Chapter 5369 A Detour

While Xu Jingzong could instigate the Chu brothers to impeach Liu Ji and potentially bring him down, he needed the support of the Council of State Affairs to become the Grand Chancellor.

Under the existing system, even those favored by the emperor must be recommended by the Council of State Affairs before they can become the heads of the Three Departments and Six Ministries.

This shows that Xu Jingzong must have secretly "surrendered" to His Majesty.

If Your Majesty truly agrees to let Xu Jingzong replace Liu Ji, then there is only one motive—to gain support for changing the heir apparent.

When it comes to actually getting things done, Xu Jingzong is far more useful than Liu Ji.

Of course, there is another possibility...

Ma Zhou looked at Fang Jun suspiciously: "Xu Jingzong is your man..."

Throughout the court and among the common people, everyone knew that Xu Jingzong, one of the "Eighteen Scholars of the Prince of Qin's Mansion," shamelessly fawned over Fang Jun, which is why he rose from the Zhenguan Academy to become the head of the Ministry of Rites. With his experience as a minister in the Prince of Taizong's former residence, he willingly served as Fang Jun's "lackey."

If Xu Jingzong truly sought the position of Grand Chancellor, it's hard to believe that Fang Jun wasn't behind it...

Fang Jun smiled bitterly: "In officialdom, what kind of black-and-white things are there, like 'who is whose person'? Everything is driven by interests. In the past, Xu Jingzong was able to obtain enough benefits from me, so he was willing to be driven and submit to my tutelage. If someone can offer more benefits tomorrow, what's so difficult about switching sides?"

He took a sip of wine and said, "This man is exceptionally capable but shameless, and highly experienced but without any moral compass. The reason I have kept him under my wing all these years is to keep him in check, so that he is wary and cannot do evil. If he were to actually get through to His Majesty and rise to the highest rank, it would be a disaster rather than a blessing."

Everything has two sides, and human nature is no exception.

Few people are truly wicked, violent, or cruel; more often than not, it's the environment that makes them that way.

In a relaxed and unsupervised environment, the evil in human nature can be unleashed without restraint, resulting in heinous crimes that are too numerous to count. Conversely, if they are strictly supervised and protected in every way, their "malice" can be restrained, and their talents can be utilized, which can often lead to outstanding political achievements.

This was the original intention of Cao Cao's "appointing people based solely on their talents" policy during the Three Kingdoms period: to use their talents and restrain their evils...

Ma Zhou nodded slightly and sighed, “Your Majesty’s desire to centralize power is very strong, but he has the ambition to rule the world but lacks the skills to do so. His ambition is as high as the sky but his talent is as thin as paper. If this continues, there will be many hidden dangers.”

He greatly admired Fang Jun's idea that all important military and national affairs should be decided by the Council of State Affairs and the Grand Council, and believed that limiting imperial power was absolutely correct.

Centralized power certainly has its undeniable advantages, namely, that major military and national affairs can be decided with a single word, eliminating wrangling, shirking responsibility, and wasting national resources on internal strife, thus enabling the nation to strengthen itself rapidly and effectively.

But this can only be achieved under the condition of a wise and virtuous monarch.

In fact, looking at emperors throughout history, how many can be called "wise and virtuous"? Most of them were just mediocre and incompetent. Once they encountered an ambitious but incompetent, foolish and tyrannical ruler, they could easily exhaust the country's strength and squander its wealth. At best, the government would become corrupt and the people would suffer; at worst, the country would fall into chaos and foreign invaders would invade.

However, whoever is the emperor would be willing to let power fall into the wrong hands?
Fang Junze said, "Since the First Emperor unified the land and established the 'prefecture-county system,' he has centralized all power in the central government. With the 'five departments and six ministries system' of the Sui Dynasty and the 'three departments and six ministries system' of our dynasty, the trend of centralization of power is unstoppable, and all government orders originate from the top. How can we change the 'supreme imperial power' that has been deeply ingrained in people's hearts for thousands of years? It will inevitably take a long time to transform and evolve, and while constantly improving the system, we must also wait for the enlightenment of the people."

Whether it's breaking down the awe-inspiring authority of "the emperor's supreme power" or achieving a prosperous era where "the king is subject to the law," ultimately, it requires enlightening the people.

When the people understand that "the world belongs to all people, not to one family or one clan," it will be impossible for anyone to use the blood and flesh of all people to worship one person or one clan.

This will inevitably be a long process, and Fang Junzhi's efforts are all aimed at shortening the required time as much as possible, so that he may be able to achieve this goal in his lifetime.

But this is the safest approach, far more moderate and profound than "overthrowing an old dynasty and shattering a broken era."

Then he offered a toast and advised, "Official duties are never-ending, so you should also take care of your health and rest. If we live a long and healthy life together, we might witness a new era. Instead of doing everything ourselves, exhausting our energy, and then lamenting the passing of time when we die!"

This person was already in poor physical condition, but he had a very strong sense of responsibility. He was very reluctant to delegate authority to his subordinates, so he could only be a "burden king" who did everything himself, which ruined his health and led to his early death...

This most steadfast political ally may lack some talent and find it difficult to become a "famous minister," but his low-key, steady, and meticulous dedication to his work is exactly what is most lacking in "capable ministers" today.

Ma Zhou laughed and said, "Listening to Erlang's words, it seems that I am terminally ill and doomed... Then I will listen to Erlang's advice and relinquish power as much as possible in the future, and learn from you how you are so powerful yet carefree and enviable to others."

Fang Jun frowned: "Is this a nice thing or a bad thing?"

Ma Zhou laughed loudly: "It all depends on Erlang's understanding. Come, come, it's a rare opportunity to have a good drink. Let's not leave until we're drunk."

Fang Jun happily replied, "I'm not as good as you at handling official business, but when it comes to drinking, you're no match!"

Ma Zhou disagreed: "The saying 'a thousand cups are not enough when drinking with a bosom friend' does not mean that you have to drink a thousand cups, nor does it mean that one person has to get the other drunk. If the mood is right, what does it matter if one person drinks a couple less?"

Fang Jun exclaimed, "That's well said! Otherwise, if we're talking about drinking capacity, there are really only a handful of people in the world who can give me such a good time!"

Ma Zhou retorted, "Such arrogance?"

That's how arrogant I am!

"Very well, today I'll risk my life to accompany you and see who's better!"

"Even if we compare lengths, you might not be a match for me. I'm famous for my length!"

Ma Zhou, embarrassed and angry, said, "A dignified Grand Commandant, renowned throughout the world for his poetry and prose, is so despicable and shameless, utterly disgracing all culture! I wanted to compete with you over drinks, not to compare our merits in that area. Besides, some things are about substance, and mere skill doesn't necessarily make a difference!"

Fang Jun laughed heartily and pointed at Ma Zhou, saying, "So, Prince Bin, you admit you're too short?"

Ma Zhou couldn't help but laugh: "I only recognize strength and efficiency, but strength and efficiency are not the same as shortness."

Fang Jun didn't believe him. He stood up and tugged at his belt: "Don't just talk the talk. We'll know once we take it out and compare!"

Ma Zhou laughed angrily, "Give me a break! If we pass each other here today, this matter will be known throughout the world tomorrow. It doesn't matter if you're shameless, but my lifelong reputation as Ma Binwang will be ruined here, and I will never live again!"

Fang Jun was just putting on an act; how could he possibly win?

Upon hearing this, he sat down again, toasted Ma Zhou with a glass of wine, and after only taking a sip, he burst into laughter.

Outside the door, the two men's servants heard continuous laughter coming from inside the room and were all puzzled.

Ma Zhou's servants were especially surprised. Their master was usually calm and low-key, and he rarely showed his emotions. They had served him for many years and had never seen him so cheerful and unrestrained.
But they didn't dare get close enough to eavesdrop...

*****
Taiji Palace, inside the Imperial Study.

Li Chengqian walked out from behind the imperial desk, knelt down on the mat by the window, gestured for Wang De to pour him tea, pinched his brow to relieve the dizziness caused by overwork, and asked Li Jingye, who had just entered, "Has Minister Xu arrived in Luoyang?"

With thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a spirited demeanor, Li Jingye bowed and reported: "The news that just came from Luoyang is that the delegation sent to the Abbasid Caliphate arrived in Luoyang the day before yesterday, disembarked, and returned to the capital via the Xiaohan Road. Judging from the time... they will be back in the capital by tomorrow at the latest."

"Ah."

Li Chengqian took the tea offered by Wang De and drank a small sip. His discomfort was slightly relieved, and he waved for Wang De to leave the imperial study.

Once only the emperor and his minister remained in the room, Li Chengqian asked in a low voice, "Have the necessary preparations been made?"

Li Jingye respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will personally take care of everything, and there will be no mistakes!"

"absurd!"

Li Chengqian frowned and scolded, "Nothing in this world is absolute. Where is there any such thing as 'absolute certainty'? On the contrary, the more secure you feel, the easier it is for you to become careless, and the easier it is for you to make mistakes!"

Looking at the handsome and loyal leader of the Hundred Cavalry before him, he said earnestly, "Although I am a king, I am now constrained and hampered in many ways. I am trembling with fear every step I take, lest I make a mistake and bring about unforeseen consequences. You are my trusted minister, and you should do your utmost to assist me. We, as ruler and subject, will be loyal to each other and overcome these difficult times together. If you do not betray me, I will not betray you!"

Li Jingye, a passionate young man, was moved to tears by these words. He knelt on one knee, his voice slightly choked, but his tone was firm and resolute: "This humble general is willing to assist Your Majesty in eliminating treacherous officials and establishing a great cause. Even if it means sacrificing my life, I am willing!"

"Eh!"

Li Chengqian waved his hand: "Your journey is indeed fraught with difficulties and obstacles, but with the court full of upright officials, where are there any treacherous ministers? It's just a matter of differing political views and some conflicts between us. What I'm doing is simply trying to prove that I'm right, that's all."

These words are not empty words.

He knew that some officials, led by Fang Jun, were dedicated to limiting imperial power and intended to solidify the system of the Council of State Affairs and the Grand Council as a permanent rule. Their intention was not to make the emperor a puppet and seize power, but to avoid the old precedent that "the rise and fall of an empire depends on the wisdom or folly of the monarch".

Even though Li Chengqian was resentful and retaliated in anger, he only thought that these officials were too idealistic, not disloyal.

However, since he was sitting on the throne, he naturally had to uphold the supreme authority of the imperial power. How could he allow his power to be restrained, hindered, or even imprisoned?
We simply have different paths. Just as there may be divergent roads, it doesn't necessarily mean we have to fight to the death.