Chapter 0841 What I can give you, I can also take back
Xie Shufang has a loyal and upright temperament. He used to say whatever he wanted, but now he heard this question but didn't know how to answer it.
He was straight but not stupid. He almost subconsciously thought about what would happen if Li Yuanji didn't wake up and continued to cause trouble.
But he just couldn't speak.
I could only look at Li Yuanji with a look like "You are embarrassing an honest man like me."
Li Yuanji saw Xie Shufang's expression and guessed that Xie Shufang already had an answer in his mind, and immediately said with a smile: "It seems that you already have an answer in your mind, but it's just not convenient to say it, so I will tell you my answer.
Match the pair in your mind and see if they are consistent."
Xie Shufang hesitated for a moment, but still did not speak. He still looked at Li Yuanji with the look of 'You are making things difficult for an honest man like me'.
Li Yuanji continued with a smile: "If I hadn't woken up and continued to cause trouble, I would have died an unexpected death, and I would not have found peace after death. Am I right?"
Xie Shufang was silent for a long time, and finally stood up slowly and bowed.
There are some words that he is not comfortable saying, so he can only express them through actions.
Judging from the original situation, if Li Yuanji did not wake up and continued to cause trouble, there was a high chance that he would be killed by Li Shimin in the end.
Because during the Xuanwu Gate Incident, if Li Yuanji hadn't suddenly emerged and prevented Li Shimin's rebellion, Li Shimin would have succeeded in seizing the throne long ago.
Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and their descendants must be among those Li Shimin must kill.
Even Li Yuan may not have a way out.
Therefore, no matter who you ask this question of Li Yuanji, you will get the same answer.
Although it was inconvenient for Xie Shufang to tell the answer directly, it did not mean that he could not express his position based on the answer given by Li Yuanji.
Xie Shufang stood up silently and saluted, which meant exactly what Li Yuanji said and agreed with him.
Li Yuanji continued to laugh and said: "Then tell me, if I die unexpectedly, what will be your fate?"
Xie Shufang was obviously stunned for a moment, and then bowed without hesitation: "I will definitely accompany His Highness to the end of the world!"
Xie Shufang's words were sonorous and powerful.
Li Yuanji had no doubt that one day, Xie Shufang would definitely be able to do it.
However, Xie Shufang in history did not choose this way.
It’s not that Xie Shufang in history was not loyal enough and did not dare to accompany him to death.
But in history, he is not a good thing, and he is not worthy of Xie Shufang's loyalty and courage to accompany him to death.
He is different now. He not only changed his past, but also took control of the Tang Dynasty. He was very kind to Uncle Xie and had a deep master-servant relationship.
Now he is qualified to enjoy the burial of a loyal and brave man like Xie Shufang.
Li Yuanji smiled and asked: "Since you are willing to go to hell with me, why don't you help me deal with the wealthy families?"
Xie Shufang fell into silence again after hearing this, and his head slowly dropped.
Li Yuanji chased after him and asked, "But what are your worries?"
Xie Shufang hesitated for a moment and said frankly: "I can help your highness deal with the wealthy families, but I don't want the Xie family to be exterminated because of me."
Li Yuanji understood immediately.
After all, Xie Shufang is a pure ancient man with a very deep sense of clan. He does not have the ambition to dominate the country, nor can he reach the level of sacrificing his family for everyone.
Therefore, he was willing to help the court, but he did not want to cause the Xie family to be exterminated, nor did he want to cause the Xie family's innocent people to suffer.
Li Yuanji can understand Xie Shufang's thoughts.
Li Yuanji thought for a moment and came up with a way to balance both ends, "Since I want to use your Xie family, I naturally won't watch your Xie family be exterminated.
Do you think this is a good idea? You can gather some of the branches of the Xie family, revive the Xie family, and then compete with other wealthy families. The rest will be secretly sent to Silla or Jiaozhou to live in the Yin clan's way.
These two places took root.
I will ask Li Daoli and Feng Ang to take care of them.
After we eradicate the wealthy families we want to eradicate, how about you move them back, reintegrate them, and revive the Xie family?"
Xie Shufang was silent in thought, as if he was considering the feasibility of this matter.
Li Yuanji continued: "Don't worry, I will remember what they have done for Datang. I will definitely give them adequate compensation after they move back."
Xie Shufang slowly raised his head and said solemnly: "If this is the case, I can agree, but there is no need for compensation. Your Highness can help my Xie family revive the family, which is already a generous gift.
I, Mr. Xie, can no longer be greedy."
Li Yuanji was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect Xie Shufang to agree so happily.
The method he gave to balance both ends was not very good and could not achieve the best of both worlds. Xie still had to make sacrifices.
Those who were integrated by Xie Shufang and worked together to fight against the wealthy families were the ones Xie had to sacrifice.
The number of these candidates cannot be too small, otherwise they will not be able to compete with the wealthy families.
Logically speaking, Uncle Xie should be hesitant.
But now Xie Shufang actually agreed, and he agreed so happily.
Li Yuanji fell into deep thought, and after a long time he finally thought about why Xie Shufang agreed so happily.
He personally came forward to talk to Xie Shufang. He was Xie Shufang's king, his lord, and his benefactor. Xie Shufang had no room to refuse.
Even if he did not discuss it with Xie Shufang and forced Xie Shufang to do what he wanted, Xie Shufang would not be able to refuse.
Now I have chosen to discuss with Uncle Xie and give Xie a way to survive. It can be said that I have given Uncle Xie enough face.
If Xie Shufang refuses to agree, he will be disrespectful of flattery.
Maybe Xie Shufang had already made his decision when he first received his secret letter.
The reason why he refused to let go was probably because he was waiting for him to give Mr. Xie a way to survive.
Now that he had given him this way of living, Xie Shufang happily agreed.
After thinking about this, Li Yuanji said with emotion: "Since you agreed, go down quickly and prepare. As for the compensation given to you by Mr. Xie, don't refuse it."
The Tang Dynasty could not tolerate wealthy families within the Tang Dynasty, but it could tolerate the outside of the Tang Dynasty.
If the Xie family could gain a foothold in Silla or Jiaozhou with the help of Li Daoli and Feng An, then he would not mind the Xie family returning to the ranks of the wealthy families, and could even help them secretly.
As for whether the Xie family would become a scourge for the Tang Dynasty after reviving their family in Silla or Jiaozhou, that was not something he should consider.
If the Xie family revitalized the family in Xinluo or Jiaozhou and later became a scourge to the Tang Dynasty, it means that the decrees of the Tang Dynasty could be conveyed to these two places unimpeded.
The people in these two places were no longer called barbarians or aliens by the Tang people.
Then the power of the Tang Dynasty must be stronger than in history.
What he planned must have been realized.
As for whether future generations can maintain the family business he founded, that is not his concern.
"Here!"
Xie Shufang did not refuse this time. He agreed happily and left Zhaode Hall.
Xie Shufang left the palace, and before he could raise the banner of the Xie family, gather the Xie family members, and revive the Xie family family, the Nuo opera festival and the New Year's Eve banquet began.
Like last year, this year Li Jiancheng will play the role of Taiyi, the Eastern Emperor, and preside over the Nuo Opera Festival.
Li Yuan showed up only when the Nuo Opera Festival came to an end and the New Year's Eve banquet slowly began.
After Li Yuan showed up, just like last year, he led the ministers to start a chaotic dance of demons.
Different from last year, at this year's New Year's Eve banquet, Li Yuan used various excuses to remove three princes and two princes from their titles.
Needless to say, the three princes and princes are also members of the Li family.
Their fathers were promoted to county kings at the end of the fourth year of Wude. When they came to their generation, they were demoted to the next level and became Dukes of the country.
If their descendants do not make any achievements, they will be degraded again and again, until they reach the common people.
However, Li Yuan demoted four of them to Lords in one breath, and their descendants had nothing to inherit.
Among them, the one who was most severely demoted was the King of Lujiang, Li Yuan, who was demoted from a prince to a commoner by Li Yuan in one fell swoop.
The reason why Li Yuan was so angry was because these people did not return to Beijing after receiving the imperial edict to go to Beijing for pilgrimage. Instead, they stayed in the fiefdom one by two under various excuses.
I don't know what to do either.
Li Yuanji didn't want to go to war and sent people to reprimand them and demote their titles.
Because he had just finished appeasing all the Li clan members.
Li Yuan was not used to them. Li Yuan gave them their titles, and Li Yuan could take them back.
After publicly demoting the five people to the rank of Lords and demoting them to common people, Li Yuan issued an order in public for Li Shentong to act as an imperial envoy to seize their fiefs, soldiers, horses, and all the property in their houses.
Li Shentong seemed to have received Li Yuan's instructions a long time ago. He agreed on the spot without even stumbling, and hurriedly left the Tai Chi Palace before dawn and rushed to the fiefdom of the five people.
This year's New Year's Eve banquet has come to an end.
Time has suddenly entered the first month of the year.
In the first month of the year, the weather is still cold.
But people's hearts inside and outside Chang'an City are full of enthusiasm.
Because this year's New Year's Eve banquet included three princes and two princes, it aroused heated discussion among everyone.
Almost everyone in the government and the public has enthusiastically participated in the discussion on this matter.
Li Xiaogong and Xie Shufang even opened the door to the hall and invited a group of like-minded people to gather at the house to discuss the matter.
However, Li Xiaogong only invited people from wealthy families, and they were also people who had a role in water transportation and shipping.
The only people Xie Shufang invited were members of the Xie family.
There are not many branches of the Xie family in Chang'an City, only two.
However, the influence of these two groups among the Xie clan is not weak.
After all, a weak person cannot gain a foothold in Chang'an City in troubled times, let alone be able to make a name for himself in Chang'an City immediately after the troubled times are over.
The ones Xie Shufang invited were the heads of these two families.
