Cultivation of chastity

The envoy sent by Tubo to the Tang Dynasty last time was not Lu Dongzan, because Lu Dongzan's identity was the Tubo Prime Minister, which is not the meaning of a prime minister in Tubo, but relatively speaking, it is more like a general in charge of soldiers and horses .

At that time, Tubo had not even unified the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and there were multiple threats from Tuyuhun and Yangtong, so people like Lu Dongzan must stay in Tubo and be ready to send troops at any time, and it is absolutely impossible to send them out for diplomacy casually. of.

And this time Songtsan Gampo sent Lu Dongzan to Datang to propose a marriage. Firstly, he wanted to show his sincerity, and at the same time, he didn't mean to let Lu Dongzan come to investigate Datang's military defense in person.

After all, there are many things, and it is difficult for a military strategist with sufficient vision to understand the corresponding defense facilities.

This feeling is as if Li Jing looked at Chen Shou's "Three Kingdoms" to evaluate Zhuge Liang, and Chen Shou's own evaluation of Zhuge Liang is a world of difference.

Because many things differ from person to person, that is, they are different.

So this is the first time that Lu Dongzan has come to Datang, and it is also the first time to see the magnificent Chang'an City.

Looking at the Tang Dynasty along the way, Lu Dongzan also had to admit that this is a greater country than his own Tubo.

But just like this, Tubo wants to join Datang's system. If Princess Shang cannot form a stable alliance with Datang, then it is impossible for Tubo to join Datang's system to obtain stable benefits.

Therefore, Lu Dongzan came to Honglu Temple and directly proposed to Honglu Temple that Tubo wanted Princess Shang.

Faced with Lu Dongzan's request, Honglu Temple reported it to the police, but no one cared about it.

There is no way, the Tang Dynasty at this time at most knows that there is a country called Tubo, but how is the strength of this country, where exactly is it, and what is the relationship with my Tang Dynasty?

Therefore, even if Li Shimin is discussing with Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Wei Zheng and others now, it is to marry Princess Honghua to Nuohebo, support Tuyuhun's power in the West Sea area, at least control the small surrounding tribes, and don't disturb the big ones. Don.

Because Li Shimin wants to stabilize the Northwest, it is time for Datang to mobilize forces to attack Goguryeo!
If Yang Guang can do it, he must do it himself; if Yang Guang can't do it, he must do it himself.

"Reporting to the sage, the Tubo envoys said that they have the intention of Shang Princess?" Tang Jian stood up and said to Li Shimin as the Minister of Rites, "I don't know whether to give Tubo a direct response?"

"Tubo?" Li Shimin thought for a while, he really couldn't think of this small country, he waved his hand and said,
"Treat them according to the normal procedures for treating vassal states, and appease them well.

Although I don't know what small country he is, but since he has the intention of making good friends with our Tang Dynasty, he can't be neglected! "

"Promise!" Tang Jian immediately agreed when he heard Li Shimin's words.

To be honest, if Honglu Temple hadn't reported this matter, there was no need to speak up in front of Li Shimin about this small country that he had never heard of.

What do you think the princess of the Tang Dynasty is, that she can be honored if she wants to be honored!
And Datang did not neglect the Tubo envoys, or in other words, if Datang wanted to come, he would give some preferential treatment to those envoys from small countries that had no interest in him. …

So it is the same when facing Tubo, who wanted Princess Shang twice and three times.

From Datang's point of view, it is quite normal for any small country that understands the meaning of Princess Shang to come to Datang and ask for Princess Shang.

It is so normal that it seems that when someone is studying, he is not aiming at going to Tsinghua University and Peking University.

But the reality often teaches you that Tsinghua University and Peking University are really not for ordinary people, and the best place for ordinary people is Lanxiang.

Under such circumstances, at least until Tubo has demonstrated its own value and strength, Datang will not casually throw the precious princess resources to the small country.

This is really not how strong Lu Dongzan's diplomatic ability is, and how big the gold cake is for the officials of the Tang Dynasty, it can be easily resolved.

Because this depends on the hard power of the country behind it.

But now Tubo hasn't shown the strength he should have, at least Datang doesn't feel the need to win him over.

Originally, it was nothing. Lu Dongzan came here with half and half of his mind. After all, he had only dealt with Datang a few times. In war, after a true or false fight, basically find a reason for both sides to step down, and then the princess will come over!
Therefore, although the purpose of this mission was not successful, Lu Dongzan was not angry, at least the foundation was laid.

His own gold wares were also sent to the pockets of officials, large and small, in the Tang Dynasty, paving the way for the future work of seeking the princess.

But at this time, Li Shimin wanted to show Datang's mind, especially to appease the aliens who were willing to take refuge in Datang.

The wedding between Nuohebo and Princess Honghua was held publicly, and it was officially announced that after Nuohebo became an adult, he would be sent to Tuyuhun to help him rebuild Tuyuhun, thus indicating that the Tang Dynasty had no interest in the land west of the West Sea.

But this incident made Lu Dongzan see it. In Lu Dongzan's eyes, Tuyuhun, a bastard, could be a princess, but his Zanpu was wise and powerful, and Tubo was powerful, so why couldn't he be a princess!

Datang's hand really insulted me, Tubo, and I couldn't help but get angry when I thought about it: "Whether it is tolerable or unbearable!"

Therefore, Lu Dongzan, who was originally a long-sleeved and good dancer in Chang'an, soon gave up on continuing the foreshadowing of Princess Shang, and decisively withdrew from Datang to return to Tubo, wanting Songtsan Gampo to report this matter.

Because he knew very well that if he wanted Princess Shang, he had to at least make Datang look him in the eye, and if he wanted Datang to look him in the eye, he had to fight Datang!
But for Lu Dongzan's departure, for Datang, it was just an envoy from a small country.

Even though the envoy was a general in command of the other party's military, it was nothing to Datang.

In contrast, Li Shimin adjusted the internal resource structure of the Tang Dynasty, intending to kill Goguryeo at any time is the most important thing.

However, there are many things that need to be dealt with in the current Datang.

For example, Ma Zhou, who has been following Du Ruhui all this time, has also become the Minister of Officials of the fourth rank under the support of Du Ruhui.

And Ma Zhou also wrote to Li Shimin this year, suggesting that the government should pay attention to the selection and appointment of local officials in prefectures and counties.Especially the selection of grassroots officials. …

Because they communicate directly with the people, if they don't handle it well, it is very easy to cause civil uprisings. When the court receives the news, even a small matter may be dragged into a major event.

Li Shimin looked at Ma Zhou's memorial, but he also felt that it was quite reasonable, so he decided to take back the right to appoint and dismiss the governor.

In the future, the appointment and dismissal of governors must be chosen by themselves, and all county magistrates must be elected by Beijing officials with a rank of five or higher.

However, it is quite doubtful that the person who is elected must have grass-roots work experience in order to be the county magistrate of the ruling party.

The grassroots work experience here refers to having at least one year of eighth-rank or ninth-rank work positions, and even served as an official position of a foreign official.

County magistrates who are directly parachuted into the ruling party because of the aristocratic family should be avoided as much as possible.

"That Qing Que was the magistrate of Gaoling who was directly appointed and dismissed!" Li Chengqian couldn't help retorting when he heard Ma Zhou's words.

Ma Zhou took a look at Li Chengqian, and said seriously, "Wei Wang first became the sacrificial wine of the agricultural college, even though according to the current standard, the sacrificial wine of this agricultural college is only a seventh-rank official, and then he became the magistrate of Gaoling County."

Hearing this, Li Chengqian couldn't help curling his lips and wanted to refute, but he didn't know how to refute.

But Fang Xuanling came out, and said with a smile, "Ma Shilang's suggestion is pertinent, but it is a bit too hasty.

From my point of view, talents with basic-level experience can be appointed and dismissed as county magistrates, and those with fifth rank or above can be elected by Beijing officials.

If you have no experience and become the county magistrate directly, you need to be recommended by an official of the fourth rank or above, so as not to lose my talent in Datang! "

To be honest, the so-called recommendation and recommendation seem to be just two words with similar meanings, but the meanings they bear are different.

At least the latter has joint and several responsibilities, and if something happens, the recommender will not have a good time.

For example, why Wei Zheng seems to have become a bit low-key recently is precisely because Du Zhenglun, who he recommended, was kicked and mentioned to Guangzhou to eat sugar cane. Although Wei Zheng was not harshly criticized as the nominee, he also lost points.

If Wei Zheng recommended Du Zhenglun to go to the East Palace and become the right concubine of the East Palace, then Wei Zheng would consider retiring now.

At this moment, Du Ruhui heard Fang Xuanling's words, and interjected beside him: "This is not the case for Gao Pin to be relegated!"

As for Ma Zhou's suggestion, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui quickly completed it with your words and my words.

Li Shimin thought for a moment and waved his hands, "I will issue an imperial edict according to what you said."

"No!" Fang Xuanling replied immediately after hearing Li Shimin's order.

Seeing that his opinion was approved by several people, Ma Zhou couldn't help but saluted and thanked them.

To be honest, Ma Zhou's suggestion is not only the criteria he sorted out for selecting officials as the Minister of the Ministry of Officials.

At the same time, such regulations also helped to some extent those members of agricultural colleges who were exiled officials to make the leap from non-admission to admission.

Because things in the officialdom are often down-to-earth, if you are a seventh-rank county magistrate, you need grass-roots work experience, then in the future, the eighth-rank county magistrate needs to inherit work experience, then the ninth-rank order, do you need grassroots work experience? . …

Although it is only a small opening now, Li Shimin needs to speak in person, which seems to be a great resistance.

But if this kind of thing is confirmed, then everything will go smoothly, and this condition will naturally be formed in this way.

For students from agricultural colleges, this is their biggest advantage in making the leap from foreign officials to senior officials.

To be honest, compared with those thousand-year-old aristocratic families and the inheritance of Confucian classics, this kind of advantage is still far behind.

As long as these people are willing to work hard, every one of the students from the Agricultural Institute will be squeezed out.

Because the education of both parties is determined, the colleges of agricultural colleges are no match for those from Confucian schools and Confucian schools.

Basically, aristocratic families cultivate people who use the rules, Confucian schools cultivate people who follow the rules to manage, and those from agricultural schools are basically people who work.

If the people from agricultural colleges have enough understanding and talent, and are able to work hard enough at the grassroots level, they may not be inferior to those trained by the Confucian school, but if they want to be like those from aristocratic families, they can do it with ease and use the rules less Said to start at the age of 40.

Even for each rank, it is definitely not an easy task for the students of the agricultural college to climb up.

But at this moment, Ma Zhou's suggestion saved at least three years for the students of the agricultural college to change from foreign officials to senior officials.

When Ma Zhou made this suggestion, he might have seen through Li Tai's plan, so he gave Li Tai a helping hand along the way.

But also, it is also because Ma Zhou's own experience is different from the original history. With the help of Li Tai, he walked the road of hard work, and then was favored by Du Ruhui and brought into the official department and became Du Ruhui's right-hand man.

Therefore, in Ma Zhou's view, the selection of officials should pay more attention to the official's practical ability, rather than the official's family background.

But no matter what, this matter seems to be very small now, but in fact, Li Tai's layout of the grassroots, because of the emergence of this suggestion, naturally accelerated.

As for the extent to which it can be accelerated, it still depends on when those aristocratic families and the Confucian disciples who studied the classics and history collections will react.

Still the same sentence, agricultural students are no worse than them in terms of work, but in terms of management and sophistication, they still need to be slowly polished by the society.

In contrast, those officials who came from aristocratic families or famous families, their dealing with others and their understanding of the world have basically become an instinct in the subtle education of their parents.

As long as they are willing to lower their heads and work down-to-earth, the foundation of the current agricultural college, no matter how much it has, basically cannot compete with them.

Because don't say anything, the two sides are worlds apart in terms of vision alone.

It's not a good word to be high-minded but low-handed, but if your vision is not wide enough, you will eventually be left behind.

It's a pity that Li Tai didn't know the good news, because Li Tai had already put all his thoughts on the game of Luoshui at this time.

With the arrival of August [-]th, the game of Luoshui is about to begin.

At this moment, Pei Xingjian came to Luoyang from Hedong to participate in the game of Luoshui with the intention of going to Chang'an to take the Mingjing examination in January.

Because of the open-book examination of the Tang Dynasty exam, and the special nature of the blessing of fame, it would be fine if there is no game of Luoshui, but now that there is a game of Luoshui, why not give it a try, in case you are lucky enough to win the championship? !
As long as I can be famous in Luoyang, how much effort will I save myself to go to Chang'an to take the exam, and maybe even have a chance to take the Jinshi exam!
Thinking of this, Pei Xingjian took his younger brother, who was going to study in Hongwen Hall, to the registration office to sign up.

"He Dong Pei, Pei Xingjian is here to sign up!"