How could Wei Nisheng not go?
Han Feizi said: prime ministers must rise from the provincial offices, and mighty generals must emerge from the military ranks.
He had won Top Honors in All Three Examinations, advancing from the Hanlin Academy to the Ministry of Personnel. Every step of his ascent had taken place in the Capital City.
The entire Court said he had achieved success young!
Yet in his heart, he knew: a man who had never left the Capital City, never served in the provinces and prefectures, never set foot on the frontier-
On what grounds could he stand in the high halls of government one day?
Besides, the Northwest was the foundation of his life's work.
His strategy for pacifying the Rong, his proposals for military farmland, Zhou Quan's troops, Zhang Zai's grain...
Half the chessboard of his life was staked on the Northwest.
And there was an old affair: years ago, during Prince Ning's case, his late teacher had personally surrendered his game in the Northwest to protect him.
Cause and consequence truly did turn in a cycle.
The pieces surrendered then had saved him; his journey to the frontier now would repay his teacher.
One surrendered, one reclaimed; one abandoned, one repaid.
The Northwest was still the same Northwest, the chessboard still the same chessboard...
Only the hand moving the pieces had changed, from teacher to disciple.
Somewhere beyond sight, it seemed to have been ordained long ago: everything his teacher had surrendered for him, he would eventually pick up again with his own hands, one piece at a time.
"Your Highness. Chancellor Shen."
Wei Nisheng stepped forward, bowed first toward the Imperial Throne, then bent deeply to Shen Duan.
"I will go."
Two words, softly spoken, heavily weighted.
Everyone in the hall froze.
Wei