Chapter Sixty-Eight: Predicament

“Could there be some hidden reason behind all this?” Yi An was somewhat perplexed. An emperor who could not even command his ministers was destined to be a failed ruler—how could such a man ever be called a wise sovereign?

Wei Liang spoke in a grave tone, “This matter is rather complicated, but you must remember: the officialdom is treacherous, filled with people who wear masks—one face in public, another in private. Those who pride themselves on being upright aren’t necessarily good officials, and those who seem mediocre aren’t necessarily fools. It’s a world of every kind, where each step is fraught with difficulty.”

“The current predicament is, truthfully, all the mess left behind by the previous emperor. While he lived, they dared not bare their fangs, but once he passed and the new emperor took the throne, they could not contain themselves. In just a few short years, they have turned the vast imperial court into a den of chaos and corruption.”

“The officials wield too much power, and His Majesty’s foundation is still shallow. Without absolute certainty, it is unwise to confront them openly. But when the time is right, those treacherous men will find their fangs mercilessly pulled.”

Were it anyone else, Wei Liang would not have spoken so much, though these matters were obvious to those with discerning eyes.

Those cunning officials are shrewd indeed; do they not know all this? They are simply brazen, convinced that His Majesty’s desire to cleanse the court is nothing but a wild fantasy.

But Yi An is different. In just over a year, Yi An would formally step into that perilous arena. To warn him now was to help him prepare mentally in advance.

“Military power?” Yi An pondered for a moment before finally arriving at the only possible explanation. Only this could bind the hands of those in authority.

Wei Liang was somewhat surprised. He had never mentioned military power, yet Yi An had deduced it nonetheless. This could only attest to Yi An’s extraordinary mind.

“Precisely. At present, His Majesty has, to be exact, only a single unit of the imperial guards at his disposal, while the rest of the military is in the hands of the feudal princes. Those princes collude with the corrupt officials, and it can be said that eighty percent of the court has been bought by them. The remaining twenty percent are mostly neutral, and those who truly obey His Majesty are but a handful.”

Having said so much, there was no reason to hide anything further. Yi An would have to face these difficulties sooner or later. Wei Liang’s initial reluctance stemmed from a fear of dampening Yi An’s enthusiasm; in the face of such daunting adversity, progress would be agonizingly slow, and if Yi An lost heart, that would be unfortunate indeed.

Yet, since Yi An had guessed the truth, there was no need for further concealment. If Yi An lacked even this much courage, it would be better for him to abandon his ambitions now; it would save everyone much trouble. If he were to withdraw at a crucial moment, it would only worsen His Majesty’s predicament.

“The situation in Chang’an is far from optimistic…” Yi An could not help but fall into deep thought upon hearing this. The imperial guards numbered, at most, a little over fifty thousand. If the feudal princes were to raise their armies in rebellion, the consequences would be unimaginable. Yi An estimated the princes had at least several million troops at their command.

Should they revolt, the imperial guards would be as powerless as an ant trying to stop a cart. The princes would push straight into the capital, and Chang’an would be in grave peril.

At this thought, Yi An began to speculate about Lin Shiyin’s identity. Could she be connected to the feudal princes?

But he quickly dismissed this notion. If Lin Shiyin were aligned with the princes, it made no sense—He could hardly imagine Wei Liang being one of them, after all.

There could only be one answer: Lin Shiyin must be on His Majesty’s side. Yet what role did she play in all of this?

“How old is His Majesty?”

“Ah, when His Majesty ascended the throne, he was still a child. Even now, he’s barely in his early twenties. His Majesty’s life has not been easy—so young, he should be enjoying carefree days, yet bears burdens far beyond his years.” Wei Liang sighed, his face filled with sympathy. Even those from humble backgrounds, suffering through hardship, had it easier than His Majesty, whose every step was fraught with danger.

“Then it doesn’t seem to be the case,” Yi An murmured. Suddenly, he seemed to think of something else and asked, “Does His Majesty have any older sisters or younger siblings?”

Originally, Yi An had thought Lin Shiyin might be a princess, but after hearing Wei Liang’s explanation he dismissed this guess. Their ages didn’t match—the emperor was barely in his twenties, so how could he possibly have a daughter so old?

Perhaps an older sister, or a younger one…

“Not what?”

Wei Liang was momentarily puzzled by Yi An’s words, but still replied, “As far as I know, His Majesty is the previous emperor’s only child, with no siblings.”

“I see… That’s odd.” Yi An’s face was full of doubt, sensing that Lin Shiyin’s identity was shrouded in mystery.

Furthermore, he had no desire to be dragged into the chaos of Chang’an. He had no ties to the emperor of Yanbei, was a stranger to him, and had received no favor from him. Why should he help His Majesty defend against the feudal princes’ ambitions? As for the rhetoric of loyalty and patriotism, it was not reason enough for him to risk his life—he was not so selfless.

Yanbei had never loved him; why should he love Yanbei?

Still, everything would wait until he met Lin Shiyin. It was too soon for any decisions.

In this world, there is no love without reason, nor hatred without cause. Yi An believed that everything had its own karma; if someone suddenly treated you well, nine times out of ten it was either out of ulterior motives or some hidden purpose. In short, this was simply human nature.

Fortunately, Wei Liang did not know his true thoughts, or who knows what he might have felt.

That afternoon, several unexpected visitors arrived at Wei Liang’s residence.

“Respected elder, I apologize for the unannounced visit and beg your pardon.”

“It’s been years, sir, and you remain as distinguished as ever.”

“To think that such a talented young scholar as Yi An was cultivated by you, sir—no wonder he possesses such brilliance at a tender age.”

The visitors were led by Wan Songling, chief among several examiners of the provincial examination.

Ordinarily, Wei Liang was known for refusing guests; even ministers favored by His Majesty had difficulty meeting him. But with Yi An’s connection, everything was different. They could come under the pretext of admiring Yi An and thus pay a visit to Wei Liang, the leading figure among upright officials. Even if Wei Liang was reluctant, he could not refuse their goodwill.