Don't be a prince

After calling Zhang Yun and asking him to send someone to the academy to inform, Li Chengqian began to arrange work sheets for the big bosses in the three provinces and six departments.

When a person is in a desperate situation, perhaps what he needs is not so much comfort, but a push to get closer to the abyss.

The students, who were still complaining, shut their mouths when they learned that His Majesty the Emperor had agreed to the prince's proposal and put the dissertation review on the agenda.Before the college's winter vacation, all the students had completed their dissertations, which were packaged by the officials of the Ministry of Rites and shipped to the East Palace.

The review of the thesis will be carried out in the East Palace.

Several old gentlemen selected by the college were also arranged by Li Chengqian to live in Chang'an City, and there would be a special carriage to take them in and out of the East Palace every day.Although the big bosses from the three provinces and six ministries will be the ones who will make the final conclusion, before that, let them go through it first to see how far their disciples have reached.After all, it is the crystallization of hard cultivation, Li Chengqian does not want them to lose the qualification to appreciate it in the end.

The content of the thesis is too much. Compared with the memorial, the time spent is definitely not of the same level.Therefore, Li Chengqian arranged an assembly line review method. First, the old gentlemen of the college went through the first pass, and then the duty minister and Li Chengqian conducted the second pass together. The final evaluation was also conducted by the duty minister and him.The emperor also ordered that those with excellent grades should be sent to him.

This kind of arrangement is still mixed with Li Chengqian's selfishness. I am afraid that someone will write nothing. With the old gentlemen around, if you encounter something really bad, you can call it back directly and order the students to rewrite it.

The old gentlemen worked in the Mingde Hall, while Fang Xuanling and Li Chengqian were in the study of the Lizheng Hall, waiting for the first batch of papers that had completed the preliminary review to arrive.

After a full morning, a few papers were sent over. Obviously everyone's papers were very heavy, but the old gentlemen still did not treat them roughly, but reviewed them from beginning to end.

"Hehe, I thought today would be very busy, but I didn't expect it to be so easy. Your Highness, the old minister is about to start the review."

Putting down the teapot, Fang Xuanling walked to his desk, opened the first thesis and read it, groaning from time to time.

Li Chengqian also opened a paper, did not start reading from the first page, but directly read the comments on the back.

"Zhongping", this shows that even with the support of the old gentlemen's favor, this paper is not of much value.

That being the case, there is no need to read carefully, just a rough look.

After reading it through, Li Chengqian found that this guy named "Cui Shuhai" really didn't write a good paper.The whole article is about introducing my own views on some things in ancient books, without any opinions on politics and people's livelihood.Such a person, even if he passes the exam, he can only go to the Ministry of Rites to dawdle, and he really has no future.

After putting down the first book, Li Chengqian picked up the second book directly.

This book is strong, and the "upper" score is not so easy to get, even if the first review is the old gentlemen.

After reading it carefully, Li Chengqian found that this student named "Li Yifu" had a strong understanding of the officialdom system, and he specifically stated that he wanted to enter the Ministry of Officials. Even Li Chengqian couldn't help but praise him.

Of course, the reason for holding back is because his name is "Li Yifu"!

A character of lawlessness in the future!He supported Gaozong's idea of ​​abolishing Wang Liwu, and it was a matter of course for him to become Empress Wu's confidant minister.But during his tenure as prime minister, he formed many cliques, sold officials and nobles, spread his power to the sky, and committed illegal things.One pile after another, all of which show the high level of his official means.Because no matter whether it is opportunism or making friends, there is no way to get good results.

The old gentlemen are still too naive. This bastard has studied the officialdom so thoroughly from now on, and he still doesn't know what it will be like to enter the officialdom.However, many villains are also capable people themselves.Didn't Gao Qiu get the emperor's appreciation because of his good football?

Such a person, if used correctly, might be able to return to the right path.

After thinking about things, he realized that Fang Xuanling was looking at him with strange eyes.

"What's the matter, Fang Xiang, Gu just lost his mind for a while, why are you looking at Gu like this?"

Fang Xuanling opened his mouth, but still said: "Why does Your Highness disdain the first paper, but pay so much attention to the second paper? They are all disciples of the academy, His Highness will not treat them differently."

Li Chengqian laughed dryly, handed Li Yifu's thesis to Fang Xuanling, and said, "This Li Yifu entered the academy through Li Daliang's path. To be able to recommend a minister who is neither relative nor familiar shows that this person still has some tricks. Sure enough, Take a look at his paper and tell me how you feel?"

After handing over the thesis to Fang Xuanling, in order not to waste time, Li Chengqian had to go through the thesis that Fang Xuanling had already reviewed, plus his own review.Only with the comments of both of them at the same time, the paper can be considered as the final review.

Soon, after Li Chengqian finished reading the third paper, Fang Xuanling let out a big laugh.

"This guy is really a bastard! To be honest, after seeing this paper, the old man has the idea of ​​​​handling him. For the court, this guy is really a dangerous guy."

"Then why don't you just have an idea, but don't do it?"

After taking a sip of tea, Fang Xuanling said with a smile: "Now is not a troubled time, and it is not popular to 'take materials but not virtue'. However, if a talented villain is used properly, it may not be impossible to play a good role. This Li Yifu is indeed enough. Bad, but guiding his talents to the right path may not necessarily replace the old man's position, it may not be him!"

It is already an extreme honor to receive comments like Fang Xuanling's.

As for Fang Xuanling's evaluation of Li Yifu, Li Chengqian could only give a thumbs up.

After Li Yifu's paper also wrote a comment of "Shangshang", Fang Xuanling said: "Let's tell Mr. Zhao that this Li Yifu still needs a lot of experience. Such a person needs to be polished. The starting platform, after ten or twenty years of official career, may really be able to cultivate a formal talent."

"Coincidentally, Gu also sees it that way."

The two looked at each other and laughed, and then Fang Xuanling began to review the thesis that the prince had finished reading, and Li Chengqian took the opportunity to write a letter to his eldest grandson Wuji.

The time spent reading papers always passed quickly, so when it was dark, Li Chengqian ordered Zhang Yun to go to the Mingde Hall to invite a few people; the old gentleman finished his work and came to the Chongjiao Hall for dinner.

The whole day's work made everyone feel exhausted, only Li Chengqian was not so unbearable because of his age.

At this time, no matter how delicate the dishes are, it will not make people have the interest of taste.Therefore, several people just ate in suspense.

After eating a full meal and drinking a few sips of wine, Yang Du let out a long sigh of relief, and said to Li Chengqian with a smile: "I also want to thank Your Highness for the arrangement. The old man and others have seen the achievements of their disciples, and now they are all satisfied." .At least on the first day, not a single paper has been returned.”

Li Chengqian said: "You are all gardeners. You have worked so hard to cultivate these students for so long, and you should see their achievements. It's just that the East Palace can no longer keep outsiders overnight, and you still have to go back and forth."

The East Palace had already made a reservation for the concubine to stay, and the old gentlemen knew about it, so they didn't take it to heart.

After finishing the day's work, Li Chengqian ordered Zhang Yun to deliver some old gentlemen, and then showed Fang Xuanling the letter he had written, and the comments written on a separate piece of paper to be sent to the emperor together with the thesis.

After adding their own seals, Fang Xuanling and Li Chengqian looked at each other and smiled like two villains.

No matter what, Changsun Wuji will definitely sell the face of the prime minister and the prince.It is not easy to put an official on the table for rectifying an official that does not conform to the process.As for the emperor, he would turn a blind eye to this matter, because if it were him, he would do the same.

The paper review on the first day ended just like that, and the second day was the same, but nothing particularly outstanding.

On the third day, Li Chengqian finally saw a familiar paper, written by Feng Zhidai.

This guy really dared to write about everything. He described the relationship between the Central Plains and Lingnan from the perspective of a Lingnan native, and gave many valuable suggestions on how to deepen the exchanges between the North and the South and break the barrier.Undoubtedly, such a thesis naturally received the "superior" comments from the old gentlemen, while Fang Xuanling and Li Chengqian broke the rules and gave a "excellent" evaluation after the research and judgment.

When the review was in the afternoon, I met another familiar one.

Qiu Haiqing!

This bastard is the only one who drew a big picture in the paper.Everyone else's is bound into a book with sheets of paper, but his is a box, which contains both papers and drawings.After reading them all carefully, Li Chengqian realized that among these papers, the one that worked the hardest and took the most effort was his.

Because they joined the prince, they successfully obtained the family's untransmitted blueprints, and brought them all to Chang'an, where they were sent to the Engineering College.What is presented on paper today is the crystallization of the integration of the engineering college.It is no exaggeration to say that with this blueprint, the craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry can be driven crazy, and those blueprints they keep secret can be completely burned.

"This student is not bad, he should enter the Ministry of Industry, at least he is also in charge!"

Unsurprisingly, such a peculiar thesis successfully caught Fang Xuanling's attention, so much so that he left the table to read it together.

Putting away the drawings and finding the thesis part, Li Chengqian said with a smile: "Don't worry about him, Gu has already made an appointment with him in advance, and he will work in the East Palace. As for the reward, after Gu ascends the throne, he will be the best." Candidates for Minister of Industry and even Shangshu."

Faced with this answer, Fang Xuanling could only laugh dryly.It is right for the prince to accept talents, and it is also right for people to see Conglong's merits and choose to forbear.At this point, he, the prime minister, really couldn't say anything.

Another day of review, different from the first day, seven or eight papers were selected today and need to be handed over to the emperor.

After looking at the unfinished papers, Fang Xuanling sighed regretfully.

He has been away from Zhongshu Province for two days, and it coincides with the New Year's Eve approaching, and delaying for another two days may cause problems.Originally, he thought that the crown prince was catching free labor, but after he actually participated in the audit, he realized that he had gained much more than he paid.

Young people always have some unconstrained ideas, some seem absurd, but the more you look at it, the more reasonable it is.And the views put forward by some talented people, even he, the prime minister, couldn't help but be overwhelmed.

"Wei Zheng will be here tomorrow, and the old minister is really reluctant to say it. In addition, the dog's thesis, His Highness, remember to send it to the old minister. The old minister also wants to see what he can write."

Naturally, such a request must be agreed.

After sending Fang Xuanling away, Li Chengqian was very worried about the upcoming Wei Zheng.With Lao Fang's character, when he met a student like Li Yifu, he was willing to give him a chance to see if tempering could change his temperament, but when it came to Wei Zheng.

Hey, if you don't deal with it directly, you will find it, and you want to sneak into the court?There are no doors.

Here Li Chengqian was worried, and in Liangyi Hall, the emperor was also very worried, his brows were tightened so that the eldest grandson was reluctant to drive him to other concubines.

Although she shouldn't be involved in politics, but seeing the emperor's appearance, she still couldn't help but want to ask.

After pouring a cup of tea to the emperor, the eldest grandson asked helplessly, "Your Majesty, these papers are just written by the disciples of the academy. Why do you feel so sad?"

Taking out a paper, Li Shimin said: "In the final analysis, I still underestimated the college. After reading these articles selected by Fang Xuanling and Cheng Qian, many of them made me, the emperor, suddenly enlightened. It can be seen that these students, personal All of them are elites. What worries me is that I ordered them to send the best ones, but I don’t know what the low ones look like. The first graduates of the college, except those who voluntarily joined the medical school and engineering school , School of History, there are still more than 480, so many people, let’s take them all, for the time being, there are not so many places in Guochao, but if they don’t take them all, I feel distressed.”

After listening, the eldest grandson was speechless.This is not depressing, it is clear that the emperor is complacent.Different from the recommended talents, these students, without the protection of their families, are the purest. However, the appearance of so many talents at once is a happy trouble for the emperor.

"Okay, you, let's put these papers first, and spend a few nights with the concubines in the harem first, so as not to make people think that the concubine is a fierce queen, and the emperor is not allowed to go to other concubines. Many children are blessed, yours There are still fewer children."

"A lot, no matter how much, how do you want me to divide the title? I know what the Supreme Emperor thinks. Although he has repented now, I can't deal with those children ruthlessly. This level, it is also difficult to start with them.

I don't want to leave to Chengqian the same problems that the Supreme Emperor left for me.In any case, this country is to be inherited by Chengqian.A prince who has been recognized by both the royal family and the ministers, and what is even more difficult is the recognition by the people, cannot be criticized when he first ascended the throne because of such a trivial matter. "

Hearing the emperor's words, a maid in a corner of Liangyi Hall raised her lips slightly.

It's not just the approval of these people...

We also hope that His Highness can rule the world...

Chapter 281 Annual Ceremony

The busy review of papers lasted until the year before.When the last paper belonging to Wang Xuance was packaged and sent to Tang Jian's home for him to review it again, all the papers were reviewed.

480 three papers, four excellent ones, twenty ones at the top, fifty papers at the middle ones, and the rest are all average. The bottom ones need to be sent back for rewriting.The students at this time have not learned how to play tricks, and none of them can handle it.

Because the chief officials of the three provinces and six departments participated in the review, Li Chengqian, as the vice president of the college, gave each of them a generous gift.Even the comments on the last page of a student's paper, even if it is "Zhongping", are treasures for these students, and they are worth being proud of for a lifetime.

As for the students in the three stages of super-excellent, upper-upper, and upper-middle, they immediately became the targets of the three provinces and six ministries.If they were willing, the chief officials of the three provinces and six ministries could recommend him to become an official without even going through the examination procedure.Regarding this point, Li Chengqian did not stop him, he also wanted to see if these students could withstand the temptation.

Fortunately, there is no one who is willing to take shortcuts, this, probably thanks to Du Ruhui.The lesson he taught the students was "how to be a useful person to the country and society". In the small category of being an official, he focused on "taking shortcuts".

Fortunately, Jin has always been a taboo for officials.Even if you can have unlimited scenery for a while, you will definitely knock down the bottomless abyss in the end.

As Minister of the Ministry of War, Du Ruhui's courses undoubtedly have huge gold content, and the students listened very carefully.

Under the emperor's order, all the papers were sent to the palace, and he was going to go through them in general, but there were only a dozen or so papers, which did not satisfy him.

When the New Year's Eve is approaching, it's simply hoarding supplies and giving gifts.

Because he always likes to scratch his mouth, Li Chengqian knows a lot about the specialties of many places, so every year he will send a caravan to prepare ingredients for the East Palace.This year, my health has improved a lot, and my resistance has also improved? So I asked people to go to the East China Sea to buy a lot of seaside specialties.Such as kelp, seaweed, and sea fish.

Unknowingly? Donggong already has an absolute say in the item of "food"? Especially Lao Cheng? After the success of "sauce beef", he will buy a dish in Donggong every one or two months recipes? Every one can be a hit.Seeing that Zuifenglou is making a lot of money, other restaurants can only watch with greed.This is also something that can't be helped? In terms of status? They are not qualified to visit the East Palace. The prince is willing to sell it to Lu Guogong, but he may not be willing to sell it to a businessman.Moreover, even if they got the recipe by accident? Even if it is very simple? They dare not follow it.

This unspoken rule similar to the protection of intellectual property rights has been slowly cultivated by the merchant and artisan class for thousands of years, and no one dares to trample on it.

Compared with fresh sea cucumbers, dried sea cucumbers are still a little tasteless. Seaweed is a must for making soup. Although there is a big cart?Kelp is much better? It's all dried, as long as it is soaked in water? It will become larger in size.

Donggong can write according to the words, and they are copying the production methods and nourishing effects of these things.These notes will be sent together with the gift box to the mansions of various princes and county kings.Of course? The most important thing is to send it to the imperial dining room.

Are the ministers used to the gifts from the East Palace? As long as they get them, they will be impatient to let the kitchen do the same.

After tasting the deliciousness of seaweed soup and the benefits of kelp to the body, the people on the beach must also be able to live a good life.

Good things can't forget the daughter-in-law, so when Chang Le took the Queen's reward to Su Mansion, he also brought the gift from the East Palace with him.

The same gift, Li Chengqian did not forget Ashina Snow, since Ashina Helu returned to West Turkic, she has been quiet a lot, and has not left Yichun Beiyuan for the whole winter.

For the sake of her body, Li Chengqian felt that it was better to go and see her. If she stays at home like this, good people will be suffocated.

Yichun Beiyuan is different from the front of the East Palace. The snow here has not been cleared.It's not that the court ladies and eunuchs are snobby, but Ashina Xue asked not to clean up.

Stepping on the snow, I entered the yard of Yichun Beiyuan. It is quite deep in summer, and it is a good place for self-cultivation, but in winter, it is a bit desolate, and it feels like a cold palace.

Regarding Ashina Xue, Li Chengqian felt very entangled. As a victim of the marriage, she was now homeless. To put it bluntly, the Eastern Palace did not want her, and it was really difficult to accommodate her in other places.After all, the current He Lu doesn't have the strength to protect her yet.

Marriage is a must, but for some unknown reason, it is difficult for him to care for Ashina Xue the same way he did for Su Yuan.

Qu Tuke was also a survivor of his sentence, so he was able to enter the East Palace and rule over the Turkic servants in the small courtyard.Although he is a Turk, he has a good control over people's hearts. At least he has kept Fang Sheng and others well, so that when the servants of the Eastern Palace improve their food, they will give them a sheep or two.

Seeing the prince's arrival from a distance, Qu Tuke lay down on the ground regardless of the snow, and bowed with all his body.

When he got close, he said, "His Royal Highness, your most humble servant, Qu Tuke, welcomes you."

I have to say that it feels good to be treated like a god, no wonder many western lords like it.

"Get up, I want to see Ashina Xue, lead the way."

Only then did Qutuk stand up and lead the way.

It's strange, not to the courtyard, but to the place near the back wall of the East Palace.

Through a messy snow field, I saw a stable.

Seeing the stables, Zhang Yun immediately became angry. How could a holy place like the East Palace raise horses?What a mess of horse manure!

Seeing Zhang Yun getting angry, Li Chengqian glared at him, and only walked into the stable after he lowered his head.

The stables were very carefully built, obviously not completely airtight, but there was a warm feeling after entering.There is not much horse manure in it, and it looks like it has been cleaned regularly.

Ashina Xue was grooming a pony. When he saw the horse next to the pony, Li Chengqian remembered that his favorite mare was about to give birth the last time he met. I said that a good psychic horse needs to be fed from an early age.However, as soon as He Lu left, he put this matter behind him.

Seeing Li Chengqian, Xiao Ma began to retreat timidly.

Ashina Xue glanced back, saw that it was Li Chengqian, and said, "You remember it now? The day the horse gave birth, it was difficult to give birth, and I dragged it out with my own hands."

Grabbing a large amount of beans from a corner of the stable and putting them into the mare's trough, Li Chengqian sighed and said, "Thank you, I really forgot about this, thank you for your hard work."

Ashina Xue, who was waiting to argue, did not expect Li Chengqian to be so sincere, so she didn't know what to say for a while.

After touching the mare's face bone, Li Chengqian began to size up the pony.

Just by looking at it, you have to call out "good boy."

The whole body of this horse is black, but only the hooves are white. No matter how you look at it, it looks very handsome.