Chapter 142: Narrow Paths for Rivals

Li Qing’an left, and Li Longji stood by the window with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky in silence for a long time. The news of the Tubo king’s death at the foot of Chilin Mountain shocked him greatly. Chide Zudzan, a Tubo king who had reigned longer than him, had married the Princess Jincheng of the Tang Dynasty and vowed to maintain friendly relations between the two nations. Yet, war broke out again. Since Li Longji ascended the throne, he had been rivals with Chide Zudzan, engaging in a protracted struggle filled with political scheming. In the 17th year of Kaiyuan, the Tang army captured Shibao City, gaining a strategic advantage. With successive victories, they forced the Tubo to seek peace. In the 21st year of Kaiyuan, the Tang and Tubo met at Chilin Mountain. In his letter, Chide Zudzan wrote, “My nephew is a close relative of the late emperor, and having married Princess Jincheng, we are now one family. All people under heaven shall live in peace.” He swore that the Tang and Tubo would forever be brothers and never fight again. Yet just a few years later, the Tubo used a feint strategy, attacking Jiannan while secretly capturing Shibao City, shattering their treaty and turning their attention toward Hehuang.

Unexpectantly, Chide Zudzan died in the battle of Shibao City, at the foot of Chilin Mountain. At that moment, Li Longji felt both satisfaction at seeing his enemy defeated and sorrow at his rival’s death.

After a long while, he returned to his throne and picked up Ge Shu Han’s report, flipping to the page where he evaluated Li Qing’an’s merits. “Li Qing’an used 3,000 troops from Anxi and Longyou to resist 80,000 enemies. It was Dong Yanguang’s fault that they were delayed, but by holding off the enemy for a day and night, he bought time for Shibao City—his contributions are undeniable. However, considering the severity of the battle, his achievements are not as great as those at Shibao City, where countless soldiers died. His efforts were secondary to those at the rear, and they cannot overshadow his contributions at Shibao City. Therefore, based on the overall situation of the Longyou battle, I rate his merits as third-class.”

Li Longji frowned slightly. He realized that Ge Shu Han hadn’t mentioned the number of enemies Li Qing’an had killed. Perhaps he didn’t know either. But since even the Tubo king had died in battle, the number of Tubo soldiers killed must have been enormous. Thinking this, Li Longji turned to Gao Lishi and asked, “General, what do you think I should reward Li Qing’an with?”

Gao Lishi knew Li Longji very well and understood that his emotional balance was at its most delicate. With a slight smile, he said, “Your Majesty, although the Tubo king is dead, I believe this is a major issue between the Tang and Tubo nations. Even if there is conclusive evidence, it should not be used to credit Li Qing’an, as it could affect the future political relations between the two nations. At the very least, Your Majesty should remain silent on this matter and privately reward Li Qing’an for his merits.”

Li Longji nodded. Gao Lishi’s reasoning was sound. He smiled and said, “With the Tubo king dead, chaos will surely reign in their country. If I’m not mistaken, Tubo will soon send envoys to seek peace.”
Gao Lishi was stunned. “Your Majesty means to capture Jiuqu and Dafeichuan before Tubo asks for peace?”
“The general is right. That’s exactly what I mean. Order Ge Shuhan to launch an attack on Dafeichuan as soon as spring arrives.”
Gao Lishi suddenly understood Li Longji’s intention. Li Longji would officially recognize Ge Shuhan’s merits and rank Li Qing’an third. Gao Lishi quickly said, “Your Majesty, I have another suggestion for you.”
“Speak!”
“Your Majesty, determining the merits of the Battle of Longyou is, in essence, a competition between the Anxi Army and the Longyou Army. If you favor the Longyou Army, it will surely provoke strong dissatisfaction among the Anxi Army. The fact is, it was the Anxi scout troops who intercepted Tubo’s main forces, and it was the Anxi halberd troops who captured Shibao City. If you insist on attributing the credit to the Longyou Army, not only will the Anxi Army be dissatisfied, but all other armies will too. It’s not worth the cost, Your Majesty!”
Gao Lishi hit the nail on the head. Li Longji’s resolve wavered again. Indeed, he was so eager to capture Jiuqu and Dafeichuan that he hadn’t considered the serious consequences of favoring the Longyou Army. After pondering for a moment, he asked, “Then does the general have a good plan?”
Gao Lishi already had a plan. He smiled and said, “Your Majesty, I spent the whole night thinking last night. Why not divide the Battle of Longyou into two parts?”
Li Longji immediately became interested and asked eagerly, “How do you propose to divide it?”
“It’s simple. As the commander of the allied forces, Ge Shuhan should be generously rewarded to set him apart from the other armies. This way, no army will have any objections. Secondly, reward all the participating armies. I suggest giving equal credit to the Anxi Army and the Longyou Army. Although Li Qing’an has made outstanding contributions, 1,500 of his 3,000 men are from the Longyou Army, and over 10,000 Longyou soldiers were killed. This way, both sides can accept it.”
Li Longji smiled with narrowed eyes. Truly his right-hand man—what a clever way to strike a balance!
“Very well! I’ll discuss this further with the prime ministers. Go and convey my order to have them meet in Datong Hall at once.”
……
By the time he left Xingqing Palace, it was nearly noon. Although he had slept well the previous night and felt much better, Li Qing’an still felt weak, as if he had just recovered from illness. He glanced at the sky and said to his two attendants, “Let’s find a place to have lunch!”

The two attendants, Jiang Xiaonian and Zhao Yansi, were both from Anxi and were in Chang’an for the first time. They exchanged a glance and said, “We’ll follow the general’s orders.”
“Good. Go to Taibai Wine House and let you two taste the best taverns in Chang’an.”
The three turned their horses and slowly headed toward the Eastern Market. As the time neared fifteen, there was a steady stream of people coming to the market to buy goods. From afar, Li Qing’an saw the snow-white high walls of Taibai Wine House and pointed, saying with a smile, “See? That’s Taibai Wine House, the most famous tavern in Chang’an.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than a group of cavalry rushed toward them—about twenty men, all strong and muscular. Leading them was a tall, thin, fair-skinned middle-aged general, none other than Dong Yanguang, the deputy commander of Longyou and the governor of Shanzhou. As they passed each other, they almost stopped their horses and glared at one another—true enemies meeting on a narrow road.
Li Qing’an and Dong Yanguang originally had no hatred between them, but the battle in Longyou forged a deadly feud between them. During that battle, Dong Yanguang led 60,000 troops from Longyou and Hexi to hold off Dazhalu Gong’s main forces. However, manipulated by Abusi, he believed that Geshu Han intended to use the Tibetan army to eliminate his own forces, so he withdrew his troops on his own. It was his selfishness that nearly led to the complete destruction of Li Qing’an’s 3,000 troops.
By now, Dong Yanguang also hated Li Qing’an deeply. Li Qing’an’s success only served to highlight Dong Yanguang’s despicability, filling him with rage and anxiety—his political career might end here.
He wasn’t supposed to be part of the celebration in the capital, but he received an order from the Ministry of War to report to the capital. He had just entered Chang’an.
If Li Qing’an had to choose one person who would make him abandon his future for instant revenge, it would be Dong Yanguang—the man responsible for the deaths of over 2,600 of his men on Chiling. Li Qing’an gripped his sword, staring at him with deep hatred. If looks could kill, Dong Yanguang would already be a pile of flesh.
Dong Yanguang waved his hand, and his twenty-plus bodyguards surrounded Li Qing’an and the others. With a heavy grunt, he stepped forward slowly and said, “Li Qing’an, this time you’re going to get promoted and rich!”
“Thanks to your kindness!”
Dong Yanguang laughed loudly, his laughter tinged with dryness. Suddenly, he lowered his voice and said, “General Li, how about we make a deal?”
Li Qing’an stared at him coldly, the anger in his eyes turning into deep hatred. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, as if waiting for an opportunity to kill.

Dong Yanguang suddenly sensed something. He stepped back and, gritting his teeth, said, “General Li, why go to such lengths? The man is already dead. We won’t have any further interests involved. Besides, reaching a settlement is also the Emperor’s wish. If you’re willing, I can offer ten thousand guan to pacify your soldiers.”
“A settlement is possible, but I only want one thing.”
“What is it? Tell me—only I can arrange it,” Dong Yanguang said, delighted.
Li Qing’an replied word by word, “Your head!”
Dong Yanguang’s face turned deathly pale. He stepped back two times, narrowing his eyes. “Li Qing’an, don’t think you can act recklessly just because you have Gao Lishi backing you. Let me tell you—Dong Yanguang will follow orders. At worst, I’ll just move to another place. As for you, humph! Go and fight with Ge Shuhan!”
Dong Yanguang laughed arrogantly and waved his hand. “Let’s go!”
More than twenty bodyguards guarded Dong Yanguang as they rode away at full speed. Li Qing’an watched his back disappear before pondering for a moment. He then said to his two attendants, “Let’s go back first. There are a few matters I need to think carefully about.”
…
Dong Yanguang’s loud laughter couldn’t hide his inner panic. Even if he wasn’t afraid of confronting Li Qing’an head-on, he was worried that Ge Shuhan might strike from behind. He had seen the draft of Ge Shuhan’s report. Although Ge Shuhan hadn’t directly accused him, he had clearly stated that it was because of Dong Yanguang’s defiance of military orders that things had turned out this way.
The Ministry of War summoning him back for an account review coincided with this sensitive time. The more he thought about it, the more afraid he became. Not daring to return to his mansion, he headed straight for Xuanyi Fang.
Xuanyi Fang was also one of Chang’an’s most auspicious locations, situated on a high slope considered “nine-five.” Ordinary officials weren’t allowed to build mansions there. Prime Minister Pei Du had once been framed for building his residence on such a high slope, with accusations that he “occupied a high ground without invitation, revealing his true intentions.” However, this wasn’t absolute—some highly favored ministers by the emperor were allowed to build mansions there as a sign of honor. For example, the residence of Zhang Shuo, a famous prime minister during the Kaiyuan era, was located in Xuanyi Fang.
Zhang Shuo had passed away, and it was now his eldest son, Zhang Yun, the Minister of Revenue, who lived there.
Dong Yanguang rushed all the way to Zhang’s mansion. He had always had a good relationship with Zhang Yun. It was Zhang Yun who had recommended Dong Yanguang to attack Shibao City. In truth, Dong Yanguang’s real backer was Prince Qing, Li Cong. But Dong Yanguang knew that despite Prince Qing’s high status, he might not be aware of the latest developments in the court. Only through Zhang Yun could he learn about any decisions the court might make regarding him.

It was just past noon, and Zhang Yun had not yet returned from court. Anxious, Dong Yanguang stood in front of Zhang’s residence, waiting for him to leave court. Fortunately, in less than half an hour, dozens of guards escorted a carriage slowly approaching. A flag was planted on the carriage, bearing the words “Minister Zhang.” It was Zhang Yun who had returned early. Dong Yanguang hurried forward to pay his respects, but the guards stopped him.

“Please convey to Minister Zhang that Dong Yanguang wishes to see him!”

“General Dong, please wait a moment.”

One of the guards went in to report. Zhang Yun had a slight cold that day, so he returned home early. Before noon, the emperor had summoned him along with several prime ministers to decide on the final rewards for the campaign in Longyou. This final plan differed greatly from the one submitted by Ge Shu Han and the Ministry of War—it awarded equal credit to the troops from Longyou and Anxi. Zhang Yun understood Emperor Li Longji’s strategy of balancing power, but he found it hard to understand Li Qingan’s rapid promotion. Indeed, everyone knew that Li Qingan had made great contributions in this campaign and deserved rewards. Yet Zhang Yun believed the emperor would never allow Li Qingan to command troops independently. The reason was simple: Li Qingan held a golden token allowing him to enter the Eastern Palace, making him one of the ten ministers permitted to enter there. This meant Li Qingan had, to some extent, sided with the crown prince. How could the emperor allow someone from the crown prince’s camp to command troops independently? Hu Fu Weiming and Wang Zhongsì had already served as warnings—had the emperor become even more lenient toward the crown prince? This puzzled Zhang Yun greatly.

At that moment, a guard outside the carriage reported, “Minister, Dong Yanguang is outside, asking to see you!”

“Dong Yanguang!” Zhang Yun shuddered. At this time, this man was like a plague.

“Don’t see him! Just say I’m sick. We can talk later.”

Zhang Yun didn’t even want to glance at him.

After a while, the guard returned and said to Dong Yanguang, “General Dong, our minister says he is unwell, which is why he left court early. We’ll meet again another day. Please forgive him.”

Dong Yanguang felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. His whole body turned cold. Even if Zhang Yun were sick, he would have opened the carriage window to speak a few words. But now he was icy cold—this wasn’t illness; it meant he simply didn’t want to see him. Could it be that the court really intended to…

Frightened beyond measure, Dong Yanguang suddenly rushed forward, blocked the carriage, and knelt down, shouting, “I implore Minister Zhang to show me the way forward.”

The carriage stopped for a moment, and a page stepped out, bowing and saying, “General Dong, our minister has a message for you.”

“Ah!” Dong Yanguang quickly stood up and stepped aside as the carriage slowly passed by him, entering the mansion through the side door. Throughout the whole process, Zhang Yun’s window never opened.
“Your Highness, please tell me what the minister said.”
“The minister said you went to the right neighborhood but to the wrong house.”
The scribe smiled, turned around, and returned to the mansion. Dong Yanguang stood there in a daze, pondering the meaning of those words.
Going to the right neighborhood but to the wrong house meant he should seek out another official living in Xuanyi Neighborhood. Who could it be? Dong Yanguang racked his brains but couldn’t figure it out. He had no choice but to ride away. About a mile away from the neighborhood entrance, Dong Yanguang suddenly saw a large mansion under construction, nearly finished, with a magnificent appearance. Judging from the structure of its roof, it was not something an ordinary commoner could live in.
Dong Yanguang had an idea. He quickly asked a passerby, “May I ask who lives in that large mansion?”
The passerby glanced back and smiled, “Sir, that’s Governor Yang’s new residence.”
“Which Governor Yang?”
The passerby looked at him disdainfully and said, “Who else in Chang’an could possibly be surnamed Yang?”