Ashes to Crown

Chapter 259: Chapter 64: Two Sides

Xie Yanfang laughed, tossing the military report back onto his desk. ”The Liang Family wasn’t a threat to the Xie family even at the height of their power. Why would they be now?”

”But, Third Young Master,” the official said with a wry smile, ”we have the Grand Tutor to deal with now.”

The Grand Tutor was more than willing to back anyone with a grudge against the Xie family. The Liang father and son may have only achieved a minor military success this time, but if the Grand Tutor decided to promote them, they could see a meteoric rise. They would become his lapdogs, opposing the Xie family at every turn—a huge nuisance.

For something like this, it was best to nip it in the bud. Cut off the Liang Family’s prospects entirely. They shouldn’t even dream of being recognized for this military achievement.

Xie Yanfang looked at the official and nodded. ”I understand your concern. But if we do this, we’ll be sacrificing the greater good for a minor gain. Suppressing military honors during a critical phase of the war would just hand our enemies an excuse to attack us. The Grand Tutor could accuse us of undermining the army’s morale, and the Xie family would alienate the entire Border County forces—”

He picked up the document, paused for a moment, and smiled.

”It’s better to let the Grand Tutor make the decision himself. That way, it has nothing to do with me.”

The official didn’t seem to understand, so Xie Yanfang beckoned him over. The official quickly leaned in. After Xie Yanfang whispered a few words in his ear, a smile spread across his face.

”I understand,” the official said with a smile. He took the military report, bowed, and excused himself.

The Grand Tutor’s quarters were the busiest place in the Imperial City. Before one official could finish his request, another would squeeze forward. When they were finally done, a Clerk at the Grand Tutor’s side raised a hand to stop the remaining crowd.

”Stop,” they commanded in stern voices. ”Take turns. You all get to rotate out and eat, but the Lord Grand Tutor hasn’t had a meal yet.”

The Clerks attending the Grand Tutor were not to be underestimated. Although they held minor, unranked positions, they were all Deng Yi’s own people—people who had paid him to get there.

It wasn’t a small sum of money, either—far more than any ordinary family could afford. They were all scions of powerful Aristocratic Families. They paid the money, Deng Yi arranged the posts, and just like that, they were all on the same team.

The Aristocratic Families got their foot in the door, and Deng Yi gained supporters and allies. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and everyone was happy.

These Clerks came from significant family backgrounds, so the officials couldn’t look down on them. To get an audience with Deng Yi, they even had to curry favor with these Clerks.

Hearing the Clerk’s command, they had no choice but to withdraw.

”Later, after the Grand Tutor has finished eating, remember to call me first,” another official whispered to a Clerk, slipping a jade pendant into the Clerk’s hand under the guise of adjusting his sleeve.

The Clerk accepted it, his expression perfectly serene.

This scene was witnessed by many. Someone shook their head in resignation. ”How is this any different from when the Crown Prince was in charge?”

Back then, the late Emperor ignored court affairs, the Crown Prince was obsessed with mounted archery, the Yang Family was arrogant and domineering, and the Mounted Archery Officers ran rampant, extorting money just like this—

’And to think we hoped for a fresh start with the new emperor and new Grand Tutor.’

But now it seemed they were being naive. The late Emperor made the ridiculous decision to appoint a Clerk from a lowly background as the Imperial Tutor. The Great Xia Court was only going to become more of a farce.

”You can’t really say that,” another official said in a low voice. ”Whatever else you might say about him, the Grand Tutor doesn’t neglect his duties. His decisions are incredibly fast, precise, and steady—”

Yet another official nodded. ”So what if he takes bribes? So what if he’s a tyrant? As long as he gets the job done, that’s all that matters. We just need to get through the next few years.”

Great Xia truly was plagued by disaster.

’Look at the state of things: the Xiao Emperor, an undisciplined Empress, a Grand Tutor obsessed with amassing wealth and power... Hmm, well, at least there’s still Third Young Master Xie.’

The officials retreated to the corridor outside the hall, each lost in their own thoughts. But one official who had just arrived refused to fall back and instead tried to charge inside.

”Grand Tutor, it’s an urgent dispatch from the Border County! General Chu said the military honors must be awarded immediately, without delay!” he shouted, holding up the document in his hand.

Deng Yi, who was just sitting down at his dining table while two Clerks wiped his hands, lifted his eyes slightly.

”What nonsense,” he said. ”Besides fighting wars, is General Chu now in charge of the court as well?”

Hearing his words, the Clerks standing at the door no longer hesitated. They reached out and restrained the official who was trying to charge in.

”Get out!” they yelled.

The official, a frail scholar, was shoved back and stumbled away, clutching the document.

The doors to the main hall slammed shut with a BANG.