Chapter 68: The Local Despot?

“What advice do you have for me, Lord Wei?” Cai Cong stopped and asked with a cheerful smile.

“Let’s walk and talk,” Wei Zheng replied, flashing an unexpectedly hearty grin as he took the lead. Cai Cong was startled; so the man with the coffin-like face could actually smile, and it didn’t look unpleasant at all.

They walked a while longer, until the crowd around them thinned. Only then did Wei Zheng speak, still smiling, “You, Lord of Chang’an, have achieved success at a young age and possess exceptional talent—a cause for celebration indeed. Yet, you wield your influence relentlessly, offend powerful ministers with your ostentation, and act with reckless disregard. Do you truly think His Majesty will protect you forever? I would hate to see such talent wasted in endless strife. That is why I offer this advice. If it displeases you, simply take it with a grain of salt.”

“Thank you for your concern, Lord Wei, but perhaps you should inquire: when have I ever made enemies? Still, you must have heard the saying—a dragon has its reverse scale; touch it and you die. My mother raised me with great hardship—she is my reverse scale. When those six families humiliated her, how could I, as her son, possibly let it pass?”

Cai Cong bowed in gratitude before speaking calmly. Without his previous life’s experiences, no one could comprehend how dearly he cherished this hard-won familial bond.

“Even so, you shouldn’t implicate the innocent. That is unbecoming of a gentleman, and it will harm your reputation,” Wei Zheng’s tone softened somewhat. Upon reflection, he realized that Cai Cong had never truly offended anyone out of arrogance.

“Innocent? How many families have been torn apart by the six gambling houses? Even the women and children I detained were cruel and heartless. Take Changsun Anye’s brother-in-law: his wife flogged seventeen maids to death in a single year, just for breaking a few things. His son, only thirteen, has already assaulted several girls. Do such people count as innocent? The truly innocent ones are the girls they purchased and forced into servitude—I have set them all free.”

“In that case, I have been rash,” Wei Zheng conceded, bowing deeply. Straightening, he said with great seriousness, “But the six families you have offended are backed by formidable forces. For your own sake, you should let this matter rest. Never mind the others—just the Wang family of Taiyuan, the Cui family of Boling, and the Lu family of Fanyang, these three alone are mountains you cannot cross. If you can make peace, it will do you no harm.”

“Ancient noble clans? So what? I have witnessed countless dynastic changes in my journeys through the void. Do they really think so highly of themselves? If I wished, I could wipe out their entire families in an instant. Lord Wei, you act as an intermediary for the sake of peace—I am grateful. But let them know, it is neither up to them nor to me to end this. Only when my mother lets go of her grievance will this matter be settled.”

With that, Cai Cong strode away, leaving Wei Zheng shaking his head. Those foolish women thought their noble birth set them above others, but now they had brought disaster upon their clans. What were they thinking? Never mind if she were a peasant or a beggar—so long as she had such a son, her status would rise accordingly. How could they dare to humiliate her so wantonly?

“Go back and tell Uncle Gang: halt all shipments to Shandong for now and instead purchase large quantities of grain from there, even if the price is high. Xu Jie, assist Uncle Gang—after all, he lacks experience. Since you are from the Xu family, you should be well suited to this kind of work.”

On the way home, Cai Cong summoned Meng Baolai and Xu Jie into the carriage and gave these instructions. Meng Baolai shot Xu Jie a glance—which Xu family was this?

Xu Jie chuckled, “My Xu family is but a minor clan; otherwise, I wouldn’t have to rely on military merit to enter the court.”

“What is your relation to Xu Jingzong?”

“He’s my uncle. My lord knows him?”

“We have never met, but he is a man of great ability. If you need advice, consult him. But remember, nothing angers me more than betrayal. If that day ever comes, your Xu clan will cease to exist.” Each word of Cai Cong’s final warning was etched into Xu Jie’s heart like a blade. Having witnessed the Weishui Alliance, he knew Cai Cong was not one to boast idly.

Xu Jie lowered his head and repeatedly assured him he wouldn’t dare. The longer he stayed by Cai Cong’s side, the more he realized how little he truly knew about him—he was just the tip of an iceberg.

Cai Cong felt compelled to give such a warning. Xu Jingzong was known throughout the ages for his cunning and opportunism, rising from the Sui to the Wu Zhou dynasty, attaining ever-greater power. On one hand, this was due to his intelligence and discernment; on the other, he was a consummate fence-sitter.

“One more thing: if you wish to serve in the government, study hard. I have already requested a group of scholars from His Majesty. Soon, the entire nation will strengthen its armies, and as instructors, you must possess both martial prowess and literary skill. If you don’t study diligently, your own students may surpass you in the future—don’t come complaining to me then.”

“Heh, just wait and see. I already know over a thousand characters and am studying the Analects! Those brats want to surpass me? Let them dream on.” Meng Baolai grinned, gratitude shining on his face. Though he was no longer an official, merely the chief guard and drill instructor in Cai Cong’s camp, he saw a future broader than any before.

“By the way, two of our caravans sent to the Western Regions have already lost contact. Take some men to Liangzhou and investigate. I can’t believe I forgot about that fool who’s courting death there.” Cai Cong’s expression darkened—those missing were either his kinsmen or people from his own lands. Any mishap would be a loss.

“I’ll select some men and depart for Liangzhou at once,” Meng Baolai responded with a nod. The Cai family’s caravans traded in priceless glassware and naturally recruited veteran soldiers as guards. If bandits had struck, at least some would have escaped. Clearly, something else was at play.

Cai Cong nodded silently. There was a madman plotting rebellion in Liangzhou, and his people had likely fallen victim. That very night, Meng Baolai assembled his men, and they vanished into the darkness.

Half a month later, in Liangzhou, in the northwest.

The streets bustled with noise and activity. As the region’s administrative center, the city was naturally prosperous, but every face bore a hint of wariness and fear.

“Did you hear? That local tyrant barged into the Little Zhuo Inn last night with his men, killed four merchants, and stole a fortune in treasures. They say those were meant to be sold in the Western Regions,” whispered Old Xue, the mat seller, glancing around before speaking in a low voice to a nearby peddler. Gossip, after all, is irresistible in any age. None of them noticed the beggar lying in the corner, ears pricked to catch every word.

“You think that’s bad? You all know the magistrate of An County, right?” scoffed a shrewd-looking man nearby. When the others nodded, he continued, “But you don’t know this: the magistrate wrote a petition in his own blood to the Emperor, accusing the local tyrant. One of the yamen runners reported it to the tyrant.

Now, think about what kind of man he is—ruthless in battle, and even more adept at oppressing the common folk. Would he swallow such an insult? He stormed the county office with his men, beat the magistrate until he vomited blood and broke the hand he wrote with. The magistrate’s unmarried daughter was abducted, and when she was returned, she was already dead, not even clothed... Such evil! What a fine official, gone like that...”

The man shook his head in regret. Such a good magistrate—how could he have suffered such a fate? Why did Heaven turn a blind eye and let that brute and his family run amok?

“That can’t be! No matter how brazen, he wouldn’t go that far. If the court finds out, will he not be punished?” someone questioned, incredulous. Though the military governor of Liangzhou held supreme authority locally, treating officials so savagely would surely draw the ire of the court.