When the moon is full, the sea rises with the tide, hungry wolves howl, and people naturally become especially emotional. The bamboo buildings in the village creaked all night. Li Rong also wondered why he was the one sleeping separately in another tent with two younger sisters.
After daybreak, there were far fewer people in the village. Villages at greater distances had already departed before dawn, hurrying back to their own villages. The new chief’s gifts of grain and cloth would help them get through the green seedling season.
Although very tired, Yun Ye still rose early to accompany Li Rong in seeing off the elders who were leaving ahead of schedule. The elders hoped Li Rong would visit their own villages and very much hoped to continuously receive relief. Only regarding the school proposal did not a single person mention it.
This was an expected matter. Yun Ye wasn’t surprised. He wanted stability in Lingnan. If he couldn’t integrate into Liao territory, then he would command it. A chief didn’t need to be very intimate with subordinates—he only needed to make them feel they couldn’t leave him.
The grand elder had helped greatly. Li Rong left all the remaining supplies at Meng Village. After this moon-jumping festival, more than half the village’s grain had been depleted.
Li Tai’s whole person radiated vitality. Sitting on his horse, his entire body exuded spirit, unlike Yun Ye who was lazily and carefully carried by Wang Cai. As a horse, not only did he have to walk his own path, but when his master was about to fall off, he also had to deliberately stop—very troublesome.
The carriage was occupied by the women. Xinyue had invited Meng Na and two other women from the village to Yongzhou. Yun Ye and Li Tai weren’t accustomed to competing for others’ carriages, so they could only ride horses back.
By midday, Li Tai ordered they make camp. Not only was Yun Ye alone dozing—everyone’s spirits were poor. After hastily eating, everyone collapsed to sleep.
Idle life was this carefree. If there were no special events, Yun Ye never wanted to overwork himself. He could do this, but Hou Junji could not. Having walked over three thousand li, with Chang’an in sight, how could he stop? He insisted on going to Chang’an. He very much wanted to know what his fate would ultimately be.
Hou Jie looked severely haggard. The expensive cowhide soft boots on his feet already exposed his toes. Wearing shackles, he still had to help his father hold up the cangue. His face full of weathered color, the shadow of the romantic young gentleman had completely vanished.
“Father, should we rest for a day? Chang’an is about to arrive. After recuperating, we can enter the capital. Let the steward visit a few more households, inquire about His Majesty’s thoughts, then decide our movements—would that be good?”
Hearing his son’s words, Hou Junji raised his head to look at the Chang’an city walls on the horizon and shook his head: “Child, we’ve lost. Pride is still necessary. If the steward goes to others’ homes now, they won’t receive him. The Hou family isn’t the Hou family from when your father was Duke Luguo. That they don’t kick us when we’re down already shows consideration.”
“The steward reported that His Majesty has already entered the capital, the Sixteen Guards have also returned to camp, and the Crown Prince’s Six率 have also broken camp and returned west. This means His Majesty is about to end his hunt—only our Hou family has fallen into this great net.”
“Among the brothers from Wagang Stronghold, some perhaps will help the Hou family plead for mercy, some will view it with indifference. Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and their sort will certainly attack en masse. If Wei Zheng doesn’t die, the Hou family will face great calamity.”
“Let’s still go. Enter the capital early. Your father very much wants to see how His Majesty will handle this loyal dog and horse of yours.”
Having said this, he continued forward. Hou Jie could only closely follow. At this moment he felt so wronged he wanted to cry. He knew nothing of his father’s affairs. After graduating from the academy, full of ambition wanting to establish meritorious service, after less than three months on the grasslands, a bolt from the blue struck down on his head. His heroic aspirations hadn’t yet been displayed before they had already completely fallen.
The personal guards behind Hou Junji all looked as if they were in mourning, their armor scattered like routed soldiers. No one could see that these were the once splendidly-dressed, spirited Hou clan light cavalry.
Suffering punishment together was not only the Hou clan—the Five Li Inspectors from the military were also there. Regardless of whether Hou Junji had succeeded in rebellion, his responsibility was the greatest, because his own main duty was to prevent rebellion. Not eliminating rebellion in its budding stage was his original sin.
Upon reaching Ten-Li Pavilion, Hou Jie saw his mother. With a sorrowful cry, he prostrated at his mother’s feet. He couldn’t believe that his mother, who had still been radiantly beautiful when he left, now had hair that was already more than half white, her body so thin a gust of wind seemed able to blow her away. As the direct recipient of Li’er’s fury, she suffered even more than Hou Junji.
The three pairs of ceremonial halberds outside the Hou residence gate had been quietly withdrawn by the Empress. The banners representing military authority had also been lowered. Without the halberds, people began riding horses directly past the Hou residence entrance. When household servants went to protest, they were savagely beaten. Jingzhao Prefecture actually ruled the Hou residence at fault. Watching the old steward imprisoned, the Hou clan was actually helpless. When the master wielded great power, who dared!
“Master!”
Seeing his wife embracing their son and weeping toward him, Hou Junji nodded, turned back to the guards and said: “Put shackles on madam—choose light ones.” Having said this, he continued forward.
Before even reaching Chang’an city, he first saw Wei Zheng. Wei Zheng only nodded at him, then lifted an imperial edict and began reading, not even requiring Hou Junji to bow.
“Hou Junji is a native of Sanshui in Binzhou. By nature he is artificial and fond of boasting. He played with bow and arrow but could not master the art, so he called himself martially brave. When I was a prince, I brought him into my staff. He frequently followed on campaigns, accumulated positions as Left Yuhou and General of Chariots and Cavalry, and was ennobled as Viscount of Quanjiao. Gradually receiving favor and trust, he participated in strategic planning. In the execution of Jiancheng and Yuanji, Junji’s schemes were predominant. When I ascended the throne, he was promoted to General of the Left Guard. For his merit he was advanced to Duke Luguo, granted an estate of one thousand households, and soon appointed General of the Right Guard. In the fourth year of Zhenguan, he was promoted to Minister of War and participated in court deliberations.”
“In the sixth year, together with Zhangsun Wuji and others he received hereditary ennoblement. Junji was appointed Regional Inspector of Chenzhou and his title changed to Duke Chengguo. The next year, he was appointed Minister of Personnel and advanced to the position of Guanglu Dafu. Junji came from the ranks, originally without learning. Only after receiving appointment did he begin to read books. Managing personnel selection, determining merit evaluations, going out as a military leader, entering to participate in court politics—all earned contemporary praise.”
“Junji rendered great service to the nation. His rewards cannot be said to be ungenerous. However, this person’s arrogance and extravagance became his nature. His heart of greed and corruption never died. Moreover, he privately inquired about the weight of the imperial cauldrons and coerced the Eastern Palace intending improper conduct. When the matter was exposed, compelled by imperial majesty he bound himself before me. I, recalling past deep kindness, am pained beyond endurance and do not wish to see him. I order Wei Zheng to take Junji and his entire group to the Court of Judicial Review.”
After standing and listening to completion, Hou Junji asked Wei Zheng: “How many pleaded for mercy on my behalf? How many suffered because of me? How many hate that I’m not dead? And how many clap their hands in delight?”
“Qin, Cheng, Niu, and Li pleaded for you. In the capital, one thousand one hundred fifty-nine people suffered because of you. Those who hate that you’re not dead fill the court. Only this old man alone claps his hands in delight.” Wei Zheng spoke very solemnly and also spoke the truth.
Hou Junji listened to the personal soldiers continuously collapsing behind him, then asked indifferently: “What did Yun Ye say?”
“He suggested exiling your entire family to Lingnan, not pardoned even upon amnesty, never to return home for life.”
“At least one person said something useful.” Hou Junji smiled, turned to look at those personal guards who had already committed suicide, and slowly said: “Also good. Death is at least peaceful. Jie’er, help your mother into the prison cart. This entire journey, dusty and travel-worn, we can finally ride in a carriage.” Having said this, he crawled into the prison cart and closed his eyes to rest. Wei Zheng wanted to say some words, but seeing Hou Junji wasn’t willing to listen, he closed his mouth again.
Hou Jie embraced his mother and wailed loudly. Mother and son tried several times to go see those personal guards but were stopped each time. Hou Junji himself sat brazenly in the prison cart, took out a wine flask and drank a big gulp, as if very pleased. Yun Ye’s words had lightened his burden. Death—let only himself die. Exiling the whole family to Lingnan could not only avoid his enemies, but with the Yun family’s power in Lingnan, having his wife, children, and elderly live should not be difficult. This was perhaps the best result at present.
Defeated miserably, lost unjustly. In front, Marshal Li Jing’s army suppressed him; behind, Li Chengqian resolutely opposed. It originally wasn’t a good opportunity. Only when his own head was muddled did he believe those foreign peoples’ nonsense. Unexpectedly, before his edict denouncing the Emperor was even issued, before the Five Li Inspectors were killed, the situation took a sharp downturn. Timing, fate—one mistaken thought cast a great error. He could blame no one else.
Sixteen prison carts entered the capital city without a sound, not stirring up even a ripple. The people of Chang’an only wanted to quickly forget the person Hou Junji. They looked on indifferently as the once martial great general, stooped at the waist, was confined in a prison cart. Vigorous people had already forgotten the praises they had spoken upon hearing of the great Mobei victory and Western Regions victory. All were words spoken while drunk—who could remember!
People busily discussed the twelve brilliantly-colored phoenixes, busily discussed that magnificent boat floating on Qujiang, and also busily discussed the Empress’s upcoming birthday celebration.
What was discussed most, however, was that His Majesty planned to build Lingyan Pavilion, creating portraits for the twenty-four meritorious officials since the founding. His Majesty said: For one who is sovereign, driving talented heroes and treating officers with sincerity is the great bearing of a ruler.
The meritorious nobility all discussed who these twenty-four people would ultimately be, who would have the honor of hanging their portrait in Lingyan Pavilion. Eyes focused on the capital, no one would pay attention to how many people Ma Zhou actually killed in Shandong, nor would anyone care how Li Ji reorganized the army on the grasslands. The Great Tang—singing and dancing in peace and prosperity.
When Yun Ye awoke, the moon had risen again. Tonight’s moon seemed even rounder. Last night had passed too wildly, so that he hadn’t properly admired the moon. Tonight with no one around in all directions was the good season for moon-gazing. A pot of wine, a small plate of dried fruit, lying on a reclining chair shrouded in gauze netting, the bright moon overhead also became hazy. Fireflies dragging their green-glowing bellies constantly flew and danced among the grass. These creatures seemed to have no natural enemies. Daring to illuminate themselves in the darkness—the courage needed was absolutely not small.
“No good, can’t be a firefly. Who knows what kind of big creatures lurk in the darkness? If out of curiosity, one gets swallowed in a single gulp, then it’s just swallowed—no place to cry injustice. Since night is black, even if we have to splash on ink, we must make ourselves black, hide in a safe place and wait for daybreak. Only at that time can we distinguish which are stones and which are giant beasts.”
Taking a sip of wine, Yun Ye said softly to himself, feeling he was very much like a poet.