Chapter 1250: Pillars of the Throne

The Khitan Supreme Capital, the Imperial City.

The entire great hall was shrouded in an atmosphere of grief. Winds carrying the spring chill poured in from outside the hall, gauze curtains swayed, white candles flickered, and the late emperor, the Heavenly August Emperor of Liao, Yelu Jing, lay quietly within after being "dressed and made up."

Before the coffin, members of the imperial clan and ministers all wore mourning garments of sackcloth and hemp, kneeling in orderly rows. Yelu Jing's consorts sobbed without cease, especially Empress Xiao, whose gentle temperament made her appear all the more tender and pitiable.

Empress Xiao had been Yelu Jing's first wife, having married him while he was still a prince in his fief. However, due to Yelu Jing's personal circumstances, the relationship between husband and wife was not particularly close. But after all, her husband was dead, and there were no heirs—even she, the Empress, could not help but feel hopeless about the future, lost and at a loss, able only to release her emotions and voice her unease through tears.

Yet amid this solemn atmosphere, the minds of the kneeling Liao elite had long since drifted away from Yelu Jing lying in the coffin. With the arrival of one man, ripples stirred throughout the hall, drawing the gaze of all.

The Great King of the Southern Division, Yelu Xiezhen.

After Yelu Xiezhen returned to court from his post in the Western Regions, his outstanding merits earned him advancement to Great King of the Southern Division, with full responsibility for the military and civil affairs of the southern territories of Liao. At the same time, he succeeded the Han minister Gao Xun in taking up residence at the Eastern Capital, Liaoyang Prefecture. Upon learning of the upheaval at the Supreme Capital, he made no delay whatsoever, traveling day and night to rush back from Liaoyang.

At this moment, Yelu Xiezhen's face was weathered, his expression weary, and his reddened eyes held boundless sorrow. Setting everything else aside, Yelu Jing's favor toward him had far exceeded that shown to others—otherwise, he would never have been given command of a great army to campaign far into the Western Regions for fame across the realm, nor would he have been elevated to Great King of the Southern Division in his early thirties, becoming one of the most powerful figures in Liao's upper echelons.

Paying no heed to the restless hearts and strange glances around him, Yelu Xiezhen merely stepped forward, kowtowed in worship, and then burst into loud, wailing sobs. His cries seemed to serve as a signal, and the lamentations in the hall erupted like a floodgate bursting open...

After exchanging only a few brief words with Yelu Bishe, Xiao Husi, Yelu Xian, and a few others to learn the situation, Yelu Xiezhen left the palace. He could sense that before the late emperor's bier, undercurrents were already surging. He did not wish to see such things, nor did he want these power struggles to disturb Yelu Jing's peace.

However, many things do not shift according to personal will, and some situations must be faced head-on. Over the past decade, the most renowned commander in Liao had unquestionably been Yelu Xiezhen. At the same time, he wielded great authority, held considerable prestige within the military, and came from imperial clan stock—he had a voice in the succession to the Liao throne.

Therefore, Yelu Xiezhen's return to the capital was tantamount to adding fuel to the fire of Liao's succession struggle, making it more intense and at the same time more clear-cut. If Yelu Xiezhen openly declared his support for anyone, it would be no different from gaining a pillar of heaven as an ally.

"Great King, the Prince of Peace invites you to his residence for a talk!" No sooner had he exited the Dashun Gate of the Imperial City than a trusted subordinate reined in his horse to report.

Seated high on his horse, Yelu Xiezhen's stern face appeared exceedingly cold and severe. Upon hearing this, a trace of anger and contempt surfaced on it, and he directly ordered: "Reply to the messenger, say that I am weary from my journey, exhausted in mind and body... no, just refuse him outright!"

"Yes!"

Before returning to his residence, Yelu Xiezhen looked back at the Imperial City with a deep, thoughtful gaze. The Khitan Supreme Capital was divided into northern and southern cities—northern barbarian, southern Han—following the system of governing Hu and Han separately.

The northern city was also divided into the Imperial City and the outer city. In terms of scale, it naturally could not compare to the vastness of the Great Han's two capitals, nor match their splendor and magnificence. But out here beyond the frontier, in this remote corner of Northeast Asia, it already represented a historic first. Of all the dynasties beyond the northern frontier throughout the ages, only the Khitan's sinicization had been the most profound, reaching the level it had achieved today.

"After returning to the residence, close the gates and receive no guests—decline all invitations!" A flicker of worry passed through his eyes as Yelu Xiezhen gave the order, then he raised his whip and spurred his horse, returning to his residence in the Supreme Capital.

News that the Prince of Peace, Yelu Yansage, had been rebuffed by the Great King of the Southern Division, Yelu Xiezhen, quickly spread among the ministers of the Supreme Capital. It must be said that many felt contempt for Yelu Yansage's overestimation of his own abilities and his frantic scurrying about.

At the Prince of Qi's residence, Yelu Xian, who had eyes and ears everywhere, naturally received this news as well and was discussing the matter. During this period, gatherings and secret plotting among their faction had become increasingly frequent.

Per Yelu Xian's requirement, even at gatherings, everyone still wore mourning clothes. Just as they took their seats, Nüli, who was temporarily serving as General of the Palace Guard, spoke up first, his tone somewhat disdainful: "The Great King of the Southern Division refused outright, his attitude cold and resolute—clearly the Prince of Peace is not the man he favors!"

During this period, among Yelu Xian's faction, Nüli had been the most active and the most arrogant, believing himself to have rendered great service. Of course, he had indeed rendered service, and Yelu Xian was quite tolerant of him.

Although many had come to pledge allegiance and curry favor, for Yelu Xian, the most trustworthy remained those few with whom he had built long-term relationships. In truth, setting aside the surface show of momentum, Yelu Xian's foundation was not particularly deep—it was merely a matter of being in the right place at the right time, seizing a favorable opportunity. And now, with Yelu Xiezhen's return, hearts seemed to be shifting once more.

"The Prince of Peace is shallow and impetuous, not worth worrying about. The true opponent of Your Highness now is only the Prince of Yue!" Xiao Siwen spoke up, pointing directly at the crux: "Among the imperial clan, the court, and the various offices, there are many who support the Prince of Yue, but the senior ministers have yet to declare themselves—clearly they too are sitting back to watch how the situation develops. The Great King of the Southern Division is a minister of great merit with prestige in both military and civil affairs. If he could be won over, Your Highness will surely succeed to the great inheritance!"

"But—if the Great King of the Southern Division refused the Prince of Peace, why would he not refuse me?" Yelu Xian, whose bearing had grown increasingly composed, shook his head upon hearing this and said: "The Great King of the Southern Division was deeply favored by the late emperor. Before the bier today, his grief was so profound—one can see where his heart lies!"

This was also the reason Yelu Xian had not dispatched messengers in the hasty, reckless manner of Yelu Yansage. Of course, Yelu Xian desperately craved Yelu Xiezhen's support as well.

Seeing Yelu Xian's hesitation, Yelu Xianshi, seated below, thought for a moment and said: "If the late emperor had a son, the Great King of the Southern Division would surely devote all his strength to supporting him, and Your Highness would have no opportunity to ascend the throne. But as things stand, the imperial throne has no claimant. The Great King of the Southern Division is a man of reason and understanding, a pillar of the state. I believe that if one entrusts him with matters of state, appeals to his sense of righteousness, and treats him with utmost sincerity, given Your Highness's bearing and stature, he will surely be won over. Therefore, Your Highness's thoughts and actions should not be limited merely to scheming for the throne—you must also take the broader picture into account and think of the realm and people of the Great Liao!"

"Your words are exactly what I have been thinking! My desire to strive forward is not merely to reclaim my late father's legacy—it is for the very survival of the Great Liao's rivers and mountains! Though the late emperor accomplished much during his reign, in recent years the court has grown listless and human affairs chaotic. We urgently need to change course, rectify discipline, and seek revival..." Yelu Xian said with deep feeling.

Upon hearing this, Yelu Xianshi and the others immediately put on moved expressions and voiced their strong support. Xiao Siwen, crafty and calculating, pondered briefly before saying: "The Great King of the Southern Division's return to the capital has clearly stirred restless hearts, but it also shows that the struggle for the throne should reach a conclusion soon. Now is the most critical moment. And the most critical thing of all lies in control of the Supreme Capital—especially military power. But at present, the situation within the army has grown somewhat delicate!"

"Has something happened in the military?" Yelu Xian's brows knitted tightly.

Xiao Siwen sighed: "For now it remains stable. We have also replaced a great number of our generals in the Right Pishi Army. But at a time like this, with hearts unsettled, it can be used to suppress and intimidate, to hold back without striking. Yet if one wishes to employ it for a great purpose, the outcome is unpredictable!"

"Now that the Great King of the Southern Division has returned, we can rely even less on the army alone!" Yelu Xianshi said this.

"The Great King of the Southern Division is just one man with a few attendants and guards—he hasn't brought any troops back with him. What is there to fear?" Hearing this, Nüli could not help but speak up.

Upon hearing this, nearly everyone knitted their brows—too lacking in foresight. Without deigning to acknowledge him, Yelu Xian said in a low voice: "Yelu Sagei's side cannot be fully trusted either!"

At present, among the forces surrounding the Supreme Capital, there were three that could play a decisive role: the Palace Guard and the Left and Right Pishi Armies. The Palace Guard was temporarily held in hand through Yelu Yila, and the Right Pishi Army was under Xiao Siwen's control—but due to overly drastic actions and the replacement of a great number of generals, morale was unsettled and not sufficiently reliable.

As for the remaining Left Pishi Army, its Xiangwen was Yelu Sagei. This man had some connection to Yelu Xian—his father, Yelu Antuan, had been a principal minister who pushed for the ascension of Shizong, Yelu Ruan, and later rose to Southern Commissioner of Military Affairs, though he died of depression after Yelu Jing took the throne.

Of course, Yelu Sagei's rise to Xiangwen of the Pishi Army was due to his own ability and merits. Given that connection, Yelu Xian had also made contact with this man and received an ambiguous response from Yelu Sagei.

Therefore, from their control over the military, it was clear that their grip on the Supreme Capital was far from secure.