Western Jin royal capital, Hall of Political Affairs.
The King of Jin sat at the head of the chamber, discussing the reassignment and garrisoning of imperial troops across the realm with his ministers.
The Minister of War submitted a memorial: "Since the start of this year, the garrison at Hanyang Pass has been requisitioned repeatedly without being replenished to full strength. Hanyang Pass is a vital artery of the Western Regions; our military preparedness there cannot be neglected. I submit that we should transfer troops from neighboring territories and draft private retainers and servants from prominent local families to make up the shortfall."
The Left Prime Minister remarked, "Most of the court's combat-ready armies have been deployed to the north. Near the Western Regions, the local forces are merely old and weak, their discipline slack. Sending them to Hanyang Pass would be useless and only waste provisions. Therefore, we should primarily requisition private troops from the immediate vicinity and the retainers of local noble households."
Xu Gong, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward from the ranks and said, "The state treasury is empty. If we wish to conscript local private troops, we must provide corresponding compensation. Where is that money to come from? Furthermore, outside Hanyang Pass, Lord Wei Yuan, the Military Commissioner of Dingxi, stands guard as the first bulwark of the Western Regions. The defensive role of Hanyang Pass is no longer as critical as it was at the beginning of the year. Thus, your humble servant suggests we proceed slowly—train new recruits first, and wait until the treasury is replenished before conscripting private troops."
The King of Jin wore a blank expression, devoid of the slightest smile.
Levying private troops from prominent clans into the imperial army had been a common practice in the past, one that had prolonged the Western Jin's survival several times throughout history. By custom, compensation was indeed owed for conscripting private forces, but it was purely token. For example, ten private soldiers might officially call for ten taels of immortal silver, but the court would typically give only half a tael. In practice, such requisitions were essentially forced donations extracted from powerful families.
The region around Hanyang Pass had long been within the Xu family's sphere of influence, and all the prominent local clans were entwined with them in countless ways. Requisitioning private retainers was practically carving flesh from the Xu family. The new Minister of Revenue, Xu Gong, spoke purely because the Xu family had no desire to dip into their own pockets to fill the gap at Hanyang Pass.
The ministers in the Hall of Political Affairs were all seasoned foxes; how could they fail to grasp his intent? Yet what Xu Gong said was not wrong either: with Wei Yuan's Qingming holding the front line, whether Hanyang Pass had a few more or fewer soldiers hardly mattered. If Wei Yuan prospered, the Xu family would enjoy shelter behind him; if Wei Yuan was crushed by the Shamans, Hanyang Pass was still there, and the Shamans still could not cross.
In short, as long as Hanyang Pass remained intact, the Xu family stood on invincible ground.
Just then, a palace attendant hurried in and presented an urgent dispatch to the King of Jin. The king picked it up and scanned it. His expression flickered slightly before returning to normal. "This is an urgent dispatch from the Western Regions. Pass it around for all to see."
The dispatch stated that the Heaven-Battling Gang of horse bandits had launched a surprise attack on Hanyang Pass, breached the fortress, and that Wei Yuan, the Military Commissioner of Dingxi, had immediately dispatched a large army to quell them. The two sides were currently locked in fierce combat inside the pass. The garrison at Hanyang Pass was completely wiped out, and the fates of the newly appointed garrison commissioner and vice commissioner, Xu Chunyuan and Fan Donghe, were unknown.
The memorial circulated among the ministers, plunging the Hall of Political Affairs into absolute silence.
Xu Gong stepped forward again, his voice raised. "This Wei Yuan harbors treacherous ambition! Crossing boundaries to quell bandits—he clearly harbors rebellion in his heart! I beseech the Sacred King to issue an imperial edict, dispatching a grand army at once to arrest Wei Yuan and bring him to the capital!"
Lü Zhongzhi, Commander of the Nine Gates, countered, "This matter is exceedingly bizarre; we must not act rashly. The Military Commissioner of Dingxi stands on the front line of the Western Regions. If any mishap occurs there, the gates to the west will be blown wide open, and the Shamans will certainly drive straight in again. The situation at Hanyang Pass is currently unclear. If the Shamans enter the interior of Ningzhou, it would be a catastrophe of monumental proportions. I believe we must first dispatch an imperial envoy to the Western Regions to uncover the truth before deciding on a course of action."
This was a prudent, seasoned counsel, and the ministers voiced their agreement one after another, leaving Xu Gong and the other two members of the Xu family with no recourse.
In truth, everyone knew this was Wei Yuan's revenge, though none dared voice it. A chill gripped their hearts; no one had expected Wei Yuan to return, much less with such fierce methods the moment he did. Silently, everyone elevated Wei Yuan's threat level by several notches.
There was another unspoken consensus: send a punitive expedition against Wei Yuan? With what forces could they possibly do so?
***
By this time, Hanyang Pass was completely under Wei Yuan's control.
Men clad in the garb of the Heaven-Battling Gang were active throughout the pass's various districts, primarily the most dilapidated and ancient quarters. To the countless displaced refugees huddled there, they called out, "The West Gate is open, and porridge is being distributed not far beyond the pass! What are you waiting for? Go!"
These Heaven-Battling Gang members carried oversized packs, pulling out steamed buns to distribute to the crowds. The buns were small, only half the size of a fist, but after the refugees—who had starved for days and lingered on the brink of death—ate them, their strength returned miraculously. Faces flushed with newfound vigor, they ran toward the West Gate.
The buns had been laced with powdered Marching Pills; consuming them granted a surge of stamina sufficient for long-distance treks.
All four gates of Hanyang Pass now stood wide open, with no restrictions whatsoever on the movement of refugees. As news spread among them that porridge was being offered to the west, streams of displaced people poured out through the West Gate and journeyed into the distance.
In the eyes of Hanyang Pass's residents and wealthy clans, the situation inside was thoroughly bizarre. Wei Yuan's troops seemed besieged at the four gates by horse bandits, holed up and refusing to venture out.
Bandits of the Heaven-Battling Gang roamed everywhere. They drove away the soldiers Wei Yuan had posted at the barracks, took the tens of thousands of garrison troops captive, and marched them out of the pass to parts unknown.
The entirety of Hanyang Pass was sacked. Sixty to seventy percent of the prominent households had their manors completely cleaned out. Wei Yuan's imperial troops had ransacked them first under the pretext of sweeping for bandits, and then the Heaven-Battling Gang came for a second sweep under the guise of borrowing grain.
The armories, official treasuries, and granaries were all sealed off, with cart after cart hauling goods beyond the pass, though none knew whose carts they were.
The Heaven-Battling Gang looted the fortress for an entire day, withdrawing beyond the pass only when Wei Yuan's reinforcements arrived. Wei Yuan did not linger either; on the following day, he pulled his forces out of Hanyang Pass and returned to his domain.
Only half a day after Wei Yuan's departure did officials of all ranks creep out from their hiding corners. Rushing to the garrison commander's office to demonstrate their loyalty, they found it had been reduced to ashes, and the garrison commissioners were nowhere to be found.
***
Several hundred li to the west, Wei Yuan rode side by side with Fan Donghe.
Wei Yuan said, "General Fan, remember to deliver the message when you return. And next time you fall into my hands, there won't be any discounts."
Fan Donghe offered a bitter smile. "After my elder brother was imprisoned, my heart turned to ash. I plan to take up an idle post within my clan and live out the rest of my days in peace."
Wei Yuan gave a faint smile. "You are still young, General Fan. Perhaps you will achieve another breakthrough in the future. If you ever wish to seek revenge, I shall be ready at any time."
Fan Donghe shook his head repeatedly. "Lord Wei's cultivation is profound, and you excel at single combat. I am no match for you now, and I will have even less of a chance in the future."
"Oh, right, there is one more thing. When you get back, tell them this came from me: every single Dharma Idol in the Xu family is trash."
Fan Donghe could only smile bitterly. "The Xu family has many Dharma Idols, and quite a few geniuses among them."
"No matter," Wei Yuan said. "As long as it's single combat, I fear none of them. Whoever is unconvinced can come find me. But time waits for no man; once I attain the Dharma Idol realm, they won't stand a chance at all."
A moment later, Fan Donghe departed eastward alone. Even now, his mind felt dazed.
It felt like only yesterday when he and Xu Zhongxing had attacked Qingming. Wei Yuan had been formidable back then, but Fan Donghe had felt confident of victory, and for Xu Zhongxing it had seemed a foregone conclusion.
Yet even the Shamans' Karma Great Curse had failed to kill Wei Yuan. Upon his return, his cultivation had jumped straight to Dao Foundation perfection. In this single battle at Hanyang Pass, Wei Yuan had taken on four Xu family Dharma Idols all by himself, capturing one alive, slaying another, and forcing Fan Donghe's surrender—an absolute victory.
Still, though Wei Yuan claimed to have come alone, Fan Donghe couldn't help thinking of his two Dharma Idol puppets, the cat, and the serpent. Something about that claim just didn't sit right.
***
Barely half a day after Wei Yuan withdrew his troops, Zhao Tong appeared before Hanyang Pass. He stared at the wide-open gates, the deserted battlements, and the streets nearly devoid of human presence, hardly daring to believe his eyes. Then Zhao Tong walked a circuit atop the walls, only to see that the eight colossal ballistas had been stripped down to their bare pedestals. His face finally lost all color.
***
Wei Yuan had only just returned to his domain when he received word that Zhao Tong requested an audience.
Wei Yuan immediately set out for East Zhike Town. The moment he laid eyes on Zhao Tong, he stepped forward with a warm smile. "Eunuch Zhao arrives at just the right time! I have recently acquired a batch of trinkets—please, pick a few for yourself."
Before Zhao Tong could reply, Wei Yuan waved his hand, and several attendants filed in bearing large platters. The trays glowed with faint luster, piled high with jewels.
Zhao Tong had an expert eye and immediately recognized that the platters were heaped with top-tier pearls, jade, and emeralds. Faced with several full trays, even he found his resolve wavering.
Wei Yuan drew Zhao Tong toward the platters, scooped up handfuls of jewels with both hands, and stuffed them directly into Zhao Tong's robes.
Though Zhao Tong was a man of the world, he had never experienced such a display. He stammered frantically, "This won't do, this won't do! How... how can this be allowed..."
Yet Wei Yuan did not stop, swiftly cramming Zhao Tong's pockets until they were bulging to bursting.
Wei Yuan then took the imperial edict from Zhao Tong's hands, pulled the scroll from its pouch, set it aside, and began stuffing the jewels into the pouch itself. Only when the yellow silk bag was packed to the brim did Wei Yuan tie it shut and thrust it into Zhao Tong's hands.
"This... this..." Zhao Tong clutched the pouch, gemstones tumbling from his overflowing pockets every few moments and bouncing across the floor, scattering dazzling glints across the room.
Finally, Zhao Tong let out a heavy sigh and spoke from the bottom of his heart: "Lord Wei, you wished to vent your anger—fine, let that pass. But why did you have to dismantle the eight colossal ballistas? Who can afford to build those these days?"
Wei Yuan smiled. "The Heaven-Battling Gang dismantled those eight ballistas. It has nothing to do with me."
Zhao Tong stamped his foot. "Lord Wei, this is no laughing matter! Without those eight colossal ballistas, Hanyang Pass is a mere hollow shell! If the Shaman army comes, wouldn't the path lie completely open? Those ballistas cost one and a half million taels apiece! With the treasury empty, where would the court find the funds to build new ones? For the sake of the big picture, you must bring them back!"
Wei Yuan said, "The commanderies behind Hanyang Pass belong to the Xu family. How much revenue does the king collect from them each year anyway? Why should you fret on their behalf, Eunuch Zhao? Besides, with my Qingming holding the front, the lands behind can rest easy. But if Qingming should fall one day and fail to hold the line, the Shaman host will pour straight in and smash all those precious jars and pots behind us to pieces. Heh, if I'm not allowed to live well, then no one else will either!"
Seeing Zhao Tong's face alternate between pale and livid, Wei Yuan chuckled. "You see, Eunuch Zhao, Qingming is the big picture now. Anyone who crosses Qingming is disregarding the big picture!"
Chapter 383