Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

"Return to your highness."

Fang Xuanling bowed and said,

"This list is the result of several days of review and deliberation by senior officials and colleagues in the Ministry of Personnel."

Five prominent families and seven influential clans fell from power, leaving nine out of ten official posts in the north empty and talent scarce.

This old minister has searched through the lists of scholars throughout the land and found that only in Jiangnan is the literary atmosphere flourishing and talents emerging in great numbers.

These people were selected from among the most talented individuals recommended by various prefectures and states, chosen one in a hundred.

Li Shimin nodded slightly, which was considered as acknowledging Fang Xuanling's statement.

Li Chengqian didn't ask any further questions, but simply handed the list to Xiao Shunzi next to him.

The storm seemed to have subsided.

Over the next month, the imperial court underwent a complete transformation.

The newly appointed officials from Jiangnan quickly filled the vacancies and displayed a style quite different from that of the northern aristocratic families.

Unlike Cui Mingan and his gang, who were arrogant and domineering, they were all gentle and refined.

His manners were so impeccable that even a rough man like Cheng Yaojin couldn't find fault with them.

More importantly, these people are extremely efficient. The official documents they submit are well-organized and can be implemented directly with almost no modifications.

For a time, the government and the public alike praised this group of talented scholars from Jiangnan.

Even Wei Zheng was very satisfied with these officials from Jiangnan.

This was the morning court session.

The newly appointed Vice Minister of Revenue, Chu Suiliang, stepped out from the ranks of civil officials.

This man was one of the leaders of the Jiangnan gentry, whose calligraphy was unparalleled in the Tang Dynasty. He was also a man of great elegance and enjoyed a high reputation among the scholars of Jiangnan.

"Your subject, Chu Suiliang, has a memorial to present."

"speak."

Li Shimin had a very good impression of this capable Vice Minister of Revenue.

Chu Suiliang first bowed to Li Shimin, then bowed deeply in the direction of Li Chengqian, displaying the utmost courtesy.

"I have heard that the way to govern a country is to store up wealth among the people and allow them to rest and recuperate."

However, the royal trading companies established by His Highness the Crown Prince are spread all over the country.

The goods sold range from daily necessities like firewood and rice to fine silks and satins; they encompass everything imaginable.

The merchant guild, operating under the guise of royalty, effectively monopolized the market. Wherever they went, private merchants went bankrupt, and the people suffered greatly.

This is tantamount to competing with the people for profit, which is not the behavior of a wise ruler.

No sooner had he finished speaking than he turned his attention to the Eastern Palace Academy.

"The Eastern Palace Academy does not teach the teachings of sages and worthies, but focuses on strange skills and frivolous crafts."

They squandered countless national funds, yet all they learned were the skills of craftsmen, rendering them unfit for high office or capable of bringing peace to the people.

If this continues, it will surely corrupt the literary style of our Great Tang Dynasty and shake the very foundation of our nation!

Unlike Cui Mingan, Chu Suixing did not directly attack the Crown Prince himself, but instead targeted the two pillars upon which the Crown Prince had built his power.

Moreover, his words were a hundred times more insightful than Cui Mingan's.

After he finished speaking, many officials in the court showed expressions of agreement.

Even Wei Zheng frowned and fell into deep thought.

The Royal Trading Company did make a lot of money, but it also squeezed the space for private businesses to survive.

While the talents trained by the Eastern Palace Academy are practical, the conflict between its doctrines and traditional Confucian thought is becoming increasingly apparent.

Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian, wanting to see how this rebellious son would deal with it.

To everyone's surprise, Li Chengqian yawned in front of the entire court.

This scene caused Chu Suiliang, who was giving a passionate speech, to blush instantly.

This is blatant contempt.

"Your Highness!"

Chu Suiliang questioned,

"What I have said is all for the sake of the nation's well-being; why does Your Highness treat it with such disdain?"

Li Chengqian rubbed his eyes and glanced at him lazily:

"Lord Chu, you just rambled on and on, let me summarize it for you."

Are you trying to say that I made the wrong move in my money-making scheme, that I shouldn't have taken the initiative, and that I should have given the opportunity to ordinary people?

Chu Suiliang was taken aback, then nodded and said:

"Your Highness is wise; that is exactly what I meant."

"Okay."

Li Chengqian scoffed.

"Then why don't you get some money for the national treasury?"

"what?"

Chu Suiliang was dumbfounded.

This script is wrong.

Shouldn't the crown prince debate with himself about whether "enriching the people" or "making the country rich and the people strong" is more important?

Why did you jump straight to making money?

"My royal trading company contributed three million strings of cash in net profit to the national treasury last year. This does not even include the mineral resources in Liaodong and the expenses saved for the army."

The students trained by my Eastern Palace Academy are now building bridges and roads for the Ministry of Works and digging canals and dams for the Ministry of Water Resources.

The improvement of agricultural tools alone has led to a 30% increase in grain production in Guanzhong this year.

"Lord Chu, you open your mouth and accuse me of competing with the people for profit, and of undermining the foundation of the nation."

Li Chengqian stepped forward and patted Chu Suiliang on the shoulder.

"I won't argue with you. I'll just ask you one question: if you don't like my methods, then what good methods do you have to conjure up money for the Emperor's private treasury and the national treasury of our Great Tang?"

"If you could, I would order the Royal Trading Company to close down right now, and the sign for the Eastern Palace Academy to be taken down. How about I hand it all over to you?"

The entire court was completely silent.

All eyes were on Chu Suiliang.

"I...I..."

Chu Suiliang stammered, but couldn't utter a single word.

Ask him to write a magnificent article, and he can write tens of thousands of words.

Could you ask him to conjure money out of thin air?

How could he possibly know how to do that?

"You can't do it?"

Li Chengqian mocked,

"If you can't do it, what are you talking about?"

"Pfft!"

Cheng Yaojin couldn't help but laugh.

That laugh seemed to be a signal, and the generals' side immediately burst into laughter.

Li Shimin, sitting on the dragon throne, was both amused and exasperated.

This unfilial son is becoming more and more like a street ruffian.

However, he felt inexplicably relieved.

"quiet!"

Li Shimin coughed lightly.

"Minister Chu, although the Crown Prince's words are crude, the reasoning behind them is sound."

"Since you think the Crown Prince's method is inappropriate, then I will give you a chance."