[{"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-78":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},2364347,4623,"Chapter 78: Struggle of Power","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-78",78,"\u003Cp>“Are your eyes blind? Seeing the Grand Secretary Xu’s procession, why aren’t you rushing out to greet us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Private Secretary Hou Huaichang stepped forward and launched into a tirade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the capital so long, local officials along the route had shown utmost enthusiasm—many had come out ten miles to welcome them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in Yangzhou City, they hit a wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did no one come out to greet them, even the city guards stood motionless, as if they hadn’t seen the raised placards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shout all you want—you’ve got no manners at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve guarded the capital gates for years—I’ve seen more than my share of Grand Secretaries and noble lords in the court.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve never heard of city guards being ordered to go out and greet anyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this realm, only His Imperial Majesty has the right to make us kneel and welcome him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chuanfa’s voice rang loud and clear—everyone heard it, and the scene turned instantly awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Classic case of misdirection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the Son of Heaven’s gaze, everyone must behave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>City guards represent imperial authority—even if they wanted to come out, no one would dare accept their greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But out in the provinces, things are different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Secretary Xu, as Imperial Commissioner, is the one representing imperial authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Local officials offering high-profile welcomes may seem like flattery, but it’s fundamentally correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chuanfa is playing the role of a soldier-thug, deliberately feigning ignorance of protocol, opening his mouth to equate Grand Secretary Xu with the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To ordinary people, this is mere sarcasm—but to Xu Wenyue, it’s something entirely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To demand the same treatment as the Emperor is grave disrespect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it comes to verbal tricks and slandering with labels, he’s the professional—how could he not see their intent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arguing with a city gate thug only lowers your own status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring them is just dismissing the ramblings of a thug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strong do not haggle with ants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enter the city!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Wenyue spoke without changing expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before arriving, he knew this journey wouldn’t be smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tree was planted and carefully watered by others; now, at harvest time, you come to pluck the peaches—of course they’re angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in officialdom, you must fight, seize, and claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t play the villain, the Qingliu faction officials in the Two Huai region would be wiped clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subsequent court appointments would show no trace of Qingliu figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Local gentry, too, would sever political ties for the sake of profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, they’re too brazen—they’re simply…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Hou Huaichang could finish, Xu Wenyue shot him a glare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t you hear me? Enter the city!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky was already late—delay any longer and the gates would close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the garrison shut the gates, they’d be forced to spend the night outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, no one would dare lock a Grand Secretary out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with this band of audacious Five City Military Command troops? Anything’s possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The procession moved slowly forward; as the Prefect’s yamen came into view, Grand Secretary Xu’s expression darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the city, it might have been that news was blocked and the city knew nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he’d been inside for so long—even the slowest officials and local gentry should have received word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only explanation for no one coming to greet them: someone had given orders in advance to keep them from coming out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis of Wuyang’s control over Yangzhou exceeded his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An official’s power doesn’t come only from above—it also comes from below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how high-ranking or powerful he was as Imperial Commissioner, he needed those beneath him to obey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If those beneath refused to act, he was merely a figurehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scenes from operas where officials are dragged out and beheaded on a whim? Pure fiction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Great Yu Dynasty, removing an official required endless procedures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A superior displeased with a subordinate? He might give him the cold shoulder, pile on dirty, exhausting work—but the subordinate could still slack off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as he didn’t commit a fundamental offense, he couldn’t be dismissed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is power balance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even an Imperial Commissioner must follow the rules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, tied to the treason case, the Marquis of Wuyang merely placed them under house arrest—he didn’t order executions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard are hated in officialdom precisely because they bypass rules to arrest people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, forgive us—these underlings are ignorant and dared to block you at the gate. Please be lenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis is holding a military meeting; please rest briefly in the rear courtyard!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the steward’s words, Xu Wenyue felt no surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In power struggles, one step back means a precipice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If confrontation is inevitable, one must not fear offending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If no one else came out to greet him, how could the Marquis of Wuyang—the leader—possibly come out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lead the way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep inside, Xu Wenyue kept reminding himself: don’t get angry, don’t get angry!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how powerful a general is, he’s still a general.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Great Yu Dynasty, governing the provinces is the civil official’s duty. The situation was exceptional before—so the Marquis of Wuyang could temporarily manage Yangzhou affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that a civil official like me, the Imperial Commissioner, has arrived, the Marquis must hand over control of the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This includes all prisoners held in the city—all must be transferred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once power is fully transferred, this awkward situation will vanish forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency has traveled far, and I failed to come out to greet you—it is truly my fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the front-line battle is urgent; I dare not delay a moment. I beg Your Excellency’s forgiveness!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the Marquis of Wuyang, who spoke of apology yet showed not a trace of shame, Xu Wenyue was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was so thick, it rivaled the old foxes in the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, everyone is improving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That once-inconspicuous imperial relative, after seven years in officialdom, had matured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Battle matters are paramount. I am but an old man—Your Lordship need not concern yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His seemingly calm reply was thick with implication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Grand Secretaries, Xu Wenyue was young—he could hardly be called “old.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Need not concern yourself”? What a joke. To treat a Grand Secretary with such disregard? How brazenly arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He might as well have said: “Enough talk. Hand over the power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I know you’re unhappy, and I’ll overlook the earlier incidents—but power must be transferred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keep stirring up trouble, cause a scandal, and no one’s face will remain intact!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His smug expression infuriated the Marquis of Wuyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But court regulations stood firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as the Emperor’s brother-in-law, breaking the rules would bring him serious trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency is still in your prime—don’t speak such gloomy words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor still needs you to serve the state—you cannot refuse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomorrow, Commandant Rong will lead the vanguard out; the day after, I will march with the troops. Yangzhou’s affairs will still require Your Excellency’s attention!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis of Wuyang spoke with ill temper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One mountain cannot hold two tigers—Yangzhou City cannot hold two Imperial Commissioners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lacked the power to subdue Grand Secretary Xu, nor did he wish to submit to him—leaving was the best choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blunt declaration left Xu Wenyue stunned; instinct told him something was deeply wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that commotion just to humiliate him? Too petty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sensed something was off, yet couldn’t pinpoint what—this troubled him deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1231,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","c5cec117c58872419af22fb1f34379de05df0a645218034c65145f27d29ea247","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-79","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-77",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]