Chapter 473: Clever

The thought flashed through her mind, but Pan Yun focused on the present: "Mr. Yang, Grand Secretary Yang, I did not come here tonight to discuss grand topics like punishing corrupt officials, political clarity, or the Way of the Ruler."

Yang Shiqi smiled and asked: "Then why are you here?"

"I came to tell you: they'd better spit out the duck meat in their mouths, or Wang Zhen, the Emperor, even I and all the people of the realm, will cut off their heads, hollow out their bellies, and drag that duck meat right out!"

Yang Shiqi's smile vanished as he stared at Pan Yun in shock, scanning her up and down: "Are you threatening me?"

"No," Pan Yun said, "I'm threatening them!"

"I know, Grand Secretary Yang, you're different from them," Pan Yun paused, then lifted her gaze to meet his eyes: "You wish to uphold the Way of ruler and minister, fulfill the people's will, and honor your colleagues' loyalty—but Grand Secretary Yang, you want too much. In the end, you may lose it all."

Yang Shiqi looked dazed.

"Audacious!" Yang Pu burst out in anger: "How dare this child speak such nonsense?"

Yet Yang Shiqi's heart stirred: "When you were in the Imperial Prison, were you held in the same cell as Wang Zhen?"

Pan Yun nodded: "Neighbor."

Yang Shiqi: "Do you know Wang Zhen holds something that can balance them?"

Pan Yun sneered: "In my view, whether it's Wang Zhen or them, they all deserve to die. Better yet, let them fight to the death until they annihilate each other."

"But lowly, vile people always live longer—the righteous and ordinary folk beside them are slaughtered again and again, while they never die."

Yang Shiqi & Yang Pu: …

This child curses with such satisfying force—no wonder she's the Censor's daughter. Does Pan Hong have this kind of tongue too?

Both Grand Secretaries felt a pang of regret.

Pan Yun possesses such insight and eloquence—Pan Hong must not be inferior. He's upright too. This is a fine talent. Why had no one noticed before?

Yang Shiqi's heart stirred with admiration; his patience deepened: "You came to warn me for the sake of the people?"

"Of course, but more so for my father and brother," Pan Yun said: "I won't hide it from you: in the struggle between Wang Zhen, the Emperor, and the Jiangnan literati, Xue Xuan and my father were the first to be sacrificed. The people of Jiangnan and the coasts are the second wave."

Pan Yun grew increasingly furious: "Who was the Emperor's teacher? Did he teach him only the art of balance, never that a ruler must discard prejudice in appointing men, and govern by principle, not by person?"

Yang Shiqi fell silent.

Yang Pu fell silent.

As two of the Three Yang entrusted with the Emperor's upbringing, they too bore the duty of guiding him—yet…

The Emperor trusted Wang Zhen more.

Compared to them, the Emperor directly called Wang Zhen "Mr."—his teacher.

So if you ask who the Emperor's teacher is, neither of them wanted to admit it was themselves—so it had to be Wang Zhen.

Yes, the Emperor's teacher was Wang Zhen.

Yet even thinking this, both men couldn't help flushing.

"Jiangnan has problems, yet you don't correct them or eliminate those causing them—you instead create a man with even bigger problems, and let him fight the ones who caused the problems, magnifying the chaos," Pan Yun grew more agitated: "Are we common folk just grass, to be cut down again and again?"

Pan Yun's face darkened: "Grand Secretary Yang, I've said it plainly: if they refuse to give an inch, I won't mind lending the Emperor a hand—cutting off their legs all at once, even if my father is abandoned by the Emperor and exiled to Datong."

Pan Yun turned and left after delivering her threat. Furious, she didn't summon her sword to fly—she leapt out of Jingcheng using only lightness arts, and only when the cold wind stung her cheeks did she come back to herself.

Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu in the hall remained stunned for a long while.

Yang Pu couldn't help exclaiming: "What a clever child."

Yang Shiqi: "Xue Shao is one. She is another. Brilliant, sharp, wise to the point of being uncanny—the world will soon be in turmoil."

Yang Pu: "You overthink it, Shiqi. Though the Luchuan campaign drains troops and resources, Great Ming remains the dominant power of the four directions. Yes, there are many problems domestically, but they're minor ailments—nothing catastrophic."

Yang Shiqi looked troubled: "I once thought as you did. The Emperor may be impulsive and sentimental, but he has the ambition to be a wise ruler. Even if he cannot be an expansionist sovereign, holding the realm together should be easy."

"But… now Xue Shao and Pan Yun have appeared," he said, troubled: "Both are younger than the Emperor, raised among the common folk, and each sees more clearly than the last."

"They ask painful questions. They think. That means there are many others among the people asking the same," Yang Shiqi said gravely: "This is the sign of coming chaos."

Yang Pu: "You imagine too much. There are indeed idle officials in court, but every dynasty has had them. Since we took charge of the regency, governance has been clear. Jiangnan's problems grew worse only after the Emperor elevated Wang Zhen."

He said: "I share Xue Shao's and Pan Yun's view: the Emperor must change some governing habits. He cannot rely on Wang Zhen for everything, nor use Wang Zhen's name to act."

"He is the Emperor—he has ideas. He should voice them directly, resolve matters by principle, not by person."

Yang Shiqi: "Hongji, if I were twenty years younger—no, even ten—I'd think as you do."

He slowly sat down on the stool: "When I see injustice, I'd feel the same rage, charge forward as you do—but I am not that man. I am seventy-eight."

Yang Pu frowned.

Yang Shiqi: "That child is eleven or twelve? She was furious just now—but in the end, she chose to warn me, to remind me that Wang Zhen holds a trump card, urging me to persuade them to yield, to reconcile with the Emperor—even with Wang Zhen."

"At her age, to control her anger—she is stronger than you, and stronger than me."

Yang Pu pursed his lips: "Are you telling me to learn from her?"

Yang Shiqi: "Our Emperor is not one who accepts direct remonstrance."

"Blindly obeying the Emperor is the act of a traitor!" Yang Pu snapped: "Shiqi, have you gone senile?"

Yang Shiqi didn't want to argue—he changed the subject: "What do you think of Pan Yun's words?" Yang Pu, still caught in emotion, snapped back: "What do I think?"

"Make them spit out the duck meat."

Yang Pu: "I won't go. I've already warned them once—I can't do it again. As I see it, just as Pan Yun said: let them fight. Better yet, cut off their heads and gut them!"

"You're speaking in anger again."

Yang Pu's face turned solemn: "Not anger. Tonight, during the meeting, I saw them fall silent several times—and each time, my rage rose. That's why I came back. I held back because I knew you'd likely refuse—but now that Pan Yun has spoken, why not follow the current? Help Wang Zhen crush them first, then turn and destroy Wang Zhen—wouldn't the realm then be clear?"

Yang Shiqi: "Have you looked in the mirror lately? Do you think you're still a boy of ten or twelve, like them?"

Yang Pu: "My heart is not old, unlike yours—your body is old, your heart is older. I say you're truly decrepit."

Yang Shiqi: "I act to preserve safety. Even Pan Yun knows: when two forces fight, the common folk are the first to suffer."

Yang Pu: "With the Emperor's nature, a fight is inevitable."

"You—"

Yang Pu turned his head aside: "In any case, I won't go."

!.

Yang Shiqi: "If you won't go, I will."

Yang Pu sneered: "I doubt you going will help. They're experts at playing dumb—tonight alone, plenty played dumb."

Yang Shiqi: "This time is different."

Yang Pu: "How is it different?"

Yang Shiqi: "I will threaten them."

He raised an eyebrow: "So you really are intimidated by Pan Yun? You believe her words—that if we don't act, she'll truly turn and aid the Emperor and Wang Zhen?"

He said: "Aren't Wang Zhen and her mortal enemies?"

Yang Shiqi: "Didn't you hear what the child said? It's about the matter, not the person. If you push her too far, she'll do anything."

He sneered: "Those people wave the banner of righteousness, claiming they seek to clear Xue Xuan and Pan Hong's names, thinking Xue Shao and Pan Yun will be grateful—but they don't realize these two children see through their true nature. They know their real enemy isn't just Wang Zhen. I suspect these two have already guessed the hidden truth behind Xue Xuan's conviction and Pan Hong's entanglement."

"They think they can use Xue Shao and Pan Yun as pawns, unaware that the pawns are watching them with the eyes of fools," Yang Shiqi stroked his beard. "I'd truly like to see their faces when they learn the truth."

Yang Pu: "... Such a morbid taste. I don't feel you're getting old."

Yang Shiqi: "Get out. It's late. I won't put you up."

Yang Pu turned and left.

Yang Shiqi sat alone through the long night, only falling asleep as dawn neared.

He did not go to meet that group. Instead, he first visited the Imperial Prison to inquire who Wang Zhen had seen recently.

Hearing that after Pan Yun left, Wang Wen of the Censorate had come by, Yang Shiqi fell into thought.

Wang Wen—now there was a strange man.

A man with unusually soft bones.

Yang Shiqi's lips curled slightly. "A fine blade, though a soft one. But soft blades hurt the most when they cut."

Pan Yun returned to the inn before dawn. Only Hu Jing and Wang Cong knew she had left during the night.

Oh, An Chen seemed suspicious—he spent the next two days hovering around Pan Yun, staying awake all night, sitting on the roof staring at the stars, causing Pan Yun, who was opening the window to let Pan Xiaohei in, to jump in surprise.

An Chen had long known the demon cat belonged to Pan Yun.

This secret could fool others, but not him.

After all, he had once surveilled Yin Zhai.

If he knew, Yun Yan certainly knew.

If Yun Yan knew, the Emperor naturally knew.

But the Emperor pretended ignorance, never ordering the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to demand the cat from Pan Yun—so An Chen also pretended the black cat didn't exist.

He glanced once and looked away.

Pan Yun immediately understood his stance. She leaned out the window and asked, "An Platoon Leader, why are you sitting on the roof all night instead of sleeping?"

An Chen: "On night watch. To prevent anyone from coming or leaving."

Pan Yun feigned ignorance: "Who? Who's so foolish? We fly the brocade guard banner—who dares come?"

An Chen snorted but said nothing.

Pan Yun rubbed her nose, snapped the window shut, and turned to Pan Xiaohei: "Does he know we ran away that night?"

"Meow—I don't know."

Good night

(End of Chapter)