69novels Chapter 210
Chapter 210
Taiji Hall, the ministers were attending the morning court.
While Su Chen and the other three were playing cards, Li Shimin was sitting on the dragon chair, looking at the ministers expressionlessly.
After a while, Li Shimin glanced at Lao Wang.
"If you have something to say, please report it!"
"If you have nothing to say, please leave the court!"
Wang Defa spoke to the ministers below with a clear and flat voice.
After a few breaths, no one came forward to report.
"Minister of Revenue, Dai Aiqing!" Li Shimin shouted in a calm voice.
Dai Zhou stepped out and bowed.
No minister spoke, so the emperor had to ask the question himself.
Li Shimin looked at Dai Zhou and asked, "My dear, last month we started to count the population and acreage. Have you submitted any results?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have only received statistical data from some counties and prefectures in Jiangnan, Henan, and Hebei. Statistics in other prefectures and prefectures are sparsely populated and take a long time.
Therefore, I estimate that it will take another two months to complete the statistics."
Dai Zhou bowed respectfully and reported the progress of population and acreage statistics to Li Shimin.
Li Shimin nodded, "I know this matter cannot be rushed, and the statistics must be accurate. Before the beginning of spring next year, no household or person should be left out of the registration."
The sweet potatoes and potatoes distributed this time can be said to be seeds for next year. Before planting next year, according to Su Chen's previous proposal, the land needs to be redistributed.
Without accurate population and acreage data, the redistribution of land cannot proceed.
"Your Majesty, I obey your order!"
Dai Zhou bowed and was about to step aside when he suddenly remembered something.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report to you!"
"Please speak, my dear minister." Li Shimin waved his hand and bowed.
"When my subordinates were counting the land, they found that many temples in many places had a lot of good land. Many people without land became tenants of various temples.
I will inform officials at all levels to register the land owned by the temples. As for how to deal with it, please let your majesty decide."
Li Shimin frowned slightly when he heard this. He knew this. Many temples in Chang'an were also like this. There were quite a few temples with a lot of land.
'I wanted to promote Taoism and suppress Buddhism, but I never thought that there was filth under my nose.
The land of the royal princes and the five surnames of the nobles was nationalized. How could the temples be allowed to enjoy it alone? ’
Li Shimin looked at Dai Zhou and said solemnly:
"My dear, all the fields in the territory of the Tang Dynasty are treated equally, especially the fields belonging to the temples, which must be carefully counted."
"I obey your order!" Dai Zhou bowed respectfully and stepped aside.
Li Shimin nodded slightly, and then looked at Fang Xuanling.
"Xuanling, is there any news from all over the country?"
Li Shimin usually addressed other ministers with their surnames and "My dear", but he addressed Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji differently.
"Your Majesty, I have received reports from some counties and prefectures in Jiangnan, Henan and Hebei.
Those places are not as severely droughted as Guannei. Some counties and prefectures have plowed the fields before mid-autumn and are ready to plant sweet potatoes and potatoes at any time.
As for other prefectures and prefectures, perhaps the journey is too far to be conveyed." Fang Xuanling replied respectfully.
"That's great. I've heard that the water system in Jiangnan is well developed and there is rarely a shortage of water all year round." Li Shimin nodded and said.
"Your Majesty is wise, I have heard about it too!" Fang Xuanling bowed and stood back to his original position.
Immediately, Li Shimin raised his hand to signal Wang Defa.
"Yes!"
Wang Defa walked from the stage to the ministers below with a tray in both hands.
"Your Majesty has ordered that each of you ministers should read carefully."
Wang Defa walked to the ministers one by one, each with an official resume, which was filled out in advance with Fang Xuanling's political experience as a reference.
These forms were sent to Li Tai in the manor yesterday, and thousands of them were temporarily printed.
After a while, each minister held a form and carefully browsed the contents.
"Hey, why have I never seen this kind of paper before?"
"It is so delicate and white, and some of the handwriting does not look like it was written with pen and ink."
The ministers below whispered to each other, and they did not know the source of the paper yet.
The contents of the form were not surprising, and they were clear at a glance.
Although the format was different from the past, the purpose of the resume could be seen at a glance.
It was mainly the paper that attracted them.
"My dear ministers, don't worry about the paper. I believe that in a few days, you can buy it freely on the market. I heard it is very cheap."
Li Shimin heard the discussion of the ministers below and said with a smile.
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, this kind of paper should cost at least 800 coins per knife. I wonder how much the cheap price you mentioned is?"
A minister next to Du Ruhui asked with a bow. This person looked upright and honest.
"Hahaha, Shiwen, the paper is not sold by knife. As you can see, it is sold by sheet. As for the price, I guess it is more than 20 coins per hundred sheets."
Li ShiLi Shimin laughed, but he couldn't say the price too absolutely. He just heard Li Tai say that the cost of a hundred sheets was about five cents.
"Your Majesty, are you serious?"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me, I am rude!" After saying that, realizing that he had lost his composure, Xiao Yu immediately bowed and apologized.
"Hahaha, it's okay! There is no need to be polite!" Li Shimin didn't care at all and held out his hand.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Yu was also a strange man. He was the younger brother of Empress Xiao of the Sui Dynasty. He had some relatives with Li Shimin and had been in and out of the position of prime minister several times.
This also made him and Li Shimin drift apart.
"My dear ministers, have you understood the resumes of officials in your hands?"
"We understand!" All the ministers answered in unison.
"From now on, all officials in office in the Tang Dynasty must enter this form into the file as a basis for the performance evaluation of officials in the future." Li Shimin set the tone in court.
"We obey your order!"
The ministers bowed.
...
"No more playing, you two are playing rogues, your playing cards are too bad!"
Princess Changle put the cards away and put them in her arms, pointing at Li Chengqian and Su Chen and said angrily.
"How come you are playing rogues?" Li Chengqian protested.
"Humph, when I was the landlord, you, the stinky rogue in front of me, hadn't played a card or called 'pass' yet. You rushed to play a card, what else is it but playing rogue?"
Li Chengqian was afraid to say anything after being told by Princess Changle.
Because what Princess Changle said was the truth, and it was not only Princess Changle who said that to him, Li Shimin had beaten him for this.
Su Chen didn't say anything, but smiled and laughed at Li Chengqian's joke, because Su Chen's playing card skills were also a rookie.
"Su Chen, what are you laughing at? You are not much better. How can you command the next player to play cards? When it was my turn to be the landlord, you could only shout: The biggest one, take the cards and pick her up!
You two have very bad playing skills! Not as good as women!"
Princess Changle looked at Su Chen and Li Chengqian and said with disdain.
Although Changsun Yao likes to grab the landlord, her playing skills are impeccable. She is willing to accept the loss.
Li Chengqian and the others smiled awkwardly and could not refute.
What Princess Changle said was the truth!
Li Chengqian raised his wrist to check the time. He calculated that it was almost time to reach Chang'an City, and asked: "Brother-in-law, will you go back to the palace with me?"
Princess Changle did not answer. Anyway, she would follow Su Chen wherever he went.
Su Chen thought for a while and said:
"No, we didn't take a shower last night, so let's go back to the manor directly!"
...