“Have Aunt’s elder brother impeach me?”
Xu Ming was momentarily stunned, but he quickly understood her reasoning.
Madam Wang nodded. “Your position is too high, and your influence is too strong. Someone needs to impeach you. Don’t be fooled by how much His Majesty trusts you right now. In reality, our emperor is always cautious, no matter who it is.
“Do you remember Xiao Mochi, Prime Minister Xiao, your childhood mentor? Back then, he was highly favored by His Majesty.
“But look at him now. The emperor has been distancing himself from Prime Minister Xiao, whether intentionally or not. There’s even talk that His Majesty plans to divide the prime minister’s power into two, appointing a Left and Right Chancellor to keep each other in check.
“Of course, this is only what I’ve heard. But no matter what, when someone reaches a certain level of authority, the biggest threat isn’t their political enemies—it’s the one sitting on the throne.
“If someone impeaches you, at the very least, it will show the emperor that ‘there are still people willing to go against Xu Ming, meaning his power hasn’t reached the level where no one dares to speak against him.’
“But if no one dares to impeach you, then even if His Majesty speaks kindly now, sooner or later, he will start to wonder—has he given you too much? Should he rein you in?
Xu Ming nodded. “Aunt’s advice is well taken. I will visit Censor Wang shortly.”
Madam Wang studied him and said, “Xu Ming, to be honest, I don’t think you belong in the court. The world of cultivation, free and unrestrained, suits you far better.”
Xu Ming shook his head with a smile. “I don’t have much personal interest in court affairs either. But for now, I must be here. I need to pave the way for someone. Once my task is done, I will leave. Otherwise, who knows how long it will be before I return?”
Madam Wang’s lips curled slightly. “The person you’re paving the way for—it must be that princess, right?”
Xu Ming didn’t deny it and nodded.
“Having someone to care about is a good thing.” Madam Wang sighed. “But once you step into court politics—especially imperial affairs—the road ahead will only get more difficult.”
Xu Ming chuckled. “In this world, what is ever simple?”
Madam Wang nodded. “That’s true.”
“Pang Da will be returning soon. If you ever need his help, don’t hesitate to ask.” She took a sip of tea.
“Pang Da is coming back?” Xu Ming raised an eyebrow. It was the first time he’d heard this news.
“Yes.” A rare warmth appeared in Madam Wang’s eyes.
Though she didn’t say it outright, it was clear she had missed her son for a long time.
“You might not know this, but the Xu and Qin families hold a grand ancestral ceremony once every ten years. Many members of both families will be returning, and Pang Da is no exception.
“Besides him, your older brothers will be back as well.”
Xu Ming knew exactly who she meant—his half-brothers.
Aside from a few childhood encounters, he had barely seen them over the years.
“This time, when Pang Da returns, let’s see if we can keep him from being reassigned out of the capital.” Xu Ming suggested.
With his mother gone and his father always out visiting brothels, the other concubines and minor wives weren’t worth Madam Wang’s time. Having a son in the capital would at least give her something to look forward to.
Madam Wang was briefly taken aback, then shook her head. “I appreciate your kindness, Xu Ming, but it’s unnecessary. You are already drawing too much attention. The fewer moves you make, the fewer mistakes you can make.”
Xu Ming sighed. “I fear that from now on, even if I want to do less, it will no longer be possible.
“And with the position I hold… how could I possibly avoid making enemies?”
Wang Feng fell silent.
The Wu Emperor had specifically created the Jinyiwei (Embroidered Uniform Guard) and appointed Xu Ming as its commander. From the very beginning, this position was destined to embroil him in endless political turmoil.
One of the emperor’s intentions in doing so was to push Xu Ming into direct opposition with the civil and military officials.
With this role and the duties that came with it, Xu Ming would inevitably become a source of fear and resentment among the officials. On the surface, they might treat him with courtesy, but deep down, many would secretly wish for his downfall.
After all, who would want a sword hanging over their head?
And truly, which official could claim to have an entirely spotless record?
If someone wanted to investigate them, something could always be found.
As Xu Ming carried out his duties, he would undoubtedly offend more and more officials. The civil and military officials, whether consciously or unconsciously, would begin to see him as an enemy.
His only choice would be to rely more and more on imperial authority—on the emperor himself. And perhaps, only when Xu Ming became utterly dependent on him would the emperor finally feel at ease.
“Sigh, serving a ruler is like living with a tiger.” Wang Feng let out a weary sigh.
She could offer Xu Ming her insights and warnings based on her understanding of court politics, but in the end, this path was one he had to walk on his own.
She wrote a letter and handed it to Xu Ming. He accepted it with a word of thanks and then left Xu Manor, heading toward the residence of Censor Wang.
Meanwhile, just as Xu Ming stepped out, Qin Ruhai from the Qin Manor entered Xu Manor, beaming with delight as he went to see the family matriarch.
“You brat, what brings you to Xu Manor today? And looking so pleased with yourself?”
The elderly matriarch of the Xu family chuckled as she looked at Qin Ruhai.
“What else could it be, Old Madam? Of course, I’m here to bring good news!” Qin Ruhai stroked his beard with a grin.
“Good news?” The old lady was momentarily puzzled. “What good news could there be? Why don’t I know about it?”
“Huh? The Old Ancestor doesn’t know? Did Nephew Xu not tell you?” Qin Ruhai asked.
The old lady took a sip of tea and replied calmly, “Tell me what?”
“Why, about Ming’er being appointed as Commander of the Jinyiwei, of course!” Qin Ruhai said excitedly.
“Commander of the Jinyiwei? When did the capital have such a position?” The old lady frowned slightly.
“Old Ancestor, you may not have heard yet, but the Jinyiwei is a new institution personally established by His Majesty. It commands over eight thousand men, with the authority to investigate everyone—from nobles and princes to civil and military officials—and answers solely to the emperor.
“And the Commander of the Jinyiwei is its highest-ranking officer! You could say it’s a position of ultimate power—one man below only the emperor himself, yet above thousands!”
“The entire court is talking about this right now!”
Hearing Qin Ruhai’s words, the old lady was momentarily shaken.
Of course, she was pleased that someone from the Xu family had risen to such a powerful position.
But the real question was—was the emperor giving too much, too quickly?