Datang: Acting as a celestial mystery at the beginning

Before the fifth watch, a large number of officials had already gathered in the Tai Chi Palace.

After Wei Zheng came in, he greeted them respectively, and then stood aside and waited.

After a while, Li Shimin finally came and announced the official start of the court meeting.

"Your Majesty, it's been a month since spring began, and there hasn't been any rain in Chang'an and its surrounding counties. I'm worried that there will be a real drought." Fang Xuanling was the first to come out and say what he wanted to discuss.

Wei Zheng was not in a hurry, and continued to wait, even if it was the end, he had to read this article to everyone.

Hearing this, Li Shimin instantly remembered what Li Yi'an said at the time, that in the beginning of spring the North Road would be dry first, and in summer it would be Shandong's turn.

Now even Chang'an has not rained, and other places are probably about the same.

"I recently learned that the price of food in Chang'an has generally increased by [-] yuan compared to usual, which may be affected by the absence of rain." Pei Ju stepped forward and said.

He finally discovered that the gentleman seemed to be right about the drought.

Although it is nothing to say that a one-cent increase in food prices is nothing, but the momentum of price increases has begun to emerge, and prices will continue to increase in the future.

"My minister proposes that the imperial court should continue to purchase grain as the price of grain has not risen sharply."

Du Ruhui cupped his hands and said: "If it is true as what Mr. said, the drought in Hebei in spring and the drought in Shandong in summer, for several months in a row, millions of people will eat up even if they have surplus food, and they can only wait for the imperial court to provide relief. !"

Li Shimin's face darkened. They discussed this matter last year, and the final result was to temporarily buy a part of it and put it on hold.

Now that spring has started for a month, and it hasn't rained yet, the situation is really serious.

"Pei Gong, I will trouble you about the purchase of grain."

Li Shimin added: "In addition, immediately arrange for people to go to Hebei and other places to investigate. If the drought is really getting worse, report back immediately."

"Yes!"

Pei Ju nodded solemnly.

This is the end of the discussion.

"Your Majesty, regarding the enfeoffment system, I think it still needs to be discussed."

At this time, Xiao Yu cupped his hands and said.

Wei Zheng raised his head slightly, thinking to himself that it was coming, and finally came.

In the first year of Zhenguan, the enfeoffment system was formally discussed, and Xiao Yu was the most caring one, although this move was opposed by Du Ruhui and others.

In history, after this failure, Li Shimin's heart was not dead, and he continued to mention this matter intermittently. In the 11th year of Zhenguan, he directly began to entrust the heroes of the kings, but was opposed by Ma Zhou and others, and finally had to cancel it.

"I believe that there is no need to discuss this matter. The system of enfeoffment is outdated and not suitable for the Tang Dynasty." Changsun Wuji said first.

"Qin merged the six kingdoms and perished in the second generation. Han ruled the world, and counties and states participated in the construction, and it took more than four hundred years. Wei and Jin abolished it, and it could not last forever."

Xiao Yu immediately retorted: "I believe that feudal laws can be followed."

Du Ruhui said with a serious face: "Zhou Xing enfeoffed, there was the chaos of the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States, and the succession of the Han Dynasty led to the chaos of the Seven Kingdoms. Dividing the feudal princes is a hidden danger of the country's demise."

Xiao Yu also said: "The world is so big that the country cannot be ruled directly. The feudal princes can guard one side for your majesty, protect the territory, and pay tribute. If the country is in danger or foreign invaders, the princes can respond immediately and protect the Great Tang. Why not defend against foreign enemies together? Zhou Chunqiu and the Warring States Period, and the chaos of the Seven Kingdoms of the Han Dynasty were due to the failure of the rulers to stabilize the relationship between the vassal states."

Fang Xuanling couldn't listen anymore, and cupped his hands and said: "In the early Zhou Dynasty, the world was indeed peaceful, but in the later period? The feudal lords rebelled and competed for the world, and Qin was unified. During the Han Dynasty, the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion Later, the Tweeting Order was issued, and the enfeoffment existed in name only, so it could last for 400 years, and the Wei and Jin Dynasties would abolish it when they saw its disadvantages."

"But the dynasties that abolished divisions and established prefectures and counties cannot last long!"

"Qin's tyranny is doomed not to last long. The turmoil in the Wei and Jin Dynasties has not been settled, and internal and external troubles, how can it not be eliminated? Xiao Shangshu has always insisted on enfeoffment. Do you also hope that the Tang Dynasty will be the same as the Han Dynasty, with only 400 years?"

"I didn't, you mustn't talk nonsense!"

……

Li Shimin felt a headache when he heard them quarreling, and they even let themselves go a little bit at the end of the quarrel, and began to speak incoherently.

They are all for the sake of the regime and the good of the Tang Dynasty. Li Shimin will not punish them for saying one or two wrong words, but he just doesn't know how to end it.

"Your Majesty, I recently got an excellent article that can solve this problem."

Wei Zheng knew that they had almost quarreled, and it was his turn to play.

Sir, today I, Old Wei, will help you to amaze the whole court.

Wei Zheng could even imagine that they would be dumbfounded later.

His words interrupted their quarrel just right, and everyone looked over when they heard that he could solve this trouble.

"What good article does Wei Qing have? Submit it!" Li Shimin said lightly.

"This article can only impress everyone if you read it out. Your Majesty, please agree." Wei Zheng begged.

"Read it!" Li Shimin nodded.

"Yes!"

Wei Zheng unhurriedly took out Ma Zhou's article from his bosom, and said slowly: "Has there ever been a beginning of heaven and earth?"I don't know it...

Wei Zheng's voice was hearty, cadenced, full of emotion, and a long speech. After reading all of it, he also felt a little dry in his mouth, swallowed his saliva, raised his head and said: "Your Majesty, I have finished reading."

As he spoke, he took a quick look around.

Sure enough, when he saw Xiao Yu, Du Ruhui and others, he was all stunned at the moment.

Even Li Shimin stood up abruptly and looked at him in disbelief, as if Wei Zheng's voice was still echoing in his mind just now, as well as the exciting content in the article, which could shock the soul.

Especially the sentence "Let the virtuous be at the top and the unworthy be at the bottom, and then you can be at peace." After listening to it, Li Shimin couldn't react for a long time.

In addition, there are sentences such as "The loss lies in the system, not in the politics, Zhou Shiran", "The loss lies in the politics, not in the system, Qin Shiran", etc., which directly compare the enfeoffment system and the county system. The question is on the substantive side.

When writing about the benefits of the prefecture and county system, there are also traitors in the Qin Dynasty but not officials, and traitors in the Han Dynasty but not the county.

Opinions, historical facts, arguments and demonstrations are well integrated, concise, and natural.

Those who participated in the debate were all great scribes with great talents. Their ability to distinguish is naturally extremely high. At this moment, they were completely overwhelmed by such an article. The focus directly hits the vital point of the enfeoffment system, and shatters Xiao Yu's pride.

The rebuttals of Du Ruhui and others, although reasonable, are weak and useless, but compared with this article, they are not at the same level at all.

The strength of that eloquence can be regarded as directly slapping Du Ruhui and everyone else. They never thought that they could fight back like this.

After Wei Zheng's words fell, there was silence in the Taiji Palace.

The only sound may be their slightly heavy breathing.

Shocked!

In addition to being shocked, they were still shocked.

"His Majesty!"

Seeing that he didn't respond, Wei Zheng yelled again.

"I……"

Li Shimin was in a daze for a moment, realized that he had been rude, sat back on the couch, concentrated his attention, and said: "Wei Qing, who wrote your article?"

"This article is called "On Feudalism", the author of which His Majesty also knows."

Wei Zheng replied.

"Could it be Wei Qing, you wrote it?"

Li Shimin asked in shock.

Wei Zheng still has the talent to write such classic articles.

Before, they didn't realize that, you old Wei, you hid it so deeply.

Are you going to write an article quietly and shock everyone?

"No, I just came back from my husband yesterday..."

Before Wei Zheng finished speaking, Li Shimin imagined it and asked excitedly, "Could it be that Mr. wrote it?"

It's Li Yi'an again!

All civil servants were in awe!