Princess Yan of Wei was very worried: "Is this the only way this can happen?"
Du Chuke shook his head and said helplessly: "Your Highness's situation is very delicate. If you take a step forward, your prestige will be strong enough to live in peace and stability. If you take a step back, you will be in danger and your life will be in danger. However, there is no way to have the best of both worlds. You can only take some risks."
Yan pursed her lips, feeling very dissatisfied.
This Du Chuke was once highly regarded by Emperor Taizong, who considered him a master of strategy. Although his political achievements were not as good as those of Fang Du, he was stronger than those two in terms of strategizing and winning over thousands of miles. Therefore, he was appointed as the Chief Historian of the Prince of Wei. I hope that he can assist the King of Wei to take further steps and accomplish his great cause.
However, instead of helping King Wei achieve his imperial career, there is now no way to guarantee King Wei's life...
Let King Wei take risks?
If the name is not worthy of the name, it is difficult to hold a big responsibility.
However, Li Tai had already made up his mind and asserted: "I am unwilling to be imprisoned in the palace. I always have to go out and face the storm. Life and death are destiny, but I don't believe that God wants me to suffer those despicable people." Under the conspiracy of others!”
Du Chuke looked at Li Tai's firm expression and was stunned for a long time. Then he sighed and said helplessly: "If His Highness had such courage back then, maybe..."
Half of the words finally turned into a helpless sigh.
*****
If King Li Tai of Wei had been more resolute in his determination to fight for the throne, and if he had been more courageous in the face of possible failure... could he have seriously completed his grand ambition of fighting for the throne?
There are no what-ifs in the world. Times have changed and the facts have been established. They cannot be changed and no assumptions can be established.
But judging from the facts, Li Tai's defeat in the fight for the throne was due to his determination to become a benevolent person before he failed. He no longer had the courage to face failure, and he imagined that relying on Emperor Taizong's favor, he could naturally ascend to the throne.
However, Emperor Taizong also had many constraints. The most important point was that once Li Tai came to power, could he treat his brothers well when he ascended the throne after his death?
As Emperor Taizong who came to power in a coup, he suffered the backlash from his brother-in-arms. Once he committed such a thing, he would never be able to get away with it for the rest of his life. He led his army to conquer more than half of the Tang Dynasty. He had outstanding achievements and unparalleled prestige. He could barely resist the backlash. However, if Li Tai, who had done nothing for the empire, continued to follow in his footsteps, he would definitely be swallowed up by the backlash.
At that time, the throne will change and the country will be in turmoil. This beautiful Tang Dynasty will often follow the footsteps of the Sui Dynasty and the Sui Dynasty. Which hero can accept it?
Therefore, Emperor Taizong hesitated again and again, and the matter of Yi Chu remained unresolved. Eventually, he died violently and the prince ascended the throne.
When people look back at the past and read history, they inevitably place their expectations on others and make various assumptions.
If...
History is like a big river, rushing to the sea. It may diverge in the middle, but it will never reverse its course.
History has no ifs.
……
On the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, Li Siwen, Qu Tuquan, Cheng Chubi and others who had been rescued from the rebels finally recovered from their injuries, so they met Fang Jun for a drink at Songhe Tower. Everyone was very drunk.
King Jin rebelled, and the brothers all fought to the death, but the endings were very different.
Li Siwen and Qu Tuquan led their troops under Dong Gong Liu to Tongguan, but were defeated by Yu Chigong midway. They were defeated and captured. By the time they were released, the war was over. Although they had the loyalty to die rather than surrender, they did not have the merits to protect them from heaven, so they were hastily promoted to one level.
On the contrary, Cheng Chubi fought to the death at Chengtian Gate, soaked in blood and fighting to the death, and finally won the final victory. Now he is the deputy commander of the prince's left guard. From the fourth rank, he has taken a solid step from a middle-level general to a high-level general. In time, once he becomes the crown prince's left guard, he will be regarded as a high-ranking general in the empire.
Needless to say, Fang Jun turned the tide and protected the sky...
However, these people have always had a close friendship and have no distinction between each other. Naturally, they will not be jealous because of the brothers' progress, but feel happy for it. After all, the greater the power of Fang Jun and the higher the official position of Cheng Chubi, the greater the benefits that Li Siwen and Qu Tuquan would gain.
After all, they are brothers who can rely on each other through life and death.
In the middle of the banquet, the other three people were tied together to fight Fang Jun. Fang Jun also aroused the youthful spirit that he had not seen for a long time. He drank until the glass was dry and refused to accept anyone who came. He made the three people drunk and unconscious. At the same time, he himself Rarely drunk.
Because of his excellent physical fitness and excellent drinking capacity, he seldom gets drunk, but it is really good to taste the taste of drunkenness occasionally...
The next day, Li Chengqian held an imperial banquet in Taiji Palace in the evening to entertain princes, ministers, and dignitaries.
……
Chinese culture has a long history. In ancient times, when people were ignorant and ignorant, they summed up experience in the process of life and production, and held various sacrificial activities because of their limited understanding of the world and all things.
It can be seen that "the great affairs of the country lie in sacrifice and military service."
Among the countless sacrificial cultures, many have been lost in history, while many have been passed down, and the "December Festival" is one of them.
"In the twelfth month of the year, all things are gathered together for a feast." "Xia said it was Jiaping, Yin said it was Qingsi, Zhou said it was Dachang, and Han Dynasty changed it to wax." This is the origin of wax sacrifice.
In ancient times, there were many "sacrificial offerings to hundreds of gods". By the time of the pre-Qin Dynasty, the rules of the wax festival had become stable, that is, worshiping ancestors and five household gods including the door god, household god, house god, kitchen god, and well god. After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, "December 8th was the day of the twelfth lunar month". fixed.
Taoism also has the theory of "Five Lath Days".
As for "Laba porridge", it comes from Buddhism and has nothing to do with Chinese origins. At least before the Tang Dynasty, no one drank "Laba porridge" on "Laba" day...
The "Imperial banquet on the twelfth lunar month" is also a tradition that has been followed since the Sui Dynasty. All officials of sufficient rank, clan nobles, and relatives of the emperor came to the palace to have a banquet. However, due to the death of Emperor Taizong, the emperor was still alive. During the filial piety period, it is not advisable to be extravagant, so this time the banquet was only given to officials above the third rank, clans above the county king, and nobles above the county prince. However, there were more than a hundred people, and the banquet was held for ten tables, making the scene lively.
During the day, each family completed their sacrifices, and in the evening went into the palace for the banquet. The entire Tai Chi Palace was lit up with lanterns and was full of light, doubling the festive atmosphere.
At the same time, the defense of the Forbidden Palace is also meticulous and strict. The guards have one post every ten steps and one sentry every five steps. The "Hundred Qisi" secretly roams around, staring at everyone who enters the palace for the banquet. All dishes, pastries , alcohol and beverages are all subject to the most rigorous testing to ensure that there is absolutely no possibility of poisoning.
At the turn of Shen and You, the banquet began.
The banquet was held in Liangyi Hall. Li Chengqian and Queen Su were in high spirits. The Queen held Prince Li Xiang's hand and the family of three entered the hall. Because he had to serve Emperor Taizong as a filial piety, the clothes of the Tian family were not luxurious, and Li Chengqian did not make any long speeches. As an emperor, he suffered from continuous mutinies since the day he ascended the throne. Although the rebellions were eventually put down, they were just killing each other. It's just a civil war, nothing to brag about. The various new policies have not yet been officially implemented, and the effects are unknown. It can be said that the achievements are almost nonexistent.
So he just said a few words and announced the start of the banquet.
There are many people attending the banquet, so arranging seats is also a hassle. Many ministers have many other identities besides their official positions, so it is difficult to uniformly seat them. The emperor's family of three sat at the main table. At the table were King Li Tai of Wei, Li Xiaogong, the Minister of Civil Affairs of Hejian County, King Li Yuanjia of Han, and other royal princes and princes, and even Prince Li Shen of Xiangyi County who had not been seen in public for many years. Fu Du was sitting on the table...
Shangshu Zuo Pushe, Prince's Young Master Li Ji, Zhongshu Ling Liu Jie, Shizhong, Jingzhao Yin Mazhou, Yushi Dafu Liu Xiangdao, Minister of Rites Xu Jingzong, Minister of War Cui Dunli, Minister of Hubu Zhang Jian, Minister of Punishment Zhang Liang, Dai Zhou, the minister of Dali Temple, and other important officials in the court were sitting at a table.
Originally, Fang Jun should have a seat at both tables, but Fang Jun went to the table of the Prince Consort of the Tang Dynasty...
Fang Jun was led to this table by the chamberlain. When he looked up, he saw that the consorts of emperors Gaozu and Taizong were sitting together, and among the consorts, the person in charge was actually Helan Sengga, the consort of Princess Fangling.
But in an instant, it became clear that the great ancestor Li Yuan gave birth to nineteen daughters, and the consorts of the first six princesses were all deceased. The seventh consort of Princess Fangling, Helan Sengjia, was naturally the eldest, but this "second-married consort" Compared to the Jiujiang Princess Prince Consort Zhi Shisi Li, he was a full twenty years younger, so Zhi Shi Shi Li had an old face with a stinky look, his brows were furrowed, his eyelids were drooped, and he was extremely unhappy.
The age difference is nothing more than that. How virtuous and capable is the Helan Sangha?
Xue Wanche, who was sitting on the other side of him, had an "unhappy" look on his face. When he saw Fang Jun coming, his eyes suddenly lit up and he waved, "Why did Erlang come here? Come on, come on, come and sit next to me. Who is that...move over.”
He pulled Wei Si'an next to him, unable to call out the consort of Princess Jin'an who rarely appeared in public. Anyway, this young guy's face didn't look very capable, and his hands were so milky that he didn't have the strength to bind a chicken.
Wei Si'an: "..."
His white face turned red and he glared at Xue Wanche. After all, he was also Jingzhao Webster himself. How could he bear such humiliation?
Fang Jun was speechless. This Xue Da Bang Chui was simply poisonous. Wasn't this just to offend others and attract hatred for himself?
It wasn't that he was afraid of offending others, but even though he had no contact with Wei Si'an, they were always polite and polite every time they met, so why bother?
He took two steps forward, pressed Wei Si'an's shoulders, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Duke Wu'an has a rough temperament and is informal. He is joking with you."
Wei Si'an had already stood up, clasped his fists at Fang Jun and said, "It's not because I'm afraid of anyone, but I really don't want to be next to this person. Erlang, please take a seat."
After saying that, he stood up angrily and went to sit next to Chai Lingwu.
Xue Wanche glared at Wei Si'an, but said nothing and pulled Fang Jun to sit down. Fang Jun had no choice but to sit down. He smiled at all the princes-in-law first, held his fists in greeting, and finally said to Zhi, "I haven't seen Mr. An Guo for many days, so I miss him a little."