Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 323 The county magistrate is saying that someone doesn't know how to use their brain.
"Your words, Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, are excessive."

Li Shimin looked at Zhao Hongzhi, the newly appointed Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and his tone carried a hint of coldness that was hard to detect.

If I remember correctly, this person came from the Zhao family of Tianshui.

One branch of the Guanzhong aristocratic family was deeply intertwined with the powerful and influential figures of the Sui Dynasty.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, suddenly recalling an old matter that was unrelated to the present situation.

Wen He once mentioned in casual conversation that after the fall of the Tang Dynasty, there would be a chaotic period known as the "Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms," which would eventually be unified by a person surnamed Zhao.

Could this Zhao Hongzhi be from the same lineage as the future "Zhao family"?
The thought flashed through Li Shimin's mind, and his gaze toward Zhao Hongzhi became even more scrutinizing.

Zhao Hongzhi felt a chill run down his spine as he was swept by that sharp gaze, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Your Majesty is known for being open to advice. Today, I am merely opposing the opening of street vendors. Why has this displeased you?
He took a deep breath, but still kept his back straight.

This matter concerns the interests of the family, and even if it angers His Majesty, we must argue our case based on reason.

"Your Majesty, I also believe this is unacceptable."

Another voice rang out; it was Du Ruhui, who was about to take office as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

As the second most important official among all officials, his statement carried immense weight.

As soon as he finished speaking, Du Ruhui noticed Li Shimin's furrowed brows and immediately changed the subject.

"However, all the suggestions made by the ministers are for the sake of the country. They are just different in their ideas and views. I believe that even if their opinions are contradictory, they should not be punished lightly."

Du Ruhui knew perfectly well why Zhao Hongzhi had stepped forward.

The teahouses and taverns operated by the Zhao family of Tianshui in the East Market brought in at least tens of thousands of strings of cash every year.

If the imperial court allowed ordinary people to set up stalls outside the market, the Zhao family's business would inevitably be severely impacted.

Not only the Zhao family, but also the Du family of Jingzhao had similar businesses.

Judging from His Majesty's expression, the person who proposed opening up the market to vendors must have won His Majesty's favor.

His words, ostensibly an attempt to exonerate the "mysterious advisor," were actually a way of giving Zhao Hongzhi a way out.

Zhao Hongzhi, being extremely astute, immediately realized that Du Ruhui was helping him. He quickly bowed and apologized, "Your Majesty, I misspoke. I was not questioning the national policy, but I was worried that the disorder on the streets would disturb the peace of Chang'an..."

As Li Shimin watched the two of them sing in unison, the coldness in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a hint of melancholy.

Inside the main hall, not a single person stood up to refute Du Ruhui and Zhao Hongzhi's words.

Even Li Jing and Wei Zheng kept their heads down and remained silent.

The air seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.

Neither those from Guanzhong nor the gentry uttered a single word in the hall.

Li Shimin's gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials, finally landing on Changsun Wuji: "Does Fuji have anything to say?"

After all, he was his brother-in-law. Although the Changsun family belonged to the Guanlong Group, they were always of one mind with him.

In Li Shimin's view, only Changsun Wuji could speak the truth at this moment.

Changsun Wuji smiled knowingly, seemingly expecting the emperor to call on him. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that today is New Year's Day, a day of rest, and many important officials are not present. This matter concerns the people's livelihood and the law, and is of utmost importance. Perhaps we should wait until the holiday ends and all the officials are gathered before discussing it?"

His words were both a way out for the emperor and a way to leave room for maneuver for the Guanzhong officials present, thus temporarily easing the deadlock.

Although Li Shimin was displeased, he knew that Changsun Wuji's words made sense.

With the court incomplete today, forcibly making a decision will only cause greater controversy.

He gave a heavy snort and nodded, saying, "In that case, let's discuss it again in three days!"

Having said that, he turned around and left the Liangyi Hall.

Only after the emperor's figure disappeared outside the hall did the assembled officials breathe a sigh of relief, and the tension on their faces finally dissipated.

Why did His Majesty suddenly bring up the issue of allowing street vendors to operate today?

As soon as he stepped out of the palace gate, Fang Xuanling frowned and asked, his face full of confusion.

"Didn't they say His Majesty accompanied the Emperor Emeritus to Qujiang Pool to admire the plum blossoms today? Could something have happened?"

Officials from the Guanlong Group all turned their attention to Changsun Wuji.

Of all those present, no one could match his closeness to the emperor.

"I don't know either," Changsun Wuji said with a feigned helpless smile.

"Perhaps it was just a whim of His Majesty's."

"In my opinion, it must be that a villain has slandered His Majesty!"

A Guanzhong official in a scarlet robe gritted his teeth and said.

"We must find the person who made this suggestion, lest he mislead the emperor and undermine the foundation of our Great Tang!"

Upon hearing this, the other Guanzhong officials nodded in agreement: "Exactly! Those common people are content with just farming in the fields. If we give them too much, wouldn't that only increase their greed?"

"We owe our lives to the Imperial Attendant today for stepping forward!"

Some people turned to Zhao Hongzhi, their faces full of approval.

"Minister Zhao is both wise and brave. He reminded His Majesty in time, which prevented the slander from succeeding!"

"Yes, it's all thanks to the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat!"

Zhao Hongzhi was flattered by everyone, and a hint of pride appeared on his face, but he pretended to be humble: "It's all for the sake of the country. I'm just doing my duty."

"That person who made that suggestion is truly ignorant and arrogant!"

Someone else spat.

"If we allow the common people to benefit, wouldn't that disrupt the proper order of things? This world still needs the support of us gentry!"

"Exactly this!"

The Guanzhong officials surrounded Zhao Hongzhi, discussing amongst themselves as they went, their words filled with disdain for the "advisor" and a desire to protect their own interests.

On the other side, Li Jing took his leave first, while Wei Zheng and several aristocratic officials walked last.

These people all came from the five surnames and seven clans, mostly from the Cui clan of Boling, the Lu clan of Fanyang, and the Zheng clan of Xingyang, with a few from the Wang clan of Taiyuan and the Li clan of Zhaojun.

These people mostly held sinecure positions of around the sixth rank in the Ministry of Personnel, and their influence was far less than that of the Guanlong Group.

"Brother Xuancheng."

An official surnamed Lu suddenly spoke, his voice extremely low.

The reason why those people in Guanzhong objected was simply because they were afraid of damaging their interests in the East and West markets.

In my opinion, we should support His Majesty this time.

This would both humiliate the Guanzhong region and earn His Majesty a favor—why not?

Wei Zheng paused, turning to look at the people beside him. Although he always considered himself a "lone minister," he had deep ties with the Shandong gentry group.

Back then, Li Jiancheng was able to win over the Shandong gentry because he secretly acted as their liaison.

However, he also had many complaints about these aristocratic families, so he had never spoken up for them before.

Especially regarding Wen He's matter.

However, the aristocratic families still wanted to win over Wei Zheng.

"Brother Lu is right."

Another official surnamed Cui echoed this sentiment.

"We have no reason not to do something that would cause trouble for Guanzhong. I wonder who made this suggestion and has such insight? Such a talented person is someone we, the gentry, should try to win over!"

"Brother Cui is absolutely right! If we can bring this man under our command, it will greatly benefit our position in the court in the future!"

Everyone nodded, their eyes shining.

Wei Zheng looked at them, sighed softly, shook his head, and said nothing more.

These people... ultimately only care about their own selfish interests; have they ever truly thought about the livelihood of ordinary people?

However, he became increasingly curious about who exactly was the person who made the suggestion today.

"Ahem!"

Inside the Da'an Palace, Wen He suddenly sneezed, her nose itched, and she almost spit her snot onto Li Yuan.

Fortunately, the old eunuch beside Li Yuan reacted quickly and handed him a handkerchief in time, thus preventing the rule from being broken.

"You brat..."

Just as Li Yuan was about to lash out, he suddenly noticed the cold wind blowing in through the crack in the window. His face darkened, and he scolded the eunuch, "The fire in the stove is almost out! Why aren't you adding more charcoal? Go and summon the imperial physician to examine this brat. Has he caught a cold?"

The eunuch trembled with fright and quickly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, you mentioned feeling tightness in your chest earlier, and the imperial physician specifically instructed that the room should not be too hot, otherwise it would be easy to feel suffocated..."

"You wretched servant!"

Li Yuan frowned deeply and slammed his hand on the table.

"You dare to contradict me?"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

Seeing that the eunuch's face had turned pale with fright, Wen He quickly tried to smooth things over.

“This eunuch was just following the doctor’s orders, why make things difficult for him? Besides, it’s just a little breeze. I’m very strong, I don’t get sick so easily.”

Li Yuan's face immediately showed displeasure, and he slammed the chess piece in his hand heavily onto the chessboard: "What? My concern for you has become my fault?"

"Where is it."

Wen He knew that Old Deng was just like a child. Sometimes you had to go along with him, otherwise he would definitely throw a tantrum.

"Your Majesty is kind and compassionate, and has always been considerate of his servants. If you were to get angry over such a trivial matter, it would only lead to misunderstandings and tarnish your reputation, wouldn't it?"

These words struck a chord with Li Yuan.

The anger on his face gradually subsided. He waved his hand impatiently, signaling the eunuch to leave: "That's enough, get out."

After the eunuch tiptoed away, Li Yuan looked at the unfinished game on the chessboard and suddenly said, "It's getting late. You should go back early today. Tomorrow, Erlang might invite you to the palace for a meeting."

He picked up the chess pieces one by one and put them back into the jar, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.

"Does the Emperor Emeritus also think that some people will object to what he said earlier?"

Wen He asked, somewhat surprised.

Was Li Yuan really that perceptive?

"Humph."

Li Yuan snorted and tried to get up, leaning on the edge of the table. Wen He quickly stepped forward to help him.

He glanced at Wen He, then suddenly smiled, letting the young man help him to the palace gate. Gazing at the remaining snow in the courtyard, he slowly said, "Although I am not a good father, nor can I be considered a top-notch emperor, I have come all the way with those people, and I know better than anyone what they are thinking."

His expression darkened, tinged with a sigh of weariness: "Second Prince always advised me not to bestow too many rewards. Those who have made only minor contributions have been casually granted titles such as Prince or Duke, and even County Duke and Prefecture Duke have become commonplace."

"But little did he know that if it weren't for these titles and rewards to win people's hearts, how could the Tang Dynasty have enjoyed such a peaceful ten years?" Li Yuan paused, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

"Those people have appetites that could swallow the sky."

Wen He knew that Li Yuan's words were both a reminder to him and a way to convey a message to Li Shimin through him.

Change should not be rushed; being too forceful will only backfire.

"The wind and snow are getting heavier, you should go back quickly." Li Yuan turned around, put his hands behind his back and walked towards the palace. His back looked even more hunched in the empty hall.

Wen He bowed deeply to him and said, "This humble subject takes his leave."

Watching the bedroom door slowly close, shutting out the candlelight and warmth inside, Wen He turned and stepped into the swirling snow, leaving Da'an Palace.

The next day, Wen He got up very early, thinking that Li Shimin would soon send someone to summon him to the palace.

But no one came. So he had no choice but to stay with Wenrou and build a snowman in the yard.

It tells the story of Snow White encountering a bald man chopping down trees and two bears in the forest.

The story is over, but Gao Yue still hasn't arrived.

"That's strange. Does His Majesty not intend to ask for my opinion?"

Wen He sat under the corridor, resting her chin on her hand, deep in thought.

Not far away, Wenrou was rolling snowballs with Xiaomei in the snow, their silvery laughter carried on the cold wind.

"Brother, come help me build a big round ball!"

The little girl stood with her hands on her hips and called out to him in a clear, crisp voice.

Wen He smiled and shook his head, putting the affairs of the court out of his mind.

Well then, if Li Er really needs him, he will naturally come.

Why should he waste his breath thinking about this?
For the next two days, Wen He was happy to have some free time.

He would either stay home with Wenrou, helping her with her calligraphy practice, or take her to the East Market to watch acrobatics and buy sugar figurines; life was quite pleasant.

It wasn't until the three little ones arrived with Li Chengqian that he resumed his daily teaching routine, finally managing to avoid appearing too idle.

However, no news came from the court regarding whether ordinary people would be allowed to do business outside the market areas.

That afternoon, Su Dingfang came to visit first.

“County Lord, His Majesty issued an edict yesterday, ordering the Hundred Cavalry to accelerate their expansion. He specifically instructed you to personally select men from the Imperial Guards and the Twelve Guards,” Su Dingfang reported, bowing with a touch of solemnity.

"Huh? I'll go myself?"

Wen He pointed to herself, her face full of surprise.

"The Twelve Guards and the Yuan Cong Imperial Army together must number at least seventy or eighty thousand, right? Where am I supposed to begin?"

It should be noted that each of the twelve guards of the Tang Dynasty had a standing force of at least three thousand and at most six thousand soldiers. When the Yuan Cong Imperial Guards were added, the total number of soldiers was indeed seventy to eighty thousand.

These people are responsible for the defense of Chang'an and the guarding of the palace. They are all elites, but if you really had to select from them, he would go bald at such a young age.

Seeing this, Su Dingfang couldn't help but laugh and said, "Prince, there's no need to worry. The Ministry of War has already conducted a round of screening, leaving only those with clean family backgrounds and outstanding skills. Now there are less than three thousand people left to be selected."

"Less than three thousand people?" Wen He raised an eyebrow, still feeling overwhelmed by the question.

Look, is this human language?
There are less than three thousand men left, and they were all selected by the Ministry of War.

If Li Shimin trusted them, he wouldn't have specifically asked him to choose them personally.

"Lieutenant General".

Wen He suddenly stopped smiling, cupped her hands in greeting to Su Dingfang, and looked unusually serious.

"Although you may not stay in the Hundred Cavalry for a long time, you will need to serve here for at least the next few years. Please allow me to offer this reminder."

Seeing his serious expression, Su Dingfang stopped smiling and said solemnly, "Please speak, magistrate."

"The leader of the Hundred Cavalry must not trust anyone except His Majesty, not even his closest relatives and friends. He must think through everything he hears and sees three times before he does."

Wen He pointed to her temple, her tone grave.

"This is the rule of the Hundred Riders, and it's the foundation of their survival."

Su Dingfang's face immediately darkened, his brows furrowing: "Are you saying I can't use my brain?"

"No, it was just a reminder." Wen He smiled gently, but seeing Su Ding's unfriendly expression, she quickly explained.

"The matter of the Hundred Cavalry is a matter of His Majesty's decision, and every step must be taken with utmost care. If a mistake is made, it will not be a matter of being dismissed from office or having one's duties removed; it will truly mean losing one's head."

Su Dingfang's abilities are beyond doubt, and Wen He really doesn't want to see him fall in this dangerous place of the Hundred Riders.

Su Dingfang simply gave a faint "hmm".

His tone was unreadable, clearly indicating that he hadn't taken the reminder to heart.

Wen He didn't care. He had already said what needed to be said. Whether or not he listened was entirely up to him.

He changed the subject and got down to business: "In that case, I would like to trouble the General to transfer all three thousand men selected by the Ministry of War to the Hundred Cavalry." Wen He softened his tone and smiled gently.

"I need to check these people's backgrounds first before deciding whether to go to the camp to select them."

Upon hearing this, Su Dingfang's face darkened even further.

In his view, this was completely unnecessary. The Ministry of War had already conducted the screening; why bother with this extra step?
However, since His Majesty had personally appointed Wen He to be in charge, even though he, as the Inspector General of a Hundred Cavalry, had authority, he could not interfere and could only act according to orders.

"Thank you for your trouble." Wen He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

Su Dingfang returned the greeting stiffly, then turned and strode away with a dark face, his robe catching a gust of cold wind.

"This person is too arrogant."

As soon as Su Dingfang left, the boy disguised as a servant next to Wen He looked up. It was Li Chengqian, who had come in disguise.

He watched Su Dingfang's retreating figure, his tone tinged with resentment.

Upon hearing this, Wen He stood up, stretched, and said slowly, "That's why His Majesty sent him to train the Hundred Cavalry. Brilliant! You should learn this trick. When you encounter someone like this, don't rush to dislike him; first observe his abilities."

He stepped forward and ruffled Li Chengqian's hair. Although he was only two years older, Wen He was already half a head taller than him.

This always made him want to pat Li Chengqian's head.

If nothing unexpected happens, he will become the emperor in the future.

"A great man from my hometown once said, 'It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat.' When you hire people in the future, remember this: don't make judgments based on your own preferences."

Li Chengqian still had some understanding, and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

He then understood why the master had specially asked him to disguise himself as a servant and wait there.

Su Dingfang must have some extraordinary abilities.

Otherwise, given his temperament, aside from his own father, anyone else who dared to show him a bad attitude would probably have been rebuffed long ago.

Seeing his expression, Wen He knew that the boy hadn't understood what she had just said.

However, there is plenty of time, and he is not in a hurry.

Another day passed, the cold wind grew stronger, and fine snowflakes began to fall from the leaden sky.

Wenrou stayed in the warm room and refused to go out, even having Xiaomei bring her breakfast.

Upon hearing that Wen He was going to enter the palace, Wenrou didn't even bother to put on her fur coat and ran out of the warm pavilion barefoot.

Xiaomei chased after her anxiously, clutching her fox fur cloak in her hands: "Young lady! Put on your coat before you run! Be careful not to catch a cold!"

"Brother..."

The little girl ran up to Wen He, her face red from the cold, beads of sweat on her nose condensing into frost.

She clung tightly to Wen He's sleeve, tears welling in her eyes, like a little animal that had been abandoned.

"You stay at home and behave yourself."

Wen He squatted down and gently wiped the tip of her nose with her sleeve, speaking softly.

"When I come back, I'll bring you osmanthus cake from that shop in the west of the city, and the sugar-painted tiger you mentioned last time, okay?"

The little girl sniffed, pursed her lips reluctantly, but still nodded, her little hands clutching his sleeve tightly: "Brother, come back soon, don't work too hard."

"Yes, I'll definitely be back soon."

Wen He gently patted the back of her hand, and with great difficulty pried her fingers open. As she got up, she gave Xiao Mei some more instructions.

"Keep an eye on your young lady and don't let her run away again."

"Yes, young master, don't worry." Xiao Mei quickly draped the cloak over Wenrou's shoulders and held her tightly.

The brother and sister looked at each other from a few steps away until Wenhe's figure disappeared at the alley entrance. Only then did Wenrou finally lose control, and her tears fell "plop" onto the snow, leaving small wet marks.

"Don't cry, here you go."

A hand holding a pink hibiscus cake was suddenly extended in front of her.

Li Ke emerged from behind the pillar at some point, his face showing a hint of awkwardness, but his eyes secretly glancing at her tears.

Wenrou turned her head gently, puffing out her cheeks and turning her face to the side: "No! My brother isn't home. I want to wait for him to come back so we can have some snacks together."

After saying that, she took Xiaomei's hand and walked towards her courtyard. The hem of her cloak swept across the snow, leaving a trail of shallow footprints.

Li Ke stood frozen in place, holding the pastries, the color draining from his face.

The next moment, three barely suppressed laughs came from behind:
"Stunned now?" Li Tai clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he almost fell over.

"Serves you right." Li You sneered, but a smile lingered in his eyes.

Li Chengqian suppressed a laugh and patted his shoulder with feigned maturity: "Third brother, I'll have someone from the Eastern Palace send over some novelties tomorrow. I guarantee they'll be more effective than these pastries."

Li Ke turned around abruptly, his face cold, and without saying a word, put the pastry into his mouth.

He seemed completely unconcerned by their mockery, but after only a few steps, his foot suddenly slipped, and with a "plop," he plunged headfirst into a snowdrift.

Then another burst of laughter was heard.

Li Chengqian and the other two laughed heartily.

Wen He couldn't manage a smile.

Looking around, one sees a mountain of documents piled up inside the government office.

He couldn't help but take a breath of cold air.

"Is this why you called me back from Qingfeng Pavilion?" Still slightly drunk, Xu Jingzong almost yanked his beard off with a forceful pull.

“Military Advisor Xu, this is a serious matter.” Huang Chun glared at him.

"Old Huang, Qingfeng Pavilion has recently seen quite a few beautiful women. I'll take you there next time," Xu Jingzong said with a hearty laugh.

Wen He and Su Dingfang both looked at Huang Chun at the same time.

This guy is a eunuch!

What can he do there?
Can you do it...?

Old Xu, you're basically pointing at a monk and calling him a bald monk.

"roll!"

Huang Chun's eyes glared like those of an angry Vajra.

The sound startled Xu Jingzong, who was half-sober. He seemed to realize what he had said and quickly apologized, "Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. Jiaying, weren't we going to do some serious business? Let's get started."

Wen He was looking down, trying to suppress her laughter; her face was flushed.

Su Dingfang's expression also looked somewhat unnatural.

Sending eunuchs to brothels—only Xu Jingzong could come up with such a thing.

"Yes, yes, let's get things done first." Wen He quickly changed the subject, afraid that she would laugh out loud.

"Huang Zhongguan, please help organize it. Old Xu and Zhonglang Jiang, please help me read the resumes. Oh, and let Changsun Huan come too. As a chief clerk, he can't just sit idly by."

There were only the four of them left. No, Huang Chun was illiterate, so only the three of them were left to do the work.

It will take until at least tomorrow morning to organize all this information.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wenxiao, who was waiting outside, went to call for help.

Meanwhile, Wen He and his group began.

Wen He had previously worried that the person in charge of reviewing the documents at the Ministry of War was up to something, but now that he had picked up the top document and glanced at it, he immediately noticed something was amiss.

"There's something wrong with this person."

(End of this chapter)