novelcrest Chapter 5438 Coming to the Door
Chapter 5438 Coming to the Door
Chapter 5438 Coming to the Door
Fang Jun and Li Ji exchanged a glance, then Fang Jun stepped into the duty room and sat down opposite Li Ji.
Li Ji poured tea for him with one hand, and with the other hand he gestured from the doorway. The clerk bowed slightly and left the office, leaving the door slightly ajar.
Taking the teacup and taking a sip, Fang Jun raised an eyebrow: "I wonder what advice you have for me, Lord Ying?"
Li Ji shook his head: "With your current status and power, who in the court can still offer you guidance? It's just a casual chat. In the past, you were very willing to come to my residence to chat with me."
Fang Jun put down his teacup and said calmly, "Back then, I only felt that Duke Ying was a peerless warrior and a master strategist. Every word he spoke contained wisdom, and I could learn a lot from him. But now, it's probably because Duke Ying hasn't personally led troops into battle for a long time, and his understanding of military strategy is still stuck decades in the past. Not only can I not learn new knowledge, but I even feel that what he says and does is outdated and rotten... You're out of touch."
Of course, it's not just about military strategy and tactics, but also about Li Ji's stance.
To put it bluntly, it's roughly like this: what's there to say to an old man like you who betrayed the contract?
Li Ji paused slightly in his teacup, putting it down before even touching his lips. He remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly.
"I am indeed old. In the past, I cared about fame and achievements, and about the country and the world. Now, I only care about the rise and fall of my family business and the continuation of my bloodline..."
"And who can count on you?"
Fang Jun interrupted him, saying bluntly, "Everyone has the right to choose their stance, but since it's the path you've chosen, you have to finish it even if you have to crawl on your knees."
Li Ji's face was grim, his gaze fixed intently on Fang Jun: "What do you mean by that, Erlang? Are you threatening me?"
Fang Jun shook his head calmly and said, "Lord Ying, you misunderstand. I just don't understand. Since we have different positions and choices, what's the point of talking now?"
Since he knew that Li Jingye's strategies were insufficient to support his ambitious aspirations, he was willing to betray the original contract in order to support this grandson, and he was unwilling to wholeheartedly stand on His Majesty's side... This "God of War" who was once decisive and unparalleled in strategy has now become indecisive and hesitant.
After a long silence, Li Ji said, "Pei Huaijie is a Chamberlain appointed by His Majesty, and to some extent represents His Majesty's face. If you act recklessly, it is tantamount to openly breaking ties with His Majesty, which is very detrimental to the new policies being implemented. You are now an important minister of the empire, and you should prioritize the overall situation in everything you do. How can you still be as unruly and dissolute as before?"
Ultimately, he sided with His Majesty for the sake of family lineage and ensuring the continued wealth and status of his descendants, not out of genuine opposition to reforms and new policies.
Fang Jun said, "Let me ask you first, from the perspective of the country, is the policy of 'filling Hebei with people from Guanzhong' more beneficial or more harmful?"
Li Ji hesitated slightly, then nodded and said, "While there are many drawbacks, overall the advantages outweigh the disadvantages."
With the domestic situation stabilizing and all industries flourishing, Guanzhong, as the political, economic, and military center of the country, naturally attracted more and more people, leading to increasing pressure on food supplies. Building Luoyang, the eastern capital, could only alleviate some of the pressure, and the best policy was naturally to relocate the bloated population.
Fang Jun looked at Li Ji with great curiosity and asked, "If that's the case, why did you remain calm and indifferent when those people were spreading rumors and inciting the people of Guanzhong to attack and slander me? Why are you warning me to consider the bigger picture now? If they don't consider the bigger picture, and you stand by and do nothing, does that mean I'm unruly and spoiled? What exactly is this 'big picture' you're talking about? Is it the bigger picture of those despicable people, or your own?"
Li Ji's expression was grim.
Fang Jun leaned forward slightly, staring intently at Li Ji, his words aggressive and uncompromising: "Lord Ying always boasts that he doesn't covet power, but why didn't you firmly refuse when His Majesty promoted you to Prime Minister? Now that you've taken the position of Prime Minister, you should naturally fulfill your duties, yet you keep saying you're impatient with politics and don't want to seize power... Since you're just a figurehead, seeking fame and fortune, why are you pretending to be considerate of the bigger picture and lecturing me like this?"
Li Ji's face turned ashen.
Fang Jun stood up, his imposing manner subdued, and a smile returned to his face: "It is only right for an elder to give a few words of advice to a junior, but you should understand that the reason why juniors listen to advice is often because elders are knowledgeable and experienced, not because elders are old and arrogant."
Having said that, he turned and left in a huff.
Li Ji's face turned from green to red, then red to white, and it took him a long time to recover before he let out a long breath.
He poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and then suddenly shook his head and chuckled.
Could it be that this bastard is so enraging that he wants me to hit him a couple of times in a fit of rage, and then take the opportunity to fight me?
His smile vanished instantly, and he glanced in the direction of the Martial Virtue Hall before sighing.
……
The Taiji Palace is magnificent and seamlessly integrated, but in terms of its function and security, it is actually divided into the Inner Court and the Central Court, while the area outside Chengtian Gate is the Outer Court.
The boundary between the Inner Court and the Central Court was along the Zhu Ming Gate. With this line separating them, the Taiji Hall to the south was the Central Court, and the Liangyi Hall to the north was the Inner Court. The Inner Court was the residence of the emperor, empresses, and underage princes and princesses, while the Central Court was the central government headed by the prime minister.
The Xuanwu Gate, located directly north of the Taiji Palace, is actually the gateway to the inner court and occupies the highest point in the entire palace city. Therefore, there has always been a saying that "whoever controls the Xuanwu Gate controls the palace city"...
The Taiji Hall, Taiji Gate, Jiade Gate, and Chengtian Gate form the central axis of the entire palace city. To the left and right of the Taiji Hall stand the Drum Tower and the Bell Tower, respectively. To the east and west are the Left Yanming Gate and the Right Yanming Gate. Outside the Left Yanming Gate are the offices of the Secretariat, and outside the Right Yanming Gate are the offices of the Chancellery.
Pei Huaijie sat in his duty room. Through the window, he could see the Drum Tower standing on the Taiji Hall Square beyond the treetops and walls. As the sun rose, its rays shone on the Drum Tower, making it appear as if it were coated with a layer of gold powder, shining brightly and making it look even more majestic and magnificent.
Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, there have been very few important ministers who have been able to sit here and oversee the Secretariat to assist the emperor in handling government affairs. They have already been included in the ranks of "important ministers of the state".
But today, looking at the busy clerks coming and going outside the door, Pei Huaijie felt little satisfaction or pride at his "ambitions being fulfilled" or his "high position and power." Instead, he felt uneasy and apprehensive, even having a strange feeling that his respectful subordinates were secretly watching him, either with cold eyes, mocking, or sarcastic remarks, all waiting for Fang Jun to come knocking on his door...
Indeed, everyone believed that Fang Jun would come knocking on their door sooner or later, including Pei Huaijie himself.
After Fang Jun proposed the policy of "filling Hebei with people from Guanzhong", he went to sea to inspect the coastal defense. Suddenly, rumors spread throughout Guanzhong, which made the already anxious and unwilling people in Guanzhong even more resentful. They attacked and cursed Fang Jun endlessly.
Pei Huaijie didn't think he could hide these things from others, and he had even prepared for Fang Jun's revenge.
He considered many possible ways Fang Jun might retaliate, and devised various solutions. While it was unlikely to completely resolve the situation, with His Majesty's support, there wouldn't be too much loss.
Even if there are some losses, they are insignificant compared to the imperial favor gained by shouting for Fang Jun on behalf of His Majesty and ruining Fang Jun's reputation.
But the rumors that have been circulating these past two days have startled him, because he had considered all sorts of reactions from Fang Jun, but he hadn't anticipated that Fang Jun might come knocking on his door.
This was not a miscalculation on his part. After all, people of such status and position are expected to maintain a certain level of decorum. Even in the midst of a life-or-death feud in a political struggle, who would recklessly throw two punches in the face?
But if the other party is Fang Jun... he is very likely to do that!
The name "Fang Erbangchui" (Fang the Second) resounded throughout Guanzhong and was known throughout the country. In the past, relying on the power of Fang Xuanling and the favor of Emperor Taizong, he was lawless and unscrupulous. His nature was that of a pampered playboy and a tyrannical ruler. Even today, as a Grand Commandant and an important minister of the empire, his arrogance is still no less than it was back then.
Just imagining Fang Jun actually coming to his door and punching him twice in public... Pei Huaijie felt a chill run down his spine.
When the Grand Commandant assaults someone, he tramples on official rules and shows contempt for court officials, naturally drawing widespread condemnation and causing his prestige to plummet... But what else can be done?
It's definitely not a case that can be prosecuted. The Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and even the Censorate would probably refuse to take on this case.
As for demotion or exile... would His Majesty really risk a falling out with Fang Jun for the sake of this "lackey"?
Even if Pei Huaijie was arrogant and confident, he couldn't believe that His Majesty would go to such lengths for him.
Therefore, the conclusion is that even if Fang Jun hit him, he hit him, and that's that.
But what about Pei Huaijie?
A high-ranking official, a key minister of the empire, was beaten at his home by the Grand Commandant for various reasons, including "spreading rumors and slander" and "being jealous of talent."
What kind of face-saving is left in officialdom?
What face do they have left to hold the high position of Attendant-in-Ordinary?
They will surely become a laughing stock in the world!
Pei Huaijie grew increasingly apprehensive and fearful as he thought about it, and he could no longer sit still. He decided to ask His Majesty to intervene and give Fang Jun a warning so that he would restrain himself.
If I were to be beaten by Fang Jun, His Majesty would probably not do anything to Fang Jun. But it would be feasible to ask His Majesty to intervene before I am beaten, right?
After all, everything I've done aligns with His Majesty's will...
Thinking of this, Pei Huaijie grabbed the turban from the table beside him, put it on, straightened his clothes, and stepped out from behind the desk, heading towards the Wude Hall.
A loud shout from outside the door made him stop abruptly.
"This humble official, Cui Zhiwen, a Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate, requests that the Grand Commandant halt his journey. May I ask why you have come?"
"I want to see Pei Huaijie."
"The Secretariat is a crucial central location, and the Attendant-in-Ordinary is the prime minister of the country. If the Grand Commandant has not made prior arrangements, please allow me to enter first to inform him."
"Get out of my way, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
The argument continued outside the door.
Pei Huaijie inside the door: "..."
Ultimately, it was too late.