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

Chapter 690 From this day forward, all affairs of state are in my hands (First Update)
On the third day of the third lunar month, at the Taiji Hall.

Li Chengqian, dressed in a crimson-yellow dragon robe and wearing a white jade crown, sat on the imperial couch, looking solemnly at the officials in the hall.

All officials of the ninth rank and above in Chang'an were included, extending from the Taiji Hall all the way to the edge of the Taiji Gate.

Attendant-in-Ordinary Sun Fujia stood to the left of the assembled officials and announced loudly: "In the tenth year of Yongwei, the year of Wuwu, the third month of Bingchen, on the third day of Bingyin, the Emperor decreed:"

Yu Xi!

Nature nurtures all living things, and only after exhausting their toxicity can harmony be achieved.

Only by preserving the heavenly blessings can one attain true virtue and then reach the pinnacle of the Way.

Changsun Wuji, the Grand Master of the Palace, Minister of Works, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Duke of Zhao, pacified the four barbarian tribes and befriended all nations. He used literature to harmonize the government and military force to quell chaos. He cultivated virtue and used punishment as weapons of war, and studied rites and music to cultivate his character. Although he did not boast of his achievements, he was already admired by all.

If not for special honors, how can we repay such great virtue?
I hereby appoint you as Grand Commandant, in charge of the affairs of the government, and grant you honorary titles and honors in accordance with the established system.

Admire this! "

Changsun Wuji stepped forward with some surprise, then knelt down and kowtowed deeply: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness. May Your Majesty live a long and prosperous life."

The assembled officials looked at Changsun Wuji and were filled with emotion.

After many years, Changsun Wuji finally left his position as Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Although it's somewhat disheartening, deep down, countless people feel an uncontrollable restlessness within them.

Once Changsun Wuji left his position as Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, a series of people took his place, resulting in a series of countless personnel changes.

Li Chengqian's gaze swept over the assembled officials, then he looked at Changsun Wuji and said, "Uncle, please rise. In the future, you should pay more attention to matters in the army."

The Grand Commandant, with a gold seal and purple ribbon, is the head of all military generals and is in charge of all military affairs in the land.

The last living Grand Commandant of the Tang Dynasty was the Prince of Qin, who held the titles of Grand Commandant, Grand Commandant of the Shaanxi East Circuit, and General of the Heavenly Strategy.

That is, the late emperor.

Changsun Wuji could not possibly replicate the actions of the late emperor. In fact, he, as the de facto Grand Commandant, had not truly grasped military affairs for more than a decade.

Since Li Chengqian ascended the throne, whether it was for the sake of maintaining political balance or for the long-term benefit of Changsun Wuji, Changsun Wuji has not controlled military power for more than a decade, and Li Ji has done even more than him.

Today, the Tang Dynasty's army is almost entirely composed of the emperor's confidants.

Of course, Changsun Wuji was, after all, the former Minister of Works and Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. In his early years, he had fought alongside the late emperor. Although he hadn't paid much attention to the men in the army for many years, they were still there.

"Your subject obeys the decree." Changsun Wuji kowtowed deeply. He knew that the emperor wanted him to pay more attention to military affairs, but in reality, he wanted him to worry less about political matters.

Changsun Wuji retreated back to the ranks and then stood ready, holding his tablet.

……

Sun Fujia picked up another imperial edict, and the eyes of the assembled officials immediately fell upon it.

Since Changsun Wuji resigned as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, someone naturally needed to succeed him.

who?

Could it be Li Ji?
Or is it someone else?
The entire hall was filled with an unknown number of people at that moment.

The breathing was terrifyingly heavy.

Ignoring the gazes of the crowd, Sun Fujia opened the imperial edict and loudly proclaimed: "In the tenth year of Yongwei, the year of Wuwu, the third month of Bingchen, on the third day of Bingyin, the Emperor decrees:

Yu Xi!

Duan Youwanglong is entrusted with a particularly heavy responsibility, and his merits and virtues are truly indispensable; it is difficult for the court to select such a person.

Li Ji, Grand Master of the Palace, Minister of Works, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Duke of Ying, possessed profound insight, exceptional talent and strategy, and was well-versed in all matters of state, as well as both literary and military skills.

He could serve as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and his honorary titles and honors would be granted according to regulations.

Admire this! "

Upon hearing his name called, Li Ji stepped forward and knelt in the hall, saying, "Your subject Li Ji kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's great favor. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years."

Li Ji's body trembled slightly.

He himself knows that his actions are not very good, and can even be described as somewhat bad.

At least among the high-ranking officials in the court, not many people would consider him one of their own.

Even the emperor wouldn't.

But that was enough. Li Ji vaguely understood the emperor's thoughts, and he also roughly understood the emperor's real reason for using him.

But he accepted it.

He is willing to accept it.

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, the Left Chancellor of the Realm, although still below Changsun Wuji, had already gained the strength to rival Changsun Wuji.

"Rise." Li Chengqian nodded slightly to Li Ji and said, "Taxation is of paramount importance to the nation, finances and grain are of paramount importance to the nation, agriculture is of paramount importance to the nation. I entrust these matters to the Duke of Ying."

"Your Majesty, I obey your decree! Long live the Emperor!" Li Ji kowtowed again, then rose and returned to the ranks.

For a moment, the breathing of the assembled officials became heavy again.

Li Ji was promoted from Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel to Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. So who should replace him in the vacant position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel?

Standing behind Li Ji, Du Zhenglun was the calmest. He had only just returned to the court to serve as the Grand Secretary, and the position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was not yet his.

Yu Zhining lowered his head slightly, his gaze calm. The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was in charge of doing things, and it wasn't his place to do them.

Sun Fujia didn't have many chances with the others either. Could it be Zhang Xuansu? No, he wasn't one of those people either.

Yan Lide, or Cui Dunli?
……

Li Chengqian sat on the imperial couch, calmly glancing at Sun Fujia to one side.

Sun Fujia bowed slightly, picked up another edict, and addressed the assembled officials, proclaiming loudly: "In the tenth year of Yongwei, the year of Wuwu, the third month of Bingchen, on the third day of Bingyin, the Emperor decrees:

Yu Xi!

The position of the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat is equivalent to that of the Minister of Ceremonies, and is a title bestowed upon the highest officials of the Central Secretariat and the most prestigious ranks of the various courts.

This combination will surely attract virtuous and capable individuals.

Zhao Yuankai, a Grand Master of the Palace, Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Baron of Wuqiang County, was a man of principle who understood the times, was knowledgeable about the fundamentals of governance, was upright and unyielding, and maintained his integrity and self-discipline.

He was appointed Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, retaining his previous honorary titles, merits, and fiefdoms.

Zhao Yuankai, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, stepped forward somewhat bewildered. He then walked into the hall, knelt down on the ground facing the steps, and kowtowed deeply, saying, "Your subject Zhao Yuankai kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your holy grace. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years."

As he spoke, Zhao Yuankai's voice choked up.

He never imagined he would have the chance to become prime minister in his lifetime.

The courtiers were also surprised that the emperor chose Zhao Yuankai to succeed him as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Logically speaking, the promotion of the Minister of the Nine Temples directly to the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is somewhat extraordinary, since the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is a second-rank official, while the Ministers of the Nine Temples are mostly third-rank officials. However, Zhao Yuankai was the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was the only one of the nine ministers of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices who held the rank of third grade, and the only one who could be on equal footing with the ministers of the six ministries. Therefore, it was at least plausible that Zhao Yuankai was promoted from the third grade Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Li Chengqian sat on the steps of the palace, looked at Zhao Yuankai, and said calmly: "Over the years, you have risen from Minister of Agriculture to Minister of Ceremonies, and have been in charge of agricultural reforms throughout the country. In recent years, the country has had a bumper harvest and the granaries are full of grain. Your contributions are great. I am rewarding you with the title of Prime Minister, which is also to express my gratitude for your hard work."

Over the years, Li Chengqian devoted himself to agriculture. From farming tools to seeds to cultivation methods and experience, he carried out comprehensive reforms time and time again, which ultimately led to bumper harvests every year.

The person in charge of everything here is Zhao Yuankai.

From the Zhenguan era to the present Yongwei ten years, Zhao Yuankai has put in a lot of effort.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhao Yuankai kowtowed gratefully, realizing that the emperor had seen all his merits.

Li Chengqian nodded slightly and said, "Farming is the foundation of the nation. Although you have now been promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, you still need to pay close attention to agricultural reforms and not slack off."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Zhao Yuankai bowed respectfully, then rose and slowly retreated into the ranks.

Many of the ministers have now keenly sensed something.

"Taxes are of paramount importance to the nation, money and grain are of paramount importance to the nation, and agriculture is of paramount importance to the nation," the emperor said to the newly appointed Left Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Li Ji.

"Farmers are the foundation of the nation," the emperor said to Zhao Yuankai, the newly appointed Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

The emperor said the same thing to the Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Personnel. Does this mean that the overall direction of the court has changed?

Li Chengqian calmly looked at Du Zhenglun, the Grand Secretary, among the assembled officials, and said, "Minister Du."

"Your Majesty!" Du Zhenglun stepped forward and solemnly cupped his hands.

"For many years, you have guarded the southern border, which has been truly arduous. But what deserves even more praise is your efforts in improving and updating rice varieties over the years." Li Chengqian turned to look at his ministers and said, "In some places in Linyi and Srivijaya, there are rice varieties that can be harvested three times a year. In recent years, these varieties have been brought to Guangzhou through trade. Thanks to Minister Du's years of cultivation, the yield per mu in Guangzhou has increased significantly. Now, they are being cultivated in Fujian, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. It is inevitable that the grain production of the whole country will increase greatly in the future."

With temperatures gradually rising across the world, this is the perfect time to improve Southeast Asian grain varieties in the Tang Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations!" The assembled officials, while surprised, simultaneously bowed, for they were acutely aware of the vital importance of grain to the Tang Dynasty at this time.

The millions of people in the three kingdoms of the Eastern Islands, as well as those controlling the Western Turks in the Western Regions, all require a large amount of food for future preparations for war against Tibet.

"Duke of Yingguo, Minister Zhao, Minister Du." As Li Chengqian's voice fell, Li Ji and Zhao Yuankai stepped forward at the same time.

The three men bowed in unison and said, "Your Majesty!"

"From this day forward, the three of you will be in charge of all matters concerning agriculture, finances, and taxes. Everything will be based on the taxes of the nation as the foundation of future governance. Anyone who obstructs this will be executed!" Li Chengqian slammed his hand heavily on the imperial desk.

The assembled officials solemnly bowed and said, "Yes!"

……

Sun Fujia continued to unfold the new imperial edict, proclaiming loudly: "In the tenth year of Yongwei, the year of Wuwu, the third month of Bingchen, on the third day of Bingyin, the Emperor decreed:

Yu Xi!

The Nine Ministers, of great importance, assist in governing the state; the Clerks, in their respective positions, oversee their duties; and the foundation of all affairs rests with the Wenchang Official.

Lu Chengqing, Chief Secretary of the Yizhou Grand General's Office, may be appointed Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices; Wang Renyou, Governor of Songzhou, may be appointed Chief Secretary of the Yizhou Grand General's Office.

Lu Chengye, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, is appointed Prefect of Songzhou.

Wang Shidan, the Director of the Personnel Evaluation Department, is appointed Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; Li Jingxuan, the Assistant Director of the Personnel Evaluation Department, is appointed Director of the Personnel Evaluation Department.

As soon as Sun Fujia finished speaking, everyone in the hall knelt down and kowtowed.

The series of personnel changes left the officials bewildered, but many understood that the emperor was essentially making moves centered around the Ministry of Personnel.

Lu Chengqing was a man of Fang Xuanling. He was transferred to the position of Grand General of Yizhou in his early years due to some incident. Now he has returned to the position of Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, a third-rank official.

Lu Chengye is Lu Chengqing's younger brother. After Lu Chengqing returned to the capital, Lu Chengye needed to be transferred to a post outside the capital, such as the third-rank governor of Songzhou.

Of course, it is also possible not to adjust it, since the Nine Temples are not subordinate to the Ministry of Personnel; they are directly under the emperor's control.

However, Lu Chengye was still transferred to another region by the emperor, which shows that Emperor Lu Chengqing had great use for him.

In addition, what is truly noteworthy is that Wang Shidan, who had served as the Director of the Examination and Appointment Office for many years, was promoted to the position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Wang Shidan had served in the Ministry of Personnel for many years. In reality, he was the core person who truly controlled the Ministry of Personnel under Changsun Wuji's control, but now he has been transferred.

From this day forward, the core of the Ministry of Personnel will be completely in the hands of the Emperor.

Li Jingxuan, who came from the Zhao County Li clan, began to officially take charge of the emperor's duties, including the punishment and evaluation of officials, as well as the imperial examinations.

From Yan Lide, the Minister of Personnel, to Li Qianyou, the Vice Minister of Personnel, and Li Jingxuan, the Director of the Personnel Evaluation Department, all were under the emperor's control.

The entire Ministry of Personnel was under the emperor's control.

People's hearts are restless.

Standing at the head of the assembled officials, Changsun Wuji knew everything even without looking back.

But he remained calm. Although the emperor had completely removed him from the Ministry of Personnel, he had retained his influence in the Ministry of State Affairs.

Wang Shidan was promoted from a fifth-rank official in the Examination and Appointment Department to the fourth-rank lower-ranking Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Together with Pei Xizai, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he firmly controlled the executive level of the entire Ministry of Personnel.

While ensuring that he retained sufficient influence, the emperor was also keeping Li Ji and Zhao Yuankai in check.

The emperor became increasingly adept at political maneuvering.

Just as Changsun Wuji was promoted from Left Minister of the Imperial Secretariat to Grand Commandant, the emperor had already taken complete control of the court.

The Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Works were all staffed by the emperor.

Datang has completed its complete iteration.

……

The green willows droop down, a scene full of spring's vitality.
Li Chengqian sat in the imperial carriage, passing through Xianchun Gate, Wanchun Hall, and finally landing at Lizheng Hall.

"Your Majesty!" Su Shu led the group out of the hall to greet them, and they all bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Rise." Li Chengqian gently helped Su Shu up, and then they walked into the inner hall together. He squatted down beside the cradle of the six-month-old Princess Yongle, looking somewhat dazed.

"Why does Your Majesty look so unwell?" Su Shu waved to the maid beside her, then squatted down in front of Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly and sighed, "It's not that I look bad, it's just that I'm not as happy as I expected."

Changsun Wuji became Grand Commandant, ranking above all officials. Although he had the opportunity to intervene in court affairs, he had actually lost the ability to make the final decision.

Li Chengqian began to completely take control of the country. However, with great power in his hands, he had to face more complex internal and external political affairs, and he had little time to be happy.

Su Shu grasped Li Chengqian's hand and said, "How about I accompany Your Majesty for a walk in the back garden to clear your mind?"

"Alright." Li Chengqian stood up slightly, picked up his daughter Princess Yongle, and looked at his daughter who was not crying or making a fuss, his expression had relaxed a lot.

Su Shu then bowed down and said to Xu Xuan and Helan Minyue, who were standing in the hall, "You two come along too."

"Yes!" Xu Xuan and Helan Minyue bowed simultaneously.

Li Chengqian turned to the side, his gaze sweeping over Helan Minyue, a subtle glint appearing in his eyes for a moment.

Then, Li Chengqian chuckled softly, walked out of the hall, glanced at Helan Minyue, and said, "I heard that Consort Wu's mother will be celebrating her 80th birthday in a few days?"

“Yes!” Helan Minyue nodded immediately and said, “Grandmother will be eighty soon.”

Li Chengqian sighed and said, "It is rare for a person to live to seventy, let alone eighty. How about this, in a few days, Minyue and Consort Wu will go back to the old residence together, and the palace will send another congratulatory gift. That will be a true expression of our goodwill."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Helan Minyue's face was full of joy.

Li Chengqian smiled with a deep look in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)