The Supreme Emperor's passing meant the ongoing war must cease, and the dispatched armies must be recalled to the capital.
Li Yuangui had been enduring another wave of headaches when Wei Zheng's words outside the tent suddenly sharpened his focus. It wasn’t just him—the rustling of robes and faint coughs beyond the curtain suggested the other ministers were quietly retreating, leaving Wei Zheng alone at the forefront.
The Son of Heaven cleared his throat and replied vaguely, "Lord Wei, you worry too much. The envoy bearing the mournful tidings to Li Jing’s army departed days ago... As for the Xianling Mausoleum, in my view, it should not be overly frugal..."
"Though the envoy has departed, yesterday I inquired with the Director of the Imperial Stables and learned they had only just reached Xianyang," Wei Zheng’s voice was icy. "Court regulations stipulate that official messengers must cover at least two hundred li per day—four relay stations for ordinary dispatches, six for urgent ones. Yet this envoy of yours barely manages twenty li a day. How do you explain that?"
Li Yuangui nearly choked back a laugh. Military law was strict, and no imperial envoy would dare deliberately delay a decree to the front lines. The sluggish pace of this messenger could only mean one thing: the Emperor had explicitly ordered the news of the national mourning to reach the distant army as late as possible.
"Dare I ask Your Majesty," Wei Zheng pressed, his tone growing harsher, "when the envoy reaches the Grand Commander of the Western Sea Route’s camp, will they explicitly order Dai Guogong to regroup the troops and return to the capital? Or will they invoke the old shield of 'a general in the field may disregard his sovereign’s commands,' instructing Grand Commander Li to proceed at his discretion—waging war in defiance of mourning rites?"
"Since ancient times, there has been the principle of waging war in mourning garments. Precedents of battles fought during national mourning are too numerous to count—this is no innovation of mine," the Emperor retorted impatiently. "Military affairs are urgent, and the slightest delay could spell disaster. Lord Wei, do not cling to outdated ways and become a villain for the ages."
Though Li Yuangui harbored many private criticisms of the Son of Heaven, on this matter, he fully agreed with the imperial decision. The Tang campaign against Tuyuhun had been long in preparation, with tens of thousands of troops fighting bloody battles for months. How could they possibly withdraw and abandon all the resources already invested just because of the Supreme Emperor’s death? As he pondered this, Wei Zheng’s defiant voice rang out again:
"Last winter, the court issued an edict to attack Tuyuhun, yet conscription, grain stockpiling, fort repairs, and troop deployments had already begun harassing the people before the decree was even announced. The army has been beyond the frontier for nearly half a year, with reports only of defections to the enemy, our forces bogged down in marshes, progress sluggish, draining the people’s wealth—all for no gain! Now, with the nation in mourning, Your Majesty, instead of recalling the troops and observing filial piety, doubles down—conscripting more soldiers, seizing more grain, further oppressing the people! Take the case of Zhang of the Pei estate in Xianyang, north of the Wei River, who assaulted a county official—was that not born of forced requisition, of officials driving the people to rebellion?"
"The Zhang case has already been referred to local authorities for reinvestigation," the Emperor replied, his impatience tinged with resignation. "If the county officers indeed acted lawlessly, Zhang’s resistance in defense of the people can be leniently judged under the law. But Lord Wei, you bring up this case in every memorial—how many times must you repeat yourself before it’s enough?"“The case of Zhang is not an isolated incident!” Wei Zheng stood his ground. “Lu Ning, the garrison commander of Fufeng Cangfu, was arrogant and tyrannical. Last month, while conscripting soldiers, he forcibly drafted able-bodied men, wreaking havoc in the villages. This led to a clash with Liu Rengui, the county captain of Chencang. In a fit of rage, Liu gathered his subordinates and had Lu Ning beaten to death with rods! Now, Liu Rengui has also surrendered himself in the capital and is detained in the Dali Temple prison. This case mirrors that of Zhang in Xianyang—both stem from excessive conscription by the authorities. Your Majesty, search your conscience—do you not feel remorse?”
Upon hearing “Zhang of the Pei estate in Xianyang,” Li Yuangui was startled, silently wondering if it could be that stubborn old man Zhang Zhuangtou who had gotten into trouble. When he heard that the county captain of Chencang had beaten the military officer to death, he was too stunned to react, puzzled as to whether the conflicts between soldiers and civilians in the Guanzhong capital region had escalated to this point. Were they on the verge of rebellion, singing songs of futile death in Liaodong again... Meanwhile, outside the curtain, Wei Zheng’s remonstrance grew even more fervent:
“What’s worse, I’ve heard that in the three Qin regions, people fear conscription so much that the practice of self-mutilation has resurfaced. Butchers and knife sharpeners are even haggling over prices for chopping off hands and feet, setting rules among themselves and swearing secrecy... When the common people suffer to such an extent that they would rather maim themselves to survive, is this still a human world? When Your Majesty first ascended the throne, you made a vow to Heaven at the southern suburbs, pledging to comfort the people, cease warfare, and bring peace. Yet now, you sacrifice the people to satisfy border ambitions—how can this be called the benevolent rule of Yao and Shun?”
A loud smack echoed—no one knew what the Emperor had struck, but the sound sent shivers through everyone’s hearts. The Son of Heaven roared in anger:
“Why don’t you just say it outright, Wei Gong? That I am truly a tyrant like Jie and Zhou, and be done with it? Do you think I wage war for my own amusement? Before the Zhenguan era, the Turkic and Tuyuhun cavalry raided south every autumn, burning, killing, and plundering. The border people suffered unbearably—why don’t you mention that? In the fourth year of Zhenguan, Duke Yaoshi pacified the Yin Mountains in a single campaign, capturing the Turkic khans and bringing them to Chang’an. Since then, the northern borders have been peaceful, and the people have been able to recuperate, farm, and herd. Even the travels of foreign merchants have increased tenfold! The reason I issued the decree to conquer Tuyuhun is that they still occupy the northwestern plateau, constantly raiding our border counties and blocking the routes to the Western Regions. I repeatedly sent envoys to admonish them, but Murong Fuyun remains obstinate and refuses to submit! According to Wei Gong’s logic, conscripting soldiers for war is the act of tyrants, and an emperor should just sit on the Imperial Bed reciting sutras, shrinking back and cursing when foreign countries attack—is that it?”
“We are well aware of the Turkic border raids. In the early Zhenguan years, when Your Majesty dispatched the Celestial troops to suppress them, even though famine plagued the land and the people were displaced, none of us remonstrated against it!” Wei Zheng retorted sharply. “Tuyuhun is located in the northwestern grasslands, far from the Central Plains. Even if they raid the borders, only a few frontier vassal counties suffer. Most of the inhabitants there are barbarians who do not pay taxes or submit annual reports—they are insignificant to the court. Now, tens of thousands of soldiers are conscripted from Guanzhong to campaign beyond the frontier, leaving the capital’s suburbs devoid of able-bodied men. Only the elderly, weak, and women remain to till the Imperial farmland. This is hollowing out the heart to benefit the limbs—putting the cart before the horse is utterly unreasonable!”
The Emperor emphasized the necessity of pacifying the borders, while the chancellor vehemently argued for recuperation and rest. Though the debate between ruler and minister was fierce, it was ultimately a repetition of old arguments. Li Yuangui listened in a daze, feeling both sides had valid points. He had always yearned to make his mark on the battlefield and achieve glory, but Wei Zheng’s account of the people’s suffering also struck him deeply.Though he had grown up in the deep palace without experiencing the struggles of poverty, his birth mother had repeatedly told him and his siblings stories of her own sufferings during the chaos at the end of the Sui dynasty, to the point where his ears nearly grew calluses from hearing them. No matter how dissatisfied he was with the current court's officials, he would never wish for such scenes to reappear in the world.
"The people of the Central Plains are the foundation of the empire, while the barbarians of the four directions are but branches and leaves. To disturb the foundation in order to enrich the branches and leaves, yet still seek lasting peace—such a thing has never been." Wei Zheng continued relentlessly. "If one could argue that His Majesty's campaign against Tuyuhun still barely aligns with the great task of defending borders and pacifying the people, then before this war is even concluded—before victory or defeat is known—His Majesty has already begun secretly planning the conquest of Gaochang—"
What?
Li Yuangui shuddered, immediately recalling the previous plan to marry off his seventeenth sister and Chai Yingluo to Gaochang for a political alliance. Outside the tent, the Son of Heaven also made a sound, causing Wei Zheng to pause momentarily.
"From where did Minister Wei hear that We are planning to conquer Gaochang?" The Emperor's tone was stern. "Are words within the imperial court so easily leaked? And as a chancellor, are you so bold as to speculate on the thoughts of your sovereign?"
"Your servant, though unworthy, holds a position in the Chancellery, entrusted by Your Majesty to review and countersign imperial edicts. Naturally, I must examine each one carefully." Wei Zheng responded coldly. "Since last autumn, edicts have been issued frequently. Though none explicitly mention war with Gaochang, a careful reading makes Your Majesty's intentions clear. If my speculation is wrong, I willingly accept punishment. I only ask that Your Majesty openly declare to the world that there is no intention to wage war against Gaochang—to reassure the people and put neighboring states at ease."
This was a direct challenge to the Emperor: If I'm wrong, I'll accept the consequences—but dare you openly declare that you have no intention of war with Gaochang? The matter was urgent, and Li Yuangui pricked up his ears to hear the Emperor's response. Outside the tent, silence reigned.
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