Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 487 How can I be with this group of insects...

That night, Fang Chongyong received a secret report from an insider saying that the main force of the government army located in Hedong had been stagnant for a long time and did not leave Jingxing to attack Zhending, Hebei, but instead plundered the land to the north and recaptured Xiurongchuan.

Shi Siming retreated to Yanmen and defended it with all his might, preventing the government troops from advancing, and the battle situation once again became stalemate.

But no matter how the government army recovered the lost territory on the northern front, the main force of the government army could not recover Yanmen, and could not open up the situation in Hebei. One can imagine how anxious Ji Ge was.

"My father-in-law sees it very clearly."

Putting down the secret letter, Fang Zhongyong couldn't help but sigh.

Anyone with a little insight in the army knew that if the Hedong troops rashly entered the heartland of Hebei, they would surely be defeated.

If Fang Chongyong could see it, Wang Zhongsi could naturally see it as well.

He chose to go north to recapture the undefended Xinzhou and drive Shi Siming back to Daizhou, in order to expand the strategic depth of the northern line. After the army left Hebei, his old nest in Taiyuan would not be easily stolen by Shi Siming!

As for Hebei, we should maintain strategic pressure, secretly send scouts to spy on military intelligence, and put Huangfu Weiming in a dilemma.

When the autumn harvest came, many of the Hebei rebels were former soldiers of the Tuanjie Army, not fully dedicated professional soldiers.

When the time comes, will you do farm work on your family's fields? Will you harvest them?
By that time, the Hebei rebels had been camped near Zhending for a long time and would inevitably become increasingly slack.

The soldiers were full of energy at the beginning, but their efforts declined in the second and finally exhausted. During the autumn harvest, most of the soldiers wanted to go home and do farm work. How could they continue to fight this war?
This was a real conspiracy. For the government troops, the later they acted, the better. They would win if they could delay until the autumn harvest. The government troops in Hedong had the Hedong Road with Puzhou as the core to continuously supply them with food and fodder. They had no worries about food shortages for the time being, so they could afford to wait.

Although such a "mature and steady" style of play can guarantee victory, it is a devastating blow to Brother Ji's authority!

The longer it delays, the less likely people will regard him as the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. How can Brother Ji not be anxious?
"Brother Ji is likely to change his coach."

Fang Zhongyong muttered to himself, almost guessing what would happen next.

Just as he was pondering the battle situation at the desk, Feng Changqing walked into the study. Fang Zhongyong clasped his fists and saluted, saying, "General, Liu Changqing, the magistrate of Guoqiao County in Bianzhou, wants to see you. He said he has something important to report."

"Liu Changqing?"

Fang Chongyong was unfamiliar with this name. He only knew that the governor of Bianzhou was Guo Na, a scholar with lofty ambitions and no power at all.

In fact, because of Li Linfu, the grassroots structure of the Tang Dynasty was built more detailed and more hollowed out, and a large amount of local power was surrendered and split.

Therefore, the ability of the governor himself has little impact on the administration of a certain place.

Everyone just follows the court's rules. Under such circumstances, we cannot expect too much from the personal qualities of the local governors.

Since we are all employees, not shareholders, don't expect too much.

"Let him in."

Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly. It was getting late now, and he had planned to go to bed directly after receiving Liu Changqing.

After a while, a skinny young man walked into the signing room of the Jiedushi's office. Fang Chongyong was startled when he saw him, and was afraid that he would be blown down by the wind.

This man had dark circles under his eyes and his steps were unsteady, and it was obvious that he had had too much sex.

Fang Chongyong asked himself, he had many women, but he knew how to control his desires and would not roll around on women's bellies all day long.

"Liu Mingfu, are you okay?"

Fang Zhongyong quickly helped Liu Changqing sit opposite him.

"I have been feeling very poetic lately, and I have come here to present a poem to the commander."

Liu Changqing said somewhat embarrassedly.

"Oh? Great! If you have any good works, show them out!"

Fang Chongyong looked very excited, but he was bored to death inside and didn't care at all.

Liu Changqing did not notice Fang Chongyong's perfunctory response, and quickly took out a roll of paper from his arms and handed it to the other party respectfully.

When I opened it, it said "Presented to Prime Minister Fang, the Jiedushi of Xuanwu Army" on it.

"When Jian Ya blows the horn, no noise is heard; when he ascends the altar on the 30th, everyone respects him.

I will spend ten thousand gold coins to reward the dead soldier, and leave my sword to repay the king's kindness.

Many old generals from Hexi returned to the table, and half of the students from Luoyang were still at the door.

The white horse gallops on the fine spring grass, heading north to hunt on the plains. "

"Well written, you put your heart into it."

Fang Zhongyong put away the manuscript and nodded slightly, looking very satisfied. The meaning of this poem is easy to understand. Simply put, Fang Zhongyong is a big boss. Here, he commands a hundred people to respond. He is a famous general!

"Master Liu Ming, I see that you don't look well. I have a good doctor at home. How about I treat you?

Although you are young, you should also be moderate, because lust is like a knife that scrapes your bones.

If you live like this, your body will collapse in a few years!"

Fang Chongyong spoke to Liu Changqing with a concerned look on his face, looking very worried.

Hearing this, Liu Changqing's face suddenly turned the color of liver. He folded his hands shyly and saluted, "General Jie is right. I have indeed been a little unrestrained recently. I will pay attention to it in the future. I will pay attention to it."

He felt that he had flattered the right person. In official circles, only superiors and subordinates with close relationships would speak like this.

His poem "Presented to Mr. Fang, the Jiedushi of Xuanwu Army" is a high-level flattering poem.

Although the original intention of this poem was to flatter, its effect cannot be underestimated. It can quickly increase Fang Chongyong's popularity in the cultural circle!

With this in mind, it would only be natural for Fang Chongyong to promote Liu Changqing appropriately.

Both sides got what they wanted.

"You came to Kaifeng today not just for this poem, right? If you have anything to say, please speak up. As long as it's not treason, I'm a good person to talk to."

Fang Zhongyong asked meaningfully. Although he still had a smile on his face, he looked much more serious than before.

"Indeed, I came here to report an important matter to the commander."

Liu Changqing also put away the flattering look on his face, sat up straight and said.

"Appreciate further details."

"General, Bianzhou Governor Guo Na, has great ambitions but little talent. When the Hebei rebels crossed the Yellow River to test him, he spent the whole day feasting in Kaifeng City, and even hired many singing girls and dancers from the red-light districts. He went to the government office and played around day and night, not caring about government and military affairs.

If the enemy army had crossed the Yellow River at that time, Bianzhou would have been in danger!
I heard that the commander-in-chief will discuss defense strategies with the governors of six states in the near future. I am afraid that Guo Na, who is overstaffed and not doing the job, will ruin the commander-in-chief's plans!

A thousand-mile dam is destroyed by an ant hole, the commander must not take this lightly! "

Liu Changqing said righteously.

He played a little trick in his words, and was vague about Guo Na's recruitment of geishas into the government office. This might give people the illusion that Guo Na was extremely lustful and slept with more than a dozen women a day.

But in fact, Guo Na might not even touch those singers and dancers. He just enjoyed the singing and dancing, eating, drinking and having fun. This kind of thing was nothing new in the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty.

Fang Chongyong understood and did not point out Liu Changqing's little thoughts.

But no matter what, Guo Na was a fool, there seemed to be no doubt about that. Fang Chongyong also found out that because Kaifeng was the capital of Bianzhou, the Xuanwu Army was also stationed there, and all the battles, big or small, were personally handled by his cheap father Fang Youde.

So Guo Na would definitely not bother to take care of military affairs! It was understandable that he was slacking off all day.

Fang Youde did not care about government affairs. As long as Guo Na did not interfere with his military operations, he would treat this man as a dog digging for food nearby and turn a blind eye to it.

"By the way, I haven't asked Liu Mingfu for his courtesy name yet."

Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly and changed the subject without commenting.

"Replying to the commander, my courtesy name is Wenfang."

Liu Changqing quickly returned the greeting, secretly delighted.

His career path was very bumpy. Because of his talent, he was a little arrogant and looked down on others. As a result, he offended many people and was later framed.

Otherwise, considering his poetic talent and the Tang Dynasty's habit of selecting officials with emphasis on literary talent, why is he still a county magistrate?

Now that the country is gradually in chaos, Liu Changqing has changed his previous "pretending to be noble" attitude and started looking for a backer. Guo Na was his former boss, and they disliked each other.

Guo Na thought that Liu Changqing was arrogant because he could write poems, while Liu Changqing thought that Guo Na was a fool and a meat-eater!

Guoqiao County is located in the north of Bianzhou, close to the front line. Once the fighting starts, the situation will be very dangerous.

At that time, Liu Changqing would either surrender to the enemy army and go all the way to the end, or die in battle without even being able to find a way to retreat. This was also the main purpose of his coming to Bianzhou this time, to bring Guo Na down so that he could return to Kaifeng City, which was much safer, for official business.

Judging from today's results, although Fang Chongyong did not give in, he was obviously moved and was dissatisfied with Guo Na who was just sitting there doing nothing.

"Tomorrow, the five provincial governors and Bozhou Sima Yan Bojun will come to the government office to hold a meeting to discuss important matters. Why don't you also attend as an observer?

Guoqiao, where the study is located, is the front line of Bianzhou, so it is only natural for them to come and listen to military strategies."

Fang Zhongyong stroked the short beard on his chin and said that he believed the hint he gave was obvious enough.

How could a magistrate of a small county (Guoqiao County was extremely small and the smallest county in Bianzhou) have the qualifications to participate in important military meetings between the Jiedushi and many provincial governors?

It was obvious that a seat was reserved for him because he had to "do something big" at the banquet!

If Liu Changqing couldn't even hear this, then he shouldn't stay in officialdom. He should just find a mountain forest to live in seclusion and focus on writing poetry.

However, when Liu Changqing heard the three words "Yan Bojun", he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, but he quickly concealed his embarrassment, pretended to be flattered, and quickly bowed to Fang Zhongyong!

Unintentionally, the two reached an exchange of interests.

……

Late at night, in an ordinary room of an inn outside Kaifeng City, Bianzhou.

Lu Yu and Li Jilan, the "Stuttering Brother" and "Ji Lanzi" that Fang Chongyong met at the Colosseum that day, were waiting anxiously in the house.

"Hey, why hasn't Wenfang returned yet?"

Li Jilan couldn't help but sigh, and the sound was filled with worry. Her delicate facial features were squeezed together, and her worry didn't need to be expressed, it was written on her face?
"Wenfang said he should be able to convince Marshal Fang Jie, so you don't have to worry about it. It's like a fish in the water worrying about an egret in the sky. It's in vain."

Lu Yu comforted Li Jilan.

"I hope so."

Li Jilan slowly sat down at the desk.

She looked at Lu Yu and saw that he was ugly, which made her feel sad.

The two of them came together to Bianzhou to look for Liu Changqing, and they had different purposes.

Li Jilan came to force a marriage, but Lu Yu's purpose was more pure. He wanted to make friends with some big shots in the officialdom, promote his "tea ceremony", and investigate what good teas were available around Luoyang for the purpose of recording them.

The two were good friends, and Lu Yu took care of Li Jilan all the way, even if the stones were warmed up. Li Jilan had the idea of ​​marrying Lu Yu on the way, but the latter was unwilling to betray his wife, and always kept a proper distance from Li Jilan.

After much hard work, they arrived at Guoqiao. When Li Jilan saw Liu Changqing, she immediately put aside her thoughts on the road and threw herself into Liu Changqing's arms. The two of them reveled every night, as if nothing else existed in the world except love.

However, when it comes to marriage, Liu Changqing avoided the subject and refused to give any concrete promises.

Simply put, he would enjoy Li Jilan's beautiful body first. As for marrying her, that would have to wait and see. Li Jilan became a Taoist priest at a very young age. Those who know know that female Taoist priests in the Tang Dynasty were considered "half-prostitutes" and had a worse reputation than female geishas.

After all, many geishas entertain people with singing and dancing, not by doing anything vulgar.

Marrying a woman whose forehead is almost engraved with the word "prostitute" as your legal wife is extremely stressful.

Once implemented, it would definitely be a socially fatal blow in the social circles of the Tang Dynasty.

Li Jilan was in love and thought that Liu Changqing would most likely marry her if he got something in return for his "seeking an official position".

However, Lu Yu saw it clearly that if Liu Changqing was depressed and frustrated, he might marry Li Jilan.

But if he was really appreciated by Fang Chongyong, the governor of Xuanwu Army, he would definitely draw a clear line between him and Li Jilan. They could not even be "friends" in bed, but could only communicate through poetry and prose.

The social hierarchy in the Tang Dynasty was so strict that it was really unavoidable.

Lu Yu looked at Li Jilan, who was looking forward to Liu Changqing's return, and couldn't help but sigh.

As an outsider and a mutual friend of both parties, it was really inconvenient for him to say anything.

Moreover, before Liu Changqing, Li Jilan had dated Zhu Fang, Han Kui, Yan Bojun and others, and had unsuccessfully courted a monk named Shi Jiaoran. Before he became a monk, this monk was the tenth-generation grandson of Xie Lingyun and was quite talented.

The people Li Jilan associated with could be described as "those who talked and laughed with great scholars, and those who associated with her were all unlearned people". She herself was also very talented, especially in writing poetry.

However, Lu Yu was also unable to describe her private life. He understood that a woman of literary talent was destined to lead an extraordinary life, but he did not agree with Li Jilan's rash and irresponsible impulse towards love.

She is not a prostitute, but in some ways, she is actually worse than a prostitute!
Prostitutes are forced to sell themselves because of life, and everyone has their own reasons. But Li Jilan is the type who falls in love with every man she meets, pursues him if she likes him, and abandons him if she doesn't like him anymore, and keeps looking for and changing men.

He is the typical person whose life would be bleak without love.

Li Jilan's life creed is her great need for love and her great fear of marriage.

Lu Yu put away his complicated feelings and sighed to Li Jilan: "Jilanzi, the falling flowers have feelings, but the flowing water is ruthless..."

Before he finished speaking, Liu Changqing pushed the door open and said excitedly, "It's done! There will be a dinner party tomorrow night. General Fang Jie and several provincial governors will be there. I think it won't be difficult to get an official position. You two can go to the banquet with me tomorrow, and Ji Lanzi can also show up at the banquet."

"Ah Lang, it really worked!"

Li Jilan hurriedly stepped forward and held Liu Changqing's arm, but this time the other party did not take the opportunity to hug her in his arms. Instead, he calmly pulled his arm out of Li Jilan's soft arms.

"I have to go to the government office tomorrow to handle important matters, so I'm going to bed first. Ji Lanzi, you and Brother Lu should go back and rest first."

Liu Changqing said seriously.

The smile on Li Jilan's face froze in place. After a long while, she reluctantly said, "That's fine. I'll go and rest now."

"Goodbye, Brother Wenfang."

Lu Yu had already seen it, but he said nothing. He chose to shut up and leave directly.

"Outside the Changmen Gate, the water flows, and the lonely boat drifts westward. The feeling of separation spreads all over the fragrant grass, and is everywhere.

Ji Lanzi, I'm afraid I'm sorry for you."

After Li Jilan and Lu Yu left, Liu Changqing couldn't help shaking his head and sighing. This poem was a thorn in his heart, making him unable to truly accept Li Jilan forever.

(End of this chapter)