Chapter 1568: What Sages Cannot Do, Mortals Cannot Do Either

"Given my official position and Chen Chen Guanfu's identity, it wouldn't be proper for us to meet privately."

Xie Changling didn't hide it either, coming straight out with it.

He did indeed want to chat with Chen Chen Guanfu in private, but circumstances wouldn't allow it. So he simply found a middleman to pass the message. No one was more suited to act as middleman than Chen Chen Guanlou.

First, his mouth is tight — no need to worry about him spilling. Second, he's a martial artist with profound cultivation — no need to worry about him being threatened. Third, he has no interest in an official career, always standing as an outsider — this point is especially important.

"After all that talk, it's still about military power!"

Chen Chen Guanlou snorted. "Don't count on me for this one. I don't have that kind of ability."

"I'm not counting on you. I just want you to help pass along a message."

"You talk, I'll listen!"

"If the current situation keeps developing, there are only two possibilities. The Emperor remains a puppet for life — but that's probably unlikely. The second possibility: five or ten years from now, the Emperor gradually seizes power, and by then no one will get off easy. Whether it's me, the Hou Fu, or even the realm — the Jiangshan of Daqian — none of it will end well. What kind of talent the Emperor is, how much he can accomplish, how much damage he can do — I know better than anyone. I am willing to cooperate with the Hou Fu."

Xie Changling stated his position solemnly, without a trace of falsehood or concealment.

Chen Chen Guanlou looked slightly surprised. "You think so poorly of the Emperor?"

Xie Changling laughed coldly, his eyes devoid of any emotion, no personal grudge, speaking as objectively as he could: "The late Emperor's many sons were all of mediocre talent, each with character flaws. The old Song family's bad habits — suspicious, petty, willful... Given Emperor Yuan Ding's temperament, there's only so much he can achieve, but plenty he can ruin. His character doomed him to find it hard to see anything through to the end; changing course midstream was inevitable.

The late Emperor had the same flaw. His one advantage was spending decades as Crown Prince, which let him overcome part of his character defects — he knew what to do. Emperor Yuan Ding was never Crown Prince, never even received proper imperial education — a half-baked level. Governing a country, the worst thing is a half-filled bucket sloshing about, pretending to understand while refusing to listen. So-called ruler-minister discord, at the root, comes down to me being unable to teach him well. I want to teach, but he won't learn. Put another way — he doesn't value my teaching, because he doesn't trust me."

"Should he trust you?" Chen Chen Guanlou countered.

A cold glint flashed in Xie Changling's eyes. With an expressionless face, he said: "If Emperor Yuan Ding trusted me, we wouldn't be sitting here drinking together today, and I wouldn't have chosen to cooperate with the Hou Fu."

"Your conduct — if I were the Emperor, I wouldn't trust you either." Chen Chen Guanlou teased. "Prime Minister Xie, you're too domineering. Show the Emperor some courtesy at least. Don't lecture him all day like you're scolding a grandson. He's not a child — he has his own dignity and temperament, his own opinions and stance."

"Independent character? Heh..." Xie Changling seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world. "The moment he ascended the throne, all he could think about was killing people for revenge, purging dissenters, ignoring the bigger picture — and you call that having opinions and stance? As Emperor, lacking any awareness of responsibility for the realm, the state, and the welfare of the people, caring only for personal gratification — you call that independent character? How is that any different from a three-year-old? Only a three-year-old acts purely on personal likes and dislikes, throwing tantrums."

Those words really sting!

Chen Chen Guanlou felt he'd been caught in the crossfire. Xie Changling's remarks had too wide a blast radius.

He reflected on his two lifetimes — forget three, even at seven or eight he was the same: acting purely on personal likes and dislikes, throwing tantrums, not caring whether others lived or died. As a child he wasn't an obedient, well-behaved kid — quite the opposite, the kind of difficult child parents complained about, strange-tempered, disliked by everyone.

It was only after growing up that his temper improved. Better, in fact, than people who'd been the "good child" in parents' mouths all along — much better at communication. Just that his mouth had no gate, occasionally quite sharp-tongued. This lifetime was even worse than the last — sharper still. Because in this lifetime, he had no weakness!

He grimaced, trying to offer some persuasion: "Everyone's path of growth is different. You're brilliant, exceptionally gifted — you were sensible at three. Emperor Yuan Ding, as you said, is of mediocre talent. He might need a few more years before he understands these things."

Xie Changling's smile was half-smile, half-smirk. "The world doesn't wait for anyone! If he were merely a prince, even at sixty being clueless, no one would mind. But he's the Emperor — he can't be so willful and refuse to listen."

"You say it as if the late Emperor was very sensible and obedient. Seems like Daqian emperors have hardly any who were sensible and obedient. Every one of them was willful, loved to cause trouble."

Emperor Emperor Taixing, Emperor Jian Shi, Emperor Yuan Ding — three generations, grandfather to grandson, the same bloodline.

Xie Changling rubbed his brow. "You're right — it's all the Song family's stinking habits. So I've been very patient, teaching the Emperor. Yet he refuses to learn, refuses to accept my guidance."

Chen Chen Guanlou silently rolled his eyes.

Encounter a teacher you hate, and not even a ghost could learn anything.

"Chen the Prison Overseer — why do you keep speaking up for Emperor Yuan Ding?"

"I'm not speaking for anyone. I'm just analyzing from an objective standpoint."

"Don't you want me to cooperate with the Hou Fu?"

Chen Chen Guanlou stared at him, expression solemn. "Let me ask you one question, and I hope you'll answer honestly. You chose to cooperate with the Hou Fu — was it for the Jiangshan of Daqian, or for yourself, for the Xie clan?"

"All of them!" Xie Changling was very candid. "I want everything — is that not allowed?"

"Which weighs more? More selfish, or more public-spirited?"

"Fifty-fifty!"

"You're lying!" Chen Chen Guanlou snorted. "No one can keep a bowl perfectly level — even sages can't do it, let alone mortals. You're quite the hypocrite. But since you chose to cooperate with the Hou Fu, I'm glad to see it happen. I've long found the Emperor an eyesore. How do you want to cooperate, and how should I convey your meaning?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Changling bluntly laid out his proposal: "Tell Marquis Pingjiang to stop dragging his feet. Finish up the northwest as soon as possible — crush Xiliang in one stroke and end the war completely. Minor harassment is allowed, but no large-scale uprisings. The rebel Guo Guo Dachun he's been sheltering must also be dealt with once and for all."

"On what grounds? What are you offering in exchange?" Chen Chen Guanlou demanded.

Xie Changling was well prepared. He said softly: "I've reserved a seat in the Zhengshitang for the Hou Fu. If Marquis Pingjiang is old and finds it inconvenient, Chen Chen Guanfu can be arranged to enter the Zhengshitang. Well? This condition shows some sincerity, wouldn't you say?"

Chen Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow and laughed mockingly. "A mere seat in the Zhengshitang, and you want to trade for the military authority of the northwestern army, the authority of the border army. Prime Minister Xie, you dream beautifully!"

"The conditions the late Emperor previously promised still stand. The overseas island — the Hou Fu manages it, immigration continues. I can even make a commitment: the court will subsidize one million taels to help the Hou Fu develop overseas. How about it?"

"Anything else?" Chen Chen Guanlou pressed on.