Chapter 122: The Long and Endless Night

"Why was your grandfather framed?" After Wei Wuji finished his question, Lady Tan repeated the words back to him.

Lady Tan let out a cold laugh before saying, "That is his own fault. When he was blinded by success, he offended too many people!"

"It wasn't just back then. Do you know how many people's interests he harmed during his reforms? The great noble clans hated him to the bone," she said, her voice devoid of any warmth as she spoke of her father.

Because it was that very man who destroyed her once happy and perfect life, causing her and her son to suffer endless bullying and contempt.

"It wasn't others who ruined him; he brought it upon himself, destroying both himself and the entire Tan clan!" Lady Tan said coldly, no longer the gentle and serene woman she once appeared to be.

Seeing his mother in this state, Wei Wuji understood her bitterness. Few people could remain as strong as Lady Tan after facing such trials.

"Then, Mother, since Father consented to Grandfather's reforms, why did he sit by and watch when Grandfather fell into ruin?" Wei Wuji asked. How could a ruler act in such a way?

Lady Tan let out another cold laugh. She paced the room twice before speaking in a low, heavy voice, "At that time, the northern Hu tribes were invading, and the states of Qin and Chen were harassing us from the west. The Marquis had just ascended the throne and had not yet fully subdued the various factions within the state."

"When all these forces rose up against him at once, even a ruler had to avoid their sharp edge," she sighed. "If those people had revolted, allowing foreign enemies to surge across our borders, the situation of the Wei state would have become even more dire, potentially shaking the very foundations of the nation."

"Thus, your grandfather became a sacrificial lamb for a compromise between both sides. The irony is that he never saw this clearly until the day he died," Lady Tan said with a laugh that sounded slightly eerie.

Wei Wuji knew that such emotional volatility often led to this kind of erratic behavior.

"Perhaps Grandfather simply refused to believe the truth," Wei Wuji replied. As a man of great strategy himself, how could he not see this clearly?

"Who knows? He was a man who could sometimes be quite clever, using others' strength to his advantage. Yet, at other times, he was incredibly foolish, blind to the realities around him," Lady Tan said, shaking her head as she offered her assessment of her father.

Wei Wuji stopped dwelling on it; some things could not be untangled by logic alone.

"Then... Mother, why do you call Pillar of State Xu 'Uncle'? What is his connection to us?" Wei Wuji asked, a question he was also deeply concerned about.

"Old Xu..." Lady Tan mused.

Wei Wuji looked at her with anticipation; such a prominent figure deserved a clear explanation.

"He and my father were once close friends. A dozen years ago, he was a famous general known throughout the great state of Wei. Because of his humble origins, he was a supporter of my father's reforms."

"Origins? Does Old General Xu's background have something to do with this?" Wei Wuji asked, still somewhat puzzled.

"Pillar of State Xu was originally a common citizen. It was because he fought valiantly to protect the Marquis during that great defeat in his youth that he was specifically granted the title of Gongcheng."

"And it was from that moment that Old General Xu began his legendary life, battling the Hu in the north and competing with Qin in the west..." As she spoke of Xu Anhong’s deeds, Lady Tan’s face lit up with excitement.

Wei Wuji remained confused. What did the thriving career of Xu Anhong have to do with the reforms?

"Although General Xu rose through the ranks quickly, his humble origins were widely criticized by the upper class..."

"Therefore, General Xu hoped that through the reforms, it would become the norm for commoners to be granted titles, making his own rise less conspicuous."

At this point, Lady Tan’s expression suddenly darkened. "But when my father was at his most desperate hour, he maintained his silence and did not stand up to say a single word."

Wei Wuji understood the change in her expression; it was infuriating to have someone act like a coward at a critical moment. However, he also knew that in the circumstances, had Xu Anhong stood up, he would merely have become another victim. Moreover, Wei Wuji believed that deep down, Lady Tan did not truly hate Xu Anhong—the title of "Uncle" proved as much. He also realized why Xu Anhong had not told him personally: the man felt too much shame to speak of it.

"The world is ever-changing," Lady Tan sighed. In these past dozen years, she had come to understand the depth of those words.

"Mother, then how did I obtain the rank of Commandant for this expedition?" Wei Wuji asked. Although Zheng Dali had told him, he wanted to hear it from her directly.

Lady Tan looked at him. After a brief hesitation, she revealed the truth. Since Wei Wuji already knew most of it, there was nothing left to hide.

"Do you know that you look remarkably like the Marquis?" she asked.

Wei Wuji nodded. How could he not know?

"That is precisely why our lives have been so difficult these past few years. They are worried... worried that if you were to become the Marquis of Wei after him, you would carry out a purge," Lady Tan said slowly, her voice filled with heartache.

Wei Wuji sneered inwardly. These people were truly taking precautions against future trouble.

Ignoring his thoughts, Lady Tan continued, "Many wanted to force us out of the palace. I would never have agreed, but I could not withstand their relentless pressure..." She paused before adding, "Furthermore, you had been insisting on going out to make a name for yourself. I could not dissuade you, so we moved out."

"The condition was that once you came of age, you would be granted the rank of Commandant. Lady Wei... agreed." She stopped there.

Wei Wuji already knew what followed; that was the beginning of his new life. After a while, Lady Tan wiped the remaining tears from her face and walked over to him.

"Now, you know what you wanted to know," she said, looking down at him as he knelt before the spirit tablet of Tan Shiyun.

Wei Wuji nodded slowly. "Yes, Mother."

Lady Tan looked up at the roof tiles, sighing forlornly, "Your enemies are not a single person; they are a force of immense power, one that human strength alone cannot overcome."

"Even though the Marquis has wiped out many great clans over the years, the weakening of their influence has been negligible..."

Before she could finish, Wei Wuji stood up, his movements firm and resolute. "I will not fear them because of this. No matter how powerful the enemies standing in my way, I will use the sword in my hand to cut them all down."

Filled with bold ambition, he pointed toward the palace walls. "I will ensure that you return to that place, Mother. The Zhanghua Terrace within those walls was always meant to be yours."

Lady Tan looked at her son, who had grown much taller than her, her expression complex. She felt joy for his filial piety and grand ambitions, yet was filled with worry for the hardships and powerful enemies he would surely face.

Seeing this, Wei Wuji could only offer a confident smile to instill faith in her.

"Enough, I do not need you to accomplish anything world-shaking. I only want you to be safe and sound," Lady Tan said with a rare smile, brushing the dust from his shoulders. At this moment, she was simply a mother.

Wei Wuji smiled back, but his resolve grew heavier. What he had promised, he would certainly achieve.

The seat of the Marquis of Wei—he would take it!

And those damned people—he would never let them live!