abcnovels
Chapter 234
Chapter 234
Chapter 234
People had consistently praised Su Li’s growing reputation. However, the extent of Su Li’s fame had gone largely unnoticed. He now held control over two of the four major social strata. When sweet potatoes and potatoes were introduced, the masses rallied around him, and peasants worldwide were grateful. With the establishment of factories, he once again harnessed significant public support seemingly out of nowhere.
Before the fall of the Lus, the Five Surnames and Seven Clans might not have paid much attention, but afterward, workers in Fanyang strongly criticized him, expressing a desire to see him defeated. Such scenes filled Wang Zhao with fear and unease. Now, Wang Zhao couldn’t help but wonder if the Wang family in Taiyuan would face a similar fate.
With the backing of these two major social groups, Su Li’s reputation had almost reached perfection. Whenever the people of the Five Surnames and Seven Clans thought about it, they couldn’t help but feel immense fear towards Su Li. When Wang Zhao accused Su Li of being a national thief, it wasn’t an exaggeration, he genuinely believed it.
It was evident when looking at Su Li’s perspective—a military strategist who had conquered nearly half the territories while also quietly garnering public support and accumulating prestige. However, he consistently adopted a non-confrontational and non-competitive approach in court.
Was this person genuinely selfless and indifferent? No one believed that there truly existed a person with no desires in this world. They would only think that the other party had grand ambitions!
If Su Li’s ambitions were genuinely limited to the territory of the Tang Dynasty, in reality, the Five Surnames and Seven Clans might not have taken any action. For thousands of years, they had observed from the sidelines, watching various forces vie for power. To put it bluntly, the fate of the Li Tang dynasty had nothing to do with them. After all, no matter who occupied that position, their status remained unshakeable, so why complicate matters unnecessarily?
But Su Li was different. Su Li’s reputation had overshadowed everyone. Even the second emperor, Li Er, who carried an inherent stigma, didn’t match Su Li’s reputation among the common people. The power of public sentiment was no laughing matter. The lessons from the fall of the Lu family were still fresh in memory, and everyone from the Five Surnames and Seven Clans felt threatened. Even Li Er was influenced by him.
Could Li Chengqian, as the Crown Prince, really be so oblivious to it? Wang Zhao’s words essentially add fuel to the fire. The formidable influence of Su Li’s cultivated reputation was something the Five Surnames and Seven Clans had deeply felt. But in Wang Zhao’s view, Su Li had always been very subtle in these actions. Neither the court nor the officers, from Li Er to the ministers, had truly realized this issue. What he needed to do now was to reveal Su Li’s true nature. Of course, the Five Surnames and Seven Clans weren’t trying to warn the royal family. They simply wanted to use Li Chengqian to exact revenge.
Next, Wang Zhao vividly described scenes of how the people of Fanyang despised the Lu family. In his account, the Lu family of Fanyang had shown kindness to the local people through teachings and charity. However, they were swayed by the benefits of working in Su Li’s factories and turned against the Lu family. Similar situations were occurring elsewhere.
“Your Highness, Su Li is secretly cultivating influence with malicious intentions. In the Great Tang, he trapped His Majesty and his ministers while also manipulating the millions of people under heaven. As an elder with extensive knowledge of history and classics, I have never seen such a bold thief attempting to usurp a nation! If we allow this to continue unchecked, the consequences will be unimaginable!” Li Chengqian’s face darkened considerably.
In truth, he hadn’t fully comprehended why he felt such genuine disgust towards Su Li. Was it solely because of his humble peasant background? As the Crown Prince, Li Chengqian annually represented Li Er in activities promoting farming and sericulture. He had visited Changan’s farms numerous times, enduring the discomfort, warmly engaging with elderly peasants with soil-covered nails.
So why couldn’t he tolerate Su Li? Initially, Li Chengqian believed it was on behalf of his sister, Princess Changle. His relationship with Zhangsun Chong also fueled his aversion to Su Li. However, it wasn’t until Su Li’s triumphant return from his campaign that Li Chengqian gradually realized he harbored jealousy and resentment towards Su Li.
As the Crown Prince, groomed by Li Er to become the future emperor, Li Chengqian received top-notch education and always held himself in high regard. Yet, he found himself overshadowed by Su Li, a peasant by birth. What made it worse was that Su Li never treated him with the exaggerated deference others did. Despite being the Crown Prince, he couldn’t surpass Su Li, who hailed from a peasant’s background. This was something Li Chengqian couldn’t accept.
Since the start of the Heavenly Hu chess game, Li Chengqian had been unsure how to elevate himself further, directing his frustrations at Su Li, whom he disliked. However, after hearing Wang Zhao’s description, Li Chengqian couldn’t help but feel a growing fear. Unbeknownst to him, Su Li had grown to an astonishing degree. If this continued, what would become of the Tang Dynasty? Even if Su Li had no ill intentions, what about his descendants? His son? His grandson?
The fear of Su Li’s influence and legacy began to dawn on Li Chengqian, filling his heart with an overwhelming sense of urgency. After the banquet ended and the court officers left, he and Hou Junji convened in a secluded chamber within the Eastern Palace.
“How do you perceive the matters Wang Zhao spoke of today?” Li Chengqian inquired with a displeased expression.
Hou Junji clenched his fist and spoke sternly, “Your Highness, can’t you see it by now? Even His Majesty is powerless against Su Li. With him around, the imperial authority is weakened.”
After a pause, he continued, “The Five Surnames and Seven Clans pledging allegiance to Your Highness should have been a positive development. However, they have been thoroughly intimidated by Su Li. While they were once a significant support, they can hardly contribute anything now. The prominent families of today have lost their reputation among the common people, and their financial strength has dwindled. In essence, they are just empty shells. And Su Li is the root cause of all this.”
In truth, there was one more thing Hou Junji didn’t say aloud: if Su Li remained, there would never be a day when Hou Junji could rise to prominence. This was something he couldn’t tolerate.
Li Chengqian stared wide-eyed, his face displaying shock as he asked, “Does General Taishan mean…”
Hou Junji’s expression turned fierce, his eyes gleaming with a sinister edge as he declared, “Su Li must be eliminated!”
“Ah!” Li Chengqian exclaimed in surprise, his face filled with astonishment as he looked at Hou Junji. Then, Li Chengqian’s expression became indescribable as he fell into deep thought.
After a moment of silent contemplation, he sighed and asked, “Doesn’t Lord Taishan know that Su Li is the husband of Princess Changle, my dear sister’s husband?”
Hou Junji sneered and said, “On the night of the Xuanwu Gate, I ambushed His Majesty on the left path. As for Su Li’s relationship with Your Highness, how does it compare to Jiancheng’s relationship with His Majesty?”
Li Chengqian’s gaze fixed, and he remained silent.
“But you are His Majesty’s legitimate son…” Hou Junji said, looking at Li Chengqian with a meaningful expression.