Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 280 He'd even risk the lives of his entire clan! Saying I'm like him? [Seeking monthly votes]

In the golden autumn of October, the sunlight has little warmth.

The willows along the banks of the mighty Wei River swayed rather ostentatiously.

Li Chengqian, Li Yuan, and their entourage sat on the second floor of a multi-story ship that had sailed from Jiangling, enjoying the rare and beautiful scenery.

Suddenly, the sound of sheng and xiao (traditional Chinese wind instruments) filled the air; it turned out to be a group of dancers from Linjiang Tower gracefully performing.

They were dressed in matching outfits that made them look like ethereal fairies, with silk stockings on their feet that showed off their slender, white legs in a charming and alluring way.

Li Yuan took a sip of the wine and exclaimed with a smile, "This ship is indeed magnificent! It's even more beautiful than the large ship that Emperor Yang of Sui used when he traveled south!"

"Grandpa is joking. We can't compare ourselves to Emperor Yang of Sui. Besides, this is just a small boat. When Hilde and the others build ocean-going warships, we can go out to sea and enjoy the freedom of the sky and the freedom of the sea!" Li Chengqian replied with a smile.

"Hmm, what you've said makes me, Grandpa, quite excited."

Li Yuan stroked his beard, then seemed to remember something and said, "Why didn't you attend the court assembly held by the Second Prince in the Taiji Hall today?"

"Eating the same dishes repeatedly will eventually get boring. I don't have time to waste on them."

Li Chengqian smiled, shrugged, and said something. Then he picked up the chopsticks on the table, took a slice of tender beef, put it into the boiling soup pot, and said, "This hot pot beef tastes better than the hot pot mutton, doesn't it, Grandpa?"

"You're getting more and more lawless, you even dare to eat oxen!"

"Who said this is an ox? This is just a lost calf, and I'm helping it find its way home."

"Ah!"

Li Yuan smiled, then took another sip of wine, looked at the dancers dancing not far away, and said casually, "When will your plan begin?"

"What does Grandpa mean?" Li Chengqian tilted his head, indicating that he did not know.

Li Yuan glared at him, then lowered his voice and said, "Didn't you say that after the Double Ninth Festival banquet, you would put Erlang in the position of Emperor Emeritus? Have you forgotten?"

"Uh,"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian's lips twitched. He thought to himself, "Why is Old Li always thinking about getting Li Er (Li Chengqian) to step down?"
Could it be that the retired emperor's position is too hot to sit on? And he wants to move to a different spot?
But what is above the Emperor Emeritus?
Seeing that Li Chengqian remained silent after hearing his words, Li Yuan sighed with feigned sorrow, "I'm almost seventy years old, and I don't know how much longer I can live. If I can't vent my grievances in this life, I won't be able to die in peace!"

"No, no, no! Grandpa, please don't say that! You'll live to be a hundred!"

When Li Chengqian heard Li Yuan sigh, he was at his wit's end and quickly tried to comfort him.

But Li Yuan clearly wasn't buying it. He took another swig of wine and smacked his lips, saying, "Since ancient times, emperors have been filled with regret. Even if they live for ten thousand years, it's all in vain. I entrusted my regret to my grandson, but alas, he is not up to the task. Alas, what a pity!"

"."

Li Chengqian's face immediately darkened, and he thought to himself, "Are you never going to stop?!"
Can you please stop copying me?

Why do you fathers and sons all like to pick on what I say?!

"Oh, Grandpa, don't worry. There will be steamed buns and abalone. I've only just gained power, how can I send him up so quickly?"

After saying this, Li Chengqian poured Li Yuan another cup of wine with a grin, winking and saying, "Grandpa, don't worry, your grandson will never let you down!"

"is it?"

Li Yuan glanced at Li Chengqian, then frowned and said, "But I heard that Erlang seems to be making a big move? You're not going to capsize, are you?"

"How can it be!"

Li Chengqian chuckled, then said confidently, "It's just a matter of granting fiefdoms; he won't succeed!"

Yes!

Granting fiefdoms!

Li Er's latest big move is to grant fiefdoms!

This is why Li You rushed to find him as soon as he heard the news.

According to Li Er's plan, he intended to enfeoff all his sons who were twelve years old or older to local areas, including his close ministers, so that the Tang Dynasty could be secure forever and his descendants could live long.

However, in Li Chengqian's view, this was undoubtedly a step backward in history.

Although this wasn't the first time Li Er had wanted to implement the enfeoffment system, this time was quite different from the last.

This time, Li Er's attitude was very firm. He even said Li Ke's words before leaving, "The princes guard the country's gates," in front of Fang Xuanling and the others.

Therefore, Li Ke's request to be granted the title was not only due to his own ulterior motives, but also to Li Shimin's long-cherished wish.

He wanted to use Li Ke's case to initiate the process of granting fiefdoms.

But Li Yuan asked, somewhat puzzled, "How do you know he won't succeed? You've already dealt with the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, what obstacles could he possibly face?"

"No, Grandpa still doesn't understand."

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "This matter has little to do with the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families. In other words, the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, including those local powerful families, are not the main reason for the obstruction of the enfeoffment. Rather, it is the ministers around my father who will fight desperately against the enfeoffment!"

"why?"

Li Yuan was even more puzzled: "Isn't it better to let them go to the provinces and become local tyrants?"

"Of course not!"

Li Chengqian straightened his posture and said, "Grandpa, think about it. Although they have power in the provinces, their power is very limited. Moreover, there are various constraints. But in Chang'an, they are closer to the emperor and have many opportunities. Why should they suffer in the provinces?"

"Besides, Grandpa also said that they would become local tyrants, which would definitely weaken the central government's rule. Would I agree to that? I definitely wouldn't!"

"So, with the power I currently wield, if I don't agree, can this matter even be accomplished? At most, my brothers will be reassigned to local posts!"

"From what you're saying, aren't you afraid your brothers will go somewhere?"

Li Yuan asked doubtfully, "They are all powerful kings whose titles can be inherited indefinitely!"

"No, what do I have to be afraid of?"

Li Chengqian raised an eyebrow with amusement, then made a chopping motion and said disdainfully, "So what if they're granted real power as princes? Once I ascend the throne, I'll take them all down one by one!"

"Well, that's true."

Li Yuan's lips twitched, and he said with a strange look, "But isn't that too harsh? They're your brothers after all. If we cut them all off..."

"Grandpa, don't worry, I have plans for them and I will definitely not mistreat them!"

Before Li Yuan could finish speaking, Li Chengqian interrupted him with a smile, then added, "Of course, that's on the condition that they behave themselves! If they misbehave, I won't tolerate it."

"Too."

Li Yuan nodded in agreement, then suddenly seemed to remember something and changed the subject: "But you also need to make arrangements for your uncles, right?"

"for sure!"

"haha okay!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan finally smiled with satisfaction, then raised his wine cup and drank it with relish.

Li Chengqian glanced at him with a smile, then lay lazily in the chair, lost in thought as the river breeze blew in.

At the same time, Taiji Palace, Taiji Hall.

The court assembly convened by Li Shimin was drawing to a close.

But he said calmly, "I think the advice of all the ministers is good, but I have a question: why is no one thinking about my interests?"

"This"

The ministers looked at each other, bewildered.

Fang Xuanling stepped forward first and asked with a smile, "May I ask Your Majesty, what matter do you mean by 'thinking of you'?"

Li Shimin pretended to hesitate for a moment before saying, "The Taiji Palace where I live is located in a low-lying area. It is cold and damp in winter and unbearably hot in summer. It is not suitable for long-term residence. Therefore, I plan to build a new palace for my rest."

"Furthermore, the palaces in the palace are somewhat old and should be renovated to showcase the grandeur of our great nation."

"Your Majesty!"

Before Li Shimin could finish speaking, a minister stepped forward, holding a tablet, and cried out, "Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

"Ok?"

Li Shimin frowned, then stared at the minister and asked, "Who are you?"

"Your Majesty, I am Liu Ji, Imperial Censor!"

"Liu Li?"

Li Shimin was taken aback for a moment, then nodded in realization and said, "I remember you. You were the Chief Administrator of Jiangling before, weren't you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I was only recently transferred to the capital to serve as a Censor."

"Hmm, not bad. Then tell me, why not?"

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, such civil engineering work should not be undertaken without due consideration!"

Liu Ji bowed and said, "Because the current strength of the people in our Great Tang Dynasty is not as great as that of the Sui Dynasty. If Your Majesty recklessly engages in large-scale construction projects, I fear that Your Majesty's mistakes will be even greater than those of Emperor Yang of Sui!"

Wow!
The whole place was in an uproar!

The officials never expected that this newly transferred censor would be so audacious!

Could it be that the climate and environment of Chang'an have caused this guy to lose his mind?

Are they going to be kicked out of Chang'an as soon as they arrive?
Just as the ministers were sighing for Liu Ji, Li Shimin, his face ashen, sat on the imperial throne, gritting his teeth and saying, "You dare say I am inferior to Emperor Yang of Sui? Then am I no less than Jie and Zhou of the Shang Dynasty?!"

"Your Majesty, I fear that once the palace is completed, we, as ruler and subject, will once again be embroiled in war and turmoil!"

Liu Ji did not answer Li Shimin's question directly, but continued, "I heard that when Luoyang was recovered, the Emperor Emeritus issued an edict to burn down the palaces in Luoyang. Your Majesty said that the bricks, tiles and wood of the palaces could still be used, so it would be better to dismantle them and distribute them to the poor people. Although you did not follow the Emperor Emeritus's order, the people of the world are praising Your Majesty's great virtue!"

"And today, Your Majesty is once again embarking on a massive construction project in Chang'an. In the past ten years, there has been both demolition and reconstruction. Your Majesty, what will the people think?"

"This"

Li Shimin was stunned by these words.

Even the court officials couldn't help but look at Liu Ji with new respect, thinking that it was no wonder he was transferred to the capital; he really did have some ability.

But Li Shimin said thoughtfully, "Hmm, you're right. I originally thought that Chang'an is the capital of the country, and the imperial palace is the face of the country. The grandeur of the imperial palace makes the country look good. Now that you've said this, I'm afraid I won't dare to show my face when I leave the palace in the future, and I won't be able to tell the people about their hardships."

At this point, Li Shimin waved his hand casually and said, "Forget it, let's talk about the palace later!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Liu Ji immediately bowed to Li Shimin, and the other officials followed suit. Li Shimin looked at Liu Ji with admiration, then at Wei Zheng, and couldn't help but laugh, "Liu Ji, I see some of the Crown Prince's tutor in you. Did you learn that from him?"

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, the entire court erupted in laughter.

Wei Zheng remained calm and composed.

Liu Ji looked embarrassed.

But then Li Shimin continued speaking eloquently: "I remember you said that you saw the Sui Dynasty building palaces during your time in the Sui Dynasty. I ask you, Liu Ji, what official position did you hold during the Sui Dynasty?"

"Well, Your Majesty, I am merely a minor official."

"Oh, a minor official! Isn't he an official?"

Li Shimin nodded in realization, then continued, "So what did you do before that?"

"minister"

Upon hearing this, Liu Ji couldn't help but look bitter: "Your Majesty should know that there is no lower position than a minor official. Before me, I should have been called an outsider."

"Outside the flow?"

Li Shimin was taken aback, then chuckled and asked, "What do you mean by 'outside the mainstream'? Does it mean 'not in the mainstream'?"

"Hahaha!"

The ministers burst into laughter again.

Liu Ji was so embarrassed he wanted to disappear.

Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, and others shook their heads helplessly.

Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Er) has always been very vengeful.

You'll probably need to study a lot more in Chang'an to gain a foothold in the future.

"His Majesty--!"

Just as Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, and others were expressing their deep sympathy for Liu Ji, a sudden voice rang out.

The ministers were slightly taken aback, and their laughter abruptly stopped.

A young historian stepped out from the corner and said solemnly, "Although the Imperial Censor comes from a humble background, His Majesty respects his abilities and that is why he was transferred from the local area to assist His Majesty."

"Your Majesty should not pursue his family background in front of the entire court."

"By doing this, Your Majesty is abandoning past favors and causing him utter shame and heartache. How can you expect him to serve Your Majesty faithfully in the future?!"

"This"

Li Shimin was also taken aback upon hearing this.

But then a minister in the court immediately stood up and shouted, "You unfilial son! Who gives you the right to speak here? Get down now!"

"But father."

"Your father isn't here. Get off!"

"Uh"

Upon hearing this, the ministers exchanged glances and chuckled inwardly.

The historian looked aggrieved, but in the end, he obediently prepared to leave.

Just as he was about to step back, Li Shimin suddenly came to his senses and said with a smile, "Oh, I remember you. You're that boy who stole the bird, aren't you?"

Upon hearing this, the historian looked embarrassed and immediately bowed respectfully to Li Shimin, saying, "Your subject, Chu Suiliang, the Imperial Diarist, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"Hmm, Chu Suiliang, good, very good Chu Suiliang!"

Li Shimin smiled and nodded, then continued, "I remember you are skilled in calligraphy, especially in the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi, which you have studied extensively! I even promised you that if anyone presented you with a piece of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, I would let you examine it first. Now, thinking back, my hobby has led some ministers astray. I should reflect on this. From now on, I will no longer accept any calligraphy of Wang Xizhi presented by ministers; I will find them myself based on chance!"

After saying this, he turned his gaze to Liu Ji and said sincerely, "Minister Liu, you dared to offer advice and spoke frankly. I really shouldn't have pursued your family background so relentlessly. I regret it."

"Clap clap-"

No sooner had Li Shimin finished speaking than Wei Zheng unexpectedly began to applaud.

The other officials were taken aback for a moment, and then joined in with thunderous applause.

After the applause subsided, Li Shimin continued, "Grand Chancellor, convey my decree to promote Liu Ji to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, in order to restore order and discipline!"

"Yes"

Fang Xuanling stepped forward and respectfully responded.

The officials were filled with doubt, wondering what merit Liu Ji had. Had he only risked his life to offer advice once? How could he have replaced Wei Zheng in his previous position?

What they didn't know was that Liu Ji's transfer from Jiangling to the capital was itself a great achievement.

For example, monitoring Li Chengqian.
"Also, oh yes, Chu Suiliang, you're quite good too. You dare to speak frankly and are a talented person. I hereby appoint you as Grand Counselor!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Chu Suiliang was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to express his gratitude.

Not far away, Chu Liang frowned, seemingly unwilling to let his son get involved in politics.

But since Li Shimin had already issued the decree, there was nothing he could do.

Thus, two important figures who had a great influence on Li Shimin made their appearance.

But the court session was still not over.

But then Li Shimin continued, "My ministers, how are your considerations regarding the enfeoffment I asked you to do?"

"This"

The ministers were speechless for a moment, thinking to themselves, "Your Majesty, you still haven't given up your treacherous intentions!"

We've discussed this so many times!
I've already told you it won't work!

"Your Majesty, I believe there is no need to consider this matter!"

Wei Zheng was the first to step forward and said, "Moreover, I have already made it very clear last time that the hereditary fiefdoms of kings and meritorious officials will inevitably lead to the formation of their own factions over time, which will certainly affect the central government's rule."

"Furthermore, their descendants will likely become increasingly arrogant and cause harm to the local area."

"Furthermore, after the enfeoffment, tax revenue will definitely decrease significantly, and the strength of the army will become weak as a result."

"Therefore, enfeoffment will lead to the gradual alienation of the people and national turmoil, and it must never be implemented."

"I'll wait for reconsideration!"

Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, Hou Junji and other trusted ministers of Li Er also stood up to echo his sentiments at this time.

Although the other officials did not stand up to echo their views, their attitudes were similar, and they also did not approve of the enfeoffment.

This plunged Li Shimin's spirits to rock bottom. He coldly said, "Do you know why the Prince of Han volunteered for the title? It's because he felt that some high-ranking officials in the court always looked down on him and even investigated him without restraint, which made him feel very humiliated. He wanted to establish a career and prove himself!"

"What!?"

The ministers were shocked when they heard this.

Changsun Wuji, in particular, immediately darkened his expression.

But Li Er didn't notice his expression and said in a deep voice, "I remember that during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, officials below the first rank in the court didn't even dare to speak loudly in front of the princes. Why is it different here with me?"

"I only wanted the princes to go to the provinces to develop their talents and settle down. Was I wrong?"

"If I leave the princes in Chang'an, wouldn't I be subject to humiliation by certain high-ranking officials?"

Upon hearing this, the ministers, led by Fang Xuanling, were immediately filled with fear, sweating profusely, and knelt down to apologize.

In fact, they were not unaware that the high-ranking officials Li Shimin referred to were not them, but rather some of the high-ranking officials in the Eastern Palace.

However, not all the ministers knelt down like Fang Xuanling.

For example, Wei Zheng.

But Wei Zheng spoke calmly: "Your Majesty's words are utterly unreasonable. Who would look down on the princes? I believe no minister would do so. Even if an investigation is conducted, it will be done according to the law!"

"Wei Zheng! What do you mean?"

Li Shimin's face darkened: "Is it a crime for my son to protect the country?"

"Defending one's country is certainly not a crime, but whether it is a crime or not depends on evidence!"

"you!"

Wei Zheng straightened his expression and, seeing that Li Er was speechless after his rebuttal, said calmly, "Moreover, according to the rites, the emperor's sons and the emperor's ministers are all subjects of the emperor and have equal status. What is there to look down on?"

"According to the Spring and Autumn Annals, the envoys sent by the Zhou king held a status even higher than that of the other kings. Therefore, all high-ranking officials of the third rank or above in the court were considered court ministers. Even His Majesty should respect and treat them with courtesy, let alone the kings?"

"Furthermore, if Your Majesty were to compare the fallen Sui Dynasty with our Great Tang, then I would have nothing to say. But our Great Tang is now at its zenith, yet Your Majesty uses the example of Emperor Wen of Sui, who indulged his sons and allowed them to commit evil deeds, leading to the downfall of the dynasty, as an example. This is rather absurd!"

"Wei Zheng!"

Li Shimin suddenly stood up from the emperor's throne, glaring angrily at Wei Zheng.

But Wei Zheng remained calm and said, "What, does Your Majesty want my Tang Dynasty to follow the example of the Sui Dynasty and perish?"

"you you you!"

Li Shimin was so angry with Wei Zheng that he trembled all over, but he couldn't find any words to refute him. He was so frustrated that he was about to go crazy.

Finally, he roared, "Dismiss the court! Dismiss the court!!"

Upon seeing this, Liu Ji, who had just been praised by Li Shimin for resembling Wei Zheng, was dumbfounded and thought to himself, "What do I look like?!"

Do I even dare to imagine it?

I offer loyal and honest advice, and at most I am not afraid of death!

He's willing to risk the lives of his entire family—no, his entire clan!
.........

I'm begging for your minimum monthly votes!

(End of this chapter)