Perhaps it was the wine taking effect, or perhaps it was due to their frequent interactions and relatively close relationship as monarch and subject, Wen Jingmei’s posture remained as dignified as before, but his gaze softened noticeably. His words, too, became less restrained than usual, and he actually took the initiative to discuss matters related to the Wuliu Tribe with the Emperor.
“Your Majesty is likely aware that the noble elites within the Wuliu Tribe are not on harmonious terms. The current chieftain, Wu She, has been enfeoffed by the Great Zhou as the legitimate ruler of the tribe. However, many of the tribe’s elders still follow the commands of his uncle, the Left General of the tribe.”
Wen Yanran pondered for a moment. “If I recall correctly, the commandery bordering the Wuliu Tribe is…”
Wen Jingmei replied, “It is Dingyi Commandery. The Commandery Administrator is Dong Fu of the Dong Clan.”
Although the Dong family had declined in influence, they still managed to secure a commandery administrator position. Dong Fu himself was well-versed in the art of balance. Considering that Wu She’s uncle enjoyed the support of the older generation and had a solid foundation, coupled with the fact that border tribes did not value Confucian teachings as much as the Great Zhou did, and tribal nobles often harbored rebellious tendencies, it was entirely possible that the Left General might one day overthrow the chieftain and seize control of the tribe. Thus, under the pretext that Wu She had been formally enfeoffed by the Great Zhou, Dong Fu openly and covertly provided support to this new chieftain. His aim was to bolster the weaker faction enough to contend with the stronger one, thereby igniting internal conflicts within the Wuliu Tribe. This way, the major border tribe would be too preoccupied with internal strife to harass the Zhou borders.
In the current era, Dong Fu’s actions already qualified him as a capable official. In more peaceful times, such strategies might have gradually dismantled the Wuliu Tribe. However, as Wen Yanran knew all too well, the Great Zhou’s present prosperity was merely a mirage. Once rebellions erupted across the land, those border tribes, never particularly docile to begin with, would inevitably seize the opportunity to stir chaos, eager to claim a share of the Central Plains’ riches.
Wen Yanran habitually tapped the table lightly with her knuckles, lost in thought. “The evaluation for the commandery administrator of Dingyi this year was quite favorable. Under normal circumstances, he would likely be recalled to Jianping for an official post next year.”
Having reached this point, Chi Yi fully grasped the Emperor’s implication – that “guard” appeared to have received some education. In this era, among the border tribes, those with access to books were mostly nobles, their close aides, or Zhou people who had left their homeland for various reasons and settled among the tribes. Judging by his appearance, he was genuinely from a border tribe. His tall stature and burly build indicated a decent standard of nutrition. Although he entered the palace as a guard, he carried himself with more strategic poise than the high-ranking envoy from the Wuliu Tribe. Thus, it was almost certain that he was a noble from the Wuliu Tribe who had entered the capital under a concealed identity.
Wen Yanran thought to herself that among the envoys from the border tribes in the hall, there were even tribal chieftains themselves. Even if the leader of the Wuliu Tribe had come in person, there would be no need to conceal his identity. For that “guard” to travel all the way to Jianping, while it could simply be a young man’s curiosity to experience the grandeur of the central kingdom, given the current situation, it was more likely that he had ulterior motives.
By considering the worst possible scenario, one would not be caught off guard when the time came.
Wen Yanran lightly tapped the rim of her cup with her index finger. Chi Yi immediately picked up the pitcher and poured a cup of fruit nectar for the Emperor.
“My brother has a low tolerance for alcohol. Pour him a cup as well.”
Wen Jingmei bowed slightly from his seat and said, “Then I thank Your Majesty for your consideration.”
The palace attendants had already begun serving pastries at the banquet. Wen Yanran sampled a piece of the newly developed palace pastry – the last time she summoned Wen Xun, her height had struck a nerve, prompting her to direct the Imperial Kitchen to put more effort into researching various dairy products, which she hadn’t particularly favored before her transmigration.
Her pace of eating was no different from usual, but in the eyes of close attendants like Chi Yi, it was clear the Emperor’s mind was preoccupied.
Wen Yanran was pondering: if that “guard” from the Wuliu Tribe intended to inquire about the appointment and removal of the commandery administrator of Dingyi Commandery, through which channel would he attempt to do so?
Most court officials qualified to discuss affairs within the Taiqi Palace came from established scholarly families. Even if the chieftain of the Wuliu Tribe were to humble himself in person, they would likely be unwilling to engage with him. Therefore, that “guard” would have to seek out some marginal figures to make his approach.
As she pondered, Wen Yanran continued to sample the pastries.
Perhaps to allow the nobility to taste as many varieties as possible, the palace pastries were made quite small – each about half the size of a rose petal.
Wen Yanruo tried one made with cow’s milk, then picked up another studded with preserved fruits to examine it closely.
Beside her, Wen Jingmei maintained a quiet composure, his eyes downcast, faithfully playing his role as part of the Emperor’s backdrop.
The Emperor’s every move drew attention. While she could overlook the entire hall from her elevated position, many in return kept a close watch on Wen Yanran’s demeanor and actions.
Wu Geqi glanced upward, and his conviction that “the Great Zhou is doomed” grew stronger. The Emperor was simply too young to be capable of ruling. In the Wuliu Tribe, a leader of such age would be ousted within days. Moreover, the young sovereign did not appear particularly precocious. After the obligatory social interactions, she immediately began chatting idly with her cousin. Despite the presence of numerous court officials and envoys in the hall, the young emperor showed no interest in discussing affairs of state, instead amusing herself with the food on the table.
Since arriving in Jianping, Wu Geqi had heard people speak of the new emperor’s imposing dignity. However, he knew that the Central Plains people tended to lavish praises on nobility that often bore little relation to reality, so he hadn’t taken such comments seriously. Furthermore, he had learned that since ascending the throne, the new emperor had repeatedly bestowed favors upon the Tianfu Palace. After the recent palace rebellion, she had even granted the State Preceptor the honorary title of Grand Pillar of the State. All this led Wu Geqi to believe he had finally grasped the true situation.
Since the Emperor was merely a puppet, the so-called loyal officials at court would inevitably exhaust themselves in internal strife vying for power. Moreover, the Marquis of Quanling nearby made no secret of her ambition to target Jianping. Wu Geqi thought that while conflict was generally undesirable, for their Wuliu Tribe, it presented a rare opportunity to rise.
He was more learned than Wu She and possessed greater martial prowess. Except for his less noble bloodline compared to that elder brother, he surpassed him in every way. If Wu She could become chieftain, why couldn’t he?
Unbeknownst to Wu Geqi, who was lost in visions of the future, while the praises sung to the Emperor in the Central Plains contained considerable exaggeration, many were also subtle reflections of reality. For instance, describing the new emperor as “discerning the subtlest details” partly conveyed the ministers’ lamentations about the sovereign’s deep-seated suspicion.
It was now mid-afternoon, and Wen Yanran felt slightly weary. She simply rose and returned to her bedchambers to freshen up, entrusting Yuan Yanshi and Wen Jingmei to host the officials from various commanderies and envoys from the borderlands on her behalf.
As the Emperor prepared to depart, the court officials naturally bowed to see her off. As for the envoys from the border tribes, though they stood within the hall, they did not dare consider themselves equals to the Central Plains nobility and obediently prostrated themselves on the ground. Though Wu Geqi harbored grand ambitions, he could not stand out from the crowd and had to kneel alongside the tribe’s chief envoy to bid farewell.
A forest of ceremonial guards escorted the Emperor’s palanquin as it departed. Wen Yanran leaned against the soft cushions inside with her eyes closed, deep in thought. Aside from the formal court officials, those with access to state secrets were either advisors in the mansions of high ministers – many of whom also came from scholarly families and remained beyond the reach of the border tribes – or those with divided loyalties, such as followers of the Marquis of Quanling, or perhaps even the palace eunuchs.
When Yuan Yanshi had previously lectured her on history, he mentioned that throughout the ages, what could sway people’s minds were either virtue or profit. Jianping was the heart of the Great Zhou, so if someone specifically came here, it was highly likely they had ulterior motives. If they wished to establish connections in Jianping, taking the path of virtue would be nearly impossible – unless that Wuliu Tribe noble had saved the life of some important scholar’s elder. As for using power or force to coerce, as a foreigner with no roots in the Central Plains, the only way would be to ally with the Marquis of Quanling. Yet the Marquis would not offer help for nothing; there must be some exchange of interests involved.
Alternatively, they could offer enormous profits.
Wen Yanran opened her eyes.
She knew she wasn’t particularly clever and lacked understanding of this world’s cultural customs and political landscape. Coupled with the uselessness of the “Guide to Becoming a Tyrant” game system, she had no choice but to ponder matters thoroughly.
The Wuliu Tribe had trade relations with the Great Zhou. Since commerce existed between the two sides, they would inevitably share profits with the great clans of the Central Plains. However, no matter how eager the Wuliu Tribe might be to offer gifts, they would have to wait until the new prefect took office before carefully negotiating with him…
By the time she finished her thoughts, she had already arrived at the bedchambers of the Western Yong Palace. At last, she could change out of the imperial ceremonial robes, let down her hair, and slip into loose sleeping garments and soft shoes.
Noticing the Emperor’s return, Chi Yi moved forward to attend to her, but Wen Yanran waved her off, saying, “Let others handle it. You have other matters to attend to today.”
Upon hearing this, Chi Yi immediately stepped closer to receive her orders.
Wen Yanran first dismissed the surrounding attendants. After a moment of silence, she smiled faintly and said, “To be honest, I am only about thirty percent confident about today’s matter, so it’s better not to speak too much and risk inviting ridicule.” She then added, “The Wuliu Tribe is plagued by internal strife, and where there is internal strife, purges and reprisals are inevitable. That ‘guard’ who came might indeed be here for significant business. You and Ah-Luo must investigate this carefully.”
Chi Yi felt a slight chill in her heart. After a moment of reflection, she understood the Emperor’s implication.
Since the previous dynasty, the practice of buying commoners into slavery had never been fully eradicated. To avoid government scrutiny, some families refrained from purchasing servants locally and instead turned to the borderlands. Certain border tribes, eager to earn money, would sell their own people into slavery in the Central Plains.
For the strife-ridden Wuliu Tribe, selling defeated families into slavery in the Central Plains served a dual purpose: it generated income and eliminated future threats. However, such transactions existed in a gray area. If the number of slaves they sold grew too large, it would inevitably arouse suspicion.
If that “guard” had traveled all the way to the capital to gather information on this matter, it would indeed make sense. Yet Wen Yanran had an intuition that there was more to it than just this.
Wen Yanran smiled faintly and said in a low voice, “If the business truly involves people, you must pay close attention to ensure they do not disturb the esteemed guests in Jianping.” She added, “It is not easy for border tribes to make contact with people in the palace. Go and make arrangements beforehand, so they won’t have made the trip for nothing.”
Chi Yi accepted the order and left. Wen Yanran did not rest. She ordered the palace attendants to light the lamps and set up a desk. Draped in a cotton robe, she began writing letters. In a short while, she completed two letters, both sealed with wax. One was marked with the character “一” (one) on the surface, while the other bore the character “二” (two).
Wen Yanruo said, “Ah-Luo, have someone deliver both letters to Minister Song and instruct him to open and read the first one first.”
Zhang Luo cautiously inquired, “And the second one…”
Wen Yanruo smiled, “The second one… will most likely not be needed. It is merely a precaution for the unlikely event.”
She handed the letters to Zhang Luo and sat on the couch for a while, simultaneously opening the [Monarch’s Notes] to briefly record the events of the day.
Occasionally, Wen Yanran wondered if she was overthinking things. But recalling plots from various literary and artistic works, she noted that paranoia was a standard trait in the configuration of a tyrant’s character. So, she concluded she was still on the right career path.
After the Emperor departed, the court officials did not feel particularly affected, but the envoys from the borderlands seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Their behavior gradually became less restrained. Once they had eaten and drunk their fill and enjoyed the songs and dances to the fullest, many collapsed onto their mats, too intoxicated to wake, and had to be assisted by palace attendants either back to their residences or to Gaosteet.
Gaosteet was the area in Jianping specifically designated for the accommodation of foreign envoys.
