The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 149: Chapter 149: It’s Not Time Yet

Wu Gang didn’t dare criticize the current Emperor.

Feng En laughed. "Look how scared you are. We can’t concern ourselves with these things anyway. Doing our own jobs properly is what matters."

Wu Gang composed himself and cupped his hands. "The Emperor has entrusted such an important matter to you, Chief. It shows he still values you more. Once this is done and we return to the Capital City, there will surely be further rewards."

"This task is important, yes, but whether it’s a *good* task is a matter of opinion."

"Chief, you mean..."

"Let me ask you. The Emperor originally planned to pick any random attendant eunuch for this trip. Why was I chosen in the end?"

"I heard that it was Fan Bingbi who strongly recommended you, Chief, to the Emperor. That’s why the Emperor..."

Feng En sneered. "And you think Fan Xian recommended me to show me goodwill?"

’Isn’t that the case?’

Wu Gang said hesitantly, "A while ago, he suffered a hidden loss at our hands and was reprimanded by the Emperor. He’s been keeping his head down this whole time..."

"Hmph! Fan Xian is playing a game that kills several birds with one stone. He’s been quiet for long enough. By recommending me to the Emperor this time, his primary goal is to push me out of the Capital City so he can seize the opportunity to solidify his favor. Just think about it. If this were truly a good thing, why would that old venomous snake hand such a golden opportunity to me for free?"

Wu Gang had a realization. "Forgive my foolishness."

"On this trip, besides delivering the imperial edict, we are nominally here as military supervisors. It sounds impressive, but it would be one thing if it were someone else. The man guarding the Northern Pass right now is Kou Changqing. Has the Emperor sent few supervisors to Liaodong in the past? How many of them have ever managed to make any waves under his nose?"

"Then... then what should we do?"

"Everything else is negotiable. I don’t really care about being a supervisor or not. But the peace treaty is imperative. The Emperor has given a direct order. It would be best if Kou Changqing knows what’s good for him. Otherwise..."

A murderous glint flashed in Feng En’s eyes.

A moment later, he sighed again.

"This trip to the Northern Pass seems like a fine assignment, one that might even go down in history—but only in infamy. Just you wait. Once word of the peace talks gets out, it will surely draw criticism from the entire world. The first person the common folk will curse is Kou Changqing. Mr. Cai certainly won’t be able to escape it either. And if Kou Changqing truly defies the imperial edict, then the third person to be cursed... will be me."

Wu Gang’s heart skipped a beat. "Sir, don’t tell me you’re really going to..."

"This matter is not up to Kou Changqing. Do you think it’s up to me?"

This was Fan Xian’s third objective.

In a fit of rage, Kou Changqing might just execute the messenger who came to deliver the edict.

That way, he would not only eliminate Feng En but also indirectly confirm Kou Changqing’s crime of rebellion.

He would achieve his own goals and help Emperor Wandai eliminate a thorn in his side.

And if he, Feng En, didn’t want to die for nothing, he would have to strike first...

"Fan Xian, oh, Fan Xian, what a truly venomous scheme."

"Sir, if it really comes to it, why don’t you..." Wu Gang trailed off, hesitant to continue.

"You want me to bow my head to Fan Xian?"

Feng En snorted coldly.

Wu Gang was his trusted confidant, the only person he could truly speak his mind with, so he dropped the formal pretense.

"You think if I back down now, Fan Xian will be satisfied and let it go? Believe it or not, if I request to guard the Imperial Mausoleum today, you’ll be burning joss paper for me at the Imperial Mausoleum tomorrow."

Wu Gang lowered his head, at a loss for words.

"Haven’t I been patient enough over the years? Fan Xian started as a nobody, a low-ranking old eunuch in the Wood Collection Bureau. He only made a lucky bet during the change of imperial power, and that’s how he flipped his fortunes and soared to the position of Chief Eunuch. If I hadn’t been in the position of Chief for decades, and if Fan Xian’s seniority wasn’t still too shallow to win over the masses, do you think he would be content to serve beneath me? But this compromise is only temporary. He is plotting every moment of every day, trying to replace me."

Fan Xian had Emperor Wandai’s backing. Fortunately, after decades of building his network in the depths of the palace, Feng En was no pushover. Thus, even Emperor Wandai didn’t dare to move against him lightly.

Of course, this was mainly due to his forbearance and his strategy of laying low.

Toward Emperor Wandai, he displayed utmost submission and obedience. No matter how unreasonable the Emperor’s demands were, he would always find a way to carry them out properly.

And in the face of Fan Xian’s arrogant provocations, he played the fool, feigning an indifference to power and worldly affairs, even acting as if he were willing to follow Fan Xian’s lead.

Relying on this painstaking strategy, like walking on thin ice, he and Fan Xian had managed to coexist peacefully for three years.

In the last couple of years, however, this superficial harmony was finally shattered.

Fan Xian, his influence now fully grown, was no longer content with just his role as Chief Eunuch.

In this situation, no matter how much more Feng En yielded, it would be of no use.

What Fan Xian wanted was his position as Chief. Either Feng En would hand it over willingly, or Fan Xian would take it by force.

Naturally, Feng En was not willing to yield.

He had spent half his life climbing to his current height. To say nothing of the blood and sweat he had poured into it, just consider this: of all the people who had been pulled down from this position, how many had met a good end?

Since retreat meant death, he might as well risk his life and fight.

Wu Gang’s face filled with indignation. "He’s dreaming if he thinks he can replace you, Chief! The brothers of the Xuanwu Guard will only ever listen to your commands, Chief."

Feng En shot him a light, sidelong glance. "That’s where you’re wrong. We all obey the Emperor’s commands."

Wu Gang quickly agreed.

After a pause, Feng En added, "But we can’t underestimate Fan Xian either. I oversee the Xuanwu Guard, and he oversees the Secret Pavilion. The Xuanwu Guard defends the Imperial City, which gives us a geographical advantage. But his Secret Pavilion, with its overt sentries and covert spies, is not to be trifled with. What’s more, he now holds the power of the red brush, so even Prime Minister Zhang is helpless against him."

Wu Gang was confused. "Even if he has the power of the red brush, the documents still need your seal afterward, Sir. Surely he can’t bypass you?"

The so-called "power of the red brush" meant that the Chief Eunuch would verbally summarize the contents of a memorial to the Emperor in the most concise way. After the Emperor made his decision, the Chief Eunuch would then write the Emperor’s decision on the memorial in red ink, essentially completing the work of reviewing memorials on the Emperor’s behalf.

From this, one could see the extent of Emperor Wandai’s trust in Fan Xian.

And Fan Xian, relying on the power of the red brush, gradually gained a voice in the imperial court. He also used the Secret Pavilion to plant informants throughout the Capital City, conducting surveillance in the name of supervision. For a time, his influence was unrivaled, and no one dared to defy his will.

That said, the "red brush" process wasn’t entirely decided by Fan Xian, the Chief Eunuch.

This was because after a memorial was endorsed with the red brush, the Chief had to review it one more time.

Only after a memorial was reviewed by the Chief could it be stamped with the official seal and move to the implementation stage.

If he found anything improper, the Chief had the authority to send it back to be endorsed again.

He used this advantage to cause Fan Xian no small amount of trouble.

After suffering a few of these hidden setbacks, Fan Xian went directly to Emperor Wandai to complain.

Emperor Wandai, naturally, sided with Fan Xian.

As a result, his position as Chief gradually became a mere figurehead. After Fan Xian endorsed memorials with the red brush, he no longer bothered to ask for Feng En’s opinion at all—he just needed the seal.

The more Wu Gang heard, the more worried he became. "Even so, you’re still going to keep fighting him?"

Feng En, however, appeared nonchalant. "The river flows east for thirty years, then west for thirty years. Until the coffin is sealed, who knows who will have the last laugh? This life, isn’t it all about the struggle?"

"But the situation is too unfavorable..."

It was more than unfavorable; it was overwhelmingly so.

"I, too, thought I was about to lose. But in the end, the heavens have not been unkind to me. They’ve dealt me another card! HAHAHAHA!"

Feng En threw his head back and laughed. "Fan Xian, oh, Fan Xian, you probably never imagined in your wildest dreams that this death trap, the Northern Pass, would actually become my land of opportunity!"

Wu Gang was completely baffled. Feng En didn’t explain, only instructing, "When the mission is complete and we are about to return to the Capital City, pick a few reliable men from your subordinates and leave them in the Northern Pass. Have them keep a close watch on someone for me."

Wu Gang was confused. "Why not just bring the person back to the Capital City directly?"

Feng En shook his head and muttered to himself, "It’s not time yet. I have to wait... just a little longer..."

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