readbooksol Chapter 5518 Your Highness possesses the talents of Wenjing
Chapter 5518 Your Highness possesses the talents of Wenjing
Chapter 5518 Your Highness possesses the talents of Wenjing
In every child's eyes, their father is the first person they admire and respect. A father's words and actions will inevitably influence a child's personality development, and every word of teaching will be deeply imprinted in a child's mind, something they will never forget.
Therefore, a father is a child's first teacher in life. To become a successful and morally upright person, one must have a father who matches him.
To Empress Su's disappointment, since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been more distant and suspicious of his son Li Xiang than affectionate, and for several years there has been no necessary communication between them.
Now, Fang Jun, riding his horse outside the carriage, is giving Li Xiang earnest advice, and Li Xiang is also humbly accepting it. He doesn't just lecture him, nor does he give him precise answers. Instead, he lets him think and summarize for himself... almost perfectly replacing the responsibility that should have been borne by his father.
Furthermore, His Majesty intends to change the heir apparent, while Fang Jun is determined to protect the Crown Prince... They are like a teacher and a father, nothing more.
Empress Su pursed her lips, her pretty face hidden in the shadows of the carriage, still slightly flushed even though no one could see it.
The carriage stopped outside Chengtian Gate, where eunuchs who had been waiting there quickly opened a side gate and bowed to welcome the Empress and the Crown Prince into the palace.
Fang Jun dismounted from his horse, tossed the reins to the guards at the gate, removed his helmet and tucked it under his arm, and followed the carriage into the palace gate.
After taking only a few steps, they saw a burly general, fully armored and wearing a red-tasseled cloak, standing menacingly on one side of the door, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Fang Jun stopped and greeted him with a smile: "Oh, it's my nephew! You've recovered from your injury and are back on duty? Your grandfather gave you a good name; you're indeed dedicated to your job! But why do you look so angry? Are you still holding a grudge? Tsk, you're really petty!"
Li Jingye was practically fuming, but he kept his facial expression under control, showing not a trace of anger.
That guy has such a foul mouth!
Suppressing his anger, he removed his hand from the hilt of his sword, clasped his hands together, and said in a deep voice, "This humble general greets the Grand Commandant! His Majesty is waiting to summon the Grand Commandant. If we keep His Majesty waiting, it would be our fault as subjects."
Fang Jun raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "What's wrong? Still not satisfied with that beating the other day? That's easy to talk about. Nephew, why don't we arrange a time for another match? I guarantee you'll be completely convinced!"
Li Jingye shook his head, shut his mouth, and said no more.
Although he was indeed angry, he was more angry at Fang Jun for his foul mouth than at Fang Jun's skills. He would never provoke him again and risk humiliation.
So what if you're born with superhuman strength?
So what if you're the bravest warrior in the army?
As the saying goes, "two fists can't beat four hands." If you don't make a move, all is well; but if you do, you must plan carefully to ensure everything goes smoothly.
His eyes gleamed as he watched Fang Jun's retreating figure.
……
Perhaps due to some lingering resentment or deep-seated hatred towards Emperor Taizong, Li Chengqian rarely stayed in places like Lizheng Hall and Shenlong Hall, where Emperor Taizong had lived, after ascending the throne. Instead, he always stayed in Wude Hall.
Even when he was seriously ill, he lived in a side hall separated from the Imperial Study by only one wall.
Several snowfalls have just occurred. Although the snow in the courtyard has been cleared, due to the low temperature and continuous overcast weather, snow still remains on the walls and roof ridges. The red walls, white snow, and plum trees create a serene yet slightly desolate atmosphere.
Empress Su accompanied Li Xiang into the side hall. Clearly, the couple and father and son had some private things to say. Fang Jun, who was not summoned, stood outside the corridor and spoke in hushed tones with Prince Han, Li Yuanjia.
It was decided before the Lunar New Year that an additional imperial examination would be held this year. Li Yi, Li Chen, and Li Zhuan, all from the Han Prince's household, have come of age and will participate in the examination.
Fang Jun was puzzled: "Does everyone have to take the imperial examination to become an official? At least one member of the family should serve in the army."
As the sons of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong grew old or even passed away, Prince Han, Li Yuanjia, became increasingly respected. In addition, his prestige grew as he took charge of the Imperial Clan Court, and some people began to call him "the first prince of the imperial clan".
For the Tang Dynasty royal family, the higher their status, the greater the danger.
If no sons of soldiers were to enter the army and hold military power, their voices would probably be quieter...
Li Yuanjia glanced at him. If this wasn't his brother-in-law, he might have even suspected that the guy was up to no good.
“What use would I, a prince and prime minister of the royal family, have for military power? Don’t give me any bad advice. My family’s children will all take the imperial examinations to become officials.”
Fang Jun didn't take it to heart and shook his head with a smile.
Although the Prince of Han's mansion avoided getting involved in military power to avoid suspicion, with his brother-in-law, the Grand Commandant, around, it really didn't matter...
Li Yuanjia nudged Fang Jun's shoulder, glancing around as he whispered, "You're just spouting nonsense to me. Don't you care about His Majesty's actual condition?"
Fang Jun lowered his eyelids: "As a subject, it is not a good thing to spy on the emperor."
Li Yuanjia clicked his tongue: "Not curious at all? Come, come, let me tell you..."
Fang Jun ignored him completely, even taking a step to the side and sneering, "Your Highness, as the head of the royal family, holds a high rank and position, yet you not only fail to respect the health of the emperor and father but also disregard etiquette. Do you really think I won't go to His Majesty to complain about you and impeach you?"
Li Yuanjia said angrily, "How can you be so ungrateful? If it were anyone else, I would never have uttered a single word, even if you killed me. Now that I'm telling you, you're not grateful at all!"
Fang Jun shook his head and sighed, "Stop it already. Do you need to ask His Majesty about his little schemes? Go ask those old foxes in the court. Every single one of them knows perfectly well what he's up to. They're all just playing along with His Majesty."
"……well!"
Li Yuanjia sighed, shook his head, and couldn't say a word.
Since His Majesty is putting on an act, it means he has ulterior motives that he cannot reveal to the public, so how could it be anything good...?
The conflict between imperial power and the heir apparent has never truly subsided over the years.
Wang De, the chief eunuch, appeared at the entrance of the side hall and summoned Fang Jun to an audience.
Li Yuanjia patted his arm and whispered, "Your Majesty is ill after all, so be careful with your tone and words, and don't make the situation too tense."
Fang Jun nodded: "I understand."
Li Yuanjia left the palace on his own, while Fang Jun went into a side hall.
It was a cloudy day, and the light inside the palace was dim. No candles were lit, and maids stood by the side on the gleaming floor. Wang De led Fang Jun straight into the bedroom.
The room was filled with a faint smell of medicinal soup.
Li Chengqian lay half-reclined on the bed, his waist and abdomen covered with a brocade quilt, and a white headband tied on his forehead. He looked gloomy and weak.
It doesn't seem like he's seriously ill; it's more like he's overworked...
Empress Su sat on the left side of the bed, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief, while Li Xiang handed her father a cup of warm water.
The slender and beautiful Shen Jieyu stood awkwardly on the other side of the bed, her expression slightly embarrassed.
The young prince was nowhere to be seen; perhaps there was an illness emanating from the room, and they were afraid of infecting him…
"Your humble servant pays his respects to Your Majesty."
Fang Jun stepped forward and bowed deeply to the ground.
Li Chengqian glanced at Fang Jun, took the water cup handed to him by Li Xiang, took a sip, handed the cup back to Li Xiang, and then said, "Grand Commandant, there's no need for such formalities. Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Fang Jun straightened up, took another step forward, and looked at Li Chengqian with concern: "Your Majesty, how is your health? Is your illness serious? You look somewhat haggard."
Li Chengqian waved his hand casually: "It's nothing serious. It's just that I've been working so hard these past few years, and all the accumulated illnesses have finally come out. It looks scary when illness strikes like a landslide, but it's actually not a big deal."
Fang Jun said, “The empire has a vast territory and hundreds of millions of people. Every day there are countless and endless government affairs. National affairs are naturally important, but Your Majesty should also streamline government affairs and take care of your health. After all, health is the foundation of everything.”
Li Chengqian coughed twice, but did not respond to Fang Jun's words.
What does it mean to streamline government affairs and maintain the emperor's health?
Should we continue to delegate power?
Does this mean that important military and national affairs can be decided and implemented simply by the Council of State Affairs and the Grand Council, without needing the emperor's approval?
He looked at Li Xiang with a touch of emotion: "The Grand Commandant has taught the Crown Prince very well. I haven't seen the Crown Prince for a long time. Today, seeing him so gentle, polite, respectful and filial, I feel quite gratified."
Empress Su put down her handkerchief and sat quietly to the side.
Li Xiang felt a little nervous. His father's words were clearly well-intentioned, but why did they make him feel a chill down his spine and uneasy in his heart?
Fang Jun remained calm and said in a deep voice, "His Highness the Crown Prince is intelligent and quick-witted, with the bearing of a dragon and the qualities of a phoenix. Everyone in the Eastern Palace believes that his future achievements will be no less than those of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing."
Li Xiang was somewhat agitated, but he tried his best to remain calm.
Grand Commandant, you actually compared me to Wen Jing?
I'm a little proud...
Shen Jieyu glanced at Li Xiang, lowered her head, and remained silent, pursing her lips.
Li Chengqian chuckled, his tone deep and profound: "The Crown Prince is indeed excellent, but we cannot force him to grow too fast. Moreover, throughout history, there have been countless monarchs, but how many can be compared to Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing? I fear he may have the outward appearance of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing, but not their inner qualities, and thus become a laughingstock."
Emperors Wen and Jing were the benchmark for emperors since the Han Dynasty, and were praised by later generations as "the epitome of virtue". Their most admired feature was "governing by non-action", which meant not disturbing the people, not acting recklessly, achieving the natural operation of state institutions with minimal intervention, and reducing taxes and levies to allow the people to rest.
But that's only the surface.
The so-called "governing by doing nothing" was based on the powerful political skills of these two emperors. They appeared to be honest and benevolent rulers, a model of frugality who wore straw sandals, and an exemplar of "governing by doing nothing." In reality, however, they completely controlled the court and the people there, managing everything with ease and composure.
Therefore, Li Chengqian's meaning is very clear: the ministers who support the Crown Prince now think that if the Crown Prince becomes a "Wenjing" (a legendary figure in Chinese history), then the imperial power will be completely hollowed out and the emperor will have to "rule by doing nothing," while completely losing control of the court.
Wang De, the chief eunuch, was trembling with fear.
His Majesty's words were tantamount to an extremely serious accusation, practically pointing his finger at Fang Jun and denouncing him for "usurping imperial power" and "having ulterior motives"...
Fang Jun smiled slightly and said softly, "His Highness the Crown Prince upholds His Majesty's kindness and benevolence, focuses on the way of benevolence and forgiveness, and follows the laws of nature. Naturally, he is the will of the people and his virtue benefits all living beings. His Majesty does not need to worry too much."
Li Chengqian's face suddenly darkened.