Chapter One Hundred: Each Takes What They Need, Part Two

What do you mean? Ha, it would be strange if you didn’t know what this meant. If you don’t show some sincerity, hoping to gain without giving—forget it! Li Xian was sharp; how could he fail to guess what Li Hong was thinking? It was nothing more than a reluctance to see Li Xian gain too much power or to witness the alliance of the two princes growing stronger. Yet, there was nothing particularly strange about it. Indeed, Li Xian intended to help Li Hong carry out the river engineering project properly, but that didn’t mean Li Xian was willing to be a mere scapegoat. Without adequate exchange of benefits, even if Li Xian agreed, Li Xian’s counterpart, Li Xian, certainly would not. If things spiraled out of control, the river project might end up benefiting Empress Wu’s faction for nothing.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, the ancients said: ‘When appointing the virtuous, do not avoid kin.’ Your humble servant is merely following this principle. Hehe, take Song Xian, who has served as chief clerk in my residence for three years—loyal, honest, diligent, and without error—a man of practical talent. Now, transferring him to the Supreme Court as deputy magistrate is merely a slight promotion, hardly a remarkable elevation. Then there is He Long, who has served as a record officer in my household for three years and should be placed in an official post elsewhere. Since there is a vacancy in the Ministry of Justice, transferring him there seems fitting. These are the main points, and I shall not enumerate further. I trust Your Highness the Crown Prince will see fit to approve my humble request.”

Since this was a matter of business, Li Xian naturally did not fear Li Hong’s anger and spoke lightly, truly treating court appointments as if they were mere cabbages for trade.

“Approve?” Li Hong was at once amused and frustrated by Li Xian’s casual tone. Yes, the posts Li Xian requested were not particularly prestigious—at most, middle or low-ranking officialdom—and for Li Hong, who controlled the Ministry of Personnel, it was but a trivial matter. The problem was, granting such favors would only strengthen the two princes’ faction, potentially backfiring on himself. How could Li Hong be willing to make such a foolish move? Yet, seeing Li Xian’s confident demeanor, if he refused, it would be difficult to expect any concessions on the river project. Between the two, which weighed heavier was a question Li Hong could not avoid pondering.

“Seventh brother, in two days we have the morning court session again. What are your plans for the river project?” After much consideration, Li Hong was still undecided and thus turned to ask about Li Xian’s strategy, intending to hear him out before making further decisions.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince need not worry. This matter is simple. Provided Your Highness initiates the proposal, your humble servant and Sixth Brother will naturally follow suit. No matter how cunning those petty men are, they won’t be able to pull off anything unexpected when caught off guard.” Li Xian had long calculated how to get the river project proposal passed in the court deliberations. Hearing Li Hong’s question, he laughed heartily and replied with ease and confidence.

“Hm.”

Li Hong evidently agreed with Li Xian’s approach. The reasoning was straightforward: with Li Xian, who was pushed forward by the scholars at the North Gate as the scapegoat, and Li Xian, the initiator of the river project, both consenting to Li Hong taking charge of the matter, Emperor Gaozong would have no reason to oppose. As for Empress Wu, without proper preparation, she could not stand against the combined forces of the three princes in court. This was something Li Hong had already realized. What he was unsure of was whether the two brothers would double-cross and lay traps. Therefore, even if Li Xian spoke the truth, Li Hong did not hurry to respond, merely emitting a noncommittal sound, brow furrowed in deep thought.

Seeing Li Hong’s hesitation, Li Xian was unperturbed. Holding the initiative firmly, he saw no need to rush or bluff. He was confident Li Hong would not dare fail on such an important matter as the river project. As for the list of official appointments, Li Xian was not particularly concerned. Firstly, only two and a half of the names were his own people—besides Song Xian and He Long, the half was Luo Binwang, who was to become a censor. The rest were all loyal to Li Xian. Whether the exchange succeeded or not was not a big deal to him; it was just a convenient bonus. Secondly, Li Xian put forth this exchange not out of greed, but to reassure Li Hong and lay the groundwork for a covert plan. The true intricacy of this matter was not to be revealed to outsiders.

“Seventh brother, what you say is weighty. Allow me to consider it carefully before deciding.” After much calculation, Li Hong still felt uncertain and dared not agree to Li Xian’s proposal outright. Helplessly, he requested a postponement.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince speaks wisely. This matter is indeed significant and should be deliberated thoroughly. Your humble servant is not in a hurry and will await Your Highness’s decision. The hour grows late; allow me to take my leave.” Confident that Li Hong had no alternative, Li Xian was indifferent to when the decision would come. He rose with a smile and politely excused himself.

“Very well, seventh brother, take care. I will not see you off.” Li Hong, eager to consult with Yan and Liu, did not intend to keep Li Xian longer. Hearing Li Xian was leaving, he readily agreed.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, please stay. I bid you farewell.” Having said all that needed to be said and done all that could be done, Li Xian smiled warmly, bowed to Li Hong, then turned and left the study, heading straight back to his own mansion.

“Lord Yan, Lord Liu, in your esteemed opinion, is there anything suspicious about what the seventh brother said?”

Not long after Li Xian’s departure, a partition door at the back of the study silently slid open. Yan Liben and Liu Xiangdao stepped out side by side and stood to the right of Li Hong. They did not immediately report but waited for Li Hong to speak first.

Truth and falsehood were not matters to be taken lightly. The river project was of utmost importance; a misjudgment could have grave consequences. For this reason, even though Yan and Liu already had their calculations, they dared not answer lightly. After exchanging a glance, Liu Xiangdao spoke first.

“Your Highness, may this old servant first examine the official list submitted by Prince Zhou?”

“Of course, Minister Liu, please take a look.” Li Hong had intended to hand the list to Liu Xiangdao, the newly appointed Minister of Personnel, for review. Hearing his request, it was only proper to comply. He nodded and handed the rolled document to Liu, then added, “Minister Liu, in your view, how long would it take to adjust this roster properly?”

“Your Highness, the posts listed are not difficult to arrange. Only the censor position poses some difficulty. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it could be done within two days.” Though Liu Xiangdao was advanced in years, his eyes were sharp. A quick glance sufficed for him to understand the posts and gain confidence. He answered calmly.

“Good, that is excellent.” Li Hong was not overly concerned about adjusting these middle and lower-tier officials. Hearing Liu’s clear reply, he nodded in agreement and shifted the topic back to the main matter. “Gentlemen, do you think the seventh brother might be stalling? I am somewhat uncertain. Please share your thoughts.”

“Your Highness, in my humble opinion, while the possibility exists, it is slim for three reasons: First, observing Prince Zhou’s words and demeanor, he clearly wishes the river project to succeed; otherwise, he would not be so keen to advise Your Highness on its key points. Second, since the imperial prison case last year, Prince Zhou’s actions have consistently targeted certain interests, which coincides with Your Highness’s aims. If the two sides were to clash in court, the beneficiaries would not be you or the two princes but rather Prince Zhou himself, who would likely avoid such discord. Third, given the current political climate, even if the two princes wish to contend strongly, they are no match for Your Highness. Someone like Prince Zhou would not recklessly risk losing everything. Seeking a compromise with Your Highness is inevitable, and what he demands is but minor compensation—mere handfuls of low-ranking officials, hardly worth fretting over. If it fails, you may later find grounds to remove them one by one. No need to worry!” Yan Liben was not concerned that Li Xian would sabotage the river project, but the official posts he requested seemed key. Earlier, when Liu examined the list, Yan also glanced over it and saw only minor positions, so he was unconcerned. Hearing Li Hong’s query, he no longer hesitated and calmly laid out his analysis.

“Your Highness, I agree entirely with Minister Yan’s assessment and have no objections.” Liu Xiangdao harbored some doubts, feeling the matter might not be so simple, but hearing Yan’s confident words, he chose not to voice dissent and instead cautiously agreed.

“Very well, then it is settled that each party shall have their needs met. I shall send word to the seventh brother at once.” After careful thought and finding Yan’s reasoning sound, Li Hong, aware of the gravity of the situation, wished no delay. He made his decision and was ready to act immediately.

“Your Highness, please wait. This matter should not be handled so hastily.” Just as Li Hong finished speaking, Yan Liben quickly interrupted.

“Lord Yan, why do you say this?” Li Hong was surprised by Yan’s words and paused before asking suspiciously.

“Your Highness, with your wisdom, you will understand. I was initially puzzled by the conflict between Prince Zhou and Prince Lu, but after seeing that list, I now realize Prince Zhou’s intentions. This move is merely to mislead certain people. If Your Highness truly wishes to achieve success at the court session in two days, it would be ill-advised to have further contact with Prince Zhou now. Simply adjust the roster quietly according to this list. Prince Zhou will inevitably learn of it, and at the time of the court debate, he will act accordingly. A sudden strike will surely bring great effect.” Yan gestured toward the palace to emphasize his point and then calmly laid out his reasoning.

“Very well, it shall be so. Minister Liu, please take charge of deploying this matter personally. Be sure no leaks occur. We shall see the results at the court session in two days!” After a moment’s reflection, Li Hong settled on the plan. Slamming his fist decisively, he rose with authority and gave the order.