Chapter 93: Testing the Waters

“Your Majesty, this humble servant has some shallow thoughts to share. If they seem inappropriate, please do not mock me,” Shen Shilang said.

“Speak,” Emperor Jiacheng replied, his eyebrows lifting slightly.

“General Wei’s influence in the Northwestern Army has grown immense, almost overshadowing Your Majesty’s authority. He can no longer remain in the military; if this continues, his power will only increase, and he may become lawless,” Shen Shilang explained.

Emperor Jiacheng let out a small hum. Shen Shilang’s words had struck a chord.

“However, General Wei has fought for Great Xi for decades, amassing countless military achievements. He has repelled foreign enemies and is highly respected by the people, who view him as a loyal and virtuous general. Moreover, he has not committed any grave mistakes until now,” Shen Shilang continued.

“If the punishment is too severe, even indirectly leading to his death, it would tarnish Your Majesty’s reputation. The common folk, ignorant of the bigger picture, only see General Wei’s accomplishments and would not comprehend Your Majesty’s good intentions. To lose the people’s trust over one man, Wei Zhaoxian, would be a significant loss,” Shen Shilang said slowly.

“Stripping Wei Zhaoxian of his military rank is justified by his mistakes. But sparing his life would demonstrate Your Majesty’s mercy. Without Wei Zhaoxian, the Northwestern Army will be leaderless; it would be best to gradually consolidate control and find a trusted commander to lead them,” Shen Shilang explained.

“As for Wei Zhaoxian’s eldest son, Wei Jianlang, he currently holds no significant position. Keeping him in the Northwestern Army can serve as a stabilizing force for both the Wei family and the army. In my opinion, this matter should be approached gradually. Acting too hastily could backfire,” Shen Shilang advised.

“Moreover, Wei Jianlang is still young and holds a low rank; he won’t cause much trouble in the army. Once a great general is appointed to oversee him, it will slowly diminish the Wei family’s influence in the Northwestern Army,” Shen Shilang continued. “If we were to remove both Wei Zhaoxian and Wei Jianlang at the same time, that move would be too obvious…”

Shen Shilang hesitated momentarily but ultimately decided to speak candidly. “And it would not be advantageous for Your Majesty.”

Emperor Jiacheng noted how Shen Shilang’s form of address shifted from “General Wei” to directly using his name, without any deference, a slight smirk forming on his lips.

“You make a valid point,” Emperor Jiacheng nodded. “It seems that relieving Wei Zhaoxian of his military duties is indeed the most appropriate course of action at this time.”

“First, weaken his power; then we can address subsequent matters gradually,” Shen Shilang said softly. “Your Majesty is a cultivator on the immortality path, with the national advisor’s assistance. Surely, you needn’t worry about a powerless Wei Zhaoxian?”

“Hahaha!” Emperor Jiacheng laughed heartily at Shen Shilang’s insight.

“You’re right; I am indeed a cultivator on the immortality path, with ample time at my disposal,” Emperor Jiacheng said before suddenly falling silent.

Shen Shilang kept his head lowered, the air in the imperial study growing heavy with unspoken tension.

“However,” the Emperor suddenly remarked, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Shen Shilang, “if you had only pretended to save Wei Zhaoxian, allowing him to die, wouldn’t that have been even better?”

With his head bowed, Shen Shilang remained unreadable.

“Look at me,” Emperor Jiacheng commanded.

Shen Shilang slowly raised his head, his face revealing nothing but loyal devotion.

The Emperor had not expected such a straightforward reaction. After studying Shen Shilang’s expression, his suspicion began to ease.

“What if I had ordered Quan Guanran to immediately take over the Northwestern Army? Wouldn’t that have been better?” the Emperor probed.

“Your Majesty, forgive my boldness,” Shen Shilang responded.

“Speak freely. There’s no need for such caution,” the Emperor waved his hand.

After bowing deeply, Shen Shilang explained his concerns. “At that time, with the Turks not yet driven out, I feared that General Wei’s immediate death would have weakened the troops’ morale. In my view, defeating the external enemy should take priority before addressing internal matters.”

“Secondly, I worried that General Quan, unfamiliar with the Northwestern Army, might not have been able to lead them effectively. And besides…” Shen Shilang bowed his head slightly, “Fighting a common enemy is an excellent way to build camaraderie and trust between generals and soldiers. If General Quan had commanded the army then, the losses would have been greater compared to General Wei’s leadership. Moreover, by the time General Quan fully integrated with the army, he would already have a loyal force under his command.”

Shen Shilang suddenly knelt down, bowing his head to the ground. “I fear that if we let General Quan take control of the Northwestern Army, he could grow too powerful, holding command over two armies. This would be unprecedented in the history of Great Xi.”

“We’ve already seen how difficult it is to handle one man wielding too much power in the army, like General Wei. If General Quan were to rise similarly, he could become an even greater threat,” Shen Shilang continued. “Even if Your Majesty later sends someone else to take over, I fear General Quan might use the opportunity to plant his own people in the Northwestern Army.”

“Thus, the safest approach is to let Wei Zhaoxian remain in the Northwestern Army before punishing him and stripping him of his military position. This will both stabilize the troops and prevent the army from falling into the hands of another,” Shen Shilang said cautiously, gauging the Emperor’s reaction.

“Your Majesty, I believe that an army as important as the Northwestern Army should not be placed in the hands of just one man. It should be led by someone loyal to you, with no chance of ever accumulating unchecked power,” Shen Shilang added, seeing the Emperor deep in thought but not displeased.

After a long, tense silence, Emperor Jiacheng finally spoke, “Minister Shen, you are correct.”

He even changed the way he addressed Shen Shilang.

“Rise,” the Emperor said, leaning forward to personally help Shen Shilang up.

Shen Shilang looked both humbled and grateful as the Emperor continued, “Though you are young and new to the court, your actions are steady, your strategies wise, and your thoughts are well-founded. In the future, be more confident and do not belittle yourself.”

“This subject will heed Your Majesty’s teachings,” Shen Shilang replied hurriedly.

Having heard Shen Shilang’s reasoning, the Emperor no longer doubted his loyalty or suspected any lingering affection for Wei Zhaoxian. In fact, he began to admire Shen Shilang’s shrewdness in preventing Quan Guanran from growing too powerful.

“You led the rescue of Wei Zhaoxian personally. Have you studied military tactics? Have you trained in martial arts?” the Emperor asked.

Shen Shilang responded, “This subject has learned some rudimentary martial arts, but is not proficient. Having lived with the Wei family since childhood, where military texts were abundant, this servant has read quite a few.”