Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5022 Summer Leisure
Fang Jun felt very sorry about Li Jing's "slacking off" behavior in the "committee".

Fang Jun knew his own limitations. Although he had made numerous military achievements, he relied more on the power of firearms that surpassed his time to crush the enemy and create a "generation gap" attack, which led to victory after victory. When it comes to military tactics and strategies, the Tang Dynasty today has no one better than Li Jing and Li Ji.

The so-called military strategies and tactics are fundamentally based on "knowing yourself and knowing your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger."

This sentence seems easy, but it is actually extremely difficult. Not only is it difficult to "know the enemy", it is also not easy to "know yourself". The ability of the generals, the combat effectiveness of the soldiers, the level of supplies, the details of the military system... Only when you know each one of them well can you use them flexibly on the battlefield and defeat the enemy.

Military system reform requires such capable people who know themselves.

But Li Jing is probably old and no longer has much enterprising spirit. Instead of boasting and offending people, he might as well do nothing during meetings, go home to play with his grandchildren, and write books in his spare time...

Fang Jun felt deeply saddened. Such a "military god" who was full of strategies and unparalleled in military tactics should have burned himself and emitted his afterglow to add bricks and tiles to the glorious prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. How could he be so unenterprising and just muddle through?
"Duke Wei's ability is second to none in the world. This is a treasure bestowed by Heaven on the Tang Dynasty! We are determined to eliminate bad policies and create a foundation that will last forever. We need everyone's joint efforts. How can Duke Wei be so selfish?"

Li Jing drank his wine with a helpless look on his face: "I have nothing to hide. I have almost emptied out all the stuff in my stomach. I have also raised opinions in every meeting. You can't let me compete with Maogong? That's not my character."

After all, being "hidden" for so many years made him feel both disgusted with political struggles and naturally afraid of them. He knew that his political talent was basically zero and he was no different from an idiot, so he subconsciously avoided any possibility of fighting with others.

It’s okay to give advice, but not to offend people.

They are already in their twilight years, with all their ambitions gone. They just want to devote their last bit of energy and retire cleanly. How can they be willing to leave any grudges behind before they leave?

Fang Jun advised, "I'm not asking you to offend anyone, but some things always need to be argued. We should be arguing about the matter, not the person. Why should we be so cautious? Besides, even if we offend someone, what's the harm? For example, Lord Ying is nearly sixty years old. How many days can he still be in the court? With me here, I can always protect your descendants. At least Lord Ying will never be able to harm your family in this lifetime."

Li Jing was in a dilemma.

Although he is good at making plans and winning battles thousands of miles away, he is extremely resistant to "taking sides" because he seriously lacks talent in this area. He has only taken the right sides a few times in his life. If it weren't for his unparalleled military tactics, he would have died countless times and brought trouble to his descendants...

To this day, "taking sides" has become something he fears deeply. He not only doesn't know how to stand, he doesn't even want to stand.

But being in the court, how can one not take sides?

After hesitating for a while, he could only sigh and say, "Since Erlang said so, what else do I have to be afraid of? I will follow your advice and speak frankly if I have any opinions in the future."

He and Fang Jun are close friends, but he also knows that he cannot let Fang Jun waste resources to protect his descendants after he retires or even dies just because of their friendship. When in the court, everything has to be political, and one has to pay something in exchange for a worry-free family.

What he needs to give now is his unreserved support to Fang Jun.

Putting aside the external factors of not wanting to offend people and not wanting to take sides, he actually agreed with Fang Jun's point of view, so it wasn't too difficult for him...

*****
In June, with the imperial examination approaching, the temperature in Guanzhong rose sharply. Li Chengqian felt increasingly hot and irritable in the Taiji Palace, so he changed into casual clothes, took Li Junxian with him, left the palace through Chengtian Gate, and went to Da Ci'en Temple to cool off.

In the Da Ci'en Temple, there are both huge locust trees left over from the former Sui Dynasty and willow trees transplanted when the temple was built. The place is spacious, the breeze is gentle, and it is a secluded place, so it must be a great place to cool off.

Who knows, others think so too...

Riding on horses and surrounded by imperial guards, we arrived at Da Ci'en Temple. As soon as we entered the gate, we were shocked by the lively scene. Young scholars from all over the world came in an endless stream, speaking in various accents, calling friends and shouting. There were even dozens of students setting up easels and painting in the huge square. The whole Da Ci'en Temple was like a market.

After calling the monk in charge of reception to inquire, he learned that since students from all over the country went to Beijing to take the "Ministry of Rites Examination", most of these students were children of aristocratic families, who were not physically active and did not know the difference between grains. It was difficult for them to live a normal life after the long journey to Beijing, so their families sent attendants and maids to accompany them. The fewest number of people was three to five, and the most number was even more than ten or twenty. Merchants from all over the country also took the opportunity to come to Beijing to sell all kinds of goods. It is roughly estimated that more than 100,000 people poured into Chang'an, causing the inns and hostels to be full, and even the post stations outside the city were overcrowded.

Chang'an and Wannian counties were forced to send letters to various temples and Taoist temples in and outside Chang'an City, asking them to open their doors and accept students. Da Ci'en Temple was well-known, with magnificent buildings and many houses, so it naturally became the first choice for students to stay...

Li Chengqian originally planned to come to this quiet Buddhist place to cool off, but now there are so many people and noise, how can he be in the mood to cool off?
So he planned to go home.

The monk in charge of reception said, "The Duke of Yue is entertaining guests in the bamboo forest in the back hall. Do you need to inform him to come and see you?"

Li Chengqian asked curiously, "Who is the Duke of Yue inviting to the banquet?"

"Most of them are students from the academy taking the imperial examinations."

"There is no need for him to come before me. I will go and see him myself and ask for a drink."

The monk in charge of reception: “…”

Everyone knows that Fang Jun was "favored by the emperor" in the past, but recently there has been quite a bit of discord between the emperor and his subjects. But now it seems that Your Majesty has lost all the reserve of an emperor. I'm afraid the rumors are wrong?
"Lead the way."

"Here."

The monk in charge of reception did not dare to say much. He turned around and led Li Chengqian, Li Junxian and his party around the square, passing through the path between the giant locust trees and poplar trees. There were not many tourists, and they soon arrived at the back hall area.

I saw a lush bamboo forest, with bamboo leaves dancing in the wind, and a stream winding through the forest. More than ten people were sitting on mats on the bank, drinking slowly, talking in low voices, and laughing from time to time. It was very comfortable and leisurely...

When Li Chengqian approached, before he could report, someone had already noticed him, and Fang Jun also hurriedly stood up and walked forward to bow.

After the greeting, Fang Jun invited Li Chengqian to sit down, personally poured wine for him, and asked with a smile: "Your Majesty is busy with government affairs and military affairs, how can you have time to go out of the palace to play?"

Li Chengqian took a sip of wine, shook his head and sighed, "In the past, the late emperor would always leave the palace to escape the heat in summer, either to the Lishan Palace or the Jiucheng Palace, and even built the Daming Palace at the highest point of Longshouyuan... I am confused. You must know that the emperor was always surrounded by people and exhausted the people and money when he left the capital, why did he do this? Now that I am older, I find that I am suffocating every day in the Taiji Palace. The hotter the weather, the harder it is to bear. I just want to find a place near the mountains and water to relax."

Fang Jun nodded. Most of the Li Tang royal family had family diseases, such as high blood pressure or heart disease. The higher the temperature, the more difficult it was to bear...

"Although being diligent in government is a good thing, the dragon's health is more important. You should go out of the palace from time to time to relax and recuperate."

Li Chengqian said helplessly: "But every time I leave the palace, the censors are aggressive and aggressive, as if I am about to become a tyrant who only cares about pleasure. It's a headache."

Fang Jun smiled and said, "The censors also have their own tasks. They often do not distinguish between right and wrong and criticize first as a sign of respect. Your Majesty does not need to care."

Li Chengqian also laughed when he heard what he said, and swept his eyes over the faces of the dozen or so students in front of him. He smiled and said to Cen Changqian: "I have seen the rankings of the provincial examinations in various places. Changqian ranked first in the Dengzhou provincial examination. She is very impressive!"

He had a very good impression of this rising star of Zhenguan Academy and nephew of former Prime Minister Cen Wenben, but he was a little disappointed that the young man, who should have stood on the side of civil officials and completely inherited Cen Wenben's political legacy, was instead unswervingly following in Fang Jun's footsteps.

If he were to cut ties with Fang Jun and become a true "civil servant successor", he would even be willing to directly select him as the top scorer in the palace examination, vigorously cultivate him, and give him high hopes...

Cen Changqian said modestly: "It was just luck, I don't deserve your praise."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Stay humble. You should know that modesty brings benefits while arrogance brings harm. I am waiting for you to make a splash in the Ministry of Rites exam."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian looked at General Xin Mao who was standing beside him. "I heard that he has married Minister Xu's daughter? Oh my, I've heard that Minister Xu likes gold and silver things, so he should have received a lot of gifts at the wedding banquet. I have already prepared a generous gift, but he married his daughter in such a low-key manner in his hometown. None of the civil and military officials in the court received any invitations. It's really surprising."

Xu Jingzong's reputation for greed was known to everyone in the court and the country. This marriage of his daughter should have been the best opportunity to make a fortune. As a meritorious official in the Zhenguan period and the Minister of Rites, he first presided over the measurement of land in the world and then presided over the imperial examinations. He was the most popular person in the "Renhe Dynasty" with a great reputation and power. Everyone thought that he would take the opportunity to make a fortune.

Unexpectedly, Xu Jingzong did something unusual and hosted his daughter's wedding in a low-key manner in his hometown...

Is it because he got full during the process of measuring land and presiding over the imperial examinations that he looked down on the trivial gifts?
Or a complete gender change?
General Xin Mao was a little embarrassed and said, "Your Majesty, I am from a poor family and cannot afford a generous dowry. I have not achieved anything in my studies and I am penniless. I am afraid of losing face for my father-in-law, so I beg you to keep the marriage low-key. If I make progress, I will definitely hold a wedding banquet to live up to your cultivation."

Li Chengqian nodded. That was right. It was impossible for Xu Jingzong to change his mind. He originally planned to wait until his son-in-law passed the imperial examination, was promoted to a higher position, and had a certain foundation before holding the wedding banquet. By that time, he could gather the connections of both the Xu and Xin families and receive more gifts than he did now.

(End of this chapter)