Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Yang Su wanted to avoid worrying him, especially since his father Li Yan's situation was already a headache. Just a few days ago, the Emperor had demoted Li Yan to City Gate Captain due to his drunken misconduct.
Indeed, the Duke of Tang had suddenly found himself guarding the city gates, all because of a few horses.
Fortunately, the Emperor was not that type of person. Within just a few days, Li Yan was again demoted to the rank of Fifth-Rank Deputy Commander of the Carriage, with no reason given—just the Emperor's decree.
It was then that Li Yan realized his own position and the coldness of those around him. He hurriedly presented the horses gifted by Qimin Khan, only to be honorably demoted once more to City Gate Captain, becoming a laughingstock in the capital.
Li Jian Cheng thought for a moment and decided to seek out Zhang Wansui, who was currently serving as Hualiu Ling, an Eighth-Rank official—not too high in rank, but for someone like Zhang Wansui, who came from a background as a bandit, reaching this position was already a way to glorify his ancestors.
Thus, he spared no effort and used his previous connections to find a Western Extreme Horse for Li Jian Cheng. As the saying goes, "Heavenly horses come from the Western extremes; after traveling thousands of miles, they return with virtue." This was the divine steed that Emperor Wu of Han had longed for.
"My Lord," Zhang Wansui said, "I have seen countless horses in my life, but I have rarely encountered such an exceptional specimen from the Western Regions. It is only by chance that I found it; please take a look."
Li Jian Cheng's gaze fell upon the horse. It had a medium-sized head and an elegant appearance, with short ears and a long neck. Its body was tall and slender, with a narrow chest and hind legs that appeared blade-like—a truly magnificent creature.
In contrast to the commonly seen Turkic Steeds, which were typically stocky with coarse fur, heavy heads, wide foreheads, broad shoulders, and sturdy limbs with solid hooves.
While the latter might excel in long-distance travel, when it came to leaping and galloping on the battlefield, the former undoubtedly held an advantage in both performance and appearance.
"I won't be polite with you; go retrieve your payment from your residence," Li Jian Cheng said.
Zhang Wansui clasped his hands together and replied, "Rascal would not be where he is today without your support, my Lord. Please do not mention it."
Li Jian Cheng brought the horse back and presented it to Li Yan. The Emperor clearly took great pleasure in it. Although Li Yan did not regain his former position, at least things seemed to have settled down for now.
The glory of the Li Family from a few years ago had suddenly fallen, and the news of Li Jian Cheng losing favor in front of the emperor spread throughout the court and beyond.
Not to mention that the guests had all but disappeared, the once bustling atmosphere was gone, replaced by a stark contrast to Yuwen Huaji's side, which had become lively.
Now, the court was managed by several old ministers, including Right Minister Suwei, Left General of the Left Wing Guards Yuwen Shu, and Grand General of the Left Guard Zhang Jin along with Minister of Personnel Niu Hong.
Of course, there were also many new nobles, with none more favored by His Majesty than Minister of Internal Affairs Yu Shiji, Imperial Historian Pei Yun, and Chancellor of the Yellow Gate Pei Ju.
A new emperor brings new ministers, and one could see the character of the ruler reflected in his officials.
Since the time of the Predecessor Emperor, whenever Suwei encountered problems or disagreed with the emperor, his solution was to bow his head and apologize regardless of right or wrong; now it was even more pronounced.
Yuwen Shu took an even simpler approach, following whatever the emperor deemed acceptable or unacceptable without any personal opinions in front of him.
This was considered a great virtue in this dynasty, which explained why his family could still hold onto a princess.
Zhang Jin and Niu Hong were one frail and one elderly, merely occupying their positions for the emperor while often being compliant.
Yu Shiji relied on his own abilities. His talents were twofold: he was well-educated and highly skilled in both calligraphy and shorthand, possessing an exceptional memory. Additionally, he knew how to lower himself to flatter and ingratiate himself with the emperor.
Pei Ju and Pei Yun were both members of the He Dong Pei Clan. Pei Ju gained favor through his ability to resonate with the emperor's thoughts, while Pei Yun had earned his position by helping to eliminate Chen Dagong in years past. He was also adept at understanding the emperor's intentions but fell slightly short compared to Pei Ju.
Anyone with discerning eyes could see that these three new nobles were destined to be future dukes of the court. However, it was hard to imagine any of them being able to compare with the Dukes of Qi Gao Shan or Duke of Yue Yang Su from the time of the Predecessor Emperor.
Especially since neither Gao Shan nor Yang Su has passed away, the emperor wishes to discard them, provoking widespread discussion across the realm.
...
Li Jian Cheng and Wang Yi were playing chess, and he explained the recent changes in the court. Wang Yi placed a black piece and said, "Last year, among the major ministers of the court, aside from Duke of Ju Xiao Cong, the rest were either from the Noble Families of Guanlong or the Royal Family."
"We made our decision to persuade Han Wang to rebel precisely because there seemed to be no signs of advancement for us."
Li Jian Cheng trapped a black dragon with his white pieces and remarked, "I didn't expect that in just a year, His Majesty would decisively suppress Guanlong and promote Shandong and the Southern Aristocracy."
"Brother Wang, do you regret it? If we hadn't rebelled, perhaps we would have had a chance to enter the court and gain prominence."
"I have no regrets," Wang Yi replied with a smile. "It was merely for fame and fortune. If Han Wang had succeeded, I would now be a Duke minister. Since we lost, we must accept it.
Moreover, being able to play chess with Lord is already much better than what those colleagues have."
"You are quite magnanimous, Brother Wang."
Wang Yi fiddled with his chess pieces and said, "Among the current players, Suwei and Yuwen Shu represent Guanlong; Pei Ju hails from Qi State and represents Shandong Gentry; Pei Yun and Yu Shiji come from Chen Kingdom and represent Southern Aristocracy.
His Majesty also intends to build the Eastern Capital. This is good for the realm but may not necessarily benefit Lord."
Li Jian Cheng responded with subtle meaning, "If it truly benefits the realm at the expense of our own interests, Jian Cheng will not hesitate."
Wang Yi nodded, "The Lord has a broad vision for the world. Although he may not appreciate counsel at present and seems somewhat ungrateful, his aspirations are indeed lofty, surpassing those of the Predecessor Emperor."
"The Sui Dynasty has unified the realm, encompassing all territories and peoples. If we desire lasting peace, how can we only favor one faction? We must relocate the capital to the center and promote talent from all corners, which would truly honor the era of the Great Undertaking."
While Wang Yi spoke passionately, Li Jian Cheng quietly moved to eliminate Wang Yi's major piece on the board. He stood up with a smile, saying, "Then let us wait and see."
...
After the court had prepared the funds for constructing the Eastern Capital, the Emperor summoned Minister of Rites Yang Su, Minister of the Interior Councilor Yang Da, and Chief Architect Yuwen Kai, commanding them to oversee the construction of Tokyo Luoyang.
He instructed them to recite last year's Eastern Capital Edict: "As changes occur in the heavens and earth, so too do yin and yang communicate... It is known that it is not for one person to serve the world, but for one person to govern the world."
"The people are the foundation of the nation; when the foundation is solid, the state will be peaceful. When the populace is prosperous, who can be lacking? Therefore, in our construction efforts, we must prioritize frugality. We should not allow grand walls and lofty buildings to rise in this time. A humble palace with simple provisions will benefit future generations. The officials must clearly outline this according to my wishes!"
The core message was clear: The most important aspect of a nation is its people; they are its foundation. When that foundation is strong, the country can be stable. If the people are prosperous, then so too will be the world.
Thus, in building the Eastern Capital, we must not harm the populace. The Eastern Capital does not require extravagant walls or towering structures; a modest palace with simple provisions will suffice. This spirit of frugality should be passed down through generations.
However, according to the Emperor's order for completion within a year, the court estimated that they would need to conscript two million able-bodied men each month. These two million would not farm or support their families but would labor daily on constructing the capital. It was hard to see how this could be achieved without harming the people.
Comment 0 Comment Count