Chapter 76: Breaking a Surface with a Point

Baiting Fort, a place named "fortress" but in reality a viewing platform. By day, gazing out from here over Baiting Sea, one could see patches of pale white lake water and the emerald-green water grasses in the distance setting each other off in splendid contrast.

Fish darting swiftly through the water were pursued and preyed upon by water birds of many kinds.

A scene brimming with vitality, worthy of being called a Jiangnan beyond the frontier.

At night, the view revealed a bright moon reflected in the shimmering waters of the lake, elegant and mysterious.

Among all the rotation postings in Hexi, none was as comfortable as that of the Baiting Army.

On this night, not on duty, the Baiting Army Commander Xian Yunjing was in the signing room, slowly savoring Western Region grape wine "respectfully offered" by the Hu merchants of Liangzhou City.

At this moment, his eyes were hazy, his expression enraptured, carrying a trace of pride not easily noticed.

Setting aside the business of licking blood off the blade, Liangzhou truly was a fine place!

Nothing was lacking!

Xian Yunjing could not help but reflect with a sigh.

"Heh, Cui Xiyi won't be Military Commissioner for many more days, and he still wants to put on airs—as if he deserves to?"

He gave a cold chuckle and spat on the ground. The young and highly ranked Xian Yunjing had a measure of arrogance in his heart.

It was not that he looked down on the office of Military Commissioner, but rather that a so-called "weak" Military Commissioner... was indeed just that.

Generally speaking, the term of office was four years. First, one had to spend a year familiarizing oneself with local military affairs, getting to know the connections within the army, and bringing the commanders of each division under control.

Then one still had to manage military affairs, guard against the Tibetans, and guard against the Turks.

One's energy was completely dispersed!

Once one had finally gotten familiar with local customs and conditions, one would be transferred away by a single order from the court, lest the Military Commissioner grow too powerful in Liangzhou!

This inherent flaw in the system allowed the great local clans to find a way to cope.

That was to "deal with the high ranks with superficial courtesy while protecting each other at the grassroots level," letting the Military Commissioners happily serve their four years and return to Chang'an to report on their duties, and that was that!

Cui Xiyi had only arrived last year and had not even fully brought the various local armies under his control; he was destined to be a weak Military Commissioner.

The series of actions taken after seizing the Indian monk's kasaya was also a decision Xian Yunjing had arrived at after careful thought and weighing the pros and cons.

Money that should not be taken must absolutely not be taken! The lost fish tally was the biggest flaw in the whole affair! Taking this illicit money would bring endless trouble!

The only option was to subsequently use a "black-eats-black" method to eliminate the Turk merchant who was fencing the goods, plug the hole completely, and then substitute one thing for another—only then could the matter be considered worry-free.

Of course, the price paid was also considerable: because of killing the fence, his own reputation had been ruined.

For several years he would be unable to "take private jobs" again, and the financial loss was great. This had a somewhat adverse effect on the military development of the Baiting Army.

In fact, it was not entirely the same as what Fang Chongyong imagined. The various armies within the Hexi Corridor sometimes plundered for money not solely to let the soldiers drink—the single biggest use was "raising private horses."

Take the Baiting Army, for instance: the number of horses in its authorized roster was no more than two hundred. What could this few cavalrymen accomplish in the Hexi Corridor?

Fewer horses than many merchant caravans!

Therefore, every successive Baiting Army Commander liked to "equip private horses" for the units designated as infantry.

That is, horses that did not occupy Tang army roster slots and had to be purchased and maintained with funds raised by each army itself.

After all, horses in the Hexi Corridor were cheap; compared to Chang'an, the cost of outfitting them was very low.

In Hexi and the Western Regions, warfare frequently required long-distance raids, even very long-distance raids. A Liangzhou force raiding Shazhou's Dunhuang was one of the routine training subjects. Over such great distances, what could an army without horses rely on to carry out long-distance strategic repositioning?

So the Hexi frontier armies' plundering of merchants was, to a large extent, also because they needed to "raise private horses," to turn foot soldiers into "mounted infantry."

This was also one of the difficulties the Baiting Army was about to face: it would no longer be easy to get money to buy horses.

In theory, this was indeed quite troublesome, but in practice it would always remain a theoretical problem—Xian Yunjing was not worried at all.

Because the Tibetans were coming!

In Hexi's defensive operations, cavalry was at least of little use in guarding against the Tibetans. With so few men, the Baiting Army could not possibly be ordered south to block the Tibetans' invasion route.

In short, it would be fine to keep a low profile from now on. After all, some fool had dropped his fish tally at the scene and given others leverage to use against him.

"Being the commander of a single army is a waste of my talents. I'll definitely have to make myself a Military Commissioner someday."

Xian Yunjing said this shamelessly to himself, then took a sip of the wine, colored like fresh blood.

"Commander Xian, an official letter delivered from Liangzhou City, for your review."

A personal guard carefully handed the official letter to Xian Yunjing.

"Read it."

Xian Yunjing, already deep in his cups, said offhandedly.

"Uh, this subordinate cannot read..."

The personal guard answered with an awkward expression.

Only then did Xian Yunjing realize he had said something laughable, and he impatiently waved his hand toward the door of the signing room.

After the other man had left, he squinted and opened the envelope of the official letter, held up the oil lamp to read the writing on it, and was immediately startled sober by the contents!

Xian Yunjing showed a panicked expression rarely seen on him in normal times, and hastily read the official letter several more times by the lamplight, only then feeling a chill spread through his entire body! His back was soaked with cold sweat!

The contents of the official letter were very simple:

A resident of Liangzhou had found a copper fish tally and turned it in to the Military Commissioner's office. Upon inspection, the inscription on the fish tally indicated that it belonged to your unit.

The Baiting Army Commander was requested to proceed in person within three days to the Hexi Military Commissioner's office in Liangzhou to retrieve this tally. He was also to submit a written statement specifying to whom in his unit this fish tally belonged, when and where it was lost, and the reason it was not reported to the Military Commissioner's office.

This statement would be filed at the Hexi Military Commissioner's office and destroyed after twenty-seven years.

This letter must also be filed at the Baiting Army's accounts office and destroyed after twenty-seven years.

A surge of cold shot straight to the top of Xian Yunjing's head! The hand holding the letter was trembling slightly!

The contents of this official letter were perfectly ordinary: it simply asked him to come to Liangzhou City within three days to retrieve the fish tally that someone had turned in, and then submit a written report.

The report had to clearly state whose fish tally it was, when it was lost, how it was lost, and why it had not been reported.

Then it would be filed and destroyed after twenty-seven years. This "simple military matter" would be done.

All of this was routine business in the Tang military, as ordinary as could be. Everything was governed by regulations and supported by records, without the slightest trace of conspiracy or intrigue.

It looked as though it were no big deal, as simple as eating or drinking water.

But does Xin Yunjing dare to go to Liangzhou City?

After going, does he dare to submit this "report"?

Most likely, he doesn't dare.

It's not just him; any commander with a sound mind wouldn't go! No need to think further—whoever takes this on and goes will die!

Where was the Fish Talisman likely lost, does Xin Yunjing tell the truth or make something up?

Fabricating will backfire, because this is clearly a trap set by Cui Xiyi.

As soon as Xin Yunjing dares to lie, an "honest finder" dog stooge will immediately appear to testify that he didn't pick it up there, but at the place where those Indian monks were killed.

Lying to a lie, Xin Yunjing will have no defense then! Clever arguments are useless, because once he reaches the Military Governor's Office, he has already entered Cui Xiyi's arena!

To cope, Xin Yunjing must explain why he lies. Next comes the opponent's questioning segment; since a lie collapses as soon as it's probed, Xin Yunjing must use ten new lies to support one old lie!

Then we'll see how flamboyantly the death pose looks.

Even if he brushes this aside, failing to report the loss of the Fish Talisman to the Military Governor's Office is an unavoidable issue! At the very least, the crime of lax daily management cannot be escaped.

Moreover, the crucial point is that the time of picking up the Fish Talisman is decided by others! No matter how Xin Yunjing spins it, the dog stooge can claim it was found on the day the Indian monks met their fate.

No matter how Xin Yunjing twists it, he cannot make it self‑consistent.

Fine, treat Cui Xiyi as a "fool"; Xin Yunjing has already brushed off these two points. This inquiry will be archived for twenty‑seven years—not because Cui Xiyi is being difficult, but because the Tang archive management system truly works that way.

Cui Xiyi is entirely following the rules, without any "maneuvering".

There is such a time bomb stored in the archive room; later—actually after some time, when Xin Yunjing has forgotten the matter and let his guard down—someone may pop up saying the file is problematic and that the loss of the Fish Talisman needs further investigation.

Blah blah, when the time comes Xin Yunjing will still be unable to escape unscathed.

So what would happen if he tells the truth directly?

If he tells the truth, Xin Yunjing must explain to the Military Governor's Office why soldiers of the Baiting Army would appear alongside the post road hundreds of li away! They weren't there to enjoy the scenery, right? The Fish Talisman doesn't fly on its own!

Where is the military order for this troop movement, who signed it, and for what reason were troops transferred?

Can Xin Yunjing explain these?

As for the killing of the Indian monks, Cui Xiyi probably won't even bring it up; this Military Governor will only latch onto the Fish Talisman issue and pursue it relentlessly. Can Xin Yunjing guarantee each lie is airtight?

Of course, Xin Yunjing could just blurt out, for example, that he doesn't know how that someone dropped it, nor where it fell.

He could even claim he never knew about the matter before.

Then Cui Xiyi would likely immediately order him back to the Baiting Army for a thorough investigation, and a few days later announce his dismissal for mismanagement of the Fish Talisman.

By then, none of the Hexi troops would sympathize with Xin Yunjing.

If you lose, you must stand and take the beating; that's a universal iron rule. If you can't play, don't play; if you can't afford to lose, don't gamble.

Cui Xiyi's tactic of "Fish Talisman reporting" is a classic case of breaking the surface with a pinpoint—using a tiny issue to dismantle the grand scheme Xin Yunjing plotted.

From start to finish, the Hexi Military Governor's Office's official letter never mentioned any gold‑threaded Buddhist robe or Indian monks! This renders Xin Yunjing's staged "Turkic robbery and murder" plan completely ineffective.

There is a solution, which is also Cui Xiyi's fallback for him: Xin Yunjing should go to Liangzhou City honestly, faithfully write the whole cause and effect into a file, and then this thing will become an almost never‑consulted "dead file".

That is the price of gaining trust; Xin Yunjing's little braid was squeezed in Cui Xiyi's hand.

Afterwards, Xin Yunjing, admitting defeat and cowardice, found small pretexts to eliminate some people in the Baiting Army. Those who should die were killed, those who should retire were retired, as a reckoning for Cui Xiyi.

He suddenly recalled that today he seemed to have received a "baffling" official letter from the Chishui Army, stating that the Chishui Army's Qiu Ba were coming to the Baiting Army's southern coastal horse farm to personally select warhorses, and requesting the Baiting Army withdraw its patrols to avoid misunderstandings.

In short: the Chishui Army's big shots are coming to pick mounts; you onlookers, if you have any sense, get out quickly.

At the time Xin Yunjing didn't take it seriously; the Chishui Army is the top force of the Hexi Corridor and the entire Tang, so a bit overbearing is to be expected.

If the Chishui Army's big shots are coming to pick horses, let them; later just give the Baiting Army's patrols a holiday, and that's it. After all, breaking the court's system will naturally draw someone to reprimand them, not the Baiting Army's concern.

What's worth doing about such a mess?

But now that I think about it, the Chishui Army's move is quite unusual!

If the Chishui Army were truly overbearing, they'd just send people over and be done, not give advance notice! It seems redundant, showing a hint of timidity.

Xin Yunjing hurriedly retrieved this official letter in the signing room, compared it with the Fish Talisman one, and fully understood what had happened.

The Chishui Army's Qiu Ba aren't there to pick horses; they're waiting for the Military Governor's order to besiege the Baiting Army's garrison!

This Hongmen banquet, whether you want to go or not, you must go.

Because of these matters, everything rests on an undeniable premise: why does Xin Yunjing, the boss, have to suffer for those Qiu Ba under him? If anyone should die, it should be those people before it comes to him.

After all, he's just an officer scraping by in the Hexi military circles! What reason does he have to stake his future on covering those incompetent Qiu Ba?

After figuring all this out, Xin Yunjing steadied his mind, ordered his personal troops to ready horses, then set out alone, racing to Liangzhou City under star and moon.

Xin Yunjing realized he must prepare to concede this round. He plans, after conceding, to slip into the Military Governor's Office to probe where exactly he lost and to whom.

……

Cen Can wrote a poem in Liangzhou, saying:

"……

In front of Huamen Tower I see autumn grasses; how could the poor and lowly stare at the old.

How many times can one laugh heartily in a lifetime? When meeting over a jug of wine, one must get drunk.

Huamen Tower is Liangzhou's largest tavern, very grand. Yet it is also inclusive; at its entrance there is a small stall with many jars of wine casually placed, where a man in his sixties sells drinks to patrons, many of which are delivered into the tower.

Hexi, though prosperous, still has relatively scarce resources. It is bustling without extravagance, not rejecting simple things born of necessity; there are many impressive items, but few redundancies—what's useful is used, practicality is the folk custom of the Hexi Corridor.

This differs completely from Chang'an.

In Chang'an, a tavern of Huamen Tower's caliber is not allowed to have an "eyesore" like an outside wine‑selling old man at its entrance.

On the third floor of Huamen Tower, Cui Xiyi has booked an entire level, arranging a banquet to welcome Fang Chongyong. Of course, the disliked new Deputy Military Governor of Hexi is also present.

At this moment, the Hu Jia music on the third floor resounds, sometimes clangorous, sometimes subtle; its timbre and theory differ greatly from the Central Plains, yet form their own system.

At the center of the banquet, several Hu girls dressed extremely revealingly, with slender waists and full hips, twist vigorously, using hands and feet, repeatedly making "lewd" yet suggestive dance moves, casting flirtatious glances at the many officials.

Including Cui Xiyi, the many Liangzhou officials took it in stride; those who should speak spoke, those who should applaud applauded, and it seemed no one truly noticed the Hu girls' attempts to seek patronage.

Perhaps, this level of "wildflower" holds no real meaning for those privileged Tang officials who have witnessed grand spectacles.

Fang Chongyong thought that way. He was looking at these vulgar dances with a critical eye. I have to say, the figures of the dancing Hu women are damn good!

At that moment, an untimely voice sounded, making all officials present frown.

"What's the point of dancing these women's dances all day? If you're going to dance, give us something manly—do you have Lanling Wang's Entrance to Battle music?"

Everyone looked over, and the speaker turned out to be the newly appointed Deputy Military Commissioner who had just arrived in Cool Prefecture City today: Xiao Jiong!

"Even if we wanted to watch Lanling Wang's Entrance to Battle, we'd need a place to rehearse. The first floor of Flower Gate Pavilion is only this big—how could we perform this dance?"

Cui Xiyi explained with an unhappy expression, but he understood deep down: Xiao Jiong is Li Linfu's lackey; this time he came to West of the River just to replace me! Now serving as Deputy Military Commissioner of West of the River, it's just to get familiar with the administration.

"The scenery of Cool Prefecture really isn't up to par, not comparable to Chang'an. When I was an official in Chang'an, I once heard of a nine-year-old prodigy who could compose poetry, as follows:"

"I urge you not to spare your gold-threaded robes, I urge you to cherish your youth;"

"When flowers are ready to be plucked, pluck them; don't wait until there are no flowers left to pluck bare branches."

"Cool Prefecture may be large, but it lacks such talent!"

Xiao Jiong shamelessly launched a map cannon.

Upon hearing this, Fang Chongyong, who was eating a piece of "mutton-stuffed sheep tripe", dropped his chopsticks onto the table.

This dish is made by grinding pepper, ginger, salt, fermented soybeans, orange peel, scallion whites, pepper, and other spices into powder, sprinkling it on the mutton, then stuffing it into the sheep's tripe. After wrapping it in mud, it is roasted in a fire pit.

After removing the mud, it can be eaten; the flavor is extremely fresh and delicious.

But he couldn't care less about it now.

Wasn't this poem something Xiao Jiong casually mentioned in front of Old Zheng? How did it become material for his conversation?

At the banquet, many local officials from Cool Prefecture stared at each other in disbelief—being able to write such poetry at nine years old is pretty damn impressive!

Fang Chongyong hurriedly piled dishes in front of himself.

Small pastries studded with raisins were piled, four or five of them.

Rice topped with cheese-made gai fan was placed in several dishes.

A fruit bowl of horse milk grapes and large pomegranates was also quite large.

Various-shaped fancy pastries were also not few in number.

Fang Chongyong hoped these foods could block his face, so the officials present wouldn't notice this nine-year-old child.

As a result, these foods not only failed to hide Fang Chongyong, but because there was too much food on the table piled high, they quickly made him the center of attention.

"Prefectural Battalion Officer, can you compose poetry?"

Seated at the head table, Cui Xiyi asked kindly; hearing this, Fang Chongyong silently cursed to himself.

(End of chapter)