Chapter 3325 Bargaining
Li Xiaogong did not answer, but asked instead: "Erlang, do you think there is really no future trouble in purging the Guanlong disciples in such a big way?"
Fang Jun frowned: "What does the prince mean by this? This time it was Guan Long who made the mistake first, so it is natural for me to retaliate. I can't be allowed to retaliate if they want to kill me first, right?" This time, it’s also about Potian. They are in the wrong, and His Highness the Prince has already let them go in Chang'an. I am just arresting some minions here, which will not damage the foundation of the Guanlong clan. Do they still dare to rebel?"
It is understandable that there are endless fights for interests in the officialdom. It is also acceptable to form gangs because of interests. "There are many strange things in the party without factions." This has been the foundation of human nature from ancient times to the present, and no one can do it. put an end to.
However, all struggles must have a bottom line that everyone must strictly adhere to and cannot cross. If this bottom line is breached and the scope of the struggle is no longer limited, the consequences will inevitably be a destabilizing world and a precarious society.
At the beginning of the Eastern Expedition, Guan Long, the leader, excluded him, the Navy, and the Youtun Guards from the main combat army. Shandong and Jiangnan responded one after another. As a result, Fang Jun was not involved in the entire war. The Navy transported baggage and Youtun Guards. All the guards who guarded the capital were left idle and scattered.
In order to take the overall situation into consideration, Fang Jun endured this humiliation.
However, Guan Long secretly colluded with the Turks and Dashi, leading the enemy cavalry to sneak hundreds of miles deep into the heart of the Western Regions, just to ambush and kill Fang Jun. This is absolutely intolerable!
Since you Guan Long did it in the first year of junior high school, don't blame me for doing it in the fifteenth year.
Li Xiaogong shook his head and smiled bitterly, sighing: "You... still haven't truly understood Guan Long's true nature."
Picking up the teacup and taking a sip of tea, he looked at Fang Jun, who was still unhappy, and said slowly: "Since the rise of Guanlong, the interests of the family have been put first, whether it was the six towns of the Northern Wei Dynasty at that time, or the later split. The Eastern Wei Dynasty, the Western Wei Dynasty, and even the subsequent Northern Zhou Dynasty, and even the Sui Dynasty when Daizhou proclaimed himself the emperor... The Guanlong clan never put the interests of the country in their eyes. All are for the benefit of one's own family. Once one's own interests conflict with the interests of the country, one must sacrifice one's country for one's family. Otherwise, why would one family's interests rise and fall one after another? In the heart of a disciple, they were never loyal to the Northern Wei Dynasty or the Great Sui Dynasty. Do you think they can be loyal to the Great Tang Dynasty today? "
Fang Jun said: "So what? Do they still dare to risk the disapproval of the world and raise troops to rebel?"
Since they are pursuing profit, the first priority is to ensure that they can always stand at the center of power. If they really make the emperor anxious, can they still enjoy their good fruits?
The Tang Dynasty is not the Sui Dynasty, nor the Northern Zhou Dynasty, nor the Northern Wei Dynasty!
Li Xiaogong said: "If it were normal, they would definitely swallow this tone. As you said, they did not dare to raise troops to rebel because they knew that he would not be successful, let alone follow the example of the previous ones to build a country and destroy it. One country! But now, The Eastern Expedition! Moreover, the Arabs have invaded the Western Region, and the Tibetans are watching eagerly on the plateau! Under this situation, if they implement a military remonstrance and imprison or even depose the prince, how will your Majesty react?"
Fang Jun remained silent.
He is not the first brother in the officialdom. As a man of two generations, he has a clear understanding of the virtue of putting interests first in the officialdom. If what Li Xiaogong said really happened, even if His Majesty Li Er was so angry that he wanted to eat the Guanlong family members alive one by one, under such a situation, he could only adopt the policy of appeasement to appease them.
Perhaps, I did underestimate the degree of rebelliousness of Guanlong Gate...
Li Xiaogong naturally knew Fang Junzhi's character, and advised him earnestly: "The prince's tightening and loosening have calmed down the Guanlong clan, and they have accepted a certain degree of loss. But if you arrest him unscrupulously here, you will All the forces they planted on the Silk Road were eliminated... This touched their bottom line. The clan elders who want to die will definitely be beyond your knowledge! There is nothing in this world that they dare not do! Erlang, no matter the situation in the Western Region or the situation in Chang'an, it will not affect us. , are extremely beneficial to the prince, and you must not push the situation in the opposite direction due to a temporary impulse, it is too much and not enough!”
"Isn't it too bad to go too far..."
Fang Jun clicked his tongue and admitted that he was convinced by Li Xiaogong.
The reason why he ordered Pei Xingjian to arrest them on a large scale was because he had calculated that no matter how hard he tried, the Guanlong clan would have to pinch their necks and cease all activities. But in the final analysis, how can my understanding of the Guanlong clan be as good as that of Li Xiaogong, who was also born in Guanlong?
After thinking about it, he felt that he could only take a step back, looked at Li Xiaogong and asked: "So, this favor can only be accepted by you, the prince?"
There was no turning back when the work started. Now that Pei Xingjian had been ordered to arrest people on a large scale, and he intended to wipe out the Guanlong forces in the Western Regions with clear swords and clear guns, how could he change the order overnight and give up halfway? All he could do was let Li Xiaogong be the matchmaker, and in his name beg Fang Jun to show his favor and let those Guanlong disciples go. Naturally, this favor would eventually fall on Li Xiaogong.
With Li Xiaogong's character, such a huge favor from Guan Long must be discounted...
Li Xiaogong waved his hands carelessly and said: "What's the point? I am thinking about His Highness the Crown Prince and our common interests, so I can only do my best and reluctantly get involved. Is it just for the sake of a mere favor? Erlang Te also Look down on me. Come and have tea.”
He actually held the pot with his own hands and poured a cup of tea for Fang Jun...
"Haha..."
Fang Junpi smiled but said: "The prince is really broad-minded and magnanimous... I admire you, I admire you."
"..."
Li Xiaogong looked at Fang Jun's expression, sighed, and said helplessly: "Okay, some favors can always fall on me... But this is just a matter of convenience, not a plan by me... …Okay, okay, tell me, what do you want?”
Seeing that Fang Jun could not be dismissed easily, Li Xiaogong could only bear the pain and cut his flesh.
Fortunately, this time I can earn a lot of favors from the Long Clan clan, and it doesn’t hurt to sacrifice everything to appease Fang Jun in exchange for his cooperation...
Fang Jun held the tea cup and thought for a while, then said: "I heard that the prince has always had the ambition to join the army, but he is depressed and unable to do so. How about transferring the prince to the Navy and serving as a deputy general?"
Li Xiaogong's face turned black with anger, and he said angrily: "That's my prince's crown prince! Prince! There are no swords and guns in the military formation. If something is damaged, can you let me, the white-haired man, send the black-haired man away?" Impossible! ”
A white-haired person giving a black-haired person something... naturally can't happen.
The navy's combat power is unparalleled in the world. There is no army in the world that can defeat the navy, at least within fifty years. Moreover, Li Chongyi is the eldest son of the Prince of Hejian County. Even if he enlists in the army, who dares to let him go to the battlefield in person and bear the slightest risk to his life?
When he followed His Majesty Li Er to conquer the world, it was Li Xiaogong who commanded the Tang navy to attack Kuimen first, then go down the river to destroy Xiao Xian, and leveled the south of the Yangtze River in one fell swoop. Strictly speaking, all the navy masters in the Tang Dynasty were once disciples of Li Xiaogong.
Transferring Li Chongyi to the Navy is equivalent to bringing under the jurisdiction of all the naval forces that are outside the Navy... Whoever dares to disobey is ungrateful.
This is the most taboo thing in the military.
However, if the navy is allowed to control all the naval forces of the Tang Dynasty, the size and combat power of the navy will suddenly more than double.
The current combat power of the navy has surpassed the entire army. If it soars again, who in the army can be the best?
He became a warlord.
The most important thing is that Fang Jun's position will confront all the armies controlled by the Guanlong clan. Originally, Fang Jun's momentum has already surpassed those of Guanlong's veteran generals. If the navy's strength is allowed to skyrocket, Fang Jun will Will become the most powerful in the army Hegemonic boss... Don't think that the word "water" in the navy means that they can only fight in the water. The Tang Dynasty has a vast territory and many rivers. The place where warships can pass covers almost half of the territory...
It can be said that as long as Li Chongyi enters the Navy, the Prince of Hejian County will be regarded as a "traitor" by Guan Long and the clan, and even His Majesty Li Er will be very dissatisfied - because Fang Jun has already openly supported the prince. The navy is equivalent to the prince's direct military force. Li Xiaogong has vigorously helped the navy to increase its power and expand its influence. Do you still see me as the emperor in your eyes?
It's fine to stand on the side of the East Palace. After all, as a minister, you have to choose your side, but if you try your best to help the East Palace boost its military force, the nature is completely different.
By then, the power of the East Palace will soar. Who can easily depose the crown prince? I'm afraid even the emperor will have to think twice before acting...(End of Chapter)