Chapter 321: Casting a Long Line to Hook a Big Fish

Fu Menglingcha's appearance, to Fang Chongyong, really wasn't good.

Ignoring his disheveled hair, the man's dark skin was clearly from overexposure to UV. Moreover, his horse‑like face and small eyes gave him a rather fierce and sly look, hardly a good sort.

"General Fu Meng, why are you so disheveled?"

Fang Chongyong rose from the low stool, feigning surprise as he asked. His movements were so agile that his legs seemed perfectly fine.

Fu Menglingcha raised an eyebrow, his expression awkward, and said nothing.

This young Western Regions strategic ambassador was truly a remarkable fellow, not even bothering to pretend.

"I, the junior general, was unaware that Ambassador Fang was ill, and have come to the main camp to plead guilty."

Fu Menglingcha bowed and saluted, without mentioning the detail of Fang Chongyong pretending his foot was burned by sand.

Marching in the desert, walking barefoot under the scorching sun does indeed burn the soles—after all, at peak heat the ground temperature exceeds sixty degrees, how could one avoid burns?

But such matters should only be hinted at; there's no need to expose them. Otherwise Fang Chongyong would be embarrassed, and Fu Menglingcha wouldn't fare well either.

"General Fu Meng, you are too polite. Attendants, bring General Fu Meng for a wash; do not neglect proper etiquette."

Fang Chongyong called out to He Changqi, who was on guard outside the gate.

Now that Fu Menglingcha was disheveled and filthy, anyone unaware of the situation would probably think he had been poisoned inside Fang Chongyong's camp.

In normal social etiquette, when receiving guests, both sides should be clean and tidy; this is the minimum of hospitality.

Fu Menglingcha, being just a warrior in a hurry, might not care about this, but Fang Chongyong can now be called the top military‑political official of the Western Regions, and he cannot deny the guest proper respect.

After a short while, Fu Menglingcha re-entered the command tent; this time his hair was tied, the dust and grime on his face washed away, and he had changed into a fresh uniform, looking much more composed than before.

After the two sat down, Fang Chongyong and Fu Menglingcha stared at each other, each waiting for the other to speak first.

After waiting for a long time, Fu Menglingcha finally couldn't hold back and asked: "Ambassador Fang, bringing ten thousand troops of the Anxi Expeditionary Army to Yi Province, for what purpose? The imperial edict is vague; I feel uneasy, and the troops' morale is wavering, fearing that Ambassador Fang intends to seize their command. Please, Ambassador, enlighten me."

Fu Menglingcha asked hesitantly.

In the three Beiting prefectures, the three armies have large units and a host of smaller detachments; many of them are seasoned veterans. Whether these men fear losing command is uncertain, but Fu Menglingcha himself is certainly worried about having his command taken away!

Hearing this, Fang Chongyong waved his hand indifferently and said, "I, the ambassador, came to the Western Regions by the saint's decree; my purpose is to pacify the recalcitrant states that defy the Tang's royal way. I will not strip the Anxi and Beiting garrisons of their command, General Fu Meng, you are overthinking it."

Receiving the answer he hoped for, Fu Menglingcha breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that he could communicate effectively with the Western Regions strategic ambassador before him. Since the overarching principle was aligned, any subsequent matters could be discussed within that framework.

Fu Menglingcha feared that the court intended to have Fang Chongyong reorganize the army, fully control the Tang forces in Anxi and the two Beiting garrisons, restructure the military‑political hierarchy, redeploy troops, and reshuffle the commanders and key personnel of each army.

If it really came to that, this Beiting Deputy Protector… would probably have to deliberately shirk his duties, causing some trouble for Fang Chongyong. Otherwise, who in the Tang army would ever take him seriously in the future?

A true man must not be arbitrarily manipulated by others; capable people all have their tempers!

"According to the saint's plan, I, the ambassador, have the authority to allocate troops among the Anxi and Beiting armies, but the specifics of combat and personnel assignments remain the responsibility of the existing frontier generals, namely the Anxi Protector and the principal Beiting Protector."

"Therefore, General Fu Meng, you need not worry; I will not arbitrarily meddle with the personnel arrangements of the Anxi and Beiting garrisons."

Fang Chongyong reassured Fu Menglingcha, saying.

Upon hearing this, Fu Menglingcha immediately grimaced, gave a slight nod, yet felt unable to speak the truth.

He pretended to be indifferent and said, "In that case, the Beiting three armies' soldiers can train with peace of mind, ready to serve the nation at a moment's notice."

Fang Chongyong's words carried hidden meaning; Fu Menglingcha could not resist and did not want to suffer a loss, so he feigned ignorance, burying his head in the sand like an ostrich.

The principal Protectors of Anxi and Beiting are remote appointments; they are far away in Chang'an, unaware of any happenings in the Western Regions, so issuing orders to adjust personnel is out of the question. The Deputy Protector only handles daily affairs and is merely a temporary stand‑in.

This is itself a measure taken because the principal Protector is absent, a temporary expedient.

Now that Ambassador Fang Chongyong has arrived, this position, though temporary, theoretically grants authority over all military and political affairs of the Tang in the Western Regions. Fang Chongyong could stay out of it, but he has the right to intervene; if something goes wrong, he bears full responsibility, and can thus handle the parties as he wishes.

It is a kind of "concurrent" authority‑responsibility relationship.

The current situation pits a temporary formal appointment against a long‑term interim authority; each has its pros and cons. From a ruler's perspective, the former may be more effective, while the latter is feared for being too powerful.

Subordinates always want to become permanent; what would the emperor and chancellor think?

Fu Menglingcha does not wish to rebel; the Tang appears invincible on the surface, making rebellion impossible, and Fang Chongyong still commands over ten thousand elite troops, so sidelining him is unlikely.

Therefore, Fu Menglingcha truly has no way to firmly oppose this Western Regions strategic ambassador; he can only cooperate and work together, hoping the other side does not overstep.

However, many times, such Guest Troops operating far from home is not a boon for local officials; it inevitably leads to some mishaps, let alone the need to parachute in a superior commander!

Fang Chongyong's status and the elite troops he brings resemble the pre‑Kaiyuan political practice, where generals dispatched from the central court commanded the imperial guard in a region.

During the Kaiyuan‑Tianbao era, the Western Regions' borders had solidified; in other words, the Tang could no longer experiment here. The frontier armies and commanders were completely different from the earlier militia system; the chief of staff and strategic ambassador now represented the court in expanding the frontier.

Back then, armies were temporary; after a campaign they would return to the capital, and militia would go back to their homes. Nowadays, frontier troops are stationed locally, intertwined with the locals, bearing a strong regional character.

In this era, the Imperial Guard and the frontier troops have gradually become two separate, non‑intersecting systems. This time the court has not appointed a permanent Anxi Protector or Beiting Protector, but that is merely an attempt to reduce disputes, not to eliminate them.

Just as the current rift between Fang Chongyong and Fu Menglingcha stems first from the question of who commands whom.

No need to decide life or death, but a hierarchy must be established!

"General Fu Meng, your arrival is timely; I, the Jiedushi, have matters I wish to discuss with you in detail."

Fang Chongyong suddenly suppressed his smile, ceased the pleasantries, and said seriously.

Seeing the other side ready to discuss serious matters, Fu Menglingcha also put away his smile, and Fang Chongyong clasped his fists in salute, saying, "Ambassador Fang, please speak; I will cooperate with all my strength."

"Eh, General Fu Meng, you're too nervous; this isn't a matter of war."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand, then suddenly slapped his palms twice and shouted outside the command tent, "Attendants, bring the gifts up!"

He Changqi stepped forward, accompanied by two bodyguards, carrying a large wooden box inside, then quietly withdrew from the tent.

Fu Menglingcha stared puzzled at the large wooden box before him, saying nothing, waiting for Fang Chongyong to explain.

"The Anxi Expeditionary Army also counts as Guest Troops operating away from home; it will still need to use the provisions and transport of Beiting, which will cause you considerable trouble."

Although these supplies are from the imperial treasury, diverting them without proper justification is unacceptable.

Accounts will be settled by the designated finance officer.

Nevertheless, as a guest, and with the Anxi Expeditionary Army as Guest Troops, we cannot come empty‑handed.

Fang Chongyong walked over, opened the large wooden box, and saw it packed with copper cash coins of varying denominations, from a single guan up to a hundred guan! Fu Menglingcha's eyes widened.

The He Xi copper cash coins have already been circulating on a small scale in the three Beiting prefectures and are popular among the Western Regions' Hu merchants.

Why is that so?

In fact the reason is simple: the Western Regions are all desert, and the Hu merchants from the West carry money and drag goods to the Tang Empire for trade. They either want the currency in their hands to be heavy, making it a burden to carry, or they want the currency to be almost weightless so they can bring more Western goods, even more dry provisions and water on the road.

The answer is obvious: as long as the silk‑exchange business in Hexi faces no obstacles and Hexi does not over‑issue paper money, this thing can be smoothly kept under strict Tang control and circulate normally among the households of the three northern frontier prefectures.

After all, although the Western Regions are vast, the distance from Yi Prefecture to Gua Prefecture is not that far.

So Fu Menglingcha naturally knows what paper money is! He himself uses it from time to time!

"Ambassador Fang, what does this mean?"

Fu Menglingcha asked with some caution, bluntly saying, "This is outright bribery!"

"Someone wishes to recruit brave soldiers from the Northern Frontier army into the Western Expeditionary Army. These are the expedition rewards: each soldier gets fifty guan, each officer a hundred guan.

For the soldiers not going on the campaign, ten men share one guan to buy some wine. If there is any remainder, let General Fu Meng divide it with the officers who are not joining the expedition."

Fang Chongyong said calmly, his face expression indifferent.

"First, give them a sweet date!" Fu Menglingcha showed a thoughtful expression, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

If this money is given to the officers, it is a bribe, because Fang Chongyong never disclosed the source of the funds.

From that perspective, the money is hot to hold!

But if Fang Chongyong's move is to recruit for the campaign, selecting men from the army, then this money is likely "life‑selling money".

In that case it cannot be refused!

Seeing Fu Menglingcha remain silent, Fang Chongyong pulled the imperial edict that Ji Ge had given him from his sleeve and handed it to Fu Menglingcha for review.

"The emperor ordered it this way; this money the ambassador could actually keep for himself, using it to acquire land and houses in Chang'an, which would be very comfortable.

But the troops are about to face life and death; many may end up buried far from home. This amount of money can at least make their parents, wives, and children live more comfortably.

"General Fu Meng, what do you think?"

Fang Chongyong asked earnestly, his face sincere.

"Well... the ambassador's goodwill, the junior general will accept it on behalf of the boys of the three northern frontier prefectures."

Fu Menglingcha did not feign modesty, gave a slight nod, and began to treat Fang Chongyong differently.

Someone with such skill must be a veteran who has spent many years in frontier towns, certainly not a central bureaucrat who is all talk and no action, ignorant of the frontier hardships.

"Ambassador Fang, the junior general has a proposal."

After a moment of thought, Fu Menglingcha suddenly spoke.

"General Fu Meng, please speak."

Fang Chongyong gave a slight nod.

"Near the northwest of Yiwu City lies Puli Lake, the garrison of the Yiwu army. The scenery is beautiful, water abundant, pastures lush, and the lake contains plenty of fish to catch.

How about the ambassador leads the Western Expeditionary Army to camp beside Puli Lake, holds a banquet after sunset, and then selects elite troops from the Yiwu army?"

Puli Lake is indeed the Yiwu army's garrison; although called a "lake," it is actually a sizable body of water. Its presence eases the local arid climate, making the natural conditions the most comfortable in Yi Prefecture.

Fang Chongyong led the main force to Puli Lake, held a banquet and simultaneously announced conscription, saving many hassles.

After conscription is complete, the Western Expeditionary Army can be stationed in Xizhou, and Fu Menglingcha will accompany Fang Chongyong to Xizhou, escort them out of the Northern Frontier Protectorate's jurisdiction, then return from Xizhou to Ting Prefecture.

In short, we must attend to this "great deity" sent by the court, Fang Chongyong, and then send him off, to avoid any complications.

Fang Chongyong is easy to talk to now, but that does not mean he will always be so.

Fu Menglingcha understood clearly that for a frontier high official, keeping such a person at a distance is better. In terms of age, Fang Chongyong can call him "uncle" without issue; but in official rank, it is Fu Menglingcha who should be the one addressed as "father".

"Very well, it's getting late. General Fu Meng, please return to Yiwu City; I will go to the government office tomorrow, and we can discuss any matters then."

Fang Chongyong, seeing his purpose achieved, rose to see the guest off. After Fu Menglingcha exchanged a few polite words, Fang Chongyong courteously escorted him out of the camp.

……

Inside the commander's tent, He Changqi, Duan Xiushi, Guan Chongsi and others wore grim expressions; the "prisoner" character etched on Duan Xiushi's face looked especially ferocious in the firelight.

"Jiedushi Fang, those paper monies are our military funds; you give them to Fu Menglingcha like that? Weren't we supposed to give military vouchers, sending the northern frontier border troops and commanders to the farther west to seize?"

He Changqi's tone was quite dissatisfied, yet he was powerless. Fang Chongyong's actions felt like carving flesh from their hearts.

That really hurts!

"Jiedushi, He Laohu's words are not unreasonable; we really have no need to be so courteous to the Northern Frontier troops.

If you say we should select Northern Frontier soldiers for the Western Expeditionary Army and provide expedition funds, the junior general agrees. But for those who don't join, there's no need to buy them drinks, right? The sum of this money isn't insignificant."

Duan Xiushi added another point.

In their view, this paper money should belong to their "direct line" faction, so how can it be given freely to the Western Region's Northern Frontier army!

"Hey, you don't understand; this is called casting a long line to catch a big fish."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said.

The three were all stunned, not knowing what Fang Chongyong intended.

"The paper money from Hexi does not yet have a firm standing in the three northern frontier prefectures. This wave of paper money spread out effectively expands its usage, facilitating our subsequent actions.

The three northern frontier prefectures are not like the twenty states of Congling; this area remains a core base of our Tang Empire and cannot be messed with."

Fang Chongyong chuckled and shook his head, continuing: "You all keep staring at that tiny plot of land. If you want paper money, once you return to Hexi, we'll freely issue it to you—are you still afraid of lacking funds?"

To obtain, one must first give.

This is a very simple principle, yet many people in practice always hope for unearned gain, expecting others to support them unconditionally.

Even fishing requires bait; this group's blunt thinking is: because I have a knife in my hand, as long as I want,

I don't need to seize, that's already polite enough; why would I hand out my own money to you?

Of course, thinking it's normal doesn't mean this mindset is correct. Fang Chongyong came to the Western Regions this time to grasp politics and military with one hand, and he's strong in both. He never thought he could rely on just a sword to cut his way from Yi Prefecture to the Protectorate General of Persia; that's unrealistic.

Of course, feeling it's normal doesn't mean the mindset is correct. Fang Chongyong's trip to the Western Regions is a simultaneous political and military grip, both hands strong. He never imagined that a single sword could cut from Yi Prefecture to the Persian Protectorate—that's unrealistic.

He also does not intend to let these brutes run amok.

"Three days later at Puli Lake, let the young men drink wine and eat meat to relax. Then prepare a grand martial contest for the whole army, giving the Yiwu army of Yi Prefecture a proper lesson.

"Whoever loses the Jiedushi's face will have to leave empty‑handed," Fang Chongyong said, scanning the crowd, fists clenched tightly.

(At month-end, seeking votes; today there is still one chapter)

(Chapter complete)