pappabearbooks Chapter 5547 Praying to Gods and Buddhas
Chapter 5547 Praying to Gods and Buddhas
Chapter 5547 Praying to Gods and Buddhas
The greatest sorrow in life is not the inability to obtain what one desires or the awe one feels for something lofty, but rather the sudden loss of what one once possessed. The Xu family of Gaoping was once a powerful and prestigious clan, but since the Sui and Tang dynasties, its reputation had faded and its fortunes had declined. It fell far short of the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, and even paled in comparison to the first-rate aristocratic families. However, the emergence of Li Ji within the clan dramatically elevated its status, a prime example of how one man's success can bring prosperity to his entire family. Countless members of the clan rose to prominence through Li Ji's influence.
Now that Li Jingye's palace coup has completely failed, the entire family will have to bear the blame. Who in the family wouldn't be filled with fear?
A successful coup would naturally bring merit and promotion, but a failed one could easily be labeled a treason, a crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire family and three generations...
Li Ji didn't care about any of that. Now that things had come to this, all that matter was how the court would characterize the matter—whether to stabilize the situation and reduce internal strife, or to pursue it to the end and unleash a massacre. Neither outcome was within his control.
His declaration of complete retirement and resignation within the Taiji Palace was the limit of what he could do; his ultimate fate is left to chance...
Li Bi walked over and saw his elder brother throwing the paper money into the fire pit one by one. Outside the rain shelter, the rain was pattering. He said softly, "Brother, go and rest for a while."
Li Ji remained silent, as if he hadn't heard a word.
Li Bi felt guilty and knelt on the cushion beside him, his face pale: "If you are angry with me, brother, you may beat me or scold me. Even if you take a knife and kill me, I will have no regrets."
Li Ji finally made a move. He turned his head and looked at Li Bi with great surprise for a while, and asked in surprise, "You sound very generous and tragic, as if you are willing to sacrifice yourself for others. Do you also think you are very magnanimous and great?"
Li Bi blushed deeply and felt utterly ashamed.
Li Ji turned around and threw a few pieces of paper money into the brazier. The paper money was licked and curled by the flames, first turning black and then igniting. The smoke rose and filled the entire mourning hall, making the coffin behind it appear somewhat ethereal.
After a moment of silence, he asked, "Now that things have come to this, there's no point in dwelling on right and wrong. I just want to ask you, who exactly orchestrated this?"
Before Li Bi could answer, he warned again: "You should understand the difference between the principal offender and the accomplice in terms of guilt. Jingye's failure and death will not be an escape from punishment for you and me, but it is not certain whether the entire British Duke's Mansion will suffer."
Although Li Jingye's coup failed and his crimes were heinous, even leading to the poisoning of the Emperor, if he were merely an accomplice who was misled or coerced, his punishment would be greatly reduced. Furthermore, he had rendered outstanding service since entering the Tang Dynasty and was highly trusted and relied upon by three emperors, once being hailed as "the foremost figure in the court." The court would undoubtedly consider these factors when determining his guilt, and it was highly likely that he would receive a lighter sentence; at the very least, preserving the Duke of Ying's mansion was not impossible.
But if Li Jingye takes the lead, not only will the Duke of Ying's mansion be razed to the ground, but the entire Xu family of Gaoping will also suffer...
Li Bi looked dejected and shook his head, saying, "I naturally understand the difference, but I was only asked by Jingye to get you drunk, so that even if you can't stop him, you can stay out of it. I have no idea who the mastermind is... But Jingye told me before that the palace is already prepared. As long as he takes charge and calls out, things will surely succeed... So there must be a mastermind."
Li Ji sighed: "You two, uncle and nephew, are truly utterly foolish."
They were used as pawns, and they don't even know who the mastermind is...
Li Bi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Even if we know who the mastermind is, what can we do? In my opinion, the court may not be willing to investigate to the end. After all, the most urgent task is to stabilize the court and ensure His Majesty's secure throne, rather than investigating to the end and carrying out a massacre."
Li Ji nodded: "The mastermind had already foreseen the consequences of failure, so all blame will fall on our Duke of Ying's mansion, and they will be exempt from punishment. But if things succeed, the mastermind will jump out and seize the fruits of victory."
Li Bi was filled with shame.
If they succeeded, others would reap the greatest benefits; if they failed, Li Jingye would bear everything… The risks and rewards were completely disproportionate; Li Jingye was utterly foolish.
Li Siwen suddenly walked over, knelt down beside him, picked up some paper money and threw it into the brazier, asking, "Did Jingye tell his uncle whether there were any actions against Fang Junzhi besides the palace arrangements?"
Li Ji was startled and immediately looked at Li Bi.
Li Bi was first taken aback, then frowned and hesitated before saying, "The eldest son did not involve me in this matter, probably because he wanted to protect me afterward. However, he did mention that as long as the Crown Prince is successfully assassinated and the succession is changed, Fang Jun will be no threat in the event of the Eastern Palace's destruction. He even has plans to eradicate Fang Jun's power completely."
A light rain pattered down, and a gentle breeze blew into the mourning hall, stirring up the still-burning paper money in the brazier, causing it to swirl and dance, sparks flying everywhere.
Li Siwen looked at his father and said in a deep voice, "If the eldest son's first step of the plan succeeds, he will surely kill the crown prince and assist His Majesty in changing the heir apparent. At that time, a single edict will lure Fang Jun into the palace to be at his mercy. Logically speaking, as long as Fang Jun is dead, his former protégés will not lead an army to rebel and commit treason in order to avenge him. Their so-called power will naturally collapse and vanish into thin air... Why make any other preparations?"
Clearly, Li Jingye's so-called "power" did not refer to the Left and Right Jinwu Guards, or even the Anxi Army and Navy, much less his allies in the court.
Li Ji sighed and said, "The only one who could avenge Fang Jun after his death without hesitation and who had the ability to do so is Wu Zetian."
Li Siwen was startled: "Wu Meiniang? Dongda Tang Trading Company?"
Then his expression changed, and his mouth was full of bitterness: "Big Brother is really well prepared... The only thing we can do now is to pray to the gods and Buddhas that Wu Meiniang is alright. Otherwise, we men would better move Big Brother's coffin out of the city tonight and find a secluded place to bury him."
He had a very close relationship with Fang Jun and knew each other very well. Of course, he knew that Fang Jun's affection for Wu Meiniang was not just as rumored, but that he truly regarded her as his right-hand woman and political ally.
If Li Jingye's arrangements before his death led to Wu Zetian's death, Fang Jun could storm into the Duke of Ying's mansion, dig open Li Jingye's coffin, drag his body out, and chop it into seventeen or eighteen pieces...
Li Ji remained silent for a long time, staring at Li Jingye's coffin behind the smoke. Finally, he sighed and said, "If you call yourself stupid, you at least know to cut off Fang Jun's foundation to avoid backlash. But if you call yourself smart, you still stubbornly caused such a devastating disaster... Our Li family must have owed you so much in our past lives to suffer such a burden because of you."
The three of them fell completely silent.
Now that things have come to this, what can be done except wait for trial?
Li Ji was even genuinely tempted by Li Siwen's suggestion, thinking that it would be best to bury Li Jingye in a secluded place, otherwise, once Wu Meiniang died, the enraged Fang Jun would surely dig up Li Jingye's coffin and grind his bones to ashes...
"It was my wishful thinking that led Jingye to sink deeper and deeper into trouble. If I had decisively confined Jingye and prevented him from taking over the 'Hundred Cavalry Division' back then, we wouldn't be in this situation today."
Li Ji knew there was no going back, yet he still couldn't stop regretting it.
He clearly saw that His Majesty's high regard for Li Jingye was intended to drag the Duke of Ying's mansion into his service, and that using Li Jingye as a vanguard against Fang Jun was also plausible. Yet, he harbored a sliver of hope, believing that he was capable of eliminating the danger and ensuring that Li Jingye could achieve merit and take over the family business.
But little did they know they would step into this bottomless abyss.
Was the assassination of the Crown Prince ordered or tacitly approved by His Majesty, or was it Li Jingye's own initiative?
Why did His Majesty suffer poisoning and die immediately after the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince failed?
Did Li Jingye know about the poisoning of His Majesty?
Did Li Jingye do it himself, or was he kept in the dark?
There are too many uncertainties surrounding this palace upheaval, but Li Ji would rather never know the inside story.
Because once the details are made public, it means the court is determined to investigate thoroughly, and anyone involved will face severe punishment. However, if the court remains lenient, letting things slide, and prioritizing stability above all else, it indicates a lenient approach, punishing only the ringleaders and excluding others. In that case, the Duke of Ying's mansion might still have a glimmer of hope…
Amidst turmoil and widespread anxiety, the Duke of Ying's mansion, once the epitome of merit in the Tang Dynasty, is now shrouded in fear, with everyone confined within its walls awaiting their fate.
……
Fang Jun escorted the three princesses to the Taiji Hall. Seeing that his father was pale and looked unwell, he personally helped his father out of the Taiji Hall and back to the waiting courtyard where they had rested earlier. He then had his personal guards fetch hot water, tea, and pastries from the eunuchs. He served Fang Xuanling a few cups of hot tea and some pastries, and Fang Xuanling's complexion visibly improved.
Fang Xuanling let out a sigh, shook his head and said, "As I get older, my body becomes increasingly frail. In the past, I could handle government affairs for days and nights without feeling tired at all, but now I can only stay up for half a night before I'm exhausted. I'm no good anymore."
Fang Jun remained silent.
In fact, when people get old, fatigue does not seriously harm their bodies. The most serious harm is mental agitation and sudden changes in their thoughts. However, my father had obviously sensed the enormous pressure he was under, so he avoided the important issues to prevent him from worrying.
After taking another sip of hot tea, Fang Xuanling, perhaps noticing his usually calm and composed son's furrowed brows and worried expression, asked curiously, "Things have come to this point. Even if His Majesty were to pass away, such a major event is irreversible. All that remains is to stabilize the court and continue the policies. Why are you so worried? You have the ability to deal with whatever comes your way."
These words were not meant to comfort his son, but rather came from his innermost thoughts.
This son, who had caused him so much trouble since childhood, had changed so drastically. In the past, he was foolish, unruly, and uneducated, as straightforward and guileless as a stick, making him often doubt his ability to have a good life even if he married and had children. However, he seemed to have suddenly become enlightened, displaying outstanding literary talent and unparalleled martial arts skills. Not only did he earn a dukedom through his own abilities, but he also became the number one figure in the Tang Dynasty's military with a flick of his wrist.