Chapter 146 Decree for Executing Traitors

In the balmy third month of spring, with weeping willows swaying and peach blossoms glowing in full bloom, it was the ideal season for an excursion.

Bathed in gentle breezes and warm sunlight, Chang'an was a scene of peace and prosperity, filled with singing, dancing, and throngs of pleasure-seekers, all outwardly calm. Those who sat high in the imperial court chose to forget, while the ordinary folk at the bottom were adept at forgetting. The turmoil of counterfeit currency that had rippled through the second month seemed to have vanished like a spring breeze stirring a pond, leaving no trace behind.

At the Shangqing Taoist Temple, Master Yuanqiu sat in meditation on his cloud couch, his expression as calm as still water, completely undisturbed. He turned a deaf ear to the loud poetry recitation of scholars and the sweet giggles of young maidens, seemingly long accustomed to it all.

"Master Uncle Yuanqiu! Are you in there?" Lu Liaoliao poked his head in through the window.

"I am not!" Hearing Lu Liaoliao's voice, Master Yuanqiu frowned, finding it impossible to regain his state of celestial oneness.

"Bah! If you truly love tranquility and inaction so much, there are plenty of famous mountains and grand rivers where you could live in seclusion. Yet you insist on practicing your Dao right here in the bustling heart of Chang'an. With people coming and going constantly at your Shangqing Temple, you really can't blame your nephew entirely."

Lu Liaoliao pushed the door open unceremoniously, looking thoroughly dissatisfied with Master Yuanqiu's attitude.

"As the state religion of the Great Tang, our Daoism must always maintain a presence in the capital. If all practitioners of our generation were to hide away in deep mountains, it would simply allow those bald donkeys to take advantage of the void," Master Yuanqiu opened his eyes and glared bitterly at Lu Liaoliao.

"Ah! Even these transcendent sanctuaries of ascetics cannot escape the struggle for power and profit. All this talk of peaceful places is just a sham, if you ask me," Lu Liaoliao pouted, looking entirely unconvinced.

"You troublemaker, what are you here looking for this time?" Too lazy to argue with his sharp-tongued junior, Master Yuanqiu directly asked the purpose of his visit.

"Junior Uncle Yuzhen has caught a cold, and Senior Brother Guye and Junior Sister Xiaoye are off wandering the clouds somewhere without a return date. After my two wives and I took care of her for a few days, Junior Uncle Yuzhen's condition still hasn't improved. Knowing that your medicinal pills and blessed talisman water are miraculously effective, she sent me to beg for your help. Yet in your eyes, Uncle, I seem like nothing more than a plague."

Lu Liaoliao looked thoroughly aggrieved, rolling his eyes at Master Yuanqiu.

Without wasting words, Master Yuanqiu rummaged through his belongings to find the medicinal pills and talisman paper, handed them to Lu Liaoliao, and waved his hand impatiently, as if swatting away an annoying fly.

Left speechless, Lu Liaoliao bowed to Master Yuanqiu and muttered begrudgingly, "Many thanks, Master Uncle, for bestowing the medicine!"

"This city of Chang'an is not as tranquil as it appears on the surface. You must weigh your words, act with caution, and take care of yourself," Master Yuanqiu ultimately felt uneasy and offered a word of advice.

Along the deeply shaded paths beneath ancient trees, pairs of delicate young women and dashing young gallants strolled leisurely from time to time. As a gentle breeze swept past, a heavy fragrance of powder and perfume assailed the senses, causing Lu Liaoliao to wrinkle his nose involuntarily. It seemed Master Yuanqiu's annoyance with him was not entirely unjustified. Quickening his pace, Lu Liaoliao sought to leave the Shangqing Temple—the sanctuary cherished by scholars and beauties—as swiftly as possible.

"Ouch!" Marching along with his head down, Lu Liaoliao collided squarely with a distracted, beautiful young woman, eliciting a cry of pain from her. As both looked up, their gazes locked instantly, unable to pull apart.

***

"Tell me, do you think we'll go to hell in the future?" After the passion had subsided, Fang Gege gazed out the window at the bright sunshine, looking somewhat lost.

"From the very first moment I laid eyes on you, I was already in hell," Lu Liaoliao said, speaking straight from the heart.

Fang Gege trembled slightly, a complex mixture of emotions surging within her, accompanied by an inexplicable sense of moving warmth.

"Hell is terrifying. I wouldn't dare stay down there all alone, so you must come and keep me company."

"Very well! In hell, I will stay by your side forever," Lu Liaoliao felt an inexplicable heartache and sorrow.

Fang Gege snuggled closer into Lu Liaoliao's embrace, and after a long silence, she asked in a soft whisper.

"Don't you want to know why I came to Chang'an?"

"Speak, I am listening," Lu Liaoliao remained completely motionless.

Fang Gege desperately wanted to tell Lu Liaoliao that she had found her father in Chang'an. Yet, in front of Lu Liaoliao, she somehow lacked the courage to utter the word "father." Struggling for a moment, she finally began to speak in a quiet voice.

"To execute the treacherous ministers in the court and restore the righteousness of our Great Tang. Recently, an 'Execute the Traitors Decree' has been circulating in the pugilistic world, calling upon righteous heroes of the martial arts community to gather in Chang'an, slay the treacherous officials in the court, and restore clarity to the halls of the Great Tang. People from countless martial arts sects have come to Chang'an. Following my master and senior brother, I arrived here just a few days ago."

Upon hearing the words "senior brother," Lu Liaoliao's body stiffened slightly for a moment before a faint smile touched his lips.

"Such matters of the imperial court—what business are they of people from the martial world? When they end up being used by others, they won't even know how they died. By the way, who are these treacherous ministers that the Decree intends to eliminate?"

"The great traitor Li Linfu, the great traitor Chen Xilie, and the great traitor Yang Guozhong!" Fang Gege declared with a firm tone.

"Ha!" Lu Liaoliao could not help letting out a soft chuckle. "By that logic, as long as someone is a high-ranking official in the court, they must be a traitor, right?"

"The Decree to Execute Traitors states explicitly that Li Linfu, Chen Xilie, and Yang Guozhong deceive the Emperor above, ruin the state laws, are jealous of talent, and monopolize power to the detriment of the country. Naturally, they are arch-traitors!" Fang Gege pouted, looking thoroughly defiant.

"You believe whatever the Decree tells you? What on earth is your brain used for? If every high official in the court is a traitor and you slaughter them all, who is going to govern the affairs of the state?" Lu Liaoliao tapped Fang Gege on the head, finding it all quite amusing.

"As long as His Majesty the Emperor is on the throne, the rivers and mountains of the Great Tang will endure forever, and the common people will naturally enjoy a good life. What's the big deal about killing a few treacherous officials?" Fang Gege maintained a matter-of-fact expression.

"Not every high official in the court is a traitorous villain. And His Majesty the Emperor... may not truly be a sage," Lu Liaoliao murmured, half to himself, deeply moved by his own thoughts.

"Liaoliao, you have it all wrong. Even though I haven't read many books, I know that Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parent, and Teacher are objects of our utmost reverence. As people of the Great Tang, isn't loyalty to the sovereign and patriotism what we ought to do?" Fang Gege raised her head, looking at Lu Liaoliao with displeasure.

"Let's leave Heaven and Earth aside, and we needn't mention parents and teachers either. Let us talk about the sovereign. Those court officials know that to eat the sovereign's emolument is to serve the sovereign's causes. But why must ordinary folk and people of the martial world meddle blindly? When you are hungry, does the sovereign give you food to eat? When you are cold, does the sovereign provide you with clothes? At a single word from the sovereign, countless ordinary people are sent to their deaths, while very few officials who eat the sovereign's salary share that fate. In my view, the sovereign is the sovereign, and the country is the country. A country is worthy of love, but as for the sovereign... loyalty is hardly required."

Lu Liaoliao's heretical words left Fang Gege utterly dumbfounded. She felt instinctively that what he said was wrong, yet, lacking eloquence, she was entirely powerless to refute him.

"But... everyone thinks this way, and this time quite a few people from martial arts sects have come!" Fang Gege finally managed to find a justification for herself.

"Foolish masses, foolish masses—that is precisely what 'everyone' in your eyes refers to," Lu Liaoliao helplessly stroked Fang Gege's head.

The bewildered Fang Gege eventually departed. Sniffing the air, Lu Liaoliao caught a heavy, lingering scent of intimacy in the bedchamber. He unfolded the bedding, gave it a vigorous shake, and threw the windows wide open to let the fresh air circulate.

Ah! If Senior Brother Guye were to find out that his tranquil living quarters and cloud couch had been used by Lu Liaoliao as a trysting spot with Fang Gege—who was both lover and enemy—one wondered if he would fly into a rage.

Suddenly, while cleaning Guye's cloud couch, Lu Liaoliao sensed something amiss and came to a sudden halt.

There ought to be four major senior ministers in the court of the Great Tang at present. Yet the treacherous officials targeted by the Decree to Execute Traitors omitted one: the Minister of Revenue and Magistrate of the Capital, Lord Wang. Who on earth had published such a farcical decree in the martial world? It seemed there was still something rather bizarre and mysterious about this whole affair.

***

Two days later, before Lu Liaoliao had fully figured things out, he was summoned once again to the Wang family vault to meet with the three old codgers.

The spring sunshine was pleasantly warm, and the garden was a riot of colorful blossoms competing in beauty. Yet inside the pavilion's floral hall, the three wealthy companions and Lu Liaoliao had no heart to enjoy the picturesque scenery.

"Commercial routes, commercial routes—only with commerce are there roads, and only with roads is there commerce. Right now, the Great Tang is waging wars on all fronts, and trade routes are severed. That Sovereign of ours is obsessed with displaying his martial prowess, encouraging border generals to launch campaigns in every direction, which has severely strained the state treasury.

Instead of thinking of ways to open up new sources of revenue, His Majesty has resorted to minting lightweight coins, extorting wealth from merchants and commoners like us. This is hardly a long-term strategy. I fear our days ahead will not be easy."

Yang Chongyi furrowed his brow, looking deeply worried.

"Hasn't that Eastern island nation of Wa always admired the culture of the Great Tang, looking upon us as the Heavenly Central Empire, and sent countless envoys to study here? It seems maritime trade routes might also be viable commercial paths. Given the Emperor's current conduct, Chang'an is no longer a place to linger. I, Guo Wanjin, have decided to leave Chang'an for Yangzhou in Jiangnan, to try my hand at opening up these sea routes."

Having suffered heavy losses during the counterfeit currency crisis in February, Guo Wanjin was once again brimming with bravado and fighting spirit.

"I, Yang Chongyi, have always admired your enterprising spirit, Guo Wanjin. It is precisely this daring drive that has earned you your immense family fortune today. This time, I wouldn't mind pooling my resources with yours and joining you to venture into those maritime trade routes."

The cunning Yang Chongyi could clearly sense that the political winds in Chang'an were turning foul, and he too had developed an urge to leave.

"Alas!" Wang Yuan宝's chubby face was covered in worry. "The two of you can leave, but I, Wang Yuanbao, am a man of widespread renown and have long been firmly targeted by the Emperor. Wanting to leave is no easy task."

"You're too fat, Brother Wang, so leaving won't be easy. Still, if you slice off some flesh and slim down a bit, there might still be a chance to get away," Yang Chongyi said with a double entendre, smiling faintly.

Wang Yuanbao shook his head with a bitter smile and turned his gaze to Lu Liaoliao.

"I hear that Chancellor Li Linfu's health is failing by the day. Do you have accurate news on this?"

It seemed his wife had not hidden his relationship with Li Linfu from her father. After a moment of thought, Lu Liaoliao nodded affirmatively to his veteran father-in-law, Wang Yuanbao.

"It seems the time has come to prepare an escape route," Wang Yuanbao's gaze turned gloomy, his spirit deflating instantly.

With his own path forward still unclear, these old men were already contemplating retreats. For a moment, Lu Liaoliao felt somewhat lost.

One night near the end of the month, Guo Yan paid a secretive visit to Lu Liaoliao's home.

"Brother Lu, a Decree to Execute Traitors has recently been circulating in the martial world, and even the Beggar Sect has received copies. On the fourteenth day of the fourth month, an Assembly to Execute Traitors is to be held on Mount Zhongnan. Tell me, should I go participate?"

Guo Yan looked at Lu Liaoliao with a hint of excitement.

"Go! Why wouldn't you go? I'll be going as well when the time comes. I want to see what kind of trickery lies behind this farce."

Feeling in low spirits, Lu Liaoliao slammed his fist fiercely onto the desk.