Chapter 173: Brother Ji's Birthday (Part One)

"In the first year of Tianbao, the Mayor of Jingzhao Prefecture, Zheng Shuqing, punished the ruffians of Chang'an. Shuqing first endured in silence, then mobilized a thousand residents from the wards to surround and annihilate the ruffians and local thugs. The atmosphere of Chang'an was thereby cleansed, and the common people rejoiced."

Inside the main hall of Fang Chongyong's home, Yuan Jie held a wine cup in hand, speaking while smugly shaking his head with self-satisfaction.

"Not so, not so—it was all thanks to General Fang's brilliant strategizing that this could succeed in one stroke. I, Du, toast General Fang!"

Du Fu, whose legs were unsteady, raised his wine cup to offer a toast to Fang Chongyong.

"Eh, these are trivial matters, trivial matters—nothing to mind."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand dismissively and clinked cups with Yuan Jie and Du Fu.

After several rounds of wine, he then produced two invitations from his sleeve and handed them to the two men before him, saying:

"The Right Chancellor is very grateful to the two of you for speaking out so righteously this time. Tomorrow there will be a banquet at Apricot Blossom Tower, attended by officials—perhaps even the imperial examiners will be among them. You both have poetic talent, so you can try to make an appearance there."

This... was rather impressive!

The two accepted the invitations, momentarily uncertain whether they should go or not.

Li Linfu hosting a gathering at Apricot Blossom Tower—he himself might not necessarily attend, but his trusted confidants would certainly be there to receive the guests.

And those attending this time would mostly be high officials and eminent nobles. This favor from Fang Chongyong was worth a thousand in gold!

Only, Yuan Jie and Du Fu had always been crying out about the court's injustice, yet tomorrow they were to become honored guests of the powerful and noble. Would this not make them appear to be currying favor with the powerful, utterly lacking in moral integrity?

"Mm, then the two of us shall go along with General Fang."

Yuan Jie nodded slightly and said, not dwelling on the matter of so-called "integrity."

Although integrity was important... in order to become an official who could benefit the common people in the future, this currying of favor with the powerful was something that could be endured.

Opportunities were rare, and the seats at the banquet were limited. Even if they did not flatter the powerful, someone else would—so why let such an opportunity go to others?

Once they became the powerful in the future, they could still sympathize with the common people at the bottom. If someone else took their place, would that be possible?

How to choose was obvious.

Du Fu also nodded slightly. His legs were already broken—whether he could even participate in the imperial examination was an open question.

Who knew—if he showed his face tomorrow, he might regain his eligibility for the imperial examination?

This time, Du Fu's attitude was more resolute than Yuan Jie's. He felt that not only should he go, but he should also properly showcase his "poetic talent"!

The Great Tang had no rule prohibiting the disabled or injured from participating in the imperial examination.

But on one hand, the examination was still highly demanding, and an injured person's body might not hold up; on the other hand, the examiners also strongly disliked selecting disabled candidates or someone like Du Fu with broken legs or arms, feeling it was inauspicious.

Moreover, candidates still had the "imperial audience" segment—it would not look good if the emperor saw them.

Unless you were an ironclad well-connected insider, in a situation where selection was optional, you would essentially be guaranteed to fail.

"Uh, the two of you may have some misunderstanding. I will not be attending this banquet tomorrow."

Fang Chongyong said with a look of helplessness.

Eh?

Du Fu and Yuan Jie looked at each other in bewilderment, not knowing what Fang Chongyong was playing at.

Even if others did not know, could it be that Li Linfu also did not know that Fang Chongyong had personally devised the plans and pushed through the execution to deal with those hooligans this time?

Even they, the "shills" who had threaded connections among the candidates, had been invited—how could Fang Chongyong possibly not be invited?

If he went, he would likely not only avoid sitting at the ordinary guest tables, but would be invited by Li Linfu to sit at the same table as himself.

"The Sage Emperor has issued an edict, already relieving me of my post as General of the Left Golden Guard, and further ordering me to remain at home and study diligently for the examination, not to step out the door from tomorrow onward.

Besides, the Right Chancellor did not invite me to attend—going would only be awkward."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand helplessly and said.

Not being General of the Left Golden Guard did not matter, but why was he not allowed to go out!

Fang Chongyong also could not figure out what Brother Ji was thinking.

This time it was Gao Lishi who came in person to deliver the edict, and the other party also revealed an "inconspicuous" piece of news: Zhang Shougui's son Zhang Xiancheng had already departed for Guazhou in Hexi to serve as Inspector—a promotion that broke all precedent!

On the surface, Fang Chongyong being dismissed from his post and the Left Chancellor's son going to Hexi as Inspector meant that this round was Brother Ji giving Li Linfu a warning. Zhang Shougui had stirred up so much trouble, even implicating the Dragon Martial Army, yet emerged completely unscathed—no matter how you looked at it, it seemed as though he had won a total victory after clashing with Li Linfu.

However, Fang Chongyong could tell from Gao Lishi's attitude that he himself was very likely being "heavily used" by Brother Ji—he just did not know exactly how it would be arranged. In other words, all of this was merely Brother Ji's political maneuvering.

Gao Lishi told Fang Chongyong to stay home and study "for the examination" in peace, not to go anywhere, not to concern himself with anything! He just needed to perform well during the imperial examination.

If there were no need, would Gao Lishi give such earnest, detailed reminders?

Fang Chongyong sensed that the Left Chancellor might soon meet with great misfortune—it was only a matter of when and in what manner. Zhang Shougui's son departing early for Hexi as Inspector could only mean that Brother Ji temporarily had no intention of eradicating him completely.

Of course, these confidential matters could not possibly be told to Du Fu and Yuan Jie.

"Alas, the Sage Emperor is not in Chang'an and cannot see General Fang's merits, so it is understandable. Such a major incident occurred in Chang'an—someone in the Golden Guard had to be the scapegoat, and General Fang was unfortunately wronged."

Yuan Jie said with a mix of helplessness and indignation, feeling sorry for Fang Chongyong.

"Trivial matters, trivial matters. I am now just like the two of you—a candidate preparing for the imperial examination. We shall see how things turn out when the time comes, hahahahaha."

Fang Chongyong gave a dry laugh and poured wine for Du Fu and Yuan Jie.

Yuan Jie was still quite green at this point and did not overthink things. But there was one thing he got right: the egregious incident in Chang'an, where over a thousand able-bodied men had beaten nearly a hundred hooligans and thugs to death, required someone to take responsibility.

It could not be Zheng Shuqing, who had just rendered "great merit," nor could it be Pei Min, who had once charged into battle for Brother Ji, whose contributions were renowned throughout the realm, and whom Brother Ji had personally conferred the title of "Sword Saint."

So it could only be Fang Chongyong, who was soon to participate in the imperial examination and was himself the "temporary hire" that Brother Ji had pushed forward to handle the emergency.

Were temporary hires not meant to take the blame? What was there to say about that?

The upper echelon of the Dragon Martial Army also needed a face-saving explanation.

Having done the work but not immediately receiving a good result might seem somewhat unfair. But in his previous life, Fang Chongyong had long been accustomed to such things, and did not find it at all strange that a person in power like Brother Ji would do something like this.

"Come, come, come—today we shall not discuss state affairs, only romance and pleasure."

Fang Chongyong said as he poured wine for Du Fu and Yuan Jie.

The next day, after Fang Chongyong saw Du Fu and his companion out the door—they had insisted on leaving to rent lodgings elsewhere—he saw Wang Yunxiu leaning against the doorframe, holding a ferule in her hand.

Tapping her palm with the ferule, she said to Fang Chongyong with a half-smile:

"My lord, shouldn't you be going to the study to read and prepare for the examination now? You mustn't spend all day indulging in beauty!"

"Study? What exam are you preparing for?"

Fang Chongyong was startled, took the sandbag tied to his arm off and threw it onto the ground, and asked in confusion.

"The Jinshi track, you see. The first round tests poetry and fu, the second round tests the Classics, the third round tests current‑affairs strategies. The order of the three exams can sometimes be rearranged. After the exams, there's a face‑the‑sage segment, where you have to take an extra test before the sage. Moreover, the three rounds are elimination style; failing any one discards all previous achievements and you're eliminated."

During the face‑the‑sage, one can also be knocked out for various reasons.

Wang Yunxiu said irritably.

Our own young master is quite adept at conjugal matters, but his knowledge of the imperial examinations is almost illiterate!

"So it sounds like passing is very hard. Then never mind, I won't look into it; we'll talk about it later."

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh, picked the sandbag up again, tied it to his forearm, and prepared to continue training.

"Hey, lad, can you be a bit more attentive? Can you spend the time you use to build brute strength on studying? Just polishing a sword before battle for show, doing some superficial tricks—does that even get you selected? The examiners aren't blind!"

Wang Yunxiu felt she was just being impatient.

It's true that the imperial exams are 'off‑limits to those without power'; passing without a name relies on connections. Even great poets and literary giants aren't exempt; they too must submit papers and seek patronage.

But you can't be too fake, right!

You have to write something on the paper, at least.

Is our own Fang, whose official career is extremely 'rich', really planning to rely entirely on connections and submit a blank exam?

"It's already too late to think about it now. Better to train the body; if you ever go to the battlefield, you'll have at least a bit more chance of survival."

Fang Chongyong sighed. Wang Yunxiu didn't yet know that great chaos was about to engulf the world, so her thinking was understandable.

However, to actually pass the exams you need three to five years of review; without that, don't even dream of it. The ancients weren't dumber than modern people; they just didn't have such a broad knowledge base.

Having Fang Chongyong waste time pondering how to take the exams is no better than simply lying down and kowtowing to Ji Ge.

"Yes, you're right."

Wang Yunxiu sighed helplessly.

"Right. No matter how much we struggle, our future is just a matter of a sage's word; what's there to be tangled over?"

We don't even know what tricks the sage will pull during this birthday.

A cloud of gloom gathered in Fang Chongyong's mind, and he said weakly.

Wang Yunxiu also recalled Wei Shi's death by her husband's poison, and a wave of melancholy crossed her face.

Ji Ge again toyed with his daughter‑in‑law, but unfortunately she lacked Huanhuan's looks and talent; after playing with her, Ji Ge felt emptier and discarded her like a worn shoe.

The husband of that daughter‑in‑law, the future Tang Emperor Li Heng, is also a ruthless figure; he calmly poisoned his own princess.

Perhaps to Li Heng, women are like clothing—if they're torn or ruined, just replace them; it's nothing compared to his grand ambitions.

Among Ji Ge's many offspring, not all are like Shou Prince, the kind who takes a beating without retaliation and doesn't dare to speak when his father puts a hat on him. Will Li Heng's current restraint someday lead him, at a suitable moment, to a 'father‑leaves‑son‑laughs' move?

One has to admit, it's highly possible.

Li Heng is one; are there any others?

That question, I'm afraid even Ji Ge can't answer; only the heavens know.

Holding a high position in Chang'an brings not only glory but also huge risk. Fang Chongyong felt it was better to keep a low profile.

"In a little while it'll be the sage's birthday; then someone will say you're ill and recuperating at home, unable to attend the banquet, so you won't go."

Fang Chongyong took Wang Yunxiu's small hand and said.

"Got it. If you keep fiddling with me like this every night, won't I get sick!"

Wang Yunxiu teased, then gently embraced her man.

"If there's a chance, try to get an external posting. Nowadays Chang'an is becoming less and less bearable."

"I once heard Wei Sanniang say that within the Ten Princes' Residence, a prince was involved in witchcraft. She didn't say who, and it might just be rumor."

Wang Yunxiu lowered her voice, saying that Wei Shi's death made her feel the ruthless cruelty of Chang'an's power arena.

"The Ten Princes' Residence is located in the northeast corner of Chang'an City. To the north it borders Xiao'er Lane, to the west lies An Guo Temple, and to the east it abuts Jia City; through Jia City one can enter directly into Da Ming Palace or Xingqing Palace. The saying 'enter Jia City to attend the emperor's daily affairs' refers to them walking through Jia City to the palace to pay respects to the emperor."

"The Ten Princes' Residence houses all of Ji Ge's princes; 'Ten Princes' like 'Nine Surnames' doesn't denote an exact number but means 'many.'"

Because these princes all live together, each with his own courtyard, rather than in separate princely mansions as before, the internal politics of the royal clan have changed dramatically. Consequently, various rumors and private matters circulate throughout the Ten Princes' Residence.

According to Tang law, each princely mansion should have attendants, who should live day‑and‑night with the princes. For example, Li Yiguan, the foster father of Anaye, was once a staff officer of Prince Xin'an Li Yi, with a very close relationship, able to be entrusted with major affairs!

However, since Ji Ge split off the Ten Princes' Residence, those attendants originally belonging to the princes could no longer live there and had to reside in the outer wards. Historical records note that Ji Ge's offspring's 'staff listed in the outer wards' means exactly that.

Since the princes and their attendants could not meet at will, they could only send formal greetings to their masters and could not manage the internal affairs of the princely mansions; thus these so‑called princely officials all became idle posts. Anyone with any ability refuses such a position.

Ji Ge rose from being a prince through a coup, so he naturally does not want his descendants to also become a 'Li Longji'. The Ten Princes' Residence system, from its inception, eliminates that possibility.

If a prince has no trusted staff, he cannot constantly discuss major matters in his residence; how could such people rebel?

"Another witchcraft disaster, this move really works every time."

Fang Chongyong, with the beauty in his arms, gazed at the mottled shade under the mulberry tree and muttered to himself.

……

In early September, the Tang Emperor Li Longji returned to Chang'an City with numerous princes and imperial grandsons.

It was already golden autumn; although this year's harvest was poor and the fields yielded little, Chang'an City remained bustling, untouched by any impact.

Putting Ji Ge aside, after the princes returned to the Ten Princes' Residence each had their own concerns and their own busyness.

Loyal Prince Li Heng was busy arranging the funeral for the 'deceased' former princess consort Wei Shi, while also handling the marriage of the new princess consort.

Di Prince Li Yan kept his courtyard doors shut, forbidding any servants from entering or leaving, and busied himself with household affairs.

Ying Prince Li Yun was busy strolling through Chang'an's East Market, buying many Western Region treasure swords and ornamental bows that are highly decorative but of little practical value.

Only Shou Prince Li Chang, whose brief separation felt like a new marriage, was immersed in a sweet reunion with his new princess consort Wei Sanniang, completely unaware of the Ten Princes' Residence's stifling atmosphere.

That night, after a delightful and intoxicating bout of intimacy, Wei Sanniang wore a lazy, seductive smile, curled in Shou Prince Li Chang's arms, and the two whispered private words. Among the princes and princess consorts in the Ten Princes' Residence, they had the best relationship.

One must admit, Shou Prince, lacking ambition for power and with a gentle heart, indeed easily earns the affection and pity of an innocent girl.

"Hey, lad, did you know Loyal Prince's consort Wei Shi was poisoned?"

Wei Sanniang whispered to Li Chang.

She didn't die of illness... did she?

Li Chang tightly embraced Wei Sanniang, lowering his voice to ask.

I suspect she was definitely poisoned. Because I had taken her to see a doctor a few days before her death, and at that time her condition was still okay.

Wei Sanniang continued: "There are also rumors of witchcraft inside the Ten Princes' Manor, though they didn't say who, but it seems to be cursing the sage."

"From now on, don't inquire about such matters, don't get involved, just act as if you know nothing."

Li Chang said somewhat nervously, he also recalled some unpleasant things, his heart sinking to the bottom.

How did Li Heng's consort, Lady Wei, die? Perhaps few in the Ten Princes' Manor know. But roughly speaking, many perceptive people could probably guess a bit.

After all, this unfortunate consort, having been impregnated by her own beastly father who calls himself a 'sage,' is no longer much of a secret.

This beast is already sixty, why isn't he dead yet!

Li Chang silently complained in his heart.

(End of chapter)