Chapter 1595: Does His Heart Turn Cold?

After Emperor Liu left, the hall of the Duke of Yu's residence fell into silence—a deathly stillness, as if the bleak winter wind had grown even more piercingly cold.

Not having been permitted to escort the Emperor out personally, Wei Renpu sat in his chair, his aged body nearly cowering against the backrest, as if a portion of his very vitality had been drained away. His old eyes seemed to have reverted to the dimness and cloudiness befitting his years.

Wei Xianxin was clearly no fool. Compared to his father's composure, he seemed somewhat distracted. He took a fur coat, stepped forward, and gently draped it over Wei Renpu. After hesitating as if wanting to speak but holding back, he asked with concern: "Father, what does His Majesty mean by this?"

"You noticed it too?" Wei Renpu snapped back to himself, answering the question with another.

Wei Xianxin nodded, and after a moment's hesitation, finally voiced the frustration, hidden worry, and confusion in his heart: "His Majesty... His Majesty seems to be suspicious of you?"

At this, Wei Renpu gave a bitter smile. He neither responded nor refuted his son's words. His lips parted slightly, but only a silent sigh escaped.

Seeing this, Wei Xianxin grew anxious, even somewhat indignant: "Why is this? You are one of His Majesty's founding ministers. For so many years, you have been diligent and conscientious, devoted to your duties, pouring your heart into serving the state—truly one who would give everything until death.

Moreover, for nearly ten years now, you have remained at home recuperating, no longer meddling in state affairs. With such proper conduct, where does His Majesty's suspicion come from?"

"Guobao, with your temperament, you should not be speaking such agitated words!" Feeling that Wei Xianxin's emotions were somewhat amiss, Wei Renpu's tone and expression turned exceptionally stern as he warned.

Wei Renpu's words were like a bucket of cold water, dousing Wei Xianxin's indignation and defiance. Seeing his old father's deathly stillness, a pang of pity surged in his heart, and grief welled up. He shook his head: "Your son merely does not understand, and also feels some reluctance. You have labored diligently for the state for so many years—this illness is the accumulation of constant toil.

His Majesty is truly terrifying. You are already this gravely ill, this low-key, absent from court for years. Among the many ministers and grand officials at court, there are countless who are arrogant and overbearing, and who knows how many who simply enjoy their retirement in comfort. Why does he single you out?

When I was still young, the entire court sang your praises, saying you were His Majesty's most loyal and capable minister. His Majesty always relied on you as his confidant and often told others you were his good teacher and helpful friend. Sovereign and minister, hearts in perfect accord—how did it come to this bone-chilling suspicion?

Forgive your son for speaking boldly: when His Majesty came to visit this time, was he truly inquiring after your health, or was he hastening your death?"

Hearing this, Wei Renpu's face changed in an instant. A flush of red appeared on his pale, aged face, and his extreme agitation triggered violent coughing: "How dare you! Kneel!"

Seeing Wei Renpu's reaction, Wei Xianxin was frightened as well. He nervously stepped forward to attend to him, but was forced to his knees by the stern look in his father's eyes. Still, his gaze remained full of concern and worry for his old father.

Wei Renpu, with trembling hands, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, then fixed his eyes on Wei Xianxin and said urgently: "Guobao! I always thought you had a gentle and honest disposition, but I never expected such fierce stubbornness hidden in your heart."

As he spoke, he instinctively glanced around to make sure no one was disturbing their father-son conversation, then said with deep earnestness: "How could words like those come from your mouth? Such rebellious and blasphemous talk—you should not even have thought it, let alone dared to say it!"

Hearing Wei Renpu's words, Wei Xianxin calmed down as well. Knowing he had said things he should not have, he could not help feeling some lingering fear. He too looked around, then kowtowed sincerely: "Father's admonishment is right. Your son was wrong!"

Seeing that he understood, Wei Renpu relaxed somewhat, sighed, and bade Wei Xianxin rise.

Seeing that his father's anger had somewhat subsided, Wei Xianxin regained his usual composure and asked softly: "Father, your son simply does not understand how things came to this. His Majesty is so suspicious—can you truly remain calm and unbothered?"

This time, Wei Renpu did not directly rebuke Wei Xianxin, but said softly: "Guobao, speaking frankly, how do you think His Majesty has treated the Wei family, treated your father, treated you brothers? Has he ever been harsh?"

Wei Xianxin was momentarily stunned by the question. After thinking for a while, he raised his hands in a somewhat helpless salute: "Father ranks among the twenty-four ministers, ennobled as a Duke. Mother holds a third-rank honorary title. Both elder brothers hold important posts outside. And just now, His Majesty even showed concern for your son's future, wishing to bestow an official position. Such favor is as high as the mountains and as deep as the seas!"

"But!" After summarizing, Wei Xianxin quickly added: "It is precisely because the favor is so profound that the baseless suspicion is all the more chilling!"

Wei Renpu laughed, a very soft laugh, and looked at his son: "Your father is not agitated, so why must you be so impassioned?"

Before Wei Xianxin could reply, Wei Renpu said slowly: "I have followed His Majesty for nearly thirty years. In the first fifteen, we weathered storms together, sharing honor and disgrace. Walking this path all the way, I have come to know His Majesty somewhat, to understand him somewhat.

His Majesty is a wise sovereign of the sort that appears but once in centuries—one who rescues the realm from crisis and unifies all under heaven. His Majesty's suspicion was already discernible in his early years, and it is precisely this wariness that allowed him to lead the realm from collapse to stability.

If an emperor loses his vigilance, loses his caution, then ruin is not far off. This suspicious nature is the very foundation of His Majesty's rule."

"But when this suspicion falls upon you, Father, your son truly, truly feels..." Wei Xianxin seemed at a loss for words, his expression simply one of deep grievance.

Wei Xianxin had calmed down, but still found it hard to let go of his indignation. Seeing this, Wei Renpu said: "Even with His Majesty's suspicious nature, how could there be suspicion without cause, distrust without reason? As you said just now, I consider myself to have been utterly loyal to His Majesty, with a clear conscience!"

"Precisely because of that, your son feels... is His Majesty perhaps going too far?" Wei Xianxin said cautiously.

"These past years, I too have been reflecting, thinking, and have finally arrived at some understanding!" Wei Renpu said with a bitter smile: "I suppose this is largely the burden of reputation!"

"When His Majesty is magnanimous, he can accommodate the four seas and a hundred rivers. But when it comes to matters that are hard to speak of or endure, he will not leave even the space of a needle's stitch!" Wei Renpu sighed: "At court, there is no shortage of pure-minded scholars. Toward those officials, even if they engage in idle debate or directly remonstrate to his face, His Majesty can simply laugh it off.

Those pure-minded scholars, even if their reputations spread far and wide across the realm, are of no consequence to His Majesty. In fact, he needs such men to display his breadth of mind and tolerance.

But His Majesty will absolutely never tolerate a chancellor covered in pure reputation, praised both inside and outside. In the past, people often said that I, this chancellor, was a chancellor for the ages, the hope of all. Even His Majesty frequently praised me.

Even then, I sensed that such public sentiment was not a good thing for a minister—it was too dangerous. 'The hope of all'—is that a praise a minister should receive?"

Hearing Wei Renpu's measured discourse, Wei Xianxin gained some understanding, but the worry on his face only deepened. He sighed: "Father had already sensed the danger and withdrew from the fray while ahead. For all these years, you have been devoted to His Majesty and loyal to the court. Has that ever changed? Does His Majesty not know this?"

Wei Renpu sighed: "What kind of man is His Majesty? How many things in this world can escape those discerning eyes? Many people, many matters—he knows them all in his heart.

But what is an emperor? He must be unfathomable and inscrutable. How could he let ordinary men see through him? If you measure an extraordinary man with an ordinary man's heart, naturally you cannot understand."

Even with Wei Renpu's explanation, Wei Xianxin's doubts remained unresolved. But seeing his father, who appeared ever more aged and frail, he said softly: "It is only that Father has fallen to such a bleak state, and your son, standing by, cannot bear to watch!"

Wei Renpu shook his head. Suddenly thinking of something, he said seriously to Wei Xianxin: "His Majesty's final question was laden with meaning! He even knew of the posthumous memorial I had already drafted. What does that tell you?"

Wei Xianxin lowered his voice even further: "Those hounds of the Palace City Office have likely long been buried deep within this household!"

"Good that you understand!" Wei Renpu instructed: "Precisely for this reason, you must be even more careful in speech and conduct from now on. Even here at home, do not speak recklessly, lest disaster comes from your mouth!"

Wei Xianxin nodded and said solemnly: "Your son understands. This time, your son lost his composure!"

Wei Renpu was quite satisfied with his third son and said with gratification: "I have more or less arranged matters for my life and after my death. Titles and emoluments passed down through the family follow the court's established regulations, but the one who must guard the Wei family's legacy is you!"

Hearing Wei Renpu say this, Wei Xianxin felt somewhat embarrassed instead. He lowered his head: "With eldest brother and second brother present, your son will only support and work alongside them."

Wei Renpu smiled, then sighed again: "It is only that your age is not suitable. Otherwise—ah, never mind, let's not speak of it. Go to the study and fetch that posthumous memorial of mine..."