Chapter 53: Without Shortcomings (III)

“That’s much better!”
Wang Xiaochun snorted coldly, turning his back and ignoring this annoying scion from a noble family.
“Now that the general’s career prospects are so bright, he still needs to be cautious. I’m worried that someone from the court will soon be sent to Anxi.”
Li Sheng sighed deeply, expressing his concerns.
As the saying goes, when the water is full, it overflows; when the moon is full, it wanes. The way of being an official lies in patience and moderation. If one becomes too powerful, envy is inevitable. The governor has achieved many military successes, but without strong backing, it will be difficult for him to deal with slander and schemes from people like Yang Guozhong.
“What’s there to fear? If enemies attack, we fight back! The governor was forced by that scoundrel to flee at great risk to Hezhong. Now, thanks to this misfortune, should he still yield to that man?”
Wang Xiaochun, still young and naive, failed to see the complexities of the Tang court and spoke up eagerly.
“That’s not how it works!”
Zhou Wucui sighed. “Yang Zhao has now broken ties with the crown prince—their relationship is like fire and water… After all, the Seventh Prince comes from the Eastern Palace, so this isn’t just a matter of personal grudges. If Yang Guozhong wants to ensure the Yang family’s prosperity for generations, he must suppress the Eastern Palace faction, just as Li Linfu did before.”
In General Zhou’s view, the real danger came from the attention brought by the Seventh Prince’s status as a direct descendant of the crown prince. This attention attracted envy as well as admiration. In the struggles of power, there is often no right or wrong—especially when their enemy is Yang Guozhong, who handled politics as casually as everyday affairs!
Thus, the Seventh Prince would likely have to tone down his ambition…
In the southeast corner of Shule City, there was a long, narrow alley that was rarely used by anyone. It was dusk, and the blood-red sunlight pierced through the thick clouds, casting a vivid peony-like glow. Walking deeper into the alley revealed high walls made of bluestone on both sides. These walls were ten feet tall, making it impossible to see what lay inside from the outside. Ordinary citizens passing by would assume it was the private residence of some general or officer and would wisely move on. One should never look at things they shouldn’t—who knows what secrets lay hidden behind those high stone walls? They were just ordinary people with no money or power, and they certainly didn’t want to incur the wrath of nobles due to curiosity and end up in court.
Because few people came here, moss covered the depressions on both sides of the alley, adding a touch of greenery in the summer. With recent rain, the alley was damp, but the only pleasant thing was the faint fragrance emanating from the freshly turned soil.

A middle-aged man in his forties, slightly hunched, limped toward the red-painted gate. He wore a short jacket on top and a dark-colored short robe below, his gaze dark and gloomy. Glancing up at the three characters “Military Arms Bureau” on the dark gray plaque, he let out a long sigh. (Note 1) All these years, he still couldn’t let go of this place!

“Knock!”
“Knock!”
“Knock!”

The deep knocking sound echoed through the alley, sounding rather somber.

After a while, the red-painted gate opened, and a young servant poked his head out, smiling at the middle-aged man and saying, “Master Chen has arrived. Please come in quickly.”

The man surnamed Chen didn’t hesitate. He nodded, lifted his robe, stepped over the threshold, and followed the servant into the mansion.

The Military Arms Bureau in Shule City had been forced to close due to an imperial edict, leaving many of the skilled craftsmen without work. Some of them started their own iron forges, while others simply opened shops in the city to spend their remaining years there.

Who would have thought that just over a decade later, the imperial court would allow border towns to forge weapons and armor on their own?

Life is full of twists and turns!

“Master Chen, this way, please!”

The young servant was handsome and clever. Seeing the craftsman lost in thought, fearing he might become melancholic upon seeing the old places, he bowed slightly and led him to the back yard.

“Mm.”

The craftsman nodded and followed him.

The Military Arms Bureau in Shule City had a long history.

Since the establishment of Shule Town during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, it had always had the right to forge weapons and armor on its own. Firstly, Chang’an was too far from Anxi; transporting all military equipment from Guanlong would result in excessive losses along the way. Secondly, military situations at the borders were often urgent, and everything had to be approved by the imperial court and stamped by the Ministry of War. By the time the weapons reached Anxi, the battle was likely already over.

However, such a policy inevitably allowed border generals to gain too much influence and strengthen their own power. If the generals were loyal to the Tang Dynasty, it was fine, but if they turned traitorous, the consequences could be disastrous.

Thus, it was that the current emperor issued an imperial edict at the end of the Kaiyuan era, revoking the right of various border garrisons to privately forge military equipment. It is said that Shule Garrison was able to regain this privilege thanks to General Li Kuo, the new governor of Shule. This young and talented man had won the emperor’s favor time and again, completing important missions successfully, most recently by successfully leading a mission to Hezhong and making great contributions to the Tang army in Anxi. The emperor was naturally overjoyed, but considering the rapid rise of this young man, he deemed it inappropriate to grant him further rewards, so he restored this privilege to Shule Garrison as a sign of honor.

It should be noted that only An Lushan, the governor of Pinglu, had ever enjoyed such favor. With such early recognition from the emperor, General Li’s future seemed boundless!

After these thoughts, the craftsman surnamed Chen shook his head and smiled bitterly to himself: It’s better this way. Rather than running that half-dead tavern, it’s better to return to my old trade and contribute my modest efforts to the Tang army in Anxi for the rest of my life.

“Master Chen, we’ve arrived!”

The servant suddenly stopped in front of a row of low brick buildings and said in a solemn voice.

“Thank you, young man.”

The craftsman surnamed Chen nodded slightly in greeting to the servant. Though he tried hard to suppress his emotions, he was deeply moved.

These brick buildings were the barracks where they used to forge military equipment. Years had passed since then, with the old friends scattered far and wide, yet these brick buildings stood firm, bearing witness to those glorious days.

“Please go in quickly. General is waiting for you inside.”

The servant was quite clever; after bowing, he quickly left.

The general himself wants to meet me!

The craftsman surnamed Chen was suddenly shocked, feeling dizzy for a moment.

Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—these were the hierarchical ranks established by our ancestors. Although they were slightly above merchants, they were by no means of noble status. Back then, even a minor brigade commander would look down on them, military craftsmen as they were—never giving them a second glance.

And now, now the general, the commander of Shule’s troops, actually wants to meet me in person!

The craftsman felt the cold blood in his chest surge again, as if the long-sealed door of fate had opened once more, bathed in brilliant golden light.

Note 1: An ancient official institution name. In the early years of the Tang Wu De era, there was a Weapons Supervision Office, which was later abolished and reinstated in the third year of Kaiyuan (715) as the Military Equipment Supervision Office. In the eleventh year, it was turned into the Armor and Crossbow Workshop, under the Ministry of Works. In the sixteenth year, it was reestablished to oversee the repair of armor and crossbows and to deliver them to the armory on schedule. It had a supervisor and deputies. Anxi likely had a similar institution, which Liuyun named the Military Equipment Supervision Office.