“Worthy son-in-law, you just killed someone.” The father-in-law sat in the carriage feeling uneasy, unable to help sticking his head out the window to ask Yun Ye.

“It doesn’t matter. You also heard—just now Lu Dongzan said Tubo still has two hundred thousand armored warriors. The death of one doesn’t matter.” Yun Ye turned his body and explained to his father-in-law with a smile.

“He said he would bring a great army over. Worthy son-in-law, you must not be careless.”

“He’s just talking. You look at these government soldiers cultivating in the fields—they’ve been longing for war until their eyeballs have turned green. Your son-in-law is the Principal Administrator of the Ministry of War. One of my responsibilities is to ensure that the soldiers under my command always have battles to fight and always have merit to bring back home. The Ministry of War governs punishment and killing—approaching them with威 is proper principle. This is the responsibility of the Winter Office. Pacifying the four barbarians and harmonizing yin and yang—that’s the authority of the Spring Office. You think about it, old master—if even the Ministry of War didn’t have a bit of overbearing spirit, where would the nation’s pride come from?”

The father-in-law nodded, feeling these words made sense. He had honestly conducted business in Shu, following his father’s instructions to never trouble the Yun family, never even mentioning to outsiders that his daughter was a dignified lady of court rank. Although his three sons were disappointing, they weren’t thoroughly evil scoundrels either. Now suddenly suffering this calamity falling from the sky, only then did he hastily play the trump card of his son-in-law. Who would have thought that imperial censor official wouldn’t believe it? It seems that people cannot always play the pig—play the pig long enough and you truly become a pig.

Xinyue stood in front of the memorial arch to welcome her father, wearing her court rank attire, looking fierce like a crab with claws extended. She didn’t ask her husband about the process of rescuing her younger brothers. After paying respects to her father, she grabbed her two younger brothers and heavily slapped each of them twice on the forehead as punishment. The father-in-law happily followed his son-in-law through the main gate into the magnificent Lantian Marquis residence.

They first went to pay respects to the old ancestor and Old Master Yushan, explaining the process of events. Thus, those two brothers were ordered by Master Yushan to be confined—not allowed to leave until the matter was completely concluded.

With the father-in-law’s arrival, several familiar families all sent gifts. The people didn’t come over because the difference in status was too great—it wouldn’t accord with propriety. Tang people would not make the slightest error in such formal etiquette.

They brought the person home at noon, and in the afternoon Zhangsun Chong came. His eyes were somewhat red. He took out a box, showed it to Yun Ye once, then instructed his own household guards to take the box back and feed it to the dogs.

“I’ve been schemed against.” Zhangsun Chong looked at Yun Ye with worry.

“I know. That’s why you can still enter the Yun family’s main gate. Your family has great wealth and property—inevitably there are one or two unworthy people. I can understand.” Yun Ye poured Zhangsun Chong a cup of tea to comfort him.

“Then can you not speak of this matter at Wanmin Palace tomorrow?” Zhangsun Chong’s eyes brightened as he continued asking.

“That request goes too far. This is a family matter, not my personal affair. You bring me that steward’s head—I myself am no longer angry, and we’re still brothers. But family matters can’t be discussed in that way. In order to prevent similar incidents from happening again and to protect the lives of my own family, if I don’t report it, I’ll be looked down upon by everyone. Perhaps even you would look down on me. This matter is non-negotiable.”

Zhangsun Chong irritably slapped the table and cursed loudly, “A bunch of bastards! I told him to contact the Tubo people—how did he inexplicably end up writing letters to Lu Zhongting? Such an obvious trap and he still drilled into it—completely muddle-headed.”

“Alas, Chongzi, you should feel fortunate. It’s lucky this matter happened to my family. The Yun family is a pushover—you powerful clans can trample us at will. If it were a different fierce family, the Zhangsun family’s trouble would be great. Just the crime of a slave controlling his master would be enough for your family to suffer. Tomorrow in court I’ll only state the course of events, nothing else, and I don’t plan to pursue it further. Whether you can settle this matter depends on your family. As brothers, this is the limit of what I can do.”

With this statement from Yun Ye, Zhangsun Chong immediately stood up and made a deep bow, considering it as thanking Yun Ye for his magnanimity. He left behind a full two cartloads of gifts for Yun Ye’s father-in-law. He could soften before Yun Ye, but would absolutely never say a word of apology to the Xin family people. The distinguished nobles did not apologize to commoners.

By evening, Liu Jinbao came to report that the Tubo Grand Minister Lu Dongzan had moved out of the Zhangsun family’s villa. This courtyard that had protected him for several years would finally no longer protect him. Lu Dongzan immediately moved into the guest quarters at the Court of Diplomatic Reception. Only now did he realize that in the eyes of the Great Tang’s distinguished nobles, he wasn’t that important.

Today’s Great Tang could no longer be described as a fierce tiger. It was more like the giant beast Taotie from ancient legends, greedily devouring all the territory around it that could be devoured. If it weren’t for Tubo being located on the high plateau, where Tang people couldn’t breathe once they went up to the plateau, they would surely have been devoured completely clean by this fierce beast many years ago.

This country was now expanding in all directions, its territory changing three times a year. No amount of territory could fill the Great Tang military’s enormous appetite. Now, aside from Chang’an and several important cities that still garrisoned heavy troops, the rest of the soldiers were all at the borders—not defending the borders, but constantly pushing outward.

Compared to military strength, the Tang people’s powerful financial resources were most despairing. Continuously employing troops for many years, their finances seemed to show not the slightest shrinkage. Domestically there was singing and dancing in peace, while at the frontiers war fires raged. Murderous butchers returning to the country would become universally praised heroes, enjoying with clear conscience the wealth they had plundered back.

Lu Dongzan had watched in despair as Li Daozong grinned savagely while personally beheading Meng Shezhao, then preserved the head with lime and sent it to Chang’an, where it now rested in Wude Hall as witness to Li Er’s meritorious achievements. Yet to outsiders they said Meng Shezhao was still fleeing, requiring Great Tang soldiers to penetrate deep into the wilderness to capture and kill this chieftain.

Tubo people no longer grew barley, because Great Tang’s grain was sold very cheaply. Raising a few more sheep could be exchanged for enough grain. Thinking of this matter, Lu Dongzan was consumed with anxiety. What hope remained for a country that handed its lifeline over to others?

The Tang people must be waiting for the situation where not a single barley seed remained on the plateau. When that time came, if they didn’t immediately cut off the grain supply to Tubo, that would be the strange thing. The Tang people would rather that plateau become a true desolate wasteland than see Tubo people multiply and thrive upon it.

The Great Tang’s proud princesses looked down on Tubo people. The Emperor always used this excuse to put off Lu Dongzan. Two years ago, he had still been mocking the Goguryeo envoy Ronghua Nü for serving the Great Tang’s distinguished nobles like a slave. Now, it seemed it was his turn. Lu Dongzan stood in the courtyard of the Court of Diplomatic Reception’s guest quarters, tilting his head back to watch the bright moon all night. The final understanding he reached was that perhaps Tubo should also leave that plateau that had nourished them for generations. Going south, there were the cowardly Tianzhu people—they were still no match for the brave Tubo warriors.

Yun Ye went to court by moonlight. Just arriving at the palace gate, he received news that Lu Zhongting had hanged himself at home the previous night. A ten-thousand-word memorial detailed all his sufferings. Wei Zheng held the ten-thousand-word memorial, his whole body trembling as he endured Yun Ye’s ridicule. Zhangsun Wuji showed no expression, as if nothing had happened.

The palace gate opened, whips cracked, warriors formed ranks, and the imperial censors began organizing the officials’ procession. But then it was announced that the Emperor’s body was indisposed—court was dismissed for one day. Yun Ye laughed heartily and planned to return to his carriage to catch up on sleep. Wei Zheng, with hair and beard bristling, demanded an imperial audience but was coldly refused by Duan Hong. The Emperor said he would see no one.

Zhangsun Wuji, however, calmly entered the imperial palace. The excuse he used was to visit his younger sister, the Empress.

No one knew how many times Zhangsun Wuji was slapped by his brother-in-law the Emperor. When leaving the palace, his expression was very unnatural. The palace attendants quickly brought out the handling results for Lu Zhongting’s matter. Lu Zhongting knowingly broke the law—his crime was unpardonable. Since he had already committed suicide in fear of punishment, no further pursuit would be made. The Zhangsun family was arrogant, extravagant, licentious, and failed to control their subordinates properly—fined one thousand jin of copper. Yun Ye was overbearing and presumptuous, acting willfully and recklessly—fined five hundred jin of copper. Lu Dongzan was audacious and reckless, sowing discord—his heart deserved execution. In consideration of his exalted status as Tubo’s Grand Minister, the responsibility would be assigned to his Western Mentor. Lu Dongzan had no teacher to kill. The palace attendant who went to announce the decree randomly found two Tubo people who looked somewhat intelligent, beheaded them with one stroke each, and brought the heads back to the palace to report. One of those heads belonged to Lu Dongzan’s eldest son, Zang Zhixiruo.

Lu Dongzan wore a smile as he sent off the palace attendant. He even gave the fellow who had killed his eldest son a lot of money. Because after killing two people, he seemed not quite satisfied, feeling he had killed too few. Only after Lu Dongzan gave him a small goose cast in gold did he stop and return happily to the palace.

There were twelve small geese cast in gold, plus two enormous golden geese. This was the gift Lu Dongzan had brought down from the plateau to present to the Emperor this time. That palace attendant who had killed his son and taken away the golden goose was doomed. Someone would definitely ask about the eleven small golden geese. At that time, that palace attendant who had taken away the golden goose would have no path to walk except death.

This was the only step Lu Dongzan could take to avenge his son. The brilliant man of his generation, Lu Dongzan, was so furious he was about to go mad. At this moment he only wanted to appear on the most intense battlefield and fight desperately without regard for his life.

The sound of strings and bamboo instruments came from the adjacent guest quarters, mournful and desolate, unlike the music of the Central Plains. A woman was singing, in the Goguryeo language. Lu Dongzan could only understand a few sentences.

“Ever since the eagle’s wings were broken, it cannot fly over White Mountain. Ever since the fine horse was bridled, it cannot cross the great river. Ever since the fierce tiger’s claws and fangs were clipped, even foxes come to bully it.”

“Who can understand my sorrow? Only the winter wind and snow. Who can untangle my worries? Only a thousand cups of wine.”

Lu Dongzan listened for a long time, his fury rising. How dare a lowly Goguryeo slave woman look down on me, the Grand Minister of Tubo? With both arms exerting force, he pulled the stone drum beneath his feet from the spring mud. With a great shout, he hurled it into the adjacent courtyard. Not knowing where it struck, it made a thunderous crash. Lu Dongzan clapped his hands clean and returned to his room. Behind him, the setting sun was blood-red…

Ronghua Nü crouched down to stroke the stone drum deeply embedded in the muddy ground, smiling very happily, even with a bit of mischievous meaning. This world had little reason to speak of. Heroes would not fall—they would only be shackled and suffer all the humiliations of the mortal world.