Chapter 3934 Weighing Constraints
Before the funeral was completed, Fang Jun and Li Tai took the first step to say goodbye and rode back to Chang'an with their own soldiers. They arrived at Xuanwu Gate and showed a seal to open the city gate. After entering the palace, they went straight to Wude Hall.
The drizzle was falling, and the ongoing renovation project in the Tai Chi Palace was temporarily suspended. Bricks, cement, and wood were placed everywhere. Facilities similar to scaffolding were built on the outer walls of many palaces. A few servants came in and out to clean up various palaces. , Nuoda’s Tai Chi Palace looks decadent and messy, just like a large construction site...
When he arrived outside the Wude Hall, a chamberlain had already come forward to greet him, carefully preparing warm water and handkerchiefs for him. Fang Jun took off his bag and handed it to the chamberlain, washed and dried his face, and then strode into the palace.
There were not many people in the hall, the prince was in the middle, on the left were Xiao Yu, Cen Wenwen, Li Jing, Liu Jie, and on the right were Yuwen Shiji, Li Daozong and others.
When Fang Jun entered, he first stepped forward to greet the prince, and then saluted all the dignitaries present. Everyone stood up one after another, with gentle smiles and sincere words, and returned the courtesy one by one. No one dared to underestimate this young man who had just passed his prime, not because of Fang Jun's official title, but because of his hard work.
Yu Wenshiji looked at the handsome and heroic face in front of him, felt the calm and strong confidence in his movements, and was filled with emotion in his heart.
Who would have thought that the number one dude in Chang'an who ran rampant in Chang'an a few years ago, acted recklessly and was even ridiculed as "a disaster to Chang'an" by the good guys, would now be a man of influence like a white jade pillar holding up the sky in the Tang Empire and a purple golden beam bridging the sea. He has a heavy army and is powerful in both the government and the public. Externally, he can resist the invaders and defend the territory. Internally, he can frighten all directions and support the sky. He is like a prince...
……
When Fang Jun took his seat, Li Chengqian spoke in a gentle tone. He first ordered his chamberlain to serve Fang Jun some fragrant tea, and then asked, "Did the funeral go well?"
Fang Jun took the hot tea from Wang De and put it on the desk in front of him, and replied respectfully: "With officials from the Ministry of Rites, Taichang Temple, and Zongzheng Temple in charge, everything is going well. It's just that the current situation is unstable and everything is waiting for you." Xing, the funeral was too simple.”
The king and his ministers were silent, understanding what Fang Jun meant.
Since ancient times, chaste women have been highly praised by both the government and the public. Although it has not reached the level of perversion as in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it is still regarded as an extremely noble thing. Concubine Xu was young, beautiful, and graceful. She was as gorgeous as a flower at her age, but she was able to be so chaste and brave. She took her own life and followed His Majesty under the Nine Springs. She should be given the most solemn courtesy. Obviously, the simple funeral at the moment is too slow...
Li Chengqian nodded slightly and said in a deep voice: "I can make my own decision on this matter, and I will not treat Concubine Xu lightly."
For concubines, the highest courtesy is naturally to be "buried with the imperial mausoleum". At present, Concubine Xu is only temporarily buried near the imperial mausoleum on Jiuwei Mountain. When her father's coffin is transported back to Chang'an for burial, Concubine Xu will be moved to the imperial mausoleum. He is also worthy of such courtesy...
……
This matter can only be dealt with later. Li Chengqian picked up the tea cup and took a sip of tea. Xiao Yu then said to Yu Wenshi: "I wonder if Guan Long has made a decision about His Highness the Crown Prince's previous conditions?"
Yu Wenshi sat upright, nodded and said: "That's right,"
Looking at Li Chengqian, he said: "This military remonstrance was wrong in Guanlong, which caused Guanzhong to be devastated by the war and the people were seriously damaged. I really feel guilty and am willing to donate 80% of each family's property to rebuild Guanzhong and relieve the people." , express your feelings. ”
Previously, Li Chengqian's intention was to "confiscate" 80% of the Guanlong clan's property, but now Yu Wenshiji proposed a "donation", which was of a different nature, but the result was the same. At present, Guanzhong is dilapidated and the Great Wall is in decline. Massive amounts of money and food are urgently needed to support reconstruction. The industry of the Guanlong clan is really too important...
Therefore, Li Chengqian only considered it briefly and did not compare it with money. He nodded and said: "Yes."
Yu Wenshi continued: "Guan Long is deeply aware of the damage this military remonstrance has brought to Guanzhong, so he is willing to respond to His Highness's call and completely abandon private soldiers. From now on, except for the corresponding personal guards that can be obtained by the title, there will be no private soldiers." Rather than raising a single soldier, we are willing to give up the centuries-old traditions of our respective families for the long-term stability of the empire.”
Fang Jun shook his head, laughed, and took a sip of tea.
These are clearly mandatory requirements of the East Palace. Guan Long also knows that he has to agree, but he insists on giving a high-sounding reason. It is not forced in name, but voluntary... It seems to be able to eliminate some negative effects, but in fact Too petty.
Li Chengqian didn't care about this: "Yes."
Yu Wenshiji breathed a sigh of relief. The prince could allow Guanlong to save some face. Obviously, he did not hate Guanlong's mutiny and wanted to put Guanlong to death. This must not be too harsh on the last one...
He said: "Finally, we discussed and sincerely requested His Highness to retain the title of Guanlong Honorable Lord, and Zhao Guogong became an official and returned to the countryside to live in seclusion."
There was a moment of silence in the hall, and everyone looked solemn.
Retaining the title of Guanlong Honorable Lord means giving up the pursuit of responsibility for the mutiny. Even those Guanlong children who have been arrested must be released. Otherwise, it makes no sense from the legal point of view. It is impossible to convict those Guanzhong children and send them to the frontier. , but on the other side, a group of Guanlong bosses were acquitted, right?
Especially for Sun Wuji, the eldest son of Zhao Guogong, the initiator and chief culprit of the mutiny, if the past is ignored, the impact will be too great...
Li Chengqian frowned tightly, thought for a long time, looked at Xiao Yu, Fang Jun and others, and asked: "What do you all think?"
Xiao Yu was silent for a moment, and when he was about to speak, Fang Jun, who was sitting opposite, suddenly said, "Wei Chen thinks it's okay."
Xiao Yu: "..."
The silence these days has made me suspicious. You really want to go against me, right? Mom, the daughter of the Xiao family has been fed into the mouth of a wolf, and she is still a white-eyed wolf that looks like a human and a dog...
He hurriedly said: "I think this is unacceptable. This mutiny in Guanlong has no superiors and tramples on the law. How is it any different from treason? If it cannot be severely punished and the people's opinions are corrected, I am afraid that the majesty of the empire will be lost, making The people in the world have less respect for the imperial power, which will have far-reaching consequences and cause endless disasters. Your Highness, please think twice.”
Even though the Guanlong clan has suffered heavy losses now, after all, it has been entrenched in Guanzhong for more than a hundred years, and its influence has already penetrated into all aspects of the government, the public, and the market. As long as Changsun Wuji and the Guanlong bosses are still there, they are a force that cannot be ignored. If the Jiangnan gentry wanted to enter the court in large numbers to fill the positions and power vacated by Guanlong, they had to uproot Guanlong, otherwise they would be restricted and difficult to move forward.
Li Chengqian did not make a decision, and said in a deep voice: "This is a serious matter, so I will give it some thought before making a decision."
"Your Highness is wise."
Naturally, Yu Wenshi knew that the life and death of Changsun Wuji was at stake, and the opposition within the East Palace must be very loud. Even if the prince was inclined to agree to Guan Longmen, the opponents must be settled privately to avoid cracks within the East Palace.
As long as Guan Long can be delayed, it doesn't matter...
……
After the ministers dispersed, Li Chengqian washed his face and was about to ask the servants to prepare lunch when someone came to report that Xiao Yu and Liu Ji were meeting...
Li Chengqian did not rush to summon them, but changed into regular clothes under the service of the chamberlain, and then invited Xiao Yu and Liu Jie to the side hall to receive them.
After the ceremony, the two of them sat down and Li Chengqian said warmly: "What important matters do you two dear ladies have?"
Xiao Yu and Liu Ji looked at each other, and the latter bowed slightly and said: "Your Highness clearly knows that although Guan Long's rebellion has been defeated, his actions are abominable and his intentions are to be punished. If he cannot be completely eradicated, it will be a waste of time. For the sake of danger, please think twice.”
Li Chengqian looked at Xiao Yu: "What does the Duke of Song mean?"
Xiao Yu said: "The veteran has the same opinion. The Guanlong rebels have been in Guanzhong for more than a hundred years. They are deeply rooted and powerful. Although they have suffered heavy losses today and their power has been damaged, their hearts are already disloyal. Once they calm down, they will definitely become more ambitious." , It is really a huge hidden danger. I hope that for the sake of the Tang Dynasty and the country, Your Highness will not pardon Changsun Wuji and other Guan Longxungui.”
The prince obviously intended to agree to Guan Long's request to pardon the family heads, which made Xiao Yu deeply uneasy.
Although Guan Long lost his private soldiers and all returned home and left the court, his strong foundation was still there and he still had unparalleled influence, enough to influence the court. In particular, Changsun Wuji has far-reaching strategies and a deep city. If he continues to dominate the Guanlong clan, he will definitely become a stumbling block for the Jiangnan nobles to control the court.
When the East Palace was in crisis, he still insisted on it. It was a huge gamble. But now that he had won the gamble, he still had to fight with Guan Long. How could he bear it?
Originally, relying on the background of the Jiangnan gentry, they would gradually rise in the imperial examinations in the future, and more and more Jiangnan children entered the court. However, once they lost the bet, they completely broke with Guan Long. At least within half a century, all Jiangnan children would Stay away from the court...
Li Chengqian pondered for a moment and tried to persuade the two of them: "Changsun Wuji is guilty of treason and deserves death. However, the current situation seems to be stable, but in fact, the undercurrent is turbulent. As the prince who oversees the country alone, he should focus on the overall situation. It is not necessary to be expedient. The top priority is not to hold anyone accountable or to destroy whose family, but to rebuild Guanzhong and restore people's livelihood. This is a matter of great justice and cannot be compromised."
Why would he be willing to bypass the Guanlong clan? Raising an army and plotting rebellion was an unforgivable crime in all dynasties, and the annihilation of the three tribes was the right thing to do!
But as the crown prince of the Supervisory Kingdom, he had to put the overall situation first when his father had passed away. It was easy to destroy Guanlong, but then he had to face the large-scale invasion of Jiangnan and Shandong by powerful officials to seize power. He was really alone.
Letting go of Guan Long at this time, no matter what Guan Long thinks in his heart, he will definitely support him closely for a long time and help him control the government.
After all, as a king, you have to understand the importance of "balance." The Jiangnan and Shandong clans are advancing and retreating together. The threat to him as the prince is really too great, especially when Li Ji has a heavy army, he must support him. Guan Long resisted.
Moreover, although Guan Long's rebellion was tantamount to conspiracy, it was only to "abolish the crown prince and establish a new crown prince." It was not a conspiracy to usurp the throne. In essence, it could avoid the majesty of the law. It makes perfect sense for him to be pardoned by the crown prince as the superintendent of the country... …
As for whether raising tigers will cause trouble in the future, he is not worried. After this battle, Guan Long's foundation in the army has been uprooted. He will not be able to get hold of military power for decades. The private soldiers in the clan have been wiped out. How can he threaten everyone? King of the country?
Without the army and military power, no matter how prosperous the clan is, it is nothing more than a paper tiger...
He only needs to hold on to military power through Fang Jun and Li Jing, and he can sit back and relax.
Xiao Yu's heart sank. He realized that the prince was not as wary of the Jiangnan nobles as Guan Long. This was a huge blow to the ambitions of the entire Jiangnan nobles.
The way of a king is all about balance. It is obvious that the prince wants to use Guanlong as a sword to curb the development of the Jiangnan gentry... (End of this chapter)