"Teacher, Shen Duan was 'unrestrained in his temper, utterly without method.' That was what your student witnessed with his own eyes today.
Yet you also said that, since he had risen to the position of Chief Minister, he must have exceptional strengths of his own.
Then was my judgment today mistaken?
Is Shen Duan truly incompetent, or merely playing the fool?"
"That is a good question." Feng Yan paused slightly at his words, then smiled with a measure of approval.
"Judging solely by what Shen Duan did today, you were not wrong."
"But for His Majesty to have raised that fellow Shen Duan up, he must naturally have his strengths.
His strength does not lie in 'method,' just as I said today.
His 'backbone is supple as a spring willow, his tongue sweet as candied fruit.'"
Feng Yan tapped his fingers lightly against the table, his speech quickening. "What such men excel at is not devising strategies within the command tent and winning victories a thousand miles away, but..."
"Using affairs to flatter their sovereign."
"Using affairs to flatter their sovereign..." Wei Nisheng looked thoughtful.
"Heh, Nisheng, think about it. Why did he come to the Feng Residence today?
Was it truly to back Wei Mingde? To humiliate a ten-year-old child like you? To make trouble for me?"
"I tell you, it was none of those." Feng Yan shook his head. "He came to put on a show for His Majesty."
Wei Nisheng started. "A show for His Majesty?"
"Precisely." Feng Yan sneered. "Do you think he truly lost his composure and therefore chose to quarrel with a child like you at the banquet?
He was acting, performing for every civil and military official at court, performing for His Majesty.
He wanted His Majesty to know that he, Shen Duan,