Chapter 967: Strategic Maneuvers

Ting County lies at the northeastern edge of Xiangshui Commandery, where beyond the city walls lies the territory of another commandery. This small county had so far escaped war, but now it was crammed with officials from the Provincial Governor down to the Mobile Corps Commander—all of them fleeing disaster, fully suffering the calamity of man.

The Provincial Governor and his entire retinue had taken refuge here, so it wasn’t yet outright abandonment of the territory—but if the rebels truly came, they would have to flee again.

At this moment, the Provincial Governor and his officers and deputies stood before a map, staring at Guantun County. The map clearly marked that Guantun County had been seized by the Grand Military Governor of Qingyang of Great Tang.

The Provincial Governor turned and asked: “Have you sensed the boundary stones?”

An old cultivator opened his dull eyes and said: “I’ve sensed them. The boundary stone of Guantun County remains unmoved; all surrounding counties and cities have had theirs removed. Now there are eight boundary stones in Guantun County. Aside from Guantun and Ting, only one boundary stone remains untouched.”

The Provincial Governor’s face darkened: “My commandery had twenty counties. Now only twelve boundary stones remain? Eight have been destroyed?”

All the officials turned ashen. To have a boundary stone removed was already a greater crime than losing territory. To have it removed and then destroyed was unforgivable—death by beheading was insufficient; their entire clans must be exterminated.

One deputy suddenly said: “Why does Guantun County have so many boundary stones?”

Another said: “Worse! That man is taking the boundary stones and running!”

“What Grand Military Governor of Qingyang? He’s just come here to steal our boundary stones!”

“Your Excellency, you are the nephew-in-law of Minister Xu! This Tang official dares come onto our Ji State’s soil and rob us—can we let him get away with it?”

The Provincial Governor’s expression flickered, then settled. He said: “Send a messenger to Guantun County. Order that so-called Grand Military Governor of Qingyang to withdraw from our territory and return all nineteen boundary stones! If he refuses, I will submit a memorial to the throne accusing him of treason.”

All the officials noticed the Provincial Governor was demanding an incorrect number of boundary stones—but they understood perfectly and remained silent.

…

Upon receiving the Provincial Governor’s rebuke edict, Xiang Weiyuan was first startled, then looked carefully at the Confucian scholar standing rigidly below, then at the edict in his hand, and asked: “A fraud?”

His attendants replied: “His clothes don’t look fake, but his actions do.”

Xiang Weiyuan frowned: “From the city gate to my headquarters, the path isn’t short. Didn’t he see the city’s scene? Can’t my elite troops intimidate this man at all?”

The Confucian scholar, who had been standing stiff-necked, now said: “I come by order of the Provincial Governor! Even if you have a million soldiers, what do I fear? If you lay a hand on me today, when the imperial army arrives, they will annihilate you—leave you no grave to bury your bones!”

Xiang Weiyuan shook the letter in his hand and said to his attendants: “I’ve received only eight boundary stones, yet this man claims I hold nineteen! Hah! He’s trying to balance accounts on my back? What talent! Hmm? Not just balancing—he wants to pocket two extra stones for himself?”

His attendants chuckled dryly, as if dying of laughter.

Xiang Weiyuan glanced again at the Confucian scholar and said: “Ji State is truly strange. No matter how insignificant a scrap, once it touches the government, it immediately jumps up and down, struts around, and tries to trample every person it knows. Honestly, I’ve seen more rabid dogs than this.”

His attendants exchanged glances. They knew their commander spoke truth, but had no idea how to respond.

The Confucian scholar trembled with rage, pointing at Xiang Weiyuan: “How dare you! Do you know who I am?”

Xiang Weiyuan tore the Provincial Governor’s letter in half before his eyes, then said: “This gentleman clearly wishes to be remembered in history. Then we shall not oblige him. Take him away and behead him. All others who came with him—leave none alive. In war between armies, executing envoys is tradition. But clean it up thoroughly—leave not a trace. Do not let the court historians find his name.”

The soldiers below immediately seized the Confucian scholar and dragged him away like a chicken.

At first he cursed and threatened, but as he was pulled farther away, fear seized him—he begged desperately. When Xiang Weiyuan ignored him, he turned to threaten the soldiers, mouth open and closed with the same phrase: “Do you know who I am?”

Xiang Weiyuan shredded the letter into fragments. A young deputy, raised by Qingming himself, said: “Lord, wait! This letter is ironclad proof—the Provincial Governor is incompetent and insubordinate. It’s enough to chop off his head!”

Xiang Weiyuan smiled: “A mere Provincial Governor? Why bother with him? Besides, only the living need evidence.”

The young deputy pondered deeply, then Xiang Weiyuan said: “Go see which rebel force comes today to deliver men. Then tell them Ting County still has one boundary stone left—tell them to bring it over.”

The deputy bowed in awe and hurried off.

Xiang Weiyuan returned to his study and began drafting a memorial to the Tang court, requesting rewards.

The memorial opened with his claim that upon arriving in Ji State, he had crushed the rebels, reclaimed a thousand li of territory, and beheaded three hundred thousand. He then lavished praise on Emperor Jing as a sage ruler unseen in a thousand generations, and finally petitioned to be appointed Governor of Xianghan.

After finishing the memorial, Xiang Weiyuan ordered a map of Ji State brought forth. He circled Xiangshui Commandery, then, unsatisfied, added Hanxi Commandery beside it—thus completing the characters “Xianghan.” As for the nearby Feng Yuanjun, he ignored it entirely.