Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 4785 Have something to rely on
The military is a continuation of politics and an embodiment of the economy. The formulation of foreign strategy cannot be decided by the military alone. It must be the best solution that is concluded after the court and the people summarize the current national conditions.

Moreover, this plan cannot remain unchanged and become a permanent system, but needs to be constantly adjusted as national conditions change.

Ultimately, national interests come first.

The disagreement between Liu Li and Fang Jun was not about how to control overseas countries, whether to divide and control them or to incorporate them into the territory. In fact, the military had more say because no matter what policy was formulated, it was the military that would ultimately implement it. Civilian officials had little influence in this regard, so Liu Li was too lazy to argue.

However, when it came to the resettlement of the surrendered Hu people, Liu Li was fierce and refused to back down.

In fact, after the demise of the Turks, the military and the political parties had launched an uncompromising struggle over how to resettle the more than 100,000 Turks who surrendered to the Tang Dynasty. The civil officials headed by Wen Yanbo advocated moving the Turks inland so that they would "fear the power and cherish the virtue" and eventually integrate into the Tang Dynasty. The military represented by Wei Zheng believed that "the barbarians have no sense of shame, etiquette, or virtue" and would never be able to become Tang people, so they should be placed outside the national border. They could serve as a barrier to the country but could not be regarded as citizens. In the end, Emperor Taizong tended to favor Wen Yanbo's strategy and moved the Turks inland.

As a result, the Turks rebelled from time to time, and even Ashina Simo eventually became a "lone Khan", and his control over his people was weakened again and again...

However, the fact that policies proposed by civilians are flawed does not prove that the military’s policies are necessarily correct.

In the final analysis, the migration of the Turks to the interior was controlled by the civil officials, while the deployment of the Turks outside the borders had to be controlled by the military. This was the root cause of the irreconcilable interests between the military and the government...

Li Chengqian also knew that this debate would not have a conclusion in the short term, because it would require one of the military and political parties to make a complete concession, which was not possible at the moment. Once one side made a complete concession, it would mean that the balance of power in the court would be completely broken, which was something that he, the emperor, did not want to see.

"Let's deal with the Yuan family as it is now, and have them move to Wakoku to form a check and balance. The court will keep a close eye on them, observe their strengths and weaknesses from the military and economic aspects, and then sort out and summarize them before making a decision."

"Here."

Fang and Liu both agreed in unison, both thinking that this was the best way to deal with the situation at the moment. After all, words alone were not enough, and if they wanted the other party to give in, they had to prove that their opinions were correct. And only practice could test what was right and wrong.

Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief. As an emperor, he was under great pressure facing the relentless dispute between the military and the political parties. If he was not careful, it might lead to dissatisfaction on one side, which he did not want to see at all.

"What do you think about the death of Li Jingshu?"

The emperor is the supreme ruler of the country, but no emperor can make the world obey him or do whatever he wants. The world is not only the emperor's, but also the civil officials, the military officials, and the royal family.

The murderer of Li Jingshu was changed from Wei Shuxia to Chai Mingzhang, which prevented the conflict between the royal family and the Jingzhao Wei family from happening. However, the conflict did not entirely shift to the Chai family, and the situation remained tense.

Fang Jun said: "The state has its own laws, and the family has its own rules. Since the three judicial departments have closed the case together with the Zongzheng Temple, then the matter has been settled. The clan members cannot do whatever they want just because they think the murderer is the one. If the clan members still refuse to give in, Your Majesty should punish them severely."

Liu Li seemed to have always disagreed with Fang Jun's political views: "I don't think it's necessary to be so harsh. Li Jingshu was the prince of a county, and his status was noble. Such a sudden death also damaged the dignity of the royal family. It is normal for the royal family to have some anger. Besides, Wei Shuxia was not completely unrelated. If we blindly criticize the royal family, it will easily breed their opposition, which will affect the stability of the situation and lead to some traitors to profit from it."

This statement clearly points out the current situation within the royal family where people are in turmoil and have ill intentions. It also bluntly points out that some people are deliberately creating chaos and making the situation further chaotic... Who is this person who is deliberately creating chaos?

Naturally, it refers to Fang Jun.

Fang Jun smiled without saying anything and drank his tea slowly.

Li Chengqian felt a little embarrassed and waved his hand, saying, "It's better to say less of this kind of talk. Without any evidence, it's useless and will only cause confusion."

He was the one who planned the "attack on Jingzhao Prefecture" without consulting Fang Jun or informing Liu Li. Of course, Li Jingshu's sudden death was an accident and not part of his plan, which almost caused the matter to get completely out of control. Once the royal family and Jingzhao Wei family went to war head-on, the entire situation would inevitably be disrupted. Fortunately, the Three Law Departments and the Zongzheng Temple joined forces to suppress the matter, and pushed forward Chai Mingzhang to take the blame and get Jingzhao Wei family out of it.

The current status and power of the Chai family are no longer what they used to be. Even if they are suppressed by the royal family, it will not cause much backlash. Moreover, the Chai family can rely on Fang Jun and use Fang Jun's power to fight against the royal family, making them afraid to act rashly, and the situation will gradually return to normal.

As for how the Chai family relied on Fang Jun as a backer to get Fang Jun to fight against the royal family, this was not for him as the emperor to manage...

Liu Li kept silent, but looked at His Majesty with suspicion, realizing that there might be some inside information that he was not aware of.

Does Your Majesty intend to manipulate the royal family, causing them to split and thus weaken Li Shenfu's influence?

Liu Li was worried. If this was true, then it could only be said that His Majesty was playing with fire. The royal family had long been a huge powder keg. If a few sparks jumped into it, it would definitely explode completely...

But maybe Your Majesty did it on purpose?

Liu Li couldn't figure out the whole situation and became a little suspicious.

*****
A drizzle of rain reduced the scorching heat in Chang'an a little, and the enthusiasm caused by the grand events held by the Buddhist and Taoist sects in recent days also decreased slightly. The rain washed the bluestone roads in the streets and alleys of Chang'an city clean, and the willows, elms and locust trees on the roadside were also washed green and lush. The Chai family's carriage moved slowly on Zhuque Street and turned into a temple when it arrived at Qinglongfang.

The carriage stopped outside the mountain gate. A maid got off and held up an umbrella. Princess Baling then got off the carriage with the help of the maid. More than ten maids surrounded her as she entered the mountain gate. Led by the temple's receptionist, she walked around the main hall and stopped at a monastery in the backyard that was surrounded by trees and towering ancient trees.

The maids stayed outside the house, and Princess Baling walked into the house, holding up the hem of her skirt with her bare hands.

The rain poured down the eaves like a bead curtain, and fell into the pottery jar planted with lotus flowers under the window, making a tinkling sound. Princess Baling's heartbeat suddenly accelerated with the tinkling sound, her lips slightly pursed, and her face flushed.

Although she had fallen before, it was mostly because she had to give herself to others due to the situation. Now she actively seeks out men for trysts in broad daylight. Although there are reasons why she has to do so, all her modesty has been shattered.

As her footsteps stepped on the smooth floor of the house, she prayed in her heart that it would only happen this once...

……

In the evening, sandalwood incense was curling in the main hall of Xiangyi County Prince's Mansion. Li Shenfu, dressed in casual clothes, was kneeling on a mat in front of the window. Opposite him was Li Daoli, dressed in a black robe and looking haggard. Rain was drizzling outside the window. Several lanterns were already lit. In the courtyard, the trees and flowers were lush and green, and a few fresh flowers were swaying and broken in the rain. The aroma of tea was lingering on the coffee table. Both of them looked unhappy.

Li Shenfu drank a sip of tea, frowned his gray eyebrows, and said in a gentle voice: "The deceased is gone, my dear nephew, please accept my condolences and take care of your health. You are the backbone of the Dongping County Prince's Mansion, and you must not make any mistakes."

Li Daoli sighed and said with a bitter face, "I understand the truth, but I can't swallow the anger in my chest. Every time I think of my son's tragic death, I feel depressed and in great pain. The grief of seeing a young person die is like a thorn in the heart, which is unbearable. If I can't get rid of this anger, I will not live long."

Li Shenfu was shocked and asked hurriedly, "You are not going to do anything stupid, are you? Don't do anything reckless. The Three Law Departments and the Zongzheng Temple have jointly determined that Wei Shuxia is not the culprit of your son's death. It must be instructed by His Majesty to prevent the royal family and the Wei family from forming a deadly feud and causing unrest. If you attack Wei Shuxia, you will go against His Majesty's wishes and you will suffer the consequences! Besides, the Wei family has already given generous compensation, and you have also said that you will not pursue the matter. Don't go back on your word!"

Not only does His Majesty not want the royal family to form a deadly feud with the Wei family, but how can the royal family be willing to make such a powerful enemy? Therefore, the best situation is for everyone to take a step back and at least ensure surface stability.

He even suspected that Li Jingshu's death was deliberately caused by someone, with the purpose of completely involving the royal family and the Wei family, making it too busy for the royal family to be distracted, and causing internal divisions in the interest groups headed by the Xiangyi County Prince's Mansion...

Li Daoli gritted his teeth, his eyes red: "If you can't touch Wei Shuxia, can you also not touch Chai Mingzhang? Since the Chai family is willing to take the blame for the Wei family, then they should be prepared for crazy revenge!"

Li Shenfu breathed a sigh of relief and reminded: "It's okay to vent your anger on the Chai family, but you must plan carefully and not be reckless. Since the Chai family dared to stand up and take the blame for the Wei family, they obviously have something to rely on. We can't be careless."

It is not clear whether Wei Shuxia is the culprit behind Li Jingshu's death, but Chai Mingzhang is definitely not. However, since the Chai family jumped out and admitted the guilt halfway through, they must have accepted a lot of benefits from the Wei family. The Chai family must have understood that if they took these benefits, they would have to bear the revenge of the Dongping County Prince's Mansion and even the entire royal family, but they still did their own thing. They must be fearless.

Although it is not yet known what he relies on, he definitely has enough strength to bargain with the royal family.

Li Daoli shook his head, his expression determined: "My son died tragically, someone must be buried with him. Since Wei Shuxia cannot be moved, then it must be Chai Mingzhang. Uncle Prince, there is no need to persuade me anymore. I have arranged for the assassins to wait for the opportunity to take action. Any consequences will be borne by the Dongping County Prince's Mansion."

"Alas! The deceased is gone, but we still have the entire Prince's Mansion. Why should we do this?"

Li Shenfu shook his head and sighed, but did not try to persuade him anymore. Although he expected that the Chai family must have something to rely on, it would be fine to kill Chai Mingzhang. It would not be too late to find a solution to any consequences later. He did not believe that he could not settle the matter even if he mobilized half of the clan members.

An old servant from the mansion pushed the door open and came in front of the two men, saying respectfully, "Master, Duke Yue is outside the door asking to see you."

Li Shenfu and Li Daoli looked at each other in bewilderment. Fang Jun had grievances with both families and was an uninvited guest. It was obvious why he came to visit them personally. However, even though they knew that the Chai family must have some support, they did not expect that this support was Fang Jun...

"The Chai family actually invited Fang Jun to come forward?"