Elegy of Tang Dynasty
Chapter 561: Flies are real flies, and dogs are real dogs
Chapter 561: Flies are real flies, and dogs are real dogs
It is said that one does not visit a temple for no reason. So why did Li Bai come to see Fang Chongyong so early in the morning?
It's simple, he is here to be a lobbyist.
If we say that the last time Li Bai "persuaded" Fang Chongyong not to attack Yongwang Li Lin's territory, it was just with the mentality of giving it a try.
This time he happened to meet Fang Chongyong at Penglai Port in Dengzhou, and his mind was already full of plans.
He wanted to encourage Fang Zhongyong and the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army to support Li Lin to take the throne! The army rushed to Chang'an to pull Li Heng off his horse!
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Li Bai believed that changing dynasties was something that Heaven had given him, and that he would be punished for it. The current situation in the Tang Dynasty had changed dramatically from when Fang Chongyong first went to Hebei.
After Li Heng murdered his father, the Guanzhong court had lost its righteousness. Even though no provincial governors stood up to directly resist, many of them chose to turn a blind eye to the court's decrees.
All the exiled princes are eager to "avenge" Brother Ji, and are openly recruiting troops.
When the world is in chaos and war comes, it just depends on how long they need to prepare! Once the time is right, these ambitious people will rush in like moths to a flame.
Fang Chongyong had the strongest soldiers and the strongest horses in Henan Province, and he had an outstanding record of battle and a great reputation.
If he couldn't bring such a strong ally under Prince Yong's command, Li Bai felt that he would be courting death!
Because of the heavyweight military governors and powerful armies like Fang Chongyong and the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army, if he did not side with Prince Yong, he would definitely side with other vassal kings.
The difference between adding and subtracting is a choice between double happiness or double pain. One more strong reinforcement for oneself means one less helper for the enemy.
If Li Bai returned to Licheng directly from Dengzhou empty-handed, Li Lin would break his legs!
After three rounds of drinking, Li Bai put down his glass and complimented: "General Jie has made great achievements in Hebei. Those things have long been heard by the people of Henan. The people all say that as long as General Jie is in Hebei, the enemy army dare not cross the Yellow River."
Li Bai was a lazy and arrogant person. He usually only listened to others flattering him and rarely took the initiative to flatter others.
Therefore, this flattery seemed very stiff. Li Bai's flattery skills were not even as good as Wang Weizhong, the governor of Dengzhou!
However, Fang Zhongyong led his troops to stir up trouble in Hebei, so the Hebei rebels did not have the energy to go south to Henan. From this point of view, Li Bai was not exaggerating, but just stating the facts.
Seeing his reserved look, Fang Zhongyong tried to flatter him even if he didn't have any intention of flattering him, so he laughed and said, "Li Taibai, Li Taibai, are you here to lobby for His Royal Highness Prince Yong because I have a strong army of Silver Spear and Filial Piety Army?"
Li Bai's thoughts were exposed, so he didn't pretend anymore. He poured a glass of wine for Fang Chongyong, nodded slightly and said, "General Fang is right. I am here to persuade you. Your Highness Prince Yong wants to raise an army in Qizhou, but he has no soldiers, no generals who are good at fighting, and no commander who can stand alone. If Prince Yong can get the help of General Jie, he will soon be able to restore order in Guanzhong."
Hearing this, Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly, smiling without commenting.
Li Bai revealed all of Li Lin's cards! Before the negotiation even started, he actually reported how much money he had in his pocket.
This great villain made Fang Zhongyong feel embarrassed to bully him.
"Eh? Your Highness Prince Yong is too kind to praise me. I don't deserve it.
However, Prince Yong falsely conveyed the imperial edict. If this matter were to get out, it would be embarrassing and his reputation would be damaged.
I guess that you, Li Taibai, might end up having to take the blame for others."
Fang Chongyong pushed the fake imperial edict that Wang Wei Zhong gave him yesterday, which was the imperial edict that Li Bai gave to Wang Wei Zhong in an attempt to take over Dengzhou, onto the table in front of Li Bai.
This can be considered as “returning the property to its original owner”.
Li Shixian, who was originally a little drunk, was so frightened when he saw the so-called "imperial edict" written by the scholar in the Yongwang Mansion that he sobered up.
"This is just a joke. I saw Wang Weizhong was disrespectful to Prince Yong and wanted to scare him. Don't take it seriously."
While Li Bai was quibbling, he put away the fake imperial edict with an embarrassed look, then drank the wine in the glass and calmed himself down.
The fake imperial edict was just a fig leaf. If Wang Weizhong admitted it, it would be the real imperial edict. If Wang Weizhong did not admit it and Prince Yong was unwilling to raise an army immediately, it would be embarrassing and taboo.
Regardless of whether the imperial court had the ability to investigate or not, the fact that Prince Yong falsely conveyed the imperial edict and attempted to seize Dengzhou would be a joke if it were to spread.
By that time, Li Lin would most likely completely deny the fake imperial edict and tell the outside world that it was Li Bai who acted on his own and let the great poet take the blame.
Although Li Lin might not really do anything to Li Bai, the errand boy, in the end, if this matter were to spread, it would definitely ruin the reputation of Li Bai, a cultural figure with world-famous poems and essays, in the literary circle.
Fang Chongyong returned the "fake imperial edict" to its original owner. Firstly, it implied that he had taken Dengzhou into his pocket. Secondly, it expressed that he had no ill will towards Li Bai and was willing to hand him a ladder to help him step down.
“Brother Taibai, now is not the time to tease the governor.
The emperor killed his father, which angered both humans and gods.
The rebellion in Hebei had not yet been quelled, and the emperor's self-degradation disaster had arisen again.
In this turbulent time, what does Prince Yong think of the current situation?
Emotionally, he is the son of the late emperor and he should be filial to his parents. Logically, he is a governor and he should be loyal to his country.
I really want to know, facing this declining national situation, what will Prince Yong do? "
Fang Zhongyong asked slowly, frowning slightly, looking like he was concerned about the country and the people, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
This question stumped Li Bai.
His specialty is poetry, not political planning.
That’s right, Li Heng did kill his father, and it happened in front of almost everyone. Now everyone in the world knows about it.
Yongwang Li Lin was indeed preparing to raise an army. Once he had completed recruiting soldiers, he would issue a proclamation to announce it to the world.
However, where to launch the rebellion, under what name, and when to launch the rebellion are all very important.
Especially when the rebellion in Hebei has not yet been put down, those who rise up in rebellion now may not have the last laugh in the future.
One wrong move and the whole game is lost.
Could a great poet like Li Bai figure out these life-and-death matters? Fang Chongyong had clearly given Li Bai a difficult problem that was beyond the scope of his task.
"This... Li needs to go back and ask His Royal Highness Prince Yong. I can't make the decision for him."
Li Bai said embarrassedly, and his face immediately became a little embarrassed. Let alone this series of political, military and regime change matters, Li Bai didn't even know where to start with these tangled and confusing things!
"How about this, Brother Taibai, wait a moment. Allow me to write a letter and you can take it back to His Royal Highness Prince Yong.
Dengzhou is a very strategic place that can only be defended by a strong army. If the Hebei bandit army succeeds in a surprise attack, His Royal Highness Prince Yong will be in danger of his life.
How about letting the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army under my command guard Dengzhou?"
As Fang Chongyong spoke, he ground ink in front of Li Bai, picked up his pen and began to write the letter, as if he had already prepared a draft in mind.
He didn't even give Li Bai a chance to refuse!
Seeing this, Li Bai understood that although Fang Chongyong was polite to him, he would not give in on matters of principle. Since the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army had already occupied Dengzhou, Prince Yong had only two ways to take Dengzhou.
The first way is to turn against Fang Chongyong, send troops directly from Licheng to Dengzhou, and win.
This situation is basically a fantasy and a daydream.
The second method is to let Fang Chongyong support Yongwang Li Lin. In this way, Yongwang will indirectly control Dengzhou.
Obviously, only the second method is feasible.
Dengzhou has the largest seaport in the north, and its strategic significance is self-evident. Even if Li Lin did not understand its importance, there were always capable people under his command who could see it clearly.
Fang Chongyong has elite soldiers under his command, and he can lead troops in battle. Yongwang Li Lin is a prince. The combination of the two can help each other get what they need and make up for their shortcomings.
While Li Bai was pondering the pros and cons, Fang Chongyong had already written the letter. After the ink dried, he sealed the letter, handed it to Li Bai and said, "Brother Taibai, please return to Licheng as soon as possible and hand it over to His Royal Highness Prince Yong." Li Bai put the letter close to his chest and felt that the letter was as heavy as a thousand gold!
The fate of Prince Yong is in his hands!
This made Li Bai feel very proud and ambitious, as if just delivering a letter or running an errand could decide the fate of the world.
After he said goodbye and left, Fang Chongyong poured himself a glass of wine, picked up the glass with his left hand, and shook it gently.
Looking at the wine in the glass swirling regularly, his eyes were deep and he said nothing.
Now the situation between Fang Zhongyong and Yongwang Li Lin is such that if they fight, both will suffer, but if they unite, both will benefit.
The core of Xuanwu Town's defense zone is in Bianzhou, while Li Lin, as the "Jiedushi of Tianping Army", defends Qizhou, Jeju, etc. The two sides are very close, and if they expand their sphere of influence casually, they will become neighbors directly.
Even someone like Li Bai, who has little political acumen, can see that there are many benefits to the union of Xuanwu Town and Tianping Town, which can be called a powerful alliance.
It is foreseeable that many of Li Lin’s advisers would think so.
Otherwise, the two sides will inevitably fight to the death until one side completely destroys the other!
When Ji Ge was still alive, Li Lin's identity as a prince had not yet been highlighted, and even getting too close to him would be very risky.
But now that the central authority of Chang'an has been weakened, the princes from all over the country have to rebel to seek justice, and the rebels in Hebei have not been eliminated.
Li Lin's identity as a prince became very popular.
"It's just the luck of the times. I have no choice but to do it."
Fang Zhongyong sighed deeply. He had to admit that Huangfu Weiming's support for Prince Rong Li Wan's rebellion was a brilliant move.
Huangfu Weiming could not defeat Fang Youde because he lacked the ability; however, there was no problem with the strategy he adopted.
Now Fang Chongyong has to take this path himself, also due to the situation.
If we can't find Li Lin, we have to find Li Lu. If we can't find Li Lu, we have to find one of Ji Ge's other descendants. Anyway, we have to find one.
Otherwise, his subordinates could easily be bribed.
These days, it’s important to have a legitimate reason for doing things.
If the name is not right, then the words will not flow, and if the words are not flowing, then things will be difficult to accomplish. Those who do not listen to the court must oppose the court, and those who do not support the prince to quell the rebellion must establish themselves as emperors and rebel.
No matter which path you take, you have to choose one. Otherwise, your subordinates will not see hope for the future and their morale will soon be dispersed.
Fang Chongyong suddenly remembered that on Ji Ge's birthday, Li Lin touched a dancer's butt in public and even almost had sex with a dancer in Xingqing Palace.
I immediately felt that this person was not a great leader, and even saying that he was just an average person was not good enough. Apart from his status as a prince, Yong Wang Li Lin did not seem to have any redeeming qualities.
But now Fang Chongyong has no other choice. Even the Hebei rebels know that they have to act under the banner of Li Wan!
He drank the wine in the glass and smiled self-deprecatingly.
It smells bad but tastes good. There are only so many routines in the world, and the reason why these routines are so cliché is because they work!
Just as Fang Chongyong was drinking and eating alone and sighing, Wang Nan, who had gone to Dongmu to capture and take over the garrison of Dengzhou, came back to report.
As soon as they met, Fang Zhongyong asked directly: "How is the situation?"
"Meek and well-behaved."
Wang Nannan replied with four unexpected and sarcastic words. "Meek and obedient" is not a good word to describe an army!
"The imperial court has stipulated that soldiers from Dengzhou must not interfere in matters at Penglai Port, to avoid any unforeseen consequences.
It is normal for soldiers who come here to have poor food and clothing, and to have no benefits and low morale."
Fang Zhongyong smiled and said, please invite Wang Nan to sit opposite him.
As expected, Wang Nanyi sighed helplessly and said, "General Jie is right. That's exactly what happened. The full force is 1,500, and now there are 700 at most. When they saw me, not only did they not resist, but they were overjoyed."
He originally wanted to use this opportunity to replenish his troops, but unexpectedly he saw a group of useless people. Wang Nanyi could not hide his disappointment on his face.
In fact, what he didn't know was that it was normal for the Dongmu Shouzhuo military to be in disrepair.
Because during the reign of Da Wuyi, the Bohai Kingdom often harassed Dengzhou. At that time, the Dongmu Guard was on guard day and night to prevent the Bohai Kingdom from attacking from the sea.
At that time, these soldiers were capable of fighting.
After Fang Youde defeated Da Wuyi, Da Wuyi came to power in Bohai State.
This person was born in Jige's guards, so it is impossible for him to implement a hostile policy towards the Tang Dynasty. For so many years, Bohai State and the Tang Dynasty, and even the Japanese side, have been in a relatively peaceful state, and maritime trade has flourished.
Since there is no war to fight in Dengzhou, then the Dongmu Guard will naturally have nothing to do. The central government does not allow them to interfere in the affairs of the seaport. Without any benefits to be gained, the capable people in the army will naturally run away!
People tend to seek benefits and avoid harm. There are no elite soldiers or generals that fall from the sky, and there are no useless people that are born.
"General, in my opinion, these elite soldiers from Dengzhou are actually in Penglai Port.
They just don't want to take the military pay from the Tang Dynasty."
Wang said cautiously.
Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly and said, "I'd like to hear more details."
Seeing that Fang Jieshuai seemed very interested, Wang Nanyi continued:
"General, the ships in Dengzhou are very large. It is not uncommon to carry 600 to 700 people at a time. There are many ships that can accommodate 300 to 500 people.
These people are both businessmen and thieves, and they are all risk-takers. With a little training, they can become a strong army.
There are many such people in Penglai Harbor now, trapped by us and unable to go out to sea. In any case, Marshal Jie must deal with them as soon as possible. "
Wang Nande had a worried look on his face. He had something on his mind, but he just couldn't say it out loud.
The fact that Brother Ji was killed by Li Heng is now known to everyone in the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army, at least among the officers.
However, until now, Fang Chongyong's banner has been to obey the command of the Chang'an central government, and he has not issued a manifesto to "sever ties with the emperor."
Everyone was worried that Li Heng's evil deeds might implicate Fang Chongyong and the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army.
"I already know about this. But now everything is ready except for the east wind. I have a prescription, but I am still missing one herb."
Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said.
He had his own plan, and it was not convenient to reveal it to Wang Nandai before it was accomplished.
"Go and inform the owners of the ships anchored at Penglai Harbor that there is a storm at sea and it is not advisable to go out to sea. The storm will stop in three days, and I will not stop them at that time. Just let them be patient."
Fang Chongyong gave an order to Wang Nanyi, who understood and left immediately.
Whether there is a storm at sea, those ship owners who go out to sea all year round naturally know it well. But Fang Zhongyong gave them this step down, so they had to follow the step down.
Because the swords of the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army were too sharp, no one would joke with their own neck unless they were forced into a desperate situation.
After Wang Nanyi left, Fang Chongyong's expression gradually became gloomy.
"Daqinmao, you are not trying to keep me hanging and ask me to invite you, right?
If that happens, don’t blame me for making things difficult for you.”
Fang Zhongyong muttered to himself, with a cold light flashing in his eyes.
(End of this chapter)
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