Chapter 309: Qing’an New County

The handover of prisoners of war between Anxi and the Abbasid Empire took place at the Amman River at the Outer A’lai Pass north of Juyanti. This was a medium-sized river that stretched over 300 li, with a gentle and steady flow. Flat-bottomed boats could cross it directly. Having flowed silently for millions of years, it now served as the southern boundary between the Tang Empire and the Abbasid Empire.

In early summer, a grand handover ceremony was held here. On the river, about six zhang wide, over 300 flat-bottomed boats were lined up in a row, stretching for more than ten li. These boats had no pilots; instead, iron chains were tied to the ropes on each side of the boats—five chains on the north side and five on the south—each chain being dozens of zhang long. The boats were pulled across by human effort.

On the south bank, 100,000 laborers from Sindh unloaded countless bags of grain from carts and elephant carts. These laborers were ordinary people from Sindh, dark-skinned, thin, and short, resembling an ant colony. They loaded the grain onto the flat-bottomed boats. Once the boats were full, laborers on the north bank gave a shout, and tens of thousands of people pulled the chains. The boats swayed slightly and slowly moved toward the other shore.

On the north bank, tens of thousands of Han Chinese immigrants from Suiye were already ready. As soon as the boats reached the shore, they rushed aboard, unloaded the piled-up grain, loaded it onto ox carts and horse carts, and then left for Pingyang City, built east of the Bosi Mountains about a hundred li away. There, the Tang army had constructed three massive fortresses, built by Li Qing’an to protect the Bosi Mountain silver mines and prepare for the conquest of Turkestan. These forts were now temporarily used as storage for grain.

The grain was stored temporarily in Pingyang City before being transported to Juyanti, where it was loaded onto boats and sent westward along the Pearl River, eventually reaching Suiye via a tributary. This was a complex and massive operation, including the exchange of grain for prisoners of war, which required at least a few months for both sides.

20,000 Tang soldiers were stationed on the north bank of the Amman River for this first batch of grain-for-prisoner exchanges—500,000 dan of grain in exchange for 5,000 prisoners. The 5,000 Khorasan prisoners had already arrived and stood in line at the back, eagerly waiting to cross the river.

Hundreds of Tang civil officials were busy counting the grain. Both banks were very quiet, with only the regular shouts of the laborers heard from time to time.

Li Qing’an rode a horse on a small hill by the river, gazing at the other side with complex emotions. The enemy had deployed thousands of elephants to transport the grain, with three elephant riders on each elephant. Li Qing’an could see clearly: one rode the elephant, while the other two were archers, their faces painted with war paint. These were indigenous soldiers from Sindh.

These thousands of elephant cavalry were beyond his expectations. When attacking Sindh in the future, he would surely encounter this army. He could use gunpowder against them, but he thought of another method that was not only effective but also interesting. At that moment, Li Qing’an’s heart suddenly warmed, and he longed to try it right away.

At that time, a civilian official rushed over to report, “Lord, the first batch of 100,000 bushels of grain has been counted accurately!”

Although Li Qing’an and Mansur had reached a principled agreement to exchange grain for prisoners of war, the details were negotiated by their respective subordinates, including the method, batches, and exact numbers of prisoners to be exchanged. Every detail was carefully finalized, and both sides drafted a specific procedure to carry out the exchanges in an orderly manner.

According to the procedure, once the Abbasid side delivered 100,000 bushels of grain, the Tang Dynasty side had to release 1,000 prisoners of war. Li Qing’an nodded and said, “Proceed as agreed. There’s no need to report to me again.”

The civilian official immediately ran back and shouted, “Release the first batch!”

The first group of 1,000 prisoners began boarding the boats, quickly filling them up. The chains tightened, and laborers on the opposite shore pulled the boats back to the southern bank. As soon as the boats reached the shore, the 1,000 prisoners, unable to contain their excitement, rushed ashore cheering. Some ran with their arms outstretched, hugging the Abbasid soldiers on the southern bank tightly, while others knelt on the ground, thanking Allah for granting them freedom.

The last to disembark was the Abbasid general Qiyad. As agreed, he was among the first to be released. Six months of imprisonment and intense labor in the mines had made Qiyad much thinner, but he was in good spirits, with a two-inch beard covering his face.

The boat slowly moved toward the opposite shore, getting closer and closer to freedom. Yet Qiyad no longer felt the joy of being set free. Everything seemed unreal to him—the scene of swinging an iron pickaxe in the silver mine still seemed to be before his eyes, along with the clanging sound of mining, his arms sweating profusely, the stinky wooden huts, and the hard work in the icy weather.

All of this would become distant memories. What would become of him, Qiyad, in the future?

At that moment, two soldiers came up to him and said, “General Qiyad, Prince Mansur wants you to come.”

“Mansur!”

Qiyad was shocked. Was the heir to the caliphate here? Following the soldiers’ gesture, he saw Mansur standing not far from the riverbank.

Like Li Qing’an, Mansur was also inspecting the process of exchanging prisoners of war with the first batch of grain on the southern bank of the Aman River. When the first batch of prisoners landed, his heart finally settled at ease.

In fact, he also understood that there would be no complications in this exchange. After all, he had already signed a truce and peace agreement with the Tang emperor in Chang’an. He had also heard that the Tang dynasty was about to launch a campaign against Tubo and thus had no time to turn westward for the time being. Meanwhile, the Abbasids were set to launch a campaign in Spain to completely eradicate the remaining forces of the Umayyad dynasty and thus had no time to turn eastward either. Under such circumstances, neither side would create unnecessary problems; once the exchange began, it would ultimately be completed smoothly.

After overseeing the first batch of prisoner exchanges, Mansur rushed back to Damascus. He received news in Sindh that the Abbasid caliph had suffered a relapse of an old injury from years ago, and his condition was serious. As the heir to the Abbasid throne, he had to return immediately, otherwise, if power fell into the hands of the ambitious Ali, he might lose his right to inherit the caliphate.

At that moment, two soldiers brought Qiyad forward. Kneeling at Mansur’s feet, Qiyad wept and said, “It is your grace, my lord, that has restored my freedom. I am infinitely grateful!”

Mansur smiled, placed a hand on his shoulder, and reassured him, “The dark clouds have dispersed. You will return to the battlefield. I will give you the chance to earn glory and wash away the shame of your capture.”

Qiyad was one of the greatest generals under the Muslims. Although he had been captured this time, his past heroic deeds made Mansur view him differently. Mansur intended to win this man’s loyalty and get him to serve him.

At that moment, Qiyad was filled with gratitude toward Mansur. Kissing Mansur’s boots, he said, “In my heart, there is only the great Prophet, only the caliph, and then my lord Mansur. If you will have me, I am willing to be your servant!”

This clearly expressed loyalty. Qiyad understood that the Battle of Talas had dealt a heavy blow to the Khurasan forces, and the Muslims had lost control of the Transoxiana region. Their days were numbered. He had to consider his own future, and today he seized the opportunity with Mansur.

Mansur helped him up and said with a smile, “Come with me to Damascus! I will give you a new chance.”

Mansur glanced back at Li Qing’an on the hill across the river. Coincidentally, Li Qing’an was also looking at him. Though they were hundreds of steps apart, both of them saw each other. They both understood that the truce was only temporary. Once they resolved their respective domestic issues, war between them would break out again.

After April arrived, a steady stream of immigrants continued to flow to Suiye every day. The journey westward was long and arduous; many elderly people died along the way due to the hardships of the trek, hunger, and illness. Yet more people, filled with hope for a better life and longing for land, endured months of difficult travel, crossing the Hexi Corridor, passing through Yumen Pass, traversing the vast Gobi Desert, and climbing over snow-capped mountains to reach Suiye after a long journey.

Suiye indeed did not disappoint them. The local government had already allocated 100,000 mu of fertile land, assigning each household a plot based on its size—ranging from 80 mu to 200 mu. Eight settlement areas were designated around General Pei Luo’s city, He Lie City, Rehai, and the vast territories north of Suiye, which would later become the foundation of the eight counties in Suiye Prefecture.

The immigrants established a mutual assistance system: ten households formed one “jia,” five “jias” made up one “bao,” and two immigrant officials were assigned to each group of ten “baos.” They helped one another cultivate the land and build houses, creating a vibrant scene across Suiye.

The grain exchange for prisoners of war by the Amman River continued, while Li Qing’an returned to Suiye. His wives and concubines were already living in their new house there. That morning, Li Qing’an took his wife, Du Gu Mingyue, by carriage to a newly built town in the northern part of Suiye.

They rode in a spacious carriage, passing through lush forests everywhere. Most of the flowers had withered, but the air was filled with the sweet scent of apple blossoms. High in the mountains, snow still covered the peaks, glowing like sapphires in the sunlight. The melting snow formed clear streams that wound their way together to form rivers. On the slopes lay grasslands as soft and delicate as velvet.

Inside the carriage, Li Qing’an carefully read the battle reports written by Cui Qianyou. Cui Qianyou had executed his strategies well—pressuring the Uyghurs without fighting, scorching the land, and gradually encroaching on their territory. This was a decision Li Qing’an had made after much deliberation. He needed war, relentless war—this was his best means to control Anxi.

This was actually also An Lushan’s strategy: fighting and pressuring the Khitans intermittently so he could maintain his position as military governor of Fanyang. If Wang Zhongsì had launched the Shibao City campaign in the sixth year of Tianbao as well, he wouldn’t have been able to hold onto his position as governor.

Li Qing’an closed the battle reports and fell into deep thought, silent for a long time. The carriage jolted, pulling him out of his reverie. He glanced at his wife and saw Mingyue gazing dreamily at the scenery outside the window. He kissed her forehead and smiled, asking, “Do you like it here?”

Moonlight nestled in her husband’s arms, nodded gently, and whispered, “The scenery here is completely different from that of the Central Plains, and also unlike the semi-steppe and semi-desert area in Anxi. I really like it.”
“If you like it, let’s build a house here as well, made of wood, with fruit trees behind it and a stream flowing in front of the house. When the fruits ripen in autumn, you can take the children to pick them.”
Li Qing’an’s words lit up Moonlight’s eyes. Taking her children to pick fruits was something she longed for deeply. She hugged Li Qing’an’s arm and said coquettishly, “Husband, then when will we be able to have children?”
Li Qing’an gently wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled affectionately, “Hmm! I’ll try my best. I’ll work doubly hard tonight to fulfill your wish sooner.”
Moonlight’s face turned red. She pinched Li Qing’an’s arm and sat up straight in his arms, straightening the slightly messy hair on her forehead. Then, pointing curiously at a tent area in the distance, she asked, “Husband, what’s that?”
Li Qing’an glanced over and smiled, “That’s our destination today. It’s also one of the settlements for Han people, named Qing’an Town.”
“Qing’an Town? Isn’t that your name?” Moonlight asked curiously.
Li Qing’an smiled irritably, “That was named by Li Siyeh to flatter me. From now on, this place will be called Qing’an County.”
Moonlight smiled sweetly, “Actually, the name Qing’an County is quite good—meaning good fortune and peace, which perfectly matches the hopes of the Han people who are being relocated.”
“Maybe so!”
The carriage slowly entered the settlement area. Li Qing’an gave an order, and the carriage stopped. He got out of the carriage and helped Moonlight down as well. At that moment, a middle-aged official rushed over upon hearing the news and bowed to Li Qing’an, saying, “Your humble servant, Han Yue, comes to pay respects to the military governor-general.”
Li Qing’an found him somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before, so he asked with a smile, “Have I met you before? Why do I feel so familiar?”
The official smiled and said, “General, actually, we have met before. That year, when you were appointed as the governor of Henan Circuit, I was the county magistrate of Xuchang. Back then, you even visited our soybean fields.”
Li Qing’an remembered the green soybean sprouts by the roadside during a severe drought and the county magistrate who invented the method of drip irrigation. He immediately recognized him and smiled joyfully, “So it’s County Magistrate Han. No wonder I feel so familiar. How did you end up in Anxi?”
County Magistrate Han smiled bitterly and said, “Higher authorities ordered Xuzhou to send two officials to Anxi for support. The prefect didn’t like me, so he sent me instead.”

Li Qing’an knew that this man had been sent to Anxi as a way to exclude others, but he was practical and brave enough to innovate. It was his luck as Li Qing’an that such an official came to serve in Anxi. Li Qing’an smiled, patted his shoulder, and said, “I’m well aware of County Magistrate Han’s abilities. A new county, Qing’an County, will be established here, and you will be its first magistrate. If you can successfully set it up, I will promote you to the position of Chief Secretary of Suiye Prefecture.”

Suiye Prefecture was under the jurisdiction of a military governor, Duan Xiushi, who was in charge of military affairs, while civil affairs were handled by the chief secretary. Moreover, Suiye was already the core area of Anxi, and taking charge of its civil affairs meant entering the upper echelons of Anxi. Han Yue realized that Li Qing’an was giving him a chance, so he was overjoyed and bowed, saying, “General, rest assured. I will definitely establish Qing’an County properly.”

“Good! Show me the situation of the immigrants.”

Li Qing’an glanced back at Mingyue and smiled, “Will you wait for me in the carriage?”

Mingyue shook her head; she wanted to accompany her husband to inspect the immigrants. Li Qing’an smiled and said to Han Yue, “Lead the way!”

“Yes! Please follow me, General.”

Guided by Han Yue, dozens of bodyguards escorted Li Qing’an and his wife into the immigrant settlement. From a distance, most of the structures appeared to be tents, but upon approaching, they saw wooden buildings as well—taverns, various shops selling daily necessities, fabrics, and more. The tallest wooden building served as the office for the officials in charge, responsible for allocating land, building cities, registering households, and resolving conflicts among immigrants. There were six officials in total, with Han Yue as their leader.

“General, there are currently 1,800 households and over 10,000 people here. The immigrants mainly came from Hedong. The land has been allocated, and each household has received a cow. Now everyone is helping each other build houses, but it’s too late to plant wheat; most people have already planted beans and millet.”

“Planting?” Li Qing’an asked in surprise. “Can we plant crops right on the newly reclaimed land?”

“The land here is suitable for planting.”

At that moment, Li Qing’an saw an old man crouched on the ground examining the soil. He quickly walked over, crouched down, and asked with a smile, “Old man, what do you think of the soil here?”

The old man turned back and saw that Li Qing’an was escorted by a large group of soldiers, realizing that an important person had arrived. He immediately replied respectfully, “This humble old man is from Puzhou in Hedong. The land there is very fertile, mostly prime farmland, but it took thousands of years of cultivation to achieve such quality. Yet the soil here is even more fertile than that in my hometown, with ample water and sunlight. If grown as wheat, each mu could yield at least 500 jin—without relying on the weather for harvests. This is truly a treasure land!”
Hearing this, Li Qing’an was pleased and asked with a smile, “How much land does your family have?”
In Anxi, land was allocated mainly on a per capita basis, divided into four categories based on distance from the Central Plains. For example, Yizhou, the closest to the Central Plains, allocated 15 mu per person, while the area around Kuqa Bahuan increased to 20 mu per person. Suiye allocated 25 mu per person, and further west, it was 30 mu per person. There were also upper limits, such as 200 mu per household in Suiye. As a result, families with more than eight members would choose to split up to obtain more land. The land was considered permanent property and could be inherited but not sold. If a household’s registration was canceled, the land reverted to the government. If left uncultivated for five years, it was considered abandoned. Taxes were levied through a rent-and-service system, and families with members in the military were exempted from taxes. This was an improvement over the equal-field system of the early Tang Dynasty, which allowed land to be sold, paving the way for land consolidation.
The old man hurriedly replied, “My family of six belongs to the upper-middle class and has been allocated 150 mu of land.”
“How many mu of land did your family originally have?” Mingyue asked curiously.
Seeing Mingyue’s beauty and grace, yet her gentle tone toward him, the old man felt a genuine fondness for her. With a wry smile, he said, “To be honest with you, our family of six didn’t have any land at all. We were slaves of the Xu family. During a drought in Hedong, we fled to Guanzhong and then came to Anxi. We never expected to actually get land. I hear it’s a gift from General Li. It’s a pity I can’t meet him; otherwise, I would surely kowtow to him three times.”
Han Yue pointed at Li Qing’an and said with a smile, “This is our General Li!”
*Thud!* The old man knelt down and kowtowed to Li Qing’an repeatedly, tears of emotion streaming down his face. “General, you are like a second parent to our family. Without you, most of us would have starved. Please accept this humble bow from me.”
Li Qing’an quickly helped him up and said with a smile, “One bow is enough. There’s no need to be so formal.”

At that moment, Mingyue gently pulled Li Qing’an and said, “Husband, look quickly!”
Li Qing’an raised his head and was stunned to see that so many immigrants had appeared around them—over a thousand in number. Hearing that he was General Li, they all knelt before him.
Touched, Li Qing’an quickly said loudly, “Dear fellow villagers, please get up!”
No one was willing to rise. A few elders took the lead and shouted, “We thank the General for giving us land and for abolishing slavery!”
Han Yue beside him also sighed, “The General’s land redistribution policy is indeed pleasing, but it is the abolition of slavery that is truly admirable. This law will completely transform Anxi.”
The abolition of slavery was a major change in Anxi. Slavery was not allowed there, slave markets were abolished, and slave trading was strictly prohibited. Considering practical circumstances, workers could be employed, but they must have absolute freedom. The employer and worker would enter into a contract specifying the duration of employment, wages, and other terms. After the contract expired, both parties could voluntarily negotiate whether to renew it.
This was a local law completely different from that of the mainland. It would first be implemented among the immigrants, and within a year, all people in Anxi, including officials, would have to comply. For example, Li Qing’an himself had voluntarily freed his household slaves; his more than thirty servants had gained their freedom. Now, Li Qing’an hired them for at least four guan per month, allowing them one day off per ten days and half a month off per year, with no wage deduction. At the end of the year, they would receive an additional bonus of over two months’ pay.
This was the early form of employment relations. Although somewhat ahead of its time, this law to abolish slavery received support from the vast majority of officials. Everyone understood that slavery and land consolidation went hand in hand and were the root causes of social crises in the Tang Dynasty. Moreover, Anxi urgently needed to increase its population, and abolishing slavery could ensure this. By implementing this law in Anxi, Li Qing’an was following the trends of the times.
Of course, there were many detailed regulations to address loopholes. For instance, some wealthy families would try to turn female slaves into concubines and male slaves into adopted sons to circumvent the abolition law. There were corresponding regulations to close these loopholes. Additionally, the punishments were severe—those who refused to abolish slavery, sold slaves illegally, or kept slaves in disguise would be beaten 100 times and ordered to correct their behavior. Those who refused to comply would have their property confiscated and be expelled from Anxi.

Anxi’s abolition of slavery also received support from the vast number of lower-class immigrants, meaning their lands would not be seized and their children would not become slaves. However, Li Qing’an was prepared for the criticism this law would face; he knew well that once it was enacted, slaves from all over the Tang Dynasty would flee to Anxi.