The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

The Crown Prince's memorial in Chapter 20 was quite insightful.

During the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, the Grand Court Assembly held on the fifteenth of each month was an important court assembly.

By the sixteenth year of the Zhenguan era, the court assembly system had become quite complete.

On that day, all civil and military officials of the ninth rank and above in the capital were required to participate and gather outside the palace gates in the early hours of the morning.

After the palace gates opened, officials lined up according to their rank to enter the palace, passing through Chengtian Gate and Jiade Gate, and finally standing solemnly in order in front of the Taiji Hall square.

Civil officials were seated on the east side, and military officials on the west side, arranged according to their rank.

After the emperor sat in the Taiji Hall and all the officials paid their respects, the prime minister presided over the agenda of the court meeting.

The topics were mostly prepared in advance, reported to the relevant departments, and officials could express their opinions, with the final decision made by the emperor.

At the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM), while Chang'an was still shrouded in the darkness before dawn, the city outside the Chengtian Gate of the Imperial City was already brightly lit.

Officials in various colored robes stood in solemn rows according to their rank, waiting for the palace gates to open.

In the darkness, only the officials' soft breathing and the occasional suppressed cough could be heard, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

At the exact hour of Mao (5-7 AM), the palace gates slowly opened.

Under the supervision of Grand Censor Ma Zhou and other censors, the court officials proceeded in order through Chengtian Gate and Jiade Gate, finally arriving at the spacious square in front of Taiji Hall.

Civil officials lined up on the east side, and military officials lined up on the west side, each standing according to their rank.

As dawn broke, the majestic outline of the Taiji Hall gradually became clear in the morning light.

At the beginning of Chenshi (7-9 AM), bells and drums sounded in unison, and Emperor Taizong Li Shimin ascended the Taiji Hall.

Under the guidance of the master of ceremonies, all the officials performed a neat and orderly kowtow.

After the ceremony, the court assembly officially began.

According to the established agenda, the ministers of each department first reported on routine government affairs.

Tang Jian, Minister of Civil Affairs, reported on the spring plowing situation in various regions; Liu Ji, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, reported on the progress of tax collection; and Li Ji, Minister of War, presented a report on border defense.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian stood in the position of heir apparent, seemingly listening attentively, but in reality, he was on edge, cautiously awaiting any possible attack against him.

His gaze swept over the ranks of civil officials from time to time, lingering particularly on the officials of the Censorate, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Li Shimin sat high on his throne, his gaze sharp as he swept over the assembled officials in the hall, finally settling on the Crown Prince.

He noticed that Li Chengqian's demeanor today was quite different from usual. He was no longer timid or rebellious, but rather showed a peculiar focus and expectation, which made him feel slightly surprised and curious.

Prince Li Tai of Wei, who was standing at the forefront of the officials, also noticed the Crown Prince's unusual behavior.

He glanced sideways and saw that Li Chengqian's back was straight and his eyes were brighter than usual, which made him suspicious.

Situ Changsun Wuji, ranked first among the civil officials, appeared to be looking straight ahead, but his peripheral vision was keenly observing the Crown Prince.

He noticed that the Crown Prince was calm and composed today, behaving appropriately, a stark contrast to the Crown Prince who was either violent or gloomy in the past.

The Grand Secretary Fang Xuanling, the Chamberlain Wei Zheng, and other important officials also took note of the Crown Prince's changes and pondered the matter in their hearts.

After the routine government reports were completed, the agenda for the court meeting moved on to the scheduled topics.

When the case of "the exile of criminals to Xizhou" came up, the atmosphere in the hall was noticeably invigorated.

Minister of Justice Zhang Liang stepped forward first and said, “Your Majesty, the western region is vast and sparsely populated, with weak defenses. I believe that relocating condemned criminals to the border would not only reduce the cost of imprisonment but also strengthen the border defenses, which is a win-win solution.”

Minister of Civil Affairs Tang Jianli retorted: "I think this is not appropriate. Most of the criminals sentenced to death are vicious and unruly. If they are simply placed in the border areas, it may cause unrest. Moreover, the climate in the western region is harsh, and most of the criminals are unfit for labor. I am afraid it will be difficult to achieve the effect of stabilizing the border."

Minister of War Li Ji then stated: "Xizhou does indeed need to replenish its population, but death row inmates are not the best choice. I request that we recruit men from good families, grant them land and housing as incentives, and encourage them to move there."

Liu Ji, a Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate, shook his head and said, "Recruiting men from good families is extremely costly. The court has been waging war frequently in recent years, and the national treasury is not full. It is most reasonable to not have to spend extra money on condemned criminals."

Several ministers held differing opinions and argued endlessly.

Li Shimin listened silently, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the assembled officials.

Just as the debate reached a stalemate, Li Shimin suddenly spoke up: "What is the Crown Prince's opinion on this?" The hall fell silent immediately.

All eyes were on Li Chengqian.

Many ministers looked surprised, not expecting the emperor to consult the crown prince on this matter.

Li Chengqian remained calm, stepped forward to pay his respects, and then spoke in a composed manner: "In my humble opinion, what the ministers have said is all reasonable, but none of them have taken it all into consideration."

He paused briefly, and seeing Li Shimin nod slightly to indicate that he should continue, he then said, "Exiling condemned criminals to the border would indeed save expenses, but the risks are enormous. Recruiting men from good families is a safer option, but it is very costly. I believe that a compromise should be adopted."

"Firstly, those convicted of capital crimes may be transferred, but not simply exiled. Priority should be given to those whose crimes are less serious and who possess a skill. Upon arrival in Xizhou, they should not be forced into hard labor, but rather incorporated into the agricultural settlements, giving them hope for a new life. Those who perform well may have their sentences reduced or even be pardoned and reinstated after several years, and be granted land."

"Secondly, we should also encourage good families to move there. The court can grant preferential treatment: those who are willing to go to Xizhou will be given fifty mu of land per adult, with the amount of permanent land doubled, and taxes will be halved for ten years. The government will also provide oxen, seeds, and initial rations."

"Thirdly, select young civil officials to go to Xizhou to manage the military farms and educate the people. The term of office is three years, and those who perform well at the end of the term will be given priority for promotion upon returning to the capital."

"In this way, death row inmates will have a path to reform, respectable families will have a stable livelihood, the court will benefit from strengthening the borders, and young officials will have opportunities to gain experience. All will be satisfied, and this is the best long-term solution."

Li Chengqian spoke calmly and logically, and after finishing his performance, he gracefully returned to his seat.

The hall was completely silent.

The ministers looked at each other, many of them showing surprise.

A clear look of surprise flashed across Li Shimin's eyes.

He scrutinized Li Chengqian closely, trying to find some clues in his calm face.

Changsun Wuji's heart was in turmoil.

His keen perception revealed that this was a strategy that the Crown Prince could not normally conceive.

There must be a master guiding them behind the scenes.

His gaze swept quickly across the ranks of the Crown Prince's officials, trying to find those who might have influence.

Fang Xuanling was secretly amazed.

The Crown Prince's proposal was not only practical and feasible, but also remarkably well-thought-out, taking into account the interests of all parties, which was completely unlike what a young and impulsive prince could come up with.

Although Wei Zheng was unable to attend to the entire event due to illness, he discerned from the reactions of his colleagues that the Crown Prince's remarks were unusual.

King Li Tai of Wei's expression changed slightly.

Discussing the matter began to rise among the court officials.

Many people looked at the Crown Prince with new respect, but some doubted that this was not the Crown Prince's original intention.

Li Shimin remained silent for a long time before speaking, "The Crown Prince's report is quite insightful. What are the opinions of the ministers?"

Minister of Justice Zhang Liang was the first to respond: "Your Highness the Crown Prince has considered this matter thoroughly, and I believe it is feasible. In particular, the policy of granting land to death row inmates with the hope of reduced sentences can encourage them to settle down on the frontier and greatly reduce the risk of unrest."

Minister of Civil Affairs Tang Jian added: "If the policy of granting land and reducing taxes can be implemented, it will certainly attract good families to go there. However, the specific implementation details still need to be discussed and agreed upon."

Minister of War Li Ji raised a question: "There may be difficulties in selecting civil officials. Many young civil officials are unwilling to go to the arduous posts in the border areas."

Li Chengqian spoke again: "We can clearly stipulate that serving in the border regions is an essential path to promotion. Moreover, the Western Regions are prosperous in trade and are not entirely a harsh and cold place. If we can make proper arrangements, there will surely be people willing to go."

Another round of discussion ensued, but this time the focus was clearly on the details of the Crown Prince's proposed plan, rather than whether or not people should be relocated to populate the border areas.

Li Shimin maintained a calm expression throughout, but his heart was in turmoil.

He noticed that the Crown Prince was not only clear-headed today, but also remarkably calm and composed, responding appropriately, unlike his usual irritable and impulsive self.

The morning assembly continued, with the remaining topics being discussed in turn.

However, the minds of many ministers were still preoccupied with the Crown Prince's earlier surprising remarks.

After all the scheduled topics had been discussed, just when the court officials thought the meeting was about to end, an official from the Censorate, Wei Cong, suddenly stepped forward and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present."

(End of this chapter)