The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 350: Shameless
"A year ago, my father returned from a trip to Mount Tai." Li Chengqian stood in front of all the officials and continued, "My father said that the Central Plains has been pacified for twenty years. Twenty years."

"My father was very confused and puzzled. He asked me why, after more than 20 years of peace in the Central Plains, people's livelihood in various parts of the Central Plains is still in decline, and there are still so many people who can't get enough food. I felt ashamed when I heard what my father said."

"I am extremely ashamed. As a son, I cannot help my father solve his puzzlement. As the crown prince, I am ashamed."

Li Chengqian looked at everyone and said, "Everyone, can you solve my father's confusion?"

The hall was still quiet, with a faint rustling sound, as someone was still circulating the charges against Hebei.

Li Chengqian raised his right hand and said, "Everyone, if anyone feels as ashamed as I do, please raise your hand."

Zhangsun Wuji was the first to raise his hand, followed by Zhongshu Shilang Cen Wenben, Palace Censor Zhang Xingcheng, Zhongshu Shilang Chu Suiliang, Crown Prince Secretary Yu Zhining, Gongbu Shilang Xu Xiaode, Bingbu Shilang Cui Dunli, Personnel Shilang Zhang Xuansu, Palace Censor Du Zhenglun, Bingbu Shangshu Duan Zan, Criminal Shilang Di Zhixun, Criminal Shilang Liu Dewei, Revenue Shilang Zhang Daxiang, and Secretary of the Ministry of Secretaries Xu Yushi...

One after another, they raised their hands until both the civil and military officials had raised their hands.

Li Chengqian put down his hands, and everyone in the court followed suit.

At this moment, the prince laughed again, very happily and proudly.

Some people also laughed, even though everyone felt a little ashamed at this moment and indeed felt embarrassed.

Then when everyone sees so many people doing the same thing, they don’t have so many concerns anymore.

Zhang Xingcheng said: "I request to go to Hebei to arrest the Hebei officials."

Duan Zan said: "The Ministry of War can send troops to escort them."

Du Zhenglun stood out from the court and said, "Your Highness, we do not need soldiers to escort us. Anyone who injures a Tang official will be charged with treason."

"The Ministry of Personnel is willing to compile a list of officials from various prefectures and cities for Your Highness."

"The Ministry of Rites is willing to send people to Hebei to teach the villagers."

"The Ministry of Justice is willing to send someone to determine the sentence."

"The Ministry of Revenue can sort out the land registers and return the land to the villagers."

Changsun Wuji stood in front of the court with his eyes closed. From then on, the three provinces and six ministries obeyed the orders of the crown prince.

In the past, the crown prince’s power was very limited, and he only had a Jingzhao Prefecture and Chongwenguan.

Now, let alone the several vice ministers of the Secretariat, all six ministries in the court recognize the prince.

The current crown prince is a very good heir to the throne, and Changsun Wuji knows it very well. During these eighteen years, Changsun Wuji has watched the crown prince grow up.

I have also watched the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace grow step by step from a child to a young man, and then to the one who holds great power today.

Looking back from the beginning, it took the prince eighteen years to get to where he is now. These were an extremely long eighteen years, and also an extremely difficult eighteen years.

Who can remain consistent and stick to his character for eighteen years?

Li Chengqian added: "The Ministry of Revenue sets the land rent. Anyone who pays more than 30% of the rent will be questioned, investigated, fined and ordered to change the rent. Anyone who pays more than 50% will be investigated and arrested. As for the sentencing, please let the Ministry of Justice decide."

Liu Dewei said loudly: "Yes."

"Thank you for your help."

The ministers saluted once again.

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Dismiss the court."

The ministers saluted once more and walked out of the hall.

After all the ministers left the hall, Li Chengqian looked back at the throne and whispered, "Things in this world are really difficult."

The prince said this for no reason, which made the eunuchs in the hall feel nervous.

Today a man came to visit the prince, and this man was none other than the great Confucian scholar from the Eastern Yi region, Gu Nalu.

Your Majesty has wanted to invite this great scholar to serve as an official in the court several times but has been refused. Now he has finally come to Luoyang.

Li Chengqian met this great scholar at the bank of Luo River outside Luoyang City.

Gu Nalu was dressed in a white robe, his hair tied up with a white ribbon. He walked forward with a cane and saluted, saying, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian was meeting this great scholar for the first time, and he asked curiously, "Everyone says you are a great scholar of the time. This is our first meeting, and I have admired you for a long time."

Gu Nalu bowed and said, "Your Highness, I have long admired you."

The prince in front of him looked young and kind, not at all like a murderer. His eyes were clear and bright, and he was in high spirits.

It’s just that this prince still has some blue stubble on his chin, his eyes are bright and his words are humble.

He doesn't look like a murderer at all. Who on earth said that this prince likes fishing and kills people like crazy?

It's definitely a rumor.

Li Chengqian said: "Father invited you to serve as an official several times but was refused. I am very sorry."

Gu Nalu stroked his beard and said, "I am too old to serve as an official in the court. There are so many young talents in the court. I am ashamed of myself."

"I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has people spread Confucian classics in the Western Regions and educate the Tibetans with Confucian classics in Songzhou. I am delighted to hear this. Few people do this, so I must come to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. All Confucian scholars in the world should come to pay homage to the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian laughed and said, "You are joking, old sir. This is all arranged by the court officials."

Gu Nalu said again: "Prince, don't be modest. If Confucian classics can be spread throughout the world, I will die without regrets."

Li Chengqian said: "In fact, I still have many doubts about Confucian classics. I wonder if you can solve them?"

Gu Nalu said: "I am willing to help His Royal Highness the Crown Prince with his doubts."

The prince brought the great scholar back to Luoyang City and ordered him to be in charge of literary affairs and revise Confucian classics.

If this great scholar could "expand the territory" of Chongwenguan and bring more orthodoxy to it, why not?

The court needs authority, but unfortunately the authority in this world is almost dead.

It's rare to have one or two like this.

At first, Gunalut was not used to the rules of the court. After he got used to it, the old gentleman lived in Chongwenguan in Luoyang.

Getting the support of a great scholar was an unexpected surprise for the court.

The morning court sessions in the next few days were much more relaxed. Youzhou had stockpiled two million shi of grain and there were another five million shi of grain on the way. Before the beginning of next spring, my father would no longer have to worry about grain.

In addition to the food and fodder seized by my father in Liaoshui, and the crops planted in the military farms on the Liaoshui River, we can still have a harvest before winter.

Now I am just worried about how my father is doing in Liaoshui, whether he has enough food and clothes, and whether we should stop fighting in winter.

Li Lizhi brought the account books of the expenses incurred in this war.

War consumes a country's national strength extremely, and the bill seems to be overwhelming.

Li Chengqian stroked his forehead and looked at the numbers in the account book. For this eastern expedition, 100,000 people were conscripted for labor service in Laizhou, 60,000 civilians were conscripted in Henan, and 50,000 civilians were conscripted in Youzhou.

Add to that the 60,000 troops that my father led to the Eastern Expedition, a total of 210,000. Laizhou is almost overwhelmed, Henan is also close to its limit, Youzhou has a small population but is close to the battlefield, so the pressure is not that great.

The canal shipping can relieve the pressure, but a lot of manpower is still consumed in going north.

Li Lizhi said: "But now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly. The number of people mobilized for the war was actually relatively small. With 60,000 men on the eastern expedition, the number of civilian laborers was only twice the number of the main army.

That's it, it's almost the limit everywhere.

Dongyang said: "Fortunately, there is a good harvest in Guanzhong this year, so there is no shortage of food at the moment."

The pre-war preparations were quite good, and food and fodder were not a problem; the key was the mobilization of civilian manpower on such a large scale.

This was also the first time that Li Chengqian presided over such a large task.

"Your Highness, Guo Zhengyi requests to see you."

Li Chengqian asked his two sisters to organize the files and go see Guo Zhengyi first.

In front of the Zhenguan Palace, Guo Zhengyi handed over a document, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, the prefectures in various parts of Henan have submitted documents, and it was discovered that there are money and grain dispatches in various parts of Hebei."

Li Chengqian took the document and asked, "Who is dispatching the money and grain?"

"People from the Dali Temple and the Censorate are still investigating."

Li Chengqian said sternly: "Keep an eye on these money and grains. Seize any large-scale transports and do not allow them to move."

"Here."

Autumn is about to arrive in all parts of the Central Plains, and this is an extremely dark day for the Hebei gentry.

Team after team of soldiers entered Hebei and began arresting people.

Among those arrested were local officials, from county officials to provincial governors.

Some wanted to deliver this news to His Majesty who was conquering Goguryeo, while others wanted to escape.

At first, the prince's decree only arrested more than 600 officials and nobles, but after the Dali Temple and the Censorate investigated, the number of people arrested reached more than 3,000.

Among them were evil villains, ruffians, and groups of children from aristocratic families.

"Rebellion, rebellion!" Cui Yuanzong, who was over 30 years old, shouted, "What on earth do they want to do!"

Cui Yuanzong's wife, Wei, said, "How dare the prince send so many people to arrest the Hebei nobles? He will surely be condemned."

A group of servants were blocking the door, but now the officials from the court had begun to bang on it.

This time, there were more than 3,000 officials coming from Luoyang, including the bad guys.

There are dozens of officials from the Censorate, the Dali Temple, and the Ministry of Justice, and so many people escorting them. Even if there is no large army approaching, it is more than enough to wipe out a family.

Wei said again: "Don't panic, the garrisons of Zhuozhou and Yizhou are all relatives of my Cui family."

The woman was wearing luxurious clothes and a golden hairpin on her head, but she did not seem flustered. She continued, "The Dingzhou garrison general is my brother-in-law. Let him mobilize the troops right away."

Cui Yuanzong looked at his wife in disbelief, then suddenly smiled and said, "What are you going to do by mobilizing troops?"

"It's too late. We can only mobilize troops now. At worst, my brother-in-law will rebel. If the Li family can be the emperor, can't others be the emperor?"

"You're crazy!" Cui Yuanzong slammed the table and shouted.

This shout made Wei, who had been calm and composed, lose consciousness for a moment. She looked at her husband in confusion.

Cui Yuanzong once again angrily asked in the face of his wife's confused look, "Are you going to destroy the hundreds of years of reputation of the Bo Ling Cui family in your hands? Rebellion? Where is the good name of our Cui family?"

The emotions between the couple broke down at this moment. Wei smiled stiffly and said, "Come and explain yourself to me. Look at your brother Tang. Does Master Cui Ren care about your family's life or death? Where is he now? No one cares about our life or death!"

Wei was so angry that she was shaking all over. She wanted her husband to face the reality and that the court would not give up face.

Don't count on the Cui family's hundreds of years of reputation at this time. If you are escorted to Luoyang, it will be too late to say anything.

"What kind of person is the current crown prince? He dared to kill even his own uncle, and showed no mercy to the royal family, not to mention the Hebei nobles. You are still guarding the good name of the Cui family. Are you willing to die?"

The noise of banging on the door outside was getting louder and louder, and Wei was shouting hysterically to her husband.

"Besides, there was a blind man who wanted to impeach the crown prince and make him give up the throne. The crown prince might still be holding a grudge against him." Wei grabbed her husband's arm and advised, "Revolt."

"It's all your fault, the Wei family. You, the Jingzhao Wei family, claim to be a prominent family in Guanzhong." Cui Yuanzong pushed his wife away and shouted, "You and Wei Ting conspired to force the purchase of land in the name of requisitioning grain and grass. It's all your fault!"

Wei's eyes lost their luster, she smiled again, and looked at her husband in surprise.

Cui Yuanzong shouted, "What is your Jingzhao Wei family? Or a famous family in Guanzhong? How dare you call yourself a famous family? When you were trying to get close to someone of high status, did you ever think about what you are doing today?"

Wei took two steps back. She had figured it out. Even if she died, she would preserve the Cui family's reputation that had lasted for hundreds of years.

She wiped away her tears and looked out the door.

The gate of the house was finally broken open and a group of soldiers rushed in.

The servants who were blocking the door were killed one after another, and the couple were both put in shackles and taken out by officials.

Ma Zhou strode into the house and said, "After the villagers reported their grievances and the county officials from various places testified, Cui Yuanzong forced the purchase of more than 3,000 hectares of land, bought over 60 officials from Boling County, Shangquyang County, and Lizhou, forced more than 900 villagers into slavery, and killed nearly 1,000 people in the past 20 years. The house is sealed and all the money is confiscated."

"Catch him and bring him to Luoyang for questioning. The Crown Prince has ordered a ten-year investigation."

Wei said angrily: "Aren't you afraid of rebellion in various places?"

Ma Zhou stood straight with his hands behind his back and said, "We are late. Sigh... you have killed so many people."

After saying this, Ma Zhou no longer paid attention to the couple and began to discuss with the officials who followed them.

Teams of officers and soldiers began a house-wide search, and all property and furniture, including stored food and fodder, were confiscated.

After the officers and soldiers sealed off the house, they walked on the street.

Ma Zhou saw residents in simple clothes hiding in the streets with fear on their faces. At this moment, he felt full of guilt. There was no light in their eyes.

When the evil people who had caused trouble in Boling County were arrested one by one by the officers and soldiers, and when the officials from the court stood in various places on the streets, loudly reading the documents from the court and announcing the purpose of their visit.

Only then did some people come out from the streets, looking at the officers and soldiers with curiosity.

I also saw that Cui Yuanzong, who was usually so arrogant, was put into a prison car.

One child picked up a stone and threw it at Cui Yuanzong. He pointed at Cui Yuanzong in the prison van and shouted, "He killed my sister!"

The child was only five years old, and his parents immediately held him in their arms, fearing that the soldiers would approach.

There was finally hope in Ma Zhou's eyes. It seemed that the children here were still conscious. At least they could still be saved. The situation here would not get any worse.

The officers and soldiers pulled the prison carts out of the city, and the villagers in the city also followed them out of the city gate. They didn't say anything, and they didn't know what to say. They just watched them go quietly.

(End of this chapter)