Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 3961 Fighting for Power
Li Daozong knew that this kind of verbal dispute was definitely not Xiao Yu's opponent, so he didn't feel annoyed, so he smiled lightly and kept silent.

In the peaceful and prosperous age, the Zhengshitang controlled the government affairs of the empire, and the court officials were the main body of the empire, so they had the final say on how to govern.

However, in times of crisis and political turmoil, the truth is often under the iron hooves of swords and guns!
Right now, Guanzhong is not peaceful, and hundreds of thousands of troops from the Eastern Expedition have returned to Guanzhong one after another. The position of the commander-in-chief Li Ji is unclear. Can an immortal tongue control you?
Looking at Li Jing and Fang Jun, who had been drinking tea with their heads down, Li Daozong curled his lips and stopped talking.

How could Xiao Yu not understand what Li Daozong understood?

He looked at the silent Li Jing, then looked at Fang Jun, and asked in a deep voice: "The Duke of Yue is a pillar of the army, but I don't know what you think of the old man's words?"

Although the Jiangxia County King is the clan king, with great military achievements and high status, he has no military power in his hands. If he wants to prevent the prince from leaving the city, he can only persuade these two military giants.

Li Jing held the Six Commanders of the Eastern Palace, and was in charge of guarding the palace. He was in charge of the defense of the entire Chang'an. He formed his own faction, and his prestige was too high, so it was difficult to agree with his position.But Li Jing had a special status and was a little sensitive. He would not express his views on the distribution of interests within the East Palace. Even if he expressed his position, the crown prince would not necessarily care about it.

But Fang Jun is different.

As the prince's most trusted subject, and with the Youtunwei who has made great achievements in battle, Fang Jun's will is almost equal to the will of the East Palace military. Instead of trying to persuade Li Jing, it is better to persuade Fang Jun directly.

And more importantly, the story of the eldest grandson's family and Yuwen's family being cornered and forced to marry their prostitute daughter to Fang Jun as a concubine in hopes of getting Fang Jun's help has spread throughout Chang'an, how could he not have heard of it?Taking this opportunity, it happened to test Fang Jun's position.

Unexpectedly, Fang Jun put down the tea cup in his hand when he heard the words, looked up at him, and then said: "Song Guogong is afraid that he is old and confused. His Majesty returned from the Eastern Expedition. As a son of man, His Highness should go out of the city for thirty miles to welcome the holy driver. Fang Xian Filial piety, you prevent the prince from being filial, do you want to tarnish the prince's reputation and bear the reputation of being unfilial, and wait until the world's public opinion rises to attack him, then depose the prince and establish another heir?"

As soon as this remark came out, there was an uproar in the hall.

Liu Ji scolded angrily: "Fang Er, don't spit blood! Guan Long's rebellion is an iron fact, and no one in the world knows it? Now you have taken in the daughters of the eldest grandson and Yuwen's family, and you are in cahoots with them, turning black and white. You are nothing more than a national thief." , everyone gets it and kills it!"

Xiao Yu was so angry that his beard straightened, and he greeted Fang Jun's eighteen generations of ancestors in his heart.

motherfucker!

The eldest grandson and Yuwen's family marry their daughter to you, and you immediately stand by their side, but my Lanling Xiao family has already married your daughter-in-law to you, why do you refuse to accept it?
The daughter of our Xiao family was taken away by wolf cubs for nothing...

Fang Jun had a good time, glanced at Liu Ji, tapped the table in front of him with his fingers, and said calmly: "Liu Sizhong, it is best to understand that different political opinions in the court can be refuted and argued, but don't make false statements and turn black and white. Today His Highness called We are here to discuss whether we can go out of the city to welcome the holy driver, not to let us fight for power and profit here! As a high-ranking official under your sect, you should try your best to assist the prince in handling state affairs, instead of rejecting dissidents and seeking profit all day long. Do it yourself."

motherfucker!

Liu Ji's nose almost turned crooked, I just objected to the prince leaving the city, why did I become a nonsense and turn black and white?
He wanted to say again, but Li Chengqian had a sullen face, and said displeasedly: "It's normal for everyone in the court to express their own opinions and accept advice with an open mind, but if anyone has evil intentions and doesn't put the interests of the empire first, don't blame him for being ungrateful." Face! Today we only discuss whether we can go out of the city to welcome the holy driver, and the rest will be ignored."

The Hall of Wude fell silent.

In fact, everyone knew in their hearts that the most important reason why the prince called the group of ministers here today was to hope that the East Palace could reach an agreement.No matter how internally they fight for power and gain, how they retaliate and strike, on the surface they must have the same direction and advance and retreat together.

After all, he, the crown prince, has not yet ascended the throne. This is a major event that concerns the fundamental interests of everyone...

Ma Zhou, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said, "The public says that the public is right, and the mother-in-law says that the woman is right. Everyone has different positions and positions, and their political views are inevitably contradictory. If this kind of dispute goes on, it is difficult to tell which is right and which is wrong. The minister suggested that it is better to simply vote with a show of hands, the minority obeys the majority, it is absolutely fair, so as not to argue with each other endlessly and miss a big deal."

Fang Jun smiled, nodded and said: "The minister seconded the proposal."

I didn't expect Datang to have a democratic centralism...

Li Daozong also said: "The minister seconded the proposal."

Li Jing, who had been silent all this time, followed closely behind: "My minister seconded the proposal."

Liu Ji was about to go mad with anger, and said angrily, "Is this fair? I object!"

Now in the Wude Hall, there are seven people including Xiao Yu, Cen Wenwen, Li Jing, Fang Jun, Li Daozong, Ma Zhou, and himself. Among them, there are four civil officials and three generals. It seems that the civil officials have the upper hand, but the problem is that we are out of a traitor...

Ma Zhou, the governor of Jingzhao Mansion, was an outlier among the civil servants. He generally didn't express his position, but as long as he expressed his position, he would either stand on the side of the prince or Fang Jun, and his position was very firm.

The military obviously agrees with the prince going out of the city to welcome the holy driver, so as to speed up the process of the prince's ascension to the throne, which can better stabilize their position, lest Li Ji's side completely fall to the prince, which will greatly affect the power and status of Li Jing, Fang Jun and others weaken.

Civil servants are the complete opposite.

But Yi Mazhou's consistent temperament must agree with the prince...

Then why raise your hand?

Simply declare that our objection is invalid...

Cen Wenwen opened his mouth and said: "How can the military and state affairs be decided easily by the minority obeying the majority? If this is the first of its kind today, in the future the court will not discuss who is right and who is wrong, but who is more able to form cliques. If things go on like this , the country will not be the country!"

Liu Ji echoed, "That's the truth!"

Correctness does not lie in the hands of the majority. This kind of system where the minority obeys the majority has too many disadvantages, and even public opinion can be coerced, let alone a few bigwigs in the court?Once it comes to their own interests, they immediately stand on the side that is beneficial to them. Who will safeguard the interests of the empire?

However, before he could finish his words, Cen Wenwen had already continued: "...The old minister agrees that His Highness will go out of the city, and welcome the holy driver."

"Uh……"

Liu Jie almost choked to death, turned his head and stared at Cen Wenwen in disbelief.

Don't you get old and confused?
Xiao Yu also nodded in agreement at this moment: "Cen Zhongshu's words are very reasonable, and the veteran agrees."

There was no need to vote with a show of hands, let alone the need for the minority to obey the majority, but the atmosphere in the Hall of Martial Virtue became strange for a moment. The two factions that had been at odds almost agreed with one voice that the prince should go out of the city to welcome the holy car.

Liu Ji was the only one who expressed opposition.

Liu Ji: "..."

And with only me being a clown?
Li Chengqian ignored Liu Ji, and said happily: "Since all the lovers agree, then this matter is settled. Three days later, Gu will lead Chao Zhongwen Wu out of the city for [-] miles, and go to the west side of Baqiao to welcome the holy car!"

All the ministers said in unison: "Your Highness is wise!"

……

All matters were agreed, and the ministers dispersed.

Liu Jie came out of Wude Hall, instead of going back to his door, he turned a corner and came to Zhongshu Provincial Yamen. Amidst the respectful greetings of officials and scribes, he went straight to Cen Wenwen's room, and invited him to the door. The foreign scribes entered the interior to report, asking to see Cen's text.

After a while, the scribe returned and bowed to invite him in.

Liu Jie tidied up his clothes, walked into the duty room, and saw official documents piled up like a mountain on the desk, but Cen Wenwen was sitting on his knees at the coffee table by the window, making tea, and waved to him casually: "I just got some new tea, and we just tasted it together. taste."

Liu Jie remained silent, took off his shoes, and came to sit on the mat opposite Cen Wenwen, just as Cen Wenwen pushed a cup of tea in front of him, quickly took it with both hands, and thanked him.

The two stopped talking, and each took a shallow sip with their teacups in their hands, then swirled the tea in their mouths a few times, swallowed slowly, and carefully felt the fragrance and sweetness remaining between their teeth and cheeks.

After a long time, the cup of tea was exhausted, Cen Wenwen reached out to lift the teapot, Liu Jie hurriedly leaned over to lift the teapot, and filled the teacups in front of the two of them.

The attitude of dissatisfaction can be properly revealed. After all, I am now a servant, and I am one of the ministers and ministers in charge of the family.But Cen Wenwen is too senior and powerful, it would be an extremely stupid thing to be rude in front of him.

In the meantime, Liu Jie has mastered the speed very well. From Cen Wenwen's point of view, this is a junior who is dissatisfied with his political views, but tries his best not to be rude...

This time, he was not in a hurry to drink tea. Cen Wenwen reached out and took a piece of pastry from the plate on the coffee table and chewed it in his mouth. Study how to add the right amount of mutton oil, cardamom, and chives to the tea soup, how to make the foam as white and delicate as snow, and how to reconcile the aftertaste in the mouth... However, since Fang Er developed the technique of frying tea, Longjing This kind of clear and pure tea is popular in the world, and I suddenly realize that I have drank oil and water for half my life, and every time I think about it, I can't help feeling sick and retching, complaining for my stomach."

Liu Jie raised his eyebrows, but did not make a sound, but carefully figured out the meaning of Cen Wenwen's words.

It is true that the tea produced by the technique of frying tea is more consistent with the principles of Confucianism, but at this moment, it is a bit out of date to praise Fang Jun for his contribution to the development of tea.

There must be deeper metaphors...

Cen Wenwen didn't care about Liu Ji, who was thinking hard, and sighed to himself: "It's a pity that this year's new spring tea will be on the market, but the output shipped to Chang'an for sale is not even one in ten. It seems that the old man still has some relationship with the Fang family, so shameless If you can get some, the rest of the people who love tea will not get this blessing."

Liu Ji was startled.

(End of this chapter)