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

Chapter 85 Your Majesty! Your subject has a memorial to present!
"It is only natural for the crown prince to cultivate his own power base. However, his methods... are becoming increasingly cunning. We'll see how he explains himself at tomorrow's court assembly. If he can truly articulate a plausible explanation and convince the officials, then that will be a testament to his skill. If not..."

His unfinished words carried a hint of coldness.

Liang Guogong Mansion.

Fang Xuanling also learned of the news immediately.

He stroked his long beard and muttered to himself.

“Li Suli is not the best choice, but he may be the ‘safest’ option for the Crown Prince at the moment. He doesn’t need to involve the powerful clans of Guanzhong and Shandong, and he uses a distant relative of the imperial family, so it will be easier for His Majesty to approve. More importantly, he is easy to control.”

There was a hint of worry in his eyes.

"However, Xizhou is a land of tigers and wolves, and cannot be pacified by a benevolent and conservative official. If Li Suli is incompetent and delays the development plan, the Crown Prince's reputation may be damaged. This move is a matter of unpredictable fortune and misfortune."

At the Censorate, Chu Suiliang was on duty.

Chu Suiliang frowned as he looked at the contents of the Crown Prince's memorial copied by his subordinate censor.

“Absurd!” he muttered.

"The strategic location of Xizhou is not a place where mediocre people can fill in! The Crown Prince uses 'stability' as a pretext to appoint his own people; this trend must not be allowed to continue!"

He immediately picked up his pen and began to draft a memorial to the throne.

Regardless of the Crown Prince's true intentions, recommending someone who is clearly unworthy of the position for such an important post requires him, as an official responsible for remonstrance, to speak frankly and offer his advice!

Just past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), while Chang'an was still shrouded in the heavy darkness of night, the area outside the Chengtian Gate of the Imperial City was already teeming with dignitaries.

Today is the regular court session, and all civil and military officials of the ninth rank and above are required to attend.

The air was filled with a solemnity unlike any other day.

Many officials spoke in hushed tones, their eyes occasionally glancing at Crown Prince Li Chengqian, who stood in the reserved seat for the heir apparent, and at Prince Wei, Li Tai, who appeared slightly overweight, among the civil officials.

Everyone knew perfectly well that one of the important topics of today's court meeting was the selection of the envoy for promotion and demotion in Xizhou.

The news of the Crown Prince's recommendation of Li Suli had already spread within certain circles, causing numerous undercurrents.

Li Chengqian stood still, his old injury to his right ankle making it difficult for him to stand. He maintained his balance, his face expressionless.

Only his slightly pursed lips betrayed his inner turmoil.

Those gazes, some overt and some covert, held curiosity, scrutiny, indifference, and even subtle hostility.

He, the crown prince, may seem to be second only to the emperor, but in reality, he walks on thin ice, surrounded by deep pools.

At the beginning of the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), bells and drums sounded in unison, and Li Shimin ascended the throne at the Taiji Hall.

After the elaborate formalities, the court assembly got down to business.

Several routine administrative matters were quickly completed, and the atmosphere inside the hall tightened imperceptibly.

Li Shimin, seated on his throne, calmly swept his gaze over the assembled officials below the steps, finally settling on Li Chengqian, and slowly began to speak.

"The establishment of an official in charge of promotions and demotions in Xizhou is a well-established national policy. Recently, the Crown Prince recommended Li Suli, the Prefectural Governor of Qinzhou, for this position. Today, all of you may express your opinions."

coming.

Li Chengqian's heart tightened, and he subconsciously straightened his back, stepped out of the ranks half a step, bowed his head and stood respectfully, assuming the posture of listening to the imperial instructions and court discussions.

As planned, he calmly and clearly reiterated the reasons stated in the memorial. "...In my humble opinion, with the Western Regions newly established, stability is of paramount importance. Li Suli is a distant relative of the imperial clan, whose loyalty is evident. He is calm and composed, follows the rules, and especially values ​​imperial orders. Sending such a prudent minister would allow for a steady and solid foundation, preventing haste from leading to mistakes. This is my humble opinion, and I respectfully request Your Majesty's wise decision, as well as the comments of all ministers."

As soon as he finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the hall.

The silence did not last long.

The first to break the silence was Li Ji, the Minister of War and Duke of Ying, who ranked first among military officers.

He stepped forward steadily and bowed to the throne.

"Your Majesty, this old minister speaks frankly. The Western Regions border the Turks, and only a capable person who is well-versed in military affairs and has experience in border garrisons can pacify them. Commander Li has been in the interior for a long time and has no experience in battle. If the border is lost due to the commander's lack of military knowledge, and the foundation of the country is shaken, it will be too late to regret! This is not a questioning of his character, but a concern for the country and its people!"

Li Chengqian's heart sank.

Li Ji's words struck him like a heavy hammer, hitting the weakest point in his argument.

He couldn't refute it, but he knew that this was the military expressing their bottom line—they didn't want to see a civilian official who knew nothing about military affairs touching the power on the frontier.

He pursed his lips and remained silent, only lowering his head slightly to show that he had heard.

Immediately afterwards, Situ Changsun Wuji stepped forward slowly, his tone carrying the earnestness of an elder.

"Your Highness is courageous in recommending talented individuals for the country, and this intention is commendable. However, what I am concerned about is that the development of Xizhou will require enormous investment and affect the taxes of the entire nation. The officials needed are not only loyal and cautious, but also shrewd, capable, and skilled in handling affairs! Li Sima is honest and conservative, and expansion is not his forte. I fear that his mismanagement of funds and provisions will not only waste the national treasury, but also damage His Majesty's love for the people and His Highness's reputation for recommending virtuous individuals!"

These words were like a soft knife wrapped in silk, each cut without drawing blood, yet each sentence struck at the heart of the matter.

Li Chengqian felt a surge of anger rush to his head, but it was forcibly suppressed and felt trapped in his chest.

He understood the true intention behind his uncle's "for his own good"—he didn't want the Crown Prince's tentacles, even if it was just an insignificant pawn like Li Suli, to extend into the future chessboard of Xizhou.

This is to maintain his exquisite system of court balance.

He remained silent, turning his gaze to the next person.

Fang Xuanling, the Grand Secretary, then stepped forward, his expression calm and pragmatic.

"I agree that Li Sima is an honest and cautious official. However, the Western Regions are in need of many things to be done and require a leader who can take charge and make decisive decisions. Li Sima's past achievements have shown a cautious approach, but he may lack experience in matters that require overcoming obstacles. I fear that he may be too cautious and spend too much time consulting with others, which could delay important matters on the border."

Fang Xuanling's words sounded the most objective and fair, but they also made Li Chengqian feel the deepest sense of powerlessness.

He could not deny that Li Suli was indeed not a pioneer.

He chose Li Suli for the purpose of "control" rather than to develop Xizhou as quickly as possible, but how could he say this real reason?

A sense of isolation, of being seen through yet misunderstood, gripped him tightly.

A deep sense of isolation enveloped Li Chengqian.

The military, nobles, prime ministers... these pillars of the court almost unanimously rejected his recommendation with various impeccable reasons.

Although I had expected it.

Just then, officials from the faction of Prince Wei, Li Tai, seized the opportunity and began to exert their influence.

Censor-in-Chief Cui Renshi, holding an ivory tablet, strode forward, his voice carrying the characteristic fervor of a remonstrating official.

"Your Majesty! I have a memorial to report!"

(End of this chapter)