Chapter 523: Instruction

In the main hall of the Wei residence, Wang Yansheng sat with his legs spread wide, the hem of his robe tucked into his waistband, his trousers rolled up to his thighs. A young maidservant knelt between his legs, applying medicine to his knees.

Though he was a rough soldier with thick skin, having knelt in the palace hall and then again before the Wei residence gates for over two hours, he had inevitably suffered some damage. His knees were a mass of bruises, red tinged with purple, nearly bleeding.

The medicated cloth was applied on top, causing irritation, but to Wang Yansheng it seemed to register nothing; his expression showed no change. Beside him, Wei Renpu observed Wang Yansheng's bearing. A soldier was indeed a soldier—crude and lacking in manners—but he could still be called a man of valor, a generous spirit.

After the maidservant withdrew and he lowered his trouser legs and robe hem, Wang Yansheng glanced at Wei Renpu. Seeing the chancellor's gentle expression, he actually felt uncharacteristically ill at ease—where was the intimidating bearing of yesterday?

"Have some tea!" Wei Renpu raised his hand in invitation.

"Thank you, Chancellor!" Wang Yansheng picked up the teacup and drank like a bull, nearly spitting it out. He swallowed, wiped his mouth, and asked Wei Renpu: "Chancellor, what tea is this, so bitter!"

"Coptis tea!" Wei Renpu also took a sip, smiling faintly.

"Coptis! No wonder it's so bitter!" Wang Yansheng's face showed disgust: "Does the Chancellor's residence lack good tea? Let me, your subordinate, procure some and send it to your residence!"

"Thank you for the kind offer, General!" Wei Renpu took another sip: "This tea clears heat and removes dryness, drains fire and resolves toxins, calms the spirit and settles the mind. It has great benefits—the General should try it more often!"

"That's not something I can appreciate!" Wang Yansheng grinned, showing his teeth, and asked: "Let's drink wine instead! Let me, your subordinate, apologize to the Chancellor once more!"

"Last night the General's drinking led to error, and thus to punishment—has there been no lesson learned at all?" Wei Renpu asked.

Wang Yansheng was taken aback: "Is Chancellor Wei still not appeased?"

Wei Renpu looked at Wang Yansheng with a calm gaze, his smile warm, but it made Wang Yansheng feel uneasy.

Raising his cup in indication, Wei Renpu said: "Just drink tea!"

"Yes!" Wang Yansheng had no choice but to endure the nausea and drink the cup dry.

Seeing his bitter expression, Wei Renpu sighed and asked with a smile: "General, having been demoted to Yanzhou this time, do you harbor any resentment in your heart?"

"Of course not. I know my crimes are grave. His Majesty has shown mercy in sparing my life—I am already deeply grateful. How would I dare to complain!" Wang Yansheng shook his head repeatedly.

But as he said this, his words were clearly insincere. This man was not deep in scheming.

"To speak frankly, your offenses—losing decorum at the imperial banquet, forcing your way into the Chancellor's residence—if judged by the law, even if His Majesty took your life, it would be perfectly justified!" Wei Renpu looked at Wang Yansheng, his expression turning serious for the first time: "Do you know why His Majesty rebuked you so harshly?"

Wang Yansheng was slightly stunned. He could not think of a reason, and asked blankly: "Please enlighten me, Chancellor!"

"Though you are not a veteran general of Hedong, since you pledged yourself to the state, you have rendered repeated merits. His Majesty promoted you step by step, from a low-ranking officer to a senior commander!" Wei Renpu said earnestly: "In the eyes of outside ministers, you are His Majesty's trusted favorite general—yet you commit such arrogant and reckless acts, showing contempt for the court's ceremonial protocols! How could His Majesty not be angry? How could he not be furious!"

"Do you know that just during the day, the Hall of State Affairs received over a dozen memorials impeaching you!" Wei Renpu looked directly into Wang Yansheng's eyes: "If matters had proceeded according to court regulations, you would already be in prison awaiting judgment! His Majesty demoted you to Yanzhou—though it is punishment, in truth it also preserves a measure of protective intent: to deal with you first, to silence the clamor of many mouths!"

"Do you understand His Majesty's painstaking care?"

Facing Wei Renpu's question, Wang Yansheng was stunned for a moment, a trace of bewilderment showing in his eyes, then he seemed to fall into thought.

Letting him think it over himself, Wei Renpu continued: "During the day I had an audience with His Majesty, and he personally apologized to me on your behalf! He said you are outspoken and rash in your actions. His Majesty said that you, Wang Yansheng, have a violent temper and erratic conduct, but you are nonetheless a brave general, serving the state, striking enemies on the battlefield, advancing with keen determination, never showing cowardice. The realm is not yet pacified, and the state is precisely at a time when it needs men of ability—that is why he is giving you this chance to reform and start anew!"

Hearing these words from Wei Renpu, Wang Yansheng was finally moved. He rose, walked straight out into the courtyard before the hall, and facing the direction of the imperial city, solemnly kowtowed several times.

Behind him, seeing this, Wei Renpu's expression showed a hint of gratification. The Son of Heaven's commission was complete. And observing Wang Yansheng, he was not beyond redemption after all.

At the gates of the Wei residence, Wei Renpu personally saw Wang Yansheng off, which made him feel deeply honored, and he gave a thousand thanks.

Before he took his leave, Wei Renpu thought for a moment, then said to him: "The General excels at warfare and is not suited to serving as an official in the capital. The frontier and local posts are where your talents can be put to use.

Yanzhou is remote in the northwest, where Han and barbarians dwell intermingled, with constant rebellions and defections, and weak court control. It is precisely a place needing a man of valor like the General to suppress and guard, to display our army's might and make the various barbarians submit in fear.

Moreover, Yanzhou borders Xia and Sui, and the Dingnan Army's Li Yiyin—nominally submissive, but secretly harboring divided loyalties. As the General serves in the northwest, you should also keep vigilance on the state's behalf. When you achieve merits in the future, the day of your return to the capital will naturally come!"

"Thank you for the Chancellor's guidance!" Wang Yansheng bowed with a stooped posture, speaking respectfully.

Wei Renpu stood at the residence gates for a while, until Wang Yansheng's figure on horseback disappeared around the street corner. His expression was calm, but inwardly he could not help sighing. The Great Han's proud and fierce generals—Wang Yansheng was hardly the only one; he had merely been the one to stick his head out.

Customs and habits passed down for over a hundred years could not be erased in just a few short years. The problem of soldiers running wild could only be gradually adjusted with the passage of time—as imperial power grew firmer, the state grew more stable, institutions grew deeper, accompanied by the renewal of the imperial army's ranks. Without another several years, or even a decade, that crooked wind of evil influence could not be thoroughly suppressed.

At the same time, in the Guo residence, Li Chongjin shrank his neck, standing before the writing desk, enduring Guo Wei's scrutiny.

"Last night you left the palace together with Wang Yansheng, didn't you!" Guo Wei asked.

"Yes!" Li Chongjin unconsciously felt a pang of guilt, speaking in a defensive tone: "Before the imperial city gates, we parted ways, each returning to his own residence! I never expected Brother Wang to have such audacity!"

"Regarding his causing a scene at the Wei residence and pressuring the chancellor, what are your thoughts?" Guo Wei gave him a cold glance.

Li Chongjin hastily said: "Arrogant and reckless—a path to self-destruction!"

"I thought you might have cheered him on?" Guo Wei said: "If you had been traveling with him, would you have joined him in storming the residence, flaunting your merits, swaggering and showing off?"

"Your nephew would not dare!" Li Chongjin said quickly.

"Would not dare?" Guo Wei rebuked angrily: "Weren't you also dissatisfied with the court's rewards? Feeling that you weren't promoted, that the rewards were too little, unworthy of your military merits! Weren't you complaining endlessly, filled with indignation?"

"I..." Li Chongjin wanted to argue but lacked the words, and finally lowered his head.

With a stern face, Guo Wei said: "You've accomplished little merit, yet you regard yourself as a meritorious official. Your ability is insufficient, but your arrogance is hard to restrain!"

"Your nephew knows his error!" Li Chongjin knelt down.

"Your rewards—I was the one who proposed suppressing them!" Guo Wei took a deep breath and said.

Meeting his gaze, Guo Wei asked: "Are you very puzzled?"

Li Chongjin asked in a low voice: "Please instruct me, Uncle!"

"His Majesty has always been clear in rewards and punishments. Given the merits you two achieved in the Huainan campaign, why did the court treat you thinly? Have you reflected on this yourself?" Guo Wei said.

Hearing this, Li Chongjin thought seriously, frowning in deep contemplation for a long while, before finally raising his head and asking hesitantly: "Is it because of the killing of prisoners at the Battle of Xiacai?"

Slapping the desk hard, Guo Wei rose, his tone severe: "After the southern campaign, His Majesty issued a clear edict to all armies forbidding indiscriminate killing. You two had great audacity, daring to defy this—violating military orders and imperial decrees!

I tell you, in battle, whether it's three thousand or thirty thousand, killing them is one thing. But killing prisoners after the battle to vent anger—such brutal conduct cannot be offset by any amount of merit, no matter how great!

His Majesty tolerated you both, let the matter pass without punishment. Instead of appreciating his grace, you harbor resentment and speak wild words. I think you don't know what it means to court death!"

Hearing Guo Wei's rebuke, Li Chongjin dared not refute. Cold sweat broke out on his back, and he explained in a low voice: "After killing the prisoners that day, your nephew already regretted it. But spilled water cannot be gathered back—irreversible. My remorse in my heart is of no use either!"

Seeing his state, Guo Wei gradually calmed his emotions and said: "From now on, take this as a lesson. Drink less wine, read more books, and cultivate your character!"

"Yes!"

"Don't be so quick to say yes!" Guo Wei continued: "Also, prepare to leave the capital—you will serve as an official in the provinces!"