He Xueyi's words were borderline personal attacks. First, he questioned Yang Yan's motivation, saying it was merely a bid for fame and glory, an attempt to nitpick the Emperor for personal gain. Second, he attacked Yang Yan's qualifications, suggesting that as a low-ranking official, Yang Yan was unworthy of giving advice to the Emperor in his memorial.
For He Xueyi, however, these points were not the optimal approach. The best tactic would have been to counter Yang Yan's memorial content directly, as that would carry more weight. The issue was that Yang Yan's memorial was thorough, citing references and expressing profound anguish, making it nearly impossible to refute. If there had been a weak spot, the countless scholars of Wei and He Xueyi himself would have found it and condemned Yang Yan long ago.
With the memorial's content unassailable, he had no choice but to attack from another angle.
In most cases, a person might have been stumped by this line of questioning, left speechless.
But Chu Ge was prepared. As he delivered his lines, he maintained a carefully calculated expression and tone. Every word, every subtle facial movement would be observed by Eunuch Shi and reported to the Emperor.
"Indeed, I, Yang Yan, am a lowly official, unlike you, Lord He, who holds a high position. However, I have read the teachings of sages and understand that, 'He who eats the Emperor's grain must serve the Emperor's interests.'
"Now, the Emperor is blind to the truth, and treacherous ministers hold power. From top to bottom, corruption drains the wealth of the people, and the people suffer. Lord He, do you truly not know this?
"Our Great Wei has tens of thousands of officials, yet all fear Wang Chong's influence, and none dare speak to the Emperor of this. If I do not speak, others will eventually do so, and history will record the truth. Today, you can kill me, Yang Yan, but can you silence the voices of the world?
"If I alone speak and you, Lord He, along with the other officials, oppose me, does this mean that you all intend to let the Emperor's name be tarnished for all eternity?"
He Xueyi's face flushed with anger. "You—!"
But after uttering the word "you," he could say nothing further.
Chu Ge, portraying Yang Yan, had delivered a rousing response, skillfully addressing He Xueyi's previous accusations. By quoting the principle of "serving the Emperor if one takes the Emperor's wage," he established the legitimacy of his memorial, grounding himself in righteous duty. Then, he countered by suggesting that if He Xueyi intended to discredit him, he was allowing the Emperor to be condemned in history, leaving He Xueyi speechless.
Seeing He Xueyi at a loss for words, Eunuch Shi, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up.
"Alright, Lord He, it's getting late. Let's conclude today's interrogation here. I must return to report to the Emperor."
Left with nothing else to say, He Xueyi had no choice but to leave. But Eunuch Shi stayed behind, looking at the disheveled and battered Yang Yan, shaking his head slightly.
"Oh, Yang Yan, Yang Yan, if you sought death, there were easier ways. Why stir up such a storm, unsettling the entire kingdom?
"'The scholar dies by his principles, the warrior in battle'—that's nonsense. Only a fool would believe such words.
"Look at Lord He. He's also a scholar, but he's not so stubborn, is he?
"Don't you understand that your memorial has not only infuriated the Emperor, affecting his health, but also shaken the very foundation of Great Wei? This incident may go beyond just you. Don't you see? If this escalates, your friends, family, and colleagues could all be implicated."
Chu Ge was silent for a moment. "Then what does Eunuch Shi suggest I do?"
Seeing Yang Yan finally relent, Eunuch Shi's face brightened. "It's simple. Just admit that the memorial was mere madness, written to gain recognition by faulting the Emperor. If you confess, the Emperor will pardon you. You can leave this prison, and no one else will suffer because of you. Isn't that the best outcome?
"His Majesty's virtue is boundless. If you realize your mistake, he will not let a brilliant talent like yourself go unappreciated. You can either continue your studies or resume your career, and being united with the Emperor would be a rare and remarkable story. Isn't that wonderful?"
But Chu Ge shook his head slightly. "Eunuch Shi, you may leave as well."
Eunuch Shi sighed, giving him a look as if pitying a fool for refusing wise counsel. He stood up, gesturing to the two guards, "Take him back. We'll interrogate him again another day."
The guards once again lifted Chu Ge like a ragdoll and threw him back onto the rotting straw in his cell. It took him a long time to catch his breath.
He knew he had survived the first stage of the trial.
For players, this stage wasn't particularly challenging. Apart from the initial questions that might trap them into implicating themselves in political schemes, the main task was to stick to their convictions and resist temptation.
But what struck Chu Ge wasn't the game's difficulty—it was the poignancy of the real history it depicted.
In the game, Chu Ge had the advantage of knowing the historical outcome and the win conditions, so Eunuch Shi's words held no sway over him. With the "Steel Will" trait, he could also endure the pain inflicted on him.
Yet, in real history, none of this support existed.
Eunuch Shi's words combined carrot and stick. He threatened Yang Yan's loved ones, warning that his friends, family, and colleagues might suffer alongside him if the crisis escalated. At the same time, he offered the Emperor's favor and a bright career if he relented—if he simply admitted his mistake, he'd have fame, fortune, and a smooth career path, avoiding the grim darkness of a prison cell and a slow death.
Chu Ge, of course, knew how this story ended—Yang Yan held firm to his beliefs and won eternal honor. But in reality, Yang Yan couldn't have known that.
History is filled with officials who remonstrated with the Emperor, and the vast majority of them perished, often in obscurity. In some dynasties, officials would rebuke the Emperor and make a name for themselves because the Emperor tolerated it, punishing them lightly. But under truly tyrannical rulers, such criticism led swiftly to death, and no one dared attempt it.
Emperor Wei Zhao was not a ruler known for tolerance, and Yang Yan was truly one step from death.
To think that the historical Yang Yan persisted to the end, making the one right choice—Chu Ge couldn't help but feel admiration mixed with disbelief.
Back in his cell, the trial continued. Chu Ge felt a wave of dizziness, his wounded legs throbbing. He reached down to touch them, finding his swollen legs oozing with infection.
In previous attempts, Chu Ge had simply slept in his cell, waiting for the next interrogation. But before long, he'd died in the cell.
Sighing, he looked at the cracked bowl in the dark corner of the cell. Though he knew what he had to do and had done it in past attempts, steeling himself to do it once more took a great deal of courage.