Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 103: Let me send my son?

"Okay, Liaodong is Liaodong."

Yuan Tiangang was moved by what he said, but he still pretended to be noble and spoke while stroking his sloppy beard.

Li Ming showed a satisfied smile:
"It's a deal. I'll come pick you up when I leave in a few days."

"I am right here, I won't dodge or avoid."

After Yuan Tiangang finished speaking, he lowered his head again and concentrated on studying the two pictures of the River Map and Luoshu made up of black and white chess pieces.

"Then I won't bother you anymore!"

Li Ming took his friends and left the dilapidated Taoist temple.

Hearing the footsteps gradually fading away, Yuan Tiangang no longer had the heart to study the broken map. He stood up and excitedly paced back and forth in the dilapidated corridor.

It seemed as if the courtyard was not covered with weeds, but with disciples kneeling in an orderly manner, waiting for him to teach them.

"Wow, wow!"

He murmured excitedly, and suddenly seemed to think of something, and walked quickly towards the room.

He dug out several different books from the messy pile of firewood.

It is filled with scribbles and drawings, which are the mathematical laws he suddenly realized when studying the Book of Changes and the Eight Trigrams.

"I won't be buried anymore. I can be put to good use now... Great, great!"

There was a cry in the old Taoist's tone.

…………

"Ming...Mr. Ming..."

Lou Shide and other young members of the "Liaodong Intelligence Bureau" followed Li Ming timidly.

"Huh? What's wrong with you?" Li Ming looked at them strangely.

Ever since they parted with Yuan Tiangang, these children seemed to be particularly afraid of him and would deliberately keep a distance from him when walking.

He felt as guilty as a Husky who had taken apart the sofa, leaving him completely confused.

"That..." Lou Shide said timidly:

"We seem to have found the wrong person..."

"Ah? Oh, you are talking about Yuan Tiangang?" Li Ming finally understood.

Yuan Tiangang was not the person he was looking for at first, who was related to the Jiucheng Palace Incident.

Because of this, the kids felt like they had messed up by lying about military intelligence.

"It's okay. How can we succeed in everything?" Li Ming comforted these loyal and stubborn children:
"And isn't there an unexpected surprise? Yuan Tiangang is a man who can be of great use."

"Really?" Everyone's eyes lit up again.

"That's a must." Li Ming was very confident and taught the children:

"What did I tell you? Make more friends and don't worry about the gains and losses of the moment.

"As long as you take a broader path, you will always get unexpected benefits."

Lou Shide listened carefully and nodded heavily:

"Ok!"

…………

As it turns out, Li Ming has made his path very broad.

Using the newspaper in his hand, he published a series of soft articles on the "Great Development of Northeast China".

Such things as "beating roe deer with a stick, scooping fish with a ladle, and pheasants flying into the rice pot", "the forest is full of ginseng and deer antlers", and "the fertile black soil is vast and sparsely populated".

Changing postures every day is almost blowing flowers out of the desolate Northeast.

The purpose is to encourage the population of Central Plains to migrate to Northeast China.

When developing the Northeast, population is the first priority.

Farming cannot be separated from population, and construction cannot be separated from population.

Diluting the local natives and turning the Northeast into a real core territory requires population.

Instead of staying in the small territory of the Central Plains, we should start to roll up our sleeves.

It would be better to colonize abroad and crush the people outside.

So, in order to fool... no, to persuade the people of the Central Plains to go out of the country and open up the black land under the sun for the Tang Dynasty.

Li Ming launched the weapon of public opinion without hesitation and repeatedly built momentum for the Northeast.

Although the Northeast's geographical disadvantages and the stereotypes of the Central Plains people towards Goguryeo in Liaodong cannot be erased by a few soft articles or jokes.

In addition, the Tang Dynasty implemented strict household registration management and entry and exit management systems, so it was wishful thinking to mobilize the people to spontaneously go north with him.

However, Li Ming believes that the influence of public opinion is also subtle.

If you talk about it enough, people will eventually let go of their prejudices about that vast and desolate place.

When the time is right, there will always be restless people who will follow him out of the pass.

While Li Ming was busy promoting the image of the Liaodong military town, a dramatic change was brewing in the palace.

Since the authorities have officially posthumously conferred the title of Crown Prince Yin on Li Jiancheng and the title of King Chao on Li Yuanji, it is not enough to just grant a title.

A series of follow-up actions are required.

Among them, continuing to offer incense to the two people who were brutally murdered is an indispensable part of the follow-up processing.

“Therefore, I request Your Majesty to adopt the two princes to Crown Prince Yin Li Jiancheng and Prince Chaola Li Yuanji respectively.

"This way, it is in accordance with etiquette and law, and can also calm the disputes among people."

At the small court meeting in Liangyi Hall, Wei Zheng solemnly presented a memorial.

As for the selection of the adopted princes, etiquette and tradition also have corresponding provisions. If nothing unexpected happens, the thirteenth prince, Prince Zhao Li Fu, will be adopted by his eldest brother Li Jiancheng, and the fourteenth prince, Liaodong Jiedushi Li Ming, will be adopted by his younger brother Li Yuanji.

In ancient large families, it was a very common practice to adopt the youngest son to his brother who had no children.

Li Shimin stroked his mustache and asked other ministers without comment:
"What do you think of Xuancheng's arrangement for my son?"

It was not difficult for the careful ministers to sense that the emperor's words hinted at blaming Wei Zheng for interfering in other people's affairs.

However, Changsun Wuji pretended not to understand and immediately stepped forward and said:

"I second the proposal."

"I also second my opinion."

"I second the proposal."

It was like blowing the clarion call for attack, and a large number of ministers agreed, thinking that Wei Zheng's idea was brilliant and that both Li Fu and Li Ming should be adopted out.

Even if we ignore the prince's factional struggle, Wei Zheng's advice makes sense.

The incident in Jiucheng Palace undoubtedly sounded a wake-up call to all the ministers.

Your Majesty's illegitimate access to the throne has indeed objectively weakened the authority of the imperial power and given various ambitious people the illusion that "I can do it too".

A comprehensive reflection on the Xuanwu Gate Incident can not only repair the authority of imperial power.

At the same time, it can also consolidate the prince's position as the successor to imperial power.

It is very beneficial to the political stability of the Tang Dynasty.

The price was just to adopt the two youngest princes, which was almost zero cost for the ministers.

In addition, Li Ming's biological mother was Li Yuanji's Princess Qi. With this relationship, the adoption relationship was a natural thing.

Therefore, the ministers who did not express their opinions in the small court meeting became a minority.

There were only the Right Prime Minister of the Secretariat Fang Xuanling, the Minister of Personnel Hou Junji, the Minister of Rites Li Daozon, the Minister of the Supreme Court Sun Fujia, and a few others.

Li Shimin mentioned Fang Xuanling's name:

"Xuanling, I want to hear your opinion."

"I think that Prince Xi and Prince Hailing are both traitors. As a prince, I think it is inappropriate for you to marry a traitor."

Fang Xuanling went straight to the heart of the matter.

As an old minister of the Qin Palace, he had no psychological burden at all when criticizing Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji.

Wei Zheng immediately retorted:
“This discussion is not about who is the traitor, but which prince should continue the incense for Crown Prince Yin.

“Prince Xi was personally conferred the title of Hidden Crown Prince by both His Majesty and His Majesty the Retired Emperor.

"Don't you, Fang Xuanling, object?"

Once these two huge mountains were brought up, even Fang Xuanling would be speechless.

Li Shimin frowned slightly and looked at Li Daozon again.

"You are a minister of the royal family, what do you want to say?"

"I think so." Li Dao Zong pondered:
"Posthumously conferring the title of Crown Prince Yin on Prince Xi and adopting His Royal Highness the Prince of Zhao as his successor will truly demonstrate your majesty's benevolence.

"But there is another Nest King, and he is not the Crown Prince. Does that mean we need to adopt a prince for him as well?"

His meaning was very clear, Li Fu could be sent out, but Li Ming could not.

Wei Zheng is still outputting:

“Prince Yin is your Majesty’s brother, and King Chao is also your Majesty’s brother.

"How can you be kind to your elder brother and neglect your younger brother, or sit back and watch your younger brother die?"

Just kidding, everyone knows it clearly, Li Fu is just a bonus and Li Ming is the main dish.

How could Li Ming get away?
"His Majesty."

Zhang Sun Wuji added the final fuel to the fire:

"What Lord Xuancheng said is very true.

"If we act according to this plan, we can not only give an account to our ancestors, but also silence the people's complaints."

He laughed inwardly.

Wei Zheng was indeed the number one troll in the Zhenguan Dynasty. With him on his side, things were much easier.

Li Ming just waits to be given to Li Yuanji as his son.

In this way, this naughty child can stay away from the center of the court and will never be able to make a difference or pose a threat again.

"Um……"

Facing the advice of his ministers, Li Shimin sighed and said:

"My decision has been made."

The ministers immediately pricked up their ears.

Li Shimin stroked his mustache and said leisurely:

"Assistant, call all the princes who are far away back to Chang'an.

"I haven't seen them for a long time, and I miss them very much. Autumn is coming soon, and it's time to go hunting in the Forbidden Garden."

The ministers were all startled.

This is to announce the adoption in public.

"My lord, take the order!"

Changsun Wuji suppressed the smile on his face and answered loudly.

(End of this chapter)