pappabearbooks Chapter 5484 The Supremacy of Imperial Power
Chapter 5484 The Supremacy of Imperial Power
Chapter 5484 The Supremacy of Imperial Power
The farce at the Court of State Ceremonial quickly spread throughout Chang'an. The common people in the city were quite supportive of the petitioners. If it weren't for the strong obstruction from the village heads and guards, even more people would have flocked to the capital to participate in the petition. Meanwhile, in the imperial court, amidst the absurdity, a discussion about "war" and "peace" was sparked.
Even though the government office had been closed and sealed, the imperial family, nobles, and officials still discussed it privately and there was much debate.
……
Inside the Imperial Study, Li Ji, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; Fang Jun, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; Ma Zhou, the Grand Secretary; Pei Huaijie, the Attendant-in-Ordinary; Yan Qinli, the Minister of Rites; Liu Rengui, the Minister of War; Ren Yaxiang, the Prefect of Jingzhao; Xu Jingzong, the Governor of Yuezhou; Dai Zhou, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; Yu Zhining, the Left Vice Minister of the Crown Prince, and others, after accompanying His Majesty in the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, requested an audience and gathered together.
Attendant-in-Ordinary Pei Huaijie stated clearly: "Your Majesty is wise. Nowadays, many ignorant people are gathering at the Court of State Ceremonies to openly petition the court to send troops to conquer other countries and start a war. This is an appalling sight."
Yu Zhining followed up: "'A nation, however large, will perish if it loves war.' This is an eternal truth! If the whole country is obsessed with war, with everyone vying to become heroes and seize military merits, using the lives of the people and the wealth of the national treasury as a stepping stone for advancement, then the country is in danger!"
Pei Huaijie lamented, "At the beginning of our nation's founding, we were surrounded by wolves, and launching wars was a last resort. But now, the world is at peace, the rivers are clear and the seas are calm, the country is stable, and we are enjoying a glorious era. If we do not curb the warmongering public opinion, I'm afraid this excellent situation will be ruined in an instant! Although Emperor Wu of Han was undoubtedly a man of great achievements and unparalleled power, he also squandered the foundation that the Han Dynasty had built up over several generations, leading to the decline of the nation's strength... We must learn from the mistakes of the past and guard against them!"
He then took out a memorial and presented it with both hands to the eunuch to be passed on to His Majesty: "I have recently been visiting the Ministry of War and have learned that since Emperor Taizong personally led the expedition against Goguryeo, the Tang Dynasty has launched dozens of wars, large and small, against foreign powers, resulting in the deaths of more than 50,000 soldiers and the wounding of more than 100,000, costing at least ten million strings of cash from the national treasury. Countless families have lost husbands and sons as a result, and so much tax revenue has been wasted on the war... If this continues, the country will cease to exist!"
Li Chengqian sat behind his desk, took the memorial but did not read it on the spot. Instead, he placed it beside him with a somber expression.
Minister of War Liu Rengui said in surprise: "Although I am not well-read, I know that there is a second line to the saying 'A country, however large, will perish if it loves war,' and 'Though the world is at peace, it will be in danger if it forgets war!' You, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, sit high in the imperial court, living a life of luxury and extravagance. You only see the soldiers who are killed or wounded by war and the national treasury that is being spent. You do not know that the country's borders have now extended thousands of miles, nor do you know how much money and silk have been gained from the war!"
Since the "Renhe" era, the empire has continuously launched foreign wars. Although the eight characters "using war to sustain war and plundering foreign lands" have never appeared in official documents or been mentioned by the people, they are an unwavering national policy.
Now these people are suddenly jumping out and shouting that "a country, however large, will perish if it loves war," and their intentions are not hard to guess.
It's simply that the war mobilized too many resources, leaving these high-ranking officials with only auxiliary duties and little power to wield.
Yu Zhining shook his head and said, "No amount of benefit can compare to the harm caused by this rampant belligerence. Minister Liu also said, 'Be mindful of danger in times of peace.' This is precisely why we are constantly vigilant and cannot sleep soundly at night."
The civil officials of the court had long been dissatisfied with the aggressive policies of the army's campaigns in recent years, both by land and sea, and now, with the incident involving the Court of State Ceremonies, their grievances had finally erupted.
Pei Huaijie turned his attention to Fang Jun, who was drinking water with his head down: "I wonder what advice the Grand Commandant has for me?"
Fang Juncai, who has long surpassed Li Ji to become the number one person in the military and is now the instigator of the external expansion, is the core of the entire army.
Whether it's the Anxi Army or the navy, the armies that have been waging wars abroad in recent years are all under Fang Jun's command. In a sense, Fang Jun is a true "war maniac"...
Fang Jun put down his teacup, nodded, and said, "The words of the Attendant-in-Ordinary and the Duke of Yan are indeed reasonable."
Pei Huaijie's spirits lifted: "Does the Grand Commandant also agree to a ceasefire and an end to wars against foreign powers?"
Fang Jun sighed and said, "Who wants to fight? In every battle, there are always Tang soldiers who are wounded or killed. They are all living, breathing Chinese sons and daughters. How can I not feel compassion? No one wants to fight!"
"but!"
He then changed the subject, continuing, "If the army is disbanded and the war is ended, it means that the sea routes and the Silk Road will be threatened, and the annual trade volume could be reduced by tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of strings of cash. The battle lines that have been opened up must all be retreated, leaving many strategic locations directly exposed to the enemy's military might, with no buffer... Will the Grand Councilor bear the consequences of this?"
"Military affairs" and "politics" have never been complementary, but rather diametrically opposed.
Because the rise of one side inevitably leads to the decline of the other, resulting in a weakening of resources, power, and even the right to speak, very few dynasties or periods throughout history have been able to achieve a balance between military and political power.
However, today, the "politics" that hopes to devote all national strength to domestic governance is powerless to stop the "military" that continues to expand outward.
The reason, of course, was the benefits gained under the circumstances of the Tang army's overwhelming strength and invincibility.
No method of resource accumulation can be faster than plunder.
Even the superpower that dominated the world in later generations fell into an abyss of plunder from which it could not extricate itself, let alone now.
Liu Rengui interjected, "Besides, although the Tang Dynasty is strong, which of the surrounding countries doesn't want to pounce and take a bite? In the past, it was the Turks, Tuyuhun, Gaochang, Xueyantuo, and Goryeo—Emperor Taizong was diligent and enterprising; was it 'warlike' to fight them? Now, the Abbasid Caliphate, Fulin, and India—if you don't fight them, will they obediently stay there and acknowledge the Tang Dynasty as their suzerain?"
Yu Zhining shook his head and said, "If foreign tribes invade, even though I am old and frail, I should lead the charge and die on the battlefield. But since the Abbasid Caliphate, the Fulin Kingdom, and India have not invaded the Tang Dynasty, nor have they harmed the interests of the Tang Dynasty, why do you want to exhaust your military resources and start wars? All these reasons are just excuses for you to seize power and plunder interests."
Liu Rengui flew into a rage, slamming his fist on the table and saying, "Don't use your filthy and narrow-minded heart to look at those loyal and brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives and died in foreign lands for the prosperity of the empire and the well-being of the people! Only when we fight endlessly and die in foreign lands can you, Duke of Yan, sit here distorting the truth and spouting nonsense!"
"Shut up! How dare you, a mere mortal, insult such a great Confucian scholar of our time?"
"When military men rule the country, it is a disaster for the nation!"
"Are you the only ones capable of fighting? We, on horseback and wielding swords, can also charge into battle and kill the enemy!"
The imperial study erupted in chaos, with several officials rebuking Liu Rengui for his insolence.
Li Chengqian's head was throbbing from the noise. He tapped on the desk to stop the argument and looked at Li Ji: "What are your thoughts, Lord Ying?"
Unable to remain hidden, Li Ji could only speak, saying, "'A nation, however large, will perish if it loves war' and 'The world, however peaceful, will be in danger if it forgets war' are two sides of the same coin. They seem contradictory but are actually complementary. The key lies in finding a balance between 'war' and 'peace'."
Li Chengqian remained silent.
"Balance" is the origin of the universe. Everything can be linked to "balance" and can be made to make sense.
But how is that any different from nonsense?
Li Ji seemed unaware of His Majesty's dissatisfaction and continued, "A complete cessation of war is not feasible. If we cannot exert consistent pressure on the foreign states and allow them to grow stronger, they will eventually turn against us, and war will break out again. However, continuing to wage war against foreign powers as we are now is also not advisable. Not to mention that the national treasury is being depleted, the very question of how to stop the war is a difficult one."
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
Are they afraid that the Tang Dynasty will go to war with other countries?
of course not.
Everyone understands the principle that "forgetting war is dangerous," and no matter how much one covets power, it is impossible to completely stop preparing for war.
What they fear is that the army, having profited immensely from the war, will continue its relentless advance, becoming an unstoppable monster.
After all, the current war is far beyond their comprehension.
Since ancient times, waging war has been an extremely dangerous thing. The principle that "war is a matter of vital importance to the state, a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin" has long been explained. Regardless of victory or defeat, it will consume a great deal of national strength and lead to the downfall of the state.
It's not uncommon for a country to win a local battle but lose the entire country...
But they are increasingly unable to understand the current situation. The Anxi Army and Navy are constantly launching wars, but the country is becoming richer and stronger with each victory. The army is conquering cities and expanding its territory, and the fleet is continuously transporting resources such as gold, silver, copper and iron back to the country, supporting the construction of infrastructure worth tens of millions of strings of cash every year.
Since war can bring huge profits, who wouldn't want to fight?
However, if this continues, all national policies and power distribution will be entangled in war, and faced with enormous profits, they will rush headlong into it and simply cannot stop...
The fear that "those who love war will perish" is naturally what they worry about, but it is also understandable that they are unwilling to have their power coerced or weakened.
Fang Jun chuckled and asked in return, "Then please enlighten me, Master Ying, on how to achieve a balance?"
The concept of "balance" sounds simple, but it's incredibly difficult to achieve.
Everything in the world is constantly changing, and the so-called "balance" only exists in theory; there is never a true "balance"...
Li Ji said, "The so-called war and peace are nothing more than offense and defense. We only need to consider it from the perspective of the overall situation, to determine where we must fight for our interests and where we can give them up, to establish a basic policy, and then weigh the pros and cons. That's all."
Fang Jun narrowed his eyes slightly.
Establish a basic policy?
So, what is this basic policy?
The true intentions are revealed!
As expected, Li Chengqian straightened his back and said in a deep voice, "Your words resonate deeply with me! The nation is now flourishing, but it also faces an unprecedented upheaval! In this upheaval, people's hearts are unsettled and the situation is unstable. We must nip problems in the bud and act with caution! Therefore, the most urgent task is not to expand and advance, or even to develop Dongting Lake and Liaodong, but how to use imperial power to stabilize the country and appease the people!"
He looked around at his ministers and said, word by word, "The stability and succession of the Li Tang imperial power is of paramount importance!"
War is fine too.
Let's make peace.
The foundation of everything is the supremacy of imperial power!