Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5254: Benevolence as the Foundation
Princess Linchuan complained, "Don't you know that Fang Jun is arrogant and domineering and no one can control him? Just go and borrow the money and silk back, why did you have to speak so rudely?"

She also felt very strange about her own feelings. The worst feeling wasn't that Fang Jun was angry, but that she was blaming Zhou Daowu for provoking Fang Jun to his face...

However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear where this strangeness comes from. Perhaps Zhou Daowu, relying on his status as the son-in-law of the Tang Dynasty, thought that Fang Jun would have to consider some face and not go too far. But even if you, Zhou Daowu, are the son-in-law, can you compare to Zhang Sunchong back then?
He was the eldest son and heir of the Guanlong Changsun clan, whom Emperor Taizong and Empress Wende had jointly chosen as the consort for Princess Changle!

The results of it?
Wasn't he dragged along the ground by one leg by Fang Jun, parading through the streets?
That idiot prince dared to hit you; what are you in his eyes?
Princess Linchuan was actually quite relieved that she hadn't been forced to leave the mansion immediately...

Zhou Daowu's face was grim.

He also felt some regret, because he had always considered himself the "leader" among the prince consorts, and in order to maintain his status, he had to always show that he was different and "dared to say what others dared not say." Seeing that all the prince consorts were obsequious in front of Fang Jun, he subconsciously retorted to Fang Jun.

He had intended to use this to distinguish himself from others, but unexpectedly, that bastard Fang Jun turned on him too quickly. As a result, not only did he fail to maintain his prestige, but he also lost face...

Thinking of the things that made him feel frustrated and regretful, Zhou Daowu covered his face with his hands and rubbed it hard.

During the Eastern Expedition, when the prisoners were being escorted back to the capital by land, a sudden blizzard struck. In order to save food and speed up the journey, the commander ordered the prisoners to be killed. More than 10,000 Goguryeo prisoners died tragically in the icy snow of Liaodong. As a result, the plot failed, and the commander was impeached by the censor, which led to his removal from office as governor of Yingzhou. He was ordered to return to the capital to reflect on his mistakes, which ruined his career after more than ten years of hard work.

Fortunately, thanks to the legacy of his father and grandfather and the favor of Emperor Taizong, he was still able to move among the nobles as a son-in-law. He was also shrewd, capable, and loyal, which earned him the support of many sons-in-law. It can be said that among Emperor Taizong's sons-in-law, apart from Fang Jun, who had a superior status, all the others respected him.

However, his public humiliation at the Fang family today has severely damaged his prestige, and his status among the imperial sons-in-law will inevitably decline sharply...

Seeing her husband's regretful and angry expression, Princess Linchuan changed the subject: "It's better not to lend him money. That scoundrel is shameless and ruthless, who knows what bad things he might do in the future. Let me cover the shortfall in the household first, and we'll get through this crisis first."

Zhou Daowu was very ashamed: "I am a dignified man, not only can I not provide for my wife and children, but I also have to rely on my wife's dowry when I encounter difficulties. I am truly ashamed."

Such was the atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty. Although the status of women had improved, the country was powerful and swept across the world. The martial spirit was extremely strong, and men admired being ennobled and generals and were skilled in archery and horsemanship, which led to lofty aspirations and upright character.

Even a despicable person like Du He was unwilling to use the princess's dowry, let alone Zhou Daowu, who always thought highly of himself.
Unfortunately, his family was in dire straits, and he had no choice but to set aside his pride as a man and seek his wife's help...

Just then, the steward of the manor rushed in and said in a hurry, "Your Highness, Master, the chief eunuch Wang De says he has come on the orders of His Majesty."

The couple quickly stood up: "Please come in!"

Upon arriving at the entrance, they found Wang De already waiting there. He greeted Princess Linchuan with a smile and was then invited into the main hall by the couple.

After taking his seat, Wang De saw that there was no one else in the hall, so he took out a wad of cash from his pocket and presented it to Zhou Daowu with both hands, saying with a smile, "His Majesty heard that there may have been a dispute between Prince Consort Zhou and the Grand Commandant, and that Zhou left in anger. Therefore, he ordered me to bring 300,000 strings of cash for emergency use."

Zhou Daowu was taken aback at first, then hurriedly waved his hand to refuse: "Last time we had no choice but to go to the palace for help, but the money and silk in the imperial treasury are His Majesty's private property and cannot be used easily, lest it implicate many people... Please ask the steward to take back the money and thank His Majesty for his understanding on my behalf."

Wang De presented the money with both hands, smiling as he said, "His Majesty has given an imperial edict. It's not that he's unwilling to generously contribute, but rather that the rules cannot be broken. However, this money is not from the imperial treasury, but rather from His Majesty and the Empress's daily expenses. It's a loan to you for your emergency needs, but you must repay it."

"I……"

A warm feeling welled up in Zhou Daowu's heart, and his eyes reddened. At this moment, he truly understood what "generosity" and "benevolence" meant.

Having heard of his sordid affair with Fang Jun and how he had even been expelled, she did not want him to suffer shame and humiliation because of a lack of money, so she specially sent someone to deliver the money and silk for the daily expenses of Taiji Palace to relieve his urgent need...

Throughout history, has there ever been a monarch who cared so much for his subjects?
He took the money from Wang De's hand, turned around and bowed deeply in the direction of Taiji Palace, saying in a deep voice, "Your humble servant... thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

You treat me as a national hero, and I will repay you as a national hero in return.

that is it.

*****
The matter at the Fang family's side also came to an end. After signing the contracts, either noisily or reluctantly, the princes ignored Fang Jun's invitation to a banquet and left with gloomy faces and resentment.

Princess Gaoyang gathered the contracts together and put them into a brocade box before sitting down to drink some tea. She glanced at her leisurely husband beside her and complained, "Let's avoid doing things that offend people in the future. Although we don't care, we're still family. Why make our relationship so strained? It's so awkward when we bump into each other on the street."

The money was lent out, but everyone was offended... What was the point?
Fang Jun clicked his tongue and sighed, "Do you think I wanted to? It's all for your emperor brother."

Princess Gaoyang was unaware of what happened in Taiji Palace yesterday, and her husband hadn't explained it in detail upon his return. However, after hearing his words and observing his expression, she could roughly guess some of the details.

"Even so, why be so harsh on Zhou Daowu? Treat everyone equally. This kind of targeting is not lenient."

"I must cooperate with His Majesty. If I don't offend people, how can His Majesty be a good person? I will publicly humiliate Zhou Daowu so that he will leave in anger. When His Majesty comforts him later, Zhou Daowu will surely be grateful and loyal."

Fang Jun sighed again.

If he doesn't offend anyone, what reason does His Majesty have to expect the prince consorts to be grateful to him?
Grace comes from above.

Princess Gaoyang was stunned for a moment before she finally understood why her husband was behaving this way. She frowned and said with displeasure, "Why must Your Majesty do this?"

"To be fair, Your Majesty is of mediocre talent and lacks strategic acumen. To achieve anything under the brilliance of Emperor Taizong would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. Since you cannot compare to Emperor Taizong in either literary or military prowess, and are unwilling to be mediocre, you can only find another way. 'Taking benevolence as the foundation' is an excellent strategy. After all, the emperor holds the sun and moon in his hands and the law in his mouth. His words are law and he has the power of life and death. He can be a man of great talent and strategy, or he can be a man of great ambition and diligence, or he can be a man of great incompetence and tyranny... But throughout history, there has never been an emperor who established himself on 'benevolence and virtue'. If you can really achieve this, it will be easy for you to be remembered in history. Even if you were to be compared with Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, or Emperor Taizong a thousand years from now, it would not be impossible."

Since Emperor Wu of Han "dismissed all other schools of thought and exclusively honored Confucianism," Confucianism, while becoming the dominant school, did not remain stagnant. Instead, it absorbed the essence of other schools, improved upon them, and adopted them for its own use. Only a few remnants of Legalism, Mohism, Military Science, and other schools of thought survived, while the rest were completely absorbed.

In this way, the position of Confucianism will be as stable as Mount Tai, unshakable, and will inevitably become the foundation of the country.

The essence of Confucianism encompasses the profound meanings of the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, ultimately revolving around the concept of "benevolence." As long as Li Chengqian steadfastly adheres to the principle of "benevolent governance," he will inevitably be welcomed and respected by Confucian scholars, with great Confucian scholars from all sides vying to debate his doctrines, thus elevating his historical status.

Princess Gaoyang asked in bewilderment, "But how much of this is genuine sincerity, and how much is just for show? It may not be true 'benevolence' at all."

Is feigned "benevolence" truly "benevolence"?

Fang Jun shook his head: "Whether it's sincerity or just for show, as long as we can steadfastly implement the principles of 'benevolence and harmony,' what difference will it make when the final verdict is reached?"

Even if it's all an act sometimes, if you can keep up the act for a lifetime, who can question it?
Princess Gaoyang seemed to understand, but after thinking for a while, she was filled with emotion: "If you really have to pretend for a lifetime... it's not easy."

Fang Jun nodded and smiled, "That's why a gentleman judges by his actions, not his intentions. No matter what he thinks, if he can control his desires, do what he should do and not do what he shouldn't do, he is already infinitely close to being a sage."

What is a sage?

"The benevolent love others" is the mark of a sage.

If Li Chengqian truly followed this principle consistently and demonstrated benevolence, Confucianism would naturally elevate him to the status of a sage.

A sage emperor is someone that everyone reveres and needs.

*****
Inside the Prince of Qi's Mansion.

The snow fell heavily, and the dancing snowflakes were illuminated by the lanterns hanging under the eaves, making them appear slightly reddish, like falling petals.

The study was warm and cozy.

The maids were all driven away, the doors and windows were tightly closed, and the six princes sat around a round table in front of the window. The hot pot on the table was steaming, and water vapor condensed on the window glass. Plates of thinly sliced, tender mutton were poured into the hot pot, and bright green vegetables were washed clean and placed on plates. More than a dozen jars of wine were piled up to one side. The brothers picked up the meat with their chopsticks together, occasionally raising their glasses to drink, and the atmosphere was very lively.

Li You was in high spirits. He ripped off his turban and tossed it aside, then tugged at his collar a couple of times to make it easier to breathe. He laughed loudly and said, "How about it, my brothers? This time, your elder brother led you to make a fortune. Are you grateful?"

Even the most unruly child needs the approval of others.

Throughout history, Li You's reputation among Emperor Taizong's sons has only been slightly higher than Li Yin's. He was truly "unloved by his elder brother and sister." He never received any of Emperor Taizong's rewards, yet he could never escape being reprimanded.

But now?

Looking at his younger brothers' eyes filled with adoration for him, and their willing obedience under his commands, Li You felt an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.

The younger brothers raised their glasses in toast, showering each other with compliments, and for a moment, the brothers were harmonious and of one heart.