"So, is Wang Aiqing a clean official?"

Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji were both very interested. As long as Li Mu made a fool of himself and was defeated, they would be very happy. Moreover, this time it was Wang Jingze. Although Li Shimin was dissatisfied with Wang Jingze staring at Li Mu, he still valued this person very much. He saw the shadow of Wei Zheng in Wang Jingze. He should be the censor. He upholds the integrity, helps the ministers but not the relatives, does not fear power, and dares to speak.

Wei Zhengmao now... is really too close to the Shandong gentry. Li Shimin has been wondering the past two days whether Li Mu will go in after the Censorate this time. He has learned about Wang Jingze's origin and is also the son-in-law of the Shandong clan. If the family really has some money that cannot be explained clearly, with Li Mu's vengeful personality, he has been jealous of him and has suffered many faces several times and will definitely take revenge.

I really didn't expect that Wang Jingze was as clear as water and as bright as a mirror. He only had such a little money at home, so of course he was not as poor as Wei Zheng. But Wei Zheng was poor by himself. His salary and rewards were not less than those of people of the same level as him. He deserved it if he had to help his relatives, and let his relatives suck blood, and he could not afford to take medicine.

Eunuch Gao replied: "Yes, Your Majesty, if you look at Wang Zhongcheng's current property, you will be an ordinary censor who is diligent and thrifty. Of course, this is why Wang Zhongcheng has no other hobbies. If he is like other colleagues..." Eunuch Gao smiled and said with some advice: "That's hard to say."

Li Shimin frowned and said, "What does it mean?"

Eunuch Gao hurriedly said, "That's right, the salaries of officials are worthwhile, but they always have their own contacts, either recite poems, chat with friends, or have banquets, or are in the Jiaofangsi... In this way, there is no count. I heard that Wang Zhongcheng had almost no social relationships except studying, so there is no surplus."

After pausing, Eunuch Gao said again: "Of course, most of the officials who like to communicate have other channels to make money, and this is not bad."

Li Shimin understood and sighed: "What a pure minister... The Censorate needs such a person. Originally, Wei Zheng was also such a person, but he went astray, which is a pity..."

Li Shimin sighed and asked again: "Where are the other censors?"

"Except for Duke Wei and Wang Zhongcheng, other censors have more or less money from unknown origins. At least hundreds of stakes, the most are as high as two thousand stakes. Zhulu Hou was not polite, and all were confiscated."

"Two thousand stakes!" Li Shimin said hatefully: "In the Qingshui yamen of the Censorate, you can be greedy for two thousand stakes. It's really hateful! Can such a person be the Censor?"

"Your Majesty, you are wrong." Eunuch Gao smiled and said, "I have been paying attention to this matter for Your Majesty these past two days. I found that this Censorate is not a Qingshui Yamen. Many Censors do extortion. For example, if someone finds the crime of an official, he will not say it, and go to this person privately. If you can take out the money, the evidence of the crime will be destroyed. Opening three times a year is enough for communication and use, which is much more convenient than other yamen."

Li Shimin was so angry that his chest was blocked and sighed: "This is my censorate! It's ridiculous that I still expect them to supervise all the officials...ha!"

Changsun Wuji comforted him: "Your Majesty, Mr. Wei said that day. When the water is clear, there will be no fish, and people have selfish desires. Li Mu once said that the world is bustling for profit, and the world is bustling for profit. Merchants and officials are like this, so your Majesty does not have to worry too much."

Li Shimin said angrily: "This is all quibbling! You said that people have selfish desires, so why do you have Wei Zheng and Wang Jingze not have such selfish desires? Why can Li Mu find a way to make money by himself instead of greed for it? It can be seen that the root of it is still human nature!"

Changsun Wuji smiled bitterly and said, "Your Majesty, there are more than a hundred civil and military people in the court. How many are there in Wei Zheng? How many are there in Li Mu? Your Majesty wants to show his ambitions, relying solely on Wei Zheng, how can Li Mu do it?"

"you……!"

Li Shimin was suffocated and stared at Changsun Wuji with his eyes. Changsun Wuji accepted it calmly. The brothers who grew up in childhood finally started a confrontation invisibly for the first time.

Neither of them pointed out the conversation just now, but they both understood each other's feelings.

Li Shimin is reminding Changsun Wuji not to be too favorable. Changsun Wuji is telling Li Shimin that everyone is like this, and you are the emperor and cannot change your human nature.

After looking at each other for a long time, Li Shimin finally did not make up his mind to tear his face with this childhood playmate. He looked at Eunuch Gao again and changed the topic: "What's wrong with that Jinyiwei? Three hundred people dare to call him "Guards"?"

Eunuch Gao smiled and said, "Your Majesty, it's interesting to talk about this. Didn't Zhulu Marquis ask you for a quota of 300 people? He picked 500 people in the Tunwei. He planned to survive the fittest and leave 300 people. It was smooth to pick people, but when he left the camp, the Tunwei left behind all the horses, armor and weapons, and did not bring anything. Zhulu Marquis had to buy horses by himself, make armor by himself, and cast weapons by himself..."

"Oh?" Li Shimin raised his eyebrows and smiled, "No wonder he built a factory again. It turned out that he had suffered a loss and wanted to make up for it."

Eunuch Gao was puzzled and said, "Your Majesty, why are you looking for a supplement? Isn't Zhulu Hou making money?"

Li Shimin smiled and said, "You still don't know this kid. Look, when his factory is built, you can see if the armor he made is given or sold. If he doesn't steal the money back, he will not stop."

Changsun Wuji's eyes lit up, as if he had understood something, but he was unable to understand the method, and a trace of doubt flashed through his eyes.

Eunuch Gao simply didn't understand, but he didn't care and continued, "...all things were prepared by himself, and the Marquis of Zhulu went to the Ministry of War again. Your Majesty knew that our Tang Dynasty was a military system, and each soldier, either guard or mansion, had his own command. The soldiers selected by the Marquis of Zhulu were all from the Imperial Guards. Logically speaking, they should also be under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Guards. The Imperial Guards were not desirable, but the Marquis of Zhulu said that his soldiers were all armed by him and could not be dispatched by the Imperial Guards, so he had the final say. He called himself "General Yunlong" and asked the Ministry of War to give him the title of "independent regiment."

Li Shimin laughed and said, "It's Li Mu's style, General Yunlong... I dare to say that I am General Tiance, so he called himself General Yunlong, hahaha..."

Changsun Wuji felt so sad when he saw this. His Majesty was so spoiled by Li Mu. Are you not angry?

Li Shimin asked again: "How will the Ministry of War reply?"

"The Ministry of War will not agree." Eunuch Gao smiled bitterly and said, "How can there be such a rule? The soldiers of the palace were originally intended to facilitate command, but Zhulu Hou wanted to be ‘independent’. How can this be done?"

Li Shimin nodded and said, "Hou Junji is still very responsible."

"Marquis Zhulu was very unhappy and claimed that the Ministry of War was unreasonable. He bought all his soldiers and the Ministry of War without paying a penny. Why should his soldiers obey the orders? Since the Ministry of War is not inclusive, he will be "independent". Didn't you allow him to establish his own officials? He used this as a basis. Apart from the twelve guards, an Jinyiwei was set up and under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. His brother Li Chongyi was appointed as the "Commander of the Jinyiwei" and was granted a fifth-rank official."

"Fifth-rank!" Li Shimin frowned and said, "Didn't I only allow him to be awarded the title of the sixth-rank or below officials? Why should he be awarded the title of the fifth-rank?"

"That's the case," Gao explained: "It's actually a sixth rank. He claims to be a fifth rank and is less than the salary of the first rank. He said he pays it himself."

"This..." Li Shimin couldn't smile bitterly, thought for a while, and said, "Forget it, the fifth rank is the fifth rank... Then Li Chongyi is now the adopted son of the Prince of Hejian. It is not an exaggeration to be named the fifth rank. A high-ranking official will be given an imperial edict later. But it would be a bit exaggerated to call these three hundred people "wei". Why is it the "Embroidered Uniform Guard"? What is there to say here?"

"It is called 'wei' because Zhulu Hou felt that he had lost face. In the Tang military system, the twelve guards were the largest, so he had to call 'wei' and seemed to have a face. As for the Jinyiwei, Zhulu Hou said that he had money and no place to spend it, and his wealth was unknown, just like a brocade dress. He wanted his soldiers to be the thirteen guards. Even if he could not be the strongest, he was the richest..." Speaking of this, Eunuch Gao whispered: "Your Majesty, you have not seen those 'Jinyiwei's guards, all of whom were wearing embroidered flying fish uniforms, which were comparable to seventh-grade official uniforms, but the quality was better. He could not get a set of money without three or five scoops of money!"

Li Shimin snorted: "I was still crying poor the day before yesterday, but today I am so extravagant and wasteful. It seems that I really can't pity him!"

Changsun Wuji was beside him, and was looking forward to further "long-faced furious", but after waiting for a long time, nothing happened. He cursed in his heart, Li Shimin, are you confused? Flying fish clothes! Flying fish! "Shan Hai Jing" records that flying fishes are pythons, and pythons are also like dragons. Can't such clothes be surpassed? You just let them go so easily, is it true that Li Mu is your illegitimate son?

Of course this is impossible. Changsun Wuji was confused by the anger. Others didn't know him, but he knew it better. However, he and Li Shimin had never been separated for more than 20 years. Li Shimin was not like Li Jiancheng, and he showed mercy everywhere. Li Mu could never be his illegitimate son.

It is possible for Li Jiancheng to do so.

Changsun Wuji was stunned. He didn't know how he had such an association. Li Jiancheng was a possibility... Is this possibility really? Is this possibility... possible?

A faint smile appeared on the corner of Changsun Wuji's mouth. He suddenly realized that he had found Li Mu's weakness. The seemingly unbreakable holy family could only be destroyed by this move.

No one knows Li Shimin better than Changsun Wuji.

No matter how outstanding Li Mu is, how much he appreciates it. As long as Li Mu is the "Kangcheng's son", he will undoubtedly die.

Li Shimin would not allow the existence of those who threatened his throne, nor would he allow this person to be as outstanding as Li Mu.

So, the question now is how to make Li Mu a 'Kangcheng' son'.

Conspiracy?
Chapter completed!