My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 95: Don't Let the King of Wei Get Hurt

"The Dali Temple is about to become the prince's back garden."

"Su Shaoqing arrested the county lieutenants of the two county offices in Chang'an. He said earlier that they would be detained for a few days for investigation, but he has been detained until now and refuses to release them."

"I asked Si Qing a few days ago. Guess what he said?"

"He actually said that he had to inform the prince first."

"In the case of Helan Chushi, the victim was a member of the Fanyang Lu family. Su Shaoqing said that this matter had nothing to do with Helan Chushi based on some random clues he got from somewhere."

"He released the person early this morning. What kind of logic is this?"

"Minister, this won't work. The Dali Temple is almost becoming a one-man show for Su Shaoqing."

Inside the Dali Temple's official office, Sun Fujia sat on a chair, listening to the Dali Temple's secretary chattering beside him.

Recently, His Majesty has sympathized with the hard work of officials on duty and has specially ordered craftsmen to make chairs and desks for all government offices in the imperial city.

It is indeed much more comfortable to sit on a chair while on duty, and it is much easier than kneeling.

When you are tired, you can lean on your back.

At the beginning, some civil servants submitted petitions requesting that the tables and chairs be removed, saying that it was inappropriate.

It's only been two or three days and no one is talking about this anymore.

"In Helan Chushi's case, Su Shaoqing gave me the file to read. The clues and evidence on it are relatively sufficient and complete."

"For example, the injuries on Lu Sili's body do not match Helan Chushi's actions in the tavern at the time. It is obvious that someone else did it later."

"Based on this alone, Lu Sili's death has nothing to do with Helan Chushi. Someone framed him."

"Helan Chushi is a high-ranking official of the Eastern Palace and the son-in-law of Minister Hou. It is only natural for Su Shaoqing to release him."

Sun Fujia was not disturbed by the words of the temple secretary and spoke in a calm tone.

Si Cheng's tone stagnated, and then he said, "Okay, I won't talk about Helan Chushi's matter. How do you explain Su Shaoqing's detention of the county lieutenants of the two counties?"

"Chang'an City has been in such a mess recently. Without the county lieutenant to take charge of the situation, the bad guys in various districts have been causing trouble for no reason, causing Chang'an to be in chaos."

"Su Shaoqing is holding me captive, what is his intention?"

Sun Fujia stopped marking the documents with his pen, placed it on the inkstone, and then looked at the temple secretary deeply.

He sighed and said, "Su Shaoqing also gave me the files of the county lieutenants of the two counties in Chang'an to look at."

"Originally it was just one case, but now it has been linked to several cases. This is still a mercy, otherwise he would have been dismissed and exiled."

"Otherwise, why do you think the county magistrate didn't come to speak, but asked you to speak?"

The entire Chang'an city, with a population of over one million, was governed by two county lieutenants.

There are countless cases of embezzlement and abuse of power here.

The prince only needs to say one word to investigate, and not to mention a few cases, dozens or even tens of them can be linked together.

The key here does not lie in the county lieutenant, but in the struggle between the crown prince and the King of Wei.

The Eastern Palace made it clear that it wanted to remove the two county lieutenants from their posts.

The reason why they are being detained and not released or sentenced is that the Eastern Palace may not have suitable candidates to take over these two positions, so the case has been dragged on.

The county lieutenant is indeed important, but even without the county lieutenant, there are still the Jinwu Guards and the Censor-in-Chief, and Chang'an will not be in chaos.

The word "chaos" cannot be used casually.

Si Cheng walked away with a face full of shame. He had indeed accepted benefits from others to intercede for him.

If it was any other case, the Temple Secretary would have released the person directly, but these two cases were both under the charge of the Temple Secretary and the Junior Secretary, so the Temple Secretary could only watch.

Sun Fujia looked up at the sky outside the window and sighed softly: "It's a troubled time."
-
The main hall of the East Palace.

Ji Zhao, the former bad leader of Wannian County, finally returned to Chang'an.

Also brought back two real bones.

Silla had strict class divisions and adopted a bone-rank system.

The three royal families of Park, Seok and Kim have the highest status and are called "holy bones". Not only can they inherit the throne, they also monopolize the entire bureaucratic system and possess supreme power.

The bloodline of the children born to the Holy Bone Man and the Holy Bone Woman is of the first bone level, that is, the royal family.

Nobles of all sizes are divided into "true bones" in turn, and they can also hold important positions in the bureaucracy and have the opportunity to inherit the throne.

“Silla’s true bones, Park Yiyun and Jin Ruixuan.”

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty."

"Your Highness's majesty is as glorious as the sun."

The two Silla nobles knelt on the ground respectfully and spoke respectfully in accented Chinese.

Silla did not speak entirely Chinese; they had their own Silla language and their own writing system, called Idu.

Idu is a special form of writing that uses the pronunciation and meaning of Chinese characters to mark the Silla language. In Silla, Idu was mainly used in official documents, historical records, and literary creation.

Influenced by the Central Plains dynasty, the middle and upper class nobles of Silla have always been proud of speaking Chinese and writing Chinese characters. Silla language is mainly used by the middle and lower class Silla people.

Ji Zhao, the bad commander, said: "Your Highness, these two Silla nobles were brought back from Yingzhou. They are the Yizheng of Silla, which is similar to our county magistrates."

"Their county was attacked by the Koreans, and the two escaped and fled to Yingzhou."

"I brought them back, and I think they can help His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian waved his hand, and the eunuch Wen Zhong next to him immediately understood what he meant.

He called the guards of the Eastern Palace and took the two Silla people away.

The bad commander Ji Zhao was a little nervous, he didn't know what this meant.

"If you had come back a few days earlier, these two people would have been of great use to me, and I wouldn't have cared about your delay."

"But today, these two Silla people are no longer useful."

Now that the imperial court has decided to attack Goryeo, there is no point in using the Silla people to exert pressure.

The bad coach Ji Zhao felt a little aggrieved.

Over the past month, he has led more than a dozen brothers and rushed to the border without stopping.

He originally planned to capture a few Silla people to make up the numbers, but he accidentally heard news about the Silla nobles.

So they fought with others, and several brothers almost lost their lives or were seriously injured. They are still recovering in Yingzhou.

Only then were the two Silla nobles rescued.

It was also because of rescuing people that I was delayed in returning.

When he returned to Chang'an, the prince told him that he was too late and it was useless.

"I don't understand." Ji Zhao's voice was a little dry.

In the Tang Dynasty, even ordinary people could call themselves ministers.

Li Chengqian said: "I can tell you very clearly that I asked you to find someone in order to find enough excuses to attack Goryeo."

"But just three days ago, due to some relationships in the court, they have basically reached a consensus to attack Goryeo." "So the Silla people you brought back now are no longer useful."

After listening to this, Ji Zhao said bitterly, "I understand."

This means that all efforts have gone to waste.

Li Chengqian saw Ji Zhao's disappointed look, took a sip of tea slowly, and then said slowly: "But..."

Hearing this, Ji Zhao immediately raised his head with a sharp look in his eyes.

Li Chengqian continued, "You were able to complete this mission. Although it did not bring me any use, it made me see your sincerity."

"The timing is wrong. It's not your problem. It's just that the time is not right. But I think you are a person who can do things."

"Originally, I was planning to summon you to the East Palace, but now the situation has changed."

"The county lieutenant of Wannian County is involved in many cases and has been detained by the Dali Temple. According to the current situation, even if he can be released, he will be dismissed from his post."

"The position of the county lieutenant has thus become vacant."

"You are the former bad commander of Wannian County. I think you are very familiar with the situation in Wannian County."

"If I let you be the county lieutenant, do you have the confidence to handle all the big and small matters in Wannian County?"

The mountains are poor and the water is full of doubts, and there is another village.

Ji Zhao thought that he had failed to do his job well and had made a wasted trip, but he did not expect that the prince would actually give him the position of county lieutenant of Wannian County.

For Ji Zhao, being a lieutenant in the Eastern Palace was indeed attractive, but it was nowhere near as comfortable as being a county lieutenant.

"I was only a small bad leader before, and I have never held an official position. I dare not say that I can do the job of a county lieutenant well."

"But I have been here for many years and I am familiar with the situation in Wannian County."

"Your Highness has placed so much trust in me, I will do my utmost to repay your kindness."

"I will do my best to serve as the county lieutenant of Wannian County and handle all matters of Wannian County properly, so as to live up to your highness's expectations. If I slack off in the slightest, I am willing to accept any punishment."

Ji Zhao's heart was filled with excitement, he knew this was a rare opportunity for him, he did not hesitate any more, he knelt on the ground, clasped his fists, and spoke earnestly.

Li Chengqian nodded with satisfaction: "Okay, I'll wait and see your performance. Get up, from today on, you should prepare well, and when the time is right, you will take over the position of Wannian County Lieutenant."

Ji Zhao stood up, his eyes full of determination: "Don't worry, Your Highness, I will definitely live up to your trust."

The rank of a county lieutenant is far different from that of a colonel in the Eastern Palace, but although his rank is low, his actual power is considerable.

Especially when it comes to oil and water, the bolder the people, the more productive the land.
-
Tai Chi Palace, Liang Yi Palace.

"Your Majesty, Minister Hou is here."

"Let him in."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Inside the hall, Li Shimin was holding a book in his hand.

This booklet contains poems praising the King of Wei written by major poets in Chang'an during this period.

In addition to the most famous "General's Song", there are as many as twenty or thirty other poems.

Soon, Hou Junji walked in.

"Greetings to Your Majesty."

"Give me a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Hou Junji sat on the chair and couldn't help but sigh: "This chair is really good, Prince. It's much easier to work now."

"The officials of the government office are now speaking well of your Majesty when they are on duty, and everyone has been given this chair to sit on."

Li Shimin saw Hou Junji coming in and put down the document in his hand.

"It seems that you like it very much. Have you arranged it at home?"

"I have built a lot of them. They are now installed in every room. It is especially convenient when reading."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "It will definitely be useful for you to read more."

"It's time to use it now. We know everything about Gaoli."

Hou Junji said: "I know everything. In my opinion, the Crown Prince's words are not unreasonable. We have to fight against Goryeo. It doesn't matter whether we fight early or late, so we might as well do it sooner rather than later."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "I thought so too. I called you here this time just to talk to you about the war against Goryeo."

"Mr. Li Wei is not feeling well right now. These are all hidden injuries he sustained on the battlefield a few years ago."

"Goryeo is a long and arduous journey, and I am worried that Lord Li Wei will not be able to bear it. Therefore, after much deliberation, I have decided that the responsibility of conquering Goryeo should still fall on your shoulders."

Upon hearing this, Hou Junji's expression became solemn, and he quickly stood up and bowed, saying: "Your Majesty trusts me so much, I will do my best to live up to your trust."

"However, the terrain of Goryeo is complex, the climate is changeable, and their soldiers are strong and powerful. They should not be underestimated. Although I am confident that I can lead the army to fight, I still need your Majesty's full support."

Li Shimin nodded slightly and said, "I will naturally support you with all my strength. Tell me, what is your specific strategy for this expedition to Goryeo?"

Hou Junji pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I think that we should take a steady approach when we go to Korea this time."

"First, send spies deep into Goryeo territory to learn about its terrain, troop deployment, and other conditions."

"Then we can divide our troops into multiple routes and attack from different directions, making it difficult for the Goryeo army to deal with both."

"Then we must make full use of the Tang Dynasty's naval superiority to attack Goryeo from the sea to disrupt its defenses."

After hearing this, Li Shimin frowned slightly and said, "Although dividing the troops into multiple routes can make it difficult for Goryeo to deal with them, it is also easy for them to defeat them one by one. Moreover, naval warfare is risky. If there is any mistake, it may affect the overall situation."

Hou Junji said: "Your Majesty is right. My strategy is just a preliminary idea. The specific battle plan needs to be adjusted according to the actual situation."

"However, I believe that the key to this expedition is a quick victory."

"The land of Goryeo is far away from the mainland of the Tang Dynasty, and it is difficult to supply food and grass. If the war is delayed for too long, it will be extremely disadvantageous to our army."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "You make sense. So how many troops do you think are needed for this expedition?"

Hou Junji said: "Your Majesty, although Goryeo has strong soldiers and horses, it is a small country after all. I think that an army of 150,000 is enough. Among them, there are 100,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 20,000 naval forces. Add in food and supplies, and we should be able to conquer Goryeo in one battle."

Li Shimin was silent for a moment, then said, "150,000 troops is not a small number. Moreover, this expedition will cost a lot, so I need to consider it carefully."

"By the way, you have heard about the King of Wei's affairs."

Hou Junji couldn't help but say, "The King of Wei is so powerful in Chang'an City, I have naturally heard about it."

Li Shimin said: "Now the King of Wei has many elite soldiers from aristocratic families under his command. They are strong and powerful. When we attack Goryeo, they can serve as the main vanguard."

"Of course, the King of Wei is weak, so you have to be more careful. If you get hurt, I will hold you accountable."

When Hou Junji heard this, his eyes flickered.

Naturally, he understood Li Shimin's idea. This was to make him consume more military strength of the aristocratic families.

As for the matter of King Wei, Hou Junji didn't take it too seriously. No matter how they fought, it would be impossible for King Wei to take the field, so there was no danger at all.

"I understand."

(End of this chapter)