Following Orders, Part One

Capital City, Chancellor's Residence

Fu Bonian sat stiffly upright in the side hall, though traces of anxiety flickered across his face from time to time.

He had left Capital City yesterday and headed north, never expecting that he would be brought back shortly after passing through the city gates.

And this time, he had been taken straight to the Chancellor's Residence.

As Fu Bonian's thoughts ran wild, steady footsteps sounded at the doorway. Then an old man with snow-white hair and beard, yet brimming with vigor, strode inside.

The newcomer was none other than Wei Sizhong, the chancellor whose power towered over Western Chu and who enjoyed the emperor's utmost trust.

"Teacher!"

At the sight of him, Fu Bonian immediately rose and bowed as a pupil to his master.

"Bonian, I merely wished to discuss a few things with you. There is no need to be so constrained."

Smiling, Wei Sizhong waved a hand at those beside him. "All of you may leave!"

The guards waiting in the room withdrew as ordered.

Soon, only Wei Sizhong and Fu Bonian remained in the side hall.

"Teacher, yesterday I left Capital City for Jiangzhou as you instructed, yet now I find myself brought back here. Might I ask..."

Once Wei Sizhong had taken the seat of honor, Fu Bonian could not wait to voice his doubts.

He truly could not understand. Having ordered him home to visit his family, why had his teacher summoned him back?

Still, Fu Bonian dared not make reckless guesses about Wei Sizhong's intentions.

The chancellor seemed approachable, but the thoughts hidden beneath that exterior were far from easy to fathom.

Even so, he had to ask.

Wei Sizhong understood Fu Bonian's doubts, but rather than immediately explaining, he raised another matter.

"Bonian, is all well with your family?"

At this, Fu Bonian bowed again. "Thank you for your concern, Teacher. All is well at home. My mother still often sends letters with messengers, and she remains in robust health."

Wei Sizhong nodded. "Good. So long as all is well. Your devoted efforts over the years have not been in vain."

Hearing Wei Sizhong mention his family back home, Fu Bonian's heart gave a jolt. But his head was lowered, and that flicker of unease vanished without a trace.

When he raised his head again, a deeply humble smile had returned to his face. "On my mother's behalf, I thank you for your patronage, Teacher."

Wei Sizhong nodded, clearly pleased with this answer.

He glanced at Fu Bonian and continued, "I had you leave the city yesterday, then secretly brought you back. Are you wondering why?"

Fu Bonian's heart jolted again, but before he could think of anything else, he bowed to Wei Sizhong. "I would not dare, Teacher."

"What is there not to dare?"

Wei Sizhong waved a hand. "Anyone would be puzzled by what I did. You need not be so nervous."

Fu Bonian secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Wei Sizhong had always treated him gently, Fu Bonian knew perfectly well.

His teacher was nowhere near as simple as he appeared on the surface.

Otherwise, the emperor would not have trusted him so deeply for so many years, even consulting him on certain crucial decisions.

Fu Bonian dared not respond carelessly to such a man.

Still, since Wei Sizhong had offered this explanation, he went along with the current. "I am slow-witted, Teacher. Please enlighten me."

The calm affability on Wei Sizhong's face gave way to a trace of malice.

"In my many years as an official, I have often disagreed with others at court. There are many whose political views differ from mine. All of that, I can tolerate."

"But those people have actually vented their anger over court affairs on others. That, I cannot tolerate."

Hearing this, Fu Bonian recalled a rumor.

Chancellor Wei's own nephew, Wei Li, had served as deputy commander at Yan Pass, only to be brutally murdered not long ago.

When word reached Capital City, it naturally sparked widespread speculation.

Many privately believed that Wei Sizhong had made too many enemies, leading others to vent their anger on Wei Li.

Naturally, some also believed that Wei Li had brought it upon himself.

But although Fu Bonian had his suspicions, he dared not voice them.

"What would you have me do, Teacher?"

After all that Wei Sizhong had said, what came next was the crux of the matter.

"Having succeeded once, those snakes and rats would never willingly stop. Now they have turned their gaze upon you."

"Upon me? I believe I have done nothing improper. Why would they target me?" Fu Bonian was deeply puzzled.

"Simply because you are a man I personally raised to office. Now that you are returning home to visit your family, how could they let such an excellent opportunity slip away?"

Fu Bonian still felt that Wei Sizhong's suspicions were too grave. Just as he was about to speak, someone called from outside the door, "My lord, they have returned."

Without so much as glancing at Fu Bonian, Wei Sizhong called toward the door, "Send them in."

As he spoke, the door opened, and three or four men hurried inside.

With their arrival, the smell of blood began to spread through the side hall.

"How did it go?"

As he looked at the men kneeling before him, there was not the slightest hint of a smile on Wei Sizhong's face.

"My lord, when we arrived, we caught those men in the midst of their slaughter. We went to help and fought with the villains."

"Unfortunately, they had come prepared. We failed to save Lord Fu's attendant..."

At these words, Fu Bonian shot to his feet. "What did you say?"

Because the journey home to visit his family was long, he had not brought his wife and children along, taking only the steward who had served him for many years.

When Wei Sizhong summoned him back midway, Fu Bonian had thought little of it. He had sent the steward on ahead, intending to catch up later.

Who could have known that this brief delay would leave him and his steward forever...

"Please accept our condolences, Lord Fu."

Those men had clearly been after Fu Bonian. Unable to find him, they had flown into a humiliated rage and vented all their fury on the steward.

By the time the men had broken the siege around the carriage, they discovered that the steward had long since breathed his last.

"How could this happen?"

Fu Bonian staggered, his face filled with disbelief.

He mechanically turned his head and met Wei Sizhong's gaze. Then, as though suddenly realizing something, he dropped to his knees.

"Had you not saved me, Teacher, this worthless life of mine would surely have already departed for the Yellow Springs!"

He kowtowed heavily to Wei Sizhong, his forehead striking the floor with a resounding thud.

Wei Sizhong reached out and patted Fu Bonian's shoulder. "The thought only occurred to me at the last moment. Otherwise, your attendant would not have lost his life so innocently."

"I never imagined that, beneath these bright heavens, villains could act with such brazen impunity!"

Wei Sizhong sighed as well. "Perhaps those people believed that your visit home concealed another purpose, and so they wished to strike first."

"Simply because I am your pupil?"

The unexpected developments had thrown Fu Bonian's mind into turmoil, but now he was slowly regaining his composure.

Having served as chief minister of the Court of Judicial Review for years, he naturally understood the twists and turns of officialdom very well.

What he had not expected was that someone would set their sights on him so soon.