Chapter 577: Friends

Snowflakes drifted down from the low, heavy clouds, turning both banks of the Great River into a patchwork of mottled color.

Snow had already piled atop the pagoda roof of Zhongjiang Tower outside Sheng-Tang Gate; the cold river wind howled past the windows, and the rows of wind chimes beneath the bracket angles gave off a soft, tinkling chime.

The chime, mingled with the chill, slipped through the gaps in the window panels into the top-floor room. Two braziers blazed in the corners of the chamber. Pang Ding prodded the charcoal in one of them, and the flames flared brighter, the basin steadily exhaling heat so that the four people inside felt no trace of the cold.

The dishes on the table had already been served. Fang Yizhi sat buried at the table, reached out, lifted a cup of wine, and drained it in one gulp. Beside him sat his younger brother, Fang Qiyi.

The Fang family had an ancestral tradition of I Ching scholarship. Fang Qiyi's name, like Fang Yizhi's, had been chosen by their grandfather Fang Dazhen, taken from the Book of Changes Commentary: "Straight is its correctness; square is its righteousness." Fang Dazhen had risen to the rank of Court Official of the Dalisi, a senior court official, and Fang Kongzhao was a high-ranking provincial governor. The Fang Family was a truly eminent and distinguished clan.

During the Tongcheng Uprising, Fang Qiyi had been only fourteen. In Pang Yu's eyes at the time, he stood between child and youth. It was from Fang Qiyi that Pang Yu had obtained the crucial information about the gentry recruiting the Da Hang, which allowed him to determine that the gentry faction held the advantage and that the uprising was about to be suppressed — leading to his later snatching victory from the tiger's jaws at Yunji Temple.

After several years apart, Fang Qiyi was now a young man, no longer as free-spirited as an adolescent. Facing the world-renowned General-in-Chief Pang, Fang Qiyi carried an added layer of reserve.

Pang Yu lifted the wine pot and refilled Fang Yizhi's cup. "Brother Fang has just recovered from a serious illness and has been toiling back and forth between Huguang and Nanjing. Drinking should not be too hurried."

Fang Yizhi's cheeks were gaunt, his complexion haggard, his beard sparse and unkempt, as if in just these two short years he had transformed from the spirited, high-spirited Dragon-Sleeping Mad Scholar of old into a slovenly, dejected middle-aged man.

When Pang Yu first met him, he himself had been a lowly runner at the yamen, while Fang Yizhi was the young master of a prominent clan. The gulf in status between them had been vast — Pang Yu had not even been qualified to speak with Fang Yizhi. During the Tongcheng Uprising, Pang Yu and the Fang Family had been something between enemies and allies, deeply entangled with one another. Ultimately, it was through the Tongcheng Uprising that Pang Yu had entered Zhang Guowei's field of vision and gained the foundation for his rise. Five years later, the Anqing Battalion dominated the Zhongjiang region, and Pang Yu's name resounded through court and countryside, making him a major power in the Ming Dynasty's heartland. Fang Yizhi, meanwhile, was merely a newly minted Provincial Graduate. The gulf between them remained vast.

Fang Yizhi had already reached out to lift his cup and drink, but after hearing Pang Yu's words, he set it back down and stared blankly at the wine cup. "The day we relocated to Nanjing, we departed from this very place. That day, Father still said that once the Central Plains were at peace, we would always return."

Pang Yu consoled him. "That day will surely come. Mr. Fang will certainly be able to return home as he wished."

Fang Yizhi seemed not to take it in, merely staring vacantly at the tabletop in a daze. Seeing this, Fang Qiyi quickly continued, "We are temporarily residing in the Southern Capital. When the Roving Bandits repeatedly approached the river, we were terrified even with the Great River between us. But on this return to Anqing, we never once worried about the bandits harassing us. It is entirely thanks to the General's management of Anqing's military affairs that the bandits dare not look this way again. When people in Nanjing speak of General Pang as a man of Anqing, I share in the reflected honor."

Pang Yu hurriedly demurred. "Young Brother Fang is too kind. When I lead troops abroad and deal often with the yamen, I mention that our military unit comes from Anqing and bring up the Tongcheng Fang Family. There are few who do not know the name. We have gained considerable convenience from it, and we too share in the reflected honor."

Fang Yizhi suddenly spoke. "I never imagined that in just one year, my uncle and aunt would die for their duty in Jinan, their bones never recovered. And my father has been framed by villains, cast into prison, his very life or death unknown."

The uncle he spoke of was Zhang Bingwen, a Presented Scholar who had passed the exams from Tongcheng. He had also been in Tongcheng during the uprising. When Fang Kongzhao negotiated with Pang Yu, he had specifically added Zhang Bingwen's name to the Detailed Report.

Zhang Bingwen had risen to the post of Shandong Administration Commissioner, a senior administrative official in Shandong. When Pang Yu was rallying to the king, he had once planned to go to Jinan and use Zhang Bingwen's fellow-townsman connections to secure logistical support. But at the time, the Qing forces were concentrated in southern Supreme Principle, and their predicted movement was westward — the opposite direction from Jinan.

Later, the Qing army thrust east like a thunderbolt. The Anqing Battalion's maneuvering speed was insufficient to reach Jinan; they could only avoid the spearhead and withdraw southeast. Not long after, Jinan fell.

At the time, Pang Yu was Liu Yuliang's trusted aide and often at his side, able to see the intelligence brought by the Relay Horses of various commands. The city of Jinan had suffered terribly; the death toll was in the hundreds of thousands, including Zhang Bingwen and his wife.

Now Fang Yizhi was tormented by a severe illness. His uncle had died for his duty, his father was imprisoned. Pang Yu could well imagine that, as the eldest son of the Fang Family, Fang Yizhi was under immense pressure, at the lowest point of his life. His recent success in the Provincial Graduate exams could only serve as meager consolation.

"My father, even from within the prison, sent word to me, asking me to gather all of my aunt's manuscripts and send them into the prison. He wanted to compile them with his own hands. If it should come to pass that…"

Fang Yizhi could not continue. Pang Yu understood the unspoken meaning: Fang Kongzhao himself felt it was very likely he would not keep his life.

After a pause, Fang Yizhi steadied his emotions and continued softly, "If misfortune should befall him, Father instructed that I must see my aunt's manuscripts made into a book. Father thought first of helping my aunt complete her book; he never even mentioned his own I Ching manuscripts. Father always thinks of others first, tending to the greater interests of the Fang Family. Looking back, when I immersed myself in those peripheral studies, he never reproached me for wasting my time. He only asked that I draw on the strengths of many, doubt what others do not doubt, but not to neglect the imperial examinations. It was I myself who abandoned the root to chase the branch, neglecting the proper path of the exams for useless things. When I wished to go out and travel, he never obstructed me arbitrarily, only telling me to be careful on the road, to set a firm itinerary each day, to find an inn before nightfall, not to trust strangers lightly, and to always keep my sword and silver on my person."

Pang Yu suddenly felt a touch of sadness in his heart. In truth, one could see from the Fang brothers that Fang Kongzhao had been a very open-minded and tolerant patriarch. Otherwise, Fang Yizhi would not have possessed such insight that transcended the era — something rare even among the great families of the Ming Dynasty.

Pang Yu sighed involuntarily. Beside him, Fang Qiyi kept wiping away tears. Fang Yizhi could not go on, letting the tears stream down his cheeks.

Pang Yu reached out and patted his shoulder. "In leading troops and fighting battles, victory and defeat are commonplace. Military Commander Fang truly has been wronged."

His words were not merely to console Fang Yizhi; they came more from his own personal experience. The Roving Bandits had repeatedly accepted Feigned Surrender and then rebelled again. Anyone with a shred of reason knew that the bandits were merely stalling for time. At the time in Xiangyang, among both civil and military officials, there were those who strongly demanded finding an opportunity to annihilate the strongest bandit camps.

The Eight Bandits and Cao Cao were the two most powerful factions. Their veteran camps were all hardened bandits of many years, men who had faced death countless times and been assembled through brutal selection. Their capability lay not only in combat, but even more in their mastery of the Road Passage and terrain of every region, as well as their skilled control and command of the organizational system of Servants.

Once the veteran camps disappeared, the destructive power of the Roving Bandits would drop by an order of magnitude. The new Local Bandits completely lacked such organizational forms. For them to evolve into veteran-camp Roving Bandits, there would be a gap period in between. That window would have been a breathing space for the Ming Dynasty, a chance to recover its constantly depleting economy and military strength.

In the end, out of an ostrich-like mentality of maintaining the Pacification Company, the court missed this opportunity. The various bandit camps, already a spent force, gained a chance to catch their breath. During over a year of Pacification, they recuperated and successfully stalled until the Qing army invaded the border. After the Ming Dynasty's military strength was mobilized and depleted, the bandits of the Central Plains blazed back to life, taking over from the invading Qing army in continuing to drain the Ming Dynasty's national power.

The Roving Bandits and the Qing army, one within and one without, were step by step hollowing out the north. The Central Plains region, which had slightly recovered by the twelfth year of Chongzhen, was once again devastated. The bandits' momentum surged, greater than ever before.

Now, the battles between Government Troops and Roving Bandits had once again become mobile pursuit warfare. The Old Bandits were already thoroughly seasoned in this. In engagements under this mode, the bandits were defeated but not destroyed. Fang Kongzhao was bound to suffer a defeat sooner or later, and after that single defeat, he was immediately arrested and thrown into prison — effectively making him bear the responsibility for the deteriorating situation of the past two years.

Fang Qiyi, hearing Pang Yu's words, could not help but say indignantly, "Zuo Liangyu was also defeated at Suizhou, yet he was only fined and demoted while still commanding his original unit. My father is arrested and imprisoned, his very life at risk. Such unjust handling — who would still be willing to serve the court in the future?"

This was, after all, a complaint against the court. Pang Yu looked up at Fang Qiyi but did not respond.

Fang Yizhi seemed about to speak, then hesitated. In the end, he did not reprimand Fang Qiyi, but only said softly, "In the end, Father is now in prison. I have no other recourse. I have come today because the General's name shakes the realm, and his words carry weight at court. I presumptuously beg the General, in consideration of our bond as fellow townsmen, to perhaps memorialize the true circumstances of the Xiangyang Pacification Company to the Emperor. That my father was defeated in battle is a fact. However, my father had long foreseen that the Eight Bandits would surely rebel, and he toiled and planned for it. There were those who, to preserve the Pacification Company, shielded the Roving Thieves, causing the loss of a prime opportunity to destroy the bandits. My father is guilty, but his crime does not warrant death."

Having spoken, he raised his head to look at Pang Yu, expectation mingled with a trace of fear.

Pang Yu hesitated for a moment. "I am a Military Officer. I do not have the authority to memorialize directly."

The faces of the Fang brothers simultaneously showed disappointment. Pang Yu paused, then said, "The scholar-official circles of Anqing are flourishing. Is there no more suitable person who could handle this matter?"

Fang Yizhi shook his head. He thought Pang Yu had already refused, and his face was filled with disappointment.

Beside him, Fang Qiyi said anxiously, "If my uncle were still alive, he could have helped. But curse those Tartars. Now, among the Capital Officials from Anqing, there is no one of real influence at court. When I was in Nanjing, I once went to the residence of Uncle Ruan, but Uncle Ruan has some misunderstanding with my elder brother and did not agree to help. He Laoxiansheng is slightly unwell; I went to his residence several times but was never able to see him. It was only then that we had no choice but to shamelessly beg at the General's door."

Fang Yizhi said desolately, "Because of the Public Denunciation, Mr. Ruan has some misunderstanding of me."

Pang Yu was quite clear on this matter. At the time, he had gone to visit Ruan Dacheng and had personally heard Ruan Dacheng's accusations against Fang Yizhi.

Later, on the journey to Zhejiang, Ruan Dacheng had also mentioned Fang Yizhi many times, believing that Fang Yizhi must have been one of the chief instigators of the Public Denunciation. Ruan Dacheng had been gravely wounded by the Public Denunciation, his heart full of resentment with nowhere to vent. It would be strange if he were willing to help the Fang Family at such a time.

Pang Yu could not be certain whether Fang Yizhi had actually participated, but he believed Fang Yizhi had at least been aware of it, because the Public Denunciation had been planned for over a year. Fang Yizhi was an important member of the Restoration Society and Ruan Dacheng's fellow townsman. Many of the attacks in the Public Denunciation involved events in Anqing. Fang Yizhi and the Ruan Family were also family friends of generations.

From the perspective of the Restoration Society scholars, if Fang Yizhi had merely signed his name, it would have dealt the greatest blow to Ruan Dacheng. They would certainly have gone to mobilize Fang Yizhi to participate.

In the end, the issued Public Denunciation did not bear Fang Yizhi's signature. Pang Yu felt that Fang Yizhi had actually wanted to preserve a sliver of Face and Sentiment, given the three-generation friendship between the two families. But Ruan Dacheng did not appreciate it.

Now, Fang Yizhi's meaning was to deny Awareness. This matter was somewhat like a Rashomon; perhaps there would never be an answer. So Pang Yu did not intend to try to get to the bottom of it.

"In scholarship, I am not accomplished enough for official rank; in martial arts, not skilled enough to pacify the bandits. I have wasted my time on useless things. For thirty years, I have achieved nothing. I watch my family's fortunes decline, my heart willing but my strength insufficient. I have disturbed General Pang."

Having spoken, Fang Yizhi looked at Fang Qiyi, signaling that he was ready to leave. Fang Qiyi hesitated. Just then, Pang Yu's voice came through.

"Military Commander Fang provided considerable convenience to the Anqing Battalion in Huguang. And I have been a close friend of Brother Fang for many years. It is only right that I contribute what little I can."

Fang Yizhi looked over in astonishment. Pang Yu thought for a moment, then said calmly, "I am but a Military Officer, my words carrying little weight at court. But I will do my utmost. My troops are stationed at Gucheng. Military Commander Fang had long prepared for the Western Camp's rebellion and sent the Provincial Commander's Standard Troops to join forces with the Anqing Battalion against the Western Camp, safeguarding the cities around Xiangyang. This official can draft a memorial setting forth the full context of this matter. Merit and fault should originally be made clear."

"But just now the General said he has no authority to memorialize directly…"

Pang Yu waved his hand. "I have no authority to memorialize directly, but there are some upright men at court. If this official expends some effort, it can still reach the imperial desk. This official also believes that Military Commander Fang's crime does not warrant death. We fellow townsmen ought to contribute where we can."

The two Fang men were filled with surprise and joy, never expecting Pang Yu's attitude to suddenly shift, and now he had even directly given a commitment.

Fang Yizhi rose excitedly, cupped his hands toward Pang Yu, and said, "I thank the General for his lofty righteousness. In the future, wherever the Fang Family is needed, wherever we can contribute, the General need only command. I will certainly see it done for the General."

Pang Yu rose and lifted Fang Yizhi's hands. "The realm is in turmoil. Whether we are civil or military, handling the affairs of our various families is all for the peace of the Anqing region. Helping you is partly out of friendship, but ultimately it is because Military Commander Fang is a man of surpassing talent and Virtue. Preserving Military Commander Fang is also helping Anqing. Brother Fang need not speak of thanks. If in the future I should trouble Brother Fang, it will likewise be to help Anqing."

Fang Yizhi lifted the wine cup from the table. "Once more, I thank the General for his lofty righteousness."

Pang Yu lifted his own wine cup, looked at Fang Yizhi, and said gently, "Brother Fang just now said that indulging in peripheral studies led you astray from the proper path. But in my view, Physics is not a useless thing. To go from Physics to the Supreme Principle — that is precisely the original intent of what Military Commander Fang called embracing and incorporating all. Brother Fang's Nature is to explore true principles; this is absolutely not a waste of time. In this official's heart, such peripheral studies are also the proper path. You must not, because of worldly troubles, abandon your Nature."

Fang Yizhi raised his head. A ripple stirred in his eyes, and the beard on his chin trembled slightly.

……

Below Zhongjiang Tower, Fang Qiyi helped Fang Yizhi into the carriage, then bid farewell to Pang Yu. Escorted by several Anqing soldiers, the carriage passed through the crowd at Sheng-Tang Gate and headed into the city.

Pang Ding said from the side, "Young master, do you have a clear sense now of just how useful Fang Kongzhao can actually be?"

"Useful or not — can't your young master simply help a friend?"

"Young master, do you even have friends?"

Pang Yu turned his head to look at Pang Ding. "Do you think your young master has friends or not?"

Pang Ding stepped back. "Young master has soldiers, money, and authority — everyone is your friend."

Pang Yu shook his head with a rueful laugh, his gaze still fixed on the carriage that had already entered the city gate. "Fang Yizhi, perhaps, can be counted as a friend."

Pang Ding lowered his voice. "Young master, you're actually worried about Liu Ruozai filing an imperial complaint. You're relying on the Fang Family's standing in Anqing to draw the gentry to your side and muddy the waters."

"As long as the Fang Family rallies a group of gentry to speak on this official's behalf, the court will need to investigate repeatedly. It would be very easy to drag things out until the Eastern Invaders begin their skirmishes."

"Then is Fang Yizhi truly the young master's friend or not?"

"Counts as one."

"But young master, you haven't had much dealings with him."

"You don't understand. In friendship, what matters is knowing each other's hearts."

Pang Ding lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said, "In the plans reported by the covert sentry battalion, because Fang Yizhi passed the provincial exam, he has already been placed on the preliminary list for planting agents. Now that Fang Yizhi is the young master's friend, if he passes the Presented Scholar exam, should we still plant agents on him?"

"Of course we should." Pang Yu said it as a matter of course. "Friends are friends, interests are interests."