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In the late summer of the twenty-second year of the Zhenguan era, it was destined to be a tumultuous autumn. The Sovereign's health had just improved, bringing joy and encouragement to the court. However, rumors began to circulate about the Xu Zhen's arrogance and her humiliation of Old General Cheng Zhijie.
Cheng Zhijie was known for his self-preservation and kept a low profile, unlike Wei Chi Jing De, who, despite his age, remained hot-tempered and straightforward. For Cheng Zhijie to bring his son to apologize, the Xu Zhen must have been exceedingly arrogant.
Li Shimin's decision to promote the Xu Zhen was a bold move. He trusted her, but she was still young. When Yuan Tiangang discreetly brought this news to Li Shimin's attention, he couldn't help but feel anger rising within him.
He knew that the Elder Ministers were wary of him, especially in their old age. If it weren't for the fear of his own mortality and potential sabotage from others, he wouldn't have allowed the Xu Zhen to rise so quickly, placing her in such a precarious position.
After learning of this news, Qingxiazi and Li Chunfeng dared not defend the Xu Zhen. Unlike Yuan Tiangang, they typically stayed out of political affairs except for matters of cultivation.
Li Shimin began to question Yuan Tiangang's timing and motives for bringing this information forward.
Nevertheless, he decided to give the Xu Zhen a warning. This would serve as a form of reassurance for the court officials; regardless of right or wrong, the Xu Zhen was still inexperienced. Supporting her too strongly would surely dishearten the elder ministers.
Thus, in July of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan, the Xu Zhen was dispatched by the Sovereign to Sword South Road to assist Yan Lide in overseeing shipbuilding. At this time, the Sovereign's health had improved significantly—thanks in no small part to the Xu Zhen's efforts—but he felt compelled to temporarily remove her from court affairs to quell public opinion. This marked yet another instance of Li Shimin compromising with his ministers.
For this emperor, known throughout history as a great ruler, there were moments when he felt somewhat powerless before his subjects. He would occasionally be scolded by those "hardline officials," yet what he gained was over two decades of prosperity for the Tang Empire.
Li Mingda heard about this situation and hurried into the palace to discuss it. Unlike other princes and princesses, she was deeply favored by Li Shimin. He knew she lacked the strong utilitarian mindset that characterized many others; she only wished to do well by him and also hoped for good things for the Xu Zhen.
When this young daughter revealed the truth of that day in hopes that the Sovereign would keep the Xu Zhen in Chang'an, Li Shimin could only smile wryly.
As the head of the Tang Empire, how could such matters escape his notice?
What he needed was not just the truth but balance; that was the essence of an emperor's strategy.
The Xu Zhen did not come to defend herself in court, which relieved Li Shimin greatly. At least she seemed more mature than he had thought, which put him at ease.
Although his health had improved significantly after treatment, Li Shimin still grappled with an unresolved issue: Goguryeo!
He needed to pave the way for Li Zhi while he still had strength left. Goguryeo was an obstacle that must be overcome. The forests along Sword South Road were rich in resources; cutting down trees for shipbuilding was ideal. These trees could be used to construct massive ships measuring over a hundred feet long and fifty feet wide. Once completed, they could be sent downstream from Jiangzhou and Yangzhou to Laizhou for military expeditions against Liaodong.
The old ministers heard that Xu Zhen had been exiled to Sword South Road, and their hearts finally settled down.
"The Sovereign is still quite sentimental," they thought.
Not only that, but the Left General Cheng Zhijie was also granted the title of Second-Rank Grand General of the State, just a step away from the highest honor for military generals!
Cheng Zhijie's illegitimate son, Cheng Jun, also successfully entered the Eastern Palace, becoming the Crown Prince's Attendant.
This move once again showed the old ministers the Sovereign's favor, and there were no more complaints in the court. The ministers increasingly devoted themselves to assisting Li Zhi in handling state affairs.
Li Shimin's health improved thanks to the detoxifying treatment he received at Xu Zhen's sauna-like Paradise. The toxins accumulated over his later years gradually expelled from his body, making him stronger and more energetic. However, he did not intend to intervene in state affairs and continued to let Li Zhi handle them on his behalf.
He was able to focus more on some private matters. Although his health had improved, Fang Xuanling was gravely ill.
Fang Xuanling came from an official family and achieved great success at a young age. During the Chaos, he allied with Li Shimin and assisted Tang Wang in strategizing and stabilizing the state, serving his country with great dedication.
He was one of the main participants during Li Zhi's rise to power, ranking first alongside Du Ruhui, Changsun Wuji, Wei Chi Jing De, and Hou Junji. After the Sovereign ascended to the throne, he became Chancellor. In the third year of Zhenguan, he was appointed as Left Minister and later became Duke of Liang in the eleventh year. By the sixteenth year of Zhenguan, he had attained the highest honor of Minister.
For over a decade in Li Shimin's Qin Wangfu, he managed military strategies and administrative documents. Whenever he wrote military documents or memorials, he did so efficiently and profoundly without even needing drafts; even Gaozu Li Yuan praised him highly.
Figures like Zhang Liang, Xue Shou, Li Daliang, and even Du Ruhui—who was regarded as "intelligent and capable of assisting kings"—were all recommended to Li Shimin by Fang Xuanling. Du Ruhui later became a high-ranking official alongside Fang Xuanling, showcasing Fang Xuanling's ability to recognize talent and loyalty to his lord.
It is said that when Li Shimin was still Qin Wang, every time he defeated a local tyrant, while others in the army scrambled for treasures and wealth, Fang Xuanling took the lead in recruiting talented individuals with strategy and bravery into his administration, building connections privately to serve Li Shimin together.
By the Zhenguan Era, Fang Xuanling had been a minister for over ten years and was deeply loved by court officials, having become a recognized pillar of Tang.
His daughter was Queen Consort Han, and his son Fang Yi'ai married Princess Gaoyang, achieving great nobility. However, he remained extremely low-key and did not dare to show off in public. In the eighteenth year of Zhenguan, when the Sovereign personally led an expedition to Liaodong for the first time, he and Zhu Suiliang declined but ultimately allowed Changsun Wuji to accompany the Holy Presence on campaign while he stayed behind in the capital.
When Li Zhi and Li Chengqian competed for the position of heir apparent, Fang Yi'ai and Chai Lingwu nearly got caught up in it. If not for Fang Xuanling’s intervention, these two young men might have already been exiled.
He is now gravely ill, yet his concerns still lie with the campaigns to the north.
Li Shimin personally visited him, sending the renowned physician Liu Shenwei to treat him, even providing imperial meals daily so that this old minister could dine on the same food as himself. Fang Xuanling was deeply moved by this gesture.
In his heart, Li Shimin remained the spirited young prince Qin Wang from years ago. Even though his body was failing, he still harbored great ambitions, wanting to see the Tang Dynasty conquer all corners of the world. Fang Xuanling continued to wish to guard Li Shimin's rear, dealing with various troubles and cleaning up messes.
But he was ultimately growing old.
Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling on his sickbed and couldn't help but cry. Fang Xuanling said to him, "Now that the world is at peace, it is only because Sovereign has continuously campaigned against Goguryeo. This poses a hidden danger for the nation. The Sovereign's anger is palpable, and no minister dares to speak out. If I know and do not speak, I fear I will die with regret..."
Li Shimin was deeply touched and said to Princess Gaoyang, who was accompanying him, "He is already on the brink of death yet still worries about my country. Who among my ministers cares as much as he does?" He couldn't help but shed tears.
Upon returning to the palace, Li Shimin appointed his son Fang Yi'ai as Deputy General and conferred Fang Yize as a Central Gentleman so that he could see both of his sons achieve prominence in their lifetimes.
Not only that, but when Li Shimin mentioned this matter in court, the ministers were moved to tears. However, he recalled how Xu Zhen had built Paradise for him and quickly summoned her back from Sword South Road, hoping she could devise a way for Fang Xuanling to live for another year or so.
After Yuan Tiangang learned of this news, he promptly reported it to Li Zhi. Li Zhi felt quite uncomfortable; although Fang Xuanling was the Crown Prince's Mentor, he did not hold Li Zhi in high regard. While he diligently assisted, Li Zhi knew very well that in Fang Xuanling's heart, there was another person meant for the crown. Fang Xuanling had never respected him!
Yuan Tiangang had long been aware of Qingxiazi and Li Chunfeng's construction of Paradise; rather than attributing it solely to their efforts, it was largely due to Xu Zhen's brilliant ideas.
If Xu Zhen were truly summoned back from Sword South Road and came up with something clever, Fang Xuanling might indeed extend his life by another year or half a year!
This should have been a good thing; however, Murong Hanzhu could not stand Xu Zhen's growing influence and thus presented a poisonous scheme to Li Zhi!
Fang Xuanling was doomed to die, but his death must hold value—and that value must be for Li Zhi!
Although Li Zhi was timid, he was not foolish; he understood that Li Shimin's cultivation of Xu Zhen was indeed aimed at creating a powerful military foundation for Li Zhi's succession. However, for Li Zhi, controlling military power was essential—but that person did not necessarily have to be Xu Zhen!
Thus, the next day, when Li Zhi visited the palace to pay his respects, he couldn't help but express his admiration for Fang Xuanling and praised the old minister's virtues profusely. He then expressed to the Sovereign his desire to personally oversee the imperial kitchen and provide daily meals for Fang Xuanling.
Li Shimin couldn't help but feel immensely gratified, thinking that this son had finally become sensible. However, when he recalled Tubo and Li Chengqian, he couldn't help but feel conflicted. He had originally intended to cultivate Tubo vigorously; even someone as timid as Li Zhi now possessed the demeanor of a ruler. Why was Tubo so impatient?
With this thought, Li Shimin suddenly found it hard to be happy and hastily sent Li Zhi away.
Li Zhi understood his father's intentions. Even now, his father still thought of Tubo and Li Chengqian, which made him feel somewhat depressed. However, thinking about what he was about to do excited him again. He quickly returned to the palace and had Murong Hanzhu personally oversee the work in the imperial kitchen.
The nation's pillar was on the verge of collapse, and a cloud of gloom hung over the court. Xu Zhen sighed deeply; the Sovereign was like the weather in June, changing unpredictably. One moment he sent her to Sword South Road to chop wood, and the next he wanted her back to act as a divine physician. Sometimes he promoted her for no reason, and other times he casually exiled her to establish his authority. Xu Zhen felt that it was really impossible to play happily with Li Shimin anymore.
Nevertheless, she immediately set off back to Chang'an, but unexpectedly, Fang Xuanling still did not wait for Xu Zhen, this great physician.
On a day in July of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan, a renowned minister who had followed Li Shimin for thirty-two years could not escape the grasp of fate and passed away at the age of seventy.
The Sovereign mourned for three days and posthumously honored him as Grand Commandant with the posthumous title Wen Zhao. He was buried at Zhaoling alongside the other twenty-three founding heroes of early Tang, with his portrait enshrined in Lingyan Pavilion.
When Xu Zhen entered the palace to meet the Sovereign, she noticed that Li Shimin seemed much older, as if he had lost his support. However, she could sense an unusual color in Li Shimin's eyes; it was not sadness but anger!
" Xu Zhen, I want you to secretly investigate how Fang Xiang died!"
When Xu Zhen heard these words from Li Shimin, she was somewhat taken aback. Wasn't Fang Xuanling supposed to have died of illness? What else needed investigation? Did the Sovereign want to use this opportunity to purge court power?
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