Chapter 423: Where in Life Do We Not Meet

Hun Xu, like Pu Gu Huai'en, is also of Tiele origin, but belongs to the Hun clan. His father, Hun Shi, formerly served as the Shuo Fang Deputy Military Governor, and held an unusual position within the Shuo Fang army.

Compared with Pu Gu Huai'en, Hun Xu fares much better in the Shuo Fang army. After all, the Pu Gu clan now has to prove its "loyalty," whereas the Hun clan proved its loyalty long ago and is regarded by the Tang as "one of its own."

Hun Xu's appearance is steady and balanced, his stature not tall but solid; his square face bears the marks of wind and sun, and his countenance looks somewhat aged.

Upon seeing Fang Chongyong and Yan Zhenqing, he respectfully clasped his fists and bowed, saying: "I salute Jiedushi Fang and Sir Yan. I have come to guide the main army into Lingzhou. Jiedushi Li's party has already prepared the seal and fish tally for handover. Here is Jiedushi Li's handwritten letter."

Hun Xu took a letter from his bosom, handed it to He Changqi, who then passed it to Fang Chongyong.

The letter was perhaps written by Li Guozhen; in any case, Fang Chongyong did not recognize his handwriting and could only verify from the seal that it came from the Shuo Fang Military Governor.

However, the content of the letter was very concise and humble.

Li Guozhen said he knew he had made a grave mistake and was willing to return to the court to face punishment. He entrusted all affairs of the Shuo Fang Military Governor's office to Fang Chongyong for follow‑up.

He gave the letter to Yan Zhenqing, who, after reading it, was as speechless as Fang Chongyong.

You might call Li Guozhen and the others good officials, yet they are stirring up a big mess on the frontier and have no idea how to wrap it up.

But if you label them "bad officials," note that these two are not acting for personal career advancement; they are also seeking military merit for the Shuo Fang soldiers.

Without an enemy, where does military merit come from? Do you think dealing with the Uighur people is accidental?

The deeper meaning is truly lamentable and tragic.

"If this Jiedushi does not go, will you detain me and forcefully send me to Lingzhou City?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a meaning‑laden tone.

Hearing this, Hun Xu was terrified, his spirit scattered, and hurriedly crossed his hands in a bow, pleading: "Jiedushi, you jest; I have no such intention!"

"Hmm, then you may return to report. Just say that this Jiedushi will go to the Feng'an army garrison for inspection."

Feng'an army?

Hun Xu was momentarily unable to grasp Fang Chongyong's line of thinking.

How could he report back? He had come to guide the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army!

Because Li Guozhen feared Fang Chongyong might "overthink," he specifically sent a campaign army commander to escort, which was a generous show of face.

Seeing Hun Xu still looking puzzled, Fang Chongyong patiently explained: "This Jiedushi is newly arrived, inspecting the defense zone; what problem is there?"

"No problem, no problem; I have been impolite."

Hun Xu broke into a cold sweat, hurriedly apologized and stepped back.

After he left, Yan Zhenqing finally asked: "Li Guozhen wrote such a letter; it seems taking over Shuo Fang town is unsurprising, so why not smoothly proceed to Lingzhou City?"

"Well, Sir Yan may go yourself; anyway I am not going."

Fang Chongyong gave a mysterious smile and said he was unwilling to reveal his inner scheme.

Lingzhou, huh, that's a bunch of howling local warlords who have already planned to break with the Uighurs completely, using Uighur heads as a ladder for military merit.

Whichever Military Governor goes there will be dragged by those people. If the Shuo Fang army is to fight, would Fang Chongyong dare not to fight?

What about those warlords' sudden changes?

You must understand, blocking someone's wealth route is like killing one's own parents! Such a simple principle, why can't Yan Zhenqing see through it?

Fang Chongyong silently thought that Old Yan, compared with Old Zheng, still lacked a bit of self‑preservation awareness!

"How about this: it's unacceptable not to transfer authority. Let Your Highness go to the Feng'an army garrison, I will go to Lingzhou City, and be responsible for the handover of duties."

"What do you think, Your Highness?"

Yan Zhenqing asked tentatively.

"That will do. I will have my subordinate record officer and staff officer Feng Changqing lead five hundred men to escort you into office."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly.

Since Yan Zhenqing gave him such face by agreeing to take responsibility, Fang Chongyong naturally returned the favor.

"Hey, no need, no need. The Shuo Fang army has plenty of men in Lingzhou. If trouble arises, even three thousand cannot contain it. Better to send a few attendants with you, to ease their minds."

Yan Zhenqing clearly did not think the border town warlords could cause any trouble.

In his mind, the central authority of the Tang shone like the sun, commanding the border towns at will. As for those border town officers and warlords, they could only obey whatever the center dictated.

Given that, why send hundreds of guards along?

Fang Chongyong had no reply and could only abandon persuading Yan Zhenqing.

After a silent night, at dawn the next day, the two went their separate ways.

Fang Chongyong led the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army westward along the Yellow River, heading to the Feng'an army garrison. Yan Zhenqing took his dozen subordinates to Lingzhou City, preparing to replace Zhang Qiqiu as Shuo Fang Camp Agricultural Commissioner and Deputy Military Governor.

…

The Feng'an army's garrison is Feng'an City. This city lies on the north bank of the Yellow River; its south side faces the river for water, while the north opens onto a vast desert.

Traveling from Wulan Pass to Lingzhou inevitably follows the Yellow River; farther north lies either Gobi or wasteland, unable to sustain the water and food needed for travel. To reach Lingzhou, one must pass through Feng'an City.

This city sits almost directly on the route from Hexi to Lingzhou. The Feng'an army sets up a checkpoint here to collect tolls, offsetting military expenses; in a sense it operates as a self‑sufficient system.

Two days later, Fang Chongyong arrived at Feng'an City with three thousand troops under his command.

Before they crossed the floating bridge, they saw dozens of Shuo Fang army warlords waiting at the ferry on the south side of the bridge, apparently to guide the main army across the river.

The Hetao region is Shuo Fang's territory; the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army already numbers three thousand. Such a conspicuous target, if the local garrison were completely inattentive, would truly be dereliction of duty.

"Jiedushi Fang, this way please!"

A slender Tang army officer stepped forward, calmly clasped his fists in greeting, then made a gesturing motion of invitation.

"Hmm, no need for formalities, you may enter the city."

Fang Chongyong also kept a calm expression, nodded, and the two crossed the floating bridge together.

Che Guangqian, walking behind, deliberately slowed her pace and whispered to the uniformed, pretended personal guard Ana Ye: "That person seems a bit off. Is he an enemy of Jiedushi Fang? Do you know him?"

"Enemy?"

Ana Ye was startled, then waved her hand and said: "That couldn't be! If he were an enemy, Prince of Pingxi would ask nothing and slaughter him outright—that's taking the first move. The border towns are in chaos, and whatever he says becomes reality; the old emperor can't even see it."

Ana Ye, who grew up in Hexi, has always known constant turmoil. Killing a few officials in a border town, as long as the secrecy is well kept, is just that—nothing of great consequence.

She had already seen plenty of this kind of situation.

"Then this… just feels off."

Che Guangqian crossed her arms and muttered to herself, deep in thought.

Feng'an City is tiny, its area comparable to the frontier towns of the Han dynasty, utterly unable to accommodate the 8,000-strong Feng'an Army stationed here.

Thus the so‑called garrison is actually a military administration formed by a model centered on Feng'an City, with every 300 soldiers constituting a camp. The stone‑walled Feng'an City serves as a fortress, surrounded by wooden fences, with numerous camps that do not interfere with each other yet are linked together.

Beyond that, the outer perimeter consists of Hu‑Han merchants doing business here.

It can be considered a modest, small city that merely secures the defense of its core area.

After the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army arrived at Feng'an City, the Feng'an Army military envoy who had greeted them on the floating bridge shore transferred the garrison inside the city to the outskirts, handing the city's defense over to the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army—an act that gave Fang Chongyong considerable face.

After the handover was completed, Fang Chongyong dismissed the idle attendants and led that Feng'an Army envoy to the sealed room for a private talk.

"Living under someone else's roof can't be easy, right?"

Looking at the listless Xin Yunqing before him, Fang Chongyong asked with a smiling glint.

"Jiedushi Fang, these days are not just uncomfortable; they're like a rubber ball being kicked around."

"The feeling, I won't even mention—it's hard to put into words."

Xin Yunqing let out a long sigh; finally, the grievances filling his belly could be voiced!

He had risen to the position of military envoy of the Da Dou Army in Hexi, sitting comfortably, but when Ge Shuhan arrived and Hexi had no vacancy, he was reassigned as military envoy of the Jingse Army in Youzhou.

This was the last time Hexi's local connections could exert influence; the Jingse Army was far stronger than the Da Dou Army—clearly a promotion.

However, later a twist occurred: Pei Min, whose central background was stronger, took over as military envoy of the Jingse Army. Xin Yunqing was then pushed by An Lushan to become military envoy of the Hedong Kalan Army. Afterwards, An Si was appointed Military Governor of Hedong; to facilitate placing his own people, Xin Yunqing was again kicked to the Shuo Fang Army as military envoy of the Feng'an Army.

Except for that stint with the Jingse Army, every other time he was dismissed simply because Xin Yunqing wasn't "one of us," and was arbitrarily shuffled away.

Even within the Shuo Fang Army, it was only because the Feng'an Army was near the Hexi Corridor and Xin Yunqing came from a prominent Hexi family with some connections there, giving him a voice when trouble arose.

Otherwise he would still be kept as a tossed rubber ball.

During the High Tang, the border troops were exactly like this. You claim you can fight, but many can; real promotion still depends on military merit. Otherwise one must rely on connections and go with the flow.

If you have connections, does nobody else? Yet how many can rise purely on merit?

Thus, Li Guozhen's "private" actions may indeed be a case of "going with the current." Attacking the Uighurs isn't the Tang's "public opinion," but it is the Shuo Fang Army's "public opinion."

"Back then I already knew Jiedushi Fang wasn't a pond dweller; he would surely soar to great heights in the future."

Looking back today, Jiedushi Fang fought the Tibetans, swept across the Western Regions, and his achievements far exceeded my expectations.

"In the end, I was still short‑sighted."

Xin Yunqing couldn't help but sigh wistfully.

When he was young, he held himself in high esteem, believing his life should be distinguished and dazzling!

Back then, he was the youngest military envoy in Hexi! He thought himself invincible!

However, what followed did not go as smoothly as he had imagined.

When he was young, Xin Yunqing discovered that some people far more capable than him were still scraping by at the bottom of the army, living very unsatisfactorily.

After growing up, Xin Yunqing found that some people far less capable than him were instead wielding power in the army's upper echelons, living like fish in water.

While enjoying the benefits of his connections, he was constantly suppressed by even stronger backgrounds and networks.

That feeling truly reflects the myriad facets of life—sorrowful and helpless, hardly worth telling outsiders.

"If you weren't in the Feng'an Army, I would already be in Lingzhou City right now—why come to Feng'an City?"

Fang Chongyong laughed heartily at Xin Yunqing, waving his hand to beckon him over.

"Do you want to earn merit?"

Fang Chongyong lowered his voice and asked.

"How could I not want to?"

Xin Yunqing instantly became excited!

Fang Chongyong waved his hand, signaling Xin Yunqing to calm down.

"Actually, Li Guozhen and his group were mistaken; the Uighurs, no matter what, will never attack Lingzhou City."

Fang Chongyong said with great confidence.

Xin Yunqing nodded slightly, "Actually, I thought the same."

Upon hearing this, Fang Chongyong was greatly surprised. He hadn't expected there to be a perceptive person in the Shuo Fang Army!

Indeed, one must not underestimate the heroes of the world.

"How can you say that?"

Fang Chongyong asked knowingly.

"There's nothing more to say; the Uighurs are unwilling to bear responsibility for destroying the oath monument, and they have no resolve to break with the Tang completely."

"Now they're stirring up trouble simply to raise their own status, increase horse prices, and more easily annex other Tiele tribes, expanding their sphere of influence."

"If they attack Lingzhou City, it would be an endless war with the Tang. Even if the Shuo Fang Army could tolerate it, a sage could not."

"Thus I believe the Uighurs may target some Shuo Fang Army outpost, but definitely not Lingzhou. Feng'an City and the three northern Surrender Cities could all be possible."

Xin Yunqing voiced his doubts.

Fang Chongyong, with a calm expression, waved his hand and said, "No need to beat around the bush; you and I both know the Uighurs' target can only be Feng'an City, not the Zhenwu Army. Otherwise, do you think I'd really bring the valiant Yinqiang Xiaojie Army to Feng'an City just to sightsee?"

Xin Yunqing, embarrassed, patted his head, then clasped his fists in a salute and said, "Indeed as Jiedushi said! I am ready to fight the Uighurs in a bloody battle at Feng'an City!"

Why couldn't it be the Zhenwu Army's side?

Because the Zhenwu Army's defensive zone comprises the three major Surrender Cities in the north, which also represent Tang's prestige in securing the frontier. Otherwise, why are they called 'Surrender Cities'?

Isn't it simply to make the steppe peoples remember the consequences of defying the Tang?

If the Uighurs attack any Surrender City, the Tang will become alert.

The next "Turkic" has already emerged; it's time for the whole nation to eradicate it!

So as long as the Huigu still retain at least basic reason, they won't attack any of the three surrendered cities.

Thus after weighing options, the only target within reach of the Huigu is Feng'an City, the closest to Hexi.

Because Huigu influence already lies west of Lingzhou— for example, north of Ganzhou in Hexi there are many Huigu border tribes—Feng'an City not only has even lower influence but is also nearer, making it more suitable for the Huigu to launch a sudden raid!

It's not that the Shuo Fang Army lacks sensible people; Xin Yunqing is one. It's just that he isn't in the army's power core, so he has no say in its policies.

"If I were the Huigu Yehu, this uproar would surely be massive, but the blow to the Great Tang must not be excessive; it must not completely tear the face."

Relying only on the Feng'an Army and the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, I'm afraid we still can't hold the field.

Fang Chongyong stroked the beard on his chin, pondering a strategy.

Xin Yunqing chuckled, "Jiedushi, how about this: you write a letter to Liangzhou, and I, your subordinate, also write a letter to Liangzhou. The Shuo Fang Army is not convenient to rely on, but the Chishui Army can still be counted on. As for joint defense, in the end it all depends on the result."

The Chishui Army's thirty‑thousand elite troops are stationed in Liangzhou; in reality their job is to put out fires everywhere.

Joint defense of the sector west of Shuo Fang is also appropriate.

"All these years, your clever mind hasn't at all deteriorated."

Fang Chongyong said with a sigh.

(End of chapter)