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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 124: Framing
When the high-ranking officials in the Court expressed their dissent against the Emperor's campaign to conquer Goguryeo, Yang Xuangan stepped forward to offer his strong support, finally earning the long-awaited opportunity.
He was no longer just a civil official; he had been granted the authority to oversee the military provisions and supplies. The food and resources were the lifeblood of the army; the less supplies there were, the quicker the troops would falter.
Although the Emperor had formed the Valiant Fruit Army, given his nature, he would insist on leading an army of five to six hundred thousand to display his might. Thus, Yang Xuangan believed that the moment had arrived.
Releasing the Peach and Plum Chapter was not only for Li Jian Cheng but also primarily to divert the Emperor's attention. The more chaos Li caused, the safer Yang would be.
"Yang Gong, we should head to Liang and delay the supplies as much as possible. It would be best if we could wait until the army turns against itself. If we can achieve that, then the Destiny of the Sui Dynasty will come to an end."
Li Mi shook his head. "It won't be that easy. Changing dynasties is incredibly difficult; we cannot place our hopes on our enemies collapsing."
Yang Xuangan nodded. "I will remain steadfast and unwavering. I will not be like Han Wang Yang Liang, caught between two sides. If I am to succeed, it must be done with great fervor!"
"We are also willing to take this gamble with you!"
After a long consultation, Tiger General Wang Zhongbo and Zhao Huaiyi departed, and Yang Xuangan's passionate fervor began to fade, leaving only hesitation on his face.
Li Mi comforted him, saying, "We cannot expect to have everything at once; it is rare enough to have favorable timing. The latter two factors depend on us."
At that moment, Li Jian Cheng was quietly contemplating Yang Xuangan's path and strategizing how he could benefit from it. Yang Xuangan's willingness to rebel was not based on recklessness.
His resources were indeed substantial; unfortunately, he had chosen to reveal himself too early.
But he had no choice; the connections and foundation left by Yang Su had a time limit. When Yang Xuangan could not become a Chancellor like his father and lost the power of promotion or demotion, those allies would quietly drift away. New blood would not replenish their ranks, and thus a family's influence would decline.
Li Jian Cheng said to Li Xiaogong, "How is it over at Zhuojun?"
"It's manageable. It's not as good as when you were here, but overall, there aren't too many problems."
"I'll write a few letters shortly; you can take them back."
After hesitating for a moment, Li Xiaogong replied, "Brother, I feel like the pups we've let loose have developed a wild nature. What if they turn into wolves and bite back?"
Li Jian Cheng said, "Then just loosen the leash and let them go."
In most matters of the world, if one does not advance, they retreat. Yang Xuangan could not promote anyone, and as a result, the hearts of his subordinates began to scatter. With Li Jian Cheng stripped of his official position, he could no longer control the supplies as he did before, and his subordinates' loyalty began to wane.
Very few people are born with a disposition to be servile; they do not wish to have more than one master aside from the Emperor.
However, it is incredibly difficult to be self-sufficient. Soon they would realize that eating outside is not so easy and could be deadly.
"Xiaogong, you only need to keep an eye on Li the Apothecary; there's no need to worry about the others."
"He shouldn't pose much of a problem."
"Many issues arise from this 'should.' Remember, nothing in this world is guaranteed."
"Your foolish brother understands."
...
Pei Yun had fallen ill—truly ill. It was evident even without a physician's examination; anyone could see from his complexion that his health was poor. Thus, the Emperor had no choice but to say nothing.
He could only permit Pei Yun to resign and recuperate. However, no one was willing to take on the vacant position of chief examiner. Although it would win the Emperor's favor, it would also mean antagonizing the entire court of civil and military officials. Given how easily the Emperor's favor could dissipate, it was a precarious situation.
Everyone thought this absurd matter was about to come to an end, but Yuwen Shu could not tolerate it. It was no longer just a matter of old grievances; new enmities had been established, and more Li were implicated.
If he couldn't pin them down, wouldn't he be the one to suffer?
Thus, Yuwen Shu took on the role of chief judge. Civil and Military came to warn him as usual, but Yuwen Shu rebuked them on the spot.
"Get lost! The Emperor's decree is not something you can question!"
"Yuwen Shu, do not forget who started this!"
Yuwen Shu laughed heartily, "The Emperor knows what kind of person I am. As for my Legitimate Eldest Son, Yuwen Huaji, I believe you are also aware of his character. Go ahead and tell the Emperor that we father and son are plotting rebellion. Do you think the Emperor will believe it?"
Yuwen Shu, a fool who could be easily manipulated by Eulji Mundeok, and Yuwen Huaji—let alone something as earth-shattering as rebellion, they didn't even think he had the capability to be a county magistrate.
Not only would the Emperor not believe it, but they also did not believe that this father and son duo could accomplish anything.
Thus, they could only soften their stance, hoping he would reason with them and recognize the dangers of allowing the Emperor to act this way. However, Yuwen Shu had made up his mind; matters for the future would be dealt with later. The Emperor might be indifferent to others, but he had always been loyal to them.
With his hands untied, Yuwen Shu went to the prison and immediately resorted to severe punishment. However, Li Min and Li Hun were not fools; they recognized that admitting guilt would lead to their entire family being executed and exiled. They absolutely refused to confess.
Even if they admitted under duress from pain, when it came time to sign their names, they would retract their statements and refuse to acknowledge anything.
These were noble relatives with titles; Yuwen Shu's ability to inflict punishment was already at its limit. He could not truly kill them; if he went that far, the Emperor would have no choice but to execute him in tears to appease the courtiers.
His second son, Yuwen Zhiji, said, "Father might as well try their wives and concubines. If they provide enough evidence against them, it would be sufficient to prove their conspiracy to rebel, especially Li Min's wife, Yuwen Eying."
Yuwen Shu hesitated slightly: "Yuwen Eying is after all the Emperor's niece."
Beside him, Yuwen Huaji glanced sideways with a sneer and said, "Having served the Emperor for many years without ever being mentioned by him shows she is insignificant. What is there for Father to be timid about at this moment?"
Yuwen Shu silently stepped forward and slapped Yuwen Huaji across the face, saying, "Who told you to speak to your father like that?"
Yuwen Huaji covered his face, his eyes reddening as he replied, "Who told you to humiliate me in front of everyone!"
"When did I?" Yuwen Shu asked Yuwen Zhiji. "When did I ever say anything about him?"
Then he suddenly remembered and said, "Wasn't I just speaking the truth?"
"You're humiliating me!"
"Do you really want to rebel? Fine, fine, you're impressive; you're better than your father."
Yuwen Shu couldn't be bothered to deal with his son. After careful consideration, he realized that Yuwen Eying was indeed a good candidate. As Li Min's wife and the emperor's niece, it would be plausible for her to accuse her husband of harboring ambitions to usurp the throne.
Ultimately, what he wanted was not solid evidence. Li Min and Li Hun were perfectly fine as noble relatives; they had no reason to rebel and he knew better than anyone how clear and innocent these two were.
………………
(End of Chapter)
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