Henry Linton returned to the Qinzun Hall as if strolling leisurely through a courtyard. Inside, Grand Tutor Michael Bolton and three carefully selected virtuous scholars, who had been waiting for a long time, hurriedly bowed in greeting. It was already the second time Michael Bolton had met this envoy lord, so the nervousness on his face had long since faded, while the other three hardly dared to lift their heads to look. Throughout history, most envoys came from humble origins, but this in no way diminished their noble status. Compared to ordinary people, those entrusted with such great responsibilities often advanced rapidly; aside from commanding the royal army, they were the undisputed aides of the King of Hua, figures who could command the respect of all four nations. The three had already learned about Henry Linton from Grand Tutor Michael Bolton; for a commoner from the wilds to make such progress and earn Michael Bolton's praise and admiration, they couldn't help but feel hope for the first time for the storm-tossed Central Plains.

"There’s no need for excessive ceremony, all of you." After nodding in greeting, Henry Linton motioned for them to sit. Although this was considered a lecture, they were not the only ones present in the palace; beneath every carved pillar stood an attendant, as if to highlight the envoy lord’s distinguished status. "Yesterday, Grand Tutor mentioned that the four nations are enfeoffed, all honoring the Son of Heaven, which is the law of the court. For the past five hundred years, there have been no wars—was this truly the case?" Once everyone was seated, he couldn’t help but ask.

Chapter Ten: The Bigger Picture

Grand Tutor Michael Bolton nodded, his expression suddenly turning extremely grave. "Though the four nations annexed other feudal states and stood in a stalemate for centuries, they always regarded the Central Plains as the legitimate authority and dared not defy it. By the twenty-seventh generation of the Yan Marquis, dissatisfied with the growing power of the ministers over the weakening ruler, he sought to usurp the throne. The Yan Marquis secretly strengthened his nation for twenty years, greatly increasing its power; the people submitted to his rule and all said he was fit to be the Son of Heaven. Afterwards, the Yan Marquis ordered his forces to attack the imperial capital, and it seemed it would fall in a single night. However, at that moment, the envoy lord arrived, using the soul-bestowing arts to summon eight divisions of the royal army to battle, and commanded a divine bird as support, utterly defeating the Yan Marquis. The other three nations’ lords, out of self-interest, remained neutral before the war, and after, fearing the envoy lord’s might, sent envoys with humble words to apologize and plead for the Yan Marquis. Since then, there have been two hundred years without war."

After reciting this passage in a low voice, he shook his head in sorrow. "Forgive my presumption, but this imbalance of weak rulers and strong ministers was sown from the very first Son of Heaven. Back then, to ensure lasting peace, the Son of Heaven divided the land, splitting the world into many parts. Of these, Yan, Xia, Shang, and Zhou were the largest, granted to the four greatest contributors, while he himself remained in the prosperous Central Plains. The first Son of Heaven also set a rule: at every court audience, the lords would be rewarded with more land. Over time, the power of the states grew, and the four nations annexed the territories of others. Later, even if the lords wished to maintain the status quo, there were always schemers within their realms; once their ruler’s heart was swayed, war became inevitable. The Central Plains, at the heart of the land, had to rely on the four lords to defend against foreign threats to remain safe. Over time, military strength could no longer match that of the other nations."

Henry Linton couldn’t help but scoff. He had heard many stories of founding emperors slaughtering their meritorious ministers, but never imagined someone would do the opposite—dividing the land so extensively, which was clearly a path to ruin. However, judging by his experiences here, whether emperor or lord, the clan system was paramount, so when it came to the marriages and kinship of the powerful, their lineages could often be traced back generations. This clan-based system, bound by blood, could ensure peace for a time, but as blood ties thinned over generations, it might not guarantee the lords would remain loyal shields for the Son of Heaven.

Yet, before he could ask further, an elderly man beside Grand Tutor Michael Bolton flew into a rage, loudly refuting, "Grand Tutor's words are nothing short of absurd! Our first Son of Heaven was benevolent at heart; dividing the land was to ensure peace for his descendants. Since the four lords are subjects, they should strictly observe the way of ruler and minister—how could they justify rebellion just because the ruler grew weak? That is nothing but the work of wolves at heart, repaying kindness with enmity!" The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, even rising from his seat and walking straight to Henry Linton, dropping to his knees. "Your Highness, since you assist His Majesty, you should punish such acts that defy the king’s way!"

How could such a pedantic man be called a worthy scholar? Henry Linton could hardly hide his surprise, and his gaze toward Grand Tutor Michael Bolton grew more doubtful. The victors become kings and the losers are outcasts—this was the truth of the world, so where was there any real "wolf’s ambition" or "way of ruler and minister"? Though he had been indifferent to worldly affairs in his previous life, he at least understood this: the relationship between ruler and minister was about checks and balances. If the ruler could no longer control his ministers and balance the powers at court, it was almost a sign of impending ruin. If the Central Plains had truly been weak for centuries, its survival to this day was only due to the mutual checks among the four lords; otherwise, with their combined strength, uprooting the Central Plains would not have been difficult. Thinking this, a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he lost any automatic respect for these so-called worthy scholars.