"It's possible..." the Minister of Works stroked his beard. "This Zhao Wujiang acts in ways that defy all reason. But why summon me to the palace? Surely he hasn't invented some sort of machine that requires my Ministry of Works to forge and assemble it? Besides, even if he has invented some trinket, how could it possibly turn the tide of a war?"
The Minister of War caught his breath. He listened to the two senior officials' thinly veiled mockery but chose to remain silent. After all, his promotion to Minister of War was, in many ways, due to the unseen favor of Zhao Wujiang. As for what Zhao Wujiang was up to, he could let him be. If the war went poorly in these early stages and Zhao Wujiang’s meddling caused a total collapse, he could simply shift the blame onto him to appease the fury of the troops on the front lines.
"Alright, enough rest. If we don't go now, it will be noon." The Minister of War stepped forward to support the Junior Minister of Taichang. The Junior Minister was frail, with white hair and beard, and stood up with a trembling effort. The three men made their way toward the Imperial Study.
Chapter 100