Chapter 73: An Old Acquaintance
Wei Yuan forced himself to rein in his anger. Knowing that there was no point beating around the bush any longer, he said coldly, “Is it really as you claim, general? Flying Sand Village is just tens of li away. You could’ve easily sent an aide or two to confirm things. Three hundred militia soldiers had fought for months, yet they hadn’t seen any pay or provision whatsoever. This is plainly unacceptable no matter how you spin it! Even if you’re harboring personal grievances, shouldn’t you set it aside when the people’s lives are at stake?”
Liao Jingwu immediately furrowed his brow in anger, yelling, “I am not one who neglects my public duties for personal matters! This general faces thousands of Liao barbarian cavalry everyday—where would I find the time to concern myself with the petty affairs of a few peasants? If I did attend to such trifles in person, and the Liao barbarians happen to show up while I was gone, do you think you can bear the responsibility and consequences? Were you not a disciple of the Palace of Absolute Beginning, I could have executed you now and report your death later for this single act of slander! Mind your own business and stick to guarding your own patch of land!”
Wei Yuan wasn’t expecting the fallout to happen this quickly. He realized then that Fang Hetong must have seriously offended the staff general.
Since they couldn’t see eye-to-eye with each other, Wei Yuan decided to shed all pretenses. He said coldly, “The Palace of Absolute Beginning is here, so the matter of military provisions and pay will resolve on its own. But since you do not plan to resolve this problem right now, then it will remain a problem. I will bring this up to a higher level. If not, then higher still. One of them has to be able to solve the problem eventually.”
Liao Jingwu also shed all pretenses and sneered, “Do it then! Go as high as you like! I can tell you right now that everyone and everywhere in Bianning belongs to Hsu! There are many people in the Palace who bear the surname as well. Besides, the laws stand as they are no matter where you take this. I refuse to approve this because the roster doesn’t match the actual number, and I suspect that they are using the elderly and infirm to inflate their numbers. What are you going to do about it? Change the law? The one and only way you can make me approve this is if you get that Fang bastard to kowtow before me and admit his sins! Otherwise, not even a god or an immortal can change my mind!
“Anyway, since you’re planning to take this to the higher-ups, I’m sure you’ll have a lot of work in your hands very soon. Thus, I shan’t keep you any longer, immortal master. Escort him away, men!”
At this point, there was no need to speak any longer. Wei Yuan rose to his feet and left. After he was gone, the anger on Liao Jingwu’s face suddenly vanished, and a commandant beside him warned, “The boy is a Palace disciple, general. There might really be trouble if he chooses to bring this up to his elders.”
Liao Jingwu harrumphed with a sneer. “Like hell there will be! People like him came only to hone themselves. He’ll be gone before you know it. Besides, I am not a man without my own background. Even if the Palace were to look into me, the worst they could pin on me is some minor trifles. I have more than enough military merit to protect myself. What can they do?
“As for that stubborn mule, I can easily point out a bunch of problems with him. He could kneel before me right now, and still I’m not going to approve his application. In fact, I’m going to end him one day. He won’t even know why he died when I’m done with him!”