Duan Tian'ao had once served by his side, and it was fair to say he was a man of impeccable integrity. When Su Yan learned that Duan was to succeed him as commander here, he had felt completely at ease. He believed Duan could manage the region well; he had never imagined that Duan’s leadership would provoke such widespread dissatisfaction and suspicion. Su Yan simply could not believe that Duan Tian'ao would collude with the Northern people to betray Daxia. Duan knew the situation in the North too well; such a betrayal would hold no benefit for him whatsoever.
"I am aware of your situation," Su Yan explained. "But keep in mind, I retired of my own volition, and I handed over my authority willingly. I’ve only returned now to resolve some trouble and prevent the Northern people from continuing to harass me. At the same time, I intend to flush out the people pulling the strings behind the scenes so they stop launching attacks on Daxia’s cities. As for the issues surrounding Duan Tian'ao’s management, I have neither the standing nor the authority to weigh in, and I have no desire to discuss it."
Most importantly, Su Yan did not want to get involved in their internal affairs.
Chapter 277