Chapter 32: Petty Gains (A Six-Thousand-Word Epic, Please Follow and Vote)

Plagiarism is a tasteless affair, yet under the pressure of survival, moral concerns must indeed take a backseat.

Shangguan Wan'er knew that Wu An had only recently arrived in Chang'an. The people he associated with were nothing more than boorish brutes like Heichi Changzhi; it was impossible for him to suddenly compose a poem. Thus, as she set down her brush, she asked, "Have you ever studied?"

"Long ago, when I was a child and my parents were still alive, they spent a fair amount on tuition to hire someone for my elementary education."

Wu An deliberately adopted a tone of wistful reflection and said faintly, "That is all in the past now."

Since he had put it that way, Shangguan Wan'er naturally felt it inappropriate to press further. She merely reminded him, "If the Empress knew you were literate, she would surely be very pleased."

Wu An shook his head slightly.

"The Empress’s favorite piece of advice to me is to read more. But if she knew I had been literate all along, she would only feel deceived. When I send this half-poem out, should the Empress inquire, please say that I wished to curry favor with Lady Pei and begged you to write it for me."

He pushed several bags of snacks toward Shangguan Wan'er and smiled. "As for the matter of my literacy, please keep it a secret for me, Sister."

"Keep it for you..."

Shangguan Wan'er’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and she exclaimed in frustration, "With just these few bags of food, how much work do you intend to trick me into doing for you?"

She had written the calligraphy, she had to keep his secret, and she had been drained of every bit of information he could pry from her. Most infuriatingly, he had even touched her hand earlier!

Shangguan Wan'er snatched up the snacks, glared at him, and departed in a huff.

It seemed she was quite fond of these treats after all...

Wu An rubbed his fingers and looked down at the calligraphy. He had to admit that although Shangguan Wan'er was actually younger than him by a few years, her calligraphy was truly masterful. Unfortunately, his persona was that of a reckless and ruthless brute; unless it was a critical moment, this "persona" could not be easily altered.

He stood up and looked out the window, his eyes reflecting the brilliant river of stars.

He had lived for another day.

The next day.

The two concubines in the residence were waiting outside to attend to him. They had cleaned and pressed the black brocade robes he had worn the day before, so Wu An gifted them the boxes of rouge and powder he had bought yesterday, drawing forth a chorus of joyful thanks.

The carriage was already prepared, carrying Wu An into the palace as usual.

Along the way, he presented the credentials of the Hundred Riders and waited outside the palace gate until the old eunuch hurried over to lead him inside.

"It is always you who leads me into the palace; you have worked hard."

Wu An inconspicuously slipped a jade thumb ring into the eunuch's hand. The old man did not refuse; with a flick of his wrist, the ring vanished, and his smile grew even warmer.

"Commander Wu, be careful these days."

"Why?"

"There is much happening. His Majesty’s migraines have flared up again. The Empress attended to him all night without sleep and is still weary now."

As he spoke, the old eunuch held up a finger.

"Earlier tonight, the corpse of a Taoist priest was dragged out of the palace. It was said that his acupuncture was useless, so the Empress ordered three hundred strokes of the heavy staff, and the man did not survive."

This message contained a wealth of information. Wu An pondered silently for a moment before asking, "Are the migraines because of the events of the past few days?"

If the Emperor was overly disgusted, Wu An would have to change his strategy to avoid a counterproductive outcome.

The question was quite bold—tantamount to spying on palace affairs—but the old eunuch only shook his head slightly. "The fast horses from Hexi have arrived with reports. They say... Li Jingxuan rashly led his troops to attack, his supply lines were ambushed midway, he lost over a thousand men, and the provisions for his twenty-thousand-strong vanguard were completely incinerated."

The battle report must have contained more, but the old eunuch did not continue. Wu An lowered his head, lost in thought.

The commander of the Tibetan army currently facing the Tang forces was named Gar Trinling—commonly known as Lun Trinling—a man of immense military capability.

On the eve of Wu An’s departure from Hexi, Heichi Changzhi and a few other Tang generals had led a desperate night raid to break the Tibetan encirclement, granting the Tang army a moment to breathe. Moreover, because the Tang army still had sufficient numbers, they had the opportunity to reorganize their forces more comprehensively. Every city and beacon tower was garrisoned with large numbers of soldiers and auxiliary troops, making it difficult for the Tibetans to advance another step.

Li Jingxuan was likely trying to redeem himself with a victory, but the man sitting across from him was Lun Trinling, who had seized the opportunity without hesitation.

As for Wu An, he did not necessarily share the sympathies of the Tang people, but he found it easy to empathize with their hatreds. After all, he had fought and bled in Hexi himself.

If Heichi Changzhi were by his side, he could surely analyze more. Wu An could only try his best to consider what advantages he could glean from this affair.

Li Jingxuan had made a grave error; could he use this chance to kick him out for good?

"Commander Wu?"

The old eunuch called out softly and pointed to the palace door. "I shall go in and announce you."

Wu An nodded his thanks, and moments later, the old eunuch returned to summon him inside.

The Empress sat leaning against a folding screen, her face indeed showing signs of fatigue as she stifled a yawn. Seeing him arrive, she signaled for those around her to withdraw. Once Wu An knelt before her, her tone became lighter.

"You have returned from Hexi. How is the situation there?"

"This subject is but a brute in Hexi; I know only of bloody combat on the field and understand nothing of the military strategies between our forces and the enemy."

The Empress snorted, tossed a document toward him, and said unhurriedly, "Whether your words are correct or not, I want to hear your opinion."

The document was a battle report.

Wu An lowered his head and read silently for a moment, feigning limited literacy and appearing quite awkward. Finally, he set the paper down and said slowly, "In what aspect does the Empress wish to hear?"

"As you please."

"Following your instructions, I have read some books these past few days and consulted with Di Gong, Heichi Changzhi, and others."

Wu An gathered his thoughts.

"Ever since the Tibetans annexed the Tuyuhun and other tribes, their power has expanded to the Qinghai region, and the beacons have been lit all along the border. Only then did the Emperor issue a decree to recruit one hundred thousand brave men from across the realm to march to Hexi—I was among them.

"Though I have personal grievances with Li Jingxuan, he was appointed by the Emperor’s own hand. He was not entirely defeated in the past and had won a few minor victories... yet, his rashness is now apparent. However, it is not just Li Jingxuan I wish to discuss, but the problem of Hexi itself."

Wu An took a deep breath. He had to demonstrate the "insight" of a boorish warrior—offering something refreshing while leaving room for the other party to critique him. It was a difficult performance.

"Hexi is not entirely a barren wasteland. The soil is fertile; the west can support vast herds and produce warhorses. To the north, it connects to Anxi, and to the south, it serves as a barrier for the Great Tang, isolating the Tibetans from the southern barbarians.

"The Tibetan regime rose from nothing. It relied on Songtsen Gampo to unify the tribes, and his successors had ministers like Gar Tongtsen. Now, they have Lun Trinling. Having struggled their way up from such a bitter, cold land, they are bound to be ruthless and greedy. Heichi Changzhi once told me that Lun Trinling’s understanding of warfare is not inferior to the many generals of our Great Tang during the Zhenguan era."

*Just a great general.*

If he had been more hyperbolic, he would have compared him to the marshals of the Lingyan Pavilion, but Wu An could not read the Empress’s mind and dared not test her.

"Therefore..."

[...The Empress stared at him coldly as he continued...]

"Li Jingxuan is well-regarded at court and handles civil affairs with propriety, but he is unversed in military arts. To be suddenly thrust into command in Hexi against Lun Trinling—a man who knows the terrain and is a master of war—his defeat is, in fact, understandable."

The Empress stared at him for a moment, the corner of her mouth curling into a mocking sneer.

"Slick."

Wu An lowered his head and listened quietly.

*Thwack!*

Another battle report landed before him. The Empress withdrew her hand and laughed with a touch of irony.

"Even you know that Li Jingxuan’s defeat was to be expected. But, as it happens... three days after his defeat, the Tibetans fell into a trap of his own making. The Hexi army slaughtered over three thousand Tibetan soldiers in a single battle. Now, the reports of victory and defeat have arrived almost back-to-back, and even the Emperor does not know how to handle it."

*Li Jingxuan could actually win? Was he a 'stupid' genius?*

The report contained the essential details—time, place, and figures. Wu An suddenly considered a possibility, though it seemed absurd.

First, everyone knew Li Jingxuan was a fool in military matters. In games, one could become strong through cheating or spending money, but a pig could never evolve into a human through beatings. Furthermore, as a master commander, Lun Trinling would not easily "lose a piece" unless he were intentionally sacrificing it.

*Sacrificing a piece to gain a greater advantage.*

For instance, by allowing the "pig" Li Jingxuan to remain as commander of the Hexi army, the Tibetans could reap far greater benefits.

"Do you mean to imply..."

Wu An paused, his voice deepening. "I mean to ask, is there someone in the court secretly passing messages to the Tibetans?"

If the Tibetans could make such a decision, it meant Lun Trinling was familiar with Li Jingxuan and the internal situation of the Great Tang. Spies were almost certainly a factor. Was she going to make him investigate the case?

"Regardless of whether that is the reason, the Hao Xue rebellion case has yet to be resolved. It has caused too much of a stir, and they must be brought to a complete halt."

If one wanted to extinguish a fire, the best way was to light another one nearby. Once the oxygen was consumed, the fire would die out.

*Was he to engage in factional warfare then?* Wu An mused for a moment and said immediately:

"I have been exhausting myself these past few days to investigate and gather information, but I am often hindered by a lack of manpower. The Hundred Riders are simply too few; we cannot make a ripple in the entire city of Chang'an."

Just as the Empress was about to speak, Wu An continued without waiting for her response:

"I dare to request that the Empress consider increasing the number of Hundred Riders. Even a temporary increase would allow for quicker results."

"I shall consider it."

"I have truly given my all, Aunt. I beg for your grace."

"Moving men from other places is simple, but to expand the Hundred Riders is no small matter. Are a hundred men not enough for you to command?"

"With respect, Aunt, the Hundred Riders' captain, Zhang Wu, previously led troops into Xue Zhen's residence without authorization, looting property and harming the families of disgraced officials. His actions exceeded the limits of Tang law. His men will certainly be severely punished by the authorities to serve as a warning. By my rough calculation, only half of my hundred men are innocent. With only fifty men left, it will be very difficult to get things done."

The Empress glared at him, helpless, and asked, "What do you propose?"

"Aunt, I humbly suggest that since the Hundred Riders are too few, we expand them into a 'Thousand Riders.' We could draw elite soldiers from the Hexi veterans and the twelve衛 (Twelve Guards) to expand the palace’s personal guard, who can then handle matters for you with diligence."

The Empress’s expression flickered; after a moment of silence, she nodded slightly.

"I grant your request to increase manpower, but it is not convenient to draw them openly from various places just yet. That would require the approval of the Three Departments..."

Wu An immediately replied:

"We can draw some elites from Hexi. First, they can serve as witnesses in the court's interrogation of Li Jingxuan; second, they can be appointed to do the work—being soldiers returned from Hexi, their loyalty to the court is beyond question."

A faint smile appeared on the Empress's face as she stared at him.

"Loyalty to whom?" she asked. "Whose side will the soldiers from Hexi take?"

Seeing Wu An remain silent, she sighed and said patiently, "Although you have learned to study, do you really think I cannot see through such a small scheme?"

"I..."

"You merely wish to cultivate your own power base." The Empress toyed with her fingers, her gaze lingering on the black-clad young man as she added meaningfully, "With me standing behind you, what else do you need to cultivate?"

"I only wish to serve the court better; I have no selfish intentions."

"That is best."

The Empress let out a hum that still sounded mocking.

"So be it. I will help you draw one hundred elites from the Twelve Guards. As for Hexi, I will have others assist you. If things go quickly, those men might arrive in half a month... but I expect to see results within a month."

"I understand. I will ensure it is done early."

Wu An stood up and bowed respectfully. "I take my leave."

"Wait."

The Empress tapped her desk, her tone tinged with reproach.

"Is your money still sufficient?"

"I have some left."

"You spent quite a bit on the Princess yesterday, didn't you?"

"Spending money for Her Highness is my pleasure."

"Take some more with you when you leave. Also, stop sending money to my people..."

The Empress took a jade thumb ring from her sleeve—it was the very one Wu An had slipped to the old eunuch earlier. She held it so Wu An could see it clearly.

"Even when giving gifts, you must know to whom they should be given. Wan'er is such a thin, pitiful girl, and she is not unattractive. Yet I have not seen you give her any rouge or powder to curry favor, let alone that Lady in the Pei residence."

Wu An's heart skipped a beat at her words.

If that was the case, Shangguan Wan'er had not told the Empress about the snacks he had given her. That girl had truly kept his secret.

He immediately replied:

"I will keep your instruction in mind. Thank you for your guidance, Aunt."

"Do your work carefully."

The Empress tossed the jade ring to him and watched him leave.

She sat quietly behind the desk for a moment, sighed, and then stood up to walk behind the folding screen.

On the bed behind the screen lay a middle-aged man in a yellow round-collared brocade robe. His features were handsome, and he lay lazily on the bed. Beneath him were not the usual wooden or porcelain pillows, but several soft cushions made of silk. Even so, he seemed to frown slightly, as if he were not sleeping comfortably.

Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes slightly, looked for a moment, then closed them again and gave a lazy yawn.

The Empress knelt by the bedside and raised her hands to gently rub the man's temples to relieve his tension. In the entire world, there was only one man for whom she would lower herself to serve in this manner.

"The child’s nature is not bad, and he knows how to consider the big picture," she said softly.

The man replied faintly, "He is also a man who does not know what is good for him—always hesitating, calculating everything. Still, his temperament is far better than those idiots like Wu Chengsi. At least he knows whose favor to accept, whose food to eat, and to whom he should wag his tail."

The words did not sound malicious. The Empress laughed and said, intentionally or not:

"They are all subjects of the Great Tang. Regardless, they eat the Emperor's food and receive the Emperor's grace. If they are ungrateful, they can simply be erased."

The man grunted, "I would like to erase Li Jingxuan, but who knew that even that man Lun Trinling in Tibet is helping him? A dog who colludes with foreign thieves. Perhaps if I raise this Wu An for a few decades, he will be more sensible than him."

The Empress said nothing, only bowing her head to rub his temples.

A moment later, the man finally felt some relief. His headache eased, and he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was his wife's weary face.

He watched her silently for a moment, then suddenly said:

"He is your nephew, after all. Even if he cannot be enfeoffed as a duke like those fools like Wu Chengsi, you shouldn't be too stingy with what is given to him."

The Empress shook her head slightly and said softly:

"We cannot let the outer ministers think the Emperor is biased. He is but a child; enduring some hardship will temper his character."

"You are too stingy yourself, yet you claim it is to temper him?"

The man held her hand, gently rubbing the back of her soft, fair skin, and finally sighed. "The title of 'Thousand Riders' sounds impressive enough; let us give him five hundred men to start with... I am not afraid that he will be corrupted by power if he suddenly holds so many soldiers. I am only afraid that he will end up like Li Jingxuan, useless even when given the opportunity."

The Empress bowed her head and rubbed against her husband's hand affectionately. "His Majesty is benevolent."

"Not as benevolent as you, Meiniang. You stayed up all night watching over me; are you tired?"

The Empress shook her head. Even if she had other thoughts, watching over the Emperor was her duty as Empress. Those so-called famous doctors could not compare to her attentiveness.

The man closed his eyes again. A moment later, he said with some resentment:

"Taiping seemed quite fond of this fellow yesterday; she mentioned him several times."

***

"If you want to die, I will kill you right now," Wu An said.

In the study stood two large men in casual clothes. By their appearance, they were Liang Xin and Zhang Wu. Wu An stared at Zhang Wu’s face, remained silent for a moment, and then said coldly:

"Killing the family of a disgraced official without authorization, embezzling property... If I had not pleaded for you before the Empress, your dog's head would already be hanging in the East Market as a warning to others!"

Zhang Wu’s lips trembled. He wanted to say that his actions had been tacitly approved by Wu An, but Wu An spoke with such grave solemnity that Zhang Wu dared not retort. After all, if he displeased this superior, all it would take was a word to his aunt, the Empress, to have him finished. They were both from the Hundred Riders, but while this man could enter and leave the palace at will, he could only be subservient before the Empress.

"Brother Wu..."

"Call me Commander Wu!" Wu An slapped the desk.

"Yes, Commander! This subordinate knows he was wrong, truly wrong!"

Zhang Wu was on the verge of tears. He, a grown man, stood trembling before Wu An, showing none of the carefree, reckless attitude he had displayed that day. Liang Xin stood to the side, eyes downcast, pretending to hear nothing.

"Very well... I cannot blame you entirely for this, but do not do it again."

Wu An sighed, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and without looking up, asked slowly:

"Captain Zhang, Captain Liang, I have two commissions for the rank of 'Guoyi Duwei' here. Fill them out according to the format, and I will submit them to the palace tomorrow."

Even the calm Liang Xin looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with longing. The commissions lay on the table. Liang Xin reached out and took one. Zhang Wu hesitated for a moment and reached out as well, only to find Wu An’s hand pressing down on the paper, a mocking smile on his face.

As foolish as Zhang Wu was, he panicked and shouted:

"From now on, I will obey Commander Wu at all times and in all places! I swear, I will never dare to act on my own again!"

Wu An stared at him for a moment and slowly released his hand.

"We are all brothers; there is no need for such formalities."

The two men stared intently at the blank commissions. Zhang Wu’s mouth stretched into a grin that reached his ears.

"The two of you, start gathering information for me immediately. I have already told the Empress that the Hundred Riders are expanding to a Thousand Riders. Those who hold the Thousand Riders token, when not on duty in the palace, are free to enter and exit the palace for four hours each day."

Wu An rubbed the dark gold fish-tally in his hand and said slowly:

"Tell the brothers to work hard. I will not be stingy with rewards for what is due."

"On behalf of the brothers, I thank the Commander!"

"Hmm..."

Wu An said:

"I want the names and whereabouts of everyone who has entered and left Li Jingxuan’s residence in the past few days, in as much detail as possible. If they are ordinary people with no connections, arrest them directly."

Liang Xin and Zhang Wu bowed to him simultaneously, cupping their fists and saying in a low voice:

"Understood!"