Chapter 24: A Household of Benevolence

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Li Shimin and his ministers bustled about like spinning tops, while Cai Cong, the national advisor, seemed to have been forgotten—no one mentioned him anymore.

“The temperature difference between day and night in Guanzhong is huge now. In the daytime, people sweat under the blazing sun, but at night, it’s so cold you can’t stop shivering. The poor at least have roofs over their heads, but look at these refugees—they don’t even have clothes to cover themselves. At night, whole families can only huddle together for warmth. Today, we’ve already found many who have fallen ill.”

Walking through the city of Chang’an, Fang Xuanling gazed at the masses of refugees littered across the ground, unable to suppress a pang of sorrow. They had dedicated themselves to changing the world, not just to earn titles and honors for their families, but also in hopes of bringing peace to the people and leaving their names in history. Yet, confronted with such a sight, how could one’s heart not ache?

“Can’t bear it already? Then next year, or the year after, you might just die of despair,” Cai Cong thought, feeling even more uneasy. He had grown up in peaceful times—when had he ever witnessed the devastation of war? But the droughts and locust plagues in the first and second years of the Zhenguan era were even more terrifying, sweeping across all of Guanzhong.

“What did you say?” Fang Xuanling turned to ask.

“Nothing. I just said these matters should be discussed with the ministers, not with a child like me.” Cai Cong shrugged and smiled.

“You should look around you—apart from you, not a single official in the entire court is free. I brought you here so you’d understand the responsibilities an official must bear, not because I expect you to say something!” Fang Xuanling chuckled. Even the most gifted need training, and he had kept Cai Cong at his side all day to teach him the skills to manage the affairs of the people. How much he grasped would depend on him.

“Thank you, my lord, for your guidance. I understand your intentions.”

“Mm…” Fang Xuanling nodded lightly, but inwardly, he held Cai Cong in high regard. Some might think his strategies were risky, but wasn’t the empty city ruse always a high-stakes gamble? Cai Cong had succeeded, saving tens of thousands of lives.

“Look at these tens of thousands of refugees, lacking food and clothing—how should this be resolved? Do you have any ideas?” Fang Xuanling spoke calmly. They were all men of strong will; a moment’s sorrow would soon pass—problems must be solved.

“Now that the granaries of Chang’an have been emptied by the Turks, and more refugees pour in by the day, I truly don’t know what to do.” One should not stand out too much; at eight years old, he should do the things expected of an eight-year-old. Later, Cai Cong reflected on it—why did neither the emperor nor any of the officials mention him? It was because he had achieved what none of them could.

Though it was a great deed—one could even call it a blessing for thousands of families—it had badly bruised the pride of everyone in court. If the emperor didn’t speak up first, who would dare recommend him for merit? So, without the status and position to match, it was better not to outshine others.

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“You’re already doing well to realize the problems will get worse. But as an official, you must broaden your perspective—don’t just focus on one thing. Since you can anticipate refugees flooding into Chang’an from all over, why not consider that the armies coming to support the king will also be bringing grain?”

“But the army needs to eat—their rations can’t be shorted. If it sparks a mutiny, things will get even worse.”

“His Majesty has already issued a decree: each supporting army will only keep enough food for the return journey, then immediately head back to their stations. The rest of the grain will be escorted to the capital. As for replacing the armies’ grain, it will be requisitioned locally and offset by taxes. Remember to open your mind—many problems can be solved simply by shifting your perspective.”

“I think I understand now—thank you, my lord.” Cai Cong feigned sudden enlightenment, seeing Fang Xuanling stroking his three-inch beard in satisfaction.

“Er Dan, Er Dan! My son! What will I do without you?”
“Let go! If you don’t, I’ll just leave. Still got the nerve to cry and wail!”

Suddenly, a discordant exchange rang out nearby—one voice full of sorrow, the other impatient. Cai Cong looked over. A woman clung to a child, crying so hard her tears had almost dried up. Beside her, a man slapped his own face in helplessness.

Opposite them were several servants in blue, all wearing impatient expressions. Around them, a few terrified children clung tightly to their sides.

“Who are you people? What are you doing?” Cai Cong’s sense of justice kicked in—he couldn’t help but step in and ask what was going on.

“To answer the young master…”

“Insolent! Address him properly. This is Assistant Gentleman of the Court, Lord Cai Cong.”

The servant in blue, seeing Cai Cong dressed in silk and flanked by strong bodyguards, guessed he was a noble’s son. He dared not offend. When the guard announced Cai Cong’s name, his eyes widened in alarm.

The common people might not know who this young lord was, but among the servants of the great families, his reputation was well known—many had heard their masters and friends mention this formidable child. He hurriedly bowed and said, “To answer Lord Cai, my master sent me to purchase some servants. I am currently making my selections.”

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“Bastard! Trading in human lives is a crime!” Cai Cong didn’t hesitate to curse him out. Even if he’d been a rogue in his past life, he’d always despised those heartless traffickers.

“Injustice, my lord! I wouldn’t dare break the law—the parents of every child here have signed contracts of sale, and the official scribe is registering everything!”

The servant in blue cried out his innocence. Indeed, an official scribe was present, recording the transactions. Cai Cong then remembered that in ancient times, as long as the parents agreed, such sales weren’t illegal.

“Sir, please—I beg you! Buy my daughter, too, or she’ll starve to death…” At that moment, the woman who had sold her son fell to the ground, kowtowing desperately. Only then did Cai Cong see a little girl lying behind her, previously hidden from view.

“Get lost! She’s clearly a dying wretch—what use is she? My master only wants boys; girls are worthless.” Facing the destitute, the servant’s tone turned vicious. He kicked the woman aside, yanked the weeping child up, slapped him, then forced a smile at Cai Cong, intending to leave.

“Seize him—beat him, and break his leg afterwards!” The sight filled Cai Cong with fury. Meng Baolai and the others pinned the servant down and gave him a savage beating, knowing exactly where to strike to cause maximum pain. Soon, the servant howled in agony.

“Cai, you dare strike me? My master is the Duke of Changping. You’re dead for sure!” The servant, far from begging for mercy, only grew more arrogant in his threats.

“This…” Seeing the scoundrel’s servility vanish, Meng Baolai hadn’t expected him to have such powerful backing. He clenched his fists tightly, unsure where to direct his strength.

“Keep going—break his leg. If General Zhang Liang feels I have disgraced him, he’s welcome to lodge a complaint with the emperor. Tear up all those contracts—these people will be under my protection. The court’s grain will arrive soon, and everyone can return home to farm. There’s no need to sell sons and daughters.”

Meng Baolai twisted the servant’s leg until it bent at a right angle, ignoring his piercing screams. He found a pile of sale contracts on the man, which he handed to Cai Cong.

“A child is worth only ten copper coins—less than a sheet of paper! Truly the Zhang family is the epitome of benevolence!” Cai Cong said coldly, tearing all the contracts to pieces on the spot.