Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 518 Abdication and Resignation
"Run! Run faster! Run now! If you don't run, I'll shoot you!"

Inside Yuanbi City, as Li Yi kept shooting arrows at the fleeing eunuchs, Zhang Ying stood beside him without stopping him; instead, a slight smile played on her lips.

Although Li Yi appeared to be in a frenzy, as if he wanted to shoot the fleeing eunuch to death, every arrow he fired missed the eunuch's body and struck the ground to his left and right.

Zhang Ying saw it all and knew that Li Yi was acting, but she didn't expose him.

It is now mid-July, and more than half a month has passed since Liu Jilong returned in triumph.

After the failed attempt to persuade the Prince of Han to ascend the throne in the main hall of the Prince of Han's residence that day, Zhang Ying thought of another way.

Since His Highness said that the emperor would change after he came of age, he would deliberately indulge the emperor even more, so that the people would know what kind of emperor the current emperor was.

He didn't care about Li Yi's secrets; he only needed Li Yi to present the image he wanted.

"Your Majesty, how can we truly enjoy ourselves if we only stay within Yuanbi City?"

"How about we ride out of the city and go hunting?"

Zhang Ying instigated Li Yi, who, though fully aware of the situation, still pretended to be very happy.

"Very well! I'll trouble you, Zhang Lang, to prepare the fine horses. I will certainly go out of the city to hunt deer today!"

He felt bitter inside, but his face was twisted with a grim joy that was quite intimidating.

"Your Majesty, please leave this matter to me."

Zhang Ying's respect was tinged with a hint of frivolity, which Li Yi noticed, but dared not say anything more.

From the moment Liu Jilong quelled Gao Pian's rebellion, he knew that he should probably prepare to abdicate.

Li Yi was fully aware of Zhang Ying's probing at the Prince of Han's residence and Liu Jilong's response.

Zhang Ying's current intention is simply to make him appear unbecoming of a ruler, thereby inciting widespread public resentment and ultimately leading the people to favor Liu Jilong before abdicating the throne.

Li Yi knew what to do, but he didn't know whether Liu Jilong would spare his life after the abdication.

Even with Liu Jilong's promise, Li Yi remained uneasy, for he knew all too well the fate of Emperor Gong of Sui, Yang You.

When Emperor Gong of Sui, Yang You, abdicated to Li Yuan, he was granted the title of Duke of Xi. However, less than two years later, Yang You died in his residence at the age of fifteen.

It was precisely for this reason that Li Yi was constantly worried about his safety, fearing that he would suffer the same fate as those murdered rulers after he abdicated.

"Your Majesty, we may depart now."

Zhang Ying's voice reached his ears again. Li Yi looked up and saw that Zhang Ying had returned. He quickly nodded and said, "Okay!"

Under Zhang Ying's arrangement, in less than a quarter of an hour, Li Yi and hundreds of cavalrymen appeared on the long street of Luoyang, disregarding the law and galloping on horseback.

The emperor's reliance on his power seemed particularly absurd at this moment, especially given their blatant disregard for the common people, which made them feel that this supposedly peaceful world was not so peaceful after all.

Li Yi's actions caused many neutral former officials to sigh, while Doulu Zhuo and others felt as if they had eaten excrement.

From then on, for almost half a month, Li Yi rode his horse at full speed, showing no regard for the common people, which caused widespread resentment among the people of Luoyang.

"This emperor has certainly endured humiliation and hardship in order to survive."

In early August, Liu Jilong, sitting in the Han Prince's mansion, looked at the intelligence collected by Zhao Ying and couldn't help but sigh.

Liu Jilong was well aware of Li Yi's actions and who had instructed him to do so.

Zhang Ying was too sharp and lacked prudence, mainly because of his meritorious service at a young age. In the future, Liu Jilong would have to keep a close eye on him.

The only thing we need right now is someone to persuade him to take the throne. Although Zhang Ying is a second-generation military officer, he has been operating in Luoyang the longest, so it would be best to have him persuade him to take the throne.

Let him enjoy his moment of glory first, and then bring him down to earth once the new dynasty is established.

However, since he was Zhang Chang's eldest son, Liu Jilong wouldn't kill him outright; he just wanted to temper his character.

Sending students to the countryside is the best way to temper their character, especially for young people.

Unfortunately, the war disrupted Liu Jilong's plans, but it also allowed him to pacify the country ahead of schedule, so it's hard to say whether it was good or bad.

What I need to do now is simply to reduce the number of the old and weak, streamline the army, use more money and grain to restore production, and then organize schools throughout the country after production is restored.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong picked up the memorial from the Ministry of Revenue, which contained the details of this year's summer tax revenue.

Since most of the officials in Jiangnan were still using the old Tang dynasty system, the figures were definitely inaccurate. The problem of officials in the south embezzling public funds could only be completely solved after officials from Guanzhong went south.

Even so, this year's summer tax revenue is still quite remarkable.

"5.57 million shi of rice and wheat, 3.42 million bolts of brocade and silk, and 3.85 million guan of miscellaneous items such as salt, iron, and minerals."

Liu Jilong calmly read out the main details of the summer tax collection, and said with satisfaction, "After the conversion, it is about nine million strings of cash. If it weren't for the natural disaster that exempted the sixty-six prefectures north of the Qinling and Huaihe Rivers from taxes, it might have been even more."

"However, as the situation stabilizes and the prices of grain and brocade and silk decrease, the summer tax should decrease slightly in the future."

In Liu Jilong's view, the tax rate of 20% was already quite good, but there were still some things that had to be guarded against.

Given the current relatively positive atmosphere in officialdom, a tax rate of 20% is fairer than the previous chaotic tax system and reduces the burden on ordinary people.

However, as time goes by and the atmosphere in officialdom deteriorates, local governments will inevitably come up with various pretexts to impose additional miscellaneous taxes.

Li Cui, for example, probably never imagined that by simply adding three coins per mu to the tax, he would cause widespread resentment and constant rebellions.

The additional three coins was indeed not much, but when it came to the local officials, they would not help the imperial court collect taxes for free. For example, there would be errand fees and fire loss fees.

Thus, the three coins kept churning, from the initial three coins to thirteen coins, and even thirty coins.

The local governments took the lion's share, leaving the imperial court with only a small portion, so naturally they felt the additional levy of three coins was not heavy.

The key to maintaining tax collection and reducing the burden on the people lies in whether local governments can eliminate problems such as additional levies and apportionments.

Historically, the tax policies of each dynasty in its middle and later periods were often well-intentioned, but due to corruption, war, and financial needs, they ultimately led to widespread suffering.

Although Liu Jilong established the Censorate and the Provincial Surveillance Commission, he was ultimately imitating the Ming Dynasty. While these two systems in the Ming Dynasty greatly curbed corrupt officials, they still could not stop the overwhelming tide of corruption in officialdom, and in the end, they could only go along with it.

This is why Liu Jilong attached great importance to official schools, and why he incorporated clerks into the official system, providing them with a path to advancement while continuously cultivating new students through official schools and selecting clerks through the imperial examinations to be sent to local areas.

When officials are required to pass performance evaluations and are all appointed through a system of transfers, the cost of collusion for local powerful families naturally increases.

In order to obtain a good rating in the annual performance evaluation, officials would do more superficial work, even if it meant accepting bribes, such as building bridges and repairing canals.

Even if their initial intention was only for themselves, the result was still good.

"Twenty or thirty years is too short..."

Thinking about how every dynasty had to deal with the problem of land annexation after seventy or eighty years of founding, even though Liu Jilong had already set up the policy of merging the poll tax into the land tax, he knew better than anyone that this was only a temporary solution.

Local powerful families could easily collude with local officials to seize land and then distribute the taxes that should have been paid by the powerful families to the common people through apportionment.

This trend has existed since ancient times; it's just that the historical records from the Ming and Qing dynasties are more abundant, which makes the officials of the Ming and Qing dynasties appear to be more corrupt.

To rectify this trend, it is necessary to ensure that there are no problems with the internal atmosphere of the Censorate, so that the Censorate can continuously root out these bad apples.

With these thoughts in mind, Liu Jilong picked up his pen to improve the Censorate, and at the same time instructed Zhao Ying: "By imperial decree, the Censorate shall be merged into the Censorate."

Liu Jilong proposed abolishing the Censorate, mainly because the officials in the Censorate were mostly former Tang dynasty officials, while the officials in the Censorate were carefully selected officials from Longyou, such as Cao Mao and Han Zhengke.

Secondly, the Ming Dynasty's Censorate was more advanced than the Tang Dynasty's Imperial Censorate in terms of organizational structure optimization, local supervision systematization, functional expansion, and historical continuity.

The problem with the Censorate in the Ming Dynasty was that it was heavily reliant on the emperor's support. Once the imperial power declined, its effectiveness would be greatly reduced, just like the supervisory offices in previous dynasties.

However, the loss of imperial power is only possible when the dynasty experiences a situation like the Eastern Han Dynasty, where most emperors were essentially living in kindergarten, or when the dynasty lasts for more than two hundred years.

Many of the systems in the Ming Dynasty were more advanced than those in the Tang Dynasty. As long as some of the dross was removed, they still played a significant role in maintaining local stability and safeguarding the prestige of the central government.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong instructed: "The Censorate shall be established with Left and Right Censors-in-Chief, of the third rank, to oversee all supervisory affairs in the country."

"The Censor-in-Chief has two deputy censors, Left and Right, who are of the third rank and assist the Censor-in-Chief in managing the affairs of the Censorate and are in charge of some supervisory matters."

"The Vice Censor-in-Chief shall have Left and Right Assistant Censors-in-Chief, who shall be of the fourth rank and assist the Vice Censor-in-Chief in carrying out supervisory duties."

"Each circuit shall establish a Left and Right Censorate, with the rank of fifth grade, responsible for inspecting and supervising local officials in each circuit, and dispatching inspectors to inspect the localities."

“Each circuit of the Censorate has forty to seventy Circuit Inspectors under them, who are of the seventh rank and are responsible for daily inspections of the localities and for investigating and correcting corrupt officials.”

"The remaining subordinate offices will be filled by Li Xiang, Gao Xiang, and other officials. Han Zheng will be appointed as the Left Censor-in-Chief, and Chen Ying as the Right Censor-in-Chief."

As soon as Liu Jilong finished speaking, Zhao Ying knew that the good days for those bad apples in the area were coming to an end.

The Tang Dynasty did not have permanent local supervisory officials; most were temporary appointments. Now, however, there are permanent supervisory officials stationed in various circuits, and the number of supervisory and inspection officials is quite large.

Forty to seventy people may not seem like many, but with fifteen circuits across the land, there are a total of six hundred to a thousand people, while the land has only about 1,500 counties.

It can be said that each imperial inspector could spend a year investigating the shady dealings in one or two counties, which put considerable pressure on local powerful families and officials.

Thinking of this, Zhao Ying couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, if Chen Ying is transferred to the capital, the position of Commander-in-Chief of Jiangnan West Circuit will be vacant. Shouldn't..."

Upon hearing his inquiry, Liu Jilong immediately came up with a candidate: "Let Wang Sifeng go to serve as the Governor of Jiangnan West Circuit, Qian Liu as the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan West Circuit, and Gao Shu as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner."

"The governors Li Bo, Yang Xingmin, and Qian Liu are dismissed from their posts. Li Bo is appointed as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangnan East Circuit, Yang Xingmin as the Provincial Administration Commissioner, and Liu Yingyan is transferred to serve as the Governor-General of Jiangnan East Circuit."

Although he wanted to further subdivide Hunan, Jiangxi, Jiangnan, Zhejiang, Fujian and other places, it was not the right time yet.

He needs to sort things out in the south first before he can decide whether to designate these areas ahead of schedule based on the population situation.

"You should go to the Southern Office yourself and bring with you the document recognizing your military merits."

"Your subject obeys the order..."

Liu Jilong gave Zhao Ying instructions, and Zhao Ying respectfully rose and took the promotion document from Liu Jilong's hand. Then, she went to a corner and obtained the detailed regulations of the Censorate from Jing Xiang, who was a court attendant, before slowly leaving the main hall of the Prince of Han's mansion.

After he left, Liu Jilong took a breath before turning to Jing Xiang and asking, "What do you think of the Censorate and the fifteen circuits of supervision that I have established?"

"I believe that Your Highness's actions will surely influence future generations for a thousand years..."

Jing Xiang didn't hide anything. When he heard from Liu Jilong that the Censorate would be merged into the Censorate, he knew that the rise of the Censorate was inevitable.

He just didn't expect that Liu Jilong would actually establish permanent supervisory and inspection officials in all fifteen circuits of the country. This was certainly good for strengthening the prestige of the court, but the voices of opposition from the officials were bound to be quite strong.

If Liu Jilong hadn't taken control of the official schools in Guanzhong, they might have really had to compromise with this group.

As for now, Jingxiang feels that the world has changed dramatically in just the last two years.

Faced with Jing Xiang's candor, Liu Jilong's lips curled into a slight smile. He then turned his gaze to the memorials on the table and sighed:
"This is just the beginning. The court has accumulated many problems over the past century, and there are many things that must be eliminated and prevented..."

Jingxiang nodded in agreement with his words.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ying hurriedly delivered the things Liu Jilong had entrusted to her to the Hall of State Affairs in the Southern Court. By the time Li Shangyin finished reading the regulations of the Censorate and the list of those who had been promoted for their military merits, two hours had already passed.

"By merging the Censorate into the Censorate, Your Highness has certainly presented me with a difficult problem..."

"This matter is not difficult. If anyone is troubled by it, I will persuade them."

Li Shangyin rubbed his brow, which had been furrowed for almost the entire day, and sighed as he spoke of the potential consequences of this matter.

Zhao Ying remained remarkably calm, seemingly unconcerned about the unrest caused by his former officials.

The kind of persuasion he spoke of was probably not the kind of persuasion Li Shangyin thought of, so Li Shangyin comforted him after hearing it:

"I need to discuss this matter thoroughly with Prime Minister Gao. I will definitely be able to come up with a plan that satisfies Your Highness after the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"In that case, I shall take my leave."

Seeing that Li Shangyin had stopped complaining, Zhao Ying immediately bowed and left the Hall of State Affairs.

After he left, Li Shangyin picked up the document detailing the system of the Censorate again and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"Your Highness's scrutiny of officials is indeed rather harsh..."

He was born during the Yuanhe era, and the Tang Dynasty did not have a strong system of supervision and inspection of officials. Therefore, in his view, Liu Jilong's method was like a sword hanging over the head of every official.

This method of treating officials like traitors will inevitably cause a huge uproar once the system is established and spread.

If it weren't for the Kansai students protecting their lord, the south would definitely have been in turmoil because of this.

Thinking of this, Li Shangyin rubbed his temples.

Although peace had only been restored for a few months, he had already begun to sense changes in his prince.

He was no longer as lenient with officials as before; instead, he became somewhat harsh.

This change worried Li Shangyin, but considering his age, he could only shake his head and begin to revise the Censorate system.

For the next two months, the drought in the north continued, and Zhang Ying also led people to spread rumors and nursery rhymes that "the Tang dynasty has come to an end, and the world is in turmoil."

"When Venus offends Ziwei, dust rises at the bottom of the well; the Vermilion Bird's feathers droop and wither, and the old dragon's scales crumble..."

"Fields are torn apart for three thousand miles, locusts swarm and darken the sun; only the Han will descend upon the marshes, only the king can stop the sorrow..."

August should be the time when the autumn harvest begins in the north and people report the autumn harvest. However, the entire north is filled with children's rhymes that say the heavens are angry and the Tang dynasty is about to end. The more severe the drought, the wider the rhymes spread.

These nursery rhymes, combined with Li Yi's "absurd" actions, made the most drought-stricken areas increasingly disgusted with the current emperor.

In this environment, the people in Luoyang gradually realized that the end of the Tang dynasty might not be far off.

This environment fueled the resentment of former officials like Doulu Zhuo, and made Emperor Li Yi even more anxious.

For this reason, he summoned Li Meiling to the palace again, and Li Meiling, knowing his intentions, found Liu Jilong before entering the palace.

"This humble servant greets Your Highness..."

"Princess, there's no need for that."

Inside the main hall of the Prince of Han's mansion, looking at Li Meiling who had come from the Princess's residence, Liu Jilong felt that Li Meiling was becoming more and more delicate, not at all like a woman who had given birth.

Despite his busy schedule, he couldn't help but have some thoughts. Having spent time with Liu Jilong before, Li Meiling knew roughly what he was thinking, so she continued to bow:
"His Majesty summoned me to the palace, so I have come to ask Your Highness: if His Majesty were to abdicate in favor of Your Highness, how should Your Highness treat His Majesty?"

Li Meiling's words immediately extinguished Liu Jilong's anger. It was true that he liked beautiful women, but beautiful women were nothing compared to the world.

In response to her question, Liu Jilong remained calm and said, "The Li family originated in Longxi and was settled in Linzhou. They were granted the title of Prince of Longxi with a fief of five thousand households. They were not allowed to address each other as subjects, nor to bow when receiving imperial edicts. They could use the imperial regalia to worship at the ancestral temple and still follow the Tang Dynasty calendar."

"The new dynasty has reduced the hereditary system of nobility, allowing a prince to enjoy wealth and honor for eight generations..."

Liu Jilong treated the Li Tang dynasty very well, whether it was Li Jie or Li Yan who had previously usurped the throne, or Li Yi who was about to abdicate; all of them could be considered to have received preferential treatment.

This move was not only to appease people, but also to avoid setting a bad precedent.

The system of "Two Kings and Three Respects" was rarely followed after the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and even if it was followed, it was only done superficially.

Liu Jilong wanted to make a good start, so it was unlikely that he would mistreat Li Yi.

"To settle them in Linzhou, this..."

When Li Meiling heard that Liu Jilong wanted to settle her younger brother in Linzhou, she immediately hesitated.

Linzhou was the place where Liu Jilong rose to power, so placing him there was undoubtedly a form of surveillance. Li Meiling still hoped to find a safe and secluded place for her younger brother, far away from the power struggles in the imperial court.

Liu Jilong was naturally aware of her thoughts, but Li Yi's safety was also extremely important to him.

"Only by settling them in Linzhou can their safety be guaranteed."

Liu Jilong was well aware of the disadvantages of placing Li Yi in Linzhou, but only by placing him there could Liu Jilong feel at ease.

Seeing that Liu Jilong had already made up his mind, Li Meiling knew that the matter could not be changed, so she returned his greeting and said, "In that case, I will go to the palace to appease His Majesty."

"Hmm..." Liu Jilong nodded in agreement, then lowered his head to deal with official business.

Seeing his reaction, Li Meiling turned and walked out of the main hall, ordering people to prepare a carriage to head to Ziwei City.

Half an hour later, after a complicated inspection by the Imperial Guards, Li Meiling finally entered Ziwei City and met Li Yi, who had been eagerly waiting, in Zhenguan Hall.

"Sister!"

Upon seeing Li Meiling's arrival, Li Yi, who had been restless, immediately stood up. Li Meiling also saw Zhang Ying, Yang Gongqing, Ximen Junsui, and others in the hall. "Greetings, Your Majesty..."

Li Meiling bowed to Li Yi, then slowly rose with a slight lift from his head, looking calmly at Zhang Ying and the others.

"I have come here on the orders of the King of Han. General Zhang, do you think there is anything amiss?"

"I dare not..."

Although Zhang Ying said she wouldn't dare, her expression was very indifferent, clearly showing that she didn't take Li Meiling seriously.

He knew perfectly well who his prince favored. No matter how young and beautiful Li Meiling was, or how outstanding her children were, she could not shake Feng Hui's position.

However, since Li Meiling had invoked his own prince's name, he still bowed to Li Yi and said:
"Your Majesty, now that Your Majesty and the Princess have met, we shall take our leave."

"My dear subject, please proceed with caution..."

Li Yi pretended to be relaxed, but was actually very nervous.

His actions were observed by Li Meiling. After Zhang Ying and the others left, he hurriedly sat down with Li Meiling in a side hall of Zhenguan Hall.

"King of Han, has the King of Han told me about my affairs?"

Li Yi sounded nervous, and Li Meiling nodded slightly after hearing this: "Before coming here, I went to the Prince's residence to meet with the Prince of Han..."

She told Li Yi about all the benefits Liu Jilong had promised. When Li Yi first heard that Liu Jilong had settled him in Linzhou, he immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

However, after hearing that Liu Jilong was doing this for his safety, he thought about it carefully and found it to be quite normal.

Although the people of Longyou wished for the death of the Tang emperor, they believed that if he abdicated, and with Liu Jilong personally sending people to protect him, his safety would certainly be guaranteed.

After a decade or two, when the group of officials from Longyou who were most hostile to him left the court one after another, he could then live in peace as the Prince of Longxi in Linzhou.

Moreover, Liu Jilong has always valued his promises. Since he promised that the title could be inherited by eight generations of his descendants, there was no need for him to take action against someone who posed no threat to him.

Thinking of this, Li Yi stood up and paced back and forth, then looked at Li Meiling: "Sister, in your opinion, when would be the most prudent time for me to abdicate?"

Seeing his question, Li Meiling hesitated for a moment before speaking:

"Recently, the Southern Court has been sending officials south, presumably to thoroughly pacify the south before starting a new dynasty."

"If a new dynasty is to be established, the end of the year is naturally the best time, so that a new reign title can be used in the following year."

"From ancient times to the present, the abdication of abdication has always been said to involve three refusals and three offers, and the time should not be too long or too short."

"Your Majesty may abdicate during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and after the Prince of Han declines, abdicate again in September, and then abdicate a third time in October."

"If Your Highness accepts the throne for the third time, you will have about two months to prepare for the founding of the country and your ascension to the throne."

“But…” Li Meiling looked at Li Yi with a complicated expression. Li Yi was taken aback: “But what?”

"But is Your Majesty truly willing to give up the throne and the nation?"

Li Meiling's words made Li Yi's expression gradually become complicated, but he quickly replied, "When I was a prince, I often felt sad for my father because I saw that my father favored the Prince of Kui and disliked my father."

"I thought that after Father ascended the throne, my brothers and I would receive his favor, but Father favors my fifth brother and treats me less favorably..."

When this matter was mentioned, Li Yi gritted his teeth, and anger rose in his eyes.

He didn't understand why his own father, who had also been treated coldly by his own father, would treat him coldly as well.

Although he eventually became the crown prince, he knew that his father did not want him to be emperor.

“This emperor has been controlled by eunuchs since the beginning. Although the Prince of Han sent people to monitor me, he did not imprison me in the palace.”

"The edifice has collapsed; I am but a puppet. How can I possibly reverse the situation?"

"It would be better to be law-abiding and pass on the bloodline properly, so that the lineage doesn't die out here."

Li Yi was not particularly talented, but he knew that throughout history, many members of the imperial family of previous dynasties had been slaughtered, and he did not want to follow in their footsteps.

If he could gain the protection of the Li Tang imperial family by presenting a submissive image, it would be a good way out.

Thinking of this, Li Yi looked at Li Meiling and hesitated before saying, "Sister, could you make another trip for me?"

"What?" Li Meiling looked at him in realization, clearly still not recovered from what he had just said.

Seeing her like this, Li Cui took a deep breath and mustered his courage to ask, "After I abdicate, how will the Prince of Han deal with the more than six thousand members of the Li clan, both near and far?"

“This…” Li Meiling hadn’t thought of this, so after a moment’s hesitation, she nodded and said, “I will go back and ask the Prince of Han, and have someone send the message over.”

"Alright, then I'll leave it to you, elder sister."

Li Cui bowed deeply to Li Meiling with great sincerity, causing Li Meiling to quickly stand up and step aside to let him pass.

"In that case, I will go and ask Your Highness first, as it will be difficult to do so if it gets dark."

"it is good."

After the siblings finished their conversation, Li Meiling walked out of Zhenguan Hall and met Zhang Ying, Yang Gongqing, and others outside the hall.

She left without a word, and a quarter of an hour later, imperial guards quickly walked up to Zhenguan Hall and bowed to Zhang Ying.

"General, I sent someone to the Prince of Han's residence to inquire, and it is indeed His Highness's permission for this action."

"Hmm." After learning that Li Meiling's visit was permitted by Liu Jilong, Zhang Ying said nothing more, but instructed Yang Gongqing and Ximen Junsui:
"Although the Northern Division has been abolished, the affairs of the palace still need to rely on the two of you. When there are new positions in the palace in the future, the two of you will be in charge."

"However, before that, I would like to ask the two of you to help me persuade His Majesty to abdicate in favor of Your Highness during the Mid-Autumn Festival court assembly."

“Of course.” The two men didn’t dare to be negligent and quickly replied to Zhang Ying.

Seeing this, Zhang Ying nodded in satisfaction, her gaze sweeping contemptuously over the Zhenguan Hall.

While he was discussing things with Yang Gongqing and Ximen Junsui, Li Meiling returned to the Prince of Han's residence and found Liu Jilong before he had dinner, telling him about Li Yi's attitude and the problem.

Upon hearing this, Liu Jilong was not surprised that Li Yi accepted it so readily, but he was surprised that Li Yi still had the mind to worry about the more than 6,000 members of the Li Tang imperial family, both near and far.

Facing Li Meiling's expectant gaze, Liu Jilong calmly said, "The blessings of a virtuous person will last for five generations."

"Those members of the imperial clan who are not within five degrees of kinship with His Majesty will all be settled in the same places as ordinary people, without any special treatment."

“Those who are within five degrees of kinship with His Majesty shall be granted the rank of Xuande Lang, a seventh-grade official. The remaining sons and heirs of the late Emperor shall be granted the rank of Chaoyi Lang, a sixth-grade official, and shall be supported with their salaries.”

Liu Jilong did not mention that the position was hereditary, which means that it could only be enjoyed by this generation, and after this generation ended, there would be no further connection with the court.

The term "five degrees of mourning" sounds like a lot, but since many princes and dukes in the Tang Dynasty died out, there were fewer than three hundred members of the imperial family related to Li Yi within the five degrees of mourning, most of whom were already very old.

The combined salaries of this group of people amounted to only a little over 30,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), which the court could save by simply dismissing a few high-ranking officials.

As for which high-ranking officials were dismissed, that naturally refers to Doulu Zhuo and Pei Che's group.

"But you still have questions?"

Liu Jilong asked Li Meiling a question in return. Li Meiling was taken aback, not expecting Liu Jilong to treat this group of imperial relatives in such a way. She subconsciously nodded and said, "I have no problem."

"Then you may leave. I will stay at the princess's residence tonight."

Liu Jilong kept his head down, looking at official documents, and spoke without looking up. Li Meiling blushed slightly and replied softly, "Yes..."

Seeing that Liu Jilong did not say anything more, she left the main hall, and Liu Jilong went to the princess's residence as promised after finishing his official business that night.

For the next two weeks, he stayed overnight at the princess's residence almost every few days, never leaving the prince's or princess's residences.

His caution prevented Doulu Zhuo from finding an opportunity, and the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival gradually arrived.

"Dang, Dang, Dang..."

As the morning bell rang, hundreds of officials outside Ziwei City entered the palace through the palace gates, including Liu Jilong, who had not appeared for a long time.

Liu Jilong, dressed in a round-necked crimson gauze robe, walked in front of the officials, flanked by Zhang Ying, Zhao Ying, and other officials from Longyou dressed in ordinary clothes.

This group of people heavily guarded him; anyone who didn't know better would think they were going to war.

However, it was precisely because of their actions that Doulu Zhuo and the others were unable to get close to Liu Jilong.

When the officials arrived at the Jixian Hall, countless tables and chairs had already been set up inside, clearly arranged according to the rules of Longyou; otherwise, there should only have been low tables and crescent-shaped stools.

Although Doulu Zhuo and the others secretly complained that Liu Jilong disregarded etiquette, when they actually sat in the round-backed chairs facing the delicacies on the long table in front of them, they still genuinely felt comfortable.

Although the Mid-Autumn Festival was a time for court discussions, it was mainly a regular banquet, so the number of officials attending this meeting was not large, only a little over a hundred.

Congratulations!

"May Your Majesty live ten thousand years..."

The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial began to announce the arrival of the emperor, and all the officials rose and bowed to the golden platform. Li Yi, dressed in the emperor's bright yellow robes, walked up to the golden platform and sat down in a chair.

"Rise, everyone, please take your seats."

Li Yi gestured for the officials to sit down, and then clarified the theme of today's court meeting: "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, so the main purpose of the meeting is a banquet, and there is no need to be so formal."

"Your Majesty, we obey..."

The courtiers responded one after another, and then officials began to submit memorials to Li Yi.

The content of these reports is nothing more than where natural disasters occurred, where man-made calamities occurred, and where water conservancy projects were built.

Li Yi was drowsy listening to the music, but Li Shangyin finally got up and woke him up a bit.

"Your Majesty, I have been ordered to build the Five Military Commands Office, which is currently temporarily located in the former Sixteen Guards Office. It will take another ten months to complete its repairs."

"In addition, since July, I have been reducing redundant troops, and so far I have dismissed 34,657 officers, all of whom have been settled in accordance with Your Majesty's decree. I humbly request Your Majesty's consideration."

Yang Gongqing stepped forward, took the memorial, and handed it to Li Yi. Li Yi glanced at the contents quickly and didn't look at it for long.

For him, the reduction of veterans and the saving of money and grain were irrelevant, especially since that was not the main focus of today's event.

"That's excellent. After reducing these soldiers, the court will have more funds and resources to allocate. Thank you all for your hard work."

Li Yi wanted to end the topic, but Li Shangyin continued by presenting a memorial: "Your Majesty, this is a memorial jointly prepared by your subject, Chancellor Liu, Chancellor Xiao, and other ministers. I humbly request Your Majesty's perusal."

"We believe that the rebellion in the various towns was due to the lack of a regular system of supervision and inspection by the court. Therefore, we request that the Censorate be merged into the Censorate and that Censorate and Inspectorate be established in each of the provinces to be in charge of supervision and inspection."

Li Shangyin gave a brief explanation of the functions of the Censorate after it was merged into the Imperial Censorate. In just a few words, he made many officials feel uneasy.

They could imagine that if the Censorate really operated according to Li Shangyin's description, it would be much more difficult for them to protect each other and exchange resources.

"Your Majesty, I humbly believe that this measure is too hasty."

"Your Majesty, since the Han Dynasty, there has never been any criticism of the Censorate. How can it be abolished so easily?"

"Your Majesty, constantly sending envoys to inspect the four directions and oversee the various routes is not the behavior of a wise ruler."

"Your Majesty, I fear this will cause the officials of the prefectures and counties to doubt the court's trust."

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you consider this carefully..."

"Your Majesty, please reconsider..."

After Li Shangyin explained the future responsibilities of the Censorate, more than forty officials immediately jumped out of the hall.

Liu Jilong quickly scanned the room and found that most of them were former officials of the Tang court, and most of them did not have particularly impressive resumes. They had only reached such high positions by relying on their family background and connections.

"This this……"

Li Yi naturally dared not refuse Li Shangyin's memorial, since Li Shangyin's memorial represented Liu Jilong's attitude.

However, the sudden outburst from his ministers left him somewhat at a loss.

Even though he had experienced a lot, he was still an eighteen-year-old youth, and he was still a little flustered in the face of this situation.

Liu Jilong was well aware of Li Yi's abilities, so after the ministers erupted, he slowly stood up, causing the previously aggressive former ministers to show reluctance and gradually quiet down.

"The rebellion of the regional military governors had only recently ended. If the imperial court had established regular oversight and inspection systems from the beginning, how could the two traitors, An Lushan and Shi Kezhi, have taken advantage of the situation?"

"You are all well-read scholars. Have you read so many history books but not even known how to learn from them?"

Compared to these refined and scholarly officials, Liu Jilong's words were much more direct. Li Yi, upon hearing this, seemed to find his footing and, forcing himself to speak, replied:
"I believe that what the Prince of Han said makes sense. The An Lushan Rebellion is still fresh in our minds, and the people of Guandong are warlike, which is why they are prone to rebellion. If we do not regularly set up inspection and supervision, how can the court prevent such a thing from happening?"

Li Yi's current actions inevitably carried a hint of invoking Liu Jilong's authority, but the officials were ultimately afraid of Liu Jilong, so no one dared to refute him and all remained silent.

Seeing their silence, Liu Jilong added, "Your Majesty, I believe that since the country has just been pacified, the people still need fertile land to make a living. I request that the official land and permanent land be abolished and returned to the people for cultivation."

Liu Jilong abolished the official lands of the Han army very early on, but he did not abolish the official lands of all Tang Dynasty officials.

The official lands and permanent lands held by the former officials ranged from several hundred to over a thousand acres.

With seven thousand former officials and ministers, who already controlled a considerable amount of land, Liu Jilong naturally wanted to acquire it directly.

Seeing Liu Jilong pushing his luck, the assembled officials had no choice but to force themselves to bow and say:
“What the King of Han said is indeed good. However, our livelihood depends on the official land, while the permanent land is a gift from the court. If we were to take it away so soon, it would damage the credibility of the court’s officials.”

“What He Zuo Sanqi Changshi said is absolutely right. Now that the country is at peace, the court should establish trust rather than break it. I humbly request that the King of Han consider this carefully.”

As two officials reluctantly stepped forward, the other officials followed suit, all subtly suggesting that Liu Jilong reconsider.

However, for Liu Jilong, if he hadn't been waiting for the south to stabilize, he would have already taken action against this group.

Faced with the advice of his ministers, he coldly replied, "This matter is not open to discussion; a decision must be made quickly!"

Seeing his reaction, the ministers dared not say anything more. Liu Jilong then added, "After the official lands of the officials are taken back, their salaries can be supplemented to ensure their well-being."

"What the King of Han says is absolutely right!"

"Your Majesty, I agree with what the Prince of Han said!"

Seeing that Liu Jilong was going to increase the salaries of all officials, the officials from Longyou and Guanzhong who did not have official lands to begin with echoed his sentiments. Li Yi, seeing that no one objected, immediately nodded and said:
"If that's the case, then please, gentlemen, draft a plan so as not to delay for too long."

"Your subject obeys the decree..."

Li Shangyin, Liu Zhan, and Xiao Gou bowed in agreement. Li Yi breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, and then, fearing that someone might interrupt him, looked at Liu Jilong with a sincere expression.

“Recently, I have often read the ‘Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era,’ which states: ‘If the emperor is virtuous, people will support him as their master; if he is not virtuous, people will discard him like worn-out shoes.’”

"Now that I am of meager virtue and calamities have befallen me, there are signs that the imperial regalia will be replaced. The King of Han has made great contributions and is highly respected, and the praises he sings are full of sincerity."

“Li Bi once said: “Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun both illuminated the world for ten thousand generations by abdicating their thrones.”

"Though I am not clever, for the sake of the people, how could I not follow his example?"

Li Yi suddenly began to speak of abdicating the throne, which stunned the assembled officials in the hall, who looked at him in surprise on the golden platform.

Zhang Ying and the others quickly realized what was happening, their expressions changing from astonishment to elation, and they looked at Liu Jilong with anticipation.

Doulu Zhuo and the others then realized what was happening, their knuckles clenched and turned white, and their breathing gradually became heavy.

The other former officials either showed complicated expressions or regret, while Li Yi continued to speak of abdication.

It should be noted that when emperors abdicated, they usually wrote an edict, which was handed over by an important minister, and then the emperor would decline the edict three times before finally accepting it.

While there have been instances in history of people like Li Yi who openly and proactively offered to abdicate, they were not numerous.

Everyone wanted to know Liu Jilong's attitude, but they saw Liu Jilong bowing respectfully to Li Yi.

"I was originally a commoner from a remote border region. I received great favors after my righteous army returned east. I should serve my country on the battlefield. How dare I presume to covet the imperial throne or overstep my bounds?"

"In the past, when Huo Zimeng was in power, he always upheld the duties of a subject; when Guo Fenyang made meritorious contributions, he never abandoned the duty between ruler and subject."

"Though I am unworthy, I admire your character; moreover, Your Majesty should be striving for a fresh start, how can you lightly speak of abdication?"

"I humbly beseech Your Majesty to rescind your decree, so that I may preserve my loyalty; if Your Majesty insists on forcing me to do what is not rightfully mine, I request to lay down my arms and retire to my hometown..."

(End of this chapter)