Chapter 114, The Envoy and the Grand Marshal

Translator: StarReader

 

The Lord Envoy, Governor of Wu Region, and various local officials hurried to the shore. There they found a nondescript but large boat already docked.

 

This was the Envoy’s official vessel, though it didn’t fly the court flag to avoid attracting pirates on the Vastest Lake.

 

Zhao Juzhen, his mind racing with speculations about the Envoy’s purpose—likely seeking glory—grudgingly ordered his subordinates and officials to line up at the shore for the welcome.

 

Two figures disembarked, talking leisurely. The older, in official robes, was Envoy Wang Shoucheng. Beside him was a middle-aged scholar from Jiang Province, Deputy Governor Jiang. Behind them followed scores of attendants and guards.

 

Zhao Juzhen and the Wu Region officials exchanged confused glances. Why did the influential Envoy Wang travel with such a minor official?

 

“Lord Zhao!” Envoy Wang laughed. “Congratulations on your victory! I’ve come to inspect the pirate situation and heard about the Whale Gang’s defeat even before arriving.”

 

Zhao Juzhen bowed, returning the smile. “Envoy Wang, you must be tired from your journey.”

 

“Oh,” Envoy Wang continued, gesturing to his companion, “This is Lord Bai, sent away by His Majesty. He wanted to see the pirate situation here himself, so he joined me on my trip south.”

 

Lord Bai bowed slightly. “I’m merely passing through, checking the pirate situation before I leave for my new post in Jiang Province. There’s no need for concern, Lord Zhao.”

 

The scholar in green robes smiled and nodded at Zhao Juzhen. Though his rank was lower than Zhao Juzhen, the governor, he carried himself with an air of detachment, treating Zhao Juzhen, a renowned member of the Zhao Clan, as just another acquaintance. He had traveled from Chang’an City to Jiang Province to take up his post as deputy, not donning his official robes yet.

 

Jiang Province, located upstream in the Wu Region’s Jiangxi territory, oversaw three counties. With Whale Gang pirates wreaking havoc across the region, it was crucial for him to assess the severity of the situation firsthand before taking up his post and preparing the naval forces.

 

“Lord Bai?” Zhao Juzhen raised an eyebrow at the sight of this man. It was peculiar that an Envoy, someone close to the Emperor, would be traveling with a mere Deputy from Jiang Province.

 

Jiang Province’s Deputy was a sixth-grade official, well-paid but lacking power. Compared to his own fourth-grade rank or the prestigious rank of an Envoy, it was a significant step down. Yet, Envoy Wang seemed eager to introduce Lord Bai, even finding humor in his demotion.

 

“Ah, Zhao, still haven’t guessed who our Lord Bai is?” Envoy Wang chuckled at Zhao Juzhen’s confusion. “None other than our Great Tang’s Bai Juyi himself! You know, he had the nerve to advise the Emperor directly. Well, you can imagine how that went down. The Emperor told him, ‘You little brat, I made you, and this is how you repay me? Go cool off in Jiang Province for a bit.’ And here we are.”

 

Envoy Wang laughed heartily at the memory of this well-known tale from Chang’an City. Bai Juyi, indeed! The very same poet who had written The Old Charcoal Seller.

 

Zhao Juzhen’s face paled in shock, hastening forward to greet Bai Juyi with a tight grip on his hand. “Ah, heavens! Bai Juyi, the esteemed Lord Bai!” he exclaimed, barely containing his excitement. “I’ve admired you for ages. I’ve read your works day and night, often moved to tears in the dead of night, wishing only to converse with you.”

 

The most renowned poet of Great Tang suddenly standing before him left Zhao Juzhen momentarily tongue-tied with surprise. What a stroke of fortune! He’d barely finished suppressing the Whale Gang’s pirates when Bai Juyi appeared.

 

“Your Old Charcoal Seller moved the Emperor, earning you an audience,” Zhao gushed, still gripping Bai’s hand. “And ‘Your Vendor of Firewood’—it echoed the people’s hardships so vividly—’Pity his thin clothes, worry for coal’s low price, pray for cold nights, snow falling outside the city walls, mornings spent trudging through ice…’ It moved all scholars to tears!”

 

Zhao enthusiastically looked up at Bai. “Fear not, Lord Bai! Your honest advice angered the Emperor momentarily, but once you compose another masterpiece, he’ll surely summon you back to Chang’an. Your future is bright, far surpassing mine, this humble four-rank governor.”

 

“Come, let’s go to Gusu City,” Zhao invited, turning to Magistrate Wang behind him. “Magistrate Wang, personally arrange the welcome feast for Lord Bai and the Lord Envoy!”

 

Governor Zhao hadn’t expected he’d still need to rely on Magistrate Wang, but here they were. Wang’s face flushed red with excitement as he nodded eagerly. “Yes! I’ll prepare the best, most lively place in Gusu City, a feast fit for two such esteemed guests!”

 

Magistrate Wang was overjoyed; meeting Bai Juyi was even more thrilling than greeting an imperial envoy. As the magistrate of Gusu County, he’d do everything in his power to please this literary idol. Perhaps Bai would pen him into a poem, ensuring eternal fame!

 

Magistrate Wang’s eyes lit up suddenly, and he slapped his thigh. “I’ve got it!”

 

Gusu’s Mist Terrace, where the grand Crowning Flower Contest was about to commence, would be the perfect place to welcome Bai Juyi and Envoy. The bustling festivities and stunning beauty of the flower maidens would surely please them.

 

“Yes,” he nodded, “Mist Terrace’s third floor, a feast with a view of Wu Region’s most spectacular contest. They’ll love it!”

 

…

 

Zhao Juzhen delegated the remaining cave mountain cleanup to his naval officers and escorted Bai Juyi and Envoy towards Gusu. En route, they discussed the details of the operation.

 

“In the battle against the Whale Gang,” Zhao began, “the official army nearly fell due to Han Mountain’s rogue cultivator, Scholar Liu Hong, and the White Lotus Society’s Mao Ziyuan. But the mysterious Immortal Su turned the tide.”

 

“Tang has real cultivators?” Bai Juyi and the envoy exchanged shocked glances.

 

“Unbelievable,” Envoy Wang murmured. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself.”

 

Midway, Zhao received news of a fire in Gusu. The temple’s destruction was troubling, but the involvement of the Medicine King Group made it urgent to report to the governor.

 

“Governor, the Han Mountain Daoist Temple has been burned down. The young disciples scattered like birds. An eyewitness claimed a Medicine King Group disciple in green set fire to it.”

 

The official reported.

 

Zhao Juzhen was taken aback, a touch of regret in his voice. “The Han Mountain Daoist Temple is the den of Han Mountain’s demonic cultivators. Only Immortal Su would dare burn down such an ancient temple… Let him be; treat it as a common case of arson, and instruct the fire brigade to hasten the rescue!”

 

This Han Mountain Daoist Temple, standing for centuries, was a renowned scenic spot outside Gusu’s west gate, bearing the inscriptions of famous Great Tang poets. Daoist Han Shan had only been abbot for dozens of years; it was a shame it had burned down.

 

But burn it did, and who dared question Immortal Su’s actions? As a four-ranked governor, Juzhen would have to bow respectfully before him, mindful that he might need Su’s aid in the future.