Chapter 1616: and then the title translation, then ===GLOSSARY=== with list of JSON objects for each named entity appearing in these l

Weichi Chong said in a low voice: "Filial piety comes first among all virtues; this old official's return from Bei Jiang this time is mainly for the Grand Empress Dowager's funeral, and the original intention of his resignation was also to keep watch over her tomb, but since the Emperor said the Bei Jiang military situation is urgent, this old official can only abandon filial duty at her tomb and hastily return to Bei Jiang." Weichi Chong's mind is already made up; whether it's Xue Lingjun or Xue Daoming, he will try not to easily offend them, nor will he readily help them.

Xue Daoming's face showed not a trace of a smile, and he said coldly: 'Grand Marshal, did you come to Yongdu this time merely to fulfill filial duty?'

Weichi Chong said: 'The Grand Empress Dowager's kindness to me is En ru shan; though I traveled day and night, I ultimately arrived a step late, failing to see her last visage, truly I am ashamed before her venerable self.'

Xue Daoming said: 'In consideration of your filial devotion, I specially permit you to guard before the Grand Empress Dowager's tomb.'

Weichi Chong's heart suddenly jumped; could Xue Daoming be preparing to approve my request to resign? Logically, that shouldn't be the case—the Black Hu merely halted their invasion of Bei Jiang, they won't cease fighting just like that, and it's not yet the time when the birds are gone and the bows are stored; is Xue Daoming angered by my attitude, or is he deliberately echoing my words to provoke Xue Lingjun's side? However, Xue Daoming didn't make his meaning clear—he neither said he would approve my resignation request nor specified how long I should guard the Grand Empress Dowager's tomb.

He didn't speak; Weichi Chong naturally didn't dare to ask further, respectfully kowtowing and saying: 'Thank you for your great grace, Your Majesty!'

Xue Daoming also didn't say much, flicking his sleeve and saying: 'You may withdraw now.'

Weichi Chong's receiving permission to go guard filial piety before Empress Dowager Jiang's tomb quickly spread throughout court and countryside, and what surprised Xue Daoming was that the first person to come inquire about this matter was actually his maternal uncle, Minister of Personnel Dong Bingtai. Since the late Empress Dowager's funeral, Dong Bingtai has feigned illness and stayed at home to rest; everyone saw he was looking for an excuse to distance himself from the emperor's relationship, lest Li Chenzhou misinterpret their ties and retaliate. In fact, after Li Chenzhou and Princess Xue Lingjun joined forces to control Da Yong's power, most officials did the same. Yet Xue Daoming felt most chilled by his uncle's conduct, for the Dong family's present status owed entirely to the late Empress Dowager's favor; over the years she had painstakingly labored in the palace to please the late emperor, merely hoping to secure the Da Yong throne for herself and to ensure the Dong family's position in Da Yong would be stable generation after generation, enjoying wealth and honor. While the late Empress Dowager was alive, the Dong family enjoyed all the benefits she brought them; but after her death, they refused to share the boat with him, to weather the storm together—this made Xue Daoming feel anguished as well.

Although he had already grown resentful toward Dong Bingtai in his heart, Xue Daoming still received him in the inner palace, choosing to meet his uncle in his private chambers—first because the setting is relatively secluded, second to show his favor toward this uncle; even though Dong Bingtai refuses to devote himself wholeheartedly to him, Xue Daoming's attitude remains unchanged.

After completing his salutations, Dong Bingtai got straight to the point: 'I have heard that the Emperor ordered Weichi Chong to go guard the Grand Empress Dowager's tomb; I wonder if this is true?'

Xue Daoming nodded and said: 'Indeed, it is true; Weichi Chong has come all the way from Bei Jiang solely to fulfill filial duty before the Grand Empress Dowager. Unfortunately, he was delayed en route and never got to see her last visage, so he petitioned me to guard her tomb for three years to fulfill his filial heart. I, considering his sincere effort, and given that he was originally the Grand Empress Dowager's adopted son—guarding her tomb is therefore appropriate—have agreed to grant him this opportunity.'

Upon hearing this, Dong Bingtai could not help but become agitated; he clasped his hands and remonstrated: 'Your Majesty, this is absolutely impermissible!'

'Why not? Do you think Weichi Chong's status makes him unsuitable to guard the tomb?'

Dong Bingtai wore a bitter expression and said: 'Your Majesty, Bei Jiang cannot do without Weichi Chong—not even for three years, let alone three months; although Bei Jiang's warfare has entered winter respite, that is only temporary, once the ice and snow melt the Black Hu cavalry will surely return in force, and moreover Yonglan Pass has already fallen into their hands, giving them the advantage of holding the pass; even during the winter lull they never cease transferring troops domestically, awaiting the spring battle. For Your Majesty to now grant Weichi Chong permission to guard the tomb is tantamount to abolishing one's martial prowess—this is absolutely impermissible.'

Xue Daoming coldly regarded Dong Bingtai and said: 'Uncle, your remark is mistaken; what does abolishing one's martial prowess mean? Do I, Da Yong, have no one else usable besides Weichi Chong?'

Dong Bingtai said: 'Your Majesty, I do not mean that; it is merely that Grand Marshal Weichi Chong has fought the Black Hu for many years, accumulating countless battlefield experiences, and he enjoys high prestige among the Bei Jiang troops—replacing the commander before the war ends is not a wise move.'

Xue Daoming suddenly fixed his gaze on Dong Bingtai, his eyes dark and cold, making Dong Bingtai's heart involuntarily tremble; in his memory, this nephew had never looked at him with such eyes. Dong Bingtai, having served as an official for many years, and given the special relationship between the Dong family and the imperial house, was well aware of affairs both inside and outside the court; this palace coup was certainly not as simple as a few deaths on the surface, for although Da Yong's imperial authority appeared to remain in the hands of the Xue family, behind the scenes it had already been controlled by Li Chenzhou, and Xue Daoming's anxiety and reluctance had long been evident to him. As Xue Daoming's maternal uncle by blood, how could he not feel distressed for his nephew's plight, yet the reality is cruel: Li Chenzhou and Xue Lingjun have joined forces strongly, and at present no one in Da Yong can stand against the two of them.

Xue Daoming squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth: 'Am I not wise enough?'

Dong Bingtai secretly sighed at the difficulty of gauging imperial authority; that remark just now was inadequately considered, and he inadvertently offended the emperor who had only recently ascended the throne. He plunged to his knees with a thud, his voice trembling: 'Your Majesty, even if I had the greatest courage, I would not dare to blame you; I have spoken rashly and disrespectfully, I beg Your Majesty to punish me.'

Xue Daoming gave a hollow cold laugh and said: 'Why need you fear? You are my maternal uncle by blood; even if you have made some misstatement, I, considering the late Empress Dowager's sake, will not truly punish you for your crime.'

Dong Bingtai felt his heart leap with alarm; Xue Daoming's obvious displeasure toward him made beads of cold sweat break out across his forehead in an instant.

Xue Daoming looked down on Dong Bingtai, deliberately letting him kneel for a while before lightly saying: 'Get up; what reason is there for a maternal uncle to kneel to his nephew?'

Dong Bingtai said: 'Here there is only ruler and subject.'

Xue Daoming, however, sighed and said: 'Ruler and subject? Perhaps in all of Da Yong, only you regard me as a sovereign.' He waved his hand, and the resentment that had built up in his heart over many days finally lessened somewhat.

Only then did Dong Bingtai dare to rise, standing cautiously at his side, not daring to speak recklessly no matter what.

Xue Daoming said: 'Da Yong has many troops and generals; it is not that only Weichi Chong is a commander. He comes under the banner of mourning, yet as Da Yong's Grand Marshal and the Grand Empress Dowager's adopted son, he fails to share my worries; upon seeing me, his first proposal is to resign—this is nothing but making things difficult for me! Does he think I truly have no one usable? Does he think I cannot manage without him?' He paused, then turned to Dong Bingtai and said: 'What's more infuriating is that, upon his return, the very first person he went to see was the Princess!'

Dong Bingtai finally understood why Xue Daoming was so furious; it seems today's anger is not entirely directed at him, and he said softly: 'Your Majesty, please calm your anger; having experienced this upheaval, in fact the civil and military officials at court are mostly panic-stricken, and Weichi Chong is no exception—I see he has no gall to make things difficult for you; his first visit to the Princess likely aims to ascertain the situation in Huangcheng, after all he is the Grand Empress Dowager's adopted son and the Princess's sworn brother, so seeing her first is quite reasonable.'

Xue Daoming said nothing, silently gazing at Dong Bingtai, waiting for his further words.

Dong Bingtai, however, feeling somewhat guilty, glanced around his surroundings.

Xue Daoming said: 'You need not fear; before your arrival I had already sent all the palace servants away, and I trust not a single one of them.'

Dong Bingtai relaxed slightly, lowering his voice: 'Your Majesty, the present situation still requires careful planning before action; one must never act on rash impulse.'

Xue Daoming said: 'Am I to endure? How long must I endure? To watch villains gradually seize Da Yong's realm while I sit idle—should I, like you, swallow my anger and scrape by in this world?'

Dong Bingtai's old face flushed, and he sighed: 'Their plot to seize Da Yong's throne was certainly not accomplished in a day; this matter is far from being as simple as it appears on the surface. What happened that night in Cien Garden was clearly orchestrated by someone behind the scenes, following a prearranged plan to draw everyone into the situation step by step. Although Your Majesty personally witnessed everything that occurred inside Cien Garden, do you know what transpired outside?'

Xue Daoming's eyes lit up; since that night's palace coup, Dong Bingtai had never before laid bare his true feelings in his presence, but now it seems this maternal uncle of his must have some hidden grievance.

Dong Bingtai said: 'Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, know full well what you have in mind; the Dong family has generation after generation basked in imperial favor, and even if we were to lay down our lives for the Emperor, what would there be to regret? Yet the circumstances compel us: if we act before the moment is ripe, we will not only fail to turn the tide but will also startle the enemy and possibly lose everything; my death would be of little consequence, but we must not jeopardize the Emperor's grand ambitions. Your Majesty, you contend not for mere righteousness, but for the realm and ancestral shrines left by the former emperors, you contend for Da Yong's enduring great undertaking; in the face of the larger picture, any private grudge or hatred must be set aside, and to endure humiliation and bear burdens is certainly not to submit passively. Given the present situation, the harder Your Majesty presses, the more likely it is to provoke their vigilance, and even to engender hostility toward Your Majesty.'

Xue Daoming, full of indignation, said: 'What do I have to fear? Even if I were to die, I would not resign myself to being manipulated like a treacherous puppet by Li Chenzhou!'

Dong Bingtai, eyes brimming with hot tears, knelt again before Xue Daoming: 'Your Majesty, have you considered what would happen to Da Yong's realm should you meet with mishap? Who would maintain the century-old foundation painstakingly built by the former emperors?' (~^~)