The Prodigal Son of Zhenguan

"Although Wude has been in power for nine years, the world was not unified at the beginning. There were wars year after year, and the Turks invaded repeatedly."

As he spoke, Li Shimin raised his head and put down the bamboo scroll in his hand.

"In August this year, we signed an alliance with them again. Although we don't have to send them gifts like in the past, the grassland people are fickle, and the country still has to be prepared for emergencies. Now, the national strength is still weak, and the top priority is to recuperate and accumulate national strength, and then talk about it after a few years.

The reduction of palace maids is related to this.

Although the affairs of the harem are in charge of the queen, the affairs of the harem sometimes alarm the world, and alarming the world is related to the government.

Now that the emperor is not paying attention to the government, of course I have the final say."

Li Shimin didn't want to argue with Pei Ji. Who knows whether this is the emperor's intention or the people below are trying to make eye drops in front of the emperor again.

"There is one principle for our Tang Dynasty to rule the world, which is to rule the world with filial piety." Pei Ji said: "Reducing the number of palace maids will implicate the emperor. What will the world say?"

Li Shimin's face turned cold, and he looked at Pei Ji with a stern look.

"What do you mean?"

Li Shimin's tone was calm, but his inner thoughts were turbulent.

Wei Zheng on the side was also looking at the two of them with a serious look.

No matter how much Wei Zheng talked to Li Shimin, Li Shimin never spoke in such a tone, and Wei Zheng was not someone who didn't know what was good and what was bad.

Your Majesty, this is really angry.

And the superiors don't show their emotions.

As for the world's discussion, the food, clothing and expenses of the palace are taken from the world, and the palace is thrifty, so the world should be happy.

A monarch should be a role model for all people, and the palace should cut down on expenses to set this example.

At this time, Pei Ji stood up to oppose, saying that the emperor was unwilling, but no one knew what was going on.

As for releasing the palace maids, three thousand people were released from the entire palace. Removing redundant and redundant personnel would not affect the normal operation of the palace.

"Will people in the world say that I am unfilial to the emperor?"

"I dare not say that, but I heard that the emperor had some comments on this."

Li Shimin lowered his eyes.

The emperor had some comments, which meant that he did not express his opinion. Maybe he just mentioned it casually and asked about this matter.

And Pei Ji came to me impatiently to find trouble.

I heard that the emperor had been having fun in the palace recently, and he was happy. Maybe he mentioned it at the mahjong table...

"How about this, you are an old minister of Wude, you go and talk to the emperor, talk about my reason, and I will also talk to the emperor in person." Li Shimin said.

Li Shimin still planned to meet Li Yuan in person.

Ask, what is going on.

As for Pei Ji, if he can't explain it well, there will be something to say later.

"Yes, minister, I will tell the emperor now." Pei Ji responded.

After Pei Ji left, Li Shimin slammed his hand on the table.

This is not as simple as simply opposing the reduction of the inner court expenses.

Pei Ji, represents the old ministers of Wude!

Are they against the abolition of palace maids?

This is to trip him up as the emperor!

In the war, these people are dragging their feet!

Now to govern the country, starting from the inner court, these people are still dragging their feet!

Now he wants to follow the example of the upper and lower, and this group of people jumped out.

Originally, Li Shimin was unhappy with Pei Ji. Since he succeeded to the throne, Pei Ji has jumped out again and again.

In the name of the emperor, he is making things difficult for him as the emperor.

Is that what the emperor meant? No, that is the meaning of the old ministers of Wude headed by Pei Ji!

However, Li Shimin cannot touch the interests of the aristocratic group represented by Pei Ji.

The foundation is still unstable, and many things can only be tolerated.

"Being an emperor has its own reasons. Wei Zheng, what do you think about this?" Li Shimin asked.

"Whether the palace maids are reduced or not is indeed a matter of the inner court and the harem, and the court officials are not allowed to interfere." Wei Zheng said.

At this moment, he became smooth.

When Pei Ji was talking here just now, he, who was eloquent, did not say a word.

"No." Li Shimin retorted: "I just want to listen to you today."

Thinking of Wei Zheng's silence just now, Li Shimin's mood became worse.

"Your Majesty just said that reducing the number of palace maids would alarm the world. I can say something about this. The most important thing for a monarch is to have a clear judgment of the general trend of the world. Your Majesty said that the Tang Dynasty is now insufficient in national strength and the people are weak. This is the general trend of the world.

When dealing with things, we must be related to this general trend. If the palace maids can let the world know that your majesty is worried about the lack of national strength, it will be great."

"I originallyI didn't know that there were so many maids in the palace. When I saw it, I realized that the country was not strong enough. Now that you said that, I want everyone in the world to know about the reduction of maids.

Xuanling, what do you think? "

Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling.

"I think that reducing the number of maids is not a big deal, but a small matter. There are bigger things that need your majesty's urgent consideration." Fang Xuanling said.

Three thousand maids, the cost is nothing compared to this.

"What is it?" Li Shimin asked.

"Since the uprising in Jinyang, I think the emperor has given too many rewards. Since Wude, he has given too many kings. Before Wude, he gave too many rewards, which was understandable because he wanted people to submit. After Wude, he gave too many kings. In the past nine years, the problem has been revealed, which can be divided into real and virtual rewards.

Those who are given real titles can get real benefits, while those who are given virtual titles have no real benefits, only a title. Therefore, the emperor has to use the national treasury to reward virtual titles, which greatly damages the national strength.

Your Majesty has now ascended the throne. If you want to save money, you have to consider this matter. "

At the beginning, Li Yuan divided the treasury and conferred titles on the kings at every turn, which made the court now have too many redundant officials with empty titles, and the national treasury was also dragged down.

Now the new dynasty has to govern the country, grab power, and grab money.

Reducing the number of palace maids is just a small beginning.

But just this beginning was regarded as a signal by the old ministers of Wude, and Pei Ji came.

Li Shimin heard this and agreed very much.

"Is that so..."

In this way, there will be a conflict between him and the old ministers of Wude.

The matter of cutting the maids' hair had to be done, and the problem raised by Fang Xuanling had to be solved.

The emperor could not be avoided.

Even if the emperor was no longer in charge of anything, he could not be dragged into this matter by those old ministers of Wude.

Li Shimin was already thinking about how to deal with his father first.

Only if the emperor was impeccable, it would be easier for him to act.

Otherwise, those old ministers would definitely use the crime of being unfilial to threaten him.