Chapter Eighty-Nine: The Irritable Deputy Magistrate, Part One

When Zheng Zhong arrived, dusty from the road and at the head of the Imperial Guards of the Eastern Capital, Wu Yanyi's famed heavy cavalry had already been neatly brought to heel.

The heavy cavalry had originally been drawn from the Thousand Horsemen. Quance sent men to issue orders, but they proved of little use. Though there was some unrest among the troops, Linghu Lun, the commander promoted by Wu Yanyi, suppressed it with force. He kept the camp gates tightly shut and refused to surrender and obey. He demanded to see their chief before he would speak.

Quance returned in defeat. Wu Sansi stepped forward to try as well, shouting a few lines about being the Minister of Ceremonies and acting under the Empress Dowager's command, and the like. Yet to his surprise, the moment Linghu Lun heard the family name Wu, he immediately opened the gates to receive him.

When he heard that Wu Yanyi had attempted rebellion and been executed, Linghu Lun showed a pained expression, sighed, and said nothing more. He bowed his head and declared that he would submit to the court's disposal.

Wu Sansi's face was all genial smiles. "General Linghu truly understands the greater issues and is clearly a capable man. The grand military review is imminent, and this is precisely the time when talent is needed. I hope the general will strive bravely to lead the way. The Empress Dowager has assigned a trusted female attendant from her own side to serve in arms, commanding the Thousand Horsemen and the Eastern Capital Guards. Do not disappoint the court's expectations."

Linghu Lun glanced at Xie Yaohuan, whose face was as calm as still water and who had not said a word, suspicion deep in his eyes. He answered with a deft evasion. "Well then, if the Eastern Capital Guards are up to it, the Thousand Horsemen certainly will not fall behind."

"Hold on," Quance said coldly. "To ensure absolute safety, all those among the Thousand Horsemen who had too close a connection with Wu Yanyi must be purged."

"Lord Quan, the person most closely tied to General Wu is none other than myself, Linghu Lun. How do you propose to 'purge' me?" Linghu Lun shot back hard, meeting Quance point for point.

"Humph." Quance gave a cool snort and calmly clapped his hands.

The deputy commander of the Thousand Horsemen and four officers stepped through the gate. "My lords, after our review, there are more than twenty men who colluded with Wu Yanyi. The left wing leader, the deputy leader of the seventh squadron... Their deeds and evidence are as follows..."

"Your thoughts?" Quance pressed his advantage and looked at Wu Sansi and Xie Yaohuan. "In extraordinary times, one must use extraordinary measures. I suggest that all of them be judged as Wu Yanyi's accomplices and executed at once, to prevent future trouble."

Wu Sansi remained silent and grave. At last Xie Yaohuan spoke. "Those who know neither loyalty nor filial duty, who secretly pass favors and information, are contemptible. I have only recently taken up arms and have not yet seen blood. These more than twenty men shall be dealt with by my command. I will oversee the executions myself."

Two against one, and both arguments were sound. Wu Sansi had no way to evade it. "Then let it be as the lady officer says."

Linghu Lun left the tent in anger, beat the drum to assemble the troops, and erected the execution platform. Twenty heads fell in an instant before the eyes of the Thousand Horsemen. Blood spurted like a fountain, staining the rough wooden block red.

Suddenly a great cloud of dust rose. The full Eastern Capital Guard mounted up, turning from infantry to cavalry, and came thundering in like fire from the stars. They surged straight into the camp and fanned out in a loose circle, surrounding the Thousand Horsemen below the platform.

Two hundred and forty-eight men against nearly a thousand. It was a strange sight indeed, the few encircling the many. Yet from top to bottom of the Eastern Capital Guard, every man looked upon it as natural and proper, showing the least sign of fear.

Linghu Lun was shocked. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword as he turned to glare at the three representatives of the court. "What is the meaning of this?"

Before the three could answer, Zheng Zhong, the general of the Eastern Capital Guard, spoke first. "There is no hidden meaning. Since we are soldiers, we must understand obedience and act according to orders. General Xie, Zheng Zhong of the Eastern Capital Guard now presents the military command arrow. The Eastern Capital Guard is governed by iron discipline; once an order is heard, it is carried out at once."

A purple-red command arrow, made of pure copper and gilded on all four edges, slightly heavy in the hand, was received by Xie Yaohuan. She raised it high and ordered, "Eastern Capital Guard, break formation and reassemble."

With a clatter of reins and hooves, hundreds of men turned their horses in unison, each seeking his place, and quickly crowded together. They were still not accustomed to forming ranks on horseback, so the line wavered and shifted uneasily, restless and irregular.

"Hmph." Linghu Lun refused to accept it. After handing over the command arrow, he personally went down to form the ranks. On horseback, their formation was far more orderly and quiet than that of the Eastern Capital Guard.

With matters here now on the right track, Wu Sansi was anxious to return to Chang'an. Wu Yanyi's death needed a clear accounting, so he left first. Quance remained to assist Xie Yaohuan and organize the grand military review.

Only one day remained. The Eastern Capital Guard and the Thousand Horsemen had to adjust to Xie Yaohuan's style of command, and Xie Yaohuan herself needed to understand the temperament of the two forces. Quance was at her side; with only a few words he could often bring sudden clarity. The subordinate officers, including Zheng Zhong and especially Linghu Lun, had put aside their arrogance and trained with all speed. The two sides raced one another, determined to prove which was superior.

The day passed in the blink of an eye. Their coordination was, at least, a success. That night, Xie Yaohuan invited Quance to dine in her central tent.

"My tent has no wine. Will that trouble you?" The two sat opposite one another. The army's fare was simple; each helped himself, and once they had eaten nearly enough, Xie Yaohuan's eyes flickered as she asked the question.

"I do not care for wine, so this is ideal," Quance replied with a smile.

"Too much has happened these past few days. It feels as if I have fallen into a dream. Everything began with that military anthem. Lord Quance, you have done me no small harm." Xie Yaohuan lowered her head slightly. Her expression was as tranquil and composed as ever, utterly unlike the ice-cold beauty of the general on the command platform.

"The world shifts like a chessboard. Winds rise, clouds gather; who could have foreseen it? Fortunately, the final outcome is not too bad," Quance said lightly.

Xie Yaohuan turned to look at him. "Speaking of which, I should still thank you, Lord Quance. Without you, I would never have had the chance to stand on my own."

Quance shook his head, refusing the credit.

"Thanks are due all the same. Even if not for that, then for saving my life." Her gaze grew faintly obscure, her expression unreadable.

Quance was puzzled for a moment, then understood that she meant the events of the previous night, when he had pushed her out the door early enough for her to escape unscathed. Thinking of the place where Wu Sansi had been injured, he could not help laughing aloud. "Minister Wu, when he dresses in future, may need a little more patience than ordinary men."

Xie Yaohuan could not help but laugh as well, then composed herself and shot him a glare. "Do not be frivolous."

Then, with meaning in her voice, she said, "If you refuse my thanks, so be it. Between you and me, who has helped whom may yet be hard to say."

Quance smiled in reply. "In the days to come, you will be in charge of two armies. Though the numbers are not great, it will not be easy for you. After all, serving before the Empress Dowager is your true duty. Zheng Zhong may be trusted completely. As for Linghu Lun, he may also be trusted."

At these words Xie Yaohuan's expression changed sharply. Linghu Lun had been Wu Yanyi's trusted man. Rumor had it that the heavy cavalry had been drilled under his hand. If Quance could trust him, then that meant...

A chill ran through Xie Yaohuan from head to toe. Her faint suspicion had turned out to be true. To scheme against the Wu family beneath the Empress Dowager's very eyes—Quance was indeed outrageously bold. Then again, though he had used her, he bore her no ill intent and had in fact done far more to help her than harm her. After a moment, she forced out a smile. "You slaughtered Wu Yanyi's accomplices in the Thousand Horsemen today. Aren't you afraid outsiders will call you a harsh official?"

"I would not dare claim to be harsh. Which one of them does not have tens of thousands of wronged souls on his hands?" Quance said with relaxed composure,摇头晃脑 as he searched for the right words to describe himself. "I am merely, merely a little, hot-tempered. Yes, hot-tempered."

Xie Yaohuan shook her head in disdain, then smiled with mock annoyance and said nothing.

Wu Sansi reached Chang'an at a gallop. Just as he entered the city gate, he saw a line of black-clad officers escorting dozens of prison carts out of the city. Every prisoner in them was a familiar face.

"Stop! Who are you? And whom are you escorting?" Wu Sansi's steward blocked their way and shouted loudly.

"The Eastern Capital's Li Jing Gate. Ask no more questions unless you want trouble," the black-clad officers replied, naming their authority as they lashed the steward aside with their whips and sped away.

Li Jing Gate? Wu Sansi's heart lurched. Badly alarmed, he changed his plans and did not enter the Great Bright Palace to report. Instead, he returned home and listened for news from Chang'an these past days.

As he listened, Wu Sansi felt his whole body go limp. Quance had sent the evidence of Wu Yanyi's rebellion to Li Jing Gate, and Hou Sizhi had used it to seize people. Through severe interrogation, they had uncovered a whole chain of crimes: filthy abuse of the Empress Dowager, slander against the Buddha, grave impiety, reckless discussion and spread of palace secrets, unauthorized use of ceremonial processions, insults against Xue Huaiyi, and many other charges besides. The people he had seen at the gate were already the second wave of arrests from Li Jing Gate, and the relatives of the Wu clan involved, both near and distant, numbered several dozen.

"Good. Very good, Quance," Wu Sansi gritted through clenched teeth. By making such a huge commotion, Quance had brought his feud with Wu Chengsi into the open. There would be no way back now.

"Master, could there be some mistake? If so, we must go at once to the palace and make it clear, or else matters may become unmanageable," the retainers in the household urged repeatedly.

Wu Sansi glared at them in fury. Foolish enough to break your heart. Once Li Jing Gate was involved, things were already beyond control.

He was in the game. Since he stood with Quance, it was easy enough to say he was upholding the dignity of the Empress Dowager's commands; no one could be killed unjustly. But if he opposed them, he would be opposing the Empress Dowager herself. Did he think his life was too long?

"Enough nonsense. Who said there was a mistake? This matter is beyond question. Wu Yanyi got what he deserved. I merely, merely think that Lord Quance's handling of it was too, too harsh. Too harsh."