Zhenguan Crown Prince Li Chengqian

Chapter 97
Although the drilling of wells and the repair of canals have greatly alleviated the drought in Guanzhong, the grass and trees in the crop fields have regained their vitality under the nourishment of the ditches.

In the eyes of the common people, this natural disaster is over, but in the court this is just the beginning.

Hundreds of officials came to speak to the emperor one after another, hoping that the emperor would sacrifice to heaven and issue an imperial edict to sin against himself.

The reason is that the appearance of a solar eclipse is sufficient to warn the world that the emperor's administration is unethical.

How about disasters coming down year after year, no matter it is for the country of the Tang Dynasty or the well-being of the people in the world, please ask the emperor to accept it no matter what.

Chengqing Hall

After such a big incident happened, Li Shimin had to end his recuperation in Cuiwei Palace and return to Chang'an.Looking at the playbooks piled up on the case, Li Shimin sat there with a gloomy expression and said nothing.

And the little fat man Li Tai has been kneeling below for more than an hour, and it can be seen from his trembling legs that he is almost unable to hold on.Sweat had already wet his collar and back, but he still didn't dare to move.

Li Chengqian knows that he loves to be clean. Normally, he would have bathed in fragrant soup, but today is different. The little fat man has caused a lot of trouble.

He presided over the preparations for the Imperial Court Enke this time, and his teacher Xiao Yu was the chief examiner, and those who wanted their children to become officials have been fawning on him lately.

Drinking too much wine will inevitably make a slip of the tongue. At a banquet, Li Tai said that the emperor can't bear it with the family, and this big test is to select a large number of talents from them to replace these unsightly guys.

In this way, year after year, all the officials from the aristocratic families in the DPRK and China will be replaced within a few years.

What he said has poked a hornet's nest, and if you want to replace them all, then your Li family doesn't want to mess around.I don't think about whether I have those good teeth or not.

The emperor has done it for hundreds of years, but Yang Guang thought about using Goguryeo's war to consume them. What would happen, he should reimburse himself.

The conflict between the imperial power and the aristocratic family has won and lost each other for hundreds of years. This was originally a tacit matter, but now that it has been settled, Li Tai directly exposed it.

Just taking advantage of the warning from the heavens propagandized by the monks and Taoists, they took the opportunity to launch an attack, and gave the emperor a wink, so that Li Shimin and Li Yuan would retreat in spite of the difficulties.

Of course, these days seem to make the people and officials who originally believed in immortals and gods more convinced.Otherwise, why would there be famines year after year? It's either locust plagues or droughts, so troubles followed.

"Father, the fourth brother has been kneeling for such a long time, let's get up and move around."

Li Chengqian couldn't stand it anymore, he and Li Tai had a tacit understanding, let's take what happened in Luoyang last time as an example, didn't Li Tai also help him.

It was fine if Li Chengqian didn't say anything, but Li Shimin became even angrier after hearing his pleading.He did a good job of digging wells and fighting drought in Guanzhong, but he also caused troubles a lot.

Those princes and princesses who came to him were crying and making noises, which made Li Shimin feel aggrieved this summer.

"You are still begging, don't think that I don't know that some of these booing courtiers are fighting for food for you. How do you deal with this matter."

Li Shimin put down the teacup in his hand and scolded Li Chengqian.

"Worshiping to the heavens is the way to worship the heavens. Anyway, now that the wells and canals have been repaired, it doesn't matter when it rains.

It would be great if you can agree to pray for rain, but if you have to make an edict to offend yourself, that would be shameless, and this natural disaster was not caused by you.

Those monks and Taoists said what they said, and their ears heard what those so-called gods said.It’s okay to ask those ministers who believe in gods and monsters to invite the gods. As long as they can be invited, don’t say one article, ten articles will do. "

Li Chengqian is purely playing a rogue, which is very similar to Cheng Zhijie's style of doing things.But what he said is also right, if you can't invite him, then keep your mouth shut, there is a limit to patience, isn't the father afraid of losing his head if he persecutes him like this?

"At present, the frontline battles are tight. The main energy of the imperial court is to focus on the war, and let them be proud of it for a while. When we finish cleaning up Jieli, who can do something about the reform with the power of victory."

When Li Chengqian talked about his key points, why Yang Guang failed back then, these people's delays accounted for a large factor.Once war breaks out in the northern border, the stability of the domestic court situation must be ensured.If the front-line war remains stalemate and the country is in chaos again, then Yang Guang will learn from his mistakes.

Well, Li Shimin nodded, but with Li Tai's incident, this big exam will definitely become another exciting confrontation between the scholars and commoners, which he doesn't want to see.

"It's okay to offer sacrifices to the heavens and pray for rain, but you also know that their real purpose is not here. I don't want any more disturbances in the examination room."

"Father, can the fourth brother get up now?"

Seeing that he was such a rascal, Li Shimin didn't know what to say about his son, so he waved his hand to let Li Tai get up.

Li Chengqian stepped forward to help Li Tai up, then turned around and said, "The number of Jinshi scholars has been doubled, and these students will be divided into two groups according to their identities. If they are separated, nothing will happen."

Li Chengqian's attention is good, there is one list for the students of the noble family, and one for the students of the poor family.No one is in the way of anyone's business, if you fail the exam, it is a matter of your own level, and no one will be able to say anything at that time.

"Have you heard, your elder brother gave you a good idea, and you still don't want to get out of it. In addition, you have to manage the new Lixian Hall well, and if there is any mistake, I will take your skin off."

Yes, yes, Li Tai gave Li Chengqian a look and then backed out.

The circular mound in Chang'an has four floors, all made of soil, about eight meters high, the bottom layer is about 54 meters in diameter, the second layer is about 40 meters in diameter, the third layer is about 29 meters, and the fourth layer (the top layer) is about 20 meters in diameter. About [-] meters.

The height of each floor varies from one meter to two meters, and a small pit can be seen at the center of the top floor.

There are twelve majesties (twelve steps to climb up the mound) in the West Mound, and the whole altar is divided into twelve fan shapes, which means "twelve days".
That is, Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, etc., alluding to the twelve directions in the sky, among which "Wu Bi" in the south direction is the widest and longest, and it is the emperor's step to the altar.

The emperors of all dynasties attached great importance to worshiping heaven, so they came to the Temple of Heaven every year, and the day of worshiping heaven should be chosen well. "Winter solstice" is the day with the shortest daylight, and it means "three suns open up Tai".

Every year, the winter solstice is the country's grand day to sacrifice to heaven, and the emperor must personally complete this arduous and sacred task.

But this year's situation is different. If it were the past, Li Shimin, a very vain person, cheerfully took the minister on a day trip.

Before dawn, the eunuchs and court ladies were busy working beside him, which made Li Shimin, who was already angry about getting up, even more annoyed.It took three consecutive battles with eunuchs to make him feel a little better.

The ceremonial officers of the Ministry of Rituals had already arranged a series of tedious preparations. Li Shimin didn't even look at the preparations of those ceremonial officers, turned around, got into the car and left.

Seeing that the emperor was not in high spirits, the officials of the Ministry of Rituals naturally did not want to make fun of themselves, and followed the convoy from the palace in the north of Chang'an City to the Temple of Heaven in the southern suburbs.

The emperor went out with great pomp and grandeur, and a group of people and horses walked south along Zhuque Street to the Mingde Gate, then turned east, and came to the Temple of Heaven. It takes two hours to get there.

When the drummers, ministers, and all relevant personnel are in their positions, the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven will officially begin.

Li Shimin stood alone on the top of the mound, with a wide field of vision, looking up at the sky like a cover.With the Temple of Heaven as the center, Chang'an City and Guanzhong Fertile Fields are in sight, and he stands here, praying for rain for the country's Kangtai.

In front of him is the tablet of "God of Haotian". Li Shimin is holding the jade bibill offered to heaven in his hands. There should be three ring-shaped low walls outside, enclosing the Temple of Heaven layer by layer.

Therefore, Li Shimin ascended the altar, offered gifts, withdrew from the altar, and ascended the altar according to the guidance of the minister of ceremonies... thus going through a complicated process of offering sacrifices to heaven.

Then sacrifices, jade silk and other sacrifices presented to Haotian will be burned in the altar in the southeast of the Temple of Heaven, and the fireworks will rise to the sky, so that the emperor and gods can smell the smell and enjoy the sacrifices.

On the way back to the car, Li Chengqian was called to step up, and seeing the emperor's face wring water, Li Chengqian picked up the pier and sat at Li Shimin's feet without saying a word.

After a while, Li Shimin, who finally came out of his thoughts, took a look at Li Chengqian, grabbed the tea on the coffee table and drank it in one gulp, as if predicting and stopping.

"Father, you can do whatever you want."

Having been father and son with him for several years, Li Chengqian certainly knew that there must be something wrong with the emperor's expression.

After half an hour.
"Chengqian, you are also aware of the current situation of the imperial court. The Northern Expedition to Jieli cannot be lost. I want you to serve as the supervisor of the army and go out with Li Jing. This is a battle of national destiny, so don't be careless, so I still want you to go to the battlefield before leaving." It happened once."

Hey, what do you think, isn't it just going out with the army, we have to go even if you don't say it.

He understood what Li Shimin meant, and he was worried about letting him hand over all of Datang's family fortune to Li Jing.After all, Li Jing didn't come from Prince Qin's residence, and he was still watching from the sidelines when he was in Xuanwumen.

If it weren't for Li Shimin's cherishing of talents, the old boy would have gone down to see his uncle Han Qinhu long ago, and he would be supported by a high-ranking official and rich salary.

Li Shimin had always thought that Li Chengqian's joining the army was just because he thought about the addiction of leading soldiers, so that the veterans in the court would not despise him too much, but who would have thought that he would really dare to take a knife.

Since the Battle of Tiemenguan, Li Shimin said more than once that he would not be allowed to go to the battlefield again.But the current situation makes him have to eat his own words.

"Father, even if you don't mention it, I will ask for your orders. Hou Junji has always said before how mysterious the general's use of troops is. This time, I am very fortunate to be able to learn how to arrange troops by the side of the general. "

Li Shimin patted Li Chengqian at his feet, and then said: "When the autumn grain is harvested, you can go out with the army."

"promise"

(End of this chapter)