Chapter 85: Last Words

“There will be an uproar outside for a while.” Liu Qing suddenly relaxed, and a weathered look came over his dark, gaunt face. “There are men at court who say that Chen Prefecture lies beyond the pale of civilization. They would gladly cast it off altogether.”

Lu Qiang smiled; the scar on his face twitched. “Beyond the pale? With so many common folk in Chen Prefecture, are they all barbarians then? They simply begrudge the little grain and silver allotted here each year, that is all.

“This old man has heard that, to satisfy the appetite of a favored consort, His Majesty ordered relay stations to send fruit from the south to Chang’an by fast horse.

“How many horses are ruined in a single run? We cannot bear to use them so, yet in Chang’an they squander them wantonly.”

Liu Qing gave a cold laugh. “Some time ago I submitted a memorial, earnestly requesting that the court increase the funds and grain.”

“My lord, it is useless.” Lu Qiang shook his head.

“In that memorial,” Liu Qing said, “I wrote that if the allocation remained unchanged, I would resign my office.”

Lu Qiang’s heart tightened. “My lord, such coercion is a grave taboo.”

Liu Qing’s eyes blazed. He slapped the table. “If I’m not doing this post anymore, what taboo is left to fear? At worst I’ll go home and till the fields!”

Lu Qiang laughed. “My lord, be calm. Besides, could you truly bear to leave Chen Prefecture?”

Liu Qing’s hand froze in midair above the table. After a long while he cursed, “How could I not bear it?”

Lu Qiang merely smiled.

“My lord.”

A petty clerk entered.

Liu Qing said irritably, “Even a show of authority must have limits. Young men care about saving face. If you shame him too badly and he turns back, what then? Shall I send the lot of you to govern Taiping County instead?”

Seeing the clerk’s odd expression, Lu Qiang raised a hand. “Wait. Let him speak.”

The clerk cupped his hands. “Earlier, someone went to make sport of the new magistrate and said he should come receive a slap. The magistrate then had his attendant give him one.”

“And then?” Liu Qing lifted his cup to his lips.

“With one slap, he was knocked unconscious.”

Liu Qing and Lu Qiang stared at each other.

“My lord, the new magistrate of Taiping County, Yang Xuan, requests an audience.”

Liu Qing straightened. “Let him in.”

Yang Xuan entered and saw a dark, thin official seated at the center, with another official to the side whose face bore a knife scar. He saluted. “I pay my respects, my lord.”

Liu Qing grunted and pointed at Lu Qiang. “This is Lu Qiang, the Deputy Administrator.”

Yang Xuan glanced at him. “My respects, Deputy Administrator.”

Officials of the Great Tang had to pass the scrutiny of appointment; anyone too unsightly could never get through. From afar this deputy looked rather refined, but up close the scar made him seem suddenly fierce.

Lu Qiang nodded. “Chen Prefecture is vast, and Taiping County is no small place either. But Taiping stands at the very front line of Chen Prefecture. The tribes there are savage and cunning. Are you prepared?”

Yang Xuan nodded. “I am.”

On the road here they had gathered no little information about Taiping County; naturally, he had made his preparations in mind.

Lu Qiang smiled in approval.

Liu Qing tapped the table. When Yang Xuan looked over, he said, “I have nothing better to give you here. Men!”

Someone entered from outside. Liu Qing pointed at Yang Xuan. “Give Magistrate Yang a thousand catties of dried meat.”

“Yes.”

Liu Qing rose. “I am busy, and you too should busy yourself. These thousand catties of dried meat are my gift to send you to your post.”

Yang Xuan withdrew, and Lu Qiang followed him out.

“I had not meant to frighten you,” Lu Qiang said softly. “But there are things you ought to know. Those tribes are no simple matter. Taiping County has been breached by them seven times.”

Yang Xuan asked, “How long ago was the most recent time?”

Lu Qiang touched the scar on his face. “Five years ago.”

...

Once they had left Lin’an, seat of the prefectural offices, the party fell rather silent after learning the truth of things. Only Wang the Second was delighted beyond measure, riding circles around the several carts loaded with dried meat.

“Master, there are people.”

Old Thief pointed to the left front. Two riders had just reined in, shading their brows with their hands as they watched them.

Yang Xuan turned and looked over his people.

Cao Ying wore the expression of a gentleman, though he was likely pondering how best to kill those two riders.

Old Thief looked eager.

A gauze veil hung from Yi Niang’s hat as she mercilessly swatted Wang the Second, who kept trying to sneak some dried meat.

Other lords had strategists thick as clouds and fierce generals pouring down like rain. At Yang Xuan’s side there were only a handful of stray cats and dogs; he could not even call out a proper champion.

“I’ll go have a look.”

He spurred his horse forward.

“Old Thief, if you don’t go at a moment like this, what are you waiting for?” Cao Ying said coldly.

Old Thief gave a wry smile. “Our lord is faster than I am.”

Cao Ying looked at Yi Niang. “Forget it.”

He rode after Yang Xuan, but Yang Xuan waved him back.

“Go back!”

Cao Ying reined in and watched as Yang Xuan, dressed in official robes, rode on alone.

The two riders were first startled. Then, seeing him approach by himself, they both laughed.

When he came closer, Yang Xuan beckoned arrogantly. “Are you local peasants? Come here and help pull my carts.”

The two men looked at each other, then burst out laughing.

“This magistrate’s barely weaned, is he?”

“Take him.”

They spurred their horses and charged.

Steel rang as sabers came free of their sheaths.

Yang Xuan looked startled, then turned his horse as if to flee.

“Trying to run?” one rider sneered.

But on horseback Yang Xuan suddenly twisted around.

A bow had appeared in his hands at some unknown moment.

The string thrummed, and a man fell from the saddle.

One rider hit the ground; his companion, seized with panic, jerked his horse to a halt.

Yang Xuan had already wheeled and charged back.

His bow was drawn again.

The arrow flew.

Yang Xuan reined in and beckoned over his shoulder.

“Second!”

The two bandits were dragged before him.

One had taken an arrow in the chest and was already all but dead.

The other had lived only because the arrow struck his horse; he had been taken alive.

“Question him.”

Yang Xuan slapped Wang the Second, who had crowded close in hopes of praise.

Cao Ying lifted his eyes and asked Old Thief, “Will you do it, or shall I?”

“You are too ruthless. I fear the man would die before a word came out.” Old Thief sighed. “It’s been many years since I laid hands on anyone.”

He went to stand before the captive and gently stroked the top of his head with deep feeling. “What a fine skull.”

Knowing Old Thief’s former trade, even Yang Xuan felt his scalp go numb.

The prisoner, unyielding, opened his mouth at Old Thief and spat.

Old Thief dodged aside and drew a short knife.

“How many bones a man has, which parts to avoid—if I claim second place in such knowledge, no one alive would dare claim first.” He pinched the prisoner’s calf with care and praised it. “Strong lower leg. That makes the cut steadier.”

The prisoner only sneered.

Old Thief lowered the knife.

A scream tore out.

Yang Xuan stepped in front of Yi Niang.

Another scream.

Old Thief lifted a bloody piece of flesh before the prisoner’s eyes and sighed. “Prime leg meat. Who does not fancy it?”

“I’ll talk—”

Old Thief said earnestly, “My hands are a bit rusty. Bear with me a little longer, would you?”

The prisoner desperately tried to shrink backward and shouted in terror, “I’ll tell you everything!”

Then came the questioning.

“We are horse bandits. Someone paid us to inquire about the new county magistrate.”

“Who?” Old Thief wiped the short knife on the man’s clothes.

“The Washe Tribe.”

Cao Ying explained, “The Washe Tribe faces Taiping County directly. Their strength is not weak.”

Yang Xuan narrowed his eyes toward the road ahead. “So they come with ill intent.”

Old Thief came to ask for instructions. “Master, what is to be done with this man?”

At once every eye turned to Yang Xuan.

They had come from every corner under heaven and gathered at Yang Xuan’s side for one common end.

Now it was time for this lord of theirs to take the helm.

What should be done?

Yang Xuan spurred his horse ahead.

“Hang him from a tree.”

“No!”

The prisoner roared and wept, begging for mercy.

Old Thief went to deal with the captive while the others followed behind Yang Xuan.

Seeing the grave look on Cao Ying’s face, Yi Niang asked, “Well?”

“Yi Niang, I am greatly pleased.” Cao Ying nodded. “Our lord is decisive in killing.”

No further trouble came on the road. On the fourth day, when they saw a stretch of farmland, Yang Xuan dismounted.

In the fields after the autumn harvest a few farmers were at work. Hearing hoofbeats, they all lifted their heads.

“Officials!”

An old farmer leaned on his hoe and squinted for a long while. “That should be the new magistrate.”

The others gathered over. Someone said, “So young. Hm? He’s even brought a woman.”

The old farmer shook his head and sighed. “This is the kind of young fool who does not know the height of heaven or the depth of earth. He’ll last only a few days here before claiming illness and rolling away.” He spat into his palm, rubbed it on the hoe handle, and said, “Whoever comes, we still have to farm. Back to work!”

The farmers dispersed and did not spare Yang Xuan another glance.

The relationship between officials and commoners was abysmal.

That was the first conclusion Yang Xuan drew.

Peace City was not large.

A rammed-earth city stood abruptly upon the grassland.

To the right of the city rose a mountain called Second Sister Mountain.

Two hundred paces behind the city flowed a river called the Yao River.

On the wall, several soldiers looked up and caught sight of Yang Xuan’s party. One shouted, “Those below, look here!”

Below was lively indeed.

Several hundred people had formed a great ring, and in the middle two men faced one another.

The man on the left was called Diao She, big and powerfully built, with a wild, unruly air.

The man on the right was called Zhao Youcai, somewhat leaner, but with the look of a man sure of victory.

“I’m betting on Diao She!”

“Zhao Youcai’s got brains. I’m putting money on him!”

After the wagers were laid, Diao She shouted, “Ready yet?”

The bookmaker cried, “All set!”

With a bang, the two crashed together.

Then came a flurry of punches and kicks.

Diao She was large and strong, but Zhao Youcai was nimble and adopted a roving strategy.

“He’s wearing down the other man’s strength. Interesting.”

At the outer ring, Yang Xuan watched the spectacle from horseback.

The crowd shouted and howled.

In the end, Zhao Youcai found an opening and struck Diao She a blow, taking the victory.

Some cheered, some cursed.

One man turned back smugly, then froze.

His companion beside him nudged him. “What are you staring at?”

The companion slowly turned and also went blank.

People throughout the scene turned their heads one after another.

At once the city fell silent in a way that was almost frightening.

Yang Xuan rode into the city.

“The new magistrate has arrived!”

Only then did a burst of shouting erupt behind him.

Yang Xuan would have sworn he heard mockery in it.

At the county office, two clerks were carrying an official out between them. The man was half-dead, yet he cupped his hands weakly. “This subordinate is County Deputy Liu Shun. I have awaited Your Honor for a long time.”

After the handover was completed, Liu Shun said between breaths, “This subordinate takes his leave.”

Yang Xuan nodded.

Liu Shun reached the doorway, stopped, and turned back. He hesitated, but still spoke. “Your Honor... take care.”

Liu Shun left.

Old Thief said, “Why do I feel those words were not quite right? As though they were...”

Yang Xuan sat there and said blandly, “Last words.”

He looked at the others and added, “Last words he gave me free of charge.”