Chapter 121: Splendor Amidst the Mists

Inside the room, mother and son—one standing, one kneeling—spoke calmly of the past.

"Seventeen years ago, when the Marquis of Cheng was still on the throne, the Lord had just been named the Crown Prince..."

"Back then, our Tan clan was a powerful family, frequently intermarrying with the royal house. To celebrate the investiture of the new Crown Prince, my father sent me into the palace to become his concubine."

Lady Tan’s tone was peaceful, as if she were speaking of someone else entirely.

"It was that spring in the fourteenth year of the Marquis of Cheng. I wore my magnificent wedding robes and stepped into the palace for the first time." At this point, her expression shifted slightly, as if savoring a memory.

Indeed, a faint smile inadvertently touched her face as she continued slowly, "When I first met him, he was merely a youth of barely twenty, just ascended to high office, full of spirit and ambition..."

Wei Wuji knew that the "he" in Lady Tan’s words was undoubtedly his own convenient father. He hadn't expected his old man to have been so charming back then. Even after being treated this way, his mother still cherished those memories.

"At that time, he fulfilled every aspiration I had for a future husband..."

Her face flushed as she said, "From the moment I first saw him, I was deeply captivated, and I fell for him completely, unable to help myself..."

Wei Wuji felt a bit speechless. Mother, are you trying to tell me about our current crisis, or are you narrating your old love story?

"I was the jewel of the Tan clan—youthful, beautiful, and moving. The Lord was deeply obsessed with me. In the early days of our marriage, he pampered me immensely, and my favor was unparalleled..."

Lady Tan’s eyes grew misty, clearly longing for those beautiful memories of the past.

"A year later, in the fifteenth year of the Marquis of Cheng, I gave birth to you..." Lady Tan looked at Wei Wuji.

Wei Wuji’s expression was solemn as he listened quietly to his mother’s account.

"Even though you were the youngest prince, the Lord’s heart was entirely with you then. Every single day, he would come to see you at a set time."

"Because of this, my favor grew even greater, which only invited more jealousy from others, but the Lord shielded me from it all."

"Those two years were the happiest of my life. He was busy with state affairs outside, and I was inside, raising our child..." As she said this, a look of misery appeared on her face.

"In the seventeenth year of the Marquis of Cheng, his old wounds flared up, and the Marquis fell bedridden. The Lord took over the administration of state affairs."

Hearing this, Wei Wuji felt that the core of the story was approaching.

"And this was the opportunity my father had been waiting for." Lady Tan looked pained, as if she did not want to recall what came next.

Wei Wuji’s heart hung in his throat; he feared she might stop there.

"After he took charge of the state, his duties became increasingly heavy. He spent less and less time at the Crown Prince’s residence, while my father began to visit me frequently."

"Every time my father came, he brought strange and curious items from the streets—things I, confined to the palace, liked very much."

"Moreover, my father would always tell me stories of my childhood, deepening the bond between father and daughter."

"Those days seemed manageable, or at least, they were happy."

"Until one day, my father told me to speak to him about the legalist reforms..."

At this, Wei Wuji was struck with a sudden chill; he had an inexplicable sensitivity to the words "legalist reforms."

Lady Tan continued, "I knew nothing of reforms back then, so I followed my father’s wishes and passed the words on to him."

"At that time, he was new to governing the state. He found the various ills of the State of Wei unbearable and was furious at the way neighboring states eyed us like tigers. He needed someone who could help him make the country strong." Mentioning the Marquis of Wei, Lady Tan’s eyes glowed.

"Thus, he accepted my father’s petition and promoted him directly to Great Shu-Zhang, placing him in overall charge of the reforms."

Wei Wuji remained on his knees, listening to the secrets of over a decade.

"Because my father had planned this for a long time, as soon as he took office, he proposed various statutes aimed at the country's ailments." Lady Tan turned, her back to Wei Wuji.

"Everything proceeded smoothly. Even if there were voices of opposition, they were shattered in the torrent of the reforms."

"In a short time, the State of Wei took on a new look; everything became orderly, just as he had desired." Lady Tan spoke that "he" with profound sorrow.

"Consequently, my father brought forward further statutes. He proposed a system of granting land directly in exchange for military merit to boost the soldiers' combat fervor."

"The moment it was proposed, my father faced opposition from many powerful clans, because once the law was enacted, if soldiers owned their own land, who would be left to farm for those families?"

"Facing the mounting pressure, he still resolutely stood by my father’s side, pushing the reforms forward with force." Lady Tan’s voice rose, as if she were reliving the moment.

"In the end, the land-for-merit system was implemented. The soldiers’ morale surged, and they became increasingly brave on the battlefield."

"The success of the reforms made my father famous. His influence even eclipsed that of the Chancellor at the time, and he was dubbed the 'Hidden Chancellor' by his contemporaries."

"In the nineteenth year of the Marquis of Cheng, the terminally ill Marquis passed away. He ascended to the throne as the Marquis of Wei, and my father’s favor grew even deeper." Though she spoke of heightened status, there was no joy in her voice.

Wei Wuji remained silent, watching Lady Tan’s back.

"At that time in Wuan City, the prestige of our Tan clan completely overshadowed all other great families. Even the Chancellor and the Pillar of the State General had to yield three parts to my father." Lady Tan’s tone softened, her narrative slowing.

"It seemed the goal of governing the state and pacifying the world had been achieved..."

"But my father was not satisfied. He wanted to continue the reforms, and they became increasingly radical..."

"In the second year of the Marquis’s reign, my father proposed the issue of granting nobility based on military merit..."

"Once these words were out, they caused an uproar in Wuan City. Everyone called it a reckless order." Mentioning this, Lady Tan shook her head incessantly.

"My father didn't care about others' opinions at all. He firmly believed he was right. Amidst the rising tide of opposition, he forced the reforms through."

"Under the suppression of absolute power, the massive outcry was silenced. My father was even waiting; the honor of the Chancellor, the position of High Minister—it seemed almost within his grasp..." Lady Tan’s speech slowed, as if she were trying to escape the memory.

"But what my father finally received were the soldiers of the Wuan Garrison... He was arrested on charges of embezzling military pay and conspiring to rebel."

"Even then, my father did not see the gravity of the problem. He still believed the Marquis would stand by his side and clear his name..."

"Yet, this time, the Marquis remained silent, letting my father struggle helplessly in his cell... to the point that on the day of his execution, he never saw the Marquis once."

Standing behind her, Wei Wuji could feel that Lady Tan was weeping. Perhaps there was no greater pain in the world than watching one's husband kill one's own father!

"Afterward, a large number of the Tan clan were implicated and beheaded. The remaining ones were exiled to the far north, to be slaves and servants for generations..."

"As if overnight, the Tan clan, which had once called the wind and summoned the rain in Wuan City, vanished like mist and smoke."

Lady Tan turned around, her face bathed in tears. "And I am the very last of the Tan clan in Wuan City."

Though she was crying, she was not sobbing; the hardships of these years had forged her into something exceptionally resilient.

"Because of my father’s affair, many ministers demanded I be deposed. Just as I fell into despair, he finally spoke!"

Pointing at Wei Wuji, Lady Tan said, "Because I had given birth to you, the Marquis spared me from being deposed and protected my position in the palace..."

"But the affection of those years as husband and wife ended there. From that day on, he never looked at us, mother and son, again." As she said this, the pain in her eyes deepened, as if grieving for the death of that love.

Does mother still love that old man? This impractical thought crossed Wei Wuji’s mind.

Having heard this much, Wei Wuji’s questions remained. He asked directly, "Mother, why was my grandfather framed?"

"And why did my father listen to slander and refuse to stand up for justice?"

"Also, what is the connection between the Pillar of the State, Xu, and us?"

...

Wei Wuji still had many questions in his heart.