Tang Dynasty: The beginning of the game is to touch the Princess Changle

On the fourth day of June, the weather was sunny and the wind was southeasterly.

Taiji Hall, morning court time.

Emperors and ministers did not need to hold court meetings every day, but Li Shimin was a diligent emperor.

In addition, he seized the throne from his brothers through a coup.

Therefore, he wanted to do his best to prove to the world that he, Li Shimin, was more suitable for this position.

In order to eliminate the impact of the Xuanwu Gate Incident on him.

Yesterday, his father's attitude towards him improved and he finally talked to him, and the national treasury also increased a lot of extra income.

Therefore, Li Shimin was in a very bad mood at the morning court today.

...

"Dai Aiqing, have you checked it carefully?"

Li Shimin looked at Dai Zhou eagerly, hoping to hear from him that Dai Zhou had made a mistake in the calculation.

"Your Majesty, last year we should have added 60,000 war horses, but due to the lack of funds in the national treasury, the number was reduced to 30,000. I have carefully calculated that this time we need to add 100,000 war horses, plus other expenses, which require 10 million strings of silver."

The Minister of Revenue Dai Zhou reported to Li Shimin slowly.

"Dai, my dear minister, I have already known about this. I will give you a reply in a few days after I have carefully considered it."

After listening to Dai Zhou's report, Li Shimin rubbed his chest and recovered.

Suddenly, Li Shimin found that there seemed to be a pair of eagle eyes staring at him below the court.

He coughed falsely, put on a high-handed attitude again, and glanced below.

"My dear ministers, do you have anything else to say?"

But his mind was not on the court at all, and he thought in his heart:

"Ten million strings of silver, I haven't even warmed it up yet!"

Li Shimin glanced at the ministers, and intentionally or unintentionally stayed on the officials of the Cui and Wang families for a moment.

Although Su Chen had dissolved the Cui family yesterday, there were still many officials from the Cui and Wang families in the court. They were spread across the court in various positions.

As the saying goes, 'there are no poor families in the upper class, and no gentry in the lower class', the imperial examination was only to cultivate talents for those nobles.

Even the Imperial College run by Li Shimin was only open to the powerful gentry.

If it was removed rashly, it would inevitably affect the normal operation of the court, and he needed to handle it carefully.

Li Shimin squinted his eyes and looked like he was full of wisdom.

He nodded slightly, "I still have to ask that kid for some gifts!"

He gave Changsun Wuji and others a familiar look, and left.

...

"My dear ministers, how should the officials of the Cui family be dealt with?"

Li Shimin came to the imperial study and asked everyone directly.

Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji exchanged glances, and Fang Xuanling nodded slightly, meaning to let Lao Yinpi say that he was an examiner of the Ministry of Personnel.

"Your Majesty, I think the officials of the Cui and Wang families are intertwined in the court, ranging from the seventh-rank county magistrate to the fourth-rank minister. We should not drive them away rashly. In my opinion, it is better to wait for two months after the autumn examination and then slowly plan it."

Li Shimin nodded slowly. There was no better way at the moment.

"Have you visited Qin Erge at Qin's mansion recently?"

Suddenly, Li Shimin remembered something and looked at Cheng Yaojin and asked.

"Alas! Erge is still the same, bedridden!"

Cheng Yaojin sighed and shook his head.

Li Shimin also knew Qin Qiong's situation. He had been bedridden since the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

However, at this time, Li Shimin had already made up his mind, but now was not the time.

"Everyone, let's go to see Qin Erge with me today!"

Li Shimin stood up first and was about to leave his seat.

"Your Majesty, the palace guards reported that there are more than a dozen noble families outside the Suzaku Gate, requesting to enter the palace to meet Your Majesty."

Wang Defa conveyed the guards' words to Li Shimin.

"Humph, that kid asked them to come to me, and they really came."

Li Shimin and others who had just stood up smiled at each other.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, they came to the palace to meet Your Majesty today, not just for the matter of the salt mining rights, perhaps they want to ask Your Majesty about Su Chen's situation."

At this time, Fang Xuanling came to Li Shimin and chuckled.

"Oh, why did Xuanling say that?"

"Your Majesty, because they are worried that Su Chen will deal with them in the same way, or other more powerful means. Therefore, they want to express an attitude towards Su Chen. Who would not be terrified by what happened yesterday."

It was not Fang Xuanling who answered, but Wei Zheng.

Li Shimin looked at Wei Zheng, then at Fang Xuanling, and saw a smile on Fang Xuanling's face that said "that's right".

He also understood, that is, if you can't beat them, just join them, and let's be friends!

There was no conflict between them and Su Chen.

However, later Su Chen really helped them make money.

Nodding, he smiled and said: "Then come with me to meet them", thinking: I can earn about 3 million strings of cash.

"Take everyone to the side hall and serve good tea!"

...Li Shimin led his followers and strode into the hall of the side hall and sat in the upper seat.

"Your Majesty!"

Everyone stood up and bowed to Li Shimin.

"No need to be polite!"

That's what he said, but if you really don't pay attention to etiquette and don't pay homage, then you are really unreasonable.

"Please sit down. What do you want to see me for? Just tell me!"

Li Shimin raised his hand and asked, his eyes swept over their faces one by one.

After thanking them, the heads of the families took their seats. One of them was the person they had nominated in advance. He stood up and bowed and said:

"I..."

Before the man finished speaking, Li Shimin directly interrupted him.

"Chief Li of Longxi, please sit down and talk slowly. No need to be polite!"

Thinking: I still hope that you can pay more money to supplement the family expenses today!

It's right to be polite.

Li Shanhuai was a little excited to see that Li Shimin could remember him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for remembering me!"

"Your Majesty, I and others came to the palace to ask you about the two salt mining rights left vacant by the Cui family."

"I wonder if we can auction these two salt mining rights again?"

Li Shimin nodded slightly and asked, "According to the opinions of the clan leaders, how should the auction be conducted?"

"Your Majesty, several of us have already obtained a quota. If we can continue to participate in the auction, it would be better. If not, the five family heads will bid."

Li Shimin nodded after hearing this, his expression changed, and he stood up and said majestically:

"I have said in advance that no matter who gets the quota, if there is a problem with the salt in the prefectures under his jurisdiction, I will definitely hold them accountable."

"Do you understand?"

After speaking, Li Shimin glanced at everyone with sharp eyes.

The heads of the families immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "We understand!"

"Then let's start the bidding auction from Henan Province!"

After that, he sat down lazily.

After several rounds of fair and just bidding, the mining rights of Henan Province were auctioned off by a Shandong clan representative for 1.8 million guan.

The Jiangnan Province was auctioned off by a local family representative from Kuaiji for 1.5 million guan.

After the auction, Li Shimin saw that these family heads did not seem to want to leave.

"Do you have anything else to say? Just say it!"

Holding the teacup, he pretended to be puzzled.

"Your Majesty, we have something to ask you today. I wonder if you can tell us where the young man on the stage outside the Suzaku Gate yesterday is now. We have prepared a small gift. First, we want to get to know this young talent."

"Second, to thank him for his salt-making method, which allows us to legally operate the salt business. Do you think it's appropriate?"

Li Shanhuai slowly explained the reason and waited quietly for Li Shimin's answer.

Li Shimin looked thoughtful.

"Well, since you have this idea, I will ask someone to help you convey him. His identity is not suitable to be made public now. You will know it after some time."

After a pause of thinking.

"As for that..." Li Shimin hesitated.

Li Shanhuai immediately bowed and said, "We know that gold and silver are inferior, but we have nothing else, so each of us will give 200,000 strings of cash as a gift. Your Majesty, please pass it on. We are grateful!"

After that, the others also bowed and said.

"In that case, I will send someone to help you pass on the little... boy."

Li Shimin thought again and again and said.

"Okay! There are more than 5 million strings of cash."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

...