Chapter 5386 Going with the Flow and Against the Flow

Chapter 5386 Going with the Flow and Against the Flow
As the year draws to a close, it is the busiest time for the royal family. The number of ancestral worship, celebrations, and blessing ceremonies is more than double that of ordinary aristocratic families. In particular, the locations of the various ceremonies are extremely scattered, and each time they have to walk from Taiji Palace. The royal family members are exhausted and complain endlessly.

Although the princesses did not travel with the princes and dukes, they still had many ceremonies within the palace. Even Princess Jinyang, who was practicing meditation at Xuanqing Temple, had to return to the palace...

However, she did not live in the palace. Every morning, she would return to Taiji Palace from the East Palace with the Empress. After a series of sacrificial ceremonies, she would go back to the East Palace with the Empress. The two sisters-in-law had a very close relationship, but this made Li Chengqian feel very unhappy.

One or two of them are getting close to the Empress, and the Empress is staying in the Eastern Palace and not returning. Doesn't that mean they all think that he, the Emperor, has done something wrong?

In particular, the fact that the Empress resided in the Eastern Palace made the Eastern Palace and Taiji Palace distinctly separate, and the divisions in the court became increasingly serious. The Eastern Palace faction treated the Emperor like a thief, which made him increasingly annoyed.

After the last sacrificial ceremony before the New Year, he sat alone in the Imperial Study. Hearing that Jin Yang had not yet left Taiji Palace, he had someone summon him.

It was a cloudy day, and the Imperial Study was dimly lit, so Li Chengqian ordered the candles to be lit.

When Princess Jinyang arrived, she was dressed in a crimson palace dress, adorned with pearls and jade. In the candlelight, her jade-like face was beautiful, with a delicate head and swan-like neck. Her figure was slender and graceful. As she walked, her skirt swayed slightly, like a willow dancing in the wind. Unbeknownst to many, this little princess, who had once been raised by Emperor Taizong and was deeply loved, had already developed an unparalleled beauty.

Even in the hazy light, there was a hint of the elegance of Empress Wende in her prime…

Li Chengqian was stunned for a moment, then quickly beckoned Jinyang to rise and excuse himself from the formalities. He then walked out from behind the imperial desk and led Jinyang to kneel on the mat by the window.

When the eunuch served fragrant tea, Li Chengqian waved him away.

Princess Jinyang took a sip of tea, her eyes sparkling, and asked with a smile, "Why did you summon me, my Emperor brother?"

Li Chengqian complained: "We are siblings from the same mother, connected by blood, and should be inseparable. Can't we have tea and chat together when there's nothing else to do?"

Princess Jinyang smiled and said, "It's not that I don't want to be close to my Emperor brother, it's just that every time we meet, the topic of marriage comes up, and I'm really afraid of it."

Li Chengqian: "..."

Before I could even speak, my words were cut off, which was truly exhausting.

This girl is far too clever for her own good, and as stubborn as a mule, leaving him completely helpless...

He sighed and said, "I know you don't want to hear those things, but as your elder brother, with Father and Mother gone, I naturally have to take on the responsibility of taking care of you. If you remain unmarried and grow old alone, how can I, your elder brother, explain this to Father and Mother?"

Princess Jinyang's smile faded, her gaze turning deep: "Brother knows my heart, so why say more? Rather than marrying into one of those frivolous playboys who spend their days indulging in pleasure, it would be better to cultivate Taoism alone at Xuanqing Temple."

Li Chengqian was truly helpless: "You know in your heart that there is no result, so why be so stubborn?"

"There's no need to be together every day. If two people are truly in love, why should they be together every day? My brother and the Empress were married through proper channels, yet they are now sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams."

Li Chengqian was furious: "I'm talking about your business, why are you bringing it up with me? Mind your own business!"

This younger sister always sides with outsiders; she's almost beyond saving...

Princess Jinyang refused to back down easily, insisting, "How can we ignore it? Just as you said, Father and Mother are no longer here, and even Brother Qingque and Zhinu have gone overseas to establish their own kingdoms, leaving only you and me to depend on each other. You favor that sycophant while neglecting your wife and son. What will I say when Father and Mother ask me why I didn't speak up for you in the afterlife?"

Li Chengqian had a splitting headache. How could he not understand that his younger sister was being unreasonable?
If he continues to pressure for marriage, Jinyang will insist on his favoritism towards Consort Shen and his affection for the young prince, and will not let go of the issue...

He waved his hand helplessly: "Alright, alright, I won't care anymore, okay? I'm just warning you, don't blame your older brother when you're all alone and miserable in the future!"

Princess Jinyang then smiled sweetly: "How could that be? My brother is not only the best emperor, but also the best brother!"

She is beautiful and pure, with bright eyes and white teeth.

Li Chengqian sighed, "The best emperor? I'm afraid I'll become a disgrace to the Tang Dynasty."

He was certainly not stupid; he couldn't possibly be unaware of the fear of "imperial power" felt by the people both inside and outside the court, throughout the land. It was unacceptable, but understandable.

The nation is no longer in the era when a supreme imperial power was needed to deter domestic rebellions and subdue foreign invaders. Now, everything is being rebuilt, and the wounds inflicted on the land by the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty have long since healed. The country is prosperous and the people are at peace. People need a stable environment to accumulate wealth, not to have a powerful authority suppressing them and holding the power of life and death over their heads.

But as I said before, it's understandable, but unacceptable.

Even if everyone in the world agreed to limit imperial power and build a cage of steel to imprison it, Emperor Li Chengqian would absolutely refuse to surrender.

We are determined to fight to the end.

Imperial power that has been stripped of its wings and imprisoned is no longer imperial power.

True imperial power lies in wielding the authority of the emperor, the power of life and death.

If imperial power were to be diminished from his hands, how could he face Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong in the afterlife?
How should we face the descendants of the Li Tang dynasty in later generations?
Princess Jinyang would not do anything foolish like interfering in politics, so she advised him tactfully: "Brother, you should know that the world belongs not only to the Li Tang dynasty, but also to all the people. The reason why the imperial power is supreme is because it represents the will of the people. If the imperial power goes against the will of the people, it will inevitably suffer a backlash."

She still remembered Emperor Taizong's saying, "The people are the water, and the ruler is the boat. Water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it." Emperor Taizong was so prestigious and had the authority to rule the country because he represented the interests of the vast majority of people.

The situation is quite the opposite now. The interests of the people lie in maritime trade, in merchants, in tax reduction, and in the protection of their property, not in the ability to plunder everything with a single word from the emperor.

Severe punishments are used in times of chaos, while benevolent policies are implemented in times of prosperity.

However, seeing His Majesty's silent and indifferent expression, Princess Jinyang had no choice but to abandon her intention to continue advising him.

Because it has no meaning.

If Your Majesty continues to govern the country in accordance with your style of "benevolence and leniency" and shows tolerance towards the people, it will be in the best interests of the people. This is probably also what your brother-in-law hopes for Your Majesty.

However, with imperial power so high above, every person who sits on the throne inevitably sees himself as the "son of heaven," "ruling over the world," gathering the dragon energy of the nine provinces, holding up the celestial pivot of all things, receiving the protection of the gods, and enjoying the peace of all things. He is a "born divine being," completely different from ordinary mortals.

Naturally, he believed that all people were like ants, so how could he tolerate the fall of imperial power?
However, whoever sits on that throne will develop this arrogance and pride. Given even the slightest chance, they will fight with everything they have, even if it means dragging the whole world down with them.

*****
Daci'en Temple.

Snowflakes drifted outside the window, and the bare branches of the trees whimpered softly in the cold wind, mingled with the faint sound of bells and chimes.

Inside the meditation room, Ma Zhou used bamboo tongs to hold shredded ginger and longan and put them into a ceramic pot on the stove. A pot of yellow wine was boiling in the pot. When the water was just about to boil, he took it down and poured it into two glass wine cups on the carved lacquer square table in front of him.

He pushed one of the cups towards Liu Ji across from him, picked up a cup for himself, and said, "Please."

Liu Ji raised his glass: "Please."

Take a sip.

After setting down his wine cup, he smiled and said, "Your Highness should cherish this moment of leisure. Once you take over as Chancellor, the affairs of state will be numerous and the paperwork will be tedious. It will be rare for you to enjoy a pot of yellow wine and appreciate the winter snow scene like this."

Ma Zhou drank more than half a cup in one gulp and said calmly, "The position of Grand Secretary is there, and someone has to take on the responsibility and move forward with the burden so that this prosperous age can be glorious and peaceful, and so that more people can have enough to eat and wear, and enjoy wine and snow in this winter."

"..."

After a moment of silence, Liu Ji sighed softly and said with admiration, "In terms of dedication and selflessness, I am far inferior to Prince Bin."

He was once well-read and full of ideals, and he was also a forthright official who dared to speak out against injustice. But when he sat in the position of Grand Secretary, what was he thinking and what did he do?

It is about how to consolidate power and how to seize power and profit.

The ideal I once cherished during my school days, "If only I could have ten thousand mansions, I could shelter all the poor scholars of the world and make them smile," has long been lost somewhere.

Power can make people lose their way and also make them forget themselves.

I've forgotten the idealistic me I once was.

Ma Zhou shook his head: "Why should Lord Liu belittle himself? Over the years, you have worked diligently in your position as Grand Secretary, assisting His Majesty in governing the country. The current glorious era deserves some credit for your efforts, and history will be fair. As for me, I don't really have any lofty ideals. I simply believe in 'cultivating one's own virtue when poor and helping others when successful,' or in other words, 'doing one's job well in one's position.' That's all."

"Those in positions of authority should fulfill their responsibilities... Well said."

Liu Ji poured himself a cup of wine, took a sip, and sighed, "But how many people throughout history have truly followed such a simple and universally known principle without deviation?"

The logic is there; as long as you're not too stupid, many people understand it.

But "understanding" is not the same as "doing".

It's true that knowing is easy but doing is hard.

Ma Zhou raised an eyebrow and asked, "Master Liu invited me to meet at this Zen temple today. What teachings does he have for me?"

Liu Ji, with a solemn expression, said, "I am here today only to give you a word of advice. When you were the Attendant-in-Ordinary and the Prefect of the Capital, it was fine for you to be very close to Fang Jun and even to listen to his every word. But tomorrow, when you become the Grand Secretary, you must distinguish between us and draw a clear line. The Grand Secretary is in charge of all affairs and is the head of the civil officials. How can you be subordinate to the military?"

Ma Zhou frowned.

Is this yet another battle between civil and military officials?

Why bother……