Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 100 Dad’s brother is called Dad?

The next day, the imperial court issued a series of highly controversial edicts.

First, the court conducted a comprehensive review of the control policy, and took the lead in changing Xizhou in the northwest and Yingzhou in the northeast into directly affiliated states, and tightened personnel control over the control states under Jiannan Road in the southwest, Lingnan Road in the south, and Longyou Road in the north.

As a byproduct of this new policy, more than 100,000 surrendered Eastern Turkic people who had moved to Chang'an and other places in the Central Plains were relocated back to the north of the Great Wall.

With Ashina Simo as Yiminishushulibi Khan, they crossed the river and set up their headquarters in Dingxiang City, confronting the Xueyantuo across the Baidao River.

If this piece of news has no direct relevance to ordinary citizens, then the second decree made the spectators drop their melons:
The current emperor posthumously conferred the title of Crown Prince on his elder brother, Li Jiancheng, the eldest son of the Supreme Emperor and the biggest loser in the Xuanwu Gate Incident!
At the same time, Li Yuanji, the fourth brother who was eliminated together with Li Jiancheng at Xuanwu Gate, was posthumously named King of Chao from King of Hailing!
This explosive news quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys with the help of the Chang'an Express, and almost instantly set off a sensation inside and outside the government.

As we all know, fourteen years ago at the Xuanwu Gate, the present saint Li Shimin had some family conflicts with his eldest brother Li Jiancheng and fourth brother Li Yuanji.

The result was that Li Jiancheng was killed, and his title of crown prince was stripped by Li Shimin. He was named Prince of Xi and given the posthumous title "Yin".

Nowadays, re-enthrone Li Jiancheng as the crown prince is not as simple as holding a ceremony in the Taimiao.

This post actually contains a huge amount of information:
Li Jiancheng was the crown prince, which meant that the government recognized his legitimate status as Li Yuan's successor.

The question is, since Li Jiancheng is the orthodox.

Then why is it Li Shimin who sits on the throne now?

This makes people think of the topic that cannot be touched at all - because Li Shimin came to power by usurping the throne.

Of course, everyone knew the truth about this, and many people stabbed the emperor in the back behind his back.

But after all, it is a folk rumor and at most a topic of conversation after dinner, and it will not produce any actual political consequences.

However, this time is different.

This time it is officially certified.

This is equivalent to His Majesty personally admitting that the Xuanwu Gate Incident was a coup d'état and that he came to power by murdering his own brothers!
In the heated discussion, the crowd couldn't help wondering:

In recent years, the weather has been favorable, the country has been peaceful and the people have lived in peace. Wars in all directions have been won one after another, and there have been no signs of natural disasters or man-made calamities.

What's wrong with Your Majesty? Why did you suddenly overturn the verdict on your past political enemies and issue something like a "repentance edict"?
Could it be that Your Majesty had a nightmare again last night, and suddenly felt guilty and felt that he had let his elder brother down?

Amid the uproar among the people, the Taiji Palace, the center of the storm, was surprisingly calm.

Because the officials have been obsessed with work these days and cannot extricate themselves.

The imperial court suddenly added two directly-affiliated states located in marginal areas, and also added supervisory responsibilities such as household registration, finance, and official supervision to other vassal states.

This official had a lot of work added out of thin air.

Central-local coordination, selection of local officials, household registration, financial reconciliation, land measurement, annual tax assessment, official performance...

It sounds easy to change from a vassal state to a direct one.

But when it comes to actual implementation, the paperwork is so complicated and tedious that it makes people want to explode.

However, these tasks are indispensable. If they are delayed, resulting in poor coordination and confusion at the local level, the local people will really be furious.

It can be said that His Majesty just opens his mouth and the grassroots run around.

In addition to the changes in administrative divisions and functions, the migration of hundreds of thousands of Turks back to the northern desert north of the Yellow River was also a major achievement that required careful preparation.

What should we do if hundreds of thousands of people eat, drink, defecate and urinate along the way? What should we do if someone changes his mind and wants to go back to the Central Plains? What should we do if someone falls behind due to illness? What should we do if someone rebels? …

These are all really mind-boggling questions.

Therefore, compared with the administrative affairs issues of the two professions mentioned above, the fact that "Your Majesty personally admitted that he came to the position by unfair means" which caused a lot of trouble outside did not cause any waves among the officials.

It's just a gesture. Your Majesty will not really abdicate.

There was no one to abdicate to, as all his nephews were killed on the day of Xuanwu Gate.

"There's something wrong with the household registration in Yingzhou. How come a vassal state has more registered households than the directly subordinate Pingzhou next door..."

After the court meeting ended, Wei Zheng walked on the palace road with unsteady steps.

Working 996 every day during this period has caused this elderly official to have swollen eyes.

But his eyes were bright and he was still full of energy for state affairs.

"Duke Xuancheng."

Chang Sun Wuji called him affectionately from behind:
"Where is Lord Xuancheng going?"

"Mr. Changsun, I will go to the East Palace to advise His Royal Highness the Crown Prince on his words and deeds." Wei Zheng said seriously.

He also has another identity, that of the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor.

After the Gujeonggung Incident, the country's vigilance against the Turks resurfaced.

But at this critical moment, the role-playing enthusiast and Crown Prince Li Chengqian continued to do his own thing, appearing in the image of a Turk everywhere.

The experience of being nearly killed by the Turks not only failed to make him realize that he was too hypocritical and repent as his father had expected.

Instead, they began to admire the "barbaric" power of the Turks more and more, and became more determined Turks.

This gave Wei Zheng a headache.

"Duke Xuancheng has devoted all his energy to the Crown Prince, which makes me, his uncle, pale in comparison." Changsun Wuji said with a smile.

Wei Zheng still answered seriously and formally:

"Since Your Majesty has appointed me as the prince's teacher, I must fulfill my duties. If Your Majesty fails to teach, it is the fault of those of us who are close to him and who have taught him."

Being hit by Wei Zheng's aoe, Changsun Wuji did not feel unhappy at all, and even saluted Wei Zheng solemnly with his hands crossed:

"Mr. Xuancheng is absolutely right. At the grand court meeting a few days ago, you took the risk to speak in the hall. Your Highness the Crown Prince and I both remembered it."

The risky request meant that Wei Zheng, in front of all the civil and military officials, requested the emperor to officially classify the Xuanwu Gate Incident as a "palace coup" so as to put an end to the incident.

From the perspective of dynasty stability, internal strife such as the "Xuanwu Gate Incident" must be morally condemned and suppressed.

Otherwise, everyone will think that they are "Li Shimin" and everyone will think that "he can be replaced", and the sacred and inviolable nature of the emperor's person will be completely gone.

The incident at Jiucheng Palace is an example of this.

How can we live like this if there are occasional "beheading" operations against the emperor?
Li Shimin also realized this, so he approved Wei Zheng's proposal.

That's why Li Jiancheng was posthumously named the crown prince, which triggered public opinion.

This was equivalent to Li Shimin implicitly admitting that he was a usurper and spitting in his own face.

However, for the stability of the Tang Dynasty's political situation and the long-term peace and stability of the country, what does it matter if one's own reputation is damaged?
This incident also produced an additional effect - it consolidated the prince's position.

Because this is equivalent to saying:
I launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident and usurped the throne of Crown Prince Li Jiancheng. This coup was wrong. The crown prince will always be the only legitimate heir to the throne. You should not follow my example.

"Alas, helping His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ascend to the throne is the duty of a minister. What is there to thank him for?"

Wei Zheng did not shy away from the fact that he was a member of the prince's party.

Like Li Xiaogong, he has always been a fundamentalist princeling.

He will help whoever is the crown prince.

So at the beginning, he was a subordinate of Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, and he repeatedly advised him to kill Qin Prince Li Shimin.

Later, Li Shimin killed Li Jiancheng, and Wei Zheng gave advice to the new crown prince Li Shimin.

Now, he naturally stands firmly on the side of Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

"Your Majesty is willing to sacrifice his own reputation in order to secure the Crown Prince's position as the heir to the throne. How pitiful are the parents in the world..."

Wei Zheng couldn't help but sigh to the sky:

"Your Highness should correct his behavior and fulfill his duties as a crown prince and a son."

"Yes, yes." Changsun Wuji nodded absentmindedly.

He called Wei Zheng, obviously not to discuss the prince's education.

"Since Prince Xi has become Crown Prince Yin, and Prince Hailing has become Prince Chao." Chang Sun Wuji stroked his chin and lowered his voice:

"We can't let them lose their incense."

Wei Zheng raised his eyebrows in confusion:

"The sons of Crown Prince Yin and King Chao are both dead. How do you plan to give them a new wife or adopt them?"

"Yes, adoption." Changsun Wuji nodded affirmatively:

"Adopt a son from their own brother who is from the same mother."

Wei Zheng immediately understood the profound meaning of Changsun Wuji's action and looked at him with a frown.

Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were brothers from the same mother, and only one of them is still alive.

That is the current emperor, Li Shimin.

Changsun Wuji's intention was to select two lucky princes and adopt them to Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji respectively.

According to convention, the adopted son is usually the youngest prince.

In other words, the "son" assigned to Li Yuanji was Li Ming, the youngest of the fourteen sons!

What's more, Li Ming's biological mother, Yang, happened to be Li Yuanji's wife!

It is most appropriate to adopt Li Ming to Li Yuanji both morally and logically!
Once this unstable factor loses the halo of a prince, he becomes just the son of a prince.

He can't cause any big waves!
"The target is 'that' prince, right?" Wei Zheng confirmed.

Changsun Wuji showed a deep smile:

"Yes."

Wei Zheng pondered for a moment, then nodded and said:
“This method is very good and does not require bloodshed.

"Wei will submit a letter to His Majesty right now."

…………

Xishi, Chang'an Newspaper Office.

Li Ming was enthusiastically eating the melon of "posthumously conferring the title of Crown Prince", without realizing that he was the protagonist of this melon-eating event.

"Li Xiaoyi, hurry up and write an editorial with the title "Your Majesty did not usurp the throne. Can the affairs of the imperial family be called usurpation of the throne?"

"Li Jingye, you should also write a short essay titled "My Nest King Father"."

Li Ming sat in the bookstore and shouted loudly to the two gold medal editors under him.

The writing skills of these two enemies in previous lives can only be considered average.

But perhaps because they were born with supernatural powers, they were born with the ability to be scolded, no matter what they wrote, there would always be people scolding them.

It's good to be criticized, being criticized and being popular is also popular, these two people have undoubtedly become the gold medal editors-in-chief.

However, Li Ming's roar was drowned out by the roars of others.

The Chang'an newspaper office was almost crazy busy. Everyone was either rushing around reporting news or writing furiously. Everyone was exchanging opinions intensely, and one could not hear anyone unless they were shouting.

As a benefit of monopoly, Changan Express has always had good sales.

And ever since the imperial court issued these highly controversial new decrees, newspapers have been celebrating like a festival.

The newspaper was sold out as soon as it came out, and no matter how many times it was reprinted, it was always in short supply, so the newspaper even changed its edition from every three days to every two days.

The enthusiasm of Chang'an citizens for eating melons was like a bottomless pit. They frantically devoured all publications from Chang'an newspapers. For a time, paper was in great demand in Chang'an.

Originally, Li Ming just wanted to use the newspaper as a tool for public opinion warfare, and making money was just a matter of chance.

Unexpectedly, the small business of one cent per share has become a big business that makes a lot of money every day.

There's nothing I can do, it's God's gift.

"Li Xiaoyi, Li Jingye, did you hear that?"

Li Ming walked out of the study and bumped into a skinny little guy who looked like a monkey.

"Lou Shide? Be careful." Li Ming had tears in his eyes and rubbed his nose.

"Master Ming! Found it, found it!" Lou Shide shouted excitedly.

"What did you find?"

"I found a miracle doctor who is good at using realgar!"

(End of this chapter)