noveltune Chapter 5468 The Cultivation of a Treacherous Official
Chapter 5468 The Cultivation of a Treacherous Official
Chapter 5468 The Cultivation of a Treacherous Official
Upon hearing that Fang Jun had sent Zhou Daowu back to the capital first while Princess Linchuan stayed behind, the couple were filled with doubt and uncertainty, and were at a loss for what to do.
Strangely, neither of them agreed nor refused.
Fang Jun: "..."
Did Zhou Daowu really intend to "sell his wife for personal gain," and did Princess Linchuan also have the intention to go along with it?
However, he soon realized that the couple was waiting for each other to express their opinions.
Zhou Daowu wanted to see if Princess Linchuan had any designs on him, her "good princess" brother-in-law, while Princess Linchuan wanted to see if Zhou Daowu would sell her out for official position, title, and future prospects...
They themselves had become the "litmus test" for their relationship.
However, he didn't say anything, but instead watched the excitement with amusement.
……
The silence that followed chilled both Zhou Daowu and Princess Linchuan.
Zhou Daowu felt that Princess Linchuan's failure to strongly object meant he harbored thoughts of "taking advantage" of Fang Jun, which he considered unfaithful. Princess Linchuan, on the other hand, believed that since Zhou Daowu, as a man, had not stood up to firmly refuse, he must have had the idea of "selling his wife," which she considered shameless.
The atmosphere was extremely awkward and stiff.
Fang Jun laughed for a while, then waved his hand and said, "Hurry up and pack your things and get going. If you keep hesitating and delaying, I might change my mind."
A few years ago, he might have had some "curiosity" and could have gotten his hands on a princess to enhance his interest, but now he has no desire for Princess Linchuan whatsoever.
The so-called "good princess" is utter nonsense and purely coincidental...
Zhou Daowu and Princess Linchuan rose impolitely and walked out of the front hall one after the other, their expressions different but respectful to each other.
Fang Jun sighed helplessly.
This couple are both shrewd and calculating, yet extremely selfish and unwilling to give each other any trust. They scheme against each other and each harbor their own ulterior motives.
Princess Linchuan was unwilling to bear the stigma of "disloyalty," but she was willing to offer herself to Fang Jun to gain his support and obtain a superior position.
Zhou Daowu was the same; unwilling to be accused of "selling his wife for personal gain," he hoped that Princess Linchuan would take the initiative to climb into Fang Jun's bed, so that he could enjoy all the benefits that came with it without having to bear the shackles of "shamelessness."
Shaking his head to dismiss these thoughts, he picked up a brush and wrote down the details of the Songmo Governor's Office, glossing over the internal strife among the Khitan and Xi tribes. After finishing, he put the writing in an envelope, sealed it with wax, and affixed his seal.
He summoned a personal guard and said, "Send this letter to Grand Commander Cui in Liaodong City. Tell him that everything is proceeding according to plan. The reorganization of the 'corps' can be completed this winter, and farmland can be reclaimed while the upper reaches of the Liao River are being managed in the spring."
"Here."
The guard took the letter with both hands, turned around, and strode away.
Fang Jun put down his brush, took a sip of tea, stood up and went to the window. The autumn wind was chilly, and he could see distant mountains and low-hanging clouds.
*****
As the first snow fell in Guanzhong, snow powder covered the tiles and the green mountains turned white. Travelers, tourists, and merchants hurried on their way, pouring into Chang'an City from various city gates amidst the auspicious snow, and then scattered along the extensive streets to the 108 li of wards.
Although it had snowed, the weather was not yet cold, and the floor heating in the Wude Hall had not yet been turned on. Li Chengqian, dressed only in a thin round-necked silk robe and wearing a turban, sat in the Imperial Study and still felt hot. He chased away the eunuch who brought in charcoal and had someone open a crack in the window. The cool air, carrying snowflakes, fell onto the windowsill, and only then did he feel more comfortable and refreshed.
Pei Huaijie and Xu Jingzong, who were sitting on one side of the imperial desk, were both caught in a sudden gust of cold wind and shivered in unison.
The two men glanced at His Majesty suspiciously, but dared not utter a word...
On the emperor's desk were memorials from Liaodong City.
Li Chengqian took a sip of tea and asked, "Both of you have read this memorial. What are your thoughts?"
Pei Huaijie pondered for a moment and said, "Although the current situation seems very good, the Grand Commandant's methods are obviously too cruel. Whether it is the Khitan or the Xi tribe, they have submitted to the Tang Dynasty since the beginning of their country. For so many years, they have been loyal and dutiful. Although Zhou Daowu's support for Abugu to succeed as the governor of Songmo touched the bottom line of the Li brothers, the fact that the Li brothers dared to rebel so suddenly and incite internal strife may not be without hidden reasons."
Xu Jingzong shook his head and said in a deep voice, "The current situation in Liaodong is that both the Khitan and Xi tribes have been severely weakened. They don't even dare to openly oppose the abolition of the 'tribal chief' position. This shows that the Grand Commandant has completely taken control of the situation. Under such circumstances, it is useless to pursue those unfounded things."
Do you think that just anyone can find a reason to impeach, or even dismiss, someone?
That's Fang Jun!
The current situation in Liaodong is stable, so even if you find that Fang Jun used some underhanded methods, what can you do about it?
It's a complete waste of effort.
You'd be better off spending that energy going to Pingkangfang to find a courtesan, have a drink, and enjoy a song and dance performance...
Li Chengqian then gestured to Xu Jingzong: "Prefect Xu, please speak."
After assuming his post as the prefect of Yuezhou, Xu Jingzong rushed to Yuezhou to coordinate various resources and manpower, and was about to begin the massive project of developing Dongting Red.
Upon hearing this, Xu Jingzong said, "The Grand Commandant was stationed in Liuzhou and quelled the rebellion. He also deposed the Khitan chieftain and incorporated the entire clan into the 'military corps,' thus eliminating the potential threat to Liaodong caused by the rebellion of the Hu people. This has been a meritorious act for the country. Your Majesty can order the Ministry of War to summarize and compile this matter, and perhaps it can be promoted nationwide as a regulation for governing the Hu people."
At the end of the Sui Dynasty, heroes from all over the country vied for power. It wasn't just the Han people fighting and killing each other. The Turks, Tuyuhun, Khitan, Mohe, Xueyantuo, Tubo... all kinds of non-Han peoples may not have had the ambition to drink from the Yellow River and rule the Central Plains, but they all hoped to get a share of the spoils in this great chaos.
The military power, influence, and destruction it displayed still make the Tang Dynasty wary to this day.
Although Emperor Taizong called himself "Heavenly Khan" and treated all non-Han peoples equally, without distinguishing between Han and non-Han, he was always wary of them and never relaxed his vigilance.
This can be seen from the several migrations of Turks to Henan, Longyou and other places in an attempt to assimilate them.
But in reality, the results were not good.
If Fang Jun's methods for dealing with the Khitan were truly effective, and this approach could be extended to govern all the non-Han peoples in the world, wouldn't all the hidden dangers on the frontier be eliminated?
Li Chengqian nodded and said with pleasure, "I am very pleased that you have a fair stance and are wholeheartedly devoted to the country."
Having failed in his attempt to secure the position of Attendant-in-Ordinary, Xu Jingzong should logically harbor resentment or even jealousy towards Fang Jun. However, he is able to treat Fang Jun's actions in Liaodong fairly, which demonstrates his magnanimity.
It has been said that Xu Jingzong was narrow-minded and vindictive, but it seems that many of these rumors are untrue and biased...
Xu Jingzong said respectfully, "The Grand Commandant acts rather arbitrarily, which I find perplexing. However, I strongly agree with the Grand Commandant's often-mentioned saying, 'The national interest is above all else.' Anyone who does something beneficial to the country should be affirmed and praised."
He glanced at Pei Huaijie's flushed face, ashamed and embarrassed, and felt a deep disdain in his heart.
Even though he had already taken up the position of Attendant-in-Ordinary, he still couldn't grasp the intricacies of the court. Although His Majesty was very dissatisfied with Fang Jun's actions such as supporting the Crown Prince and openly restricting imperial power, he never denied Fang Jun's merits and talents.
In other words, His Majesty can cut off Fang Jun's head, but he will never allow anyone to say a bad word about Fang Jun.
This kind of relationship between ruler and subject, characterized by mutual understanding and support, yet also love-hate and mutual distrust, is indeed rare throughout history and quite subtle...
Moreover, even if one were to pander to His Majesty's preferences and slander Fang Jun, one should not distort the truth or call a deer a horse on such a matter that is clearly of national benefit.
Traitors have existed in every dynasty, but true traitors hide beneath a veneer of fairness, impartiality, and justice, appearing loyal despite their great wickedness. To openly proclaim one's treachery is utterly base...
Pei Huaijie seemed to understand this as well, and quickly tried to smooth things over: "It was my short-sightedness that prevented me from realizing the key point. I will inform the Ministry of War to discuss and deliberate on this matter, and then come up with a feasible strategy for Your Majesty to decide."
Xu Jingzong shook his head and said, "This matter should not be rushed. Even if the Grand Commandant's strategy was very effective in governing the Khitan, the various ethnic groups in the world are scattered in different places, with different geography, customs, and public opinion. How can we generalize? We only need to inform the Ministry of War of His Majesty's edict, so that the Ministry of War can collect information on the various ethnic groups, pay attention to their local customs, and finally make targeted policies to ensure success."
Pei Huaijie: "..."
Good heavens, you've said both the truth and the sarcasm, and nothing I say is right?
Seeing His Majesty's expression of approval, as if saying "that's how it should be," Pei Huaijie mentally cursed Xu Jingzong's ancestors for eighteen generations...
Li Chengqian asked, "My dear minister, with your post in Yuezhou, are the levies of corvée labor, provisions, and weapons proceeding smoothly?"
Xu Jingzong, with a bitter face, poured out his grievances: "Although there is His Majesty's decree, the various prefectures of Jiangnan West Circuit suffered from severe banditry and widespread poverty at the beginning of the founding of the nation. Although they have recovered somewhat in recent years, their foundation is still too weak. Whenever I send people to inquire about grain, fodder, and weapons, the prefectures make all sorts of excuses. To this day, not even one-tenth or one-twelfth of the necessary supplies have been delivered to Yuezhou. I toss and turn every night, unable to sleep!"
The idea of pooling the resources of Jiangnan to develop Dongting Lake is, in reality, an impossible task.
The reason for developing Dongting Lake is that the Yunmeng Marsh has ravaged the area for hundreds or thousands of years, causing floods, bandits, swamps, and snakes and insects, resulting in a sparsely populated and impoverished region.
How much resources can such an impoverished place possibly provide to support development?
As for conscripting troops from other wealthy areas, firstly, the journey was too long and time-consuming, and secondly, the losses were too great to maintain.
Local officials and gentry complained bitterly about this, and who would be willing to contribute their own grain, weapons, and able-bodied men to fill the huge pit that is Dongting Lake?
When it comes to one's own interests, even the emperor's edict will be greatly discounted.