"Third uncle, tell me, which of these four factions are your people?" Li Tao asked.

"The Hero Sect should be counted, right?" Li Longji guessed.

Li Tao shook his head.

"Then you mean the old courtiers?"

Lee still shook his head.

"Aren't you those royal relatives?"

"Third uncle, none of these four factions are your people, that is to say, none of these courtiers are your people!"

"Huh?" Not only Li Longji, but even Li Chengqi on the side was also taken aback.

"Tao'er, you can tell me more carefully." Li Longji frowned.

"Let's not talk about the royal faction and the wall-riding faction, let's talk about the meritorious faction and the old minister's faction. The people of the meritorious faction are meritorious from the dragon, and they are inevitably proud of their merits, and their minds are all about grabbing power, how can you understand what you want to do now, third uncle? Even if they understand, they don't have the ability to help the third uncle realize his ambitions, can such a person be counted as your person? ”

"That's what Tao'er said!"

"Most of the old ministers are old-fashioned people, but the third uncle, you want to get rid of the old and cloth the new, which is incompatible in itself. In addition, the old minister faction is caught in a battle with the meritorious faction all day long, how can he have the heart to help the third uncle rectify the dynasty? The meritorious faction and the old minister faction can't think the same thing as the third uncle, and you will naturally feel that you are alone and difficult to hinder everywhere? ”

Li Longji sighed and said, "Then what do you say?" ”

"Imperial faction, don't worry about the third uncle, my uncle and I are already helping you settle down. The wall-riding faction doesn't have to pay attention to it, the third uncle only needs to solve the meritorious faction and the old minister faction. Meritorious officials can give them higher courtesies in the future, but they cannot be allowed to participate in the decision-making of the imperial court. Old ministers, let them slowly leave the decision-making center of the imperial court. Third uncle, you have to put the person who can resolutely carry out your intentions in the position of prime minister as soon as possible. Only by straightening out the relationship can your ideas finally come to fruition. ”

Li Longji listened and thought for a moment. He asked again, "Tao'er, what you said is simple. But the heroes and the old ministers are not willing to compromise, I can't force them out of the court, right? ”

"This matter can't be rushed, third uncle, you find someone first, this person must have an extraordinary relationship with the third uncle, you must be able to understand your thoughts, and will implement your ideas unconditionally. And this person wants to be able to talk to the heroes and the old ministers, and the third uncle can pass this person and slowly marginalize these heroes and old ministers. The rest will be easy. ”

Li Longji was stunned, and then said after a while: "Tao'er, the person you are talking about will not be yourself, I think only you meet the conditions you just mentioned." ”

"Of course it won't be me, not only will I not enter the court, but I also hope that the third uncle will not let people from the royal family participate in the court as much as possible in the future, so that the court will be more stable!"

After hearing this, Li Longji couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "Tao'er, you are really a pearl of words." ”

Li Tao smiled: "To the people of the royal family." The third uncle can adopt the form of the royal family's club and spend money to raise them. ”

"I know that, but I'll say it earlier, these royals don't include you. You're going to have to worry about me. ”

"Third uncle, you have to treat everyone equally!"

"It's settled, no more talk!" Li Longji asked impatiently, "You tell me quickly." Who is the person you were talking about? ”

"Actually, Third Uncle, you already have a candidate in your heart. Do you still need to ask me? ”

Li Longji nodded and said, "Yes, I thought about it." Yao Chong is the most suitable. ”

Li Tao smiled and said to Li Chengqi: "Uncle, how is it, did you lose?" ”

"You're about to become an immortal, okay, I'll admit defeat!" Li Chengqi said helplessly.

Li Longji asked strangely, "Big brother, what's going on?" ”

"Tao'er made a bet with me, saying that you already have a candidate for the first ruler in your mind, and this person is none other than Yao Chong." Li Chengqi did not hide it.

"Tao'er, how did you find out?"

Li Tao said with a smile: "The third uncle has his own way to deal with the old ministers, and the main worry is the heroes. The heroes stood out by killing people, and the bloody aura on their bodies was too heavy, which was easy to make people feel fearful, which was not conducive to uniting more officials. In order to put the government on the right track, it is necessary to work together from top to bottom. These heroes share life and death, share weal and woe, and their relationship with each other is too close, and it is inevitable that they will form parties for personal gain. In addition, most of the heroes have suddenly risen to prominence in the political arena by means of intrigues. They are strong in adaptability, but weak in governance. They are heroes, but they are not capable ministers, and letting heroes be prime ministers is not in line with the current situation. ”

Speaking of this, Li Tao paused: "But Yao Chong is different, he has been a prime minister and a assassin, and he has more experience than heroes." Back then, when Emperor Zetian was in charge, Yao Chong judged the situation and used the whole family as a guarantee to untie Wu Zetian's heart knot, which ended the politics of cool officials. This credit alone is enough to impress the world. When the third uncle was the crown prince, he fought with Princess Taiping, and it was Yao Chong who proposed to let Princess Taiping leave Chang'an. Yao Chong did not participate in the coup d'état, he was not so bloody, and he was easily accepted by more people, so he was the best candidate for prime minister. ”

The central power of the Tang Dynasty inherited the three-province system of the Sui Dynasty, that is, Shangshu Province, Menxia Province and Zhongshu Province as the core of power. Shangshu Province is the most important department, commanding hundreds of officials, in charge of the world's military and political affairs, somewhat similar to today's State Council. The governor of Shangshu Province was originally the Shangshu Order of Zheng Erpin, but because Emperor Taizong had served in this position back then, he should be avoided, so the governor of Shangshu Province was held by two deputy positions, that is, from the left servant of Erpin and the right servant shot. Their deputies are the left Cheng on the fourth rank and the right Cheng under the fourth grade.

The officials in Shangshu Province who most directly held the power to deal with government affairs were the six departments of Shangshu and Shilang, namely the six departments of officials, households, rites, soldiers, criminals, and workers. Each has a book, and there are three products; The two waiters are on the fourth grade. The Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Household are often important candidates for prime ministers.

Zhongshu Province does not directly deal with general affairs, and the governor Zhongshu orders two people, and two products. The deputy position is the Zhongshu Shilang, who is the third product. Their job is to assist the emperor in managing military affairs.

There are also two of the governors of Menxia Province, and they are two of them. The deputy is a squire under the door, and he is the third product. Their job was to take charge of the orders of the Cashier, review government decrees, and consult with the provincial capital of Zhongshu when problems were discovered.

At the beginning of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, there were only five prime ministers: Zhongshu Ling, Shizhong Monk Shuling. Later, due to the heavy workload of the prime minister and the fact that some people with unique expertise were often needed to provide reliable advice for the emperor's decision-making, the selection of the prime minister was no longer only based on the quality of the official, but for the purpose of handling the needs of government affairs. As a result, the six Shangshu and Shilang of Shangshu Province, the Shilang of Zhongshu Province and Menxia Province, and even officials in positions such as secretary and supervisor, Wei Weiqing, etc., will also be appointed as prime ministers, and the sign is to add "Participation in Governor's Affairs", "Gains and Losses in Senate", "Pingzhang Affairs" or "Three Grades under the Door of Tongzhongshu" to their official titles. If this kind of political participation is not added, even the governors of the three provinces cannot be regarded as prime ministers. (To be continued......)