Volume Two: Lord and Grandson Chapter 84: Wei Xun

Page 1 of 3

In the afternoon, messengers arrived once more from Yanqin City, bringing news that the troops from Junzhou outside the city, having heard that Feng Xingxi had been dismissed from office by the court, now expressed their willingness to surrender to the new prefect.

Fifth Uncle, wary of deception, instructed the messengers to return with the message that under no circumstances were the Junzhou soldiers outside the city to be allowed entry. Those willing to surrender should instead proceed to Wudang County and await the arrival of the new prefect.

The following day, messengers from Yanqin City reported that the Junzhou troops had left and gone to Wudang County.

The three commanders defending Yanqin City sent word, assuring that they would not slacken in their vigilance, and asked the military envoy to rest easy.

With Yanqin City temporarily secured, the captives had become a heavy burden for the Jincheng army—they dared neither remove them from Junzhou nor put them to use, always guarding against the possibility of rebellion.

Fifth Uncle was troubled, for the Jincheng army had more pressing matters to attend to.

As he pondered how to resolve these conflicting needs, a group of scouts returned, reporting that three thousand militia from Jinzhou were heading to Yanqin City.

Fifth Uncle was astonished—Jinzhou militia?

After listening to the scouts’ report, he learned that after the Junzhou troops withdrew from the east gate, Wei Fufeng had ordered the gate opened, instructing Amber’s father to lead the three thousand militia waiting on orders out of the city.

It turned out that Wei Fufeng, fearing Jincheng’s small force might suffer losses, had, before Yang Shouliang’s troops could besiege the east gate, dispatched Amber’s father to reinforce the Jincheng army—the Junzhou troops, however, had retreated more swiftly.

Furthermore, the three thousand Jinzhou militia were not fit for major operations; Amber’s father feared the Junzhou troops might double back, so their march was cautious and slow.

Fifth Uncle breathed a long sigh of relief, his heart lightened; though the three thousand militia were not suited for great tasks, they could solve the urgent need—guarding the weaponless captives, they were indeed useful.

Under Commander Tong Shan’s guidance, Amber’s father led two thousand Jinzhou militia from Yanqin City to Yun County, leaving one thousand behind to defend Yanqin.

Commander Tong Shan was ordered to take two hundred Jincheng soldiers and return to Yun County as well.

Fifth Uncle planned to lead the Jincheng army back to Jinzhou, hoping for a chance to raid Yang Shouliang’s supplies, thus he needed his best warriors. Tong Shan, being brave, could inspire the troops’ morale.

With two thousand Jinzhou militia guarding Yun County, Fifth Uncle left a company of elite Jincheng soldiers to assist in defense. He then led two thousand elite Jincheng troops, plus three thousand captives armed with long spears, and departed Yun County.

Matters in Junzhou were entrusted to Amber’s father, who was given full authority.

...

In the city of Xicheng, the Junzhou troops’ withdrawal was accompanied by heavy rain.

Wei Fufeng received urgent news at the west gate, deducing that the Junzhou soldiers had truly retreated. He reflected that he had underestimated their fighting strength and, in haste, ordered the militia waiting in the streets to leave the city.

Wei Fufeng did not know that the force outside the east gate was the allied army of Junfang; he feared Fifth Uncle’s small force would suffer defeat, so he did his utmost to remedy the situation.

The withdrawal of the Junzhou troops was so abrupt that the three thousand Jinzhou militia left the city without Yang Shouliang’s army noticing—they were unaware that the city had lost so much fighting power.

The departure of the three thousand militia made the city feel much emptier; yet with the withdrawal of the Junzhou troops, the pressure on the defenders was eased.

After the Junzhou troops withdrew, Yang Shouliang’s army ceased their assaults and became quiet.

Page 2 of 3

Wei Fufeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Only six thousand soldiers capable of fighting remained in the city; although conscripting laborers as militia was possible, it would likely incite panic, especially as four thousand enemy soldiers were hidden among the city’s laborers.

Many laborers who volunteered to help in the defense were sent in batches to the county office for examination. Locals were recruited into the militia, while outsiders were isolated and closely interrogated, lured by generous rewards.

In this process, a major catch was made: Yang Shouliang’s field commander, Li Ziqi, was identified by soldiers who knew him.

Li Ziqi refused to surrender. Even if he had agreed, Wei Fufeng would not have trusted him. He did not torture Li Ziqi, instead instructing his subordinates to continue identifying enemy officers through ordinary enemy soldiers, gradually detaining them.

The loss of three thousand militia had affected the troops’ morale, so Wei Fufeng had to fill the gap. He selected robust laborers to form a reserve militia, holding daily brief drills, granting half the militia’s pay, but withholding weapons as they continued their regular work.

...

In Chang’an, the news of Yang Shouliang’s attack on Jinzhou was widespread, yet the court remained silent, taking no action, although the officials had argued over the matter.

Prime Minister Du Rangneng believed Yang Shouliang’s unauthorized use of troops could not be tolerated; he advocated issuing an edict to reprimand him, and if he refused to withdraw, dismiss him from office and send troops to punish him, thus upholding the authority of the court.

The new Minister of War, Cui Shaowei, who was also Chancellor, countered that Jinzhou was virtually an autonomous prefecture, and Yang Shouliang’s incursion was a dispute among local powers; if the court intervened militarily, the consequences would outweigh the benefits.

Past experience had shown that the defeat in Hedong was mainly due to officers colluding with the Hedong army, and if the Divine Strategy Army were sent against Yang Shouliang, there might be serious cases of defection on the battlefield.

In the end, Emperor Zhaozong chose to wait and see. The defeat in Hedong had made him cautious, and he was genuinely concerned about the consequences Cui Shaowei had outlined. If not for his worries about the instability of the Divine Strategy Army, he would have already moved against Yang Fuke’s faction.

On the sixteenth day of the siege of Jinzhou, Li Xi, Vice Minister of Personnel, at his son Li Xian’s urging, reluctantly sought an audience with the emperor. With Wei Zhaodu demoted, Li Xi did not wish to cause trouble and only wanted to protect himself by remaining moderate.

Yet his son Li Xian told him that the Wei family of Jinzhou would not seek the office of Junzhou prefect for no reason; what use would there be for a prefect who could not take office? Perhaps Wei Fufeng had transferred forces from southern Sichuan and seized Junzhou.

The siege of Jinzhou seemed to spell impending destruction, but in reality, it might be a risky move by Wei Fufeng.

Li Xi still hesitated, fearing that meddling in sensitive matters would bring more harm than benefit, and that any mistake would lead to impeachment and dismissal.

Li Xian reminded his father that Cui Shaowei, now Chancellor, did not favor him. Even if Li Xi tried to protect himself, he would eventually be pushed out by Cui Shaowei. Helping the Wei family of Jinzhou now was a way to save himself.

Li Xian had his own interests in mind. If his father lost the position of Vice Minister, he could still go to Sichuan as a prefect. But if relations soured with the Wei family, that path would be closed.

Li Xi entered the Yan Ying Hall to see Emperor Zhaozong. Although he was not Chancellor and could not participate in daily government affairs, he could report matters to the emperor, which was not considered overstepping.

Zhaozong had endured difficult days. Though he had decided to wait and see, he knew that this approach also had drawbacks. The dignified prefect of Jinzhou respected the court, and if left unaided, other loyal local powers might become disheartened.

In fact, Zhaozong had another unspeakable reason for his indecision: the Wei family’s hold on Jinzhou and their independent military and administrative power—might this not eventually lead to a threat of usurpation?

Since his ascension, Zhaozong had relied on Chancellors to govern and campaign, but he was wary of any Chancellor wielding unchecked military power.

The Tang dynasty itself had arisen from the noble Li Yuan, who usurped the Sui dynasty, and the Wei family in the capital belonged to the powerful and prestigious nobility.

Thus, Zhaozong’s plan was to delay and observe, letting Yang Shouliang and Jinzhou fight it out. Once Jinzhou fell, he would send troops to punish them, hoping to benefit as the fisherman from the clam and the crane’s struggle.

When Li Xi entered, Zhaozong gently inquired, “What business brings you here?”

Page 3 of 3

“Your Majesty, yesterday I received a messenger from the prefect of Jinzhou, who said that the prefect of Junzhou, Feng Xingxi, had colluded with Yang Shouliang and joined forces to attack Jinzhou. The prefect of Jinzhou requests the dismissal of the Junzhou prefect and the appointment of Wei Xun, Assistant Director of the Ministry of Rites, as Junzhou prefect, in order to strike at the enemy and boost the defenders’ morale,” Li Xi replied respectfully.

“Oh? The prefect of Junzhou has colluded with Yang Shouliang?” Zhaozong asked with a surprised frown.

“Your Majesty, I believe this must not be tolerated, or else more local powers will align themselves with Yang Shouliang. Please dismiss Feng Xingxi and make it clear that allegiance to Yang Shouliang is opposition to the court,” Li Xi followed his son’s advice.

Zhaozong instinctively nodded. He was willing to let Yang Shouliang and Jinzhou battle, but would not condone other powers joining Yang Shouliang. “As you suggest,” he said.

“I accept your command, Your Majesty,” Li Xi replied with relief.

Unexpectedly, Zhaozong asked, “The prefect of Jinzhou actually sent messengers to your household?”

Li Xi’s heart tightened, and he replied respectfully, “Your Majesty, I have always been on good terms with Lord Wei Zhaodu, but I do not know the prefect of Jinzhou. Unless it concerns a major affair of state, I would not interfere.”

Zhaozong knew Wei Zhaodu had gone to Luoyang for his new post, and said gently, “Your loyalty is known to me. Last time, you brought back five thousand troops, which was indeed a merit, but for the sake of other ministers’ feelings, I did not reward you.”

“Your Majesty, I was able to bring back five thousand troops only out of fear of following in Minister Xu’s footsteps; I dare not claim credit,” Li Xi replied softly.

Zhaozong nodded with satisfaction. “Go and attend to your duties,” he said kindly.

Li Xi respectfully took his leave. Watching him depart, Zhaozong thought for a moment, then shook his head and dismissed the idea. He had considered summoning Wei Xun for encouragement, but he was not inclined to employ Wei Zhaodu at present, so he dropped the matter.

...

Having received the imperial command, Li Xi immediately began the necessary procedures—official documents, imperial decree, and ceremonial robes were all prepared and sent to Li Xian. Li Xian then took the decree, robes, and documents to the Ministry of Rites.

Wei Xun, son of Wei Zhaodu, was sitting idly at the Ministry of Rites. He was a man of gentle appearance, with a face like jade, nearing forty, and had always been serious in office. After his father’s demotion, he became even more cautious and silent.

Li Xian’s arrival surprised Wei Xun, who had no idea why Li Xian had come, and could only accept the invitation to leave the office together.

Outside the ministry, Li Xian produced the documents and imperial decree. Wei Xun was startled as he read them, his first thought being that he was being demoted.

“This is your uncle, the prefect of Jinzhou, who requested my father’s intervention. Please leave Chang’an immediately; I will send someone to escort you to a safe place to await further information, then decide your next steps,” Li Xian explained.

“My uncle requested this? So it’s not a demotion?” Wei Xun asked, surprised.

“It’s hard to say if it’s a demotion—although Assistant Director of the Ministry of Rites is a fifth-rank post, it is a quiet one, but the position of Junzhou prefect is a fourth-rank office, which is a promotion. I must address you as Lord Wei,” Li Xian replied.

Wei Xun smiled wryly. “I will prepare and leave at once.”

“You must not delay; if Cui Shaowei learns of this, he will surely oppose your appointment. Go quickly,” Li Xian insisted, dragging Wei Xun away and personally escorting him to a carriage, sending him out of Chang’an to the Fufeng army garrison.

After arriving at the Fufeng army garrison, Fifth Uncle returned with the troops and met his elder brother Wei Xun, greatly delighted. He immediately ordered an escort to take his brother to Junzhou’s Yun County.

Page 3 of 3