After passing the imperial examination in the newly established Yangli regime, newly minted jinshi scholars were not immediately granted official posts. Before their formal appointments, they were sent to various ministries and offices such as the Six Ministries and Nine Chancellors to intern in governance. This was known as the jinshi observation system. After the ascension of the new emperor, building upon the established practice of sending vice ministers of the Ministry of War to inspect border regions initiated by his predecessor, the emperor further innovated by instituting a new system wherein officials of the Ministry of War would be dispatched to observe and learn from frontier governance. This idea had originally been proposed by Prince Jing’an Zhao Xun during his memorial submissions, aiming to prevent the Ministry of War from indulging in theoretical discussions without practical application. This clearly demonstrated the current emperor’s special favor for this young prince who had remained steadfastly loyal during the Jingnan Campaign.
This time, the dispatch of Ministry of War officials to the frontier had drawn widespread attention throughout the court and the nation. However, the ranks of these officials were not particularly high. Among them were Keng Zhenrong, an assistant official of the Chariot and Cavalry Bureau; Gao Tingshu, a clerk of the Martial Selection and Discipline Bureau; and Yan Chiji, a clerk of the Armory Bureau. These were typical young officials whose youthful appearances were often described as “lacking even a hint of beard.” There were two reasons why this mission had captured the attention of the senior officials in the capital. First, the chosen frontier for observation was not the expected Liaodong region, nor the eastern front where Vice Minister Xu Xiao had already been stationed to provide support. Instead, it was the northwestern frontier, a vast desert filled with the smoke of war—the Northern Liang Circuit!
The second reason was the careful selection of officials by the Ministry of War, which raised many eyebrows. Among them, Gao Tingshu, the new runner-up in the imperial examination, and his fellow officials like Wu Congxian, had risen to prominence in the capital not merely by virtue of their high examination rankings. It was the relentless promotion and poetic exchanges orchestrated by Jin Sanlang that had propelled them into the spotlight. Otherwise, they might have faded into obscurity after a few months of initial glory. In the capital city of Taian, where the reign era Xiangfu had lasted over twenty years, there was no shortage of zhuangyuan (top scorer), bangyan (second place), and tanhua (third place), let alone mere jinshi scholars. Who did not know that Jin Lanting, the current favorite in court circles, owed his rise to the patronage of Jin Sanlang, who had long harbored animosity toward the Xu family of Northern Liang?
Moreover, the inclusion of Yan Chiji and Kong Zhenrong in the frontier inspection mission was particularly intriguing. Yan Chiji’s family had risen to prominence due to the marriage of a daughter into the imperial family, making Yan Chiji and his father, Yan Jiexi, relatives of the emperor. Even more surprising was the fact that the fourth prince, known for his lack of ambition, had managed to break the long-standing tradition of primogeniture without overtly competing, eventually ascending to the southern throne in a calm and steady manner. Yan Jiexi had already become a senior scholar in the Dongyuan Pavilion, and Yan Chiji, who had initially been mocked and bullied by the young nobles of Taian, had now risen to become the emperor’s brother-in-law. Everyone knew that the current emperor held deep affection for Empress Yan, and even before ascending the throne, he had always treated Yan Chiji, his gentle and refined younger brother-in-law, as a close companion. Otherwise, how could Yan Chiji, who had only entered the ranks of the jinshi through the “tong jinshi” (equivalent degree), have been appointed as the clerk of the Ministry of War’s Armory Bureau? And how could he have been personally seen off by the vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel and welcomed by the minister of the Ministry of War himself on the day of his appointment? As for Kong Zhenrong, he was a native of Northern Liang. His father, Kong Dahe, had been appointed to an official post in the capital due to his merits and had joined the faction of the second prince. Kong Wuchi and Yan Chiji had been close childhood friends of the current Prince of Northern Liang, Xu Fengnian. Along with Li Hanlin, the only one of the four who had remained in Northern Liang, the four had frequented as many as seventy or eighty brothels together in their youth.
This situation was indeed intriguing. Among the four brothers, even without considering Xu Fengnian, the hereditary prince of the frontier, Li Hanlin, despite being the son of Li Degong, a high-ranking official of the Yangli Empire, was now merely a low-ranking commander of the Northern Liang border scouts! Moreover, Li Degong, known for his political acumen, had barely settled into his post as a regional governor before being quickly ousted by Song Dongming, an outsider. In contrast, in the capital, Yan Chiji, with his special status, and Kong Zhenrong, who had become a powerful figure within the Ministry of War, were already influential. If they were dispatched to local provinces, even seasoned provincial governors would have to treat them with utmost respect, addressing them as brothers and hosting them with great care, and there was no guarantee that the younger officials would even reciprocate their courtesy.
Since this was a frontier observation mission, the chosen route naturally passed through Youzhou rather than the more prosperous Lingzhou, which was known as the “Little Jiangnan.” Soon after they entered the region, they received shocking news that the Northern Liang army had launched a three-pronged offensive. The older officials in the Ministry of War had originally intended to make a brief tour of the relatively calm border of Youzhou, fulfill their duty to the court, and then proceed to Jibei to greet the newly rising Yuan Tingshan, before heading to the Liaodong region to meet with the Grand Commander Gu Jiantang and the vice minister of the Ministry of War, Xu Xiao. This journey was supposed to be smooth and uneventful, but they had not anticipated that upon entering eastern Youzhou, they would find themselves in such a precarious situation. Who could have predicted that the young and fiery Xu Fengnian, the so-called “barbarian from the northwest,” might feel humiliated by the court’s actions, become enraged, and order the Northern Liang border troops to disguise themselves as Northern Liang raiders and eliminate the entire group of Ministry of War officials?
The older officials, experienced in the treacherous nature of court politics, quickly halted at a border station and spent the night deliberating without reaching a satisfactory solution. However, the young and impetuous Gao Tingshu remained unfazed. He not only proposed heading directly to the Hulu Pass in eastern Youzhou but also insisted on visiting the formidable Hutou Fortress in Liangzhou, the most formidable stronghold in the northwest. The older officials, already fearful of the cold, were so alarmed that their lips turned purple. If it were not for the fact that Gao Tingshu had managed to leave a favorable impression on both Gu Jiantang and Minister Lu, he would have been relegated to sitting on the cold benches of the Ministry of War upon his return to the capital. Compared to the fearless Gao Tingshu, Yan Chiji, the young and courteous “imperial brother-in-law,” was much more likable in the eyes of the seasoned officials. After a sleepless night at the station, during which the lamp wick was trimmed multiple times, it was Yan Chiji who finally proposed a plan that the older officials found increasingly appropriate. The suggestion was not to go to Youzhou or the northern front of Liangzhou but to go directly to the Northern Liang Prince’s Mansion in Qingliang Mountain. Liang Shihu, the director of the Ministry of War’s Department of Cartography and Personnel, stroked his beard thoughtfully and, with a slight smile, said one word: “Good.”
Minister Liang was growing increasingly fond of the young imperial brother-in-law. Going to the famous Qingliang Mountain was a good idea indeed. No matter how defiant and unruly the Prince of Northern Liang might be, even if he had once defied imperial orders and refused to send troops, he would surely not dare to kill them within his own Prince’s Mansion, right? Moreover, with the solid friendship between Yan Chiji and Kong Zhenrong and the Prince of Northern Liang, even if it had weakened over time, visiting the Prince’s Mansion should not be a trap like the Feast at Hongmen. Besides, who hadn’t heard of the spectacular sight of thousands of carps leaping in the Listening-to-the-Tide Lake? How many officials in Taian had the opportunity to witness it in person? Gao Tingshu, who had been exuding confidence since leaving the capital, hesitated for a moment and finally refrained from saying anything that might provoke the others. It seemed that Yan Chiji’s status as the emperor’s brother-in-law was indeed something he, a young official without a solid foundation, could not challenge.
When the observation team stopped at a station at the border of Youzhou and Liangzhou, Kong Zhenrong, who was returning home for the first time since entering the capital, found Yan Chiji, who was reading by lamplight. He sat down but remained silent. Yan Chiji, after years of refinement, had gradually shed the naivety of a newcomer to the capital. With his scholarly knowledge, he had gained a certain confidence. After his family’s rise to prominence, this once timid young scholar had also developed a stronger sense of independence, which greatly pleased his father, the senior scholar of the grand academy. Kong Zhenrong remained silent, and Yan Chiji did not initiate conversation either. The only sounds in the room were the rustling of pages and the occasional crackle of the lamp wick. Finally, Kong Wuchi, unable to bear the silence any longer, grumbled, “Yan Chi Ji, do you think Feng Ge-er will be angry and refuse to see us?”
Yan Chiji continued reading, seemingly uncertain, and softly replied, “I don’t think so.”
Kong Zhenrong, who had just shaved off his full beard that morning, rubbed his stubble and sighed, “You’re lucky. At least you spent a few more years with Feng Ge-er and Hanlin. I left for the capital years before you. The last time Feng Ge-er came to the capital, my old fool of a father tricked me into going south of the capital, and we never met. Yan Chi Ji, you’ve read more books. Do you think Feng Ge-er really won’t think I’ve been disloyal? If I had known it would end up like this, I should have run away from home instead of going to the capital with my father back then.”
Yan Chiji stopped reading but remained silent.
Kong Zhenrong asked, “Why did you go to the Ministry of War instead of the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of Rites? Didn’t you always hate warfare and bloodshed since you were a child?”
Yan Chiji sighed, “That’s exactly why I went to the Ministry of War.”
Kong Zhenrong rolled his eyes, “You scholars are so complicated. You never say what you mean directly. Others are like taking off your pants to fart, but you’re like wearing pants to poop.”
Yan Chiji’s eyes suddenly sharpened, and he glanced out the window, speaking softly, “Go back and tell your father not to correspond with Prince Tang of the Jiangnan Circuit anymore.”
Seeing Kong Zhenrong’s puzzled expression, Yan Chiji added, almost word by word, “Especially regarding Prince Tang’s recent offering of a white deer as an auspicious omen to the capital. Make sure your father stays out of it!”
Kong Zhenrong was confused, “Isn’t that a good thing?”
Yan Chiji sneered, “Don’t ask why. Just tell your father it was an offhand remark I made after a family banquet. He’ll understand the implications.”
Kong Zhenrong, who used to protect Yan Chiji from all sorts of troubles, murmured, “Okay,” and, looking at Yan Chiji’s face, added softly, “Yan Chi Ji, I feel like I don’t even recognize you anymore.”
Yan Chiji’s expression softened slightly, and he picked up the book on the table again, almost to himself, “I didn’t want it to be this way either.”
The subsequent journey through Liangzhou gradually eased the anxiety of Minister Liang Shihu and the other older officials, whose hearts had been pounding with fear. Not only did the local military units in Liangzhou provide them with every convenience, but a newly appointed junior officer even personally led a detachment to escort them out of the city. Although there was an element of surveillance, at least on the surface, they were treated with due respect. Although Minister Liang was not a military man by background, as a veteran of the Ministry of War’s Zhanglu faction, his discernment was sharp. He could sense the strength of the Northern Liang forces, which far surpassed the regions they had previously passed through, such as the capital region and Jizhou. This realization instilled a sense of awe in him, and he couldn’t help but reflect on the formidable might of the thirty thousand Northern Liang cavalry under Xu Fengnian’s command.
When the observation team, treated like curiosities by the locals of Liangzhou, arrived at the foot of Qingliang Mountain and stood before the Prince’s Mansion’s gates, even the seasoned officials from the Ministry of War, who had seen much, exchanged uneasy glances and involuntarily gasped at the sight of the pair of stone lions towering nearly two men high. Yan Chiji and Kong Zhenrong wore complex expressions, while Gao Tingshu let out a disdainful snort, prompting Liang Shihu to cough loudly in warning, fearing that their words might be overheard by the Prince’s Mansion’s attendants. In the Yangli Empire, there was a saying that local officials were considered three ranks inferior to capital officials, implying that the prestige of capital officials was naturally higher. This was especially true for officials from the Ministry of Personnel, who were known for their arrogance toward local officials. Although the Ministry of War had recently been overshadowed by the Ministry of Personnel led by the newly appointed “Celestial Official” Yin Maochun, it still retained its dignity. As the head of the Department of Cartography and Personnel, responsible for overseeing the maps of all regions, and considering himself a proud and principled scholar, Liang Shihu carried himself with the full pomp of a capital official as he led the way through the side gate of the Prince’s Mansion, his wide sleeves billowing with authority. Even the Prince’s Mansion’s steward couldn’t help but glance at him a few times.
Prince Xu Fengnian of Northern Liang did not appear in person. Instead, Song Dongming, the deputy governor of the Northern Liang Circuit, greeted them, explaining that the prince was occupied with military affairs at the border and could not attend. Liang Shihu and the other seasoned officials were secretly relieved that the son of the feared warlord had no time to deal with them. They showered Song Dongming with flowery compliments, praising the Prince of Northern Liang for his tireless dedication to state affairs and his role in defending the northwest frontier for the empire. Song Dongming, the self-proclaimed deputy governor of Northern Liang, accepted these compliments with a smile, and his refined demeanor, reminiscent of a scholar from the Central Plains, quickly put the officials at ease. They couldn’t help but feel a sense of genuine admiration for Song Dongming, lamenting that such a talented individual should be relegated to a remote frontier post instead of serving in the imperial court alongside the great ministers of the realm.
After hosting a banquet for the Ministry of War officials, Song Dongming unexpectedly refrained from any attempt to evade their inquiries. As soon as the chopsticks were laid down, he led them all to his office on the hillside of Qingliang Mountain and openly shared sensitive military intelligence, including the appointments of junior officers and the promotions and reassignments of border troops. Although the observation mission carried an air of imperial inspection, Liang Shihu and the others had no intention of being overly assertive. They had braced themselves for a cold reception and meager hospitality, but Song Dongming’s cooperation was unexpected. While the older officials maintained a cautious silence, Gao Tingshu was less restrained, repeatedly asking about the distribution of Northern Liang forces and specific border matters. Song Dongming, without showing any displeasure, skillfully deflected these questions with various excuses. Liang Shihu, initially indifferent to Gao Tingshu’s reckless probing, secretly hoped that the young official’s persistence might yield some useful intelligence. However, as Gao Tingshu continued to press for answers, Song Dongming’s expression darkened, and he sipped his tea in silence. Liang Shihu grew increasingly uneasy, glancing nervously at the door, fearing that Song Dongming might suddenly smash his teacup and summon hundreds of armed guards to drag them away and execute them. Desperate to defuse the tension, Liang Shihu interjected, expressing a keen interest in the famous sight of the red carp leaping in the Listening-to-the-Tide Lake and requesting to visit it with his colleagues. This time, Song Dongming did not rise but simply smiled and instructed his subordinates to escort the Ministry of War officials to the lake.
Afterward, Song Dongming ascended to the mountaintop alone, where he met Xu Fengnian, who had returned specifically to the Prince’s Mansion after a detour. He asked, “Since you’ve come back, won’t you pay a visit?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head, gazing at the Listening-to-the-Tide Lake, and replied, “Master Song, accompany me to the back of the mountain. We’ll go together to carve the names of those 296 individuals onto the stele.”
Song Dongming nodded.
As they walked through the back of the mountain, Song Dongming, who had been holding back his frustration for some time, finally burst out in anger, “What a saying—’To achieve wealth and honor without returning home is like wearing brocade at night!’ But what about those 296 people of Northern Liang?”
Xu Fengnian replied calmly, “We of Northern Liang will remember them ourselves.”
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