Seeing Li Yifu leaving with a group of people and walking back to Chang'an City, Zhang Xiangxiang whispered: "Since Zhang Shangshu took power from Zhongshu Province, the Foreign Affairs Commission can send out envoys independently. It seems to be a good thing, but it may also become an excuse for others."
Xu Jingzong nodded and said: "Indeed, sometimes the civil servants in the DPRK don't care how much we have done, nor the role of the Foreign Affairs Council. If they want to ban the Foreign Affairs Council, they only need one reason."
Having learned from the past, Xu Jingzong did not have much trust in Li Shimin and the court.
Li Shimin had previously kicked Zhang Yang out of the Ministry of Rites and arranged for Gao Xiuxian to take over the affairs of the Ministry of Rites. From now on, the Foreign Affairs Council will become a tool for the emperor to consolidate power at any time.
Since the establishment of the Foreign Affairs Council, it has been a supernumerary office of the Ministry of Rites.
Civil servants serving in the Foreign Affairs Council are also registered in the Ministry of Rites.
It cannot be separated from the control of the court, and it cannot be separated from the arrangements of the government.
The two of them walked towards the Diplomatic Academy. Zhang Xiangxiang asked tangledly: "What is Zhang Shangshu doing these days?"
When he reached the entrance of the Diplomatic Academy, Xu Jingzong stopped and said, "Last time I heard that Zhang Shangshu said he was going to Mount Li to escape the summer heat. I just saw Zhang Shangshu pulling a cart of luggage out of the city two days ago."
"Can you trust this person Li Yifu?"
"We have checked him out. He has no family background and no one to rely on. People like him have no choice. The Diplomatic Academy is a ladder for him to climb up. Even if we don't urge him, he will try his best to get things done. Through this, he will
Get a better position in the court."
The two of them walked into the Diplomatic Academy. Zhang Dashu was still very busy these days. He had personally been to foreign countries and frequently communicated with envoys from various countries. He was compiling translations from various countries.
They even had to record the customs and geographical conditions of various countries, and Cen Wenwen often came to ask questions.
This is also a very important matter for the Foreign Affairs Commission.
On both sides of the Diplomatic Court, there are two courtyards under construction, which will also be where the Diplomatic Court will conduct business in the future.
Zhang Elephant looked at the current situation in the Diplomatic Academy. Every morning, dozens of people crowded into such a courtyard.
This situation will be solved after the new yards on both sides are expanded.
The current manpower of the Diplomatic Academy is divided into three groups.
The three ministers each led a team of people, and Zhang Dashu led a team of people to compile the translation and maintain contact with the envoys sent out.
Xu Jingzong's people were responsible for collecting information.
Zhang Xiangxiang was looking at his own manpower to make overall arrangements and make arrangements for the Foreign Affairs Council.
"Brother Elephant, these two courtyards will be completed next month. After they are completed, we will reorganize the Foreign Affairs Academy according to Zhang Shangshu's arrangements."
Zhang Elephant nodded when he heard this, "The official thinks so too."
"Since Brother Elephant has always been responsible for the overall planning, it is natural to leave this matter to you."
During their conversation, the two made arrangements and time for subsequent adjustments to the Foreign Affairs Council.
As the Minister of Rites, Zhang Yang will not be too involved in the affairs of the Ministry of Rites, and the general direction of many things is arranged by this Minister.
However, the Minister of Rites did not come to ask, and the Foreign Affairs Commission also needed people like Zhang Xiang to arrange matters.
Walking into the Diplomatic Academy, several people continued to busy themselves with the matters at hand.
Xu Jingzong always felt that the Foreign Affairs Academy lacked someone, someone who could mediate with the court.
Various arrangements for Goguryeo also need to be prepared, and people need to be sent to Liaodong to make preparations in advance.
Outside Chang'an City, Li Tai asked his bodyguard to find Princess Yongfeng's brother.
A young man in his early twenties was escorted out of the city.
"Who are you? Why are you arresting me!" He was yelling loudly, but when he saw Li Tai lowered his head again, "His Royal Highness, King Wei, why are you..."
Li Tai said impatiently: "Every time I come to Chang'an City, I feel depressed and very annoying. Let me go."
Only then did all the guards let go.
Li Tai looked at him and said, "Both Yang Hao and Yang Zhan were killed by Yu Wenhuaji. Now Princess Yongfeng, you only have a younger brother. Your name is Yang Lian, right?"
Yang Lian bowed and saluted, "I have met King Wei."
"My father has always been kind to the former Sui clan and spared the lives of your siblings. You have been under the care of Yang Shidao, but you have been drinking and wandering around Chang'an City all day long. Do you plan to stay like this for the rest of your life?"
Yang Lian lowered his head and remained silent. Facing Li Tai, who was younger than him, he did not dare to refute.
"You don't want to embarrass the former Sui clan, let alone stay under someone else's roof."
Yang Lian hesitated and said: "I don't know what His Highness the King of Wei has planned."
Li Tai smiled and said: "A person like you must be drunk today and not worry about how to live tomorrow."
Yang Lian shook his head and said: "On weekdays, Yang Shidao comes to help. He lives in embarrassment and doesn't dare to spend money randomly."
Li Tai coldly snorted: "Do you think I won't check you beforehand when I come to you? You owe three thousand guan of money outside, and all those creditors are coming to your door. You still have nothing to worry about, so you are not afraid.
Will Yang Shidao kick you out?"
Yang Lian looked around and said, "His Royal Highness King Wei, please do not tell this matter. If my uncle finds out, he will break my legs."
Seeing his panic expression, Li Tai smiled and said, "Bring the person here."
Several strong men walked out of the dilapidated house. When they saw Yang Lian, they rushed up to him, pushed him to the ground and beat him severely, while shouting and asking for money.
】
Li Tai waved his hand and said: "Stop."
The group of strong men stopped their fists and saluted respectfully, "Does His Highness the King of Wei want to excuse this person? As long as you say a word, the previous debt can be counted, and it will be treated as someone who belongs to His Highness the King of Wei."
admit."
Li Tai nodded and said: "I want Yang Lian to help me with some things. He will not pay you back within a few years."
Judging from the troubled looks on the faces of these strong men, they are usually idle men in Chang'an City. People like Yang Lian, a former Sui disciple, are accustomed to spending money lavishly. They are the targets of these people.
On the other hand, they didn't dare to raise their heads and speak in front of people buying braised pork, let alone speak.
As the lowest level people in Chang'an City, the things these people did were inherently bad, and they did not dare to offend Li Tai.
"The debt must be repaid. It's just that you can give him some grace. When he has finished my affairs, by then, even if he doesn't pay, I will pay him back."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "If His Highness King Wei can say this, we will feel relieved."
Li Tai said: "Don't disturb Yang Lian's family. If you have any problems in the future, come to me. If he can't handle my affairs, he will be left to you."
"I obey His Majesty the King of Wei's orders. I will retreat first."
Yang Lian knelt on the ground in embarrassment, and Li Tai stepped forward, "If these things happen to the door of Yang Shidao's house, you will lose all face of the Sui clan."
"Thank you for your help, His Highness King Wei. As long as you help me stop these people, I will definitely return the money."
"How much money do you want to earn and how long do you want to earn it? Do you think you can afford to pay back a thousand silver coins with your current appearance?"
Yang Lian lowered his head, "Ten years, I can pay it off by working as a coolie in Chang'an City for ten years."
Li Tai nodded and said: "Now I have something in my hands. It will take you three to five years to pay back the money, and I will pay all the money during the process. Are you willing?"
"I do!"
The man replied anxiously without even thinking about it.
Li Tai looked at his bodyguard and said, "According to the previous arrangement, you take him down and teach him how to deal with the next thing. It will take at most one month until I am satisfied."
"Here!"
Seeing his guards taking the people down, Li Tai hurriedly got on the carriage back to Lishan. He hurried back to Lishan and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhang Yang is sitting at the door of his home looking at the wool threads he has just made. These wool threads are thinner than cotton threads and have better toughness.
In the yard, Li Yue is weaving and making some more clothes for the unborn child. The child can wear whatever he wants in the future.
Before the child was born, Li Yue already had the attitude of pampering her.
Seeing Li Tai walking on the path in front of him like a wandering ghost, Zhang Yang frowned and asked, "Is everything done?"
Li Tai lowered his head and said, "Brother-in-law, I seem to be sick."
"What kind of disease have you been treated by Divine Doctor Sun?"
"I have a disease that makes me feel uncomfortable all over when I go to Chang'an City." Li Tai stopped in frustration, "Can this disease still be cured?"
"You will feel sick all over after going to Chang'an City?"
Li Tai nodded, "Whenever I get close to Chang'an City, I feel nauseous and want to vomit. How can I have such a strange problem? Is there no cure?"
"This should be a mental illness. This shows that His Royal Highness the King of Wei does not want to face everything in Chang'an City. This kind of disease is useless, but it can be alleviated by slowly enlightening him."
Li Tai stood for a while, then turned around and said, "He is dead! If anyone dares to let me go to Chang'an City again, I will spit it out to him."
Zhang Yang thought about that scene. If Li Shimin took Li Tai back, the fat man would spit it out in front of the emperor. This scene would be quite exciting.
"I don't know how Niu Chuang and the others are doing with their soap workshop. I'd better go and keep an eye on it first."
While talking, Li Tai left quickly.
When Zhang Yang walked home, his wife's belly became more and more obvious. This was the sixth month.
"The King of Wei said he was sick." Zhang Yang picked up the apricots on the side and ate them.
"Have you ever asked Divine Doctor Sun?" Li Yue was still cutting the cloth in his hands as he talked. Except for the unborn child, he didn't seem to care about anything else.
"It's said that he has a problem that makes him vomit when he goes to Chang'an City." Zhang Yang said in a low voice.
Li Yue stopped his movements for a moment and said, "Qingque is such a good child, but now her husband can't take her to Chang'an City."
"It's not my fault, it's his own fault."
Zhang Yang nodded firmly.
On the other side of Lishan Mountain, Li Shimin was able to escape the summer heat with peace of mind and his days were much more leisurely.
Li Tai and Zhang Yang delivered the money as scheduled, and Li Shimin immediately sent someone to the palace to ask Fang Xuanling and others to arrange the repairs of the Hexi Corridor.
Walking on Lishan Mountain with Queen Changsun, Li Shimin looked at the ruins in front of him and said, "Cheng Qian must be very busy in the palace at the moment."
Empress Changsun smiled and said: "That is also to train Cheng Qian. If he doesn't face it now as the prince, he will have to face more things in the future."
Li Shimin nodded and said that the Queen's words were very pertinent.
Originally there was a palace on the mountain, but now it is in ruins.
Li Shimin missed it very much. When his father was still in power, he came to Lishan to spend the winter, and there were hot springs here.
"Since I ascended the throne, I have never enjoyed anything in Lishan before I was completely destroyed by this kid."
Empress Changsun smiled and said: "Lishan Mountain is not suitable for summer vacation. It will be unbearably hot at the top of the mountain in summer. I don't know how Zhang Yang plans to renovate this land."
Lishan Mountain is suitable for winter, but the top of Lishan Mountain is not suitable for summer vacation. In summer, it is not much better than Chang'an City, but you can enjoy the cool weather at the bottom of the mountain.
"I want to know what Zhang Yang wants to transform this place into. In the summer, the sun is blazing above our heads when we stand on the mountain."
My son-in-law is indeed rich. People in Chang'an say that my son-in-law is a wise monster.
No matter how wise you are, you cannot change the terrain or the current situation at the top of Lishan Mountain.
Back then, I mortgaged Lishan Mountain to the boy for the sake of Gaochang.
Thinking back to that time, Li Shimin still felt unhappy.
Thinking about it now, thinking about how this kid will spend his summer in embarrassment on the top of Lishan Mountain, I feel a little better.
In this ruins, Li Shimin saw three or two houses, each two stories high.
The style is very weird. Who would build a house that looks like a box?
Walking inside, Li Shimin looked carefully at the internal structure of the house, "Mr. Guanyin, what is this top-down pipe used for?"
Queen Changsun raised her head and glanced, "I heard from Yue'er that Zhang Yang made a shower at home, which is to put a big bucket on the house, and the water will flow down from the pipe. When Yue'er said it
He also looked annoyed. This thing is very troublesome to use and inconvenient at all. He also said that this kid Zhang Yang has many strange hobbies."
"Strange hobby?" Li Shimin became interested. Now he was very interested in Zhang Yang's bad habits. Hearing these bad words about Zhang Yang could make him feel better.
A good mood is achieved through other people's criticism of Zhang Yang. The emperor's psychological state is very distorted.
"Yue'er said that Zhang Yang wants to build a large pool in front of his house and change the Huaqing Pool into a pool where you can bathe in broad daylight. He also has to lay chairs aside for people to serve him."
Li Shimin smiled and said: "I used to think that he liked a life of poverty, but I didn't expect that he also yearns for luxury."
Empress Changsun said helplessly: "Who would build a pool in front of their own door and bathe in broad daylight? If word spread, they would be laughed at."
Li Shimin was laughing at him at the moment, and it showed on his face, "When his new home is completed, I will definitely come and take a good look at it, and I will take Li Xiaogong with me. This Li Xiaogong takes great care of Zhang Yang. Before Su Dingfang's incident, could Li Xiaogong be there?"
Everyone in the army said hello to take care of him."
"I will definitely take him to see it in the future and let him see what kind of new home Zhang Yang has built. I think Li Xiaogong will also think that this new home is a joke."
Peaceful days passed day by day.
Half a month later, when Guanzhong reached its hottest period, Lishan began to harvest wheat. The fields at the head of the village were full of workers. The factory stopped working at this time, and the whole village went to work in the fields.