Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5061 Traveling Ten Thousand Miles
"Pei Xingjian is the pillar of our country!"

Li Chengqian couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. All the worries and anxieties he had originally felt because of Lu Dongzan's secret dealings with the Arabs were instantly swept away.

In the secret letter, Pei Xingjian recounted the crises facing the Western Regions and Hexi. It was as if a war that swept across the entire Western Regions and even Longyou Road was vividly before his eyes. Hundreds of thousands of people were swept up in the flames of war, and tens of thousands of elite Tang troops were divided and surrounded by the enemy, and were being eaten away step by step...

However, Pei Xingjian remained calm in the face of danger. On the one hand, he handed over all the authority of the Anxi Protectorate to Xue Rengui, ordering him to temporarily control the Anxi Army and the various Hu tribes in the Western Regions, and to give a head-on attack to any enemy that invaded. On the other hand, he personally went to Fuqi City to meet Lu Dongzan and reach a new agreement with him.

Since there is no betrayal from the Gar tribe, what is the point of getting rid of the Arab army?

It should be noted that just a few years ago, Fang Jun annihilated more than 100,000 Arab troops in the Western Regions. The enemy left corpses all over the mountains and plains, abandoned all the baggage, and tens of thousands of people cried for their parents and fled in panic.

Even though Xue Rengui did not have Fang Jun's talent, it would not be difficult for him to hold on to the Western Regions with prior preparation.

The crisis still exists, but it is not a big problem.

Li Ji hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, although Pei Xingjian handled the situation properly and Xue Rengui is very capable, we are still providing supplies to Lun Qinling. Hexi is a must-go place and we cannot afford to make any mistakes, otherwise all our efforts will be wasted. What do you think... should we let Duke Lu stay in Hexi for a while? When the situation in Tubo becomes clear, it won't be too late to return to Beijing."

The others also nodded in agreement.

Everyone knows that the reason why Li Ji was always victorious in battles was because of his steady character and his unwillingness to take risks easily. Even if he had to use surprise attacks, he would rack his brains to come up with all kinds of supplements. He would consider defeat before thinking about victory, and always remain invincible.

Although there would not be any major problems in Hexi according to Pei Xingjian's arrangement, it would be much safer if Cheng Yaojin led the Zuo Wuwei to take charge.

Of course, everyone understood why His Majesty was so anxious to recall Cheng Yaojin, so they only expressed their agreement with Li Ji but did not speak out in support.

Everything is up to Your Majesty to decide.

Li Chengqian felt some pressure. As the emperor of the empire, every decision he made carried huge responsibility.

Many times you can make a decision with just one word, but after making the decision you have to bear the consequences.

Even the emperor cannot bear all the consequences...

On one hand, there is the possibility of turmoil in the Hexi region. If the slightest mistake is made, such a vast territory will suffer from war disasters. On the other hand, the imperial power is eager to break free from the cage built by its subjects. Every day that passes is like a noose strangling its throat... How to choose?
After a long pause, Li Chengqian slowly said, "After the imperial examination, many scholars gathered to cause trouble, and the various government offices were idle. It is clear that the situation in the court is not as calm as it seems on the surface. It is very serious. Some people are still unwilling to give up and are trying to subvert the imperial power!"

Having said that, I stopped abruptly.

Everyone had mixed feelings and were disappointed as they did not hear from His Majesty about recalling Cheng Yaojin.

On the one hand, he hoped that Cheng Yaojin would return to Beijing to consolidate the imperial power, but on the other hand, he was unwilling to bear the responsibility for the possible unrest in Hexi...

Your Majesty is still as irresponsible as ever.

Such shortcomings would not be a big deal if they happened to ordinary people, but if they happened to a king, the harm might be magnified to an extreme.

Li Ji glanced at Fang Jun and saw that he looked deaf and dumb, so he sighed and said, "Your Majesty's concerns are reasonable. It is better to transfer Duke Lu back to strengthen the defense of Guanzhong and ensure the stability of the situation."

Someone has to take this responsibility. Since Fang Jun is unwilling, it has to be him.

He was also depressed, as he had always tried to stay out of things and not be involved in cause and effect. However, ever since he had the idea of ​​"making achievements" and participated in the military reform, it seemed as if he had stepped into a quagmire, plagued by troubles and feeling passive everywhere.

Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, he truly felt the dissatisfaction of several ministers with his shirking of responsibility. It seemed that for a moment, these ministers were going to hang him here and ignore them, leaving him, the emperor, to lose face.

I was very pleased that Li Ji took the initiative to take responsibility, and the previous estrangement was dissipated...

"Then let Duke Lu return to the capital. To be honest, this old minister has a long career and a reckless personality. He is always proud of his achievements and not only does he look down on others, but he may not even take me seriously. If he is too eager to return to the capital and fails to do so, he might really cause some trouble in Hexi. The situation in the Western Region is unstable at this time. If it causes immeasurable consequences, it will be too late to regret."

He explained a few words with a guilty conscience, and even hinted at something in his words. He quickly changed the subject and looked at Li Yuanjia and asked, "I heard that Chai Zhewei has returned to Beijing?"

Li Yuanjia's heart trembled. He came here today to report the matter of Chai Zhewei. After all, it was no small matter for a criminal who committed treason and was exiled thousands of miles away to return to Chang'an without an imperial edict. If he was targeted by the Censorate and impeached, he would be in a very passive position.

If they could report it proactively, the hidden danger could be eliminated. After all, it was Li Xiaoyi who took the initiative to ask Chai Zhewei to return to Beijing. In any case, as the Minister of Imperial Clan Affairs, he was only responsible for leadership...

But before he opened his mouth, His Majesty already knew. This showed that the city of Chang'an had already been infiltrated by the "Hundred Cavalry Division" inside and out, and any slight movement would not escape His Majesty's eyes and ears.

"Your Majesty, that is exactly the case."

Li Chengqian asked in surprise, "Why didn't I remember to forgive his crime and allow him to return to Chang'an?"

Li Yuanjia said respectfully, "He is still guilty, but the environment in Hanhai is bad and the conditions are difficult. Chai Zhewei has been spoiled by his parents since he was a child and has never experienced such hardships. Although he is seriously ill and dying, there are no great doctors or panaceas in Hanhai, so he wrote to the Zongzheng Temple and begged to return to Beijing for treatment. Zongzheng Shaoqing Li Xiaoyi was grateful for Princess Pingyang Zhao's contributions to the country and her care for our children, and could not bear to see her eldest son die tragically in Hanhai, so he allowed him to return to Beijing for treatment. After he recovers, he will return to Hanhai immediately."

Li Chengqian was so angry that he couldn't say anything and his anger dissipated.

Looking back, he, the prince of Qin, was often bullied by his cousins ​​from the crown prince and Qi Wang families, and Emperor Gaozu was partial to him. Princess Pingyang, his aunt, protected him many times. He never forgot this favor. If Chai Zhewei had not committed the crime of treason, why would he be exiled to the vast sea? Even so, the title of Duke of Qiao was not taken away from the Chai family, but given to Chai Lingwu, so that Princess Pingyang's lineage could live in peace and prosperity, and live with the country.

Sighing, Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "It's ok for him to stay in Chang'an to recuperate, but Uncle Wang, you need to send someone to keep an eye on him. Once he recovers, send him back to Hanhai immediately. Although I am mindful of Princess Pingyang's kindness, Chai Zhewei has committed a serious crime of treason after all. If he is allowed to stay in the capital for a long time, won't the rest of the people who have committed crimes and been exiled follow suit?"

"I will obey the Holy Order!"

Li Yuanjia breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, His Majesty was lenient, otherwise Li Xiaoyi, that bastard, would have implicated him, the chief officer, by acting on his own initiative...

Li Chengqian drank a sip of tea, feeling relaxed, and asked Fang Jun, "I heard that you gave the students of the academy a holiday, and issued a pass to allow the students to travel around the world?"

Fang Jun nodded and said, "Studying in the academy is tough, and students are in a tense atmosphere all year round. Not only does it hinder their learning efficiency, but it is also not good for their physical and mental health. I thought that every winter around New Year's Day and after the imperial examination in summer, we would give them a vacation. During this time, they could go back to their hometown to visit relatives or travel around. This would not only relax their body and mind, but also increase their knowledge and experience. It's the best of both worlds."

Li Chengqian did not comment: "Are students still allowed to go out to sea by boat?"

He doesn't care about learning efficiency or physical and mental health, and it doesn't matter whether he has holidays or not. What he cares about is that the nominal chief priest of the academy is himself, the emperor. In theory, all the students in the academy are "disciples of the emperor". Why does the academy have such a major policy implemented, but he, the emperor, is completely unaware of it?
Liu Li said, "Your Majesty, please forgive my ignorance. I have only heard that one must study hard day and night and not slack off, and must get up at the sound of the cock-crow and work day and night. That is why there are allusions such as drilling holes in the wall to steal light, using fireflies to reflect the snow, and hanging from the beam to prick the thigh, which are praised by everyone and passed down as good stories. Giving students a holiday and allowing them to travel around the world will not make them lose their enthusiasm for learning and become lazy. Duke Yue, the students in this academy are all disciples of the emperor and will become pillars of the empire in the future. His Majesty entrusted the academy to you because he trusted you, but if you destroy these seeds of learning, it will be a heinous crime!"

Li Chengqian stroked his short mustache and waved his hand, saying, "Ah, the Minister of the Central Secretariat is wrong. The Duke of Yue has his reasons for doing so. Even if there are some questions, he is sincerely thinking about the students and cannot be criticized."

Although he said that no one should be blamed, everyone could see his dissatisfaction.

Fang Jun's smile did not fade. He was unconcerned about the doubts of the monarch and his ministers. He said calmly: "Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles, and get rid of the dust in your heart. Naturally, the mountains and valleys will be formed in your heart, and you will become Juan E immediately."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was a moment of silence in the imperial study. The emperor and his ministers pondered over the meaning of these words and felt that they were even more profound and exquisite.

Of course, it was impossible for them to have heard what Dong Qichang said...

Li Ji agreed and said, "Erlang's words should be taken as a guideline for all people in the world! Reading is to gain knowledge, and traveling is to apply knowledge to practice, thereby increasing knowledge and experience. Only by applying what you have learned can you become a talent!"

The look he gave Fang Jun couldn't help but reveal admiration and respect.

Everyone knows this truth, but has anyone ever refined and summarized it into such a wake-up call?

Only those who are truly talented can have such an insight.

Li Chengqian was also stunned, and thought about it carefully. This was indeed reasonable, but no matter how well you said it or how correct the reason was, could it be a reason for you to make decisions in the academy without authorization?

Outside the door, the eunuch chief Wang De came quickly, glanced at the ministers, hesitated a little, and seemed to be hesitant to speak.

Li Chengqian frowned: "Everyone present here is my right-hand man, there is no need to be shy about anything, just say whatever you want to say."