"library?"

Although Kong Yingda had never heard of this word, he could also know what it meant by literally understanding it. He couldn't help but be very interested and said, "What is a library?" After pausing, he imitated Li Mu's gesture of thumbing up and said, "What does this mean?"

"This gesture was also my invention. Just like the applause at the product launch conference a few days ago, applause is supportive. This is called like, please understand, admire your virtue."

This was the first time Kong Yingda heard praise from Li Mu's mouth, and couldn't help but feel a little fluttered, stroked his beard and said, "Do you admire me too? This is rare."

"Oh, okay, I'll say a few words to praise you, it's not over yet." Li Mu said angrily: "The so-called library is a place for people to read books. First build a library and then collect books, and anyone can borrow it. This move corresponds to Confucius's "teaching but not being apart". As long as someone who is determined to learn, he can obtain knowledge from the library."

"This..." Kong Yingda hesitated. Although he was not very smart, he had been immersed in education for a long time. The Kong family was a veteran gentry who had passed down from generation to generation, and knew very well what knowledge meant. There is a saying that "the monarch and the gentry share the world." Why should the gentry share the world with the monarch? It is not because the gentry mastered the knowledge, the monarch needed to employ people, and all the talents came from the gentry. In this way, it is difficult to share the world with the gentry.

But if there is a place like a library, it means that students from poor families don’t have to rely on the gentry anymore. This is tantamount to reducing their influence for the gentry. Kong Yingda hesitated not because he thought this was not good, but because the Kong family was a member of the gentry after all. If they start from the Kong family, they will cause a lot of criticism.

Li Mu could guess what he was thinking and said, "Old Confucius, I know what you are worried about? But I think that as a descendant of Confucius, you should have a sense of responsibility. Confucius's disciples were 3,000, and all the various religions were found. He did not deliberately stop teaching knowledge because of someone's bad background. Lao Confucius, what do you think?"

Kong Yingda took a deep breath and said, "Okay! As you said, if you can really build a library, I would like to take out a thousand books and put them in the library for people to read."

"That's right!" Li Mu held Kong Yingda's hand and shook it hard, saying, "Old Kong, you are a good comrade, you are very enlightened!"

"Let go!" Poor Kong Yingda was in his sixties and almost had a concussion by Li Mu. He finally broke free and frowned and said, "Why do you always invent new words? Tell me something you can understand!"

"What new word is comrades? Like-minded people are called comrades. Lao Confucius, why would I tell you to learn to be flexible? You can't always be self-confidence. You can use whatever words you use from your predecessors. If the predecessors are the same, maybe there are not many words available today, so you have to think about it. Teaching and educating people and spreading the learning of saints can be used."

"I am too lazy to listen to your chant." Kong Yingda knew that Li Mu could not tell me, and did not want to be taught like a child. She stood up and said, "I have also given gifts and used banquets. I am tired, so I will say goodbye. You can do it yourself, so you don't have to send it far away."

After saying that, Kong Yingda left, Li Mu took it downstairs, watched Kong Yingda get on the carriage, and then turned around and returned to the private room.

Li Mu was about to chat with someone again, but Wei Zheng didn't give him this opportunity. As soon as he entered the door, Wei Zheng grabbed his arm and said, "I have something to discuss with you."

"If you have something, just say something, what are you doing?" Li Mu broke free and said, "Say it, ugly words are in front of you. If you say whatever you want, I may not agree to you, especially if you lend money, you can repay it sooner or later. If you lend money to you, you will definitely have to borrow or not, so you will not be able to open your mouth."

"Borrow a step to speak."

"Borrow a step?" Li Mu looked at everyone in the private room, smiled, and said, "Old Wei, what's the matter that can't be said in front of everyone. You know, it's a good thing that doesn't betray people. If you ask me to talk to you, is it something that is ulterior motive?"

Wei Zheng ignored Li Mu's sarcasm and said, "I'll just take a step to speak."

Li Mu looked at Wei Zheng deeply, nodded, and said, "Okay, borrow, say next door."

Li Mu turned around and took Wei Zheng to the private room on the left. The two of them sat down. Li Mu looked at Wei Zheng and said, "Okay, now you and me are the only ones. What's the matter that cannot be told? Tell me."

Wei Zheng went straight to the point and said directly: "I want to ask you to help. Now the imperial court has built roads, from Taiyuan to Chang'an, Chang'an to Longyou, but Shandong has no territory. Therefore, I report to Your Majesty, hoping to follow the Taiyuan Wang family's law and work from the local gentry to build a road from Yangzhou to Taiyuan to connect. However, Your Majesty has deep prejudice against Shandong gentry and is determined not to... "

Li Mu stopped Wei Zheng and said, "So you come and make a decision. You want to use me to convince Your Majesty to agree to the road construction."

Wei Zheng nodded: "Yes, that's what I mean."

Li Mu laughed, laughing louder and louder the more he laughed, and laughed loudly for a long time before stopping, and said to Wei Zheng: "Old Wei, Lao Wei, what should I say to you? You said you did your best to do things, you did it before His Majesty, and you did it before me. To put it bluntly, how could you have the attitude to beg me? Even if I can help you, why should I help you? Is there any fool in the world who helps the opponent?"

Li Mu pointed to his nose and said, "Or do you think I, Li Mu, are like a fool?"

"Of course, Zhulu Hou is not a fool." Wei Zheng was still calm and said, "So I didn't expect you to help me without asking for anything. You can say what you want, and I can find a way to satisfy it, but this path must be repaired."

"It must be repaired?" Li Mu sneered and said, "What a big tone! Of course the road can be repaired, but I don't believe that the Shandong gentry would be so generous and donate money and grain to build roads free of charge. If so, I can help this. The Shandong gentry was generous and generous, and did not care about repaying the return to the people, and he would definitely record a note on the history books in the future."

Wei Zheng seemed not to see the sarcasm in Li Mu's tone and said, "What I am talking about is following the method of the Wang family in Taiyuan to build roads."

Li Mu exposes mercilessly: "In other words, it's still a profit!"

Wei Zheng did not deny it, pulled the words back and said, "Tell me your conditions."

"I don't have the conditions." Li Mu spread his hands and smiled, "Because I don't plan to help you! Regardless of the rift between you and me, I will say that you still have the conflict between the Shandong gentry and the Your Majesty. Am I stupid or crazy? Help you to make trouble for the Your Majesty? Have you forgotten that I almost died at the hands of you and the Shandong gentry. I remember this grudge. If the court does not allow it, it will be useless to repair the roads in Shandong gentry. Do they dare to collect tolls? If the tolls are collected without permission, it will be a waste of the imperial court to collect road taxes. This crime is the one who kills the nine clans. I don't believe they have such courage!"

Li Mu looked fierce and pointed at himself, saying, "Wei Zheng! I have no advantages, I have a good memory and a small mind. I will tell you clearly that I won't help you with this!"

"That's necessary to be repaired!" Wei Zheng's face was full of determination and said, "Li Mu, do you think I'm just trying to make this happen for the Shandong gentry? Have you ever thought that this matter was caused by you! If you don't give Wang Gui, there will be nothing. But you do it, you give your ideas, and you will see what's going on? Wang Gui took advantage of it, and Changsun Wuji jumped out. Both of them gained benefits. How can Shandong gentry sit? If you don't let them build roads, they have to secretly repair it. At that time, Your Majesty is furious. The conflict between the imperial court and the Shandong gentry is intensifying, and the people are suffering. Have you ever thought about it?"

Li Mu had heard similar words once, and what Sun Wuji said about "unevenness" on that day was exactly the same.

Li Mu didn't say anything. He was not moved. Instead, he calmed down. He was thinking about the pros and cons of this matter. In fact, in his heart, there was no hatred. He had never provoked anyone, and he had never provoked him. Moreover, because of his style of conduct, he was arrogant and domineering. In fact, people like Wei Zheng needed to restrain him, so that Li Shimin could rest assured. Otherwise, things would turn back if they were too arrogant. He would be too arrogant and would not be far from death.

Therefore, in a sense, he needed Wei Zheng and could not let Wei Zheng fall down. What Li Mu thought now was that Wei Zheng was defeated in his hands for a while, and the Shandong gentry would inevitably be disappointed. If this matter was not done, it might be impossible for Wei Zheng to lose power. However, in the court, there would inevitably be one person speaking on behalf of the Shandong gentry. If it were not Wei Zheng, there would be others. For Wei Zheng, he had figured out the way. If another person had changed, the situation would be better.

Moreover, in addition to opposing him, Wei Zheng is still a good official who is relatively serious and honest in many things.

Why don't you give him a promise?

Li Mu felt a little moved, but he did not make a decision immediately. With his personality and his opponent's affairs, even if he agreed, he could not let the other party take advantage of it. He still had to have some benefits.

"Oh!" Li Mu sighed and said, "The people, the people... The rise and fall of the world is the bargaining chip for the game between the aristocratic families and the court. It's a pity! It's a pity! The people suffer! The people suffer! The people die, the people suffer! It's a pity! It's a pity!"

Wei Zheng was stunned when he heard these sighs. After experiencing the troubled times at the end of the Sui Dynasty and seeing countless people suffering, Li Mu's words came to his heart. The reason why he was surprised was that he could not believe that Li Mu could sum it up so deeply and that he had never experienced troubled times, so why did he sigh so accurately?

Li Mu sighed again and said, "Forget it! Just think I'm for the people..."

Wei Zheng hurriedly said, "So you agreed?"

"Let's go!" Li Mu looked at Wei Zheng with a frown and said, "Old Wei, I don't hide it from you. I will help you with the affairs of the uncle. But there is one thing that comes first, whether it is the Wang family in Taiyuan or the nobles of Longyou, they are all loyal to Your Majesty. Loyals, even if they get some advantage, it's okay. Moreover, everyone has the first words and has made a contract. When the agreement is agreed, the road will be taken over to the court. To be precise, this is also a new policy."

"The Taiyuan Road was built for the mining industry in the Tang Dynasty, the Longyou Road was built for the salt industry in the Tang Dynasty! If it were not for this, Your Majesty would never allow it. Old Wei, don't forget. At the beginning of the new policy, who took the lead in opposing it and forced His Majesty to agree that the Shandong ground would not impose a new policy. I would like to ask, what reason does Shandong have to benefit from the road construction?"

"This..." Wei Zheng was asked and sighed: "I can't explain the interests behind this matter clearly in a few words. But I hope you believe me. Everything I did is not for the Shandong gentry, nor for Your Majesty. I just want to maintain a stable situation. I have done my best for the current situation. I cannot explain some things to you. Maybe you will understand them in the future, and then you will know my hard work."

"Ha!" Li Mu chuckled and said, "Old Wei, I don't understand what you said. Since you can't explain it, let's talk about what is already clear. The current situation is that Shandong ground does not want to implement new policies, but also wants to get benefits. OK! This is a bargain for you, but how do you guarantee that when the agreement is made, the ownership of the road can be taken back to the court? How do you guarantee that after the Shandong gentry built the road, will the toll be collected reasonably? Can't meat the people?"

"This..." The question raised by Li Mu once again stumped Wei Zheng. He didn't understand the twists and turns in it. He frowned and thought for a while, and said, "How did the Wang family in Taiyuan do it?"

"The contract between the Wang family in Taiyuan and the imperial court stipulates the standards for charging tolls. Who will collect and who will not collect, and there are detailed regulations on the weight of the goods, causing damage to the road, etc., and the imperial court will also set up a road inspection department to conduct special inspections. Will the Shandong gentry accept these conditions?"

Wei Zheng had a fever on his face and said for a long time: "I'm afraid it's very difficult."

"Then there is nothing to do." Li Mu waved his hand and said, "I can't help you!"

Wei Zheng gritted his teeth and said, "I can promise you that the court will definitely take back the ownership of the road after the period stipulated in the contract. Isn't that possible?"

"You can't make the decision about the inspection department?"

Wei Zheng sighed and said, "Li Mu, you have seen it too. I have never left Chang'an. The distance water cannot quench the near thirst. So what if I promise you? I can't supervise on the spot. It's nonsense to promise you. What's the point?"

"Then at least you have to accept the court's pricing of tolls, and you cannot increase or decrease it at will!"

"Yes!" Wei Zheng focused his attention. He knew in his heart that if he did not agree to this condition, there would be nothing to discuss.

"Okay! I can give you a try. After all, you are different from the uncle. You know your majesty's prejudice against you more than me."

Wei Zheng let out a long sigh, stood up and bowed to Li Mu, and said, "Thank you for your help. Whether it can be done or not, Wei Zheng has recorded it in his heart."
Chapter completed!