Chapter 544: Dengzhou Waters, Wave upon Wave

In Fang Chongyong's impression, Dengzhou's Penglai should be guarded by heavy troops.

After all, such a huge seaport—no, as the largest northern Tang seaport, there is no equal.

A strategic stronghold so vital to maritime trade and defense would have no elite troops watching over it?

Fang Chongyong thinks that is impossible.

But Liu Yan kept insisting that, as far as he knows, the court has indeed not deployed heavy troops at Penglai Port. Even the only regular army the Tang administration set up in Dengzhou, the Dongmu Guard, is stationed near Huang County, dozens of li southwest of Penglai Port, away from the sea.

This unit not only lies outside the maritime trade economy, clearly set up to defend the prefecture, but also has a strength of only 1,500 men. Some major sea merchants, on a single voyage, may have more than that many attendants.

After those people went to places in the northeast such as Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, and Japan, they often established temporary bases, even permanent towns, at suitable spots along the coast, effectively having the capital to contend with local powers, comparable to a nation within a nation.

In short, by ordinary military sense, the Tang's current forces in Dengzhou are far insufficient, even a fraction of what is needed.

However, when the fleet of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army docked, the Qiu Ba were very relaxed, and after they seized Penglai Port almost without a fight, Fang Chongyong finally believed Liu Yan's words were true.

He ordered Che Guangqian to take his men and seal off every ship in the harbor, forbidding any to leave, to disembark, or for others to board.

He instructed He Changqi to lead men to control the outer walls and main city tower of the harbor, allowing no one to enter or exit, and to stand by in place.

He had Duan Xiushi bring men to inventory the harbor's warehouses, permitting no outsider to take even a grain of rice or a copper coin.

After arranging all this, Fang Chongyong finally relaxed a little.

There are hundreds of ships in Dengzhou Port; though varying in size, they are all much larger than canal cargo boats, forming a canopy that blocks the sky at the docks. The temporary storage warehouses stretch from one to another, an astonishing scale!

Its prosperity far surpasses that of Hebei Prefecture.

Seeing these implausible sights, Fang Chongyong instantly understood.

Whichever general controls Dengzhou controls the northern maritime trade.

Seizing this sky‑splitting wealth grants the power to raise troops and purchase horses.

This is also the most crucial hub linking the northern states with the Tang. If a Tang general holds heavy troops in Dengzhou, he can, with the aid of external vassals, carve out a fief, wield the Tang's name, and influence regime changes in places like Goguryeo and the Bohai Kingdom, supporting proxies for profit.

Just thinking of this makes one break a sweat for the officials in Chang'an's central bureaucracy.

In other words, precisely because Dengzhou is so vital, Ji Ge dares not leave troops here. Without troops, there can be no rebellion; the Tang army itself is the biggest source of instability in Dengzhou.

Because maritime trade thrives, locals are not worried about food and clothing, so they naturally won't rebel. The great sea merchants fear the Tang army looting them; heavy guard actually deters them from doing business.

External powers such as the Bohai Kingdom, Goguryeo, and Japan heavily rely on Dengzhou's Penglai Port; each year they sustain their rule and the aristocracy's lavish lifestyles through maritime trade revenue.

It is their shared golden rooster, with trade revenue being the golden eggs beneath it. Whoever raids Penglai Port, blocks the routes, cuts off everyone's wealth, is fighting everyone and also antagonizing the Tang.

Such a character wouldn't survive a single episode of a TV drama; they'd end up committing suicide. Clearly, sailing can earn money—what fool would do this kill‑the‑chicken‑for‑the‑egg stunt?

Thus, Dengzhou's military and civilian situation is completely different from inland Tang prefectures. The Tang administration here lives off the sea; as long as taxes can be collected, many matters are dealt with a wink and a nod, as long as they get by.

Sure enough, when Fang Chongyong was in the study of Dengzhou Fuya at Penglai Port and saw the Dengzhou Inspector Wang Weizhong at work, he learned that this official, besides his inspector post, also held the duties of envoy to Silla, Baekje, and the Bohai Kingdom.

In short, Wang Weizhong is a capital official dispatched by the Tang to Penglai Port for long‑term duties, responsible for receiving envoys from the northern states! He serves under the Honglu Temple.

The inspector role is merely an ancillary post that can be delegated to others for local affairs; diplomacy is his true profession. It's like when Fang Chongyong once held the title of Assistant Director of the Ministry of Rites while serving as Inspector of Shazhou.

Capital posts are primary, local posts are secondary.

"His Majesty commands: the Xuanwu Army is ordered to take over Dengzhou's civil and military affairs; the imperial edict is here, Lord Wang may return to Chang'an to report."

Fang Chongyong, expressionless, slipped the 'imperial edict' he had drafted a day earlier into Wang Weizhong's bosom.

Consequently, the middle‑aged Wang, whose affairs were all settled, gave a wry smile, pulled a second yellow silk scroll from his bosom, handed it to Fang Chongyong and said: "Jiedushi Fang, His Highness the Eternal King yesterday sent his subordinate Li Bai to deliver an imperial edict, stating that Dengzhou now falls under the jurisdiction of the Tianping Army's Jiedushi; Li Bai is currently in Penglai Port."

"Perhaps you could discuss it with him?"

"In any case, this lady cannot be remarried, right?"

Wang Weizhong's attitude was very humble; he even handed the Dengzhou Inspector's seal to Fang Chongyong.

"Eh?"

Fang Chongyong was startled inside, but his face remained impassive. He placed his Swift Wind Illusion Blade on the desk and said to Wang Weizhong, "Lord Wang, you may test whether my blade is sharp."

Wang Weizhong crossed his hands in salute and earnestly said:

"\"His Highness the Eternal King's position is sensitive, but his power is negligible. If that were not the case, our office would not have left Li Bai hanging there."

"Jiedushi Fang and his Yinqiang Xiaojie Army are valiant and battle‑tested, roaming Hebei; Dengzhou now falls under your jurisdiction, and I am pleased to see it. As for Chang'an... the patricidal emperor, can you still trust him?"

"\"From where does the patricide story originate? \""

Fang Chongyong wore a puzzled expression, feeling as if he had just heard some extraordinary matter.

Wang Weizhong let out a long sigh and said:

"\"Your father was a hero, leading troops to a great victory over the Hebei rebels, but the current emperor, at this crucial moment, murdered his own father, killed the Taishang Huang; this fact is now known to everyone in Chang'an."

"Your father, enraged, retreated to the mountains and forests, shunning worldly affairs, even abandoning Chang'an. You were far away in Hebei then, so you naturally did not know."

"Today I hand you the Dengzhou seal because you and Grand Marshal Fang are both heroes, pillars of the state, not merely to save face for the imperial edict."

"I suppose this edict of yours was also forged recently, wasn't it?""

Wang Weizhong gave a calm smile and waved his hand, clearly seeing through the current political situation.

Li Chang actually killed Ji Ge!

Fang Chongyong was shocked, but then thought that Ji Ge, in life, tormented the longevity king, a mad bull‑headed man. If the tables were turned and he were treated likewise, he might also rebel.

Worldly grudges, sip by sip, are never baseless; every cause has its effect.

Ji Ge's fate can be seen as reaping what he sowed.

It's just a pity he kicked the bucket, leaving the living to suffer.

Fang Chongyong let out a light sigh, gave a slight nod, and said nothing more.

He returned the seal to Wang Weizhong, saying, "You may continue as Dengzhou Inspector, but you must obey my orders."

"I will strictly follow Jiedushi Fang's command."

Wang Weizhong said nothing else, took the seal, and crossed his hands in salute to Fang Chongyong.

When the court loses its great righteousness, local prefectural officials naturally see clearly and know how to choose. If the regional Jiedushi wish to control local administrations in these so‑called 'neutral' places, it wholly depends on whether they have accumulated enough virtue and a sufficiently renowned reputation.

Otherwise, they will inevitably unleash a massive slaughter.

Wang Weizhong refused to give the seal to Li Bai precisely because he didn't want to get involved in the princes' series of resistance against the central authority!

Now handing the seal to Fang Chongyong is to seek the protection of a strong army.

When a feudal‑town Jiedushi seeks support from local prefectures and counties, the prefectural Inspectors and County Magistrates are, in fact, also seeking the protection of the feudal‑town Jiedushi. This is a two‑way rush, each taking what they need.

Since the Son of Heaven has murdered his father, anyone can be killed. This is a classic collapse of rites and music. With rites and music in ruins, the court is nothing more than a giant feudal town, with no claim of legitimacy.

Whether for imperial authority or for filial piety, the exiled princes will inevitably raise troops and rebel in the future.

But they are eager; the local Inspectors may not be, and of course those Inspectors have little interest in taking part in the suppression of the imminent "rebellion".

The court has become a dog court; what's worth dying for? Haven't you seen that even Fang Youde has gone into seclusion?

When the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army took over Penglai Gang, Wang Weizhong was inevitably the first to learn of the situation. He could have resisted, at least he had enough time to flee.

But Wang Weizhong did not run.

Fang Chongyong saw the dramatic changes of the world in this man.

Just as he and Wang Weizhong were questioning each other, inquiring about local sentiments in Penglai and even Dengzhou, Che Guangqian's face grew grim; she grabbed a young man's arm and hurried into the prefectural hall's study.

"Jiedushi, this lowly officer has captured a remarkable big spy!"

Having said that, he gave the somewhat frail young man a push.

Fang Chongyong looked at Wang Weizhong, and the Wang official merely shook his head in bewilderment, indicating he didn't know the person at all.

"Who are you?"

Fang Chongyong asked the man.

The young man was slender and fair‑skinned, clearly a child of an official family. But having spent a long time in the harbor, his skin had tanned, so he couldn't be called a delicate pretty boy.

Yet he was clearly dressed in aristocratic attire, making it impossible for him to be a spy.

"I am not a spy; I have attended the Imperial Academy, and someone preparing for the imperial examinations couldn't possibly be a spy," he said earnestly.

He began to speak nonsense in a solemn manner.

"Ma De, you've even come to the harbor to prepare for the exams; can you be any more outrageous?"

Fang Chongyong had to remind him not to argue further.

He cleared his throat lightly and said, "I, the commander, have passed the imperial examination! If you keep spouting nonsense, the military officer will not be courteous!"

"So what if you've passed the exam? You just read dead books; I say reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."

He wore an arrogant, petulant air as if saying "you're just a small‑town problem‑solver," clearly the sour temper typical of scholars. Fang Chongyong already understood: this fellow is definitely not a spy; if he were, he would have been beaten to death countless times by now.

Fang Chongyong leaned over and asked Che Guangqian, "Che, why do you think he's a spy?"

"Jiedushi, he carries a map of Penglai Gang, drawn better than the maps currently kept in Chang'an's Ministry of Works. Could he not be a spy?"

Che whispered.

She is meticulous and keen‑nosed; when she caught this man, he was furtively drawing a map in an inconspicuous corner of Penglai Gang!

If He Changqi had discovered him, he might have let him go, because the man's appearance and dress don't look like a spy at all.

But Che picked up the man's map and glanced at it, instantly breaking out in a cold sweat.

This damn map is actually more exquisite and detailed than the official maps in the Ministry! One must know that drawing maps requires great expertise; in a sense, making a good map is harder than painting.

He's not someone from the Dengzhou Fuya, and his map is better than the official one; doesn't that prove his identity is suspicious?

If not a spy, then what?

Che's suspicion is quite reasonable, and Fang Chongyong had to admit it.

"Let me see."

Fang Chongyong extended a hand; Che understood and handed over the unfinished sketch from her bosom.

Sure enough, the map was not only detailed but also annotated and labeled. At a glance, Fang Chongyong felt it must be one sheet from a "set of maps."

To be fair, it truly is drawn more meticulously and with clearer markings than the official maps in the Ministry.

Fang Chongyong instantly developed a love for talent; a cartographer who came to his door must not be allowed to escape.

In war, an accurate and detailed military map can sometimes decide victory or defeat; it cannot be taken lightly.

No wonder Che suspected him of being a spy; although he doesn't look like one, his abilities are indeed suspicious.

"This map is fine, why don't you come to my residence and become a clerk?"

Wang Weizhong also leaned over to look at the map, instantly being amazed, and couldn't help but make a snide comment.

The young man remained silent, not even wanting to glance at Wang Weizhong, clearly disdainful of clerks.

In fact, that's only natural; Fang Chongyong was too lazy to explain to Wang Weizhong.

In Great Tang, if one's father is mediocre, only after passing the imperial examinations can one become an official; only after becoming an official can one become a high‑ranking official; only then can one fulfill ambitions.

"What meaning does being a clerk have?"

Talented people all carry pride in their hearts.

"What is your name?"

Fang Chongyong looked at the young man before him and asked.

"Jia Dan, twenty‑first descendant of Jia Xu."

Jia Dan said proudly, clearly proud of his lineage.

So he is a descendant of that old‑coin family, Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, confirming the deep family tradition.

Descendants of those old‑coin strategists may not be wealthy, but they surely have many books; under oral and practical teaching, they easily become cultured people.

But whether they can succeed in officialdom is another matter.

In short, people of this class are born with a much higher starting point than ordinary folk; even in equal competition, they mostly win.

Because from childhood, their educational resources differ.

Che Guangqian is a descendant of Che Yin, the one who would catch fireflies to study at night.

Che Guangqian is cunning also because he is a scion of a noble family cloaked in the outer skin of Qiu Ba; even though his family fell into decline, his childhood education was far superior to that of ordinary people. These factors give him a chance to stand out while still young.

Many people see the opportunity, but because they lack knowledge they cannot seize it.

"It's just a misunderstanding; you go attend to your business."

Fang Chongyong instructed Che Guangqian.

Che Guangqian gave Jia Dan a cold stare, then bowed with clasped fists to Fang Chongyong and took her leave.

The descendants of Che Yin catching the descendants of Jia Xu—now that's... a bit chaotic.

"Since you have knowledge, why not take the imperial examination in Chang'an and come to Dengzhou instead?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a puzzled expression.

Jia Dan rubbed his hands, glanced at Wang Weizhong, and saw him give a slight nod, as if hinting at something.

Jia Dan took a deep breath and said, "I intend to draw a set of Map of the Nations within the Sea, detailing the conditions of the Great Tang's surrounding vassal states and a sea chart, to present the scroll to the noble of Chang'an."

So that's how it is!

Fang Chongyong recalled something: when Bai Juyi took the imperial examination, he presented his scroll to Gu Kuang, offering his poem "The Grasses on the Plains," which Gu Kuang greatly appreciated, so his examination went smoothly.

Jia Dan plans to use the map to present his scroll, indicating he is a 'professional talent'; the reasoning is quite sound, and some aristocrat will surely take the bait. Jia Dan lacks poetic talent—if he were to write poetry for a scroll, that would be truly foolish!

"Your scroll, this commander takes, and from now on you can join me."

Fang Chongyong returned the unfinished map to Jia Dan and said, "Finish it first, then we'll talk!"

"This is the Fang Jiedushi who roams Hebei, under whose command the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army is invincible in battle; aren't you going to pay your respects quickly?"

Wang Weizhong hurriedly introduced Fang Chongyong to Jia Dan.

Huh?

Jia Dan was instantly frightened dumbfounded.

He is a native of Cangzhou Nanpi County; how could he not know the great turmoil the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army has caused in Hebei?

He originally came to Dengzhou to gather material in order to avoid the war sparked by the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, and to draw the map at the same time.

He didn't expect to fall into Fang Chongyong's clutches!

Jia Dan let out a long sigh, feeling like a salted fish lying on the beach, his heart as dead ash.