Great Tang princess

Chapter 333 The Necessary Sacrifice

Talking to smart people is very easy. In a few words, the mother and daughter have basically determined the next plan.

Currently Liu Rengui is in Chang'an and Li Yuechen is in Dongdu. Even if something happens, the most important place will not be messed up.

Then, while spreading the word to select talents, and gradually replace those who are dissatisfied, at the same time, establish an intelligence agency to ensure the safety of the royal family.

Shangguan Wan'er was in charge of gathering information full-time, so the affairs of the newspaper office were completely handed over to Princess Yiyang.

Wu Zetian also did what she said, since the two of them agreed to her request, they can try to give some power first, if they can be sure of their loyalty, they can also be cultivated as confidantes in the future.

Of course, I have to mention that there are still reasons for Li Yuechen.

With her around, the daughters of these two enemies are unlikely to betray themselves. To put it bluntly, even if they betray, there will be no big waves.

"Speaking of which, we need to set up an advisor," Wu Zetian thought for a while, "choose a few suitable ones from among your students."

The choice of the person in charge of this institution, which is dedicated to the emperor, is extremely important.And Li Yuechen's students are all from poor families, and they have inherited her ideas during the learning process, so they are relatively more reliable than others.

After dinner, Li Yuechen walked back to Anfu Hall, and saw Shangguan Wan'er sitting in Linbo Pavilion, staring at the pond in a daze.

"Is Wan'er waiting for me?" Li Yuechen took two steps to run up, rolled over the railing, and then sat beside her and asked.

"Ok!"

Shangguan Wan'er nodded slightly, and asked worriedly: "His Highness is about to go out to open the mansion, and the days to return to the palace will be much shorter in the future, Wan'er..."

"Oh, don't worry about that." Li Yuechen leaned against the pillar, stepped on the fence with one foot, then turned his head and asked with a smile, "Do you want to live with me?"

"Together with His Highness?" Shangguan Wan'er opened her eyes wide, as if feeling a little unbelievable, "Can I?"

Li Yuechen tilted his head slightly, and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"

Shangguan Wan'er nodded repeatedly: "Wan'er wants to live with His Highness!"

But after she finished speaking, she stopped again, and said with some hesitation: "Ke Wan'er is a palace maid, this..."

"It won't happen anytime soon." Li Yuechen didn't mind revealing it to her, "In the future, intelligence will be separated from the newspaper society, and you will be in charge of intelligence. In other words... you will be a real official!"

"Official?"

Li Yuechen nodded: "Well, if you are willing, then go to the Princess Mansion with me. If it is not convenient for me to enter the palace to meet Auntie, I need you to convey it for me."

"Really?" Shangguan Wan'er asked expectantly.

"Naturally!" Li Yuechen changed his posture, leaning against the pillar and nodding, "When the time comes, I will move to the Princess Mansion and call your mother together. After so many years in this palace, it's time for a change of environment, right?"

"En! Thank you, Your Highness!" She opened her eyes wide and nodded heavily.

Not to mention, it looks so cute!

……

Although it has been decided, the Princess Mansion only has one piece of land now. If you want to build it, at least you have to wait for the engineering troops and prisoners who are in charge of building the imperial mausoleum to come back. It's summer anyway.

During this period of time, whether it was Li Yuechen or Shangguan Wan'er, they still lived in the palace.

It's just that Shangguan Wan'er's mood is obviously much better, she walks up and down every day, and her work efficiency has also improved a lot.

After seven or eight days, the craftsman sent the four bronze scorpions, and then installed them outside the imperial city according to the order.

Many ministers received the news immediately, but Wu Zetian didn't say clearly, and they didn't know what it was for.

Some officials even leaned over to take a closer look, and found that there were wild beast reliefs on the bronze temple, wondering if it was used to ward off evil spirits?
The next day happened to be the fifteenth, and there was a court meeting, and it was said that all officials in the capital would participate in the court meeting.

The officials came to the gate of Zhenguan Hall before dawn, ready to go to court.

Many ministers who are familiar with each other are discussing what the four copper pegs outside the imperial city are used for, but the replies they get are just shaking their heads, and no one knows their function.

The sun rises, the court begins, and the ministers enter the hall.

According to the procedure, first reported the news from various places, and then the leaders of each department began to report the performance of the past half month.

After reporting on the work, Wu Zetian waved his hand.

Zhang Chengxin next to him nodded in agreement, took two steps forward, took out a scroll, and began to read Tianhou's policies.

"The country should put the country as the most important thing, and in order to recruit talents, it should open up the way of speaking..."

After the reading began, the ministers all began to think about it and open up their opinions. Isn't there a newspaper?
Now anyone can contribute their own articles, poems, etc... as long as they pass the review, they can be spread all over the world immediately. It's already at this point, how can it be published?

"From now on, four copper towers will be set up outside the imperial city. Those who have suggestions and advice on farming, mulberry and raising people in the east can post a letter to the green tower; those who have the fire position in the south can make positive comments on the gains and losses of current affairs. , you can submit a letter to Dangao; the western gold position, those who want to express their grievances, can submit a letter to Sugai; the northern water level, those who are able to offer advice and advice for wisdom, can submit a letter to Xuange... There are those who come to submit a letter , no matter how high or low their status is, they must not be hindered..."

Listening to Zhang Chengxin's chanting, many ministers opened their eyes wide and raised their heads, looking at Wu Zetian sitting behind the bead curtain in disbelief.

This trick is really too ruthless!It is tantamount to forcing them to constantly think of ways to solve various difficult matters of the court, otherwise once they find a better way from this copper box, it is conceivable that they will be completely useless!
After all, there are so many people in the world, and there are many things that they cannot solve, but there are always geniuses who can solve them!

To some extent, this method hit them even harder than the imperial examination!
After all, there is often an element of luck in imperial examinations. Besides being talented, if you fail to pass the exam, you will not pass the exam.

But this is different. If someone really solves the current policy problem by offering a reward through the newspaper, I am afraid that he will be promoted to the rank immediately!
The official censor Wei Xuantong frowned and turned to look at Di Renjie.

The latter understood, walked out immediately, and saluted respectfully: "Queen of Heaven, this is inappropriate!"

"Oh? What's wrong? Tell me more specifically." Wu Zetian looked very interested.

"It is indeed easier to get a good strategy by setting up this copper moat, but the people of the people do not have a clear understanding of the court situation. I am afraid that by then, everyone will think that what they voted for is a good strategy, but in fact it will be a useless strategy..."

"Hmm... makes sense." Wu Zetian nodded, "But the key to this method is that even if ninety-nine percent of it is useless, as long as there is a good one, it will have great effect!"

"This……"

Di Renjie really wanted to refute, saying how is this different from gambling?

But considering that I may not have a very good impression in Tianhou's heart now, it's better not to feel uncomfortable, so I plan to retreat obediently.

However, Wu Zetian suddenly said: "Di Qing's outspoken admonition has a bit of Wei Xuancheng's demeanor..."

Hearing this sentence, many ministers' hearts sank, and they secretly thought that it was coming!
Some time ago, Di Renjie publicly stated his stand for the emperor. Now that the emperor failed to seize power and was placed under house arrest, he must be the target of liquidation!

Thinking about it carefully, the emperor also lacked enough brains. He had just ascended the throne, and the enthronement ceremony hadn't even been held yet, so he seized power in a hurry, and he didn't even think about whether he had the ability...

The same goes for Di Renjie. If the situation is unclear, he is eager to stand in line. Now he is fine and waits to be liquidated.

Although Tianhou compared him to Wei Zheng, it's not too long since Wei Zheng's grave was dug after his death!

"From now on, Di Renjie will be appointed as Yushi Zhongcheng!" Wu Zetian said loudly.

The voice was amplified a lot in the empty hall and reached the ears of every minister.

Many ministers were taken aback for a moment, and a few even raised their little fingers to dig their ears, wondering if they heard it wrong because they were old.

Promoted?
He showed that he was on the side of the emperor, and it was fine if he wasn't liquidated, but he was actually promoted?What is this operation?
Not to mention them, even Di Renjie looked up at Tianhou with a dazed expression.

Although the princess said that he could save his life, he didn't expect too much, and was even ready to be demoted.

But I didn't expect that not only was he not demoted, but he was promoted by one level... It doesn't look like a plan to flatter him, otherwise he should be promoted a few more levels.

Many ministers also looked at Di Renjie with complicated expressions, this guy is really tough enough!

However, the matter was not over yet, when Di Renjie was still in a daze, Wu Zetian continued: "Wei Xuanzhen, bewitch the emperor...exile to Qinzhou!"

Hearing this sentence, Di Renjie instinctively felt that something was wrong when he just came back to his senses.

After all, he is the head of the country, so it is a bit too much to be exiled just because the emperor said a wrong sentence.

Raising his hand to salute, he was about to spray subconsciously, when Wu Zetian looked over with a smile: "Does Huaiying have anything to say?"

Looking at the smiling expression, his Adam's apple twitched up and down twice: "I was just promoted to Yushi Zhongcheng, and I haven't thanked you yet..."

"Well, no courtesy!" Wu Zetian waved his hand.

Di Renjie retreated, and no one in the court dared to intercede with Wei Xuanzhen at this time.

But at the same time, many ministers sighed in their hearts, this is too cruel!

Even the head of the country said that exile is exile, it is a bit too much!
But there is no way, now that the emperor is under house arrest, unless they have the ability to force the palace, they will listen to whatever the queen says.

After walking out of the court, the ministers looked complicated, it really has changed!
Now the imperial court has become the empress dowager's voice, and at this point, it is already comparable to Empress Lu!

At this time, if they want to fight against the queen, they will either rebel or engage in a coup to force the palace, or they can only count on Princess Taiping.

In other words, there is a way to rescue the emperor. Of course, it is a way to take a step back. If you can hijack Li Xian or Li Dan and rebel in the name of support, it is also a way.

But the risks of these things are too high, and they cannot be done with a slap on the head.

If you want to fight against the queen, you have to think long-term.

……

An hour later, Wei Lian'er's heart-piercing cries resounded in Feixiang Hall.

Looking at his wife who was crying bitterly, Li Xian looked a little embarrassed, and wanted to persuade him, but he didn't know how to say it.

To be honest, he didn't expect that his mother would exile the head of the country.

Wei Lian'er was crying so hard that she grabbed his hand suddenly: "I beg Your Majesty to save my grandfather, please Your Majesty to save my grandfather!"

Li Xian was heartbroken, grabbed her shoulders, stared into her eyes, and said with a serious face: "Lian'er, I'm under house arrest at this moment, it's not easy for me to keep you! Master... I really can't help it... ..."

What he said was very serious and serious, at least what he said was true.

The plan of the mother and younger sister is too grand, and one wrong step may lead to a total loss. Although they wanted to beg the mother to let the father-in-law go, they still didn't say it.

Li Xian knew very well that his mother's plan was to massacre all the old nobles, even if innocent people might be implicated, including a large number of members of the royal family.

With such a crazy plan, he didn't dare to show any strangeness, otherwise, once exposed, he might be punished by the whole world!

Only people with a foreign surname can do this kind of thing, and outsiders must not know that a person with the surname Li is involved!
But seeing the heartbroken Wei Lian'er, he still couldn't bear it: "Lian'er, I'm going to see my mother tonight and ask about the situation. But I really can't promise anything...don't blame me!"

Hearing his words, Wei Lian'er nodded quickly: "I dare not blame Your Majesty! Even if it fails, I don't have any complaints!"

Although she herself knew that there was little hope, there was still a little hope after all, and she wanted to grab it and give it a try.

……

In the evening, Li Xian came to the Hall of Renshou.

It seemed that he had been expected to come. Wu Zetian was already waiting for him here. When he saw him walk in, he just waved his hand lightly: "Sit down! My son came here today to intercede for Wei Xuanzhen?"

"Yes!" Li Xian nodded, and asked with a complicated expression, "I don't understand, after all, he is the head of the country, why can't he let him go?"

Wu Zetian sighed: "If you let him go, will outsiders suspect that you are involved in the series of events in the future?"

"This..." Li Xian froze in place for a moment.

Many things in the court do not need to pay attention to evidence, as long as a simple suspicion can deduce a lot of facts.

Once it is suspected that the emperor united with his mother to massacre members of the royal family, it would be unworthy of virtue, and riots would be raised all over the country, and the scene like the end of the Sui Dynasty would be repeated.

So Li Xian must also become a "victim", so that more people will support him in the future.

He is not stupid, he naturally understands what his mother means, but he still feels a little uncomfortable when he understands it: "Mother, does it have to be like this?"

"If the royal family wants to last forever, they have to make sacrifices." Wu Zetian held up the teacup, "Unless my son can come up with a good strategy like the Tweet Order now, it can only be like this!"

Hearing his mother's answer, Li Xian frowned.

Tweeting orders can be said to be the world's number one conspiracy. However, if you want to think of a similar way to reduce the power of veteran nobles and some royal collaterals in this era, it is not something that can be solved by talking.

The emergence of this method requires not only talent, but more luck!
In the end, Li Xian just sighed, nodded slightly and said, "My child understands!"

　Thanks to [Sanwenshu] for the reward of 1500 starting coins!
　　Thank you [Liu Li 0] for tipping 300 starting coins!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)