The Lone Star of the Tang Dynasty

"Your Majesty, if this is the case, how can the scholars of the world be ink?".

Xu Jingzong stepped forward and spoke in a sharp tone.

In fact, the logical chain of Xu Jingzong's words is quite complicated: if Li Er does not reward Fan Yang Lu, the production of pen and ink damaged by the fire cannot be restored, and the price continues to rise. How did Li Er explain to the scholars?

In fact, it is hinting to Li Er that he has no choice.

But Xu Jingzong did not say it explicitly, but chose to put pressure on Li Er directly.

Li Er laughed when he heard this.

"Guys, a fire scared you?"

"Nonsense ......

".

"Bring the pen!".

With Li Er's order, the attendants on the side of the hall moved when they heard the sound and quickly stepped forward.

In his hand, he holds a wooden plate full of unique objects shaped like chopsticks.

A few days ago, relying on the friendship between the old customer and the Yunshang Youdong family, Li Er had successfully obtained a batch of mysterious things before they were circulated in the market-it was the charcoal that everyone saw a few days ago.

"Fan Yang's famous ink is put aside for the time being, all the scholars and officials, you might as well try this. Li Er's words were loud, making the Manchu Dynasty civil and military dumbfounded for a while.

They couldn't believe that Li Er could take out these never-before-seen writing instruments like a trick!

The two chamberlains were in good order, and one by one they distributed charcoal and white paper to all the officials. In a few moments, everyone grasped the novel pen and paper. They splashed ink on the paper, and soon showed a look of surprise: although charcoal does not feel as flexible and smooth as a brush, its unique way of holding the pen does not require the wrist to hang in the air, greatly reducing the fatigue of writing. What's even more surprising is that the charcoal brushstrokes are extremely delicate, and there is no ink smudging during the writing process, so it is clean and neat, unlike a brush that can easily stain clothes. And the most shocking thing is that this pen can write quickly, and can easily control the small letters, and the handwriting is clear and sharp.

At this moment, almost all the officials present are aware of this: once this kind of charcoal is popularized, the traditional brush may face the fate of obsolescence!

In an instant, Xu Jingzong's face turned pale, and Pei Lin was even more iron-blue. He knew that although his family was not involved in the dispute between friends on the surface, it was actually closely related to the Fanyang Lu family. The emergence of this new type of pen undoubtedly indicates that the huge pen and ink industry on which Fanyang Lu's survival depends is about to suffer a heavy blow. If the Lu family really declines because of this, the Pei family will inevitably be implicated.

Thinking of this, Pei Lin was terrified in his heart, couldn't hold it anymore, squeezed through the crowd, and shouted:

"Your Majesty, this new-style pen is different from the ancient method of writing, and I am afraid that it is contrary to the rules of etiquette! It is not a pen handed down by our ancestors, and if we use it without authorization, will we not be disrespectful to our ancestors?

Li Er was not moved by his words, but looked up to the sky and smiled, the laughter was loud and passionate, echoing endlessly in the Manna Palace. His heart was secretly refreshed, he hadn't been so happy for hundreds of years!

Facing this group of big families who have always regarded themselves very highly, Li Er was secretly happy in his heart: It turns out that you also have times when you beg for mercy? Only this time, his reply was cold and resolute - "Don't even think about it!".

The corners of Li Er's mouth hooked up a sneering smile, and said to Pei Lian: "Wei Guogong, when you were rewarded without evidence before, you didn't mention that you had to follow the will of your ancestors. Now a small charcoal pen, but it reminds you of the meaning of your ancestors?"

Facing Li Er's questioning, Pei Lin was speechless for a while, his old face was flushed, where was there still a trace of sophistication and calmness on weekdays at this moment, and the panic was overflowing. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty...... This...... This...... The ancients did not use it, so we naturally cannot change the traditional ...... without authorization."

"Wei Guogong!" Li Er suddenly restrained his smile and interrupted him in a fierce voice, "The ancients didn't use it, how could this be an excuse to resist innovation? I think that when Confucius compiled the "Spring and Autumn Period" and whipped the rebellious ministers and thieves, there was no such thing as a brush! According to your logic, if everything needs to be based on the ancients, then we should not only ban this new type of charcoal, but even the brushes used today should also be listed as a prohibited product, right?"

Li Er's eyes were like torches, and he continued to ask: "Furthermore, in ancient times, Yao Shun Chan let the world be public, should I also follow the example of the sages and return all the private property of your Pei family and other families to the state?"

Hearing this, the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty were like being enlightened, and they woke up one after another.

Xu Jingzong's heart was even more shocked, countless causes and consequences flashed in his mind, and he finally understood that Li Er's smile was not pretending to be calm, but he had already found the key to breaking the Lu family's monopoly!

With the instant reversal of the situation, Xu Jingzong only felt that his legs were weak, and he could no longer support his body, so he fell to his knees with a thud, his forehead touched the ground, and shouted in fear: "Weichen Xu Jingzong is deeply guilty, I beg Your Majesty to forgive me!"

Later, he repeatedly confessed his sins to show his repentance: "The ministers should be punished, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive you!"

"The ministers are not redeemed for their deaths, please have mercy on Your Majesty!" Seeing this, the surrounding officials also echoed one after another, admitting their guilt and begging the emperor for his grace.

At this moment, the authority of the Son of Heaven was reinvigorated, the royal road was once again revealed, and the order of the world was still as stable as a mountain.

Li Er coldly glanced at the embarrassed appearance of the officials of the Manchu Dynasty, and his gaze crossed the hall and cast his eyes into ......the distance

It's not that there is any scenery outside the hall that is worth nostalgia, but these people in front of him, he really doesn't want to take a second look. If it weren't for the fact that the children of various families were officials in Chang'an, and to some extent they were hostages of the imperial court, he would have ordered the Xuanjia army to take down this group of cunning people.

Today, they not only openly provoked themselves, but also secretly set up obstacles, Li Er is not a weak and bullying monarch, this face and authority must be recovered.

"Ten thousand deaths, all of you are the heroes of my Tang Dynasty, everyone is loyal to the country, even if I am mediocre for a while, how can I easily sentence you to death?" Li Er's tone was indifferent but contained deep meaning.

"But recently, I heard a Taoist chief mention that the yield of potatoes and sweet potatoes was too high a few days ago, which may cause jealousy. Hence ......".

He paused for a moment, his gaze swept over everyone, "Starting tomorrow, for a period of one year, all of you who claim to be ten thousand deaths today, before the morning court, need to kneel outside the Suzaku Gate for an hour to express their awe to the heavens, and at the cost of this, they will enter the palace to participate in the court meeting." "

As soon as these words came out, the faces of all the officials turned like dirt.

You know, an hour is two hours, and you have to kneel for two hours in the morning, which is a kind of torment for anyone, let alone stand up, I am afraid that both legs will be kneeled. After a whole year, why don't you just kneel on your legs to scrap?

It turned out that behind Li Er's smile on his face, there was also a sharp sword hidden.

At this moment, everyone repented of their mistakes, and cursed in their hearts why they had to ask for their own hardships and shouted "the crime deserves death".

Some of these officials came from an average background, and they were not on the right path to enter the imperial examination, and they were all promoted by clinging to the powerful. They originally wanted to take the opportunity to keep up with Xu Jingzong's pace and sell their favors in front of the family's forces, but now they are full of remorse, and their intestines are about to repent—if they knew that there was such a punishment, they would not go to the family to stand up if they were killed!

After Li Er finished speaking, he smiled proudly, turned around and walked to the back of the Ganlu Palace, leaving a sentence of "retreat".

Faintly, he seemed to hear a few slaps behind him......