The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 67 is not entirely devoid of practical knowledge.

There must be some scheme behind this.

But what is this plan?
He couldn't see through it for a while.

Finally, Tang Jian couldn't hold back any longer.

He's a pragmatist and doesn't like this kind of aimless discussion.

He looked at Li Chengqian and asked directly, "Your Highness, your colleagues have been discussing this for quite some time, and the requirements for this position are quite clear. I wonder if Your Highness already has a suitable candidate in mind?"

This direct question immediately drew all attention back to Li Chengqian.

Changsun Wuji picked up his teacup, as if to drink, but his peripheral vision was fixed on Li Chengqian's face.

Fang Xuanling also stopped stroking his beard and listened intently.

There was silence in the hall.

Under everyone's gaze, Li Chengqian revealed a slightly helpless and honest smile, and shook his head.

"My memorial yesterday stemmed from my sense of urgency regarding the affairs of Xizhou, and I felt a deep need for a special envoy to oversee them. However, as for who is capable of undertaking this important task..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, and said frankly, "Having lived in the inner palace for so long, my knowledge of the actual situation of officials in the court and outside the capital is limited. How dare I speak presumptuously? This matter still requires the help of all the gentlemen present, especially the merit records of the Ministry of Personnel, and the public-spiritedness of all the ministers in recommending worthy people for the country. I do not have a specific candidate in mind."

When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked!

Everyone was stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.

No specific candidate?
How can this be?

Li Chengqian went to great lengths, even risking procedural violations and angering His Majesty, to hastily petition for the establishment of such a prominent and powerful position. However, the result revealed to everyone that he had no one in mind to choose from.
This is simply ridiculous!
This makes no sense in any political sense!

Changsun Wuji's hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air, and the smile on his face truly froze for the first time.

He had calculated everything, accurately predicting that Li Chengqian would install his cronies, and that he would promote someone. He even prepared how to respond, how to refute, and how to suppress them... but he never expected that the other party would simply say "no one is available"!
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant: Was he putting on a show to appear fair? Or was he using a feigned retreat to lure the snake out of its hole?

Or... are they really that stupid, only thinking about doing things and not about seizing power?

Fang Xuanling was also taken aback. Looking at Li Chengqian's calm and even somewhat innocent expression, he couldn't tell whether it was true or not.

If this is all an act, then the Crown Prince's cunning has grown far too quickly and too deeply.

If this is genuine... then it truly lacks political wisdom, yet yesterday's memorial clearly revealed shrewdness.

Chu Suiliang frowned, and Tang Jian opened his mouth, as if he wanted to ask something, but didn't know where to start.

The officials from various departments looked at each other, exchanging puzzled glances.

Inside Xiande Hall, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The discussions about job standards that we just had now seemed so empty and distant.

The Crown Prince's casual remark, "There is no specific candidate," completely disrupted everyone's predictions and plans.

The silence in the hall lasted for several breaths.

Changsun Wuji slowly put down his teacup.

“Your Highness…” Changsun Wuji finally spoke, his voice steady. “This is quite unexpected for this old minister. Since Your Highness so deeply feels the urgency of the affairs of Xizhou, and has specifically submitted a memorial requesting the establishment of such an important position, how could you have made no consideration for the candidate? This…”

He spoke slowly.

They directly questioned the veracity of the crown prince's words.

Li Chengqian felt his palms sweating slightly, but he kept in mind Li Yichen's admonition—never show weakness, and never be led by the nose.

He met Changsun Wuji's gaze, trying his best to make his eyes appear sincere and even somewhat helpless.

"Uncle, you are wise," Li Chengqian deliberately used a more intimate form of address, but his tone remained that of a crown prince.

"Precisely because this position is so important and of such great significance, I feel all the more that the selection of a candidate must be approached with utmost care. It is not something I, alone in the Eastern Palace, can presume to make a decision based on my limited knowledge. I know for certain that Xizhou needs a specialist to coordinate the overall affairs, but as for the entire court of officials, who possesses the talent, courage, and integrity that you gentlemen have just mentioned? I... am truly unsure. If I hastily recommend the wrong person, would I not only betray the Emperor's trust but also jeopardize the grand plan for Xizhou? Therefore, I must rely even more heavily on you gentlemen, especially the discerning judge of the Ministry of Personnel, to jointly select the virtuous and capable."

This response positioned him as "young and inexperienced, humbly seeking guidance," while cleverly distributing the "responsibility for recommendation" to everyone present, especially the Ministry of Personnel, which was in charge of appointing and dismissing officials.

This both addressed Changsun Wuji's questions and reiterated the necessity of collective deliberation.

Fang Xuanling nodded slightly to the side.

The Crown Prince's response was much more sophisticated than simply saying "there was no one else to choose from," at least providing a seemingly reasonable explanation.

But his doubts remained.

The more the crown prince appeared to be so "wise and righteous," the more elusive his true intentions became.

Chu Suiliang interjected, “Your Highness’s caution is a blessing to the nation. However, since Your Highness initiated this proposal, you must have some considerations in mind. For example, should this person be a senior official in the central government or a high-ranking local official? Should he be skilled in civil administration or knowledgeable in border affairs and military matters? Even if there is no specific candidate, you should have some direction in mind. Otherwise, discussing this so vaguely is no different from searching for a needle in a haystack.”

Chu Suiliang's question was more specific, moving the discussion from "whether there are any people" to "what kind of people," continuing to put pressure on the Crown Prince and trying to force out his inclination.

Li Chengqian pondered for a moment, as if he were seriously considering Chu Suiliang's question.

He cannot completely avoid the issue; he must demonstrate a certain depth of thought, otherwise he will appear incompetent or hypocritical.

"What you say makes sense, Chu Qing."

Li Chengqian slowly said, "In my humble opinion, the key to this selection is not the candidate's background, but whether they truly possess real talent. If they come from the central government, they need local experience and a deep understanding of the situation, rather than just being good at empty talk. If they are promoted from the local level, they need to be familiar with the court's regulations and laws, have a broad perspective, and not be confined to a local view. As for whether they should focus on civil administration or military affairs... the affairs of Xizhou are inseparable in terms of both external defense and internal stability. The most important thing is, as Minister Tang said, that they need to be good at planning and management, able to manage finances, grain, and household registration, and stabilize the people's hearts. At the same time, as the Ministry of War said, they also need to have the courage and decisiveness to deal with sudden border situations. If they can do both, they are the best choice; if we have to settle for second best..."

He paused, looking over the crowd.

"Perhaps we should focus on talents who are good at domestic affairs and good at pacifying the people. If there are sudden changes in the border situation, there are military garrisons such as the Anxi Protectorate to take charge of it. However, matters such as relocating people to populate the border and developing and cultivating the land are the responsibility of the Commissioner of Promotion and Demotion. If the foundation is not stable, the border will never be secure."

This analysis is clear and logical, weighs the pros and cons, and makes a seemingly reasonable and strategic choice—prioritizing officials skilled in domestic affairs and appeasement.

This perfectly aligns with the imperial court's fundamental objective of managing Xizhou, and also seems to coincide with his initial eagerness to advance this matter.

Upon hearing this, many officials in the hall couldn't help but nod in agreement.

The Crown Prince's viewpoint is quite reasonable and not entirely out of touch with reality.

However, figures like Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling gleaned something deeper from these words.

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(End of this chapter)