Half in the river wind, half in the clouds

Chapter 168 Asking the Emperor

Jiang Feng sorted out her thoughts, and then said to Li Longji: "I guess that Empress Zetian did not have the intention to become emperor even after she returned to the palace from Ganye Temple and became the empress. As for her ambition to sit on the throne step by step, it was also caused by many factors. Empress Zetian was the political ally of Emperor Gaozong. The couple worked together to overthrow the regents and aristocratic families who had been hindering Emperor Gaozong since he ascended the throne. Emperor Gaozong no longer had any hidden worries, and he began to delegate power to Empress Zetian without any worries, and he was in poor health."

Li Longji listened carefully.

Jiang Feng added: "I dare to think that if Empress Wu Zetian was only willing to be the master of the harem, then your Highness's worries about the hen crowing at dawn today may become worries about the interference of foreign relatives in politics. A hundred years after Empress Wu Zetian was finally willing to pass the throne to her own descendants. But if she allowed a foreign relative to become powerful at that time and place, the country would change hands..."

Li Longji glared at him, and Jiang Feng shuddered in his heart, and did not dare to say the second half of the sentence.

Li Longji said in a voice that did not reveal his emotions: "So? Wu Zhou usurped the Tang Dynasty for fifteen years. Should we, the Li Shi clan, be grateful?"

Jiang Feng's voice was still sincere, and he replied: "Your Highness, what I want to say is that if you indulge those in power blindly and there is no effective correction mechanism, then there was Empress Wu Zetian who became emperor and then Empress Wei who caused chaos. By analogy, if the emperor trusted his relatives and eunuchs, it would lead to the disaster of relatives and eunuchs in the Eastern Han Dynasty; if he trusted treacherous and powerful ministers, the Qin Dynasty would have perished in the second generation. Empress Wu Zetian's accession to the throne as a woman was accidental and difficult to replicate. Wei was an example. Even if Empress Wu Zetian became that person, she still returned power to Li Tang in the end. Fundamentally, she, her courtiers, and her successors all agreed with Li Tang. Your Highness, you don't have to be too concerned about women interfering in politics."

Li Longji pondered for a long time, then suddenly laughed and said, "According to what you said, when I become emperor, I am really alone and cannot trust anyone."

Jiang Feng didn't know what his smile meant, nor did he know how lonely he meant by "a lonely man".

She felt sad when she thought of Li Longji's unlimited favoritism towards Yang Guozhong and An Lushan in the later period of his reign, which eventually led to the An-Shi Rebellion.

The unknown future for Li Longji was actually the history he knew.

The future has not yet arrived, but history has already happened.

But the "culprit" was sitting right in front of her, and she had always wanted to try to change something, so she began to get restless.

She mustered up her courage and replied in a serious tone, "During the autumn hunt, His Highness saw me managing the female officials in the palace of the Queen, and he asked me how to manage people who were employed for a long time."

Li Longji also thought of that matter. He was free and happened to see Li Longye going to look for Jiang Feng. He also happened to see that she managed her aunt's stubborn servants with gentle and humble words and a strict and orderly system, which was surprisingly effective.

He was interested, so he asked that question. Jiang Feng said without hesitation: "First, don't employ people you doubt, and don't doubt people you employ. Once you have chosen your subordinates, you must trust them, support them, and help them carry out their work. Second, a good emperor must not do everything himself, and should leave professional matters to professionals. As the saying goes, there are different levels of knowledge, and different professions have different specialties. Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty led 100,000 troops, and Han Xin led more troops, the better. The third point is that absolute power is prone to corruption. If you blindly trust and authorize, it will always lead to arrogance and dereliction of duty over time, and even power grabbing, which is not good."

At that time, she also put forward a lot of suggestions for these three points, such as strengthening supervision, opening up channels for people to express their opinions, and accepting advice with an open mind. Officials of various ministries and local governors should be transferred regularly, with a term of three to five years. And those who served as prime ministers and important officials should retire when they reached a certain age.

Thinking of this, Li Longji said, "What you said at that time, I think it makes sense."

Jiang Feng asked: "Your Highness, do you think what I said is right?"

Li Longji laughed and said, "Do you think I have nothing to do? If you keep talking nonsense, I will have to listen to you."

Jiang Feng sincerely felt that this was a rare opportunity. The culprit behind the An-Shi Rebellion actually listened to her seriously, so she naturally had to seize the opportunity.

Jiang Feng knelt down and kowtowed to Li Longji devoutly.

The sudden and decisive words made Li Longji stunned.

Jiang Feng raised his head and said solemnly, "I would like to ask Your Highness a question. Please forgive me for my disrespect."

Li Longji smiled and said, "It seems that this is a rebellious statement. I really want to hear it."

He did not comment, nor did he clearly say whether he would forgive her or not.

But Jiang Feng was ready to ask, "If Your Highness ascends the throne, and after ten or even twenty years of hard work, recovers lost territory, has a clear political system, a prosperous economy, and rich people, you will create a prosperous Tang Dynasty. At that time, all nations will come to congratulate you, the economy will be bright, and the gloomy atmosphere will be gone. It will be so prosperous that it will be unprecedented and will never be surpassed."

Li Longji showed a longing expression. The Kaiyuan Prosperity should be the ideal of all emperors.

Comrade Li Longji created a prosperous era, but he also broke it with his own hands.

Li Longji said: "If this is true, it will not be a disgrace to our ancestors."

Seeing his emotion, Jiang Feng asked the question: "Several years later, as a monarch, Your Highness will be enthroned as a god, and no other monarch can surpass you; as a husband, Your Highness will have an unforgettable and envied love; as a ruler, all the ministers will bow down to you; as a father, you will have many children and grandchildren. At that time, Your Highness will be able to remember the hardships of starting a business and remain humble and frugal? Will you still be as unsatisfied with the status quo, stay close to the wise and stay away from flatterers, and not neglect the affairs of state?"

Jiang Feng's question still made him feel confused.

She looked so serious, as if he would really create a prosperous era, then lose his fighting spirit, sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor, thus destroying his foundation.

But Li Longji didn't think this was a problem. He knew that one is born in adversity and dies in comfort.

For him, if he could conquer the country, he could naturally keep it.

Jiang Feng’s problem is not a problem for him.

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This chapter would like to thank Hantan Chanyi first. The views on women's intervention in politics in this chapter largely borrow from and even plagiarize his comments.

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