Chapter Ninety-Six: The Thin Line Between Good and Evil

Chen Ying found it incredibly difficult to deal with Su Hu given his current strength. Although Su Wei had lost the Holy Favor, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse; even if Chen Ying spared no effort to confront Su Hu, success was far from guaranteed and might even lead to failure at the last moment.

Therefore, he had to find a tool to aid him. When Su Hu was covertly directing people to buy up duck feathers, such a tool appeared.

Chen Ying offered the down-filled clothing to Li Yuan, not out of altruism, but because he knew an innocent man might suffer guilt by association. Such a large prize was beyond his ability and status to protect effectively. So, going with the flow, Chen Ying presented the down-filled garments to Li Yuan.

Now, he was ordered to lead troops to support Lingzhou, where keeping soldiers warm became a top priority. Unlike later times, when poultry farming was not yet widespread, the entire city of Chang’an—and even the whole country—had far fewer domestic fowl, less than a fraction compared to future generations.

Chen Ying hadn’t counted the down in Chang’an precisely. However, with over 4,800 people, each needing at least one set of down clothing requiring three to four pounds of down, plus a down sleeping bag requiring seven to eight pounds, the average per person was at least twelve pounds of down. Without reserves, that totaled over 57,600 pounds of down needed all at once.

It was clear that even if all down in Chang’an were gathered, it would not suffice. Yet military needs came first, and other demands had to be set aside. Whether it was the Crown Prince or Li Yuan, both would undoubtedly grit their teeth and send soldiers to the frontline in single-layer clothing if necessary. Within the Tang court, no one wielded sharper tools than Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng.

Chen Ying’s original target was Li Xiaoguang, but Su Hu unexpectedly emerged, so Chen Ying had no reason to hold back. Whoever touched the down was doomed. Not everyone was unlucky, though; only those weakest at the foundation and lacking strong backing bore the brunt. If Su Wei’s Holy Favor had not waned, Su Hu would never have become the scapegoat, but now he was the perfect fall guy.

Chen Ying hurried to the Eastern Palace to find Li Jiancheng, but he was absent until dusk. Patiently, Chen Ying waited, fetching water seven times before Li Jiancheng finally arrived.

Li Jiancheng asked, “General Chen, why are you here instead of preparing the troops?”

Chen Ying feigned hesitation, speaking calmly, “I have a matter I’m uncertain whether to raise.”

“What matter? Is there something you cannot tell me?” Li Jiancheng smiled.

Chen Ying replied, “Your Highness, the Right Cavalry Guard supporting Lingzhou may have difficulty acquiring down-filled clothing.”

“Oh?” Li Jiancheng frowned. “What’s the situation?”

“I invented the down clothing, and it quickly became popular in Chang’an. Now, all the down is hoarded by the great families and aristocratic clans. It will be hard to quickly produce down armor for the Right Cavalry Guard,” Chen Ying explained. “Without down armor and down sleeping bags for cold protection, many soldiers may suffer frostbite or even freeze to death.”

Li Jiancheng observed Chen Ying’s composed expression, sensing he had a plan. “General Chen, do you have a solution?”

Chen Ying nodded. “The great clans hoard down purely for profit.”

Li Jiancheng nodded in understanding.

As a scion of the nobility, Li Jiancheng knew well the nature of these clans—they cared only for their families, never the nation’s interest. Now, for private gain, they would surely flout the law. The down already in their hands was like meat in their mouths—getting them to relinquish it would be more painful than death.

Unless the government bought it at a high price using treasury funds. But the clans would surely hike prices tenfold, or even a hundredfold, once the court intervened.

The court naturally did not want to be taken advantage of but could not ignore the issue either.

Chen Ying said, “Appealing to the clans’ sense of the greater good is like playing the lute to a cow. It’s better to ‘kill the chicken to warn the monkey.’”

“Who is the chicken, and who is the monkey?” Li Jiancheng asked.

“The Du, Su, and Liu families of Jingzhao are the chickens; the Zheng of Xingyang, Wang of Taiyuan, and Pei of Wenxi are the monkeys.”

These six families were highly representative. The Du clan of Jingzhao was a family of officials, producing many high-ranking ministers during Northern Zhou and Sui, including Duke Yixing and Minister of Works Du Guo. The young talent now was Du Ruhui, chief of the Shanzhou governor’s office.

The Su clan of Jingzhao was likewise prestigious, becoming one of the Four Nobles of the Sui during Su Wei’s time, making them a famed aristocratic family. The Liu clan’s most outstanding figure was Liu Wenjing, a key official of the Tang court holding titles like Nayan, Tejin, Minister of Revenue, and Left Deputy Minister.

The so-called chickens all had some ties to Prince Qin’s faction. Li Jiancheng suddenly realized this was a warning aimed at Prince Li Shimin, to keep him from growing complacent.

“These families are no saints; it won’t be easy to find their weak spots,” Li Jiancheng said.

“But they all have weak spots,” Chen Ying insisted. “A monk may run away, but the temple can’t. Your Highness, do you fear they would really dare to act up?”

To the common people, the emperor was supreme, and no one dared resist him. In fact, no power is ever absolutely supreme. At this point, whether Li Yuan or Li Jiancheng, neither could act recklessly.

If the court forcibly seized the down hoarded by the clans, even if the nobility of Jingzhao and other factions did not collectively strike, their covert sabotage would worsen the situation. Orders might not even reach the imperial city, let alone allow one man to control the realm.

However, if a few families were framed for wrongdoing, whether from the Guanlong aristocracy or the Shandong nobility, once Li Jiancheng and his father produced irrefutable evidence, political factions would not dispute with the Li family over this matter.

“This must not be spoken of outside,” Li Jiancheng said sternly. “Consider this matter never raised.”

Chen Ying knew Li Jiancheng was tempted, though framing the Du, Liu, and Su families would not be easy. A failed attempt could be a disaster. Li Jiancheng would surely be cautious and discuss the plan with Li Yuan before acting.

Chen Ying himself was innocent but narrowly escaped annihilation. Though he knew framing these families would cause innocent deaths, he was no soft-hearted fool. Given what Su Hu had done to him and Lan’er, he already had a reason to die fighting.

No one is purely evil or purely good throughout life; good and evil lie in a single thought—such is human nature.

Su Hu’s grudge must be avenged. To remove this eternal county magistrate, only Li Yuan and Li Shimin could act. How to proceed was no longer Chen Ying’s concern.