readbooksol Chapter 5521 What is a Loyal Minister?
Chapter 5521 What is a Loyal Minister?
Chapter 5521 What is a Loyal Minister?
As expected, His Majesty, on his sickbed, summoned a group of civil and military officials and forcefully approved Xu Jingzong's plea. He not only granted Xu permission to appease bandits, recruit local officials, and hire idle civilians to form "armies" to promote development within the Dongting Lake area, but also ordered Gao Kan to personally lead most of the Right Guard to Yuezhou to protect the territory and its people and prevent unforeseen events.
No officials raised any questions or objections.
Everyone knows what developing Dongting Lake means for His Majesty. Such a monumental achievement must be completed before developing Liaodong; otherwise, its impact and political merit will be greatly diminished. Anyone who dares to oppose His Majesty on this matter is tantamount to breaking ties with him.
Of course, it cannot be ruled out that some people were convinced that something would go wrong at Dongting Lake and were waiting to see His Majesty and Xu Jingzong make fools of themselves.
If the so-called "Dongting Lake Corps" causes trouble, regardless of whether the Right Guard can quell the situation afterward, Xu Jingzong will bear the responsibility, and His Majesty will lose face as a result.
When imperial power is weakened time and time again, the consequences are self-evident.
……
British Duchy.
Li Ji put down his teacup, frowned, and looked at his eldest grandson, his tone heavy: "Why send someone to monitor the Duke of Liang's mansion? Do you know what this means?"
Li Jingye was somewhat indignant: "Fang Er ordered Cheng Wuting and Sun Renshi to send people to keep an eye on me. I'm just giving them a taste of their own medicine. What's wrong with that?"
Looking at the stubborn Changsun with his neck stiff and face contorted, Li Ji felt exhausted. Suppressing his temper, he said gently, "Can you compare yourself to Fang Jun? He can keep an eye on you, and as long as he doesn't harm you, no one can say anything. But if you keep an eye on him, do you believe he would dare to kill you?"
Within the rule of imperial supremacy, status is equivalent to power.
Li Jingye's act of sending people to keep an eye on Fang Jun with ill intentions was "subordinate overthrowing superior," which was absolutely forbidden, otherwise the world would descend into chaos. Fang Jun's act of sending people to keep an eye on Li Jingye was an act of power, and even if Fang Jun killed Li Jingye, he could only be punished according to the law and redeemed with money.
This is one of the reasons why powerful clans are increasingly inclined to "rule of law." When power overrides everything, everyone becomes a target at the top.
Li Jingye remained unmoved and confident: "Grandfather, don't worry, I am always vigilant and will not give him such an opportunity."
Li Ji was furious and slammed his fist on the table: "Is that what I meant? I was asking why you were spying on Fang Jun! Did you act on your own initiative? Or was it His Majesty's order?"
If he acted on his own initiative, that would be fine; he could just force Li Jingye to withdraw his men.
If this is His Majesty's will, then it means His Majesty will definitely take action... and that would be a huge problem.
Li Jingye shook his head: "I did it myself. I felt that his relationship with the Empress was unclear. If I could find some leverage against him, it would greatly damage his prestige and even force him to hand over some power."
Li Ji found this grandson unreasonable: "What does it matter to you whether he and the Empress have an improper relationship? Even His Majesty doesn't care, so why are you meddling? If you really find out something and make it public, Fang Jun will certainly lose face and prestige, but how will His Majesty face the consequences?"
Li Jingye pursed his lips, lowered his head, and poured tea for his grandfather in silence, his expression stubborn and unmoved.
Li Ji had no way to deal with this grandson, so he warned him: "You are not alone. There are dozens of members of the Li family behind you. No matter what decision you make, you cannot only care about your own merits and glory, but must put the safety of your entire family first."
In the current power struggle between the emperor and the crown prince, siding with His Majesty is not a problem, but giving unreserved and full support is not. Li Ji does not want his family to decline after his death, to be excluded from the core of imperial power without a pillar, but he also does not want his descendants to cause a great disaster and implicate the family.
Li Jingye remained silent for a long time before speaking after hearing this: "Your Majesty treats me as a national hero, and I should repay him as a national hero. This is what a loyal and good general should do. My grandfather received great favors from two emperors, Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong. How could he protect himself when the imperial power was in turmoil? This would go against my grandfather's teachings to me."
Li Ji was speechless for a few moments, unsure of what to say.
Is this grandson out of his mind?
Is my current position solely due to the great kindness of my ancestors?
If it weren't for those illustrious achievements, would Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong even know who I am?
Loyalty to the emperor and patriotism are essential qualities for soldiers, but we can't foolishly take "both thunder and rain are the emperor's grace" as the golden rule, can we?
You must distinguish between what you deserve and what the king has given you!
Li Ji's face darkened, and he said impatiently, "I'll be watching you. If you dare to do anything reckless, don't blame me for breaking your legs!"
Li Jingye paused for a moment, not daring to directly challenge his grandfather's authority, and could only purse his lips and nod reluctantly.
What they were thinking, however, remains unknown.
……
Although the Tang Dynasty adopted Taoism as its state religion, Buddhism flourished due to the prosperity and abundance of resources. Almost every neighborhood in Chang'an had one or two Buddhist temples, some of which were inherited from the Sui Dynasty, some were built by the Buddhist community of the current dynasty, and some were even built by imperial decree.
In the southeast corner of the Imperial City, in Taipingfang, there is a Shiji Temple, which was built by Zheng, the wife of Changsun Lan, the Duke of Xue and Governor of Jingzhou during the former Sui Dynasty. It is not large in scale but has a reasonable layout and gorgeous decoration.
Fang Jun, dressed in a round-necked casual suit and wearing a turban, was sitting in the temple’s back courtyard, drinking tea and eating pastries while enjoying the snow scene.
It was early February, and the weather was gradually warming up when suddenly a northerly wind picked up overnight, and snow began to fall.
Before long, a figure wearing a cloak and a hood covering his head and face to shield himself from the snow came quickly in. The guards outside did not stop him and stepped inside.
The man entered, lifted his hood, pulled down his cloak, and stepped forward to greet him.
Fang Junan remained seated, smiling as he said, "Sanlang, there's no need for such formalities. Please take a seat and have some hot tea to warm yourself up."
Li Chongzhen thanked him, sat down opposite Fang Jun, and took the teacup Fang Jun offered with both hands, taking a small sip.
Fang Jun pushed the plate of delicate pastries forward again and asked, "With such caution, has something happened within the 'Hundred Riders Division'?"
Li Chongzhen looked grave and didn't reach for the pastries: "I'm being watched."
Fang Jun raised an eyebrow: "Li Jingye?"
Li Chongzhen shook his head: "I don't know, and I'm not sure. I just feel like something's not right."
Fang Jun took a sip of tea and said, "Tell me about it."
“These days, there have been frequent transfers within the ‘Hundred Cavalry Division,’ with many skilled individuals coming and going without any apparent reason. I, on the other hand, have not received any orders and have been ordered to stand guard within the palace. It seems as if all actions are avoiding me.”
Fang Jun nodded, seemingly lost in thought.
Li Chongzhen was a veteran of the "Hundred Cavalry Division," with unparalleled experience in surveillance and investigation. He would never make mistakes like "seeing enemies everywhere" or "mistaking a bow for a snake." If he felt he was being targeted and monitored, then it was bound to be so.
Clearly, Li Jingye, the commander of the "Hundred Cavalry Division," must have some scheme in mind.
This confirms his previous suspicions; a storm is brewing...
Instead of delving into the issue, he asked, "Why don't you take this opportunity to transfer out of the 'Hundred Cavalry Division'? Do you want to join the army or pursue a career in the civil service?"
When Li Xiaogong was on his deathbed, he promised to take care of his sons, especially to help his third son, Li Chongzhen, get rid of the "Hundred Cavalry Division". This was for Li Chongzhen's future and to prevent the family from being involved in some secrets and causing trouble.
He had a very pleasant working relationship with Li Xiaogong, who also took good care of him and always kept his promises.
Li Chongzhen hesitated and said, "Li Jingye has been acting very mysteriously lately. He must have something up his sleeve. Should I stay in the 'Hundred Cavalry Division' to keep abreast of the situation?"
Fang Jun shook his head and said, "Although Li Jingye is reckless, he is not stupid. Since you have realized that he is targeting you, it is clear that he is very wary of you. How could he let you know the real situation? If you really find out something, you should be careful that it may be a trap."
Li Chongzhen nodded, then smiled and said, "Then let's go to the navy. There's no need to go overseas; just serve as a captain in the Yangtze River Navy."
Without much thought, it was clear that they had planned this all along.
Although the Yangtze River Navy was far less powerful than its overseas counterparts, many of its soldiers and officers were former subordinates of Li Xiaogong, and Li Chongzhen had truly thrived and enjoyed his time there.
Fang Jun nodded: "Of course, no problem. But don't you plan to make a name for yourself?"
Going to the Yangtze River Navy meant "just loafing around and waiting to die," and the only way to make a name for oneself and get promoted was to be stationed overseas.
Li Chongzhen smiled as he poured tea: "Let's talk about it in a few years... These past few years in the 'Hundred Cavalry Division,' I've felt like an insect, always in the shadows. I've been feeling incredibly stifled, so I'd like to take it easy."
Fang Jun said he understood.
The activities of secret service agencies like the "Hundred Riders Division" are obvious, and living in such an environment for a long time will inevitably have a great impact on a person's psychology. Many people will choose to unleash this darkness and repression, and then resort to cruel methods and violent behavior.
He instructed, "Since you've decided to leave the 'Hundred Cavalry Division,' don't get involved in anything. Just wait patiently for your transfer order."
"Don't worry, Grand Commandant, I understand!"
His father, Li Xiaogong, was the undisputed "First Prince of the Imperial Clan," and even the "First in Merit among the Imperial Clan." Emperor Taizong's decision to bring him into the "Hundred Cavalry Division" may not have been without the intention of restraining the Hejian Prince's Mansion. Now, the opportunity to withdraw unscathed from the "Hundred Cavalry Division" is not only a relief for him, but also a complete transformation for the entire Hejian Prince's Mansion.
……
Ruixue is a prosperous year.
A heavy snow fell for several days, covering the entire Guanzhong Plain in a blanket of white. The snow was just waiting for the sky to clear and the temperature to rise, so that the snow could melt and nourish the Qin River Valley, bringing another year of good weather.
As dusk fell, Fang Jun returned to the mansion. After dinner, he played with his children for a while, chatted with his wives and concubines for a bit, and then went back to his bedroom to sleep.
The next morning, before dawn, I was woken up from my bed.
Princess Gaoyang's expression was solemn: "The magistrate of Chang'an County, Yuwen Jie, just sent someone over, saying that Li Chongzhen's body was found by the Longqing Pond."
Fang Jun instantly regained his senses, got up and dressed under Princess Gaoyang's clothes, his face ashen.