A Bitter Heart (Part 12)

Fang Tianchong returned to the commander's tent, utterly confused. As expected, it was brightly lit inside, and all the generals were gathered around Wei Chenwu's desk. With the alcohol getting to them, they were clamoring, "This is simply too outrageous! A mere eunuch, relying on favor, dares to run wild over the North Land Army! What does he think he is!"

"We risk our life and limb on the frontier, while they hide in the Capital enjoying peace, and yet they complain that we eat and use too much!"

"Everyone, please be calm, calm down." Wei Chenwu, getting a headache from their clamor, sighed helplessly. "He is, after all, an imperial emissary from His Majesty. It's one thing to complain a bit in front of me, but do not say anything you shouldn't in his presence."

As the commander of the army, he should have put in a good word for the emissary and placated his men, but tonight's events had truly left him speechless. He could only remind them to be cautious in their speech and actions. The generals were still unconvinced, but constrained by Wei Chenwu's authority, they didn't dare make a bigger scene and dispersed resentfully.

Fang Tianchong, however, did not leave with them. After everyone had gone, Wei Chenwu leaned back wearily, resting his head against the back of his chair with his eyes closed. "Are they all settled?"

Fang Tianchong said, "The two imperial emissaries have retired for the night. I have arranged for two squads of personal guards to watch them closely. If there is any unusual movement, they will report back to you, General."

Wei Chenwu nodded but said nothing. Fang Tianchong thought for a moment before voicing the doubt in his heart, "Historically, when the Imperial Court sends emissaries to reward the army, it is to bestow grace, offer comfort, and boost morale. Why does this time feel less like a reward and more like they've come to start a feud?"

"You've noticed it too?" Wei Chenwu gestured for him to find a seat. "How many years have you been with the North Land Army?"

Fang Tianchong said, "Six years."

"I've been here for twelve years," Wei Chenwu said. "I've been on the Northern Frontier ever since shortly after His Majesty's accession, rising from a common soldier to a general, and then to great general, watching the Northern Frontier transform from a land of chaos into what it is today. In the early years, the Northern Region was a major threat to the Great Zhou Dynasty, so His Majesty had high expectations for the North Land Army, and the ministers of the Imperial Court were all willing to put forth their best effort. But times are different now."

"The soldiers and commanders of the North Land Army come and go, and the Imperial Court has also seen a change of officials. Now that the Northern Frontier has been stable for a few years, the Court feels it's no longer worth it to keep feeding and supplying this behemoth."

"In truth, the Imperial Court didn't want this battle at Dingfang Pass to escalate. The fall of the Fenglin Kingdom, the internal strife of the Sixteen Kingdoms—what does any of that have to do with the Great Zhou? Even if our border folk were harassed, wouldn't it have been enough to just send some soldiers for protection? Why must we act as the masters of the Northern Frontier and meddle in their conflicts?"

Fang Tianchong said in a low voice, "But if we allow the Husiqi Tribe to cause chaos, and all sixteen kingdoms become unstable, the flames of war in the Northern Region will be rekindled. They will eventually set their sights on the Northern Frontier, and we will be in great trouble."

"That's exactly right," Wei Chenwu said. "I wrote the same in my memorial, but His Majesty doesn't necessarily take it to heart. There are few ministers in the Imperial Court who can put themselves in the Northern Frontier's shoes, to say nothing of the Ministry of War. Wu Fuyong has long been thinking of downsizing the North Land Army, wishing there were no wars to be fought on the Northern Frontier. In the end, it was thanks to Prime Minister He's persistence in persuading His Majesty that we were able to send troops to suppress the unrest."

"The Imperial Court doesn't want war, nor does it want military power to remain decentralized for too long. His Majesty has already been exceptionally lenient with me," he said. "In fact, His Majesty started sending eunuchs to supervise the armies in various regions a few years ago. It was only to give the North Land Army... or rather, to give me some face, that he hadn't inserted anyone here. However, after this battle, I'm afraid His Majesty has finally been prompted to make a decision. One can see the signs from Meng Sui's words at the banquet today."

Eunuchs supervising the army, the Ministry of War downsizing, no supporters in the central government... eventually losing the Emperor's favor, the end result would inevitably be getting discarded after serving one's purpose.

Fang Tianchong opened his mouth, wanting to comfort him, but didn't know what to say. Wei Chenwu slowly let out a breath, as if venting had calmed his spirits. He waved his hand and said, "Go back and get some rest. I'm entrusting you with the important task of protecting the imperial emissaries. The men are incensed right now, so you must be extra vigilant. Don't let them get any leverage."

Fang Tianchong's voice was hoarse as he answered dryly, "This subordinate obeys."

The next day, he accompanied Meng and Li on a tour of the military camp, enduring Meng Sui's endless nitpicking and showing off, cautiously and submissively handling his various unreasonable demands, and tactfully thwarting his attempts to pry into military secrets. Li Pingnan, on the other hand, was quite proper, and since his official rank wasn't very high, he even had to flatter Eunuch Meng. By the end of the day, apart from Meng Sui who had a pleasant time, the other two were utterly drained, to the point they started to feel a sense of mutual sympathy.

"Palace eunuchs are all like that. They act as servants in the palace, so they have to torment others twice as much when they get out." Taking advantage of a moment alone, Li Pingnan whispered to him, "Meng Sui is highly favored by His Majesty. Aside from being unable to compete with Eunuch Shang Heng, no other eunuch is his match. Otherwise, His Majesty would not have sent him to the North Land Army."

Fang Tianchong said indifferently, "The northern border is harsh and cold, hardly a good place to be. If he were truly favored, he wouldn't have been sent here."

Li Pingnan smiled. "Deputy General Fang, do you truly not know, or are you playing dumb with me? You think he's just here to reward the army?"

Fang Tianchong retorted, "Is he not?"

"He's the Army Inspector, personally appointed by His Majesty. The official orders will arrive any day now. Your general must have realized it already, didn't he tell you?" Li Pingnan said. "So you are right to swallow your anger and hold your tongue. If you offend him, your future days in the army will be very difficult."

Fang Tianchong recalled Wei Chenwu's words from the previous night. Already weary from the day's ordeal, his expression grew even heavier. Seeing this, Li Pingnan gave a faint smile. "Are you worried for your general?"

Fang Tianchong shot him a glance but remained silent. Li Pingnan turned, wiped a hand along a railing, and showed him the dust on his fingertips. "The northern border is harsh and cold, yet General Wei has been stationed here for more than ten years. He has already dedicated himself fully to the peace of the region. Why must he commit his entire life to this place? His Majesty is currently intent on checking his power. If the General were to withdraw now, given his military merits, his life in the Capital would be a hundred, a thousand times better than it is here."

Fang Tianchong said, "The soldiers of the North Land Army were all personally trained by the General. Withdrawing is easier said than done. If he were to leave, would he just hand these soldiers over to that eunuch to command recklessly?"

"Lord Minister has always wanted to persuade His Majesty to reduce the size of the North Land Army, to let these soldiers lay down their arms and return to their fields, which would also lighten the Court's burden," Li Pingnan said. "It is only because your General refuses to budge, and the court ministers fear being accused of suppressing a meritorious official, that this has been delayed."

"If the North Land Army is disbanded, who will guard the border?" Fang Tianchong stared at him mockingly. "Talk is cheap. Anyone can say pleasant things. When foreign tribes lead their armies into Dingfang Pass, you'll all run faster than anyone else."

Li Pingnan returned his gaze unflinchingly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Deputy General Fang, anyone else could say that, but not you."

"Or to put it another way, others can't do it, but you can."

"What do you mean?"

Li Pingnan smiled. "General Wei values you, and Lord Minister knows of you as well. If I were to recommend you to him and put in a few good words, it wouldn't be difficult for you to secure a general's position in the North Land Army."

"However," he said, his tone changing, "Deputy General Fang, if that unspeakable secret of yours were to get out, and you were impeached by a Censor, it would be far more than a simple demotion. You might not even be able to keep the head on your shoulders."

For an instant, Fang Tianchong fell silent.

His hand subconsciously gripped the hilt of his saber, as if ready to draw it and strike the other man down at any moment. He ground his molars and said, word by word, "I have no unspeakable secrets."

"Have you forgotten how this war on the northern border started, Deputy General Fang?"

Fang Tianchong said coldly, "It was the Husiqi Tribe..."

"Wrong," Li Pingnan wagged a finger in front of him and smiled. "It was you, Deputy General Fang."

"The Husiqi Tribe's marauders harassed the border cities and the Fenglin Kingdom, so General Wei dispatched you to eliminate them. Thus, in the battle at Yuanshi River Head, the North Land Army routed the marauders, and you received a commendation from the Imperial Court for it. This is what everyone believes, is it not?"

"However, the truth is that you failed in your ambush, alerting the enemy and allowing the Husiqi to escape. To cover up your failure, you slaughtered over a hundred villagers by the Yuanshi River, claimed they were the bandits, brought back their heads for a reward, and tossed their bodies into the river. You murdered innocents to claim credit and fabricated a victory."

"And it was the Husiqi Tribe, in retaliation against the Fenglin Kingdom for asking the North Land Army for aid, that destroyed the kingdom in one fell swoop, thereby triggering the turmoil on the Northern Frontier."

Fang Tianchong's expression changed drastically. "Utter nonsense!"

But Li Pingnan moved even faster. A seemingly frail civil official, he reached out and pressed down on Fang Tianchong's hand, stopping his move to draw his saber. The force was immense, like the weight of a mountain, and even Fang Tianchong could not break free.

"Deputy General Fang, calm down. We are in the main camp of your North Land Army. If you cause a scene, will you be able to explain it away?"

"You..."

"Who in the world are you?" Fang Tianchong's eyes were practically splitting with rage, yet his heart felt as if it had plunged into a bottomless abyss, sinking uncontrollably. "What do you want?!"

Li Pingnan did not answer the first question. He simply pushed Fang Tianchong's hand away and straightened his own sleeves, looking as gentle and refined as ever. He said slowly, "Since I have leverage over you, I naturally want to control you and make you obedient."

"But rest assured, Deputy General Fang, we have no grudges between us. In fact, I should even thank you. As long as you're willing to do as I say, I guarantee that things will go smoothly for you. It's not even out of the question for you to replace Wei Chenwu."