66
The army sent to quell the rebellion marched directly into Fengzhou. Meanwhile, since the uprising in Fengzhou, insurgent militias had begun to rise in various regions. Liangdu was furious and issued strict orders for all provinces to dispatch troops to quell the unrest, and for a time, the flames of war flared across the land. However, this matter had yet to directly involve Mu Peizhi. He had long been aware that Fengzhou had been hit hard by a severe snow disaster and that the people were in desperate conditions. Yet, when he finally set foot in Fengzhou and saw the devastation firsthand, he still found it difficult to endure.
Corpses, both newly dead and long decayed, lay scattered along the roadside, some dismembered, they were victims of starvation, the freezing cold, or violent deaths. It was a grim and literal portrayal of “bones frozen by the roadside.”
A pitch-black crow cawed from its perch on a branch. Dusk was near, and the blood-red setting sun cast its light over the withered winter shrubs, adding an extra layer of bleakness.
Mu Peizhi, Xu Ying, and Li Yue all hailed from noble families and had never seen such devastation. Their faces turned pale at the sight. Mu Peizhi felt a heavy weight settle in his chest. Xu Ying stared at the pile of overlapping corpses by the roadside; some large, some small, all already stiff with death. As he looked up, his gaze met a pair of wide-open, lifeless eyes. A wave of nausea surged up his throat. He gripped the reins tightly, forcing himself to endure it, and only barely managed to keep from retching.
When the army finally set up camp, the field kitchen delivered the evening meal. Xu Ying caught the aroma of the food, but the memory of the corpses along the road and the desolate villages left him with no appetite.
Li Yue poured him a cup of warm water and said, “Eat something.”
Xu Ying replied, “I can’t,” his heart heavy with indignation. Sitting cross-legged, he looked at Li Yue and said, “Before I came, I never imagined Fengzhou had deteriorated to this extent.”
Li Yue said, “Compared to this, Ruizhou is already much more stable. The regions of Fengzhou and Longzhou have always been barren, life has never been easy for the people. Continuous summer rains ruined the harvest, and now a harsh winter brings snow disasters. What do the people have left to survive on?”
Xu Ying scratched his head and said, “I remember the court allocated funds for disaster relief, didn’t it?”
Li Yue cast him a glance and said, “Last year, Ruizhou was devastated by floods. How many memorials did Lord Yu submit? Even Lord Marquis had to personally petition the court before they finally approved two hundred thousand taels. Do you have any idea how much effort it took just to get that disaster relief silver to Ruizhou?”
“These past few years, military salaries in Liangdu have always been delayed. Every time, the excuse is that the state treasury is empty. If it weren’t for Lord Marquis stepping in, our southern army wouldn’t be any better off than the other border troops.” Li Yue said. “I’ve heard the northern army hasn’t received their military pay in three months. The border troops are barely scraping by. And haven’t you noticed how eager Lord Marquis is about this campaign? It’s because the court wants us to suppress the rebellion without providing any funds. We have to cover our own rations, supplies, and provisions.”
Xu Ying widened his eyes and looked at Li Yue, saying, “How do you know so much?”
Li Yue chuckled, saying, “What do you take me for? Sleeping, eating, and not worrying about anything—”
Annoyed, Xu Ying kicked at him. Li Yue burst into laughter but quickly dodged. After his laughter subsided, he added, “I heard it from Deputy General Cheng. A few days ago, I saw him looking so anxious his hair was turning white. I asked him about it in passing, and he grabbed me and rambled on for half a day.”
Xu Ying realized it. Li Yue was always smooth and personable, and even the soldiers in the kitchen would greet him with a smile and call him “Li Qianhu.” He sighed and muttered, “Those damn rebels.”
He was still frustrated and wanted to curse the court, but before the words could leave his mouth, Li Yue stuffed a bun into his mouth, silencing him.
Li Yue said, “If you have the energy to curse, you should first fill your stomach. The sooner this battle ends, the sooner Lord Marquis can take a breath, and we can also go home early.”
Xu Ying bit the bun with a few big bites, as if to vent his frustration, then let out a sly laugh and teasingly leaned toward Li Yue, pushing him. “You’re missing home, aren’t you?”
Li Yue glanced at him, and Xu Ying scolded, “Caught up in love and longing, how long have we been out here, and you’re already thinking about going home? You’ll never get anywhere.”
He shook his head and spoke with righteous indignation. Li Yue nudged him with his shoulder, causing Xu Ying to stumble to the side, the bun falling from his hands and rolling away a few times. “You brat!”
Xu Ying tried to lunge at Li Yue to grab his neck, but Li Yue blocked him with a foot. Xu Ying pushed back with his hand, and the two of them rolled around playfully inside the tent, the heavy tension brought by the tragic sights they had seen on the road gradually lightening.
After a while, Xu Ying said, “I miss home.”
Li Yue looked up at the top of the tent and said with irritation, “You miss Fang Yuan.”
Xu Ying grumbled, “So what? When I left Ruizhou, Yuan Ge’er specifically came to see me off. He definitely can’t bear to part with me.”
He then asked, “Don’t you miss Li Qing?”
Li Yue replied, “I do, I haven’t been away from him for this long.”
Xu Ying curled his lips and said, “It’s only been this long. But I heard your father is already arranging a marriage for your younger brother. If it really happens, just wait and see how you’ll cry then.”
They had grown up playing together, so it was only natural that he knew how much Li Yue cherished his younger brother, treating him like the apple of his eye.
Li Yue clicked his tongue, and Xu Ying turned his head to look at him, asking, “Your father really wants to marry Li Qing off to Liangdu?”
A shadow passed over Li Yue’s face as he replied, “Over my dead body.”
“If he wants a career in politics, he can pursue it himself. Trying to use Li Qing as a bargaining chip? Dream on.”
Xu Ying patted Li Yue on the shoulder and sat up. He originally intended to toss aside the bun that had rolled away, but the image of the famine refugees they’d seen on the road surfaced in his mind. After a moment of hesitation, he picked it up, wiped it off, and ate it in a few quick bites.
Although the rebel forces were numerous, the majority were common civilians lacking any experience in managing a city, making them no match for the experienced border troops. Once the border army advanced into Fengzhou, the rebels were swiftly overwhelmed, losing battle after battle. Within just two weeks, Fuzhou City had already fallen.
Fuzhou City was one of the major cities within Fengzhou, only half a day’s march from the provincial capital, Anyang.
After the border army entered the city, Mu Peizhi went straight to the prefectural government. When the rebels had seized Fuzhou earlier, they had slaughtered most of the officials in charge, leaving the city bleak and desolate. The citizens, upon seeing the imperial army, showed no joy, only numb expressions.
Mu Peizhi instructed his men to pacify the people and start restoring the city. After a long day attending to these matters, he returned to find his trusted aide, Chen Ping, who looked uneasy. As soon as he saw Mu Peizhi, Chen Ping stepped forward, saluted, and said, “Lord Marquis.”
Mu Peizhi removed his cloak and handed it to Chen Ping, asking, “What is it?”
Chen Ping took the cloak with both hands, glanced around hesitantly, and said with difficulty, “It’s Eunuch Zhao from the Inner Palace…”
Mu Peizhi frowned, a trace of displeasure flashing across his face. This Eunuch Zhao from the Inner Palace was none other than the imperial envoy, Zhao Qianhou. The journey had been exhausting, and as a court eunuch, Zhao Qianhou was unaccustomed to such hardship. At the start of the campaign, he had shown concern over the rebel threat, but after they reclaimed the lost territory of Wanzhou and pushed into Fengzhou, with the rebels proving no match for the border army, his arrogance and haughty nature emerged. He began complaining about the meals from the kitchen or that his body couldn’t bear the strain of riding day and night, insisting on traveling by carriage.
Zhao Qianhou was a trusted confidant of the powerful Eunuch Zhang in the court, and Mu Peizhi, not wanting to stir up trouble, had no choice but to endure again and again.
The carriage was readied, and Zhao Qianhou was provided with premium grains and meats. He even accepted a delicate, attractive Kunze gifted by a wealthy landowner from Wanzhou. Mu Peizhi chose to ignore it all, acting as if he hadn’t noticed.
Mu Peizhi said, “What does he want?”
Chen Ping whispered, “The Magistrate Mansion has already been looted by the rebels. Zhao Qianhou says he doesn’t want to stay in a house that the rebels have occupied and wants to move out to find another place. The local rich landowners seem to have gotten the news and have already invited him over.”
Mu Peizhi’s face showed no expression as he replied, “Let him be.”
After that, the border army and the rebel forces clashed several times. The leader of the rebel army was named Sun Qing. As soon as Mu Peizhi came into contact with him, he knew this person had a military background. Upon further investigation, it turned out that Sun Qing had once been a centurion in the Northern Border Army. Due to some offense, he had been stripped of his position and demoted to a lowly soldier. Feeling resentful, Sun Qing defected and became a bandit.
Later, for some unknown reasons, he joined Liu Ziyi’s command.
Sun Qing was well-versed in military tactics and strategy. After several clashes, he succeeded in holding off the border army, leading to a stalemate around Fuzhou.
“The rebels are merely stubbornly resisting. A mere Sun Qing is no match for Lord Marquis,” Zhao Qianhou lifted his wine cup and said, “Now that we are approaching Anyang, I believe that in a few days, we will surely quell the rebellion.”
This banquet was hosted by Zhao Qianhou, with Mu Peizhi and Zhou Ting as the primary guests, and several affluent members of the Fuzhou gentry also in attendance.
The sound of silk and bamboo instruments played continuously, and beautiful courtesans danced gracefully, surrounded by flattery and applause, which only added to the lavish atmosphere. Mu Peizhi smiled blandly, responding with a few cursory remarks. But after the third round of drinks, he suddenly sighed deeply, lifted his head, and drained a cup of wine in one go, as if seeking to drown his sorrows.
One of the wealthy gentry, surnamed Qiu, asked, “Why did Lord Marquis suddenly sigh?”
Mu Peizhi shook his head and said, “It’s an unpleasant matter, best left unsaid.”
One man, slightly tipsy, said, “Lord Marquis led the army to relieve the plight of our Fuzhou city, and we are all deeply grateful. If Lord Marquis is troubled, how can we sit idly by?”
Mu Peizhi looked at the people around him and sighed again, saying, “What you do not know is that when the rebels entered the city, they looted the granaries, and now, in the midst of winter, the common people are suffering from hunger and cold. How can this marquis not be heartbroken?”
As soon as he spoke, the wealthy gentry present were visibly startled, their drunken haze seeming to lift slightly. They exchanged glances, and the mood in the room grew somewhat tense.
Zhao Qianhou let out a dry laugh and said, “Why did Lord Marquis suddenly bring up this matter…?”
“The people’s livelihood is the top priority,” Mu Peizhi said in a low voice. He looked around the room and continued, “The rebels are still making noise outside the city. I’m worried that the common folk, worn down by hunger and cold, might be swayed by the rebels’ words…”
He paused, his gaze growing distant as he added, “Just thinking about the people’s revolt in Heyang, in Fengzhou, keeps me awake day and night.”
The head of the magistrate of Fengzhou was still hanging at the gate of Heyang City.
Mu Peizhi fell silent, and Zhao Qianhou glanced at him deeply but did not speak. After a long pause, one of the men spoke up, “Lord Marquis’s concern for the people of Fuzhou is clear. I, a humble citizen, would like to share your burden. I will donate six thousand taels of silver to purchase rice and fill the granaries.”
Mu Peizhi’s eyes lit up, and his expression became more serious. He adjusted himself before replying, “Master Li, your actions clearly demonstrate your dedication to His Majesty. Such loyalty is truly admirable. I will personally submit a memorial to His Majesty so that your devotion does not go unnoticed.”
Master Li, originally a merchant, was overjoyed to hear this and said, “Thank you, Lord Marquis!”
With the first person stepping forward, others, whether willingly or reluctantly, followed suit and generously donated. Mu Peizhi did not hesitate to offer words of praise, and in total, they managed to raise several tens of thousands of taels.
The host and guests were all in high spirits.
Mu Peizhi walked out of the flower hall, and Chen Ping quickly caught up and supported him, saying, “Lord Marquis.”
Mu Peizhi waved his hand and replied, “It’s fine.”
“Did you remember everything from just now?”
Chen Ping replied, “I remembered it all. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone visit their homes.”
Mu Peizhi smiled and said, “No need, they’ll bring it themselves.”
Ever since he entered the city, he had realized that the granaries were already empty. The city needed repair, the people needed relief and comfort, and without grain, he had no way to proceed. Left with no alternative, he could only take it from the wealthy gentry and aristocratic families.
Chen Ping also laughed, and the two walked out together. He suddenly thought of something and said, “Lord Marquis, this banquet was hosted by Eunuch Zhao. If you act like this, what if he takes offense—”
Mu Peizhi replied coldly, “If he takes offense, so be it. Eunuchs are greedy, he’s already collected more than enough tribute from the wealthy gentry across the provinces these days.”
T/N: I’ve always wanted to clarify this but I keep forgetting. In the ancient-setting novels I’ve translated, I usually use “king” to refer to the emperor’s brothers, even though their actual title is “prince” (albeit of a higher rank). Since the emperor’s sons are also referred to as “princes,” I use “king” for the brothers to distinguish the seniority and difference in status, even though both technically hold the title of “prince.” To avoid any confusion, there’s only one king, and that’s the emperor.
