“Secretly communicating with Yan Kingdom, defying orders, maintaining private armies, forming factions for personal gain, insulting and undermining royal authority…” Feng Miaojun’s every word dripped with bone-chilling coldness. “Hou Yanbei, you are extraordinarily bold!”
She grabbed a confidential report from the table and threw it directly in front of him. “Tell me, how many heads do you have for me to chop off?”
As the pages scattered on the ground, Hou Yanbei only glanced once. The report documented Zhao Yun’s whereabouts after leaving Wuseier City, which matched closely with what Hou Yanbei already knew.
By this point, Hou Yanbei had no more delusions of luck, realizing that Feng Miaojun intended to settle accounts with him today. He touched his forehead to the ground and said dejectedly, “This minister deserves death! But may calamity not extend to my family—I beg Your Majesty for mercy!”
“The first offense alone—secret communication with a foreign nation—warrants execution of your entire household,” Feng Miaojun said coldly. “Pray to tell, why should I spare three hundred heads?”
Hou Yanbei cautiously replied, “The financial support that the King of Yan provided to the Hou family…” He looked up to see the sovereign’s phoenix eyes narrowing, and immediately corrected himself, “No, the bribes—the Hou family will surrender everything, without keeping a single coin.”
Being shrewd himself, Hou Yanbei immediately noticed a change in the sovereign’s tone, realizing there might still be room for negotiation. Otherwise, why wouldn’t the female king have thrown out this evidence during the court assembly for all ministers to condemn him, rather than summoning him privately to the royal study?
This meant that regardless of her severe demeanor, this matter could be negotiated.
Understanding this point, Hou Yanbei’s heart settled somewhat, determined to fight for a glimmer of hope.
Feng Miaojun laughed angrily, “Property that should have been confiscated anyway, and you dare use it to bargain with me?” What did “execution of the entire household” mean if not both confiscation and execution—killing all the people and seizing all possessions?
Hou Yanbei softly said, “This minister has one more offering.”
“Speak.”
“Just received news days ago that Fox Concealment Mountain, one hundred and seventy li north of Puling Kingdom, may contain a spirit stone mine. The survey suggests the deposit is quite rich.” At this point, Hou Yanbei dared not hide anything. “This minister is willing to send people to excavate and present it to the royal court.”
A spirit stone mine? This was something that money couldn’t buy—a premium hard currency in the market. Feng Miaojun was moved at first, but then thought, “That location… isn’t it within Wei Kingdom’s territory?”
“It’s precisely at the border between our country and the Wei Kingdom,” Hou Yanbei quickly explained. “The main vein is likely within our borders. However, Wei Kingdom seems to have gotten wind of it and has already sent people to mine it.”
Territorial boundaries weren’t clearly defined in this era, often using natural rivers and mountains as dividing lines. Since Fox Concealment Mountain was on the dividing line, both Wei Kingdom and New Xia had grounds to mine it. Since the Wei Kingdom had already started work, New Xia needed to send people from the nearest location. The most suitable position was the Hou family’s territory, making them the most appropriate to provide labor and resources.
Feng Miaojun stared at him and asked with a sinister tone, “What were you originally planning to do with this vein?”
Hou Yanbei lowered his head and remained silent.
He had originally intended to replace Fu Lingchuan’s position and naturally planned to use this opportunity to strengthen his power, with no intention of surrendering the spirit mine. Now, to save his life, he couldn’t afford to consider anything else.
It was strange that it was only discovered a few days ago. This fellow had too many debts to worry about. Feng Miaojun didn’t bother pursuing his crime of deceiving the monarch and merely snorted lightly, “The Hou family nearly brought disaster to the nation, and offering just one spirit vein to absolve your crimes seems insufficient.”
There was more to come. Hou Yanbei humbly asked, “May I request guidance from my King?” No matter how difficult Feng Miaojun intended to make things for him, at least she wasn’t immediately beheading everyone in the Hou family—this gave him a glimmer of hope.
“The Li family in the north and the Wu family in the southwest—their patriarchs refuse to enter the capital, yet secretly mobilize troops. Do you know what that’s about?”
“This minister does not know.”
Of course, Hou Yanbei knew. The Queen’s accusation of “forming factions for personal gain” wasn’t unfounded. The Wu and Li families were powerful, each with strong individuals at the helm, and naturally unwilling to surrender military authority. They were aligned with the Hou family, waiting for Hou Yanbei to send back news after entering the capital, ready to act at the opportune moment.
“No matter,” Feng Miaojun’s countenance became pleasant. “If you wish to atone for your crimes, these two families are now your responsibility. Whether through persuasion or force, you must reclaim the military authority from the Li and Shi families. Otherwise…”
Was she asking him to betray his allies? Hou Yanbei’s face immediately soured.
If the Hou family followed these orders, the Li and Shi families would surely become sworn enemies; but if he refused now, the Hou family would immediately face calamity.
Feng Miaojun enjoyed watching his facial expressions and added ominously, “What’s wrong? Is it impossible?”
“It can be done!” Hou Yanbei, truly a talented individual, patted his chest and declared, “This old minister will take care of it and surely relieve my King’s worries!”
“Good,” Feng Miaojun smiled slightly. “These two families are stationed in border regions. The royal court’s troops would travel too far, so the Hou family should handle it from closer proximity.”
Hou Yanbei felt a heavy weight in his heart, his mouth bitter. “Yes.” But inwardly he thought, how cunning and ruthless the Queen is!
Although she had stripped the Hou family of their military authority, she still worried about the private army this aristocratic family maintained. Dismissed soldiers weren’t returned to towns and villages but mostly maintained as the Hou family’s private force.
This was what Feng Miaojun feared, which is why she wouldn’t send royal troops. If the Li and Shi families refused to submit, the Hou family would have to deploy their private army to resolve the matter.
War meant casualties. The Queen was using this method to reduce his military strength.
Yet he couldn’t refuse.
“Then I leave it to General Hou,” Feng Miaojun rested her chin on her hand. “Do not disappoint me.”
Hou Yanbei agreed, and Feng Miaojun waved him away. Entrusting the task of dealing with the Li and Shi families to Hou Yanbei had another enormous benefit. Originally, these three families were crucial among the aristocratic houses in western New Xia, with other noble houses following their lead. Now that the most powerful Hou family had submitted to the royal court and was turning against its former allies, this sent a powerful message to other aristocratic families.
Those harboring treacherous thoughts would likely abandon such ideas from now on. This cleared many obstacles for the royal court’s subsequent actions and calmed the undercurrents in Wuseier City.
Killing is merely for establishing authority. For Feng Miaojun, this was far more practical and useful than simply executing several hundred members of the Hou household. Of course, after this incident, the Hou family would undergo several rounds of suppression, never able to return to their former glory.
Hou Yanbei’s mood was equally heavy. He obviously couldn’t leave Wuseier City, so these matters had to be remotely managed by his eldest son in the northwest. But after walking just a few steps, he suddenly turned back:
“Ah yes, this old minister has one more piece of intelligence to offer Your Majesty.”
“Oh?” Feng Miaojun had already picked up a scroll but put it down again. “Let’s hear it.”
“After Prince Zhao Yun of Yan left the Hou family last summer, he appeared twice more in the south, both times near the abandoned capital.”
“Abandoned capital?”
“That is, the former capital of the Haoli Empire, Yingshui City.”