Chapter 54: Tang Dynasty Monetary Standard, Are We Going to Become the Overlord of the United States?
Guo Ziyi was preparing his army at this time. Suddenly, he heard that His Majesty summoned him to Taiji Palace. He was completely confused.
Why do we have to go to Taiji Palace to discuss things? What do we have to discuss with those two retired emperors?
When he saw Li Shimin holding a bamboo pole and looking angry, Guo Ziyi immediately bowed and asked what was going on.
"nothing!
The more I think about it, the angrier I get, so I decided to teach Li Heng, this unfilial son and grandson, a lesson!"
Li Yu, who had also hurried over at this time, heard this and immediately tucked his head into his neck and took a few steps back:
"No, I won't go..."
Li Shimin immediately glared at him, and Li Yu shuddered all over:
"...Let's go?"
Li Shimin snorted at Li Yu and told him to hold the bamboo pole. Then he said to Guo Ziyi:
"Go and dismiss all these imperial guards, and then you personally guard the door. I don't want others to hear any strange noises."
His Li family still values loving fathers and filial sons, and cannot have any bad reputation spread, so he called two people who knew his identity.
Of course Guo Ziyi supported it wholeheartedly and quickly went outside to deal with the imperial guards.
At this time, Li Yu was following Li Shimin tremblingly, like a shivering quail.
Grandpa, why did you ask me to join you in beating my dad?
Ultimately, it was his father's fault. He shouldn't have let his son suffer like this!
"Hmph. Don't you have any responsibility?
Wasn’t it you who did the things with Li Huaixian, Li Baochen and Tian Chengsi in your previous reincarnation?
I won't hit you, but you have to watch over me carefully! Remember this!"
Li Yu suddenly didn't dare to speak, and tried to minimize his presence, hoping that his father would not notice him.
Li Shimin kicked open the door of the palace and entered the inner room.
Meanwhile, Li Heng was still lying on the bed groaning:
"I told you not to bother me, get out!"
However, before he could finish his words, he was grabbed by the back of his collar and lifted up, then fell heavily to the ground with a thud.
"Who? Who dares to throw me?
Rebellion! Has everyone rebelled?! "
In the darkness, Li Heng rubbed his hip, which was hurt from the fall. He was shocked and angry when he saw the two people in front of him.
"You? Dalang, Saburo! What are you doing?"
Li Shimin said nothing and stretched out his hand to the side.
Li Yu could only endure his father's angry glare and hand the bamboo pole to his ancestor, and then he heard an extremely loud "pa pa pa" sound from the side.
The bamboo pole was soft and tough, and the sound of it hitting the skin and flesh was very loud, followed by the father's howling, which was also very loud.
It's like killing a pig.
“Ahhhh!
"Third brother, what are you doing? How dare you hit your father? You unfilial son! You've really rebelled! You're a traitor!"
Oh, stop it, how could I have a son like you? If I had known earlier, I should have killed you directly!
Li Shimin kicked him directly in the chest and sent him flying several meters away, hitting the screen.
With a "bang", the table, screen and a bunch of things all fell on Li Heng, causing him to scream like a pig being slaughtered in pain.
"Treason?
I didn't kill you, my rebellious descendants, because I am merciful!"
Li Shimin stuffed a sock into Li Heng's mouth. Li Heng stared blankly, whimpering and struggling, looking at his eldest son Li Yu next to him.
Li Yu could only sigh and say:
"Father, please stop struggling. Your great-grandfather will give you a beating. This is the teaching of our ancestors.
It's all my fault. My son can't do anything about it. Just bear with it!"
Suddenly, Li Heng's eyes widened like copper bells. He looked at Li Shimin and then at Li Yu in disbelief.
"Father, haven't you guessed it yet?
Who could have pacified the world and brought the people together in just one year under such chaotic circumstances?
"Only our Li family's great grandfather, the Emperor Taizong, could have such great achievements in civil and military affairs!"
Li Shimin went up and kicked him hard a few more times, then heard him struggling and whimpering, so he pulled the rag off his mouth.
"What else do you have to say?"
“No, no, no, impossible.
You are my son, how could you possibly be... a..."
Li Shimin picked him up and threw him far away. Amidst his painful howls, he folded his arms and said coldly:
"Your Saburo?
In his previous life, he was poisoned to death by you and Li Fuguo with a cup of poisoned wine! It's a pity that he was so filial and loyal to you, but he was ruined by someone like you!
Having said that, Li Shimin picked up a bamboo pole and hit the fat on Li Heng's body.
After all, he was a man who went to the battlefield to kill the enemy. He had plenty of strength. When the bamboo stick hit him, blood marks appeared on every piece of his body.
Li Yu, standing beside him, gritted his teeth and felt a pain just from listening. Li Heng crawled on the ground, crying, howling, and begging for mercy.
"I told you not to abuse eunuchs!"
"I told you to use scholars as military commanders and kill 40,000 soldiers of the Tang Dynasty!"
"I told you you're a coward and incompetent, yet you still dare to promise the people of the Tang Dynasty to the Uighurs!"
"Are you the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty or a traitor? How could I, Li Shimin, have such spineless descendants like you!"
The noise became louder and louder. Guo Ziyi, who was guarding outside, scratched his ears, then closed his eyes and looked up, almost shaking his head and humming a little tune.
Even though he shouldn't be so happy, he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.
This is not good. As a loyal subject, this is really not good for him!
With a "snap", Li Shimin's bamboo pole broke.
Li Heng's body was swollen and painful. He took a quick look and saw that Grandpa Taizu seemed to have finally stopped. Only then did he dare to speak in his defense:
"I was forced to take over such a mess! It's so hard for me!
This situation was left to me by my father. It was already very difficult for me to barely hold on to Chang'an and Luoyang!"
This guy who has no self-reflection actually dares to talk back?
Li Shimin glared at him. But the bamboo poles were gone.
Fortunately, at this time, Shen Yue learned the news about Tian Mu and rushed over in the middle of the night. She hurriedly ran into the Taiji Palace and handed the beating tool in her hand to Li Shimin:
"Boss, I've already prepared this tool for you!
Do you think it's a feather duster, slippers, a thin cowhide whip soaked in chili water, or an iron abacus? I've been waiting for a year, just for today!"
[Wow, opportunities really do come to those who are prepared! Sisters are so cool!]
[It’s so comprehensive. We modern women are so comprehensive!
Erfeng, listen to me and choose a child who can't bear the consequences. You don't know how terrible it is for a child who can't bear the consequences. It will leave a psychological scar on the child for the rest of his life!
Li Shimin didn't understand how slippers could be used to hit people, so he chose the heaviest iron abacus.
Then he put one hand on Li Heng's neck and hit him on the buttocks with a thin and hard iron abacus.
After all, you can't really beat him to death, otherwise who will he vent his anger on in the future?
You still have to hit the thick skin and flesh. It hurts and is easier to heal!
Li Heng, who was almost fifty years old and could be considered someone else's grandfather, was stunned when he was spanked. The next thing he realized was the sharp, burning pain that made him tremble!
"Ahhh, stop hitting me, stop hitting me!
Grandpa, I know I was wrong. Grandpa Taizu, please stop beating me! "
"It hurts like hell, that's right!
This is a mixture of chili vinegar and pickled peppers that have been soaked for a year, specially made for beating people up!"
[Ahahaha, sister, you can do it!
Show me how good it feels. Your butt isn’t swollen yet. Give it a few more times!
The more you hit it, the more symmetrical it will be! 】
"I told you not to use Guo Ziyi, but to send the Tang elite to An Lushan every day!"
"I told you to favor villains and distance yourself from virtuous officials. You've brought this disaster upon the Tang Dynasty!"
"I asked you to appoint those three as Jiedushi of Heshuo, give them the surname of the emperor, and grant them the right to mint coins and military power?
Why don't you just give the throne to them directly? "
"You're so stupid and dumb, and yet you still have to let me, your ancestor, clean up your mess!"
Li Shimin became more and more powerful as he hit Li Heng, until the beads of the iron abacus broke apart and hit Li Heng's face and body with a crackling sound.
Li Shimin was fighting, and Li Heng was screaming like a pig being slaughtered, which eventually disturbed Li Longji, who was not far from the palace. He only realized that something was wrong at this time, and hurried in to see this scene. His jaw dropped:
"You! How could you two lay hands on your father?
You, the rebellious grandson, will be punished by heaven!"
"God's punishment? The one who should be punished is you, the traitor who destroyed my Li Tang dynasty!"
When Li Heng saw Li Longji, his eyes lit up as if he had seen a savior.
Dad is still the best!
"Grandpa Taizu, why are you hitting me alone? It's obvious that all these things were caused by my father. Ultimately, he bears the greatest responsibility!"
What? Great-grandfather?
Li Longji didn't expect that he would be betrayed by his son as soon as he arrived. He was angry and confused, and stood there like a wooden stick.
"Who are you?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Li Longji's heart suddenly skipped a beat and he stepped back in fear. He tripped over the threshold and his tailbone was almost broken into pieces. The pain was so severe that he felt dizzy.
No way, it absolutely couldn't be that person!
Li Longji was still standing there, his eyes dazed and shaking his head frantically, trying to deceive himself. Li Shimin had no time to pay attention to him for the time being, until he had broken all his plans into pieces, and then kicked Li Heng out, saying:
"It seems like you're enjoying being the emperor, so from today on, start copying The Emperor's Code and Essentials of Zhenguan Politics for me!
Copy it a hundred times every day. You are not allowed to eat or sleep until you finish it!"
"But, but Grandpa, my hand is still swollen!"
"Can't you copy with your feet if your hands are swollen? Can't you copy with your mouth?"
Li Shimin looked at Li Heng, who looked like a dead fish and whose face was swollen like a steamed bun, and knew that he could not fight anymore today.
Fortunately, Shen Yue was right next to him at this time. She quickly took out a large basin of alcohol:
"Your Majesty, now that you're done, I'll disinfect his wound to prevent him from getting an infection and dying, leaving you without more."
Although iodine could be used, Shen Yue chose to use high-proof alcohol directly. She poured a large basin of it on Li Heng from head to toe, and then heard a pig-killing scream.
Ah, what a beautiful pig sound!
Shen Yue scratched her ears and sighed, while Li Yu next to her was stunned and trembling, hugging himself and not daring to speak.
Li Longji collapsed at the door in fear, shaking so much that he couldn't speak.
Li Shimin looked at him but said nothing. He snorted, stepped past him, and strode out of the palace.
[I really enjoyed watching it today! But why didn't you beat Li Longji?]
Li Shimin was refreshed after the fight and could go back to his business:
“Keep his account first!
If he gets beaten today, he will just feel the pain. But I won't beat him, so that he will live in fear every day, living in the shadow of when he will be beaten!
Besides, I'm in a good mood right now. I'll come beat someone up to vent my anger and regain my strength next time I'm in a bad mood!"
[Hahaha, are these some kind of energy bars? They seem kind of useful, huh?]
[Don't worry, Erfeng. Next time you do it, I'll be there to hand you the tools!
The beating tools you had in the Tang Dynasty weren't good enough. We've got to look at our modern tools. Do you want a Septwolves belt? Or a chili and mustard spray?]
[Me, me! I have those hard-soled cowhide slippers my mom wore decades ago. They're not soft at all, and they hurt like hell. I'll remember that forever! I'll bring them to you next time!]
[I am a medical student. My expertise allows me to draw all the non-vital parts of the human body for Erfeng!
The hit was painful but not fatal, like stabbing someone over 30 times but still not killing them...]
Many netizens offered suggestions and contributed strategies to beat Li Longji.
At this time, Li Shimin came out of Taiji Palace and saw Guo Ziyi standing beside him with his eyes looking at his nose and his nose looking at his heart, so he glanced at him.
Guo Ziyi immediately raised his eyes to the sky:
"Your Majesty, a thief just broke into the Taiji Palace and intended to harm the Emperor!
Fortunately, Your Majesty and I arrived in time to apprehend the man and execute him on the spot. It's a pity that the Emperor was tortured and will probably need to rest for a while. It's better to have the Imperial Guards on high alert!"
[Hahaha, Guo Ziyi, you old fox! You old sly fellow are quite something!]
Li Shimin was very satisfied after hearing this, and then patted Guo Ziyi on the shoulder:
"Alright, from now on, you will lead the troops and fight diligently. You must capture the Uighur prince and the Uighur Khan for me, regardless of casualties!"
[It would be best to capture them alive, so they can come to Chang'an to dance, and our Jie Li Khan will have a successor!]
Guo Ziyi nodded in agreement, and Li Shimin continued:
"I am not like Li Heng, who gave you military power and sent eunuchs to supervise the army!
Just go ahead and fight, don't worry about anything else. I trust my own judgment and always trust the people I employ.
All you have to do is win the battle, make merit, and wait for the reward."
When Guo Ziyi, an old minister who had served in the court for many years, heard this, his eyes became hot.
For so many years, as a military general, he was afraid that his achievements would overshadow his master, and he was always trembling with fear, fearing that if he was not careful, he would be reported to the emperor and give the emperor a handle to be suspicious!
Now that His Majesty Taizong is here, he can finally let go and fight the war with confidence!
After so many years of fighting, Guo Ziyi finally knew what happiness was today!
Guo Ziyi is truly fortunate to be a subject to such a wise emperor as Emperor Taizong!
This is a blessing that many people can’t even dream of. It’s so good!
Guo Ziyi was deeply moved and quickly took the order to go back and take charge of the army.
Li Shimin was looking at the map, thinking about who could help him go on diplomatic missions to the Uighurs and Tubo to alienate these two forces.
The internal situation of Tubo and Uighur was even more chaotic, and there were many small tribes under them, especially the Sogdians, who had always had a grudge against Tubo.
The Tang Dynasty needs to recuperate now and it is not advisable to go to war directly. So let the Tubo rear become chaotic and consume its strength.
"I see. Proxy war, huh? We're familiar with that!"
[Yes, we Chinese are peace-loving people and cannot stand war.
The equipment was all picked up by them in the desert, it has nothing to do with us! 】
[That’s right, we pandas are all cute and eat steamed buns and live by being cute!
Foreigners don’t remember that we pandas are bears too, and we can knock down a South China tiger with one slap!
"What is a panda?"
[It’s the one with furry body, black and white, big eyes and dark circles. It’s especially cute here!
The whole world loves them! When foreign countries want a panda, they have to beg for years and still only lease it. They also have to airlift bamboo for the panda to eat and worship it like an ancestor! In the Tang Dynasty, they should have called it a tapir.
Li Shimin thought about it and remembered that when he was Emperor Taizong, he seemed to have seen pandas that were tributed from Bashu in the rare animal park and had touched them several times.
"No, isn't this thing everywhere in Bashu? I heard that the mountain folks there often see it. Why is it so rare and beloved in your place?"
Seeing everyone sending love messages on the screen, Li Shimin didn’t quite understand how a panda could have more fans than him?
This is outrageous...
But he decided to issue an order to Bashu, asking the local county magistrate to offer a large reward for catching some red pandas and sending them to Chang'an.
These modern people who work for him have made a lot of contributions. Give them some gifts during the Chinese New Year!
Modern workers don’t know that there is such a good thing in working for Boss Erfeng, otherwise Yuan Zai would not have been assigned the mission at this time.
When Yuan Zai heard that Li Shimin actually wanted him to go out as an envoy to carry out the important task of sowing discord, he was overjoyed!
That’s fine. Your Majesty values him so much, he will definitely be promoted to become prime minister in the future!
[Ah, Yuan Zai is just a corrupt official like He Shen! ]
[We should say he was an opportunist. When he was a minor official, he noticed that Li Yu disliked Yu Chaoen and Li Fuguo, so he helped him to get rid of these two eunuchs.
But after he became prime minister, he began to take bribes and corruption to expand his power. He refused to listen to Li Yu's advice, and in the end, everyone complained and his whole family was in turmoil.
But Yuan Zai was also a very capable person, just like Yuwen Shiji who was under Li Shimin in the past, he was also a greedy villain.
But the key is to see in what position it is placed to maximize its value.
[In the final analysis, it all depends on the boss! Erfeng knows exactly what kind of people his subordinates are!
Our Emperor Taizong is a man who knows how to appoint the right people to the right positions! 】
Li Shimin actually didn't promise anything, but Yuan Zai painted a big rosy picture for himself and vowed to make a good Khan who respected the Tang Dynasty appear in the Uighurs.
[Hahaha, I'm waiting to see the fun! From now on, the Uighurs will also be divided into Eastern Turks and Western Turks like the Turks, right?
Promise me, Erfeng, you will make them dance in the square of the Tang Dynasty!
Li Shimin could only try his best. After all, if he hit someone too hard and killed him, he would not be able to control himself.
Guo Ziyi was good at steady and cautious tactics, while Li Guangbi was good at surprise attacks and blitzkrieg, but this war could not be concluded in a few days.
The two sides had been fighting in the northwest for a month, but Li Shimin had not yet received the final victory report, but instead received another piece of good news.
"Your Majesty, the reform of the two-tax system, the land inventory and population census, and the planting of new high-yield crops during the dry season have all been completed!
The average yield per mu of crops such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn is more than 850 kilograms. Many farmers who are good at planting have achieved a yield of more than 1,000 kilograms per mu after careful care!
The granaries in Fanyang are overflowing. I have built new granaries in various towns and ground some of the grain into powder for storage.
Firstly, it can help stabilize food prices during natural disasters, and secondly, it can be used as a reserve for emergencies.”
Li Shimin looked at the report and table presented by Wen Yuping. All the per-acre yield, population, field data, average values, maximum and minimum values were listed with detailed figures, which was very convenient to browse.
“Okay, okay!
Gentlemen, please learn this method of making a table. I like it very much! "
You know, the average grain yield in the Tang Dynasty at that time was less than 300 kilograms. The income from these new crops actually more than doubled!
And it can be planted twice or even three times a year.
"Your Majesty, there is one more thing you must pay attention to. Potatoes and sweet potatoes must be protected from diseases, otherwise there may be a large-scale crop failure, which will lead to famine.
There was once a small country overseas called Ireland, where potatoes were the staple food. One year, the potato harvest failed and a large-scale famine occurred. We must be prepared..."
Li Shimin and his court officials listened carefully and soon came up with a corresponding agricultural planting strategy.
Next, the head tax can be replaced by a graded asset tax across the country, and these high-yield crops can be distributed to various places for sowing.
“Although it is winter now and the land is bare, I seem to have foreseen the harvest next year!
Next year will surely be a good year with a good harvest!"
Li Shimin was very happy, and the court officials also agreed.
Wen Yuping immediately cleared her throat twice and pointed at the hat on Diwu Qi's head, hinting:
Your Majesty, what happened to the promise last time that if I do a good job, I will be promoted and given a raise to become a minister?
Diwu Qi: ...No, am I some kind of official tool?
Of course, Diwu Qi refused to accept this and immediately brought along officials with whom he had a good relationship to make a suggestion:
"Your Majesty, there are crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes that can produce 1,000 kilograms per mu. If someone else were to oversee them, I'm sure they wouldn't do too badly.
It was a groundbreaking achievement that Madam Wen became a fifth-rank doctor in the Ministry of Revenue without taking any imperial examinations!
She has been in the officialdom for less than half a year. If she is promoted directly to the Minister of Revenue, it will really cause criticism and have a bad impact."
"Yes, yes, which official in the Tang Dynasty is not conscientious and diligent every day?
"How can it be possible to become a Minister of Revenue directly after going on a business trip?"
"It's easy for you to say that. If you go to Fanyang, can you find out how much permanent farmland and population those powerful people have secretly hidden?
I remember that I asked Lord Liu if he had any connections to find out the land situation of local tyrants, and he said he had no way.
Even the former Minister of Revenue and the current Prime Minister couldn't do it, how can you do better than me?
Just your mouth?"
Liu Yan, who was passing by and being criticized: ...
Liu Yan wanted to pretend he had lost his memory and never said that, but Wen Yuping immediately took out the records of her work and repeated every word he had said to him:
"Master Liu may be old and forgetful, but fortunately I have written it all down.
I remember your words clearly, as His Majesty was present at the time."
Liu Yan was speechless and hesitant. Wen Yuping looked at Li Shimin, hoping that the boss would make the decision for her.
[Sister, your current position is actually very high! In the Tang Dynasty, because Li Shimin was a third-rank minister, all subsequent officials were ranked from the third rank downwards.
Even in modern times, if you want to become the Deputy Minister of Finance, you have to work hard for many years to get promoted. It is not easy!
[Indeed, it’s good for us to be down-to-earth and take things one step at a time!
You can’t eat hot tofu in a hurry! 】
Li Shimin pretended to be persuaded by the officials and said:
"I did say that the position of Minister of Revenue would be reserved for you, but my dear ministers are also right. You really should gain more experience.
This position of Minister will still be yours after a few years. I will not break my promise.”
Li Shimin saw through it all: modern workers just love to slack off! Actually, they have plenty of spare time.
Without some pressure, how can these modern people possibly bring out all their abilities?
Sure enough, Wen Yuping immediately expressed her dissatisfaction.
The tofu is too hot and you can eat it by blowing on it. She wants to be the Minister of Revenue today!
"Your Majesty, if I have a plan that can use economic policies to suppress neighboring countries, and even distribute the losses caused by the soaring prices in the Tang Dynasty to various countries to reduce losses, Your Majesty, will you grant me the position of Minister of Revenue?"
"If you have any ideas, tell me first. I will make my own judgment."
"This plan is called the Tang Dynasty Currency Standard System. It means re-issuing Tang Dynasty currency based on this year's value, with each string of coins being exchangeable for one bolt of official silk.
All neighboring countries must use our Tang currency if they want to trade with the Tang Dynasty!"
Li Shimin was a little confused when he heard this, and the official next to him curled his lips in disdain.
Liu Yan turned around and glanced at Wen Yuping:
"That's it?"
There's nothing special about it, and what's the point?
Only the sky exploded at this moment:
[Ahhh, isn’t this the dollar standard?
The US dollar was pegged to gold, and relying on its dominant position in global settlements, it suppressed the world for over a century!
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