Tang Dynasty: What! My mother is actually Empress Zhangsun

Mao hour.

Bells and drums sounded, and ritual music rang out.

Civil and military officials were waiting outside the palace gate, and as the long trumpet sounds continued, they slowly walked into the palace gate.

Inside the magnificent hall, two gilded unicorn statues were crawling under the dragon table.

Li Shimin, wearing a gilded dragon robe, sat on the dragon chair, overlooking the entire hall, as if overlooking all the people in the Tang Dynasty.

The eunuch sang loudly:"Come to the court!" The civil and military officials in the court saluted respectfully and said in unison:"Saint, greetings!"

Li Shimin said loudly:"No need to bow, everyone."

""Thank you, Your Majesty!"

All the civil and military officials bowed in thanks and stood firm.

""If you have a petition, please report it. If you don't, please leave the court!"

The eunuch in charge of ceremonies shouted in a shrill voice.

""Your Highness, I have a petition to make!"

The speaker was Jingzhao Yin Wei Ao, who raised his imperial seal high, bowed and said:

""My dear minister, please tell me!"

Li Shimin looked in the direction of the voice and his eyes fell on Wei Ao.

Feeling the dragon's eyes locked on him, Wei Ao cleared his throat and said,"Since July, there have been continuous heavy rains, and many parts of Guang'an Canal have been washed away, the river channel has been blocked, and the grain can't enter the capital. Now, the price of grain in Beijing has been rising."

"I petition Your Majesty to issue an order to open up the granaries to calm the panic."

After saying this, he lowered his head, and a hint of pride rose unconsciously at the corner of his mouth.

Ever since his promotion to the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was shelved last time, he has been waiting for an opportunity.

Now, after seeing the heavy rains for several days, he suddenly became interested. After seeing the fluctuations in grain prices on the market, he immediately submitted a petition.

In any case, he had to improve His Majesty's impression of him, right?

""Yes!"

Li Shimin nodded and looked at Fang Xuanling beside him.

"Fang Aiqing, what do you think?"

Fang Xuanling was called out and stood out from the team, saying,"Your Majesty, what Jingzhao Yin said is true."

"In recent days, there are signs of food shortage in the capital. The prices of grain stores have been rising day by day. The court should pay attention to it."

After hearing Fang Xuanling's words, Wei Ao couldn't help but raise his mouth.

Once a food shortage occurs in the capital, it will bring immeasurable losses. If

I stand up and remind him at this time, it can be regarded as anticipating the event, which will definitely leave a good impression on His Majesty.

He twisted his neck and waited for praise.

"Gao Aiqing, the grain in the capital must not be lost. At this time, it is your Ministry of Revenue that will handle it."

""I obey your order!"

Gao Shilian, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward immediately.

"Wei Aiqing, you were able to remind me in time, which is great!"

After explaining, Li Shimin looked at Wei Ao again.

"I have only fulfilled my duty as a minister!"

Wei Ao had a flattering smile on his face. He raised his head and was about to give his"acceptance speech", but saw Li Shimin's face darken and said:

"However, since you already know that Guangtong Canal is blocked, why don't you call on the people to clear the silt and repair the river embankment?"

Seeing Li Shimin's expression change, Wei Ao's face twitched wildly, and he hurriedly explained:"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have ordered all counties to speed up the dredging and repairing the embankment, and all counties have already started construction."

"However, some counties have not been able to get the job done properly and have not yet called in a team to start work."

"I am preparing to urge you today."

"Your Majesty, rest assured that the siltation will be cleared and the waterway will be restored in a few days."

Li Shimin sneered,"Oh? It seems that I have wronged you?"

"I dare not!"

"Then tell me, which counties have not started construction yet? Why did they dare to disobey the imperial order?"

Li Shimin asked Wei Ao repeatedly, and he was so scared that his legs went weak. He kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, and his mind was in a daze.

"minister...minister..."

For a moment, he felt as if a huge stone weighed down his throat. He wanted to speak but couldn't.

"Let me tell you!"

"The people of Wugong, Lantian and Shangyi counties failed to repair the riverbanks in time, which led to the blockage of Guangtong Canal!"

Li Shimin slapped the dragon table and said,"Do you know why they dared to defy the court?"

"This is because the people in these three counties have recently suffered from a number of serious diseases, and the laborers are unable to undertake the heavy work of repairing the dike."

"You don't think about how to help the people, but put the blame on them, shameless!"

Li Shimin was furious and said,"Come on, get out and give me twenty strokes of the cane!"

Hearing that he was going to be beaten on the spot, Wei Ao was so scared that he lost his soul and knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

"" Your Majesty, I am innocent, I am innocent!"

Seeing Li Shimin so angry, the civil and military officials below looked at each other, no one knew why His Majesty was so angry today.

Instead, an old man with a white beard stood up.

Wei Zheng raised his imperial seal and said,"Your Majesty, please forgive Jingzhao Yin."

"It is not the behavior of a wise ruler to cane his subjects in court!"

Li Shimin frowned and said,"Wei Zheng, are you blaming me?"

Wei Zheng said with a nonchalant look,"I dare not blame Your Majesty. I am just saying that a wise ruler will not cane his subjects in court just because they have done something wrong."

"Although Jingzhao Yin was wrong, there are Dali Temple, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Personnel. Your Majesty is really inappropriate to do this."

Looking at this old man, Li Shimin was so angry that his teeth itched.

This old troll didn't even give him face, and threw out a memorial on the spot.

"Wugong and Lantian counties were originally gathering places for veteran soldiers of the border army. They had served the Tang Dynasty for many years and were now old and their lives were already hard."

"Now, many more people have been infected with serious diseases. Jingzhao Prefecture didn't even know about such a serious incident! They even put the blame for the river bank collapse on them!"

"If I don't investigate, I will believe him and punish the old soldiers of the Tang Dynasty. Wouldn't that chill their hearts?"

When these words came out, all the officials were in an uproar.

Especially those military generals. These old soldiers were originally their old generals. After returning from the border, they were unwilling to leave and settled down near the capital. They were considered to have shed their last drop of blood for the Tang Dynasty.

However, now someone wronged them. How could they not be angry?

"You bastard, how dare you slander me, an old soldier of the Tang Dynasty!"

"Beat him up, you son of a bitch!"

Cheng Yaojin immediately stood up, and kicked Wei Ao violently, regardless of whether he was facing up or down.

Several generals around him were also unwilling to be left out, and after Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong, the two old generals, took action, they also went up to kick him a few more times.

These were all fierce men who had fought on the battlefield, and Wei Ao fainted after just a few kicks.

With a wave of his hand, several guards dragged Wei Ao away, and Li Shimin sighed:

"The continuous heavy rains have made life very hard for the old soldiers of the Tang army. They also have to undertake the heavy work of repairing the dike."

"I want to send people to the three counties to visit the old soldiers of the Tang army. What do you think, my dear ministers?"

All the civil and military officials knelt down in unison and shouted,"Your Majesty is benevolent and wise!"

His eyes swept around and finally fell on Fang Xuanling.

Fang Xuanling also understood and said,"This old minister is willing to go on your behalf!"

Li Shimin nodded with satisfaction, and then said,"Prince!"

""I'm here!"

Li Chengqian, who was below, also stood up quickly.

"The old soldiers of the border army are the backbone of our Tang Dynasty. You should come with me on this visit!"

Li Chengqian said repeatedly:"Your son obeys your order!"