Regarding Yan Shang's private affair, Lord Liu commented that he was "audacious," neither praising nor condemning it.
After all, what first caught Lord Liu's attention about Yan Shang was his public execution of the Zheng Family Head. During the triple-court hearing back then, Yan Shang refuted all three parties one by one, leaving a deep impression on Lord Liu.
Lord Liu had always known that his youngest student, despite appearing gentle and humble on the surface, was fundamentally bold at heart.
Merely having a secret relationship with Danyang Princess... wasn't enough to shock Lord Liu.
Though for a minor eighth-rank official to dare engage in a private affair with Danyang Princess—a princess who had undergone a peace marriage—would be startling in any context.
Yet, what kind of timid and cowardly person was Danyang Princess anyway?
After the grand ceremony, the Emperor had court officials and foreign envoys discuss the princess's peace marriage. The courtiers split into two factions, with no small number of ministers supporting the princess and strongly opposing the peace marriage. The highest-ranking among them was the Vice Minister of Revenue.
As a fourth-rank official, the Vice Minister of Revenue was only subordinate to those in positions like Chief Councillor, Minister, or Censor-in-Chief. Having reached the vice minister rank, one could often influence many matters in court.
Such high-ranking support for Mu Wan Yao put considerable pressure on those officials hoping she would undergo the peace marriage.
Beyond the Vice Minister of Revenue, there were numerous other ministers backing Mu Wan Yao.
These were the accumulated results of Mu Wan Yao's year-long involvement in government affairs. After all, with the Crown Prince backing her and the southern Li family's support, when she sought to win people over, many naturally leaned toward her.
This left Lord Liu both marveling and frustrated by such a princess.
After being dismissed by Lord Liu to handle official duties, Yan Shang returned to the Secretariat office two days later. Carrying numerous historical documents, he sought Lord Liu to discuss the princess's peace marriage.
Lord Liu continued walking and discussing these matters with his student beneath the locust tree outside the office compound.
Yan Shang said: "...I've reviewed various records about the events of that year and understand the general situation. It was when His Majesty and the late Empress's Li family were contending for power, while the Black Barbarians pressed aggressively from outside, demanding to marry the legitimate princess through peace marriage to establish an alliance with Great Wei and cease hostilities.
"According to records, the Jiannan Circuit was almost entirely occupied by the Black Barbarians at that time. The court agreed to the peace marriage, and only then did the Black Barbarian troops withdraw from Jiannan Circuit. To resist foreign invasion, one must first secure internal stability—both His Majesty and the late Empress needed to ensure no external conflicts during their power struggle. Thus, Her Highness the Princess became the sacrificial pawn."
Lord Liu stroked his beard and nodded.
What Yan Shang described could never appear in official records. Yan Shang had to deduce these conclusions from various materials. For a young man who hadn't participated in those events and lacked background connections to infer the internal truth to this extent from fragmented records was truly remarkable.
Seeing his teacher's tacit approval, Yan Shang sighed inwardly, feeling a sense of bewilderment.
Yet another case of political infighting.
The longer he remained in court circles, the more he witnessed these harsh truths... all contrary to human nature, solely for personal gain.
Yan Shang murmured quietly: "These factional struggles in court have nothing to do with people's livelihoods. Yet they fight until bloodied, appearing utterly ridiculous."
Lord Liu glanced at him and said: "You could consider this issue from another perspective."
Yan Shang bowed respectfully, seeking his teacher's guidance.Lord Liu said leisurely, "You can understand it this way: when there are two different voices in the court, it becomes difficult to push government affairs forward with high efficiency. Only by eliminating dissenting voices and ensuring only one's own voice remains in the court can one find the time to promote what you call the people's welfare."
Yan Shang was taken aback for a moment.
Then he said, "Even so, for the Emperor and the late Empress to tacitly consent to using the princess as a pawn, sending her off for a Peace Marriage, is utterly, utterly... cold-blooded."
Lord Liu retorted, "What else could be done?"
Yan Shang was stunned.
Lord Liu continued, "You haven't lived through the era when the Jinling Li Clan held sway, so you naturally don't know the pressure the Emperor endured back then. At the peak of the Li Family's power, not only did their voices dominate eighty percent of the court, but they even had the final say in matters of deposing and appointing emperors.
"This is a struggle between imperial power and the great families. The Emperor's authority was constantly threatened by the Li Family and other powerful clans. To what extent can an emperor be sidelined before it becomes unbearable? And our Emperor has never been one to tolerate bullying.
"He married a Li daughter as Empress, used the various families in Chang'an to contend with the Li Clan, sowing discord step by step, suppressing them gradually. He initiated the imperial examinations to allow commoners to enter the court, breaking the great families' monopoly. The death of the second prince severed the Li Family's path to controlling imperial power through bloodlines. Sending the young princess for a Peace Marriage left the Li Clan with no one to use within the royal family.
"He reclaimed military authority, stripped the Li Family of their control over southern military and governance. Constantly rotated generals... and finally, the late Empress passed away.
"Over twenty long years, he eventually forced the Li Clan back to Jinling. Today, the Li Family remains the leading southern clan, but they must recuperate, with even their key figure exiled to Lingnan. The Li Family's future was cut off... as a warning to all great families. Now the clans are much more subdued than before, and all of this is thanks to our Emperor."
Lord Liu curled his lips mockingly at Yan Shang: "Even you—if it weren't for bringing commoners into the game, if it weren't for adding another force to counter the great families, do you think you could have entered the court? Do you find the imperial exam questions frivolous, flashy, and useless, unsuitable for truly selecting officials, only producing literati who can recite poetry?
"Yet even this was something the Emperor fought for against the great families."
Yan Shang was speechless.
He listened as Lord Liu sighed, "Do you think the Emperor was wrong?"
After a long while, Yan Shang said quietly, "I pity the princess's hardships, but from a broader perspective, the Emperor was right. The great families have been dominant for too long... If left unchecked and allowed to grow, it would likely lead to factional strife and national ruin."
Lord Liu was silent for a long time.
Because he, too, came from a great family.
After a good while, Lord Liu finally said, "The great families are bound to fall. If they don't, this situation would be a deadlock."
Yan Shang looked at his teacher: "Teacher, you also come from a great family... Do you not stand with them?"
Lord Liu stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the towering shaded trees above, and chuckled scornfully: "Yan Suchen, do you think all great families are fools who can't see the situation? Do you think all great families exploit the common people and lack discernment? Have you heard of what it means to be a renowned scholar? Have you seen truly noble and upright families? Your understanding of the great families is still shallow."Lord Liu paused for a long moment before saying, "You should spend more time with your young friend Wei Juyuan. The Luoyang Wei Clan has endured for centuries without ever producing a prime minister, yet they have managed to remain unbroken. In my view, the Luoyang Wei Clan is even more remarkable than the so-called Jinling Li Clan."
Yan Shang replied softly, "This student is ashamed."
Lord Liu said calmly, "His Majesty aims to accomplish in his own reign what would take other emperors two or three generations to complete. Let us wait and see... These noble families have been quiet for years while His Majesty was ill, but now they are growing arrogant again. The Emperor's suppression is not yet over.
"You may say our Emperor is heartless, or that a ruler need not be ruthless... yet sometimes ruthlessness is what benefits the realm most."
Yan Shang said, "A ruler must first be benevolent..."
Lord Liu interjected, "It is merely a lack of benevolence toward the princess you care about."
Yan Shang responded quietly, "Yet I have not seen much benevolence in the world, nor many common people living in peace and contentment."
Lord Liu looked at him with amusement. "Is that not precisely why we, as ministers, should share the Emperor's burdens? His Majesty is gravely ill... expecting him to manage everything would be too much to ask of a sick man."
After a long silence, Yan Shang had to smile wryly and admit his teacher was right. An emperor must sever personal attachments and act for the greater good of the realm; even if he treats his own children poorly, he... is ultimately not a tyrant. On the contrary, the Emperor sees the broader situation with perfect clarity.
The world may be muddled, but the Son of Heaven is not.
And because the Son of Heaven is not muddled, he is merciless.
This was a deeply frustrating reality.
Yan Shang changed the subject: "...But now the Li Clan has been suppressed and driven back to Jinling. It seems unlikely they will pose any significant threat in the short term. Yet we maintain our alliance with the Black Barbarians. Although many court officials oppose another marriage alliance between our princess and the Black Barbarians, when it comes to actual warfare, eighty percent of ministers would oppose going to war.
"Why is that? Are the armies of our Great Wei truly no match for the military strength of a minor state like the Black Barbarians?"
Lord Liu said, "Indeed, they are no match."
Yan Shang was stunned. Although his recent research had hinted that Great Wei's military might not be as invincible as he had imagined, the idea that Great Wei could not defeat the Black Barbarians was absurd.
Lord Liu glanced at him and knew exactly what he was thinking. "It is not that we cannot defeat them. If we mobilized the entire nation's forces, what would a small state like the Black Barbarians amount to? Rather, if we can avoid war, why start one? Su Chen, you must understand that once war begins, the pressure on every ministry of the court will be extraordinary. Moreover, whenever war breaks out, it is always the common people who suffer."
Lord Liu continued, "Consider how many ordinary civilians would die in a war, compared to how many noble families would lose members... Our Great Wei prioritizes agriculture, unlike the nomadic Black Barbarians. They rely on war to sustain their nation, while we have no such need. Forming an alliance was the best choice at the time."
Yan Shang said, "I understand all that, Teacher. But if we could defeat the Black Barbarians, these problems would be solved. What puzzles me is why we cannot defeat them, or why the cost of victory would be so high?"
Lord Liu turned to look at him and smiled. "That is the answer you must provide for your teacher."
Yan Shang was taken aback, then bowed respectfully, accepting this challenge from his mentor—Over the following days, Yan Shang continuously shuttled between the Ministry of War, the Court of State Ceremonial, and the Secretariat. The Ministry of War was originally under Prince Qin's jurisdiction, and seeing the Crown Prince's men frequently visiting to search for documents, Prince Qin grew highly vigilant, fearing the Crown Prince was there to poach personnel.
Yan Shang's inquiries consistently revolved around the combat capabilities of the Black Barbarians, which made Prince Qin even more suspicious. He couldn't help but wonder: Why keep asking about fighting the Black Barbarians? Does the Crown Prince want to start a war? Is he mad? Would he go to war just for Mu Wan Yao?
Even the Crown Prince grew puzzled and questioned Yan Shang, who claimed it was part of his teacher's test. The Crown Prince remained only half-convinced.
The Crown Prince was unwilling to let Mu Wan Yao go for the Peace Marriage—her departure would mean losing the support of southern aristocratic families led by the Li Family of Jinling. But he was equally unwilling to go to war.
Yan Shang, however, secretly hoped the situation would grow more chaotic. With the Crown Prince and Prince Qin suspecting each other, and envoys from various countries pursuing Mu Wan Yao... in such turmoil, the Peace Marriage couldn't be accomplished anytime soon, buying him plenty of time.
Meanwhile, Yan Shang himself kept returning to the Secretariat to answer his teacher's questions.
On the first day, he said: "The weakness of Great Wei's military stems from the conflict between aristocratic families and imperial authority. Both sides eliminated dissenters, reformed the border army system, and constantly rotated generals, resulting in unfamiliarity and poor coordination between officers and soldiers. This naturally weakened our combat strength. When we tried replacing the long-selected aristocratic generals with our own men, we found our candidates inferior, leading to repeated defeats. Yet His Majesty cannot reinstate the aristocratic generals, creating a stalemate while waiting for new talent to emerge.
"But with such frequent rotations in the border armies, how can we cultivate capable generals?
"Yet if we don't rotate them frequently, generals might establish independent regimes, causing another crisis. These multiple factors have left Great Wei's military strength inferior to that of the Black Barbarians."
Lord Liu asked: "What else?"
So Yan Shang continued his research.
Another day passed, and he returned to answer Lord Liu: "Our dynasty imposes heavy military service, yet the borders face frequent conflicts and an overly extended defense line. While garrison defense is beneficial, commoners are forcibly conscripted and stationed indefinitely, unable to return home. Over time, everyone avoids service, unwilling to enlist voluntarily. Moreover, I spoke with a guard named Fang Tong, who previously served as a soldier. His experience... well."
Yan Shang recalled his conversation with Fang Tong, the captain of Mu Wan Yao's guards.
Fang Tong told him that before serving the princess, he had been a soldier. However, the military service was too burdensome, and to support his family, he had to evade combat and seek livelihood in Chang'an. There, due to the low status of soldiers resulting from heavy conscription, the locals looked down on ex-soldiers like him, treating him like a private servant to be beaten and insulted at will. The prevailing sentiment across Great Wei had somehow made military service shameful.
Fang Tong repeatedly took military examinations held by the court and pulled various strings to eventually secure a position with the princess. Even so, to accompany her to the Black Barbarians, he had to separate from his newlywed wife for years, only recently reuniting with his family.
Thinking of this, Yan Shang felt disheartened, recognizing another unsolvable problem. The military was weak, hence the heavy service burden; and because the burden was heavy, soldiers' status remained low, perpetuating the weakness.
The entire system was flawed.
Yet Lord Liu still asked him: "What else?"
What other reasons caused Great Wei's military to lag behind the Black Barbarians?Yan Shang shuttled tirelessly between the Secretariat and the Ministry of War, continuously responding to the challenging questions posed by Lord Liu—
"Teacher, I’ve observed that due to power struggles within the court, seasoned generals have dwindled while new ones lack military expertise. If we had capable military leaders, even frequent reassignments could be mitigated. It is precisely because victories are hard-won that such frequent changes occur."
Lord Liu sighed: "As the saying goes, 'A thousand troops are easy to raise, but one general is hard to find.'"
Lord Liu pressed further: "What else?"
Yan Shang paused, then resumed his investigations.
He later reported to Lord Liu: "In warfare, cavalry reigns supreme. With cavalry dominance, battles become overwhelmingly one-sided. The cavalry of Great Wei is inferior to that of the Black Barbarians. The Black Barbarians, accustomed to fighting on horseback year-round, possess superior cavalry. They also employ chainmail armor. On the battlefield, unless we can neutralize their cavalry or dismount their soldiers, we stand little chance against them."
"I’ve inquired at the Western Market, consulted the Court of State Ceremonial, and spoken with envoys from various nations. Our horse breeds still have room for improvement. We should learn horse-rearing techniques from smaller northern states or even hire their experts to assist us..."
As his reasoning grew clearer, the longstanding issues between Great Wei and the Black Barbarians unfolded before him one by one.
The chaotic situation gradually cleared, like mist dissipating to reveal clarity.
Lord Liu stared at the young man standing in his study, remaining silent for a long while, repeatedly astonished by Yan Shang’s insights.
Much of what Yan Shang said had already been reported to him, the Chancellor, by others. Yet those were conclusions drawn from years of collective experience within the Ministry of War. Yan Shang, through meticulous deduction, had managed to unravel these truths entirely on his own...
Yan Shang was intelligent, thoughtful, humble, and gentle, with exceptional interpersonal skills...
His intelligence and thoughtfulness allowed him to piece together scattered fragments of information into a coherent whole; his humility and gentleness enabled him to seek wisdom from the learned while humbly conversing with illiterate commoners and foreigners at the Barbarian Market; his excellent relationships ensured he had friends in all six ministries, granting him access to assistance wherever needed.
And this remarkable individual was only nineteen years old.
Lord Liu gazed at the young Yan Shang, deeply moved, thinking to himself that this student of his would achieve extraordinary things.
Having covered all apparent reasons, Lord Liu believed Yan Shang had exhausted every angle. Yet, he still insisted—
"What else?"
He himself could think of no further reasons for Great Wei’s military inferiority to the Black Barbarians, but he persisted in pushing Yan Shang with "What else?"
He sought to temper Yan Shang’s confidence, unwilling to let everything unfold exactly as the young man predicted. For a brilliant and talented youth, having everything go according to plan would not bode well for his growth.
"The hardest steel breaks most easily."
Lord Liu, well aware of the constraints within political circles, intended to use this opportunity to hone Yan Shang. He did not want his prized student to be crushed by the escalating complexities of governance, like a precious blade snapped in two.
Yan Shang stood bewildered—
Unaware that he had already covered all reasons, he believed he must have overlooked something. He racked his brains, redoubling his efforts to consult military officials, foreigners in the markets, and envoys at the Court of State Ceremonial, while scouring books and records for additional insights. Yet he found nothing more.
To him, this became sheer torment.For someone with such high self-expectations, being unable to think through a matter, untangle its logic, and proceed to the next step... was truly agonizing.
Another day found Yan Shang squatting in the Barbarian Market, chatting with several foreign traders as he inquired when the merchants he had sent to the Black Barbarians would return to Chang'an.
As a court official who mingled daily in the Western Market without airs, his refined handsome features and gentle speech naturally endeared him to others. The foreign merchants greatly favored this official who frequented their market and informed him that the traders handling his affairs would likely return within two days.
One foreigner, speaking in broken Great Wei dialect, thumped his chest in assurance: "Don't worry, Yan Erlang! Though they didn't make it back before the new year, they won't be much longer. We foreigners conduct business with honesty - having taken your money, we won't deceive you and will see this matter through properly!"
Regardless of his inner turmoil, Yan Shang maintained his amiable smile: "Then I shall await your good news. Whenever they return, no matter the time, bring your waist tokens to find me. I truly... know too little about the Black Barbarians."
The crowd offered Yan Shang various words of comfort.
After parting from the foreigners, Yan Shang wandered aimlessly through the Western Market, watching the foreign merchants conducting business as he pondered - what reasons could possibly explain why Great Wei might be inferior to the Black Barbarians?—
Mu Wan Yao was strolling through the Western Market with Meng Zaishi.
Her expression remained impassive, having no desire for further association with Meng Zaishi. But since she had declared herself open to courtship, she couldn't consistently reject his company.
Moreover, she had her own plans that required gradually improving relations with Meng Zaishi.
The two rode side by side on horseback.
Mu Wan Yao wore a face-covering veil reaching her ankles, while Meng Zaishi wore a mask. The chaotic commoners and vendors in the Western Market made way for them, for even a casual glance revealed the noble status of the woman in fine silks, while the tall man riding beside her exuded formidable authority despite his masked face.
Ahead, noisy foreigners blocked the path, halting their horses. Mu Wan Yao's displeasure grew visibly.
With impatience, she remarked: "Look at this - the road is blocked! Why invite me to wander the Western Market? It's less lively than the Eastern Market, messy everywhere, filled with your foreign types. Just seeing them annoys me."
Meng Zaishi dismounted with a laugh at her words. Through mask and veil, he glanced at her mockingly: "Your temper has grown even worse than when I first knew you. A blocked road shouldn't irritate you so. Fine, we'll take another route."
He signaled to his guards, who led his horse away. Meng Zaishi then approached and took the reins of Mu Wan Yao's mount. Watching coldly, she felt her horse grow restless until Meng Zaishi whispered some Black Barbarian words near its ear, whereupon the animal calmed and obeyed his guidance.
Mu Wan Yao scoffed: "Such posturing! As if I can't ride without you holding the reins. Where are you taking me? Surely with ill intentions?"
Walking below, the tall man glanced back at the veiled woman on horseback silhouetted against the sunset, his expression teasing: "Well, in your eyes, I can do no right anyway."The two took a less crowded path, and Meng Zaishi stopped before a stall selling masks, gesturing for Mu Wan Yao to dismount and take a look. Mu Wan Yao hesitated for a long while, thinking she couldn’t outright defy Meng Zaishi, so she reluctantly got off the horse. Yet she still tightly clutched her face-covering veil, unwilling to spare even a glance at the world beyond it, unwilling to spare even a glance at Meng Zaishi.
Meng Zaishi glanced at the young woman behind him, her white veil sweeping the ground, and chuckled softly: "Little girl... I know what you’re thinking."
Mu Wan Yao kept a cold face and pretended not to hear.
Watching Meng Zaishi standing before a vendor stall, examining various masks, Mu Wan Yao distractedly glanced behind her, thinking how wonderful it would be if she could just stab him to death. Suddenly, Meng Zaishi lifted the mask from his own face and replaced it with one from the stall.
He turned to look at Mu Wan Yao, chuckling softly, "Little girl, does this look familiar to you?"
Mu Wan Yao cast a casual glance his way and froze instantly.
In a flash, she recalled the man she had encountered some time ago while escorting Yan Shang to the Pleasure Quarter—the one who had insisted on giving her a clay figurine.
That man had worn a mask identical to the one Meng Zaishi now had on. The figure from her memories… merged seamlessly with Meng Zaishi’s current form.
Mu Wan Yao couldn’t believe it. In one swift motion, she lifted her face-covering veil, clutching it to her chest as the white gauze fluttered lightly. She stared at Meng Zaishi, stunned and simmering with resentment.
So it turned out that the clay figurine from that night… had been a gift from Meng Zaishi!
…She would smash that clay figurine as soon as she got back.
Meng Zaishi looked down at Mu Wan Yao, who grew fearful, worried that he might do something to Yan Shang, who had been with her that night. Her eyes flickered, and she forced a delighted smile. "So you were already in Chang’an back then? And you waited all these days… How like you."
Meng Zaishi snorted derisively.
He leaned down, removing the mask from his face to reveal his true features. Bending closer, he inclined toward Mu Wan Yao.
Mu Wan Yao tightened her grip on the veil and took a step back, but she couldn’t escape the thickly mocking grin on his face.
Leaning in, he flicked her forehead with his finger and teased, "You’re not delighted at all, so why pretend? Around me, it’s better to be your true self."
The fading sunset glow fell across his face, illuminating the fierce scar there. For a moment, Mu Wan Yao felt dazed. Seeing the laughter in his eyes, she was abruptly reminded of that time… when he had leaped through the window, stretched out his hand to her, and promised he would help her—
Behind her, her maid Xiarong gasped in alarm, "Yan… Yan Erlang?"
Mu Wan Yao jolted and turned to look.
Through the bustling crowd, she saw Yan Shang staring vacantly into the distance. Instantly flustered, she wondered inwardly what Yan Shang was doing here. Panicked, she grabbed Meng Zaishi with one hand while signaling Xiarong with the other to lead the horse and follow.
Mu Wan Yao urged urgently, "Quick, quick, let’s go somewhere else!"
In all the time she had been in Chang’an, and throughout the days she had spent by the little princess’s side, this was the first time Mu Wan Yao had been willing to reach out and pull him along… Even if it was only by his sleeve, at least she was finally touching him.
Dragged along by the little princess as if fleeing for their lives, Meng Zaishi raised an eyebrow and glanced back at the young man lost in thought amid the crowd—the very official from the Court of State Ceremonial who had given him trouble—
Yan Shang saw Meng Zaishi and Mu Wan Yao.
At first, his gaze fixed on the horse behind Mu Wan Yao, and he became obsessed with the thought: The Black Barbarians’ cavalry is strong.
No wonder Mu Wan Yao had learned such excellent riding skills.
Under what circumstances, then, could the Black Barbarians’ cavalry unleash its full potential?
He had been nearly driven mad by this question over the past few days. Seeing that horse now, a vague answer began to take shape, stirring excitement in his chest.
But the next moment, he saw Mu Wan Yao shielding her face with the veil as Meng Zaishi leaned in close, reaching out toward her. The white gauze of the veil fluttered upward, and the way the two stood together gave the impression of stealing a kiss, hidden from view.In the next instant, Mu Wan Yao leaped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, grabbing Meng Zaishi and fleeing.
Yan Shang: "..."
He hadn't even processed what was happening, but Mu Wan Yao's guilty reaction left him with a distinct sense of displeasure.
Why was she running?
What was she feeling guilty about?
Did she think he was a jealous husband, or had she actually done something to betray him?
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