Chapter 5374 Planning and Determining

Chapter 5374 Planning and Determining
Li Ji lowered his eyes, picked up his teacup, and drank some tea.

With his level of self-cultivation, how could he possibly fall for Fang Jun's simplistic provocation? Knowing full well the destructive and indestructible power of firearms, he would be insane to accept Fang Jun's challenge.

As long as he remains firmly in this position, his past experience and achievements are enough to guarantee his status as the "number one person in the military." Even if there are one or two doubts, he will still gain the respect and support of the vast majority of people.

But if he loses in the challenge against Fang Jun, he will relinquish his position...

However, this would make it difficult to continue the disbandment of the "Shenji Battalion". In any case, an army that he, the "number one military officer", was deeply afraid of and dared not confront head-on was qualified to guard the Eastern Palace.

He put down his teacup, looked up at Fang Jun with his gentle smile, and couldn't help but admire him.

What was originally a situation of manipulating public opinion and strongly targeting the enemy was punctured by Fang Jun's sudden "challenge," forcing it to fizzle out and return empty-handed. This guy's methods now lack the sharpness of the past, but have a profound and unpretentious quality.

If one of one's own offspring were like this, why would one be forced by His Majesty to take on the risks of joining forces?

A son should be like Fang Yi'ai...

Fang Jun nodded and said, “Your Majesty is wise and insightful, and this is indeed the case. However, appropriate competition can indeed promote active training in peacetime, and peacetime training lays a solid foundation for performance on the battlefield. At the subsequent ‘Military System Reform’ conference, I will propose to hold regular ‘Grand Competitions’ throughout the army to maintain the investment in daily training.”

Then he looked at Li Ji and asked, "What does Duke Ying think?"

Li Ji nodded: "A love of war leads to destruction, and a forgetting of war leads to danger. Just as the Grand Commandant said before, the empire will not have large-scale wars for a long time to come. Although it is not yet time for weapons to be sheathed and horses to be let graze, laxity and complacency are inevitable. Holding regular 'grand competitions' to maintain the competitive spirit in the army is a good strategy."

He showed absolutely no embarrassment at not responding to Fang Jun's challenge...

Liu Xiangdao hesitated for a moment, then asked, "May I ask Your Majesty, how should the case of the old woman's death outside the West Market Gate be handled?"

Before Li Chengqian could speak, Fang Jun asked curiously, "It's just an ordinary case. The verdict hasn't been decided yet, but the Censor-in-Chief already knows there will be injustice. So, does the Censorate intend to intervene?"

Liu Xiangdao was taken aback: "That's not it, I just..."

Fang Jun raised an eyebrow: "You are just an Imperial Censor, whose duty is to investigate illegal activities and supervise officials. When did you become so unscrupulous as to interfere in the judiciary? You are not even abusing your power, you are simply committing malfeasance and dereliction of duty, and you are utterly ignorant!"

Before Liu Xiangdao, who was filled with shame and anger, could speak, he turned to Li Chengqian and said, “Your Majesty, this man is an Imperial Censor, yet he is corrupt, incompetent, and utterly muddle-headed. Under the supervision of the Censorate, how many wrongful convictions have he caused! I humbly request that the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice be stationed in the Censorate to investigate all the impeachment cases since he took office.”

Liu Ji, who had never uttered a sound throughout his life, almost cheered for Fang Jun!
There must be Liu Xiangdao behind the Chu brothers' impeachment of him. Yet this man deliberately tried to curry favor with him, secretly plotting while openly doing him a favor. He was utterly shameless, despicable, and vile!
Liu Xiangdao was furious and angrily said, "Fang Jun! Don't push your luck!"

Fang Jun said calmly, “Those in positions of authority should govern accordingly. You are merely an Imperial Censor. When have you ever been allowed to participate in discussions on political and military matters? You must recognize your place! A sound, collaborative, and smooth-running imperial system is the foundation for a prosperous and powerful nation. If everyone were to trample on procedures and break rules as recklessly as you, the country would cease to exist!”

These words caused Liu Xiangdao to feel extremely ashamed and indignant, and the faces of Li Chengqian, Li Ji, Xu Jingzong, and others also turned slightly pale, looking quite unpleasant.

It's practically a veiled insult, a veiled attack...

*****
After leaving the Wude Hall, Fang Jun did not linger in the palace, but went straight out of the Chengtian Gate and returned home.

After washing up and changing into a set of light and soft cotton home clothes, he asked the steward and learned that his father, Fang Xuanling, had gone to Lishan Farm and had not returned. He then went to the glass flower hall and asked someone to prepare some pastries and dried fruits. He personally lit the red clay stove and boiled water to make tea.

Not long after, Liu Rengui, the Minister of War, came to visit and was directly led into the flower hall.

Just then, Fang Jun had brewed a pot of tea...

After exchanging greetings, he took his seat, accepted the teacup from Fang Jun with both hands, took a sip, and looked around to see verdant banana trees, graceful green bamboo, and blooming peonies. Outside the window, snow was falling in Guanzhong, while inside the hall, flowers and trees from the south were in full bloom.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "The Grand Commandant truly knows how to enjoy life!"

Fang Jun smiled, gestured for him to enjoy the tea and snacks, and asked, "What do you think of today's events?"

Liu Rengui picked up an almond, put it in his mouth, and chewed: "Grand Commandant, are you asking about the murder case at the West Market gate, or the confrontation in the Wude Hall?"

Fang Jun also ate a walnut: "Speak up, everyone."

Taking a moment to swallow an almond and drink some tea, Liu Rengui pondered for a moment before saying in a deep voice, "I cannot be certain that the murder at the West Market gate was deliberately orchestrated, but there must be someone behind it all, whose intention is to stir up public opinion about the 'Shenji Battalion.' In the Wude Hall, the Duke of Yingguo also used this public opinion to try to remove the 'Shenji Battalion' from the Eastern Palace guard... Therefore, it is self-evident who the mastermind is."

At this point, he shook his head, lowering his voice even though no one was around: "Although this move seems quite clever, it is flawed by his magnanimity and pettiness, which does not match his reputation for benevolence. It is clear that he is usually just putting on an act."

Some things can be done by means of scheming, plotting, or meticulous planning; any means necessary can be used to achieve one's goals.

However, if one is the ruler of the world and the master of all people, one must act with magnanimity, generosity, and grandeur.

I was somewhat disappointed.

Seeing Fang Jun remain silent, Liu Rengui smiled and said, "However, the Grand Commandant's counterattack was truly ingenious. With one straightforward move, he cut off their supply lines, leaving them in a panic and forced to retreat... Even though the Duke of Ying is famous throughout the world, it seems he is nothing special."

If he truly accepts Fang Jun's challenge, he can gain respect regardless of the final outcome, since the power of firearms is known to all.

However, if one avoids responding in the Hall of Martial Virtue, it would be a great loss of dignity.

It is conceivable that if news of what happened in the Wude Hall today were to spread, it would severely damage Li Ji's prestige...

Fang Jun shook his head: "How can a veteran general of the Duchy of England, a renowned commander of the world, act on impulse? Even if there may be much slander this time, it cannot shake his foundation."

The concept of "seniority" is sometimes truly incomprehensible. As long as Li Ji sits there steadily, the title of "the number one person in the military" will be pinned on his head, making it extremely difficult for others to overstep their bounds!

Moreover, Fang Jun actually had no intention of replacing him...

He poured Liu Rengui more tea and asked, "What do you think we should do in dealing with the current situation?"

Liu Rengui clearly had a plan in mind. He first thanked Fang Jun for pouring tea, and then said with a smile, "Naturally, we should retaliate in kind. Otherwise, if the other side's momentum increases, they will inevitably come up with more and more of these kinds of tricks. We are not afraid, but we cannot always be on the defensive."

"What's the plan?"

"It's simple. Don't they see the 'Divine Machine Battalion' as a thorn in their side? Then let's take action against the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace!"

Liu Rengui smiled with a hint of smugness: "Nowadays, everyone in the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace is one of their people. Since that's the case, let's use the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace as a raft to give them a good beating. The Six Guards of the Eastern Palace can't be abolished, but it's not difficult to make them chaotic and disorderly. When the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace are no longer of great use and the defense of the Eastern Palace is just a formality, let's see who dares to propose abolishing the 'Divine Machine Battalion'?"

Once the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace are thrown into chaos, the importance of the "Divine Machine Battalion" will naturally become apparent. At that time, anyone who dares to propose abolishing the "Divine Machine Battalion" will be seen as disregarding the defense of the Eastern Palace and the safety of the Crown Prince, harboring ulterior motives and wolfish ambitions. If even the slightest instability occurs in the Eastern Palace, countless people will be implicated...

Fang Jun thought about it carefully and nodded, saying, "Attack where the enemy must defend, very good, but how should we disrupt the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace?"

Liu Rengui smiled happily: "What the Ministry of War can do, the Ministry of the Imperial Guard can do as well, and even do it better and more thoroughly."

Fang Jun laughed and said, "If Kou can go, so can I?"

"That's right! Your Majesty can issue an edict to force the Ministry of War to transfer or dismiss military officers, but Your Majesty cannot violate the Ministry of War's selection rules, much less appoint your own people or knowingly break the law."

Compared to the Imperial Guard, the Ministry of War had a wider scope of authority.

The Ministry of War, comprising the Military Affairs Department, the Military Administration Department, the Carriage Department, and the Treasury Department, was in charge of the selection of military officers, military registers, weaponry, and military orders throughout the country, serving as the central authority for military administration.

Li Chengqian forcibly ordered the Ministry of War to transfer personnel through his authority. These personnel's backgrounds, resumes, and assessments were certainly not perfect, making it easy for them to find fault.

Previously, he was unable to disobey the Emperor's decree, but now, with Fang Jun backing him up, he can act freely.

After careful consideration, Fang Jun nodded in approval, but still cautioned, "Try to keep the impact within a certain range and prevent it from spreading too far. Court struggles are inevitable, but we must still maintain a bottom line."

Liu Rengui quickly replied solemnly, "Grand Commandant, rest assured, I understand what you mean."

Some bottom lines, once crossed, will be crossed countless times, eventually becoming meaningless and almost nonexistent, which is absolutely unacceptable.

Fang Jun said, "It's good that you know what's going on."

Liu Rengui nodded in agreement, then said, "Compared to the defense of the Crown Prince's palace, I am more worried about the struggle for the position of Chancellor... The news of the Chu brothers' impeachment of Liu Ji has spread far and wide, causing Liu Ji's prestige to plummet and his position as Chancellor to become precarious. However, Xu Jingzong's return to the capital has boosted his popularity. Does this rise and fall indicate that Xu Jingzong is very likely to take his place?"

Fang Jun understood the purpose of his question, shook his head, and said, "Xu Jingzong had not communicated with me before."

Liu Rengui's expression changed, and he angrily said, "Has this scoundrel rebelled?"