A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 708 Your Majesty, please spare me!

"I really didn't expect him to suddenly become so ruthless."

Changsun Wuji picked up his wine cup, drank it all in one gulp, and looked dejected.

Gao Shilian poured him another full glass of wine. Gao Shilian, who had already been demoted to the position of Governor of Anzhou by imperial decree, showed no resentment on his face, but rather remained quite calm.

"Although His Majesty has only been on the throne for less than a month, his methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated. This time, by using Wang Gui, he has managed to kick us, his nephew and his uncle, out of the court. That is killing two birds with one stone."

Changsun Wuji picked up a fried peanut, popped it into his mouth, and chewed it a few times. "I just don't understand. We are not only His Majesty's relatives by marriage, but also his confidants. Why doesn't His Majesty trust us, but instead trusts Wang Gui, this remnant of Jiancheng's faction?"

Gao Shilian picked up a piece of cold lamb, dipped it in the sauce, and...
"It is precisely because Wang Gui is a remnant of Jiancheng's faction that His Majesty's high regard for him makes him all the more special."

"Your Majesty is using a fortune to buy a horse's bones! Look at Wang Gui, he comes from one of the Five Clans, specifically the Wuhuan branch of the Wang clan of Taiyuan."
Then it was another confidant of the deposed crown prince.
Now he's an advisor.

He impeached a former official of His Majesty's former residence, who was also a relative by marriage, a confidant, and the prime minister.

His Majesty, however, still supported him, bestowing upon him titles and official positions, and even arranging marriages for him, while dismissing all of us from our positions as prime ministers.
What will outsiders think?
What do people in the world think?

Gao Shilian took a sip of wine. “The people of the world will praise Your Majesty for this, and extol your wisdom, impartiality and selflessness.”

"Let's just go with the flow. You are now a Grand Master of the Three Departments, and I am the Governor of Anzhou. That's not bad either."

Besides, both your Chong'er and my Lixing have been granted the title of Duke of a County.

"Thinking back to a few years ago, I was still struggling in the wild land of Jiaozhi. Anzhou was located south of the mountains, downstream of the Han River. It was a pretty good place. The retired emperor spent his childhood there."

Changsun Wuji raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.

"Today in the palace, Li Yi also requested to resign as prime minister. Why did His Majesty not accept his resignation? Even though Li Yi is currently holding several important positions, His Majesty has not dismissed him from any of them."
Why should I?

Are we not as close to and trustworthy as Li Yi?

Li Yi is currently the Minister of Works, Attendant-in-Ordinary, Governor of Yongzhou, General of the Left Guard and Minister of War, Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince and Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince.

Even Li Yi's eight sons already held the titles of Duke of a State, Duke of a Prefecture, Marquis of a County, and Baron of a County, while his six daughters each held the title of Princess of a County.

Changsun Wuji couldn't understand it.

Gao Shilian sighed, "You were right not to accept His Majesty's title of Minister of Works today."

"You're only twenty-nine this year, still young. Don't rush. After you retire this time, you'll have another chance to return to the central government in a few years."

Even looking further ahead, Chengqian is about to be named Crown Prince, and you are his maternal uncle. When he ascends the throne, he will need your assistance as his maternal uncle.”

"drink wine!"

Gao Shilian raised his glass.
Changsun Wuji also raised his wine cup.
Two disheartened people were drinking alone in silence.

Li Yi was also drinking, drinking with the emperor.

"I don't usually like to drink, but I'd like to have a couple of drinks today. You'll keep me company."

"Your Majesty and I will have a few drinks together."

The emperor ordered his eunuch to bring wine, and specifically instructed, "Drink Sanlejiang."

This is a foreign wine from the Tang Dynasty, a Persian wine brought by Sogdian merchants from thousands of miles away. It is made by putting three Persian fruits into a jar, crushing them, fermenting them, and sealing them. After eight months of fermentation, it becomes smooth and sweet.
This health-preserving wine, which crossed the Silk Road, is both delicious and expensive.

Its color is light, like grapes, yet it has the properties of clearing heat and moisturizing the lungs.

This wine is very popular among the upper class in Chang'an. Li Yi thought the taste was acceptable. He was very popular in Chang'an, but he felt that the main reason was the high price of the wine.

Many people only drink expensive drinks, not the right ones.

Persian wine is expensive and rare, which makes it even more valuable and sought after.

"Sanlejiang isn't as spicy as your persimmon liquor. I don't like strong liquor," Li Shimin said with a smile as he poured the wine.

"I have heard that the Sanle wine is made primarily from three medicinal fruits: Haritaki, Pili, and Amala. When brewing the wine, the kernels of these fruits must be used together. The three fruits are crushed into small pieces the size of hemp seeds, then white sugar and water are added, stirred well in a jar, and finally the Sanle powder is added."

It is said that only the Sanlejiang brewed in August has the most mellow flavor, while those brewed in other months are much inferior.

Li Shimin laughed and said, "You seem to know everything."

Li Yi picked up a cup of Sanlejiang and sipped it carefully. He often drank this wine, as it was a favorite among the nobles of the Tang Dynasty to entertain distinguished guests and to demonstrate their status.

The Li family's persimmon-flavored liquor was generally not something that could be served in aristocratic households. Instead, it was very popular among the lower classes and soldiers, and even the surrounding barbarian tribes were quite fond of it.

Sanlejiang has a mild and sweet taste with a smooth texture.

The taste is still good.

Li Yi had already mastered the brewing method for Sanlejiang, but the three fruits in question originated from Persia.
It was unrealistic to expect to brew Sanlejiang on the Tang Dynasty's own soil.

However, Li Yi has perfectly replicated the Gaochang wine.

He has planted a large number of Gaochang mare's milk grapes and then used them to make Gaochang wine, a one-to-one replica that is in no way inferior to the wine produced in Gaochang.

Just like the Gaochang fine white folded cloth that was once popular in Chang'an, it was sold for several times more expensive than silk, but it was actually just cotton cloth spun from cotton.

Li Yi had long ago started growing cotton himself, and then improved cotton processing and textile technology. Now, the cotton cloth from the Li family in Chang'an and Luoyang sells even better than the fine folded cloth from Gaochang.

In recent years, Gaochang's two main products imported into the Central Plains—Gaochang wine and Gaochang white cloth—have both faced resistance from Li Yi. Previously, they relied entirely on scarcity to pursue a high-end strategy.

As a result, Li Yi now has a large quantity of goods that are plentiful and his costs are much lower than theirs. In the competition, he has defeated these goods that were transported by camels from thousands of miles away.

"How about you take over as Right Minister?" Li Shimin asked, holding up his wine cup.

Li Yi smiled and shook his head, "When His Majesty previously appointed me as Left Minister, I already said that I was not up to the task. I recommend Duke Du Keming of Cai as Right Minister."

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, appointed as Left and Right Ministers respectively, were a perfect pair.

Li Shimin gave a wry smile and said, "The position of Grand Secretary is still vacant. Why don't you become the Grand Secretary?"

Li Yi still declined.

After a few drinks,

Li Shimin asked, "What do you think of Wen Yanbo being appointed as the Grand Secretary?"

Wen Yanbo, courtesy name Dalin, was the second son of Wen Junyou, the Sima of Sizhou during the Sui Dynasty, and the younger brother of Wen Daya, the Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate.

The three Wen brothers, Wen Yanbo, Wen Yanbo, and Wen Yanbo, were known as the Three Heroes of the Wen Clan. At the end of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, they were recommended by Prince Qin, Yang Jun, and appointed as Wenlin Lang and Zhi Neishi Sheng, later becoming Tong Zhi Ye Zhe. At the end of the Daye era, Luo Yi rebelled against the Sui Dynasty, proclaimed himself the Governor-General of Youzhou, and was appointed as the Sima of Youzhou.

Later, he was summoned to the court to serve as a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, and then promoted to Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and was enfeoffed as the Duke of Xihe.

The Wen brothers, one a Vice Minister of the Chancellery and the other a Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, were deeply trusted and appreciated by Li Yuan, making them a legendary pair.

at the moment,

Wen Yanbo was the Chief Administrator of Yongzhou and the Acting Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Li Shimin planned to directly appoint Wen Yanbo as the Grand Secretary and Right Vice-Chancellor of the Crown Prince, replacing Gao Shilian.

Li Yi was quite familiar with the Wen brothers.

Historically, Wen Yanbo's life wasn't so smooth. In the eighth year of the Wude era, the Turks invaded. Li Yuan appointed his old friend Zhang Jin to lead the defense, and his trusted advisor, Wen Yanbo, a high-ranking official, as the chief clerk of the army. The result was that Zhang Jin's 70,000-strong army was almost completely wiped out at Taigu, with several commanders killed, and only Zhang Jin himself escaped.

Wen Yanbo was captured and taken back to the grasslands to herd sheep for more than a year. It wasn't until the ninth year of the Wude era, when Li Shimin ascended the throne and met with Jieli at the Wei River, that Li Shimin was able to bring him back.

Wen Yanbo should have been promoted to Imperial Censor first, and it seems that he was promoted to Grand Secretary in the fourth year of the Zhenguan era. In the tenth year of the Zhenguan era, he was promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Unexpectedly, things have moved up now.

Of the two brothers, Wen Daya and Wen Dalin, Wen Daya was closer to Li Shimin. He once served as the Minister of Works of the Shaanxi Eastern Circuit.

Now that Li Shimin has become emperor
Wen Daya was granted the title of Duke of Li.

However, Wen Daya's health was not very good, so it was impossible to choose a seriously ill person to be the prime minister.

Of course, if Wen Dalin became the Grand Secretary, then Wen Daya would not be very suitable to continue serving as the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.

Li Shimin also considered this and decided to promote Wen Daya to Minister of Rites.

This way, the two brothers wouldn't both be in the two central provinces.

Li Yi naturally had no reason to object; in fact, he thought it was a good idea to bring Wen Daya into the Secretariat, as the Wen brothers were quite talented.

“Since you also support this, then let Wen Yanbo serve as the Grand Secretary and co-manage the Secretariat with Yuwen Shiji.”

"The Secretariat has you and Pei Ju as Attendants."
What do you think about letting Wang Gui remain as a court attendant?

"I have no objection," Li Yi stated.

"Then let Wang Gui serve as the Attendant-in-Ordinary."

Wen Yanbo and Wang Gui were promoted, but the title of "official" was added to their names, indicating that their honorary titles were lower than the official ranks they were to assume.

The official's rank was low but his position was high, so the word "守" (shǒu) was added before it, meaning that the official was not qualified enough to serve as a senior official, so "守" was used to signify a trial period.

Wen Yanbo and Wang Gui are not officially appointed, but only on trial; their performance will be crucial.

This is actually somewhat similar to inspection and calibration.

Of course, the emperor promoted the two men to the Hall of State Affairs, whether as officials, inspectors, or concurrently, they were already prime ministers.

Even more powerful and influential than Wei Zheng, who participated in political affairs.

After all, Wei Zheng's primary position was Secretary Supervisor.

Li Yi then took the opportunity to request his resignation from the emperor, saying, "The Secretariat already has two Attendants-in-Ordinary, Pei Ju and Wang Gui, so I request to resign."

"Don't always think about running away. I am not the kind of person who suspects his subjects. There is no need for us, ruler and subject, to be suspicious of each other."

I trust you, and I have even more faith in your abilities.
The Council of State Affairs cannot do without you.

Pei Ju is seventy-seven, quite old, and Wang Gui is new to the central government and lacks experience. One is an Inspector-General of the Palace Attendants, and the other is a Acting Inspector-General of the Palace Attendants. The Secretariat cannot do without you.”

"Your Majesty, please spare me! The Secretariat is responsible for reviewing and rejecting memorials; countless reports and petitions are submitted every day, my eyes are getting tired from reading them."
I have to get up early every day to attend court and sit in the office every day. I really can't stand sitting like this anymore. So please let me have a little fun too.

Even if I were not appointed as Attendant-in-Ordinary, I would still be Minister of Works and Grand Master of the Palace, and Your Majesty could summon me for discussions at any time.

Li Shimin shook his head.

"No, I have not been on the throne for a month and you want to run away? No, you are not allowed to go anywhere. You must obediently serve as the Chamberlain."

Wei Zheng held the official title of "Participating in Government Affairs" and was also allowed to participate in discussions within the Council of State.

Li Yi said with a grin, "Your Majesty, how about I switch titles with Wei Zheng? He can be the Attendant-in-Ordinary, and I can have the title of Participant in Government Affairs. I can still enter the Hall of State Affairs to discuss government affairs with the prime ministers, but I will no longer be responsible for the general affairs of the Secretariat."

Li Shimin poured him a full cup of Sanlejiang (a type of Chinese liquor).
"Wu Yi, Wu Yi, tell me, in the short span of less than a month since I ascended the throne, how many times have you resigned your position as prime minister?"

"It's happened at least eight or ten times, hasn't it?"

(End of this chapter)