Chapter 55 Do We Have Any Other Choice?

Liu Chen’s words were like sharp daggers piercing the hearts and lungs of many in the hall. Those officials who had originally protested passionately now turned pale, their complexions shifting between white and green. Qiao Zhou and his faction, who had been implicitly accused of preparing letters of surrender, felt as though they were sitting on needles and pins.

Just as Wang You and the others were about to continue their vehement arguments, Qiao Zhou, who had remained silent all this while, suddenly moved. He slowly stepped out of the ranks, his stride somewhat faltering, and bowed toward the imperial throne.

"Your Majesty," Qiao Zhou’s voice was dry and hoarse, entirely devoid of his usual composure, "this old minister... this old minister believes that what His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin has said is truly the insight of a seasoned statesman."

As soon as these words were uttered, the entire hall was stunned! Xu You and the others stared at their leader with wide-open eyes, simply unable to believe their ears.

Qiao Zhou continued, "The current situation is indeed far from peaceful times. Although the Wei bandits have temporarily retreated, their power remains formidable. If we do not make drastic changes and eliminate long-standing abuses, it will be difficult to plan for the long term. The system of the Cabinet and the Eight Ministries proposed by the Prince of Qin, though different from the old system, clearly delineates responsibilities and authority, and will inevitably increase efficiency. This old minister... seconds the proposal."

Dead silence fell over the hall. No one could understand why Qiao Zhou, who had always been conservative, would suddenly change his stance and support this seemingly radical reform.

Liu Chen’s expression remained calm, as if he had anticipated this scene all along. He nodded slightly toward Qiao Zhou and chuckled softly, "For Grand Master Qiao to recognize the greater good is truly a blessing for the state."

With Qiao Zhou’s sudden defection, the tide of opposition from the Yizhou faction instantly collapsed. The few officials who still wanted to argue, seeing that their leader had changed his stance, had no choice but to retreat resentfully.

Seeing this, Liu Shan let out an obvious sigh of relief, the fatigue on his face easing somewhat. Waving his sleeve, he said loudly, "Since you lords have no objections, let it be done according to the Prince of Qin’s memorial. From this day forth, the Cabinet shall be established, with Xi Zheng, Fei Cheng, Jiang Bin, Dong Zhao, and Zhuge Xu as the inaugural Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet. The matters regarding the reform of the Eight Ministries shall be entirely overseen by the Prince of Qin."

"This subject obeys the decree!" Liu Chen bowed to receive the decree, swept his gaze across the assembled officials, and said with a solemn countenance, "The matter of reform concerns the destiny of the nation. It is hoped that you all will work with one heart and mind to tide over these difficult times. Should anyone pay lip service while obstructing things in secret, do not blame this prince for being ruthless!"

With this, the court session concluded, and the grand局 was settled. Following the eunuch's cry of "Dismiss court," the hundred officials slowly filed out of Weiyang Palace, each harboring their own hidden thoughts.

Outside the palace gates, Xu You hurriedly caught up to Qiao Zhou. "Lord Qiao! Why..."

Qiao Zhou waved his hand, his expression ashen. "Let's return to the mansion and speak."

He glanced back at the towering palace. Liu Chen, standing with Xi Zheng and the others atop the high steps, was pointing and discussing something.

He let out a deep sigh from the bottom of his heart, a trace of gloom flashing across his aged face.

The mansion of Qiao Zhou was deeply hidden within a quiet alley in the southern part of Chengdu city. With high walls and deep courtyards, it usually saw few carriages and horses, but today it exuded a suffocating oppression. The heavy wooden door closed shut, blocking out the very last sliver of external daylight. Inside the hall, candle flames flickered, casting light upon the startled and suspicious faces of the core officials of the Yizhou faction.

"Lord Qiao! In the imperial court today, why on earth did you..." Xu You could no longer hold back, stepping forward quickly. His voice trembled slightly with agitation, but his words came to an abrupt halt.

In the court, he had felt betrayed. If the occasion had not been so public, he would have long since poured a torrent of abuse upon Qiao Zhou.

Yet Qiao Zhou looked as though all his energy and spirit had been drained away in an instant. He staggered a few steps and collapsed into a heavy nanmu armchair. His once ruddy face was now ashen and paper-white, the deep crevices of his wrinkles filled with exhaustion and dread.

With trembling hands, he groped deep inside his wide sleeve robes and fished out a neatly folded piece of silk cloth, handling it as though it were scorching poison. With a flick of his fingertips, he tossed it onto the low table before the gathered men.

"Have a look... yourselves." His voice was dry and hoarse, even more so than in the court, carrying the breathless exhaustion of one who had barely survived a catastrophe.

Xu You and the surrounding officials exchanged glances, their hearts filled with rising doubt. An impatient young official eagerly picked up the silk cloth and quickly unfolded it. After reading only a few lines, his expression turned abruptly pale, and his hands trembled so violently he could barely hold the lightweight silk. A mounting sense of foreboding gripped Xu You, who snatched it away and cast his gaze upon the contents of the document.

In an instant, he was struck as if by a thunderbolt, freezing completely in place.

That was no ordinary official document; it was a forged secret letter addressed to Deng Ai, mimicking Qiao Zhou’s handwriting and tone so perfectly that it was virtually indistinguishable from the real thing!

The letter not only fiercely criticized the corruption of the Shu-Han court and the incompetence of Liu Shan, but also obscurely expressed a willingness to act as an insider and pledge allegiance to the new dynasty at an "appropriate time." It even mentioned private expressions of dissatisfaction with the current situation made by several officials present in the room. Though it did not explicitly mention surrender, the intent was self-evident and the motives were chilling!

A dead silence enveloped the hall, broken only by heavy and suppressed breathing. Everyone had read the contents of that letter, and a chill surged from the base of each person's spine straight to the crown of their head.

"I did not write this letter."

Qiao Zhou said with a bitter smile.

"This... this is a frame-up! A blatant entrapment!" Xu You finally erupted, veins bulging on his forehead as he slammed the silk document down onto the table with a sharp crack.

"Lord Qiao's loyalty to the state is known to all! How can such a clumsy forgery be used to deceive people? That brat Liu Chen, how dare he!"

He was beside himself with rage, his chest heaving violently. The other officials also recovered from their initial shock, instantly boiling over with righteous indignation.

"Utterly shameless! To resort to such despicable means of framing others!"

"This isn't statecraft; it's extortion! It's blackmail!"

"Liu Chen's actions completely undermine the rules of officialdom! This is preposterous!"

Listening to the roar of the crowd, Qiao Zhou felt only profound sorrow and lingering fear in his eyes. He slowly raised a hand to quiet the clamor, his voice weak yet clear:

"A forgery? ...Perhaps. But look closely at it yourselves. The precision in imitating my handwriting—had I not known with absolute certainty that I never penned such a thing, I would have almost believed it myself. No wonder he was able to forge the imperial edict without even Zhuge Zhan noticing; this trick of his is formidable indeed!"

What concerned Qiao Zhou most, apart from preserving the lives of his family members, was his reputation. Once this letter was presented to Liu Shan, not only would his family perish, but his own lifelong reputation would be ruined as well.

"He is forcing us to take a stand, using the most ruthless method possible," Qiao Zhou said bitterly. "Either we support the reform with a semblance of grace, trading for temporary stability and perhaps retaining a foothold in the new structure, or he makes this—and likely even more 'evidence'—public. By then, you and I will be utterly disgraced, our properties confiscated and clans exterminated with iron-clad proof! Even His Majesty will not be able to protect us. And the reform will still be pushed forward amidst the bloodshed of him purging 'traitors.' Tell me, do I... still have a choice?"

Silence fell over the hall once more. The flames of anger were still burning, but they were doused by a bucket of icy water named "reality," hissing away until only the white smoke of humiliation remained.

They finally understood why Qiao Zhou had acted so abnormally and weakly in the imperial court. That was not compromise; it was desperate self-preservation with a blade held against his throat.

"But... but are we just going to let him trample upon the rules and do whatever he pleases?" Xu You clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms, gritting his teeth as he spoke. "Today he can use such tactics to coerce Lord Qiao, and tomorrow he can use them against anyone else! Once this precedent is set, the state will no longer be a state! Will the imperial court not become a slaughterhouse of conspiracy and mutual framing?"