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Chapter 227: The Commoner
Li Jian Cheng now had three biological brothers. King Li Shimin was still recuperating at home, Prince Jin, Li Xuanba, was leading the Zongzheng, King Qi, Li Yuanji, was in Bingzhou, and there was also a half-brother, Chancellor Li Zhiyun.
Among them, only Li Yuanji was truly restless. Li Jian Cheng did not particularly wish to use him; he was simply a full-blooded brother. Their father, the Empress, was still alive, and it would be unreasonable not to grant him wealth and power.
Moreover, Jinyang was such a crucial location and served as the base for Li Jian Cheng's uprising. The loyalty of the soldiers was fierce, and it was essential to have a member of the Royal Family stationed there.
Li Shimin was the divine spear of the Tang Dynasty. Although the peace came too swiftly, lacking some tempering through battle, his essence could not be concealed. With a few more battles, he would become that renowned General of Heavenly Strategy.
Such a figure naturally should not be confined to one place but should be like Li Jing—drawn out when needed and kept in the capital to hone his skills when not.
Li Xuanba was frail and sickly, while Li Zhiyun excelled in calligraphy and chess; neither was suitable for holding down a territory. Only Yuanji had the strength and valor in military affairs to serve as a cavalry commander.
However, his temperament...
Li Yan sighed and said, "It seems Yuanji has caused some trouble. They are waiting for you to deal with Li Youliang before dragging him into this. If you protect Yuanji, then the Royal Family will surely be unstable, just like those from Wei Zheng's faction..."
Li Jian Cheng sincerely replied to his father, "Father is wise and understands my situation. For all these years, I have treated my brothers with kindness because we share the same bloodline. Even Li Zhiyun enjoys a princely title."
The more Li Yan listened, the more fearful he became. "Jian Cheng, you... you don't intend to kill Yuanji, do you?"
The two locked eyes, and Li Jian Cheng understood Li Yan's bottom line. He sighed regretfully and quickly smiled. "Of course not! I have never harbored such thoughts. However, if I truly find myself in that situation, I must enforce strict punishment to uphold the integrity of the court."
Li Jian Cheng took a step back, and Li Yan could only say, "If that's the case, let me issue the decree. This way, no one will speak ill of you."
Being harsh on one's brothers is never well-received; in clan society, helping family over justice is considered proper.
No matter how fair Li Jian Cheng tried to be, there would always be those who nitpicked. If his father Li Yan intervened, even an unjust act would appear just; after all, punishing or even executing someone could be justified under the ruler-minister relationship.
Yet how could Li Yan ever bring himself to kill his own son? It wasn't as if they were at a point where failing to kill would lead to disaster for the entire family.
...
In the Council Hall, Li Jian Cheng looked expressionless at Li Youliang who had been brought back in chains and was kneeling in the hall. Under normal circumstances and without conviction, a noble like him—Duke of Changle County—would not be treated this way.
But who could have anticipated that he would dare abandon his post? He attempted to circumvent the Imperial Envoy to plead for leniency in Chang'an but was intercepted along the way. Encouraged by his confidants nearby, he prepared to defect to the Turkic Khaganate.
"Your Majesty, spare me! I intended to return to court and plead for forgiveness, but I was forcibly detained by those around me. This was never my wish; I ask Your Majesty to see the truth."
"Then it is true that you have been privately trading salt and iron to the Turkic lands?"
Li Youliang trembled, unable to respond, while Wei Zheng stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, according to the Imperial Envoy's investigation, not only has he been trading salt and iron illegally, but he has also gathered over a hundred ruffians as his entourage, committing acts of violence in the markets and causing great suffering to travelers.
Recently, there was a case of someone stealing horses; the Duke of Changle County captured the thief and executed him without trial. Now there are even accusations of treason and collusion with the enemy. I request that he be punished severely according to the law!"
After Wei Zheng spoke, only a few supported him because, according to the law, both illegal trading of prohibited goods and conducting private trials were capital offenses.
Not to mention the acts of treason; if he were not from the Royal Family, his entire clan would face punishment.
The Royal Family and Civil and Military officials began to plead for leniency. In times of danger, it is normal for people to band together for warmth, especially after Li Jian Cheng ascended the throne and habitually suppressed the Royal Family, only promoting a few like Li Xiaogong, Li Shentong, and Li Shenfu.
This was clearly not the life they had once envisioned. The Guanlong Officials also began to exert influence, implying that most of the crimes were committed by those around Li Youliang; he merely kept silent about them.
A variety of forced justifications were presented—arguments used by previous dynasties to cover up the crimes of nobles—while reasons for the Emperor's mercy were listed one by one.
Although all these points were refuted by Wei Zheng, they showed no signs of anxiety because this was precisely what they wanted to see.
In the end, it was still up to the Emperor to decide how to handle this matter: whether to show leniency in order to highlight familial ties or continue treating the Royal Family harshly.
"Strip him of his noble titles and expel him from the clan. Demote him to commoner status and impose a hundred lashes. His subordinates shall be thoroughly investigated by the Ministry of Justice and punished without leniency!"
He did not die, but it felt worse than death. Li Youliang struggled as if he wanted to throw himself against the coiling dragon pillar in the hall.
However, Dan Xiongxin had already regained much strength and grabbed hold of him. "The Emperor did not say he would take your life; you cannot die!"
The Royal Family and Civil and Military officials had nothing more to say. The Emperor remained consistent in rewarding merit and punishing faults; no one was surprised by this outcome. They only hoped that he would continue in this manner.
As Li Youliang was dragged away, Minister of Rites Pei Ji stepped forward. "I have something to report. It is said that King Qi is in Bingzhou, frequently indulging in games and hunting with companions, trampling on crops in Field Manor and allowing those around him to openly plunder the wealth of commoners. Almost all livestock in the area has been seized by them.
He stands in the middle of the road shooting arrows at people for entertainment, watching them flee in panic while local citizens are filled with resentment.
King Qi also enjoys dividing soldiers into two groups, commanding them to fight each other brutally, resulting in injuries and even deaths."
At night, the gates of the residence were thrown open, and officials openly engaged in lewd activities.
In particular, King Qi had deliberately delayed the Bingzhou Troops to rush to aid Qin Wang. After Qin Wang was severely injured, he disregarded His Majesty's edict against slaughter and drinking, killing cattle and sheep to host a wild feast...
Li Jian Cheng listened calmly, which made the Courtiers feel somewhat fearful. There was no hint of surprise, no anger at King Qi's disgraceful behavior, nor any shock at Pei Ji suddenly bringing this matter to light.
"Then let Wei Qing go personally to verify the truth and summon King Qi back to the capital. His duties will be temporarily taken over by Chancellor Li."
Everyone knew Wei Zheng's character; he was not someone who would cover for the Royal Family. Let alone King Qi or even the Emperor's mistakes, one should not expect him to consider the bigger picture and spare anyone's face.
The Emperor's decision to send him for investigation indicated that there was no intention to protect King Qi, which left many feeling disappointed.
After dismissing the court, the Royal Family once again flocked to the Retired Emperor, speaking sweetly and defending King Qi at every turn. No one mentioned Li Youliang, who had been demoted to a commoner.
Meanwhile, Wei Zheng had already left the capital and headed straight for Jinyang Manor. He even began drafting a memorial for impeachment while still on horseback because he understood that the Minister of Rites, as Left Deputy Minister, would never speak without evidence.
If King Qi truly behaved this way, then he should be punished severely like Duke of Changle County!
……………
(End of Chapter)
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