Yizhou City and Qiongzhou both lay on the Chengdu Plains, with no natural barriers between them. Across the flat plains, it would take the Nanzhao army at most two days to reach the city walls.
On this clear autumn day, visibility across the plains was excellent, with the beautiful peaks of the Xiling Snow Mountains visible in the distance.
Deputy Commander Niu sat imposingly on his horse, Fifth Miss Niu’s words echoing in his ears: “Yu Yuan overheard the Nanzhao White King’s private discussion with Second Young Master Zhao about attacking Yizhou City for wealth and treasures. Others may not know, but father surely does. During the Tianbao years, when Nanzhao raised an army, they forced Commander Li Mi of Yaozhou to commit suicide by drowning after his defeat. Nanzhao pays an annual tribute to the court. After lying dormant for so many years, they suddenly raise an army—does Father truly believe the Xichuan army can stop them?”
The sight of the endless sea of soldiers and tents reminded one of a locust plague.
The promise to the Zhao family was to spare them while seizing brocade from all other households in the city. With this shift in fortune, the Zhao family would leap to become the leading brocade house in Yizhou.
Fifth Miss Niu had said: “The Zhao family chose to submit to preserve their strength. Father bleeding on the battlefield would be like an ant trying to stop a chariot. In defeat, the court would offer no rewards. It would be a pointless death. Why sacrifice yourself for a Military Commissioner who even withholds soldiers’ pay? Wouldn’t it be better to wait for the court to send the main army, then achieve merit despite your guilt?”
These words weren’t enough to shake Deputy Commander Niu. What he truly feared was that damned letter in Sheng Fengze’s possession!
The soldiers parted like waves, revealing a path.
A vermillion-canopied carriage, surrounded by several commanders, drove out from the ranks to the front line. Sheng Fengze reclined against brilliant brocade cushions, wearing black brocade robes with dark floral patterns and wide sleeves. On his forehead was a wide black and red jeweled ornamental band. He exuded an air of elegant dignity, looking just like a Tang nobleman out for an autumn excursion.
Recalling his previous encounters with Sheng Fengze, Deputy Commander Niu sighed inwardly. Though the face was the same, gone was the scholarly air of before. Those eyes, gleaming in the sunlight, revealed all his ambition.
“Greetings, Commander. It brings me great joy to see an old friend,” Sheng Fengze smiled in greeting.
Deputy Commander Niu laughed bitterly inside while maintaining a grim expression, shouting: “How dare Nanzhao invade Great Tang? Aren’t you afraid of being destroyed? If the White King retreats now and surrenders, perhaps the Emperor might still spare your life!”
Harsh words from a weak position—he had no choice but to speak them. Deputy Commander Niu felt like dying from the humiliation.
“Nanzhao has always been friendly with Great Tang, even sending envoys to Chang’an with tribute this year. Why would the Commander say such things?” Sheng Fengze’s smile vanished, replaced by shock.
Damn it! Nothing was more hateful than this official-like shamelessness! They had nearly reached Yizhou City’s walls, yet still refused to admit it, still looking for excuses to justify their invasion. Deputy Commander Niu cursed internally while being forced to ask: “Is the White King’s advance from the south not real?”
“The Commander misunderstands!” Sheng Fengze heaved a long sigh and said, “This prince loves Shu’s brocades and wishes to purchase them in large quantities. Our king, concerned for this prince’s safety, sent some men for protection. Who would have thought that upon entering the border, local garrison troops would misunderstand and start fighting? This prince came both to buy brocade and to personally explain matters to the Military Commissioner. Once fighting broke out, this prince, being cautious and valuing his life, had no choice but to bring more men.”
If it weren’t for that letter in your hands, I’d draw my sword and fight you again! Deputy Commander Niu cursed Sheng Fengze countless times in his heart while maintaining a stern face: “So you mean that if the Military Commissioner doesn’t misunderstand Your Highness and lets you buy the brocade you desire, Your Highness would return to Nanzhao satisfied?”
“Exactly!” Sheng Fengze answered promptly.
Deputy Commander Niu glanced at him, then turned his horse back to his camp.
Looking back, he saw Sheng Fengze leisurely returning in his canopied carriage.
“Report this to the Military Commissioner,” Deputy Commander Niu dispatched a vice commander to return to the city with the news.
In the Nanzhao command tent, Sheng Fengze was examining maps on a table with two commanders.
“Master, General Chikuang has arrived,” Chihu reported.
“Show him in.”
A burly commander strode in, giving a perfunctory salute before angrily demanding: “White King, why are we camping here? Yizhou City is right before us, why not storm it?!”
The king had grown impatient and planned to raid and occupy territory. The instigator was the powerful minister Du Ling. Chikuang was Du Ling’s confidant. Though merely commanding the left army, he dared question the commander-in-chief. Sheng Fengze sighed inwardly but said calmly: “Without an excuse, Nanzhao would be an unjust army. With an excuse, even plunder becomes justified.”
Chikuang was stunned.
“If the Tang Emperor becomes enraged and sends hundreds of thousands of troops against Nanzhao, can we win?” Before he could react, Sheng Fengze asked another question.
Before departing, Du Ling had carefully instructed Chikuang that the White King was influenced by Tang culture and might show mercy, spoiling the king’s grand plans. He shouted: “What if the Xichuan Military Commissioner swallows his pride and lets Your Highness buy large quantities of brocade? Would we withdraw then?”
No wonder the Tang people mock them as southern barbarians. Sheng Fengze couldn’t be bothered to explain and simply held up three fingers: “We’ll camp here for three days at most, how’s that?”
“Fine! If after three days the White King is still negotiating with the Tang people, I’ll lead my troops to attack the city myself!” Chikuang saluted, snorted, and strode out.
Chihu’s eyes narrowed: “Master…”
“It’s fine,” Sheng Fengze shook his head.
The next day, the Xichuan Military Commissioner sent an envoy to the Nanzhao camp.
The envoy was none other than Chief Secretary Sang of the Prefecture Governor’s office. A year ago, he had been worried about avoiding the new governor’s suspicions. Now, on the governor’s orders from the Military Commissioner, this “good assignment” of envoy to the Nanzhao camp had fallen to him.
“The Military Commissioner shows great righteousness. I am deeply moved. Once I buy the brocade, I will return to Nanzhao immediately.”
Hearing these words, Chief Secretary Sang’s heart settled: “How much brocade does Your Highness wish to buy?”
Sheng Fengze glanced around the tent at the assembled commanders and said: “I brought so many people to carry brocade, they can’t return empty-handed. They should at least have a foot or half a foot to take home to their wives and daughters. Let’s say thirty thousand bolts!”
“How many?!” Chief Secretary Sang thought he had misheard. Yizhou’s annual tribute of Shu brocade to Chang’an was only ten thousand bolts, and the entire prefecture produced less than fifteen thousand bolts per year. The Nanzhao White King wanted thirty thousand bolts at once. This would empty every brocade household’s warehouses in Yizhou.
“Thirty thousand!” Sheng Fengze said firmly.
Chief Secretary Sang was speechless, then sneered: “Does Your Highness know how much silver thirty thousand bolts of brocade is worth?”
Sheng Fengze extended his hand, and Chihu placed a leather pouch in it. He weighed it briefly, tossed it onto the table, and smiled warmly: “See if this price is sufficient, Chief Secretary?”
Chief Secretary Sang opened the drawstring and looked inside—the large pouch was filled with various gemstones.
He recalled the governor’s private words before leaving the city: “These barbarians don’t understand the value, bargain hard. By helping the brocade households save on shipping costs and selling at high prices, I, as local governor, will have done a great service for them.”
The governor had been elated when saying this as if already hearing the unified praise of all brocade households.
Perhaps he had misunderstood the White King, Chief Secretary Sang thought, feigning restraint: “An inch of gold for an inch of brocade. This pouch of gems might buy one bolt of top-quality brocade.”
“Haha!” Sheng Fengze couldn’t hold back, slapping the table as he burst into laughter.
The commanders in the tent joined in laughing. One stood up and shouted: “Listen well, sir! This is our prince’s payment for thirty thousand bolts of brocade!”
One pouch of gems to buy thirty thousand bolts of brocade? “Is Your Highness mocking me?! Buying thirty thousand bolts with this pouch of gems is a fool’s dream!” Chief Secretary Sang’s face suddenly turned blue, thinking how naive the Military Commissioner and governor were—these Nanzhao people were here to plunder.
Sheng Fengze’s laughter stopped abruptly, his eyes flashing with sharpness as he said deliberately: “The Chief Secretary says this prince is dreaming foolishly. Very well, this prince will personally take this pouch of gems to Yizhou City and see if it can buy thirty thousand bolts of brocade.”
This was a threat! If they didn’t give him the brocade, he would lead his army into the city! Chief Secretary Sang’s face went white, and it took him a while to calm himself: “I will faithfully report Your Highness’s intentions to the Military Commissioner and governor. Farewell!”
As he left the tent with his subordinate officials, a thunderous voice followed: “Our army commanders lack patience—we’ll wait two more days at most!”
Chief Secretary Sang stumbled, and if Assistant Minister Huang hadn’t quickly steadied him, he would have fallen. Trembling, he said: “Let’s return to the city. Yizhou is in danger!”