Chapter 406: Opening One

That night had just fallen, and the tavern in Pingkang Lane became lively again, completely unaffected by the curfew.

Experience shows that, across ages and lands, places of lanterns and wine lack that atmosphere in daylight; only when darkness falls is it fitting to unleash desire and stress.

The curfew can stop ordinary people, but it cannot restrain the pleasure‑seeking hearts of high officials and nobles.

In a private room of the Phoenix Arrival Hall, the largest tavern in Pingkang Lane, Minister of Justice Zhang Jun hosted a banquet for Right Chancellor Li Shizhi and Shence Army Commander Xian Yu Zhongtong.

All three were "cultured men", drinking and dining while reciting poetry and matching couplets, making the feast exceedingly pleasant.

After three rounds of wine, Xian Yu Zhongtong finally set down his cup and, smiling, asked, "General Gao (Gao Lishi) recently instructed me to cooperate with the Right Chancellor. I wonder what matter the Right Chancellor wishes to handle?"

Here it comes!

Li Shizhi and Zhang Jun exchanged glances, then Li Shizhi burst into a loud laugh, "Hey, Brother Zhongtong, that's a boring remark; today we only discuss romance and pleasure, hahahaha!"

Hearing that, Zhang Jun nearly spat out his blood.

Li Shizhi's excuse was terribly clumsy.

You hold the rank of Right Chancellor and call the Shence Army commander a brother; to be blunt, does Xian Yu Zhongtong even match you? It's obvious that when a superior bestows a favor, there's always a request—so what pretense are you putting on now?

It would be better to get straight to the point!

"Brother Zhongtong, tonight isn't solely for leisure. There is a major matter we need to discuss with you, and we can only tell you."

"Right Chancellor, please speak! I will certainly cooperate wholeheartedly!"

Xian Yu Zhongtong put away his playful expression and became solemn.

He obviously knew why he had become Shence Army commander—simply because he was popular in literary circles, and the Emperor wanted him to frequently cooperate with the Imperial Council Hall.

Such situations are actually quite common.

A small detachment of the Shence Army, numbering around a hundred or even just a few dozen on official missions, obeying the Council Hall's orders, is a regular occurrence.

For example, exterminating mountain bandits, escorting officials to new posts, or transporting grain over short distances, and so on.

Such tasks must be handled by the Shence Army, and since the Council Hall and the Six Ministries cannot formally mobilize the Shence Army, a person who can speak to both sides is indeed needed to give the final decision.

Xian Yu Zhongtong felt a certain pressure; he knew he still lacked the standing to call the Right Chancellor a brother, and this time was merely the other party's request.

"Alas, regarding the awarding of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, I, the Right Chancellor, have been burning with anxiety lately.

The state treasury is empty, with no means to continue.

If rewards must be given, we have no choice but to levy the people's wealth and devise new taxes.

The people's livelihood is hard; I cannot bear it!"

Li Shizhi sighed.

These words weren't entirely pretentious; factually, the common folk of the Great Tang have indeed had a tougher time these past two years. As a chancellor, showing some empathy—does that have any fault?

Seems there's no problem with that.

Of course, there's also the notion of 'incidentally' giving Fang Chongyong a tap, along with his band of arrogant, fierce generals. Naturally, it's merely incidental, not intentional.

"So that's the matter, then."

Xian Yu Zhongtong gave a slight nod, without confirming or denying.

He simply couldn't understand—if a reward is to be given, give it; if not, don't. What does that have to do with the Shence Army?

The Shence Army has no battle merits to merit a reward!

Seeing Li Shizhi and Zhang Jun silent, Xian Yu Zhongtong cursed them in his heart for lacking martial virtue, yet pretended ignorance and asked, "May I be so bold to ask, does the Right Chancellor truly have no intention of granting the reward?"

"No, no, the rewards will be issued. However, according to the amount of merit, we'll give 30% in Guanzhong paper notes, and the other 70% will be exchanged for merit titles and peerages."

Zhang Jun wore a smile and poured a cup of wine for Xian Yu Zhongtong.

Hm?

Xian Yu Zhongtong thought he had misheard.

He himself oversaw a portion of the Shence Army, so he knew that even military pay was no longer issued as paper notes. Both money and provisions—every grain of rice and piece of cloth—must be fully allocated.

Issuing paper notes is essentially the same as not issuing, isn't it?

"I think this seems rather improper, don't you, Right Chancellor?"

Xian Yu Zhongtong asked, puzzled.

"Disaster relief requires rice, grain, and cloth; if printing paper notes could suffice, why would I, the Right Chancellor, trouble myself?"

"Then we would have to make the soldiers suffer."

Li Shizhi let out a long sigh, realizing that one cannot be ignorant of the cost of money. Now he truly admired Li Linfu a bit.

At least, when Li Linfu was in power, he never worried about money; though his reputation was mediocre, he wasn't utterly corrupt.

He could secure funds without turning himself into a pit of filth, and remained in the chancellor's seat for many years. Li Linfu truly possessed some ability.

Such matters, Li Shizhi only learned after becoming Right Chancellor.

"Right Chancellor, if handled this way, the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army will go into chaos."

Xian Yu Zhongtong said sternly, his face already void of any smile. Having dealt with the Shence Army's low‑rank troops all day, he naturally knew what sort of people they were.

Talking to those troops about the affairs of the nation is useless! They see such matters as concerns of the chancellor and the emperor. Their mission is simply to fight and kill.

When it comes to awarding merit, it's straightforward and precise—just that simple!

In a sense, these people are easy to appease; no grand principles need be explained to them.

But from another perspective, they're also hard to placate; without money, you can't say a thing!

"Precisely because we worry the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army will descend into chaos, the Emperor has instructed General Xian Yu to cooperate with the Imperial Council Hall on this matter."

"With the Shence Army present, those arrogant soldiers and fierce generals dare not act."

Zhang Jun added a cutting remark, his tone full of contempt.

"So, how does that work?"

Xian Yu Zhongtong was startled; he hadn't expected this to be the Council Hall's 'contingency plan.'

This isn't a joke; there's no such game.

Sure enough, the world fears not a lack of good deeds but a lack of good people; at today's banquet, he shouldn't have come.

"This matter is of great importance; I must first go back and consult the Sage before proceeding!"

Xian Yu Zhongtong was so anxious he wanted to stand up, but the quick‑witted Zhang Jun held his shoulder.

"General Xian, the Sage has already informed me; this matter can be handled by me with full authority."

Li Shizhi warned in a cold tone that their relationship had shifted from brotherly camaraderie to official business.

"Then, what exactly should be done?"

Xian Yu Zhongtong asked in doubt, feeling a bad premonition.

"South of Chang'an, at the confluence of the Three Rivers, there is a mountain‑by‑water Buddhist temple called Xiangji Temple, surrounded by dense trees, suitable for hiding troops.

The Council Hall will send someone to inform each division of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army to come to Xiangji Temple to receive rewards, promising full payment. However, Xiangji Temple is a pure Buddhist site; soldiers and armor are not allowed.

When those people arrive to collect the rewards and find the amounts incorrect, they will surely be dissatisfied.

If they dare cause trouble, General Xian will order the ambushed elite of the Shen Ce Army to shoot the troublemakers dead.

Afterwards, we simply pin a rebel plot on them. Once the commotion starts, they will worry about being exterminated, so they naturally won't pursue the reward issue.

"Of course, that's only an extreme case. If they accept the reward, the matter ends and General Xian need not act."

Zhang Jun chuckled.

How can this be done!

Xian Yu Zhongtong was so frightened his soul left his body; after all, he's essentially a scholar—how could he handle such matters?

"General Xian, I hear the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army is also an elite guard with brilliant battle achievements. Fang Chongyong is a young man with limitless prospects.

If he returns safely and the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army regains its honor, whether the Shen Ce Army remains under your control and whether its standing will decline—those are two separate issues.

"This matter, too, would be very beneficial to you."

Seeing that Xian Yu Zhongtong refused to comply, Zhang Jun calmly urged him.

Xian Yu Zhongtong fell silent, knowing he lacked any talent for leading troops in battle, incomparable to Fang Chongyong who sweeps the Western Regions and the young rising star of the Sage's favor.

Zhang Jun merely voiced this uncomfortable reality.

"General Xian, you're overthinking. When those hill bandits see the Shen Ce Army's elite troops ambushed on ten sides, what can they do? Would they even dare to act?"

Unarmed, how could they fight the Shen Ce Army?

This matter certainly won't reach that point.

Minister Zhang only spoke of the worst case. When the moment arrives, you will step forward to testify; the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army members will have turned, and you will have been forced to act.

That's all for this matter.

"Our original intention wasn't to do anything to them, but to resolve the reward issue. Minister Zhang merely warned in advance."

Li Shizhi waved his hand and said, defending Zhang Jun.

At that moment, a young serving girl carrying several wine jars entered. Zhang Jun erupted in anger, shouting, "Who let you in!"

"Servant, I was only delivering wine to a few gentlemen; the shop's delivery is free… I'll leave right away, leave right away!"

The serving girl was so frightened she was about to cry.

Xian Yu Zhongtong glanced at the tear‑streaked young woman, and his eyes instantly widened!

That face, that figure! Absolutely unbeatable!

So tantalizing! How did such a "prime catch" end up as a serving girl?

"Minister Zhang, don't be so rude."

Xian Yu Zhongtong stepped forward and quietly brushed his hand along the serving girl's waist.

It was fine, soft, and supple!

"That'll be enough for today; next time I come here, you must properly accompany me for a drink, okay? Go, go."

Xian Yu Zhongtong pretended to be angry and waved his hand; the serving girl hurriedly bowed and thanked, stumbling as she left the private room.

Seeing this, Li Shizhi stroked his long beard and joked, "Brother Zhongtong, you truly are a lover of beauty; how about letting this girl drink the wine with you tonight?"

"Another day, perhaps. How could personal matters neglect official duties?"

Xian Yu Zhongtong wore a smile on his face, but in his heart he cursed Li Shizhi and the others for ruining his romantic plans. They pull me into official business, and how could I still chase women!

"Brother Zhongtong, what do you think of this?"

"This… I'm afraid it's a bit…"

Xian Yu Zhongtong still wouldn't speak, mainly because Zhang Jun and the others were playing too big!

Seeing that the other side wouldn't budge, Li Shizhi finally produced a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Xian Yu Zhongtong, saying, "With this letter as proof, Brother Zhongtong is acting on the Council Hall's orders."

Xian Yu Zhongtong took the letter out of the envelope, read it repeatedly, and only then, with a heavy heart, placed it back into his sleeve.

"Since the Council Hall requested it, I will comply. It's getting late, I take my leave."

After Xian Yu Zhongtong finished speaking, Zhang Jun stopped him, saying, "This letter should be in duplicate; please sign, Brother Zhongtong."

Li Shizhi, like a magician, produced another letter from his sleeve; Xian Yu Zhongtong, even without reading it, knew it was identical to the one he held.

No one is a fool; Li Shizhi also feared Xian Yu Zhongtong might turn traitor.

"This pirate ship, today it seems unavoidable!"

Xian Yu Zhongtong sighed helplessly, had the shop bring paper and brush, and signed his name on the letter.

Both sides kept the letters and each breathed a sigh of relief.

"Since we've already 'formed an alliance,' there's no need to beat around the bush." Xian Yu Zhongtong asked in a deep voice, "When does the Right Minister plan to act?"

"We will act in five days; tomorrow we will send someone to inform the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army's main camp, as arranging funds and supplies takes time; we are seriously solving the problem, letting them endure a bit."

Zhang Jun explained on Li Shizhi's behalf.

"Indeed, if the treasury were not empty, I wouldn't have had to resort to this measure."

Li Shizhi sighed.

If it were a border town, they would never dare to do this.

But this is Chang'an!

In Chang'an, no army dares to mutiny. Mutiny means rebellion, which would warrant the extermination of three families!

That is the confidence of Li Shi Zhi and his men!

"Five days is enough time to arrange the deployment."

Xian Yu Zhongtong nodded slightly, seeming that there was still plenty of time. If the matter had to be handled tomorrow, he would truly be in a bind.

"Since that's the case, I shall take my leave now and go to the Shence Army's main camp to prepare."

Xian Yu Zhongtong stood up, saluted Li Shi Zhi and the other, then turned and left.

Just as he stepped out of the elegant room, he collided full‑force with a young woman, spilling wine all over the floor.

Xian Yu Zhongtong fixed his eyes and saw, what a coincidence, it was the same hostess from earlier.

At that moment the woman wore a bewildered expression, helpless as a child who had done something wrong, standing aside.

"Sir, let me wipe you down; please don't tell the shopkeeper!"

After regaining her composure, the woman clumsily used her cuff to wipe the wine from Xian Yu Zhongtong's body, making the old man, who had not been near a woman for days, feel a stirring.

"That won't do. How about you kiss me, and I'll let it go, okay?"

Xian Yu Zhongtong gave a wicked smile, saying he hadn't even considered using force.

Flirting with a hostess and resorting to tricks—doesn't that disgrace the noble class? Women like this should strip completely and obediently climb onto his bed!

In their minds, every woman, including a primary wife, has a price. With enough power and money, any woman's belt can be broken, even forcing her to bear children for you.

If you can't break it, it's only because you have nothing. Your failure doesn't mean others can't.

In such matters, within the Great Tang—a paradise for the powerful—they can do as they please.

"Sir, you're so wicked!"

The hostess said shyly, her lips barely grazing his cheek, then grabbed the wine jar from the floor and fled like a startled rabbit.

Xian Yu Zhongtong laughed heartily; this kind of flirting is what makes it fun. Getting this woman into bed will be a matter for his next visit.

He walked out of the Phoenix Rising Tower with a satisfied smile, while the stars glittered brilliantly outside.

"It's one thing you came back, but why bring a bird?"

Wang Yunxiu looked at Fang Chongyong, who was dressed in plain clothes and slipped home like a thief, and complained helplessly.

Fang Chongyong was carrying a large cage, and inside was a massive parrot, truly robust. Wang Yunxiu had never seen such a size before; it was eye‑opening.

"I've seen the Jiedushi's lady!"

Behind Fang Chongyong, Che Guangqian and the others clasped fists and saluted.

"Oh, come in quickly to talk, then we can go into the courtyard!"

Wang Yunxiu's heart leapt at those words, and she hurriedly invited Fang Chongyong and the others into the courtyard.

She gave Fang Chongyong a lingering, resentful stare, her mind full of words she didn't know how to voice.

That wretch probably doesn't even know what his own son looks like, does he?

He's been gone for over a year!

"You're so lewd! You're so lewd!"

The five‑colored big parrot in the cage suddenly shouted twice without warning!

Hm?

Wang Yunxiu, who had already turned into the courtyard, heard the duck‑like wail and instantly turned back, her face angry as she stared at Fang Chongyong.

(End of chapter)