Chapter 103: Ubiquitous Associations

Wang Erniangzi's main hall was very plain, but it was clear that her family was striving to keep a respectable appearance; the interior decorations—curtains, drapes, canopies, screens, and the like—were all present.

At this moment Wang Erniangzi drew the curtains, partitioning a private space in the hall to hold a confidential talk with Fang Chongyong and his party.

"I wonder, Governor, what matters you wish to advise?"

Wang Erniangzi, restrained, brushed her hand against her clothing, unconsciously wiping it, leaving streaks of flour on her waist.

In Hexi cuisine, hu biscuits dominate; wheat porridge is firmly rejected here. Any household with means grinds wheat into flour to make the "dry hu biscuit", which can be stored for a long time in Hexi's arid climate.

Here, people who can survive a month on a single batch of hu biscuit are common! In Liangzhou there are even shops that sell standardized "dry hu biscuits". Fang Chongyong's daily fare is similar; the biggest advantage of dry hu biscuits is their versatility, as they have no distinctive flavor.

"The Hexi war is tense; the rotation of garrison troops has been postponed and will resume after the conflict ends,"

Fang Chongyong said in a deep voice, handing the imperial document to Wang Erniangzi for her to read.

To everyone's surprise, she simply took the document, read it at a glance, immediately returned it to Fang Chongyong, and silently nodded, saying, "I already know about this; Governor, you are thoughtful."

Fang Chongyong observed that she did not resemble a delicate woman from an official family; instead, her sturdy build showed she was adept at daily farm work, which greatly surprised him.

In ancient times, the efficiency of studying was very low; without a tutor, learning on one's own yielded poor results and progressed slowly.

It is hard to imagine that Wang Erniangzi, a mere woman, with all the men in her household being soldiers, could still read and recognize characters.

Sensing his doubt, Wang Erniangzi scoffed, "Ganzu has a Weaving Society that only admits women, mainly to discuss weaving techniques. There are many domestic gossip and idle official women there, who teach us to read and write. I learned a few characters there, just enough to read documents."

"Weaving Society?"

"What is this thing?"

Fang Chongyong recalled hearing a similar term before; it seemed to be called... Canal Society!

Putting those stray thoughts aside, Fang Chongyong continued, "The Hexi war is tense; the rotation of soldiers is not something I, as Inspector, can decide. I hope you understand."

Wang Erniangzi breathed a sigh of relief, "I understand completely; I am used to it. The court's failure to rotate garrison troops has been going on for more than a day or two. Besides enduring it, what choice do we have? It is rare for a young Governor to love the people as his own children."

"That is a sincere statement."

The Inspector's visit to explain already lowered his demeanor. A few courteous compliments suffice; mutual accusations change nothing.

In any case, the postponement of garrison rotation is now a fait accompli; giving face to others is giving face to oneself. Fang Chongyong fully understood the helplessness of the common folk.

"Um, may I ask, what are the people inside the house and courtyard here for?"

Suddenly recalling this group, Fang Chongyong asked in puzzlement.

Wang Erniangzi was taken aback, seeming not to understand why such a commonplace question would be asked by Inspector Fang Chongyong.

Nevertheless, she glanced at Fang Chongyong's sturdy build and his still‑youthful face, then tapped her forehead and answered regretfully:

"Look at my memory. Governor, you may have just arrived in Hexi and are unfamiliar with the local societies."

My family, together with those households, pooled money and labor to build an irrigation canal that diverts the black water to our reclaimed fields. To construct the canal, we formed a Canal Society; besides mandating members to maintain the canal, we also help each other according to its rules.

They have wheat but no stone mill; my family has a stone mill but lacks strong labor, so other members help us harvest rice and wheat during the autumn rush, while they periodically bring wheat to us, which I grind and return as part of their compensation.

Wang Erniangzi explained patiently, and from her words Fang Chongyong discerned the secret that this family owned dozens of mu of irrigated fields, with strong labor serving in the army, yet they had not gone bankrupt.

"The answer is simply 'Canal Society'!"

If such a household were on the outskirts of Chang'an, they would likely see their fields left untilled because the strong labor serves in the army, causing income to plummet and expenses to exceed earnings. To survive, they would have to hire labor, borrow high‑interest loans, or sell land, reducing cultivated area, and their living standards would spiral downward until bankruptcy.

"In short, life would become unsustainable."

Here in Hexi, the Canal Society ensures that if a household's strong labor is dispatched to the frontier army, the other members, according to the rules and circumstances, provide low‑interest loans and compensated labor, preventing families from having to seek high‑interest loans elsewhere.

Take Wang Erniangzi's family as an example: her two sons are with the Chishui army, leaving the fields unattended. Usually Wang Erniangzi can manage barely, but during the busy farming season, help is essential.

When she applied to the Canal Society, the economic cost was far lower than seeking aid from a local large household!

Although this cannot last forever, considering that the men from Wang Erniangzi's family are due to rotate back home, the Canal Society's assistance this year is immeasurable.

Having received the unexpected answer, Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, seeming to grasp part of Ganzu's—or rather Hexi Corridor's—political economy.

"Building canals involves a Canal Society."

"Weaving involves a Weaving Society."

Fang Chongyong could readily infer that temples must have a Buddhist Society.

Believers organize themselves to take part in temple activities; a Buddhist Society is a perfectly normal organization.

However, from the information just obtained, the differences between societies are considerable.

For example, the Canal Society that Wang Erniangzi and the courtyard group joined has a strong social character, linking isolated self‑cultivating farmer families into a tightly connected network.

By contrast, the Weaving Society's social attribute is much weaker, more like a women‑only salon where members pass time, learn and exchange experiences; its binding power and influence are far less than those of a Canal Society.

Recalling the line at Wang Erniangzi's doorstep, where someone stopped his party, Fang Chongyong suddenly realized.

Here everything operates on a membership basis; they queue for the stone mill to grind wheat. Canal Society members know each other well, so when an unfamiliar person suddenly appears, the queuing members naturally ask what's going on!

"The court intends to raise taxes by at least ten strings. Though not a one‑time levy and possibly with various tricks, overall that's the plan."

"Governor, you know the hardships of Ganzu's people, but the court's edicts cannot be defied. What does Wang Erniangzi think?"

Fang Chongyong, helpless, asked, handing Wang Erniangzi a page from the draft in the Ganzu prefectural office concerning taxation for her to examine.

"The saint must not want us to live any longer,"

After reading it word for word, Wang Erniangzi sighed and asked.

Indeed, the court never explicitly stated a ten‑string tax increase!

But the other demands, added up—food, cloth, labor—when calculated as hired services, amount to about ten strings per household, and even that money may not be sufficient!

Tuanjie soldiers are not militia; they are hired, with daily wages!

Although the prefecture only provides them with a little grain, sauce, etc., and a garment each quarter, recruiting six thousand t​uanjie soldiers adds up to a sizable expense.

This still does not include the extra cost of hiring Sogdian laborers outside the city.

"If no money is spent, the prefecture will forcibly conscript strong youths within Zhangye city, training them under the unified command of the training unit."

In that case, some people will no longer be able to work the fields.

Fang Chongyong sighed.

The Sogdians on the city's outskirts are half‑farmers, half‑herders, with many also engaged in trade, scattered across the Tang Empire. Sogdians 'value wealth above all'; even father and son sign contracts, 'no money, no movement.' Dealing with them means talking money directly; they have no particular allegiance to the Tang.

This could be considered good news—after all, problems that can be solved with money are not big problems.

"I am just a woman. I certainly have no money for the government. My family has several dozen mu of irrigated fields—why not take those instead. In any case, there is no money to be had."

Wang Er's wife said with considerable firmness.

Fang Chongyong's heart sank, and he cried out inwardly that this was bad.

Wang Er's wife's household appeared fairly well-off—they even had a stone mill.

If even her family felt it was impossible to pay the tax, then other households would find it even more impossible.

Sure enough, when Fang Chongyong lifted the curtain and invited the other members of the canal society in to discuss the tax increase, they immediately erupted into heated debate like a pot boiling over. They did not dare assault or insult the Inspector, but many people knelt down and pleaded with Fang Chongyong, hoping the court would collect less.

If the tax increase were one guan, that could still be discussed—grit their teeth and say they'd scrape it together, and they would.

A tax increase of ten guan—that is, ten thousand wen—was virtually a policy of wiping out entire families. The farmers would have no way out, and with the desert terrain of the Hexi Corridor's sand prefectures, people couldn't flee into the desert either. Most likely, when the time came, there would be no choice but for a popular revolt to break out right here in Ganzhou!

Considering that all these people had joined the canal society, any rebellion wouldn't be scattered individuals making trouble one by one. If a popular revolt broke out... the consequences would be unimaginable!

Fang Chongyong finally understood why the local officials in Ganzhou would rather slack off and turn a blind eye than carry out Brother Ji's autumn defense order!

If the bulk of military expenses were apportioned onto the local wealthy households, those households themselves had numerous retainers and were quasi-military organizations—what if these people defected to the Tibetans?

The settlements beside the city were also not to be trifled with. Exceed the quota previously negotiated with the Tang government, and they would no longer be so easy to talk to.

A classic case of "no money, no talk."

If all the pressure were dumped on the local independent farmers, those people were all members of the canal society, and if they caused trouble, the commotion would be no small matter either.

Once things got out of hand and the court could no longer clean up the mess, the only ones to take the blame would be the local bureaucrats. Who would be willing to gamble with their own life and fortune?

The ten guan was a "tax increase"—what is called "onerous levies and miscellaneous taxes"! On top of that, the regular annual taxes that the local Hexi settlement farmers had to pay could not be reduced or waived one bit!

The canal society had a canal chief, responsible for organizing the construction of irrigation canals and for establishing the canal society's rules. Although the canal society was internally "democratic"—members who objected to canal society activities could refuse to sign—the canal chief held considerable sway within it.

Fang Chongyong decided to find a time to have a chat with the canal chief of the canal society that Wang Er's wife's household belonged to.

After pacifying the many members of the canal society and promising that the court would not raise taxes so rashly, he left Wang Er's wife's house with Anaye and Aduan.

The other households probably didn't need visiting either—it was likely all much the same.

……

The rear courtyard of the prefectural office was where the Inspector resided. There was a karez well here, with a grape trellis set up beside it, making for a very tranquil setting. But now that autumn had arrived, the lush greenery was no longer visible.

As the sun set in the west, Fang Chongyong, exhausted from a long day, leaned back in the grand master chair he had specially ordered someone to build. He enjoyed Anaye's massage service on one side while watching Fang Laique pace back and forth in the courtyard like a pigeon.

"My lord, let's go back to Liangzhou! The people here in Ganzhou are too wicked—they're all digging pits for you!"

Fang Laique said, filled with righteous indignation.

Fang Chongyong held a palm fan, waving it back and forth, seemingly not hearing Fang Laique's complaints, looking as though he were deep in thought.

"Doesn't he look like a little fool?"

Anaye leaned close to Fang Chongyong's ear and asked in a low voice.

"A fool? How could he be a fool!"

Fang Chongyong had a sudden realization and blurted out a rebuttal.

He waved at Fang Laique, gesturing for him to come over.

Soon, Fang Laique walked to Fang Chongyong's side and asked, "What does my lord command? Are we going to rent a carriage to Liangzhou?"

Fang Chongyong said nothing, only carefully scrutinizing Fang Laique.

A somewhat portly figure.

The shiftless rogue's temperament born of loving to eat and hating to work.

A pair of small, listless eyes that betrayed no emotion.

A casual and impolite stance.

If one also factored in his usual habit of speaking without any filter... Anaye calling him a little fool wasn't far off the mark.

But a fool had a fool's uses. A fool could often accomplish things that normal people could not.

Fang Chongyong held the philosophy that even a single sheet of paper or a piece of cloth had its wondrous uses. He felt that in this scheme, Fang Laique, as the core of the ploy, had great potential!

"Laique, though we are nominally master and servant, we are in truth as close as brothers..."

Before Fang Chongyong could finish, he heard Fang Laique excitedly pound his chest and say, "I know! Whatever my lord commands, just say it!"

Mm, being merely foolish wasn't enough. No matter what, he still needed some packaging.

Fang Chongyong walked in circles around Fang Laique. As before, no matter how Fang Chongyong turned, Fang Laique turned with him, always keeping himself facing Fang Chongyong. Only his comical appearance made Anaye, standing to the side, feel like her belly would burst from laughter.

Fang Chongyong was a man of action. He immediately took Fang Laique to Xilai Temple, located not far from the prefectural office in the south of the city. After revealing his identity, Fang Chongyong smoothly obtained an audience with Facheng, the abbot of Xilai Temple.

There were many Buddhist temples in and around Zhangye City—why go to Xilai Temple?

Because within Zhangye City, only Xilai Temple belonged to the Esoteric school, while all the other temples were Exoteric. Therefore, Xilai Temple was an important tool used by the Tang government in Ganzhou to check the Exoteric Buddhist temples.

In short: a designated government establishment!

Facheng was a native of Luoyang, skilled at painting Buddhist images. He had come to Hexi in truth to create murals there, and was not the kind of "inflexible" monk. His relationship with the government was also very good.

After meeting the monk Facheng, Fang Chongyong handed him the draft of the government document to review, then sighed and asked:

"Master, just tell me how much Xilai Temple plans to contribute. It can't be too little—if it's too little, for the Sage's great cause, it can only be added to the heads of the people of Ganzhou. When that time comes, there will be a popular revolt.

Master surely doesn't wish to see the people of Zhangye City plunged into misery and suffering, right?"

Fang Chongyong's "I've got you cornered" posture left Facheng dumbfounded. He then gave a wry smile and said, "If Your Excellency has something to ask, just give the order directly—there's no need to beat around the bush."

Seeing Facheng so cooperative, Fang Chongyong no longer needed the arguments he had prepared to follow up with. He had no choice but to give a light cough to cover his embarrassment, then pointed at Fang Laique and said:

"This child is the Holy Child of your temple, one who knows all things. I wish for him to enter Xilai Temple and take monastic vows today.

When I leave Ganzhou, you can have him return to secular life."

What on earth was a Holy Child?

Facheng was utterly bewildered, unable to follow Fang Chongyong's train of thought.

"The so-called Holy Child is one favored by the Buddha!"

Fang Chongyong added a sentence.

Understood!

Facheng was an old hand who had seen plenty of frauds in Luoyang; the moment he heard it, he knew what Fang Chongyong was up to.

"If the Inspector is confident, letting him enter Xilai Temple is not out of the question. It's just this 'holy child' business..."

Facheng was somewhat hesitant, thinking to himself: surely this ten-year-old Lord Inspector didn't take all the locals of Ganzhou for fools?

"Tomorrow I will bring him over to take the tonsure. Master Facheng, remember to make the ceremony a bit grand."

Fang Chongyong emphasized with pointed directness, not giving Facheng any chance to refuse.

Facheng, well-informed as he was, had long known the identity and background of this newly arrived Inspector. Facing Fang Chongyong's aggressive manipulation, he had no choice but to accept the "unreasonable" demand.

Just then, Fang Laique suddenly grabbed Fang Chongyong's arm and wailed, "Young Master! I'm supposed to marry a prime minister's daughter in the future—I can't become a monk!"

Hearing this, Facheng offered an awkward remark in agreement: "The Inspector's attendant is indeed a man of great ambition."

"Without merit, how could you marry any prime minister's daughter? Now is exactly the time for you to render service to the state!"

Fang Chongyong patted Fang Laique on the shoulder with a smile that didn't reach his eyes and said.

(End of this chapter)