Chapter 46: Reforming the Morning Court, Abolishing the Curfew

At this moment, Li Er had completely figured it out; knowledge was the ladder of human progress.

Since it was named Wuben Fang, education in the Great Tang must be placed first.

The ministers in Wuben Fang were merely changing their place of residence, and the Court of Transmission was just changing its office location.

In this way, Wuben Fang completely became a melting pot of Great Tang culture.

"Your Majesty, what do you think about setting all of Xingdao Fang as the Court of Transmission?" Su Liang offered his suggestion at this moment.

After all, Xingdao Fang was one of the smaller ones among the 108 wards of Changan, about 350 steps east-west and north-south, or about 520 meters.

In the future, the Great Tang's departments would definitely be much more numerous than now, so it was good to make arrangements in advance.

At this moment, besides some inns and the residences of a few ministers, there were only about 500 households in Xingdao Fang, which was quite convenient to handle.

"Good, good, good..." Li Er said immediately upon hearing this.

"In this way, the Court of Transmission in Pingkang Fang can also be vacated. In addition, two more ward gates can be opened in the north and south of Xingdao Fang for the convenience of ministers entering and exiting."

"Alright... let's leave it at that for now. Today I will treat you all to crayfish."

After Su Liang finished speaking, he immediately asked Er Hu to go to Furong Lake to catch crayfish.

Of the 1,000 catties of crayfish rewarded by the system last year, Su Liang had only eaten 200 catties, and the remaining 800 catties were raised in Furong Lake. After all, at this time, there were no more crayfish in the Great Tang except in the Furong Garden lake.

This year, Su Liang also planned to release all the smaller crayfish caught into the Chan River. Before long, the Great Tang citizens would all be able to eat crayfish.

That evening, Su Liang prepared crayfish in six flavors.

Not only that, he also prepared Li Er's favorite braised lion's head, spicy boiled fish, and so on.

At this moment, Li Er, full and satisfied, looked at Su Liang and said: "Virtuous son-in-law, when will your car be finished? I also want to..."

Not giving Li Er a chance to continue, Su Liang waved his hand and said: "Hehe... Your Majesty, don't set your sights on me again."

After Li Er rode in the carriage Su Liang made last time, he asked for it on the spot.

This was a car, and the difficulty of manufacturing it was not just ordinary; it had cost Su Liang a full 40 million prestige points. Furthermore, the demolition and renovation of the old city area in Changancheng still required Su Liang's prestige points to exchange for corresponding building materials.

Su Liang would absolutely not agree to Li Er's request. Now, the car that Changle suggested for Yao'er was still nowhere to be found.

Li Er shouldn't even think about it, at least not now!!

As the words fell, Li Er didn't know what else to say.

At the same time, he also understood very well that if the car Su Liang spoke of was so easy to build, he naturally wouldn't be stingy.

"Sigh..." Li Er sighed deeply at this moment.

Previously, Li Er had learned from Changle that the car Su Liang built could travel 400 to 500 li in one hour, and he couldn't help but be tempted.

After all, for the current Great Tang, this was truly unbelievable; that was the existence of being able to travel 6,000 li in a day.

Su Liang, seeing Li Er looking unhappy, looked at him and said: "There is no car, but a motorcycle is possible."

"Motorcycle, what is that?" Before Li Er could speak, Zhangsun Wuji, who was to the side, couldn't help but frown and ask.

"Uh..."

"It's just like a car, it's also a means of transportation, but it only has two wheels," Su Liang explained.

"Then how far can it travel in one hour?" Li Er asked excitedly.

"About the same speed as a car, or even a little faster."

"However, it's best not to go too fast, after all, that is truly too dangerous," Su Liang continued to explain.

"Then where does the power come from? The wooden ox and flowing horse you manufactured only travel 100 li a day," Li Er asked.

"Using fierce fire oil, fierce fire oil can generate power when it burns."

"I won't explain this in detail to Your Majesty. When the car is built, you will know when you try it," Su Liang didn't want to say too much; even if he explained it, Li Er wouldn't understand it at this moment.

Fierce fire oil was the ancient name for petroleum, and currently, it was only used for war purposes.

"Good, good, good... Then I will wait. How much longer do you need to build the car and motorcycle?" Li Er asked.

"Uh... the car will need about 20 more days, as for the motorcycle, within a month," Su Liang said after a little thought.

Currently, the things needed for the car were almost all ready, and it just needed Su Liang to assemble them bit by bit. This was a technical job, and he didn't understand these things, so he still needed to rely on the encyclopedia search engine to try slowly.

"Good, good, good... When you build the motorcycle, I can push the morning court time back a bit," Li Er said happily.

"Why, is Your Majesty going to reform the morning court?" Su Liang asked.

"That is indeed the case. Now that the roads in the Capital Region have been built, ministers don't need to get up so early to attend court."

"Besides, didn't you say that you could build the motorcycle within a month?" Li Er stared at Su Liang and said.

"This..."

Su Liang was extremely depressed; Li Er was truly a good emperor.

Not only was he seeking welfare for the Great Tang people, but now he was also thinking about seeking welfare for the ministers.

After pondering for a long time, Su Liang continued: "Your Majesty, let's not bring out the motorcycle for now. If the ministers ride it, it's truly too dangerous."

"Hehe... Is my virtuous son-in-law looking down on the Great Tang's ministers?" Li Er was immediately unhappy.

"According to what you said, wouldn't riding a horse also be dangerous?"

"Just let the ministers ride slowly, it's not like they have to ride that fast."

As the words fell, Su Liang didn't know what else to say.

After all, Su Liang didn't have time to build an electric scooter yet. It wasn't that he couldn't build it, it was just that charging an electric scooter was a troublesome matter, and the infrastructure in Changancheng was not yet perfect.

This would have to wait until Changancheng was renovated.

It seemed that the infrastructure of Changancheng still needed to be properly changed. Su Liang couldn't help but feel a headache about this matter at this moment.

Only after a while did Su Liang speak leisurely: "Your Majesty, now that there are no more petty thieves causing trouble in Changancheng, why not lift the curfew?"

"Oh? What scheme is my virtuous son-in-law up to now?"

Li Er asked suspiciously.

"In less than half a year, the multi-story small buildings in Changancheng will all be built, and there will be no need for ward officials by then."

Su Liang also gave his own reasons.

Before this, the various wards and markets of Changancheng were opened and closed by the ward officials of each ward in the morning and evening.

But after Su Liang's renovation, there was no need for this anymore, after all, every residential area now had walls.

"This... this..."

Li Er also understood the meaning behind Su Liang's words. The residential areas Su Liang renovated now already had a bit of the flavor of wards and markets, and one only needed to manage the residential areas well.

"I can agree to this, but the specific measures still need to be discussed with the ministers."

Two days later.

The first year of Zhenguan, April 20th.

At this moment, inside the Liangyi Hall of the Taiji Palace.

Li Er sat at the head and looked at the ministers and said: "I intend to lift the curfew in Changancheng. What good suggestions do you all have for this?"

As the words fell, the ministers began to whisper to each other.

A moment later, Wei Zheng said: "Your Majesty, the public security in Changancheng is already quite good now, so lifting the curfew is not impossible."

"The main problem at present is the issue of multi-story residential areas. Although the Imperial Son-in-law's move is a great good thing, in this way, it will inevitably make the population of Changancheng too concentrated, and it needs to be managed well."

As Wei Zheng's words fell, the ministers nodded vigorously.

Recently, they had also frequently discussed this matter in the Court of Transmission. The population density of the multi-story residential areas was ten times higher than before, and it indeed needed to be properly managed, otherwise, trouble might arise.

"Then, do you ministers have any objections to lifting the curfew?" Li Er asked.

"We have no objections!"

"We have no objections!"

The ministers all seconded the motion at this moment.

"Then, how do you ministers think the public security problem of the multi-story small buildings should be handled?" Li Er looked at the ministers and asked.

At this moment, Fang Xuanling stood up and said slowly: "Your Majesty, you can let the Gate Guard assist the ward officials in handling this matter. Now, the Left and Right Gate Guards of Changancheng each have 25,000 people, and the Right Gate Guard is enough to be responsible for this matter."

As the words fell, Li Er nodded with satisfaction.

The current Changancheng was no longer the Changancheng of last year. Last year, Changancheng only had 50,000 people, while the Gate Guard alone had 50,000 people at this time.

In addition, there were 30,000 Qianniu Guards and 10,000 Divine Machine Battalion in Changancheng.

This was indeed the most appropriate method.

"Ministers, does anyone else have any good suggestions?" Li Er scanned the other ministers and asked.

After waiting for half a quarter of an hour, no one in the hall spoke.

The Duke of Liang's suggestion was already the most appropriate.

"Since you ministers have no objections, then this matter is settled. From today on, the curfew in Changancheng is lifted!"

As Li Er's words fell, seeing that the ministers had no other matters, he immediately spoke about the affairs of Xingdao Fang and Wuben Fang.

"Ministers, I intend to build a library in Wuben Fang, and the ministers in Wuben Fang need to move."

This... this...

At this moment, the ministers in Wuben Fang were speechless and unable to speak for a long time.

"Hehe... You ministers don't need to worry so much, I have already arranged your residences, they are the Sihe Academy newly built by the Prince of Chu."

"I believe you ministers will be satisfied."

Everyone was overjoyed upon hearing this. They knew about the houses Su Liang built.

When the houses in Taoyuan County were sold last year, many of them had already bought them, and they were indeed extremely comfortable. Besides, the Sihe Academy Su Liang built now was in Wannian County, not far from the Imperial City.

"In addition, the Court of Transmission in Wuben Fang and Pingkang Fang will all be moved to Xingdao Fang. In the future, the Great Tang's Court of Transmission will all be gathered here, which will be easier to manage."

The ministers did not feel anything wrong with Li Er's words.

At this moment, they nodded and praised.

Just at this moment, Li Er continued with deep eyes: "After the library is built, anyone can read and browse the books in the library. I will also bring out some books from the Hongwen Library."

"I don't know how big the library Your Majesty is building needs to be?" Fang Xuanling asked.

"Haha... 200 mu!" Li Er laughed loudly.

Everyone was dumbfounded upon hearing this. How many books would it take to fill 200 mu of space?

His Majesty's Hongwen Library only had 200,000 books.

At this moment, some people had already thought of Su Liang. After all, everyone knew Su Liang's abilities.

"Hehe... Not only that, from now on, only the Imperial Academy and the library will remain in Wuben Fang. In the future, Wuben Fang will surely become the cradle for the students of our Great Tang."

As the words fell, the ministers couldn't help but think of Taoyuan Academy built by Su Liang. Taoyuan Academy in Taoyuan City occupied four wards of Taoyuan City, with an area of nearly 20,000 mu.

Looking at the Imperial Academy's territory again, it really seemed too small.

The ministers didn't know that Taoyuan Academy was designed by Su Liang according to the universities of later generations. After all, universities in later generations were often thousands of mu in size, not to mention that Taoyuan Academy had four major colleges.

Su Liang was just that kind of person; either he didn't do it, or if he did, he would do it the best, of course, within his capabilities!

As the words fell, the ministers began to ponder. The current Imperial Academy led the six schools: National School, Grand School, Four Gates School, Law School, Book School, and Arithmetic School.

Although it was barely enough, it did not have Su Liang's knowledge.

Just as the ministers were pondering, Li Er continued: "The Prince of Chu has said that he intends to bring out tens of millions of books in the future. Do you ministers still think the library's area is small?"

This... this...

As the words fell, the ministers were completely stunned.

Tens of millions... tens of millions...

They were muttering to themselves at this moment, it was truly unbelievable, but they couldn't help but believe it. Su Liang had never failed to keep his word.

"Your Majesty, why not build the entire east side of Wuben Fang into a library? If the Prince of Chu really brings out tens of millions of books, 200 mu of space won't be enough."

At this moment, Cheng Yaojin couldn't help but advise Li Er.

"Hehe..." Li Er gave a light smile.

"Couldn't Su Liang build the library like a multi-story small building?"

"Uh..."

Cheng Yaojin was speechless upon hearing this. He was too rash today.

He was still thinking about helping Su Liang get more land.

"Alright, if you ministers have nothing else, then retire from court." Li Er waved his hand. Then he looked at the Minister of Works and said: "Duan Lun, you stay."

A quarter of an hour later.

Inside the Ganlu Hall of the Taiji Palace.

Li Er took out the papermaking method recorded by Wang De two days ago and handed it to Duan Lun: "This is the papermaking method improved by Su Liang. It only takes about 55 days to produce paper."

"This... this..."

Duan Lun was stammering and couldn't say a complete sentence. What had happened a few days ago was enough to shock him.

Now the new papermaking method only took 55 days, which was simply incredible.

Li Er couldn't help but laugh out loud at this moment: "Hehe... You should take it, study it well, and prepare the paper needed for the bookstore as soon as possible."

"In addition, copy this papermaking method properly." ===== CHAPTER 47 =====