Rebirth of the Firstborn Daughter: Life is like a Dream

Early in the morning, a torrential downpour hit the capital city, directly dissolving the hot summer heat. The atmosphere was a little clearer, and the sky was repeatedly washed by the raindrops, turning it blue. The clouds were like silk, which was very beautiful.

The gorgeous sunlight that illuminates the earth shines on the orange-yellow tiles, glittering with dazzling golden light. In the main hall, the emperor dressed in golden imperial robes sits directly on the Nine-Dragon Gold-Painted Throne and looks amiably at several students who are taking the fiercely competitive exam.

A round of examinations has just been carried out. Those who participated in the fiercely competitive examination today were the top three people. In the end, only six people were chosen by His Majesty to stay in the magnificent and solemn hall. The youngest among them was Li Yuyan.

The emperor asked the six of them the same question, which was very simple, but not easy to answer: what good plan do they have to help the country?

This question is really difficult to answer. Not only do you have to guess the emperor's thoughts, you also have to be forward-looking and make proposals. If what you say is too far away from the emperor's intention, then the future will naturally be bleak. But if what you say is too consistent with the current national policy of governing the country and benefiting the people, the emperor will only regard you as flattery. How should you answer this?

After everyone thought about it carefully, they answered one by one.

The emperor turned over and listened carefully without saying a word. The students taking the exam came up to him one by one and answered patiently and carefully. From being nervous at the beginning, they became talkative, which made the emperor, who naturally exuded a sense of pressure, reveal a faint smile in his eyes.

Although the answers from those people were not what he really wanted, compared with the group of ordinary people who only knew how to flatter three years ago, this year's candidates had obviously made a lot of progress.

Only Li Yuyan did not give a patient and detailed answer.

The emperor looked directly at Li Yuyan.

Li Yuyan clasped his fists and saluted respectfully, his voice as clear and melodious as the beautiful white marble, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, the world now should comfort the common people, reduce taxes and labor service, build a complete water conservancy, and inspire and encourage the common people to work hard to open up wasteland and cultivate the land. Last year and the past two years, various places have experienced disasters, and the weak countries in the border areas often have the intention to offend, but have never sent out a large army.

However, in the past two years, the government has been increasing taxes and recruiting soldiers to fight, hoping to seize many of the Rongdi countries in one go. Although the country appears to be calm, in fact, people are uneasy... Many fertile fields have withered, and civilians are unwilling to work hard..."

"According to you, we are just going to do nothing even if the weak Rongdi countries invade us?" The general on the side asked sarcastically, thinking that Li Yuyan was just so-so.

Even if they are students of Mr. Baili, they may not really have any great talents. What they talk about are methods of governing the country and benefiting the people, which are all nonsense. If taxes are reduced, how can the national treasury be filled? If the national treasury is not full, how can the country launch a fierce attack on the Rongdi?

The emperor closed his eyes slightly and looked at Li Yuyan. His deep and wise eyes had an unusual expression. He raised his hand slightly, signaling the ministers nearby not to interrupt Li Yuyan, "Continue!"

"In battle, besides having strong soldiers and horses, the current situation is to fight for silver. If the national treasury is full, we can carefully create strong soldiers and sharp weapons. Simply put, whoever has more silver will win the final victory. Now most civilians are not doing their jobs, so naturally they cannot pay the heavy taxes. If we want to fill the treasury, the heavy taxes will definitely continue to increase. In the long run, it will only force the people to become bandits. If the internal bandits are in chaos and the enemy is hard to stop, how can there be peace and happiness for the people?

How can we say that the country is strong and the people are strong when people are full of resentment? ... First strengthen internal affairs, then resist external enemies. The people are particularly important..."

Li Yuyan looked at the emperor on the throne. He knew clearly that this emperor was not an obedient one. There were many places in the Tang Dynasty suffering from large-scale droughts and many civilians were already resentful. He believed that the emperor was aware of this.

"…With our military strength, Rongdi Tatar is insignificant right now. We don't need to attack them with all our might. It's better to hide our strength and wait until our country is truly strong and prosperous, and our treasury is full, and then we can conquer Rongdi in one fell swoop."

It is not the Rongdi and Tatar who are provoking the war now, but some bellicosity factions in the court have been launching fierce attacks on the Rongdi, and only after they have beaten the Rongdi and Tatar Rongstan to the point where they have no way to fight back can they be conquered in one fell swoop.

The emperor understood what Li Yuyan meant, and a smile appeared on his lips. "Then, how should we sort out the interior?"

"Publicly execute sentences in accordance with the law and eliminate harsh criminal laws." Li Yuyan responded fluently.

"Then how should we appoint people?" the emperor asked again.

Li Yuyan replied, "Since this is not a turbulent era, only people with both moral integrity and talent can be put to great use."

The emperor looked at Li Yuyan. Among so many candidates, only Li Yuyan's proposal was closest to what he had in mind. However, Li Yuyan had never been an official in the court, so he did not understand that governing a country and benefiting the people was not as easy as a few words.

The Linghu family holds military power and has always advocated war. With more and more brutal wars, the national treasury is naturally empty. When the national treasury is empty, civilians will naturally suffer. How can we prevent civilians from suffering?

Li Yuyan's question and answer session today can be said to have offended many people, and also made many old officials who initially looked down on him wait and see.

The emperor did not comment on their replies. He just said a few words of encouragement and then adjourned the court.

Before Ye Sikong left the palace, the emperor summoned him to Ganlu Palace.

"Ye Sikong, what do you think of Li Yuyan?" The emperor looked down at the memorial in front of him and asked intently.

"He is a great talent!" Ye Sikong thought for a while before replying softly. Ye Sikong originally did not agree to launch a fierce attack on weak countries such as Rongdi when the Tang Dynasty was not strong and prosperous.

Although these countries are not as powerful as the Tang Dynasty, it is still not easy to attack them.

The emperor looked up, his wise eyes showing praise, "He is a great talent who can manage the country and the economy. After some time, if he can do his utmost to help, answer all questions, not give in, and not bear humiliation... then he will be a pillar of talent."

Ye Sikong was surprised, and seemed to have a vague idea of ​​what the emperor was thinking.

Your Majesty...you want to select upright and wise ministers to assist the new king in the future!

"Come and have a look. This is the list of the top three." The emperor waved to Ye Sikong and handed him the drafted edict.

Ye Sikong had no time to think through the doubts in his heart before he took the imperial edict. The name of the first-class candidate on it was as he had expected.

"Your Majesty is wise and powerful." He laughed and spoke softly.

The next morning, the Imperial Guards set up a ceremonial procession in front of the Wuji Palace. Officials from various departments were on both sides under the eaves of the Wuji Palace, not on both sides inside the door. The princes were at the front according to their seniority. The civil and military officials were on both sides, all wearing official robes and standing according to their rank. The tribute scholars wore official uniforms and stood behind the civil and military officials according to their ranking.

The Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple set up a yellow table on the east side. Ye Sikong held the yellow list and placed it on the yellow table. After that, he reported to the emperor and left the palace and took his seat in the main hall. All officials performed the ritual of kowtow three times and bow nine times.

The emperor sat directly on the throne, with an invisible aura of majesty. The princes below appeared calm on the outside, but they really wanted to know who would be the number one scholar.

After the fiercely competitive palace examination the day before, many people were speculating that Li Yuyan's words must have offended many people, and the emperor might very well choose to give up a talent like Li Yuyan after some deliberation in order to make a statement to certain people.

The Honglu Temple had already begun to read the imperial edict aloud, "In the twelfth year of the Yongli reign, the imperial examination was held for the tribute scholars of the whole country. The first class was awarded the title of Jinshi Chuandian, the second class was awarded the title of Jinshi Jidi, and the third class was awarded the title of Tong Jinshi Jidi."

"The first place winner, from Jinyun, Li Yuyan..."

Li Yuyan, the top scholar, knelt on the right side of the road.

This is what the emperor meant, and it is also the emperor's clear statement.

Ever since Emperor Lingzong inherited the throne, it's not that he didn't want to govern the country and benefit the people according to his own personal will, but the most important foundation is still shallow, and he also has to comfort those wealthy families who hold military power.

Now, it's time.