"Master, James Ma wants to see you!"
Chang'an City, Chongrenfang, Changsun Wuji's house. Changsun Wuji, who had just returned home from the morning, had not yet entered the house when an old servant came up to him and bowed to him.
"Ma Cheng? If he doesn't assist the prince in the East Palace, why would he come to me?"
Changsun Wuji got off the carriage, frowned when he heard this, and said angrily.
He is older and his body is not as strong as Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong, so he cannot ride a bicycle to go to court every day. But in fact, he still likes bicycles, which are new things. They are convenient and fast, and he can go anywhere at any time. However, his physical condition did not allow it, so after experiencing the initial fresh energy, Changsun Wuji returned to his original habit of riding a carriage to go to court in the morning.
Speaking of this, Ma Cheng is the newly appointed Crown Prince Zhan Shi. The previous Crown Prince Zhan Shi was held by Li Zexuan. However, as Li Zexuan has been promoted like a rocket for more than a year, the original one was directly replaced. The little prince Zhan Shi became a prince of the current dynasty and was granted the title of governor of a state. It was obviously inappropriate for him to hold the post of Prince Zhan Shi with such a status. Moreover, Li Zexuan did not have time to go to the East Palace to fulfill the duties of Prince Zhan Shi. The duty of a soldier!
So about a month ago, at the recommendation of Chang Sun Wuji, newcomer Ma Cheng took up the post of Prince Zhan Shi!
Ma Cheng was originally a scholar under Changsun Wuji's family. His family was poor. Fortunately, Changsun Wuji appreciated and recruited him as his disciple, and he was able to gain a foothold in Chang'an City, a city where land and land were extremely valuable. Ma Cheng had outstanding literary talent and profound knowledge, and most importantly, he was loyal to Changsun Wuji, so Changsun Wuji elected him as the prince Zhan Shi to study with Li Chengqian.
As the uncle of the current dynasty, Changsun Wuji wants Li Chengqian to become the real crown prince and the future new king of the Tang Dynasty more than anyone else. Although Li Tai is also the biological son of Empress Changsun, since ancient times, the elder has not established the young, and Changsun Wuji does not want to do anything bad. He must have broken the rules set by his ancestors, because once he takes the lead and breaks the rules, countless people will follow and want to break the rules. By then, if someone wants to make Li Ke the crown prince, wouldn't it be justified? Therefore, Changsun Wuji is determined not to shoot himself in the foot. He is the most steadfast princeling in the court, so much so that he is a bit paranoid!
It’s true that he wanted Li Chengqian to be the emperor, and at the same time, he didn’t want Li Chengqian to escape his control!
Since the founding of Yanhuang Academy, Li Zexuan has vigorously promoted engineering, and Li Chengqian has been deeply influenced by it. He has gradually begun to neglect Confucianism and emphasize engineering. How could Changsun Wuji tolerate it? In his opinion, only Confucianism can govern the country, and engineering is nothing more than heresy. He could not let Li Chengqian, the great prince, go astray, so he recommended someone he trusted to be the candidate for Prince Zhan Shi!
Ma Cheng took on the important task of guiding Li Chengqian back to the right path!
But whether he can complete this important task, only God knows!
"Ma Zhanshi said that he has something important to discuss with you, sir. I have asked him to wait in the side hall! Look, sir..."
When the old servant saw Changsun Wuji frowning, he quickly replied.
"You want to discuss important matters with me?"
Changsun Wuji was a little curious. After pondering for a moment, he waved his hand and said, "That's all, let me go over and have a look!"
After saying that, Changsun Wuji stepped into the mansion and walked towards the front hall.
"Mr. Ge! You are back!"
Changsun Wuji came to the side hall, and a thin middle-aged man in his thirties quickly stood up, cupped his hands and saluted.
This person is the current prince Zhan Shima Cheng.
As for the title "Ge Lao", in the Tang Dynasty, it was not a term specifically used to refer to the prime minister, but was an honorific term given to the senior middle-aged people in Zhongshushe and to senior officials in Zhongshu Province and under the sect. It was only used specifically to refer to the prime minister after the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty. The title was also used in the Ming and Qing Dynasties as a title for the bachelors who held imperial edicts in the Imperial Academy.
Changsun Wuji not only held a position in Zhongshu Province, but also served as the right servant of the Minister of the Court, with a high and powerful position. As a retainer of Changsun Wuji's house, it is not too much for Ma Cheng to call Changsun Wuji "Elder Pavilion"!
"Um!"
Changsun Wuji nodded, then came to the front seat and sat down. He looked at Ma Cheng and asked directly: "Why is Zhongming here today?"
Zhongming is Zhang Cheng's character.
Seeing that Sun Wuji got straight to the point, Zhang Cheng skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point: "An interesting thing happened in the city today. I wonder if Mr. Ge heard about it?"
Changsun Wuji got himself a cup of tea. After a sip, he said angrily: "If you have anything to say, just say it. I don't have time to guess riddles with you!"
Seeing this, Zhang Cheng stopped trying to keep things secret and said bluntly: "Mr. Qi Zhengge, today all the Yanhuang banks in the city posted a notice stating that from now on, all Yanhuang banks in the Tang Dynasty will stop doing business with Anguo and Kang. All cooperation with Chinese merchants, including storage, lending and exchange, as for the money that has been loaned out, Yanhuang Bank requires those people to pay it back within three days, otherwise it will be handed over to the government for investigation!"
"Huh? Yanhuang Bank has stopped cooperating with merchants from Anguo and Kangguo? How can Marquis Yongan sing this?"
Li Zexuan is the current "top leader" of Yanhuang Bank, so after hearing this, Changsun Wuji subconsciously couldn't help but think about what trouble Li Zexuan was going to pull!
Zhang Cheng cupped his hands and said: "Mr. Ge, this notice should not be the idea of Marquis Yong'an. Now that Marquis Yong'an is in the army, Yanhuang Bank is basically managed by the King of Shu alone, so Zhang speculated that, This should be an order from King Shu!"
"Li Ke!"
Hearing Zhang Cheng mention the King of Shu, Changsun Wuji's face suddenly became a little unhappy. He could clearly see the current situation in the palace. Li Chengqian's position as crown prince seemed to be very secure, because Li Er's three relatively powerful Among the promising princes, two have moved out of the palace, and now Li Chengqian is the only one who is favored!
But the two princes outside the palace are not "fuel-efficient lamps". Li Tai is better off. Although Li Tai has excellent grades in Yanhuang Academy and is even regarded as an elite disciple by the academy, he is called the academy's most talented student in engineering. One of the students, but in any case, Li Tai is the daughter of Empress Changsun. No matter how outstanding he is, it will not have much impact on the honor and disgrace of the Changsun family;
But Li Ke is different. Li Ke has the blood of the royal families of two dynasties. In terms of the nobility of the blood, Li Chengqian cannot compare, but in terms of status, it is a bit embarrassing. However, for such an embarrassing prince, now not only He was named the King of Shu, and became the number two figure within Yanhuang Bank, second only to Li Zexuan!
What kind of place is Yanhuang Bank? It is in charge of the coin issuance of the entire Tang Dynasty. In time, the economic lifeline of Datang will be controlled by Yanhuang Bank.
It is precisely because of this that Changsun Wuji is a little wary and wary of the current Li Ke!
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