Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 723 The Last Loyal Minister
Night fell quietly. In the study of the Hedong Jiedushi Mansion in Taiyuan City, the flickering candlelight illuminated the figures of the brothers Li Baoyu and Li Baozhen.

The furnishings in the study are simple and quaint. The bookshelves are filled with classics. On the wall hangs a scroll depicting the splendor of Chang'an. It is obvious that it was created by a famous artist and is very similar to the style of Yan Liben.

The Daming Palace in the painting is majestic and magnificent, and the streets are prosperous, as if bringing people back to that glorious era.

Compared with a certain official whose mind was full of airplanes, cars, computers, mobile phones, and other "strange" things, Li Baoyu's mind, like most Tang people, was still stuck in the Kaiyuan era.

Everything about the prosperous Tang Dynasty left an indelible mark in their hearts.

Li Baoyu sat behind the desk, holding a volume of "Zhenguan Zhengyao" in his hand, but his eyes were not on the pages of the book. Instead, he looked through the candlelight, as if he saw the distant past.

Obviously, Li Wan's arrival today and the settlement of Wei Jian made the Hedong Jiedushi, who came from a prominent Hexi family, feel uneasy.

He looked a little dazed, with his brows slightly furrowed, as if he was thinking about something.

His younger brother Li Baozhen sat on a chair beside him, holding a cup of fruit drink with Western characteristics in his hand. He gently blew away the hot steam from it, his eyes also wandering, as if immersed in his own thoughts.

"Brother, do you still remember the Lantern Festival in Chang'an City? The large lantern wheel was more than ten feet high, and the singing and dancing girls from hundreds of families in Chang'an performed in front of the Suzaku Gate for three days and three nights."

Li Baozhen suddenly spoke in a low voice with a hint of nostalgia.

Li Baoyu came back to his senses, smiled slightly and said:

"How could you not remember?
During that time, the Tang Dynasty was prosperous with people from all over the world coming to pay tribute. The city of Chang'an was brightly lit and the people were singing and laughing.

Although we are Hu people, our ancestors have been in Chang'an for one hundred and fifty years. From the imperial court to the frontier, our people can be found everywhere.

"It can be said that he rests with the country. Who could have thought that the world would come to this point today?"

Hearing this, Li Baozhen took a sip of the fruit drink, cast his eyes on the scroll on the wall, and sighed softly:

"Yes, Chang'an at that time was truly a paradise on earth.

When the bell of West Market rang, the whole city seemed to come alive.

In the streets, merchants from all over the country gathered to see the treasures.

In the tavern, scholars and writers recited poems and composed couplets, and the zither and the harp played in harmony.

Thinking back on it now, that magnificent scene seems like a dream.”

Li Baoyu put down the book in his hand and sighed: "It's a pity that such a magnificent scene no longer exists."

Missing the prosperity of the heyday of the Tang Dynasty does not mean that they have to "find a living father" for themselves, nor does it mean that they have to become slaves of Emperor Li.

The study fell into a brief silence, with only the candlelight flickering and making slight crackling sounds.

"Brother, if Li Longji had been able to work hard to govern the country, would the Tang Dynasty not have reached this point today?"

Li Baozhen put the cup in his hand on the table, turned his head and looked at Li Baoyu, with a hint of helplessness in his tone. He had asked himself this question for at least a few years, but no one could give him an answer.

The An family of Liangzhou has long held power in Liangzhou. Like Li Baozhen and Li Baoyu, their original surnames are both "An". They grew up in Liangzhou, later went to Chang'an for officialdom, and finally returned to Liangzhou.

There are too many things I have seen and too many scenes I have witnessed. The relationship between An and Tang Ting can be described as "inseparable and tangled".

Li Baoyu shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Li Longji... He was indeed wise and brave when he was young, and he created the Kaiyuan Era of Prosperity. But what did he do later? It's better not to mention it.

As for the corruption of the imperial court and the chaos in the world, it was all because of him. If not for this, Crown Prince Li Heng would not have taken the risk of killing the emperor and usurping the throne. "

Many people blamed Brother Ji for the disintegration of the world, and Li Baoyu was no exception.

Li Baozhen nodded, a trace of resentment flashing in his eyes: "Li Heng killed his father to seize the throne, which was already a great rebellion, but after he ascended the throne, he was even more incompetent and caused the empire to fall apart. My two brothers should have fought for the king, but the situation was hopeless, so we could only retreat to Taiyuan and watch the Tang Dynasty go to ruin."

Li Baoyu stood up, walked to the window and opened it. The spring night breeze blew on his face, still with a hint of coolness.

He looked at the night sky in the distance, and said with a deep sigh:

"Yes, the Tang Dynasty... the real Tang Dynasty had already perished the moment Li Longji committed his evil deeds.

The world today is nothing but a chaotic world where warlords are fighting for power and each governs its own regime.

Li Wan, what kind of shit is he? When Huangfu Weiming launched the mutiny in Youzhou, he hung Li Wan on the flagpole as a flag. Does he deserve the word "orthodox"?

"As for the Fangs, I really have to give them a thumbs up and call them heroes; as for Li Wan, such a waste, he brought shame to Emperor Taizong, alas!"

Li Baoyu and Li Baozhen have come to this point today, which can be said to be a matter of time, fate and luck, not their initiative. In the face of the torrent of the times, a person's choice of what path to take is often beyond their control, and has been determined since the womb.

Li Baozhen walked to the side of Li Baoyu and also looked up at the night sky. Dark clouds covered the moon and stars, and not a single light could be seen. Just like the chaotic world that had just begun, there was no end in sight.

With a hint of sadness in his tone, he lowered his voice and asked, "Brother, do you think that we two brothers are disloyal to the Tang Dynasty?"

Li Baoyu was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head and said:
"No, we are not disloyal. Perhaps, we are the last loyal subjects of the Tang Dynasty!
During the years we occupied Hedong, we have been guarding Taiyuan Prefecture with great caution.

If the imperial court can restore order and uphold justice, what does it matter if we hand over Taiyuan Prefecture?

If we really wanted to dominate the world, we would have started it a few years ago. Why wait until today?

Unfortunately, the Tang Dynasty today is no longer the Tang Dynasty we once served with allegiance.

Li Wan is just a puppet supported by Huangfu Weiming, and Wei Jian is a treacherous minister who disrupts the government. They are not worthy of our loyalty.

If I hadn't been concerned about Li Wan being Taizong's bloodline, I would have killed him with a single blow today!"

A trace of regret and resentment flashed across Li Baoyu's face.

Li Baozhen nodded, and he also shook his head and said, "Yes, the real Tang Dynasty has long disappeared with the end of the Kaiyuan Prosperity. All we can do is to guard this piece of land and protect the people. Who knows what the future will be like?"

Li Baoyu turned around, looked at Li Baozhen firmly and said, "That's right. In troubled times, only strength is fundamental. We two brothers must firmly control Hedong, so that we can be invincible in the future chaos. The world has no master, whoever has the ability, then he can take it!"

Li Baozhen smiled slightly, with a hint of ridicule in his tone: "Brother, now you are the self-proclaimed governor of Hedong, commanding a large army and commanding great power. If it were during the Kaiyuan period, Li Longji would have wiped out my three clans long ago. How can you and I, brothers, chat in this government office?"

Li Baoyu shook his head and smiled bitterly:

"During the Kaiyuan period? The Jiedushi at that time were just minions of the imperial court. Li Longji could dismiss them with just one word. It was nothing like today, where each place has its own army and is independent. In the final analysis, this is just a self-protection measure in troubled times.

If the trunk is weak, the branches will be strong! When Qin lost its deer, the whole world chased it. It is such a simple truth, why should we say more? "

Li Baozhen put away his smile and became serious: "Brother, do you think... do we still have a chance to restore the glory of the Tang Dynasty?"

Li Baoyu was silent for a long time, then slowly said: "Maybe there is, maybe not. But no matter what, we must survive and make the family prosperous."

At this moment, his face was full of melancholy.

There shouldn’t be too many patients in the late stage of cancer who pray to gods and Buddhas, because life without hope is a terrible thing. People always need hope to survive.

But just because a person believes that life is hopeful does not mean that his life is really hopeful. Many times it is just a personal vision.

Li Baozhen nodded, a hint of determination flashed in his eyes, and he said in a sonorous and powerful voice: "Brother is right. As long as the two of us brothers work together, we may be able to carve out a place for ourselves in this chaotic world."

The study fell silent again, with only the night wind gently blowing the candlelight, illuminating the tired faces of the two brothers. Li Baoyu walked to the desk, picked up the volume of Zhenguan Zhengyao, and gently stroked the pages, as if feeling that glorious history.

"The Zhenguan Reign, the Kaiyuan Prosperity...such an era may never come back again." Li Baoyu murmured in a low voice, with endless regret in his tone.

There is also a subtle sense of guilt.

Family members know their own business. He knew very well that he, including Li Baozhen, did not have the ability to command and govern the world. How easy is it to "reproduce" the glory of the Tang Dynasty?
It is impossible to replicate it, let alone surpass it! That is something I dare not even think about!
Li Baozhen walked up to Li Baoyu, patted his shoulder, and comforted him: "Brother, don't be too sad. As long as we have the Tang Dynasty in our hearts, the Tang Dynasty will never perish."

Li Baoyu raised his head, a trace of relief flashed in his eyes: "You are right. As long as we have the Tang Dynasty in our hearts, the Tang Dynasty will never perish."

The two brothers smiled at each other, as if at this moment they had returned to the prosperous city of Chang'an and the great Tang Dynasty when all nations came to pay tribute.

Outside the study, the night wind is still blowing, and peach petals are drifting in the wind, as if they are gently singing a elegy for that bygone era.

The candlelight gradually dimmed, and the light and shadows in the study became hazy.

The brothers Li Baoyu and Li Baozhen were still standing in front of the window, looking at the night sky in the distance, their hearts filled with nostalgia for the prosperous Tang Dynasty and expectations for the future.

They knew that in troubled times, only strength was fundamental. What they could do was to firmly control Hedong, protect the people there, and wait for an opportunity to compete for supremacy in the world.

The prosperous Tang Dynasty is like the white moonlight in their hearts, always in memories and dreams, but not in reality.

Therefore, this does not prevent them from becoming scumbags who fall in love with every woman they meet and then harm her.

The night wind blew by, and peach petals gently fell on the windowsill, as if sprinkling pieces of mournful flower rain for the prosperous times that had passed away. In this flower rain, the figures of the brothers Li Baoyu and Li Baozhen seemed particularly lonely.

……

"Steamed Pears, the Chang'an Yuanjia Pear Shop has opened in Bianzhou! Don't miss it if you pass by!"

Near the ferry outside the city of Bianliang, a shop clerk was shouting his wares at the door.

"Yuanjia pear is called Yuanjia pear in Chang'an, how can it still be called Yuanjia pear in Bianzhou?
Oranges grown in the south of the Huai River are oranges, while those grown in the north of the Huai River are tangerines. How can they be compared?

Did you also transport these pears from Chang'an? They are so far away, won't the pears go bad? "

A young man with dull eyes pointed at the steamed pear in front of the waiter and asked, and instantly many people gathered around.

"What do you know! This pear is an heirloom of our Yuan family! Isn't it the same everywhere?"

The guy held his neck high, showing no sign of weakness.

The owner of the shop is named Yuan, so the steamed pears they sell are called "Yuan Family Pears". Is that okay?
Not to mention that they had fled from Chang'an to do business in Bianzhou, and had already created a brand called "Yuanjia Pear" there. Even if it really had nothing to do with the Yuanjia Pear in Chang'an, it wouldn't matter if they called it this name, right?

"The Yuan family has three dukes for four generations, so why haven't we seen an emperor with the surname Yuan?"

The young man with dull eyes seemed to be able to answer automatically. As soon as the shop assistant finished speaking, he immediately retorted, making the people around who were watching the fun laugh.

In Fang Zhongyong's previous life, the term "argumentative" was a new term, but people like this have existed since ancient times. The man in front of the shop assistant was a typical argumentative person.

"Okay, okay, harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth! I'll give you this basket of steamed pears, okay? Stop it, I still have business to do!"

After several rounds of arguments, this foolish young man always used a lot of twisted logic to lead people into a ditch. He was obviously talking nonsense, but it sounded so twisted that people had no way to refute it.

"Who wants to eat Yuanjia Pear? I am here to reason with you today. It is wrong to call your shop Yuanjia Pear. You need to change the name."

The young man still had dull eyes and no one knew where he was looking, but he was also extremely stubborn and refused to give in, making it unclear what he was doing here.

You say he is extorting money, but he doesn't want any money;

You say he eats a free meal, but he doesn't eat anything;
You say he is ruining the place, but there is no big man following him.

The shop assistant was already in a state of collapse. The shopkeeper was not here today. He said he went to the home of He Baiwan, the richest man in Bianzhou, to have a drink. It was said that he had something important to announce. But he didn't know why he was so unlucky. He met this hotshot in front of him, and he was completely unimpressed.

"That's enough. You really think you're an important person, don't you?"

Fang Chongyong pulled Fang Laique, who was arguing with someone, aside and scolded him in a low voice.

He handed a salt voucher to Yuan Jiali's pear shop assistant and said, "I once ate these pears in Chang'an, at the emperor's banquet. Today I want to see if you are worthy of the reputation. Bring me a basket, and pack it up quickly."

"Official!"

The guy was a local and recognized Fang Chongyong at a glance! After all, this official liked to wander around the area on weekdays, and many people knew him.

When he shouted, people immediately knelt on the ground. In Bianzhou, everyone knew that the emperor didn't matter at all. If you offended him, you could even pee in front of the palace!

If things get out of hand, you definitely won't be the one to be punished, as there are many people who want to see the emperor suffer.

But if you offend the official Fang Qing, you will be in trouble! Even Fang Qing himself doesn't need to say anything, his henchmen will deal with you directly, no exaggeration!

"This servant likes to pick quarrels every day. It's no big deal. Just let him go. I won't disturb the business of the store. Goodbye!"

Seeing Fang Laique being so arrogant, Fang Chongyong, after getting the steamed pear, hurriedly dragged him away from Yuan Jiali's food shop in disgrace and went all the way to He Baiwan's house.

In front of the gate of He's house, he knocked Fang Laique on the head and cursed:
"I asked you to buy a pear, but you made so many troubles. Did you become stupid because of that stupid parrot?

"Behave yourself now! If anything goes wrong at the banquet, I'll break your legs when I get back!"

"The emperor is usually too modest and low-key, so he needs his servants to show off his power outside. Otherwise, who would know that the emperor is the most powerful person in Bianzhou?

Ah Lang, just watch and I will definitely not embarrass you."

Fang Lai Que spoke confidently, his speech was very fast, almost blurting it out.

No wonder those argumentative people in the previous life often got beaten when they went out.

Fang Chongyong really didn't know how to evaluate Fang Lai Que. Seeing that He Baiwan had already come over, he waved his hand, signaling Fang Lai Que not to speak.

"Sir, most people have arrived. Do you think we should take our seats now?"

He Baiwan rubbed his hands, looking flattering.

"Well, for those who you invited today but found excuses not to come, send someone to inform them after the banquet. Ask them to move out of Bianzhou immediately. The government does not welcome them to do business in Bianzhou.

Those who know what’s interesting should leave immediately, and those who don’t should not let the government take action to break up with them.”

Fang Zhongyong suppressed his smile and spoke in a cold voice, his expression changing faster than turning the pages of a book.

"Okay, okay, I will definitely bring your words to you. Please come in, please come in."

He Baiwan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and felt secretly scared.

Although Fang Qing usually speaks gently and treats people kindly, as if he is harmless, when he does things, he is really vigorous and decisive without saying nonsense.

Anyone who refused to cooperate with him would be beaten to death without mercy.

(End of this chapter)