Chapter 509: Great Villain and Evil Chu Lushan

The Prince of Beiliang’s manor was adorned with “fu” characters intentionally pasted upside down. The New Year’s Eve dinner was simple: just dumplings. Xu Fengnian and Xu Longxiang, along with Xu Beizhi and Chen Xiliang, went into the kitchen together to wrap dumplings, leaving the women like Wang Chudong with no role in the cooking.

After dinner, Xu Fengnian asked the two strategists to keep Xu Xiao company, while he himself visited the quiet mausoleum. Upon his return, a large group gathered in Wutong Courtyard to celebrate the New Year, enjoying the festive atmosphere. Only then did the crimson-clad maids in the adjacent rooms get a half-day’s leisure, and they soon went to read the towering piles of official dispatches and reports by lamplight. The little girl Chen Xiliang brought from Beiliang had fallen fast asleep in his arms, so Xu Fengnian told him to take the child back to rest, and Chen Xiliang didn't object. Wang Chudong, who loved to hibernate, was already dozing where she sat, and Xu Fengnian half-carried, half-helped her out of Wutong Courtyard.

When Xu Fengnian returned to the courtyard, Xu Weixiong had also gone to the adjacent room to handle military affairs. Only Xu Beizhi, a non-family member, and Xu Xiao, an old man who had once been a Grand Preceptor in civilian office and a Grand General in military, remained. For some reason, Xu Xiao was asking the young man about the different "levels" of officialdom. Xu Beizhi, unfazed, explained so well that Xu Xiao nodded repeatedly in agreement. After Xu Fengnian took his seat, "Juzi" (Xu Beizhi’s nickname) had already described the nineteen levels from the lowest to the sixteenth. Unable to resist the Crown Prince's persistence, Xu Beizhi had to roughly recount them from the beginning:A "Grandson Official" is one who relies on ancestral prestige for a minor, cushy position, simply existing on the family tree.A "Toad Official" is one who only makes noise and never takes action.A "Dog Official" is one who is fierce and cunning, bullying the weak while cowering before the powerful, and barking at commoners.A "Corpse Official" is one who sticks to old rules, occupies a position without performing duties, is adept at profiting but oblivious to danger.

Xu Fengnian chuckled, asking what level the current scribes and yamen runners in Lingzhou were. Xu Beizhi replied that they were "Fox Officials," as they 'borrowed the tiger's might' and were skilled at observing others' expressions. Xu Fengnian retorted, "Then are the county magistrates and powerful commanders who direct their subordinates to create trouble and cause suffering 'Tiger Officials'?" Xu Beizhi nodded with a smile, adding that above "Tiger Officials" were "Ghost Officials." They committed terrible deeds, manipulating affairs from behind the scenes, yet lived reclusively, so the uninformed common folk still considered them incorruptible. This was considered the most formidable among the first fourteen levels.

Xu Fengnian continued, "What about Zhong Chengxin, the Prefect of Longqing Commandery?""Zhong Chengxin is at the fifteenth level. In my opinion, there's nothing easier than being an official. Don't be greedy, don't occupy, proceed step by step. Have advisors and retainers to offer counsel and manage affairs, while you act as a hands-off manager, even indulging in leisurely pursuits. No great merits, no great faults, generally living in peace with the common people."

"And Wang Xihua, the Merit Officer of Huangnan Commandery?""Their administrative work is ordinary, but their reputation is excellent. They are never greedy or cruel to harm others. Upwards, they actively support good governance and benevolent actions. Downwards, they treat the common people as their own children. This is also the kind of incorruptible official that ordinary people desire most. Such officials are at the sixteenth level. The extent of their achievements depends on whether their superior is wise. If the overall situation is clear and benevolent, with superiors setting a good example for subordinates, their official standing naturally rises. If the situation is corrupt, such officials will eventually have no choice but to resign, claiming they would not 'bend their backs for five pecks of rice' and prefer to 'gather chrysanthemums by the eastern fence.' It's not that they don't want to be officials, but that they lack the ability to turn the tide, so they opt for a lesser path, cherishing their reputation and knowing when to retreat. Officials who leave their names in history are often of this type, though, of course, they usually need to leave behind some popular poems. Many upright civil officials greatly praised by later generations in books were, in fact, lacking in a sense of the bigger picture. Their actions did not benefit the overall state of affairs; they merely sought favor by sacrificing their reputation as martyrs. If they encountered a foolish emperor, they might succeed, but if they met a cunning monarch, especially one with a narrow mind, a little manipulation would ensure they remained frustrated and unfulfilled their entire lives. In Xu Beizhi's view, Wang Xihua is actually not suited to be a Prefect of Huangnan Commandery. Rather, like Huan Wen in the Imperial Academy, he should lie low in officialdom and focus on scholarly pursuits for a few years. When the time is right, he can then surprise everyone."

"What about Song Yan, the new Administrator of Lingzhou, who will soon be your assistant?""The sixteenth level, 'Capable Official.' They are not adept at seeking fame, but their means of navigating officialdom are not bad. Crucially, they can govern their jurisdiction effectively, making it prosper. Their vision is broad, seeing beyond the patterns and trends of the first fifteen levels of officials. In truth, they care deeply about the people, but such individuals are destined to reach a certain rank in officialdom and then find it difficult to advance further, unless they encounter a powerful figure in the court. Not to mention, even ordinary people, whose perspectives are inevitably limited by their background and position, might criticize them during their tenure. Yet, throughout history, many measures that benefit generations and leave lasting legacies have come from officials of this type."

Xu Xiao, who had been silent, peeling a yellow tangerine, softly chuckled and asked, "Beizhi, then tell me about Li Gongde."Xu Beizhi replied directly, "He's not as incorruptible as an 'Incorruptible Official,' and he does indulge in some greed. He's not as capable as a 'Capable Official,' but he still gets things done. Overall, he can manage both aspects and can be considered a good official. The Governor-General is already a top figure at this level. If not for his somewhat narrow-mindedness, he could have advanced one more level. He possesses the talent of a prime minister but lacks the magnanimity of one. Serving as Governor-General in Beiliang is acceptable, but if he were to occupy a crucial position in the imperial court, like 'a calf pulling a large plow,' it would likely lead to great disasters."

Xu Xiao nodded, passing the peeled tangerine to Xu Fengnian, and said, "So, 'Blue-Eyed Boy' can be considered a pillar statesman of a dynasty. His personal conduct and governance are flawless, and he personally forged a new order for the realm. Is he at the eighteenth or the final nineteenth level?"Xu Beizhi took the half tangerine Xu Fengnian offered him, put a segment into his mouth, and smiled, "Eighteen."Xu Xiao fell into thought.

Xu Fengnian broke the silence, laughing heartily, "Xu Xiao, you really have no sense of occasion! After talking about the eighteenth, only the nineteenth level remains. Juzi went to such trouble to save such a big compliment for you, but you, instead, aim the horse's head at Juzi! How is this fellow supposed to flatter you now?"

Xu Xiao paused, a little embarrassed, and smiled apologetically, "I always thought I was at most a 'Ghost Official' level. Beizhi, my apologies."Xu Beizhi shook his head with a smile. After eating the tangerine, he bid farewell and left.

No sooner had he stepped out than a fat pig rolled into the room, following right behind. Xu Fengnian immediately raised a hand and commanded, "Silence." The fat man forcefully swallowed the whimper of anguish that was about to escape his lips. Xu Xiao beckoned, "Lushan, quickly, sit down."

Chu Lushan, who had been promoted to the second-rank Protector-General of Beiliang, rubbed his hands with a smile and plopped down on the floor, which was not cold due to the underfloor heating. With a guilty expression, he whispered, "Adoptive Father, I've come to apologize to His Highness and the Second Princess. But it's New Year's, and 'Luqiu' bare-chested with a thorny stick might look too unlucky." Xu Fengnian said helplessly, "You know what you did regarding Song Gu; there's no one smarter than you in the world. And as for my sister, just don't annoy her anymore." Chu Lushan sighed in acknowledgment and said no more.

Hearing the noise, Xu Weixiong walked out of the room and coldly said to Chu Lushan, "You, a dignified Protector-General of Beiliang, aren't you bored doing such petty, disgusting things for the past five days?" Chu Lushan recoiled, his thick, short neck almost disappearing, not daring to retort. In truth, back when he was in the Xu family, the Eldest Princess Xu Zhihu had always detested this fat man, whereas Xu Weixiong had no such prejudice. Xu Weixiong turned to Xu Xiao and said, "Father, I will use the official levels Xu Beizhi described to create a confidential auxiliary assessment for Beiliang officials. It won't be made public, only given to Fengnian for reference." Xu Xiao nodded.

Xu Fengnian quietly asked, "Luqiu, what heinous deeds have you committed to make my sister so furious? Did the Peregrines and Eagle Warriors have a massive brawl?" Chu Lushan awkwardly said, "How could I dare? They were just little pranks when I was bored, not worth mentioning." The more Chu Lushan prevaricated, the more curious Xu Fengnian became, pressing, "Tell me about it." Chu Lushan probably resigned himself to the fact that 'whether he stretched his neck or drew it back, the blade would still fall.' He recounted everything like 'beans spilling from a bamboo tube,' leaving Xu Fengnian silent.

It turned out that the current situation in Beiliang was subtly turbulent, with rumors and unrest spreading. After Chu Lushan became the Protector-General of Beiliang, he didn't make grand gestures. The more idle he felt, the more he randomly picked a few unfortunate individuals and sent them to Fushui House, where they were brutally dealt with. These individuals included a villager, scholars, officials, martial artists, soldiers, and commanders – seven or eight people who couldn't control their mouths, much like the people Xu Fengnian had heard boasting in the tavern recently, led by 'Skinny Monkey.' He would have just ignored it, even if he, the Crown Prince, had encountered them. However, Chu Lushan clearly didn't have such a good temper. He sent them all to Fushui House, where, according to Chu Lushan's wild and elaborate designs, they began to suffer lives worse than death.

One of them, a robust villager, while drinking with a group, had remarked that being the Crown Prince of Beiliang was too easy, that Xu Fengnian had never suffered in his life. "His Highness lives in luxury, could he ever know the hardship of my old man burning charcoal in the mountains or tending crops?" As a result, at Fushui House, every few days, he received over 160 cuts. The number and severity of the cuts varied each time. After being wounded, he was immediately treated with top-grade wound medicine, attended by fine wine and beautiful women. Once healed, the next cut immediately followed. The reason for this specific number of cuts wasn't a random rule set by Chu Lushan. Instead, it was calculated based on the sixteen light and heavy cuts the Crown Prince had sustained from his blade practice and killings before ascending Wudang Mountain, plus his battles against Princess Suizhu's East Yue attendants, killing the armored men in Reed Marsh, slaying Xieling at Yatoulu, being ambushed by Tuoba Chunshun, mutual killing with Fifth Mo in the Rouran Mountains, and later in Tiemen Pass and Shenwu City, in addition to being dealt with by Master Liu Hao, and so on. Before Fushui House began the tortures, Chu Lushan had told them that if they endured enough suffering, they would each receive 100,000 taels of silver, or a commander's position leading 1,600 soldiers, or a seventh-rank official post, depending on their background. If they couldn't endure, they would be released.

As a result, without exception, no one endured more than two hundred cuts. Two tough martial artists couldn't withstand the diagonal thrust into their armpit and abdomen, crying out that they no longer wanted to be founders of Beiliang martial arts sects. This particular cut emulated Duan Bo'er Huihui's lightning spear thrust to the abdomen. Among the seven or eight, the scholars and literati cried for their parents after just one cut and withdrew. Surprisingly, it was the villager who gritted his teeth and persevered the longest, though regrettably, he still couldn't last. This was because Fushui House had not told him how many cuts constituted the end. Not only them, but even the executioners at Fushui House were unaware; only Chu Lushan knew. These people indeed did not die at Fushui House; they were safely sent back to their hometowns. However, those with mothers found their mothers dead, those without mothers lost their fathers, those with older sisters lost their older sisters, and those without older sisters lost their younger sisters. Furthermore, some of their close friends ended up with broken arms or crippled legs, and all these misfortunes were later attributed to the victims' own past involvement. Scholars who valued their reputation became infamous hypocrites, despised by all. In short, whatever they cherished most, Chu Lushan ensured they lost. Chu Lushan's ruthlessness lay in this: when these people were on the verge of madness, he had Fushui House spies appear before them, offering them another chance. Not a single person accepted, and then, there was no 'then,' because Chu Lushan slaughtered them.

Chu Lushan, sitting on the floor, had a calm, unbothered expression, and lightly chuckled, "Before they died, I told them, 'You used to complain about your humble origins, lacking family background, but you were never afraid of hardship. So I gave you a chance. Considering His Highness's injuries over the past few years, excluding the reliance on his physical prowess at various cultivation levels, and then adjusting for the recipient's physical strength and pain tolerance, in Luqiu's view, an ordinary person would actually suffer very little. Going through the entire sequence, it's just three hundred and fourteen cuts.'"

Xu Xiao popped a tangerine segment into his mouth and dismissed it with a smile. Xu Fengnian frowned and uttered the exact same words as Xu Weixiong: "Aren't you bored?" Chu Lushan looked up, a brilliant smile on his face, and shook his head.

Xu Fengnian said flatly, "From now on, stop concocting such morally damaging schemes." Chu Lushan, usually utterly compliant with the Crown Prince, for once spoke against him, "It's fine if I don't see or hear it, but as long as I, Chu Lushan, come across it, I'll deal with every single one. Fushui House isn't short on torture instruments or personnel, and some new recruits need to warm up anyway." Xu Fengnian turned his head, staring at Chu Lushan, and slowly said, "They are all people of Beiliang." Chu Lushan's smile faded. He looked up, meeting the Crown Prince's displeased gaze. "Though my surname isn't Xu, I, Chu Lushan, am still a member of the Xu family. For my entire life, I have been the Grand General's adopted son. I have never known anything of Liyang, nor do I even acknowledge Beiliang or not Beiliang." Xu Fengnian angrily declared, "Chu Lushan! I order you to stop!" Chu Lushan clenched his fists, resting them on his knees, and through gritted teeth, said in a deep voice, "Your Highness!"

Chu Lushan had to brace himself with one hand on the ground to get up. As he bent to rise, he let out a series of harsh, self-mocking laughs. "I, Chu Lushan, am a clean freak. Every day I must change into luxurious clothes, I love extravagance, every day I must ride a different fine horse, I'm a gourmet, every day my chef must create new dishes. I change everything, except my master. I, Chu Lushan, wish for all the ungrateful ingrates of Beiliang who have benefited from the Xu family to understand one simple truth: life has two great pains – wanting something you cannot obtain, and possessing something only to lose it. As long as Your Highness allows me, Chu Lushan, to hold power for a day, I will not tolerate anyone speaking carelessly without consequence." After standing up, Chu Bachai, a man of astonishing talent and deep schemes, lowered his head, his eyes reddened, and slowly said, "Chu Lushan's only master is his adoptive father. As for Your Highness, ever since I first held that little boy in swaddling clothes from my adoptive mother's hands, from the moment he smiled at Chu Lushan, I've treated him as my own blood brother!"

Xu Xiao chuckled, "Alright, alright, Lushan, sit down with your adoptive father. Why are family members arguing? But then again, a little argument is good; speak your mind, and there will be no obstacle you can't overcome." Chu Lushan obediently sat down. Xu Fengnian silently walked out of the room and stood alone in the courtyard.

Xu Xiao gently said, "Lushan, Fengnian is also doing this for your own good. He believes in fate and cherishes blessings and connections the most. He's afraid you'll face retribution. Your adoptive father has already lost three adopted sons. If you or Yuan Zuozong die on the battlefield, he'll feel guilty towards me, his father, but who can he talk to about it? These past few years, he has cherished the maids in Wutong Courtyard but dared not care too much, precisely because he fears that one day something might happen to them because of him..." Hearing this, Chu Lushan started to speak but then hesitated. Xu Xiao waved his hand, "Perhaps not before, but now he can bear it. There's nothing to be done; after all, he is my, Xu Xiao's, son." Chu Lushan slammed his fist hard on his knee.

Xu Xiao said with a smile, "That little girl Changsheng has a blessed appearance; your adoptive father truly likes her. While your adoptive father's mind is still clear and he can still manage affairs, should we settle this child betrothal now?" Chu Lushan was stunned. Then he saw his adoptive father pull a badly water-damaged jade bracelet from his sleeve. An amateur would know it was worth next to nothing, yet Chu Lushan, a great villain capable of making children stop crying, suddenly began to whimper. Xu Xiao stood up from his chair and crouched in front of Chu Lushan, sighing, "By rights, this heirloom jade bracelet of our Xu family was meant for your adoptive mother to pass on to the future Queen of Beiliang. But that's a matter without a shadow of a doubt. Your adoptive father thought about it, and giving it to a granddaughter-in-law is just as good as giving it to a daughter-in-law. You know, among the six adopted sons, your adoptive mother actually doted on you the most. She said you were talented, had a simple nature, knew how to repay kindness, and even urged you to read more books and learn characters. You also know that your adoptive mother rarely shed tears. That time you took so many sword and blade blows for your adoptive father, when your adoptive mother saw you brought back on horseback, she cried in front of everyone, even scolding me, Xu Xiao, as a brute for not treating you like a son. And that time you led a thousand cavalry into Shu, your adoptive mother calculated the days and waited on the mountain for you for several days, always afraid you wouldn't return. She also told your adoptive father that when you eventually had a daughter, we must strengthen our family ties through marriage. I never thought you'd have a string of sons! Before your adoptive mother passed away, she was still thinking about this, saying it could only be for a granddaughter-in-law now."