Chapter 52 Liangyi Palace Discusses the Government of the Court

With the four-day competition and publicity, the new Cuju is well-known in Chang'an and is very popular among the public. Its favorite is that Cuju is available in places where there are people. Moreover, it has completely replaced the old Cuju and has become an entertainment event for the people of the Tang Dynasty. Whether it is the poor living in Chang'an City, the wealthy businessmen, or the dignitaries, they all formed teams because of Li Shimin's favor for Cuju and participated in it themselves.

Li Ke was also happy to receive such an effect, and his nervous heart was slightly relieved after being slightly nervous for many days.

Another talent sent by Li Shimin to him, Xu Jingzong, also went to the Han Palace to report on time, and then planned the Chang'an City Tournament with Ma Zhou and others.

Xu Jingzong was not unfamiliar with Li Ke, but he valued him very much, not for anything else, because he was one of the old people who had the wise men who had brought down Changsun Wuji during the reign of Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi. His courtesy name was Yan clan and from Xincheng, Hangzhou. He had a few literary names. During the Sui Dynasty, he was appointed as a scholar and was appointed as the judicial assistant of Huaiyang County. Soon after he entered the platform of the Evangelist and reported to the staff of the staff. After his father Xu Shanxin was killed by Yu Wenhua, Xu Jingzong immediately joined the Limi Wagang Uprising Army and became the record room of the Marshal's Mansion. After the failure of the Wagang Army, he surrendered to the Tang Dynasty. After the Later Tang Emperor Taizong heard of his name, he was summoned to be a bachelor of the Literature Museum. In 634 AD, he was eliminated from the Book of the Book and also compiled the history of the country, and soon became the Minister of the Central Secretariat.

Looking at Xu Jingzong's promotion during the Zhenguan period, although he was talented, it was not going well. Therefore, Li Ke felt that since Li Shimin sent him to him, he could not help but reuse such talents. Therefore, as soon as Xu Jingzong came to the Han Palace, Li Ke appointed him to be in charge of the review of the teams in charge of the Cuju League and the division of the matches, which was in real power.

Xu Jingzong was very grateful for Li Ke's trust and secretly decided to hold the Cuju competition with everyone.

When Li Ke finished dealing with Xu Jingzong's affairs, it was already afternoon. He stretched out his waist and said to himself: "Next, it's time to go to the palace to pay homage to his father and mother, and go and find out about the formation of a new army."

Li Ke came to Liangyi Hall. Li Shimin criticized the memorial before the case. After Wang De was published, Li Ke stepped into the hall and said to Li Shimin: "Son Master, please see the father."

Li Shimin looked up and saw that it was Li Ke, and said kindly, "Oh, it's Ke'er, get up!" Then he said, "Your new Cuju method is very well promoted. Now, let alone in the streets and alleys of Chang'an City, among the gentry, even in the palace, everyone knows it."

Li Ke said modestly: "This is all the contribution of the father, and the sons dare not take credit. If the father had not visited the competition and asked the eldest brother, fourth brother and sixteen guards to learn Cuju, the new Cuju would not have achieved such a satisfactory effect."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "Don't be modest with me. If you can organize the Chang'an drill competition in a few days and promote Cuju to a level that people in Chang'an are well-known, it is mainly because you have such ability. I feel relieved for you." Then the topic changed and asked, "I just don't know if you have lost your homework in Cuju these days?"

Li Ke felt a little nervous. He didn't know what Li Shimin wanted to test him, so he said carefully: "My son practices swords and writing every day, and his calligraphy and paintings have not been lost."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "That's good. Cuju is a small path after all, and governing the country is the big path. But from the fact that you create a new Cuju method and successfully hold a drill competition, you can see that you have grown up a lot and started to learn culture. You are no longer just focusing on dancing guns and sticks like before. My father was very happy to see that you could understand these principles."

Seeing Li Shimin's sincerity, Li Ke knew that this was his concern for him and his father's expectation for a son. Li Ke's eyes became hot, and a sense of father-son relationship arose naturally. He couldn't help but choke and said, "My son is obeying the teachings of his father. In the future, his son will definitely study literature and study martial arts hard, and will no longer make his father worried or disappointed."

Seeing Li Ke suddenly understand a lot and mature a lot, he is no longer the former Li Ke who had resentment in his heart, Li Shimin had a smile on his face. At this time, Wang De reported at the door: "Emperor, Master Feng, Lord Xiao, Lord Changsun, Lord Fang, Lord Du, Lord Wei, Lord Gao and others are asking for a visit."

"Let them come in!" Li Shimin said.

Li Ke really wanted to know about these big bosses from the court who came together, and didn't know what major matter was discussing. However, he really didn't want to meet Changsun Wuji and let him see through him, so he said tactfully: "My son will leave first."

Li Shimin was in a good mood and waved his hand and said, "You don't have to leave. Just listen to political affairs here. I can also take the exam for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Deyi, Xiao Yu, Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Wei Zheng and Gao Shilian had already walked in under the leadership of Wang De. After saluting Li Shimin, Li Shimin gave them a seat to sit down. Everyone thanked Li Shimin and sat on the chair where he was headed down. Li Ke stepped forward to salute everyone one by one, and everyone was very attentive to bow to him.

Li Shimin's eyes swept across everyone's faces and said, "If you have anything to do, just say it."

Changsun Wuji first said: "I have reported to the Emperor that since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the Sui system has been adopted. Therefore, there are many local officials now, the management is relatively chaotic, and the administration is corrupt. My ministers and others requested the emperor to re-dividate prefectures and counties, appoint officials, reduce the burden on the court, and sue the local officials in the Qing Dynasty."

After hearing this, Li Shimin thought for a moment: "What the paver said is reasonable. It is indeed time to rectify the administration. I wonder what good plans are for you all your dear friends?"

Feng Deyi saw that Changsun Wuji relied on Li Shimin's favor and spoke in front of him, so he took it as a stubborn saying: "The old minister thinks it seems too early to re-dividate prefectures and counties. The right way is to let the Ministry of Personnel thoroughly investigate and assess officials." It seems to have become a habit. As long as Changsun Wuji asks questions, he always likes to refute, not to mention that Changsun Wuji just spoke in front of him and ignored him, the prime minister.

Li Shimin was very dissatisfied with Feng Deyi's approach, but because he was a veteran in the court and the leader of the world's literati, he was unhappy, but he did not show it. He just looked bad when Feng Deyi said this.

Changsun Wuji disliked Feng Deyi's reliance on his seniority and asked back: "How can he eliminate officials and rectify officials without dividing prefectures and counties?"

Feng Deyi immediately retorted: "The responsibility of the Ministry of Personnel is to assess and appoint and remove officials. Now there are many officials in the Tang Dynasty, and the government is corrupt. I am afraid the Ministry of Personnel will be blamed?"

Changsun Wuji sarcastically said, "As the Right Pushe of the Shangshu Province, you have no responsibility?"

When Feng Deyi heard this, he was so angry that he couldn't speak for a long time. Xiao Yu was also very angry when he heard Changsun Wuji ridicule Feng Deyi. Changsun Wuji said this, wasn't he just scolding himself for being a Zuo Pushe? Just as he was about to refute Changsun Wuji, Li Shimin suddenly said: "What are you two quarrels? I'm asking you how to solve this matter, not to pursue whose fault it is?"

The two of them said at the same time: "I am abrupt, please forgive me."

Li Shimin ignored the two and asked Li Ke who was staying aside, saying, "What are you doing?"

Li Ke had known that he would ask himself, but he didn't expect to be the first to speak. He couldn't help but feel a little worried. It doesn't matter if he said it wrong, but if he said it right, it would be bad if he was in the limelight again. However, it wouldn't work if Li Shimin was not satisfied. So he had to bite the bullet and say, "If the prefectures and counties in the country are divided into ten roads, namely Guannei Road, Henan Road, Hedong Road, Hebei Road, Shannan Road, Longyou Road, Huainan Road, Jiangnan Road, Jiannan Road, and Lingnan Road. Then, the county will be abolished as a prefecture, and each road will have several prefectures."

Li Shimin's eyes lit up and said, "The idea is good. In this way, it will not only reduce the problems of many officials, but also eliminate the administration and save financial expenditures."

As soon as Li Shimin finished speaking, Fang Xuanling said in a timely manner: "His Royal Highness of the Han Dynasty said it well, I think this method is feasible."

Li Shimin asked Du Ruhui and Wei Zheng again, and the two thought Li Ke’s suggestion was good and should be adopted. Then, Li Shimin asked Changsun Wuji again and said, “What do you think about the paving machine?”

Changsun Wuji did not expect that such a good idea would come into his mind. While he was jealous, he did not dare to look down on him at all. At this moment, everyone agreed, only Changsun Wuji had not spoken yet. When Li Shimin asked, he quickly came to his senses and said, "I have no objection to your highness's method."

Li Ke glanced at Changsun Wuji and saw a cold light from the other party's eyes. He knew that Changsun Wuji no longer despised his existence and his weakness, and he had regarded himself as his enemy.

Li Shimin said to Li Ke again: "You seem to have been prepared for each of them in such detail."

Li Ke was shocked and explained: "When the son-in-law was considering how to hold the Cuju League in the Tang Dynasty, the previous division was quite chaotic, so he had such an idea. He originally wanted to report to his father after the Chang'an City Tournament was held."

Li Shimin asked interested: "What else have you thought of? Keep talking."

Li Ke said frankly: "My son believes that in the selection of officials, we must listen to the selection in all seasons and follow the notes, which people think it is convenient. In the past, the time for choosing officials was too short and the place was narrow, so we could not fully explore talents."

After hearing this, Li Shimin felt it made sense, so he asked everyone: "What do you think, my dear friends?"

This time, Feng Deyi was the first to speak: "Your Majesty, the old minister thinks what Your Highness said is very good, and I agree."

Xiao Yu followed and said, "I agree."

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui also said: "I agree."

Wei Zheng thought about it for a long time and replied: "I agree with what Your Highness said."

Seeing that everyone agreed with Li Ke's approach, Li Shimin was very happy with Li Ke's talent. He said to Fang Xuanling: "The Secretariat of Shangshu will come up with a detailed plan, and everyone will discuss it tomorrow morning."

Fang Xuanling bowed and said, "I will receive the order."

Everyone was different when they saw Li Ke showing off again, Feng Deyi and Xiao Yu were happy, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui were surprised, and Wei Zheng looked thoughtful. In addition to being jealous, Changsun Wuji also began to be wary of Li Ke. He did not expect that Li Ke showed his talent in front of Li Shimin again and again. How could this be done? It was time to think of a solution.

Seeing that the matter had been discussed, Li Shimin asked everyone to leave, but he left Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui alone.

He first asked Fang Xuanling, "Xuanling, how do you think Li Ke's performance has been recently?" Fang Xuanling was shocked and hurriedly said, "His Royal Highness of Han is quick-witted and talented. He is a great talent and can be used for great use."

"What about Keming? What do you think?" Li Shimin asked Du Ruhui again.

"Your Highness, you have such extraordinary talents at such an age, which surprised me. It's just that your Highness is still young and lacks experience. If you have a few years, you will definitely be the minister of the revival of the Tang Dynasty!"

When Li Shimin heard this, he felt even happier. From the very beginning, he felt that the decision Li Ke made was correct.

The two of them talked about some topics with Li Shimin. They saw that it was getting late and left Liangyi Hall.

"Minister of Zhongxing?" Li Shimin recalled the praises of Fang and Du to Li Ke, and said to himself: "It is difficult to achieve great things without training. It seems that I cannot favor you too much."
Chapter completed!