sovbooks Chapter 89: Not Answering, But Asking
Chapter 89: Not Answering, But Asking
Yang Yan waved his hand to stop Qin Qiong's agitation.
Looking at Li Jing's face, which was filled with the word "rejection," he felt not anger, but rather a strong desire to conquer.
That's more like it!
If a letter from a dead man could make the Tang Dynasty's military genius bow down in worship, that would truly be a miracle.
Truly top talents all possess a strong sense of pride.
To win over Li Jing, you can't rely on his status or emotional appeal; the only way is to demonstrate a level of vision and wisdom that he can't refuse!
The idea that someone could be so powerful that they would immediately bow down and submit is just wishful thinking in storybooks.
The reality is, you have to show him that following you will bring him wealth and that he can eat the meat he's always wanted to eat!
Yang Yan did not rush to refute, but casually picked up a scroll of "Regulations for Carriages" on the table, flipped through a couple of pages, and then looked at Li Jing with a smile.
"Pharmacist, your concerns are very valid. In that case, I will not insist."
Yang Yan put down the dossier, his tone suddenly changing, his eyes sharpening like knives: "But before I leave, I have two questions I'd like to ask. I wonder if the apothecary dares to answer?"
Li Jing raised an eyebrow: "Your Highness, please speak."
Yang Yan raised a finger, his voice clear and resonant: "Firstly, in the pharmacist's opinion, when it comes to governing a country and bringing peace to the world, which comes first, 'systems' or 'the hearts of the people'?"
Li Jing's pupils contracted slightly.
This question, though seemingly a familiar one, is actually all-encompassing. Legalism emphasizes institutions, while Confucianism emphasizes people—this is an age-old debate.
Before Li Jing could even think, Yang Yan had already posed his second question. This time, he pointed to the room full of blueprints for clothing and ceremonial attire:
"Secondly, as the ancients said, 'A skilled warrior achieves no great feats.' Pharmacist has spent years buried in the Imperial Pharmacy under his jurisdiction, meticulously examining clothing and verifying measurements. Has he ever gleaned any strategic insights from these inanimate objects, so meticulously scrutinized?"
If the first question is about the overall structure of the examination, then the second question is about directly addressing the soul of Li Jing!
Everyone thought he was wasting his time, but this young man in front of him actually asked him if he had learned any military strategy from examining the wheels of a cart.
In that instant, Li Jing's gaze towards Yang Yan changed.
It was a sense of dread, like meeting a worthy opponent.
But he did not answer.
He was Li Jing, and he disdained to sit and discuss philosophy like a scholar; that was just empty talk.
What he wants to see is not whether you can ask questions, but whether you can solve a deadlock!
Since you're going to test me, then I'll test you in return!
Li Jing took a deep breath, and the listlessness of a civil official vanished from his body. He became like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, revealing his full brilliance.
Instead of answering, he asked a question, his voice aggressive:
"Since Your Highness has asked for advice, then I will dare to ask!"
"Your Highness's desire to pacify Lingnan may seem glamorous, but it is actually a death trap."
Li Jing extended three fingers and pressed them down one by one, his tone becoming more forceful with each finger pressed down:
"If the Xian family of Lingnan, though receiving the imperial decree, becomes arrogant due to their favor and outwardly obeys while inwardly disobeying it, this is one example!"
"If Li Xian of Guizhou sees through the court's scheme and, without waiting for Your Highness to make any arrangements, colludes with the local people to seize the opportunity to cut off the supply lines and besiege Your Highness in an isolated city, that would be the second possibility!"
"If someone within the court obstructs the process at this time, and the reinforcements are delayed under some pretext, they will be too slow to arrive in time, leaving Your Highness helpless and desperate. This is the third reason!"
Li Jing suddenly stepped forward, his gaze sharp as lightning, piercing Yang Yan's face: "The combined attack of these three factors is a fatal blow! Since Your Highness is determined to pacify the southern border, may I ask what strategy you intend to use to break this predicament?!"
These three questions are like knives piercing the heart!
This is not a hypothetical scenario; it is clearly the real situation that Yang Yan would inevitably face on his journey to Lingnan!
Empress Xian's arrogance, the rebel army's surprise attack, and the court's (Yang Guang's faction's) betrayal.
Qin Qiong broke out in a cold sweat, his grip on the hilt of his sword creaking. Though brave, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him in the face of this complex political and military impasse.
Li Jing stared intently at Yang Yan.
He is waiting.
If Yang Yan were to give empty words like "use this righteous principle to enlighten them" or "fight to the death," Li Jing would immediately turn around and leave without ever looking back.
What he wants to see is not the standard answer.
What he wanted to see was the eldest grandson of the emperor's level of thinking, decisiveness, and ability to remain calm and composed even when faced with a major crisis!
The study was deathly silent.
Only the occasional cawing of crows could be heard from outside the window.
Upon hearing this, Yang Yan did not show the panic or deep thought that Li Jing had expected.
Instead, he laughed.
That smile carried a hint of composure, a touch of mockery, and even a hint of...excitement?
He didn't answer directly, but turned around, his back to Li Jing, and slowly walked to the window.
He pushed open the window.
Outside the window, the imperial palaces stretched endlessly, their glazed tiles reflecting a dazzling golden light in the afterglow of the setting sun, resembling a golden ocean, yet exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.
Yang Yan stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the seemingly prosperous but actually corrupt Sui Dynasty, and remained silent for a moment.
In Li Jing's eyes, this figure from behind exuded an indescribable loneliness and grandeur.
A moment later, a calm and clear voice, like metal striking the ground, rang out in the study:
"The pharmacist's question hits the nail on the head; it is indeed ruthless."
"When ordinary people see these three things, they are like seeing a flood or a ferocious beast. They only think about how to build a dam to stop the leaks and how to ask for help. They are exhausted and run around like this. In the end, they are just trapped beasts being led by the nose."
Yang Yan suddenly turned around.
The setting sun cast its last rays on his profile, outlining him like a cast-iron statue. His eyes seemed to burn with two eerie flames.
"However, in my view, this is not a crisis, but a golden opportunity—"
"This is a golden opportunity bestowed upon me by Heaven, a chance to clear out Lingnan in one fell swoop and turn the thorny thickets into a thoroughfare!"
Li Jing's heart skipped a beat. What a boastful tone!
Yang Yan strode back to his desk, dipped his finger in tea, drew a circle on the table, and then tapped it heavily:
"My strategy is not to seek stability, but only to break through! This can be called the sixteen-character policy—"
He raised his head, his gaze piercing, staring straight into the depths of Li Jing's soul, and uttered sixteen words, one by one: "Strengthen the foundation and cultivate the source, prune the branches and weaken the trunk, invite fire to burn oneself, forge iron into a sword!"
Li Jing stared intently at Yang Yan, as if trying to see through the young body to discover the soul hidden beneath.
"Sixteen characters?" Li Jing pondered these four words, his brows furrowed. "I would like to hear the details."
Yang Yan extended a finger and gently pressed it on the scroll of "Regulations for Carriages and Luges," his fingertip turning slightly white from the pressure.
"First, we must consolidate the foundation and cultivate the people's vitality. What we need to consolidate is not the cities, but the hearts and minds of the people, and the legitimacy of the imperial court in Lingnan."
Yang Yan's voice was not loud, but every word was like a nail: "Everyone thinks that my trip south this time, with His Majesty's decree appointing me 'Inspector of Lingnan,' and that my seeking out the Xian family's daughter was a strategy to save my life. Wrong! Utterly wrong!"
"In my opinion, the most important task is to let the people of Lingnan know what 'Chinese civilization' and 'unity' mean!"
"On the day I arrive, I will post a notice announcing: His Majesty the Emperor, mindful of the hardships endured by the border people, has decreed that—the newly reclaimed lands of Lingnan will be exempt from taxes for three years; those who promote farming, weaving, and medicine from the Central Plains will be richly rewarded; and the sons of chieftains from all regions, regardless of whether they are barbarians or Han Chinese, may be recommended to Chang'an to study literature and etiquette and enter the Imperial Academy!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Li Jing's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Using both kindness and severity is the norm. However, the Xian clan has been entrenched in Lingnan for a century, their influence is deep-rooted, and if Your Highness's 'royal influence' were to touch their very foundation..."