Chapter 217: Jianghu Rules

In the officialdom of the Great Tang, there was an unwritten rule, and this rule kept changing over time: when officials traveling the post road encountered one another, the one of lower rank had to not only yield the road but also dismount and bow, and incidents of servants or even officials being beaten occurred frequently.

There were so many such vicious incidents that it had reached the point where if no official filed a complaint, no official would investigate.

For example, when the great Tang poet Yuan Zhen served as Investigating Censor of the Eastern Secretariat, one day he was traveling alone on official business and arrived at Fushui Post Station when a palace eunuch caught up from behind, forced open the station's gate, and strode in shouting and cursing.

Seeing Yuan Zhen blocking the way, the eunuch directly struck him with a horse whip, injuring his face! Afterward, the eunuch received no punishment whatsoever.

One should note that Yuan Zhen was a capital official at the time, serving as an Investigating Censor!

In fact, Yuan Zhen's experience was not unusual, because ever since the early Tang, similar incidents had occurred from time to time on post roads and at post stations, and it was not always palace eunuchs who caused trouble.

Those with higher rank or more powerful backing frequently bullied those with lower rank and no backing; such examples were everywhere.

Post stations and post roads wondrously brought together the heights of the court and the distant reaches of the jianghu.

As for what kind of official counted as a high official, what kind as a minor official, what etiquette they should observe when meeting, and how to handle being affronted—all varied by time and by person, and the court had no regulations on how it should be done.

That meant, as long as no major incident occurred, one could show off with all sorts of tricks. Beating a few servants or even non-appointed officials to death was nothing worth making a fuss over.

The dilemma now before Fang Chongyong was this: he absolutely could not lose face as the future boss of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army!

If his face was shattered on the ground this time, picking it back up in the future would not be easy!

There was also a hidden dilemma: he absolutely could not let Brother Ji feel that his young master Fang was on good terms with other Jiedushi or people from other military factions!

So now that two groups were blocking a single road, neither yielding, not only could Fang Chongyong not yield the way, he could not even let Huangfu Weiming across from him yield easily! He had to "make things difficult" for the other side—being arrogant and domineering was simply par for the course!

"Where's He Laohu?"

Fang Chongyong called out toward the outside of the carriage. He Changqi, broad-shouldered and powerfully built, lifted the carriage curtain, cupped his hands in salute to Fang Chongyong, and asked, "What orders do you have, Young Marshal Fang?"

He was "dispatched" by Fang Youde to assist Fang Chongyong's side; in reality, Fang Youde also believed that a "large formation" like the Shence Army would bury He Changqi's talents, and that he could better demonstrate his worth in an elite unit.

Of course, it was also not out of the question that He Changqi had requested it himself.

He Changqi was also a man who understood the way of things. He addressed Fang Youde as Jiedushi Fang and Fang Chongyong as Young Marshal Fang. As for young master Fang, he gave He Changqi the nickname "He Laohu" to bolster his reputation, and in daily life always called him by this nickname rather than addressing him by name.

A flower sedan is carried by people lifting people; everything was understood without words.

The two were "kindred spirits," and within a few days had grown quite familiar. He Changqi ran errands for Fang Chongyong with exceptional diligence, even more enthusiastically than when he had served Fang Youde.

"Go ask the people across from us if any of them dares to duel you one-on-one.

If you win, we yield the road; if you lose, they yield the road and go cool off on the side.

Speak arrogantly—don't be all refined and delicate like a woman."

Fang Chongyong lowered his voice and gave He Changqi his instructions.

"Right away, Young Marshal Fang, please wait a moment. I'll go have a word with them right now."

He Changqi laughed heartily, then stepped forward and drove his waist saber straight into the ground.

He counted them—the people across were definitely soldiers by background, just not wearing military uniforms or armor, numbering about thirty-some, and the people inside the carriages had not come out either.

On his own side, including Fang Chongyong, there were only ten people. Fighting head-on would have no chance of winning, and it wasn't worth it.

"Listen up across the way—one-on-one duel, loser yields the road and rolls off to cool down on the side."

He Changqi shouted toward Huangfu Weiming's convoy.

These words were already quite rude, no different from deliberate provocation. Yet after a moment of silence from the other side, a person walked out and shouted to He Changqi, "Best of three! No one person may fight multiple rounds!"

What the hell, that works too?

He Changqi was taken aback; the other side not playing by the rules also left him somewhat bewildered. He Changqi returned to the side of Fang Chongyong's carriage, leaned in, and asked in a low voice, "Young Marshal, how should we handle this?"

"Fine, you fight the first round."

Fang Chongyong said softly, his expression unchanged.

"Yes, your subordinate will go take care of it right now."

There was a rumor that He Changqi had once fought a South China tiger in Lingnan and won. Fang Chongyong still could not tell whether this was actually true or just He Changqi bragging to outsiders.

But the fact that this man had fought with devastating prowess during the suppression of Li Heng's coup, carving out a tremendous reputation with an unstoppable momentum, was an indisputable truth.

In Fang Chongyong's view, there was no suspense whatsoever about He Changqi winning the first round.

Sure enough, before he even had time to speak to Pei Xiu, he heard a dull thud not far away—someone had been knocked to the ground, accompanied by a chorus of gasps.

He Changqi swaggered over to where Fang Chongyong's carriage was, lifted the curtain, and said to him, "Huangfu Weiming's men are nothing special—knocked down in one move. How do we handle the remaining rounds?"

Huangfu Weiming's side saying "best of three" and not allowing one person to fight multiple rounds was probably because they could tell from He Changqi's physique and presence that it would be very difficult for their own people to beat him, and they feared He Changqi would take on all three by himself.

"Didn't you brag before that you'd inherited your father's swordsmanship? How about showing me a thing or two?"

Fang Chongyong asked Pei Xiu with a fake smile.

"Young Marshal Fang, this woman with her thin arms and legs can't be counted on. How about I put on a hat and disguise myself as someone else to fight another round?"

He Changqi egged on from the side, fanning the flames.

Do you think putting on a hat means others won't recognize you?

Fang Chongyong could not figure out whether He Changqi was playing dumb or genuinely dumb. Based on his understanding of the man, it was most likely the former. Young master Fang could only sigh and patiently persuade him, "He Laohu, you stand by to hold the line so that Huangfu Weiming's people can't play tricks. Disguising yourself to go fight is unnecessary—we should have a bit of martial virtue."

"Young Marshal, all's fair in war—what martial virtue do we still need to talk about?"

He Changqi continued to stir things up, putting Pei Xiu on the spot and roasting her over the fire.

"Shut up, you stupid mule! Do you think putting on a hat means others won't recognize you?

I'll fight this round!"

Just as Fang Chongyong had expected, Pei Xiu roared at He Changqi and leaped straight off the carriage, ready to compete against someone from Huangfu Weiming's side.

"Open your eyes and watch carefully!"

She turned her head back and snapped at Fang Chongyong.

Once she had walked far enough away, He Changqi lowered his voice and said to Fang Chongyong, "Young Marshal, this girl doesn't seem too bright. With her aptitude, can she really serve as a personal bodyguard?"

Sure enough, Pei Xiu was the only blockhead here.

"So you want to get rid of her and have His Holiness send a smarter one over?"

Fang Chongyong retorted impatiently.

"Hehe, I didn't say that, hahaha, I didn't say anything just now, didn't hear anything either, hahahahaha."

He Changqi rubbed his round head, laughing loudly as he walked off as if talking to himself. To fight more effectively on the battlefield, He Changqi had shaved off all his hair to keep it out of the way, so he was now bald, and combined with his bulk of muscle, he looked quite frightening.

But Fang Chongyong knew that this man was a classic case of "a fierce tiger in the heart, gently sniffing a rose." The Lingnan region had many mountains and little farmland, where the Liao and Han peoples lived intermingled, making the local situation extremely complex. According to Fang Youde, He Changqi could be considered one of the top figures in the area, so how could he possibly be a simple brute who relied solely on physical strength?

Now that Chang'an was peaceful and prosperous, the chances of earning military merit were extremely slim. To put it plainly, unless one could foresee that great chaos would engulf the land within ten years, no soldier who hoped to achieve something would voluntarily request to come to Chang'an—doing so meant merely passing the days idly.

Chen Xuanli, who had idled away decades, was cut down with a single blade by Wu Zhiyi, a soldier from the border garrisons, during the coup—this was the downside of killing time in Chang'an.

Fang Chongyong's guess was correct: He Changqi was indeed not someone Fang Youde had specifically brought to Chang'an to report for duty, nor was Old Fang the type to meddle in such matters.

The truth was that He Changqi had initially volunteered to follow Fang Youde to Chang'an to "see the world." Fang Chongyong even suspected that He Changqi had not been deliberately placed by his side by Fang Youde, but had requested it himself.

But he had no evidence, and Old Fang had never mentioned it.

Just as Fang Chongyong's thoughts were wandering, another chorus of gasps rose from the opposite side, and soon Pei Xiu boarded the carriage with a smug expression, chin raised like a proud rooster, all but writing "come praise me" on her face.

"You won just like that? Huangfu Weiming's personal guards aren't much."

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but remark with a sigh.

"Why can't you ever praise my superb swordsmanship?"

Pei Xiu demanded, glaring at him.

"That's enough."

Fang Chongyong raised his hand calmly, signaling Pei Xiu to shut up, leaving her belly full of complaints stuck unspoken.

"Tiger He, tell the ones opposite to make way—don't let them go back on their word."

From start to finish, Fang Chongyong refused to show himself and call out, and the same was true of Huangfu Weiming on the opposite side. Fang Chongyong was confident that Huangfu Weiming certainly understood what he, Young Master Fang, meant to convey.

At this moment, neither of them could step forward publicly. As long as they didn't show themselves, both sides could play dumb; but if they stepped out of their carriages, the situation would become a blatant slap in the face, and things would become hard to clean up.

Sure enough, Huangfu Weiming, just like Fang Chongyong, did not step out of his carriage to show his face. But the group of men and horses on his side, presumably acting on Huangfu Weiming's orders, obediently made way and stood by the roadside without making any hostile moves.

"They just gave way like that?"

Pei Xiu asked with a look of astonishment.

When it came to the etiquette of officialdom, she actually understood far more than Fang Chongyong did.

What officials cared about most was face, and for it they would not hesitate to fall out publicly, doing unreasonable things.

For example, during the Tang dynasty there was an official who, at a banquet, asked a dancing girl he secretly admired to offer him a toast. The dancing girl refused him to his face for certain reasons, and this official directly drew his blade and struck the girl down without the slightest mercy!

This incident did not happen in a bedchamber, but openly at a banquet. Afterward, the official received no substantive punishment.

Pei Xiu found it hard to imagine that Huangfu Weiming, having lost so much face, had actually chosen not to fall out over it! Was it that he didn't dare, or was there some other reason?

She couldn't figure out the crux of it.

"With your level of wit, it's very hard for me to explain. You'll understand these principles later once you take some Brain Hundred Gold."

Fang Chongyong teased with his eyes closed. As the carriage moved, the cabin gradually began to jolt, and he felt a bit drowsy too.

"Uh, what's Brain Hundred Gold? Is it some kind of medicine from the Western Regions? Can it really make a person smarter? Where can you buy it? Is it expensive?"

Pei Xiu asked curiously, one question after another.

She vaguely felt that she really wasn't very smart, at least compared to someone like Fang Chongyong, she was a bit behind in intelligence.

She needed to supplement it properly.

"Don't worry about those details. Brain Hundred Gold is a divine medicine from the Western Regions, something you encounter by chance, not by seeking."

Fang Chongyong couldn't be bothered to say more. A strange thought suddenly occurred to him: could that old fox Pei Min simply want him to help "babysit"?

Given Pei Xiu's shallow wits, she was a "painted pillow"—only her swordsmanship was worth showing off, and she truly couldn't accomplish much else!

The more Fang Chongyong thought about it, the more likely this seemed!

"Is Brain Hundred Gold really impossible to buy?"

Pei Xiu muttered to herself with a look of regret.

"No, perhaps it'll be available to buy later on. You can start saving money now."

A wonderful notion formed in Fang Chongyong's mind, and he said with a smile.

……

Shanzhou was the garrison post of the Longyou Military Commissioner. During the Tang dynasty, its jurisdiction included the areas of Ledu, Xining, and Huangzhong in Fang Chongyong's previous life. The elevation here was relatively high, the pastures were lush, terraced fields could be seen everywhere, and the climate and terrain were entirely different from Guanzhong.

Inside the city of Shanzhou, the seat of Shanzhou Prefecture, in a certain signing room within the office of the Longyou Military Commissioner, Du Xiwang, who held the post of Military Commissioner, was reviewing official letters and correspondence sent from Chang'an. This was his second time serving as Longyou Military Commissioner—though, of course, he had only "accepted the appointment in a time of crisis," and was merely serving temporarily because he was very familiar with the local terrain and culture.

Du Xiwang was well aware that he wouldn't stay here long, and his increasingly frail body no longer permitted him to handle military affairs here for extended periods.

Leading troops on campaign was even more out of the question.

The Longyou region was the true frontline against Tibet. The Hexi region, in fact, could only be considered a "flank" of the Tibetan offensive. In other words, the Longyou Military Commissioner post had been established for one reason only: to counter the ever-growing Tibetan offensives—there was no second reason.

The soldiers of the Longyou region, having lived at mid-to-high altitudes for extended periods, could maintain their stamina and adaptability in combat against the Tibetans without suffering from altitude sickness. Soldiers transferred from other regions, however, often couldn't perform at full capacity due to chronic oxygen deprivation.

"Did he come here only to select brave and strong men?"

Du Xiwang murmured to himself, setting down the secret letter in his hand. This was a personal letter from the Sage, instructing him to fully cooperate with Investigating Censor and Recruitment Commissioner Fang Chongyong in selecting soldiers from the Longyou region to fill the ranks of the "Silver Lance Filial Bravery," soon to serve as elite imperial guards.

This gave Du Xiwang a sense of unease.

The selection of imperial guards rarely relied on border garrison troops. Rather, it was Guanzhong soldiers who were long-term exported to the border garrisons, many of whom settled there as military colonists, never returning to Guanzhong. The established practice had always been thus: militia were conscripted from Guanzhong to fight in lands west of Guanzhong.

The imperial guards of the Southern and Northern Commands were also largely conscripted from the Guanzhong militia. Even though the military commissions now existed in name only, the common people of Guanzhong wouldn't simply disappear because the commissions were abolished!

Now, instead of selecting imperial guards from Guanzhong where military commissions were numerous, they were focusing their attention on the Longyou region. This could only mean one thing... the Sage no longer trusted the soldiers of Guanzhong!

This distrust could be a lack of faith in the loyalty of Guanzhong soldiers, or it could be a feeling that these soldiers were unfit for training! Either way, neither was good news for the state, for it meant that across the entire vast domain of Great Tang, a pattern of "strong branches and a weak trunk" had taken shape.

When even the emperor's personal army was no longer recruited from the area surrounding the capital, could there be anything more worrisome than that?

"Fang Chongyong, Fang Youde... the Sage now trusts only old hands, and has even established Li Chang as crown prince—this means he never intended for the crown prince to succeed to the throne at all!"

Du Xiwang couldn't help but sigh. He was in fact quite close to Prince Zhong, Li Heng, though not a core member of his circle, and thus had survived the previous round of "purges." But Du Xiwang also understood that sooner or later, he wouldn't escape retiring to his hometown.

"Never mind, we'll talk about it later. Fang Chongyong's father-in-law will probably be coming to Longyou too."

Du Xiwang muttered to himself as he put away the letters and organized all the official documents on his desk. There were rumors that the court intended to launch a military campaign against Tibet, likely this spring.

(End of chapter)