Jeune Premier ministre, un ermite

Chapitre 47

"I'm thinking about Yang Guang." He blurted out without thinking.

"Oh? Why are you thinking about that tyrannical emperor?" Li Tianqi asked, puzzled.

"The world only sees him as a tyrannical ruler, but they fail to see his efforts. He was also a man with ambition! He burdened the people with his labors, digging canals, which, though exhausting, left endless benefits for future generations. His conquest of Goguryeo, though exhausting the army, clearly revealed his ambition to unify the world. However, he simply did not know how to do it. Perhaps it was these repeated expansions that made him feel powerless, unsure of how to face the world, which is why he fled in such a way."

"It's rare to see Fourth Brother think this way." Li Tianqi was quite surprised by Wei Zijun's remarks.

"Look at that granary on the riverbank, so high and wide, storing a million shi of grain, enough for decades. In years of disaster, it was opened to relieve the people; in times of war, it was used to prepare for military needs. Yang Guang was truly a great emperor of all time, with foresight. He unified China, restored Han civilization, dug the Grand Canal, simplified laws, and practiced frugality. He was truly a wise ruler. Perhaps Yang Guang wanted to surpass his father, but his ambition and impatience ultimately led him astray. However, his emphasis on education, his pursuit of classical texts, and his improvement of the imperial examination system are undeniable contributions to Han culture."

Indeed, history is written by the victors, and Confucian historians' moral evaluation of Emperor Yang of Sui was harsh and even extreme. They portrayed him as a typical "tyrant of the last dynasty," completely ignoring his contributions to Han civilization. It's important to remember that even the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong of Tang was far less prosperous than the early years of Yang Guang's reign, yet Emperor Taizong is hailed as one of the greatest emperors of all time, while Yang Guang is forever condemned. This is history. The history of the victors.

"Is Ziju speaking out for Yang Guang?"

"It's a lamentable distortion of history!" If not, where did the Great Yu Kingdom come from? If they can so vividly cover up an entire dynasty, then what difficulty is there in portraying Yang Guang as a completely incompetent and tyrannical ruler?

“I think Fourth Brother is right.” A soft voice came from behind. Wei Zijun turned around and saw a young woman in a light blue dress walking gracefully towards him. She was naturally beautiful, dressed in luxurious clothes, with big, spring-like eyes and a smiling face.

"Sister-in-law! How are you feeling, Second Sister-in-law? The river wind is too strong, Second Sister-in-law, please go back to your cabin to rest," Wei Zijun said with concern.

Wei Zijun only learned of her second sister-in-law when she boarded the ship. Hearing that Li Tianqi was coming to Wu County, she insisted on coming along so she could see what kind of person her much-talked-about fourth brother was. However, she was tired from the long journey and was unwell, so she rested in her cabin.

"Lianwu, the wind is strong at the bow of the boat. Can you handle it?" Li Tianqi reached out to help Lianwu. Lianwu was his principal wife. Although she was a product of a power struggle, she was virtuous, knowledgeable, and reasonable. He could still exchange a few words with her.

Lianwu was lucky to marry him. Not every princess is so fortunate to have a husband who knows how to be gentle, caring, and tender. Even if she never experienced his passionate love, so what? She was content.

"It's alright. Staying cooped up in the cabin all day would make anyone moldy. It's good to come out and get some fresh air," Lianwu said with a smile, looking at Wei Zijun. "What Fourth Brother said earlier is absolutely right. No matter who it is, even if they are a tyrant, we cannot erase all their merits and demerits."

"Sister-in-law's insightful views are truly a blessing, unlike some people who only consider their own opinions." Wei Zijun's lips curled slightly as she glanced sideways at Li Tianqi.

“Hehe, Fourth Brother, the current Emperor personally overthrew Yang Guang’s regime. Your Highness naturally regards Yang Guang as an enemy, which is why Your Highness views him that way.” After Lianwu finished speaking, he suddenly realized that he had spoken out of turn and immediately covered his mouth to look at Li Tianqi.

Your Highness!? Wei Zijun was also taken aback. Could Li Tianqi be more than just a pacification envoy?

"Your Highness? Is Second Brother a prince, or a prince of the first rank? Or a duke?" Wei Zijun squinted at Li Tianqi and said with a smile, "If Second Brother is a prince, will he inherit the throne? Don't forget to take care of your little brother then."

No wonder. I felt he was extraordinary from our first meeting at the restaurant, and after spending time with him over the past few days, I saw even more of his noble bearing, good upbringing, and magnanimous demeanor. Moreover, the fact that he so easily acquired Danhe Tower was something no ordinary official could do. And considering how young he was, it was unlikely that he was a prince; he was probably more like a prince or a prince of the blood.

"Hey! I'm related to royalty! I'll never have to worry again!" He became more and more excited as he spoke, turning Li Tianqi's face to look at him again and again.

If he really is a prince, that would be quite interesting. Perhaps she could even meet the current emperor. If that were the case, her life would have been worthwhile. And with such a powerful backer, wouldn't she be able to roam freely throughout the world?

Li Tianqi looked at Wei Zijun with a smile in his eyes. He had been hiding his identity because he was afraid that Wei Zijun would feel restrained if he knew. Unexpectedly, Wei Zijun was not only not restrained after he found out, but also did not fawn over him like those ordinary people. Instead, he did not take it seriously and continued to joke. This made him appreciate and like his fourth brother even more.

"I'm only the third son; there are two older brothers ahead of me, so your hopes are dashed." He raised his large hand and pinched Wei Zijun's nose. The soft, supple touch of his nose made his hand tremble slightly.

"Zijun's nose is beautiful!" Li Tianqi examined Wei Zijun. "From the front, it looks like a white jade hanging gall; from the side, it looks like a straight and upright white jade peak. It feels fleshy and plump to the touch. It is truly a sign of great nobility. With a nose like yours, you will be extremely noble in the future without my help."

"Second sister-in-law, when did second brother become a fortune teller?" Wei Zijun said to Lianwu with a smile. "You must keep a close eye on him. If he gets tired of being a prince one day, he might as well become a fortune teller in the marketplace."

"Your mouth was made specifically to mess with me, didn't it?" Li Tianqi reached out and covered Wei Zijun's mouth, and the two of them burst into laughter.

Lianwu stood aside watching with a smile, initially smiling innocently, but gradually a hint of worry and unease appeared in her eyes.

[Volume 1, Deer City Chapter: Chapter 42, Qiantang]

After lunch, a strong wind picked up on the river, forcing the group to stay inside the cabin.

Feeling bored, I picked up two small baskets and walked over to the two people who were chatting happily. She seemed unable to join them. She and Li Tianqi had been talking, but in front of this fourth brother, she became an outsider.

"Fourth brother, how about playing a game of Go with your sister-in-law?" Lianwu placed the small basket in front of Wei Zijun and sat down.

"Great! It's rare for you to have such an interest, sister-in-law. But my chess skills are not very good, so please be merciful." Wei Zijun also became interested. She wondered how good this beauty's chess skills were. Since she took the initiative to invite him, she must be quite good.

"Fourth brother, you're too modest. It's your sister-in-law who's not very good at chess. Whenever she plays chess with your second brother, he always gives her a few pieces first, and she still loses to him every time. The difference in skill level is too big, and it's not fun to play with him. So, I can't even find someone to play chess with to pass the time. That's why I finally got the chance to play a game with you today, fourth brother."

Opening the exquisite chess basket, one finds white and green jade chess pieces, each the size of a fingernail, exquisitely crafted—truly works of art. No wonder the basket is so small. "Sister-in-law, you are truly a discerning and sensible person. Even these chess pieces are so delicate and beautiful," Wei Zijun exclaimed, holding a white jade piece.

"Sister-in-law, please go first, carrying the green cup." Wei Zijun gestured for her to proceed.

The game of chess took half an hour. Unsurprisingly, Wei Zijun occupied a large area of territory, while Lianwu barely managed to survive in two corners. The four sides and a large area around the center were all occupied by Wei Zijun's white pieces.

Seeing this, Li Tianqi laughed heartily: "Lianwu, it seems you're destined to remain lonely. You should give up your position to me."

"I never imagined that Ziju's chess skills were so remarkable. Today, I, your brother, will have a great battle with you. I haven't had a worthy opponent in a long time, and my hands are itching to play." Li Tianqi boasted proudly.

Separate the pieces and push the green piece to Wei Zijun, "Fourth brother goes first."

Wei Zijun glanced at Li Tianqi, then put down the green-handled teacup.

Two white and two green pieces, the four pieces are settled, and Wei Zijun then makes a big leap.

"Fourth brother has quite the appetite." Li Tianqi held up a white piece.

The chessboard is now a mix of white and green, and the number of pieces has increased.

"Second Brother, look carefully, that's a sheep's head. Are you still going to follow it?" Wei Zijun asked curiously. Even a beginner could understand the sheep's head trick, so why was he still following it?

“Zijun, didn’t you see that I have a piece responding below me? By turning here, my whole game is alive. This is a powerful dragon.”

"Second brother, count again carefully. Did you miss it right when you got to that spot?" She had already seen him catch that piece, but it was just one square off.

Li Tianqi carefully counted the pieces and found that he had missed a move and could not catch it. He sighed helplessly and had no choice but to abandon the piece.

Two quarters of an hour later, the outcome was decided. Each side picked up their dead pieces and counted the pieces on the board. The white and green sides each occupied a number of pieces, and the outcome was difficult to determine. After careful counting, Wei Zijun won against Li Tianqi by three and a quarter points.

Lianwu clapped his hands and laughed, "Great! Finally, someone can put his arrogance to a halt."