Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 625 I've been here before

Yuan Xiu didn't say much, but he revealed a lot of information. Li Baochen just felt something was wrong, but Li Shiyu obviously heard the hidden meaning of Yuan Xiu's words.

Li Baochen and Li Shiyu discussed sending troops to Fengxiang only two days ago, and the baggage and food needed for the expedition were still being prepared. Unexpectedly, Li Huaiguang in Fengxiang Prefecture already knew about this!

What does this mean?
This shows that the Control Crane Army is monitoring Chang'an and knows the movements of Li Baochen's troops! Things like this are really terrifying when you think about them carefully.

Could it be Li Huaiguang’s scout?

There is such a possibility, but it is very small, so small that it is almost impossible.

The more likely participants were the "others" mentioned by Yuan Xiu. These people had been rooted in Chang'an for at least a hundred years, with their tentacles spread all over Chang'an, including the imperial palace.

It is really too easy for these people to want to know the movements of Li Baochen's troops.

Yuan Xiu came to Chang'an this time, ostensibly to negotiate peace, but in fact he was implicitly threatening Li Baochen, signaling him not to act rashly.

When two tigers fight and one dies and the other is injured, who will gain?
It’s hard to say, because the big fish hiding in the dark has not yet surfaced, and it is unknown who the “fisherman” is.

But no matter what, the people who benefited in the end definitely did not include Li Baochen and his direct subordinates.

Yuan Xiu came on behalf of Li Huaiguang and explained the pros and cons to Li Baochen.

Let’s stop fighting, lest the “fisherman” gain the advantage.

It must be said that just these few words made Li Baochen take a deep breath. Many things that had been incomprehensible for some time suddenly became clear to him after hearing Yuan Xiu's words.

Li Shiyu is quite talented, but unfortunately he is not a native of Guanzhong and is not a player in that powerful circle, so he does not quite understand the rules of the game of "Tianlongren".

As strong as Fang Youde is, if he is not in the circle of Guanzhong, he cannot interfere in the politics of the center and cannot get to the core of power. All he can rely on is the knife in his hand.

Guanzhong is the Guanzhong of the "Tianlong people". Anyone who wants to get things done must follow their rules!

Obviously, Li Huaiguang and Li Baochen, to some extent, were outside this circle and were not accepted by the "Tianlong people". Even if Li Baochen married Li Ying's sister, he still could not change this situation.

Yuan Xiu's words were like a revelation to Li Baochen, and he immediately understood why he was stuck in the quagmire.

Compared with those arrogant "Tianlong people" in Guanzhong, Li Huaiguang and the Konghe Army are the objects that can be united and utilized, as well as potential "allies".

Because they are all outsiders!
"So what do you propose?"

Li Baochen asked in a deep voice.

“The Crane Control Army does not want to be an enemy of the Marshal, and can even work for the Marshal.

We will not stay in Fengxiang Prefecture to garrison, but want to go to Puzhou and settle down to the east of Puzhou.

As for Puzhou City, the commander-in-chief can just arrange for his own troops to garrison there, we will not be responsible for that."

Yuan Xiu said slowly.

Obviously, this condition was good and sincere. It was equivalent to the fact that the Control Crane Army was planning to leave Guanzhong and seek another way to make a living.

However, things would certainly not be as simple as Yuan Xiu said, because Li Baochen would also have to come up with conditions that would satisfy the other party before they could reach an agreement.

"You want food and fodder from Puzhou?"

Li Shiyu came to his senses. The Crane Control Army must have some ulterior motive for making such a big concession. After thinking about it, this was the only reason that could tempt the other party.

"That's right. We need food and fodder, but we are also willing to guard the entrance from Guanzhong to Hedong for Marshal Li. What do you think?"

Yuan Xiu said confidently that he had already calculated that Li Baochen would not disagree with this condition. He handed a letter in his arms to Li Shiyu.

This letter is the killer!

"It's a big deal, and we need to think about it."

Li Shiyu waved his hand and winked at Li Baochen, signaling him not to speak.

"Of course. I'll take my leave. I'll come to Xingqing Palace again at this time tomorrow."

Yuan Xiu saluted Li Baochen neatly and then left in a very cool and decisive manner.

After he left, Li Baochen looked at Li Shiyu and asked, "What's in the letter?"

Li Shiyu opened the letter, read it quickly, and looked strange.

"What did you say?"

Li Baochen was a little anxious!

"Li Huaiguang said that if there are some people that are inconvenient for the Marshal to kill, they can help kill them by pretending to be bandits."

Li Shiyu handed the letter to Li Baochen and added with some emotion: "It seems that the Control Crane Army is really sincere. They even opened their mouths like this."

A person or an army needs to demonstrate his value to outsiders, so that he is qualified to stand in the world.

Li Huaiguang and the Konghe Army have demonstrated their value to Li Baochen.

The current Konghe Army is like an extremely sharp demon sword!

Li Huaiguang and Yuan Xiu have made it clear what they want to say: We are good at fighting, but we have no hostility towards you. So you should calm down and think about who your real enemy is!

Now Li Baochen and Li Shiyu also discovered that the situation they were facing was indeed as Yuan Xiu had said.

Anyway, the Konghe Army came to Chang'an before, and they had already offended the "Tianlong people" in Guanzhong, and there was no possibility of joining forces. So for Li Huaiguang, since he had killed them before, it was nothing strange to kill them again now.

Killing one person is killing, killing ten people is also killing. When your hands are stained with blood, it no longer matters how many people you kill.

Perhaps to outsiders, Li Huaiguang's letter might seem a bit crazy, but Li Baochen, who was also a soldier, could understand this idea very well.

In short, once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. Since you have already done the job, there is no need to go back and build good relationships with others.

"how do you feel?"

Li Baochen was obviously very tempted, but he valued Li Shiyu's judgment more.

"Fengxiang Prefecture is next to Chang'an, and with the powerful army of Konghe Army at its side, the commander-in-chief cannot sleep well.

If what Yuan Xiu said was true, although the Konghe Army could not be wiped out, at least the God of Plague was driven out of Guanzhong, which was a great good.

Doing so will definitely be beneficial to the Marshal.

If what Li Huaiguang promised is true, then let them do it. "

Li Shiyu gave his own judgment, which is that he can choose to "cooperate" with the Konghe Army, at least "limited cooperation."

Since the other party does not intend to stay in Guanzhong, everything can be negotiated.

Of course, many conditions are not mentioned, but they must be done.

For example, should we give the Konghe Army, whose name has become so common, a new number?

That must be given.

Will the new court recognize their existence and provide them with food and wages?

Of course, the imperial court must recognize the designation of its regular army. As for food and wages, the imperial court must give them some, more or less.

Yuan Xiu did not mention the conditions of staying away from Guanzhong and then clearing the name, but Li Baochen would definitely promise and implement them.

The conditions offered by the Control Crane Army were very realistic: If you think I am in the way, then I will leave. If you think the Celestial Dragons are in the way, then I will help you kill them.

On the contrary, those Guanzhong nobles who are greedy and cunning are a little confused about their own weight.

"Draw up a list of those who dislike me and are secretly trying to make trouble.

Then he handed the list to Li Huaiguang and asked them to deal with part of it first.

How about showing your sincerity? Once I see their sincerity, I will agree to their terms.

what do you think? "

Not great! But there is no better way now.

Li Shiyu silently complained in his heart.

In fact, Marshal Baochen is in a dilemma now. He has a powerful military force but cannot use it, and it is not convenient for him to launch a big wave like the Heyin Incident. Since he cannot "sincerely cooperate" with the nobles in Guanzhong, he might as well use Li Huaiguang's hand to eliminate some of the troublemakers!

Anyway, the situation can't be worse than it is now.

"Marshal, we can give it a try. Anyway, when the time comes, we can just blame it on Li Huaiguang and the Konghe Army. They are also burdened with too much debt now."

Li Shiyu said with a sneer.

"Then let's do this. I've long disliked those nobles in Chang'an! Most of the bandit gangs, big and small, in Guanzhong are connected to them. Do you really think I'm a vegetarian?"

Li Baochen gritted his teeth and slammed the table.

……

It was late at night, and Da Zhenhui was in the study of the Bianzhou government office in Kaifeng City, tidying up the documents on the desk.

At this moment, Fang Chongyong was still in the lobby discussing the details of the military reform with the generals and was not here.

Anyway, it was all stuff I couldn't understand, like setting up military farms, providing pensions and assistance to soldiers' families, etc. Dae Jeong-hye secretly eavesdropped on it a little, but she couldn't understand it, so she simply lost interest.

“The labor theory of value?”

Dae Jung-hye was attracted by a piece of paper on the table. The title was so extraordinary.

“The usefulness of an object gives it use value, and use value is the material basis for wealth.

In other words, only useful things are wealth.

All wealth comes from land, mountains, rivers, seas and other places with or without owners.

At the same time, use value is the material bearer of exchange value. Labor is the only source of value and also the source of wealth.

In other words, the value of a usable item depends on the amount of labor required to produce it.

Labor is the father of wealth, and land is the mother of wealth, and both are indispensable.

......"

interesting!
Da Zhenhui flipped through them casually and found a more "vigorous" one.

“The feudal landlords are the operators of the land and exploit the tenants by extracting rent. All rent comes from the labor of the tenants. Without tenants, the land will not produce any wealth.

The feudal landlords were shameful parasites who lived on their tenants.

The noble ladies who were dependent on the feudal landlords, represented by the concubines, did not even participate in the management of the land. They dressed themselves up in fancy clothes, with the sole purpose of pleasing the feudal landlords represented by the emperor and giving birth to heirs as the ultimate goal.

They are parasites living on parasites.

But women at the bottom of society are subject to double oppression from feudal landlords and lower-class men. Although they are all women, their fates are very different. This is caused by the social class they are in, and has nothing to do with their nature.

......"

It turns out that I am a parasite living on a parasite?

Da Zhenhui felt extremely angry at first, but after thinking about it carefully, she felt that what Fang Zhongyong wrote made sense.

Or rather, these words made so much sense and pierced her heart that she dared not read on.

“The monarch rules the world in a strict hierarchy, like a mountain, with few at the top and many below.

Those who are superiors work hard for others, and those who are inferiors work hard for their strength. There are few who govern others, but many who are governed.

That is to say, the emperor governs the three dukes, the three dukes lead the princes, the princes control the ministers, the ministers govern the scholars and common people, and below the common people, there are slaves. It is nothing more than that.

No matter what their status is, people in the world must distinguish between superiors and subordinates, relatives and strangers, upper and lower, noble and humble, men and women according to their status. They must each abide by their own duties and must not overstep their boundaries, let alone rebel against their superiors.

This is a courtesy, killing people without shedding blood.

Morality and benevolence cannot be achieved without propriety;
Teaching the right customs, not being prepared for the inappropriate;
Disputes and lawsuits cannot be resolved without courtesy;
Between the ruler and his subjects, between father and son and between brothers, there is no rule without propriety;

When an official studies or serves a teacher, he should not be close to him without proper etiquette.
Banchao governs the army, and when he is in office, he enforces the law, and he cannot do it without propriety and majesty;

Praying to temples and offering sacrifices to gods and ghosts are not polite, sincere or solemn.

The most important thing in the country is to sacrifice to the army.

Etiquette comes before weapons.

The rulers, headed by feudal emperors, widely publicized that the king's power was granted by God and that their power was granted by heaven, providing a basis for them to exploit the people with peace of mind.

The literati and poets cheered for it.

......"

The more Dae Jung-hye looked at it, the colder her back felt.

If these words were written by someone else, she could completely understand them. It is completely human nature for people who are dissatisfied with the current situation to whine on paper.

However, Fang Zhongyong's goal was to become the emperor! Although he did not say it himself and no one else said it, Da Zhenhui could sense it clearly.

Anyway, this matter is no longer a secret in the eyes of many people.

How could a person whose life goal was to become an emperor write such words, scolding the emperor for being a good-for-nothing and undermining his own career?

Da Zhenhui was puzzled.

But what Fang Zhongyong wrote... when I think about it carefully, I think it makes sense.

Da Zhenhui flipped through the pages one by one. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that Fang Chongyong's thoughts were profound and his writing was sharp as a knife and to the point.

"How's the writing?"

Suddenly, a man's voice exploded in her ears!

Da Zhenhui was so scared that she threw the manuscript in her hand onto the table, and quickly stood up and backed away. After taking several steps back, she retreated into Fang Zhongyong's arms.

"I didn't mean to look at it! Ah Lang, please don't be angry, please don't be angry..."

Dae Jung-hye broke free from the other's arms, stepped aside, and knelt on the ground, her heart in her throat.

"I called you a parasite, but you didn't get angry. You have such good self-control."

Fang Zhongyong couldn't help but make a teasing remark and helped Da Zhenhui up.

"Lang, writing these things... makes people feel weird. Why do you have to make things difficult for yourself?"

Dae Jung-hye couldn't help but say.

These principles are not difficult to understand, but it is hard to say what the person who wrote these words was thinking.

At least Dae Jung-hye didn't see it.

“You don’t understand.

It would be a pity for a slave to only wish to become a slave master.”

Fang Zhongyong waved his hands, too lazy to explain.

"Ah Lang, are you afraid that no one will remember these things anymore?"

Dae Jung-hye asked bravely.

Eh?
Fang Chongyong was stunned and looked at Da Zhenhui with some surprise. He didn't expect that the other party could actually see some of his "little thoughts".

Da Zhenhui pulled out a manuscript and pointed at the signature on it. It was not Fang Zhongyong, but "Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng"!
Nowadays, there are many people who use pen names to write books, such as "X× Layman", "X× Gong" and "X× Sheng". So Da Zhenhui thought it was understandable that Fang Zhongyong used the pen name "Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng".

Writing books is one of the pursuits of life, especially for "cultured people". Da Zhenhui knew very well that although Fang Zhongyong looked like a warrior, he was actually very educated! His thoughts were very profound!
"I'm just worried that people will forget I was ever here."

Fang Chongyong suddenly said something very sad.

"The emperors and generals of the future will build hospitals and schools for the people, and distribute land equally and reduce taxes for the tenants. It's not because they have a change of heart, but because I have been here before."

Seeing that Da Zhenhui still looked confused, Fang Zhongyong added another sentence.

(End of this chapter)