Chapter 366: What Do You Want To Do?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"What does Old Marshal think would happen if the third prince were to be emperor?" Yun Yang then asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Certainly that will not happen! The man is narrow-minded and seeks revenge for each resentment he holds. He is truly vicious; once he holds power, his will be extremely cruel. If he were to be emperor, the aged officials will meet a terrible end." The old marshal spoke without any hesitation this time.
"What about the fourth prince?"
"He would be even worse! The fourth prince is also a vengeful man and easily swayed, the easiest to be manipulated. What he does the most is change his mind. Such a personality must never be made a monarch."
"The fifth prince?"
"Still no. The man has ideas but takes no action. His mind stops working in the presence of lust. There is no shred of an emperor’s grace in him."
"Sixth prince?"
"He won't do, either. The sixth prince is only fourteen years old now, but his personality is already an open book, brazenly paving his path to ascend in status without any regard to decorum or cost. He has no planning whatsoever, only reckless courage. Not a potential at all!"
"Seventh prince?"
"No! Still no!"
…
"What about the thirteenth prince?"
"No!"
"The nineteenth prince?"
"Nineteenth prince? The nineteenth prince is only a month old!"
At this point, Yun Yang shut his mouth.
The old marshal sat down on his chair like a deflated ball, remaining still for a long while.
After having gone through such an interrogation, it was obvious that all the princes were men who could not take charge of great things. Forget about expansion and uniting the world, they could not even maintain Yutang’s safety, even if the blessed empire kept quiet and maintained a neutral position.
Yutang was located in the center of the continent. With its special geographical location, it was a territory worth fighting over. There was no way war could be avoided.
Staying silent and passive would be even more difficult than trying to unite the entire Tianxuan!
"Current affairs and Yutang’s unique geography have long decided something." Yun Yang said slowly, "Old Marshal must be clear what this is?"
Qiu Jian did not speak, but his eyes were shining.
"There are only two possibilities regarding the Empire of Yutang’s future." Yun Yang spoke assertively, "The first possibility; a leader, any leader, even if it’s a mild or traditional emperor, will lead the state to ruin and its people to extinction! As for the second possibility, an emperor with great talent and bold vision will appear to unite the world and Tianxuan!"
"Other than these, there is no third option or possibility!"
Yun Yang was convicted in his belief.
Qiu Jianhan sighed in defeat.
"The late emperor wasn’t a man with a bold vision nor the far ambition to reign and keep the world at his feet, but when the late emperor was governing, the economy of the nation prospered and remained tall when facing external forces. Internally, we grew more prosperous by the year. His sovereignty consisted of clever ruling and sharp drilling of the army; the political gains he achieved proved him to be a tremendous emperor of his time."
Yun Yang ‘s unhurried voice continued. "The late emperor had safeguarded and developed a prosperous territory, leaving it to the current emperor and thus becoming His Majesty’s foundation. The current emperor is decisive and bold with his actions and visions, he manages what lies before his eyes but also sees what lies in the world. The notable generals and officials under him were bountiful and brimming with talent! Even when met with the combined attack of the five nations and the internal threat of the Four Seasons Tower, he has still reacted with pertinence, allowing the reputation of Yutang to triumph in the world at large."
"Sadly, His Majesty is fifty-one years old this year. He has passed his prime."
"It is an impossible feat to descend upon the world and rule it at this juncture. Still, His Majesty has the ability to forge a wall of steel, to build up a group of men that can conquer the world, and hand all of it over to a qualified successor!"
Yun Yang spoke softly, "To be qualified, there is only one condition; his successor must be adequately brilliant and sufficiently generous to be able to take in the team capable of domination that His Majesty has wholeheartedly groomed and left for him. Only then will he be able to take charge and control the domineering ones."
"As for these princes, we have right now…"
Yun Yang smiled faintly and said with clear diction, "They are far from such a standard, as far as the sun in the sky from the chair I am sitting on!"
A gap the size of the distance between heaven and earth!
Old Marshal Qiu sighed. The old man realized that he was either sighing or utterly silent tonight as if he was going to finish heaving all his sighs in this latter half of his life.
Was Supreme Wind being overly pessimistic?
Not a single bit.
All the outcomes mentioned by Supreme Wind were exactly what the old marshal had predicted for so many years, at the risk of greying his hair.
Even if there were to be a team of elite men and women, if there were immense talents, if there was a well-established territory, if all these were to be in the hands of a prodigal son, how could one be saved from grave consequences?
Without a strong leader, a well-established country would not be any stronger than a shaky one. The talented ones would be dismissed by the non-qualified successor; the immense talents would be disappointed and disheartened by the useless emperor; the well-established territory would be torn apart by his mindless torment!
The great officials of Yutang’s imperial court who had stood tall even after going through so much of life – which one of them did not lack a prideful bone? Which one of them did not exude a high sense of honor? Their loyalty was without a doubt, but could they be led by a young emperor who had just taken charge? Which one of these people was not exceptionally sensitive?
If the world was at peace, even if the young emperor were to be a popinjay and changed all these old men for a new batch of officials, there might not be a major uproar. Even if the emperor cleansed this batch of officials to give his son a team he could control and passed on the throne smoothly before he died, it would be a peaceful affair. The emperor was the most merciless man, they could already be heartless towards their family; what more, their subordinates!
However, Yutang was a tantalizing morsel of meat right now. It faced enemies on all its sides and was preyed upon in each and every direction!
There would be a shortage of noble officials and great generals, how could there be a luxury to remove them in order for ease of management? How was it possible?
A team that could be controlled and a team that could dominate the world were two wholly different things. One was in heaven while another was on earth!
This was already a great disparity, but the team that these group of princes could build then might be two levels worse. By then, the gap would surpass that of the distance between heaven and earth.
…
"Are you determined to do this?" The old marshal asked in a tired voice.
"Can I not do so? Should I not do so?" Yun Yang asked in reply.
"Can you be sure that this child will be a great talent with a bold vision in the future? Will he encompass the world in his temper? Better than these available princes? Better than His Highness the crown prince?" Qiu Jianhan asked with a slight hint of mockery.
"I cannot guarantee this," Yun Yang said, "That is why I have the Old Marshal."
Qiu Jianhan jumped to his feet, enraged. "What does this have to do with this old man? You can do it, you should do it, thus it is your matter! Why are you putting the responsibility on me?"
Yun Yang pursed his lips and said, "I’m not putting the responsibility on you. The princes now have all grown up in luxury and with a high status. They do not know the sufferings of the people nor do they know about military nor war. They only know about the competition of cheating and outwitting each other. That is why they cannot serve as emperor!"
"Since we know the core problem, why would we bring up a similar sort of leader?" Yun Yang said, "We could bring up the child in the military."
"Absolutely not! This old man will not subject a two-year-old child to such an atrocity!" The old marshal’s head shook like a rattle drum.
"In times of peace, literature can be emphasized over the military, because everything is about harmony, about long-standing peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, it’s a time of war now. The empires are fighting against each other. Both literature and the military will need equal emphasis. In fact, more attention has to be given to the military instead."
Yun Yang said, "Old Marshal, as a general, should be clearer about this point than me. About his age… those who achieve great things can’t escape from a little sacrifice. Believe me, in his later years, the child will thank Old Marshal for his decision."
Qiu Jianhan nodded and said with fervor, "No need to thank me. This old man will be comforted if I can die a good death. Even if I can’t die a good death and were to be disposed of after serving my purpose, it will have to wait until the world has been united and there’s peace. As long as I can see the continent becoming Yutang’s territory, how could I be remorseful when death comes to claim me?"
Yun Yang chuckled.
To be disposed of after serving one’s purpose was never a good term and was even a taboo between the emperor and his official or the master and his follower. However, sometimes, it could only be so. It was more apparent in the stance of a ruler; it was indeed not unusual to keep the formidable ones who had survived the life and death in battlefields when there was world peace.
Yun Yang, could, of course, make a promise or guarantee for the child, but Yutang’s future monarch would not appreciate it. The new emperor of Yutang would not be happy to follow a promise made by someone else – this was and should be the personal ambition of a person in power, a ruler of an empire.
Therefore, Yun Yang could only chuckle wordlessly.
Everything else would have to depend on the future.
They didn't only need a brilliant emperor who could dominate the world on one hand and win over the people on another hand; they needed an emperor that surpassed all those that came before him, and most likely after as well.
How could Yun Yang make such a guarantee?
"What do you want to do? I hope you have at least a general direction to head to?" Qiu Jianhan looked at Yun Yang; his gaze now was one of amusement.
Since the general decision was made, the old marshal had reverted to his nature of being the head of the capital city’s three greatest rogues!
"Yutang is supposed to belong to the eldest’s. Even when he has passed on, his son is still here. The son, being a successor to his father’s trade, is a matter, of course, that’s greatly appropriate!" Yun Yang enunciated word by word.
Old Marshal Qiu opened his mouth upon hearing this but kept quiet again before replying, "I can understand your thinking and can even show personal acknowledgment, but it’s one thing to agree with you while the reality is another. You should know that some things are destined to happen, no matter how reluctant you are and how you watch unblinking. The child can still live a carefree and happy life now, but once he actually enters Tiantang City, I believe he will encounter many unpleasant events."
Yun Yang replied, "That is why I’ve come to find Old Marshal; to entrust him to you. Only with Old Marshal’s full assistance can I rest assured!"