novelSusiti Chapter 43 The Prime Minister Enters the Game, Ma Su Offers His Strategy
Chapter 43 The Prime Minister Enters the Game, Ma Su Offers His Strategy
When Zhuge Liang received the secret letter, he was in his residence checking the inventory of provisions for the Northern Expedition.
The envelope only bore a private seal, not a signature. He opened it and found a few lines of writing inside, the handwriting thin and stiff—it was Liu Shan's handwriting.
The content is not long.
The gist of the message is threefold: First, the clues about the masked man in the south point to a former member of the Yong'an Palace, and this has been handed over to Dong Yun for a secret investigation; second, Li Yan has been making frequent moves recently, and the matter of the accounts in the court is just an appetizer, with more to come; third, preparations for the Northern Expedition should be made sooner rather than later, and the Prime Minister is requested to begin drafting a strategy for the expedition.
The last sentence was added: "The Prime Minister's health is of utmost importance; please do not stay up late."
Zhuge Liang folded the letter and put it into his sleeve.
He placed the feather fan on the table and didn't pick it up for a long time.
His Majesty did not elaborate on the matter of the masked man. He only mentioned the five words "former people of Yong'an Palace." Zhuge Liang understood the weight of those five words.
The late emperor passed away at Yong'an Palace. During that time, countless people came and went, and countless matters were handled. As the regent, he kept meticulous records of everything. Now, His Majesty has sent Dong Yun to investigate alone, without informing him—
It's not a lack of trust.
I didn't want to distract him.
"Someone come here."
The clerk outside the door responded and came in.
"Go and invite Ma Su to your residence for a chat."
Ma Su arrived quickly. He lived not far from the Prime Minister's residence, and upon receiving the message, he changed into clean clothes and came over.
After entering and bowing, Zhuge Liang pointed to the seat opposite him and asked him to sit down.
"Youchang, what are your thoughts on the current political situation?"
Ma Su didn't answer immediately. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and put it down.
"Is the Prime Minister asking about Li Yan's matter?"
"more than."
Ma Su thought for a moment: "The southern regions have just been pacified, His Majesty has implemented new policies, and the Shu brocade trade is going smoothly. Logically speaking, this is the time for the whole country to unite and build up national strength. But Li Yan has chosen this crucial moment to seize military power—"
He paused, his wording becoming more cautious.
"I dare to speculate that Protector-General Li may not truly want that military power. He wants to test him."
"What are you testing?"
"Testing His Majesty's bottom line." Ma Su straightened his posture. "Protector Li is a regent minister, nominally on par with the Prime Minister. However, in the past two years, all matters of state, large and small, have been handled by the Prime Minister's office, rendering the Central Protectorate virtually useless. He is unhappy and is using the military power in the south as a pretext, but in reality, he is asking—where does His Majesty place him?"
Zhuge Liang did not respond.
Ma Su's analysis wasn't wrong, but it only scratched the surface. Li Yan's true intentions were far more complex.
"Youchang, let me ask you this: If you were Li Yan, and Jiang Wan silenced you with a single remark during the court assembly, what would you do next?"
Ma Su frowned and unconsciously tapped his knee a few times with his fingertips.
"If it were me... I wouldn't make oriko anymore. Oriko has become a joke."
"What should we do then?"
"Let's take a different approach." Ma Su looked up. "Don't confront His Majesty head-on. Instead, try to win people over. The gentry of Yizhou are his foundation. Although the score from the court meeting silenced their public complaints, their resentment remains. The benefits of the three-year tax exemption went to the barbarians of the south, while the powerful clans of Yizhou received nothing. They may not say it, but they're grumbling in their hearts. Protector Li only needs to say a few words—for example, 'His Majesty is close to the barbarians and distant from his homeland'—just a few words will suffice."
Zhuge Liang shook his feather fan.
"and then?"
"Then he will wait. Wait for His Majesty to make a mistake. Or... create one himself."
That hits the nail on the head.
Zhuge Liang stood up and walked to the window. The ground in the courtyard was covered with fallen ginkgo leaves, a bright yellow carpet.
"Youchang, have you thought about the Northern Expedition?"
Ma Su's spirits lifted. He had served Zhuge Liang for many years, and advising on military affairs was his forte. He was well-versed in military strategy and tactics, but lacked only an opportunity to go to the battlefield.
"Su has studied the terrain of Longyou day and night and has already drafted several routes for the advance. If the Prime Minister wishes to see them—"
"No rush," Zhuge Liang interrupted him. "The Northern Expedition is a major undertaking, not something that can be decided by one or two routes. We need to ensure that supplies, manpower, logistics, and diplomacy are all in place. Right now, the most important thing is to clean up our rear."
Ma Su understood the implied meaning: "Prime Minister, are you referring to Li Yan?"
"Not just Li Yan." Zhuge Liang turned around and looked at him. "Youchang, you are a smart man. But smart men are most prone to one flaw—arrogance."
Ma Su was taken aback.
"I'm not saying this to criticize you, but to remind you. Once the Northern Expedition begins, the situation on the front lines will change in an instant. No matter how brilliant the military strategies in books are, they must be discarded on the battlefield. The generals who survive are not those who are clever, but those who are obedient."
That's a very strong statement.
Ma Su stood up, bowed, and said, "I will remember the Prime Minister's teachings."
Zhuge Liang waved his hand, telling him to sit back down.
"Alright, don't be nervous. I called you here because there's something important I need to discuss."
He took a document from the table and handed it over.
"His Majesty wants to implement a 'rotation system for officials,' sending people from Jingzhou to the south and people from Yizhou to the central government. This matter involves a wide range of issues and requires someone to coordinate it. You will handle it."
Ma Su took the document and turned two pages.
The intention behind the rotation system is obvious—to break down factional barriers, allowing people from Jingzhou and Yizhou to mingle with each other, so that no one can form a united front.
"Prime Minister, this job will offend people."
"Afraid?"
"I'm not afraid." Ma Su smiled. "I just want to know where the bottom line is."
"The bottom line is—you can move people, but don't shake the foundation. The rotation will start with mid- to low-level officials; those above the rank of prefect will remain for now. Give the powerful families of Yizhou some face, and don't push them too far."
"clear."
Ma Su rose to take his leave.
As he reached the door, Zhuge Liang called him back.
"Youchang".
"Does the Prime Minister have any further instructions?"
"His Majesty's abilities far surpass those of you and me. From now on, we should heed His Majesty's advice in all our actions."
Ma Su paused for a moment, then nodded and left.
After he left, Zhuge Liang sat alone in his study.
He took out Liu Shan's letter from his sleeve and read it again.
He looked at the words "Do not stay up late" for the longest time.
The late emperor had said the exact same thing. The tone was different—the late emperor patted him on the shoulder and said it casually. Liu Shan wrote it down on paper, placing it at the very end, keeping it hidden.
The father and son have completely different personalities, but they share the same core values.
He picked up his pen and wrote a short reply to Liu Shan. It contained only eight characters—
"The strategy for the Northern Expedition will be submitted within the month."
at the same time.
The atmosphere was completely different in Li Yan's residence.
The study door was closed. The lights were on.
Fei Guan, Wang Fu of the Wang family of Guanghan, and Zhang Wei of the Zhang family of Shujun sat around opposite Li Yan.
There was wine on the table, but no one touched it.
"You all witnessed what happened at the court assembly," Li Yan said, his voice unusually deep. "Jiang Wan's account was at His Majesty's behest."
Fei Guan's face still bore the embarrassment from that day: "Guardian, the figures on the books can't be faked, we really... can't make sense."
"That doesn't make sense?" Li Yan sneered. "He's only seventeen years old. He let Jiang Wan read a few numbers and then subdue us? That's because you're too honest."
Wang Fu asked in a low voice, "What does the Protector-General mean?"
"Making a profit on paper doesn't mean Yizhou makes a profit. The profits from the Shu brocade trade go into the national treasury, what does that have to do with the gentry of Yizhou? The tax exemption is for the southern barbarians, and the road construction is for the southern barbarians. Our land and people in Yizhou don't benefit at all."
Zhang Wei added, "The Protector-General is right. But what about the Prime Minister right now—"
"The Prime Minister won't get involved in such matters." Li Yan picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and said, "Zhuge Liang is preoccupied with the Northern Expeditions and doesn't like to meddle in domestic affairs. As long as we don't cross his bottom line, he won't bother with us."
The three of them exchanged glances.
Li Yan put down his wine glass and lowered his voice.
"Pass down the message. Not a single penny of the benefits from the tax exemption in Nanzhong has gone into the pockets of the people of Yizhou. We don't need to say it ourselves; let our subordinates spread the word. Tell it in teahouses, taverns, markets, and docks, and they'll believe it eventually."
"Once public opinion takes hold, His Majesty will have no choice but to turn back and appease us. At that point, when we negotiate terms, it won't just be about military power anymore."
Fei Guan hesitated: "This... if His Majesty finds out—"
"Investigate what? What the people are saying has nothing to do with me, Li Yan!"
The study was quiet for a moment.
The three nodded in succession.
It was very late at night.
The lights in the Imperial Study were still on.
Liu Shan sat behind his desk, with a genealogical chart of the gentry of Yizhou spread out before him. More than a dozen names were circled in vermilion ink, connected by intricate lines.
Dong Yun stood aside and reported in a low voice: "Li Yan met with Fei Guan, Wang Fu, and Zhang Wei tonight. The details of their discussion have not yet been relayed back by our undercover agents."
Liu Shan didn't look up, but circled Fei Guan's name with the cinnabar brush in his hand.
"No need to rush. The more he stirs things up, the more people will be exposed."
The pen tip moved to the edge of the diagram, and two characters were written in the blank space—
"Ma Su."
He paused for a moment, then added a line of smaller text next to it:
"This person is usable, but must be kept under close watch."
I put down my pen. I blew out the extra candlesticks on the table, leaving only one.
The chirping of autumn insects outside the window brings a sense of peace to the heart.
The seventeen-year-old emperor stretched, put the relationship chart into a hidden drawer, and locked it.
There are still a bunch of memorials to approve tomorrow.
The Northern Expedition needs to be expedited.
Li Yan's matter needs to be left unresolved.
We'll have to wait for the masked man's story.
Neither of these can be rushed, nor can they be delayed.
He blew out the last lamp and walked towards the palace in the dark.
As I passed through the corridor, I looked up at the stars in the sky.
It's sparse and not very bright.
But it's enough.
[End of Chapter]