Yun Ye remained in Hengyang without leaving. He erected his tent as Cavalry General. As the pinnacle of military scattered officials, he naturally had the right to establish a headquarters and open court. Military law trials of criminals were simple—only flogging or beheading. If Yun Ye were twisted enough, he could even beat someone to death without bearing responsibility.

Di Renjie was very suitable as interrogation officer, so Yun Ye no longer bothered with it. Instead, he focused all his attention on Hengyang’s public security. Accompanying Di Renjie to Hengyang was also the People’s Comforter Yuan Jia. This was a man with a very good official reputation. Although in his fifties he had only reached fifth rank, he didn’t seem to mind. His foot-long beard floated on his gaunt, elongated face, appearing very refined.

This was the youth who had unhesitatingly married a singing courtesan from Yanlai Tower. Although his contemporaries Shen Gonghai, Yao Si, and Zhuzong had long become famous officials of the Great Tang—especially Shen Gonghai, who had now leapt from Hedong Provincial Administrator to become Left Vice Minister of Revenue, achieving meteoric success—Yuan Jia’s promotion speed could never catch up with Shen Gonghai’s. He always couldn’t cross that chasm of the fourth rank.

In the Great Tang, so-called high officials referred to those of fourth rank and above. Those below fourth rank couldn’t even enter the Emperor’s sight. Although Yuan Jia’s political achievements were excellent, his annual evaluation could only be “average.” The primary reason was his personal virtue was lacking.

Di Renjie was an anomaly. His promotion speed was incomparable to others. Having such a formidable teacher, if he still couldn’t achieve meteoric success, that would be too shameful. So Yun Ye always let Di Renjie manage himself—his own talent was sufficient for him to establish himself in court.

“Yuan Jia, you controlled floods during your tenure in Huizhou, and opened trade routes during your tenure in Suizhou. Just these two achievements are enough for you to stand out among officials. How is it that you’re still only a fifth-rank official? If you serve as People’s Comforter in Hengyang again, you’ll be the person who has served as prefect most often in all the Great Tang! They say your private virtue is lacking—this old man doesn’t believe it. What other unconscionable thing did you do to make the Ministry of Personnel torment you like this?”

Yun Ye squinted with a smile at his student, took a sip of hot tea, and asked with a laugh.

“In response to my mentor’s question, that this disciple could rise from a commoner to a frontier official is already great fortune. Fifth rank may be this disciple’s limit of ability. I’ve embarrassed my mentor.” Yuan Jia answered carefully. It seemed years of official life had indeed polished away this person’s rough edges completely.

Yun Ye waved his hand and laughed: “Where is this still the words of that iron-backboned good fellow from the Academy? What is, is; what isn’t, isn’t. You’re my student—your teacher naturally won’t stand by while you’re bullied. If it’s other reasons, this old man won’t interfere. But if it’s because of your first wife, your teacher can still intervene. A bunch of worthless dogs—doesn’t the fact that Teacher Li Gang served as matchmaker prove your wife is a good woman? At the very least, your teacher also drank the tea and wine your wife offered. I’ll go ask the Ministry of Personnel.”

After Yuan Jia rose and kowtowed thanks to his teacher, he cupped his hands: “Teacher need not go to such great trouble. Shen Gonghai, Yao Si, and Zhu Zong have all protested injustice on my behalf. It’s this disciple who was unwilling to enter Chang’an. Otherwise, three years ago this disciple should have been transferred to become Director in the Ministry of Revenue. This disciple thanks teacher for his concern.”

Yun Ye was quite surprised and made a sound of acknowledgment: “Why is this? Could it be you’ve lost your ambition?”

“This disciple’s ambition remains, but my ambition is attached to the common people, not to official position. Now our Great Tang’s national power is at its zenith. Above we have a wise Son of Heaven and teachers like yourself with magnificent talent and great strategy steering the ship. The Great Tang’s future is naturally bright. This disciple has discovered that our Great Tang doesn’t lack world-class renowned generals or brilliant talents who can rebuke feudal lords. What we uniquely lack are local officials who can settle down and guide the people forward. This disciple, though without talent, believes I didn’t waste my days at the Academy. If a lifetime of learning cannot be used in practice, that would be truly tragic. As for status and salary—these are small matters. If I reluctantly entered the Ministry of Revenue to serve as Director, buried in documents all day, then this disciple’s learning would be wasted. Not worthwhile!”

“Ha ha ha! What a Yuan Jia, Yuan Hongyi! This old man is inferior to you! However, why are you carrying such a large box? You’re not here to offer bribes, are you? Your teacher has been wealthy all his life—my standards aren’t low!”

Yuan Jia smiled brilliantly, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. He opened the box with a grin, took out notebook after notebook, and placed them on the desk. Pointing to these notes, he said: “Teacher, please look. These years this disciple has not idled in his position. Serving four terms as prefect has given this student new understanding of the concept of ‘the people.’ So it took two years to compile and organize. This disciple named it ‘Theory of the People.’ There may be some unclear parts—that’s due to this disciple’s shallow learning. Please, teacher, make corrections!”

Yun Ye opened the topmost volume with a smile. A line of rounded calligraphy fell into view. With one glance he was greatly shocked!

“‘The Spring and Autumn Annals: Guliang Commentary’ says: In ancient times there were four classes of people: the scholar class, the merchant class, the farmer class, and the artisan class. ‘Guanzi: Xiao Kuang’ says: The four classes of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants are the pillars of the nation. ‘Book of Han: Treatise on Food and Money, Part 1’ says: Scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants—the four classes each have their occupation. Those who study and occupy positions are called scholars. Yet worldly affairs change and transform endlessly. The term ‘four classes’ for scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants originated with Guanzi (Guan Zhong). Yuan Jia believes that scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants ‘ultimately converge on being beneficial to the way of sustaining human life—they are one and the same.’ In ancient times the four classes had different occupations but the same way, their wholehearted devotion was identical.”

After reading this passage, Yun Ye looked at Yuan Jia and said: “You plan to place scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants on the same level? You’re preparing to completely democratize the privileges of scholars?”

Yuan Jia looked at his teacher without blinking: “All are flesh and blood born of fathers and raised by mothers. Why must high and low, noble and base be distinguished? Imposing acquired material conditions on innately born people—this violates the way of Heaven!”

Yun Ye nodded: “I understand now. No one is willing to print your book, right? Then you felt your teacher’s head is rather large, that wearing such a hat is no big matter, so you came to find me to take the blame? Do you know what impact your scholarship will have once disseminated? First you must pass the hurdle of Heaven-mandated imperial authority. Young man, in the end, you still don’t have the resolve to sacrifice your life for truth.”

Yuan Jia grinned mischievously: “Teacher, in the first lesson you gave this disciple, you talked about how to protect oneself. Naturally this disciple follows good advice. Now Yuanbao has given this disciple four children—three sons and one daughter. Though our family’s days cannot compare with great wealthy houses’ luxury, we live peacefully and comfortably. This disciple hasn’t had enough of such good days yet, so I can only trouble teacher to have this book published.”

“Originally I wanted to find Shen Gonghai, but that fellow was so frightened he fled overnight in a panic. Yao Si and Zhu Zong were also unwilling to help. Now as soon as they hear this disciple is paying a visit, they immediately pretend to be sick!”

Yun Ye smiled bitterly: “Never mind them—right now even your teacher has thoughts of falling ill. Your teacher is now a powerful minister. As a powerful minister, if I don’t want to become Wang Mang, then I cannot harm imperial authority. Unless I now receive the Nine Bestowments like Cao Cao—but then, do you know what the consequences would be?”

Yuan Jia nodded: “The Great Tang would immediately fall into chaos, likely fragmenting and collapsing.”

“Do you want to see such a scene?” Yun Ye asked with a smile.

Yuan Jia shook his head: “This disciple was presumptuous. You indeed are the most unsuitable person to publish this set of books. This disciple’s thinking had loopholes. This disciple was wrong.”

Yun Ye laughed loudly: “You’re not wrong. Your thinking isn’t wrong. People are all born of fathers and raised by mothers, indeed all the same flesh and blood. Artificially dividing them into high and low classes is indeed improper. So what you said isn’t greatly wrong.”

“However, Yuan Jia, if you want to realize your aspirations, you must always find some like-minded people to accomplish things properly.”

Yuan Jia shook his head in confusion: “This disciple’s close friends Shen Gonghai, Yao Si, and Zhu Zong are unwilling. Who else can I find?”

Yun Ye impatiently picked up a jade ruyi from the desk and rapped Yuan Jia on the head: “Stupid! So stupid! How did the Academy teach such a fool? Shen Gonghai, Yao Si, and Zhu Zong are all vested interests. Finding them to promote your theory—isn’t that like climbing a tree to catch fish?”

“Get lost! Go back and think carefully about who your most suitable target audience is. As long as you find the right people, not only will you have no trouble, you’ll gain tremendous support. At that time, never mind having your book published—even if it’s carved everywhere in the world, there’ll be no problem.”

“Hurry and get lost! This old man is a scholar and firmly disagrees with standing on the same starting line as lowly commoners.”

Yuan Jia, carrying his box, was driven from the guest hall by his teacher in confusion. As he walked while thinking, he ended up colliding head-first with a pillar, falling dizzy to the ground, still unable to figure out what person would have such boldness.

His teacher had already reached the pinnacle of subject status—if even he wouldn’t do it, could he count on Zhangsun Chong? Dugu Mou? In Yuan Jia’s view, these two were simply the most decadent existences in this world.

Who else could there be? His teacher was now bound immobile by the words “powerful minister.” Who could be even more formidable than his teacher? His teacher had just said he didn’t plan to step into this quagmire. For the Great Tang’s stability, indeed his teacher couldn’t come forward.

Who exactly was it? After leaving his teacher’s camp, Yuan Jia was so depressed he nearly wanted to howl at the sky! Since his teacher said there was such a person, or group of people, then there must be. But who exactly was this person?

Yuan Jia walked ahead with hands behind his back, his old servant following behind carrying the load. Though Hengyang had been badly damaged by Li Xiang, it was ultimately a strategic location south of the great lake. The empire’s merchants followed behind the army picking up bargains. Even fools knew Li Xiang couldn’t defeat the General. Once Hengyang was recovered, the commercial forces there would certainly be cleared out. Now that such a rare opportunity existed, merchants swarmed like bloodsucking leeches, desperately seizing market share. Such opportunities were too rare. The Great Tang rarely fought domestically now—commerce everywhere had long been completely divided up. Finding a blank territory was simply a fortuitous encounter that couldn’t be sought.

Yuan Jia looked with disgust at those profit-seeking merchants. Some were fat-headed with big ears, others thin as rails—not one was pleasing to the eye. He didn’t know why such people would be listed among the four classes.

Yuan Jia seemed to freeze. His efforts weren’t for the merchants among the four classes, but to seek welfare for artisans and farmers. He felt he seemed to have missed something—missed a very important place.

He needed to think carefully, indeed needed to think carefully. Something wasn’t quite right. Yuan Jia felt his mind was as muddled as a pot of porridge. The clamor of those merchants seemed to grow even louder, finally filling his mind, almost completely submerging him…