Chapter 89: Absurd Tang Dynasty Court

The political situation at the Tang central government and court is closely linked to affairs in the provinces and frontier towns.

For example, in the 15th year of the Kaiyuan era, the Tufan great generals Xi Nuo Luo Gonglu and Zhu Long Mang Bu Zhi captured Gua Zhou (Jiuquan), took the governor Tian Yuanxian alive, not only looted all the stored supplies in the city but also deliberately demolished Gua Zhou's city walls.

In the same year, the former Hexi Military Governor Wang Jun was killed by a Turkic tribe.

The dramatic shift in Hexi's military and political situation worried the Tang court, so the over‑sixty‑year‑old Prime Minister Xiao Song took on the emergency appointment, assuming the role of Minister of War and becoming Hexi Military Governor, overseeing Liangzhou affairs.

This is a typical case of frontier towns collapsing, with central officials stepping in to manage the overall situation, because ordinary frontier bureaucrats can no longer bear responsibility for strategic failure.

Likewise, officials who perform well in frontier towns may be transferred to the center as key personnel, such as Zhang Shougui, Niu Xianke, and others.

This reflects the normal flow between frontier posts and the central bureaucracy during the Kaiyuan period, carrying a strongly positive significance.

Now, Wang Zhongsi leads troops to capture the new Tufan city, and with Cui Xiyi's reassignment, the power structure in Hexi undergoes another reshuffle. Cui Xiyi's departure is not a major issue, but according to old Tang protocols, his staff and aides are also dismissed.

Those familiar with Hexi's local affairs either seek higher positions elsewhere or join other patrons. In short, this wave of change leaves many vacant posts in the Hexi region. These vacancies attract not only the hungry local powers but also intense attention from the central court.

Subsequently, the mountain‑high reports and related matters were sent by various Hexi officials through the relay stations to Chang'an. Amid the tangled intelligence, the name Fang Chongyong—a mixed‑rank official who should not have been in anyone's view—appeared repeatedly in the reports.

Almost all of them were effusive praises.

Even Wang Zhongsi did not hold back his compliments, calling his future son‑in‑law "though lacking martial prowess, he possesses many sound strategies and benefits the armaments." Cui Xiyi said Fang Chongyong is "benevolent and loves the masses, unafraid of hard work, and lifts the troops' morale."

Fang Chongyong may have actually done something, but his father Fang Youde is the Jiedushi of Youzhou, and the willingness of many officials to lift him in ornate sedan chairs is the crucial factor that cannot be ignored!

Seizing the opportunity, Li Linfu suggested to Li Longji that merits should be rewarded, proposing to promote Fang Chongyong to Deputy Governor of Liangzhou based on his achievements, and not to dismiss him because of his age.

The Deputy Governor of Liangzhou is the second‑in‑command assisting the Liangzhou Governor in managing internal affairs; in short, the chief official handling Liangzhou city's concrete matters, and because of Hexi's particular circumstances, the position is sometimes held concurrently by the Liangzhou Governor.

In a Tang prefecture, there are typically three chief administrators: one principal and two deputies. The principal is called the Governor, one deputy is the Deputy Governor, and the other is the Chief Clerk.

The Deputy Governor and Chief Clerk have no hierarchical ranking and no strictly defined division of duties; the Governor assigns tasks, and whoever receives an assignment handles it, essentially being the "hands‑on" staff.

Below these three are the dedicated Department Officers, the Six Departments, such as the Military Department overseeing the prefecture's armed forces development and the Legal Department handling laws, among others.

There are prefectural staff officers whose authority is virtually unusable. Assigning a pig to the role isn't a big problem; after all, a pig won't cause trouble.

But letting a pig serve as Deputy Governor of Liangzhou is a far bigger issue! Originally Xiao Jiong held the Deputy Governor of Liangzhou and also served as Deputy Hexi Military Governor; now Xiao Jiong has become Hexi Military Governor, so relinquishing the Deputy Governor post is appropriate.

No one expected Li Linfu to play it this way! A ten‑year‑old child as Liangzhou's second‑in‑command… is utterly absurd; any sane person would never treat it as a child's game.

Tang prefectures varied in rank, roughly divided into upper, middle, and lower tiers. In an upper‑rank prefecture, the Deputy Governor might start at the fourth rank; in a lower‑rank prefecture, the Deputy Governor's lowest rank is the sixth. Remote prefectures are generally lower‑tier, so these Deputy Governors are merely minor officials around the sixth rank.

Liangzhou, however, does not fall into the upper‑middle‑lower classification; it holds a "super‑rank" status comparable to Fang Chongyong's former life in Shenzhen! The whole prefecture approaches one million people, with Liangzhou city alone comprising over a hundred thousand households and several hundred thousand residents.

Having a ten‑year‑old manage such a massive population is simply inconceivable!

Unsurprisingly, Li Linfu's memorial met unanimous and fierce opposition from both court and officials.

Under Li Linfu's own directive, even his close allies vehemently opposed the matter.

Qi Prefecture Governor Zheng Shuqing even submitted a memorial to Li Longji to make his presence known, stating that Fang Chongyong is "young and ignorant, reckless and unformed, unfit for heavy responsibilities"; if the sovereign truly does not know how to place him, he could be transferred to Qi Prefecture as Deputy Governor.

In any case, the Qi Prefecture Deputy Governor's term ends this year, leaving a vacancy. Placing him in Qi, close to Chang'an, would pose no major risk.

However, the petition, resembling a flattering appeal, was quickly drowned in the widespread censure and curses against Li Linfu, accusing him of "treating state affairs as child's play, unfit to be Prime Minister."

Li Longji felt both hesitation and astonishment at this.

What astonished him was that Fang Youde's wayward son actually seemed to have some talent; after arriving at the frontier town he managed to pull off tricks that earned universal praise, with many speaking highly of him.

What caused hesitation was that the Deputy Governor of Liangzhou is an exceedingly important post, its significance far exceeding that of a typical prefectural Governor.

Even assigning the role to Fang Youde himself made Li Longji hesitant; the elder Fang knows only warfare, is poor at dealing with foreign peoples, and may not be adept at managing the Western Regions' frontier points.

If Fang Youde went to the Western Regions, he would surely cause chaos.

Li Linfu's suggestion to make Fang Chongyong Deputy Governor of Liangzhou was merely a display to outsiders, showing he is not "jealous of talent." As long as someone is capable, regardless of status or age, he is willing to promote them.

Li Longji understood his intent and was unperturbed; such maneuvers have been minor tactics of prime ministers since the Kaiyuan era. He remained quite satisfied with Li Linfu's administrative abilities.

The entire court and officials berated Li Linfu, which only proves that he could remain in the Prime Minister's seat. If the whole bureaucracy vents through the same nostril as the prime minister, what use is the Chang'an Son of Heaven, the Tang sage, himself?

Li Longji did not distance himself from Li Linfu because of the criticism; instead, his trust in him grew.

Nevertheless, Li Longji explicitly rejected Li Linfu's absurd proposal to promote the ten‑year‑old Fang Chongyong to Deputy Governor of Liangzhou, opting instead to elevate Su Zhilian, then Governor of Ganzhou, transferring him to the neighboring Liangzhou as Deputy Governor.

Su Zhilian, of the Su martial lineage, became Governor of Ganzhou at twenty‑four, familiar with Hexi affairs. Now twenty‑eight, strong and vigorous, he has served four years as Governor and is due for a transfer elsewhere or a period of retirement awaiting appointment.

His appointment as Deputy Governor of Liangzhou is fitting, and his many acquaintances there make handling affairs easy.

As for the vacant Ganzhou Governor post, it is temporarily filled by Ouyang Kui, the Jiankang Army Commander of Ganzhou. Ouyang Kui is brave and battle‑savvy; he originally succeeded Zhang Shougui as Jiankang Army Commander and has continued in that line, effectively a direct protégé of Zhang Shougui.

Subsequent series of reassignments and vacancies followed, yet none involved Fang Chongyong at all. Though his name appeared repeatedly in the memorials, not a single strand of evidence was found.

Regarding Su Zhilian, the fact that he could become Governor of Ganzhou at merely twenty‑four, contrasted with Fang Chongyong holding office in Hexi at ten, is hardly a point of contention.

The entire central court raised no objections to Li Longji's edict; the decree traveled smoothly via the relay system to Liangzhou.

Such a decree, consistent with Tang's basic administrative structure, is as routine to officials as eating and drinking, causing no stir.

Some opportunists traced Su Zhilian's career and found that if he were a jinshi graduate, he would have needed to pass the imperial exam by ten, continuously rise without pause, and be extraordinarily lucky to be a minor prefect while Su was serving as Ganzhou Governor.

They could not help but lament how arduous it is for children of humble families to attain office in the great Tang bureaucracy, a matter truly beyond words.

After all, one can only enter the imperial examinations at fourteen, sit for the jinshi exam at least at sixteen, and after passing, wait three years for appointment—so nineteen. Starting as a scribe is already a high entry; four years later one is twenty‑three. Rotating to a Governor position typically occurs in the thirties, with the forties being the norm.

Thus Li Bai's dislike of the examinations is not solely because he came from a merchant background.

The main reasons are, first, he only knows how to write poetry and has limited talent elsewhere; second, even if he passed, it would take ages to rise. Valuing "life is short, hold a candle and wander at night," Li Bai naturally thought that rather than taking the exams, it is quicker and more decisive to grovel before the powerful—after all, he himself is not a noble.

……

Fang Chongyong still does not realize the stir he has caused at court; he is now extremely busy, never even going to the Jiedushi or Liangzhou offices, yet his days are spent darting about on tiptoe.

However, his so‑called "busyness" consists of wandering around inside and outside Liangzhou city, observing, listening, and learning, while he handles none of the concrete matters.

That day, Fang Chongyong went again to Medical Officer Li's clinic to see how Ji Ge's health‑preserving medicine development was progressing.

Yet the highly skilled medical officer handed a plain little ceramic jar to Fang Chongyong.

"The saint's medicine is still being tested; it's almost taking shape. However, the item commissioned by the Deputy Commander of the army is quite easy to handle."

After they sat down, they opened the seemingly unremarkable, palm‑sized black ceramic jar.

"The Deputy Commander said to half‑carbonize the hemostatic herb; I gave it a try, since the classics also mention it. I applied it to a few people with knife wounds and found the bleeding‑stop effect indeed strong, and …"

"And the herb can be stored long‑term without rotting, right?"

Fang Chongyong smiled and asked.

Doctor Li was startled, then nodded slightly and said, "Indeed so."

Semi‑carbonized herbal material for hemostasis has been mentioned in books since the Han dynasty. Yet, due to missing data and lack of urgent need after dynastic changes, the line of research was shelved and saw no substantive progress.

Earlier, Fang Chongyong had Doctor Li try the "quick hemostasis" method, hoping to create a "battlefield first‑aid kit."

"Binding a bleeding limb with a hemp strip boiled in hot water, then applying semi‑carbonized herbs for rapid hemostasis—this truly is a good method.

The key is that both items fit into a ceramic jar, can be stored long‑term, carried with the army, and each soldier can use them in emergencies during war.

These items are not hard to make; no one had thought of them before. Now the staff officer Fang has thought of it, and this alone could save countless soldiers on the Hexi frontier in the future."

Doctor Li, seated in his wheelchair, bowed deeply to Fang Chongyong and said.

He has encountered many "court officials," after all, having served beside Prince Xin'an Li Yi, where any sort of character was commonplace—some scheming, some naïve, some abusive toward men and women, but none like Fang Chongyong, who seeks no fame or profit and gets things done.

The teenager's aura was odd; he seemed like a tourist drifting around the bureaucracy without ever fully entering it.

"Eh, one does what's expected of one's position. I, as the deputy commander of the Baoting Army, am just a loafer, unable to shoulder heavy responsibilities; asking about concrete military matters is the best I can do.

The staff officer of the prefectural government is a role that can manage affairs but is inconvenient to do so. Nowadays Hexi's civil and military affairs run smoothly without my interference. If I meddle in those trivial matters, people would be annoyed; there are already enough tasks, and having to accommodate me would only add resentment!

Unlike before, now I don't pick fights; every official in Hexi makes things easy for me. I can go wherever I wish, have whatever I want, and no one dares to trouble me. Isn't that great?"

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and gave a casual explanation.

Now that he is in Liangzhou, he is practically a "free‑wheeling" presence, because Fang Chongyong knows better than to interfere with local officials' civil or military duties or cause them trouble.

Anyway, his strong background and his staff officer post mean that wherever he goes, officials see him off and provide maximum convenience. It's just like Fang Laique often says: if you're willing, you can eat anywhere for free and shop anywhere without paying.

As long as this "court official" Fang Chongyong is happy and proper, Liangzhou officials don't mind giving him a green light; wherever he wishes to visit, he is escorted and served all the way, making him feel embarrassed!

Drawing the two salaries of a prefectural staff officer and a Baoting Army deputy commander, plus having local officials assign attendants and guides, this kind of high‑end, food‑and‑fun treatment is probably the first since the Kaiyuan era.

Fang Chongyong had no doubt; it was only his youth that held him back. If he were older, he'd surely indulge with the diverse Hu Ji along the Hexi corridor—whatever type he desired would be offered attentively, without cost or consequence, just free indulgence.

"How about Deputy Commander Fang leads me to the Chi Shui Army and presents this item."

Doctor Li said politely.

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, feeling a faint emotion.

Fame and profit truly are iron curses no one can escape, and the doctor before him is no exception.

"That's natural. Let's set out now. We'll go to Chiwu Town; if we depart immediately, we'll arrive before sunset."

Fang Chongyong laughed, not taking the matter too seriously.

Doctor Li seemed unable to wait a moment; he didn't mind returning a favor. Compared with making "health‑preserving medicine" for Ji Ge, Fang Chongyong thought battlefield first‑aid supplies were a far greater boon for Hexi.

Before leaving, Doctor Li instructed Anaye to watch the clinic's door, then took the initiative to find someone to rent a carriage.

Anaye pulled Fang Chongyong aside, lowered her voice, and asked anxiously, "I've heard many people say you're about to be promoted; why are you still so indifferent?"

Though she said nothing, in her heart she already imagined herself as his future concubine, and her demeanor naturally differed from before.

"Everyone's just trying to please my father; it's human nature. My current rank already far exceeds the proper establishment, and I'll smoothly return to Chang'an later. What more office to climb? You're overthinking!"

Fang Chongyong chuckled and shook his head.

He knew many people wrote letters to Chang'an advising Ji Ge, claiming that this "court official" had accomplished many deeds in Hexi and deserved rewards.

Those people were merely flattering their lousy father. Ji Ge probably just scoffs internally and shelves the nonsense.

After all, making a child under ten a high‑ranking official—what a Tang dynasty farce!

Fang Chongyong glanced at Anaye and sensed the western‑born girl seemed not very clever.

"Don't doubt it. Earlier an official named Su Zhilian came to Liangzhou for treatment; when he first arrived for his post he was only twenty‑four and already the governor of Ganzhou! My father treated his illness, and he left a calligraphy piece that read 'A physician's benevolent heart.'"

Anaye said anxiously, "Fang Chongyong is climbing too fast; it makes my sense of crisis indescribable."

"A twenty‑four border governor? Does the court act this absurdly?"

Fang Chongyong was startled, realizing he might not be Liangzhou's only "court official"—there was someone even more outrageous!

A governor isn't a leisurely post like a prefectural staff officer; it requires real work!

Considering Zheng Shuqing's strong background, he was already over thirty when he served as Kui Prefecture governor!

"How would I know the court's affairs?"

Anaye rolled her eyes and said.

Seeing Doctor Li approach, Fang Chongyong waved and said, "We're heading to the Chi Shui Army garrison; we'll return tomorrow."

After speaking, he pushed Doctor Li's wheelchair and left the clinic.

Anaye watched their departing silhouettes, feeling uneasy, and for a moment couldn't decide whether to call Fang Chongyong back.

The historical details have been verified; the Tang bureaucracy's absurdity is truly absurd.

(End of chapter)