Chapter 640: Yuwen Yong Is Truly Far More Formidable Than That Yuwen Yan Fellow!

Immediately after, the ministers in the hall echoed one after another, their rising and falling voices resonating through the Tai Ji Hall: "Your Majesty is wise!"

The wave of voices rose and fell, shaking the hall beams as if they were humming, instantly revitalizing the stalemate.

In the rear of the hall, a few lower‑rank officials in blue robes wore earnest expressions; one of them, gazing at the backs of Yuwen Hu and Yuwen Heng, let out a soft sigh and murmured, "With the Grand Preceptor and Grand Tutor stationed in the court, Great Zhou's national strength will surely grow, and the people can live in peace, spared from the scourge of war!"

The other blue‑robed official beside him quickly nodded in agreement, eyes full of expectation: "Exactly! We should now amass national strength, hone our troops, soothe the populace, and wait until the treasury is full and the army strong, when the time is ripe…"

Then we can dispatch the army eastward, subdue the Qi State, bring Jiangnan under control, and fulfill the late Taizu Emperor's wish to unify the world!

Their words were sincere, prompting several nearby officials to nod repeatedly in agreement.

But Chen Yan, standing on the steps, wore a completely frozen expression; the echoing voices sounded like noise to him, his jaw clenched as he muttered furiously in his mind, "Damn!"

Immediately, astonished, he could hardly believe it: "That kid Yuwen Yong actually held back this easy opportunity?!"

"And he pretends to be so sincere, claiming to have all the right arguments?!"

Having achieved his test and being extremely pleased with Yuwen Yong's response, Yuwen Hu finally rose slowly, feigning a reluctant expression, and bowed before the Dragon Throne, proclaiming loudly, "Enough! Since Your Majesty has spoken to this extent, how can this old minister continue to refuse and chill the hearts of Your Majesty and the ministers?"

Then, picking up Yuwen Yong's thread, his tone suddenly became righteous, each word resonant, full of loyalty: "Then I must use this frail body to shoulder the heavy responsibility, protect Great Zhou's realm, and assist Your Majesty in stabilizing the four corners!"

When his words fell, any trace of previous fatigue vanished from his face; his eyes shone brightly, and his spirit was remarkably vigorous.

Clad in a python robe, his authority as a power‑broker was even more evident.

Yuwen Heng also dropped the pretense of illness and age, straightening his towering frame, his bearing lofty and his Qi abundant, he loudly echoed, "This old minister is willing to follow the Grand Preceptor, to steady Great Zhou's realm, to help Your Majesty realize grand plans, to serve to the end, and die only after my duty is fulfilled!"

The voice rang like a bell, showing no sign of old wounds or fatigue, clearly that of a stalwart pillar of the court still full of vigor.

Chen Yan, seeing this, curled the corner of his mouth, a trace of resentment and cold sharpness flashing in his eyes, yet he could only suppress his thoughts, bowing with the other ministers, his deep voice joining the rising and falling chorus: "We also are willing to follow the Grand Preceptor, to serve Great Zhou's realm, to devote ourselves to Your Majesty until death!"

The entire court, civil and military, bowed and shouted in unison, their voices shaking the hall.

The previously tense power struggle finally drew to a close in this seemingly harmonious ruler‑minister, court‑public unity.

Feigning emotion, Yuwen Yong hurried down the red steps, grasped Yuwen Hu's hand tightly, his palm slightly damp from the earlier tension; his gaze swept over the bowed ministers below, and in an overtly earnest tone he said, "Then I ask the Grand Preceptor to take care, I ask all of you to unite in assistance, to jointly protect Great Zhou's mountains and rivers!"

He pressed his fingertips gently, as if to perfect this ruler‑minister posture, yet a barely perceptible alienation lingered in his eyes.

He only pushed the outward humility and respect to the extreme at this moment.

From the steps, Chen Yan took in the whole scene, his mouth twitched imperceptibly, and he couldn't help but internally scoff, "What a grandiose speech, truly like a benevolent ruler who leans on his old ministers!"

Then, exhaling a slow breath of stale air, he thought inwardly, "Yuwen Yong is indeed far more formidable than that Yuwen Yan fellow!"

"This patience and composure are beyond what an ordinary youthful emperor could possess…"

Though a hint of disappointment flickered in his mind, he did not dwell on it.

After all, Chen had prepared a contingency.

The alchemical pill's properties never betray a scheme; it's only a matter of waiting a bit longer!

He released Yuwen Hu's hand, turned toward the Dragon Throne, and as he faced away from the ministers, his shoulders relaxed slightly and he let out a silent sigh: "Phew!"

The recent celestial battle on the Dragon Throne, cold sweat still vivid in his mind, he muttered, "That was close!"

Then he gritted his teeth and muttered, "Those two bastards, Yuwen Hu and Yuwen Heng, were truly testing me!"

"They were emulating the way Huo Guang tested Emperor Xuan of Han; a slight misstep would end like Liu He—death and a ruined name!"

At that moment Yuwen Yong felt immensely fortunate; he had long read histories and was well aware of the perils of power‑brokers assisting the throne…

Even more grateful that he had just suppressed his desire to seize direct rule, resisting the temptation of unilateral authority, narrowly escaping that fatal calamity!

From now on he must further restrain his edge, continue to conceal his brilliance, and bide his time.

Yuwen Hu let him keep his hand, smiling and nodding, yet his eyes held no warmth.

When Yuwen Yong turned away, he slowly withdrew his hand, sat back on the Dragon Throne, his posture still upright, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, plotting in secret.

Yuwen Heng bowed toward the red steps, then raised his head and returned to the front of the formation, his four‑claw python robe enhancing his imposing bearing.

The earlier feigned frailty had vanished; sitting and standing with Yuwen Hu, he subtly controlled the hall's situation.

Settling back onto the Dragon Throne, Yuwen Yong's fingertips quietly pressed against the hidden pattern on the armrest, calming his thoughts; his gaze inadvertently swept to Yuwen Hu beside him, his jaw clenched, and he resolved inwardly, "Emperor Xuan of Han was restrained by Huo Guang, endured years of patience, then reclaimed power and ushered in the Zhaoxuan era; if he could achieve that, I, even now in a dire situation, can as well!"

"One day, I will completely break these shackles that bind the power‑brokers, and place Great Zhou's authority firmly in my own hands!"

The hall's silence lasted only a moment; seated in the Grand Preceptor's seat, Yuwen Hu rotated his thumb on the smooth Jade Ring, the jade surface emitting a faint sound, then looked up at Yuwen Yong on the Dragon Throne and said steadily, "Your Majesty, the two rebels of old caused chaos and framed the loyal, leading to the unjust exile of the virtuous ministers Qin Zhao and Lu Que; Qin Zhao was demoted to guard Xiazhou, and Lu Que was transferred far to Lingzhou!"

"After being appointed as Inspectors, they bore no resentment at all…"

"On the contrary, they worked tirelessly day and night, devoted themselves to governing; Xiazhou's harvest flourished, Lingzhou's border troubles eased—these were all their achievements, their record outstanding, evident to the world!"

These words caused every minister in the hall to stir in their hearts.

Everyone knew that Qin Zhao and Lu Que were the Grand Preceptor's close protégés, and their demotion had originally been a result of court power‑balancing.

Now Yuwen Hu's revival of the old matter made his intent unmistakably clear.

Hearing this, Yuwen Yong sneered inwardly, muttering, "What a clever retreat‑to‑advance move!"

"Just now I pretended to return power to test my thoughts; now that I see my patience, I will immediately start placing my own men, using the pretense of rehabilitation to bring all my people back into the court, further tightening my grip on the core of the throne!"

Yet his face showed no hint of dissent; instead, he displayed complete agreement, nodding and loudly echoing, "The Grand Preceptor's words are absolutely correct!"

He paused briefly, then continued, "Minister Qin and Minister Lu were unjustly demoted; I have long felt remorse. Their outstanding achievements now clearly show their loyalty to the throne…"

"They should indeed be rehabilitated, recalled to the court and given important posts, making full use of their talent and soothing the hearts of loyal ministers throughout the realm."

His tone was candid, as if he had not at all perceived Yuwen Hu's scheming, only caring to vindicate the virtuous ministers, portraying the emperor's discernment of right and wrong vividly.

Seeing this, Yuwen Hu's eyes flashed with satisfaction; he rose, bowed before the Dragon Throne, and led the chant, "Your Majesty is wise!"

With him leading, regardless of their inner thoughts, the ministers all bowed and echoed, the wave of voices again resonating through the Tai Ji Hall: "Your Majesty is wise!"

The recall of Qin Zhao and Lu Que was thus settled amid these calls of wisdom; no one dared to object.

Yuwen Yong sat on the Dragon Throne, listening to the hall's echoing assent, his fingertips silently clenched inside his sleeve, his knuckles turning white.

He knew well that recalling Qin Zhao and Lu Que would further strengthen Yuwen Hu's influence at court.

His own path of concealment now faced an additional obstacle.

He could only endure, watch everything unfold, and continue to play the role of a youthful emperor reliant on power‑brokers.

From the steps, Chen Yan took in the whole scene, a faint, barely perceptible smile curling his mouth, and he sighed lightly, "Finally it's done; the promise I made to the two brothers Qin and Lu has at last been fulfilled!"

Grand Preceptor father, this time, being able to raise this matter before the assembly is exactly the admonition Chen gave not long ago.

Immediately, his eyebrows lifted slightly as he murmured thoughtfully, "I just don't know who Grand Preceptor father will choose to go to Xiazhou or Lingzhou to take over…."

Yuwen Ze, standing beside Chen Yan, unconsciously rubbed the pad of his finger, his gaze falling on the inner attendant waiting on the steps, and thought inwardly, "When the two lords Qin Lu return to Chang'an, Father's power will become even more solid…."

Yuwen Yong, seated on the Dragon Throne, listening to the hall's unanimous cries of wisdom, sighed quietly in his heart, full of melancholy and helplessness, muttering to himself, "If only Dugu Zhao and Zhao Qian were still alive!"

Then, helplessly lamenting, "With them present, I could leverage balance, strike and counter; why would I need to endure such step‑by‑step restraint and swallow my grievances?"

I can only blame that fool Yuwen Yan for playing a good hand so badly, causing me now to have to endure, using time to exchange for space……

Day by day, to endure slowly!

With the court's agenda set, the remaining affairs were routine reports; Yuwen Yong, following Yuwen Hu's instructions, presented them one by one, showing no imperial opinion, appearing entirely to rely on the senior ministers.

Soon, the inner attendants loudly announced the dispersal of the court; all civil and military officials bowed in order and exited the Tai Chi Hall in an orderly fashion.

Outside the gilded palace gate, the sun blazed, its rays scattering on the palace walls, giving off a cold sheen.

The ministers walked in small groups, some whispering about state affairs, others chatting about daily life.

Only Yuwen Ze looked around, seeing only his own household retainers and no others, then hurried to catch up with Chen Yan ahead, lowered his posture and leaned forward, his brows heavy with an inextricable worry, and whispered urgently, "A Xiong, you must find a chance to persuade Father!"

"Today's court session I saw clearly: Your Majesty is no pond‑dweller; that restrained demeanor is all a façade, must never be taken lightly, and must not be despised even a bit; the military and political power must not be relinquished even a fraction!"

"We must guard and be cautious!"

Chen Yan's steps faltered slightly, he turned his head and gave a meaning‑laden glance, a faint smile flickering in his eyes, and thought inwardly, "You fool, you can see it—can Grand Preceptor father see it?"

His face showed nothing, he merely blinked, and in a tone that invited speculation said lightly, "A Ze, you're overthinking; Grand Preceptor is wholly devoted to Great Zhou, all his actions are to cultivate Your Majesty, to teach the throne to understand state affairs and sit steadily on the Dragon Throne; could there be any hint of overstepping or transgression?"

"This …"

Yuwen Ze was startled by the words, opened his mouth to speak but abruptly halted; after a moment of daze he suddenly understood, his cheeks flushing slightly, he quickly bowed his head and said, "I, the younger brother, misspoke!"

At that moment, he realized his own inability to keep his composure…

How could such a matter be spoken aloud and become a weapon against others?

Moreover, with a father and elder brother so shrewd, how could they fail to strike?

Chen Yan, watching Yuwen Ze's embarrassed self‑reflection, gave a calm smile, then, taking advantage of the blazing sun, turned his gaze back toward the massive, multi‑eaved, grand imperial palace behind him.

The glazed tiles glittered in the sunlight, yet a flash of cold, bone‑piercing murderous intent flickered in his eyes, swift as an illusion, instantly replaced by indifference.

That murderous intent harbored covetousness for supreme authority, a yearning to slay the dragon, waiting for the elixir to take effect, then to cast a net and eliminate hidden threats…