Chapter 780: The Western Envoy Returns

As for the disposition of Li Song of Jingzhao Prefecture, Liu Chengyou's actions were not purely a matter of post-hoc accountability triggered by the Shu rebellion in Guanzhong—though, to be sure, at the very beginning, he had indeed harbored such intentions.

However, as the situation subsequently developed and shifted, Liu Chengyou changed his original stance. The dismissal of Administration Commissioner Hu Yanke and the death by illness of Judicial Commissioner Shen Gou—both occurring at this sensitive juncture—would, to those unaware of the inner workings, already appear to be a severe punitive reckoning.

As for the prefectural and county officials below, the various ministries and bureaus of the court would naturally handle their promotions and demotions, rewarding the good and punishing the bad. The effect of warning all officials under heaven could thus be achieved.

As for Li Song, the matter was more about his conduct as an official. There was no denying that Li Song possessed literary talent, had served as a chancellor under the previous dynasty, and, given his relationship with Prince Yong, was more than qualified in terms of standing and ability to serve as Governor of Jingzhao.

However, from what Liu Chengyou knew, even back when he himself was Grand Tutor to Prince Yong and Administrative Assistant of Jingzhao, Li Song had shown a tendency to promote relatives and old associates, with suspicions of favoritism in his appointments. After being formally elevated to Governor of Jingzhao, he became even more conspicuous—relatives, guests, and hangers-on who leveraged his power to work mischief were a common sight. In particular, his two younger brothers, relying on his authority and influence, had amassed vast properties and farmland, growing enormously wealthy.

Li Song himself might have remained "unsullied despite emerging from the mud," but Liu Chengyou could not tolerate such conduct. Liu Chengyou did not demand that his ministers be "devoid of emotion and desire," devoting themselves wholly to governance and single-mindedly serving the state—but the exchange of benefits among relatives and old associates needed to be restrained, and the higher one's power, the more so this applied. And Li Song's behavior bordered on outright indulgence.

This was the true reason Li Song was compelled to retire. Allowing him to retire with his full rank intact was already done out of consideration for Liu Chenghsun's sake—and even so, the matter was not yet closed. The investigation into Li Song's relatives and associates would continue.

On another front, from the Eastern Capital came recommendations from Chancellor Li Tao regarding subsequent dispositions, which included impeachments directed at both Zhao Hongyin and Li Song.

Perhaps what pleased Chancellor Li was that the Emperor had agreed with his ideas; what disappointed him, however, was that the subsequent personnel arrangements had all been decided in advance, with the Emperor forcefully intervening in official appointments and seizing power that belonged to him.

In fact, in recent years, Liu Chengyou had increasingly come to feel that having Li Tao, as the leading chancellor, also concurrently oversee the Ministry of Personnel was somewhat inappropriate.

Dawn came from the east, the sky faintly brightening as the morning sun scattered strands of soft radiance, tingeing the horizon red. The morning light roused the silent Chang'an from its slumber; noise gradually rose among the neighborhoods, voices of people and animals mingling in the air as the citizens of Chang'an began a new day.

All preparations for the return to the capital had long been completed. As the first light of dawn broke, the accompanying consorts, imperial princes, palace women, civil and military officials, and the imperial army had already assembled outside the walls of Chang'an.

Because of the enthusiastic welcome upon their arrival, Liu Chengyou had specifically instructed that the departure be kept low-key, so as not to disturb the people or disrupt the daily lives of Chang'an's citizens. This image and persona of "loving the people" continued to be cultivated.

Even so, under the watchful eyes of the officials and soldiers of Guanzhong and Jingzhao, along with a great number of troops and common folk, the Son of Heaven set forth on his journey back east.

In the early morning of high summer, the air was dry and crisp, even somewhat cool—but a brief run or a bit of exertion would quickly reveal the sweltering heat that seemed to cling to one's very bones. Once the sun climbed higher, a fresh round of baking would descend.

West of Chang'an, on a broad, level official road, a party of some twenty-odd people walked slowly under the summer sun. Several sturdy horses, a group of pack animals, and four laden carts.

Every one of them was travel-worn and dusty. Though their clothes were not exactly ragged, they were clearly old and somewhat damaged. Yet they all bore an air of iron and blood—that temperament forged through trials of life and death. All were armed: three long swords, the rest iron blades, with some bows and crossbows on the horses and carts.

"Finally, Chang'an!" A sturdy middle-aged man sighed with emotion as he gazed at the city walls growing ever larger in his field of vision.

Seated tall on his horse, Lu Duoxun's expression relaxed as well, and he murmured softly: "Indeed! Finally back!"

This party was none other than the group led by Lu Duoxun, dispatched in the winter of the year before last by the Son of Heaven, Liu Chengyou, to travel to Hexi and reconnoiter the border situation in the northwest. Now, at long last, they were returning east—though compared to the large contingent that had set out westward, only these twenty-odd people remained.

After prolonged hardship and exposure, battered by the wind and sand of the northwest, Lu Duoxun was no longer as fair-skinned as he had been in the Eastern Capital. His skin had darkened considerably and roughened, but his whole bearing had grown sturdier.

"Young Lord Lu, you have a good memory—how long did our journey to Hexi take in total?" The middle-aged man, surnamed Wang, was a subordinate of the Wude Office who had been secretly tasked with escorting Lu on his westward mission. Now that he was back, his mood was relaxed and his tongue loosened, and he could not help asking Lu Duoxun.

Lu Duoxun glanced at him—their long months of shared life-and-death trials had forged a deep bond—and replied: "If I remember correctly, a full twenty months!"

"That was no easy feat!"

Being ordered to travel west as an envoy, venturing into distant and desolate lands, was absolutely a bitter assignment—the hardship alone was bad enough, but it was also dangerous. Their nearly two years of experience had seen them cross mountains, ford rivers, traverse the Gobi, and cross deserts, dealing with the various peoples of Hexi and surviving among bandits and brigands. The toil and suffering involved were beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

"Long enough, indeed!" Lu Duoxun said, though a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth: "But at least we've finally returned—we are fortunate, after all! I hear His Majesty has come west on tour to Chang'an, so we can report our mission and receive our orders nearby!"

"Come, let's enter the city!" Lu Duoxun nudged his horse's flanks lightly and called out.

Their group had long since drawn the attention of the city gate guards, and nearby travelers had given them a wide berth. As they approached, they were halted and challenged: "Who are you people? Go to the side and submit to inspection!"

His experiences along the way had tempered his mentality into calmness. Facing the guard captain's blunt interrogation, Lu Duoxun appeared very courteous, clasping his hands and saying: "I am an envoy dispatched by order of His Majesty to Hexi and the Western Regions. My mission is now complete and I have returned. I request that you report this and allow us passage!"

As he spoke, Lu Duoxun produced his tally of authority, official credentials, and other identity verification documents. Hearing this, the captain immediately grew serious, studying Lu Duoxun carefully for several moments. Though young, he carried himself with uncommon bearing, and had clearly undergone a long, arduous journey. Moreover, no one would dare impersonate an envoy of the Son of Heaven—especially in broad daylight before the great city of Chang'an, and with identity documents to verify. The captain was immediately eight or nine parts convinced.

"Let them pass!" The captain ordered at once, while also sending someone to report swiftly to the yamen.

Within the Jingzhao Prefecture offices, the newly appointed Governor Zhao Xiuji was reviewing administrative affairs. Though he had served in Jingzhao for over a year, becoming the top official was a different feeling altogether, and he needed time to adapt to his new position and new identity.

Zhao Xiuji had in his early years been a staff advisor to Li Shouzhen in Hezhong, quite relied upon. However, he was a man of far-sighted vision and insight. Before Li Shouzhen's rebellion, he feigned illness and fled Hezhong with his family, heading to Tong Pass, where he alerted the court and provided a great deal of internal intelligence on the Hezhong rebels. He played a significant role in the pacification of the Hezhong rebellion.

Over the following seven years, he was promoted repeatedly, until he was transferred to Jingzhao Prefecture to serve as Administrative Assistant, partnering with Li Song, and then, with Li Song's retirement, smoothly becoming the head of the prefecture.

Seeking opportunity amid chaos—for Zhao Xiuji, the Hezhong rebellion had perhaps merely been a chance to seize survival, but this Shu rebellion in Guanzhong was a genuine major advancement in the twilight of his official career.

Upon receiving word of Lu Duoxun, Zhao Xiuji showed great seriousness, setting aside his current affairs to personally invite Lu Duoxun and the Wude Office investigator Wang into the prefectural offices.

In the rear hall, Zhao Xiuji, now past sixty, looked at Lu Duoxun with a kindly expression: "The two of you traveled as envoys to the Western Regions, enduring untold hardships—truly arduous work. Such merit and toil are no less than Zhang Qian's mission beyond the frontier!"

"Governor Zhao flatters me. I have self-awareness—how would I dare compare myself to the Marquis of Bowang!" Lu Duoxun said modestly, even as he buried his head in the food and wine the prefecture had prepared, eating with little ceremony and paying no attention to table manners.

"Governor Lu, there is no need for excessive modesty. Traveling ten thousand li round trip, galloping beyond the frontier, enduring such distance and duration—this is by no means something an ordinary person could accomplish!" Zhao Xiuji said.

Having wolfed down some food and taken several large gulps of wine, wiping his mouth and wearing an expression of satisfaction, Lu Duoxun looked at Zhao Xiuji: "May I ask, Governor—after entering Fengxiang, I heard that His Majesty had come west to Chang'an, so I hastened eastward to seek an audience. From the looks of it, has His Majesty already set out on his return to the capital?"