Chapter 189: Two Princes

Li Huichun and the merchants from the Stone Country exchanged a quick greeting before leaving the city gates and heading swiftly toward Beiting City. Sarda didn’t ask them any further questions. He turned around and waved, saying, “Everyone may go about their own affairs.”
The large caravan of Stone Country merchants dispersed, with each merchant heading off to find inns or shops of their own. At that moment, Yuanen turned to the masked woman and asked, “Julan, will you come with me or go look for him?”
This woman was none other than Princess Julan. Two years had passed since she parted with Li Qing’an in Kucha. From a young girl in her first loves, she had grown into a graceful and beautiful woman. Over these two years, she had lived in Julan City. Last year, she and her elder brother Yuanen had come to Anxi in search of Li Qing’an, only to learn that he was fighting in Qinghai. Disappointed, they returned home. Now, as she followed her brother to Beiting again, she felt uneasy—had he still remembered her after so much time?
Julan sighed softly. “Let’s stay for now. We can look for him later if there’s a chance.”
Yuanen was also worried. He had longed for that “Eye of Light” for two years. With his father’s health declining, his desire for the throne drove him to make another long journey to Beiting to find Li Qing’an. Having heard that Li Qing’an had been promoted to military governor, he wondered whether Li would keep his promise to him in Yangzhou.
Glancing at the bustling market, he said to Sarda, “Uncle, let’s stay for now.”
“Alright, follow me!” Sarda urged his camel forward, heading toward the largest inn in Jinman County.
……
In Beiting City, Li Qing’an had just received news from Suiye: a medium-scale conflict had broken out among the Turkic tribes of the Hei and Huang clans in General Pei Luo’s city, resulting in over 400 deaths and injuries. This was already the fifth time this year that the Turkic tribes had engaged in internal strife, with each conflict becoming more intense.
Li Qing’an gently pressed his temples. With his hands behind his back, he walked to the window. The sunlight outside was scorching, and the heat waves made it seem as though the entire land was on fire. It wasn’t the right time to send troops, yet Li Qing’an felt a strong urge to do so—to crush the Turkic tribes and reclaim Suiye Valley.
But the time hadn’t come yet. Another piece of intelligence he received was that Gao Xianzhi was actively preparing for war, aiming to attack the Tokharistan Kingdom, which was allied with Tubo. Historically, Gao Xianzhi had conquered Tokharistan before turning his attention to Suiye. When the Stone Country tried to seize Suiye, it provoked a counterattack by the Arabs, leading to the Battle of Talas.

How will history change with the arrival of Li Qing’an? Suiye is his first battle. Can he capture Suiye and gradually drive the Arabs out of Hexiang, thereby completely altering the history of Central Asia? His heart is filled with anticipation. Now, he is waiting for the signal to send troops—this signal is Gao Xianzhi’s southern campaign against the Qishi Kingdom.

“Report to the commander: A man from Suiye requests an audience. He says his name is Li Huichun.”

Li Qing’an turned around abruptly. Had he come so quickly? It had only been five days since then.

“Bring him in!”

Moments later, Li Huichun, anxious, entered the room guided by soldiers. As soon as he entered, Li Qing’an greeted him with a smile, “Lord Li, you rushed over in such a hurry. Could it be that you want me to compensate for your losses?”

Li Qing’an’s kind smile eased Li Huichun’s worries slightly. He quickly bowed, “I pay my respects to Envoy Li.”

“There’s no need for formalities. Please, sit down, Lord Li!”

Li Huichun sat down. A soldier brought two bowls of herbal tea. Li Qing’an said with a smile, “It’s hot outside, so I won’t serve hot tea. Let’s drink something to cool down.”

“Thank you, Envoy!”

Li Huichun took a sip of the herbal tea, wondering how to start the conversation. After pondering for a while, he said apologetically, “Envoy, on behalf of the Han-Tang Society, I apologize for our rude behavior in Beiting.”

“Rude behavior?”

Li Qing’an sneered, “I knew everything about your actions in Beiting three months ago. I’ve tolerated you all this time, but you still didn’t stop yourselves and even tried to infiltrate my army—something utterly unacceptable. This time, I’m just giving you a warning. I’ve released most of the Han-Tang Society members, and their shops have mostly returned to normal. One last warning: if you dare to infiltrate my army again, I’ll destroy the Han-Tang Society!”

Li Huichun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and said, “I promise I won’t expand the Han-Tang Society in Beiting.”

“Alright! Out of our old friendship, I’ll let you off this time. Someone!”

A bodyguard stepped forward at his command. Li Qing’an ordered, “Pass on my orders: release all those who were captured and remove the seals from all the shops.”

The bodyguard rushed off immediately. Li Qing’an took a few sips of his herbal tea. Seeing that Li Huichun hesitated, he said with a smile, “Lord Li, if you have anything else to say, go ahead!”

“Have our young master been released as well?”

“What young master?” Li Qing’an asked in confusion.

Li Huichun could no longer hold back. He took out the pigeon letter sent by Li Qing’an and pushed it in front of him, saying, “I’m talking about Li Deng. This is an original letter sent by the Envoy.”

Li Qing’an took the letter, glanced at it, and smiled. “This letter wasn’t written by me. I’m a high-ranking military governor—how could I give you any leverage? Right?”
Li Huichun’s heart seemed on the verge of sinking into the abyss, but Li Qing’an saved it. “But Li Dang is indeed in my hands. He told me some things about events from a hundred years ago, and I’m very interested.”
Silence filled the room. Unintentionally, Li Qing’an revealed the truth, turning the atmosphere extremely awkward. After a long while, Li Huichun sighed deeply and said, “Since you already know, I don’t want to hide anything anymore. Please state your demands! If you release Li Dang, we’ll agree to anything.”
“Really, anything?” Li Qing’an asked with raised eyebrows.
“Yes! Anything,” Li Huichun affirmed.
Li Qing’an leaned back in his chair, slowly sipping his cool tea. After a moment, he smiled and said, “I greatly admire the loyalty of the Eighteen Generals through generations. It’s a pity that Li Dang isn’t up to your expectations. Agreeing to all my conditions for such a useless man is a tragedy for you.”
A hint of sadness flashed in Li Huichun’s eyes. With a bitter smile, he said, “The Prince of Hidden Line has few descendants. For a hundred years, the lineage has continued unbroken. Finally, this generation had two sons. Unfortunately, the elder son disappeared at the age of three, leaving only Dang. To ensure the continuation of the Prince of Hidden Line’s descendants, we tried every means possible. From the age of ten, we allowed Dang to interact with women. Yet, against all hopes, despite having been with countless women, he still failed to produce any descendants. Lord Li, this is the only descendant left of the Prince of Hidden Line. Whether he can fulfill his ancestor’s wishes or not, as long as he carries on the lineage, we’ll be satisfied.”
As he spoke, Li Huichun knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face. “If you want money, we’ll do everything possible to give it. We can even dissolve the Han-Tang Association. We only beg you to spare Dang and leave a lineage for Prince Jiancheng.”
Li Qing’an helped him up and sighed softly. “The Eighteen Generals of Prince Jiancheng, generation after generation, have protected their lord through countless lifetimes—truly admirable and pitiable. I, Li Qing’an, am also a man of principle and won’t do something that would anger both humans and gods. Since I called you here, it’s with the intention of helping you. I’ll release Young Master Dang, but I do have two small requests.”
Li Huichun couldn’t believe Li Qing’an would agree. Overjoyed, he hurriedly said, “Please state your requests. As long as we can fulfill them.”
“I won’t hide it from you. The court plans to reclaim Suiye. Considering the resistance from the Turgesh people, I hope to have the Han people of Suiye as my allies.”

Li Huichun’s eyes lit up, and he immediately bowed, saying, “It has been the dream of our Han people in Suiye for generations for the Tang Dynasty to reclaim it. We are willing to go through fire and water for you, envoy.”
Li Qing’an nodded and added, “This is the first request. I know you’ll agree to it. The second is that I hope Han-Tang can gather information about the customs, culture, and troop deployments in Da Shi and the Hexi region. I also need a complete map—the more detailed, the better. It would be ideal to obtain intelligence on the Byzantine Empire as well. Your Yinlong Society has been operating in the Western Regions for a hundred years; you should be able to do this.”
This second request posed a dilemma for Li Huichun, as it meant shifting their focus from the east to the west. He lowered his head in thought for a moment before saying, “We indeed can do this. As I’ve said, we will meet all of Envoy Li’s requests, so we will do our utmost.”
“Go ahead and make the arrangements. Give me a detailed plan in ten days, and I will return Young Master Dang to you unharmed.”
…
After meeting Li Huichun, dusk was approaching. Li Qing’an reviewed a few documents before leaving the headquarters and returning to his residence. After more than three months of hard work, various affairs in Beiting were gradually getting on track. He had recruited two thousand miners from the Shatuo people to mine copper and silver in the copper mines of Yizhou, refining them into rough products before sending them to Beiting City. Textile mills, wineries, woolen factories, and porcelain factories were also being established in Xizhou, along with an armory where swords and other weapons could now be forged. Almost all the necessary components were in place; the seeds had taken root, and now it was only a matter of time before they thrived.
Dusk was near, the sunlight no longer scorching, the heat rising rapidly from the ground, and the evening breeze carrying a hint of coolness.
Li Qing’an rode slowly on his horse, still thinking about the Yinlong Society. Despite generations of effort, their goal seemed impossible to achieve now. The descendants of Li Shimin had long become the legitimate rulers of the Tang Dynasty. How could the throne return to Li Jiancheng’s line just because of an organization like Han-Tang, which resembled a gang?
Li Qing’an couldn’t help but laugh at the naivety of the Yinlong Society. They were somewhat obsessed, but Yan Zhuang was right—having operated in the Western Regions for a hundred years, they could indeed help him achieve his ambition to conquer Hexi. That was their best role to play.
“General, someone is blocking the road and asking to see you.”
From afar, he heard someone shouting in Turkic, “Envoy Li, I am Hassan, the prince of the Kingdom of Shi. I’ve come all the way from Shi to earnestly request an audience with you.”
‘Hassan, the prince of the Kingdom of Shi?’ Li Qing’an was stunned. Weren’t the prince of Shi Yuan En? Why did another Hassan appear?

Li Qing’an glanced ahead and saw over thirty people by the roadside, all on horseback.
“Bring him here!”
A moment later, soldiers brought in a burly young man in his early thirties, with thick brows and a square face—completely different from the tall and slender Prince Yuan’en.
He stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying, “Envoy Li, please forgive me for not speaking Chinese, but my heart is sincere.”
Li Qing’an looked at the gold medal proving his identity and smiled, asking, “What brings you to me?”
Prince Hassan took out a document from his bosom and handed it over humbly, saying, “This is a document from Heishui City, south of Talas. That city is my fiefdom, with 1,200 households. Including the surrounding grasslands, it covers 5,000 hectares of land. I am willing to offer it to Envoy Li for raising horses. Additionally, I have prepared some modest gifts for you to accept.”
He turned and waved, and two strong men carried in a large chest. Prince Hassan opened it, revealing a dazzling display of gold and jewels that shone brightly in the sunset.
Li Qing’an smiled with narrowed eyes. This Prince Hassan was a complete stranger to him, yet from their first meeting, he had already offered land and treasures. Needless to say, Li Qing’an knew what this man wanted.
“I cannot accept such gifts without having rendered any service. I have done nothing for the State of Shi, so how can I accept such generous gifts from Your Highness?”
“I know that the Eye of Light is in your hands. I am willing to exchange the city and its treasures for it. Please help me achieve this.”
After saying that, he bowed deeply to Li Qing’an, waiting eagerly for a reply.
“It’s just a ruby. It’s not worth all this trouble for you, Prince.”
Prince Hassan hurriedly replied, “It may be an ordinary gem to you, Envoy Li, but for our State of Shi, it is extraordinary. I merely beg you to give it to me.”
Over the past few years, the Abbasid Caliphate had been preoccupied with internal conflicts and had no time to deal with the Sogdians. Zoroastrianism had resurged in the River Region, and the Persian Zoroastrians had declared one of the three incarnations of the god Ahura Mazda to be a sacred stone, making it even more precious. Other Sogdian states such as Kang, An, and Shi jointly demanded this stone from the State of Shi, prompting the state to order its princes that whoever obtained it would immediately succeed to the throne.
Hassan was the crown prince of the State of Shi. He had learned about the location of the Eye of Light from Sunin and rushed here with his men without delay. Yet he did not expect that his younger brother, Prince Yuan’en, had arrived in Jinman County two hours earlier than him.
“General Li!”
A shout came from afar. Dozens of knights rushed forward, raising clouds of dust, and arrived before Li Qing’an in no time—it was Prince Yuan’en.

His men had found the eldest prince’s trail. Yuan En was anxious, fearing his elder brother would get there first, so he rushed over at all costs. Just then, he encountered the eldest prince blocking Li Qing’an.
“General Li, you can’t give him the gem!”
He dismounted, rushed to Li Qing’an’s side, and bowed, saying, “General Li, you promised me this in Yangzhou.”
Prince Hassan, seeing his younger brother appear suddenly, snorted heavily and said, “Didn’t Father send you to Suiye? How did you end up here?”
“And aren’t you the same? You said you were going to Kangguo, yet here you are in Beiting too.”
“What I do has nothing to do with you!”
“Same here. What I do is none of your business.”
The two brothers glared at each other like fighting cocks. Their mothers were not the same, and their rivalry for favor over the years had affected their relationship as well. Their brotherly bond was very weak, and they turned against each other in pursuit of the throne.
“Stop fighting!”
Li Qing’an waved his hand smilingly and said, “It’s really difficult for me to see brothers quarreling over a gem. How about this? I’ll think about it for a few days before giving you an answer.”
At that moment, he suddenly sensed something and looked into the distance. There, on a horse, was a young masked woman wearing a tall hat. Beneath the brim, her five braids—typical of Sogdian women and a sign of their unmarried status—were visible. She was beautiful, with fair skin, and through her thin veil, her deep blue eyes shone like gems.
She silently watched Li Qing’an, her eyes filled with sorrow at the thought of parting. A chance encounter, an extraordinary experience—this cheerful Han Chinese officer took root in the girl’s heart.
“Just one glance from you makes me think of you day and night.”
……