Chapter 1350: A Secret That Is No Secret

Dawn broke.

Fortunately, today was not a major court session held on the new or full moon, so only personnel from the Three Departments and Six Ministries stationed within the Imperial City entered after breakfast, some riding horses, others in carriages, and some on foot.

They all noticed something was different.

The patrols inside the inner city had increased in frequency and manpower. Simultaneously, more guards were stationed at the Imperial City gates; the familiar faces of past days were nowhere to be seen, replaced by individuals with sharp gazes, seeming ready to leap up and kill at any moment.

Upon entering the Imperial City, according to usual custom, the open grounds would inevitably be free of footprints and left unswept. However, looking today, the pristine snow had been trampled into mush, a state formed only after dense crowds had stepped over it repeatedly.

When they arrived at their government offices, their hearts grew even more uneasy, for soldiers stood guard outside every department's workspace. Their appearance was somewhat lacking, however; given the cold, they hugged their weapons, hands tucked into their sleeves, bodies shivering.

Anyone who tried to strike up a conversation received only a murderous glare, with hands resting on the hilt of their waist swords.

The crowd had no mind for work and gathered together to exchange views in hushed tones.

Thus, a group of Sui's clever people naturally figured out the crux of the problem.

Yang Yang Jian had passed away!

What was currently unfolding was a transfer of power accompanied by bloodshed.

People began to panic; the accession of a new emperor inevitably brought a great purge to ensure his power could extend outward.

For those working in the Imperial City, to put it bluntly, even the sweepers had patrons and backgrounds. As the saying goes, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; their futures looked very worrying indeed.

As they chatted, they also discovered another matter: most of their superiors were absent. Presumably, they had been summoned by Yang Guang the previous night, which left the few who hadn't gone feeling extremely restless...

Wang Yan was unaware of how others were suffering through the sleepless night; after returning yesterday to report progress directly to Yang Guang and arranging follow-up matters, he had left a team inside the palace to act on Yang Guang's orders while he himself took command at the military camp outside the city.

After Yang Guang ascended, administrative ministers were even secondary; the primary task was to seize control of military power. After all, without military power, how could one be Emperor, and who would listen to one's words?

Therefore, Yang Guang's next move was to cut through the tangle with a swift blade, conducting a purge within the military. Those who disobeyed would be killed if possible, and those who could not be killed would be replaced.

For a considerable period, Wang Yan would remain stationed with the troops guarding Daxing. Using his formidable abilities, he would suppress all dissenters, ensuring the forces obeyed orders and followed commands, thereby giving Yang Guang the strength to protect himself, after which they could address the border armies, feudal kings, and so on.

Of course, during this process, Wang Yan did not hesitate to expand his influence, further elevating his status within the military and absorbing more people to pledge their allegiance.

Being assigned to command the troops stationed in Daxing was actually far better than risking his life fighting on the battlefield. After all, tens of thousands of troops were stationed here, all Fubing soldiers; in terms of quality, they were purer than the fifty thousand-plus mixed Han and Hu army he had led on the steppes.

Moreover, this was a fully organized formation; even if scattered, the base number remained here, and thus his influence within the military remained here as well.

It could rightly be said that assigning Wang Yan to guard the troops was the most correct decision Yang Guang had made.

After all, no one was more loyal to Great Sui and to Yang Guang than Wang Yan; only he, Wang Mou, truly devoted himself heart and soul to Great Sui.

He sought neither fame nor profit, working hard to resolve pensions and welfare for the Fubing soldiers, opening maritime trade, transporting grain to Great Sui to fill deficits regardless of loss, searching overseas for superior seeds to bring back and improve cultivation in Great Sui, establishing countless schools, and hiring scholars from humble families to teach and enlighten the common people—such deed after deed, item after item.

Alas, no one understood his painstaking efforts; a kindred spirit was hard to find...

Matters did not exceed Wang Yan's expectations, or rather, no prediction was needed, as this was simply the normal course of action that ought to have been taken.

After tense negotiations with various parties and swiftly handling Yang Yang Jian's funeral arrangements, Yang Guang stabilized the situation. Thus, on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, during the major court session, Yang Guang ascended the throne and established the era name for the coming year as 'Daye'.

One could discern the Emperor's intentions from the era name; undoubtedly, Yang Guang wished to achieve great accomplishments.

The issue of Yang Guang's accession had been resolved; at the grand court assembly, not a single soul was foolish enough to stick their neck out and seek death, after all, the past few days had not been filled solely with peaceful negotiations, as many had already been killed, arrested, or dismissed from office.

To what extent had they been dealt with? To put it vividly, even the markets were no longer prosperous.

After all, the great families were uneasy; with armored soldiers patrolling daily, the common folk living in Daxing were also extremely anxious. Many of their businesses relied on consumption by the great families. Now, the purchasers from wealthy households dared not make a fuss when they went out, nor did they dare whip people at will, which perfectly illustrated just how difficult life had become for the officials.

After the grand court assembly concluded, Wang Yan did not leave but went to the study to meet Yang Guang.

At this moment, Yang Guang wore a dragon robe and a crown with hanging beads, looking utterly radiant.

Yang Guang removed the crown with hanging beads and casually tossed it into the hands of an attending eunuch, smiling at Wang Yan: "Wearing this thing is truly uncomfortable."

"Your Majesty follows his heart in all things; whether you wear it or not, you are still Your Majesty."

"Hahaha..." Yang Guang laughed with satisfaction, "Only your words please the ear."

"Your Majesty understands your subject best; I am an honest man who has always spoken only the truth."

"Is that so? Then tell me, why did you release Princess Yu?" Yang Guang's expression shifted like a dog's face, staring at Wang Yan with sinister intensity.

This matter could not be hidden; even though Yuwen Chengdu, that great romantic, had indeed taken the blame for it, suffered a beating from Yuwen Huaji, and received a symbolic punishment from Yang Guang, it did not prevent Yang Guang from using this opportunity to vent his anger at Wang Yan.

He needed to keep Wang Yan in check, to let Wang Yan know that he, as a leader, was no fool to be duped, and that he knew everything clearly.

Wang Yan had anticipated this before acting; he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Yu is a close friend of my wife, Qionghua; they have frequent contact and have never severed ties. Furthermore, Princess Yu is the adopted daughter of Prince Kaoshan, who has considerable influence in Shandong, so it is inadvisable to act rashly against her. I had several women search Princess Yu thoroughly and found no contraband; since it posed no threat to major affairs, I simply gave her some travel funds and let her go. Your Majesty need only issue an edict reprimanding Prince Kaoshan.

Now that Your Majesty has ascended to rule the world, even if there are some rumors and whispers, they will not harm Your Majesty's sacred virtue. Even to this day, are there not people saying that Great Sui gained the throne unjustly? It has little effect. With the army in hand, who dares to disobey? Your Majesty can rest assured."

Yang Guang stared at Wang Yan for a while longer before his face shifted again into a smile.

He spoke as if deeply gratified: "Xu Ziyan, you are no longer the rash youth of years past; your considerations are thorough."

"Your subject has followed Your Majesty for thirteen years; I should have made some progress by now."

"Enough, stop flattering me."

Yang Guang waved his hand with a smile and continued, "I intend to make changes to military affairs, to ensure all armies serve my use; what is your view?"

"Your subject believes military and administrative powers should be separated. Establish a separate department to oversee all troops and warfare under the empire, without needing everyone to meddle in military strategy as is currently the case. Take that old scoundrel Yang Su, for instance; he commands the great army on one hand and serves as the Prime Minister on the other, which is truly improper. Establish a separate department: military affairs are military, administrative affairs are administrative, with Your Majesty holding supreme command; neither sphere should interfere with the other.

Armor, weapons, grain, and supplies can be managed by the administration to serve as a check. As for the specific reforms for military affairs, this is beyond your subject's capability; it requires Your Majesty's deep contemplation and decision. I only know how to lead troops and fight battles; I truly do not understand all those other matters."

"Who says you don't understand? This was spoken very well indeed." Yang Guang pondered for a moment, nodded with satisfaction, and then said to Wang Yan, "Endure a few more years of hardship; once I have sorted out the affairs of the realm and amassed sufficient military supplies, we will march north and destroy Goguryeo!"

"Your subject stands ready at all times."

"Go, manage the army, and do not let them cause trouble."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty; I guarantee there will be no mishaps whatsoever."

Wang Yan cupped his hands, took his leave, and departed.

After leaving the imperial palace, he finally had time to return home.

For many days, the household had been tense and oppressive; seeing Wang Yan return, everyone's hearts finally settled.

"What happened?" Xiao Mei pulled Wang Yan aside to ask for the reason.

She naturally knew of Yang Yang Jian's death, but the problem lay precisely there; in a normal succession, why would someone like Wang Yan need to go out and busy himself for half a month?

Wang Yan said softly: "Yang Yang Jian was poisoned... in the end, he was strangled by Yuwen Huaji."

"Hiss..."

Xiao Mei couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath. "So ruthless?"

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Husband, you must be careful."

"It's fine; they still have use for us. Decades of stability and wealth are no problem." Wang Yan patted Xiao Mei's hand to reassure her, then asked, "How is Qionghua?"

"Not well." Xiao Mei shook her head. "After all, Your Majesty and the Empress treated her very kindly. With both passing away in succession within just two months, she is deeply grieved."

So Wang Yan went to see Princess Qionghua. She was a good child; her eyes were swollen from crying. Even before approaching her, one could feel the pervasive sorrow.

"Husband~"

Seeing Wang Yan enter the room, she called out, then immediately threw herself into his arms, sobbing loudly.

Wang Yan said nothing, merely patting her back to comfort her.

After quite a while, Qionghua sniffled, lifted her head, and blinked her large eyes at Wang Yan. She said, "Husband, my father emperor's death... does it have something to do with my imperial brother?"

Although these were high-risk times where absolutely no one dared to gossip recklessly, and she couldn't possibly have heard any rumors, she certainly wasn't foolish; how could she not sense the abnormality?

Wang Yan wiped away her tears. "Don't think about it. Living happily is what truly matters."

Thus, Qionghua cried even more bitterly. Wang Yan's lack of an answer was an answer in itself; how could the intelligent Princess Qionghua fail to realize it?

At such times, even men from powerful noble families could not control their own fates, let alone women, and especially not women of the imperial family.

Being born into the imperial clan was Qionghua's fortune, yet it was also her misfortune.

After comforting her for a long while, until Qionghua cried herself to sleep, Wang Yan finally left. He went out to dine with his family, putting their minds at ease.

Of course, this applied only to the adults in the household; few of the children were sensible yet. The eldest was merely eleven years old. Most of the children were still carefree, giggling and laughing, asking Wang Yan when they could go out to play. Being confined for half a month had nearly driven these wild children mad.

So Wang Yan put on a stern face and tested each child on their studies; immediately, the children stopped giggling...

Wang Yan had always placed great importance on his children's education. When he had nothing else to do at home, he even attended classes and played with them, after all, he himself lacked formal schooling.

However, since he had both wealth and influence, regarding his children's education, he did not simply have them recite the sages' books but also learn some basic mathematics.

Instead, he spent money to hire a group of people to compile textbooks he deemed reasonable. Although not yet divided into specialized subjects as in later times, they were categorized by major fields. Beyond the foundational studies of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, they included music, chess, calligraphy, painting, horseback riding, and archery, focusing primarily on general knowledge and cultivating interests.

His eldest son, amidst his studies and play, had already begun dedicating time to managing business affairs and learning the ways of administration.

Of course, Wang Yan's methods of raising his children were a subject of ridicule among other powerful noble families, who scoffed at his family teachings, viewing him much like the newly rich look at parvenus.

But Wang Yan didn't care. After all, with their old father Laozi still here, their futures were secure. They wouldn't be ruined; instead, everyone could cultivate hobbies and interests, which was a fine thing.

With hobbies and interests, his good sons would have something to rely on, allowing them to live with broad minds and robust bodies, thus enjoying long lives. Otherwise, if they spent all day wondering when their dear father would die, none of these good sons would likely reach old age.

As their biological father, this old father Wang Yan had likewise worried his heart out...

Just as Wang Yan was attending to his children, a messenger from the front courtyard announced Li Jing's visit. Immediately, the children happily gulped down their food, hoping only to finish quickly and scram.

Wang Yan casually ruffled the head of the little girl sitting beside him, scolded her playfully a couple of times, then stood up to go out and welcome Li Jing inside. The two set up a table of wine and dishes in the study and began eating and drinking.

"Brother, I cannot make sense of the current situation," Li Jing said after taking a sip of wine, asking about the underlying circumstances.

As always, since they were all intelligent people, none failed to notice the abnormalities.

Wang Yan also took a sip of wine and said, "If you can't make sense of it, then don't try. Just focus on your own affairs. You and I are followers of Your Majesty; no storm can touch us."

"Brother, can you truly not reveal even a hint?"

Glancing at him, Wang Yan shook his head with an amused smile. "What is there that cannot be said? It's just that if you know, it will only add to your troubles. We have been brothers for many years; of course, you wouldn't speak recklessly. But precisely because you won't speak, keeping it bottled up inside will make you suffer."

Seeing Li Jing staring wide-eyed, waiting for news, Wang Yan stopped hiding anything. Such things held no real secrets. Secrets are hidden only between the lines of history; for those living in the present, it is simply that those who should know, know, and those who shouldn't, do not.

"The late emperor was poisoned... and in the end, he was strangled by Yuwen Huaji." Wang Yan, acting like a big mouth, repeated this to Li Jing once more.

Seeing Li Jing's horrified expression, Wang Yan smiled and raised his wine cup. "You see? I told you it was better not to know, but you wouldn't listen. Now you won't be able to sleep, will you? Come, let's drink to victory!"

This time, Li Jing drank fiercely, downing the entire cup in one go. He shook his head and sighed, "Brother, serving a ruler is like accompanying a tiger..."

"It doesn't matter. I told you long ago: it is best when ruler and minister get along well. If not, I am not made of clay. You know I came from humble origins; until now, I have pondered only two things: how to survive, and how to live better. I am no ambitious wolf with a heart of ambition; I simply wish to live comfortably for a lifetime. I don't think that request is too high."

"It is too high, Brother!"

"I understand. As a lowly soldier, one is bullied by others. Now, having become a Great General, one must still worry about suspicion and distrust; it is utterly boring. But isn't it still better than being bullied? Nowadays, apart from Your Majesty, who dares to argue with me? That is enough.

Yaoshi, do not think so much about useless things. Apart from adding to your troubles, there is no benefit. Doing your own work well and living your own life well is better than anything else."

"What Brother says is true."

Li Jing deeply agreed, drinking quite a lot of wine with Wang Yan to soothe his spirit after hearing the secret...

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? (End of Chapter)