People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1785: The New Year's Day, the Hostages Were Bringing to the Capital

Li Xuan sat on the imperial couch, looking at Ouyang Tong who was bowing his head, as well as all the shocked officials and foreign envoys in the hall, with a hint of pride on his lips.

Work report of the second year of Kaiyuan in the Tang Dynasty.

It just appeared in the Taiji Hall, at the grand court ceremony on the first day of the first lunar month.

I'm afraid no one expected this.

Seeing the ministers becoming more respectful and the foreign envoys becoming more awed, Li Xuan knew that he had done the right thing.

Something like this, coming from thousands of years later, gave people of this era an unimaginable shock.

With this thing, people will know how powerful the Tang Dynasty was.

No one will easily challenge the majesty of the Tang Dynasty again.

The people of the world will be more submissive, and even if there are occasionally ambitious people who want to incite the people to rebel, they have to consider whether they can do so.

Li Xuan's gaze fell on the Liangyi Gate, where someone had already inserted an iron plate to record the annual revenue of the country in the second year of Kaiyuan in the Tang Dynasty.

Li Xuan nodded to Ouyang Tong, and Ouyang Tong bowed and stood up.

"Thank you for your hard work, my dear ministers!" Li Xuan's slightly cold voice rang out throughout the Taiji Hall, and then he said: "This year is too rushed to list the taxes, criminal laws, engineering and imperial examinations in detail for all provinces and states, but there will definitely be time for this next year, so after returning to the local areas this year, you ministers must handle local affairs well."

"We, your Majesty, will follow your instructions." The ministers bowed solemnly.

Li Xuan nodded, turned sideways and looked forward, and nodded: "Prince!"

"Here!" Li Zhizhao took the imperial edict from the tray held by Xu Lu, then stepped forward and handed it to Ouyang Tong.

Ouyang Tong bowed slightly to Li Zhizhao, then took the imperial edict with both hands, turned around and looked at the ministers, and said loudly: "There is an order!"

All the officials inside and outside the palace knelt on the ground again and said, "We are listening to your instructions!"

Ouyang Tong said loudly: "On the third year of Kaiyuan, in the year Dinghai, on the first day of the first month, on the day of Guiwei, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

This evening, at the beginning of the year, the world will be at peace, all directions will be tranquil, merits and virtues will be equally shared, and there will be grace both inside and outside.

The weather is good and the harvest is favorable, and auspicious signs are coming from heaven.

The wisdom of the gods inspires the spirit of majesty; the bell tower proclaims the hard work and makes achievements in maintaining peace on the sea.

With sufficient soldiers and food, the effectiveness of the military axe will be great; when the general is about to soar, the help of the pendants will be far-reaching.

In the third year of Kaiyuan, the year had already begun, all industries were waiting to be implemented, and all departments were waiting for blessings.

All of you ministers should cultivate virtue and strengthen the army, encourage people to engage in farming and harvesting, repair roads and clear canals, and resolve disputes and lawsuits.

The so-called using strength is to govern, and only the virtuous are to be tested, and what is awaited is a virtuous minister.

Heaven has its own calendar, which determines our dynasty.

His power and grace are great, and people from afar are submissive.

I share the joy of taking up my new position with you.”

All the ministers kowtowed and said, "We celebrate your new position with your Majesty. We wish your Majesty a long life and pray that the Tang Dynasty will live forever."

In the Taiji Palace, all the civil and military officials, ministers inside and outside the palace, and guards on duty all bowed their heads solemnly.

Even the people outside the Taiji Palace and the people of the entire Chang'an all bowed their heads and kowtowed, praying endlessly.

Li Xuan gently raised his hand and said, "My dear ministers, please stand up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers then stood up solemnly.

Li Xuan raised his head and looked at Ouyang Tong again.

Ouyang Tong bowed, then picked up the imperial edict again and said loudly: "In the third year of Kaiyuan, the year Dinghai, the first month of the year Renyin, the first day of the first month of the year Guiwei, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

In the charge of making offerings, one should humbly seek out those who are under his command and rank among the courtiers, none of whom are not elders.

Jinzi Guanglu Dafu, Shangzhuguo, and Changshi of Bingzhou Grand Military Governor's Office, Feng Yandao, admired his pure conduct, elegant manners, gentle and kind manners, and always loyal and helpful.

He can be appointed as Palace Attendant, Inspector of the Imperial Court, and have his honors granted according to the regulations.

Admire this! "

Feng Yandao stood up with a look of surprise on his face, clasped his hands, and then kowtowed and said, "I thank your Majesty for your grace. Long live the emperor."

The Chief Secretary of the Bingzhou Grand Marshal's Office was a junior third-rank official, while the Palace Attendant was a regular third-rank official.

In the Menxia Province, he was second only to two Shizhong and a Huangmen Shilang, who was of the third rank in the Zhongshu Menxia Province.

Of course, the titles of Grand Chamberlain, Left Grand Chamberlain, and Right Grand Chamberlain are all honorary titles. They can attend court and ask questions, but they have no decision-making power.

The seventy-one-year-old Feng Yandao was transferred back to Chang'an from the post of Chief Clerk of the Bingzhou Grand Military Governor's Office so that he could recuperate with honors.

At the same time, as the Yellow Gate Minister, he was able to participate in the affairs of the Menxia Province and retained a certain amount of power so that no one dared to look down on him.

Li Xuan smiled and nodded, raised his hand slightly, and Feng Yandao then stood up and left.

Ouyang Tong opened the imperial edict and continued, "On the third year of Kaiyuan, in the year Dinghai, on the first day of the first month, on the day of Guiwei, the emperor said:

Yu Xi!

There are many affairs in the country, and reports from above are blocked. The major plans of the court are lacking in the central rules.

If there is something that is blocked in the Tao, I will use an open mind to visit the wise man, sit beside me in the front hall, and offer me secrets. I will review it myself and give me earnest advice without any hesitation.

Therefore, he appointed Zhongshu Shilang and Zhongshu Menxia Sanjia Cen Changqian as the chief examiners of the Dinghai Imperial Examination in the third year of Kaiyuan.

Seek virtuous, upright, and outspoken men of advice, so that they can be ranked among the upper and lower classes and praised by the court.

The Ministry of Personnel, Yongzhou Prefecture, was assisted by the Left and Right Jinwu Guards and the Left and Right Qianniu Guards.

He is responsible for preparing for the imperial examinations and selecting talents for the country, and there must be no mistakes.

Admire this! "

Cen Changqian, Yun Hongyin, Liu Zhirou, Qin Shandao, Li Dazhi and others stood up and bowed: "We obey your orders." For a moment, the eyes of all the ministers in the hall fell on Cen Changqian.

From today until the announcement of the imperial examination results in early March, Cen Changqian will be the most sought-after figure in Chang'an, and even in the entire world.

The former chief examiner of the imperial examination, Wei Xuantong, treated all candidates equally in selecting candidates from both the rich and the poor. How will Cen Changqian select candidates now? I wonder how many people will be thinking about this in the next few months.

……

The palace was solemn. Pei Judao, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward, clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, all the states have presented us with auspicious signs and congratulate Your Majesty on his longevity."

"Yes!" Li Xuan nodded slightly. Then, one by one, congratulatory letters from local states and counties, and tribute gifts and auspicious signs began to be sent into the hall.

It gradually filled the entire hall and then it ended.

Immediately, Li Jing, the Minister of the Honglu Temple, stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, Li Jing, the Minister of the Honglu Temple, has reported that the various tribes have presented tribute."

Li Xuan nodded slightly and looked to the side.

Ouyang Tong stepped forward and nodded, saying, "The emperor says: Yes."

Immediately, the Junior Officer of the Imperial Treasury and the Junior Officer of the Honglu Temple came forward, each leading the various tribes with tributes.

The envoys from more than 40 countries, including the Turkic, Arab, Persian, Indian, Japanese, Ryukyu, Annan, Zhenla, Java, Huihe, Tiele, Kangguo, Shiguo, and Anguo, came forward one by one, presented the tribute and congratulatory letters, and then knelt on the ground: "Foreign officials pay homage to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Tang. May His Majesty live a long life and may the country be forever stable."

"Stand up." Li Xuan raised his hand slightly, then looked at the outsiders and said, "Where is the Uighur Khan Yaoluoge Dujiezhi?"

A burly man with a full beard and a scar at the corner of his eye, wearing a black leather hat and a clean leather coat, walked out from the crowd of ministers, then kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am Yaoluoge Dujiezhi, the deputy governor of the Mobei Protectorate. I present eight thousand fine horses to congratulate Your Majesty on his longevity and the longevity of the Tang Dynasty!"

All the envoys inside and outside the palace looked at the Uighur Khan, Yaoluoge Dujiezhi.

Especially the Turkic, Tiele, Tuyuhun and Tubo tribes. When the Central Turks and the Tang Dynasty went to war, it was the Uighurs who supported them behind the scenes.

Even when Pei Xingjian conquered the Later Turks, the Uighurs were still interfering.

The reason for the ceremonial procession is simply that it is far away from the Tang Dynasty.

The Mobei Protectorate has no control over him.

"Eight thousand fine horses!" Li Xuan nodded calmly and said, "This gift is indeed valuable. Let's just leave the grassland matter at that."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Yaoluoge Dujiezhi immediately kowtowed deeply.

Li Xuan looked at Yaoluoge Dujiezhi casually and said softly, "I heard that you have a son who is of school age. You are also a fourth-rank official in the court. You should send him to the Imperial College to study. He can also take the imperial examination in a few years."

As soon as Li Xuan finished speaking, the strange looks on the faces of the ministers gradually subsided, and then they looked at Yaoluoge Dujiezhi with a smile.

Yaoluoge Dujiezhi didn't understand the meaning of Li Xuan's words at first. He was about to say that his son did not have the qualifications to study, but when he looked up, he saw the meaningful looks of the ministers. He immediately understood that the emperor was asking for a hostage!

Yaoluoge Dujiezhi's heart suddenly tightened.

Indeed, he had several sons, but only his youngest son, whom he loved the most, was suitable for admission to the Imperial College.

For a moment, Yaoluoge Dujiezhi became extremely hesitant.

"What, you don't want to?" The emperor's questioning voice came from the golden steps above. Almost in an instant, all the civil and military officials carrying weapons in the hall tightened their sword handles. As long as Li Xuan gave the order, they would immediately step forward and kill Yaoluoge Dujiezhi.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace." Yaoluoge Dujiezhi bowed his head again and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."

Li Xuan nodded in satisfaction, and then continued: "I know that you love your son as much as your life, so how about selecting thirty noble sons from your tribe and sending them to Chang'an to study? At the same time, transfer 3,000 Huihe cavalry to Chang'an and incorporate them into the left and right guards to follow the army and obey orders?"

Yaoluoge Dujiezhi looked up in surprise, his face blank, but deep in his mind, he was thinking quickly.

Thirty sons of nobles, which meant that all the sons of generals in his entire tribe were recruited to serve.

However, what does it mean to transfer 3,000 Uighur cavalry to Chang'an?
Let three thousand cavalrymen protect these young men?

So when these people join the Left and Right Guards, will they be used together or separately?

Break up, it must be broken up.

Almost instantly, Yaoluoge Dujiezhi gave the answer himself.

But no matter what, with the protection of these three thousand cavalrymen, his own children will not be bullied in Chang'an.

It can even protect them from leaving at critical moments.

"I bow to thank Your Majesty for the grace from heaven. May Your Majesty live forever!" Yaoluoge Dujiezhi bowed his head solemnly.

"Yeah!" Li Xuan waved his hand slightly, and Yaoluoge Dujiezhi immediately retreated into the train.

……

Liu Jinyu sat next to Li Xuan. She could clearly feel the endless joy and relaxation that emanated from Li Xuan's heart the moment Yaoluoge Dujiezhi agreed.

It was as if the threat from the Uighurs had been completely resolved.

At this moment, Ouyang Tong stepped forward, knelt down in the center of the hall, holding a memorial in his hand, and said loudly: "Your Majesty, congratulations on the auspicious occasion, the ceremony is over!"

On the throne, Li Xuan nodded slightly, then said: "Xing!"

Ouyang Tong immediately stood up, bowed and retreated among the ministers.

"My lords, you have all worked hard this year, and I am deeply grateful. That is why I have prepared fine wine and delicious food, music and dancing for you in the Taiji Hall. I will share them with you, and we will not return until we are drunk!" Li Xuan looked at the ministers and laughed heartily without any concealment.

"We thank Your Majesty very much. We are willing to share the feast with Your Majesty and not leave until we are drunk!" All the ministers held their tablets and bowed.

"Yes!" Li Xuan nodded and said, "Dismiss the court!"

As soon as Li Xuan's voice fell, the Ruibin bells rang at the same time, playing the music of Taihe, bringing good luck to the world.

The eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs took a step forward and said loudly: "The court is over, the sage will come out and hold a grand banquet for all the ministers in the Taiji Palace."

"We, your Majesty, respectfully bid farewell to Him. Long live the Emperor!" All the ministers knelt down at the same time.

Li Xuan stood up from the imperial couch, reached out to take the sword, and then left Taiji Palace with Liu Jinyu.

……

In the third year of Kaiyuan, a grand court was held on New Year’s Day.

All officials congratulate and wish you good luck and good fortune.

(End of this chapter)