Li Baiyao stood up and said, "Zhang Shangshu doesn't need to feel indebted to Xiaguan. Xiaguan likes his life very much. So what if he becomes a pawn in the game between Shangshu and Xu Guogong? Even if it is what Zhang Shangshu said at the New Year's Eve banquet, life That’s what makes it interesting.”
"Did you hear that?"
"A censor, Ma Zhou."
"You know him?"
Li Baiyao nodded slightly, "It's just acquaintance. The Yushitai recently inquired about the accounts of the Foreign Affairs Academy and came to the Ministry of Rites to talk."
"Check our accounts."
Li Baiyao nodded.
Zhang Yang was speechless for a while, "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"
He sorted out the books here, "Zhang Shangshu prides himself on being upright and aboveboard. There is no need to be afraid if you live openly."
The open-mindedness of the ancients is sometimes incomprehensible.
Especially Li Baiyao, a very benchmark scholar. This kind of scholar does not hold important positions in the court, but he can live the way he wants.
Zhang Yang also stood up, "You really don't want to support yourself in old age?"
Li Baiyao shook his head, "Life is so interesting. After talking with the Minister today, I thought I should experience more of this kind of thing."
He refused to grow old. If a person like him left the court, his life might be over.
My heart is heavy, this feeling is not good.
Zhang Yang walked out of the Ministry of Rites and now wanted to rush out to find Gao Shilian and ask him why he could manipulate others for three years.
A eunuch came hurriedly, "Zhang Shangshu, your Majesty has summoned me."
Zhang Yang waved his sleeves and said, "No!"
"What?" The eunuch blinked hard to confirm whether he heard correctly, and then stepped forward, "Zhang Shangshu, your Majesty has summoned you."
Zhang Yang said impatiently: "I said no."
The old eunuch looked at Zhang Yang's dark face and wanted to kneel down on the spot, "Zhang Shangshu, please don't embarrass me."
Only then did Zhang Yang stop and said, "For the sake of everyone's difficulty, I'd better go and meet him."
This old eunuch always accompanies His Majesty, and it is he who often delivers orders and delivers messages.
"I still don't know what to call this father-in-law."
The old eunuch accompanied him with a smile, "This is the first time I've seen someone ask me my name in the palace."
Zhang Yang was surprised: "Don't you have a name?"
"The old slave is just a person of no importance, and no one will ask." He paused for a moment before continuing: "The old slave's surname is Wang, and he used to be the head of the Qin Palace."
Zhang Yang continued walking, "Have you finished the salted duck eggs I gave you last time?"
The old eunuch said: "I have indeed finished eating."
"I'll ask my family to send you some next time."
"How dare I accept it, old slave?"
"These are home-cooked foods, so don't shirk it."
"This way, Zhang Shangshu, please." He led the way with a smile.
No longer remembering when Lingyan Pavilion was completed, Zhang Yang followed him into the attic.
The attic is not big, just next to Tai Chi Hall.
Li Shimin stood among them, holding a portrait in his hand, "Do you know whose portrait this is?"
Zhang Yang stepped forward and took a look, "Isn't this me?"
Li Shimin nodded, "Yan Liben has a younger brother. His name is Yan Lide. His painting skills are excellent. He can draw people and scenery without forgetting them."
"If this person goes to work in Dali Temple, the security of Chang'an City will be improved to a higher level."
Li Shimin looked at Zhang Yang strangely, "Wouldn't it be wasteful for a painter to go to Dali Temple? I want him to paint more masterpieces."
"Your Majesty, great works don't come often, but if they can actually work in Dali Temple." Zhang Yang touched his nose angrily, "I am a very practical person, your Majesty, don't be offended."
Li Shimin put away the scroll, "I'm still hesitating whether to hang your portrait in Lingyan Pavilion."
Zhang Yang clicked his tongue and said: "When one day I am beheaded by your majesty's will, and my head falls to the ground, my life and death are gone, your majesty can still come here to pay homage to me, eh! Very good."
During the Lantern Festival banquet, the monarch and his ministers had a heated argument, and His Majesty stayed up all night afterwards.
The eunuch standing outside the door, listening to the calm words, couldn't understand how delicate the relationship between the monarch and his ministers was.
They were enemies just a few days ago, but now they are able to talk calmly.
Unbelievable...
Li Shimin walked to the second floor of Lingyan Pavilion, "Back then, my eighteen bachelors in Prince Qin's palace were all people of extraordinary intelligence, and there were also some outstanding scholars. Unfortunately, time is not forgiving. How many of these eighteen bachelors are left now? Wait. How many people will be left in a few years? In the past, a pot of wine sang to the moon, and all the pride and ambition were gone."
When we came to the second floor, it was much more spacious. The wooden floor was not strong and creaked when you walked on it.
Li Shimin turned around and said, "Where do you think it would be more appropriate for me to hang your portrait?"
Zhang Yang looked at the wall, if his portrait hung on this wall...
"Your Majesty, I always feel that it is unlucky."
"Really? I think it's very good. I had this idea as early as when I was at Prince Qin's Mansion. Now I want to hang portraits of heroes here so that I can remember them and let future generations remember them."
Not many people can enter Lingyan Pavilion. After Li Shimin built Lingyan Pavilion, there were twenty-four heroes who were famous for generations to come.
However, several emperors after the Tang Dynasty added many people to Lingyan Pavilion and also changed many people.
No matter how you change it, no matter how you change it.
Only Zaitian Khan established the Lingyan Pavilion. The names of the twenty-four heroes who first entered the pavilion were passed down to future generations, and they were also the ones who made the most significant contributions.
Li Shimin had already put away the portrait, "I won't hang up your portrait for now. You are young and inexperienced, and you have no military exploits. You are not as good as the people who fought with me in the world."
"Your Majesty is wise." Zhang Yang nodded.
"If you have made enough achievements, you should also enter Lingyan Pavilion. Look at this wall, which can be used to hang portraits. I want to expand this place..."
Listening to the emperor's words, he described the future layout of Lingyan Pavilion.
The twenty-four heroes of Lingyan Pavilion will finally be listed.
Li Shimin did it anyway.
Zhang Yang leaned against the railing of the balcony and continued to listen to the emperor's story.
After a while, Li Shimin looked at Tai Chi Hall again, "I understand your intentions. Lishan Iron Casting Technique cannot be handed over to others easily."
"Lishan Iron Casting Technique?" Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Thank you for the name, Your Majesty. I will also ask Your Majesty to name my Lishan Iron Casting Technique in the future."
Already accustomed to Zhang Yang's weird words, Li Shimin put his hands on the railing, "I saw the credentials of the Japanese envoys. They want books, and they also want to send people to study in the Tang Dynasty and learn from my style in the Tang Dynasty. You What do you think?"
"Your Majesty, think twice."
"Is it not good?"
"Your Majesty, raising tigers is a danger."
Li Shimin nodded again, "I know that you are the tiger, and you are the one who is causing trouble by raising tigers. Xu Guogong submitted a memorial to me overnight, telling me to be wary of you."
"I don't like this kind of behavior that treats people wrongly."
"Gao Shilian does have a prejudice against you. He has had this prejudice since the first time I met you. I remember it was when we were in Tiantai Mountain."
"No matter what I do, His Majesty just mentioned the credentials of the Japanese country. Whether this matter needs to be discussed. They wanted to ask for a country name before, but our Diplomatic Academy rejected it. They still don't give up now. Their intentions are to be punished."
Li Shimin snorted coldly: "Is there anything you can do to kill me?"
"Your Majesty, do you still want the silver cakes from Japan?"
"It's very tiring to discuss state affairs with you."
"It's hard to disobey your will. Does your Majesty think I want to come? If not, I would have resigned now and gone home to comfort the children."
"Stop." Li Shimin said in a low voice: "I will consider the matter of Japan again. I will also go to your house and have a meal!"
When the eunuchs outside the door learned that His Majesty and Zhang Yang were going to have dinner together, they all began to doubt their lives.
The relationship between the king and his ministers got better after the quarrel...
It was very troublesome to accompany the emperor home, and he had to worry about whether he would trip over the pebbles on the roadside.
"Do you usually take this trail home?"
"Yes." Zhang Yang nodded.
"I always go to Zhuque Street."
"His Majesty Naitian Khan, of course he must take the high road and do great things."
Back home, two little girls were playing sepak takraw with the little bear. Xiao Wu and Xu Hui each had a ball and threw it at the little bear.
The Cubs were able to get the ball back every time when they were one versus two.
Seeing his father, Li Yue quickly saluted, "Father."
When the sepak takraw ball landed, Xiao Wu and Xu Hui also saluted.
The emperor would not see outsiders. He opened a bamboo tube with familiarity, poured out the tea leaves inside, brewed a bowl of tea, and drank it leisurely.
"If I am over fifty, and you are in your prime of thirty, I should not be the one who lets you enter Lingyan Pavilion."
"Is it the next His Majesty?"
"The people of your generation are different from the people of my generation. I should not have the final say. You still have great years to live."
Zhang Yang personally cooked a meal for the emperor.
There was no wine at home, and the food was indifferent. He had finished eating the beef with soy sauce a long time ago. Li Shimin had no appetite and left with little interest.
He stood at the door of his house and waited until His Majesty's back could no longer be seen, and then walked back to the courtyard.
Li Yue quickly put away the bowl and asked, "Your Majesty, will your husband enter Lingyan Pavilion?"
"Talked about it."
"I heard that my father had the idea of erecting portraits for the eighteen bachelors of Prince Qin's palace many years ago."
"What you mean is that he won't let me enter Lingyan Pavilion. It can only be based on seniority. All seniors enter Lingyan Pavilion. I, a junior, are not suitable now."
"My husband's merits are enough to qualify me."
After spending two days with An Yanyan, Xu Jingzong had a general understanding of him.
The next day, after the morning court as usual, Xu Jingzong kept talking, "This person can speak Tubo, Western Regions, Turkic, and even some Persian. Their lineage wanders around the Western Regions, selling goods between countries." properties to obtain profits.”
"He is not a counselor beside Yehu Khan. He often trades weapons and food with Yehu Khan."
"Does that mean the Western Turks are his big customers?"
"What Zhang Shangshu said is true. The two Turkic Khans went to war, and he also made a lot of profits from it. This time he came to the Tang Dynasty and took the initiative to ask for help."
Zhang Yang stopped and said, "If the war stops, his interests will be gone. He wants the war to continue more than we do."
"The lower official thinks so too."
"What he is worried about is the Tang Dynasty rushing to help the Western Turks."
The original arrangement of the Diplomatic Academy did not mention rushing to the aid of the Western Turks. As for how to deal with the situation afterwards, at most they would just let the Gaochang people collect their corpses.
The Tang Dynasty needed to regain the Western Turks, and more importantly, it needed to include them in the territory and establish a protective palace to form a barrier to the west.
As long as the west is stable, the Foreign Affairs Council will have more energy to deal with the east.
The nine surnames of Zhaowu were famous merchants on the Silk Road, and they could even get a lot of information.
Such people can be used by the Foreign Affairs Council, and they are a very mature intelligence system.
If this can be cooperated with the Foreign Affairs Council, the intelligence source can be raised to a higher level.
Seeing that Zhang Yang didn't say a word, Xu Jingzong whispered: "Do you want to kill this person quickly?"
"Old Xu, you know me. I don't like killing. I'm a good person."
"Then arrest his family members and blackmail him, if you are not afraid that he will not submit."
"That's a good idea, so where can I catch it?"
Xu Jingzong fell into silence. The Western Region was vast. Where could he find these descendants of the nine surnames of Zhaowu?
"What is Tang Xuanzang doing recently?" Zhang Yang suddenly asked.
"I sent a message before that I had a pleasant conversation with Songtsen Gampo about Buddhism. He set out for Tianzhu in the middle of winter last year. According to the distance traveled, he should have entered Tianzhu."
Zhang Yang pondered, "What do you think about letting him go to Japan?"
Xu Jingzong smiled bitterly, "Zhang Shangshu's idea is really..."
"I'm just kidding, doesn't the Japanese want books to take back? We give them Buddhist scriptures, and they can study the Buddhist scriptures carefully without being distracted by other books. When Tang Xuanzang comes back, he will be asked to take a test. If he fails to answer, he will be beheaded. Failure to study Buddhism is disrespectful to our Tang Dynasty."
"..."
"Old Xu, why don't you speak?"
"Why does Zhang Shangshu think that Tang Xuanzang will come back?"
"My guess."
Xu Jingzong shook his head and sighed, "Zhang Shangshu is in his twenties. He can't guess like a child when things happen."
The Diplomatic Academy was very busy inside and outside. Zhang Yang said to Xu Jingzong: "You call Da Su and Brother Xiang, and we will go to the wine shop over there to eat and talk."
"Here."
I haven’t been here for a long time, but this place is still the same as before.
The store owner smiled and greeted me, "My benefactor hasn't been here for a long time."
Zhang Yang nodded and said, "I've been worried about too many things recently."
"What do you need me to do?"
Seeing Xu Jingzong coming with Elephant and Da Su, Zhang Yang waved his hand and said, "I can handle it myself."
The store owner put on a smiling face to welcome customers, "What does my benefactor need to eat?"
"Tea, mutton, four bowls of mutton soup and four cakes."
Xu Jingzong took the two of them to sit down. The store owner brought mutton soup and cakes, as well as a plate of mutton, and specially brought a basin of water to wash their hands.
Zhang Dasu washed his hands and said, "I am indeed hungry."
There is a rule when eating with Zhang Yang, that is, you must wash your hands before eating.
The Diplomatic Academy has more and more people, and there are many people talking, so meetings must be kept confidential.
"Old Xu, tell them about the descendant of the ninth surname Zhaowu."
"The nine surnames of Zhaowu?" Zhang Dashu said in surprise: "This is a very ancient lineage. Are there any descendants of them now?"
Xu Jingzong nodded, "Not only that, but he is also a very cunning person. If you want to kill him quickly, you will feel regretful."
Upon hearing that he was going to kill someone, Zhang Xiangxiang advised: "Think twice before you act. Your Majesty always hesitates when executing criminals in the future. You should think more about this kind of thing."
Zhang Dashu chewed the cake in his mouth, "You can't kill him, and there are so many troubles, why should you just let him act like this?"
