Chapter 931 Survival of the Fittest, The Victor Becomes King

Upon hearing this, Gu Qing also set down the teacup in his hand.

"Minister Chen, you speak too gravely."

"Regarding the four words ’fomenting conflict’, I dare not take credit, nor is it the true intent of my Gu Clan."

He began to speak slowly, choosing not to evade but to address seriously: "Minister Chen asks what the Gu Clan intends... In fact, what I’ve done and thought recently is no different from what all those present have considered; it’s all for the Kyushu’s realm, for the enduring peace and prosperity of the empire."

As he spoke, Gu Qing slowly stood up.

He did not continue to explain further.

As the saying goes, those with different paths do not seek counsel together; what he had said was already sufficient.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Gu Qing walked out of the cabinet’s office.

Those present wore expressions that grew increasingly severe.

— The situation suddenly changed.

The pressures of public opinion from the Northern Border descended upon the entire court.

What followed was a wave of impeachment.

The first in line was Elder Chen Kang, the leader of the cabinet.

Countless scholars began to impeach him through various channels.

Initially, a few young Imperial Censors known for their forthrightness, and hailing from local academies, submitted a joint memorial, impeaching Elder Chen Kang for "occupying his position without doing service and neglecting border defenses."

The memorial didn’t directly attack his character but cleverly cited recent reports from the Imperial Censors inspecting the frontier towns, highlighting the issues of "loose border defenses," "empty arsenals," and "low morale."

Linking these to the leader’s governance tendency of "emphasizing commercial profits from canal transport while ignoring the rectification of military defenses," they accused him of "favoring commerce over military, failing in the responsibilities of a chief minister."

This memorial was like a signal, instantly igniting the tinder pre-heated by the Gu Clan’s propaganda machine.

At the Imperial College, several respected Doctors publicly lectured, discussing "warnings in the time of prosperity," pointing out that if current rulers only know how to maintain the status quo and enjoy benefits without preemptively tackling concerns, they are betraying the foundation established by their predecessors.

Across various prefectures, especially along the Northern Border and areas with deep influence from the Gu Academy, scholars and gentry were increasingly sending joint petitions and revealing letters with similar content, all expressing concern over border affairs.

Criticisms of the Central Hub’s sluggish response began subtly pointing toward the "conservative" forces led by Elder Chen Kang.

The most fatal blow came from within the "realist faction" itself.

Several officials managing parts of warehouses and workshops, and court ministers whose family’s businesses were closely tied to Northern trade routes, began to waver amid fears of "border troubles possibly disrupting trade routes and tightening supply of goods."

They either discussed privately or revealed their concerns in informal settings to colleagues, questioning whether Elder Chen Kang’s "overly conservative" strategy could truly guarantee existing interests from being impacted.

This doubt and centrifugal tendency from "their own people" made Elder Chen Kang feel more isolated and pressured than any external attack.

And following came several others.

Even the Emperor!

There wasn’t even a need for the Gu Clan to deliberately promote anything; simply inciting this trend was enough to make everyone feel pressured.

Of course, these people naturally thought about retaliating.

But what could they do?

Target the Gu Clan?

They dared not!

The Gu Clan had a protective shield.

From start to finish, it was always so.

Especially after the five generations of regency united the realm, and Gu Hui took charge of the Emperor’s public trials, this protective shield reached its peak!

This had already become the Gu Clan’s unbeatable umbrella.

What could they do?

Though, these people were destined not to give up.

And Gu Qing truly never intended to take their lives; after all, this is merely a difference in ideals, if indeed to be that ruthless, it merely affects the future.

Precisely because of this—

When both internal and external pressures arrived simultaneously.

This batch of people from the cabinet ultimately had to choose to retreat.

The entire cabinet underwent a major reshuffle.

Indeed, Temujin mobilized his troops!

This was beyond everyone’s expectations and completely forced them to accept reality.

...

— Conquest!!!

The resounding slogans echoed throughout the Northern Border.

In the seventh year of Shao Guang, March.

Temujin’s army finally broke the peace of the Northern Border, first by capturing all caravans heading there, and then, without any warning, began his conquest journey.

As news spread, the entire empire was shaken!

All excuses from these people shattered instantly in the face of reality, the protests from the world and the people, even from caravans everywhere, reached the Emperor’s ears.

Whether it was the cabinet members or the Emperor.

Facing this overwhelming trend, they had no choice but to make decisions.

Cabinet Leader Chen Kang resigned;

Vice Leader resigned;

Even the cabinet minister most closely related to the Emperor was dismissed.

All voices at this time pointed to the Gu Clan, pointed to Gu Qing, bringing Gu Qing to the forefront.

In the seventh year of Shao Guang, late spring.

Yingtian Prefecture, Imperial City, Great Celebration Hall.

Outside the hall, beneath the white jade steps, all officials stood silent and solemn.

"Northern barbarians are rampant, the borders are in urgent need."

"Chen Kang, Yu Yunwen and other cabinet members have failed their duties, I have approved their retirement."

"Yet the state cannot be without leadership for a single day, military governance cannot be without a framework for a single day."

"Grand Tutor Gu Qing has loyally served the country, preserving the ancestral lineage, showing clarity across ten thousand miles; at this critical juncture, I entrust him with important responsibilities, appointing him to lead the cabinet and oversee military and national affairs."

The Emperor’s decree spread throughout the entire realm.

At the same time, it was clear to everyone what this represented.

The Grand Tutor assuming command of the cabinet is equivalent to regency!

With the full force of the Gu Clan’s efforts, within a few short months, the entire central hub of the Great Song experienced a transformative change.