Volume One: Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter 154: Eating Fish

"Gu Yunqi commands one hundred thousand metropolitan garrison infantry and cavalry, guarding the nine gates, enforcing the curfew, patrolling by night, managing fire prevention, organizing the militia and household registrations, upholding prohibitions, making arrests, and overseeing trials. He is undoubtedly one of the most powerful figures in the capital," the heir said. "For more than twenty years, since the late Emperor's reign, officials of all ranks in the capital have been transferred or promoted, and even my father once chose to avoid suspicion by retiring to our hometown for a few years. Yet Gu Yunqi alone has never moved. He collects his salary day after day, year after year, receiving no guests, forming no factions, bending no laws for personal gain, and committing no evil..."

"Perhaps he has backing at court..." Yun Song said with a faint smile, hazarding a guess.

"No matter what kind of backing one has, it cannot anchor a person in such a position for so long," the heir gently shook his head. "I once asked my father, and that day, my father pointed like this."

As he spoke, the heir pointed upward.

"The Emperor?" Yun Song asked, startled. "We all serve him, so why would the Emperor show such exclusive favor to one man?"

"You don't understand the ways of the officialdom. It's not just the Emperor, it is the Son of Heaven," the heir sighed.

Isn't that the same thing?

Yun Song frowned.

"It is not the same. The only person Gu Yunqi pledges allegiance to is the Son of Heaven. Right now, that is His Majesty; previously, it was the late Emperor; and in the future, it will be the Fourth Prince or Prince Wangchuan—provided he remains in that seat and retains that trust. The late Emperor understood this long ago, and His Majesty understands it too. They have understood it from the very beginning," the heir said bitterly. "Remember that sword? The one that was pressed down upon us when we entered the city. Gu Yunqi is that very sword—the sword of the Son of Heaven. Therefore, no matter what, you must never offend him. My father also said he is the last person in the world one should cross, far more dangerous than Wangchuan and his peers..."

"An isolated minister?" Wu Song gasped, blurting out the words.

Though he was a relative newcomer to officialdom, he had already dealt with quite a few people.

He was not lacking in learning.

To think that such a figure could exist within Yangcheng.

He truly was the sword of the Son of Heaven. Though this sharp blade had hung unsheathed for so long that many might have forgotten it, it remained an impartial, unyielding, and upright weapon.

The moment the Son of Heaven required it, that blade would leap from its scabbard and strike down anyone!

While it appeared majestic and bristling with lethal intent, this was also the ultimate tragedy of a minister.

A tool is devoid of emotion; it has no love, hatred, or personal grievances. Its very code of conduct is mechanical, spending a lifetime faithfully executing the principles entrusted to it.

In the end, even friends are lost. Stripping away everything, one is reduced to nothing more than a precious sword.

"Exactly so!" the heir said. "Gu Yunqi's position is of the utmost importance. Furthermore, the imperial guards are actually under his command as well. The Martial Guard and the Front-Palace Commander—meaning that Xu Qing—must also take orders from him and rank half a step below him. This position is simply too crucial. The one hundred thousand garrison troops and the fifty thousand Martial Guard troops guarding the capital and the imperial city... neither Qi Hao nor my father can compare to that. That is why he has stood unshaken for over twenty years."

"That is why he can only remain an isolated minister; otherwise, His Majesty would never be able to sleep in peace!" Wu Song slapped his forehead. "His position is vital, and the duties he performs offend countless people. Over the past two decades, he has accumulated endless grudges and animosities, which is why officials in the capital naturally keep their distance! I failed to consider this. To move against him is to move against His Majesty. He is merely a sword—the sword in His Majesty's hand..."

The consequences of such an action were simply unimaginable.

"But many goods still need to be brought into the city, Your Grace. Those aren't dangerous items. Could we try to seek some leniency from him?" Wu Song cautiously probed.

"Forget it! Do not entangle yourself with Gu Yunqi!" the heir refused flatly. "Can't you damn well just use the secret routes? Find a way yourself!"

...

Gu Yunqi, a man feared and revered by countless people, was currently sitting directly across from Xu Qing.

Xu Qing was dressed in brocade official robes, looking resolute and imposing.

"The Wu family entering the capital is clearly the result of a compromise among all parties. Duke Yun knows he can no longer gain much else, but that heir and the Wu family certainly have other transactions between them. Moreover, a marriage alliance can complement their respective weaknesses—it is truly an excellent move," Xu Qing said, holding a teacup.

Gu Yunqi was a middle-aged man of ordinary appearance and slightly short stature. He was so utterly plain that his demeanor was indistinguishable from a shopkeeper running a storefront on the street.

"Lord Gu, I have long been busy and failed to pay my respects, for which I am deeply apologetic. Strictly speaking, you are somewhat of a superior to me, and I hope for your continued guidance in the future," Xu Qing said sincerely. "Lord Gu perhaps does not enjoy socializing and networking. In truth, I am much the same. But people inevitably cross paths, and we must break bread and converse, especially since we serve together. Lord Gu knows that the imperial guards and the garrison troops cannot be separated; there will be many occasions for us to cooperate closely in the future."

"Whether it is the Crown Prince or His Majesty, their judgment of people is exceptionally sharp," Gu Yunqi glanced at him and finally spoke.

"Lord Gu flatters me," Xu Qing smiled. "I know that deep down, none of them are convinced of my authority over these hundreds of thousands of metropolitan troops! They have all fought their way to this day through blood and sweat, and many of their comrades lie buried forever on distant battlefields, never once getting to witness the prosperity of the capital. Yet the moment I arrive, I am placed above them all."

"Ordinarily, I ought to learn the arts of city defense and military strategy from Lord Gu. Everyone in the world says Lord Gu is the finest master of city defense. When the realm is finally unified under one rule, only Lord Gu will remain, guarding this greatest city in all under heaven! As for other cities, those that have been breached leave behind nothing but shame."

"I understand this very well, and I admire it, but I have no need to compromise. I hope Lord Gu understands as well: our time is running short, is it not?"

"What would you have me do? Do you want my help?" Gu Yunqi looked at him.

"Just continue as before, Lord Gu. Guarding Yangcheng well is quite enough. Let the entire world witness the prosperity, flourishing, and peace of our Jin Dynasty," Xu Qing smiled mildly. "The imperial palace aside, Lord Gu need not worry about anything else. The imperial palace is the only place that cannot possibly fall into chaos, and that is precisely why His Majesty could safely entrust the imperial guards to my hands! Is that not so? The imperial guards are the protectors closest to His Majesty. But henceforth, there is no need to worry."

A servant brought in the meal: very simple, three dishes and one soup.

Xu Qing picked up his chopsticks and tasted two bites. It was quite good. "If only everyone in the world could live like this—a family sitting together eating a hot meal. Though poor, perhaps lacking joy, and perhaps burdened with worries, they are still complete. A family gathered together, able to look forward to tomorrow."

Gu Yunqi nodded and picked up his chopsticks as well.

"Yet some people are far too greedy, are they not? What they desire has long surpassed that modest scope, which is why they refuse to let others live in peace," Xu Qing said to him.

"The Wu family," Gu Yunqi said. "That so-called premier noble clan."

"That character for 'clan' also carries the weight of the mundane world. Born into this world, it seems many things are simply unavoidable," Xu Qing smiled. "But someone like Lord Gu would ordinarily never intervene, unless pushed past the breaking point. It would seem the Wu family has done something truly excessive."

"If the Crown Prince wishes to enter the game, he must find a breakthrough. The Wu family's arrival at this moment is far too timely. Having deployed their pieces for so long, is it finally time to begin?" Gu Yunqi asked. "Yet it has nothing to do with me!"

If Gu Yunqi were to act, taking down anyone at all would be effortless.

As the most powerful figure in Yangcheng, apart from being unable to reach his hands into the imperial palace, he could do practically whatever he pleased outside its walls.

Yet that would break the rules—it would utterly violate the Emperor's will!

For Xu Qing to have come here, it was impossible that he did not understand this.

Even Yan Mo, standing off to the side, could figure it out. Once an isolated minister like Gu Yunqi, who belonged to no faction, made a move, everyone would assume it was the direct embodiment of the Emperor's will!

"Today's visit was simply to pay my respects to Lord Gu," Xu Qing said with a sincere smile. "If in the future the Wu family commits any act that violates the laws of the state, I am willing to join Lord Gu in eradicating them! The laws of the state show no mercy—that is the principle Lord Gu has steadfastly upheld for so many years, is it not? It is by this principle that Lord Gu has defended Yangcheng for so many years, bringing about its long-lasting prosperity and peace."

"Very well," Gu Yunqi suddenly nodded.

"Splendid. That is the Lord Gu I admire and respect. If one day I were to stray, I can imagine Lord Gu would show me the exact same ruthlessness," Xu Qing said.

Suddenly, his eyes brightened. He fished an entire fish out of the soup bowl. Wielding his chopsticks like a dagger or an embroidering needle, he pierced and sliced through the flesh, letting out a hearty laugh. "This fish is simply too large! If I were to swallow it whole, not only would I be pricked by the bones, but I would choke to death. I shall take the head and the tail, and leave the body to Lord Gu. You may partake of it without any worries."

Yan Mo's heart tightened instinctively. He stared in stunned silence as Xu Qing, with lightning-fast movements of his chopsticks, effortlessly deboned the entire fish with miraculous skill.

Tossing the fish skeleton aside, Xu Qing placed the boneless fish body onto Gu Yunqi's plate.

Gu Yunqi kept his head lowered throughout, seemingly paying no attention to what was placed in his bowl. He simply picked it up and ate.

Yet Yan Mo did not for a moment believe that Gu Yunqi failed to grasp Xu Qing's underlying meaning. After all, from the very beginning, it was Gu Yunqi who had seen through Xu Qing's intent to target the Wu family.

Dining in silence, the two men quietly finished their meal.

"You see, as long as we work together, no matter how large the fish, we can finish it."

The meal was quickly polished off until not a scrap remained.

Both men seemed to possess a touch of obsessive-compulsive neatness; not a single grain of rice was left behind.

Xu Qing looked as though he wanted to lick the bowl clean, but ultimately restrained himself.

"Since this fish has already been cooked and served in the pot, it would be a shame to waste it. Besides, this was hosted by you, Lord Gu. I am deeply grateful," Xu Qing said sincerely.

"As long as Lord Xu has enjoyed the meal," Gu Yunqi smiled faintly, his fingers gently rubbing his teacup. "Whether it is the Wu family or Duke Yun's household, Lord Xu, they view you as far too weak."

"I understand. The Wu family is, after all, a newly risen noble house in the capital. To strike them down would cause some people to lose face. To protect their own interests and dignity, those people have no choice but to stubbornly back the Wu family. We can only flow with the current," Xu Qing said earnestly. "When the Crown Prince plays chess, he loves to calculate every move to ensure nothing is left to chance. When he makes his move, everything will be fully prepared. By that time, it will truly be a fight to the death! Since matters have come to this, I can only strike their vital spot with a single blow; otherwise, it would be meaningless."

"Meeting you today has made me even more curious about the Crown Prince. I would very much like to meet him," Gu Yunqi suddenly said.

"Lord Gu will have his chance in the future. The Crown Prince holds the utmost respect for you as well," Xu Qing said.

"If that is truly the case, I shall be gratified," Gu Yunqi said, a look of quiet relief crossing his face.

"He will, my lord. You have guarded Yangcheng for over twenty years, and His Highness understands that!" Xu Qing said earnestly.