Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 168 Su Liangsi

Seeing Liu Jianjun's hand hovering, Li Xian's heart tightened first.

He knew Li Xian's nature well; he had been taciturn and timid since childhood, and Liu Jianjun's approach... might backfire.

He looked at Li Xian nervously.

Li Xian looked at Liu Jianjun's hand, his expression changing repeatedly, and once again looked at Li Xian with pleading eyes.

This time, Li Xian tried very hard to give an encouraging look.

As if receiving a signal, Li Xian turned his gaze back to Liu Jianjun's firm, even somewhat cold, face.

He was breathing heavily, tears streaming down his face, but finally, trembling, he very slowly placed his cold, sweaty hand on Liu Jianjun's palm.

Li Xian suddenly grinned when he saw Liu Jianjun.

He suddenly grabbed Li Xian's hand and pulled him up from the bed: "Good! You still have some guts! Remember your choice! Let's go, there's no time for you to cry!"

Looking at the scene before him, Li Xian was filled with mixed emotions.

He knew Liu Jianjun's methods were almost cruel, but for Li Xian at this moment, perhaps only such intense stimulation could pull him back from the brink of collapse to reality.

……

The three of them didn't delay any longer and quickly made preparations.

Li Xian instructed his confidants to find a hooded cloak for Li Xian to wear, in order to conceal his face as much as possible.

A moment later, the carriage drove out of the Prince of Pei's residence again.

The target was clear—the residence of Su Liangsi, the Prefect of Yongzhou.

……

Li Xian knew Su Liangsi, but he wasn't familiar with him.

Therefore, both Li Xian and Liu Jianjun turned their attention to Li Xian.

Li Xian had just recovered somewhat from Liu Jianjun's "scolding," but once inside the carriage, he seemed somewhat timid again. He only managed a forced explanation because he was too embarrassed to show it:

"Su Liangsi... At that time, I was still the Prince of Zhou. Because of my unruly nature, most of the officials in the Prince's Palace were incompetent in order to flatter me. But he was the only one who followed the law, disciplined his subordinates on my behalf, and often advised me, Father..."

"My father praised him back then, saying that he followed the law and was conscientious in his duties. He was the only person in the Prince of Zhou's mansion who was capable of making great use of him and could correct and assist him."

Li Xian and Liu Jianjun listened quietly.

Li Xian nodded slightly, which matched his rumors about Su Liangsi being "upright" and "principled." Liu Jianjun stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming as he quickly analyzed the information.

"Follow the law... fulfill your duties..."

Liu Jianjun repeated these two words thoughtfully, "In other words, he is a person who is stubborn and follows the rules. He is loyal to his duties and the system, not to any particular person?"

Li Xian paused for a moment, thought about it carefully, and nodded uncertainly: "It should be...it should be. When he advised me, he quoted the laws of our ancestors and the words of the sages."

"This is a bit troublesome."

Liu Jianjun frowned. "This kind of person is extremely principled. He is currently the Prefect of Yongzhou, and his duty is to govern Chang'an. His allegiance is... at least publicly, to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty in Luoyang. As for us..."

He glanced at Li Xian and said, "He's being sent to see a deposed emperor who should be staying in Fangzhou. This in itself is a serious violation of the laws of the court and his official duties."

Li Xian's heart sank.

Liu Jianjun's analysis is correct.

It would be extremely difficult to get an official known for his strict adherence to rules to participate in such a "treasonous" matter.

"Then...what should we do?" The little courage Li Xian had just mustered began to dissipate again, and panic returned to his face.

Liu Jianjun was not discouraged. Instead, a glint of light flashed in his eyes: "People with principles often have their own 'righteousness' to uphold."

"The fact that he was able to advise you shows that he has his own sense of right and wrong and his adherence to the 'right path'. The key is whether we can make him believe and help us in accordance with his higher 'morality'."

"For example... upholding the legitimate rule of the Li Tang dynasty and preventing the collapse of the empire."

He looked at Li Xian, his tone becoming serious: "Xianzi, when you meet Su Liangsi later, what you need to do is not to command him as a monarch, but to ask for his protection and help as a persecuted and desperate descendant of the Li family."

"Make him see your miserable situation to inspire his loyalty and compassion."

"At the same time, Xianzi, you also need to cooperate with Xianzi. You need to show Su Liangsi our plan and strength, and make him feel that it is worth the risk. Do you understand?"

Li Xian nodded, while Li Xian nodded as if he understood but not quite, his hands nervously twisting together.

Li Xian added: "In addition, with Liu Gong's recent death and the imminent transfer of power in Chang'an, Su Liangsi is at the center of the storm and needs to weigh the pros and cons. We may start from this point to make him understand that cooperating with us is also the most beneficial choice for stabilizing the situation in Chang'an and for himself."

"The letter from Lord Liu might also be useful."

Liu Jianjun nodded in agreement: "Yes! We must use both soft and hard tactics, and give equal weight to reason and emotion. We must appeal to his emotions and explain the situation to him, while also making him see the true state of affairs! My son, you've made progress!"

Li Xian glared at him angrily.

As they spoke, the carriage slowed down, and the coachman's hushed voice came from outside: "Your Highness, Chief Secretary, we've arrived at the Su residence." The three of them perked up and exchanged glances.

Liu Jianjun took a deep breath and gave Li Xian his final instructions: "Remember my words! Hold your head high! You are not begging for mercy now, you are fighting for your life!"

He was the first to lift the carriage curtain and cautiously scanned the situation in front of the Su residence.

Compared to the bustling atmosphere in front of the Liu residence, with suona horns playing everywhere, the area in front of the Su residence was much quieter, with only two gatekeepers standing guard at the entrance.

Liu Jianjun and Li Xian got out of the car one after the other. Li Xian took a few deep breaths, wrapped his hooded cape tightly around himself, lowered his head, and followed behind the two.

Li Xian straightened his robes and stepped forward to the gatekeeper, saying, "Please announce my arrival. I am Li Xian, Prince of Pei, and have come to pay my respects to Chief Secretary Su."

He did not mention Liu Jianjun and Li Xian to avoid causing any further complications.

The gatekeeper clearly recognized Prince Pei and dared not be negligent, so he quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness, please wait a moment, I will go and inform him."

The wait was not long.

Soon, the main gate of the Su residence opened wide, and a figure strode out to greet them.

The man was about fifty years old, with a lean face, sharp and bright eyes, a neat short beard, and an air of authority despite his casual clothes. He was none other than Su Liangsi, the Prefect of Yongzhou.

Upon seeing Li Xian, he bowed respectfully, his tone neither humble nor arrogant: "I was unaware of Your Highness Prince Pei's presence. I apologize for not welcoming you properly."

His gaze swept quickly over Liu Jianjun behind Li Xian and the figure with his head down, bundled up tightly. A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, but he did not ask immediately.

Li Xian returned the greeting: "Prefect Su, there's no need for such formalities. It is I who have taken the liberty of visiting you."

He paused, glancing meaningfully to his left and right, "Would it be possible to enter the mansion for a chat? I have important matters to discuss."

Su Liangsi's gaze sharpened slightly, and he glanced at Liu Jianjun and Li Xian once more before stepping aside to make way. His tone remained calm: "Your Highness is too kind. Please follow me. Please, both of you."

The three followed Su Liangsi into the central gate. Li Xian heard Liu Jianjun lean close to him and whisper, "Xianzi, this man is smart. This is good news for us."

Li Xian nodded slightly, remaining silent.

Because he was closest to Su Liangsi.

The three followed Su Liangsi through the simply furnished courtyard to his study.

The study was furnished in a simple and elegant style, with a faint scent of ink and sandalwood in the air. Compared to Liu Rengui's study, there were many more books here, a vast collection.

Upon entering the study, Su Liangsi gently closed the door behind him, shutting out the outside world.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over Liu Jianjun and the cloaked man who kept his head down, before finally settling on Li Xian. He asked bluntly, "Your Highness's sudden arrival today must be for something extremely important. May I ask who these two are...?"

His gaze was sharp, with a scrutinizing quality.

Li Xian knew there was no need to hide anything anymore. He took a deep breath, looked at Liu Jianjun, and nodded slightly.

Liu Jianjun understood, stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "Chief Secretary Su, I have long admired you. I am Liu Jianjun, Chief Secretary of the Prince of Pei's Mansion."

His introduction was brief, but the title "Chief Secretary of the Prince of Pei's Palace" clearly indicated his close relationship with Li Xian.

When Su Liangsi heard the name "Liu Jianjun," a knowing glint flashed in his eyes.

He had heard about this newly favored figure in the Prince of Pei's mansion in Chang'an recently.

He returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his expression somewhat indifferent: "So it's Chief Secretary Liu. My apologies. Chief Secretary Liu is much more composed than I've heard."

Li Xian felt somewhat embarrassed.

The rumors that Su Liangsi mentioned were clearly about Liu Jianjun's dissolute behavior outside.

But at this moment, Su Liangsi's gaze had fallen back on Li Xian. Li Xian was hiding his true intentions, and that was his biggest question.

Liu Jianjun showed no embarrassment whatsoever, gracefully turning aside to make way for Li Xian.

Encouraged by Li Xian and under the inquiring gaze of Su Liangsi, Li Xian raised his trembling hand and slowly removed his hood.

When Li Xian's pale and haggard face was exposed to the bright light of the study, even Su Liangsi, who was used to seeing storms and was usually calm, had his pupils suddenly contract, his face instantly drained of color, and he gasped in shock, subconsciously taking half a step back.

He cried out in a trembling voice, "Your Highness...Prince Luling?! How...how could you be here?!"

His voice was filled with shock and disbelief, and his eyes darted rapidly between Li Xian, Li Xian, and Liu Jianjun.

A deposed emperor who should have been under strict surveillance in Fangzhou has quietly appeared in Chang'an and even appeared beside the Prince of Pei!

This is an absolutely catastrophic event!
Li Xian was startled by Su Liangsi's violent reaction and instinctively tried to pull his hood back up, but Liu Jianjun stopped him with a look.

Li Xian stepped forward at the opportune moment, his tone heavy and solemn: "Chief Secretary Su, there is no need to be surprised, and please calm down."

“Brother Xian… he was rescued from Fangzhou by Chief Clerk Liu at the risk of his life. If we hadn’t been desperate and our lives were in danger, we would never have dared to take such a risky move, let alone bother Chief Clerk Su at this time.”

……

(End of this chapter)