Statecraft

Wei Yuan knew the Marquis of Xiang could not produce any grain. Domestic harvests in Western Jin had been poor; mobilizing large shipments of grain was something probably only civilian officials and titled nobility could pull off—even the eunuch faction could not manage it. Long-distance transport of bulk grain was also a major headache, so if the Marquis of Xiang wanted to supply grain, his best option would be to requisition it from Ningxi Prefecture. Coincidentally, all the grain Ningxi Prefecture had available—both what could be sold and what shouldn't have been sold—had already been bought up by Wei Yuan at twenty times the going rate. If they sold off any of their remaining grain, the government troops would be starving. Military ration pills were fine things: popping a single pill during wartime staved off hunger for three days while keeping a soldier brimming with vigor, able to fight on and on without rest or sleep. The Marquis of Xiang bringing out ten thousand of them in one breath was equivalent in value to five hundred thousand jin of military provisions. Yet ten thousand military ration pills took up very little space; a single expert could deliver them. What Wei Yuan truly wanted to see now was who possessed the capability to haul bulk supplies through a place like Ningxi Prefecture. That was what real influence looked like; anything less was petty thievery. As for the fortuitous encounter the Marquis of Xiang had mentioned, Wei Yuan did not actually care much about it. It was invisible and intangible, nothing more than an illusory pie in the sky. Wei Yuan had no appetite for empty promises; he only wanted tangible benefits. Ever since he floored the old man by the Princess's side in a fair, one-on-one duel, Wei Yuan had grown somewhat cocky. Now that he could battle and triumph over a dharma idol, his worth had naturally surged. If someone wanted to win him over, they would have to pay more. Naturally, deep down, Wei Yuan genuinely believed that duel had been fair. The Princess was right there, and her karmic luck was innate; who else could the old man blame for being unwilling to circulate his dharmic power to the full? In the end, Wei Yuan had dropped him in a single move. Then again, being able to release an amount of dao power equivalent to several dozen Dao Foundations in one breath was Wei Yuan's own capability. Had it been that old man, with his frail dharma physique, he likely wouldn't have lasted a breath before his body blew apart. In truth, what Wei Yuan really wanted was a large quantity of spirit flora—saplings being the best, though spirit seeds would do in a pinch. But the Marquis of Xiang would probably be able to produce those easily and deliver them right to his hands, which wouldn't serve to probe his reach or rattle his cage, while also risking exposing Wei Yuan's own needs. Besides, such things could always be exchanged in the Hall of Merits, so they were not an immediate emergency. For the return route, Wei Yuan chose the military redoubt garrisoned by Guerrilla General Wang Kun; it was under Wang Kun's very nose that Song Chao had been slain the last time. There were bound to be Yue Jinshan's ambushing troops stationed at Wang Kun's fortress, but Wei Yuan was equally certain those ambushing forces would never march out of the redoubt to do battle. As long as he did not assault the military redoubt itself, nothing would happen. If Wang Kun truly turned hostile and attempted to rescue the captives in his hands, Wei Yuan wouldn't mind teaching him a lesson. A field battle against three hundred Dao Foundations? At the time, Wei Yuan had only committed up to his seventh squad before sweeping clear a chaotic battlefield of six to seven thousand combatants. Wei Yuan doubted Wang Kun's redoubt could even hold ten thousand men. The safest route would have been the redoubt guarded by that General Liu. But sensible garrison commanders were few and far between, and Wei Yuan worried that marching past a couple more times might cost the man his official post. Half a day later, the grand procession of men and horses marched mightily past the front of the redoubt. Astride the ramparts, Wang Kun watched expressionlessly. He stood as immovable as a mountain, but the colonel beside him suddenly grew agitated, pointing at someone in the captive ranks: "Th-that's Colonel Zhang Ming! Isn't he stationed in Bianning Commandery? How did he get captured?" Soon after, the onlookers recognized several other familiar colonels. Wang Kun was on good terms with Yue Qilin, and their subordinate officers had friendly ties as well. "General, should we go rescue them?" Wang Kun offered a faint, sardonic smile. "What, do you want to go eat grain in Qingming, too?" The colonel shut his mouth. He knew his general's temperament; the very next question was sure to be: *How many of them can you take on?* The colonel knew his own capabilities; in a one-on-one duel against one of those masked riders, he wasn't even certain he could win. Rumors were already circulating that among the Fifty Heaven-Battling Bandits, at least thirty were at the Dao Foundation realm. Though the colonel was somewhat skeptical, he knew there had to be at least a dozen or more Dao Foundations among them. Wang Kun silently watched the captives recede into the distance until they disappeared, then let out a self-deprecating laugh, murmuring to himself, "Nurturing bandits to enhance one's standing... Heh! The fear is that the bandit fattens too fast—no matter how much you feed him, it's never enough." — Bianning Commandery. Li Weisheng pushed a stack of official documents across to Sun Chao'en, saying, "Lord Sun, these are all official dispatches from Commandery Governor Yuan demanding funds and grain. What do you think we should do?" Sun Chao'en looked through them one by one, then commented, "Commandery Governor Yuan writes a truly formidable essay. There really is no justifiable excuse to withhold the funds and provisions." Li Weisheng merely smiled without speaking. Both men knew full well that there was simply no grain to give right now—unless the various officials were willing to cut down on their meals, and the households of the commandery governor, vice prefect, and vice commanders ceased hosting banquets and lived day in and day out on plain porridge and pickled greens. That was utterly impossible. Sun Chao'en said, "This matter is easily solved as well. In short, it boils down to four words: nurturing bandits to enhance standing." "I would like to hear the details." Sun Chao'en said, "Right now, mounted bandits run rampant across the commandery. Even the diplomatic mission from Zhao was plundered, and I hear the Princess suffered indignities..." At the mention of this, Li Weisheng's face lit up with intrigue. Leaning forward, he lowered his voice and asked, "Tell me, did that bandit succeed?" Sun Chao'en leaned in as well. "Word has it that he did manage a bite, though he swallowed a bit too hurriedly." "How hurriedly?" "Gulping down the date whole!" Sun Chao'en stated with utter conviction, as if he had witnessed it with his own eyes. Li Weisheng let out a long breath, a complex expression crossing his face—half worried, half amused. "One wonders what that date tasted like." Sun Chao'en said, "Gulped it down whole, swallowed far too fast—he only knew it was delicious, so where would he find the time to savor the flavor?" "A pity, what a pity..." Li Weisheng sighed repeatedly. Afterward, both officials straightened in their seats and returned to business. Sun Chao'en continued, "...With mounted bandits running rampant in the commandery, on the one hand, we must deploy heavy forces to suppress them. Such suppression campaigns require funds and grain. On the other hand, the provisions we dispatch to Ningxi Commandery are prone to being plundered. If nothing else, Vice General Feng's recent defeat effectively threw away half of General Yue's veteran foundation." Li Weisheng understood implicitly. What Feng Lin had intended was obvious to all: he simply could not afford to maintain a full complement of troops, so he had to dispose of a portion of them in order to keep pocketing payroll padding. Now, because Feng Lin had failed in guarding the diplomatic mission and incurred the fury of the Zhao Princess, Li Weisheng had already thrown him in prison, and he would likely never have a chance to come out again. However, Feng Lin had cleared out half the roster slots, and the benefits were concrete—except they had now fallen straight into the hands of Li Weisheng and Sun Chao'en. Li Weisheng pondered for a moment. "The Heaven-Battling Gang's name rings too loud; a tall tree attracts the wind. It would be best if they changed their name." Sun Chao'en replied, "I suspect they will change it soon enough." Li Weisheng said, "Though this plan is fine, one matter causes concern. Commandery Governor Yuan's territory is peaceful and well-governed, while mounted bandits plague our lands. That doesn't sound very good when spoken aloud! Governor Yuan came from the ranks of censors, so no doubt he will submit no shortage of memorials impeaching us." Sun Chao'en smiled faintly. "My own memorials are hardly few in number." Li Weisheng remarked, "Oh? What have you written lately? Care to share a few details?" Sun Chao'en produced a stack of jade paper and handed it over. Li Weisheng picked them up to look; they were all copies of recent memorials. But as he read the contents, his expression turned rather bizarre. "Your Majesty, are you well in health today?" "Your Majesty, your humble minister Sun Chao'en respectfully wishes Your Majesty boundless fortune and golden health!" "Your Majesty, your humble minister has acquired a precious medicinal herb, presented herewith alongside this memorial." ... "Your Majesty, are you well in health today?" ... Li Weisheng put down the jade sheets, torn between tears and laughter. "What in the world are you writing? Must you submit a memorial even when you have nothing to report?" "A modest trick so the King does not forget me," Sun Chao'en said with a chuckle. Then his face straightened as he continued, "I hear the common folk of Quliu Town under Commandery Governor Yuan's jurisdiction were all relocated into the domain by Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan is someone who does things thoroughly, so he simply rounded up all the scattered folk and drove them in as well. Therefore, there should hardly be any people left under Yuan's governance. No people means no taxes, and no funds or grain. Yet his military forces are real flesh and blood; with men eating and horses chewing each day, the expenses are enormous. "Your Excellency has backers in the imperial court; Commandery Governor Yuan cannot unseat you. You need only sit firmly like a fisherman on his perch. Given enough time, those border army generals will all realize that if they want their bellies filled, they still have to come to you! "Wouldn't your reputation at court soar as a result?" Li Weisheng pondered carefully, and the more he thought about it, the more sensible it seemed. Then he said, "Lord Sun truly possesses grand talent. This scheme is splendid, but why tell this official? If this official is transferred away for incompetence in governance, wouldn't you become commandery governor?" Sun Chao'en said, "If Lord Li is promoted, I will become commandery governor all the same. Besides, this strategy is one only Lord Li can execute. With you sitting in this post, Commandery Governor Yuan cannot budge you. If it were me, I fear I would have been torn to pieces and swallowed whole long ago. I have no foundation; to put it nicely, I placed myself under the Right Prime Minister's banner. But the threshold of the Right Prime Minister's gate is so high—how could I ever truly step inside?" Li Weisheng nodded slowly. "Lord Sun's talents are wasted in a backwater like this. In this official's view, you will enter the imperial court sooner or later. Yet the court is unlike administering an isolated corner; one must possess a strategy for governing the realm. This official will likely occupy this seat for a while longer; during this time, Lord Sun may give it careful thought." "In fact, your humble subordinate has already devised a strategy for governing the realm and was just about to ask Lord Li for his critique." Li Weisheng's curiosity was piqued. "Let us hear it." Sun Chao'en sat upright with solemn dignity, an aura of righteous vigor gradually rising around him. In that moment, he no longer resembled a slick, worldly official, but rather an uncorrupted scholar straight out of the academy, poised to critique and shape the empire. Word by word, he enunciated, "A court filled with upright men!"