Chapter 156: The Identity Puzzle

Early the next morning, Li Qing’an didn’t go anywhere. Although it was the first day of the Shangyuan Festival, Li Longji was likely to summon him. He got up early and quietly read books and rested in his residence. But before dawn, the voice of butler Luo was heard at the door: “General Li, there are some peasants at the side gate. They’ve brought an injured man who seems to be someone you know.”
“Injured?” Li Qing’an was puzzled. Their wounded were all in Longyou—could it be someone from there?
He put down his book and hurried toward the side gate, which was located in a quiet alley. A few peasants selling vegetables were staring at the door, with a blood-soaked man lying across their baskets. Female guard Zhang Xiuer was checking his injuries.
“Where is the injured man?”
Li Qing’an stepped forward quickly. The peasants rushed over and pointed at the man in the basket. “General Li, it’s him. He told us to bring him here and find you.”
Li Qing’an was stunned. It seemed to be a scholar in a long robe. He walked over slowly, and Zhang Xiuer quickly stood up. “General, his legs are broken, and his tendons in both feet have been severed. It’s hard to believe he survived such severe injuries.”
Li Qing’an recognized the man—it was Yan Zhuang, one of An Lushan’s advisors. He was extremely surprised. What was going on?
Yan Zhuang slowly opened his eyes and gave a weak, pained smile. “General Li!”
Realizing what was happening, Li Qing’an quickly ordered his guards, “Hurry! Carry him in carefully—be careful with his leg injuries!”
Butler Luo then brought a bamboo stretcher, and together they carefully carried Yan Zhuang inside.
The peasants breathed a sigh of relief when the task was done. They left happily, carrying the jade pendant Yan Zhuang had given them. Li Qing’an entered the residence. The female guards cut open Yan Zhuang’s blood-soaked clothes and began cleaning his wounds skillfully. One of the guards rushed off to summon a renowned doctor nearby.
Yan Zhuang endured the pain until he finally lost consciousness. Li Qing’an still didn’t understand what had happened. He called two capable guards and whispered, “Go investigate near An Lushan’s residence. Find out what happened last night. Report back immediately if you hear anything.”

The two bodyguards nodded and hurried off. Seeing that Yan Zhuang wouldn’t wake up in a short while, Li Qing’an gave him a few instructions before returning to his own room. An hour later, he went back to check on Yan Zhuang. The doctor had arrived and was taking his pulse and prescribing medicine. All the treatment of his external injuries had been done by the female guards, whose skills were even better than those of ordinary doctors. At this moment, Yan Zhuang was feeling comfortable, sleeping soundly on the bed with a regular breathing pattern. The doctor sighed and said to Li Qing’an, “His pulse is steady; his life should be saved. However, his tendons are broken, so he probably won’t be able to stand again for the rest of his life. Sigh! Who could be so cruel?”
“General!” Suddenly, a voice from the door came from one of the bodyguards—the scout had returned.
Li Qing’an quickly stepped out of the room and asked, “Have you found any news?”
“The guards at the city gate said that last night, over a hundred people from the Yang family came aggressively to settle accounts with An Lushan. After that, An Lushan ordered Yan Zhuang to be beaten severely and thrown outside the city, forbidding anyone from interfering.”
“What was the reason? Have you found out?”
“No!” The bodyguard shook his head. “No one dares to approach An Lushan’s residence. Only from a distance did people see Yan Zhuang being beaten, apparently to show the Yang family.”
Even if it was to show the Yang family, Li Qing’an couldn’t understand why Yan Zhuang would come to him. Could it be that Yan Zhuang wanted to join him? Since Yan Zhuang wasn’t awake, Li Qing’an had no way to ask, so he had to return to his room first. Near noon, he finally received news from the palace. A gatekeeper rushed over urgently and called out from afar, “General, someone from the palace has come. They want you to enter immediately!”
…
It was a day off, but Li Longji unexpectedly summoned Li Qing’an over a report urgently sent from Luoyang. The report contained no records related to Li Qing’an’s family. Moreover, the Ministry of Revenue couldn’t find any records of Li Qing’an’s grandfather, Li Zengyun, or his father, Li Gui, in the archives of the entire Henan region. Puzzled, Li Longji couldn’t wait until the next court session and immediately summoned Li Qing’an.
In a side hall of Xingqing Hall, Li Longji held the military records of Li Qing’an from the Ministry of War and examined them repeatedly. The records clearly stated that at the beginning of the fifth year of Tianbao, Li Qing’an joined the army at Anxi Sulou Fengshu Fort. Due to his skill in archery and horseback riding, he was immediately appointed as a squad leader. Later, recognized by Gao Xianzhi, he was promoted step by step to team leader, brigade commander, and officer.

It can be said that Li Qing’an is a typical case of promotion based on military achievements. Although his tenure in each position was somewhat short, in a border garrison where military merits were valued more than seniority, such promotions were entirely normal. Li Siyeh also joined the army at the beginning of the Tianbao era.

But the question is: where was Li Qing’an before the fifth year of Tianbao? How did he suddenly end up at the Sulou Beacon Fort? That’s the key.

Li Longji fell into deep thought. Since he intended to entrust such an important place as Beiting to Li Qing’an, he had to understand his background. He would never let someone of unknown origin hold significant power.

At that moment, Gao Lishi beside him whispered, “Your Majesty, there’s no doubt Li Qing’an is Han. From the way he fought to the death for the Tang Dynasty, I can guarantee he is utterly loyal to both the Tang Dynasty and Your Majesty.”

Li Longji waved his hand and smiled. “I’m not doubting his loyalty. Whether he’s a Hu or a Han doesn’t matter. Didn’t he say last night that he wants to fulfill his duties for the emperor and gain fame both in life and after death? I know he’s loyal, but I just want to know where he was before. Why are there no records of his family in Luoyang? I’m curious.”

At that moment, a eunuch reported from the door, “Your Majesty, Li Qing’an has arrived and is waiting outside the hall.”

“Summon him!”

“Your Majesty orders that Li Qing’an be summoned.”

…

“Your Majesty orders that Li Qing’an be summoned.”

A moment later, guided by two eunuchs, Li Qing’an entered a side hall. It was his first time entering Li Longji’s private palace. Compared to the Dadao Hall, this place was even more magnificent. Thirty-six huge night pearls hung from the ceiling, emitting a soft glow that illuminated the otherwise dim depths of the hall, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.

Li Qing’an looked up at the thirty-six night pearls, each the size of a pomelo, and wondered where they had gone in later generations.

“General Li, please come in! Your Majesty is waiting for you,” said a eunuch, noticing his distraction.

Li Qing’an quickly regained his composure and strode into the side hall. The side hall was actually a huge room divided into two by tall curtains. This was Li Longji’s living room in the harem, where he would also receive ministers in emergencies.

Seeing Li Longji dressed in ordinary clothes sitting on a soft couch, Li Qing’an quickly stepped forward and saluted militarily. “Your servant, Li Qing’an, pays his respects to Your Majesty!”

“Hehe! Our poet Li has arrived.”

The fame of Li Qing’an’s performance of sword dances and recitation of folk songs at the Wei family’s residence the previous night had spread throughout Chang’an within just one morning. Li Longji had just heard about it as well.

“Your Majesty, I am not worthy of the title ‘poet’.”

“Why, you wrote it very well! ‘Pitiful bones by the Stone Fortress, still a dreamer in the boudoir’—it has a wonderful artistic conception. Ordinary poets couldn’t write something like this!”
Li Qing’an smiled sheepishly and said, “Last night, I was drunk. Not wanting to lose face, I casually altered some poems and folk songs I had heard before and made them my own. Originally it was ‘Pitiful bones by the Wuding River,’ which I changed to ‘Pitiful bones by the Stone Fortress.’ Originally it was ‘Concerned with matters of the world in one’s heart,’ which I changed to ‘Concerned with the emperor’s affairs of the world.’ I am ashamed; please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“Very good!”
Li Longji smiled slightly and said, “You are honest. This pleases me even more than your poetry skills. Moreover, your revisions are excellent. ‘Concerned with the emperor’s affairs of the world’ is more meaningful than ‘Concerned with matters of the world in one’s heart.’ Actually, I found it a bit strange too. Your last line is ‘Pitiful white hair,’ which seems like the tone of an old general. I guessed it might not be written by you, but hearing it from you personally brings me comfort.”
At this, Li Longji asked curiously, “But both the poem and the folk song are excellent. I’ve never heard them before. Where did you hear them?”
“Your Majesty, I heard them as a young man in Suiye, recited by my grandfather. As for who wrote them, I don’t know either.”
Li Longji’s expression grew solemn. He asked slowly, “General Li, aren’t you from Luoyang? Why did you go to Suiye?”
Li Qing’an quickly bowed and said, “My ancestors are from Luoyang. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, to avoid war, my great-great-grandfather led our family to Suiye, where we have lived and multiplied for a hundred years. My ancestors have always longed for the Tang Dynasty and missed their hometown. As a child, I even lived in Luoyang with my grandfather for a few years. Later, I traveled to countries such as Da Shi and Persia. Three years ago, my grandfather passed away in Suiye. Before dying, he instructed me to do whatever it takes to bring Suiye back under the Tang Dynasty. Following my grandfather’s wishes, I came to Anxi to join the army.”
Li Longji fiddled with a paperweight, pondered for a moment, then asked, “Have you been to Da Shi and Persia?”
“Your Majesty, I’ve not only been to Da Shi but also to countries further west.”
“Tell me, what countries are there west of Da Shi?”
Li Qing’an smiled and said, “Your Majesty, west of Da Shi is a vast inland sea called the Mediterranean Sea. Directly north of Da Shi is another powerful empire called the Byzantine Empire, Da Shi’s long-time rival, which is also known as the Great Qin Country. South of the Mediterranean Sea, stretching for thousands of miles, is still Da Shi’s territory. But north of the Mediterranean Sea are countless small kingdoms, such as the Frankish Kingdom, the Italian Kingdom, and the March of Spain. I’ve only heard of them; I’ve never been there.”
“General Li, your words make me want to go and see them all.”

Li Longji finally smiled. He could tell that Li Qing’an was not lying, which brought him comfort. On the contrary, he would have been enraged if Li Qing’an had insisted he was from Luoyang.
“So General Li is a Suiye Han. No wonder he joined the army at Sulou Beacon Fort. In fact, even if you were a barbarian, I wouldn’t care too much. Gao Xianzhi was from Goguryeo, An Lushan was from the Western Regions Sogdians, Ge Shu Han was from the Tujue, and An Sishun was from the Turks—I didn’t care about that at all. As long as one is loyal to the Tang Dynasty and to me, I’ll treat them equally, whether they’re barbarians or Han. But what matters to me is whether you’re honest and whether you’ve deceived me. Let me tell you the truth: if you still insist you’re from Luoyang, I’ll dismiss you on the spot and punish you severely for deceiving the emperor. But you’ve done well—not only did you admit openly that the poem wasn’t yours, but you also admitted you’re a Suiye Han. Very good. To reward your honesty and openness, I’ll bestow upon you a special gift.”
He turned to Gao Lishi and said, “I agree with your plan. Let Bian Lingcheng also serve as the military supervisor in Beiting.”
He then smiled at Li Qing’an and said, “If you continue to perform well and satisfy me, perhaps I’ll even relieve you of your role as military supervisor.”
Li Qing’an felt a sudden sense of relief. This hurdle had finally been cleared. But just to be safe, he still needed to find a way to settle things properly in Suiye.
Li Qing’an quickly bowed deeply and said, “Your Majesty, I thank you for your trust. I will never disappoint you.”
Just then, a eunuch’s voice came from the door, “Your Majesty, the Empress and the third concubine have arrived.”
As soon as the words faded, the sound of jewelry jingling was heard. Yang Yuhuan and Yang Huahua rushed into the side hall like a gust of wind, carrying a pleasant fragrance with them.
“Third brother, I have something to discuss with you,” said Yang Yuhuan.
Suddenly seeing Li Qing’an, she stopped in her tracks and smiled shyly, “Third brother, I didn’t know you were meeting a foreign official.”
Behind her, Yang Huahua subtly sent Li Qing’an a flirtatious glance, but he pretended not to see her. Yang Huahua bit her lip inwardly, cursing, ‘That heartless guy.’
Li Longji waved his hand and laughed, “It doesn’t matter. General Li isn’t really a stranger. He’s my wife’s pot-throwing instructor. Didn’t she even act as a matchmaker for him yesterday?”
Yang Yuhuan glanced at Li Qing’an and smiled, biting her lip. “Stop talking about matchmaking. Everyone in Chang’an knows now that General Qing’an drew his sword in anger for Mingyue last night. Third brother, when will you draw your sword for me too?”
“Hehe! I’ll do it tonight…”
Li Longji almost blurted out something. He quickly coughed and laughed, “By the way, why did you rush to see me, my dear?”

Yang Yuhuan pulled Yang Huahua over and said eagerly, “Third sister keeps urging me to go to Zhuque Street to watch the lanterns tonight. I also want to relive the excitement of the Lantern Festival when I was young.”
She pleaded, “Third brother, please agree to it! Let me go, okay?”
Gao Lishi, who was standing by, quickly stepped in to stop her. “As the imperial concubine and the head of the six palaces, how can Your Majesty go watch lanterns with ordinary people? It would be better if I had people make more lanterns in the palace—they’ll look just as beautiful.”
“That’s so boring!”
Yang Huahua pouted and encouraged her, “Watching lanterns is all about seeing people and the lights; it’s about the fun. The palace is so quiet—how can it compare to the outside? My dear brother-in-law, please agree to my fourth sister’s request!”
Her words, “My dear brother-in-law,” spoken in a sweet and coquettish tone, made Li Longji’s heart tremble. He smiled and said, “Very well! I’ll go watch the lanterns incognito tonight and enjoy myself with the people.”
“Your Majesty, how can you—”
Before Gao Lishi could finish, Li Longji waved his hand to cut him off and declared firmly, “I don’t do this often. It’s fine to do it once in a while. Since my wife has this wish, of course I must fulfill it.”
Yang Yuhuan clapped her hands in joy, while Gao Lishi could only shake his head and sigh. The emperor was becoming more and more absurd—wanting to go watch lanterns incognito! Sigh! He might enjoy himself, but it would be troublesome for him.
At that moment, Li Longji turned to Li Qing’an and said, “How about General Qing’an joins us to watch the lanterns?”
Li Qing’an quickly apologized, “Your Majesty, I have plans to go watch lanterns with someone else tonight.”
“Third brother is really confused,” Yang Yuhuan said, winking and smiling seductively. “General Qing’an drew his sword last night—he surely wants to take advantage of the situation tonight. Third brother, don’t ruin his plans.”
Li Longji suddenly realized what she meant. He slapped his forehead and laughed. “You’re right. I was confused.”
Yang Huahua, however, seemed displeased. She let out a soft hum and said in a drawn-out tone, “General Li, last time you won a great victory by shooting arrows at my mansion, I kindly gave you a black bow as a reward. I heard it was destroyed by you?”
Li Qing’an knew Yang Huahua was trying to pick a fight. This famous woman from the Guo state had initially caught his interest, but as he got to know her better, he realized she had an extremely possessive nature. Anything she wanted, she would try every means to possess—even men. He had also heard about her romantic affairs. Of course, it was her freedom to like whom she wanted, but he wasn’t interested in such a woman.
Li Qing’an bowed and apologized, “Madam, I’m truly sorry. In the chaos of battle, it was difficult to protect anything. Not only was the bow destroyed, but I also lost my sword in the melee.”

“Third Sister, don’t be so stingy! It’s already a miracle to have survived the Battle of Chiling.”
Li Longji let out a soft sigh before saying to Li Qing’an, “I originally intended to reward you with a fine bow and a renowned sword in the main hall yesterday, but I forgot. Now that I’m meeting you today, I’ll bestow them upon you.”
He turned around and ordered, “Someone, bring me the Flaming Fire Bow and the Dragon Roar Sword!”