Chapter 81: What are you teaching me?

"Are you really that kind-hearted?"

"Which time have I hit you when you didn't thank me?"

Li Tai rubbed his own red and swollen forehead, a sense of anticipation inexplicably rising in his heart.

"Then tell me!"

"……"

Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji were speechless. They never imagined Li Tai could be so base; after being set up and beaten, he still had to ask the other party for advice.

Fang Xuanling couldn't bear to watch any longer and couldn't help but speak up to remind him:

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, once the window paper is torn, it's not a pretty sight. Even if everyone knows the truth, one must still leave a margin for maneuver."

"No need!"

Li Chengqian waved his hand: "Saving face is for the next meeting, but where would there be a next time for this matter?"

After speaking, without waiting for Fang Xuanling to react, he spoke to Li Tai on his own:

"Do you think you can sit back and relax after defeating me and Zhinu? Have you ever thought about what you will face after ascending the throne?"

"Continue Father's philosophy of governing the country, rest and recuperate with the people, and let the Great Tang be passed down forever."

Li Chengqian slowly shook his head: "The first thing you must face is how to deal with me and Zhinu, as well as Uncle and Zhangsun Chong, and those officials who stand by Zhinu and me.

These are not the most important; the most important thing is how you will deal with the private grievances among the court officials?

The private grievance between Chu Suiliang and the Prince of Jiangxia, the private grievance between Fang Jun and his elder brother, the private grievance between Du Gou and Du He, the private grievance between Zhangsun Chong and Chai Lingwu.

And in the military, how will you handle Li Shiji and Hou Junji?"

After pondering for a moment, Li Tai spoke in a deep voice: "Father knows how to handle these matters; I only need to do as he says.

Plus, with the help of Uncle-in-law Su and others, there is simply no need to worry."

"What if Uncle-in-law Su controls the court situation by relying on his status as an imperial relative and his merit in supporting the new emperor?

Power will amplify the evil in human nature, just like the former you who only thought about being a gentleman and writing a book to be passed down to later generations.

If not for Father's bottomless doting on you, would you have thought about fighting for the position of Crown Prince?"

Li Tai lowered his head without any response.

Li Chengqian shook his head, feeling that iron could not be turned into steel: "You must have prestige to make the officials under you submit to you.

Either make people unable to see through you, or like Father, conquer half the world, or control the hearts of the people.

You must make the officials feel that if they dare to usurp power, all that awaits them is death and the extermination of their clans; only then will they fear you, and only then will they listen to you.

Transferring Uncle-in-law Su out of Chang'an, Big Brother hopes you will not rely on others for everything, but use your own ability to defeat me and Zhinu.

The bamboo paper matter is for you to establish prestige; the method to break the situation is one only you could think of. This is a gift Big Brother gives to you."

"I don't believe it!"

Li Tai shouted: "I don't believe you are this kind-hearted. Besides, what do you mean by 'only I could think of it'?"

"Do nothing, act according to the trend."

"What does that have to do with……"

Before he could finish, Li Tai remembered the conversation with Li Chengqian at Qingfeng Pavilion a few days ago, and a look of bewilderment appeared in his eyes.

'Is that what it means? There are so many bamboo plants in the world, Big Brother couldn't possibly send people to guard them all.'

Seeing Li Tai fall into deep thought, the corners of Li Chengqian's mouth lifted slightly; the plan had only just come to a temporary pause here.

He could let Dou Dan write letters to invite the heads of all the Daoist temples in the world to gather in Chang'an. Famous mountains and great rivers were spread across the Great Tang, and it would take time to come to Chang'an, so the invitations had to be sent out in advance.

However, before that, he had to meet his father-in-law, Prefect of Taizhou, Su Dan.

Li Chengqian glanced at the sky, calculated the time in his heart, and slowly stood up:

"I leave today's government affairs to Master Fang and Uncle; I have important matters to attend to."

Li Tai suddenly came back to his senses: "No! You are going back to the Eastern Palace to fish again; this time I won't let you go no matter what."

"The Prefect of Taizhou has arrived in Chang'an; if I don't go to see him, should you go?"

"It's just a Prefect……"

Halfway through his sentence, Li Tai could no longer continue, his eyes staring suspiciously at Li Chengqian:

"I always feel you have some conspiracy."

"Get lost! What kind of conspiracy is there in me seeing my father-in-law? You've already taken the Anzhou State School Doctor, what else do you want?

Don't come bother me again, or don't blame me for forcing you to complete the book as soon as possible.

If I hadn't forbidden commoners from cutting down bamboo, do you think Uncle would have let you off so easily? He would have long since taken action to force you to complete the book as soon as possible.

Not only are you not thanking me, but you come to bother me every day; you're simply not human."

"Don't help me! I beg you!"

Li Tai was about to cry, and hurriedly bowed to Li Chengqian:

"Big Brother! I beg you, stop helping me, I'm scared.

Just be like you were before, opposing me every day, wishing you could skin me alive every day."

"Can't be bothered with you, I'm leaving!"

Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling acted as if they hadn't seen anything, quietly looking at the memorials on the table.

Zhangsun Wuji didn't want to make a move at all right now; stirring up a court struggle at this time would only make Li Shimin think he was unreliable.

He wanted to support Li Zhi in ascending the throne, not to kill the officials around Li Tai.

As long as Li Zhi performed well enough in this eastern expedition, everything would become easier; at this time, movement is not as good as stillness.

Moreover, with Li Chengqian digging a hole for Li Tai to jump into, why should he get involved?

The moment he returned to the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian went to Lizheng Hall to see Su Dan.

"Your subject, Prefect of Taizhou Su Dan, pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Li Chengqian returned the salute with a respectful face: "Father-in-law, please sit. Transferring you to Chang'an this time was truly a last resort; I hope Father-in-law will not blame me."

Su Dan walked to the side of the low stool and slowly sat down: "This subject has already learned the general situation from the Crown Princess. Is the Crown Prince's opponent this time the Emperor?"

"It is not a matter of the Crown Prince position; Father has already made arrangements, we just wait for the time."

"Then what is the Crown Prince's intention?"

"Fu Yi submitted a memorial 'Request to Abolish Buddhism'!"

Su Dan stood up abruptly, his lips trembling as he spat out a sentence:

"Grand Historian Fu Yi from the Wude era? Does the Crown Prince want this subject to learn from him?"

"No!"

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly: "Buddhism and Daoism have many monks and followers, and the commoners are the same; they either follow Daoism or believe in Buddhism.

Not to mention how much harm Buddhism will cause to the court as it slowly occupies population and land.

Just the fact that some Buddhist temples, for their own interests, tamper with Buddhist sutras to bewitch the commoners is enough to make me have to take action against them."

"Emperor Gaozu has already issued an imperial decree; nowadays, Buddhism and Daoism are not enough to stir up waves."

Li Chengqian's expression was solemn: "Not enough! I need to control the right to speak; I want the commoners of the world to believe in the words of the imperial court.

I also need the people of the world to face reality; the 'emptiness' of Buddhism and the 'naturalness' of Daoism must serve the imperial court.

The practice of Buddhists must be trained through work; they cannot always hide in temples and sit in meditation."

"Your Highness, you should know that you are the Crown Prince, but you are only the Crown Prince."

"I know!"

Li Chengqian knew what Su Dan meant; he was not yet the Emperor, so there was no need to do these things. Doing these things now would very likely result in nothing.

If the plan did not go smoothly, he might even become the target of everyone's anger, and even if Li Shimin wanted to protect him, he wouldn't be able to.

"Regardless of whether Father abolishes me or not, this matter must be done; I must leave my philosophy of governing the country in the Great Tang.

Father has always said to take the people as the foundation, but who these people represent, he has never said, and I don't understand.

What I want to do is to define the meaning of 'the people', so that the entire Great Tang knows who is the foundation when we say 'take the people as the foundation'."

Su Dan looked serious: "Your Highness the Crown Prince, tell me, besides Buddhism and Daoism, do you also want to change Confucianism?"