Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 54: The Unexpected Path: The Hebei Gentry
Li Ming returned to Lide Hall, where he was greeted by the amiable A Niang and his five sisters.

Mother Yang—now promoted to Concubine Yang—stroking the feather duster, said tenderly:
"I heard from your majesty that my mother's eldest son has done something great."

Li Ming covered his buttocks and trembled:

"No, no, no, Ms. Yang, please calm down. I've already had a bamboo shoot meal at Grandpa's place..."

"You're welcome. How can a meal be enough to express my praise?"

"Don't...Ah! Ah! Help!"

Rhythmic snapping sounds were heard from Lide Hall.

The old eunuch outside the door listened to someone's scream and nodded with relief:

"Well, it's very loud today. It seems that His Highness is in a good mood."

It’s a fixed program every night and everyone is used to it.

…………

Li Ming knelt down and ate rice mixed with millet.

Although she was promoted to a higher rank, Yang still insisted on living in Lide Hall, trying to save as much treasury as possible.

A concubine and five princesses were crammed into the cramped room, making Lide Hall the place with the highest rank per unit area.

"Don't be picky about food, eat more vegetables."

Li Ling filled Li Ming’s bowl with sunflower greens, and the bowl was immediately filled with greenery.

Li Ming's face also turned green.

Why do my workers have mutton to eat, but I can only eat bran and vegetables...

"Why haven't you gotten married yet? Is it because no one wants you?" he couldn't help but mutter.

Li Ling paused and snorted:
"Your Majesty feels that the man surnamed Pei is not worthy of me."

Yang knocks the bowl with his chopsticks:
"Eat, eat."

"Oh."

"Li Ming, don't forget to do your homework later."

"Oh...oh."

…………

After dinner, the lights in the study of Lide Hall - although it was called a study, it was actually just a small attic that could barely accommodate a table and a chair - were turned on for the first time in a long time.

Li Ming felt numb in front of the paper and pen.

After traveling through time, he still had to write a self-criticism. He felt like he had traveled through time in vain.

They are all waiting for the price!
He couldn't swallow this anger and had to vent it!

Or maybe just write an anti-poem.

He wrote, "If I can achieve my lofty ambitions one day, I will dare to laugh at Huang Chao for being a coward."

Yeah, not bad.

It's quite satisfying and also quite reactionary.

Moreover, Li Shimin certainly couldn't understand the reason and thought that his son suddenly became enlightened and was about to show his talents.

Li Ming, the naughty boy, did it right away and excitedly dipped the pen into ink.

At this time, there were light footsteps behind me.

Yang brought the tea and placed it on Li Ming's desk.

"Son, write well."

She gave the instructions like an ordinary Chinese parent who cares about her child's studies.

"I will."

Li Ming responded casually, like an ordinary Chinese kid who just wanted to play with his phone.

Yang looked at this unfilial son and patted his little head gently:

"Perform well to your father. The marriages of Li Ling and your other sisters all depend on you.

"It's also for your own good."

What what what?
Yang's words immediately overloaded Li Ming's pig brain.

How did a letter of apology from a naughty kid become so serious about saving the world?
"They don't know about this, I'm only telling you."

Yang said softly:
"My mother once asked His Majesty to marry Li Ling to a good family."

"Who?"

"Bo Ling Cui Shi, son of Palace Attendant Censor Cui Renshi, Cui Yi."

hiss~
Li Ming couldn't help but put down his pen.

The Cui family is the most prestigious family in the world and the largest landlord force without a doubt.

He was also the leader of the secret struggle between Hebei gentry and the imperial court.

Li Ming didn't like it, and neither did Li Shimin.

What was the mother's motivation behind this?
"Do you know why Hebei is dissatisfied with the imperial court?" Yang suddenly asked.

"Hebei" in the context of the Tang Dynasty generally refers to the ancient land of Yan and Zhao east of Taihang Mountains and north of the Yellow River, which has the same meaning as "Shandong".

Just as the people of Chu refused to submit to Zhou, the people of Yan and Zhao also refused to submit to Tang.

The people are tough and have two minds.

For this reason, Li Shimin even disliked the fact that Shandong and Hebei had "many strong and brave people" and was unwilling to recruit more soldiers from those places.

"Hmm... because there are many generous and tragic people in Yan and Zhao?"

Li Ming actively used his brain.

"That's part of the reason, but not all." Yang said calmly:

"In fact, the one they are most dissatisfied with may not be the court, but your Majesty."

Disobedient to Li Shimin?
"Why?" Li Ming almost blurted out.

The term "tyrant emperor" is just a joke among the naughty kids. No one really thinks that Li Shimin was not a good emperor, right?
"Because Your Majesty did not handle the war to unify Hebei well." Yang said:

"Hebei is strong and has never been submissive to us Guanzhong people. Your Majesty killed Dou Jiande, a separatist force with great popularity in Hebei, which caused people's hearts to be unsettled.

"Later, Liu Heita raised an army in the name of Dou and was killed." It was the order of the retired emperor...ordered your uncle to pacify the people of Hebei and make friends with the local nobles, and only then did he slowly win the hearts of the people.

"And what happened next... you also know."

Li Ming listened very carefully.

His "uncle" was the former crown prince, Li Jiancheng, who was eliminated by the Xuanwu Gate Succession Law.

In other words, the Hebei gentry actually prefer Li Jiancheng?
I didn't expect that there were such deep-seated reasons behind Yan and Zhao's rebellion.

From their perspective, it is not difficult to understand.

Suddenly, a group of country bumpkins who had intermarried with the Xianbei people rushed over from Guanlong, killed their beloved leaders one after another, and then waved their whips:
"From now on, you are under my control. Pay your rent and labor service taxes to me honestly!"

That's really not easy to accept.

The more they refused to accept it, the more Li Shimin became wary and suppressive of the Hebei region, creating a vicious cycle.

The Anshi Rebellion, which led to the decline of the Tang Dynasty, and the long-term separatist rule of the Three Towns of Heshuo, were all caused by the core rebellion area of ​​Hebei.

It turns out that another seed of the Tang Dynasty's fall was also planted during the Zhenguan period...

Li Ming suddenly came to his senses:

"Mother, do you want Li Ling to marry?"

Boom!
Yang hit Li Ming's little head hard.

"Think carefully about what I just said.

"The Hebei nobles are on good terms with your uncle, and Li Ling is your...third uncle's biological daughter."

My uncle Li Jiancheng, my third uncle Li Yuanji, and the gentry of Hebei all have one very distinct common characteristic:

They are all the losers of the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

Marrying in this vein...

"Mom, what are you doing?!" Li Ming was shocked.

Yang smiled faintly:

“To find support for you in Hebei.

"If you can't stay in the palace anymore, this place can be your retreat."

Li Ming suddenly realized.

As the children of Li Yuanji's first wife, this status is a disadvantage in Taiji Palace.

But in Hebei, where the emperor is far away, this is actually an advantage.

Like son, like mother. Yang’s political skills are really superb.

But why did she suddenly bring this up?
Didn't she just become a concubine?

"You have been living in fear in the palace since you were a child. Although you have never shown it at home, mother knows it."

Yang caressed Li Ming's back lovingly:
"Your five sisters, father and brother were killed, and you grew up in the palace. I have seen their fearful expressions many times..."

Li Ming stared at Yang in a daze, speechless for a moment.

What mother doesn't worry about her children?

"So, write well." Yang patted his shoulder encouragingly:

"Your Majesty and Cui hate each other.

"You have to make some achievements, so that I can have the confidence to ask His Majesty for this marriage."

"I understand." Li Ming nodded sensibly.

Yang left at some point and Li Ming didn't notice.

Because he has devoted himself to the conception of this "apology letter".

First of all, you must never admit your mistakes.

The purpose is to gain favor, so admitting mistakes will naturally make you look inferior.

The dirty water must be thrown on the Wei family.

But there is a science to how to splash.

To write something that will make Li Er happy, you have to know what Li Er cares about and what he wants to see.

An emperor who is both civil and military, cares about only two things:

Whether the descendants are wise and love the people, and whether the power is as stable as Mount Tai.

This comes back to the same question -

Gentry.

It is the gentry who are squeezing people's livelihood.

It was also the gentry who were eroding the imperial power.

So, the theme of the article is happily decided -

The spray tribe.

Li Ming couldn't help but laugh:

"It's really ironic that the reason I wrote articles criticizing the gentry was so that I could get close to the Hebei gentry myself."

Existence is everything.

Surviving and strengthening oneself are the prerequisites for being able to challenge others and carry out reforms.

I'm just a bear, not stupid.

He didn't have any system, and he stupidly climbed up and overturned the table. He died without knowing how he died.

Moreover, the one I attacked was the Wei family in Guanzhong. What does it have to do with my "future" brother-in-law, the Cui family in Hebei?
After determining the central idea, Li Ming started writing immediately.

As I wrote, the words before my eyes twisted and re-formed a series of gloomy pictures.

The long queues of refugees, the skinny craftsmen, Lai Junchen’s smiling face when he said “I am a private slave”, and Lou Shide who was knowledgeable but skinny like a monkey…

These images have been deeply imprinted in Li Ming's soul.

Then, with swift hands, the words were imprinted on the white paper one by one.

The lights are on all night long.

(End of this chapter)