Chastity Layman

  Chapter 967 Pulling out the chaos anyway

  At the beginning, Qin Lang succeeded Li Gang and Pei Ju as Prince Zhan, worked hard for the East Palace, and made a good deployment plan. In recent years, the income of the East Palace Neifang has been extremely rich, and the money is pouring in like a cornucopia.

Not only are there many businesses that make money every day, such as money houses, publishing houses, paper mills, etc., but also a lot of money has been invested in some profitable projects, such as maritime merchants, porcelain kilns, silk weaving workshops, breweries, and even frontier villages. Wool mills, the charcoal field in Shuofang, etc.

   This investment after investment has enabled the East Palace to have a very rich private treasury in Neifang. This money makes it very convenient for the prince to do things, and has also won him a lot of good reputation.

Chengqian had also personally looked at the pile of ledgers, but looking at the ledgers left by Qin Lang, it felt like reading a heavenly book, groups of numbers, sums of funds, it was quite clear when viewed alone. But piled up together, it feels like the viewer's mind is dizzy.

   This rate of return, that future prospect, this interest, that dividend, in and out, one sum after another, countless numbers piled up together, made Cheng Qian unable to look at it at all, and the more he looked at it, the more he had a headache. Later, he simply stopped looking at it. He only knew that Qin Lang helped him manage the finances of the Eastern Palace, and his money in the Neifang was getting more and more. Although there was not much real money in the Neifang, Qin Lang said that it should never be. Put money there to make money, but use money to make money.

  Qin Lang has a good way of making money, which is known all over the world.

  So Chengqian didn't bother to take care of it, he just knew that the East Palace was not short of money.

  When money is needed, as long as he speaks a word, tens of thousands of money will be raised from everywhere.

Chengqian's inner workshop is not as rich as the emperor's inner treasury, that's for sure, but the crown prince's inner workshop is definitely rich, and the prince himself doesn't know exactly how much money there is. Anyway, he feels that it is inexhaustible. , inexhaustible, so he worshiped Buddha and prayed for the queen before, the flowers were like running water, and he didn't feel the slightest.

  Elder Sun Chong came to pay a visit to Chengqian, but after seeing the ceremony, he wanted to invite him to the imperial city.

   Cheng Qian was quite polite to Chang Sun Chong, and asked a few words how his sister was doing in Luoyang now, and how his nephews were waiting, so he went to change clothes.

  When he brought Helan Chushi to the imperial city and entered the Zhongshu Provincial Court, he found that all the ministers who stayed here had come.

Chang'an Shang Shuling and Crown Prince Zhan Shi Gao Shilian sat in the middle, followed by Yuwen Shiji, Yang Gongren, Li Jing, Chen Shuda, Xiao Yu and other old ministers, Du Zhenglun, Zhang Xuansu, Yu Zhining, Li Baiyao and other Eastern Palace officials also sat in the middle. coming.

  The palace is full of gold and purple, and it feels like there are three trials.

  Seeing that even Li Xiaogong, the famous king of the clan, was sitting there in a purple robe, Cheng Qian felt a little nervous in his heart. To tell the truth, these people have high reputations, not comparable to those of Yu Zhining. When facing Zhining and the others, Chengqian already had a psychological advantage, but when he faced Li Jing, Li Xiaogong, Gao Shilian, etc., he was still a bit uneasy.

  Gao Shilian nodded to him expressionlessly, and Li Xiaogong just nodded slightly, Yang Gongren coughed, and Yu Wenshiji smiled at him.

  Xiao Yu kept a straight face.

   "What's going on? Has something major happened? Such a big fight?"

   Chengqian was uneasy, but he still forced himself to ask calmly.

  Gao Shilian handed a roll of jute paper to Changsun Chong, who forwarded it to Chengqian.

   Chengqian took it and found that the seal on this piece of paper had already been opened. It was obvious that Gao Shilian and others had read it. He looked at the seal carefully and found that it was actually from Luoyang. When he opened it again, it was written by the emperor himself.

   Chengqian is quite familiar with the beautiful flying white hand and the calligraphy with endless brushstrokes. This is the sage's own handwriting.

  The letter is not long, but the content is very strict.

   This is the anger from the emperor of Tang Dynasty, and also the blame from his father.

  The emperor wrote in the letter, asking him to immediately stop his absurd behavior of worshiping Buddha, saying that this move would not only fail to pray for the queen to eliminate disasters, but would disrupt the state affairs and make the queen feel uneasy.

  The empress has already expressed unacceptable behavior of Chengqian, saying that praying for her is going against the national policy, spending so much money and manpower to rebuild so many temples, and ordaining so many young and strong people to become monks.

   Stop your absurd behavior immediately.

  The emperor issued a stern warning, asking Chengqian to return the tens of thousands of monks who had been ordained ordained to return home, and all Buddhist temples and Taoist temples that were already under construction would also be suspended and cancelled.

  Even the Buddhist scripture engraving and printing factory established by Chengqian had to stop working, and even the engraved Buddhist scripture blocks were all destroyed and burned.

   Those Buddha bone relics, etc., were sent back to the Buddhist temple.

  Chengqian brought the millions of money he raised for donations, and he had to raise them wherever he could and then return them.

   Even the customs clearance documents, money, and guards for Tang Xuanzang's westward journey have to be recovered...

  In short, the series of things Chengqian did before were all wrong, and now they all have to be retracted and corrected, and the emperor even asked Chengqian to issue a sincere crime order.

  I want to apologize to the world and give an explanation.

   Chengqian's face became more and more ugly, and even his eyelids couldn't help trembling and beating.

  He slowly raised his head and looked at the left-behind ministers in the hall.

   "Is it wrong for a son to pray for his mother?"

Yu Zhining put on a serious face, "It's certainly right for a son to pray for his mother, but His Highness's behavior is already wrong. It runs counter to the national policy formulated by the sage and the princes, and even makes the queen feel uneasy. The way of filial piety?"

  First Yu Zhining, followed by Zhang Xuansu and Du Zhenglun, one after another stood up and accused the prince of being wrong.

  Gao Shilian coughed a few times and interrupted several people.

   "His Royal Highness, the sage has another decree to pass. From the date of issuing the decree, His Royal Highness will no longer hold the post of Yongzhou Shepherd, and the old minister will take the post of Yongzhou Shepherd on his behalf."

   "In the future, Chang'an Xingtai affairs will be decided by the Chang'an cabinet composed of three senior officials in Xingtai."

   Li Shimin was very dissatisfied with Chengqian's behavior, and now he has begun to take power.

The Chang'an cabinet was set up under the Imperial Court Zhongshumen. It is composed of three high-ranking officials in Chang'an and one mansion and two square chief officials in the East Palace. In fact, because the three high-ranking officials are also the East Palace officials, this cabinet is actually composed of three high-ranking officials in Xingtai. , In addition, there are other officials who have obtained the emperor's special decree to enter.

  Officials who enter the cabinet will be awarded the rank of cabinet bachelor.

  They, like the Zhengshitang under Zhongshu, have the right to make decisions and refute them.

  Chengqian is still the crown prince, yes, the cabinet is also responsible to the prince, but in fact Li Shimin has deprived and restricted many of Chengqian's powers.

  The important affairs of Chang'an Xingtai must be discussed and decided by the cabinet, and the seal can be effective, otherwise it will be invalid. If the prince directly issued the prince's order without passing the cabinet, the local government must not follow it.

  Whether it is the appointment of personnel, the transfer of finance, money and food, or the transfer of soldiers and horses, etc., it must be approved by the cabinet.

  The cabinet assisted the prince to stay in Chang'an, Xijing. In terms of system, the Taiwan affairs were first reported to the Yintai Division. Zhan Shifu reported it to the prince for review, and then transferred it to the cabinet.

  After the cabinet discusses the disposal plan, the ticket is to be affixed with yellow, and then forwarded to the prince for review and approval.

  Li Shimin said that because the crown prince was still young and inexperienced, after the cabinet votes were planned to be yellow, the chief officials of Donggong Zhanshifu and Zuochunfang would approve the red ones on their behalf.

  After the approval, it will be sent back to the cabinet for transfer to Xingtai, three provinces, six departments, five prisons, nine temples, twelve guards, four governments, eight armies and other departments for implementation.

   Such twists and turns, in fact, completely deprived Chengqian of his original military power.

  After all, Li Shimin's set is very interesting. First, the cabinet composed of three senior officials in Chang'an Xingtai planned to paste the yellow votes, and then let the chief officials of Zhan Shifu and Chunfang in the East Palace inherit the red.

In fact, in this process, the cabinet exercises the power of decision-making, while the East Palace exercises the power of rejection. They can say yes or no to the cabinet's decision on behalf of the prince, and if it is OK, it will be issued for implementation. But Donggong has no decision-making power here, only the right to refute.

  It’s just that, what’s interesting is that the three high-ranking officials in Chang’an Xingtai actually also served as the chiefs of the first mansion and the second workshop of the Eastern Palace.

  Servant and Zuochunfang Zuoshuzi, Zhongshuling and Youchunfang Youshuzi and so on.

   To put it bluntly, a set of people and horses have two brands, and they have two jobs.

  Now Li Shimin has let Gao Shilian and the others be in charge of decision-making with their left hand, the ticket will be posted as yellow, and their right hand will be responsible for the rejection and deliberation, and the red letter will be approved by ghostwriter.

  In fact, the power of the entire Xingtai belongs to these elders, and Cheng Qian has become a human-shaped stamp.

  Finally, on the official decision-making document discussed by Gao Shilian and the others, it is enough to affix his own seal. Even the matter of affixing the seal does not require him to do it himself. There is a person in charge of the prince's seal in the East Palace.

  How disappointed Li Shimin was that he suddenly deprived Chengqian of almost all the left-behind power when he had deliberately added so much power to the prince.

   "Then why do you want me, the prince, to stay here? Do you still have the right to know about military and state affairs? Wouldn't it be good to just call me back to Luoyang?"

   Cheng Qian's face was flushed with anger, and he felt a burning pain in his face. He never expected that the emperor would suddenly slap him so hard, and even slap himself fiercely in front of these people.

   Doesn't he want a little face?

  The prince doesn't want to lose face?

"We will still present the affairs of Chang'an Xingtai to His Highness. If His Highness has doubts or objections to the handling of veterans and others, we can explain it or discuss it again." Gao Shilian was expressionless. At this point, they These veterans actually breathed a sigh of relief.

  Before, Chengqian would not listen to them. Although they tried every means to persuade him, Chengqian insisted on going his own way, and the result was such a big mess, which aroused the emperor's wrath.

  But the emperor is not in Chang'an, and the prince is already an adult. He insists on going his own way. Can these veterans still use rope to tie the prince up?

  It’s different now. With the emperor’s decree, it’s impossible for Chengqian to do whatever he wants in the future. Without the signatures and seals of these left-behind ministers, Chengqian’s Prince’s Order would not be able to leave Chang’an City, or even the East Palace.

   Finally got rid of the chaos anyway.

   Chengqian angrily threw the edict in his hand on the ground, turned his head and left, for him, staying here would be nothing but humiliation.

  Yu Zhining picked up the edict from the ground, wiped it lightly with his hands, and said happily, "Ah, I finally kept it until the clouds opened and the moon was bright."

"Don't be too happy too early. You should hurry up and discuss how to clean up the mess left by His Highness as soon as possible, so as to minimize the bad influence." Gao Shilian didn't feel happy at all, and Cheng Qian came to this day This step, he is very sad.

  I even feel that I have neglected my duty and have a lot of responsibility.

  Du Zhenglun reminded everyone, "I'm afraid His Royal Highness may not be willing to be honest, this one is now famous for being able to make trouble."

   "With this sage's decree, His Highness will not be afraid to make troubles, and he will not be able to intervene in major affairs in the future." Xiao Yu still said with a straight face.

  I wish, thought the majority of the crowd.

  This prince is not the former Prince Shengde. Today's Li Chengqian is already bohemian and even somewhat rebellious.

  Even Qin Lang doesn't want to talk to the prince now, but he knows how difficult he is now.

   "Everyone, we are deeply favored by the emperor and trusted by the saints. We stayed in Chang'an to assist the prince. Now we have all failed in our duties. Now we can only try our best to atone for our sins. I hope everyone can use their hearts."

Gao Shilian said helplessly, he also knew that although most of the ministers left behind in Chang'an were veteran ministers, these people were all old guys who stood aside, and they only wanted to live a stable life and take care of the elderly, and they were not very willing to interfere with those Get out of trouble.

  Especially among the left-behind ministers, there are still some who support King Wei or King Wu. Their hearts don’t really follow the prince, and they even wish to see the prince have some fun.

  Chengqian made such a mess before, in fact, Xiao Yu, Yang Gongren and other people intentionally connived it, and they didn't seriously advise them.

  Gao Shilian also knew the status quo of Chang'an Xingtai, but there was no way to change it. With such a result, Cheng Qian was severely punished, which undoubtedly greatly damaged the prestige of the East Palace.

  The emperor in Chang'an may be very aware of the situation here, and finally issued such an imperial edict when he couldn't deal with it.

   There is no other way to do this. We can only temporarily seize the power of the prince and let him calm down for a while. Otherwise, if we continue to torment like this, we don’t know how many more troubles will be caused.

   "Let's hurry up and clean up this mess. Those who should be returned to the vulgar should be returned to the vulgar, and the donations that should be refunded must be returned. The Buddhist temples and Taoist temples under construction must be demolished. We will use what can be used. The loss that cannot be used can only be borne by us."

  Xiao Yu didn't seem to want to talk too much about it, so he changed the subject.

"Hou Junji has come to press for money and food again. The situation in Tuyuhun does not seem to be improving. Murong Cheng, the brother-killing king, does not want to come to Chang'an to plead guilty and surrender. Now he is colluding with the Tubo people and is still chasing Murong Shun's wife and children. His mediation by Hou Junji has no effect, and he will even face Murong Cheng's siege. If Hou Junji wants to attack, he needs more money and food support. Longyou and Hexi can't support it, and he needs support from Guanzhong. What do you do about this? look?"

Gao Shilian shook his head, "This matter is still just Hou Junji's one-sided remarks. This guy has always wanted to fight a war and take advantage of the opportunity to make meritorious service, so he may not be able to believe everything he says. I think we still have to listen to the matter about Tuyuhun. The decision of the saint in Luoyang, the saint said to fight, then we in Chang'an will prepare money, food, civilians, and even soldiers and horses for reinforcements, if the saint says no to fight, then we don't care about Hou Junji's barking!"

  Yang Gongren stroked his gray beard and asked, "Then if that Murong Cheng really attacked our Datang City and robbed Murong Shun's wife and children, should we just sit idly by?"

  (end of this chapter)