The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 196, but a complete and clear system has not yet been formed.

Li Yichen spoke slowly, but every word struck Li Chengqian's heart clearly.

"Once Hegan Chengji gets involved in this case and falls into the hands of the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review..."

Li Yichen paused slightly, his gaze fixed on Li Chengqian.

"Given his character, in order to survive, he would inevitably use everything he knows as a bargaining chip."

He did not specify what he meant by "everything he knows".

But Li Chengqian had already heard it clearly.

He was so preoccupied with Li You's situation that he almost forgot there was such a thorn in his side!
"Sir, are you saying... that Hegan Chengji will betray me?"

Li Chengqian's voice lowered, carrying a hint of coldness.

Then, with a hint of disdain, he snorted coldly.

"Hmph! This student is not afraid! Even if He Gan Chengji said something, this student will simply deny it!"

"Could the slanderous accusations of a mere outlaw possibly shake my position as Crown Prince? My father is wise and sagacious; how could he believe him instead of me?"

These words were spoken with absolute certainty and domineering confidence, as if He Gan Chengji's life, death, and words were nothing more than ants and dust in his eyes.

His prestige is growing daily, and he is involved in national affairs, handling matters such as the Western States and bonds in an orderly manner.

This certainly gave him the confidence to speak in that way.

He firmly believed that, given his current standing, such unfounded accusations would not harm him at all.

Li Yichen was unmoved by Li Chengqian's attitude; in fact, he was somewhat pleased with it.

The crown prince needs this confidence, especially when facing potential crises.

He nodded slowly, his tone calm.

"Yes, Your Highness's handling of the situation is correct. Remaining calm in the face of danger is the proper demeanor of a ruler."

"I also believe that, given Your Highness's current standing in His Majesty's heart and your prestige in the court and among the people, such a trivial matter is indeed nothing to worry about."

"Your Highness need not worry too much about the matter of Prince Qi."

"In my opinion, Prince Qi Li You's uprising this time was hasty and without a foundation. His troops are mostly a motley crew, and the local officials and garrison troops may not be truly loyal to the rebels."

"His Majesty has already dispatched military orders and sent urgent messages to neighboring prefectures and counties. If my prediction is correct, the rebellion will be quelled within ten days."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly, fully aware of his younger brother's mischievousness.

I don't think it will cause much of a stir.

“What you say makes sense to me, sir. However…”

Li Chengqian did not continue.

He knew that his father must be itching to kill Li You at that moment.

"How does Your Highness intend to advise His Majesty regarding Prince Qi, Li You?" Li Yichen asked.

Li Chengqian remained silent for a moment, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

“Li You…after all, he committed treason. Father…there is nothing that Father hates more in his life than this.”

“Xuanwu Gate…that is a thorn in Father’s heart forever. Any action that touches upon this matter will provoke Father’s wrath.”

He sighed, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of pity.

“But he is still my brother. If his life can be spared, I will do my best to plead with my father.”

"Strip him of his title and rank, reduce him to a commoner, imprison him in the Imperial Clan Court, and let him live out his remaining days. I suppose that although the Emperor is angry, he may not necessarily go so far as to kill his own flesh and blood."

Li Yichen listened and nodded slightly in his heart.

At this time, Li Chengqian had not yet been driven to the brink of despair, and still held onto a sense of brotherhood.

This also reflects that in the early years of the Zhenguan era, despite the shadow of the Xuanwu Gate Incident, large-scale purges within the imperial family had not yet become the norm.

Compared to the bloody massacres of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period that followed, it did retain a certain level of restraint.

Ultimately, they hadn't experienced the chaotic era when ritual and music completely collapsed and the bottom line of humanity was utterly broken...

"Your Highness is benevolent," Li Yichen affirmed first.

He then changed the subject, his gaze becoming deep.

"However, Your Highness, have you ever pondered why Prince Qi, Li You, would commit such a treasonous act? What is the root cause of this?"

Li Chengqian frowned, pondering the information he already possessed.

“Li You is a violent and uncivilized man. His uncle, Yin Hongzhi, is also resentful and often instigates him.”

"In addition, the chief secretary Quan Wanji, whom the emperor had chosen for him, was upright and strict, and Li You had repeatedly reported his faults, which caused Li You to harbor deep resentment."

"Over time, influenced by the wicked people around him and lacking his own wisdom, he was overwhelmed by fear and resentment and took a desperate gamble... That's probably how it is, isn't it?"

Li Yichen listened quietly, offering no comment, only gently shaking his head.

"What Your Highness says are all superficial, merely the trigger, not the root cause. Personal character, the instigation of close advisors, and the discord between the ruler and his ministers are certainly contributing factors, but they are by no means the fundamental cause."

"Throughout history, rebellions by members of the imperial family and princes have been commonplace. How can we attribute them all to personal character? I believe the root cause lies in the system!"

"System?" Li Chengqian was taken aback; this angle surprised him.

“Exactly, the system,” Li Yichen affirmed, beginning to cite classical texts and conduct a profound historical analysis.

"In the past, the lessons learned from the enfeoffment of members of the imperial clan in previous dynasties were profound."

"In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang enfeoffed many kings of the same surname, with the aim of protecting the imperial family."

"However, within a few decades, the princes, who possessed vast territories and large populations, appointed their own officials and controlled finances and military equipment. Their power grew too great to be controlled, eventually leading to the 'Rebellion of the Seven States' during the reign of Emperor Jing."

"If it weren't for Chao Cuo's suggestion to reduce the power of the vassal states and Zhou Yafu's valiant fight to quell the rebellion, the Han dynasty would have been in grave danger. This is the drawback of excessive enfeoffment, which granted the vassal kings real power."

Li Chengqian nodded; he knew all of this.

“By the time of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu learned from the lessons. Although he still enfeoffed the princes, they were ‘only entitled to food, clothing and taxes, and were not involved in politics.’ The power of the princes was greatly reduced. Therefore, throughout the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were very few cases of members of the imperial family causing trouble. This can be regarded as a lesson from the past.”

Li Chengqian seemed to be thinking about something.

"The system of the Eastern Han Dynasty did indeed reduce the threat of the imperial clan."

“However,” Li Yichen changed the subject again.

"From the Wei and Jin dynasties onward, especially during the Western Jin, the Sima clan believed that Cao Wei was isolated and would perish, so they further enfeoffed members of the imperial clan and granted them military power, sending them to guard important locations. What was the result?"

"The War of the Eight Princes broke out suddenly, with members of the imperial family killing each other, exhausting the country's strength, and ultimately leading to the 'Five Barbarian Invasions,' which plunged China into ruin. This is an extremely painful lesson!"

"The root cause is that the system grants the princes excessive military and political power."

He looked sharply at Li Chengqian.

"In contrast, Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, established the dynasty after replacing the Zhou dynasty. He was extremely wary of the imperial clan. Although the princes had titles, they were practically kept in the capital, without real power or territory."

"Therefore, during the Sui Dynasty, there was no chaos among the imperial clan. However, perhaps it was also because the imperial clan was powerless. When Yang Guang lost his virtue and the whole country rebelled, there was no force of the imperial clan that could effectively support the country."

“What you say makes sense. If enfeoffment grants too much power, it will easily lead to chaos. If there is no enfeoffment or the power is excessively weakened, the royal family will be isolated and in danger. It is really difficult to grasp the right balance.”

"Your Highness is wise; this is indeed the truth." Li Yichen nodded slightly.

"Look at our current dynasty. His Majesty is wise, and in the matter of enfeoffment, he has indeed learned from the lessons of the previous dynasty."

"Although the princes had fiefdoms, these were mostly nominal. The main officials of the princely palaces, such as the chief secretary and the military commander, were appointed by the court and in charge of actual affairs. The princes themselves often stayed in the capital, or even if they went to their fiefdoms, they were strictly supervised, and their military power, financial power, and local administrative power were all limited. Compared with the early Han Dynasty and the Western Jin Dynasty, their power had been greatly reduced."

“However,” he changed his tone, pointing to the core issue.

"Although the system is established, there are still shortcomings in its implementation and details."

Li Chengqian had never thought about the issue of the imperial clan from this perspective before.

In his view, discord between brothers and suspicion between father and son stemmed more from personal character and selfish desires.

“What you mean, sir,” Li Chengqian began slowly, trying to clarify his thoughts.

"Even without Yin Hongzhi's instigation and Quan Wanji's strictness, Li You... or other princes of the imperial clan, might have ended up on a similar dead end due to the problems with the system itself?"

“Your Highness,” Li Yichen’s voice was steady and clear.

"Personal character may determine behavior at a certain time and place, but the system shapes the possibility and environment in which behavior occurs."

"Our dynasty has been established for over twenty years, and Your Majesty's policies toward the imperial family have not remained unchanged, but have undergone several adjustments. Has Your Highness ever examined the reasons behind these adjustments?"

Li Chengqian frowned slightly, trying hard to recall.

"I remember that when my father first ascended the throne, he carried out a rectification of the imperial clan members who had been indiscriminately granted titles during the Wude era."

“For example, Prince Yongkang… no, later Prince Huai’an, Li Shentong, had his title reduced and his fiefdom greatly diminished.”

“That’s right. In the early years of the Zhenguan era, His Majesty issued an edict that ‘those who have no military achievements or political merits shall be demoted; those who have made merits shall not be treated differently.’”

"This move is intended to clarify the excessive number of imperial clansmen who were granted titles based on merit or kinship during the reign of Emperor Gaozu, to reduce the burden on the national treasury, and also to serve as a warning to the imperial clansmen that titles and emoluments are not obtained out of thin air and must be supported by actual achievements."

Li Yichen paused, observing the Crown Prince's reaction, and saw that he was listening attentively.

"But this is only the first step, targeting those from distant branches or those without merit. For princes from close branches, especially princes, the policy is more complicated."

"Father... seems to have always hoped that his brothers would behave themselves and not cause trouble."

Li Chengqian recalled Li Shimin's occasional remarks.

"That's right. In the seventh year of Zhenguan, when His Majesty appointed Prince Li Ke of Wu as the governor of Qizhou, he clearly put forward the concept of 'predetermined destiny'."

Li Yichen quoted him as saying.

"His Majesty said at the time that the princes should understand their responsibilities as soon as possible and cut off their ambitions for the position of crown prince, so as to avoid the disaster of death among brothers."

"This can be seen as one of His Majesty's core ideas in dealing with close relatives of the imperial family."

Li Chengqian's heart stirred.

"It was preordained"... This seems to be a way of protecting his position as the crown prince.

He subconsciously touched his right leg, which was not able to walk properly, and a complex emotion swept through his heart.

If it weren't for this foot ailment, and if it weren't for those rumors, would Father's "determination" have been even more steadfast?

Li Yichen seemed to see through his thoughts, but did not point it out.

"In order to ensure that the roles of the imperial family members are predetermined and that they play a real role rather than merely consuming their stipends, His Majesty has implemented the 'Out-of-the-Cabinet System'."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly, thinking of his younger brothers.

Although he often saw his father when he was young, the frequency of their meetings did decrease as he grew older, especially for those princes who had been sent to other posts.

“The establishment of a prince’s residence allows him to set up officials in his residence, such as chief secretary, military advisor, and registrar. These officials are appointed by the court and assist the prince in handling the affairs of his residence, teaching him etiquette and politics, and cultivating his ability to participate in politics.”

“On the other hand,” Li Yichen said in a slightly somber tone.

"They also have the responsibility to supervise, advise, and even restrain the princes. The conflict between Prince Qi, Li You, and his chief secretary, Quan Wanji, is a manifestation of this 'restraint' aspect, but they failed to handle it well."

"Finally, there is the matter of enfeoffment. His Majesty will order adult princes to take up their fiefdoms or designated governorships, such as Prince Wu Li Ke in Anzhou, and Prince Wei Tai, although he has not taken up his fiefdom, he also has a place to be remotely governed."

"The original intention of enfeoffing princes was to allow them to gain experience in local areas, understand the people's conditions and the administration of officials, and fulfill the responsibility of 'the imperial family protecting the dynasty'."

"At the same time, keeping it away from the political center of Chang'an can also 'prevent the possibility of collusion to rebel'."

Li Chengqian nodded.

"Li You, in Qizhou, appears to be the ruler of the prefecture, but in reality, his power is constrained by the chief secretary, the prefect appointed by the court, the governor, the military governor, and other officials."

"Your Highness is wise. Theoretically, that is indeed the case. The fact that the Prince of Qi was able to launch a sudden attack and control part of the military force in Qizhou is the result of his years of efforts and the cowardice and sycophancy of local officials. It is not that the system granted him such a privilege."

"This also shows that even under the constraints of the existing system, if the prince himself harbors disloyal intentions, coupled with inadequate local supervision, he may still cause trouble."

Li Yichen changed the subject.

"However, the deeper reason for the rebellion of the King of Qi may lie in the fact that there are still many ambiguities and imperfections in the current policy on the royal family."

Li Chengqian leaned forward slightly: "Please elaborate, sir."

Li Yichen counted on his fingers.

"Firstly, the policies need constant adjustment and a stable system has not yet been formed. As far as I know, there were at least four major court debates on the issue of the imperial clan during the Zhenguan era."

Looking back, Li Chengqian did remember that his father and senior officials had discussed matters concerning the imperial clan on several occasions, but he had not paid much attention to it at the time.

"Secondly," Li Yichen continued.

"There are still shortcomings in the control over the close relatives of the imperial family, especially the princes. Although His Majesty has implemented the policies of 'leaving the palace' and 'going to his fief,' out of father-son affection or political considerations, there are bound to be some overreaching actions towards certain princes."

"For example, Li Tai, the Prince of Wei, opened a literary academy to recruit scholars, and his treatment and standards were often beyond what was expected, which has long been criticized by the court and the public."

"Such special treatment could easily lead other princes to follow suit, undermining the original intention of 'preordained destiny'."

Upon hearing Li Tai's name, Li Chengqian's eyes instantly turned cold.

Li Yichen only touched on the topic briefly, without going into further detail.

“Thirdly, and most fundamentally,” Li Yichen said solemnly.

"There is a lack of a clear and fair plan for the long-term career development of members of the royal family. The current system mainly focuses on restraining princes and preventing them from causing trouble."

"But what about the much larger distant branches of the imperial family, and the descendants of the princes, as their blood ties with the current emperor gradually become distant? How should they be settled?"

"How will their titles be inherited? How will their stipends be distributed? Will they be allowed or even encouraged to make a living through the imperial examinations, military merits, or other means? These questions remain unresolved."

Li Chengqian frowned: "What you said seems to be related to the 'Five Degrees of Mourning'?"

"Your Highness is indeed perceptive," Li Yichen nodded.

"The system of 'five degrees of mourning' has existed since ancient times and is used to define the closeness of kinship. When applied to the management of the imperial clan, it means that the imperial clan members within five generations of blood relatives, with the reigning emperor as the core, can enjoy certain titles and stipends."

Those who are beyond the five degrees of mourning are considered distant relatives, and their treatment is gradually reduced until they are removed from the imperial clan register, become commoners, and have to fend for themselves.

"This system had already taken shape during the Zhenguan era, but it had not yet formed a complete and clear system."

Li Chengqian fell into deep thought.

He imagined that generations later, the Li Tang imperial family would flourish.

(End of this chapter)