Chapter 140: Factions of Yanjing (Part 2)

"If you are not within it, you cannot fathom its intricacies. The imperial court has its own complexities. Take the State of Yan, for instance; it actually harbors various open, hidden, and latent complex factions!" Changqing pondered for a moment and said.

"Oh? Tell me about them!" the woman asked with a smile.

"The first faction is headed by the Emperor of Yan, the supreme ruler of the nation!"

"The second faction is the Zhao family, which controls thirty percent of the Yan military forces! There are even aspects of them that I cannot see through."

"These two sides wield the greatest authority and the most power!" Changqing introduced.

"Mm, what else?" the woman continued to ask.

"The third faction is an old man on the verge of death!"

"Oh?"

"His name is Yi Feng, a Grand Tutor who has served under three successive emperors. His capability is extraordinary, but he is now a shriveled old man of ninety-two, not far from death. He long ago resigned from office to live in retirement at home. Yet, this man has disciples and former subordinates spread all across the State of Yan; every major faction has his students among them. Although he possesses not a shred of actual authority, his renown is unrivaled."

"Oh? An old man?"

"Yes. If he were still active in the court, how could I have become prime minister in such a short time? I have examined his background; his life has been quite legendary. In his youth, he was merely a chess player. His talent for Go was so immense that within a mere three years, he traveled across the State of Yan and defeated every renowned chess master. Later, he entered the imperial court, assisting three generations of emperors, and literally doubled the territory of the State of Yan. At the age of seventy, he resigned and retired from public life, forbidding his children and grandchildren from entering officialdom, allowing them only to engage in commerce. Under his guidance, in just a decade, they became the wealthiest family in the State of Yan, rivaling the nation's treasury in wealth."

"Oh? This man has considerable capability!"

"His capability is indeed considerable, yet there is one regret in his life that he could never change!"

"What is that?"

"His innate constitution. Yi Feng's natural constitution is extremely poor. Back then, even Yan Tao of Yan sought out alchemical pills from the cultivation world for him, but they could not improve his cultivation. His progress in cultivation was as slow as a tortoise, with a constitution like rusted bronze! What a pity!"

"What a pity indeed!" The woman nodded.

"Of course, there are also some minor factions, lesser families, and individuals of modest renown, whom I will not bother introducing. The final one I wish to introduce has a very special status! The Prince of Equal Rank of the Great Yan, Chuan Yan!" Changqing mused.

"Chuan Yan?"

"Indeed. This person enjoys the residual shade of his forebears. His father was once the Emperor of Yan before entering the cultivation world, and now that his father is dead, he has inherited the peerage. His status is equal to that of the current Emperor of Yan, yet he is devoid of power and influence, holding nothing but the highest title empty of substance," Changqing said regretfully.

"Have you ever met this person?"

"No, but he puzzles me greatly. He is seventeen years old this year, living in seclusion among the mountains and forests, yet a short while ago, he sent the corpse of the Zhao family's eldest legitimate son to the Emperor of Yan. Whether this was intentional or accidental is hard to say!"

"Even you have people you cannot see through?"

"Since I have never laid eyes on him, Changqing truly wouldn't dare speak blindly," Changqing laughed.

"Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter!"

Outside, the sound of horse hooves suddenly erupted, echoing as if passing right past the gates of the prime minister's residence.

"Hmm?" Changqing frowned slightly.

"What is it?"

"Eldest Miss, today is the Five-Nation Summit, and riding horses within the city is strictly prohibited. Yet this sound... it seems like quite a number of them!" Changqing frowned and said.

"Three thousand and five horses," the woman stated the exact number in a single breath.

"Eldest Miss has remarkable hearing; Changqing is deeply impressed!" Changqing smiled.

"I merely have decent aptitude in calculation. You should go and inquire," the woman said with a smile.

"Very well!" Changqing acknowledged.

"Someone come!" Changqing called out towards the outside.

Soon, the earlier servant hurried in, while the woman timely donned her bamboo conical hat.