Victory against the eastern raiders should have brought peace.
Instead, Liang Chen found unrest.
It wasn't the kind that came with torches and shouting mobs. It wasn't even the kind that carried blades in the night. This unrest was quieter—hidden behind polite bows and lowered gazes. The kind that waited patiently for mistakes.
The system chimed softly in his mind.
[Alert: Political Instability Rising. Loyalty within Local Council: 71%. Risk of Internal Conspiracy: Moderate.]
Liang Chen stopped mid-step.
He stood in the corridor leading to the administrative wing, his cloak brushing softly against polished stone floors. Servants passed by without a word, bowing respectfully. Yet even their movements felt hesitant.
Fear had been replaced by doubt.
And doubt was dangerous.
Inside the council chamber, ten men and women sat around the long oak table, their expressions carefully neutral. Minister Huo, the thin man who had questioned Liang before, sat at the far end, fingers folded neatly as if carved from wood.
"Your Grace," Minister Lan began, "we have reports of dissatisfaction among certain village leaders. They believe your reforms are… abrupt."
Liang Chen didn't respond immediately. Instead, he opened the system interface hovering before his eyes.
Names appeared.
Council Member Ji — Loyalty: 62%
Council Member Wen — Loyalty: 58%
Council Member Huo — Loyalty: 49%
His gaze lingered on the last one.
[System Note: Minister Huo has initiated 3 unauthorized meetings within the past 48 hours.]
There it was.
"Minister Huo," Liang said calmly, "you've been busy."
The man blinked. "Your Grace?"
"You've held meetings with regional leaders without approval." Liang leaned back slightly. "Would you care to explain why?"
The room fell silent.
Minister Huo's composure cracked for just a second.
"We were merely discussing tax distribution concerns—"
"Without informing your ruler."
Huo said nothing.
Liang Chen tapped the table once.
[Mission Available: Investigate Internal Conspiracy.]
Reward: Political Insight Level 2.
Accepted.
Later that evening, Liang reviewed reports alone in the war room.
The system reconstructed a timeline based on gathered intelligence:
Unauthorized meetings.
Redistribution of grain without record.
Selective militia deployment in western villages.
Someone was testing him.
[Predictive Outcome: If conspiracy ignored → 43% chance of rebellion within 10 days.]
Too high.
He summoned Captain Wei immediately.
"I need you to place discreet surveillance on Minister Huo and his associates. No arrests. No confrontations. Just watch."
Wei frowned. "Do you suspect treason?"
"I suspect ambition," Liang replied.
And ambition killed kingdoms faster than armies.
Two days passed.
On the third night, Captain Wei returned with confirmation.
Huo had been rallying certain council members and influential village heads under the pretense of administrative reform. In truth, he was proposing a shift in leadership—placing more authority into the council's hands and reducing Liang's control.
A soft coup.
Liang exhaled slowly.
This was inevitable.
No ruler was ever accepted without resistance.
The system chimed again.
[New Strategy Available: Loyalty Recalibration.]
Options appeared:
Public Arrest of Minister Huo — Immediate suppression; loyalty drop across council.
Silent Elimination — No public unrest; long-term trust damage.
Strategic Exposure — Moderate risk; significant loyalty gain if successful.
Liang chose the third.
The next council meeting was tense.
Minister Huo began speaking about economic strain when Liang interrupted him.
"I agree," Liang said, voice calm. "We should discuss the strain caused by unauthorized grain transfers and private meetings."
Gasps rippled through the chamber.
He slid a stack of reports across the table.
"Care to explain these discrepancies?"
Huo's face drained of color.
The council members began murmuring among themselves. Accusations flew. Loyalty fractured—but not toward Liang.
Toward Huo.
"Guards," Liang said quietly.
They stepped forward.
"Minister Huo is to be removed from his position pending investigation. His supporters will retain their posts—for now."
Mercy.
Calculated mercy.
The system chimed brightly.
[Mission Complete: Internal Conspiracy Neutralized.]
Reward: Political Insight Level 2.
Council Loyalty: +14%. Population Morale: +6%.
Liang watched as Huo was escorted out.
Fear alone ruled through intimidation.
Trust ruled through justice.
He would use both.
Later that night, Liang stood by the castle window, watching torchlights flicker across the villages below.
He had won this round.
But power was never secure.
[Notification: Neighboring Territory Movement Detected. Possible Diplomatic Envoy or Military Scout.]
Liang's eyes narrowed.
Internal threats were dangerous.
External ones were inevitable.
And now—
They were coming.