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

Chapter 34 Why didn't they dare?

After Lai Ji finished speaking, he clapped his hands and said, "Excellent! Scholar Lai's three strategies are mature and insightful for governing the country, practical and feasible, and every sentence hits the nail on the head! Listening to your words today is better than reading books for ten years!"

His words came from the heart, a stark contrast to his clever rebuttals to Wei Siqian earlier.

He immediately turned to the scribe and instructed, "Record every word of the three policies presented by the scholar in the future."

Then, he looked at Lai Ji and said solemnly, "Scholar Lai, rest assured, I am not one to make empty promises. I will seal your wise words, along with the memorial on the strategy for Xizhou that I discussed earlier, and personally present them to the Secretariat. I will also meet with my father to explain the advantages and disadvantages in detail. If such a good strategy can be implemented, benefiting the thousands of people in Xizhou and stabilizing the borders of our Great Tang, I will remember your contribution, Scholar Lai."

Lai Ji's original intention was to take advantage of this rare opportunity to offer his advice, hoping to reach the emperor's ears and influence the court's decision-making. However, seeing that the crown prince not only humbly accepted his advice but also promised to personally promote it and even petition the emperor, this was a result that far exceeded his expectations.

He was thrilled and quickly lifted his robe to bow again, his tone full of admiration.

"Your Highness is open to advice and readily accepts good suggestions. Moreover, you care deeply for the people and are committed to practical matters. This is truly a blessing for the people of Xizhou and a boon for the Tang Dynasty! Your subject is deeply grateful!"

This bow showed even more genuine respect than when they first met.

Before leaving, Lai Ji seemed to remember something else.

“Your Highness, when I traveled to Longyou and the Western Regions in the past, I still have some scattered records of local customs, products, climate, and tribal distribution. If Your Highness does not mind, I can organize them and copy them into a book, which I will present to you another day. It may provide Your Highness with some reference for understanding the situation on the border.”

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian was overjoyed, as this was exactly the empirical evidence he urgently needed, and he readily agreed.

"Excellent! I need such firsthand accounts for reference. Thank you for your trouble, Scholar Lai!"

This person's name and abilities are firmly etched in my mind.

Lai Ji bowed again to take his leave and walked steadily away from the Zizheng Hall.

After seeing Lai Ji off, the atmosphere in the hall was different from when Wei Siqian left.

The tension had lessened, replaced by a calm that followed pragmatic discussions.

Li Baiyao breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze towards the Crown Prince filled with even greater admiration.

The Crown Prince's ability to so quickly discern the value of officials' advice, to effectively counter Wei Siqian's harsh criticism, and to humbly accept Lai Ji's sound advice, demonstrates a remarkable judgment and magnanimity that is truly admirable.

Xu Jingzong maintained his smile, but inwardly he took notice of Lai Ji.

Li Chengqian sat behind his desk, in a cheerful mood.

He successfully dealt with two censors in succession, one firm and one gentle, and the latter even brought substantial gains, which greatly boosted his confidence in the "opening up the Eastern Palace" strategy, and he even became somewhat complacent.

After Lai Ji left, the Zizheng Hall fell silent for a moment.

Li Baiyao and Xu Jingzong exchanged a glance, both seeing undisguised astonishment in each other's eyes.

Li Baiyao, in particular, as the Crown Prince's Right Vice-Chancellor, had been teaching the Crown Prince the classics for some time and knew the Crown Prince's past character well. His current performance was definitely not something that could be achieved by simply "studying behind closed doors".

There must be a master guiding him behind the scenes, and this person's understanding of court rules and human nature has reached a level of perfection.

Xu Jingzong thought even deeper: whether the Crown Prince's move was a blessing or a curse was still unknown.

Opening up the Eastern Palace may seem open and honest, but in reality, it puts the company in the eye of the storm. Who knows how many open and covert attacks will come its way tomorrow and the day after?

Li Chengqian waved his hand, indicating that today's consultation was over.

The crowd exited the main hall in turn.

After continuing their reading with their two reading companions as planned, it was time for Li Yichen to read with them.

Once the palace doors slammed shut, isolating the inside from the outside, Li Chengqian finally let out a long sigh of relief. His tense back relaxed slightly, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He looked at Li Yichen, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and lingering fear.

"Yichen, how did I handle things today?" His voice trembled slightly, a release of intense tension and an urgent need for approval.

Li Yichen slowly raised his head, his face showing little joy, remaining as calm and composed as ever.

He bowed slightly: "Your Highness's handling of the situation today was commendable. Your counterattack against Wei Siqian was precise, leaving him defeated and curbing the arrogance of petty villains; your humility in accepting advice from Lai Ji demonstrated the demeanor of a crown prince and yielded practical solutions. In particular, your attitude towards Lai Ji, neither arrogant nor conceited, was the finishing touch."

Upon receiving affirmation, Li Chengqian's face immediately lit up, and his previous fatigue seemed to vanish completely.

He couldn't help but clap his hands and say, "If it weren't for your prior deduction, I certainly wouldn't be so calm today! Wei Siqian's words were all piercing to the heart. If you hadn't taught me to counter with the 'Law Commentary,' I would have almost argued with him! And Lai Ji, that man is a true talent!"

Li Yichen listened quietly, and only after the Crown Prince's excitement subsided did he change the subject, his tone becoming serious.

"However, Your Highness, do not be too complacent. Today is merely a small test. Although those who came are not mediocre, they are not truly formidable. People like Wei Siqian are merely relying on their positions as censors to gain a reputation for honesty; their hearts are with the country and its people, and they are not here specifically to target Your Highness."

Li Chengqian's smile faded slightly: "What do you mean?"

“Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and even in the days to come, those who come to visit will probably not be so ‘gentle’.”

Li Yichen's gaze was deep and unfathomable, as if he could see through the palace walls and witness some brewing conspiracy.

"Your Highness's display of talent today must have alarmed some people. Seeing how Your Highness handled the situation, they will no longer be careless. The people they send next will surely be carefully selected hostile guests, and the questions they ask will certainly not be limited to the old cases of the Liangyi Hall or border affairs."

Li Chengqian's expression gradually turned grim.

"An unwelcome guest? Who could it be? Could it be Qing Que..."

He practically spat out the name through gritted teeth.

Li Yichen shook his head.

"It doesn't matter who sent them. Perhaps it was the Prince of Wei, or someone else who coveted Your Highness's position, or even a further test with His Majesty's tacit approval. What matters is that they will target Your Highness's true...fatal weakness."

"A fatal weakness?" Li Chengqian's pupils contracted, and he subconsciously clenched his fists.

He was well aware of all the shameful things he had done in the past.

Li Yichen spoke calmly.

"Your Highness should know that your previous words and deeds are not unremembered. Your favoritism towards actors, your close association with Turkic customs, your intimate relationships with Prince Li Yuanchang of Han, Hou Junji and others, and even... your self-destructive behavior due to a foot ailment, which led to many eccentricities. These are all areas where they can make a big fuss. Especially the matter of 'being pleased'."

Upon hearing the word "satisfactory," Li Chengqian's face turned deathly pale, and his body swayed almost imperceptibly.

That was his deepest hidden pain and Achilles' heel.

The court musician Chengxin was favored by the emperor because of her beauty and skill in singing and dancing, but this attracted a lot of criticism. In the end, she was ordered to be executed by her father. This incident was a great blow to her and one of the turning points that made her temperament more and more eccentric.

"They...they dare to bring this up?"

Li Chengqian's voice carried suppressed anger and a hint of fear.

"Why don't they dare?" Li Yichen retorted, his tone cold.

“If they don’t even dare to mention this matter, how can they possibly defeat His Highness? I suspect they will likely launch an attack from several angles.”

　Thank you so much to all the readers for your monthly tickets!!! I'm updating this chapter especially to express my gratitude!!! I've recorded the names of every reader who voted for me, and I'll be thinking of a way to repay you all and express my heartfelt thanks!!! Thank you so much!!!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)