Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 55 Li Zhi is far inferior to that guy

The next morning.

Li Shimin sat at the table, his expressionless face showing no expression.

His youngest legitimate son, Prince of Jin Li Zhi, knelt respectfully in front of him, accompanied by his legitimate daughter, Princess Jinyang Li Mingda.

This brother and sister lived in Lizheng Hall and had a good relationship since childhood.

"There is a state affair I would like to discuss with you," said Li Shimin.

Li Zhi was immediately terrified:

"I only have some foolish opinions. It would be a great honor for you if you can refer to them."

After receiving education from a great scholar, the son appeared to be doing well.

Li Shimin tapped the table with his fingers:

“I want to open more official schools and improve the education of the people.

"For remote areas where it is difficult to run schools, I would also like to spread the teachings of the saints to the local people by giving them books. What do you think?"

"Great, great! This way children from poor families will also have the opportunity to study and become officials!" Li Mingda chattered.

Li Zhi was much calmer. He bowed first and said:

"My father is so benevolent and virtuous that he can be compared to Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty. The people of the world are lucky."

Emperor Wen of Han was a model of feudal emperors and also Li Shimin's idol.

However, Li Shimin was not very happy. He stopped tapping the table with his fingers and waited for Li Zhi to say "but".

"But this method costs a lot of money, and I'm afraid the effect will be minimal." Li Zhi really used the method of first praising and then suppressing:
“The people in the mountains and fields have low aptitudes. Even if the imperial court patiently educates them from scratch, it will be hard to make any progress.

"Moreover, they have learned a lot of half-baked knowledge, so it is inevitable that they will become restless and restless and not be able to concentrate on farming and production.

“Confucius once said, ‘The people can be led to follow a path, but they cannot be made to understand it.’ This is what he meant.”

Li Shimin asked again: "If the people are illiterate, who will take the imperial examination?"

"Of course it's the noble family." Li Zhi said:

"Their knowledge is inherited from the Spring and Autumn Period, Qin and Han Dynasties. They are virtuous and not greedy, so they can serve as officials.

"Since there are ready-made candidates for officials, why would Your Majesty waste time and money to train them from scratch?"

Li Mingda pouted his lips:

"But isn't this too unfair to ordinary people?"

Li Zhi smiled helplessly at his naive sister:
“That’s what governing a country is.”

Li Shimin was noncommittal.

At this time, the eunuch came to report that Changsun Wuji wanted to see him.

"You guys go back first." Li Shimin called his companions:

"Let Ashina Jieshe lead the team to send them back."

While waiting for the bodyguard, Li Zhi asked casually:
"Father, where is my teacher, Mr. Xu Jingzong?"

Li Shimin also answered casually:

"I went to Hongzhou."

"Oh, for what crime was he demoted?"

"Laughing at your mother's funeral four years ago."

"Oh."

Li Zhi said nothing.

He didn't dare to delve into this reason for exile which was even more ridiculous than taking the left foot first.

At this time, a Turkic general without a helmet and with loose shawl came up to the hall and bowed in an irregular manner:
"His Majesty."

Ashina Jieshelu, a surrendered Turkic general, took over Wei Daijia's position as General of the Right Guard.

Thanks to a certain prince, his ability to catch children improved by leaps and bounds.

It was natural for him to become a full-time bodyguard escorting the underage prince.

"Send Prince Jin and Princess Jinyang back to Lizheng Hall." Li Shimin ordered.

"Yes!"

The two children followed the tall and rugged Turkic man obediently. They met Changsun Wuji who was waiting at the door and saluted respectfully:
"uncle."

"Good nephew."

Changsun Wuji patted their heads lovingly and went to the palace with a pile of articles.

"His Majesty."

Li Shimin nodded slightly to him:
"what's up?"

"Your Majesty, I have an important matter to report."

Changsun Wuji said respectfully:

"The ministers have advised that Your Majesty is not thoughtful enough to establish Xizhou in the former territory of Gaochang.

"I request that Your Majesty revoke the order and establish Xichang Prefecture instead."

Tsk...Li Shimin smacked his lips.

The ministers opposed him not only on whether to attack Gaochang but also on how to deal with Gaochang's meritorious officials.

Do we even have to fight over how to deal with Gaochang?

There is only one word difference between Xizhou and Xichangzhou, but the difference is huge.

Xizhou was a prefecture-county system, representing the Tang Dynasty's direct incorporation of Gaochang's homeland into central jurisdiction, with a system no different from that of the Central Plains.

Xichang Prefecture was a vassal state.

The Tang Dynasty was only a vassal state in name only, and the Tang emperor was only the co-ruler, but in reality the country was still governed autonomously by the local natives.

Needless to say, this was another confrontation caused by the inconsistency between the interests of the aristocracy and the state. Li Shimin demanded that the central government directly manage Xizhou in order to protect the smooth flow of the Silk Road and defend against the Western Turks who were eyeing the northwest.

But the gentry didn't think so.

They felt that directly managing the Western Regions was not cost-effective and too expensive.

The hidden meaning is:

It is impossible for these upper-class families in the Central Plains to annex land thousands of miles away.

Since it cannot be used by me, why should the court waste money and energy and go through so much trouble to govern it?
As for whether trade is smooth.

That is the business of merchants. What does it have to do with these landlords?
"I... understand. Let's discuss this matter later." Li Shimin said in a muffled voice.

Looking at the pile of articles in Changsun Wuji's arms, he couldn't help but ask curiously:

"What are you holding? The blood-written letter from the ministers?"

Changsun Wuji heard his brother-in-law's displeasure and said cautiously:
"Uh... these are the self-criticisms written by those children. You asked me to review them personally yesterday."

"Oh, put it there." Li Shimin pointed at the table listlessly.

Changsun Wuji bowed and retreated nervously.

Li Shimin sat on the dragon couch depressed.

Unexpectedly, Li Xiaogong's death would trigger such a chain reaction.

The civil officials who came from the aristocratic families began to openly oppose him.

If it is for the sake of speaking out against national affairs, then that's fine.

The problem is, those guys may not be on the right side.

The memorials were more or less mixed with family selfishness.

As expected of a great clan that has been passed down for thousands of years, they have a good way of survival.

This unhealthy trend needs to be stopped.

It can break the bones of the gentry and the tendons connected to imperial power.

How to hit them accurately...

"call……"

Li Shimin sighed in distress, feeling like a dough kneading master.

There can't be too much water, and there can't be too little water.

Moreover, Li Zhi's behavior also made it difficult for him to reason rationally.

Most of the people are sitting on the side of the aristocracy.

If this continues, how can he be a good Prince of Jin and protect his brother the Crown Prince?
It's really disappointing!

He was corrupted by the great scholars from aristocratic families!

Li Shimin felt a little regretful.

Li Zhi is such a good kid and believes whatever the teacher says.

If I had known earlier, some aristocratic families would insert their own agenda into the royal education and guide the royal descendants according to their own intentions.

We should be more cautious in choosing teachers!

It is better not to learn than to learn wrong knowledge.

Just like a certain... no, a certain group of naughty kids who don't go to class all day and hang out on the streets every day...

Thinking of this, Li Shimin couldn't help but look at the table.

The children's "apologies" were neatly stacked aside.

The handwriting is not childish at all, but rather quite sophisticated, and even the strokes are connected like those of the great masters of cursive script.

It doesn't look like it was written by a child who plays truant from school all day.

After all, he was trained in military training every day by a certain prince.

I update the text once a day, and with revisions and rewrites, the amount of text is no less than that of a grassroots clerk.

Li Shimin immediately became interested and picked up the first one at random.

The first one is the masterpiece written by His Highness Li Ming all night long.

As the leader of this group of naughty kids, it is natural for him to be placed first.

"What on earth did that fellow write? Will he honestly admit his mistake?

"Probably not."

A faint smile appeared on Li Shimin's lips, and he opened it and took a look.

The first sentence shocked him for five hundred years:
"Your Majesty made important instructions when he comprehensively examined the advantages and disadvantages of feudal fiefdoms and prefectures and counties in the first year of Zhenguan:
"'When I govern the world, the people are the foundation, not the people toil to support my own relatives.'" (I govern the world, the foundation is the people, not the people toil to support my own relatives)
This kind of unconventional article style is really...

So likable.

People always like to be flattered.

Like Li Ming, remembering what the leader said and when is a more advanced form of flattery.

Make leaders feel that their decisions are valued.

"This annoying guy, when he's not annoying, he's really... not annoying at all."

Li Shimin couldn't control his expression at all and smiled foolishly as he looked at the article.

If the first sentence captures his interest, the article is half done.

Li Shimin couldn't help but look down.

As he read, he couldn't help but sit up straighter, his expression gradually became serious, and he stroked his mustache thoughtfully.

This is written...

That's a bit interesting.

(End of this chapter)