The Grand Play Finally Began

"It's impossible—absolutely impossible!" Li Shun kept shaking his head inwardly.

When something was abnormal, there was bound to be something sinister at work. Li Shun secretly raised his guard to the utmost while watching Fang Xun's every move even more closely.

He even spared no expense in using himself as a probe.

He began asking Fang Xun questions about the Great Gan Code more and more frequently.

Even when some statutes were exceptionally obscure and tricky, Fang Xun showed no impatience at all, still answering everything he knew and holding nothing back.

"My Lord, there is a statute in the Great Gan Code: Revenue and Expenditure Chapter: 'Whenever the stores of prefectural and county treasuries are transferred, grain, silk, money, provisions, and the like naturally suffer losses each year. Losses within the set quota shall not be investigated; if there is a deficit, it shall be treated as theft of official funds. Yet if there is an unaccountable surplus exceeding the prescribed amount in the ledgers, the official in charge shall be stripped of his post, all clerks and aides in the same office shall have their salaries docked for one year, and they shall receive fifty strokes of the rod.' This subordinate truly cannot make head or tail of this provision."

At the right moment, Li Shun put on a puzzled expression. "If there is a shortfall in the treasury, someone must have embezzled from it. Severe punishment according to the law is only right. But if the treasury somehow contains extra wealth, grain, and supplies for no reason, would that not be an immense boon to Great Qian's coffers? Why is the crime of 'unaccountable surplus' actually deemed graver than stealing from the treasury one is meant to guard?"

Fang Xun looked Li Shun up and down in surprise. "Tui Zhi has indeed been diligent in studying the law lately. You have already read this chapter."

After a pause, Fang Xun still kindly cleared up Li Shun's confusion. "The crux of this statute's rewards and punishments lies entirely in the words 'for no reason.'"

"The fortune of heaven and earth, the workings of yin and yang—everything has its ordained measure in the unseen. The Great Qian court suppresses all under heaven, and the growth and circulation of all things must accord with their proper principles. For the revenues and deficits of every prefecture, commandery, and county, the central court keeps a detailed ledger. This is what is called 'heavenly calculation.' So long as fluctuations in surplus and deficit fall within the heavenly calculation, no matter their amount, they are permitted. This is called 'human loss.' But..."

"If the surplus appeared beyond the ledger, would that not mean some strange and treacherous change had arisen locally, beyond the court's control? Faced with such a change that had slipped its reins, the local magistrate could hardly escape blame and naturally had to suffer severe punishment."

Li Shun immediately looked enlightened. Cupping his hands, he sighed, "So that was it. The rigor and depth of Great Qian's laws are truly awe-inspiring."

Yet at those words, Fang Xun seemed suddenly stirred by some inexplicable emotion and abruptly lost all interest in continuing his grand discourse. After sending Li Shun away, he sat alone in the hall, his expression turning unpredictable once more.

After a long while, he gave a cold snort. "How can heavenly calculation and human loss withstand a calamity from nowhere?"

Meanwhile, Li Shun, who had withdrawn, became even more certain of his suspicion.

There is something strange about this Fang Xun. He definitely means no good!

Yet Fang Xun handled matters without leaving so much as a drop to leak. No matter how Li Shun secretly spied on him, he could not find a single flaw.

The unease in his heart could not be dispelled, yet for the time being, he could find no way to extricate himself and leave.

He could only continue cultivating Cold Mountain Grass within the square-inch space, storing up the power of reversal.

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, high summer had passed, golden autumn had departed, and the year's end had arrived without anyone noticing.

After half a year's passage, the devastation spread before the eyes and the heart-piercing pain that the monstrous flood had left upon Cold Mountain County seemed to have been completely smoothed away.

Life had returned to the city, and smiles of hope once again hung upon the faces of the people who had survived the disaster. Though it was already the bitterly cold twelfth lunar month, this year was unusually a warm winter. The people no longer suffered the freezing cold of years past.

Everything seemed to herald that this land of suffering was truly about to see a turn for the better.

But Fang Xun, who had been acting for nearly half a year, was finally finding it difficult to keep up the performance.

Because he had received a message from Yin Fengshuo, the governor of Cold Mountain Commandery.

"What do you mean, 'Because the Great Qian official road has been damaged, the incoming county magistrate must delay taking office'?"

Fang Xun's face instantly turned green and red, his eyes full of disbelief.

He read the contents of the message over and over several times.

That official road he had casually destroyed in a fit of rage half a year ago...

Had still not been repaired even now!

"What exactly are those useless Mohist School fools good for?"

Fang Xun only felt a ball of stifled anger lodged in his chest, shocked and furious.

"What a fine excuse: 'If a newly appointed official abandons the official road and travels by desolate wilderness paths, it would violate proper law and diminish the court's dignity, and thus be improper'!"

Though these words sounded grand and lofty, there was not the slightest fault to pick in them. Even if the matter were brought before the court, no blame could possibly fall upon that incoming county magistrate whom he had never met. At most, they could only find an excuse to hold the Mohist School craftsmen responsible for the construction accountable.

"Calm down. The more critical the moment, the more I must remain calm."

Fang Xun forced himself to settle down. "At the beginning of the second month next year, I can shed my shell like a golden cicada and depart to take up another post. There is less than a month left..."

"Over these days, I have already prepared everything. All I lack is a scapegoat."

The various statutes and provisions of the Great Gan Code flashed through Fang Xun's mind like running water.

In an instant, a plan had already formed in his heart.

Not long after, he had someone summon County Lieutenant Cheng Yishu into the study. "Yishu, if I recall correctly, when I was first demoted to Cold Mountain County, you had already spent many years enduring hardship in this bitterly cold place, had you not?"

Cheng Yishu had not expected Fang Xun to suddenly ask such a question, and he froze for a moment.

He searched through his memories of the past, then cupped his hands with a face full of emotion. "My Lord sees clearly. At that time, this subordinate had indeed squandered most of his life in Cold Mountain County. Had it not been for Your Honor's vigorous promotion and recommendation, I fear this lowly official would still be rolling about in this mire as a mere minor runner."

"Since that is so, Yishu, do you wish to strive upward once more and take another step forward? I do not mean within this tiny Cold Mountain County, but to completely cast off these shackles and go to a broader world, where you may establish merit and build your career?" Fang Xun coaxed him along, suddenly casting out the bait.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yishu abruptly raised his head. An uncontrollable blaze lit in his eyes as he lowered his voice and cautiously asked, "My Lord... what do you mean by this?"

"You also know that in some days, I will set out for the Sacred Capital to report on my duties. Though the tremendous merit of capturing the remnants of the Xiang Kingdom alive is still under dispute and no appointment has yet been finalized, according to the inquiries and arrangements I have made in many places, the final post should be that of 'Assistant of the Western Office' in the Left Prime Minister's Residence," Fang Xun said unhurriedly.

Cheng Yishu's body shook violently.

"The Western Office of the Left Prime Minister's Residence holds authority over the promotion and evaluation of civil officials in commanderies and counties across the realm. Once I take up my post, a little maneuvering will be enough to transfer you away from a bitterly cold place like Cold Mountain." Fang Xun let out a long sigh, deliberately allowing a trace of difficulty to appear on his face. "Because I have won two earth-shaking merits in succession, my rise has been as swift as climbing the blue clouds. Yet the tree that stands above the forest is bound to be broken by the wind. For that very reason, I have also drawn much envy and resentment throughout the court."

"I have been demoted to Cold Mountain for many years, alone and weak, and urgently need to cultivate capable support."

With that, his bright gaze bore into the other man. "Yishu, can I... trust you?"