Chapter 61: The Envoy from Jinyang

Without taking any means of conveyance, Gao Fang walked slowly along the ancient streets of Shangdang, the moonlight quietly spilling down onto his back, casting a shadow on the earthen ground that seemed somewhat heavy and somber.

With his shrewdness, he could naturally detect the strangeness of that day's disturbance. Though he had no conclusive evidence, he had still locked his suspicions onto Wang Shou'en at the first opportunity. If he himself could think of it, then with His Highness's wisdom, along with talents like Guo and Xiang, it was naturally impossible that they had not noticed...

Thinking back to that day, when he had spoken well of Wang Shou'en before Liu Chengyou, Gao Fang now found his heart especially troubled and vexed. Toward Wang Shou'en's greedy and corrupt nature, he was disgusted from the bottom of his heart.

Lost in thought, he looked up to find himself before the Military Governor's mansion. Gazing at the tightly guarded tall gates, Gao Fang straightened his robes and went up to request an audience.

"Your Highness!"

Liu Chengyou received Gao Fang in the study, his expression calm. He gestured for him to dispense with formalities and invited him to take a seat, speaking to him in a gentle tone: "Had it not been for Administrative Assistant Gao calming those commoners during the day, I fear the situation would have escalated into a greater disturbance—that would have been impossible to rein in."

From Liu Chengyou's words, one could not discern his attitude at all. Gao Fang merely shook his head lightly twice and remarked with emotion: "This official was only fulfilling his duty. Those people gathered in crowds to press their demands, yet Your Highness, with magnanimous tolerance, handled it with composure—that is what truly commands admiration."

Calmly waving his hand, Liu Chengyou looked steadily at Gao Fang and asked slowly: "As for what they requested, what do you think—should I grant it or not?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Fang answered without hesitation, giving an affirmative response: "It must not be granted! Your Highness led the imperial army to restore Luzhou, sparing the people under your governance from the endless extortion and plunder of the barbarian invaders—that is already grace vast as heaven. The common folk are ignorant, greedy by nature and never satisfied, swayed by others' instigation without realizing it, making unreasonable demands. Your Highness need only soothe them with kindness; there is truly no need to heed their requests..."

After hearing Gao Fang's declaration, Liu Chengyou immediately seized upon the "key point": "Swayed by others' instigation? Who do you think is behind the scenes, stirring up and inciting those ignorant folk?"

Liu Chengyou's words were light and airy, and Gao Fang heard them, but subconsciously lowered his head. After deliberating for a moment, he finally let out a long sigh: "For such arrogant and reckless ignorant behavior, who else could it be but him? With Your Highness's brilliance and wisdom, you likely already have an idea in mind..."

Liu Chengyou did not immediately respond to this. He raised his cup and took a sip of tea, then said to Gao Fang in a tone of notification: "I summoned Administrative Assistant Gao here to tell you some unfortunate news. Just now, word came from the prince's residence—Patrol Inspector Wang suddenly contracted malaria, and before a physician could be sought, he died of the sudden illness."

The moment the words fell, Gao Fang abruptly raised his head and stared at Liu Chengyou in astonishment. Under his calm gaze, he gradually reined in the surprise on his face. A trace of bitterness crept to the corners of his mouth as Gao Fang replied in a low voice: "That truly is most regrettable..."

"Storms gather without warning, and misfortune befalls men from one day to the next." Liu Chengyou continued with a sigh: "Patrol Inspector Wang was, after all, a meritorious hero of the uprising. To pass away midway without seeing the Khitan flee north and the Central Plains settled—it is truly lamentable, truly grievous!"

As he spoke, Liu Chengyou kept his eyes fixed on Gao Fang.

And Gao Fang, seeing Liu Chengyou's deeply emotional and sighing demeanor, felt his heart grow even more complicated. His understanding of the young man before him deepened by yet another layer.

"Though Patrol Inspector Wang has unfortunately died of illness, we must not neglect his funeral arrangements. A fallen leaf returns to its roots—I wish to dispatch Administrative Assistant Gao to escort Patrol Inspector Wang's coffin back to his hometown, deliver it to his family, and see him laid to rest." Liu Chengyou continued with his instructions.

Gao Fang agreed readily: "This official is willing to contribute what little effort he can."

"Very good!" Liu Chengyou nodded.

At the end, he added unhurriedly: "Oh, and I think that tomorrow, there should no longer be any disturbances like today's before the government office..."

The next day, news of Wang Shou'en's "sudden death" spread quickly throughout the city, and sure enough, it caused no waves at all.

Wang Shou'en had not been in Shangdang long, and he had taken no measures to bestow kindness upon the people. Instead, he had spread his reputation for greed and love of profit. Aside from his illustrious family background, there was nothing about him worthy of praise.

Had Gao Fang "died suddenly," perhaps it might have evoked grief and remembrance from others. Wang Shou'en—to be honest—had he served as an official in Luzhou for longer, his death might well have drawn cheers from the common folk.

When Liu Chengyou first arrived in Shangdang, facing Wang Shou'en's arrogance, he had tolerated him and concealed his killing intent. Aside from Gao Fang's counsel that night, it was truly only out of consideration for his status as a "meritorious hero of the uprising," to avoid adverse repercussions and trouble.

As for the matter of the Khitan's money exaction, everyone had known about it all along. With the prefectures and counties being restored, officials and commoners alike tacitly agreed not to mention it. But Wang Shou'en, driven by his inexplicable resentment, insisted on stirring up trouble. In doing so, he thoroughly enraged Liu Chengyou, who then unhesitatingly chose to completely eradicate this poisonous tumor!

Of course, Wang Shou'en's death was not entirely without effect—at the very least, quite a few people in the Shangdang prison were anxious and fearful, unable to find peace even for a single day.

With no one continuing to incite, sure enough, no one dared to take the risk of going to the government office to demand the "exacted money" from Liu Chengyou. However, the disturbance had ultimately been caused, and to dispel it, measures to reassure the people were still needed.

While Liu Chengyou was racking his brains for a solution, an envoy from Jinyang brought him a timely rain that resolved his worries.

In the Military Governor's mansion, Liu Chengyou led his civil and military officials in respectfully listening to the imperial edict. Liu Zhiyuan's decree was largely written by Su Yugui—the brush touched the very workings of creation, the prose excellent, full of allusions and parallel couplets. Liu Chengyou's head spun from listening, let alone illiterate officers like Zhang Yanwei. So this was what it meant to be emperor—everything truly was different...

Though the edict sounded obscure and hard to understand, Liu Chengyou grasped the general meaning. It provided a summarizing review of his achievements in this southern campaign, followed by a passage of encouragement, and then words of reward and promotion.

Liu Zhiyuan approved all the official appointments and dismissals Liu Chengyou had proposed in his earlier memorial—such as Wang Shou'en, Gao Fang, Li Wanchao...

But what immediately caught Liu Chengyou's eye was another edict: Within Hedong's jurisdiction, apart from the previous regular taxes, all miscellaneous levies and requisitions were to be entirely abolished. This edict alone was enough to soothe the people's hearts, even though what was exempted was only those "exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes" beyond the regular ones...

The envoy from Jinyang was a young man, not much older than Liu Chengyou. His appearance was not particularly handsome, but his bearing was outstanding, and he seemed quite refined.

He was quite familiar with Liu Chengyou—he was his maternal cousin, named Li Shaoyou. He was the son of Liu Chengyou's maternal uncle Li Hongxin. He had some literary talent, studied without delving deep, was broad but not profound, yet his mind was extremely quick. He had spent some time as a carefree idler, then was dragged into the army by Li Hongxin to be tempered for two years. In the end, he showed no talent for being a military commander, so he transferred from military to civil service, previously serving as a Registrar in the Hedong Military Governor's office, right up to the present.

"Second Brother, your leading the army south this time has truly made a spectacular debut!" Having led him into the second hall for a private conversation, no sooner had they sat down than Li Shaoyou said to Liu Chengyou with a beaming smile.

"The battles were all fought by the officers and men under my command—what is there to boast about?" Liu Chengyou replied flatly, still studying the edict in his hands.

Clearly long accustomed to Liu Chengyou's temperament, Li Shaoyou paid no mind to his "coldness" and continued: "You have no idea—those arrogant soldiers and fierce generals in Jinyang have quite a few complaints about your command, especially Shi Hongzhao and his lot. They merely took Daizhou and killed Wang Hui, yet they carry on as if they were the finest generals of the age. When your victory report reached Jinyang, you would never imagine how priceless their expressions were..."