Chapter 26: Giving Emperor Li Er an Eye-Opening Experience
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In the days that followed, Li Chengqian did not seek out Li Yuan alone again. For one thing, he was afraid of arousing Li Shimin’s suspicions; for another, Empress Zhangsun went to the Da’an Palace every day to pay her respects to Li Yuan.
Whenever he wanted to visit, he could simply go along with Empress Zhangsun.
This continued until the system’s six-month time limit arrived.
That was the first year of the Zhenguan era—627 AD.
That year, Li Shimin was twenty-nine years old.
Although he had not yet reached thirty, an unparalleled model of good governance was about to begin under his hand.
On the third day of the first lunar month, after lavishly rewarding his meritorious officials, Li Shimin held a banquet for the assembled ministers within the palace and ordered the musicians to perform the grand and stirring “Prince of Qin Breaks the Battle Formation.”
Listening to the vigorous and heroic music, Li Shimin was overcome with emotion. Smiling, he said to the assembled ministers, “The realm has been conquered. If I remember correctly, this piece was composed during the campaign against Liu Wuzhou. Now that I hear it again, although it lacks the elegance of ‘Civil Virtue,’ my achievements began with military accomplishments. Performing this piece is a way of remembering our roots!”
At these words, all the ministers smiled and nodded in agreement.
“That’s right, Your Majesty! Back when we were fighting, this was the piece we loved hearing most. After listening to it, we felt ready to fight anyone!” Yuchi Gong shouted with a hearty laugh.
Li Shimin glanced at him with a smile and was just about to continue when the Right Vice Director, Feng Deyi, joined in with a flattering remark:
“His Majesty is divinely wise and martial. How could ‘Civil Virtue’ possibly be worthy of him? From now on, let us perform ‘Prince of Qin Breaks the Battle Formation’ at every major ceremony in the palace!”
“Hmph!”
Cheng Yaojin snorted coldly. “This palace is not a battlefield. How can we perform ‘Prince of Qin Breaks the Battle Formation’ whenever we please?”
“Exactly! Old Feng knows nothing about music!” Yuchi Gong chimed in mockingly.
Feng Deyi’s expression darkened. Inwardly, he thought, You two crude brutes actually have the nerve to ridicule me?
However, just as he was preparing to retort, Li Shimin spoke again in an offhand manner.
“To conquer the realm, one must rely on military force. To govern the realm, one must rely on culture. According to the Right Vice Director, does that mean civil achievement is inferior to military achievement?”
“Er…”
The corner of Feng Deyi’s mouth twitched, and his face filled with embarrassment.
He had intended to flatter His Majesty, but instead he had struck the horse’s hoof.
In truth, Li Shimin understood perfectly well that founding an empire required war and martial achievement, but creating a golden age demanded civil governance and moral education.
In other words, if the key words of the Wude era were conquest and bloodshed, then the key words of the Zhenguan era would be culture, education, ritual, and music.
It was precisely because he possessed such clear awareness that Li Shimin was deeply displeased by Feng Deyi’s words.
He continued in a grave voice, “Today we celebrate the first year of Zhenguan. The Zhenguan era will be governed through civil virtue. As the Right Vice Director, was what you just said truly appropriate?”
“Ah?”
Feng Deyi was startled. He quickly bowed and apologized. “Your Majesty is right! Your Majesty is absolutely right! I shall punish myself with a cup of wine!”
Li Shimin watched him finish the wine in his cup. Then, as though recalling something, he said mildly, “When I ascended the throne, I asked you to recommend worthy men to me. Yet to this day, you have not recommended a single one. Why is that?”
“This…”
For some reason, Feng Deyi suddenly felt that His Majesty was deliberately targeting him. He answered uneasily, “Your Majesty, it is not that I have failed to do my utmost. It is simply that, to this day, I have not discovered any worthy men!”
“Is that so?”
Li Shimin raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, “To employ people is to make use of their strengths. I have never heard that one generation could possess all the talented men while the next has not a single one. Are you not insulting an entire generation?”
“I…”
Feng Deyi opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Li Shimin’s voice became calm and imposing. “With an attitude like this, can you still manage the affairs of the court?”
The moment these words were spoken, all the ministers were shaken.
“The fault is mine! The fault is mine!” Feng Deyi once again confessed his error.
Li Shimin gave him a淡? Wait Chinese. Need revise no Chinese. "gave him a淡" no. Continue: looked at him indifferently. Ensure final clean.
Let's continue from there in final need no accidental.