Chapter 211: The Third Strategy

It was the first time Li Qing’an had met Mingyue’s mother. He had long heard that Lady Pei was the second daughter of the former prime minister Pei Yaoqing. Through his own troubles with Mingyue, he had come to fully understand the deep-rooted sense of family prestige among the prominent families of Hedong.

Yet Li Qing’an could also understand that in Chinese history, this sense of family prestige only began to fade after the chaotic times at the end of the Tang Dynasty and during the Song Dynasty. It was still the mid-Tang period now. Although Wu Zetian had cracked down severely on the powerful aristocratic families, their immense influence could not be eliminated overnight.

His own unclear background had always made him unwelcome among these elite families. But since Mingyue had obtained her mother’s consent and traveled all the way to Beiting to find him, it meant Lady Pei’s attitude toward him had softened somewhat.

What Li Qing’an didn’t know, however, was that just half an hour earlier, Mingyue’s parents had had another fierce argument over him. The reason was that Du Gu Hao Ran learned that his daughter had gone to the prison to see Li Qing’an, which enraged him greatly. With the entireTaizi faction faction being purged, his daughter still harbored such deep feelings for Li Qing’an. His only hope now was that his daughter could be successfully made Princess Mingyue and married into the Geluo clan, thereby saving his political career.

Unluckily, a series of bad news arrived: the Geluo prince had been killed by Li Qing’an, and there was no hope of his daughter becoming Princess Mingyue. Soon after, news came from the Ministry of Personnel that he had been demoted to the magistrate of Xunyang County.

Du Gu Hao Ran was on the verge of collapse. He had only been prime minister for two months when he plummeted from high positions to depths of despair. It was all because of his allegiance to theTaizi faction faction. In a desperate bid to survive, he even thought of giving his daughter to Zhao Xuming to gain support from the Zhang faction. But this time, Lady Pei firmly opposed it.

Many things in life are quite ironic—always moving from one extreme to another. What is evening rain today may become morning clouds tomorrow. Perhaps this old saying is true: heaven and hell are often just separated by a thin line.

A maid led the preoccupied Lady Pei into the guest room and served her a cup of tea. Lady Pei was deeply troubled. Although her daughter had been rescued from danger, her husband had suffered a severe setback. Just before leaving, she had heard that Lu Huan had committed suicide in prison. What about her husband? Could his proud and haughty nature withstand such a cruel blow?

“I’m sorry for making Lady Pei wait!” Li Qing’an stepped forward quickly and bowed deeply to her.
“I’ve come uninvited and disturbed you, Lord Li.”
Lady Pei returned the bow politely, graceful and courteous.

Li Qing’an invited her to sit and said with a smile, “I was just planning to visit the Du Gu residence. I didn’t expect Lady Pei to arrive first.”

“Is Envoy Li going to the Dugu household for some matter?” Lady Pei asked deliberately.
Li Qing’an nodded and sighed, “I will leave the capital early tomorrow. Before leaving, I want to have a proper talk with my uncle and aunt.”
“Is it about Mingyue?”
“That’s right! I want to formally propose marriage to the Dugu family.”
Lady Pei remained silent for a long time before sighing and saying, “I came to see you for this very reason as well.”
“Please speak, madam!”
“Mingyue is my most beloved daughter. I’ve worried endlessly about her marriage. Her sister was unfortunately killed by the Khitans a few years ago. When I heard that Mingyue had been chosen for marriage again, do you know? At that moment, I really wanted to die.”
At these words, Lady Pei gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and continued, “To save Mingyue, I agreed to let Mingzhu travel thousands of miles to the Northern Court to meet you. Now, because of your efforts, Mingyue doesn’t have to marry a barbarian. Envoy Li, I am deeply grateful to you.”
“Madam, please don’t mention it. I won’t let Mingyue marry a Geluo man either.”
“I know you won’t disappoint Mingyue.”
Lady Pei smiled and said, “I came to see you today to tell you that, as Mingyue’s mother, I formally entrust her to you.”
Li Qing’an wasn’t overjoyed. He lowered his head and fiddled with the teacup on the table before smiling faintly after a while and saying, “Madam, do you know that I have been demoted to the governor of Liuzhou and am no longer the military governor of the Northern Court?”
“I already know.”
Lady Pei sighed and said, “You’re still young and can rise again. Actually, I don’t really care about what position you hold. If I must say something I care about, it’s your family background. You’re not from a noble family, which has always disappointed me. But then again, what does it matter if one is from a noble family? If their character is poor, I’d rather not have such a son-in-law.”
At these words, Lady Pei took out Mingyue’s birth certificate and marriage document and placed it on the table, smiling, “I know you don’t have any elders…”
“Let me be the elder for Qi Lang!”
Before Lady Pei could finish speaking, Gao Lishi stepped forward, took the marriage document, and said with a smile, “Let me handle Qi Lang’s engagement. If I’m not mistaken, Mingyue’s father isn’t very agreeable to this marriage, is he?”
“Elder Gao is right. But I’ll persuade him. Today, by handing Mingyue’s marriage document to Young Master Li, this marriage is settled. At the right time, I’ll hold a wedding for you two.”
Li Qing’an was overjoyed. He quickly bowed and said, “Thank you, aunt. I’ve already given Mingyue a piece of jade as a token of my feelings for her.”
“Very well! Then I’ll be leaving now.”

Madam Pei stood up and smiled at Gao Lishi again, saying, “Gao Gong, I leave everything in your hands.” Gao Lishi and Li Qing’an escorted Madam Pei all the way to the gate. Only then did Gao Lishi smile at Li Qing’an and say, “Congratulations. But I believe your second joy will come soon.” Li Qing’an also smiled with narrowed eyes. “How does Gao Gong know?” “Of course I know. Since you managed to take control of military power, surely you had a plan B.” Gao Lishi patted his shoulder and chuckled as he entered the mansion. … The next day, at dawn, Li Qing’an set off from Gao Lishi’s mansion with three hundred bodyguards. They walked slowly along Zhuque Street, which was quiet with few pedestrians. The early April air in Chang’an still carried a chill, and a thin layer of mist covered the street, resembling gauze fluttering in the wind. Soon they reached Mingde Gate, which was already open, with crowds of Chang’an residents waiting to leave on both sides. “Brother Li!” Suddenly, Li Qing’an heard Mingzhu’s voice. Following the sound, he saw a carriage parked by the gate. In front of it, Mingzhu was jumping and waving at him excitedly like a little bird. Behind her was Mingyue, dressed in a light yellow dress, her eyes filled with boundless joy. Li Qing’an also smiled. He had never seen Mingyue so radiant before. Her usual gentle sadness had vanished, and her eyes shone with a gem-like brilliance that intoxicated him, like peonies blooming in the early morning, exuding a sweet fragrance. “Brother Li!” Mingzhu ran up to him. Li Qing’an dismounted and went to meet her, smiling and asking, “Do you want to come with me?” Mingzhu pouted and said, “We would like to, but Mother won’t let us. She only allowed us to see you off.” Then, with a joyful expression, she asked, “Mother said your marriage to Sister has been arranged?” “Little girl, you’ve played a huge role this time!” Li Qing’an pinched her nose before walking toward Mingyue. Mingyue’s face suddenly turned red as she shyly lowered her head and said softly, “Mingyue has come to see you off.” “Don’t you want to come with me?” Mingyue shook her head and said, “Since I’ve promised you, I’ll wait for you to marry me properly. I’ll wait for you to return, even if it takes forever. Mingyue will have no regrets.” Both of them fell silent. After a while, Li Qing’an smiled and said, “Well then! I believe one day I’ll definitely take you to see the moon over Tianshan.”

He mounted his horse again and said to Mingzhu with a smile, “Mingzhu, take good care of your sister. I’ll find you the best husband in the future.” With that, he waved at Mingyue and led his guards toward the gate. “I don’t want one!” Mingzhu muttered softly. Suddenly realizing something, she quickly called out to Mingyue, “Sis, Brother Li is leaving. Shouldn’t I see him off?” “No need. Once you send someone off for a long journey, parting is inevitable.” Mingyue silently watched Li Qing’an’s retreating figure and murmured, “Wish you safety on your journey!” … Five days later, on April 18th of the ninth year of Tianbao, Emperor Li Longji finally issued an edict. Crown Prince Li Hen, for using witchcraft, was no longer suitable to be crown prince; his position was officially revoked, and he was made the King of Liang, forced to leave the Eastern Palace. Li Hen thanked the emperor in tears but fainted at the steps of the Eastern Palace. News of this spread swiftly across the country—some were shocked, cried, or worried, while others rejoiced and celebrated. By that time, Li Qing’an had already reached Xiangyang. Upon hearing the news of the crown prince’s deposition, he stopped in his tracks. It was finally time to carry out his third plan. He immediately ordered a lengthy letter to be sent to Chang’an, asking Li Linfu to submit it to Li Longji. In the Zichen Hall of Daming Palace, Li Linfu, looking somewhat aged, hurried past a pillar, holding a thick memorial. The purge of the crown prince’s faction had ended the previous day. None of the 23 names listed by Li Longji escaped—some were imprisoned, dismissed from office, or demoted. Zhang Yi, the vice minister of justice who had interrogated Li Qing’an, was demoted to the magistrate of Luzhou. The last to be demoted was Pei Min, the deputy head of the Judicial Department, who was made the magistrate of Huayin County. Thus, the core members of the crown prince’s faction were completely eliminated. The political situation suddenly changed. What had been a struggle among four factions turned into a tripartite balance between the Prime Minister’s faction, the Yang faction, and the Zhang faction. Among the princes, hidden conflicts arose as they aligned themselves with these three factions. With the Eastern Palace empty, each of Li Longji’s sons became more ambitious. Besides the complete destruction of the crown prince’s faction, Li Linfu’s Prime Minister’s faction also suffered a heavy blow. He lost control of the Ministry of Personnel, while Yang Guozhong, having gained control of that ministry, grew significantly more powerful. His trusted vice minister, Wei Jiansu, was appointed as a senior minister, officially becoming a chancellor. At that point, three of the seven chancellors in the Tang Dynasty belonged to the Yang faction, two to the Prime Minister’s faction, and two to the Zhang faction. In the government hall, Yang Guozhong already held the upper hand. Li Linfu also appeared aged. He went before Li Longji’s study and said to a eunuch, “Please inform the emperor that I have urgent matters to discuss with him.”

“Prime Minister Li, please wait a moment!” The eunuch turned and entered the imperial study.
Li Linfu grunted in annoyance. Everyone used to call him “Prime Minister,” but now they referred to him as “Prime Minister Li,” adding his surname to distinguish him from “Prime Minister Yang” — a scoundrel who, relying on his familial ties, dared to challenge him, Li Linfu.
Sitting dejectedly on the cushion at the door waiting to be summoned, Li Linfu glanced at Li Qing’an’s memorial. The anger on his face faded slightly, replaced by a hint of relief.
He knew better than anyone that Li Qing’an was not really part of the crown prince’s faction. It had been him who, in order to turn Li Heng and Yang Guozhong against each other, had carefully inserted Li Qing’an into the crown prince’s group to stir conflict between them. When the crown prince was deposed, it meant his own family would not be punished for his rise to power. In that sense, he had achieved his goal, but Li Qing’an was purged as a result, demoted from governor of Beiting to prefect of Liuzhou.
Li Linfu felt a mix of guilt and regret. Li Qing’an could have become his right-hand man, but he hadn’t expected Li Qing’an to submit a memorial after the crown prince’s deposition. By then, Emperor Li Longji had already carried out a fierce purge of the crown prince’s faction and was taking a breath, reviewing the convictions of its key members. Li Qing’an’s timely submission was so clever that it left Li Linfu in awe.
“Prime Minister Li, Your Majesty asks you to come in!” the eunuch whispered at the door.
Li Linfu stood up, adjusted his robes, and hurried into the imperial study. Inside, Emperor Li Longji was reviewing a memorial submitted by Gao Xianzhi of Anxi. Gao Xianzhi’s appointment as governor of Beiting was still in progress, yet he had already sent news of a great victory over the Qieshi Kingdom. For some reason, however, this victory did not bring Li Longji great joy. In a way, it paled in comparison to the recovery of Suiye.
Li Longji pondered for a long time. At the end of the memorial, Gao Xianzhi suggested attacking the Yuezhi to completely drive the Tubo forces out of Turfan. His reasoning was that these small Turfan kingdoms had not paid homage to the capital for years and no longer regarded the Tang Dynasty as their suzerain; they should be subdued through moral authority. Moreover, these Turfan states had abundant resources, so the court would not need to spend military funds.

Although the great victory of the Tang forces did not bring Li Longji great joy, Gao Xianzhi’s final proposal caught his interest greatly. Conquering the entire region of Turfan without the court having to spend military funds and driving the Tubo forces out of Turfan—why not do it? He then took out the secret report from the military supervisor Bian Lingcheng, which stated that the morale of the Anxi troops was high and they advanced effortlessly wherever they went. Li Longji was already 70% inclined to agree.

At that moment, Li Linfu entered the imperial study and bowed, saying, “Your servant Li Linfu pays his respects to Your Majesty!”

Li Longji put down his pen and laughed, saying, “The prime minister comes at just the right time. I was thinking of discussing with you Gao Xianzhi’s proposal to attack the entire region of Turfan.”

“Your Majesty, I am here for the same reason.”

With that, Li Linfu handed Li Longji Li Qingan’s memorial with both hands. “This is a memorial submitted by Li Qingan on his way to take up his post. I was deeply moved by it and have brought it to Your Majesty.”

“Li Qingan?” Li Longji was momentarily stunned. He took the memorial, unfolded it, and saw that it was filled with dense writing spanning over a dozen pages—nearly ten thousand words in total.

“Your servant believes that in the past, whether from Beiting or Anxi, to enter Lingxi, the Tang forces had to undertake long marches and costly expeditions. Even though Jiayun and Fumeng Lingcha led powerful armies westward, they could not sustain their efforts due to the lack of a solid base in Lingxi. The recapture of Suoye would change the disadvantageous situation for the Tang forces and truly mark a turning point in Tang strategy for Lingxi.

Now that Suoye has been captured, much needs to be rebuilt. The top priority should be to take advantage of the Abbasid Caliphate’s inability to focus on the east by recruiting soldiers, storing grain, strengthening fortifications, relocating military households to Suoye, and pacifying the Turkic tribes to consolidate control there. We must not rashly use force, which could alert the Abbasids and deprive our troops of the opportunity to rest and recover.

……

Your servant believes that the strategy for Hedong should be carried out in two steps. First, we must actively strengthen Suoye’s foundation so that our Tang forces have a solid base there. Second, we should implement a strategy of alliances, connecting the Nine Kingdoms of Zhaowu to help them resist the Abbasid advance. These kingdoms have had their temples destroyed, lost their faith, bear heavy taxes, and their nobles’ wealth is at constant risk. They have long resented the Abbasids but are too weak to confront them. If the Tang Dynasty offers them support, the situation in Hedong will surely change dramatically. After that, we should send a Tang envoy to Byzantium. Byzantium is an old enemy of the Abbasids and is powerful. Due to religious differences, it is in complete conflict with the Abbasids. The Tang Dynasty should ally with Byzantium to deal with the Abbasids, keeping them occupied in the west. Your servant dares to assert that, following this plan, within three years, all of Hedong will belong to the Tang Dynasty…”

Li Qing’an’s memorial opened up horizons that Li Longji had never seen before. He remained silent in deep thought for a long time. Then Li Linfu spoke up, “Your Majesty, I believe Li Qing’an is different from Wei Jian, Huangfu Weiming, Wang Zhongsì, and others. He has no marital ties to the former crown prince nor any old friendships with him. Although the Yangzhou salt scandal involved the Prince of Qing, his actions were purely for self-preservation. He was not part of the crown prince’s faction for long and was far away in the northern regions. Even though he held the crown prince’s special token, this does not mean he was a close ally of the crown prince. He rose to prominence solely through military achievements, with no noble background or royal blood relations. He can be put to great use. No one in our court has his profound insights into the Western Regions. It would be a shame to send him to Liuzhou, Your Majesty.”

Li Longji tapped his index finger gently on the imperial desk. Last night, the imperial concubine had complained that he had exiled Li Qing’an to the remote region of Liuzhou. But now that the crown prince’s faction had just been eliminated and the court was in chaos, it was not appropriate to make further changes that might give the impression he was sparing the crown prince’s supporters.

At that moment, a eunuch reported at the door, “Your Majesty, Prime Minister Yang has arrived.”

“Summon him in!”

A moment later, Yang Guozhong hurried in. He now held the positions of Minister of War and Minister of Personnel, holding great power and being able to rival Li Linfu. His successful career made him look radiant, with a particularly bright and proud expression. When he entered the imperial study and saw Li Linfu there, he was taken aback. He gave Li Linfu a hostile glance before immediately kneeling down and bowing deeply, “Your servant Yang Guozhong pays his respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live forever and ever.”

“Yang, rise from your bow!”

Li Longji had summoned Yang Guozhong to discuss Gao Xianzhi’s plan to attack Toharistan, but Li Qing’an’s memorial had made him hesitate a bit.

Then, Li Longji quickly glanced at Li Linfu. Seeing his sincere smile, free from the deadly hostility typical of political rivals, Li Longji became slightly wary. He knew this prime minister too well—sweet words on the surface, but a hidden sword. Yang Guozhong, who was his own uncle, had shown hostility upon entering, clearly at a disadvantage. Could he really compete with Li Linfu?

Originally, he wanted to discuss Gao Xianzhi’s proposal with both Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong, but in that instant, he changed his mind. Li Longji then smiled at Li Linfu and said, “Prime Minister, I would like to talk to Uncle Yang about family matters.”

Implied was that Li Linfu should leave. Of course, Li Linfu understood that Li Longji had summoned Yang Guozhong to discuss Gao Xianzhi’s matter and now wanted him to leave, clearly trying to take away his control over affairs in Anxi. He was extremely dissatisfied but dared not show it. He bowed and said, “Your servant takes his leave!”

He slowly stepped back. After he left, Li Longji gave Yu Chaoen a glance, signaling him to close the door. Then he said to Yang Guozhong, “I’ve called you here for two matters. First, there’s the drought in Henan—no rain for three months. Some people have accused local officials of embezzling relief grain, causing widespread resentment among the people and leading to uprisings by the hungry. I want someone to investigate this. As the Minister of Revenue, can you recommend someone?”
Yang Guozhong quickly replied, “I recommend Zhang Dun, the Deputy Minister of Revenue. He has long served in the Ministry of Revenue and is well-accustomed to the local conditions; he should be capable of handling this task.”
Zhang Dun was the third brother of Zhang Yun and had always served as a senior official in the Ministry of Revenue. He was a key figure in Zhang Yun’s control over the ministry. Yang Guozhong’s desire to transfer him clearly indicated his ambitions for the ministry. Yet he failed to understand Li Longji’s intentions. Li Longji wanted to send someone because those available had relatively little experience and needed a chance to gain skills. Unexpectedly, Yang Guozhong, being insatiable, also set his sights on the ministry, which slightly displeased Li Longji.
So Li Longji changed the subject and said, “Never mind. Court affairs are complex, and since you’re new to the Ministry of Personnel, you don’t have many acquaintances. I won’t ask you about this. I’ll assign someone else.”
Li Longji took Gao Xianzhi’s memorial and said, “I’d like to ask you—since you’re the Minister of War, what’s your opinion on Gao Xianzhi’s proposal to attack Toharistan?”
“I firmly support it!”
The affairs of Anxi had always been under Li Linfu’s jurisdiction, while Yang Guozhong was in charge of Nanzhao, leaving him no chance to interfere. Now that Li Longji intended to assign him the task of Anxi, Yang Guozhong naturally wouldn’t miss this opportunity. He quickly took out a memorial and said, “This is a memorial written by Yao Zhongting, a Tang envoy who returned from Tibet. The Tibetan king has just died, and the new king is young. Internal factions are fighting fiercely for power, leaving them unable to wage wars abroad. At present, Geshu Han has taken control of Jiuqu, the border in Jiannan is peaceful, Nanzhao has submitted to the Tang Dynasty, and An Lushan is guarding the northeast. This is the perfect time to launch a campaign in the northwest. Since Tibet cannot focus on the Western Regions, I believe it’s the ideal opportunity to completely conquer Toharistan and drive the Tibetan forces out. Your Majesty, we must seize this chance!”
“What about the Arabs? Why don’t you consider their role?” Li Longji asked.
Yang Guozhong sneered and said, “The Arabs are just barbarians from the Western Regions. They’re slightly stronger than the Kang and Shi states and only dare to compete with the Zhao Wu states. How dare they confront the mighty Tang army? Besides, I’ve heard that they’re internally divided and unable to advance eastward. That’s why I don’t consider them. I only focus on Tibet.”

Although Li Longji knew that the Abbasid Caliphate was not as weak as Yang Guozhong claimed—only slightly stronger than countries like Kangshi—if that were the case, he would not have supported the Tuyuhun to oppose them. Yet Yang Guozhong was right in one regard: the Abbasid Caliphate was indeed embroiled in civil war, which was indeed an opportunity.

Li Qingan’s strategy for the Western Regions made sense, but it did not affect the campaign against Turfan. It was entirely possible to advance on two fronts at once. At the thought of the Tang army sweeping through Turfan and attracting nations from all over to submit to Tang, Li Longji felt an uncontrollable excitement.

He immediately picked up his pen and wrote “Approved” on Gao Xianzhi’s report, then said, “Pass my order to promote Gao Xianzhi to the position of Minister of Rites and Chief Censor, award him 10,000 taels of silver and 5,000 bolts of silk. Once Turfan is conquered, I will reward all the troops as well.”

Yang Guozhong was overjoyed. He could finally get involved in affairs in Anxi. Taking advantage of Li Longji’s trust in him, he quickly proposed another matter: “Your Majesty, I have heard that Li Qingan arbitrarily disbanded his personal guards and used them as his own troops to head to Liuzhou. I urge Your Majesty to punish him severely!”

Yang Guozhong’s words reminded Li Longji. He read Li Qingan’s lengthy strategy for the Western Regions again and pondered for a long time. From Li Qingan’s letter of resignation to the influence of the imperial concubine, and now to this detailed analysis of the situation in the Western Regions, Li Longji sensed Li Qingan’s sincerity. As Li Linfu had advised, Li Qingan indeed did not belong to theTaizi faction faction. So he slowly said, “Pass another order from me: Li Qingan shall be reassigned as the governor of Henan Circuit to address the disasters there.”