Chapter 211: Pearl Garden Shooting the Beauties (Part 2)

Inside a certain pavilion of the Pearl Garden Forbidden Park, the atmosphere had already become tense to the point of explosion. As for Yan Zhenqing's stubbornness, Fang Chongyong was also shocked beyond measure.

Throughout history, there have never been a lack of such stubborn people; Fang Chongyong had heard of but never seen such a person, like Zhang Jiuling, and even earlier there was Wei Zheng. Going further back, there are countless more.

However, this kind of "stubborn remonstration" is truly the first time Fang Chongyong has seen. In one breath, he offended the five thousand palace maids, the officials participating in the "Shooting the Beauties," and Jige—all for the sake of the righteousness in his heart (without discussing right or wrong); such a person is still worthy of admiration.

"I want to reduce palace expenditures, reduce the number of palace maids, and let them have support in their old age—am I wrong, or are you seeking fame and profit?"

Li Longji trembled with anger, pointing at the kneeling Yan Zhenqing and demanding an answer.

Fang Chongyong's heart leapt to his throat in an instant.

He clearly understood that this was not Jige negotiating with Yan Zhenqing, but rather Jige convincing himself!

The so-called "conviction freedom" means believing one is doing the right thing, following one's own inner "law" rather than the state's law, and then feeling no guilt about one's actions.

Punishing officials in a fit of rage is what a foolish tyrant does, and it would make Jige feel uneasy.

However, after a round of "self-persuasion," Jige would not see himself as a foolish tyrant, but would think the officials were merely causing trouble.

"Sage, releasing the palace maids is naturally a good thing.

However, the Sage could simply order them to be sent home; why bother treating them like livestock for officials and nobles to hunt?

Such an act is most unbecoming, also tarnishing the nation's dignity—something the ancients and sages would never do."

Yan Zhenqing clasped his hands in a salute and earnestly urged.

"Enough! Returning the palace maids is an internal palace matter; how they are returned is my decision, and it's not your place as an outside official to act recklessly!"

Jige flew into a rage, as if someone had struck a sore spot.

Seeing this, Fang Chongyong hastily clasped his hands toward Jige and said:

"Sage, Censor Yan is a Palace Censor, responsible for inspecting officials' etiquette.

"As for today's event, let Censor Yan be in charge of inspection; I, your humble servant, will lead a detachment of Golden Warrior Guards to assist Censor Yan from the side.

"If any conflict arises between the palace maids and the officials participating in the event, Censor Yan can also mediate conveniently."

Hearing Fang Chongyong say this, Li Longji's anger eased slightly; he nodded slightly without speaking, as if pondering something.

Mainly because he himself felt guilty, was also in a predicament, and didn't know how to argue with Yan Zhenqing.

Today's Pearl Garden Shooting the Beauties is meant to see officials make fools of themselves and to watch the palace maids, hungry and thirsty, rush up to "eat people"—that is Jige's main purpose, just for fun!

The more disheveled the officials, the more satisfied his inner self feels!

If all he wanted was to send the palace maids home, a single imperial edict would suffice; why go to such trouble?

Fang Chongyong's suggestion was merely to give Jige a way out, so that it wouldn't be necessary to deal with Yan Zhenqing right away!

"Go, go! Investigate properly!"

Jige said impatiently, turned and walked away, not even deigning to glance at the kneeling Yan Zhenqing.

Gao Lishi nodded at Fang Chongyong, then followed Jige away, leaving only the dazed Yan Zhenqing kneeling on the ground and Fang Chongyong, this "outsider," in the pavilion.

"Since Censor Fang arrived so early, why not advise the Sage?"

Yan Zhenqing rose to his feet, let out a long breath, and, face full of fatigue, countered.

"Censor Yan, aren't you glad you just walked past the Ghost Gate?"

Fang Chongyong laughed.

"The Sage now treats palace maids like livestock and game; if this continues, what will he do to the common people?"

Yan Zhenqing helplessly shook his head and sighed, as if talking to himself and also asking Fang Chongyong. Though stubborn, he is not stupid; he knows that just now Fang Chongyong saved his life. If he really insisted, he would surely be beaten dozens of times at the least.

Of course, with his current stubbornness, next year he will surely be settled by Jige—it's as plain as day, with no doubt. This is the price of speaking frankly despite the risk.

"Censor Yan, I have a question I'd like to ask.

"Of course, this is just a private matter—what I say to you, you hear; once we leave this pavilion, I won't remember having said anything."

Fang Chongyong clasped his hands toward Yan Zhenqing and said.

"Hmm, Censor Fang, please speak. Back then I received many favors from your father; if you ask something I know, I will tell you."

Yan Zhenqing wiped away the desolation from his face, spoke solemnly, and also bowed to Fang Chongyong.

"Censor Yan, the Son of Heaven hunts on behalf of Heaven; when has he ever not treated the common people as livestock?"

"In the Sage's eyes, in the officials' eyes, the farmer who tills the fields all day, the merchant who transports goods, the barbarian who serves with his body—when are they ever not livestock to be slaughtered at will?"

"Censor Yan sympathizes with the unfair treatment suffered by the five thousand palace maids, but has he considered the people's hardship?"

"Does Censor Yan care about state ritual or the people's suffering?"

Fang Chongyong asked bluntly, like a sharp bayonet thrust into Yan Zhenqing's heart.

Ultimately, is it about rectifying state institutions, or saving the people from fire and water? This is a simple question, yet a difficult one to decide.

There are not few who are righteous and resolute, but the vast majority of them choose the former.

Yan Zhenqing was speechless, truly not knowing how to explain this issue.

"Because of Censor Yan's remark, it is very likely that these five thousand palace maids will be sent back to the palace today. They will certainly not feel grateful for Yan Zhenqing's outspoken righteousness; on the contrary, they will curse him to an ill death.

"Although this is hard to hear, it is the reality.

"Censor Yan has just indeed been impassioned and earnest in his face-to-face remonstration with the Sage, but have you considered the feelings of those five thousand palace maids?"

"Is Censor Yan truly cherishing fragrance and jade, or is he more concerned with court regulations?"

Fang Chongyong continued his questioning, giving Yan Zhenqing no face at all.

"If that is indeed the case, then for the sake of national righteousness, we can only sacrifice them."

"Don't say it's just them; even if it were my own kin facing this situation, I would have no choice but to sacrifice them."

Yan Zhenqing let out a long sigh and said.

He also could not help but acknowledge that Fang Youde's son truly has a piercing gaze.

Yan Zhenqing certainly knows that Fang Chongyong speaks of reality, but in his view, human life cannot be more important than canonical institutions, for they are the state's "sacred implements." When rites and music collapse, more people will die; compared to nationwide chaos, what is an individual's fate?

When weighing two harms, we must choose the lesser; thus we can only sacrifice the lighter party.

The state's laws and institutions must maintain a dignity that brooks no profanation. His disagreement with Li Longji was not about whether or not to release these five thousand palace women — regarding whether to release them or not, Yan Zhenqing had no opinion whatsoever. Whether the palace women lived well in the palace, he had no way of knowing, nor did he care.

What Yan Zhenqing cared about was that the "ceremony" of releasing the palace women must be solemn and dignified — it could not be treated as a game, much less become a wanton and debauched gathering for court officials to run wild!

Rather than hold such an unsolemn, unserious, and chaos-filled ceremony, it would be better to let those palace women continue staying in the palace. Yan Zhenqing would not mind if Li Longji retracted his order and did not release these five thousand palace women.

Clearly, what Yan Zhenqing and Fang Chongyong focused on were not the same thing at all.

"In that case, I have no further questions. Imperial Censor Yan, please come with me to dispatch the Golden Guard soldiers — they are currently patrolling within the Pear Garden Imperial Preserve."

Fang Chongyong had already lost interest in discussing the matter further with Yan Zhenqing — or one might call it 'those of different Dao do not scheme together.' In his view, the act of releasing five thousand palace women itself was clearly more important, while other 'hypocritical courtesies' could be omitted or left uninvestigated.

When they could not even agree on matters of principle, there was no need to continue discussing.

Seemingly sensing Fang Chongyong's deliberate distance, Yan Zhenqing felt a bit awkward and could only nod slightly with embarrassment, following behind Fang Chongyong.

Before long, Fang Chongyong found Zhang Guangsheng within the Pear Garden Imperial Preserve and introduced him:

"This is Imperial Censor Yan. His title is Palace Attendant Censor, responsible for scrutinizing the etiquette of all officials. In a moment, you will take ten Golden Guard brothers and stay by Imperial Censor Yan's side, riding on horseback to patrol within the Pear Garden Imperial Preserve.

Follow all of Imperial Censor Yan's orders — this is the Sage's verbal decree."

Fang Chongyong emphasized this point.

In truth, Brother Ji had only said to find someone to cooperate with Yan Zhenqing and assist him, but had not said anything about having the Left Golden Guard General Zhang Guangsheng participate. Normally, a task like this would not fall to a Golden Guard General to personally handle.

Fang Chongyong was simply afraid that Zhang Guangsheng would have his hopes dashed by those desperately eager palace women, so he deliberately placed him at Yan Zhenqing's side.

Just now, he had suddenly thought of something extremely frightening.

From Yan Zhenqing's answers, Fang Chongyong had spotted a blind spot. It seemed that many court officials, including Yan Zhenqing himself, believed that this "Pear Garden Arrow Shoot" was a "beauty-hunting expedition" akin to a game of "eagle catching chicks."

However, what was about to happen might not unfold as they imagined.

Perhaps only an old lecher like Brother Ji, who had grown up soaking in crowds of women and spent all day "mingling" with various consorts and concubines, would know those "hidden rules within the rules."

This time, Brother Ji was hosting a "high-end banquet" — not all Chang'an court officials were qualified to participate.

For instance, the Crown Prince did not come, the princes did not come, the princes posted outside the capital did not come, and not even the sons of Brother Ji's own brothers — such as the households of the Prince of Qi and the Prince of Xue — had come!

Only court officials from the central government had come, and only those holding certain official ranks at that — such as the Ministers and Vice Ministers of the Six Ministries, Secretaries of the Central Secretariat, Supplementary Secretaries, and so on. In addition, there were some senior generals from the Southern Guard Imperial Army and the Dragon Martial Army.

All these people, added together in their various categories, came to just over two hundred — absolutely no more than three hundred.

And according to information from Brother Ji's own mouth, the number of palace women being released to participate in the "Pear Garden Arrow Shoot" was as many as five thousand! A full order of magnitude more than the court officials and military generals participating in the "beauty hunt"!

Distributed evenly, each person would get ten palace women, and there would still be two thousand palace women left with no one to attend to them. At the very least, each person would have to take home fifteen or sixteen for it to count as "sharing the grace equally."

Fifteen! A football team only has eleven players — after the event, every court official could go home and coach a women's football team! They wouldn't even be short on substitutes!

Therefore, the scene after noon today would definitely not be as Yan Zhenqing imagined — crazed, desperate, red-faced court officials hungry for beauties, chasing palace women and shooting arrows.

Rather, it would be a swarm of palace women, driven mad by the desire to leave the palace, throwing themselves at the court officials, snatching the "romance arrows" from their persons and stabbing themselves with them! Then walking off triumphantly, romance arrow in hand! From that moment on, they would have escaped the shackles of the imperial palace!

A single quiver held only ten "romance arrows," with the participant's name written on the shaft. Although Brother Ji had told Fang Chongyong that he could "add more" arrows after shooting his fill as a sign of favor, the others were not permitted to do so — ten arrows, and once they were shot, they were gone.

In other words, at least two thousand-plus palace women would end up without a single "romance arrow" in their hands! If they did not snatch them from the palace women who had obtained romance arrows, then they could only return to the palace and wait for the next event.

How many would willingly give up the chance to leave the palace right before their eyes? Would these palace women go mad?

Therefore, the palace women who managed to snatch romance arrows would also have to guard against being robbed by other palace women! They had to hold out at least until after dark!

Would fights — even killings — break out in the process?

No one could say for certain, but Fang Chongyong felt that Yan Zhenqing and Zhang Guangsheng could do some work on this matter — at the very least, fewer people might die.

"Big Brother, you're already enjoying the blessings of having wives and concubines, but I'm still hungry. Can this task be entrusted to other Golden Guard officers?"

Zhang Guangsheng leaned close to Fang Chongyong and complained in a low voice.

"If any palace women kill someone, you must stop them and use ink to dye their white palace garments black. Those whose garments are dyed black lose their eligibility to compete and are taken directly back to the palace city."

Fang Chongyong said in a low, serious voice.

"Compete?"

Zhang Guangsheng was taken aback, not understanding what the palace women were supposed to compete for.

"There are only a little over two hundred participants, but five thousand palace women — if they don't compete, can they leave the palace?"

Fang Chongyong explained helplessly.

Zhang Guangsheng suddenly understood. He was a border garrison soldier by origin, and had seen far too much of that kind of sordid business over there — he finally understood what Brother Ji was really trying to do this time!

Court officials hunting beauties ✗

Palace women battle royale ✓

He recalled what Fang Chongyong had once said to him back in Shazhou: watching people struggle in the water from the shore is an entertaining thing.

Only now, today, did Zhang Guangsheng truly understand where the interests of those powerful nobles lay, and only now did he understand what Fang Chongyong's words meant.

The amusement of the powerful nobles was to revel in others' embarrassment and suffering. Their own happiness and joy were all built upon the suffering of others.

And these things, Fang Chongyong could not change — much less could Zhang Guangsheng.

"Understood."

Zhang Guangsheng nodded and said, then turned and walked over to bow to Yan Zhenqing, saying: "Imperial Censor Yan, please follow me. The horses are all outside the Pear Garden Imperial Preserve — we won't be able to get anything done without riding."

"Big Brother, you're not coming with us?"

After taking a few steps, Zhang Guangsheng noticed Fang Chongyong still standing where he was, and couldn't help leaning over to ask curiously.

"I still have an important matter to attend to. You go on ahead."

Fang Chongyong said nonchalantly.

What he had told Brother Ji was that he would bring the Golden Guard to assist Yan Zhenqing — he had never said when he himself would join in. The organization of this event had a massive loophole, and it was unclear whether Brother Ji had done it on purpose.

To prevent a major disaster, he had to quickly give a heads-up to his old man, Fang Youde.

This was no joking matter.

……

"Noon has arrived. Please sirs, leave the camp — you may not return until sunset. The palace women struck by romance arrows will also enter the camp at sunset, carrying their romance arrows."

A eunuch shouted at the top of his lungs.

The court officials, who ate their meals so quickly they could barely walk, each wore a mysterious, even ambiguous smile; they held feeble short bows in their hands and rode donkeys out of the camp.

For this "Pear Garden Shooting Maiden" event, to accommodate the civil officials who usually dislike training, they were each uniformly issued a donkey, although they were still not allowed to bring attendants.

Although the contingent participating in the Shooting Maiden was huge, it almost occupied the Pear Garden Forbidden Orchard in the northern suburbs of Chang'an, yet it was absurdly large. These people roamed the orchard in groups, searching aimlessly, and soon scattered in dribs and drabs, so that at most only a few companions could be seen in one's field of view.

What these officials did not know was that, this time, the ones being "hunted" were not those five thousand palace maidens, but rather these officials themselves—great fools who could take the palace maidens away from their sea of suffering.

Moreover, on a certain "arrow tower" hastily erected in the Pear Garden Forbidden Orchard, with many wheels underneath for pushing and standing over ten zhang tall, Tang Emperor Li Longji was holding a pair of "thousand-li mirrors" transported from Sha Prefecture, observing the "battle situation" inside the orchard.

The lenses of this "thousand-li mirror" are all made from Sha Prefecture's crystal, ground and polished, allowing one to see the facial hair and hair of a person a li away—quite impressive. However, it is somewhat bulky, inconvenient to transport, and its cost is exorbitant.

Ji Ge suddenly saw a dozen or so palace maidens charging toward a certain official riding a donkey from the Six Ministries; frightened, that official spurred his donkey into a frantic gallop, and instantly a wicked smile appeared on his face.

(End of Chapter)