Inheriting a Taoist temple, the story begins with Wu Zetian offering incense.

Chapter 90 Li Zhi: The Unstable Factor of the Tang Dynasty Was Actually the Royal Family? [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

The Great Tang Dynasty, Zhenguan era, Taiji Palace, Wude Hall.

Li Shimin, enjoying a steamed cake made from refined white flour while being fanned by a small fan:

"I never imagined that flour could be so white, and it tastes so delicate, almost melting in my mouth. The world where the immortal lives truly fills me with longing..."

Just as this was mentioned, Sizi, who was taking small bites of the steamed cake beside her, said like a little adult:
"Traveling through time is fraught with danger. As the ruler of a country, Father, you must not take any risks. Let your daughter handle the matter of going to Hunyuan Palace for worship. I am willing to share this burden with you."

The moment the little girl opened her mouth, Li Shimin knew what she was planning:
“My daughter is becoming more and more intelligent. Just the other day, an old minister in the court wanted to recommend an outstanding young man in Chang'an and suggested arranging a marriage for you…”

Before he could finish speaking, Little Si refused:
"My daughter is still young and doesn't want to get married. She wishes to stay by her father's side for the rest of her life."

Li Shimin was filled with smug satisfaction at having his precious daughter under his thumb:
"Aren't you going to see the Immortal Master?"

"I won't go! Sizi wants to stay by Father's side. Even if the Immortal Master personally summons her and uses his great supernatural powers to build a seven-colored rainbow bridge above the Taiji Palace to fetch her, I will not go!"

These insincere words made Li Shimin chuckle in disbelief.
"Once we conquer Goguryeo and win the favor of the immortal, I will ask the immortal to take you away so that you can experience the differences between that world and my Great Tang."

After saying this, he solemnly instructed a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old at the head of the table:
“Child, after I pass away, all the care and protection from the Immortal Master will be sought by your younger sister, Sizi. You should ponder the ways of being a ruler and do not do anything to anger the Immortal Master or sever this bond of kinship.”

Li Zhi quickly put down the steamed cake in his hand, bowed, and replied:

"I will certainly not disappoint my father!"

Li Shimin was very dissatisfied with these empty words:
"The Immortal Master advocates loving and caring for the people. You should consider this aspect more in order to gain the Immortal Master's favor and receive advanced things from the Great Tang Dynasty, such as books, tools, and seeds. Whether I am disappointed or not is not important; the stability of the Great Tang Dynasty is what matters!"

Seeing her older brother being scolded, the little girl thoughtfully changed the subject:
“Father, there are beauties and talented women at the Immortal's place. Would it be redundant for me to go there again?”

Li Shimin chuckled:
"Although Meiniang is in the harem, she is still an outsider. The other day she told me that in three years at most, she would follow the immortal master to pursue her immortal destiny and never return. Hunyuan Palace needs someone from the Tang Dynasty royal family. It just so happens that your life was saved by the immortal master. This is a predestined fate and an opportunity for the Li family to be blessed by Heaven. You must seize this opportunity."

In addition to the usual empress, four consorts, and nine concubines, the imperial harem of the Tang Dynasty also included twenty-seven ladies-in-waiting.

The Shifu were female officials in the palace with administrative functions. They were divided into three ranks: the Jieyu of the third rank, the Meiren of the fourth rank, and the Cairen of the fifth rank. There were nine people in each rank, which together made up twenty-seven Shifu.

Because Wu Meiniang was the daughter of Duke Ying, Wu Shihuo, she was given the title of Cairen (a low-ranking concubine) upon entering the palace.

The term "才人" means "a woman of talent." Nominally, she was one of the concubines in the imperial harem, but she mainly did secretarial work.

Drafting imperial edicts, recording ministers' memorials, organizing memorial texts, managing palace maids, and regularly reporting on the affairs of the inner palace... Basically, they had to get up before dawn and could only rest after the emperor went to sleep. Sometimes they also had to take turns recording the emperor's daily life. Their hardship was comparable to that of modern-day oxen and horses.

As for serving the emperor in bed, forget about it. The beauties, concubines, nine consorts, and four imperial concubines are all eyeing it, so it's not even a chance for a lowly concubine like a slave.

Throughout the Zhenguan era, only Xu Hui rose from the position of Cai Ren to become one of the Nine Concubines, a second-rank official. After her death, she was posthumously honored as a Xianfei, a first-rank official, and was buried in the Zhaoling Mausoleum.

Wu Zetian and Xu Hui were close in age and entered the palace around the same time.

However, one woman who entered the palace soon rose from a talented woman to a concubine, and then from a concubine to a high-ranking concubine, enjoying the utmost favor.

Another person served as a servant in the palace for twelve years, remaining a fifth-rank concubine until Li Shimin passed away... Twelve years of stagnation is truly tragic.

Now, this ox or horse has suddenly been favored by fate and become a messenger of the gods, leaving Old Li feeling quite unsettled.

This is like a subordinate in a company's finance department who is never valued and is suddenly given a position in the local tax bureau. Which boss wouldn't be uneasy about that?

Li Zhi sat down and continued eating steamed cake. At this time, he had not yet revealed his potential to be attracted to mature women. His mind was full of how to please the gods and obtain more resources.

Remembering his father's words, "Whether I am disappointed or not is not important; the stability of the Tang Dynasty is the most important," Li Zhi's mind began to work at lightning speed.

The stability of the Tang Dynasty depended on the well-being of its people, which was closely related to the officials. Most officials were appointed based on recommendations and military merits, and those who recommended officials mostly came from the five prominent clans and seven prestigious families...

Following this line of thought, Li Zhi suddenly realized that to ensure the stability of the Tang Dynasty, he had to deal with the Guanzhong aristocracy and the powerful clans of the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families. This… the destabilizing factor for the Tang Dynasty was actually himself?

Li Zhi was somewhat puzzled. How did the reforms end up affecting the royal family?

He was filled with questions, but he couldn't ask anyone for answers, because if he uttered these treasonous words, he might lose his position as crown prince.

He thought for a moment and decided to secretly write a letter and ask his sister Li Mingda to pass it on to Wu Meiniang, asking her to help deliver it to the immortals and ask them for guidance.

"If we must eradicate the five surnames and seven clans, let's start with my uncle's family!"

Li Zhi had admired his uncle Changsun Wuji since he was a child. Naturally, when dealing with the Guanlong nobles, he had to start with his uncle's family. This was to show the emperor's great benevolence!
If Li Shimin knew that this child was full of rebellious ideas, he would definitely be furious.

Old Li finished a piece of steamed cake and was about to have another one to fill the gap when Si Zi stopped him:

"The imperial physician just instructed you not to eat anymore!"

Li Shimin awkwardly withdrew his hand and began to examine the globe beside him.

Now, officials and members of the royal family need to be enfeoffed, but within the Tang Dynasty, almost all the vacant land has already been divided up. If it is divided up further, it will inevitably affect the common people.

Therefore, he planned to grant some insignificant fiefdoms outside the Tang Dynasty.

For example, places like Nanzhao, the Mekong River Plain, Silla, Japan, and Luzon could be granted fiefdoms. Those who received fiefdoms were allowed to form an army to develop overseas territories, but the number of soldiers and their weapons would be strictly limited.

Thinking of the vast territory beyond the Tang Dynasty, Old Li's mind raced and he entered work mode. Li Mingda and Li Zhi exchanged a glance and wisely left the Wude Hall. One went to the Hongwen Hall to learn how to handle government affairs, and the other went to the Yiyuan Hall to pay homage to the immortal.

At the same time, inside the Hunyuan Palace, Zhou Yi changed the incense for Yuantong Zizai Tianzun, went to the vegetable garden, picked a few tomatoes, washed them, cut them into pieces, sprinkled them with white sugar, and put them in the refrigerator.

Take it out after dinner, eat it cool and refreshing, it's both cooling and satisfying.

Having eaten too much flatbread and vegetable rolls at noon, Gongsun Da Niang wasn't very hungry yet. She sat at the courtyard gate, holding her sword, listening to "The General History of the Tang Dynasty" playing on her phone.

Seeing Zhou Yi approaching carrying a bag, the girl stood up, paused her phone, and humbly asked for his advice:
"Master, the late Tang Dynasty was so tragic. How could we have avoided it?"

The Book of Changes says:

"This is determined by the development trend of feudal dynasties. In the early stage, they are ambitious and enterprising, in the middle stage they consolidate their power, but as the number of nobles increases, the living space for ordinary people becomes smaller and smaller, and eventually they will collapse and start over."

"Is there a way to avoid repeating the same mistakes?"

"There are such methods, but we need to try them out and not blindly copy them. For example, we could change the social atmosphere, raise the level of education, start the Age of Exploration, leave fiefdoms overseas, and lavishly reward those who explore the land overseas..."

Taking advantage of the open-mindedness of the Tang Dynasty, the era of great maritime exploration and colonization was launched, shifting the land crisis overseas. Although it could not completely prevent dynastic changes, it could at least prolong the cycle.

Did the Tang Dynasty still enjoy a golden age in its later years?

Zhou Yi thought for a moment and said:
"After the Tang Dynasty came the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, then the Song Dynasty which never unified. After all of these passed, the Mongols established the Yuan Dynasty, followed by the Ming Dynasty. Only when Zhu Di came to power did a golden age reappear."

However, the Ming Dynasty also had its drawbacks, especially in its later period, when many scholars turned into collaborators, and even the portrait of Confucius was changed to the Manchu's iconic money-and-rat tail... We must have the opportunity to let Confucius see and comment on this masterpiece!
Putting his thoughts aside, Zhou Yi said to Granny Gongsun:
"Come on, accompany me to the Sanqing Hall."

"What are you doing?"

"Let me do a fortune telling for myself!"

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Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Dragon Boat Festival! Here's the first update, please vote with your monthly tickets, brothers!

(End of this chapter)