Assign trusted experts to gather refugees and vagrants, specifically to rob rural gentry and merchants, and seize their resources to stabilise the refugees…
Emperor Yongxing’s mind buzzed. He felt that the understanding he had cultivated over nearly thirty years was overturned by this secret memorial, and he was swept by a sense of absurdity and unreality.
After reading the memorial, his first thought was: Nonsense!
In Emperor Yongxing’s view, the rural gentry, scholar-official class, and noble families were important components of the court, fundamental to maintaining the dynasty’s rule.
If these groups were made enemies, it would be impossible for the court to implement its policies. History was full of examples of emperors and dynasties overthrown because they had offended these classes.
Emperor Yongxing had read history. His comprehension of politics could be summed up in two phrases:
Constant compromise; win over one group to suppress another!
To win over a group and suppress another, in court, meant winning the support of more factions and cliques.
In ruling the nation, those to be won over were the great families, rural gentry, nobles, and scholar-officials. Those suppressed were the countless common people throughout the land.
Yet a single line in Xu Erlang’s secret memorial shocked Emperor Yongxing to the core.
“Those who hold the land are allies in prosperous times, but pawns to be abandoned in times of chaos.”
Around this statement, Xu Erlang expounded at length. Compared to the innumerable refugees, those who controlled the land and wealth of the dynasty were just a tiny minority.
In times of chaos, sacrificing this small group would win the support of the vast populace, allowing royal power to stand firm and unshaken.
When the old class was destroyed, a new group would naturally rise to replace them.
Emperor Yongxing felt this was essentially still about winning over one group to suppress another.
It aligned with his own political philosophy.
The crucial point was, this was not done by the court, but by refugee bandits, and had nothing to do with the imperial family or the court.
“Xu Xinnian is truly talented and should be greatly valued!”
Emperor Yongxing sighed in admiration.
He read the secret memorial repeatedly, at times excited, at times anxious, sometimes gritting his teeth, sometimes shaking his head, hesitating and struggling for a long, long while.
Phew… At last, he let out a long breath, having come to a decision.
“Bring the brazier!”
Emperor Yongxing commanded.
Zhao Xuanzhen immediately brought over the brazier.
Emperor Yongxing threw the memorial into the brazier. Flames leapt up, licking at the paper, burning this document which, if leaked, would surely cause a shock throughout the court.
He did not intend to adopt this strategy.
More precisely, he would not adopt the third strategy.
The reason was simple: the risk was too great.
If word of this got out, his throne would not be safe.
He was not his father, whose deep foundations meant he could firmly suppress opposition in court. He had been on the throne for less than two months and was a new ruler.
No, even his father, with all his accumulated authority, would not have dared to do this.
To assign trusted followers to carry out this plan would be tantamount to handing over incriminating evidence against himself.
Evidence that could destroy him utterly at any moment.
Not to mention his trusted officials, even his own birth mother or sister, Emperor Yongxing would not dare entrust them with such damning evidence.
Who could guarantee absolute loyalty forever?
…
Inside the Stupa tower.
Already arrived at Yuuzhou, and now preparing to take the Stupa tower towards the Southern Marches, Xu Qi’an suddenly felt a familiar lurch in his heart. He turned to Miao Youfang and said:
“Come and play for me for a while.”
He was sitting at a small table, playing Go against Mu Nanzhi. The black and white stones were locked in fierce battle, constantly shifting, with neither able to gain the upper hand.
The senior monk, the Pagoda spirit, was dumbfounded. He never imagined these two would be such extraordinary players.
Miao Youfang stopped practising his punches. While wiping his face with the towel hanging round his neck, he muttered awkwardly:
“I don’t know how to play!”
Xu Qi’an insisted:
“Nanzhi will teach you. Playing Go isn’t difficult, you just need faith in your own intelligence.”
Miao Youfang trotted over, sat in Xu Qi’an’s place, and glanced at the crowded board, starting in surprise.
The stones almost covered the entire board, and they still had not decided the winner.
One could imagine Xu Qi’an and his lady’s skill at Go.
Mu Nanzhi glanced at him and said:
“You’re Black, I’m White.”
Miao Youfang scratched his head. “I don’t know how to play.”
“It’s very simple. If you can form a line of five stones, you win,” said Mu Nanzhi.
“What game is this?”
“This is Go,” Mu Nanzhi replied, solemn as ever.
Meanwhile, Xu Qi’an walked to the window and took out an Earth Book fragment, seeing Huaiqing’s message:
【ONE: Emperor Yongxing did not adopt Xu Erlang’s plan. Today, he sent someone to pass on a message to him: ‘My Lord, your strategy is excellent, but we feel there is no need for this. Let us drop the matter, do not mention it again!’】
Emperor Yongxing lacks resolve… Xu Qi’an shook his head in disappointment.
【TWO: What? After all our hard work coming up with a brilliant strategy for him, he won’t use it? Tch, Emperor Yongxing is just like his father, both useless emperors.】
The fiery young lady was furious.
【FOUR: Actually, his choice is understandable. Not everyone has that kind of resolve. Put yourself in his shoes and you’ll understand his difficulty. As a new ruler, of course he wants stability.
【Adopting Erlang’s strategy has too many uncertainties, and too great a risk, and it might not even solve the refugee crisis. If it is exposed, he would face backlash from the entire scholar-official class.】
【SEVEN: His choice doesn’t stop us from acting on our own. It’s just that the impact will be greatly reduced, since the Heaven and Earth Society has limited manpower.】
The Holy Son offered his opinion.
Oh? Little brother, you’re remarkably active now, have you forgotten how you embarrassed yourself just a while back? Xu Qi’an smirked.
【TWO: Xu Qi’an, do you have any other strategies to deal with the refugees?】
Li Miaozhen actually wanted to ask Huaiqing, but since she wasn’t familiar with Huaiqing, she could only use Xu Qi’an as her errand boy.
Is there any other way?
The previous strategy was to intensify class conflict, sacrifice a small part to preserve the overall situation and imperial power. If there were another solution, it would have to be to divert conflict, and war with foreign enemies was the best method, but…
Using foreign war to divert internal problems only worked if social tensions had not completely exploded.
Given the current situation in the Great Feng, to provoke others and start a national war now, was that not courting destruction even faster?
If that really worked, the Chongzhen Emperor would have been breathless with laughter… he couldn’t help but ridicule the idea inwardly.
【THREE: Actually, there is. The court could conscript soldiers and use refugees as cannon fodder against the rebels in Yunzhou. Of course, Yunzhou would surely resort to the same tactic.】
This was also a way to divert conflicts.
The Heaven and Earth Society members remained silent.
At that time, the words “devastation and suffering” could perfectly summarise the tragedy.
【THREE: For now, let’s focus on the matter at hand. Aside from Miaozhen, Brother Chu, and Li Lingsu, I can provide another person on my end to gather the refugees and become a local warlord.】
While sending the message, Xu Qi’an turned his head to look at Miao Youfang, who was sitting in front of the chessboard.
【SEVEN: Miao Youfang, right.】
Li Lingsu hit the nail on the head.
【THREE: Yes. He’s still a bit short of the mark right now, but he should be able to reach Transforming Force within a month at most. By the way, I’ve found a trick to quickly advance to Transforming Force. That is, after Refining Spirit, one should persevere in tempering the primordial spirit and developing the brain.】
【ONE: What do you mean?】
Huaiqing immediately sent a message. She seemed very interested in this trick.
As for the others, only Chu Yuanzhen showed a little interest. The Crouching Dragon and Young Phoenix of the Heaven Sect were Daoist cultivators, and Master Hengyuan had reached fourth rank long ago.
Lina, as usual, was lurking, because she never understood the matters the other Heaven and Earth Society members discussed, and easily got headaches over them.
【THREE: Tempering the primordial spirit can develop the brain, and by further tempering the flesh, one can enhance control over the body, thus making it easier to reach fourth rank. I have already experimented with this secret on Miao Youfang.】
【FOUR: Why is that?】
Chu Yuanzhen was considered half a martial artist.
【THREE: Because the body is controlled by the primordial spirit. The stronger the primordial spirit, the greater one’s control over the body.】
He replaced “brain” with “primordial spirit” to facilitate the Heaven and Earth Society members’ understanding.
In truth, the primordial spirit and the brain were not the same, the brain was the carrier of the primordial spirit. As the primordial spirit grew stronger, the brain would be further developed. Those with a powerful primordial spirit generally had strong control over their bodies.
【TWO: I see. This reminds me that after cultivating a nascent soul, one becomes as light as a swallow, and their physical skills would also improve. So, ultimately, it was the control over the flesh that increased.】
Li Miaozhen suddenly understood. Often, as one’s rank increased, various aspects of the body improved as well, which everyone took for granted and seldom examined closely.
After all, not everyone enjoyed scholarly pursuits.
【ONE: Xu Ningyan, you are truly a genius.】
The internal Heaven and Earth Society meeting concluded.
Xu Qi’an put away the Earth Book fragment and returned to the Go board. Miao Youfang looked excited, making moves swiftly.
Miao Youfang and Mu Nanzhi were playing black and white, locked in a fierce and even battle. The elder monk spirit of the tower was dumbfounded, amazed at their extraordinary and refined chess skills.
“So this is Go! Hah, it’s not hard at all. I thought playing Go was something only scholars could do, a game requiring profound knowledge.”
Miao Youfang looked as though he had glimpsed the essence of the world:
“Nothing special!”
Upon hearing this, Xu Qi’an glanced at the princess consort, who was gleefully deceiving her disciple.
This disciple of mine was never that clever, yet you insist on leading him further astray… he thought with a silent complaint.
…
Imperial Palace, Dexin Courtyard.
Huaiqing held a scroll in her hand, standing by the window and looking out at the courtyard scenery.
By persevering in tempering the primordial spirit, one can advance to Transforming Force more quickly…
She mulled over this information.
Indeed, aside from the endless visualisation at the peak of the Refining Qi stage, once successfully advancing to Refining Spirit, a martial artist would reduce the intensity of visualisation practice.
Most of the time would then be spent on refining qi and soaking in medicinal baths, laying the groundwork for advancing to Bronze Skin and Iron Bones.
Upon reaching the Bronze Skin and Iron Bones stage, one would begin tempering the body and comprehending Transforming Force.
Each rank had its own focus, and everyone agreed on this point.
Huaiqing herself, after advancing to Bronze Skin and Iron Bones, only practised visualisation every few days, neglecting the tempering of the primordial spirit.
Yes, she had already reached Bronze Skin and Iron Bones.
That day in the side chamber outside the imperial study, she was able to handle boiling tea water, which was the best proof.
That had also been Huaiqing’s greatest oversight, she had unintentionally revealed her level of cultivation.
Huaiqing returned to her desk, tore off a slip of paper, and wrote a series of names on it.
The first name:
Chen Ying!
She dried the ink, folded up the note, and left the study.
“Prepare the carriage. We must return to our manor.”
After instructing her maid, she proceeded to the outer courtyard and summoned the head of the guards, saying:
“Have everyone on the list come to the manor to see us.”
She handed over the note.
…
Yunzhou!
Inside the prison at the Provincial Commander’s Constabulary, the air was damp and tinged with the faint odour of rot.
Xie Lu looked up at the shaft of sunlight streaming in through the wall vent, staring blankly.
He had been imprisoned for half a year.
As the newly appointed Administrator of Yunzhou, a dignified third-rank official, the court had completely ignored his plight.
In half a year, he had gone from a high-spirited scholar to a scruffy, dirty prisoner.
The dungeon was damp and cold. His hands and feet were covered in frostbite. He stank from not bathing for a long time, and his skin was beginning to break down.
Xie Lu had originally been the prefect of Zhangzhou, overseeing the Great Feng’s granaries and making notable contributions, earning a fine reputation among both the people and officials.
After the previous Yunzhou Administrator, Song Changfu, was executed, Xie Lu took office and travelled to Yunzhou to assume the post.
He had anticipated Yunzhou to be a complete mess and was prepared for a war of attrition.
To his surprise, after taking office, everything went smoothly. He faced no difficulty from clique-forming subordinates, nor was he suppressed by Yang Chuanan, the Commander.
Unexpectedly, he developed a high opinion of Yang Chuanan, this loyal Commander.
Three months passed thus. One day, Yang Chuanan invited him to a banquet. During the feast, the Commander fiercely denounced the corruption of the court, the prevalence of crooked and greedy officials, and the suffering of the people.
He told Xie Lu of the existence of an imperial bloodline from five hundred years ago and sincerely invited him to join Qianlong City to overthrow the corrupt royal house, right the chaos, and restore orthodox rule to the Great Feng.
Xie Lu pretended to agree, but as soon as he returned home, he wrote a secret letter to the court.
However, he had already been under surveillance. The letter never reached its destination, and he was thrown into prison.
Armour clattered in the gloom of the corridor. A tall, imposing figure stopped outside the bars.
Clad in armour and sabre at his side, exuding might and majesty.
It was none other than Yang Chuanan, Commander of Yunzhou.
Comments for this chapter. You will need a GitHub account. Please follow all terms and conditions of GitHub issues and maintain etiquette in the comments. Cookies are required for this functionality.
If you want to talk with other readers about Nightwatchers (or other cultivation type books) you can join our cultivation groupreading discord server!
I also have a Kofi, which for legal reasons is definitely for supporting my digital art only (promise!): ko-fi.com/yanxin ... plus I guess server space isn't free, and I don't want to put ads/trackers... ever, so thank you if you do!