Chapter 250: I'm Not Fighting Solo

On this day, inside the Han Yuan Hall of the Daming Palace, the palace eunuchs used tables of the same size, large and small, to piece together many long strip tables, arranged in a "U" shape within the hall.

On the strip tables, exactly one hundred objects of varying sizes were placed neatly, covered with bright‑yellow silk, so outsiders could not see what was inside.

All that was known was that the sizes of these items differed greatly!

Soon, the Tang Emperor Li Longji would hold here a novel "auction" and use the obtained silk as military supplies for the troops on the eastern side of Longyou, and perhaps also for the troops on the western side of Hexi.

For this, he specially selected a batch of not‑so‑precious collectibles from the palace.

Ji Ge could have simply seized them outright, yet he insisted on staging an auction as a formality. One must admit, this Tang Emperor indeed cares about face.

So, did the "auction" Ji Ge is organizing actually exist in the Tang era? Was it his "original creation"?

Answer: In the Tang dynasty, auctions not only existed, they were practically everywhere on the streets. Any aristocratic family's offspring had basically attended all sorts of auctions.

Although this idea came from Fang Chongyong, Ji Ge not only understands auctions well, he even participated in bidding before he became emperor!

It is well known that the Tang government imposed very strict bans on civilians' nighttime commercial activities; night life then was the exclusive domain of a few nobles and high officials.

In other words, according to official regulations, ordinary people should go to bed early at night and not entertain any frivolous thoughts. If you don't intend to rebel, just stay cool and keep quiet!

However, at any time, the commoner's time was "the least valuable." When they had leisure, they engaged in small‑scale commerce, labor to supplement household income, or even pursued night‑life needs, which were always vigorous.

Especially in great cities like Chang'an, Luoyang, and Yangzhou. The relaxation of curfew in the Song dynasty, the formation of a citizen class, and urban prosperity all followed this trend.

To resolve this contradiction, Tang commoners created a new commercial model: the "Ghost Market."

Ghost Market has no ghosts; plainly put, it was the Tang's street‑stall economy, also called a night market.

The Northern Song scholar Qian Yi recorded in his "Southern New Book":

During a Mid‑Autumn night in Chang'an, someone heard a ghost chant: "Six streets' drums cease, pedestrians vanish; nine avenues stretch desolately under the moon." Another heard a man say: "Why labor on the nine avenues when the sun rises? Chang'an's soil ends, the locust trees stand tall." Or locals say the West Gate of the Wu Ben district is a ghost market; in wind and rain, its clamor is heard—how strange.

Thus we know that inside the West Gate of the Wu Ben district of Chang'an was a very famous Ghost Market. Because night stalls violated the curfew, the Ghost Market had no fixed operating hours.

Besides selling cheap trinkets, the Ghost Market also dealt in "questionably sourced" valuable items, commonly called "selling stolen goods." Among them, the "highest‑bidder gets it" auction style was already commonplace.

Ji Ge's auction would not surprise court officials; the emperor's intent to raise funds was written all over his face!

The hall swarmed with people: officials of the central Six‑rank and above, temporarily back‑in‑the‑capital inspectors, as well as the Prince Wang of Ji Ge's family, and the great houses of the Du, Wei, and Pei clans, all sent representatives to join the "bidding."

"First item, tortoiseshell mother‑of‑pearl octagonal box and flat mother‑of‑pearl back‑mounted octagonal mirror. This is a pair, not to be separated for auction.

Starting price five thousand guan."

Gao Lishi, with a thin voice, shouted, and lifted the bright‑yellow silk covering one of the small objects on the table.

It turned out to be this!

The assembled crowd was somewhat surprised; they did not expect Ji Ge to bring this item to auction!

The tortoiseshell mother‑of‑pearl octagonal box was Empress Wu Zetian's favorite in her time, used to store her cosmetics.

The flat mother‑of‑pearl back‑mounted octagonal mirror needs no further explanation; it was used by Wu Zetian to check her appearance after applying makeup.

The inlay technique of mother‑of‑pearl, which flourished in the Qing, was already fully developed in the Tang. Even in Fang Chongyong's previous life, this decorative style was common.

Specifically, it is a high‑level craft used in lacquer work, originating in the Shang dynasty.

The craft mainly uses shells of river snails, thins and polishes their mother‑of‑pearl layer into thin sheets, then carves figures of people, flowers, birds, beasts, etc., and insets them into pre‑carved recessed patterns.

When setting the shells, lacquer is either brushed on the cavity beforehand or the shell is dipped in lacquer to prevent residual lacquer after the shell falls off.

After polishing smooth to reveal the inlaid pieces, the result is a brightly colored mother‑of‑pearl object.

These splendid ornaments, besides using shells and tortoiseshell as raw material, often incorporate amber, lapis lazuli, turquoise, etc., which Tang people called "Baodian."

A treasure is a treasure, but its value lies not in the craft or material, but… it was the imperial personal item of Wu Meiniang! To speak of its worth, one can only call it priceless!

The tortoiseshell mother‑of‑pearl octagonal box and the flat mother‑of‑pearl back‑mounted octagonal mirror already fully express Ji Ge's sincerity.

Is this pair worth five thousand guan?

Not only is it cheap, it's exceptionally inexpensive! No matter whose family receives it, it becomes a family heirloom.

A makeup box once used by Wu Meiniang—what woman wouldn't want to try it?

"Ten thousand guan!"

Before anyone could speak, an ill‑timed voice rang through the hall.

Zheng Shuqing, head of the Investigation Office, expressionless, shouted loudly.

Starting at five thousand, he immediately bid ten thousand; he clearly intended to win.

Everyone present fell silent, no one called out a price.

"Ten thousand guan, any more?"

Gao Lishi shouted, this price was far below Ji Ge's mental expectation.

Current market price: roughly 0.45 guan per bolt of silk. With the development of the textile industry, silk prices will continue to fall.

Spending over twenty thousand bolts of silk on a broken box that cannot be eaten or worn—does it really merit it?

Many say it's a priceless treasure, beyond monetary measure.

Others think it's pure waste of money.

Thus whether it's worth it is a matter of personal judgment; in any case, Zheng Shuqing shouted ten thousand guan, and he certainly thought it worthwhile.

He raised the price to avoid prolonged bidding wars, scaring off all competitors in one breath. Had he started at five thousand, the final price might have exceeded ten thousand!

Hence, Zheng Shuqing is very shrewd in this regard; aside from being somewhat incompetent in his own duties, he seems to know a bit of everything else.

After waiting a long time, no one followed his bid; Gao Lishi could only helplessly say, "Then it's a ten‑thousand‑guan deal."

Ji Ge, seated on the dragon throne, turned ashen!

This item was the dowry of Princess Jincheng when she married. A few years ago, when the Tubo envoys came to seek peace, this piece was deliberately returned to show that Tang and Tubo were one family, pleading with Ji Ge not to strike them dead.

Thus this set of tortoiseshell mother‑of‑pearl octagonal box and flat mother‑of‑pearl back‑mounted octagonal mirror is the most valuable among all items, with the most complex history and symbolic meaning.

Though the treasure is useless—mirrors are too small to see one's face clearly, the box too tiny for cosmetics—its extraordinary provenance cannot be denied!

Just the "story" alone is worth several thousand guan; shouldn't Wu Meiniang's imperial item be worth chasing? What are these stingy fellows trying to do!

Ji Ge originally intended to test the genuine thoughts of the ministers and nobles, but unexpectedly, those people gave him no face at all!

Auction the next item.

Ji Ge was very cold to Gao Lishi beside him, saying, "I originally wanted to give them a break, but it turns out Fang Chongyong judges people more accurately."

The rich in Chang'an city are indeed still too many. These people are so unbearably wealthy; they need to have their burdens lifted.

Ji Ge silently made a decision in his heart.

……

Outside Wuwei City, banners fluttered. A thousand cavalry selected from the Chishui Army, clad in camel‑skin armor unique to Hexi, raised multicolored flags, formed a formation leaving a road in the middle, and warmly welcomed Fang Chongyong and the more than three hundred Yinqiang Xiaojie Army behind him into Wuwei City.

In front of the south gate of Wuwei City, which formed a "cross shape," Deputy Military Governor of Hexi Guo Ziyi had been waiting there for a long time.

Years ago in that great battle, Guo Ziyi earned a posting in the Hexi frontier army through his merits, then rose through military connections, and now holds the position of Chishui Army envoy and Deputy Military Governor of Hexi.

Old Guo is greedy by nature; not only does he deeply engage in Hexi smuggling, but he also has taken a lot!

In fact, the rule that the poor study literature while the rich practice martial arts applies to every dynasty. It not only means that training in martial arts costs money, but also implies that martial training can generate money.

Practicing martial arts requires money, and military families need even more. If one shuns making money, then one should not practice martial arts; otherwise the household will go broke and no skill can be cultivated.

Thus the saying goes, "Civil officials should not covet wealth, military generals should not fear death, and the world can be settled," but it never says generals don't covet wealth!

Now that he sees Fang Chongyong, Guo Ziyi is happier than seeing his own father; before the other party arrives, he has already set up a "ceremonial guard" outside Wuwei City, since the spectacle is already sufficient.

"Jiedushi Fang, you've traveled hard, Guo will lead your horse!"

Guo Ziyi dismounted, eagerly stepped forward to lead Fang Chongyong's horse, paying no heed to the startled looks of others. Fang, unpretentious, remained on the horse, letting Guo hold the reins, and the party arrived at the front of the Hexi Military Governor's Office.

After several years away, returning to his old haunt, Fang Chongyong feels as if a lifetime has passed.

The "old shabby little office" of those days has long been renovated; now the Hexi Military Governor's Office… is truly majestic.

Not only has it expanded outward in a huge loop, but inside the office three‑story pavilions for enjoying the scenery have also been constructed!

Fang Chongyong dismounted and gave Guo Ziyi a strange look.

Probably sensing Fang Chongyong's shock, Guo Ziyi leaned in and whispered:

"Without some spectacle, we can't keep those Western merchants in check. Our office can't be said to be built worse than those big merchants' mansions, can it?"

"All of this is for stabilizing the frontier, nothing surprising, nothing surprising."

"How big the office is, the state has its regulations; we can't rebuild arbitrarily. This won't set a precedent!"

Fang Chongyong, with a cold face, scolded, yet he didn't mention tearing down the illegal structures.

Guo Ziyi understood tacitly, his smile unchanged as he replied, "Of course, of course, there definitely won't be a next time."

The party entered the Hexi Military Governor's Office hall, and upon reaching the main hall saw the prefects of various provinces and the envoys of each army gathered there, apparently having waited for a long time.

Now Hexi has no pressing military matters, and the Tibetans show no signs of invasion. Thus the army envoys and provincial prefects come to Liangzhou for a meeting, and also enjoy Liangzhou's abundant supplies and various Western‑style cultural entertainments, which is unsurprising.

As long as one is healthy, Western harem girls are plentiful; officials in Hexi all understand these matters.

Fang Chongyong, taking the main seat reserved for the Hexi Military Governor, looked around and laughed heartily, saying, "Tonight the Jiedushi is treating; Huamen Tower is booked exclusively, you all must go and give it some patronage."

Hearing this, the awkward tension in the hall, which was about to freeze, instantly eased, and everyone burst into hearty laughter.

"But…"

Fang Chongyong suddenly changed his tone; everyone present, including Guo Ziyi, held their breath, waiting for him to speak the "serious matter."

"Before drinking, the Jiedushi has something to announce; the imperial edict may not have arrived yet, but a formal document should be issued soon, and I hope you all can be mentally prepared."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt their hearts rise to their throats.

Guo Ziyi, crossing his arms in salute, asked Fang Chongyong, "Jiedushi, what exactly is the imperial edict? If you inform us, we can also prepare."

"Well, it's actually not a big deal; the court has decided to adjust the deployment locations of the Long March troops, with no increase or decrease in the soldiers under each Military Governor's command."

"But rest assured, this time the court is moving officials, not officers; swapping troops without swapping generals."

"All of you remain the prefects of Hexi's provinces and the army envoys, but the Long March troops under your command will, according to the Ministry of War's orders, be reassigned to the defense zones of other Military Governors."

"Their families will accompany them, and the court will provide relocation funds. Of course, not everyone will be reassigned; the specifics will follow the court's decree."

"No way!"

Hearing Fang Chongyong's words, everyone present, including Guo Ziyi, was stunned!

"Swap troops without swapping generals? How is that 'no problem'?"

"You really dare to say that while on horseback!"

Guo Ziyi hadn't spoken yet when An Zhongzhang, who came to Liangzhou with Fang Chongyong, couldn't hold back.

He, crossing his arms, asked Fang Chongyong, "Jiedushi, will the soldiers of the Chishui Army also be reassigned?"

"We can't rule that out, but rest assured, those dispatched here are also elite troops from other border armies."

"Moreover, the jurisdiction of the Military Governor of Longyou does not participate in the exchange. Other regions have fertile lands to settle the relocated border soldiers."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand dismissively and said.

He knew what the others in the hall were planning, what they worried about, and what reservations they held.

If Fang Chongyong came to Liangzhou alone, he would be the next scapegoat, sidelined by this crowd.

The smuggling issue along the Hexi trade routes cannot be completely solved, no matter what.

Smuggling enjoys the support of grassroots local strongmen; thus even if the upper commanders are persuaded, the lower folk will still cause trouble. Simply put, Hexi is now overrun with bandits, with a broad popular base.

As for the connections and contacts he had in Hexi back then, what of it?

Back then, the Hexi local strongmen were willing to risk life and death with Fang Chongyong; his word was law because he could deliver massive, tempting benefits to the locals.

Thus at that time he was the godfather here, the uncrowned king of the region!

Now is the time for "scraping the bone to cure poison"—to cut off these people's toxic milk! Without money, who would still treat you like a garnish?

Fang Chongyong's first move in the Hexi crackdown is to dig up the roots and deliver a heavy punch!

You low‑level local strongmen love to cause trouble, so I'll send you all to Hedong, to the northern front to stir up trouble! Let's see what mischief you can make there!

"Jiedushi, is there any room to reverse the imperial edict?"

Guo Ziyi asked with a wry smile, and everyone present wore similar expressions.

"Well, that depends on what the saint means. I'm also powerless."

"How about this: the Hexi Military Governor—shall we pick one of you to take the post? Anyway, I have no opinion."

Fang Chongyong spread his hands and, helplessly, asked the people present.

No more words, ha; those who understand will get it—deeply digging into historical details.

(End of chapter)