Thousand-year-old family: its rise began with Shang Yang’s reforms

Chapter 494: Golden Cup and White Blade
As time passed, the Tang Dynasty and Chang'an City gradually fell into peace.

The impact caused by Chen Yu's arrival is also slowly subsiding. After all, this is not the most important thing for people in the world.

Of course, in the invisible darkness, everything is slowly moving, trying to completely erode the fruits of labor of both the "Chen Family" and the "Tang Dynasty" and replace them with their own.

In the spring of the fifth year of Zhenguan, Chen Yu came forward one after another and defeated the remaining sixteen of the Eighteen Scholars of the Dynasty with his philosophical questions, scientific questions, and inclusivity. As a result, it seemed that only one person was left among the so-called Eighteen Scholars of the Dynasty.

A person who can be said to be naturally standing on the opposite side of Chen.

His name is "Kong Yingda".

Within this year, the Chen family and Li Shimin completely united together. In secret or in public, they no longer concealed their malice towards the old aristocratic forces and some of the new forces of the Tang Dynasty.

Chen was also rapidly contracting his own strength.

Everyone was waiting silently, whether it was Chen, Li Shimin, Gao Shilian and others.

Perhaps this is what the calm before the storm looks like.

People are waiting and waiting here quietly.

The fifth year of Zhenguan, spring.

Changsun Wuji completely broke off relations with Li Shimin and other nobles of the Tang Dynasty, and stated that he stood with Gao Shilian and others. As a result, a huge interest group, the Guanlong Group, also stood with Gao Shilian and others. This was very unfavorable to Li Shimin, because Changsun Wuji represented more than just the Guanlong Group.

It is still a symbol.

A symbol that represents Li Shimin.

Changsun Wuji was Li Shimin's uncle, and his sister was Li's wife.

He and Li Shimin stood on opposite sides, which had a very bad influence on Li Shimin.

Will it make everyone wonder whether Li Shimin did something wrong in this matter?
But Changsun Wuji’s identity is more than that.

He was also the person who had accompanied Li Shimin since his humble days. When he stood in Li Shimin's team, many people on Li Shimin's side would follow him.

His influence is enormous.

Of course, in addition to Changsun Wuji, some of the nobles in Li Shimin's camp were also quietly establishing contact with Gao Shilian.

Repeat a sentence you said earlier.

No one is willing to throw away the fruits of his or her labor and let others take over.

No matter how noble the slogans they shout at the beginning, in the end they will give up these slogans and instead protect their own interests.

Gao Shilian Mansion

There was a hint of excitement in Gao Shilian's eyes. He raised the golden cup in his hand and looked at the people sitting around him.

At this time, he was holding a banquet in his mansion, and the people participating in this banquet were either rich or noble.

And they all stood with him.

The golden cup was filled with fine wine, and Gao Shilian raised his hand with a slight arc of excitement.

He looked at the crowd and said softly, "Everyone, let's have a drink here."

"After this is accomplished, we will share the glory together. I will not abandon anyone. I will not let you give up your power and wealth like Li Shimin did."

"Those things are what we deserve, not what we are given."

There was a hint of dissatisfaction in Gao Shilian's brow. It was obvious that he was very dissatisfied with Li Shimin's thinking from the so-called common people's perspective and wanting the Tang nobles to hand over their power.

The faces of the ministers sitting around also had excitement on their faces.

These ministers came from all corners of the country. Among them were long-time aristocratic families as well as new aristocrats of the Tang Dynasty who had just risen.

These people gathered here for the same purpose.

That is: power.

We will drink together from golden bottles, but we will not spare each other with white knives.

No one knows when this storm that will eventually sweep across the entire Chang'an City and even the entire Tang Dynasty will come, but everyone is waiting, waiting to face the storm.

Some people had a "smell" of the coming storm, and felt that it would definitely erupt from Chen Yu, who had fought all over the country. So whether it was Kong Yingda or Gao Shilian, their eyes were fixed on Chen Yu, wanting to get something from him.

but.
No one knew that the creator of the coming storm was not Chen Yu, and that this person had already decided to deliver a fatal blow at tomorrow's court meeting.

This person's name is simple and ordinary, but this person is not ordinary, and his father is not ordinary either.

This person's name is "Qu Leng".

His father's name was "Qu Tutong".

Qu Leng - a person who appeared once in the debate between Chen Yu and Fang Xuanling some time ago. His appearance just told everyone that Qu Leng was not a typical good official, and Fang Xuanling's judgment was not wrong.

The appearance of Qu Tutong was simply because he was brought out by his own child, that's all.

Before these two people secretly arrived in Chang'an City, no one paid attention to these two people who were supposed to play the "clowns".

Even Gao Shilian and Kong Yingda were still thinking about whether they could win these two people over to their own camp - after all, Fang Xuanling belonged to the emperor's camp, and the emperor would definitely not give up Fang Xuanling easily.

So if he had to choose between Fang Xuanling and Qu Tutong, Li Shimin would definitely choose Fang Xuanling and give up Qu Tutong.

so.
No one noticed these two people, or noticed that they had arrived in Chang'an City!

Night
The deep darkness enveloped everything, completely covering all things. In a remote courtyard, Qu Leng stood there in white clothes, standing under the moonlight, holding a porcelain cup in his hand with some nectar in it.

"I never thought that I, Qu Leng, would come back here one day."

He smiled and said calmly, "It's just that my return this time is bound to disappoint some people."

In the past, due to certain reasons, he could only leave his hometown and even became a "Jiedushi", far away from the power of the court, but now, he is back, and those who caused him to fall to that point must all die!
The fifth year of Zhenguan, summer, July 13th.

This should have been a very ordinary day in history, but because of the appearance of two certain characters, this hot summer was destined to leave a mark in history books!
Because of one person, because of one thing!
People are cold and submissive!

The event was the land reform in the world! In the long river of history, this person and event were closely linked together because of this day. Later generations and the Zhenguan Reform must mention Qu Leng! Mentioning Qu Leng must mention the Zhenguan Reform!
No one can separate them!
Tai Chi Hall

At the court meeting, the ministers who came to participate in the meeting obviously felt that something was wrong. After all, they saw a person who should not be here, Qu Leng!
What is he here to do?
Li Xiaogong couldn't help but feel a little scared.

My family knows my own business!

Something he did back then was indeed not very decent - or it was not even that decent!
When Qu Leng walked out slowly, Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji's expressions became even paler. They looked at Qu Leng, who walked step by step to the center of the hall with a firm face. They even wanted to walk up to him and pull him down!
But it's too late!

Because the emperor spoke!

Or maybe it’s not just this one step that they’re late for, but all the steps!

They are all late!
It's completely late!
When they did that, it was already too late.
Qu Leng stood there with an extremely determined look on his face. It seemed as if he was not fighting alone at this moment, but that all the people of Jiangling Prefecture were standing behind him, fighting with him!
He bowed slightly, and said with a firm look on his face: "Your Majesty, I have something to say!"

He raised his head, his eyes firm, "I want to impeach Li Xiaogong, the Minister of Works, the Governor of Liangzhou, and the Prince of Hejian; and Liu Hongji, the General of the State and the Duke of Kui. They are corrupt, colluded with local ministers and wealthy businessmen, and annexed nearly hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Jiangling Prefecture and Hongzhou Prefecture!"

"There are even elegant names for people in the area, such as Li Banfu and Liu Yifu!"

"I want to impeach Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji for colluding with local officials and local wealthy businessmen, wasting human lives, driving up grain prices when a major disaster struck, and forcing women of good families into prostitution!"

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"I want to impeach Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji for illegally occupying other people's land, which caused nearly 3,865 people to die in vain!"

"I want to impeach Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji for allowing their clansmen to bring disaster to the village, causing the people of Jiangling and Hongzhou to suffer misery! The people are in mourning everywhere! The local people were almost forced to rebel!"

He took out a letter written in blood from his arms and held it above his head.

Qu Leng's voice was full of tears and blood, and with a hint of sadness, he whispered: "Your Majesty, this is a blood letter from the people of Jiangling and Hongzhou!"

"Your Majesty, please investigate closely!"

When these words appeared in the hall, everyone fell silent.

For a moment, they looked at "Chen Ruohan" who was standing in the front, and the exclusive armchair of "Chen Zhan" who had long disappeared from the court but still had a seat reserved for him, as well as Chen Yu who was standing not far away with his eyes closed to rest.

Good guy.
They originally thought that the storm might arrive after some time, but who could have imagined that it would arrive so soon!

No one dares to speak!

Because this involves a member of the Li Tang royal family! And a duke!
Both of them have the hope of appearing in the Lingyan Pavilion!
And now.
With this blood letter, it was already a great thing for them to land safely! How could they still expect to enter the Lingyan Pavilion and be admired by thousands of people?

Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji looked at Qu Leng with extremely ferocious eyes. They wished they could kill Qu Leng directly and drink his blood and eat his flesh!

But as they watched Qu Leng gradually bring out evidence that was enough to crush them, and as they watched the emperor sitting on the throne, on the dragon chair, looking down at them from above as if he was looking at fish on a chopping board waiting to be slaughtered, they sat there powerlessly.

At this moment, they remembered the time when they followed Li Shimin to conquer the world!

At that time
Let’s drink together from the golden cup!
now
I'm afraid he'll fight to the death!
Li Shimin looked at the two men coldly and said calmly, "What do you two have to say?"

Anything to say?

Do you want to protest your injustice?

They know very well what they have done and what their fate will be!

Li Xiaogong struggled to adjust himself from a limp position to a kneeling position. He knelt there, raised his head and looked at Li Shimin, who stood up and looked down at him, and then gave a bitter smile to himself.

"What do you have to say?"

His expression was bitter and sad, yet with a hint of calmness in accepting defeat.

"Your Majesty, I lose, I admit it!"

"I did do these things! I have nothing to say. Please deal with me, Your Majesty!"

Liu Hongji also knelt there, kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, please deal with it!"

Li Shimin looked at the two of them with a hint of melancholy and emotion in his brows. His thoughts went back to the past, to the cups of fine wine and the oaths they had made!
Where are the vows made back then?
No more!
He said coldly: "The crimes you two have committed are too numerous to list!"

"Since you have already admitted it, there is no need to bother about it any further. I don't want to find out anything else."

"To make your end even more miserable."

There was some deep meaning in Li Shimin's words. He looked at Li Xiaogong with a dull expression.

Li Xiaogong secretly hid Vietnamese items at home!

If found out.
If the truth is uncovered, Li Xiaogong's entire family will be killed!
Now there is a chance for Li Xiaogong's family to survive.

"I hereby declare that Li Xiaogong, the Minister of Works, Governor of Liangzhou, and Prince of Hejian; and Liu Hongji, the General of the Auxiliary State and Duke of Kui, have been unkind in their official duties, annexed land, disregarded human lives, and disrupted the government. Their crimes are unforgivable!"

"They should have been sentenced to death, but considering their past merits, they were stripped of their official positions, their property was confiscated and put into the national treasury, and all the land they occupied was nationalized. Then the governors of Jiangling and Hongzhou were ordered to divide it up and distribute the right to use it to the local people one by one."

Having said that, Li Shimin sighed. He looked at Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji, but he still felt a little reluctant.

"In addition, Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji were granted a residence in Chang'an, ten thousand taels of gold, and the right to use one hundred hectares of fertile land near Chang'an;"

Li Shimin looked at Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji calmly, and said softly: "You two can't be ranked in the front row of Lingyan Pavilion, so... I will let you two be ranked 22nd and 23rd."

At this point, Li Shimin could no longer hold back, and his voice choked with sobs: "You really make me sad!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned away.

Li Xiaogong and Liu Hongji were left standing there, with a look of shame and inexplicable sadness on their faces.
I knew this, why should I be at the beginning?
Shen Guogong Mansion

"bump--"

Gao Shilian suddenly threw the celadon teacup in his hand to the ground, breaking it into pieces.

"Good, good, good, what a great Jiang Zhonggong!"

"What a great Qu Leng! What a great Qu Tutong! What a great Li Shimin! What a great Chen!"

He almost growled, "How dare you bully me like this?!"

(End of this chapter)