“That Ling Zhaowu guy is not what he seems, and he’s not as mediocre as he is rumored to be. According to my observation and instincts, Ling Zhaowu is definitely a very savvy businessman,” observed Luo Sang.
That Fangcun official gave it some thought before he said, “Actually this is a good thing for us. The reason why we made the Ling family a partner is because we want to use their power to gain more market share in the Great Wen. It is more beneficial to us for them to be capable than it is for them to be incapable.”
Luo Sang inclined his head. “I agree with you, but there is a downside to it. This person is remarkably poised and never takes action without a watertight plan, which makes it very difficult for us to worm any other information out of him.”
The Fangcun official replied, “I’ll make some arrangements in this regard. We just want an extra source of information about the imperial court of the Great Wen. It’s not like we’re plotting against them or something. If Ling Zhaowu is not our guy, we can try someone else. Just focus on your cooperation with Ling Zhaowu. Given that it has just started, even if he is to disclose something to you, he wouldn’t do it right away.”
“I understand,” said Luo Sang.
…
The next day, Ji Yanlai entered the palace.
Ji Yanlai had been attracting people’s attention ever since he’d arrived in the capital city and moved into the Ling Mansion, and people had never stopped speculating about his identity.
On this day, when he went to the imperial palace, Ling Zhang was accompanying him, and so was Ji Yin.
Ji Yanlai and Ji Yin were both clothed in priest’s robes of the Millennium Pavilion, which were solemn and sumptuous, especially the ones Ji Yanlai was wearing. The dignified and unapproachable air about him was unmistakably telling people that he was no common person.
But no outsiders present could guess his identity.
Ling Zhang could sense the various kinds of searching gaze from other people’s eyes, which were appraising them boldly or surreptitiously. Apart from who Ji Yanlai was, these people were also conjecturing about his relations with Ji Yanlai and Ji Yin.
For a time many people had guessed that Ling Zhang’s mother’s family had a Jianghu background, that Ji Yin and Ji Yanlai were from some Jianghu sect. However, as they saw Ji Yanlai’s and Ji Yin’s attire and demeanor, they became rather uncertain about that speculation.
Nobody present would be able to link the two of them with the Foreseers Agency of the dynasty before last.
Ling Zhang, who had been observing them all along, had seen the mien of most people.
Ji Yanlai and Ji Yin hadn’t even glanced at anybody out of the corners of their eyes, acting quite arrogantly.
Ling Zhang inwardly let out a sigh, thinking that fortunately Ji Yanlai had no interest in making trouble for anybody. Otherwise he really didn’t know what kind of chaos Ji Yanlai would throw this country into, given his abilities, because this person really had powers he could be proud of.
On this day Ji Yanlai had come to the palace for an imperial edict. He was officially seeking an audience with Yuwen Tong as the Clan Leader of the Millennium Pavilion. He wanted an imperial edict from Yuwen Tong, one that would allow people of the Millennium Pavilion to move to a particular island on the sea. Naturally, no information about the Millennium Pavilion would be disclosed.
When Ji Yanlai took the imperial edict, some high-ranking courtiers vaguely guessed something, but most people were quite confused as to why the emperor had given Ji Yanlai a deserted island. That island seemed to be useless on the surface, but seen from a different perspective, it still had some value. More importantly, these people only knew that Ji Yanlai and Ji Yin were Ling Zhang’s maternal relatives, and they didn’t even know the name of either of them.
This matter struck them as so mysterious.
…
After piquing a lot of people’s curiosity in the palace, Ji Yanlai and Ji Yin returned to the Ling Mansion and lay low, keeping all the prying eyes out of the front gates of the residence. Those who were bent on nosing out their identities were bound to be disappointed.
That very night, after Yuwen Tong slunk into Ling Zhang’s chambers, the latter told him that a lot of scouts had been making inquiries outside the Ling Mansion during the day.
Yuwen Tong asked, “Did any of them bother your family?”
Helping him take off his overgarment, Ling Zhang replied, “No. This residence is heavily guarded, and because of that concealment formation deployed by my maternal grandfather, nobody would be able to get close without a guide.”
Yuwen Tong smiled, “Naturally, Mr. Ji’s concealment formation is unbreakable.”
Ling Zhang flicked him a glance. “You seem in a pretty good mood. Something good happened?”
Yuwen Tong, while letting Ling Zhang help him take off the heavy robes, kissed him and responded, “It’s true what they say, ‘Lovers’ hearts are closely linked.’”
Walking to the side with Yuwen Tong’s overgarment, Ling Zhang said, “You’ve got it written on your face. I’d have to be blind not to notice.”
Smiling, Yuwen Tong sighed, “It’s about Cangzhou.”
On hearing that it was about Cangzhou, Ling Zhang hastened to put Yuwen Tong’s overgarment down on the side. “How are things going in Cangzhou?”
“The matter of the rebel army has basically been settled. All those who should return home have returned home. The General Zhongwu (AKA the General of Loyalty and Valor) has taken the leader of the rebel army into custody. When he leads his men back here, the leader will be escorted back as well. The matter of the rebel leader is easy to deal with. The tricky part is the placement of the rebels. Their returning home means that the situation in Cangzhou has stabilized. Right now the first priority is to help the people rehabilitate their homeland and restore their lives. In addition, currently the General Zhongwu is still burdened with all the affairs in Cangzhou. I need to have all the vacancies in Cangzhou yamen and other departments filled before he returns to this city. I’ve found a suitable candidate for the position of Cangzhou governor. I’ll have him depart for Cangzhou in a couple of days,” replied Yuwen Tong.
Ling Zhang was greatly relieved to learn that the overall situation in Cangzhou had stabilized.
“Who are you appointing as the Cangzhou governor?” Ling Zhang inquired of him. That city was a total mess, and it’d take someone with both required competences and a lot of guts to handle it. Cangzhou couldn’t afford to undergo another uprising.
Yuwen Tong answered, “Xu Lingyun.”
“Him?” Ling Zhang was amazed. “Xu Lingyun is the Shengzhou governor. Shengzhou is a very important prefecture. Is it really okay to transfer him?”
“The Wan Kingdom wouldn’t be able to wage another war against us in the next five years or so. With Jiang Ke and Jiang Xi defending the borders, there wouldn’t be any serious problems in Shengzhou. The main job there is to restore the economy hit by the war. I’ll appoint someone competent in Xu Lingyun’s stead and the problem will be solved,” Yuwen Tong said.
At these words of Yuwen Tong’s, Ling Zhang came to know that he had made up his mind. Though Xu Lingyun was young, it was obvious he was quite able and full of dash, given that Shengzhou people had been living in peace under his watch for so many years, and that Yuwen Tong trusted him so much. Ling Zhang believed that Yuwen Tong was doing the right thing by making Xu Lingyun the Cangzhou governor, and he also had faith in Xu Lingyun’s abilities.
“What about Xiao Ziyan? Aren’t they a married couple? If you transfer Xu Lingyun to Cangzhou, Xiao Ziyan, as the deputy commander of Shengzhou garrison, would be left alone in Shengzhou, wouldn’t he? They’re okay with that?”
Yuwen Tong said, “Xiao Ziyan will be transferred there with him. The Cangzhou garrison also needs a commander capable of keeping the overall situation under control. Xiao Ziyan has what it takes to do that. One of them is a civil official, and the other a military officer, and they’re a married couple and make a good team too, which is exactly what Cangzhou needs. They won’t even have to spend any time to adjust themselves to each other’s style of handling things. As a result, I only gave them one job: stabilize the overall situation in Cangzhou as soon as possible and keep a weather eye on Jiangzhou.”
Since Xiao Ziyan was going with Xu Lingyun, the two of them wouldn’t be separated. Ling Zhang was somewhat worried about them. Although the only time that he’d had dealings with them had been when he’d met them outside the consultation hall on that day, Ling Zhang cared about the two of them out of his appreciation of and admiration for talents as well as the similarity between their gay marriage and his relations with Yuwen Tong.
“If you have the two of them depart for Cangzhou in just a couple of days, won’t officials of Shengzhou be flustered?”
“That won’t happen. Someone will keep the situation in Shengzhou under control,” replied Yuwen Tong.
“Who?” Ling Zhang was very curious.
“Shang Fei, the assistant governor of Shengzhou. He’s Xu Lingyun’s junior fellow apprentice and is quite able as well. Also, things in the Shengzhou garrison are going pretty well. There’ll only be some handovers of political and military power at the most. He’ll get it done over time,” said Yuwen Tong.
This was Ling Zhang’s first time hearing about this person, and he didn’t know much about him, but since Yuwen Tong had said that this person was reliable, Ling Zhang didn’t make any remarks and just decided that after the wedding ceremony, he needed to set out to acquaint himself with the background of the officials in various prefectures.
“When do you plan to settle the matter of Jiangzhou? It’s not good for us to keep delaying it.” Ling Zhang asked about the matter of Jiangzhou after finishing talking about the transfer of Xu Lingyun and Xiao Ziyan.
“I’m on it already. The Jiangzhou garrison have sealed all city gates. They intend to stage a revolt as the Cangzhou rebel army did, but the Jiangzhou garrison is not united. There are checks and balances inside it. Right now I just need some time to send someone to break the balance of power, so that it’ll be easier to clean up the mess afterward,” said Yuwen Tong.
Ling Zhang gave a nod.
Yuwen Tong hesitated for a brief moment before he asked, “You’re not going to ask me who I’m appointing in Xu Lingyun’s stead as the Shengzhou governor?”
Ling Zhang’s gut reaction was to ask the question that Yuwen Tong mentioned, but when he had done it, it struck him that something was not right. Yuwen Tong had specially brought this matter up with the air of someone putting out feelers, which unmistakably suggested that this person was someone he knew and was well acquainted with, and maybe it was even someone he didn’t like see go to Shengzhou.
Ling Zhang gave Yuwen Tong a dirty look and asked, “Why are you specially asking about this? Is that person you’re transferring to Shengzhou someone I know, by any chance?”
He had a shrewd idea who that person was, but he didn’t say anything to confirm it immediately.
Yuwen Tong said, “I do have the intention, but I’m giving you the final say on this one.”
Ling Zhang furrowed his brows. “My uncle?”
Yuwen Tong replied with an inclination of the head. “Your uncle’s pretty competent in his work. Previously, after Zhang Chong’s rebellion was put down, Tanyang was an utter mess as well. Given that your uncle quickly stabilized the situation and restored order to the city, I think he wouldn’t have many problems handling the matter of Shengzhou. Also, it’ll be a chance to improve his abilities.”
Ling Zhang made no prompt reply. He felt an immediate urge to object. After all, Shengzhou was a border city, and it was very far away, but fortunately his senses got the better of him, and he managed to subdue the urge and started to consider the practicality of his uncle going to Shengzhou.
“My uncle didn’t handle the situation in Tanyang unassisted. Lord Tao was also there.”
“That’s true, but it doesn’t change the fact that your uncle is a capable assistant governor.”
“Shengzhou is a border city. My uncle has little acquaintance with the borderlands. Besides, my aunt is not in a fit state to journey, what with her pregnancy.”
“I believe your uncle will make a competent Shengzhou governor, as long as he keeps his mind on the job. Your aunt may stay in the capital city waiting for the baby to come. I know what you’re worried about. Why don’t you go and have a talk with your uncle about it first?” said Yuwen Tong.
Ling Zhang tossed him a glance. “It’s not our decision to make. This matter does concern me a little, but you’re the emperor. It’s your call.”
