The April breeze gently blew through the black smoked bricks and tiles of the Daming Palace, making the magnificent palace look even more empty.

In the political hall, Li Mi raised his head from his desk and looked at the bright sunshine outside the window. He always felt that something was missing these days.

There was no singing and dancing during the Tianbao period, and there was no intrigue and intrigue for power. Every day was just plain government affairs, but Li Mi did not think that this calm would last forever.

He turned his head and looked at the seat where Li Xian usually sat when discussing matters. It was still empty at this time. He knew that Li Xian had been very concerned about the governors of various places recently, and would always meet with some officials from time to time to understand local affairs.

On the surface, it seems that Li Xian, as a member of the clan, is doing his best to centralize power for the imperial court. In fact, it is possible that Xue Bai is distracting the clan's attention, or even trying to make both the clan and Jiedu suffer losses.

Li Mi has never been afraid to use the greatest malice to speculate on people in power, even though he is a Taoist priest with an immortal style.

Yan Zhenqing and Du Youlin were not in the political hall today, only Wei Jiansu was sitting there, seemingly asleep.

"I heard that Yuan Zai has returned to Beijing."

Suddenly, Wei Jiansu, who had closed his eyes to rest his mind, spoke.

Just now, Li Mi was still thinking that there had been no big fight for power in the court recently. Hearing this, he couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "Yes, I am meeting His Highness right now."

Wei Jiansu said: "Yuan Zai is quite scheming, but he is greedy. I'm afraid he will become Li Linfu or Yang Guozhong."

In saying this, he was actually looking up to Yuan Zai. In his mind, at least Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong were from good backgrounds, but Yuan Zai was from a poor background and was even more greedy and humble.

Li Mi asked: "His Royal Highness has recalled many officials who are good at money and food expenditure. Is it possible to make a big move?"

"I never wanted to hide it from Chang Yuan." Wei Jiansu said: "Although the Tubo envoy has left, the root of the problem has not been solved. If Dazhalu Gong raises troops to invade this autumn, where will the imperial court come up with military funds?

?When the treasury is empty, it will be difficult for a clever woman to make a meal without rice."

"We need to raise money and food, but we also need to increase taxes?" Li Mi asked deliberately, "Is it necessary to change the tax system?"

But they all knew Xue Bai's plan.

Wei Jiansu simply said: "His Royal Highness is unwilling to increase the tax, and now is not the opportunity to reorganize the system. It is just to take back the property of the temples in the world to solve the urgent need. Recruiting Yuanzai must be to take charge of this matter."

"Wei Gong actually agreed?"

"To be honest, I don't want to agree." Wei Jiansu said: "But you know His Highness's temperament. He will definitely get the money, grain, land, and population. If not from the temple, where else can he get it?"

If the court needs it, it can always get it, either by raising taxes on ordinary people, or by checking the hidden fields of aristocratic families. Not to mention other wealth, tens of millions of acres of fields, and a population of nearly one million, tax increases will require more

One tenth.

Wei Jiansu didn't want such a thing to happen during his reign, and he didn't want to suffer the disadvantages of annexation of numerous fields. In comparison, Buddhism was a soft persimmon that was easier to pinch.

Li Mi saw through this and said: "Ruling a big country is like cooking a small dish. Wei Gong and His Highness are going to use heavy medicine. But have you ever thought about it? Your Highness's footing is not stable. Such behavior will definitely be criticized."

More than criticism, if Xue Bai dares to go against the entire Buddhist sect when he is still just a prince, he will inevitably encounter strong hostility. Some political opponents who were originally stinging will definitely be waiting for an opportunity to overthrow him from the position of crown prince.

What Li Mi cares about is not whether Xue Bai's position is stable, but he is worried that this kind of power struggle will shake up the situation that has just calmed down, which will not be a blessing to the country and the people.

The reason why he asked Wei Jiansu this was to test whether Wei Jiansu agreed to Xue Bai's matter because he was helpless, or did he deliberately allow Xue Bai to act wantonly and create opportunities for the clan forces?

Wei Jiansu did not reveal his innermost thoughts at all, but sighed: "Everyone who can persuade me has tried to persuade me. Your Highness is determined to go his own way, and this matter is beneficial to the country, so I have no choice but to comply."

Li Bisui shook his head slightly and said nothing more.

Not long after, someone came to report that Yuan Zai had come to visit Wei Jiansu.

Wei Jiansu thought for a moment, got up, and went to the official residence to meet Yuan Zai alone.

When he came back after being demoted this time, Yuan Zai seemed much calmer. The fanaticism in his eyes was replaced by a deeper and more complex emotion, and his temperament became much calmer.

"I have met the right Prime Minister."

Wei Jiansu said "hmm" because he had no good impression of Yuan Zai and his expression was cold.

In the past, Yuan Zai was often looked down upon by others because of his background, including when he was in Wang Zhongsi's family. He had a somewhat sensitive personality and cared a lot about what others thought of him. But now he seems to be calmer, although it is obvious that Wei Jiansu looks down on him.

, he didn’t take it seriously and got down to business.

"I have just met His Highness. Your Highness talked to me about confiscating the property of the temples all over the world, releasing the monks, and returning the temple slaves to their hometowns. This matter is important, and I have been asked to obey the instructions of the right minister."

Wei Jiansu's voice was strong and he said: "Your Highness is worried that I can't do well."

Yuan Zai said: "This official knows a little about planning, and may be able to do his best for the right minister."

In any case, the matter was clearly laid out in front of him. Xue Bai wanted to deal with Buddhism, so he first sought Wei Jiansu's consent and asked Wei Jiansu to express his position. When it was time to do something specific, he sent his confidant Yuan Zai to take charge of the matter.

He took advantage of Wei Jiansu to deal with this matter, but he didn't trust Wei Jiansu that much.

"This is a big deal." Wei Jiansu said, "What do you think?"

"Your Majesty, I have to persuade you to take back your life." Yuan Zai said.

This answer was beyond Wei Jiansu's expectation, because this incident should have been an opportunity for Yuan Zai to be reused and prosper.

But Yuan Zai's attitude was very sincere, saying: "His Royal Highness chose to inventory the Buddhist temple properties instead of raising taxes out of love for the people, but this matter is not beneficial to his status. If it causes turmoil in the country, then

It’s too late to regret it.”

It's rare that such a greedy person's views are similar to Li Mi's.

Wei Jiansu asked: "Have you convinced His Highness?"

"No, His Highness has made up his mind." Yuan Zai said, "In that case, all I can do is to complete this errand."

Wei Jiansu looked at Yuan Zai, as if he saw waves in Yuan Zai's eyes.

Not long after the turmoil over the struggle for power in the Tang Dynasty had calmed down, a new undercurrent seemed to be surging.

~~

In the afternoon, Li Xian picked up an official document.

He has been busy investigating military governors in various places recently, and he doesn't pay much attention to some trivial matters in the political hall, but he still knows what major events are happening.

Today, the imperial court appointed another group of officials, presumably to prepare for an inventory of the Buddhist temple property. Li Xian knew about it, but still asked to take a look.

"Most of them were recommended by Yuan Zai, and His Highness has already agreed." Wei Jiansu said.

"If Mr. Wei agrees, I have no objection."

As Li Xian spoke, his eyes suddenly focused and fell on a name in the document.

"Yang Yan."

He thought to himself that the name looked familiar, and then the young man he met by chance while watching the performance came to mind.

"Have you also noticed this boy?" Wei Jiansu said: "Yang Yan is indeed talented and worthy of such a heavy responsibility. It is difficult for a mediocre person like Yuan Zai to have such vision."

In fact, Li Xian also had vision. He had long seen Yang Yan's talent and wanted to recommend Yang Yan as an official.

But during the deep conversation after getting drunk that night, Yang Yan revealed his dissatisfaction with the East Palace, which made Li Xian feel uneasy, so he gave up the idea.

Now that Yuan Zai recommended Yang Yan, does Yuan Zai know Yang Yan's attitude?

Li Xian wasn't sure.

He put down the official document in his hand, handed it back to Wei Jiansu, and said, "They are indeed talented people."

Originally, he wanted to remind him that there might be someone on this list who wanted to overthrow the East Palace, but in the end he swallowed his words.

After all, he was loyal to the ancestral temple and the country, not to the prince personally. Yang Yan just complained a few words after being drunk. Making a fuss out of a molehill would instead stir up an unjust case and make people uneasy.

"Are we really going to destroy the Buddha?" Li Xian asked.

Wei Jiansu waved his hand and said: "It's just taking back the acres and population."

~~

In addition to these prime ministers knowing Xue Bai's true plan, the current public opinion in the world is that the prince of the prison country worships Buddhism, and Buddhism will soon flourish.

There are several reasons. For example, His Highness has a good relationship with Jiaoran and even gave him a poem. For example, the imperial court issued an edict praising Zen Master Hui Zheng who went to Tubo to preach.

It is said that Zen Master Hui Zheng was welcomed as a distinguished guest when he arrived in Tubo. Even Tubo Zanpu wanted to worship him as his teacher. The monks reacted enthusiastically to such rumors and forgot to calculate whether Zen Master Hui Zheng could leave at this time.

Where to.

Just when their atmosphere was at its hottest, an edict from the imperial court poured a large basin of cold water on them, mercilessly pouring it on their bald heads.

The imperial court actually directly requested that temples in the world be demolished. Chang'an, Luoyang, and Taiyuan could each keep five temples, and each state in the world could keep two temples. After the temples were demolished, the stone and wood materials were used to build the posthouses and the iron statues were cast.

Bronze statues of agricultural implements and bells were used to make money, while gold and silver Buddha statues were used to enrich the treasury. All the acres of land produced by the temple were taken over to the court and distributed after measurement.

The remaining temples were divided into three classes: thirty people in the upper temple, twenty in the middle temple, and ten in the lower temple. The rest of the monks and nuns were all returned to secular life, and all tenants and slaves were included in the civil register. After statistics, the fields were divided and taxes were paid.

With the edict, the whole world was in an uproar.

~~

Before issuing the edict, Xue Bai showed it to Li Yazhou.

Li Xiazhou saw it, and his first reaction was to take a breath of cold air and asked in surprise: "Why did Your Highness show this to this poor man?"

"You were the one who initially persuaded me to do this."

"Pindao doesn't." Li Xiazhou immediately denied it and said, "If Pindao really did this, wouldn't he be reviled by thousands of people?"

"You persuaded me in your heart."

Xue Bai didn't give him a chance to refute at all.

Li Yazhou could feel Xue Bai's pressure, so he no longer denied it, stood there and acquiesced to the matter, and then said: "Your Highness has great perseverance."
To be continued...