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

Chapter 41 is exactly what the Crown Prince wanted to hear.

After Liu Heng left, the Consultative Hall was quiet.

Li Chengqian's hand holding the book loosened and tightened again.

He felt that Liu Heng's words sounded well-intentioned, but it also seemed like he was hiding something and not saying it directly.

He really wanted to call Li Yichen over to get some answers, but the occasion wasn't right.

Just as he was about to speak to ease the tension, an announcement came from outside the hall: "Your Highness, the Censor Liu Shi requests an audience!"

The name Liu Shi immediately created a tense atmosphere in the hall.

Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes.

Liu Shi was an impatient and attention-seeking man who also had conflicts with some officials in the Eastern Palace.

He instinctively sat up straight, and his injured ankle began to ache again.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath, suppressing the discomfort in his ankle and the turmoil in his heart, and said, "Summon."

A man in a blue official robe strode in.

The man walked quickly but steadily, showing no sign of panic as the hem of his official robe swept across the high threshold.

Liu Shi was about forty years old, with a thin face and a neatly trimmed short beard on his chin.

His eyes were not large but very bright, and they were exceptionally sharp when he looked at people, creating a strange contrast with his current respectful demeanor.

He walked into the hall, held the tablet high, and bowed in respect.

"Your subject, Liu Shi, the Censor, pays his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."

After bowing, he straightened up but did not speak immediately. His gaze swept across the faces of everyone in the hall before finally settling on Li Chengqian, where a gentle smile slowly appeared on his face.

"I have heard that Your Highness has established the Consultative Hall to solicit loyal advice from all quarters. Whether you are a veteran or a newcomer, you can speak your mind freely. I am deeply impressed. Your Highness's humility is truly a blessing to our nation."

He paused slightly, then continued, “Recently, while I was organizing old documents from the previous dynasty at the Censorate, I came across a document. When Emperor Yang of Sui was building the eastern capital Luoyang, he also followed the ancient system and set up a ‘Fortune-Giving Platform’ to widely solicit opinions from all over the country. At first, it was a grand affair with a large number of people offering their opinions. However, after only a few years, it became a mere formality because it only listened but did not accept advice, wasting national funds and ultimately earning the ridicule of ‘wanting fame but abandoning substance,’ which was criticized by the world.”

He changed the subject, turning to Li Chengqian again, his words earnest.

"Today, Your Highness has established this Consultation Hall, not merely as a formality, but with a genuine desire to receive advice. Even a seasoned minister like the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who has weathered many storms and long since become indifferent to fame and fortune, is willing to come and pour out his heart. This scene is worlds apart from that of the Sui Dynasty. It is a testament to the effectiveness of Your Majesty's daily guidance, and also to the Crown Prince's wisdom, benevolence, ability to discern truth from falsehood, and willingness to accept loyal advice. This is truly a blessing for our Great Tang Dynasty!"

These words sound like nothing but praise and commendation.

The comparison between the Crown Prince's "Advisory Hall" and Emperor Yang of Sui's "Admonition Platform" emphasizes the Crown Prince's "pragmatism" in contrast to Emperor Yang's "love of fame."

However, the story of Emperor Yang of Sui establishing his capital in Luoyang and the Taijian (a platform for accepting remonstrances) becoming a mere formality subtly linked the act of "the crown prince accepting remonstrances" with "the lessons of the previous dynasty's downfall" on the same historical scale.

Throughout the entire piece, Liu Shi did not utter a single word of "fake" or "inappropriate," but instead went to great lengths to praise it. However, the sharp edge hidden beneath the "historical comparison" had already quietly begun to emerge.

Li Chengqian recognized the flattery on the surface, and the lines on his young face softened slightly.

He was touched by the phrases "a world apart from the time of Emperor Yang of Sui" and "Your Majesty's merit in instructing and guiding him," and the wariness he had felt due to Liu Shi's sudden arrival eased slightly.

He nodded slightly, trying to make his voice sound calm and composed.

"Imperial Censor Liu is well-versed in the lessons of history, and what he says is absolutely right. The reason I established this hall is precisely to use history as a mirror to avoid repeating the mistakes of the previous dynasty. Emperor Yang of Sui was fond of grandiose projects and squandered the people's resources, ultimately leading to his death and the destruction of the country. His lesson is profound, and I have always taken it as a warning, never daring to forget it."

Liu Shi's smile deepened, and he bowed again. Seeing that the Crown Prince was indeed following his lead, Liu Shi was even more pleased with himself, thinking to himself that the Crown Prince was indeed impatient and would forget himself after a little flattery. It seemed that today's matter was already more than half accomplished.

"Your Highness is wise! It is a blessing for all people to be so clear-headed."

He straightened up, his tone becoming slightly serious.

"However, I have come here today with some concerns about the phrase 'learn from history.' These concerns are like a fishbone stuck in my throat, and I must speak them out, lest I fail Your Highness's open-mindedness to accept advice, and also lest I... repeat the mistakes of the previous dynasty's 'Advice-Accepting Platform.'"

The atmosphere tensed up again.

Li Baiyao frowned even more deeply, realizing the trap in Liu Shi's words.

Praising first and then criticizing is a common tactic used by censors, but Liu Shi used it in a more insidious way, directly linking the crown prince's actions to the potential negative historical impact, making it difficult for the crown prince to directly refute them.

Xu Jingzong narrowed his eyes, sneering inwardly: As expected, he's here. Liu Shi is not one to come out in good faith today.

Li Chengqian's nerves, which had just relaxed, immediately tensed up again.

When he heard the words "repeating the same mistakes," his heart skipped a beat, and the dull pain in his ankle seemed to become clearer.

He forced himself to remain calm and slowed his speech to avoid appearing anxious.

"Oh? What concerns does Imperial Censor Liu have? Please speak freely. I established this hall precisely to hear the truth and the facts. Even if there are unpleasant words, I will not blame you."

As he spoke, his gaze couldn't help but quickly dart towards Li Yichen's direction, seeking a sliver of support, but Li Yichen remained with his head bowed and did not respond.

That's exactly what Liu Shi wanted to hear from the Crown Prince.

His face showed gratitude and a sense of urgency, and he raised his voice to make sure everyone in the hall could hear him.

"Since Your Highness says so, I will dare to speak frankly!"

Liu Shi's smile deepened, and he immediately took half a step forward, his tone becoming even more earnest.

"Your Highness's ability to learn from the fall of the Sui Dynasty is truly a blessing for all the people! I recently learned that Your Highness is paying attention to the policy of relocating people from Xizhou, and even adopted Scholar Lai Ji's proposal of 'prioritizing water conservancy,' which shows that Your Highness values ​​practical matters over empty fame—this is precisely the benevolence and foresight that Emperor Yang of Sui lacked!"

He abruptly changed the subject, and as if casually, took out a thin scroll from his sleeve, presented it with both hands, his movements impeccably respectful.

"However... Yesterday, while I was assisting the Ministry of Agriculture in reviewing the expenditure records for various supplies this winter, I inadvertently glanced at the Crown Prince's purchase list for this month, which included 'two agate cups from the Western Regions and three bolts of Persian brocade.' Although the amount was less than one hundred strings of cash, the migrants in the Western Regions are currently in dire need of winter clothing and food, and the Ministry of Agriculture is already overwhelmed with this issue, with its budget stretched thin. I was immediately puzzled. Since Your Highness prioritizes 'practicality' and 'compassion for the people,' why does the Crown Prince still need to purchase such rare and precious items that are merely for display?"

"Isn't this... somewhat contrary to the principles advocated by Your Highness?"

This question was asked at a tricky time and from a ruthless angle.

The brilliance of this question lies entirely in "using the crown prince's spear to attack the crown prince's shield"—what Liu Shi holds is the procurement list filed by the Ministry of Agriculture, an irrefutable "evidence".

The core of the questioning was "why his words and deeds are inconsistent," which firmly focused on the Crown Prince's own earlier claims of "taking the fall of the Sui Dynasty as a warning" and "emphasizing practical matters over empty fame."

If the Crown Prince categorically denies or dismisses it as useless, it would be a direct slap in the face, admitting that the Eastern Palace is wasting public funds.

If one tries to explain its purpose, no matter how cleverly one tries to explain it, it is difficult to avoid the huge and glaring contradiction that "the soldiers and civilians of Xizhou were suffering from hunger and cold, while the Eastern Palace purchased precious objects."

This is a blatant conspiracy, putting the crown prince in a dilemma.

(End of this chapter)