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

Chapter 324 Jia Ying, I'm afraid I'll have to make things difficult for you (A long chapter of 10,000 words, please vote with monthly tickets)
"Ok?"

Before Xu Jingzong and Su Dingfang could even sit down, Huang Chun had just moved a stack of resumes onto the table. Upon hearing this, all three of them were taken aback and turned to look at Wen He.

"So fast?" Su Dingfang frowned, his tone tinged with doubt.

How long has it taken him to look at this resume?
How can you be so sure there's a problem after just a few glances?

Could it be that he was deliberately picking a fight today because he was sulking after I gave him the cold shoulder yesterday?
"What's wrong with the person you mentioned?" Su Dingfang pressed, his gaze falling on the resume that Wen He was pointing to.

"This person is from Hebei, yet he traveled thousands of miles to Guanzhong to join the army. That's the problem." Wen He spoke calmly, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

"This is not common, but it does happen."

Su Dingfang frowned and retorted.

"The Hebei region has been unstable in recent years, and it is reasonable for some people to come to Guanzhong to join the army in order to seek stability."

Wen He chuckled softly upon hearing this, tapping her fingertip lightly on the resume: "The Hundred Cavalry is no ordinary military camp; it allows no ambiguity. If there is even the slightest doubt, he must not be allowed to set foot in the Hundred Cavalry."

This isn't a spy drama where you have to find solid evidence to be satisfied. He wants people who are absolutely clean and reliable. If there's anything suspicious, just turn them away. Why waste time investigating?

Xu Jingzong watched with alarm, his gaze sweeping between the two men, clearly sensing that something was amiss.

He quickly coughed twice to smooth things over: "Ahem, sir, please take a look at this. This man's resume is clean, he is skilled in archery and horsemanship, and has even performed two minor merits."

As he spoke, he handed over a resume and secretly gave Wen He a wink.

Su Dingfang was known for his quick temper and was a fierce general in the army. If a conflict were to break out, this civil official would not be able to protect Wen He.

Wen He took the resume, glanced at it, and threw it back on the table: "Too old, over thirty years old. He's been in the army for over ten years and hasn't even become a squad leader. It's clear that either he's incompetent or he's lost his fighting spirit. The Hundred Cavalry wants elite soldiers who dare to fight and risk their lives for the mission, not old veterans who just coast along."

He left no room for sentimentality in his words, but Xu Jingzong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

At least this reason holds water and can make Su Dingfang understand that Wen He is not deliberately making things difficult, but is genuinely selecting candidates according to the standards.

Su Dingfang frowned and pondered for a moment, his gaze lingering on Wen He's face for a long time, as if trying to determine the truth in his words.

After a long while, he slowly nodded, his tone softening slightly: "The county magistrate is right, it was I who did not consider things thoroughly."

The 100 cavalrymen were also responsible for protecting Li Shimin on ordinary days.

The screening criteria should be extremely strict; anything that is even slightly suspicious or inconsistent should be eliminated.

Wen He's seemingly arbitrary actions were actually out of a sense of responsibility to the Hundred Cavalry and to His Majesty.

Seeing that he had taken it to heart, Wen He breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "General, there's no need to take it to heart. We're all just trying to select the most suitable people. Let's continue."

Seeing this, Xu Jingzong casually picked up the dossier in front of him, glanced at it, and said with a smile, "This young man is only in his early twenties and an orphan. He's quite famous in the Imperial Guards. I'm saying..."

How can an orphan easily make a name for himself in the army?

Wen He looked up to interrupt him, her eyes filled with a scrutinizing gaze.

Xu Jingzong was taken aback upon hearing this, then gasped and slapped his forehead: "Jiaying is right! Look at my brain..."

He quickly scanned the comments on the file.

"The comments about him in this file are excessively positive, and the brigade commander in charge of his unit highly praises him. If he were truly an orphan with no background, he would never receive such treatment in the army. There must be something fishy going on here."

Having spent many years in officialdom, he understands the intricacies of the system best.

For a rootless orphan to be so highly regarded in a hierarchical army, he must either possess extraordinary abilities or have someone deliberately manipulating things behind the scenes.

"Not necessarily."

Su Dingfang, however, was somewhat unconvinced.

"Perhaps he truly possesses exceptional abilities? For instance, wasn't someone who joined the army back then also noticed by the Duke of Dai at first glance?"

"But this man has not achieved any merit; he only joined the army a month ago."

Who is Su Dingfang?
It had already begun to show its potential by the end of the Sui Dynasty.

Li Jing naturally valued him.

And he did not disappoint Li Jing.

In the original history, Su Dingfang captured Jieli alive.

Even in the current timeline, Su Dingfang almost got Jieli captured.

Such a fierce general, let alone Li Jing, even Wen He would definitely give him special treatment.

Seeing his confusion, Wen He smiled and explained that he had memorized the key information when he scanned the file earlier.

"It was after the news of the expansion of the Hundred Riders spread."

Upon hearing this, Su Dingfang took the file from Xu Jingzong and examined it closely. The date of enlistment was indeed a month ago, just after the news of the expansion of the Hundred Cavalry had spread.

He frowned and said nothing more.

The timing is too coincidental; it leaves one no room for speculation.

He was never used to analyzing these things, but he was confident when it came to fighting.

But this kind of thing... he couldn't help but turn his gaze to Wen He.

A long sigh escaped his lips: 'I wonder why His Majesty summoned me here.'

He was so puzzled that he simply stopped talking.

Wen He pondered for a moment, then looked at everyone and said, "How about this, we'll screen out all those who have been in the army for less than six months from these files, and also dismiss those who are over thirty years old."

The former was to prevent anyone from deliberately taking advantage of loopholes, while the latter was to take into account the dangers of the Hundred Riders mission and the need for more energetic young people.

This time, Su Dingfang had no objection and nodded silently.

He also had to admit that although Wen He's standards were strict, they were all reasonable.

Even so, there are still quite a few people left.

Before dawn, oil lamps were already lit in the guardhouse of the Hundred Riders.

Four horn lamps hung from the roof beams, illuminating the table brightly, but unable to dispel the chill of the early morning.

Wen He, wrapped in a thick cotton robe and holding a piece of warm jade in his hand, was scanning a yellowed dossier line by line. His fingertips paused on the words "father once served as the Prefect of Qizhou" before he casually tossed it into the bamboo basket on his right: "The Wang family of Qizhou is a collateral branch of the Shandong gentry. This person is not acceptable."

Su Dingfang sat opposite him, marking the files with a cinnabar pen. Hearing this, he looked up and saw that the bamboo basket was already half full of files that had been discarded. He frowned slightly but remained silent.

The document in his hand read "skilled in archery and horsemanship, strong enough to lift a tripod," but when he flipped to the place of origin column and found that he was a distant relative of a certain clan in Guanzhong, he threw it over without hesitation.

Although he didn't quite agree with Wen He's approach of preferring to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go free.

But he also knew that these things could not be taken lightly; if he made a mistake, he would lose his head.

Although his official rank was higher than Wen He's, he admitted that he was not as familiar with the Hundred Cavalry.

Just like on the battlefield, never question the commander while fighting.

Xu Jingzong's hands, which were red from the cold, were still reading the dossier carefully. Suddenly, he pointed to a page and laughed, "Jiaying, look! This person claims to be 'versed in all schools of thought,' but he even misspelled three words. He's obviously exaggerating his knowledge in an attempt to sneak into the Hundred Cavalry as a clerk."

He folded a corner of the file and threw it into the basket on the right, spitting as he did so.

"Such opportunistic people are only a scourge if left alive."

Changsun Huan arrived a little late, carrying supplementary files transferred from the Ministry of War, which he was comparing with the dossier on the table.

He suddenly exclaimed, "Huh? This file says this person comes from a farming family, but the Ministry of War's household registration records show that he has an uncle working in the Ministry of Personnel. Isn't this blatant lying?"

As he spoke, he put the two files together and pushed them in front of Wen He.

Wen He glanced at it, picked up her pen and drew an X on the file: "Typical attempt to conceal a relationship, filter it out."

This person probably thought that the Hundred Cavalry wouldn't check the Ministry of War's screening process.

After all, with such a huge workload, who would bother with such futile effort?

The four people sat around a large pearwood table, each occupying a corner, but their movements gradually became more coordinated.

Wen He was responsible for grasping the core doubts, Su Dingfang checked the records of military merits and martial arts skills, Xu Jingzong focused on finding omissions in the documents, and Changsun Huan checked the household registration and kinship.

The case files were turned page by page, the rustling of paper against each other, the scratching of pens on paper, and the occasional whispers of discussion were the only sounds in the duty room.

Wen He rubbed her aching temples, pressing her fingertips against her throbbing forehead. After several days of burying herself in files, her eyes were so dry and painful, and even her neck felt rusty, cracking with every turn.

“This ‘5 a.m. to 9 p.m.’ lifestyle is much more tiring than playing chess with the retired emperor.”

He muttered to himself and casually pushed the last stack of selected files to the corner of the table.

I thought that playing chess with that old man Li Yuan was already a tedious task, but now I realize that compared to this densely packed resume, the chariots, knights, and cannons on the chessboard are just a pastime.

After finally arranging the case files neatly into three categories—"selected," "pending," and "removed"—he had just picked up the cold teacup on the table to moisten his throat when he heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

Su Dingfang immediately frowned.

They had already given instructions that no one should come near to disturb them unless it was urgent.

Who was so blind as to dare...?

"County Magistrate!" Gao Yue lifted the curtain and entered, her face showing a hint of urgency.

"His Majesty summons you to the palace immediately."

Su Dingfang lowered his head abruptly and continued looking at the dossier in his hand.

Wen He paused, her hand holding the teacup still, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

This happened a while ago; the debate in the court has been resolved, or... there have been new developments.

He put down his teacup, and when he stood up, his legs, which were stiff from sitting for a long time, staggered. He had to hold onto the edge of the table to steady himself.

"Understood." He straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and said to Su Dingfang and the others.

"I'll leave the rest to you all. I'll be right back."

Su Dingfang nodded: "Don't worry, sir."

Xu Jingzong quickly got up, wanting to say a few words of advice, but was stopped by a look from Wen He.

Some things don't need to be said outright.

Wen He followed Gao Yue out of the Hundred Riders' duty room. The cold wind blew in their faces, carrying the chill of the snow, which cleared his muddled mind a bit.

the strange thing is.

The place Gao Yue took Wen He to was neither the Liangyi Hall nor the Lizheng Hall.

In the past, when Li Er summoned him to discuss matters, it was either in the Liangyi Hall or the Lizheng Hall. But today he went to the Forbidden Garden. This is really strange.

"Where are we going? We're already outside Ganlu Gate, aren't we?" Wen He asked, puzzled.

Gao Yue, who was leading the way, smiled and said, "His Majesty wanted to relax at the mountain and water pond, so he specially sent the county magistrate to accompany him."

As you exit Ganlu Gate, the majestic palace walls are gradually replaced by the bleak winter scenery.

Wen He's doubts grew stronger.

"There's no one else but me?"

Wen He was surprised.

In the past, Li Er would summon him to the Lizheng Hall or the Taiji Hall.

Why do you think he has so much leisure time today, letting him come here for a visit?
Gao Yue smiled and shook her head, saying, "Today, only the county magistrate is here."

Wen He pursed her lips, feeling that something was not quite right.

Shortly afterward, a carriage stopped in front of him.

Before Wen He could ask, Gao Yue invited him into the car.

“It’s cold outside, Your Majesty is worried that the county magistrate will catch a cold,” Gao Yue said with a smile.

Wen He gave a dry laugh.

Li Er knew the weather was cold, so why didn't he stay in the Lizheng Hall?
He sighed helplessly. They'd come this far; were they really going to make him go back?

He had no choice but to obediently get into the carriage.

Soon after, Gao Yue's voice could be heard from outside.

"We've arrived at the county seat."

Wen He stepped off the car onto a footstool. The cold wind, carrying the damp chill of the lake water, hit him in the face, causing him to instinctively wrap his cotton robe tighter.

Long icicles hung from the eaves of the warm pavilion, gleaming bluish-white in the sunlight. The candlelight shining from inside cast long shadows on the paper windows.

Only when you get closer can you hear the faint bubbling sound of a silver kettle boiling inside, mixed with a faint pine smoke and the aroma of tea, condensing into wisps of white mist in the cold air.

As the curtain was lifted, warmth mingled with the aroma of tea, but it couldn't dispel the somber atmosphere inside the pavilion.

Several palace maids were standing with their heads bowed beside a low table, slowly brewing tea. When they saw Wen He enter, they only glanced at her briefly before lowering their heads again.

Li Shimin, sitting cross-legged behind the desk, was completely devoid of his usual majesty in the court.

He was wearing a dark fox fur coat, the mink fur at the collar making his face appear even more somber. He held a white jade chess piece in his hand, his knuckles white from the force of his grip, yet he hesitated to put it down.

His gaze fell on the frozen lake outside the window, the surface of which was covered with thick ice, and the remaining snow on the shore was a vast expanse of white in the twilight.

"Your humble servant Wen He greets Your Majesty."

Wen He stepped forward quietly and bowed.

Li Shimin slowly came to his senses. When he looked up at him, the gloom in his eyes had faded slightly, but he still couldn't hide his exhaustion.

He raised his hand to indicate, "You're here? Please have a seat."

Wen He sat down on the futon opposite as instructed. A palace maid brought in a gilded lacquer bowl filled with hot red date soup. The soup was thick and had a few plump red dates floating on top.

"These are newly presented tribute dates from Hedong. I specially ordered the imperial kitchen to cook a soup with them."

Li Shimin looked at him, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"You're still young, so drink less honey water and more of this to nourish your body."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." Wen He quickly stood up to express her gratitude, took the bowl of red date soup with both hands, her fingertips touching the warm bowl, but she muttered to herself inwardly.

What's wrong with Li Er today?
Could it be that the events at court spurred him and caused him to change his ways?

He held the bowl and sipped slowly, but out of the corner of his eye he caught Li Shimin picking up his own teacup and taking a small sip.

In the past, Li Er couldn't live without pepper.

We always add some pepper to our tea soup to enhance the flavor, just like when we eat spicy soup.

Today, however, his bowl was completely empty, clearly indicating that nothing had been added.

It seems she's really in a bad mood; even her eating habits have changed.

The warm room was quiet for a moment, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire.

Li Shimin gazed at the frozen lake outside the window and suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of remoteness: "I have always wanted to sit here in this mountain and water pond, but every winter, my elder brother always loves to come here to admire the snow scenery. Whenever he comes, I have to give way."

Wen He paused slightly in her hand holding the bowl.

Is this... a trigger for memories, reminding me of Li Jiancheng?

At his age, he shouldn't be reminiscing so frequently, right?

Seemingly noticing the strangeness on Wen He's face, Li Shimin turned his head, glanced at him, and suddenly burst into laughter, though there was little warmth in his laughter.

"Sometimes I do wonder, if my elder brother had really become the emperor back then, what would my situation be like now?"

Wen He's heart skipped a beat.

This is a really serious problem!

He almost subconsciously lowered his head, staring at the jujube soup in the bowl, pretending to be focused on drinking the soup.

But he was complaining like crazy in his heart.

What other kind of scene could it be?
With Li Jiancheng's temperament and Li Yuanji's instigation, you would probably be dead by now, your grave overgrown with weeds!
But these words must be kept hidden, not even thought, let alone spoken aloud.

All he can do now is to be a dutiful quail, shrinking his neck and pretending not to hear.

Seeing that Wen He was only focused on drinking soup with her head down, her head almost touching the rim of the bowl, and even her ears were red, Li Shimin's smile deepened. However, he did not pursue the sensitive topic any further. Instead, he picked up the teacup again and ran his fingertips along the cool rim of the cup.

"Only after I sat on that throne did I truly understand what it means to be a lonely ruler."

A long sigh suddenly echoed in the warm room, followed by a loud clang as a teacup was slammed onto the table, splashing a few drops of scalding tea that left faint white marks on the rosewood table.

Wen He's hand holding the bowl of jujube soup suddenly paused, and her eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

He knew exactly what was going on.

Li Er has stumbled in the court debate, and quite badly at that.

At the first court assembly in the first year of the Zhenguan era, those officials dared to disrespect the new emperor, no wonder Li Er was so frustrated.

However... it's rather strange that His Majesty doesn't confide in Empress Zhangsun, his confidante, about such troublesome matters, but instead drags this half-grown boy to this windswept mountain pool.

Wen He shrank her neck and pulled the bowl of jujube soup closer to her chest.

It's freezing cold.

Why did they have to send him to such a cold place?

"Wen Jiaying, I am speaking to you!"

Li Shimin suddenly shouted coldly, his voice filled with suppressed anger, which startled Wen He so much that her hand trembled and the bowl of jujube soup crashed against the table with a "bang," almost falling to the ground.

"Ah? Your Majesty, I'm listening! Please continue, please continue!"

Wen He quickly steadied the bowl, looked up at Li Shimin and gave a dry laugh, her eyes still showing some lingering fear.

"You!" Li Shimin was amused by his appearance, but then his face darkened and his sharp gaze pierced through him as if he wanted to see right through him.

"Didn't you say before that Du Ruhui and Fang Xuanling were my trusted ministers?"

Wen He's heart skipped a beat; she knew the real topic was coming.

"But now, they are...sigh."

Li Shimin was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly sighed heavily and glanced around the warm pavilion.

Standing not far away, Gao Yue was very quick-witted and immediately understood, giving a wink to the palace maids and eunuchs standing nearby.

Everyone bowed and withdrew silently, even gently lowering the curtain, leaving only the two people facing each other in the warm chamber. The charcoal fire crackled in the brazier, and the occasional sparks fell into the ashes and vanished in an instant.

The wind outside the window swept past, carrying the mournful sound of pine trees, like someone sobbing softly. Silence filled the warm room, making one's chest feel heavy.

A moment later, Li Shimin slammed his palm on the table, causing the chessboard to vibrate and buzz. Several chess pieces rolled off the table and bounced on the ground with a crisp sound.

"I have already yielded!"

His voice was filled with suppressed frustration, and even the veins on his forehead were throbbing.

"I didn't ask to open all the streets, I only asked to set up a few 'temporary markets' outside the East and West Markets of Chang'an, open only during festivals, with special personnel to manage the order, and only collect a small amount of tax. Even so, they still wouldn't allow it!"

"More than a dozen people jointly submitted a petition against it, and that scoundrel Zhao Hongzhi even knelt outside the Taiji Hall, saying that I am fond of petty gains and that they hinder the government." Li Shimin was panting heavily, and the bloodshot in his eyes became more and more obvious.

"What's even more infuriating are Du Ruhui and Fang Xuanling! They actually echoed this, saying things like 'If the markets are disorderly, the people's livelihood will be chaotic, and if the people's livelihood is chaotic, agriculture will be ruined.' Are they trying to make me ignorant?!"

Wen He held the bowl of jujube soup and listened silently. He knew that Du Ruhui came from the Du family of Jingzhao, and although Fang Xuanling was not in the core of Guanzhong, he was also deeply rooted in the Guanzhong Group.

Now, one is serving as the Grand Secretary, another as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and together with Xiao Yu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Yuwen Shiji, the Attendant-in-Ordinary… all the bigwigs of the three provinces are from Guanzhong?!
This doesn't even include the six ministries.

This is hardly the Li family's domain.
It's clearly a conglomerate from Guanzhong.

No wonder some people in later generations said that the situation in the early Tang Dynasty was extremely dangerous. If it weren't for Li Shimin's strong leadership, the dynasty would have followed in the footsteps of the Sui Dynasty and perished after only two generations.

Thinking about it this way, the threat from Guanzhong was much greater than that from the aristocratic clans.

No wonder Li Zhi would start dealing with Guanzhong as soon as he ascended the throne.

Of course, Changsun Wuji also bears some responsibility for this.

It's because he's too domineering.

"Your Majesty, calm down."

Wen He put down the bowl of jujube soup and said with a smile.

“Getting angry won’t solve anything. In my opinion, why don’t we find some outside help?”

He knew in his heart that Li Shimin's anger at this moment was less directed at the Guanlong Group and more at the sting of betrayal.

However, Wen He still felt that Li Shimin shouldn't have gone to such lengths.

In the original history, these two were still hesitant before the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

He finally agreed after being beaten up by Changsun Wuji.

However, this event does not occur in current history.

It's highly likely because they knew Wen He's identity as a time traveler.

Looking back now, it's highly likely that Li Shimin revealed his identity to Du Ruhui and Fang Xuanling.

There could be no surprises in the Xuanwu Gate incident.

Therefore, Li Er should have known their identities long ago.

Why get so angry?
Li Shimin's anger subsided somewhat. He took a deep breath, and the violent heaving of his chest gradually calmed down. His gaze towards Wen He held a more scrutinizing yet knowing look: "Jiaying is indeed insightful. That's what I thought too, but... I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you."

"I?"

Wen He blinked blankly, her finger unconsciously pointing to the tip of her nose, her heart suddenly skipping a beat.

He quickly started calculating in his mind.

Currently, five forces are entrenched in the Tang Dynasty court, both openly and covertly.

The royal family goes without saying.

The Guanlong Group has the deepest roots, holding key positions in three provinces.

Many of the Shandong gentry were military officers, and their influence within the army was deeply entrenched.

Although the powerful families of Jiangnan had little influence in the imperial court, they controlled the financial resources of the southeast.

Then there are the five prominent families and seven noble clans, who, though not easily involved in military or political affairs, use their family background and prestige to intimidate others, even the royal family has to give them some leeway.

Li Shimin, in his efforts to deal with the Guanzhong Plain, would never have employed the Shandong gentry.

Those military officers already had deep ties with the Guanzhong military faction; rashly promoting them would only backfire.

In this way, the only forces that can be borrowed are the prominent families of Jiangnan and the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families.

Wen He suddenly looked up, a thought flashing through his mind.

The relationship between myself and the five surnames and seven noble families is not just a little delicate.

He had just confronted the Zheng family of Xingyang at Qujiang Pool. Now that His Majesty wants to rely on the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, could it be that His Majesty wants to push him out as a "sacrifice" to appease those noble families?
wrong……

Li Er is not such a short-sighted person.

He had a hundred riders under his command and could occasionally foresee the future.

There were also a series of subsequent reforms, and Li Shimin needed to use him.

Therefore, Li Er would never sacrifice himself to appease the gentry.

that……

Is he trying to avoid the limelight in the imperial court?
A more absurd idea suddenly popped into Wen He's mind.

Are they going to dismiss him and send him home?

Hey, if that's true, that would be amazing!
No need to face those densely packed files every day, no need to deal with Su Dingfang's stern face, and no need to get involved in the murky waters of Guanzhong and the aristocratic clans...

Wen He felt increasingly pleased with herself, but deliberately put on a tragic and heroic expression, as if she were going to her death.

"Your Majesty, I am not wronged at all, not even a little bit!"

He stood up abruptly, his smile beaming.

"Although I am young and hold a low official position, as the saying goes, 'Though my position is humble, I dare not forget my duty to the country.' As long as I can share Your Majesty's burdens, I would gladly face any hardship, even going through fire and water. Please, Your Majesty, issue the decree!"

His tone and expression were those of a perfect example of loyalty to the emperor and serving the country; even his eyes were red with emotion.

Li Shimin was taken aback by his sudden generosity, and the chess piece in his hand stopped in mid-air.

He was still figuring out how to explain it to the kid.

Asking him to feign compliance with those old foxes would be even more difficult than asking him to expand the cavalry force by a hundred.

But the current situation... seems a bit off no matter how you look at it.

Wait, I haven't said anything about making him suffer! Judging from his expression, could it be that he's thinking about something else?

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes slightly, tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, and tentatively said, "I originally intended to entrust this matter entirely to Ma Zhou, but in order to appease the gentry, I plan to have Zheng Shanyuan's son, Zheng Yunzhu, assist him and temporarily serve as the head of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, responsible for liaising with the people of the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families."

He paused, then deliberately emphasized, "I know you had some unpleasantness with the Zheng family before, but this was for the sake of the overall situation, and we had no choice but to do so. Do you... have any objections?"

As he spoke, Li Shimin's gaze was fixed on Wen He like that of a hawk, not missing a single change in his face.

He wanted to see what Wen He had been thinking just now.

To everyone's surprise, Wen He's face was blank, even showing a hint of innocence as if she hadn't quite caught up.

He blinked, still thinking to himself, 'Why not mention resignation? Let Ma Zhou go, what does Zheng Yunzhu becoming the principal officer have to do with me? I'm not a principal officer in the Ministry of Civil Affairs!'

"Your Majesty, I have no objection. Your Majesty is wise."

Wen He quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

"Although Zheng Yunzhu is a member of the Zheng family, as long as he can serve the court and benefit the people, what does his background matter? My previous conflict with the Zheng family was merely a private matter and would not affect state affairs."

He spoke frankly and openly, but he was secretly plotting something.

As long as I don't have to deal with those aristocratic families, it doesn't matter who's in charge.

Ideally, I could stay in the Hundred Riders safely, finish the expansion, and then...

Maybe I can take a long leave to go home and be with Xiaorou.

Wen He was making plans for the long holiday.

Should we finalize the mold for the large iron pot first?
The heat generated by the blast furnace at home should be about right.

Yan Lide's men sent three times to urge for the horseshoe samples, saying that the army needed them urgently.

And that restaurant, it was originally planned to open after the Lantern Festival, now we need to quickly get Zhou Fu to oversee the renovations...

"Snapped!"

A light slap landed on the back of his head, not too hard, but it pulled him out of his thoughts.

Wen He covered his head and looked up, only to see Li Shimin glaring at him, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, looking just like an angry Vajra in a temple.

"Do you think I'll throw you away, dismiss you from your post, and send you home to rest?"

Li Shimin's tone carried a hint of disappointment and frustration.

"Look at the way you're grinning from ear to ear, do you think I can't tell?"

Wen He, his thoughts exposed, awkwardly touched his nose and chuckled dryly, "Misunderstanding, pure misunderstanding... His Majesty is wise and mighty, how could he do such a thing?"

But in his heart he was thinking: "It would be so much better to quit, it would save me so much trouble and effort..."

"I said that appointing Zheng Yunzhu would be a disservice to you, when did I say I would dismiss you from your post?"

Li Shimin tapped his forehead in an annoyed tone.

"What strange and wonderful things are you thinking about all day long?"

Wen He shrank back, not daring to reply.

Seeing his expression, Li Shimin's anger subsided considerably. He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "However, there is indeed something else I need to tell you. I intend to hand over the regulations for the scholars' study tours that you previously spearheaded to Fu Ji. He will soon be taking up a post in the Ministry of Personnel."

Wen He was taken aback upon hearing this.

The idea of ​​scholars traveling to study abroad was something he had previously used to deal with the aristocratic families.

Cui Dunli had also been eyeing it before.

However, he has a lot on his plate lately, and the weather is cold.

So we haven't officially started hiring yet.

If Changsun Wuji wanted to take over, it wouldn't be impossible.

only……

He looked up at Li Shimin, his eyes full of doubt.

The matter of the study tour was entrusted to Changsun Wuji.

Li Er sent him back to the Ministry of Personnel, which was clearly a move to promote him.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was the most coveted position among the Six Ministries, in charge of the appointment, evaluation, promotion, and demotion of civil officials throughout the country. His power was so immense that it could crush a person.

The Guanlong Group just embarrassed Li Er in the market incident, and now he's given such an important position to Changsun Wuji?
Seemingly seeing through his thoughts, Li Shimin picked up his teacup, gently stroking the cool surface of the cup with his fingertips, and said in a leisurely voice: "A few days ago, there was a debate in the court. All the civil and military officials either echoed the Guanzhong region or remained silent. Only Fuji was the first to stand up and refute those people."

He paused, his gaze falling on the heavy snow outside the window, a complex expression on his face: "I know you dislike him, and I also know that he will become the powerful minister you mentioned in the future."

"But Fu Ji is, after all, Guan Yinbi's brother and the Crown Prince's maternal uncle."

Li Shimin's voice lowered, his eyes slightly warmed, carrying an indescribable tenderness.

It turned out to be the case.

Wen He suddenly realized.

This must be what they call the heart of an emperor.

After saying all that, Li Shimin's point is essentially the same.

This allowed Changsun Wuji to stand on equal footing with Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I understand."

Even if you understand, you still need to be wary of what needs to be guarded against.

However, at present, there is indeed no more suitable candidate than Changsun Wuji.

Seeing his calm expression and lack of dissatisfaction, Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face: "Well, it's good that you understand. Once the matter of expanding the Hundred Cavalry is settled, I will come to you to hand over the regulations for the study tour."

"No! Why should I go!"

In the study of the Duke of Qi's mansion, the charcoal fire was burning brightly.

Changsun Chong clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, his chest heaving violently, and his eyes were filled with resentment as he looked at Changsun Wuji.

His injuries looked mostly healed, but his knees still ached terribly when it was cold, and he walked with a slight limp.

These past few days, I've been recuperating at home, and I already had nowhere to vent my anger. Now, I'm like a firecracker that's about to explode.

"This is the will of your aunt and His Majesty!"

Changsun Wuji's face was cold, and his voice was devoid of emotion, but looking at his former most valued son, he felt helpless.

How could he possibly want his son to bow down?
But the current situation doesn't allow him to act recklessly.

"That country bumpkin hit me! Why should I go to his house to apologize?"

Changsun Chong's voice suddenly rose, his eyes turning bloodshot.

"Father, have you forgotten how he humiliated me at Wangchun Tower that day? Have you forgotten how I injured my leg?"

Just now, Changsun Wuji called him to his study and told him to bring generous gifts to the Zifu residence in Gaoyang County tomorrow to apologize to Wen He.

He thought he heard wrongly.

How could his father let him bow down to that greenhorn?

"Are you aware that His Majesty has already intended to groom Erlang?"

Changsun Wuji didn't respond to his words, but simply uttered a sentence in a deep voice.

"Changsun Huan? Who does he think he is!"

Changsun Chong, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, shouted angrily.

"shut up!"

Changsun Wuji slammed his hand on the table, making the inkstone on it bounce.

"Ever since that incident at Wangchun Tower, you've been living a life of self-destruction at home. How long has it been since you last set foot in your study? All you do is drink and throw tantrums. Look at the state you've become!"

His gaze swept over Changsun Chong like a knife: "And your second brother, although he is only a chief clerk in the Hundred Cavalry, he has participated in several of the Hundred Cavalry's operations, and His Majesty has praised him highly. If you continue like this, sooner or later His Majesty will completely abandon you!"

Changsun Chong clenched his fist, which was hidden in his sleeve, even tighter, his nails almost digging into his flesh.

He hated Changsun Huan's relentless pressure, and he hated Wen He's rise to power even more.

If it weren't for that country bumpkin, how could he have ended up in such a state?

Changsun Wuji saw this but did not reprimand him further. He simply softened his tone and said, "I was impulsive before, always thinking that you should be superior to Wen He. But this time, the matter of Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui has made me see His Majesty's thoughts clearly."

He walked to the window, looked at the bare branches of the trees outside the courtyard, and said with a touch of vicissitude in his voice: "What His Majesty wants is never for any one family to be dominant, but for the balance of power in the court. Otherwise, given Wen He's merits, why has His Majesty been so slow to promote him to a higher rank?"

“The people of Guanzhong are openly defying the Emperor’s will this time. The Five Clans and Seven Noble Families and the Jiangnan aristocratic families want to take this opportunity to rise again. The only people His Majesty can use are Wen He and his father. Wen He is just a child. This burden will eventually fall on his father’s shoulders.”

Sending Changsun Chong to apologize was ostensibly to give Wen He a way out, but in reality, it was sending a signal to His Majesty.

The Changsun family will always stand on the side of the emperor.

Regardless of Guanzhong or other powerful families, anyone who dares to oppose His Majesty will become an enemy of Changsun Wuji.

“Father, but we are also from the Guanzhong region. Wouldn’t doing this offend those people?” Changsun Chong finally calmed down a bit, but he still couldn’t understand.

"Confused!"

Changsun Wuji turned around and glared at him.

“Those people only care about their own interests. Do you really think they consider us family? If you lose power, they will just discard you like a piece of trash.”

He understands this principle all too well.

When I was a child, my family fell out of power, and people avoided us like the plague, refusing to even give us a full meal.

If it weren't for his uncle, he and his sister would have starved to death long ago.

The reason why the Guanzhong region now admires Fang and Du is simply because they can bring more benefits to the gentry.

Looking at his son's still tense face, Changsun Wuji sighed helplessly and softened his tone: "Although His Majesty is disappointed in you now, he has not completely given up on you. After spring, I will arrange for you to join the group of scholars who travel for study and let you gain experience in the prefectures and counties."

This was the opportunity he had obtained from Li Shimin.

"As long as you can achieve something and let His Majesty see your changes, he will naturally value you again. Apologizing to Wen He this time is your first step, letting His Majesty know that you have become sensible and grown up, and are no longer the reckless boy you used to be."

Changsun Chong remained silent.

Looking at the new gray hairs at his father's temples, and recalling his own recent despondency, he felt as if something was blocking his heart.

After a long while, he finally raised his head, the fierceness on his face dissipating considerably. He solemnly bowed to Changsun Wuji: "Son... I understand. Tomorrow, son will go to the Prince's residence in Gaoyang County."

Changsun Wuji felt relieved when he saw him with his head down, but also felt a mix of emotions.

He reached out and helped his son up, patting him on the shoulder: "This is the fine son of my Changsun family. Remember, a true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm. Bowing your head now is so that you can stand taller in the future."

Changsun Chong looked at him and nodded solemnly.

He suppressed his resentment.

Early the next morning.

Outside the Gaoyang County government building.

Three carriages came to a smooth stop at the entrance.

As soon as Changsun Chong got off the carriage, he saw a familiar figure appear at the gate.

His brows furrowed involuntarily.

The person not far away had obviously noticed him as well, and exclaimed inwardly, "Why is he here?"

(End of this chapter)