Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 571 The Age of Warriors

"I pay my respects to you, Lord Military Master."

When Fang Chongyong brought He Changqi and other close confidants to the backyard of Qingzhou government office, he was stunned by the beautiful girls in front of him.

Twelve young and beautiful women stood in a row and bowed and greeted them together, which really stunned everyone.

These women wore brocade robes of different styles and colors, some gorgeous, some simple. Their makeup was also colorful, from the color of their lips to the patterns of the flowers on their eyebrows, all were different.

The only "job" of these women was to play musical instruments, sing, dance, and even lie naked in bed to please Helan Jinming.

Even though Fang Zhongyong was used to big scenes, he couldn't help but sigh that Helan Jinming was the one who knew how to have fun, and he had grasped the mystery of the "clusters of flowers" almost without any instruction.

Seeing this, Liu Zhan, the guide, leaned over to Fang Zhongyong's ear and whispered, "General Fang, these twelve women are Helan Jinming's prostitutes. He is a self-proclaimed elegant man, and he named them after the flowers of the twelve months of the year, and he has a great time every night. General Fang, do you want to take these beauties into your possession?"

"These prostitutes are all given to you, do you want them?"

Fang Chongyong smiled and teased.

"General, Liu has a good wife at home, and she doesn't like this. Even if you give it to me, I won't be able to enjoy it."

Liu Zhan clasped his fists and bowed with a helpless look on his face, then quickly declined.

Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly to show his understanding.

In fact, he quite admires those who can maintain a long-term high spirit and want to pounce on beautiful women every day for decades.

People like that are really amazing in a way, and it's hard for ordinary people to do that.

For example, Gao Huan’s eldest son Gao Cheng was like this.

It is even more incredible that scholars can visit prostitutes and enjoy themselves so much among so many women.

The real norm is that grassroots soldiers treat women from powerful families as objects and vent their desire to trample on power in order to satisfy their twisted psychology.

There was a wave of emptiness afterwards.

"By the way, what are your names?"

Fang Zhongyong looked around at the group of young beauties and asked.

"Wanmei."

"Yingchun."

“Camellia.”

"Pomegranate."

These young beauties revealed their "stage names" one by one; as for their real names, perhaps they themselves have forgotten them.

The prostitutes kept by Helan Jinming were all proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Their lineup was comparable to the private dance troupe of a real estate developer in Fang Chongyong's previous life.

You know, Helan Jinming is just a provincial governor! This guy is really too obsessed with pleasure.

Unfortunately, General Fang and his soldiers had no idea of ​​elegance. Even though the twelve young beauties tried their best to flirt with Fang Zhongyong, they were completely ignored. It was like flirting with a blind man.

"He Lao Hu, ask the brothers if there is anyone who doesn't have money to get married, and make arrangements so that these twelve beauties can be divided among them."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said to He Changqi indifferently.

Liu Zhan was surprised. He didn't expect Fang Zhongyong to be so casual in doing things.

Even if you don’t need these twelve beauties yourself, you can sell them for a lot of money!
The six-word title of "Helan Jinming's prostitute" alone can raise the value of these women significantly.

In the Tang Dynasty, buying and selling prostitutes was legal, and was widely accepted and talked about by public opinion. There was nothing to be embarrassed about.

It seems that General Fang Jie really treats his soldiers with all his heart. No wonder the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army is invincible.

"Order."

He Changqi clasped his fists and bowed, seeming not to be surprised by this.

"Come on, come on, don't stand here alone, follow me."

He Changqi shouted at the group of beautiful girls, looking impatient.

In fact, although He Lao Hu has a rough appearance, he is not lustful. Many people are not interested in sex as a warrior on the battlefield like him.

So what do they like?

These people like to chop people with knives themselves. The excitement they get from women is far less than that from killing people.

Legal killing is addictive, which is also an important reason why the fifth generation of soldiers cannot retire. Once you pick up the knife, it is difficult to put it down. It is human nature.

A large group of women followed He Changqi away, without any sadness on their faces. Helan Jinming was not their husband, let alone their relative.

They are just like duckweed in the tide of the times, drifting wherever they go. It doesn't matter whether the man they depend on is a good person or a bad person.

As long as we can afford to support them.

This is also the reason why Fang Zhongyong is not interested in these beautiful women. Although they are still human, they have become objects.

Such "objects" are already pathetic and lamentable without even realizing it, so don't make things difficult for them or even make things difficult for them.

After He Changqi took these women away, Fang Zhongyong patted Liu Zhan on the shoulder and encouraged him:
"I want to set up an observation and disposal envoy in Qingzhou and Yizhou. I think you are quite suitable. You have troops at your disposal. You don't have to join in the coronation ceremony of His Royal Highness Prince Yong in Bianzhou. It's meaningless.

When the time comes, you can lead your troops to capture Yizhou in the south, and I will recommend you for credit.

As for the governor of Yizhou, I have another candidate."

The Observation and Disposal Envoy, although one level lower than the Jiedushi, is also a big boss who commands the military independently.

Liu Zhan was overjoyed to receive such a promise, and was so excited that he was speechless for a while!
Of course, Fang Chongyong’s meaning was very clear: Yizhou is not Prince Yong’s territory yet.

You take the knife and take it yourself. Only when you get it can you get the official position. The status of a warrior is earned by holding the knife and cutting it one stroke at a time.

Liu Zhan didn’t think about what would happen to him if Fang Chongyong couldn’t fulfill his promise. Now the only four words in his mind were “achieve great success”.

In fact, Fang Zhongyong's political tactics are close to open conspiracy.

If Liu Zhan captured Yizhou and was rewarded, he would definitely work wholeheartedly for Fang Chongyong.

If Liu Zhan took Yizhou but did not receive any reward, he would have to cling to Fang Zhongyong's thigh wholeheartedly.

Because if not, the next time, Yongwang Li Lin’s reckoning will come soon!
Prince Yong is always the one who takes the blame.

Therefore, Fang Zhongyong's casual promise would only make the difference between a small loss and a big loss no matter how Li Lin and his staff responded.

Fang Zhongyong was able to play this kind of political operation because he had the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army under his command, which was the foundation. In troubled times, whoever controls the top military force controls the power of personnel appointment and dismissal.

After a while, Liu Zhan led Fang Chongyong to Helan Jinming's study, and was immediately shocked by the elegant atmosphere there.

Although Helan Jinming does not hold a high official position, he is definitely worthy of the word "slutty".

The literati and scholars of the Tang Dynasty had the saying of "Four Arts of Life", which mainly included four elegant things, namely: making tea, burning incense, hanging paintings and arranging flowers.

Yet, in this not very large government office study, there were tea sets, incense burners, landscape paintings, vases, and everything else.

There were also numerous items such as bronze vessels, stone inkstones and screens. On the wall hung poems written by Helan Jinming, covering an entire wall!

Not only that, there are also many colorful flowery papers on the table, as well as Zhuge pens, Zumin ink, Chengxintang paper, Longwei inkstone and other items on the desk. They are all from famous artists and you can tell at a glance that they are very expensive.

There was no jewel or gold or silver in the room, but if a careful person calculated the price of the items, he would find that these "elegant things" were actually much more than gold and silver jewelry. Fang Zhongyong had never seen so many elegant things in He Zhizhang's house.

"This Helan Jinming really deserves to die."

Fang Zhongyong couldn't help but sigh. It must cost a lot of money to buy all these things and keep twelve prostitutes. And Helan Jinming's salary was limited. How did he get the money?

It’s self-evident that it all comes more or less from the people’s hard-earned money, right?
"Jie Shuai..."

Finding that there was no one around, Liu Zhan suddenly lowered his voice and spoke, but stopped himself.

"Go ahead, it's okay."

Fang Zhongyong waved his hand calmly.

"General, I have been in Jiaodong for some time. From what I know, Prince Yong... I think he is definitely not a good ruler."

Liu Zhan said bravely.

Since Qingzhou and Qizhou are not far apart, the officials in the nearby prefectures and counties basically know what kind of person the prince Yongwang Li Lin is.

Simply put, this prince of the Tang Dynasty was a typical example of "ambitions as high as the sky, but a life as fragile as paper."

His incompetence and wastefulness have become well-known.

The reason why Liu Zhan killed Helan Jinming and surrendered was not because of Li Lin, but entirely for Fang Chongyong's sake.

This kind of thing obviously needs to be said now and cannot be delayed any longer.

"The Tang Dynasty is in decline. There are many things you don't understand now, but you will understand them in the future."

Fang Zhongyong sighed and said some "incomprehensible" words.

He neither said that he had the intention to usurp the throne, nor did he affirm Liu Zhan's opinion, implying that he was also not optimistic about Yongwang Li Lin.

It's just that I was forced to do so due to the situation.

"I understand. If the world hadn't been in chaos, people like me wouldn't have had a chance to make a name for ourselves. Alas!"

Liu Zhan couldn't help but sigh.

He was able to become successful purely because the Henan states needed talents like him to guard against the southward advance of the Hebei rebels and to train united soldiers.

Otherwise, who would care about someone like him who has no background and only military experience?

The world has changed and become chaotic. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
It actually depends on who it is for.

Chaos is the ladder to rise. If there is no chaos, there is no possibility of rising. For a soldier like Liu Zhan, the current world is not bad.

It can even be said to be very good.

"Okay, go and organize the troops. Helan Jinming's cronies will also be dealt with as well."

Fang Zhongyong stretched out his right hand and made a smoothing motion. Liu Zhan understood, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and then he clasped his fists and left.

Helan Jinming was in charge of Qingzhou, so it was impossible for him to not have his confidants. A governor often had more than ten or even dozens of assistants. Many of them must have been Helan Jinming's confidants.

Strictly speaking, they did nothing wrong.

However, this is just like when the boatman overturns the boat, the passengers on it will also fall into the water. Choice often represents right and wrong.

Reality is so cruel.

"Now my heart is as cold as steel."

Kneeling on the cushion in front of the desk in the study, Fang Zhongyong sighed as he picked up the letters under the paperweight and checked them one by one.

You won’t know until you look, and you will find the news he is interested in.

The draft at the bottom turned out to be a memorial written by Helan Jinming to the imperial court, but he had only written half of it and had not finished it yet!
Many of the other letters were replies from Helan Jinming to Diwu Qi after they had communicated with each other.

Fang Chongyong read it quickly and then showed a strange look.

He looked like a gossip lover who was looking forward to catching his classmate who was in a premature relationship sneaking into the woods after school.

It turned out that this pair of bastards were just memorizing English words together.

It was a feeling of being angry, funny, yet helpless and unable to complain.

In his memorial, Helan Jinming said that the situation in Henan was extremely dangerous, the rebels in Hebei were ready to make a move, Prince Yong Li Lin was plotting something evil, and Qingzhou could fall at any time.

So he petitioned the court to set up a vassal state near Qingzhou, and recommended himself as the inspector and governor of Qingzhou and Xuzhou in order to better stabilize the situation.

What should I say when I see this "ambitious" plan?

Fang Chongyong felt that if someone who was not aware of the situation saw this, they would definitely think that Helan Jinming was very strategic, very "motivated", and very loyal to the court.

He is truly a man of extraordinary talent.

But in the eyes of those who have grasped the pulse of the times, this person actually only has some ability to fool laymen.

He doesn't have the skills, but he likes to do the job. He doesn't have any solid skills, but he likes to sit on the fence. He seems smart, but he is actually very stupid.

Helan Jinming played tricks on Yongwang Li Lin and seemed to be easier to talk to than the governors of other states. It seemed that as long as Li Lin gave him some benefits, he would surrender to him.

But secretly, Helan Jinming worked for Diwu Qi and accepted the care that Diwu Qi gave him in the court. Guanzhong was far away from Qingzhou, so no matter what Helan Jinming did, the court would not know it in the first place.

This created a wonderful "pull and pull". In short, the current situation was almost perfect for Helan Jinming.

The imperial court was far away, and in order to prevent the situation in Henan from getting out of control, they could only continue to give Helan Jinming benefits and it was impossible to punish him.

Although Yong Wang Li Lin was close, he was not well armed. So as long as Helan Jinming showed that he would not target Li Lin, the other side would be unable to do anything to him.

This kind of tightrope-walking-like balancing act allows Helan Jinming to gain benefits from both ends while taking advantage of this contradiction to maintain his independence.

I have to say that the strategy was really perfect. If Fang Zhongyong and the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army had not been taken into consideration, Helan Jinming would have almost succeeded.

But this scholar seemed to have forgotten one thing.

When a person is killed, he dies. No matter how smart a person is, no matter how clever he is, he cannot withstand a sword strike from a warrior.

No matter how powerful the conspiracy is, the prerequisite is that the person who implements the conspiracy must be alive in the end!

With just one easy strike from Liu Zhan, all of Helan Jinming's plans came to naught.

It seems that he has a bright future, seems to be able to make great efforts, and seems to be full of wisdom, but he is no more stubborn than ordinary people.

Once dead, really dead.

Seeing the example of Helan Jinming, Fang Zhongyong felt that many people did not seem to see the general trend of the times. They were still dreaming that the prosperous Tang Dynasty would return and everything would be "better".

All plans are made based on the premise of "restoring the heyday of the Tang Dynasty".

"Helan Jinming, you died too easily. You should have been tortured by this world for a few more years before you were sent on your way.

Then you will know how wrong you were. I guess before you die you still feel that your ambitions were not fulfilled and that Liu Zhan ruined your brilliant plan.

It's sad and lamentable."

Fang Chongyong stood up, casually threw aside the draft memorial written by Helan Jinming, and talked to himself.

(End of this chapter)