Chapter 62: As It Turns Out
The affairs of the court were a complex web; to pull one thread was to move the whole. Fang Jian and Cui Miao were but small links within it. At first, Fang Jian had been flustered, her concern throwing her into disarray, but as time passed, she gradually grew steady. The imperial court was eternally treacherous and unpredictable. If she allowed herself to be swept away by the turbulent currents, she would never accomplish anything. She had to be the unyielding rock, one that could take root no matter how ferocious the waves, and hold fast to her own principles. It did not matter if she clashed with her esteemed teacher; they were debating public affairs, and it was only natural to have different views. Public matters were public, and private matters were private. Compared to the great storms Gao Yunqu had weathered, Fang Jian's few memorials were but a trickling stream.
Having come to this understanding, Fang Jian finally set her anxious heart at ease. She continued to say what needed to be said, only with more caution in her phrasing, and focused more of her energy on the official business of the Jingzhao Prefecture. She led her subordinates in a thorough sweep of the capital, and on the surface, at least, the number of crimes decreased significantly. She earned a degree of prestige among the common people. In contrast, her reputation at court became a mixed bag. She despised evil as a personal enemy, was unafraid to use torture, and her sentences leaned toward the severe. Many criticized her for her cruel and harsh methods.
Among the purist faction officials, the reputation of being "harsh" was a rather severe condemnation, one that everyone sought to avoid at all costs. But after her recent experiences, Fang Jian felt that a pristine reputation was not so necessary. Though she came from a humble background, she had no desire to be dragged into factional strife. To her, the proper path was to follow closely in Her Majesty's footsteps. Wei Qi was in a period of ambitious reform and favored officials with drive and courage. Fang Jian was capable and knew her place, never overstepping her bounds or breaking the law in her conduct. What did it matter if she was a little radical?
As for the New Policies, Fang Jian had pointed out an even more critical issue—the Cadastral Survey. Building roads required a survey, and restricting salt and iron also required a survey. The surveys were of old official roads, mountains, and rivers, but was that truly all? The foundation of tax revenue was land and population, but where were all the lands and people that this vast empire ought to have? Everyone tacitly skirted the issue, but not mentioning it did not mean it didn't exist. The great aristocratic families tried every means possible to resist the Cadastral Survey, even for the purpose of road construction. Who knew where the measuring rod might reach if it deviated just a little? Meanwhile, the officials from humble backgrounds pushed with all their might, trying to use the road survey to create an opening. As long as they got their foot in the door, the rest of the way would open up.
Gao Yunqu, on the other hand, opposed the Reformist Faction's excessive haste in trying to achieve everything in one fell swoop. Uprooting the families in Qinzhou had been a matter of favorable timing, geography, and popular support, but how many other prefectures in the realm were in the hands of great families? And how many connections did these families have with the court and the military? If they were too aggressive and forced these families to unite, chaos would erupt in an instant. By then, it would be too late for regrets. In Gao Yunqu's view, a gradual approach of dividing and conquering was far more reasonable.
It wasn't that Wei Qi didn't understand this principle, but while there were no major wars on the four borders, defenses had to be maintained. The cost of border defense was enormous, yet she dared not rashly downsize the garrisons. Coupled with frequent disasters in various regions, disaster relief was another massive expenditure, and the state treasury was increasingly unable to bear the strain. Fan Ying had tried every possible way to increase revenue and reduce spending, but it was like using a cup of water to put out a burning cart of firewood—a meager effort to maintain the status quo. Wei Qi had wielded sole authority for years, her power unimpeded, and with the military in her hands, she had come to underestimate the undercurrents below. To curb the great families' self-enriching land grabs, she was sharpening her knives, waiting to strike.
All of this was merely a matter of differing standpoints; it was hard to say who was right and who was wrong.
Gao Yunqu remained in seclusion. Since she could not persuade Her Majesty, she could only do her best to patch up any oversights, helping Fan Ying control the court discussions. When the Conservative Faction insisted on pulling her to their side, she went along with it. Though she never responded to their overtures, she guided them in their political maneuvering during policy debates. New and old were always relative concepts; for the sake of interests, one could become new, or one could become old. She and Fang Jian stood on opposite sides of the court, one with the new, one with the old, yet neither was truly new, and neither was truly old.
"Lushuang, your little student is making enemies on all sides. Aren't you going to rein her in?" Dai Yao was one of the few who could still visit the Gao residence. She hadn't gotten involved in this chaotic struggle. She was currently the Left Transmission Commissioner, a senior fourth-rank official in the Office of Transmission. The Office of Transmission managed the flow of memorials and the dissemination of government decrees, making it a pivotal and trusted central agency. Its special status made it inadvisable to get too involved, and she was happy to watch the excitement from the sidelines.
Gao Yunqu replied calmly, "It was her own choice. What does it have to do with me?"
Dai Yao said in astonishment, "Are you really not afraid she'll be broken here? The title of 'cruel official' was placed on your head in your early years, and now it's on your student's. How marvelous."
"I wasn't broken back then, so she naturally won't be broken now." Gao Yunqu frowned and changed the subject. "Dai Yanghui, what are you really here for?"
"I'm concerned about you! We've been friends for so many years, don't try to avoid me," Dai Yao said, momentarily at a loss for words.
"To be inexplicably attentive is to be a villain or a thief. If you have something to say, say it."
Dai Yao sat up straight, her expression serious. "You really don't know? Your little Lord Fang has arrested a whole string of people, all with connections to various parties. Never mind the sons, nephews, and relatives of minor officials. Among those of higher rank, there's the nephew of the Vice Minister of Personnel, the uncle of the Jinwu Guard Commander, the Heir to the Marquis of Qingcheng..."
"Wait, who?" Gao Yunqu had been listening casually, but at that, she suddenly sat bolt upright.
"Huh? The nephew of the Vice Minister of Personnel? The uncle of the Jinwu Guard Commander? The Heir to the Marquis of Qingcheng?" Dai Yao repeated blankly, then continued to list the names of several other officials.
Gao Yunqu looked thoughtful. She waited until Dai Yao had finished before asking, "For what reason?"
"Running a gambling operation! I heard they busted an underground gambling den and arrested everyone, from the house to the gamblers."
Every dynasty throughout history had explicitly forbidden gambling, and the laws of Zhou were no exception. Depending on the severity of the offense, punishments could range from fines to exile. However, since the previous dynasty, both officials and commoners had developed a fondness for games of chance. Gambling and other amusements persisted despite repeated prohibitions. Gradually, restrictions on casual games for entertainment were relaxed, but large-scale gambling was still strictly forbidden, and privately operating a gambling den was a major crime.
Fang Jian and Xie Min had been pursuing this nest of gamblers for a long time. Since they had already cleaned up the overt chaos in the capital, some of the filth had moved underground, becoming much more hidden and making it harder to catch them in the act. They had expended a great deal of effort, arranging for an unfamiliar face to go undercover and infiltrate the operation. After more than a month of surveillance, they had finally caught them all in one fell swoop.
Fang Jian was elated. She was even humming a little tune when she returned to her duty office. However, this cheerful mood was soon obliterated. Xie Min, after some preliminary interrogations, came to report to her, her expression unnatural.
"What? They all have connections? Who are they?" Fang Jian was also shocked; she had never expected this outcome.
Xie Min read the names to her one by one. The highest-ranking was the family member of a senior second-rank official, and the lowest were students from the Imperial Academy. There were also the sons of several wealthy merchants, none of whom were to be trifled with. All told, apart from the errand boys and guards, there was not a single commoner among them.
"Let's go take a look." Fang Jian followed her into the main prison of the Jingzhao Prefecture. The cells were packed to the brim. Subordinates were busy interrogating the prisoners in separate groups, a hive of activity. Fang Jian looked at them one by one: some were begging for mercy, some were cursing furiously, some were attempting to offer bribes, and some were brazenly announcing their family names. It was a true pageant of human nature. She was wearing plain clothes, so no one paid her any mind. She watched quietly for a while and quickly got the gist of the situation.
The last one was special. Standing before that cell, Fang Jian felt a thousand emotions welling up inside her. She solemnly straightened her robes and, under Xie Min's puzzled gaze, walked into the cell.
Inside was a young man who looked a bit older than Fang Jian. His face was a mask of impatience, and he started cursing the moment she entered.
"Jiang Changyun, Heir to the Marquis of Qingcheng?" Fang Jian stood firm in the prison cell and asked.
"You know who I am and you're not letting me out?" Jiang Changyun looked at her provocatively. "And who are you?"
"Oh... you don't know me..." Fang Jian's words were laden with meaning. After a pause, she continued, "This subordinate is Fang Jian, a judge of the Jingzhao Prefecture. Has the Heir not heard my name?"
Jiang Changyun was taken aback. He had just returned to the capital from his ancestral home after a period of mourning and was indeed unaware of Fang Jian's reputation. He asked, "A judge of the Jingzhao Prefecture is merely a junior sixth-rank official. Should I know you?"
A genuine smile spread across Fang Jian's lips. "It matters not. The Heir has no need to know me."
"Since you know I am the Heir to the Marquis of Qingcheng, why haven't you released me?" Jiang Changyun asked again, his attitude arrogant and flamboyant, as if certain that the Jingzhao Prefecture could do nothing to him.
"The Heir has broken the law. This subordinate dares not release you privately. I ask that the Heir make himself at home." Fang Jian simply smiled, ignoring Jiang Changyun's fury. She left the cell, leaving his voice behind her.
"Shouci, have the men interrogate them through the night," Fang Jian said to Xie Min. "Get their confessions as soon as possible and find out who's behind this. Don't be too harsh with the torture; they're a delicate bunch. A good scare should be enough. Even I don't know what tomorrow will bring."
"Yes, my lord."
Fang Jian exited the prison. Outside, the night was deep and heavy. Silvery moonlight spilled down, illuminating her path back. She walked on the liquid moonlight, step by step, toward her duty office. As she walked, she suddenly laughed.
So he was this kind of person.
So he was only this kind of person.
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