Chapter 1862: The Wisdom of Marquis Dang

Before the Orchid Garden, a confrontation that began with sharp words ended anticlimactically. Having stated his position and arranged his people, Dang Jin stopped paying Pan You any attention, maintained his contemptuous demeanor, turned around, and went back into his estate.

His back was clearly hunched, yet his defiant bearing was unmistakable — a high-ranking official of the capital circuit, denied even entry to his own doorstep.

In the cold wind, Pan You kept a smile on his face, but the awkwardness was palpable to everyone. Seeing this, one of his accompanying staff stepped forward and complained to Pan You: "Governor, this Marquis Dang may be a meritorious noble, but he is far too arrogant! You are the Administration Commissioner of the capital circuit—"

Pan You raised his hand to stop the complaint and smiled faintly: "No need for useless words! The urgent matter now is to audit the Dang family's landholdings. After the Dang family, we will move on to the other nobles. Let us take advantage of this inspection tour to thoroughly straighten out the situation in Yangzhai!"

"Yes!"

Though he put on a magnanimous air of turning the other cheek and enduring for the sake of the state, a hint of resentment still leaked from the depths of Pan You's pupils. A high official like Pan You could hardly be indifferent to his reputation, and today before the Orchid Garden, he had truly lost all face. Once word spread, he would surely be mocked again, becoming fodder for his rivals' conversations.

Though it was winter, the Orchid Garden showed little desolation. On both sides of the bluestone-paved paths, bare trees were wrapped with strips of colorful silk — cloth substituting for flowers, vivid in hue, forming a famous winter sight of the garden.

Supported by his second son Dang Chonggui, Dang Jin slowly made his way toward the residence where he normally stayed. His back was severely hunched now, and he no longer had the vigor and spirit he had shown before Pan You's party.

Seeing the pensive look on his old father's face, Dang Chonggui asked hesitantly: "Father, was this the right thing to do?"

"Right or wrong?" Dang Jin shot a glance at his second son.

Dang Chonggui said softly: "Governor Pan is, after all, the Administration Commissioner of the capital circuit — already powerful and influential. Now he enjoys the court's deep trust and holds great authority, with immense momentum. Is it... is it perhaps unwise to offend him so mercilessly?"

As he spoke, Dang Chonggui lowered his head. He knew his father's temper well — such dispirited talk was likely to provoke his anger.

This time, however, Dang Jin's reaction was somewhat unexpected. He thought for a moment before speaking: "It seems Pan You's series of actions since taking office has frightened you younger generation!"

Hearing this, Dang Chonggui quickly explained: "How could your son be afraid! I merely feel that leaving no room for reconciliation with Pan You might be unnecessary!"

"Unnecessary?" Dang Jin's eyes widened, then he composed his expression and asked calmly: "Tell me, how can our Dang family's wealth and honor endure for long?"

At this question, Dang Chonggui seemed about to speak, clearly having something to say, but after a moment's hesitation, he assumed a humble posture: "Please instruct me, Father!"

"Do I still need to teach you this?" Dang Jin showed immediate displeasure and rebuked in a stern tone: "Of course, by being loyal to the Great Han and loyal to Your Majesty!"

Having said this, perhaps feeling these two points lacked sufficient persuasiveness, Dang Jin quickly added: "These are naturally just basic principles. What matters more is that a man must stay clear-headed and keep his wits sharp — knowing what can be done and what cannot, and having a clear sense of it in his heart!

Take this tax reform for example — I saw long ago that it cannot be stopped. Those who fail to recognize the situation and vainly attempt to oppose the court will come to no good end.

Why do you think Pan You dares to act so arrogantly and high-handedly, making an example of our Dang family the moment he takes office? Without someone backing him, how could he show such disregard for the powerful?

Since the tide cannot be turned, one should go with it — openly and honestly. As for petty tricks like hiding land, that is less about deceiving the court than deceiving oneself."

Hearing Dang Jin's words, Dang Chonggui found it even harder to hide his astonishment and asked urgently: "If that is so, Father, why did you humiliate Governor Pan like that, shaming him in public? Isn't that just making a powerful enemy for nothing?"

Hearing his second son's words, Dang Jin sneered: "Powerful enemy? That ugly wretch is worthy of the title? You just said this Administration Commissioner of the capital circuit has immense power and influence — you overestimate him.

If it were Zhao Pu standing before me, I might yield to him three parts, fear him three parts, and respect him three parts. As for that Pan You — he merely picked up an opportunity by luck.

A mere surrendered official, and he dares to set his sights on me, wanting to establish his authority at my expense — nothing but a jumping clown.

People like him are nothing more than tools His Majesty uses to crack down on wrongdoing and restrain noble families like ours. When it comes down to it, he is just a knife.

I have no wish for trouble, but if this knife tries to cut at me, naturally I cannot let it have an easy time.

Civil officials like him, impeccably dressed, love nothing more than courting reputation. Shaming him in public counts as venting a bit of my anger — if I didn't let it out, I might die of fury by tomorrow."

Dang Jin explained with a straight face, but as he spoke, he reverted to the Marquis Dang's rough-and-ready temperament. Hearing this, Dang Chonggui hurriedly said: "Please, Father, do not speak such inauspicious words!"

At this, Dang Jin chuckled: "Isn't it just death? What's inauspicious about it? I crawled out of piles of corpses myself — back when I followed Du Chongwei in the rebellion at Ye City, my head was already strapped to my belt.

The wealth and glory you people enjoy today are built upon thousands of bones.

What is there to fear in death? It's just a matter of time. When that day truly comes, give me a grand burial, and that will be that."

Seeing his old father so "unburdened," Dang Chonggui was momentarily speechless and could only respond with a wry smile.

Dang Jin calmed his emotions and sighed softly: "If you find my actions puzzling, it only means you don't yet understand your old man well enough!

What I do is simply what Dang Jin would do! The whole court and country know that Dang Jin is eccentric in temperament, moody, crude, and vulgar. Doing outrageous things and saying absurd words is normal for me. If one day I became well-behaved and made no noise at all, that would invite suspicion!"

Pausing, Dang Jin continued: "Of course, a mere Dang Jin isn't worth scheming over — suspicion wouldn't fall on me. And ordinary people — what qualification or ability do they have to pry into my affairs?

For over thirty years, this is how I've lived! Your old man hasn't had it easy either — sometimes I don't even know which of my feelings are genuine and which are put on!

On one hand, constant slander; on the other, standing firm as Mount Tai. Balancing both is no easy feat. And down to this day, our Dang family remains wealthy and honored, generously favored, with our fortune growing ever larger. The most important point is this: I may be arrogant, I may be overbearing, I may even occasionally slip up and hand others a handle — but I have never done what must not be done, never said what must not be said, always holding fast to a fundamental bottom line!"

After hearing Dang Jin's lengthy discourse, Dang Chonggui seemed lost in thought. After a long while, he said with some admiration: "Father, I somewhat understand your intentions! I deeply admire your wisdom, Father!"

"What wisdom do I have? I merely act according to my nature!" Dang Jin shook his head, then fixed his gaze on Dang Chonggui and said in a stern tone: "But you remember this well — these things can only be done by me, and only I can do them. You people, enjoying the blessings I have created for you, had all better stay well-behaved and follow the rules."

"Yes! Your son will keep this in mind! Rest assured, Father — what virtues or abilities do I have to compare with you?" said Dang Chonggui.

Dang Jin was not taken in by this flattery. He stared at his second son with aged eyes, his face grave: "I don't know how many years I have left, but I don't want to see the day when I have to personally tie you up and deliver you to the authorities. If it came to that, I might as well kill you myself. As for after I die, I won't be able to manage you — if you want to court disaster, go ahead and do as you please!"

Hearing this, Dang Chonggui gave an awkward smile and replied: "That won't happen."

"Won't happen?" Stepping into the courtyard with its trees full of "red flowers," Dang Jin stopped and barked angrily: "Then what do you have to say about Dang Tao's affair?"

The moment his nephew — the one Pan You had arrested and executed — was brought up, Dang Jin's anger flared: "That beast! I trusted him, promoted him, put him in charge of vast family wealth, and this is how he repays the Dang family?

Obedient on the surface, but behind the scenes a thief and a lecher, preying on the common people! Killing people might be forgivable — if he had been in the right, I would have swallowed my pride and saved his life. But stealing men's wives, seizing men's daughters, killing men's parents — what kind of person does such things? Worse than an animal!"

Seeing his old father so agitated, Dang Chonggui hurriedly stroked his chest to help him calm down, saying soothingly: "Father, please calm your anger. Dang Tao committed heinous crimes and got what he deserved — he has already received his due punishment!"

"Ruining our Dang family's reputation and standing like that — he died easily enough, but he dragged my face through the mud too, letting that ugly wretch Pan You bully me to my face. I've roamed and fought for decades, crossed mountains of knives and seas of fire, charged through forests of spears and rains of arrows — when have I ever suffered such humiliation?" Dang Jin cursed and grumbled, his righteous indignation completely unabated.