After Cui Keli retreated, Li Ye continued to handle the memorial after the imperial case. Li Zhen did not receive the order and could only lie in the hall. From time to dusk, Li Ye did not leave his seat, and Li Zhen did not move for a moment.

When the last ray of sunset moved from the square in front of the hall to the palace wall, Li Ye stood up. When he walked past Li Zhen, he indifferently ordered the other party to get up and follow. He came outside the hall, walked down the jade steps, walked straight up the imperial city tower.

The walls of the imperial city are very high. Looking south from here, most of the Chang'an City can be seen. The lights are on, and the figures of neighbors are lying like chess boards. There is no curfew in Chang'an City at present, and the bustling land can last until late at night.

The night breeze was blowing, and Li Ye, who stood with his hands behind his back, was lightly curled, and the solemn and angry expression on his face slowly dissipated, replaced by a bit of recollection: "When I just inherited the title of king and took charge of the An Palace, I met you at Fengyu Bridge. At that time, I had no power in my hands and no one around me, but I had to face the hostility of the treacherous ministers and Taoists. This was a real adversity.

"From then on, you followed me and took care of the royal palace, and came up with many good strategies. Then I went out to pacify Lu, pacify all directions, and conquer the frontiers. You have always been my hump. In terms of merit, you are the second among civil servants, and no one dares to be the first."

Li Zhen bowed and stood behind Li Ye's side, looking down at his feet.

Hearing this, he raised his head a little and barely smiled, "When I met Your Majesty by chance on the wind and rain bridge, I was desperate and was about to sleep on the streets. Although I was poor and destitute at that time, I had a passionate heart and wanted to serve the country, change the decline of the Tang Dynasty, and make a good minister for the people... and leave a name for me in history."

Li Ye did not look back, looking at the lights gradually glorious Chang'an City, his tone was calm: "I always thought that you and Cui Keli would be my house. Du, you have always done a good job. For this reason, I have never stingy with the rewards to you. However, I did not expect that those who once pleaded for the people and sacrificed their lives for state affairs eventually fell into the hometown of wealth!"

Li Zhen bowed his head and said nothing.

After a while, seeing that Li Ye had no intention of continuing to speak, Li Zhen said bitterly: "The aspiring people in the world are worried about their family and country before they have taken power. Once they have great power in their hands, how many people can remain unchanged in their original intentions? This is true for individuals, and even more so for the group.

"After all, the aspiring people in the world are the same, and the powerful people in the world are the same. When the identity of a willing person becomes a national powerful person, his face will naturally change. This is the rule and no one can violate it.

"I have worked hard, I have made great contributions to this country, and I also like to use this achievement to say things... But the fact is that history does not mean that I am now degenerate, and that I am really degenerate, and the blame cannot be concealed."

After saying this, Li Zhen leaned over and bowed, "Difficult and hardship, I have come over, and I have not allowed me to change my mind and mind. I once thought that there would be nothing in this world that could change my ministers. But now I understand that in terms of changing people's power, power and wealth are much better than hardships.

"I am willing to bear the blame for your Majesty's trust, so please punish me!"

Li Ye did not respond to Li Zhen’s request for punishment.

He was a human being in two lives, and the things he experienced were very comparable. His diverse knowledge made him have a deeper understanding of the world. He was actually very understanding of Li Zhen’s experience, and he also agreed with Li Zhen’s statement about changes in a group of people.

But this does not mean that Li Ye can forgive Li Zhen.

Li Zhen was wrong, Li Ye can forgive him, but he was wrong, who can forgive him?

"Taizong said that the people are water, the king is a boat, and water can carry boats and can also overturn the boats. I think that the "jun" in this sentence is more appropriate to replace the "magistrate" with the "morning court". I beheaded the governor of Kaifeng and dealt with the Minister of Revenue. You may think that I have done a ruthless enough. But I tell you that this can only calm down the anger of the public. To ensure that the country is long-term and that there is no more powerful people invading the wealth of the people, this is far from enough.

"The price suddenly rose sharply, and the people could not live a life. No matter how many achievements the Tang Dynasty established, it was still a flower in the mirror. When the people's food, clothing, housing and transportation could not be guaranteed, who could ask them to feel the glory of the Tang Dynasty?

"If it were before, land annexation would have been annexed. Although the people were resentful, they were unable to resist the government. For only two or three hundred years, the situation was less than the level of the destruction of the dynasty.

"But the Tang Dynasty is different now. There are so many monks. The people have the power to check and balance the court. If the court does not treat them as human beings, they will immediately rise up and resist! The matter of Kaifeng City is proof."

Speaking of this, Li Ye's eyes gradually became sharper. He turned to Li Zhen, "If everyone in this world is a coward of scholars and cowards, and he has no power to tie a chicken, even if he is dissatisfied, he will not dare to fight against the government. At most, he will be chewing.

"But the Tang people are brave and hardworking, not such a soft-legged shrimp! Practice is equivalent to a sharp weapon for their hearts. With this sharp weapon, when encountering unfair treatment, they will easily draw their swords with the inspiration of their blood and courage!

"You don't think about it. If prices rise and spread to the whole country, what should I do if the people get up and do things? I am also afraid, very scared! Because of this fear, I respect the people. Because of the people, I dare not let the people suffer injustice!"

Li Zhen looked up in shock and looked at Li Ye in shock, and said, "Your Majesty has an unparalleled cultivation. There is also a large army of immortals under his command. Why are you afraid of the people causing trouble? If there are rioters, suppress them, and kill a group of them. The rest will naturally be afraid."

Li Ye sneered: "A such a Tang Dynasty is still a prosperous Tang Dynasty. Can it be unified in the world and surrender to the world. Can Chang'an last for thousands of years?"

Li Zhen's face turned pale and he opened his mouth several times, "But, Your Majesty, practicing martial arts and allowing the people to master force is the national policy that Your Majesty insists on implementing. Now... Isn't it now..."

"Eat your own fruit?"

Li Zhen dared not say yes, but that's what it means.

Li Ye looked at Li Zhen and shook his head in disappointment, "Li Zhen, you don't understand at all. This is the result I want. Only by allowing the people to have the ability to restrain the emperor can the emperor be respected and unable to harm the people. Only by making the court respect the people can the national policy and national policies be beneficial to the people.

"This is a complete social contract.

"In such a dynasty, officials are officials who benefit the people, not powerful people who are superior. In such a dynasty, the people will naturally support the court. Only when the two move forward hand in hand can the dynasty gain true strength and continue to be strong for a long time. This will avoid the vicious cycle of changing dynasties every few hundred years.

"What I want is the eternal prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Do you really don't understand this principle?"

Li Zhen stood up impatiently, opening his mouth speechless.

Li Ye turned around and continued to face the city of Chang'an, quietly looking at his empire and people.

After all, his cultivation comes from the loyalty of the people. If the court loses the people's hearts and the power of the people's luck dissipates, his cultivation will no longer exist. By then, he will have nothing and become a mustard of grass.

Because of this reason, he had to think carefully and carefully about how to keep the Tang Dynasty strong and let the powerful regulate their behavior, and not to exploit the wealth of the people, so that the world can get rid of the vicious circle of the richer and the poorer the poorer, so as to achieve true political harmony and prosperity.

The dragon energy decided that Li Ye would practice the Emperor's Way, and the Emperor's Way would make him have to govern the Tang Dynasty well.

The ancients said that governing a country requires governing officials. As long as the officials are in a manner of rules, the world will naturally be peaceful. The fundamental reason is that power needs to be restrained. In Li Ye's view, governing officials cannot rely on the emperor, but on the people. Let the people have the power to restrain officials and have the idea of ​​supervising officials.

That is to enlighten the people and at the same time let the people have force. This is the foundation. With this foundation, the subsequent superstructure - various measures, laws, and institutions, will naturally be formed.

After standing for a while, Li Ye planned to return to the palace.

When he was about to turn around, he heard Li Zhen's crying sadly: "Your Majesty, I am incompetent and talented, poisoning the country and the country of the Tang Dynasty and hindering Your Majesty's great affairs in governing the country. I deserve to die!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of breath came, followed by a high-toned and desolate shout: "Your Majesty has been for thousands of years, and the Tang Dynasty has been for thousands of years!"

Li Ye turned around and saw Li Zhen's hand drooping from his bloody forehead, and the body fell softly to the ground.

On that day, Li Zhen, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, committed suicide by placing himself on the imperial city tower. At this time, the head of the governor of Kaifeng was still hung on the city gate.

After staring at Li Zhen's unclogged body for a long time, Li Ye squatted down, closed his eyes for him, and sighed: "Suppressing the powerful and establishing rules must be similar to when the founding of the country. Over time, the powerful and powerful class has become huge, and no matter how much the king wants to change, he will be powerless. Therefore, I must take ruthless measures, and you must die."

Standing up, Li Ye waved his hand to call the officials who recorded their daily life notes and said to him: "Prime Minister Li Zhen is afraid of suicide. I am grateful for his many years of merits and will not be punished."

......

In the autumn of the ninth year of Tianshu, the army of the Western Expedition passed through triumphantly.

In addition to the conquered Tianzhu in seven years, the Tang Dynasty basically completed the unification of this world.

On that day, Li Ye was on the bank of Baqiao to talk about his achievements for the soldiers in the Western Expedition. There were thousands of people in Chang'an City, and countless people went to the outside of the city to watch the ceremony. Li Ye conferred Shangguan Qingcheng as the King of Qi and rewarded the three armies. When the imperial decrees were issued, whether it was the soldiers in the Western Expedition or the people in Chang'an, they called Your Majesty for ten thousand years and the Tang Dynasty for ten thousand years.

"The Tang Dynasty is really going to last for ten thousand years!" Cui Keli, standing at the top of all officials, felt the bravery of the military and civilians fighting bulls in the Tang Dynasty. He couldn't help but feel deeply moved when he was excited.

He knew the situation outside the sky and personally handled the Kaifeng matters. He knew very well what it meant to unify this world under Li Ye.

Li Ye finished his inspection of the Western Expedition Army and was about to leave, the clear sky suddenly gushed with wind and clouds, and lightning and thunder. In a blink of an eye, two or two huge vortexes that were not deep and unsightly appeared in the sky like eyes of the sky.

In a moment, in the sight of the soldiers and civilians of the Tang Dynasty, two giants appeared from the vortex, as if they were jumping out of another space.

Those were two starships.

A ship looks like a giant snake, with two powerful characters engraved on the hull: Nuwa!

Another ship is as majestic as a city, and there are also two large white characters on the hull: Pangu!

———

This volume of "The Tang Dynasty" is over.

Next volume: Final volume - "Civilization".
Chapter completed!