Chapter 330: Only Magic Can Defeat Magic

People who have seen a forest fire know that before it ignites, putting it out is very easy; in summer forests the leaves are lush, not completely dry, so actually getting it to burn is not that simple.

But once the forest is deliberately set alight and truly burns, it becomes a climate, spreading like wind sweeping clouds, impossible for human effort to stop, and cannot be doused by any means.

Only by cutting down all surrounding trees to form a firebreak, waiting until nothing inside can burn, can the fire be extinguished.

If fire suppression is not timely, this forest fire could burn for a month, spreading dozens of li and turning the land white! It is not hyperbole!

This time the fire on the Huangyu Mountain ridge where Cuiwei Palace stands was definitely set by a schemer, using lamp oil, even the same lamp oil from workshops under the Ministry of Works in Chang'an.

The quality was top‑grade!

Ji Ge, impatient and flustered, walked out of the palace and looked down the mountain, his expression changing instantly.

Well, there's no need for a close inspection, because thick black smoke already rose, right along both sides of the mountain path. The flames are hard to see under the scorching sun, but the hot air still brushes the face faintly.

It's the chimney effect—smoke and heat rise upward.

Overheated and dizzy, Ji Ge retreated back to the main hall of Cuiwei Palace, his face turning grim in an instant.

The chance that this fire will kill him is low, but its terrible impact cannot be underestimated. Who is the hidden mastermind, and what do they intend?

"Lishi, you didn't send anyone to Chang'an to bring reinforcements, did you?"

Ji Ge stared at Gao Lishi and asked.

"Your Majesty, I only ordered the accompanying Divine Strategy Army soldiers to fight the fire; I did not send anyone back to Chang'an. The mountain road is blocked, we cannot descend, and Cuiwei Palace remains safe for now," Gao Lishi reported cautiously.

Gao Lishi reported cautiously.

Currently Ji Ge faces two layers of danger:

The first layer is that the forest fire could get out of control and end up burning everyone inside Cuiwei Palace.

Yet that likelihood is actually small, because near the summit there is a large pond formed by a mountain stream, which also serves as Cuiwei Palace's water source.

With water there, the blaze can be blocked.

What truly worries him is the second layer.

If a fire breaks out, the Divine Strategy Army's command structure will be thrown into chaos, and the situation will become disorderly. It cannot be guaranteed that no opportunists will use the rescue as a pretext to climb the mountain and assassinate.

Moreover, can every eunuch and palace maid around Ji Ge be trusted to remain loyal, not bought off? Can every soldier of the Divine Strategy Army be assured of unwavering loyalty to Ji Ge?

Perhaps their loyalty to the Tang is unquestionable, but whether they share Ji Ge's heart is another matter.

Once the flames rise, might these people take the chance to strike?

"No one is allowed to leave Cuiwei Palace! I will stay here awaiting rescue!"

Ji Ge ordered in a deep voice.

After speaking, he returned to his original seat and pointed at Li Chang, saying, "Crown Prince, come sit here as well!"

A mocking expression flashed across Li Chang's face; he slowly walked to the soft mat opposite Ji Ge, knelt down, and said nothing.

If the Emperor does not flee, the eunuchs and palace maids cannot flee either. Gao Lishi took the sword Ji Ge handed him, stood beside Ji Ge and Li Chang, ready to raise the sword at the slightest dispute.

"All step back!"

Ji Ge waved his hand lightly, his tone utterly calm. After he spoke, the Imperial Guard, eunuchs and palace maids filed out of the hall, leaving only Li Longji, Crown Prince Li Chang, and Gao Lishi.

"Tell the truth honestly; I won't blame you. This fire wasn't started by you, was it?"

Ji Ge frowned slightly, looked at Li Chang and asked. Suspicion bred dark thoughts; now everyone looks like a thief to Ji Ge, especially Li Chang, whose suspicion is huge.

In Cuiwei Palace, with the fire coming, Li Chang would surely die; could he have simply burned himself to death?

Who would be that foolish?

Ordinary people certainly wouldn't, but Li Chang is unpredictable, because he once set a trap for Ji Ge, at a time when that prince intended to die together with Ji Ge. Who can say he no longer harbors that thought now?

But if it isn't Li Chang, who else could it be?

Could it be Prince Yong Li Lin, the one who "leaks information"?

Or perhaps some princes who act on rumors?

Even the royal clan of Ji Ge's brothers?

Since the founding of Li Tang's dynasty, fratricidal strife has been common; which one will be responsible this time?

Ji Ge's mind flashed with many doubts, but now he needs to determine whether Li Chang is the hidden culprit.

"Child says this wasn't my doing; does the Sage believe?"

"Child says this was my doing; does the Sage still believe?"

"Admitting or denying—what does it matter?"

Li Chang answered calmly, as if the raging fire below had nothing to do with him.

His words broke Ji Ge's composure! The Tang Emperor, who thought he controlled everything, was so angry he could not utter a single sentence!

Indeed, no matter what Li Chang says, Ji Ge will not drop his suspicion.

And Li Chang now seems to have lost all will, lying flat, leaving Ji Ge helpless.

"When we return to Chang'an, to Xingqing Palace, I will definitely kill you!"

Ji Ge said, grinding his teeth.

"Sage, you are the ruler of all under heaven; do as you wish, it's all the same to me; the child doesn't mind."

Li Chang's face showed neither sorrow nor joy, as if the person Ji Ge intended to kill were not himself.

"You may step down; I no longer wish to see you!"

Ji Ge waved his hand wearily, fearing that if he kept speaking, he would have to stab this wayward son himself.

Ji Ge suppresses the many princes' murderous ambitions, which stem from their thoughts on the throne. Yet once the princes lose any desire for the throne and no longer cherish aristocratic life, they become like a filthy oil‑soaked rag.

Anyway, it doesn't matter what they do!

"Then the child takes his leave."

Li Chang bowed to Ji Ge, then exited through the back door of the main hall of Cuiwei Palace.

After he left, Ji Ge let out a long sigh, his figure appearing somewhat lonely. Instinctively, he believes Li Chang is probably not the hidden mastermind; if he were, it would only prove how skillfully Ji Ge has been pretending, fooling everyone!

Lishi, do you think I have done wrong?

Ji Ge looked at Gao Lishi and asked in a low voice.

How could a sage be at fault?

Gao Lishi, with a puzzled look, asked back.

Right, I gave it to him; he cannot refuse.

If I take it from him, he also cannot refuse.

On what grounds does he hold a grudge?

Ji Ge heard from Gao Lishi's words the privilege belonging to a monarch. He had felt a slight pang of guilt, but after hearing this, he dismissed the thought.

Sage, descending the mountain from Cuiwei Palace, there should be a small path to take. I heard of it unintentionally back then, but now the path may be hidden by trees and weeds.

Gao Lishi suddenly leaned in and whispered.

Hmm? Really?

Hearing this, Ji Ge was overjoyed, and his hanging heart suddenly relaxed.

Then he thought again: since Gao Lishi knows this path, might some schemers also know it?

A "small" doubt resurfaced in Ji Ge's mind, and the earlier sense of ease drifted away with the wind.

Could someone be waiting for them on this narrow, seldom‑trodden path? Could something go wrong just because they take the small path?

"For now, it's best to meet countless changes with constancy."

Ji Ge said in a low voice, suppressing the impulse within.

"Then I will send people to scout the surroundings."

Gao Lishi said cautiously, fearing that the increasingly suspicious emperor might baselessly doubt him.

"Hmm, that works. But if possible, try not to take the small path down the mountain. I… will stay here in Cuiwei Palace, watching the demons and specters inside Chang'an City below, to see how they will perform!"

Ji Ge looked at the black smoke at the far end of the view and said, his tone laced with murderous intent.

……

In front of the inner city gate of Ilu Lu City, at the core of Guizi Town, a stone bridge spanned both sides where Fang Chongyong's party faced off against Gao Xianzhi and his subordinates, the atmosphere tense.

"Ah, Jiedushi Fang! How did you arrive, Jiedushi Fang!"

"What are you doing? Upon seeing Jiedushi Fang why don't you bow? Do you intend to be prosecuted by the court?"

While the two sides were at a stalemate, a middle‑aged man in red palace robes emerged from behind Gao Xianzhi—indeed, a middle‑aged eunuch.

It was the eunuch Bian Lingcheng, who is often dispatched by Gao Lishi on missions to border towns!

He pointed at the bodyguards behind Gao Xianzhi and scolded loudly, his tone extremely severe!

Seeing Bian Lingcheng smooth things over, Gao Xianzhi, who was stuck at the front, stepped down the slope like a donkey, crossed the stone bridge, and bowed to Fang Chongyong, saying, "Ambassador Fang, you have traveled far and endured hardship; I, as a junior officer, have military duties and cannot receive you properly, please forgive me."

"Deputy Protector Gao, where does this talk come from? The Western Frontier Army I observe is quite mighty, with a kingly aura! This is all thanks to Deputy Protector Gao's capable governance!"

Fang Chongyong laughed heartily, stepped forward and warmly patted Gao Xianzhi's shoulders repeatedly!

With those words, the tense atmosphere instantly dissolved. Gao Xianzhi, full of gratitude, glanced at Bian Lingcheng beside him, only to see Bian sighing helplessly, and his heart immediately sensed trouble.

Gao Xianzhi gestured a request to Fang Chongyong and said, "There are many people and eyes here; it's not a place for conversation. Ambassador Fang, please follow me inside."

"Please!"

The two walked hand in hand, their warmth like that of a senior and subordinate who have worked together for years, showing no trace of the near‑violent standoff moments before.

After entering the inner city of Ilu Lu City, which was the former Guizi Royal Palace, Fang Chongyong strolled around, gaining some experience.

The inner city of Ilu Lu City is built against the mountain; not only are there palaces atop the summit, but storage chambers have also been carved into the mountain's middle. The walls that encircle the mountain are ten zhang high, wide enough for horses to gallop.

If the outer city and the horse city of Ilu Lu City are chaotic and poorly planned, then the inner city—the renovated Guizi Royal Palace—has been arranged clearly by the Tang.

Here, not only is the planning rigorous, but the layout is also scientific.

The former palace has now become a massive military camp!

Western Frontier Army officers and their families, as well as officials under the Western Protectorate Office and their families, all reside here; the inner city is divided into many zones, separated by thin interior walls.

Especially the granaries and wine cellars, which occupy a vast area. Because the local climate is dry, the inner city also dug massive underground vaults, filled with all kinds of supplies.

Calling Gao Xianzhi arrogant, indeed the other side has arrogant resources; Ilu Lu City is Gao Xianzhi's greatest asset.

Historically, the Western Frontier Army's expedition to Xiaoboli had few troops, not because the army was small, but because the road conditions and supply points along the way could only support so many; the Western Frontier Army's strength is far greater than that.

They entered a huge detention hall clearly converted from a palace, where many minor officials bustled in and out.

Fang Chongyong was led by Gao Xianzhi to a separated "study" inside the palace to discuss important matters. Though called a study, there were no books on the shelves, only an array of treasures: various gems, differently styled gold artifacts, and so on, all exuding an imposing aura.

Only three were permitted into the "study": Fang Chongyong, Gao Xianzhi, and Bian Lingcheng. Upon entering, their expressions were solemn, no longer the carefree demeanor seen outside the inner city gate.

Seeing no one speak, Bian Lingcheng sneered at Fang Chongyong, "Jiedushi Fang, I know you have some dissatisfaction with Deputy Protector Gao. It's just that there's a small misunderstanding here. We must speak openly."

Bian Lingcheng made a 'small' gesture, while Gao Xianzhi remained silent, waiting for Bian Lingcheng to smooth things over.

"Ambassador, I simply wish to know why, without any orders, Deputy Protector Gao is gathering supplies everywhere and planning to dispatch troops to Tuhuo Luo, what is the reason?"

Fang Chongyong, expressionless, asked, his eyes fixed on Gao Xianzhi, his tone solemn.

"Ambassador Fang, I do this precisely to counterbalance Tufan.

Within Tuhuo Luo, some tribes wish to submit to Tufan, just as the King of Xiaoboli married a Tufan princess. After that succeeded, our Tang fell into a passive position, and to this day we cannot resolve the matter.

To prevent the situation in Tuhuo Luo from spiraling out of control, I intend to have a pro‑Tang faction within Tuhuo Luo lead the way, preemptively eliminating those tribes that aim to submit to Tufan.

Then we will rally those Tuhuo Luo tribal troops to jointly attack Xiaoboli. Once we secure a foothold in Xiaoboli, we will then eliminate Dabo Li. Thus we can block Tufan's invasion into the Western Regions."

Gao Xianzhi said with a sincere expression.

Although his words were not without reason, they sounded plausible and, being a preemptive strike, had some feasibility.

But this does not explain why Gao Xianzhi would act alone, sidelining Fang Chongyong! In plain terms, Gao Xianzhi simply thought this move was a sure thing and wanted to claim the credit himself.

If Fang Chongyong led the Western Frontier Army on an expedition, then the other side gets the meat while Gao Xianzhi, the Western Deputy Protector, merely gets to sip some broth.

Which ambitious commander would want to be dispensable, merely tagging along with others?

This is actually a structural contradiction, not a personal grudge. Because there are only so many military merits; if you take them, others cannot take more, so those people will naturally be displeased with you—it's a very simple and straightforward principle.

There is no such thing as everyone being happy together.

The Tufuluo envoy appealed to the Sage for assistance; the Sage ordered his servant to act as supervising general, coming to Yiluo City to oversee Deputy Protector Gao's implementation, cooperating with Deputy Protector Gao in handling the affair.

The Sage only wishes to act within his means, preventing Tufuluo from turning to Tubo; the matter is not as complicated as Ambassador Fang imagined.

Bian Lingcheng bluntly hinted, conveniently passing the buck.

The Sage's meaning was "act within one's ability," but when the matter reached Gao Xianzhi, it turned into a "full‑scale war," which is his own problem.

Upon hearing this, Fang Chongyong looked at Gao Xianzhi, extended his hand and said coldly: "Deputy Protector Gao, please show this imperial edict to me, the ambassador. It's not that I don't trust Deputy Protector Gao; you and I have no personal grudges. It's just that as an ambassador, my office and authority come from the Sage, and I cannot betray the Sage's grace, so I simply cannot turn a blind eye to this."

Sure enough, Gao Xianzhi's facial muscles tightened at those words; he let out a light sigh, reluctantly pulled a yellow silk scroll from the drawer, held it up with both hands, and handed it to Fang Chongyong.

The latter then, in front of Bian Lingcheng and Gao Xianzhi, unrolled the scroll and read it in one glance, ten lines at a time.

Hmm, I understand, but not completely.

Fang Chongyong weighed the pros and cons repeatedly in his mind.

The imperial edict from Ji Ge doesn't mention Xiao Bolu at all, let alone Da Bolu, and it doesn't even contain the word "Tubo." In plain language, it means the Tufuluo region is unstable, the political situation is turbulent, and some tribes are seeking aid from the Great Tang, hoping Tang's power will intervene.

Since Tufuluo is a semi‑autonomous prefecture of the Great Tang, the Tang naturally needs to send someone there to uphold justice.

Thus, I dispatched the eunuch Bian Lingcheng to accompany the Tufuluo envoy to the Anxi Protectorate Office, letting Deputy Protector Gao Xianzhi of Anxi handle the matter at his discretion.

As for the exact method of "discretion," the imperial edict says nothing, and of course it would be unlikely to be spelled out in such a setting.

At this moment, Fang Chongyong is pondering Ji Ge's intention—whether to dispatch troops or not.

After a mental round, Fang Chongyong thinks, based on his understanding, that Ji Ge still hopes to send troops to intervene in Tufuluo's internal affairs.

He just doesn't want to look too unsavory!

This is somewhat like the Great Tang sending a "military advisory delegation" to Tufuluo to command the locals in battle, pitting one faction against another.

You say I'm sending troops to intervene? That's not the case; it's just your tribes fighting each other.

This policy is highly flexible, truly allowing free movement forward and backward.

But when it reaches Gao Xianzhi, it becomes the Anxi army dispatching troops to Tufuluo; after settling that, it continues to sweep across both Xiao Bolu and Da Bolu.

Establishing a monumental achievement!

Once the facts are set, would Ji Ge still complain that his own territory is too large? Or that the Great Tang has too many victories?

If they can win, Gao Xianzhi will profit steadily!

If they win, Gao Xianzhi can easily find an excuse—say, that anti‑Tang forces within Tufuluo are strong, or that some in Tufuluo disrespect the Great Tang—so the Anxi army must dispatch troops to showcase Tang's national prestige!

That sounds plausible enough; after all, Ji Ge is someone who only cares about the outcome—if they win, there are no prohibitions.

At that point, Fang Chongyong grasped the imperial edict, then slammed the desk hard and shouted at Gao Xianzhi: "Gao Xianzhi, you have such nerve, daring to secretly accept bribes from the Tufuluo envoy!"

Immediately, Gao Xianzhi and Bian Lingcheng froze in place, their eyes flickering, their expressions turning uneasy.

(End of chapter)