Chapter 264: Parting with Wealth to Atone for Sins

Subconsciously stroking his round belly, Xue Huairang forced an ugly, fawning smile and replied, "All thanks to Your Majesty's grace."

"Eh... I have shown you no grace, Governor Xue. If anything, it was the late Emperor's benevolence!" Liu Chengyou waved his hand, and before Xue Huairang could respond, shifted his tone with sharp edge: "By comparison, Governor Xue has received far more favor from Li Shouzhen, hasn't he!"

Hearing Liu Chengyou say this, Xue Huairang's face changed instantly, his cheeks burning hot yet feeling cold, cold sweat pouring out. Ignoring all propriety, he rose and knelt directly: "Your Majesty, forgive me. It was Li Shouzhen who learned of my greed for wealth and sent gifts to try to buy me over. I was momentarily blinded by avarice and thus had some dealings with him, but I never harbored any thought of rebellion. When the revolt broke out, I also led the people of Tongzhou to resist the rebels..."

Xue Huairang had likely used up all the eloquence he possessed, and saying all this must have cost him no small number of brain cells.

Seeing his display, Liu Chengyou gave a faint smile and said in a tone of "curiosity": "I recall that last year, when Governor Xue stood before me, how bold and spirited you were, your will unbending. How is it that now you are so cautious and humble, so courteous and proper, that it makes me see you in a new light and quite unaccustomed to it..."

Xue Huairang's expression froze. Though he was a rough man, he could still detect the wrong flavor in Liu Chengyou's words. Red-faced, he stammered, "Your servant, your servant..."

"These eyes of mine—I won't claim they see the finest detail, but I consider them clear-sighted. I know full well the situation in Tongzhou, past and present. Governor Xue, with your slick tongue and cunning arguments, do you take me for a fool?"

The stone hanging over Xue Huairang's heart grew heavier still. He lowered his head, his expression shifting through shades of uncertainty, then suddenly raised it, looked straight at Liu Chengyou, and clasped his fists, speaking loudly: "If Your Majesty wishes to punish me for past deeds, then behead me now—I dare not harbor any resentment!"

It was Xue Huairang who couldn't bear Liu Chengyou's veiled barbs any longer, and this outburst had a feeling of throwing caution to the wind. Liu Chengyou was only slightly surprised, then glanced at him, clearly reading the tension and panic in the warrior's eyes.

The slight nod made Xue Huairang's back visibly sink lower. Seeing this, Liu Chengyou gave him a stiff, cold smile, then suddenly looked toward Hou Zhang on the other side, scanning his attire: "Governor Hou, this outfit of yours is exceptionally fine and splendid!"

Hou Zhang was startled, but promptly prostrated himself: "Your servant is guilty—please punish me, Your Majesty!"

He had long since made up his mind: no matter what the Son of Heaven said, he would simply confess guilt. His attitude was utterly deferential. Thanks to the contrast with Xue Huairang's performance, at least on the surface, Governor Hou's attitude of admitting fault and repenting looked far better.

With his head bowed, feeling Liu Chengyou's scrutinizing gaze, Hou Zhang muttered inwardly: Brother Zhao, trusting your words, I've staked my entire family's lives this time...

Scanning the two of them left and right for a moment, Liu Chengyou's face relaxed, his body leaning back slightly as he loosened up, and said: "You two needn't kneel any longer—rise and speak!"

Clearly sensing the change in Liu Chengyou's tone, the two with lowered heads couldn't help glancing at each other, both looking somewhat at a loss, but they quickly rose and still stood stiffly at attention below.

The Son of Heaven's unpredictability and the sudden shift in atmosphere clearly made both men uncomfortable.

His expression gradually returning to calm, Liu Chengyou said slowly: "I hear that over this past year or more, in the two prefectures of Hua and Tong, you two have been blessed with abundant wealth, riches filling your homes, fine fields stretching across the fields, and tens of thousands of strings of cash at your waists..."

Seeing the bewildered looks on their faces, Liu Chengyou asked: "What, is there something wrong with what I've heard?"

Truly unable to fathom Liu Chengyou's intentions, after a moment of silence, Xue Huairang couldn't help saying: "It's... it's not that much!"

Faced with Xue Huairang's "honest" answer, Liu Chengyou no longer had the patience to banter with them. He rose, ambled over to stand before them, and said flatly: "The Khitan ruler, taking advantage of internal rebellion in our state, has raised troops to invade the south, penetrating Hebei, raiding prefectures and counties, and plundering our people. The border situation is urgent, lacking funds and grain—yet this campaign to suppress the rebellion has emptied the imperial treasury. These days, I've been racking my brains over how to raise money and grain for the northern relief..."

The Son of Heaven's hint was almost an outright statement, but Xue Huairang and Hou Zhang didn't catch on at first.

It was Hou Zhang, whose head wasn't yet completely stuffed with fat, who spoke up first: "Your servant is willing to offer five thousand strings of family wealth to support the court in resisting the barbarian invaders to the north!"

At this, Xue Huairang also caught on and quickly followed: "Your servant will do the same!"

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou immediately raised his hand: "That won't do—if word of this reaches foolish ears, they'll think I'm seizing my ministers' family wealth!"

Hou Zhang seemed to have grown a bit smarter and immediately answered with a bow: "This is your servant's voluntary offering, to repay Your Majesty and the court, to contribute to border defense and governance, and to do his part for the soldiers of the northern frontier."

"Your servant as well."

Liu Chengyou slowly nodded, his gaze somewhat amused as he looked at the two men, a faint, ambiguous cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

The atmosphere in the hall was strange, tinged with awkwardness. After a moment of silence, Hou Zhang seemed to understand something, gritted his teeth, and reported again: "Your servant is willing to offer ten thousand strings of cash."

Xue Huairang looked at Hou Zhang in surprise, then at Liu Chengyou, his face showing pain: "Your servant will match it."

"Ten thousand strings?" Liu Chengyou slowly walked back behind the desk, sat down, and said as if with feeling: "It seems you two are indeed men of great wealth!"

The tone in which Liu Chengyou said this seemed to hint at something more.

"..."

The silent pressure forced the two men to raise their contributions to fifty thousand strings plus ten thousand hu of grain before Liu Chengyou finally let them off. He said with feigned embarrassment: "You two have given your family wealth to relieve the state's difficulties—though it may be but a drop in the bucket, it shows your sincere loyalty. Your devotion to me and to the court—I have seen it, and I believe that earlier you were both deceived by the rebel Li Shouzhen!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Pausing for a moment, Liu Chengyou then delivered their true punishment: "This time, you two must have suffered quite a fright. A man's life is nothing but fame and profit. You have both served in the military for decades to reach where you are today. So—I will grant each of you a fine mansion in the Western Capital. You may move your families there, purchase some farmland, acquire some property, and from now on, live in comfort and ease in the Western Capital, enjoying your grandchildren and spending your remaining years in peace..."

At these words, both men's expressions changed at once, their eyes clearly showing anger and unwillingness.

"What, do you have objections? If you do, speak freely!" Seeing their bitter expressions, Liu Chengyou said magnanimously.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" At this point, what objections could they have? Somewhat dazed, they accepted.

As they withdrew, the two men still hadn't fully processed what had happened, their steps unsteady. Their lives were spared, their titles and ranks not stripped, yet neither could feel the slightest joy.

In this era, without power—especially military power—even with vast wealth, one was nothing but fish on the chopping block. Titles and ranks—what were they worth? Look at how those in the Western Capital had been ground down by Shi Hongzhao; now the two of them would be joining their ranks.

"That young emperor is too ruthless—all that money and grain could have paid a whole round of army wages!" Xue Huairang couldn't help complaining. Tongzhou was a poor place; he had worked so hard to amass money and grain, and that was all he had. It had never come easily, and now Liu Chengyou had squeezed out seventy or eighty percent of it in one go—his heart was bleeding.

"Keeping our lives is already lucky!" Hou Zhang's expression was equally grim, but he was slightly more philosophical: "We were still intimidated by the Son of Heaven—he didn't seem to want to kill us."

Following with a sigh, Xue Huairang soon burst into curses: "It's all that bastard Li Shouzhen's fault—if he were here, I'd wring his head off..."

"Brother Xue, the Son of Heaven has stripped us of our authority. From now on, in that place called Luoyang, we'll need to support each other." Hou Zhang said listlessly, dragging his feet as he walked, clasping his fists toward Xue Huairang.

"Naturally." Xue Huairang replied.

Having shared this ordeal, the two men's relationship had clearly grown closer.

"Brother Hou, how old is your young lord?" Xue Huairang suddenly asked.

Hou Zhang turned his head, looking at him in confusion.

Xue Huairang said: "I have a daughter, seventeen this year, not yet betrothed..."

Soon, this pair of brothers in misfortune were discussing their children's marriage. Deep autumn had arrived, the weather turning cold—they could only huddle together for warmth.