Volume One, Chapter Nine: The Steward of the Prime Minister’s Residence Is Also Yang Yi’s Man?!

The moment the words were spoken, everyone present was struck with shock.

When they saw that the speaker was the old steward of the Chancellor’s mansion, all were astonished—especially those within the mansion, for it was well known that this steward was inseparable from Zhuge Pan, and everyone understood that he was Zhuge Pan’s most trusted confidant.

Yet now, he had openly stepped forward to accuse Zhuge Pan and resolutely sided with Yang Yi.

Zhuge Pan, aghast at the steward’s sudden betrayal, stared wide-eyed and mouth agape in utter disbelief.

No matter what, he could never have imagined that the steward, who had always been loyal and obedient to him, would stand up now and declare the will in his hands to be a forgery.

Regaining his composure, Zhuge Pan’s eyes blazed red like blood as he glared fiercely at the steward. Taking two large strides forward, his finger nearly touched the steward’s nose as he shouted hoarsely, “You wretched servant! I have treated you as kin—how have I ever wronged you? And yet you dare to act so faithlessly and betray me! What is your true intention?”

His chest heaved violently with every word, each syllable squeezed through clenched teeth, burning with fury.

“Look inside your heart—when have I ever wronged you even a little? To commit such ungrateful and traitorous deeds today, how can you face the trust and kindness I have shown you in the past?”

The onlookers, witnessing Zhuge Pan’s uncontrollable rage and trembling finger aimed at the steward, knew the steward’s words were not baseless.

That Chancellor’s will… was undoubtedly forged!

The steward trembled slightly but did not waver before Zhuge Pan’s wrath.

He lifted his head, eyes firm and resolute, tinged with determination: “Young master, you have indeed treated me well, but…”

He shifted his gaze toward Yang Yi, his eyes filled with gratitude and reverence.

“Chief Historian Yang has given me a debt of life!”

“Without Chief Historian Yang, I would not be who I am today. Am I truly such an ungrateful wretch?”

Hearing this, Zhuge Pan trembled with rage, veins bulging on his forehead, wishing he could tear the steward to pieces then and there.

“Speak! When did that traitor Yang Yi ever benefit you?”

“Or have you long harbored sinister intentions, secretly plotting against me all along?”

The situation turned upside down. Zhuge Pan was completely thrown off balance, still uttering reckless words under the watchful eyes of all.

But the old steward remained calm, showing no fear in the face of Zhuge Pan’s fury.

He slightly raised his chin, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes as he coldly said:

“To be truthful, young master, since the day I set foot in the Chancellor’s mansion, I have served only two men.”

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“One was the late Chancellor himself, the other is Chief Historian Yang. Now that the Chancellor has passed, my loyalty lies solely with Lord Yang!”

Zhuge Pan nearly vomited blood upon hearing this.

Yet the steward seemed not yet finished and stepped forward, locking eyes with Zhuge Pan.

“You, young master, lack both the talent to govern the world and the broad-minded virtue to embrace all. Relying only on your blood ties to the Chancellor, you arrogantly seek to monopolize power in the mansion. This is a great act of disrespect to the Chancellor!”

“Your actions may seem clever on the surface, but in truth you are shortsighted and narrow-minded! The Chancellor’s mansion is the backbone of Shu Han, the cornerstone of the realm—how could it be tainted by someone as mediocre and incompetent as you? You have cast aside the Chancellor’s will and act recklessly. This is great iniquity!”

“You, a traitorous, unfilial, unkind, and unjust villain—only scheming and plotting for your selfish desires, willing to do anything to achieve your goals! You think such a despicable person as yourself can seize control of the mansion? What a fool’s dream!”

The steward’s words grew more impassioned, echoing through the spacious mourning hall, each phrase sharp as a blade piercing Zhuge Pan’s heart.

Zhuge Pan’s face turned ashen, hands clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened, his body trembling uncontrollably.

“You shameless traitor! Stop your nonsense and confusing everyone here!”

Jiang Wan and the others, witnessing the disgraceful exchange between Zhuge Pan and the steward, each wore expressions of varying degrees of astonishment.

Jiang Wan gently shook his head and whispered to those beside him:

“Yang Yi is truly a master strategist. Years ago, he was already secretly laying plans within the Chancellor’s mansion, winning hearts and minds.”

“With such tactics, it’s no wonder he’s so hard to guard against!”

If Yang Yi had no designs on the Chancellor’s mansion before, Jiang Wan would never have believed it.

Otherwise, why would he undertake such elaborate scheming so early?

Fei Yi also looked surprised, lips parted slightly:

“Yang Yi is deep and secretive in his thoughts. He appears harmless and aimless, indulging in pleasures, but today shows that all was mere concealment.”

“All to deceive others and prepare in secret!”

Wei Yan was equally shocked. He had hoped to turn the tide with the Chancellor’s will in Zhuge Pan’s hands, but never expected such a sudden reversal!

If the steward had not forged the Chancellor’s edict, how could he have rashly supported Zhuge Pan?

Wei Yan now regretted not acting before Yang Yi to bring troops into the city.

“Yang Yi, oh Yang Yi, you truly hid yourself deeply!”

“No wonder you came here so boldly—it turns out you had already prepared thoroughly!”

His heart burned with both anger and regret—anger that Yang Yi had schemed against him so thoroughly, regret that he had failed to see through the plot and had been dealt a crushing blow by Yang Yi.

The officials present all showed deep shock and disbelief.

Yet faced with accusations from Wei Yan and Jiang Wan, Yang Yi remained calm and collected, his expression growing even more serious.

“Wei Yan, Zhuge Pan! The two of you harbor wicked ambition and heinous crimes, colluding to forge the Chancellor’s will, intending to sow discord among the troops and overthrow the government!”

Yang Yi looked around and raised his voice so every soldier present could hear clearly:

“Soldiers, listen to me! The Chancellor devoted his life entirely to Shu Han, serving to his last breath. Yet these two, for selfish gain, dared to forge his final orders—this is a grave disrespect to the Chancellor and blatant rebellion against Shu Han. Their crimes deserve death and must not be pardoned!”

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan and Zhuge Pan’s hearts sank.

Now that the will was proven fake, Yang Yi no longer feared them in the slightest.

“Wei Yan, you are a great general trusted by the Chancellor, and should repay Shu Han’s kindness and the Chancellor’s favor. But instead, you conspire with this traitor. Your position today is all thanks to the Chancellor’s trust and promotion. Yet you repay him with betrayal and treachery. Where is your conscience? How will you face the Chancellor’s spirit in heaven? How will you face the thousands of Shu Han soldiers?”

Yang Yi’s words rang out powerfully like a great bell, resonating through the hall.

“Wait here a moment—I will immediately dispatch someone to the imperial palace to expose your crimes to His Majesty!”

At the mention of the emperor, Zhuge Pan and Wei Yan felt as if struck by thunder, their minds blank.

Imagine Yang Yi, with his eloquence, adding fuel to the fire before the emperor and slandering them freely—surely they would be charged with treason, a crime punishable by the destruction of their families.

At this moment, panic finally showed on Wei Yan’s face as he calculated rapidly.

The predicament he faced was all because of Zhuge Pan, who sought to use his status to seize power in the mansion.

Yet… Zhuge Pan’s alliance was not sincere; it was all sabotaged by the steward.

Unexpectedly, the steward was Yang Yi’s secret agent…

Suddenly, Wei Yan’s eyes flashed with sudden clarity.

From the moment Zhuge Pan came to form an alliance, it had all been a carefully laid trap by Yang Yi. They had fallen deeply into the snare!