"My nephew came here unexpectedly, but he was not welcomed?"
Fang Jun's teasing voice sounded at the door. Li Ji, Li Zhen and his son looked at each other, stood up helplessly, and walked to the door to greet them.
No matter how much he dislikes this uninvited guest, with Fang Jun's current status, Li Ji cannot just sit there and turn a blind eye...
When they reached the door, Fang Jun had already strode into the study. Li Yulong's little head flashed at the door, stuck out his tongue at Li Ji, and disappeared with a "swish".
Li Ji was helpless.
Fang Jun bowed and saluted, and said with a smile: "It is true that your family is very high-ranking. My nephew was afraid that it would be difficult to enter the hall, so I had to send a message to sister Yulong in advance to ask her to take her in. It was my nephew who was abrupt. Don't blame Yulong." younger sister."
"hehe……"
Li Ji smiled in embarrassment, not knowing what to say.
Fortunately, there was Li Zhen on the side. Li Zhen smiled and invited Fang Jun in: "Please take a seat, Duke Yue. You are an honored guest."
Fang Jun looked at him with a smile: "Shouldn't you also say 'Pengpi Shenghui'?"
Li Zhen smiled and shook his head: "I say you are a polite guest, but in fact you are a bad guest. If my sister-in-law doesn't open the door, I'm afraid you won't be able to get in."
Li Ji glanced at his son, he said it well and showed his attitude even better.
"Brother is funny, and getting along with you is like a breath of fresh air. You are much better than my uncle."
Fang Jun ignored Li Zhen's words and was not polite, so he stepped forward and took a seat.
Li Ji ignored his teasing, turned around and took his seat, and got straight to the point: "You have made Chang'an City a storm, and the matter of establishing a 'Privy Council' has been spread everywhere. Now you dare to visit my house in a grand manner. I am not afraid that His Majesty will directly grant you the power in fear and anger." A glass of poisoned wine for you?"
Fang Jun took the tea from Li Zhen, bowed and thanked him, and then said: "My uncle's words are wrong. No matter what, I am loyal to your majesty and take great credit for my merits. On the contrary, my uncle stood by and stood by when your majesty was in danger. If we If one of the two really has to be eliminated, does uncle think it is more likely that he will be given a glass of poisonous wine, or that he will be given a three-foot white silk ribbon?"
How stupid do I have to be to compare favoritism with you?
After taking a sip of tea, Li Ji said calmly: "Let's be honest, what do you want to do?"
Fang Jun put away his smile and said seriously: "My uncle is a famous general of the generation. He is proficient in the art of war and has experienced countless battles. He naturally knows what kind of hidden dangers the shortcomings of the current military system will cause. Whether it is suppressing family members or adding a Privy Council , the nephew tried his best to avoid the worst situation from happening, and I believe that the uncle also had the same worries. Therefore, what the uncle saw, the nephew was devoted to the public and had no selfish intentions. "
"Hmph," Li Ji coldly snorted, noncommittal: "You are selfless, so you recommend me to be the commander-in-chief of the armed forces?"
Fang Jun shook his head: "The commander-in-chief of the three armies can only be your majesty. The duty of the privy envoy is to give instructions to the superiors and subordinates, and not to allow random orders to be carried out in the army. There are no outsiders here, so if my nephew makes a disrespectful comment, the monarch may be foolish, but the prime minister I can’t help you.”
Whether he is a child of a noble family or a son of a poor family, who has gradually reached the position of prime minister and assistant, who is not a smart and capable person who has experienced many positions? No matter what his conduct is, he must have outstanding abilities.
What's more, there are subordinates on the left and right to check and balance. The probability of such a person making a wrong decision is much smaller than the probability of a foolish king.
Centralization of power must be vigorously pursued, but imperial power must be curbed.
It is extremely irresponsible behavior to pin the fate of the country and the fate of the people on the preferences of the monarch, and it is destined to produce an irreversible tragedy at some point.
Li Zhen took a breath, looked at Fang Jun in shock, and lost his voice: "This, this, this, how can you say such treasonous words?"
This is blatantly posing as an emperor. This kind of thing can be done, but how can it be said openly?
Too courageous...
Fang Jun disagreed: "If I say it out loud, it's treasonous, but if you think in your heart, it's not treasonous?"
Li Zhen quickly shook his head: "I don't think so!"
Fang Jun said: "You haven't thought about it, but I must have thought about it."
Li Zhen: "..."
His father not only thought about it, but also said...
Li Ji waved his hand and looked at Fang Jun with lightning eyes: "So you want to limit the imperial power as much as possible in the system to prevent the chaos of the ignorant king from further harming the country?"
Fang Jun sighed and said: "That's exactly what I meant, but it's just wishful thinking. If the emperor is weaker, these systems may be useful, but when there is a wise and powerful man who kills decisively, no system will be useful."
Systems are made by people and ultimately require people to implement them. The same system can have completely different effects on different people.
Li Ji understood the meaning, lowered his head and took a sip of tea. After putting down the tea cup, he thought for a moment and then nodded: "I agree to this."
"Ah?! Father, think again!"
Li Zhen was startled and hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
How can you cooperate with Fang Jun to force His Majesty?!
Li Ji waved his hand and said to Fang Jun: "Okay, I will try my best to cooperate with you, Dalang, to see off the guests."
Fang Jun didn't say much. He stood up and bowed and saluted: "My uncle is loyal to the country and has a high moral integrity. My nephew deeply admires me."
Li Ji sneered: "Although I don't care about political affairs, when it comes to loyalty and patriotism, I can't be inferior to a playboy like you, right?"
Fang Jun laughed, nodded and said: "This matter is not urgent. Now that the Ministry of War is trying it out for a period of time, at a suitable time, my nephew will write to His Majesty, requesting an order to establish the Privy Council."
Li Ji: "Well, okay, let's go quickly. Hey, I don't know what His Majesty will think when he hears that you came to my door and conspired with me in the study."
Fang Jun smiled calmly: "You and I are public-spirited and have contributed to the country. We should be aboveboard and open-minded. Why do we need to live in isolation all day long? If my nephew is confused, he will come to ask for advice in the future. I hope my uncle won't do it. It’s better to keep them out.”
Li Ji looked at him helplessly and said, "You'd better come less often."
Fang Jun smiled and saluted again: "My nephew, I will leave for now. My uncle will stay here. Please don't send me off."
Li Ji: "Let's go quickly, I don't plan to see you off."
Fang Jun didn't take it seriously, turned around and walked out.
Li Ji didn't have to give it as a gift. After all, he couldn't give outsiders the illusion of "having a great time talking and hitting it off", but Li Zhen had to give it as a gift.
After sending Fang Jun out of the house, Li Zhen turned to the study, glanced outside the door, and asked in a low voice: "My younger sister has a soft spot for Erlang. Now that she has reconciled with the Du family, why not betrothed to Erlang? That's fine." Fulfill her wish, otherwise staying at home and waiting for marriage will not be a long-term solution."
After taking a sip of tea, Li Ji shook his head and said: "After Fang Jun's actions, the Fang and Li families have become the target of public criticism. They have aroused the suspicion and fear of many people. If the alliance between Qin and Jin is formed again, both the government and the public will be enemies. Your Majesty is afraid that he will go crazy... Your sister's marriage is not urgent for the time being, let's take it slow first."
Li Zhen sighed: "I now understand why my father always declined the official position of Shangshu Zuo Pushe, and why he stood idly by when Changsun Wuji rebelled against the King of Jin... It was not that my father was unfaithful to His Majesty, but that he did not want to obtain the title of Conglong." achievement."
Li Ji said proudly: "That's natural. If I covet the power of serving the dragon, I can put down the rebellion in a matter of seconds. What's wrong with Fang Jun?"
If nothing else, if he had been tougher on Cheng Yaojin back then, how would Cheng Yaojin have dared to disobey him? If he and Cheng Yaojin were working together, who would be his opponent in Guanzhong?
Li Zhen said with emotion: "If a tree is as good as Lin Feng, it will be destroyed. My father is already the number one person in the court in name. If he adds another meritorious service to the dragon, I am afraid that he will be suspected of being too powerful to shake the master. The prosperity will inevitably decline." , the end may not be good. Although his father is still the head of the prime minister, he has always kept a low profile and will not arouse too many people's suspicion, which is a long-term solution. But Erlang's actions like this instantly pushed his father out and became the target of public criticism. My younger sister’s marriage has also been blocked, I really don’t know whether it’s good or bad.”
Li Ji looked at his eldest son, his face was solemn, and he spoke earnestly: "The reason why I have been keeping a low profile is because I feel that there is no need to show off my sharpness and cause trouble. But if I really need to contribute to the country, how can I be so cautious and timid? Fang Jun This is very well done. Whether it is rectifying salt affairs, measuring acres of land, or now proposing the establishment of a Privy Council, they are all dedicated to the public and have no selfish motives. It’s even more important to understand it well.”
Apart from his physical frailty, Li was very satisfied with his eldest son.
But it was precisely because of his weak health that he feared that his life would not last long and that he would not die well. Therefore, in addition to feeling sorry for his eldest son, Li Ji was also worried about the future of his family.
Once he dies, and there is no calm eldest son to take charge, no matter whether it is the arrogant, domineering, trouble-making second son, or the eldest grandson who is brave but not resourceful, they are not talents who can inherit the family business and endure for a long time.
And this was one of the reasons why he kept a low profile and forbearance in the past. He did not want to incur the hatred of more people and leave disaster to his descendants because of his sharpness.
Until this moment, he suddenly understood that many things in this world will not change due to personal will. When various factors accumulate in one place, what should happen will definitely happen.
The situation you tried your best to avoid will not be avoided just because of what you do today.
If this is the case, then why continue to do nothing?
Just do what you have to do. Instead of being diligent all day long, why not give it a try and leave a name in history that will last forever?
At this moment, Li Ji felt relieved. Once the shackles that had bound his heart for a long time were released, he felt a long-lost feeling of peace of mind and high spirits.
A man should do something good, so how can he rely on past merits and fail to make progress?
Don't let down this great talent.
…
In the Hall of Wude, Li Chengqian, who was reviewing the memorial, heard the news that Fang Jun had visited the British government. He was stunned for a moment and threw the brush to the ground.