Holding the Emperor Hostage : Chapter 13: Game of Wits

Inside the Chancellor’s residence, Liang Gong, who had been sitting in silence for a long time, showed a trace of anger as he watched the tardy Huo Yan arrive. “The Chancellor is truly a busy man of great importance, making me wait here for a full hour.”

“It is all for serving His Majesty.” Huo Yan cupped his hands and said with a smile, “I was entrusted by His Majesty to recruit refugees for the imperial estates. His Majesty spoke with golden mouth and jade words, ordering me to recruit one hundred thousand people. How could I not do my utmost?”

This was probably the difference between the pure stream officials and the powerful minister. While Liang Gong and others were still denouncing Yin Shuhuai for being close to eunuchs and competing with the people for profit, Huo Yan had already gathered nearly all the one hundred thousand refugees that Yin Shuhuai had casually set as a target. Although Huo Yan himself looked down on the little Emperor’s womanly kindness, this did not prevent him from fulfilling the terms of their cooperation.

However, when Liang Gong heard these words, it was as if someone had poked his lung tube. He immediately flushed red with anger and loudly cursed, “You traitor who brings disaster to the country and the people! Now the world is bitterly cold, snow disasters occur frequently, and instead of thinking about relieving the disaster victims, you actually incited His Majesty to force one hundred thousand refugees to sell themselves as slaves in the name of imperial estates. Such petty behavior, and you still think yourself fit to be an official?”

Huo Yan looked coldly at the indignant Liang Gong and sneered, “I was able to absorb one hundred thousand refugees around the capital region in just a few days. Who do I have to thank for that? The Grand Preceptor knows very well in his heart, so why sit here singing high notes?”

Now the world was in turmoil, with bandits rising everywhere. Where did those bandits come from? Weren’t they common people who became refugees, and refugees who became bandits? The noble families had used every means possible to seize land. Huo Yan admitted he was not innocent, but Liang Gong, as a noble family scion, was not clean either.

Everyone was scraping the fat and cream from the people. What gave you the right to point at my nose and curse? Just because your skin is thick?

With one sentence, Huo Yan directly lifted the fig leaf of the noble family pure stream officials. Liang Gong’s face also turned from red to purple, and he could not help defending himself, “Stop spitting blood here. The noble family pure stream has always taken stabilizing the world as their own responsibility. Every year of famine and disaster, they give porridge to help the people, saving countless lives. How can they be compared to you people who compete with the people for profit?”

Huo Yan looked at Liang Gong with a half smile, “When your noble families give porridge and buy slaves, it is benevolent and kind. When His Majesty recruits refugees, it is competing with the people for profit? You people have said everything under heaven. What else can I say?”

“You” Liang Gong took a deep breath, not wanting to argue with Huo Yan over words. He immediately laid out the whole matter of His Majesty pitying the hardships of the common people, wishing to order the Iron Offices to make iron stoves for sale to the common people, and building coal yards to provide relief through work. At the end, he said irritably, “His Majesty hopes this matter can receive the Chancellor’s full support. You and I must work together to let the common people survive this winter.”

“Utterly absurd.” Huo Yan sneered, “Iron tools are the nation’s sharp weapons, and have always been strictly controlled. Moreover, with bandits rising everywhere now, if you rashly sell large quantities of iron tools to the common people, are you not afraid these weapons will be seized by bandits and become blades thrust at the court?”

When Huo Yan said this, his heart moved slightly. He suddenly remembered that His Majesty had lived among the common people for sixteen years.

Ever since the little Emperor exposed the existence of the Night Owl remnants, Huo Yan had ordered his trusted men to track them down, but there had been no news. Now Yin Shuhuai had suddenly decided to sell iron stoves throughout the country… Could he be using the banner of relieving disaster victims to hide soldiers among the people? And the purpose of hiding soldiers among the people was of course to seize power!

Therefore, Huo Yan refused Liang Gong’s request without a second thought. Not only did he refuse, but he also made some extremely cutting and sarcastic remarks right in front of Liang Gong, “The Grand Preceptor is a civil official, so it is understandable that he does not know military affairs. The state monopoly on salt and iron is national policy. Even if His Majesty truly wants the Iron Offices to make iron stoves to sell to the common people for warmth, this should be proposed at the court assembly, letting the various officials carefully discuss a policy. This is to prevent unscrupulous people from using His Majesty’s kindness to hoard weapons and bring disaster to the countryside. This matter is of great importance. How can it be decided by one person’s word alone?”

Liang Gong was furious upon hearing this, “Stop twisting black and white here. Who is the one who monopolizes power and acts tyrannically, holding the entire court in his grip? The court and countryside have their own judgment.”

“His Majesty is benevolent and loving, thinking of using iron stoves and honeycomb coal to help refugees survive the winter. This is the act of a benevolent ruler. Do not, for your own selfish interests, disregard the life and death of the common people.”

Facing Liang Gong’s practiced habit of putting labels on people, the Chancellor said without changing his expression, “The Grand Preceptor speaks well. The good thing is that it is completely useless.”

“You”

Before Liang Gong could erupt, Huo Yan directly raised his tea, “Someone, see the guest out!”

After Liang Gong left, Huo Yan suddenly smiled, “I was wondering why this little Emperor, who was doing fine, suddenly had to make a fuss about the Iron Offices and recruit refugees. So he was waiting here! Does he think he is the only smart person in the world? Such an obvious case of repairing the plank road in the open while crossing the Chencang Pass in secret, and no one else can see it?”

He then summoned his trusted strategists and ordered them to secretly monitor the refugees in the various imperial estates, “The little fox has finally shown his tail. Let’s take this opportunity to feel out his bottom line.”

If he could uproot the Night Owl remnants… Huo Yan’s expression suddenly turned gloomy, then he asked lightly, “His Majesty said he wants to open coal yards. What do you all think?”

Inside the study, the other trusted strategists looked at each other. General of the Palace Guards Dong Wan cupped his hands and said, “Ever since the Night Owl remnants surfaced, the little Emperor has been restless. First he showed kindness to the rear palace to win people’s hearts, and now he wants to interfere in front court affairs. Presumably recruiting refugees and opening coal yards are all means for him to collude with the Night Owl remnants.”

Huo Yan said, “That is possible. But if things are truly as Liang Gong said, and opening coal yards can greatly reduce coal costs, letting even the poorest common people afford coal balls for warmth, it would not be a bad strategy.”

“Not only that,” strategist Fan Juan said, “If this honeycomb coal is truly as His Majesty said, able to support all the common people in the world through winter, even if the price is set very low, the profits would surely be astonishing. Such a tool for gathering wealth and winning people’s hearts must not fall into other people’s hands.”

“It is just unknown what deep meaning the little Emperor has in deliberately throwing such a wealth gathering tool onto the court, and specifically letting Liang Gong be responsible for this matter.” Fan Juan said meaningfully.

Everyone in the world knew that the coal mines of the Yin Dynasty were controlled by the Iron Offices, and the Iron Offices were controlled by the Chancellor.

His Majesty’s intention to kill two warriors with one peach was obvious to all who passed by.

Huo Yan’s gaze froze. He looked coldly in the direction of the Chongde Hall and said lightly, “It seems we need to give His Majesty a small lesson.”

—

The next day, when Yin Shuhuai woke up, he discovered that the eunuchs and palace maids serving him had been quietly replaced with a new batch.

“Where are the others?”

“The Chancellor accused the palace eunuchs and attendants of using evil words to bewitch the ruler. All palace personnel in the Chongde Hall were beaten thirty times and demoted to the Ye Court prison.” The palace maid serving Yin Shuhuai with his clothes knelt down, lowering her eyes and looking down as she spoke.

The Ye Court prison was different from the Ye Court. It was the place in the rear palace where criminals were imprisoned.

“What did you say?” Yin Shuhuai was a bit stunned, almost thinking he had heard wrong, “The Chancellor put people in the Ye Court prison?” It shouldn’t have been Liang Gong. Oh, Liang Gong had no military power and could not move the Feather Forest Guards. Without Huo Yan’s permission, he could not even enter the palace.

“I did not execute them. That was already giving face to His Majesty.” Just at this moment, a voice drifted in from the outer hall. Yin Shuhuai followed the sound and looked, only then discovering that Chancellor Huo Yan was actually sitting in the outer hall, not knowing how long he had been waiting.

Noticing Yin Shuhuai’s gaze toward him, Huo Yan said calmly and confidently, “Does Your Majesty know that when I executed Zhang Jian, I also killed over one thousand eunuchs?”

Yin Shuhuai blinked his eyes, not understanding what medicine Huo Yan was selling in his gourd.

Huo Yan waved his hand, and the palace servants attending in the hall filed out.

In an instant, the empty Chongde Hall was left with only the ruler and subject.

Huo Yan slowly took a sip of tea, “Does Your Majesty know why I did not execute Zhuang Wuwei and the others?”

Yin Shuhuai did not make a sound.

Huo Yan spoke to himself, “Does Your Majesty know how the Night Owl Guards of Emperor Li’s reign died?”

Yin Shuhuai let out a long sigh, still not speaking.

Huo Yan’s gaze fell on the simple and ancient tea cup before him, and he said in a low voice, “As the saying goes, when one carries a sharp weapon, the heart to kill arises instantly. But some weapons, once exposed to the world, become the root of the weapon bearer’s death. Does Your Majesty think this is so?”

Yin Shuhuai remained silent. Huo Yan leisurely asked in return, “Take this old man for example. I could have killed all the palace eunuchs, but I did not do so. Does Your Majesty know why?”

Yin Shuhuai said, “Why?”

Once Yin Shuhuai asked, Huo Yan instead did not answer. He just shifted the topic with a calm expression, “His Majesty cherishes the common people, and was able to think of letting the Iron Offices make iron stoves for the common people to keep warm. This intention is good. But now bandits are rising everywhere, burning, killing, and looting without doing any evil. To prevent those bandits from obtaining iron tools and bringing disaster to the countryside, the court cannot act rashly”

“Bandits rising everywhere, burning, killing, and looting, and who caused that?” Yin Shuhuai could not help asking in return.

Huo Yan did not answer Yin Shuhuai’s question. He just looked deeply at Yin Shuhuai, then said, “…The iron stoves can be replaced with yellow clay stoves. Anyway, yellow clay is also used when making honeycomb coal at the coal yards.”

The service life of yellow clay stoves was not as good as iron stoves, but the cost was much lower. If common people bought stoves only for keeping warm, as long as the honeycomb coal supply was sufficient, what kind of stove was used to burn coal did not matter.

Yin Shuhuai’s eyes brightened, “You have seen the blueprints I drew?”

Huo Yan continued, “Having the court come forward to open coal yards and recruit refugees to provide relief through work, this is feasible. But this matter cannot be handed to Liang Gong.”

“If the Chancellor says it works, it works. Since iron stoves won’t do,” Yin Shuhuai said here with a slight smile, “Then do you know about pit houses?”

Huo Yan was slightly stunned by Yin Shuhuai’s wildly imaginative way of conversation, “…”

“…The Chancellor need not look at me like that. I only want the common people of the Yin Dynasty to survive this winter as much as possible.” The Emperor, who used people when he needed them, held the Chancellor’s hand and sighed with emotion, “If I had known the Chancellor cared for the people so much, I should have discussed this with the Chancellor earlier. If you and I work together with one heart, why worry that the state will not prosper?”

Huo Yan, who had been fed a bowl of honey soup by His Majesty, just smiled lightly and returned a sweet date to His Majesty, “It is good that His Majesty knows this old subject’s loyalty. His Majesty wants to gather refugees in the name of imperial estates. This matter has already been completed by this subject. These one hundred thousand refugees have now entered the various imperial estates. Does Your Majesty want them to sell themselves as slaves, or become tenant farmers?”

“Neither.” Yin Shuhuai said, “I want them to enter the coal yards as workers. Chancellor, you previously promised me to return the Iron Offices to the Chamberlain for the Palace Revenues”

“I did not promise!” Huo Yan immediately said, “The Iron Offices still fall under the Grand Minister of Agriculture’s jurisdiction. The coal yards too.”

Yin Shuhuai looked fixedly at Huo Yan for a long while, then let out a long sigh, “The Chancellor is so overbearing, leaving me no way to explain to the Grand Preceptor.”

“His Majesty is the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven need not explain to his subjects.” Huo Yan said, “Moreover, with Liang Gong’s talent, he cannot accomplish this matter either. Only I can.”

“Very well.” Yin Shuhuai compromised after hesitating for a moment. He actually did not mind Huo Yan stealing the credit, nor did he care who was put in charge of this matter. His purpose in proposing this was to let the common people survive this winter. As long as the fundamental goal was achieved, the process did not matter.

Huo Yan was very satisfied with Yin Shuhuai’s docile obedience. Whether it was real or pretended, as long as the little Emperor could help him do things, supporting this puppet emperor was not out of the question.

The ruler and subject finally reached a tacit understanding. They held hands and talked hypocritically for most of the day, until Huo Yan left the palace fully satisfied.

After Huo Yan left, the eunuchs and palace maids who had been locked in the Ye Court prison by Huo Yan quietly returned to the Chongde Hall.

Yin Shuhuai looked at Zhuang Wuwei, who was limping, and said considerately, “Can you endure it? Otherwise, should I still give you all a few days off?”

Zhuang Wuwei heard this and could not help wiping the tears from his face, saying with gratitude and tears, “Thanking Your Majesty for the grace of saving my life. This servant thought I would never see Your Majesty again in this lifetime.”

Yin Shuhuai smiled gently, “How could that be?”

When Huo Yan executed Zhang Jian, he had already killed all the eunuchs related to Zhang Jian. The eunuchs and palace maids currently serving in the Chongde Hall were the trusted eyes and ears he had carefully selected, responsible for monitoring Yin Shuhuai’s every move. No matter what movement or stillness Yin Shuhuai had, they would inform Huo Yan at the first opportunity.

Since this was the case, how could Huo Yan cut off his own arms? That was why, after learning that Yin Shuhuai and Liang Gong were secretly plotting to interfere in the Iron Offices, even though he was furious, he did not execute Zhuang Wuwei and the others. Instead he chose to beat them thirty times and lock all palace personnel in the Ye Court prison, using this to intimidate Yin Shuhuai.

Now that Huo Yan’s goal was achieved, there was no need to give Yin Shuhuai a show of force. Zhuang Wuwei and the others naturally came out of the Ye Court prison and returned to His Majesty’s side to continue their surveillance duties.

Yin Shuhuai was fully aware of this in his heart, but he did not poke through this layer of window paper. Instead, he gave all the palace personnel who had entered the Ye Court prison seven days off, and had the imperial physicians examine and treat them all.

“The winter weather is cold. You must take good care of yourselves. Do not leave any lingering illness.”

This round of asking after their well being moved the eunuchs and palace maids to bury their faces in their bedding and sob. His Majesty’s reputation for benevolence once again spread throughout the palace.

And outside the palace, Chancellor Huo Yan’s reputation for caring about the people’s hardships and opening coal yards to provide relief through work was also spread by interested parties.