Volume One, Chapter Five: All Aspire to Inherit the Chancellor’s Legacy!

Yang Yi continued speaking, his eyes reddening, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. Jiang Wan was utterly unprepared for such a vehement rebuttal from Yang Yi and found himself trembling with anger. Fei Yi pointed at Yang Yi, his own emotions equally stirred.

“Yang Yi, cease your quibbling! The rites of mourning in hemp and sackcloth have existed since ancient times; they are a mark of remembrance and respect for the Chancellor!”

The two sides exchanged sharp words, and those gathered in the mourning hall whispered among themselves, their gazes shifting between Jiang Wan’s group and Yang Yi. The atmosphere was taut as a drawn bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.

Just as neither side would yield, a commotion arose outside the hall. Zhuge Pan hurriedly entered the mansion accompanied by Wei Yan and other military officers.

“Father, I have been unfilial. You devoted your life to the court’s affairs and passed away from exhaustion, yet I could not fulfill my filial duties at your final rites…”

Jiang Wan, Fei Yi, Dong Yun, and the others present frowned as they observed Zhuge Pan’s open mourning. Though he was the adopted son of Zhuge Jin and bore no blood relation to Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Pan was the sole male heir of the Chancellor’s household.

Seeing Zhuge Pan weep stirred complex emotions among the attendees. To openly declare himself as ‘father’s son’ and mourn so publicly in front of many officials was clearly a show of ambition.

Jiang Wan’s expression shifted as he stepped forward.

“Nephew, do not be so grief-stricken. Today, those who come to pay respects are all civil and military officials of the court. You should first attend to the guests.”

Though Jiang Wan’s face was full of concern, his tone left no room for refusal.

Zhuge Pan slightly turned his head, a flicker of caution in his eyes quickly masked by feigned sorrow.

“Chief Clerk Jiang, my father labored ceaselessly for Shu Han all his life. Now that he has passed suddenly, the immense burden of the household falls upon me, and I... I am overwhelmed with fear!”

Jiang Wan’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning colder.

“The immense burden falls on you? What do you mean by that?”

“Heh, young nephew, you are talented, and the Chancellor held great hopes for you in life. But the current situation is complicated and people's hearts are divided—you must not take a misstep and fall.”

Zhuge Pan and Jiang Wan exchanged barbs, each discerning the other’s stance.

“Lord Jiang, please clarify.”

Zhuge Pan’s face grew stern; Jiang Wan was equally unyielding.

“While the Chancellor lived, I managed all affairs of the household. Nephew, do not worry; this burden will mostly be borne by old ministers.”

“Furthermore…”

Jiang Wan’s gaze sharpened.

As Jiang Wan spoke, Fei Yi and others nodded in agreement. Wei Yan, seeing this, strode briskly to Jiang Wan’s side.

“Jiang Wan, you are merely the Chief Clerk of the Chancellor’s household, not the Chancellor himself!”

“The Chancellor entrusted me with military and civil affairs in Hanzhong. I am not as arrogant as you!”

“Zhuge Pan is the sole heir of the household, raised by the Chancellor himself. He is the most fitting to inherit the Chancellor’s legacy!”

“Do you mean, Chief Clerk Jiang, that you also wish to interfere?”

In an instant, the mourning hall divided into two factions: Jiang Wan, Fei Yi, and their court officials on one side; Wei Yan and the military officers on the other.

On one side stood Jiang Wan, on the other Wei Yan—both men capable of holding half the court’s power.

Other officials present for the mourning watched this tense standoff and quietly moved aside.

The argument intensified, nearly erupting into violence.

At that moment, Yang Yi seized the opportunity to step forward as a peacemaker.

“Today is the great mourning for the Chancellor. How can you stand here, at his memorial, in such discord?”

“In days past, the Chancellor labored tirelessly to restore the Han dynasty. Now, with his great work unfinished, we turn against one another. If he knew this from beyond the grave, how heartbroken would he be!”

“Listen to my counsel—each side step back a little, attend to the mourning, and then argue afterward!”

Jiang Wan spun around angrily, glaring fiercely at Yang Yi.

“Yang Yi! Mind your own business! This concerns the fate of the state and cannot be muddled by you!”

Zhuge Pan sneered, eyes full of contempt.

“Chief Clerk Yang, you are nothing but a loyal hound at my father’s side. This is no place for you to speak!”

As Zhuge Pan spoke, Wei Yan, long at odds with Yang Yi, stepped forward aggressively.

“Yang Yi! When the Chancellor was alive, you could bluff with his authority. Now that he is gone, if you dare show off again, I will make you regret it!”

A blatant threat.

Yet Yang Yi remained unfazed. Jiang Wan and Fei Yi held sway in the Chancellor’s household and dealt regularly with court officials—political capital, indeed. Wei Yan, as military governor of Hanzhong, was a regional magnate. Though Yang Yi was a trusted confidant of Zhuge Liang, he wielded little real power beyond his proximity to the Chancellor—so being underestimated by both factions was only natural.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Wei Yan suddenly drew his Han sword and strode fiercely to the coffin.

“Today the Chancellor departs westward. Filial rites demand that the sole heir of the household, Master Zhuge Pan, inherit the Chancellor’s mantle and fulfill his legacy!”

“Who dares defy this?”

Seeing this, Jiang Wan’s men drew their swords as well, and Jiang Wan and Fei Yi’s eyes sharpened.

“Wei Yan, with the Chancellor dead, your disloyal heart is laid bare. The Chancellor wished for a cautious northern campaign, but you blustered for a swift strike against Cao Wei—you have long harbored ill intent!”

“As Chief Clerk of the household and disciple of the Chancellor, how dare you brandish your sword and make a scene at the Chancellor’s memorial?”

Neither side would relent, while Yang Yi watched with keen interest.

The so-called loyal ministers Jiang Wan and Fei Yi, and the sharpest sword of Shu Han, Wei Yan, now all revealed their true natures—each vying for power, heedless of anything else.

Some elder officials tried to mediate, but were pushed aside.

Wei Yan’s troops also drew their swords.

“Jiang Wan! The Chancellor valued you, but he never said that after his passing, the great task of restoring the Han and waging the northern campaign would be entrusted solely to you!”

Wei Yan swept his gaze over the assembly.

“Today, I put my cards on the table. My ten thousand garrison troops have entered the city. Those with sense will stand with me!”

At this moment, everyone present understood the gravity of the situation; officials began to take sides.

Then, outside the Chancellor’s mansion, the sound of marching troops and neighing horses rang out.

Hearing this, Wei Yan slowly sheathed his sword and laughed wildly.

“Gentlemen, it seems all is settled. My forces have arrived!”