Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5281 Strategic Genius
Liu Ji glanced at Li Ji, and seeing the latter's indifferent and dismissive attitude, he sighed inwardly. Although the civil and military struggle was raging, Liu Ji believed he was opposing the war from the perspective of the nation and had done nothing wrong.

If a country is controlled by the military and wars break out at the drop of a hat, is that a long-term solution?

Some battles are optional, and some should be avoided if possible... but when a country is controlled by the military, then all battles must be fought.

After all, if you want to fight, you can always find a reason to start a war...

But what benefit does it bring to the country?

The Tang Dynasty is now thriving and is about to reach an unprecedented golden age. It should seize this opportunity to focus on domestic affairs, building water conservancy facilities, bridges and roads, and vigorously developing industry and commerce to lay an unshakeable foundation for its future.

Fighting all day long will eventually drain the national treasury.

The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was slightly tense.

Fang Jun put down his teacup, glanced at Li Chengqian's expression, thought for a moment, and said, "I know the thoughts of the Grand Secretary and the other prime ministers. They all want to focus on the development of domestic affairs and work with His Majesty to create an unprecedented golden age... However, you should also know the principle of 'too much of a good thing.' Even a good thing is often accompanied by crises. Developing domestic affairs is important, but we cannot lose our martial spirit because of it. As the saying goes, 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' As the Tang Dynasty becomes more and more prosperous and wealthy, the wolves and tigers around it will inevitably be eyeing it covetously, trying to pounce on it and bite off a piece of flesh."

He looked around at everyone, his tone firm and resolute: "If we sit idly by and watch these barbarian tribes amass power, we will have to expend ten or even a hundred times the effort to resist foreign aggression and protect our hard-won prosperity when they invade our borders in the future. Rather than that, why not wipe out the bandits today and solve the problem once and for all?"

Finally, he said in a deep voice: "War brings casualties, hinders national development, and gives rise to all sorts of social problems... Throughout history, has there ever been a time of peace and tranquility? It's just that there have always been people carrying the burden! Since we will have to fight sooner or later, and suffer attacks and insults, let our generation stand up and make contributions, fight all the wars that need to be fought, and leave a glorious era of stability, prosperity, and submission to all foreign powers for future generations!"

The Imperial Study was completely silent, except for Fang Jun's resounding voice that lingered in the air, echoing endlessly.

Liu Ji stared wide-eyed, deeply shocked. For a moment, he couldn't tell whether Fang Jun was truly willing to bear the stigma of attacks, insults, and even militarism for selfless dedication, or whether he was just using clever words to seize power and gain personal benefits.

This guy is indeed a powerful minister; he can't distinguish between public and private interests, or between loyalty and treachery...

Sensing that the civil officials still seemed hesitant about conquering the Indochina Peninsula, Li Chengqian glanced at Li Ji.

Li Ji understood immediately and chimed in, "Imperial strategy cannot be limited to the present; it should also have the foresight to plan ahead and anticipate the enemy's moves. We must not only prevent problems before they arise but also eliminate future threats. This is the duty of us soldiers, and we should spare no expense for it."

Seeing that the two military leaders were of one mind and that Ma Zhou and others remained silent, Liu Ji knew that this battle was inevitable and could only sigh inwardly, feeling helpless.

Li Chengqian then spoke slowly: "In times of war, the collapse of city walls and the suffering of countless lives are things that no benevolent person would do. However, the empire has its own rules for military and political operations, which I, as the emperor, cannot arbitrarily change, lest the consequences be endless. I can only wish the imperial army a hundred victories in every battle, sweeping away the enemy, demonstrating the might of the emperor, and maintaining the legitimacy! But I must warn you, my beloved ministers, that in battle you must be considerate of your soldiers, make rigorous strategic decisions, and even at the cost of more food and supplies, minimize casualties as much as possible. For the wounded and killed soldiers, you must provide timely compensation and fairly reward their merits. If the soldiers of the empire shed blood and tears, I will never rest in peace!"

The ministers looked at His Majesty the Emperor, each with mixed feelings.

These words sound fair and just, but their central message is singular: war is permissible, but victory is essential, and you will bear the blame for initiating the war; I will only present myself as a "benevolent ruler" and act as a "wise and benevolent monarch"...

They seem to follow the rules in everything, but in reality, they are quite shameless.

However, since ancient times, the most taboo thing is for an emperor to pretend to know what he doesn't and give orders blindly. Your Majesty is willing to abide by the rules established by the Council of State Affairs and the Grand Council, not to interfere, not to cause trouble, and not to use imperial power to oppress people. This is already the treatment that ministers dream of. Even if it is a bit "shameless", they will gladly accept it.

Fang Jun confidently declared, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the navy has already mobilized its elite forces, with Su Dingfang personally overseeing Da Nang. We will first take Lin Yi, then land at ports such as Zhenla by sea, and we will surely sweep across the Indochina Peninsula, annihilate the rebellious, and bring them under imperial rule."

Li Chengqian nodded with pleasure, as he trusted Fang Jun to handle matters.

He only instructed, "Although I do not believe that the likes of Linyi and Zhenla can stop the Tang army, as the saying goes, 'even a lion will fight a rabbit with all its might,' we must ensure victory with overwhelming force and absolutely not underestimate the enemy."

Aside from underestimating their opponent, I really can't think of any way they could have lost.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will set off for Huating Town after the New Year to oversee the rear, check for any shortcomings for Su Dingfang, and ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Chang'an is located in Guanzhong, separated from the overseas world by the sea, making communication inconvenient. If Su Dingfang encounters a difficult decision and needs to consult him, it would be more convenient and timely to go to Huating Town.

"Then you shall take full command, and I shall await the good news in Guanzhong."

With just a few words, the emperor and his minister smoothly and effortlessly granted Fang Jun full command of the war.

At this point, Liu Ji also realized that His Majesty and Fang Jun must have communicated beforehand, and that Fang Jun had already persuaded His Majesty to wage war against Lin Yi and Zhenla.

Your Majesty has always resisted the military department's attempts to check and erode imperial power. Why did you agree so readily this time?

……

"The Indochina Peninsula has a warm climate and abundant water resources, making it ideal for growing grain. In the past, the Tang Dynasty had to spend money to buy grain from those foreign barbarians. Although the cost was not high and the annual quantity was guaranteed, the lifeline of grain could not be entrusted to others. Why not take complete control of it ourselves?"

After leaving the Imperial Study, Liu Ji made no attempt to conceal his presence from others and directly accompanied Li Ji to visit the Duke of Ying's residence.

When he mentioned the possible tacit understanding between His Majesty and Fang Jun, Li Ji dismissed it and offered this analysis.

Liu Ji was still puzzled: "Although the navy is powerful on the sea, it is not good at controlling the land. Even if we conquer all the foreign countries in the Indochina Peninsula and send officials to govern them, it may not be more secure in the long run than it is now."

The northern part of the Indochina Peninsula is characterized by its crisscrossing mountains and the southern part by its dense network of waterways. After the fall of those barbarian kingdoms, they would inevitably refuse to become subservient subjects and instead retreat into the deep mountains, launching frequent raids and invasions. This would plunge the entire peninsula into turmoil, and the empire would be dragged into the abyss.

Li Ji poured tea himself, shook his head, and said, "Your Majesty may have made such an oversight, but Fang Jun has always been good at strategy and will surely have thought it through carefully."

Liu Ji frowned and asked, "How can we resolve this situation?"

"Isn't there some prince from Funan? Since the purpose of this war is to maintain the legitimacy of Funan and to punish the disloyalty of Zhenla, then after conquering Zhenla, the prince of Funan can submit a letter to offer his territory, and His Majesty can send one or more princes to the former territory of Funan to establish a state... In this way, the territory that should be governed by officials sent by the Tang Dynasty will be managed by the vassal state, and the corresponding risks will naturally be borne by the vassal state."

"I see!"

Liu Ji then realized that it wasn't that he lacked political talent and couldn't see through the true intentions behind the matter, but rather that he had preconceived notions that many princes would be enfeoffed on islands like the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin, and had never thought that the entire Indochina Peninsula would be used as a fiefdom for princes.

Dividing the Indochina Peninsula into several parts, enfeoffing princes and establishing states, and then governing them with all one's might, coupled with the constant support of the navy, was far more advantageous than the empire sending officials to govern. Moreover, once the peninsula was stable, the vassal states would check and balance each other, preventing any single state from becoming too powerful and threatening the empire's future.

The peninsula was properly governed, the prince was granted a fiefdom with a warm climate suitable for farming, and the potential problems after the unification of the Indochina Peninsula were eliminated... a win-win situation.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "Fang Jun is indeed exceptionally talented and brilliant. He may be a little crude in handling general affairs and politics, but he is the best in the world when it comes to formulating national policies and planning strategies. I am completely humbled by him."

Those who do not plan for the world are not enough for a moment; those who do not plan for the overall situation are not enough for one area.

Those who can plan for a short time or a specific region are all capable ministers of the world.

Those who plan for the long term and for the overall situation are the outstanding figures of their time.

The empire is now bursting with talent, with many skilled in military and political affairs. Whether they are generals who lead troops into battle and capture enemy flags, or civil officials who govern local areas and stabilize a corner of the land, they are all exceptionally talented. However, those who can discern changes over the next ten or even several decades based on the current domestic and international situation, supplemented by political, economic, military, and geographical factors, are few and far between.

There are very few people like Fang Jun who can formulate a century-long strategy.

Looking back, whether it was his brazen intervention in the internal strife of Japan, his resolute two major battles with the Abbasid Caliphate leading to a deep invasion of their heartland, or his current strategy to conquer the Indochina Peninsula... every single one of these actions demonstrates his exceptional talent.

Li Ji took a sip of tea and sighed, "This young man is not only skilled in both literature and martial arts, but also excels in strategy. In particular, his ability to see through the development of the world situation is truly admirable. This is much more difficult than winning a battle or governing a prefecture well. I rarely admire anyone in my life, but I have great respect for this junior and feel ashamed of my own inferiority."

He paused, then looked at Liu Ji and said earnestly, "Differences should be limited to a certain scope and should not be allowed to expand indefinitely. Furthermore, we must not allow our differences to affect the long-term strategy of the empire. We must be able to clearly distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages."

Liu Ji was displeased: "Am I the kind of person who can't distinguish between public and private matters? Where do you place me with these words, Lord Ying!"