Chapter 2074: Taizong Chronicles 16: Take a Brother's Advice

Prince Wei Liu Min, in Luoyang, now had only this one mansion left to his name. Over the years, not only had he acquired no new property, he had even sold off his earlier lands, estates, houses, and holdings.

The Prince Wei's mansion had always been a quiet place. Even with its master's return, it only livened up a little, for besides Liu Min and a handful of servants, the only others in residence were three hundred guards.

Though regulations required all the guards to set aside their armor and crossbows, the mansion was still run like a military camp—orders obeyed, discipline strict, martial might imposing. To outsiders, this Prince Wei's mansion was truly a dragon's pool and tiger's den.

But to the august Prince Zhao, it was nothing impressive. Those fierce veterans of a hundred battles would almost instinctively lower their heads in deference at the sight of Liu Fang.

Without waiting to be announced, Liu Fang followed the mansion steward directly to find Liu Min. Though the hour was late, Prince Wei Liu Min had not yet retired. Far from sleeping, he was leisurely drinking wine and savoring dishes at his ease. But beside the food table hung a map—a chart of the territories of the three kingdoms of Anxi and the distribution of surrounding powers. When Liu Fang entered the hall, the first thing he saw was also that map. He stopped and stared at it for a while before turning his gaze to Liu Min.

"Fourth Brother has come?" Liu Min's face was slightly flushed from however much wine he had drunk, but at the sight of Liu Fang he sobered considerably. He hurriedly rose, bowed to Liu Fang, and gestured at the food table: "I failed to welcome you in person—please forgive me!"

"Fourth Brother, please sit!" Personally guiding Liu Fang to his seat, Liu Min then ordered the attending servants: "Add a soft mat! And another set of cups and dishes!"

Though Liu Min's manner was attentive, there was always a certain reserve in his bearing. Liu Fang said nothing about it, merely lifting his robe hem and kneeling on the mat—every movement radiating solemnity.

Liu Min waited until the servants had laid out the tableware before taking his own seat. Looking at the gravely solemn Liu Fang, he said with a light laugh: "Fourth Brother is a rare guest! But for any matter, why trouble yourself to come in person? Just send word, and your younger brother will call on you and await your instructions!"

Hearing Liu Min say this, Liu Fang raised his eyes and stared straight at him, holding his gaze until the fake smile at the corner of Liu Min's mouth froze. Only then did he speak: "Sixth Brother, must there be all this hypocritical courtesy between us brothers?"

Liu Fang's eyes at that moment contained too many things. Sensing this, Liu Min could not help averting his gaze. He took a light breath and answered with full seriousness: "Then let us speak plainly. Fourth Brother, what business brings you here in the dead of night?"

At the question, Liu Fang did not even blink, still fixing his eyes on him, and said flatly: "The wine at Taihe Tower wasn't drunk to satisfaction, so there's still lingering pleasure in a small drink here? I've just come from the palace. With your discernment, do you not know my purpose?"

Liu Min's hand pouring the wine paused for a moment, then continued its motion. He answered composedly: "The late emperor kept two dogs at his side; it seems Second Brother has now tamed them. Not a great matter—this was no secret meeting. Whatever was said and discussed, there is nothing that cannot be spoken of openly."

Seeing Liu Min's nonchalant attitude, Liu Fang's brows knit together, but after a moment of silence, he said in a stern tone: "Liu Wenyuan is young and hot-blooded, knowing no bounds. Do you also not understand the gravity of things, and want to make trouble together with them?"

Facing Liu Fang's interrogation, Liu Min instead returned a surprised look and said: "Does Fourth Brother truly not care at all about your Northern Court Kingdom?"

Before Liu Fang could respond, Liu Min continued as if talking to himself: "True enough—a poor and remote place like the Northern Court, how could it be worthy of Fourth Brother's concern! The late emperor's arrangement is truly hard to understand. Even I cannot help feeling indignant on your behalf. A paltry Northern Court Kingdom—how could it match Fourth Brother's illustrious achievements for the Great Han?"

Hearing this, Liu Fang studied Liu Min carefully for a moment, then said with some melancholy: "When did your vision become so narrow? Am I a man greedy for profit and fame?"

Meeting Liu Fang's gaze, Liu Min felt a twinge of guilt and dared not look back at him. After a moment of silence, he somewhat discourteously took a drink of wine on his own, then said: "Fourth Brother is naturally upright and magnanimous—of course I am ashamed to compare myself to you!

I know very well that in Anxi, it was always Fourth Brother yielding to me, and I have always been grateful in my heart. It's just—"

At this point, Liu Min looked somewhat oppressed. Seeing this, Liu Fang's brows relaxed slightly. He waved his hand and said: "Past matters need not be brought up again! I am a son of the late emperor, a Prince of the Great Han. Whatever the matter, I act only according to imperial decree—whether it be the late emperor or the current sovereign!"

Liu Fang's expression was stern, his tone resolute and unyielding. Hearing this, Liu Min was clearly stunned for a moment before saying with a bitter smile: "Among all the brothers, perhaps Fourth Brother is the one who finds it hardest to let go!"

"Then you have all misjudged me, Liu Fang!" Liu Fang said flatly.

Raising his eyes to look at Liu Fang, at this moment facing this fourth brother, Liu Min could not help but feel a sense of shame he had never known before. After pondering for a moment, Liu Min said in a low voice: "Father's death is not far behind, and already people are eager to jump out, altering the late emperor's policies, suppressing the princes of the various kingdoms! As sons of the late emperor, how can we sit idly by and let ourselves be manipulated?"

"So you plan to collude and stir up trouble?" Liu Fang said sternly: "Are you targeting Lü Duan? Or the new court and new emperor? Do you have any understanding of how serious the problems in this are?"

To be fair, Liu Fang's rebuke was not pleasant to hear, but it was spoken from the heart. Had it not been for brotherly affection and years of shared service and life-and-death camaraderie, he would never have spoken so.

Liu Min was certainly not someone who did not know what was good for him. Moved by the sentiment, he sighed and said: "Since Fourth Brother speaks from the heart, I will be frank as well. This disturbance was not originally started by the princes. But since someone has come bullying us to our faces, pressing hard and aggressively, are we not allowed to fight back?

Although Lü Duan and his people's proposals are restrained—speaking of minor adjustments, of brief reductions—with such matters, where there is a first there will be a second. Once this opening is made, the court will have endless reasons and means to use against us. The enfeoffment system and pioneering spirit that the late emperor painstakingly built will be undermined and even abolished. A little less support for the kingdoms, some loss of interests—that is not so important. But I absolutely cannot sit by and watch the late emperor's will be desecrated. Lü Duan, a meritorious official of the Kaibao era, so favored and valued by the late emperor—who would have thought that the first to jump out and oppose the late emperor would be precisely such an old minister. How ironic. Whether as a minister or as a son, I must fight back!"

Liu Min spoke with righteous indignation, though it seemed somewhat difficult to believe it was entirely sincere. Still, part of what he said did strike a chord with Liu Fang.

A trace of recollection flickered through his calm eyes before Liu Fang came back to himself. Looking at Liu Min, he still spoke in a stern tone: "So you chose confrontation—attacking Lü Duan, attacking the new court's first chancellor, defying the court, defying His Majesty?"

"Do you think you can contend with His Majesty?"

Facing this direct question, Liu Min was momentarily struck dumb. His agitated expression gradually turned grave, and he said defiantly: "Are we to choose silent endurance and let ourselves be manipulated?"

"Can Lü Duan do anything to you kings of the enfeoffed states? Would he dare to slight the sons of Emperor Shizu? And which of you kings is easy to deal with?" Liu Fang said with some irritation: "And this aggrieved look of yours—who are you putting it on for?"

Three questions in a row left Liu Min deeply embarrassed. His expression shifted several times before he said in a hoarse voice: "Then who stands behind Lü Duan?"

"Since you know full well, why play the fool? Do you think Second Brother will compromise with you?" Liu Fang shot back.

Liu Min lowered his head, seeming to have completely shut down. After a long while, he raised his head and for the first time truly looked Liu Fang in the eye: "Fourth Brother, speak plainly. What exactly does Second Brother intend by sending you? Intimidation? Threats? Bribery? Or something else—"

Since Liu Min was being direct, Liu Fang stopped being roundabout and said plainly: "His Majesty's meaning is simple. The matter of the enfeoffed kingdoms, he still needs to consider carefully. But your conspiracy to attack Lü Duan must not proceed!"

Pausing briefly, Liu Fang tried to make his tone lighter and said calmly: "To be fair, His Majesty's attitude is candid enough. The court needs stability. At this juncture, whoever sticks their head out gets struck down!"

Hearing this, a mocking smile curved at the corner of Liu Min's mouth: "And what about Lü Duan?"

Liu Fang immediately countered: "Do you want His Majesty to explain it to you personally?"

"I wouldn't dare!" The two brothers stared at each other for a while. It was Liu Min who first looked away, but he said in a mocking tone: "Fourth Brother, even when serving Father, you never showed such humble caution, so much on the surface!"

Hearing this, the skin on Liu Fang's face twitched a few times. He suddenly fixed his eyes on Liu Min, his gaze sharp: "What are you trying to say?"

"Just speaking casually!" Liu Min raised his hand and said leisurely: "Since His Majesty is so candid and has even troubled Fourth Brother to come in person, I naturally have no reason to refuse. If this matter can end here, I can also pull back. However, what the other princes think is no longer my concern.

The others might be suppressed and that would be that. But the kingdoms of the South Seas—Fifth Brother, Liu Chun, Wenhai, Wenhuan and the rest—the court owes them an explanation! In any case, Father is watching from above—"

Liu Fang was somewhat moved by this as well. He took a deep breath and said with a trace of emotion: "I act according to imperial decree. As for the rest, I cannot manage too much. Human hearts are hard to fathom—even with flesh-and-blood brothers, how much can one truly grasp?"

"Fourth Brother, whether tonight's scolding, rebuke, or lament—but this one sentence was the truest of all!" Sensing the suppressed emotion in Liu Fang's words, Liu Min said with a light smile.

With that, Liu Min poured another cup of wine, raised it with both hands, and said solemnly to Liu Fang: "Fourth Brother, it's been a long while since we sat and drank together. How about we drink our fill tonight?"

Liu Fang lowered his head to look at the cup before him—the pale yellow wine gleaming in the lamplight—then raised his eyes to look at Liu Min, who wore an expectant expression. He picked up the cup and drained it decisively.

Seeing Liu Fang give him such face, Liu Min broke into a smile. But immediately after, Liu Fang rose swiftly and walked straight toward the door, saying: "I still have duties!"

Under Liu Min's gaze, Liu Fang reached the threshold of the hall, then stopped and turned back to leave one last remark: "Take my advice—stop stirring things up and head back to Anxi soon. The capital and the court are no place for you to make trouble!"