The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

Listening to their seemingly paternal and filial conversation, Li Shimin and Chen Huai'an were speechless, unsure of what to say.

Fortunately, the two had already left, otherwise they were afraid they would burst out laughing.

"Your Highness, is there something you need for me?" Chen Huai'an asked directly after everyone had left.

Li Shimin nodded slightly, first gesturing for Chen Huai'an to sit down, then tossed the list in his hand onto the table.

"What do you think is the best way for me to use this list?"

After pondering for a moment, Chen Huai'an replied, "If Your Highness wishes to hear my advice, then I will speak."

"you say."

"My suggestion is to immediately arrange for people to find substantial evidence of these people's embezzlement, and then not to take immediate action against them."

"Oh?" Li Shimin's eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled, saying, "You want me to use this to blackmail them?"

"This is the best solution right now," Chen Huai'an said directly. "You know the situation all too well. There are too many officials involved. If we rush things and purge them all, it will only cause greater turmoil."

"Actually, from another perspective, corrupt officials who have evidence of embezzlement are the most loyal officials in the world."

"You hold this list, you have evidence of their corruption, so don't you hold their lives, and even the lives of their entire families, in your hands?"

Li Shimin nodded with pleasure: "That makes sense. That's what I was thinking too. If we kill them all now, we might not get anything except some money."

"But if I give them important positions, then they will be the most loyal to me, and both the people and the money will belong to me."

Upon hearing this, Chen Huai'an added, "Right now, the Tang Dynasty is facing the covetous gaze of the Turks and needs to end the internal strife as soon as possible. These things will greatly help Your Highness end the internal strife and consolidate your regime."

"Therefore, my suggestion is to find evidence, and then use both soft and hard tactics. Once we get through this current difficulty with the Turks, we can deal with these people slowly."

He paused, then suddenly asked, "There are some things I'm unsure whether I should say."

Li Shimin turned his head and said in a mysterious tone, "There's no one else around now. If you have anything to say, just tell me in private."

From this point on, he changed his self-reference from "I" to "I".

This represents a shift in identity and occasion.

The implication was that he was telling Chen Huai'an that he wasn't joking and was serious.

Chen Huai'an understood, of course. After a moment of contemplation, he hesitated and said, "If Your Highness ascends the throne, you will inevitably need to build your own team. I'm not referring to people like Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, or Wei Zheng and me."

"But it's all the officials in the entire court, from the lowest to the highest levels..."

"If we promote people from official families, it will be difficult to guarantee their loyalty, and it will also lead to the growing power of these families."

"To avoid this situation, I think the best way is to introduce the imperial examination system and promote students from poor families."

Li Shimin's eyes narrowed, and his gaze towards Chen Huai'an changed once again.

"What's wrong, Your Highness? Did I say something wrong?" Chen Huai'an asked, feigning innocence.

Li Shimin gave him a deep look, shook his head and sighed, "Chen Huai'an, Chen Huai'an, Guanyinbi said you are a living Zhuge Liang, with flawless strategies."

"Now, I agree with this statement more and more."

"You even foresaw my plan to establish the imperial examination system, promote students from poor families, and suppress aristocratic families?"

Chen Huai'an coughed dryly: "This is just a reasonable deduction. I am absolutely unworthy of such praise from the Crown Princess. I am far inferior to Prime Minister Zhuge, and it is absolutely inappropriate to compare us."

Li Shimin chuckled lightly, seemingly unsure whether he believed him or not, and then said, "Yes, you're right, I do have such a plan, but what does that have to do with this matter?"

"Because one radish, one hole," Chen Huai'an said unhurriedly. "So many corrupt officials can be used temporarily, but they should never be used for a long time or given important positions. Therefore, when the imperial examination is held later, enough talented people can be selected to gradually replace these people and ensure a smooth transition."

"Before this, these corrupt officials could even help us select people from poor families, and then replace them with the selected people from poor families, slowly taking control and maximizing their profits."

After listening, Li Shimin pondered for a while and understood the implication of Chen Huai'an's words.

If a poor family is chosen to compete against a powerful clan, would the powerful clans agree?

That's impossible.

Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji alone might not be able to resist, but with these corrupt officials added, the chances of success would be much greater.

As for cleaning it up slowly, isn't that simple?

How could he possibly spend all that money he embezzled?

They might not even dare to spend it openly; they'd definitely hide it carefully.

Therefore, this money was destined to be his.

Upon understanding this, even Li Shimin couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

This is damn good! They've really taken these corrupt officials to the extreme, scheming against them to the extreme.

but......

He likes it!

Li Shimin forcibly suppressed the rising corners of his mouth and casually asked, "What do you think I should do with Pei Ji?"

Chen Huai'an pondered, "First, we should handle it discreetly, letting Pei Ji resign and retire to his hometown. Then, we can stage it as a bandit ambush. The advantage of doing this is that His Highness can keep all the treasures. The disadvantage is that it might cause some controversy, but it shouldn't be a big problem."

"Then came the high-profile execution: Pei Ji's various crimes were listed out, announced to all officials, and then he was executed in front of the people at the execution ground. The advantage was to make an example of him and let the senior officials in the court realize the situation. The disadvantage was..."

"The downside is that we'll run out of money?" Li Shimin glared.

"Your Highness, you're in such a hurry again." Chen Huai'an cleared his throat. "Aren't only a few of us the ones who know exactly how much money Pei Ji has embezzled?"

"We won't leak this out, so how much money Pei Ji embezzled is ultimately up to His Highness to decide."

"Besides, didn't Pei Ji already squander the money he embezzled on a lavish lifestyle, buying countless pieces of valuable porcelain and calligraphy? Those valuable pieces of porcelain and calligraphy are evidence of that. Where would he get the money?"

Li Shimin was taken aback, but after realizing what he meant, he wholeheartedly agreed: "Mr. Chen is right. Pei Ji is an utterly wicked man. He is extremely fond of porcelain and calligraphy and paintings, which has led him to spend all the money he has embezzled. He is indeed penniless."

"By the way, sir, what were the disadvantages you mentioned earlier?"

Chen Huai'an: "..."

Well, I'm the teacher again.

He silently cursed to himself, then said somewhat awkwardly, "The downside... might displease His Majesty..."

Before Chen Huai'an could finish speaking, Li Shimin already understood.

After a long silence, Li Shimin said with great distress, "Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety have been difficult to balance. If Father does not understand me, then I can only bear the infamy."

"Your Highness, I haven't finished speaking... I have a way to handle this matter."

"Do you have a solution?"

"right!"

"Damn it, why didn't you say so sooner?"

Chen Huai'an: "..."

"..."