Though the Fifth Brother lacked wealth and troops, he had Cui Yu, heavily relied upon by his Father. Cui Yu, brimming with ideas, could potentially be equivalent to tens of thousands of soldiers if played strategically.
Thus, hiding in the capital was of little use for the Ji family; it couldn’t aid his father in any way.
Regarding the Xu family on the eldest brother’s side, the current Lord, Xu Yao, served in the Ministry of War. With his own military exploits and those of the Old Duke, the Xu family held a certain prestige among all the armies of the dynasty. If the Xu family chose to support their father, the imperial court would face a formidable adversary. If the Xu family followed the wisdom of the Ji family, then the eldest brother would be their ally. If the Xu family supported the imperial court…
Wei Yan touched his nose, realizing that his elder brother’s wife’s family was hindering his father’s efforts, not as supportive as the Ji family. On the day when King Yan made his oath, he also dispatched someone to the capital with a letter containing similar content, accusing Huang Ren, Qi Tao, and Yin Wen of being treacherous ministers and villains. He asserted that the new Emperor had been deceived by them due to his youth.
King Yan eradicated traitors to uphold the ancestral motto bestowed upon him by the late Emperor when he was canonized as a vassal king, “Guard the frontiers outside, and punish traitors inside.”
Upon reading the accusatory letter, the new Emperor Wei Ang promptly dispatched troops to suppress King Yan’s rebellion. Soldiers and horses were mobilized externally, while rigorous internal checks were conducted to uncover any potential collaboration with King Yan within the capital.
The initial focus of investigations fell upon the in-laws of the Yan Palace. The Ji family, being a prominent household, not only had ties to King Yan but also had numerous children married into various families in the capital. To prevent unrest among other officials, Mr. Ji led the men of the Ji family to submit their resignations, demonstrating their non-collusion with King Yan. Wei Ang, acknowledging the need for a thorough investigation, agreed to reinstate the Ji family if it was confirmed that they had not participated in the rebellion. Until then, everyone in the Ji family remained peacefully at home, under the vigilant eye of their own soldiers.
Even Wei Jin, the eldest daughter of King Yan, and the Li family, the maternal relatives of Concubine Li, were suspended from office and confined to their respective mansions.
The majority of the Guo family’s relatives resided in the north, and there was also Marquis Shuping in the Shu region.
He was a veteran of the first Emperor’s dynasty, held prestige only slightly inferior to that of the Xu family. Due to the remote location of Shu, Wei Ang refrained from taking any action against him. Instead, he discreetly instructed officials near the Shu region to monitor his movements.
Yin Yong had already sought refuge with King Yan, leaving the responsibility of apprehending them together in his hands.
However, a reminder reached Wei Ang that Wen Cheng, the uncle of King Yan’s third son, Wei Tiao, held an official position in Beijing. With no solid foundation, Wei Ang ordered the imprisonment of everyone in the Wen family. Wen Cheng’s daughter, Wen Ruyue, had married Xue Qi, the concubine son of the Marquis of Yongcheng, and was demoted to a concubine. Despite this, Wei Ang spared her from further punishment due to the influence of his favorite concubine, who happened to be a daughter of the Xue family.
While dealing with these families was relatively straightforward, the challenge lay with the Xu family. Xu Yao was not only the brother-in-law of King Yan but also Wei Ang’s uncle, so it was a complex case.
Inviting Xu Yao into the palace, Wei Ang, holding King Yan’s letter, cried to his uncle, “Uncle, the Emperor’s bones are not cold yet, but Uncle Yan Wang is pressuring me. I implore you to uphold justice for me!”
Xu Yao, known for his upright character, had been as loyal to the first Emperor as he was to the new Emperor, established by the first Emperor himself.
In the presence of his nephew, Xu Yao, with a pale face, swiped his pen and wrote two letters. The first, addressed to King Yan, scolding him for being unfaithful and unfilial, sternly ordering him to return to the court to plead guilty. The second letter was directed to Princess Xu, where, as the patriarch of the Xu family, he urged her to bring the descendants of Yan Palace to surrender.
After completing the letters, Xu Yao turned to Wei Ang and said, “Your Majesty, if King Yan is obsessed with rebellion, I am willing to lead the troops personally to apprehend the rebels!”
Huang Ren, the chief assistant, subtly signaled to Wei Ang. Xu Yao should not be granted troops, as there was a risk he might be swayed by King Yan and send the troops to him instead.
Understanding the implication, Wei Ang wiped his tears and replied, “I earnestly hope Uncle King will heed your advice.”
He ignored Xu Yao’s request for military action.
Soon after, imperial envoys delivered the two letters to King Yan and Princess Xu respectively.
King Yan’s expression darkened after reading the contents. When the old Duke passed away, he had left a eulogy that pleased King Yan immensely. However, Xu Yao’s scolding now felt even more bitter than before.
In a fit of anger, King Yan threw the letter on the ground and pierced it with his sword, expressing the depth of his resentment.
Curious about the message, Wei Xuan pulled out his father’s sword, picked up the letter with a sizable hole in it, and upon reading, his fury ignited.
“Uncle is too biased. Clearly, it is the new Emperor who is targeting the vassal kings first; why can’t he see that?”
Cui Yu stepped forward to read the letter, and other generals also surrounded him.
The generals respected the old man of the Xu family, and they were willing to give Xu Yao some face. But Xu Yao insulted King Yan so much, who would take him seriously?Persuasions followed, urging King Yan not to be swayed by such a person.
After King Yan regained his composure, someone hesitated and mentioned, “My lord, Xu Yao wrote to you and Princess Xu…” The speaker was a Qianhu under King Yan, usually valued by him.
King Yan glanced at him and replied, “The princess shares the same sentiments as me, so there’s no need for suspicion.”
In Pingcheng, envoys from the imperial court personally delivered Xu Yao’s letter to Princess Xu.
Upon reading the letter, Princess Xu handed it to her son.
After reading, Wei Yang was so infuriated that his hands trembled.
Uncle, can’t you just refrain from causing trouble if you won’t help?
“Bring this person here, tie him up, and send the letter to the lord,” Princess Xu commanded in response to her brother.