Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 205 The Death of Xiao Bao
"Have you ever kept a raccoon dog? These little guys are the most clingy. If you play with them, they can pester you all day long. But if you ignore them, they won't stay put. Instead, they'll try every means to attract your attention. They'll scratch your toes through your clogs or make noise by sharpening their claws on the wooden chair legs. They'll do whatever it takes to make noise to get your attention."

"But if you still ignore it, it will start causing trouble and making a bigger commotion, knocking the inkstone off your table and toppling the vase you're standing up..."

"Feng Xiaobao is now like a spoiled raccoon dog. After repeatedly turning his belly up to your mother but failing to get her attention, he has started to cause trouble."

“In his eyes, the Mingtang was not a sacred place symbolizing the divine right of emperors, but merely an inkstone, vase, or chair leg that your mother loved.”

Li Xian thought Liu Jianjun's summary was extremely insightful.

However... comparing such a rugged man as Feng Xiaobao to a petite cat felt somewhat strange to Li Xian.

According to the aesthetic standards of the Tang Dynasty, Feng Xiaobao was the traditional image of a handsome man, with a beard like a halberd and eyebrows like arrow feathers. Although he was the Empress's male favorite, his face had a strong masculine air.

The key is……

Because he was a monk, he had shaved his head.

Are there any raccoon dogs with big bald heads?
Li Xian asked curiously, "Then... will the Empress punish Feng Xiaobao for this?"

“The most infuriating thing is this: would you kill your beloved inkstone just because your pet cat knocked it over?” Liu Jianjun rolled his eyes and asked rhetorically, then continued, “Although it’s not appropriate to say it like this, in your mother’s eyes, the Mingtang is no different from a fine inkstone or vase.”

At this point, Liu Jianjun's expression turned somewhat wistful and indignant.

"That's the Mingtang! With the current level of production and construction, how much manpower and resources would it take to build a 30-story building with exquisite carvings and jade carvings everywhere?"
"To say it's the people's hard-earned money is an understatement; it's practically a palace built with the blood and flesh of millions of people!"

"I remember when this thing was built, the whole Guanzhong region was suffering from a drought, right? The people were starving, but she was able to use the national treasury to build such a lavish and impractical palace, completely disregarding the lives of the people. She didn't kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of her!"

"But in your mother's eyes, this palace, which consumed a huge amount of manpower and resources, is nothing more than a novel and exotic thing..."

Li Xian pursed his lips, about to speak, when Liu Jianjun regained his shrewd expression and said, "Of course, your mother has now ascended the throne and doesn't care about this so-called Mingtang anymore, but... the significance of building this thing back then is still there. It ultimately symbolizes the divine right of kings and is a spiritual pillar in the hearts of many officials. Therefore, your mother will not, and cannot, simply gloss over this matter."

"This is the downside of being an emperor. She has to consider balance in everything she does, and she is always subject to etiquette and rules, so she has no choice in what she does."

"As the emperor, she needs to give an explanation to her court officials and the people."

Li Xian looked at him curiously.

Liu Jianjun continued, "So, if we interfere a little more, making your mother think that Feng Xiaobao isn't just a raccoon dog that gets attention by acting cute, but a rabid, irritable, and manic cat that might even hurt people at any moment, your mother's attitude will change..."

"How to do it?"

"Just watch."

……

The news of Feng Xiaobao's arson was suppressed so quickly that even Li Xian was surprised.

The fire at the Mingtang was officially described as an "accidental fire," attributed to the craftsmen's carelessness in using fire, which set fire to the large Buddha statue inside the Mingtang. The Buddha statue was made of hemp cloth, which is highly flammable, so the fire spread and could not be extinguished immediately.

Feng Xiaobao was not immediately punished, but Wu Zetian ordered the Mingtang to be rebuilt.

Throughout the entire process, Feng Xiaobao seemed to have escaped any punishment, which surprised Li Xian. Could it be that the Empress Dowager had indulged Feng Xiaobao to this extent?

If that's the case, how else can Liu Jianjun achieve his goal of "interfering"?
But Liu Jianjun said confidently, "Not punishing him doesn't mean your mother isn't angry with him. That old woman certainly can't punish him directly. If she publicly punishes Feng Xiaobao, wouldn't she be telling the world that Feng Xiaobao is her lover, and that the Mingtang was set on fire because of jealousy?"
"Therefore, not only should his crimes not be made public, but we should also try our best to exonerate him."

"Therefore, this arson became an accidental fire."

Li Xian pondered for a moment and said, "Then... since it was an accidental fire, why not just blame it on a celestial fire? Why do we have to find a few craftsmen to take the blame?"

Li Xian thought to himself that the craftsmen who were dragged out to take the blame would eventually be beheaded or exiled, which would be nothing short of an undeserved disaster for them.

"Heavenly fire?" Liu Jianjun looked at him with amusement and said, "If it's heavenly fire, wouldn't that mean being punished by heaven? What is the Mingtang? It's a symbol of your mother's divine right of kings. How could it be punished by heaven?"
"Therefore, the fire must be man-made; for your mother, it's simply a matter of choice."

Li Xian nodded.

Liu Jianjun continued, "Of course, looking at the whole thing, your mother also has feelings for Feng Xiaobao. After all, Feng Xiaobao accompanied her through the change of dynasties, compiled the 'Great Cloud Sutra,' and built the Mingtang. In addition, he has made meritorious contributions in resisting the Turks. It is obvious that your mother is still unwilling to punish him."

"From your mother's perspective, Feng Xiaobao's arson this time was also caused by his affection. Only those who are affectionate will be jealous. Thinking about this, that old woman is unwilling to be too ruthless."

Li Xian nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly asked, "When was your birthday?"

Liu Jianjun was taken aback by Li Xian's question, but still subconsciously replied, "The fourth day of the third month, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just keep talking."

Liu Jianjun looked at him with a puzzled expression before continuing, "Because of these considerations, that old woman didn't punish Feng Xiaobao. Not only did she not punish him, she also wanted to make it seem like this matter had nothing to do with Feng Xiaobao. That's why she announced to the world that she would rebuild the Mingtang and still let Feng Xiaobao be the person in charge of the project."

"But... how can this fire be extinguished so easily?"
"Whether it's your mother or Feng Xiaobao, the ruins left after the fire at Mingtang cannot be erased. This is something we can use to our advantage."

When Liu Jianjun said those last words, his face was full of inscrutable meaning.

……

A storm was brewing.

Opinions within the government regarding the fire are varied.

Some say the fire was a divine warning to Wu Zetian, and that she should reflect on her actions. Some even more radical ones demand that she write a self-criticism edict to announce it to the world.

There were also those who clearly rose to power through flattery when Wu Zhou was first established, and even when the Mingtang was engulfed in flames, they still called it an "auspicious omen."

It must be said that this group of people have an outstanding ability to cite classical texts. They even found a story from that time, saying that when King Wu of Zhou attacked King Zhou of Shang, a great fire fell from the sky when the army crossed the river, and as a result, King Wu succeeded in attacking King Zhou of Shang.

Therefore, the great fire at the Mingtang indicates that the Wu Zhou Dynasty would also prosper like the Zhou Dynasty.

Some even say that when Maitreya attained Buddhahood, demons burned down the palace, which proves that Wu Zetian was indeed the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha, as described in the Great Cloud Sutra.

When Li Xian heard this, he almost laughed in anger, feeling that it was no less outrageous than calling a deer a horse.

“Your mother is not as easily fooled as she was when she first ascended the throne. Although she still likes to hear nice things, she will obviously believe the former more. This is the kind of firewood that is necessary to start a fire.”

"A bundle of firewood?" Li Xian asked curiously.

"Yes, the other piece of firewood is with Feng Xiaobao. We'll see when he adds it," Liu Jianjun nodded.

……

The opportunity to add fuel to the fire soon arrived.

The reconstruction of the Mingtang was a massive undertaking, requiring a mountain of money and resources.

Although Wu Zetian did not publicly punish Feng Xiaobao, she clearly neglected him and stopped summoning him.

Meanwhile, the officials in the Ministry of Revenue responsible for allocating funds for the project seemed to have sensed the shift in the political climate, and they delayed Feng Xiaobao's request for funds as much as possible, making the approval process exceptionally slow.

Feng Xiaobao was already anxious because he had fallen out of favor, and now that the project was being blocked, he was even more furious.

That day, he led a group of martial monks and blocked the entrance to the Ministry of Revenue with great force.

"Summon your ministers out here! The reconstruction of the Mingtang is His Majesty's personal decree. What are you all up to by delaying and stalling?!" Feng Xiaobao's hair and beard bristled, and his voice boomed like a bell, attracting the attention of passing officials.

The Minister of Revenue hid inside the yamen, not daring to show his face, and only sent a Vice Minister to deal with the situation.

The vice minister was trembling with fear. Before he could say two words, Feng Xiaobao grabbed him by the front of his official robe, almost lifting him off the ground, and roared, "If I don't see the approval document for the money and grain today, I'll tear down this Ministry of Revenue!"

The scene was extremely chaotic.

In the end, it was only after Li Zhaode, who rushed over upon hearing the news, sternly reprimanded him that the situation was barely calmed down, and Feng Xiaobao was "persuaded" to go back.

Although the incident did not escalate into a larger conflict, news of Feng Xiaobao openly leading a group to storm the imperial government offices and threaten officials spread like wildfire throughout the Luoyang officialdom.

"Crazy, really crazy..."

"This scoundrel is so arrogant, he treats the laws of the court as nothing!"

"If they dare to storm the Ministry of Revenue today, will they dare to storm the Imperial Palace tomorrow?"

The officials whispered among themselves, their gazes toward the White Horse Temple filled with fear and disgust.

Inside the Prince of Pei's residence, Liu Jianjun listened to the news brought back by Li Xian and nodded in satisfaction.

"Look, isn't it getting anxious? The raccoon is starting to show its claws and even tries to bite."

He sipped his tea slowly and deliberately. “People react in two ways when they are uneasy. Some become more cautious, while others give up and become more arrogant.”

Feng Xiaobao belongs to the latter category.

"Storming a government office and threatening an official... this charge is far more serious than arson. Arson can be excused as a sign of madness, but storming a government office is a clear act of contempt for imperial authority and a challenge to the court's order." "So what should we do next?" Li Xian asked.

"You don't need to do anything," Liu Jianjun said calmly. "There will naturally be someone to deliver the message to the right person."

Sure enough, the next day, several carefully worded but clearly intended memorials were placed on Wu Zetian's desk.

The memorial did not directly mention Feng Xiaobao's attack on the Ministry of Revenue, but instead hinted at it indirectly, discussing that "the discipline is lax, and there are arrogant people who have no respect for the emperor," and that "the capital is a crucial place, and illegal activities should be eradicated to serve as a warning to others." In every line, the memorial pointed to the same person.

Almost simultaneously, Princess Taiping entered the palace to pay her respects.

After chatting for a while, Princess Taiping casually mentioned, "Mother, I have recently heard some rumors circulating in the streets, and I am quite uneasy about them."

"Oh? What rumor?" Wu Zetian looked up.

"They say...they say that Master Xue had a disagreement with the Ministry of Revenue over the funds for the reconstruction of the Mingtang, and actually led people to surround the yamen, and even...and even got into a fight."

Princess Taiping looked worried. “I know that Xue Shi is straightforward, but such behavior may cause controversy. There are already criticisms outside, saying that Xue Shi is arrogant and lawless because of his military achievements and... Mother’s past favor. He doesn’t even respect the court’s departments. If this continues, I’m afraid it will damage Mother’s reputation and discourage the officials.”

Wu Zetian listened in silence.

……

After Taiping withdrew, Wu Zetian sat alone in the empty hall, her expression unreadable.

She summoned Shangguan Wan'er.

As Wu Zetian's close female official, Shangguan Wan'er was intelligent, quick-witted, and sensible, earning her Wu Zetian's trust and favor.

Shangguan Wan'er arrived as summoned, her steps light and her demeanor respectful.

"Wan'er," Wu Zetian's voice was devoid of emotion, but her gaze was sharp as a knife as it fell on her, "What rumors have you heard about Master Xue outside the palace recently?"

Shangguan Wan'er remained calm. After a moment's thought, she did not directly answer the question about Feng Xiaobao's attack on the Ministry of Revenue. Instead, she cleverly changed the subject, saying, "Your Majesty, there is indeed discussion in the marketplace, mostly focusing on the fire at the Mingtang. Some scholars say that water and fire are merciless, and the emperor should cultivate virtue to avert them; others... and some delusional people have far-fetched connections between this disaster and the story of Maitreya's descent to earth and the burning of the palace by a demon in the Great Cloud Sutra. Their words are mostly flattering and not credible."

These words actually revealed her stance, but she continued, "However, no matter what the discussions are, their source seems to be inseparable from Master Xue's supervision of the construction of the Mingtang. Now that Master Xue is in seclusion in the temple, there is much speculation outside, which is probably not a long-term solution."

Wu Zetian listened quietly, her fingers tapping lightly on the imperial desk.

Shangguan Wan'er's words touched on the issue she cared about most.

Whether the fire at the Mingtang was a divine retribution or an auspicious omen, whether it was a call for the emperor to cultivate virtue or a gesture of flattery, the focus became complicated and dangerous because of Feng Xiaobao, the person responsible for the construction and the "fire."

Most importantly, Feng Xiaobao has changed.

It became uncontrollable.

He was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that were beyond her control.

He has become a dangerous element.

Moreover, Feng Xiaobao has the privilege of freely entering and leaving the emperor's bedroom. What if he goes crazy one day and instead of burning down the Mingtang, he runs into his own bedroom and burns it down?

"I understand." Wu Zetian waved her hand, her tone indifferent. "Go."

……

Although Wu Zetian did not explicitly state her opinion, it was clear that she was already on guard against Feng Xiaobao's sudden outburst of madness.

She secretly selected about a hundred robust palace maids to form a female palace guard, who stayed by her side all day to prevent any unforeseen events.

When these messages were delivered to the Prince of Pei's residence through Shangguan Wan'er's secret letter, Li Xian could tell that the relationship between his mother and Feng Xiaobao had become so tense that the firewood Liu Jianjun mentioned seemed to have already been prepared.

As expected, Liu Jianjun did not disappoint Li Xian; he sent Shangguan Wan'er a secret letter in return.

The secret letter contained only four words: "Kill Feng Xiaobao."

……

February 4th.

Feng Xiaobao died half a month after the burning of the Mingtang Hall.

No specific information has been released about this matter, and Li Xian is unaware of the details.

However, it is said that Feng Xiaobao died in Yaoguang Palace.

Yaoguang Palace is a palace in Luoyang Palace City used for sightseeing. It is surrounded by water on all sides and has beautiful scenery.

Feng Xiaobao's death stemmed from an arranged rendezvous with Wu Zetian at Yaoguang Palace. Feng Xiaobao believed that his act of "overturning the inkstone" had finally caught Wu Zetian's attention, so he eagerly went to the rendezvous.

But who would have thought that when Feng Xiaobao arrived in high spirits, he was not greeted by the Empress, but by Madam Zhang, the wet nurse of Princess Taiping.

There were also a dozen or so tall, strong men dressed in plain clothes.

Although these strong men were not wearing armor, their hands were large and powerful, clearly indicating that they were skilled martial artists who had practiced for many years.

As soon as Madam Zhang saw Feng Xiaobao, she led her group of strong men to rush forward and knock him to the ground. Although Feng Xiaobao had practiced a few moves, he was no match for these people.
After being brutally beaten, Feng Xiaobao died on the spot.

……

The lake in Yaoguang Palace remained calm, reflecting the pale sky of early spring.

But the news of Feng Xiaobao's death, like a stone thrown into a lake, stirred up ripples.

Although Wu Zetian suppressed the news of Feng Xiaobao's sudden death in Yaoguang Palace, Li Xian was clearly not the only one with spies in the palace. This news, like an undercurrent, permeated every corner of Luoyang City overnight.

The atmosphere was most subtle within the palace walls.

Empress Wu Zetian claimed illness and skipped court for several days. The gates of the Hall of Longevity were tightly closed, and no one dared to inquire about what was going on.

The palace servants and eunuchs were all silent and trembling, their steps extremely light, and their glances were filled with unspoken caution.

Everyone knew Feng Xiaobao was finished, but no one dared to mention the word "death".

The courtiers, however, presented a different picture.

In formal settings, no one dares to mention Feng Xiaobao, as if he never existed. But in private, whispers in small groups would spread through the corridors and duty rooms.

"Have you heard? Yaoguang Palace..."

"Shh... watch your mouth! You brought this on yourself, you can't blame anyone else."

“Storming the government office and disturbing the Dharma assembly, which of these is not a capital offense? Your Majesty has already done everything in your power to be lenient.”

"But this method... is a bit too much..."

"Silence! Thunder and rain are both acts of imperial favor. Such arrogant and rebellious people deserve to die!"

In Luoyang, rumors were flying everywhere. Although there was no official statement, various versions of "Master Xue's death" were quietly circulating in teahouses and taverns.

"Hey, have you heard? That monk Xue was beaten to death with sticks in the Yaoguang Hall!"

"Wasn't it said he died suddenly from an illness?"

"Pah! That kind of talk can only fool a three-year-old! My second maternal uncle's nephew works in the palace. I heard that he went mad and tried to harm His Majesty, but he was ambushed and killed on the spot by strongmen!"

"Serves him right! Let him be arrogant! He burned down the Mingtang and still thinks he can turn the world upside down?"

"It's karma. They were so arrogant back then, the monks of Baima Temple walked all over the place. And now? Tsk tsk..."

"I think it's Zhang Wulang and Zhang Liulang who can't tolerate him anymore..."

"Let's all keep quiet! How dare we discuss the affairs of these important people? Be careful what you say!"

The people talked about it with a mixture of curiosity, excitement, and a little fear.

Feng Xiaobao's rise and fall had no impact on them; instead, it became a spice in their otherwise mundane lives.

Meanwhile, inside the Prince of Pei's residence.

Liu Jianjun, however, acted as if he had done something insignificant, saying, "Feng Xiaobao's raccoon dog is gone, but your mother will raise a second and a third. In Luoyang, there will never be a shortage of people who want to be raccoon dogs, nor will there be a shortage of people who know how to train and deal with them."

……

(End of this chapter)