kvmb Chapter 26 The treacherous minister Li Linfu wants to advance his career!
Chapter 26 The treacherous minister Li Linfu wants to advance his career!
Li Longji was confident that he was a good emperor.
Moreover, he met the standards of a good emperor.
But not for a subject!
They must be good officials.
At least in the eyes of ordinary people, this is the image that must be presented.
"Censor-in-Chief Li Linfu, do you plead guilty?"
Li Longji questioned him with displeasure.
Li Linfu's forehead was covered in large swathes of sweat.
Li Linfu, who was originally standing to report, was so frightened that he rolled out and knelt on the ground, bowing his head and shouting, "Your Majesty, please see the truth! I am innocent!"
"Where have you been wronged?"
"My lord...my lord, my lord...!"
Li Linfu's mind went blank for a moment.
I couldn't say anything even after trying for a long time.
"Lord Li, I advise you to confess your sins and repent! Our Tang Dynasty is the Tang Dynasty of the sages, and it cannot tolerate a corrupt official like you who commits numerous evils and ruins the atmosphere of our glorious Tang Dynasty!" Gao Chen said sarcastically, clearly intending to kick someone when they're down.
Gao Chen was about to deliver the final blow to this guy!
Unexpectedly, Li Linfu suddenly pulled out a stack of crumpled drawing paper from his sleeve and hurriedly shouted, "Your Majesty, I am selecting beauties for you. These are some of the most beautiful women I have seen before, which I originally intended to present to Your Majesty!"
Ok?
Uh?
This?
Li Longji was stunned!
The courtiers were stunned.
Gao Chen also looked puzzled!
Just as everyone was about to burst out laughing and were ready to see the joke,
Suddenly, a steady voice came from the high position.
"Gao Chen, bring this to me for a look."
hiss~!
The courtiers froze. Some who wanted to laugh were actually pinching their thighs so hard that tears streamed down their faces.
This is hilarious!
One laugh and your head will fall off.
At this time, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, truly deserved the title "Xuan".
Li Longji took the list handed to him by Li Linfu and carefully selected the names.
"Very well, these gentlemen will be sent to the palace on a chosen day. However, although your actions were well-intentioned, they have backfired and damaged the reputation of Tang Dynasty officials. I will punish you with three months' salary and require you to copy the 'Tang Rites' once!"
Li Longji paused, then looked at his ministers and said with righteous indignation, "I want the world to know that my Tang Dynasty is indeed clean, honest, and prosperous. You officials cannot be too lenient. Today's events are for the people to know that even if officials try to curry favor with me, I will not bend the law for personal gain!"
"Your Majesty is wise!"
The courtiers chanted in unison, praising the emperor's wisdom.
As for Gao Chen, he looked aggrieved.
Li Linfu was so frightened that his back was covered in sweat and his legs went weak!
At that moment, I didn't even know how to get up.
He knelt on the ground, completely exhausted.
Scary!
……
"What? Li Linfu really did that?"
Li Mao looked incredulous.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"Your uncle's!"
Li Mao launched into a tirade of curses.
Can't help it.
This wasn't just a direct attack on Li Linfu; it also included the emperor in the insults.
As expected of Emperor Xuanzong, he's mastered the basics!
Moreover, this whole affair has led people to believe that Li Longji was still a good emperor.
Little did they know that Li Longji was now completely blinded by lust.
It's just a matter of going straight for the An Lushan Rebellion and other miraculous maneuvers.
Suddenly, Li Mao realized that if he were An Lushan, he would also rebel.
Can this thing become an emperor?
I can be that kind of old man too!
"What should we do now, Your Highness?"
Where did Li Linfu go after court?
"We went to the small garden behind the mountain."
"Isn't that a teahouse that scholars and literati love to frequent?"
"Indeed, Your Highness."
"Ready your horse!"
……
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Li Mao then marched to the back mountains of Chang'an.
We headed straight for the small garden on the back hill.
This was a favorite gathering place for scholars and literati in Chang'an.
This place is filled with poetry, literature, etiquette, and music, and also with talented men and beautiful women.
It is said to be a teahouse that was opened during the reign of Emperor Gojong.
Li Mao didn't want to beat around the bush anymore; he hadn't expected Li Linfu to be able to defuse the crisis twice.
This also proves that this treacherous minister was indeed capable.
As a treacherous official, the primary skill is to be shameless and brazen.
Li Linfu was perfect in this respect!
He even offered the girls he fancied to his emperor father.
Li Mao was now completely impressed!
Since that's the case, let's get straight to the point.
At this very moment, Li Linfu needed allies.
Absolutely necessary!
After all, Gao Chen had already set his sights on him.
Ignoring the servant's attempts to stop him, Li Mao pushed open the door to the private room where Li Linfu was.
"...Shou Wang?"
"Your Excellency, may I take a seat for this tea?"
"please!"
Once seated, Li Linfu, who had been surprised and astonished, composed himself and returned to his usual demeanor.
"May I ask what brings Your Highness here?"
"Then I'll be frank with you. I have a plan here, and I don't know if you'd like to hear it, sir."
"In no mood!"
Li Linfu flatly refused.
Li Mao had already anticipated this. He smiled slightly and said calmly, "You don't want to hear about my plan to become the current prime minister?"
The current prime minister?!
Li Linfu suddenly straightened his back, almost leaping up from his kneeling position.
His eyes were filled with disbelief as he looked at Li Mao!
As for Li Mao, he didn't bother with formalities and directly took out an article from his sleeve and showed it to Li Linfu.
The title of this article is simply: "On How to Bring Down Zhang Jiuling".
The plan was written in black and white on the paper!
As Li Linfu read on, his expression grew increasingly excited.
This is exactly the result Li Mao wanted!
In factional struggles, winning or losing is the most important thing; face and such don't matter.
What Li Linfu needs least is a face.
That's exactly what we need most – shameless people like this.
Your buttocks are your face.
Ultimately, what official position one can hold is determined by one's position.
After a cup of tea.
Li Linfu finally looked at the Prince Shou, who was drinking tea, with burning eyes, and asked somewhat stammeringly, "Your...Your Highness, can you really appoint me as your prime minister?"
"Lord Li, there is no one in the world more suitable for the position of prime minister than you. As long as you help me, I will grant you the position for a thousand years!"
"Your subject, Li Linfu, pays respects to Prince Shou!"
"Hahaha, Lord Li, we're all on the same side, why be so formal? Please take a seat, let's have some tea and discuss things at our leisure."
Then Li Mao began to make grand promises to Li Linfu.
The empty promises and grandiose rhetoric of later generations were a complete disaster for someone like Li Linfu.
Without saying a word, Li Linfu immediately joined Li Mao's camp!
The main selling points are being outspoken and having the courage to believe.
An hour later.
Li Linfu listened with rapt attention, while Li Mao seemed to want to say more.
"Lord Li, I have a few people I need your help to arrange to enter the palace. I know you have always had good personal relationships with some of the palace eunuchs. What do you think?"
"Please give your orders, Prince Shou!"
"Alright, here's my plan..."
As he spoke, Li Mao informed Li Linfu of his plan to arrange for the person to enter the palace.
Because Li Linfu still had the connections that Consort Wu Hui had lent him back then, he was naturally able to send people into the palace!