I will go back to playing and not bother you anymore."

After saying this, he ran away quickly.

Wen Yanbo whispered, "Your Highness Prince Jin is not even ten years old yet, and he already has such insights?"

Li Chengqian said, "Excuse me, old sir. My brother just said it casually. Please don't take it to heart."

Wen Yanbo whispered, "Your Highness, how do you view the noble families? Can you tell me?" Li Chengqian said, "So far, I don't know much about them."

Seeing the prince smile in shame, Di Zhixun also smiled blankly.

Yan Qinli said, "This is the map given by Jingzhao Prefecture. Chongwen Academy needs to open schools in various counties in Guanzhong and attract Guanzhong villagers through lectures?"

Li Chengqian said: "I do think so. Just do these two things, keep your feet on the ground and take one step at a time."

Wen Yanbo sighed, "I will discuss this with the prefect, but Your Highness has abandoned the nobles and chosen the common people. It is rare for a prince to do this."

"From now on, I'll trouble you, old sir."

"Your Highness, there is no need to be polite to me."

Li Chengqian looked at Li Zhi and Li Shen who were whispering to Di Renjie and said, "Let's go back."

"Brother, are you leaving now?"

"Well, if you want to come again in the future, you can come out and play by yourself."

When the two younger brothers heard this, they followed their brother's footsteps with smiles on their faces.

A child’s needs are simple. As long as he has a friend, his childhood officially begins.

However, the children in the East Palace are very special. What they learn and hear are different from other children. Their cognitive abilities are much higher than those of children of this era.

Li Chengqian said: "Child slave, Shen'er."

The two younger brothers looked up at their elder brother.

"I will further deepen the courses in the East Palace in the future. If you don't learn well, you don't have to come out to play."

Li Zhi now has enough motivation. He will no longer neglect his studies just to go out and have fun.

Li Shen said: "Don't worry, my brother. I will study hard."

The next day, Shangshu Zuo Pushe and You Pushe did not attend court. Although the current General Li Jing would still come to the court, he would not participate in state affairs. The same was true for Shangshu Zuo Pushe Mr. Wen Yanbo.

The Secretariat was vacant in the court, and many official positions related to the Secretariat were just honorary titles. They only received salaries but had no specific powers.

The Secretariat has been like this ever since my father ascended the throne.

Li Chengqian looked at the court, where everyone was arguing over who should be sent to supervise the construction of the Hexi Corridor.

Yesterday, Li Yifu submitted the latest progress of the construction of the Hexi Corridor to the court. Dunhuang County has been built. The original Dunhuang County has been abandoned for many years, but after the reconstruction, it is still a city-county that can accommodate tens of thousands of people. Many scattered households have also moved into Dunhuang County.

At first, no one paid much attention to the fortifications in the Hexi Corridor, but now it seems that Li Yifu has caused such a big commotion in the Hexi Corridor.

Everyone in the court felt that someone was needed to supervise the construction.

The Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Dali Temple argued endlessly.

Li Shimin looked at the instigator of this dispute, the current crown prince, and found that this guy rarely spoke in the court recently.

He acted as if nothing had to do with him in everything, and he was wholeheartedly devoted to the development of Guanzhong. However, looking at the recent records of the Eastern Palace, this prince was very idle on weekdays, so idle that he could play chess with Li Weigong for the whole day.

Li Shimin glanced at his son and became more and more unhappy.

I always feel that this son has something up his sleeve, but he doesn't want to say it out loud.

"In the early spring of last year, Li Yifu passed the imperial examination and entered the government. I heard that the crown prince sent Li Yifu to the Hexi Corridor to build the four Hexi counties."

The hall fell silent again, and everyone looked at the prince.

Li Chengqian breathed smoothly, slowly opened his eyes, and said, "Father, I only asked him to go to the Hexi Corridor for construction. As for the future, I never gave him any instructions."

Li Shimin said in a deep voice: "Prince should do things from beginning to end."

"Father said so."

"Then how do you think the construction of the Hexi Corridor should be arranged?"

"I think it is most appropriate for the emperor to choose the supervisor. It was my suggestion to build the Hexi Corridor, and Li Yifu was sent by me. Due to my position, I should avoid suspicion."

The court officials were all convinced. The Supervisory Censor Ma Zhou said, "Your Highness is absolutely right. Your Majesty! The supervisor sent to the Hexi Corridor cannot have any connection with the Crown Prince."

This was the construction project that the prince advocated. He built it himself and supervised it himself. What has happened?

Besides, the court also took out 50,000 strings of cash, which was all the court’s money.

Seeing his son walking back to his seat, Li Shimin said in a deep voice: "The Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, the Dali Temple, and the Secretariat each appoint one person."

"I will take your orders."

After saying this, Li Chengqian still looked unshakable.

Li Shimin said, "Xuanling, the assistant ministers have come to Ganlu Hall to discuss matters. The court is dismissed."

All the ministers bowed and left the Taiji Hall.

At noon, in Ganlu Palace, His Majesty was in a bad mood today and was wiping a sword. The blade of the sword was very shiny, and as the white cloth wiped it, His Majesty's stern eyes could be seen.

Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji walked into the court.

Li Shimin then put down the sword in his hand and asked, "Cheng Qian has rarely participated in government affairs recently?"

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has given the matter of the government's money and grain allocation to Yu Zhining for approval, and the Crown Prince will also review it."

Listening to Fang Xuanling's words, Li Shimin asked again: "I heard that Chongwen Hall has been completed."

Changsun Wuji said, "Your Majesty, I heard that Chongwenguan will not recruit outsiders. So far, there are only Wen Yanbo, Yan Qinli, and Di Zhixun. I heard that Xu Jingzong is also the editor of Chongwenguan."

"I thought that as the crown prince he would offer promises of careers and recruit many famous people."

Fang Xuanling said: "Your Majesty, since the construction of Chongwen Hall, the prince has never had such an idea."

Li Shimin suddenly smiled and said, "After all, it was you, Xuanling, who taught me well."

Even when appointing officials in the court, His Majesty would intentionally or unintentionally avoid people with certain backgrounds.

Fang Xuanling bowed and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince has always been a loner, but fortunately, Your Highness is a cheerful person and doesn't care about what others say."

Zhang Sun Wuji added: "Your Majesty, in the past two years, whether it is Jingzhao Prefecture or the newly built Chongwen Hall, the Crown Prince has never used his officials to entertain himself, and Jingzhao Prefecture has never done anything for the Crown Prince alone."

"Okay." Li Shimin nodded and said, "One of you is the prince's teacher, and the other is his uncle. You both keep saying that everything the prince does is not for himself."

This is the fact. Ever since the crown prince took charge of Jingzhao Prefecture, not only has its reputation deteriorated, but the counties in Guanzhong have also become terrified at the mention of him.

From beginning to end, the prince never used Jingzhao Prefecture to do any private affairs for the Eastern Palace.

Even though His Majesty spoke in a scolding tone, Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji both lowered their heads with smiles on their faces.

Li Shimin was actually a little disappointed. What made him disappointed was that the prince's abilities were becoming more and more mature.

"I haven't had a drink with you for a long time. I still have some wine left. Let's drink it together."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)