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

Chapter 417 They're trying to win people's hearts.

"A hundred riders?" Wen He's smile vanished instantly, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around the folding fan hidden in her sleeve.

He pondered for a moment and found it strange.

Chang'an has been quite peaceful lately, and the Hundred Cavalry have been training normally without any abnormalities.

The sudden arrival of people at this time definitely indicates that something went wrong not in Chang'an.

The only possibility is that there's news from Hebei.

Zhou Fu, who was standing nearby, was very quick-witted. Seeing this, he knew it was a confidential matter and immediately took two steps back and bowed.

"Young master is busy with important matters, so this old servant will take his leave for now and dare not disturb you."

Wen He nodded in acknowledgment, watched Zhou Fu leave, and then spoke in a deep voice to the servant.

"Lead them to a side room to wait, and clear away any irrelevant people along the way."

"promise!"

The servant bowed in acknowledgment, then turned and swiftly withdrew.

Wen He watched his retreating figure, her eyes narrowing slightly.

The servants in his household are now divided into three categories. One category consists of ordinary cleaning and chores, who have no special status.

One type is the person secretly planted in the palace, hidden among the servants. Although Wen He doesn't know exactly who it is, she has long suspected it.

The last category consists of the Hundred Riders Second Team, all of whom he personally selected to be responsible for the secret coordination between the mansion and the Hundred Riders. The servant boy just now was one of them.

Wen He arrived at the side room shortly afterward.

Pushing open the door, I saw a young man in coarse cloth shorts standing inside. He looked very ordinary, no different from any other small vendor on Chang'an Street. He would have been easily overlooked in a crowd.

This is the style of the Hundred Cavalry Second Squad: the more inconspicuous, the safer.

When the young man saw Wen He enter, he immediately knelt on one knee to pay his respects, his voice low but firm.

"Wei Cheng, the commander, pays his respects to the young master!"

"You're from the second team?"

Wen He frowned and walked directly to the head seat to sit down.

On the surface, Xu Jingzong led three squads of 100 cavalrymen to Hebei this time.

The second team remained hidden in the shadows, and even Xu Jingzong didn't know who the members of the second team were.

Even Wen He himself wasn't very clear about the specific situation of the second team.

The second team has only one hundred people officially registered.

In reality, this applies to everyone, whether they are official members, non-staff members, or downlines.

The relationships are intricate and complex.

They had people in the homes of officials of the fifth rank and above in Chang'an, in the homes of the commanders of the Sixteen Guards, and even in the mansions of the governors of various prefectures.

With such a powerful force, Wen He deliberately kept his distance from the Hundred Riders starting this year.

This is practically the Tang Dynasty version of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; he certainly doesn't want to end up like Jiang Huan and Mao Xiang.

Fortunately, Li Shimin seemed to understand his meaning, and this time he specifically put Xu Jingzong in charge of Hebei affairs, without letting him get involved directly.

But now it's the second team, not the third team, which is very strange.

Wei Cheng lowered his head and replied, his tone somewhat solemn.

"The bid definitely belongs to Team Two."

"Xu Canjun and the others in the third team were being secretly watched, and their words and actions were being monitored. They dared not contact each other rashly, so they could only use secret contact points to transmit messages. After the superiors received the message, they ordered the subordinates to come and report to the young master in person."

"So that's it."

Wen He's heart sank, but she instantly understood.

Xu Jingzong is a very cautious person. He would never use the secret Second Team unless the matter was important and dangerous.

It seems there has been significant progress in Hebei.

He leaned forward slightly.

"Tell me, what exactly happened in Hebei?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Cheng dared not delay and immediately bowed and recounted the recent situation in Hebei in detail.

"Since the scholars traveled to various parts of Hebei to preach, the local farmers' resentment towards the farm owners has gradually become apparent. The day before yesterday, a village gathered dozens of people and directly attacked a nearby farm. If the government had not sent people to the scene in time, the farm owner would probably have lost his life."

Wen He had just sat down when she heard this and was immediately stunned, her face full of surprise.

He used to think that most people at the bottom of society in ancient times were submissive and resigned to their fate, but he never expected that their resistance would be so fierce.

But then I thought about it again and it seemed perfectly reasonable.

If they had truly submitted completely, no one would have uttered the famous line, "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?"

He then found a place to sit down, his tone becoming more serious.

"Was anyone taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble?"

Chaos is not terrible; what is most terrible is that some people take advantage of the situation.

In his view, the villagers storming the wealthy estate might not necessarily be a bad thing, but if someone takes the opportunity to stir up trouble and make the situation even more chaotic, then the trouble will be much bigger.

At that time, Xu Jingzong and Wei Zheng will probably have to take the blame.

Wei Cheng bowed his head and responded, his tone carrying a certain certainty.

“Indeed, some people took the opportunity to cause trouble, and even invoked the name of Dou Jiande, the former king of Xia. However, these people were suppressed by the local farmers as soon as they appeared.”

"Nowadays, farmers in Hebei all say that the Tang Dynasty has already granted them land to live in peace, so who would still remember Dou Jiande? Once the Zhenguan rice is planted next year, there will be no more famine. Why bother with all this trouble?"

Upon hearing this, Wen He immediately understood.

This is all thanks to the traveling scholars and the second Hundred Cavalry Team.

During this period, they traveled around Hebei to promote the cause, and even went deep into villages to eat and live with farmers, without taking a single needle or thread from them.

Only by treating people with such sincerity can we earn their trust and prevent those with ulterior motives from taking advantage of us.

He couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head, sighing to himself.

No wonder someone said that ordinary people are the most lovable; if you treat them well, they will repay you tenfold.

In fact, Wen He knew very well that those who caused trouble in Hebei throughout history were never the common people, but the powerful clans.

Later generations always say that Hebei was never under the jurisdiction of the Tang Dynasty. To put it bluntly, it was only the powerful clans and aristocratic families that were not under their jurisdiction.

Whether the emperor was Dou Jiande or Li Shimin made no difference to the farmers.

As long as they can have enough to eat and live in peace, what does it matter who sits on the dragon throne?
Having figured all this out, Wen He changed the subject and asked with a puzzled expression.

"Judging from this, the situation in Hebei is going relatively smoothly. Old Xu couldn't have sent you back to Chang'an specifically to deliver a message just to talk about these things, could he?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Cheng's expression suddenly turned solemn. He bowed and took half a step forward, lowering his voice as he spoke.

"Xu Canjun sent a message that the Cui family of Qinghe has joined forces with several powerful families in the surrounding area to release some of the hidden households and is also preparing to give them farm tools to support them in reclaiming wasteland."

He paused and continued.

"In addition, the Cui family of Qinghe somehow obtained hundreds of shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice seeds and planned to distribute them to farmers free of charge."

"Even worse, they gathered merchants from Guanzhong and Hebei, preparing to emulate the young master's previous bidding method and comprehensively construct water conservancy facilities in Hebei Province."

"Xu Canjun is worried that the Cui family of Qinghe is clearly trying to win people's hearts and minds, which may shake the foundation we have painstakingly built in Hebei."

After Wei Cheng finished speaking, he stood with his head bowed, waiting for Wen He's instructions.

Wen He, however, was not worried at all; instead, she secretly praised him in her heart.

The Cui family of Qinghe truly lives up to its reputation as the head of the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families; their reaction speed is astounding.

However, they are still too naive to think they can win over the hearts and minds of the people through these means.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his mind racing with calculations.

It seems we need to speed up the search for quartz.

Only by completing the water conservancy projects in Hebei before the Cui family of Qinghe, rendering their plans futile, can the situation be truly stabilized.

However, one thing is strange: where did the Cui family of Qinghe get so much Zhenguan rice?
His eyes narrowed slightly.

It seems that the Hundred Riders haven't moved for a while, and some of them have gotten a little carried away!

Thinking of this, Wen He looked up at Wei Cheng and gave the order.

"Go back to Hebei and report back. Tell Lao Xu not to worry about the Cui family of Qinghe's actions. Have him keep a close eye on the movements of those powerful clans, especially the source of the rice seeds and the background of the merchants. If there is anything unusual, send a message back immediately."

Wei Cheng bowed and accepted the order.

"I will obey your orders! I will convey the young master's instructions to Military Advisor Xu truthfully."

Wen He nodded to signal him to leave. When he was alone in the side room, he got up and walked to the window, gazing at the crabapple tree outside the courtyard, lost in thought.

The sudden move by the Cui family of Qinghe, seemingly imitating his actions, was actually an attempt to win over the hearts and minds of the people of Hebei and gain control of the narrative.

The powerful clans have joined forces, and their wealth and influence are not to be underestimated. To suppress them, we must accelerate our efforts.

The search for quartz has been slowed down in order to build the waterwheel and hydraulic forging hammer.

It now appears necessary to redeploy manpower and prioritize the exploration and mining of quartz.

Only by producing cement as quickly as possible can we ensure the quality and speed of water conservancy projects, and gain the upper hand in this contest with the powerful clans.

He beckoned to the servant outside the door and instructed, "Go to the study and invite Young Master Li Tai over. Tell him I have important matters to discuss with him. Also, have someone prepare a horse; I need to go to the Ministry of Works later." The servant bowed and replied, "Yes, sir! Please wait a moment, I will take care of it right away."

Wen He watched the servant's departing figure, her eyes growing increasingly resolute.

If the Cui family of Qinghe wants to compete with him in speed and methods, then let them try.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Wen He changed into his court robes and took the initiative to enter the palace to request an audience. In the past, it was Li Shimin who summoned him to the palace, so his initiative in coming here drew extra attention from the palace guards.

Upon entering the Lizheng Hall, one would see Li Shimin's face so dark it could drip water, with a memorial on the table—an urgent report from Wei Zheng sent from Hebei.

"Wei Zheng also sent word that the Cui family of Qinghe has a large quantity of Zhenguan rice seeds."

Li Shimin pointed to the memorial in front of him, his tone carrying a hint of suppressed anger.

“Last night I summoned Li Xun, and he patted his chest and guaranteed that not a single grain of the grain taken by the Li family of Zhao County was lost.”

Wen He stood with her head bowed, having already anticipated this.

The meaning behind Li Shimin's words is quite clear.

Since the source was not the Li family of Zhao County, the problem of the leaked grain seeds must have originated in Chang'an.

But he couldn't point this out himself; he had to let Li Shimin figure it out on his own.

His silence displeased Li Shimin. The emperor put down the jade tablet in his hand and glared at him.

"You brat, you used to be so audacious, saying whatever came to mind without a care in the world, but today you've learned to play dumb!"

Wen He could only chuckle awkwardly and bow, saying, "Your Majesty already knows the answer in your heart, why make things difficult for this humble subject?"

"Slippery!"

Li Shimin chuckled and scolded, then sighed helplessly, his tone softening somewhat.

"Now that there are no riders left, Su Lie is too straightforward and not suitable to investigate such secret matters. Huang Chun is a eunuch, so it would be inconvenient for him to come forward. After thinking it over, I think this matter still needs to be handled by you."

Wen He sighed inwardly.

It's time to come.

Before entering the palace, he guessed that Li Shimin would most likely entrust him with the task of investigating the leak of grain seeds.

He knew perfectly well that grain was crucial to the people's livelihood and must not be allowed to become a tool for factional infighting within the court.
No matter who is ultimately responsible, if the matter is not handled properly, the farmers who are hoping to grow Zhenguan rice will ultimately suffer.

"The minister obeys the order."

Without the slightest hesitation, Wen He immediately bowed and accepted the order.

Seeing his decisiveness, Li Shimin was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled.

He suddenly remembered what Wen He had said outside the palace, and his tone softened considerably.

'To do what I can for the people living on this land'

"Go ahead and do what you can."

Wen He was startled, but then felt relieved.

He said those words outside the Lizheng Hall, and it's not surprising that Li Shimin, with his keen eyes and ears, knew them.

He bowed again and said, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

After saying this, Wen He slowly retreated and left the Lizheng Hall.

The sunlight outside the hall was just right.

……

The midday sun was at its zenith, and the gates of the Ministry of Civil Affairs in the Imperial City were tightly shut. There was no sign of the relaxation one might expect during a midday rest; instead, the air felt oppressively cold, making it hard to breathe.

In the main hall, Minister Dou Jing, dressed in a scarlet official robe, stood ramrod straight. His usually gentle face was now covered with a layer of frost, so solemn that no one dared to look him in the eye.

Behind the two pear wood tables in front of him, the left and right vice ministers of the Ministry of Civil Affairs had already taken their seats.

Changsun Wuji has now been officially transferred to the Ministry of Personnel. He is now the Left Vice Minister, having been promoted from the former Right Vice Minister.

The current Right Vice Minister has only been in the Ministry of Civil Affairs for a little over three months.

The Right Vice Minister had only been in office for a little over three months and hadn't even recognized all the other officials in the department. At this moment, his hands were pressed against his knees, and his knuckles were white from the force.

Both of them sat upright, their eyes fixed on the ground, even their breathing was extremely soft.

The scene in the bluestone courtyard outside the main hall was even more somber.

The Fourth Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

All the senior officials and assistant senior officials from the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Gold, and the Ministry of Granaries were present, forming four rows of more than twenty people. Their uniform green round-necked robes made their faces appear even paler.

Everyone lowered their heads and hung their hands, their shoes pressed against the cracks in the blue bricks, not daring to even look up at the locust leaves falling in the courtyard.

"Snapped!"

A loud bang suddenly rang out in the main hall. Dou Jing slammed her hand on the hard wooden table, causing the copper paperweight on the table to jump half an inch high.

The officials in the courtyard all shivered, and one young official even trembled in fright.

"Are the two chief physicians and four assistant ministers from the Ministry of Revenue all here?"

Dou Jing's voice, like ice, pierced through the open hall door and echoed in the courtyard.

"Your humble servant is here."

Six figures emerged from the queue, their steps dragging as if they were made of lead.

The head of the department, Li Song, was nearly fifty years old, and his beard trembled slightly. His five subordinates behind him were even more apprehensive, and the hem of their green official robes swayed.

The group walked to the bottom of the stone steps in front of the hall, bowed deeply, their foreheads almost touching the ground.

Dou Jing's gaze swept over them, scraping across each person's face like a knife, but she didn't speak immediately. Instead, she pressed for answers with a more forceful tone.

"Where are the two inspectors and the three clerks?"

At the very end of the queue, five figures dressed in blue official robes hurriedly squeezed out, their movements so rapid they almost bumped into each other.

Blue is the color of the official robes of eighth and ninth-rank officials. These people are the lowest-ranking clerks in the granary department. They rarely even get to see Dou Jing on ordinary days, and now they are so frightened that their voices have changed.

"Your humble servant is here!"

"Snapped!"

With another sharp crack, Dou Jing flung a thread-bound ledger away.

The ledger slammed onto the stone steps with a thud, its open pages facing everyone, the words "Zhenguan Rice Income and Expenditure Account" starkly visible.

"Explain yourself to me!"

Dou Jing suddenly stood up, the hem of her scarlet official robe sweeping across the edge of the table.

"Last month, 2,300 shi of Zhenguan rice were transferred to Hebei. The books showed that 2,300 shi were released from the warehouse, but the actual storage verification showed that only 2,100 shi remained. Where did the other 200 shi go?!"

The five officials in green robes immediately shrank back, their heads drooping almost to their chests, their whole bodies trembling.

The six officials in green robes looked at each other in bewilderment. Li Song straightened up with a stiff upper lip, his voice weak.

"Your Excellency, all rice seeds have been recorded in their arrival and departure, and every transaction has been verified and signed by your subordinates. There is absolutely no error. Perhaps, perhaps they got damp and moldy during transport, or perhaps they were damaged during loading and unloading?"

"loss?"

Dou Jing suddenly let out a cold laugh, her laughter full of sarcasm.

"Li Song, do you think I'm a three-year-old child who can be easily fooled? Two thousand three hundred bushels of grain, with nearly ten percent lost? Is this transporting grain or feeding it to rats?!"

He took two steps forward, looking down at the crowd with a chilling gaze that almost overflowed from his eyes.

"Should I remind you that this Zhenguan rice was obtained by trading the glass and soap of the Earl of Gaoyang County with the Ring King? There are also high-quality seeds that His Majesty transferred from the private treasury of the Wen family estate. You've all heard about his temper, haven't you?"

"Or have you forgotten why your predecessors were arrested in the ninth year of the Wude era?"

Dou Jing's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"If the Earl of Gaoyang County finds out about this, or if it reaches His Majesty, do you think the Hundred Cavalry Prison is just for show?!"

The moment the words "hundred riders" were uttered, a collective gasp filled the courtyard.

The faces of several officials turned as white as paper instantly, and cold sweat seeped from Li Song's forehead, trickling down his wrinkles.

"I cannot shirk my responsibility for this matter. If Your Majesty punishes me, I will bear the full responsibility!"

Dou Jing's gaze swept over the crowd, like an eagle searching for its prey.

"But before that, I will drag out all of you rats one by one! If you still don't confess honestly by now, I will go and invite the Count of Gaoyang to interrogate you personally!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Xian, the Assistant Director of the Granary Department, turned pale instantly, his legs went weak, and he almost fell over.

The patrol officer Zhang Quan, who was further back, fell to his knees with a thud, his knees hitting the bluestone with a dull thud, and his whole body trembled like a leaf.

"My lord, spare my life! My lord, spare my life!"

"There's no need to trouble Minister Dou."

A cold voice suddenly came from outside the door, carrying a hint of nonchalant mockery.

Everyone turned their heads at the sound, and saw the gate of the Ministry of Civil Affairs being pushed open by two hundred-cavalry guards. A team of hundred cavalrymen dressed in black armor filed in, the sound of their armor plates clashing crisply.

In the middle of the group, Wen He, dressed in a black outfit with a jade belt around her waist, strode into the courtyard.

Sunlight streamed through the doorway behind him, gilding his figure with a golden edge, but his eyes, when they swept over the kneeling officials, were devoid of any warmth.

"I have personally led a hundred cavalrymen here, which saves Minister Dou the trouble of making another trip."

(End of this chapter)