Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 446: The First Year of Yongwei, Black Smoke (Part )
On the first day of the first lunar month, the sun is shining brightly.

In the Taiji Hall, Li Chengqian, dressed in a scarlet and yellow dragon robe, a white jade crown with twelve tassels on his head, and a long sword with a black sheath hanging from his waist, walked into the hall step by step.

Following behind him was Queen Su Shu, who was wearing a phoenix-patterned robe.

Behind them is their eldest son Li Xiang.

On New Year's Day, the emperor and the empress were present.

For all the officials inside and outside the palace, such a scene has not been seen for more than ten years.

After Li Chengqian and Su Shu sat down on the imperial couch at the same time, all the ministers kowtowed in unison: "Your Majesty, we pay our respects to you. May your Majesty live a long and healthy life. Your Majesty, we pay our respects to the Empress. May your Majesty live a long and healthy life."

"Xing!" The eunuch standing to the upper left of the ministers shouted loudly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers then kowtowed and stood up, then stood solemnly holding their tablets with their eyes lowered.

Yu Zhining, the Minister of the Court, walked out from among the ministers with a solemn expression.

Fang Xuanling, Zhangsun Wuji, Li Ji, Chu Suiliang, Ma Zhou and others looked at Yu Zhining with complicated expressions.

From then on, Yu Zhining was the one who presided over the annual grand court ceremony.

This also means that the Zhenguan period will come to an end from today.

Wearing a black three-beamed crown and a purple official robe, Yu Zhining walked to the center of the hall, holding an ivory tablet and bowing, saying, "Your Majesty, I, the Minister of the Imperial Court, Yu Zhining, wish to report that in the 22nd year of the Zhenguan reign, the weather has been favorable, the people are content, all businesses are flourishing, and the world is at peace. On behalf of all the people of the world, I wish Your Majesty a long and healthy life."

Li Chengqian looked at the civil and military officials in the hall, the envoys from inside and outside the palace, the retired elders, the students from the Imperial Academy, and so on, and said calmly: "It has been a good harvest this year, and thank you for your hard work, my dear ministers!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" All the ministers bowed.

Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly and looked at Yu Zhining.

Yu Zhining stood up and walked to the upper left of the ministers. He took the imperial edict from the tray in Dou Zhijie's hand and said to the ministers, "The Emperor of the Great Tang orders:

In the 22nd year of Zhenguan, my virtuous father abdicated the throne. I, being ignorant, took on the great responsibility and was cautious in dealing with people.

I am so ungrateful because of my small virtues, and I will always remember others. I feel so ashamed.

My long-lasting relationship has been passed down since the beginning, and it is in line with the previous rules and has spread the teachings of the Tao.

To "eternally contemplate" means to think deeply, to remember often, and to be cautious.

I am vigilant day and night, never arrogant, and I am always self-disciplined.

The Pei Ze is further extended and covered with mist.

The reign can be changed to the first year of Yongwei, and a general amnesty can be granted to the whole country.

In ancient times, when the kings first began to govern, they had to have sharp eyes and sharp ears to prevent obstructions. Therefore, the Ministry of Personnel and the General Administration of Justice were established, and various Tongshi Sheren were stationed in the office.

All officials in the court, retired elders, students of the Imperial Academy, peddlers and porters, if they have good advice, can submit it to the Ministry of Public Security, and then report it directly to me.

The government is clean and honest, and the channels for communication are free, which means that the prosperous era will continue.

I hope you all will work together with me.

Admire this! "

All the ministers knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty is virtuous and virtuous. Long live your Majesty!"

Change the era name.

What Yu Zhining just read out was the imperial edict to change the era name.

From this moment on, the Tang Dynasty officially entered the first year of Yongwei.

Yu Zhining turned around again, picked up another imperial edict from the tray, and said loudly to the ministers: "In the first year of Yongwei, in the year of Jiyou, on the first day of the first month of the lunar month, on the day of Yiyou, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

To serve the ruler is to be kind, and to support virtue is to be harmonious.

We must wait for the enlightenment of the Three Terraces before increasing the weight of the Nine Cauldrons.

The Secretary of the Central Secretariat and the Official Remonstrator Lai Ji, with his condensed essence and smooth thinking, can be appointed as the Minister of the Imperial Household and the Vice-Chancellor, while his official titles and honors remain the same.

Zhang Xuansu, the Prince's Secretary and the Prince's Left Assistant, was well-versed in the entire classics and had profound and elegant poetry. He was worthy of being a Grand Scholar of the Hongwen Academy and a third-rank official in the Secretariat.

The Minister of Rites, Prince of Jiangxia Li Daozon...can be the Grand Commander of Yizhou.

The governor of Guizhou, Li Xizhi, the Duke of Shi'an County...can be appointed as the Minister of Rites and granted the title of Jinzi Guanglu Dafu.

The Governor of Liangzhou, Xu Zhiren, the Duke of Xiaochang County... can be the Governor of Guizhou.

Cui Renshi, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel...can be appointed as the governor of Liangzhou.

The Secretary of the Central Secretariat Liu Shi...can be appointed as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Gao Jifu, the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, can be made the Assistant Minister of the Central Secretariat."

Among the ministers, Liu Shi suddenly looked up.

The Duke of Zhao said the day before yesterday that the vacant position of Secretary of the Central Secretariat would not be decided for the time being, so how come Gao Ji Fu was suddenly chosen?

Liu Shi quickly lowered his head, his expression slightly grim.

Gao Ji Fu was the nephew of Gao Shilian, Duke of Shen, and had a certain blood relationship with Changsun Sikong.

If he became the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, Changsun Sikong would definitely not refuse.

You have to know that he was the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, and among the officials above the fourth rank, his status was even higher than that of the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel.

Even if you just need to accumulate experience, you can reach the position of prime minister.

Although Liu Shi became the Minister of Personnel, if he wanted to become the prime minister, he had to go through the path of the Minister of Personnel or the Palace Attendant.

But no one has been able to walk this path for so many years.

From Hou Junji at the beginning, to Yang Shidao later, and now Tang Jian, none of them had any chance to become prime minister.

Instead, other people, such as the Secretary of the Central Secretariat and the Imperial Household Secretary, all became prime ministers.

……

Li Chengqian sat on the imperial couch, glanced at Liu Shi calmly, and then stopped caring.

The matter of Gao Jifu had actually been decided in his mind long ago. His uncle Zhangsun Wuji did not necessarily dominate the court in the future.

After all, Li Chengqian was different from Li Zhi. He had enough power and prestige to suppress all opposition voices. He did not need to eliminate so many opponents like Li Zhi did in his lifetime. In the end, he even eliminated Changsun Wuji.

However, people change.

Sometimes, it is inevitable that you have no control over your own situation.

More often than not, it is because of the flattery of others that people gradually become inflated and eventually go down the path of no return.

Changsun Wuji was his uncle. On Li Chengqian's journey from crown prince to emperor, although Changsun Wuji mostly remained neutral between him and Li Tai and Li Zhi, when others were vying for the position of crown prince, Changsun Wuji still stood on Li Chengqian's side.

Trying his best to stabilize the throne for him.

Therefore, Li Chengqian did not mind the increase of Changsun Wuji's power, because the increase of Changsun Wuji's power was equivalent to the increase of Li Chengqian's power.

However, the increase in his power must be moderate, orderly, and gradual.

Only in this way can he avoid going astray and eventually forcing himself to kill him.

Therefore, necessary checks and balances are necessary.

Gao Ji Fu was one of such checks and balances. Compared with Changsun Wuji, Gao Ji Fu had a closer relationship with Li Chengqian.

Especially after he became prime minister, he needed to keep a distance from Changsun Wuji.

Li Chengqian looked at Yu Zhining again.

Yu Zhining continued to read the imperial edict: "...Lai Heng, Junior Secretary of the Crown Prince, is promoted to Secretary of the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince's servant Yuwen Zhongfang was promoted to the Crown Prince's Junior Secretary.

Secretary Su Jun was promoted to Prince's Household Manager.

Li Yanshou, the Prince's Groom, was promoted to Scholar of the Hongwen Academy and Prince's Secretary.

Zhao Zhiman, the Sima of Liangzhou, was promoted to the Prince's Sheren..."

Changsun Wuji looked up in surprise. Originally, he and the emperor had discussed promoting Zhao Chiman to the position of Zhongshu Sheren, but how did he become the Prince's Sheren?

There is also Su Jun, who is the eldest son of Su Xu and Princess Nanchang. How did he become the Prince's Household Manager?

Others, such as Gao Zhenxing and Feng Yandao, all listened attentively, but they were a little disappointed because when the edict was read to the end, many people were promoted, but only they two remained as the prince's attendants.

Of course, the emperor would not appoint his eldest son Li Xiang as the crown prince until the first day of March, but that did not prevent him from placing officials for the crown prince now.

At this moment, the eyes of the other ministers in the hall could not help but flicker.

Many of them have forgotten about the East Palace.

Judging from the imperial edict just now, there are still many vacancies in the Eastern Palace.

There are a lot of positions, such as the Prince's Night Watch Commander, the Prince's Servant, the Prince's Groom, the Prince's Shepherd, the Prince's Assistant, etc., from the fourth rank, the fifth rank, to the seventh rank.

Although most people are not interested in positions in the Eastern Palace now, once those positions are filled, a large number of positions will immediately become vacant in the court.

Sitting on the imperial couch, Li Chengqian could see more clearly.

Most of the officials of the third and fourth ranks knew that Li Xizhi would not be able to hold the position of Minister of Rites for long, so who would become the Minister of Rites after him would depend on their own means.

It doesn't necessarily have to be Du Zhenglun, Lu Chengqing and Du Fengju. Whoever grabs the position first will get it.

Officials of the fifth and sixth ranks were more focused on the vacant positions of the Secretariat and the fourth and fifth ranks in the Eastern Palace.

Especially for those officials who lack talent, it is a shortcut!

Looking at the red eyes of his ministers, Li Chengqian smiled with satisfaction.

As long as you have a goal, you will have motivation.

As an emperor, he will have more discretion.

This is imperial power.

……

In the first year of Yongwei, a grand banquet was held after the grand court.

When the singing and dancing palace maids left, Li Chengqian waved his hand to the side, and the next moment, Dou Zhijie appeared in front of everyone with more palace maids, carrying boxes of Ruyi money.

Dou Zhijie personally held a black box with gold threads in his hands, came to Li Chengqian and gently opened it.

An extremely exquisite Yongwei Ruyi coin appeared in front of Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian smiled with satisfaction, then looked up at the ministers and said, "My lords, when our great-grandfather was alive, we used Wude Ruyi coins, our father used Zhenguan Ruyi coins, and now I use Yongwei Ruyi coins. With some hope and blessings, I would like to convey my best wishes for the New Year to you and your families."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers raised their wine cups and bowed with joy.

"Hahaha!" Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction, drank the wine in the wine bottle in one gulp, then looked at Li Xiang and Li Jue and said, "Dalang and Erlang, give the Ruyi coins to the ministers, and toast each of them with a bottle of wine!"

"Here!" Although Li Xiang and Li Jue were still children, they still pretended to be serious and stepped forward to give money and toast.

Su Shu was beside Li Chengqian and gently held his hand.

Li Chengqian turned around and looked at Su Shu calmly.

The two of them are the umbrellas that protect Li Xiang and Li Jue, and Li Xiang and Li Jue, as well as Li Yu who is not here, are the ballast stones of the two of them.

The order of succession to the throne has been completely separated from Li Chengqian's brothers such as Li Ke, Li Yun, and Li Zhen.

History, today, has completely opened up new things.

……

After the banquet, the ministers returned home drunk.

At this moment, "Dong Dong Dong Dong Dong Dong Dong", seven extremely urgent bell sounds rang out throughout the city of Chang'an.

Everyone stopped and looked around.

Black smoke rose into the sky.

War is coming.

(End of this chapter)