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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 222: Speaking Out
Wei Zheng was a person who, even with prior expectations and mental preparation, made Li Jian Cheng truly wish to push him over the edge and pin him to the pillar of historical disgrace at this moment.
As it stood, he had no clear achievements to his name; today’s admonition was merely a critique seeking to cover all bases, with a hint of direct challenge. If he were to die, no one would speak up for him, let alone future generations.
However, Li Jian Cheng chose to endure. This was a necessary experience in opening the channels of communication; only by humbly accepting even such fierce admonitions could the subjects of the realm believe that the emperor genuinely sought to govern well.
For apart from this reason, no emperor should have to endure such humiliation.
The emperor waved his hand, signaling the courtiers to be silent. “Enough, there is no need for further words. I have decided to accept Wei Qing’s counsel, and I will personally go to explain matters to the Retired Emperor.
People say that the Son of Heaven is supreme and fears nothing; in truth, I am not so. I fear the oversight of the Heavenly Sovereign above and the scrutiny of the courtiers below. I tread carefully, lest I act against heavenly will or fail to meet the expectations of the people.
Wei Qing is quick to act but slow to speak; today I accept his counsel, and you all should strive alongside me.”
The courtiers were taken aback by his words; even Wei Zheng himself had not anticipated this. Soon, everyone began to understand why the emperor was willing to endure such grievances—he had already reached the pinnacle of power and yet chose to bear this burden for an ideal.
The political ideal currently expressed by the emperor was encapsulated in his era name: Peace.
Peace was supported by the vast majority, and everyone hurriedly bowed in respect. “We humbly obey Your Majesty’s will.”
Then came the usual banquet. Although there was no wine and few types of meat, amidst the solemn and elegant music, the courtiers felt a renewed vigor.
Starting from the next day, Li Jian Cheng noticed a significant increase in memorials submitted for review; more officials were daring to voice their opinions on matters concerning him and the Retired Emperor. Not to mention those from the royal family and noble relatives who also began to speak up.
Without the embellishment of peace, the Emperor's work naturally became busier, but it also allowed him to effectively address a number of hidden issues, enabling the people to better restore their livelihoods.
However, Wei Zheng remained alone. Even the officials who advised him were unwilling to get too close. In their eyes, advising the Sovereign Father could be done openly, but it should not occur in such a public setting with numerous local officials present.
To directly invite criticism and to be loyal to the country were not the same, which naturally led to his exclusion.
In Wende Hall, after reviewing the memorials, Li Jian Cheng turned to the waiting Wei Zheng and said, "You have not been well these days, have you?"
Wei Zheng replied, "I am marginalized in court, and even my relatives do not understand me; only my wife can empathize."
"Do you regret it?"
"I do not regret it. When the timber arrives in Wugong, though it is merely a brick or a tile, it will cause Your Majesty to lose trust among the people. Compared to that, my life and death or honor and disgrace are insignificant."
Li Jian Cheng shook his head. "Being overly rigid can lead to breakage. Some matters can be handled just as well with a different approach; there is truly no need to make it unmanageable."
"Your Majesty, the world is still filled with ignorant and biased commoners. Only by being direct and accurate can they understand Your Majesty's intentions."
"It seems that Wei Qing still recognizes me well."
"I have always believed that governing the world well is solely within Your Majesty's capability; I hold great respect for you. However, many admire Your Majesty, and what you need most is not flattery."
Li Jian Cheng suddenly asked, "I heard Xu Shijie mention that you once said you wished to be a good minister rather than a Loyal Minister. What did you mean by that?"
Wei Zheng replied earnestly, "Ji, Qi, and Gao Yao were good ministers; Long Feng and Bi Gan were Loyal Ministers. Good ministers earn themselves a good reputation while bringing glory to their sovereign; their names are passed down through generations, bringing endless blessings."
Loyal Minister faced misfortune and was killed, leaving the monarch in a state of ignorance and brutality, resulting in the destruction of the nation and family, with only an empty title of Loyal Minister remaining.
Thus, my lifelong aspiration as a minister is to serve Your Majesty well."
"A good minister, a good minister. Today, across the world, among the people, hardly one remains. The conflict has not yet settled, the farmers are all in despair, and after such decay, hunger and cold are pressing. If there were more good ministers in the world, I would be willing to suffer loss of years and life from anger."
Wei Zheng then offered a compliment to console: "Long live Your Majesty."
...
In the capital of Tuguhun, Fushi City, the camp of Duke of Wei Li Jing was stationed here. The fact that they reached this place indicated that this battle had been a great victory; the only thing lacking was the head of Tuguhun Monarch Murong Fuyun.
However, continuing the pursuit at this point would be somewhat unwise, as supply issues could easily arise.
But Hou Junji, who had been promoted by Li Jing due to his outstanding military achievements, advised: "General, at this moment Tuguhun is in disarray; their scouts have scattered. The ruler and minister have lost their connection; capturing them would be as easy as picking up a straw. If we do not continue to pursue our victory now, we will surely regret it in the future."
Li Jing remained calm and was not swayed by Hou Junji's persuasion. He asked: "Are those tribes still unwilling to submit to our Tang Dynasty?"
"General, they are indeed willing to submit to the Tang Dynasty and express their allegiance to Your Majesty, but they are unwilling to pursue Tuguhun."
Upon hearing this, Li Jing felt somewhat disappointed. "Without their guidance, pursuing is not feasible. The area near Heyuan has never been traversed before. Murong Fuyun has fled westward; we do not know his whereabouts. Our supplies are running low; it is difficult to venture far. Let us report back to the court and prepare to return home."
Hou Junji looked troubled; he had not yet achieved many merits: "General, if we return home like this, it won't be long before these Four Commanderies are reclaimed by Tuguhun."
"This is not an issue we should consider; we only need to act according to His Majesty's will.
At this moment, a general of Turkic descent spoke up: 'General, The General wants to try and see if he can kill the Tuguhun Monarch.'
'Oh?' Li Jing was somewhat surprised. Murong Fuyun was not a significant figure; his military tactics were quite foolish, but his ability to escape and stabilize people's hearts was indeed remarkable. Defeating such a person was easy, but killing him would be a bit more challenging.
'What do you need?'
'I only need a decree from the General. The General comes from the Western Turkic, having fled due to his tribe's crimes. However, recently, The General's tribe has caught the attention of Tongye Hugu Khan, and The General's uncle has become a Tuntun, which gives him some power.
The General has also heard that Tongye Hugu Khan sought to marry a princess from our Great Tang and is preparing to jointly attack the Eastern Turkic. With such connections, it seems Tongye Hu wishes to befriend you, General.
Murong Fuyun will most likely continue as usual, fleeing to the Western Regions. The Western Regions currently operate under the orders of the Western Turkic Khan. As long as Tongye Hu gives the order, the head of the Tuguhun Monarch will soon be severed.'
Li Jing thought seriously about it; this matter indeed had feasibility. Although he had not returned to the capital, he was still quite informed about the news in Chang'an. The court was indeed closer to the Western Turkic now.
The only concern was that he had not obtained His Majesty's consent; whether acting on his own like this would be overstepping his bounds.
………
(End of Chapter)"
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