Chapter 2 The second chapter Wei Zheng strongly refuted the important minister Tang Huang Sizhi to seek the truth

When Feng Deyi heard that someone refuted him, and the words were sharp, he couldn't help but stare in astonishment. When he saw that the speaker was Wei Zheng, his heart suddenly burst into anger.But he has a very deep palace, especially in front of Li Shimin, he does not want to look coldly at others like Xiao Yu, because he said lightly: "Doctor Wei is serious. Everyone in the world knows that my emperor is very brave. How can I compete with Qin II and Sui Yang?" Compare? In front of the emperor and his officials, you have to make a clear distinction, and don't place this crime on De Yi."

Li Shimin frowned slightly, and called out: "Wei Qing, you come to the front, don't blame others indiscriminately." Wei Zheng walked slowly to the front, stood facing Li Shimin, opened his mouth to speak, Li Shimin suddenly laughed and said: "All the ministers are sitting, but Dr. Wei is independent. Could it be that everyone is drunk and you are sober?" He glared at the eunuch standing beside him Said: "Stupid thing, what are you still doing there? Why don't you hurry up and sit for Dr. Wei?" Wei Zheng sat down, happened to be next to Pei Ji, facing Xiao Yu and Feng Deyi sideways.Li Shimin encouraged him and said: "Wei Qing, when the Turks attacked that day, you had a different opinion from Xiaogong, Fenggong and others in the court. Thinking about it afterwards, it was quite in line with my intention. You are an admonisher, you should be like this, When thinking about the country's major affairs, the mistakes of admonishing the officials also include my mistakes. Since ancient times, as long as the officials are loyal to the emperor and the country, even if there are inappropriate words in their words, it is normal. Isn't that so?"

Feng Deyi nodded in agreement. Wei Zheng said: "What Feng Gong said just now is to let the emperor's authority run alone, and the government is arbitrary. When Qin Shihuang and Sui Yangdi were in power, they didn't want the country to be defeated. For the second and third generations, the luck of Zuo will continue. It is a pity that he, with his own ability, tried to frighten his subjects and enslave the people. Are you on the old road again?" Li Shimin nodded and said: "Yes, the monarchs of all dynasties regarded the people as fools and acted recklessly, and most of them were defeated. In fact, the people are water, and those in power are boats. If you can follow the trend of the water, the boat will sail smoothly; if you go against the trend of the water, It is not surprising that the boat capsizes. "Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it." This is the truth."

After hearing this, Wei Zheng stood up, cupped his hands and bowed to Li Shimin and said, "Since your Majesty thinks this way, it is really a blessing for the world. A king loves the people like a son, and follows the good like a leader. Why worry that the world cannot be governed? Now after the great chaos, the people are afraid of power. It's time to practice enlightenment. If the top and bottom are united, within three years, the world will be in order." Hearing this, Feng Deyi couldn't help it, stood up abruptly, and quoted the scriptures: "After the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, people's hearts gradually weakened, so the Qin Dynasty only used laws, and the Han Dynasty used domineering. They want to educate but cannot It's not that you don't want to educate. Your Majesty, Wei Zheng is a shallow scholar who doesn't understand current affairs. If he believes his theory, he will surely bring chaos to the country."

Wei Zheng didn't wait for Li Shimin to answer, and retorted on the spot: "Five emperors and three kings are not easy to be transformed by others. If you practice the emperor's way, you will be an emperor, and if you practice the king's way, you will be a king. There are also many examples in history. In the past, the Yellow Emperor fought with Chiyou for more than seventy times, and the chaos was very serious. After the victory, peace was restored; If Tang is released for the sake of chaos, peace will be achieved on the day of Tang; if Zhou is innocent, King Wu will attack him and become king, and peace will also be achieved.”

Wei Zheng's words quoted the past and the present, and the examination of historical records made Lu Deming, Kong Yingda, and Yu Shinan nod their heads repeatedly after hearing this, and Feng Deyi was at a loss for words when he heard the words.Wei Zheng continued his efforts, and asked rhetorically, "If people are getting thinner and less than simple as Feng Gong said, they should be known as ghosts by now, so I would rather recover and teach them?" Feng Deyi suddenly became speechless. Xiao Yu coughed, and said: "Doctor Wei's words, I think there is some truth. However, the ancient times were far away. To prove it today, ahem, I am afraid it is a bit false. To know the way of governing the country, the most In fact, nothing can be tolerated.”

Feng Deyi looked gratefully at Xiao Yu, the two used to disdain each other in court, but unexpectedly they came together today. Wei Zheng teased bitterly: "That's right, Duke Xiao and Duke Feng are both important ministers of the Second Dynasty, and their ability to manage the country is rare. However, I would like to ask for advice: when Emperor Yangdi was punished, the punishment was very severe, and the country eventually perished. .After the Taishang Emperor made an incident, he was broad-minded and benevolent, and there were many people who responded. I wonder if Ergong understands the reason for the difference between the two?"

Xiao Yu opened his mouth for a moment, and suddenly sensed the contempt in Wei Zheng's words. He couldn't help being furious, and said in a deep voice, "Wei Zheng, this old man has tolerated you many times. In front of the emperor, can you be allowed to despise the superior?" Li Shimin waved the three of them to sit down, stopped their quarrel, and said slowly: "Today, let all the ministers come here. I hope that everyone can speak freely. As long as the heart is for the country, I will say something that is too much. Don't pursue it. Xiaogong, Wei Qing, you can speak freely about the truth of the debate, but you can't attack personally, you have to pay attention." At this moment, Li Shimin was faintly dissatisfied with Xiao Yu. "As for seeking great order after the great chaos, where should we go? I think what Wei Qing said has some truth. Nowadays, the world is tired, and the people are eagerly looking forward to the great order of the world. If we use criminal laws exclusively and miscellaneously use tyranny, the common people will all say that our court is following the evil example of Emperor Yangdi, and they will certainly be conflicted in their hearts, trembling and not knowing what to do. To govern the world, it is impossible to rely on my own strength, nor can it be accomplished by relying on the strength of all the ministers. It is necessary to make the common people feel the same way, and the people are of the same mind, and the enlightenment is deepened, and then there will be great governance. Xiao Gong, how much do you think I know about bows and arrows?"

Xiao Yu didn't expect Li Shimin to ask this question suddenly, he was a little puzzled, and replied in astonishment: "Your Majesty loves bowing horses, and everyone knows it." Li Shimin sighed, and said: "Yes, I am good at bows and arrows, and I always thought that I knew the way of bows and arrows. However, I got a dozen good bows recently. After appreciating them, I thought they were good, so I handed them over to the bow craftsman for appraisal. He said, "None of them are good bows." I asked why, and the bowman said, "If the heart of the wood is not right, the veins will all be skewed. Although the bow is strong but the arrow is not straight, it cannot be called a good bow." It was very stimulating, do you know what truth I realized?"

Xiao Yu said: "There is no limit to the way of learning, so we can't just stop at it." "Xiao Gong is right. I use bows and arrows to determine the four directions. I have used bows a lot, but I still don't understand all the reasons. I know that the world is getting worse, and my knowledge of governing the world is definitely not as good as bows and arrows. But the bow is still missing, let alone The world? Wei Qing, I cite this example, do you know what I want to explain?" Wei Zheng said to him: "The humble minister understands the emperor's will. First, the world is so big that one poor person or even a few people can't detect it. Therefore, You must be open-minded and accept the opinions of others; the world is not like a bow and arrow, and if the bow and arrow are not good, you can discard them, but governing the world without knowing the interests of the people and the gains and losses of politics and religion will cause endless disasters."

Li Shimin cast admiring glances at Wei Zheng, and said, "That's right, that's the reason. Supervisor Yu, you should draw up an order immediately." Yu Shinan was the writer at that time, and he was in charge of the palace's affairs.Hearing Li Shimin's call, he hurriedly got up and walked to the copywriter behind Li Shimin. Li Shimin went on to say: "From now on, officials above the fifth rank in Beijing are ordered to stay in Zhongshu for introspection. I'm neglected above." As soon as Li Shimin's words fell, Yu Shinan immediately wrote over there, and immediately brought it over for Li Shimin to read.Li Shimin read it once, and said: "After using the treasure, it will be cleared immediately." Li Shimin looked at the ministers again and said: "Government is easy after chaos. The only way is to educate and appease the people. This is an established national policy. I have made up my mind, so don't discuss it again. Just now, Feng Gong, Xiao Gong and Wei Qing The debate was fierce, and it was a good start. Everyone can speak freely, and it might as well go deeper." Feng Deyi cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty is determined to appease the people to be quiet, but he is actually in the same line as the Supreme Emperor. In the teachings of the emperor Lao Tzu, the main purpose is to be quiet and do nothing. Your Majesty follows the ancestors from afar, and the past serves the present. It will definitely shine." Feng Deyi's What Li Shimin said made Li Shimin smile with his beard, which was very appreciative. After hearing this, everyone knew that Feng Deyi was flattering again here, but because of Li Shimin's majesty, he didn't dare to say anything. Li Shimin nodded and said: "That's right, the teachings of our ancestors are profound and profound. As a descendant, I should pursue their heroes from afar and aspire to success. Everything must be based on the basics. The country is based on people, and people are based on food and clothing. All food and clothing are based on farming. How can we not lose the farming season? It lies in being simple and quiet. If wars are fought repeatedly and construction is not stopped, even if you don’t want to lose the farming season, it will be in vain.” Wei Zheng raised his forehead with his hand and said, "Your Majesty's words are very true. If you want to put people in peace and the country, it depends on you. If you don't do anything, people will be happy, and if you want too much, people will suffer." Feng Deyi retorted: "Dr. Wei's words are a little unreasonable. If we put the responsibility for the rise and fall of the world on the monarch alone, isn't it a bit biased? As ministers, what should we do?" Wei Zhengdao: "The ruler is loyal and his ministers are loyal. After all, the monarch must set an example." At this time, Wang Gui, who had been silent all this time, stood up and faced Li Shimin and said, "To appease the people, the only thing is to educate them. This is the national policy set by His Majesty, which is good. When it comes to the responsibility of the performer, just as Doctor Wei said that the responsibility of the monarch is the most important. Think of Qin Shihuang and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, who fought extremely against the outside world, but worshiped extravagant palaces inside, so that if they exhausted their manpower, disasters would follow. Don't they want to put people in peace? No, I just don’t know how to do it. I mentioned Emperor Sui Yang just now, and the lesson is not far away. Most of you here have personally experienced it. I don’t want to talk about the disadvantages, but I just want to say one thing. I hope that your majesty will be as careful as the beginning. , to the best of its ability." "Go ahead." Li Shimin nodded. "It's easy at the beginning of doing things, but it's really difficult at the end. If you want to achieve great rule of the country, you must restrain your emotions and desires, restrain yourself and encourage yourself, so that you can start well and end well." Wang Gui spoke slowly. Li Shimin thought for a while, then said with a smile: "Wang Qing, I have written down your words. Those who start well will become complicated, and those who restrain the end will be widowed. I know this truth. But it is just the beginning, and it is too early to say this. Anyway, from now on we It’s a long time to be with you. If I can’t insist, you, as admonishers, have to point it out immediately, and I will accept it humbly. Okay, let’s stop this topic here, and don’t stray too far. Ruhui, even though you are in charge of the Ministry of War, you still have to Ask about foreign affairs. After listening to the words of the ministers, I also want to talk about your thoughts." Du Ruhui got up and said: "For example, when marching and fighting a war, His Majesty will set the general policy, and the rest will be carried out by the ministers. When it comes to the matter of governing the country, I have little knowledge and dare not speak nonsense. However, I think this is to appease the people and calm them down." And to educate them, after all, the topic is too big, and many meticulous measures are needed to supplement it. In fact, His Majesty has already done two specific things just now, one is to abolish redundant staff, and the other is to seek advice and accept advice. In the past few days, the minister I have discussed it with brother Xuanling several times, and there are a few things like this." Li Shimin was very excited and said: "People say that 'Xuanling is good at planning, like dark and good at judgment', if the two of you are combined, the plan will be perfect. Haha, you two have been together for so many years. It is my fault to separate you now." Fang Xuanling is now the Secretary of the Central Committee, and Du Ruhui is the Secretary of the Ministry of War, and the affairs under their jurisdiction are indeed completely different. Du Ruhui looked at Fang Xuanling and said, "Brother Xuanling, your eloquence is better than mine, so let you speak." Fang Xuanling shook his head, and waved his hands heavily at him. Du Ruhui turned his head and said: "If you want to achieve great order in the world, the foundation is to calm the people and educate them. There are four other measures, and one of them is indispensable. "Firstly, in the former Sui Dynasty, extravagant expenses exhausted the country's strength and made the common people feel cold. Therefore, from now on, the palace and all officials must save money and save money, and do things with frugality. They should not rebuild palaces and pursue extravagance. This is the first priority. top priority. "Two, the Land Equalization Law and the Zuyong Adjustment Law were developed by Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty. Their main significance is to stipulate the corvee that the common people should bear. Unfortunately, they were destroyed by Emperor Yang. They expropriated the people's power indiscriminately, and there was no time for labor, and eventually they were defeated. To make The people are quiet, so they must lightly pay and pay lightly. Now that the country is starting up, the warehouse is still empty, and there is no abundant money and silk to give back and exempt from tax. This needs to be done strictly in accordance with the provisions of the "Two Laws". Do not move the people indiscriminately. "Thirdly, we must choose honest officials and make the best use of them. Your Majesty is thirsty for talents, so there is no need to say more about this article. There is only one point. Doctor Wei said just now that the Lord Mingchen is loyal. This is very important. If so, Then the politics is clear, the honest officials do their best, and the courtiers have to clean up their shortcomings to win the trust of His Majesty and get along with the officials. "Fourth, make the people have enough food and clothing. The king depends on the country, and the country depends on the people. Searching the people to serve the king is like cutting meat to fill their stomachs. When their stomachs are full, they will kill themselves. There is a saying that 'Xiaohe There is no water in the big river, and on the contrary, if the small river is full of water, the big river will overflow, which is the truth." Li Shimin stared at Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui for a moment, a thought suddenly flashed in his mind, but he didn't think deeply about it.He stood up and praised: "Ru Hui said it well, and Xuanling's credit is also in it. Wei Qing, all the ministers, you are dedicated to me, so why worry about the world can't be ruled? Go to extravagance and save money, and be light and thin Fu, choose honest officials, make the people have more than enough food and clothing, these four points, I have already written down, and should be engraved in my heart." Unconsciously, it was past noon, and Li Shimin's stomach was already screaming with hunger. He smiled and said, "It's my fault that I forget to eat because I'm busy. It's passed on to Shangshi Bureau to prepare a light meal for each of us. Ruhui If you want to save money, let’s start today.” Li Shimin saw Wei Ting in the crowd, so he called him over and asked, "I remember Yuan Tiangang said that he once made a divination for you, Wang Gui, and Du Yan, and now you are indeed ministers together. It seems that he It's still accurate." Wei Ting replied: "Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng are indeed different people. The fact is so, people can't help but believe it." Li Shimin said leisurely: "That's right, these two people are wandering around, and I don't know where they are wandering? Now that the world has been settled, it's time for them to return to court. Wei Ting, how to find their traces, this matter is very important." give it to you." Wei Ting's house is in Tongyi Square, a typical courtyard house, and most of the private houses of Chang'an dignitaries are built like this.It has a central axis and symmetrical plane layout, and is divided into front and rear courtyards.From south to north, there are gates, pavilions, naves, backyards, and main bedrooms; there are five corridors on the east and west sides; there are rockeries and grass pavilions in the backyard. A few days ago, Mrs. Wei Ting gave birth to a daughter, and today coincides with the full moon.Since Wei Ting returned to Beijing, he has restrained his domineering temperament a lot, and he is unwilling to make too much publicity about his daughter's full moon.Because he asked his family to only invite family members from both parties to the banquet on the day of his daughter's full moon, as for his colleagues, Wei Ting only invited Wang Gui, Du Yan, and Wei Zheng.After the invitation was issued, the three of them readily accepted. As soon as it was dark, Wei Ting's family lit up the gate, the central hall and the backyard, and saw that the whole courtyard was bright with snow and filled with joy.Wei Ting stood under the gate and greeted the guests who came to congratulate him. The governor led the guests to their respective seats. Wei Zheng, Wang Gui and Du Yan came together.It turned out that the three of them met at Du Yan's house first, because Du Yan's house was the closest to Tongyifang, and they could just walk there.The three of them first asked the family guests to go forward with congratulatory gifts, then abandoned their horses and walked on foot, and arrived at Wei Ting's gate as soon as they turned a corner. Wei Ting went forward to meet him, cupped his hands and said, "The wind is strong and the night is cold, and the three elder brothers are tired of walking, Wei Ting is very disturbed." Du Yan laughed and said: "Brother Wei has always been quick to talk, it's really strange that he has learned to lie at some point." Wang Gui also said with a smile: "Yes, I heard that this girl is very handsome, and the person who meets her says that she will be very noble in the future. Brother Wei does not invite others, but only thinks of us who have been in trouble. What is it?" Wei Ting stopped being polite, and walked in the front by himself, leading them into the middle hall.It turns out that according to the rules of the Tang Dynasty, the host and guest must walk in the front to be polite. Chen drinks and food have been prepared in the middle hall, and after the three people are seated, they will first offer the full moon ceremony.Du Yan’s gift was a large silver basin with gold flowers and a gold-plated silver tureen; Wang Gui’s gift was an inner lacquered half-flower mirror and a tortoiseshell tongue scraper; Wei Zheng’s gift was the most special, an ordinary inkstone at one end and a tube of ordinary pen, and hand-copied by himself.Du Yan felt strange after seeing it, and asked: "Doctor Wei, brother Wei is not born with a boy. If you send some pens, inkstones, and books, do you want her to become the number one female scholar in the future? But I didn't teach this subject in my dynasty." Wei Zheng said sternly: "No way. Girls have to read a lot when they are young to know etiquette. The world says that a girl's lack of talent is virtue, but I don't think so. Brother Wei, what do you think?" Wei Ting laughed and said: "Dr. Wei was able to argue with the important ministers in the court today. What you said cannot be wrong. I respectfully accept this word. Come, put away all these gifts. Another Let the madam take the little girl out, and let the three adults take a look." Soon, Mrs. Wei Ting came to the middle hall with her daughter in her arms.The three gathered around and watched, Wang Gui clicked his tongue and praised: "Sure enough, he was born well, with the appearance of wealth." Wei Ting said: "The little girl has received the praise of the three adults today, she must have benefited a lot. Madam, Master Wei asked me to teach my little girl more about calligraphy and ink. I must keep this matter in mind." Madam Wei Ting greeted Yingying: "The concubine would like to follow Master Wei's teachings, and she must teach the young girl more literature and ink." Later, the four of them sat at the banquet and raised cups, drinking the "Cell Spring" wine that is popular in the capital.Wei Ting loves to enjoy, and the taste is quite high, so that people send exquisite dishes from Qujiang wine shop in food boxes, such as flying knife carp, poppy goose cage donkey, grilled lamb, golden dragon and phoenix crab, deer preserved and so on. Seeing such a sumptuous banquet, Wei Zheng ate a few bites out of face. Seeing that the delicious food and wine were still being served one after another, and the maids around him were busy serving dishes and changing dishes for the guests, he couldn't bear it, so he stopped and said, "Wei Brother, it is said that I should be grateful for your generous hospitality. However, you know that I am a straightforward person, and I feel really uneasy." Wang Gui also sighed, and said, "Yes, I feel the same way." Wei Ting said in astonishment: "I know, these dishes are packed in food boxes, and the taste is not good. However, I think, I can't be too ostentatious now, so I have to do this. It's a bit slow to treat you." Wei Zheng shook his head and said, "No, on the contrary, your kindness is too much. At noon today in the Hongyi Pavilion, the emperor heard Du Shangshu's words, one of which was called 'Remove extravagance and save money', and gave him only one lunch. A cup of clear soup. The way you are now is completely different from what the emperor intends, I really can't swallow it." Wang Yu said: "Dr. Wei is right. The three of us are counselors. Brother Wei, you are the right minister of the Shangshu, and you are the emperor's close minister. The three of us are also officials who are responsible for picking up other people's mistakes. Such an extravagant expense , how to tell others?" Wei Ting suddenly felt embarrassed, thinking about it carefully was also the reason, he murmured a few words in his throat but did not utter them. Du Yan smoothed things over and said: "Brother Wei is so kind, it proves that he has treated us well. But the work has been done, and it would be a waste to throw away these exquisite food. Brother Wei, let me think so. Return all of them, and we will not be able to spend so extravagantly in the future. We only have the dishes on the food table today, and let the chef cook some noodle soup." Wei Ting looked at Wei Zheng and Wang Gui and saw that they did not object, so he called his servants to order them to deal with the aftermath. In order to liven up the atmosphere on the scene, Du Yan changed the subject and said, "Doctor Wei, today you were arguing with Duke Feng and Duke Xiao in the Hongyi Pavilion, and I'm down here, really sweating for you. You know these old ministers Relying on their seniority, and supporting the current emperor in the past, they have no fear in front of the emperor. Like Fang Zhongshu and my nephew, who have been accompanying the emperor all the time, they have some opinions, and they were refuted by these old officials on the spot Go down and embarrass them too." Wei Zheng frowned, picked up the wine cup and took a sip, then turned to Wei Ting and said, "Brother Wei, 'Town Cellar Spring' is popular in the capital, why can't I get any benefit from drinking it? Tao'come, the taste is worse after all." Wang Gui laughed and said, "It is said that Dr. Wei is stingy, but I don't think it's a false rumor. How many people can often drink your wine hidden in the boudoir? In my impression, I have drunk it at least three times." Wei Ting said: "My face, it's getting smaller again. I seem to have only drank once, and I'm still in the honor of Prince Yin." The mention of Li Jiancheng touched the hearts of those present, and everyone suddenly became speechless.It was Wei Zheng who broke the ice and said with a smile: "Okay, tomorrow I will ask my family to give each of you a jar, so as to give me the reputation of old Wei Zhengzheng." He turned his head to Du Yan and said, "Brother Du, what you just said It really makes sense to be worried. But everyone knows that I am a man, that is why I say everything. This is especially true when I am in front of the current emperor. Do you know why? The current emperor is concerned about the country and the people, and he is determined to govern the country Well, what does he rely on? Only rely on his subordinates. If the subordinates are loyal to the emperor and the country, not for their own selfishness, even if they say some sharp words, the emperor will not be disobedient, but happy. After all, the emperor is a heroic man, he will Distinguish right from wrong. Doctor Wang, Doctor Du, we are all advising doctors. The emperor put us in this position to correct the mistakes of the ruler and the ministers. If you talk about face, everything will fail. Today, I drank Brother Wei I use wine to cover my face and say some selfish words. What kind of courtiers are most lacking in front of the emperor? He has no shortage of military generals who fight and kill, no lack of veterans who understand officialdom, and no lack of ministers who plan and plan. Minister, not to mention great Confucian scholars who are proficient in literature and history. The only thing he lacks is an eloquent officer who can speak out!" After hearing Wei Zheng's heartfelt words, the three couldn't help nodding their heads in agreement. Wei Zheng went on to say: "Do you know why the emperor did this? He witnessed the scene of Emperor Sui Yang's subjugation, and he was unwilling to subjugate the country because of the emperor. This is his biggest private part. With this private part, he will curb other desires." Wang Gui sighed: "Dr. Wei's words are right, it can be said that he has seen the most important point of the emperor. Well, from now on, I will definitely follow your words and deeds and give advice at any time. Brother Du, what do you think?" Du Yan said: "Thank you Brother Wei for this meal and wine, let me clear my mind..." Before Du Yan finished speaking, a voice came from outside the door: "The imperial decree has arrived! Wei Zheng accepts the decree." The four hurriedly left their seats, walked out the door, and saw an eunuch standing on the stage, the four went around and knelt down facing north.The eunuch said in a drawn out voice, "The emperor has ordered that Xuan Weizheng enter the palace immediately." Wei Zheng kowtowed and said, "My minister Wei Zheng accepts the order." The four of them looked at each other, unable to figure out why Li Shimin was in such a hurry to call Wei Zheng into the palace in the middle of the night. After the ministers withdrew from the Hongwen Hall, Li Shimin went to the Xiande Hall to rest for a while.During this period of time he was in a hurry, basically he was dealing with government affairs in Xiande Hall, Ye Lai also rested here.After taking a nap, he stepped out of the hall, and saw the palace guards practicing archery in front of the hall. When all the guards saw Li Shimin walking slowly, they fell silent. Someone had already offered Li Shimin's precious carved bow and big feather arrow.Li Shimin stretched his ape's arms lightly, and saw the arrows raining down like rain, and the pot of arrows was shot quickly.Looking at the arrow stack again, a canopy of arrows is deeply inserted in the center of the arrow stack.Seeing this, all the old guards cheered in unison. Li Shimin didn't intend to stay here any longer today, he walked slowly back to Xiande Hall, and read the memorials reported from various places.In this way, I don't realize that the sun is already westward, the days in winter are already short, and the sky quickly falls into darkness.A lantern-bearer had already raised the lantern, and the hall was brightly lit. Although Li Shimin kept flipping through the memorials and made occasional comments, he kept thinking about what happened in the Hongwen Museum today.The scene of the debate between the two factions at that time is still vivid in my mind, especially Wei Zheng's sharp words are still in my ears.Li Shimin knew that since he had just ascended the throne, how to determine the future governance policy was a major event related to the fate of the Tang Dynasty, and there could be no mistakes. Shang Shi Guan led four maids in charge of the meal to bring today's dinner.Since Li Shimin ate lunch late and was not very hungry, he ordered the red bean porridge with his hand.Shang Shiguan picked up the spoon and tasted it first, then offered the soup cup to Li Shimin. After finishing his dinner, Li Shimin picked up his pen pensively, dipped it in ink and wrote the eight big characters on the paper, "Comfort the people with tranquility, but emphasize education". There are clouds and flowing water everywhere, and the meaning is still unfinished.Li Shimin turned his face slightly, and wrote a few lines of small characters in regular script below, which are the four measures Du Ruhui said: reduce extravagance and save money, lighten corvees and pay less, choose honest officials, so that the people have more than enough food and clothing.After finishing writing, he looked at it for a while, then called the eunuch to order him to stick the paper on the wall of the bedroom. The walls of the sleeping hall are covered with memorials.That is, after he read the ministers and foreign officials, he selected the important ones and glued them to the wall of the house, so that he could watch them when he went in and out.He did this because he was afraid of missing important things.The eunuch pasted his handwriting just now on the west wall. This handwriting is pasted together with many memorials, and it is very eye-catching because of its large characters.Li Shimin ordered an eunuch to hold the lamp to follow him, starting from his own handwriting, and gradually moving northward, his eyes covered all the memorials in front of him.If the things listed in the memorial have already been done, he will put a tick on it with a ink pen, and the eunuch will take it off, and then stick a new memorial on the empty space. Li Shimin looked at it like this for a while, and suddenly found that there were four memorials written by Wei Zheng. Because the memorials were not limited to one thing or one thing, they were mostly grand theories, so they were not taken down for a long time.Li Shimin stopped, raised his head, and the appearance of Wei Zheng appeared in his mind: he is short and slightly fat, his face is full of wrinkles like walnut skin, it is hard to imagine that he just turned 4 this year Seventeen.He froze for a moment, then called an eunuch and said, "Go, tell Wei Zheng to come here to see me." When Wei Zheng entered the dormitory, Li Shimin was still looking at the memorial on the wall.He took a few steps forward and bowed down: "The minister, Wei Zheng, is ordered to see you." Li Shimin turned his head and smiled, "Get up. I heard that Wei Ting is hosting a banquet tonight, why did he invite you alone?" Wei Zhengdao: "Wei Ting gave birth to a daughter full moon, so he specially invited us. Wei Ting didn't make a fuss. I think he was thinking of his old bureaucrat's affection, because he invited us." "Old bureaucrats? You can't live without a few friends, but don't miss the old bureaucrats too much. Wei Zheng, you have read the history books, you should know the disaster of the party." Wei Zheng's expression became tense, and he replied: "I will remember your majesty's instructions." Li Shimin smiled slightly, stretched his fingers to the two soft chairs on the right, and said, "Wei Qing, I called you late at night because I saw your memorial and your debate with Feng Gong and others today, because I want to chat with you for a while. .Come on, let's go and sit down, tonight we will talk together." Seeing the scene in front of him, Wei Zheng knew that Li Shimin wanted to have a deep talk with him.He didn't refuse, and didn't make any modest words, he walked over and sat on a chair, facing Li Shimin. Li Shimin got straight to the point: "Today in the Hongwen Museum, you and Ru Hui and others stood up to the pedantic words of those old officials, which is very in line with my wishes. Well, since I came to the throne, I have wanted to do too many things, but I always feel that I can't grasp the general outline. Today is considered to be a decision on this matter. Wei Qing, I know that you know the history of the ancient Ming Dynasty, you can understand the righteousness and handle things well. Today we don't decide on the topic, answer calmly, and tell me what you think in your heart ,how?" Wei Zheng nodded, thought for a while and said, "Your Majesty has worked hard for the country, and I can only repay your kindness by working harder and doing my best. I have had a few glasses of wine tonight. Your majesty is as open-minded as you are, and you have a heart for the country, and your subjects must follow the emperor and set them up as a role model. If the monarch and his subjects are united, the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty is just around the corner! However, in the process, I dare not make any mistakes." "From your point of view, what should our monarchs and ministers pay the most attention to?" "An old saying goes: 'A king is a boat; a man is water. Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it.' Therefore, a king must win the hearts of the people; a minister must be loyal." "Everyone understands this truth, but how do we do it?" "The key lies in you, Your Majesty. Although the king's desire is in himself, it is also a major event in the world. Thinking about Qin Shihuang's construction of Afang Palace and Sui Yang's extensive construction of Li Palace, it is his own desire. The territory under its jurisdiction is also engaged in selfishness, so that the mountains and rivers are broken, the people are tired and tired, and the hearts of the people are lost, and the courtiers cannot be loyal. I hope that when your majesty is in power, you can restrain your own desires. If the king is like this, the courtiers will not dare to do anything wrong. " Li Shimin nodded slightly, and said: "Yes, Emperor Yang's extravagance and extravagance corrupted the government of officials, and corruption became common. Corrupt officials like Yu Shiji bought a lot of property and disrupted the people. Alas, the rise and fall of the world depends on the king. Seriously. Wei Qing, as I said today, if you want to appease the people, the most important thing is to go extravagant and save money. If you want to do this well, I am the key: I will restrain my desires and practice frugality. You In order to remonstrate with the doctor, I am by my side every day, and when I see that I have lost control, I have to remonstrate in time." Hearing this, Wei Zheng stood up hastily, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty has an order, how dare I disobey it? I must keep it in mind and remonstrate from time to time. If there are any extremes in it, I hope your majesty will think about the sake of my wholeheartedness for the country, and you can do it." Forgiveness is." Li Shimin laughed loudly, waved him to sit down, and said: "Although your life is short, you should have heard some rumors. I am not a small-hearted person. As long as I can hold on to the big festival, I will not lose a word because of you." You are guilty. Among the admonishing officials, you are talented and courageous. I hope you can set an example for them, so that other courtiers can also have the style of admonishing. In this way, I will always accept the eyes of my courtiers to monitor, let me There is a sense of fear in order to restrain one's desires. Then again, if there is a way, people will push it and take it as the master, and if there is no way, people will abandon it and not use it. This is the reason for my fear." "Your Majesty is rich all over the world, but he often feels as if he is facing an abyss and walking on thin ice. This is the decisive factor for the great rule of the world. Looking at the ancient monarchs, those who have a fearful heart may be relatively more founding monarchs, and the others are rare." Li Shimin sighed and said: "The founder of the country knows that starting a business is difficult and cherishes it, but Qin Shihuang and others don't know how to govern the country. He manages the people with harsh punishments, but at the same time builds a palace to fulfill his selfish desires. Peace for a while, but you can't control it for a long time. Wei Qing, you are right. If you want to stabilize the world, you must first correct yourself. The one who hurts the king's body is not outside, it is all caused by lust. If the king indulges in taste, play with pleasure Sensuality, the more one's own desires, the greater the damage. I don't want to be like Emperor Yang, who both subjugates the country and leaves a bad name, and becomes a senseless and stupid emperor. I should try my best to restrain my desires and strive to be a wise emperor. You say , what is the key point in this?" Wei Zheng laughed and said, "Your Majesty, after talking so much, I feel a little thirsty, can I ask for a glass of water?" Li Shimin also laughed: "Haha, I am thirsty for talents, but I forgot that talents are also thirsty. Come here, and serve tea for Wei Qing." He turned his head to look at the dark sky outside, thinking that the time should be It was getting late, so I hurriedly summoned the maid of palm time to inquire, and it turned out that it was already midnight. Wei Zheng raised his head and drank a cup of fragrant tea, smacked his lips and said, "Good tea, it's a pity I can't taste it properly." After finishing speaking, Wei Zheng returned to the topic just now: "Your Majesty wants to be a wise ruler and not a foolish ruler. This matter should be sure. I heard that when your majesty used to go to war, there are two things that must be done before the battle: one is your majesty. Persist in personally going to the front line to scout the enemy's situation in order to understand the reality of the opponent, so that what you see is believing, and you know what you know. In fact, governing the country is the same as marching and fighting. What is a wise ruler? Listening to other people’s opinions and not arbitrarily acting is a wise one. What is a stupid ruler? Hearing and believing and acting one-sidedly is a faint. Therefore, there is an old saying that "listen to both, and you will be bright, and listen to only one, and you will be dark." "If you listen to both, you will be bright, and if you listen to one side, you will be dark?" Li Shimin chewed these eight words meaningfully. "That's right! Maybe everyone understands this truth, but it's too difficult when you actually do it, especially if you keep doing it persistently. This is actually a boundary line to distinguish between a wise king and a foolish one. The poem goes, 'the ancestors have words, Inquire about Yu Chuo'. When Yao and Shun governed, they opened the doors of the four directions, and the world's virtuous men came from them; the audio-visuals of the four directions were widened, and the world's beauty was completely concealed. Therefore, even if there are my ministers such as Gonggong and Gun, they can be detected in time. His actions promptly made the decision to exile Gonggong in Youzhou and punish Gun to Yushan. Qin II lived in the deep palace and did not care about political affairs. He entrusted the affairs of the world to Zhao Gao and trusted him, and the world collapsed and rebelled. , Qin II was still in the dark. Emperor Wu of Liang believed in Zhu Yi, and when Hou Jing raised his troops to attack, Emperor Wu of Liang was also at a loss. Emperor Yang of Sui believed in Yu Shiji, and he did not understand in time when all the heroes attacked These situations. Your Majesty, if the king accepts and accepts his subordinates at the same time, then the subordinates will be able to convey their feelings in time. This, I believe that the emperor can do it. But there is only one thing, I am afraid that the emperor will be in power for a long time, and the world will be peaceful, and he will gradually become slack Heart, only this time is the most dangerous." "I've made a note of it." Li Shimin nodded heavily. "Wei Qing, I know your heart. If you want long-term peace and stability, you must not be slack. I also know that the king keeps his promises, and the world is full of opportunities, but he decides on his own hands. Not to mention slack, there are many mistakes in it." Li Shimin suddenly smiled slightly and said, "Wei Qing, you have been admonishing me in everything we said tonight. Could it be that the world is so big that as long as I do a good job, everything will be fine? Then, as ministers, don't you have any responsibility? ?” 魏征正色道：“君臣之道，各有所职。臣所以规谏陛下心存百姓，克制己欲，且善纳群言，无非想让陛下为臣下树立一楷模，则臣下言行皆效之。陛下坦明心迹，让臣下不用揣测圣意，不用张皇失措畏惧雷霆震怒，他们只要依法忠谨办事，有错则受罚，有功则有赏。如此，就体现了清明政治。昏君之下，臣下为求自身安全或逐自己私利，要多动复杂的心思，所谓万马齐喑是也；明君之下，则臣下依国家法制办事，唯动简约之心思以奉君爱民，由此观之，还是君主最为关键。” “不错，人之性情中有善恶二途，扬此抑彼。炀帝朝中，以虞世基为主恶性弥散，则正气难张。我朝中若弘扬正气，则宵小之辈不敢再兴风作浪。” “陛下弘扬正气的能力已有端倪，如杜淹。他以前名声并不太好，自从入了秦王府之后，顿改以前的鬼蜮心肠，将一颗心都用在辅佐陛下的事儿上。太上皇将其流放之后，又磨练了他的心志，现在竟然成了一名脱胎换骨之人。” 魏征提起杜淹，又让李世民想起以前的事儿。他侧头问道：“朕为太子之时，你曾经说过一句话，好像是'若先太子早用臣言，非复今日。'魏卿，你原在隐太子处，也常常用这般言语来规谏他吗？” 魏征长长叹了一口气，说道：“陛下，臣若说些实话，能不怪罪吗？” Li Shimin nodded. “其实先太子也是一位英明之主，臣的话，他也能听进去，奈何齐王常常在其身边打岔。还有最重要的一点，先太子实在不该与陛下为兄弟。论智谋，论行动，他终究要被陛下比下去。最要命的是，他也明白了事情的曲直所在，也知道应该如何来办。只可惜，行动的时候总是迟缓，这样就落了下乘。唉，一个人若常常犹豫，往往在最紧要关头会一败涂地的。” 李世民转移话题说：“你看别人看得挺准，如何看你自己呢？” “臣有自知之明。臣比不上房杜，因为不能筹谋善断；臣比不上李靖、李世，因为没有他们的帅才；兼之手无缚鸡之力，也不能和尉迟敬德、秦叔宝相比；臣比不上陆德明、孔颖达等人，因为臣所知驳杂，不能专一；加上臣相貌猥琐，难当重臣。臣尚有一点自慰的地方，就是所学甚杂，粗通文史，能够古为今用，且臣不畏，敢直言相争。当然，臣只是因为有幸遇上了陛下，才会有今天。若遇到如隋炀帝那样的昏君，则臣一无是处。” 李世民听后哈哈大笑。 “臣实话实说，不敢妄言。”魏征道。 李世民凝视着魏征，脑海中忽然现出了初次逢房玄龄的情景。那是西略渭北进至泾阳的时候，房玄龄拄着一竹杖，脚穿草鞋，踏着泥泞深一脚浅一脚来见自己，形貌也很狼狈，和眼前的魏征差不了多少。他深叹自己没有早一些将魏征招至自己的麾下。李世民点点头，说道：“魏卿，群臣中各有所长。至于你，朕知道你有经国之才，且性格耿直，无所屈挠。你这样的性格若在隋炀帝之时，确实无用。然你刚才让朕做一位明君，为臣下树一楷模，以成就清明政治，朕今后将努力为之。政治清明，最需正直之臣，望你也为群臣树立一楷模才好。这样，我们君臣相得益彰，若果见成效，后世也多了一段佳话。” 魏征起身拜道：“臣喜逢知己之主，定当竭尽全力。诸葛孔明《前出师表》有云'鞠躬尽瘁，死而后已'，臣也是这样。” 李世民也立起身来，上前执着魏征之手，说道：“与君一席话，若拨云见雾，乍见光明。魏卿，朕即位以来，唯盼盛世。然如今的景况，确实不如人意。天下遭隋末离乱，人口锐减，国力极衰，国库之中空空如也，朕难道不想与颉利打上一仗吗？奈何国库之中捉襟见肘，几无隔宿之粮，且民心思静，朕不敢再开仗啊！我们现在谈隋炀帝的朝纲败坏，然我朝武德年间又好到哪里去呢？太上皇性格简慢，朝中之事多要看裴寂等人的眼光。哼，一个后妃竟然也敢来坏朝廷制度。”李世民说到这里，不禁想起了尹德妃强索分给李神通的田亩一事。 魏征知道李世民说的是肺腑之言，这样的话，他在朝堂之上断然不会说出。魏征接口道：“是啊，陛下面临的正是百废待兴的局面。国家一统，其实仅仅走了第一步，外人难以明白其中的艰难。陛下，时辰不早了，明日你还要临朝理政，容臣告退。” 李世民扭头问掌时宫人现在的时辰，原来不觉已交三更了，遂点点头，说道：“魏卿，朕今日意犹未尽，今后朕还要时时传唤你。嗯，外面寒露已下，冷气逼人，你可乘舆回家。” 魏征拜道：“皇上之物，臣下不敢僭用。宫门外，臣家人在那里备马等候。如此，不劳皇上操心了。” 李世民哈哈一笑，说道：“魏卿，你刚才让朕行事去繁杂，务简约，看样子你是言不由衷。朕既然有旨，你何必还行这些虚礼干什么？” 魏征也一笑，答道：“如此，臣就遵旨了。” 第二日，李世民下旨立中山王承乾为太子，另封长孙无忌为齐国公，房玄龄为邢国公，尉迟敬德为吴国公，杜如晦为蔡国公，侯君集为潞国公。并定功臣的实封，以裴寂居首，实封一千五百户；其次为房玄龄、杜如晦、尉迟敬德、长孙无忌、侯君集，实封一千三百户；长孙顺德、柴绍、李孝恭一千二百户；张公谨、刘师立一千户；李世、刘弘基九百户；高士廉、宇文士及、秦叔宝、程咬金七百户；安兴贵、安修仁、唐俭、屈突通、萧瑀、封德彝、刘义节六百户；钱九陇、长孙武达、李孟常、段志玄、张亮、杜淹、马三宝四百户。明眼人都看得出来，李世民让裴寂仍为司空，实封最多，那是顾着李渊的面子，让天下人来看的。至于后面的人，多是在玄武门之变中立有大功的人。 陈叔达立在殿下，将以上的封事逐个唱名示之。宣示完毕，李世民说道：“朕封卿等勋赏若有不当，可以当面向朕提出来，朕立即改正。” 群臣面面相觑，大多数都不敢提。唯独李神通见未增加自己的实封，心中忿忿不已，走出班外奏道：“陛下，太上皇太原起事之时，臣举兵关西，首应义旗，居功大焉。现在房玄龄、杜如晦皆为刀笔吏，而功居臣之上，臣私下里很是不服。” 李世民正色道：“不错，当初太上皇义旗初起，叔父立即响应，确实有功，然叔父也有自营脱祸的想法。及至窦建德吞噬山东，叔父全军覆没，其后刘黑闼又起祸乱，叔父望风而北，这些也不可不提。至于玄龄、如晦，他们虽为朕之幕府，然实为国家股肱。他们运筹帷幄，坐安社稷，岂是简单的刀笔吏？朕虽定天下，其实只是挂了一个名儿，内里的功劳皆是他们所建，论功劳，他们确实在叔父之上。不错，你是朕之叔父，为国之至亲，然毕竟为私，朕不能因为私恩而与勋臣同赏。” 李世民当场提起李神通的尴尬之事，他顿时变得面红耳赤。他张了几下嘴，想想自己确实过大于功，不免气馁下来，低头退回班中。 群臣中也有不满意的人，他们见皇上对自己的叔父尚且不讲情面，遂不敢再提。 李世民又说道：“刚才所封之人，朕的旧属确实多一些。然他们也是积功而来，朕不会滥赏的。譬如秦王府旧人，有些人至今没有官职，就生了一些怨嗟之言。玄龄，是不是这样？” 房玄龄出班奏道：“不错，秦府旧人找到臣说：'我们侍奉皇上已经好多年了，皆忠心为皇上办事。然皇上即位之后却把我们忘记了，那些前东宫、齐王府之人反而都有了要职。'” 李世民厉声道：“他们与朕有私，然于国家无功，这正是他们与玄龄等人的差别。君王应该至公无私，所以才能服天下之心。朕与卿等日常的衣食，皆取之于民，因此设官分职，就要为百姓着想，应当择贤才而用之，岂能以朕的新旧人为先后秩序啊！玄龄，你告诉他们，若他们有能必得擢用，无才者不得再有怨言。” 房玄龄答应后退回班中。 魏征站在班中，看李世民以理服人，很快就平息了这场小风波，心想昨晚的谈话起到了立竿见影的效果。 这时孔颖达出班奏道：“陛下，臣等奉旨议论年号，已经议出了一个。请陛下定夺。” “好，呈上来。” 李世民观看孔颖达呈上的奏章，见上面拟出的年号为“贞观”，下面还注明了这个称号的含义。贞观一词源自《易大传》中的一句话：“天地之道，贞观者也。”他看罢后不由得喜上眉梢，说道：“贞观？好呀，就这样定了，来年就用这个年号。嗯，现在离年关已经不远了，这件事要抓紧办。虞卿，还是由你来拟诏，今天就要发出去。”