Chapter 347: Cutting Off the Root Cause

Li Longji seemed to turn into a wax statue all at once. He stared blankly at his grandson, who was kneeling on the ground, crying softly. For a long time, he remained silent. How could he not have considered the consequences of the regional lords becoming powerful while the central authority weakened? As an emperor who had ruled for over forty years, he knew all too well what such actions would entail. Yet he ignored those consequences. In his view, the real problem was the regional governors amassing troops and declaring independence, as this could lead to the Li dynasty’s downfall. Whatever it took, he had to take back all those military powers during his lifetime and hand them over to his own sons—this was the safest approach. As for the consequences of his sons holding military power, he thought it didn’t really matter. It was simply one son replacing another; whichever son ascended the throne was the same to him.

But how could he say this to his grandson? He certainly couldn’t say, “It doesn’t matter who becomes emperor—after all, it’s your uncles.” He couldn’t bring himself to say it. He knew such words would mean death for his grandson. In this regard, he was selfish. He believed the son who finally ascended the throne must be the strongest, and it should be him who continued the Li dynasty, whether it was his own son or grandson.

Li Longji felt a surge of guilt. He sighed secretly and said softly to his grandson, “This is merely a temporary measure. First, let your uncles regain control of the military forces, and then I will take them away from them and hand them over to you. As you know, the central plains are weak while the borders are heavily guarded. It’s hard to ensure those border officials won’t harbor rebellious thoughts. If they rise in rebellion or declare independence, it will be a disaster for our Li dynasty. So I must resolve this crisis during my lifetime. Don’t worry! I won’t leave so soon. I will definitely hand over the throne to you completely.”

His grandfather’s explanation made Li Yu sigh. With his grandfather’s reckless lifestyle, how much longer could he live?

Li Yu had no reply. After a long silence, he said, “Grandfather, I still suggest sending Li Qing’an to fight against the Uyghurs. I think this is the safest way to resolve the current crisis.”

Li Yu also knew that his grandfather could no longer change his established strategy. He could only seek the next best option to safely address the crisis of the Uyghurs’ invasion from the south. He was very worried that the 70,000 Tang troops sent north to support Shuofang, under the command of that inexperienced young prince, might be utterly defeated by the Uyghurs in one battle. If that happened, even if the Uyghurs failed to enter Guanzhong, the entire Longyou region would be devastated by them like locusts.

But Li Longji had made up his mind; he would not allow anyone to disrupt his plan to seize power. Frowning, he stretched out his voice and said, “I understand. I will handle this matter properly. You need not worry about it.”

Li Yu had no choice but to leave. Just as he was about to take his leave, he suddenly remembered something and said, “Grandfather, I would like to visit my father. Do you permit it?”

Li Longji nodded. “You wish to show filial piety. How could I refuse? Your father is not in good health. You must take better care of him. Go!”

“Your grandson takes his leave!”

Li Yu left. At that moment, Li Longji felt extremely tired. He struggled to straighten his back, which was now very difficult to keep upright, causing him great pain. He changed into a more comfortable position and gently massaged his forehead, thinking about his grandson’s concern earlier—sending Li Qiu alone with 70,000 troops in support was indeed risky. There had to be an experienced general leading them, and that general had to be someone he trusted. After some thought, he ordered, “Summon Changsun Quanxu to see me at once!”

…

The news of the Uyghurs’ invasion spread like wind, quickly reaching every corner of Chang’an. People in the streets and alleys were discussing it everywhere. Unlike the officials’ worries, most ordinary people did not take it seriously; they did not believe the Uyghurs could invade Chang’an.

Outside the East Market, near the Xuyangfang gate, there was an inn called Taiyuan Inn. Its name was derived from the homophone of Taiyuan, as the owner was from there. Inns near the East Market were all busy, and this one had four floors. The first and second floors were public halls, while the third and fourth floors were private rooms. During meal times, it was always packed with guests, who would not leave until the drums signaling the closing of the gates sounded at night.

As a public place, the inn was also a hub for various news. Strange stories from different parts of the Tang Dynasty, scandalous rumors from brothels, and political intrigues in the court were all topics of interest. Especially in Chang’an, where there were many officials, almost every family had relatives serving in the court. Thus, secrets about the bureaucracy and officials’ promotions were also highly sought-after topics. At noon, Taiyuan Inn was still full of customers, with almost every table occupied—people sitting or lying around, chatting noisily.

Sitting at a small table by the window on the second floor was a man who had his own table, surrounded by two burly attendants. He wore a purple robe with a jade belt around his waist and had a pair of exceptionally long eyes, though his gaze was extremely sharp. This man was Li Heng, the former crown prince who had been exiled for almost three years.

Since his eldest son took over the Eastern Palace, Li Heng gained complete freedom. Li Longji removed the eunuchs monitoring him and allowed him to go out freely. After nearly two years of observation, Li Longji concluded that Li Heng was no longer a threat to the throne and had become insignificant. Of course, this was also related to Li Longji’s strategy of appointing many princes. Not only Li Heng but also other princes were given greater freedom. Moreover, to appease Li Yu, Li Longji reappointed Li Heng as the King of Loyalty, the title he had before becoming crown prince, restoring his original status and indicating that Li Longji had completely cleared his name in the witchcraft case.

At that moment, Li Heng was sitting by the table, sipping medicine tea slowly, while his ears were attentively listening to the conversations of other guests. He used to live secluded in the palace with almost no contact with the common people, but now he enjoyed visiting various taverns and tea houses to experience the lives of the people. This Taiyuan Tavern was one of his regular spots, where he even had a reserved table.

Contrary to Li Longji’s declining health, Li Heng’s physique improved day by day. Ignoring the concerns of the court, he would either go to the opera houses to listen to music, visit tea houses, or ride horses to hunt in the suburbs, living a carefree life. Coupled with his careful self-care, his originally weak body grew stronger day by day.

However, today Li Heng had some concerns. He had just heard some bad news, the most important of which was the Uyghur invasion to the south. Although Li Heng no longer interfered in court affairs, the Uyghur invasion affected the safety of the Tang Dynasty, and he was very concerned. He believed the court should immediately send Li Qing’an and An Lushan to march into the grasslands from the east and west to force the Uyghurs to withdraw. But since he was now no different from a commoner, he had nowhere to present his suggestions.

At that moment, the conversation at the table next to him caught his attention. It was several young scholars. Young people often didn’t consider others’ feelings, so their voices were particularly loud.

“Have you heard? Li Qing’an in Anxi actually has ambitions to become emperor!” a thin, dark-haired scholar shouted.

“I’ve heard too. It’s already spreading in Chang’an. They say Li Qing’an is recruiting soldiers everywhere. His army now numbers not just over 200,000 but at least 350,000 or 400,000. It’s said he lives in Anxi with as much splendor as an emperor—truly terrifying.”

“He was originally the local emperor of Anxi, and besides, he’s from the imperial family. After Jiancheng became the crown prince, if he were to ascend the throne in the future, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.”
Such words are usually not spoken carelessly by ordinary people; even if spoken, they’re whispered or written on a table to avoid eavesdroppers. But these scholars didn’t care, and with a bit of alcohol in their system, they became even more unrestrained, shouting loudly and drawing the attention of everyone on the floor. The shopkeeper groaned in frustration—wanting to stop them but fearing it would affect business. Seeing that everyone was focused on them, the scholars grew even more confident.
“Actually, I hope Li Qing’an can ascend the throne,” said another scholar with a Hedong accent. “He’s done very well in Anxi—no land annexation, and light taxes. I have an uncle whose family moved to Suiye. I recently received a letter from them saying they’re living very well. They have over 150 mu of farmland, were given a horse, and bought another cow on their own. The land tax is only 10%. It’s already spring plowing time, and before harvest, the government provides rations and cloth. My cousin went to the government-run silk weaving workshop in Suiye and earns 200 wen per day, with one day off per ten days. On rest days, she gets another 50 wen—six guan a month! It even tempted me. My cousin and I were betrothed as children, and I plan to go to Anxi to marry her and find work there as well.”
Li Heng sat nearby, sipping tea slowly, listening to every word of their conversation. In fact, this wasn’t the first time he’d heard such talk. These past few days, rumors had been spreading that Li Qing’an had ambitions to become emperor. Li Heng realized this was likely someone spreading rumors. If it were an external enemy, it would be a tactic of sowing discord. His brows furrowed—Li Qing’an’s situation was dire!
At that moment, hurried footsteps came from the staircase, and the chatter on the second floor immediately ceased. Everyone looked toward the stairs and saw a middle-aged man who looked like a butler running up. They breathed a sigh of relief—it wasn’t a government official—and the hall became noisy again.
But Li Heng put down his teacup. It was indeed his butler. The butler quickly approached Li Heng and whispered in his ear, “My lord, the crown prince is waiting for you in the mansion.”
Li Heng perked up. From the beginning of this year, he had only seen his son once—when his son replaced the emperor to preside over the New Year’s ceremony on the fifth day of the first lunar month. Months had passed, and he wondered if his son had changed.
He immediately stood up and said, “I’ll go back right away!”

The Taiyuan Tavern was not far from Li Heng’s residence. Fifteen minutes later, Li Heng’s carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the mansion. He stepped down quickly, and one of his attendants rushed forward to report, “Your Highness the Crown Prince has been waiting for a long time.”
“I know!”
Li Heng glanced at the entourage parked across the way—several hundred people in total—and immediately understood that his son had not come secretly to see him but must have received his father’s permission. In other words, he had spoken with his father that day, likely about the Huihe invasion. It seemed the court already had a plan to deal with it.
As his health improved, his mind became sharper. From just his son’s entourage, Li Heng could deduce many things.
“Bring him to my study in a moment!”
Li Heng passed through the central door and went straight to the study in the back yard. His concubine, Lady Zhang, brought him a bowl of bird’s nest porridge. Li Heng’s former crown princess, Lady Wei, had been deposed due to the Wei Jian case in the fifth year of the Tianbao era and forced to become a nun. Another concubine he favored, Lady Du, was also expelled from the palace due to her father’s case and reduced to a commoner. It was said she later married a commoner. Out of compassion for her, Li Heng appointed a new concubine, Lady Zhang, as his concubine, known as Lady Zhang.
Lady Zhang was considerate and capable. She not only took good care of Li Heng but also kept the mansion in excellent order, earning his deep favor. Moreover, she had given birth to Li Xi, Li Heng’s second son, over a decade earlier, who was made the Prince of Nanyang. Thus, it was only natural that she replaced Lady Wei.
Li Heng took the bird’s nest porridge and smiled, “Prepare another bowl. Li Yu is here.”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ve already prepared it.”
At that moment, Li Yu’s voice came from outside the door, “Father, may I come in?”
Li Heng closed a book on the table casually and smiled, “Come in!”
The door opened, and Li Yu entered anxiously. He knelt before his father and stepmother. “Your son pays his respects to his father and mother.”
“Get up.”
Li Heng glanced at his son and saw that he seemed much more mature and steady than before. He nodded and smiled, “My son has indeed made progress.”
Considering her own son’s interests, Lady Zhang was also particularly warm toward Li Yu. She smiled as she personally brought in another bowl of bird’s nest porridge and placed it in front of Li Yu, saying, “Li Yu, this is for you.”
“Thank you, Mother!”
Lady Zhang smiled, “You two talk. I’ll close the door for you.”
She closed the door and left, leaving only Li Heng and his son in the room. Li Heng smiled and asked, “How does it feel to be the crown prince? Tiring, right?”
“A little, but I can still hold on.”

Li Heng chuckled. “If you can’t hold on, let your father take over for you. I have experience.”
Li Yu felt a surge of panic. He didn’t understand what his father meant and quickly said, “If Father wishes it, I’m ready to step down at any time.”
The smile vanished from Li Heng’s face. His narrow eyes narrowed as he stared at his son. “Are you really willing?”
“If Father wants it, I’ll go talk to the Emperor Grandfather right away.”
Li Heng laughed again. “I was just joking with you. Don’t take it seriously.”
He sighed. “After going through so much hardship, my heart has long since died. Thankfully, heaven gave me a good son who can carry on my unfinished work. I’m even happier that you’re taking over the Eastern Palace than I was. I was worried your Emperor Grandfather would be too harsh on you, just like he was to me back then. But it seems he’s much kinder to his grandson than to his son. Still, be careful!”
Li Yu nodded. “I’ll be careful in everything and never let anyone catch me off guard.”
“That’s good!”
Li Heng took a sip of bird’s nest porridge and smiled again. “Did you see the Emperor Grandfather today?”
“Yes! There was an emergency court meeting in the morning, and then I went to see him alone.”
“How is he? I mean, is his health okay?” Li Heng asked subtly.
“Not at all!” Li Yu shook his head gently. “The Emperor Grandfather looks extremely old, like an octogenarian, and his back is hunched.”
“What do the imperial physicians say?”
After a long pause, Li Yu replied in a low voice, “The imperial physicians are worried that if the Emperor Grandfather continues to indulge himself like this, he might not make it through the year.”
In that instant, a fierce hatred flashed in Li Heng’s eyes before disappearing. He smiled faintly again. “Let’s talk about the Uyghur issue. What’s the final plan? Is it to send Li Qing’an to lead the troops?”
Li Yu looked depressed. He sighed and said, “Prime Minister Wang, Minister Zhang, and even Yang Guozhong all think sending Li Qing’an is the best solution, but the Emperor Grandfather refuses.”
“Refuses!” Li Heng was stunned. “Then how does he plan to solve it?”
“The Emperor Grandfather has removed An Sishun from his position as governor of Shuofang and appointed Guo Ziyi in his place. He has also ordered twenty-nine of his uncles to lead a total of 70,000 troops from Longyou and Hexi to support Shuofang.”
Li Heng remained silent for a long time before realizing it. What a clever way for his father to seize power! Using the chaos caused by the Uyghurs, he had managed to take control of the military forces of both Longyou and Shuofang at once. He couldn’t help but sigh softly, “The fear is that he might end up trying to pick chestnuts out of the fire—failing to get the chestnuts and hurting himself in the process.”

“Yes! That’s what we all think. Li Qian is only twenty years old. He went to Longyou merely because his mother, Wu Xianyi, was favored by the emperor. He doesn’t have any outstanding talents; in fact, he’s never even fought in a battle. I’m worried he’ll be defeated by the Uyghurs, threatening the safety of entire Longyou. By then, even Guanzhong might not be safe.”

At these words, Li Yu’s eyes turned red again. He said bitterly, “I implore my grandfather not to create powerful vassal states that weaken the imperial family, as that will lead to civil war like the Eight Princes’ Rebellion in the Jin Dynasty. But my grandfather doesn’t care. He’s determined to grant fiefs to the princes. Father, if he doesn’t make it through today, what shall I do?”

Li Yu knelt down and kowtowed, crying, “I’m utterly exhausted. Please teach me, Father.”

Li Heng quickly helped his son up and comforted him, “My son, don’t worry. I have a good plan.”

Li Yu was overjoyed. He knew his father would surely find a solution. He stood up, looking at his father with hope.

Li Heng sneered and said through gritted teeth, “Ever since he made his daughter-in-law a noble consort, he’s become corrupt and unjust. He favors treacherous officials, dismisses capable people, and even kills Han generals, ruining Chang’an and causing today’s dire situation. There’s no turning back for him now. He’s willing to sacrifice the lives of ordinary people and the imperial descendants to resolve the crisis. He knows creating powerful vassal states will lead to power struggles, but he still does it just to ensure the throne stays in his son’s hands, regardless of your fate. Hmph! If he’s heartless, we won’t be righteous either.”

Li Heng lowered his voice and said to his son, “We can take two approaches. You should immediately write a letter to Li Qing’an using messenger pigeons, ordering him to send troops to the Uyghurs right away to force them to withdraw. Secondly, I believe neither Geshu Han nor An Sishun will hand over their military power so easily. Now that he wants to seize their power, it’s your chance. Especially since Geshu Han and I have always had a good relationship, you can secretly instruct him not to hand over power. In that way, Li Qian won’t be able to take many troops with him. I think after this incident, Geshu Han will pledge loyalty to you. This is called cutting off the enemy’s supply at the source—losing something in one place but gaining it elsewhere.”

Li Yu hesitated. Doing this seemed unjust toward his grandfather. Li Heng saw through his son’s thoughts and sneered, “What do you think the struggle for the throne is? Loyalty, righteousness, and filial piety are things historians write for future generations. If you really do this, it means stupidity and self-destruction. Think it over!”

Li Yu sighed and said, “I’ll write to Li Qing’an right away. But I still can’t find a suitable person for Geshu Han’s side.”

Li Heng sat up straight and smiled faintly. “Well, since I have nothing to do, I’ll go in your place!”