Chapter 31

Nanzheng City does have garrison troops, but they are not stationed within the city walls.

As previously mentioned, warfare is the business of those "ornamental" imperial guards; the garrison troops do not engage in combat, nor do they earn the same wages as the imperial guards.

However, the garrison troops have their own ways of making money. Take the two units of garrison troops in Nanzheng—two hundred men in total—who have recently acquired a rather lucrative assignment.

The Han River flows down from the Qinling Mountains, passing through Xingyuan Prefecture on its way east. It brings the prefecture abundant water for farmers to cultivate their crops, and it also provides Imperial Princess Chaozhen with six ferry crossings from which to collect taxes.

The Imperial Princess could not possibly run out to collect taxes herself, and it would be equally impossible for Li Su to sit at a ferry landing doing so; therefore, the tax collectors had to be carefully selected. Before such men were chosen, per the Princess’s instructions, the ferry crossings were temporarily managed by the county government, with a portion of the proceeds to be handed over to the Lingying Palace later.

There is no need to elaborate on how coveted this task was. Everyone knew how profitable it could be. Thus, the two company commanders spared no effort, offering gifts, whispering in ears, and even having their wives engage in "spousal diplomacy." In the end, they secured control of the six ferry landings. By colluding with the minor officials sent by the county government, they could both ease the Princess’s burdens and find extra income to renovate their own homes.

The Han River surges on, with merchant vessels and fishing boats passing by. Regardless of the vessel, as long as it docked, a fee had to be paid. If it were a fishmonger’s boat, several fish had to be left behind as well. Grilled, they were delicious; pan-fried, they were perfect with wine; and after drinking oneself into a stupor, a bowl of hot fish soup was the perfect remedy for a hangover.

The soldiers were content enough. The guards, squad leaders, and standard-bearers, after eating and drinking their fill, would lie comfortably by the riverbank—not even a descent of the immortals could make them trade places. Who would even think of Nanzheng City then?

Besides, with the imperial guards stationed in Nanzheng, who among the short-sighted would dare to harbor any untoward thoughts?

At the city gate, a long, river-like queue flowed slowly into the city.

Those farmers who held valid deeds had already signed new perpetual tenancy agreements with Lingying Palace and returned home satisfied. Others, who had been tilling hidden fields and had never paid taxes, continued to struggle toward the county office every day, hoping to clarify their status with the petty officials.

Some managed to explain themselves and returned beaming with a new land deed in hand. Others could not make their case clear and had to leave the city every time the gates closed, only to wait at the gates again at dawn to avoid the cost of lodging in the city.

The minor officials guarding the gates grew increasingly impatient. These people were both poor and shrewd; they didn't have a single copper coin on them, so extracting an entry fee was impossible. Yet, if they were kept outside, they would plead bitterly, blocking the way for others entering the city.

One could beat them, but as long as one dared not beat them to death, they would crawl and roll on the ground, demanding entry. If the county magistrate saw this, he would instead punish the officials for abusing the commoners.

As for throwing them in jail? There were no empty cells! The managers previously locked up there still needed to be dealt with one by one—those were truly wicked lackeys of the wealthy, and who had the heart to crowd in so many wretches?

And so, after these people begged and the officials cursed a few times, they were let in once the day was still early.

When these dozen or so people lowered their heads and entered the city with a group of paupers, the officials failed to notice anything amiss.

Nanzheng City is not as prosperous as Bianjing, but it is a large city nonetheless. It is packed with people, housing all the shops and businesses one would expect. The aroma of roasting, frying, and braising drifts from the eateries; the scent of fine wine wafts from the taverns; and the fragrance of powders and rouges emanates from the cosmetic shops.

There are young women walking in groups, young gentlemen riding by on horseback, and those "ornamental" imperial guards sitting in high-rise buildings, holding forth in grand speeches and drawing frequent glances from the women below.

"That is the imperial guard."

The man at the head of the group below squinted as he looked up. After a moment, he lowered his head and let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Truly just an 'ornament'."

"Is it upon such men that the Lingying Palace relies for protection?" his companion whispered with contempt, looking back at their own group. "You all have truly shown great restraint."

The men behind him kept their heads low, their clothes far shabbier than those of the man in front.

"The Princess has leased the fields back to everyone. We have been to several villages, and they all say the Princess is a good person."

The leader spat fiercely on the ground. "She’s a 'good person'? Then why hasn't she returned the land to you entirely? Instead, she’s learned the tricks of Li Yan—"

"She didn't take as much as he did, after all..."

Suddenly, someone erupted in fury:

"She shouldn't take a single cent!"

The shout was so loud it drew the attention of those around them. They quickly lowered their heads again and scattered in twos and threes.

A crowd gathering together is conspicuous, but once dispersed into those alleys, they were nowhere to be seen.

Only the few leaders continued along the main thoroughfare, step by step, heading toward the Lingying Palace.

The gates of the Lingying Palace are rarely opened, and they do not receive guests.

If anyone wishes to offer sacrifices to the immortals at the Lingying Palace, they must first send a message inside. Only if the Princess has reviewed it and granted permission may they enter. Especially since the Princess has yet to fully recover from her injuries, the gates of the Lingying Palace are kept tightly shut. Except for the servants who enter and exit through the side gate to fetch water, transport vegetables, and dispose of waste, even the imperial guards only stand watch outside the Taoist temple.

Thus, the Princess was able to sit alone below the steps of the front hall, lost in thought, staring at her little cousin.

The climate in Xingyuan Prefecture is milder than in Bianjing. After a few autumn rains, the sun had come out again. It was neither sweltering by day nor chilly by night. A few blades of grass had sprouted atop the Taihu stone, and as that touch of green swayed in the wind, the red marks on the stone appeared all the more jarring.

*You know everything in your heart.*

The voice popped up suddenly, startling Zhao Luming.

What did she know? She knew nothing! She sat in the Lingying Palace, never stepping out day after day; what could she possibly know? She knew nothing!

That red mark seemed to creep toward her, flowing quietly across the sun-drenched green bricks, caressing her hand, soothing her, and mocking her:

*You know it all perfectly well. If the thieves enter the city, will they merely loot the temple and spare the innocent?*

The panic on her face faded, and she watched it coldly.

It continued to whisper softly.

*Oh, oh, you know full well that all this is very likely to happen, and you are perfectly capable of stopping it, aren't you?*

Of course, she could stop it. She had a hundred ways: she could go to the county magistrate, the county sheriff, or even find Yuwen Shizhong. But if she stopped it, she would have no further reason to obtain an army.

The Lingying Palace was silent.

It was quiet here every day. Occasionally, the sound of gold bells and jade chimes would ring out, or a bird would land in the temple and let out a cry, which only made the silence feel deeper.

In that silence, she shook her head gently.

"I know nothing."

The gentle hand withdrew, clinging back to the Taihu stone in the silent sunlight with a mocking air, assuming a satisfied, condescending posture as it looked down upon her. In that instant, she suddenly looked up in shock.

Something had been cunningly stolen from her.

Yet she did not say another word. She stood up, ascended the steps, and walked back into the dense mist of the main hall, which was thick with the scent of incense.

Someone had reached the outside of the Lingying Palace, standing on tiptoe to peer over the high walls.

This action quickly drew the attention of the imperial guards, who marched over and shouted a stern reprimand, causing the intruders to scurry away.

Others arrived at the base of the city walls, handing a few dates with a fawning smile to the minor official dozing at the foot of the wall. Soon, they were chatting.

They could talk about fresh news in the city, or shift from that to their recent income. Talk of income naturally led to the Princess, how many jobs the people she brought had created in the city, and the rumors spreading about those jobs—including, but not limited to, the substantial wealth hidden within the Lingying Palace.

But none of this had anything to do with the minor official. He cursed in frustration; he was responsible for guarding these few "thieving conscripts" who manned the walls, and what a soul-crushing job it was! Could the city wall spit out money? It wouldn't spit out a single coin in a lifetime!

At the mention of the city wall, the idler, being well-versed in human nature, offered an idea: "I see this wall is old and needs repair. If you request funds for it and have a few of these conscripts fix it, wouldn't the money come in then?"

"Easier said than done! This wall is more than just old! That crack on the east wall is wide enough to climb up with your bare hands! Does the Magistrate even look at it? Our city was once a strategic stronghold where one man could hold off ten thousand!"

The official sighed while chewing on a date, lamenting the lack of garrison troops on the walls and the fact that the tall, thick walls had been left in disrepair for so long. Of course, what he lamented most was why he had been stuck with such a job. Now that the garrison troops had all gone to collect taxes for the Princess, those standard-bearers would send a package into the city every few days—how enviable!

Night deepened.

In the bed curtains the Princess had brought from Bianjing, there was constant tossing and turning, and no peace.

Finally, Peilan climbed up from the couch beneath the window.

"This is the third night. Is the Princess still unable to sleep?"

The twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl suddenly sat up, pulled a gap in the bed curtains, and stared at her fixedly.

"Tell me, should I be asleep?"

Peilan was stunned.

"Does the Princess have something on her mind?"

The Princess answered with a question of her own, "I could be asleep, or I could be awake. Tell me, should I sleep, or should I not?"

The two young girls stared at each other for a while. Peilan wrapped a robe around herself, stepped off the couch, took a lamp, and walked over to sit by the Princess’s bed.

"Does what the Princess has on her mind have anything to do with whether she sleeps or not?" She thought for a moment and changed the question: "If the Princess still cannot sleep, will she change her mind?"

The Princess was silent for a while, then shook her head gently.

"I will sleep," she said.

She was truly exhausted. So, after saying these inscrutable words, she returned to the bed curtains. Soon, the sound of even breathing filled the room.

She slept soundly, until the night sky outside the walls was stained with the glow of fire, and until the sound of commotion rose with the flames—people running, shouting, and beating gongs:

"Thieves! Thieves have entered the city! Thieves are setting fires! Catch the thieves! Put out the fires!"

"They're going to open the city gates!!!"

The sound reached the Lingying Palace only after a long time. The imperial guards outside the high walls were scrambling for their weapons, and the maids and servants inside were running about in confusion, eventually stopping under the eaves to peer out anxiously.

But the room where the Princess stayed remained quiet.

Even when Peilan raised the lamp to look through the bed curtains, the Princess was still fast asleep.

One look at her sleeping face was enough to know that in this terrifying, long night, she hadn't even dreamed.