The Great Pit on the Eighth Section of the Imperial Palace

  The palace gate slowly opened, and the guards in shining armor stood on both sides, clearing a path to the Vermilion Bird Gate opposite the main street. The civil officials proceeded in one line, the military officers in another, each person solemn and dignified, with their hands clasped together in respect. Cloudy was thinking to himself: "Can we really establish our own achievements?" Suddenly, Cheng Yaojin broke protocol and pulled Cloudy to stand behind him, took a few steps forward, then turned his head back and asked: "Little Cloudy, why are you treating Li Ji like this?"

  I expected Old Master Cheng to ask this, and Yun Yan smiled brightly: "If Master Cheng beats me, I'll take it as a sweet treat. If Niu Master beats me, I'll remain calm. If Qin Master beats me, I'll gladly accept the punishment. If Wei Master beats me, I'll run away in all directions. As for Uncle Li wanting to beat me, Yun Yan might fight back."

  Lao Cheng slapped Yun Ye, smiled and stopped talking. Lao Niu suddenly appeared from nowhere, glared at Yun Ye with anger in his eyes, pointing to the place where he should stand without making a sound. Seeing Lao Niu, naturally bowed his head, hunched his back, and shrunk his neck, obediently standing in line. The strange appearance made the officials burst into laughter, and the guards maintaining order glared at Yun Ye fiercely, but seeing that it was just a young boy, they let him off lightly. Fang Xuanling, who was at the front of the queue, originally disliked this behavior, but upon learning that the one making trouble was just a young boy, he laughed it off as ignorance due to youth.

  Yun Yan felt the benefits of being young, saying wrong things and doing wrong things, as long as they weren't against principles, he could always find a reason to be forgiven. You should give young people a chance to correct their mistakes, Yun Yan shamelessly thought.

  The Taiji Palace stands on the thirty-sixth stone step, and from below, only the upturned eaves can be seen. The auspicious beasts at the tip of the eaves, the Qilin and the Xiezhi, appear majestic under the faint light of the sky. The imperial power is supreme, and the sharp eaves that seem to pierce the clear sky undoubtedly represent the dignity of the royal family. This thing is not being struck by lightning, but it's a good conductor, made of bronze. People say that it was only lightly punished by heaven for Li Er's actions, as if heaven was warning him not to go too far. Of course, this is Yun Yan's evil intention in his heart, and he dare not speak it out loud, or his head would fall to the ground. An enraged emperor wouldn't care about your talent, no matter how exceptional you are, anyone who dares to say such a thing would be chopped into firewood.

  Eunuchs, a deformed product that has accompanied the imperial family for thousands of years in China, stood on high steps and shouted loudly: "The grand court begins, all officials pay homage." Just this sentence made Yun Heng admire him endlessly, the sharp voice actually shouted out a sense of awe. Talent is indeed to be approached closely from now on.

  The empty hall was suddenly filled with the sound of people, some looking for seats, others sneaking away with other people's cushions, and still others exchanging polite greetings and invitations to sit. Some were even claiming they didn't drink despite reeking of alcohol. But the most outrageous thing was that someone shamelessly let out a stinky fart, causing the people around them to frantically wave their hands in front of their noses, as if to say "Was it you who did it?" I reckon the farting brother is probably among the crowd waving their hands.

  On a normal day, there are only about 100 people in the early morning, but on a grand occasion like this, over 2,000 people suddenly pour in and it's no wonder that the crowd is chaotic. The queue stretches all the way outside the hall, and I reckon Cheng Chu and his group must be squatting in the cold wind, shivering. Yun He is gloating, thinking to himself that he's lucky to be a marquis, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sit inside the grand hall. All around him are uncles and elder gentlemen over 40 years old, and even some grandfatherly figures, searching everywhere for their missing cushions. Yun He finds a good spot, leaning against a large wooden dragon pillar, with two cushions on the floor and one on his back. He hears that the grand occasion won't end in less than four or five hours, so he's taking a good rest. Tonight, he still has to cook a big meal for his family - a dish made from a 160-jin pig. He specifically instructs the housekeeper to select a pig of exactly this weight, slaughter it, skin it, and not throw away the internal organs. The intestines and stomach are to be cleaned with flour and set aside until he returns to take charge.

  Li Er came out, wearing a Tongtian crown and a python robe. The pearl tassels hanging down were exactly level with his eyes. Under the illumination of 99 giant cow butter candles, he shone brightly, just like a future messy coquettish star, making people dizzy and unable to see clearly what he looked like. This is probably the greatest effect of the Tongtian crown.

  All the officials shouted "Long live" three times, Li Er accepted everyone's kneeling and declared that they could dispense with the formalities. After everyone knelt down at their desks, lowered their heads and closed their eyes in a solemn manner, Yun Hao also fell into deep thought. A pair of long legs stretched out from under the desk for a long distance.

  First, Fang Xuanling sang the praises of the great achievements of the Tang Dynasty in the past year. He enumerated how many rebellions had been put down, how many bandits had been defeated, how much grain and military equipment had been seized, as well as women. Although there were some locust plagues within the passes, they did not affect grain production, which was slightly lower than last year, but still acceptable in a year of disaster. The market was increasingly prosperous, taxes were collected in increasing amounts, and the population grew steadily. In short, the past year for the Tang Dynasty was a victorious one, a glorious one, all thanks to the wise Emperor Li II, who led the people of the world to achieve such accomplishments.

  Next, Du Ruhui stepped forward, and the flattery of Fang Xuanling continued. The Great Tang had a peaceful year in the past year, although there were small disturbances by the Turks, but with the wise Emperor's words on the Wei River, he fooled the Turks away, opening the most extraordinary example of winning with weakness, six riders leaving Chang'an to meet with the Turkish leader at the Wei River. Through diplomatic efforts, they laid the most solid foundation for the Great Tang to move from victory to victory. Thank you, Emperor Li II, we are growing vigorously under your brilliant light, and your great achievements will be remembered forever.

  Wei Zheng's report inspired every official of the Tang Dynasty, just as they were about to take advantage of the enthusiastic atmosphere to flatter a bit more. Unexpectedly, they suffered a severe blow. The mirror of the ages, Wei Zheng, was not having it. "Is this really all the Emperor's doing? What do we have to do with it? Are we all just wine bags and rice sacks? Are our soldiers all weaklings? Are our people all lazy? Is the world at peace? Ha! What about the border people kidnapped by the Turks? What about the Yu Liang that Longsun Wuji just put down? Were the Qiang people killed by Cheng Yaojin made of mud and clay? The Emperor has done a lot, but not everything. As the chief civil official, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui's private virtue is lacking, taking credit for the entire world's achievements to flatter the Emperor for a moment, what a sycophant!"

  The mouse in the pot, the booger in the bread, this is exactly what Wei Zheng's kind is like. With such a level of flattering, isn't it also a breach of private virtue? You brother have never heard of a real government report, if you had heard the government reports of later generations, wouldn't you chop people and then die from bursting all over your body?

  The grand ceremony at the end of the second year of Zhenguan was the first grand ceremony presided over by Emperor Taizong as emperor. It's a bit like the People's Congress in later generations, where the government has to report on its achievements for the past year and look forward to the prospects for next year. Of course, the judge is the emperor, and in later generations, the judge is the people. Yun Yan, who had been a member of the people for over 30 years, naturally knew that the rights of the people were represented by a small number of people, and there was no difference between this and the current situation.

  Reporting good news but not reporting worries, the future is bright, the road is winding, and victory ultimately belongs to us. For 1,400 years, the evolution of government reports has only changed from classical Chinese to vernacular Chinese, which is still awkward and difficult to understand, with twists and turns. The art of speaking has been performed to perfection, even more so than cross-talk.

  Note: I've kept the translation as close to the original text as possible, while trying to make it sound natural in English. However, please note that some cultural references or nuances may not translate perfectly.

  Yun Ye let out a long yawn, the reports from the six department heads were like lullaby notes sliding before his eyes, making him drowsy. His heart had long been numb, the government, this violent tool of rule that has accompanied humanity since its birth, was always stiff, cold, stubborn and hypocritical. He didn't have the patience to listen to their nonsense, the major policies had already been established by a few so-called elites, now they were just talking rubbish.

  At a glance, the admiration in his heart suddenly burst forth like the Yellow River overflowing its banks. The old man beside him, who couldn't be called either an uncle or a father's brother, had three long white hairs hanging from his chest, and as he nodded his head in approval, it seemed that the dry report of the Minister of Works, Wen Daoya, was a fragrant and extraordinary article, which made one feel like drinking sweet dew when they heard it. If he didn't snore or drool, Yun Ye would be ashamed of his own ignorance and deeply regret his rudeness. Since this uncle was sleeping, Yun Ye thought that taking a nap himself was really not dignified, as if the lesser witch was seeing the greater witch.

  The sun rises higher and higher from the gate of Taiji Temple, its rays piercing through the thin mist, softly filling the entire temple. The sunlight has a natural function of dispelling darkness, whether physical or metaphorical. The voice of Dali Temple's Shaoqing Dai Mou grows lower and lower, unable to utter the four words "peace under heaven" again.

  "I shall cast aside the well-written memorial: Since I took office in the first year of the Zhenyuan era, the people's customs have been simple and honest, cases of violence and robbery have decreased, and those who commit crimes have retreated. The new policies of the Zhenyuan era have won the hearts of the people. However, among those imprisoned, most are still from the clan of the Crown Prince, who in ordinary times did not have great evil deeds, and some were even Confucian scholars with high moral character. Why does Your Majesty's benevolent heart not illuminate every corner of our Great Tang, so that today, when the world is already at peace, we cannot again resort to slaughter, allowing the innocent blood to tarnish the sacred court of our Great Tang? I implore you, Your Majesty, three times: 'Your Majesty, think thrice.'"

  As soon as the words came out, it was like a bomb thrown into the toilet, causing countless disputes. There were those who agreed, those who condemned, those who were bewildered, and those who watched from the sidelines. Emperor Li II visibly shook for a moment, presumably because Prince Lee Jiancheng was still a thorn in his heart, and today's grand court session had reopened old wounds, it was unknown what kind of reaction he would have. Yun Hao stared wide-eyed at Emperor Li II's reaction.

  Very disappointed, did not behead Dai Mao and put his head on a platter for inspection. Yun Ye was extremely disappointed. Li Er let go of the old, weak, women and children, as well as close family members and servants. However, he didn't spare a single one of the main culprits, and the Dali Temple must conduct a thorough investigation to eliminate all doubts. Li Er attaches great importance to the legitimacy of his rule.

  Dark clouds have dispersed, and the imperial court has returned to its usual harmonious atmosphere. Everyone is in high spirits. The plump Changsun Wuji appears on the scene, and the mood suddenly becomes lively. He's a stout fellow, so it's only natural that he brings joy wherever he goes. The elimination of Prince Yongle of Chang Le was indeed a great achievement for the country, and as a reward, he received an additional 300 households to his fiefdom, plus the title of Grand General of the Imperial Guard, and also became the Duke of Qi State. His prestige is unmatched at the moment. Cheng Yaojin's face is filled with anger; all he got was the title of Count of Lu County, with an additional 100 households to his fiefdom, but not even a ceremonial guard was bestowed upon him. This is already quite something, you hear? Qi State is a state with a thousand chariots, and now listen to this - what about Lu County? Which one is it? Never heard of it, maybe it's some small mountain village that claims to be a kingdom. I used to be a bandit myself, but you can't just give me some small mountain village as my fiefdom, that's seriously biased! Old Cheng demands fair treatment.

  Li Er almost got angry to death, who said Lu Guo is a bandit? Uneducated and unskilled, Lu Guo is the ancient name of your hometown, you have land in your hometown, what are you not satisfied with? Old Cheng opened his big mouth with satisfaction, it turned out that Lu Guo was in Jizhou Prefecture. Yun Heng's heart was full of gratitude, Old Cheng didn't know where Lu Guo was, and was secretly reminding Li Er not to treat Yun Heng unfairly after the reward. Niu Jin reached the third rank of officialdom without joy or anger, with a face that showed no concern.

  "Hou Yunyan of Lantian County has an audience with Your Majesty." Upon hearing his name called, he hastily stepped forward and paid respects to the emperor. Li stared at Yunyan, his eyes seeming to have hooks in them, making Yunyan feel uneasy all over.

  "You have been taught by a master since childhood, and your unique skills in salt production have alleviated the suffering of my people from lack of salt. This is the first. You have presented to the military the technique of segmental body armor, and two hundred strong men have become brave warriors. This is the second. You have improved the iron smelting technique, and now a hundred pounds of steel are produced every day. This is the third. You have introduced the ancient rare grain potato, which has benefited the country and will benefit future generations for thousands of years to come. I am deeply grateful and cannot express my thanks enough. In this imperial court, rewarding the worthy and punishing the guilty is the right granted by heaven and also my lifelong aspiration. Now it's your turn, what do you have to say? What are your requests? I will satisfy them."

  "Damn it!" Yun Ye cursed in his heart, wanting to reward his father, but instead he was given a hard time. If he had spoken up for himself, he would have said, "I want your throne, give it to me!" He knew what he wanted, but Man Datong didn't give him the chance to speak up and instead set him up alone. The saying "bullying the weak" is indeed an eternal classic.

  "I, myself, have escaped from the jaws of death in the wilderness, and it is already a blessing from heaven. I was able to escape with my life thanks to the assistance of the great Tang army soldiers. To offer you this small skill of salt production as a gift seems too presumptuous, but Your Majesty's generosity in granting me the title of Ping'an County Marquis has moved me to tears. As for tempering my body and refining iron, these are merely my duties; how dare I boast about them to Your Majesty? The sweet potatoes were obtained by a guest from across the vast ocean; I do not dare take credit for someone else's achievement. Please, Your Majesty, investigate this clearly."

  "What has become of Hai Ke now? Such a righteous man must be rewarded." Li Er pursued him relentlessly.

  "That is the friend of my master, I serve with the courtesy of a junior and do not dare to ask the name of an elder, my master often calls him 'the guest with the curly beard'. The three Wind-Dust Chivalrous Heroes don't know whether it's true or false, anyway two of them are in your imperial court, you can ask them."

  As expected, Li Jing rushed out of class and grabbed Yun Ye, asking: "What's going on?"

  "Ugly, with a full beard, black, extremely black, sturdy build, good at wielding a long knife, can speak foreign languages, wants to teach me how to wield a knife, but he's ugly so I didn't learn. " Yún Yè decided to deceive the God of War.

  "Thud," Li Jing kicked Yun Ye flying with one foot and turned around to kneel in front of Li Er, wailing loudly.

  Yun Yan struggled to get up from the ground after a long time, and Lao Cheng supported Yun Yan, glaring at Li Jing.