Li Baiyao saluted and said, "I have never offended anyone in the Ministry of Rites."
Tang Jian took a deep breath and said, "Can you tell me who Zhang Yang is and what he likes to do in his daily life?"
Seeing the hesitation in Li Baiyao's speech, Tang Jian explained: "Actually, in the court, Zhang Yang recommended me to go to the Western Regions. Maybe I offended him somewhere, but I just can't remember."
Looking at Li Baiyao, Tang Jian added: "I know there is a very good wine shop in Chang'an City. You and I can talk over wine and food together."
Without waiting for Li Baiyao to refuse, Tang Jian pulled him out of the imperial city.
Zhang Daan was eating at his usual place in the restaurant. He was used to the food here and felt comfortable eating in his own place.
While eating, they saw Li Baiyao and Tang Jian walking in.
"The drinks here are very good." Tang Jian said and asked the waiter to serve the drinks.
Seeing that Li Baiyao also noticed him, Zhang Daan finished the food in the bowl, a plate of mutton and a bowl of vegetable soup and left.
In a house in the east alley of Chang'an City.
Zhang Yangzheng used the iron fibers he polished to wear pieces of meat, including pork belly, mutton, and a few chicken wings, which were perfect for barbecue.
It was a rare barbecue, and Li Yue was in a good mood.
Meal time always makes people feel energetic. Aunt Yang hurriedly walked into the courtyard and said, "Her Royal Highness the Princess, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Princess Changle are here."
Li Yue was mending clothes when Li Chengqian came with Li Lizhi, followed by a group of guards.
"Li Zhi has been clamoring to come to see Yue'er, so the queen mother ordered Gu to bring her here. Father will also come to see her after handling the court affairs."
Hearing that his father was coming, Li Yue asked his two aunts to clean up the house.
Zhang Yang greeted: "Your Majesty, you are here just in time. We are preparing a barbecue. Do you want to have some together?"
Li Chengqian nodded and said: "Although I have already eaten the food, it is rare to eat your delicious food, so it doesn't hurt to eat some more."
"As long as the prince doesn't dislike it."
"How could I dislike it?" As he spoke, Li Chengqian also picked up a skewer of barbecue and grilled it together.
Li Lizhi came over aggrievedly, "Sister Huang, I don't want to get married."
Li Yue stroked her bun, "Did your mother and father talk about getting married again?"
Li Lizhi nodded aggrievedly, "I don't know what's wrong with my father recently? He always talks about marrying me off to the son of an important minister in the court."
Seeing that she was about to cry as she spoke, Li Yue comforted her: "Don't be afraid. If your father and mother really want to marry you to someone, you can come to Sister Huang. Sister will take you to Lishan to see who they are." I dare you to get married."
Li Lizhi pursed her lips and nodded aggrievedly, "It's better for you, Sister Huang."
Seeing Xiao Wu doing the questions, Li Lizhi said: "I want to do the questions too."
"There are questions on the desk. You can do it yourself. You have fallen behind a lot in your homework recently. Xiao Wu is almost catching up with you."
"Well, disciple, let's catch up with Xiao Wu."
While talking, Li Lizhi and Xiao Wu sat opposite each other and continued to work on the questions.
Zhang Yang put the skewers of meat on the iron rack and looked back at the two girls, "Princess Changle is so young, do you really want to get married now?"
Li Chengqian explained: "Li Zhi is only eight years old, how could she be allowed to marry so early? Maybe the father and mother felt that Li Zhi was fooling around again, so they threatened her with words."
Zhang Yang nodded, "I guess so."
"You haven't come to the East Palace recently. You don't have much interest in being alone in the East Palace. However, Yan Shigu is very knowledgeable."
"Does Yan Shigu look down on students from poor families?"
"Gu Dao also heard about this. It is said that many of the current secretary supervisors were arranged by Yan Shigu. Many of them are children of businessmen or powerful people. Some people have said Yan Shigu's behavior more than once. Disrespect."
"Has the imperial court checked it?"
Li Chengqian shook his head, "The matter involves Yan Shigu, and he is also the grandson of Yan Zitui, a famous scholar. Naturally, my father would not dare to be questioned easily because of his reputation. Sometimes I don't like his views."
"Like Wei Zheng in the court, Fang Xuanling and Cen Wenwen were not from good backgrounds, and they also came from bitter cold. There are many people like this in the court, but they are all talented people who can govern the country."
"Did Yan Shigu ever object to the imperial examination?"
Li Chengqian still shook his head, "Yan Shigu didn't mention it, but there are people from Yan Shigu's lineage in the court who are opposed to the imperial examination. They still believe more in the nine-level Zhongzheng system. It is better for scholars to appoint and remove officials recommended by local county guards and squires. .”
"Does Your Highness the Crown Prince know the disadvantages of having scholars recommended by local squires as guarantors of the Nine-Rank Zhongzheng System?"
Li Chengqian said in a deep voice: "I have also heard from Duke Zheng that the nine-level Zhongzheng system is inherited from the inspection and examination system of the Han Dynasty and has been used for thousands of years. However, all the officials elected by the prefectures and prefectures have the highest virtues and reputations, and the Zhongzheng system in various places It is up to other people to decide who should be an official and who should not be an official. Among them are the family background and career, and then the qualifications."
After thinking for a while, Li Chengqian continued: "However, over the past thousand years, as the power of the clan has accumulated more and more, there have been more and more cases of the clan controlling local gentry by influencing their opinions. At that time, because of the nine-level Zhongzheng system, The disadvantages it has caused have also appeared, and there are rumors such as this, there are no poor families in the upper class, and there are no noble families in the lower class."
Zhang Yang sprinkled some pepper on the barbecue.
Li Chengqian said again: "The aristocratic families in those days suddenly became a gentry. They controlled the official promotion of the dynasty, and even the emperor had to look at the faces of the aristocratic families to act. Since the Sui Dynasty proposed to use the imperial examination method to select talents, it has been favored. Overcoming the huge resistance brought by the aristocratic family.”
After listening to Li Chengqian's words, the barbecue was also ready.
When the skewers of barbecue were served, Li Shimin also arrived.
It was justifiable for the emperor to have lunch. Regardless of whether he had eaten lunch or not, he could always sit down confidently, and then as an emperor, he took the initiative to pick up a skewer of barbecue and eat it.
Li Shimin took another sip of wine and said, "I have to say that your home-brew wine tastes really good. Here's how it's made."
Zhang Yang was eating kebabs, "I added a distillation step to make the wine taste less sour."
Li Shimin took another sip of wine and let out a sigh of relief, "I really did agree to what I said, don't worry about spring, summer, autumn and winter."
"Spring, summer, autumn and winter happen every year."
"This poem is really good. The poem makes me feel that you are underappreciating your talent."
"Your Majesty is joking. This poem was not written by me. I just borrowed other people's poems to enlighten King Wei. There are many people in the world who are worse off than this. Why care about temporary gains and losses." Zhang Yang cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty Do you think I’m right?”
Li Shimin grinned.
Li Lizhi did not dare to look at her father during the whole process. She and Xiao Wu sat on the small bench and ate by themselves.
"You are right. If you care too much about temporary gains and losses, you will often lose sight of the overall situation. Sometimes I have no choice but to take care of the overall situation."
"Father, do you want to marry off your daughter for the sake of the overall situation?" Li Lizhi held a meat skewer in one hand like a kitten with fried fur.
Li Yue comforted her and sat down again.
Li Chengqian quickly explained: "Father, Li Zhi is still angry."
Zhang Yang stared at Li Shimin's expression, waiting for the emperor's reaction.
Seeing Li Shimin looking at him, Zhang Yang said again: "Your Majesty, Princess Changle is still young. I hope your Majesty will think twice."
Li Shimin spoke slowly, "What I said about considering the overall situation has nothing to do with Li Zhi's marriage. It's just that I feel that if you are also a person who thinks about the overall situation."
"Your Majesty is joking, I am just a common man."
Li Shimin laughed again when he heard this, "Your Lishan has a printing workshop. I guess there must be a lot of scholars in Lishan now."
"Where did the scholars come from? Most of the villagers in Lishan only started to read and write when they were in their thirties. They were illiterate before, but now some children are starting to read. It is also very tiring to teach them. They are all so wild. How can there be Chang'an City? I have taught my children to be so sensible and well-behaved.”
Li Shimin smiled, "I heard that your factory only prints storybooks?"
Zhang Yang nodded, "Recently I want to print some news magazines, or write about His Majesty's entrepreneurial journey. That is also very good. If it spreads, it will also bring people's attention."
"Seriously? Apart from The Red Chamber, The West Chamber and Butterfly Lovers, you don't have any other stories to write?"
Now that there are strangers in the house, the little bear is no longer afraid of strangers. He walks back and forth in the yard, looking at the strangers. Whenever these strangers want to enter his woodshed, he will rush towards them without mercy. Former resistance.
The final outcome was most likely to be stewed and eaten by Li Shimin.
"I don't have any other ideas yet."
"The barbecue you have here is really good, but it's a little salty." Li Shimin said a little vaguely while chewing the meat.
Seeing that the conversation between his father and Zhang Yang seemed to have some meaning, Li Chengqian was minding his own food and did not dare to speak at this time.
Zhang Yang added: "It will be summer soon. The summer in Chang'an City is hot, so it would be good to add more salt."
Li Shimin burped, "The former emperors of the Sui Dynasty went to Renshou Palace to escape the summer heat, and went to Lishan Mountain to spend the winter. Now I don't have such enjoyment."
Zhang Yang smiled and said, "If you want to come to Lishan, I won't stop you."
"I heard that you are going to demolish the Lishan Palace. What else am I going to do? I will visit you when you build a new home."
"Your Majesty is always welcome."
Zhang Yang said, but in his heart, Li Shimin, you've had enough wine and eaten meat, so it's time to leave.
But he was still sitting on the chair and even asked the eunuch who came from the palace to pour him a bowl of tea.
"From the poor days of those days, you were able to build such a Lishan. You are really capable. What Lishan has now, I don't want others to get it."
Li Yue saluted from the side and said, "Father, don't worry, we will not give up our family property to others."
The emperor finally had a smile on his face.
You, Li Shimin, just make it clear that as an emperor, you are too embarrassed to seek to seize the property of your ministers. Since you can't get it, you can't let others get it. Even if papermaking and printing only exist in small workshops in Lishan, you would rather not expand the scale. , nor can it get into the hands of others.
(End of chapter)
