Li Linfu was drowsy due to his illness, when he suddenly felt someone holding his palm, and heard an exaggerated and false speech of concern. He rolled up his eyelids, revealing half of his eyes, and let out bursts of coughing.
Yang Guozhong quickly let go of his palm, stepped back two feet away, folded his hands and said in a sigh: "I didn't expect that not long after leaving the capital, the right prime minister would become so ill. You must get better. Your Majesty can't live without you.
The Tang Dynasty cannot live without you."
Li Linfu knew Yang Guozhong's hypocrisy and knew that he was the one who wanted him dead the most, but it was true that he was terminally ill at this moment, and he was unable to deal with Yang Guozhong. When he was in charge of the government and made enemies everywhere, he did not think of his family, but when he was dying,
, we still need to preserve a glimmer of hope for our family.
He gave up his dignity and pride, old tears flowed down from his cloudy eyes, and said in a hoarse voice: "Yang Zhengqing, I'm afraid my days are numbered. We used to get along well with each other, and there were also frictions and fights, but I have
You are all relieved. You will definitely become prime minister after I leave, and I will leave my funeral affairs to you."
Li Linfu cast a huge shadow on Yang Guozhong. Even if he was so weak, Yang was afraid that he would cheat, or that his sudden improvement would give him a fatal blow. He hurriedly crossed his hands and said: "Don't dare, don't dare, the court can't live without it."
Right Chancellor, Guozhong is still willing to serve as your deputy."
Li Linfu's sadness was tainted with inexplicable absurdity. He didn't expect that he was so sick that he could still make Yang Guozhong jealous. Was he too powerful or was he so weak?
His breath was disordered, and he paused after saying a word: "Mr. Yang, there is no need to be humble. Lin Fu has been in power for many years. Although he has no political achievements, he still has some experience. I want to give it to Mr. Yang, hoping it will be helpful to you."
"Your Majesty, please speak." Yang Guozhong crossed his hands, but he was not sincere enough to listen.
"Anlushan sits on the land of Fanyang, Pinglu, and Hedong towns, and its power is already small. If you weaken and suppress you, you will suffer a backlash. You should use checks and balances to use vassal towns to threaten vassal towns. Anxi, Beiting, and Shuofang
, Hexi, Longyou and other five towns needed to support generals who were hostile to Anlushan. With Li Siye as the leader, Ge Shuhan and An Sishun as assistants, Li Siye was granted the three towns of Anbeiting and Hexi, with Ge Shuhan and An Sishun each in charge.
Shuofang and Longyou. In this way, even if one of them has a disobedient heart and threatens each other, they will not dare to act rashly."
"Crazy people must also be wary. To deal with these warriors, you must not use force. You need to hide murderous intent in the art of gentleness, just like boiling a frog in warm water. I hope Mr. Yang can face this sentence."
A smile escaped from the corner of Yang Guozhong's mouth, he bowed and crossed his hands and said: "Your Prime Minister taught me that Guozhong will definitely follow his example. Please rest assured, Prime Minister."
Li Linfu shook his head gently and closed his eyes, with a contemptuous sneer in his heart. From Yang Guozhong's words and expression, it can be concluded that this person did not take his words to heart and treated a dying man like him on his deathbed.
There are also contradictions in the last words, which is really ridiculous and hateful.
Yang Guozhong was really dissatisfied. What he actually wanted to say was, are you teaching me how to do things?
This may be another trap used by Li Linfu to mislead him. Yes, this is a trap. What kind of checks and balances, what kind of boiling frogs in warm water, why haven't you used it when you were alive? I, Yang Zhao, still need to do this to deal with these Xiaofan Zhenxiao.
The art of gentleness and gentleness between the imaginary and the snake?
From Li Linfu's words just now, he could tell that the old man looked down on him. Why can you boss An Lushan around, but I must treat him with gentleness and checks and balances? What's wrong with you?
He suppressed his inner displeasure and said to Li Linfu with a smile: "Right Prime Minister, rest in peace. The loyal minister will not disturb your rest."
Li Linfu, who had closed his eyes, ignored him. Yang Guozhong had no choice but to sneer at Li Xiu and cup his hands, then turned and walked out of the hall.
Li Xiu sent Yang Guozhong out of the inner hall and then returned. At this time, his father had opened his eyes. They seemed to be no longer cloudy, but bright and full of energy. His withered face also became shiny. He stretched out his hand to support his eyes.
He sat up on the couch and straightened his back, regaining his former imposing manner as a great minister.
Li Xiu knew that his father was having a flashback, and he felt so sad that tears kept falling down his face.
"My son, there is no need to be too sad. People will eventually grow old, sick, and die. I'm just afraid that it will make you brothers suffer. My father has a memorial here. After I leave, you can go to the Feishuang Palace in Huaqing Palace to see His Majesty and present the memorial. Wait.
After you bury me, you will keep the rules and quietly send your wife and children to the west of Hexi. Remember, remember!"
After Li Linfu said these words, he lay quietly on the bed, waiting for the arrival of death with his eyes open.
That night, wailing sounds were heard from the Li Mansion in the mountains outside Huaqing Palace, indicating that a traitor had completed his life journey and ended his historical mission.
Li Linfu's eldest son, Li Xiu, wore mourning and went to the palace in person to report the funeral. However, he followed his father's instructions and knelt at the steps outside Feishuang Palace, but was not summoned by Li Longji.
The eunuch Yuan Siyi came to him, put his hands on his belly and sang loudly: "The sage passed away, and I was very sad in my heart. I ordered the Royal Forest Army to escort the coffin back to the Pingkangfang Mansion in Chang'an for the funeral. All civil and military officials
Return to the capital to pay homage and be buried with the honors of a duke."
Li Xiu fell to the ground with tears in his eyes and responded: "Li Xiu thanks His Majesty for His grace!"
Yuan Siyi said in a low voice: "Li Langzhong expresses my condolences and accepts the change. Please help your father's coffin back to Chang'an as soon as possible."
Li Xiu raised his sleeves to wipe away his tears, took out a memorial in an envelope from his arms, handed it to Yuan Siyi with both hands and said: "This is the memorial written by my father before his death. I also ask my father-in-law to present it to His Majesty."
"Okay, I'll send it in right away. Mr. Li, please come back."
After watching Li Xiu leave, Yuan Siyi walked up the steps of the palace with small steps. Holding this memorial in his hand, he couldn't help but become suspicious. It stands to reason that Li Linfu has always treated him well, and the cooperation over the years has been quite pleasant. The right minister can bring everything with him.
His secret was buried in the ground, and he was very grateful. This deathbed memorial should be given to His Majesty. But what exactly was written in his memorial? Could it be a letter of confession? Would it reveal the secrets of these eunuchs to the public?
His Majesty?
The deeper he thought about it, the more panic infiltrated in his heart, and he had a strong desire to read the contents of the memorial. However, usually the memorials presented to the emperor by ministers were sealed with beeswax. Once he opened the seal, it was as if
I have committed a serious crime, unless this memorial is destroyed and not allowed to be seen by His Majesty.
But the risk of doing so was too great. He rubbed the opening of the envelope. Hey, it wasn't sealed? Was it intentionally not sealed or had he forgotten it?
This made Yuan Siyi extremely itchy. It would be okay to open it secretly and read it. No one would find out that the memorial had been read. Only by making sure that there was no information harmful to him would he feel at peace.
He hid behind the pillar outside the palace, took out the paper in the envelope, and read it carefully. It did not mention eunuchs, but it was related to Li Siye, the governor of Anxi. This had nothing to do with him and could be handed over to
His Majesty.
He returned to the palace, held it with both hands to the emperor who was lying on the bed, and said: "Your Majesty, this is the memorial written by the Right Prime Minister to Your Majesty before his death, and please Your Majesty to read it."
Gao Lishi stood beside the emperor, glared at him and reached out to take it, then passed it to the emperor's hand.
"Please step back."
"Here."
Li Longji took the paper out of the envelope, opened it in his hand and glanced up and down, his expression becoming more and more solemn.
Gao Lishi looked at it strangely and asked in surprise: "Sanlang, how are you doing?"
He lay back and handed the envelope to Gao Lishi: "See for yourself."
Gao Lishi felt confused after reading it and couldn't figure out why Li Linfu wrote this in his death memorial.
The emperor turned his head and asked him: "Hercules, what do you think?"
Gao Lishi said cautiously: "Li Linfu wrote this memorial before his death, most likely to recommend Li Siye as the governor of Hexi Province. I dare not say that he did so without selfish motives. But he had always had conflicts with Li Siye during his lifetime.
, I have no relationship with him. But I want to give him a fair word today. His move is probably for His Majesty’s consideration and for the Tang Dynasty. This dedication will help balance the strength of the vassal towns. "