Chapter 62 The Emperor’s grace!

Time flies, and the years pass by, and half a year has passed in a blink of an eye!

In this half year, three major events happened in the Tang Empire!

In February, Zuo Xiang-Niu Xianke died of illness at home, and his phase was suspended.

When the son issued an order today, Li Shizhi, who was born in the royal family, took over as the left prime minister, served as the Minister of Personnel, and was appointed as the founding Duke of Weiyuan County.

Li Shizhi was smart and capable, and indeed had the talent of the prime minister, but he was extremely dissatisfied with the right prime minister Li Linfu. The two looked at each other disliked each other. For a moment, a situation of two parties fighting for power and power in the court appeared in the same situation!

...

In March, the eighteenth son of the emperor, Prince Shou, and the concubine of Li Mao, Yang Yuhuan, was willing to become a monk to practice in order to pray for the late Empress Dowager Dou who had been deceased for many years. The Taoist name is Taizhen.

Why do you become a female Taoist priest if you don’t want to be a good princess?

Many people know the answer, but no one dares to say it.

...

In April, Tubo gathered 100,000 heavy troops and stationed in the Longyou Fortress - Shibao City, which was very likely to invade the Hexi Corridor. The news reached Chang'an City, and the government and the country were shocked!

...

Xingqing Palace - located in Xingqingfang in the eastern part of Chang'an City. It was originally a vassal residence before Li Longji ascended the throne. Later, it was expanded into a huge palace complex and officially became a place where the emperor ruled. All major ceremonies such as the change of the era, the imperial examination, and the amnesty are held here!

Xingqing Palace - In the Qinzhengwu Building, Li Longji is sitting on the dragon bed, holding an imperial pen in his hand, and is concentrating on reviewing memorials. It has been two full hours.

It has been thirty-one years since he ascended to Dabao at the age of 27.

For 31 years, I have worked hard day and night and worked hard to manage, and I dared not relax at all. With the assistance of a group of wise ministers such as Yao Chong, Song Jing, Zhang Jiuling, etc., finally created a prosperous Kaiyuan era: the treasury is full, the business is prosperous, and the culture is prosperous... The country has a population of more than 8 million households, a total of more than 70 million men, women, old and young, a national arable land area of ​​8.5 million hectares, and 12 million stones of grain stored in granaries!

"The Tang Dynasty under my rule is at its peak. Although I dare not compare with Emperor Taizong, it is far superior to other monarchs of all generations. The country is so powerful. Can I take a break?" After all, he is fifty-eight years old. Li Longji's spirit and physical strength are not as good as before. After reviewing the memorials for two hours in a row, he couldn't help feeling a little tired.

So he put down his pen, closed his eyes slightly, leaned against the dragon couch to rest, and even snored slightly.

After a short rest, a figure quietly came to the next to the dragon couch, holding a thick stack of memorials in his arms. The person who came put down the memorials, took a bright yellow blanket, gently covered Li Longji, and then stood on the side!

Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, palace coups have occurred one after another, and several emperors and quasi-emperors have died inexplicably.

Therefore, when the emperor is resting, and quietly touching the dragon body is a big taboo in the palace. If you are not careful, you will be charged with "intention to assassinate"... Those who assassinate the king will be cut into pieces according to the law and will be killed by the nine clans!

And in the huge palace, those who dare to violate this taboo and be safe are only one person left except for the favored concubines in the harem - Gao Lishi!

The full name is: General of the Right Supervisor Guard - Duke of Bohai County - General Eunuch of the Imperial Palace - Gao Lishi, who is the most trusted confidant of Li Longji for decades today, and no one!

A moment later, Li Longji woke up and immediately saw the newly sent memorial: "Lishi, where did you send it again?"

"Report to the emperor, it was a military newspaper sent by Longyou!"

"Oh, come here quickly!"

The military situation was like fire and we should not slack off. Li Longji immediately cheered up and took the memorial to watch it carefully. His expression immediately became solemn.

The military newspaper reads: After the Tubo army stationed in Shibao City, it consolidated the city walls and hoarded a large amount of food, grass and weapons; while sending Rangers to infiltrate the territory of the Tang Dynasty to spy on the real and false defenses; and also sent envoys to contact Dangxiang, Tuyuhun, and Turkic tribes... The invasion was already obvious.

After reading the military newspaper, Li Longji couldn't help but remember something. Half a year ago, the Duke of Qi, Cui Zongzhi, once submitted a memorial, believing that the Tubo people invaded the country, and suggested that the court increase the troops in Longyou to prevent accidents... and his basis was a kind of barley wine.

I had discussed this matter specifically with more than a dozen important officials, but the important officials all believed that there had been no war between the Tang Dynasty and the Tubo for more than 20 years, and the Longyou area was as calm as usual. The invasion was purely unfair.

Now it seems that Cui Zong is just foresighted!

"Lishi, please tell me that Mr. Cui is here to meet him. I want to discuss the border defense matter with him!"

"Old slave obeys the order!"

The emperor summoned him, like a oracle. He would come if he had time, but he would not have time. Even if you were in the wedding chamber and kiss me, you would have to put on your clothes and come to see you immediately.

A moment later, Cui Zongzhi came to the building of diligent government affairs panting, and according to the rules of his ministers to meet the emperor, he performed a grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows: "My minister Cui Zongzhi met with the emperor and wished the emperor good health, and he would never have a lifetime!"

"Cat slave, please give me a seat!"

"Thank you, Master!"

Li Longji and Cui Zongzhi are not only monarchs and ministers, but also relationships between father-in-law and son-in-law. Therefore, the former has always called the latter's nickname to show closeness.

"Cat slave, you are a foresight. Longyou sent a military newspaper. The Tubo people are about to invade a large number. What a group of wolves and ambitions... What I wonder is, how did you predict this matter more than half a year ago?"

"Thank you for your praise, but my intelligence is limited. How can I say that I have foresight? As for the Tubo people about to invade a large amount, it was actually predicted by a friend of mine."

"Oh, your friend?"

"Yes, my friend's name is: Li Zhao, 16 years old this year, is an idle clan of a royal family. According to the clan generation, he is still a lord of the emperor. He now lives in Qianlonggang, Wu'an County. This person is talented, knowledgeable and talented, and can be called a young hero!"

...

Cui Zongzhi told Wu'an County about the experience he had met Li Zhao for half a year ago, and he described it all, and there were many praises.

There are also three tricks for the Tubo people, and they also spoke out word by word.

"Okay, okay, okay, I didn't expect that such a young hero would appear among my family members of the Tang Dynasty!" Li Longji said three good words, and most of the sorrow between his eyebrows disappeared. The three strategies were too wonderful. If they were implemented according to the law, they would be enough to restrain the hands and feet of the Tubo people for a period of time, so that they would not dare to act rashly, so that the Tang Dynasty could mobilize troops and respond calmly.

Those who offer advice will have merit.

Those who have made meritorious rewards should be rewarded, but what should I give?

Have it.

"This Li Zhao is very smart. He actually predicted the Tubo people's impending invasion from a bowl of barley wine. It is really a material that can be made. I am going to let him go to the Imperial College for further studies, and then participate in the imperial examinations in the future. How about the imperial court?"

A century-old plan is based on education. All Chinese dynasties attached great importance to teaching issues. There were Taixue in the Han Dynasty, Guozixue in the Wei and Jin Dynasties... There were also Guozi Temples in the Sui Dynasty, which were specially used to cultivate senior talents.

The Tang Dynasty inherited the Sui system and also had a Guozi Temple in Chang'an City. It was later renamed "Imperial College". It was the highest institution of learning in the Tang Empire and cultivated a large number of talents for the country. Especially since Zhongzong and Ruizong, seven or eight out of ten new Jinshis of each term came from Imperial College.

To be honest, as long as you enter the Imperial College, you will be like entering the career of officialdom with one foot, and you will be worth a hundred times the price, which is a heavy reward for Li Zhao.

By the way, I would like to add: In the past, the imperial examination system has been very imperfect for more than a hundred years since the founding of the imperial examination. The number of new Jinshi admitted to each time is very limited, only thirty or forty at a time.

Among the officials at all levels of the Tang Dynasty, only one or two out of the imperial examination system came from.

"The emperor is willing to issue an order. This friend of mine is very talented and good at responsibilities. He is not a scholar who searches for chapters and sentences. If the court wants to use him, he will just let him participate in the selection of talents of the Ministry of Personnel... Imperial College will never go!" Although I didn't know each other for a long time, Cui Zongzhi knew Li Zhao very well. He looked humble and polite on the surface, and was harmless in his bones, but he had an unspeakable wildness in his bones.

I can't help but feel unrestrained. If I let him go to the Imperial College for study, this guy will definitely pretend to be sick and refuse to come. Even if the court orders are of no use.

Since that's the case, it's better to let him come out and become an official and do some practical things for the country.

In today's Tang Dynasty, if a person wants to become an official, there is another way to choose a recommendation system in addition to the imperial examination system.

The so-called "recommendation system" is somewhat similar to the "filial piety and honest system" during the Han Dynasty. It is a recommendation of some famous social figures or officials of higher rank to the court with both talent and moral integrity.

The country then gathers these heroes together, and the Ministry of Personnel conducts an examination, and selects those with excellent grades to be awarded official positions.

Sometimes, the emperor would personally inspect these recommended talents.

For example, in the fifth year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong of Tang and Li Shimin ordered each of his ministers to write a memorial about current affairs. Among them, General Chang He, the Right Martial Guard, was born as a military general. He could not speak in writing and had a lot of worries. His worried hair fell down.

Seeing that he was anxious, Ma Zhou wrote a wonderful current affairs memorial for him and handed it over. Emperor Taizong was overjoyed after reading it.

However, Emperor Taizong knew that Chang He had no ink in his stomach, so he asked who wrote the memorial?

Chang He then explained it and strongly recommended Ma Zhou to the emperor. When Li Shimin met Ma Zhou, he found that this was a rare talent and immediately let him become a high-ranking official in the school. It was a step forward!

...

As mentioned above, among the officials at all levels of the Tang Dynasty, only one or two out of the imperial examination system, and the rest are from the recommendation system. This is the mainstream of the officialdom in the Tang Dynasty!
Chapter completed!