Chapter 454: Murder Without Blood

"Sit, no need to be formal."

Fang Chongyong pointed at the cushion before them and smiled at the nervous Sun Xiaozhe, whose tension was almost a heart attack, and said.

He looked very approachable, with no official airs.

"Jiedushi lets you sit; how dare you refuse?"

Beside them, He Changqi rudely scolded Sun Xiaozhe. He widened his eyes, like the wrathful Vajra Guardians in a Buddhist temple.

After sitting on the cushion, Sun Xiaozhe asked somewhat hesitantly, "I don't know why Jiedushi Fang summons me; what does he want me to do?"

He knew the situation well: after being captured, he ate well and lived comfortably, far from the treatment a captive should receive.

When a superior bestows a favor, there is always a demand; Fang Chongyong's request is certainly not simple.

Sun Xiaozhe also knew what office Fang Chongyong held.

Don't be fooled by his usual swagger in front of Cai Xide; it's because he knows he serves as Shi Siming's "eyes" here, and under no circumstances could he collude with Cai Xide.

But now that he's captured, who cares whether he's Shi Siming's adopted son!

At this moment, Sun Xiaozhe's survival instincts were maxed out, making him unusually humble before Fang Chongyong, daring not to show off at all.

Seeing his awareness, Fang Chongyong waved his hand lightly, signaling He Changqi not to trouble Sun Xiaozhe.

Hum—, whatever Jiedushi asks, answer honestly, or you'll still endure all the hardships you ought to have suffered.

He Changqi dropped a harsh remark, then stood behind Fang Chongyong, as still as a statue.

"Cai Xide ordered you to guard Yaming Valley, yet didn't even provide horses; is he deliberately making things difficult for you?"

Fang Chongyong leisurely took out his Tang sword, began casually carving a piece of wood, and asked nonchalantly.

Sun Xiaozhe didn't think before blurting out, "That's exactly it; Cai Xide is eliminating dissent and wants to annex certain troops."

"I see! No wonder then."

Fang Chongyong understood instantly.

Cai Xide's main forces aren't that large, and there are internal factions as well.

Within the rebel army, it's essentially in a "loose" state. Before the rebellion, the number of directly commanded troops equaled the resources.

After the rebellion, troops must be divided and a new command structure rebuilt, naturally involving the movement of soldiers and personnel.

Huangfu Weiming also just added sand to the soup, balancing each other, with essentially no major reorganization.

Cai Xide leads troops that include Shi Siming's subordinates. The entire force follows Shi Siming's command, and Cai Xide is also monitored by Shi Siming's subordinates.

Before the rebellion, Huangfu Weiming's forces in the two Hebei towns were constrained by the Great Tang border army's structure; as the Jiedushi of the two towns, he also enjoyed the Tang's benefits.

But after raising troops, this structure naturally collapsed. Before a new system could be established, they could only force all subordinate armies together in a "one commander with a bunch of brothers" model.

This "makeshift troupe" flaw causes no issue in a favorable campaign, but once the tide turns, its drawbacks become obvious.

Take the current situation, for example.

After a long silence, Fang Chongyong said nothing more. This odd stillness made Sun Xiaozhe's hair stand on end.

But he dared not ask further.

"Alas, this Jiedushi feels sorry for you.

According to imperial orders, a rebel commander like you must at least be beheaded on the spot and have your head displayed to the three armies as a warning. Then the heads are sent to the three armies to serve as a warning to others.

You should know that now Huangfu Weiming's bandit army is besieging towns across Hebei, while the imperial troops' morale is low and need a boost.

And your head would be the best means to inspire morale."

Fang Chongyong tsk tsk in lament, then shook his head and sighed. Sun Xiaozhe was so frightened he almost wet his pants!

If you intend to kill, do it; don't give the illusion of survival before killing!

Sun Xiaozhe cursed Fang Chongyong in his heart, but dared not show it on his face. He felt as if his vitality had been drained, visibly sagging.

"But, this Jiedushi feels that the Four Kings' succession dispute, the Hebei rebellion, are all Li family matters, all affairs of sages and princes.

Generals like you and I merely follow orders.

Half a year ago, you and I were heroes of the Great Tang border army. Now meeting on the battlefield is truly unavoidable.

This Jiedushi is drafting a letter now; as messenger, you should travel to Xinzhou, deliver it to your adoptive father Shi Siming, and persuade him to abandon darkness for light. How does that sound?"

Fang Chongyong placed the Tang sword on the desk, looked at Sun Xiaozhe with a smiling squint, and asked.

And such a good thing?

Sun Xiaozhe couldn't hide his joy, almost so excited he was about to stand.

"Very well, Jiedushi, rest assured; I will certainly deliver the letter and persuade my adoptive father to submit to the court."

Sun Xiaozhe blurted out a desperate pledge.

A fool like Fang Chongyong? No, a good man like him is a once‑in‑a‑century find, and I actually ran into him!

"But…"

Fang Chongyong picked up the Tang sword again, his face puzzled, and asked Sun Xiaozhe, "If you go and never return, the court will ask why you privately released a bandit officer; this Jiedushi would have a hard time explaining."

"Jiedushi, after I deliver the letter I will definitely return to Taiyuan City!"

Sun Xiaozhe hurriedly pledged loyalty, looking extremely sincere! Yet his true intentions remain unsaid.

"Ah, then how about this.

Write a guarantee letter stating you were persuaded by this Jiedushi, and you wish to cut ties with the bandit army.

How does that sound?"

Fang Chongyong suddenly seemed enlightened, his face earnest as he looked at Sun Xiaozhe.

"Good! Rest assured, Jiedushi! I will write it right now!"

Sun Xiaozhe did not hesitate and agreed outright.

"Go prepare the Four Treasures of the Study."

Fang Chongyong instructed He Changqi.

Hmph!

He Changqi gave Sun Xiaozhe a cold hum, turned and left, then quickly returned and placed brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the desk.

Fang Chongyong personally ground ink for Sun Xiaozhe, as if a farmer were persuading a poisonous snake to "be a new person," grinding while gently urging: "General Sun, this mission may spare countless common folk from suffering; there is no greater good."

After the ink was ground, Sun Xiaozhe did not dawdle; his mind raced, and he immediately wrote a "Guarantee Letter," lavishly praising Fang Chongyong within it.

"Jiedushi, does this wording work for you?"

Sun Xiaozhe, with a flattering expression, handed over the freshly written Guarantee Letter, his heart rising to his throat.

"Hmm, very good; I didn't expect your writing to be quite impressive."

Fang Chongyong was very satisfied with the self‑praise about himself in the Guarantee Letter.

He immediately took up the brush and wrote a Surrender‑Encouragement Letter to Shi Siming, and had Feng Changqing copy a version.

"Deliver the letter to your adoptive father."

Fang Chongyong, with a solemn expression, handed the Surrender‑Encouragement Letter in his hand to Sun Xiaozhe.

"Please, Jiedushi, rest assured!"

Sun Xiaozhe tucked the letter close to his body, clasped his fists in a salute and said, his face equally solemn.

"He Laohu, prepare a horse for him, ready three days' dry provisions, then send men to escort him out of Chitang Pass."

Fang Chongyong instructed He Changqi.

"Hey, if you dare not return, the next time I catch you I'll definitely break your bones!"

He Changqi threatened Sun Xiaozhe viciously, shaking his massive fist.

"Hey, don't resort to force. General Sun, understanding the great righteousness, will surely return."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand at He Changqi, saying, and stopped his intimidation of Sun Xiaozhe.

"Please, Jiedushi, rest assured! I can swear a blood oath; I will definitely return!"

Sun Xiaozhe solemnly guaranteed, then turned and left the courtyard where Fang Chongyong lived. His steps became a bit lighter.

In his heart he couldn't help but mock Fang Chongyong's fanciful ideas.

His adoptive father Shi Siming is already a great general under Huangfu Weiming, entrusted with heavy responsibilities; what can the court give?

Once the bow is drawn there is no arrow returning; this Fang Jiedushi is still too young, too naive.

Sun Xiaozhe silently rejoiced at his good luck.

After he and He Changqi left, Feng Changqing, who had been silent beside them, immediately reported to Fang Chongyong: "Jiedushi, it's still timely to pursue Sun Xiaozhe now. After this man goes to Xinzhou to meet Shi Siming, he will surely never return! It would be more advantageous to behead him and send his head to the three armies."

"Hehe, this Jiedushi certainly knows what he's thinking; I'm only afraid he's still laughing in his heart that I'm a fool!"

Fang Chongyong's face showed a faint cold smile.

"Well… Jiedushi, I've heard that Shi Siming is meticulous, cunning, and cruel."

"Now Huangfu Weiming has not shown signs of decline; he does not seem someone who can be persuaded to submit."

Feng Changqing looked at Fang Chongyong and forced a smile, saying he also couldn't understand what his own Jiedushi was thinking.

"You all only see Shi Siming. In this Jiedushi's view, Shi Siming will never submit. Letting Sun Xiaozhe go is not aimed at Shi Siming."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand.

What kind of person is Shi Siming? Would this man from a thousand years later not know?

Fang Chongyong, with a serious expression, instructed Feng Changqing: "Go to Jingxing, deliver Sun Xiaozhe's Guarantee Letter and the copy of the Surrender‑Encouragement Letter you transcribed to Cai Xide. Tell him Sun Xiaozhe has already gone to Xinzhou and will lodge a complaint with Shi Siming, letting him handle it himself."

"So that's it!"

Feng Changqing instantly understood what Fang Chongyong intended.

Sun Xiaozhe, that fellow, is not an honest man. If he returns to Shi Siming's side, would he not give Cai Xide a dose of eye medicine?

Just thinking about it is impossible!

Does Fang Chongyong's move count as sowing discord between Shi Siming and Cai Xide?

It might even cause Cai Xide to surrender to the official army because of this.

Moreover, might Cai Xide, to protect himself, file a complaint to Huangfu Weiming, claiming this great defeat was caused by Sun Xiaozhe's meddling?

Then show Huangfu Weiming the court's Surrender‑Encouragement Letter?

Will he still believe in Shi Siming later? How will Huangfu Weiming view Shi Siming?

Even if Shi Siming and Cai Xide are so magnanimous they could hold a boat, forgetting past grievances, Huangfu Weiming, with his great talent, would also not mind, rendering Fang Chongyong's maneuver futile.

So what of it?

The cost of this tactic was merely releasing an inconsequential captive and wasting a few sheets of paper.

The best strategy is to attack plans; since we have idle time, why not devise a scheme to make Shi Siming and Cai Xide both nervous?

This move requires little input, yet its possible gains are worth looking forward to; why not have some fun with it?

"Understood, I will dash to Jingxing at once!"

Feng Changqing clasped his fists in salute, securing the letter close to his body.

"Tell Cai Xide, if he can obey a certain order, open Jingxing Pass and let the Hedong army surge into the interior of Hebei."

Then this Jiedushi will recommend him to the court as a Jiedushi and justify his previous actions.

Say he has been a loyalist secretly under Huangfu Weiming, in single‑line contact with me, just waiting for the chance to serve the country faithfully.

Whether to jump ship now or walk the same dark path with Huangfu Weiming, it's up to Cai Xide's personal choice.

Fang Chongyong instructed Feng Changqing.

"Understood, I will certainly see to it."

Feng Changqing instantly felt the weight of his responsibility.

Cai Xide's chance of "jumping ship" is high; because of Sun Xiaozhe's involvement, he will find it hard to receive Shi Siming's support, and may even be stripped of command. As for Huangfu Weiming, even if Cai Xide can prove his innocence and that he did not intend to lose,

…but it is also hard to prove his "bravery and skill in battle". Having suffered defeat, Cai Xide cannot wash that away!

A "wage earner" who couldn't get along with his immediate superior, and had no impressive battle record to speak of. In the eyes of the "big boss," there was no need to keep such a person in an important position.

Being sidelined into idleness was inevitable.

One could say that Cai Xide's prospects under Huangfu Weiming were exceedingly bleak.

If at this moment he could open up Jingxing Pass and let the imperial army thrust deep into the heartland of Hebei, it would surely be a great merit! Moreover, it would serve as a pledge of allegiance—a complete break with Huangfu Weiming.

With the court's suppression of the rebellion now at a stalemate, it was precisely the time to hold up a "model" to boost morale. Cai Xide coming over to their side would undoubtedly be a heavy blow to the rebel army.

Being treated favorably by the court was inevitable.

Only the first person to eat the crab is a brave soul, only then will they be remembered by the world. As long as Cai Xide wasn't foolish, he would surely see the immense benefits therein.

Only after Feng Changqing left did Fang Chongyong let out a long breath of relief.

The reinforcements were so slow in coming... they might not even come to Hedong at all.

If the information Che Guangqian brought was true, then it was enough to prove that the political situation of the Great Tang had now reached the brink of "heaven collapsing and earth splitting apart."

Every border army would have to enter the game!

When a chancellor throws the political situation into chaos, the chancellor must bear responsibility, and the Son of Heaven must replace the chancellor.

By the same logic, when the Son of Heaven sets the whole land ablaze with war, the Son of Heaven must bear responsibility, and should abdicate in favor of the worthy!

The Hebei rebellion showed that Brother Ji couldn't hold the throne steady. The other border armies suppressing the rebellion was one matter; what came after the war was another matter entirely.

It was perfectly normal now for many people to obey mobilization orders but ignore summons.

If the various border army units didn't know what the political situation would look like after quelling the "Rebellion of the Four Kings," what the landscape would be, and what benefits there were for them, then these people wouldn't go through fire and water either.

It was time to take precautions before the rain came.

Fang Chongyong immediately sent for Li Sheng, who was still "interning" in the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, responsible for army logistics.

After the other party arrived at the study, Fang Chongyong asked in a gentle tone, "How does it feel to only be in charge of logistics now, unable to take to the battlefield?"

"To answer the Jiedushi, it feels wonderful!"

Li Sheng cupped his fists in salute and said, the smile on his face didn't look feigned.

"Mm, you're one of our own, so there's a private matter I need to ask you to handle.

When no one else is around, you may call me brother-in-law."

Fang Chongyong's expression suddenly turned serious.

Since he had put it to this extent, Li Sheng naturally felt duty-bound. He leaned in and lowered his voice to ask, "Brother-in-law, what confidential matter needs to be done?"

"You secretly return to Chang'an and get in touch with Jinwu Guard Grand General Zhang Guangsheng.

Find an opportunity to quietly escort my family out of Chang'an.

Of course, just make preparations in secret. When to set out and where to go—I'll send someone to notify you when the time comes."

Fang Chongyong instructed in a low voice, fearful of being overheard by outsiders.

"Brother-in-law, has something major happened?"

Li Sheng was greatly startled.

"The realm is in turmoil. Just taking precautions."

Fang Chongyong let out a long sigh.

The political situation of the Great Tang was now in a state of ever-shifting chaos; anything could happen in the future. Even a great victory or a great defeat would be enough to influence the direction of the political situation.

Not keeping a hand guarded against this truly wouldn't do.

"Understood. I will set out today."

Li Sheng nodded slightly and said.

He was Wang Zhongsi's adopted son. Protecting Wang Zhongsi's daughter, as well as the family of his immediate superior—this was a matter of course.

Both in sentiment and in reason, it was something he ought to do.

In the future, Fang Chongyong would also give him ample recompense. These benefits, Li Sheng could not obtain from anyone else; he could only follow Fang Chongyong down this one road to the very end.

"Go. Don't make it known."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand with some weariness.

(End of this chapter)