In a peaceful atmosphere, war quietly came.

Both Gu Qing and Li Heng have no choice. The situation has reached the current point. No one can take a step back. Behind Li Heng are the heroic spirits of the previous emperors of the Tang Dynasty. The throne has been passed to his generation. He cannot be the king of subjugation.

.

Behind Gu Qing are 100,000 soldiers of the Anxi Army. If he takes a step back, the lives and fortunes of the soldiers will be at stake. Li Heng will not show mercy to anyone in the Anxi Army after raising the butcher's knife.

There is no room for two tigers in one mountain, and there can only be one king in the world.

While the generals were discussing in the palace, in the Xingqing Palace in another corner of Chang'an City, Li Longji was also hosting a banquet for guests.

High-ranking people always have a strong premonition of big events coming. Li Longji seemed to have a premonition of something. The guests he entertained tonight were descendants of northern aristocratic families.

Headed by Xie Chuanjing of the Xie family of Chen County, the descendants of the Taiyuan Wang family, Liucheng Li family, Lanling Xiao family and other aristocratic families were all present.

Palace banquets, wine and delicacies, and sultry singing and dancing.

The palace dancers of Taichang Temple are like catkins in the strong wind, twisting their slender waists, leaving a charming aftertaste in every movement of their eyes, and all viewers are moved.

The children of the aristocratic family are obviously well-educated. Although they are excited, it is not obvious. They still sit upright, their clothes and manners are meticulous. Every move at the banquet seems to have been rehearsed thousands of times without any mistakes.

These are the real elites of the Tang Dynasty. They are educated, knowledgeable and intelligent. They are comprehensive in every aspect and cannot be criticized.

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Li Longji sat at the top of the hall, looking at the disciples of the aristocratic families in the hall with a smile, a shrewd look flashed in his eyes.

After the dance, the dancers saluted Li Longji and retreated silently.

Li Longji laughed loudly, held the cup and said, "It's rare for me to meet all the athletes from aristocratic families. Come here, please have a drink with me."

Xie Chuanjing and many of his disciples stood up one after another, held the cup in both hands respectfully, and saluted Li Longji.

Putting down the wine cup, Xie Chuanjing sat back, sighing secretly in his heart.

Before the Anshi Rebellion, he went to Chang'an to congratulate the emperor on behalf of the Xie family. At that time, Li Longji was so high-spirited that he stood side by side with Concubine Yang. After a feast of wine and wine, Li Longji danced barefoot with his hair disheveled, and Concubine Yang stood by to support his Qiang.

Drums harmonized with it, silk and bamboo greeted it, which won the applause of the courtiers in the palace.

Today's Li Longji is the same as he was then. He is really old. Most of his hair has turned white, the age spots on his face have become more obvious, his back is a little rickety, and the hand holding the cup is even trembling slightly.

…

The important thing is that there is no longer that magnificent concubine beside him. At this moment, he is sitting alone, looking even more lonely in the full banquet.

A generation of prosperous kings cannot escape the laws of birth, old age, illness and death.

Li Longji had no idea that the children of the aristocratic families present had already looked at him with sympathy, but he still smiled heartily, as if he was still the hero who created a prosperous age.

"You are all descendants of aristocratic families that have existed for thousands of years. Over the years, the Tang Dynasty has had disputes and cooperation with major aristocratic families, but in the end, they have supported each other and are dependent on each other. Do you think I am right about what I say?" Li Longji

He stroked his beard and chuckled.

The disciples of the aristocratic family were stunned, quickly looked at each other, and then said in unison: "What your Majesty said is true."

You have the largest territory, and we have no objection to you now saying that the sun is square.

Li Longji smiled happily, then raised his glass and saluted everyone: "Come, let's support each other for our century-old foundation. May the Tang Dynasty Zuo and the family's roots coexist and never leave."

Everyone drank another glass of wine respectfully, then smacked their lips and gradually tasted the unusual flavor of Li Longji's words.

Is this... paving the way in advance?

In fact, when the eunuch came to invite him today, the children of various aristocratic families had more or less understood the purpose of Li Longji's banquet today.

The two saints came to court, and the powerful officials were sleeping soundly on the side of the couch. Today's Chang'an court situation is complicated and dangerous. Although Li Longji is already the supreme emperor who does not care about political affairs, he cannot sit still because it is related to the success or failure of Li Tang's foundation.

The royal family needs help, and the aristocratic family is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate. They have prestige among the people, power in the court, and appeal in the countryside. If they want to kill Gu Qing and the Anxi Army, it may not be enough to rely solely on the troops and horses of the vassal towns.

Yes, the attitudes of major aristocratic families are very important.

Li Longji's banquet today was to test the attitude of the major families. He wanted to know how close the major families were to Gu Qing.

After drinking for three rounds, Li Longji exchanged greetings with the disciples of the aristocratic family, and then he slowly got to the main topic.

"Since I came to the throne, I have never been willing to just be a conservative king. You should know that although my father came to the throne before me, I actually inherited the country from Wu Zhou. I think back to the beginning of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, when our great ancestor Emperor Jin

When Yang raised an army and gave an order, all the heroes in the world could not fail to obey. In just over a year, we overthrew the Sui Dynasty and created a new atmosphere in the Tang Dynasty for the people of the world. Those days were magnificent and precious..."

Li Longji's eyes showed a look of fascination, and he sighed with a smile: "I just hate that I was born at the wrong time. I was not born in those exciting years. Everyone in the world calls me the Emperor of Taiping, but I never wanted to be the Emperor of Taiping. Gaozu

The experience that the late Emperor Taizong and the major aristocratic families raised to annihilate the Sui Dynasty is the experience I really long for..."

Seeing that all the descendants of the aristocratic families present were silent, Li Longji smiled, and suddenly emphasized his tone, saying: "During the Sui Dynasty, my Li family was also one of the aristocratic families. My Li family and the ancestors of the aristocratic families used to fight side by side with each other.

, it is precisely because of the concerted efforts of all the major families that the Tang Dynasty lasted for more than a hundred years, and that it was possible to achieve this prosperous age that was as far away as the Qin and Han Dynasties."

The disciples of all the aristocratic families stood up and agreed one after another, shouting that the Tang Dynasty would be victorious.

Li Longji was neither sad nor happy. He showed the posture of an elder acquainted with the world and said sincerely: "The Tian family and the aristocratic family have been one for more than a hundred years. Both suffered losses and prospered. Although there were some discords and disputes between the Tian family and the aristocratic family during this period,

We have accumulated a lot of grievances, but we reach the same goal through different paths. The Tian family and the aristocratic families all have the same interests after all. Now that the Tian family is in trouble internally and externally, the major aristocratic families must not trust and betray them, and do things that will hurt relatives and make enemies happy."

At this point, Li Longji's intentions have clearly surfaced.

Different from the previous convoluted and cryptic expressions of big shots, Li Longji's words this time were very straightforward. He probably understood that it was a critical moment of life and death. If he didn't explain it more clearly, what if these children of the aristocratic family understood it wrong?

It's just too big.

Of course the children of the aristocratic family understood. In fact, the moment they stepped into the palace gate, they roughly understood the purpose of Li Longji's banquet today.

But, how should aristocratic families choose?

Li Longji's words made some sense, but the conflicts and grievances accumulated between the Tian family and the aristocratic family for more than a hundred years were easily brushed aside by him.

In fact, it can't be conveyed in one sentence.

The accumulation of conflicts was too deep, especially during the period of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu. The court was determined to weaken the influence of the aristocratic families. In those years, countless children of the aristocratic families were expelled from the court, how many aristocratic families were wiped out by Empress Wu's tough methods, how many

The children of the aristocratic family burst into tears. When the imperial army arrived at the door of the family, they recited the scriptures of the sages loudly with tears in their eyes. Then they watched helplessly as the army broke down the door, slaughtered and beheaded, and each family, one surname and one doctrine disappeared from the world forever.

How can a sentence or two bring an end to entanglements filled with blood and tears?

Although there is no national hatred, there is indeed family hatred.

After Li Longji spoke with great emotion, he thought he was distracted and even he was moved, but the children of the aristocratic families present were silent.

They are not the patriarch of the family and have no right to help the family make any decisions, but since they are sitting at the night banquet in Xingqing Palace, they have to bear the responsibility for the rise and fall of the family.

The atmosphere suddenly became a little cold, and Li Longji frowned displeased.

Obviously, the careless performance just now did not impress the audience. He was the only one in the show, and the clown was also himself.

Li Longji gritted his teeth.

It seems that being sincere is not enough, you have to spend real money to impress them.

Only interests are eternal and can eliminate all entanglements and grudges.

"Aristocratic families share the same kinship with the country. I have decided to cancel the imperial examination starting from next year. From now on, the imperial court will only select candidates from aristocratic families." Li Longji said firmly.

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.

Everyone looked at Li Longji in disbelief, wondering if they heard it wrong.

Li Longji smiled and said: "You heard it right. The imperial examination system has been abolished and the investment bank system recommended by aristocratic families in the early years of the founding of the Tang Dynasty has been restored. The ministers of the three provinces and six ministries are all appointed by the recommendation of aristocratic families. I will not disapprove of anyone appointed by aristocratic families."

"

Seeing everyone's astonishment, Li Longji struck while the iron was hot and said: "Not only that, I also decided to expand the vassal towns in the Tang Dynasty to twenty, and half of the additional ten vassal towns in the north and south will be given to each major family. I agree.

The Xu family can recruit soldiers in the feudal town, collect taxes, decide on their own in corvee taxes, and decide on their own in terms of justice, punishments, prisons, and life and death in the feudal town. You can form a small country on your own, provided that you do not rebel against the imperial court or support two masters."

The power of these words was so powerful that it made the ears of the disciples of various aristocratic families buzz, and they could not recover for a long time.

The benefits given away are so great that it is not an exaggeration to say that they gave up half of the country.

The aristocratic families were divided into ten major vassal towns. From then on, justice, taxation, corvee labor, land and people, etc. were all taken by the aristocratic families. This was basically imitating the feudal states during the Han Dynasty.

...Is this Supreme Emperor too old and confused or has he just given up on it?

Xie Chuanjing's eyes flickered for a while, and he stood up first and said: "Your Majesty, I am too ashamed to accept this."

Li Longji nodded and said with a smile: "Are you a descendant of the Xie family of Chen County? Haha, although I accept it calmly, I dare to give it, but you don't dare to do it? The Xie family of Chen County... Hehe, I heard that the official name of Gu Qing, the king of Shuzhou County, is

The concubine was born in the Xie family of Chen County?"

Xie Chuanjing lowered his head and said: "In name, he is from the Xie family, but in fact he is the son of Zhang Jiuling's son Zhang Zheng and his concubine."

Li Longji said oh, and said with a smile: "It turns out that he was born by a concubine. Haha, if the name is not correct, the words will not be correct. After all, people in the world still recognize it as orthodox."

There is obviously something in this sentence, it seems to be a reminder and a knock.

Xie Chuanjing understood, but did not dare to talk. With the conditions set by Li Longji, the originally complicated court situation became more complicated. Xie Chuanjing was just the representative of the Xie family in Chang'an, but he was not the one who could make the decision. Li Longji

What Long Ji said tonight, he could only send the horse back to the family as it was, and wait for the family patriarch and elders to discuss and make a decision.

After the palace banquet dispersed, Xie Chuanjing and the children of the aristocratic family resigned to Li Longji and left the palace.

After everyone walked out of the palace gate, they all exhaled a long breath in unison, then looked at each other, each with a wry smile.

There is no such thing as a good feast, as expected.

Li Longji was worthy of being the Emperor of Taiping for more than 40 years. Apart from war, he was extremely skilled in calculating people's hearts and balancing the court. There were few enemies in the world.
To be continued...