A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 687: Three thousand adopted sons raised privately
"I'm tired,"

The emperor sighed, his eyes turned cold, and he interrupted Hou Junji's shocking accusation.

"Your Majesty, I have irrefutable evidence that Wu Huaiyu has ulterior motives and is plotting rebellion."

Li Shimin's eyes were like lightning, directed at Hou Junji, extremely majestic, but also filled with great disappointment.

The emperor allowed his ministers to fight, but there must be a limit. It was a fight with rules under the emperor's control. It was a fight without breaking up. It was not a pure private fight or even a frame-up without a limit.

Hou Junji attacked Wu Huaiyu for treason, which sounded to Li Shimin as a frame-up attack with no bottom line.

Although Wu Huaiyu is the prime minister and is extremely favored, everything he has now, including official positions, titles, wealth and status, are all rewards from the emperor. He has no reason to rebel, and he does not have the ability to rebel. After all, Wu Huaiyu does not have the foundation yet. and power.

"Sanshui, you disappoint me."

Some rules cannot be broken, and Hou Junji is breaking the rules now.

"Your Majesty, please listen to your evidence,"

Hou Junji also saw the strange look in the emperor's eyes, but his arrow was ready and he had to shoot.

Li Shimin didn't want him to continue talking. There was still room for him to stop here. After all, this was his partner and loyal confidant.
Ma Zhou, the assistant minister of Zhongshu, stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I would like to ask the Prime Minister to give evidence,"

Cen Wenwen also said at this time, "Your Majesty, right or wrong can only be determined by verification."

Wei Zheng looked at Hou Junji and shook his head secretly. He and Wu Huaiyu knew something about each other. He was a young man with ability and ideas. He believed that Wu Huaiyu had violated some laws or even exceeded the rules, but he believed that he was treasonous. He didn't believe it either.

In his opinion, Hou Junji has become more and more stupid recently and is hopeless.

Hatred blinded him and made him lose his mind.

The living man Chu Suiliang and another historian were writing records quickly.

The history on the left records words, the history on the right records actions.

Every word and deed of the emperor was recorded by historians at any time. These words and deeds would be compiled into daily notes, and the history of the country would be compiled in the future.

Even the emperor is not qualified to check his daily life notes.

This is for future generations and emperors to see.

In other words, it is actually impossible for him to protect Hou Junji now. This matter has been recorded in the history books. Even if he asks everyone in the palace to keep silent now, the history books will still record today's events truthfully.

Another long sigh.

"You tell me." The emperor was extremely disappointed with Hou Junji.

"Your Majesty, Wu Huaiyu raised three thousand adopted sons privately and deliberately conspired to rebel. There is irrefutable evidence." Hou Junji shouted.

Li Shimin was taken aback for a moment.

Wei Zheng was also stunned.

Raising adopted sons is also considered a folk custom. Especially since the wars between the Southern and Northern Dynasties, raising adopted sons has become a common practice. Military generals, in particular, prefer to adopt adopted sons.

Most of the adopted sons raised by military generals were their soldiers.

This type of adopted son is actually quite different from a son.

There are several types of sons. One is a biological son, born by oneself, of flesh and blood.Among biological sons, there is also a kind of illegitimate son, that is, a son born from an outside wife and has no status.

Stepchildren are not biological, but are mostly brought over by wives and concubines when they remarry or take in concubines. Even Li Shimin and Concubine Nawei entered the palace. She had been married before and had children, so she was adopted as a stepdaughter and granted a county title. host.

Another example is that several of Li Yuan's daughters have remarried, such as the consort Yang Shidaoshang, the princess. The princess had a son with her ex-husband, and he also became Yang Shidao's stepson.

There are generally two types of stepsons: those who change their surnames and those who do not. Those who change their surnames tend to be closer to each other.

There is also a type of son called an heir. This is usually a person who has no children, so he adopts a nephew from the same clan to inherit the family business, so he is called an heir. An heir can inherit an heir when he is alive, or he can inherit an heir after his death. Heir The status is second only to the biological son, and much higher than the stepson, and the family property is inherited by the heir.

The adopted son, also known as the fake son, has a lower status among the disciples, and is generally only equivalent to a soldier in the family.

Especially during times of war, many warlords like to take in adopted sons, and some take in hundreds or even thousands of adopted sons to form a adopted son battalion, which is actually their own personal army. Name to show closeness.

When Hou Jun came together, he reported that Wu Huaiyu had three thousand adopted sons and was deliberately plotting rebellion.

It's amazing.

"Where did Wu Huaiyu come from with three thousand adopted children?"

Li Shimin couldn't help being surprised, "I know that Wu Huaiyu has accepted some disciples and adopted sons. His direct disciples include Prince Chengqian, Xu Ang, Xu Jing, Li Yifu, Shangguan Yi, Pei Xingjian, Wei Shuyu, as well as Master Xu Yu and Hao Chujun. Wu Wangke and Wei Wangtai are also considered,
He also has Yin Wenchao and Ye Fashan, disciples of Taoist Longmen Temple.His adopted sons include Yuwen Chengdu, An Lushan, Li Keyong, Shi Shouxin, and Pang Yanzhang. In addition, Li Kuge, Li Pidi, Li Guicheng, Li Heluo Falcon, and Wu Sigong, all the children of Chief Fan Hu, are also included. Only ten adopted sons. "

"Hou Junji, where do you think Wu Huaiyu got his three thousand adopted sons?"

There are 24 students and [-] adopted sons, totaling only [-]. Among them, three students are the sons of Li Shimin, another is the son of Wei Zheng, and two are Taoist priests.

Hou Junji explained to the emperor where the three thousand adopted sons came from.

"Wu Huaiyu had a pear garden in Xinchangfang in the south of the city. It was originally owned by Qin Qiong, Duke of Qi, and was later given to Wu Huaiyu, who regarded him as his adopted father.
Wu Huaiyu now has three hundred foster children in this pear garden.

There are three places like this pear garden in Chang'an City, and there are also several places in each of the eighteen counties of Gyeonggi and sixteen counties outside Chang'an Wannian County, with more than three thousand. "

Ma Zhou couldn't listen anymore.

"Your Majesty, I know a little bit about the situation of Xinchangfang Liyuan. The Liyuan has dozens of acres of land, and the crisp pears it produces are famous in Chang'an. In recent years, Huaiyu has used the pears here to make pear wine, pear roast, autumn pear paste, pear nectar, etc., and even The people of Chang'an like it.

There is also a winery in Liyuan that specializes in winemaking, and it is under the name of Bingyutang.

Bingyutang has been famous for its wine making in recent years, especially its shochu. The business is very good. It opens branches every year and employs many Chang'an people to work, allowing many people to support their families. Bingyutang is a very conscientious business. They see To the many poor orphans caused by war and famine in the early years,

So we funded the construction of a charity hall, adopted some orphans, provided them with food, clothing, and clothing, and taught them literacy and arithmetic. When they grow up, they will be able to make a living."

······
Hou Junji said that Wu Huaiyu raised three thousand adopted sons privately and deliberately rebelled.Ma Zhou said that those adopted children were not Wu Huaiyu at all, but some industries jointly owned by the Wu family and the Wu family. They had consciences. After making money through legitimate business operations, they could still spend money to adopt orphans and do charity.
"Your Majesty, under the name of Bingyu Hall, there is Liyuan Charity Hall, and there is also a Beitian Courtyard in Lantian, which takes in beggars and disabled people. Others such as Meiyu Hall, Qianjin Hall, etc. also have similar Cultivation Hall, Shantang, and Beitianfang. , all for charity,

Those orphans in the charity hall were taken care of, so that they would not die of illness and starvation without anyone to take care of them. The Wu family adopted them and did not let them be Huaiyu's adoptive sons and daughters, nor did they list them as servants or servants. It is better to help them register in the imperial household registration and retain their status as husbands. When they grow up in the future and have the ability to stand on their own feet, they can start their own business."

Hou Junji and Ma Zhou had a heated debate in the palace, and Ma Zhou refuted Hou Junji point by point.

After quarreling and quarreling, the Wu family's many industries and the charities they ran were made public in front of the emperor.
Li Shimin kept listening.

There were things he knew, but there were things he really didn't know yet.

The more I listened, the more surprised I became.

The Wu family has a large industry and does a lot of benevolent things. They adopt orphans, help orphans and widows, and even set up some Huimin pharmacies such as Qianjintang, which are relief pharmacies for some poor people. In addition, they also run We have established a barefoot doctor project. Every year we spend money to organize doctors, select some people from the countryside to train simple medical knowledge, and help with some medicinal materials, so that there are such medical points in the countryside, and the barefoot doctors can solve some problems for rural people. Difficult to treat medical problems,
Hou Junji said that Wu Huaiyu was preparing to rebel by raising three thousand adopted children privately, but in fact, the Wu family's nurseries and charity houses adopted not only boys but also girls.
In addition to Shantang, the Wu family is also building many new technical schools, which are also built in the name of various companies. They recruit some common people's children for free. What they teach is not the ordinary collection of classics and history, but the skills of various crafts, and even the craftsmen and clerks trained by each company.

"Your Majesty, Wu Huaiyu is up to no good. Otherwise, adopting so many orphans and enrolling so many students would cost a huge amount of money a year..."

"How many years old are orphaned children, or even abandoned babies who have just been born? This is completely an act of mercy. Where does the intention of rebellion come from?"

"The children will grow up, and these orphans will become Wu Huaiyu's soldiers."

"Mr. Hou, don't come here just by opening your mouth. Those orphans were adopted by various shops, and they were only doing good deeds. When they left the shrine after they were ten years old, they also went to work as apprentices in the shops for a few years. They were still good people. After a few years, they were still good people. After becoming an apprentice, you can stay or go as you please, so where do you get the adopted son's family soldiers?"

After some debate, Ma Zhou also rebelled against the general and said, "The sage also said just now that there are actually only ten adopted sons of Huaiyu, and there are still a few that he used to pacify the Tibetan barbarians in the Youzhou Governor's Mansion. , and the children of Chief Hu who were accepted were named adopted children, but they were actually students.
There are only a few true adopted sons, and they all retain their status as betrothed, and they are all teenagers.

On the other hand, Mr. Hou, I heard that Mr. Hou has many foster sons, and they are all brave and capable soldiers in the army. They are warriors wearing armor and carrying sharp swords. The head is not small. "

Raising an adopted son privately is something that is easily taboo.
But the premise is that these adopted children can make the emperor worried and suspicious. The premise is that these adopted children must be the type of dead soldiers and domestic soldiers. If you raise dozens or hundreds of adopted children privately, it is similar to raising hundreds of dead soldiers to flee. , if you hide some armor weapons secretly,
There is indeed the possibility of launching some mutinies and rebellions.

When Li Shimin initiated the Xuanwu Gate Revolution, didn't he have only [-] guards from Prince Qin's palace by his side?
If Wu Huaiyu really raised three thousand servants and servants, the emperor would never tolerate it. But now, the shops under the Wu family's name have come forward to set up some nursery schools and charity halls to take in young orphans and teach merchants and craftsmen. , and these orphans are still good people, not servants or even slaves of the Wu family.
The nature of this matter is different.

Hou Junji kept saying the same thing over and over again, without saying anything new later.

On the contrary, Ma Zhou said that the generals of the Hou family made the emperor look at Hou Junji more sharply. Compared with the thousands of orphans adopted by the Wu family business, the dozens of adopted children of Hou Junji were all powerful in the military. Many of them have now become military captains.

"Hou Junji!"

The emperor interrupted him and looked at him coldly, "You said that Wu Huaiyu raised three thousand adopted children privately, but in fact, those orphans only went to the charity hall funded by the Wu family company to help them. They were not Wu Huaiyu's adopted children privately at all. ,"

"Your Majesty, those orphans are indeed called Wu Huaiyu Aye!"

"To shut up,"

The emperor couldn't stand hearing it anymore, "You disappoint me so much,"

Li Shimin shook his head, "Didn't you want to go to the Western Regions before? Then, I will change your appointment. Instead of going to Hexi to be the Governor of Liangzhou, you go to the Western Regions and become the Deputy Protector of the Anxi Protectorate. Go to Xiyizhou. .”

Stop looking.

West Illinois,
The deputy chief protector of the Anxi Protectorate was Ashina Nishu, the Dulu Khan of the Western Turks who was newly conferred by the imperial court.

This is, exiled.

(End of this chapter)