Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5330 The Ownership of the World
Li Zhi's greatest fear was that after he sailed across the ocean to the far south, His Majesty would order the navy to cut off all communication and assistance, leaving him stranded on a southern island to live among savages and fend for himself.

Throughout the Tang Dynasty, the emperor was praised for his kindness, benevolence, and brotherly love, but Li Zhi died quietly on an island tens of thousands of miles away from the mainland...

Now that he has heard that he is allowed to return every year to recruit people, he is completely relieved.

He had a deep understanding of the island of Tiannan and knew that although the place was too remote and extremely isolated, the climate was still acceptable. Moreover, there were not many natives on the island, and the Tang people's "farming talent" was enough to cultivate land to feed the people under their rule.

As long as there are people, anything is possible.

But Fang Jun's surprises for him didn't stop there.

"I'm afraid that few officials will be willing to accompany Your Highness on this journey to your fiefdom at sea?"

When princes were enfeoffed in foreign lands, they were not truly detached from their suzerain states and became independent entities, acting as they pleased. The court still dispatched officials to participate in their management and, incidentally, to supervise them.

Li Zhi smiled awkwardly, shook his head, and sighed.

He always had a high opinion of himself. Back then, not only Emperor Taizong favored him, but many ministers in the court also looked at him differently. Flattery and sycophancy were everywhere, which gave him the illusion that "I am a wise prince, and even if I fail to ascend the throne, I still have countless supporters."

However, this trip to the fiefdom required officials to accompany him to participate in its governance, but the Ministry of Personnel informed him that no officials were willing to go to the southern islands, as the journey was simply too far, and even the most ambitious official had to be alive to go, unless they were forcibly assigned... Li Zhi, feeling both ashamed and angry, directly refused.

If no one goes there, so be it. It's just a small fiefdom; I'll handle it myself!
Military, government, and finance all under one roof!

But it's always embarrassing to talk about it.

Fang Jun poured water into his teacup and said, "Your Highness might as well stay in Huating Town for a few more days. Firstly, the spring monsoon has not yet arrived, and secondly, I have already written to the academy. If any students are willing to go to Tiannan Island to serve as officials and support the construction, they will be given priority for recruitment by the navy, Anxi Army, and Huating Town Maritime Trade Office after the three-year term."

Li Zhi was overjoyed and looked at Fang Jun with tears in his eyes. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was "deeply grateful."

The students of the academy are not the kind of pedantic scholars who "study the classics until their hair turns white." They have a wide range of disciplines and profound knowledge, such as architecture, surveying, astronomy, transportation, and medicine. They are all professional talents needed by the country!

Princess Baling smiled and peeled melon seeds for the two of them, placing them in a dish: "Zhi Nu has been intelligent and quick-witted since childhood, and has great ambitions. Now that he has returned to Tiannan Island, he should be able to realize his ambitions. Although he is far away from the Tang Dynasty, it can be considered that he has fulfilled his wish."

Li Zhi nodded: "It couldn't be better than this."

Although there is still resentment in my heart, I really dare not ask for more now that I have come to this point.

Then he turned to Fang Jun and asked curiously, "Why does it feel like my brother-in-law is much closer to me?"

He had always tried very hard to befriend Fang Jun, hoping to gain Fang Jun's support and thus gain the upper hand in the struggle for the throne.

However, Fang Jun was quite cold towards him. He was neither as supportive as he was of Li Chengqian, who was willing to defy Emperor Taizong, nor as open and honest as he was of Li Tai. He seemed to dislike or even hate him.

This puzzled Li Zhi greatly, and he felt severely defeated, having always been loved by his father, brothers, and sisters.

Fang Jun smiled without speaking, took a sip of tea, and then slowly said, "The reason I distanced myself from Your Highness is all because of the succession to the throne. The so-called order of principles and laws is the foundation of heaven and earth. 'Succession of the imperial lineage' is the law of succession since ancient times. If it is easily trampled on or destroyed, there will be endless troubles in the future."

He looked at Li Zhi and continued, "To say something treasonous, simply in terms of being emperor, Your Highness might be more suitable than His Majesty."

Li Zhi was somewhat pleased. Although he was no longer destined for the throne, it was still a happy thing to receive Fang Jun's affirmation.

"My father thought so too back then!"

Fang Jun gave him a strange look: "Does Your Highness think that the reason why Emperor Taizong repeatedly tried to change the heir apparent was because he valued Your Highness's abilities?"

Li Zhi asked, puzzled, "Isn't that right?"

"Ah!"

Fang Jun chuckled and spoke frankly: "Your Highness is mistaken! Emperor Taizong was a man of great talent and vision, with a mind that could see far and wide. The reason he changed the heir apparent was because he felt that Your Majesty was kind and benevolent, but also somewhat indecisive and weak-willed, making you unsuitable to be an emperor. While Prince Wei was indeed outstanding in talent, he was somewhat violent and superficial. Only Your Highness could be patient and seize opportunities, and also act decisively and without regard for conventions... You are simply born with the qualities of an emperor."

"Pfft!"

Princess Baling, who had been listening with great interest, couldn't help but laugh out loud. Then, with a mix of shyness and annoyance, she lightly slapped Fang Jun's arm and scolded, "How can you say such things? Erlang, you've gone too far!"

Li Zhi's handsome face had darkened. Ignoring the two's flirtatious banter, he couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and stand up.

"Come, come, explain to me what 'preparing for the opportune moment' means, and what 'decisive and ruthless action, disregarding conventional rules' means?!"

This is simply unreasonable!
Fang Jun slowly sipped his tea: "When I say you 'prefer to be patient and wait for the right opportunity,' I mean that you are best at flattering and ingratiating yourself, dressing yourself up as a gentle, kind, and filial person to win the favor of your elders and mislead your brother into being hostile."

Li Zhi's face twitched. In the past, he would rather die than admit it, but now that he was about to set sail and take up his fief, there seemed to be no need to cover it up or make excuses.

This statement truly best encapsulates his consistent style of conduct from childhood to adulthood.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I accept this!"

Princess Baling was slightly taken aback, her beautiful eyes widening as she looked at Li Zhi.

For a long time, everyone's evaluation of Li Zhi has included the view that he was "gentle and harmless". However, Li Zhi now admits that this was all an act.

Ignoring Princess Baling's astonishment, Li Zhi said with a hint of despair, "I accept that you say I'm good at putting on an act, but what about 'decisive in killing and ruthless, unconventional'?"

What is meant by "social order and moral principles"?
Heaven and earth are the guiding principles, so are ruler and subject, father and son, and brothers.

Does this mean he's too murderous and doesn't recognize his own family?
He denies it!
Fang Jun put down his teacup and sighed: "Now that things have come to this, Your Highness's departure to the sea to assume your fiefdom is irreversible, and returning to the Tang Dynasty is almost impossible. Could you answer one question based solely on your own conscience?"

Li Zhi said, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will tell you the truth."

"it is good!"

Fang Jun asked, "If you had been named Crown Prince and later ascended the throne, how would you have dealt with the Crown Prince, the Prince of Wei, and the Prince of Wu?"

Li Zhi was about to say, "We will naturally be brothers and brothers, and enjoy wealth and honor for a lifetime," but he suddenly choked on the words.

What will I do?
Is it truly true that brotherly love and respect will grant the elder brother lifelong wealth and honor?

Even if he were willing, would his brothers be willing?

What should he do if his brothers are unwilling to accept this?
Should we take preventative measures, or sit idly by and wait for our doom?
All these questions ultimately come back to the most basic starting point—the succession of the imperial lineage.

Without succession by order of succession, the legal foundation is lost, and even if one advances temporarily, one will inevitably face all sorts of hidden dangers.

Seeing Li Zhi's changing expression but his lack of denial, Fang Jun slightly improved his evaluation of him: "Emperor Taizong faced a similar dilemma, a difficult choice between advancing and retreating. If he followed the established order of succession, the crown prince would lack ability and not be a wise ruler; if he made the Prince of Wei the heir, there would inevitably be bloodshed in the palace and fratricide; if you were made the crown prince, although it would seem peaceful and harmonious, everyone who could threaten the throne, whether the crown prince, the Prince of Wei, or the Prince of Wu, would die suddenly for various reasons..."

This has been the situation throughout history.

When Emperor Taizong had completely lost faith in the crown prince, he also weighed the options repeatedly over a long period of time before appointing his other two legitimate sons. In the end, he chose the latter over the former: "the Prince of Wei ascends the throne and begins a massacre" and "the Prince of Jin ascends the throne and gradually eliminates his sons."

Emperor Taizong was an outstanding figure of his time, and he had won the most dangerous battle for the throne. How could he not know what an emperor who was not in the right of succession would do after he ascended the throne?
Just look at how he treats Li Jiancheng's offspring to know.

Perhaps the only hope is that the "gentle and kind" Zhi Nu will soften his heart and not do what he did back then—completely eradicate his brother's bloodline...

In fact, everything went exactly as Emperor Taizong had predicted.

Li Zhi opened his mouth to speak, but then felt there was no need to argue. However, the question struck at his heart, shaking him and making him break out in a cold sweat.

After a long while, his mouth was dry: "Father... was not wrong."

To his surprise, Fang Jun did not refute this, but instead nodded in agreement.

"From the emperor's perspective, Emperor Taizong was definitely right. An emperor who could manage the Li Tang dynasty better and pass on the imperial power was better than anything else, even if his sons fought each other and killed each other because of it, it was insignificant."

"but!"

Fang Jun emphasized, "For the people of the world, this is completely unnecessary internal strife. Why should the entire world be swept up in the succession of your Li Tang imperial family?"

Li Zhi was an extremely intelligent man. At this point in the conversation, he naturally moved on to the topic that had long been the focus of public opinion: "So, does the world truly belong to the Li Tang dynasty, or to the people of the world?"

In Emperor Taizong's view, the world belonged to the Li Tang dynasty.

Therefore, he wanted to ensure that the emperor who ascended the throne possessed outstanding political wisdom and strong military means, so that he could firmly grasp the imperial power, hold the sun and moon in his hands, and control the life and death of all people. As long as this goal was achieved, any sacrifice would be worthwhile.

As for Fang Jun, the world belongs to all the people of the world.

Imperial power is not the exclusive domain of the emperor, nor does it exist to rule over all people; rather, it is meant to bring well-being to all.

Whether an emperor is a man of great talent and strategy is not so important, because governing the country depends on the system, not on the wisdom or folly of the ruler.

This is not a question of who is right and who is wrong, nor is it a question of whether Fang Jun is loyal or treacherous.

This is a clash of ideas.