Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5190 Metaphysics

British government.

"No deal?"

Cheng Yaojin was a little surprised: "The conditions we offered are already good enough. It's just a matter of exchanging a few naval positions. Why wouldn't he agree?"

Li Ji said helplessly: "As for the conditions we offered, they didn't even ask."

Liang Jianfang asked curiously, "He just insisted that we cannot talk about it?"

Li Ji hesitated for a moment and said, "That's not the case. It's just that the conditions he wanted were rejected by me. There is no room for negotiation."

"What conditions does he want?"

"...He wants me to retire immediately. How can I agree?"

Li Ji was very angry.

It seemed natural for him to reject Fang Jun's conditions, but when it came to the interests of various noble families, how could they rationally consider him?

In any case, the conditions imposed by Fang Jun on him were bound to create an unbridgeable rift between him and the nobles of the Zhenguan period, which was a conspiracy of some magnitude.

He wanted to keep it a secret, but since Fang Jun had resorted to such a shameless trick, he would definitely reveal the details of the negotiation later...

After hearing Fang Jun's conditions, Cheng Yaojin stroked his beard and nodded, "This bastard is going too far. He knows that this condition is unacceptable but still puts it forward. It shows that he doesn't want to talk at all."

Liang Jianfang was puzzled: "Is there really anything in this world that cannot be negotiated?"

Everything and anything has a price. The only thing that cannot be negotiated is the price that cannot be given.

Li Ji took a sip of tea, smacked his lips, and said with a hint of emotion: "Some things really cannot be measured by value, let alone exchanged."

He really didn't expect Fang Jun to refuse, and the reason for the refusal was even more beyond his expectations.

With the "purity" of the navy and the ideals in mind, all other interests can be ignored...

Is this what is called "noble"?

Li Ji boasted of his outstanding wisdom and ability to plan and strategize. He seemed indifferent to fame and fortune, but in fact he was extremely power-hungry. He had never carefully considered the four words "family, country and the world".

Fang Jun’s words “national interests are above all else” have long been spread throughout the world, but how many people regard it as a slogan to gain fame, and how many people truly agree with it and follow it?
Fang Jun said this and did this.

Cheng Yaojin seemed to be thinking about something, and he probably understood Fang Jun's attitude. He was silent for a while, and then he sighed, "That mallet... is indeed something."

Liang Jianfang was confused and didn't understand what he said: "Then what should we do about this?"

Cheng Yaojin glanced at him and said, "They have clearly refused. What else can I do? You are not really going to let Yinggong retire? Humph, don't let your imagination fool you!"

Liang Jianfang was so angry that his face turned red. After a long pause, he finally revealed what he was thinking: "If Ying Gong wants to retire... it's not impossible, right? We can all help Da Lang for a while, and Ying Gong will stay behind the scenes. Everything will be the same as usual."

Cheng Yaojin laughed angrily, ignoring Liang Jianfang, and turned to Li Ji and said, "Fang Jun is really cunning, but he also knows people's hearts very well. Such a simple and ordinary trick of sowing discord actually fooled a fool."

Liang Jianfang said angrily, "Why do you call him a fool? Although Dalang is a little weak, he is a man of great strategy and vision. If we all use our resources to push him to the top, his achievements will be beyond words. Even Your Majesty should consider the unity of us, the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan Period. When he inherits the title of Duke Ying one day, his status may not be lower than that of the Duke Ying today."

Li Ji sighed and waved his hand, saying, "Don't argue. This is not about whether I agree to retire. Even if I agree, Fang Jun will offer other conditions... In the final analysis, he will not agree."

As for Liang Jianfang's proposal, he just sneered in his heart.

Can the British Duke created by the accumulation of resources be the same as him, the British Duke?
He also reminded, "This matter ends here. Go back and inform every household, and it will be over. As for the various details in between, they must not be leaked."

Cheng Yaojin nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, Lord Ying, I know the seriousness of this matter."

Once the news that the military intends to merge the "two major mountain ranges" reaches your Majesty, you will probably have to sleep with one eye open...

*****
"This is a good thing to do. You must always keep a firm belief in your heart and not let it be violated, so as not to lose your way and make mistakes."

Inside the study of the Fang Mansion, Fang Xuanling listened to Fang Jun's detailed narration of the negotiation details, and nodded in satisfaction to show his approval.

Facing Fang Xuanling's praise, even Fang Jun felt proud: "The most important thing is that the navy carries a grand blueprint in my mind, and I can't let those who only know how to fight for personal gain spoil the whole thing."

With the innovation and research and development of iron smelting, shipbuilding and other technologies, the once dangerous and unpredictable sea gradually became calm and deep. Compared with land transportation, sea transportation, which is more suitable for long-distance travel and has a larger loading capacity, is bound to become the most important trading method for the empire.

While seizing wealth from all over the world, it was also able to export the Tang Dynasty's military and culture, expanding the scope of the "Confucian cultural circle" to more places.

The standard of a "prosperous age" lies not only in one's own prosperity and strength, but also in the absence of powerful countries around and wars on the border. This requires persistent pressure on the surrounding foreign countries and Hu peoples both by land and sea, in order to exterminate their culture, reduce their population, and deplete their national strength.

He wanted to use the navy as a weapon to pursue a series of ambitious plans during his lifetime, so how could he let others disrupt his plans?

Fang Xuanling nodded and sighed, "Mr. Ying was a great man in his lifetime, but he still couldn't escape the trap of power and fame. It's such a pity."

Fang Jun said: "Everyone has their own aspirations. Thoughts and power are not the same. Some people will awaken their spiritual realm after reaching a certain position and break away from the low-level desire for power, while some people are unwilling to make the slightest contribution even if they are in a high position."

The greater your ability, the greater your responsibility.

The inheritance of Chinese civilization always carries such an idea: "If you are poor, you should take care of yourself; if you are rich, you should help the world." When one's status, position and power reach a certain level, one will no longer pursue fame, wealth and fortune in the mundane world, but will set his life goals to "accomplish merit, make words and establish virtue." Whether it is sincere or false, one will always pretend to pursue immortality in life, and thus go down in history and be remembered forever.

In this respect, there is a huge difference between civil officials and military generals.

Military generals live on the edge of a knife, risking their lives, so they are more realistic, trying to grasp everything in front of them, enjoy wealth and honor, and pass this wealth and honor down from generation to generation; civil officials are more idealistic, more people yearn for the "world peace" described in the book, and they also look forward to leaving their names in history and care about their own reputation...

Of course, military generals are also afraid of death and civil officials are also greedy. It's just a matter of probability and cannot be generalized.

Fang Xuanling took a sip of tea, sat upright, and looked eager to learn: "Let's put these things aside and plan them slowly. They can't be accomplished overnight... Last time you talked about 'productive forces and production relations', I didn't quite understand it, you come and tell me in detail."

Fang Jun: "..."

This old man is indeed a lifelong learner and is very active in acquiring new knowledge.

Would you like to explain “Historical Materialism” to me?
Perhaps a political economist could evolve in the Tang Dynasty...

Since his old father was eager to learn, Fang Jun naturally gave him advice.

The father and son were talking in the study. When Fang Junyan talked about the ownership of means of production, the status and relationship in production, the distribution relationship of products, etc., Fang Xuanling's eyes were bright and his spirits were radiant, as if he was a Taoist who had seen the secrets of heaven and was about to ascend to heaven and live forever...

He never thought that the simple social relations in daily life could be deeply analyzed into so many empirical theories, and these empirical theories could in turn be applied to social relations, playing an unparalleled auxiliary role in governing the country.

In the evening, Fang Jun came out of his study and took a carriage out of the city.

*****
Inside a brothel in Pingkangfang, singing and dancing were in full swing, and the music had stopped. The floor was covered with the mess left by the revelry. Chai Lingwu and Du He, wearing loose robes, sat at the table by the window, drinking and listening to the rain.

As the wine reached a climax and they were filled with sorrow, they both sighed at the same time.

Then they looked at each other in silence.

Chai Lingwu raised his head and drank the whole glass of wine, smacking his lips, with an expression of both anger and melancholy, and suddenly said: "Fang Er is back."

Du He didn't understand and just said "hmm".

When Fang Jun entered the city that day, the whole city welcomed him with cheers that shook the sky. The entire Chang'an city was shaken. Of course he had heard about it, but he didn't know why Chai Lingwu mentioned it at this time.

Chai Lingwu drank another cup and turned his head to look at the rain curtain outside the window, his eyes a little blurry: "His Highness said that he was going to Da Ci'en Temple to pray for blessings, and he will stay in the temple tonight and will not go home."

Du Heqi said: "Then go, why not?"

Chai Lingwu turned back, expressionless: "But I sent people to the Da Ci'en Temple to investigate, and found that His Highness left in the evening and his whereabouts are unknown."

Du He first thought that the "whereabouts unknown" he mentioned meant the disappearance of Princess Baling, and was about to make a few sarcastic remarks, but then he suddenly realized and quickly shut up...

There have been rumors about Fang Er and Princess Baling for a long time. Although no one has seen it with their own eyes, there is no smoke without fire. And judging from Chai Lingwu's current expression, it is most likely true.

But what surprised him was that even though he knew that Princess Baling had an affair with Fang Jun and had not returned home all night, he did not seem to be very angry, and did not even say a harsh word...

When this kind of thing becomes commonplace and even anger is not enough to arise, it has to be said that this is the greatest sorrow of a man.

Chai Lingwu was a little drunk, his eyes were blurry, and he kept on talking: "I know Fang Er is just seeking revenge, revenge for the blow I gave him on the back of the head... Why did I have to do that? If you had gone, then you would be the one being avenged by Fang Er, and Princess Chengyang would be the one staying out all night."

Du He: “…”

Mother!

People say no? !

He scowled: "My prince is not that kind of person!"

"Ah!"

Chai Lingwu sneered and burped: "Perhaps, you just haven't discovered it yet."

Du He: “…”

You just don't want me to be well, right?

You yourself have suffered humiliation and been ridiculed, and yet you still want me, your good brother, to walk shoulder to shoulder with you all the way?
Not a son of man!

Although he was angry for a while, he did not bother with the drunk Chai Lingwu. After all, they were acquaintances and he still sympathized with Chai Lingwu's current situation.

But... could this bastard's words come true?