Chapter 759: The Emperor who defaults on his salary
Zhang Yang said as he walked, "Is it a small matter to owe a salary? I have worked hard for the country in Taifu Temple, and it will be unreasonable to deny salary."
Li Tai continued to follow and advised: "Even if my father owes me a salary, this matter should not be made public."
Stopping suddenly, Zhang Yang looked at the fat man intently, hesitated for a moment and said: "His Royal Highness, King Wei, does he mean that it is best for my father and I to keep the matter secret and for no one to say anything?"
Li Tai nodded heavily, looked around and lowered his voice and said, "I hope brother-in-law will think twice."
"Don't worry, Your Highness King Wei, I have thought twice."
Li Tai blinked and watched Zhang Yang walk into Grandpa Huang's house with his own eyes.
Seeing someone coming, Li Yuan put down the puppy he was teasing in his arms, and the puppy ran out of the yard quickly.
When others came closer, Li Yuan patted the dog hair off his body.
Zhang Yang enthusiastically poured tea for the old man.
It's rare that this kid is so attentive when he comes. He coughed and said, "What are you doing here?"
Zhang Yang sighed and said with a sad expression: "I've been having some troubles lately. I can't eat well or sleep well."
Li Yuan frowned and said, "You have such a rich family now, so what worries do you have."
"You always joke, this is the only amount of money I have. The development and construction of the village cannot be separated from money."
Li Yuan's expression became more solemn as he took a sip of tea.
Zhang Yang said again: "How do you think I have been doing as an official these years since I took office in Taifu Temple?"
Li Yuan smiled and said: "I have been watching from Lishan Mountain. You really did your best during your tenure as Minister of Taifu Temple."
"At first glance, you, old man, are a person who knows right from wrong."
"I've always been like this."
Zhang Yang poured a cup of tea and handed it to Li Yuan, saying melancholy: "Now I still have to think about how to pay the wages of the Lishan villagers this month."
Li Yuan sighed: "It's true. I heard that you have always been kind to the villagers of Lishan. The little girl said that only 20% of the accounts will go to your family every year."
After that, Zhang Yang took out a memorial, put it on the desk, and said slowly: "At first I planned to send this memorial to His Majesty, but now I am hesitant."
Li Yuan took the memorial and looked at it without saying a word.
Zhang Yang looked at the setting sun on the horizon, put down the tea cup in his hand, and whispered: "If it were five years ago, I would point at His Majesty's nose and scold him, but it's different now."
Li Yuan said in a deep voice: "How is it different?"
"I am no longer the same person as I used to be. The more experiences a person has, the more blood he loses and a lot of enthusiasm he loses. Although I still have a duty to serve the country, I am no longer as willing to sacrifice myself for anyone else as I did back then."
Zhang Yang smiled foolishly, left the memorial and stood up to leave.
Li Yuan's words came from behind again. His eyes were still on the memorial and he frowned: "Erlang always listens to advice."
The steps stopped for a moment, and after listening to Li Yuan's words, Zhang Yang did not turn around but continued to walk, and just walked out of the house step by step.
Li Yuan was left alone with some hesitation and doubts.
After a long time, the old man stood up and walked out of the house, accompanied by two or three eunuchs from the palace.
As he walked to the school grounds outside the village, Li Jing was still experimenting with artillery, using artillery to try to combine with marching operations.
The bear just sat there not far away. Now he is no longer afraid of the explosion of artillery.
Xiao Qingqing lay on the back of the bear, holding the bear's big neck with both hands. Its neck was so thick that they could only interlock their fingers with their hands.
She sat on the back of the bear and looked at this scene with her little head raised.
Li Yuan walked to her side, and a cannon exploded in the distance, and a fireball exploded in the distance.
This scene was played out every day outside Lishan Village, and soon soldiers rushed forward.
After charging several times, Li Jing was experimenting with the best way to charge.
Li Yuan whispered: "How long have you been watching?"
Xiao Qingqing replied: "I just watched it for a while."
This child's voice is very soft. After playing with artillery once, she always comes to look at artillery in her free time.
"Your father has come to see me."
The child still looked into the distance without answering.
"Your father said that Lishan is encountering difficulties now."
"Yes." Xiao Qingqing nodded heavily and said, "Lishan lost money last year, and my mother was very sad. The government has not given her a salary. My father is also very distressed, and I am not happy either."
After that, she patted Xiong Da's head and said, "Go home."
The big bear then got up and walked back with its little master.
At night, Li Yuan read the memorial written by Zhang Yang and read it several times, whether he wanted his great-granddaughter to be happy or to make Lishan live a better life.
"No matter how big the feud between Zhang Yang and Erlang is, the salary should not always be owed."
After thinking about this, Li Yuan began to write on the memorial, stamped it and had it sent to the palace.
At night, Li Shimin was holding a book in his hand and looking at it. The book in Lishan contained some knowledge that was difficult to read, and it was arranged for the palace servants in Lishan to copy and bring it.
The library in Lishan can be browsed by children at will, and Zhang Yang's family will not mind the palace people looking at the books.
Li Shimin was very confused when he saw a few words, material, behavioral proposition and materialism.
These views are very fresh. The book advocates materialism and pragmatism. I have never heard of these before.
After just reading for a moment, the emperor put down the book and saw how Zhang Yang explained these unfamiliar knowledge.
Do all my children understand?
It doesn't look like he is aimless, these knowledges seem to have their own inherent truth.
After turning a page, it was gone. There were only three pages, and the whole picture could not be seen. Why had I never heard this knowledge from him before?
"Your Majesty, this is the memorial sent by Lishan."
Voices came from behind him, Li Shimin nodded and said: "Put it in the Ganlu Hall."
The prince emphasized again: "This is sent by the emperor."
"Are you bored living in Lishan?"
Li Shimin took the memorial and read it. It was better not to read it. After reading it, his expression was very complicated.
If I don't give Zhang Yang a salary, what does it have to do with my father?
Feeling very angry, Li Shimin gained some appreciation for Zhang Yang because of those articles.
Now all these appreciations are gone.
Li Shimin angrily said: "Zhang Yang is a despicable villain. I will not spare him lightly."
The guard on the side immediately knelt down on one knee and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I am willing to go to Lishan to arrest him in person."
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin glared at the guard, sighed and returned to the Li Zheng Hall.
In the Li Zheng Hall, Queen Changsun was sorting out the clothes to be sent to Lishan. Summer was about to start and she needed to change clothes for the children.
"These children have to do everything themselves when studying in Lishan."
The maid on the side helped the queen organize these clothes and whispered: "The princes and princesses are very sensible. They can wash themselves, wash their own clothes, weave rattan, and even farm."
Empress Changsun had a pleased smile on her face, nodded and said, "It's good to learn more."
As he was talking, he noticed that His Majesty had returned with a dark face, so he put down his clothes and asked someone to prepare the evening meal.
When the meal was served in front of us, the dishes were all the same as before, and none of them were as good as Lishan in terms of appearance, flavor, and flavor.
Even if it's a bowl of celery soup, Lishan can make it better than Gongli.
Li Shimin took out the memorial, rubbed the bridge of his nose to relax his eyes, and said: "This is a memorial from my father."
Empress Changsun became interested and said, "When my father has something to say, he always sends it directly to the palace. It is rare for anyone to send memorials."
As the words were being spoken, Empress Changsun picked up the memorial and started reading it. The original smile froze on her face.
Li Shimin asked: "What do you think of Guanyin?"
The queen sighed: "It's just a salary of two thousand stones, so let's send it to Lishan Mountain."
Life in the palace also improved, and Li Shimin reluctantly admitted that this was the result of Zhang Yang's previous policy of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure.
Since the 10th year of Zhenguan, the DPRK has made several changes to the policy of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure. The aspect of reducing expenditure is no longer what it used to be.
After the officers and soldiers of the Wei Mansion in Tuntian were reorganized into Zhechong Mansion, generals from various places in the army were exchanged, and a lot of money was spent on the deployment of troops and horses.
But I finally got through it, and now I still have enough money to build the Taiye Pond.
The initial strategy of opening up the source of revenue is still at the stage of collecting taxes, and was opened in Shuofang and the Hexi Corridor due to mutual trade.
The DPRK has received many benefits, and these benefits can allow the DPRK to receive a steady stream of money.
Li Shimin said solemnly: "Then give it to him."
The next day, the court sent the Lumi that should be given to Zhang Yang, a full two thousand shi of Lumi, without giving a penny more.
The account of salary and salary was finally settled. Although he was unwilling to do so, Li Shimin felt somewhat relaxed.
After another three or two years of taxation on the Hexi Corridor, the accounts of the original Tongguan Construction project can also be cleared.
"Your Majesty! Xu Yushi wants to see you."
Xu Xiaode of the Yushitai is now the Yushitai Zhongcheng. With his qualifications and abilities, he will be qualified to serve as a Yushi doctor, that is, the chief official of the Yushitai.
Now he is placed in the position of Yushi Zhongcheng, that is, the second-in-command of the Yushitai. Due to the current situation in the court, Wei Zheng should continue to be the chief imperial officer.
Li Shimin nodded and said, "Let him enter the palace."
"Here."
It's very quiet inside the Ganlu Hall. The sun shines in through the windows, making the hall somewhat reflective.
Xu Xiaode entered the palace and saluted. His Majesty was sitting by the window. His Majesty's expression could not be seen clearly due to the sunlight.
"I recently discovered that the DPRK and China have a lot to say about Lishan."
"Is it because Lishan is domineering again?"
His Majesty's voice came, and Xu Xiaode lowered his posture and said: "It's the Ministry of Industry, the Military Superintendent, the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the Guanglu Temple. Many people are talking about it, saying that the money and conditions given by Lishan are very good.
.”
Li Shimin snorted coldly and said: "Don't you want to be an official in the court and go to Lishan to serve a county prince?"
Xu Xiaode closed his eyes and said again: "It's because many craftsmen feel that the salary in Chaozhong is meager. The money given by Lishan alone is several times that of Chaozhong."
Before His Majesty could speak, Xu Xiaode said again: "Your Majesty, the ancient Book of Songs says that the way to be a minister is to accept the small community and the great community, and to be the king of the country. How can the dragon of the sky show its courage? If you are not shaken, you will not be moved.
Diao Buchong, Bailu is the boss."
"Well, in that case, why are you talking about Lishan?"
Xu Xiaode said again: "Your Majesty, as soon as the salary sent to Lishan from the imperial court arrived, Lishan gave the salary to the villagers, including the villagers of Lantian County and Gaoling County, and gave each family three measures of millet or rice.
There’s also a piece of soap for each house.”
Hearing this, Li Shimin said in a deep voice: "It's obviously not a valuable thing. He still has something left in Lishan, but he does it casually and has a way to win people's hearts."
"There are rumors that the Marquis of Lishan County was the leader of the country and did many good things for the villagers."
Li Shimin added: "You can't do things superficially. This year's spring plowing is the top priority. I will send a decree to warn him that he should do his job in a down-to-earth manner as the Minister of Etaifu Temple, instead of buying people's hearts to promote himself."
Xu Xiaode remained silent and didn't know where to start, so he could only bow and leave.
After hearing these words, Li Shimin left the window sill, walked to the bookshelf and said to the eunuch beside him: "Send ten taels of fine salt to each family of the registered officials in the various ministries of the court."
"Here."
"Bring my warning to Lishan."
"Here."
Lishan County's grain distribution is indeed to clear out grain stocks, otherwise this year's wheat harvest will not be able to contain it.
Secondly, Lishan wants to provide welfare to the villagers.
The intentions and original intentions are all good.
Zhang Yang is taking his younger siblings to class. Today is a physical education class, and he demonstrates a standing long jump to his younger siblings.
"Gao Yang comes first."
"good."
Princess Gaoyang came to the starting line, imitated her previous brother-in-law's movements, and jumped up.
When his feet landed, Zhang Yang recorded, "Yeah, two feet."
Gao Yang left with pride in his eyes.
"Next."
Li Zhi grabbed the position first and jumped up.
"Well, one foot eight." Zhang Yang recorded the sermon: "The movement is not standard. I will be punished by jumping ten times later."
Li Zhi stood aside with unconvinced eyes.
I was in class with my younger brothers and sisters when my father-in-law came.
Zhang Yang had no choice but to end the current class first and let the children move freely.
Listening to the prince's story, I felt a little unhappy and asked: "Did your Majesty really say that?"
The prince nodded and said: "Your Majesty said it twice, and that is indeed what he meant. I took my leave now that I have brought my words."
"Wait a minute."
Walking home, Zhang Yang wrote a memorial and handed it over, "Please help me bring it to His Majesty."
The prince smiled with wrinkles on his face, took the memorial and walked away in a hurry.
It turns out that only Li Yuan submitted the memorial asking for salary to the palace yesterday, while Li Tai, Li Xiaogong and Cen Wenwen did not submit it at all.
Looking back at his younger brothers and sisters, Zhang Yang clapped his hands and asked them to stand in line again, "Push-ups, groups of ten, groups of three."
"Here."
The children said in unison, and they lined up neatly and started doing push-ups obediently.
Zhang Yang recorded their push-ups. Gao Yang, Li Zhi, and Qinghe all had good physical strength.
Li Fu and Li Ming have been in poor health since childhood, with poor physical strength and endurance.
Zhang Yang held a stick while correcting his posture, "Li Fu, Li Ming, don't relax and keep doing it."
The two youngest brothers gritted their teeth, supported their bodies with their arms and trembled, and beads of sweat dripped from their foreheads.
After two sets of push-ups, the younger siblings were obviously a little overwhelmed.
Everyone in the third group gritted their teeth. Zhang Yang walked in front and said: "Don't think it will be easier to ask for mercy. There is no word begging for mercy here."