Chapter 60 Fang Jun is a treacherous villain of the state!
When Li Junxian was dragged out of his warm bed by Emperor Li Er’s men and informed of his mission, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly and shake his head. This Second Young Master Fang was truly a master of stirring up trouble!
Originally, the Emperor’s decree was simply for Li Junxian to dispatch the "Hundred Riders" to make the arrest. But after giving it some thought, since he was already awake, Li Junxian decided to handle the matter personally. After all, the Emperor’s decree concluded with a chilling sentence: "Should they dare to resist arrest, execute them on the spot."
Hearing this royal command had amused Li Junxian slightly.
Resist arrest and be executed on the spot?
It sounded immensely murderous, but the question was: would Fang Er dare to resist arrest? What a joke, who throughout the entire Tang Dynasty would dare to resist the "Hundred Riders"? While Fang Er was somewhat thick-headed and reckless, he certainly wouldn't dare. Thus, that particular sentence was entirely useless.
Since it was useless, why would the Emperor utter it?
Knowing this wise and martial sovereign inside and out, Li Junxian turned the matter over in his mind and concluded there was only one possible explanation for the Emperor issuing such a decree: the Emperor was truly furious!
Fang Jun had genuinely rubbed the Emperor the wrong way this time. Yet the Emperor also knew that the offense was not capital, but how could he tolerate having his authority flouted? So he had spoken those words to intimidate Fang Jun.
To put it bluntly, it was mere intimidation with little practical effect.
From this, it was evident that even His Majesty the Emperor was utterly at his wits' end concerning Fang Jun...
Scold him, and the fellow would simply wipe away the spit and take it in stride, utterly devoid of shame; beat him, and he didn't even care about the pain—once healed, he’d go right back to whatever he was doing before... In a couple of years, he would even become his own son-in-law, and his father was one of the Emperor's most trusted pillars of support. What on earth could the Emperor do with him?
Suddenly, Li Junxian wondered if this room—no, this Fang Jun—had seen right through all of the Emperor’s constraints and hesitations, which was why he acted with such unbridled audacity, making his disasters ever larger with each passing day?
By the time Li Junxian led a troop of "Hundred Riders" cavalry out of the Xuanwu Gate, made a wide detour through Chang'an City, and arrived at the Prince of Han's estate, he took a look at the swaying mansion gate with one of its hinges kicked off, and then at the hoofprints trampled over the courtyard flowers and grass. The corners of Li Junxian’s eyes twitched slightly. It was utterly ruthless! No wonder the Prince of Han had been scared out of his wits, fleeing overnight without even daring to return home, straight to the Emperor to lodge a complaint...
Upon reaching the courtyard before the main hall, true to form, Fang Jun was already obediently waiting there. Upon seeing the "Hundred Riders," he didn't say a word and offered his wrists to be captured without a struggle.
Li Junxian gave Fang Jun a look that was half-smile, half-serious, and softly teased, "Second Lang, we meet again..."
Fang Jun smiled nonchalantly. "This is what they call fate bringing us together across a thousand miles."
With a peculiar expression, Li Junxian nearly gagged. He quietly took a step back as his mind flashed back to those rumors about Fang Jun and his inclination toward "rabbits"...
Glancing over at the two Cao brothers, whose skin had been lacerated by whips into a bloody mess, Li Junxian remained completely expressionless. Mere descendants of a merchant family daring to act presumptuously before the son of a reigning chancellor—beating them to death was of no consequence whatsoever...
As for that Cao woman nearby, supported by her maid, weeping with a broken heart like pear blossoms drenched in rain, Li Junxian felt only utter contempt in his heart: blessed with nothing more than a pretty face, she was a brainless creature devoid of any depth. Was the Fang family someone you could afford to provoke?
***
Presently, Li Junxian ordered the "Hundred Riders" to arrest the entire batch of "culprits."
As for the accomplices Cheng Chubi and Li Siwen, it went without saying that they couldn't have run even if they wanted to. When the "Hundred Riders" barked orders at the Fang family servants, Fang Jun cupped his fists toward Li Junxian and said, "This incident was instigated by me alone. They were merely following orders and bear no fault."
Li Junxian rubbed his nose, feeling both amused and exasperated. Was this fellow really such a reckless simpleton? How else could he possibly utter such words?
In this era, members of the same clan were tightly bound together by bloodlines, and even household servants were regarded as personal property. If one fell afoul of the law regarding collective punishment, regardless of whether you personally participated, everyone suffered the consequences together.
Hence the proverb: "Prosper together, and suffer together."
Seeing Li Junxian refuse without the slightest hesitation, Fang Jun could only feel helpless, harboring a faint trace of guilt deep down. After all, they were implicated entirely because of him, and he had no idea what kind of punishment they would face.
Much of his mindset remained rooted in his previous life—the principle that "crimes do not extend to descendants, and misfortune does not reach family" was deeply ingrained in him. For a moment, he had failed to react to the reality that this was the Tang Dynasty. Trying to talk human rights with that tyrannical dragon, Emperor Li Er?
Heh, heh, heh...
***
The palace gates had already been bolted for the night, and most of the halls were shrouded in pitch darkness, save for the Shenlong Palace, the residential quarters of His Majesty the Emperor, which blazed with bright lights.
This time, instead of leaving through the Chengtian Gate, Li Junxian retraced his steps, entering the inner palace through the Xuanwu Gate.
In principle, the Xuanwu Gate, like all other city gates, strictly forbade entry and exit after the locks were set for the night. However, because this was where the "Hundred Riders" and the inner palace garrison were quartered, in the event of urgent military intelligence, one could enter and leave bearing the Emperor's tally.
Li Junxian left the cohort of Fang family servants detained within the quarters of the "Hundred Riders." These individuals could only wait there to be dealt with; they didn't even possess the qualification to be formally interrogated. Then, taking Fang Jun, Li Siwen, and Cheng Chubi with him, he marched toward the Shenlong Palace.
Inside the Shenlong Palace.
Emperor Li Er paced back and forth across the hall with his hands clasped behind his back, his martial visage as dark and gloomy as stormy water.
The eunuchs standing respectfully at attention along the sides of the hall kept their heads bowed, staring at the tips of their shoes, not even daring to draw a full breath. Being closest to the Emperor, they naturally understood his temperament. Right now, his fury had reached its absolute peak; it would take only the slightest pretense for him to erupt like an earthquake, and none of them wished to court disaster.
Hearing the sound of footsteps outside the hall, Emperor Li Er halted abruptly and looked up.
He saw Li Junxian stride into the hall, drop to one knee in a military salute, and announce in a ringing voice, "Per your command, Your Majesty, this subject has brought Fang Jun here for arrest, along with Li Siwen and Cheng Chubi, who were apprehended alongside him. We await Your Majesty's disposition!"
"Bring those young rascals in before me!"
Emperor Li Er said through clenched teeth.
"Understood!"
Receiving the order, Li Junxian rose, withdrew from the main hall, and a moment later led the three of them inside.
As soon as they entered the grand hall, the three men dropped heavily to their knees with a resounding thud, shouting in unison: "Greetings to Your Majesty, may you live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years..."
Their voices were booming and drawn out with prolonged notes, sounding precisely like a theatrical performance.
Before Emperor Li Er could even begin venting his pent-up rage, he froze stiff.
These words... were remarkably novel!
Ministers of the Tang Dynasty did not perform kowtows when greeting the Emperor; during court audiences, stools were even provided for elderly ministers or those of exalted seniority. As for prostrating oneself with three kneelings and nine knockings before the Emperor, that was a custom that only emerged during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
As for what to say when meeting the Emperor, there were no rigid conventions either.
"Your Majesty, if you have business, just speak..."
"Your Majesty, I must have a word with you about this matter..."
These were all completely normal occurrences.
Therefore, Fang Jun had wagered that Emperor Li Er had undoubtedly never witnessed such high-grade protocol. Along the way, he had secretly conferred with Cheng Chubi and Li Siwen, instructing them to execute this exact routine upon meeting the Emperor.
Vanity was inherent to human nature, and monarchs were no exception.
Just imagine: normally, ministers sat opposite him in conversation, and he even had pugnacious fellows like Wei Zheng who would argue tooth and nail against the Emperor. Suddenly to be greeted with such high-end etiquette that vividly highlighted his status as the sovereign of all under heaven—the Emperor was bound to feel light-headed with self-importance, and whatever lingering fury he harbored would surely vanish into thin air.
Knowing he could not escape punishment this time, Fang Jun hoped to flatter Emperor Li Er first and lay on some heavy praise. Perhaps if the Emperor grew sufficiently pleased, he might lift his hand and show some leniency during sentencing.
Little did they expect that no sooner had the three of them finished performing their little act, Emperor Li Er merely stood frozen in stunned silence for two or three seconds before flying into a towering rage. Pointing a finger directly at the bridge of Fang Jun’s nose, he bellowed:
"To prostrate yourself before me in such a manner and chant such fawning words—do you take me for a tyrannical tyrant like Jie or Zhou? Such deceitful and honeyed behavior must surely have originated from you, Fang Jun! Are you trying to trap me in a state of arrogance and vanity? Fang Jun, you are truly a treacherous sycophant of the state!"