Chapter 84

"Your Highness the Prince of Wei, is what Minister Li said true or false? Can you really rub out thousands of books in a day?"

"Will Your Highness the Prince of Wei give the 'Wude Encyclopedia' to every scholar in the future?"

"Congratulations to the Prince of Wei, congratulations to the Prince of Wei. From now on, the scholars of the world will follow Your Highness's lead."

"..."

Just as everyone was surrounding Li Tai to ask questions, a voice rang out unexpectedly:

"Your Highness the Prince of Wei, this subject has written a 'New Commentary on the Analects,' and I ask Your Highness to help me give it to the scholars of the world."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the ministers slowly turned their heads to look at the source of the voice, their eyes shooting out sharp light.

Even those from the aristocratic clans who were originally standing still and thinking about how to stop the spread of printing technology showed excitement.

"You, Su Dan, what qualifications do you have to comment on the Analects?"

"Your Highness, this subject's collection of poetry and prose is unparalleled in the world. Even Wenzhongzi once sighed in admiration. The scholars of the world are just lacking my poetry and prose to recite."

"Shameless! Your poetry and prose are complete nonsense; how can they be as good as my articles?"

"You are a military general, why are you joining in the fun? Do you understand what governance is? Do you understand articles?"

"..."

Watching the increasingly crazy civil and military officials around him, Li Tai felt more and more aggrieved in his heart:

'I knew it, I knew it, this piece of shit definitely wouldn't let me go.'

'Sending me gifts every day, they are really sick!'

He wanted to explain, but everyone knew that Li Chunfeng lectured in the Literature Pavilion every ten days and was already considered his person.

Public notices, bamboo paper, the new selection system, plus the current printing technology—everyone knew what this represented: it represented that there would be more and more scholars.

In order to stabilize the hearts of the scholars, the imperial court would inevitably give some positions to the newly emerged scholars. The major aristocratic clans would not have much influence in the short term, but in the long run, their advantages would gradually disappear.

If a strong emperor came to power and issued an edict that the imperial examination would no longer test the Three Rites, then their fate would be sealed.

Li Tai regretted it very much; he regretted wanting to speak for Li Chengqian at the beginning and not letting him be abolished immediately.

Compared to the bitterness in Li Tai's heart, Zhangsun Wuji was secretly happy. He knew that Li Tai no longer had any chance of winning.

Li Tai was already in a dilemma, having made a promise to the aristocratic clans that he would never change the imperial examination system.

In this way, Li Shimin would no longer let him ascend to the throne, which was contrary to Li Shimin's ideas.

Either learn from Li Shimin and use public notices to win over a group of talents for himself to fight against the aristocratic clans.

But the consequence of doing so would be to alienate the aristocratic clans, and aristocratic clans like Xiao Yu and Su Xu might not necessarily help him without reservation anymore.

'The Crown Prince's move is truly ruthless! There are only so many positions in the court; who exactly is the Prince of Wei preparing to give them to? The aristocratic clans or the great talents who passed the imperial examination?'

Besides Zhangsun Wuji knowing that Li Chengqian created the printing technology, Gao Shilian and Fang Xuanling also knew.

Gao Shilian came to the court today not only because Li Chengqian invited him, but also because Li Shimin asked him to keep an eye on things during the eastern expedition so that Li Chengqian wouldn't cause big trouble.

Thinking of what Li Shimin said and looking at the current scene, Gao Shilian felt his scalp go numb. He couldn't help but go to the Eastern Palace to find Li Chengqian.

Just as he arrived at the Qingfeng Pavilion in the Eastern Palace and saw Li Chengqian fishing, Gao Shilian almost couldn't breathe:

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you promised the Emperor that you would not let the court be in chaos."

"There is no chaos! As long as the officials follow the disaster relief regulations, the Great Tang will not be in chaos."

"Even if they act in compliance in public but in opposition in private, it doesn't matter. I have already asked the Crown Princess to open a donation conference at Hongfu Temple in the name of the Eastern Palace."

"All those who donate grain, clothing, and medicine to the disaster area will have their family names engraved on the Hongfu Temple stele, to be respected by the world."

"This batch of donations will be personally escorted to the disaster area by the Eastern Palace Six Rate Guards, ensuring that the people in the disaster area will not freeze or starve to death."

Gao Shilian sighed softly: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is thoughtful. This subject has no objections to the disaster relief."

"But how could the printing technology be brought out at this time? Can't Your Highness wait until the Emperor returns before taking action against Buddhism?"

Li Chengqian put down the fishing rod in his hand and then pointed to the stone stool beside him:

"Uncle, sit down and let's chat!"

Gao Shilian didn't stand on ceremony either; he sat on the stone stool and waited for Li Chengqian to speak.

"Did Father tell you everything, Uncle?"

"He said some things and hid some things."

Li Chengqian picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Gao Shilian:

"Did he not say why he must abolish me?"

Gao Shilian's eyes were suspicious: "Hasn't the Emperor always been unable to make up his mind?"

"He made up his mind long ago. I want to take the Li Tang empire to gamble on an illusory future."

"Father knows part of my plan and is afraid that I will lose the Li Tang empire, so he must abolish me."

"Unfortunately! He can't bear to kill me, and he is afraid of the Xuanwu Gate succession system appearing, so he cannot abolish me on the charge of treason."

"Therefore, he thought of a way—a way that would force him to abolish me."

Gao Shilian thought of the struggle between Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, and his eyes became clearer and clearer:

"Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism? If you cannot succeed, the Emperor will take the opportunity to abolish you to avoid causing chaos in the world."

"If you succeed, he can also control the public notices, slowly make your actions public, and let all the people in the world know that your being abolished was purely self-inflicted."

"Exactly!"

Li Chengqian grinned: "Otherwise, how could Father go on an eastern expedition knowing that I was going to cause trouble?"

"This is wanting me to rush to the front, while he just hides in the back and waits quietly."

"The Emperor lets you rush to the front, so you let the Prince of Wei rush to the front?"

"The Emperor cannot be unaware of your thoughts. Is there anything else I don't know?"

Li Chengqian picked up the teacup and took a shallow sip:

"I can't guess! I don't want to guess! If I win, no one can take the public notices away. If I lose, at worst I'll go to Jiaozhi."

"Why doesn't the Crown Prince delay time? Can't you do this after you ascend the throne? Or wait until the Emperor returns?"

Li Chengqian shook his head slowly: "It's too late! A monk has already returned to the Great Tang and is on his way back to Chang'an."

"Now the interpretations of Buddhist law are very different, some even going in opposite directions, and this monk went to Tianzhu to practice three years before the Zhenguan era."

"This time he brought back a large number of Buddhist sutras, and he is proficient in Sanskrit, which will bring changes to Buddhism."

In just a few sentences, Gao Shilian saw the scene of Buddhists arguing and attacking each other.

He also saw the scene of Confucianism and Taoism hiding on the sidelines watching the show, and finally saw the scene of the three teachings of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism fighting.

"When will this master arrive in Chang'an?"

"Next year at the latest!"

"Is letting the disaster victims go to Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries to avoid disaster also for this matter?"

"Partly!"

Li Chengqian said lightly: "I will not use the lives of the people of the Great Tang as a gamble. If Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries do not open the door of convenience,"

"The Eastern Palace Six Rate Guards have already taken military tents to the disaster area, and they will also build simple shelters for the people as soon as possible."

Gao Shilian was serious: "Your Highness the Crown Prince, it is fine to let the Eastern Palace Six Rate Guards go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, but disaster relief will only be counterproductive. 'Soldiers are bandits' is not a joke."

"If they are not afraid of their actions being recorded in the genealogy, then let them go."

"I want to see what it's like when their sons open the first page of the genealogy and see that they were burning, killing, and looting."

"Debts are cleared when people die? That's impossible with me. If they dare to mess around during the disaster, I will not only strike at their hearts but also make their descendants unable to hold their heads up for a lifetime."