The fiercest soldier of the border army

The wind whistled past the eaves outside the window, making the lanterns sway from side to side.

The private room on the second floor was completely silent. The officials and merchants of Wenchi stood there, mouths agape, stunned.

Tang Shun sat upright in the main seat, his expression unchanged, as if the previous statement, "not less than two hundred coins per dou," was nothing more than ordinary talk.

"To make...the magistrate."

Shopkeeper Zhang swallowed hard, stood up, and asked again, seemingly uncertainly, "You mean...you mean..."

"It must not be less than two hundred coins per dou. Is there a problem?" Tang Shun smiled faintly. "If it's sold at a high price, the refugees will just go elsewhere."

"If they leave, wouldn't the claim that refugees are gathering in Wenchi County fall apart on its own?"

Tang Shun's voice was cheerful and straightforward, with a strong border army flavor; he was direct, simple, and blunt.

He seemed completely ignorant of politics.

Manager Li sat in the corner, his previously ashen face softening, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

He stroked his goatee and muttered under his breath, "Two hundred coins, ten times the market price? This...this is supposed to make us money?"

"It's more than just making money!" Manager Wang's voice trembled with excitement. "Your Excellency is wise! We won't be losing money while you're busy selling, and you've also solved the problem of displaced people. You've come up with such a win-win solution!"

He stood up, turned around, bowed deeply to Tang Shun, and praised him lavishly, "Your Majesty's benevolent rule, which neither seizes the profits of merchants nor oppresses the people, is truly an unprecedentedly good policy since the founding of the nation! This humble subject admires you!"

He laughed, initially trying to suppress his laughter, but it grew louder and louder until finally he couldn't help but slam his hand on the table in praise, "Your Excellency's insight is brilliant! Truly brilliant!"

Manager Zhang and the others then fully realized what was happening, and their faces lit up with joy as they rose from their seats to pay their respects.

Someone shouted, "Rest assured, Your Excellency! I will change the price tomorrow... no, tonight! Two hundred coins per dou!"

"I'll change the price too!"

"My warehouse is almost out of rice, so I'll go to the east bank of the river and transport three hundred shi (a unit of dry measure) to sell for two hundred wen (another unit of currency)!"

They bowed in unison and said, "Your Excellency has taken good care of us. If you need our assistance, we will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

The room was filled with praise, and the aroma of wine rose again.

Zheng Wenhan personally held the wine pot and poured wine for Tang Shun.

Xie Anzhi sat beside Tang Shun, his face turning from white to green, and then from green to black.

His fingers gripped the edge of the table tightly, his eyes fixed on Tang Shun, as if trying to see through him to determine whether this man was an imperial envoy to save the people from suffering or a corrupt official in disguise.

"My lord!" He stood up abruptly, his voice hoarse. "You said you came to provide disaster relief, but now the people are so hungry they're eating tree bark, yet you've ordered that grain prices not fall below two hundred coins?"

"The merchant was already willing to lower the price by ten coins, but you refused, and instead raised the price to protect the merchant—what kind of logic is this!"

The laughter in the room stopped abruptly.

Tang Shun gently raised his hand, reached under the table, and grabbed Xie Anzhi's thigh with great force.

Xie Anzhi froze, his anger rising to his head, and he almost overturned the table and roared.

But just as his fingertips touched the table, that fierce determination was abruptly suppressed.

He gritted his teeth, veins throbbing on his forehead, but ultimately did not lash out.

Tang Shun then spoke calmly, "My purpose is to ensure that there are no more refugees in Wenchi County."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "The north is already bitterly cold, and this year it has suffered from war. As soon as the refugees arrive, they grow like wild grass."

"We can't kill them all, but surely we can drive them away?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Wenhan nodded repeatedly, "Exactly! Dispersing the refugees and stabilizing the local population are fundamental to governing a county! Your Excellency's thinking is profound!"

"Moreover, this is also the intention of the military governor's office."

Manager Zhang chimed in, "As long as there's a steady supply of rice in the city and the local people are safe, those who have fled famine will naturally not dare to stay long!"

They talked more and more excitedly, and Xie Anzhi felt a tightness in his chest, almost vomiting blood.

He stared intently at Tang Shun, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word.

As the banquet drew to a close, both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.

Before leaving, the shopkeepers each presented a generous gift.

A pair of jade ruyi scepters, two gold cups, a silver box containing two hundred taels of snowflake silver, and two gold bars were placed heavily on the tray.

Tang Shun accepted everything without even looking at it.

Downstairs, the soldiers were still laughing and drinking, while Cheng Feng slapped the table and recounted the Battle of Xiushui, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Upon seeing the distinguished guest descend the stairs, they all rose and straightened their clothes, and the fifty-eight cavalrymen slowly set off.

The team was orderly, their steps thunderous, and their footsteps made a muffled sound on the wet, cold street.

Shopkeeper Zhang and the others beamed with joy as they personally escorted them downstairs, bowing in farewell.

Xie Anzhi lagged half a step behind, remaining silent the whole way, his anger still burning in his eyes.

Back at the county government's reception area, the moment the door closed, Xie Anzhi finally erupted.

He kicked over the wooden stump in front of the door, turned around and pointed at Tang Shun, his voice trembling:

"You, Tang Shun, rose from the ranks of a soldier to become an official, is this how you serve the court?"

"Accepting bribes, condoning unscrupulous merchants, and exploiting the people? Have you forgotten the crying and pleading people when you entered the city!"

Tang Shun took off his outer robe and hung it on the rack with steady movements.

He turned around, looked at Xie Anzhi, and asked, "You think something's wrong?"

"Of course not!"

Xie Anzhi roared, "Why? You could have easily forced them to lower prices and make them offer better deals to the people!"

"Yet you're doing the opposite, protecting these bloodsucking grain merchants! You're asking a tiger for its skin!"

"Eighty coins a dou is already an astronomical price, and you're still not satisfied? You want to raise it to two hundred coins a dou!"

"Tell me, which commoner can afford this? Or is it that you, Tang Shun, a former military commander, are completely ignorant of the people's livelihood?!"

Xie Anzhi's chest heaved violently. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, saying:

"Tonight, I will draft a memorial and inform the commander!"

"You, Tang Shun, have no regard for the people. Once you've seized power, you've colluded with local officials and merchants in corrupt and despicable ways!"

Tang Shun did not answer, but walked to the table, took out the gifts one by one, and pushed them in front of Xie Anzhi: "Take them."

"What?"

"Keep these things safe for me."

Xie Anzhi was taken aback.

"You think you can bribe me with money?" he sneered. "I, Xie Anzhi, may not be wealthy, but I disdain associating with such people! If I live, I will certainly report this!"

"It wasn't bribery."

Tang Shun said calmly, "I'm telling you to shut up, talk less, observe more, and learn more."

He stared into Xie Anzhi's eyes. "I ask you, among the scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, who are of low social status, why is it that the county magistrate sits at the same table drinking with a local wealthy merchant, exchanging glances with him, without any awkwardness?"

Xie Anzhi was stunned.

"Because they have long been united as one, the officials of Wenchi County are rotten to the core."

Tang Shun answered to himself, "So, if we force them, it will only make them band together to fight back."

Xie Anzhi's breathing was still rapid, but he had clearly taken it to heart.

"If you don't believe me now, that's fine." Tang Shun turned his back and walked to the window, "but before that, don't do anything and don't say anything."

"Wait until you see the results, then come and ask me why."

The night breeze blew into the room, rustling the papers on the table.

In the distance, the lanterns of Chunfeng Tower were still lit, and figures moved about, seemingly still celebrating today's great victory.

Xie Anzhi stood there, holding the box of silver in his hands, his palms burning hot, but his heart was ice-cold.

He wanted to refute, to rebuke, but the words were suppressed by an invisible force.

"Alright!" Xie Anzhi placed the box on the table. "I'll wait and see how you bring down grain prices!"

Having said that, Xie An flicked his sleeves and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute,"

Tang Shun waved his hand, "The charcoal fire in the room is a bit smoky. Go tell the magistrate to replace it with white charcoal."

Xie Anzhi paused, clenched his fist, and ultimately remained silent...

at the same time.

Zheng Wenhan and his group saw Tang Shun off and quietly turned into West Street, entering Manager Zhang's residence.

Hot tea had already been prepared in the hall, and the five people sat around it, while servants stood guard outside the door, which was tightly closed.

Manager Wang rubbed his hands together and spoke first, "I've been thinking about it all along, but I still don't understand."

"Tang Shunming was clearly ordered to provide disaster relief, so why did he raise grain prices instead? Isn't this going against the imperial court's will?"

Manager Liu nodded in agreement, "Yes, the refugees can't afford rice to begin with. Now it's two hundred coins a bushel, who can afford it? If he really wanted to achieve political success, he should have lowered the price."

Manager Zhang sneered, unconcerned, "You're all too honest."

"In this world, where are there any officials who truly care about the people? I think he accepts gifts without hesitation; he clearly had his own plans in mind."

"Think about it, he's a newcomer, without any connections or influence. What can he possibly offer to the Crown Prince?"

"There is Cui Yuanlang in Lingwu, who is backed by the Cui family of Hedong, and has a deep foundation."

"As Tang Shunruo and other refugees gathered, the disaster worsened. How could he possibly keep the people alive within three months? He couldn't afford to delay."

Manager Li, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke slowly. "But if the goal is simply to drive people away, why set a price of no less than two hundred coins? Just let the market price soar."

"His insistence on explicitly prohibiting price reductions seems deliberate; I always felt there was something fishy going on..."