The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 271- 273

Chapter 271: The Command of Half of the Troops

Yuwen Feng’s face was full of incredulity. “Mother, you played a part in this?”

Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi had been the most excited to see the Palace Guards encircle the residential compound of the Yuwen family. However, as time had passed by and palace guards had found nothing, Zheng shi’s countenance had gone sulky and then begun to alternate between alarm and disbelief. It was her who had personally instructed Nanny Zhong to plant that thing, so she knew very well where it was. Were all these palace guards good-for-nothing? That thing was right in the storeroom. How had they come to miss it?!

Zheng shi was unable to restrain herself. Only after Yuwen Tong was brought down would she get what she’d been promised. How could she give up like this? Also, Zhou Mingtang had asked her a question at this moment, so Zheng shi, heedless of the quizzical look in Yuwen Feng’s and some others’ eyes, stepped forward and replied, “Your Highness, that thing is right in the storeroom in Yuwen Tong’s courtyard house. Nanny Zhong saw it distinctly with her own eyes. The palace guards must’ve overlooked it during the search!”

“MOTHER!!” bawled Yuwen Feng, “HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?!”

“What am I talking about? Yuwen Tong conceals banned items and harbors traitorous intentions. We must not shield him, even though he’s your cousin!” Zheng shi made a just and severe statement.

A loud slap was heard. Yuwen Zhi had walked over and slapped Zheng shi hard across the face!

“Ah!”

With a squeal of pain, Zheng shi was brought to the ground by the slap, a trickle of blood flowing from the corner of her mouth.

“Why are you so abashed and angry, Lord Yuwen? Madam Yuwen said that out of nothing but her loyalty to His Majesty, but you beat her in my presence. Who gave you the permission?” said Zhou Mingtang coldly.

“Your Highness might as well have that place searched again and see how it goes. The sun, the moon, the heaven above and the earth below bear witness to my loyalty to the Great Yue, and I fear nobody’s doubt nor anybody’s search. As regards whether or not Nanny Zhong has seen any banned items in my place, the truth will be revealed after the search,” observed Yuwen Tong.

“Yes. How could an old handmaid’s words ever be taken seriously?! All generations of members of the Yuwen family have been allegiant. I suggest Your Highness go to our ancestral hall and do a count of the memorial tablets there, so you may have an idea of how many of them sacrificed their lives for the Great Yue and the imperial household! Today, you credulously fell for an old handmaid’s words and inflicted such an unbearable humiliation on the Yuwen family, which was so very bitterly disappointing. I’ll have everybody in this city, everybody in this country, judge who is right and who is wrong. Is it because the Yuwen family haven’t done enough and haven’t lost enough family members that Your Highness is treating us with such scorn?!”

Yuwen You hurled indignant reproaches at Zhou Mingtang, all members of the Yuwen family appearing angry and aggrieved. The front gates were wide open, and apart from palace guards who were besieging the compound, there were also numerous citizens clustering outside, who had heard these words as distinctly as palace guards had.

“I believe Marshal Yuwen is not that kind of person, Your Highness!”

“Me, too. It’s an atrocious act of brutality for the Palace Guards to treat Marshal Yuwen’s whole family as prisoners, break things and plunder in their residence after hearing a mere old handmaid’s accusation not a single word of which has been confirmed yet!

“Marshal Yuwen is a steadfast and upstanding man who’s been protecting our country all these years. He’s by no means a despicable traitor!”

“That’s right!”

The discussion of citizens outside was getting increasingly heated. Many people were raging, as if they were just as aggrieved as members of the Yuwen family.

Zhou Mingtang had a sullen look on his face. At this time, Yuwen Tong, as composed as usual, said, “Please order a search of the storeroom, Your Highness.”

A thorough search of the whole residential compound had been conducted already, which no doubt covered that storeroom. Zhou Mingtang was fully aware that there was nothing there, and Yuwen Tong’s countenance had been calm all alone, which was an unmistakable proof that there was more to this matter, and it told Zhou Mingtang that Yuwen Tong had some time ago made preparations!

The storeroom was scoured once again, and naturally nothing was found.

Confronting Yuwen Tong, Zhou Mingtang came to realize that he’d miscalculated and put himself to a position from which there was no retiring. This matter had hardened Yuwen Tong’s heart thoroughly. Once Yuwen Tong decided to stage an uprising, the North-western Army would be unstoppable!

No. He must figure out a way to gloss over this!

Otherwise, even if Yuwen Tong stood by and did nothing, he would be drowned in the flecks of spit of the residents outside.

“Bring that old handmaid to me,” instructed Zhou Mingtang.

Nanny Zhong grabbed Zheng shi’s arm in panic. “Mistress, help me, Mistress!”

Naturally, Zheng shi had come to understand what had happened. The thing that she’d instructed Nanny Zhong to plant in the storeroom was not there, and it was self-evident who had transferred it. All her plans had fallen through. Not only Nanny Zhong but also she herself would become a target for all. She couldn’t even ensure her own safety now, let alone save Nanny Zhong.

Nanny Zhong was dragged outside and harshly flogged. An old woman, she couldn’t bear the pain and, at the gate of death, confessed that it was Zheng shi who’d instructed her to make the false accusation.

Zheng shi buckled at the knees and slumped to the ground.

“No. It wasn’t me. I have nothing to do with it. I was tricked by her. She’s lying!”

Zheng shi cut a sorry figure, and Yuwen Qi beside her looked no better. Although nobody had ratted him out so far, everybody with discerning eyes could tell that he was involved in this matter, and soon he would come to grief as well.

Neither Zheng shi’s pleading nor her feeble defense was any good. Yuwen Tong, apathetically looking askance at Zheng shi sitting on the ground, remarked, “I believe that my aunt was fooled by her old handmaid. Even knowing her death is imminent, this hag is still telling more lies. She’s just disgusting.”

What?!

Both Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi were shocked, incredulously gaping at Yuwen Tong.

But Zhou Mingtang was fully aware the reason why Yuwen Tong was doing this was that he wanted to have that old handmaid take full responsibility for this matter, because what Zheng shi had committed was the crime of deceiving the emperor, which was punishable with execution of all members of the second branch of the Yuwen family, and even members of the first branch and the collateral branch might be incriminated.

“I know Your Highness fell for such a dull lie so easily because my command of the armies concerns you. Such being the case, I’ll go to the palace right now and hand over my command of half of the troops of my own accord, so that Your Highness and His Majesty might set your minds at ease.”

Zhou Mingtang widened his eyes, and everybody else on the scene did the same thing.

Was Yuwen Tong serious? He would actually give up the command of half of the troops?!

Was he out of his mind?!

Zhou Mingtang was irrepressibly excited and pleasantly surprised. Though he failed to bring Yuwen Tong down this day, retrieving the command of half of the armies would make all his efforts worthwhile!

“You misunderstood, Marshal. Neither I nor my father has ever felt such concern. In the final analysis, it was my being bent on having my own way that caused you to be wronged. I’ll admit to my father and request him to mete out punishment on me.” Zhou Mingtang managed to restrain his rapture, affectedly trying to decline the offer.

“There’s no need for you to say any more about this, Your Highness. Actually I’ve always been meaning to hand over my command of the armies ever since the end of the war. It’s just that there’s been a lot going on in the imperial court lately, and His Majesty has been fully occupied with state affairs all along. I don’t dare disturb His Majesty, so I planned to wait a few days to do it,” said Yuwen Tong.

“Cousin!” called Yuwen Feng in an attempt to dissuade Yuwen Tong. “Don’t be impulsive.”

“My decision is final,” said Yuwen Tong.

…

An old handmaid of the Yuwen family had falsely claimed that she’d seen banned items in Marshal Yuwen’s courtyard house. The Second Mistress of the Yuwen family had, without verifying it first, informed on her own nephew in front of His Majesty, who in his wrath had ordered the Crown Prince to have palace guards ring and search the residential compound of the Yuwen family, but eventually the whole thing had turned out to be nothing but a farce.

Marshal Yuwen, bitterly disappointed, had ceded half of his power in an effort to prove himself innocent.

His Majesty had felt ashamed and declined several times before accepting half of Yuwen Tong’s command of the armies, and then used money from the exchequer to compensate the Yuwen family for the losses they’d suffered.

News of such a sensational event spread through the whole capital city almost in the blink of an eye and then to other countries and areas.

It was already noon of that very day that message about this matter came to the knowledge of Ling Zhang who’d been staying in the manor, and when he galloped back to the city with his men in a fit of rage, it was almost dusk and Yuwen Tong had finished the power transfer already. The front gates of the residential compound of the Yuwen family were shut, indicating that the the host wouldn’t receive any visitors on this day.

Fists clenched tightly, suppressing the burning desire to kill inside him, Ling Zhang cast aside all scruples and misgivings and stormed to the front gates of the residential compound of the Yuwen family, accompanied by his twenty-four security guards.

Naturally, the guards on duty at the gates recognized Ling Zhang and knew very well that he was the apple of their Marshal’s eye as well as a future owner of their Marshal’s residential compound, so they immediately let him through.

On entry into the compound, Ling Zhang saw that the whole place was in a mess, and servants were doing the cleaning, a gloomy expression on everybody’s face.

“Childe Ling?”

“Childe Ling came to visit. Go and inform the Marshal right now!”

The sudden appearance of Ling Zhang and his men instantly sent all the servants trotting.

“Childe Ling.”

After a short while, Yao Yi showed up and, at the sight of Ling Zhang’s outfit, came to know that Ling Zhang had just returned to the city.

“Where’s Yuwen Tong? What on earth happened here?” queried Ling Zhang, trying hard to keep his temper.

Yao Yi, who never kept anything back from Ling Zhang, gave him a blow-by-blow account of the previous search.

Ling Zhang went off the deep end at the story, feeling an overwhelming urge to hack Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi to pieces. “Where are Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi?!”

“I’ll take you there right away, Childe Ling. The Marshal and the others are all there.”

Yao Yi led Ling Zhang into the ancestral hall. The broad ancestral hall of the Yuwen family was one of the few places that the Palace Guards had spared during the savage search conducted earlier this day, and all memorial tablets were intact. Zhou Mingtang hadn’t burnt his bridges.

Everybody in the ancestral hall shifted their gaze to Ling Zhang as he arrived.

Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi were on their knees, Yuwen Zhi’s and Yuwen You’s branches of the family sitting on the two sides respectively, Yuwen You and Yuwen Tong in host seats.

The moment Ling Zhang entered, Yuwen Tong rose to his feet, the iciness on his face softening like snow melting in spring breeze. When he had walked to the front of Ling Zhang, there was an utterly different expression on his face. He held Ling Zhang’s hand and said, “You’ve just arrived? Did anything happen on your way here?”

Ling Zhang took his hand in a backhand grip, his eyes sweeping over faces of all others present in the room, frosty-faced. “I’m fine.”

Eventually his gaze, etched with intense repulsion and murderousness, rested on Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi who were kneeling on the ground. “Why are these two scum still here? Today they almost got the whole Yuwen family beheaded, and you people are still in the mood for sitting here and interrogating them?”

As he finished these remarks, Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi on their knees appeared even more dejected, but there was still detestation in their eyes when they looked at Ling Zhang.

“This is a family matter. You’re in no position to judge us,” Yuwen Qi croaked, eyeing Ling Zhang snakily.

Ling Zhang released Yuwen Tong’s hand, walked up with an icy face and abruptly aimed a kick at Yuwen Qi’s heart, which reduced him to spitting out a mouthful of blood!

Chapter 272: Zheng Shi’s Death

Ling Zhang, after giving Yuwen Qi a kick which had made him vomit blood, said coldly, “I’m in no position to judge you? For your information, soon everything in the Yuwen family will be mine, including Yuwen Tong, and from now on you two will be my sworn enemies, because you tried to have him killed today; and make no mistakes, it is your lives that I’ll be seeking to take!”

After saying this, he aimed another kick at Yuwen Qi which instantly sent him flying. Yuwen Qi landed head-first on the ground, blood flowing from his forehead, unable to speak.

“Qi’er!” Zheng shi let out a scream, launching herself at her son.

Yuwen Feng rose from his seat and blocked Ling Zhang’s path. “Childe Ling, please stop.”

Ling Zhang looked at Yuwen Feng flintily. Stop? Fuck you!

Unhesitatingly, he raised his foot and gave Yuwen Feng a kick as well, violently throwing him backwards. “Who are you to tell me what to do?! You think I’m your servant or something? Fuck off!”

Of course, Yuwen Feng who had never practiced kung fu was no match for Ling Zhang who possessed internal energy. Ling Zhang, in his fury, had given that kick with all his might, and Yuwen Feng had not only been sent flying but also reduced to spitting a mouthful of blood.

“How dare you!” bellowed Yuwen Zhi, finally losing his temper and springing to his feet.

A sneer at the corners of his mouth, Ling Zhang made towards Yuwen Zhi with a thinly disguised intention to give him a kick as well, which startled Yuwen You and some others.

Yuwen Zhi involuntarily took a step backward, both alarmed and angry. “You brat. How dare you acting with such unruliness in our family! It’s not your place to talk–”

Thud!

Ling Zhang ruthlessly aimed a kick at Yuwen Zhi’s stomach, which sent him slumping into the chair behind him and unable to speak for quite a while.

“AAARGH! YOU LUNATIC! LET GO OF ME!”

Zheng shi’s hand was heavily trampled underfoot by Ling Zhang. Ling Zhang, after kicking Yuwen Zhi, had turned around and stamped on Zheng shi’s hand, in a seemingly unintentional manner, but nobody present believed it was accidental, because Zheng shi’s hand became bloody and mangled very soon, which was a horrifying sight.

Seeing this, Yuwen You who was sitting in the host seat couldn’t help saying, “Cool down, sonny. Don’t make things any uglier.”

There was still iciness glinting in Ling Zhang’s eyes when he flicked a glance at Yuwen You, who gave a start and broke out in a cold sweat, fearing that Ling Zhang would kick him as well.

Fortunately Ling Zhang still had some regard for Yuwen You’s respectability. He moved his foot off Zheng shi’s hand and stepped back to Yuwen Tong’s side.

Yuwen Feng had already struggled to his feet. The sight of his mother’s mangled hand and his father’s pasty face from which cold sweat was still oozing threw him into a few moments’ stupefaction. Then he saw that his cousin was standing there silently, seeming to have never had any intention whatsoever to stop Ling Zhang from doing what he’d done, which had made his stand self-evident.

Finally, Yuwen Tong spoke. “The previous decision still stands.”

As soon as he finished this remark, Yuwen Feng’s face went ghastly white. Mouth slack, he regarded Yuwen Tong imploringly.

Yuwen Tong didn’t look at him and merely added, “Do not delay or I’ll do it myself.”

After saying this, he took Ling Zhang’s hand and his voice became gentle. “Let’s go. This matter has been settled. I’ll tell you the details after we return.”

Ling Zhang’s anger had slightly subsided after he kicked these people. His eyes flintily swept them one last time and then he left with Yuwen Tong.

“How did it happen exactly?” Ling Zhang’s temper began to fray again as he saw the awful shambles in houses of the first branch of the family.

Yuwen Tong explained the ins and outs of it to him. “Some people used Zheng shi and laid a trap for me.”

“Who?”

“Zhou Mingtang and his father who’s at his back.”

Ling Zhang’s brow abruptly corrugated in a deep frown. “Then why did you cede half of your power?!”

Hadn’t he been inviting his own doom by doing that?!

Yuwen Tong took Ling Zhang into his embrace, gently stroking his back, his voice tender but his eyes frosty. “After what happened today, both sides have come to know that the semblance of peace is over. The emperor fears I might rebel, and it’s very likely that, when feeling pushed to the wall, he’d throw caution to the wind and take action regardless of the consequences. I still need some time to fine-tune my plans. I handed over half of my power so that he wouldn’t be able to make his move any time soon. To be honest, I want to thank those who staged this farce, because my family now have good reason to shut the gates and focus on the preparatory work for our wedding without having to receive any visitors. Also, the emperor has got back the command of half of the armies and couldn’t make trouble for me in the near future, which means we may go to the Millennium Pavilion without worrying about the situation in the city.”

Ling Zhang made an unsuccessful attempt to free himself, still seething with frustration. “What kind of plan do you have? It’s an obvious fact that the emperor intends to kill you. How are you going to escape?”

“Escape? Who says I’ll make my escape?” said Yuwen Tong.

“You won’t flee? You’ll wait for him to kill you?” Ling Zhang couldn’t believe his ears.

Yuwen Tong smiled, “There is a better way. For some people, nothing is ever enough, and they leave me no choice but to fix them. It might not be a bad thing. I’ll handle them once and for all.”

Ling Zhang discerned a nerve-racking undertone in these remarks. Previously he had got a feeling that Yuwen Tong seemed to have made some kind of decision which he’d been keeping back from him, and now this feeling was getting stronger. “What do you want to do exactly?”

Yuwen Tong kissed Ling Zhang on the ear lobe and said in a quiet voice beside his ear, “You want to find out how it feels to reign over a country?”

Ling Zhang gave a start and didn’t speak for quite a while, his arms holding Yuwen Tong’s back tighter in spite of himself. “Wh–What are the odds you’ll succeed?”

“Ninety per cent.”

“But what will people in this country think of you if you do that?”

“No matter what I do, there will always be people talking against me.”

“Then when do you plan to go back to the north-west?”

Yuwen Tong grasped the overtones in Ling Zhang’s words and said with a chuckle, “I will return to the north-west, but it’ll be after everything’s handled.”

Ling Zhang had a quizzical face. “If you don’t go back to the north-west first, how are you going to…”

How was he going to take the throne? Surely he wasn’t planning to fight single-handed without any soldiers’ help?

Yuwen Tong lowered his voice and said beside his ear, “I never said I’ll usurp the throne with armies. That’ll be so boring.”

Ling Zhang, “…”

“Be careful not to go too far in your little game. I’m not ready to meet my end yet.”

Yuwen Tong gave a chuckle and cuddled him tightly. “I’ll make sure that you live a very long life.”

Some of Ling Zhang’s worries dissolved at these words of Yuwen Tong’s, but some others began to build up. He didn’t have a clue how Yuwen Tong would do it. In a matter of this kind, any lapse could lead to instant doom.

But Yuwen Tong had no intention of confiding the details to him straight away. Ling Zhang also knew that it was neither the right place nor the right time to talk about this matter. What with the incidents that had happened earlier this day, there was a lot of mess to be cleaned in the residential compound of the Yuwen family.

Anger began to rise inside Ling Zhang again at the thought of those people, and he had a sleepless night smoldering.

However, before daybreak, yet another incident took place.

Zheng shi died.

She hanged herself.

This was such a severe event that the whole Yuwen family woke up.

Ling Zhang was skeptical when he was informed that Zheng shi had hanged herself. How was it possible that a woman like her had committed suicide? He felt that this must be some kind of trick.

“She really died,” said Yuwen Tong, a calm look on his face.

Ling Zhang dressed and went to Zheng shi’s chambers with Yuwen Tong. When they arrived, they found that all the others, except for Yuwen Qi who’d been in a coma since his return from the ancestral hall, were present, including Yuwen You’s branch of the family.

Zheng shi’s body had been removed from the rope. She had indeed hanged herself. Yuwen Feng was wailing in the room. Mrs. Su and Su Yaoyao were also present, and for an instant, the expressions on their faces went very odd at the sight of Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, and with that the two of them paled visibly and bowed their heads.

Ling Zhang didn’t notice, and Yuwen Tong merely tossed a casual look at them.

Outsiders had many speculations about the reason for Zheng shi’s death, but most people believed it to be her guilt about failing the Yuwen family.

Ling Zhang, however, knew that Zheng shi would never take her own life for a reason of this kind. She’d chosen to commit suicide because there was no longer any room for her in the Yuwen family, and her death would ensure Yuwen Qi’s keeping most of what he had in this family. If she hadn’t committed suicide, both she and Yuwen Qi would end up being killed.

The Yuwen family sent out an obituary, and Zheng shi’s death caused yet another sensation in the capital city.

“It never crossed my mind that people of the second branch of the Yuwen family would have the fortitude to resort to this kind of self-destructive means in pursuit of their ends.”

“Fortitude? I think it’s more like stupidity. I mean, obviously Zheng shi was being used as a pawn… Yuwen Tong is a smart guy, though. He immediately ceded half of his command of the armies, which ensures that his family will be safe in at least the next few years.”

“And what might happen after a few years? If I were him, on no account would I cede power, and if the worst comes to the worst, I’d just lead the Northwestern Army and fight my way to this city.”

“Easy for you to say. On that day, all four city gates were sealed by large numbers of palace guards, which was obviously a precaution against him fleeing. Had he not ceded power, he would definitely have been killed. By handing over his command of the armies, he actually earned himself a chance of survival. Anyway, I feel that Yuwen Tong is more than what he seems, and it’s impossible that he’s admitted defeat like that. You’ll see.”

…

This farce of the Yuwen family, accompanied by heated discussion, lasted a very long time, and it was a few days after Zheng shi was interred and the second branch of the Yuwen family separated from the first branch that it gradually ceased to be the topic of citizens’ gossip.

Another matter worth mentioning apart from this was that Mrs. Su and Su Yaoyao had disappeared after the two branches of the Yuwen family had gone their separate ways, and before their disappearance, something else had occurred.

After Zheng shi’s death, Mrs. Su had wanted to make a last-ditch attempt to use the forged evidence to frame Ling Zhang.

But before she could submit the forged evidence, the one who’d incited her to do it, the Ninth Princess in the imperial temple, had been found to have died a sudden death in her bedroom at midnight.

Mrs. Su had broken out in a cold sweat at the news and come to realize how ridiculous her previous plan was. She and Su Yaoyao had left the Yuwen family, exited the capital city in great haste and set off to return to Su Zhi’s hometown. On their way, they’d encountered some bandits who’d robbed them of all their money, and then all their servants and handmaids had fled, leaving the two of them eking out a precarious existence. For a time they’d even been reduced to begging for food on the streets. Afterwards, Mrs. Su, who’d still had part of her graceful bearing left, had caught a squire’s fancy and been taken as his concubine, and then the squire had arbitrarily married Su Yaoyao to his crippled, middle-aged butler.

By and large, the disappearance of them hadn’t attracted anybody’s attention.

As regards the second branch of the Yuwen family, first Zheng shi had died, and then Yuwen Qi’s leg injury suddenly worsened drastically and almost became incurable. It was impossible for him to regain his mobility. And then, Yuwen Feng and Yuwen Zhi, taking Yuwen Qi with them, left the residential compound of the Yuwen family and moved into Yuwen Feng’s residence. What with his incompetence in disciplining family members, Yuwen Zhi was demoted to a position three ranks lower which was even inferior to that of Yuwen Feng, who was the Assistant Minister of Rites and possessed a mansion allocated to him in accordance with related statutes by the imperial court. Thus, the three of them moved into the Residence of the Assistant Minister of Rites.

Considering the Residence of the Assistant Minister of Rites was two streets away from the residential compound of the Yuwen family, and the front gates of them faced opposite directions, the two branches of the Yuwen family would probably never have any further dealings with each other unless necessity arose.

Chapter 273: An Invitation From the King Yu

“I agree. Since Yuwen Tong refuses to serve anybody and His Majesty might eliminate him at any moment, there’s no need for us to put any more efforts into roping Yuwen Tong in.”

Such had been the magnitude of the influence of this farce that everybody had come to understand the emperor’s intentions. The King Duan’s aides had begun trying to dissuade him from his plan to draw Yuwen Tong over to his side. In their opinion, Yuwen Tong and the emperor had fallen out, and although Yuwen Tong had ceded half of his power in an effort to keep his family safe, the emperor was still wary of him and would not hesitate to kill him if the occasion arose. In other words, Yuwen Tong was now in the emperor’s cross hairs and wasn’t even able to protect himself, which meant that it was totally pointless trying to co-opt him.

“That’s not true.” The King Duan, however, didn’t think so. “Now Yuwen Tong must hate the Crown Prince’s guts, and it’s impossible for him to remain neutral, not wanting anything from any prince, as he used to do. He harbors grudges, so he will make a choice. Think about it – what would be lying in store for Yuwen Tong if the Crown Prince accedes to the throne? As long as Yuwen Tong is not stupid and doesn’t want to die, he would undoubtedly try to find himself an escape route, which makes this the perfect time to draw him over to our side.”

His aides lapsed into silence. Actually they still didn’t quite agree with him, because the risk involved in roping in Yuwen Tong was too high. Besides, Yuwen Tong had only half of the troops at his command now.

“Half of the troops are more than enough. Don’t forget that there are martyrs among every generation of members of the Yuwen family, and a lot of military officers in the imperial court owe the Yuwen family a debt of gratitude. Although branches of the Yuwen family have separated, and Yuwen Tong barely has dealings with any courtiers, he can still unite these people and have them work for him if he wants to.”

“What we should be concerned about is that people see things differently now, Your Highness. His Majesty has made his intentions so clear. When it comes to a choice between the return of the favor and their lives, those who still have their senses will no doubt choose the latter.”

“That’s right, Your Highness. It’s too risky to ally with Yuwen Tong. Our top target is the Crown Prince, and our top priority is to bring him down and help you get his title. His Majesty is still in good health, his rule steady and solid, while Yuwen Tong’s doom is foreseeable. If you take Yuwen Tong into your group, I’m afraid he not only wouldn’t be able to offer you any help but also might become a burden to you.”

All aides disagreed with the King Duan about his plan to rope Yuwen Tong in, suggesting that he stand by and see what Yuwen Tong would do next. The King Duan’s countenance, however, had changed several times. His ambition had been growing as he got closer to the throne. The Sixth Prince and the King Hui had been knocked out of the game in succession, leaving him, the King Yu and the Crown Prince being the only three princes who had reached adulthood and were eligible to participate in political affairs. All other princes were still young, and none of the forces at their back was powerful enough to emerge as a new rival for the throne in the current political landscape, which meant that a situation of tripartite confrontation was now something of inevitability. And these three forces were not evenly matched. The King Yu was the least powerful of the three of them, which was why the King Duan had always been holding the King Yu in disregard. His target was the Crown Prince, but recently the Gu family had racked up one score after another, sending even a man like Wang Cai to a high position, quickly expanding the Crown Prince’s faction. What had made the King Duan more anxious was a fact he’d come to realize after this farce in the Yuwen family – the Crown Prince was different from them, for he had the emperor at his back.

When the two of them had been considering roping in Yuwen Tong, the Crown Prince had gained the emperor’s confidence and aligned his interests with the emperor’s. This was like a chasm, which was telling him explicitly that the Crown Prince was the Crown Prince, the future emperor of this country, while he, however hard he tried, would be no more than a King, a servant. Although the Crown Prince had been an invalid and hadn’t made any achievements for many years, in his father’s eyes he was still the Crown Prince. It was not difficult but impossible to bring down the Crown Prince. Since this was the case, why didn’t he just destroy them all? After destroying them all, he would get everything.

As a result, his aides’ advice no longer held appeal for the King Duan, for he had begun to see the situation from a different perspective now, but he needed to find an opportunity to disclose it for his aides to know.

However, when the King Duan was trying to find time to confide his thoughts to his aides and have them figure out a way to co-opt Yuwen Tong, someone else had taken action.

Yuwen Tong received a secret letter from the King Yu, who invited him to have a meeting with him.

At this time, the second branch of the Yuwen family had just moved out, and the residential compound was undergoing a huge revamp project. Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong had temporarily moved into the Ling Mansion. Yuwen You’s branch of the family had also provisionally returned to their own home, leaving the residential compound of the Yuwen family almost empty.

“The King Yu actually dared invite you to a meeting in these circumstances. He’s got balls, I’ll give him that.”

Ling Zhang flicked a glance at the secret letter and was somewhat surprised. He had thought that after that incident, these people in the capital city would stay away from Yuwen Tong and other members of the Yuwen family, but unexpectedly, the aftermath of the disturbance had just died away when the King Yu had covertly stated his stand. Compared with other princes, the King Yu was the one he’d met the least times and had the least dealings with, so he didn’t know the King Yu very well, but even so, he could feel that the King Yu’s words didn’t carry as much weight as the King Duan’s did in the imperial court, that he was at a disadvantage.

“Are you going to accept the invitation?”

Yuwen Tong burned the letter and replied, “Yeah.”

Ling Zhang was surprised once again. “You’re going to meet him? I thought you’d never participate in–”

“Things are different now. I used to be wavering, sitting on the fence. Now I’ve already made a resolution, so I’ve got to stop shying away.”

The moment Yuwen Tong finished the last remark, Ling Zhang came to understand what he meant. He remembered vividly what Yuwen Tong had previously said about “reign over a country.”

“Then you need to be careful not to let the emperor find out about your meeting. And… why do you think the King Yu is doing this?”

Considering the risks involved in a meeting with Yuwen Tong under these circumstances, it was definitely about something big. If the situation were still how it’d been a couple of days ago, Ling Zhang would’ve come to the conclusion that the King Yu intended to rope Yuwen Tong in, but now he wasn’t so sure.

“No matter what the reason is, I’ll find out when I get there.” Yuwen Tong appeared composed, as though he had got a shrewd idea of why the King Yu wanted a meeting with him.

Ling Zhang stared at him. Recently he’d begun to have the feeling that sometimes – now, for example – he had difficulty gauging Yuwen Tong’s thoughts.

“You know why he wants to meet you, don’t you?”

His gaze rendered Yuwen Tong powerless to keep it from him. Besides, he always had trouble maintaining his dignity as a marshal in the presence of Ling Zhang, so he replied, “I have a theory, but I’m going to have to meet him before I could confirm whether or not it’s the truth. At any rate this meeting is unavoidable.”

Yuwen Tong had someone deliver his reply to the King Yu, agreeing to meet him in two days.

Ling Zhang had originally planned to go with him, but unexpectedly, Tao Yi paid him a visit, bringing him a message from Ji Feng and Zhao Jiusi.

“Ji Feng’s grandfather has made a remarkable recovery. He invited you, me and the others to the summer house of the Ji family,” said Tao Yi, a serious look on his face.

That farce had happened so suddenly in the residential compound of the Yuwen family that many people had been suffering a delayed reaction to the shock, and when they’d realized what it might actually be about, Yuwen Tong had already ceded half of his military power. Everybody in the capital city had their own opinion about this matter.

Tao Yi was very indignant. Although sometimes he wasn’t very perceptive, he’d been learning from an exceptionally sagacious teacher, and over time, owing to his teacher’s influence on him, his inclination to analyze many sorts of matters had become instinctive, so naturally he’d come to realize what kind of intrigues might’ve been involved this time. He’d been outraged by the injustice done to Yuwen Tong, but his teacher had kept silent.

“My teacher loathes this method of His Majesty’s and is very angry, believing that His Majesty made the worst decision, but he thinks the Marshal did the right thing by ceding half of his military power. I was pissed, by I couldn’t outdebate him,” said Tao Yi, still looking somewhat unconvinced and upset.

Ling Zhang said, “You’re my friend, and you believe Yuwen Tong’s a righteous man, so of course you’re on our side, but your teacher is different. He sees things from the perspective of His Majesty, and it’s a natural thing that his opinions diverge from yours, so stop being angry about it.”

But in fact Ling Zhang was indignant as well. Yuwen Tong had done so much for the people in this country, and the Yuwen family had sacrificed so much for the Great Yue over the generations, but all those pompous courtiers were capable of was empty rhetoric, and none of them had ever considered what Yuwen Tong wanted!

“Recently I haven’t been in the mood for studying in the academy anyway. I’ve taken a leave of absence and I plan to go to the summer house of the Ji family and spend a couple of days there,” said Tao Yi.

Ling Zhang knew he was doing this because he was at odds with his teacher and felt frustrated.

“This is a crucial moment, and if I go to the summer house with you guys, I might get you in trouble, so I think I’ll just stay here keeping Yuwen Tong company. You guys may go without me,” observed Ling Zhang.

“Ji Feng has some time ago taken a dislike to those matters in the imperial court. He wouldn’t care about it at all. Actually he would’ve come here with me had his father not summoned him before we set off,” said Tao Yi.

Ling Zhang asked him, “Did Ji Feng’s father know he was coming to my place?”

Tao Yi gave it some thought and replied, “I think he did.”

After saying this, Tao Yi lapsed into silence, coming to understand what that meant, knitting his eyebrows.

Ling Zhang didn’t want to put any of his friends in an awkward position. He was very happy to see that even in this kind of circumstances they still wanted to invite him over, but he couldn’t afford to bring them any trouble.

“This is why you guys should go without me. Just tell them I’ve been in a foul mood and suffering from canker sore lately and it’s inconvenient for me to hang out with them.”

Tao Yi’s lips clamped together. He wanted very much to have Ling Zhang join them, but at the thought of the others, he reluctantly kept silent in the knowledge that he couldn’t make decisions for them.

In the final analysis, the one in the palace was to blame for all this. Tao Yi went even angrier. “The residential compound of the Yuwen family has become such a mess during the search. What are you going to do about your wedding? Will it be put off? The way I see it, you and the Marshal might as well just go back to the north-west. Nobody would be able to stop you. You may hold your wedding there, and all of us will be present.”

Ling Zhang chucked, “I’ll tell Yuwen Tong your suggestion.”

But it was only a suggestion, for as things stood, returning to the north-west was not an option for them, what with the sheer impossibility of the emperor giving consent to it.

Ling Zhang asked Tao Yi to send his apologies to Ji Feng and the others and tell them he was not going to the summer house of the Ji family, and then saw him off.

Yuwen Tong should’ve met the King Yu by now, so he summoned one of Yuwen Tong’s bodyguard and asked him about the renovation of the residential compound of the Yuwen family. After receiving the compensations from the emperor, Yuwen Tong had ordered a revamp of the exterior of all houses in the compound, so it’d take more time.