Chapter 271 Who is the Chief Prime Minister? Yang Yuhuan's Assist

Three days later, the weather cleared up.

Seven days later, when the snow gradually melted and the sky was clear, Li Longji held a banquet for Li Xuan at Chongming Pavilion to celebrate his appointment as prime minister.

In terms of etiquette, the identity of Li Xuan as Prime Minister was confirmed.

At the banquet, there seemed to be singing and dancing.

Those court officials who did not take sides all knew some of the news and felt that a storm was about to come.

After the banquet, Li Xuan went to the lower hall of the Secretariat to draft the new Changping Law and the charter of the Changping New Army.

He did not give it to Li Linfu, but handed it directly to Li Longji when Li Longji arrived at the lower hall of the Secretariat.

After Li Longji finished reading it, he ordered the Menxia Province to sign it.

Establish the executive power of the new law!

In addition to the new laws, Li Xuan also drafted a list of promotions, which he still did not let Li Linfu see.

Li Longji only took a few glances and asked Li Xuan to appoint, dismiss and promote them as the Minister of Personnel.

And asked Li Linfu and Pei Kuan to sign at the same time.

On this list, Li Xuan promoted Yan Zhenqing to be Langzhong of the Ministry of Personnel and concurrently the judge of the Ambassador of the New Law of Changping.

Liu Shan was promoted to be Langzhong of the Ministry of Works, and concurrently as Palace Censor and Judge of the National Migration Ambassador.

Cen Shen was promoted to be the Grand Counselor, concurrently the Imperial Censor, and the Judge of the National Ambassador for the Relocation of People.

Li Xiyan was promoted to the position of Shanzan Daifu, and concurrently as Supervisory Censor and Judge of Citizen Hall.

Lu Xun was promoted to be the Internal Affairs Officer, and concurrently the Censor-in-Chief and the Judge of the Marriage Correction Commission.

A dozen other subordinates were transferred back to Chang'an.

In addition, Li Xuan recalled all the officials who had been banished from Chang'an by Li Linfu and appointed them to important positions.

Such as Du Jing, Zhao Fengzhang and so on.

In addition, Li Xuan promoted a group of local people whom he thought were reliable to enrich the court for the purpose of reform, such as Wang Changling, who was demoted to Jiangning as the magistrate for seven years.

Li Xuan knew that in history, Wang Changling was just a small county magistrate, and was eventually demoted to the position of Longbiao Wei.

Did Li Longji want to demote Wang Changling?

surely not.

It is likely that Wang Changling wrote the poem to satirize some powerful official in Chang'an, which made Wang Changling, who was originally a minor official, drift like duckweed.

In addition, local officials and celebrities such as Li Qi, Zhang Hao, Lu Sigong, Yan Gaoqing, and Shangguan Qing were promoted and transferred to Chang'an.

A commoner like Zhang Hao was granted the title of Right Picker of Remnants, and he could be granted any official position as long as there was a vacancy in the court.

Those who hold official positions will be promoted.

For example, Wang Changling was granted the title of Imperial Censor by Li Xuan.

Taking advantage of his influence in the Censorate, he filled important positions such as Assistant Censor and Assistant Censor of the Palace.

He specially promoted Du Fu to be the director of the Ministry of Personnel's examination and performance appraisal, an eighth-rank official.

Originally he wanted to promote Du Fu to the position of Zuo Shiyi, but suddenly he felt that Du Fu was not suitable for such a position.

He still served in his Ministry of Personnel, helping him implement the new Changping Law.

"Right Prime Minister, please sign!"

After Li Longji left, Li Linfu looked at the list of appointments, dismissals and promotions drawn up by Li Xuan, his face livid.

The little thief has gone too far!

People like Du Jin were conservative and always looked for opportunities to impeach him, so he drove Du Jin to a remote area to serve as a county magistrate.

There was also Zhao Fengzhang, who had been dissatisfied with him for a long time. He had intercepted a memorial from Zhao Fengzhang impeaching him.

The most crucial thing is that Li Xuan actually wanted to promote Zhao Fengzhang to be the Minister of Personnel, which was to share Li Pengnian's power.

Zhao Fengzhang was the prefect of Xianning County and was further promoted to vice minister, which was a reasonable promotion.

With Li Xuan's suggestion, even if Li Longji was not aware of Zhao Fengzhang's deeds, he would definitely agree when he learned that he was the prefect of Xianning County.

When the prime minister promoted people after taking office, especially when Li Xuan wanted to implement new laws, Li Longji would fully support him.

What made Li Linfu feel even more infuriated was that Li Xuan actually promoted Du Fu, a commoner, to the position of being in charge of performance appraisal.

It’s only been over a month since the system science exam, this is a slap in his face!

Just after reporting to Li Longji that "there are no talented people left in the wild, and all nations are at peace", Li Xuan pulled up Du Fu, who was in the wild. The tit-for-tat intention was too obvious.

"Appoint the virtuous and capable, and employ them on the basis of their talents. Did Prime Minister Li put these talents through any tests before promoting them?"

Li Linfu's hands were shaking, implying that Li Xuan should select people based on their talents and not promote them randomly.

"Right Prime Minister, don't worry. The Ministry of Personnel submitted the list, and the Saint has already agreed. You didn't raise any objections at the beginning, so sign it quickly!"

Li Xuan urged Li Linfu.

He believes that those he promotes are all talented.

A large number of them remained aggressive towards Li Linfu.

He knew that Li Linfu would try every possible means to find fault with him.

Many ministers sided with Li Linfu and had greater power.

Li Xuan needed a group of helpers who could compete with Li Linfu.

Li Linfu felt even more aggrieved when he heard Li Xuan's words.

He hadn't even seen Li Xuan's appointment letter. After Li Longji read it, he asked him to sign it. Could he have just refused at that time?

By the time he saw the content, it was too late.

He can't possibly get Li Longji back now!
"Right Prime Minister, the saints have said, sign your names and fully support Prime Minister Li's reforms!"

Inside the Zhongshu Menxia Hall, Pei Kuan was also urging Li Linfu to sign.

Li Linfu gritted his teeth, he looked at Li Xuan and then at Pei Kuan.

In the end, he chose to swallow his anger, signed his name on the letter of appointment with the ruling official pen, and stamped it with the seal of the Secretariat, confirming the appointment and promotion of this group of people.

Li Linfu also realized that Li Xuan was playing power games, which made him, the chief prime minister, extremely depressed.

When the officials on the appointment letter returned to Chang'an, Li Xuan's power would be established.

After this incident, the clerks in the Zhongshumenxiatang spread the rumor secretly: Zhuge Liang's sword is the real prime minister, not the pen!

When Li Linfu heard the news, he was furious.

Before he even started to find fault with Li Xuan's new Changping system, Li Xuan began to attack him.

However, those Conservative ministers did not seem to share the burden with Li Linfu.

The next period of time will be a stage for Li Xuan to prepare and prepare. He must have a careful plan to ensure that everything goes well.

During this period, some information was first sent back from the Gyeonggi area.

The big families in Jingzhao and Guannei were very dissatisfied with the content of the new Changping Law.

In Fengtian County, a group of powerful families gathered together to discuss countermeasures.

"This Li Xuan's new Changping Law is simply going to cut off our source of income. People like him will not have a good death!"

A clan leader did not hold back and cursed Li Xuan.

Destroying someone's wealth is like killing one's parents.

What's more, in the eyes of the powerful families, Li Xuan had always been "full of evil deeds" and was a thorn in their eyes and a thorn in their flesh.

Even when Li Xuan was crowned king, they still called him by his name in private.

They lent food to the people, not out of kindness.

But they want to gain higher benefits.

It would be even better if the people could not afford to pay it back. They could take the opportunity to annex the farmers' land, and then use tricks to make them serfs and eliminate them from the household registration.

"Yes, in the past we lent money during lean times, and the profits were so lucrative that we could get at least a hundred acres of land every year. But now this new law has messed it up."

Another clan leader slapped his thigh and said, full of resentment towards Li Xuan.

It would be fine if this common man killed the powerful, but they did not break any law and they obtained the land in a fair and honest way.

This is a world where the big fish eat the small fish.

Nobles should be noble!
When the Li family first took over the country, there was no such strict policy.

Do you want to get rid of it now?

"Hmph, those untouchables are running to the imperial granary to borrow grain, and they are even giving up cultivating our land. What should we do?"

"That's not all. Li Xuan might use all kinds of schemes to implicate us."

"That's right! This new Changping Law has greatly reduced our prestige in Fengtian County, and the people will no longer trust us."

"We need to think of a strategy. We cannot allow this new Changping law to continue to be implemented."

"But Li Xuan is deeply trusted by the Saint, so this may not be easy."

"We can't just sit there and wait for death. We have to unite and put pressure on the government, and let the government put pressure on the court."

"Yes, we must let the court know that this new Changping Law is a despicable trick."

……

The powerful and wealthy families in Fengtian County were talking about the issue at once, and without exception, they all opposed the implementation of the new Changping Law in Fengtian County.

They went together to see Fengtianling and asked him to report to the emperor and revoke the order.

Officials such as Fengtianling, Fengtiancheng, and Fengtianwei were all in a state of panic.

Whenever they went out, they were blocked by the big families. In view of the influence of the big families in the local area, they sometimes did not dare to come out of the county government.

The local officials were also very resentful of Li Xuan.

Think Li Xuan is looking for trouble!

The memorial was submitted to ask Li Xuan to stop the new Changping Law, but Fengtianling did not have the courage to do so.

He could only bear it and observe the current situation in the surrounding counties.

There are many places similar to Fengtian County, where powerful families all put pressure on local officials.

Smart local officials can only resist!

However, some local officials, or local officials with vested interests, reported to Li Longji.

There is an endless stream of sayings like ancestral laws cannot be changed, uncontrollable things will happen if the laws are implemented rashly, and there is no need to change one's life to live in peace.

Under their instigation, horses galloped along the fourteen roads between the two capitals, and memorials were sent to Chang'an in large numbers.

Before this, Li Xuan was also planning an attack on his biggest political enemy, Li Linfu.

Chang'an, Yongyangfang.

It was still in the small tavern in the deep alley, but the door was open today. Du Fu and a group of scholars continued to discuss the affairs of Chang'an.

The impact of the new Changping Law was greater than expected, and the debate that lasted for more than ten days never stopped.

There were even scholars who argued so fiercely that they staged a real manly battle in the brothel, making this debate even more interesting.

The desire for change in a prosperous era caused conservative intellectuals to react too strongly.

It is even more exaggerated than those officials whose interests have been violated.

Du Fu was worrying about how to get to Huaqing Palace to meet Prime Minister Li.

Failing to pass the imperial examination had become a regret for Du Fu. Even if he wanted to become a clerk, he was afraid that Li Xuan would not give him the opportunity.

"Du Er, there are officials looking for you..."

Just then, a woman came to the tavern with two officials from the Ministry of Personnel.

Du Fu rented a room in this woman's house, and the woman knew that Du Fu liked to drink in a small tavern not far from her home.

"I wonder what you two want from me?"

Du Fu was very curious when he learned that the official was looking for him.

Although many of his relatives were officials, they were all minor officials.

The "official runners" mentioned by the two women were wearing blue official robes, which was a symbol of the ninth rank of official.

"Du Fu, Du Zimei? Do you have any identification?"

An official in a blue robe is confirming Du Fu's identity.

"It's down!"

Du Fu nodded and took out his household certificate.

He thought the two officials were just checking his identity, so he took out his "identity card" and allowed them to check.

"This is an imperial decree from the Ministry of Personnel. Report to the Ministry of Personnel within seven days to receive the fish token and official robes..."

After confirming Du Fu's identity through the household certificate, the official in blue robe handed Du Fu an imperial edict representing the appointment of an official.

Du Fu was stunned.

He came from a family of officials, so he naturally knew what the imperial edict represented.

Imperial decrees were only issued when appointing officials of the imperial court.

Du Fu took the imperial edict with doubts, and when he saw its contents, he was even more shocked.

Ren Du Xian's son Du Fu was appointed as the Director of the Ministry of Personnel's Examination and Reward Department...

This is the imperial decree appointing him.

Moreover, he is the director of the Ministry of Personnel's examination and performance appraisal, an eighth-rank official with certain powers.

Even if you are a Jinshi, you will fight for this position.

"Du Zimei is so lucky that Prime Minister Li personally promoted you. We will be colleagues in the future and we must take care of each other!"

The official in green robe then bowed to Du Fu in greeting.

This time, Prime Minister Li promoted many officials at once, except Du Fu and Zhang Hao, who were commoners.

Moreover, Du Fu had just failed the imperial examination.

So it's quite eye-catching.

"Thank you both for letting me know!"

Du Fu and the scholars in the tavern suddenly realized what was going on.

It turned out that it was Prime Minister Li who recommended him for the official position!

But Du Fu was moved and excited, but also felt deeply ashamed. No matter what, he failed the exam after all.

Not only did Prime Minister Li not forget him, he also made Du Fu the person in charge of the performance evaluation in the Ministry of Personnel.

How can he be so virtuous?
"Snowy day turned into clear day" is not enough to describe Du Fu's mood at that time.

Du Fu's bright and beautiful life situation made him want to sing loudly and his poetic inspiration surge.

He met the noble person of his life.

He also hoped that Li Xiang would be his mentor in life.

He would do his best to help Li Xiang complete the new Changping Law.

Let the people return to peace and live and work in peace.

Make your king as good as Yao and Shun, and make the customs more pure!
The scholars who were drinking with Du Fu in the tavern all hurried to congratulate Du Fu.

Du Fu returned the gifts one by one, and he wished the literati who were drinking with him the best, hoping that they could also get what they wished.

After returning to his residence, Du Fu immediately wrote a handwritten letter to tell his wife Yang Xi, who was far away in Luoyang, the good news. Perhaps it would not be long before they would be reunited again.

……

The inner palace of Huaqing Palace.

After the court session that day, Li Longji invited Li Xuan to go out for fun.

The snow had not completely melted, so Li Longji and Li Xuan went to Chaoyuan Pavilion on Mount Li to pay homage together.

Chaoyang Pavilion is located on the third peak of Xixiuling Mountain in Mount Li. It was built in the second year of Tianbao and is a Taoist temple.

Li Xuan and Gao Lishi accompanied Li Longji and prayed for him "piously".

After the worship, Li Longji allowed Li Xuan to enter Huaqing Palace for warm bath.

He also gave Li Xuan a newly built, unused hot spring pool so that he could warm up the hot spring at any time.

This soup is located next to Yuehua Gate. Although it is not large in size, about two-thirds of the prince's soup, it represents that Li Longji values ​​Li Xuan.

Li Xuan didn't like warm soup, but Li Longji gave him the soup and he pretended to be very happy to accept it.

Just think of it as taking a bath.

An hour later, Li Xuan came out of the bath, put on her clothes, and her long hair was wiped dry by the palace maid.

They combed Li Xuan's hair. Because of Li Xuan's reputation and bravery, and now the majesty of the prime minister, the palace maids were delighted when serving Li Xuan.

However, Li Xuan thinks that their hair is not as good as Changli's, and they are extremely gentle.

After leaving the hall, Li Xuan went to the side hall of Feishuang Hall to pay a visit to Li Longji.

"Qilang said it was his first time to warm the hot spring. How did it feel?"

Li Longji asked Li Xuan with a smile in the side hall.

Upon learning that this was Li Xuan's first time taking warm water, Li Longji wanted to let Li Xuan broaden his horizons.

Warm soup on a winter day is one of the most comforting things in the world.

"Your Majesty, the feeling of warm water is like being in a fairyland. Your knowledge is limited!"

Li Xuan replied to Li Longji.

Comfortable for sure!

Li Xuan was afraid of being too comfortable.

"Haha... Qilang is the prime minister, handling government affairs in Huaqing Palace, so you can come to warm the soup more often. Before warming the soup, just tell the eunuchs to be ready!"

Li Longji laughed and said to Li Xuan.

"Thank you saint!"

Li Xuan nodded and bowed.

“When can the new Changping Law be implemented?”

Li Longji asked Li Xuan again.

"There are some short-sighted people in the court, but this cannot hinder the advancement of the new law. Once my newly promoted judge arrives, the new law can be implemented immediately."

Li Xuan replied to Li Longji: The new law was not achieved overnight.

Some unfavorable news has come from the capital, and there will definitely be dissatisfaction in the various provinces in the future.

"Okay! I believe Shichiro can complete the transformation as soon as possible."

Li Longji had high hopes for Li Xuan and believed that Li Xuan could complete the reform in a short period of time.

It is said that the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.

Li Xuan understood this logic and just made the promise with a smile.

At this time, Yang Yuhuan walked into the side hall.

Her long, smooth hair was still a little wet, as if she had just come out of a bath in crabapple soup.

Like a lotus emerging from the water, her cheeks were white with a rosy glow and her eyes were slightly blurred.

"Sanlang, I heard from my sisters that recently the scholars in Chang'an complained that the imperial examinations only admitted officials, but not common people."

After Yang Yuhuan sat down next to Li Longji, she spoke softly to Li Longji. While she spoke, she glanced at Li Xuan with her charming eyes.

"This... the Right Prime Minister is ruining my reputation..."

Li Longji patted the jade table.

It would have been better if Yang Yuhuan didn't mention this matter. Once she mentioned it, Li Longji had to tell Li Xuan about it.

There are no talented people left out in the country, and all nations are at peace.

At that time, Li Longji was very happy and felt mentally satisfied.

But afterwards I realized something was wrong.

The scholars and literati will certainly publicize the fact that there are no talented people left in the countryside.

Li Linfu was certainly the main culprit, but he also could not escape blame.

Li Longben originally thought that this matter would just pass and time would make everything forgotten.

But under Li Xuan's message, Yang Yuhuan revealed the matter intentionally or unintentionally.

Since Yang Yuhuan said this, Li Longji would definitely not be angry.

"The Right Prime Minister is old, and he always seeks personal gain without considering the overall situation."

"But I have a suggestion. If it is implemented, people all over the world will praise the saint."

After Li Xuanming made a sarcastic remark to Li Linfu, he bowed and said to Li Longji.

"Qi Lang, tell me!"

Li Longji immediately asked Li Xuan to come up with a plan.

"The imperial examination is a mystery..."

Li Xuan informed Li Longji of the carefully planned system of anonymous examinations and its rules. He said to him: "The imperial examination was created by the Sui Dynasty and was formed in our dynasty. The imperial examinations will break the influence of the aristocratic families and make the heroes of the world fall into the trap of the saints."

"Any improvement in the imperial examination system is enough to go down in history. By doing such a fair thing, poor scholars will stand out and swear allegiance to the sage until death, which also reflects the wisdom and benevolence of the sage."

It is imperative to keep the names of the candidates anonymous in the imperial examinations.

From being the top scholar in the imperial examination to being the best in the country, in just a few years, it was a great opportunity to refresh the three views of scholars and literati and to pass the imperial examination.

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(End of this chapter)