The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 460 No More Duke Zheng
In the sixth year of Qianqing, it was New Year's Day in Chang'an City. The ice and snow had not yet completely melted, but freezing rain began to fall again. Pedestrians on the official road were rushing to Chang'an City.

Every morning, people from the surrounding villages and counties would rush to Chang'an, either to work or to buy supplies.

The government did not want people to crowd into Chang'an City, but this did not stop more and more people from settling in Chang'an.

During the New Year, the city of Chang'an was bustling with people.

In Jingzhao Prefecture, Di Renjie placed his hands next to the stove and only started writing documents after his hands were warm.

A clerk nearby complained, "It's so cold that the ink has frozen."

Look, he even put the inkstone next to the stove, waiting for the ice on it to melt.

Another gust of cold wind whistled past, and the pedestrians on Zhuque Street quickened their pace. There was fine ice on the ground, and the thin ice could be heard breaking when people stepped on it.

On both sides of Zhuque Street, freshly-baked broth and baked cakes were emitting steam.

After Di Renjie finished writing the document, he walked to the gate of Jingzhao Prefecture, where the clerk was hunching his neck due to the cold.

"Send it to the Ministry of Justice quickly."

"Yes." The clerk took the document and ran quickly to the imperial city.

In the bustling city of Chang'an, after running a few steps, Di Renjie could no longer see his figure.

"Di Shuling!" Wei Chang called out first, shook himself a little to dispel the chill, and hurried forward to say, "Murong Shun has left Chang'an."

Di Renjie shaved off his original black beard, and after going to Pamir Mountains, the former fat Di became much thinner.

He stood in front of the gate of Jingzhao Prefecture with his hands behind his back and asked, "Are there any bad guys following us?"

Wei Chang replied: "We have arranged for two bad guys to infiltrate Murong Shun's caravan."

"Caravan?"

"It's a caravan of people from the Western Regions."

In fact, Murong Shun had been a person from Jingzhao Prefecture many years ago, and Wei Chang didn't know why Di Renjie was keeping an eye on him, he just did what he was told.

Di Renjie ordered: "Leaving Chang'an with a caravan of Westerners just in the New Year is puzzling."

Wei Chang said, "Di Shuling, most merchants from the Western Regions leave Chang'an in the summer, and cotton can be picked in the Western Regions. Late autumn is the time when cotton from the Western Regions is delivered."

"Is it really impossible to grow cotton in Guanzhong?"

Di Renjie asked casually.

"Jingzhao Prefecture asked the Sino-Agricultural Ministry to try it, but later gave up. Whether it was the right time or the right place, the cotton in the Western Regions was better. The food in Guanzhong was not enough, so they didn't dare to use a large amount of land to grow cotton. The court issued orders several times that in order to ensure food for Guanzhong, the land should not be used without permission."

Di Renjie nodded and said, "Let the bad guys keep an eye on him. It doesn't matter if they lose him."

Wei Chang clasped his fists and said, "Don't worry, Commander Di. Our people are all ruthless and will not lose you."

Di Renjie just smiled at the words of the bad commander. His intuition told him that the bad men under Wei Chang would definitely lose him. If Murong Shun wanted to do something important, he would definitely get rid of the bad men.

It is still very difficult for the current Jingzhao Prefecture's staff to manage the Western Regions. Di Renjie has been to the Western Regions, as well as the vast hinterland of the Tianshan Mountains and the Pamir Mountains, and knows how difficult it is to find someone there.

Otherwise, Pei Yan would not have chased the Arabs for two days and two nights before catching them.

In the sixth year of Qianqing, someone suggested to the emperor that the officials of Luoyang be merged into Guanzhong and the two capitals system be implemented.

I can’t remember how many times someone has made suggestions to the emperor, and His Majesty has rejected them once, and it’s still the same.

This is because Luoyang is very prosperous nowadays. If the emperor could go to Luoyang, it would definitely become more prosperous.

This time the emperor still did not respond to their advice.

The people of Guanzhong do not want the emperor to leave. Once the emperor leaves, the prosperity of Guanzhong will surely leave with him.

What’s more, when Your Majesty was still the crown prince, your initial foundation was in Guanzhong.

The folks in Guanzhong are very supportive of the current emperor. As long as the emperor gives an order, the militiamen from all over the country are still willing to go to war as they did in the past.

Di Renjie and Pei Yan walked together, listening to people's discussions along the way.

Pei Yan said: "Li Jingheng always comes to the Ministry of War to ask for people."

Di Renjie said, "Logically speaking, the troops led by Li Jingheng and Chu Mo belong to the emperor's imperial guards. As long as His Majesty says a word, he can give them sufficient manpower. Hmm... How many people do they have now?"

"Twenty people."

Upon hearing this, Di Renjie was speechless for a moment.

"There are only 20 people, but they should not be underestimated." Pei Yan walked to the city gate, looked into the distance and said, "Among all the guards in the army, only their troops are the most mysterious. Some people say that they are elite. The emperor usually does not show this imperial guard to the public, which has attracted many speculations."

Di Renjie said: "This kind of thing shouldn't be handled by the Ministry of War."

Pei Yan said: "The Ministry of War dare not intervene unless there is an imperial decree."

When the two men stood at the city gate, they saw a group of cavalrymen riding towards them. There were not many of them, only about five or six.

When the person came closer, Di Renjie asked with a smile: "Why are you here so late?"

Zhang Jianzhi dismounted from his horse, opened his arms and shouted, "Chang'an! I'm back!"

Bai Fang also came along. After handing over the documents to the guards at the city gate, he quickly walked into the city to look for food.

The three of them walked into the city together.

Pei Yan added: "Mr. Lu said that more and more young people have come to Chang'an City recently."

Zhang Jianzhi found a tavern and sat down, saying loudly: "Shopkeeper, give me soup noodles, mutton soup, and fried cakes."

Di Renjie pushed him and asked, "Can you finish it?"

Zhang Jianzhi patted his hungry stomach and said, "I can finish it, I can finish it."

In the same tavern, a man named Bai Nian had several large bowls of noodles in front of him and was eating them as fast as the wind.

After the meal, Pei Yan, a doctor in the Ministry of War, took Bai Fang to report on his work and submit the military roster of the Anxi Army.

Di Renjie accompanied Zhang Jianzhi to Chongwenguan.

"Huai Ying?"

"Ok?"

"I have been teaching for two years and I should be going to the Ministry of Personnel to take up an official position. Why am I here at Chongwenguan?"

Di Renjie, wearing a dark blue official uniform, walked along the way and said, "Brother Jianzhi, you don't know that Chongwenguan has now been incorporated into the Ministry of Personnel."

Zhang Jianzhi looked understanding and was used to the frequent changes in the court.

The emperor has been like this recently. Whether it is Chongwenguan, the Ministry of War, or the Ministry of Personnel, the emperor is afraid that he will renovate all six ministries, two provinces, nine temples and twenty-four prisons in the court.

During the New Year, Su Tan, the director of Chongwenguan, was away, and all the officials in the court were on vacation.

Di Renjie made some inquiries, and the clerk here said that Master Su had gone to the palace to visit the emperor and the queen.

Zhang Jianzhi had no choice but to sit here for the time being. When the two were doing nothing, another person ended his two-year teaching and came to Chang'an to receive an official position. This person was Lu Zhaolin, a talented man with a high reputation in Youzhou.

Zhang Jianzhi saw Lu Zhaolin, who was about the same age as Di Renjie, with a stern look on his face. The other party's talent was well-known, and even in Liaodong, he was well-known. It was said that he had hundreds of students. Lu Zhaolin had just entered Chongwen Hall and felt a little uncomfortable with the hostile gaze of this stranger in front of him.

The hostile look came from Zhang Jianzhi.

Di Renjie turned his back to the two of them and looked at a jujube tree in the yard without saying a word.

It is very quiet inside Chongwen Hall.

The three of them waited in the courtyard for a long time without saying anything. Zhang Jianzhi asked, "I heard that your parallel prose is very good?"

Lu Zhaolin bowed and said, "May I ask who you are in person..."

"A certain Zhang Jianzhi."

"It is said that Zhang Shenkuang was taught by a great scholar from the Eastern Yi, and his son Zhang Jianzhi traveled all over the Central Plains with his father when he was young. I have heard about this for a long time."

Shenkuang is the pen name of Zhang Xuanbi, who is also rumored to be Master Shenkuang.

However, Di Renjie felt that although Zhang Xuanbi had a great reputation, he was just like an ordinary person in Chang'an City and seemed to be a simple person.

Lu Zhaolin added: "It looks like we'll have to wait a long time."

By noon, Master Su had not returned yet.

By the evening, Su still hadn't returned, but he had delivered an appointment. An official came to Chongwen Hall. It was Liu Shi, the then Minister of the Central Secretariat. He glanced at the people present and said, "Zhang Jianzhi, Lu Zhaolin."

Hearing this, they both bowed.

Liu Shi opened the document from the Ministry of Personnel in his hand and said aloud: "Zhang Jianzhi is appointed as the Minister of Rites of the Ministry of Personnel, and Lu Zhaolin is appointed as the Director of the Chongwen Academy, in charge of proofreading classics."

The two men bowed and took the official positions together.

Liu Shi added: "This is the arrangement of the Ministry of Personnel. You two will take up your posts after the Lantern Festival. Please collect your official uniforms first."

"Here."

"Although the Chongwenguan has been incorporated into the Ministry of Personnel, it still does not involve the appointment of officials. The dispatch and appointment of officials is still the responsibility of the Ministry of Personnel." After Liu Shi finished speaking, he looked at the two of them, turned around and was about to leave, and said, "Please do as you please."

Liu Shi was very busy. After helping to arrange the affairs of Chongwenguan, he left.

Since Duke Zhao became old, he has been keeping his door closed to visitors. Liu Shi was a student of Duke Zhao many years ago and now serves as the Minister of the Secretariat.

In the past, there were both good and bad rumors about the Duke of Zhao in the court and the public, but from the day he retired, the bad reputation about the Duke of Zhao disappeared.

Liu Shi told the doorman the purpose of his visit, and only after someone went to report it was he allowed to enter the Duke of Zhao's mansion.

Liu Shi was born in the Hedong Liu family and was an official during the Zhenguan period. Now he is over 40 years old and serves as the Secretary of the Central Secretariat. Although he is not as favored by His Majesty as ministers like Xu Jingzong and Yu Zhining, Liu Shi worked his way up to the position of Secretary of the Central Secretariat step by step.

Changsun Wuji, with gray hair on his temples, sat alone in the courtyard.

Liu Shi stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Lord Zhao."

"What are you doing here?"

Liu Shi said, "It's New Year's Day, so I came to visit you."

"When I resigned, you always thought I had abandoned you. Little do you know what kind of emperor your majesty is now. The emperor is wise and wise, and no longer needs an old minister like me to assist him in governing the country."

When the Zhao State announced his old age, Liu Shi was full of confusion, but things had come to this point and he could no longer struggle.

Today's emperor is at the peak of power. Beside the emperor is Duke Ying, who is in charge of all the military forces in the world. In front of the emperor are a court of sturdy civil officials, a group of fierce and ferocious imperial censors, and the support of thousands of people.

The power of this emperor reached its peak, even greater than that of the Zhenguan period.

Throughout the dynasties, there were not many emperors with such power.

When Duke Zhao and Elder Cen both retire, the Emperor's power will probably reach an unprecedented level at the beginning of this year.

Liu Shi felt that the emperor's power needed to be restrained, so when Zhao Gong retired, he also wanted to leave the court for a time.

Inside the palace, Li Chengqian listened to Su Tan describing the current scale of Chongwenguan.

After saying this, Su Tan saw that His Majesty was still somewhat dissatisfied, and said, "With the support of the Ministry of Personnel and the Censor, each prefecture should build more Chongwen Halls."

Li Chengqian felt that if he was still not satisfied, his father-in-law would most likely apologize again. His father-in-law was a very hard-working man who often reflected on himself. Although he was old, he was still very positive in his mentality.

"I know that many teachers in Chongwenguan have worked hard, and I will arrange rewards after the Lantern Festival."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"The construction of Chongwen Hall needs to be done steadily and cautiously."

"I accept your order."

Li Chengqian said with a relaxed expression: "Don't be too nervous. I am not dissatisfied with the current number of Chongwen Halls. When my father was still in power, I was used to having rules and regulations first and then being efficient in everything."

At the beginning, Gao Yanshou wanted to present the beauties from Silla to Your Majesty, but Your Majesty refused. There is such an emperor.

All the nobles in Wugong County are willing to die for Your Majesty.

Su Tan would rather lead by example, and even if it costs his life, he would open Chongwenguan in various parts of the country for Your Majesty. He would serve Your Majesty until his death, and he would ask for nothing else.

Li Chengqian often thought that when he was the crown prince, he would supervise state affairs from time to time and control floods with his brothers.

Or let the brothers go to the grassroots together, and then continue to supervise state affairs, and then become the emperor
State affairs are important and complicated. Li Chengqian often feels that there are not enough talented people in the court. Of course, he hopes that the number of Chongwenguan in various provinces and prefectures in the Central Plains will be increased.

After the Chongwenguan was incorporated into the Ministry of Personnel, it was able to exert a certain degree of control over the various prefectures and provinces.

Create a feeling that imperial power is everywhere.

Sometimes I feel that there are too many officials in Chang'an City, and they should go to some counties or more remote places.

Let remote areas know who the current emperor is and what the current court actions are.

The pace of this era was slow and the efficiency of information dissemination was low, so people in more remote areas did not even know that the Tang Dynasty had changed its emperor and that the new emperor had been in charge of state affairs for six years.

Li Chengqian, who ascended the throne at the age of 28 and is now 34, helped his father-in-law up and walked outside the palace. "Recently, my sister has been studying the way of keeping healthy. The palace has prepared a lot of Huangjing, all made by Mingda himself. Take some back with you when you leave."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After the Queen finished talking about family affairs with Su's mother, Su Tan said goodbye to his wife. He took a box of medicinal herbs with him and also took little Yu Tu with him, letting the child stay with his grandparents for a while longer.

Seeing Su Tan turning around to salute again, Li Chengqian smiled in response.

Su Wan said: "The children have been playing more and more lately."

Li Chengqian said: "It's good to have some fun."

Every New Year, Li Chengqian would go to the Lingyan Pavilion to comfort Lord Zheng.

Entering the Lingyan Pavilion, Li Chengqian took out the letter he had written earlier and burned it in front of the portrait of Duke Zheng.

When Duke Zheng was alive, he advised the emperor. After his death, their warning words spread throughout the world through the Chongwenguan.

This was done deliberately by Li Chengqian. If the Tang Dynasty wanted to be strong, it had to have an upright spirit, be prepared for danger in times of peace, refrain from extravagance and practice frugality, and use the stories of Xia Jie and Shang Zhou to warn the world.

Or Duke Zheng could use Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi, the Northern Qi monarch named Gao Yang, as a negative example for comparison.

(End of this chapter)