Chapter 258: Strategy for Governing the State

Xiang Little Wei Yuan knew the Marquis of Xiang could not produce grain.

The western Jin state had suffered poor harvests; moving large quantities of grain could only be accomplished by civil officials and noble families—not even the eunuch faction could manage it. Transporting bulk grain was also a major challenge, so if the Marquis of Xiang wished to supply grain, it would be best to draw from Ningxi Prefecture.

Coincidentally, Xiang Little Wei Yuan had already bought all the grain that Ningxi Prefecture could sell—and all that it could not—paying twenty times the market price. If the existing stock were sold again, the soldiers would starve.

Soldier's Energy Pills were excellent: one pill consumed during battle could sustain a man for three days without hunger, leaving him energetic and capable of continuous combat without sleep. The Marquis of Xiang produced ten thousand pills at once, worth the equivalent of fifty thousand jin of military grain.

Yet ten thousand pills took up little space—one expert could carry them all. What Xiang Little Wei Yuan now needed to see was who could transport bulk supplies across Ningxi Prefecture—that was true power; everything else was petty theft.

As for the opportunity the Marquis of Xiang mentioned, Xiang Little Wei Yuan cared nothing for it. Such things were invisible and intangible—mere empty promises. He had no interest in eating phantom cakes; he wanted tangible rewards.

Ever since he had defeated the old man beside the Princess in a fair one-on-one duel, Xiang Little Wei Yuan had grown somewhat arrogant. Now he could defeat even a Law Form, and his worth was no longer what it once was. If anyone wished to court him, they would have to pay more.

Of course, Xiang Little Wei Yuan believed that duel had been entirely fair.

The Princess was right there, her fortune innate; the old man himself had refused to fully channel his spiritual power—whose fault was that? He was felled by a single strike from Xiang Little Wei Yuan. Besides, the ability to unleash spiritual power equivalent to dozens of Foundation Establishment realms in one burst was Xiang Little Wei Yuan's own skill. Had the old man tried it, his frail physical form would have exploded within a breath.

What Xiang Little Wei Yuan truly desired was vast quantities of spiritual plants—ideally seedlings, but even seeds would suffice. Yet the Marquis of Xiang could likely procure and deliver such things, which would fail to intimidate anyone, and might even expose Xiang Little Wei Yuan's needs. Besides, these items could be exchanged at the Merit Hall; they were not urgently needed.

For the return route, Xiang Little Wei Yuan chose the military stronghold guarded by Mobile Corps Commander Wang Kun, where he had previously slain Song Chao right under his nose.

Wang Kun must have hidden troops from Xuan Yue Xuan Yue Jinshan stationed nearby, but Xiang Little Wei Yuan was certain those troops would not leave the fortress to fight. As long as he did not attack the stronghold, he was safe.

If Wang Kun truly turned hostile and sought to rescue the prisoners in Xiang Little Wei Yuan's custody, Xiang Little Wei Yuan had no objection to giving him a lesson. Fighting three hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators in open battle? At the time, Xiang Little Wei Yuan had only deployed his seventh squad and leveled the entire battlefield of six to seven thousand men. He did not believe Wang Kun's stronghold could hold ten thousand soldiers.

The safest route would be the stronghold guarded by General Liu. But since he had encountered a tactful garrison commander, Xiang Little Wei Yuan feared that if he passed through too often, he might cost the man his post.

Half a day later, the large column marched past the stronghold, and Wang Kun's expression remained unreadable. He sat unmoved, yet his nearby Captain suddenly grew agitated, pointing at a prisoner in the line: "That—that's Captain Zhang Ming! He was stationed in Bianning Commandery—how did he get captured?"

Soon others recognized several familiar Captains. Wang Kun was close to Xuan Yue Xuan Yue Qilin, and his officers all maintained good relations with one another.

"General, should we rescue them?"

Wang Kun smiled faintly. "You want to go to Qingming to eat grain?"

The Captain fell silent.

He knew his general's nature—his next question would surely be, "How many can you fight?" The Captain knew his own limits; even one-on-one, he might not defeat those masked knights. Rumors now claimed that at least thirty of the Fifty Great Thieves of Maofei Zhan Tian were Foundation Establishment cultivators. Though he didn't fully believe it, he knew there were certainly over a dozen.

Wang Kun watched the prisoners vanish into the distance, then chuckled bitterly to himself: "To keep bandits alive to strengthen one's own position… Hah! I fear these bandits will grow too fat too fast—no amount will ever be enough."

—

Bianning Commandery.

Li Li Weisheng pushed a pile of official documents before Sun Sun Chaoen. "Sir Sun, these are all the petitions from Governor Yuan demanding money and grain. What do you suggest we do?"

Sun Sun Chaoen examined each one, then said: "Governor Yuan's tactics are truly masterful—there's no valid reason not to grant his requests."

Li Li Weisheng merely smiled, saying nothing.

Both men knew full well there was no grain to give—unless every official reduced their meals, and governors, vice prefects, deputy commanders, and their households ceased all banquets, subsisting on plain porridge and vegetables daily. That was impossible.

Sun Sun Chaoen said: "This matter is simple—it comes down to four words: keep bandits alive to strengthen one's own position."

"I'd like to hear your details."

Sun Sun Chaoen said: "Bandits run rampant in the commandery—so much so that even the Zhao state's diplomatic delegation was plundered. Rumor has it the Princess was humiliated…"

At this, Li Li Weisheng's expression changed. He leaned forward, lowering his voice: "Did the bandits succeed?"

Sun Sun Chaoen leaned in too: "They say they got their bite—but swallowed too fast?"

"How fast?"

"Swallowed whole!" Sun Sun Chaoen spoke with absolute certainty, as if he had witnessed it himself.

Li Li Weisheng exhaled slowly, his face a mix of worry and delight. "I wonder what flavor that date tasted like." Sun Sun Chaoen replied: "Swallowed whole, too fast—only knew it was delicious, no time to savor."

"Pity, pity…" Li Li Weisheng sighed repeatedly.

The two officials then sat upright and resumed their official business.

Sun Sun Chaoen continued: "The bandits in the commandery are rampant. On one hand, we must deploy heavy forces to suppress them—requiring money and grain. On the other, the money and grain we send to Ningxi Prefecture are easily intercepted. Just consider this: General Feng's defeat cost General Xuan Yue half his veteran troops."

Li Li Weisheng understood perfectly.

Everyone knew what Feng Lin wanted: he couldn't afford to maintain full troop strength, so he had to eliminate some—so he could continue embezzling the empty slots. Now, having failed to protect the diplomatic delegation, Feng Lin had enraged the Zhao Princess, and Li Li Weisheng had already imprisoned him—he would never be released.

But Feng Lin had cleared half his roster, and the benefits were real—though they landed squarely in Li Li Weisheng's and Sun Sun Chaoen's hands.

Li Li Weisheng mused: "The Maofei Zhan Tian Gang's reputation is too loud—it draws too much attention. We should change its name."

Sun Sun Chaoen replied: "I expect they'll change it soon."

Li Li Weisheng said: "This plan is good, but one concern remains: Governor Yuan's jurisdiction is peaceful, while ours is plagued by bandits—this won't look good. Governor Yuan is a former censor; he'll surely submit multiple memorials against us."

!.

Sun Sun Chaoen smiled faintly. "My memorials aren't few either."

Li Li Weisheng said: "Oh? What have you written recently? May I see some?"

Sun Sun Chaoen handed over a stack of jade paper. Li Li Weisheng picked one up—and his expression turned strange.

"Your Majesty, how is your health today?"

"Your Majesty, Minister Sun Sun Chaoen humbly wishes Your Majesty boundless fortune and eternal peace!"

"Your Majesty, I have discovered a rare medicinal herb and submit it with this memorial."

…

"Your Majesty, how is your health today?"

…

Li Li Weisheng set down the jade paper, torn between laughter and dismay. "What is all this? Do you write memorials even when there's nothing to report?"

"A small trick—to ensure the King doesn't forget me," Sun Sun Chaoen said with a smile, then grew serious. "I heard Governor Yuan relocated all the villagers of Quliuzhen into his territory, and since he's the type who finishes things thoroughly, he even drove in scattered civilians. So now his jurisdiction has almost no people—no taxes, no grain. Yet his military strength remains real, consuming enormous resources daily."

You have allies in court; Governor Yuan cannot touch you. Simply sit back and wait. Over time, all frontier commanders will realize that if they want to eat, they must come to you!"

"Won't your reputation in court rise accordingly?"

Li Li Weisheng pondered deeply, growing more convinced. Finally, he said: "Sir Sun, you truly possess great talent. This plan is excellent—but why tell me? If I'm removed for poor governance, won't you become governor?"

Sun Sun Chaoen replied: "If you're promoted, I'll still be governor. Besides, only you can execute this plan. You hold this position—Governor Yuan cannot dislodge you. If I were in your place, I'd already have been torn apart and devoured. I have no foundation. You could say I've attached myself to the Right Chancellor's faction—but his threshold is too high; I can't even step across it."

Li Li Weisheng nodded slowly. "Sir Sun, you're wasted in this backwater. I foresee you entering the court soon. But court politics differ vastly from governing a single region—you need a strategy for governing the state. I'll remain here for a while longer; use this time to think deeply."

"Actually, I've already devised a strategy for governing the state. I wish to seek your evaluation."

Li Li Weisheng grew interested. "Tell me."

Sun Sun Chaoen sat upright, his aura growing righteous. For a moment, he no longer resembled a sly official, but a fresh scholar ready to guide the empire.

He spoke slowly, each word deliberate: "Let upright men fill the court!"

(End of Chapter)