The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 1032 The target of public criticism
Li Yan waved his hand silently without even raising his head, and Hou Junji retreated tremblingly.

Hou Junji didn't breathe a sigh of relief until he left the imperial study. Then he found his body was sticky and realized that his official uniform was soaked with sweat.

Hou Junji looked at the imperial study with lingering fear, swallowed dryly, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He once again felt the feeling of living with a tiger. He originally thought that Li Shimin was gone, and the new emperor who succeeded him was his son-in-law.

His daughter was the emperor and gave birth to a prince for him.

With the dual identities of a meritorious official and an in-law, he can do whatever he wants in the court in the future, just like in his own family.

Hou Junji sighed. It seemed that the emperor was the emperor and the ministers were the ministers. This would never change. No matter what the circumstances, they could not overstep the boundaries or violate the etiquette between the emperor and his ministers.

Hou Junji knew that the emperor was warning him today. First, it was to remind him that there is a difference between the emperor and his subjects, and that he must abide by the rules of a subject when around the emperor and not be disrespectful; second, it was to let him silence Hou Gui in order to protect the emperor's secret.

Hou Zheng's three consecutive promotions were an apology and compensation to Hou Gui. The combination of kindness and severity was shocking.

Sure enough, the emperor’s benefits were not taken for free.

On the way out of Chengqing Hall, Hou Junji thought secretly, if this is the case, the emperor's hand is cold, but it also contains warmth. You must know that in this era, if it is for the future of children and the expansion of the family.

As parents, we don’t care even if we lose our lives.

Even if Hou Gui knew that his own life could be exchanged for his son's three consecutive promotions, he would be happy to do so and die with a noble heart.

Of course, Hou Junji also understood Li Yan's final deep intention, which was that the true identity of the Right Sage King of the Turkic people could not be revealed by anyone. The emperor had already told himself with Hou Gui's bloody life that he must never mention it again.

Whoever knows this secret will die.
Thinking of this, Hou Junji felt extremely regretful.

Originally, when the emperor returned to Chang'an, he told the public that he was wandering in the distant Western Regions, so I should have been alert. But not only did I not have that awareness, but I was even a little proud of it. I even mentioned those things in the imperial study in front of the emperor.

'Snapped'

Hou Junji suddenly stretched out his hand and slapped himself hard on the face.

He wanted to calm himself down and remind himself that he should not get carried away even if he was proud! He was still far behind the civil officials in the court. Today, he had touched the emperor's reverse scale. How foolish!
Hou Junji knew that it was because of his special status that if he were an ordinary person, he would probably have to prepare for his death by now. Maybe it was not the emperor who asked him to deal with Hou Gui, but Wang Xuance who asked him and Hou Gui to deal with him.

In order to protect such a huge secret, what does it matter if we lose a duke?
As an emperor, if you really want to get rid of someone, you can definitely do it without anyone knowing.

In the third year of Zhenguan, didn't he send the Turkic warriors who surrendered on the battlefield to assassinate Li Ke on Chengtian Street? If he hadn't shown mercy, Li Ke would have been dead for more than ten years. It was easier for the emperor to frame someone.

But fortunately, as the saying goes, don’t hit after scolding, and don’t scold after hitting!

The emperor's warning to me meant nothing but to teach me a lesson. If he really wanted to harm me, he would have sent someone to kill me directly, just like he did with Hou Gui.

Today's series of events, especially the knocks in the Imperial Study, made Hou Junji, a veteran of many battles, feel a little scared. He was afraid of the undercurrents in the court, and he was unfamiliar with the emperor's current state.

Hou Junji knew that extraordinary measures would be needed to deal with the aristocratic family, which had been their stubborn enemy for hundreds of years.

Li Yan would certainly have a hard time without using the power of the Turks. Next, the court would definitely find more violent conflicts, so much so that Fang Xuanling felt uneasy and took advantage of this incident to withdraw.

Hou Junji knew that his brain was not as good as those of the civil officials, but he could see how those smart old officials reacted. Since a heavyweight like Fang Xiang was afraid, there was no reason for him to squeeze into the battlefield.

If you are not careful, you might get yourself killed here and it will be a waste of time.

Who is the emperor? He played with the entire Tang Dynasty at his fingertips, and suppressed countless tribes in the entire grassland with his own strength. Now he easily took over the Tang Dynasty again. He was an unspeakable existence, straddling two worlds.

Such a person doesn't need any help from me at all, I can only be a burden.

On the way out of the palace, Hou Junji was thinking in his mind how to use the incident of Hou Gui to temporarily escape from the disaster. Like Fang Xiang, he could stay at home to recuperate and return to the court when the situation improved.

After Hou Junji left, the imperial study became empty. Li Yan put down the memorial and his eyes fell on the air in front of the imperial desk.

While thinking about the future situation, consider whether the method just used is appropriate?
Li Shimin left a group of ministers for himself. The first echelon of key figures were only Fang Xuanling, Zhangsun Wuji and Hou Junji. The others included Xiao Yu, Cen Wenben, Liu Bo, Ma Zhou, Chu Suiliang, Du Zhenglun and Yu Zhining.

Either they are not capable enough to take charge, or they are not experienced enough to lead the team and still need to grow.

Fang Xuanling was old, decrepit, and a transitional figure. After today's court battle, this old fox was afraid that it would not end well, so he half-truthfully, using poor health and damaged face to escape.

He only had Changsun Wuji and Hou Junji left. He used both kindness and authority, showing kindness to Changsun Wuji and authority to Hou Junji, and managed to temporarily stabilize the two.

Changsun Wuji is his uncle. Although he is very power-hungry, he is not very smart.

Today, the nobles are trying to intimidate themselves, and other officials are happy to sit on the sidelines and watch, simply because they are eyeing the power in their hands.

This power is both a huge benefit and a source of disaster.

Whether the aristocratic officials proposed to abolish the law of equal division of property or the matter of Gao Yang's affair, they were mainly targeting Fang Xuanling. The law of equal division of property was proposed by Fang Xuanling, and Gao Yang was Fang Xuanling's daughter-in-law.

These two heavy blows undoubtedly defeated Fang Xuanling and removed the hardest and most reliable wall in front of him.

Once Fang Xuanling fell, only Changsun Wuji and Hou Junji were left.

They were trying to win over Changsun Wuji, which would definitely be a blow to Hou Junji. Therefore, before they made their move, I had to shock Hou Junji and tell him not to get too carried away, to hold back and be more careful.

In addition, he is hiding on the side of the generals, so he is not in great danger for the time being.

Originally, Li Yan planned to promote Changsun Wuji to the throne, and then let Cen Wenben serve as the Right Prime Minister to restrain Changsun Wuji.

But they acted too quickly, and Fang Xuanling retreated too quickly.

Cen Wenben had just been promoted to the position of Zhongshu Ling, and before he had even warmed up to the chair, he was transferred to the Shangshu Province. His intention to guard against Zhangsun Wuji was too obvious. It showed that he, as an emperor, was too crude and not confident enough.

However, if Cen Wenben is promoted too quickly, he will become arrogant and look down on himself, thinking that he cannot do without him. This will be counterproductive!
Since you can't suppress it, just let go.

If he gave the entire Shangshu Province to Changsun Wuji, the power that was originally in his hands would only support Changsun Wuji to target him. In this process, Changsun Wuji would become more and more dependent on the aristocratic families and stand on their side.

Since we can't keep it, it's better for me to take the initiative to show some kindness rather than letting them help Changsun Wuji to take it away.

Now that he has taken the initiative to give this piece of fat meat to Changsun Wuji, Changsun Wuji will feel that he has obtained it by his own ability. The nobles did not play a big role in it, and he may even feel that he would have obtained it regardless of whether there were nobles or not.

Next, this group of wolves will turn their attention to Changsun Wuji, hoping to share the benefits.

But when the meat is in Changsun Wuji's mouth, it will be as painful as cutting his own flesh if he is asked to share it. If Changsun Wuji is unwilling to give it, or distributes it unevenly, conflicts and mutual hostility will arise between them, and cracks will appear in their good relationship.

In addition to the aristocratic families, there are also a large number of royal forces and the old ministers of the Zhenguan period left by Li Shimin. They will also keep an eye on Changsun Wuji.

Thinking of this, a slightly weird and gloating smile appeared on Li Yan's calm face.

If Li Yan's guess is correct, then Changsun Wuji will replace himself and become the target of public criticism in the court.

Naturally, he would use all his skills to check and balance the two forces, position himself in the middle, mediate, and then try his best to increase the power of his eldest grandson's family.

After pondering for a moment, Li Yan shook his head with a sneer.

The thing that Fang Xuanling avoided at all costs, Changsun Wuji actually grabbed it like a treasure, without even a bit of courtesy or humility, and immediately and impatiently took over the power of the Secretariat, fearing that he would regret it.

The way he eats is so ugly.

Doesn't he know that when great power is concentrated in one person, jealousy and hatred from the people will also follow?
I am a legitimate emperor, but I am like this, let alone you, a new noble in Guanlong.

Li Yan thought to himself that if it were him, he would have recommended Cen Wenben to be the Minister of the Central Secretariat and concurrently the Right Prime Minister, otherwise he would never accept the order. While establishing an opponent for himself, he would also provide an extra layer of protection.

But Changsun Wuji was blinded by profit and wanted to take it all, which would inevitably lead to dissatisfaction among the people.

Look, before the imperial edict was even sent out to Chengqing Palace, Hou Junji began to feel jealous and secretly looked down on him.

Even Hou Junji, a rough and rude warrior, is like this. One can imagine how jealous the officials in the court will be when they know this.
Li Yan can now see what will happen to Changsun Wuji in the future.

Forget it, since this uncle wants to take power for me so much, let him go! I hope he can also protect me from disasters, so that I can free my mind to plan a world-shaking event and solve the disaster of the aristocratic family in one fell swoop.

(End of this chapter)