Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 200 I let Li Ming be the regent, who is for and who is against?
Li Shimin: "Oh, do you still want to go back to your Liaodong?"

Li Ming: "If my father hadn't appointed me two months ago, I might still be the governor of Liaodong. Of course, there's nothing wrong with Liaodong, but Chang'an is a place where I can have a broader horizon."

Li Shimin: "...sometimes, you are so shameless that I doubt you are my biological child. Anyway, it's good that you are willing to turn back."

Li Ming: "But I still have to go to Liaodong in the next few months."

Li Shimin: "Why?"

Li Ming: "I have been away from there for half a year. Now is the critical period for annexing Goguryeo. Anyway, the cash shortage has just ended, so there is nothing for me to do if I stay."

Li Shimin: "Why did you wait until today to assert that the money shortage has completely ended?"

Li Ming: "Because we just received a letter from Liaodong, the postal route has been restored, and trade with Youyun has also returned to normal."

Li Shimin: "Why do we have to judge by foreign trade and not trust the statistics of the Ministry of Civil Affairs?"

Li Ming: "Battle reports can deceive people, but battle lines cannot."

Li Shimin: "...Don't tell Tang Jian about this later, he will fight you to death."

Li Ming: "When I take office, I will definitely reorganize the bureaucracy from scratch."

Li Shimin: "...It's just you. If it were someone else, I would have killed him long ago. I'm still strong!"

Li Ming: "Okay, okay, just assume that I said something wrong."

Li Shimin: "...Forget it. Shall we start?"

Li Ming: “Let’s get started.”

Tai Chi Hall.

The first grand court meeting after the money shortage officially began.

As soon as the ministers entered the Taiji Hall, they saw the current emperor sitting on the dragon couch.

And sitting firmly on the left side of the dragon couch is the current... Fourteenth Prince of the Emperor.

The ministers were accustomed to this and were not surprised at all.

When the money shortage was first dealt with, His Highness Li Ming sat in that position.

Now, he has solved the problem of money shortage so perfectly and beautifully.

Then naturally, he is even more secure in that position.

"Everyone loves you."

Li Ming said with full dignity.

He began to enjoy the feeling of being in control of everything.

The competition for the throne has progressed like sailing against the current; if we do not move forward we will fall behind.

If Li Ming were to do something like "I just want to save my life" or "Father, can I resign?", it would be too pretentious.

He made his cards clear: he wanted to be the commander-in-chief.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

There were actually quite a few ministers who raised their heads like this.

Then he suddenly realized something and quickly lowered his head.

"Cough cough."

Li Shimin glanced at the arrogant boy and coughed dryly.

The meeting begins.

The first speaker was Shangshu Zuo Pushe Fang Xuanling.

In the past, the top seat under Your Majesty's seat was undoubtedly occupied by Zhangsun Wuji.

But in the process of dealing with the money shortage, the order of speaking was changed unconsciously.

All the ministers noticed this detail, but they just pretended not to notice it.

"Now, all prefectures and counties have returned to peace, the country is peaceful and the people are safe, trade is prosperous, and the land is abundant. The whole world has basically gotten rid of the influence of the money shortage..."

Fang Xuanling said in a sonorous and powerful voice:
"Although the autumn harvest in the south was not going well and there was a poor harvest in Huguang...

"But the court had made some preparations in advance. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Works, the grain transport and relief supplies were unimpeded, and the basic livelihood of the people in the disaster-stricken areas was guaranteed..."

Li Shimin closed his eyes slightly and listened to Fang Xuanling's summary report on the national situation.

This round of economic crisis of inflation and deflation has been completely declared over, and the economy and society have returned to normal.

The Tang Dynasty's war machine completed its maintenance and began to operate at high speed again.

"How are the military and logistics prepared?" Li Shimin asked.

Li Shiji, the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition, Minister of War, and Chief of the Dingxiang Road Army, replied:

“There is sufficient food and money, and 80,000 elite troops from various military governors’ offices have been stationed in Yunzhou.

"As soon as your majesty gives the order, we will cross the river, climb over the Great Wall, and join forces with Ashina Simo's Turkic tribe to jointly fight against Xueyantuo in the north."

How much? Ten thousand?
Li Ming was a little puzzled.

Goguryeo mobilized nearly 150,000 people to attack his small Pingzhou.

Although all forces were mobilized, it was still within the limits of what Goguryeo could support.

The Tang Dynasty was much more powerful than Goguryeo, so why was it so stingy in a war to annihilate the country, only sending out 80,000 men?
Xueyantuo is no small fry.

Although the threat posed by them was not as great as that posed by the Turks back then, they were also a major country that had planned or participated in many conspiracies in the capital.

However, Li Ming did not ask the question in the court, but kept it in his heart.

"The main mission of our 80,000 elite soldiers is to annihilate the enemy. They are all fully armored elite soldiers, not civilians. There are quite a few of them. Li Shiji, you must use them carefully."

Li Shimin seemed to see Li Ming's doubts and took the initiative to explain.

Li Shiji thought that this was directed at him, and immediately replied:
"Yes!"

Eighty thousand well-trained fully-armored elite soldiers are not the kind of 150,000 filler soldiers that Goguryeo randomly gathered to make up the numbers.

That was the elite force at the peak of an agricultural empire, equivalent to 80,000 sets of armor and tens of thousands of war horses.

And at least 800,000 logistical laborers providing support in the rear.

If these elite soldiers are used properly, it is no exaggeration to say that one can defeat a hundred.

During the war to unify the country, Xue Wanche led a squad of 200 death squads to attack Dou Jiande's 150,000 peasant army from behind, killing the enemy and forcing them to flee in all directions.

In an agricultural society with underdeveloped productivity, being able to gather so many elite soldiers and civilians to go on an overseas expedition was almost the limit.

The Liaodong self-defense counterattack led by Li Ming cannot be used as a reference.

Because at that time the army was resisting the invasion of Goguryeo within the country, all the people were soldiers and the mobilization rate could be raised to a very high level.

If we have to fight away from Liaodong’s home ground, that would be a completely different matter.

Li Ming couldn't gather several thousand professional soldiers in full armor and completely off-duty.

"As for the leading, containment and logistics of this Northern Expedition, we will have to rely on Ashina Simo's Turkic tribe..."

Li Shimin held his head and thought:
"Ashina Simo's abilities are limited, and these tasks are a bit too much for him to bear..."

Cen Wenben immediately began to play:
"Your Majesty, why not get help from the Xueyantuo east and attack from both sides?"

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows:
"East of Xueyantuo is the Great Xianbei Mountains (i.e. the Greater Khingan Range), where the Shiwei tribe lives...

"You mean, we want to unite with Shiwei?"

Cen Wenben nodded:
"The Shiwei tribe also suffered from the tyranny of the Xueyantuo, so we can unite."

Li Shimin disagreed:
"The Shiwei people have been living outside the country for a long time. Can we rely on them?"

Shiwei is in the northeast, and when it comes to the northeast, Li Ming is not sleepy:

"The Shiwei were located west of Goguryeo and had been harassing its border for years. They were fickle and could not be trusted."

To the Tang Dynasty, Goguryeo was a barbarian; and to Goguryeo, Shiwei was a barbarian.

It is somewhat abstract to mix it up with the barbarians of the barbarians.

Cen Wenben argued:

"Since the Sui Dynasty, the Xueyantuo tribe has been paying tribute to the Central Plains dynasty for generations. Their loyalty is evident. Why don't you believe it?"

Li Shimin was a little undecided.

Cen Wenben went one step further:
"I wish to go as an envoy to Xiwei and persuade the Hu people to serve as the vanguard of the Tang army by using my eloquent words.

"If this mission fails, I am willing to accept any punishment!"

"That's not necessary. You can't force the barbarians to do what they want." Li Shimin said magnanimously:

"However, if you can get the assistance of the Shiwei people, that would be great."

Who doesn’t want free manpower?

Li Ming had no reason to object.

"I will not disgrace your mission."

Cen Wenben accepted the order and withdrew.

It was happily appointed that he would be sent as an envoy to the Shiwei tribe in the Great Xianbei Mountain.

When it comes to diplomatic missions, everyone naturally thinks of another person.

Huangmen Shilang Liu Ji stepped out and said:

"Qibi Heli was sent as an envoy to Xueyantuo to discuss marriage with the bandit leader Zhenzhu Khan in the name of probing the enemy's strengths and weaknesses.

“But there has been no news from him for several months.

"I think he must have betrayed the Tang Dynasty and surrendered to the Xueyantuo." His impeachment was also supported and seconded by many ministers.

"Yes, Qibi Heli's ancestors were also Tiele people, and they were of the same blood as Xueyantuo."

"The Hu people cannot be trusted."

Before, everyone was busy dealing with the cash shortage and almost forgot about Brother Qibi Heli who was sent as an envoy to the enemy camp.

Now that I think about it, I suddenly realized that that Jing Tang brother hasn't replied to any of my letters for several months.

No matter how far Xueyantuo is from Guanzhong, it is impossible that the messenger has not yet reached it, right?

"fart!"

Qibi Heli's old buddy, the Minister of Works Xue Wanche, rolled up his sleeves and was ready to give Liu Li, who was slandering him, an electric shock.

"presumptuous!"

Li Shimin was furious.

Only then did Xue Wanche realize that he had caused trouble and lost his manners in front of the palace.

His face immediately turned pale and he subconsciously looked at the young leader beside His Majesty.

Just like a puppy that broke a bowl.

I would rather curse people at the grand court meeting than be more awesome than me... Li Ming complained in his heart and naturally took over the topic:

"I don't think Qibi Heli will rebel against the Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin also nodded:

"I think so too. The northern grasslands are not as good as the Central Plains. He must have encountered some problems. Please wait patiently."

The matter was revealed so easily.

Cui Renshi also served as the Palace Censor, and his duty was to point out improper conduct in front of the palace and correct the words and actions of officials.

He took the lead in impeaching Xue Wanche before other ministers could make trouble:
"The Minister of Works was indecent and should be fined one month's salary."

It's just one month's salary being deducted, what's the difference between this and no punishment... The ministers in the court who still have a conscience were shocked by the naked behavior of the fourteen traitors who shielded each other.

But before they spoke, Li Shimin nodded seriously:

"allow!"

Under the protection of the biggest umbrella of the Fourteen Traitors, Xue Wanche was also treated with care.

The court meeting also reached the impeachment stage that everyone had been looking forward to for a long time.

During the economic crisis, the court officials united to fight against the money shortage.

So for several months, no one initiated impeachment.

Today, the economic crisis has been resolved and the war has not yet started.

The ministers, who had nothing to do, began to report and impeach each other, which was a popular practice.

Cen Wenben and Liu Li, who were originally members of the Wei Wang Party, launched an attack at the same time:
"Your subjects impeach Li Daozong, the Prince of Jiangxia, for staying in the Turkic land for a long time and not returning. I'm afraid he has ulterior motives."

Li Ming also rested his head on the dragon couch:

"Really? I don't believe it."

"I don't believe it either."

Li Shimin seconded the motion and quickly blocked another attack for the fourteen traitors.

Your Majesty, it’s meaningless if you do this... After being biased by Li Shimin, everyone suddenly lost interest in impeachment.

Just when the audience was silent, Changsun Wuji, who had been unusually quiet the entire time, spoke up:

“I believe that now that the money shortage has been resolved, the temporary measures taken for this purpose can be gradually withdrawn.

"And should some temporary positions set up for this purpose, such as 'Tong Men Xia Zhong Shu Ping Zhang Shi' and 'San Zhi Jun Guo Zheng Shi', also be abolished?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Taiji Hall fell silent.

The Grand Marshal is trying to seize power from His Highness Li Ming.

The two sides finally officially confronted each other!
Li Ming did not make any comment on the attack from his "uncle".

He had wanted to resign from this position a long time ago.

As a candidate for the throne, he felt awkward holding a civil servant position.

Do I still need to punch in at work every day and hold regular morning meetings?
If I want to go to Liaodong, do I have to submit a leave note to the government?
absurd!

So, although Li Ming spoke for the two henchmen, he said nothing about his own problems.

I am free from the burden of being an official (the emperor and the crown prince are not considered officials). If you don't impeach me, I will resign.

Fang Xuanling immediately reported:
"I thought..."

Before he finished speaking, he found that Li Ming was shaking his head slightly at him.

Lao Fang didn't know why His Highness turned a blind eye to the attempt to deprive him of his power.

But Lao Fang felt that His Highness must have his reasons for doing so.

"I think...these two positions can be renewed."

Fang Xuanling suppressed his objections, made a casual remark, and left.

Following his example, the other fourteen members also wisely remained silent.

Even Changsun Wuji was surprised at how smoothly the impeachment went.

How come the traitors voted before I even put in any effort?
What surprised him even more was that the Fourteen Traitors withdrew from the debate.

But the other ministers disagreed!
During the period when Li Ming was in power, many people were impressed by his governance methods and became "wild fans" of the 14th Party.

They firmly opposed Li Ming's deprivation of power.

In the court, staunch supporters of the legitimate son party, such as Changsun Wuji and Li Shiji, also had their own supporters.

They are staunch protectors of "excellent cultural heritage" such as aristocratic families, gentry and local celebrities.

Or they are progressive elements who made a fortune during the money shortage and are worried that Li Ming will use the bank's account books to settle accounts with them later, and they are progressive elements who want to make progress too much.

The two sides immediately set up their arena and started a heated debate on whether Li Ming should stay in his position in the court.

Even Li Ming was stunned.

It's really strange. It's clear that the followers of our Fourteenth Traitor Party haven't made any efforts yet...

Only then did Li Ming realize the real gap between himself and the emperor.

I have hinted at it so strongly, but no one seems to get it.

I didn't expect that there would be so many fans who turned from passers-by to fans, and those who turned from haters to fans, and they were determined to push him up.

Alas, he was too popular, there was nothing he could do...

"My dear ministers, please be patient."

In the end, it was Li Shimin who had to come out to smooth things over.

"What the assistant said is that the stopgap measures used to deal with the economic crisis should indeed be completely eliminated after the crisis is over."

In the surprised eyes of the ministers, Li Shimin slowly announced:
"The two positions of 'Tong Men Xia Zhong Shu Ping Zhang Shi' and 'San Zhi Jun Guo Zheng Shi' are abolished."

Li Ming breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally I can go back to Liaodong.

The officials were in an uproar.

The power of these two positions is so great that it is above that of the prime minister and they are almost becoming the "prime minister" who is second only to the emperor.

So it's not surprising that it was cancelled.

The strange thing is that the people sitting on these two seats now are none other than the fourteenth prince of the emperor, Li Ming, who is at the peak of his career!

Not only the Fourteen Traitors and the ministers who stood on Li Ming's side.

Even Changsun Wuji was puzzled by His Majesty's straightforward attitude.

When impeaching Xue Wanche, Qibi Heli and Li Daozongdeng as members of the Fourteenth Party, Li Ming only had to open his mouth and His Majesty graciously blocked it for him.

Why did His Majesty remove Li Ming from his post so readily when it was Li Ming's turn to be impeached?
It's not what everyone wants. Apart from the fourteen parties, many centrist ministers also stand on Li Ming's side!

"As for Li Ming, who served as Tongpingzhangshi and Canzhizhengshi, I will make other appointments."

As if to answer everyone's questions, Li Shimin explained.

The noisy court suddenly became quiet, and one could hear a pin drop.

"Next, the Northern Expedition to Xueyantuo will be the top priority for the Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin said slowly:

"You guys handle the internal affairs. I have a lot to do. I want to focus on the military.

"Once the main army sets out, I will lead the army in person."

None of the ministers opposed the hexagonal emperor's decision to lead the army in person.

"Could it be that, let him...?!" Changsun Wuji realized something, his face suddenly turned pale, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

Li Shiji also realized this and pursed his lips, but otherwise did not react much.

"But the group of dragons cannot be without a leader for a day. During my absence, there needs to be someone to stay in the country and take charge of the overall situation."

Li Shimin looked at the faces of those seated, some expectant, some shocked, and some dejected, and said word by word:
"I have ordered Li Ming to be the regent. What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)