[{"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-26":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},2364295,4623,"Chapter 26: Breakthrough","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-26",26,"\u003Cp>Grabbing someone directly from the Censorate, where every yamen soldier and servant was a witness, made secrecy impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news of the Left Censor-in-Chief’s arrest spread through the court officials at lightning speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone with even a shred of political sense knew the eunuch faction had broken convention once again—this was a sign of major trouble ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had just finished telling his uncle about the day’s events when he received word that Xu Wenyue had been imprisoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Left Censor-in-Chief arrested—this court is growing ever more lively. What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuan asked with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Mu first entered the mansion, he had merely thought his nephew had potential and simply wanted to give him a push.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Mu’s abilities continued to emerge, Li Yuan realized this nephew was no ordinary fish, and immediately increased his investment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To cultivate Li Mu’s political acumen, he frequently tested him with court affairs and occasionally imparted official tactics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond connections and background, these invisible court experiences were equally core competencies for aristocratic families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying to figure it all out alone, without ten or even eight years of grinding in the bureaucracy, made it nearly impossible to grasp the underlying patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, Grand Secretary Xu’s sudden arrest is likely tied to the Sacred Tablet case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, the Eastern Depot crushed the scholar petitions with brute force—their absurd ‘pointing at a deer and calling it a horse’ maneuver terrified a crowd of students, yet couldn’t silence public opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, arresting the Left Censor-in-Chief leaves the Censorate leaderless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the Pure Stream faction retaliates later, without the Censorate as their cannon, their attack will lose three-tenths of its force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu analyzed calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly didn’t know how to judge the eunuchs’ actions today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quickly quelling the scholar petitions was undoubtedly correct, but the ‘pointing at a deer and calling it a horse’ stunt was utterly baffling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The originator of that idiom toppled a great empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To imitate it publicly—what would the Emperor think?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he doesn’t act now, he can’t help but suspect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When court officials are suspected, the Emperor must carefully plot to remove them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single misstep, and he’d be vilified in the historical records.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuchs are different—their power comes entirely from the Emperor’s trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once that trust is lost, even the most illustrious position vanishes in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your analysis is sound, but these are merely surface appearances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among all court officials, Xu Wenyue’s abilities rank among the top ten. When he reformed the grain transport system, his performance stunned many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, after arriving in the capital, he quickly lost his bearings to power. Especially after his failed promotion to the Grand Secretariat, he went mad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To gain advantage in the court deliberations, he resorted to any means necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did he incite the Censors to wildly impeach and smear rivals, he even used the Emperor himself to boost his reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no shortage of achievements or prestige.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the current trajectory, Xu Wenyue’s promotion to the Grand Secretariat was merely a matter of time—even the Emperor couldn’t stop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because his advantage was so overwhelming, it became his death sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor didn’t want someone who mocked him to enter the Grand Secretariat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the precedent was set, everyone would follow suit, and governance would collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chief Grand Secretary is elderly, his health and energy greatly diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three months ago, he submitted his resignation, but the Emperor, fearing disruption to court balance, desperately persuaded him to stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how hard the Emperor pleaded, the Chief Grand Secretary is over eighty—change is inevitable within the next one or two years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All four Grand Secretaries are preparing actively, each unwilling to face a colleague with exceptionally high prestige, which would introduce more uncertainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his tenure as Left Censor-in-Chief, Xu Wenyue was always the fiercest anti-eunuch vanguard, and the eunuch faction longed to eliminate him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without the Sacred Tablet case, the eunuch faction would have found another charge to bring him down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuan shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In court, the Left Censor-in-Chief was originally a position of great independence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding the Censorate, with authority to supervise all officials, he answered only to the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically, at such a critical post, Xu Wenyue should have been a target eagerly courted by all factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, in his haste to become a player rather than a pawn, he unknowingly sealed his own doom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, Xu is still a second-rank official of the court. Would the eunuch faction truly dare to accuse him of treason?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu asked hesitantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High-level political struggles were too distant from his life—even with two lifetimes, this was his first direct encounter with elite power games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not him who committed treason—it’s some senior minister of the Pure Stream faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this stage of factional strife, a high-ranking official must be sacrificed to bring the conflict to a close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Wenyue was too active—he destroyed himself. Had he learned even a fraction of Grand Secretary Pang’s restraint, he could have escaped unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rest easy. Within three days at most, this case will be settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuch faction won’t give the Pure Stream faction any time to rescue him—this time, Xu Wenyue must die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuan sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone revealed no affection for Xu Wenyue—perhaps they’d even clashed privately, since censors impeaching nobles was routine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At midnight, Grand Secretary Pang, publicly declared comatose, sat alone under the moon, sipping wine in melancholy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the other leader of the Zhe Party in court, his feelings toward Xu Wenyue were most complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had originally intended to groom Xu as his political successor, but due to various reasons, he now had no choice but to abandon this rising star of the Zhe Party.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grand Secretary, you mustn’t exhaust yourself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court situation is shifting rapidly, and Grand Secretary Xu is now imprisoned under false charges—everyone awaits your leadership!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-robed scholar beside him urged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pretending to be ill was one thing; being truly ill was another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To many, Grand Secretary Pang’s decision to feign illness and avoid danger seemed cowardly—but his mastery of feigned weakness had once again saved him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Yan, do you think I should intervene to save Shufeng?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I speak now, the eunuch faction won’t dare torture him—then there’s still room to maneuver.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Secretary Pang asked bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grand Secretary, you have your own considerations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Secretary Xu is wronged—this is entirely due to the eunuch faction’s vile conduct. Even ‘pointing at a deer and calling it a horse’? They deserve death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Yan hastily explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some things can be thought, but never spoken aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a second-rank official like the Left Censor-in-Chief, the Zhe Party’s number two, can become a disposable pawn—what of a mere advisor like me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Yan, you’ve misjudged this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who want Xu dead aren’t just the eunuchs—it’s the Emperor, the other Grand Secretaries, even those inconspicuous nobles who are behind-the-scenes instigators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With so many wanting him dead, do you think I can save him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Secretary Pang’s words left Master Yan drenched in cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words shouldn’t be spoken—and certainly not heard by him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before one’s status rises, knowing too much can get you killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, I’ve frightened you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not as dire as you imagine—it’s merely court balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Zhe Party gains two Grand Secretaries and absorbs the Pure Stream faction… hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1241,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","5bbf6c4d60943a1c4d22268e25196ffe7c9a86c75739dfbe53452e96b4272a0b","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-27","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-25",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]