Chapter 432: Three Conditions

Yang Guozhong ultimately did not stay overnight at Li Chenghong’s residence. He still needed to see Linghu Fei, so after drinking, he took his leave.
“You two don’t need to see me off. I can go back by myself. I’m not drunk—haha! I’ve never been so sober as today.”
He staggered up onto the carriage and waved, saying, “Back to the mansion!”
The carriage set off toward the city gate. As Li Chenghong watched Yang Guozhong’s carriage disappear, he immediately ordered his brother, “Go and invite those princes over. Tell them I have important matters to discuss with them.”
“Brother, are you really going to take action?”
Li Chenghong nodded. “Yang Guozhong is right. We truly don’t have time left.”
“I understand. I’ll go right away.”
“Wait!”
Li Chenghong called his brother back. He stepped forward and whispered, “Gather your men as well. It’s time to use the troops we’ve trained for years.”
“Don’t worry, brother. I know what to do.”
Li Chengning ordered someone to bring his horse. He mounted it and rode off at full speed. Li Chenghong, deep in thought, ordered the gates to be closed. The heavy doors slammed shut.
There was no one left in front of the mansion, only two dim lanterns swaying in the wind. At that moment, two pigeons suddenly flew out from a thick tree across from the mansion, spreading their wings and flying toward the northwest.
……
In Pinggao County, Yuanzhou, Li Qingan was hosting a banquet in the county government hall for over 200 representatives from various counties within the region. These were respected elders from different counties and major clans, who held high prestige among the people. Most of them were over sixty years old and had been recommended by local authorities.
Since the hall was too small, the banquet was held in the courtyard in front of it. Over 200 people filled the courtyard, chatting and laughing joyfully. Mats were laid on the ground, with one table for every two people. The tables were filled with fine wines, fruits, vegetables, stewed fish, and roasted sheep—a rich variety of dishes provided by the three largest taverns in Pinggao County. Dozens of servants were busy serving food and drinks, urging the elders to eat.
Li Qingan sat at the head, with a long row of tables in front of him, occupied by more than a dozen governors and senior officials from various counties. There were also over twenty county officials on the sides. The region of Guannei Dao was vast and densely populated, with many counties, and these were only some of the county officials.
“Your Highness, the Prince of Zhao, completely destroyed An Lushan’s army in this battle, saving us from further suffering at the hands of those tyrannical forces. On behalf of the people of Yanzhou, I offer this drink to Your Highness.”
The speaker was Xu Duanming, the governor of Yanzhou. An Lushan’s army had stayed in Yanzhou the longest and been the most brutal to the local people. Xu Duanming had also suffered much oppression, and he was deeply grateful to Li Qingan.

Li Qing’an also stood up, clinked his glass with him, and said with a smile, “Governor Xu, you’re too kind. In the future, an army from Anxi will be stationed in Yanzhou to prevent An Lushan from crossing the river again. I earnestly ask for your continued support.”
“Of course! I would be honored.”
The two drank their wine in one gulp. Li Qing’an poured another glass, raised it, and spoke loudly to everyone, “Distinguished elders and fellow villagers, as well as officials of various counties, please listen to me for a moment.”
The courtyard immediately fell silent, and all eyes turned to Li Qing’an.
Raising his voice, Li Qing’an said slowly, “The Guannei Road has always been the essential route for northern nomadic tribes to enter the Central Plains. Since the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu, Turks, Uyghurs, and the invasions by the Five Barbarians have all brought great disasters to this region. First, the Uyghurs invaded, and now the Fanyang warlords are advancing westward, slaughtering people and destroying villages, leaving no sound of chickens or dogs. Yet the imperial court is weak and unable to send troops to save you all from this plight. As a member of the Tang royal family, I feel immense guilt whenever I think of this. This time, I have been appointed by the emperor as the pacification commissioner for the Guannei Road—this is the emperor’s trust placed in me. I will never fail to repay his kindness nor disappoint the hopes of you all. Therefore, I have decided to station 20,000 troops in the Guannei Road to defend against northern tribes and resist threats from the east. These 20,000 are elite soldiers from Anxi, known for their strict discipline. To prevent any soldiers from being rude to the local people, I have decided to establish a military discipline oversight office in Anding County of Qingzhou, directly under the Anxi Surveillance Bureau. If any soldiers violate discipline, please feel free to file complaints. With Anxi’s strict rules, they will surely be severely punished!”
At these words, warm applause erupted. Most of the officials’ applause was merely polite; especially the provincial and county officials, who saw things from a broader perspective. They understood Li Qing’an’s implied message—that his army would not leave, and Anxi’s influence would extend to the Guannei Road. Some were pleased by this news, while others were worried.
However, the applause from the more than 200 villagers was much more enthusiastic, clearly out of genuine support. These simple people didn’t care about Li Qing’an’s motives for stationing troops there. The political struggles of the imperial court had nothing to do with them. They only wanted a strong army to protect their safety. Since the Anxi army had defeated the fierce forces of An Lushan, it undoubtedly became their best reliance. Now that Li Qing’an announced the deployment of troops and emphasized strict discipline, these elders were overjoyed and began cheering together.

Li Qing’an smiled and waved his hand, and the courtyard fell silent once again. Li Qing’an continued, “Anxi is far away, and it’s difficult to supply food and supplies there. So I can’t send many troops—maximally twenty thousand. And these twenty thousand troops will mainly be stationed on the northern border to defend against another invasion by the Uyghurs. As a result, the interior regions will still be vulnerable. Although An Lushan has been defeated, he still has great strength. I’m confident he will launch another large-scale attack to avenge his previous defeat. If he leads another hundred thousand troops across the Hexi River, it will be the local people who suffer. That’s why I’ve decided to recruit one hundred thousand soldiers in these regions. I’ll train them into a powerful army to protect our people from An Lushan’s devastation!”
Li Qing’an’s last two sentences were spoken with passion, filling the elders present with enthusiasm, and applause rang out again loudly.
But the dozen or so provincial officials exchanged worried looks. Recruiting soldiers was easy, but who would fund them? As Li Qing’an himself had said, it was inconvenient to transport food from Anxi, so the burden would undoubtedly fall on them. At that moment, Cui Xun, the governor of Jingzhou, couldn’t help but interject, “Your Highness, the Prince of Zhao, how will we fund the recruitment and maintenance of these troops?”
Li Qing’an glanced at him and smiled slightly. “That’s exactly what I’m about to discuss. After defeating An Lushan’s army this time, we’ll capture a large amount of money, food, and supplies. In addition, Anxi will also send a batch of silver coins. The funding for recruitment can be covered. As for maintaining the troops in the long term, I plan to implement a military farming system first, then gradually increase the number of self-cultivating farmers, thereby greatly improving the grain tax revenue in these regions. We can use part of that revenue to support the army, thus solving its supply problems.”
After Li Qing’an finished speaking, the governors’ expressions changed drastically. They understood the underlying message in his words. Increasing self-cultivating farmers meant adopting the land restriction policies used in the Central Regions. It was said that Anxi imposed extremely strict penalties for land consolidation. Was he planning to implement those same policies here? It might work in Anxi, where the land is vast and the population sparse, but would it work in these regions?
Cui Xun sighed inwardly and said, “I suggest Your Highness, the Prince of Zhao, consult the imperial court first. These regions are not like Anxi—they have a dense population and complex interests. I hope Your Highness will proceed with caution.”
“I’m very aware of that!”

Li Qing’an was not angered. The resistance from local officials was within his expectations. He knew such resistance stemmed not from any infringement of their interests—most local officials followed the rules, were frequently transferred, and rarely acquired large amounts of land in their jurisdictions. It was simply that they feared offending the powerful and damaging their own careers, so they dared not get involved.

“I have another piece of news, not entirely official. Just yesterday morning, the Emperor officially issued an edict appointing me as the Right Chancellor of the Central Secretariat. Once the edict arrives, I will head to the capital to take charge of government affairs. The land survey in the Guannei region will be officially carried out by the imperial court after I assume my position.”

Li Qing’an’s news erupted like a miniature thunderclap at the banquet table, leaving the provincial and county officials stunned. The news that he would become the Right Chancellor had a far greater impact on them than even the defeat of An Lushan. Previously, Li Qing’an had been the governor of Anxi, and although he served as the pacification commissioner for Guannei, it was merely a temporary position with more symbolism than real power. He remained in a military role, largely separate from the civil bureaucracy. But becoming the Right Chancellor was different—the Right Chancellor was the head of all officials, the supreme authority over these provincial and county governors. He could directly promote or dismiss officials below the fifth rank and submit proposals for promotion or dismissal of officials below the third rank for the Emperor’s approval, which was usually not contested.

The officials were so frightened that they wanted to stand up and pay another bow. Li Qing’an quickly waved his hand and smiled, saying, “The edict hasn’t arrived yet. It’s too early to discuss this now. Come! Let me offer you another drink. I hope you’ll give more support to the troops in Anxi in the future.”

Not daring to neglect this, everyone stood up and drank their drinks in one gulp. The tense atmosphere at the table immediately eased. At that moment, a bodyguard rushed over to Li Qing’an and whispered something in his ear. Li Qing’an nodded and then said to the others, “I have some military matters to attend to. I’ll be away for a while. Go ahead and chat.”

He then gave Yan Zhuang, who was sitting nearby, a signal. Yan Zhuang stood up and followed him. Li Qing’an’s temporary headquarters was next to the provincial government office. Soon, they entered it, where Tian Zhen approached with a report, saying, “General, the prisoners of war have been sent to Lingzhou. General Li Fei has sent over a reorganization plan.”

“Put it on my desk. We’ll discuss it later.”

Li Qing’an entered the room, and Yan Zhuang followed in, asking, “General, what happened?” He knew that Li Qing’an had left the banquet in a hurry—something serious must have occurred.

“Urgent news has arrived from Chang’an—some members of the imperial clan intend to harm Li Yu, possibly within these two days.”
Yan Zhuang sighed and said, “It’s obvious that the General will soon enter the capital to become prime minister. Time is running out, and some people are desperate enough to take drastic actions.”
Li Qing’an walked a few steps with his hands behind his back. After pondering for a moment, he asked, “The key question is: what should we do? Should we warn Li Yu?”
“Doesn’t the General see this as an opportunity?”
Li Qing’an glanced at him and noticed Yan Zhuang’s meaningful smile, so he said, “Explain clearly—what opportunity?”
Yan Zhuang gently stroked his short beard and said, “Actually, I’ve long had a hunch that with Li Yu seizing such large amounts of land and wealth from the imperial clan, these members won’t tolerate him. They first hoped for Li Longji’s help, but after so much time, Li Longji still can’t defend them. They can only protect themselves. If the General doesn’t enter Guanzhong, things might drag on a bit longer, but now that he’s been appointed right prime minister, they’ll act sooner. Once Li Yu faces trouble, the succession will fall into chaos, and no one who ascends will have a legitimate claim. This gives the General an opportunity in the future.”
“Do you mean we should stay out of it?”
“Yes! I suggest the General not rush to enter the capital or get involved, so as not to give them an excuse. Instead, observe from afar, wait until things escalate, then enter the capital and publicly uphold justice, using the chaos in the court to build his own power.”
Yan Zhuang’s advice resonated with Li Qing’an. Though he had strong military strength, his political influence was weak—he had few allies in the court. Although he held the status of an imperial clan member, the Li Jiancheng faction had long been extinct. Now it was Li Shimin’s descendants who ruled the country, and these imperial clan members would never support Li Qing’an in ascending to the throne. If he entered the capital as prime minister, it would largely help Li Yu solidify his position. While it might slow down the deterioration of the Tang Dynasty’s lands, it would harm his own future. So, though Yan Zhuang’s advice seemed heartless, it was actually wise.
Thinking this, Li Qing’an nodded and said, “Alright! I’ll follow your advice and stay out of it.”
At that moment, a bodyguard reported from outside, “General, an old acquaintance has come to see you from Chang’an.”
“Who is it?”
“It’s the same acquaintance who visited you in Ganzhou last night.”
‘Li Qiu!’
Li Qing’an realized who it was and smiled, “Ask him to come in!”
He then said to Yan Zhuang, “Sir, you may go to the banquet first and keep me company. Listen to what those provincial officials are discussing.”
“Then I’ll be off first.”

Yan Zhuang left. After a moment, several bodyguards brought Li Qiu in. As soon as he entered, Li Qiu bowed deeply and said, “Your humble servant pays respects to the Prime Minister!”
Li Qiu’s action seemed somewhat rash, but it wasn’t actually the case. He was signaling to Li Qing’an that no matter what happened in Chang’an, Li Heng would still recognize Li Qing’an as the Right Prime Minister—this was a prerequisite. Only by meeting this condition could they continue negotiations.
“The young prince has spoken wrongly. I am not yet the Prime Minister. Even if an imperial edict comes, whether I accept it or not is another matter. Please, have a seat first!”
“Thank you… General!”
Unsure of Li Qing’an’s attitude, Li Qiu sat down nervously and said, “Last time, the General said you needed time to consider the terms. How have you decided?”
“I have already made up my mind.”
Li Qiu was overjoyed. They had feared that Li Qing’an would refuse to consider any terms, which would mean he might turn against them, complicating matters. As long as Li Qing’an was willing to consider terms, everything could be negotiated. Before leaving, Li Heng had given him authority to agree to any terms other than those related to imperial power.
He quickly said, “General, please go ahead!”
In fact, Li Qing’an had already thought through his terms while crossing the Yellow River. Although he didn’t know exactly how far Li Heng would go, whatever Li Heng’s intentions were, he simply demanded his terms boldly.
Li Qing’an smiled slightly and said, “I have three conditions. As long as the Retired Emperor agrees to them, I will fully support him.”
“General, please state them!”
“Very well! First, I want to serve as both the Military Governor of Shuofang and the Inspector of Guannei Circuit.”
After saying this, Li Qing’an looked at Li Qiu, waiting for his response. Li Qiu nodded silently. Li Qing’an’s first condition was within Li Heng’s expectations. Li Qing’an had already sent troops to occupy Lingzhou, and after defeating An Lushan, he had effectively taken control of Guannei Circuit. Now, he just needed to legitimize his occupation. Arguing with Li Qing’an about this was pointless. But Li Qiu wasn’t in a hurry to respond either. He said, “General, please continue!”
“Alright! Let me continue. My second condition is that Pei Min should head the Ministry of Personnel, serving as both Minister and Deputy Minister of Personnel.”
This was also a crucial condition. Li Qing’an didn’t have strong allies in the court. Although the Han and Tang dynasties had two officials in the court, their status was too low to make a significant impact. His father-in-law was decent, but they still needed to reconcile. Only Pei Min, who was both a prominent official from a respected family and his own brother-in-law, could be trusted with important responsibilities. Moreover, he was worried that Pei Min might be purged, so he wanted to protect him first.

This condition should also not be a problem. Li Qing’an added, “My third condition is that I want to serve as the Supreme Commander of all the troops in the land.” This condition put Li Qiu in a difficult position. Being the Supreme Commander meant Li Qing’an would have control over all the armies in the land. Of course, since the warlords were currently in control of their own forces, Li Qing’an couldn’t actually manage much, but with this title, he could legitimately recruit soldiers throughout the Tang Dynasty. Although this position wasn’t listed among Li Heng’s prohibitions on official titles, Li Qiu personally believed this condition must not be accepted, and Li Heng certainly wouldn’t agree either. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “For the first and second conditions, I can represent the Retired Emperor and agree to them without reservation, but for the third condition, could the great general please reconsider?” Li Qing’an knew they wouldn’t agree, but as a negotiation tactic, one must first propose an unattainable condition. Once the other party refuses and is at a psychological disadvantage, then one can present one’s real demands, so that they will finally agree. He smiled and said, “Very well! Since the young prince finds it difficult, I’ll settle for less. How about changing the third condition to relocating five hundred thousand Han people to Anxi within three years? Is that too much to ask?” The water had changed, but the medicine remained the same. Five hundred thousand Han people moving to Anxi meant that Li Qing’an could gain at least two hundred thousand more soldiers within three years, or even more. Li Qiu sighed inwardly. Li Qing’an was very practical, and his conditions were highly targeted. But he had no choice left, so he slowly nodded and said, “I can also represent the Retired Emperor and agree to the third condition.”