Remaining tranquil and calm, Qin Chuan replied, "Exactly so. At that time Li Xiong had your attention focused entirely on Xu Xiong, naturally you would not take any notice of me, an ordinary bystander!”
Li Shimin and Xu Ziling looked at each other in shock.
Let's not mention that this person intentionally followed Li Shimin to this place. Just by Li Shimin's brilliant cultivation yet still failed to realize that someone was trailing him, it was clear that this person's skill must be out of the ordinary.
Without waiting for the two men to respond, Qin Chuan went on, "Back to the topic at hand, just now Li Xiong was speaking about your esteemed brother. I wonder what are you going to do about it?”
Smiling ruefully, Li Shimin said, "That was not supposed to enter Qin Xiong's ears; must we discuss it openly now?”
Qin Chuan shrugged his shoulders and said, "Li Xiong has a large number of martial art masters accompanying you here. After unburdening yourself off this matter, you could always send your men to have the Ol' Qin killed. This way you won't have to worry that any third party would find out about it.”
Li Shimin and Xu Ziling looked at each other again. Here was someone who suggested others to have himself killed to close his mouth. But the way he was shrugging his shoulders was very pleasant to watch, so that it would be difficult for others to have the heart to kill him.
‘Bang!'
Li Shimin slapped the table, and then said with a sigh, "How could I, Li Shimin, be a despicable person who only has interest in his own benefit, and presumptuously harming other people's lives? Qin Xiong must be joking!”
Qin Chuan coldly said, "You don't kill people, people will come to kill you. Your esteemed brother is more than ten years older than Shimin Xiong. During the rebellion in Taiyuan, he was still at Hedong Mansion, and had never participated in the grand scheme. A year later, he was firmly established as the crown prince. Under normal circumstances, this is not a big deal. However, in time where outstanding heroes all over the world are contending against each other, Shimin Xiong is outside as a soldier, charging and breaking through the enemy lines, beheading the Pass, seizing the narrow path, killing the enemy, taking the cities, while he remained in the western capital, reaping where he had not sown. Even if Shimin Xiong did not have different thought, your esteemed brother is merely where he is by virtue of seniority. How could he convince the heart of the people under the heavens? Could it be that he is not afraid repeating the disastrous history of Li Mi assassinating Zhai Rang?”
Li Shimin's countenance fell; he spoke slowly, "Who is Qin Xiong actually? How did you know my Li family's matters this clearly?”
Listening to him, Xu Ziling was amazed as well, but his interest differed from Li Shimin's. Besides, this person's spoke powerfully, his reasoning was penetrating and exquisite, plus it had substance [orig. ‘if thrown on the floor, it will make a sound'], so that others would find it hard to refute.
Qin Chuan slyly said, "If Shimin Xiong does not wish to chat about this, how about if we change the subject?”
Once again Li Shimin and Xu Ziling looked at each other in shock.
※ ※ ※
Ouyang Xiyi chuckled; he patted his horse's butt and stepped out, "Then let's Laofu be your foot soldier to open the path for you!”
Kou Zhong hurriedly whispered in Wang Shichong's ear, "Let's just employ the ‘charging forward resolutely' tactic!”
Wang Shichong was indecisive, but as he heard Kou Zhong, he laughed heartily to stall for time. When everybody's attention shifted from Ouyang Xiyi back to him, he pretended to be calm and composed as he said, "Apparently this is still too early in the morning, Huang Taizhu probably has not left his dragon bed, this officer can always return to have an audience later!”
Drawing out his whip, he turned around and left, without even casting a single glance toward Dugu Feng.
Kou Zhong and the others hastily followed him.
※ ※ ※
"Qin Xiong has something else to say?” Li Shimin asked in wonder.
Qin Chuan spoke slowly, "I wish to ask for Shimin Xiong's guidance concerning the path of the ruler.”
Xu Ziling and Li Shimin were baffled being played around by him like this.
First of all, Li Shimin was nowhere near the monarch position, let along now was the period of fighting over the world. Even if Li Shimin had the thought of taking over Li Jiancheng's position, Li Shimin ought to be asking for guidance to others, not the other way around.
A vague feeling started to well up in Xu Ziling's heart, he vaguely felt that he ought to know this person's identity, yet he was unable to penetrate the fog to come up with any definitive guess.
Staring at the person's back, Li Shimin frowned and said, "If Qin Xiong is able to explain the reason you are asking this question, then there is no harm in me, Li Shimin, offering up an answer.”
Qin Chuan calmly said, "The way I conduct myself has always been I do whatever I think I should do; very seldom did I question God as to what I ought to do. Just now I recalled that Shimin Xiong has the ‘heaven policy in government', particularly having the country in the palm of your hand to go on a punitive expedition, with a long history of ‘ministry of war one person, handling two-person civil officers, two-person military-advisory committe, four-person secretarial department, two-person clerks, two-person office of records and military affairs, and then two-person construction, warehouse, soldiers, horses, weaponry and noncommissioned officers, six department of the military, and six-person military advisory board; altogether there are thirty-four people, in tight coordination like a mini imperial court. It is clear to me that Shimin Xiong's aspiration is not limited to insignificant military campaign; hence I was compelled to ask the question.”
Listening to him explaining the organization of ‘heaven policy in government' in details as if he was enumerating his own family's valuables, Li Shimin and Xu Ziling were dumbstruck and did not know how to respond.
"Was that a good enough reason?” Qin Chuan asked nonchalantly.
With a wry smile Li Shimin replied, "I concede! If Qin Xiong is willing to work for me, I would definitely ask Qin Xiong to be in charge of reconnaissance and intelligence. As for the path of the ruler, of chief importance is understanding how to select worthy person to be employed. Otherwise, even if there is the best national policy in place, without obtaining the right person, the implementation will not follow the law, then everything will be in vain.”
In his heart Xu Ziling was full of praise. If it were either Li Mi or Du Fuwei, seeing this person understood him like the back of his hand, it would be strange indeed if a desire to kill him did not arise in their hearts.
But Li Shimin was sincerely true to his word, he really provided answer. Moreover, his answer was beautiful, and was delivered in such a free and easy manner. Merely this aspiration was not something that others could emulate.
Qin Chuan spoke heavily, "After the big chaos, how to achieve big government control?”
Li Shimin smiled slightly at Xu Ziling first before answering, "After chaos, it will be easy to teach the people, just like hungry people are easy to feed. If as the ruler one is willing set an example, countering the detrimental government of the previous dynasty, practicing diligently, while getting rid of the extravagant and wasteful way, seeking to govern in peace and quiet, promoting reform and rising interest in culture, spreading virtue and giving charity, light on mandating compulsory service and belittle the self, working together from top to bottom with one heart, the people will respond like an echo, sooner or later the Central Earth will be pacified, estranged people will submit.”
Qin Chuan listened silently. It was quite a while before he finally said, "Xu Xiong, what do you think of Shimin Xiong's view?”
Xu Ziling did not expect Qin Chuan would suddenly ask him, a bystander, for an opinion. Laughing involuntarily, he said, "In terms of politic and government, Xiaodi is just a layman, I am not qualified to comment on Shimin Xiong's view. But Shimin Xiong's true statement, ‘seeking to govern in peace and quiet' four characters [jing Zhong qiu zhi], fits very well with my personality. After the big chaos, only by getting rid of extravagance and wasteful government will we recover the people. Only by doing farm work in the right season will we produce harvest, so that the people will have clothes and food in abundance.”
Qin Chuan was still sitting facing the blank wall. He spoke in heavy voice, "In olden days, when Emperor Wen, Yang Jian, ascended the throne, there was nothing but strictly benevolent government. Who would have thought that two generations perished, Shimin Xiong has such opinion on this matter.”
Li Shimin sighed and said, "Qin Xiong asked the most crucial question. Just from this it is evident how brilliant Qin Xiong's knowledge and experience is, definitely you are not an idle person. I wonder if the two of us may move to Qin Xiong's table so that we can continue talking face to face?”
Qin Chuan laughed and said, "I had heard that Heir Apparent loves to make friends with eccentric people and unusual scholars all over the world, naturally you also have the aspiration to tolerate all kinds of eccentric deeds and unusual conducts. How could a trivial man, who has always been coming and going alone, discuss the most fitting trivial intention? If Shimin Xiong insists on another form of formality, the trivial person just had to take his leave!”
Li Shimin made a gesture, as if he was shrugging his shoulders, toward Xu Ziling, expressing his resignation. Smiling, he said, "I just wanted to have a glimpse of Qin Xiong's expression. But since it is not the case, let us proceed according to what Qin Xiong's decided!”
Qin Chuan spoke indifferently, "I knew Shimin Xiong would never force anybody to do something against his will. In that case, how about Shimin Xiong give an answer to my question?”
Li Shimin asked in consternation, "It seems like Qin Xiong is testing my skill if I were to be the Emperor?”
As soon as he said those words, Xu Ziling's heart was greatly shaken; he had guessed Qin Chuan's true identity.
The fact is, Qin Chuan's identity has always been very obvious. Other than Shi Feixuan, who would be interested in asking Li Shimin questions about governing the country?
She was making determination on who should be the recipient of the Jade Annulus of He Clan.
Qin Chuan spoke slyly, "A fine bird chooses a tree to nest in. Will this answer satisfy Shimin Xiong?”
Li Shimin cast his gaze toward Xu Ziling. Evidently he had detected the change in Xu Zling's heart from the change on his countenance, hence he was casting an asking-for-opinion glance toward Xu Ziling.
Thinking about Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling sighed inwardly. But he nodded toward Li Shimin, indicating that he ought to give an honest answer.
After contemplating silently for a moment, Li Shimin spoke seriously, "The root of peace rests solely on obtaining people. The Sui Family flourished since the founding Emperor, simply because Emperor Wen was diligent in considering the government; each dawn there was imperial court hearing, day and night he worked, forgetting tiredness. The suffering of the people, not one he did not attend to personally. Moreover, he conducted the business frugally, rewards and penalties strict and impartial. It's a pity that he lacked one move; otherwise the Sui Dynasty would continue for a thousand years, hundreds of generations.”
Withot waiting for ‘Qin Chuan' to reply, Xu Ziling rose up to his full height and said, "Gentlemen, please continue your discussion, Zaixia takes my leave!”
Li Shimin was greatly astonished.
But ‘Qin Chuan' did not show any movement.
Xu Ziling nodded his head slightly before floating away.
Chapter end
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