Chapter 327: The Western Regions Need Only One Sun

The military towns of the Anxi Protectorate are truly wealthy.

Inside the escrow office of Zhang Sancheng, Fang Chongyong is leafing through the ledgers and can't help but sigh with emotion.

The Anxi army has taken the notion of "the army doing business" to the extreme, skimming off every feather at strategic passes without any self‑pity. The garrison of the tiny Zhang Sancheng manages to levy such heavy taxes, truly eye‑opening.

But on closer thought it's not surprising, since most of that wealth likely goes to feeding the troops, with the remaining spoils shared among officers. Anxi has no civil administration; every economic activity revolves around the military, and all local revenue funds the army.

It's blunt, crude, and straightforward.

That said, in the four towns of Anxi surrounded by hostile forces, if the collected taxes don't feed soldiers, are they meant for bandits to loot?

The perilous environment gave rise to a military‑run system.

Fang Chongyong closes the ledger, rubs his gritty eyes, and filters out useless information in his mind.

To the uninformed, the four towns of Anxi are Kucha, Khotan, Shule, and Suiye. The Anxi Protectorate governs thousands of miles, extraordinarily powerful.

In reality, Suiye was abandoned decades ago, a lamentable piece of history.

Because Suiye lay outside the "mountain‑encircled" core of the Western Regions, supply lines were perpetually troublesome; after the Tang forces captured it, they deemed its cost‑benefit too low. Hence the court has long debated whether to keep Suiye.

For several decades it oscillated between existence and abandonment, truly weathered by change.

At the start of the Kaiyuan era, Tujishi Khan Su Lu led his troops south, seized Suiye—where the Tang‑appointed Western Turkic Khan Ashina Xian had stationed his forces—and revived the long‑dormant Tujishi Khanate.

Since this became a fait accompli, to win over Su Lu the court dispatched envoys to Suiye, officially appointing him as Tujishi's fourteenth loyal Khan and Jin Fangdao Strategist, and, per his request, publicly ceding Suiye to him as a Yating.

The Tang Empire consented to Su Lu's demand solely to have this Tujishi Khan counter the already aggressive White‑clothed Great Arabs further west.

Ji Ge and the court's original plan were sound: let the powerful, geographically advantaged White‑clothed Great Arabs check Tujishi; meanwhile the economically weak Tujishi would have to cling to the Tang as a compliant watchdog, the two biting each other.

Thus the situation west of Congling was indirectly stabilized.

If Tujishi buckled, the Tang would step in to "lend a hand"; this pattern has been used since founding emperor Li Yuan, and the Tang is well‑versed in it. Under normal circumstances, the White‑clothed Great Arabs, far stronger than Tujishi, would dominate the situation.

However, the strategy encountered a slight "minor" hiccup in execution.

The seemingly mighty White‑clothed Great Arabs, while expanding their territory, were unexpectedly out‑maneuvered by Tujishi's cavalry! This silver‑tipped gun‑head suffered consecutive defeats, allowing Tujishi to keep growing, turning the watchdog meant to check the Great Arabs into a threat that seriously endangers the Tang's Western Regions base.

Helpless, Ji Ge had to send heavy troops to annihilate Tujishi.

Although Tujishi was destroyed, Suiye was reduced to scorched earth, unable to support a long‑term Tang garrison; thus it remains abandoned, with only a Buddhist temple as the Tang's foothold there.

Historically, Gao Xianzhi dared to lead a handful of troops into the Battle of Talos because the White‑clothed Great Arabs had been such a feeble force, their combat reputation infamous. Moreover, the Tang lacked deep insight into West Asian politics, creating an information asymmetry.

Thus the four towns of Anxi actually refer to Kucha, Khotan, Shule, and Yanqi, excluding Suiye.

Among these, the Tang does not directly control Khotan; it is held by the Yuchi clan of the Khotan royal family. Though the Yuchi support the Tang, they are not a Tang garrison, so control is only half effective.

Shule's geography is poor, supporting only a tiny force. The Anxi army's true base consists merely of the two great oases, Kucha and Yanqi.

Thus, while the Anxi Protectorate appears to command a vast territory, its economic foundation is extremely weak; most areas are indirectly governed, with tax‑in‑kind levies. The Tang's official forces here are not omnipotent and cannot squander their hard‑won authority.

If the Northern Frontier's situation is better than Fang Chongyong anticipated, then the challenges in Anxi are far greater than he originally estimated!

Food here cannot be self‑sufficient; much comes from other parts of the Western Regions, sustained by the Tang's overwhelming economic might—the "Silk Economy"—to supply the stationed troops.

Historically, Gao Xianzhi's desperate militarism left no alternative.

At this thought, Fang Chongyong sighed, noticed a silhouette shifting at the escrow office doorway, and called out, "Come in."

Hearing that, the masked Duan Xiushi entered, handing a stack of statements to Fang Chongyong. Dawn had already broken; Fang had dozed off last night and spent nearly the entire night poring over documents.

"What did Zheng Dequan's confidant say?"

Fang Chongyong placed the statements on the desk, didn't look at them, and stared at Duan Xiushi, asking.

"We've basically figured it out; the rest is fine, but there are two main points."

One is that they skimmed a lot of profit from customs duties; the other is that they deliberately blocked the Jiedushi's passage.

They simply didn't expect us to arrive so quickly; they probably thought they'd wait until after Gao Xianzhi's campaign before sending us to Kucha.

Of course, if we hadn't come, or if we waited until after Gao Xianzhi left Kucha, that would be even better. Then they wouldn't have to put on any pretense at all.'

Duan Xiushi said in a low voice.

"Clear water holds no fish." As the gate commander of Zhang Sancheng, the garrison officer probes customs profits here—routine business in the Western Regions. Not to mention Zheng Dequan; any other commander would likely reach the same conclusion.

If the commander doesn't take, his subordinates can't either, and morale cannot be assured.

That's nothing unusual.

But Gao Xianzhi's attempt to slip away for a "campaign" adds many more complications.

Gao Xianzhi knows he cannot ignore Fang Chongyong, as the authority comes from the court.

Thus he plans to exploit the time gap before Fang Chongyong, the Western Regions envoy, reaches Kucha, and join the Tuhuoluo envoy on a western expedition, later claiming poor communication and lack of orders.

"I'll set out before you issue the order, so it isn't disobeying orders."

Of course, this military action may not be large in scale.

Fang Chongyong muses silently; he recalls that historical records of his previous life don't mention this battle—perhaps it was omitted, or perhaps Gao Xianzhi, spurred by some event, acted preemptively.

"Only after the Anxi Northern Frontier is settled can we campaign against Xiaoboli. Gao Xianzhi, this is a grave matter that defies orders and jeopardizes the Jiedushi."

Fang Chongyong said to Duan Xiushi in a harsh tone, his displeasure evident.

"Jiedushi, Gao Xianzhi is the Deputy Protector of Anxi; you can't deal with him the same way you slaughtered Zheng Dequan."

Worried that Fang Chongyong might lose his temper, Duan Xiushi whispered counsel.

For a commander like Zheng Dequan, the military governor can appoint him at will; under Fang Chongyong's authority, killing him is simply killing him.

But Gao Xianzhi, appointed by the court as Deputy Protector of Anxi, may have also aligned with Li Linfu. Such a person cannot be cut down with a single stroke; doing so would shock court and realm, which is certainly not good for Fang Chongyong.

"Rest assured, this Jiedushi has his own plans."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said.

He brings the Anxi expeditionary force to the Western Regions to avoid being sidelined or controlled by others.

Beyond that, Fang Chongyong harbors other thoughts, some tasks he must undertake.

The Tang's strategy for managing the Western Regions was sound, but its methods were flawed, and priorities were inverted.

Gao Xianzhi's blind use of force, neglecting the Northern Frontier's base and the Tang Empire's potential decline, left no corresponding deployment, sowing a hidden danger for future turmoil in the Western Regions.

"Jiedushi Fang, the Modo Army's envoy Li Siyie and his party have arrived."

At that moment, Yan Chao strode into the sealing room and whispered to Fang Chongyong.

"Good!"

Fang Chongyong rose to his feet, stepped out of the sealing room, and as soon as he opened the door he saw the towering Li Siyie and his men, and he clasped his fists in salute to them.

"Hahaha! General Li, do you still remember this Ambassador?"

Back in the day in Hexi, General Li repelled the Tibetans, and at that time I was inside the city!

Fang Chongyong walked over, grasped Li Siyie's hand warmly, and laughed.

The tense and awkward atmosphere instantly eased; Li Siyie grinned and said, "Those are old memories, not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning!"

At this point he breathed a sigh of relief; judging by the situation, Fang Chongyong wasn't there to prosecute. Knowing this was enough; the rest were trivial.

"General Li, please come inside."

Fang Chongyong made a beckoning gesture, and immediately Li Siyie, Li Qijun and others entered the sealing room. He Changqi then stood guard at the door, forbidding any idle persons from approaching.

Inside the sealing room, the three sat down; Fang Chongyong handed the imperial edict from Brother Ji to the two for review, and also displayed the fish token of the Western Frontier Expeditionary Army. Only then did Li Siyie and the others realize that Fang Chongyong had already arranged everything, and it was not a spur‑of‑the‑moment, reckless act.

It seems the Western Protectorate Office is about to get a new manager!

Li Siyie and Li Qijun were both secretly alarmed. In truth they didn't know everything; many matters simply didn't affect them, so they chose not to intervene.

"This Jiedushi just arrived at Yanqi Town, and the forward scouts were blocked by Zheng Dequan, who wouldn't let them pass."

Along the way we also heard that Deputy Protector-General Gao was buying grain from the Hu merchants everywhere, apparently to fund an external campaign. Yet I now oversee the Western North Court troop deployments and have not issued any orders to mobilize forces.

This matter is indeed rather suspicious.

Fang Chongyong, knowingly asking, wore a puzzled expression and inquired, deliberately not bringing up the issue of dealing with Zheng Dequan's group.

Li Siyie and Li Qijun both wore wry smiles, and finally Li Qijun spoke: "Deputy Protector-General Gao plans to launch a surprise attack on Xiaoboli; after it succeeds, he'll report to Ambassador Fang."

"The Western troops have not yet gathered; even the Modo Army is still in Yanqi. How could Gao Xianzhi launch a surprise attack on Xiaoboli?"

Fang Chongyong was truly shocked this time.

Gao Xianzhi's audacity is not ordinary. Disobeying orders aside, the Western forces have not yet assembled, yet he, with fewer than ten thousand men, dares to attack Xiaoboli?

"Ambassador Fang may not know, but over in the Tuhuoluo region there are mountain troops that are quite battle‑savvy. This time Deputy Protector-General Gao intends to recruit Tuhuoluo soldiers as support.

Putting other matters aside, attacking Xiaoboli shouldn't be a big problem."

Li Siyie added.

"I see!"

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly; now it made sense. The supplies Gao Xianzhi sought were not for himself, but to hire mercenaries.

Tuhuoluo corresponds to the northern part of his previous life's Afghanistan, a region of many mountains and few fields, with a fierce populace. These Tuhuoluo mercenaries excel at mountain warfare; using them against the also‑mountainous Xiaoboli indeed yields double the result with half the effort.

Gao Xianzhi may act unscrupulously, but his military talent is undeniable.

However, whether it's Li Siyie or Gao Xianzhi, both are the type who relish "extreme maneuvers." Their tactical victories cannot conceal strategic emptiness.

"From this Ambassador's perspective, Gao Xianzhi is buying time; when I bring a large army to Kuqa, he'll already have led his troops to Tuhuoluo. My orders cannot hinder his plans!

Would you agree?"

Fang Chongyong looked at Li Siyie and Li Qijun before him and asked in a stern tone.

The two opposite exchanged glances and remained silent. In their view, Fang Chongyong had already grasped the situation, so there was no need for them to speak further.

"This Ambassador asks you, is that the case?"

Fang Chongyong emphasized once more.

Seeing the stalemate, Li Siyie and Li Qijun crossed their arms in salute and said, "Indeed, as Ambassador Fang said, Deputy Protector-General Gao's plan is somewhat improper."

"Hmm, this Ambassador's position is appointed by the court; my duty is not to deliberately make things difficult for Deputy Protector-General Gao."

"Then let it be: one for personal, two for public. This Ambassador will now draft a letter to the court, reporting the truth. You two should sign the letter as witnesses for this Ambassador."

Having spoken, Fang Chongyong ground his ink, lifted his brush, spread a large sheet of paper, and began drafting the memorial.

Right before Li Siyie's and Li Qijun's eyes, Fang Chongyong swiftly completed a memorial to the court, a "report." Once the ink dried, he placed it on the desk and said to the two before him, "Take a look; if there are no issues, both of you sign. After signing, this Ambassador will dispatch someone on an eight‑hundred‑li express to Chang'an, to present it to the Sage for judgment."

"Can such a thing even be signed?"

Even if Li Siyie and Li Qijun were foolish, they knew that signing this memorial would mean openly turning against Gao Xianzhi, with no way back.

Yet, from another angle, if they refused to sign, might Fang Chongyong think they were also allied with Gao Xianzhi?

Signing is taking a side; not signing is also taking a side!

So, sign or not?

Li Qijun hadn't spoken yet, but Li Siyie was the first to write his name on it.

According to Fang Chongyong's statements in front of outsiders, he owed him a "life‑saving debt" back then. Betraying a benefactor in the Tang era would be self‑destruction of one's reputation.

Li Siyie thought it unlikely that Fang Chongyong would betray him.

But Li Qijun was very hesitant.

This matter originally had nothing to do with him. He, unlike Li Siyie, could not further his influence over military power; he belongs to the kind of "desire‑less, request‑less" type.

He was originally caught between Gao Xianzhi and Fang Chongyong without needing to pick sides; now he must offend Gao Xianzhi to the death, which seems a loss whichever way!

"Judge Li, are you dissatisfied with this Ambassador? Or do you think Deputy Protector-General Gao's actions are correct and intend to file a complaint against this Ambassador to the court?"

Fang Chongyong stared intently at Li Qijun, his smile hollow, and asked.

Sensing the other's ill intent, Li Qijun couldn't help but sigh lightly and, beneath Li Siyie's name, signed his own.

It was like a respectable woman signing a contract of servitude with a pimp.

"You two rest assured; when this Ambassador meets Deputy Protector-General Gao, I will persuade him properly.

If Deputy Protector-General Gao heeds the advice, this memorial will be shelved, and this Ambassador does not wish the Sage to waste time on it.

Of course, by then I will not let Gao see the memorial."

Fang Chongyong comforted the two, saying.

(End of chapter)