When Yu Donglai emerged from the Imperial Study, his legs were still weak. Recalling His Majesty's words earlier, a chill ran through him, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
"Anyone who dares to embezzle this silver again, I will exterminate their entire family. If the number of living people doesn't reach nine generations, I will desecrate their ancestral graves."
In all his years as an official, this was the first time he had witnessed His Majesty's fury. He didn't know if it was because his ministers had conspired to deceive him, or because of the eight hundred border soldiers and two thousand civilians who had died unjustly in Fan Gu. The thought made Yu Donglai even more afraid. Hou Wenji's fabricated lies were already sufficiently evasive, yet His Majesty was still so enraged. If His Majesty knew that the eight hundred border soldiers had actually been slaughtered by the Right Valiant Guard… who knew what kind of thunderous wrath would be unleashed?
Indeed, Emperor Tianyou, Yang Yi, was indeed mild-mannered and rarely reprimanded his ministers. But precisely because of this, some people had forgotten the unpredictable nature of imperial wrath. When an emperor senses a decline in his authority, he will inevitably take actions to restore his ministers' respect and fear. And at such times, a few unfortunate individuals always emerge. Even if they haven't committed any fatal errors, at least in their own perception, the specific mistake they made becomes irrelevant when His Majesty deems it necessary.
What matters is that His Majesty will not hesitate to kill when he deems it necessary.
The officials in the court, having enjoyed a long period of peace, had forgotten the imperial decree issued over three years ago to wipe out the entire Qiu family in Jiangdu for their alleged treason. That night, over two thousand people were killed in Jiangdu, and the three major aristocratic families were almost instantly razed to the ground.
These three families had all supported the Third Prince's ascension to the throne, sparing no effort in building his power. The current emperor, Yang Yi, was the most low-key of the late emperor's seven sons, seemingly the least likely to inherit the throne, yet he now sits on the throne.
When an emperor decides to kill, sometimes he is swift, sometimes he is not.
He waited seven years before making his move against the three powerful families of Jiangdu, and when he did, it was truly swift and decisive. At that time, the Left Guard of the Sui Dynasty was ordered to quell the rebellion of Mao Feng, a notorious bandit in Jiangnan. The army entered Jiangdu to replenish supplies. That evening, the wealthy families of Jiangdu hosted a banquet for General Yang Shunchen of the Left Guard, drinking merrily until midnight. General Yang Shunchen returned drunk, and everyone assumed that a banquet and a stack of silver notes had settled things with this general, who, by seniority, should have been the emperor's cousin.
But in the latter half of the night, five thousand heavily armored infantrymen of the Left Guard suddenly flooded the streets and alleys of Jiangdu, sealing off the residences of the three powerful families. Without any questioning or interrogation, the heavily armed Left Guard soldiers stormed into the courtyards of these families, killing indiscriminately. The screams of agony continued until dawn, but they were meaningless.
Overnight, Jiangdu was awash in blood. Early the next morning, General Yang Shunchen of the Left Guard announced the crimes of the three powerful families of Jiangdu. The most shocking charge was…colluding with rebels in a plot to overthrow the dynasty. The head of these three families was the Qiu family, a family of founding heroes of the Sui Dynasty, boasting two dukes and five marquises. Therefore, this major case became known as the Qiu Rebellion Case.
And it was at this moment that people suddenly realized: if Yang Yi could ascend the throne, how could he truly be as mild-mannered or even weak as he appeared on the surface?
For a subject, betrayal is always the bottom line. Once that line is crossed, the outcome is already predetermined, regardless of whether the betrayal is real or whether the emperor needs it.
The emperor sometimes acts hastily, sometimes slowly.
Killing the three powerful families of Jiangdu was not urgent. The emperor waited seven years, first gradually stripping those from these families of their important official positions in the court, placing them in seemingly important but powerless posts. Seven years after the emperor's meticulously planned scheme, a scheme seemingly devoid of human understanding, he swiftly and decisively slaughtered those he deemed no longer fit to live. The reason for the killings was simple: their very existence displeased the emperor.
And now, the emperor was ruthless in his killing spree.
After walking a dozen steps, Yu Donglai glanced back at the imperial study, shaking his head with a bitter smile. While relieved to have escaped death, he also felt a pang of unease. Hou Junci, the Vice Minister of War, was doomed; from the day the emperor decided to kill him, he was doomed. And the emperor's intention to eliminate him hadn't begun today.
The Fan Gu affair merely provided the emperor with an excuse to strike.
Just as he was walking out somewhat absentmindedly, someone called his name from behind. Yu Donglai turned and saw Huai Qiugong, the Minister of Rites, who had been sitting silently in the imperial study.
"Elder Huai, is there something you need?"
Yu Donglai dared not show the slightest disrespect to this veteran of three reigns. Everyone knew that the Sui Dynasty court had two very special ministers, who were also imperial tutors. One was a civil official, the other a military one. The civil official was this old minister who held the position of Minister of Rites but never actually handled matters of the Ministry. The military one was Zhou Banchuan, the dean of the Martial Arts Academy.
Yu Donglai politely bowed slightly in a junior's greeting.
Huai Qiugong smiled, stroking his snow-white beard, and said, "I hitched a ride with Minister Zheng of the Ministry of Revenue in his carriage. Minister Zheng was kept behind by His Majesty to discuss important matters, leaving this old fellow with nothing to do. This old man can't walk home by himself, so I had to apologize to His Majesty and then hurry out to catch up with you. How about it, do you have time to give this old man a ride home?"
On the way?
The Yu family residence and Huai Qiugong's mansion were in completely opposite directions.
But how could Yu Donglai not know that this highly respected old minister before the Emperor had something to say to him privately?
He quickly took Huai Qiugong's arm, saying, "It's my good fortune to have Elder Huai in my carriage!"
...
...
The carriage wheels rolled on the smooth bluestone surface, making a sound that could lull one to sleep. Perhaps Huai Qiugong was indeed quite old, because he became somewhat drowsy after boarding Yu Donglai's carriage. He leaned against the soft, brocade-covered carriage wall, his eyes closed, seemingly enjoying the gentle swaying of the carriage.
Yu Donglai knew that since Huai Qiugong had called him, he must have something to say. So he wasn't in a hurry, and gently covered Huai Qiugong with a brocade quilt.
This was a gesture of nonchalance, but a means to an end.
Sure enough, Huai Qiugong slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the brocade quilt covering him, then smiled gratefully at Yu Donglai before chuckling self-deprecatingly, "Getting old, it seems I'm tired all day long. As soon as I quiet down, I can't help but doze off."
"How could that be? Elder Huai, you're still as vigorous as ever,"
Yu Donglai said with a smile.
"Where am I vigorous?"
Huai Qiugong lowered his voice mysteriously, saying, "I haven't been with a woman for ten years. How can I still be vigorous?"
This old man, sometimes, is undeniably adorable.
As the Minister of Rites, the most etiquette-conscious official in the Sui Dynasty, to utter such vulgar words in front of others—if the entire court knew, they would be utterly astonished.
Yu Donglai smiled awkwardly, unsure how to respond.
Fortunately, this unrespectable old man didn't intend to continue the conversation about women. He pulled the quilt up further, covering himself more securely.
"Donglai, it's been three years since you were promoted to Minister of War, hasn't it?"
Huai Qiugong asked casually.
"Three years, two months, and six days,"
Yu Donglai replied earnestly.
"Time flies,"
Huai Qiugong remarked with a smile, "When I first met you, you were just a sixth-rank Assistant Minister of War. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. The once spirited me has become an old codger, while you've transformed from a sharp-witted youth into a reserved and composed middle-aged man."
Yu Donglai replied humbly, "You flatter me, Elder Huai."
"Donglai, do you know why His Majesty is angry?"
Huai Qiugong, who had been chatting about trivial matters, suddenly changed his tone and asked.
Yu Donglai paused, mentally organizing his thoughts before replying, "It's because I, as your subject, have utterly disappointed His Majesty, isn't it?"
Huai Qiugong rolled his eyes at him and said, "That's a standard answer, but it's a lie."
Yu Donglai smiled, not denying it.
"The reason I got into your carriage was so we could be alone for a while. Some things can't be told to others. You've been an official for many years, so you naturally understand what I mean."
Huai Qiugong looked at Yu Donglai calmly and said, "Since it's just the two of us, let's be direct… His Majesty's anger today is certainly due to the eight hundred border soldiers and two thousand civilians who died in the Battle of Fangu, because of that arrogant Li Xiaozong, because of Li Yuanshan's self-righteousness, because of the corruption in the Ministry of War and the Intelligence Bureau… But actually, these aren't the root cause. Don't tell me you still don't understand why His Majesty is so furious."
"Because His Majesty is about to launch a military campaign against the Northwest."
This time, Yu Donglai didn't beat around the bush but answered truthfully. "At least you didn't keep playing dumb, otherwise I would have gotten out of the carriage and walked home myself."
Huai Qiugong looked at Yu Donglai and asked, "Then tell me, why did His Majesty target the Ministry of War?"
"Because His Majesty didn't want to hear any dissenting voices regarding this military action. Hou Junci was strongly opposed to using force in the Northwest, even directly criticizing His Majesty in court for reckless military action and being ambitious."
Huai Qiugong said earnestly, "His Majesty is a wise ruler, so even if officials in court speak rudely due to differing opinions, His Majesty won't reprimand them; instead, he'll praise them, right?"
"Yes!"
Yu Donglai nodded. "But how many people will still respect the Emperor's authority if this continues?"
Huai Qiugong let out a long sigh, saying with some emotion, "Hou Junci isn't unlucky, he's just an idiot… His Majesty must appear wise and empathetic because he has to. And His Majesty still has many things to do, such as this military campaign in the Northwest. The Sui Dynasty has had five emperors, and which one didn't expand its territory?"
He paused, then said, "To be disrespectful, what kind of posture His Majesty chooses to display is His Majesty's business, but a subject cannot be ignorant of his place and fail to recognize his proper role. For example, I… dare to throw a tantrum at His Majesty, dare to glare at him, why?"
"Because I am…" "The Imperial Tutor is an Imperial Tutor whose existence is permitted by His Majesty. His Majesty must adopt a posture of respect for elders, and I must cooperate in this posture. And Zhou Banchuan, that old fellow understands this principle too. Therefore, His Majesty allows us to rely on our seniority, and he is happy to let people think this kind of relationship between ruler and subject is charming."
"But, does His Majesty really not dare to kill me, not dare to kill Zhou Banchuan?"
Huai Qiugong was silent for a moment before continuing, "So, I got into your carriage to tell you something… the first thing a subject must do is understand what kind of subject he should be. Only by knowing and understanding this will he satisfy His Majesty."
"Do you now know how to satisfy His Majesty?"
He asked.
Yu Donglai pondered for a moment, then nodded earnestly and said, "His Majesty may need a ruthless subject who betrays his colleagues, and His Majesty also needs more deaths in the Ministry of War. Therefore, after I go back, I should carefully consider how to draft the list of corrupt officials in the Ministry of War."
Huai Qiugong couldn't help but laugh, his face full of relief. "That's not ruthlessness, that's unwavering righteousness."
He smiled and said, "What is righteousness? It's being loyal to His Majesty, satisfying His Majesty, solving His Majesty's problems, following His Majesty's will, and understanding the proper relationship between ruler and subject. Knowing when to be a gentleman, when to be a villain, when to be an eagle to catch a rabbit, and when to be a dog to wag its tail—that is the greatest meaning of being a subject."
Yu Donglai sat upright and then bowed deeply: "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Huai."