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Chapter 2561 Ambition

When news of the fall of the Northern Jurchens spread throughout the land, the people of Dayong celebrated with gongs and drums for several days.

But before the jubilation had even subsided, the atmosphere in the court began to change.

Without external threats, internal conflicts are like weeds in the field; suppressed for three years, they sprout up as soon as the pressure is released.

To be honest, He Jingyuan's decision to join Su Ning's uprising was not entirely voluntary.

At that time, Wei Yan pressed him relentlessly, trying to strip him of his military power one day, inspect his supplies the next, and transfer his generals the day after.

He Jingyuan had been running his business in Jizhou for over a decade, and now he was about to be devoured piece by piece by Wei Yan. How could he be willing to accept that?

Just then, Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua came to persuade He Jingyuan. At first, he hesitated, but when Su Ning's golden body shone brightly, the pressure from the depths of his soul almost frightened him, and He Jingyuan had no choice but to agree.

But people always change.

The rebel army marched from Jizhou to Yanzhou, then from Yanzhou to Fengzhou, from Fengzhou to Mingzhou, and from Mingzhou into the capital, advancing with unstoppable momentum.

Every city conquered and every battle won was thanks to He Jingyuan.

He led the troops to capture Fengzhou, he commanded the siege of Mingzhou, and he was the first to lead the charge into the capital.

He Jingyuan was a founding father, a meritorious official who established the dynasty, and the second most important figure in the Great Yong Dynasty.

When Su Ning became emperor, he appointed He Jingyuan as the Grand Secretary.

When I knelt in the Golden Palace and kowtowed to express my gratitude, I felt satisfied and grateful.

He felt that Suning had not treated him unfairly, and that he felt secure in his position as Grand Secretary.

But people really do change.

Only after becoming the Grand Secretary did He Jingyuan truly taste the power.

Previously, when I served as the governor of Jizhou, I was in charge of the entire prefecture. Above me were the imperial court and Wei Yan, and I was constantly hampered and had to ask for instructions on everything. I couldn't do anything I wanted to do.

Things are different now. He is the Grand Secretary, the head of all officials, and all government affairs in the country must pass through his hands.

The ministers of the six ministries had to bow to him, and the governors and viceroys of the provinces had to kowtow to him. His approvals were considered imperial edicts, and his suggestions were most likely to be approved by the emperor.

This feeling is more intoxicating than drinking the strongest liquor, and more exhilarating than riding the fastest horse.

He Jingyuan became obsessed with this feeling.

He would get up before dawn every day, be the first to arrive at the Cabinet Office, and the last to leave.

He liked to sit in that grand chair, watching the officials below report to him, enjoying hearing them say "Your Excellency is wise," and seeing their trembling expressions.

He Jingyuan suddenly felt that his life had not been in vain, and that it had been worthwhile.

Until this day, He Jingyuan, who was full of pride and self-satisfaction, suddenly remembered something.

The term of office for the Chief Cabinet Secretary is only six years.

Every six years, the person in charge must be replaced, and they cannot be re-elected.

This rule was established when Suning ascended to the throne, and it was clearly written in black and white.

He Jingyuan nodded at the time, thinking that this rule was good and could prevent anyone from holding power in the court for a long time and repeating the mistakes of Wei Yan.

But now, He Jingyuan doesn't think that way anymore.

Six years? What can you do in six years?

He Jingyuan had only been in office for three years, but he had already gotten used to this life of being surrounded by admirers.

I can't imagine what it would feel like to hand over the position of Grand Secretary to someone else six years later and then retire to my hometown.

Will those officials who used to fawn over me still look at me with a second glance?

Will those who used to be afraid of him still take him seriously?

He Jingyuan felt increasingly uneasy.

Lying on my big bed at home, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep, my mind filled with these thoughts.

Thinking back to the years when I followed Su Ning in raising an army, thinking of the brothers who died, thinking of the wounds I suffered and the blood I shed.

This empire was built by He Jingyuan through countless battles, so why should he only be the Grand Secretary for six years? Why should this empire belong to the Su family?

Why is it that Wei Qilin's family is so powerful that he has become the most powerful maternal relative in the Great Yong Dynasty, while He Jingyuan can't even get a lifetime official position?

Not to mention hereditary succession!

Emperor Su Ning was very ruthless. After the founding of the country, he never conferred titles on nobles or princes, as if such a thing had never happened.

How could such a harsh and ungrateful person gain the trust of the court officials?

Resentment was like a seed planted in He Jingyuan's heart, growing bigger and bigger with every breeze.

……

That evening, He Jingyuan summoned Li Huai'an to his study.

Li Huai'an was his student, who had followed him since Jizhou, fighting all the way here. He was loyal and never made a mistake.

He is now the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, a young and promising man with a bright future.

This time, he personally led a large army in the Northern Expedition against the Northern Jurchens, and his achievements were truly remarkable.

Of course, Li Huai'an also harbored great resentment towards Su Ning, because his father, Li Xing, died in the chaos of the war.

Su Ning did not spare the Li family and Li Xing out of respect for Li Huai'an, believing that Su Ning's cold-heartedness and ingratitude were not worthy of his loyalty.

He Jingyuan trusted Li Huai'an completely and told him everything.

"Huai'an, sit down." He Jingyuan pointed to the chair opposite him.

Li Huai'an sat down and noticed that his master's complexion was not good. He asked cautiously, "Master, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

He Jingyuan didn't speak, but picked up his teacup, took a sip, hesitated for a long time, and then asked, "Huai'an, tell me, who conquered this world?"

Li Huai'an was taken aback, wondering why his master asked this. "Of course, it was His Majesty, Master, and Vice Envoy Wei who fought together to conquer it."

He Jingyuan shook his head, his voice low and deep: "No. It was our He family army that won it. You, me, and the 30,000 brothers in Jizhou. Fengzhou, Mingzhou, the capital, in which battle weren't we at the forefront? Su Ning may be capable, he may have divine methods, but without us risking our lives at the front, could he have entered the capital by himself?"

Li Huai'an fell silent, feeling that his master's words made sense, but also sensing that something was amiss.

He Jingyuan stood up and paced back and forth in the study, becoming increasingly agitated as he spoke. "Six years, only six years. After six years, I will have to relinquish the position of Grand Secretary. Huai'an, think about it, how much blood I, He Jingyuan, have shed for this country, how many wounds I have suffered, why should I only serve for six years? What about Wei Qilin? He is the Deputy Privy Councilor, in charge of the army, and the most powerful maternal relative of the Great Yong. What about Meng Lihua? She still holds military power. Not to mention, their daughter is the Empress of the Great Yong. The Wei family is all-powerful, and what about us? What do we have?"

Li Huai'an said cautiously, "Master, Vice Envoy Wei and General Meng do have military power, but they are loyal to His Majesty and have never done anything out of line."

He Jingyuan sneered: "Loyalty? They haven't reached that point yet. Wait until Wei Changyu's son becomes the crown prince, and until the Wei family's power is so great that no one can control them, then let's see if they're still loyal. Huai'an, you can't be so naive. In officialdom, there is no eternal loyalty, only eternal interests."

Li Huai'an was silent for a moment, then said, "Master, what you mean is..."

He Jingyuan stopped and looked at Li Huai'an, his eyes filled with a light that Li Huai'an had never seen before.

That kind of light is called ambition.

“Huai’an, I don’t want to be the chief minister for only six years. This country shouldn’t belong to the Su family, nor should it belong to the Wei family. This country was won by us, so it should belong to the He family.” Li Huai’an’s expression changed.

He guessed what his master was going to say, but when he heard it with his own ears, he was still startled. "Master, are you going to rebel?"

He Jingyuan did not deny it, and nodded, "It's not a rebellion, it's taking back what belongs to us. Su Ning was just a butcher's son-in-law back then. If he can rebel, why can't I?"

Li Huai'an stood up and paced around the study twice, his mind racing.

Thinking of Su Ning's methods, those black cavalry, and Su Ning's golden body.

These things are beyond the resistance of ordinary people.

But Li Huai'an then remembered the kindness his master had shown him, and the days he had spent risking his life alongside his master.

There was also Su Ning's persecution of the Li family, and the tragic death of Li Xing, the father, amidst the chaos of war.

"Master, His Majesty is not easy to deal with. He has superhuman abilities and those black-armored cavalry. What can we do to fight him?"

He Jingyuan laughed, a sinister laugh, "You think I haven't done anything these past few years? I've been preparing for this for a long time."

He walked to his desk, took a wooden box from the drawer, opened it, and found a letter inside.

He Jingyuan handed the letter to Li Huai'an, who took it, unfolded it, and turned even paler.

The letter was about Yu Bao'er.

Yu Bao'er, the son of Qi Yu, the eldest grandson of the former emperor, is the last bloodline of the former royal family. He is hidden in Lin'an Town and raised by Yu Qianqian.

He Jingyuan had known about this for three years and had been keeping an eye on them, but hadn't done anything to them, just waiting for today.

"The last descendant of the former dynasty's royal family, is that a big enough signboard? We'll raise the banner of 'restoring the former dynasty,' and those who are dissatisfied with Su Ning, those remnants of the former dynasty, and those gentry who have been offended by Su Ning will all follow us. This is not a rebellion, this is the restoration of the country."

Li Huai'an's hand trembled as he held the letter. "But Yu Bao'er is only ten years old. What can a ten-year-old child do?"

He Jingyuan said, "Ten years old is just right. A ten-year-old child doesn't understand anything. If he becomes emperor, he will just be a puppet. The real power is in our hands. By the time he grows up, the world will already belong to the He family."

Li Huai'an fell silent, wondering if this path was feasible.

After thinking about it for a long time, I realized that although there are risks, it's not entirely impossible.

Suning may be formidable, but it is not a god.

He gets tired, he makes mistakes, and he gets negligent.

“There’s one more thing,” He Jingyuan lowered his voice and whispered in Li Huai’an’s ear, “We also have people in the palace.”

Li Huai'an was taken aback: "Who?"

“Qi Shu. The former Princess Gaoyang, Qi Yu’s aunt. She’s now using the alias Su Wanqing, and is Consort Su in the palace. She also gave birth to the eldest prince, Su Yingyuan, for Su Ning.” He Jingyuan’s eyes gleamed. “She hates Su Ning, she hates him to the core. She entered the palace under an assumed name to seek revenge, and has been looking for an opportunity to retaliate. If we join forces with her and attack from both inside and outside, our chances of winning will be at least 30% higher.”

Li Huai'an gasped.

He never imagined that his master's influence extended so far, even reaching into the palace.

"Is this Qi Shu reliable?" Li Huai'an asked.

He Jingyuan said, "It's reliable. She has an irreconcilable hatred for Su Ning; her whole family died at Su Ning's hands. She wants Su Ning dead even more than we do. I've already sent someone to deliver a message to her, and she's agreed. As soon as the time is right, she'll poison Su Ning's food. If she doesn't kill him, she'll leave him half-dead. Then we'll launch an uprising outside the palace, working together from the inside and outside to take over the capital in one fell swoop."

Li Huai'an thought for a moment, "Who will handle Yu Bao'er's side?"

He Jingyuan said, "Zheng Wenchang is now the governor of Jizhou, and he is one of our men. I have already written to him, asking him to secretly bring Yu Bao'er and Yu Qianqian out and put them under our control. This matter must be done cleanly, leaving no trace."

Li Huai'an nodded, then asked, "What about Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua? They have military power; what if they send troops to suppress them..."

He Jingyuan waved his hand, interrupting him, "I have a way to deal with Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua. Although the couple has troops, Su Ning is also wary of them, so it won't be easy to mobilize troops. By the time they realize what's happening, the capital will already be ours. Besides, they're not a monolithic entity. Wei Qilin is a man of great loyalty and righteousness. I'll personally go and persuade him, promising to guarantee the safety of the Wei family and Wei Changyu and his mother. Maybe that will be able to win him over."

Li Huai'an felt that his master was thinking too simply, but he didn't say it.

He knew his master's temper; once he made up his mind, no one could change it.

"Master, when do we make our move?" Li Huai'an asked.

He Jingyuan walked to the window and looked at the night outside.

The moon was obscured by clouds, and the sky was so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

"Wait. Wait for the right opportunity. Su Ning has just returned from his campaign against the Northern Jurchens and is busy reorganizing the border defenses. He can't attend to matters in the court. Once he's finished and lowers his guard, we'll make our move. It will take at least three months, or at most six months. During this time, you need to do a few things for me."

Li Huai'an bowed and said, "Master, please speak."

"First, contact the generals and gentry in various places who are dissatisfied with Suning, especially those who are dissatisfied with the land tax reform and the requirement for gentry to pay taxes together. Win them over. Win over those who can be won over, and find a way to eliminate those who cannot. Second, place our people in the capital—guards, eunuchs, palace maids—place as many as you can. Third, prepare weapons, provisions, and horses. Once we take action, we must be quick and ruthless, and not give Suning a chance to breathe."

Li Huai'an memorized everything and then asked, "Master, what if we fail?"

He Jingyuan remained silent for a long time, then gave a bitter smile. "If I fail, I'll just die. But I don't want to live a cowardly life. Rather than slinking home to retire in six years, I'd rather take a gamble. If we win, the world will be ours. If we lose, it's just death. My life has been worthwhile."

Li Huai'an looked at his master's back, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Suddenly, he felt that his master had changed, becoming someone he didn't recognize.

But Li Huai'an could not betray his master, because his master was his benefactor and his guide.

Without his master, there would be no Li Huai'an today.

Moreover, Li Huai'an himself was unwilling to pledge allegiance to Suning, so what if there was danger involved?

“Master, I will follow you.”

He Jingyuan turned around, looked at Li Huai'an, his eyes slightly red, "Huai'an, don't worry, your master will not treat you unfairly. After this is done, you will be the Grand Secretary, second only to the emperor."

Li Huai'an knelt down and kowtowed, "Disciple is willing to serve Master like a dog or a horse."

He Jingyuan helped him up and patted him on the shoulder, "Good, good, good."

They stood in the darkness, plotting a momentous rebellion.

The protagonists of this rebellion are a ten-year-old orphan of the previous dynasty, a princess of a fallen kingdom filled with hatred, and a powerful minister who is unwilling to accept that his political career has only lasted six years.

They thought they were well hidden and that victory was assured.

Little did they know that in the imperial palace in the capital, a man was sitting in the imperial study, flipping through secret reports sent by spies, a faint smile on his lips.

Those secret reports detailed He Jingyuan's every move, including who he met, what he said, and what letters he wrote.

After reading through the secret reports, the man threw them into the brazier, watched them burn to ashes, then picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"He Jingyuan, He Jingyuan, I've given you so many opportunities," the man muttered to himself, "but you didn't know how to cherish them. Then don't blame me."

...(End of this chapter)