Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1078 Zhuge Liang, Di Renjie, and Huo Guang!

Autumn of the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, Beijing, Ministry of War.

Yu Qian put down his pen and rubbed his throbbing temples. Outside the window, the night was deep. Since the Tumu Crisis, he hadn't had a proper night's sleep for half a month.

"Sir, it's time to rest," the clerk whispered.

Yu Qian shook his head and picked up another military report. The Oirat army was pressing in, Emperor Yingzong had been captured, and the capital was in a state of panic. Among the officials, some advocated moving the capital south, while others advocated seeking peace. Only he, against the majority opinion, insisted on defending the city.

"The capital is the foundation of the nation; if it is disturbed, all will be lost!" His voice boomed like a great bell in the imperial court.

Now, he has been appointed Minister of War, fully responsible for the defense of Beijing. Mobilizing troops from all over the country, reorganizing military preparedness, and pacifying the people—a myriad of tasks, each concerning the survival of the nation.

He stood up and walked to the window. The night sky was moonless, with only a few lonely stars twinkling. He thought of the well in his hometown of Hangzhou, of his youth studying at Wushan Academy, and of his high spirits when he first went to Beijing to take the imperial examination in the nineteenth year of the Yongle reign…

"I fear not being ground to dust, but only wish to leave behind a pure reputation in the world." He softly recited the verses he had written in his early years.

Back then, he was young and unaware of the price he would pay for his "innocence." Now, at fifty-two, having served three emperors and witnessed the rise and fall of officialdom, he remains true to his original aspirations, still believing that officials should take the world as their responsibility.

"Report—General Shi Heng requests an audience!" came the announcement from outside the door.

"Please." Yu Qian straightened his clothes and resumed his usual solemn demeanor.

Shi Heng strode in. The general was tall and imposing, his face bearing the marks of battle: "Lord Yu, the defenses at all gates are in place, but the troop strength is still insufficient..."

The two began to discuss military affairs, their conversation continuing until dawn.

Just as the first rays of dawn pierced through the window, Yu Qian suddenly felt dizzy. He steadied himself on the table, and his vision began to blur. Shi Heng's cry of alarm seemed to come from a great distance, and then everything vanished.

A soft white light enveloped him, warm and serene. In the moments before losing consciousness, he vaguely saw banners fluttering atop Beijing's walls, and the figures of soldiers fighting valiantly...

When the white light faded, only Shi Heng remained in the study of the Ministry of War, staring in disbelief.

In the first year of the Jiushi era, in Luoyang, at the Di residence.

Di Renjie put down the case file in his hand and sighed softly. He was already seventy years old, and although Empress Wu Zetian still relied on him, her energy was not what it used to be.

"Father, it's late." The second son, Di Guangyuan, brought in tea.

Di Renjie nodded and took the teacup. The tea was warm, with the delicate fragrance of chrysanthemums. He looked at his son and suddenly asked, "Guangyuan, what do you think is the most important thing for an official?"

Di Guangyuan thought for a moment: "Is it talent?"

“It is about fairness,” Di Renjie said slowly. “Talent can be cultivated, and experience can be accumulated, but if there is no fairness in one’s heart, nothing else matters.”

Throughout his life, he adjudicated countless cases, rising from Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review to Governor of Yuzhou, and then to Chancellor. He treated everyone equally, whether they were imperial relatives or commoners. It was precisely because of this that he was imprisoned twice and demoted several times, yet he never wavered in his principles.

"Do you still remember the 'Huang Guogong Case' from the Yifeng era?" Di Renjie suddenly asked.

Di Guangyuan nodded: "I remember, Father defied the late Emperor to save Duke Huang, Li Ai."

“This isn’t defiance, it’s arguing based on reason,” Di Renjie corrected. “The evidence against Li Ai for treason is insufficient. If we convict him of death based solely on speculation, what’s the point of the law? What’s the point of justice?”

He stood up, walked to the bookshelf, and pulled out a copy of "Tang Code with Commentary." This was a compilation he and his colleagues had spent many years working on, hoping to leave behind a complete legal code for future generations.

The sound of the night watchman's drum came from outside the window; it was past midnight. Di Renjie felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

In a daze, he seemed to return to his youth, to the first time he donned the green official robes and stepped through the gates of the Dali Temple. At that time, he was full of ideals and vowed to be an honest and upright official. Decades have passed, and he dares not say that he has completely achieved that, but at least he has never betrayed his original aspiration.

"Lord Liang, I know you are loyal." Wu Zetian's words echoed in her ears. Although this empress was ruthless, she was good at recognizing and employing people. She valued him, trusted him, and even listened to his advice on important matters such as choosing an heir.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince should be the Prince of Luling..." His advice changed the course of history.

A wave of drowsiness washed over him, and Di Renjie's consciousness began to fade. Just then, a soft white light suddenly filled the study. To Di Guangyuan's surprise, he saw his father's figure gradually become transparent in the white light.

"Father!" He rushed forward, but missed.

The light lasted for a moment, then faded. Only the flickering candlelight on the desk and the still-warm chrysanthemum tea remained in the study.

Spring of the second year of the Dijie era, Chang'an, General's Mansion.

Huo Guang sat in the hall, listening expressionlessly to the reports from his subordinates. Having held absolute power for twenty years, he was long accustomed to this life. From Emperor Wu entrusting his son to the throne to Emperor Zhao's ascension, from the deposition and installation of the Prince of Changyi to Emperor Xuan's accession, his shadow was behind every change of power.

"General, His Majesty inquired about the Western Regions Protectorate again today," the official said cautiously.

Huo Guang nodded: "Proceed according to the established procedures."

His voice was calm and even, but his subordinates felt an invisible pressure. This was Huo Guang; he was more terrifying when he was silent than when he spoke.

After everyone had left, Huo Guang sat alone in the empty hall. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor. He suddenly recalled the scene many years ago when his brother Huo Qubing had brought him into the palace. Back then, he was just a boy, full of curiosity about everything.

"Guang, you must remember, everything the Huo family has is a gift from His Majesty." Huo Qubing's words still echoed in our ears.

But he ultimately forgot. Or rather, power makes people forget their original intentions. He deposed the King of Changyi and installed Emperor Xuan of Han, thinking he could continue to control the court. But Emperor Xuan was not Emperor Zhao, the emperor who grew up among the common people, who was much smarter and more patient than he imagined.

"The Huo family wields immense power, which is probably not a blessing for the country." He recalled the discussions he had heard not long ago.

He knew that opposition to him was growing in the court. He also knew that while the emperor appeared respectful to him on the surface, he was secretly cultivating his own power base. But he couldn't stop now; once the Huo family's war chariot started, it could only move forward.

"Father," Huo Yu said as he entered, looking somewhat uneasy. "I heard that His Majesty summoned Chancellor Wei alone today."

Huo Guang waved his hand: "No need to worry."

Even so, a sense of foreboding rose in his heart. Twenty years of service as a powerful minister had given him a beast-like intuition for politics. Perhaps it was time to consider retiring while he was still at the peak of his career.

He stood up and walked into the courtyard. The spring sun was warm and gentle, and the crabapple blossoms were in full bloom. Such beautiful weather should have been perfect for an outing with family, enjoying quality time together. But instead, he was trapped in this cage of power, deprived of his freedom.

"If I could do it all over again..." he murmured to himself, then shook his head with a bitter smile.