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

Chapter 1789: Bringing the daughter of the Changsun family to worship Empress Changsun
On the ninth day of the second month, in the Liangyi Palace.

Lu Yuanfang, Liu Jingxian, Ouyang Tong, Cen Changqian, and Yun Hongyin stood with their hands clasped.

Today is the day of the imperial examination in the third year of Kaiyuan.

Before the imperial examination, Cen Changqian, as the chief examiner, and the three governors of three provinces, Lu Yuanfang, Liu Jingxian, and Ouyang Tong, came to the emperor to ask him for the topics for the essays.

Soon, Li Xuan wrote out the topic of the policy essay and handed it in.

Lu Yuanfang was the first to see it, and couldn't help but be a little surprised.

The highest good is like water. Water is good, benefits all things and yet is tranquil. It stays in places that people hate, and so is close to the Tao.

How did a sentence from the Tao Te Ching become a question in the imperial examination?

Li Xuan said calmly: "The Imperial History Bureau predicts that there may be heavy rain this summer, so we ask all the scholars to write a policy paper on flood control in various places."

"Here!" Everyone raised their hands in unison.

The questions asked by Li Xuan may be a little biased, but they are definitely not wrong.

Water conservancy is one of the major ways to govern a country.

Especially when it comes to people's livelihood and farming, if we are not careful, the world will immediately fall into chaos.

Li Xuan waved her hand slightly and said, "You guys go ahead."

"Yes!" Lu Yuanfang, Liu Jingxian, Ouyang Tong, Cen Changqian and Yun Hongyin bowed at the same time, then turned around and left.

After everyone left, Li Xuan stood up and walked to the front of the hall.

Water conservancy and water management are just strategies Li Xuan uses to select talents.

Only those who can handle water will be dispatched to follow the army to Silla in the future.

Don't think that fighting is just the business of military officers and soldiers. Once a war breaks out, the army will need a large number of military clerks.

A Jinshi who had just passed the imperial examination could usually only be appointed as a local county lieutenant or chief clerk, both of which were of the ninth rank. However, once a war broke out, he would immediately be promoted to a clerk of the eighth rank.

Even a few years earlier, they could be directly transferred to various military posts, which was of great help in enriching the army.

Of course, this is a matter for the future. Li Xuan will transfer the talents among these people to the Capital Water Conservancy Bureau today to control the flood.

Those who can control floods are rare talents.

For example, Li Bing and his son in the Qin Dynasty, if not anything else, they would definitely be able to become the governor of a state in the future.

Li Xuan breathed a long sigh of relief. As far as this year was concerned, most of the people who came to take part in the imperial examination were children of local aristocratic families. These ordinary children from poor families had no access to knowledge at all, and only they could truly pass the exam.

……

A month later, the imperial examination results were finally released.

A scholar named Jiang Shidu was personally selected by Li Xuan as the top scholar, and was immediately appointed as the eighth-rank official, the chief clerk of the Capital Water Conservancy Bureau.

Generally speaking, the top scorer in the imperial examination would be appointed as a secretary and proofreader, and would be promoted to the rank of eighth-rank Censor one year later.

Once you become a Censor, you will immediately appear in the emperor's sight.

Many people were complaining for Master Jiang, but he himself seemed to be enjoying it.

Because he knew very well that if he did not have expertise in water engineering, he would definitely not be the top scorer this year, and he would not even be able to make it into the top ten.

At that time, he would only be appointed as a local county lieutenant of the ninth rank.

Now, not only can he become the top scholar, but he can also become the chief clerk of the Dushuijian, an eighth-rank official. This is simply too good for him.

What's more, the imperial court has already issued a clear notice that there may be heavy rain this summer, in which case floods are inevitable.

At that time, you just need to work hard and make contributions, then one year later, it is very likely that you will be promoted from the chief clerk of the Capital Water Conservancy Bureau to the seventh-rank Capital Water Conservancy Bureau Assistant.

Of course, even if he was a seventh-rank Water Conservancy Commissioner, his official position and power could not compare to that of an eighth-rank Censor.

But no matter what, it's better than working hard as a local county lieutenant.

Moreover, the seventh-rank Dushuijiancheng was already on the same level as the middle and lower-level county magistrates and the capital county magistrates.

Not to mention, he, the chief clerk of the Water Conservancy Bureau, was also favored by the emperor.

……

In the Da Ci'en Temple, Jiang Shidu followed carefully behind everyone.

The emperor was walking in front, holding Prince of Wei Li Chongjun in his arms and Prince of Xiang Li Chengqi in his hand. Following beside him, wearing a gauze scarf and a bamboo hat, was Xiuyi Changsun Yue.

Behind the four people followed the imperial guard general Li Zhu.

Standing in front of Jiang Shidu was his mentor, the Imperial Court Minister and the third-rank official of the Secretariat, Cen Changqian.

Today is March 15th, Empress Wende’s birthday.

The emperor deliberately ordered General Cui Ding of the Left Jinwu Guard to clear out the idle people in the Da Ci'en Temple, and then brought everyone to the Da Ci'en Temple.

Jiang Shidu was the new top scholar, so the emperor specifically asked him to follow.

Under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in front, stood three eminent monks wearing bright red robes.

The abbot of Da Ci'en Temple is Master Kuiji, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Master Huineng, and Master Shenxiu, a disciple of the Fifth Patriarch Hongren.

The top three Buddhist masters in the world are all here today, accompanying the Emperor to offer sacrifices to Empress Zhangsun.

"Amitabha, greetings to your majesty, greetings to Xiuyi." The three masters, each with their own unique manners, saluted with their palms together in a solemn manner. Master Kuiji, perhaps because he had lived in Chang'an for a long time, felt more at ease and peaceful here.

Master Huineng had a calm expression, and even when facing the emperor, he was still as ethereal as the moon in a well.

Li Xuan turned around and looked at Master Shenxiu. Even though he was the youngest of the three and already 80 years old, he was still handsome and energetic...

With a "wow" sound, Li Chongjun suddenly burst into tears loudly.

Li Xuan frowned slightly and looked at Master Shenxiu in surprise.

Shenxiu was slightly stunned, then he put his hands together with a wry smile and said, "It is because I am not a good enough monk that I disturbed His Royal Highness Prince Wei."

Li Xuan sighed and nodded, "This is not the master's fault. It's the King of Wei who is in a bad mental state. I'm sure you all have heard about what happened back then. I apologize to the master on behalf of the King of Wei. I'll invite the master to the Daming Palace one day to chant sutras for the King of Wei."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Shenxiu breathed a sigh of relief, then bowed again, stood up and left the backyard.

Master Huineng then said, "I have often heard that Your Majesty is broad-minded. Seeing you today, I can see that your reputation is well-deserved!"

Master Huineng clasped his hands together solemnly and bowed.

Today is Empress Wende's birthday. Li Xuan brought Li Chongjun and Li Chengqi, the only surviving great-grandsons of Empress Wende, to pray for her. This was to tell Empress Wende that her descendants are still offering incense to her.

Of course, there are also Li Xiang and Li Jue, the two sons of the deposed Crown Prince Li Chengqian, who are very busy in the local area.

At this moment, perhaps you can’t even imagine that today is Empress Wende’s birthday.

Li Xuan sighed softly: "The world is full of twists and turns. No one could have known that this would happen. If you think about it carefully, perhaps many things are already destined."

"Amitabha." Master Huineng was such an intelligent man, how could he not hear that Li Xuan mentioned Empress Wu in a subtle way.

If there had not been Empress Wu's chaotic rule, there would have been no Li Xuan to restore order.

If Li Xuan had not restored order, there would not have been the wanton fighting for the throne among the various families.

Although Li Xuan also planned these things, the fundamental reason was not his.

Empress Wu is the culprit of everything.

There is also Princess Taiping. If she had not pinched her own nephew's neck hard before escaping, Li Chongjun would not have been left with such a great psychological trauma, and he would not have even been unable to see more people.

Even Master Shenxiu, who was well versed in Buddhism, found it difficult to calm him down.

There are also many inappropriate aspects of Buddhism here.

Li Xuan turned sideways and looked at Li Chongjun. Li Chongjun had stopped crying and instead reached out to grab Master Kuiji, and even laughed.

Li Xuan bowed slightly to Master Kuiji, and then said calmly: "I'm afraid I will have to trouble you to come to Daming Palace to give lectures in the future."

"The King of Wei has a connection with Buddha, and I will obey your orders." Master Kuiji bowed slightly.

"Very good!" Li Xuan nodded, then turned and looked at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, bowed solemnly, and then walked in.

Li Chongjun, Li Chengqi, Changsun Yue, Li Zhu, Cen Changqian, Jiang Shidu, together with Kuiji and Huineng, entered the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which is usually difficult for ordinary people to enter.

After performing the sacrifice and ceremony carefully, Li Xuan led his people away.

……

Huineng followed Kuiji to see the emperor and his entourage off, then turned around and returned to the Da Ci'en Temple.

Inside the Zen room, Shenxiu, who was surrounded by a group of monks, saw Huineng coming in, and quickly stood up, clasped his hands together and said, "Brother."

"Junior brother!" Huineng looked at the other monks with a calm gaze.

The other monks immediately bowed and then retreated silently.

At this time, Huineng nodded to Shenxiu and said, "Brother, I am leaving Chang'an."

"Ah!" Shenxiu was startled and asked quickly, "But His Majesty asked me to leave?"

"Your Majesty didn't say anything, but he meant it." Huineng walked to the inside, sat down with Shenxiu, and then said, "Your Majesty asked Master Kuiji to go to the palace to give lectures to King Wei when he had time. Before that, he also asked you to go to Daming Palace as well. From this, it can be seen that Your Majesty doesn't have a brother in his heart."

Shenxiu fell silent. Their Zen Buddhism was good at other things, but it was very powerful in understanding human hearts, especially top masters like Shenxiu and Huineng.

"Today, your majesty brought Prince Wei and Prince Xiang to offer sacrifices to Empress Wende. In fact, he was just using them as a guide. What your majesty really cares about is Changsun Xiuyi. It is even very likely that Changsun Xiuyi is pregnant. This is equivalent to telling Empress Wende that the royal family and the Changsun family have reconciled their conflicts in this generation of the emperor." Huineng and Li Xuan had only been in contact for a short time, but he had completely guessed what he was thinking.

"Then the new top scholar is also a sacrifice?" Shenxiu murmured.

"The world is now in the hands of the emperor. He will not allow any changes that are not in his hands." Huineng shook his head slightly, looked at Shenxiu and said, "Your Majesty is quite interested in me, so you might as well stay with your Majesty for a while longer."

Shenxiu's expression suddenly became somewhat sad, and he said softly: "That's because my junior brother's Buddhist practice is not enough."

"It is because of my lack of cultivation that I am useful to the emperor. If I had reached the level of cultivation, I would be useless to the emperor, just like me." Huineng stood up, put his hands together and said, "I have said everything I need to say. I will leave today."

"Senior Brother!" Shenxiu couldn't help but stand up.

After Huineng bowed solemnly, he turned and left calmly. Shenxiu wanted to stop him, but he couldn't reach out his hand.

Just a moment later, a monk delivered a message that Master Huineng had left the Da Ci'en Temple and headed towards the Chunming Gate.

Shenxiu knew that Huineng was going back to Jiangnan.

In this way, he handed over all the Buddhist affairs in the entire north to Shenxiu.

……

"Boom, boom, boom!" Bursts of loud and loud drum sounds rang out throughout the palace. Li Xuan, who had just returned to the palace, narrowed his eyes slightly.

(End of this chapter)