Chapter 232: The People’s Congress of the Tang Dynasty
The fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month is the Mid-Autumn Festival.
This day is a national holiday, but it has not become popular yet.
There is no tradition that future generations need to eat mooncakes.
However, on this day, people in Chang'an always gather together in twos and threes to admire the moon and talk.
The Mid-Autumn Festival in the third year of Zhenguan is obviously something special.
Under the planning of Li Chengqian and the full support of Li Shimin, the National People's Congress was held in the square in front of Tai Chi Hall.
At this moment, the huge square in front of Tai Chi Hall was filled with individual small tables and futons.
In the evening of that day, representatives of the people from all over the country entered the imperial city in groups.
After entering the imperial city, the eunuchs in the palace led them one by one to their seats according to their names. ??
…
In the harem at the same time.
Li Shimin put on brand new imperial casual clothes.
For the common people, the People's Congress is a new thing.
The same is true for Li Shimin.
Although he has been emperor for three years, he has never seen so many people on such an occasion.
To be honest, given his mental capacity, he was a little nervous in this situation.
While Li Shimin was adjusting his clothes, he turned around and asked Empress Changsun behind him: "Empress, am I okay with my appearance?"
He had asked this question countless times.
Empress Changsun couldn't help but smile and said: "Your Majesty, the people here today are all your people, so there is no need to be nervous."
"Where am I nervous?"
"I just want to leave a good impression on the people."
Li Shimin glanced at Queen Changsun with slight dissatisfaction.
"Okay, okay."
Empress Changsun had long been accustomed to Li Shimin's insistence on saving face.
She smiled lightly and stepped forward, helping Li Shimin straighten the clothes on his back: "Your Majesty, everything is fine, there is no need to worry at all."
"Besides, the people's representatives should be the ones who are nervous."
"How many people can there be in this world? Can I drink with you and dine with you?"
Hearing this, Li Shimin also had a smile on his face.
When everything was ready, Li Shimin, accompanied by his personal eunuch, walked towards the Tai Chi Hall.
…
At this time, all the people's representatives had taken their seats.
They were all eagerly looking forward to Li Shimin's arrival.
Among these people, there are businessmen, literary giants, and veterans of many battles.
But how many of them have actually met Li Shimin?
Not to mention having a drink with Li Shimin at the same table.
As Empress Changsun said, they were no less nervous than when they were fighting the enemy on the battlefield.
Soon, Li Shimin, dressed in the emperor's civilian clothes, came over accompanied by the eunuchs.
As the eunuch shouted: "Your Majesty is here!"
More than 400 people in the audience stood up one after another, faced Li Shimin and shouted: "We will wait to kowtow to Your Majesty!"
After saying this, more than four hundred people bowed down together and knelt before Li Shimin.
It’s not like Li Shimin has never been worshiped by four to five hundred people.
But this time is different from the past, because these people in front of me are not ministers in the court, but local people.
They kowtow to themselves and the ministers kowtow to themselves have completely different meanings.
"Let's all be flat."
Li Shimin smiled and waved his hand and said: "Today is August 15th. I want to take you to enjoy the moon, not to watch you kneel to me."
After saying this, the people in the audience returned to their seats with smiles.
Seeing them getting up, Li Shimin nodded with satisfaction, and then walked towards his position.
Li Shimin's position is naturally placed at the highest point on the ladder.
But Li Shimin was a little dissatisfied with this. He frowned and said, "Why should I put my position here?"
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The personal eunuch beside him bowed and said: "Your Majesty is the Supreme Being, so he must sit at the highest place..."
"Sitting here, how can I listen to the voices of the people?"
Li Shimin raised his head and ordered: "Move down, I will sit closest to the people."
Hearing this, the eunuch was shocked: "Your Majesty, no, if someone is planning something evil, then..."
Before he could finish speaking, Li Shimin waved his hand and interrupted: "If you are asked to move, you will move. Where did you get all this nonsense?"
After saying that, Li Shimin walked down the stairs and walked directly to the crowd regardless of his expression.
The personal eunuch did not dare to say anything and could only follow Li Shimin's instructions.
Someone moved Li Shimin's dining table all the way from the steps to the center of the square.
After Li Shimin sat down, he smiled at everyone and said, "Only in this way can I hear your voices."
"Today, I am sitting here. No matter who you are, you can come and have a heart-to-heart chat with me and mention the changes in the Tang Dynasty over the years." .??.
"Moreover, I can tell you frankly that any official who is corrupt and bending the law can also tell me the inappropriateness of the imperial decree."
"I will sit here today and listen to everyone speak freely..."
Hearing this, everyone around him was a little confused.
Is Li Shimin serious when he says this?
Everyone around me looked at me and I looked at you, and they all couldn't believe it.
After all, everyone can see that Li Shimin's invitation to representatives of the people to gather in the palace was just a means to consolidate people's hearts.
But none of them expected that Li Shimin was really willing to listen to the voices of the people.
At this time, an old man in his fifties stood up tremblingly.
He faced Li Shimin and said: "Your Majesty, the common people have something to say..."
Li Shimin waved his hand very grandly: "But it doesn't matter."
The old man bowed and said: "The common people want to sue Shannan Road and the Qin family in Xiangzhou."
Hearing this, Li Shi The people's expressions also became solemn.
"Old sir, it's okay to say that if the Qin family does anything that violates the law, I will punish them severely."
"Your Majesty is wise."
The old man then spoke slowly: "The Qin family in Xiangzhou is a big family in Xiangzhou. With a decree given by the Supreme Emperor, they enclosed the land and occupied the fields to enslave the people."
"Not only are their tenant rents two or three levels higher than those of neighboring Zhuangzi, but the man surnamed Qin often makes tenant farmers do private work for him."
"Extorting money from people during festivals and holidays, raising rents when there are excuses, and a group of business owners using their power to bully people's wives and daughters are truly worse than animals."
"In the cold winter, the family has no firewood and only relies on a few single clothes to keep out the cold."
"Some children died of frostbite, old people were reluctant to eat because of the heavy rent, and some even died of starvation."
"But even so, working men and women still have to work in the fields day after day."
"The sick cough up blood and have to do it, the feet are rotten by the cold and have to do it, the children are freezing and hungry and crying in the house, and they have to do it..."
After hearing these words, Li Shimin's face was as gloomy as the bottom of a pot.
He raised his eyes and looked at the old man and said, "Didn't my inspection history care about this matter?"
Li Shimin turned back and ordered the eunuch: "Let Shannan Road inspect the history, and come to Chang'an to see me immediately. I want to ask him how he governs Shannan Road."
The eunuch was about to respond.
The old man immediately spoke: "Your Majesty, this is not Mr. Inspector Shi's fault."
"Inspection Master Shi wants to control us, but there is nothing he can do."
"The Qin family has relatives from the county magistrate at the top and a thug from the village who is a wolf and a tiger leopard. The tenant farmers are looked down upon."
"Historical inspections were conducted several times to try to take control, but there was no evidence, so he was suppressed again, and the tenant farmers also complained and suffered even worse."
"Therefore, Mr. Inspector Shi had no choice but to ask the young man to go to Beijing to tell His Majesty these things."
"I hope your Majesty can give justice to us poor people..."