Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 35 Killing Three Sons in One Day
"Boom!"

There was a thunder in the distance, accompanied by fire.

On the top floor of the main building of Xingqing Palace, Li Longji, dressed in casual clothes, felt disappointed as he watched lightning split a big tree in the suburbs.

No matter how tall the trees are, they can't resist the lightning strike in the rainstorm.

The recent turmoil in the state affairs and the intensification of internal strife in the court made him unbearably disturbed.

"Sage, Concubine Wu Hui asked to see her, but she was blocked by the slave."

Gao Lishi came over and whispered to Li Longji who was watching the rain scene.It was clearly noon at this time, but the rain outside formed a powerful water curtain, making the sky dark and unclear.

Just like Li Longji's current mood.

"She must have come here for the prince."

Li Longji couldn't help sneering.

"Returning to the saint, it is true. Concubine Wu Hui asked the slave to tell that the prince, King E, and King Guang cursed her and King Shou in private with witchcraft, and asked the saint to uphold justice for him."

Gao Lishi said slowly, carefully trying not to bring any emotion.In this kind of thing, whoever gets involved will die. Although he has accepted the bribe from Concubine Wu Hui, he will not speak up for the other party. It is impossible to say a word!
During the palace struggle, the scourge of witchcraft emerged endlessly.There is no other reason, this trick is really easy to use, and it perfectly takes advantage of the emperor's suspicious and suspicious human weakness.

It can be said that it has been tried and tested.

Concubine Wu Hui is doing the same now, her ambition is not small!
Li Ying's position as the crown prince was in jeopardy, this scene was not only seen by the courtiers, but also by the concubines in the harem, and the princes in the ten king's house also saw it.

The wall fell and everyone pushed, and now the first person who came out to push the wall and throw stones into the well appeared, and that was Concubine Wu Hui, who had already reached the point of immortality with Prince Li Ying!
"Lishi, you personally lead the team and go to the East Palace to search for witchcraft." Li Longji said expressionlessly, his voice very indifferent.

Gao Lishi's heart tightened, and then he suggested in a low voice: "Concubine Wu Hui's words are conclusive, and she may be trying to deceive the saint..."

Concubine Wu Hui reported that Prince Li Ying had cursed her and King Shou Li Xuan with witchcraft. Could it be that there was no backup plan?There must be servants who have been bribed around the prince. It is easy to find witchcraft and poison. This kind of frame-up has no technical content and has been mastered by previous dynasties!

Gao Lishi did not believe that Li Longji, who had been growing up in the conspiracy and politics of the palace, would not notice it at all.

"I know, just go and watch the show."

Li Longji patted Gao Lishi's shoulder, squeezed it hard, and couldn't help sighing and shaking his head.

Concubine Wu Hui's daoism is far from enough!However, Li Longji has wanted to abolish the prince for a long time, and now he is just pushing the boat along the way.

Regardless of success or failure, the villain is Concubine Wu Hui, and she is the "bewitched" saint, so that's good.

"The slave then asked Chen Xuanli to take the imperial troops with him. Tomorrow Chang'an will seal off the streets and no shops will be opened. This matter will not go through Zhongshu Province and Xianggong Zhang will not be notified."

Gao Lishi suggested in a low voice.

"Others are as you said, except that Xianggong Zhang still needs to be notified, Ge Nu is also involved, and the other courtiers do not need to let them know."

Li Longji raised his hand and signaled Gao Lishi to retreat.

"Slave will do it."

Gao Lishi stepped out of the top attic of the Qinzhengwu building with gentle steps. After he came out, his heart was still beating violently.

Knowing clearly that Concubine Wu Hui was trapping her, Li Longji not only did not stop her, but instead "played into her trap"!
Let Concubine Wu Hui bite the crown prince and the two kings to death, and then let the courtiers fiercely oppose Concubine Wu Hui as the queen and the title of Prince Shou as the crown prince, reminding them of the moody political terror when Wu Zetian was in power.

Finally, Li Longji pushed his favorite prince to the front.

What a terrible plan!

Gao Lishi was so cold that he actually stood outside the door for a long time.

"Why don't Lux go quickly?"

Li Longji actually walked out of the attic, looked at Gao Lishi who was in a daze outside the door, and asked softly with concern.

"The prince is the foundation of the country. No matter how little he cares about it, he is afraid that the country will be in turmoil and the saint's reputation will be ruined. Alas!"

Gao Lishi pulled Li Longji's cuff and begged.

"I know your loyalty, but there are many things, and I can't help myself, so go ahead."

Li Longji patted Gao Lishi on the back and said, this is what he is most satisfied with about Gao Lishi.

Gao Lishi is not completely obedient, and he will persuade him when he should. Although it is not useful in many cases, most of them are clichés.

After Gao Lishi left, Li Longji fell into deep thought and wandered alone at the door of the attic.

The next prince must be able to stay in that position for a long time and cannot be easily removed!Like Li Ying, although he himself has made mistakes, his lack of strength is a flaw.

Li Longji himself never thought about letting the prince become the emperor.Not for a moment!

If the prince becomes the emperor, where should he go as the emperor?
The taste of power, as long as you taste it, you can't quit.

A man cannot be powerless for a day, if the emperor loses power, even living a peaceful life may be a luxury at that time!
A prince can only be a prince for a lifetime!

Li Longji believes that the prince must sit in that position for as many years as he lives!Sit until the emperor dies!

Now Li Longji feels that his body is still very strong and he does not look old at all.Therefore, he can continue to be the emperor.

Ten years, or 20 years?Who knows about that kind of thing? For long-term planning, the layout must be based on at least 20 years.

If you want to be an emperor comfortably, a prince who is in a stable position but cannot shake his throne at all, you have to work hard.

That's right, in Li Longji's opinion, erecting such a prince is like pruning a potted plant.

The branches and leaves should be beautiful, not hideous and scary, not to prick your hands, and not grow wildly and make the house a mess!
Li Longji now needs a pair of sharp scissors in his hand to trim the "branches".

It's easy to use and obedient, and it won't hurt your hands.

"Ms. Zhang, we can no longer be in the court."

Li Longji sighed and said with some regret.

Zhang Jiuling, who always said that "the prince is the foundation of the country", could no longer adapt to the requirements of the new dynasty.

Now is the time to switch phases.

Zhang Jiuling itself is an archway erected by Li Longji to gather the hearts of the government and the wild, especially those scholars who rely on the imperial examination.

During Wu Zetian's reign, he vigorously promoted the imperial examination talents and expanded the scale of the imperial examination. By the Kaiyuan period, the proportion of imperial examination officials in the court and China had exceeded [-]%, which is very important.

The loss of Zhang Jiuling would have a great impact on the court's reputation, but Li Longji didn't think it mattered.

As long as he is happy, it’s fine, and other things can be taken into consideration, and if you can’t take care of it, let it go.

……

"Lang Jun, the gate of the square is closed today, you are not allowed to go out!"

Fang Dafu came over with a sad face and said to Chongyong.Xu Yuan and Zhang Xun were also chatting with Fang Chongyong at the moment. Everyone was taken aback when they heard this, and then their expressions changed slightly.

Why does Chang'an City have to set up a city structure? Don't the people in power know that this will be very inconvenient?
Of course they knew that this would cause great inconvenience to the daily life of the residents in the city, and even to the people in the palace.But for other more important considerations, each area in the city must be divided into separate small blocks for easy management.

Usually, blocking the street is the most common usage.This scene has long been familiar to the people who have lived in Chang'an for a long time.

"There must be a major event in the palace. You two should not visit relatives and friends in the near future, and don't go to the nobles to deliver it."

Fang Chongyong said seriously to Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan.

Hearing what he said, Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan's expressions darkened immediately.Only they know their plight in Chang'an.

Is it easy to take the imperial examination in Chang'an?

Whether it is difficult or not depends not only on personal ability, but also on the background.

Fang Chongyong studied for several years, and reported that my father was Fang Youde. It is impossible to be a champion, but it is still very reliable to be a Jinshi.

There is no other reason. The imperial examinations in the Tang Dynasty were not anonymous. The background and family background of the candidates, and whether there were noble people in the background, were also important factors that affected the imperial examinations.

For example, Chongyong’s extra points in the college entrance examination in his previous life were much better!
During the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty, the main subjects of the imperial examination were Ming Jing and Jinshi.There are some other messy ones, and there are even martial arts exercises, but to be honest, they are not a straight road.

Among Mingjing and Jinshi, Jinshi is the kingly way, which is the most valuable and most difficult subject.

What is Mingjingke?

To put it simply, the main content of the test is to extract some words and sentences from the scriptures and write the context of the original text of the scriptures based on these words and sentences. It is very similar to Fang Chongyong's previous life text fill-in-the-blank, but it is more difficult to write silently.

In addition, you will also be given a passage from the scriptures for you to analyze and discuss based on actual politics.

It is obvious that the Ming Jing examination relied heavily on rote memorization of the scriptures.No matter how it is tested, endorsement is the most important thing.

Since you can memorize it, you can pass it by rote memorization. In comparison, it is not that difficult, and more people pass the exam.

Of course, it is impossible for scholars of the Mingjing Division to be awarded high official positions, and the starting point and ceiling of officialdom are pitifully low.A truly talented scholar would disdain to study economics.

So what is a Jinshi?
This subject pays special attention to diction. It has to test all the Ming classics, as well as current affairs policy and poetry.Do you think liberal arts travelers can walk sideways and copy a few ancient poems to get full marks?
No, no, no, maybe there will also be a math test, it depends on your luck.Moreover, writing poetry is a propositional composition, and even has strict requirements on rhyme and rhythm.If you want to pass the test by copying poems, you can't just memorize "Three Hundred Tang Poems".

To put it simply, the Jinshi Examination tests literary accomplishment. Candidates must at least be proficient in classics, history, literature, and current affairs to have a chance to pass the exam.

Moreover, the core test for Jinshi is poetry and prose. Candidates must be proficient in phonology and rhythm to have a chance to stand out.

Obviously, Jinshi is much more difficult than Mingjing, and very few people pass the exam.

It is commonly known as "Thirty Old Mingjing, Fifty Young Scholars".

Jinshi's starting point and ceiling are relatively high.

Of course, even if you are rich in knowledge and think that you can walk sideways in the Jinshi department because of your invincible knowledge, you are thinking too much.

In addition to their own abilities, candidates need to find social celebrities and examiners everywhere to recommend themselves and build relationships with them.Otherwise there is no play at all!
The most important way for candidates to self-recommend is to prepare their own composition collection and use their works to impress celebrities and examiners to gain their appreciation.These works include policy essays and poetry.

Referred to as "submission".

In history, when Bai Juyi entered Chang'an, he showed the song "Li Li Yuan Going to the Grass, One Year Old and One Dry and Prosperous" to Gu Kuang, the literary circle at that time. It was enough to see that it was not unusual to seek connections.

For Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan, it is impossible to improve their knowledge in a short period of time. They can only try to find a way around by seeking connections, which may be of great use.

"Your Majesty thinks that the imperial court blocked the street because of something?"

Xu Yuan looked at Fang Chongyong and asked in a deep voice.

"Probably, it's nothing more than deposing the prince."

Fang Chongyong said nonchalantly, as if he was saying that I had a bowl of porridge for breakfast today.

"Lang Jun, be careful with your words!"

Xu Yuan covered Fang Chongyong's mouth as a conditioned reflex, and then he let go when he saw the helpless look in Zhang Xun's eyes.

"You two just don't dare to think about it. Now that the saint's foundation is solid, it is impossible for anyone to dare to mutiny. And the guards patrolling the streets are guarding against powerful and powerful dogs jumping over the wall and taking their servants to attack Xingqing Palace, Daming Palace and other important places. land.

Besides abolishing the prince, what else is worth such a big fight? "

Fang Chongyong's analysis was well-founded, Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan were silent.

It was precisely because it made so much sense that they couldn't believe it.

Now the country is at peace and all nations come to court.Why should a prince who has been a prince for 20 years give up at the drop of a hat?

The prince is the foundation of the country!
Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan both couldn't believe that they knew this simple and easy-to-understand truth, but today's saints didn't know it!
"Ms. Zhang will probably be dismissed as prime minister. If you want to find a connection, don't go to Mr. Zhang's connection. Not only will there be no help, but it will be bad if you will be implicated."

Fang Chongyong warned kindly.

"Uh, we just found Yan Tingzhi's door, he is the Minister of Zhongshu, and also Zhang Xianggong's best friend..."

Xu Yuan said sarcastically.

"Then...that's probably it."

Fang Chongyong said vaguely that it would be difficult for the two unlucky guys in front of him to get the first place this time, so they could only wait until next year.

Both Xu Yuan and Zhang Xun passed the "first round of examinations" held by their state capitals, known as "country examinations", also known as "Qiu Wei".

If you can't pass the Jinshi exam, you can go to the Jiedushi to be a staff member or other official, and you can still get along in the local area.

"If, I mean, if there is no chance in Chang'an, I'll see if I can recommend you to serve as a staff member to Jiedushi in the future. This is also a way."

Fang Chongyong comforted Xu Yuan and Zhang Xun and said.

The three of them chatted about some current affairs, and it was obvious that after hearing that Zhang Jiuling and Yan Tingzhi were likely to be dismissed from office, Zhang Xun and the others were obviously much less interested in chatting.

However, compared to the shocking event the next day, everyone's small emotions today are completely worth mentioning.

On the second day after the streets in Chang'an City were banned from opening, the ban was lifted, all businesses resumed, and the east and west cities were flooded with people. It seemed that they were not affected by yesterday's ban at all.

However, an unbelievable rumor spread wildly in various cities in Chang'an City.

Crown Prince Li Ying, King E Li Yao, and King Guang Li Ju were all deposed as common people.

Moreover, the three of them were gifted to die at the Chengdong Station outside Chang'an City.The three corpses hung like this on the white silk on the beam of the house, silently narrating the sorrow and helplessness of being born in the emperor's house.

At this time, there was no imperial decree from Li Longji, so no one dared to remove the corpse.

The officials and people passing by Chengdong Station were all frightened and horrified.

(End of this chapter)