After reading the data, Liu Rengui looked at Li Hong with a serious expression and said solemnly: "Your Highness, I support not sending troops to Goryeo and withdrawing half of the troops."

The Minister of War glanced at Liu Rengui, thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness, I agree with you, but I want to know why you agreed to Japan sending an envoy?"

Dai Zhide was stunned when he heard this, and quickly turned over the document in front of him, and continued to read, and finally saw the second meeting agenda: Agree to send Japanese envoys to Tang Dynasty to study in Tang Dynasty. However, the condition is to send troops to contain Silla and Baekje.

"Your Highness, I..."

"You still don't agree?" Li Hong said without even raising his eyelids.

"Your Highness, I think the two cannot be exchanged for conditions. Allowing Japanese envoys to come to our Tang Dynasty and sending Japanese troops to contain Silla and Baekje should be done separately."

"So who is responsible for this?"

"Naturally, the Ministry of Rites is in charge. Whether it is the matter of Japan sending envoys to the Tang Dynasty or mediating Japan's military deployment to Silla and Baekje, it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple." Dai Zhide said.

"Is Cui Dunli from the Honglu Temple here?" Li Hong asked without raising his head while looking at the document in his hand.

...

...

"I'm here." Cui Dunli quickly stood up and replied.

"Do you think the two should be combined into one conditionally?"

"I think this is completely feasible. Japan once sent troops to reinforce Silla and joined forces to fight against our Tang Dynasty. It was because of this that your Highness refused Japan to continue sending envoys to Tang Dynasty. I think Japan has no reason to refuse this condition that is not a condition."

"Okay, let the Honglu Temple take charge of this matter." After Li Hong finished speaking, he threw the imperial edict he had just drafted to the Minister of the Central Secretariat Pei Yan, then looked at the Ministry of Personnel Cen Changqian and said, "Read it and sign it. I will take all responsibilities."

"Your Highness, I think what Cui Siqing said is wrong..." Dai Zhide stood up and said.

"No need, you have been dismissed." Li Hong took the imperial edict signed by Pei Yan and Cen Changqian with a calm face and said lightly: "You can go home. You are no longer adapted to the current court. It is not because of your personal grudges, but because your thinking is outdated."

Li Hong pointed to his head and continued, "Times are changing, history is advancing, and the Ministry of Rites has always sent envoys, but the Ministry of Rites under your rule does not have people like Wang Xuance who are talented in everything, nor do they have people like Su Qin and Zhang Yi who are proficient in vertical and horizontal strategies and use their eloquence to fight for the interests of the Tang Empire, nor do they have ministers like Ban Chao who have endured for 31 years, served the Han Dynasty loyally, and expanded the territory in the Western Regions. As an official of the Ministry of Rites, whether in the court or in another country, you should be good at guessing, proficient in debate, adaptable, wise and brave, have long strategies, and be able to make decisions. You should be able to do everything, enter everything, and do everything. You should be able to open and close with moderation and be able to do everything. But the Ministry of Rites under your rule now only knows how to lie under the halo of the ministers of the upper country, thinking about other countries instead of the Tang Dynasty, so now you are no longer suitable for the court. As for your treatment, you can go to him after His Majesty returns."

After saying this, Li Hong threw the edict that had just been issued by the Menxia and Zhongshu and stamped by himself to Dai Zhide, who had a dazed look on his face and couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes.

"Li Yiyan from the Ministry of Personnel." Li Hong continued to lower his head, writing on the document slowly and steadily.

"I'm here." Li Yiyan looked helplessly at Dai Zhide, who was still in shock and disbelief, and stood up and replied.

"You can transfer the chief official of Jingzhou to the court and temporarily take over the position of Minister of Rites." Li Hong stamped the edict signed by Menxia and Zhongshu and threw it to Li Yiyan.

"I obey your order." Li Yiyan took over and said.

"Your Highness, I have an objection." Dai Zhide gradually came to his senses and said to Li Hong.

"You have no right to speak now. Wait until I finish my business before I listen to your nonsense." Li Hong didn't even raise his head and continued to write on the paper.

After finishing writing, he handed it to Mangzhong and said, "Seal it with wax and send it to Luoyang immediately."

The Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel drafted an edict: Liu Rengui could be appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Liaodong Road and the pacification envoy, and be ordered to withdraw half of the troops back to the army, and assign them to other important positions after they have rested.

The Minister of Rites went to the Goryeo envoy's residence to explain the Tang Dynasty's decision, saying that it could be reconciled but would not use military force.

From now on, all officials of the fifth rank and above in the court must spend one hour every day studying in the Chongwenguan and they are not allowed to refuse.

"Okay, Dai Zhide, do you have any objections?" Looking at the official who was drafting the edict writing furiously, Li Hong calmly asked Dai Zhide who was still standing there.

"I want to know, Your Highness, it's not because of personal grudges..."

"If it was a personal grudge, you would have already stopped being the Minister of Rites. The incident at Cuiwei Palace in Taiyi City was enough to get you dismissed. But because you are loyal to the Tang Dynasty and are upright and honest, you are allowed to continue to serve as the Minister of Rites."

Li Hong continued, as if speaking to other officials: "But several years have passed, and you have not improved at all. You still think that the prestige and glory of the Tang Dynasty are due to prestige and virtue! If it weren't for the lives and blood of the Tang soldiers, how could you stand among foreign envoys and listen to their compliments? Do you really think that the compliments of the envoys are from the heart?"

"But I believe that I have never done anything that would damage the dignity of the Tang Dynasty while in office." Dai Zhide said with his head held high.

"Do you know what your problem is? I warn everyone here, don't just want to hear what you already believe, but don't want to hear the truth. Our equal-field system is being destroyed. Who of you believes what you see? Our military system is being disintegrated. Have any of you thought about how to solve it? Why do you all want to see the current glory of our Tang Dynasty and want to get on top of it? How many of you here have followed the late emperor and others to build the country? Not many! Why can you rest on your laurels and allow envoys from various countries to praise you? Do you deserve it? Is it worth it?"

Seeing everyone silent, Li Hong slapped a stack of papers that had been prepared but not used on the table and said, "Here are your resumes when you served in local government. Each of you could be regarded as a pillar of the country. But when you arrived in Chang'an, stood in the court, and became the chief officials in charge of the three provinces and six ministries, you lost your sharpness. You became content with the status quo. You became cautious about your official rank and acted prudently. You only thought about how to get His Majesty to increase your titles, but no longer made plans for the future of the Tang Dynasty! Take care of yourself!"

After saying this, Li Hong waved to the guards at the door. Immediately, two strong guards walked up to Dai Zhide and dragged him out without waiting for him to refuse.

"Wait a minute." Li Hong suddenly stopped him.

The meeting hall was in complete silence at this moment. The sudden change happened so fast that before they had time to react and were still shocked by the Crown Prince's drastic measures, Dai Zhide was dismissed from office.

Hearing Li Hong's voice at this time, everyone couldn't help but feel relieved. Many people hoped that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would show mercy and treat what just happened as a farce and reinstate Dai Zhide.

Unexpectedly, Li Hong just said calmly: "Put down those documents in your hand. These are all related to the secrets of our Tang Dynasty. If they fall into the hands of someone with ulterior motives and are analyzed, it will not be difficult to judge the current situation of our Tang Dynasty's military strength and food supplies."

"Your Highness..." Dai Zhide seemed to have come to his senses, and spoke in a tearful voice.

"Take you away. We will decide how to deal with you when my father comes back." Li Hong said calmly.

The meeting in the council hall came to a preliminary decision under Li Hong's tough attitude. After repeatedly confirming what aspects the Japanese envoys could only learn, Li Hong ordered the court to be adjourned.

Seeing that each of the ministers folded the documents in their hands and placed them on their desks, and no one tried to take the documents away, Li Hong nodded with satisfaction.

"Liu Rengui, Ren Yaxiang, please wait a moment before leaving." Li Hong was still sitting there, picked up the water cup and took a sip of water and said. It was already noon and everyone was probably starving.

After everyone left, Li Hong motioned for the two to come to his sides, and then said to Xia Zhi: "Go prepare the food, and also for these two adults."

After Xia Zhi left, Li Hong took out two more documents and handed them to Ren Yaxiang and Liu Rengui, saying, "These merchants now have special identities. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't be able to understand the actual situation of Silla and Baekje. Therefore, you, Minister Ren, need to provide some help when necessary for these people's customs clearance documents."

Ren Yaxiang flipped through the list of hundreds of people, which contained detailed descriptions of their names and personal appearances, almost catching up with the group appearances that the Ministry of Household Registration prepared for each person every three years.

Tuanmao is nothing more than the same process as household registration in the previous life, which takes place once every three years and requires recording the physical features of the person.

"Your Highness, what do you mean?" Liu Rengui asked after thinking for a long time while holding the roster in his hand.

"You two can take these two documents with you, but only officials above the level of vice minister have the right to know about them. As for what's given to you, it's for you to contact them after you go to Liaodong this time. They will do their best to provide you with everything you want, but your mission is to protect the precious lives of our Tang soldiers and let the Goryeo soldiers fight for their land. Whether it's weapons or food, you can promise them as you like, and just distribute them in quantity."

Liu Rengui smiled. He understood what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince meant. Just as His Royal Highness had said in the past two days, I support you spiritually.

"What about the matter between Quan Nansheng and his brothers? How should we deal with it?" Liu Rengui asked.

Only by completely resolving the civil strife in Goryeo can the strategy of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince be implemented unimpeded in Goryeo.