Chapter 8: I Said I'm a Prodigy

Zheng Shuqing handles affairs very efficiently. The court official responsible for managing and planting Red Lotus Rice was invited by him to the Lotus Pond annex. Moreover, Zheng Shuqing also brought out his treasured delicacies, leaving Fang Chongyong staring in amazement.

What surprised him wasn't just the food, but the person in charge of the Red Lotus Rice field—someone he had only seen during the day… Gu Kuang!

At the time he thought this brother Gu Kuang was very easy‑going and talkative, never expecting that he was actually a central court official, even if a low‑rank one, directly under the court!

One grain of rice sustains a hundred kinds of people; the ancients truly did not deceive us.

"Gu Tunjian laughs at the embarrassment, saying, 'These are dishes that cannot be presented on the table.'"

Zheng Shuqing pointed to the sumptuous dishes on the table and said very politely,

"Not at all, Minister Zheng is the one being courteous; such food is rarely seen in everyday meals."

Gu Kuang, who is very talkative and gentle, pointed at the rice in the bowl and explained to Fang Chongyong: "Lord Fang, you may not know, this is called crystal rice; as the name suggests, each grain is as clear and sparkling as crystal. Whether a whole dou of good rice can yield a single bowl is another matter. Each grain must be meticulously selected; no carelessness."

"Just this bowl of rice costs at least ten guan."

Fang Chongyong lifted the bowl, looking at the 'crystal rice'—which, aside from its appearance, was almost indistinguishable from ordinary rice—like a country bumpkin, unsure how to describe Zheng Shuqing.

"One bowl of rice, ten thousand wen! What kind of price is this!"

"Even if we equate one wen to one coin, this bowl would still be ten thousand coins. What kind of rice costs ten thousand coins per bowl?"

Zheng Shuqing's extravagance reshaped Fang Chongyong's perception.

"These grilled lamb chops are simple to make, but… the lamb comes from Hedong. The transport cost alone is hefty, not to mention the upkeep after delivery to keep the lamb in good condition, which also costs a fortune. Sigh, I have no idea how extravagant this dish is. Lamb from Hedong smells distinctly different."

"Without that gamey odor, today we are truly fortunate."

Gu Kuang sighed, also marveling at Zheng Shuqing's generosity. He has traveled far and wide, now serving as the Tunjian of the Red Lotus Rice farmland. Yet Red Lotus Rice can be planted but not eaten; reporting theft of it would be a grave crime against the ruler.

Gu Kuang usually eats very modestly, only local specialties of Kui Prefecture.

Fang Chongyong looked helplessly at Zheng Shuqing, seeing the prefect Zheng wave his hand lightly, with a nonchalant demeanor, as if money were nothing but dirt.

"This sliced flying‑knife dish is also excellent; look at the knife work—so fine, the fish slices are as thin as cicada wings. I don't have such knife skill; it takes over ten years of practice."

Gu Kuang continued to introduce the dishes to Fang Chongyong.

"If only we could get carp from Luoyang, the fish in Shu River are too earthy and we can only make do."

Zheng Shuqing said rather 'modestly.'

"When entertaining guests, the food is secondary; who you eat with and whether face is saved are the main matters!"

"For example, today I have a lot of face!"

Fang Chongyong thought of his first meal in this world and involuntarily felt ashamed.

"This is the luxurious taste of Chang'an!"

Gu Kuang then introduced the other dishes on the table one by one; even a simple pickled vegetable was crafted with extreme care. Moreover, the variety was huge—three people dining, yet twelve dishes covered the table!

"Minister Zheng, today's banquet invitation—could it be that you intend to give some Red Lotus Rice to us?"

After three rounds of wine, Gu Kuang, with a burp, asked, the relationship seeming much closer now, his words tinged with teasing.

"Gu Tunjian jokes, Red Lotus Rice is a tribute, all of it must be delivered to the Son of Heaven. Without the emperor's grant, how could we privately divide it?"

Zheng Shuqing waved his hand, directly denying Gu Kuang's speculation; seeing Fang Chongyong nod slightly without reaction, he continued, "Since you and I both serve in Kui Prefecture capital, we should be close. Today's feast is about wind and moon, not state affairs, let alone Red Lotus Rice."

Zheng Shuqing spoke very magnanimously.

"Your Excellency is a straightforward person; this kindness, I shall decline ungraciously."

Gu Kuang lowered his guard and began to eat and drink recklessly, drinking until midnight, becoming so drunk he lost consciousness, lying on the study couch to rest.

Zheng Shuqing opened his hazy eyes, a faint smile on his face, and said to Fang Chongyong, "The matter is settled; you may now begin what you wish to do!"

"Fine, fine, this poem, please the Minister copy it with your left hand."

Poem?

Zheng Shuqing's mind momentarily stalled; although he was 'alcohol tested', he had still drunk a lot, and his brain was not as clear as usual.

"When autumn comes on the eighth day of the ninth month, after my flowers bloom, all other blossoms will wither. The soaring fragrance spreads through Chang'an, the whole city dons golden armor."

Seeing the seven‑character quatrain written on the paper, Zheng Shuqing sobered up considerably, his back drenched with cold sweat.

"This… that… this…"

He was at a loss for words, terrified and unable to speak clearly.

"Gu Tunjian possesses talent that spans heaven and earth, yet the court does not employ him. Over months and years his resentment grew; after drinking he penned a poem complaining of his injustice. But he knew it was a subversive poem, so he forged it in another's handwriting."

Fang Chongyong looked at Zheng Shuqing and asked word by word, "Minister, do you think that once Gu Tunjian awakens, we should have a proper talk with him?"

"Talk about what?"

Zheng Shuqing's brain froze, and he instinctively answered,

"Of course about the Red Lotus Rice matter; what else could we discuss?"

Fang Chongyong smiled faintly and said, "If Gu Tunjian submits a memorial stating that the Red Lotus Rice was largely burned by a colleague's mountain fire, that this year's yield is only fifty percent of previous years, that would be a very interesting development!"

Zheng Shuqing trembled all over, forcing composure, and asked, "Wouldn't that get him dismissed?"

"Planting Red Lotus Rice also requires experience; replace the person and the fields might be ruined. If someone releases this poem, perhaps the emperor of Chang'an and those ministers will no longer think so."

Fang Chongyong produced another sheet of paper, on which was written, "Hoeing the fields at noon, sweat drips onto the soil. Who knows that the rice in the bowl is the result of countless hardships."

The title read, "Encountering Gu Tunjian Tilling the Red Lotus Rice Fields, a Reflection."

The whole poem means: Ah, when I passed the Red Lotus Rice, I saw Gu Kuang planting it in the fields, and was moved to compose the following, blah blah.

Zheng Shuqing stared at Fang Chongyong as if looking at a monster, muttering, "You really are a prodigy!"

"Or what? Has Minister Zheng not sensed it yet?"

Fang Chongyong felt he had already acted quite uncanny; Zheng Shuqing accepted it without any sense of discord.

"But what do you want the Red Lotus Rice for? To sell? To whom?"

Zheng Shuqing still did not grasp Fang Chongyong's line of thought.

"You say sell the Red Lotus Rice, indeed it could fetch a lot of money. Yet expecting a bowl of rice to cost ten guan is impossible! Hundreds of mu of Red Lotus Rice cannot even sell for ten thousand guan."

"Because all transactions are conducted privately; they cannot be disclosed publicly, so the price is inevitably suppressed."

"Heaven's secret must not be revealed; saying it in advance makes it ineffective. However, today's meal, Sir Minister, was not in vain. As long as Gu Kuang accepts my proposal, this matter will be more than half accomplished."

Hearing Fang Chongyong say that, Zheng Shuqing opened his mouth, said nothing in the end, and only let out a long sigh.

This kid writes satirical verses in sets; is he really Fang Youde's son?

Zheng Shuqing vaguely recalled that Fang Youde was a trusted aide of Li Longji during his hidden‑dragon period, always low‑key and never showing off, known in the aristocratic circles for his blind loyalty.

His son does write satirical verses with real flair!

Could it be that Fang Youde's wife did something unforgivable, perhaps bore a child with someone else?

At that moment, Zheng Shuqing's mind was in turmoil.

……

Gu Kuang woke from a hangover, feeling his head split open. One must admit, the after‑effect of the wine Zheng Shuqing treated him to was truly strong.

Upon waking, he saw Zheng Shuqing and Fang Youde sizing him up, their gazes full of meaning.

"Gu Tunjian, sigh, how could you… you shouldn't have at least!"

Fang Chongyong said with heartfelt anguish.

"What have I done?"

Gu Kuang wore a bewildered expression, still clueless about what had just happened after sobering up.

"Alas, Gu Tunjian, even if you're dissatisfied with the court officials, you shouldn't have written something like this while drunk; you… how could you!"

Zheng Shuqing joined Fang Chongyong's ranks, both wearing the same expression and demeanor.

"What on earth have I done?"

Gu Kuang instinctively felt that something was amiss.

Fang Chongyong handed over the piece titled "All the City Wears Golden Armor" to him.

Still a bit dazed, Gu Kuang was instantly no longer sleepy—perhaps startled awake!

As a poet, even one who has penned a famous piece, how could he not know what this poem alludes to? If it spreads, the consequences would be unimaginable!

"But this isn't my handwriting."

Gu Kuang wasn't dim; he quickly sensed something fishy.

"Indeed it's not Gu Tunjian's hand, but… it could certainly have been written by Gu Tunjian. Of course, it might just be a misunderstanding."

Fang Chongyong clung tightly to the word "misunderstanding."

The emotional trap lay here; Gu Kuang had felt last night that Zheng Shuqing's invitation was aimed at the red lotus rice. He was normally easy‑going, but sighed helplessly: "Fine, fine, just consider me a foolish donkey. After the autumn harvest I'll send you a few stone loads of red lotus rice, that should do, after all, last night's meal, Governor Zheng also went to great lengths."

Gu Kuang mocked himself while subtly deriding Zheng Shuqing's underhanded tactics.

"No, Gu Tunjian need not give us red lotus rice; you only need to draft an official document to the court, informing them that half of this year's red lotus rice was destroyed, that's all. It must not go directly to the Son of Heaven; it should travel through the court's relay stations, passed layer by layer."

As for any surplus, it doesn't matter at all; those would never reach the Son of Heaven. Of course, if you wish to keep them for yourself, that's fine too.

Fang Chongyong made a rather odd request of Gu Kuang.

Gu Kuang could hand over all the red lotus rice, but the official letter must state that he only received half the grain, the other half destroyed by mountain fire, with the exact amount based on what was received. After the red lotus rice reaches Chang'an, someone will ensure that the actual quantity matches the number in Gu Kuang's letter.

The surplus will not be questioned—no one will ask Gu Kuang why he falsified the numbers; they will simply blacken the excess, eat it themselves or resell it. In the end, what reaches Li Longji's hands will match the quantity in Gu Kuang's document!

With so many people meddling along the red lotus rice chain, how could they possibly hold Gu Kuang accountable for any mistake?

When the matter blows up, the investigation will inevitably drag out a whole bunch of people—who among them has a clean slate?

"Your request is indeed odd, but it could work."

Gu Kuang waved his hand indifferently; he didn't send out the red lotus rice, so there was no dereliction of duty, and Fang Chongyong's request hadn't crossed his line.

"This poem will be posted publicly by Kui Prefecture, announcing it widely; Gu Tunjian gains no merit, but the labor is still there."

Zheng Shuqing handed the poem "Hoeing the Fields at Noon" to Gu Kuang and said.

"Understood, Sir Minister, you were also forced."

After reading the poem, Gu Kuang asked with emotion, having already forgiven the two people in front of him for their scheming.

"Gu Tunjian need not ask further; one acts out of necessity when duty demands it."

Zheng Shuqing spoke with sincere apology.

Gu Kuang gave a slight nod, performed a bowing salute to Zheng Shuqing, and then left cleanly and briskly.

After he left, Zheng Shuqing, looking at Fang Chongyong, asked helplessly, "We're about to meet Wei Qing; what do you plan to tell him?"

"There is a clever plan; saying it in advance would render it ineffective."

Fang Chongyong continued to withhold details, refusing to reveal the whole scheme.

"If you were my son, I would have killed you long ago."

Zheng Shuqing sighed.

"Or, it's not too late to adopt me as your godfather now?"

Fang Chongyong teased,

Zheng Shuqing chuckled and shook his head; among his few children, none could truly compare to Fang Chongyong.

The two entered a private room in the Fengxian Tower and saw the lithe, elegantly dressed Wei Qing already perched on a high stool before the table, apparently having waited for a long time.

Upon seeing Fang Chongyong and Zheng Shuqing, he promptly invited them to sit down.

"Today, Sir Zheng has caught a slight chill and cannot speak; I will take over everything. On this point, Sir Zheng may nod to indicate consent."

Fang Chongyong gave Zheng Shuqing a subtle glance and said.

The Inspector promptly nodded and tapped Fang Chongyong's arm with his forefinger, leaving no room for doubt.

"Then continuing from yesterday's matter, what assistance does Sir Zheng seek from the court?"

Wei Qing smiled and asked, referring to Sir Zheng, though his gaze was on Fang Chongyong.

"We demand full jurisdiction over the Kui Gate River Pass!"

Fang Chongyong declared resolutely.

Wei Qing was stunned; Zheng Shuqing already controlled the Kui Prefecture River Pass, but what exactly does this 'full authority jurisdiction' mean? How can power that's already been given be given again?

"What is 'full authority jurisdiction'?"

Wei Qing asked, bewildered. Although he had read many books, he was essentially a musician and singer.

"It's just that the rules of the Kui Prefecture River Pass are whatever Inspector Zheng says; that's it."

Fang Chongyong said calmly.

"The court already has its tax laws..."

Wei Qing always felt something was off, but couldn't put his finger on it.

"Let me put it simply: from now on, the rules of the Kui Prefecture River Pass will be set by Prefect Zheng. Once the thirty thousand tax dollars are gathered, Prefect Zheng should head to Chang'an to report for duty. Then, if the court finds the Kui Prefecture River Pass rules useful, they can keep them; if not, they can change them at any time."

Fang Chongyong gave a brief description.

Wei Qing suddenly realized: Fang Chongyong wanted to change the river pass tax rate, which indeed made sense. Before setting out, Li Longji had specially instructed that, to raise funds, the tax rate could be slightly increased.

"That works, then. Although it's an outrageous request, I can agree to it here for now."

Wei Qing nodded slightly and said.

"Then thank you, heavenly emissary."

Fang Chongyong said respectfully.

"It seems you're worried Zheng Shuqing might act recklessly," Wei Qing emphasized, "if you change the tax rate, it's not impossible, but you should proceed with caution."

"Don't worry, we definitely won't act recklessly. Prefect Zheng can swear to heaven on that."

Fang Chongyong boldly took on all responsibility for Zheng Shuqing.