Chapter Twenty-Five: The Emperor’s Personal Decree

Yang Guang scrutinized the man before him and asked, “You are Li Wenyuan, a subordinate general under Xue Ju, commandant of Jincheng?”

Su Wei had already explained the imperial etiquette to Li Wenyuan in detail on their way here. Li Wenyuan, with knowledge from a later era, had unintentionally picked up much of it, making it easy to learn. Hearing the emperor’s question, he deftly applied what he had learned, offering Yang Guang a deep bow and replying, “Your Majesty, your humble subject is indeed Li Wenyuan.”

Yang Guang nodded, withdrew his gaze, and resumed perusing the memorials on his desk, saying nothing further. The entire Hall of Winds was engulfed in silence. Li Wenyuan stole a glance at Su Wei, who stood beside him with hands at his sides. Catching Li Wenyuan’s look, as if asking for guidance, Su Wei merely shook his head, indicating he was just as clueless.

Time passed in that unnerving quiet, broken only by the occasional creak of carriage wheels outside and the clash of soldiers’ armor and weapons.

Li Wenyuan now understood what it meant for the emperor’s intentions to be unfathomable. He marveled at how the courtiers could so precisely intuit the sovereign’s will. After about half an hour, Yang Guang finally set aside the last memorial, lifted his head, and spoke:

“Li, my loyal subject, I’ve heard it said that during the withdrawal of our forces from Liaodong, you presumed the title ‘General Who Conquers the West’?” Yang Guang fixed his gaze on Li Wenyuan.

Li Wenyuan’s heart skipped a beat. Was Yang Guang about to charge him with deceiving the throne? He imitated what he’d seen in dramas of his later era, dropping to his knees with his forehead to the floor. “Your Majesty, if I had not invoked your divine authority to awe those panic-stricken, witless soldiers, I could not have resisted the wolfish Koguryo troops.”

Yang Guang was secretly amused. This man, long stationed on the frontier, had no roots at court, yet possessed a certain quick wit—just the sort of sharp blade he needed to hack through the shackles imposed by the powerful Guanzhong clans. Still, it was necessary to remind this man that some things could be done, and others not.

So Yang Guang deliberately put on a stern face and said, “Do you not know that impersonating an imperial officer is a capital crime? According to the laws of Great Sui, it warrants the extermination of nine generations!”

Seeing Li Wenyuan still prostrate and silent, Yang Guang paused, then continued, “However, since you have long served at the borders, saved countless lives in Liaodong, and, after assuming this title, committed no evil but instead hastened to aid the throne, you are pardoned. Rise and speak.”

Only then did Li Wenyuan breathe easy, thanking Yang Guang before rising to his feet. The weight at his heart finally lifted—if his journey through time had ended here, it would have been a dull affair indeed. Having come so far, he was determined to accomplish something earth-shattering.

Yang Guang dismissed his attendants. Once only the two of them remained in the great hall, he took Li Wenyuan by the sleeve and led him to a window. Pointing outside, he said, “My faithful subject, look at this magnificent view—do you know what land this is?”

Li Wenyuan had no idea what Yang Guang was getting at, so he shook his head.

Yang Guang smiled. “This is Great Sui, the empire my father built with his own hands.” After a pause, he continued, “But do you know to whom this Great Sui truly belongs?”

Li Wenyuan replied, “Naturally, it belongs to Your Majesty.”

Yang Guang shook his head. “No, no, Li, my loyal subject, this Great Sui is not mine. It belongs to the clans and the great families.”

He then began to explain the current balance of power at court. He hoped Li Wenyuan would serve as his blade against the aristocratic houses, and he wanted that blade as sharp as possible.

Since the Han dynasty’s meritocratic selection system, powerful families had emerged, their influence deepening over the generations. Later, long periods of division had given rise to new aristocracies, different from those of the Han. By the time Emperor Wen established Great Sui, court politics, in pursuit of balance and compromise, had formed the Guanzhong nobility led by the Eight Pillars, the Shandong aristocracy made up of the Five Surnames and Seven Clans, the now-declining Jiangdong gentry, and the Daibei gentry, mainly Sinicized nomads. There was also Lady Xuanhua, whom Yang Guang married to appease the south after conquering the Chen dynasty.

These regional factions kept each other in check, competing for power but posing little threat to the throne. Each jealously guarded its own privileges, refusing to let others encroach. The Guanzhong nobles controlled the military; under the fubing system, each family could potentially overturn a dynasty.

The Shandong aristocrats, less versed in military affairs, produced many great scholars and wielded significant influence at court, often swaying imperial policy.

The Jiangdong gentry, a traditional elite since the Wei and Jin dynasties, had long since declined, but thanks to the patronage of Emperor Wen and Yang Guang, could still contend with the Shandong faction.

The Daibei gentry, meanwhile, remained aloof, siding only with whichever group served their interests.

By now, Li Wenyuan grasped Yang Guang’s intentions. Through three campaigns against Koguryo, Yang Guang had weakened the Guanzhong nobles. He had promoted the Jiangdong gentry and instituted the imperial examination system, providing a pathway for commoners to enter government service and gradually eroding the local aristocracies’ hold.

A mighty empire, responsive to its supreme ruler, could unleash unmatched power—especially one as formidable as Great Sui.

Seeing understanding dawn in Li Wenyuan’s eyes, Yang Guang clapped him on the shoulder. “I need someone absolutely loyal to me. I hope that person is you.”

Li Wenyuan was about to kneel again, but Yang Guang stopped him. “Since you called yourself general, I now appoint you General Who Conquers the West, sixth rank. Lead your troops to reinforce the Eastern Capital without delay.”

Li Wenyuan accepted the official general’s tally, bowed, and said, “I accept your command. With Your Majesty’s divine power, the rebels will scatter in terror.”

Yang Guang nodded, then said, “I am weary now. You may go.”

Li Wenyuan took his leave. At the door, he encountered Su Wei, who noticed the tally at Li Wenyuan’s waist—a new addition—and cupped his hands with a smile. “Congratulations on your promotion, General.”

Li Wenyuan returned the gesture with a smile. “Thank you, Elder Su, for your guidance in court manners. Without it, I might have offended the emperor and lost both my life and my rank.”

Seeing Li Wenyuan in haste, Su Wei inquired, “General, where are you headed?”

Feigning concern, Li Wenyuan replied, “His Majesty is worried about the Eastern Capital and has ordered me to suppress the rebel Yang Xuangan. Does Chancellor Su have any advice?”

In a low voice, Su Wei told him, “General, I hold here a memorial intended for the emperor: the traitor Yang Xuangan has already split his forces into two, advancing on the Eastern Capital. By now, he has likely encircled it. If you seek to lift the siege, you must drive the rebels away rather than attempt to wipe them out.”