Chapter 74: River‑West Heroes and the Spirit of the Land

Wang Zhongsi is far more familiar with the arrangements here than Fang Chongyong; accustomed to the roads, he leads the latter to the soldiers' "activity room" where they usually practice spears and gamble, and sees that it is as tidy as new, as if it were being occupied for the first time.

"Guo Ziyi governs the army with method, balancing firmness and gentleness. They are my fellow townsman; my father's generation knew them back then. You can trust them, and then walk around here in Hexi more, see more and ask more."

Traveling ten thousand miles is like reading ten thousand books, right.

When issues arise, you can listen more to what Guo Ziyi says. They won't stay here long; after you become familiar with Hexi affairs, I will recommend them for the position of Shuo Fang Military Commissioner. Even if that fails, I can still have their rank raised a few grades.

Nowadays Tang military officers must go through connections for promotion, unlike the early days when it was all based on merit. Guo Ziyi is capable; I recommend them, which counts as contributing to the state.

Though I used influence, it was not for personal gain; my conscience is clear."

Wang Zhongsi said to Fang Chongyong with some emotion.

"Father-in-law, you needn't say all this to your son‑in‑law."

Fang Chongyong was left both amused and bewildered by the solemn Wang Zhongsi; after all, he wasn't there to evaluate his own father‑in‑law!

"You are now a staff officer of the Liangzhou prefectural government, and I am speaking to you in my capacity as the Red Water Army's military commissioner, but that's all for now.

Now tell me about the things you've encountered along the way."

Wang Zhongsi waited with interest for Fang Chongyong's explanation. He grew increasingly pleased with this future son‑in‑law, wishing they could marry his daughter to him as early as tomorrow.

Fang Chongyong's "disappearance" caused a huge uproar; the Hexi Military Governor's Office even posted a ten‑thousand‑coin bounty! After learning this, Wang Zhongsi privately instructed Guo Ziyi, telling them to wait quietly within Liangzhou city for Fang Chongyong to arrive, without the need for a headless‑fly style frantic search.

"It's like this…"

Fang Chongyong gave a detailed account of how he met Du Gu Jun and Gao Shi, how he infiltrated Du Gu Jun's unit, befriended them as brothers, and how after passing the Wulan Pass he encountered Hu bandits, only to discover they were members of the Baoting Army in disguise.

He also mentioned the matter of dispatching Guo Ziyi with troops north of Baoting Sea.

As for the "military order" with Cui Xiyi, he omitted it. The Tibetan forces were stirring, and there was no need to force a nail between the Hexi Military Governor and the Red Water Army commissioner.

Fang Chongyong still possessed a sense of the bigger picture.

He himself cannot fight, so he won't hinder those who can; otherwise internal strife would let the Tibetans capture Liangzhou, and wouldn't everyone die?

"This time I came to Hexi as the Red Water Army commissioner and found the troops' customs severely corrupted. I can reform the Red Water Army itself, but with the other armies I'm beyond reach. From what you've seen and heard, the root of the trouble is still the harsh orders and meager rewards."

Wang Zhongsi shook his head and sighed; Fang Chongyong's predicament did not surprise him.

In fact, from what he knew, there were also cases where border troops robbed and then killed all travelers along the way—essentially a kill‑every‑step policy. As long as the people are dead, no one sees their crimes.

The Tang border troops were ruthless enough to kill Tibetans, and they were no softer with civilians.

So this time the Baoting Army's actions were actually "not excessive."

Wang Zhongsi explained to Fang Chongyong the "unwritten rule" of border troops masquerading as bandits.

First, no survivors are left; the side that is robbed must be completely wiped out, human and animal alike. Everyone tacitly accepts this unwritten rule, but once the cover is lifted it cannot be justified, and no one can defend it. Therefore, any victim who has encountered the "robbers" must die.

Second, Tang officials on the Silk Road must never be killed; ordinary Tang civilians should not be killed if possible; the assorted Hu peoples are dealt with case by case—if there is no threat they are spared, but any hint of threat is dealt with without mercy.

Finally, all the military commissioners of the various armies actually know about these matters, some even tacitly approve them.

Even Wang Zhongsi, who only recently "air‑dropped" here, knows many similar incidents, and he cannot control them all.

After decades of service, how could he not know such things? He does not commit evil himself, despises evil as a foe, and intervenes when he sees others commit evil—that is a completely different moral standard!

In the Hexi Corridor, regardless of right or wrong, ultimately both military commissioners and military governors need these hill folk to fight the Tibetans to the death. If the court offers no generous rewards, such incidents will persist forever, and the accompanying regulations will remain merely empty papers.

These matters are beyond what Wang Zhongsi, as a Red Water Army commissioner, can handle; they are Li Longji's business!

"If in the future you command on the battlefield against the Tibetan army, you'll understand why the Hexi border troops resort to such base actions. Liangzhou is relatively fine; Shazhou (Dunhuang) is chaotic, and the impostors aren't limited to Tang border troops. Forces from all sides take turns entering the fray—it's a veritable dance of demons."

"The Hu merchants over there have caravans with hundreds of camels, a few thousand attendants; the small bands of fierce bandits are truly no match for them."

Wang Zhongsi said with some emotion.

His tolerant attitude toward border troops masquerading as Hu bandits greatly exceeded Fang Chongyong's expectations.

Seeing Fang Chongyong's seemingly disappointed expression, Wang Zhongsi smiled, "But you handled it well; why not leave Liangzhou city with me now and go see the Red Water Army garrison? In Chihu Town there rises the Red Spring, which is truly spectacular."

Wang Zhongsi suggested.

Fang Chongyong readily agreed.

In fact, Wang Zhongsi's suggestion was also to protect Fang Chongyong; Liangzhou city is huge, with hundreds of thousands of residents, a mix of all sorts, far less safe than the Red Water Army garrison at Chihu Town.

"Very well, then let's set out. By the way, do you know how far Baoting Sea is from Liangzhou city?"

Wang Zhongsi recalled this and asked with a chuckle.

"Isn't it just a few dozen li away?"

Fang Chongyong looked puzzled, seeing no problem.

"A few dozen li? No, no, to be precise, it's nearly three hundred li!"

Wang Zhongsi said with a smile.

"The Baoting Army rides hundreds of li to rob dozens of monks?"

Fang Chongyong felt utterly exasperated; how could these hill folk be so careless in their deeds?

"No, that's actually their cleverness. Besides the ones who act, the shops along the way likely have informants, able to know at any moment where those monks have gone.

Moreover, in Liangzhou you must never judge marching time solely by distance. In some places, battles between close quarters can last a year with only a few zhang moved; in other places, a thousand‑li raid can be decided in a single strike, and within a thousand li the terrain is all battlefield, with no standard rule to follow.

Although Baoting Sea is not close to Liangzhou, the route is lush with water and grass. Humans on two legs are slow, but horses run as if flying, as smooth as walking on flat ground, so the round trip does not take much time.

A Red Water Army horse farm lies south of Baoting Sea. Of the army's thirteen thousand horses, more than half come from there.

Hearing this, Fang Chongyong finally breathed a sigh of relief; he had thought he almost trapped Old Guo, but it turned out that Guo's notion of "far" was completely different from his own.

They each misunderstood the other's meaning, yet in the end they miraculously aligned!

"Then let's set off."

Fang Chongyong yawned, followed Wang Zhongsi, and immediately boarded a carriage that left Liangzhou city.

Chihu Town is truly only a few dozen li from Liangzhou, arriving in no time. Unfortunately, Fang Chongyong was too tired and fell asleep in the carriage, missing the chance to see the famed "Red Spring" at once.

…

Baoting Sea is not a sea, but it truly is a beautiful place.

This shallow lake was formed by glacial meltwater rushing down from Great Snow Mountain, carving out the low‑lying plain's end. The surrounding reeds are abundant, cattle and sheep gather in herds, and waterfowl nest there. It is called Baoting Sea because its water is pure white, hence the name.

The Tang army stationed the White Pavilion Army here; besides warning against a sudden Turkic incursion from the south, its purpose was also to guard the horse pastures around White Pavilion Sea that belong to the Tang army, and to supervise tax collection from the herders.

Indeed, ordinary folk on the outskirts of Chang'an must pay tax even to cut down a single tree; why should the fertile grasslands be free for herders to graze without tax?

The money is collected justly, because the Tang army protects their cattle and sheep.

At dawn that day, the sky just turned a fish‑belly white, and several small boats sailed toward the north shore of White Pavilion Sea. These boats are a special means of transport on White Pavilion Sea, with broad hulls and exceptionally shallow draft.

Because the White Pavilion Army's garrison is split, part on the south bank and part in the lake's center, they also built a very small fortification.

It is also called the White Pavilion Fort.

This White Pavilion Fort was not built by the Tang; it was originally constructed during the Western Han, and after being rebuilt in the Tang era it took its present form, serving as the White Pavilion Army's command post.

After the boats docked, a few stout men in coarse hemp garments disembarked from one of them and looked around. Then they saw, not far away, several middle‑aged men dressed as Turkic merchants who had been waiting for a long time, walking straight toward them.

"Where are the goods?"

The leading Turkic man asked in fluent, authentic Liangzhou Mandarin.

"On the boat, where is the money?" the young leader who came down from the boat asked anxiously.

"In the carriage, a mile from here."

Hearing that, the young man seemed to relax.

"You first inspect the goods: kasaya and gold‑threaded Buddhist robes from Chang'an! If sold in India, I can't even imagine the price. The merchandise is absolutely fine!"

"Of course we have to take a look."

The leading Turkic merchant nodded to a Turkic attendant beside him; the attendant boarded, seemed to inspect the goods, then returned and whispered in the leader's ear for a while.

"The kasaya smells of blood; if we sell it to temples in India, it might be rejected. We'd have to spend a lot to deal with that. How about this: I'll pay ten guan per piece; that's a sincere price."

The Turkic merchant gave a cunning smile and said boldly.

"A gold‑threaded Buddhist robe costs ten guan each—haha, that's not better than just robbing it outright."

"The Turkic merchant knew he was overpricing; he was waiting for a counter‑offer. Isn't that how business is done?"

"Fine."

The young man who had spoken earlier nodded slightly, offering no bargaining—somewhat unexpected.

The Turkic merchant was a little surprised, but still gave a few orders to the men beside him.

Soon a carriage arrived, and several Turkic men unloaded a chest of coins. Opening it, they found gold and silver coins popular in Persia and the Great Arab lands, of every style—a veritable hodgepodge.

"There's certainly excess in this money; the loss from exchanging is included, and the surplus is your drinking money."

After speaking, the Turkic merchant gave the young man a slight nod, clearly appreciating his insight.

"Move the goods onto the carriage. Anything that won't fit, hang on the horse and carry it."

The Turkic merchant ordered his subordinates.

Soon his men began loading things onto the boat, and at that moment the young man, taking advantage of the Turkic merchant's distraction, drew a short sword from his waist and thrust it straight into the merchant's abdomen!

"You…"

The Turkic merchant could not believe it; the White Pavilion Army had been their "old friend" for many years, renowned for its good reputation and never breaking agreements. He never expected them to turn so ruthless!

"I've killed you; these are all mine. What more price do I need to discuss with you?"

The young man gave a sly smile, sheathed the short sword, and then kicked the Turkic merchant to the ground.

His attendants were also experts in close combat; whether on the boat, the carriage, or the shore, the Turkic men barely had time to react before being wiped out completely.

On our side there were no casualties.

"Military envoy Xin, that move of yours is truly impressive! Those Turkic men never imagined the military envoy would take action this time!"

One of his subordinates ran over, flattering him.

The young man who had just spoken with the Turkic merchant turned out to be the White Pavilion Army's military envoy Xin Yunjing!

Xin Yunjing hails from the Xin clan of the Left of the Mountains; many of his relatives serve as generals in Hexi, giving him considerable influence. Though called an army, the White Pavilion Army's actual strength is less than a modest garrison—a typical "short‑clothed gang in long robes."

"You threw away the fish talisman and created a mess for me to clean up! I can't guarantee you'll survive this time. Go, take the loot back to White Pavilion Fort; Cui Jiedushi will surely send someone to investigate."

Xin Yunjing, irritated, kicked the flatterer who had just spoken.

The White Pavilion Army soldiers in civilian clothes moved the chest of coins and the blood‑stained kasaya onto a boat, loaded the numerous Turkic corpses onto another boat, and after tidying everything up, set off with heads held high!

On a nearby mound, A Duan looked at Guo Ziyi with displeasure and said, "You… have ulterior motives!"

Guo Ziyi waved his hand lightly, too lazy to waste words with a subordinate who spoke Mandarin poorly; after returning, he would naturally explain to Fang Chongyong.

During the earlier melee, he could indeed have ordered his cavalry unit to charge down. But what would happen after the charge?

Directly break ties with the White Pavilion Army?

Faced with this unexpected turn concerning Fang Chongyong, Guo Ziyi didn't know how to handle it and dared not act on his own, because it was a question without a standard answer.

The White Pavilion Army killing Turkic people naturally proves that this "money route" is cut off from now on, at least for several years; otherwise, with a tarnished reputation, who would still dare to trade with the White Pavilion Army?

Once the Turkic person responsible for receiving the goods is dead, the White Pavilion Army will have plenty of excuses, essentially saying anything goes. After all, a dead man leaves no proof; they may not clear the suspicion of looting and murder, but they can muddy the waters!

They could even claim that they were setting a trap all along, that those Turkic people were Turkic spies! The ones harming their interests, they say, are the Red Water Army!

This "both sides claim they're right" situation is very disadvantageous for Wang Zhongsi, since he has only just been parachuted in as the Red Water Army's military envoy. Not everyone in the Red Water Army may obey him, while the White Pavilion Army is likely to band together completely. In a scenario where he cannot act militarily, the Red Water Army's superior forces would actually lose by merely arguing.

Guo Ziyi believes that since events have taken an unexpected turn, taking a step back to observe the situation before formulating a new strategy is a prudent response.

Of course, that's what he thinks, but it's hard to say what Wang Zhongsi and Fang Chongyong think.

"The matter's been messed up!"

Guo Ziyi let out a light sigh, muttering to himself, silently keeping the White Pavilion Army's military envoy Xin Yunjing in mind.

He's a ruthless character. Harsh to outsiders, even harsher to himself.

"Return to Red Crow Town!"

Guo Ziyi issued the command in a deep voice.

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(End of chapter)