Chapter 181: Whoever messes with me, I kill them

After returning home, Wang Yunxiu and A Na Ye found Fang Chongyong with a grim face; his speech was almost always reduced to the shortest, fewest words, avoiding questions and answering as briefly as possible.

He seemed preoccupied.

After nightfall, he sat alone in the study, dazed, doing nothing, just staring blankly for half an hour.

"Actually, yesterday I spoke a bit too much."

"I don't dislike being with you; every time you kiss me, I secretly rejoice, but sometimes I really fail to serve you well."

"Normally you speak and act properly, but in bed you're like a completely different person..."

Wang Yunxiu blushed and stammered her excuse, carefully putting on a smile.

"Wei Sanniang is dead."

Wang Yunxiu said a lot, but Fang Chongyong replied in just five words.

"Dead? No way? How did she die?"

Wang Yunxiu's heart jolted; she had only recently met Wei Sanniang, who seemed lively and energetic, not at all like someone with a serious illness.

"The Sage wanted her to be another Yang Yuhuan, but she refused, jumping from the study in the Qinzhengwubenlou… and that was the end."

Fang Chongyong said in a low voice.

"Indeed..."

Wang Yunxiu was so shocked by this that she lost her composure, not knowing how to judge it.

"I was just downstairs, only a few feet away from catching her, just a few feet."

Fang Chongyong's hands trembled slightly, he clenched his fists, suppressing the anger in his tone, and tried to speak calmly.

Although he said that, he knew Wei Sanniang was surely doomed. If she didn't die, Prince Shou and her clan would be in danger. Debts are settled with death; Wei Sanniang had only to leap to her death to protect Prince Shou, protect the family, and leave Ji Ge no excuse to exploit this matter.

A living life thus became a sacrifice to power.

She was neither the first nor the last.

Life is just this helpless.

"The Sage now seems to have become a tyrant devoid of the Dao."

Wang Yunxiu couldn't help but sigh.

She had been educated since childhood in "loyalty to the ruler and love for the country," and as an adult was expected to "follow her husband and educate her children," making her a very traditional feudal noblewoman.

Yet the events of the past year shattered her worldview, leaving her deeply doubtful of many past sayings.

The imperial examinations have become a battlefield of competing influence.

The Longwu Army has become the backing and shield of hooligans.

Even the Tang Emperor has become a strange monster eyeing his daughter-in-law.

What has become of the Great Tang—is this still a prosperous age?

Wang Yunxiu had also occasionally doubted the current state of affairs, wondering if it was getting worse.

Today Wei Sanniang's downfall seemed to tell her plainly that this was indeed the case.

The world has grown ever more chaotic.

"If we also encountered the situation Wei Sanniang faced, would we have the courage to choose, like her, to be shattered jade rather than survive intact?"

Fang Chongyong suddenly asked.

Wang Yunxiu did not answer, only letting out a faint sigh.

What hasn't happened cannot be assumed.

After it happens, there's no room for regret.

"If the Sage, or some powerful noble, were to demand you or A Na Ye, what would we do?"

Fang Chongyong continued to ask.

Wang Yunxiu gave a bitter smile, shook her head, and gently waved her hand, signaling her man not to keep talking nonsense.

Of course, although such a thing hasn't come to that, other matters aren't easy to discuss. In life there are always times of weakness and helplessness, or when one has strength but cannot use it.

"So, I've come back today not angry, not sad, not feeling sentimental; I'm merely thinking of a way to solve this problem."

Fang Chongyong said this solemnly, as if he had truly been pondering a matter of life and death just moments before.

"Then, what plan have you come up with, my love?"

Wang Yunxiu retorted impatiently, sat opposite Fang Chongyong, twirling a finger through her long hair, appearing nonchalant.

Fang Chongyong snatched the "Gusting Phantom Blade" from beside him, sheath and all, set it on the table, lightly tapped the hilt, and said:

"The means to solve complex problems are often simple; the Great Way is simplicity itself."

"Hmm, that's not bad; so what exactly is the method?"

Wang Yunxiu yawned and asked.

"Whoever messes with me, I kill them. Once I've killed everyone who wants to mess with me, no one will dare to mess with me."

"If I can't solve the problem, I'll solve the person who creates it."

"I'm not used to exchanging interests with certain people."

"So as long as I kill them, their possessions become mine, and I needn't waste thought on how to deal with them."

Fang Chongyong uttered "fallacious arguments," leaving Wang Yunxiu feeling speechless.

"You've served as an Inspector—how can your ideas still be so childish! Can officialdom's affairs be settled by fighting and killing?"

She didn't know how to evaluate it.

"How is your idea any different from that of bandits who raid homes? You are, after all, an officer of the Longwu Army!"

Wang Yunxiu gently rubbed her forehead and retorted, feeling his thinking had entered a mistaken path.

Although Fang Chongyong had been stimulated by Wei Sanniang's affair, wanting to "advance" was right.

But his path of "advancement" was not quite correct, being overly brutal.

"The official army, isn't it just bandits in uniforms? Take off that dog‑skin coat, what's the difference from bandits?"

Fang Chongyong wore a baffled expression and almost blurted out the retort. Clearly, that's what he was thinking inside, a subconscious question, and he didn't think it was improper.

"Right, in Shazhou, the Doulu troops in uniform are the Tang army, and without the uniform they're horse bandits. A Lang, the Governor of Shazhou, without his official robe is the biggest bandit chief, so what's so strange about that?"

A lazy voice from A Naye came from the doorway.

She walked over to Wang Yunxiu's side, sat down, and threw a flirtatious glance at Fang Chongyong, saying:

"What a dog emperor! If he offends our A Lang in the future, just go up and stab him dead in one blow. Does he have several lives? Or is his body made of gold and jade, impossible to cut?"

If Shou Wang had that courage and resolve, would Wei Sanniang have been forced to kill herself?

Don't be fooled by how noble these people seem; once slaughtered they're just a puddle of meat on the ground, anyone can step on them.

When I was with A Lang in Shazhou, those Western barbarians who were rich enough to rival a nation, with thousands of guards, were all killed by A Lang and died thoroughly; we don't even know which sand dune they're buried under.

"Hey, say a little less; Chang'an isn't like Shazhou, the rules are somewhat different."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand to shut A Naye up.

"What dog emperor? That's your family relative!"

If Wang Yunxiu weren't here, Fang Chongyong would even want to yank A Naye's ear and curse her mother.

"A Naye's words are a bit extreme, but the reasoning is sound."

I can see now that Chang'an City isn't a place for reasoning. If in the future I meet someone who won't reason, I'll have to use a knife to reason with them.

Fang Chongyong said to Wang Yunxiu with firm certainty.

Wei Sanniang's case gave him a wake‑up call.

If in the future I encounter a problem that strategy can't solve, just go straight to the knife.

A respectable eight‑foot man would never be inferior even to a woman like Wei Sanniang, right?

……

Perhaps his mind regained reason, or perhaps he felt guilty as a thief. Ji Ge's "stay‑in‑place order" for Shou Wang was revoked after just one day.

Moreover, Ji Ge sent people to deliver lots of gold, silver, silk and other riches to comfort Shou Wang, and arranged a new bride for him!

The next bride is Du Shi, the second daughter of Doctor Zan Shan Du Youlin; the wedding is set for fifteen days from now.

However, the venue isn't the usual Ten Kings Residence, nor is it Xingqing Palace where Ji Ge lives.

It's the Ganlu Ni Temple in Shengye Lane, which adjoins the west side of Xingqing Palace!

Holding the wedding in a temple is indeed unusual. Some optimistic people speculate that Shou Wang's two consecutive wives "died unexpectedly" might be due to insufficient blessings at the weddings.

Thus choosing Ganlu Ni Temple in Shengye Lane serves both because it's next to Xingqing Palace and also carries a "warding off evil" connotation.

Of course, the imperial edict would never mention such trivialities. Anyway, after the fifteenth day, it will be an auspicious date, and Shou Wang will hold the wedding at Ganlu Ni Temple in Shengye Lane—no doubt about it!

Whether Shou Wang accepts or not won't change the outcome. So his courtyard is preparing a celebration on one side while arranging a funeral on the other, becoming a "peculiar" sight.

Qinzhengwubenlou, because someone just died there, Ji Ge deemed it inauspicious and sealed the building. His office was moved to the Huake Xianghui Building, originally a play area inside Xingqing Palace.

At this moment, in a bedroom of the Huake Xianghui Building, Li Longji, while being attended by Gao Lishi who was washing his feet, casually asked about recent state affairs.

After Wei Sanniang's death, Ji Ge fell into a taciturn silence; no one knew what he was thinking. He only occasionally spoke to Gao Lishi, otherwise he seemed to have "aphasia."

"Did we locate the back‑stage of those thugs who were beaten and killed a few days ago within the Longwu Army?"

Li Longji's gaze was a bit vacant, yet his speech remained unusually clear.

"Your Majesty, once those thugs die, the leads are cut off. All we know now is that General Wu Zhiyi of the Longwu Army cannot escape involvement."

Gao Lishi said calmly.

"Let Wu Zhiyi conduct a self‑investigation; punish each offender found, never be lenient. The Longwu Army must not be chaotic."

Li Longji said resentfully, his tone highly displeased.

Even a teenage girl dares to be 'steadfast and unyielding' before this Tang Emperor; it seems the imperial authority's deterrence is still insufficient!

Now Li Longji is extremely angry inside, yet finds no outlet for his fury.

He can't possibly drag out Wei Sanniang's corpse to whip it and vent his anger, can he?

"By the way, what has Shou Wang been doing these days?"

Li Longji asked casually, hoping to hear of Shou Wang's rebellious plans so he could find a pretext to eliminate him.

"Your Majesty, Shou Wang went to the western market of Chang'an these past two days and bought medicine!"

Gao Lishi whispered.

"Is it poison? Is he planning to poison me?"

Ji Ge's face flushed with excitement, as if he wasn't surprised at all.

"Your Majesty, the medicine is… the Five‑Stone Powder."

Gao Lishi replied helplessly.

"Five‑Stone Powder?"

Ji Ge was stunned, then asked disappointedly, "That useless Shou Wang, is he just giving up like this?"

"Your Majesty, not only that, Shou Wang now goes to the Great Qin Temple every day to take the Five‑Stone Powder. The men I sent saw him indulge wildly; after taking the powder he fraternizes with the Hu people from the Western Regions as brothers."

"I see."

Ji Ge muttered to himself, shaking his head in disappointment.

That's how Shou Wang is; even if he rides atop someone's head and defecates, that person will still smile and open his mouth.

Damn! Why don't you have any manly spirit, plan a rebellion and kill me!

Ji Ge shouted in his mind, shifting all his hatred for Wei Sanniang onto Shou Wang Li Qiang.

However, Li Qiang, even though he throws himself into taking the Five‑Stone Powder, shows no intention of avenging his father's actions.

He even offers no objection to the newly arranged wedding, saying nothing at all!

Li Longji doesn't know how to deal with this 'rolling meat' any longer.

"The sage, I think, the Prince of Shou has no connection with the outer court, and being a descendant of Consort Wu Hui, he is naturally disliked."

"Even if he wanted to rebel, no one would be willing to follow him."

"Besides dabbling in witchcraft at home, what else could the Prince of Shou possibly stir up?"

"Gao Lishi cautiously made the suggestion. Actually he thought this whole thing was just Jige messing around, but unfortunately we've already come this far; time cannot be turned back."

"Let Li Chang, this unfavored child, live or die on his own; why bother tormenting him?"

"Tormenting Li Chang, what meaning could that possibly produce?"

"Perhaps Gao Lishi's words struck a chord with Jige, who nodded slightly and sighed: 'The Prince of Shou does not love himself; issue an edict to rebuke him, so he may mend his ways.'"

"He impatiently waved his hand, clearly not wanting to bring up the Prince of Shou again."

"Although these words appear to be a rebuke of the Prince of Shou, they actually amount to letting him do as he pleases. Eat your Five Stone Powder if you like, enjoy your Trembling Voice Delight if you like; from now on, no one will care about you!"

"Yangzhou Prefecture, it seems there haven't been any tribute deliveries to the inner treasury for some days; send someone to urge Yang Zhao to see what's going on."

"Li Longji seemed to recall something, and he mentioned it with some doubt."

"Your Majesty, Yang Zhao sent a message the day before yesterday saying that there was civil unrest near Yangzhou Prefecture, blocking the river channels. He is currently organizing manpower to clear out the rioters, and once the river flow is restored, it will be fine."

"Gao Lishi said quietly. He probably already guessed what was going on and had Yang Zhao handle it properly. But now Li Longji is angry, so there's no need to bring up such a 'minor matter'."

"With Fang Youde overseeing Yangzhou Prefecture, what major trouble could possibly arise?"

"Yangzhou has always been prosperous; you can pick up money off the ground there—how could there be any civil unrest?"

"Jige asked, bewildered."

"Probably, the tribute quota imposed on Yangzhou Prefecture last year was too high. Yang Zhao insisted on collecting it strictly without any leniency, which likely made the people there dissatisfied."

"Gao Lishi said with feeling."

"Why would Yang Zhao go to such lengths to squeeze Yangzhou Prefecture? It's none other than to please the Tang Emperor right before us."

"How could he speak ill of Yang Zhao?"

"Alas, he has also worked hard these years; next year's evaluation should give him the highest rating, and then we can transfer him back from Yangzhou Prefecture."

"Jige sighed helplessly."

"If we kill this obedient, money-grubbing 'good official' Yang Zhao, who will take his place?"

"In Jige's mind, the standard for a 'good official' is actually quite uniform; he has never applied double standards."

"Whoever can help him make money is a good official. As for how messed up the locality becomes, that's not something the Tang Emperor needs to worry about."

"Otherwise, what's the point of having so many courtiers in the central government?"

"(End of chapter)"