The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 174 Rewarding Merits and Punishing Crimes
"If you don't want to see it, I will tell you."

Li Longji stood up. He was nearly sixty years old but still in good health. He looked energetic and continued:
"Among these memorials, some accuse you of reorganizing the army without permission. Some accuse you of borrowing food and salaries from local clans in the name of the government without asking for permission. Some also accuse you of being arbitrary and incompetent in managing the army, and of allowing your officers and soldiers to embezzle food and salaries."

When Li Longji talked about "embezzlement of grain and salaries", his eyes fell on Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing, as if to express that it was Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing who embezzled grain and salaries.

Li Heng admitted the first two points because he actually did so.

The reason why he did this was that, first, the situation was urgent. If he reported everything and waited for the people in the court to procrastinate before implementing it, it would be too late.

The second is that he did it on purpose.

Li Heng knew that Li Longji would not let him stay in Longyou and Hexi for long, but he had made great contributions, and if he wanted to dismiss him, he would need some reasonable excuses. If he did not leave Li Longji with a reasonable excuse, then Li Longji would have to find one himself.

If he leaves excuses for himself, he can stay within a certain range. If Li Longji takes the trouble to find them himself, he might accuse him of something serious.

So, he simply delivered it to Li Longji himself.

But the following charge of condoning subordinates to embezzle military pay was clearly a "false accusation" by others.

Li Heng pondered for a moment and replied, "I did not ask for permission to reorganize the army and borrow food and money without authorization. However, the situation was urgent at the time, and I borrowed food and money on my own initiative. I was still a step too late and failed to pacify the Anren Army, causing them to mutiny. If the Anren Army mutiny is not reorganized in time, it may cause new unrest and even cause other military garrisons to follow suit. I really had no choice but to do it."

"Yes." Li Longji nodded, looked at Li Linfu, and said, "Why didn't the Right Prime Minister transfer grain to Longyou in time?"

Li Linfu stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the clothing allowance for the Longyou town alone costs three million pieces of satin a year. Last year's defeat required compensation and funeral expenses for each army, and the newly recruited soldiers also needed resettlement expenses and transportation expenses. Calculated in this way, the expenses are more than doubled than usual. I have tried my best to allocate them, but because the war in the north is given priority, it has been slowed down a bit."

"That's right." Li Longji was annoyed when he heard these accounts, but he smiled and said, "In troubled times, everyone has their own difficulties. Fortunately, everyone worked together to overcome difficulties, and now there is a good result."

Li Heng followed up by saying, "Father, the fact that you allowed your officers and soldiers to embezzle food and money is completely fabricated. I ask you to investigate this matter."

Li Longji said: "I will send people to investigate this matter thoroughly and clear your name. However, although there are reasons for reorganizing the army and borrowing food and money, it is still against the rules. I cannot protect you. I will first remove you from your post as Jiedushi of Hexi and Longyou to serve as a warning to others."

Li Ying bowed and said, "Thank you, Father, for your grace."

"I will never be partial when rewarding merit or punishing crime. I dismissed you from your post in Helong because you did something wrong. But you led the troops to conquer Shibao City, which is a great contribution to the country, so I have to reward you. What should I reward you with?" Li Longji thought for a while and said, "You are far away in Anxi and you are ill. The guards of the Qinshi Palace and the Zhangnei Palace cannot be by your side to take care of you. How about this? I allow you to recruit guards in Anxi according to the regulations of the Qinshi Palace and the Zhangnei Palace."

When Li Longji said this, all the princes were shocked.

Due to the collapse of the military system, the stability of the situation and Li Longji's suppression, the Qinshi Palace and the Zhangnei Palace were almost empty shells, with very few people in them.

Li Longji allowed Li Heng to recruit guards in Anxi according to the regulations of the Qinshi Mansion, which was equivalent to allowing Li Heng to raise a private army.

Although there are not many people in this private army, they are private guards after all, and their nature is completely different.

However, Li Longji's reward was well thought out.

First of all, Li Heng's achievements were indeed great. With such achievements, he first dismissed Li Heng from his post as the governor of Helong. If he did not give him some special rewards, it would be difficult to convince his subordinates. Secondly, although he promised to give Li Heng a private guard, Li Heng was not in Chang'an, but in Anxi.

If Li Heng was in Chang'an, he might have a chance to make some waves with the help of his private guards, but in Anxi, which is seven thousand miles away, it would have no impact at all.

Therefore, Li Longji felt that by exchanging the real power of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses in Helong for Li Heng's 2,000-man guard, he gained money in substance and Li Heng gained face.

"Thank you, father, for your grace." Li Ying seemed very touched. "As the saying goes, when parents are still alive, one should not travel far away, and when one travels, one must have a plan. I am always traveling outside, and I always worry about you. How can the pain I feel compare to your concern for me? I am an unfilial son!"

Li Ying said this and knelt on the ground.

Li Ying spoke with sincerity and tears in his eyes. Li Longji was deeply moved. He stood up and helped Li Ying up, saying, "Good boy, you are very loyal and filial."

Li Heng tearfully said, "A child's suffering is always doubled by his parents. I failed to take good care of myself and let myself get sick, which is unfilial to my father."

"This is not your fault." Li Longji held Li Heng's hand, thinking of Li Heng's two brothers who died young, and said with emotion: "I named you the King of Shou because I hope you live a long and safe life. Now you have used the great victory of Shibao City to present a gift to me to change the reign, and the blessing of the new reign will also bless you. I will also give you ten thousand taels of gold and one hundred thousand silks. You can submit the list of other meritorious soldiers to the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of War will reward them according to their merits."

"Thank you, father." Li Ying expressed his gratitude again.

Li Longji said: "You should stay in Chang'an to recuperate for the time being, go visit your mother, and pay tribute to Prince Ning. When I order people to investigate the matter of embezzling military funds and clear your name, you can return to Anxi."

"Yes." Li Heng accepted the order and retreated with Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing.

The three of them left the palace, and Gao Xianzhi sighed.

Li Ying asked, "Why did General Gao sigh?"

Gao Xianzhi said: "The saint really dismissed your highness from the post of governor of Helong. If your highness is allowed to serve for a few more years, your highness will surely be able to take over Qinghai Lake and the Nine Bends of the Yellow River."

"Tubonia sent an envoy to ask for peace." Li Heng smiled helplessly, "Tubonia sent an envoy to announce the death of Princess Jincheng and to ask for peace. Princess Jincheng's grandfather, Prince Bin, also passed away this year, and my grandfather, Prince Ning, also just passed away. In my father's generation, there is only my father left."

Li Heng emphasized Li Longji's emotional ties and deliberately ignored Li Longji's political considerations.

Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing were both stunned when they heard this.

They did not think Li Heng was naive, because they all knew that with Li Heng's intelligence, he would definitely not fail to think of Li Longji's political considerations.

However, Li Heng speculated about Li Longji with the utmost goodwill.

When he was at the peak of his career, he was dismissed from his post. Instead of complaining, he made good-natured guesses about others. His loyalty and filial piety are touching.

The two were stunned for a while, and Gao Xianzhi said: "Your Highness really has the demeanor of Emperor Taizong, and also has the benevolence of Emperor Zhaolie of Han."

(End of this chapter)