Chapter 216: The New Leader of Hidden Dragon

Xiangyi County was a small county with fewer than a thousand households. After dark, the streets were deserted, with not a single soul in sight. Only at the entrance of the Qiao Family Inn, the largest inn in the county, could one see someone walking back and forth in the shadows, observing the surroundings. At that moment, several riders rushed over, dismounted at the inn’s entrance. A few patrolmen quickly stepped forward and greeted them, saying, “Master Qi has arrived!”
A middle-aged man in his fifties nodded and smiled. “Are they all here?”
“Everyone is here, except for a few from Chang’an; the rest have arrived.”
“I know. Keep patrolling carefully—no one is allowed in!” After saying that, the middle-aged man strode into the inn.
“Huai Yuan has arrived. Everyone is waiting for you.”
“I’m late. I’m sorry. Has my elder brother improved?”
“He’s much better. Alright! We can hold the meeting now.”
The middle-aged man was named Qi Huai Yuan. He was the head of the Han-Tang Society in the Jianghuai region and also one of the 24 members of the core Hidden Dragon Society. He had received a secret order to rush to Xiangyi County urgently to handle a matter crucial to the Hidden Dragon Society’s century-long dream. The Qiao Family Inn had been fully reserved by the Hidden Dragon Society. Twenty of its members from Suiye and various parts of the Tang Dynasty were gathered there for their final meeting. Aside from a few who held official positions in the court, all other members of the Hidden Dragon Society had arrived. They were about to decide on a matter that would determine the survival of their society.
In a sealed room, Li Hui Chun looked extremely serious. He glanced at everyone and said, “We’ve gathered here in Songzhou for the first time in nearly a decade. I believe everyone already knows why—Fengwen Jade Pendant was found on Li Qingan, and he has worn it since childhood. It’s highly likely that he is Li Ting, the eldest son who disappeared over twenty years ago. But this matter affects whether our century-long dream can come true, so we must be extremely cautious at every step.”
With that, he turned to a middle-aged man with a thick beard and said, “Yun Pei, Master Qi has just arrived. Please repeat what you’ve investigated about Li Qingan’s background.”
Hu Yun Pei was the head of the Han-Tang Society’s Luoyang branch and also a member of the Hidden Dragon Society. He nodded and said, “Three months ago, I received orders from Brother Li to investigate Li Qingan’s background. We mobilized all our resources and spent 100,000 guan. Our conclusion is that Li Qingan is of unknown origin, and all the records of his background in the court are false.”

Although everyone had already heard the report once, Hu Yunpei’s words still drew a chorus of sighs from the crowd. Hu Yunpei took out a slightly yellowed document and continued, “This is the original military registration document for Li Qingan that we obtained from the Ministry of War. It was issued by Li Feiyuanli, the commander of Sulou Fengshu Fort, at Bahuancheng. It contains Li Qingan’s own account and his signature. He claims to be from Luoyang, with his ancestral home in Yexian. His grandfather was Li Zengyun, and his father was Li Wenge—both families had a tradition of martial arts. Yet after searching through all the household records in Luoyang and Yexian, we found several people named Li Zengyun, but none of them were related to Li Qingan at all. As for Li Wenge, not a single record could be found. Moreover, the record in the Ministry of Civil Administration stating that he was a Suiye Han is pure nonsense—it was fabricated for him. That’s one problem. Secondly, how did he end up at Sulou Fengshu Fort? He says he followed a Sogdian merchant as a bodyguard and got separated after being attacked by the Turkic Khuzars. I checked the records; no Sogdian merchants passed through Lingshan in that month. In other words, he’s lying again.”

Finally, Hu Yunpei held up a short jacket and said, “This is a short coat obtained from Sulou Fengshu Fort. It was worn by Li Qingan when he was at the fort. We got it by chance. This coat isn’t from the Tang Dynasty nor from Sogdiana. It’s finely crafted, but its origin is unknown. I’ve asked many Sogdian merchants, and some say it resembles items from very distant lands. Putting these clues together, I can assert that Li Qingan isn’t from the Tang Dynasty, but he is indeed a Han. He joined the army at Sulou Fengshu Fort, definitely not from the Tang Dynasty. His background remains a mystery. I personally support my elder brother’s guess—that he’s very likely Prince Ting, who was abducted to the West.”

After Hu Yunpei finished speaking, everyone fell into deep thought. Chang Jin, who had always insisted that Li Qingan was the elder prince, raised a question, “I heard that Li Qingan learned the Turkic language later, and he doesn’t understand Sogdian either. That’s a bit strange.”

“That’s not strange,” Hu Yunpei said with a smile. “Prince Ting was abducted to the West as a child, so it’s normal that he can’t speak Turkic. I’ve heard that the West is vast, with many small countries that don’t speak Sogdian. So we can ask him directly about this. But aside from this doubt, I’m confident he’s Prince Ting. Moreover, we have a more practical way to confirm it.”

At that point, Hu Yunpei looked at Li Huichun. Li Huichun nodded and took out a small crystal bottle from his bosom. “This is blood taken from Prince Ting. If we compare their blood, we’ll know whether they’re brothers.”

Li Huichun sighed and said, “I originally planned to bring Prince Ding along as well, but his health is too poor. After indulging in pleasure all the way, he fell seriously ill in Luoyang, so I had no choice but to leave him there to recover.”
“That good-for-nothing! It would be better if he died!”
Luo Pinfang shouted angrily, standing up. “Listen to me! The Hidden Prince has been dead for a hundred years. Li Shimin’s descendants have firmly established themselves on the throne, while the descendants of the Hidden Prince have become worse and worse with each generation. By Prince Ding’s time, he was utterly incapable. To be honest, I’ve given up hope. I feel sad for our ancestors. I thought the hopes of those eighteen families over four generations spanning a hundred years would remain just a dream. But with the emergence of the phoenix-patterned jade pendant, I suddenly realized that our dream might come true. Everyone has seen who Li Qingan is—he can end battles single-handedly and command vast territories. Only such a person can be a descendant of the Hidden Prince. Without him, how much longer must we wait? Must we pass on this unattainable burden to our descendants?”
Luo Pinfang’s voice was mournful, filled with the hardships and vicissitudes of those eighteen families over a hundred years. He slowly scanned the crowd; tears glistened in everyone’s eyes. He took a deep breath and reached out to Li Huichun. “Brother, give it to me!”
Li Huichun silently handed the crystal bottle containing Prince Ding’s blood to Luo Pinfang. Luo Pinfang slammed it onto the ground with a loud crack, splashing blood everywhere.
“There’s no need for more blood tests to confirm his identity—he’s Prince Ding!”
……
Nearly a hundred horses rushed out suddenly from the Qiao Family Inn. The loud pounding of their hooves shattered the silence of the night. At the city gates, they bribed the guards, who opened the gates slightly. The group rushed out and headed south.
Since Xiangyi County was too small, Li Qingan’s large army did not enter the city nor alert the authorities. Instead, they bypassed the county and continued southward, setting up camp in a forest about thirty li away from the county. Due to the short time available for recruitment, the laborers he gathered were not yet accustomed to the intense marching and strict military discipline. They were completely exhausted. As soon as they reached the forest, they fell asleep immediately. Eventually, it was Li Qingan’s personal guards who had to cook meals and conduct patrols.

Inside a small tent, Li Qing’an studied by the light the letter written by Cui Qiao to his brother Cui Lian. It was a letter that could cost Cui Qiao his life—in it, he actually asked his brother to alter the documents of the county princess’s estate, including the newly seized 1,000 mu of farmland, in order to cover up his wife’s misdeeds of seizing civilian land. Although it was his wife, the Princess of Xiangyi, who had taken the land, his tolerance and protection of her actions were unacceptable for someone in his position as prime minister.

Li Qing’an pondered for a long time. As an emperor, Li Longji would never allow one faction to dominate. In history, he had used Zhang Yun and Chen Xilié to counter Li Linfu. When Zhang Yun and Chen Xilié proved no match for Li Linfu, he turned to Yang Guozhong as a counterweight. After Li Linfu’s death, Yang Guozhong’s faction became dominant, so Li Longji used An Lushan to check him. Though this attempt at balance failed, Li Longji’s strategy was clear: while supporting a powerful minister, he also needed to support his rival. This was the way of emperors, unchanged even when Yang Guozhong was a relative by marriage.

Now that Yang Guozhong was at the height of his power while Li Linfu was on the decline, how could Li Longji not seek someone to counter Yang Guozhong? Whether Li Qing’an could replace An Lushan as a candidate for Li Longji’s favor was still uncertain, but he knew there were certain actions he must take—even if it meant facing a counterattack from the crown prince’s faction, he had to stand up.

With this in mind, Li Qing’an immediately picked up a pen and wrote an impeachment petition, accusing Cui Qiao of tolerating and covering up his wife’s theft of fertile land, exploiting the locals like slaves, and including evidence such as the contracts of land seizure along with Tian Yi’s confession and Cui Qiao’s own letter in one bundle. He handed it to two trusted subordinates and said, “Go quickly to Chang’an and deliver this petition and bundle to the Censorate.”

The two subordinates left as ordered. Just as Li Qing’an was about to turn off the light and rest, a bodyguard rushed in and reported, “Lord, there are many people outside—Li Huichun from Suiye and others.”

Li Qing’an was taken aback. Why would Li Huichun come looking for him here? After a brief pause, he said, “Let them in!”

More than twenty people were crammed into the small tent, making it extremely cramped and uncomfortable. Apart from a few people like Li Huichun, Chang Jin, Luo Pinfang, and Song Quanyi, he didn’t know the others. Each of them had a serious expression and stared intently at Li Qingan, making him feel uneasy. Li Huichun introduced them one by one: “This is Hu Yunpei from the Han-Tang Luoyang branch; this is Qi Huaiyuan from the Han-Tang Jianghuai branch; this is Liu Jin from the Yizhou branch; this is Zhao Shujuan from the Jingxiang branch…” and so on. They were all prominent figures of the Han-Tang Society. Li Qingan immediately guessed that these were members of the Hidden Dragon Society. He instinctively reached for his waist and felt the green phoenix-patterned jade pendant, then smiled slightly and said, “You all came to see me. Is there something on your mind?”

“Lord Li, we would like to take a look at the phoenix-patterned jade pendant. Is that possible?”

Li Qingan had two top-quality jades. One he obtained from Du Bosheng’s belongings in Yangzhou and had given to Dugu Mingyue as a token of affection, while the other was this phoenix-patterned jade pendant. He took out the pendant and placed it on the table. Li Huichun slowly picked it up, and Chang Jin quickly raised the light. Everyone gathered around, staring intently at the jade. Under the bright light, a phoenix ready to take flight appeared within it.

“It’s it! It really is it!”

Qi Huaiyuan, who had once gone to the Great Tang to search for the lost prince, murmured to himself. He suddenly turned to look at Li Qingan, growing more convinced that he was the lost prince. Finally, he couldn’t help asking, “Lord Li, where exactly did you spend your youth?”

Li Qingan sighed slightly and said, “I spent my youth in the distant West, traveling with my grandfather.”

“Your grandfather… was he really your grandfather?”

“I don’t know if he was my biological father. I’ve been with him since I can remember. In my heart, he is my grandfather.”

Li Qingan’s expression turned displeased as he asked, “This is my private matter. Why do you ask?”

Li Huichun quickly apologized, “Lord Li, please calm down. This matter is of great importance, which is why we asked. Please forgive us.”

He hesitated for a moment before asking one last time, “Could you tell us what the West is like and what language is spoken there?”

Li Qingan knew better than anyone what these people were here for. Ever since he claimed the phoenix-patterned jade was one he had worn since childhood, he knew such a situation would eventually arise. He just didn’t expect it to happen in a small county in Songzhou.

At first, when he heard about Feng Yu’s background, he had the idea of assuming another identity. It was mainly because the vast wealth and regional power of the Han-Tang Dynasty captivated him. At first, this idea was vague, but when he was stripped of his position as the governor of Beiting and imprisoned, he finally realized that no matter how clever one’s strategies were, they paled in the face of Li Longji’s absolute imperial power. Only overwhelming strength could ensure that Li Longji wouldn’t dare touch him. For this reason, he needed an identity, and a descendant of Li Jiancheng might be the best cover—this was the decision he made while in prison.

Li Qingan waved his hand to send his bodyguards away, then slowly said, “To the west lies the vast Abbasid Empire with territories stretching for thousands of miles. To the north is the Byzantine Empire. Further west is an ocean, called the Mediterranean by the locals. To the south of the Mediterranean is Egypt, which is also part of the Abbasid Empire. To the north are dozens of small kingdoms, such as the Frankish Kingdom and the Lombard Kingdom. As for me, I grew up in the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom, which is an island nation.”

At this point, Li Qingan took out a piece of paper, wrote a few lines in English, and read them fluently. Smiling at the stunned members of the Hidden Dragon Society, he said, “It means I come from the Eastern Tang Dynasty. My name is Li Qingan. I’m very glad to meet you all.”

Li Hui Chun exchanged glances with a few others. Having no objections left, he knelt down with a thud. All twenty members of the Hidden Dragon Society in the tent knelt as well. Li Qingan was surprised and quickly helped him up. “What are you doing? Please stand up!”

“Young Master Ting, please accept our bow!”

“You’ve got it wrong,” Li Qingan said unhappily. “I’m not your Li Ting. I don’t even remember my home being in Suiye. Please stand up!”

The others refused to get up. Qi Huaiyuan said through tears, “Young Master Ting, it was I who took you to watch the lanterns and lost you back then. You were only three years old then. You might not remember, but I recognized you at first sight, along with this jade. If it’s not you, Young Master Ting, then who else could it be?”

Li Qingan remained silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed slightly and said, “I’m Li Qingan. That’s the name my grandfather gave me. It’s not some Li Ting.”

Li Hui Chun reacted quickly and immediately interjected, “Young master, your name isn’t important. What matters is that you are the leader of our Hidden Dragon Society, a descendant of the Hidden Crown Prince, and the hope we’ve longed for for a hundred years. If you want to be called Li Qingan, then there is no such person as Li Ting in this world.”

Li Qingan still shook his head, refusing them once again.

“Your master is Prince Ting. If what you say is true, he should be my brother, and he is the rightful heir to the Dragon Pattern Jade. I hope you’ll help him achieve great things. I don’t want him to be harmed because of me.”
“No!”
Luo Pinfang shouted angrily, “That little scoundrel isn’t worthy of being our master, nor of being a descendant of the Hidden Prince. Following him only leads to death. It’s only because you were lost since childhood that I was forced to assist him. Now that you’re back, he should step aside.”
Luo Pinfang was hot-tempered. He drew his sword and placed it across his neck, glaring at Li Qing’an and saying, “If you refuse, I’ll commit suicide right in front of you.”
Encouraged by Luo Pinfang, the others also drew their swords and placed them across their necks, declaring in unison, “If you refuse, we’ll commit suicide right in front of you.”
Li Qing’an stamped his foot in frustration and said, “It’s not that I agree, but I think you’re being hasty. Just because of a piece of jade, you claim I’m Prince Ting. What if Prince Ting really returns someday? How will you face that?”
“That’s simple!”
Luo Pinfang slashed his index finger against his sword, and blood immediately flowed out. He declared loudly, “A true man dares to take responsibility. Since we’ve decided you’re the eldest prince today, we’ll never go back on it. I swear by my blood that Li Qing’an is Prince Ting, the leader of the Hidden Dragon Society!”
The others also cut their fingers and swore their loyalty to Li Qing’an. Only then did Li Qing’an reluctantly say, “Alright! Since you insist I’m Prince Ting and the leader of the Hidden Dragon Society, I’ll do it.”
Hearing that he had finally agreed, the crowd cheered excitedly. Li Qing’an’s bodyguards rushed in in panic, but he waved them away and said to the crowd, “But I have to say something harsh first. I’m not a puppet like Prince Ting. If I become the leader of the Hidden Dragon Society, your good days are likely over.”
Currently, the leader of the Hidden Dragon Society was Li Huichun. Seeing Li Qing’an’s clever tactics in forcing everyone to swear an oath and blocking all escape routes, he secretly admired him. However, when it came to referring to Li Ting as a puppet, he felt embarrassed and sighed, “Prince, you don’t know the whole story. In fact, the power of the Hidden Dragon Society has always been in the hands of the descendants of the Hidden Prince. It’s just that the former leader passed away early, and Prince Ting simply couldn’t bear such a heavy responsibility. We had no choice but to discuss it among ourselves. But your talent and courage are a hundred times greater than ours. You’ve proven yourself by recovering Suiye, so we’ll naturally obey your orders without hesitation.”
With that, he took out the Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant and respectfully handed it to Li Qing’an, “Please accept this, Prince!”
“You guys… fine then!”

Li Qing’an took the jade pendant and ordered, “Very well! Li Huichun and Chang Jin will stay for now; the rest should retreat outside the tent and wait!” Although Li Qing’an spoke in an unyielding tone, everyone was extremely relieved. This was the kind of leader capable of achieving great things. In the past, the former lord would discuss everything with them before acting, while the current Li Dang acted based on their reactions, appearing respectful yet leaving them deeply disappointed. What they wanted was a ruler who could fulfill their ancestors’ dreams, not a weak and useless person. At that moment, they felt immensely satisfied and agreed in unison before retreating.

After everyone left, Li Qing’an sighed bitterly and said to Li Huichun and Chang Jin, “You’ve really put me in a tough spot!” Chang Jin didn’t understand what he meant and quickly asked, “What do you mean by that?” “The Hidden Dragon Society’s dream is to complete what the Hidden Prince failed to achieve—that is, to place one of the Hidden Prince’s descendants on the throne. But the descendants of the Hidden Prince never live long, showing that this is against nature. Now you want me to fulfill your dream—aren’t you harming me?” Chang Jin replied solemnly, “My lord, please don’t say that. You are a descendant of the Hidden Prince. It is your responsibility to carry on your ancestors’ legacy. How can you refuse just because you’re afraid of death?” Li Huichun, standing nearby, stroked his beard and smiled, “My lord, you’re actually worried that the current emperor will find out, right?” Li Qing’an gave a thumbs-up and laughed, “You’re truly clever, sir. You guessed right. I am indeed worried that the emperor will find out. If he learns that the descendants of the Hidden Prince are still alive and wants to replace them, do you think I’ll have a peaceful life?” “Don’t worry about that, my lord. The Hidden Dragon Society has existed for four generations, always keeping everything strictly confidential. No one outside our twenty-four members will ever know your identity.” “What about Lord Dang? If he finds out he’s been replaced, who knows if he won’t report it? You know, he’s simple-minded and would do anything to get revenge on me.” Li Huichun immediately replied with a smile, “My lord, rest assured. The Hidden Dragon Society has survived for a hundred years precisely because of its strict confidentiality measures. Lord Dang doesn’t know your true identity, and we never intend to tell him. Even your birth mother won’t be informed, for fear that she might reveal it to the second prince. But please return to Suiye as soon as possible to pay respects at the Hidden Prince’s shrine. Only then can you officially become the leader of the Hidden Dragon Society and a descendant of the Hidden Prince.” Li Qing’an nodded and sighed, “I do want to go back, but the time isn’t right yet.”

Li Huichun and Chang Jin exchanged a glance and said in unison, “We wonder what timing the young master needs?”
Li Qing’an pondered for a moment, looking somewhat worried. “Gao Xianzhi is about to launch a campaign against Toharistan. I’m very concerned about the situation in Suiye. Since Duomoji isn’t dead, I fear he might ally with the Arabs to attack Suiye. Therefore, I hope the Han people in Suiye can temporarily retreat to Beiting.”
Li Huichun was shocked and quickly stood up. “Abbas has already replaced the White Arabs and stationed heavy troops in Khorasan to suppress the Ali faction’s uprising. If Gao Xianzhi attacks Toharistan, Abbas will surely send troops. Your speculation is entirely possible. We’ll head back to Suiye right away.”
“Very well, go back immediately!”
……
After the members of the Hidden Dragon Society left, Li Qing’an walked back and forth in the forest with his hands behind his back. The golden moonlight filtered through the trees, casting a mysterious glow on their treetops. Li Qing’an looked up at the bright moon, thinking about his descendants. Over time, he gradually forgot about them, and many past events became blurred. In contrast, the years spent in the Tang Dynasty remained exceptionally clear in his mind.
Sometimes, when he woke up at night, he would have an illusion—whether it was him from the Tang Dynasty who had traveled to the future, or him from the future who had come to the Tang Dynasty. Just as in Zhuangzi’s dream where he mistook himself for a butterfly, was it Zhuangzi who turned into a butterfly, or the butterfly that turned into Zhuangzi?
Li Qing’an smiled bitterly. Whether he liked it or not, he had taken a new step in his life today. The Li Qing’an from the future had now become a member of the Tang royal family.