Chapter 461

First Volume, Chapter 461: Yin-Yang Nonsense

Every move and gesture in the Grand Hall was watched by Lin Taibao.

The Pro-War Faction and the Taolin Party were now practically inseparable; in the past, Lin Taibao might have been wary, but he never truly worried—after all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Though the Liang Emperor made no public statement, he secretly sided with Lin Taibao—at least in party struggles.

The Liang Emperor dreamed of crushing the Lin Family, but he feared even more that the Qin Family's momentum would grow too strong to control later.

The Liang Emperor longed for Lin Taibao and the Qin Family to fight to the death, provided their strengths remained evenly matched.

Now, even the Liang Emperor had sided with the Qin Family.

Unless the Grand Tutor returns to court, Lin Taibao's situation will only grow more difficult.

Unfortunately, that old fox, the Grand Tutor, used "filial mourning" as an excuse and stubbornly refused to return.

Lin Taibao secretly resolved not to let things continue unchecked, and immediately petitioned: "Your Majesty, the great victory on the Northern Border has filled the nation with joy, and I too am overjoyed. But at this critical deadline, the powerful clans of the Nan Jing are stirring, and the post of Grand Commandant remains vacant. Only by recalling the Grand Tutor can we quell the southern clans."

The Liang Emperor's face wore a smile, but inside he sneered.

You old fox—I know the moment you open your mouth you're up to no good.

The Grand Tutor publicly claims neutrality, but in truth he plays both sides, maintaining ambiguous ties with every faction. If he suddenly returns to Beijing and joins forces with Lin Taibao, who can say whether they'll target the Qin Family—or the Liang Emperor himself?

The Liang Emperor immediately put on an expression of deep distress: "I too long for the Grand Tutor's return, but his filial mourning period is not yet complete—how could I summon him back?"

Lin Taibao had anticipated the Liang Emperor's reluctance and pressed on: "Recalling the Grand Tutor ahead of schedule may violate protocol, but with state affairs so urgent, exceptional measures are not without justification."

The Director of the Imperial Academy quickly signaled Qin Tianhu, urging him to intervene immediately—under no circumstances could the Grand Tutor return at this critical deadline.

The situation is now favorable; if the Grand Tutor returns, everything will become murky.

Qin Tianhu understood and stepped forward, bowing deeply: "Our Shedynasty is a land of propriety, where law and tradition have always been paramount. When the late Emperor established the law, he explicitly stated that all officials in Jingzhong who must return home for filial mourning must be granted leave without obstruction. As the saying goes, 'Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parent, Teacher'—filial mourning is one of the Five Bonds. To hastily recall the Grand Tutor—how will the people of Heaven view Your Majesty? Who will still serve the court?"

Qin Tianhu's words were not exaggerated—officials returning home for filial mourning had always been a matter of great importance.

Seeing both the Liang Emperor and Qin Tianhu so firmly opposed to recalling the Grand Tutor, Lin Taibao had no choice but to drop the matter—after all, one man alone could not stand against the entire Manchu Civil and Military.

Meanwhile, several ladies of the Hou Gong had rarely gathered together.

The Imperial Consort held a book on Strategy, clearly having studied it extensively of late, but now, before the Chang Princess, it served only as a decorative accessory: "Qin Feng is truly astonishing—amid such dire warfare on the Northern Border, he turned the tide. Since the founding of Shedynasty, we have never achieved such a great victory."

"If this continues, Qin Feng's official career will be limitless."

The Chang Princess embroidered a fan with birds and flowers, appearing serene and detached, yet inwardly seethed with contempt.

The Imperial Consort's implication was not lost on the Chang Princess.

She was not praising Qin Feng—she was subtly sabotaging him.

Though Qin Feng's noble title is low—merely a Marquis of a Battalion Commander—he still stands below Dukes and hereditary Princes.

Yet since Shedynasty's founding, no new Prince or Duke has been granted except to founding meritorious officials or those inheriting their fathers' titles.

In short, only those who rendered monumental service to the founding of the dynasty may receive the rank of Prince or Duke.

Qin Feng's defeat of the Northern Di was indeed a great achievement, but it still does not justify granting him such a title.

Besides, if he is made a Duke for this victory, then a Prince for the next, what about the one after that? Will they make him Emperor next?

The Chang Princess gazed at the embroidered swallows on her fan, smiling gently: "Your Highness speaks truly—rewarding merit is only natural, for these achievements were earned by Qin Feng's own efforts. Like these swallows: to eat insects and fill their bellies, they must labor tirelessly themselves; no one will do the work for them."

The implication was clear.

The feud between your Lin Family and Qin Feng is your own affair—do not expect the Li Imperial Clan to take up your cause.

The Imperial Consort smiled sweetly: "Indeed, swallows bring many benefits—they build nests under eaves, and everyone rejoices. But if they build their nest on the windowsill, they'll surely be driven away. No master would tolerate swallows chirping incessantly on the windowsill, would they?"

The Chang Princess remained unperturbed, calm and detached: "That depends on the circumstances. If the nest holds fledglings, even if noisy, one must endure it—wait until the young birds grow strong and fly away, then remove the nest. To overturn the nest without regard for the fledglings—that is an act against Heaven's principle; few would dare commit it."

If Qin Feng can utterly defeat the Northern Di and achieve such unparalleled merit, even if we fear him, we cannot touch him now—at least not for a year or two.

Otherwise, when the birds are gone, the bow is stored; when the rabbits are dead, the hunting dogs are cooked—how will Heaven view the Li Imperial Clan?

The Liang Emperor himself seized the Imperial Throne while Prince Ming was on the Rong Border, a move widely criticized; even now, many old-fashioned officials still bring it up to stir trouble.

That is precisely why the Liang Emperor cares most about his "reputation."

Even if Qin Feng has committed grave offenses, the Liang Emperor will not move against him in the short term—not one inch.

Besides, whether or not to remove Qin Feng is the Emperor's affair—what does it have to do with the Lin Family? You wish to use the Imperial blade to kill your own enemy? How naive.

Having battled the Chang Princess for years, the Imperial Consort knew her depth too well—she never expected three or four words to make the Li Imperial Clan turn against Qin Feng.

Now that the Chang Princess's stance was clear, the Imperial Consort dropped the matter, patting the book on Strategy: "Ah, no matter how good another's things are, they're still not yours. Like this book on Strategy Taolue—no matter how much Qin Feng understands, it has nothing to do with my Lin Family. So I must start learning from scratch myself, so one day I may teach my Lin descendants."

"It's late—I'm returning. Chang Princess, please excuse me."

Watching the Imperial Consort depart, the Chang Princess stared at her fan for a moment, then turned to the quiet Qiyang Commandery Princess beside her and whispered: "You haven't paid your respects to His Majesty in a while—go to the Imperial Study tonight."

"Mention in passing that our Li Imperial Clan has always had the tradition of Princes serving on the Rong Border."

"But since the First Prince passed away young, that tradition has been suspended. These princes in the Hou Gong idle away their days—it's not sustainable. They must be tempered."