Chapter 1397: Money Wanted

"You… you're also planning to go surrender to Zhao Jin?" Wei Zhongxian asked hoarsely.

"But of course!" Wei Guangwei answered without the slightest hesitation. "Since the court has no intention of giving this student a way to live, can this student be forbidden from seeking his own way out? That scoundrel Zhao Jin may be vicious, but I see him as a lord who cherishes the realm. And if he cherishes the realm, he will naturally need ministers to help him govern it…"

"The things Zhao Jin likes are not the same as what you scholars like!" Wei Zhongxian retorted.

"Indeed they are not the same, and yet they are the same." Wei Guangwei gave a light laugh. "Since ancient times, we scholars have learned civil and martial arts to sell them to the imperial house. The Zhu family's Son of Heaven wanted us to study the Four Books and Five Classics, so we studied them — was it not all for the sake of becoming officials? As long as he, Zhao Jin, is willing to grant office, wouldn't it be easy for us scholars to study whatever classics he provides? This student is already advanced in years and can no longer learn much, but this student's sons can go and study, and study well, so that his Zhao family's Son of Heaven will find them agreeable to use! As long as Zhao Jin can give my family official posts, studying anything is fine! Those who have studied themselves stupid do not understand the way of things, but how could this student be one of those who fail to recognize the times?"

Right before Wei Zhongxian's eyes, a former Grand Secretary of the Great Ming spoke freely and at length, laying bare his every thought and consideration without the slightest reserve.

He, who had for generations received the imperial grace, was actually planning to shift his entire household's allegiance and defect to Zhao Jin — and without the faintest trace of shame.

It is always the scholars who prove faithless… Wei Zhongxian sighed inwardly.

As long as they are given office, when have they ever cared who the master above them is?

"So, Father-in-law, you see — lose at sunrise, gain at sunset. Though we have fallen from power in the Great Ming court, Heaven has taken pity and left us another road to walk." Wei Guangwei's smile deepened. "And this student has not been idle during this time. This student has already made contact with a high official under Zhao Jin, and they are happy to receive us! That being the case, Father-in-law, why not simply become dragon-following ministers?!"

"Dragon-following… do you really believe Zhao Jin can become the dragon?" Wei Zhongxian suppressed the anger in his heart.

"How could he not become the dragon? Who else under Heaven is there who could? Does that young Son of Heaven in the capital truly resemble a true dragon?" Wei Guangwei's smile grew even deeper. "Father-in-law, you and I have both held the reins of state — must we still trade cryptic barbs between us? What a thousand gaping wounds the Great Ming has become — do you and I not know it? Since the great army Father-in-law painstakingly assembled was swept aside in an instant by Zhao Jin's troops, can the court now assemble another great army? And even if it did, could it defeat Zhao Jin? The Great Ming is beyond saving now. The Jianzhou affair beyond the passes has already festered, and the Xuzhou rebels grow so mighty they can no longer be checked. If we do not seek a way out early, are we to wait for the court to butcher us?"

Wei Guangwei's words left Wei Zhongxian momentarily speechless.

When he had held sway over the court, Wei Guangwei had been the one who grasped the reins of state alongside him. As a Grand Secretary directly responsible for affairs, he likely understood the great matters of the realm even better than Wei Zhongxian himself. If he said the Great Ming court was beyond hope of recovery, then it probably truly was beyond hope of recovery.

He had never imagined that Wei Guangwei had begun searching for a retreat so early, and had already colluded with Zhao Jin's people.

If one Wei Guangwei was like this, then—

Could it be… that Zhao Jin was truly going to become the Cao Cao?

Even if that were so, was that truly reason enough to betray the court?

"Father-in-law, decide quickly! Time is running short. Once the Son of Heaven issues the decree sending men to demand your life, all will be lost!" Seeing that Wei Zhongxian had been rendered speechless, Wei Guangwei pressed on with his final exhortation. "This student cannot bear to watch Father-in-law fall victim to those Donglin brats! If Father-in-law will only nod, today I shall arrange for men to rescue Father-in-law. Let us go together and defect to Zhao Jin and be done with it! That Chongzhen Son of Heaven has sent only two men to restrain Father-in-law — this student guarantees he can bring Father-in-law out safe and sound…"

It was at this moment that Wei Zhongxian finally understood Wei Guangwei's true intent.

He wanted to defect to Zhao Jin, and to present Wei Zhongxian himself as a gift along with him.

In doing so, he was, first, genuinely mindful of the favor Wei Zhongxian had shown him back then and could not bear to see him executed by the Son of Heaven; and second, he wished to raise his own value in Zhao Jin's eyes, to secure better treatment for himself under his new master.

Pitiable. Lamentable.

On the Donglin side were a pack of petty men who had brought ruin to the state — but were there any more true gentlemen on his own side?

All the same, all the same. These court ministers and scholar-officials had only their families in their hearts — where was the state?

And not just Wei Guangwei — even among the ministers now in power at court, who knew how many were secretly in clandestine contact with Zhao Jin!

Under Wei Guangwei's expectant gaze, Wei Zhongxian remained silent for a long while, then slowly shook his head.

"Xianbo, I appreciate your sentiment, but this is something I will not do."

"Father-in-law?" Wei Guangwei was greatly startled, clearly unable to understand why Wei Zhongxian would act this way.

"The Late Emperor… the Late Emperor treated me generously. I cannot betray him." Wei Zhongxian lowered his head and spoke in a muffled voice.

"The Late Emperor… the Late Emperor treated Father-in-law generously, but did Father-in-law not exhaust his heart and mind for the Late Emperor? In what way has Father-in-law wronged the Late Emperor?!" Wei Guangwei hastily urged. "Besides, the Late Emperor has now passed away — and how has the new Emperor treated Father-in-law? Father-in-law served loyally and with utter devotion to safeguard his Great Ming realm, yet he cannot distinguish the loyal from the treacherous, the worthy from the foolish, and still insists on putting Father-in-law to death! That being so, why should Father-in-law sit still and await his doom?"

"This servant received such great grace from the Late Emperor that even if the new Emperor wrongs this servant, there is nothing to be said. If the Son of Heaven wishes to act, then let him act." Wei Zhongxian spoke calmly. "This servant is a coarse man, a eunuch — what I value is repaying kindness with gratitude. The Zhu family's Son of Heaven bestowed such great grace upon this servant; how could this servant not repay it with his very body!"

At this veiled barb, a faint flush crept across Wei Guangwei's face.

"This student spoke these words solely out of concern for Father-in-law. Father-in-law refuses to listen, and now even offers sarcasm… Why be so unable to tell good from bad? Does Father-in-law bear no responsibility for the Zhu family's realm having come to this?"

"Indeed, this servant bears responsibility, and so this servant is willing to shoulder that responsibility. But what of you? Back then, it was precisely upon men like you that this servant relied to govern the realm — and the result was chaos across the land, the common people in dire misery, unending natural and man-made calamities, starving refugees roaming everywhere, with no small number even reaching the capital! Do you dare tell this servant that you bear no responsibility in this?" Wei Zhongxian looked askance at him and gave a faint, cold laugh. "If this servant must answer for it, must you and your kind not answer for it as well? You helped ruin the realm, and then with a breezy word about 'recognizing the times,' you go and defect to a new master. Such vile deeds — even a eunuch like this servant is unwilling to commit them, yet you scholar-officials do them with tireless delight! You… what difference is there between you and those Donglin brats!"

The former partners now glared at one another in fury over their discord, the atmosphere suddenly growing extremely tense.

Indeed — since they had held the reins of state back then, they bore responsibility for the realm's ruin. Who could lightly and easily escape that?

"Father-in-law, this student was speaking on your behalf!" After a long moment, perhaps sensing that Wei Zhongxian could no longer be persuaded, Wei Guangwei could only sigh once more. "Very well. Since Father-in-law is unwilling to accept, I shall press no further. Each has his own aspirations — there is no helping it."

Though his words said this, in his heart he was far from convinced by Wei Zhongxian's rebuke.

Since ancient times, scholar-officials had always spoken of family, state, and realm — and family was placed before the state. As long as the family could be preserved, why care about the state? In any case, even with a change of dynasty, the Emperor would still need men to serve as his officials, would he not? Never mind Zhao Jin — even if Hong Taiji of the Jianzhou slaves came, what of it? When the Jin invaders seized the lands of Hebei back then, did not countless people still clamor to sit for the Jin imperial examinations?

Father-in-law Wei, after all, came from a humble, petty household and did not understand this principle.

"Enough, Xianbo. You are right — each has his own aspirations. Now that things have come to this, this servant can only look after himself. Do as you wish; this servant will not interfere, nor can he." Wei Zhongxian averted his gaze, clearly unwilling to speak further with him. "If you have nothing else, you should go back now."

Seeing him issue this dismissal, Wei Guangwei felt another pang in his heart.

His meaning was clear: I do not care what you do, but do not try to persuade me to defect to Zhao Jin.

And after parting like this, I fear that henceforth our paths will truly diverge, and we shall have nothing more to do with one another…

After all, they had worked together for many years, and he had received Wei Zhongxian's kindness — how could he simply let things go entirely?

"Father-in-law, do not be so hasty!" He seized Wei Zhongxian's hand.

"What? Do you still intend to abduct this servant by force and drag me before Zhao Jin to claim credit?" His hand gripped painfully tight, Wei Zhongxian stared coldly at him.

"Father-in-law thinks too much!" Wei Guangwei hastily released his hand. "How could this student do such a thing? Would that not cause those over there to look down on this student for no reason? Besides… Father-in-law is already in this state — even if I abducted Father-in-law, what would it accomplish? Father-in-law, I only wish you would first hear me out. Since the high strategy is not to your liking, Father-in-law can still use the middle strategy to save yourself!"

"What middle strategy?" Wei Zhongxian asked offhandedly, but without any of the expectation he had shown earlier.

"The middle strategy is to scatter your wealth to save your life — go to those court ministers with humble words and lavish gifts, have them take your money and speak on Father-in-law's behalf. Once opinion in the court turns around, Father-in-law will have a path to survival." Wei Guangwei spoke very rapidly in his urgency. "However, slow measures cannot meet an urgent crisis. Those Donglin brats hate Father-in-law to the bone and may not turn around so quickly to speak for you. So you must also combine soft and hard tactics, using the incriminating evidence Father-in-law once held to threaten them… Furthermore, this strategy is riskier than the high strategy, because the Son of Heaven detests Father-in-law deeply. If the Son of Heaven is resolutely determined to act, I fear that even if court opinion shifts, it will be difficult to change…"

"That money — I have already scattered it to the Donglin." Wei Zhongxian calmly cut him off.