Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 903 Hey, a catfish-like guy
Inside the Zichen Palace, the fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air, yet it couldn't dispel the unpleasant smell.

Li Zhi stood below the imperial steps, his apricot-yellow crown prince robes making his face even more handsome. What he held in his hands was not an ordinary memorial, but a thick volume of historical records, the ink on the cover still fresh.

"Your subject has a memorial to present."

The clear sound broke the deathly silence in the hall. The Third Lady on the dragon throne nodded slightly, indicating to Li Zhi that he could begin.

Li Zhi unfolded the scroll in his hand, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials in their crimson robes: "Since returning from Hedong, I have visited seven prefectures and twenty-three counties to inquire about the people's conditions. What I report today is true in every word, and every sentence is startling."

He paused, and at that moment the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Military reform was originally intended to strengthen the army. However, its implementation in various places has led to numerous problems." Li Zhi's voice grew deeper: "Zhao Deming, the military commander of Yunzhou, used the pretext of downsizing to extort soldiers. Anyone who wanted to return home had to pay five taels of 'redemption money.' Those who could not pay were forcibly conscripted as private slaves and forced to work as laborers on farms."

Among the ranks of military officers, one figure swayed slightly. The Governor of Yunzhou was pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

“Even worse,” Li Zhi’s voice suddenly rose, “the training of the new army, originally intended to improve combat effectiveness, has become an opportunity for some to make money. A standard-issue sword costs a soldier three taels of silver, and a leather armor costs eight taels of silver! Tell me, have you ever heard of a soldier in the world who has to buy his own military equipment?”

"Your Highness!" The Minister of War hurriedly stepped forward: "This matter still needs to be investigated..."

"Investigate?" Li Zhi sneered, taking out a stack of petitions from his sleeve: "These are thirty-nine blood-written petitions received by the Crown Prince's Palace in the past three days! Farmers in Anzhou were forced to sell their daughters because they couldn't afford the 'land survey fee'; canal workers in Bianzhou were crippled for refusing to pay 'tribute'; an old soldier in Yunzhou hanged himself because he couldn't afford the ransom! Minister Zhang, is this the investigation you wanted?"

The Minister of War's face flushed red, and he was speechless.

Changsun Wuji stepped forward at the opportune moment: "Your Highness's concerns are very valid. However, with the new policies just being implemented, it is not advisable to be too harsh..."

"Not too harsh?" Li Zhi turned to face the Third Lady: "May I ask Your Majesty, if the sons of the officials in the court were exploited in this way, would you still say that 'not too harsh'?"

His gaze swept across the entire room like lightning: "Why did Liu Ren's call to action garner such overwhelming support? It is precisely because these corrupt officials, under the guise of the new policies, are actually exploiting the people, forcing good citizens to become thieves and loyal soldiers to rebel! If we continue to show leniency today, the banner of rebellion will surely rise again tomorrow!"

The hall was deathly silent. Several senior officials exchanged bewildered glances, while the younger officials looked on with admiration.

Li Zhi solemnly bowed and said, "Your subject earnestly requests that a New Policy Inspection Commission be established, directly under the jurisdiction of the Crown Prince, to strictly investigate any illegal activities in the implementation of the New Policy in various regions. Anyone who takes advantage of the situation to amass wealth or oppress the people, regardless of rank, shall be severely punished! At the same time, a decree shall be issued to publicize the details of the New Policy, so that the people know what they should and should not do, leaving no place for the wicked to hide!"

The Third Lady remained silent for a long time, her fingertips gently tapping on the armrest, each tap seeming to strike the hearts of the ministers.

"allow."

A single word carries immense weight.

She looked at Li Zhi: "Now that the Crown Prince has ascertained the truth, is there a specific plan?"

“Yes.” Li Zhi said calmly, “First, starting today, each province will set up a public notice board for the new policies, and all policies and decrees related to the people must be clearly stated. Second, the Inspectorate will set up a secret mailbox, allowing the people to report anonymously. Third, anyone found guilty of embezzlement will be fined ten times the amount of the embezzled funds, and half of the fine will be rewarded to the person who reported it.”

"I object!" The Minister of Justice stepped forward: "A tenfold punishment is far too harsh. Moreover, rewarding the whistleblower might encourage false accusations!"

“Strict?” Li Zhi sneered: “Does Minister Chen know how much a farmer earns in a year? After being exploited by these parasites, how much food is left to survive? As for false accusations…”

He took out another document from his sleeve: "This is the 'Detailed Rules for Reporting and Verifying' drafted by your son. All reports must be verified, and those who make false accusations will be punished. Minister Chen, would you like to take a closer look?"

The Minister of Justice was speechless.

At this moment, Wei Dingfang, who had been silent all along, suddenly stepped forward: "This old minister believes that what His Highness the Crown Prince said is absolutely right. The army hates those who bleed soldiers dry and embezzle their pay. If we cannot eliminate these parasites, then the military's improvement will ultimately be nothing but castles in the air."

As soon as he spoke, several military officers echoed his sentiments.

Third Sister's gaze swept across the entire room. Seeing that no one objected, she slowly rose and said, "From this day forward, a new Inspectorate shall be established, headed by the Crown Prince. Executions may be carried out first, with reports submitted later."

She paused, her voice turning cold: "I want to see who dares to tamper with the new policies."

The bells signaling the end of court echoed in the morning light. As the courtiers gazed at the yellow robes of the Crown Prince, they were momentarily reminded of the ruthless Xia Daosheng; father and son were truly cut from the same mold.

Li Zhi returned to his residence, changed into ordinary clothes, and hurriedly went to the place where he had agreed to meet Tuoba Shang.

"Brother!"

A familiar voice came from behind. Li Zhi turned around and saw Tuoba Shang leaning against the bridge railing with a smile. Behind him, Xiao Wu and Zhang Jianzhi were walking towards him, almost supporting each other.

The two men were pale, with sunken eyes, and their steps were unsteady, as if they might collapse to the ground at any moment. Xiao Wu's usually meticulously combed hair was somewhat disheveled, with a few stray strands hanging over his forehead, and Zhang Jianzhi even wore his scholar's hat crookedly, making them look exactly like two refugees fleeing from disaster.

"What are you doing..." Li Zhi was taken aback.

Xiao Wu forced himself to stand up straight, his voice hoarse: "Your Highness... did the morning court session go smoothly today?"

Before he could finish speaking, he stumbled, but fortunately Li Zhi caught him in time.

Zhang Jianzhi, swaying precariously, said with a wry smile, "Second Brother led us from the West Market to the East Market today, from Qujiang to Baqiao, a journey that took a full three hours..." Tuoba Shang patted his chest proudly, "This is nothing, just fifty li. Later I'll take you to Kunming Pool for the boat races!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Wu's vision went black, and she collapsed limply to the ground. Li Zhi reacted quickly and caught her, only to see that her usually cool eyes were now filled with despair.

"Shang-ge'er!" Li Zhi couldn't help but shout, "They are not martial artists like you, they can't withstand this kind of torment!"

Tuoba Shang scratched his head, looked at the two who could barely stand, and finally had a change of heart: "Alright, alright, let them rest today." He leaned closer to Li Zhi and winked: "Perfect timing, I have something to talk to you about."

Xiao Wu and Zhang Jianzhi sat there resting, while Tuoba Shang pulled Li Zhi to sit down in a nearby pavilion, and casually took out two still-warm flatbreads from his pocket, handing one to Li Zhi.

"Tell me, what exactly are the procedures for your selection of concubines?" Tuoba Shang asked vaguely, taking a big bite of a sesame flatbread.

Li Zhi frowned: "Why are you concerned about this too?"

"How could I not care?" Tuoba Shang swallowed the biscuit and said seriously, "Do you know that it's all over Chang'an now, saying that you, the Crown Prince, are indecisive and can't even choose a concubine. Some people are even betting on who you will choose in the end."

Li Zhi was silent for a moment, gazing at the eaves of the palace wall in the distance: "It's not that I can't choose, it's that I don't know how to choose."

"Oh?" Tuoba Shang raised an eyebrow. "Tell me about it."

A gentle breeze wafted through the pavilion, carrying the fragrance of peach and plum blossoms from afar.

Li Zhi gazed at a crabapple tree in full bloom outside the pavilion and said softly, "Selecting concubines is not a beauty contest, nor is it child's play. It concerns the political situation and the future. Wei Tong's ambition lies on the battlefield; if I force her to stay in the palace, it would be like breaking the wings of an eagle. Cui Lin is arrogant, but not inherently evil; Pei Wan is dignified, but too reserved. Moreover, behind each of them stands a complex web of powerful forces."

He turned to look at Tuoba Shang: "Choosing one person or not will have far-reaching consequences. My father told me to choose the one I like. But as the crown prince, the word 'like' is too much of a luxury."

"Nonsense!" Tuoba Shang suddenly slammed his hand on the table, startling passersby nearby.

He stood up and paced in the pavilion: "I ask you, do you want to choose a crown princess or a future empress?"

Li Zhi was taken aback: "What's the difference?"

“There’s a huge difference!” Tuoba Shang turned around and stared at him. “The Crown Princess only needs to be gentle and virtuous and able to manage the Eastern Palace.” He paused and continued, “But the Empress is actually not very useful. All women in the world are the same. My mother was an Empress, but what happened to her in the end? Didn’t she still abandon my father and me?”

He leaned closer to Li Zhi and lowered his voice: "My father and uncle kept it from me, but I'm already twenty years old, how could I not know about my mother's past? Let me tell you, I'm going to visit Li Mi next month. Not only will I visit him, but I'm also going to host a banquet for his family in the name of the Crown Prince. I want to see if my mother has the face to come and see me."

Li Zhi was shocked and looked up at his second brother. He was clearly not as simple-minded and brainless as he appeared.

As he spoke, he patted Li Zhi on the shoulder: "The worst thing for a ruler is to be indecisive. This applies to choosing a concubine, and it applies to governing. Since you can't choose, you should take all the spoils! Who can take all the spoils? Only the winner takes all! Where is your decisiveness in court?"

Li Zhi stared blankly at Tuoba Shang, as if he were seeing this seemingly cynical older brother for the first time.

In the distance, Xiao Wu and Zhang Jianzhi, having rested for a while, finally caught their breath and were walking towards them. Sunlight shone on them, as well as on the two princes sitting opposite each other in the pavilion.

"Shang-ge'er," Li Zhi suddenly spoke, "thank you."

Tuoba Shang grinned, reverting to his usual carefree demeanor: "If you really want to thank me, tonight at No. 1 West Suburbs, give me the best courtesan!"

Just then, Xiao Wu and his companion arrived at the pavilion and overheard this remark. Their faces immediately turned pale.

Li Zhi looked at them and couldn't help but laugh. He stood up, straightened his robes, and his gaze became firm again.

“Let’s go,” he said. “It’s my treat today. But it won’t be roasted mutton.”

He looked at Tuoba Shang, a sly glint in his eyes: "I happen to be going back to see my younger siblings today, Brother Shang, I'll take you out for a free meal."

Tuoba Shang was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Hahahaha, I know whose house I'm mooching from!"

The four of them chatted and laughed as they walked toward the Dugu family mansion. When they passed a peach grove, Li Zhi suddenly stopped.

The flowers were in full bloom, their pink and white petals dancing gracefully in the wind.

He suddenly remembered that in the spring, also in this peach grove, Wei Tong, dressed in red, rode by on horseback, her smile brighter than the peach blossoms; Cui Lin played the zither under the flowers, the music melodious; Pei Wan stood quietly to the side, brushing away the petals that had fallen on his shoulder.

“Actually,” Li Zhi said softly, “they are all good women.”

Xiao Wu glanced at him silently without saying a word, while Zhang Jianzhi leaned closer and whispered, "Senior sister, he said you're not a good woman."

Xiao Wu didn't even turn around, but simply turned sideways and elbowed him in the chest: "If you can't speak, I also know a little bit of martial arts."

(End of this chapter)