Yandu.
"Hua Zhen, what time is it?"
"Your Excellency, it's past midnight!"
The old man slowly sat up on the couch.
That night.
In my dreams, I hear the bugles echoing through the camps.
Autumn review of troops on the battlefield.
"Even my dreams are filled with killing. It seems that Heaven is giving me some kind of omen!" the Grand Secretary exclaimed.
"Your Excellency, don't overthink it. Dreams are just dreams, and besides, you stayed up too late last night! It affected your sleep!" Hua Zhen comforted him.
The Grand Secretary shook his head. "That old gentleman once told me that dreams between midnight and 1 AM are omens! I originally wanted to resolve the issue of reducing the power of the princes peacefully, but unfortunately those guys won't let me have my way!"
The Grand Secretary raised his head and looked out at the dawning sky in the east.
“When I was young, I had an indescribable feeling for Northeast China, especially Fengtian Prefecture. It was the eldest son of the Great Xia Dynasty. We went through that steely era together. Me and a few old guys, wearing military uniforms, walked on the black soil. We were such passionate young people back then! So many years have passed, and I never thought that time could cause people’s hearts and beliefs to collapse!”
“This is not your fault, it is caused by the times. People are never satisfied. If they could all be as selfless as you, Grand Secretary, and Young Marshal Lin, where would these disputes be in our Great Xia?” Hua Zhen said.
The Grand Secretary shook his head with a wry smile. "That's one aspect, but sometimes, it's not just a personal issue, but also a family issue! I've always warned my children and grandchildren not to try to use my influence to gain personal benefits! Let's keep business as business and politics as politics, one by one!"
"Including Pang Tai, who has risen to his current position as a high-ranking official, I did not make any special arrangements for him. Of course, as my son, whether by choice or not, he will eventually benefit from my good fortune! So, I told him, 'You've come this far, this is the end. Don't come to Yandu. Unless I am sick and die, I don't need you by my side!'"
“Your Excellency, Secretary Pang is actually very capable. With his qualifications and abilities, he is fully capable of handling the work in Yandu!” Hua Zhen said.
The Grand Secretary waved his hand. “There are many capable people in this world, but not everyone has the opportunity! He is my son, which is both fortunate and unfortunate! I will not allow anyone in the world to have any objections to this matter! This is a matter of principle! Compared to this issue, what does the loss of one or two talented people matter! Even if he is my own son, he must be sacrificed! Otherwise, everything I have done will be meaningless! If even I practice nepotism, even if I deal with these aristocratic families, who knows if they will not use my influence to create new aristocratic families after my death? How were the eight great aristocratic families formed today? Isn't this how they came about? We cannot repeat the same mistakes, Hua Zhen! The Great Xia is essentially a relationship-based society. You cannot overestimate human nature, nor can you underestimate the human heart!”
Hua Zhen was immediately filled with respect and couldn't help but exclaim, "Your Excellency is so insightful and far-sighted, and so upright and honorable. I admire you greatly!"
The Grand Secretary smiled and shook his head, completely unconcerned about the praise.
"Just do your duty! As an official, you must be clean and honest, and not get involved in too many things! As an official, you also have the responsibility to restrain those around you, especially your family members! You must always remind yourself to avoid the dangers of cliques!"
"Your Excellency is right!"
Pang Wensheng sighed and said, "That's what I think, but I can't control others! So far, everything is proceeding according to plan, but there's one person I'm not entirely at ease with!"
Hua Zhen's expression froze, as if he realized who the Grand Secretary was referring to.
"What's Lin Yuanlong up to?" the Grand Secretary asked.
Hua Zhen pursed his lips and said, "We are already preparing to garrison troops in Guanzhong!"
"See, what I was worried about has come to pass!" The Grand Secretary seemed to have expected this, so it wasn't surprising.
Hua Zhen smiled wryly, "Perhaps she's afraid her son will suffer a loss?"
The Grand Secretary nodded. "This Lin Yuanlong is loyal and brave, which is both a strength and a weakness. He's good at leading troops into battle, but he's not good at politics!"
"In my humble opinion, Commander Lin should be able to endure such grievances!"
"He can endure being wronged, but he can't bear to see his own son being wronged!"
The Grand Secretary smiled bitterly and said, "In his eyes, his son is the most important person. The country and the world are not as important as a single hair on his son's head!"
“But this time it’s destined that Young Marshal Lin will have to make a sacrifice. Will he really do something outrageous? Why don’t we give him a heads-up beforehand?” Hua Zhen suggested.
The Grand Secretary waved his hand. “It’s no use. He’s a smart man. There are some things he can’t have forgotten. But as I just said, everyone has selfish motives. The Fengtian Army has developed over so many years, from the old, weak, sick, and disabled to the strong and well-equipped army it is today. How much has it sacrificed? Once Guanzhong is closed off, the title of King of the Northeast is not just for show!”
"If I gave you half the country, would you be willing to hand it over?" the Grand Secretary asked.
Hua Zhen pursed his lips. "This is hard to say, hard to say!"
“There’s nothing wrong with saying it. If he really had no ulterior motives, he would have made this call long ago! But now…”
Upon hearing the Grand Secretary's reminder, Hua Zhen's body jolted violently.
Although I don't want to admit it.
But what the Grand Secretary said seems to be true.
"Ah, that's just human nature!"
"We fathers all share the same thought: we all want to give our children the best!"
The Grand Secretary sighed, "I didn't let Pang Tai come to Yandu because I was tired of the power struggles and deceit here. It was also because I wanted to protect him and ensure that my children and grandchildren could live peacefully and safely!"
"Lin Yuanlong comes from a poor family and has never experienced the ups and downs of the Forbidden City. In his eyes, these pavilions and towers are like scenes from a painting. He thinks they are the best things, and he wants to give them to his son! As a father, this is perfectly understandable!"
"People's perceptions are different!"
The final verdict is now clear.
Different perceptions determine the direction of actions.
It's not a matter of who's right and who's wrong.
It can only be judged by its overall perspective.
"Bring me the phone. It's necessary to give them a warning!" the Grand Secretary said calmly.
Hua Zhen nodded and handed over the red internal telephone.
Soon, the call reached the Marshal's Mansion in Fengtian.
In the cold wind, Lin Yuanlong had just returned from mustering his troops.
"General, the phone in Yandu has been ringing for two minutes. Should we answer it or not?" Uncle Fu asked.
Lin Yuanlong closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then finally nodded and accepted it.
"Haha, Your Excellency, I'm so sorry, I had something to attend to and missed your call!"
An aged voice came through the phone, sounding slightly reproachful.
"Yuanlong, did you miss my call, or did you simply not want to answer? I heard that the Tiger and Leopard Army is heading to Guanzhong. Is this just an act, or do you have other plans, hmm?"
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