Hearing what Fang Jun said, Cui Xin breathed a sigh of relief...
Since these tens of thousands of Shandong children are being coerced into being used as hostages, and the Shandong aristocratic families are forced to cooperate in measuring the acres of land, it means that His Majesty has no intention of sending these Shandong children to the frontier to "guard the border."
Although the land of Shandong is vast, as long as you cooperate with the court as much as possible, it can be measured within three or two years. By then, your majesty will naturally have no excuse to detain these Shandong children. As long as these people return to Shandong, the Shandong family will be within ten years. He can recover quickly. Even if he cannot return to his prime for a while, Li Chengqian cannot live forever...
There was once an emperor and a courtier, but if there was another emperor in the future, the Shandong family might not have no hope of revival.
However, he still asked: "Then what exactly does Your Majesty plan to do with these Shandong children?"
It is not easy to detain tens of thousands of people. Not only must enough troops be dispatched to guard them, but they must also be provided with food. They can't all starve to death, right?
Fang Jun paused and said: "Guanzhong suffered two mutinies. The population dropped sharply and the city defenses were broken. A large number of manpower was needed to restore farmland, build cities, and repair roads. These tens of thousands of Shandong private troops came in handy. But there is no need to worry. Your Majesty is kind and has ordered the navy to purchase a large amount of rice from Nanyang and transport it to Guanzhong for consumption. Therefore, there will be no abuse of soldiers. By the time the land in Shandong is measured, all parts of Guanzhong will be almost in repair, which is just right. Return them to their place of origin and get the best of both worlds.”
Cui Xin remained silent.
He had actually anticipated this possibility, and now that he heard it from Fang Jun, he knew that it was very close to the truth.
As for what Fang Jun said, "There will be no cruel treatment of soldiers." Just listen to it. Tens of thousands of Shandong children are still "captives". How can they be treated well? The best outcome is just "not starving to death". As for how many people can return to their place of origin, we can only leave it to fate...
However, he could not utter a word of dissatisfaction, let alone say that anyway, the Shandong private troops under his command could only be counted as surrenders and not as prisoners. Otherwise, once His Majesty becomes angry and pursues the case, all of them, including himself, will be punished. Trap and kill.
*****
In the evening, the rain that had stopped for a long time began to pour down again. Li Chengqian hurriedly finished his dinner and stood in front of the window with his hands behind his hands, looking at the rain outside the window, concentrating for a long time without moving.
Queen Su came from behind, put a cloak on Li Chengqian, and said softly: "Your Highness, are you worried about the floods in Guanzhong?"
Li Chengqian hummed and sighed: "In previous years, it has been freezing and snowing at this time, but this year the weather is very different. The water in various rivers in Guanzhong has risen sharply. If the Jingzhao Prefecture had not organized manpower to dredge the rivers and strengthen the dams last year, I am afraid that it would have become A vast country... Could it be that I am really not destined by fate, and even if I seize the throne, I will still suffer divine punishment?"
"How can your Majesty be so presumptuous?"
Queen Su said angrily, stepped forward and pressed her delicate body slightly against Li Chengqian's body, holding an arm with both hands. The fragrance of orchid and musk filled Li Chengqian's nose, and advised: "Destiny belongs to it, it is mysterious and unpredictable, who can do it?" Can you really get a glimpse of the secrets of heaven? Since Your Majesty is sitting on the throne and ruling the world, it at least means that the people of the world support you. Man can conquer heaven. As long as everyone is united, the destiny of heaven will also be subdued."
"Haha, the queen is very eloquent, but why does it sound like Fang Jun's to me? Well, the heart of heaven is the heart of the people, and the people's will is what the people want, and man can defeat nature... It does make some sense."
Patting the back of Su's hand, Li Chengqian took off his cloak and said, "It's time for me to meet the Pheasant slave and tell him the truth about people's disapproval."
…
East Palace.
Arriving in front of the Li Zheng Palace, Li Chengqian stopped and looked up at this palace, which did not have a majestic and royal aura, but instead seemed small and exquisite. He had mixed feelings for a while. After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Emperor Taizong was granted the title of Crown Prince by Emperor Gaozu, and lived here for a short time. Later, he moved from here to Taiji Palace, ascended the throne, ruled the world, and founded the Zhenguan Dynasty.
But now things have changed. The mother, queen, and father died one after another. The pheasant slaves even tried to change their destiny against the will of heaven and rise to the top. In the end, they were defeated, captured, and imprisoned here...
"I have met His Majesty!"
The soldiers of the Baiqi Division who were guarding here saw His Majesty coming and hurriedly came to greet him.
Li Chengqian hummed and asked, "How is King Jin doing?"
The soldier said: "The spirit is a little decadent, and he looks very frightened. Moreover, he has not eaten or even touched a drop of rice today."
Li Chengqian frowned: "But the food is not good, why do you treat Prince Jin so slowly?"
The soldiers were startled. They couldn't afford this crime and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, the meals are all prepared in the imperial kitchen. They are of the highest standard of the prince. They are sent to the palace after being tested and non-toxic. We absolutely dare not Please wait for His Highness King Jin."
"Okay, I will go in to visit King Jin. If you are a good guard, if you make any mistakes, don't blame me for severely punishing you."
"Here!"
After the soldiers retreated, Li Chengqian left only Wang De, who accompanied him up the steps and opened the door to enter the Li Zheng Hall.
The light in the hall was dim, and no candles were lit. When the two maids saw Li Chengqian entering, they quickly stepped forward to bow their skirts and salute. Li Chengqian waved his hands to let them back, and raised his feet to the window.
There was a mat spread on the floor in front of the window. Li Zhi, wearing a silk uniform, was sitting on his knees. He was staring blankly at the rain outside the window and the gradually dimming dusk, unaware of the footsteps and voices behind him. Hearing this, the whole person was as still as a rock, motionless.
The slightly thin figure looks a little thin...
Li Chengqian stood behind him, looking at the lifeless Li Zhi. The anger accumulated in his heart due to the mutiny dissipated in an instant, and his original words of admonishment and reproach turned into a sigh...
"Hey, tell me about you, why is this necessary?"
Li Zhi remained motionless.
Li Chengqian took two steps forward, lifted up his clothes and knelt down on the other side, waving to Wang De. Wang De quickly found the candlestick, picked up the fire stick on the side and lit the candle. The orange candlelight rose in the hall, and the floor was smooth and bright. , the main hall is empty and deep, and the dusk outside the window becomes darker and deeper...
Seeing that Li Zhi was silent, Li Chengqian said directly: "Later, I will ask someone to send Princess Jin over, and the Crown Prince Jin will also bring her with her. Don't worry, although you are disloyal to me, disloyal to the empire, and The people are unjust, but I am not as decisive as my father, so I will not kill you. From now on, you will live in this Li Zheng Palace,"
Whether public or private, the pheasant slave cannot kill him, he can only be imprisoned within the palace wall for the rest of his life.
Li Zhi, who was sitting on his knees like a rock, finally couldn't help but shake his shoulders. Then he slowly turned his head, his eyes full of surprise and astonishment. His lips moved twice and he asked in a harsh voice: "Your Majesty...really don't want to kill me?"
Cutting off the roots is an iron rule in political struggles. Emperor Taizong had already defeated the power of Prince Li Jiancheng after the "Xuanwumen Incident", but he still wanted to send troops into the East Palace and Prince Qi's Mansion to kill everyone, otherwise How come Zhenguan has been stable for more than ten years?
After this defeat, from the moment he raised the flag of rebellion, it was destined that the only life-or-death relationship between him and Li Chengqian would be life and death.
But I don’t want to be forgiven by Li Chengqian now that I am in jail...
Li Chengqian raised his head slightly, his eyes wandering in the candlelight-soaked hall, his eyes full of memories and nostalgia: "On Gengyin day and night in June of the second year of Wude, it was in this hall that you, ninth brother, were born. At that time, I He was only ten years old. Qingque and his third brother rushed into the hall together and saw the queen mother sitting on the couch with you in her arms. You still smiled at us... The three of us wanted to reach out and hug you. But I was scolded by my mother, saying that you are too young, and as brothers, we need to take care of you and love you..."
Among Taizong's sons, Li Chengqian, Li Kuan, and Li Ke were the same age, and Li Tai was one year younger. Li Kuan's mother was a palace maid, and she was succeeded to Taizong's brother Li Zhiyun, King Ai of Chu, who died young. Therefore, Li Chengqian, Li Ke, and Li Tai grew up together since childhood, and they have the closest friendship.
To this day, Li Chengqian can still clearly remember the furnishings in the Li Zheng Hall. Time passed by, and Queen Wende's voice and smile are still fresh in his memory, as well as every word she said to him back then.
If his mother hadn't passed away early, he, the prince, would naturally be in a stable position. Why would there be so many fights for the heirloom in the future?
Li Chengqian recalled the past, thinking about his mother's warmth and brotherly love, smiled, and said with emotion: "They all said that I am not the ruler of the country. I didn't accept it before. I think I can do what my father can do. It's nothing more than He is just open to speaking out and accepting advice with an open mind. As long as he is not self-willed and rebellious, the emperor will naturally continue to do so. However, only now do I realize that I was very wrong. In fact, I am not as good as my father. At least my father treated his brothers and sisters without mercy. If I am decisive, I will not be able to do it no matter what."
It is easy to kill Li Zhi, a glass of poisonous wine and three feet of white silk are enough. For Li Zhi's crime of rebellion, the whole world cannot say anything bad about him as an emperor. Even if there is some small public opinion, it will disappear after the passage of time.
But he couldn't get over the hurdle in his heart.
Raising a butcher's knife to eradicate the roots of his brother is easier said than done. As long as he thinks that he may be in self-blame and guilt for the rest of his life, he can't do it...
He raised his hand and patted Li Zhi on the shoulder. Hearing this, he said with a smile: "Haosheng, live here. All supplies will be treated as a super-grade prince. If you have any requests, you can always let me know. I will I will be satisfied. Your prince will also live here together. I will find the best teachers to teach them. When the world is at peace and the world is stable, I will let them go out to serve as officials, and the title of King Jin will not be revoked. You Their descendants will enjoy the title of the King of Jin for generations to come, be rich and glorious, and live together with the country."
Doesn't he know that as long as King Jin is alive, he will be a huge hidden danger?
Of course he knows it, but he is willing to take this risk just to preserve this brotherhood and not to face the shame of meeting his father, emperor and mother in the future...
He has already sat on the throne of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, ruling the world and ruling over all nine states. Why should he bear the infamy of a murderer and endure the torment of his conscience for the rest of his life?
Fang Er said it well: Take a step back, the sea and the sky will be brighter...
(End of chapter)
