Chapter 315 Who is the relationship between Prince Li and Xiao Yan?
Tang Ning listened to the old man's scolding and chuckled, "That's because you're here, right? Besides, I'm young and it's hard for me to convince others. Besides, I'm already eye-catching enough now."
"Please shield me from the academy for a while. I'll keep my incompetence to myself for a while. After this period of time, I'll find an opportunity to make a splash."
Mr. Tong was amused by her, and his serious face couldn't hold back any more. "You're so thick-skinned! Is this how you use the art of making a big splash?"
Tang Ning chuckled.
Yue Jian brought the teapot over, and Tang Ning took a small pot beside her to make tea. When the fragrance of tea filled the room, Mr. Tong asked, "Is Governor Xiao feeling better?"
Tang Ning gently stirred the tea with a teaspoon. "It's still the same. I'm afraid I won't be able to get out of bed for a while. Lu Qin had murderous intentions when he attacked me. Brother just took the blame for me."
Speaking of aristocratic families, Mr. Tong's eyes were filled with disgust. "These people from aristocratic families are used to running rampant, treating the whole world as their own. They ignore the law and do whatever they want. It's a pity that the imperial power is weak, not to mention other people..."
At this point, the old man couldn't help but sigh:
"If the world continues like this, it will sooner or later be in chaos."
Although he was not in the court, he knew that the power of the Wei Dynasty was declining, and there were tigers and wolves in both the north and the south. However, the aristocratic officials in the court were only concerned with grabbing power and ignored everything else.
"That's why Lord Cao and I asked you to come out of seclusion. This academy doesn't seek anything else, but to train more ambitious people to provide new blood for the court, and perhaps suppress the aristocratic families."
Tang Ning gently lifted the teapot, brushed off the first layer of tea, and poured it into the bowl beside him. Then he added new water into the pot and watched the flames in the stove licking the pot.
"There are too many redundant officials in the court. The chronic disease requires strong medicine. More fresh blood will always bring vitality."
Mr. Tong shook his head when he heard this: "It's easy for you to say that, but it's not the turn of these students to be appointed to the imperial court. It's extremely difficult for people without a family background to enter the imperial court."
In such a huge imperial court, there are countless officials who come from humble backgrounds, otherwise they would not be suppressed to this extent by the aristocratic families.
Tang Ning said: "That was in the past, it may not be the case now."
Mr. Tong was startled when he heard this, and saw the little girl spinning the tea bowl in her hand, with ripples in the water, just like the words she said, which shook the water like huge waves when they fell into her ears.
"Your Majesty intends to hold an imperial examination to recruit scholars, and the upright faction within the court is also striving to win over them. This Rongsheng Academy was established in part due to the competition between the royal family and the aristocratic families."
"Before, the aristocratic families had been obstructing the process. The Lu family, led by several others, were unwilling to cede their own interests and give up the power to select officials. However, this time, Lu Qin made a serious mistake, and His Majesty originally intended to have him executed by slicing. To save his life, Lu Chongyuan agreed to give in."
Mr. Tong was shocked: "Are you serious?"
Tang Ning said, "It's absolutely true. Lu Chongyuan personally wrote a letter to Lord Cao, asking him to intercede for Lu Qin in the court. In exchange, the Lu family agreed to hold an imperial examination. Although the other aristocratic families will still object, as long as the Lu family withdraws, it will be difficult for the aristocratic families to unite."
The power of the aristocratic families is like the embankment of the Gou River. It is difficult to deal with them when they are united, but if one place collapses, it will be difficult to reverse the decline.
"Brother has already made some arrangements. Once the Lu family withdraws, the other families will naturally fight among themselves. With the support of the Qingliu faction, no one can stop this. The court will definitely hold a special examination next year at the latest."
Mr. Tong went from being in disbelief at first to being filled with joy later. He waved his sleeves and clapped his hands, laughing heartily: "Great, great! If this can be accomplished, the Governor and the County Lady will be doing a great favor to the students of the world!"
Tang Ning poured out the water from the tea bowl and said, "This is not our achievement. Cao Gong and the others should be thanked by the whole world."
"You don't need to be so humble. Although Cao Dejiang's actions are for the benefit of the world, the Qingliu faction is not without selfish motives. It is you and Governor Xiao. If it weren't for you two, this matter would have been difficult to accomplish."
When Mr. Tong was in the court, Xiao Yan had not yet entered the palace. By the time Xiao Yan gained power, he had already retired.
He had heard of the reputation of Governor Xiao and originally thought that he was like the eunuchs who abused their power and were treacherous and corrupt in the previous dynasty, but he never expected that he could be so decisive.
Mr. Tong suddenly couldn't help but sigh: "In fact, there were people like Governor Xiao in the past who were as righteous as him, wanting to clean up the court and serving the people with all their heart. It's a pity..."
He sighed deeply, full of regret.
Tang Ning's heart moved: "Are you talking about the Crown Prince Li?"
"You know?"
"I've heard a little bit, but not in detail. Do you know what happened back then?"
Mr. Tong hesitated for a moment, and seeing Tang Ning's confusion, he sighed softly, "When Crown Prince Li was in power, I was still in the court, and I know a little about his affairs. If you want to hear it, I can tell you, but since this matter has come out of my mouth and entered your ears, don't mention it again after you leave this place."
Tang Ning naturally knew the seriousness of the matter and quickly agreed.
The tea was boiling on the stove. After Tang Ning poured it for Mr. Tong, Mr. Tong touched the hot tea bowl and pondered for a moment before saying:
"Prince Li was born during the reign of Emperor Taizu. At the time, the late Emperor was neither the eldest nor the legitimate heir, and his status was not particularly high. However, Prince Li was gifted with intelligence and precocity from a young age. At the age of two, he was favored by Emperor Taizu and kept by his side to be raised. By the age of five, he was well-versed in various schools of thought. By the age of seven or eight, he was already proficient in writing, riding, and archery. Even at such a young age, he already possessed the majesty of an emperor..."
"Wait." Tang Ning interrupted: "I remember that the late emperor was born of a legitimate wife?"
"He is a legitimate child, but the late emperor adopted him into the care of Empress Yuan when he was only seven years old. This was known to all the senior officials back then, but after the late emperor ascended the throne, no one mentioned it again."
Tang Ning seemed to understand something when he heard this. When the Crown Prince was two years old, he was favored by the Emperor Taizu and kept by his side for upbringing. When he was seven years old, the late Emperor adopted him as the legitimate son of the Empress Yuan.
It doesn't look like Emperor Taizu thinks highly of the late emperor. It seems more like he is gilding the late emperor just to pave the way for the future of Crown Prince Li.
Tang Ning couldn't help but ask, "Is the late emperor taking advantage of Crown Prince Li?"
Mr. Tong was amused by her statement: "I don't know. Taizu never said it explicitly, but many people in the court at that time had some guesses."
At least in the eyes of those people at that time, the late emperor benefited from the help of Prince Li.
Mr. Tong smiled and then got back to the topic.
"Prince Li has been at Taizu's side since childhood, receiving his personal education. He is extremely gifted in both civil and military skills. By the age of ten, he had already demonstrated his brilliance in the court and even accompanied Taizu to court."
"Later, Taizu was forced to abdicate due to a recurrence of an old injury he sustained during a campaign in his youth. He passed the throne to the late emperor, and the imperial edict directly named him Crown Prince."
The ten-year-old boy suddenly became the crown prince of Wei, his status second only to the previous emperor.
Although Taizu abdicated at that time, the power of the court was still in his hands. The previous emperor was like a half "puppet" who led the emperor's reputation.
Taizu almost personally taught Prince Li how to be a wise ruler and win the hearts of the people. It was not until his death four years later that the power of the court returned to the hands of the late emperor. At that time, Prince Li, who was only fourteen years old, and the late emperor almost shared power in the court. The prince's influence even surpassed that of the late emperor at one point.
Tang Ning listened to what Mr. Tong said with a strange look on his face.
Why did she feel that these things between Crown Prince Li and the late emperor sounded vaguely familiar, as if she had heard them somewhere before?
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