Chapter Twenty-One: The Morning Court (Part II)

The Emperor looked at Cen Wenben and said with a smile, "Do you have something to say, Minister?"

*Truly my close confidant,* the Emperor thought. *He knows exactly when to step in and smooth things over...*

"Your Majesty, I have heard that building an empire after chaos is difficult, and maintaining the foundation already laid is no easy task. Thus, one must remain vigilant in times of peace to ensure the longevity of the era, and see things through from beginning to end to strengthen the foundation. Today, while the millions of our people live in peace and the four corners of the realm are tranquil, we are still recovering from the aftermath of war and desolation. The population has dwindled significantly, and many fields remain uncultivated. While your grace covers the land like the heavens, the scars of the past have yet to heal; while your moral teachings spread far and wide, the coffers remain empty..."

As Cen Wenben spoke in this flowery, pedantic style, the other ministers grew dazed. *We are here discussing the Prince of Wei acting on behalf of the Crown Prince to inspect Guanzhong, so why are you reciting these parallel prose couplets?*

Only the Emperor felt a secret joy. *If Cen Wenben keeps stalling like this, the time for the morning court session will soon be up, won't it?*

Cen Wenben ignored them, continuing on his own, "Your Majesty observes the events of the past and present, discerning the mechanisms of security and danger. You hold the state as your priority above, and the millions of people as your concern below. You clarify selection, are cautious with rewards and punishments, promote the virtuous, and dismiss the unworthy. You correct faults upon hearing them, heed advice like a flowing stream, practice virtue without doubt, and ensure orders are kept with certainty. You cultivate your spirit, curbing the entertainments of hunting and leisure; you abandon extravagance for frugality, reducing the costs of labor and construction... The Prince of Wei is currently building his mansion in Yongxing Ward, decorating it with such luxury and extravagance that it exceeds the established regulations. I humbly beseech Your Majesty to issue a decree to punish this transgression..."

The court ministers were amused. *So, we thought he was here to help the Emperor smooth things over, but he was actually pulling the rug out from under him!*

What constitutes "exceeding regulations"? It means using regalia or items beyond one's status. Since the Prince of Wei would never dare use items reserved for the Emperor, the only way he could be "exceeding regulations" was by adopting the protocols reserved for the Crown Prince.

Throughout history, dynasties have taken such transgressions very seriously. Even if the Emperor tacitly allowed the Prince of Wei to overstep his bounds in daily life, that was merely an unspoken rule—a secret kept by all. But once brought to the surface, it became absolutely intolerable. Rules are rules; otherwise, what use are they? Even the Emperor cannot ignore them.

The Prince of Wei acting on behalf of the Emperor to inspect Guanzhong? Forget it. The Prince of Wei is but the Prince of Wei; no matter how significant he is, he is not the Crown Prince. Using the Crown Prince's regulations was already a transgression, so what would it mean for him to stand in for the Crown Prince? That would be the ultimate transgression!

After speaking, Cen Wenben lowered his head, retreated to his position in the ranks as if nothing had happened, closed his eyes slightly, and said no more.

But that was enough! Who would dare suggest that the Prince of Wei inspect Guanzhong on behalf of the Crown Prince now? Whoever dared would be showing total disregard for the laws of the Great Tang, for the dignity of the Imperial house, and would be seen as lawless and rebellious!

Emperor Li Er’s face turned black with rage! *Well, well, I thought you were a kindred spirit here to help me solve my troubles, but who the hell knew you, you bastard, would push me into a corner in the blink of an eye!*

Disagree? Anyone present could see that Emperor Li Er intended for the Prince of Wei to inspect Guanzhong for the Crown Prince. To disagree now would clearly be a slap in his own face and a blow to his own prestige.

To act willfully and proceed anyway? That would be even worse! If you, the Emperor, do not respect the rules, how can you govern others? Today it is the Prince of Wei exceeding his station; tomorrow it will be the Prince of Qi, and the day after, the Prince of Jin. Since the Li family has so many heirs, wouldn't everything fall into chaos?

Emperor Li Er’s handsome face turned from black to purple, then from purple to red. He was filled with shame, indignation, and towering rage! Yet, he could not vent it...

Seeing the Emperor’s eyes seemingly spewing fire as he stared fixedly at Cen Wenben—a look that suggested he wanted to devour the man whole—Zhangsun Wuji, the Duke of Zhao, hurriedly stepped forward and奏: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. What Cen Wenben says is correct; the Prince of Wei’s transgression must be reprimanded, or else the laws will not be upheld, and the state cannot be governed. However, the matter of the Prince of Wei inspecting Guanzhong on behalf of the Crown Prince is due to the fact that the Crown Prince, in his exalted position, should not be placed in harm's way. With refugees everywhere outside the city, there are bound to be those harboring resentment. If they were to take desperate risks during the Crown Prince’s inspection, it might lead to an unspeakable disaster. Thus, the Prince of Wei was chosen to stand in. This act does not exceed the regulations."

An old fox is still an old fox. With these words, Zhangsun Wuji not only reframed the Prince of Wei’s transgression as a mere matter for "reprimand"—skirting Cen Wenben’s call for "punishment"—but also provided a legal justification for the substitution.

What is the law? It is nothing more than human sentiment and established convention. According to Zhangsun Wuji, the Prince of Wei’s inspection was not a violation, but rather an act of brotherly love—a "sacrifice for his brother" to keep the Crown Prince out of danger. It could be called a display of noble character and unparalleled loyalty...

At this, Yu Zhining, the Left Erudite of the Crown Prince, shouted, "Why does the Duke of Zhao use such clever words to gloss over the truth? The Crown Prince is the Crown Prince; how can there be any talk of a substitute? If the Prince of Wei inspects Guanzhong today, rumors will inevitably spread, and public opinion will be in an uproar. This will not be peaceful for the nation, and it must absolutely not be done!"

As the Crown Prince’s tutor and a pillar of the Eastern Palace, how could he watch the duties that should be borne by the Crown Prince be transferred to another? This was a matter of principle; he could not retreat a single step! If he retreated today, he would retreat tomorrow, and the day after, he would have to concede the position. Even if he privately thought the Crown Prince was unworthy, he was still the Crown Prince; he should be properly tutored, not easily replaced, for that would shake the very foundation of the state!

No sooner had Yu Zhining finished than someone else stood up to refute him, calling his argument unreasonable and asking what the big deal was if it was just a temporary inspection. The court descended into a clamor of argument.

Emperor Li Er felt a headache brewing. He was filled with irritation, yet he never considered that the reason his civil and military officials were now at each other's throats was precisely because of his own ambiguous attitude toward the Prince of Wei, Li Tai. If he hadn't given everyone a "groundless" signal, who would dare publicly debate the succession in the court? That was a major taboo for any official!

"Bang!"

Emperor Li Er, his anger erupting, slammed the table, glared at the nonchalant Cen Wenben, and barked, "Minister Cen, do you have any other memorials?"

*The mess is all of your making, and now that it’s done, you’re playing the innocent? Think again! I’ll drag you into this one way or another. If you have a brilliant plan to end this morning's session, fine, but if you only know how to pour oil on the fire without putting it out, you’ll regret it!*

Cen Wenben’s face remained expressionless, though the corner of his eye twitched slightly. It seemed he had truly angered the Emperor today; the situation was becoming quite dangerous... But who told him that his heart was already pledged elsewhere? Whether it was the Crown Prince or the Prince of Wei, he would suppress them whenever he could.

He stepped out of the ranks, bowed, and raised his tablet high again: "I have a memorial!"

Emperor Li Er’s face was dark. "Speak at once!"

Cen Wenben said in a resonant voice, "If the Prince of Wei inspects on behalf of the Crown Prince, rumors will surely spread, and the Prince of Wei’s reputation will inevitably suffer. I cannot bear to see that. For the sake of the Prince of Wei’s reputation, I humbly beseech Your Majesty to divide the counties of Guanzhong into several regions, and command all adult princes to take responsibility for one region each, to appease the people and inspect the disaster. This would settle the hearts of the people, and we could even observe their performance to determine their merit."

Once these words were spoken, how could the others not understand? This was clearly a blatant attempt to secure benefits for the Prince of Wu, Li Ke!

Fang Xuanling shook his head and sighed, "Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

Cen Wenben did not directly bring up the Prince of Wu, Li Ke, because although Li Ke had a reputation for virtue, he was not favored by the Emperor; whether the succession changed or not, it would never fall to him. His brilliance lay in first setting the Prince of Wei, Li Tai, up as a target. With supporters and opponents in a deadlock, the Emperor would find it difficult to make a unilateral decision.

Only then did he introduce the Prince of Wu, Li Ke, which made both sides hesitant to act. If they agreed to the Prince of Wei’s inspection, they would have to agree to the other princes doing the same. If they did not agree to the others inspecting Guanzhong, then they could not support the Prince of Wei either, or else it would be seen as illegitimate, placing the Prince of Wei in the line of fire.

If it succeeded, the Prince of Wu, Li Ke—who had no hope of gathering influence—would gain an opportunity he never had before. If it failed, the Prince of Wu had lost nothing, as he had no stake in the matter to begin with.

The ministers suddenly realized the medicine Cen Wenben had been hiding in his gourd. *What a cunning old fox! This grand circle he led them around—and the key point was that it actually worked!*

Whether they agreed or not, the Prince of Wu and the Prince of Wei were now bound together. Either they all went, or they all stayed home...

*How insidious!*

At this point, the power to decide rested solely in the Emperor's hands. The Emperor on the throne saw his expression shift between light and shadow for a long while, before he finally let out a long breath.

"Request granted!"