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

Chapter 180 The Uprising of the Li Tang Imperial Family (Part 1)

King Han, Li Yuanjia; King Huo, Li Yuangui.

Unlike their previous visit, which was characterized by veiled and cryptic probing, this time the two uncles looked much more serious, their brows furrowed with a resolute determination to go all out.

After the guests and hosts took their seats and exchanged brief pleasantries, the atmosphere quickly became subdued.

Prince Li Yuanjia, the eleventh son of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, was the most senior and prestigious member of the imperial clan. He spoke first, his voice low: "Nephew Prince, what is your opinion on the matter in Luoyang?"

Li Xian's heart skipped a beat, knowing that what was coming was inevitable.

He carefully chose his words and replied cautiously, "The Holy Mother Divine Emperor receiving the Tu Luo River is a grand ceremony of the court. As your nephew, I am ordered to go there, and I will certainly uphold my duties as a subject."

"The loyalty of a subject?" Prince Huo, Li Yuangui, sneered. He was hot-tempered and not as composed as Prince Han. "When has Wu Meiniang ever talked about loyalty? The emperor is still alive, yet she calls herself the Divine Empress. Where does that leave Dan'er? Where does that leave us, the Li Tang imperial family? This is clearly a cuckoo taking over the nest and pressing us step by step!"

Li Xian was secretly astonished upon hearing this.

Li Xian was naturally aware of the title "Wu Zetian" (武皇后媚娘).

This name was bestowed upon Empress Wu by Emperor Taizong when she was still a concubine. After Empress Wu and Emperor Gaozong got together, this name was rarely mentioned.

The name "Meiniang" implies that the girl is charming and beautiful, but this name should not be taken too seriously. Firstly, "Wu Meiniang" is the name of a popular folk song from the Sui Dynasty, which is not dignified. Secondly, the name represents a kind of affection, a master's affection for his beloved servant.

In Liu Jianjun's words, this name is like the Xiaomei and Xiaohua names he gave to his cats and dogs.

Therefore, Empress Wu always regarded this name as a disgrace.

At this moment, the King of Han reminded him, "Brother, be careful what you say!"

But his gaze was fixed on Li Xian. “Nephew Xian, there are no outsiders here. We don’t need to beat around the bush anymore. The situation is clear now. She has summoned the royal family to Luoyang under the guise of a ceremony to receive the map, but it is actually a trap! We are afraid that our journey will be more dangerous than safe.”

Li Xian remained silent, knowing that what his uncle said was true.

A suffocating sense of oppression filled the air.

The King of Han leaned forward, lowered his voice, and spoke with unprecedented seriousness: "Nephew, you are the eldest son of Emperor Gaozong, and once served as the Crown Prince. Your title still stands."

"The Li Tang dynasty is now in grave danger, and every member of the imperial family is living in fear. It is not the time to sit idly by and wait for death. I have secretly contacted your Uncle Huo, as well as Prince Yue (Li Zhen), Prince Lu (Li Lingkui), and others. We cannot stand by and watch the Wu clan usurp our Li family's throne!"

Li Xian's heart sank; his worst fears had come true. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself: "Uncle Wang's intention is..."

"Purge the court of corrupt officials and restore the nation!" Prince Huo, Li Yuangui, said resolutely. "Wu Zetian's tyrannical actions are outrageous and abhorrent to both heaven and man! As long as we members of the imperial family join forces and raise our voices, loyal and righteous men from all over the land will surely rally to our cause! My virtuous nephew, you have a reputation for wisdom. At this critical moment of life and death, you should step forward and carry on the legacy of our ancestors!"

The message couldn't be clearer: they wanted to drag him into a rebellion.

Li Xian felt a chill run from his feet to the top of his head, and his palms were sweating. He subconsciously thought of Liu Jianjun's usual analysis: Empress Wu was now all-powerful, controlling the army and public opinion, and the success rate of starting a rebellion at this time was extremely low.

“My two uncles,” Li Xian tried to keep his voice steady, “Empress Dowager… The Emperor now holds immense power, the Imperial Guards are all under his control, and all the prefectures and counties in the land obey his orders. Although we are willing, we are powerless. To start an uprising hastily would be like throwing an egg against a rock, which is probably not a good strategy.”

King Li Yuanjia of Han sighed, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

But he still advised, “Nephew, how could we not know your concerns? However, sitting and waiting for death is a dead end! Her summons this time is to lure us into a trap. At that time, we may be stripped of our titles, exiled, or even… How can we just offer our necks to be slaughtered? Rather than surrendering, we should fight back! As long as the plan is well-thought-out, we may not be without a chance of winning.”

“Yes, Your Highness!” Prince Huo interjected, “Are you really willing to watch the empire that our father worked so hard to build change hands? Are you willing to watch us, the descendants of the Li Tang dynasty, depend on others for our lives and even risk our own survival?”

The two uncles spoke earnestly, even with a touch of tragic solemnity.

Li Xian could sense their loyalty to the Tang Dynasty and their deep sense of crisis.

For a moment, he was almost infected by this emotion, and a surge of passion welled up in his heart.

As a descendant of the Li Tang dynasty, upholding the nation seemed to be his innate responsibility.

But then, Liu Jianjun's nonchalant yet incredibly clear-headed voice seemed to echo in my ears: "A head-on confrontation is suicide... She's incurred the wrath of heaven and earth... Let's sit back and watch her rise to power... Time is on our side... Let's wait until she gets senile..."

Reason ultimately prevailed over impulse.

Li Xian stood up, bowed deeply to his two uncles, and said in a firm but sorrowful tone: "The loyalty and courage of my two uncles are evident to heaven and earth, and I feel deeply for them."

"However, the time is not right now. The disparity in strength between us and the enemy is too great. If we act rashly, not only will we fail to save the country, but we will also bring about our own destruction, causing pain to our loved ones and joy to our enemies."

"In my opinion, the best course of action at present is to conceal our strength and bide our time... I urge Uncle Wang to reconsider!"

Having said that, it was a clear refusal.

King Han and King Huo exchanged a glance, their faces revealing disappointment and solemnity.

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

After a long silence, King Li Yuanjia of Han slowly rose, glanced at Li Xian with a complex expression, and finally let out a long sigh: "So be it. Everyone has their own ambitions, and we cannot force them. Nephew Li Xian, you should take care of yourself. These words I spoke today have entered your ears. I hope you... will be careful, very careful."

Having said that, the two uncles said no more, turned and left, their backs carrying a sense of desperate determination and indescribable loneliness.

Li Xian stood alone in the hall, gazing in the direction they had left, his heart unable to find peace for a long time.

It was only after a long time that Liu Jianjun's voice came to my ears: "Xianzi, you've worked hard."

Looking up, Liu Jianjun's dark face came into view.

Li Xian gave a wry smile and said, "Liu Jianjun, are Uncle Wang and the others really incapable of succeeding?"

Liu Jianjun patted him on the shoulder, sat down to the side, and instead of immediately answering Li Xian's message, said, "Do you feel a little guilty because your Uncle Wang and the others spoke so righteously and solemnly, while you seemed like a coward in comparison?"

Li Xian heard Liu Jianjun's nonsensical description again, but still nodded and honestly replied, "That's true to some extent."

Li Xian didn't know how to describe the feeling in his heart.

His long-standing education instilled in him the belief that loyal ministers and martyrs should step forward when the country is in peril, even if they know it is impossible, so that they can leave their mark on history and live a life without regrets.

Just like when he was in Bazhou, he would rather die to prove his innocence than live a life of dishonor.

But Liu Jianjun is different. He insists on the principle that "only by surviving can there be a future." Although it sounds pathetic, upon closer examination, it is the most realistic, and perhaps even the only correct, choice at present.

This sense of cognitive dissonance caused him great distress.

Seeing his furrowed brows, Liu Jianjun unusually abandoned his usual nonchalant expression.

His tone became more serious: "My dear son, I know you're feeling awkward and frustrated, aren't you? You feel like how a descendant of Emperor Taizong and the eldest son of Emperor Gaozong has been reduced to hiding like a coward?"

Li Xian sighed and acquiesced.

“Then let me ask you,” Liu Jianjun leaned closer, lowering his voice, “Do you think that dying young like your elder brother Li Hong, dying in the Eastern Palace, or being deposed as crown prince and exiled to Bazhou like you were before, or even like your two deceased half-brothers… such a ‘jade shattering’ would bring any real benefit to the Li Tang dynasty?”

"Have you mentioned Li Wei and Li Ming since?"

Li Xian shuddered, his face turning slightly pale.

Liu Jianjun's words were like a dull knife, stabbing at the most painful scars in his heart.

"No." Liu Jianjun answered himself, his tone resolute. "On the contrary, it will only cause pain to loved ones and joy to enemies, making it easier for your mother to clear obstacles. The so-called 'jade shattering' is about shattering the direct bloodline of you Li family members, and making it a stepping stone for her Wu family to rise to power. What use is this kind of 'loyalty' to you?"

"Therefore, my wise son."

Liu Jianjun turned Li Xian's head back with both hands, looking directly into Li Xian's eyes. "You're not a coward, you're clear-headed. In the face of an absolute disparity in strength, so-called 'loyalty and bravery' and 'righteousness' can only bring you a tragic reputation and a pile of bones; they can't change anything."

"You rejected them, not out of cowardice, but to protect yourself, and even more so... to preserve a seed for the Li Tang dynasty to possibly turn the tide."

Liu Jianjun held his face in his hands, a gesture that Li Xian found somewhat difficult to explain.

“I…I know, that’s why I refused the two uncles just now.”

He broke free, lowered his head, and murmured, "But I still feel a little uncomfortable."

Liu Jianjun withdrew his hand, not minding at all. Instead, he nodded understandingly: "It's right that you feel uncomfortable. It means you still have a conscience and are a person who values ​​relationships. If you could feel at ease or even happy after hearing what Uncle Wang and the others said, then I really need to consider whether I've followed the wrong person."

Li Xian glared at him angrily and said, "You're following the wrong person even though you're following them! You said yourself that if you weren't leaving, you'd follow me!"

Liu Jianjun rolled his eyes, reverting to his usual nonchalant demeanor, and said, "Let me tell you something that will ease your guilt: your Li Tang imperial family's attempt to restore order this time is doomed to failure, perhaps even faster than the Yangzhou rebellion!"

Li Xian was puzzled and asked, "Why?"

In his view, the Yangzhou rebellion had already gathered 100,000 people by simply raising his own banner, but now, it was the entire... or rather, most of the Li Tang imperial family who were rebelling. Why would they lose even faster?

"First, your mother's strength is now far greater than before. Second, even those people could see that Luo Tu was a trap set by Empress Wu. How could your mother not prepare in advance? At least she was caught off guard during the Yangzhou rebellion. This time, these people are just eagerly walking into your mother's cage."

"Third, and most importantly... there are too many people."

"There are too many people?" Li Xian asked, puzzled.

"Look at this! Emperor Gaozu has four sons still alive, Emperor Taizong has two sons still alive, and then there are their sons and grandsons... With so many people, is this a rebellion or a banquet?"

Li Xian was still puzzled and asked, "Doesn't having more people... give us more power?"

"Have you ever thought that the more people there are, the more trouble will arise?" Liu Jianjun gave Li Xian a meaningful look and said, "When I was trying to win over Shangguan Wan'er and Di Renjie, I said that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to people."

“Look at the Li Tang imperial family again. Not only is it a mixed bag, but there are also a bunch of good-for-nothing second- or third-generation rich kids who just want to live off others. If any one of them makes a mistake, do you think this matter can succeed?”

As Liu Jianjun spoke, he casually grabbed a handful of dried fruit from the fruit plate next to him and placed them on the table like chess pieces, one here and one there.

"Look, the King of Han, the King of Huo, the King of Yue, the King of Lu... these are the leaders, they have some courage and determination, right?"

Li Xian nodded.

"But what about their own households? Sons, sons-in-law, grandsons, nephews, and their retainers and officials—so many people, can they all be of one mind?"

"Some people really want to make a name for themselves by following the leader, some may just want to get some benefits along the way, and some may be completely coerced and are terrified."

Liu Jianjun pointed to the scattered dried fruits with his finger: "With so many people, contacting them is a huge problem."

"How can we keep it a secret? Today you come to my house for drinks, tomorrow I go hunting at his estate. Do you really think people in Luoyang are blind and deaf? Your mother's men may not be very useful, but they all got their positions by reporting secrets. Their noses are sharper than dogs!"

He picked up a dried fruit and weighed it in his hand: "Besides, even if we manage to make contact, how can we maintain unified command? Who will listen to whom?"
"King Han is of high seniority, King Huo is impatient, and King Yue..."

"Hey, when things really come to a head, will they split up and advance separately or join forces? Will they attack the city or hold it? How will they allocate supplies and provisions? These princes are used to a life of luxury, and the biggest battle they've ever commanded is probably a hunting expedition. Are they really going to coordinate such a large-scale military operation?"

Liu Jianjun scoffed, tossing the dried fruit back into the plate with a crisp sound: "I'm afraid the order hasn't even left the palace yet, and the people are already arguing among themselves. It's like stringing tofu together with hemp rope; it looks like a string, but if you lift it lightly, it'll all fall apart!"

As Li Xian listened, his expression grew increasingly grave.

What Liu Jianjun said are all very real problems. The uprising of the royal family sounds impressive, but in practice, it is indeed complicated and full of loopholes.

"So, no matter what your Uncle Wang gang does, you have to stay calm, remember our plan, and survive."

Liu Jianjun clapped his hands and stood up: "Alright, I'll go check on Aisha's cottonseed oil extraction project to see if there's any progress."

……

It must be said that the rebellion of the Wang brothers was quite a large-scale affair.

Their first step was for Prince Huo, Li Yuangui, to write threatening letters to intimidate the princes of the royal family, including Li Xian. They all received similar threatening letters: "My wife's illness is getting worse and she needs to be treated as soon as possible. If it continues until winter, it may become a chronic disease. We should act quickly and report back immediately."

This seems like an ordinary family letter, saying that my wife is sick, and quite seriously so, and needs to be treated as soon as possible. If it is delayed until this year, she may not be able to be cured. So we need to take action as soon as possible. After you receive this letter, please give me a reply.

But in reality, it was a secret letter of rebellion.

This "inner person" does not refer to his wife, but to Empress Wu, who resides in the inner palace. It is said that Empress Wu is mentally ill and wants to get rid of us, and her desire is becoming increasingly urgent. Therefore, we probably need to take action to control her as soon as possible. If we wait until this winter, when Empress Wu summons us to Luoyang, we probably won't be able to come. So after you receive my letter, give me an answer as to whether you agree or not, whether you will participate or not.

Li Xian, of course, ignored the secret letter.

Their usual approach is for one to play the good cop and the other the bad cop.

Almost immediately, a message arrived from King Li Yuanjia of Han: "During the Great Sacrifice, the Divine Emperor will surely send someone to inform all the princes of the secret, and then carry out a great purge, leaving no royal descendants alive."

The overall meaning of this statement is: "When Empress Wu holds her coronation ceremony, she will definitely send people to falsely accuse the princes of the Li Tang dynasty of plotting a rebellion, and use this as an excuse to carry out a large-scale massacre of the Li Tang imperial family. At that time, the descendants of the royal family will be exterminated, and not a single one will be left."

Empress Wu's previous activities had already aroused suspicion among the imperial clan. Now, with the highly respected Prince Han, Li Yuanjia, making further pronouncements, the imperial clan became even more like frightened birds.

Many people believed that they would die whether they stuck their necks out or not, so why should they just sit and wait to die? In this way, intimidation was actually a form of mobilization, and an anti-Wu alliance among the royal family was formed under the leadership of King Han Li Yuanjia.

At this point, Liu Jianjun praised the two Uncle Wangs: "I have to say, these two Uncle Wangs are quite capable; at least they managed to organize the people."

"But here's the problem! They only organized people!"

Li Xian didn't understand.

But Liu Jianjun pointed to the empty gate of the Prince of Pei's mansion and said, "I don't know if they believe you or if they think that the rebellion is not important. You are a prince who does not agree to the rebellion, and these people don't even send troops to guard you!"
"If they had just sent a few guards to keep watch at the entrance of the Prince of Pei's residence, I would think their chances of success would have been much greater!"

……

In any case, the two princes' rebellion was gaining momentum.

They forged a letter in the voice of Dan Di, addressed to Li Zhen's son, Li Chong: "I have been imprisoned; Your Majesty, you should all rescue me."

However, after receiving this fake letter, Li Chong felt it was not clear enough. It only mentioned the emperor and not the imperial clan. He was afraid that the imperial clan would not be able to make up their minds. Therefore, he forged another imperial edict, saying: "The Divine Emperor wants to overthrow the Li family's state and transfer the imperial throne to the Wu family."

Upon receiving the imperial edict, the members of the imperial clan were filled with excitement.

Li Xian even received a secret letter from his seventh aunt, Princess Chang Le: "If you princes of the imperial clan were still men, you should have raised an army long ago. Would you have waited until today? I often hear the elders say that when Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, usurped the throne of Northern Zhou, Yu Chi Jiong, as a nephew of the Zhou imperial family, still raised an army in Xiangzhou to protect the Zhou emperor. You are all members of the imperial clan, can't you learn from Yu Chi Jiong?"

These words were directed at Li Xian.

Upon reading the letter, Liu Jianjun simply praised, "The courage and perseverance of women in the Tang Dynasty are evident. Your two uncles have done quite well so far."

Just as Liu Jianjun said.

The two princes also thought they had done a good job. The members of the imperial clan they had contacted were all serving as governors of prefectures. The prefectures they were in were distributed around Luoyang from the east, west, south, and north, which could form a siege around Luoyang.

So they prepared to rise up in rebellion.

……

(End of this chapter)