novelAbuy Chapter 37 Everyone Reminisces About the Past
Chapter 37 Everyone Reminisces About the Past
"What crime should I forgive?" Li Shimin shook his head, his eyes gleaming. "What I want is never someone who only kowtows and agrees. At the beginning of the Zhenguan era, I told you, 'When the ruler and his subjects meet, they should be as close as fish and water.'"
Outside the court, in this private chamber, I wish you were my loyal friends and old acquaintances. Just like tonight, just like many times before.
Fang Xuanling put down his wine cup, stroked his beard, nodded, and said gently, "Your Majesty has been open and honest with us, and we are deeply grateful. It is precisely because of the proper etiquette between ruler and subject in the court that the order of things is maintained."
"The fact that we can have such an unrestrained gathering in private, where we can speak frankly and openly, allows us to discuss and resolve many matters that are inconvenient to discuss openly in court or that we cannot fully consider. This is a testament to His Majesty's wisdom, and also our good fortune."
His words revealed a deeper meaning to these "private banquets." They are not only a way to connect with others, but also an efficient and candid informal space for political discussion.
Many policy drafts, personnel considerations, and concerns about the current situation often take shape gradually in this atmosphere, with everyone sharing their thoughts.
Qin Shubao also spoke slowly, his voice steady: "Your Majesty has shown profound kindness and loyalty to those who have served you for so long. I still remember when I was seriously ill, Your Majesty sent imperial physicians to stay by my side day and night, personally preparing medicine for me, and even..."
He paused, a hint of emotion in his eyes, "He even considered abandoning court to personally visit his ailing minister because of the popular saying that 'the emperor's presence can cure illness.'"
Such affection is not a favor bestowed upon the emperor, but rather the deep bond of old friends. How could we, your humble servants, fail to repay Your Majesty with utmost devotion?
These words drew nods of agreement from everyone present.
They followed Li Shimin from the uprising in Jinyang to the pacification of the warlords, from the Xuanwu Gate Incident to the joint rule of the world. How could there not be suspicion, friction, and even risks along the way?
But Li Shimin's brilliance lay in his constant efforts to maintain this bond of "personal friendship".
He remembers everyone's contributions, cares about their health and families, and is tolerant of their minor flaws, but he never tolerates them when it comes to matters of principle and the law.
This approach of combining kindness and severity, and blending emotion and law, allowed most of these unruly and arrogant soldiers to ultimately meet a peaceful end and willingly serve him to the death.
Changsun Wuji had been listening quietly, and then smiled and said, "Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, executed his meritorious officials after gaining the throne, which serves as a warning to later generations."
Your Majesty, however, is able to share wealth and honor with all the meritorious officials, often gathering them in leisure time, laughing and chatting as before. This is not only because Your Majesty is benevolent, but also because Your Majesty is confident.
"Confident that the realm is at peace, confident in the loyalty of your subjects, and confident that the laws of the 'Zhenguan era' are sufficient to govern all people. Such magnanimity is rarely seen throughout history."
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin laughed heartily and pointed at Changsun Wuji, saying, "Fuji, your words seem to praise me, but in reality, you're putting me on a pedestal."
If I were to treat any of you poorly in the future, I would be seen as a foolish and incompetent ruler lacking confidence and the law!
Although it was a joke, it also revealed a tacit understanding: this close personal friendship was itself a political glue that consolidated the relationship between the emperor and his ministers and stabilized the court.
It sent a clear signal to all meritorious officials: as long as they adhered to their duties as officials and did not forget past favors, the emperor would not discard them after they had served their purpose.
Taking advantage of the atmosphere, Cheng Yaojin quickly poured Li Shimin another half bowl of ordinary wine, taking the opportunity to "complain": "Since Your Majesty still cherishes our past relationship, please don't blatantly snatch my good wine next time. It pains me to part with it!"
Li Shimin glared at him, then laughed and scolded, "You old monkey! A mere jar of wine is worth all this fuss about? When my palace silk arrives tomorrow, you'll be rolling in it!"
He then became serious, yet with a hint of mockery, "However, if you dare to try and fool me again with those 'foreign merchants' nonsense, I'll really send you to Longyou to herd horses and experience what it's like to drink wine amidst the sandstorm!"
The crowd burst into laughter again. Cheng Yaojin smiled sheepishly and begged for mercy repeatedly.
As night deepened, the moon began to set in the west.
Li Shimin finally stood up, and everyone quickly stood up to see him off. He waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for formalities.
"All of you, rest now. What I have said today has gone out this door and won the hearts of all of you. That is enough."
His gaze swept calmly over the crowd. In that instant, the gentle expression of an old friend faded away, and the profound and majestic aura of an emperor reappeared in his eyes. Though it lasted only a moment, it was understood by everyone.
Private matters are private matters, and court matters are court matters. Both sides must carefully respect this boundary of intimacy.
"Your Majesty, we respectfully see you off."
Li Shimin, alone, just as he had come, walked slowly under the moonlight and disappeared at the end of the flower path in the Cheng residence.
There were no ceremonial guards or entourages; he was just like an ordinary visitor returning from visiting a friend.
Inside the flower hall, the air was slightly heavy with the smell of wine, and the candles were almost extinguished.
Cheng Yaojin touched his nose and muttered, "His Majesty's nose is truly keen. Next time there's good wine, we'll have to hide it even deeper..."
Yuchi Gong patted him on the shoulder and mocked, "What are you hiding? What doesn't His Majesty know? He's just saving face for you! That wine clearly has an extraordinary origin. You should just be happy about it. His Majesty isn't really holding it against you."
Fang Xuanling and Qin Shubao exchanged a smile and straightened their clothes. Changsun Wuji gazed in the direction Li Shimin had left, his eyes distant, lost in thought.
An unexpected imperial "incognito visit" and a seemingly casual gathering of old friends, like a pebble thrown into a lake, rippled outwards.
Within these ripples, there is uninhibited laughter, reminiscence of glorious years, unspoken testing and tacit understanding, and even more so, a trust and affection that transcends ordinary ruler and subject.
The candlelight flickered gently, the aroma of wine lingered, and the room was filled with warmth.
At this moment, there are no emperors or meritorious officials, no rules of etiquette between ruler and subject, only a group of old friends who have weathered many storms, drinking and chatting happily, enjoying a moment of tranquility under the prosperous Zhenguan era.
Later historians often mention these "private banquets" when discussing the relationship between Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, and the meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion.
They are not the focus of official historical records, but they are often key footnotes to understanding the unique synergy between the emperor and his ministers during the "Reign of Zhenguan".
On these occasions, the emperor's majesty was slightly restrained, and the ministers' restraint was slightly relaxed.
While strategies for governing a country may be decided in a solemn court assembly, many sparks of inspiration, frank criticisms, and even potential barriers can collide, be expressed, and be resolved amidst the clinking of glasses and unrestrained laughter and banter.
Li Shimin was well-versed in the principle of "a balance between tension and relaxation, the way of both civil and military affairs." He skillfully combined formal court rituals with private friendships with old acquaintances.
It established the inviolable distinction between ruler and subject through rites and laws, thus ensuring the absolute authority of imperial power and administrative efficiency.
Furthermore, through these personal and humane interactions, the rigid power structure was given warmth and resilience, firmly uniting the core group of meritorious officials.
This enabled the Zhenguan era to maintain a relatively harmonious and dynamic upper echelon of the ruling group, while possessing a high degree of centralized imperial power and administrative efficiency.
The candlelight, the aroma of wine, the laughter in the Cheng family's flower hall that night, and Li Shimin's final gentle yet profound glance, were perhaps the perfect microcosm of this delicate balance.
It is a continuation and sublimation of the friendship of "sharing hardships" during the period of "sharing wealth and honor," the wisdom of an outstanding emperor in governing the masses, and the human touch hidden behind the brilliant political achievements that makes an era known as a "golden age."
The gentle moonlight quietly spilled over the streets and palaces of Chang'an, softly enveloping the empire as it drifted into slumber, as if mourning the enduring tale of the emperor and his ministers, a story celebrated throughout the ages.