I am Li Shen and Li Shimin, the free kings of the Tang Dynasty

Old fox, Li Shen cursed in his heart, you are putting the blame on yourself, I will punish you sooner or later.

Li Shen looked at Changsun Wuji and said:

“I don’t know if there are any problems or not. I never get involved in state affairs.

However, I am afraid that Duke Zhao knows better than I do how many of these states and counties were elected.

Talented? Just because you can compose a few poems and write a few articles, does that mean you are talented?

It's really ridiculous. If reciting poems and composing couplets can benefit the people, then why grow crops? We can just recite poems and compose couplets and live in poverty.

Why do we still need to hold the imperial examination to select scholars?

I would say, it’s better than…”

Speaking of this, Li Shen paused.

"Worse than what?" Li Chengqian asked.

"It's better...it's better...to think about how to serve the court."

Li Shen originally wanted to say that it would be better to cancel the recommendation system, but he held it back.

Abolishing the recommendation system is a matter of great importance, as it concerns the interests of all nobles. The recommendation system is a welfare, or privilege, for the nobles.

It is also a symbol of identity.

If Li Shen told this, how many people would he offend?

He's not that stupid.

However, each of the three ministers was a cunning and treacherous person. Although Li Shen did not say it out loud, the three of them all understood what Li Shen meant.

Changsun Wuji looked at Li Shen with a smile on his face.

"Prince Ji, how should we write this plan?"

Li Chengqian asked while sitting on it.

Li Shen thought about it and decided that the industries in his palace were definitely different from those in the imperial court, but they should be similar.

Seeing Li Shen hesitate, Ma Zhou said:

"I hope His Royal Highness Prince Ji will give me some advice."

Li Shen bowed and said:

"Your Highness, I don't really understand this either, but I can tell you how we in the Ji Palace do it."

"Prince Ji's Mansion?"

The three of them were stunned.

At this time, Li Chengqian smiled slightly:

"You may not know that this plan of mine came from Prince Ji's Mansion.

Your Majesty once accidentally discovered that Prince Ji's Mansion would summon the shopkeepers every New Year's Day.

Just like our grand court meeting, it’s called...something like a summary meeting.

Everyone has to make a summary of the whole year and make plans for next year.

But I have never participated in it, so I don’t know what it is specifically about.

After seeing it, Your Majesty found it quite novel. Although it is a way of doing business, it can be used in government affairs with slight modifications.

So I started trying it for the first time this year, and the results were really clear.”

Li Chengqian briefly explained the origin of this plan for next year, and the three of them suddenly understood.

They wondered why such a novel thing looked so familiar, and it turned out to be from Prince Ji's Mansion.

There is nothing strange about that. There are always new things or names appearing in Prince Ji’s Mansion.

For example, the word "shares" that businessmen use nowadays comes from the Prince Ji's Mansion, as well as words such as "investment promotion" and "meeting".

But they didn't dare to say it was not good, because Li Chengqian said that this matter was discovered by His Majesty, who thought it was good, so he carried it out.

They are not Wei Zheng who dares to confront Your Majesty.

"So it came from Prince Ji's Mansion. Then, Your Highness, when the manager of Prince Ji's Mansion wrote the plan for the first time, did he always write this annual plan?"

After hearing this, Changsun Wuji looked at Li Shen, and so did the other two prime ministers.

I have just said so much, describing the court officials as useless. Can your people also write this?

Even Li Chengqian became curious. He was also curious about how Li Shen would answer if he said that both were well written.

That is definitely a lie, but if it is not written well, then isn't it just like an official appointed by the court? What is there to be incomprehensible about?

Li Shen smiled and said:

"Of course not all of them can write. The shopkeepers in my Ji Wang Mansion are lucky enough to be able to read and write, but they can't compare with the officials appointed by the court."

Li Shen said this without blushing or beating his heart.

“Your Highness Prince Ji, if that’s the case, isn’t it normal for those county officials to be unfamiliar with it the first time?

I wonder how His Royal Highness Prince Ji will decide?"

Changsun Wuji continued to ask.

Moreover, Changsun Wuji had already thought about what Li Shen would say next. Li Shen would definitely ask how a shopkeeper could compare with an official.

Officials are all well-read.

Zhang Sun Wuji also thought of a response, for example, although the court officials are well-educated, the affairs of the court are much more complicated than the affairs of merchants in Ji Wangfu.

Ma Zhou and Yu Zhining also thought of this point, how can the business affairs of Prince Ji's Mansion compare with state affairs.

Just as Changsun Wuji was about to finish Li Shen's rebuttal, Li Shen said:

"Of course I have to change people. Do I want to let a mediocre person stay there and delay my making money?

Our Ji Wangfu has shopkeepers in many counties and cities within the Great Wall. There are nearly 2,000 shopkeepers, big and small, and nearly 1,000 of them have been replaced."

"Replaced a thousand people?"

The three ministers were shocked that Prince Ji was so cruel. He couldn't write plans and replaced thousands of people.

Even Li Chengqian was quite surprised, but some light began to appear in his eyes.

"Your Highness Prince Ji, these shopkeepers have worked hard for Prince Ji's Mansion for many years. It is heartbreaking to replace them just because of such a small matter."

Changsun Wuji was the first to ask.

“I cannot agree with what Duke Zhao said. They have worked hard for many years, and my Ji Palace has never treated them unfairly. What I have given them is wealth that they cannot earn in several lifetimes.

If our Ji Wang Mansion wants to make money and make more money, they have to keep up with the pace of Ji Wang Mansion.

This king has given them a chance, and every shopkeeper will be taught by someone for a period of time.

But not everyone will study seriously and is willing to think about the problem.

People are different from each other, otherwise why are you, the Prime Minister, while others are just ordinary officials, right?"

Li Shen looked at Changsun Wuji and asked.

Changsun Wuji also put away the smile on his face at this moment. He heard something different in Li Shen's words.

Li Shen is trying to persuade the prince to replace officials.

Not only Changsun Wuji, but even Ma Zhou and Yu Zhining beside him also understood the meaning of Prince Ji's words and frowned.

If a few officials are replaced, that's fine. If they don't do a good job, then they can be replaced.

They would accept it if the crown prince established his own prestige and placed some of his own people there.

However, if officials are replaced on a large scale as Prince Ji said, wouldn't there be chaos? Then every official would be in danger and the government would be unstable.

What exactly does Prince Ji want to do? Does he want the court to be in chaos? Could it be...

Moreover, Changsun Wuji's thoughts were more profound than those of Ma Zhou and the others. Li Shen's words hinted at meritorious service.

Thinking of this, he had to stand up and said seriously:

“But even so, may I ask His Royal Highness Prince Ji, those shopkeepers who initially followed His Royal Highness and those shopkeepers who have made contributions to Prince Ji’s Mansion.

If His Royal Highness Prince Ji is to be replaced because of this little thing, it would be a bit like burning the bridge after crossing it. Wouldn't he be criticized for being ungrateful?"