Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 4790 Suspicion
Seeing Li Chengqian's fading smile, Fang Jun frowned slightly. He said frankly without caring about the difference between the emperor and his subjects, "Your Majesty, since when did you become so narrow-minded, sensitive and suspicious? You are the ruler of the empire, the emperor, but you are also a living person, you have joys and sorrows, you have right and wrong, you encourage yourself when you are right and correct yourself when you are wrong. Why can't you tolerate your subjects to speak out and criticize you directly? Emperor Taizong would not be like this."

I'm just saying that it's not appropriate for you to appoint Liu Li as prime minister. Are you so unhappy and disgusted?
In everything, they benchmark themselves against Emperor Taizong and take him as a role model to follow. But why are they unwilling to learn from his broad-mindedness and magnanimity?
Li Chengqian looked cold, sighed, and confessed his true feelings: "If it were someone else, I wouldn't answer, but since it's you, Erlang, I'll speak frankly. You know that Emperor Taizong wanted to depose me several times. Although I finally sat on the throne, there was always a thorn in my heart. I want to prove that Emperor Taizong's original idea was wrong. I can be a good emperor of the Tang Dynasty! But how can it be so easy to be an emperor? I am just an average person, and I can't compare to Emperor Taizong's extraordinary talent. Although I have been working hard, I find that sometimes the harder I work, the more mistakes I make... It's not that I can't listen to your words of advice, but I am ashamed of my own lack of ability."

Fang Jun's tone also softened. It was not easy for an emperor to admit his incompetence in person by saying such words.

"Your Majesty, you should know that no one is perfect, and no gold is pure. Everyone has his or her own areas of expertise, and Emperor Taizong happens to be the best at being an emperor. You see, he would never think about how to be a good emperor, because what he thinks, what he does, and what he does are the benchmarks of a good emperor. How many emperors throughout history can compare with such talent? On the battlefield, using one's own weaknesses to attack the enemy's strengths is the most foolish behavior, and this is true at all times. Your Majesty's strengths lie in his generosity and kindness, which is also rare among ancient emperors. Your Majesty should not belittle yourself."

He found that Li Chengqian had a very poor psychological quality. Such a person can only be encouraged but not scolded. The more he is treated with an attitude of "hating iron for not being able to make steel", the more he will be pushed into a dead end. Instead of arousing his unyielding tenacity, it will easily crush his will.

For some people, the greater the pressure, the greater the burden, and the greater the achievement, but Li Chengqian is just the opposite. Once the pressure becomes unbearable, he will completely collapse and break the jar...

Li Chengqian rubbed his face and smiled bitterly: "I have read a lot of books, so how can I not understand this truth? But although the truth is clear, it is difficult to do it. Give me some time, I am also trying to find my position."

Fang Jun nodded: "Emperor Taizong is a unique emperor throughout the ages, a benchmark for emperors from ancient times to the present. We should learn from Emperor Taizong, but we don't have to become Emperor Taizong."

His Majesty Li II's achievements may be a little short of being the true "greatest emperor of all time", but he has already reached the pinnacle of emperorship. Not everyone can learn from him if they want to.

This is like a student with mediocre talent trying to compete with a 14 or 15-year-old genius who was admitted to the junior class of USTC. It is simply asking for trouble...

“He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” It is clear that Li Chengqian is neither “wise” nor “enlightened”…

*****
Li Chengqian knelt in front of the window and drank tea slowly. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through, making his shadow very long, almost covering the entire floor of the imperial study...

Ever since Fang Jun left, Li Chengqian maintained this posture without moving at all.

There were footsteps outside the door, and the eunuch reported: "Your Majesty, General Li is here to see you."

"Um"

Li Chengqian just hummed, and the eunuch quickly left.

As the saying goes, one's spirit changes with one's residence, and his majesty has increased since he ascended the throne, making him even more unpredictable...

"I will see your majesty."

Li Junxian entered the room wearing armor and knelt on one knee to salute.

"Flat body."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

When Li Junxian stood up, Li Chengqian asked, "How is the investigation going? Are there any results?"

Li Junxian looked ashamed. "Your Majesty, the situation was extremely chaotic at the time, and no one paid attention to Li Jingshu's condition. After investigation, I found that it was not only Wei Shuxia who had physical contact with Li Jingshu who fell to the ground, and Li Jingshu's fall was not caused by one person... But who killed Li Jingshu, I have no idea. I failed to do my job well, please punish me, Your Majesty."

Li Chengqian turned his back to the window and kept silent. The afterglow from behind him cast his face into shadow, making it difficult to see his facial expression clearly. However, his eyes were shining brightly, and an extremely gloomy aura permeated from him.

Li Junxian: “…”

I secretly swallowed my saliva, secretly complaining that His Majesty was not only becoming more and more majestic, but also seemed to be becoming more and more gloomy...

After a long time, when Li Junxian was already sweating coldly, Li Chengqian finally spoke.

"This matter is extremely important. We must find out the real cause of Li Jingshu's death and the culprit. I hope the general will not slack off and get to the bottom of it and give me an answer."

The "attack on Jingzhao Prefecture" was clearly just a political incident, triggered by the confiscation of fertile fields hidden by the Buddhist and Taoist sects by Jingzhao Prefecture. This was originally within the control of the plan, causing internal strife and disunity in Li Shenfu's small group. However, the death of Li Jingshu magnified the consequences of this incident infinitely, almost to the point of a fight between the royal family and the Jingzhao Wei family.

Once these two major forces clash, the interest group within the royal family with Li Shenfu as the core will generate tremendous cohesion and unite to fight against the Wei family, which is contrary to Li Chengqian's original intention.

Generally speaking, whoever benefits the most is also the most suspicious, so Li Shenfu is very likely to be the real culprit behind the scenes.

However, the struggles in the court were turbulent and complicated. How could such outstanding people of the time do such a thing as trying to cover up the truth?
Of course, there is a high possibility that someone framed Li Shenfu.

Li Junxian was terrified. It was obvious that someone was behind this. To use the life of a prince to push a conspiracy, he must have a big plan. If he dug deeper, it might lead to a whole series of revelations...

More importantly, Your Majesty seems to have some implication?
Otherwise, why would we be so determined to get to the bottom of this?
If this is true, it means that Your Majesty has already had some doubts...

Li Junxian didn't dare to think further, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my best."

Li Chengqian's expression was hidden in the shadows, and he said in a gloomy tone: "It's not about trying your best, but about making sure you do it."

Li Junxian: “Yes.”

"Okay, let's go down and do our work."

Li Chengqian waved his hand and added, "I know you are worried, but don't worry. Although I am not as broad-minded as Emperor Taizong, I am not a narrow-minded person. I will never do such a thing as abandoning the donkey after it has done its work. As long as you remain loyal to me, I will definitely make sure you get what you deserve."

Li Junxian knelt on one knee again, and burst into tears of gratitude: "Your Majesty is so kind, and I am so blessed. I will not think about the future, but only focus on the present. I swear to be loyal to Your Majesty and the Empire until death!"

People like him are the emperor's chamber pots, indispensable when needed, and despised when not needed. That's why since ancient times, when the emperor's lackeys like him are in power, they are endlessly favored and popular for a while, but when they lose power, they are discarded and disdained. Once they are no longer useful, they will be pushed out by the emperor to bear the wrath of the court officials and the people of the world - this guy is the one who did all the bad things, it has nothing to do with me, now I will kill him to vent everyone's anger...

It's just that although he looked very grateful, he didn't agree in his heart.

Li Chengqian had made similar promises several times, but Li Junxian had never believed them once. The promise depended on who made it. If it was from the majestic, domineering and arrogant Emperor Li II, Li Junxian would believe every word of it. But he had to be reserved about Li Chengqian.

Perhaps Li Chengqian really thought so in his heart at this moment, but can he still stick to his original intention as time goes by?
Li Junxian has no confidence in Li Chengqian.

The sun had already set when I came out of the Wude Hall. Inside the huge Taiji Palace, there were many palaces and the towering walls blocked the last bit of light. A huge shadow enveloped the entire palace, filling it with a gloomy and desolate feeling.

Fortunately, the palace maids and eunuchs had already started lighting lanterns. The orange-yellow flames lit up one after another in the palace, dispelling the darkness.

Li Junxian arrived at the Xuanwu Gate, handed the seal and token to the soldiers guarding the city, and then left the palace through a small door on the side. Just after leaving the city, he saw Wang Fangyi, the guard of Xuanwu Gate, who was returning to the city with a team of cavalry. Wang Fangyi reined in his warhorse and dismounted from a distance. He smiled and bowed, "It turned out to be General Li. What a coincidence. I got two muntjacs and was planning to deal with them. Would you like to have a drink together?"

Li Junxian had just mounted his horse, so he had to dismount again. He returned the greeting with a smile and said, "I really want to have a couple of drinks, but I'm tied up with chores, so I'm afraid I'll have to stay up all night tonight. Please forgive me."

Looking at the sunny and handsome young general in front of me, I had to be extremely alert.

It was not easy for a scout of the Anxi Army to grow into a garrison commander of Xuanwu Gate in just a few years. It was even more rare for him to remain humble and cheerful after ascending to a high position. As long as Fang Jun did not fall, Wang Fangyi's future achievements would at least be that of a garrison commander, and even the general of the Sixteen Guards was not beyond his reach...

It is said that all the generals who served under Fang Jun are now highly valued, and each of them holds an important position, inside and outside Chang'an, in Guanzhong, and even in important border areas and on the ocean... It would be fine if you don't think about it, but it's terrifying if you think about it carefully.

Wang Fangyi looked regretful, "We live next door to each other, and we often meet, but we have never had a drink or two to get close to each other. I am really looking forward to it. However, official business is more important, and General Li is a trusted minister of His Majesty. Ordinary matters must be extraordinary and cannot be delayed."

Li Junxian's heart was moved, and he pretended to be indifferent and said, "It's not a big deal. It's the death of Li Jingshu. Although the three judicial officials have already convicted and closed the case, His Majesty feels that some parts of it are vague and not precise enough, so he ordered me to carefully examine it. After all, it is an imperial order, and I dare not slack off."

"Then I will not delay your work. Please."

"Goodbye!"

Li Junxian jumped on his horse and headed straight for the headquarters of the "Bai Qi Si".

Wang Fangyi looked at Li Junxian's speeding back, his eyes slightly narrowed in thought. Logically speaking, as the commander-in-chief of the "Hundred Cavalry Division", he must have kept the mission assigned by the emperor confidential. Why would he leak the information to a mere Xuanwu Gate garrison?

Could it be that the Marshal is related to the case of "Attack on Jingzhao Prefecture" and "Death of Li Jingshu"?
After a moment's silence, Wang Fangyi warned his personal guards: "General Li's words must not be leaked! Anyone who disobeys will be punished by military law!"

Several guards were startled: "Yes!"

Then Wang Fangyi called over a trusted lieutenant and whispered to him, "Tell the commander-in-chief exactly what General Li said just now."

"Here."