Elio’s Notes: Hi fellow readers! No updates tomorrow for all translations. We’ll be back the following day. Thanks for understanding!
Because of Feng Xuanzhe’s forceful recommendation and Xiao A’s strong guarantee, Ning Xuan easily obtained the court position of Ministry of War Bureau Director of the Proper Fifth Rank. It was neither a large nor small official post, not enough to easily attract attention, yet sufficient to become a nail planted inside the Ministry of War, making countless scholars who possessed talent and worked hard to advance themselves, yet could not find a way through the door, envy him to death.
Whether in Prince Rong’s Manor or Prince Yi’s Residence, Ning Xuan had grown used to seeing Feng Xuanyi and Feng Xuanzhe rise early and return late, attending morning court before the sky was even bright. Unexpectedly, now it was his turn. Aside from unranked petty officials, all officials in the capital had to attend morning court. But even when all attended morning court, people’s fates were not the same. Only officials of the Proper Third Rank and above could enter the main hall. The rest had to freeze outside in winter and roast outside in summer. In short, they could only wait outside for a summons. It was just that such summonses generally had nothing to do with them. Even if one did come, it could only mean some matter had been exposed and nothing good would come of it. It was clearly the bitter cold of deep winter, yet everyone seemed long accustomed to it. No one uttered a single complaint. Each stood straight and respectful, even if the Son of Heaven seated high above in court might never see them.
The civil and military officials were divided to the left and right, arranged by their departments, and stood in order according to rank. Although Ning Xuan was only a small Proper Fifth Rank Bureau Director of the Ministry of War, on his first day in office, he was still able to stand in the front row outside the hall. Through a single door, he looked at the familiar face inside the hall on the right, closer to the imperial seat. Ning Xuan felt as though a lifetime had passed. He did not know how long it had been since they parted, yet this meeting was filled with bewilderment and desolation. The sky was still a dark, heavy expanse. Inside the grand hall, people were arguing fiercely about something. Ning Xuan could not hear clearly, nor did he want to. All his attention gathered uncontrollably on that one person.
Although Feng Xuanyi tried to appear respectful and proper, his eyes, which could barely suppress their drowsiness, loudly proclaimed the fact that he had not slept enough because of pleasure-seeking. Carefree, unrestrained, indulgent, and fond of enjoyment—perhaps this was the impression Feng Xuanyi left on everyone. But Ning Xuan knew that this was only smoke Feng Xuanyi released to confuse everyone. If the Ning Xuan of the past, who had only seen one side of him in the prince’s manor, had not understood this clearly, then today he truly understood what it meant to hide one’s depth and what it meant to pretend to be a pig in order to eat the tiger. Evidently, everyone had been deceived by him, even including his own eldest brother and the Eighth Brother who seemed closest to him.
Looking at Feng Xuanzhe, proud, unrestrained, and full of success, then at Crown Prince Feng Xuanmo, whose face was filled with indignation, Ning Xuan could not help finding it amusing. Which of them could have expected that while the mantis stalked the cicada, the oriole waited behind? It was only unknown whether this oriole could truly become the oriole.
The day’s morning court passed amid the drowsy yet forcibly respectful bearing of those outside the hall and the arguments of those within, each harboring their own thoughts as their words clashed like spears and swords. As soon as court was dismissed, Feng Xuanyi stepped out of the hall doors cheerfully, his face full of smiles, but when he saw Ning Xuan, who had not yet had time to withdraw with the others, the smile froze. His entire movement stiffened because of it.
Feng Xuanzhen, who was following closely behind, had not expected Feng Xuanyi to stop so suddenly. Caught off guard, he crashed directly into Feng Xuanyi’s back, chest against spine, and complained unhappily, “What are you doing, Fifth Brother? Why did you suddenly stop?”
“Greetings to Prince Rong. Greetings to Prince Yu.” He was no longer a lowly servant, but an official standing independently on one side. Cupping his hands and bowing, even as a formal courtesy, no longer required him to prostrate himself fully. Social status was just such a subtle thing. One could refuse to pursue it, but one could not ignore its existence.
“This… how—” Feng Xuanzhen’s gaze moved back and forth between Ning Xuan and Feng Xuanyi, unable to react for a moment, but it was blocked by Feng Xuanzhe passing by. That obstruction lasted only a fleeting instant.
Feng Xuanzhe passed by Ning Xuan as though nothing had happened, leaving not a single glance, not the slightest unusual pause, as though he did not know this person at all. He walked straight past and went off alone.
Seeing Xiao A and the other two Vice Ministers of War come out of the hall, Ning Xuan bowed respectfully to Feng Xuanyi and Feng Xuanzhen, then hurriedly followed them. “This lower official still has matters to attend to. I shall take my leave first.”
His voice was calm, and he turned without the slightest lingering attachment. Ning Xuan did not see Feng Xuanyi’s eyes instantly darken with unpredictable gloom.
The main hall of the Ministry of War.
Ning Xuan had only just arrived and did not know what things had been like before. At the very least, he knew that in this oppressive, heavy atmosphere, he had best keep his mouth shut. Too many words led to mistakes. In the modern era, people hated parachuted-in personnel, and in ancient times, to those who placed all their hopes on the imperial examinations held once every three years, parachuted-in personnel were practically an affront to fate. Besides, if he truly had some background or patron behind him, that would be one thing. Outsiders could guess how much weight he carried all they liked, but if he himself followed along and acted smugly, then he would simply be a fool courting death for no reason.
“The northwest war situation is urgent. His Majesty wishes to send someone on campaign, yet cannot find a suitable candidate. He has expressed much dissatisfaction with the Ministry of War. I wonder whether my colleagues have any solutions?” Xiao A sat alone in the central seat of the hall, with the two Vice Ministers seated separately on either side. A room full of bureau directors, vice directors, and secretaries stood in rows to the left and right. His gaze swept over each person one by one. Unlike the modest and courteous man Ning Xuan had first met at Prince Yi’s Residence, Xiao A’s gaze paused especially long on Ning Xuan before moving away.
He was clearly supposed to be Feng Xuanzhe’s man, yet Ning Xuan always had the feeling that Xiao A was deliberately opposing him. Especially that gaze—it made him uncomfortable all over, like a wild beast constantly waiting by the side, ready to deliver a killing blow the moment Ning Xuan made the slightest mistake.
“Isn’t there the marquis? How could there be no suitable candidate?”
When war matters were discussed and someone mentioned “the marquis,” there could be no second choice aside from First-Class Marquis Dingbei, Nalan Jian.
Xiao A smiled without speaking, but Ning Xuan suddenly opened his mouth. “It is precisely because there is only the marquis that we cannot afford to lose. The northwest war is neither too large nor too small. If Marquis Dingbei must personally take command every single time, setting aside whether his achievements after victory might become so great they overshadow the ruler, at the very least, Hua Dynasty cannot afford to lose if he does. Once he loses, how great a blow would that be to our army’s morale? How much would it increase the enemy’s arrogance? How could that be something silver and tribute alone could make up for?”
Xiao A turned to look at him from the corner of his eye. He had originally thought Ning Xuan was only a servant, ignorant and narrow-sighted, someone who had climbed upward by relying on beauty. Whether openly or in secret, Xiao A looked down on such a person. But now, he had no choice but to admit that in terms of far-reaching vision, this sentence alone surpassed countless people in the hall. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.
“You!” The man who had not expected Ning Xuan to say such a thing was caught off guard. His eyes widened as he stared back in astonishment. “You are showing great disrespect to the marquis.”
One had to know that in the current court, the name of Marquis Dingbei, Nalan Jian, could be said to stand above ten thousand and below only one. Who did not wish to win him over? Who did not wish to curry favor with him? Yet someone as inexperienced and reckless as this had actually appeared.
“Grand Minister Xiao merely asked everyone for their opinions, and I was only speaking on the matter itself and offering my opinion. Why must I flatter anyone? Why must I be mindful of anyone?” Ning Xuan spoke with such sincere matter-of-factness that he seemed completely out of place in this muddy, filthy, and foul officialdom, leaving everyone caught off guard.
Several crisp claps came from outside the door. Steady footsteps strode in. The man wore a jujube-red official robe embroidered with a qilin. His features were handsome and firm, his figure tall and straight. Only the corners of his eyes bore faint traces of time, yet one still could hardly tell that he had already passed the age of thirty.
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