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

Chapter 93 I'm still a little worried

Li Yichen retorted, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Moreover, they did not directly attack His Highness the Crown Prince; they simply held different political views."

"Therefore, Your Highness cannot directly retaliate against them. But surely they must have something they care about? For example, a personnel appointment they strongly advocated or recommended, or a policy they promoted?"

"Personnel appointments? Policies?" Li Chengqian's pupils contracted slightly.

"Yes." Li Yichen said firmly.

"Didn't Li Ji emphasize that Xizhou needed someone knowledgeable in military affairs?"

"Then Your Highness should pay special attention to any important promotions or transfers of generals in the Ministry of War recently, or any proposals concerning the defense of border towns."

“When he held court in the Xiande Hall, he asked detailed questions and even raised different opinions, which slowed down the process.”

"Isn't Minister Changsun worried that Li Suli lacks talent? If his department or the Ministry of Personnel has recently promoted an official with mediocre talent, Your Highness can also raise questions and demand a strict evaluation in accordance with regulations."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.

"Your Highness, imagine this: they rejected your recommendation in court, causing you to lose face. Then, when you were holding court in the Eastern Palace, you retaliated in kind against the very personnel or policies they cared about."

"Similarly, based on talent, qualifications, and compliance with regulations, they will be subject to rigorous review, questioning, and even rejection."

"Is this a form of retaliation?"

Li Chengqian was stunned and subconsciously said, "This...this can't be done? Just to counter their proposal? What about Uncle and Li Ji...?"

"This is not acting on impulse!"

Li Yichen interrupted him, his tone serious.

“This concerns Your Highness’s attitude and bottom line! If they make you unhappy about things that concern you, then you should make things difficult for them in the same way.”

"This is a very clear and reciprocal signal."

"You don't need to attack them personally; you just need to make their efforts encounter resistance."

"This is itself a form of retaliation, a political statement, telling them that your will cannot be easily ignored."

He continued to give examples.

"Those officials who are most vocal in their criticism, such as Cui Renshi, are indeed beneath Your Highness's dignity to personally confront them."

"But didn't they have any political leanings, or did they ever try to promote or prevent certain things?"

"Officials under the Crown Prince's command can refute and impeach them for any discrepancies between their past memorials and current policies or rites."

"This is also a 'reciprocal' retaliation. They attacked the people recommended by the Crown Prince, and the officials of the Crown Prince refuted their arguments and recommendations. This is reasonable and no one can find any major fault in it."

Li Chengqian listened intently, his mind racing.

The scene Li Yichen depicted was completely different from the bloody revenge he had previously imagined; instead, it was a precise and cold counterattack within the framework of rules.

"But... but what if they resent me even more because of this, unite together, and retaliate against me even more severely, or even... even petition the Emperor to depose me and install a new emperor? What should we do then?"

Li Chengqian revealed his greatest fear.

"I...I can't bear this!"

"Your Highness, rest assured, they won't."

Li Yichen's tone was full of confidence.

"There are three reasons."

"First, Your Highness's retaliation is reciprocal and confined to the rules. You did not overstep your authority as the Crown Prince, nor did you use illegal means. You were merely exercising your right to participate in government affairs and to offer your opinions and questions on various government matters."

“If they were to demand the removal of the Crown Prince simply because their own efforts were thwarted, then in the eyes of His Majesty and the people of the world, they would be seen as narrow-minded, seeking personal revenge, and disregarding the Crown Prince’s right to participate in politics. The truth would not be on their side.” “Shrewd and calculating individuals like Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling would never do such an unwise thing.”

"Secondly, as I said before, this is a repeated game."

"Your Highness's retaliation this time is setting the rules."

“As long as Your Highness adheres to the principle of ‘an eye for an eye’—when they express goodwill, Your Highness also expresses goodwill; when they attack, Your Highness retaliates in kind—in the long run, these intelligent people will naturally understand where Your Highness’s bottom line is.”

"They will know what they can do and what will inevitably come at a price."

"Clear rules actually mean safety for those in high positions. They know where the boundaries are and won't easily cross them."

"Third, Your Highness need not worry that they will become disloyal as a result."

True loyalty cannot be obtained through constant concessions and appeasement.

"On the contrary, a crown prince who knows how to maintain his own authority, knows his own bottom line, and has the ability and determination to enforce the rules will make those important ministers feel that investing in and supporting you is a more secure choice and more in line with their long-term interests after weighing the pros and cons."

“A weak and easily bullied crown prince who is powerless to even react when his own recommendation is rejected is the one they will truly despise and even consider switching allegiance to.”

Li Yichen's analysis was like peeling back layers of silk, revealing the cold logic beneath the surface of Li Chengqian's fears and doubts.

Li Chengqian remained silent.

He had to admit that Li Yichen's words made sense.

He recalled the indifferent or arrogant gazes he had received in the court. If he continued to swallow his anger, those people would only become more unscrupulous.

However, if he shows a tough side and bares his fangs, even if those fangs are not sharp enough, it will be enough to make some people reconsider.

"So... according to you, what I should do now is not to rush to seize Xizhou, but... but to first trip them up?"

Li Chengqian's tone carried a hint of uncertainty, but his eyes had already begun to change.

“It’s not just about tripping people up,” Li Yichen added.

"This is a systematic operation. Your Highness can take stock of the important personnel appointments or policies recently promoted by the key ministers who opposed you most strongly in court today."

"Then, take advantage of the opportunity of the Crown Prince's audience with the emperor, or through memorials submitted by officials of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, to conduct a rigorous review of these matters, raise reasonable and well-founded questions, and even exercise your limited right to refute them."

"As for officials who speak out, the officials under the Crown Prince's command will be mobilized to refute and impeach them on an equal footing against their past remarks and policy proposals."

He paused, then emphasized, "Remember, Your Highness, you must act 'quickly,' strike suddenly when they think you will swallow your anger."

"The counterattack must be 'precise,' seizing on the flaws or controversial points in their proposals so that they have no way to refute them."

"The degree must be 'equal'. For every dignity they cause you to lose, you should make them encounter as much resistance as possible in what they are trying to achieve. It doesn't have to be excessive, but you must make them feel the pain and your presence."

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and felt a long-lost, tingling vitality begin to flow in his veins.

Yes, he was constantly on the defensive because he had no bottom line and no rules.

If he can establish this system of "reciprocal retaliation," then...

He looked at Li Yichen, his eyes flashing with a complex light—hesitation, fear, but more than anything, a determination that had been ignited within him.

"But...I'm still a little worried, what if..."

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(End of this chapter)