Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 4779 Intentional or Unintentional
Li Daoli's angry aura disappeared in an instant. He turned around and sat back, talking in a low voice with Wang Dali who was next to him, and ignored Xue Wanche who was shouting loudly.

Everyone in the room was at a loss as to how to respond.

Li Xiaogong was so angry that his beard stood up. He pointed at Xue Wanche a few times, then turned to Fang Jun and said, "Erlang was leaving just now, right? You must be tired after a busy day. Why don't you find a place to have a few drinks and go back to sleep... Oh, take this guy with you too."

This was exactly what Fang Jun wanted, so he stood up, said goodbye to everyone with a smile, and left with the reluctant Xue Wanche.

The night was as dark as ink. Outside, a drizzle began to fall. The cool rain washed away the sultry summer air. The iron hooves of the war horses made a clattering sound as they stepped on the wet bluestone pavement. There was a small tavern on the street near the West Market with a sign. Candles were burning in the shop, but there were few customers. The two men came to the door, dismounted and entered the shop, while their respective bodyguards stood under the eaves, taking shelter from the rain and keeping watch.

They cut two pounds of cooked meat, mixed a plate of vinegar celery, fried a dish of beans, baked a few Hu cakes, and ordered a jar of wine. Then they sat at the table by the window, eating snacks and drinking wine while listening to the drizzle outside the window. The streets were quiet on the rainy night, and the lanterns under the eaves emitted an orange-yellow light that reflected on the wet road surface, which was quite leisurely and comfortable.

Fang Jun took a sip of wine and asked, "With your wisdom, you can't say what you just said. Who gave you the idea?"

Xue Wanche chewed beans in his mouth, very unhappy: "I am just honest and not stupid, why can't I say such words?"

"Haha, those few words are so penetrating and pointed to the heart of the matter. They directly lifted the lid that everyone tried so hard to cover up. Many things that cannot be seen in the light were exposed, making it difficult for everyone to continue to pretend to be deaf and dumb... Do you think you can say such wise words?"

"Do you think I'm right?"

"I don't think right or wrong is any use. The key is what those people think after your words have lifted the fig leaf. Besides, you can't just say whatever is right. There are many things that everyone knows very well, but they pretend to be confused. Do you think they are dumber than you? It's not that they can't say it, but they dare not say it or don't want to say it. In this way, everyone can leave a way out for each other and not be helpless. But after you said this, everyone can no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb. The most troublesome thing is His Majesty. He has to reward his loyal ministers according to their merits. Can those who betrayed him be let off easily? Rewarding and punishing clearly is the most basic quality of a superior. If you can't even do this, how can you talk about being a 'wise monarch'? You have caused His Majesty a huge trouble."

Many things cannot be taken too seriously. "Being ignorant is a blessing" is not only a state of mind but also an attitude.

There were two consecutive military mutinies in the late Zhenguan period and early Renhe period. One was led by the Guanlong clan led by Zhangsun Wuji, and the other was led by the royal family and nobles who supported Li Zhi. Each time caused great turmoil and losses to the empire, but after each mutiny, the rewards and punishments were ambiguous and vague, and except for the main responsible persons, the rewards and punishments were not completely clarified.

It's not that Emperor Taizong was confused or Li Chengqian was cowardly, but that they could only suppress the matter with this vague and perfunctory attitude.

The people involved also tacitly remained silent and jointly maintained each other's interests.

However, Xue Wanche's action of "turning the table" is likely to break this tacit understanding, especially for Li Chengqian. Should those ministers who betrayed you be punished? Should those ministers who were loyal to you be rewarded?

How should the punishment be imposed and to what extent?

How should the prize be awarded and to what extent?

Xue Wanche drained the wine in his glass, wiped his mouth, and said angrily: "Who cares? I only know that from the moment I surrendered to Emperor Taizong, I have always stood firmly on the emperor's side, both to Emperor Taizong and to His Majesty. For the sake of loyalty, I am willing to take risks and bet the lives of my entire family. However, now my title and official position are not promoted, but too many disloyal people have been appeased by Your Majesty and have been promoted. How can I be rewarded for my loyalty?"

Fang Jun poured wine for Xue Wanche and understood Xue Wanche's idea. He wanted to use this method of overturning the table to expose everything under the sun for the world to see, so that it would be clear who was loyal and who was treacherous, who was right and who was wrong. Then those who should be punished would be punished, and those who should be rewarded would be rewarded.

Xue Wanche drank another cup and sighed, "I'm not obsessed with power, and I don't care about the rank of the nobility, but I have to think about my children and grandchildren, right? Otherwise, in the future, my children and grandchildren will not be proud of me, but ashamed of me, and when they visit my grave, they will be unwilling to blame me for not winning the honor they deserve. I can't stand it!"

Fang Jun drank his wine, and suddenly asked, "Is Princess Danyang pregnant?"

This hot-head is usually careless and arrogant. Apart from those who are close to him, there is basically no one who can give him advice. The only reason why he can say such skillful words is his wife, Princess Danyang.

But Princess Danyang has never been involved in government affairs and has a very indifferent temperament. Now, she has gone against her usual behavior and instigated Xue Wanche to overturn the table and force His Majesty to promote Xue Wanche. This can only be for the sake of her children and grandchildren.

As for why the couple had been married for many years but had no children, some people said that Princess Danyang did not allow Xue Wanche to sleep in a separate room, and some people said that Xue Wanche had a habit of "breaking sleeves and sharing peaches" and had long lost his masculinity...

Xue Wanche was greatly surprised and asked with wide eyes: "How do you know?"

Fang Jun smiled and drank: "This is not difficult to guess."

Xue Wanche put down his wine glass and glared at Fang Jun: "Could it be that Princess Danyang told you that?"

Now it was Fang Jun's turn to be puzzled: "How could Princess Danyang say that? I was just guessing."

"Damn it! Stay away from my princess!"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know what I mean?"

Fang Jun was annoyed: "Although there is a big age gap between us, we have always been close friends. How could you have known that I am so unbearable in your heart?"

Xue Wanche said: "It's not that I don't trust you, but you specifically target princesses. Who in the world doesn't know that? The one in my family is also a princess!"

Although Fang Jun has always targeted the daughter of Emperor Taizong, the daughter of Emperor Gaozu is also a princess. God knows why this idiot specifically targets princesses. What if he suddenly feels like changing his taste one day?
Fang Jun was so angry that he slammed the table. Although he did not have much moral integrity when it came to men and women, he did regard Xue Wanche as a friend. How could he do such a shameful thing?

"Don't tease your friend's wife. I still have this bottom line!"

"Haha," Xue Wanche sneered, "Then what's going on between you and Princess Baling?"

Fang Jun was stunned for a moment: "Princess Baling... ahem, Chai Lingwu and I are not friends!"

Xue Wanche's IQ suddenly came online, his eyes shining brightly: "So you admit that the scandal between you and Princess Baling is true?"

Fang Jun: "..."

I was actually tricked by this hottie who is known for his low IQ? !
"I just said that I have cut ties with Chai Lingwu and we are no longer friends. The rest is just your imagination."

"Hehe, it turns out you're a coward too. You dare to do it but not admit it. I despise you!"

"...I'm a little drunk. I'd like to stay at your house tonight. You won't refuse, will you?"

"Dream on! I will warn my princess that she is not allowed to appear anywhere you are from now on. Stay away from you!"

Fang Jun was furious: "Xue Wanche, you are going too far!"

Doesn't this damage his image and reputation? This is intolerable.

Xue Wanche said as if it was a matter of course: "It's good to be on guard against others. It's not too much for you."

Fang Jun snorted angrily. There was nothing he could do to him. He could only pour wine and raise his glass: "This is a great happy event. I wish you a happy birth of a son and prosperity for your family!"

Xue Wanche clinked his glasses happily and drank it all in one gulp.

"To tell you the truth, I cried for half the night when the imperial physician diagnosed that the princess was pregnant. How could I, Old Xue, be strong and energetic but have no children after being married for so many years? Don't be afraid of you laughing at me, but at the beginning I even suspected that the princess was secretly taking some contraceptive drugs because she didn't want to marry me, let alone have children for me... Do you know how much ridicule and mockery I have endured because of not having children? I am a man who stands tall and proud, but I have to suffer all those hardships because of not having children..."

"Now that I'm pregnant, Old Xue, let's see who dares to mock me openly or secretly? I'll break his arms and legs..."

"I'm telling you..."

Xue Wanche drank cup after cup and soon got drunk. He did not feel sleepy even when drunk but instead felt more energetic. He pulled Fang Jun aside and talked to him for a long time, pouring out all his grievances.

Fang Jun treated him as a friend, so he did not show any impatience. Instead, he poured wine and acted as a qualified listener, allowing Xue Wanche to pour out all the suffering he had endured over the years for being childless.

Although I can't empathize with you, I can understand it.

In the later era of open-mindedness, a man who has no children will suffer tremendous psychological pressure, let alone in this era where "the three unfilial acts are unfilial and the worst is to have no descendants"?

What Fang Jun is worried about now is that Princess Danyang instigated Xue Wanche to make a big deal out of this. Is it purely out of consideration for her own interests, thinking that Li Chengqian is unfair and fails to distinguish between rewards and punishments, and not taking into account the bad consequences of such actions, or is it because she was bewitched and did this on purpose?

The reason why many people who were previously involved in the Guanlong and Jinwang rebellions have now stopped their activities and pledged allegiance to Li Chengqian is because Li Chengqian has repeatedly stated that he will not hold grudges against the past and has suppressed those matters and never mentioned them again.

If one wants to reward meritorious officials like Xue Wanche, one must inevitably mention where the merits come from. If someone has merits, naturally someone else has faults. The merits are supporting orthodoxy and assisting imperial power, so what are the faults?
Many people toss and turn and have trouble sleeping at night because of this.

(End of this chapter)