Chapter 163: Merit

Luo Tong and Qin Haiyu set out from Hongnong once again.

This time, each of them led a force of over ten thousand men.

Their publicly stated mission was to protect the grain distribution routes and severely crack down on price gouging, unauthorized purchasing, and illegal trafficking of grain in the market.

The Great Tang also recognized the right to private property.

When the aristocratic families had refused to sell their grain previously, he could not force them—after all, the grain belonged to them.

But now that they wished to sell, they had to do so according to his rules.

Grain could only be sold within the Guanlong region, it could not be sold to out-of-town merchants, and strict crackdowns would be imposed on those who hoarded grain at low prices.

In an instant, the Guanlong region became a valley of low grain prices throughout the entire Great Tang.

Right at this moment, Zhangsun Wuji returned to Chang'an, bringing with him the fifty million coins given to him by Li Zhi.

Li Shihmin came out personally to welcome Zhangsun Wuji.

To call it welcoming Zhangsun Wuji would be more accurate to call it welcoming those fifty million coins.

The first person Li Zhi thought of after making a fortune was his own father.

How filial.

And he had made a contribution to the country and the state.

Li Shihmin felt all the more that he should support Li Zhi from behind the scenes, helping him completely resolve the monopoly of the Guanlong aristocratic families once and for all.

"Your Majesty, these are all sent by His Highness the Prince of Jin."

In front of Li Shihmin, Zhangsun Wuji could finally hold his head high.

Li Shihmin was overjoyed.

"Fuji, you have worked hard. I plan to restore you to the head of the Secretariat; in the future, I shall rely heavily upon you for the affairs of the realm."

Li Shihmin was perhaps a bit too overjoyed.

Even Zhangsun Wuji, who merely escorted the fifty million coins back, received a magnificent reward, so what would Li Zhi's reward be?

Zhangsun Wuji longed to put in a good word for Li Zhi.

Yet some things were better left unsaid.

Zhangsun Wuji was not yet ready to reveal so openly that he had joined Li Zhi's faction.

Even though that was precisely what he thought in his heart.

Following this Prince of Jin truly meant having food to eat, an official position to hold, and merits to claim.

As for the Crown Prince Li Chengqian...

Comparisons were truly odious.

***

Zhangsun Wuji resumed his duties as the head of the Secretariat, becoming the Chancellor of the Great Tang.

Numerous officials came to offer their congratulations.

***

Returning from the Secretariat, Zhangsun Wuji felt brimming with spirit and vigor.

He specially had his household set up a family banquet, intending to entertain some of his disciples and former subordinates while offering them certain insights.

Seated around the banquet table were none other than members of Zhangsun Wuji's faction.

Among them were former subordinates from his military days and junior officials from his tenure in government, now dispersed across various offices of the imperial court.

"With Your Excellency regaining the Emperor's deep trust, it seems the future affairs of the Great Tang will rest entirely upon Your Excellency."

An official stood up to flatter Zhangsun Wuji.

Upon hearing these words, Zhangsun Wuji found them rather familiar—they were precisely what Li Shihmin had said to him.

Zhangsun Wuji hurriedly spoke up: "Recently, within your respective offices, has anyone been involved in matters concerning His Highness the Prince of Jin?"

The officials and military generals seated around the table exchanged confused glances.

They could not fathom why Zhangsun Wuji would suddenly inquire about matters relating to Li Zhi.

An official from the Ministry of Personnel stood up and said, "Recently, the Prince of Jin has appointed many officials to the Six Ministries of the court. It seems they all rendered meritorious service in Hongnong. Instead of returning to Chang'an, they hold concurrent official posts in the Six Ministries while remaining in Hongnong. Some people within the Ministry of Personnel harbor strong reservations about this."

Zhangsun Wuji's expression turned deeply solemn.

He knew that the promotion and appointment of officials in the Great Tang required seniority.

Many of the officials Li Zhi promoted might lack the requisite seniority.

Yet they had achieved concrete results under Li Zhi's command.

There must surely be valid reasons for Li Zhi to employ them.

"Tomorrow I shall pay a visit to Minister Fang of the Ministry of Personnel. Any arrangements made by the Prince of Jin, provided they are reasonable, must be approved without exception."

Zhangsun Wuji's words allowed his subordinates to grasp the prevailing political wind.

Some had already heard that it was precisely because Zhangsun Wuji brought back fifty million coins from Hongnong that he was re-favored by Li Shihmin.

Why did Li Zhi not ask someone else to escort this batch of money, but chose Zhangsun Wuji instead?

Was this not a blatant gift of unearned merit bestowed upon Zhangsun Wuji?

It was now to be surmised that Zhangsun Wuji was about to return the favor.

"Upon returning, this subordinate will certainly convey Your Excellency's intentions to our colleagues in the Ministry of Personnel."

The official from the Ministry of Personnel understood.

If one wished to advance in the imperial court hereafter, one had to curry favor with the Prince of Jin.

Even Zhangsun Wuji was acting accordingly.

One must no longer view the Prince of Jin as a mere child; in the future, this youth might well become the crown prince of the Great Tang, and eventually its emperor.

To ingratiate oneself, one must do so early.

Once Li Zhi became crown prince or even emperor, there would be no place left for them.

***

Wei Zheng had been suffering from a severe headache recently.

***

On one hand, certain tactless officials insisted on making irresponsible remarks about what Li Zhi was doing.

On the other hand, he knew that Li Shihmin placed absolute trust in Li Zhi, rendering any attempt at remonstrance completely futile.

"Your Majesty, this action by the Prince of Jin to inflict heavy losses upon the Guanlong aristocratic families may seem heartening at first glance, but I fear it threatens to shake the foundations of the state. Many officials in the court originate from the Guanlong families or possess intricate ties with them."

Wei Zheng had always been renowned for his daring remonstrances.

He sought an audience with Li Shihmin in person, specifically bringing up Li Zhi's suppression of the Guanlong aristocratic families.

He understood that it was impossible for Li Shihmin to halt Li Zhi's endeavors at this stage, yet he spoke out nonetheless.

With a smile, Li Shihmin asked, "In your esteemed opinion, Minister Wei, should I summon the Prince of Jin back to Chang'an, allow the Guanlong families to sell off the grain in their hands, and let them recover their vitality?"

"That would certainly be one option."

Wei Zheng was at a loss for what to say.

Li Shihmin laughed heartily and said, "Actually, I understand your intentions. You wish for me to issue a light disciplinary warning to those Guanlong families; treated with such leniency, they would surely be grateful for my grace, and for the next decade or two, they would not dare to contend with the imperial court again."

Wei Zheng thought for a moment and nodded; that was indeed his meaning.

"Have you ever considered that as long as the Guanlong families continue to exist, they will stir up trouble in the Great Tang again in the future? When they make a comeback ten or twenty years from now, will the Great Tang be able to withstand such a storm once more?"

Li Shihmin appeared grave and stern.

This made Wei Zheng realize why Li Shihmin possessed such unwavering determination to eradicate the Guanlong families.

Perhaps Li Shihmin also felt that he was no longer in his prime.

Li Shihmin was not afraid that these Guanlong family members could pull off any excessive stunts while he was still emperor.

Even if the Guanlong families survived this ordeal, they would still be severely crippled.

But what about the future?

Regardless of whether Li Chengqian ascended the throne or the throne was passed to Li Zhi in the future, they would all face a monumental problem.

That problem was the resurgence of the Guanlong aristocratic families.

Wei Zheng said, "Even if the old aristocratic families are destroyed, new ones will inevitably rise to take their place."

Shaking his head, Li Shihmin replied, "Our Great Tang is different from the chaotic era of competing states during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, transitioning from the Jin to the Sui. The Great Tang will not condone large aristocratic families monopolizing privileges. My aim is to ensure that those with true ability occupy the halls of government."

"What I wish to see in the future is not families of official pedigree, but families of scholarly standing. I do not wish to see the aristocratic culture passed down through successive dynasties continue to escalate and fester within the Great Tang!"

Wei Zheng finally understood Li Shihmin's true intent.

He offered no further arguments in defense of the aristocratic families.

He also understood that Li Shihmin was firmly resolved to eradicate the aristocratic families, come what may.