noveltune Chapter 5485 The Armor of a Benevolent Ruler
Chapter 5485 The Armor of a Benevolent Ruler
Chapter 5485 The Armor of a Benevolent Ruler
Although His Majesty ultimately set the tone for this meeting, it was more of a tentative counterattack and is unlikely to be formalized into policy in the short term.
After all, the military group has now become a behemoth bound by interests, and even the emperor of the Tang Dynasty has to back down and not confront it directly, because even the emperor's biggest supporters, the imperial family, are involved... Being able to break through a gap and leave room for maneuver is already a huge victory.
……
After the meeting, Li Chengqian asked Li Ji to stay behind in front of everyone.
Li Ji was extremely unwilling, but he could only sigh softly.
As night fell, the wind stopped and the snow ceased. Sitting on the mat by the window, one could see the orange glow of the palace lanterns outside, casting a halo of light on the remaining snow.
A pot of hot tea and several plates of snacks are on the coffee table.
Li Chengqian personally poured tea from the teapot and asked with a smile, "How is Jingye doing?"
Li Ji accepted the teacup with both hands and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I apologize for your concern. The imperial physician has already examined you. Apart from some superficial injuries, there is nothing serious. However, the bones and tendons in your neck are quite severe, and you will need to rest for some time."
Li Chengqian nodded and said, "I am concerned about Jingye's injury, but I have been very busy with official duties these days and have not been able to find the time. I am worried about that."
Li Ji quickly said, "Your Majesty, you mustn't! Jingye's injury was entirely his own fault. How can we let Your Majesty waste your energy on him?"
It was naturally inappropriate for the emperor to personally visit a commander of a "Hundred Cavalry Division".
However, during this period, the palace bestowed all sorts of rewards almost without interruption, which can be described as a great favor from the emperor.
Li Chengqian took a sip of tea and shook his head: "Jingye's actions are to maintain the authority and dignity of the emperor, and I know that."
Li Ji hesitated for a moment, then said, "Jingye was a bit too hasty that day. The Grand Commandant was in high spirits, and it would not be wise to confront him head-on."
Li Chengqian glanced at him. Was this some kind of advice he was being given?
Seeing that His Majesty understood his meaning, Li Ji continued, "The saying goes, 'Haste makes waste.' When facing difficulties, one should prioritize self-preservation, then proceed with caution and careful planning, taking things slowly and deliberately. The worst thing is to be impatient for quick success and take shortcuts, since one's title and righteousness have already been assigned to someone else."
This was clearly a response to the meeting that had just taken place.
In fact, he was dissatisfied with His Majesty's last-minute call for him to give his opinion. Couldn't they have communicated beforehand?
Fang Jun's overseas strategy was centered around the Dongda Tang Trading Company, which in turn involved the imperial family, nobles, and powerful families with their own interests. The entire country was a beneficiary of this strategy, and even the emperor could not allow these people to betray their own interests in order to maintain the dignity of the imperial power.
If you really push those people too far, what won't they do?
To put it bluntly, for members of the imperial family, nobles, and aristocratic families, the existence of the emperor only needed to be symbolic. Without the prestige of Emperor Taizong leading everyone to conquer the world, what did it matter who the emperor was?
If all else fails, we can just replace him. As long as he is a descendant of Emperor Taizong, there is nothing that the court, the country, or anyone can't accept.
Li Chengqian pondered for a moment and said, "It's not that bad."
Li Ji directly shattered his confidence: "The Grand Commandant's loyalty to Your Majesty is beyond doubt, but Your Majesty should not forget that when Wang Mang was humble and courteous to scholars, the Duke of Zhou feared rumors!"
This is clearly planting a thorn in His Majesty's heart.
Seeing Li Chengqian's grim expression, he continued, "Besides, even if the Grand Commandant is truly loyal, what about the others? When the interests are large enough, they can unite and drag the Grand Commandant into it... People in the court are not in control of their own destiny."
Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes.
Therefore, the imperial court is also a kind of martial arts world.
In the world of martial arts, only fame and fortune matter.
For most people, who the emperor is is not important; their own interests are what matter most.
Hearing this, Li Chengqian felt very aggrieved.
The supreme ruler, the master of the world, the king of all under heaven... yet he still has to be mindful of the whims of his subjects and live cautiously.
Even those local tyrants during the Northern and Southern Dynasties who were on the verge of extinction were better than him!
Li Ji sincerely advised: "The current situation is already very good. Although Fang Jun has the intention to hinder the emperor's power, he has no intention of rebelling. Your Majesty should prioritize forbearance. Since you have the right to act in a righteous manner, you can proceed with everything gradually."
Today's meeting shows that the entire court still deeply respects Li Chengqian, this "benevolent ruler." Even when it comes to their own interests, no one has shown any sign of madness or rebellion. They are all willing to continue to expand outwards and plunder resources under Li Chengqian's leadership.
Although this respect could only be achieved through Li Chengqian's "weakness" and "benevolence," it couldn't be better.
"Benevolence" is like a suit of armor, protecting his entire body.
If one truly has the ambition to "revive the nation," and acts aggressively and decisively, it is tantamount to shattering the halo of "benevolence" that surrounds them.
What the court and officials wanted was a "benevolent ruler," not a "wise leader"...
Li Chengqian understood this principle, and he was glad that he had followed Princess Changle's advice and embarked on this path of "benevolence," but he also felt deeply aggrieved about it.
As an emperor, one should naturally have the authority to rule the world and hold the power of life and death over all people. But now, one has to maintain the foundation of the monarchy by portraying oneself as "benevolent." Wouldn't that make those wise and virtuous rulers in history laugh at one's actions?
*****
The Lunar New Year is just around the corner.
The city of Chang'an was filled with joy and peace. As the imperial army continued to expand outwards and conquer cities, not only were the land borders peaceful year by year with no news of war, but countless supplies were also being transported to the Tang Dynasty from the sea. With abundant resources, life naturally got better and better.
When it comes to "abundant resources and prosperous people" and "thriving industries", nothing is more fitting than this moment throughout history.
Today, Chang'an has not only completely lifted the curfew, but also opened the imperial city after the twelfth lunar month. On New Year's Eve, fireworks were set off on the Chengtian Gate tower, and countless people flocked into the imperial city with their families to Chengtian Gate to enjoy the New Year's Eve fireworks.
The imposing and well-armored Imperial Guards were responsible for maintaining order in the capital. They were stationed every three steps and sentries every five steps. Anyone who tried to cause trouble was immediately apprehended and thrown into prison. So even though the number of people was huge, the city was very orderly.
A group of foreign envoys were seated on the city tower to watch the ceremony. From this angle, the imperial city in the darkness was almost filled with crowds, with heads as dense as schools of fish in the ocean. Although the noise was deafening, everyone behaved themselves and no one caused trouble.
This amazed the foreign envoys.
The Abbasid envoy Sheikh said to Fang Jun standing beside him, "This scene is simply unbelievable in Damascus. Once a large number of people gather in one place, troublemakers will emerge one after another. It is impossible to deter them without killing many people... Only during the Hajj at the Holy Mosque in Mecca will such a scene occur."
Fang Jun, dressed in armor and wearing a cloak, chuckled and said, "Therefore, the people of the Great Tang are the most law-abiding people in the world. As long as they act according to the rules, the Great Tang is their best friend. But precisely because of this, the Great Tang despises those who do not follow the rules. Those who follow the rules are the friends of the Great Tang, while those who do not are naturally its enemies. We welcome friends with good wine, and we meet enemies with firearms!"
Sheikh was startled and waved his hands repeatedly: "The Abbasid Caliphate and the Tang Dynasty will forever be friendly nations!"
He knew all too well the power of this nobleman and high-ranking official from the Tang Dynasty. If he angered him, the Tang Emperor could even disregard his wishes and order the Tang Royal Navy to wage war against the Abbasid Caliphate!
Fang Jun's smile remained unchanged as he asked curiously, "If that's the case, why has the Abbasid Caliphate been continuously increasing its troops in Mesopotamia recently? I must remind Your Excellency that although the Tang Dynasty has a small garrison in Mesopotamia, each of its troops is a fearless and elite force. If they mistakenly believe that our safety is threatened, war will be inevitable."
Cui Renshi, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, who was accompanying Fang Jun, was sweating profusely. He wanted to stop Fang Jun from talking nonsense, but he didn't dare to.
What kind of logic is it to threaten foreign envoys in public like this?
That's not polite!
Sheikh cried out in protest: "Those tribes in Mesopotamia are extremely arrogant these days, repeatedly attacking Abbasid cities and supply lines. Many Abbasid armies have even been ambushed and annihilated. Mesopotamia is in complete chaos. The Caliph is counting on trade with the Tang Dynasty in Mesopotamia to increase supplies of provisions and provisions. How can he sit idly by and watch those tribes wreak havoc? Reinforcing the troops is only natural!"
Then he added weakly, "Furthermore, those tribes are very likely to have received funding from the Tang Dynasty to dare to openly oppose the Abbasid Caliphate. The Tang Dynasty bears responsibility for the chaos in Mesopotamia."
Cui Renshi immediately tensed up and warned, "Although your esteemed envoy is a guest from afar and the Great Tang must treat you with courtesy, you cannot speak recklessly! The Great Tang is a land of etiquette and has always been sincere to its allies. How could we do anything that would betray our alliance? If your esteemed envoy has evidence, I can submit it to His Majesty for a judgment. If you have no evidence, do not make false accusations! If your envoy's remarks cause a deterioration in relations between the two countries, the Abbasid Caliphate will be held responsible!"
Sheikh was speechless.
This isn't about whether there's evidence or not; even if there were, what difference would it make?
Should we launch a direct attack on the Tang Dynasty?
The Abbasid Caliphate is currently engaged in a fierce battle with the Fulin in the Mediterranean. Although it holds a certain advantage, it has not yet been able to turn it into a victory. It is exhausting its national strength and fighting hard. How can it possibly start another war in Mesopotamia, where the opponent is still the mighty and powerful Tang Dynasty?
On the other side, Lun Qinling, the "hostage" of the Gar family, said with a smile: "I don't know what it's like to be an enemy of the Great Tang, but I know very well the benefits of being an ally of the Great Tang. In my opinion, the Abbasid Caliphate still has too many misunderstandings about the national policy of the Great Tang. The Great Tang has no greed for land. The reason for launching the war was out of necessity. As long as we can trade with the Great Tang in accordance with the rules, cooperate with each other, and exchange goods, the Great Tang is the best ally in the world."
Sheikh shrugged and shut up.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
Dressed in a bright yellow court robe, Li Chengqian ascended the city tower under the protection of the imperial guards. He first held onto the arrow emplacements with both hands and looked down at the square in front of Chengtianmen. Then he raised his left hand to greet the people in front of the palace gate.
Tens of thousands of people were immediately excited, and shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" echoed like a mountain roar and a tsunami, shaking the entire city. The foreign envoys turned pale and trembled with fear.