Chapter 405: Who Is the Real Big Brother?

In the Imperial Study of Xinqing Palace, within the Qinzhengwubenlou, Ji Ge sits with his eyes closed, resting his spirit while listening to a melody.

The recent court turmoil seems as if it has nothing to do with me at all.

Even Gao Lishi can no longer bear to watch.

This is probably what they call the emperor being unhurried while the eunuch is anxious.

"Your Majesty, the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army has not yet returned, and the Council Hall has not issued any rewards, so the situation remains deadlocked.

I am somewhat worried."

Gao Lishi whispered cautiously into Ji Ge's ear.

"Sir Lishi, your concern is correct, but these are matters for the Right Prime Minister to resolve, not for you, and certainly not for me to settle."

Ji Ge opened his eyes and said slowly, with profound meaning.

Gao Lishi is not especially clever; he is merely very diligent. In schemes of power, Gao Lishi is often the one who realizes things late, which is one reason Ji Ge feels particularly at ease with him.

"Your Majesty, I do not understand."

Gao Lishi said with a puzzled expression. This is not flattery or manipulation; he truly does not understand.

Ji Ge suddenly became interested, waved his hand lightly. A few opera musicians and attending eunuchs streamed out, leaving only Gao Lishi and Ji Ge alone in the Imperial Study.

It is human nature to want to teach, and Ji Ge is no exception.

"I know state affairs are busy and many places need funds. You see, I have not held a grand banquet in a long time; I am also quite frugal.

However, money that should be spent must be spent, and money that should be collected must be collected. If we do not collect, where will the funds for state affairs come from?"

Li Shizhi cherishes his reputation, thinking only of his own official standing and refusing to raise money for me; that will not do. You see, my servant understands better than he does.

Since the prime minister cannot obtain funds, I should punish and chastise him. I support them; they receive the court's salary, and they are meant to solve my problems, not create difficulties for me.

The Yinqiang Xiaojie Army is a fine whip, used to spur the officials of the Council Hall.

"Lishi, I ask you, has Yang Shenjin prepared all the wealth and treasure over there?"

Ji Ge asked calmly, his face serene.

In fact, this is what Gao Lishi truly wanted to ask.

He bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, the Taifu Temple has already prepared the rewards for the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army. I only wish to know when you will distribute them."

Gao Lishi still does not understand; Ji Ge is not unwilling to spend on the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army. Since the rewards are ready, why delay?

"There's no hurry; I am waiting for the Right Prime Minister to handle this properly! If the Council Hall cannot resolve it, I will intervene, ensuring the soldiers are satisfied and return. Then Fang Guozhong and the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, both upper and lower, will know who their true master is and to whom they should be loyal.

Lest, in a moment of carelessness, they be bought off by certain people."

Ji Ge said lightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

The powerful and influential families in the Chang'an region have, over the past two years, devised ways to bribe the Shen Ce Army soldiers, attempting to infiltrate this elite guard.

They think Ji Ge has become deaf and blind, but this Chang'an Son of Heaven knows everything; he simply does not speak of it.

This fully proves that Ji Ge's original decision to retain the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army as a seed unit and dispatch it to frontier towns for training was foresighted. Otherwise, now there would be no follow‑up at all.

This army has no ties to the major families of Chang'an; once it entered Chang'an, it became Ji Ge's ballast for stabilizing the court.

And how to prevent this army from being bought?

Just have them stand opposite the court; ideally, let those petty officials clash with the Council Hall and the Six Ministries, causing a disturbance at the palace gates, and let those petty officials also feel the warmth and coldness of human relations.

The court does not grant rewards, but Ji Ge does. So for the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army soldiers, who is the one they should be loyal to?

Indeed, it is not the Council Hall, nor the Three Ministries and Six Boards, nor any royal clan or prince.

It is only Ji Ge himself! This is the effect the Chang'an Son of Heaven wishes to achieve.

【7】 Now Ji Ge is holding back the rewards, letting Li Shizhi figure it out himself; there's nothing strange about that—it is to set a trap.

Now Ji Ge is holding back the reward, not issuing it, letting Li Shizhi figure it out himself; there's nothing strange about it, it's just to set a trap.

If there are no villains to contrast, how could a good man be regarded as a "good man"?

For Ji Ge, when the court lacks funds, the prime minister should scoop up money! That is his duty!

The prime minister must not, because he cherishes his reputation, refrain from extracting wealth from the populace.

Li Shizhi, unlike Li Linfu, does not have the skill to raise money and also fears that others will stab him in the back, so he does not dare to act freely, wanting to maintain a good reputation while in office.

Therefore Ji Ge must chastise him.

If the prime minister wishes to preserve his reputation without raising money, he will face various pressures and marginalization. Ultimately, these unaccomplished state affairs, such as rewarding meritorious soldiers, become weighty burdens that force Li Shizhi to step down.

Continuously adding burdens, there will inevitably be a day when the camel is crushed.

Of course, if Li Shizhi lowers his stance and, like Li Linfu and others, finds creative ways to raise money, Ji Ge could keep him in the Right Prime Minister position.

In short, wanting both at once is impossible.

Actually, Ji Ge had already hinted to Li Shizhi before, but that person just couldn't quite grasp it.

"Your Majesty, what if the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army causes trouble?"

Gao Lishi asked with some worry; having lived through many coups, he knows that when those petty officials become ruthless, they cannot be controlled.

"Let them cause a disturbance; better make it a big one."

"They cause trouble, making the Council Hall and the officials of the Three Ministries and Six Boards lose face, which then makes it convenient for me to act."

Ji Ge stroked his long beard and smiled.

Only three thousand men—how else can they cause trouble? Could they even dare a mutiny in Chang'an?

Even if they send assassins into Chang'an to kill the prime minister, what would that achieve?

It's not as if they were killing the emperor!

Ji Ge is not at all naive; everything is under his control, and in the end, he is not the one who will die.

"Your Majesty is wise."

Gao Lishi whispered in agreement.

Seeing that Gao Lishi still had some doubts, Ji Ge thought for a moment and also felt a bit uneasy.

Thus he said to Gao Lishi, "Send a greeting to Xian Yu Zhongtong of the Shen Ce Army, and have his troops cooperate with the Right Prime Minister. Do not mobilize the several units commanded by Cui Qianyou."

Ji Ge added an extra safeguard to his plan; he felt it was absolutely foolproof.

Now the Shen Ce Army is commanded by two generals, each leading half the troops, and the official title of the position is "Commander".

When on duty, one Commander handles the daily duties of the troops, while the other Commander takes the other half to rest or attend to other matters, such as leading soldiers out of Guanzhong to patrol Henan.

The current Commanders are, besides Cui Qianyou, the other being Xian Yu Zhongtong.

Who, then, is Xian Yu Zhongtong?

Mentioning him inevitably brings up the Jian'nan Jiedushi Zhang Choujian Qiong.

Xian Yu Zhongtong is a scholar who passed the Jinshi examination, though that was twenty years ago. Later he served in Shu, within the Jian'nan Military Governor's office, and had a good relationship with Zhang Choujian Qiong.

Because he is adept at "handling affairs", flexible in his tactics, and a scholar who passed the imperial exams, he is very eloquent.

Having also worked at the Military Governor's office, he was recommended by Zhang Choujian Qiong to become a capital official in Chang'an, serving continuously in the Ministry of War.

Ji Ge chose him as Commander of the Shen Ce Army, partly because Xian Yu Zhongtong "understands military affairs", lacks a deep background, and is not part of the Guanzhong circle, making him easier to control.

On the other hand, he can converse with many "pure‑stream" figures at the court's core. For example, the highly esteemed Yan Zhenqing is a friend of Xian Yu Zhongtong.

The situation of the Imperial Guard is complex; unlike frontier troops, advancement is not solely based on combat ability. Within the Guard, personal connections and the emperor's practical needs matter more.

Ji Ge also needs the Guard and the court to communicate smoothly, requiring a middleman skilled at handling affairs who can ease tensions when appropriate. Xian Yu Zhongtong is clearly the optimal solution meeting all criteria.

As for warfare and loyalty, Ji Ge trusts Cui Qianyou more.

However, Cui Qianyou hails from Hebei, his family has fallen into decline and is not a privileged household, and his temperament is rather hard. He cannot converse with the lofty civil officials at the court's core!

Water has its uses, oil has its uses; placing the right talent in the right position lets each fulfill their role. Overall, this personnel strategy is appropriate.

Whether to say it or not, Ji Ge may not be a good person at heart, but he does know how to appoint the right people.

Having Xian Yu Zhongtong cooperate with Li Shizhi is also out of concern that Li Shizhi, a scholar encountering soldiers, might be threatened by the Qiu Ba of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army.

Of course, the Shen Ce Army will not be deployed lightly; Ji Ge's move is also to give Li Shizhi some courage, to let him "perform well".

The Shen Ce Army's total strength exceeds 30,000, approaching 40,000, and Xian Yu Zhongtong can command at least about 20,000 troops. With so many soldiers, the situation can be controlled no matter what!

"Sage, I truly did not expect it to be like this. Indeed, everything is under your control."

Gao Lishi admired greatly, speaking from the heart.

The soldiers of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, seeing the ministers in the Council Hall not granting rewards, wanted to protest while the overwhelmingly larger Shen Ce Army stared at them; they dared not act, yet staying still left them restless.

Their hearts must be filled with pain, suffocation, regret, and despondency.

They feel the court has betrayed them after they bled on the front lines.

In the end, they might gather and weep and wail in front of the Xingqing Palace gates.

That is exactly the effect Ji Ge wants!

When that moment arrives, Ji Ge will step forward again, soothe the soldiers, then order the treasury of Taifu Temple to be opened and reward these meritorious troops.

I imagine their moods will instantly rise from the depths to the peak, naturally shouting "Long live the Sage", satisfied and departing.

What is called a surprise?

This is a surprise! The emotions are instantly maxed out!

From now on, the troops' loyalty returns! Throughout the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, they will worship the Sage as their sole master!

And Li Shizhi and the other ministers have become complete jokes and clowns.

But that doesn't matter; as long as Ji Ge achieves his goal, Li Shizhi can safely take the blame.

After such a humiliating incident, I believe he can no longer serve as prime minister; Ji Ge can then dismiss him and replace him with someone who can handle money and obey.

For example, Yang Shenjin is quite good at extracting money.

Gao Lishi finally sorted out this "strange" logic. Anything you find strange is only because you haven't yet understood its principle.

Now Gao Lishi understands, and is greatly shocked!

So rewards can be distributed like this!

Today truly opened my eyes.

"Go, go to the Council Hall and urge them; let the Right Prime Minister act according to his own ideas. Tell him, since the nation is in difficulty, first make the soldiers endure hardship; whatever he does, I will not blame him."

Ji Ge nodded slightly, saying he felt a bit drowsy, and then slowly closed his eyes.

……

Outside Wugong County, the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army's main camp is now filled with people inside the commander's tent, each with a solemn expression.

"Jiedushi, the situation is not good."

Che Guangqian whispered.

Upon hearing this, everyone began cursing in a chorus, clearly feeling aggrieved.

Fang Chongyong had already relayed the news brought by Zheng Shuqing to He Changqi and others; unsurprisingly, the proud soldiers and fierce generals immediately panicked, unable to believe the court would not reward merit!

"Jiedushi, it's not that we are unreasonable. Look at the Chishui Army and the Hanhai Army; those scoundrels received rewards based on merit. We have the most achievements, fought the hardest, marched ten thousand li from Chang'an to Mulu; why are we not rewarded?"

He Changqi widened his eyes and demanded.

His words actually voiced what everyone present was thinking.

Of course, this is also the main reason the Council Hall now feels wronged and trapped. If the Chishui Army had not given rewards, Li Shizhi would not have sent Zheng Shuqing to the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army camp to explain.

They would directly issue an imperial edict; these people are that arrogant!

The court has long only granted titles and ranks to meritorious soldiers; if rewards are withheld, nobody receives them. Similar large‑scale cases have occurred more than once.

Small‑scale ones are probably like fish swimming across a river, countless.

But they are all detachments of the Anxi Expeditionary Army; some fulfilled their battle merits, others did not, which is indeed hard to justify, right?

"Quiet down, I plan to go alone to the Council Hall today to test the Right Prime Minister's tone; you all stay calm."

Fang Chongyong gestured as he spoke, and the generals fell silent.

"General Che, take the few brothers with the sign cards, find the more agile ones. Change clothes, slip into Chang'an quietly to gather information."

Fang Chongyong instructed Che Guangqian.

"Got it! But the Jiedushi, the Council Hall's attitude is already laid out there, they…"

Che Guangqian hesitated a little.

If the court were willing to spend money, they'd have taken it long ago. Now going to negotiate with Li Shizhi is like pressing a tiger's head, letting the tiger eat grass—what difference does that make?

"We must not lose propriety; in our dealings we follow ceremony before arms. Executing without instruction is cruelty."

Fang Chongyong let out a cold chuckle.

Ma De, once back in Chang'an, someone tried to drug his eyes. Openly the treasury has no money; secretly, wasn't it the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army that killed the court's Minister of War, and now those people are beginning to give Fang a hard time!

Of course, at Longyou Shallow Shoal, everything must be handled cautiously. The current situation is still unclear, and Fang Chongyong plans to first gauge the bottom before speaking.

"Tell the soldiers, this reward, if the court issues it, it must be issued; if not, I, as the military envoy of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, will go and claim it back for you!"

Not a single one will be missing!

So, for now restrain your young men, don't give anyone a pretext to attack us, and let them conveniently forfeit the reward.

Fang Chongyong said resolutely!

"Obey the Jiedushi's command!"

All the generals knelt together and saluted.

What does "big brother" mean? Someone like Fang Chongyong who steps up for his junior at a critical moment is a big brother!

You usually stand up for the soldiers, and when war comes, they stick their heads on their belt loops and risk their lives for you.

What is loyalty? This is loyalty!

"Get up, we're departing now. General Che, let's go."

Fang Chongyong turned and left the main tent, his face grim.

(End of chapter)