Origin Paradise!

Half of the representatives of the Jiangnan aristocratic families in the imperial court submitted a petition requesting imperial approval. Faced with the increasingly chaotic situation, they hoped to obtain sufficient military support to resist the rebels and protect their property and land.

As the former Minister of War and a representative of the pro-war faction, Yue Fei represented the interests of a collective, which is why he was able to rise rapidly after losing power and become a powerful figure in the court again.

Chu Fuqiang lowered his head and remained silent.

What appears to be merely a collective attack by court officials against Chief Minister Yan is in reality a major shift in the direction of the court. Without the strong support of the two Grand Masters for imperial power, the long-standing discontent of the local authorities against the central government has backfired, and the military clique is eager to obtain power befitting the chaotic situation.

Behind this major event were at least several powerful military commanders and officials, who were the direct victims of the Grand Eunuch's assassination attempt on behalf of the emperor.

The plot to uncover the auspicious beast was set up on a premeditated stage, with the attack on Grand Secretary Yan serving as the trigger, and the military victory of the gun-wielding Dragon City as the support.

"A new elite is about to be born."

As a seasoned veteran of writing reports, Chu Fuqiang had already figured out that this massive military group had two key figures: the Minister of War and the Duke of Pingluan. Their interests aligned, making them natural political allies.

From the very beginning, when the emperor first appeared, he was trying to shirk responsibility for the death of the auspicious beast Qilin and downplay the matter. It seemed that the Grand Secretary Yan was enjoying the emperor's favor and continued to be favored, because he was essentially an extension of the emperor's will. The emperor could not easily admit his mistakes, so the Grand Secretary Yan, as the "glove," had to bear the consequences.

Imperial power is supreme.

This is based on the premise that the emperor represents the interests of all groups.

The times were turbulent, and even the pillars of the house trembled.

The emperor had to redistribute the internal structure.

In short, it's about adjustment and concessions.

Above the main hall.

The last high-ranking official submitted a memorial requesting an audience:

"Your Majesty, the country is in turmoil, and martial arts practitioners are breaking the law by relying on their strength. I beg Your Majesty to grant your grace and establish martial arts academies in various places, modeled after traditional academies, to select the best and cultivate elites to suppress the disobedient and restore peace and tranquility to the world."

A brief moment of silence.

Throughout the entire event, the emperor only slightly raised his eyebrows when he heard the word "peace and prosperity".

"Granted. The cabinet shall handle this matter."

Faced with the test, the emperor chose to agree.

Everyone vaguely sensed one thing: Chief Minister Yan, who had held power for thirty years, was about to fall from grace.

What defeated him was not political maneuvering, but the rapidly changing global landscape.

Just as the officials were digesting this omen...

The emperor suddenly said, "Grand Secretary Lu Guanwen of the Dao Palace will go directly into the cabinet. Yue Qing, you and Lu Shi are both pillars of the country. However, Lu Shi is older and more prudent, so let him have the power to draft proposals."

Old Man Yue was taken aback at first, then his face turned slightly pale.

He made a grave mistake. This attack on Chief Minister Yan had drawn a great deal of attention from officials, and although the results were remarkable, the uproar was so great that it inevitably raised suspicions of forming cliques for personal gain.

The three-year wait made him neglect his defense when planning his attack, while the tacitly silent Chief Minister Yan was more likely to escape unscathed.

At this moment, many officials looked slightly bewildered, and it took them a moment to realize that Lu Guanwen, the Grand Academician of the Dao Palace, was the name of the head of the Five Dou Dao.

As a Grandmaster who lived to the age of 30, Lu Daoshou was certainly qualified to wield the power of drafting proposals and become the de facto Grand Secretary.

Most importantly, the Daoist leader is currently only engaged in a decisive battle with the Lord of the Great Snow Mountain, and his fate is unknown, but he has not already perished.

In this situation, for the military group to take any further steps would be tantamount to simultaneously challenging the authority of the emperor and the majesty of the Grandmaster.

In a corner of the main hall, Chu Fuqiang stole a glance at the emperor. The emperor had clearly expressed his dissatisfaction and casually deflected the fierce attack with a Tai Chi move. Judging from the current situation, the other party did not seem to be about to fall into the water or be strangled by palace maids. As a halberd bearer of the Imperial Guard, he had a bright future ahead of him.

The boiling main hall cooled down.

Chief Minister Yan slowly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "This old minister begs to retire, hoping Your Majesty will have mercy."

"Begging for one's remains" means requesting to resign and asking that one's remains be returned to one's hometown for burial. Faced with the general trend of the world, the fact that the auspicious beast had died, and the reputation of being as cunning as an eagle and as ruthless as a wolf, Chief Minister Yan decisively withdrew from the position.

The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "Granted. Minister Yan is loyal to the country and has the ability to recommend talented individuals."

The other party chose to be dignified, and the emperor did not mind helping Yan Shi out, to preserve the decades-long friendship between the emperor and his subject.

Chapter 168 The Marquis of Pacifying the Rebellion

in the hall.

The chief minister, Yan, trembled, his true feelings unclear; his eyes were slightly red, and tears welled in the corners.

Not far away, Old Man Yue also looked reluctant to let it go, shaking his head and sighing repeatedly.

The officials were used to this.

Chief Minister Yan said frankly, “Your Majesty, you should not avoid relatives when recommending worthy people. I am wholeheartedly devoted to the country, and the Yan family is willing to give their lives for you. My eldest son, Yan Zhen, is quite talented. He was a Jinshi in the third year of the Daguan era and has been studying history in his hometown for twenty years. He is more than qualified to serve as a lecturer in the Dao Palace.”

The ministers were silent.

The Imperial Academy Attendant Scholars were responsible for lecturing the emperor on classics, history, and the Daoist canon. They held a very high rank and wielded almost no power, belonging to the elite class. Yan Zhen was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and had connections to the emperor. As long as the emperor was willing to listen to his lectures, this matter would not be difficult.

However, the next step for a lecturer in the Dao Palace is to become the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, officially entering the ranks of the third grade, wearing scarlet and purple robes, and being led by a canopy.

There are only a handful of vice ministers in the six ministries, and countless people are eyeing the position. However, the position of left vice minister of the Ministry of Rites is vacant year after year. Even if someone does take the position, they often leave the post soon afterward for various reasons.

This is the private property of Chief Minister Yan, and also the Yan family's escape route.

His decisive departure, taking full responsibility, was perhaps a way of placing his hopes on his eldest son, waiting for him to make a comeback in the future.

In a world of reciprocity, if the emperor were to stand idly by, he would ultimately be perceived as callous and ungrateful. Even if that were indeed the case, he could not be so blunt.

All the officials knew that the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites was already in Yan Zhen's hands. Although the Yan family had failed, they had not lost, all thanks to Yan Zhen's skill in scheming for his own advancement.

"Granted," the emperor said.

And the next moment.

The old man Yue requested permission again.

"Your Majesty, the Prefect of the Capital has pacified a million refugees, and his merit is immeasurable. I recommend him to serve as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites."

Everyone secretly shook their heads. In the emperor's eyes, comforting the refugees was his job, and he might be able to do it normally, but now that he had made a promise to Chief Minister Yan, the magistrate of the capital who had cheated countless merchants was probably going to be disappointed this time.

The emperor remained silent; there were no fools in this court.

Since Old Man Yue had spoken, he must have believed he could convince himself.

He maintained a certain interest in it.

After all, as the emperor, his word was law. Even if the promise of becoming the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites was not actually fulfilled, it was still very close to being made.

"Your Majesty, after suppressing the rebellion, we captured nine rare treasures from Longcheng, the ancestral home of the Northern Barbarians. These treasures are said to have the effect of extending lifespan, and we hereby present them to you."

Old Man Yue stepped forward, a move that somewhat betrayed the military group behind him, but he could not allow the Yan family any chance to rise again.

All the officials were astonished. Although the Duke of Pingluan had not shown his face, it seemed that his presence was felt everywhere at today's grand court assembly. People whispered among themselves, and it was clear to everyone that the Duke of Pingluan was about to rise to become a new noble in the court. Moreover, some news had already spread throughout the world, and this Duke was the number one in the world at the young age of seventeen.

In the corner, Chu Fuqiang muttered to himself that the Duke of Pingluan was probably some kind of mastermind behind the scenes. Such a background character would not usually appear in the mission's progress.

The emperor rose from his dragon throne for the first time.

In the main hall of the palace, a figure in black robes suddenly appeared and reached out to support the emperor's arm.

The chief eunuch's face was shrouded in black mist, his hands outside his sleeves were withered and thin, and he was like a shadow, accompanying the emperor.

The moment the Grandmaster appeared, the entire hall of nobles, protected by the nation's fortune, felt a chill in their hearts. However, the halberd-wielding warriors, being martial artists, all felt their hair stand on end. The Grand Eunuch, like the Daoist leader, was already over a hundred years old and, according to legend, had traveled quite a distance on the path to becoming a Grandmaster.

Old Man Yue presented nine bright red pebbles.

Rare treasures that extend lifespan are extremely rare, and the bloodstone has been imbued with the essence of aphids for a full thousand years.

"Your Majesty, March." The chief eunuch spoke sparingly.

These stones can extend his lifespan by three months.

"good."

The emperor smiled faintly. Three months is a short time for ordinary people, but it can be used for the chief eunuch. He can travel the country again and, if necessary, kill all the regional governors and still have time to return to the capital.

As for the relationship between himself and Yan Qing, that of ruler and subject.

The other party also said that the Yan family is willing to go to any lengths for the cause.

The emperor returned to the dragon throne, and the chief eunuch disappeared with the rare treasures.

Old Man Yue stepped back from the ranks. The next step for the Prefect of the Capital is to become a Vice Minister. He had discussed this matter with that Earl. The vacancy in the Ministry of Rites could be filled by taking this opportunity. A Vice Minister is already a high-ranking official of the third rank. Without sufficient preparation, even the Emperor would not easily dismiss him and make room for someone else.

Chief Minister Yan closed his eyes.

"Yan Zhen was appointed as a lecturer at the Imperial Palace."

"Yin Jin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites in the capital."

"The Marquis who quelled the rebellion was granted the title of Marquis, with a fief of 1,200 households. He was appointed as the Deputy Governor of the Anbei Governor's Office, with a gold coin of 1,000 catties and a carriage with ten horses. The Zhendi Pavilion was built in the palace to commemorate his achievements."

The final conclusion.

Yan Zhen obtained the position of Dao Gong lecturer, but his path to advancement was blocked by Elder Yue and Ping Luanbo.

The Daogong lecturer was only of noble birth and had little real power, making him completely incapable of protecting the Yan family and ensuring their safe exit from the political arena.

The so-called bond between ruler and subject is worthless in the face of the emperor compared to the stability of one's own imperial power.

"If you have something to report, speak now; otherwise, the court may adjourn," the red-robed eunuch announced.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Chief Minister Yan covered his face with his sleeve and then collapsed to the ground as if he had fainted.

Few people offered to help, but once Elder Yue approached him, the officials rushed forward in a flurry.

"Quickly summon the imperial physician!" Old Man Yue noticed something was wrong and hurriedly shouted.

The emperor sat alone for a long time before finally getting up and leaving on his palanquin.

In the corner, Chu Fuqiang felt the rapid changes in the situation. The chief minister's suicide by poison caught everyone off guard and could very well affect his upcoming task of vying for the throne among his sons.

……

Winter of the sixth year of Xuanhe.

The six ministries announced that Chief Minister Yan, who had held power over the court for thirty years, had fainted in the imperial court.

The following morning, he died in his bed at home.

Changes occurred suddenly.

The Grand Secretary of the Dao Palace entered the cabinet, and the Minister of War exercised the power of drafting proposals on his behalf. Jiang Wuyang, the number one military strategist in the land, was ennobled for his military achievements.

Just as the powerful families of Yizhou were attempting to divide up the Yan family's land, news came from the palace that the emperor, after a banquet, mentioned that he might marry a princess off to someone else.

Upon hearing the news, the powerful families all ceased their actions.

But they're just observing.

Meanwhile, due to the fall of the ancestral city of Longcheng and the death of the Left Wise King Longcheng in battle, the Great Chanyu faced united opposition from the tribal leaders, and two voices emerged within the royal court: the opinions of quickly returning north to provide reinforcements and continuing the southward offensive could not be reconciled.

The army was stuck outside the dark Great Wall, unable to advance or retreat.

……

Late at night, in the Northern Barbarian army camp.

Commander Du Chang sat in his military tent, his brow furrowed with worry.

He believed Prefect Zhu's lies and defected from the Anbei Governor's Office overnight to join the Earl. However, it turned out that he had implicated the other party instead. His trusted general betrayed him, and his master's crime was unforgivable. Fortunately, the victory in the mountain city beyond the Great Wall prevented the situation from collapsing instantly.

After surrendering to the Northern Barbarians, the royal court spent a fortune to buy him the position of commander of ten thousand men. However, the main force of his troops all came from the Left Guli King, the same force that the Earl had defeated.

This made him extremely uneasy. He only had three hundred loyal guards by his side, which were nominal but not real. If the Northern Barbarians were defeated, he would be facing death as soon as the war ended.

As night deepened, Du Chang remained wide awake.

A falcon landed on the table in front of him, its voice serious, "I am Wuhe, the second envoy under the Marquis of Pingluan. From this moment on, your period of hardship is over. You will now need to cooperate with me to mark the locations of all the commanders' tents."

Deputy General Du Chang looked surprised and doubtful. "Lord?"

"After we parted ways at the North City Commandery, he said he would do his best, so we've come to rescue you now."

After careful consideration, Deputy General Du Chang realized that this was indeed the case, but his "please take good care of me" at the time was more of a polite remark.

“But I have harmed the Marquis…”

“You’re just slow-witted, not disloyal.” The falcon patted the other’s shoulder. “Let’s not delay.”

Chapter 169 The Defeated Army