gnovel Chapter 65: Li Ling Takes Sides, the Crown Prince's Opponents!
Chapter 65: Li Ling Takes Sides, the Crown Prince's Opponents!
Ji, the capital of the Yan state, was located two thousand miles from Chang'an.
"Liu Hong, you're a coward, you dare to do it but not to take responsibility."
Prince Liu Dan of Yan, wearing a traveler's hat, a red robe, a belt, a jade-hilted sword, and a red sash, chuckled.
"Your Majesty."
Shou Xichang, a trusted confidant, spoke up: "Something has changed in Chang'an. The Crown Prince has been making frequent moves lately, attracting worldwide attention."
"King Qi possessed the wealthy land of Qi, with 100,000 households in Linzi, and market rents of a thousand gold pieces. The people were prosperous and wealthy, surpassing even Chang'an."
"The people of Qi Commandery were the most distinguished in terms of their attire and clothing, ranking first among the feudal lords."
"This time, Li Ling sent a letter, first to the State of Qi, and then to my State of Yan. This shows that in his heart, the King of Qi is superior to Your Majesty."
"snort!!!"
Liu Dan snorted coldly and said indignantly, "If it weren't for Father Emperor's favoritism, I wouldn't be trapped in the Yan Kingdom."
Qi Commandery was the largest commandery in the country. Linzi and Xiangyi of Chenliu (around present-day Suixian County, Henan Province) were the two major state-run textile industry centers in the country. There were also workshops for pottery making, iron smelting, and bronze casting. Living by the sea, it did not lack the benefits of fishing and salt production. The population was dense, numbering well over a million.
In contrast, the Yan state only had four counties: Ji, Guangyang, Fangcheng, and Yinxiang, with a population of less than 200,000. The difference was enormous.
"........."
The three trusted confidants of the Prince of Yan, Shou Xichang, Sun Zongzhi, and Wang Ru, exchanged glances and all chose to remain silent.
Lady Wang, the mother of Liu Hong, the Prince of Qi, was a cousin of the late Empress Dowager. Lady Li, the mother of Liu Dan, the Prince of Yan, and Liu Xu, the Prince of Guangling, could not compare to her at all. Even if it was only for the sake of the Wang family, Emperor Wu of Han would not have given his second son, Liu Hong, a very poor fief.
In fact, the Yan state was not in a bad situation, as it occupied the most valuable part of Youyan.
With its northern borders connecting to the Wuhuan and Xianbei, its eastern borders bordering Korea, and its northeastern borders connecting to the Fuyu, Sushen, and Woju, Yan State was continuously traded with fine horses from the Wuhuan and Xianbei, and ginseng, deer antlers, sable furs, and pearls from the Fuyu, Sushen, and Woju. Yan State became the most important transportation hub in the northeast of the empire, and its strength was second only to Qi, Liang, and Zhongshan among the vassal states.
"Li Ling wants to exterminate them all, and he even wants my help."
"Why should I help him?"
Prince Liu Dan of Yan's face was full of sarcasm and disdain. How dare the mere Li family of Longxi negotiate with him? What kind of class did they have?
"Your Majesty."
"I believe that the Crown Prince has acted perversely and has lost Your Majesty's favor."
"Now, with two dragons fighting in Chang'an, one of them is bound to be injured."
"Many years after Huo Qubing's death, General Wei Qing was ill at home, and the Wei family's influence in the army gradually declined."
"Huo Shan is too young to be a wingman for the Crown Prince, so there is no need to worry."
"Once we support Li Ling, it's hard to guarantee that it won't be discovered by others."
Sun Zongzhi stroked his long beard and spoke.
"I second that proposal!"
Wang Ru chimed in, "Chancellor Zhao Yu has already been transferred. Liu Quli has risen to prominence in Yan with Your Majesty's help over the years, which is why he has the opportunity to come to the capital to serve as Left Chancellor. Why doesn't Your Majesty write a letter to him, asking him to select someone close to Your Majesty to serve as Chancellor of Yan?"
"In this way, the Yan state no longer needed to hide its interactions with ethnic groups such as the Xianbei and Wuhuan."
"Your Majesty could establish a trade route with the King of Liang, the King of Zhongshan, and the King of Changshan, and sell fine horses from the Wuhuan and Xianbei, as well as ginseng, deer antlers, sable fur, pearls, and other goods from the Fuyu, Sushen, and Woju regions to various parts of Guandong."
"Given time, the population of Yan will increase dramatically, the national treasury will be full, and Your Majesty's reputation will spread far and wide, bringing only benefits to both the court and the local areas."
"good!!!"
Prince Liu Dan of Yan slammed his right hand on the armrest of the couch and shouted "Bravo!"
All along, he had only wanted one thing: the position of crown prince. Winning over the feudal lords and strengthening the power of the Yan state would be beneficial for his succession.
Moreover, he has a younger brother with exceptional martial prowess: Liu Xu, the Prince of Guangling, who is a natural ally.
"Shou Xichang, from this day forward, you shall be the historian of Yan State."
"Sun Zongzhi is appointed as Lieutenant. Wang Ru, you are to go to Chang'an to conduct espionage and gather intelligence, and report back to Jidu at any time."
"promise."
The three responded in unison.
The Inner Historian was in charge of the civil administration of the kingdom, including population and taxation, while the Commandant was in charge of military affairs and public security. These were the highest-ranking officials in the vassal states of the Han Dynasty, second only to the Chancellor, and were the highest-ranking officials that the vassal kings could freely appoint. The three of them quickly became powerful figures in the Yan Kingdom.
At the same time, King Liu Hong of Qi received a letter from Li Ling and made the same choice as Liu Dan: to ignore it and not reply.
....................
The city of Chang'an was exceptionally quiet under the cover of night, and the cool moonlight shone on the large locust tree under the Li residence.
"Both the King of Qi and the King of Yan refused."
Li Ling stood under the tree, half of his body covered by the shadow of the locust tree.
"Master of the family."
Princess Pingyang, Prince Xiucheng, and Princess Longlu are all preparing New Year's gifts for the Crown Prince.
"Lord Gai said that Princess Eyi and the Crown Prince were not close to each other and he was powerless to help."
The hunched figure added in a hoarse voice.
"hehe!"
Li Ling clenched his fists, his eyes filled with a chilling intent.
Back then, these people supported him in fighting Huo Qubing. Now, Huo Qubing has only been dead for a few years, and none of them are willing to cooperate. It's tantamount to abandoning the Li family. This is to make the Li family bear all the burdens.
"Master of the family."
"A message has arrived from Su Wen, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat."
"His Majesty has taken Li, the younger sister of Li Yannian, the Commandant of Music, as his wife, and she resides in Ganquan Palace."
"Li Yannian also has an older brother, Li Guangli, who is somewhat skilled in military strategy and is preparing to join the border army in Shuofang."
"Um?"
Li Ling's expression hardened, realizing from this the rise of a newly powerful family in the dynasty.
"Master of the family."
"I think the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Su Wen, hopes that we will befriend Li Guangli and Li Yannian."
"The Crown Prince's power is growing stronger, and the Empress has fallen out of favor for many years."
"The appearance of Lady Li will surely make His Majesty fall in love with her, and Li Guangli may very well become the next Marquis of Changping."
The hunched figure raised his head and looked at Li Ling, a hopeful look appearing on his wrinkled old face.
"For Li Guangli to achieve military merit in Shuofang, it's nothing short of a pipe dream for him to do it all by himself."
"The Prefect of Shuofang was my grandfather's (Li Guang's) old subordinate, and we share a special bond."
"Very well, let's use this offering today."
After some thought, Li Ling made a decision: "I will write a letter myself, and you can have someone deliver it to the Prefectural Governor's Office of Shuofang."
"Furthermore, Li Guangli is alone and unable to hold the line, so he sent people from his ancestral homeland to Shuofang to serve under him."
"As long as Li Guangli achieves military merit, his chances of returning to Chang'an will greatly increase."
"This friendship might just draw him into the camp against the Crown Prince."
The appearance of Lady Li caused a crack in Wei Zifu's stable position, which led to the further decline of the Wei-Huo military group. Emperor Wu of Han urgently needed to support a new military group, and Li Guangli was the most suitable candidate.
"promise."
The hunched figure immediately disappeared into the night.
PS: The red ribbon was exclusively for princes and dukes. It was 21 feet long and 300 threads long, woven with four-colored silk threads, symbolizing their noble status second only to the emperor.