Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 753 A great chivalrous person serves the country and the people
Boom boom boom!
There was a knock on the door of the emperor's bedroom in the imperial palace in Bianliang City.

Li Qi was a light sleeper, and woke up immediately when he heard the voice. He only heard Huo Xianming's voice coming from outside, which sounded quite anxious.

"Your Majesty, the emperor has an urgent matter to ask for your attention."

Fang Qing?

What is he here to do?
Li Qi felt very strange. These days, he had been in the palace, reading the "storybooks" that the eunuchs bought from the Bianzhou market, and usually reading books when he had nothing to do.

Life is free and easy.

What could Fang Qing want to talk to me about, especially at this late hour?
Li Qi had the terrifying illusion that a ghost was knocking on the door even though he had done nothing wrong.

"I will go see him right away. Please ask him to wait outside the imperial study for a while."

Li Qi responded, quickly put on his robe and left without even bothering to wash up.

Soon, he saw Fang Zhongyong... and many important officials outside the imperial study!
"What is the matter that the emperor and his ministers have come to visit you so late at night?"

Li Qi yawned and asked casually.

"Your Majesty, this is not the place to talk. I have something important to report to Your Majesty."

Fang Chongyong had a serious expression and was stern, obviously something important was going to happen.

"My dear ministers, please follow me into the study and we will discuss this in detail."

Li Qi made a gesture to invite them in, and the group entered the imperial study. After sitting down, Li Qi looked at Fang Zhongyong and asked curiously, "What happened?"

"The Tibetan army conquered Liangzhou not long ago!"

Fang Chongyong said in a deep voice.

Oh? That's it?

Li Qi felt nothing at all. In fact, the loss of Liangzhou was no longer something unimaginable.

When Ji Ge transferred troops from the northwest to Guanzhong, Liangzhou had already been emptied out. As long as the Tibetans are not so weak that they are beyond help, it is only a matter of time before they seize Liangzhou. It is not worth making a fuss about.

Li Qi even felt that it was too late for the Tibetans to take action now.

"Your Majesty, even if the Tibetans want to attack Bianzhou, it won't happen in a short time. I think this matter can be considered in the long term, so there is no need to rush."

Li Qi forced a smile on his face and said reluctantly.

He never asked about government and military affairs. In fact, Fang Zhongyong only needed to say a word to decide how to do something. No matter what the matter was, he would pick up the imperial seal and stamp the decree without any nonsense.

Li Qi didn't understand why Fang Zhongyong had to come to inform him late at night.

"Your Majesty, the Tibetans are not just small-time fighters, nor are they subjects of the Tang Dynasty. They are man-eating tigers, far from being like Li Baochen.

If the Tibetans gain a foothold in Liangzhou, the Central Plains and the Western Regions will be completely cut off. In the future, the court will send people to Guanzhong every autumn to resist the Tibetans.

Your Majesty, do you really not care about this?"

Fang Chongyong asked rhetorically.

Li Qi was speechless. In fact, he really didn't care at all. Anyway, if the Tibetans came now, they would kill Fang Qing first, and it would not be his turn.

What is he in such a hurry for?

"This, this, these matters, the government can decide on its own, I have no opinion."

Li Qi smiled awkwardly.

He really had no interest in power and had no intention of seizing it. He also couldn't figure out whether Fang Zhongyong was testing him or if there was really something going on.

"Your Majesty, please issue a manifesto to call on the people of the world to resist Tubo! Your Majesty, please lead the army in person to boost people's morale!"

Fang Chongyong knelt down and bowed deeply to Li Qi.

No!
Fang Zhongyong's close associates were all dumbfounded. This matter had never been mentioned to them before!
However, Yuan Zai knelt down without a second thought and shouted, "Your Majesty, please lead the army in person to boost morale!"

Fang Zhongyong's cronies fell to their knees one after another, leaving Li Qi with his mouth wide open, unable to utter a word.

"I, I..."

Are you kidding me? I'm not fighting for power anymore, can't you just let me go?
Li Qi cursed in his heart, but he didn't dare to show it on his face. He kept mumbling to himself, unable to say a complete sentence.

People will die in war. Letting him lead the troops to Liangzhou in person is no different from asking for his life.
It would be better to just abdicate!

"Sir, I am not that kind of person."

Li Qi smiled bitterly.

"Your Majesty, if you don't show up, I'm afraid the Tibetans will succeed. For the sake of the people of the world, please bear with it this time."

Fang Chongyong pleaded.

"Official, are you going too?"

Li Qi asked helplessly. He knew very well that Fang Zhongyong could accomplish anything he wanted to do. Especially for such an aboveboard thing, he would definitely be able to do it.

"Your Majesty, I am always at your side, so I will go with you."

Fang Chongyong stood up and saluted Li Qi with his arms crossed.

"Sir, let me think about it and give you an answer tomorrow, okay?"

Li Qi was silent for a moment, then sighed and said.

"Your Majesty, the military situation is urgent. Please think twice. I will go back to the government office to arrange the troops and report to you tomorrow."

After Fang Zhongyong finished speaking, he bowed and turned away without any hesitation.

Only the puppet emperor Li Qi was left, disheveled in the wind.

After everyone returned to the study of the Bianzhou government office in Kaifeng County, Fang Zhongyong looked around at everyone and saw that they all seemed to have something to say. He waved his hand, indicating that they should wait for him to speak first.

The military and political elites present might have anticipated the power of the Tibetans, but it was definitely not as clear as Fang Chongyong's memories from his previous life.

These people more or less felt that Fang Zhongyong was making a big deal out of nothing.

"In Bianzhou, if you mention who the emperor is, perhaps the people don't remember. But if you mention the official, they all know it's Fang."

Fang Zhongyong looked around at everyone and said.

He paused and continued, "But in Guanzhong, Liangzhou, and even in the states of Longyou, the people only know the Tang Dynasty. People like Li Baoyu may not take Fang seriously at all, but even if Li Baoyu doesn't take the emperor's banner seriously, the Chishui Army under his command will not take it lightly. In the west, the majesty of the Tang Dynasty is still there. We are still its subjects."

Fang Zhongyong's tone was a little heavy. Seeing that everyone looked thoughtful, he continued, "To deal with the Tibetans, we must unite all those who can be united. Even if some people don't know who the official is, as long as they mention the Tang Dynasty, they will know that they can't stand on the side of the Tibetans."

"The emperor personally leads the army to fight, and his appeal is far greater than that of Fang. You don't need to avoid or worry about this point, the fact is the fact." There were no fools present, and everyone understood it instantly after Fang Chongyong mentioned it.

Why did Fang Chongyong go directly to Li Qi and ask him to lead the battle without saying hello to his subordinates?
Because he knew that his subordinates would definitely have different opinions, he had to cut the Gordian knot and settle the situation first!
At the critical moment, there is no such thing as minority obeying the majority, no such thing as democratic centralism. All you have to listen to is me, I am the boss, and I will shoulder all the responsibilities alone!
If the sky falls, press me first. I will hold it up!

"Do you know what is orthodoxy?"

Fang Chongyong looked around the crowd and asked.

Then he asked himself and answered:
“The so-called orthodoxy does not mean being from a royal family, but that this person must shoulder the responsibility of carrying the country for the people of the world!
The Tibetans are coming. Li Baochen and Li Baoyu can't stop them. So they need a flag to gather all those who are willing to contribute under this flag to avoid internal friction! To stop the Tibetans and drive them back to the plateau!
If Fang were to lead the army into battle, once we leave Bianzhou, who would still recognize him?

Does anyone think that Fang led his troops there to plunder money and occupy territory?

Ladies and gentlemen, if the name is not right, the words will not flow, and if the words are not flowing, things will be difficult to accomplish.

The emperor guards the country's gates. Do you understand the importance of this?"

Fang Zhongyong's words stunned everyone! I didn't expect that letting Li Qi take charge would require so many considerations!

After a long time, Yan Zhuang folded his arms and saluted and asked, "Your Majesty, in fact... I think that these Tibetans are like tigers, and they are not completely harmful to us. Why don't we borrow this knife to kill Li Baochen and Li Baoyu first, and then wait until they are dead or maimed, and then we will take action?"

Yan Zhuang mentioned a strategy that Fang Chongyong felt very familiar with.

It seemed as if the principal was standing in front of him, saying to himself, "We must first stabilize the country before we can fight against foreign enemies" and... the advantage is mine.

“That would really benefit us.”

Fang Zhongyong nodded, not denying Yan Zhuang's statement. However, he changed the subject and continued to explain:
"But if we do that, the world will see us clearly, and we will look like Li Baochen, Li Baoyu and others.

What do you think the people of Liangzhou are expecting now?
Did they expect a court that would sit on the mountain and watch the fight between tigers? Did they expect a court that would take advantage of opportunities to collect taxes in Hexi?
They hope someone can make the decision for them! Otherwise, why should they listen to the court?
Once you lose people's hearts, it's very difficult to win them back.

The Tibetans are coming. If we don't stand up for them, we will lose the five states of Hexi and even the farther Western Regions forever.

This is not a business, but we are justifying our own reputation. We are not a separatist court in a corner, we are the orthodox, do you understand, the orthodox!"

"Your Majesty is right! I am willing to go to Guanzhong and persuade Li Baoyu to surrender to the emperor!"

Yuan Zai stood up anxiously, and the other party bowed bravely.

"Okay! Well said!"

Fang Zhongyong patted Yuan Zai's shoulder excitedly, looked around at everyone and said, "Those who disagree can stay in Bianzhou. I will not hold them accountable. But the matter of sending troops to Liangzhou is a foregone conclusion and there is no need to discuss it. Next, just discuss how to move this matter forward. It's getting late now, and you've all worked hard. Go back and rest. We'll discuss the specific matters tomorrow."

Hearing this, everyone saluted silently to Fang Zhongyong, and then walked out of the study room without saying a word. The amount of information tonight was a bit too much, and they needed to spend some time to figure out how to plan and deploy next.

But one thing is certain, there is no need to persuade them not to send troops. Fang Zhongyong's attitude is very firm, and this matter is irreversible.

After all his trusted subordinates had left, Fang Chongyong sat down at the desk.

In fact, he was not as determined as he seemed, and he even thought that the method Yan Zhuang proposed was very practical.

The Tibetans destroyed Guanzhong and even burned Chang'an to ashes. To some extent, this was more beneficial to Fang Chongyong.

After all, if it really comes to that, no one will compete with him.

But if that's the case, then what is the essential difference between him and the ambitious people who are everywhere in this era?

Because you want to kill your opponent, so you let the Tibetans march in straight away?

During the middle and late Tang Dynasty, even the unruly Wei Bo soldiers had to participate in autumn defense in autumn and were dispatched to Fengxiang to guard against the eastward advance of the Tubo army!
Could it be that as a time traveler, he is not even as good as the Wei Bo soldiers?

The great man is the country and the people.

If you see the Tibetans wreaking havoc on the border and still want to kill them with a borrowed knife, you are worse than pigs and dogs!

"Li Baoyu's Hedong Army was originally the Chishui Army. The Chishui Army is a local army of Liangzhou, which was established more than a hundred years ago and has a close relationship with Liangzhou. If it is in the name of Li Qi's personal expedition, it will be difficult for Li Baoyu to refuse the Bianzhou Army from entering Guanzhong.

If he refuses, the Chishui Army will definitely mutiniate and defect to Li Qi."

Fang Chongyong said to himself and wrote the three words "Li Baoyu" on the large paper in front of him.

"Li Baochen is now trapped in Chang'an. He hopes that Li Baoyu will withdraw his troops. He will definitely not refuse the Bianzhou army to enter Guanzhong. Moreover, if the Tubo army reaches Fengxiang Prefecture, the Bianzhou army can retreat back to Bianzhou. Where can Li Baochen retreat to?

He should welcome the Bianzhou army to enter Guanzhong more than Li Baoyu did."

Fang Chongyong wrote the three words "Li Baochen" on the paper.

Li Baochen's two sons are still under house arrest in Bianzhou, so they are sent back as a gift. The father and son are reunited, and what joy they feel when they find each other again. Even if Li Baochen's heart is made of stone, he would not be too embarrassed to say no in this situation, right?
Fang Chongyong felt more confident.

"The Tianlong people in Guanzhong are under direct threat from the Tibetan army. They are the most afraid and have the most interests at stake. If anything bad happens, they will be the first to suffer.

Now that Li Qi is leading the expedition, they will definitely not object to this flag, at least they will not cause trouble in logistics. "

As Fang Chongyong spoke, he wrote the five words "Guanzhong Tianlongren" on the paper.

"The states in Longyou are facing an invasion by Tubo. Now someone has come forward to defend them, and the emperor is leading the troops himself. It is natural that we will open the gates to welcome the royal army."

Fang Chongyong continued to write the four words "Northwest Heroes" on the paper.

He looked at the name on the paper, thought about it, and felt that this expedition to Liangzhou seemed to be extremely risky, but in fact it was a major opportunity to break the strategic dilemma.

Whether or not they could defeat the Tibetans was secondary. The main thing was to unite the people and re-establish the orthodoxy! After this battle, regardless of victory or defeat, at least the Bianzhou army had the appearance of an official army, and the Bianzhou court had a tolerance and sense of responsibility that surpassed other separatist forces.

As for the fact that doing so would gild Li Qi's reputation and would definitely take away some of his reputation in the future, there was nothing that could be done about it.

The so-called weighing between two evils means choosing the lesser one. When faced with a choice, we can only take the greater one and let go of the lesser one.

Fang Chongyong remembered that he still had many old friends in the five states of Hexi. These were political resources that had not yet been utilized. Once utilized, they would be useful in the future change of dynasties.

The so-called politics is to make your own people more numerous and the enemy less numerous, and then sweep away the enemy mercilessly like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves!
In Fang Zhongyong's view, Li Baoyu, Li Baochen and even the Tianlong people in Guanzhong are all objects that can be united. In order to deal with the Tibetans, the only way is to let the emperor Li Qi be a banner and the greatest common denominator of all parties!

"It seems that it will be difficult to avenge my father-in-law."

Fang Zhongyong couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

To win over Li Baoyu, he must make a solemn political promise and strictly stick to it. Even if he ascends the throne and becomes emperor in the future, he can only settle accounts with Li Baoyu, and he cannot do it in a big way, but must use some crooked tricks to physically eliminate him.

However, social relations and reputation still need to be maintained.

In other words, Li Baoyu's life could be taken away quietly, but in the future new court, there must be a place for the Liangzhou An family, and Li Baoyu's reputation must also be preserved.

If you want to struggle, you have to sacrifice!

This sentence suddenly popped up in Fang Zhongyong's mind.

He did not hesitate when he went to the palace and knelt down to Li Qi just now, but now thinking of his father-in-law's hatred, he hesitated.

How should I tell Wang Yunxiu about this?
(End of this chapter)