Li Junxian looked at the monarch and his ministers in the waterside pavilion from a distance. At this moment, he didn't know how his majesty and Zhang Yang were talking. Only a few eunuchs were bringing fruits and cakes back and forth.
Li Shimin chewed the beef jerky and drank tea, "I will consider Li Zhen's marriage, but I cannot ignore the affairs of the eldest grandson's family. Let's just say that eldest grandson Wuji depends on him for many things in the court."
"Your Majesty, you are worried about gains and losses. From an investment perspective, eggs cannot be put in one basket." Zhang Yang put down his pen, picked up a loquat, washed it with rainwater, took a bite, and then removed the core.
Spit into Qujiang Pool.
"You mean decentralization?"
Zhang Yang nodded, "China and the DPRK need to be competitive. Now I think that at this point, your Majesty has actually done a pretty good job."
Li Shimin struggled, "When I originally wanted to confer the title of Sikong to Changsun Wuji, many people in the court opposed it, especially officials from Gao Shilian's faction. Now that these officials are gone, there is no opponent to check and balance Changsun Wuji in the court."
, Recently Yang Shidao also said that many people in the court were recommended by Changsun Wuji."
After finishing a loquat, Zhang Yang washed his hands and said, "I don't know much about political matters. There is no record of this in the books I read. Your Majesty, you can ask others."
Li Shimin added: "You can put Li Zhen's marriage aside for now, I need to think about it carefully."
Looking at the empty fruit plate, Zhang Yang asked: "Are there any loquats left? This fruit is so precious that I am usually reluctant to buy it."
Li Shimin said loudly: "Bring me more loquats and give me a basket!"
After saying this, Li Shimin put on a smile again and said, "I don't understand something. Since Gaochang is yours, you still want to buy cotton from Gaochang? Do you still have to pay?"
Zhang Yang checked his written IOU and said, "I just bought from them. They all need to pay. If I don't pay, they will still be slaves. What's the difference from before? Since Gaochang needs to be governed well,
We must take advantage of Gaochang's geographical conditions to generate better value. They exchanged copper coins for silver cakes, and they could also buy some supplies and books in the Central Plains. These things will be of great value when they arrive in the Western Regions."
The eunuch who was soaked in the rain put a basket of loquats in the waterside pavilion and returned to the lake.
While Li Shimin was still digesting these words.
Zhang Yang wrote another contract: "Just in case and for future protection, I also want a non-liquidation agreement. Your Majesty must promise that everything that you and I have reached before will not be liquidated. As for this notarization
I want someone who can be trusted by both Your Majesty and me to sign the contract between us."
Li Shimin looked at the contracts one by one with a smile on his face, "You are really careful. My promise is not enough?"
Zhang Yang picked up the kettle on the side and poured a cup of hot tea for the emperor in front of him, "I am a person who believes more in promises written in black and white."
Unknowingly, this was the third contract he had written. This feeling was even more tiring than reviewing a memorial.
"There cannot be only one notary. I am looking for two and Your Majesty will choose two."
"Can."
"I choose His Highness the King of Wei and Prince Hejian."
"Qingque is still underage, so he can do it? Isn't it too childish?"
Zhang Yang picked up another loquat and continued to eat it and said: "The younger you are, the more effective it will be when you take it out, isn't it?"
Li Shimin thought about it, "I choose Wei Chigong and Li Daozong."
"Very good. Your Majesty will prepare another round and arrange these four people. We will make a notarization and everyone will make a commitment together."
After speaking, Zhang Yang shook hands with Li Shimin and said, "Your Majesty, we have a happy cooperation."
He shook hands with him and shook his head up and down. Although he didn't know what the purpose of this action was, he didn't feel any malice.
Li Junxian was walking by the pool, pacing back and forth looking at Zhang Yang and His Majesty in the waterside pavilion. His Majesty's laughter could be heard from time to time. It seemed that they were having a very pleasant conversation.
Until Zhang Yang left with an umbrella and a basket of loquats, and when the others disappeared from sight, Li Junxian looked at His Majesty again.
Li Shimin first solemnly put a pile of contracts aside, then got angry and overturned the table, "How dare you, Zhang Yang! How dare you negotiate terms with me!"
Hearing the scolding coming from the waterside pavilion in the center of the lake, His Majesty was angry alone in the waterside pavilion, and Li Junxian ran away in panic.
Li Shimin struck the table with the sword in his hand, "I really thought I didn't dare to cut you into pieces! And you're threatening me so I don't dare to kill you!"
The angry curses came one after another. His Majesty and Zhang Yang had just had a pleasant chat, but why did they suddenly fall out?
"If I hadn't valued the strategy of the Western Regions and for the great cause of the future, I would have chopped you alive on the spot!" The current emperor pointed at the table and yelled angrily.
Hurrying to the water pavilion, Li Junxian bowed and saluted, "Your Majesty, do you want to kill Zhang Yang? I will go and capture him right now."
"No!"
Li Junxian asked again: "Do we need the general to kill him afterwards?"
Li Shimin gritted his teeth and said, "No need! I want him to live."
"Here."
The rain showed no sign of stopping from morning to noon, so Zhang Yang came to the door of his house holding an umbrella.
Li Yue hurriedly walked out of the door and looked around, even taking off her clothes to look.
Looking at his wife's appearance, Zhang Yang suppressed a smile and said, "I'm not injured."
There was worry on Li Yue's face, "Father, you didn't do anything to your husband, right?"
After saying this, she saw her husband holding an umbrella to protect her from the rain, and looked up to see Zhang Yang's shoulders being soaked by the rain.
She first confirmed that there were indeed no officers or soldiers following her, and closed the door as if to guard against thieves.
Having been pushed into the house by Li Yue, Zhang Yang took out three contracts, "This is His Majesty's IOU, this is a mortgage statement, and this is a notarized contract without adding the name."
Li Yue looked at the contracts one after another, "Father really agreed."
Zhang Yang sat down and washed a loquat in the basin at home and handed it to Xiao Wu.
She was sitting on a small bench, chewing loquats with a look of satisfaction on her face.
I washed another one and threw it to the little bear. This bear was very humane. It sat next to Xiao Wu and chewed the fruit, even the core was chewed up and swallowed.
Li Yue confirmed the contract in front of her, "So, my father promised to give us Lishan Mountain?"
"Your father and I have been talking for a long time, and we are almost becoming brothers."
Li Yue said in a deep voice: "I'm afraid you were deceived by my father's appearance. My father doesn't like his subjects to negotiate terms with him. This is what my mother has said."
In the next two days, Li Shimin did not go to the morning court, but handed it over to the Zhongshu Province for discussion.
After everyone inquired about it, they learned that Zhang Yang had entered Ganlu Hall and discussed matters with Li Xiaogong, Li Tai, Li Daozong and Yuchi Gong.
Everyone was inquiring about what was going on in the DPRK. With such an abnormal thing, it seemed like something big was going to happen in the DPRK.
Yan Shigu became a guest of the East Palace and could enter and leave Chongwen Hall at will.
This was all arranged by Li Chengqian. Zhang Yang had not been seen in the past two days. In the rainy Chang'an City, many people could feel that something big was brewing.
On the third day, Zhang Yang walked into Chengtian Gate with Li Yue.
The couple did not go to the Li Zheng Palace or the East Palace, but went directly to the Xing Qing Palace.
At this moment, in the Xingqing Hall, Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling are also here, as well as Li Shimin and the current queen.
The couple sat down aside, and Li Shimin took out the contract, "The notarization has been completed, let's talk about the next steps."
The emperor's appetite is huge, and his ultimate dream is to achieve great things for a long time. He will only go further and further on this road and will never stop.
Fang Xuanling took out a file and said, "According to the previous agreement, the princess and the consort mean that they can send officials and soldiers to Gaochang?"
Li Yue nodded when he heard this and said: "It is indeed possible. The officials sent out will solve the people's livelihood problems in Gaochang and teach them, teach Chinese characters and etiquette, and open schools."
Changsun Wuji asked again: "In this case, can the Tang Dynasty directly take over the city defense affairs of Gaochang?"
Li Yue replied: "Before this, Gaochang has always been the property of my husband and I. The same goes for the city defense of Gaochang. The court can send troops and horses, but the number cannot be large. It can only be said to be another team of guards.
, of course, the specific matters will be left to the Ministry of Etiquette."
"I think there will definitely be considerations in coming to the DPRK for the long-term peace and stability of the Western Regions. We, the couple, will not participate too much in this aspect."
Empress Changsun looked at Li Yue quietly, as if she was looking at her own achievements.
Fang Xuanling flipped through the files, "Grape wine, raisins and cotton, these products from the Western Regions have always been bought and sold by Lishan. Can we add more taxes?"
Li Yue also took out a file, "My husband and I have already discussed this, and there are specific details in the file. Lishan will pay taxes once a month, and it will be handed over according to 10% of the annual output value.
Shangguan Yi, which is run by Lishan, will prepare detailed accounts every month, and His Highness the King of Wei will act as a check, and every tax payment will be handed over to the court truthfully and on time."
After the words fell, Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji, two of Li Shimin's advisers, were still making plans.
Li Yue continued, "In order to encourage production, there are additional taxes in this file, which are calculated based on the annual output of 10,000 guan. If the annual output is higher, the tax will be increased by 10% for every 10,000 guan.
For example, if the annual output value of the transaction is as high as 20,000 yuan, then the tax will be increased by one layer, up to 40%."
Fang Xuanling looked at the dossier and nodded: "It's indeed good."
Li Yue stood up and saluted Li Shimin and the Queen, "Father, Queen and Mother, the construction of Lishan has always been on the side of the country. The world is stable, and all people are peaceful. Naturally, the DPRK and Lishan can enjoy this wealth together. Lishan will
The construction is getting better and better, and it will become a huge industrial park in the future, including exchanges with the Western Regions. The management of Lishan in the Western Regions is only a supporting role, and it depends on the opinions of the DPRK and China."
This dossier contains many benefits, and Fang Xuanling has not yet seen any specific drawbacks.
"I also hope that the imperial court will give Shangguan Yi and the warrior Tong official positions as county lieutenants of Lishan County. They will receive salaries from the imperial court and be under the supervision of the imperial court."
After listening to Princess Runan's words, Fang Xuanling looked at the princess who had just grown up before him, as if he was looking at a very powerful opponent rather than an ordinary woman.
Li Shimin looked at Zhang Yang, "Aren't you going to say something?"
Zhang Yang cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, I am responsible for the construction, and Yue'er has always been in charge of the management."
Li Shimin is still a little proud that his daughter is in charge of such a large family business in Lishan and can produce 10,000 yuan a year. She is indeed my daughter, so let's not argue with this kid for the time being.
Li Yue saluted and said loudly: "Lishan is willing to work together with Sheji to benefit the world. In my husband's words, it means becoming bigger and stronger!"
Zhang Yang also stood up and saluted, "May the Tang Dynasty be prosperous and strong!"
Li Shimin took a deep breath and looked at Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji again.
Changsun Wuji nodded slightly, and Fang Xuanling had nothing to deny.
After finishing speaking, Zhang Yang took Li Yue's hand and said, "If nothing happens, we husband and wife will leave first."
Empress Changsun said quickly, "Stay in the palace and eat."
"Mother, there are still things that need to be prepared at home."
Empress Changsun nodded, "Forget it, if you need anything, just tell your mother and she will come to visit you another day."
Rain continued to fall from the sky, and a decree left the Xingqing Hall and soon spread throughout the government and the public.
"Zhang Yang, the young master of the East Palace, made great contributions to the Western Regions and contributed to Gaochang and Qiuci. He was granted the title of Minister of the Ministry of Rites and the Order of Lishan. Princess Runan managed Lishan to help the country. She was granted the fiefdom of Lishan and the palace of Lishan.
This will encourage the construction of Lishan Mountain."
As soon as the decree came out, the government and the public were shocked. Zhang Yang dedicated Gaochang and Qiuci to His Majesty alone.
There are still people who have not recovered their senses. When did Gaochang and Qiuci fall into Zhang Yang's hands?
The long-undecided Minister of Rites finally has a candidate.
Everyone was not surprised when they heard this result. If Gaochang and Qiuci can be handed over to His Majesty, who will sit on the throne of the Minister of Rites if he doesn't?
Yang Shidao looked at this decree and was asking people to register and make a case. This was the youngest minister in the Tang Dynasty.
When the Ministry of Personnel sent the documents registering the case to the Ministry of Rites, Xu Jingzong looked at the name on the case file and whispered to Zhang Elephant: "Secretary Zhang has finally returned to the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Rites has a future."
For a moment, he burst into tears of joy. Xu Jingzong held the document and burst into tears, "It's been two years! I've been on tenterhooks these past two years. It's been really hard."
Zhang Elephant consoled him: "You should be happy about something, but why are you crying so miserably?"
Xu Jingzong cried as he slapped the case, "Xiaguan can't eat well and sleep well. Now I can finally have a solid sleep."
Until now, when the decree was issued and Zhang Yang handed over Gaochang and Qiuci to Tian Khan, the stone in Xu Jingzong's heart finally fell to the ground, as if he was reborn, and the burden on him finally disappeared.
In the house on the corner of the east city of Chang'an City, Li Yue was humming a tune and was in great spirits.
The house is also very lively now. Shangguan Yi, Samurai Xun, Li Tai and Li Xiaogong are all at home.
There was an eunuch standing in front of Zhang Yang.
"Lishan Order, this is the map of Lishan Palace and some land deeds."
Zhang Yang looked at it and frowned and said, "Why did you only give me 900 acres of land? I want 3,000 acres. Is our Majesty going to default on the debt?"
The eunuch looked troubled, "This matter of land demarcation will have to wait for the Ministry of Revenue to clear out all the land, and it won't be so soon. Your Majesty has already asked the Ministry of Revenue to make arrangements."