CHAPTER 125: CHAPTER 81: MY FAMILY HAS 300,000 SOLDIERS_1

"I advise you all: turn your hearts and minds inside out, air them, wash them, and set them straight! It is becoming increasingly clear to me that the root of My troubles lies not outside, not with the barbarians, but with you—right here in this very room!"

"We are guilty! We deserve to die ten thousand deaths!"

In the grand hall, from the Prime Minister down to the common civil and military officials, all knelt upon the ground.

Yan Emperor Ji Runhao sat on the dragon throne, gazing at the expanse of kneeling civil and military officials below. His heart felt none of the sense of accomplishment befitting his supreme imperial status.

This position belongs to that family; this one, to another; and that one, whose has it always been? His court, his civil and military officials—their appointments were not of his choosing. Instead, they were entrenched positions, held by the great aristocratic families for nearly a century. Occasionally, there were shifts, occasional power struggles, amounting to little more than one family ousting another. Official posts, these vital instruments of the state, were treated like market stalls. ’My grandfather sold vegetables here, my father sold vegetables here, so it’s only right that I should sell vegetables here too! Even if I can’t tell one vegetable from another, I must still occupy this stall.’ The farmers’ boasts in the fields that the old emperor could eat ten greasy pancakes for breakfast—that was a joke. But the Yan Emperor’s court and the marketplace those old farmers frequented daily? There truly was no essential difference. Although Ji Runhao had promoted many officials from humble families since his ascension, they were still far from becoming a significant force. Compared to the established aristocratic clans, they lagged far, far behind. Still, at least everyone maintained some semblance of decorum. When the one on the dragon throne grew angry, those below who were supposed to kneel would immediately do so. Everyone would calmly plead for forgiveness, playing out the day’s drama to its end.

Of course, there was a reason for the Emperor’s anger today. In recent years, the conflict between the imperial court and the Household of the Earl of North Border had nearly reached a boiling point. But with the issuance of the Self-Reproach Edict, this situation, once an undercurrent of roiling tension, was being shattered. Soon, this antagonism between the central authority and the powerful regional vassals would be brought into the open. And once laid bare, reconciliation would no longer be possible. The Self-Reproach Edict was the Yan Emperor’s declaration of war against the Household of the Earl of North Border.

Therefore, in the past two days, the court ministers had rapidly mobilized, each representing their respective families to exert pressure on the Emperor. Some argued that the Household of the Earl of North Border was the pillar of the empire’s northern frontier and must not be rashly challenged. Others claimed the three hundred thousand strong North Border Army was the very foundation of Yan’s survival. Still others warned that weakening the feudatories would shake the foundations of the state. In short, because of the Emperor’s Self-Reproach Edict, the ministers had been compelled to step forward, becoming the conservative faction opposing the reduction of the feudatories’ power.

But only Ji Runhao knew clearly that these same people had initially all been willing to see him take action against the Household of the Earl of North Border. Among the great aristocratic families, if one disregarded the factor of teeming descendants, then the Household of the Earl of North Border in Beifeng Prefecture was undoubtedly the foremost aristocratic family in all of Yan! It was perfectly normal for an emperor to want to reduce the power of feudatories. The ministers and the aristocratic families behind them could understand this. After all, as long as an emperor wasn’t a fool, he would certainly seek to curtail the feudatories. Centralized power, with oneself as the sole authority—this was the lifelong pursuit of every sovereign. Since curtailment was inevitable, the Emperor tackling the toughest bone—the Household of the Earl of North Border—was naturally what everyone most wished to see. ’It’s tough, it’s hard to crack. So, Your Majesty, you can take your time grinding it down.’ But now, things were different. The Emperor was dead set on tearing away that fig leaf! Once the Household of the Earl of North Border was pushed to the brink, would their three hundred thousand strong North Border Army be so easy to deal with? Beifeng Prefecture was only so large, and it bordered the desert. There truly wasn’t much wealth to be extracted there. But once those three hundred thousand iron cavalry were unleashed, could the six prefectures of Leshad, Tiancheng, Xiahu, Sanshi, Huwei, and Yinlang possibly escape? The foundation of the aristocratic families was not in the imperial court; those in court were merely their spokespeople. Their true power base lay in the regions. And once war erupted in the regions, who would care who you were? At that point, without the suppressive presence of the Household of the Earl of North Border, if the Desert Barbarians then opportunistically invaded, well, the state of Yan would be plunged into utter chaos. Although the Qian State to the outside was unimpressive, and the Jin State was embroiled in internal strife, this didn’t mean the Emperor of Qian and the great clans of Jin would willingly pass up such a golden opportunity to act while Yan was in turmoil.

In conclusion: there must be no war. Absolutely no war!

"Of the North Border Army’s six divisions, three have already mobilized. One division has advanced to Tong City, on the border of Beifeng Prefecture and Leshad Prefecture. One division has advanced to Liang City, on the border of Beifeng Prefecture and Sanshi Prefecture. And one division has advanced to Border City, at the junction of Beifeng Prefecture and Xiahu Prefecture. I believe you are all perfectly aware of what the Household of the Earl of North Border intends by these actions. This is an attempt to force My abdication! This is coercion, compelling Me to yield! They are dangling a knife before My very eyes, asking Me: are you afraid or not!"

Ji Runhao rose from the dragon throne and continued in a loud voice:

"Our Yan! The hardships of its founding, the difficulties of its defense—these are unparalleled in history! Among the successive Emperors of Yan, few have not personally led armies into battle, and indeed, three sovereigns have perished in combat! I know what you are apprehensive about, and I understand your fears. But this is no longer a time when we can cover our eyes and pretend nothing is happening. Come tomorrow, if the one hundred fifty thousand iron cavalry of the North Border Army ride south, how long can Leshad, Sanshi, and Xiahu Prefectures hold out? If the Household of the Earl of North Border dares to act even more audaciously—ignoring the Desert Barbarians, perhaps even borrowing troops directly from the Barbarian Royal Court—then hundreds of thousands of iron cavalry could march straight in! It wouldn’t take long for them to reach Tiancheng Prefecture!"