novelcrest Chapter 4703 Take the initiative
Chapter 4703 Take the initiative
Chapter 4703 Take the initiative
Fang Jun is now unsure of what is going on between this supreme couple. Are they cooperating with each other to give the outside world the illusion that the emperor and the empress are not in harmony, or is it that something really happened...
I wanted to give it a try, but I found myself more confused.
Seeing Fang Jun remained silent, the Queen chuckled and picked up the teacup with her bare hands: "Now that rumors are spreading everywhere and people's hearts are unsettled, Duke Yue should leave early, otherwise it will be bad if the falsehood is taken as true."
Fang Jun could only stand up and say goodbye, but he still reminded her: "The queen should keep an eye on the people around her, otherwise once someone is involved in the vortex, it will be extremely difficult for the queen to withdraw."
There are some things that, if done by the servants, are basically the same as if they were done by the master. If the master says that it has nothing to do with him, who would believe him?
If those servants were bribed or coerced into committing treasonous acts, the queen, her master, would be doomed...
The Queen nodded slightly and said softly, "Don't worry, Erlang, I know what to do."
Fang Jun was speechless. In such a precarious time, you addressed me so intimately. Aren't you afraid that the rumors outside will be confirmed?
Coming out of Lizheng Palace, he looked up at the sunlight slanting in from the glazed tile roof of the palace on the west side, and felt a little annoyed.
Not only are Li Chengqian's actions inexplicable, even the Queen's thoughts are hard to guess... Could it be that this couple really did something dirty that led to their fake play becoming a reality?
*****
Chang'an City was in turmoil, and the government and the people could feel the undercurrent of turmoil, and people were naturally panicked. Being in the officialdom, there were all kinds of interests and entanglements, and no one dared to guarantee that they could stay out of it. When the water flowed, they were swept away involuntarily.
The panic caused by the "unprecedented changes in a thousand years" made everyone uneasy.
At the moment, the most attention-grabbing office is naturally the Ministry of War.
The reform of the military system has become a foregone conclusion, and no one can resist it. However, no one in the army knows how to reform it. The "Fubing System" inherited from the "Six Garrisons of the Northern Wei Dynasty" has long revealed many drawbacks and is no longer suitable for the current national conditions of the Tang Dynasty. However, the "Fubing System" and the "Music Soldier System" each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Simply abolishing the "Fubing System" will not make the military system a new one.
In particular, the repeatedly mentioned "complete separation of the army and the local areas" obviously touched the interests of countless people, including military generals, local officials, aristocratic families, and even members of the royal family, which naturally attracted everyone's attention.
……
As the dawn broke, the gates of the imperial city slowly opened. Officials waiting outside the gates entered the city one after another, either in carriages or on horses, and headed straight for their respective offices. Suddenly, lights were on, traffic was bustling, and the silent imperial city slowly woke up.
Today is not a grand court, so unless the heads of various departments have important matters to report to the palace or are summoned to the palace to meet the emperor, the rest are on duty in their respective offices.
The streets in front of the Ministry of War were somewhat congested. Not only did officials from the ministry arrive one after another, but members of the recently established "committee" were also on duty for the first time today. Each of these people was a big shot, surrounded by his own followers and servants. There were so many of them that they blocked the long and narrow streets for a while, and even affected several other neighboring ministries and offices.
The Minister of Rites Xu Jingzong glanced at the crowded gate of the Ministry of War in front of his own government office, sighed and shook his head.
Such a prosperous military department naturally aroused the jealousy of others. Prosperity represents power, and power represents status...
There is a cross courtyard on the left side of the Ministry of War, which is usually used for officials to rest. It has now been tidied up and the main hall is covered with thick Persian carpets. Except for the sunny side of the door, the other three sides of the north, east and west are placed with chairs, coffee tables and desks. In the middle, an exquisitely shaped bronze crane stove has already burned sandalwood, the white porcelain teacups are filled with hot tea, and there are cakes on the plates.
Li Ji, Fang Jun, Li Jing, Zheng Rentai, Cui Dunli and others took their seats one by one, drinking tea and eating cakes.
Li Jing smiled and said, "Of all the six ministries, the Ministry of War has the most adequate logistical supplies. Even the teacups are made of top-quality white porcelain, the tea is good, the water is sweet, and the chairs are made of red sandalwood. I'm afraid this carpet must be expensive too, right?"
It is just a temporary institution. Usually people only discuss military reforms here and it is not on duty every day. However, its furnishings are luxurious and grand, and are not inferior to some palaces in the palace. Among the six ministries, it is the best.
Li Ji smiled calmly and said, "It is well known that the Ministry of War has money."
Fang Jun complained to Cui Dunli: "I have already told you to keep everything simple. You are all important military officials and will not argue with you. But once it gets out, it will definitely be targeted by the censors. You spent money but got nothing in return. You are so stupid."
Cui Dunli did not argue, but nodded and admitted his mistake: "Duke Yue is right. I was not thoughtful enough. I will have them all removed. It is better to keep things simple."
The people around watched the two people acting and lowered their heads to drink tea, pretending they saw nothing.
The atmosphere became a little serious. Could it be that on the first day on duty, Li Ji and Fang Jun, the second in command, were already at odds with each other?
Li Jing felt that he had said something wrong that caused all this, and felt a little depressed, so he drank his tea without saying a word.
I just said that I am not good at this kind of weird officialdom struggle, and I shouldn't have come...
After talking for a while, the noise outside gradually died down. It was time to take up duty, and the officials and clerks in the department began to handle their official duties in an orderly manner.
But Pei Huaijie has not arrived yet...
Fang Jun put down his teacup and looked at Li Ji: "Although our organization has no formal system, the affairs involved are important military and national affairs, and we dare not slack off in the slightest. Lord Ying, do you think we should set some basic rules, such as not being late on the day of the meeting?"
Li Ji's face was calm, and he said, "Of course there should be rules, but it's the first day on duty after all, so there's no need to be too demanding."
Although he was also dissatisfied with Pei Huaijie, this kid showed such a strong desire to attack on the first day. It was obvious that he wanted to control the situation and take the initiative. How could he let him do as he wished?
Fang Jun smiled and said, "It is said that Lord Ying is strict in military discipline and has strict laws and regulations, but why is he so lenient and lax in discipline here? Do you think that things here are not as important as things in the army, so you are lazy and perfunctory?"
The expressions of the other people remained unchanged, but they began to get excited in their hearts, because what Fang Jun accused Li Ji of was not whether he took the matter seriously, but mentioned that since he took office as Shangshu Zuo Pushe, he had neglected government affairs and kept a low profile, which was far from being as vigorous and strict as when he was in the army.
In short, Li Ji was accused of dereliction of duty...
This was a serious crime. Although it was impossible to prove it, it was a big blow to Li Ji's prestige.
It was surprising that they were confronting each other right from the start, and the attack was so sharp, which made people feel that the situation was tense...
Li Ji was unmoved and said calmly, "Erlang is young after all. Although he has led troops before, he doesn't know the difference between the army and the court. The military discipline is strict and the court is rigorous, but in the army, mistakes can be punished with sticks and whips. How can it be allowed in the court? Moreover, when the military discipline is serious, the person can be beaten to death or even beheaded. How can the court and the ministry do the same? The army must be restrained by military discipline, always keep sharp, and be meticulous and not make any mistakes. The court is different. To a certain extent, mistakes are allowed."
What this means is that this is a department, not the army, and we cannot generalize. People at such a young age should not be full of hostility and should be more tolerant.
As he was speaking, footsteps were heard outside the door. Pei Huaijie walked in, clasped his fists and bowed, apologetically saying, "I'm sorry, my carriage broke down on the way here, so I was delayed for some time. Please forgive me."
Li Ji nodded and said, "It's okay..."
Before he finished speaking, Fang Jun asked, "If you are unwilling to forgive me, what will you do?"
Pei Huaijie was stunned and suddenly felt at a loss, with embarrassment on his face and anger in his heart.
I was just a little late, why make such a big deal?
But he could only hold back his anger and apologize with a smile: "It's all my fault. How about I host a banquet at Zuixianlou in Pingkangfang at noon today to entertain you all and offer a toast to apologize?"
Fang Jun disagreed: "Here are the left and right ministers of the Secretariat, the Minister of War, and the General of the Left Guard... They are all important military officials who work day and night for national affairs, and forget about food and sleep. But you are wasting your time here because you have no sense of discipline and are negligent and lazy. How can you just treat me to a drink?"
Pei Huaijie glanced at Li Ji, who had a gloomy face and said nothing. He was furious and asked, "Since Duke Yue is nitpicking, how do you think he should be punished?"
Fang Jun: "Get out."
Pei Huaijie: “…What?”
He was confused and thought he had tinnitus. What did he hear?
Fang Jun pointed at the door and said, "Which one of the people here is not someone you need to respect, in terms of military merit, political achievements, titles, and family background? Not only did you ignore the time and come in late, you even came in without permission without even knocking on the door. You are so arrogant and disrespectful to your superiors. How rebellious! Now go out and knock on the door again, and come in only after you are allowed."
Pei Huaijie's face flushed, his hair and beard stood on end, and he was trembling slightly with anger. He was also the third-rank governor of Henan, one of the best among the provincial governors, a true military and patriot. How could he have ever suffered such humiliation?
Li Ji stared at Fang Jun with sharp eyes: "Duke Yue, isn't that too much?"
Fang Jun smiled at him and asked, "There is no order without rules. If you forgive his lateness and impoliteness today, I will come again tomorrow. Will you forgive me? What if someone does the same thing tomorrow?"
Not only is it necessary to take control of the initiative, but it is also necessary to suppress Pei Huaijie.
Li Ji remained silent, feeling a strong provocation. He knew Fang Jun was not joking. If he insisted on forgiving Pei Huaijie today, Fang Jun would disregard all rules tomorrow. The entire "committee" would be meaningless, and the final responsibility would inevitably be borne by him, the nominal superior.
He could also forcefully suppress Fang Jun, but for Pei Huaijie, there was no need...
Fang Jun chose to take the initiative today to try to control the situation and strengthen his voice, which also made him feel difficult as he was caught off guard.