Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

Chapter 80 Three years without flying, three years without singing

Li Cenji immediately ordered someone to bring paper and pen, and wrote a warrant on horseback, specifying all the points Zhao Zhang had just mentioned. He then stamped the warrant with the official seal and handed it to Zhao Zhang.

Zhao Zhang took the warrant, carefully folded it, and put it in his pocket. He then cupped his hands and said, "Leave it to me, Your Majesty. This matter should be handled as soon as possible. I will go and talk to those people today, and persuade as many as I can."

Li Cenji nodded, then summoned Chen An and instructed him: "You will lead a troop of soldiers to be specifically responsible for gathering the refugees and distributing some grain and fodder for relief. Those who wish to follow the army westward should have their names, origins, and population counts registered, and be organized into ranks, maintaining a distance of half a mile from the main army. They must not be mixed up or fall behind. If there are any elderly, weak, sick, or disabled people who cannot walk, they should be placed on the supply wagons."

Chen An responded and went to make the arrangements.

Wang Lu overheard this conversation and felt somewhat worried.

The army's provisions were not plentiful; otherwise, why would Duke Zheng have sent Wang Chu back to Fengxiang to oversee the provisions?

It is not a long-term solution to allocate a portion of aid to refugees now.

However, he dared not say much. He was afraid of this young man to the core. The words Li Cenji said that night in Mei County that he would draw his sword and rush into Tang Hongfu's central tent still echoed in his ears.

Unfortunately, Tang Hongfu has now actually been taken by him.

Wang Lu knew his old bones couldn't withstand any more turmoil, and now he just wanted to retire peacefully in Fengxiang, not wanting to get involved in any other matters.

The army continued westward along the Wei River.

As the sun rose higher, the fields on both sides of the official road became increasingly desolate.

Some fields were overgrown with knee-high weeds, while others had collapsed and were devoid of any human presence.

Occasionally, passing through a few villages, one can see dilapidated houses and no smoke rising from chimneys in the distance. At the village entrance, a few tattered strips of cloth hang from the locust trees, fluttering in the wind like silent flags.

At first, only a group of about a hundred refugees followed behind the main army, walking and stopping intermittently, but they were able to keep up.

In the afternoon, they encountered another group of refugees, about thirty or forty people. Upon seeing the group ahead, they hesitated at first, but then someone shouted, "It's the government troops from Fengxiang! They said they'd give us land and grain if we went to Fengxiang!"

Those people, as if they had received some great news, stood up and followed along with their families.

As we set up camp at dusk, Chen An reported: "Regimental Commander, we have gathered over three hundred refugees today, including men, women, and children. I have registered them by household, distributed tents and rations, and settled them in an open area three miles behind the camp. If more people come tomorrow, I fear we will be short of food."

Li Cenji nodded and said, "Tomorrow, send someone to the nearby towns to see if any grain merchants or wealthy households still have grain stored up. Buy some at market price to tide us over for now. Money is not a problem; things will be fine once we reach Fengxiang."

That night, campfires flickered in the camp, and several fires were also lit at the refugee camp, looking like scattered stars from afar.

The sounds of a child crying, a woman's soft coaxing, and an old man's hoarse cough drifted on the wind, all mixed together, indistinct yet weighing heavily on the heart.

Early the next morning, the army broke camp and continued westward.

Zhao Zhang led several soldiers away from the official road and headed towards a nearby village.

Before leaving, he said to Li Cenji, "Just continue marching at the usual speed. Once Zhang has finished his business, he will take a shortcut to catch up."

Li Cenji warned him to be careful, and Zhao Zhang responded before riding away into the morning mist.

On this day, there were indeed even more refugees following behind the procession.

Yesterday, the three hundred or so people were just scattered at the back, but by noon, they had become a dense mass, numbering at least five or six hundred.

Some of them were relatives and neighbors whom the group of refugees had met on the road yesterday; some were farmers who had come from villages along the way with their families; and there were also a few old men driving oxcarts, with broken pots, bowls, bedding and bundles piled on the carts, swaying and following behind, as if they were moving their entire families away.

Chen An was so busy that he barely had time to rest. He led several clerks to set up a registration point by the roadside, recording names and distributing rations in batches.

The soldiers in the rear guard were also ordered not to drive them away or scold them, but to maintain order, to keep the refugees in line, and not to fight or block the main road.

Wang Lu, mounted on his horse, looked at the ever-growing procession of refugees behind him, his brows furrowed in worry.

He tried to speak several times, but the words caught in his throat. He just sighed, turned his horse around, and went to inspect the rear of the column.

As the sun began to set, Zhao Zhang caught up with them.

He changed his clothes, rode his horse on the road, his face showing some weariness, but his eyes shone with an undeniable light.

He rode up to Li Cenji's side, cupped his hands, and said, "Regent, I have not failed in my mission. In the two villages to the south, I have persuaded 127 households to join the army on its westward journey. They are packing their belongings now and will be able to catch up early tomorrow morning. I have already arranged with them that after we arrive in Fengxiang, we will distribute land according to the number of people, rent oxen and farming tools, and be exempt from grain taxes for the first year. They are all overjoyed, saying that you are a great benefactor and that you should be honored with a longevity tablet."

Upon hearing this, Li Cenji smiled slightly, but also showed some worry: "Sir, you've worked hard. However—these people have given up everything to follow us. If we arrive in Fengxiang and I can't fulfill my promise, it will become a huge joke."

Zhao Zhang laughed and said, "Don't worry, Your Excellency. Although the counties of Fengxiang have not been ravaged by war this time, they were severely weakened during the An Lushan Rebellion and have not yet recovered. There are still many barren fields. As long as someone is willing to cultivate them, the barren fields can be turned into fertile fields. Although there are not many oxen, farming tools, and seeds in the treasury, if we add the captured Huang Chao's supplies and distribute some to the surrounding prefectures and counties, it will be more than enough. Besides, do you think Your Excellency is worried that no one will send these things?"

Li Cenji was slightly taken aback: "What do you mean by that, sir?"

Zhao Zhang lowered his voice and said, "The governor is not short of money. As long as we spread the word that Fengxiang is recruiting refugees and needs to purchase a large amount of grain and equipment, it won't be long before merchants from Guanzhong, Hanzhong, and even Hedong will flock here with oxcarts and grain seeds. At that time, we will have oxen, farm tools, and seeds. What will we have to worry about? The world is bustling for profit. Merchants pursue profit. As long as there is profit to be made, no matter how far or how many difficulties they face, they will not be able to stop them."

Li Cenji agreed with this statement.

Think of Columbus, Magellan and other navigators in later generations. Weren't their initial goals in exploring the world to open up trade routes?

As dusk deepened, bonfires lit up one after another along the official road, stretching far and near like a winding fire dragon.

Intermittent singing drifted from the refugee camp, an old tune from some unknown rural area, rough and desolate, carried far away in the evening breeze before being swallowed by the night.

The army marched westward along the Wei River, gathering refugees and pacifying the local people along the way, making the journey more lively day by day.

At first, there were only three to five hundred people trailing behind the column, scattered and disorganized, like stragglers.

By the fifth day, there were more than a thousand people.

On the eleventh and twelfth days, there were more than two thousand people, and the whole area was dark and dense, with no end in sight.

Upon hearing the news that "Li Liuhou of Fengxiang is pacifying refugees and providing them with land and grain," the villagers along the way brought their families and joined the procession.

There was an old man walking with a cane, a woman holding a baby, and a boy carrying a basket containing the last few worn-out belongings of his family.

They stumbled along, but gritted their teeth and refused to fall behind, because that tiny bit of hope in their hearts was more important than anything else.

Li Cenji then ordered people to spread rumors everywhere:

Fengxiang will purchase large quantities of grain, oxen, farm tools, and seeds. Any merchants willing to go will be purchased at market price, with no delays in payment.

The sound of the wind was like a spring breeze, blowing in all directions.

Merchants from Guanzhong, Longyou, and even Hedong were all intrigued upon hearing this:

In chaotic times, the worst thing is not losing money, but having goods rot in your hands and no one wants them.

Now that Li Liuhou has announced his intention to buy, he is the best customer.

Several daring caravans had already set off along the official road towards Fengxiang, driving oxcarts loaded with goods.

By the time they entered Qizhou, the number of refugees accompanying them had increased to five or six thousand.

Qizhou was already under the jurisdiction of Fengxiang.

But Li Cenji did not stop.

He glanced at the rolling Qishan Mountains ahead from his horse, then looked back at the long, snake-like procession behind him, and said in a deep voice, "Keep going, stop at Yong County."

He knew in his heart that Yong County was the location of Fengxiang Prefecture, with a complete set of government offices, treasury, and city walls. Only by going there could he truly settle these thousands of people.

If people are abandoned in various counties of Qizhou halfway through their journey, firstly, the local officials may not be willing to take good care of them, and secondly, the people are new to the area and unfamiliar with the local customs. Without someone in charge, there is bound to be trouble.

As he urged his troops forward, he dispatched a swift horse to Fengxiang to deliver an order to Wang Chu:

Quickly transport grain and fodder across the Wei River to the various ferry crossings along the way to resupply the army.

He then ordered Zhou Ping to lead his cavalry ahead to survey the ferry crossings along both banks of the Wei River and select the most important ones to establish temporary storage sites for provisions.

Upon receiving the order, Zhou Ping led his cavalry away without a word.

Within just two days, granaries had been set up at several important ferry crossings along the Wei River, including Meixian, Qishan, and Guoxian.

Although they were just makeshift thatched huts, they were piled high with millet and dried cakes that Wang Chu had transferred from the Fengxiang treasury.

Salted vegetables were enough for the army and refugees to circulate.

With supplies along the way, the pressure of marching was greatly reduced.

The refugees received a bowl of hot porridge and two dry biscuits every day. Although it was not a feast, it was enough to fill their stomachs, a hundred times better than the wild grass and tree bark they had pieced together on the road.

Several elderly men privately wiped away their tears and said, "Ever since Huang Chao entered Guanzhong, I haven't had a full meal. I thought I was going to die on the way, but who would have thought I'd meet Li Liuhou—he's a living bodhisattva!"

When the army arrived in Yong County, Fengxiang Prefecture, it was already midsummer.

The scorching sun hung high in the sky, making the official road scorching hot; stepping on it made one's feet feel weak.

The willows by the roadside drooped their branches, and the cicadas chirped at the top of their lungs, as if trying to shout out the heat of summer.

Fortunately, although there were five or six thousand refugees traveling with them, not many were lost along the way. The most casualties were only a few dozen people who fainted from heatstroke. They were all given medicine to relieve the heat and recovered after resting for half a day.

Several women gave birth on the way, and Li Cenji gave them special permission to ride in the carriage, where they arrived safely in Yong County.

When the city wall of Yong County came into view in the distance, a low cheer erupted from the refugees.

The women who had just given birth held their babies in their arms, tears streaming down their faces, repeatedly saying, "We've arrived, we've arrived."

Li Cenji reined in his horse and stood on a hillside, gazing at the familiar city, a sense of emotion welling up within him.

When he set out from here, he was just a fledgling captain, leading five hundred imperial guards to train new recruits on the drill ground.

Now he has returned, followed by thousands of refugees, with nearly ten thousand soldiers under his command, and his official position is now that of the acting governor of Fengxiang and Longyou.

Half a year has passed, yet it feels like a lifetime has gone by.

Outside the city, along the official road, Wang Chu and Li Changyan, along with a group of generals and officials from Fengxiang, lined up to welcome them.

Upon seeing the large "Li" character on the wall in the distance, Wang Chu urged his horse forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Excellency, you must be tired from your journey! We have already prepared the barracks outside the city and stocked up on provisions."

Li Cenji dismounted and greeted Wang Chu and Li Changyan one by one.

After several months apart, Wang Chu had become a bit thinner, with a few more strands of white hair at his temples, but his spirits were still good.

Li Changyan still looked as capable as ever, but his eyes held a complex and indescribable expression, and he bowed slightly as he cupped his hands in greeting.

He was filled with mixed emotions.

A year ago, when he first met Li Cenji, he only nodded slightly out of respect for Zheng Tian.

At that time, he was thinking, "What skills could someone who climbed up the ladder through connections and background possibly have?"

Later, when Li Cenji was training his troops on the training ground, he occasionally passed by, glanced at him a few times, and thought that the young man's training was quite decent, but that was all he was capable of; he was not a remarkable person.

Later, he heard that Li Cenji had charged into the enemy formation with a hundred cavalrymen and killed Shang Rang amidst ten thousand troops. At the time, he was half-believing and half-doubting, thinking it was just a rumor.

He only truly believed it when it was being spread throughout the army and even Cheng Zongchu claimed to have seen it with his own eyes.

Even so, he considered it a fluke.

After all, capturing enemy generals and flags on the battlefield sometimes depends not only on skill, but also on a bit of luck.

But now, Shang Rang is dead, Huang Chao is dead, and Chang'an has been recovered.

Every single one of these things is related to the young man in front of us.

As Li Changyan listened to the battle reports from the front, he went from one shock to another, from one disbelief to another.

He slowly suppressed the contempt in his heart.

Upon meeting him, countless thoughts churned within him, but he merely clasped his hands in a fist salute and said in a deep voice, "You've worked hard, Your Excellency."

He spoke those four words with much more sincerity than usual.

Li Cenji was unaware of the many thoughts churning in the mind of this Left Wing Army Commander, and simply greeted him with a bow.

His gaze passed over Wang Chu and Li Changyan, landing on the officers and soldiers behind them.

Two familiar figures were peeking at him.

One of them was Zhao Shun, whose face had regained some color and who looked much more energetic than when he was recuperating at Longweibei.

The other is Li Changfu, who is now able to move freely, but his body is still wrapped in a layer of hemp cloth.

When the two men saw Li Cenji's gaze sweep over them, they immediately beamed with joy, pushed past the officers, and ran towards him.

Li Changfu was the fastest runner. Upon reaching him, he didn't even bow, but instead burst into laughter, saying, "Leave me behind! This humble general has been waiting for you for quite some time!"

Zhao Shun followed behind him, also with a smile on his face. Although he didn't speak, his eyes were slightly red.

Li Cenji gestured to them not to waste time here and to follow him first.

The two of them happily followed behind Li Cenji, heads held high, as they entered the city with the army.

It was as if following this heir was the proudest thing in the world.

After the army entered the city, it circled the main street to show off its military strength and achievements before heading to the camps that had already been cleared outside the city.

Li Cenji did not rush to rest.

He ordered Chen An to arrange for the soldiers to enter the camp, and at the same time sent Zhao Zhang with several clerks to settle the refugees outside the city.

Then he summoned the officials of Fengxiang to the yamen and instructed them to start counting the number of refugees, registering them, and tallying the number of abandoned fields in each county early the next morning.

The magistrate of Yong County was surnamed Wei and named Shi'an. He was a middle-aged man in his forties with a fair complexion and a light beard. He was refined in his manners and spoke slowly and deliberately. It was said that he was a member of a collateral branch of the Wei family of Jingzhao.

He cupped his hands and said, "Don't worry, I will send people to the surrounding villages tomorrow to survey the wasteland. The figures will be provided within five days."

Li Cenji nodded and said, "I'm giving you one month. Within that month, distribute these refugees to various villages and towns. If Yong County can't accommodate them all, send them to the surrounding counties. You must allocate land to each household, register them, and ensure that everyone has land to cultivate and a house to live in. It's already midsummer, so you must plant winter wheat before September. It will ripen again next May, so don't delay the farming season. During this period, the treasury will allocate grain monthly, four dou of millet per person per month, until the summer harvest next year."

Wei Shi'an and the other officials from various departments responded in unison.

Li Cenji then gave instructions on a few more trivial matters before waving his hand and saying, "Everyone, please go and rest first. We'll get started early tomorrow morning. I'm new to Fengxiang and unfamiliar with many things, so I'll have to rely on your collective efforts."

The officials all said in unison, "We dare not," and filed out.

After everyone had left, only Sun Chu, Wang Chu, and Zhao Zhang remained in the hall.

Li Cenji then stood up, walked to Zhao Zhang, and said to Sun and Wang, "Registrar Sun, Military Advisor Wang, I have something to explain to you both."

He pointed to Zhao Zhang: "This man is no ordinary staff member; he is Zhao Zhang, the Chamberlain of the Pseudo-Qi."

Sun Chu and Wang Chu both changed color.

Sun Chu's teacup trembled, spilling a few drops of tea. He stared wide-eyed at Zhao Zhang for a long while before lowering his voice and saying, "Regent—you, you—you're too audacious! Zhao Zhang is Huang Chao's chief strategist; so many people in the court are watching him. How dare you take him under your command?"

Wang Chu's expression was also solemn. He said in a deep voice, "Regent, if this matter gets out, I'm afraid the officials in the court will impeach you for harboring rebels and concealing evil intentions."

Li Cenji chuckled, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "You two need not worry. Mr. Zhao has already 'died of illness' in the Dali Temple prison, and his body has been buried. There is no longer a Zhao Zhang in this world. The person sitting in front of you now is a newly hired advisor of mine. It just so happens that he shares the same name. He is from Guanzhong and has been living in seclusion for many years to avoid the chaos. Hearing that I am recruiting talented people, he came to join me. As for anything else, I know nothing."

Sun Chu and Wang Chu looked at each other, speechless for a long time.

Sun Chu opened his mouth, wanting to say, "This is too risky." He had followed Zheng Tian for many years and had seen his share of storms, but this was the first time he had ever seen something like "turning death row inmates into advisors."

He sighed, shook his head, and said nothing more.

Wang Chu was more composed than Sun Chu. After a moment of silence, he simply said, "Since the position of acting regent has been made, I will not say more. I only hope that the regent will act cautiously and not leave any evidence against him."

Li Cenji nodded and said no more.

What he was thinking was:

If these two old men knew that they had also saved Huang Chao's grandson, they might faint on the spot.

However, it's best not to talk about this matter.

The four of them sat down again.

Zhao Zhang spoke first, cupping his hands in greeting, "Your Excellency, have you kept us here because of something important?"

Li Cenji took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, unfolded it, and laid it on the table.

The paper was covered with tiny characters, which were Zhao Zhang's six policies of "sufficient food, sufficient troops, peace for the people, strict discipline of officials, promotion of commerce, and consolidation of the border" that he had dictated in prison at Dali Temple that day.

After hearing Zhao Zhang's six strategies that day, Li Cenji secretly memorized them. After returning to his tent, he wrote them down from memory overnight and scrutinized each one. Now, he took them out to discuss with Sun and Wang.

He pushed the paper in front of Sun Chu and Wang Chu, saying, "Please take a look at this charter first."

Sun Chu took the paper and huddled together with Wang Chu to read it.

The two read very slowly, occasionally whispering a few words to each other, their brows furrowing slightly before relaxing.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Sun Chu raised his head, a hint of surprise in his eyes, and asked, "Your Excellency, who devised these six policies?"

He glanced at Zhao Zhang, then looked at Li Cenji, his eyes full of inquiry.

Li Cenji said, "It was proposed by Mr. Zhao."

Sun Chu nodded, not pressing further. He glanced at the document again before slowly saying, "These six strategies are all well-founded and reasonable. If they can be implemented one by one, Fengxiang will surely undergo a major transformation within three years. However…"

He paused, then looked at Li Cenji: "If the Regent intends to implement this plan, it will likely be a long and arduous process. Right now, which matter should we address first?"

Li Cenji did not answer immediately.

He stood up, paced back and forth for a couple of steps, then suddenly turned around, looked at the three of them, and said, "I think the order of these six strategies should be changed."

Zhao Zhang cupped his hands and said, "Please speak later."

Li Cenji said, "When Mr. Zhao wrote these six policies, he first talked about having enough food, then about having enough soldiers, and then about pacifying the people, purifying officials, promoting commerce, and securing the borders. He proceeded step by step, and the order was quite appropriate. But in my opinion, the most important thing among these six policies is not having enough food, nor having enough soldiers, but purifying officials."

He walked back to his desk and tapped the paper with his finger: "Without clean governance, sufficient food is just empty words. No matter how good your policies are, when they reach the lower levels, they will be exploited and deducted at every turn by corrupt officials, leaving the people with nothing but a bowl of thin porridge and half an acre of barren land. The same applies to sufficient troops. If you cannot guarantee that military pay and provisions will be distributed in full, why will the soldiers risk their lives for you? Peace for the people, prosperity for commerce, and defense of the borders—none of these can be achieved without honest and capable officials."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the three men, and said, "Today I handed over all those refugees to the officials of Yong County for resettlement, just to see which of them are honest officials, which are corrupt officials, which are clever and useful, and which are lazy and incompetent."

Upon hearing this, Sun Chu's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he stroked his beard, saying, "The Regent is going to—"

He didn't continue, but just looked at Li Cenji, waiting for him to finish speaking.

Li Cenji said, "When King Zhuang of Chu first ascended the throne, he did not fly for three years, but when he did, he soared to the sky; he did not sing for three years, but when he did, his voice astonished everyone. Those three years of silence were not spent neglecting state affairs, but rather he was secretly observing his officials and distinguishing between the loyal and the treacherous. These thousands of refugees are like a pot of oil; once the oil is released, those corrupt officials will smell the fishy scent and will inevitably reach out, leaving traces. Those lazy and incompetent people, faced with these thousands of starving people, will surely be at a loss and expose their true colors. I want the three of you to select some reliable people from among the military officers and assign them to the lower levels to check accounts and treasuries daily, inspect villages and hamlets, secretly interview refugees, and inquire about their resettlement. If you find anyone corrupt, do not rush to arrest them; just record their crimes and let them continue their corruption. If they want to be corrupt, let them be corrupt. The more they embezzle, the more conclusive the evidence will be. Then we can wipe them out in one fell swoop and uproot them completely."

Wang Chu stroked his beard and laughed, "Is leaving the governorship so that those corrupt officials—will put themselves in the bag?"

Li Cenji nodded and smiled, "Exactly. What I want is not a temporary fix, but a fundamental solution. Over the years, countless corrupt officials have accumulated in the various counties of Fengxiang."

After Zheng Gong arrived, he focused solely on military affairs and had no time to deal with them. But I am different. Now that Huang Chao has been quelled, I have plenty of time to play with them. However, if I were to launch a sweeping purge immediately upon taking office, those scoundrels would surely band together, covering for each other, making it difficult to act. It's better to let them think I'm a newcomer, inexperienced in governance, and wait for them to reveal their true colors before catching them in the act.

Upon hearing this, Sun Chu stroked his beard and chuckled, a smile containing both admiration and a touch of感慨 (gan3kai3, a complex emotion encompassing both admiration and reflection): "The acting governor's plan is reminiscent of Emperor Xuan of Han's principle of rewarding and punishing according to merit, and of verifying the truth. In my years in Fengxiang, I have seen many corrupt officials, but lacking concrete evidence, I could not act. Furthermore, considering the overall situation of suppressing the rebellion, I could not touch them. Now that the acting governor has devised a plan, I will naturally provide my full assistance."

Wang Chu also cupped his hands and said, "Don't worry, Your Excellency. We will select some reliable officers and generals from the army and assign them to various counties to secretly investigate accounts and the people's conditions."

Li Cenji nodded and said, "At that time, I want to give the people of Fengxiang a very satisfying scene. These big rats must be publicly tried and punished in a clear and just manner, so that those people who are usually oppressed can see it with their own eyes. Only in this way can they vent their resentment and make those who come after them fear them."

Sun Chu, Wang Chu, and Zhao Zhang all stood up, cupped their hands, and said, "We will obey the orders of the acting governor."

Li Cenji also stood up and returned the greeting to the three of them.

The candlelight flickered on the table, casting the shadows of the four people onto the wall of the hall, their lengths crisscrossing, like a silent painting.

The four discussed some details, such as:

Which military officers can be trusted, how should they be assigned, under what pretexts should they be sent to inspect various counties, and how should they conduct unannounced investigations of the people's conditions without alerting local officials, etc.

The night deepened, and the drumbeats sounded past the second watch before the night finally ended.

After seeing the three off, Li Cenji stood alone under the porch in front of the hall, gazing at the bright moon in the courtyard, and exhaled a long breath.

A night breeze rustled through the bamboo grove in the corner of the courtyard, as if someone were whispering.

Li Cenji stood there for a moment, then turned and went back into the house.

The next day, before dawn, Li Cenji had already gotten up.

He wasn't wearing an official robe, but only a short black cloth jacket and military boots, looking every bit the soldier.

His personal guards led him to a yellow horse, which he mounted. He didn't bring many people with him, only Xu Tai and a dozen or so soldiers, and headed towards the military camp in the west of the city.

The Fengxiang Army's main camp was set up three miles west of Yongxian County, along a gentle slope. The camp stretched for several miles, with neat stockades, deep and wide moats, and complete with deer antlers and chevaux-de-frise.

The soldiers on night duty at the camp gate saw a rider approaching in the lead. Upon closer inspection, they immediately straightened their backs and shouted, "Leave the rest behind!"

A commotion immediately broke out in the camp, and the officers and soldiers rushed out of their tents to greet them.

Li Cenji did not enter the central command tent, but walked slowly along the camp's passageway, inspecting the barracks, kitchen, stables, and armory of each camp one by one.

He walked very slowly, stopping at each place to ask about the soldiers' food, bedding, whether the wounded had received their dressings, and whether the warhorses had been fed enough fodder.

When a soldier answered softly, he would take a few steps closer and listen carefully, showing no airs of holding back.

When he arrived at the wounded soldiers' camp, he went into each tent and sat for a while on each bed.

An old soldier with a broken leg saw him come in and struggled to get up to pay his respects, but he grabbed his shoulder, pressed him back onto the bed, and then personally tucked the blanket around him.

The old soldier opened his mouth, as if to say something, but his throat tightened. He could only nod forcefully with red eyes.

After leaving the wounded soldiers' camp, Li Cenji ordered the officers and soldiers of each camp to submit the list of fallen soldiers.

He opened the register, looking through it page by page, and wrote down the amount of compensation for each name. He then ordered someone to copy down the hometowns and family addresses of the fallen soldiers, handing them to Xu Tai and instructing him: "Take a few men and go to the homes of these people to see how many people are still in their families, what kind of life they are living, and what they lack. If they are really in dire straits, take some money and grain from the treasury and send it to them first, without waiting for the imperial compensation. I will issue the official document later."

Xu Tai took the roster and patted his chest, saying, "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

After saying that, he left with his men.

For several days in a row, Li Cenji would enter the camp before dawn, inspect each tent, eat and live with the soldiers, and only return to the government office at sunset.

Sometimes when he patrolled the camp at night, he would see that the sentries on night duty were tired. He would not scold them, but would just walk over, hand them a pot of hot water, and say gently, "Go to sleep after your shift ends."

The sentries, holding their water bottles, were at a loss, feeling both fearful and moved, as if they had grown closer to the young garrison commander.

The news spread throughout the army, and the soldiers whispered among themselves, "The commander-in-chief always charged ahead in battle, and when he returned, he didn't put on airs. He even personally visited the wounded and comforted the families of the fallen brothers. What more can we say about such a general?"

Some people said, "When Duke Zheng was alive, although he was considerate of his soldiers, he was getting old and couldn't do everything personally. Now, the acting governor is in his prime, leading by example and caring so much for us. Following him is worthwhile!"

Even the soldiers who were discharged due to injuries, after receiving their land and resettlement allowance, would tell everyone they met, "The warden said that although we have been discharged, we are still people of Fengxiang. If we ever have any difficulties at home, just go to the government office and he will definitely help us."

This word-of-mouth spread, and everyone in the Fengxiang army, from top to bottom, was convinced of its worth.

Even the veterans who were initially hesitant gradually changed their minds and genuinely accepted the young heir.

A few days later, Li Cenji was no longer satisfied with just inspecting the Yongxian camp.

He ordered his men to prepare dry rations and water bags, and with only three horses and a small entourage, he began to patrol the various garrisons, border towns, and passes within the territory of Qizhou and Longzhou.

This trip lasted for a full month.

The terrain within Qizhou is high in the west and low in the east. It is bordered by Qishan Mountain to the north and Qinling Mountains to the south, with the Wei River Valley sandwiched in between. The official road winds westward along the Wei River, with more than ten military towns and fortresses of varying sizes scattered along the way.

Some were located at ferry crossings, guarding key points; some were built in mountain passes, controlling the north-south passage; and some were isolated on the plains, surrounded by barren fields, looking like silent islands from afar.

Wherever Li Cenji arrived, he would stop in front of the camp, order his men to announce their names, and after entering the camp, he would first inspect the defenses, then the provisions, and finally summon the garrison officers and soldiers to give them a speech.

His speech was quite simple, consisting of nothing more than: "You all have worked hard guarding the border, and I think about you every day in Yong County," "The court will not forget the merits of the border troops," and "I have already issued a document, and rewards will be distributed soon."

But he spoke sincerely and in a kind tone, and the soldiers who had been stationed in the border towns and fortresses for many years all had tears in their eyes when they heard him.

They patrolled the area, promising rewards, allocating silver for repairs, and replenishing provisions and equipment.

After a month, although Li Cenji had only visited all the garrisons within Qizhou, his name had already spread like wildfire throughout every border town and every pass in Fengxiang.

When the soldiers mentioned the name "Li Liuhou," it was no longer an unfamiliar official title, but rather a term of endearment, respect, and heartfelt admiration.

Wherever Li Cenji went, one could often hear a roar of cheers and applause that echoed through the valleys for a long time.

In Fengxiang City, the corrupt officials hiding among the bureaucrats also heard about Li Cenji's actions.

At first, they were wary, thinking that this new resident official, being new to the country, would follow Zheng Tian's example and start by making a big splash.

After observing for a long time, it was seen that Li Cenji spent all his time in the military camp, either inspecting the wounded soldiers or going to the border town to investigate. He did not care about the documents and files in the government office, nor did he care about the tax revenue and expenditure of the various counties.

A few bold officials tried to tamper with the accounts, but after half a month, no one came to investigate; another half month passed, and everything remained calm.

Their courage gradually grew.

"When Minister Zheng was alive, he would come to check the accounts every few days. Although we could take some, we dared not take more."

A clerk in charge of the treasury privately remarked to his colleague, "But this Lieutenant General Li, besides fighting and inspecting the camps, doesn't care about anything else. I heard that he's been running around various border towns in Qizhou for the past month, and he probably hasn't even forgotten which way the gate of the Yong County government office faces."

Another official in charge of collecting land taxes laughed and said, "I recently overreported several dozen acres of wasteland and fraudulently claimed a sum of money for land reclamation. I was worried that I would be exposed, but after waiting for so long, no one has even bothered to inquire about it. In my opinion, this governor is just a reckless brute who only knows how to fight, and he is completely incompetent in all other government affairs."

Someone else chimed in, "A reckless man is good! A reckless man is easy to fool! As long as we make things look good on the surface, he won't notice anything amiss. We can take what we're entitled to and embezzle what we're entitled to. As long as we don't cause any major trouble, he won't care!"

As a result, over the past month, the accounts of various counties and departments have seen an increase in falsely reported expenses, intercepted grain and salary, and miscellaneous taxes under various pretexts.

Those who were left in the city by Li Cenji would naturally find an opportunity to dispel the fog and see the truth.

These rats, however, are completely unaware of their own actions.

They only thought of this military commander as a rough-around-the-edges warrior who was only concerned with winning over the army and didn't care about anything else.

Unbeknownst to them, just as they thought they had succeeded, a hundred or so military officers dressed in plain clothes, disguised as merchants or refugees, had quietly spread throughout the counties and villages of Qizhou and Longzhou.

Some of these people went to the market, chatted with the locals, and asked about this year's harvest and the amount of taxes collected by the government.

Some pretended to be lost travelers, stayed overnight in village houses, chatted with old farmers, and inquired about the realities of land taxes and corvée labor.

Some, however, would swagger into the county government office as military officers, demanding that the county's granaries be used to supply military needs. Under this pretext, they would browse through the account books, secretly noting down discrepancies and fictitious items.

Every evening, Zhao Zhang would sit by the window, collecting all the letters that arrived and recording the secret reports in a thick book.

The booklet's cover is titled "Records of Local Customs and Traditions of Qilong," which to outsiders appears to be nothing more than ordinary local chronicles and miscellaneous notes. However, upon closer inspection, it reveals a series of pieces of evidence of corruption and bribery:

In a certain county, the granary official falsely reported grain prices, embezzling thirty strings of cash from the treasury; in a certain township, land reclamation funds were intercepted and pocketed; in another county, miscellaneous taxes were levied illegally, and additional corvée labor was imposed, forcing three families to sell their children; in yet another county, the registrar colluded with local gentry to falsely report wasteland as fertile land, fraudulently obtaining land reclamation subsidies.

Every single detail, including the time, place, people, and number, is remembered clearly.

That evening, Zhao Zhang was organizing letters in his room when Li Cenji pushed open the door and entered.

He had just returned from Linyou County, looking travel-worn and weathered.

Seeing him enter, Zhao Zhang stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Excellency has returned? You must have had a long journey."

Li Cenji waved his hand, walked to the table, opened the book "Records of Qilong Customs and Traditions", and began to read it page by page.

He read very slowly, his gaze lingering on each line of text for a moment, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. Finally, he closed the booklet, placed it on the table, and exhaled a breath of stale air: "These people are quite bold."

Zhao Zhang said, "I have already ordered people to secretly verify the information. Eight or nine out of ten of the recorded matters are confirmed. However, there are still a few cases that involve a wide range of people. I dare not act rashly. I have only ordered people to keep an eye on them from a distance and wait for them to be dealt with later."

Li Cenji nodded and said, "Sir, you are right. No rush. Let them be greedy for a few more days. The more they greedy, the more obvious their true colors will become. I want the people of Fengxiang to see with their own eyes how those officials who are usually high and mighty and domineering fall one after another."

As he spoke, he walked to the window and opened it.

The evening breeze blew in, carrying the scent of freshly turned earth from the yard.

In the distance, the faint sound of bugles could be heard from the direction of the city wall; it was the order for the changing of the guard, long and steady.

Li Cenji leaned against the windowsill, gazing at the rows of tents stretching into the twilight, and whispered, "Sir, do you think—when this net is pulled in, will the people of Fengxiang cheer?"

Zhao Zhang walked to his side and stood beside him, gazing at the same twilight, and slowly said, "Yes. And they will shout very loudly. Because those who have been oppressed have waited for this day for far too long."

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