Nightwatcher

# 384. The Curtain Rises (3)

The civil officials immediately turned their heads, their gazes filled with scrutiny and hostility, directed at Duke Cao.

In this struggle to redress the grievances of the "380,000 unjust souls," the structure of the radical faction among the civil officials was complex. Some acted out of a sense of justice in their hearts, others out of loyalty to the teachings of the sages. Some sought fame and fortune, while others simply followed the tide.

The radicals were led by Wei Yuan and Wang Zhenwen.

The structure of the opposition faction was similarly intricate. First, there were the royal family. Among them, there were certainly virtuous individuals, but at times, one’s identity dictated their stance.

If King Huai were convicted, it would deal an unimaginable blow to the reputation of the entire royal family. To put it plainly, they would never be able to hold their heads high again.

Even ordinary people cared about saving face, let alone the royal family.

The Zhenbei King could die, but he must not be convicted.

Next came the noble clique. Nobles were naturally aligned with the royal family. Understanding the nature of nobility made it clear that nobles and the royal family belonged to the same camp.

Civil officials were like wild garlic, harvested wave after wave, with new forces always rising to take their place. In the ir heyday, they held supreme authority, but in decline, their offspring were no different from commoners.

Only the hereditary nobility, the natural aristocracy, belonged to a different class from the commoners. Their hereditary titles and enduring power were bestowed by the royal family.

Thus, even if some nobles disagreed with King Huai or Emperor Yuanjing, they would mostly remain silent.

Lastly, there was a group of civil officials seeking promotion or those in precarious positions who had secretly struck deals of mutual benefit with Emperor Yuanjing, speaking on his behalf and becoming his tools.

The opposition faction was composed of royal relatives, the noble clique, and some civil officials.

At this moment, Duke Cao stepped forward, representing the noble clique and their will.

"Your Majesty, in recent years, the court has faced both internal and external troubles. Summer droughts have been unrelenting, and the rainy season brings floods year after year. The people are struggling, and tax arrears have persisted across the land. Even though Your Majesty has continuously reduced taxes to provide respite for the people, complaints still abound among the populace."

With a look of anguish, Duke Cao said solemnly, "In such times, if news of the Zhenbei King's massacre of a city spreads, how will the people perceive the court? How will the local gentry and officials view it?

"Will they not believe the court has rotted to the core, leading them to extort the people even more ruthlessly and act with even greater impunity?"

"Bastard!"

Emperor Yuanjing erupted in fury, pointing at Duke Cao and berating him, "Are you mocking us as an incapable monarch? Are you insinuating that all the officials here are muddle-headed?"

"Your servant would not dare!" Duke Cao declared loudly.

"But at this moment, are the officials not engaging in such muddle-headed behaviour? They shout about seeking justice for the people and convicting King Huai, but has anyone considered the bigger picture? Considered the court’s image? You serve as officials in the court. Do you not know that the court’s dignity is your dignity?"

The two played their parts in tandem, orchestrating a carefully choreographed performance.

The officials in the court began whispering and murmuring amongst themselves.

Zheng Xinghuai felt a chill in his heart, both shocked and furious, as he realised that Duke Cao’s words were not nonsensical. On the contrary, they were quite reasonable.

The dignity of the royal family alone was not enough to sway the officials.

But what about the dignity of the court?

In the minds of officials, the authority and prestige of the court were paramount. The court’s authority was their authority; the two were inextricably linked and inseparable.

Even Zheng Xinghuai himself could not help but consider how the court might restore its dignity and regain the people’s trust.

Emperor Yuanjing sighed heavily, a look of anguish on his face. "But... but King Huai... he truly erred."

Duke Cao raised his voice. "Your Majesty, King Huai... is already dead!"

The murmurs in the hall grew louder. Some officials continued to whisper, while others began to argue vehemently.

The elderly eunuch instinctively grasped his whip, ready to lash it against the floor to silence the officials.

But Emperor Yuanjing cast a cold glance at him, and the eunuch immediately understood the emperor’s intent. He fell silent, allowing the arguments to ferment and continue.

Yes, King Huai was dead. The greatest "noble" was gone, and no military commander remained who could lord over them... In that case, was it truly worth tarnishing the court’s authority over a dead man?

Such thoughts flashed through the minds of many civil officials.

Emperor Yuanjing roared, "Does death wipe away all sins?"

Duke Cao bowed and said firmly, "It can!"

Wei Yuan narrowed his eyes, his icy gaze slicing through Duke Cao.

Wang Zhenwen took a deep breath, a silent, mocking smile appearing on his face.

The two seemed to know exactly what Duke Cao intended to say next.

Emperor Yuanjing, puzzled, asked, "What do you mean?"

Duke Cao straightened, his expression solemn. "Your Majesty, have you forgotten who truly destroyed Chuzhou City? It was the barbarians. It was the barbarians who turned Chuzhou City into ruins.

"Could this matter not be viewed from a different perspective? The allied forces of the Yao and barbarian tribes attacked the city, and the Zhenbei King fought to his last breath to defend the border for Great Feng. In the end, the city fell, and he perished heroically."

Raising his voice, Duke Cao proclaimed, "Yet the Zhenbei King's death was not in vain. He single-handedly fought the leaders of the Yao and barbarian tribes, slaying Jili Zhigu and gravely wounding Zhujiu.

"Two formidable figures who had dominated the northern front—one dead, one crippled. After this battle, the northern border will see peace for ten, perhaps even twenty or thirty years. The Zhenbei King died an honourable death; he was a hero of Great Feng."

By the time he reached his final words, Duke Cao’s tone was one of passionate fervour, his voice reverberating through the grand hall.

Duke Cao presented the officials with two choices: one, to hold fast to their convictions and convict the late King Huai, thereby damaging the royal family’s reputation and eroding the people’s trust in the court.

Two, to perform a sleight of hand, shifting the narrative so that the destruction of Chuzhou City was blamed on the Yao and barbarian tribes, while the Zhenbei King perished defending the city in a heroic sacrifice.

All the officials needed to do was clear the name of a deceased prince. This would not only restore the court’s image but also bolster its authority and strength.

At that moment, a bitter laugh echoed through the hall.

Zheng Xinghuai surveyed the silent and contemplative officials, his gaze sweeping over Emperor Yuanjing and Duke Cao. The scholar’s expression was one of profound sorrow and burning anger.

"Your Majesty, Duke Cao, have you forgotten? It was not just this official who witnessed everything. There were also the members of the delegation, the twenty thousand soldiers of Chuzhou, the myriad citizens in the capital who know the truth, and the young scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy." Zheng Xinghuai suddenly sneered coldly.

"Can you silence all these voices?"

From his lofty perch, Emperor Yuanjing gazed down at him with deep derision in his eyes. He said coldly, "Court adjourned. We shall discuss this further tomorrow!"

…

Huaiqing Manor.

In the cool pavilion of the rear garden, seated at the stone table, Huaiqing was playing a game of go with Xu Qi’an.

“The other day, I heard that Lin’an went to question Father about the truth. She was stopped outside the Imperial Library. Stubborn as she is, she refused to leave and got fined two months of her allowance. I thought she’d try again, but the very next day, there was an assassination attempt on the Crown Prince.”

Huaiqing’s slender, jade fingers toyed with a white stone as she spoke casually, her expression cool and detached.

“The Crown Prince isn’t dead, is he?” Xu Qi’an, staring at the chessboard, hesitated for ages before making a move and asked absentmindedly.

“Just a minor injury,” Huaiqing replied flatly.

The two played for a while. Finding Silver Gong Xu’s chess skills utterly uninspiring, Huaiqing decided to change the topic. “Have you heard about today’s court session?”

Xu Qi’an nodded grimly. “The officials suffered a setback, but His Majesty didn’t gain much either. It’s bound to be a long tug-of-war.”

Huaiqing lifted her delicate, unearthly beautiful face. Her eyes, black as a pristine autumn pool, looked at him as she mocked lightly, “You’re truly unsuited for the court.”

“?”

*What did I say wrong for you to attack me like this…* Xu Qi’an frowned.

“This game is dull. We’ve lost interest. Let us review today’s court affairs instead,” Princess Huaiqing said, tossing her chess piece into the bamboo box.

Xu Qi’an perked up instantly.

“Today, the court debated how to handle the Chuzhou case. The lords demanded that Father confirm King Huai’s guilt, strip him of his title, and hang his head at the city gates for three days... Father, stricken with grief, lost his temper, overturned the desk, and berated the court officials.”

Huaiqing smiled faintly. “A fine display of the ruse of self-injury. First, he secludes himself for several days, avoiding confrontation, letting the anger of the civil and military officials strike nothing but air.

“Once their tempers cooled and they lost their initial sharpness, he returned to court and caused an uproar. Not only did he shatter the last of the officials’ momentum, but he also seized the initiative, instilling caution and wariness.”

*It’s akin to a fight where one suddenly grabs a brick and smashes it on their own head. The other party, instinctively wary, would hesitate, thinking he’s gone mad. It’s not a clever trick, but it’s effective...* Xu Qi’an had to admit, Emperor Yuanjing had his methods.

“Then, Yao Lin from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward to impeach Prime Minister Wang. Prime Minister Wang had no choice but to offer his resignation. This was Father’s two-pronged scheme. First, bring down Prime Minister Wang so he’d have one less major adversary in court. Additionally, it served to intimidate the officials—a clear warning to others.”

Huaiqing sipped her tea and said nonchalantly, “Fortunately, Duke Wei intervened in time. If they’re to deal with Prime Minister Wang, they mustn’t hold back. Yet, this would contradict Father’s intentions. He doesn’t truly wish to remove Prime Minister Wang, as doing so would allow Duke Wei’s faction to dominate. Heh, from Duke Wei’s perspective, using this opportunity to remove Prime Minister Wang would also be advantageous.”

.. Xu Qi’an swallowed and unconsciously straightened his posture.

“Failing to intimidate others, Father promptly had Yuan Xiong, the Left Censor-in-Chief, bring up the dignity of the royal family. You must understand that, throughout history, the prestige of the royal family ranks just below that of the court. It exerts a natural pressure on the officials,” Princess Huaiqing said in a measured tone.

*For a subject to seek to humiliate the royal family would inevitably weigh on their conscience...* Xu Qi’an nodded slowly.

Conflict between people boiled down to physical combat and psychological games.

Just like a term he often heard before he transmigrated: pua.

“This paves the way for King Li’s appearance. Yuan Xiong, after all, is not a member of the royal family, and Father isn’t suited to play the role of a scold. King Li, with his stature and moral authority, was the ideal candidate. Though this move was eventually countered by Duke Wei.”

As she gathered the chess pieces, Huaiqing continued, “Even so, King Li’s outburst had some effect. All this was preparation for the subsequent appearance of Duke Cao.

“By invoking the dignity of the court and the royal family, appealing to emotion, and framing the destruction of Chuzhou as a result of the Yao and barbarian tribes, the argument becomes rational. Chuzhou City may have fallen, but the root cause lies with the Yao and barbarian tribes and their aggression.”

“The common folk, long accustomed to the brutality of the Yao and barbarian tribes, will readily accept such an explanation. Moreover, the Yao and barbarian tribes haven’t gained any real advantage, as the Zhenbei King slew the leader of the Qingyan Tribe and gravely injured Zhujiu, the northern Yao leader.

“Tell me, once the people hear this, and find it acceptable, what will happen?”

Xu Qi’an said bitterly, “The fall of Chuzhou City becomes less of an unbearable shame, as all the blame shifts to the Yao and barbarian tribes—to the war.

“Zhenbei King, rather than a butcher of his own city, transforms into a hero who safeguarded the border of the Great Feng. Moreover, by killing a third rank expert of the barbarians, he established a monumental achievement.”

Princess Huaiqing nodded and asked in her clear voice, “If you were one of the officials, what would you choose?”

Xu Qi’an didn’t answer.

Zhenbei King was, after all, merely a dead man. Were he alive, the officials would stop at nothing to bring him down.

But now that he’s dead, what threat does he pose? With his death, the officials’ core motivation was halved.

If they could, as Duke Cao claimed, reverse the narrative of the Chuzhou massacre, turning it from a scandal into a praiseworthy triumph, why not?

Huaiqing continued, “Father’s next move will be to promise benefits. In the court, interests are eternal. To alter the outcome, beyond the strategies thus far, Father must make sufficient concessions. Then the officials will wonder—if they can turn a scandal into a boon, with added benefits to boot—why should they persist?”

Xu Qi’an’s expression grew darker.

“And once the majority change their minds, Duke Wei and Prime Minister Wang will find themselves at odds with an unstoppable tide. They cannot shut the palace gates or resist the overwhelming momentum.” Huaiqing’s cold smile carried a trace of mockery.

Xu Qi’an couldn’t tell whether she was mocking Emperor Yuanjing, the officials, or Duke Wei and Prime Minister Wang.

Or perhaps all of them—or maybe, she was mocking herself as well.

“No, this matter has caused such a stir that it can’t be resolved with a mere court proclamation. Rumours are spreading like wildfire in the capital. To reverse public opinion, there must be a compelling reason. He can silence the court ministers but not the entire realm,” Xu Qi’an shook his head.

“Father... still has a final move...” Huaiqing sighed softly. “Though I don’t know what it is, I’ve never underestimated him.”

They fell silent for a while. Eventually, Huaiqing said in a low voice, “This matter has nothing to do with you. Don’t do anything foolish.”

*She doesn’t think I can make any difference in this situation, which is fair. I’m merely a viscount, a lowly Silver Gong. I can’t even enter Jinluan Hall, so how could I go against the Emperor?*

*In matters of intrigue, I’m still green, and even Huaiqing thinks so...* Xu Qi’an forced a grim smile.

*But I’m the hero who killed Jili Zhigu...*

…

Nightwatcher Constabulary, Tower of Noble Spirit.

After lunch, Wei Yuan rested briefly before being roused by an officer who entered.

“Duke Wei, His Majesty has sent a summons, requesting your presence in the palace,” the officer bowed deeply.

… Wei Yuan remained silent for a moment before speaking in his warm voice, “Prepare the carriage.”