20demayo Chapter 1179 Reunion with Master Gao
Chapter 1179 Reunion with Master Gao
"Uncle Wang, you're confused."
Li Che's tone was not like an emperor reprimanding his ministers, but more like a nephew complaining about an elder.
Upon hearing Li Che begin to discuss serious matters, Li Yu immediately stood up and knelt on the ground.
He opened his mouth, a thousand words stuck in his throat, but in the end, they all came out as: "Your Majesty, I am old and senile, and have failed to live up to Your Majesty's grace. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
Li Che didn't tell him to get up, but just looked at him and said, "You're not senile... you're afraid."
Li Yu's back stiffened slightly as he lay prone on the ground, then collapsed.
He didn't argue, because Li Che was right.
Yes, he was afraid.
What are you afraid of?
Naturally, they feared failing to live up to the Emperor's grace.
His Majesty entrusted him with this most virtuous and prosperous place in the Northwest, but what merit or ability does Li Yu possess?
He possessed neither strategic talent nor decisive ruthlessness, and was merely a member of the imperial clan.
He was afraid of messing things up, afraid of being ridiculed for being all show and no substance, and even more afraid of being accused of misjudging people.
So he wanted to leverage that power.
Li Yu is not Li Che. Li Che was not afraid of offending powerful families, but Li Yu was not.
If the governor of a province offends a powerful family, then no policy order can be implemented.
The Wei family is an old clan with deep roots in Qin, and its disciples and former officials are spread throughout the prefectures and counties.
He thought that as long as Wei Li was kept in check, the financial operations of Qin Province would not be disrupted, and he would be considered a competent governor.
As for those who embezzled, he was not completely unaware of it, but he simply dared not investigate.
He feared that an investigation would lead to a falling out, and the emperor would be furious upon learning of it, which would then provoke a war.
Li Yu cannot bear the consequences of a complete break.
So he yielded again and again, endured again and again, until His Majesty came in person and pressed Wei Li into the dust right in front of him.
Li Che watched him lying on the ground quietly, still feeling a little reluctant.
It wasn't that he didn't want to delegate power to these members of the imperial clan; it was simply that these members lacked the necessary courage and decisiveness. Li Yu was already considered one of the more capable members of the imperial clan, yet he still couldn't become a provincial governor.
After a long while, Li Che sighed softly.
"Uncle Wang, you can't be the governor."
Li Yu remained lying down, not raising her head.
This was exactly what he expected, and he even secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
This burden is too heavy; he shouldn't have taken it, nor could he bear it.
Although it's not honorable to take it off now, it's also a kind of relief.
"Yes." His voice muffled on the floor tiles, "Your subject... is retiring."
Li Che shook his head and said, "What are you talking about?"
Li Yu was taken aback and slightly raised her head.
Li Che looked at his still-surprised face and spoke calmly:
"Go to the capital. First, find a sinecure in the Imperial Clan Court, and then take up the post of Imperial Clan Minister in a few years."
Li Yu's pupils suddenly contracted, and she seemed to freeze in place.
Zong Zheng.
An official in charge of the affairs of the imperial clan, with a rank of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), and a position among the Nine Ministers.
To put it bluntly, he was the 'acting patriarch' of the entire Li imperial family.
The power may not be greater than that of a regional official, but the significance is completely different.
The imperial clansmen of Daqing did not participate in politics. No matter how prestigious the position of the Imperial Clan Head, he could not mobilize a single soldier or a single grain of rice. However, his status...
That was a position that allowed direct access to the inner palace and the opportunity to sit and discuss clan affairs with the emperor.
It is a posthumous honor to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and have one's name recorded in the Imperial Genealogy.
What merit or ability does Li Yu, a member of the imperial clan who was stripped of his official post on the spot, possess?
"Your Majesty..." His voice was hoarse, "In terms of seniority, personal connections, and ability, the position of Imperial Clan Minister is undoubtedly the one that Prince Yan is the most deserving of the people's support."
Everyone in the world knows that Prince Yan, Li Lin, is His Majesty's brother. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has relied on him as a right-hand man. He is the true heir apparent of the imperial clan.
Li Che waved his hand and said, "The Prince of Yan is too young. The Imperial Clan Head needs to pacify the imperial clan and mediate between relatives and strangers. He cannot take on this responsibility and needs to be tempered."
He didn't say anything more, but Li Yu understood.
The Prince of Yan is still young. His Majesty wants him to assume a real post, command troops, and take on assignments, and will entrust him with even heavier responsibilities in the future.
Although the position of Imperial Clan Minister is prestigious, it is a purely honorary post and not suitable for a young prince who is at the height of his talent.
He himself is old, his edges have long been worn down, and he has neither ambition nor foundation, making him the most suitable candidate to take over this position.
This is His Majesty's trust in him, and also to protect him.
Thinking of this, Li Yu felt a surge of emotion, and her throat tightened as she spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Your Majesty's order will be obeyed."
He did not refuse again; to refuse again would be pretentious and would betray the emperor's grace.
Li Che finally showed a slight smile: "This matter will take some time. I will be staying in Chang'an for a while, so I will have to trouble you, Uncle Wang."
Li Yu quickly looked up: "I will immediately order people to prepare the temporary palace. Although the old palace in Chang'an has been uninhabited for a long time, the palace buildings are still intact, and it will only take half a day..."
He was about to get up to make arrangements when Li Che raised his hand to stop him.
“The palace is for living in,” Li Che said, “but there’s no need to go to the trouble. I’ve already had my personal guards prepare it.”
"I will host a family banquet tonight and invite all the members of the imperial family in Chang'an who are able to attend. I want to get closer to them."
Li Yu paused for a moment, then nodded heavily: "Yes."
He didn't ask why, nor did he need to.
Your Majesty should give this soon-to-be-retired prince uncle enough face in front of the imperial clan in Chang'an.
This also tells everyone that although the Prince of Huai'an has made a mistake, he is still an elder of the Li clan who should not be underestimated, and a trusted close relative of the emperor.
This dedication is more precious than any reward.
Li Yu straightened up, bowed deeply to Li Che, and stepped out of the threshold.
. . . . . .
Chang'an Imperial Palace.
This place was originally the old palace of the previous dynasty. When the late emperor entered Chang'an, he made some minor repairs, but it could never compare to the grandeur of the imperial palace in the capital.
However, the late emperor was unwilling to travel around, so this place was left vacant, with only a few eunuchs left to clean and sweep it.
But since it was the emperor's temporary palace, it had to be left empty even if the emperor didn't come to stay there.
The furnishings inside the hall were simple, and even the window screens had been replaced last year and were already somewhat yellowed.
Li Che didn't care. He was used to military campaigns and could sleep in tents, let alone palaces.
Qiu Bai led his men to prepare a warm pavilion. Just as they had laid out the bedding, a eunuch came to report:
"Your Majesty, someone outside the palace requests an audience."
Li Che was unfastening his wrist armor without even looking up: "I don't see anyone here. Those who come at this hour are either trying to curry favor or plead for mercy."
The eunuch responded with a "Yes," and had just retreated to the door when Qiu Bai called him back.
Qiu Bai looked at Li Che and lowered his voice: "Your Majesty, it's an old acquaintance."
Li Che paused in his actions, looked up, and asked, "Who?"
"That one from Gaojiazhuang outside the city."
Li Che paused for a moment, then a smile appeared on his lips.
He fastened the half-undone wrist guard back on, stood up, and said, "Please come in quickly."
Before long, an old man, led by a palace attendant, shakily stepped into the palace gate.
He wore a slightly worn, dark brown silk robe, an inconspicuous felt hat, and thick-soled cloth shoes covered in dust.
He carried a bulging blue cloth bundle in his hand, and a wine gourd was tucked into his waistband. As he walked, the gourd swayed and clattered against his hip bone.
Li Che stood in the hall, and when he saw the face etched with wrinkles, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Master Gao!"
He strode forward and grabbed the old man's arm as he was about to kneel, preventing him from doing so.
"Your Majesty! This is unacceptable..." Master Gao cried out anxiously, his knees still drooping.
"Alright." Li Che supported him with both hands, laughing heartily. "You don't need to stand on ceremony here with me. Get up, get up and speak."
The wealthy man struggled for a moment, but couldn't overcome the young emperor's strength, so he had no choice but to stand up, muttering, "How can I, a mere commoner, be worthy of Your Majesty's personal welcome..."
"I deserve it, I deserve it."
Li Che helped him sit on a stool to the side, and instead of returning to the main seat, he sat down on another stool next to him.
"When I came to Chang'an back then, if it weren't for the help of Master Gao, I don't know how many more troubles I would have had to go through."
Master Gao waved his hands repeatedly, his old face even turning slightly red: "Your Majesty is too kind. What is that matter? It's just that I'm lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet Your Majesty, the true dragon..."
"Since His Majesty's visit, life in Chang'an has become more peaceful, and my old estate has also improved considerably. Last year's harvest..."
He spoke with such emotion that his voice trembled slightly.
Li Che listened quietly without interrupting.
The flickering candlelight in the hall illuminated the old man's deeply lined face.
“Your Majesty,” the wealthy man suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly took the wine gourd from his waist and presented it to you with both hands, “This is the millet wine that was newly brewed on the estate. I think it tastes more mellow than in previous years, so I thought I would bring it to Your Majesty to try it.”
He then untied the blue cloth bundle, opening it layer by layer to reveal neatly stacked mountain goods inside:
Dried mushrooms the size of a palm, wild ginseng with intact roots, dried rabbit and pheasant, and a handful of shepherd's purse still glistening with water droplets.
"These are all from our own estate, not worth much," said the wealthy man, somewhat awkwardly. "I was thinking that His Majesty has tasted all sorts of delicacies in the palace; these local products are just for the novelty..."
Li Che didn't speak, but just glanced at Qiu Bai.
Qiu Bai understood and stepped forward to put away the bundle.
Li Che then withdrew his gaze, looked at the uneasy face of Master Gao, and suddenly reached into his bundle and picked up a shepherd's purse.
"I haven't eaten this dish in years."
He brought the shepherd's purse close to his nose, inhaling its bitter, herbaceous scent, his smile deepening.
"Two years ago, when Cheng'er and I were in the capital, we dug up this from the field. When we got back, we blanched it, mixed it with some dried tofu and sesame oil, and it made us eat a big bowl of rice."
Master Gao listened intently, his eyes gradually becoming hot.
These things would be considered shabby even by a minor official, but His Majesty was genuinely delighted...
“Master Gao.” Li Che put down the shepherd’s purse and looked at him. “Before I left Chang’an, I appointed you to an official post. I heard that you resigned and returned to your hometown after only a few days in office?”
Master Gao rubbed his hands together sheepishly: "Your Majesty's great favor is too much for this old man to refuse."
"But I am nearly seventy years old and know nothing about government affairs. I don't even know which way the door of the government office faces."
"Staying in office would only mean receiving a salary while causing trouble for His Majesty."
He paused, then grinned, revealing a few gap teeth: "Why not go back to the village to farm and raise chickens, harvest in autumn and store in winter? It's very comfortable."
Li Che looked at him, speechless for a long time.
This old man truly possesses great wisdom.
“Then be at ease.” Li Che spoke, his voice softer than before. “It’s not easy for a person to find a way to live that makes them comfortable in this lifetime.”