Chapter 100: The Elite, The Emperor’s Tomb

Du Hui waited anxiously for news.

He knelt on the mat, the characters on the document in his hand seeming to blur and drift.

“Prefect.”

Du Hui acknowledged with a hum.

Xie Ru entered and sat down, sighing, “I wonder how Taiping is faring.”

“They say over four hundred bandits launched a sudden attack,” Du Hui’s voice was calm. “There’s no time to send reinforcements.”

Xie Ru hesitated, feeling that Du Hui was being overly cautious about the matter.

Setting the document aside, Du Hui spoke in a tone of recollection, “When I first entered office, everything went smoothly. Back then, I was upright and unyielding. I even argued with the magistrate on behalf of the people, and when I cursed him once too many times, I was sent to Chenzhou — essentially exiled.”

Xie Ru couldn’t help but feel pity. “What a shame.”

“Yes, a real shame.” Du Hui rubbed his brow, as if his vision cleared. “That magistrate was a powerful man. No amount of reason could sway him.”

Xie Ru said, “Prefect, many times, power is the only kind of reason that counts.”

“If only I had understood that back then,” Du Hui scoffed. “In Chenzhou, I have worked diligently all these years, but Chang’an still turns a blind eye. Mediocre men rise through connections, while we who work honestly are doomed to obscurity. Damn it all!”

Xie Ru forced a bitter smile. “Isn’t that the truth! If the magistrate or the Ministry of Revenue wants to promote someone, they first check names and lineage — whose family they are from — and those are the ones who get the good positions. The rest of us are left behind.”

A cold glint appeared in Du Hui’s eyes, as if mocking the unfairness.

“If Taiping falls, the magistrate will surely prepare to retake it,” Du Hui’s mind sharpened. “The bandits won’t linger after breaching the city; otherwise, the soldiers from the five counties and the prefecture will encircle them like turtles trapped in a jar. Prepare for a counterattack—once news arrives, we must swiftly reclaim Taiping.”

Xie Ru admired the prefect’s prudence. “Understood.”

As he was about to make arrangements, footsteps approached.

Why was there a hint of joy?

A soldier stood outside the door. “Prefect.”

“How is it?” Du Hui lifted his cup, half his face hidden by his sleeve. His eyes were cold as ice.

The soldier beamed. “The bandits at Taiping have been defeated.”

Huh?

Xie Ru was stunned. “Over four hundred bandits, led by Deng Hu in revenge—how could they be so easily crushed?”

Du Hui’s expression hardened. “Explain clearly.”

“We captured a fleeing bandit who said that Prefect Yang led a squad of death-defying troops into battle, arranged in formation, and they used spears to impale many bandits alive. The bandits then collapsed.”

Xie Ru raised his hand, mimicking stabbing with a spear. “Just like that, they won?”

The soldier nodded. “They even say one of the bandit leaders died at Taiping.”

Du Hui smiled. “Good news. The young Prefect Yang has more skill than expected. Excellent!”

The soldier saluted and left. Xie Ru looked up. “Prefect, shall we send congratulations?”

Du Hui nodded. “Send someone.”

Xie Ru went out.

Du Hui picked up his cup but suddenly slammed it on the ground—yet halfway down, he stopped himself.

He took a deep breath, his cheek trembling. “Why is doing the right thing… so difficult? Why is it so hard?!”

…

Outside Taiping City, over eighty bandit corpses were buried.

“Dust to dust, earth to earth.”

The old thief clasped his hands. Cao Ying asked, “Are you performing a ritual?”

“Though I’m in this line of work, thieves have their code; one must respect the dead,” the old thief said wistfully. “Once, I found myself in dire straits…”

“But in a tomb?” As immersion deepened, Wang Lao Er’s curiosity grew.

“No!” The old thief squinted toward the north. “Back then, I ruled the underground. Some said the imperial tombs in Beiliao were the most lavish. They bet I dared not go. I felt there was nowhere in the world I couldn’t enter, so I went boldly.”

Wang Lao Er’s curiosity peaked. “Did you get inside?”

“Of course.” A gleam lit the old thief’s eyes. “The tomb was indeed magnificent. I didn’t want to disturb the corpse, but a pearl was too large; I slipped and smashed the skull.”

“And then?”

“Then…” The old thief looked ahead and suddenly laughed, “I was caught.”

“They didn’t kill you? How kind.” Wang Lao Er marveled at his luck.

“No, they wanted to pulverize me to dust. That escape was unforgettable.” The old thief sighed.

Cao Ying turned back. “Then why were you imprisoned?”

The old thief smiled bitterly. “The guards pursued me relentlessly, even after I returned to the Tang. They kept sneaking in after me…”

Helpless, he said, “I had no choice but to commit a crime intentionally to hide in jail.”

Yang Xuan’s eyelids twitched violently.

“One must be a man of stature, and a tomb robber must rob imperial tombs,” Zhuque summed up.

“Greetings, Prefect!”

“Greetings, Prefect.”

On the way back, many people bowed respectfully.

An old man carried a chunk of horse meat and knelt, tears streaming. “The last time I had meat was four years ago. Thank you, Prefect.”

“Stand up!” Yang Xuan frowned. “No need to kneel!”

The old man was helped up and clasped his hands to Yang Xuan. “I will pray for you every day.” Turning away, he murmured, “There are still good people in this world. After decades of hardship, I have finally seen a good prefect…”

Several women gathered, eyeing Yang Xuan boldly.

“Prefect, I’m fifteen. I serve well.”

“Prefect, I can give good massages.”

“I can cook.”

Yang Xuan cleared his throat. “Go claim your horse meat.”

“Boy, your kidneys aren’t mature yet; don’t let them turn to jerky,” Zhuque teased mercilessly.

They had captured many warhorses today, but also lost some. After butchering, the meat was distributed according to merit.

Every citizen who went out to clean the battlefield received some. Even a child carried on someone’s back or an elderly person helped along got horse meat.

By evening, the city was filled with the scent of horse meat.

Adults busied themselves in the kitchen, children waited anxiously outside.

“Father, is it ready?”

“Mother, I’m hungry!”

Here, eating meat was a rare luxury.

“For these people, the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Justice, and the prefecture all agree that as long as they don’t starve, some dying is acceptable,” Cao Ying said calmly. Those listening were equally calm.

In Chang’an, one might see bright lights and revelry, nobles giving alms to beggars and the poor, tears shed for the unfortunate. But in the northern borderlands, officials barely held on, and commoners struggled to survive…

They once longed for attention from Chang’an, but after repeated disappointments, they no longer looked south.

“Every magistrate despised these convicts, scolding and beating them,” Cao Ying said. “When the lord orders them to redeem themselves by merit, that’s a kindness—how could they not be moved?”

“No, that’s not the point,” Yang Xuan said. “In Chang’an and to every magistrate, they are livestock. But I treat them as humans.”

Cao Ying was shaken.

Yang Xuan entered the prefecture office.

Ahead on the right, Cao Ying saw an armored convict respectfully clasp his hands in greeting.

“Humans?”

Cao Ying silently repeated the word.

“Father!”

He saw the armored convict squat down, and a little girl stumbled forward, running to him. Nearby, a woman smiled warmly.

The convict knelt on one knee. Though his expression was unseen, his gentle movements revealed a tender face.

This was what it meant to be human.

“Have you fought, my lord?” Yi Niang’s first question was warm.

“No.”

“Then hurry to bathe. Those evil spirits… I’ll summon the gods to drive them away.”

Summon gods?

After bathing, the family crouched nearby, watching Yi Niang perform her rites.

“Sit, my lord.”

Yang Xuan sat.

Yi Niang brought out an instrument and lifted her hands.

“Pipa!” Zhuque recognized it. “Little Xuan, if only your surname were Bai.”

The pipa’s notes were fierce as Yi Niang strummed and led the ritual.

“The old thief is full of yin energy; the gods dislike it. Lao Er, you are pure—come forth.”

Old thief: “I haven’t tomb-raided in years.”

Cao Ying coughed. “Poor memory. Retire at home.”

The ancestral tomb of the Chunyu family!

Wang Lao Er stepped forward to offer incense, then bowed.

“One bow.”

“Two bows.”

“Three bows.”

The pipa’s music grew more intense.

Yi Niang mumbled, “My lord kills villains. Gods, please enjoy the incense and speak well of my lord… Now, drive away the evil!”

Clang, clang, clang!

Yang Xuan knelt silently, while Zhuque shouted in his ear, “What evil? Tell her, the more you kill, the less evil dares approach.”

Yi Niang suddenly ordered, “Enough! Old Cao, send off the gods.”

Cao Ying clasped his hands and uttered a prayer of thanks.

Yi Niang praised, “Old Cao speaks with the grace of a gentleman.”

After dinner, Yang Xuan took Wang Lao Er for a stroll to aid digestion.

Every household emitted the scent of meat. A child sat outside holding a bowl covered with a slice of meat. He carefully took a bite, then ate some bread. Half the meat remained. The child turned inside. “Mother, I can’t finish it. You have the rest.”

Yang Xuan observed thoughtfully.

Back inside, he gathered everyone.

“How can we get the people of Taiping to eat meat?”

Yang Xuan posed the question.

“They can’t afford it,” Cao Ying shook his head. “People barely have enough to eat, how can they raise chickens, ducks, or pigs?”

“How about cattle and sheep?” Yang Xuan held up a piece of dried mutton.

Wang Lao Er’s eyes shone. “My lord!”

Cao Ying frowned. “Raising cattle and sheep is good, but… I worry bandits and foreign tribes will raid and steal them.”

“We captured over a hundred horses this time. We can form a cavalry of over a hundred riders,” Yang Xuan said. “Scouts regularly patrol.”

Cao Ying nodded. “Excellent. Or we could wait until spring, raid some small tribes, and gain supplies while establishing our might.”

“No, we go now.” Yang Xuan tossed the dried mutton to Wang Lao Er, who leapt with joy.

“Why?” Yi Niang was puzzled.

Yang Xuan smiled. “In autumn and winter, sheep don’t gain much weight. If we wait until spring, when grass is abundant, it’s unprofitable. Buying sheep now is cheapest.”

“Lord, you even know this?” The old thief was amazed.

“Just some basic knowledge,” Yang Xuan said lightly. “Such matters require cunning and eloquence. Old thief, it’s your task.”