Chapter 0048 Second brother is really my good brother
"But the granaries in various places in Li and Tang are empty. The grain received every year is not enough for the army to go on expeditions, let alone to provide relief to the people.
Those wealthy families do have food in their hands, but they will not give it to us easily.
If you ask them for food, you need to exchange for an official position.
My eldest brother and father came to them to beg for food and needed something more precious in exchange.
We can easily take back the official position you gave up.
But what we give away may never be recovered in our lifetime.
Therefore, it is far more cost-effective for you to exchange your official position with them for food than for us to exchange other things with them for food.
The most important thing is, even if you don't resell those official positions, we will have to give them to them sooner or later.
Because most of the scholars in the world are in their hands, if I, Li Tang, want to unify and govern the world, I have to grant official positions to them.
Therefore, it is more beneficial to us to sell official positions to others.
Not only did we get a large amount of food and grass, we were also able to get those wealthy families to take the initiative to send us the scholars we needed."
Li Shimin tried his best to explain the stakes in it as easily as possible, hoping to convince Li Ji.
Li Ji did not expect that his small act of reselling an official title would be thought so deeply by Li Shimin.
If we think more deeply and use the opportunity of reselling official titles to grant official positions to the common people of those wealthy families, and neglect the direct descendants of the wealthy families, in the end, the common people of the wealthy families will be strong and the direct descendants will be weak, and there will definitely be chaos within the wealthy families.
By that time, Li Tang not only no longer has to worry about the threats of the big family, but can also take advantage of the internal chaos of the big family to cut leeks.
If you can't defeat the enemy from the outside, you can only attack from inside the enemy and let the enemy fight in his nest while you reap the benefits.
With Li Shimin's shrewdness, he must have realized the beauty of this, so he couldn't wait to trick him into selling off officials and titles.
The reason why Li Shimin didn't say anything now is because he hasn't agreed to sell off officials and titles on a large scale.
Li Ji nodded slowly and said with deep approval: "Second brother's words make sense. For me, Li Tang, such a major event does more good than harm."
A joyful look flashed across Li Shimin's face. Is Li Ji going to agree?
However, Li Ji changed the topic and said with a deep expression: "This matter is very involved. With my ability, I'm afraid it will be difficult to handle it. I still need my second brother to take charge of the overall situation."
At this point, Li Ji clasped his fists at Li Shimin with a serious look on his face, "Second brother, just do it, I will fully cooperate with him and contribute to my country, Li Tang."
The joy on Li Shimin's face froze. Do I want to carry the banner myself? I want you to resist the banner!
"Shiro, you should understand what I mean!"
Li Shimin stared at Li Ji and said in a deep voice.
Just after thanking Shufang, when Changsun Wuji was still there, he had already expressed his thoughts, and Li Ji also understood.
If you pretend to be dumbfounded to him now, how could he believe it?
Li Ji slumped down in his seat, "Of course I understand what second brother means. But second brother is obviously more capable than me, thinks deeper than me, and should be able to do better than me. Why doesn't second brother go by himself?"
Do?"
Li Shimin took a deep look at Li Ji and said, "Both the government and the public know what I want, so I can't come forward in this matter."
Li Shimin didn't need to hide his ambitions, because he wanted to do what the prince did, which was known to both the government and the public.
Li Yuan once again promised him the position of prince. He felt that he was already very sure about being the prince, so there was no need to hide it.
Li Ji said calmly: "Then let the eldest brother come forward."
Li Shimin stared at Li Ji and said, "Big brother won't come forward."
Li Ji looked at Li Shimin and said a little funny: "You didn't even ask eldest brother, so you just said that eldest brother won't come forward. Since eldest brother won't come forward, why should I come forward?
The eldest brother is the prince and the crown prince of Li Tang.
The huge Li Tang will belong to him from now on. When Li Tang is in trouble, someone needs help and someone needs to bear the infamy. Shouldn't he be allowed to do it?"
Li Shimin stared and shouted: "It is precisely because the eldest brother is the crown prince now that he will not come forward to do such a thing."
Li Ji chuckled and said, "So it's me who should do it? You guys are good people and cherish your feathers, and I'm a bad guy and bear the infamy?"
"This is also for the foundation of the Li family!"
Li Shimin said solemnly.
Li Ji asked with a smile: "Then I will bear the infamy for the Li family's foundation. Can the Li family's foundation be passed on to me?"
"bass!"
Li Shimin stood up suddenly and looked at Li Ji with wide eyes.
Li Ji smiled calmly and said: "Second brother, don't be so reactive. I'm not interested in that position."
At this point, the smile on Li Ji's face faded, and Shi Shiran said: "I have no interest in that position, and that position will not be passed to me. So why should I sacrifice myself to fulfill you?
What can you give me, an official title or wealth?
Do you think I lack these things?"
Among the titles, Li Jijue was awarded the title of Prince, which has reached the pinnacle of the title.
Among the official positions, Li Ji also has the title of Attendant, which basically reaches the pinnacle of official positions.
Even if Li Ji made a major sacrifice, Li Yuan, Li Shimin, and Li Jiancheng could not give much.
It's nothing more than adding one more account, or concocting a genius strategy for the future.
The problem is that even if he concocts another genius strategy for the future, for Li Ji, it can only be regarded as the icing on the cake, which is better than nothing.
In this case, why did Li Ji make such a big sacrifice?
Li Shimin stared at Li Ji deeply for a long time, then slowly said, "I will inform my father about this matter. If my father knows, he will definitely agree."
As long as he tells Li Yuan that Li Ji will resell the official titles and sell them only to the common people of the big families, he will plunge the big families into chaos, and Li Yuan will definitely agree.
Li Yuan would never hesitate to let a notorious son bear some infamy and ward off a serious problem for Li Tang.
"Second brother, have you convinced me?"
Li Ji stood up and stared at Li Shimin and asked.
Li Shimin snorted coldly and had no words.
Li Ji bowed to Li Shimin and said, "Then ask the second brother to inform his father and ask his father to send Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda to help me. Then ask the eldest brother to send Wang Gui and Wei Zheng to help me. Then ask the second brother to send Changsun Wuji and
Fang Xuanling came over to help me."
Take advantage of me, right?
The limit is one for six, can you play it?
I have a bad reputation for selling off officials and titles, and I won't die.
But the six of them must die.
"you!"
Li Shimin stared at Li Ji angrily.
Li Ji straightened up slightly and stared at Li Shimin, "What? The second brother can't let go of Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling? Then why can the second brother let go of my younger brother?
Do I have to be lucky to have an older brother like my second brother? I will definitely live a long life?"
Li Shimin's ears immediately turned red.
I don't know if I'm angry or ashamed.
Li Ji's words are very heartbreaking.
Li Shimin couldn't bear it.
"Shua..."
Li Shimin flicked his sleeves and left the front hall of Luoyang Palace angrily.
Li Ji sat down, slumped carelessly on his seat, and fell into deep thought.
He didn't take Li Shimin's threats to heart.
If Li Shimin really writes a letter to Li Yuan, please ask Li Yuan to force him to come forward and resell the official title.
There is a high chance that Li Yuan will agree and will agree to send Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda to him.
Although Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda are deeply trusted by Li Yuan, Li Yuan will definitely not pity them if they can use them to control the rich and powerful families.
Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda are not Pei Ji, and Li Yuan will not give up things that are beneficial to Datang for them.
Li Jiancheng gritted his teeth and agreed, and would also send Wei Zheng and Wang Gui to him.
During the Tang Dynasty's conquests in all directions, Li Jiancheng often dealt with aristocratic families and wealthy families in order to raise food and fodder for a large army. He was well aware of the harm that aristocratic families and wealthy families could do to the Tang Dynasty.
Therefore, Li Jiancheng would definitely agree if Wei Zheng and Wang Gui could be used to control aristocratic families and large families.
Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng agreed and sent people.
Li Shimin can't do it without sending someone.
At that time, even if Li Shimin is unwilling in every possible way, Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng will force him to send Zhang Sun Wuji and Fang Xuanling.
Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling are very important to Li Shimin, and Li Shimin is absolutely reluctant to part with them.
Li Shimin can definitely see through the joints, so he will never submit a letter.
Li Shimin would only find another way and find a way to get him to agree.
As for whether his harsh words with Li Shimin today might make Li Shimin an enemy, he wasn't worried.
Li Shimin himself was wrong and was speechless when he argued. Li Shimin had no face to hold grudge against him.
The reason why he fell into deep thought was because Li Shimin's words reminded him of something.
That is, someone would really take advantage of the Tang Dynasty to turn against them and attack them.
And it was during this campaign against Liu Heita.
One is Gao Kaidao, the prince of Beiping County in Youzhou, and the other is Fu Gongyou who works under Du Fuwei.
Gao Kaidao betrayed the Tang Dynasty, tricked Li Yi and almost killed him.
Fu Gongyou rebelled against Du Fuwei, and Du Fuwei was jealous of Li Yuan and died in fear.
Gao Kaidao and Fu Gongyou have nothing worthy of his attention.
But Li Yi and Du Fuwei deserved his attention.
Because Li Yi and Du Fuwei have many powerful generals.
Li Yi has not yet had much contact with Li Jiancheng, nor has he sent any of his Xue brothers to Li Jiancheng as bodyguards.
It should be possible to use Gao Kaidao's information to exchange for the five Xue brothers from Li Yi, right?
"With the Xue brothers in hand, and Xie Shufang, the three left armies of the palace should be able to prepare. With elite soldiers and fierce generals, no matter how strong you, Li Shimin, dare not take advantage of me like you did today, right?"
Li Ji had an idea in his mind and immediately prepared to ask Xie Shufang to do something.
But before he opened his mouth, he remembered that Xie Shufang was sent away by Li Shimin.
So he can only wait.
After waiting for half an hour, Uncle Xie hurried back to the side hall.
Li Ji immediately told Xie Shufang, "Go and help me find out where King Yan is now, and then send someone to tell Ma Zhou to hand over the errand at hand to Li Sixing and wait for me outside the city."
Li Ji is going to let Ma Zhou go to see Li Yi. The reason why he lets Ma Zhou go is because Ma Zhou has not been put on the table yet. His goal is small and he will not arouse other people's ideas.
If Xie Shufang or Li Sixing were to find Li Yi, they would definitely be targeted.
If a prince sends his confidants to find a warlord, anyone can guess that there is something fishy going on.