Chapter 326: Revolution Is Not a Dinner Invitation

Ahhhhhhh! Let go! It hurts! Let go!

Spare me, spare me! What are you doing? Ahhh!

From the city gate came endless cries of pleading, and Wang Nande seized a low‑ranking soldier in Anxi Army uniform, clutched his long hair, and dragged him forcefully across the ground!

The man wailed in pain, rolling and crawling behind Wang Nande, looking utterly disheveled.

Meanwhile, dozens of Tang soldiers from the Zhang San City Guard held arm‑mounted crossbows, formed a line aiming at Wang Nande's back, but held fire, fearing to shoot. The sight was visually shocking; the usually lofty guard officers, now seized like a dog and begging for mercy, terrified them.

Of course, they dared not act rashly for another important reason: members of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army had already mounted their horses at some point, ready to charge. Their intent was clearly hostile.

As soon as Fang Chongyong gave a single order, an internal clash among the Tang troops would be inevitable!

Wang Nande dragged the man before Fang Chongyong, kicked him onto the ground, and stepped on him. Half his face was buried in sand, and tears welled from the pain.

"Jiedushi, this fellow is Zheng Dequan! It was this scoundrel who blocked our brothers under the signal flag from reaching Yanqi Town."

His tone was still extremely arrogant!

Wang Nande said with a murderous look.

For a Tang low‑ranking soldier, never underestimate their capacity for scheming; likewise, never overestimate their moral limits. When they can use a knife, they never resort to fists; when they can use fists, they never resort to words.

Fang Chongyong waved his hand lightly, and only then did Wang Nande shift his foot off Zheng Dequan's back, standing beside him, hand resting on the hilt of his horizontal sword.

"You, a petty Zhang San City Guard commander, who gave you the nerve to block the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army's scouts from passing?"

Fang Chongyong reached out, patted Zheng Dequan's exposed face, and asked, his tone cold yet questioning.

Zheng Dequan tried to lift his body, but Wang Nande stepped on his back and barked loudly, "Be honest! Who told you to get up? Answer our Jiedushi's question!"

"Who are you? On what authority do you seize me? I want to see the High Protector! When the High Protector arrives…"

Zheng Dequan tried to speak further, but realized Wang Nande's foot was already pressing his nape! His whole face was in sand, making even breathing difficult.

"Go fetch all those low‑ranking soldiers wielding arm crossbows and bring them to our Jiedushi."

Fang Chongyong said to He Changqi beside him, without letting Wang Nande release his foot. Zheng Dequan, even under such pressure, refused to reveal the truth, indicating he was acting on orders rather than on his own whim.

If he cannot assert authority here, he will have no prestige back at the Anxi Protectorate.

He originally intended to spare his life, but to intimidate the Anxi forces—kill a chicken to warn a monkey—he must now cut him down.

What a pity.

Fang Chongyong sighed inwardly; this is how one lives—thunderous methods revealing a Buddha's compassion. To achieve great deeds in the Western Regions, one cannot tolerate excessive noise, nor allow any Tang soldier to oppose him.

Zheng Dequan may not have committed a grave crime; even if he did, it might not merit death, but his bad luck sealed his fate.

In a short while, more soldiers of the Zhang San City Guard emerged, and the personal troops who had just held arm crossbows were called over by He Changqi, each gripping their weapons tightly, too nervous to act.

"I am the court‑appointed Western Regions Envoy Fang Chongyong, overseeing civil and military affairs of the Anxi Northern Court. Previously you blocked other Tang detachments from passing; whose military order was that?"

Fang Chongyong surveyed the soldiers, his expression calm as he asked. His aura was imposing, commanding without anger.

"Reply, Ambassador Fang: Yes, it was his order."

A bold soldier pointed at Zheng Dequan, who lay on the ground with his nape pressed by Wang Nande, and said.

"Do you have the Anxi Protectorate's military order? If so, go fetch it from the city."

Fang Chongyong, with a cold expression, ordered.

The crowd exchanged puzzled looks; they'd never seen such a thing, having only followed Zheng Dequan's instructions. In fact, this is common: low‑ranking soldiers often obey whatever superiors say, unaware of what a military order even is.

"Send someone to bring all Zhang San City Guard officers to our Jiedushi."

Fang Chongyong instructed He Changqi.

In a short while, the matter blew up completely; a young man in his twenties, dressed as a civil official, led a group of low‑ranking soldiers out. He froze briefly upon seeing Fang Chongyong, evidently having met him before, then crossed his arms, bowed, and asked, "Is Ambassador Fang, the Jiedushi, here in person?"

"I am indeed the person. Who are you? You don't look like a soldier."

Fang Chongyong asked, his expression puzzled.

This fellow is smooth‑skinned and delicate; he looks nothing like a low‑ranking soldier from Anxi! Claiming he's a deputy guard officer, no one believes him!

"I am Li Qiyun, a Jiedu Judge of the Anxi Protectorate, on official business in Yanqi Town. I happened to be inspecting the official letters at Zhang San City Guard and have not yet returned to Yanqi City; I did not know that Ambassador Fang was stirring such a great conflict… what is the purpose?"

Li Qiyun also could not fathom what Fang Chongyong intended; he was not a native of Anxi, but an official dispatched from Chang'an, descended from the western branch of the Li clan of Zhao Commandery, one of the six houses, with a distinguished lineage.

Li Qiyun was sent here by the court, partly to assist Gao Xianzhi, and also partly to keep an eye on Gao Xianzhi.

A Jiedu Judge is an office within the Jiedushi's staff, a temporary appointment in the Tang dynasty. Usually the official himself petitions for external assignment, assisting the Jiedushi in managing paperwork.

Because in this era there were no rebellions by Jiedushi, Jiedu Judges were directly appointed by the court.

In the mid‑to‑late Tang, however, this was not always the case. At that time, the semi‑autonomous garrisons, depending on their nature, were sometimes appointed by the court and sometimes directly hired by the Jiedushi locally.

"The Zhang San City Guard intercepted my directly subordinate troops from passing. I, the envoy, am examining who issued this military order. Judge Li, you are an aide in the Anxi Protectorate; do you know about this matter?"

Fang Chongyong asked in an unfriendly tone.

Li Qiyun thought for a moment, then shook his head lightly: "I have never heard of it."

He probably guessed what was happening, but did not wish to wade into murky waters nor cover for Gao Xianzhi.

"You heard that, do you have anything else to say?"

Fang Chongyong looked at the disheveled Zheng Dequan lying on the ground and questioned.

"I… I want to see the High Protector!"

Zheng Dequan replied resolutely; saying anything now was useless, waiting for Gao Xianzhi to arrive would free him.

"Duan Shijiang, tell us, under Tang military law, what crime is forging a military order?"

Fang Chongyong asked the masked Duan Xiushi beside him.

"Reply, Jiedushi: Anyone who falsely transmits a military order without cause shall be executed without mercy."

Duan Xiushi responded in a cold tone.

What does "without cause" mean?

Because sometimes the strategies employed in war involve deceiving even one's own men, or confusing hidden enemy spies within the army. In such cases, forging a military order is merely a wartime tactic, not subject to post‑war punishment.

And "false transmission without cause"—the classic example is when a unit is ordered to hold a position, but the commander, fearing death, claims a higher order to retreat, ultimately causing the battle to be lost.

In this situation, the commanding officer who falsifies a military order would undoubtedly be eliminated. Other similar falsified orders are also punishable by death.

"Execute!"

Fang Chongyong spat two words, showing no mercy.

Upon hearing the command, Wang Nande grabbed Zheng Dequan's hair with one hand and drew his sword with the other.

Puff!

With a swift slash, the corpse was cleaved. Blood gushed from Zheng Dequan's neck, splattering Wang Nande's face.

Pointing at the head in Wang Nande's hand, Fang Chongyong looked around and shouted loudly:

"The falsified‑order officer Zheng Dequan has already been executed on the spot! Yinqiang Xiaojie Army has taken over the defense of Zhang Sancheng Shouchuo, and other officers in the city—perhaps even Zheng Dequan's comrades—this ambassador will examine each of you! Feel free to report any illegal activity!"

"He Laohu, take a detachment to Yanqi Town and have the Mòdāo Army envoy Li Siyie come here to see me!"

After speaking, Fang Chongyong marched straight toward the city gate. The soldiers of Zhang Sancheng Shouchuo standing in the way stepped aside one by one, silent as cold cicadas. Seeing this, Li Qiyun hurried forward and told them, "All of you return to camp and rest; do not wander about. I'm going to fetch Li Siyie here to take charge of the situation."

Li Siyie was brave and skilled in battle, winning the troops' confidence. He was famous throughout the Anxi Army and also governed Yanqi Town; in name only, Zhang Sancheng Shouchuo obeyed his orders.

Why say "in name only"?

Because Zheng Dequan was a chief officer parachuted in by Gao Xianzhi, not a confidant of Li Siyie, and he did not normally follow Li Siyie's commands, so Li Siyie's authority over this garrison was only nominal.

This is similar to the old case of Xin Yunjing, a native mountain chief who never took the Hexi Military Governor Cui Xiyi seriously. The exercise of power requires concrete channels, and those channels are often artificially blocked, preventing the intended outcome.

Hearing Li Qiyun say that Li Siyie would take charge, the soldiers of Zhang Sancheng Shouchuo relaxed and honestly followed the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army into the city.

…

Inside Yanqi City's training ground, although the sky had only just turned a pale fish‑belly white, a muscular middle‑aged brute was already swinging a roughly one‑zhang, fifteen‑jin Mòdāo in training.

Behind him, hundreds of soldiers bared chest and arms, also swinging Mòdāo in practice. The whole ground was filled with masculine vigor, like the rising sun itself.

This man was the Mòdāo Army envoy Li Siyie. He trained his troops diligently; his subordinate Mòdāo Army was the tip of the spear in the Anxi Army, often dispatched elsewhere for emergencies, and possessed extremely rich combat experience.

The Mòdāo Army was unquestionably the strongest Tang force in the Western Regions, unrivaled, and fought in battles more frequently than any other unit, also unrivaled.

While Li Siyie's training was in full swing, a few swift horses rode toward the entrance of the training ground. After the guard let them pass, the party arrived before Li Siyie.

The middle‑aged man in the front, wearing Anxi Army uniform, dismounted hastily, rushed to Li Siyie's side, and whispered, "General Li, something big has happened."

"Why didn't you patrol the Fish Sea with your men and come here instead?"

Li Siyie looked oddly at the man before him and asked.

The man was named Bai Xiaode, a descendant of the old Guizi royal clan. Besides the usual horizontal sword and bow‑crossbow, he wielded a pair of Duannao. These short spears were a distinctive equipment of the former Guizi army—throwable and suitable for cavalry combat, extremely flexible, and often caught opponents off guard.

Early that morning, Bai Xiaode had led his cavalry to patrol the Fish Sea, but he discovered Li Qiyun, the military judge of the Anxi Protectorate, leading a group of Tang soldiers in various uniforms, charging toward Yanqi City with murderous intent.

Puzzled, he approached with his men to inquire, and then realized the situation was dire!

Gao Xianzhi's confidant Zheng Dequan, left in Yanqi Town, had been executed publicly in front of many people!

Indeed, Zheng Dequan was a nose‑in‑the‑air character who, relying on Gao Xianzhi's patronage, strutted around like a crab and was widely disliked.

Nevertheless, he was killed, and even Gao Xianzhi's magnanimity would not easily settle the matter.

This is no longer a personal grievance but a question of power ownership!

Moreover, Zheng Dequan died within Yanqi Town's jurisdiction, and Li Siyie failed to protect his safety—an objective fact. Therefore, Li Siyie must give Gao Xianzhi an explanation.

Bai Xiaode had known Li Siyie for many years; both served in the Mòdāo Army, so he could not ignore the incident!

The killer of Zheng Dequan had a huge backing, larger than Gao Xianzhi's! He was the Western Regions Envoy Fang Chongyong.

The exact title need not be probed; it suffices to confirm that he commands the military forces of the two northern towns of Anxi.

Previously, they had only heard that Fang Chongyong was stationed in Yizhou, under the Northern Court Protectorate, far from Yanqi Town, so Li Siyie and Bai Xiaode paid it no mind. Now Fang Chongyong arrived in Yanqi Town with a light entourage of a few hundred men, clearly intending to contest Gao Xianzhi's authority.

Caught between the two, Li Siyie and his companions could not treat the matter lightly.

"General Li, Ambassador Fang is at Zhang Sancheng Shouchuo; please be sure to go."

Li Qiyun performed a crossing‑hand salute to Li Siyie, desperately signaling him. Beside them, He Changqi and others kept a cold face, said nothing, and just watched Li Qiyun negotiate with Li Siyie.

After all, both were officials and generals under the Anxi Protectorate, so they could speak more easily. Though He Changqi was reckless in his work, he was not a fool, and that was clear.

On one side stood Deputy Protector of Anxi Gao Xianzhi; on the other stood Western Regions Envoy Fang Chongyong.

Li Siyie pondered briefly, and his mind reached a decision at once.

Gao Xianzhi would have to come from Guizi, traveling eastward to Yanqi Town, which would take considerable time.

Fang Chongyong was already at Zhang Sancheng Shouchuo; the journey here would be only a few hours, and a fast horse could arrive within a single hour!

Which way to go, does it even need choosing?

"You reorganize the troops; I'll set out now."

Li Siyie patted Bai Xiaode's shoulder and said.

"Understood! General Li, rest assured, Yanqi Town is safe."

Bai Xiaode pounded his chest to assure Li Siyie.

Li Siyie gave a slight nod, then said to Li Qiyun, "Judge Li, lead the way; I'll follow you to Zhang Sancheng Shouchuo."

Seeing that Li Siyie was not acting rashly, Li Qiyun relaxed, leaned in, and whispered, "Ambassador Fang said General Li once saved his life in Shazhou and lifted the siege there; this trip should be trouble‑free."

Hearing this, Li Siyie seemed to recall the old incident. At that time, to counter the Tubo, the Mòdāo Army was ordered eastward to serve under the Hexi Military Governor. Whether the Shazhou siege actually occurred, he could not recall clearly, as such events were numerous.

Fang Chongyong… that name sounded so familiar.

Li Siyie felt a strange feeling in his heart, said nothing more, donned his uniform, and left the training ground with Li Qiyun and the others.

(End of chapter)