Chapter 237: Leaving Means a Nine-to-One Survival

"The An Ren Army can't stay, what does that mean?"

Ge Shu Han suppressed his inner fear, his expression calm as he asked.

"It means exactly what it says."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said, seeming unwilling to linger on the question, and changed the subject: "General Ge, what do you think of the situation in Longyou?"

At the mention of it, Ge Shu Han's interest clearly waned. The mutiny of the An Ren Army dealt him a heavy blow. With his own subordinates mutinying, he could hardly advance in the short term. And he was not young any more; in the remaining years of his life, how much brilliance could he still display?

It must be said, this is a discouraging matter.

Ge Shu Han replied somewhat perfunctorily:

"In the short term, the winds are calm and the waves smooth; the Great Tang still holds military superiority in Longyou. But in the long term, the loss of several prefectures in Longyou is inevitable, and the current state cannot be sustained."

"It would be commendable if the Great Tang could maintain and secure the route to the Western Regions; in the Hehuang Valley we will inevitably have a protracted struggle with the Tubo, and blessings and calamities are hard to predict."

Ge Shu Han let out a long sigh, feeling that the An Ren Army seemed headed for annihilation; he no longer wished to conceal anything and voiced his innermost view. One must understand that such words are taboo—if it weren't for the An Ren Army's affair, what right would he have to tell Fang Chongyong these things!

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, his tone indifferent and noncommittal: "General Ge, your thoughts are meticulous, your mind holds strategy; indeed you are a great talent in managing Longyou."

After speaking, he handed Ge Shu Han the official document of the 'Military Inspector' that Ji Ge had given him; upon reading it, Ge Shu Han suddenly realized that everyone on the Longyou front had underestimated Fang Chongyong.

They made Fang Chongyong the scapegoat, but in fact this Fang of the office had a very rigid backbone! He merely kept a low profile and chose not to act.

What does a Military Inspector do?

On one hand, it reins in the local border troops; on the other, it has the duty of selecting border generals and reporting them to the Son of Heaven. If a border army has a Jiedushi's recommendation and a Military Inspector's commendation, his promotion prospects become easy.

Fang Chongyong, holding the rank of Military Inspector, whether or not he has the authority to report to Ji Ge, serves as a silent deterrent to border generals.

In Fang Chongyong's previous life, he would say it is "no gun in hand" versus "having a gun but not using it"—completely different circumstances.

"I, the junior general, am fearful; I ask that the Military Inspector, when he comes, speak a few kind words before the Sage."

Ge Shu Han hurriedly bowed in thanks.

"General Ge, there's no need for courtesy; it's all within my duties."

Fang Chongyong measured his reply. His words were light, not particularly convincing, yet they left Ge Shu Han at a loss for what to say.

We aren't close friends or relatives; why would anyone help you without cause?

If Ge Shu Han doesn't kneel and act like a dog, Fang Chongyong has no reason to go all out in assistance, and even if he did, Ge Shu Han could not believe it.

Reciprocal patronage is itself a subtle political transaction.

"Those dozens of An Ren Army mutineers who sparked the uprising, I'd like to talk to them before sending them on their way, may I?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a smile.

Ge Shu Han frowned slightly, a cloud of gloom covering his face, then let out a long sigh and nodded.

"Jiedushi Fang, please follow me this way."

Ge Shu Han rose, leading Fang Chongyong out of the stone-built detention house.

The two walked a winding circuit and arrived outside a crude barracks near the gate of Datong City. A dozen of Ge Shu Han's personal soldiers stood guard, forbidding anyone else to approach.

Fang Chongyong had brought dozens of An Ren Army mutineer ringleaders from the He Yuan Army, all now centrally guarded here.

The He Yuan Army had not troubled these men initially because in Shan City, any attempt to flee would be immediately captured and beheaded; the He Yuan Army even hoped they would cause a bigger commotion to attract more attention.

Thus the watch over the An Ren Army mutineers was very lax. Apart from those dozens of ringleaders, the other obedient An Ren soldiers had already been sent back to Datong City.

But Ge Shu Han hated those dozens to the point of grinding his teeth! It was precisely because of their uproar that his attempts to use ordinary means to make up for overdue winter garments were cut off, and his official career was also severed.

Upon entering the An Ren Army's main camp, Fang Chongyong saw these men shackled with ankle irons, tethered inside the barracks like livestock, with no chance of escape at all.

The other obedient An Ren soldiers who had taken part in the mutiny had now calmed from their fury.

After the bloodied bravery dispersed, only fear remained in their hearts. At this point, not even anyone stepped forward to defend those dozens of ringleader mutineers. Those men did not even wish for the ringleaders to die quickly; that would be considered benevolent.

From heroes who incited the mutiny to despised ringleaders, it was only a matter of days; the relationships between people truly are a profound study.

Inside the crude barracks, Fang Chongyong halted, casting a thoughtful glance at Ge Shu Han. The latter seemed to sense Fang's inner doubt and quickly explained: "These are unruly elements in the army; fearing they might rise up and harm others, we shackled them."

Ge Shu Han's dark motives were well understood by Fang Chongyong. He did not expose them, shook his head and sighed:

"The border is bitterly cold; the army's petty thieves and scoundrels appear from time to time, nothing unusual. General Ge, you are overthinking—order the men to remove their shackles."

"I will obey the Jiedushi's command."

Ge Shu Han clasped his fists in a bow, then ordered his personal soldiers to untie the ringleaders' shackles.

Fang Chongyong gestured to Ge Shu Han: "I would like to speak with them alone; it won't take long. General Ge, is this convenient?"

Hearing this, Ge Shu Han dared not act rashly; he quickly left his personal soldiers behind, leaving only Fang Chongyong and He Laohu.

"He Laohu, you guard the outside of the gate; no one may be let in, within twenty steps, no idle persons may approach."

"Regardless of the reason!"

Fang Chongyong instructed He Changqi.

"But Jiedushi, these aren't ordinary foot soldiers? What if…"

He Changqi, with a doubtful expression, whispered in Fang's ear: "If these men suddenly rise up and kill Fang Chongyong, the fun would be huge!"

"Don't worry, I have it under control."

Fang Chongyong said nonchalantly.

After sending He Changqi away, Fang Chongyong looked at the dozens of robust An Ren soldiers before him. Their faces were expressionless, as if they welcomed death; they seemed indifferent to everything.

These men, not even the desire to flee, let alone rise up and harm others.

The outskirts of the Hehuang Valley are all plateau and mountains, the climate bitterly cold, and Tubo scouts on horseback can be seen everywhere. Even if they wanted to run, where could they go?

They couldn't just slip over to Tubo and become slaves, could they?

"A snake cannot move without a head; who among you is the leader?"

Fang Chongyong surveyed the An Ren ringleaders and asked in a deep voice.

A man over eight feet tall stepped from the crowd, looking proudly at Fang Chongyong and said: "It's Ye Ye; if you want to kill, kill, no need for more words. It's Ye Ye leading the men to cause trouble; bring Ye Ye's head to the emperor in Chang'an as a report!"

"What is your name?"

Fang Chongyong ignored the other's nonsense and asked directly.

"Names never change, surnames never change; Ye Ye is the Deputy Commander Zhang Shouyu of the An Ren Army!"

The cavalry, led by the An Ren Army Deputy Commander, mutinied; no wonder it caused such a commotion!

These people didn't even turn to attack Shanzhou; truly they are the "Qiu Ba" of this era, still talking about a bit of professional ethics and military honor!

If this had happened in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Lǒngyòu region might have replaced its Jiedushi! In that case, if the An Ren Army mutinied and didn't attack Shanzhou, Fang Chongyong would even call them "big brother."

Fang Yanei kept feeling that Ge Shuhan seemed eager to kill this batch of An Ren Army troublemakers; at first he didn't understand why Ge Shuhan was so ungrateful.

It turned out that Deputy Commander Zhang Shouyu, seizing the moment while Ge Shuhan was in a meeting, directly led a whole group of his close confidants to mutiny.

That's equivalent to slapping Ge Shuhan in the eyes; how could Ge Shuhan not be angry!

The reason they haven't quietly eliminated this group is only because of "shooting the mouse and fearing the vessel," fearing outsiders would think they were covering up the truth and silencing mouths!

Fang Chongyong suddenly understood why the senior officers of the Lǒngyòu‑side army were so tight‑lipped about the An Ren Army mutiny's inner story, and why even Wang Nande and Gai Jiayun didn't mention this batch.

It was because the impact was too terrible, so it had to be downplayed.

By not mentioning Zhang Shouyu's affair, at least the senior officers of the Lǒngyòu‑side army still appeared loyal; the mutiny was only because the low‑ranking "Qiu Ba" were dissatisfied with overdue winter clothes.

Once the fact that Zhang Shouyu led the mutiny is exposed to daylight, every Lǒngyòu‑side commander will look like a potential rebel—truly a "unspeakable secret"!

"Be straightforward: do you want to die or live?"

Fang Chongyong looked at Zhang Shouyu and asked.

Before he could speak, a low‑ranking soldier knelt on the ground and shouted at Fang Chongyong: "Please, Fang Jiedushi, point a clear path for us!"

"Please, Fang Jiedushi, point a clear path for us!"

The whole group knelt, only Zhang Shouyu stood there like a fool.

"Brothers, the court treats us like this—shall we stop fighting?"

"I, Zhang, will now prove my resolve with death! I want the court's blood‑thirsty officials to know that our Lǒngyòu An Ren Army is by no means rebellious!"

"We just want to fight for our honor!"

Stubborn Zhang Shouyu, while saying this, tried to smash a wooden post in the barracks to kill himself, but the crowd clumsily pinned him to the ground and forced him to kneel.

Zhang Shouyu thought loyalty was important, but clearly the others didn't share that view.

"If you have the strength to smash a post, why not use it against the Tufan!"

Fang Chongyong kicked Zhang Shouyu to the ground, pointed at him and scolded.

Hearing this, everyone present fell silent. No matter how chaotic it got, their behavior was akin to a starving child crying for its mother.

"Three roads, you choose."

Fang Chongyong turned, extended three fingers, and, with his back to Zhang Shouyu and the others, continued:

"The first road: we will, in the name of death‑prisoners, escort you to Lanzhou. Then publicly announce that the court has sentenced you to death."

"When you reach Lanzhou, someone will receive you; arrangements will be made then."

"I state now, this road is extremely dangerous—nine deaths to one life. Do not fantasize about escaping midway; if you run, your whole family, clan, and friends will be implicated."

"But if you follow the Jiedushi's plan and finish this road, the stain on you will be washed clean, and I will give you a respectable return."

"The second road: we will disperse you dozens of men, assign you to the front lines around Stone Fortress City, embed you into those thousand‑person border garrisons as ordinary foot soldiers."

"Of course, now you are like rats in the streets within the Lǒngyòu army. How each commander treats you, the Jiedushi will not interfere. If you happen to be killed and reported missing, I will not intervene either."

"The third road is simple: you act as if you never saw the Jiedushi today, and the Jiedushi pretends he never saw you!"

"Tonight I will arrange a good meal for you, and tomorrow at first light you will all march to the Yellow Springs together."

"Of course, your heads will be hung on the walls of Shanzhou City for a month as a warning. It's ugly, but there's nothing we can do."

"Three roads—how will you choose?"

Fang Chongyong's first road is an unknown‑risk but highly lethal path, with the benefit that whether you live or die you can be "cleansed."

The second road is a slow death: these troublemakers will be sent to the front line against the Tufan, non‑garrisoned, likely to die completely within a few months.

The third road is essentially choosing nothing, then happily dying tomorrow.

Clearly, calling them three roads, only the first is worth trying; the others are merely a choice between lingering existence and a swift death.

Going is nine deaths to one life; not going is certainly ten deaths with no life.

"Jiedushi, we are willing to go to Lanzhou!"

Zhang Shouyu knelt, clasped his fists, and saluted, and the others also knelt and saluted, apparently not doing what he wanted.

"Fine, no need for more words. Once you reach Lanzhou's Golden City, you'll know what to do."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, very satisfied with these people's attitude.

Though he never uttered harsh words, he made these dozens of troublemakers feel an indescribable oppressive pressure.

After leaving the camp, Ge Shuhan led the An Ren Army generals, who had been waiting for a long time, to welcome Fang Chongyong to the banquet.

Yet when Fang Chongyong approached, he said to Ge Shuhan: "General Ge, these dozens of troublemakers are death‑prisoners; the Jiedushi will take them away now. Tomorrow, the entire An Ren Army officer corps will convene in Shanzhou for a crucial meeting; do not be late."

Hearing this, Ge Shuhan instantly became nervous; the generals behind him changed complexion, looking at each other, unsure what to do.

"Jiedushi, I have prepared the banquet; please attend."

Ge Shuhan forced a laugh, but his smile was very strained.

"No need, the Jiedushi has official duties; I will return to Shanzhou City now."

Fang Chongyong gave a perfunctory salute to the An Ren Army generals, then left with He Changqi. His personal guards also escorted the An Ren Army troublemakers away, leaving Ge Shuhan's party in disarray.

He wanted to stop Fang Chongyong to ask for clarification, but feared the other side would reveal worse news. So he watched Fang Chongyong's party depart from the An Ren Army garrison at Datong City.

……

Since Zheng Shuqing resigned and returned home, he has left his large residence in Chang'an to his eldest nephew.

He never expected to have another chance, so he directly gave the land deed and the Chang'an mansion to his nephew; after all, his nephew now holds a minor post in the central administration, and the Chang'an residence cannot stay empty—leaving it to his nephew is only logical.

He also wanted to prove to the court that he, Zheng, truly resigned, not fled home to "avoid disaster."

As a result, not long after, Zheng Shuqing was summoned by Brother Ji to Chang'an and given a new important post, so now Old Zheng returned home only to stay temporarily at his nephew's house, which made him very embarrassed.

That day, after he had just taken up the position of President of the Inspection Institute and returned home, he saw his eldest nephew approach calmly, lower his voice and ask, "Uncle, did you really betroth my younger sister to a fool? That's not what you said before!"

Seeing his own eldest nephew's tone of great displeasure, Zheng Shuqing, already hot‑tempered, scolded him loudly:

"Parental decree and matchmaker's words are the natural order of heaven.

Since your father has passed, I may decide your siblings' marriage with a single word; why is it wrong to betroth your sister to another?

Did you forget how you could rise from a local official to a post in Chang'an?

It's because Uncle here has been mediating behind the scenes! What kind of attitude is that!"

"Uncle, your words are indeed true, but you can't push the niece into a fire pit, can you?"

Today that fool came to deliver a letter, claiming he is Aya's husband. The nephew, pale with shock, interrogated him thoroughly; the little fool even claimed he did not favor the Zheng family, saying he was merely obeying the head of the household and reluctantly willing to marry my sister.

"Do you think that's human speech?"

When the eldest nephew brought this up, his anger surged to his head like hair flaring up, truly a case of hair‑raising fury!

He had previously heard that Uncle Zheng Shuqing was acquainted with Fang Chongyong; not only was Fang Chongyong an official, his father Fang Youde was a close minister of the Son of Heaven and had served two terms as Military Governor. He had originally thought the sister would be married into the Fang family to go to Fang Chongyong, which made Zheng Shuqing's eldest nephew rather pleased.

He thought even marrying into Fang Youde, who had been widowed for many years, would be fine!

He didn't expect it to be a marriage to a certain detachment of Fang Chongyong's family… and to a little fool whose mind was clearly not quite normal!

What a horse‑riding joke gone too far!

If that little fool hadn't come to the Zheng house today, he wouldn't have known about this; the eldest nephew thought his own uncle was utterly unreliable!

"Ignore that little fool."

Zheng Shuqing waved his hand impatiently; he wasn't unaware of Fang Laique's character! There's nothing more to say—just treat him like a dog and it's done!

"Eh? That little fool just comes around to show off to you for no reason?"

Zheng Shuqing suddenly realized his eldest nephew seemed to be deliberately withholding an important issue without clarification.

"Uh, that's not it. He sent a letter saying that if Uncle comes to Chang'an, give it to Uncle; if Uncle does not come to Chang'an, do not let anyone peek, and burn it after a year."

The eldest nephew reluctantly pulled a letter from his chest and handed it to Zheng Shuqing.

Seeing the familiar handwriting on the envelope, which read 'From President Zheng', Old Zheng finally felt the weight in his heart lift.

He cleared his throat lightly, patted the eldest nephew's shoulder and said:

"The little fool may be a fool, but he won't go around causing trouble, right?"

What's so wrong about that?

"Uncle, what status can a household slave possibly have?"

Zheng Shuqing was fine as long as it wasn't mentioned, but once brought up, the eldest nephew's anger flared again.

"Then go and kill a dog that the saint keeps in Xingqing Palace, and only then tell me such words!"

"You think that because your father is absent, no one can"

Zheng Shuqing couldn't help but snap back; then he took the letter, walked away with a step that disowned his kin, cursing his big nephew for his shallow insight.

Zheng Shuqing couldn't help but retort. Then he took the letter, walked away with a stride that cut off all kinship, cursing inwardly that the eldest nephew was shallow‑minded.

Damn the horse‑riding, how is it that the next generation of the Zheng clan

I've already checked Old Zheng's lineage; all his brothers, sons and nephews are officials, with full names and records, but I somehow lost the data, so I could only substitute the big nephew—there is indeed such a person, a central official. Once my hand recovers, I'll locate it and correct it.

manages to have children!

【156】 Zheng Shuqing lamented in his heart that the Zheng family was finished, already without any heirs.

【157】 I have examined Old Zheng's genealogy; all the brothers, sons and nephews in his family are officials, with names, surnames, and records. Yet I somehow lost the documents. So I could only use the eldest nephew as a substitute; in fact the person does exist and is a central official. Once I recover my hand, I will correct it when I find it.

【158】 (End of chapter)