Chapter 63: Power Relinquished Over a Cup of Wine
Gu Zhan frowned slightly, feeling that something wasn’t right; this Wan Yan was being far too enthusiastic, so much so that anyone with common sense could sense something was amiss.
"No need to stand around," Wan Yan didn’t give Gu Zhan a chance to speak, directly beckoning the group, saying, "Come on in, the banquet is ready. I am newly arrived, and have always wanted to find an opportunity to host my colleagues. I hope you’ll all look after me in the days to come."
"Lord Wan, please!"
"Lord Wan, please!"
The crowd all courteously invited Wan Yan in.
Wan Yan, for his part, didn’t feign excessive humility and stepped forward directly, but stuck close to Gu Zhan, showing overt friendliness, saying, "Come, come, Brother Gu, let’s walk together."
Gu Zhan hurriedly said, "Lord, after you."
"No need to be so polite," Wan Yan grabbed Gu Zhan’s hand, saying, "During my time in Linjiang City, your reputation has been thunderous, Brother Gu—there is no prodigy more outstanding than you!"
"Our Embroidered Uniform Guard needs young men like you with ability and drive. Us old men won’t last many more years; in the future, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will still have to rely on young talents like you, Brother Gu..."
"Brother Gu, your decisiveness matches my temperament. In the days ahead in Linjiang City, I’ll be counting on your continued support, younger brother."
"..."
"I’m not young anymore, can’t serve for too many more years. When the time comes, it’ll be up to you, Brother Gu, to carry the mantle."
"..."
And so, Wan Yan led Gu Zhan to the front, making no attempt to conceal his appreciation for Gu Zhan, speaking all the way.
The hundred households of the Embroidered Uniform Guard behind them each wore complicated expressions.
Especially those hundred households from noble families, who all watched Gu Zhan and Wan Yan disappear into the banquet hall, deep in thought, their minds unknowable.
Soon, everyone entered the main hall and took their assigned seats.
Once seated, the expressions of all present became subtly awkward.
Because Gu Zhan’s seat was, unexpectedly, the first seat after the head table.
This seat,
was surprising not only to the others, but also to Gu Zhan himself.
Judging by seniority or age, he had no business sitting here.
Yet Wan Yan had arranged it so.
Once seated,
Wan Yan beamed, raised his cup to toast everyone, then poured another for himself, gazing at Gu Zhan, saying, "Brother Gu, let me drink three cups as self-punishment—these past days, I have been negligent!"
Saying so, he ignored Gu Zhan’s attempt to stop him,
and swiftly downed three cups.
Gu Zhan watched, his expression calm, but inwardly grew alert.
This Wan Yan definitely posed a problem.
The banquet was subdued; no one spoke.
After a few more cups, Wan Yan smiled and swept his gaze over the crowd, slowly saying, "Everyone seems a bit tense—no need, eat and drink freely, there’s plenty of wine and meat!"
The group responded with customary etiquette, but the atmosphere was chilly.
Wan Yan took another sip, smiling: "Since no one is in the mood for drinking, I’ll get straight to the point. Today’s gathering is for two reasons. First, I’m new here, so I wanted to get acquainted with everyone.
Now that I’ve met you all, let’s move to the second matter, concerning the Inspection Team’s activities of late."
As he finished, the hall fell silent enough to hear a pin drop.
The mood became increasingly subtle.
Everyone knew it was time for the real topic,
that so-called Inspection Team had nauseated everyone present over the past days—they all had noble family backing, not enough to be ruined by it, but the constant trouble in their own domains would drive anyone mad.
Wan Yan smiled and said, "First of all, allow me to apologize. The Inspection Team has caused everyone a great deal of trouble recently, but I hope you all understand— we are the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the nation’s sharpest instrument, and must not slacken our duty."
The crowd fell silent.
"I am someone who cannot tolerate evil, and have been in the Embroidered Uniform Guard for over twenty years, serving as Thousand Households for nearly ten of them, always striving to keep the Embroidered Uniform Guard clean wherever I went, not tolerating the slightest sand in the eye."
Wan Yan poured himself a glass and continued: "The Inspection Team is my usual practice; whenever I arrive somewhere new, I have them conduct a thorough purge, weed out those who idle, embezzle, or bend the law, and rid the Embroidered Uniform Guard of them.
This round of inspection has been successfully completed.
Today, I’ve gathered everyone because there are things best not heard by outsiders; our Embroidered Uniform Guard’s own affairs must be handled behind closed doors, lest we bring shame upon ourselves."
With these words,
Wan Yan beckoned, and a squad of Inspection Team guards entered, each holding a stack of official documents, placing them before each hundred households—except Gu Zhan.
As the others puzzled over this, Wan Yan spoke again: "Please look them over—these are the crimes committed by officials under your command. By rights, the Inspection Team should have arrested them all, but for the sake of everyone’s dignity, only the minor officials have been detained; the agents remained untouched. Let’s all give each other a way out, shall we?"
With these words,
the hundred households began to leaf through the documents,
and gradually, faces turned increasingly grim.
No need to guess—they knew full well the list included many loyal subordinates.
The atmosphere became ever more oppressive.
At last, one hundred households spoke first: "Lord Wan, rest assured, I understand. The people on this list will voluntarily resign tomorrow. The Embroidered Uniform Guard will not allow idle eaters to pollute its reputation."
Next, the independent hundred households inside the Hundred Households Office in the city declared their positions one after another.
Only two kept silent.
One was Gu Zhan, who hadn’t received any list at all; the other was Rong Hao, Hundred Households of East City.
There are eight hundred households within the Hundred Households Office, managing county towns throughout Linjiang County. Besides, the city itself has four hundred households, respectively overseeing East, South, West, and North Cities.
Rong Hao was responsible for East City, and his position wasn’t just hundred households—he was also from the Rong Family, a centuries-old noble clan in Linjiang County, holding high status within the family. Still young, just over thirty, he was well known in Linjiang City.
At this time, Rong Hao’s face was very unpleasant, and he slowly raised his head to look at Wan Yan, throwing the document onto the table, saying: "Lord Wan, are you demanding my resignation?"
The crowd’s hearts trembled, all greatly surprised.
Wan Yan smiled, saying: "Lord Rong, some things aren’t worth putting out in the open—over these years, you’ve done plenty of things unsuited for the light of day under the pretense of Embroidered Uniform Guard duty. I won’t bring it up—after all, we see each other often, and should leave room for each other’s dignity, yes?"
Everyone instantly understood,
Rong Hao had been caught by Wan Yan.
In truth, among today’s Embroidered Uniform Guard, which official doesn’t have some dirty secrets? But so long as there’s no evidence, it’s not a problem; what Rong Hao did must have left a considerable trail.
Rong Hao pondered for a bit, then snorted, saying: "Thank you, Lord Wan, for your mercy. I’ll have no objection to resigning voluntarily, but Linjiang City’s customs are unique. I worry that you might not find a proper replacement for East City in the short term. The atmosphere in the Martial World there is never good; Lord, consider carefully!"
Everyone could hear it clearly,
Rong Hao was threatening Wan Yan.
After all, the major noble families of East City always followed the lead of the Rong Family. If the Rong Family stomped its feet, East City would be thrown into turmoil.
From the head table,
Wan Yan still smiling, said: "No need for Lord Rong to worry for me. I already have an ideal candidate in mind."
As he said this, Wan Yan turned to Gu Zhan, saying: "Lord Gu is young and capable, extremely skilled—a perfect fit. Talented people should shoulder more, Lord Gu’s overseeing only South City is hardly enough. From now on, East City will be under your charge as well!"