"This time the higher-ups have openly torn their faces; everyone is holding their breath waiting to give the Emperor a big piece of news. If you go again, it would be like throwing meat buns to a dog—it’s hard to say where you might end up in some mountain ravine, silent and gone without a trace..."
"After all, that is Zhe faction and Prince Ning’s territory; they hold the home-field advantage. Even if the Emperor sends capable officials and a large army south, once a fight starts, it might not be settled in a short time."
At this, he couldn’t help but sigh lightly and said in a calm voice, "Honestly, I can somewhat understand what the Emperor is thinking. Once you get an incurable sore, you can’t heal it—you just have to locate all the decayed parts and then mercilessly cut them off. It’s better to endure a short pain than a long one."
"But by doing this, it’s just not treating the common people like humans!"
"Prosper, the common people suffer; perish, the common people suffer..."
Listening to these words that could bring the disaster of family annihilation if they went out, Fang Ke didn’t even feel that he was being utterly treasonous. The words "The Emperor" kept echoing in his mind.
He didn’t even bother to call him ’Your Majesty,’ but directly referred to him as the Emperor!!!
He wasn’t seriously thinking of taking a turn at the Ziwei Palace, was he???
Yang Ge had been talking for a long time without hearing a peep from him; when he turned his head to look, he saw his face pale and his forehead beaded with sweat...
He slapped him on the head with a laugh: "What are you thinking about?"
Clutching at his waist and staring intently at him, Fang Ke shivered as he replied, "What I think is not important, what’s important is... what are you thinking?"
As Yang Ge ate mutton slices, he responded indifferently, "What I think isn’t important either. What’s important is, if you ask your heart, no matter how outrageous my actions, have I ever implicated you all?"
Fang Ke thought about it for a long time and truly couldn’t, in good conscience, say that Yang Ge had ever implicated them.
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He had been with Shen for two years, yet he was still but a junior banner officer.
He had only been with Yang Ge for a year and a half, and he had already become the deputy head of a thousand households.
What kind of implication was that supposed to be?
He was silent for a long while, then he sighed deeply: "Honestly, do you have the word ’fear’ in your heart?"
Before Yang Ge could reply, Fang Ke went on, talking to himself: "I’ve been with you for so long and sometimes I feel that you don’t really belong to our Wei.
"You have more things in your heart than we do—right, wrong, justice, fairness!
"And there are many things you lack compared to us—reverence, ambition, tolerance!
"I think this is perhaps why the Emperor dares not use you. The royal family wants servants who are only loyal to them, but you are loyal to your own conscience..."
Yang Ge smiled and asked, "So do you think that’s a good thing or a bad thing?"
Fang Ke said with a wry smile, "You think too highly of me. How am I qualified to judge you?"
Yang Ge: "Alright, don’t think too much, and don’t feel too much pressure. We’ve braved the wind and rain together for so long, so we should at least be considered friends. You’ve just taken office, and even for the sake of your face, I won’t do anything to embarrass you at this critical juncture... Tsk, I have to say, your Shen certainly knows how to manipulate. Even in such a situation, he still finds a way to leverage me. I am truly impressed!"
Upon hearing the word "friend," Fang Ke’s previously sorrowful face instantly brightened, his heart surged with pride, feeling as though all the evil winds and storms were but fleeting clouds.
"Okay, but don’t just try to comfort me. You also need to tell yourself not to think too much or feel too much pressure. No matter how big the issue, we men can discuss it. Regardless of what they think in the capital, the thousand-odd brothers here in the Upper Right Division are always at your command. As long as you make up your mind, whether to climb a mountain of swords or descend into a sea of flames, the brothers will never frown!"
Yang Ge smiled and nodded at him, indicating that he should go back first.
Fang Ke got up and, after a bow, strode away with great energy.
Yang Ge continued to eat his mutton slices, the smile on his face slowly fading.
He put down his chopsticks and leisurely poured himself half a cup of wine.
"Indeed, this mess wasn’t created by me, so why should I be the only one internally consumed by it?"
Raising his cup toward the west, he spoke softly, "If it’s about worrying, we should all worry together. It’s always better to enjoy things as a group than alone!"