bastard seizes tang

Chapter 742
Ever since Li Shimin became seriously ill, Li Ke would get up early every other day and go to the palace to visit Li Shimin's physical condition. Today is the time to visit the palace again.

Early this morning, Li Ke entered the palace together with his concubine Wu Meiniang, and when he walked up the dragon path in the palace, Li Ke felt as if a big stone had been pressed on his heart, because since the beginning of winter this year, Li Shimin's body has become more and more weak. up.Just a few days ago, Li Shimin fainted in the palace due to lack of physical strength, and was bedridden for a time. Li Ke was worried about Li Shimin, and his heart was inevitably depressed.

Li Shimin is not feeling well, and now Li Ke is not the only one who often visits Li Shimin in the palace. This time Li Ke happened to meet the eldest grandson Wuji who was also visiting in the palace.

"Ke'er and Mei Niang are here." Li Ke had just entered the door of the bedroom, and Li Shimin saw Li Ke entering the door. Before Li Ke could open his mouth to greet him, Li Shimin said to Li Ke first.

While Li Shimin was talking, he was still struggling to get up slowly, sitting and leaning against the bed.

"Father, slow down." Seeing this, Li Ke quickly stepped forward, stretched out his hand to support Li Shimin, slowly lifted Li Shimin up, and leaned on the soft cushion beside the bed.

Li Ke was supporting Li Shimin, and the eldest grandson Wuji on the side greeted Li Ke and Wu Meiniang and said, "The elder grandson Wuji pays respects to the prince and concubine."

Li Ke supported Li Shimin but couldn't free his hand, Wu Meiniang raised her hand, motioned for eldest grandson Wuji to get up, and said: "Sikong has a heart, so he came to the palace so early in the morning to visit his father."

Changsun Wuji said: "Your majesty is also a minister and a relative. If your majesty is sick, you should visit him from time to time."

Li Shimin leaned against the bed and said to Li Ke and Wu Meiniang: "Father, there are people here every day, so you don't have to come to visit all the time, especially Ke'er, who must have been in charge of the officials' annual examination recently. It's been so hard."

Li Ke said: "My son's master Si Sui Kao is for the country, and my son's visit to my father is for my relatives. The country and relatives are equally important, and neither of them can be abandoned. This is what my son learned from my father."

Li Shimin knew Li Ke's temperament, so he smiled and didn't say much, and asked instead: "How is the official's annual examination going?"

Li Ke replied: "The ones in central Beijing have been finalized, and more than half of the local ones have been finalized. There are only three places left in Hebei, Shannan and Longyou."

Li Shimin listened to Li Ke's words, and said with satisfaction: "The progress is not slow, Ke'er must have spent a lot of effort."

Li Ke said: "This is what the sons and ministers should do. After the annual examination, the sons and ministers will hand in the playbook to the palace for the final decision of the father."

The annual examination for officials has a lot to do with it. Li Ke is doing it for the first time, and he is worried that something is wrong. It is reasonable to hand it over to Li Shimin for the final decision.

However, when Li Shimin heard the words, he shook his head and said, "You don't have to show it to my father, just decide according to your opinion. Since my father has entrusted this matter to you, it is up to you to make the decision. Father's meaning."

Li Shimin originally intended to use this matter to give Li Ke a prestige in the court. Now that he has established it, he will naturally stand to the end and will never interfere in this matter again.

It's not surprising that Li Shimin would do this, Li Ke said: "Since the matter of the year-old exam is so up to you, I will make the decision, but there is still one thing that needs to be determined by the emperor."

"What's the matter?" Li Shimin asked.

Li Ke replied: "Li Baiyao, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, is going to be an official this year, and Taichang Shaoqing Xiao Rui is transferred to the governor of Xiangzhou. These two important positions are vacant, and I still need to be under the direction of my father."

The Minister of Rites is in charge of the power of the Ministry of Rites, and is in charge of all matters of rites and sacrifices. It is one of the six departments and has a great relationship.The Shaoqing of Taichang Temple is the deputy official of Taichang Temple, Zuobi Zhengqing, the head of the Shaoqing of the Nine Temples, and also an important position in the court. Naturally, Li Ke cannot arbitrarily judge such an official position, and must report it to Li Shimin first.

Li Shimin knew that Li Ke acted safely and would not make decisions arbitrarily, but Li Ke is also a person with his own opinions. Since he asked him this way, Li Ke must have his own ideas in his heart.

Li Shimin said: "If Ke'er has any ideas, you might as well tell them. My father and the auxiliary machine will also help me with the details."

Li Kedao: "The Minister of the Ministry of Rites thought that Chang Sun Chong could be used. Chang Sun Chong had been in the Ministry of Rites for many years and was familiar with the affairs of the Ministry of Rites.

Using the eldest son-in-law and nephew Sun Chong as the Minister of Rites is exactly what Li Shimin wanted. First of all, the eldest Sun Chong was promoted because of Li Ke, and he was loyal to Li Ke. The court, but the Changsun family must not lose power in the court, and the Changsun family also needs someone to stand up.

It is logical to use Changsun Chong as the minister of the Ministry of Rites, even if it is placed in the court, but Changsun Wuji immediately refused when he heard Li Ke's words: "The prince kindly thanked the dog on behalf of the dog, but the dog is still young, so he hastily lived in such a place. It's really inappropriate to be in a high position, and I hope the prince will choose someone else."

Minister of the Ministry of Rites, one of the six ministries, the third rank of the official worship, is one of the few high-ranking officials in the court, but although Chang Sun Chong is a few years older than Li Ke, he is still young. The youngest.

After Changsun Wuji's words fell, Li Shimin did not rush to speak, obviously he still wanted to hear what Li Ke meant, Li Ke also continued: "Sikong is too worried. Although Zijing is young, his qualifications are not shallow. He has military achievements and political achievements. , having a family background is by no means lucky, and it has nothing to do with age."

Standing at a young age, he is in the high position of Shangshu. If others are naturally worried that he will not be able to convince the public and his position will not be secure, but Chang Sun Chong will not. Chang Sun Chong followed Li Ke in the Northern Expedition. Up and down are obvious to all, and should be convincing.

What's more important is that Changsun Chong is not some rootless duckweed, he is a son of a family, after a powerful man, the emperor loves his son-in-law, and he is also the prince's confidant. It is reasonable for such a person to worship the prime minister in the future.

When Li Ke said this, the matter was settled, and Li Shimin agreed, "What Ke'er said is very true. The new Minister of Rites must be the eldest Sun Chong."

After Li Shimin finished speaking, he continued to ask: "Does Ke'er have a suitable candidate for Taichang Shaoqing?"

Li Ke shook his head and said: "I haven't decided on a candidate yet, and I want to choose an outstanding person from the local officials to be Taichang Shaoqing after the matter of the annual examination is finalized."

Li Shimin looked at Wu Meiniang standing next to Li Ke, thought for a while, and said to Li Ke: "You can't avoid relatives if you are a child, and Wu Yuanqing, the elder brother who sees the princess and concubine for your father, is qualified for this position, let's decide Wu Yuanqing."

Wu Yuanqing was originally a doctor in the Cangbu Department of the Household Department, but he was only a middleman, and his political achievements were even more mediocre. Although he could do things, he should not have been promoted in this way.However, Li Ke could also guess the purpose of Li Shimin's doing this. The Wu family is the future descendant. Li Shimin's kindness to the Wu family at this juncture is for the Wu family to serve.

Li Shimin's kindness to the Wu family is also the emphasis on the Wu family, which is exactly what Wu Meiniang wanted to see, Wu Meiniang immediately thanked her: "Meiniang thanked the father on behalf of the elder brother."

Li Shimin raised his hand, signaling Wu Meiniang to get up, no need to be polite.

Immediately afterwards, Li Shimin did not waste much time on this matter, but told Li Ke: "The officials' annual examination is almost done, and Ke'er will have some leisure in a few days. Day, after the beginning of spring, my father regains his physical strength, so you can go to Kunming Lake with me. The spring is warm and the flowers are blooming, it is the time of spring hunting, and it is time for me to move around."

(End of this chapter)