Chapter 720: Blood and Flesh Letter of Allegiance, a Linked Fixed Arrangement

The flickering candlelight cast Yuwen Hu's tall, upright figure onto the carved wall, like a shadow demon god who controls the lives and deaths of all beings.

He looked down from his lofty height at Yu Jie, still kneeling on the ground, drenched in cold sweat, his tone unusually calm, even with a casualness like chatting at home.

Yuwen Hu slowly paced back to the desk, sat down, his hands crossed and propped under his chin, and said, "Old pillar of the state, have you perhaps forgotten that A Yan's newly born, delicate and flawless eldest son Ji'an is, at this very moment, sleeping peacefully in the Ya Ge of my palace?"

"Have you forgotten that A Yan's legitimate wife, the eldest daughter Pei Suiwan of the He Dong Pei Clan, every dusk, regardless of wind, frost, rain or snow, steadfastly holds the child and comes to my palace to pay respects and offer tea?"

Boom!

These seemingly casual words struck Yu Jie's Heavenly Spirit Cover like a heavy club, crushing it with thunderous force.

Yu Jie's whole body jolted; the murky old eyes flashed with an utterly incredulous light, his lips trembling violently, unable to utter a single word for a long moment.

Yes! A hostage!

It was then that Yu Jie suddenly realized.

This is not any act of filial piety at all.

This is clearly Chen Zhuguo himself pulling off his own most lethal reverse scale, and then handing it over to the Grand Preceptor without hesitation!

For a man, especially a talented prodigy like Chen Yan, who is vengeful and deeply sentimental, his wife and children are his only soft spots.

Chen Yan, in this near‑final, even pathological manner, presented the Grand Preceptor with a Letter of Allegiance written in flesh and blood.

This both shows Chen Yan to Yuwen Hu that, no matter how far I, Chen Yan, go, no matter how much power I hold, as long as my wife and children are in your hands, I will never be unfaithful in this life!

At the same time, it is the sharpest, most secure leash the Grand Preceptor has fastened around Chen Yan's neck!

Between sovereign and minister, using the lives of one's closest kin to forge such terrifying yet solid mutual trust is a tacit understanding that surpasses ordinary political marriage and oaths.

"So that's how it is… so that's how it is…" Yu Jie let out a long, complicated sigh.

He clasped his fists, bowed his head deeply, and his voice no longer contained any resistance, only pure reverence: "Grand Preceptor, your foresight and strategic brilliance have calculated the hearts of men to the utmost! I, this old man, am a ten‑thousandth of your wisdom! Chen Zhuguo has taken command of Xiazhou, holding the Northern Border's hegemony; I… have no further objections!"

With that, the matter of Chen Yan taking command of Xiazhou and bearing three great privileges was settled once and for all in the study of the Jin Wang Fu.

A storm poised to sweep across the entire Northwest has been fully launched under the Grand Preceptor's directive.

"Since the Xiazhou matter is settled, let us discuss the next issue," Yuwen Hu nodded slightly.

Seeing the atmosphere ease, Imperial Corrector of Heavenly Officials Office Shang Ting straightened his back at once and raised another highly sensitive issue that must be resolved immediately.

"Grand Preceptor, Chen Zhuguo's appointment to Xiazhou and becoming the overseer of the Seven Prefectures is now a fait accompli. But that also means the position of 'Jingzhao Yin' he formerly held is now completely vacant," Shang Ting's brows furrowed slightly, his tone heavy.

Hearing the words "Jingzhao Yin", Yuwen Heng and Yu Jie's expressions instantly grew serious again.

The Jingzhao Yin is, under the Son of Heaven, the absolute lifeline that controls the finances, security, and taxes of the entire Chang'an city and its surrounding capital regions.

It is a truly super‑fat position.

"Shang Zhuguo is absolutely right," Yu Jie probed cautiously, "May I ask what the Grand Preceptor thinks about the candidate to succeed as Jingzhao Yin?"

Yuwen Hu seemed to have anticipated this move; unhurried, he lifted the slightly cooled tea, took a sip, and a hint of disdain flashed in his deep eyes.

Yuwen Hu said calmly, "The Jingzhao Yin position will be taken over by Qin Zhao!"

Qin Zhao!

Hearing the name, Yuwen Heng, Shang Ting, and Yu Jie exchanged glances, each seeing a knowing approving smile in the other's eyes.

This is truly a ruthlessly brilliant move!

Qin Zhao, with deep seniority in the court, is not only steadfast, hard‑handed, and highly capable administratively, but crucially he is an unabashed confidant whose loyalty to Grand Preceptor Yuwen Hu borders on foolish devotion.

With such a person succeeding Chen Yan at the Chang'an stronghold, even the most audacious hostile forces would not dare to clash head‑on on this iron foundation.

Outside, Chen Yan roams the Northern Border like a wolf and tiger, expanding territories and consolidating the Seven Prefectures.

Inside, Qin Zhao, that ferocious old dog, clutches tightly onto Chang'an's internal political lifeline.

The Grand Preceptor's faction's power map, both inside and outside the court, was instantly stitched together flawlessly, as unshakable as fire searing oil.

Having resolved the appointments for Xiazhou and Chang'an, the matters in the study seemed complete.

But at that moment, Grand Marshal Yuwen Heng, who had been studying the fengshui map, suddenly pointed his finger at another crucial point on the map.

"Brother, the Xiazhou prefect is settled, but what of the prefect of Lingzhou, which borders Xiazhou?" Yuwen Heng's gaze carried a hint of concern, "Lingzhou is a key Northern Border stronghold, crucial for checking and coordinating with Xiazhou. Old General Wei Shaokuan is indeed brave and battle‑proven, but he is advanced in age and lacks vigor. Moreover, Lingzhou and Xiazhou are opposite corners; the two prefects must share a close, brother‑in‑arms rapport."

Yuwen Heng's words were not fully explicit, yet everyone present understood.

If the Court sent an official with ulterior motives or from another faction to Lingzhou, not only would he fail to aid Chen Yan, but would also stab him in the back for power grabs, causing that defensive line to collapse as well.

The Lingzhou prefect candidate must be able to hold the line yet absolutely unwilling and unable to clash with Chen Yan.

The atmosphere in the study grew subtle again. Such a stringent candidate is as rare as a phoenix feather among all civil and military officials.

Yuwen Hu rose slowly, hands clasped behind him, his gaze lingering toward the deep night outside the window. The cool late‑autumn wind slipped through the lattice, stirring his ink‑black cloak.

After a long pause, he turned, casting a profoundly meaningful, emperor‑like gaze over the three present, and slowly dropped the night's final—and most earth‑shaking—bombshell.

"What do you think… appointing A Ze to be the Lingzhou prefect, how about that?"