Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5204 Helpless
Fang Jun rushed to Japan to discuss the matter of Japan's nationwide abolition of the "King of Wa" and the submission of the entire country to the Tang Dynasty, and has made breakthrough progress... As soon as the news came out, Chang'an was in an uproar.

Since its founding, the Tang Dynasty has destroyed countless countries. Not to mention small countries like Gaochang, it has also swept away large countries like the Turks and Goguryeo. It has established numerous protectorates in the northern border and western regions, and countless tributary states in various places. However, it is unprecedented to incorporate Japan into its territory without firing a single shot or shedding a drop of blood.

Even some details were revealed, such as "long admiring the civilization of the superior country and wishing to submit to the Tang Dynasty to build a prosperous future together" and "the Japanese originated from China and are descendants of the pre-Qin people", which further immersed the people of Chang'an in an arrogant sense of superiority and leadership.

……

Inside the duty room of the Ministry of Personnel, Li Ji, dressed in a purple official robe, sat in the center, with Liu Ji and Cheng Yaojin sitting opposite him. On the tea table in the middle, a pot of tea was filled with a rich and fragrant aroma.

Liu Ji glanced at Cheng Yaojin and, seeing that the fellow remained motionless, knew that he had no chance of serving tea or water, so he had no choice but to pick up the teapot and pour the tea himself...

Li Ji accepted the teacup and thanked him, then sighed slightly: "That Fang Er is truly remarkable. Not only did he keep a close watch on us and forbid us from interfering in the navy's efforts to gain military merit, he even pulled off this move to cut off our path. He's really something."

Why did the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era harbor resentment and even hatred towards Fang Jun for refusing to allow the sons of various families to join the navy?
The reason is that the land needed for the "feudal world" requires the army to conquer and occupy the country. In this process, countless military achievements will naturally emerge. Acquiring only a portion of these achievements is enough to ensure that the sons of each family are promoted to higher ranks and titles, and that the family will never decline.

After Fang Jun refused to cooperate, the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era, led by Li Ji, had no choice but to cooperate with Liu Ji and set their sights on the surrounding territories on land. Although there were no powerful countries around the Tang Dynasty, some small countries and tribes still existed. Although launching a campaign to conquer them could not compare to expanding overseas, it was better than nothing.

But now that path is blocked.

The navy pacified the entire Japanese kingdom without firing a single shot or shedding a drop of blood, bringing its territory under the control of the Tang Dynasty. Furthermore, it automatically deposed the "King of Wa" and changed the system to welcome a Tang prince to rule Japan. Not only did it avoid spending huge sums of money and losing countless soldiers, but it also demonstrated the majesty of the Tang Dynasty as a celestial empire with all nations paying tribute. Its level of achievement was truly remarkable.

In comparison, if the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era led the Sixteen Guards on expeditions to the east and west, often marching thousands of miles, wasting countless resources and supplies, and bearing the infamy of conquering the country and wiping out their descendants, one can imagine the surging tide of criticism from the Confucian scholars in the court and the countryside regarding the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era.

Liu Ji sighed and said, "The foreign lands are primitive and ignorant, and they are all island nations with scarce resources and sparse populations. They admire the civilization of the Tang Dynasty but also fear its naval power. Once they decide to submit, they will be obedient and willing to accept it. But which of the countries and tribes on the mainland hasn't been fighting with the Central Plains for decades or even centuries? They know each other inside and out and hate each other across the sea. Even if they are forced to submit to the Tang Dynasty now because of its military power, they will rebel again once there is a chance..."

Compared to the foreign lands, the situation on land was far too perilous, putting them at a significant disadvantage.

Those nomadic tribes had been fighting and battling with the Central Plains for hundreds of years. They had honed their will, accumulated experience, and learned knowledge in countless battles. Although they had never been as prosperous as the Central Plains, as the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy and you will never be defeated." It was almost impossible for the Tang Dynasty to completely eliminate them.

Even if things go wrong, they could be chased westward by the Tang army like the Turks. Surely the Tang army wouldn't pursue them to the ends of the earth?

Once they have had time to recuperate and rebuild their strength, they will surely make a comeback one day...

The same large-scale military expeditions to conquer and destroy countries would inevitably result in losses on land. Now, Fang Jun has simply devised a "popularly elected" method to bring overseas foreign countries into the territory without bloodshed. This is certainly not good news for the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era.

Cheng Yaojin said angrily, "What a damned 'elected'! This Fang Er is far too cunning and treacherous; how could he come up with such a trick?"

Once the navy conquers those overseas foreign states without losing a single soldier, the merits will certainly not be as satisfying as those gained through large-scale wars and military conquests, but the due merits will still be awarded. In particular, the Secretariat and the Ministry of Rites will also receive a share of the merits, so they will naturally not obstruct the navy's recognition of its achievements.

But playing this game with those nomadic tribes on land is useless. Whether it's the Turks, the Goguryeo people, or even the Tuyuhun, Tibet, and the Western Regions... who would listen to you? Even if you are forced to comply due to military intimidation, they may rebel again tomorrow after submitting today. The meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era will not only fail to receive honors, but may even be impeached and attacked because of this.

So immoral!

Liu Ji asked, "What are the plans of Duke Ying and Duke Lu? Are they proceeding according to plan?"

He hoped that the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era could send troops by road as agreed and carry out a thorough sweep of the Hu tribes around the empire. Firstly, annihilating these stubborn remnants would bring peace to the empire's borders, thereby reducing the number of troops stationed and alleviating the empire's financial pressure. Secondly, fulfilling the agreement would allow him to extend his influence into the military.

As for whether the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era would be impeached or attacked as a result, he didn't care and even welcomed it. After all, if there were too many impeachments and too many attacks, the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era would need to rely more on his power as the Grand Secretary to suppress the civil officials and mediate the situation, which would lead to his continued increase in influence...

Cheng Yaojin looked at Li Ji.

Li Ji took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and said calmly, "Continue according to the plan."

For him, the current situation is one of "riding a tiger and finding it hard to back down."

He needed to unite the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era, so that everyone could work together with one mind, and thus consolidate their interests and status under his wing. Therefore, he had to make some gestures, at the very least, to bring benefits to everyone.

If a major war cannot be waged, how can there be any benefits for everyone?

The new military force represented by Fang Jun is growing stronger and stronger. Many of the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era are not just envious, but many are even eager to defect to him. If the current situation is not changed, he, as the "leader of the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era", should retire.

If a split were to occur among the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era, there would inevitably be widespread panic.

When people's hearts are in disarray, it becomes difficult to lead a team...

Liu Ji nodded: "During the Council of State meetings these two days, I will discuss this matter with the other prime ministers, come up with a plan, and then submit it to His Majesty as a suggestion."

Li Ji said, “The positions of the prime ministers are complex and their interests are different, so it is not easy to reach a consensus. If there is anything I can do to help, please tell me frankly. Now that we are sticking together for warmth, we should work together to eliminate our differences.”

The Council of State Affairs is no longer the domain of any one person. Liu Ji speaks lightly, but getting the Council to pass a resolution to wage war against the surrounding nomadic tribes and foreign states is extremely difficult. However, with the help of meritorious officials from the Zhenguan era, the situation would be very different.

Ultimately, the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan era were the highest power class in this empire, with interests involving all aspects, including the imperial family, aristocratic families, and the military. Perhaps they were no longer as glorious as they were at the beginning of the Zhenguan era, but their influence was deep-rooted and not to be underestimated.

Upon hearing this, Liu Ji smiled wryly and said, "Lord Ying has keen insight and keen observation... I am indeed finding it difficult to move forward in the Hall of State Affairs. With Lord Ying's help, I will do my best to live up to your high expectations."

……

After Liu Ji left, Cheng Yaojin took a sip of tea and said disdainfully, "That old man is a treacherous fellow. We must be wary of him, lest he betray us when it matters."

He had always looked down on Liu Ji, believing that this man was not as virtuous as Fang Xuanling, not as talented as Du Ruhui, not as respected as Xiao Yu, and not as ambitious as Ma Zhou... The reason he became the Grand Secretary and the head of the prime ministers was simply because the important officials in the court were getting old and the talents were dwindling.

If Li Ji hadn't worried about the tree standing out in the forest and the mound rising above the bank, Liu Ji wouldn't have had any chance.
Li Ji initially concealed his talents, maintaining an image of quiet indifference and detachment from fame and fortune. However, the changing situation caught him off guard, allowing Fang Jun to rise unexpectedly and eventually surpass him...

Smart is mistaken by smart.

Li Ji and Cheng Yaojin had been partners for many years and knew each other well. Just by looking at Cheng Yaojin's eyes, Li Ji knew that although Cheng Yaojin was talking about Liu Ji, he was probably thinking badly about him. Li Ji said irritably, "I used to think you were smart, but it turns out you are smart to some extent, but not much! The current situation is that if we want to pave a golden road for our descendants and ensure that our wealth and power last for a hundred years, we will definitely have to rely on Liu Ji. What does it matter whether he is treacherous or not?"

Cheng Yaojin shook his head and sighed, "Who knew it would come to this?"

Immediately, he said with great frustration, "Since ancient times, when faced with the struggle for succession, the best thing for civil and military officials is to take a neutral stance, remaining impartial and not taking sides. As long as they hold onto power tightly, whoever comes to power will have to give us important positions. But who would have thought that this time it would be our turn, and neutrality would become a crime?"

Li Ji poured himself a cup of tea and found it had gone cold. He simply drank it all in one gulp, feeling somewhat helpless: "Times change, things are constantly evolving. What principles remain unchanged throughout history? The ironclad rules of the past are no longer reliable when the time, place, or people are different. Neutrality is a safe approach, and anyone who comes to power must be courted to ensure an advantage. However, at the same time, it may also lead to dissatisfaction from various parties. When I needed you, you were indifferent. Now that I'm in power, I naturally want to retaliate against you."

He couldn't help but recall a statement Fang Jun had once made, which he considered a "joke"—"Loyalty that is not absolute is absolutely disloyal."

Now that a grave mistake has been made, how difficult it is to turn things around.

(End of this chapter)