Chapter 248 - Backing

Early the next morning, before the break of dawn, sealed missives stamped with wax were already placed on the Emperor's desk in the Imperial Study. Although they were labeled as

secret reports

, the information within was hardly hidden from those in the know.

Various officials throughout the court also received word that Qi Zongbi had arrived in Liangzhou Prefecture at the same time.

Su Yi rose early, nursing a slight headache from the previous night’s drinking. He massaged his temples and washed up with the help of a maidservant. Morning routine out of the way, he ate some porridge. After sitting quietly for a while, his steward came over and softly informed him that the carriage was ready and waiting just outside the main gate.

Before getting into the carriage, Su Yi glanced at the vermilion-painted gate of his residence. The plaque inscribed with the words

Grand Tutor's Residence

were faintly visible in the morning mist.

He couldn't help but feel momentarily dazed—how had he come from being a penniless country scholar to becoming the First Grade Grand Tutor, basking in the emperor's favor? It all felt like a dream.

Perhaps he had simply been lucky, or maybe he hadn't gotten used to it because it had all happened too quickly. Su Yi shook his head, dismissing the thought, and climbed into the carriage. From behind the curtain, he called out, "Let's go."

The morning court session began at the fifth watch, and officials intending to attend would often leave their homes by the third watch to head for the imperial palace.

Su Yi's carriage stopped when it reached a road near the palace gate. Su Yi disembarked and turned to the driver, giving him quiet instructions. The driver then left to find a place to wait.

At the foot of the imperial city, officials of all ranks had already begun to gather. Su Yi adjusted his robes and moved to an empty corner to wait for the palace gates to open. Before long, notable figures like Zhang Zhenxuan, the Minister of Revenue, Gu Yanwen, the Minister of Rites, and Lin Kebiao, the newly appointed Commander of the Imperial Guardians, arrived one after another.

Su Yi had chosen a spot toward the back, which gave him a clear view of the distinct divisions among the most powerful figures of the Ruen Dynasty. The most prominent group was the Qi faction, loyal to Qi Zongbi. They had the largest numbers, some speaking softly huddled in small groups and others whispering in pairs.

Then there were the military officials in their uniforms. Many were of martial origin, but none of those present had reached their positions through sheer brute force alone. While they refrained from speaking loudly at the palace gates, their bold and vigorous demeanor was impossible to conceal.

Finally, there were the so-called purists from the Six Ministries. Most of them held relatively low ranks, but they were unwavering in their allegiances. Only those with firm stances earned recognition from above. The great scholars among them, skilled in diplomacy, embodied the refined balance of a scholar's integrity—polished on the outside, resolute within.

Among the gathered crowd were some younger, unfamiliar officials and low-ranking military officers—perhaps nephews or protégés from the families of the various officials. Under the warm glow of the lanterns at the palace gates, they exchanged greetings as they were introduced to the various officials.

Seeing this, Su Yi couldn’t help but momentarily fall into a daze. He was mentally transported back to his first court session last year. He had been in the same position not so long ago when his mentor, Gu Yanwen, introduced him to the court. Back then, he met many figures who seemed like great officials. Now, those same high and mighty officials had no choice but to begrudgingly address him as Lord Su.

The palace gates were normally quiet before court sessions, but today's atmosphere seemed to be unusually subdued. The officials' lowered voices made their conversations sound like insects chirping in the night.

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Su Yi wasn’t completely ignored, however. Occasionally, an official passing by would snort derisively through their nose and walk off with their head held high. Others that were more skilled with their words, would stop to exchange greetings with insincere smiles, making pointed remarks to irk him.

Su Yi smiled bitterly to himself, fully aware that his conflict with the Qi faction was already common knowledge. His efforts to challenge Qi Zongbi had undoubtedly threatened the faction’s interests, so their hostility made sense.

The straightforward military officials mostly disliked him out of envy. To many of them who had fought their way up, Su Yi’s rapid ascent from Hanlin Scholar to Grand Tutor seemed unearned. Most believed he had risen to power solely by currying favor with the young emperor—a belief that, admittedly, wasn’t far from the truth.

But beneath all these complicated dynamics, his ostracization in court boiled down to petty jealousy. The self-proclaimed righteous officials from the Six Ministries were even easier to understand—they simply chose to remain neutral. They could not afford to take sides or act because of their desire to maintain a balance in the court.

As Su Yi was lost in thought about these tangled matters, he suddenly realized that the chirping at the palace gates had ceased. Turning his head, he saw an unassuming carriage slowly approaching.

That was Senior Fan’s carriage.

The silence lasted only a moment before the area became even livelier than before. The subdued palace gates were abuzz with activity. The crowd slowly moved toward Senior Fan’s carriage, with some people calling out greetings even before the wooden doors opened.

"Senior Fan," someone called out, "Why have you come to court so early today?"

Another expressed concern, saying, "Though spring has arrived, the mornings are still rather chilly. Senior Fan, you must take care of your health."

The carriage moved forward slowly until it reached Su Yi’s side. Startled, Su Yi quickly stepped aside, but the carriage rolled to a stop in front of him. The curtain fluttered slightly before someone inside lifted it. Su Yi hurriedly cupped his hands in salute. "Greetings, Senior Fan."

Fan Shaolin, with his usual kind and gentle demeanor, extended his hand mid-air and smiled at Su Yi. "Aren’t you going to help an old man like me down?"

Only then did Su Yi realize what was being asked of him. He quickly stepped forward and took Fan Shaolin’s hand, helping him down from the carriage. To the onlookers, this scene didn’t appear as if Fan Shaolin was exploiting his seniority. Instead, they watched Su Yi enviously, as if they were dying to replace him.

Fan Shaolin allowed Su Yi to support him by the hand as they walked slowly toward the palace gates. They were followed by a group of officials that gathered closely around the pair.

Fan Shaolin suddenly asked, "You have been in your current position for some time now. What are your thoughts?"

Su Yi was taken aback. Glancing at the officials around him, he paused in silence for a moment before replying, "Serving as an official is as hard as the journey through life."

This remark was clearly a veiled statement. Those who understood its implication discreetly shot Su Yi a sharp look, while those who didn’t muttered inwardly, cursing him for being cryptic.

Fan Shaolin chuckled noncommittally and then continued, "I’ve heard about some of the things you’ve been doing lately. The overhaul of the Imperial Guardians was your work, wasn’t it? That was very well done."

As he spoke, Fan Shaolin glanced around the crowd and spotted Lin Kebiao, the newly appointed Commander of the Imperial Guardians. Smiling, he said to Lin, "Congratulations on your promotion, Lord Lin. The Imperial Guardians are the Emperor’s sharpest swords; they must be wielded properly."

The compliment was actually a subtle warning. Lin Kebiao understood this perfectly and hurriedly cupped his hands in response. "Exactly so. I will not forget your advice, Senior Fan."

"It’s not advice," Senior Fan replied with a warm smile. "Just some experience from an old man. You ought to thank Su Yi—it was his discerning eye that ensured you weren’t overlooked."

At this, Senior Fan suddenly raised his voice and declared, "The Imperial Guardians, after all, belong to the Emperor."

These words sent a jolt through everyone present. The members of the Qi faction, in particular, dared not even breathe too loudly.

It was only then that the officials realized that Fan Shaolin had come to court today to back Su Yi.