Chapter 29: Wang Zhongsi! Return My Wife!

"Um, this matter is truly hard to explain in a single sentence. By the way, I am Li Kui, a distant relative of General Wang's wife's family, temporarily lodging here."

When Li Kui saw Fang Chongyong pull out a red paper bearing Wang Yunxiu's birth eight characters, he immediately sensed that something big was about to happen.

Fang Chongyong was invited by Li Kui into the main hall, but he only saw a servant sweeping the courtyard; the whole yard was empty and not a single member of the Wang family could be seen.

He didn't know whether they had gone on a distant trip or had some urgent matter that took them elsewhere in Chang'an.

After taking a seat, Li Kui sighed helplessly: "Since General Wang was demoted, this residence can no longer be maintained. The clothing, food, shelter, and transportation in Chang'an, as well as the upkeep of this mansion, are beyond the means of an ordinary household."

I am studying in Chang'an preparing for the imperial exams; to be honest, I cannot even afford to rent a house, so I temporarily stay at a distant relative's home. General Wang's primary wife, Lady Li, comes from the Gu Zang branch of the Longxi Li clan, the same lineage as me. Therefore she takes me in to manage the residence while I also prepare for the exams.

Li Kui's words carried a bitterness that could not be spoken to others.

Wang Zhongsi's family—his mother, Lady Kuang, is a descendant of the Han‑era Kuang Heng, but today they are a modest household. It is said that marriages should match status; if Wang Zhongsi's father Wang Haibin were wealthy and influential, could he marry the already destitute Kuang clan?

Now rice is expensive in Chang'an, and the Wang family are orphans and widows with no income, making life in the cramped city very hard. Moreover, the house granted by Li Longji cannot be bought or sold at will, lest they be accused of "deceiving the emperor."

Li Kui himself also has difficulties.

Although he hails from the Gu Zang branch of the Longxi Li clan, his wealth belongs to the clan and can only be used in emergencies. The many clan members each seek their own paths and develop independently. Prices in Chang'an are astonishing; even scions of noble families try to save wherever possible.

To take the imperial exams, one must go around Chang'an to find a "benefactor" and a way in, otherwise there is no chance. Being from a noble family does not guarantee anything; everyone without a background has to rely on connections, and Li Kui is no guarantee of success.

When it was heard that Lady Li, Wang Zhongsi's wife, intended to leave Chang'an and settle back home, someone in the clan vouched for Li Kui to stay here temporarily, paying Wang Zhongsi's family a monthly sum to improve their livelihood.

There are many benefits to this arrangement. Since Wang Zhongsi is only temporarily down on his luck, once he recovers, the Chang'an residence will still be there, and his family, including Lady Li, can move back from their hometown.

Moreover, Li Kui is only staying here for the exams; once he passes, he will instantly leap like a carp over the dragon gate. As a scion of a noble family, passing the exam guarantees him ample connections in Chang'an, unlike the later Bai Juyi who had to scrape together money to buy a house.

Seeing that Li Kui did not seem deceitful, Fang Chongyong could not hold his question any longer. After a moment's pause he asked, "My father‑in‑law comes from the Wang clan of Taiyuan, a respectable lineage… why would he, once demoted, be unable to afford housing in Chang'an?"

"Even a family of officials—does that mean everyone can live in silk and jade?"

Li Kui gestured to his own robe and retorted, his resentment evident on his face. The dark‑blue hemp‑grass robe was plain, without any adornment.

Noble families are indeed vast, and he has neither passed the exams nor obtained an office. With many branches of relatives, even if everyone lived in silk and jade, the gold and silver mountains would not be enough.

A luxurious life requires holding office in Chang'an, or having a father or elder brother in office there. He aspires to such a life and is willing to achieve it through his own effort. His current situation is only a hair's breadth from being a "guest under another's roof," and his strong pride makes Li Kui unwilling to reside here permanently.

"Brother Li, do you know where my father‑in‑law's family has moved to?"

Fang Chongyong asked helplessly, complaining that the horse‑riding Wang Zhongsi is so unreliable that he doesn't even inform anyone when his family moves.

"What about the promised childhood‑sweetheart, cute younger wife?"

"General Wang's household has already moved back to their old home in Huazhou Zheng County; they never told me anything. To be precise, after I came to Chang'an I have never met them; only long ago, when General Wang married, I attended a banquet and saw them once."

In other words, Li Kui was sent here by his family to stay temporarily and manage the house. Wang Zhongsi's wife, Lady Li, never interacted with him; it was the Li family who arranged and handled everything.

"Huazhou Zheng County…"

Fang Chongyong fell silent, pondering where exactly this place was. Tang‑era names differ greatly from earlier periods; the three‑tier system of prefecture‑commandery‑county changed to a two‑tier system of prefecture and county, so many unfamiliar names with the character "zhou" appear.

"Huazhou Zheng County lies at the foot of Mount Hua, about eighty to ninety li from Chang'an; a bull‑cart ride there takes roughly two days."

Li Kui replied nonchalantly, indicating he probably already understood why Wang Zhongsi's family left Chang'an.

With no relatives in Chang'an and prices sky‑high, and Wang Zhongsi not serving as a great general in the court, what would he do staying in the city? Zheng County is not far; his family there has relatives and farmland, and even a return to Chang'an would only take two or three days on foot. There's no reason to endure the cramped hardships of Chang'an.

"Alright then, I shall set out for Zheng County now."

Fang Chongyong no longer knew what to say; these adults—Fang Youde, Wang Zhongsi, Zheng Shuqing—each one a troublemaker! All of them are making life difficult for this half‑grown child!

"Could it be… you are the son of Fang Jiedushi?"

Since Li Kui is preparing for the exams, he naturally watches for powerful patrons in Chang'an. Fang Youde is indeed one of those "connections," but he has already gone to Youzhou. When Li Kui thought of families linked by marriage to Wang Zhongsi, he recalled this episode.

"After all, the 'grasping the spear for marriage' story has spread everywhere; as a relative of General Wang's wife's family, I naturally would not be unaware of this matter."

"Besides this unlucky fellow, who else could it be?"

Fang Chongyong sighed and prepared to stand up and leave.

"Actually, you are still young, so you need not worry about marriage yet. Since Fang Jiedushi already has plans, everything will fall into place naturally," Li Kui said kindly, his attempt to ingratiate himself unmistakably clear.

Fang Chongyong is Wang Zhongsi's son‑in‑law and Fang Youde's son; Wang Zhongsi's wife comes from the Gu Zang Li clan, as does he, so the connection is already there, isn't it?

Li Kui felt a surge of excitement; he saw Fang Chongyong's gaze change.

"This matter is long and hard to explain in a single word; we must wait until I meet the mother‑in‑law before making a decision. I apologize for any disturbance; I shall take my leave now."

Fang Chongyong clasped his hands and bowed to Li Kui.

But Li Kui, pulling his sleeve enthusiastically, said, "There is a man named Wang Sheng at Xuanping Fang who is skilled at drawing lots and divination—his predictions are always accurate. We feel like old friends; why not go to Xuanping Fang today?"

"That works, anyway Xuanping Fang is not far from my home."

Fang Chongyong gave a slight nod, offering no refusal.

Li Kui harbored a selfish motive, his desire to network obvious. Yet Fang Chongyong was indifferent; humans are social animals and connections are reciprocal. Having just arrived in Chang'an, his future was still vague, so more friends meant more paths.

Anyway, it's on the way home, and watching a Tang‑era charlatan perform his tricks is rather interesting.

Fang Chongyong thought to himself, "It could be either way, it doesn't matter."

…

Youzhou Jicheng (Beijing) stretches nine li north‑south and seven li east‑west, with ten gates; its perimeter is thirty‑two li. It is a rectangular city slightly longer north‑south than east‑west, a sizable metropolis by ancient standards.

This is Youzhou, indeed the core region of northern Hebei, without exception.

Northeast of Jicheng lies Tan Zhou City (Beijing's Miyun District); heading north past Gubeikou and continuing northeast, the Tang army established a military outpost: the Eastern Guard‑Capture!

It served not only for colonization but also for training troops and border defense.

Shouzuo is unique to the Tang dynasty; other dynasties lacked such a border institution. Its commander is titled Shouzuo General. The garrison ranges from three hundred to seven thousand soldiers, its organization highly flexible, functioning as a frontier outpost rather than a source of troops.

Inside Shouzuo, the troops may include regular army—i. e., the Fubing militia—as well as conscripted soldiers, even prisoners; the Military Governor of Youzhou also spends money to hire locals. The sources are diverse, both Hu and Han, but all under unified command.

Whether you are Fubing militia or locally recruited, the rules are the same here.

Further northeast lies Mount Modou. The Tang empire and the Xi people use Mount Modou as the border; the Tang army set up the frontier force "Modou Army" stationed at Du Yunling (Tongling) to guard against Xi incursions.

Although spring has arrived with blooming flowers, the weather at Du Yunling still feels chilly.

Wearing a great cloak and a suit of leather armor, Youzhou Inspection Commissioner Fang Youde was leading his elite guard to review the Modou Army. Meanwhile, Military Governor Zhang Shougui of Youzhou stood quietly nearby, observing without speaking.

It seemed to give Fang Youde a lot of face.

It really can't be done without giving face; although Zhang Shougui's official rank is a little higher than Fang Youde's, his relationship with Li Longji is far worse than Fang Youde's relationship with Li Longji.

It could even be described as a difference between clouds and mud.

There are rumors that Li Longji's decisive coup against Princess Taiping was orchestrated by Fang Youde. This man's low‑key actions do not mean his power is small.

Kneeling before Fang Youde was a burly young man, whose armor had long been removed, wearing only a simple shirt, bound with thick ropes, staring angrily at Fang Youde without speaking.

"Cui Qianyou, the evidence of your embezzling military grain is conclusive. Now this Jiedushi will present your head as a warning to the three armies, to rectify military discipline. Do you have anything to say?"

Fang Youde drew his sword and pressed it against Cui Qianyou's head, the insulting, provocative stance heavy.

Zhang Shougui, standing nearby, could not grasp what Fang Youde intended, but Cui Qianyou was only a low‑ranking sergeant of the Mo Dou army; dealing with him was just dealing. If killing this man would link him to Li Longji, he wouldn't mind killing ten more.

In official circles, a soldier's life amounts to nothing. Of course, killing is possible, but killing in front of so many people is not.

"Pah! If it wasn't taken, it wasn't taken; to add a crime, why worry about lacking words? Just go ahead and act!"

Cui Qianyou twisted his neck and shouted, spat at Fang Youde, and was immediately rushed by the latter's personal guards, who beat and kicked him.

First, the army reported that some grain was missing; later those few bags of grain "miraculously" reappeared in his own camp; finally, his co‑dweller Pao Ze stepped forward to testify, saying that when Cui Qianyou stole the grain and brought it back, he was seen by the other side.

All these framed traps were as coordinated as if prearranged; if this weren't framing, it would truly be a ghost story!

"Wait."

Zhang Shougui sauntered over and pulled Fang Youde aside.

"In the Youzhou border towns, there are many peddlers and vagabonds, and daily crimes of immorality are not uncommon. It is like Ban Chao's pacification of the Western Regions back then; among the Han troops there, the brave and fierce are many, while the upright are few."

"Cui Qianyou is only a sergeant; though he hails from the Cui clan of Bo Ling, his family has long declined, and to Gong Tai he is no more than an ant. Perhaps we should strip him of his military status, return him to his family, then hint to the local authorities to assign him to corvée labor. What does Gong Tai think?"

Zhang Shougui asked calmly.

He is the Youzhou Jiedushi! Fang Youde is only the Observation and Disposition Officer.

If he has his own cooperation, Fang Youde can run rampant in the Youzhou border towns, dealing with whomever he wishes; without that cooperation, even with countless imperial favors he cannot act. At most he could tear his face, causing a scene before the emperor.

The Observation and Disposition Officer is himself a police of illegal acts within the army. Cui Qianyou's offense (clearly framed) being captured by Fang Youde is also within his duties.

Killing a border soldier in front of Zhang Shougui is not prohibited, but such a lowly framing method cannot be used.

A token punishment suffices; killing is absolutely forbidden.

If Fang Youde could arbitrarily kill within his own troops, how could Zhang Shougui still command the three armies?

"Jiedushi Zhang pleads on your behalf; the death penalty can be avoided, but a life sentence is inevitable. Beat with a fifty‑staff, and escort him back to his hometown!"

Fang Youde waved his hand grandly and turned to leave.

The party rode back to Youzhou City, having completed Fang Youde's inspection of border troops. Zhang Shougui treated Fang Youde to a lavish banquet of local game. No idle guests were present. Recalling Cui Qianyou, Zhang Shougui asked puzzled, "Cui Qianyou is only a sergeant; why does Gong Tai stir up such a conflict?"

"When punishment is unknown, authority is immeasurable. I know he is innocent, but as the Jiedushi said, the Youzhou border troops are rife with immoral offenders."

"Those like Cui Qianyou risk military law punishment; would the true grain thieves then steal recklessly without any scruple?"

Fang Youde presented his own theory.

Zhang Shougui nodded slightly; though he did not fully endorse Fang Youde's method, he had to admit that unknown punishment yields unpredictable authority—perhaps ineffective on ordinary people, but works well among the border troops.

Fang Youde used an innocent soldier to establish authority; among these border troops with weak sense of right and wrong, it proved effective. With no set rules, actions are hard to predict; unpredictability implies tremendous deterrence.

After parting with Zhang Shougui, Fang Youde returned to his residence, screened off his sides, and took out a pocket‑sized thread‑bound booklet.

Turning to the second page, Fang Youde took a vermilion brush and heavily crossed out the name 'Cui Qianyou.' The booklet also listed a series of names.

An Lushan, Shi Siming, Yan Zhuang, Cui Qianyou, An Shouzong, Li Guiren… among them Yan Zhuang and Cui Qianyou's names have already been crossed out with the vermilion brush.

"Anyone who harms our great Tang prosperity shall die!"

In the dim candlelight, Fang Youde muttered, tucked the booklet into his close‑fitting pocket, his face bearing satisfaction and contentment.

If the problem cannot be solved, then eliminate the one who creates it; Fang Youde's thinking is simple and brutal. Whether it works can only be asked of the heavens.