The Grand Princess

When Concubine Roux heard this, her expression stunned, and Pei Wenxuan smiled: "You don't need to be nervous, you and me are the only ones here, so you can speak bluntly."

"Master Pei asked this, he must have an answer in his heart."

Concubine Rou picked up the tea cup and said with thoughts: "After the three generations of Shangguan clan, your majesty only has two princes, one is from Shangguan clan and the other is my son."

As Concubine Rou said, she raised her eyes to Pei Wenxuan: "My child is only eleven years old, and I am already a prince. Your Majesty has handed over the inspector who has been planning for a long time to my son. What your Majesty means, Master Pei must be clear."

"Weichen naturally understands that your Majesty has already told the Wechor about this matter."

When Concubine Rou received this, her eyes suddenly became a little bit of joy, she was about to speak, and Pei Wenxuan turned her words: "However, if the empress has this thought, the imperial examination, the empress must not interfere."

"Why is this?" Rou Fei put down the tea cup, a little anxious.

She had already agreed with those aristocratic families, and received the money. Pei Wenxuan smiled and explained: "Manny, the imperial examination is your majesty’s half-life. For most of your majesty’s life, the preparations for the military and the reform of the tax system are all for the imperial examination. Foreshadowing, now your Majesty has asked you to be the chief inspector. I am here to serve as the chief examiner and ordered to restrict the number of rejections by the family. Why?"

As Pei Wenxuan said, he clicked on the table: "The purpose is to let more poor people come in. These people are the people that His Royal Highness Su can really use in the future. Those aristocratic children are just seeing the empress get the power to make friends with the empress, but In their bones, they value orthodoxy, birthplace, and eldest son more than anything else. No matter how the mother pleases them, will they really help the mother when the position is contested?"

Concubine Rou did not speak, Pei Wenxuan continued to persuade: "The position above the court is a radish and a pit. If you allow more people from the family to come in, there will be fewer people who are really unfamiliar. Which ones will be used by His Royal Highness in the future. Yeah, don't you know about it?"

"Master Pei is right," Rou Fei was a little tangled, "I will think about it again."

"Niang Niang, think about it again," Pei Wenxuan said respectfully, "then the Weichen will withdraw first."

Pei Wenxuan got up, retired with Concubine Roux, and when he was out of the door, Pei Wenxuan told the person next to him: "Let's inform Concubine Cui Yulang and let him persuade Concubine Rou not to interfere in the imperial examination."

After thinking about it for a few days, Concubine Rou started to return the money to the family.

It's okay if you don't charge money, it's even more annoying to charge and refund. It's just that Wang Houwen's precedent is ahead, everyone dare not say much, and can only start elsewhere.

But Pei Wenxuan stared at the top and bottom of the imperial examination, and for a while, the imperial examination was like an iron bucket, and half of the copper plate could not be inserted.

Li Rong cultivates his body at home every day, so she inquires about Pei Wenxuan's news, and when she has time to find him, he keeps his face with her every day, and waits for her in the dark before making fun of her.

From the beginning of the registration of the candidate list to the completion of the scoring, the candidates to the palace examination in front of Li Ming, the whole process was completed, and it was almost seven months before the imperial examinations were released.

Pei Wenxuan was busy with the imperial examination, and the official secretary hadn't settled down yet. As the official servant of the right assistant, he and the assistant assistant of the left Xia Wensi began to decide where the candidates should go.

Li Rong asked people to listen to the news. It was heard that Pei Wenxuan and Xia Wensi had been arguing with the staff for several days. Finally, the news reached Concubine Rou, and Concubine Rou directly found a reason to arrest Xia Wensi.

When Xia Wensi was in jail, Pei Wenxuan had the final say in the staff department. Pei Wenxuan quickly arranged the candidates one by one in their proper positions. After everything was done, the candidates became familiar with each other in their positions. It was almost the end of August. Things.

Last year, Li Rong's inspection department arrested a group of people, and this year Roufei also arrested a group of people. The entire Huajing court itself has only more than 700 official positions, and many officials have long been forced to hold multiple positions.

Now that the imperial examination brought in a new group of officials, these people immediately became the "Su King Party", gathered together with the poor family in the imperial court before, and were favored by the emperor, and they became not to be underestimated in the imperial court. Power.

One of the most popular is naturally Pei Wenxuan.

Li Rong heard that he was out of town now, and he always hugged and hugged. If he is so, Rou Fei is even more magnificent.

She was imprisoned by Wang Houwen and Xia Wensi, and refused the family’s request for bribery. There was nothing serious about it, and Concubine Rou had become more courageous. Directly detained in the Supervision Department for questioning.

So the officials became more and more afraid of her, and they had to hide from each other.

At the end of August, Huajing was a little cold. Li Rong put on a cloak and played leaf cards in the yard with Shangguanya, Su Ronghua and Li Chuan. Since she left the Supervisory Department, Li Ming's monitoring of her was much less, so the three people came over when they were free, playing the leaf card and chatting, which can be regarded as a joy in Huajing's life.

Now Su Ronghua has nothing to do. Shangguanya also has a good time in the Supervision Department. Li Chuan is busy, but he is at the age when he loves to play. In other places, everyone must remind him with the prince’s request. Feeling too tired, so I can hide in Li Rong here.

The three of them were rubbing the cards and happily, just watching Jinglan walk over in a hurry, and whispered: "His Royal Highness, a few adults outside beg to see you."

When Li Rong heard this, she moved for a while, and looked at Shangguanya.

Li Chuan heard the word "adult", and without saying anything, he stood up and ran to the backyard: "I'll go hide first."

Su Ronghua laughed when he heard this, and said, "Then I will go to the garden."

"I'm with Young Master Su."

Shangguanya stood up and left the yard with Su Ronghua.

Li Rong took a sip of tea, took a fan from the side, stood up, and told Jinglan: "Let's all go to the lobby."

Jinglan answered, turned her head and let people go to pass a message.

When Li Rong walked into the lobby leisurely, she glanced around and found that there were already a dozen people sitting in the lobby, led by Wang Houmin, Gu Zichun, and Zheng Qiu.

Su Wang Xie Cui, Gu Zheng Shangguan, among the top seven surnames of Daxia, three surnames have been seated here.

Although these three are not the heads of the family, they are also important figures in the clan, and the remaining eleven are also people who can speak for each family in Huajing.

Li Rong guessed what they were coming from, shook the fan and entered the house, smiling, "My sirs, why are so many people coming together today, but what's the important thing?"

With that said, Li Rong raised his hand to let everyone serve tea, but everyone did not speak, and looked at each other. Wang Houmin took the lead and said, "I'm waiting for you to come. Congratulations to your highness."

"Oh?" Li Rong smiled and brought tea, "Where does the joy come from?"

"I'm waiting to congratulate Your Royal Highness in advance for taking the Supervisory Division from the Concubine Roux, and assume the responsibility of the Supervision Division.

Wang Houmin spoke very cautiously every word, Li Rong blew the floating tea leaves on the teacup without speaking.

Everyone observed Li Rong’s movements, and saw Li Rong take a sip of tea slowly and put the tea bowl to his hand. He leaned back on the chair and lazily said: "Everyone is talking and laughing. Concubine Rou is in good hands, what does it have to do with me?"

"His Royal Highness, I won't say anything polite when so many people come together." Gu Zichun put his hand on the crutches and said slowly. He was the oldest and the Gu family was the most respectful of etiquette. Li Rong couldn't help but listen to him. Straighten up to show respect.

"Concubine Rou is originally a harem woman, and her status is different from that of her princess. She should not participate in politics. Your majesty forces her concubine to participate in politics. But Concubine Rou is a humble background and doesn't know how to etiquette. Since she served as the chief inspector, she has acted perversely and even the courtiers. Dissatisfaction. I waited here today just to discuss with His Royal Highness and see how to help His Royal Highness to get the Superintendent back."

Li Rong listened to these people with a smile on her face: "Master Gu misunderstood. When the Supervisor Department was established, this palace was only ordered to act. This palace is only a female stream, and has no ambitions. The Supervisor Department has a soft wife. Working with King Su, this palace is very relieved and doesn't want to get involved."

"But this is the painstaking effort of His Royal Highness," Zheng Qiu said, "I am waiting for His Royal Highness's sake. Other than that, even if His Royal Highness doesn't greedy power, don't you think about His Royal Highness? Even if your Highness does not agree with the Prince in the past two years. , But after all, he is the younger brother of His Royal Highness, who will lose everything from glory to glory, so how can His Royal Highness ignore King Su's cultivation of party feathers in the court?"

"Pingle doesn't understand what Master Zheng said. His Royal Highness has the good fortune of His Royal Highness. Where do I need to worry about it? Masters don't have to worry about my siblings."

When everyone saw Li Rong's oil and salt not coming in, they not only looked at each other, but Li Rong watched them and laughed.

Gu Zichun hesitated for a moment, and finally said, "If your Royal Highness has any requirements, I might as well say clearly."

"Master Gu is right."

Li Rong lightly nodded his head, leaned back on the chair, looked around, and slowly said, "Why the adults are here recently, I know too. So much for helping me, how about helping myself? It's coming soon. Later, a large number of officials that Concubine Roux had to deal with had to wait until this time to ask him to be killed. The adults just wanted to push me up to change the sentence and save the family members from the death penalty."

Everyone did not speak, Li Rong smiled, and then said: "And everyone should also see that Roufei has a big heart and resentment towards the family. If you don't stop it, it will be a problem for raising tigers in the long run. Today is The reform of the imperial examination, in the future, I am afraid that it will not be the imperial examination but the soldiers, power and food in your hands."

"His Royal Highness can see clearly." Gu Zichun praised.

Li Rong gently tapped the palm of her hand with a folding fan.

"Ke Rou Concubine is also protected by the emperor. If you want to move her, you are tantamount to moving the emperor. You don't want to confront the emperor directly, so you want to push me out and use me as a puppet to manipulate and fight against the emperor. "

"So, it's a puppet thing," Li Rong smiled, "Why should I rush to do it?"

"His Royal Highness has misunderstood," Wang Houmin said hurriedly, "I am waiting to assist His Highness, not to manipulate His Highness..."

"Then do you listen to me?"

When Li Rong asked this question, everyone was stunned. Li Rong shook his head: "If you don't listen to me, what can I say?"

With that, Li Rong stood up: "Send off the guests."

"His Royal Highness!" Wang Houmin hurriedly got up, "The Supervisor Division was created by you. Are you really so willing to give in?"

"Compared to having a dispute with my father," Li Rong slightly closed her chin, "I still have a good rest. No matter what, I am also a princess, am I not?"

"But you guys have to think about it," Li Rong reminded, "I'm afraid Roufei's ambition will not end there."

With that said, Li Rong walked in without looking back.

Everyone looked at each other, Jinglan stepped forward and said respectfully: "My sirs, please."

Li Rong sent the people away and turned back to the backyard. When interrupted like this, several people lost interest in playing cards. Shangguanya and Li Chuan both wanted to ask, but Su Ronghua was there, so I couldn’t say much. Su Ronghua also noticed something. I personally want him to roll away quickly, and he said, "It's not early, then I will leave now."

Li Rong nodded slightly as a salute: "No."

When Su Ronghua left, Shangguanya immediately said: "I heard that elders from many generations have come, what are those people doing?"

"Said to help me regain the Superintendent," Li Rong smiled and glanced at Shangguanya. Shangguanya laughed. "After all, I still can't help it. Did your Highness agree?"

"They don't want to get ahead, they want to charge me, and if they don't show their sincerity, I will naturally not agree."

"What does Sister A want?" Li Chuan was a little curious. Li Rong gave him a squinting smile and said, "How is your schoolwork recently?"

Li Chuan showed a headache when he heard it: "Don't talk about it."

Shangguanya looked at Li Rong, then at Li Chuan, then stood up and said, "Your Royal Highness, I'm going now, too. Let's talk to His Royal Highness."

"Recently, you have to go to the inspectorate," Li Rong ordered, "Don't let the family be wronged there."

This time Rou Fei investigated and dealt with many Shangguan clan members, and those who were demoted and exiled had been sent out, and only those who were waiting for Qiuhou Wenzhan were still in prison.

Concubine Rou was meant to be sentenced directly, but too many people were involved, and she was dragged by the family members for various reasons.

Shangguanya understands Li Rong's reminder that the people in Shangguan's family who are really offending have already been cleaned up by Shangguanya. Now that Concubine Rou's convictions are almost always unjust cases based on forged evidence.

They just acted for Concubine Rou, and set a scene for her, how could they really hurt her.

Shangguan Ya responded and stood up and walked out. After Shangguanya went out, Li Rong looked at Li Chuan and said with a smile: "When are you going to leave?"

"Sister drove me." Li Chuan climbed to the table and blinked at Li Rong, "I'm not happy anymore."

"How old is it?" Li Rong raised her hand and poked his forehead. "Whoever wants to marry a wife and have children, how about acting like a baby?"

"I'm not old," Li Chuan said plausibly, "I'm only seventeen years old and I haven't been crowned yet. I'm still a child."

"Don't let anyone listen to your words," Li Rong laughed. "If you want people to know what the prince is like, let me see who will assist you."

"I'm just like this in front of you," Li Chuan felt a little depressed when he heard this. "What the prince should do, I almost hear the cocoon in my ears. I just work hard, and I can't tolerate my being here for a while. A little bit presumptuous," Li Chuan raised his hand and pinched a small fingertip, "a little bit?"

Li Rong wanted to say a few more words, but she remembered her previous life.

In her previous life, she always scolded him, raised him a little, rarely praised him, listened to him.

So when he continued to educate him, Li Rong stopped again. Li Chuan didn't notice Li Rong's emotional changes, but he just held his chin and said, "Sister A, why don't you take a bite? "

"I should come down now. It's easy to bring down a Concubine Roux," Li Rong heard Li Chuan's words and whispered, "But it will be troublesome to deal with these people in the future. Now they are fighting fiercely with Concubine Rou, in order to ask for my help. Naturally, I would be willing to sacrifice something. If we don’t talk about terms now, when will we wait?"

"Then what conditions are you going to negotiate?"

"Chuan'er, the relationship between the aristocratic family and the emperor is not whether you press him or he presses you." Li Rong turned the leaf card in his hand, touched the pattern on it, and said aloud, "So you have to remember, we They will never ask the noble family, it is the noble family who begs us. They ask us to bow their heads. Otherwise, they will never be able to train wild horses."

Li Chuan listened quietly, as if thinking about something. Li Rong turned his head to look at him, seeing him in a daze, could not help asking: "What are you thinking?"

Li Chuan returned to his senses and laughed: "It's nothing, I think you are right, sister."

"You seem to have something on your mind." Li Rong couldn't be more familiar with Li Chuan. How could he be in a daze for so long for no reason?

Li Chuan was a little embarrassed, but still said: "I just thought of some impossible things."

"What?" Li Rong was a little curious, Li Chuan hesitated for a moment, and finally said, "I just think about it, really don't think much."

"Let's talk about it," Li Rong said directly, seeing Li Chuan's repeated presentation, "I won't think too much."

With this, Li Chuan breathed a sigh of relief: "Sister, I just thought, what if one day, you and I both become like father and queen?"

Li Rong was stunned, and Li Chuan said embarrassedly: "Sister, if I become the emperor, one day...you will belong to these families."

Li Rong didn't speak, she looked at Li Chuan quietly.

In politics, Li Chuan sometimes appears naive, but sometimes he has an extraordinary sensitivity.

If she was really only nineteen years old and heard Li Chuan, she would think Li Chuan was stupid, how could there be such a day.

But after so many years of rain, snow, wind and frost, she has mastered power, and knowing the fatal attraction brought by power, she just feels that Li Chuan is also a wiser, a bit too early.

"Sister?" Li Chuan saw that Li Rong didn't answer, and was a little worried. Li Rong smiled bitterly. She stood up, a little tired and said: "At that time, I should be the one asking what to do."

"After all," Li Rong grabbed her skirt and went up the steps, "Father doesn't ask what to do."

People like Li Ming have too clear goals to abolish the prince, abolish the Shangguan, and regain power. He doesn't need to ask what to do, he just needs to have enough lifespan for him to continue to execute.

"Okay," Li Rong felt tired when she thought of her previous life, waved her hand and said, "Go back, I'll have a lunch break."

The parties passed the news of Li Rong back, and discussed for a long time overnight.

Li Rong was not in a hurry. While watching the news coming back from various places, she asked Shangguan Ya to secretly collect all kinds of evidence that Concubine Rou was in the Supervision Department.

At the beginning of September, Li Ming fainted on the spot in the hall, and Concubine Rou personally took Li Ming back to the bedroom to take care of him.

When Li Ming got better, I didn't know whether it was Li Ming's intention or Roufei's own intention, but Roufei asked for tax reform in public!

In the Great Summer, all family land and servants do not have to pay taxes and will not be included in the conscription. Such a tax system is the foundation of the prosperity of the family.

Only with money can we support people.

In order to avoid conscription, many people would even take the initiative to give money to the family and depend on the family.

In this way, the aristocratic family has a number of servants that can be called the army, and also has the strength to occupy one side.

If the imperial examination system cut the way for aristocratic families to expand their strength through political plunder, then the tax reform proposed by Rou Fei is breaking the roots of aristocratic families.

This news was given to Li Rong by Pei Wenxuan. Li Rong played chess with him and listened to what Pei Wenxuan said. After Pei Wenxuan finished speaking, Li Rong sighed, "It seems that the body of the father is really not good."

"Now... it's the second year after all."

Pei Wenxuan's voice was very soft: "If you delay for another year, it will be almost the same."

"So Concubine Rou is in a hurry." Li Rong twisted the chess pieces at her fingertips, with a calm expression. "She must do something to gain more power and win the favor of the emperor. Before the emperor's death, she will be the king. The crown prince is set. If you can’t make it, if King Su wants to ascend the throne in the future, that would be treason.

"The division is unknown and no one responds. Even if there is Xiao Su's army, I am afraid I will be planted."

"People in the court nowadays want to bring down Roufei, there are two ways."

Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes and looked at Li Rong: "Or, do it directly."

"But no one wants to be a bird," Li Rong smiled. "They don't want to recite the reputation of Nijun."

"Or, just hide it in the dark, please do it."

Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong, "Will they give me what your Highness wants?"

Li Rong smiled without saying a word, the candlelight flickered, falling in Li Rong's beautiful eyes, Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes and stared for a moment, his eyes darkened.

He loves Li Rong like this.

With a bit of fox's cunning and agility, and with the noble elegance of a cat.

"Boil the frog in warm water," Li Rong said slowly, "If you want to collapse a house unknowingly, you have to start by pulling a nail."

"Why did I disagree with Chuan'er's style of doing things back then? It's because it's too stiff," Li Rong raised his hand and dropped the chess piece on the chessboard. In his hands."

"His Royal Highness has a long flow of water, and His Royal Highness first gives strong medicine and then slowly recuperates. It is also a method."

Pei Wenxuan said softly, and Li Rong looked up at him: "Listening to what you said, you really admire him?"

When Pei Wenxuan's heart tightened, he knew his life was hanging by a thread.

But he pretended to be nothing, and said gently: "His Royal Highness's method is naturally the best."

Li Rong threw the chess piece into the chess box, raised his hand on the back of the chair, leaning against the back of the chair, watching Pei Wenxuan rack his brains and flatter: "It's just as majestic as your Highness, I can see what ordinary people can't. After all, there are too few people who think that ordinary people can't think of. His Royal Highness has done a good job, but if His Royal Highness is His Majesty, then he is a holy monarch."

When Li Rong heard this, she finally couldn't help laughing. Just about to reply, she heard a call from outside: "Your Highness, there are many adults here."

Li Rong turned to take a look at Pei Wenxuan, and the two looked at each other. Pei Wenxuan stood up, took the robe, and put on Li Rong who stood up.

"The frog is here," Pei Wenxuan put his clothes on Li Rong's shoulders and whispered softly, "Go down to the palace and add water."