Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 559: Dengzhou Water, Waves

In Fang Chongyong's impression, Dengzhou Penglai should be heavily guarded.

After all, such a large seaport, no, it is the largest seaport in the northern part of the Tang Dynasty, without a doubt.

How could such a strategic location, which is related to the core of maritime trade and coastal defense, not be guarded by elite troops?
Fang Chongyong thinks it is impossible.

But Liu Yan kept emphasizing that, as far as he knew, the imperial court did not deploy heavy troops in Penglai Port. Even the only regular army set up by the Tang government in Dengzhou, the "Dongmu Shouzhuo", was located near Huang County, which was dozens of miles southwest of Penglai Port and not close to the sea.

This army was not only separated from the maritime trade economic circle, but was obviously set up to defend the prefectures and counties, and it only had 1,500 men. Some big sea merchants might have more than this number of attendants accompanying them when they went out to sea.

After those people went to Goryeo, Baekje, Silla, Japan and other places in the northeast, they often set up temporary strongholds or even permanent cities in suitable places on the coast. They seemed to have the capital to compete with local forces and were like a country within a country.

Simply put, based on common military knowledge, the current military strength of the Tang Dynasty in Dengzhou is far from enough, and is not even a fraction of what is needed.

However, when the fleet of the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army docked, the soldiers took control of Penglai Port with ease without a single bloodshed. Only then did Fang Chongyong become convinced that what Liu Yan said was true.

He gave an order to Che Guangqian, asking him to take his men to blockade all the ships in the harbor, prohibiting them from leaving the harbor, disembarking, or boarding.

He Changqi was ordered to take people to control the outer walls and main city tower of the harbor. No one was allowed to enter or leave and was required to stay on standby.

Let Duan Xueshi take people to count the goods in the harbor warehouse and not allow outsiders to take away a grain of rice or a penny.

After arranging all this, Fang Chongyong finally breathed a sigh of relief.

There were hundreds of ships at Dengzhou Harbor. Although these ships were large and small, they were much larger than the canal ships. They were parked at the docks and blocked out the sun. The temporary warehouses for storing goods were connected one after another, and the scale was amazing!

Its prosperity far exceeds that of Hebei province.

Seeing these unreasonable things, Fang Chongyong immediately understood.

Whichever general controls Dengzhou will control the maritime trade in the north.

By controlling this enormous wealth, one would have the power to recruit soldiers and horses.

This is also the most important node for the connection between the northern countries and the Tang Dynasty. If a Tang army general controls Dengzhou with a large number of troops, he can use the power of foreign vassal states to establish his own regime. By using the name of the Tang Dynasty, he can influence the regime changes in places like Goryeo and Bohai and support agents to make profits.

Just thinking about this makes me worry for those people in Chang'an Central Government.

In other words, it was precisely because Dengzhou was so important that Brother Ji did not dare to leave his army here. Without an army, there would be no rebellion. The Tang army itself was the biggest source of instability in Dengzhou.

Because of the prosperity of maritime trade, the locals had no worries about food and clothing, so they naturally would not rebel. The merchants from the sea were afraid that the Tang army would rob them, so they did not dare to come to do business because of the heavy guards.

External forces such as Bohai Kingdom, Goryeo, and Japan were all very dependent on the geographical location of Penglai Port in Dengzhou. They relied on the income from maritime trade every year to maintain their own rule and the extravagant life of their nobles.

This is the golden chicken they all share, and the income from trade is the golden eggs laid by the golden chicken. Whoever comes to Penglai Port to plunder, block the shipping route, and cut off everyone's financial resources will not only offend everyone, but also offend the Tang Dynasty.

This kind of character would commit suicide if they couldn't survive a single episode in a TV series. Obviously, going overseas can make money, so what idiot would do such a thing as killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?
Therefore, the military and civilian sentiments in Dengzhou were completely different from those in the inland prefectures and counties of the Tang Dynasty. The Tang government relied on the sea to make a living here. As long as there were taxes to collect, many things were turned a blind eye and just got by.

As expected, when Fang Chongyong saw Wang Weizhong, the governor of Dengzhou, working in the study of the Dengzhou government office in Penglai Port, he realized that in addition to the post of governor, Wang also served as an envoy to the various foreign countries of Silla, Baekje and Bohai!

In short, Wang Weizhong was an official sent by the Tang Dynasty to Penglai Port for a long-term official business, responsible for receiving envoys from northern countries! He was an official serving under the Honglu Temple.

The governor was just an additional position for him, and he could delegate local affairs to others, while being a diplomat was his real job. It was just like when Fang Chongyong was the governor of Shazhou while holding the title of the deputy minister of the Ministry of Rites.

Beijing officials are the main ones, and local officials are the auxiliary ones.

"Your Majesty has ordered that the Xuanwu Army take over the political and military affairs of Dengzhou. The imperial decree is here, Envoy Wang can return to Chang'an to report."

Fang Chongyong stuffed the "imperial edict" written a day ago into Wang Weizhong's arms with an expressionless face.

As a result, the middle-aged envoy Wang smiled bitterly, took out another piece of yellow silk from his bosom, handed it to Fang Chongyong and said, "General Fang, His Royal Highness Prince Yong asked his staff Li Bai to deliver the imperial edict yesterday, saying that Dengzhou has been put under the management of the Tianping Army Jiedushi, and now Li Bai is in Penglai Port.

How about you discuss it with him?
No matter what, this woman can't marry twice, right?"

Wang Weizhong was very humble and even handed the seal of the Dengzhou governor to Fang Chongyong.

Eh?
Fang Zhongyong was shocked, but his expression remained calm. He placed the Wind Phantom Blade on the table and said to Wang Weizhong, "Envoy Wang, you can try to see if my blade is sharp."

Wang Weizhong saluted him with his arms crossed and said earnestly:

"Although His Royal Highness Prince Yong's identity is sensitive, his strength is not worth mentioning. If not for this, this government would not have left Li Bai hanging there.

General Fang Jie and his Silver Spear Filial Piety Army are brave and good at fighting. They are all over Hebei. I am glad to see Dengzhou come under your jurisdiction. As for Chang'an... can you still trust the emperor who killed his father?"

"Where does the patricide come from?"

Fang Chongyong had a strange look on his face, as if he had heard something big.

Wang Weizhong then sighed and said:

"Your father was a great hero who led his troops to a great victory over the bandits in Hebei. However, the emperor of today murdered his father at this critical moment and killed the retired emperor. Everyone in Chang'an knows about this now.

Your father was so angry that he retired to the mountains and forests and didn't care about worldly affairs. He left without even returning to Chang'an. You were far away in Hebei at the time, so you naturally didn't know about this.

Today, I am handing over the seal of Dengzhou to you because you and Marshal Fang are both heroes and pillars of the country, and not because I am doing this to show my respect for the imperial edict issued by the court.

I guess this imperial edict of yours was also forged not long ago, right?"

Wang Weizhong smiled calmly and waved his hand, obviously seeing through the current political situation.

Li Ying actually killed Brother Ji!
Fang Zhongyong was shocked, but then he thought, Brother Ji had tortured the King of Shou like that when he was alive, the crazy minotaur. If he were treated like that, he would probably rebel.

The grudges and grievances in the world are not groundless. There must be a cause for every effect.

Brother Ji is reaping what he sowed.

It’s a pity that he died and ended everything, but it caused great suffering to those who were still alive.

Fang Zhongyong sighed softly, nodded slightly and said nothing more.

He returned the seal to Wang Weizhong and said, "You continue to be the governor of Dengzhou, but you must obey my orders."

"I will follow the orders of Marshal Fang."

Wang Weizhong didn't say anything, took the seal, and saluted Fang Chongyong with his hands crossed.

When the imperial court lost its sense of justice, the local county chiefs naturally knew what to choose. If the vassal governors wanted to control the local government in these so-called "neutral" places, it would depend entirely on whether they had done enough good deeds in the past and whether their reputations were loud enough.

Otherwise there will inevitably be a massacre.

The reason why Wang Weizhong was unwilling to hand over the seal to Li Bai was actually because he did not want to get involved in the sequence of the princes' resistance against the central government!

And now handing the seal to Fang Chongyong is in the hope of seeking the protection of a strong army.

When the military governors of the vassal states sought support from the local prefectures and counties, the governors and county magistrates of the prefectures and counties were actually seeking protection from the military governors of the vassal states. This was a two-way relationship where both sides took what they needed.

Since the emperor killed his father, no one can be killed. This is a typical example of the collapse of rituals and music. Since rituals and music have collapsed, the imperial court is nothing more than a large vassal state, and there is no legitimacy.

Whether for the sake of imperial power or filial piety, it is inevitable that the princes who were sent out to other places would rise up in rebellion in the future.

But although they were active, the local governors might not be. Of course, these governors had no interest in participating in suppressing the impending "rebellion".

The imperial court has become a dog court, what is it worth their life? Didn't you see that even Fang Youde has retired?

When the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army took over Penglai Port, Wang Weizhong must have been the first to learn about the situation. He could actually resist, at least he had enough time to escape.

But Wang Weizhong did not run away.

Fang Chongyong saw the dramatic changes in the world from this person.

Just as he was asking and answering questions with Wang Wei Zhong about the local customs of Penglai and even Dengzhou, Che Guangqian, with a gloomy face, grabbed a young man's arm and hurried into the study of the government office.

"General, I have caught a very powerful spy!" After saying that, he pushed the young man who looked a little thin.

Fang Chongyong looked at Wang Weizhong, but this envoy Wang just shook his head in confusion, indicating that he didn't know this person at all.

"who are you?"

Fang Zhongyong looked at the man and asked.

This young man had delicate skin and tender flesh, and he looked like the son of an official. However, he probably stayed in the harbor for a while, so his skin was tanned, so he couldn't be called a gigolo.

But this person was obviously wearing the attire of aristocrats, so there was no way he could be a spy.

"I am not a spy. How can someone who has studied at the Imperial Academy and is preparing for the imperial examination be a spy?"

The man started talking nonsense in a serious manner.

Damn, you've already come to the harbor to prepare for the imperial examination, can you be any more outrageous?

Fang Chongyong had to remind this person not to quibble anymore.

He coughed lightly and said, "I have passed the imperial examination! If you continue to talk nonsense, I will punish you with a military stick!"

"So what if you passed the imperial examination? You are just a bookworm. I believe that reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles."

This man had an arrogant attitude of "you are a small town test-taker" and had the bad temper common among scholars. Fang Zhongyong understood: this guy was definitely not a spy. If he was a spy, he would have been beaten to death countless times.

Fang Zhongyong came over and asked Che Guangqian, "Xiao Che, why do you think he is a spy?"

"General Jie, he has a map of Penglai Harbor, which is better than the existing map in the Ministry of Works in Chang'an. Could this man not be a spy?"

Che Guangqian said softly.

He was extremely meticulous and had a keen sense of smell. When he caught this man, he was secretly drawing a map in an inconspicuous corner of Penglai Port!
If it was He Changqi who discovered him, he might have let him go directly, because the man's appearance and clothing did not look like a spy at all.

But Che Guangqian picked up the other party's map and took a look at it, and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

The map drawn by B is even more exquisite and detailed than the official map of the Ministry of Industry! You know, drawing a map requires a lot of professional knowledge. To some extent, drawing a good map is more difficult than painting a picture.

He is not from the Dengzhou government office, and the map is better than the official one. Doesn't this prove that his identity is suspicious?

If not a spy, then what is it?
Che Guangqian's doubts were very reasonable, and Fang Chongyong had to admit it.

"show me."

Fang Zhongyong stretched out a hand, and Che Guangqian understood and handed over the unfinished sketch in her arms.

As expected, this map was not only detailed, but also had instructions and labels. After a quick look, Fang Zhongyong felt that this should be one of a set of maps.

To be honest, it is indeed more detailed and clearly marked than the official map in the Ministry of Industry.

Fang Chongyong immediately felt a desire to find talent, and he was determined not to let the draftsman who came to his door slip away.

During a war, an accurate and detailed military map can sometimes determine the outcome of the war. How can we take it lightly?

No wonder Che Guangqian suspected that this man was a spy. Although he did not look like one, his abilities were very questionable.

"This picture is great. Why don't you come to my house and work as a clerk?"

Wang Weizhong also came over to take a look at the map. He was immediately amazed and couldn't help but complain.

The young man didn't say anything and didn't even want to look at Wang Weizhong, obviously disdaining clerks.

In fact, this is indeed human nature, and Fang Chongyong was too lazy to explain it to Wang Weizhong.

In the Tang Dynasty, if your father was not doing well, then you could become an official only after passing the imperial examination. Only after becoming an official could you become a high-ranking official. Only after becoming a high-ranking official could you realize your ambitions.

What’s the point of being a clerk?
Talented people always have pride in their hearts.

"What's your name?"

Fang Zhongyong looked at the young man in front of him and asked.

"Jia Dan, the twenty-first generation grandson of Jia Xu."

Jia Dan said this with pride, obviously proud of his family background.

It turns out that he is the descendant of that old coin. Fang Chongyong nodded slightly. It is indeed a family tradition.

The descendants of these old coin strategists may not be wealthy, but they must have a large collection of books. Through teaching by words and deeds, it is easy for them to become cultured people.

But whether one can do well in official circles is another matter.

In short, this kind of people are born with a much higher starting point than ordinary people, and they will most likely win even if they compete on the same stage.

Because from a young age, the educational resources are different.

Che Guangqian is the descendant of Che Yin, the one who caught fireflies and read at night.

Che Guangqian has many strategies because he is a child of a noble family in disguise of a soldier. Even though his family background is poor, the education he received when he was young is much better than that of ordinary people. These things will give him the opportunity to stand out when he is young.

Many people fail to seize opportunities when they come because of their lack of knowledge.

"It's just a misunderstanding, go and get busy."

Fang Chongyong ordered Che Guangqian.

Che Guangqian glared at Jia Dan coldly, and then the other party clasped his fists and bowed to take his leave.

The descendants of Che Yin arrested the descendants of Jia Xu, this is really... a bit confusing.

"Since you are well-educated, why don't you go to Chang'an to take the imperial examination instead of coming to Dengzhou?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Jia Dan rubbed his hands and glanced at Wang Weizhong. He saw the other party nodded slightly, as if hinting at something.

Jia Dan took a deep breath and said, "I plan to draw a set of maps of China and foreign countries in the country, describing in detail the general situation of the vassal states around the Tang Dynasty and the sea maps, and send them to the nobles in Chang'an."

So this is ah!

Fang Chongyong recalled one thing. When Bai Juyi took the imperial examination, he submitted his paper to Gu Kuang and took out his poem "Li Li Yuan Shang Cao". Gu Kuang appreciated it deeply, so Bai Juyi's imperial examination went smoothly.

Jia Dan wanted to use a map to present his manuscript, which showed that he was a "professional talent". In fact, his thinking was very correct, and there would always be powerful people who would fall for his tricks. Jia Dan had no talent for poetry, and he would be a fool if he wrote a poem to present his manuscript!
"I have collected your paper. Follow me from now on."

Fang Zhongyong returned the unfinished map to Jia Dan and said, "Finish it first!"

"This is General Fang Jie, who is in charge of Hebei. His Silver Spear Xiaojie Army is invincible. Why don't you thank him?"

Wang Weizhong quickly introduced Fang Chongyong to Jia Dan.

ha?
Jia Dan was immediately shocked.

He was from Nanpi County, Cangzhou. How could he not know about the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army and how much trouble it had caused in Hebei?

The original intention was to escape the war caused by the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army, so he came to Dengzhou to collect materials and draw a map.

I didn't expect to fall into Fang Chongyong's clutches!

Jia Dan sighed, like a salted fish lying on the beach, his heart dead.

(End of this chapter)