Chapter 430: Mixing Sand Method

In the imperial study of Qinzhengwubenlou, Ji Ge, his expression grim, handed the "evidence" to Right Prime Minister Zheng Shuqing.

"My dear minister, I ask you, what is this?"

Ji Ge pointed at the inferior copper coin in Zheng Shuqing's hand, his face already shrouded in dark clouds, a prelude to an outburst.

"Your Majesty, this is a Kaiyuan Tongbao."

Zheng Shuqing inwardly groaned, but forced himself to speak.

"I know this is a Kaiyuan Tongbao. I am asking why, when the state has clearly stopped minting coins, the copper coins on the streets of Chang'an have been increasing since the beginning of this year?"

Ji Ge questioned Zheng Shuqing, then fished a "same‑type" inferior coin from his sleeve. Its edges were rough, and it was much thinner than a normal Kaiyuan Tongbao.

It was plainly a privately minted inferior coin.

Since the Chang'an Jiaozi collapsed, the newly issued Guanzhong Jiaozi quickly depreciated; the value‑preserving Hexi Jiaozi is generally used for large‑scale transactions with the Western Regions, and ordinary citizens cannot use it.

Thus a conspicuous "currency vacuum" appeared among the people of Chang'an.

Commoners cannot conduct daily trade with silk, which is hard to divide and sharply devalues when cut. They also do not wish to be exploited by the Guanzhong Jiaozi, and there is no suitable substitute.

Consequently, the old private minting began to flourish. After all, no matter how "fake" the private coins are, they are still "more genuine" than a piece of worthless Jiaozi.

Liu Yan was correct to "patch" the Jiaozi, but he vastly underestimated the "bad‑coin drives out good‑coin" effect among Chang'an's elites; the supplemental copper coins fell far short of normal market demand.

Thus that portion of demand was filled by the wealthy and powerful elites of Chang'an.

The market, like power, does not permit a vacuum. If you do not fill the hole, someone else will.

"Your humble servant will find a way."

Zheng Shuqing, sweating profusely with anxiety, bowed and saluted Ji Ge.

He is quite adept at holding office.

But when it comes to actually handling real affairs, he is not.

Dealing with the private minting of copper coins is a classic conundrum of the feudal era. There are many precedents to draw from, yet old methods cannot solve the new problem.

Such a difficult task can only be tackled by a clever and capable person willing to bleed themselves dry. Zheng Shuqing clearly lacks both the ability and the inclination!

He only wants to muddle through and "drift aimlessly," like the saying "Xiao follows the rules, Cao follows the law," thinking that by doing nothing the world will be at peace.

"Enough, let's set that aside for now."

Ji Ge, a bit weary, waved his hand, deeply missing Li Linfu. If Li Linfu were still alive, such miscellaneous matters would likely not trouble him.

Of course, this does not mean Li Linfu could handle such issues well; rather, he could suppress the problem, preventing it from escalating into a crisis that reaches Ji Ge.

From this perspective, Li Linfu, as Right Prime Minister, is certainly competent. At least his "sharing the ruler's worries" is exemplary; other chancellors fall far short.

"The private minting of copper coins is not urgent for a day or two."

Ji Ge fell silent for a moment, then looked at Zheng Shuqing and asked in a low voice, "What do you, Right Prime Minister, think of An Sisun's alleged rebellion?"

"Your Majesty, in matters of rebellion, a mistake in execution is unforgivable; there is no leniency. An Sisun is suspected of colluding with a prince; even a suspicion makes the office untenable."

Zheng Shuqing answered cautiously.

Sure enough, Ji Ge gave a slight nod without a clear yes or no, his gloomy expression considerably eased.

"Let the Right Prime Minister handle this: strip An Sisun of all his offices, grant him a nominal Left Prime Minister title, and keep him in Chang'an, nowhere else to go."

Ji Ge said it lightly, casually deciding the fate of a border official.

He thought Zheng Shuqing's handling was still a bit clumsy; loyal but not capable enough. An Sisun absolutely cannot be killed—if he were, the mutual framing among border army commanders would inevitably intensify.

In Ji Ge's view, regardless of how skilled or unruly the border army commanders are, they are his watchdogs.

He can arrange or even placate these watchdogs at will, but must never let them lead him around.

The fundamentals must not be reversed.

Granting An Sisun a nominal post and keeping him quietly in Chang'an is called "assigning him to idle duties." When the state later needs manpower, he can be activated.

"Your Majesty's wisdom shines; your humble servant will attend to it."

Zheng Shuqing, with a respectful cross‑hand salute, said.

In fact, Ji Ge had already formed conclusions on the two matters mentioned earlier; the crucial third one he had not yet raised, mainly to see whether Zheng Shuqing, as Right Prime Minister, could discuss major affairs with him.

"Who should succeed as Military Governor of Hedong, Right Prime Minister? Who do you think is best?"

Some recommend Fang Guozhong to concurrently serve as Military Governor of Hedong, while others recommend Lu Long Army Commander Tian Chengsi.

Both are in the prime of their lives and capable of leading troops into battle; whom do you think is more suitable?

Ji Ge frowned slightly and asked.

"Your Majesty, I have a past connection with Fang Guozhong; should I perhaps recuse myself?"

Zheng Shuqing asked modestly; he knew this was "the correct nonsense", yet speaking it out versus pretending not to notice made a big difference.

Sure enough, Ji Ge, feigning impatience, waved his hand and said, "One should not avoid relatives when promoting talent; Fang Guozhong, of course I know."

"Your Majesty, Tian Chengsi's family is not in Chang'an; if he causes trouble in a border town, it will be a serious problem."

Whereas Fang Guozhong's family all reside in Lantian County, merely near the capital. Should he commit any misdeed, Your Majesty may order me to lead a team to capture his relatives.

Whichever of the two is more suitable, Your Majesty surely has weighed it; I dare not presume.

Zheng Shuqing bowed and said.

He seemed to utter a lot of useless chatter, yet actually covered everything that needed to be said.

"The Right Prime Minister speaks wisely."

Ji Ge gave a slight nod; Zheng Shuqing's words struck a chord.

In Tang history, before the An Shi Rebellion, there existed a low‑profile yet heavily suspected group: the Han border‑town military families.

Members of these families often served as mid‑level officers in the border armies, some rising to Military Governor. Their networks were confined to the border towns, giving them no voice at court, forcing them to attach themselves to the appointed Military Governors or campaign commanders.

Examples include Hexi's Xin Yunjing, Wuzhi Yi and Yuanmen's two dragons, An Zhongzhang, and the currently mentioned Hebei Tian Chengsi.

All are representatives of this group, possessing considerable local connections.

To suppress them, the court repeatedly introduced allied Hu generals and their families.

Adopt the sand‑mixing great method; the two will counterbalance each other!

Then, with senior officers parachuted in from the central command, the situation can be controlled smoothly.

When the militia system was in place, the advantage of Han border‑town military families was not obvious, because soldiers came from all over the country rather than locally.

Now the recruitment system has changed; the standards for mid‑ and low‑rank officers have risen, becoming a competition where the capable work more and rise higher.

While the border forces' combat power has greatly increased, it also gives the sons of Han border‑town military families a chance to make a name for themselves.

Whatever you say, they are locally tougher than the youngsters from Guanzhong.

Whether Fang Chongyong and Tian Chengsi are capable is another matter; just consider their backgrounds and current positions. Fang Chongyong belongs to the "central‑command parachute officials" and is rooted in Chang'an. Tian Chengsi comes from a Hebei military family and is based in Youzhou.

With that comparison, the answer is already clear.

"During the western expedition, Fang Guozhong coordinated the three frontier towns of Hexi, Anxi, and Beiting, and even built a city in the Ili River Valley. He later reported back to the court, showing his loyalty.

Now that the Uighur have rebelled, Hetao is in a turbulent season; letting Fang Guozhong oversee the whole situation is indeed a prudent strategy."

Ji Ge smiled and said.

Of course, he was only stating the superficial reason; in fact, he is somewhat wary of Huangfu Weiming's recent up‑and‑down movements.

It's hard to say whether Tian Chengsi is a confidant of Huangfu Weiming. But since he hails from Hebei, one must keep an eye on him.

Huangfu Weiming is a capital official; his family lives in Chang'an, his sister is an imperial consort who has borne a prince.

This is also one reason Ji Ge believes he will not plot rebellion.

But if he doesn't rebel against Tang, does he not rebel against this emperor? Ji Ge thinks the former is unlikely, but the latter is highly possible!

In the Tang, elevating a prince to crown prince is itself the "glorious tradition" passed down from Emperor Taizong's era.

Whether civil officials or generals, they are indifferent to who becomes emperor. After all, Emperor Taizong's "jewels precede" provides ample inspiration.

As long as the dynastic name isn't changed and their power isn't disturbed, any prince's accession is the same.

This isn't a catastrophic upheaval, nor is it something they cannot accept.

For Huangfu Weiming, supporting a prince's succession isn't a grave betrayal. If successful, he becomes a meritorious official, with virtually no political risk or reputational loss.

Therefore Ji Ge is unusually vigilant about similar people and matters.

The reason for not replacing him is that anyone who reaches Huangfu Weiming's position cannot guarantee absolute loyalty! It's better to keep the familiar than the unknown; a replacement may not be beneficial.

Huangfu Weiming is practically his brother‑in‑law!

In Ji Ge's view, drawing his sword and looking around, every gaze meets an enemy; there is hardly anyone he can fully trust. Well, Gao Lishi can barely count, but his abilities are average and only suited for routine tasks.

"Appoint the Hetao Strategic Ambassador, with Fang Guozhong taking the post, concurrently holding the Hedong Military Governor title; the current office of Shuo Fang Military Governor remains unchanged.

Transfer Tian Chengsi to Hedong as Deputy Hedong Military Governor, Datong Army Commander, dedicated to assisting Fang Guozhong in dealing with Uighur border incursions."

Ji Ge let out a light sigh, feeling restless inside. Recent state affairs have been worrisome, never giving a moment's peace! Why won't they let him go?

"I will attend to it at once," the minister said.

Zheng Shuqing bowed to Ji Ge and saluted, then turned and left.

When they reached the doorway of the Imperial Study, Ji Ge suddenly called him back.

"Your Majesty, do you have any further orders?"

Zheng Shuqing asked in a low voice.

"The private minting matter must be handled swiftly and strictly, without delay.

If killing one person can quell the uproar, then kill one. If a hundred cannot stop it, then kill a thousand as a warning.

I intend to resolve this before this year's Shangyuan Festival.

Understood?"

Ji Ge's expression turned grim as he said.

His expression gave no hint that he had just been enthusiastically discussing the Hedong matter.

"Understood, understood, I will attend to it at once."

Zheng Shuqing's back was drenched with cold sweat; he hurriedly bowed and nodded.

Leaving the Xingqing Palace, he felt as if he had just passed through the Gate of Ghosts. Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger, especially an aged tiger full of suspicion.

This right‑hand position truly is hard to fill.

"How did Li Linfu manage to be chancellor for so many years? Why does it feel impossible to continue after only a few months as chancellor?"

Zheng Shuqing muttered the question to himself.

……

Since the Uighur fled in disgrace last time, the Hetao Grassland has enjoyed a temporary calm.

However, it is clear the situation will not remain peaceful forever. Uighur cavalry not only frequently appear north of Feng'an City and across the Yellow River opposite Lingzhou, but also show up in the Zhenwu Army defense zone, and on one occasion even infiltrated the interior of the Hetao Grassland.

All of these were spotted by Tang scouts; the unseen ones are countless, one can imagine.

In early winter, the Yellow River's sections began to freeze one after another; some spots froze solid enough for large cavalry formations to ride across on horseback.

Fang Chongyong began to grasp what the Uighurs truly intended and what they were waiting for.

The first two failures cooled the Uighurs' minds; they now wander in the dark, seeking a chance to strike!

However, before the Uighur raid arrived, Bu Gu Huai'en's cousin came to see Fang Chongyong first.

The Tongluo tribal chief Abusi, who shares the nine Tiele surnames, arrived at Lingzhou City with a massive gift convoy—dozens of large wagons and a thousand warhorses—grandly seeking Fang Chongyong for a dock tribute.

The sheer weight of the gifts left the generals in Lingzhou gaping in amazement.

Fang Chongyong recalled from historical records that Abusi rose to prominence by assisting Ge Shuhan and taking part in the Battle of Stone Fort City. After all, both he and Ge Shuhan have Turkic connections, making them naturally close.

However, in this lifetime Stone Fort City was never lost, so there was no Battle of Stone Fort City at all.

Moreover, Ge Shuhan never got a soaring opportunity, because no nationwide war erupted; thus the western regions and Longyou also lacked a shortage of troops.

So after Abusi arrived in Tang, he never had a chance to shine. He could only honestly serve as a tribal chief beside the city, peacefully herding in Hetao, accumulating considerable wealth over the years.

But that was all.

Anyway, this leader of the Tongluo tribe is now doing poorly in official circles, wandering about seeking a post and a way in.

In fact, tribes like his are everywhere on the Tang frontier. From Hexi to Shuofang and then to Hebei, they are so numerous that they cannot be counted.

Some among them have risen; their chiefs serve as officers in the Tang army. Others remain obscure, obeying Tang orders each year, sending as many men as the money they receive, with casualties compensated separately.

Abu Si is merely one of the stronger groups among them. If he were an officer in the Shuofang army, he would be the next Pu Gu Huai En. But because Pu Gu Huai En already holds a position in the Shuofang army, Abu Si's current situation is a bit awkward.

After all, the "Great Huihe", including Pu Gu Huai En, belong to the "anti‑Turkic faction" of the Tiele.

Abu Si, however, was directly appointed by the Turks as a Yehu Turkic official, belonging to the "pro‑Turkic faction".

The two not only fail to help each other, they even fight over old and new grudges, let alone being courteous.

Thus the tangled relationships among these steppe tribes are truly not something ordinary people can sort out.

The people remain the same, but the titles they wear on their heads may have changed several times.

That afternoon, in the study of the Jiedushi's office in Lingzhou City, Shuofang, Fang Chongyong warmly clasped Abu Si's hands and said with emotion:

"Alas, Brother Li has already arrived, no need for such courtesy, bringing so many gifts. Picking a date is no better than striking on the day; today we meet as if old friends. Shall we become brothers? You are older, you are the elder brother, I the younger—how about it?"

"How dare we, how dare we, we lowly ones, dare to address the Jiedushi as brothers?"

Abu Si said with a startled look of being favored, while secretly pondering inside.

The style of this Tang frontier Jiedushi in dealing with people is truly a world apart.

An Sisun, with a strictly businesslike demeanor, this Jiedushi Fang, however, is passionate as fire, completely without airs.

"Eh? 'Lowly ones'—what a phrase!

When we become brothers, it is for the benefit of the Tang and also for the frontier townsfolk, regardless of rank.

When we become brothers, your tribe in Shuofang will not be suspected by the frontier townsfolk; is that not more than a private matter between us?

Brother, please do not decline!

Fang Chongyong said earnestly.

"I—I shall overreach, overreach."

Abu Si silently breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your tribe grazes around Hequ's Qingshui River area; this Jiedushi will grant your tribe a separate unit designation, called the Qingshui Army, not counted in the Ministry of War's rolls; you control the troops yourself. How does that sound?"

"As for the brotherhood ceremony, this tumultuous season is inconvenient; after this busy period, we can hold the public rites."

Fang Chongyong was magnanimous, directly giving Abu Si a frontier army unit designation.

Now the most worrisome matter need not be feared. He came here simply to ask how to blend into the Shuofang army!

Abu Si, excited, clasped his fists and saluted: "The junior will faithfully obey the Jiedushi's command! The Jiedushi orders me to strike whom I shall strike!"

A unit designation, even if the rest of the Tang gives nothing else, is a privilege that ordinary border tribes could not even imagine.

It means someone now has an official status; even if he is a dog, he becomes a kept house dog rather than a pitiful creature fighting wild dogs for scraps.

"First return to Hequ, ready your troops. The relevant commission will be sent by my men within these two days.

The Shuofang army lacks horses; the horses you sent will stay, I have received your goodwill.

Keep the gifts for your own use; raising supplies also costs money."

Fang Chongyong patted Abu Si's shoulder and said.

"Junior! Junior! Alas!

That An Sisun truly is no good, speaking a bunch of bad things about you!

Did not expect the Jiedushi to be such a generous and righteous person!"

Abu Si wept bitterly, moved beyond words.

"Frontier matters are strange and unclear. Only by treating each other sincerely can misunderstandings be avoided.

Return now; the Qingshui Army's organization issue, this Jiedushi will certainly settle for you."

Fang Chongyong comforted Abu Si.

The latter joyfully thanked and left.

After he departed, the recording officer and staff officer Feng Changqing whispered, "Jiedushi, are you being too generous to this Abu Si?"

"Having others risk their lives for you while you keep a lofty stance—that's not right.

We have already reached a deadlock with the Huihe; we must unite any possible allies to jointly face the Huihe cavalry.

"The Tongluo tribe is not a good ally?"

"If you do not unite the Tongluo tribe, the Huihe will try to buy them. Showing a cold face to Abu Si—doesn't that make the loved ones hurt and the enemies rejoice?"

Fang Chongyong took a bamboo fan from the desk and handed it to Feng Changqing; on it were the plain, sincere characters "Tongzheng".

(End of chapter)