Volume Two: Lord and Grandson Chapter 50: Grandfather's Ancient Stratagem

On the same day, outside the city, the Fufeng Army lay hidden in the forest. The overseers, registrars, and army physicians were carefully recording each act of merit and the condition of the wounded. The physicians would first examine the injuries and determine their severity.

“Sir, my left leg is gone. I suppose I can no longer serve in the army?” a burly man, who had lost his lower left leg, said weakly, his voice tinged with sorrow.

“According to the regulations set by the Military Commissioner, you are classified as severely disabled and have two choices. First, you may remain in the army, stationed at a fortress, serving as a patrol officer. This is an auxiliary position, with pay equivalent to that of a ten-man commander. You know the rank. When you retire, your son can inherit the post of a squad leader,” the overseer replied gently.

The burly man nodded, his spirits slightly lifted. The overseer continued, “The second choice is to leave the army and return to farming. Your son would immediately receive a squad leader’s stipend, but you yourself would not receive much compensation, only a reduction in your personal taxes. In other words, after leaving the army, you would be a commoner.”

The man nodded again. The overseer added, “Consider carefully. By comparison, if you had died in battle, your heir would become a squad leader. If he’s under twenty, he could join the Crane Battalion to study and train at no cost. If he’s not suited for it, he could be sent home and replaced by another heir. In any case, inheriting the squad leader’s rank is a legacy earned by those who gave their lives.”

The man nodded once more. The overseer went on, “After this battle, the Commander does not wish to wrong our brothers, nor chill the hearts of those stationed in Southern Sichuan. The majority of the spoils will go to the Crane Battalion, to honor the fallen. In the future, the Commander will surely find ways to reward you all for your merits.”

“Sir, you have already treated us better than we could have hoped,” the man replied, deeply moved.

“Take good care of yourself. It won’t be long before you can return to Southern Sichuan,” the overseer consoled him.

The overseer’s kindness sprang from both compassion and the repeated instructions of the Military Commissioner, who saw promise in him. The Fufeng Army’s overseer was performing admirably, and his future in officialdom was bright—at the very least, he would become a county magistrate.

...

In the county yamen, Wei Fufeng and his father had settled the prison guards and now sat in the secondary hall, relaxing with tea.

After taking a sip, Wei Xuan suddenly asked, “Fufeng, are your troops still nearby?”

“They are preparing to return to Lantian County in batches,” Wei Fufeng replied.

Wei Xuan nodded, then Wei Fufeng added, “Father, Grandfather does not want the Fufeng Army associated with him. Please be discreet and do not let the uncles know.”

Wei Xuan nodded, but said, “How could such a thing be kept secret for long?”

Wei Fufeng sighed and explained, “Grandfather’s intention is for the Fufeng Army to be seen as my private force, not one he raised. Otherwise, we would have difficulty extricating ourselves from the affair in Jinzhou.”

Wei Xuan shook his head. “Your explanation will be hard to believe.”

“Father, some things must be done even if they seem futile—like hiding beneath a desk during chaos. Many may doubt it would have saved you, but as long as there’s a reason, the truth can be muddled. Especially in future records, the county’s history will only state that the assistant magistrate survived by sheltering in the archives during duty.”

Wei Fufeng’s patient words won his father’s understanding. “You see things more clearly than I do,” Wei Xuan acknowledged.

“That’s because I enjoy reading broadly, while your talents are in poetry and prose,” Wei Fufeng replied with a smile.

...

Six days later, to Wei Fufeng’s surprise, his grandfather arrived in Jinzhou near noon, traveling by horseback. With him were Second Uncle, Fourteenth Uncle, and four strong retainers.

They did not go directly to the county or prefectural offices, but first stopped at an inn, guided by the courier. Wei Fufeng, informed of their arrival, went to the inn to meet them.

Upon entering the courtyard, Wei Fufeng saw his two uncles and hurried over to greet them.

Fourteenth Uncle said bluntly, “Father called Tenth Brother into his room and forbade us to listen. Now that you’re here, go on in.”

Wei Fufeng nodded and entered the main room. Fourteenth Uncle saw the door close and muttered, “Second Brother, what could they be talking about that we can’t hear?”

“Be patient. Father is always cautious. When we need to know, we’ll be told,” Second Uncle replied. Nearly forty, with a three-inch beard, a square face and large ears, he exuded steadiness.

“I’ll wait, but I’m getting lunch,” Fourteenth Uncle said gruffly, turning away.

Inside, Grandfather smiled warmly when Wei Fufeng entered. “This time, you are truly the family’s great benefactor,” he said, voice trembling with emotion.

Wei Fufeng smiled. “I only did my best. The rest depends on your steady hand.”

Grandfather nodded. “From what Tenth Brother said, Yingu Town Fortress outside the city has over two thousand soldiers who refuse to surrender.”

“Yes, I’ve ordered two hundred militia from each county to reinforce us. Afterward, I’ll try to persuade those troops to surrender. Half of them have families in the county,” Wei Fufeng replied.

“Even so, having family in the county won’t make them easy to subdue. You realize the Duke’s Estate is officially recognized by the emperor, and those at Yingu Fortress may be kin of the Li family. If you press them, it could be seen as an attack on the Duke’s Estate,” Grandfather warned.

Wei Fufeng nodded. “If there’s no rush, we can take our time. I suggest distributing land to win the people’s hearts.”

“Distribute land? You mean take land from the Duke’s Estate?” Grandfather asked.

“Yes. It’s the easiest way to win over the troops. The Duke’s Estate holds vast tracts of land—half of it, you could say, is illegally acquired,” Wei Fufeng replied.

Grandfather pondered, then shook his head. “That’s not feasible.”

“How do you think we should proceed, Grandfather?” Wei Fufeng asked calmly.

Grandfather looked at him. “Your methods aren’t suitable in Jinzhou. The Duke’s Estate belongs to the imperial nobility. If we seize their land, we’ll be opposed by the court’s aristocrats and create deep rifts within the Wei clan as well. Jinzhou is not far from Chang’an.”

Wei Fufeng paused, then nodded in understanding. “You’re thinking of long-term stability.”

Grandfather nodded. “We are the great Wei clan, different from upstart warlords who rely on dividing land to win support. We must not sacrifice the long-term for the short-term. We should seek the support of the powerful families and nobility, not make enemies on all sides.”

Wei Fufeng considered this, then rose and bowed. “I will follow your guidance in governing Jinzhou.”

Grandfather nodded, pleased. “Come, you and your father sit.”

Wei Fufeng fetched two stools, and he and his father sat down.

Grandfather spoke gently, “I have thought it over. The safest strategy for securing Jinzhou is to gain imperial recognition. I’ll have Tenth Brother write a family letter, and I’ll submit a memorial to the court, both to be sent to Chancellor Du, who will present them to the emperor.”

“You mean to bring everything into the open?” Wei Fufeng asked in surprise.

“Yes. As for the matter of the Duke’s Estate, it’s best to let Yang Shoubo take the blame. I’ll petition directly for the post of prefect,” Grandfather said.

Wei Fufeng frowned slightly, but Grandfather continued, “You worry that revealing ourselves will lose us the advantage of surprise, but that’s not the case. Once we openly take control of Jinzhou, we can check Yang Shouliang and still retain some tactical flexibility. Whatever forces Jinzhou can muster, Yang will have to match in Xingyuan Prefecture.”

Wei Fufeng nodded, thinking that the post of Military Commissioner of Southern Sichuan had been won by deceiving Yang Shouliang. If they openly occupied Jinzhou, Yang would surely guard against hidden troops and might quickly attack.

“Are you worried that once we openly take control, Yang in Yangzhou and Xingyuan will send troops to attack?” Grandfather asked.

Wei Fufeng nodded. “I am worried. If Yang Shouliang attacks, the court may not be able to restrain him.”

“I know the risk. But after much thought, we cannot bear the stigma of massacring the Duke’s Estate. By informing the emperor ourselves, we can shift the blame to Yang Shoubo, who is the adopted son of Yang Fuguan, the court’s Chief Minister. If he bears the guilt, Yang Fuguan won’t dare let Yang Shouliang attack Jinzhou,” Grandfather explained.

Wei Fufeng nodded. At this point, both open and covert actions had their pros and cons. He had already taken Jinzhou by force; whether he could hold it would depend on the next steps, which were no longer certain.

Seeing Wei Fufeng’s approval, Grandfather smiled. “There is another key reason for this step: it will deepen the rift between the emperor and Yang Fuguan. I heard that the emperor’s maternal uncle was appointed Military Commissioner of Qiannan, but was killed by Yang Fuguan on the way—drowned in the Jialing River, in fact.”

Wei Fufeng was surprised. “Why would Yang Fuguan kill the emperor’s uncle?”

“It’s said they were rivals at court. If the uncle succeeded as a commissioner, the emperor would gain regional power. Also, Yang Fuguan is expanding his influence in Sichuan and likely feared the uncle would inform the emperor,” Grandfather replied.

“To gain regional power in Qiannan?” Wei Fufeng was puzzled.

He was the Military Commissioner of Qianzhong, and as far as he knew, most of Qianzhong was governed by autonomous lords of the Liao people, with their own chieftains as prefects and magistrates. The Han-dominated region was mostly in northern Qian (the Zunyi area).

Wei Fufeng intended to advance into Qianzhou and Fuzhou, the northernmost parts of Qianbei. Qiannan was the southern region of Qianzhong. In the heyday of the Tang, an imperial commissioner in Qiannan would command respect from the Liao people. Now, amid turmoil, would the emperor’s uncle be respected there? Likely he would die in a foreign land.

Wei Fufeng wondered if his information was accurate. If the Liao people still honored the Tang, his own commission was crucial and his authority legitimate.

Grandfather added, “Perhaps only by being posted to Qiannan and recruiting several thousand troops there could he hope for another commission elsewhere.”

Wei Fufeng nodded in understanding. The court could appoint military commissioners at will, but could not ensure they actually controlled their territories—the realm was already divided among powerful warlords.

Seeing his grandson’s comprehension, Grandfather continued, “Fufeng, my memorial will still require Yang Shoubo’s cooperation. You must compel him to write a report, downplaying the events—just state that the Duke’s Estate was attacked by bandits.”

“Please draft the text, Grandfather, and I’ll have him copy it,” Wei Fufeng responded.

Grandfather acknowledged, then turned to Wei Xuan. “Tenth Brother, your family letter should say you heard afterwards that several thousand troops entered through the west gate and went straight to the county office and Duke’s Estate. You hid beneath the archives and survived, while the magistrate and registrar were killed in the rear quarters during a banquet.”

Wei Xuan nodded. Grandfather added, “And mention that the next morning, officials from the prefecture came to take all the estate’s land registers. Out of fear, you request permission to resign and return to Shangzhou.”