Chapter 581: The Tian Guan Fu

Chang'an.

The summer heat is just beginning to stir, yet it does not scorch.

At dusk, the westward sun pierces the clouds, bathing the whole of Chang'an in a gentle warmth.

The clamor on Zhuque Avenue gradually fades, while deep within Huangcheng, the Tian Guan Fu still exudes a solemn air.

The palace wall reflects the lingering sunset, its soaring eaves and upturned corners casting a dignified silhouette.

A bronze lion stands quietly before Fumen, its gilt patterns glowing warmly in the twilight.

Inside the main hall.

The candles have been lit early.

Flickering flames intertwine with the slanting sunset outside, illuminating the documents on An Tou with crisp clarity.

Yuwen Hu is dressed in a deep‑purple four‑clawed python robe.

The robe's hem drapes over the desk; it sways gently as he wields his brush, the wolf‑hair tip soaked in thick ink, slowly tracing robust characters onto the yellowed bamboo slips.

He leans over the desk for a long while, brow slightly furrowed, eyes focused on the papers; occasionally he lifts a hand to annotate the slips, sometimes pauses in thought, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the paperweight on An Tou.

The hall is so quiet that only the brush's rustle across the bamboo slips and occasional returning birdsong outside can be heard.

Dusk deepens, the sunset's afterglow fades, the candlelight sharpens, stretching his silhouette tall against the wall behind him, swaying with the flame and adding solemnity.

Suddenly, light footsteps echo from outside; the Personal Guard at the door bows and steps in, his steps silent, stopping a few paces from the desk, hands clasped in a respectful salute, voice low and measured: "Grand Preceptor, Pei Zhuguo has arrived!"

Yuwen Hu hears the words, his hand gripping the wolf‑hair brush pauses briefly, then he slowly lifts his head.

His brows and eyes are deep, the temples dusted with a hint of frost, a sharpness hidden beneath a gentle demeanor; he gestures for the Personal Guard to rise, voice steady and firm: "Please, quickly."

"Yes," the guard replies, bows again, then turns and strides out.

The steps remain light, disappearing in an instant beyond the hall's doorway.

After only a moment, another steady footfall sounds from outside.

Immediately, Pei Xun, clad in a deep‑purple official robe, strides in.

Reaching the hall, he sees Yuwen Hu still seated behind the desk; Pei Xun halts, smooths his robe, then bows with clasped fists, voice exceedingly respectful: "I have the honor of seeing the Grand Preceptor."

Yuwen Hu lifts his hand, eyes resting on Pei Xun, tone even: "No need for excessive courtesy."

As he says so, his fingertip points to the rose‑wood chair opposite the desk, its cushion soft and elegant: "Sit."

"Yes," Pei Xun replies, slowly straightening, nodding again, then steps to the chair and sits.

Seeing him seated, Yuwen Hu looks outward and issues a command, voice not loud but clear: "Attendant, bring tea for Pei Zhuguo."

The words finish, and a Personal Guard enters, bearing a set of blue‑and‑white porcelain tea ware.

The tea set's glaze is warm, its body fine, the cups etched with faint orchid patterns.

The guard skillfully brews hot tea; the gentle sound of boiling water pouring into the cups spreads instantly, the aroma diluting the ink scent in the hall and adding a touch of elegance.

Quickly, the guard carries the freshly brewed tea to the small table before Pei Xun, bows, then silently withdraws.

Pei Xun lifts his hand, raises the cup, his fingertip feeling the warmth of the rim, looks at Yuwen Hu, nods again in thanks, voice respectful: "Thank you, Grand Preceptor."

He takes a shallow sip of the warm, mellow tea, which dispels the fatigue of his journey; setting the cup down, he tightens his expression, posture straightens, and he begins his formal report: "By imperial decree I have overseen the compilation of the empire's household registers; I have ordered the governors of each province to dispatch capable officials to each county and township to verify households, fields, and assets, leaving no room for negligence…."

"Months have passed; in Guanzhong, Longyou, and Hexi the majority of prefectures have completed registration, the remaining ones are being accelerated, with no delay tolerated!"

He pauses, his gaze growing more solemn, and continues: "This compilation is more meticulous than before; we no longer record only the number of male heads, but also the ages and marital status of both men and women, ensuring complete household information!"

"Regarding fields, we record not only the allotted acreage per household but also the reclaimed land, preventing hidden plots."

"Furthermore, family cattle, horses, farming tools and other assets are individually audited and recorded, ensuring every detail matches reality, leaving no omission or concealment, thus laying a solid foundation for subsequent tax and labor assessments."

Yuwen Hu has already set down his wolf‑hair brush, gently pushing the documents on the desk aside.

He lifts the tea cup with both hands, fingertips cradling the rim, listening quietly to Pei Xun's report, expression calm, occasionally meeting Pei's gaze to signal him to continue.

When Pei Xun reaches a crucial point, he takes a shallow sip, the tea's warmth sliding down his throat, dispelling the chill of prolonged sitting, his eyes growing ever steadier.

The importance placed on the household compilation is evident.

Pei Xun continues his report, his tone now heavier: "However, two difficulties have arisen during verification, which must be reported to the Grand Preceptor…."

"First, some border provinces, due to recent skirmishes with Qi and Liang, have seen frequent civilian migrations; household movements are massive, requiring officials to chase records across many locales, consuming time and effort, thus slowing registration progress in the border regions compared to interior counties…"

"Second, a few aristocratic families gamble by secretly hiding dependents, or falsifying household retainers and tenant families as slaves to evade taxes, harming the treasury…"

"Upon noticing this, I have ordered stricter audits in each prefecture; if concealment is confirmed, they shall be forced to register the missing persons and receive a light penalty!"

"So far we have eliminated over three thousand hidden households; further oversight will continue, with no tolerance, to ensure the registers are authentic."

Yuwen Hu, after listening, slowly sets the tea cup down, his fingertips lightly tapping the desk; after a moment of contemplation he nods slowly, gaze solemn, voice bearing an unchallengeable seriousness: "The household register is the nation's foundation; taxes and labor duties are determined from it…"

"The nation's operation, military provisions, and supplies all rely on the registers; no lapse can be tolerated. Pei Zhuguo's meticulous progress pleases me greatly."

He pauses, then shifts tone when addressing the two difficulties: "The border provinces' slowdown due to frontier skirmishes is understandable…"

"But a reasonable grace period may be granted, allowing officials to advance steadily without haste, ensuring verification accuracy."

"However, the concealment by aristocratic families concerns the state's core; it must be dealt with strictly, both to harshly deter other families and prevent overly rapid action that could inflame tensions with the aristocracy…"

"After all, noble lineages are deeply rooted; a single hair's tug moves the whole body."

"Pei Zhuguo, manage the balance appropriately!"

Pei Xun, hearing this, replies firmly: "I heed the Grand Preceptor's counsel; I have already instructed officials in each prefecture to act flexibly, granting reduced penalties to those who voluntarily report and register hidden persons, as a sign of leniency!"

"For those who deliberately conceal or resist, harsher punishment will follow; we will not be lenient."

"At present, the situation in each prefecture remains stable, with no overt actions by the great families."

Yuwen Hu's eyes brim with approval, his tone now warm, offering sincere praise: "Very good!"

"This round of household compilation is no small feat; it must be meticulous while tackling various challenges. Achieving such progress exceeds my expectations, being faster and smoother!"

Pei Xun lifts the blue‑and‑white porcelain cup before him, his fingertip feeling the lingering warmth, takes a shallow sip, the tea sliding down his throat, dispelling the earlier solemnity and sharpening his thoughts.

He sets the cup down, fingertips gently tracing the rim, looks at Yuwen Hu, voice steady and resolute: "Grand Preceptor, rest assured; regarding the remaining compilation, I have ordered officials in each prefecture to accelerate, and we expect nationwide completion by next month…"

"When all registration and verification work is finished, I will personally review each household register to ensure no errors, and then present the complete registers to the Grand Preceptor for examination!"

Yuwen Hu, upon hearing, showed a slightly gratified smile, lightly tapped the An Tou with his fingertip, and in a calm yet approving tone said, "Then I shall trouble the Minister of Works with extra effort; in the subsequent verification and cross‑checking, not a single oversight may be allowed in haste to finish!"

Pei Xun immediately rose, clasped his fists, bowed in salute, and in a respectful and earnest tone said, "The matters within my duties, I dare not call labor; I will certainly give my all and never betray the Grand Preceptor's entrustment!"

Yuwen Hu raised his hand to signal him to sit, his gaze settling on Pei Xun, his expression growing ever gentler as if recalling something, his tone gradually relaxing and breaking the hall's prior solemnity: "By the way, the latest report says A Yan has completely dealt with the assassin who targeted the Fanyang Lu clan…"

As he spoke, looking at Pei Xun, a teasing smile in his eyes, "You son‑in‑law truly are a thousand‑mile horse!"

Pei Xun bowed his hand to Yuwen Hu: "Grand Preceptor, you overpraise me; A Yan, this thousand‑mile horse, owes today's achievements and abilities entirely to the Grand Preceptor's cultivation and support!"

He paused, then added, "If the Grand Preceptor had not granted A Yan the chance to gain experience and entrusted him with heavy responsibilities, he would have had little room to act, let alone any skill…"

"In the end, it's the Grand Preceptor's keen eye for talent and unique insight!"

Yuwen Hu, listening to Pei Xun's words, laughed aloud.

Pei Xun also broke into a smile.

The two exchanged a glance, and the hall instantly rang with hearty laughter: "Hahaha!"

The laughter dispelled the prior seriousness of the meeting, adding a touch of relaxed camaraderie; as the candle flames flickered, reflecting the smiles on their faces, the atmosphere grew ever warmer.

As the laughter gradually subsided and Yuwen Hu was about to speak again, a soft footstep sounded from outside the hall; immediately, the Personal Guard stood at the doorway, bowed and clasped his fists, respectfully reporting, "Grand Preceptor, Chen Zhuguo requests an audience!"

Yuwen Hu, hearing this, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes, then smiled and raised his hand, "What a coincidence, I was just speaking of him, and he arrives—please, proceed!"

"Understood," the Personal Guard replied, bowed and stepped back, and in an instant led the person into the hall.

In but a moment, Chen Yan strode in.

Upon reaching the hall, seeing the Grand Preceptor and his father‑in‑law seated, Chen Yan halted, smoothed his robe, then bowed, clasped his fists, and in an extremely respectful tone said, "Greetings, Grand Preceptor! Greetings, father‑in‑law!"

Yuwen Hu, his face full of smiles, lifted his hand to press lightly, and in a friendly tone said, "No need for excessive courtesy; we are all family, no need to be so restrained."

Pei Xun looked at the son‑in‑law before him, his face also showing a gentle smile, and nodded in acknowledgment.

Yuwen Hu pointed his fingertip at the rosewood chair beside Pei Xun, and in a relaxed tone said, "Please sit!"

"Attendant, bring tea for Chen Zhuguo."

The Personal Guard outside the hall answered and entered, quickly carrying a cup of hot tea, gently placing it on the small table before Chen Yan, then quietly withdrew.

After thanking, Chen Yan sat down, lifted the tea cup, feeling the warmth at his fingertips, looked up at Yuwen Hu, and in a respectful tone said, "Thank you, Grand Preceptor!"

Yuwen Hu, watching his steady child, his tone becoming increasingly friendly and teasing, said, "I was just talking with your father‑in‑law about you a moment ago!"

"The conversation wasn't even finished, and you showed up, just in time…"

Hearing this, Chen Yan composed his expression, and in a solemn tone bowed to Yuwen Hu to report, "Grand Preceptor, Gao Changjing's hunt against the Fanyang Lu clan has been completely eradicated!"

Yuwen Hu nodded approvingly, his eyes full of admiration, and in a tone of sincere approval said, "Good, good, A Yan's handling of affairs is always so reassuring…"

"You've worked hard!"

Chen Yan immediately rose, clasped his fists, bowed, and in a firm yet respectful tone said, "Serving the nation, sharing the Grand Preceptor's burdens, is what a subject should do; it's not hard work!"

"As long as we can keep Great Zhou stable and prevent external foes from finding an opening, I am willing to endure more toil and travel, gladly."

Yuwen Hu raised his hand to signal him to sit, his gaze resting on Chen Yan, his expression gentle.

Chen Yan sat down slowly, a hint of depth flashing in his eyes; after a moment of contemplation, he looked up at the Grand Preceptor and, with a tone both solemn and subtly suggestive, asked, "Grand Preceptor, can we, riding this favorable wind, seize the opportunity to reform the education system and improve the way we promote capable talent?"