Chapter 147: The Grand Court Assembly

Just after the fourth watch, before dawn, the dark night still covered Chang’an. Suddenly, the loud sound of drums echoed throughout the city. It was the thirteenth day of the first lunar month—the last court session before the Lantern Festival holiday, and also the first grand court assembly of the eighth year of Tianbao.

Lights flickered on in the streets and alleys, and carriages moved continuously along the roads.

As usual, Li Linfu set out from his residence at the fourth watch. He rode in a large carriage, flanked by nearly a hundred guards. An orange lantern hung beside the carriage, with the black characters “Right Prime Minister” clearly visible on it.

Li Linfu was not in a good mood today. Yesterday, the emperor had dismissed the Dong Yanguang case overnight, resolving it in a domineering manner. He could understand this—after all, the grand rewards in Longyou were crucial for boosting the morale of the military and the people, and Dong Yanguang must not interfere with his long-planned plans.

But the situation involving the Yang family worried him. Although the emperor had punished the Yang family by removing Yang Xian from his position, the family had not been severely weakened. On the contrary, Yang Zhao had been appointed as the military governor of Jiannan. Removing Yang Xian seemed like a tactic to get rid of the rotten elements and strengthen the Yang family. This made Li Linfu sigh inwardly—Yang Zhao was moving forward toward the position of prime minister at an unstoppable pace.

How could he stop him? Li Linfu thought of Li Qing’an, who seemed to be the only person capable of competing with Yang Zhao and someone he could use.

At the thought of “using” him, a bitter smile appeared on Li Linfu’s lips. He realized he had made a mistake. In terms of winning over others, Gao Lishi was far more clever than him. Gao Lishi had skillfully brought Li Qing’an under his control in a subtle way, while Li Linfu had treated Li Qing’an like a kite. Now, the kite was flying higher and higher, and the string was tightening—he could sense that Li Qing’an was about to escape his control.

What other options did he have? Jiang Wuyi? Even Li Linfu wasn’t sure.

Starting from Pingkang Fang, the carriage turned onto the main road. In the distance, a dozen or so ministers’ carriages moved slowly, their lanterns shining brightly in the night. “Prime Minister!” A carriage rushed forward, followed by over twenty burly guards. There was also a lantern on the carriage, bearing the characters “Fanyang An”—it was An Lushan’s carriage.

An Lushan was also coming to the capital to report on his duties and would attend the morning court session as well. His carriage sped up and stopped in front of Li Linfu’s. He struggled to get out of the carriage and bowed, saying, “Yaluo Lang pays his respects to the Prime Minister.”

Li Linfu pulled back a curtain of the carriage and said gently with a smile, “When did General An arrive in the capital? I had no idea.”
“Prime Minister, I arrived in the capital three days ago but fell ill and was unable to come and pay my respects. Please forgive me!”
“Oh! You were ill. Has your health improved?”
Li Linfu’s half-smile made An Lushan’s back grow cold. Forcing a flattering smile, he replied, “To report to the Prime Minister, my health has improved greatly. Thank you for your concern.”
“Recover fully and make more contributions to the state. You’ve achieved great merits in the campaign in Longyou. I hope the next time it will be the Fanyang Army that is honored.”
“I will surely make more contributions to the state.”
“Good. Then let’s go to court.”
Li Linfu pulled back the carriage curtain, and the carriage set off, gradually moving away. An Lushan watched Li Linfu’s carriage go far with utmost respect before finally letting out a sigh of relief. Waving his hand, he said, “Get in the carriage!”
…
The award ceremony was held in Hanyuan Hall of Daming Palace. It was still dawn, with a bright star hanging in the western sky. Li Qing’an and a group of meritorious soldiers had stayed in Daming Palace the previous night. Before daybreak, two eunuchs led them to Fengqi Pavilion beside Hanyuan Hall to wait. Unlike the previous battle against the Small Buleh, this campaign in Longyou involved troops from different systems fighting together. Therefore, those honored and rewarded in Hanyuan Hall were mainly meritorious generals; lower-ranking officers and ordinary soldiers did not get the chance to enter the hall for awards. A total of eighteen generals were honored in Hanyuan Hall this time. Except for the main commander Ge Shu Han, who went directly to court, the other seventeen generals waited at Fengqi Pavilion.
Li Qing’an put on a brand-new military uniform and stood quietly at the entrance of the hall, waiting for dawn. This was the second time he had waited at Fengqi Pavilion for an award. During the previous battle against the Small Buleh, he seized an opportunity and took his first step in the Tang Dynasty. In the campaign in Longyou, he would take his second step as well. Although this second step was extremely difficult, even costing him almost his life, he still managed to take it. At that moment, he silently hoped to know what his second step would be and how he would inscribe his name in the annals of history.
At that time, Li Siye slowly walked up to him and said, “Seventh Brother, I heard some news yesterday. I’m not sure if it’s true or not.”
“What news?”
“I heard you might not stay in Anxi anymore and will be assigned to another place.”
Li Qing’an turned around and smiled slightly. “Then have you heard where I’ll be assigned?”
Li Siye shook his head. “I don’t know. I heard the emperor issued an order forbidding anyone from revealing it in advance, so no one dares to say anything, not even myself. I don’t know what my fate will be either.”

“You won’t be bad, after all, it was you who captured Shibao City.”
Li Qing’an smiled and said, “Originally, you were ranked second, and I was ranked third. Now we’re both tied for first place. If you stayed in Anxi, I guess you’d take Gao Shuai’s former position—Deputy Governor of Anxi and Commander of the Four Garrison Troops, with the chance to be promoted to general.”
“Maybe so!”
Li Siyeh smiled. He glanced around and then asked in a low voice, “Qilang, wasn’t it you who killed Dong Yanguang?”
Li Qing’an shook his head. “It definitely wasn’t me. At first, I suspected Geshu Han, but later I thought it wouldn’t make sense for him to kill Dong Yanguang, as it would only bring trouble upon himself.”
“Then who do you think did it?”
Li Qing’an pondered for a moment before saying, “I’m thinking about who would benefit the most from Dong Yanguang’s death. Of course, I have a feud with him, so I can’t say I benefit. Geshu Han seems to benefit greatly, but actually, even if Dong Yanguang remained alive, the emperor would still give him control over all the troops in Longyou. I believe Geshu Han must have thought of this too. So after careful consideration, I think there are three people most likely responsible.”
“Who are they?”
Li Qing’an glanced around. Since no one was nearby, he lowered his voice and said, “One is Prince Qing, Li Cong. Dong Yanguang was one of his men, and he might know many of his secrets. He could have killed him to silence him. The second is the emperor himself.”
“The emperor?” Li Siyeh was shocked. “How is that possible?”
Li Qing’an glanced at him disdainfully. “Why not? With Dong Yanguang dead, the emperor would be spared a huge problem. If it weren’t for the Yang family’s involvement, I’d definitely say it was the emperor’s doing. But now, it seems less likely.”
“Then who’s the third person?”
“As for the third person, I suspect it was Abu Si.”
……
Like Dong Yanguang, Abu Si also received orders from the Ministry of War the day before yesterday to arrive in Chang’an. In this campaign in Longyou, his task was relatively simple: attack Shenwei City, without the requirement to capture it. His main role was to draw the Tubo troops from Chiling to support Shenwei City.
From this perspective, he completed his task. Even after the Tubo troops lost Shibao City and retreated to Dafeichuan, they abandoned Shenwei City as well. In the end, Abu Si occupied Shenwei City, having done his duty without fault.
Therefore, on Geshu Han’s report of achievements, his troops also received credit. His general, Biesuer, even led three hundred cavalrymen to enter the capital with Geshu Han.

But Abusi was not pleased, even a bit nervous, because Dong Yanguang had defied orders at his instigation, leading to serious consequences that enraged Li Longji. Dong Yanguang was sent to the capital. If Dong Yanguang tried to absolve himself of blame by implicating him… He couldn’t help but worry—was the Ministry of War ordering him to go to the capital to punish him? The night before, Abusi was so worried he didn’t sleep at all. He wished he could find Dong Yanguang and tell him that his crimes had nothing to do with him. Unexpectedly, when he woke up the next day, he heard the news that Dong Yanguang had been killed. Abusi was overjoyed—now no one would know about his role in inciting the crime. He was extremely grateful to the person who had done this, as they had saved him from a grave offense. At that moment, Abusi, like the other ministers, stood in the Danfeng Gate Square waiting for the court session. He didn’t know many people in Chang’an. He stood in a corner for a long time without anyone speaking to him. Just then, a deep voice came from behind him, “General Abusi, long time no see!” He turned around and saw it was An Lushan approaching. An Lushan was his old friend. In his youth, An Lushan had been a border merchant who often smuggled prohibited goods from the Tang Dynasty for trade. Later, he rose to prominence and became a high-ranking general in the Tang Dynasty’s border regions, a military governor of two provinces. Meanwhile, Abusi declined in status as the Turks weakened and eventually defected to the Tang Dynasty. His tribe was settled in the Shuofang area, and he became the deputy military governor of Shuofang, one rank below An Lushan. Abusi knew An Lushan well—knowing that he appeared loyal on the surface but was actually malicious. That’s why he had declined An Lushan’s invitations to visit Youzhou several times under various pretexts. Now, seeing An Lushan approaching with a smile, he grew wary. He bowed to An Lushan and said, “General An, it’s been a long time.” “Indeed! It’s been over three years since we last met. I remember the last time was during the ceremony to confer the title of Imperial Concubine in the fourth year of Tianbao. Back then, General Abusi was full of confidence. Why do you seem so worried now? Could it be because of Dong Yanguang?” An Lushan’s pumpkin-like face had his eyes narrowed into slits as he looked at him with a smirk. Abusi was shocked—how could An Lushan know? Many thoughts flashed through his mind, but in the end, he told himself that Dong Yanguang was dead, and there was no way to prove anything anymore. Calming his panic, he said indifferently, “What are you talking about, General An? I don’t understand a word!” “You do understand. You understand better than anyone.”

An Lushan sighed and said earnestly, “General Abus, we have been friends for decades. I, An Lushan, have always valued old friendships. When an old friend is in trouble, I would never stand by idly. Let me tell you the truth! It was I who killed Dong Yanguang.”
“What!” Abus was stunned. Stammering, he said, “Commander An, are you joking with me?”
“Am I the kind to joke?”
An Lushan glanced around and whispered, “Old friend, I know you’re in a difficult situation. The Tang court doesn’t trust you. The Ministry of War summoned you to the capital this time precisely to confront you about Dong Yanguang’s defiance of orders. I have friends in the Ministry of War—Geshu Han has already secretly submitted a memorial to turn you in. That’s why I stepped in to help you.”
With that, An Lushan patted his shoulder and smiled, “Old friend! Only in critical moments can one see who are your true friends. Think about it!”
An Lushan left, leaving Abus in turmoil. He never expected it to be An Lushan who had killed Dong Yanguang. An Lushan and Dong Yanguang had no connection at all. He knew An Lushan was telling the truth—he had taken a risk to eliminate Dong Yanguang and save him from blame. Now he owed An Lushan a great favor. According to their Turkic customs, one must repay a kindness with even greater generosity.
……
Yang Zhao was also in high spirits today. He had been appointed as the Jienan Military Governor the previous day, officially becoming one of the high-ranking officials of the Tang Dynasty. Though he felt a bit disappointed that his appointment wasn’t announced during today’s grand ceremony, robbing him of some glory, he was still satisfied. In the words of his advisor Linghu Fei, becoming the Jienan Military Governor gave him backing and confidence, taking him one step closer to becoming a prime minister in the future.
As soon as Yang Zhao entered Danfeng Gate, he was stopped by his cousin, Yang Qi, the Minister of Agriculture. Unnerved, Yang Zhao wondered what to do. In the matter of Dong Yanguang, he had wronged another cousin, Yang Xian. Due to Dong Yanguang’s death, Yang Xian had been dismissed from his position—a consequence he hadn’t anticipated. Now that Yang Qi was coming to hold him accountable, he didn’t know how to respond.
“Third brother, come to my residence after court today.”

Although Yang Zhao had been appointed as the Jienan Military Governor, Yang Qi still didn’t take him too seriously. Within the Yang family clan, Yang Qi was the eldest, and the “Five Yangs” of the capital were led by him. He was quite powerful himself—not only had he been appointed as the Minister of Agriculture, but he had also married Princess Taihua, the daughter of Li Longji and Empress Wu Hui. It was somewhat amusing that he was a cousin of Yang Yuhuan yet married the daughter of his brother-in-law. Even more amusing in history was the fact that Yang Zhao’s second son, Yang Pui, was married to Princess Wanchun, another daughter of Li Longji. After Yang Pui was killed by An Lushan, his wife Princess Wanchun became a widow and was soon married by her uncle Yang Qi, who had also lost his wife. There were many such jokes in the Tang Dynasty. Needless to say, the famous case of Li Longji marrying his daughter-in-law is well-known. For example, the sister of Wei Jian, the former Minister of Justice, married Li Ye, the Prince of Xue, Li Longji’s younger brother, becoming the Prince of Xue’s wife, while Wei Jian’s sister married Li Heng, Li Longji’s son, becoming the Crown Prince’s wife. Enough of the digressions—let’s get back to the topic. Although Yang Qi looked displeased, his tone toward Yang Zhao was still reasonable, almost consultative. Seeing that Yang Qi wasn’t attacking him, Yang Zhao suddenly had an epiphany: Could it be that the emperor was covering up his act of suppressing Yang Xian? It must be that way. Since the emperor still appointed him as the Jienan Military Governor even after finding evidence, he surely didn’t want chaos within the Yang family either. Realizing this, Yang Zhao smiled and asked, “Is it because of my second brother?” Yang Qi nodded. “Anyway, our Yang family must not let my younger brother’s position be revoked for nothing!” Just then, the deep bells of the Hanyuan Hall rang, and an official from the palace stepped forward and announced loudly, “It’s already the first moment of the hour of Mao—time to attend court!” Thousands of officials in Danfeng Square quickly adjusted their attire and lined up in two long rows according to their ranks. As usual, the two at the front were Prime Minister Li Linfu on the right and Prime Minister Chen Xilie on the left. Today’s main figure, Geshu Han, followed behind Prime Minister Chen Xilie. Full of confidence, he stepped onto the Dragon Tail Path and headed toward the magnificent Hanyuan Hall.

Thetwo teams of high-ranking officials entered the Hanyuan Hall and took their respective positions. Li Linfu walked to his seat and sat down, only to find that the crown prince, Li Heng, had already taken his seat. Li Linfu smiled and nodded at him. A few months earlier, he had voluntarily copied an imperial edict issued by the Secretariat and given it to Li Heng as a gesture of goodwill. Despite their deep enmity, Li Linfu’s initiative made Li Heng secretly relieved. Over the past few years, he had been oppressed by Li Linfu to the point of near-death. Though he did not know Li Linfu’s motives behind this gesture, it at least improved his situation slightly and allowed him to stay informed about the various matters occurring in the Tang Dynasty every day. For this reason alone, Li Heng was willing to ease the hostility between them.

He gave a slight nod as a response to Li Linfu. Li Linfu quickly glanced at Yang Zhao, who was sitting in the middle, and sneered inwardly—it was time to sow seeds.

“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!”

A loud shout from the palace supervisor outside the hall brought silence to the Hanyuan Hall. The officials stood up one after another, and the hall fell utterly quiet.

With a bell toll, forty eunuchs entered in two rows, followed by nearly a hundred armed guards who entered in succession, carrying silver ceremonial swords at their waists and jade hammers and golden weapons in their hands, standing on either side of the jade steps. Finally, sixteen palace maids, holding fans and silk canopies, escorted Emperor Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty, dressed in a dragon-embroidered robe and wearing an imperial crown, into the hall.

Li Longji took his seat on the dragon throne. He sat upright, scanned the hall, and the ministers bowed together, saying, “Long live our emperor! Long live, long live, long live!”

Their voices were uniform and loud. Li Longji nodded and waved his hand, saying, “All my ministers, rise!”

“By the emperor’s order, all officials may return to their positions!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” The officials returned to their ranks, and the high-ranking officials sat down as well.

At this moment, Zheng Lunming, the duty palace supervisor, stood before the red steps, unfurled the agenda, and read aloud, “Today’s court meeting will only honor those who distinguished themselves in the battle of Longyou. Other military and state affairs will be discussed later. Now, the meeting begins!”

Li Longji spoke in a calm tone, “As all my ministers know, the great victory in Longyou was not only due to the defeat of the Tubo forces but also because we captured Shibao City, allowing our Tang Dynasty to take control of the Hohuang Valley. This prevented the Tubo army from advancing further into Longyou. With Longyou at peace and Guanzhong secure, it is crucial for the safety of the Tang Dynasty and the well-being of its people. This battle can be considered the greatest since the Tianbao era and is the very outcome I have long dreamed of since losing Shibao City in the 29th year of the Kaiyuan era.”

Li Longji’s voice was not loud, but the Hanyuan Hall had an echoing effect, so almost half of the officials in the hall could hear him.

“This battle was a victory achieved through the joint efforts of the four garrisons of Longyou, Hexi, Shuofang, and Anxi. It was a victory won at the cost of countless lives of the Tang soldiers. Before granting rewards, I suggest we observe a moment of silence for those who fell in battle.”
He stood up, and all the ministers followed suit. “By the Emperor’s command, let us observe a moment of silence for the soldiers who died in Longyou!”
After a brief silence, Zheng Lunming, the palace supervisor, loudly declared, “The ceremony is over!”
The ministers sat down again. At that moment, Li Longji proclaimed, “Call the eighteen generals of Longyou into the hall!”
“By the Emperor’s command, call the eighteen generals of Longyou into the hall!”
…
“By the Emperor’s command, call the eighteen generals of Longyou into the hall!”
One after another, such cries echoed through the hall. Soon, a group of generals in bright armor appeared at the entrance of the Hanyuan Hall. They strode in with heads held high, each face filled with excitement and anticipation. When they reached the center, Geshu Han stepped forward from among the court officials and joined them, walking at the forefront with his head held high and steps firm.
The eighteen generals approached the imperial dais, lifted their armor robes, knelt on one knee, and said in unison, “We pay our respects to Your Majesty the Emperor. Long live Your Majesty!”
Li Longji waved his hand and smiled. “Generals, rise!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
The eighteen generals stood up and lined up. Then, Li Lin, the deputy minister of war, stepped forward and bowed to Li Longji, saying, “I would like to read out the rewards for the troops. Please grant your approval, Your Majesty!”
“Approved!”
Li Lin stepped forward a few steps and unrolled the imperial edict in front of the hall. It was an official decree signed by Li Longji and sealed with the official seal of the Central Secretariat, intended solely for the troops, not for the eighteen generals. He read aloud, “In June of the seventh year of Tianbao, the court dispatched a total of 154,000 soldiers from the four garrisons of Longyou, Hexi, Shuofang, and Anxi to fight in the Battle of Hehuang. After half a year, they captured Shibao City on the morning of December 28th of the seventh year of Tianbao, bringing an end to the battle. A total of 14,367 soldiers died and 5,580 were injured in this glorious victory. At the request of Geshu Han, the commander of the Longyou garrison, the Ministry of War has approved and submitted this reward list. The official rewards are as follows: The soldiers of Longyou shall receive 400,000 strings of coins and 250,000 bolts of silk, as well as 10,000 mu of fertile land. Promotions for the soldiers’ military achievements will be handled separately, and compensation for those who died is not included here. The detailed distribution among the troops is as follows…”
Li Lin read for nearly a quarter of an hour before concluding, “The eighteen generals who fought in the Battle of Longyou have rendered outstanding services. Today, they are here in the imperial court to receive rewards personally from Your Majesty.”
Li Lin folded up the edict and turned to bow. “Your Majesty, I have finished.”
Li Longji smiled slightly and said, “Then let me announce the rewards for these meritorious soldiers myself.”
He glanced at Geshu Han and asked, “Where is Geshu Han?”

Ge Shu Han stepped forward and knelt on one knee, “Your servant is here!”
“As a commander, your merits rank first. I hereby confer upon you the title of Duke of Shan State, grant you the rank equivalent to that of a three-rank minister, appoint you as supervisor of the Ministry of Works, and reward you with 10,000 taels of silver and 10,000 bolts of silk.”
“Your servant thanks the Emperor for his great kindness!”
Ge Shu Han was overjoyed. After just one battle, he had become a duke. If he could capture Hequ and Dafeichuan as well, wouldn’t he be made a prince? Although the Tang Dynasty had no precedent of granting princeship to generals, it might well start with him.
He stood back in his position. At that moment, Li Longji turned to Li Siye and said with a smile, “General Li Siye, who wields themojia (or mo dao), please listen to your appointment.”
Apart from commander Ge Shu Han, three other generals were recognized for their outstanding contributions: Li Siye, who captured Shibao City; Li Qingan, who intercepted the Tibetan main forces; and Gao Xiuyan, who suffered the heaviest losses. All three were considered equally meritorious, with no distinction in order.
Li Siye stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said, “Your servant Li Siye is here!”
“Li Siye, a lieutenant general of Anxi, personally led his troops armed withmojia (or mo dao) to capture Shibao City, earning him the highest merit. You are hereby promoted to General of the Jinyi Guard, granted the honorary rank of General Yunhui, and appointed as deputy governor of Anxi and commander of the troops in the four garrisons of Anxi. You are also rewarded with 5,000 taels of silver and 3,000 bolts of silk.”
“Your servant thanks the Emperor for his kindness!”
Li Siye returned to his seat. Next was Gao Xiuyan, who was Ge Shu Han’s confidant. Although he suffered heavy losses in the attack on Shibao City, many did not recognize his merits. During discussions in the council hall, Pei Kuan and Yang Shenjin also opposed giving him top honors. But to balance the forces in Longyou, he was ultimately listed among the most meritorious. Gao Xiuyan was appointed as deputy governor of Hedong, granted the honorary rank of General Yunhui, and received the same amount of silver and silk as the others.
At that moment, Li Longji glanced at Li Qingan and said with a slight smile, “General Li Qingan, the master archer, please listen to your appointment.”
Li Qingan stepped forward, lifted his robe slightly, and knelt, “Your servant is here!”
“Li Qingan, a lieutenant general of Anxi, led 3,000 soldiers from the Anxi scout camp to intercept 80,000 Tibetan reinforcements, making an extraordinary contribution to the capture of Shibao City. Nearly all 3,000 soldiers were killed in battle, yet not a single one surrendered—they fought to the end, setting an example for the soldiers of our Tang Dynasty. I am both saddened and deeply impressed. To inspire their courage, I hereby appoint Li Qingan as General of the Qianniu Guard, grant him the honorary rank of General Yunhui, and also appoint him as chief censor, governor of Tingzhou, and deputy governor of the Beiting Military Region. He is also rewarded with 5,000 taels of silver and 3,000 bolts of silk.”
As soon as these rewards were announced, whispers spread throughout the hall. The position of governor of Beiting was concurrently held by Li Linfu. Thus, although Li Qingan held a deputy position, he actually held real power over Beiting. His appointment as chief censor and governor of Tingzhou further demonstrated that he held actual control over the Beiting Military Region.

Yesterday, Yang Zhao was appointed as the Jiannan Military Governor; today, Li Qingan took charge of the Northern Region. Within just two days, the Tang Dynasty saw two young high-ranking officials appointed to important positions, and the great hall was filled with chatter. At this moment, Yang Zhao was also stunned. His pride at being appointed as the Jiannan Military Governor vanished instantly. He suddenly felt that it was precisely because he had been promoted that Li Qingan could take control of the Northern Region—seemingly as an attempt by the emperor to balance their relationship. “Your servant Li Qingan thanks the emperor for his great grace!”