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“Can a strategist not ascend the throne?”
From Tian Feng’s perspective, Guo Jia was here with just a few rolls of parchment in hand, looking more like he popped by Hongwen Hall for a chat with Xun Yu than to handle any official matters. After all, finding Xun Yu while he was at the Shangshutai was a hassle compared to this.
But Guo Jia’s casual mention of “your son” nearly drove Tian Feng to madness.
Son? Whose son?
How dare he claim the son of the esteemed one as his own!
Yet, in that moment of bewilderment, Guo Jia clearly took it as a confirmation.
“That’s just not fair,” Guo Jia sighed, shaking his head. “I heard you say before that after arriving in Bingzhou, you’ve been working hard to give your family a better life. With your current salary, making that happen shouldn’t be too difficult.”
Tian Feng had already built up a thousand versions of his family background in his mind, so when he worried about Yuan Xi being recognized, he instinctively said, “Chang’an is still the capital, and the population influx has made living costs higher. It’s still a bit tough. My current lodging is thanks to the hospitality of Hongwen Hall. I don’t want to trouble anyone further.”
He spoke while pondering how to get Yuan Xi out of here, only to hear Guo Jia say, “You’re mistaken. Lord Yuan actually wishes we would take better care of her so that we can be more at ease and go all out when working for her.”
“This mutual support is a good way to grow. Don’t you think so, Young Master Yuan?”
Yuan Xi often heard himself referred to as Second Young Master Yuan, or simply Young Master Yuan. So when Guo Jia suddenly threw the question at him, he didn’t even register the difference between “Yuan” and “Yuan” and instinctively replied, “Indeed.”
Guo Jia clapped and grinned, “See? Your son shares your sentiments.”
Tian Feng: …
This abrupt conclusion might have exposed him right when he first came here as an undercover spy.
Fortunately, he had been tempered by his recent promotions, giving him a calm demeanor now.
In a lightning-fast moment, he realized that if he denied Yuan Xi’s identity or switched his statement now, it would surely blow his cover in front of Guo Jia.
It was better to just roll with it.
Internally apologizing to Yuan Shao, he worked to make it seem natural that he suddenly had a son and replied to Guo Jia, “That may be, but they’re still adjusting to life in Chang’an… I’m still catching up with my studies, so…”
So not moving his family over made some sense.
But then he saw Guo Jia’s gaze land on Yuan Xi, assessing her clothing.
A wave of anxiety washed over Tian Feng.
When Guo Jia noticed Yuan Xi’s clothes weren’t exactly fancy and saw that compared to Yuan Shao’s other sons, Yuan Xi’s looks weren’t much of an advantage either, he relaxed a bit.
But then he saw Guo Jia squint, tightening his previously relaxed demeanor. “I don’t think that’s the case.”
Tian Feng’s heart nearly leaped into his throat, fearing he’d hear Guo Jia utter something like “you guys have issues.”
He even felt that if Guo Jia had been louder, nearby folks might have caught the tension.
Guo Jia, seemingly oblivious to Tian Feng’s tension, casually remarked, “I get you, you’re worried your son might end up working here too? If you both end up in similar positions and he gets promoted faster than you, that wouldn’t look good.”
Tian Feng listened, dumbfounded, struggling to understand how Guo Jia reached that conclusion.
But Guo Jia seemed comfortable in his logic, continuing, “Look at Jia Wenhe. At that time, both he and his eldest son Jia Mu were under Lord Yuan. His son even held a more significant post than him. After being mishandled and unhappy, he jumped ship to Dong Zhuo, even advising him.”
“You can’t be like that, Zigu.”
When Tian Feng took on the identity of Yuan Feng under Chen Ji’s guidance, he received a courtesy name. He might not be completely used to it yet, but at least he wouldn’t call himself anything absurd.
Guo Jia continued, “Rather, look at your teacher and Zhang Wen’s situation. The father works hard, providing a role model for the son. There’s no way the younger generation surpasses the older. Instead, it creates a tale of two generations building Chang’an together. No need for awkwardness.”
Tian Feng wanted to argue that he never thought that far ahead; he didn’t even consider his new role as Yuan Xi’s ‘father’.
But Guo Jia didn’t give him a chance to retort, adding, “Look at our Bingzhou’s Middle General. His daughter is still studying at Leping Academy and has boldly claimed she’ll match her father in achievements. That’s how you inspire the next generation.”
“Or… isn’t Wenruo and Gongda another example?”
“Guo Fengxiao.” Xun Yu’s voice chimed in from behind him, prompting Guo Jia to quickly bow. “Just joking, Wenruo, don’t take it to heart; I’m just advising Zigu on how to motivate the younger generation.”
Guo Jia turned back to Tian Feng, “You didn’t want to handle the announcement for that last report because you’re shy, but I keep meaning to apologize. Now that your son is here in Chang’an and I’ve run into him, how about we combine the apology and a welcome feast? What do you think?”
Tian Feng was less than keen on the idea.
After all, it was Guo Jia who had shown up at Yuan Shao’s camp to sign off on that massive grain loan he owed.
Even if Qiao Yan hadn’t outright said who concocted that outrageous interest deal, Tian Feng felt it was all Guo Jia’s handiwork.
This really heightened his distrust toward Guo Jia.
Even if this young man joked around, suggesting that since the alcohol ban hadn’t been issued yet, he might as well sneak a drink or two, it didn’t ease Tian Feng’s caution at all.
But at this moment, he lacked a suitable excuse to refuse, leaving him dragged along by Guo Jia.
What made him particularly alert was that Guo Jia seemed to follow his earlier logic. Halfway through this welcome feast, he mentioned wanting to take Yuan Xi around Chang’an.
“With the upcoming wine conference, besides the many esteemed scholars arriving, all departments in Chang’an are busy preparing, making it a perfect opportunity for your son to see where he fits in this work.”
Seeing the subtle resistance on Tian Feng’s face, Guo Jia smiled.
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“It’s not easy to change your mind, but even just gaining some experience here is still good. You’ll have stories to share when you go back; it won’t be a wasted trip to Chang’an.”
After Guo Jia’s little kidnapping stunt, Yuan Xi and Tian Feng exchanged glances for a while when they arrived at their destination.
“Mr. Yuan Hao, what now…”
What are we supposed to do now?
Yuan Xi never imagined that his first real appearance in Chang’an would be met with such a difficult situation.
When Tian Feng asked why he was sent to Chang’an, Yuan Xi hesitated. He couldn’t tell Tian Feng that his father was wary of his subordinates and particularly cautious regarding the power held in Chang’an, fearing that others sent for this ‘heavy responsibility’ might get swayed too. He simply said that Yuan Shao was genuinely concerned about Tian Feng’s safety.
Hearing this, Tian Feng sighed heavily.
He really shouldn’t hold any grudges against Yuan Shao for not reacting swiftly enough.
Nor should he feel any sympathy towards Qiao Yan and the Qi family for their split, especially when Liu Yan proposed establishing their own household.
“Let’s take it step by step; I’ll get you out of Chang’an as soon as possible.”
Tian Feng didn’t often intersect with Guo Jia, so Yuan Xi’s interaction with Guo Jia would be an area he couldn’t easily intervene in.
Guo Jia, being so sharp, could hold the second-in-command position at Qiao Yan’s Grand Marshal residence. Yuan Xi wouldn’t be able to handle that.
If Guo Jia got any useful info out of him, it would be a complete failure.
So, Tian Feng gradually constructed a complete identity for Yuan Xi under the alias “Yuan Xi,” making sure he memorized it by nightfall.
Yuan Xi was dizzy from it all but knew this was the best way to adapt. He had to obscure his habits as the second son of the Yuan clan to prepare for tomorrow’s encounter with Guo Jia.
However, to his surprise, Guo Jia sent word the next day that their planned outing would be pushed back two days.
The lord had important matters to attend to, so he needed to leave Chang’an for two days.
Thinking about the delay in meeting Guo Jia, Yuan Xi’s lost appetite suddenly returned.
“Is this the essence of cat-and-mouse?” Qiao Yan found Guo Jia’s back-and-forth tactic amusing.
She was a pro at psychological warfare herself, but her strategists were also no slouches.
While Qiao Yan focused on bargaining with various houses, getting a show like this was quite a stress reliever.
Across from her, Guo Jia casually sipped tea, noting that Qiao Yan didn’t hold him accountable for subtly lifting restrictions during their welcoming banquet. “In a couple of days, I’ll take Yuan Er Gongzi out to the rivers and canals to lower his guard. Plus, I’ll give him a heads-up on the situation in Yu Province.”
Yuan Xi had set out from Ye City with Ju Shou and others, and Ju Shou’s swift ambush in Runan was still recent. It was all a mystery for Yuan Xi.
His father had regained the upper hand in dealing with Yuan Shu, which definitely helped ease Yuan Xi’s sense of panic.
If that weren’t the case, how could he be sent willingly into the pit?
Guo Jia lamented that the impression he left on the Yuan clan last time was too strong; otherwise, it could have been less troublesome.
But Yuan Xi clearly couldn’t appreciate Guo Jia’s thoughtful manipulation of the situation. He just felt that having more time to adjust to his new background was the best possible scenario.
By the time Yuan Xi got the invitation from Guo Jia two days later, he was already adept at slipping into the role of “Yuan Xi.”
Even when Guo Jia opened with, “Since you’re Yuan Xi, I assume you have a brother named Yuan Dong?”—a straightforward question that made it too blunt—Yuan Xi maintained his composure, replying, “Maybe because my father knew he would one day come from Ji Province.”
Guo Jia chuckled, “You’re smoother than Zi Gu!”
Before taking Yuan Xi out of the city for a little tour, Guo Jia led him down Chang’an Road first.
He strolled around the bulletin board looking for daily news, resembling an old man perusing the latest updates.
But Guo Jia actually spotted a new piece.
“Ni Zhengping…”
Ni Heng had indeed completed his work after announcing his debate challenge to Wang Can.
He told Yang Xiu he didn’t want to write using divine inspirations but rather through borrowed objects.
He wrote about a foreign parrot and a local gray sparrow in Chang’an, entitled “Parrot Rhyme.”
The parrot, arriving from a distant land, was noted for its “peculiar grace and mesmerizing quality, ablaze with the brilliance of Fire’s virtue,” sporting “blue toes and a red beak, dressed in green and a bright collar, stunningly beautiful and chirping sweetly,” was taken aback by the gray sparrow’s plainness as it perched on the rooftop.
But the gray sparrow retorted that the parrot merely “peers over the cage and hesitates by the window; has it ever seen the grandeur of Chang’an from on high?”
The gray sparrow had seen.
In Ni Heng’s depiction, the gray sparrow symbolized the fresh path of Chang’an or perhaps its people.
As for who the foreign parrot represented, well, that’s open to interpretation.
Guo Jia found this quite amusing.
Even when Ni Heng had some grievances with Qiao Yan, he fairly rendered the splendor of Chang’an in writing, concluding with “Though the river may run dry, and dawn light fades, my body lingers to roam,” showing he hadn’t lost all wit.
At most, using the unremarkable gray sparrow to represent Chang’an was a stark contrast to Wang Can’s “Divine Lady” notion.
However, in terms of the gray sparrow’s stark practicality, perhaps it paled in comparison to what he described about the parrot’s reliance on past patrons, which was bound to offend some egos, fitting for his sharp-tongued old habits.
Readers couldn’t help but wonder whom the parrot might stand for—confused officials from Ye City or the arrogant scions of privileged families?
Unfortunately, since Ni Heng utilized allegory, he didn’t clarify which.
Let them guess!
But for Guo Jia, it seemed many might catch the flak from his veiled jab.
Not to mention himself; Guo Jia turned to see Yuan Xi looking at the Parrot Rhyme with a complicated expression.
After all, Yuan Xi felt he was caught in the crossfire of the most obvious interpretations.
His recent experiences in Chang’an had led him to naturally adopt the parrot’s perspective.
As he pondered the line “Observing the remnants of six wings, even though it flaps swiftly,” he couldn’t help but feel a sense of melancholy and confusion.
Until Guo Jia cleared his throat, Yuan Xi snapped back to reality, realizing he shouldn’t be so openly affected.
Guo Jia studied him for some time, making Yuan Xi feel quite nervous, before saying, “You can read? Just like your father, you’re quite the prodigy!”
After all, Ni Heng wasn’t Wang Can; he loved to use obscure characters in his compositions!
