Wentang

Chapter 795
"What is this? It's so strange, what's the use?" Ma Cong asked while looking at the blueprint.

"Although the thing is not big, it looks very complicated." Tian Shungu said.

Yue Shan said seriously: "Sooner or later, I will tell you. It doesn't matter if I tell you in advance, but it must be kept secret. Don't tell anyone what it does until it is done successfully."

Ma Cong and Tian Shungu looked serious, and said, "Don't worry, we won't tell anyone."

Yue Shan nodded and said: "This thing is called a generator, as the name suggests, it is used to generate electricity."

Ma Cong didn't react for a while, and asked: "Generator, power generation? What is electricity?"

He came over just after asking, and said in disbelief, "What did you say? Electricity? Could it be thunder and lightning from the sky?"

Yue Shan said solemnly: "It's the electricity of thunder and lightning."

"Hiss..." The two gasped at the same time.

"Aren't you kidding us? That's thunder and lightning, something only gods can master."

Yue Shan said, "Do you think I'm joking?"

Ma Cong stared back at the blueprint, as if he wanted to see anything related to electricity.

Even though he has deep research in chemistry and physics, he is a Taoist priest after all, and he still believes in the existence of gods deep in his heart.

In his opinion, lightning belongs to the field that only gods can set foot in. Suddenly someone told him that this thing can 'generate electricity', and he would inevitably lose his composure.

Not to mention him, Tian Shungu is not much better, this is thunder and lightning.

But I flipped through the picture several times and didn't see anything related to the mysterious power.

"Just... with these things, a few magnets, a row of iron sheets and copper wires can generate electricity?" Ma Cong questioned.

"Before you saw a steam engine, could you have imagined that boiling hot water could generate such a huge amount of energy?" Yue Shan asked rhetorically.

"...I understand." Ma Cong stopped asking.

Although he was still full of doubts, since Yue Shan took out the structural diagram of the generator, believe it or not, he had to make it first.

Whether it is true or not, you will know when something is made.

"What is this electric light?" Tian Shungu asked.

Yue Shan took the drawings and introduced the above several electrical appliances one by one:

"Electricity has many functions. It is not for cultivating palm thunder. Electric lights, as the name suggests, use electricity to drive light."

"This is a water heater (heats quickly), and it can generate heat to boil water after the electricity is turned on."

"This is a rice cooker..."

These three kinds of electrical appliances are the only things in Yueshan that know the principle, and they have all been taken out. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a fool to get out the electricity and not know how to do it.

Tian Shungu and Ma Cong also half-understood, but they didn't understand what he said at all.After all, they don't even know what electricity is, let alone electrical appliances.

But at least I know what these things are used for. The key point is there, which provides convenience for subsequent manufacturing.

Some people want to say, how can you make a rice cooker that heats up quickly without plastic?

There are rubber products and ceramics. Although they are not as convenient to use as plastics, they can still be used.

Ma Cong and Tian Shungu were personally responsible for the production of the generator, while the production of the three electrical appliances was handed over to their disciples Zhou Shifang and Han Chaoshui.

Yue Shan was naturally in charge of talking.

When he was busy here, the outside world didn't stop.

In this way, the policy of maintaining honesty with high salaries was passed in the midst of criticism. The imperial court officially issued the Di Bao, and the Eight University Journals collectively reported the matter in supplementary editions.

The Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of Households became busy, and the imperial court stipulated that former officials could freely choose whether to want tax-free privileges or high salaries to support their integrity.

Those who choose tax-free privileges will remain unchanged for the time being, and those who choose high salaries to support honesty will have to adjust their job titles, salaries, and reissue a thousand gold coins.

It is impossible to count so many officials across the country at one time, and it is not so efficient to exhaust the people of the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Officials to death.

Even if they have such a high efficiency, the imperial court will not be able to spend that much money at one time.The best way is to collect statistics one by one, distribute money in batches, and ease financial pressure.

At this time, something big or small happened in the court, and Cen Wenwen died of a sudden illness.

The death of the prime minister still has some impact, and many of the tasks he was originally in charge of have come to a standstill.While Li Shimin sent someone to attend his funeral, he chose someone to take his place.

In fact, there is nothing to choose. In terms of ability, political achievements, and qualifications, Zhang Hong, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, is the best candidate.

Moreover, Li Shimin was about to embark on the Western Expedition, so he had to have a capable minister to purchase military supplies for him, and Zhang Hong was the most suitable one.

Let him serve as the prime minister and the secretary of the household department, and the western expedition army will not have to worry about military supplies.

Zhang Hong was naturally very happy to be the prime minister. After so many years, he finally killed people with senior qualifications and reached the pinnacle of being a minister. How could he be unhappy.

As the saying goes, when a new official takes office with three fires, and it happens to be in time for the implementation of the policy of maintaining integrity with high salaries, it is like staring at the work of the people in the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Officials.

Urge the people below so much that one person can be the envoy of five people.

"There are more than 1 officials in the Tang Dynasty, and there are more than 7000 people excluding the nobles. About 500% of the [-] people will choose high salaries to support honesty, about [-] people." Changsun Wuji said the statistics from the Ministry of Officials Reported in detail:
"The imperial court needs to compensate for the difference in money and food of 500 million guan. Although the salary can be made up through employment, it will cost nearly 500 million guan more each year."

"Ninety percent of them choose high salaries to support honesty, why are there so many?" Li Shimin asked.

"Many officials come from the same family. They will select a few people to retain the tax-free privilege, and the rest will choose high salaries to support honesty in order to maximize their benefits." Changsun Wuji replied.

"Heh..." Li Shimin sneered: "Why didn't we think of this before. Forget it, let them go."

He asked Zhang Hongdao again: "How much money is left in the national treasury? How much budget can we spend?"

Zhang Hong stood up and reported: "The national treasury still has 5000 million guan of money and food, but after excluding the expenses in the second half of the year and the emergency money and food, it can only take out 2000 million guan. If the internal treasury..."

Li Shimin hurriedly said: "I have a lot of money in the internal treasury, so don't make random decisions. Let's talk about how you plan to implement this plan."

Zhang Hong showed a regretful expression, and the plan to ask for money from the internal treasury failed again: "Our plan is to complete the restructuring of the system with high salaries and honesty in three years, so that it will not cause too much pressure on the imperial court's finances."

"Three years?" Li Shimin frowned, as if he was very dissatisfied with this time, and said: "The internal treasury pays out 1000 million guan every year, and the restructuring work must be completed within two years."

Zhang Hong was very surprised and didn't understand why the emperor was in such a hurry.But since the inner treasury is willing to pay, it doesn't matter to him: "As long as the money from the inner treasury arrives on time, there is no problem on my side."

Changsun Wuji knew why Li Shimin was in such a hurry, he just hoped to finish this work before the catastrophe in Yue Shan's prophecy came, and he couldn't leave the tail to future generations.

So he got up and promised: "As long as the money arrives in the account, there will be no problem with the minister."

Li Shimin said: "Well, I will see the results of the restructuring within two years."

"Here." Changsun Wuji and Zhang Hong said in unison.

……

When it was agreed that they would leave, Li Chengqian said: "You are not in such a hurry."

"Time doesn't wait for me." Li Shimin said with emotion, as if he didn't want to talk about this topic, he said, "I heard that a scholar sued Yue Shan? Do you know what's going on?"

Li Chengqian said: "I know, this person's name is Yuan Qun and he is a scholar from Yizhou. He has visited most of the yamen in Beijing. He said that the teacher is a traitor and a shameless villain..."

"According to what his companions said, they once went to the teacher and were humiliated... Now this matter has caused a lot of trouble in Beijing."

"I also want to ask you for instructions on how to deal with this person. Letting him go on like this is not good for the court's plan, and it will also damage the teacher's reputation."

Li Shimin asked: "Yue Shan said that he has seen the list of emperors, do you believe it?"

Li Chengqian shook his head and said: "How is it possible? The gate of the Tribute Academy will take two days to open. It is estimated that the list of emperors has not been drawn up yet. How could he see it."

Li Shimin asked again: "In this case, why did he say that?"

"It should be deliberately humiliating and angering this Yuan Qun."

"Then why did he provoke Yuan Qun so much?"

"This... I am also very puzzled, this is not a teacher's personality."

"If something goes wrong, there must be a demon. You haven't thought about the answer?"

"Thinking about it, it seems to be provoking Yuan Qun to sue him, but I really can't figure out why he would do this?"

"Let me tell you why, he just wants Yuan Qun to spread the word around and damage his reputation."

"Ah, why?"

"Self-pollution."

Li Cheng suddenly realized that all the previous puzzles were answered immediately, but he felt a little complicated and angry.

"Are you angry?" Li Shimin asked.

Li Chengqian nodded: "Why did he do this? We obviously didn't doubt him, what did he think of us."

"Hehe..." Li Shimin laughed: "You are not a qualified monarch yet."

Seeing Li Chengqian's puzzled face, he explained: "The king has the way of the king, and the minister has the way of the minister. Only when everyone walks their own way can the combination of the king and the minister become a good talk."

"Xiao He is self-defiled, do you think Han Gaozu really can't see it? Think about why Han Gaozu let go of his fear of him and trusted him again when he knew he was self-defiled."

Li Chengqian showed a thoughtful expression, and after a while he said: "Because Xiao He's action is to show submission?"

Li Shimin nodded first, then shook his head and said: "First of all, there is another reason, no matter whether Xiao He is pretending or not, he has done all the things that are corrupt and perverted the law to oppress the people."

"As long as he does it, the common people will remember this hatred, and no one will follow him if Xiao He wants to rebel."

Li Chengqian said: "So that's the case, I understand. Xiao He has actually lost the ability to rebel after self-defilement, so Han Gaozu will trust him again."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "It's good that you understand. We can't slaughter meritorious officials like the Liu family, and we have to devote more energy to handling the relationship between the monarch and his ministers."

"It is necessary to give ministers a stage to display their talents, but also to restrict them, so that their power and reputation cannot exceed a certain limit."

"They are not harming them, but protecting them. Unrestrained trust and reuse, making them a perfect person, is harming them."

"Although Yue Shan doesn't fight, when he is always right, he can have everything without fighting. The Secretary of Education and Political Science is his staff from top to bottom, and the Secretary of Criminal Justice is similar."

"One-third of the navy's generals are trained by the Dizhou Naval Academy. Liu Rengui, Su Dingfang, Xi Junmai, Wang Xuance, Xue Rengui... Each of these people is a commander-in-chief."

"Sun Fujia and Ma Zhou, the prime ministers in the imperial court, have an inseparable relationship with him, and Fang Xuanling also owes him a kindness. Zhang Hong also presided over the matter of counting the population and clearing the land with him..."

"He himself is a great master in the literary world and the leader of Xinxue, who is well-known all over the world... Don't you worry about such a courtier?"

Li Chengqian's expression gradually became serious: "I would definitely have trouble sleeping and eating if I were someone else, but he... has a very close relationship with my royal family, and I never doubted him."

Li Shimin said: "So you are not a qualified monarch. No matter how good his relationship with the royal family is, he is just a foreign minister. Even if he is your own brother or even your own son, you should take precautions."

"Why did so many emperors in history dare not let their princes take power? Don't they know that letting the princes receive training in advance is more conducive to the cultivation of princes? Because the imperial power cannot tolerate sand."

Li Chengqian broke out in cold sweat when he said this.

Li Shimin stared at him and said, "Now do you know how lucky you are?"

Li Chengqian didn't dare to look up at him, and said in a deep voice, "Yes, thank you for your trust, I will not let you down."

Li Shimin shook his head and said, "You don't need to thank me. In fact, I have guarded against you. Letting you go to Liaodong is already the limit I can tolerate."

"It is also because of Yue Shan's prophecy that you are asked to return to the capital to lead the cabinet and install your own officials.

"Otherwise, I will let you stay in Liaodong for five or ten years, and then call you back and lock you up in the East Palace until the day I die."

"Gudong." Li Chengqian swallowed nervously.

"Are you scared?" Li Shimin suddenly smiled and said, "It's good to know that you are afraid. Only when you know fear can you feel awe, and you will be vigilant and know what to do and what not to do."

"Okay, let's not talk about this. Let's talk about what happened just now. Now do you know why Yue Shan defiled himself?"

Li Chengqian wiped his sweat, and said: "Understood, his power has surpassed the boundaries of a minister. Either we suppress him, or he chooses to defile himself. This is to maintain the relationship between the monarch and his ministers."

Li Shimin said with satisfaction: "It seems that you really understand. Now that you understand, you should know. You shouldn't be angry because of his self-defilement. Instead, you should be grateful for having such a general who understands the general."

Li Chengqian nodded, but said doubtfully: "But replacing the tax-free privilege with a high salary is a good strategy for benefiting the country and the people. Sooner or later, the world will know about it."

"By that time, won't public opinion turn around? What's the use of his self-defilement?"

　Li Shimin was the most cautious emperor in appointing officials. During the Zhenguan period, there were only more than 630 central officials, and there were only about [-] officials in the whole country.

　　It is a period with the fewest officials in all dynasties.

　　Here, because the protagonist travels through territory and the population far exceeds the original history, the number of officials has also increased by 5000 to [-].

　　……

　　By the way, May [-] double monthly pass, ask for a monthly pass.

　　Thank you.

　　that's all.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)