Guide to the Sickly Strategist’s Death Seek - Chapter 3

Ruan Jinyu had never imagined the Emperor would reject him so flatly. Although he held the title of Imperial Preceptor, he had only been appointed five years ago during the late Emperor’s reign.

A teacher? He hardly considered himself a mentor even to the late Emperor, so how could he possibly be a teacher to Yan Yan? His plans had been crushed in one fell swoop, leaving him at a total loss for words.

Yet, the man before him refused to let the matter drop. Yan Yan leaned halfway over, staring at him intently. His voice was low and heavy. “Teacher… tell me, is that not so?”

Ruan Jinyu did not dare say otherwise! Against his conscience, he nodded. “Yes… what Your Majesty says is correct.”

“Has Teacher’s cold still not improved?” Yan Yan withdrew his gaze, stood up from the bedside, and moved to stand in front of him.

Since the Emperor was standing, Ruan Jinyu had no reason to remain seated; he moved to follow suit and stand up. However, a sudden force pressed down on his shoulder, firmly pushing him back down.

Ruan Jinyu looked at the face just inches away, blinked, and answered dazedlly, “It… it is better.”

In truth, he wasn’t fully recovered, but he was close enough.

Yan Yan leaned forward slightly; his pitch-black eyes fixed on him with an unreadable depth. Ruan Jinyu felt that if his answer failed to satisfy, the man might reach out and strangle him the next moment. In the current climate, even if the Emperor did kill him, the world wouldn’t even consider it a crime.

Thus, he chose to be practical. Since leaving the palace was temporarily hopeless, he had to behave and avoid giving anyone a reason to find fault with him.

After lying in bed for nearly five days, the Imperial Preceptor finally rose early on the sixth day, making a point to attend the morning court session. Eunuch Zhao followed behind him, offering a polite remark before they departed: “If My Lord’s cold is not yet cured, you need not attend the court.”

Ruan Jinyu gave him a faint smile. “It is no matter.”

He had told the Emperor yesterday that he was better; to use his illness as an excuse to skip court today was out of the question. Furthermore, if he couldn’t resign, he needed to personally observe the political climate at court before making further plans.

As soon as he stepped into the court hall, he faced his first dilemma. Under the late Emperor, Ruan Jinyu’s position was unique. By special permission, the Imperial Preceptor did not have to stand in the standard ranks of officials; his positioning was even more informal than that of the Crown Prince or the Second Prince.

Now, should he join the ranks of the ministers or stand in his original spot?

If he took his old special position, the new Emperor might see it as an act of overstepping or a lack of respect. After a moment’s thought, he nimbly slipped into the group of Hanlin scholars and civil officials, burying himself in the crowd to avoid notice.

Ruan Jinyu had taken his medicine before leaving. The concoction likely had sedative properties, as he felt a wave of drowsiness hit him as soon as he arrived. Fortunately, being tucked away in the crowd made him inconspicuous; the man on the throne likely couldn’t see him, and others wouldn’t notice him either.

The court session covered the usual mundane affairs. Hearing no matters of great importance, the sleepy Preceptor found it even harder to stay upright.

The session ended early today. As no other ministers had petitions, the Emperor immediately dismissed the court. Only then did Ruan Jinyu fully wake up. He turned to leave but was intercepted before he could take more than two steps.

Ruan Jinyu didn’t recognize the man, but he could tell by his attire—the quality of the fabric, the sheen, and the specific patterns—that he was no ordinary eunuch. Clearly, only a personal eunuch from the Emperor’s inner circle would be dressed so distinctively.

“Imperial Preceptor, please stay. His Majesty has issued an oral decree summoning the Imperial Preceptor to the Hall of Supreme Vitality for an audience.”

Ruan Jinyu couldn’t help but feel a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. Nevertheless, he remembered his manners, accepted the decree, and followed the eunuch in a new direction.

The Hall of Supreme Vitality was a complex. One part served as the formal court hall for morning sessions, while the main hall nearby was where the Emperor handled daily administrative affairs. Both were generally referred to by the same name, as they were within the same palace grounds.

When Ruan Jinyu arrived, the Hall was bright… and completely empty.

He looked around and finally asked the eunuch who had led him there, “Eunuch, where is His Majesty…?”

The eunuch, having fulfilled the command to bring him there, was about to withdraw. He stopped, standing respectfully with his eyes lowered in a humble posture. Despite the question, he kept his gaze averted. “This servant does not dare to speculate. The Imperial Preceptor need only wait.”

True enough. Ruan Jinyu didn’t intend to make things difficult for him, and the eunuch shuffled out of the hall.

With no Emperor in sight and no further instructions, he could only stand in place and wait. The hall was vast. Standing before the imperial desk, even with the room so well-lit, he couldn’t help but feel a bit unnerved.

“Why are you standing?” Yan Yan emerged, having changed into a red casual robe.

The voice came from behind. Precisely because Ruan Jinyu knew who it was, he didn’t dare turn around.

“Teacher, you are acting like a stranger again.”

The voice drew closer to his ear, signaling that the man was right behind him. Yan Yan’s voice always had that half-dead, lingering quality. His words often sounded like teasing, but the tone suggested otherwise. To Ruan Jinyu, every time the Emperor spoke, it felt like he was being asked: Do you want to die now, or in a moment?

Furthermore, Ruan Jinyu didn’t know how to respond to that specific remark. A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind, but he couldn’t fathom what the Emperor meant. They weren’t close to begin with, so how could they be “acting like strangers”?

Thinking this, but saying that, Ruan Jinyu forced a flawless smile, though he still hadn’t turned his head. “Your Majesty jokes. This servant truly did not know your whereabouts. As such, it was only proper to stand and wait.”

“Then, it must be my fault,” followed what sounded like a cold snort.

“…” Ruan Jinyu’s smile froze for a second before he quickly pivoted. “This servant… would not dare.”

He reacted instantly. As soon as Yan Yan spoke, he turned around, his legs bending as he moved to kneel and beg for forgiveness. However, his descent was halted mid-way as Yan Yan reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Acting like a stranger again.”

“…”

The formal bow was, of course, prevented.

As the saying goes, “Being near a king is like being near a tiger.” Since ancient times, monarchs have had varied temperaments, and ministers have had to live in constant anxiety, fearing that a single mistake might incur the sovereign’s wrath and lead to punishment. Ruan Jinyu couldn’t grasp the new Emperor’s personality at all. It was… too… strange.

Fortunately, Yan Yan finally dropped the act and walked toward the imperial desk to sit down. He looked up. “Sit, Teacher.”

Ruan Jinyu sat down without a moment’s delay. He feared that if he were even a second late, the man would start in on him again. What else could he do? He had to follow the Emperor’s lead.

As he sat there, he suddenly became dazed, feeling a sense of surrealism so strong he could hardly distinguish it from reality. His head began to ache.

Yan Yan didn’t immediately state his business. Ruan Jinyu sat in silence for a long while as the Emperor focused on the memorials in his hands. Ruan Jinyu stole several glances at him, but the Emperor showed no sign of speaking. So what is this? he wondered. He called me here just to sit?

Ruan Jinyu couldn’t make sense of it, but he didn’t dare be the first to ask. Finally, after a long time, Yan Yan deigned to look his way. Ruan Jinyu immediately focused, waiting for him to speak.

“Teacher knows that I have only recently ascended the throne.” Yan Yan hadn’t put down the memorial, but his gaze was now fixed on Ruan Jinyu. “There are many things that trouble me. I have sought the Imperial Preceptor because I wish for Teacher to advise me.”

It was likely political matters then. At the very least, since Ruan Jinyu still held his title, it was his duty. He nodded seriously. “Your Majesty speaks too heavily. It is my duty.”

“Good.” Yan Yan put down the memorial and lifted his gaze further. “Right now, there is one matter I wish to ask Teacher’s opinion on.”

“How does Teacher think I should deal with my own brothers?”

This was indeed a troubling and difficult matter. As the Emperor, if Yan Yan could not tolerate his own siblings, he would be criticized by all. However, during his time as the Fourth Prince, his life had been miserable, and he shared no affection with his brothers.

Furthermore, if the court seemed peaceful now, it was only because the storm had not yet broken. If the tide rose too high, it would be impossible to withstand. Many were naturally dissatisfied with this ruler who had appeared out of nowhere, refusing to believe the former Fourth Prince deserved the throne.

If he wasn’t fit, who was? Whether by title or by morality, his royal brothers were the most obvious alternatives. Looking deeper, the two most prominent factions at court belonged to the former Crown Prince and the Second Prince. Both had numerous supporters and protégés, essentially holding the lion’s share of influence.

Yan Yan needed to handle this. Ruan Jinyu weighed the problem; it was truly difficult. According to convention, if royal brothers posed a threat after an enthronement, they could be enfeoffed as Vassal Kings (Fanwang). The more dangerous they were, the further their fiefdoms would be. Then, a pretext would be found to send them to their respective lands with orders not to return without a summons, gradually dismantling their existing power bases. Once they were gone, no matter how great their influence, they couldn’t stir up much trouble.

However, Ruan Jinyu was well aware of Yan Yan’s current situation. Not only did he have almost no protégés or supporters at court, but even though he was now the Emperor, both civil and military power remained outside his grasp.

Therefore, the “Vassal King” strategy wouldn’t work. He couldn’t exactly find an excuse to kill them all either, could he? That would be even worse. If Yan Yan actually killed everyone to eliminate future troubles, Ruan Jinyu would think he had gone mad. If he did that, how many days could his reign possibly last?

“This servant believes… you must still grant them titles,” Ruan Jinyu said decisively after some deliberation.

“Go on, Teacher.” Yan Yan looked at him, seemingly waiting for him to speak freely.

“Not only must you grant them titles, but they must be high ones,” Ruan Jinyu continued. “I believe the rank of Prince of the Blood (Qinwang) would be a good solution.”

There is a vast difference between a Vassal King (Fanwang) and a Prince of the Blood (Qinwang). A Vassal King has actual power, but it is limited to their specific fiefdom. A Prince of the Blood is a title of supreme honor. While they have no actual landed fief, they reside close to the central government. Being at the center allows them to further expand their central influence and various powers.

While it might seem like a hollow title on the surface, for the two princes who already had many supporters at court, it was different. The hollow title was merely the exterior; their actual internal power would only continue to grow.

Wouldn’t that be the exact opposite of suppressing their power?