Chapter 123: Running Off at the Mouth

The military pay that Fang Chongyong issued to the Doulu Army was actually funds diverted from the reserve capital needed by the Shazhou prefectural office to implement the "Heidi Law."

This model operated quite flexibly, but the reserve capital was the foundation of all foundations, so Young Master Fang's maneuver this time had thoroughly cut off his own escape route.

The "Heidi Law" in the Shazhou region was more of a financial system ahead of its time, a product adapted to local conditions. It was not invented by Niu Xianke, nor was it at all the same as the heidi currently implemented in Guanzhong.

The biggest difference between the Heidi Law here in Dunhuang and the one in Guanzhong was this: Dunhuang's local silk production was extremely small!

The reason was simple—no raw materials. Dunhuang's climate could not grow mulberry trees well, let alone raise silkworms.

Dunhuang's local textile industry was not weak, but the vast majority of its output was hemp cloth, along with a series of hemp-related byproducts such as cooking oil, lamp oil, and so forth.

Not silk.

Silk fabrics were essentially all imported from Guanzhong.

The silk from Guanzhong came from all across the Great Tang, primarily from the Shu region and Yangzhou Prefecture. Dunhuang was the place in the Hexi Corridor closest to the Western Regions. No matter where a silk product originated, its sales here ranked first, and no other handicraft product could compare with it!

This made silk the most sought-after currency in the region—the best of good money!

Silk in Guanzhong was merely silk, but in Dunhuang it was comparable to gold. Ordinary local households did not use it for consumption at all—they used it as currency!

The core by which the Shazhou prefectural office maintained local military and civil administration was the heidi system. All policies revolved around heidi.

The silk from Chang'an was all "light goods"—high in value, with relatively low transport costs. The Shazhou prefectural office traded grain with Hu merchants and local merchants through the form of "issuing loans," to make up for the insufficient grain stores in the local treasury.

Merchants first put up other goods of a certain value as collateral—these items were often grain, oil, hemp cloth, or even white thorn and tamarisk cut from the outskirts for firewood. After obtaining silk to sell, the Shazhou prefectural office did not concern itself with the sales channels; they did not care even if it was sold to the Tibetans.

Then, after the agreed-upon time, the borrower had to use grain to redeem their IOU and reclaim their collateral.

It had to be grain, or something edible that could be stored long-term—not gems, gold, or other easily portable items.

And ordinary commoners also liked to exchange grain for silk.

They would first take out a small loan, then sell the silk they received to Western Region merchants for the price difference, and finally use the grain produced from their fields to submit to the Shazhou prefectural office to redeem their IOU. This objectively reduced their economic burden.

The heidi system served as a "price regulator" between local silk and grain, eliminating the possibility of Western Region merchants hoarding to drive up prices.

Of course, these "small loans" were, in Fang Chongyong's eyes, outright "usury."

Fang Chongyong had used up a large portion of the principal that was supposed to go toward heidi—that is, the principal meant for "usury"—to plug the funding gap of the Doulu Army. One had to admit, this was truly a case of extraordinary skill breeding extraordinary audacity!

Or one could call it: the ignorant are fearless.

If the silk from Chang'an could not be supplied to Shazhou on time, then quietly running off with Anaye to live incognito in the Western Regions, relying on his knowledge from a later era to be a merchant, didn't seem like a bad idea!

If he were still in Shazhou when that time came, he probably wouldn't even know how he died. If heidi failed, the Doulu Army would run out of grain this winter, and it would be strange indeed if those soldiers didn't mutiny!

Never mind the other dire consequences.

The zu-yong-diao taxes collected locally in Shazhou could not feed seven thousand five hundred men of the Doulu Army.

These taxes could not even guarantee the Doulu Army's daily rations.

However, Fang Chongyong was not without hope. Because the funds for the Doulu Army's winter and spring clothing would eventually be made up by the court—they could not keep withholding forever. As long as that money came through, Fang Chongyong would naturally be off the hook.

The time for large-scale heidi was around this year's autumn harvest. Right now, few people were willing to do heidi, and the silk remaining in the treasury could still cope for now.

In other words, Fang Chongyong had drunk poison to quench his thirst, putting on an empty-fortress bluff to buy himself half a year. Without support from Chang'an, the day of Dunhuang's autumn harvest this year would be the day he fled to the ends of the earth with his girl.

Of course, Fang Chongyong, who knew full well Brother Ji's inhumane style, naturally would not pin his hopes on the increasingly corrupt court. He was actively seeking ways to save himself.

……

"Your Excellency, this is no small matter! This is falsifying military intelligence—by law, it is punishable by execution!"

In a meditation room of a certain temple near Yaoquan, Yan Zhuang exclaimed in a hushed voice.

What Fang Chongyong was about to do could not be called merely very bold—it could only be said that he no longer wanted to live.

This was simply how Fang Chongyong was as a person: usually cowardly to the extreme, but when a critical moment arrived and decisive action was needed, he could treat the court's laws as if they were nothing.

Since he had already done it, what did it matter to go a bit further? Being beheaded once versus ten times—what was the difference?

This was Young Master Fang's way of thinking.

But to outsiders, it was not so simple.

Yan Zhuang felt that ever since Fang Chongyong diverted the heidi principal, he had entered a berserk mode—this man no longer cared about consequences when doing things. As long as something would not cause him to drop dead immediately, Fang Chongyong did not mind giving it a try; as long as it was effective, he would go for it.

"Tell me, does the Great Tang belong to this official?"

Fang Chongyong looked at Yan Zhuang as if looking at a fool and asked in return.

Yan Zhuang was immediately speechless, stammering for a long while, and finally sighed: "The Great Tang belongs to the Sage; of course it does not belong to Your Excellency."

"So, even if I cause a major incident and let the situation in Shazhou reach an uncontrollable state—isn't the Sage still there to bear it? In that case, what do I have to worry about?"

Fang Chongyong said with perfect self-justification.

This guy was a monster—was he going to rebel in the future?

Yan Zhuang sighed inwardly. What Fang Chongyong had just asked him to do was truly beyond words. It elevated the irresponsible, life-disregarding, reckless style of rotating officials to its absolute zenith.

"Do this quietly. Find a few tight-lipped people to handle it. I'll give you one hundred bolts of silk as operating funds. Spread the word vigorously here in Dunhuang—say that the Tibetans' next step is to launch a fierce assault on Shazhou, sweeping through here and leaving no person or beast behind, with the plundered goods serving as military funds.

Yes, exaggerate a bit—say the Tibetans have four hundred thousand troops."

Fang Chongyong said after pondering for a moment.

Hearing this, Yan Zhuang was immediately rendered speechless.

How many men did the Tibetans even have? You were spouting nonsense about four hundred thousand Tibetans attacking Shazhou—did you take everyone else for fools?

"Your Excellency, when the Tibetans and our Great Tang fought their decisive battle at Dafeichuan, they mobilized the strength of their entire nation and still only fielded four hundred thousand men, and even then it's hard to say exactly how many actually fought.

Even if you now proclaim in Dunhuang that four hundred thousand Tibetans are attacking Shazhou, no one would believe it! The Tibetan army is locked in a standoff with the Tang army in the Hehuang region."

Yan Zhuang sighed and asked, "Your Excellency had better think of another plan."

"No, no, no—you spread it exactly like that, there's no problem. What this official wants is the momentum! How could the Tibetans possibly attack Shazhou? Even if you think with your backside, you know it's impossible!"

Fang Chongyong scoffed and waved his hand dismissively.

Whether others believed it or not was unimportant. The key was to make such "rumors" circulate throughout the entire territory of Shazhou, creating a climate of panic—that would achieve the goal.

Would the Tibetans attack Shazhou?

That was certainly impossible.

But when creating hype, you can keep stacking buffs; the more dangerous you say it is, the better—exaggerate as much as you like.

For example, if someone doubts that the Tubo people habitually invade in autumn and winter, and that a spring expedition is unlikely, then Shazhou would still be safe.

Then you can reply: "Do the Tubo people never break the norm? Haven't you heard of the tactic of striking the enemy when they are unprepared?"

Or if someone questions that the Tubo army's main force is stationed along the Hehuang line confronting the Tang troops, leaving no capacity to attack Shazhou.

Then you can answer: "Do the Tubo people not understand the principle of openly repairing a road while secretly crossing Chen Cang?"

Fang Chongyong could later brag: As the son of the Tang's Twin‑flower Red Staff Fang Youde and Jiedushi Fang, I have been studying military strategy since I was one year old; surely you don't know more?

After stirring up these controversies, Fang Chongyong can directly tell the local magnates of Shazhou: "Gentlemen, you wouldn't want the Tubo people to come to Shazhou and loot your homes, would you?"

The Tang can at most take a tenth of your wealth, while the Tubo… Fang Chongyong recalled that during Zhang Yichao's rebellion, the local Tubo people in Hexi turned against Tubo.

One must be so despised to force one's own people to rebel. In any case, Tubo's serfdom policy is so unreasonable that no one doubts it; there is a widespread consensus in Shazhou, and even the Tubo themselves cannot tolerate that abomination, which has become infamous throughout the Western Regions.

Thus, no matter how corrupt the Tang may be, the Tubo are worse. As long as this principle holds, the drama in Fang's office can go on forever.

"Then, I shall make the arrangements."

Yan Zhuang nodded slightly and said.

"Alright, go. Tomorrow I have a dinner; you come with me to meet the local magnates."

Fang Chongyong said casually, already scheming which route would be best when he eventually makes a run; the Western Regions don't seem safe either—does he really have to go to Lingnan?

Hearing this, Yan Zhuang's heart tightened, and he lowered his voice: "The local magnates—many families have existed longer than the Tang itself; they are not easy to deal with."

"The Doulu army already has their people, so there's no need to mention it. Trust the relevant information; those people already know."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand, thinking Yan Zhuang was making a fuss over nothing.

In fact, Shazhou is the Shazhou of the locals; only after the Tang arrived did they cooperate with it. The Hexi Corridor was originally negotiated by those people to submit to the Tang at the dynasty's founding, and it never experienced major wars.

Thus, the local powers here enjoy considerable autonomy. Officials in every office have their own people.

Pressuring them with the "creating something from nothing" tactic is one thing; offering real gold and silver—sweet dates—is another.

Tonight is the time to test these people.

It can be said that this is Fang Chongyong's first time independently confronting such a complex large‑scale situation.

However, since he already has a slack attitude and is preparing to make a run, he isn't actually very nervous.

If one doesn't stay here, Grandfather will have his own place to stay.

"Go, and be sure to go tonight; mingle enough to become familiar. In the future, for any matters, you contact them directly. If you can't handle something, come back and tell me."

Fang Chongyong gave the instruction patiently.

…

"Xiaocheng" is the colloquial name locals use, contrasting with the bustling Luocheng. No one knows the original name of the city, but it has stood in Dunhuang for centuries, existing since the Han era—a fact as solid as iron.

In other words, Luocheng rose merely as a "free port" due to commercial prosperity, while Xiaocheng is Dunhuang's political center! The local magnates all reside there, intermarrying across generations, their power tangled. Apart from Tubo, a force that "doesn't respect martial virtue," they cooperate with whoever governs Dunhuang.

Every Tang governor of Shazhou inevitably has to deal with these people, and Fang Chongyong is no exception. When he was appointed interim governor of Shazhou, no one paid him any heed; but a few days after his official appointment, they sent Yan Chao to test him—his sense was undeniably sharp.

That evening, as night fell, Fang Chongyong led Fang Laique, Yan Zhuang, Ah Duan and others to the Zhang family's mansion inside Xiaocheng.

The Zhang clan is one of the foremost families in Dunhuang; even back then, the Zhangs held a relatively important position in Xiliang politics.

Zhang Bao once served as Grand Tutor, Prime Minister, and Director of the Secretariat in the Xiliang regime, making him a core figure in Xiliang politics. When the Tang took over Xiliang without bloodshed, the Zhangs, like the An family entrenched in Liangzhou, also exerted great effort.

Afterwards, when merits were rewarded, Zhang descendants held official posts throughout the Hexi Corridor; their influence is not something a minor Shazhou governor can control.

Of course, the governor is backed by the Tang court. Therefore, the local great families of Dunhuang don't think of trying to control Fang Chongyong.

It's just that, because this Fang in the office is so young, his father Fang Youde is highly renowned and also a native of Dunhuang, they wanted to befriend Fang Chongyong.

At the very least, both sides can become familiar faces.

Carrying people on ornate sedan chairs—these are old court customs.

Against this backdrop, the Zhangs arranged a banquet with a distinct Western Regions flair; during the feast, each family and Governor Fang praised each other, and the friendly atmosphere exploded, which was unsurprising.

The current head of the Zhang family, Zhang Quan, is over fifty. Seeing Fang Chongyong neither eat nor drink at the banquet, only chatting warmly with them, he asked curiously:

"Do these dishes not suit Governor Fang's palate? Then we can cancel the banquet and replace it with what Governor Fang likes. What do you think, Governor Fang?"

Hearing this, Fang Chongyong sighed deeply: "No, no, these delicacies are rare in the world, but alas, my heart worries about the state, and I cannot swallow food, sigh…"

He shook his head and sighed again; everyone instantly focused their gaze on him, their faces showing a "just as I thought" expression, waiting for his reply.

"Governor Fang, feel free to speak plainly; we have been in Shazhou for many years, and there are some matters we can comment on."

Seeing Fang Chongyong remain silent, Zhang Quan made a rather blunt insinuation, almost directly suggesting that the local magnates should gather grain to fill the government's deficit.

Everyone here looked at Fang Chongyong with a mixture of emotions.

There was respect, regret, admiration, and nothing but no contempt or disdain.

A governor who can supply the Doulu army with winter and spring clothing in one go, even if he's only a half‑grown child, is not to be underestimated.

Such boldness is beyond ordinary men, let alone a governor who is replaced after just four years.

If it weren't for that, they couldn't have treated us so lavishly today.

"Not to hide from you all, I cannot swallow food; indeed there is a matter of great significance, and I'm unsure whether I should speak of it, after all it's a secret."

Fang Chongyong lightly tapped the table before him; beside him, Yan Zhuang hurriedly grabbed his sleeve, his face solemn as he shook his head.

"The concern, Governor, is that the principal of the grain purchase has been diverted to the Doulu army's payroll, right?"

Actually, this is not hard to resolve. We still have surplus grain here in Shazhou that we can lend to the office without interest. Once the court's silk arrives in Shazhou, we can cancel the loan note, which will effectively complete the grain purchase. So Governor need not worry—eat your vegetables, eat your vegetables!

Zhang Quan laughed heartily.

Lending grain to the government is essentially an advance on the grain purchase.

The court cannot refuse to pay the Doulu army its salary; that money is guaranteed to be reclaimed.

So why not use this to do a favor for the local official?

Grain piled in the treasury, aside from feeding rats or possibly spoiling, offers no other benefit. Getting later the Central Plains silk that sells effortlessly in Dunhuang, they lose nothing!

These people calculate precisely; they sell goodwill, become good friends, and later, if anything arises, the local governor will be embarrassed to make things difficult for them.

"It's not that matter; this is merely a minor issue. If I needed any of you to help, I would certainly ask. But for now, there's absolutely no need."

"What I am concerned about is another, much larger matter that I must inform you all of."

"It concerns the court's military affairs; I cannot withhold it from you due to military law, yet not speaking would seem to betray you. This matter truly keeps me sleepless and uneasy."

"Lord Fang, feel free to speak; we are all people of strict decorum and will never utter nonsense."

Zhang Xuan swore solemnly, vowing.

"Since that's the case, then I shall speak."

"In fact, it's an ultra‑top‑secret message from within the border army: the Tufan plan to attack Shazhou this spring. I fear there are only a few days left now!"

Fang Chongyong lowered his voice, delivering a sensational warning as if unleashing a super‑large satellite.

Zhang Xuan, who is usually eloquent and quick‑witted, was left speechless for a long while upon hearing this.

In the spacious main hall, representatives of the local great families—such as the Zhang, Suo, Song, Linghu, Fan, Yin, and Yan clans—were likewise stunned into silence.

It's not because the news is too astonishing, but… it's just utter rubbish!

Indeed, during the Kaiyuan era the Tufan did capture Guazhou, which lies adjacent to Shazhou (Guazhou County under Jiuquan City), and they truly intended to attack Shazhou. However, a series of subsequent strategic blunders prevented the campaign.

Now Fang Chongyong says with absolute certainty that the Tufan will attack Shazhou… who would believe that!

"Lord Fang, we have extensive contacts in Shazhou. If there is no whisper of the Tufan's intent to attack Shazhou, how could it possibly be true?"

Zhang Xuan said, his expression still hesitant.

This half‑grown youngster with uneven hair truly speaks recklessly, as if unafraid that a strong wind might blow his tongue away!

Zhang Xuan cursed inwardly, restraining himself because of Fang Chongyong's position as an Inspector.

"Hmph, I risk my life to reveal the court's military affairs to you."

"A brat is not worth consulting!"

Fang Chongyong slapped the table, rose, and turned to leave!

Zhang Xuan, frightened, quickly rose and grabbed Fang Chongyong, soothing him.

At that moment, Yan Chao, who had previously met them and was now joining as an attendant, said to Fang Chongyong: "Lord, the Tufan currently lack favorable timing, terrain, and allies; on what grounds do they choose to attack Shazhou now?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Chongyong felt a surge of joy inside, yet his face remained unchanged.

He returned to his main seat, sighing, and said:

"My father, Fang Jiedushi, a native of Dunhuang, has always regarded the Tufan as a grave threat. To be frank, when I was a child, my father had me study the Tufan's tactics, seeking a way to defeat them."

"Even my attendant here can recite the Tufan military law verbatim."

Fang Chongyong patted the shoulder of Fang Laique beside him and said, "Let everyone present recite a passage of Tufan military law."

"Alright, alright, alright."

Fang Laique, who had been feasting and carousing here, suddenly perked up.

(End of chapter)