Chapter 214: The Hongmen Banquet

“Lord, things aren’t as bad as you think.”
Liu Sisong hesitated as he spoke, casting a somewhat sympathetic glance at his superior, who was still unaware of the true situation.
“If things were really serious, Governor Wu would have come to see you long ago. In fact, he has had control over the transport workers all along. He only lost control for a moment this morning when trouble almost broke out, but now… Lord, do you understand what I mean?”
Li Qing’an slowly sat down and carefully considered Liu’s words. Gradually, he began to grasp the meaning.
“You’re saying it was him who arranged for the transport workers to gather?”
“I didn’t say that. In truth, the transport workers’ families are also struggling—they don’t have money to buy rice, and they certainly want to cause trouble. But for twenty thousand of them to gather together is somewhat questionable.”
Liu Sisong still spoke hesitantly, but Li Qing’an fully understood him. Indeed, organizing twenty thousand transport workers to cause trouble was a capital offense. Ordinary people wouldn’t do such a thing, nor did they have the ability to rally transport workers from several provinces. After thinking for a while, he stopped mentioning Wu Qing and asked a different question.
“Tell me, how do these transport workers usually operate?”
Li Qing’an had handled salt-related cases in Yangzhou, where the Du Bosheng family controlled thousands of salt workers in the Jianghuai region through a guild-like structure. The situation in Bianzhou should be similar.
Without mentioning local officials, Liu Sisong spoke much more smoothly. He smiled and said, “Lord, you may not know this, but just like commerce, transportation also has its own guilds and organizations. Along the Bian River and its tributaries in Bian, Song, Bo, and Xu, there are hundreds of shipping companies of various sizes. These companies have fleets, boatmen, and transport workers. Each company employs dozens to hundreds of transport workers. Among these hundreds of companies, three are particularly large, have close ties with the government, and all have their own backers. All shipping companies follow their commands— one is the Xu family from Kaifeng, another is the Tao family from Chenliu, both of whom are from Bianzhou; the third is the Zhao family from Songcheng in Songzhou. These three companies basically monopolize over 50% of the cargo transportation, and the twenty thousand transport workers along the Bian River are all under their control.”
Only then did Li Qing’an understand. Wu Qing could mobilize over twenty thousand transport workers to turn against him by controlling these three major shipping companies. But why would he do that? Did he have something to hide?

Thinking of this, he smiled at Liu Sisong and said, “How about this! Since I’m new here, could you go to the best restaurants in Bianzhou City and reserve a few tables for me? Then invite the big bosses from the Tao family in Kaifeng, Xuzhou, and Chenliu, saying it’s my invitation for them to drink.”
“What about Governor Wu…”
“I’ll handle inviting Governor Wu. Just give me a list.”
…
Since it took half a day to travel from Chenliu to Kaifeng, the banquet was scheduled for the next day. Li Qing’an wrote dozens of invitations and instructed Liu Sisong to send them out. He then left the yamen and, accompanied by a court official, went to He Lie Xing, the largest foreigner-owned jewelry store in Bianzhou City. There were four most profitable businesses in the Tang Dynasty: money-changing shops, salt shops, tea shops, and foreigner-owned jewelry stores, and Bianzhou City was no exception. He Lie Xing had over thirty clerks and craftsmen, almost monopolizing the jewelry business in nearby counties such as Bian, Song, and Xu.
He Lie Xing was located in the middle of Baishui Street. The store covered a huge area, being a long, massive building with a shopfront and workshops at the back. Li Qing’an stepped up the stairs, and an enthusiastic clerk immediately came out to greet him.
“What kind of jewelry are you looking for? Our store has everything—high quality at affordable prices, guaranteed to satisfy you.”
“I’m here to talk to your owner about a big deal. Is he here?”
The clerk was momentarily stunned before quickly saying, “Yes! Please follow me.”
Li Qing’an and several bodyguards entered the store. It was quite spacious, with dozens of seating areas, each equipped with a small table. Two people were sitting there, and a middle-aged man was showing customers gems from Kangguo.
“Owner!” The clerk called out to the middle-aged man a few times. “There’s something important here.”
“I’ll be right back!” The middle-aged man apologized to the customers before hurrying over. “What’s the matter?”
“This customer wants to see you about a big deal,” the clerk said, pointing at Li Qing’an.
“Is there anything you need my help with?” the owner asked with a smile, his gaze somewhat unusual.
Li Qing’an took out a golden plaque that shone brightly from his waist and waved it in front of him. The owner’s expression immediately became very serious.
“Please follow me!”
He led Li Qing’an hurriedly to the back yard, to a small room without windows. He unlocked two heavy iron locks and pushed open the heavy iron door with a creaking sound.
“Please come in!”
It was pitch black inside, seemingly bottomless. A few bodyguards wanted to rush in, but Li Qing’an stopped them with a wave of his hand. “Wait at the door!”
He entered the small room and realized it was actually the entrance to a passage. About twenty steps ahead was another iron door.

“This is our warehouse for precious jewels. Please follow me!” The shopkeeper led Li Qing’an all the way to the end, opened a door, and suddenly the room came into view—a circular space with an Arabic-style design, surrounded by bluestone walls. Several lamps were lit, and there were cleverly designed ventilation openings, so there was no sense of lack of oxygen at all. With a loud thud, the shopkeeper closed the door. Li Qing’an, with his hands behind his back, looked around. There were wooden grids around the room, and each grid held a dazzling jewel, clearly of great value. “Sir, allow me to introduce myself first. My name is Yang Tang, and I am the leader of the Han-Tang Society in Henan Province.” “You know me?” Li Qing’an narrowed his eyes as he examined the shopkeeper. Shopkeeper Yang smiled bitterly and said, “Last year, I was working at a shop in Beiting. I’ve seen Sir Li before and even spent a few days in his military camp.” “Heh! So we’re old friends then.” Li Qing’an smiled and took out the gold medal he had received from Li Huichun. There were only three such medals in total, and with them, one could mobilize all the forces of the Tang Dynasty’s Han-Tang Society. Of course, not many people could recognize this medal, and Shopkeeper Yang was one of them. He picked up the medal, examined it carefully, and confirmed its authenticity before bowing and saying, “Please give your orders, Sir Li!” “Come, sit down first. I have a few questions for you.” The two sat down. After thinking for a moment, Li Qing’an said with a smile, “I’m here on an inspection tour in Henan Province, and it seems the local officials are very wary of me. I want to know if anything interesting happened here before my arrival.” “Interesting things? Sir, you really know how to joke. These officials only have shady dealings—how could there be anything interesting?” “I’m talking about those shady dealings exactly.” Shopkeeper Yang was stunned for a while before sighing and saying, “If I told you that many officials were actually delighted by the arrival of the drought, would you believe it?” “Why?” Li Qing’an wasn’t quite sure. “Because the drought can cover up all their misdeeds. For example, those who embezzled government grain can claim it was used for disaster relief, or that famine victims stole from the granaries. I heard that in Songzhou, famine victims raided the granaries, only to find them empty—there was no grain at all. That way, the court can’t investigate. Or take those who falsely reported their household sizes to get promoted—when the drought hits, they can claim the people have fled or died of starvation, thus covering up their lies. In short, your arrival might threaten their interests. For instance, if there’s a famine rebellion in Songzhou, as long as you investigate the cause, some people will likely lose their positions.”

“Do you know what the reason is?”
Shopkeeper Yang shook his head. “I’m not very sure, but I heard it has something to do with the land.”
Li Qing’an nodded and said, “I’ll investigate the problems in Songcheng County. But I came to see you today because there are two matters I need your help with.”
Shopkeeper Yang quickly stood up and bowed. “Whatever it is, big or small, as long as the governor gives the order, we will definitely obey it.”
“Good!” Li Qing’an approved and continued, “Here’s the thing: There are 20,000 water transport workers at the docks outside the city. I want to hire 2,000 of them to form a militia that serves me. But I don’t have enough money and supplies, so you’ll have to cover that for me.”
The Han-Tang Society had a strict hierarchy, and orders from superiors had to be obeyed without question. Although Li Qing’an wasn’t a member of the Han-Tang Society, he held the highest authority card of the society. Shopkeeper Yang immediately bowed and said, “We’ll follow the order. If the money here isn’t enough, we’ll get it from Jianghuai.”
He hesitated for a moment before adding, “But governor, we also have over 500 members of the Han-Tang Society in Henan Circuit. We can serve you as well.”
“I know!” Li Qing’an waved his hand and smiled. “The Han-Tang Society can only provide covert support and cannot appear openly. I need a brave and capable team, and the gathering of these water transport workers gives me the perfect opportunity.”
He then added, “I also need a convoy to transport grain, and more money to buy grain in Jianghuai. All of this should be arranged by the Han-Tang Society.”
He took out a plan and handed it to Shopkeeper Yang. “Do everything as outlined here. I need to start recruiting the militia early tomorrow morning.”
……
The gathering of over 20,000 water transport workers was clearly meant to put pressure on Li Qing’an, perhaps to distract him so he wouldn’t have time to deal with official matters. It was a trap set by the officials in Henan Circuit, and of course, some high-ranking officials in the court were also involved.
But Li Qing’an saw another business opportunity in it—the 20,000 water transport workers could solve his problem of a shortage of manpower. There were also troops stationed in Henan Circuit, but moving more than ten soldiers required orders from the Ministry of War, whose minister was Yang Guozhong. It was obvious he couldn’t move a single soldier. With the Han-Tang Society’s substantial financial and material resources, the problem of a shortage of manpower was easily solved.
Early the next morning, the office of the inspection envoy set up a recruitment booth at the Bianzhou docks. A large red flag was raised high, with the character “Recruit” written in bold letters on it. Dozens of clerks and 100 bodyguards were busy maintaining order. Li Qing’an personally served as the recruitment officer, with 20 burly bodyguards standing behind him, watching the surroundings vigilantly.

Some people had already rushed to the dock to spread the news vigorously: three liters of rice per day and 200 coins, along with a waist knife and a gray robe—these generous conditions made the water transport workers envious. Three liters of rice per day could feed an entire family, and 200 coins was more than they earned after toiling hard as water transport workers. Some still hesitated, but by the time they made up their minds, the opportunity was gone. Twenty thousand water transport workers formed more than a dozen long queues, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Out of those twenty thousand, two thousand were selected—all muscular and hardworking water transport workers. The selection went smoothly; they were under thirty years old, about seven feet tall, and able to lift a 100-jin stone lock. Eventually, the standard had to be raised to 130 jin. By noon, the two thousand volunteers had been recruited.

Li Qing’an divided these two thousand into four battalions and assigned 200 of his personal guards to lead them. He also gave them a nice name: the Disaster Relief Volunteer Battalions.

The first task assigned to these two thousand disaster relief volunteers was to keep watch over the nearly twenty thousand rejected water transport workers, preventing them from causing trouble. These people needed to be sent home, and solving this problem involved a banquet at dusk.

……

Yisong Lou, located at the southern city gate of Bianzhou, was the largest and most upscale tavern in the city. The severe drought had also affected its business; usually, it was quiet, but that night it was especially lively. Li Qing’an, the governor of Henan who had just arrived in Bianzhou, had reserved the entire tavern to host a banquet for local officials and respected scholars, aiming to discuss strategies to combat the drought.

Over a hundred people received invitations: more than twenty officials at various ranks, such as the governor, chief secretary, military officers, county magistrates, deputy magistrates, and clerks. There were also over eighty wealthy families from Kaifeng County and Chenliu County—some former officials, some merchants, and some landowners, most of whom held military honors.

These military honors were similar to today’s “March 8th Red-Banner Pioneers” or “May 1st Model Workers,” with different ranks such as First-Class Upper Pillar Statesman and Second-Class Pillar Statesman. They were awarded to recognize contributions made by ordinary people to the country, such as donating grain, running schools, or fighting in wars. It was an honor, but after the mid-Tang period, such honors became widespread. After the An Lushan Rebellion, the court recruited many conscripts but lacked funds for rewards, so it used these honors as a substitute. Some people who donated money were granted the rank of Fourth-Class Upper Light Chariot Commander and were overjoyed, thinking they were now officials of that rank. Unbeknownst to them, their coachman smiled bitterly and said, “Sir, I’m still an Upper Pillar Statesman!”

I digressed. Let’s get back to the topic. Upon hearing that the inspection envoy had invited them to dinner, these distinguished people took it very seriously and began preparing since noon. They changed into one fine silk robe after another, groomed themselves thoroughly, put on gauze hats, donned soft-soled black boots, and fastened leather belts around their waists. Yet some sensed something amiss—discussing plans to combat drought, could it be that they’d be asked to pay?

An hour before the banquet started, some impatient people arrived by carriage. The banquet was held on the second floor, and since the host hadn’t arrived yet, they couldn’t go up. So they spent time in the hall on the first floor, drinking tea and chatting.

“Who is this Envoy Li? What’s his background?” asked a wealthy merchant who wasn’t very interested in current affairs.

His ignorance immediately drew scornful looks from others.

“Brother Ji, you can’t be that ignorant! Don’t you know Li Qing’an? He’s the military governor of Beiting and the first person targeted in the crown prince’s purge.”

“Oh! Could it be that great archer Li from Anxi who’s so good at polo?”

“That’s him! He was originally exiled to Liuzhou but somehow became the inspection envoy for Henan Province.”

……

“Hey! Hey! There are rumors that the Imperial Concubine has a fancy for this Li Qing’an. Is that true?”

“Shh! Speak softly. You can’t just spread rumors like that.”

……

“Brother Zhao, do you think Li Qing’an will make us pay tonight?”

“Who knows? I guess we’ll have to pay a price.”

……

As everyone discussed, in a elegant room on the first floor, Governor Wu Qing was discussing river transport matters with Xu Minzhi, the head of Bian Song Shipbuilding, and Tao Gui, the head of Chenliu Sihai Shipbuilding.

Xu Minzhi, around sixty years old, was a thin old man from a family involved in river transport, with vast wealth. Though he looked frail, he had eighteen concubines and built eighteen flower gardens in his hundred-acre mansion, one for each concubine—making him famous for his amorous affairs in Bianzhou.

At that moment, he said worriedly, “Governor Wu, things seem bad. Li Qing’an recruited two thousand people today for river transport work, claiming it’s for disaster relief. I’m worried that instead of controlling the workers, we’ll end up under his control.”

Wu Qing’s expression turned dark. He snorted and said, “You’re really useless. Can’t you even control your own workers?”

Tao Gui, with his plump face, smiled bitterly and said, “How can we control them now? The water level is so low that ships can’t sail. There’s no work, but every family needs food. We can’t afford to keep idlers. With Li Qing’an offering money and food, the workers naturally follow him. There’s nothing we can do!”

“Strange. Where does he get all this money from?”

Wu Qing was talking to himself when suddenly a shout came from outside: “Li, the observer of Henan Circuit, has arrived!”
Li Qing’an had arrived. Wu Qing immediately said to the two men, “I don’t care what methods you use, the water transport workers must hold on for another five days. Do you remember that?”
The two men had no choice but to nod and say, “We remember.”
Wu Qing stood up and headed outside. By then, Li Qing’an had already entered, surrounded by dozens of bodyguards. He bowed to everyone and said with a smile, “Thank you all for coming tonight. I hope you enjoy the food and drinks!”
“Whereas! It’s our great fortune to have Lord Li host a banquet.”
Wu Qing stepped forward, bowed, and said with a smile, “Lord Li seems very busy today!”
Li Qing’an smiled slightly and said, “There’s no other way. Since the emperor has tasked me with coordinating drought relief efforts in Henan Circuit, I must do my best.”
He then said to everyone, “It’s getting late. Let’s all go upstairs! We’ll start the banquet soon.”
Everyone stood up and went upstairs. Ten tables were set up, with each seat marked by a guest’s name. Everyone took their seats. After some chaos, things gradually settled down.
“Everyone, be quiet!”
Li Qing’an raised a wine cup and said loudly, “I’ve invited local officials and respected figures here today to discuss drought relief efforts. As the emperor-appointed observer of Henan Circuit, I bear the responsibility of addressing this crisis. I’ve promised the emperor that no one will starve, and there won’t be any riots caused by hunger. But as soon as I arrived in Bianzhou, 20,000 water transport workers started causing trouble, which was a huge setback for me.”
At this point, Li Qing’an’s gaze turned cold. He glanced at Xu and Tao, the two major owners of shipping companies, who both lowered their heads in guilt.
Li Qing’an snorted heavily and continued, “Since I’m in Henan Circuit, I’ll do things my way. From now on, officials in all provinces here must adapt to my style, not the other way around.”
His voice was extremely stern. The hall was dead silent, with fear on everyone’s faces. Wu Qing slowly realized something—this banquet might well be a trap.
Then Li Qing’an clapped his hands. His fifty bodyguards came in, each carrying a large plate covered with a round lid, with no one knowing what was inside.
The fifty bodyguards placed the plates on the tables one after another, five plates per table. Then Li Qing’an said coldly, “This is the first dish I’ve prepared for you—called ‘Warning First!’”
As soon as he finished speaking, the fifty bodyguards lifted the lids at the same time. The hall was filled with gasps. Almost everyone covered their mouths, staring in horror at the plates.

There were forty-eight bloody human heads on the plates, with terrifying faces, while two other plates were empty. Li Qing’an pointed at the empty plates and said to Xu Minhe and Tao Gui, “These two empty plates are prepared for you two.”