Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 475 Political Art
At the foot of Linfen City, the capital of Jinzhou, Li Liangchen, the governor of Jinzhou who had just been stationed there, went out of the city with his tribal confidants to welcome Fang Chongyong and his Silver Spear Filial Piety Army.

Seeing Fang Chongyong and the others looked a little embarrassed, Li Liangchen hurriedly welcomed them into the government office in the city and held a banquet in the lobby of the government office. He also arranged for the government treasury to provide wine and food for the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army.

After three rounds of drinking, Li Liangchen asked hesitantly, "General, has something happened in Taiyuan Prefecture? Some soldiers from the four northwestern towns passed through Jinzhou but did not enter. They went straight to Queshu Valley. I provided them with food and fodder, but they refused. It's very strange."

"How can we not blame them? They ambushed us in Queshu Valley and received an imperial decree from that dog emperor Li Longji to kill us all!"

The outspoken He Changqi directly told "that thing"!
"what?"

Li Liangchen was so scared that the chopsticks in his hand fell onto the table.

"That's true. It's better not to mention the tyrant in power."

Fang Chongyong shook his head and sighed.

"General Jie is devoted to the country, has made many military achievements, and has a deep understanding of justice.

Why did the imperial court destroy the Great Wall itself? "

Li Liangchen asked in confusion. In his opinion, Fang Chongyong was very loyal. He rescued Yunzhou without hesitation and without regard for cost.

Everyone has a scale in their heart to judge who is good and who is bad!

What’s more important is that this person is the one he is holding on to!

"General Li, you should take care of yourself. I am sure that most of my close friends will be purged by the court. I am afraid that the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army's rescue of Yunzhou will implicate you and make you suspicious of the dog emperor.

Now he is in Taiyuan, very far from here. Well, you can take care of yourself."

Fang Chongyong kept shaking his head and sighing, which made Li Liangchen feel uneasy.

"Then...what should I do?"

When Li Liangchen heard what Fang Chongyong said, he became a little panicked.

He was originally just the governor of a vassal state in the Shuofang region of the Tang Dynasty. Although he was called a governor, he was actually the local tribal chief.

I have nothing and cannot enjoy any of the benefits of the Tang Dynasty. I only have a letter of appointment.

If Fang Chongyong had not promoted him, he would not have been able to serve in the Shuofang Army, come to Hedong, or be the governor of an important place like Jinzhou.

According to the rules of the Tang Dynasty's military, Li Liangchen is considered Fang Chongyong's direct subordinate, and he must repay him in the future so as not to be accused of being heartless.

Now that Fang Chongyong has been purged by the emperor, Li Liangchen feels as if he is about to face a disaster.

The word "seemed" can be removed. It was dealt with not long after, so it must have been arranged clearly.

"Taiyuan has gathered 100,000 elite soldiers, planning to march out of Hebei to sweep away Huangfu Weiming's bandit army. For the time being, they should not be able to do anything to General Li.

However, when they swept Hebei and rewarded the meritorious service, it was hard to say whether they would settle accounts with General Li. When rewarding those who had made military achievements, they would definitely have to clear out some of the people who were in the way and make room for them.

Alas, I can only say that it is impossible for General Li to achieve meritorious service, and he will be liquidated sooner or later. It is up to General Li to decide where to go. "

Fang Chongyong directly pointed out Li Liangchen’s current predicament: you are not eligible for any meritorious service, you have no one to protect you, and you will be unlucky in the future.

"Oh! This is bad, this is bad!"

Li Liangchen sighed, feeling somewhat helpless and flustered.

Originally, he was full of confidence after arriving in Hedong. He thought he had grasped a strong support and that his career would be smooth and he would reach the peak of his life!
However, the news that Fang Chongyong brought today was no less than a bolt from the blue!

Now Li Liangchen wants to find a "clear path" and doesn't want to wait any longer. He also knows that nothing good will happen to him next.

However, he was unwilling to be "wanted" by the court like Fang Chongyong.

As a result, he felt like an ant on hot pot, as if there were nails sticking into the cushion under his butt, making it impossible for him to stand or sit.

"General Li, what is your impression of the Crown Prince who is in charge of Luoyang?"

Fang Zhongyong asked calmly.

Li Liangchen, who was drinking heavily to suppress his inner panic, slowly placed the white porcelain wine glass in his hand on the table after hearing this question.

Li Liangchen's original idea was very simple, which was to follow Fang Chongyong, beat whoever Fang Chongyong wanted him to beat, and go wherever Fang Chongyong wanted him to go.

He never thought about the political situation in the court. It was not something a Hu man from a border town like him should worry about.

"The Crown Prince? I'm not very familiar with him, I'd like to hear more details."

Li Liangchen tried his best to remain calm on the surface, but the trembling flesh on his face betrayed his inner excitement.

"The dog emperor and the prince are currently at odds with each other, and they will have to go to war sooner or later.

Moreover, this old dog is over sixty years old and doesn't have much time left.

There is an old saying in the Central Plains: Don't bully the young because they are poor.

In other words, young people have countless possibilities in the future and it is possible that they will soar to great heights.

If you can avoid offending someone, do so, because it is difficult to ensure that he will not become successful in the future and then retaliate against you with overwhelming force.

On the other hand, if an elderly person is about to die and has offended you, you can retaliate against him at will, because this is how his life has been and his final judgment is not far away.

General Li has no future under the old dog Li Longji, but that doesn't mean your life will be like this.

Crown Prince Li Heng, who is currently in charge of the overall situation in Luoyang, is also a bright spot. "

Fang Zhongyong had something to say.

Hearing this, Li Liangchen was very interested. He tapped the table with his index finger, as if he was weighing the pros and cons repeatedly in his mind.

Seeing that Li Liangchen seemed to be tempted, Fang Zhongyong continued to tempt him:
"At present, the Crown Prince has no capable border town officials to surrender to. If General Li can take the lead and lead troops to support, it will be like buying bones with a thousand gold coins. He will definitely be valued. In the future, when the Crown Prince ascends the throne and becomes the Emperor, General Li will be a loyal minister, and his wealth and glory will be limitless.

Isn't this more pleasant than being trapped in Jinzhou and waiting to be settled by that old dog in the future?"

I have to say that what Fang Chongyong said is very realistic and highly feasible!
At least it is a hundred times better than following Fang Chongyong with an uncertain future.

Li Liangchen couldn't help but feel that Fang Zhongyong was indeed an honest man. If it were someone else, they would definitely persuade him to follow him, and preach about the benefits of following him.

"General Jie, you are so... so kind to me!"

Li Liangchen wanted to kneel before Fang Zhongyong, but he was a little embarrassed because there were too many people here. He wiped the oil stains on his hands on his official robe, and respectfully saluted Fang Zhongyong with his fists clasped.

"General Li, I have to remind you. The chaotic times have come. Sooner or later, the dog emperor will depose the crown prince and send troops to attack Luoyang.

Civil war is inevitable.

Even if you have enormous wealth, it won’t just fall from the sky and let you just reach out and catch it.

do you understand? "

Fang Zhongyong put away the smile on his face and asked.

This was so true that Li Liangchen nodded quickly and said, "Of course, what the commander said is very insightful. I wonder what I should do?"

Surrendering is also a technical job. It is not enough to just move the army to Luoyang.

Let the people you rely on see your value and your loyalty!

"Issue a proclamation declaring the dog emperor a tyrant and incompetent ruler. You and your soldiers will no longer recognize him as the emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

Then express your loyalty, willingness to serve Crown Prince Li Heng, and call on the various states in Hedong to respond to you.

Finally, they burned down the Linfen treasury and took away everything they could to show their determination to risk everything! They could then lead their troops to Luoyang via the Hedong Road. "

Fang Zhongyong winked at Che Guangqian, who walked forward, took out a piece of paper from her bosom and handed it to Li Liangchen.

The latter opened it and found that it was a manifesto declaring Ji Ge "illegal" and supporting Crown Prince Li Ying to ascend the throne.

He carefully put it away, looked at Fang Zhongyong and said, "General Jie, there is no time to lose, let's go to the treasury and move the things."

Li Liangchen was a decisive person, and he knew that opportunities were rare and could not be missed. While Fang Chongyong was still in Jinzhou, he could ask him for advice on how to rebel.

No, it was about how to surrender to the crown prince. Fang Zhongyong said something very well before, that dog emperor Li Longji is already old!

The prince is the future.

Jumping off the ship now is the last and best chance!
"General Li, once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. Have you thought it through?"

Fang Chongyong hastened to dissuade Li Liangchen, saying that this Hu man was a simple-minded person and was too easily fooled. He was fooled and couldn't even use the series of powerful moves he had prepared.

"I believe in the judgement of the general. If the general says that it is a dog emperor, then it must be a dog emperor.

If even a general like Jie was betrayed, how could an official like me have a good ending?

Besides, he's an old bastard, why would anyone be afraid of him? "

Li Liangchen couldn't help but swear.

As long as a person is determined to rebel, the order and rules that bind him will immediately disappear! His vision and thinking will also be broadened immediately.

Even if Brother Ji is very powerful, what can he do? What if he has millions of elite soldiers under his command?

Li Liangchen was not afraid at all, he just had to keep surviving until Brother Ji died. Then he, who stood up to support the prince at the critical moment, would immediately become invaluable!

Investing one cent now will pay off a thousand-fold in the future!

Fang Chongyong was shocked by his firm attitude.

No wonder Brother Ji is suspicious all the time. There are indeed too many people who hope he dies soon.

Fang Chongyong sneered secretly in his heart.

Brother Ji, you old dog, take good care of yourself. If you survive this disaster, I, as your "mourner", will definitely bury your corrupt Tang Dynasty!

……

In the dim study of the Hedong Jiedushi's office, Ji Ge was sitting on a Hu stool with a gloomy face, and no one knew what he was thinking about.

Gao Lishi, who was standing by, served cautiously and did not dare to speak. The flickering candlelight on the table seemed like it would go out at any time.

At this moment, the eunuch's shrill voice came from outside the door.

"Saint, Minister Yan Zhenqing requests to see you."

"Xuan!"

Gao Lishi shouted towards the study door with an expressionless face.

After a while, Yan Zhenqing was led in by the eunuch. His hair had turned a lot whiter and he looked not very well. His expression was solemn, as if he was worried about something.

"Mr. Yan wants to see you late at night. What's the matter?"

Jige asked in a tired tone.

"Sage, I have come here to ask you something."

Yan Zhenqing said in a low voice.

"Ask, you are an old minister too. If there is anything you want to know, I will definitely tell you if I know it."

Brother Ji closed his eyes and said perfunctorily without caring.

"Your Majesty, I heard that when Fang Guozhong led the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army through Queshu Valley, he was ambushed by Wang Zhongsi's 40,000 elite soldiers. Is this true?"

Yan Zhenqing asked bravely.

Ji Ge didn't say anything, and Yan Zhenqing didn't say anything either. They seemed to be very stubborn and were waiting for the other's answer.

"That's true, Fang Guozhong committed treason, which is unforgivable.

He betrayed my trust."

Brother Ji took a deep breath and said in a sad and regretful tone.

"Your Majesty, what treasonous act did Fang Guozhong commit? Now this matter has spread widely in Taiyuan City. Please tell me the truth, so that I can get to the bottom of it and calm the controversy."

Yan Zhenqing bowed to Brother Ji.

Brother Ji still closed his eyes and said nothing. Gao Lishi defended him, "Mr. Yan, don't ask questions that you shouldn't ask. Don't say things that you shouldn't say. The saint said Fang Guozhong was a traitor, and that's treason."

"Saint, are you just trying to find a pretext to accuse someone of something?"

Yan Zhenqing bravely asked.

"Mr. Yan! Watch your words! Is this the way a subject should talk to a saint?"

Gao Lishi was furious and pointed at Yan Zhenqing and scolded him!

Who knew Yan Zhenqing would also get angry, and he shouted at Brother Ji:
"Sage, if you don't understand the truth, you won't understand it!

If Fang Guozhong is guilty of treason, you can issue an edict, inform everyone, and make the charges clear one by one, and the controversy will disappear.

Now that we are facing a powerful enemy and about to go to war, military morale is of paramount importance!

If it is difficult to explain clearly, then Fang Guozhong had made many military achievements before, making the enemy army terrified, and he was the biggest banner in the Hedong army.

Declaring him a traitor without any evidence, and then killing him, who will be willing to fight bravely in the future?"

Yan Zhenqing knelt down before Brother Ji and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Minister Yan is old and his eyesight is dim. He is no longer fit to be the prime minister. Now remove all his official positions and let him return to Chang'an to serve as a university scholar in the Hanlin Academy."

Brother Ji opened his eyes, waved his hand and said to Gao Lishi.

Hearing this, Yan Zhenqing couldn't believe his ears! He couldn't believe that Brother Ji had become like this!
At this moment, he was finally convinced that Fang Chongyong was indeed wronged. The emperor of the Tang Dynasty, who had been on the throne for decades, could no longer distinguish right from wrong, good from evil.

In his heart, there is only his own power. Apart from that, nothing else matters and anyone can be sacrificed.

Anyone who is in the way must die when the time comes, no matter how loyal they are or how many contributions they have made!

Yan Zhenqing felt extremely sad. He had already seen that the Tang Dynasty was about to collapse, but the emperor was still engaging in petty intrigues!
The rumor turned out to be true!
Yan Zhenqing understood that Fang Chongyong would be in trouble not because he had "treasoned the country", but precisely because he was too honest. He did not betray the prince, but still could not escape suspicion!
Fang Chongyong was murdered only because he was the son of Fang Youde, who strongly supported the crown prince Li Heng. If he really "betrayed the country", would the emperor still be able to sit here and speak peacefully?
Now, the saint in front of him has already disregarded his manners and acted recklessly in order to consolidate his own power!

"Mr. Yan, take off your official robes, and you can leave Taiyuan and return to Chang'an."

Gao Lishi looked at Yan Zhenqing coldly and said.

"Weak minister, I obey the order."

Yan Zhenqing took off the official hat on his head, put it on the ground, and then took off his purple official robe neatly.

Just as he was about to leave, the eunuch outside the door brought in a military general, who was An Zhongzhang, who had taken over the Chishui Army and the military power of Hedong!
He did not care about Yan Zhenqing's presence and went straight forward to Brother Ji, clasping his fists and saying:
“Saint, something terrible has happened!

Li Liangchen, the governor of Jinzhou, rebelled and issued a manifesto threatening to recognize only Crown Prince Li Heng as the legitimate heir of the Tang Dynasty.

He also burned down the granary in Jinzhou and disappeared with thousands of soldiers and horses.

In addition, the governors of Hedong Road, including Jiangzhou, Luzhou, and Zezhou, all wrote letters to respond to Li Liangchen, supporting Crown Prince Li Heng and no longer supplying food and fodder to Taiyuan Prefecture!

Should we send troops to rebuild and maintain food routes?"

"You have to ask me even these little things? Go and do it!"

Brother Ji was so angry that he slammed the table and stood up, his defense was completely broken!

"Traitors! They are all traitors!"

Brother Ji was so angry that he walked around the room, no longer as calm and indifferent as before.

Yan Zhenqing looked at Ji Ge with sympathy, then left his official uniform and hat on the ground and walked away.

(End of this chapter)