Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 389 The mystery that never comes to light

Who could be so frantic that he sent someone to assassinate Li Linfu?
This is not a "passionate killing", nor is it an "unavoidable" accident.

It is a plan that is carefully deployed and the perpetrators can escape unscathed afterwards. It can be said that it has been carefully planned and planned for a long time.

Who would be so bold? Who dares to be so bold?
Brother Ji asked Gao Lishi who would kill Li Linfu, but the latter gave him an answer that shocked him, but was reasonable:
Too many people have the motive to kill Li Linfu. There are simply countless people who want his life and they have to wait in line! Line up to claim it!

Later, Gao Lishi gave his opinion:
First of all, Li Linfu started his career from Qianniu Zhichang, and successively served as Prince Zhongyun, Prince Yude, Guozi Siye, Yushi Zhongcheng, Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Minister of Huangmen, etc., and finally became the right minister.

Along the way, he has offended countless people, and some even had their families destroyed by him, either directly or indirectly.

Among these people, couldn't there be one or two fish that slipped through the net and had the ability to take revenge on his tormentors?
Secondly, because he wanted to get back the distribution rights of Hexi Jiaozi, Li Linfu offended a group of powerful local big players in Hexi, and even hired a son-in-law for this purpose.

Recently, due to the abolition of Chang'an Jiaozi and the issuance of a new "Guanzhong Jiaozi", the recovery ratio of the old and new currency exchanges was too low, causing heavy losses to a large number of powerful people and the big businessmen who relied on them. Many people's homes were emptied of all their extravagant wealth, and some were even forced to die because of debts.

Among these people, I can only count them on two hands if they have the strength and motivation to stab Li Linfu.

Finally, there is a group of people, those careerists who plan to support the prince and profit from it. They may also plan their next move after killing Li Linfu, muddy the water, and finally fish in troubled waters.

"Sage, I heard that Fang Guan likes to talk, but he only writes well and does not have much real talent or learning.

Ji Ge's perspective on considering issues is still more comprehensive than Gao Lishi's. The left prime minister and the right prime minister cannot check and balance each other, which is also a kind of torture for him, an old and weak emperor.

Now, three of the four people are no longer alive, and only Fang Youde is left. Should we recall him to Chang'an?
He had great ideas at first, but when he thought of Fang Youde's high prestige in the military, Brother Ji felt a little nervous.

After he left, Brother Ji fell into deep thought. He suddenly remembered something.

Wei Jiansu and Li Shizhi are in the same party, and they are still in the Ministry of War. Let Wei Jiansu serve as prime minister, and the court will become Li Shizhi's voice.

Because of laziness in politics, general affairs were left to Gao Lishi and Li Linfu to handle. Generally, Gao Lishi is more involved in personnel appointments, while Li Linfu is more involved in business operations.

Gao Lishi suggested slowly, very steadily and not panicked at all.

Because accompanying you is like accompanying a tiger. No matter how kind the tiger is to you, it is still a ferocious beast that can swallow you alive at any time!
Gao Lishi had been with Brother Ji for decades and had already figured out the emperor's thoughts and temper.

"Gonu is gone, who will help me control the court?"

Today's Brother Ji has this kind of mentality towards Li Linfu.

There was only one emperor in the Tang Dynasty, but a man who could serve as a prime minister was so powerful that a saint had nothing to worry about. "

Brother Ji asked calmly.

To put it bluntly, if a dog is placed in the right-hand position, as long as it can stamp and sign, the operation of the Datang Center will not stop, and nothing major will happen in a short period of time.

Regretful and helpless, but not sad.

These people have great intentions and are also the most dangerous. They are lurking in the dark, and now there is no sign of it.

At this moment, he was sitting on the dragon chair, feeling uncomfortable all over, and began to miss the hot springs in Huaqing Palace.

"Back to the saint, Wei Jiansu, the minister of the Ministry of War, has a weak character, and he is an old man who entered officialdom during the Kaiyuan Dynasty. He can be said to be mature and prudent.

"Then let me ask you, who can be the left prime minister?"

Brother Ji responded casually.

Li Shizhi has a rough and tough personality, which is a perfect match for a left prime minister who is weak and does not compete with him. "

"Forget it, let Fang Guan come to see me."

Brother Ji was not led by Gao Lishi, he had his own ideas.

When Lingyan Pavilion was reopened, four people were added to it, namely Guo Zhiyun at the beginning of Kaiyuan, Zhang Jiuling at the end of Kaiyuan, and Li Linfu and Fang Youde who were still in the court.

Gao Lishi took the order and left.

As long as you're not the kind of idiot who can't get anything done, it doesn't matter if your abilities are mediocre. Nowadays, the political framework of the Central Committee of the Tang Dynasty has become very mature. The succession of prime ministers from one generation to the next is like a relay. Whatever needs to be done follows the same procedure. There is nothing that cannot be pushed forward.

In fact, whether it is Wei Jiansu or Fang Guan, Brother Ji doesn't care whether they are strong or not.

"Li Shizhi, the left prime minister, can be the right prime minister. Just promote another left prime minister.

In short, I usually don't think it's anything. After Li Linfu died, Brother Ji discovered that this powerful right minister of the Tang Dynasty had offended so many people intentionally or unintentionally!
From this point of view, investigating the case based on the motive of committing the crime is basically no different from finding a needle in a haystack.

Many people are like this. When he is around, you take everything for granted; only when he is gone can you feel how indispensable this person is.

Gao Lishi asked with a somewhat hesitant tone.

Gao Lishi cautiously suggested that even he had to be careful when recommending candidates for key positions.

Hearing what Gao Lishi said, Brother Ji felt a little relieved. Indeed, as the other party said, Datang only needs the Emperor to remain unchanged. There is nothing else that cannot be changed. No one will be fine without it!

He no longer has the energy to compete with those old foxes.

Sure enough, Ji Ge nodded noncommittally, but then asked: "Fang Guan, the Minister of Justice, what do you think of him?"

Excellent flattering shots! Let him, the emperor, have great face!

Brother Ji couldn't help but let out a long sigh and said as if talking to himself.

Should we ask him to come to see the saint and let the saint examine him face to face? "

The Tang Dynasty covers thousands of miles, so are you afraid that there will be no talents?

Brother Ji is now asking Gao Lishi for advice, which can be regarded as a certain degree of "knowing people and doing them well".

Wouldn't it be inappropriate to let him serve as left prime minister?

When people get older, they often recall who spoke to them better back then. Brother Ji remembers that when Taishan was granted Zen status, Fang Guan, who is now the Minister of Justice, wrote a "Feng Zen Book" for him, with gorgeous words and beautiful articles.

He knew very well that the loyalty in Lao Fang's heart was not only to him, the emperor himself, but also to the Tang Dynasty.

Brother Ji did not doubt Fang Youde's character, but he was worried that this person might "remove the old and innovate" in the future, support a prince, and then "carry on the past and open up the future."

Then don't do it.

Brother Ji sighed. Li Linfu's sudden assassination made him feel like he had a lame leg, so that he was now struggling to walk.

He was thinking about all kinds of things in his mind. He didn't know how long it had passed, but Gao Lishi had already returned and stayed in the imperial study room for a while. Only then did Brother Ji notice.

"Did anyone bring it?"

Brother Ji asked softly.

Gao Lishi replied respectfully: "Sage, Fang Guan is right outside the door. I will bring him in now."

"Well, let's go."

Brother Ji nodded, looking listless.

If he didn't have to see who the new left prime minister was, he would have gone back to Huaqing Palace to rest now. I don't know why, but Brother Ji now feels that the air in Chang'an is dirty and depressing.

Soon, a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing a purple robe and slightly thin, was brought into the imperial study.

Brother Ji looked up and couldn't help but feel shocked!
Like, so similar! It is simply a replica of Zhang Jiuling!
Except for the different appearance and figure, the confident demeanor and the unique spiritual temperament of a scholar are almost carved in the same mold as Zhang Jiuling.

Putting aside his true talents and knowledge, just looking at this man's appearance, he does have the air of a prime minister.

A slick bureaucrat like Zheng Shuqing was obviously not fit to be prime minister, and his temperament and image were completely different from Fang Guan.

"Fang Aiqing, I want to test you. I have been assassinated recently. It is a pity that it is a loss for the court. But the country still needs to function, and it cannot be without the prime minister.

I want Li Shizhi to serve as the right prime minister, which will vacate the position of the left prime minister. Needless to say.

If I appoint you as the new left prime minister now, how should you do your job well? "

Brother Ji asked with a smile.

"Back to the saint, Xiao Gui and Cao will follow. The ministers will cooperate with the right minister on errands and continue to use the old system. No matter how big or small, they will be recorded in detail and sent to the saint for reference." Fang Guan said with a respectful salute.

Hearing this, Brother Ji nodded with satisfaction.

This Fang Guan is very knowledgeable and knowledgeable.

The last thing Ji Ge wants to see now is the constant fighting between the left and the right, making the government unable to operate normally.

But he was also worried that all government affairs were decided by a certain prime minister, without checks and balances.

So Fang Guan's answer is more clever: I will serve as a deputy seriously, but small reports will be sent to you every day.

It would not delay important events, but also keep Li Shizhi's every move under Ji Ge's control.

"What do you think of the court's current policy of handing over children? Is there anything that needs to be improved?"

Brother Ji asked another very crucial question.

"The current policy of zoning Jiaozi is not advisable. Wei Chen believes that the whole country should be unified and use one kind of Jiaozi.

This is just like the time when trains were on the same track and the same text was written. Zoning is only temporary and sharing is the general trend. "

I don’t know if Fang Guan can read minds, or if he just thinks so, he actually said something that Brother Ji has been dissatisfied with for a long time.

It can be said to have scratched an itch.

Brother Ji has long felt that there should not be any "regional exchanges", but that there should be a game of chess and a standard across the country.

How much trouble would be saved by sharing the same kind of communication! There's a lot of trouble in Jiaozi subdivision. You're taking off your pants and farting like this!

After hearing Fang Guan's words, Brother Ji can be said to have found a "soulmate".

"Okay! Well said!

Then I will appoint you as a servant now. You must serve me well and do errands for the court! "

Brother Ji said with a smile on his face. These words were no less than the sound of nature. Fang Guan, who had been very calm so far, quickly knelt down and kowtowed in thanks!
Then worship!

Seeing his ministers being so respectful to him, Brother Ji was very satisfied. He encouraged Fang Guan and then let him leave.

After Fang Guan left, Gao Lishi asked with a worried look on his face: "Sage, I feel that Fang Guan likes to talk in vain. He just picks up the words that the saint likes to hear. Some of them are not practical and should not be entrusted with important tasks. I heard that Fang Guan likes to talk. Fang Guan was a local official when he was young, and caused some troubles during his administration. "

"Okay, this matter has been decided, I have my own opinion."

Brother Ji waved his hands impatiently and said, obviously he no longer wanted to talk nonsense with Gao Lishi on this topic.

He is just a left prime minister, and it only takes one sentence to replace him.

Now he is appointed and then removed immediately. Doesn’t he, the emperor, have no face?

Brother Ji's perspective on thinking about problems is very different from Gao Lishi's.

Seeing that Brother Ji couldn't listen to his opinions at all, Gao Lishi was very informed and kept silent.

"Go back to Huaqing Palace. You can attend Genu's funeral on my behalf. It must be a glorious one."

Brother Ji seemed a little uninterested, unmotivated, and even a little angry.

Gao Lishi felt that if Brother Ji did not attend Li Linfu's funeral, many people would have bad associations, and then do things that would add insult to injury and push others away.

He wanted to speak, but felt that he had already said a lot of "unpleasant" things today, so he shut up obediently, led Brother Ji to the chariot, and prepared to set off back to Huaqing Palace.

Li Linfu is dead, but Li Linfu's party members are not dead.

If Li Shizhi becomes right prime minister, won't he suppress Li Linfu's power?
Gao Lishi, who was already worried, suddenly became frightened!

Could it be that the emperor knew what would happen, so he deliberately chose not to attend the funeral? He is hinting to some people that Li Linfu's era has passed, and you don't have to throw your weight behind him!
No matter how great his contribution, how high his status and reputation, Li Linfu was during his lifetime, after his death, he is just a dead person with nothing left.

Since this is the case, then the dead should give up their positions as soon as possible, not to hinder the living from doing things, and not to block their way to promotion and wealth!

Maybe that's what Brother Ji thinks. After a person dies, there is no use value, and there is no need to make any high-profile gestures. The dead can't be seen anyway!

The tea cools down after the person leaves. The tea is already completely cold as soon as the person leaves.

Gao Lishi felt sad. Since ancient times, the emperor had been ruthless to his family, and the emperor had been this way to his own son, let alone a mere prime minister.

No matter how good the prime minister is in handling affairs, he is still an outsider. If you are so cold to your family members, how can you be so nice to outsiders?

Who knows that the Li Linfu of today will not be the Gao Lishi of tomorrow.

At this moment, Gao Lishi, who was leading the way for Brother Ji, felt infinite sadness from Li Linfu's experience.

……

Outside Zhezhi City, the king and nobles of the small country were kneeling on the ground in front of Fang Chongyong, and they couldn't tell who was who for a moment.

They look like big watermelons in the field, wearing hats of different colors and similar styles. It looks a bit funny when riding on a horse.

Fang Chongyong felt the superiority of the strong at this moment.

In addition to the local nobles of Shi Kingdom, there are also kings and dignitaries from Kang Kingdom, Shi Kingdom, Cao Kingdom and other places, all gathered here.

They trembled under the Tang army's dazzling sword.

As soon as Fang Chongyong led his troops here, they had already surrendered, and there was no need for him, the commander-in-chief, to persuade them with any nonsense.

There are "heroes" who know current affairs everywhere here, and relying on watermelon is their rule of survival. You could take refuge in Dashi yesterday, and you can also take refuge in Datang today.

It’s just “loyalty” written all over his face!
Kang Sobo, the special envoy of the Kang State who had met once before, had just raised a wooden box over his head, knelt down in front of Fang Chongyong, and said tremblingly: "Ambassador Fang, this is the head of Abu Muslim, the governor of Dashi, and it is dedicated to you now. , I hope you won’t make it difficult for us to be on the side of the cannibals. Those things really forced us to do nothing.”

The heads of Abu Muslims?
Fang Chongyong thought he was hearing hallucinations.

In his plan, he should go deep into Mulu City, and even have to go through life and death, run thousands of miles, and fight bloody battles before he can finally kill Abu Muslim.

Unexpectedly, this hero of the Dashi Kingdom was intercepted and killed by the Kangguo army on his way back to Mulu City!
It is hard to imagine that the nobles of the small countries in the Western Regions who are kneeling on the ground at this moment are so courageous!
When the Dashi army was present, the armies of these small countries in the Western Regions had no status. They were no more than slaves and were commanded at will by the Abu Muslims.

Even for themselves, many of them have been humiliated by the Dashi army in front of them, and they have no dignity at all.

Unexpectedly, after the main force of the food army was wiped out, these armies suddenly turned into hungry wolves and began to bite back.

Before the Tang army arrived at Shiguo, they had already rebelled! The speed of this team is really amazing!
The dignified governor of Khorasan, a great food country, died in such an undignified way and was surrounded and killed by the Kang army.

It would be better to die on the battlefield after a bloody battle with the Tang army. At least his body could be preserved intact and his name would go down in history.

It is the fate of a soldier to be returned wrapped in horse leather. There is nothing to say. Abu Muslim died at the hands of the Tang army, which can be regarded as a well-deserved death.

As a result, the governor was killed by the rats in the dark. This was a great shame and humiliation!

Fang Chongyong felt unworthy of the Abu Muslims, and was secretly wary of these seemingly harmless dignitaries of small countries in front of him.

He took the wooden box and opened it. Then I saw the head of a middle-aged man. Other than confirming that the owner of this thing was a cannibal, there was nothing else to tell.

"Identify it."

Fang Chongyong handed the wooden box to Che Guangqian and said in a calm tone, with no expression of excitement at all.

Che Guangqian repeatedly compared the head with the portrait in his arms to confirm that it was indeed Abu Muslim. He stepped forward and whispered: "Jie Shuai, confirm it is correct."

“This ambassador has received this generous gift and your sincerity.

However, I still have an account that I want to settle with you, one for the other.

This is not the place to talk. Let’s go to Zhezhi City first and then talk in detail inside the palace. "

Fang Zhongyong pulled out the Swift Wind Phantom Sword, pointed in the direction of Zhezhi City and said, showing his domineering power!
(End of this chapter)