Chapter 465: The Time Is Almost Up

Worried that He Changqi "hadn't seen the world" and might botch things, Fang Chongyong personally led the team to the largest estate outside the county seat of Heyin County.

It belonged to the Fanyang Lu clan, and was quite renowned locally.

Tang dynasty estates were a mode of land organization and management available only to great landowners, not a system of land ownership.

Unlike during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, when a single estate was a walled fortress difficult for enemies to breach.

But it was not a simple landlord-collecting-rent model either; it included a series of organizational and operational rules. Moreover, the people who worked within the estate had very complex relationships with the great landowner's household, including even retired veterans whose sole duty was security.

They were not simply tenant farmers.

Simply put, an estate was a small society within the larger society of the Tang. Before wars broke out, prominent clans used them as cash cows for producing wealth; once war erupted, the manpower within an estate could easily, under the leadership of a prominent clan, be assembled into a reasonably well-organized force, using the estate as a base for self-defense.

After all, the situation where others hoard grain while you sharpen your spear existed only in imagination. And more often than not, the rich held blades in their hands too.

Of course, if the scions of certain great clans had degenerated in their own abilities, possessing blades but unable to lift them, then they had no one else to blame.

Arriving near the Lu estate to scout, the soldiers of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army behind Fang Chongyong were all stunned by the scale of the estate.

The core of the Lu estate was a temple called Xingguo Temple.

The estate was built on three sides of the temple other than its main gate, bordering the canal with its back against a mountain covered in lush trees. At a glance, it was a location well-suited for defense. Having a temple near the estate likely meant there were also fruits and local produce as well as aquatic goods from the river.

These goods could easily flow westward via water transport to the markets of Luoyang to earn money.

Without war, the people in the estate could also conveniently purchase grain via the canal.

Judging from the terrain, the estate probably did not primarily grow grain but operated diversified businesses, and the orchards on the mountain covered a considerable area.

After observing the terrain near the estate, Fang Chongyong reached a conclusion: this was a prime piece of land for the prominent Lu clan to rake in money!

One had to admit, their eye for this was sharp.

Fang Chongyong somewhat understood why Yuan Jie and the others had been unable to do anything about this estate—just looking at the watchtower at the entrance told him the people there had long been prepared.

In this kind of large estate, the people inside were not necessarily all tenant farmers; some were even outsiders who had "pooled capital to buy in," people from all walks of life.

Naturally, they were not short of guards for the estate.

After the Hebei rebel army captured the county seat of Heyin County, they had not done anything to the Lu estate either, and Fang Chongyong roughly knew why.

Because the "common folk" spoken of by the government were exactly these people!

No matter who held power, they had to cooperate with them in order to quickly gain control of the local area.

"Jiedushi, are we going to ask them for some supplies and leave, or launch a strong assault here?"

He Changqi asked in a lowered voice, feeling a bit unnerved himself.

"Go ahead and make first contact, negotiate with the Lu clan people, ask for some provisions, and see how much they're willing to give."

Fang Chongyong ignored He Changqi and instead gave an order to Che Guangqian.

Hearing this, Che Guangqian frowned slightly and advised:

"Jiedushi, we might as well go directly to their door, state our purpose, reveal our identity, and take whatever they have—they surely wouldn't dare refuse. If we show such courtesy, those people will think we're nothing special, and then they'll push their luck."

Che Guangqian understood far better than He Changqi what those prominent clans were really about!

In the eyes of those prominent clans, whoever came had to court them. And as long as they had settled matters with the upper echelons of the government, what could a few common soldiers possibly stir up!

Those people had not yet felt that the times had already changed!

"Courtesy first, force second."

Fang Chongyong uttered four words.

"Understood!"

Che Guangqian departed with his orders.

Taking advantage of his absence, Fang Chongyong teased He Changqi: "Guess how much grain Che Guangqian can get?"

"At least a few thousand shi, right?"

He Changqi said without the slightest embarrassment.

Fang Chongyong shook his head and sneered coldly, not following up.

They had only brought a few dozen men this time; if they forced their way into the estate, they would feel a bit unnerved. So the group hid in a woods not far from the estate, waiting for Che Guangqian to return.

Before long, Che Guangqian returned, his expression very peculiar, holding a wooden box in his arms. He looked as if he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"How did it go?"

Fang Chongyong asked curiously.

"This household, whose ancestral home was the Fanyang Lu clan, has already relocated entirely to Anye Ward in Luoyang to live. The ones here are all people from branch families managing the estate.

Then, I didn't get a single grain of rice. Those people, however, gave me this."

Che Guangqian opened the wooden box from his arms, placed it on the ground, and inside lay a thick stack of Luoyang jiaozi!

Yes, the very same Luoyang jiaozi that differed slightly from Hexi jiaozi, equally inedible, unwearable, and too stiff even for wiping your backside.

Apart from minor details that differed slightly from Hexi jiaozi, everything else was virtually identical. Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, their hearts a jumble of emotions.

As the person who had "invented" jiaozi and pioneered paper currency, Fang Chongyong now saw the people of the Lu estate actually using a thick stack of jiaozi to brush off him and the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army.

Honestly, his feelings at this moment were quite subtle—there was a sense of helplessness and stunned bewilderment at being mocked to his face.

"What do they mean by this?"

Fang Chongyong asked, suppressing the anger in his heart.

"What else could it mean? They want us to take the jiaozi and go buy grain—get as far away as possible."

He Changqi curled his lip and said with a look of disdain.

"Indeed so, which is why I too felt I didn't know whether to laugh or cry."

Che Guangqian didn't know how to put it either. He had to admit, the people managing the Lu estate had a rather dark sense of humor.

If they even understood what that word meant.

As far as Fang Chongyong knew, now that war had broken out, jiaozi had become virtually worthless paper; even gold, silver, and copper coins were refused from time to time. Only usable goods like silk and grain continued to circulate without obstruction.

The Lu clan people giving Che Guangqian a large stack of useless jiaozi felt like someone handing a movie ticket for yesterday's showing to a highway robber.

That's it, it's better not to give at all!

"Did you say we are the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army?"

Fang Chongyong asked in a deep voice.

"I said it, but that person said they've never heard of it; they only know the Xuanwu Army and the Konghe Army. They also said that with the war chaos, many unfamiliar fan numbers have emerged. Now a prefect can arbitrarily seize a few hundred tuanjie soldiers and dare to create a new fan number."

In other words, they're implying that we are just retired tuanjie soldiers, a hastily gathered mob, coming to them for handouts.

Che Guangqian explained helplessly.

Actually, this wasn't surprising, because when they arrived at Lu Manor, Fang Chongyong deliberately had everyone shed their armor to avoid drawing attention in He Yin County.

The people of Lu Manor looked down on others with contempt; seeing a Tang army officer without even armor, they naturally labeled Che Guangqian as a "miscellaneous."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, having roughly grasped the "situation" here.

At that moment, Yuan Jie, who had been silently watching the scene, asked with a puzzled expression, "Jiedushi, the current jiaozi are as good as waste paper; what's the use of these?"

He still hadn't quite grasped the situation.

"There are bandits tonight planning a night raid on Lu Manor. We are preparing for rescue. These jiaozi are the reward they gave us."

Fang Chongyong said leisurely to Yuan Jie.

Bandits? Where did they come from?

Yuan Jie remained bewildered for a while.

Suddenly, he saw the hulking He Changqi, a flash of murderous intent crossing his face, and instantly understood!

The one on horseback, the bandits, were obviously the Fang Chongyong before us and his Yinqiang Xiaojie Army!

Otherwise, who else could be the bandits!

"Jiedushi, this might be a bit problematic. Although the people of Lu Manor indeed are…"

Yuan Jie didn't know how to respond.

Fang Chongyong leads the Imperial Guard! They eat the emperor's rations!

How can you commit such robberies?

Although Yuan Jie also harbored no good intentions toward the people of Lu Manor, at most he would just "borrow" some provisions and transport from them so they could safely return to Lu County.

"Ci Shan Xiong, the times have changed, haven't you noticed?"

Fang Chongyong patted Yuan Jie's shoulder meaningfully and said.

……

That night, on the corner tower of Lu Manor in He Yin County, a young man dressed in white, with a feather fan and silk kerchief, was holding a copy of *Wang Youcheng Collection* and reading it by torchlight.

"Night is dark and wind high, thoughts tangled like hemp. Gazing far at the starry sky, my heart's concerns are boundless."

He suddenly felt poetic inspiration and improvised a poem.

However, although his mind was filled with lofty images like Wang Youcheng's lofty snow‑capped mountains, what he recited was only fit for a crude rhyme.

Simply put, it's too vulgar!

His name is Lu Mai; his uncle serves as the Henan Junior Magistrate Cui Youfu in Luoyang!

His grandfather, father, uncle, and many others are all officials.

He will also become an official, and his whole family, generation after generation, will treat holding office as a profession. Even if they cannot become officials, they will never work the fields.

Lu Mai knows that now, amid the war, the Four Kings in Hebei have set up separate courts, and the Crown Prince seems to be at odds with the Sage, yet he doesn't feel these turmoil has anything to do with him.

No matter how chaotic the world becomes, someone must govern.

"Reading Wang Youcheng's poems is learning how to navigate officialdom.

Truly it's unbearably vulgar, unbearably vulgar!"

Lu Mai scoffed while also feeling helpless.

The rules of officialdom demand literary skill; without poetry one is useless. Lacking eloquence, one cannot succeed anywhere as an official. Many of Wang Wei's poems describe the comings and goings among officials, offering valuable reference for future careers.

Lu Mai is confident he lacks neither talent nor virtue, only a bit of literary flair.

Suddenly, a servant standing not far ahead on guard was pierced in the neck by an arrow from the darkness!

The man couldn't shout, clutched his neck and fell to the ground, the arrows from his quiver scattering everywhere.

Caught off guard, Lu Mai hadn't figured out what was happening when he heard a sharp, anguished scream coming from the manor's main gate downstairs!

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

That shout pierced the night's silence, snapping Lu Mai out of his daydreams.

"Something's happened! Something's happened! What on earth is going on?"

Lu Mai muttered to himself, frantic like an ant on a hot pan.

He had just stepped onto the corner tower stairs when his body felt as if a beast were staring at him, every hair standing on end. Instinct warned him that descending would bring unpredictable, massive danger!

Lu Mai pretended to stay calm and sat back down.

Then, he heard the indescribable, grinding sound the manor gate made as it opened!

Immediately followed by the thud of blades piercing flesh, the crack of fists and kicks, and a mix of sobbing curses and howls.

A chaotic jumble that made hearts race; even without descending the tower, one could guess what was happening below!

"Yo, there's still a fish that slipped through the net here!"

After a while, a young commander wearing Tang army Mingguang armor, his face covered with a black scarf, ascended the tower, followed by several hulking Qiu Ba.

Each wore heavy armor and bore a horizontal sword at the waist—clearly not to be trifled with.

Their faces were covered with black scarves as if muffling sound, yet they wouldn't dare change their Tang uniforms, fearing others wouldn't recognize them as Tang troops!

"He's just playing a kid version of Zhuge Liang; lead him down without using force."

The leading officer pointed at Lu Mai and ordered his subordinates. He crouched to check whether the unlucky fellow shot in the neck was dead, flipping over the corpse while muttering something about "arrow skill divine accuracy" or the like.

Lu Mai was escorted by two Tang soldiers pretending to be bandits, who didn't even bother with a façade, down to a large open area inside the manor.

According to his knowledge, this place is usually used for stacking haystacks. Any major announcements in the manor are also made here.

At this moment, the corpses on the ground are not many, only scattered. Most people survived; several hundred were gathered on the open ground, apparently to be lectured.

"Who is in charge of the manor?"

The young general who had just teased Lu Mai asked hoarsely.

"I, the old Lu Dun, am in charge of this manor. The one in the capital holding office is Assistant of Honglu Temple Lu Qi. The matriarch's brother is Cui Youfu; I don't know which person in the manor has offended a few military elders…"

An old man in a brocade robe stepped out of the crowd, and his words were like a hidden needle in silk.

Mentioning Lu Qi and Cui Youfu again—basically hinting that he has "higher‑ups"!

You lowly brats, don't act recklessly!

"Put that stacked buff aside!"

The young officer frowned at the remark and drew his sword, slashing at Lu Dun's neck!

In an instant, a deep red bloodstain appeared on Lu Dun's neck, and blood splattered all over the officer!

He kicked Lu Dun's corpse aside with one foot and shouted to the crowd, "Who is responsible for managing the manor? Step forward voluntarily; don't force me to unleash a slaughter."

No one dared to step forward; Lu Dun's fate already explained everything. In the current situation, anyone who steps forward is likely to face a nine‑to‑one chance of death.

"Then let's start killing now, until someone is willing to step forward. We'll begin... hmm, with you."

The young officer pointed at a burly man, clearly a member of the manor's 'security team', and said.

"Stop! I am the one in charge; what do you want to know?"

Lu Mai, who had been silent in the crowd, stepped forward.

But the impatient young officer scolded, "Little brat, get out of the way and go play elsewhere."

A few of his lowly brats beside him laughed heartily and pushed Lu Mai aside to watch the spectacle.

"Time's running out; I'll count to three and then start killing."

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

As soon as he finished counting to one, five or six people were shoved out by the crowd. Clearly, mass anger is hard to provoke; the weakness of human nature was perfectly manipulated by the young officer.

"First question: what portion of the rent do tenant farmers collect, and what portion do they pay to the authorities?"

The young officer asked in a deep voice.

"When the amount is high, they pay one tenth; when low, they pay half a tenth.

Tenant farmers pay five or six tenths, but often fail to collect the full amount, usually only collecting about seven or eight out of ten."

One person said cautiously.

Upon hearing this, many tenant farmers on the open ground wore shocked faces! Because the manor's tax payments to the authorities are far less than they imagined!

Lu Mai's face also showed an expression of disbelief.

Because he realized their family... truly black‑hearted!

(End of chapter)