Chapter 226: The Plot

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Yan Bingyun explained past events to Fan Xian.

After the Kingdom of Qing's Third Northern Expedition, the Zhan clan took advantage of the situation, founding the Kingdom of Qi. However, the founding Emperor unfortunately passed away before the twelfth year of his rule, leaving behind the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, who was then only a few years old, to fill the void at the palace.

Although the Kingdom of Qing had halted their northern advance, the cruel Chen Pingping was unwilling to let such an opportunity go to waste. Secretly, he funneled money to and instigated dissent among a number of nobles of the former dynasty and cadet branches of the Zhan clan in Shangjing. Ultimately, this led to a situation in which they attempted to force the Emperor to abdicate. Seeing that the Empress Dowager and the young, fatherless Emperor were about to be ejected from the palace by this rebel faction, Ku He entered the palace, using his status as a friend and teacher of the recently-deceased Emperor Zhan Qingfeng.

At that moment, 3,000 troops surrounded the palace. Ku He sat in front of the great hall. Behind him were the miserable mother and child, and a battalion of trembling palace maids and eunuchs, clutching candlesticks and brooms.

Facing the countless spears and arrows pointed at them, Ku He sat alone in front of the great hall. No one dared to move a muscle.

Then the older brother of the Empress Dowager, Chang Ninghou, crawled through a sewage hole out of the palace, secretly making contact with Shen Zhong of the Brocade Guard and linking up with a royalist group. They launched their counterattack in the palace, and under extremely dangerous circumstances, managed to stabilize the situation in Shangjing.

After that incident, Ku He did not investigate the matter, and the Empress Dowager also kept her silence. Those nobles who had tried to force abdication were not harmed at the time, but in the days afterward, they did not meet good ends.

So no matter which way one looked at it, the Empress Dowager's peaceful reign within the palace was all thanks to Ku He's popularity, and his incomprehensible strength.

"Ku He is so cool." Fan Xian clapped his thighs and sighed in amazement. "One man keeping back thousands of troops. 'Going forward against thousands.' So damn strong." [1]

Yan Bingyun looked at Fan Xian. His speech was rather vulgar, he thought, and did not show the proper respect to the revered four grandmasters. "Ku He is one of the four grandmasters. He considers himself above earthly matters. But if he declares a position on a matter, then everyone, no matter who it is, will find themselves restrained somewhat by fear."

Fan Xian shook his head. "When it came to those idiots who tried to force the Emperor to abdicate, I don't think Ku He could really have done anything against a hail of thousands of arrows."

"Ku He had taken a blood oath to kill whoever dared to sit upon the Dragon Throne." Yan Bingyun suddenly felt as though this Council Commissioner had become somewhat childlike. "With Ku He's terrifying strength, anyone in the north who he wanted killed would be dead. The moment their buttocks touched the Dragon Throne, they would find their heads separated from their shoulders. Who would want to be Emperor when they couldn't guarantee their own life?"

"A grandmaster?" Fan Xian frowned. For the first time, he felt that this extraordinary existence was quiet a troublesome one.

"What? Master Fan, you are young and promising. Do you not pay any attention to the grandmasters?" Yan Bingyun looked at him coldly.

Fan Xian smiled and said nothing. Of the world's four grandmasters, he had only seen Ye Liuyun. At the time, he just felt that he was singing quite a pretty song. As for the mysterious Wu Zhu, who in truth was an equal of the four grandmasters... Fan Xian had grown up with him, so he couldn't get particularly excited about him.

"Tell me more about matters in Shangjing," said Fan Xian, waving a hand to urge him to carry on. "If the Empress Dowager listens to Ku He, and Ku He wants Xiao En dead..."

Yan Bingyun interrupted. "How are you so sure that Ku He wants Xiao En dead?"

"I have my sources." Fan Xian laughed. He hadn't mentioned Haitang's name, or the secret of the temple. "So Shang Shanhu must take the Emperor's side, gathering up all the strength of the Emperor's faction, and only then will they be able to protect Xiao En's life... Master Yan, is there any plan we could make to be able to stand to gain from all this?"

Yan Bingyun shook his head, then suddenly thought of something. He smiled. "In fact, when it comes to power, Northern Qi has never been weak. Over these past four years, I have seen much... but I believe that when compared to Qing, Northern Qi will never be able to claim victory."

Fan Xian wasn't sure why he had come out with this conclusion. He had some doubts. Yan Bingyun laughed happily. "With the royal court sending Xiao En north, within a year, the balance and peace that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor have worked so hard to maintain will be broken. I am quite in awe... in awe of those in the royal court who made such a plan."

The one who plotted to send Xiao En back was the Eldest Princess. Fan Xian's expression remained calm, but he laughed grimly to himself. "There is nothing to admire. You know that you were the price of this transaction."

"What do you mean?" said Yan Bingyun, frowning.

"It was the Eldest Princess who singlehandedly sold you out to the Qi royal court, then arranged with Shang Shanhu to have Xiao En returned to the North... even if the unrest in the Qi royal court was a result of matters with Xiao En, do you really think it could make such great waves? You're simply a pawn in the hands of the nobles. A pawn should be aware of his status as a pawn. For you to have such admiration for someone who holds you in the palm of their hand... I don't understand it at all."

Fan Xian's words were harsh and carefully chosen. He wanted to plant a seed of hatred for the Eldest Princess within Yan Bingyun's heart. To his surprise, Yan Bingyun's face remained calm, as if he hadn't heard him say anything, and instead he continued to outline his plan. "We can't interfere in this matter. The diplomatic mission is stationed on foreign soil, and since Ku He has made a decision on whether Xiao En may live or die, we cannot interfere - nor is there any need to."

"I agree," said Fan Xian, looking at him. "But there's something else that I need your opinion on."

Fan Xian told Yan Bingyun about the past few days' events with Master Cui. "What do you plan to do?" asked Yan Bingyun, his face unmoved.

Fan Xian was silent for a while, but since he had already broached the topic, he decided to continue talking. "The Council believes that we should gradually reduce the amount of profit that Xinyang is making from the north."

"That's what the Council believes?" asked Yan Bingyun calmly, looking Fan Xian in the eye. "I hear that you may be taking control of the palace treasury in the years to come, Master Fan."

Fan Xian smiled as if he hadn't heard Yan Bingyun say this. "Master Yan, you have been imprisoned for the best part of a year, and yet you're still so well-informed."

There was a long silence before Yan Bingyun suddenly spoke. "Why are you telling this to me?"

"Because you are most familiar with the lay of the land in the north. If in the future there is ever a need to tighten our net... From now on, I must keep a careful eye out, and with you back in Qing, I will have no strength in the north."

"You have great faith in me, Master Fan," said Yan Bingyun calmly.

"I never presumed you were merely a simple patient," said Fan Xian coldly. "I believe that if you wanted to, Master Yan, you could still stir up trouble in the north."

"Why should I help you?"

"Because I am your superior officer." Fan Xian's face gradually turned cold. "I am not asking for your help. I am demanding your cooperation."

Yan Bingyun could not accept this. He laughed coldly. "On the day that you do take control of the Overwatch Council, Commissioner Fan, we will have this discussion again."

Fan Xian smiled and waved his hand. "I know it's not useful to discuss such things." He paused for a moment. "In truth, my reasoning is simple. The Eldest Princess is our common enemy. Not only do I need you, but I believe that you also need me."

Yan Bingyun did not spend long in thought. He gently nodded, then spoke directly. "As that is the case, then I must speak plainly. Your plan has been completely wrong from the start."

"Why do you say so?"

"If you want to gradually reduce the profit that the Eldest Princess makes from smuggling, then you should not look to Shen Zhong."

"Shen Zhong is the Provost of the Discipline Commission of the Brocade Guard. If he's not the key, then who in the north is?"

Yan Bingyun looked him in the eyes. "Shen Zhong and Chang Ninghou are both trusted aides of the Empress Dowager... They have been involved in the Eldest Princess's dealings for many years... If you want to start from scratch, why not seek out the young Emperor?"

Fan Xian sighed. "Because I am not sure what the Emperor's true thoughts are."

"The Emperor of Northern Qi is a clean and honest person. It is very easy to excite him." Yan Bingyun pointed a finger upward. "A clean and honest radical faction requires money."

Fan Xian looked at him for a moment in silence. "I trust you," he said.

"Now I deserve your trust," said Yan Bingyun.

Fan Xian gave a secret sigh of relief and patted him on the shoulder. "Relax. Although the world is theirs for now, it will be ours in the end." He left the room, leaving Yan Bingyun to ruminate on his odd words.

Over the next three days, the diplomatic mission still dealt with diplomatic affairs in the north. Head diplomat Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun plotted in their chambers. Gradually, Yan Bingyun no longer concealed anything from him, providing him with analysis of all the information he had, and very clearly establishing the ideas that would guide Fan Xian's future actions.

It was better to move than to stay put; Xinyang was waiting to make their move, as was the Empress Dowager. Contact only needed to be made with the palace. Fan Xian considered whether he should go to pay his respects to Shang Shanhu, but Yan Bingyun coldly dismissed the idea.

Yan Bingyun did not consider such things to be necessary. If he needed to do so, he would knock on his door. In Yan Bingyun's expert eyes, everything that Fan Xian had done since entering Shangjing had been a complete mess.

Fan Xian received his advice silently, knowing that in such matters, he was no match for Yan Bingyun. In their chats, they had mentioned reintegrating their spy network in the north, but Yan Bingyun was clearly concerned about his capabilities, so he did not yield.

After dining one day, Fan Xian suddenly spoke. "That daughter of Shen's was quite capable. If she knew you were hidden within the diplomatic mission, she would come calling."

Yan Bingyun's face was like ice, completely unconcerned for others. "Let Shen Zhong know that he can handle his own daughter's affairs."

Fan Xian looked at him. He didn't understand how this young official could have cultivated such a heartless and detached outlook.

[1] "Going forward against thousands" is a quote from Mencius.