Chapter 560: Words Must Not Be Spoken Carelessly

I don't know whether it's due to the psychological effect of Fang Chongyong's intimidation, but Prince Yong Li Lin has a very poor impression of Kaifeng City, one could even say he despises it.

The low city walls, bustling commerce, lively ferry, and crowds shoulder‑to‑shoulder are far from the "royal majesty" Li Lin expects, exuding an indescribable merchant‑city atmosphere.

Even worse, this is Fang Chongyong's old stronghold, where most of his confidants, family, friends, and troops are gathered.

If they ever fall out, these people could lock down Kaifeng City tightly, and just thinking of that makes Li Lin's spine shiver.

Thus His Highness Prince Yong's choice was clear: after perfunctorily attending the welcome banquet, he left Kaifeng County with Gao Shang and a group of aides, heading to Chenliu County south of Kaifeng for a temporary stay.

Fang Chongyong readily agreed and ordered Guan Chongsi to lead troops to escort Prince Yong's party to Chenliu.

Li Lin assigned Wei Zichun to work in Kaifeng County, handling liaison duties and assisting Fang Chongyong in constructing the still‑in‑progress Bianliang City.

Until the capital's construction is finished, aside from the essential steps of enthronement, Li Lin will not return to Kaifeng County.

Fang Chongyong was indifferent to this; the farther Li Lin's flock of bird people stays, the more freely he can act here.

Prince Yong and his cadre of aides have yet to feel the shift of the times; they still cling to romantic notions of the Prosperous Tang and refuse to drop their airs.

Fang Chongyong also enjoys these people continuing to dream.

Returning to his now‑uninhabited home inside Kaifeng City, Fang Chongyong pushed open the door and felt an indescribable cold loneliness.

After all, no one even came out to greet him at home.

Wang Yunxiu and her group have already moved to Bozhou Qiao County and haven't returned to Bianzhou; many of the wives and concubines are pregnant. Even Fang Dafu and Fang Laique father and son are there.

Without people, the house is merely an idle dwelling.

Although Zheng Shuqing arranged a few servants to clean daily and stationed a unit of soldiers around the perimeter, the courtyard and rooms are very clean, and no thieves have ever visited.

Yet the place is a dead silence, utterly lifeless.

Even the personal guards behind Fang Chongyong feel that their own Jiedushi lives a truly simple life.

After the house and guards were settled a bit, Fang Chongyong had a pot of wine prepared, then went alone to the study to peruse the recent letters that had arrived, piled up like a mountain.

"Life's roads diverge north and south; even generals, ministers, and immortals must become mortals.

Centuries rise and fall, mornings turn to evenings; the river wind topples the trees of the former dynasty.

Fame and wealth have no foundation; exhausting one's spirit only wastes fleeting light.

Three cups of cloudy wine drown me, while the flowing water and fallen blossoms disappear beyond knowing."

Sitting at the desk, Fang Chongyong recalled the opening words of *The Scholars*, let out a long sigh and short lament, and instantly lost any desire to work.

When one pursues fame and fortune alone and ends up a solitary widower, could that be the true meaning of "gaining feels like losing"?

A bit melancholy, a bit helpless, a bit hesitant, yet there is no way to retreat.

Fang Chongyong knows clearly that now he can only walk a single road into darkness.

No matter what blocks the way ahead, he will kick it aside with a foot!

If a man blocks, kill the man; if a Buddha blocks, kill the Buddha!

This cruel world still has kinship, love, mutual respect, but lacks compassion.

Whoever is weak will die!

While lost in melancholy, temporary Head of the Guard He Changqi entered the study, bowed with clasped fists to the book‑flipping Fang Chongyong, and said, "Jiedushi, there is a porter outside requesting an audience."

"A porter? Are you sure you didn't misread?"

Fang Chongyong set the military text down, tossed it aside, and asked with a puzzled expression.

A porter from Bianzhou Ferry came looking for me... it's a bit unbelievable!

"Yes, Jiedushi, that's correct."

He Changqi answered honestly.

"Then bring him in."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand lightly, taking it lightly. The porter was probably seeking protection, intending to join the Silver Spear Elite.

In a moment, He Changqi brought the middle‑aged man before him.

Fang Chongyong stared and discovered that he was... Cui Qianyou! His beard was unkempt, eyes deep, skin dark, and his face bore many marks of time.

"You have fallen to this place?"

Fang Chongyong was greatly surprised and hurriedly ordered He Changqi to leave the study.

"Jiedushi Fang, have you been well?"

Cui Qianyou let out a long sigh, removed his headscarf, slipped it into his sleeve, and bowed with clasped fists to Fang Chongyong.

"Come, come, sit here, sit here."

Fang Chongyong quickly rose, pulled Cui Qianyou to the desk, and poured a full cup of the fine wine he hadn't had a chance to sip, offering it to the fallen former confidant of the Ji brother.

He knows Cui Qianyou's prowess; Fang Chongyong first learned military strategy from him.

"Back then, I, Cui, guarded Tongguan, but Li Chang took the Wuguan route, and with the support of Chang'an's nobles, ascended the throne as emperor.

At that time, my troops rebelled, the tide turned, and I could only leave Tongguan, heading east alone.

So I, Cui, settled in Bianzhou, concealed my name and blended among the ferry folk, quietly watching the situation."

Cui Qianyou drained the cup of fine wine in one gulp, exhaling a long breath of foul air. He could have sought Fang Chongyong long ago, but chose to watch quietly.

Porters at the ferry can easily gather all sorts of information from travelers moving north and south.

"The sage was killed by the current Son of Heaven, your father‑in‑law Wang Zhongsi was forced to commit suicide, your father fell into despondency and retired, Huangfu Weiming perished in defeat... So many events have unfolded this year that one is at a loss for what to do.

Later the Jiedushi led troops to campaign in Hebei; I, Cui, had no way to find you, so I remained in Bianzhou waiting."

Cui Qianyou poured himself another cup, his heart full of melancholy.

Why has the world become like this today?

Cui Qianyou doesn't know, but one thing is clear: the current situation is still chaotic, and it's impossible to see who will prevail in the future.

Not to mention the final laugh.

Since moving from Tongguan to Bianzhou, Cui Qianyou has leveraged his organizational skills to earn absolute authority among the porters; today he is a leading figure, with a handful of subordinates who obey his commands, somewhat akin to the underworld boss Fang Chongyong was in a past life.

I came here tonight to discuss the current situation with Fang Chongyong and to figure out how my future path should go; in plain terms, I want to see whether Fang Chongyong is still worth allying with, what I could do under his command, and what conditions he might offer.

In other words, Cui Qianyou now has nothing left and his foundation is completely lost; even if he allies with Fang Chongyong, the terms must be negotiated and mutually understood.

Having once been a principal commander who mastered the art of warfare, how could Cui Qianyou possibly start from scratch as a lowly soldier?

This is truly a two‑way choice, not a simple, brute‑force submission.

"General Cui, although Li Chang has murdered his father and the emperor, expecting anyone to breach Guanzhong again in the short term is probably impossible.

Therefore, I think that within Chang'an there may be a sudden, crippling trouble, but the collapse of the Guanzhong court is not something that will happen overnight.

Even if Li Chang is gone, another prince will be placed on the throne.

The court's state of being old yet undead, sick yet unfallen, seems inevitable.

Fang Chongyong poured himself a cup of wine and said slowly.

"Indeed, Li Chang only pursues personal grievances, disregarding the nation's great cause; the original instigator has no successor.

Moreover, even if I, Cui, return to Chang'an, I fear I will be purged; there is no place to stand firm."

Cui Qianyou sighed with emotion.

Obviously, Fang Chongyong is analyzing an exit for him; however, the route to Chang'an simply does not work.

Li Chang is a ruler who neither handles affairs nor can control them. The petty scum inside Chang'an will surely seize every profit like a wild horse breaking its reins. As an outsider, Cui Qianyou cannot expect anyone to grant him an official post; don't even think about it.

Even if Cui Qianyou seeks a patron to pledge loyalty to, he cannot find a specific, reliable person.

"The Hebei bandit army, previously led by Huangfu Weiming, was still a top figure. Judging by deeds rather than intentions, his support of Li Wan can be considered fulfilling his duty as a minister.

But after Huangfu Weiming's death, the Hebei bandits became leaderless, each acting on its own. There are impulsive actors like Li Baochen and covert lurkers like Shi Siming.

These people are merely withered bones in a tomb; within three to five years they will be annihilated."

Fang Chongyong shook his head and said.

Hearing this, Cui Qianyou sneered, "Indeed, I heard that Li Baochen entered Luoyang not long ago and took fifty concubine chambers! How delightful."

Is Grand Commander Baochen really that fierce?

Fang Chongyong was startled, then recalled that Cui Qianyou's information channels come from the folk, so it was no surprise.

Rumors passed by word of mouth are severely distorted. Each transmission introduces at least a twenty‑percent deviation. With such errors compounding, who knows how many concubine chambers Li Baochen actually took? It might even be that Wei Jian and his group smeared him.

Nevertheless, Li Baochen's outrageous behavior has been criticized, which is unlikely to be fabricated. Though the rumors are absurd, they are not entirely baseless.

Fang Chongyong suddenly recalled that when he was ten, someone in Chang'an spread a false rumor about him, claiming that as a prefect of Hexi he was dishonest, committing daily rapes, raids, and all sorts of crimes.

The rumor was so outrageous that after two days no one believed it. A ten‑year‑old child cannot be on a bed with women learning foreign languages and playing poker every day; such a mood requires matching ability.

Fang Chongyong felt that Li Baochen has been soaring ever since he entered Luoyang… it will likely end badly.

"I have heard that the court in the south appointed a batch of new Jiedushi to restrain those restless feudal princes.

I wonder whether Fang, the Jiedushi, has any opinion on this?"

Cui Qianyou suddenly raised a matter that Fang Chongyong was unaware of.

"Is there such a matter?"

Fang Chongyong was instantly startled.

"Indeed, a court envoy slipped through Bianzhou, and it is heard that some are traveling the Wu Pass route. These Jiedushi are mostly former local prefects who were already on duty there."

Cui Qianyou said with great certainty.

In Jiangnan, Lianghuai and other regions, although the Guanzhong court's reach is limited, they will try to create a balance there, letting the Jiedushi check each other, as long as tributes are delivered promptly.

This move by the Guanzhong court is essentially a self‑preservation effort, and it is understandable.

Of course, if the tribute goods cannot go via the canal, what should be done?

The Guanzhong court still has two methods.

First, depart from Yangzhou by sea, then sail upstream along the Yellow River straight to Chang'an.

Second, go through Jingxiang, entering Chang'an via the Wu Pass route.

That counts as one water route and one land route. Yet whichever way is taken, even a dual approach cannot replace the canal's transport capacity.

Not to mention the first sea route, which requires resupplying and changing ships at Dengzhou, and Dengzhou is now controlled by the Silver Spear Efficient Army.

Therefore, whether it is Li Baochen or the Guanzhong court, once they free up their hands, they will strike at Bianzhou, and they will do so without regard for cost or casualties, a lethal strike!

Since the forces in Guanzhong and Hebei are both unavailable, the remaining option is already obvious.

Fang Chongyong cleared his throat lightly and said:

"I, the commander, plan to form a new army, call it the Tax Police Corps, which will ordinarily be responsible for tax collection.

Its strength will be three thousand men, and its area of operation will be… as large as my territory. Whoever resists tax, the Tax Police Corps will come to enforce collection.

The army is still being organized and lacks a commander; I wonder whether General Cui would be willing to submit.

General Cui may recruit and select soldiers on his own.

Fang Chongyong finally presented his plan for how to place Cui Qianyou.

"Collecting taxes…"

Cui Qianyou nodded, apparently understanding what it meant.

The Tax Police Corps sounds pleasant in name, but in truth it amounts to a house‑clearing, exterminating clan—dirty work that will certainly tarnish its reputation.

But this is also a chance for a resurgence.

Because the Silver Spear Efficient Army has already been fully integrated; most units are like a carrot in its own hole. Officers and soldiers are familiar and work in perfect coordination.

Even if Cui Qianyou were placed there, those people would probably not trust him.

Thus, it is better to start from scratch, beginning with recruiting personnel. Though the process is slow, the steps are solid.

"Can even merchants and laborers be recruited?"

Cui Qianyou asked in a deep voice.

Just now, Fang Chongyong's words, both spoken and implied, clearly intended for him to step forward and recruit a portion of the troops himself.

"Fine, preferably locally without bringing family along. Tax investigation like this shouldn't be tied to the locals."

Fang Chongyong hinted coolly.

Many things indeed must be done, but they cannot be done openly. If something goes wrong, there must be someone to take the fall.

In any case, recruiting the displaced is essential.

Therefore the initial staff of the "Tax Police Corps" need not be scholars nor "well‑born youths". Once the future tax structure stabilizes, they will be gradually transformed and slowly replace the existing troops.

The porters are a very suitable group.

Cui Qianyou nodded slightly; he already understood Fang Chongyong's meaning.

Give them a badge, let them recruit on their own, be in charge of dirty work, and handle the big households that refuse to pay taxes.

That is a good choice for now.

"Liu Yan is in charge of tax matters; just obey his orders. However, he will not inquire about the specifics of execution, nor about troop conditions, and he will not manage daily training or recruitment.

Everything is under your full authority; if any problems arise, report directly to the Jiedushi."

Fang Chongyong said calmly, believing he had made himself perfectly clear.

"Jiedushi, rest assured; within a month, the army's framework will be erected. Within three months, selection will be complete and the ranks fully staffed."

Cui Qianyou performed a fist‑salute to Fang Chongyong.

He let out a silent sigh of relief.

The terms Fang Chongyong offered were actually quite good, at least far better than staying in the Silver Spear Efficiency Regiment.

That army, though counted among the finest in the world, has nothing to do with Cui Qianyou; he has no connections there.

And even though the so‑called "Tax Police Corps" currently has no members, it can be recruited hand‑by‑hand by him. One could say everyone involved is well‑known to him.

Fang Chongyong's move, putting Cui Qianyou in charge of recruitment, was not without the intention of balancing the Silver Spear Efficiency Regiment.

One can only say this Jiedushi's political skill is truly superb; without a ripple, he has already begun to lay plans for the future.

"Come to the government office tomorrow; I will introduce you to Liu Yan, who will allocate the funds you need for recruitment."

Fang Chongyong handed a pair of copper fish tokens—one marked front, one back—to Cui Qianyou; the surfaces were smooth and bore no inscription.

"Have someone engrave them—one for you, one for Liu Yan. That will settle the matter."

Fang Chongyong said with a smile.

When he was in Dengzhou, there were many craftsmen near the harbor. Fang Chongyong commissioned a batch of identical blank copper fish tokens for future army expansion.

Now they come in handy.

"Jiedushi, rest assured."

Cui Qianyou secured the fish tokens, returned the fist‑salute to Fang Chongyong, and felt a great weight lift from his heart. Since being stranded in Bianzhou, he had often wondered whether his life would remain this absurd drift until old age.

Now seizing another chance truly proved difficult.

Cui Qianyou looked around, saw no one in the study, and lowered his voice to ask, "The Jiedushi plans to support Prince Yong Li Lan's ascension; that must be a temporary measure, right?"

"I have noticed each of you is like this; you knew this before I even mentioned it."

Fang Chongyong smiled helplessly, not denying that this 'secret' was not a secret at all.

In fact, anyone with a bit of insight, upon learning that Prince Yong Li Lan arrived in Bianzhou, could easily guess what Fang Chongyong intended.

"Jiedushi, rest assured; whatever happens, Cui will stand by you. If I betray, heaven will punish and earth will destroy."

Cui Qianyou raised his right hand to the heavens and swore.

He believed Fang Chongyong fully understood his meaning.

"Eh? With deities three feet above, oaths cannot be spoken lightly."

Fang Chongyong smiled, gently pressing down the hand Cui Qianyou had raised.