The Cuckoo Takes Over the Magpie's Nest, and the Army Returns to Court (Part Two)

Outside Jiankang City, capital of Great Liang.

The servants had carefully spread a layer of yellow earth over the sturdy bluestone slabs of the official road. Beneath fluttering banners, court officials in full ceremonial dress stood in orderly ranks, waiting silently to the north like a long dragon.

Today, Wei Huaiwen was returning to court.

By the emperor's decree, the crown prince would lead the officials out of the city to welcome this victorious general of Yongzhou: Great Liang's foremost commander, and the man at court best positioned to usurp the throne.

Ever since the old unification had ended, the Central Land had known turmoil without end. Those who overthrew a dynasty and founded a new one had invariably been accomplished generals of the former court.

By that reckoning, no one in Great Liang was better positioned than Marshal Wei.

Yet everyone at court knew that great aristocratic clans such as the Langya Wang Clan and the Chen Commandery Xie Clan were little more than liabilities inherited from the previous dynasty.

The military families from Yongzhou and Liangzhou, such as the Duling Wei Clan and the Duling Su Clan, were the true pillars supporting Great Liang.

So no high-minded official blind to the times dared attack or criticize Marshal Wei at court after his great triumph in the northern campaign. Everyone sang Wei Huaiwen's praises and endlessly debated what reward he should receive.

He had been made a marquis long ago. The question was whether he would now become a duke, or go a step further and be named a commandery prince.

Idlers in the streets had already started taking bets. Almost everyone thought Wei Huaiwen would be made a commandery prince, but rumors were rumors.

Once the common people's simple hopes collided with the calculations that pervaded the court,