Chapter Thirty: Borrowing Public Power for Private Gain

Pei Min gazed at Xue Ne, who had fallen into deep thought, and said, “At first I merely found it odd, but the key was Li Yide’s inadvertent mockery of Kim Yu-sin, claiming Kim Yu-sin was nothing. Li Wuyi’s reaction was much stronger. I heard Li Yide mention that Kim Yu-sin studied under Lü Yue, was outstanding in swordsmanship, and especially adept at wielding two swords. Coincidentally, Li Wuyi has mastered this skill as well. I suspect there may be a connection between them. Judging by the years, it’s even possible that Li Wuyi was sent by Kim Yu-sin himself. This would also explain the lack of records about Li Wuyi before he turned twenty. Before that, he didn’t live in Youzhou at all, but was somewhere else, receiving special training.”

Hearing this, Xue Ne suddenly recalled something, pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, and said, “That makes sense. Every year on July first, Li Wuyi goes to pay respects to his ancestors. Anyone close to him knows this; he claims it’s the anniversary of his father’s death. Now that you mention it, I realize Kim Yu-sin’s death anniversary is exactly July first.”

Kim Yu-sin was an extraordinary figure in Silla, possessing both wisdom and bravery. It was under his strategies that Silla, leveraging the strength of Tang, unified the three kingdoms of the East Sea and rose to become the dominant power in the region. Though he was defeated by the Tang army in battle, this did nothing to diminish his reputation for intelligence and valor. After all, his opponents were Xue Rengui and Liu Rengui; to suffer only minor defeats against such men was already remarkable. Moreover, through his planning, Kim Yu-sin exploited the Tang army’s weakness—being harassed by the Tibetans and needing to redeploy Xue Rengui and Liu Rengui eastward—forcing Tang to agree on using the Datong River as the boundary, thus securing great benefits for Silla.

In terms of wisdom and courage, he is truly worthy of praise. Had Silla not been a weak nation with a small population, or had Kim Yu-sin been born in Tang, his achievements would have been far greater.

This was the opinion not only of the tactician Xue Rengui, but also of the versatile Liu Rengui.

When news of Kim Yu-sin’s death reached Tang, even Xue Rengui lamented that the world had lost another great man. At that time, Xue Rengui happened to be idle at home and shared stories of his contests of wit and courage with Kim Yu-sin. For this reason, Xue Ne had a deep impression of Kim Yu-sin, and deliberately learned that he had passed away in early July.

A single coincidence may be just that—a coincidence. When many coincidences gather together, they become something more.

Xue Ne walked to the table and sat, pondering for a moment before looking at Pei Min. “What do you think?”

Pei Min thought for a while and replied, “It’s not about what I think, but whether the Grand Commander has the resolve to eliminate Li Wuyi, this malignant tumor.”

Xue Ne smiled. “Tell me your opinion.”

“Right here, right now!” Pei Min said. “Gather the troops immediately, surround the Li residence, and arrest Li Wuyi. The more sudden and swift our action, the less prepared Li Wuyi will be, and the more likely we are to find evidence of his crimes. If we hesitate and conduct a thorough investigation, he may realize something is wrong, destroy the evidence, and we’ll be caught in a dilemma.”

“But everything we have now is just speculation. Would it be improper to mobilize the army and arrest such a renowned local gentry?” Xue Ne’s gaze was intense as he looked at Pei Min, his thoughts unreadable.

“That’s why!” Pei Min met his eyes without fear. “This depends on whether the Grand Commander has the courage. You’re a seasoned veteran. If you wish to find someone guilty, you’ll always have reasons. Back in Empress Wu’s reign, weren’t Zhou Xing, Lai Junchen, and Suo Yuanli all notorious for twisting facts? Whoever they claimed was guilty, was guilty. The Grand Commander holds both military and civil authority here in Youzhou—are you saying you can’t handle Li Wuyi?”

Xue Ne burst into laughter. “You’re suggesting I abuse my office for personal gain! You know I detest neglect of duty and seeking personal advantage.”

Pei Min smiled. “Grand Commander, you were but a county magistrate once, yet spoke out righteously and dared to stand against the powerful Lai Junchen. Everyone knows your fairness. What abuse of office for personal gain? This is using power for the public good! Justice resides in the hearts of the people. Whether you have the resolve, Grand Commander, will be proven now.” If Xue Ne were a stickler for propriety like Judge Bao, Pei Min would never have made such a suggestion. But Xue Ne was a decisive general, adept at adapting to circumstances, and dealing with a man like Li Wuyi required unconventional methods—the fastest and most effective approach.

In this wicked old society, law never outweighs power!

In Youzhou, Xue Ne held that power!

To deal with a man of such high reputation, it was better to crush him with authority than reason.

Xue Ne laughed heartily. “I’m not old yet; if I let you young ones belittle me, how would I face anyone?” He buttoned his cloak, strode out of the study, and commanded, “Assemble the soldiers in the manor and summon Guest Adviser Du to me.” He turned back, returned to his desk, and his gaze fell again on the map as he sighed, “You’re right, I’ve considered this as well. The Protectorate of Andong is isolated; the longer this continues, the more likely trouble will arise. If not for Sun Quan’s reckless destruction of my hundred thousand troops, leaving me now without elite soldiers or competent generals, I wouldn’t have today’s worries. Liuzhou and Yingzhou must be retaken quickly to open the route to Andong. The Protectorate of Andong was built through the blood of tens of thousands of our Tang soldiers over two reigns; we cannot afford to lose it. Who would have thought that a scholar like you could see so far, considering matters at the strategic level? Your unconventional approach isn’t suited for officialdom. Frankly, you shouldn’t bother with the civil service exams; just follow me. I’ll appoint you directly, and your advancement will be faster than through the imperial examinations.”

Pei Min was tempted, but recalling his mother’s entrustment, he bowed and said, “Thank you for your kindness, Grand Commander. It’s not that I’m unwilling to serve in the military, but my mother has only me, and I cannot bear to make her worry day and night. I must decline your offer.”

Xue Ne sighed in regret. “Very well. Whenever you change your mind, you can come to me. By the way, I still have a quota for the military exam; do you want it? The civil exam is hard to pass—few at your age succeed. But for the military exam, your martial skills in real combat would easily suffice. As for the tactical exam, I have plenty of military books here; if you can memorize them, there shouldn’t be any major problems.”

Pei Min’s eyes lit up and he quickly replied, “That’s excellent, Grand Commander! Thank you for the opportunity. Another path is always better than none. But…”

Xue Ne asked curiously, “But what?”

“But…” Pei Min squinted playfully. “If, by chance, I pass both the civil and military exams, what shall I do then?”

Xue Ne laughed again. “Then you’ll be famous for all time! As far as I know, since the imperial exams began, no one has ever held both the civil and military champion titles.”

“Perhaps I’ll be the first!” Pei Min replied, his heart stirred.