Datang: Starting from Li Jiancheng

Chapter 128
"Okay, let's end today's class here, everyone can disband and take a rest."

As soon as Dou Yinger's words fell, the children who had just gritted their teeth and persisted immediately collapsed to the ground like deflated balloons, sweating profusely from exhaustion.

Dou Ying'er smacked her lips when she saw this, "You can't do this either."

Upon seeing this, Luo Bin immediately stepped forward and said, "Okay, they are still young, so don't be too harsh."

"Did you forget that the children fainted last time?"

Dou Yinger touched her nose in embarrassment when she heard the words, and then said in a deep voice: "Although their current physical fitness has indeed improved compared to before, it is still not enough in general."

"When I was practicing martial arts when I was young, I could squat in the sun for half an hour with a bucket full of water on my back."

"They are not carrying buckets of water, nor are they under the scorching sun. They can't even squat for a stick of incense."

Speaking of this, Dou Yinger still had deep helplessness in her eyes.

The children on the side also showed shyness when they heard the words, and one of the little boys immediately got up and said, "Master Yinger, I can still practice."

"We can too!" Several other children followed suit.

Even though their legs were trembling, there was still an unyielding stubbornness on their faces.

Because each of them knew in their hearts that it was not because of Luo Bin's benevolence, the people here hardly even had the qualifications to go to school.

Now not only are they studying, but their masters are all famous in the Tang Dynasty, and they don’t need to spend their own money for basic necessities of life, such as pen, ink, paper and inkstone, so they want to work harder and don’t want the masters to pay in vain.

Seeing this, Dou Yinger was a little moved, and her voice softened a bit, "Let's stop here today, you should go home."

Luo Bin on the side also said in a deep voice: "That's because you have been practicing since childhood, how long have they been practicing."

"For things like martial arts, you should practice for the first time, not your age."

Upon hearing this, Dou Ying'er raised her eyes and glanced at Luo Bin, then leaned over and pinched the children's little faces and said, "I understand, I won't be so harsh on them next time."

"Well, it's getting late, let's go back first." Luo Bin responded, and then cupped his hands at Sun Simiao and Wang Changming to say goodbye.

Dou Ying'er went to the backyard to change her clothes and then followed Luo Bin back home.

…………

The next day.

After the morning court, Changsun Wuji went directly to Li Shimin's study.

"Your Majesty, I have something to play."

Changsun Wuji knelt on the ground with a deep voice.

Seeing this, Li Shimin pursed his lips, waved his hand and said, "Just do it, there are no outsiders here, and there is no need for such false courtesy between the auxiliary machine and me."

Changsun Wuji got up when he heard the words, and then handed the two pieces of paper from Luo Bin in his cuffs to Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, please read this article and this poem. How do they write?"

Li Shimin took it suspiciously, his eyes flickered after reading it, and immediately said: "The article is relaxed, and the poetry is even more majestic. Who wrote these two masterpieces?"

Changsun Wuji pursed his lips, and then said: "Your Majesty, this article was written by Fang Yuan, the top scorer in last year's scientific examination. The owner of this poem has also topped the list in the scientific examination for two consecutive times. His name is Xu Chen."

Li Shimin frowned slightly when he heard this, and then said solemnly: "Did you remember the auxiliary machine wrong?"

"These two people have not been among the top rankings in these past years, especially last year's top ranking, isn't it Cui Mingyuan, the young son of Qinghe Cui's family?"

"If I remember correctly, I should be working as a servant in the household department now."

After hearing Li Shimin's words, Changsun Wuji was silent for a moment, then leaned over and said, "Your Majesty, the old minister dares to ask, does Your Majesty really think that such masterpieces will be written by Cui Mingyuan?"

"Auxiliary machine, what does this mean?"

Li Shimin's face darkened a little, and he felt something was wrong, and after careful consideration, he frowned and said: "It's strange to say that although Cui Mingyuan is at the top of the list, he hasn't done anything outstanding in the past year as an official. "

"Because this young master Cui is not at the top of the list."

Changsun Wuji sighed deeply, and then said: "Your Majesty, after investigation by the veterans, in recent years, there have often been aristocratic families impersonating impoverished children's scientific examination places, and this Xu Chen and Fang Yuan are one of the people who were replaced."

"What?" Li Shimin was startled when he heard the words, and frowned, "Is what the auxiliary machine said true?"

"It is absolutely true, Your Majesty."

Changsun Wuji nodded, and then said: "Didn't Your Majesty discover that most of the candidates in the imperial examinations in recent years are the children of powerful families? And have these people made any achievements after entering the palace?"

"Your Majesty, forgive me for speaking bluntly, this group of gentry has infiltrated into the court unknowingly, and their power is no longer to be underestimated. If they don't stop it, the consequences will be disastrous!"

Li Shimin was also a little shocked when he heard the words, looking down at the two works on the table, his lips pursed into a straight line.

Over the past few years, more and more people from aristocratic families have entered the court and become officials, and they have gradually occupied half of the court. This also caused him to be more or less influenced by these aristocratic families when making certain decisions.

He has always doubted this, but he never thought that the fact is like this.

"The auxiliary machine is reasonable, but it has been a long time since these things happened, and we don't have any strong evidence. If we punish rashly, we may be dissatisfied by the family."

Speaking of this, Li Shimin sighed, slightly supported his forehead and said: "Now that the Tang Dynasty has just finished the war with the Turks, the human, material and financial resources have been lost countless. It is still difficult to deal with those aristocratic families if they are angered now."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I have a good plan." Changsun Wuji leaned slightly and said.

Li Shimin's eyes lit up when he heard the words, and immediately said: "Please tell me about the auxiliary machine."

Changsun Wuji lowered his eyes and recalled what Luo Bin said to him yesterday, then slightly pursed his lips and said: "In fact, we don't need to pay attention to just a family. The reason why the court fears them is nothing more than because they are too arrogant Unity, if one side is in trouble, all parties will support, if one of them is angered, they will be attacked."

"Since this is the case, we might as well break them up one by one, and gradually disintegrate them. At the beginning, let them be indifferent, and by the time they let go, it will be too late."

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows, and suddenly became a little interested, "How should we dismantle and disintegrate? Please continue with the auxiliary machine."

Changsun Wuji leaned over to Li Shimin again, and then said in a deep voice: "If you want to disintegrate them without anyone noticing, you can't start with the five surnames and seven Wangs directly. The first knife should be on their relatives."

"And my state of the Tang Dynasty is managed by the governor, divided into three to five ranks. The upper states managed by the third rank are all big families, so we can only start from this lower state."

(End of this chapter)