Taiji Palace, solemn and solemn, Tang Emperor Li Shimin sat on the dragon chair. Li Xuan, Li Xiong, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Liu Xun, Li Jing, Cui Gan, Lu Chengqing, Wei Zheng, Changsun Wuji, and Cen Wenwen were consciously divided into two columns according to their official positions, sitting on both sides of the head of the Tang Emperor Li Shimin.

Li Xuan looked at everyone present, he knew in his heart that the people present were the core elites of the entire Tang Empire, they represented all the forces of the Tang Dynasty, and represented the interests of all parties in the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Emperor Li Shimin convened this inner court meeting, and I am afraid that there will be big things to say.

Sure enough, soon the Tang Emperor Li Shimin said to everyone: "The Turks have retreated, but the Turkic Jieli Khan has wolf ambitions, and he will definitely come back to invade my Tang Dynasty again." Although I won the victory of the Tang Dynasty this time, the grievances of victory and the shame of victory made the Turks fight under the city of Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, and I was forced to sign an alliance with them, and exchanged all the wealth in the treasury of the Tang Dynasty for a short period of peace. Those riches are the blood and sweat of my Tang people for many years, these riches were not used for the country, not for the people, but bribed the Turks who invaded my Tang Dynasty. This is really the first shame since the founding of the Tang Dynasty! Before the next Turkic arrival, Aiqing, let's discuss together how to govern my Datang, and how to make my Datang strong as soon as possible? With the shame of being forced to sign the alliance under the city. ”

As soon as the Tang Emperor Li Shimin's voice fell, Wei Zheng, the imperial historian, stood up and said: "How to make the country rich and strong? In fact, at the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the monarchs and ministers of the Han Dynasty explored a path: external Confucianism and internal law, agriculture-oriented, light taxation, recuperation, and strict economy. Give the people enough land, build water conservancy, persuade agriculture and mulberry, care about the people's strength, and do not occupy agricultural time, so that in a few years, our Datang will inevitably have a high grain yield, the country will be rich, and the population will increase. The soldiers were strong and became a strong nation. Throughout the ages, the truth is simple and easy to understand, but there are few emperors who can really do it. Many emperors abandoned this simple and easy path for the sake of personal enjoyment, and in the end the country did not become strong and destroyed. Now the ministers don't know if His Majesty can restrain his own **, put the people first, and care about the people. Concerned about production? ”

After hearing Wei Zheng's words, the Tang Emperor Li Shimin said with emotion: "I not only bear the notoriety of killing my brother and nephew and captive father, but also the history books also record that I agreed to bribe the Turks with the Tang Treasury. If I can't make every effort to make the Tang Dynasty strong, I will be notorious and stinking for thousands of years. Therefore, as long as I can make Datang strong as soon as possible, I am willing to restrain my ** and not pursue enjoyment. People-oriented, care about the people, care about production. ”

After hearing the words of Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty, Wei Zheng happily took out a book from his sleeve and said, "Since Your Majesty has the heart to make the country prosperous. Strong and prosperous Tang Dynasty, the minister is willing to offer five policies for governing the country for His Majesty to adopt. Saying that, Wei Zheng opened the recital and read it aloud:

1. Rule of law. All officials of Datang do things in accordance with the laws of Datang; When officials of the third grade or higher discuss state affairs. Let the counselor always follow. In case of something that violates the laws of the Tang Dynasty, the officials can immediately stop it to avoid the occurrence of things that violate the law and government.

Listening to Wei Zheng's speech. Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty said excitedly: "Accurate, not only high-ranking officials above the third grade, but also me, when discussing national affairs, I must also let the servants and historians follow, so as not to violate the law and indulge my selfish desires." ”

Wei Zheng nodded with satisfaction and continued:

"2. Abolish torture, change all kinds of corporal punishments such as shaving noses and chopping off hands to exile and hard labor, increase the working population of our Tang Dynasty, and increase production.

Third, lightly pay a small tax, change the original tax from one out of five to one out of fifteen, and reduce the burden on the people of the Tang Dynasty. ”

As soon as Wei Zheng's words fell, Langzhong, the chief of the Ministry of Officials, and Sun Wuji, the chief of the Guanlong aristocracy, stood up and retorted: "Lord Wei, I can't agree with this third article. The reduction of taxes is indeed conducive to gaining the hearts of the people of Datang and improving the enthusiasm of the people for farming, but there are Turkic people in the north of Datang, and we must not only defend, but also prepare for attack, no matter which one, we are inseparable from money and food. Money and food will not fall from the sky, what does it depend on to maintain the military expenses and training of so many armies? That's relying on my Datang's taxes on the people. With taxes so low, how can the military budget of the army be raised? And how should the Turks respond? If the army can't stop the southern invasion of the Turks because of the problem of military spending, it will be the people of our Datang who will suffer in the end. ”

Wei Zheng did not answer, but looked up at Li Shimin, the son of the Tang Dynasty.

After Li Shimin groaned, he said slowly: "The emperor relies on the country, and the country depends on the people. Exploiting the people to support the emperor is like cutting off the flesh from the body to satisfy hunger, and the stomach is full and the body dies, the emperor is rich and the country is destroyed, and the country is rich and the people are driven to the brink of death. Therefore, the emperor's worries are not abroad, but often in the people. If the emperor's ** is less, the tax will be low, and the tax will be low, and the people's life will be rich, and the people will be rich, and the country will be more and more stable, and correspondingly, the emperor's position will be more and more stable, and it will be more and more guaranteed, so I agree with Wei Aiqing's speech. The eldest grandson Wuji looked helpless.

And Wei Zheng continued to say happily:

"Fourth, repatriate the palace people and return to their hometown. In this way, it can reduce the amount of money in the palace and avoid extravagance and waste; Second, it can increase the labor force and increase the population.

5. Abolish the temples of the whole country, and send all the false monks who do not work and evade taxes to their places of origin to work. ”

Hearing what Wei Zheng said, the Tang Emperor Li Shimin pondered and said: "The fifth suggestion, Wei Aiqing is too biased, although there are some men and women in the temple, and there are morally corrupt people, but there are indeed some monks who study Buddhism and study hard. Let's do it, let's make a compromise, only set up large monasteries in the imperial capital of Chang'an and Luoyang, the eastern capital, to facilitate the monks who are bent on seeking Buddha to come to live and study, and for those who are indiscriminate, they are all driven back to their hometowns and engaged in labor according to what Wei Aiqing said. ”

Everyone stood up and bowed to Li Shimin and said, "Your Majesty Shengming! ”

Soon, Wei Zheng's proposal of "external Confucianism and internal law, agriculture-oriented, light and meager endowment, recuperation, and strict economy" became the national policy of the Tang Dynasty, and the five policies he proposed for governing the country were quickly sent from the central government to the local level, and were strictly implemented. (To be continued......)

PS: Two shifts a day, I hope you will support a lot!