Chapter 390: The Crime of a Bloated Lie

Ahhhhhhhhhh!

Don't come over! Don't come over!

Ji Ge suddenly awoke from the nightmare, his whole body drenched in cold sweat.

Another night haunted by a "evil spirit," another unsettling great dream.

Ji Ge got out of bed, grabbed the peach‑wood sword hanging on the wall, and cautiously looked around, as if the wailing, crying, and roars of the evil ghosts from his dream still echoed in his ears.

Then Ji Ge found that, aside from himself, there was no one else in the bedroom. Only Gao Lishi stood far outside the door, watching from a distance, too afraid to approach.

Of course, the reason it was like this was that it followed Ji Ge's prior instructions.

"Saint, did you have another nightmare?"

Gao Lishi asked from afar, his face full of anxiety.

Ji Ge said little, just plopped onto the bed and waved at Gao Lishi.

Gao Lishi answered cautiously.

For a moment, Gao Lishi couldn't help feeling sympathy for Li Chang.

Truly, the inner demon is hard to dispel.

He had just reached the bedroom doorway when Ji Ge immediately called him back.

Back then, to help them oppose the Crown Prince, the Saint turned a blind eye to many of their small actions.

Ji Ge hammered the bed in anger, unable to contain his fury.

He indeed touched a taboo by speaking of it, but because deposing the Crown Prince was so crucial, Gao Lishi had to remind Ji Ge:

If we set aside titles and great principles, Li Chang's strength is far inferior to that of the other princes!

Thus making Li Chang the Crown Prince is indeed the optimal solution; replacing him would bring uncontrollable risk!

"Alas! Alas!"

Gao Lishi was startled; since Li Chang was exiled to Mount Hua to "pray for blessings" for Ji Ge, the Crown Prince had vanished from people's sight for a long time.

Li Chang could not contact the central court officials, and he had not a single soldier at his disposal; what kind of trouble could he cause?

Weighing the two evils, the lesser is chosen; compared to the uncontrollable other princes, the controllable Li Chang is the better option.

That really stumped Gao Lishi! He's not a "professional" in this field!

After racking his brain for a while, Gao Lishi finally thought of a "prescriptive" solution and answered cautiously:

"Saint, I have heard that the Five Sacrifices originated in the Shang dynasty, initially offering to doors, windows, wells, stoves, eaves, or main halls to drive away ghosts.

I intend to depose the Crown Prince! I must depose him!"

"Saint, Li Chang has neither popular support nor power, and he doesn't even have a usable person by his side; he cannot threaten you.

Gao Lishi knows this, but he dares not bring it up.

Since that incident years ago, deep down Ji Ge has been somewhat fearful of Li Chang.

In other words, Li Chang is the prince least likely to become emperor! The Crown Prince who poses the smallest threat to Ji Ge's imperial authority!

However, it can be predicted that Li Chang will not stir up any trouble on Mount Hua.

If someone truly becomes Crown Prince, will the aftermath become unmanageable?

Ji Ge said wearily, "Seeing you like this, you probably really want to change the Crown Prince! I have no idea what exactly the nightmare showed tonight."

If curses worked, back in the Wu Zhou era, Wu Meiniang would have been secretly cursed to death long ago! She wouldn't have been able to die a natural death!

Ji Ge sighed twice, then shut his mouth completely, clearly forced by helplessness yet still unwilling.

"I just dreamed that the Crown Prince plotted rebellion, leading troops to storm Xingqing Palace! The traitorous son!

Ghosts that die untimely are usually called strong‑dead ghosts. Strong‑dead ghosts harbor great resentment, affecting people's minds and spirits; they tend to accumulate in doors, windows, wells, stoves, eaves, or main halls, causing harm.

Gao Lishi, patiently, tried to persuade.

Ji Ge gritted his teeth, saying, his temples bulging with blue veins, looking extremely terrifying.

On the contrary, swapping another prince for Crown Prince now makes the future hard to predict.

Li Chang?

Ji Ge's face darkened, he asked calmly.

Gao Lishi knew further persuasion was unlikely, so he obeyed and left.

After the other party slowly approached, Ji Ge finally whispered, "How has the Crown Prince been lately?"

"No wonder I've been having nightmares lately; it turns out that scoundrel cursed me in Sanqing Hall so I wouldn't die a good death!"

"In recent years I often dream of a fierce ghost demanding my life, hmm, it's that Wei Sanniang.

Aside from a few eunuchs, he has no one he can actually talk to."

"Issue my decree, have the Left and Right Prime Ministers come to Huaqing Palace for a council."

"Is there any way to deal with it?"

Anyway, Gao Lishi couldn't think of how Li Chang might still cause trouble, and inwardly sighed that Ji Ge's paranoia was acting up again.

This is reason restraining emotion!

Hearing that, even Gao Lishi didn't know how to respond.

Even though he was exiled to Mount Hua, effectively under house arrest, Ji Ge still harbored suspicion toward him.

"Saint, have you forgotten? The Crown Prince is now on Mount Hua praying for you.

He wants to change the Crown Prince, but if we set aside those unspeakable thoughts in his heart, Li Chang truly is the most suitable candidate.

Use the Five Sacrifices to expel evil.

Perhaps I should arrange a Five Sacrifices ceremony soon at Huaqing Palace to drive away these evil ghosts.

"Saint, what do you think?"

Ji Ge, being a Taoist, found Gao Lishi's suggestion indeed very reasonable.

"Hmm, don't make a big fuss; send someone quietly and use the civilian route."

Ji Ge nodded slightly and said, emphasizing that the official forces must not be used.

"Then the servant should first deliver the edict, and then promptly see to it that this matter is handled."

Having finished, Gao Lishi bowed and left the bedroom.

The Five Sacrifices reached their zenith in the Zhou dynasty as rites to the deities of the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth). Each element was overseen by an ancient sage: the Wood Chief Ju Mang, the Fire Chief Zhu Rong, the Metal Chief Ru Shou, the Water Chief Xuan Ming, and the Earth Chief Hou Tu.

The later Five Sacrifices actually also venerate these five individuals.

According to Gao Lishi, the original meaning of the Five Sacrifices was simply to expel ghosts.

But there is a problem here; Ji Ge didn't ask, and Gao Lishi dared not raise it. Serving beside the emperor, one must keep one's mouth shut—never ask what should not be asked—as the secret to a long life.

Even Gao Lishi knows that sacrifices are a matter of state. Though the Five Sacrifices no longer exist officially, they have not vanished; by the Tang dynasty the custom had evolved and become stratified.

The Son of Heaven performs rites to heaven, earth, and famed mountains and rivers, following the imperial way, praying for a prosperous nation and peaceful people.

The common folk sacrifice to doors, windows, wells, and hearths, following the people's way, praying for household safety.

According to the politically correct view, the emperor is empowered by heaven and earth, governing and hunting on behalf of heaven, untouched by any harm.

Is there any need to worry about petty ghosts? There's no need for such small tricks at all.

Ji Ge having the civilian ghost‑exorcising folk handle the Five Sacrifices is a self‑downgrading act; how could court ministers even know about it?

Naturally, Gao Lishi could not press further on such matters.

After he left, Ji Ge leaned against the headboard, pretended to rest, his mind wandering, and eventually slipped into sleep.

He had a long dream, not of a vengeful ghost demanding lives, but vaguely witnessing a world in chaos, war smoke rising everywhere, the people suffering.

He slept deeply, only waking when the sun was three rods high.

Upon waking, Ji Ge felt an indescribable fatigue. The sleep did not relieve his lingering illness; it made him feel worse.

In a hoarse voice he asked Gao Lishi, "Have the Left and Right Prime Ministers arrived?"

"Your Majesty, they have arrived and are waiting in the study," Gao Lishi replied.

Gao Lishi took a yellow robe and draped it over Ji Ge.

"The two chancellors remain diligent," he said.

Ji Ge nodded approvingly, thinking that traveling from Chang'an to Huaqing Palace, even if he heard Gao Lishi's edict instantly, would require nonstop galloping to arrive.

Li Shizhi and Fang Guan were no longer young; being woken in the night and racing through star‑filled, moonlit roads was truly indescribable.

Nevertheless Ji Ge cared little about their feelings; after all, the hurried travel was not his concern as emperor.

After changing clothes, Ji Ge entered the study and saw Li Shizhi and Fang Guan both looking haggard.

He hurried over, clasped their hands, and sighed, "It is my fault; my anxiety over state affairs was too hasty, causing the two ministers to suffer."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding."

Li Shizhi and Fang Guan both bowed, for how could they blame Ji Ge for sending men to fetch them at midnight to Huaqing Palace?

In a sense, this could be considered a form of "favor."

After taking his seat, Ji Ge did not avoid Gao Lishi's presence and asked the two, "Minister, what do you think of the Crown Prince?"

The Crown Prince, how so?

Li Shizhi and Fang Guan were startled; the emperor asking this seemed to imply a replacement of the Crown Prince.

"Your Majesty thinks… the Crown Prince has done something unsuitable?"

Fang Guan asked, puzzled.

He could not overthink; given Ji Ge's urgent summons and that question, Fang Guan knew something was wrong.

The Crown Prince is the foundation of the state; this is no small matter!

He is a traditional civil official with some political integrity.

Although!

All civil and military officials know that Li Chang is only an "acting Crown Prince" and may likely be replaced in the future. Moreover, Li Chang is indifferent to fame and profit, so almost no officials favor him, let alone seek his patronage.

Not to mention, the officials attached to the Eastern Palace are merely titular for Ji Ge, never actually serving there. Even Li Shizhi and Fang Guan hold Eastern Palace posts, yet they have never set foot there! Everyone knows Ji Ge fundamentally does not favor Li Chang.

But!

Suddenly replacing Li Chang would cause a huge upheaval in the political landscape.

Because the next Crown Prince is almost certainly the next emperor! Ji Ge is advanced in age and cannot endure continual turmoil and political instability.

Thus Ji Ge's "minor issue" is, in Fang Guan and Li Shizhi's view, a "major trouble" that concerns the next several decades and matters of life and death.

At a time like this, not asking for clarity would truly be acting foolishly!

"I have been pondering, and feel Li Chang is unfit to inherit the throne. Today I summoned the two ministers to ask, who would make a better Crown Prince?"

Ji Ge did not beat around the bush, stating his intention outright.

Li Shizhi and Fang Guan exchanged glances, each seeing deep worry in the other's eyes.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince currently has no fault; replacing him rashly would be improper."

Li Shizhi said, forcing himself to speak.

"Eh? I never said to replace the Crown Prince now; I am merely asking which prince would be better as Crown Prince."

Ji Ge waved his hand and said.

"Is there any difference?"

Li Shizhi was stunned, not knowing how to reply. Fang Guan, however, was more quick‑witted and, crossing his arms in a salute to Ji Ge, said, "If Your Majesty truly wishes to ask, Prince Ying Li Jiao, Prince Yong Li Lin, and other princes have already taken part in state affairs."

He did not specify who should be Crown Prince, only noted that several princes were already involved in governance. As to who is suitable, isn't that merely a matter of the emperor's word?

Fang Guan uttered a piece of "correct nonsense," leaving Ji Ge helpless.

Does he not know the Crown Prince should be chosen from these princes? Yet he cannot claim Fang Guan is wrong!

"Right Prime Minister, do you have no suitable candidate in mind?"

Ji Ge looked at Li Shizhi and asked, his tone already becoming severe.

"Return, Sage, the Crown Prince is the foundation of the state; my humble suggestion is that as long as the Crown Prince makes no major mistakes, we should temporarily leave him untouched.

If the Crown Prince does err, it is not too late to discuss his removal."

Li Shizhi said calmly, neither hurried nor relaxed.

His words clearly meant to protect Li Chang, or rather Li Shizhi hoped to preserve stability of the court and avoid further turmoil.

Yet he clearly did not guess Ji Ge's thoughts.

"Right Prime Minister, Li Chang is now at Huashan, day after day in the sacrificial hall, silently cursing the throne; even so, am I powerless against him?"

Ji Ge's blood‑red eyes stared at Li Shizhi! He was already on the brink of fury!

Li Shizhi was speechless.

In such matters, it is entirely the Son of Heaven's will: if the emperor says it exists, it exists; if he says it does not, it does not—whatever he says becomes truth!

Li Chang, in the Three Purities Hall at the foot of Huashan, prayed for the Sage; whether his heart was blessing or cursing, who can know?

Ji Ge's reasoning was a conspiracy theory taken to its zenith, leaving no way to evaluate it.

"Sage, if that is so, when each prince bows to you, they might also be cursing you; who can claim their thoughts are always good?

Sage, judging deeds but not hearts, there are no good people in the world!"

Li Shizhi knelt outright, kowtowing to Ji Ge and pleading.

Fang Guan, seeing this, also knelt and pleaded.

If Ji Ge truly used "the Crown Prince cursing the Sage while praying" as grounds to depose Crown Prince Li Chang, history would forever stain the reputations of these two chancellors as foul.

By that standard, the entire Great Tang bureaucracy would have no competent officials.

In Emperor Wu of Han's time, a cruel official invented the crime of "inner slander", meaning that not only spoken slander but even inner curses must be punished.

It later became a notorious example of dark political intrigue, sharply criticized by posterity.

Li Shizhi and Fang Guan dared not bear this black pot.

"Enough, you may go; I no longer wish to discuss this."

Ji Ge sighed deeply, feeling that the matter of discarding the Crown Prince could not be pushed forward.

(End of chapter)