Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 578 Liang Zi
Is Li Huan really dead?

While Li Lin and others were still in a daze, Fang Chongyong frowned slightly, slowly walked forward to check on Li Huan's condition.

There was no blood on the ground. Fang Chongyong guessed that he had just hit his head against a pillar and fainted, and was temporarily in a state of suspended animation.

He remembered the method Anaye had taught him before: if someone was unconscious, no matter what, he should pinch the Ren Zhong point first.

Fang Zhong bravely pinched Li Huan's Ren Zhong acupoint. The second son of Prince Yong seemed to tremble for a moment, and then slowly opened his eyes.

Although his eyes looked a little dull, he didn't seem to be in any serious condition, and he didn't seem to recognize Fang Zhongyong.

Li Lin and others who were watching nervously on the side couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

What He Changqi did just now made them realize that today’s military generals are actually not to be messed with!
Because they really dare to kill people, and even when they go crazy, even Fang Chongyong may not be able to completely control them!

If someone chops you with a knife, isn't that just a matter of convenience? Even if he is cut into pieces afterwards, can the person he killed come back to life?
At this moment, Li Lin felt a little guilty.

"Your Highness, why don't you take Li Huan back to the guest room to rest first, and then talk about other things."

Fang Chongyong said calmly, taking the initiative to step down and temporarily "putting aside" the divorce letter.

Just now, he and Li Lin were already in a difficult situation, neither of them could go any further. Now that Li Yan had woken up from his fake death, it looked like there was no more trouble, so they might as well take this opportunity to both go down the stairs.

Otherwise, it would end up in a quarrel and a lose-lose situation.

After all, finding another puppet would take time and energy, which would more or less affect the strategic layout that had already been set.

As for the divorce between Li Huan and Yuwen, it will naturally be handled in a low-key manner and there will not be any further waves.

Although the soldiers' behavior seems rough, what they did is "family-level". As long as He Changqi is regarded as a child of aristocratic family, the fog can be cleared to see the essence.

There have been countless precedents of people from powerful families being forced to divorce and immediately remarry or change their wives since the Han Dynasty. It's nothing serious.

As expected, Gao Shang answered for Li Lin: "Well, let's follow what Marshal Fang said. Li Huan needs to see a doctor now, so we won't bother Marshal Fang."

Hearing this, Fang Zhongyong exchanged glances with Yan Zhuang beside him, who slowly stepped forward to salute Li Lin and then led the way. At this time, Li Yan had already climbed up from the ground. Although he was still groggy, he was able to walk freely with the help of others, but he looked weak.

"Humph!"

Li Lin snorted coldly, and after Gao Shang's strong dissuasion, he shook his sleeves and strode out of the Bianzhou government office.

Only a mess was left, and the people who stayed looked at each other in bewilderment.

Everyone knows that the feud has been formed and this matter is far from over. We just don't know where it will end up.

"Jie Shuai..."

After Li Lin and his party left, He Changqi stepped forward and saluted Fang Chongyong, not knowing what to say.

Just now, he almost got into big trouble because he failed to repay the great kindness.

"Don't worry, I will give you the official position you want, and you won't lose any of it."

Fang Chongyong patted He Changqi on the shoulder, signaling him not to talk too much. At this moment, nothing he said would be appropriate.

"Thank you handsome."

He Changqi said embarrassedly, "There is no need to thank for a great favor. Repaying a favor is a matter for the future and there is no need to mention it all the time."

Fang Zhongyong looked at Yu Wenjie, who had been keeping her head down and didn't dare to look him in the eye, and couldn't help but complain in his heart.

Husbands and wives are birds of the same forest, and when disaster strikes, they fly separately.

Yuwen was Li Huan's wife yesterday, but she changed her husband today. She just felt ashamed but did not refuse at all.

Faced with threats to survival and a better life, these women from powerful families can transition their identities smoothly.

No matter how strong the love is, it cannot withstand the oppression of reality.

Wei Sanniang really deserves Li Heng's deep love, because sticking to someone is much more difficult than betraying him.

No wonder Li Huan went crazy just now. When Yuwen Jie lied and admitted in person that she had been abused in the past, it meant that she had actually betrayed her former husband.

Perhaps Yu Wenjie had already accepted her fate during the wedding night.

Maybe Li Huan treated her well in the past, but that was only in the past.

Thinking of this, Fang Zhongyong couldn't help but sigh that it is really not easy for men in this era to live.

The saying "A man should be self-reliant" is not just a self-encouragement, but has very practical significance and is too important to be ignored.

The strong have everything and can dispose of everything of the weak at will.

The weak cannot protect anything.

Everything around him, even himself, can be disposed of at will by the strong.

No reason, no logic, just plain and rude.

What the final outcome will be depends entirely on the needs and even mood of the strong.

"Go ahead. I'll give you three days off for your wedding."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand, signaling He Changqi to get out.

After everyone left, he came to the study in the government office alone. After Yan Zhuang sent Li Lin and others to the post house outside the city, he also came to the study in the backyard of the government office, as if he had something to say.

"Tell me, you've been holding it in for a long time, can't you hold it in any longer?"

Fang Chongyong said calmly.

Yan Zhuang carefully sat opposite him and said in a low voice, "General Jie, your plan of killing three birds with one stone is really brilliant."

He couldn't help but give Chongyong a thumbs up.

"Oh? Did you see anything?"

Fang Zhongyong placed the letter in his hand on the table, squinted his eyes and asked Yan Zhuang.

"Hehe, this first bird is to block the way for Prince Yong to bribe the generals in the Silver Spear Loyalty Army.

You sent Guan Chongsi to seize Prince Yong's daughter-in-law and marry her to He Changqi. Now there are two people who are irreconcilable with Prince Yong.

These two people each have their own confidants, and they represent a large part of the grassroots officers in the army.

As for the others, as long as they had attended He Changqi's wedding, it was unlikely that they would stand on Prince Yong's side.

The commander also observes the performance of the guests to judge which ones can be reused and which ones are indecisive and need further observation.

This is the second bird."

Yan Zhuang talked eloquently, and it was obvious that he had seen a lot.

"And what about the other bird?"

Fang Chongyong seemed interested.

"As for the third bird, it is Li Lin himself.

Marshal Jie threatened him and some of his staff by forcing his daughter-in-law to divorce and remarry.

When those people saw that Prince Yong was so powerless that he couldn't even protect his second son's marriage, they would inevitably feel grief for the loss of his son and would surely become disloyal.

In this case, how can Prince Yong gather a group of people to fight against the general in the future?
This is the ultimate goal of the commander-in-chief.

We must raise Li Lin as a banner, but we cannot let this banner have its own ideas. "

Yan Zhuang rubbed his hands, looking full of confidence.

It must be said that he had guessed most of it right.

Fang Chongyong just wanted to make this incident a symbol to tell his trusted subordinates: As long as you follow me and work hard, you will have everything in the future.

In an age of great contention, what are we fighting for?
It's the land, the population, and the people's hearts. These are all true and real, but they are too abstract.

A person can only eat so much every day, live in one room and sleep in one bed, and there is a limit to what he can do.

So what we are really competing for is talent, organizational structure, and strategic planning.

Many people think that they can be invincible as long as they have the support of the people. In fact, the support of the people is a very fragile thing. Even if the people support you, how can they support you?

Even if you want to help, you have to have "connections", and all these forces need to be transformed into real soldiers, food, and weapons, and someone is needed to command them to fight.

Therefore, the most important thing is to gather talents for your own use through various means. This is the fundamental thing.

If you want others to follow your lead willingly and proactively, you must give them the proper treatment.

Those who deserve official posts should be given official posts, those who deserve power should be given power, and those who deserve rewards should be rewarded. You can't expect a horse to run fast without eating grass. It won't work. Just saying those empty and beautiful words won't work, and treating the other party as a fool is even worse.

On the way back, He Changqi said that Prince Yong's daughter-in-law, Yuwen, looked pretty good, so Fang Chongyong immediately made all the arrangements for her!
This is what a big brother should do!
Yan Zhuang is not a leader, his mind is full of conspiracy and intrigue, so he can't see this. It's not because he is stupid, but because he has not sat in this position, he doesn't have this awareness.

"Bianzhou is a place where four battles have taken place. If you have any ideas, you can speak freely."

Fang Chongyong poured Yan Zhuang a glass of wine.

"It is better to open up than to block. Prince Yong will definitely find ways to get his loyal followers. It is better to gather all those people together so that it will be easier to catch them all in one fell swoop."

Yan Zhuang made a gesture of wiping his neck.

Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly without responding. This scene was unlikely to happen for the time being, but it was bound to happen sooner or later.

"After Prince Yong ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, he became irreconcilable with the court in Chang'an. And it was impossible for the military commander to surrender to the so-called emperor in Chang'an.

Blocking the canal is just what should be done.

Since Chang'an is stuck like this, if they are willing to ease the relationship, they can allow some grain ships to pass through.

If they don’t obey, then we’ll be completely stuck.”

Yan Zhuang proposed his first vicious plan, which was the so-called "economic blockade."

In fact, it is already being done.

"I heard that a batch of grain ships from Yangzhou were intercepted at the Bianzhou ferry, and they were all loaded with grain and fodder, right?"

Fang Chongyong suddenly remembered this. He had only heard about this matter and had not yet gone to the Bianzhou Grand Canal Ferry to confirm it. In fact, the previous canal transportation had never been interrupted. After all, Li Lin had not yet ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor. Chang'an still had some illusions about Fang Chongyong.

However, when Li Lin came to Bianzhou, Yan Zhuang, who had been in charge of the canal transportation, immediately seized the grain ships heading to Guanzhong.

You are not allowed to enter or go back. Even the grain ships and food fodder will be confiscated!

"Hui Jieshuai, that's true."

Yan Zhuang nodded. He had not discussed this matter with Fang Zhongyong before, but it was obvious that he did not think there was anything wrong with it.

"This is a very good plan. Cut off the canal transportation and starve those rats in Guanzhong to death."

Fang Chongyong sneered.

If the grain ships in Jiangnan and Lianghuai cannot pass, then the governors and military governors of these two places can find excuses not to transport grain and fodder to Guanzhong.

In the long run, it is inevitable that these places will form their own systems, and in fact they are basically independent.

It should be said that this "small" canal controls the economic lifeline of Chang'an and even Guanzhong. I didn't think so before, but now Yan Zhuang admires Fang Zhongyong's strategic vision!

Whoever controls the canal, even if not all the military forces in the world, at least all the wealth in the world.

With sufficient wealth, you can do great things.

"General, Li Baochen currently controls Luoyang, and Li Guiren of Yecheng has also submitted to him.

Huangfu Weiming's previous disastrous defeat made many people in the rebel army dare not think of attacking Chang'an again.

I am afraid that in the next step, Li Baochen will send a large number of troops to attack Henan, and the commander must be on guard."

Yan Zhuang said with a slight frown.

"When do you think he's going to do it?"

Fang Chongyong asked in a deep voice.

"In the winter, or even in the cold winter when the Yellow River freezes, we will attack Bianzhou from both Luoyang and Liyang."

Yan Zhuang said with great certainty.

"No, if I were Li Baochen, I would definitely start during the spring plowing season."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand gently and said.

Yan Zhuang was not someone who could lead troops into battle, and his military strategy was a little lacking.

Fang Chongyong didn't think Li Baochen would take action in winter.

If it were someone else, they would definitely do it in winter. But Li Baochen had dealt with Fang Zhongyong and the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army before, so he couldn't use common sense to guess.

The winter attack seemed to take advantage of the weather, as the frozen Yellow River was easy to cross. However, the principle of two monks carrying water to eat must be familiar to General Baochen.

Many times, the more people there are in a war, the better it is not, especially when you have to cooperate with "friendly forces" who have ulterior motives.

It usually doesn’t end well.

If Li Guiren joins the game, it may not be a good thing for Li Baochen. Who knows if Li Guiren will just do his job and wait for Li Baochen and the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army to fight to the death before he comes to take advantage?

How much trust can Li Baochen have in Li Guiren?
The canal is busiest during the spring ploughing season. In the winter, the canal freezes and cannot be used for transport. Many goods are piled up for the winter and are waiting to be transported when the ice melts and the water level rises during the spring ploughing season.

At the same time, spring ploughing is about to begin. The farming season cannot be delayed and all other things must give way to spring ploughing.

That must have been the busiest time in Bianzhou.

Li Baochen didn't even need to ask Li Guiren to cross the river. During the spring ploughing season, farmers in Bianzhou were plowing the fields, porters were transporting goods, and the government officials were busy with various chores.

Who will be able to defend the city by then?
If the construction of Bianliang City is also included, Bianzhou would be even busier at that time! Fang Zhongyong used himself as an example. If he were Li Baochen, he would definitely choose to start during the spring ploughing period.

"Spring, that's going to be troublesome!"

Yan Zhuang sighed. In fact, winter is the season for the soldiers to train during the off-season. There are many soldiers available. The people's manpower is also sufficient. Even if the grain is transported by land, there will be no shortage of laborers.

Spring is a tougher situation.

"Don't worry, I have a plan that can resolve this crisis. Come closer and I'll tell you."

Fang Chongyong waved to Yan Zhuang.

……

After arriving at the posthouse outside Kaifeng City to rest temporarily, Li Lin looked at Li Chan who was lying on the bed resting and sighed helplessly.

This guy cursed Yuwen all the way, and I don't know if he was satisfied. Anyway, it doesn't matter anymore, everything is done.

She's just a woman. Before you lose her, you can still think about her, but after you lose her, that's it.

Li Lin returned to his own room and asked Gao Shang to fetch him a pot of wine. He drank alone, feeling helpless and sad.

That’s right, Li Lin’s anger has subsided now, and what’s left is only fear.

He knew he had been impulsive.

Fang Chongyong probably wouldn't dare to kill him, but He Changqi might not.

There are so many princes, and he, Prince Yong, is not the only one who is qualified to ascend the throne. Many people are qualified!
"Oh, I almost missed something important."

Li Lin sighed and drank the wine in the cup. He felt that the wine was bitter and astringent.

"Your Highness is indeed courageous for having the guts to face Fang Qing, but it's a pity that now is not the right time.

Your Highness, why don't you write a letter of divorce and let me give it to Fang Qing, so that the matter is over and we can wait for the coronation ceremony."

Gao Shang poured Li Lin a glass and persuaded him patiently.

Li Lin was quite courageous for coming to Kaifeng to ask for someone. But this kind of recklessness without strategy is not worth promoting.

Fortunately, this matter did not become known to everyone, so let him be slapped in the face.

Gao Shang has nothing to say.

“Your Highness, the situation in Bianzhou is actually very dangerous.

Whether it was the small court in Guanzhong or Li Baochen, Li Guiren and others, they all had their eyes on Bianzhou.

It is really not convenient for us to turn against Fang Qing now. He still needs to take responsibility for the safety of Bianzhou.

Your Highness, please be more patient in the future! Don't let these little tricks make you lose your composure."

Gao Shang persuaded patiently.

Li Lin was silent for a moment, but finally nodded and said, "I understand, don't worry. I am just waiting to ascend the throne and won't care about anything else."

At this moment, his mind seemed to have grown a little, but how much he had grown, only God knew.

(End of this chapter)