Three whips break the father-son relationship, please call me prince

Chapter 210: The Emperor's Portrait is Requested, and the Aristocratic Family is Digging Up Old Stakes

Li Chengqian has been thinking about how to increase the power of the Censorate.

In the incident in Chang'an County, although the Censorate was responsible for negligence, it also found an opportunity to take action.

This time, the Censorate did the same.

As long as officials make mistakes, Li Shimin will have the opportunity to unsheathe the sword of the Censorate.

Li Chengqian also seized the opportunity and ordered the Censorate to conduct a thorough investigation in Chang'an.

You know, Chang'an does not include the central area.

His proposal was the right remedy for the problem, as Li Shimin was furious and his ministers knew that the emperor was in a state of turmoil.

The emperor wants the Censorate to crack down on and investigate Chang'an. Who dares to say no?
Everyone must stick their butts out and let the Censorate investigate, only then can they be cleared of all charges.

Why don't you allow the Censorate to investigate? Is there something wrong with you?

Of course, the Censorate’s investigation into the central government was most likely just a formality.

But don’t underestimate this scene. Anyone with a short track record can sense what it means to the Censorate.

The reputation of the Censorate can reach a new height in a short period of time.

From now on, the Censorate will be able to order the officials who supervise it. I have even investigated the bigwigs in the central government. Who do you think you are? How can you be more arrogant than the princes in the central government? I can't investigate you, right?

what is this?
This is word of mouth, this is power.

And this is what Li Chengqian and Li Shimin wanted to see.

Li Shimin pointed his knife at the heads of all the officials and then put it away without hurting anyone. But he asked, "Are you afraid?"
It didn't fall this time, but it might fall on your neck next time.

……

"Your Highness."

"How should we deal with the matter of the money?"

Sun Fujia asked.

"Those who should be refunded should be refunded, and those who should be exempted should be exempted."

Li Chengqian said calmly: "Since those money-making merchants want to suck the blood of the people, let them use their property to offset it."

He has no mercy at all on these small-money merchants.

What they did could be described as sucking blood from the people.

As a result, people's families were broken up and their daughters and wives were sold.

Li Chengqian cursed when he saw how high the interest on the loan was.

It's absolutely heartbreaking.

As long as you are burdened with money, even if you are rich and powerful, you will still suffer a lot. As for ordinary people, it goes without saying that they will be trapped for their entire lives and work like slaves without any possibility of turning over.

The final tragic outcome was that even the fields that they had relied on in the end were owned by others.

"I will leave in two days. Minister Yu, please ask the school to call back all the children who are not in school so that they can continue their studies."

Li Chengqian said.

"Yes!"

Li Chengqian is in charge, and four big bosses and two princes are here.

Things progressed very quickly and were on track in just a few days.

Officials appointed by the court also arrived.

Li Chengqian came to the old farmer's house.

The whole family cried with excitement as they held the money sent by the government.

"His Royal Highness!"

The whole family immediately knelt in front of Li Chengqian, and Li Chengqian hurriedly helped them up.

"Without His Royal Highness, my family would never have been able to recover. You are our savior, a living saint."

The old farmer burst into tears and kowtowed repeatedly.

The money is gone.

The cows are at home, there is a lot of money, and the children can go to school for free.

To this family, all this seemed like a dream.

The future seemed bleak a few days ago, but today, things are looking up and the future is bright.

"I am not a lifesaver. I was wrong first. It is the court that is correcting the mistake and getting back to the original source..."

Li Chengqian's words made Ma Zhou and the others blush slightly.

If the king is wrong, then the minister is undoubtedly seriously wrong.

The prince took the old farmer's hand, sat on the side, and asked kindly, "Father, live well in the future."

"The imperial court encouraged land reclamation and childbirth, and provided free education for school-age children."

"This is all the grace and love that the Holy Emperor has for the people of the world."

The old farmer said excitedly: "The Holy Emperor is here, and the benevolent Crown Prince also cares deeply about us people."

"Your Highness, may I ask for a favor?"

Hearing this, Li Chengqian was slightly stunned. After glancing at the people around him, he smiled and said, "What do you want, father-in-law?"

"The Holy Emperor's kindness is as great as Mount Tai. I am extremely grateful to him, but I don't know how to repay him, nor can I see his face."

The old farmer pushed all the money out and said, "I will use this money..."

He knelt on the ground and pleaded with great sincerity, saying, "Change the face of the Holy Son of Heaven and hang it on the wall of this hall. Every morning when we wake up, our family of seven will kneel down to worship it, and every night when we go to bed, we will do the same."

"As long as you always remember the kindness of the Holy Emperor, I am willing to serve you like a slave..."

The old farmer's words were sincere and touching.

Everyone present was startled and looked extremely shocked.

"Ha ha!"

Li Chengqian threw his head back and laughed, while the others were confused.

The old farmer was extremely anxious and expressed his feelings again and again.

"You keep the money."

Li Chengqian pushed the money back. Seeing that the old farmer was reluctant, he comforted him, "I also agree to this portrait of the Holy Son of Heaven."

"I will order the great painter Yan Liben to personally paint a portrait of the Holy Son of Heaven for you."

"But you have to keep your word."

The old farmer was very excited, "Don't worry, Your Highness, I dare not tell lies..."

"That's good!"

Li Chengqian called his little grandson over and touched his head. The old farmer couldn't believe it.

That was the crown prince, and he personally stroked his own child’s head.

This is to be influenced by the dragon's spirit, what a great blessing.

"what's your name?"

"My name is Wang Ergou." Huh?
Li Chengqian was slightly surprised, but soon he understood that in order to raise their children, the common people married the daughters of untouchables.

"Ergou, what do you think of studying?"

"It's so difficult. I don't want to study. I want to cut grass and feed the cows."

"You kid...!" the old farmer cursed.

Li Chengqian waved his hand and continued to ask: "What's the difficulty?"

"Isn't it fun to have so many companions in the school?"

"I can't read the words. I try very hard to remember them, but I just can't remember them."

Wang Ergou said: "It's easier to cut grass..."

Li Chengqian laughed dumbly, and then said to Zhining, "Minister Yu, you heard it, right?"

“Words are still too difficult for children to understand.”

“The Ministry of Rites must find a way to make it easier for children to learn to read.”

Yu Zhining understood the implication of the words and said, "Your Highness, isn't it a bit rash to simplify the font?"

"Why so rash?"

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Words evolve gradually."

"In order to make it easier for the people to recognize and write, why not simplify the characters of our Tang Dynasty?"

He did not give Yu Zhining a chance to continue speaking. After talking with the old farmer's family for a while, he got up and left.

As soon as I went out, I saw that the outside was surrounded by villagers.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince...!"

They all knelt down and saluted.

"No need to be polite, everyone."

"I came to see the situation in the village."

Li Chengqian said in a gentle voice: "I heard that those corrupt officials harmed my people, and I am heartbroken."

"Now that they have been brought to justice, no one has to suffer oppression."

"I am very happy. I hope you can live a prosperous life in the future..."

After a few simple words, Li Chengqian left.

"The people are very honest and simple. They know clearly who is good to them."

Li Chengqian said this on the way.

"Yes."

Li Zhi suddenly laughed and said, "However, this old Wang is a bit shrewd."

"I've hung a portrait of my father at home. I'm afraid all the officials passing by will come to pay homage to him in the future."

Li Chengqian smiled but said nothing. He didn't care much about Old Wang's little thoughts.

He just happens to create a wave.

……

Chang'an was very uneasy.

The news that Li Chengqian was supervising a corruption case spread throughout Chang'an.

When the follow-up news came out, it was like an explosion.

The Jiangnan newspapers reported the incident extensively and published articles attacking the Five Surnames and Seven Families harshly.

Because the county magistrate, the county magistrate, and even the local big families were not directly related to the Five Surnames and Seven Families, but they were all related by marriage in a roundabout way.

It can be said that they are not related at all, but by looking through the family tree, one can find the relationship between the uncle of a daughter-in-law and the uncle of the wife's mother's side, besides the illegitimate branches.

The Jiangnan gentry cannot care so much.

Without the support and enlistment of your five surnames and seven noble families, how could you have sat on the position of county magistrate in the capital?

You speak better than you sing, but in the end you do such dirty things.

This made the Shandong family very angry.

The two sides exchanged insults over the matter in the newspapers, causing great disputes in Chang'an.

When Li Chengqian returned to the Eastern Palace, Li Yifu was waiting for him.

"Your Highness, the newspaper war has escalated."

"The Shandong family's newspaper dug up old stories..."

Li Yifu kept an eye on the situation in the newspaper at all times. This was the instruction given to him by Li Chengqian.

"What old thing?"

"I dare not say it."

Li Yifu handed over the newspaper and Li Chengqian lowered his head to read it.

Li Yifu was observing the prince's reaction, but saw that there was no change in his expression.

"It's digging up old grudges."

"It seems that the two sides have fought to the end."

The newspaper was given to Li Ke and the others, and their expressions changed when they saw it.

"Is this Shandong family crazy? Why are they exposing their own wounds?"

Li Zhi said in shock.

I don't know what the Shandong family's newspaper was thinking, but it reported that when Gao Shilian held a beauty pageant for the prince, the five surnames and seven families refused, and thus allowed the Jiangnan gentry to curry favor with the prince.

It is said that he took advantage of a loophole and got a great bargain.

Otherwise, no one would dare to challenge them today.

Such remarks were popular in Chang'an.

It's no less than bringing up what happened back then and talking about it at length.

This is equivalent to losing the face of Your Majesty and the Prince once again.

Isn't this crazy?
Li Ke remained silent, not knowing how to comment for a moment.

"Brother, we can't let them do whatever they want anymore."

"You simply don't know how high the sky is or how deep the earth is."

Li Zhi said angrily.

Li Chengqian rubbed his brows and said, "What did the Jiangnan newspaper say?"

"I cursed back..."

Li Yifu said cautiously.

Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief. The struggle between the two sides had reached a fever pitch and the outcome was about to be decided.

He was a little amused. Why were the Shandong families so impatient?
Could it be that they can’t sustain the financial expenditure?

(End of this chapter)