Chapter 1367: I Really Never Intended to Become Emperor

It seems that whenever great events are about to unfold, the weather always turns peculiar, perfectly matching the tense atmosphere of such momentous occasions.

In the autumn of the ninth year of Daye (610 AD), it was a chilly, rainy day.

Wang Yan had skipped work since noon, hauling a large cart full of vegetables home, then ordering ten sheep and three oxen to be slaughtered; everyone in the household, including maids, servants, and retainers, gathered together to enjoy hot pot.

Thanks to Wang Yan's continuous Great Voyages, which brought back various crops for local cultivation, breeding, and improvement, ingredients had become exceedingly abundant; since he was responsible for supplying vegetables to the capital's nobility, naturally, whatever one wished to eat was available, in whatever quantity desired.

Various seasonings had also been fully developed and perfected, making this hot pot hardly different from what would exist over a thousand years later.

Just as Wang Yan was leisurely enjoying his hot pot, sipping wine, and chatting and laughing with his retainers, the main gate of the residence was pounded upon with loud clanging noises.

No one was at the gatehouse; everyone had joined Wang Yan for the meal.

This was not the gatekeeper's fault, since visitors to the Wang household had gradually dwindled in recent times, and on such a rainy day, even fewer people came; moreover, the person currently serving as gatekeeper was a retainer who had followed Wang Yan for many years—a brother, naturally, who should eat and drink together with the rest.

Everyone was dining in the front courtyard and had heard the noise penetrating the curtain of rain.

Cursing under his breath, the gatekeeper gulped down a large mouthful of wine before getting up to open the main gate, only to find a eunuch standing at the entrance, followed by armored soldiers.

Peering outside, he saw rows of armored soldiers standing guard along both sides of the road, weapons in hand.

Ignoring the changing expression on the gatekeeper's face, the eunuch strolled casually inside: "The Duke of Wu certainly knows how to enjoy himself, eating hot pot at home."

Wang Yan glanced at him, noticing the slight arrogance in the eunuch's demeanor.

"State your business."

"The Tuyuhun are making unusual moves, having allied with tribes in the west; His Majesty summons the Duke of Wu to the palace for consultation."

Shaking his head with amusement, Wang Yan dipped another plate of meat into the pot, ate several large mouthfuls greedily, drained a cup of strong wine, then set down his chopsticks and rose to his feet; nodding toward the eunuch, he said, "I shall go to the rear courtyard to change my clothes."

"The Duke of Wu may proceed as he wishes; this humble one shall wait," the eunuch replied with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

Wang Yan turned and headed to the rear courtyard, where maids assisted him in donning his armor; beside him, Xiao Mei fastened around his waist a Han sword obtained years ago from the Chen Palace.

"This wife shall await her husband's return!"

Excited brilliance flashed in Xiao Mei's eyes.

"You..." Wang Yan smiled, reaching out to caress her face, then turned and departed.

Upon emerging from the inner quarters, the eunuch saw Wang Yan's attire and was so frightened that his soul nearly fled his body.

"D-Duke of Wu... His Majesty seeks you to discuss military matters; what... what is the meaning of this?"

"Where did that arrogant spirit of yours go just now?"

Before Wang Yan could speak, a retainer standing nearby slapped the eunuch across the face: "Damn your mother, a eunuch without balls, and you dare act so arrogantly?"

Wang Yan sighed: "It is difficult to be a loyal minister quietly; it is even more difficult to be a capable loyal minister!"

"Brothers, take good care of the household; chaos is about to reign for quite some time."

"Yes, General!"

"General my ass; call him Your Majesty!" someone shouted.

By now, the eunuch was trembling so violently that he collapsed onto the ground; even if he were a fool, he knew something monumental was about to happen.

The root of this great event was that the ruler demanded the subject's death, yet the subject refused to die!

Seeing his retainers leading warhorses and carrying cavalry lances toward him, Wang Yan cast a sidelong glance at the eunuch and gave him two light kicks: "Lead the way; take me to see His Majesty. His Majesty is an impatient man; do not keep him waiting long."

"D-Duke of Wu..."

"Hmm?"

The eunuch immediately fell silent, sprang up from the ground, devoid of his earlier arrogance, and tremblingly answered in affirmation.

Immediately afterward, he witnessed a scene that filled him with horror.

The armored soldiers he had brought with him no longer stood in rows lining the path as before; instead, they had assembled into neat, disciplined formations; nearby on the ground lay several corpses, their blood mingling with the rain as it flowed.

Behind them, retainers from Wang Yan's household carried out a large drum and began beating it rhythmically despite the rain; the deep, resonant drumbeats echoed far through the noisy curtain of rain; after a while, similar drumbeats responded from elsewhere.

No, it was not only drumbeats.

There were also sounds of horns, the ringing of golden bells atop arrow towers in various wards within the city, and sharp whistles.

Even a fool like the eunuch could understand that these sounds were transmitting signals.

His eyes widened as he stared at Wang Yan in disbelief.

"Let us go."

Wang Yan waved his hand cheerfully.

Startled, the eunuch quickly scrambled onto a horse, positioning himself half a horse-length behind Wang Yan, while behind him, a large group of armored soldiers ran in perfect unison.

War boots splashed through the rainwater on the ground, raindrops striking the soldiers' armor; as they ran, the armor plates shifted, producing a rustling sound.

Thunder rumbled overhead, yet the footsteps of the armored soldiers seemed even louder than the heavenly thunder.

At the gate of the Imperial City, the armored soldiers guarding the palace gates had already assembled; lying on the ground were numerous sons of noble families tasked with guarding the imperial palace, their blood spreading with the rainwater over a vast crimson expanse.

Wang Yan acted as though he saw nothing, waving his hand to the armored soldiers before riding all the way toward Yang Guang's study.

This certainly violated protocol, but at such a time, Yang Guang's rules were no longer rules; only Wang Mou's rules mattered.

Along this path lay many corpses, including even Yuwen Chengdu, whose limbs had been broken, lying on the ground exposed to the rain.

"Wang Yan, you rebellious traitor!"

Seeing Wang Yan pass by, Yuwen Chengdu shouted curses at the top of his lungs.

Wang Yan merely scoffed, saying nothing to Yuwen Chengdu; immediately, nearby soldiers rushed over and began punching and kicking him.

Yuwen Chengdu remained stubborn, merely groaning in pain while continuing to hurl furious insults.

Thus they proceeded all the way to the study; dismounting, the soldiers standing guard at the door opened it.

A cold wind rushed inside, causing Yang Guang, Yuwen Huaji, Heruo Bi, and others present to lift their heads; upon seeing Wang Yan fully armed, they were utterly shocked.

Yang Guang, seated where he was, his face gloomy, asked: "Xu Ziyan, what is the meaning of this?"

"Wang Yan! Are you planning to rebel?" Yuwen Huaji also leaped to his feet, pointing his finger at Wang Yan.

In the next instant, a flash of sword light streaked past, and Yuwen Huaji clutched his hand, crying out in pain.

A severed finger flew through the air, landed on the ground, and rolled twice...

"You..."

Yuwen Huaji was filled with rage and terror; his eyes bulged as he wanted to say something, yet did not know what to say...

Wang Yan smiled, then his sword light flashed repeatedly, severing Yuwen Huaji's hand and foot tendons; he sidestepped and delivered a flying kick, sending Yuwen Huaji crashing back onto his seat with a miserable scream.

"Your Majesty, why do you want to kill me?"

Yang Guang laughed: "Look at your current state. Xu Ziyan, let me ask you, can I not kill you?"

"Your Majesty, you are mistaken." Wang Yan smiled and shook his head. "It was you who wanted to kill me first; I had no choice but to act. For so many years, I have served you tirelessly. Without claiming all the credit, for the situation we have today, my contribution is at least fifty percent.

I have said many times that I would be content even to live as a wealthy idler in the capital. After returning from the Northeast, despite the officials attacking me and Your Majesty doubting me, I said nothing, simply farming honestly at the Court of Agriculture. But now, Your Majesty wants to kill me. That will not do."

Yang Guang's face looked terrible. Wang Yan continued, "Your Majesty and I have known each other for twenty-one years; you should know my character best. Back in the Chen Palace, I could have left; at that time, Your Majesty was only three zhang away, surrounded by Tiger Guards, yet they were useless to me. My plan was that if the Prince of Jin did not let us go, I would take you hostage and flee. We would find a place far from the emperor's reach and live a happy life.

If we could not live in peace, we would gather in the mountains, raise our banner, and rebel. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang said it long ago: 'Are kings and generals born of a special seed?' No one is born noble; even the Emperor can be made.

Your Majesty, I have always just wanted to survive. If I must state a demand, it is to live a bit better. I do not want just anyone to be able to bully or enslave me. If I aim higher, it is merely so that the common people of the world can live good lives. Why must Your Majesty make things difficult for me?"

"You have made it so clear; what is there left not to understand?" Yang Guang sneered. "Wang Yan, you were planning to rebel long ago, weren't you? Everyone around me is your man, isn't it? Otherwise, dressed in full armor as you are, you could never have reached my study. Truly laughable; I never expected to be outplayed by you in the end."

"I was merely protecting myself."

"Enough nonsense. Matters have come to this; kill me or slice me, I am at your mercy."

"Your Majesty, I am different from you; I am a sentimental person. You will not be Emperor; just live well and watch how I rule."

Yang Guang ground his teeth until they nearly shattered, but he did not cry, pretending to be strong.

Events had developed too quickly, completely exceeding his expectations.

With full confidence, he had made arrangements, summoning Wang Yan into the palace to be killed. Everyone in the world knew Wang Yan possessed formidable Wu Gong, with a record of killing over a hundred armored soldiers alone and unarmored; naturally, his preparations were comprehensive.

Yet such a secret matter was discovered by Wang Yan long ago, and all the people Yang Guang had prepared proved utterly useless. Wang Yan, fully armed, walked right up to him; Yang Guang had not heard a single sound, yet he had been confidently preparing farewell words for Wang Yan.

What he thought was foolproof was, in Wang Yan's eyes, full of loopholes.

He believed Wang Yan was loyal; Wang Yan's loyalty from the past still seemed vivid before his eyes. He had tested him for over a year: allowing people to seize Wang Yan's family businesses, suppress the civil and military officials following Wang Yan, undermine Wang Yan's prestige, and dismantle Wang Yan's power base.

Through all these actions, Wang Yan never reacted, accepting everything. Thus, Yang Guang believed Wang Yan remained loyal to him and grew even bolder in his suppression.

So now, more than a year later, although Wang Yan's power base had been dismantled, Wang Yan's very existence remained an insurmountable mountain, and no one dared disobey his words. Therefore, he decided to kill Wang Yan.

He believed Wang Yan was loyal; since he was loyal, if Yang Guang wanted to kill him, Wang Yan should simply bind his hands and await death.

Now the result proved he was wrong; Wang Yan was unwilling to die.

How could he be unwilling to die?

Wang Yan took one look and knew exactly what Yang Guang was thinking; this was the arrogance of a ruler—they all accepted this logic.

When dealing with you, you must endure. When killing you, you cannot resist.

What kind of fucking bullshit logic is this!

"Your Majesty, I know it will be hard for you to adapt immediately, but you must try to adapt. Rest assured, your livelihood will still be guaranteed; though it won't be as extravagant as now, eating, drinking, and sleeping with women will not be a problem."

Yang Guang sneered: "Wang Yan, do you really think you can smoothly ascend the throne? Do not forget the Guanlong region and the South; if they rise up, let's see what you will do."

"Has Your Majesty forgotten that it was I who exterminated the great clans of the Central Plains? Although the great clans of Guanlong and the South have gained strength in recent years, so what? With the great army in hand, I need only kill. Even if I do not take the throne, and the world plunges back into chaos with heroes vying for power, I will still exterminate all the powerful families. No one shall think themselves superior or ride on the heads of others."

"Heh, is that possible? In this world, some are destined to eat meat, and some are destined to eat shit."

Heluo Bi, sitting nearby, spoke up. The old fellow was quite aged but was indeed a veteran general, spirited and vigorous. Having passed the initial panic and realizing he would likely not survive, he spoke without any reservations.

Wang Yan glanced at him: "Then I will make those who eat meat eat shit, and those who eat shit eat meat. I want to see whether there are more who eat meat or more who eat shit. Old He, have you forgotten? Your father was exactly the 'shit-eater' you speak of, yet now is he not eating meat too?"

"Impossible, Wang Yan; there is a limited amount of meat."

"This is where you lack ambition, damn it. I have opened up so many continents, yet one by one, you still stare fixedly at this tiny patch of land before your eyes, still fiercely scraping the common people, forcing them to sell their sons and daughters into slavery, showing not a shred of ambition, yet each of you claims to be noble."

Wang Yan cursed once, then looked at Yang Guang: "You all stay here; do not try any little tricks. I have no time to deal with you these few days; wait until I have finished purging Luoyang and Daxing, then we shall see. Let us see whether Guanlong or the South has the guts to rebel against me."

Having said this, Wang Yan turned and walked out.

By now, a large group of armored soldiers had gathered outside. Seeing Wang Yan emerge, Cheng Yaojin laughed and hurried over: "Your Majesty, Old Cheng has arrived. All city gates have been secured; Old Shi is outside coordinating the garrison troops; he has probably already started killing by now."

During the past period, Cheng Yaojin and the others had been recalled to the capital, urging Wang Yan to rebel whenever they could, and they all took orders from Xiao Mei.

For a long time, they had believed Wang Yan's mind had snapped and that he no longer wanted to rebel, so they tightly knit various networks of connections around Wang Yan, intending to force a yellow robe upon him and make him Emperor.

Yang Guang wanting to kill him was partly due to this. After all, with so many people involved in the conspiracy, despite their secrecy, much rumor had inevitably leaked out.

Of course, Yang Guang had originally intended to kill him anyway; it was just that with these rumors, he wanted to kill him even more...

Wang Yan smiled, pulled a memorial from his robe, and said: "Here is a list of court ministers; you brothers, according to the names on this list, arrest them one by one for me."

"Got it, Your Majesty; don't forget Old Cheng's contribution later."

"You won't be shortchanged; hurry up now."

Wang Yan waved his hand in disgust.

Among this band of bandits, Wang Yan still preferred Cheng Yaojin; he was a master of playing the fool, pretending every day to have no scheming mind. Yet he handled matters reliably, never arguing reasons; if told to do something, he simply did it.

The others were far inferior; for instance, Xu Shiji, whose eyes would roll once and an idea would form, had too many schemes in his heart.

However, generally speaking, they were all usable talents.

That night, Luoyang ran with rivers of blood...

?? Daily thanks to the good brothers who generously donate, cast monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and silently read the book for their strong support!

? (End of Chapter)