Dynasty Good Man — Tang

The soldier wept. He confessed he had deserted the army after being ordered to burn a village of farmers who had refused to pay a corrupt governor’s tax. "I am no longer a warrior," the soldier said. "I am a coward and a traitor."

One bitter winter, a starving soldier crawled into the cemetery, his armor rusted to his flesh. "They call you a good man," the soldier hissed. "Give me your horse, or I will take your life."

The soldier refused, but Gao closed the man’s fist around the jade. "I have no family," Gao said. "My grave will be dug by strangers. But if you live one honest day because of this token, then I will have left a mark deeper than any tombstone." tang dynasty good man

Gao did not argue. Instead, he reached into his robe and pulled out a single object: a jade yüeh —a crescent-shaped token given only by the Emperor himself. It was old, chipped, and real. Years ago, Gao had saved the life of a drowning eunuch, who had given it to him as a reward. Gao had never used it.

"If you harm this man," Gao said quietly, "I will walk to Chang’an and present this token to the throne. I will tell the Son of Heaven how his captain tortures peasants and hunts hungry ghosts." The soldier wept

Gao looked at the man’s hollow eyes. "I have no horse," he said. "But I have half a bowl of millet porridge and a blanket woven from nettles. You are welcome to both."

Gao poured the porridge. "In the Analects of the Tang , there is no law against kindness. Eat." "I am a coward and a traitor

The captain laughed. "The Tang Dynasty is dying, fool. Its laws are ash."