[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers":3,"chapter-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-10":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Restoring the Mountains and Rivers",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2364279,4623,"Chapter 10: Factional Strife","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-10",10,"\u003Cp>“Master’s teaching is correct; this student was rash.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But now is truly an opportunity—if we submit a memorial urging His Majesty to recall…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Chu Heng could finish, Yue Shufeng immediately cut in:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Silence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To pressure His Majesty is not the conduct of a subject!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Toppling the eunuch faction is inevitable, but the methods must never be so crude.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The defeat in Liaodong must be investigated; right now, the court is busy handling the aftermath and has no capacity for anything else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once the aftermath is mostly settled, that’s when we launch the reckoning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Embezzling rations and siphoning soldier’s pay are commonplace in the military.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Follow this thread, and there’s no shortage of gains to be had!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The young officials are fired up, but the older ones know this teacher and student are putting on a show.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On the surface, they’re targeting the eunuchs; in truth, they want control of the investigation, using it to expand the Censorate’s authority.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for pressuring the Emperor to recall the leading Pure Stream figures—that’s pure farce.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ve gathered here mainly because of shared interests.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Court positions are like one radish per hole—if we bring them back, where do we put them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Especially for those in power: they’ve finally gotten their turn to run things—why invite a bunch of ancestors back to make their lives miserable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Yue, don’t rush. It’s not bad for the young to be passionate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this matter requires careful deliberation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The military’s deep-rooted problems didn’t arise overnight; too many people are entangled. Acting rashly will only make things worse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Opposing this, Minister of Revenue Lü Wenjian said:”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Investigating empty rations is a double-edged sword—it strikes the enemy but can also turn on ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most senior officers of the Divine Engine and Three Thousand Camps died on the battlefield; even those who survived dare not show their faces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to Da Yu’s official norms, unless the crime is unforgivable, death ends the matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Without these men to take the blame, the fire will easily burn back to our own doors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fire losses, embezzlement—these unwritten rules are harmless if unexposed, but once brought to light, they kill off a whole crowd.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether it’s the Ministry of Revenue managing finances, the Ministry of War overseeing troops, or the Ministry of Works supervising weapons, no department escapes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dig deeper, and even the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Justice can be dragged in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Pure Stream faction’s reputation for purity is merely superior manipulation—it doesn’t mean they’re truly clean.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hardly any official in Da Yu can withstand scrutiny. If we launch a major anti-corruption case, half the officials here might be wiped out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister Lü, it’s not us who want to investigate—it’s His Majesty who demands it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone must bear responsibility for the Liaodong defeat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duan Wenhong bears the greatest blame, but he’s already died for the state—the court cannot let a loyal martyr carry the disgrace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Shufeng’s words cast a heavy silence over the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aside from the deceased Liaodong Viceroy, the second most responsible is Emperor Tianyuan, who launched the war.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The current Emperor is no rubber stamp—blaming him directly is suicide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even the fragmented civil bureaucracy lacks the courage to do such a thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Emperor cannot take the blame—so we must find someone who can, to satisfy court and public alike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rather than sit idle as the situation spirals unpredictably, we must strike first and seize control of this case.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The eunuch faction is too powerful—we alone are insufficient. We must ally with the Chu Party, Hui Party, Min Party, and Xiang Party to have any chance of victory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, what’s your decision?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the question was thrown at him, Pang Hengsheng frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To split the Pure Stream, Emperor Tianyuan has done extensive work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Each of us, including myself, rose to power by striking secret deals with the Emperor at critical moments, betraying the Pure Stream faction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The current parity among the Zhe, Chu, Hui, Min, and Xiang Parties is largely intentional on our part.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Pure Stream group is too powerful, holding nearly forty percent of court positions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such a behemoth, if united, would keep the Emperor from sleeping.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Group interests matter, but personal interests matter more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps Emperor Tianyuan cannot crush the Pure Stream group, but he can easily eliminate a few leaders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The earlier Pure Stream elders were too confident—that’s why Emperor Tianyuan seized the chance and sent them home to farm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Back then, the Emperor had just ascended and needed to maintain court balance, so they escaped unscathed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now the situation is different: Emperor Tianyuan, firmly seated, holds more cards than before, and no single faction dominates the court.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we overplay our hand and catch the Emperor’s eye, escaping unharmed will be impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After all, anyone who reaches the rank of Grand Secretary in Da Yu’s bureaucracy has dirt under their seat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But doing nothing is equally impossible—so many juniors are waiting to rise; without clearing some positions, how can anyone advance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The outcry against the eunuchs is fueled by righteous indignation, but personal advancement is equally a driving force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gentlemen, calm down. Toppling the eunuchs is inevitable—now is the best opportunity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the more critical the moment, the more cautious we must be.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Especially in allying with the Chu, Hui, Min, and Xiang Parties—it must be done in secret, so the eunuch faction remains unaware.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For safety’s sake, we must first create a disturbance to draw the enemy’s attention.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reporting rumors and investigating officials is the Censorate’s duty—this fire must be lit from within the Censorate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This matter is too grave. Director Yue, select an official with little stake to submit the memorial. Once public opinion flares, we’ll follow up opportunistically.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deputy Grand Secretary Pang Hengsheng’s decision clearly failed to satisfy everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To the younger generation, this plan is far too conservative.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Similar maneuvers have happened countless times before—always thunder without rain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before the Pure Stream faction could unify its stance, the storm had already passed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The only advantage is that we can hide behind the scenes: if things go well, we ride the wind; if they turn sour, we withdraw immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grand Secretary…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Heng was about to speak when his mentor pulled him back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The rule of political struggle is: juniors charge ahead, elders maneuver from behind. When the elders step forward, the outcome is settled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eunuch Lord, we’ve just received word—the Pure Stream faction is holding secret meetings, plotting against us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the report, Zuo Guang’en nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After such a massive defeat, it would be strange if the Pure Stream group did nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Liaodong defeat will spread quickly; court and public will erupt, demanding accountability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those hypocrites in the Pure Stream faction clearly intend to pin this blame on us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though we’ve carried many black bags for the court, this one we refuse to carry—and I doubt you want it either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His Majesty ordered us to investigate the causes and consequences of the Liaodong defeat. Our secret police have just been dispatched; results won’t come quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s discuss together—how should we respond next?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1181,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","91512579f30ceffe5e87d68d12a80ff6a9f6589d5a9483f1043808bd7188261a","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-11","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-9",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]