My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 443 Road Construction, Hou Junji's Frustration

In the spring of the twenty-fourth year of the Zhenguan era, Zhuque Avenue in Chang'an was already bustling with activity.

Caravans from the Huitong Division shuttled back and forth carrying Shu brocade and porcelain, while students from the Quanxue Academy carried their arithmetic books to various prefectures and counties. Even the foreign merchants in the West Market said, "The prosperity of the Tang Dynasty cannot even compare to Baghdad."

Meanwhile, in a side hall of the Eastern Palace, a discussion concerning the future of the Tang Dynasty was quietly unfolding.

A huge map of the Tang Dynasty was spread out on Li Chengqian's desk.

The map is marked with dense red dots, which are the cement plants that have been built over the past two years under the new policy. There are more than 30 such plants, stretching from Guanzhong to Jiangnan, and from Longyou to Lingnan.

He traced the official roads on the map with his fingertips. The "Two Capitals Road" from Chang'an to Luoyang, the "Jiangnan Road" from Yangzhou to Guangzhou, and the "Silk Road" from Hexi to Anxi were all marked with the words "need to be widened to three zhang and paved with cement".

"My dear ministers, although the new policies are stable, the Tang Dynasty is not moving fast enough."

Li Chengqian raised his eyes to look at Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, and Wei Zheng sitting below him, his voice steady and powerful.

"Nowadays, trade routes are becoming increasingly busy, and disaster relief needs to be swift. However, most of the existing official roads are dirt roads, which become muddy and difficult to travel on rainy days. The distances between post stations are too far, and messages are often delayed. I plan to use cement to repair the official roads throughout the land and expand the post stations, so that the roads of the Tang Dynasty can carry faster horses and heavier carts. This is the foundation of a prosperous age."

Fang Xuanling rose first, stroked his beard, and bowed: "Your Highness the Crown Prince has foresight and wisdom. This old minister has checked the Ministry of Revenue's accounts, and last year's cement production reached one million shi (a unit of dry measure), while the 'Chang'an Cement Plant' in Guanzhong can produce a thousand shi per day, so the materials are indeed guaranteed. However... the repair of the official roads throughout the country is extremely costly, estimated to require thirty million guan (a unit of silver). Although the Ministry of Revenue has reserves, it still needs to be carefully calculated."

He handed over an account book, which listed in detail the costs of cement, wages for craftsmen, transportation of stone, and other expenses, with each item clearly listed.

Changsun Wuji picked up the conversation, his tone revealing a pragmatic consideration: "Prime Minister Fang is absolutely right. What's even more important is manpower and deployment. The official roads stretch for tens of thousands of miles, requiring the mobilization of 100,000 artisans and 500,000 laborers. How can we avoid delaying the farming season?"

"How can we ensure that local officials do not take the opportunity to exploit others? Also, with the expansion of the post stations, more post horses and post soldiers need to be added. How should their performance be evaluated? All of these need to be regulated."

Wei Zheng, who was always upright, frowned slightly at this moment: "Your Highness, paving roads with cement is indeed a good thing, but the people have just recovered from the disaster. If we conscript laborers on a large scale, I am afraid that they will complain. I heard that some laborers at the Jiangnan Cement Plant once caused trouble because of the tight schedule. Although it has been quelled, we should take this as a warning."

He was more concerned about the hardships of the people and was afraid that infrastructure projects would become wasteful and exhausting.

Li Chengqian was well-prepared and presented a "General Regulations for Infrastructure Construction" to everyone: "I have considered your concerns. First, the funds will be provided by the Ministry of Finance, which will issue 'infrastructure bonds' for merchants and the public to subscribe to. The annual interest rate will be five percent, and the Ministry of Revenue will redeem the bonds after three years. This will not deplete the national treasury and will benefit the people."

He pointed to the "work-for-relief" clause in the charter: "Second, no forced labor will be conscripted. Anyone who participates in road repair will receive two liters of coarse rice and five copper coins per day. Work will be suspended during the busy farming season, and priority will be given to hiring disaster victims and refugees. Last year, there were still 30,000 refugees waiting to be resettled after the disaster in Henan Province. This is just the right way to solve their livelihood."

Fang Xuanling looked at the terms of the "infrastructure bonds" and his eyes showed approval: "This method is brilliant! Merchants and people have spare money but nowhere to invest. Bonds are both stable and profitable, so they will definitely be eager to subscribe. In this way, the funding problem will be solved."

Li Chengqian turned to Changsun Wuji: "As for local implementation and the expansion of post stations..."

"A separate 'Infrastructure Supervision Office' will be established, jointly dispatched by the Ministry of Personnel and the Inspection Office, with three supervisors stationed in each prefecture to investigate corruption and construction delays; the post stations will be expanded according to the standard of 'one post station every 100 li and one inn every 50 li,' and the post station soldiers will be selected from the elite troops of the prefecture and incorporated into the military register, receiving a monthly salary, and their performance will be linked to 'speed of message transmission' and 'customer satisfaction,' and will be directly assessed by the Ministry of War."

Wei Zheng still had doubts: "But the technology of paving roads with cement is complicated, and local craftsmen may not know how to use it. If the quality of the road surface is not up to standard, wouldn't all our efforts be wasted?"

“I have already made arrangements for this,” Li Chengqian said with a smile. “The Hundred Refinements Bureau has compiled the ‘Essential Techniques of Cement Construction,’ which is richly illustrated. A hundred craftsmen have been dispatched to various states to teach the techniques. Each construction site will have a ‘quality officer’ appointed directly by the Hundred Refinements Bureau, and the road surface must undergo a ‘compression test.’”

"Only if it does not crack after being pressed by a thousand-pound stone for three days is it considered qualified. Those that do not meet the standards must be reworked, and the craftsmen and quality officials will be punished together."

He paused, then emphasized, "What I want is not a vanity project, but a solid road that my descendants can walk on for a hundred years."

The atmosphere inside the hall gradually became more enthusiastic. Fang Xuanling did some calculations: "After the official roads are cleared, the transportation costs for caravans can be reduced by 30%, and the customs duties in the Western Regions can be increased by at least 20%. The investment can be recovered in three years. With the speed of the post stations, disaster relief and military intelligence transmission can be twice as fast. If this road had been available for disaster relief in Henan last year, at least a thousand people would have died less."

Changsun Wuji added: "The deployment of the soldiers as post station workers not only ensures the security of the post stations with elite troops, but also provides a new place for military salaries. When the soldiers are rotated, they can also bring back their experiences from various places, which is a good strategy. The work-for-relief program provides work for the displaced people and reduces the risk of rebellion. This move kills three birds with one stone."

Wei Zheng finally nodded: "Since Your Highness has made such a thorough arrangement, I have no more doubts. However, it is still necessary to strictly order the local authorities not to impose taxes or levies, and to ensure that the people truly benefit."

“What Minister Wei says is absolutely right.” Li Chengqian stood up, walked to the map, and used a vermilion brush to draw a red line along the official road, stretching from Chang’an all the way to Anxi. “I want the official roads of the Tang Dynasty to spread throughout the land like blood vessels. From Chang’an to Luoyang, one can travel from morning to evening.”

“From Yangzhou to Guangzhou, merchant ships can transport goods along the official roads; from Hexi to Anxi, artillery and provisions can arrive in five days. This is the backbone of the new policy, capable of supporting a true golden age.”

He looked at the three old ministers, his eyes shining: "Prime Minister Fang is in charge of fund allocation, Minister Changsun is in charge of personnel evaluation, and Minister Wei is in charge of supervising people's livelihood. With the unity of the emperor and his ministers, let the cement-paved road carry the Tang Dynasty to a farther place."

The three senior ministers bowed in unison: "Your Highness, we obey your command!"
-
The residence of the Left General of the Golden Guard, located on the east side of Zhuque Avenue in Chang'an, boasts a vermilion gate with gleaming copper rings and two fierce-looking stone lions in front of it, making it even more imposing than the residences of ordinary nobles.

But deep within the mansion, in the study, an indescribable restlessness permeated the air.

Hou Junji slammed the jade ruyi in his hand onto the table, instantly shattering the priceless ornament in two, startling the servants who stood by into silence.

"Minister of Personnel? General of the Left Golden Guard?" Hou Junji ripped off his purple-gold crown, his hair disheveled like straw, his voice filled with venomous sarcasm.

"It sounds glamorous, but what right do I have to interfere in any of the important affairs of the court?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince consults Fang Xuanling for money, Changsun Wuji for personnel management, and Wei Zheng for fault-finding, but he leaves me, the 'number one contributor,' out in the cold!"

He picked up the "General Regulations for Infrastructure Construction" on the table. It was copied from the Ministry of Personnel after the morning court session yesterday. It was filled with articles on the repair of official roads, but there was not a single signature of his.

"Back when the Crown Prince had not yet risen to power, if it weren't for me, how could we be where we are today?"

"Now look what's happened! The new policy has been implemented, and the meritorious officials have become mere decorations!"

A servant nervously handed over a teacup: "General, please calm down. You now command the Imperial Guard and the Ministry of Personnel, holding a high and powerful position..."

"High position and great power?" Hou Junji kicked over the table, shattering the teacups.

"The Imperial Guard is in charge of patrolling the capital, and their daily checks are to see if street vendors are obstructing traffic! The Ministry of Personnel is in charge of appointing and dismissing officials, but His Highness's 'Practical Examination Graduate' is directly parachuted into a prefecture or county, leaving me no room to intervene!"

"The other day I wanted to recommend a former subordinate to be the county magistrate, but the Inspectorate rejected him with a single sentence: 'He failed the assessment.'"

"What's the difference between this Minister of Personnel and a lowly clerk who just stamps documents?" He paced irritably, the gold fish-shaped pouch at his waist swaying with his movements. It was a symbol of officials of the third rank or above, but in his eyes it was a joke.

“The other day I passed by the East Palace and heard Fang Xuanling and the others discussing matters in a side hall. They were talking about paving roads with cement and expanding post stations. They were working hard.”

"I went in to say something, but His Highness simply said, 'General Hou, you just need to manage the Imperial Guards,' and sent me away!"

Growing increasingly irritated, Hou Junji simply put on his fur robe and roared at his servants, "Prepare the horses! To the West Market!"

In a tavern in the West Market, Hou Junji was downing one glass of strong liquor after another, watching as several Persian merchants at the next table were settling accounts with Tang Dynasty notes, praising how "the notes from the Ministry of Revenue are more convenient than copper coins."

He slammed his hand on the table, startling the merchant who shrank back: "Convenient? If it weren't for me risking my life to help His Highness stabilize Chang'an back then, would you foreign merchants be able to do business in peace?"

Upon hearing the news, the captain of the Imperial Guard rushed over, intending to persuade him to return to his residence, but he pushed him away, saying, "What's the rush! I am the Grand General of the Left Imperial Guard. Who dares to say a word when I'm having a drink in Chang'an?"

As he spoke, he caught sight of a minor official from the street inspection office checking vendors at the corner. He immediately flew into a rage, spurred his horse forward, and kicked over a tax card: "What are you checking for! My men are drinking here, I'll pay their taxes for them!"

The minor official recognized him, but dared not speak out against him and could only watch helplessly as he caused a scene in the tavern.

Looking at the fearful eyes of those around him, Hou Junji felt even more agitated.

It was late at night when Hou Junji returned to his residence. Drunk, he looked at the plaque on the wall that read "Meritorious Official Who Made the Decision," a gift from Li Chengqian himself, which now seemed to mock his desolation.

"The number one contributor..." he muttered to himself, a ruthless glint in his eyes, "Your Highness has forgotten the oath you made back then, don't blame me, Hou Junji, for being heartless!"

The moonlight shone into the study through the window, illuminating the mess on the floor and also the resentment growing in the heart of this meritorious official.

The spring breeze of the new policies swept across the Tang Dynasty, but it seemed unable to reach the depths of this magnificent mansion, leaving only a figure marginalized by power, gradually teetering on the edge of losing control amidst grumbling and discontent.

As the twilight of late spring crept into Du He's study, Zhao Jie lifted the curtain and entered, clutching the news he had just heard from the Imperial Guard's residence, his face showing a hint of anxiety.

On the desk lay the "Records of Performance Evaluation in Practical Affairs," which Du He was annotating with in red ink. Seeing him enter, he put down his pen and laughed, "Judging by your anxious look, you must have heard that General Hou caused a scene in the West Market again?"

Zhao Jie sat down in a chair, took a sip of cold tea, and said, "It's more than just throwing a tantrum! I heard he even kicked over the tax card of the Inspection Department."

"Brother Du, why is General Hou doing this? Back then, we followed His Highness the Crown Prince in seizing power, and he made considerable contributions. Now he's the Left General of the Golden Guard and the Minister of Personnel, and he's still not satisfied?"

Du He lightly tapped the "Performance Records" on the table with his fingertips. It was filled with records of the agricultural and tax achievements of officials in various prefectures, and most of them were regulations drafted by Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji.

"He's not ungrateful; he just hasn't grasped the situation."

Du He calmly recounted, "General Hou always felt that once the power grab was successful, we 'meritorious officials who made the decision' should replace Fang Xuanling and the others and enjoy high-ranking positions and generous salaries. But he never considered what we would offer in return."

Zhao Jie was taken aback: "We are the Crown Prince's confidants, are we not as good as those old ministers?"

"What are we comparing?" Du He retorted, picking up a Ministry of Revenue account book. "Minister Fang can calculate the 30 million guan of infrastructure costs down to the last detail, listing the cement costs and labor wages item by item. Can we do that?"

"Minister Changsun could talk about the performance evaluation, promotion, and appointment of officials in all the prefectures and counties of the country with his eyes closed. Can we do that?"

"Master Wei dared to say 'infrastructure construction is a burden on the people' to the Crown Prince's face, and every word he said hit the nail on the head. Do we dare to do that?"

A series of questions left Zhao Jie speechless. He scratched his head and said, "But...but we are people who follow His Highness to join the dragon."

Du He shook his head slightly: "The merit of serving the emperor can guarantee our wealth and status, but it cannot prevent the court from becoming corrupt."

As he spoke, he opened the "Regulations of the Practical Department" and pointed to the "Agricultural and Sericultural Assessment Method" and the "Three-Dimensional Commercial Tax Form".

"Look at these new policies and regulations. Which one wasn't finalized after countless sleepless nights and ten years of investigation?"

"General Hou only knows how to lead troops into battle. How can he appoint and dismiss officials when he can't even understand the assessment criteria for the 'Practical Examination Jinshi'?"

"Let him manage the Imperial Guard. Besides beating and scolding his subordinates, he can't even figure out the deployment map of the capital's defenses. How can he hold his position?"

Zhao Jie fell silent. He recalled the last time he went to the Ministry of Personnel with Changsun Wuji to check the accounts. The densely packed counting rods and account books made him dizzy, but Changsun Wuji could spot the mistakes and suspicious details at a glance.

"So... Your Highness doesn't discuss important matters with General Hou not because you don't trust him, but because he's truly incompetent?"

Du He nodded: "That's right. What Your Highness wants is a court that can get things done, not a stage that only cares about merits."

Although Fang Xuanling and his colleagues were not "meritorious officials who seized power," they were able to fill the national treasury and maintain a clean and efficient government.

“Although we are your trusted confidants, if you forcibly replace the old ministers with us, the new policies will fall into chaos within six months, and the people will accuse Your Highness of nepotism.”

He pointed out the window towards the school of education, where the lights were still on and the students of the practical studies department were still studying hard: "Why do you think His Highness set up the practical studies department? Why did he make us follow the old ministers to learn mathematics, agriculture, and criminal law? It's because he knows that our foundation is weak and we have to start from scratch."

"General Hou always thought that 'meritorious officials should have special privileges,' but he forgot that power must be matched with ability, otherwise it will become a hot potato."

Zhao Jie picked up his teacup, lost in thought: "No wonder when I wanted to go to the Ministry of Revenue to help manage commercial taxes, His Highness made me learn 'Tang bill settlement' from a junior clerk in the Ministry of Revenue for three months. I felt wronged at the time, but now I understand that if I can't even keep accounts, I'll just be causing trouble."

“That’s right.” Du He laughed: “The old ministers are like big trees, able to shelter us from the wind and rain; we are at most saplings now, we need to take root first before we can grow leaves. General Hou is unwilling to take root, he only wants to grow taller, it’s no wonder he’s crooked.”

He picked up his pen and wrote the four characters "diligent study and practical skills" on the "Performance Record". "Let's not follow General Hou's example of complaining. Let's learn more from Prime Minister Fang and the others."

"When we are able to hold up the sky, His Highness will naturally entrust us with important responsibilities."

(End of this chapter)