Chapter 189: Gradually Losing Self-Awareness

"The Chancellor returns to the residence!"

Following a loud shout, the gates of the Su residence swung open. Guards and servants roused themselves, lining up in solemn formation to receive him. Amid a crowd of bowing figures, he strode through the gates. Even the mere ceremony of returning home was exceptionally grand, and the household immediately bustled into activity, making preparations to attend to Chancellor Su.

Su Fengji's official position had grown greater and greater, and his airs had grown along with it. Now serving as a chief minister, assisting the young sovereign, he was full of high spirits. The Su residence was no small scale, decorated luxuriously—if one were to compile a ranking of grand mansions in the Eastern Capital, it would surely place within the top ten.

Throughout the entire Su residence, including Su Fengji's wives, concubines, children, stewards, guards, and servants, the total exceeded one hundred and twenty people.

This number, at a glance, did not seem particularly large. But one should know that within the entire imperial city at present, aside from the imperial army on guard duty, the palace eunuchs and palace maids attending to Liu Chengyou's family numbered fewer than three hundred.

Of the palace women from the former Jin palace—those beauties and concubines Shi Chonggui had painstakingly gathered—most had become Yelu Deguang's spoils of war. After being violated, they were carried off northward, or died amid the chaos of war, or scattered into the common folk. Those rescued after the Battle of Luancheng had been bestowed by Liu Chengyou as wives to meritorious soldiers.

Su Fengji seemed to have no self-awareness about this, nor did he see anything improper in it.

"The Chancellor seems to be in a good mood?" A favored concubine attentively helped Su Fengji out of his court robes. Seeing that even his upturned whiskers seemed to carry a hint of a smile, she could not help asking.

"This Chancellor laughs at that Yang Bin—arrogant and self-important, still thinking this is the late emperor's court, when the late emperor tolerated him so much. He doesn't understand the principle that each dynasty has its own ministers. Back when the Son of Heaven had not yet served as regent, this Chancellor already knew that our young His Majesty would not be easy to deal with." Su Fengji laughed heartily, his tone full of schadenfreude: "He has already lost the Emperor's favor, and now he's offended the Empress Dowager as well—truly not knowing whether he lives or dies!"

The concubine grew even more curious: "Then what did Chancellor Yang do, to actually offend Her Majesty the Empress Dowager?"

At the question, Su Fengji's smile vanished. His face stiffened, and he glanced sidelong at the concubine: "This is a grave matter of state, not something for womenfolk like you to pry into!"

"Yes, yes..."

Seeing the concubine's frightened expression, Su Fengji was quite satisfied. He swept his gaze over her voluptuous figure, a lewd smile creeping onto his lips. He reached out and gave her round, firm buttocks a hard squeeze, drawing a delicate cry.

This new favorite of his had originally been the concubine of a meritorious official in the Eastern Capital. For the sake of this woman, he had brought that former Later Jin minister to ruin, his family destroyed. Women—other men's were always better.

Having relaxed a little, easing the fatigue from discussing state affairs, he found that in the hall, servants had already laid out dishes upon the food table: crystal fish slices, meatballs, spiced beans, chicken soup, quail bone dumplings, and even a plate of wild fox meat. This was solely for Su Fengji's own consumption—the dishes were extremely fine, and the extravagance of his expenditure was plain to see.

Liu Chengyou's practice of frugality in the palace seemed to hold little warning for men of their sort.

"Today's meatballs are not bad." Finishing his meal, Su Fengji wiped his mouth with a wet cloth woven from Huzhou silk, offering his assessment.

"Shall this servant have another portion made tomorrow?" The steward in charge of his meals promptly asked, quick-witted.

Su Fengji immediately shook his head: "This fine food—one can't eat too much of it. Eat too much, and it becomes cloying! Change it up!"

"Yes!"

Glancing at the leftover scraps—the untouched chicken soup still steaming—Su Fengji waved his hand casually and instructed: "Don't say this Chancellor lacks kindness. As before, take it out and give it to the beggars in the Eastern Capital."

"Yes!" The steward attending nearby replied with some caution.

All along, Su Fengji had been dispensing his "kindness," taking the leftover clothes and food from his household and giving them out to the poor and beggars. However, what remained from Su Fengji's daily eating and wearing was, to the servants of the household, rare and fine things.

Previously, a steward responsible for distributing the leftovers had secretly taken some food home to his wife and children. After several times, he was discovered, and someone reported him to Su Fengji. Upon hearing this, Su Fengji ordered the steward dragged to the courtyard, and before all the servants of the household, had his legs broken, then cast him out the gates...

Since then, no one in the household dared to cut corners on Su Fengji's orders.

A little later, Su Fengji stepped into his study. Su Fengji's study was very large, lavishly furnished, quite imposing, with many books. Many of those books had been acquired through scheming, extortion, and outright seizure, used merely to decorate his facade. Su Fengji had some talent in literary matters, but he was no true devotee of the way.

"I pay my respects to the Chancellor!" A man wearing a soft turban and a brocade fur coat, after Su Fengji had taken his seat in the master's chair, bowed and paid his respects with a respectful voice.

This man was named Li Cheng, a retainer Su Fengji had brought from Jinyang to the Eastern Capital. All along, he had managed affairs both inside and outside the residence, overseeing his holdings in the two capitals and throughout the Central Plains.

"No need for ceremony." Su Fengji said flatly, then asked directly: "How are the residence and estates in the Western Capital? And my lands—how is the farming going?"

Li Cheng still bore the dust of travel upon him, presumably having just arrived in the Eastern Capital. At the question, he immediately reported: "Upon this subordinate's inspection, the residence in the Western Capital is all in good order. As for the spring plowing, several stewards have already organized laborers to work the fields. It's just that there are too few hands and too much land—they can't keep up all at once."

Su Fengji's brow immediately furrowed, and he scolded: "If there aren't enough people, can't you hire more?"

Li Cheng quickly explained: "The court has issued decrees for local governments to open military colonies, providing seeds, farm tools, and renting out oxen. Any displaced persons have all registered with the authorities. Around Luoyang, there truly are no more people to hire."

"The court's military colonies have left this Chancellor without men to use!" Su Fengji muttered: "I hear the military colony affairs in the various prefectures are not going smoothly—how is it that Luoyang has this unexpected success?"

"Li Congmin, the Defender of the Western Capital, has personally been promoting the military colony affairs in accordance with the court's decrees!"

"These remnants of the Later Tang should all be put to death, to eliminate future trouble!" Su Fengji said coldly.

Li Congmin was the nephew of Li Siyuan, Emperor Mingzong of the Later Tang—resourceful, skilled in horsemanship and archery, with high seniority. When the Great Han was founded, Liu Zhiyuan had appointed him Defender of the Western Capital. Previously, in the matter of Li Congyi, Duke of Xu, Su Fengji had strongly advocated killing him but had failed. This time, his anger was being redirected at Li Congmin.

"Among the laborers under our control, some have recently fled. This subordinate has already ordered men to keep a strict watch!"

Hearing this, Su Fengji flew into a rage: "Catch all those who fled and bring them back to this Chancellor—cut off their hands and feet!"

"If not for this Chancellor, they would have starved to death last year!" Su Fengji cursed: "Truly a pack of base commoners, knowing nothing of gratitude!"

Facing Su Fengji's curses, Li Cheng echoed him from the side, adding: "Most of them have fled to become registered households under the government colonies. If we could obtain the cooperation of the authorities, it would likely be much more convenient."

"Just go and seize them directly!" Su Fengji said: "Surely there's no one so blind as to dare block the people of my Su residence?"

"Of course not—the Chancellor is a chief minister; who would dare not show face?" Li Cheng immediately flattered.

"As for those base commoners who remain, put iron shackles on them, and see how they flee then!" After a moment's thought, Su Fengji added another instruction.

"Yes, this subordinate will arrange it shortly."

"By the way, that Lady Wang—still refusing to yield?" Su Fengji suddenly asked.

A trace of helplessness crept onto Li Cheng's face. He clasped his hands and said: "Chancellor, this woman is too fierce and unyielding. This subordinate has exhausted every means, yet she remains unwilling to come to the residence. And previously His Majesty issued an order forbidding anyone from harassing her and her son—this subordinate and the others truly have no way!"

"Worthless!" Su Fengji cursed, then stroked his whiskers, a sinister glint seeming to flicker in his eyes: "She doesn't know the times. Does she really think a casual command from His Majesty can protect them for a lifetime?"

"Chancellor." Li Cheng called out cautiously.

"Speak!" Su Fengji glanced at him.

"That Lady Wang, though she still has some looks, is after all past forty, and a former consort of the previous dynasty—might it not be improper..."

"What do you know!" Su Fengji rebuked harshly. Then he slowly mused: "It seems this Chancellor will have to think of a way."

After Su Fengji had pondered for a while and come back to himself, Li Cheng spoke again carefully: "There is one more matter to report to the Chancellor. While in Luoyang, this subordinate heard that Li Yu and Li Zhi, the younger brothers of Li Song, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, have been complaining in the streets, telling people that the Chancellor has seized the Li family's property."