The Emperor's Days Were Numbered...

A Comprehensive Mirror was the lifeblood of Ma Yang.

Ever since this elder grand councilor had been exiled to the Southern Border after the late emperor's passing, he had begun writing it. Several years had now passed, and though it was still unfinished, a few volumes had already been published, circulating widely through the Scholar Forest and printed in considerable numbers.

The book bore the name "Mirror," for it sought to let people use history as a mirror and understand gains and losses. Yet in truth, it was highly pointed, taking the deeds of emperors and civil and military officials throughout the dynasties as examples to expound upon success, failure, gain, and loss.

Anyone with discerning eyes could see that this Comprehensive Mirror had in fact been written by Ma Yang for the emperor to read. It carried admonition and expectation alike; its ambition could not be called small.

The words Li Kun had just spoken were an original line from it, drawn from a campaign between Eastern Wei and Southern Liang. By saying them, he subtly pulled Ma Yang onto his own war chariot, making it difficult for the Old Party faction to attack.

At the same time, the example Li Kun subsequently raised also revealed his stance. He mentioned Great Yan's High Ancestor, who had not begrudged princely titles and rewards, enfeoffing his ministers so that his generals and commanders would devote their lives to him. Only then had he established the Ancestral Dragon's foundation.

Applied here, it was a warning to the civil and military officials filling the hall not to claim that he had rewarded Qiu Yan too generously. He did not begrudge official rank, title, or position. So long as his ministers possessed the ability to add bricks and tiles to his "great undertaking," they