Chapter 447: Huahua Investment

Due to the massive advance of Geshu Han’s and Gao Xianzhi’s armies northward, Chang’an faced a severe crisis. To address this, Li Qing’an and Li Heng temporarily set aside their differences. Li Qing’an resigned from his position as Right Chancellor and became the Supreme Commander of All Military Forces, responsible for leading the defense against the invading armies.

He ordered Guo Ziyi, the military governor of the interior regions, to lead 50,000 troops to intercept Gao Xianzhi’s forces. Recognizing that Guo Ziyi’s forces were insufficient, he also ordered Wang Sili, the commander of the Guanzhong troops, to lead 100,000 troops from Guanzhong to assist Guo Ziyi in battle. Li Qing’an himself led 30,000 troops from Anxi to Chencang County to confront Geshu Han’s advancing army.

To ensure victory in this critical war, the government issued orders to recruit 200,000 soldiers in both the interior and Guanzhong regions, with the court covering all expenses related to their sustenance. Seizing this opportunity to strengthen their forces, Li Qing’an’s Anxi-Longyou troops, Guo Ziyi’s Shuofang-Interior troops, and Wang Sili’s Guanzhong troops all set up recruitment stations to enlist able-bodied soldiers.

Just two days later, scouts from the Anxi army reported that roadblocks caused by collapses along the Chencang route forced the army departing from Hanzhong to change its route. Gao Xianzhi’s forces took the Luogu Road northward, while Geshu Han’s forces used the Baogu Road and then the Xiegu Road to advance. Despite the enemy’s changed route, Li Qing’an’s strategy remained unchanged—he would still deal with Geshu Han’s forces. With the decision made by the higher authorities, the 30,000 Anxi troops set off for Mei County. Meanwhile, the 20,000+ Anxi troops withdrawing from the interior route also headed toward Mei County, bringing the war to a head.

The situation in Chang’an did not calm down with the impending war. On the contrary, the war became a catalyst for chaos. News that Li Longji was leading 150,000 troops northward prompted more nobles and officials to leave Chang’an urgently, as they were pessimistic about the court’s future. The city descended into near-chaotic turmoil.

In Xuanyang Fang, in front of Yang Huahua’s residence, a carriage stopped. Two maids helped the worried Yang Yupai out of the carriage. Yang Yupai was once the Lady of Korea; she had first been stripped of her title as imperial concubine. After Li Yu’s death, her daughter Cui Ningbi became a widow at a young age and was forbidden from remarrying. Yang Yupai no longer carried the arrogance she once had as part of the “Five Yangs.” She dressed simply, with no makeup, and now resembled an ordinary commoner.

Yang Yupai was in a state of turmoil. Yang Guozhong’s flight to the south left the Yang family without a leader; many of its members fled, and Yang Yupai didn’t know what to do either. Today, pressured by her husband, she came to consult her sister Yang Huahua for advice.

Yang Huahua’s mansion was deserted, with its gates tightly closed. The plaque reading “Mansion of Lady Guo” had been removed, leaving a bare space where it once hung. Yang Yupai sighed—her own mansion was in the same condition.

She knocked on the door, which opened to reveal the face of the elderly butler. Seeing it was Yang Yupai, he beamed and said, “It’s the second madam! Please come in!”

As soon as Yang Yupai entered, she asked, “Where is my third sister?”

“The third madam is feeding fish by the pond! I’ll go call her.”

“No need, I’ll go myself.”

Familiar with the layout, Yang Yupai passed through several corridors and entered the inner courtyard through a small door. The courtyard was shaded by lush trees, with various exotic flowers blooming profusely. Along a path paved with pebbles lay a three-mu-wide lake, its green waves rippling beneath weeping willows. By a small bridge, Yang Huahua sat on a stone slab, dressed in a peach-colored dress, smiling as she fed dozens of bright red carp beneath the bridge with a piece of bread.

Yang Yupai slowly approached from behind and said resentfully, “Does your sister still have the leisure to feed fish here?”

Yang Huahua started, then turned to see it was her second sister. She laughed and said, “Why are you sneaking around like that? You scared me.”

“I’m the one who’s been scared! I’ve packed all our belongings and am ready to leave Chang’an today. Yet you’re still feeding fish. Don’t you want to go either?”

“Go?” Yang Huahua sneered. “Where are you thinking of going?”

Yang Yupai sat down beside her, staring blankly at the dozens of red carp fighting over food in the water. She sighed and said, “Most of the Yang family has left. I plan to follow them to Chengdu. After all, that’s our hometown, and I have a mansion there.”

Yang Huahua sneered, “It seems your brains have turned to pigs. Instead of staying in Chang’an, you want to take refuge with that old man. What will you do when he dies? Can you even return to Chang’an? You still have twenty acres of land in Guanzhong and a mansion worth millions of guan—aren’t you going to keep those?”

“If things improve, I’ll come back then.”

Yang Huahua’s laughter grew louder, filled with mockery. “I said you guys were stupid, and you still don’t believe it. It’s easy to leave the city but hard to get in. Haven’t you thought about why it’s so easy to leave? It’s so we can take your fields and houses once you’re gone, and come back when things improve. There’s no such thing as a free deal in this world.”
“But… but…” Yang Yupai stammered, “If Third Brother leaves, we’ll have no backing. I’m afraid our enemies will bully us. The Yang family offended many people when we were at our peak.”
Yang Huahua glanced at her and said indifferently, “Who said our Yang family has no backing? We have the biggest backing of all. Haven’t you seen more troops and guards added to Huaqing Palace?”
Yang Yupai was stunned. “Does Third Sister mean…”
“I mean nothing. You figure it out yourself.”
Yang Huahua threw the pancake into the water, wiped the crumbs off her clothes, and headed to her bedroom, her waist swaying gracefully.
…
Mei County was one of the prominent counties in Guanzhong and the third-largest city in Fengxiang Prefecture after Yong County and Guo County. With a large population and prosperous trade, it was less than thirty li from the northern entrance of the Xiegu Road, making it the temporary headquarters for Li Qing’an.
The arrival of the Anxi Army turned the area into a bustling place. Various military supplies brought from Chang’an kept arriving in Mei County, and the army’s heavy purchases delighted the merchants. Driven by the war, trade in Mei County became abnormally prosperous.
As soon as Li Qing’an settled in Mei County, a soldier came to report, “An old acquaintance has arrived!”
“An old acquaintance?”
Li Qing’an was slightly surprised. Who could it be? He didn’t have any old acquaintances in Mei County, and with war approaching, who would come to see him at such a time?
He hurried out of the military headquarters and saw a carriage parked not far from the entrance. In front of the carriage stood a young man in a green robe and a gauze hat, with shockingly fair skin, slender eyebrows, peach-colored eyes, and a slim figure. Li Qing’an recognized him at once—it wasn’t a man but Yang Huahua disguised as one. What was she doing here?
“General, you must be wondering what this woman is doing here, right?” Yang Huahua said with a smile as she walked up.
Li Qing’an smiled slightly, acknowledging her question, and said, “War is coming soon. This place isn’t safe. You shouldn’t be here.”
“Exactly because of the war am I here to see you. I have important business with you.”
“Important business? When has Third Sister ever had important business with me?”
Li Qing’an smiled and waved his hand. “Please come inside the headquarters to talk.”

He smiled at his anxious bodyguards and said, “Don’t be so nervous. This is my old friend, who has come all the way from Chang’an to see me.”
Li Qing’an led her into the military office. As they walked, he asked with a smile, “I heard that the Yang family has fled to Shu. Why haven’t you left?”
“I’m not as foolish as them. They all regard Li Longji as a savior. To me, he’s just a temple god covered in gold paint—pretending to be divine. Once smashed, he’s just mud. Besides, if I leave, my house and property will fall into your hands, won’t they?”
Seeing that she was clear-headed and saw things clearly, Li Qing’an couldn’t help but admire her. Soon, he led her to his private room.
It was Li Qing’an’s resting room, complete with a bed, tables, and chairs. When Yang Huahua saw that Li Qing’an had brought her to a room with a bed, her eyes immediately became affectionate, her gaze hazy, and her brows tinged with charm.
“Seventh Brother, what does this mean?” Yang Huahua glanced at the bed with a seductive look, gently biting her lip.
But Li Qing’an pulled out a chair and invited her to sit, saying calmly, “There’s no other reason. Other rooms are filled with military maps, and it’s not appropriate for you to be there. Only this place is suitable.”
Seeing that Li Qing’an was so insensitive, Yang Huahua grew even angrier, but she didn’t dare show it. Instead, she sat down with great charm, raising her eyebrows slightly and saying, “What? Even with an old friend here, there’s no tea?”
“Hehe! You’re right. I’ve failed to treat you properly,” Li Qing’an said, then ordered the guards outside, “Go and bring two cups of tea, using my best tea leaves.”
While Li Qing’an was giving orders, Yang Huahua quickly pulled down her skirt, confident that she still had some charm—maybe Li Qing’an would really fall for her.
“Seventh Brother, I still think calling you Seventh Brother feels more intimate. It reminds me of our past days. You won’t mind, right?”
Li Qing’an sat down and smiled. “There aren’t many people left who can still call me Seventh Brother. If Third Sister has come just to catch up, it’s fine to call me that. But if she’s here for business, I think it’s better to keep things professional.”
Yang Huahua laughed flirtatiously. “How could I have any business matters? I’m just an ordinary woman. Of course, I’m here to catch up and talk about Fourth Sister.”
“You mean the Imperial Concubine?” Li Qing’an shook his head. “That’s not a personal matter. We won’t discuss it.”
“Such a hypocrite!”

Yang Huahua muttered under her breath, then forced a smile and said, “Let’s not talk about her. How about we discuss business? You know I’m actually a businesswoman. I’m here today to discuss a deal with you.”
“I thought as much! Third Sister wouldn’t have the interest to catch up.”
Li Qing’an joked, “This is true to Third Sister’s nature—she only acts when there’s profit to be made!”
“What are you calling her? Can’t we just catch up and discuss business at the same time?”
At that moment, a bodyguard brought two cups of tea. Li Qing’an placed one in front of Yang Huahua and asked with a smile, “What kind of business does Third Sister want to do with me?”
Yang Huahua took a sip of her tea and said slowly, “Well, I still have two million shi of grain stored in my estate. I want to give it to the Anxi army as military provisions. In addition, I’ll provide another five hundred thousand guan as funding for their army.”
Two million shi of grain and five hundred thousand guan were a tremendous help to Li Qing’an, who was currently planning his strategies. Although he had silver coins in Chang’an, he lacked grain. He had been worried about supplying the Anxi army as they advanced eastward. Now that Yang Huahua was offering such a generous gift, how could he refuse?
But Yang Huahua’s offer wasn’t so easy to accept. This woman wasn’t someone to be underestimated—she surely had ulterior motives.
Li Qing’an thought for a moment and suddenly understood. Without revealing his thoughts, he said with a smile, “Weren’t Third Sister’s estates seized? How does she still have grain and money?”
“I guess your mind isn’t working very well either.”
Yang Huahua dismissed him with disdain, “Would I, Yang Huahua, keep my grain and money in one place? Even a cunning rabbit has three burrows! To be honest, I have more than three.”
“I was just saying that since Third Sister’s estates were seized, she still remains calm. It seems only a few hairs were pulled out. So, what kind of business does Third Sister want to do with me?”
Li Qing’an’s smile faded gradually. He knew Yang Huahua very well. Given her stinginess, offering two million shi of grain and one million guan as military funding meant her terms would surely not be simple.
Yang Huahua’s fake smile also disappeared. She raised one finger and said, “Actually, I only have one condition: I want you to be the backbone of our Yang family.”
Li Qing’an walked a few steps with his hands behind his back and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t accept it.”

Li Qing’an’s response was within Yang Huahua’s expectations. She hadn’t really hoped that Li Qing’an could protect the entire Yang family—that was just her delusion. With a sigh, she had to settle for less and said in a low voice, “Seventh Brother, actually, it’s me who needs your help. I’ve started a big business, opening over twenty shops in Chang’an, Luoyang, Taiyuan, and Yangzhou under the name Hua Ji Guifang, aiming to compete with Wang Bao Ji. But I’m afraid of being framed. In the past, the Yang family was too arrogant and offended many people. I know there are no one left who would help me now. If people find out I’m the owner of these shops, they’ll surely target me. I hope you can help me at a critical moment.”

Seeing her gloomy and depressed expression, Li Qing’an nodded and smiled, “If it’s to support my third sister, I can reluctantly do it.”

Yang Huahua was overjoyed. Just as she was about to get up to thank him, Li Qing’an stopped her and continued, “But let me be clear from the start—I won’t protect you blindly. You should know well what I can and can’t help with.”

Yang Huahua giggled and said, “I know! General Li is someone who values his reputation and surely won’t do anything to harm it. As long as you can keep my mother and me safe, that’s enough.”

Seeing that it was time to start recruiting, Li Qing’an stood up and said with a faint smile, “Considering my third sister’s support for my Anxi Army, don’t worry! I know what to do.”

……

Following the principle of recruiting for personal gain, the Anxi Army set up two recruitment points in Mei County, one in the south and one in the north of the city. Early in the morning, long queues formed outside both points.

Li Qing’an attached great importance to this recruitment. After seeing Yang Huahua off, he went to the recruitment site accompanied by County Magistrate Zhang of Mei County to inspect the process. The recruitment site was located next to the south city gate, consisting of three large tables. A captain led seven or eight soldiers to conduct the recruitment, while a local scholar was hired to handle registration. The process was simple: first, a visual inspection to check for disabilities or any conditions that didn’t meet the Anxi Army’s minimum standards, such as being extremely thin or having a weak constitution. Of course, extremely thin people could be used as special troops, but they weren’t recruited here.

Next was the physical fitness test, with several stone locks nearby, each weighing at least 30 jin. Passing required lifting them three times in a row. Finally, there was registration of names and household details. There were also certain restrictions—brothers could not serve in the army simultaneously, fugitives could not enlist, and unconverted foreigners could not join either. However, in practice, recruiters would relax these rules. For example, a strong foreigner, even if unconverted, would still be recruited. As for brothers and fugitives, there was no issue at all.

At this time, the recruitment site was particularly lively. Dozens of men applying to enlist were trying to lift the stone locks. There were three types: one weighing 30 jin, one 50 jin, and another 100 jin. Li Qing’an stood by, watching with interest. The officer in charge of recruitment rushed over to greet the general upon his arrival, but Li Qing’an’s personal guards waved him off, asking him not to disturb the others. At that moment, a man standing eight feet tall was attempting to lift the 100-jin stone lock. With a loud roar, his face turning red, he lifted the heavy lock high before setting it down with a thud. He roared again and lifted it above his head once more. Those who could lift the 100-jin lock three times would at least become squad leaders after enlisting. If they were skilled in archery and horseback riding, they could even be directly appointed as platoon leaders or brigade commanders—this was the rule of the Anxi Army, where promotions were based on ability and military achievements.

The man lifted the lock three times in a row, drawing astonishment from the other applicants. Seeing he still seemed to have strength left, Li Qing’an asked loudly, “Are you skilled in archery and horseback riding as well?”

Thinking Li Qing’an was a young officer in ordinary military attire, the man replied arrogantly, “I’m originally from Longyou. Of course I am!”

The recruitment officer, annoyed by his rude tone, was about to reprimand him, but Li Qing’an waved him off and said with a smile, “Very well. Bring a horse and some bows and arrows. What strength does your bow have?”

“I can immediately use a 5-jin hard bow.”

“Good! Bring the 5-jin hard bow.”

A bodyguard led in a warhorse and brought a five-stone hardbow, but the bodyguard was sly—he only gave three arrows with their tips broken off. The man’s eyes lit up at the sight of the warhorse. All of Li Qing’an’s bodyguards’ horses were pure Arabian warhorses, tall and magnificent, nothing ordinary. The man had never seen such horses before and showed an envious look. Li Qing’an smiled slightly; he already knew this man must be a soldier from Longyou, as only soldiers would have such an expression when seeing fine horses. The man mounted the horse and rode in circles at high speed, showing exceptional horsemanship. Li Qing’an nodded in approval—this man was no ordinary soldier; he was at least a lieutenant from a prestigious unit. It was just unclear why he hadn’t followed Geshu Han and instead ended up among the common people. If he was a deserter, that would be troublesome.

At that moment, the man shouted loudly and shot an arrow at a straw man target hanging on a tree fifty steps away. The arrow hit the target right in the heart. Although it had no arrowhead, its force was so great that it still pierced through the straw man. The soldiers around cheered. The man slowly approached Li Qing’an, dismounted, and caressed the warhorse affectionately before suddenly asking, “How can I ride a warhorse like this?”

Li Qing’an smiled slightly and said, “First, you need to join the cavalry. Second, you must kill over fifty enemies to be rewarded with a Persian warhorse.”

Desperate to have such a horse, the man immediately replied, “Then I am willing to join the cavalry.”

Li Qing’an smiled and said, “Then tell me first—what is your name, and why did you leave the Longyou army?”

After a long pause, the man sighed and said, “My name is Yue Ning. I am a lieutenant in the Divine Might Army of Longyou. Ten days ago, Commander Geshu ordered us to return eastward, but when we reached Fengxiang, we learned that the Longyou army had gone to Hanzhong and would not return to Longyou. Longyou had been taken over by the Anxi army, leaving us with nowhere to go. Yesterday, we received an order from Commander Geshu to disband on the spot. My general planned to go to the capital to join General An Baoyu of the Yulin Army, but I didn’t want to be an emperor’s guard. So my general allowed me to rejoin the army. When we arrived in Mei County, we saw the Anxi army recruiting soldiers, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

Li Qing’an nodded. The Divine Might Army was formerly known as Shibao City. He immediately felt a favorable impression of this lieutenant from the Longyou army and said with a smile, “Then what is your general’s name?”

“My general is Li Sheng, the famous archer general of Longyou.”

Li Qing’an was stunned. Li Sheng—he knew him. One of the most famous fierce generals of the mid-Tang Dynasty, comparable to Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi. How could Geshu Han disregard such a formidable general? He quickly asked, “Where is your general now?”

“We passed Meixian by boat an hour ago; the large ship should be not far from here.”
Li Qing’an immediately ordered, “Get on your horses and follow me to chase after them.”
His five hundred bodyguards mounted their horses. Seeing Yue Ning standing there dumbfounded, Li Qing’an said, “If you help me catch your general, I’ll give you a Persian horse.”
Yue Ning’s expression changed as he stepped back two steps and demanded sharply, “Who are you? Why do you want to chase my general?”
Realizing he had been misunderstood, Li Qing’an smiled and asked, “Since you’re in Shibao City, do you know who Li Qing’an is?”
Yue Ning was stunned. How could he not know Li Qing’an? The man who had led three thousand men to intercept nearly a hundred thousand Tibetan troops in a fierce battle, resulting in nearly total destruction of his forces and the death of the Tibetan king. That battle was still celebrated by the troops of Longyou, and Li Qing’an had become a legendary figure. Yue Ning himself had even visited the battlefield, where bones still lay scattered. Could this man before him really be Li Qing’an, the King of Anxi?
Li Qing’an said again, “Get on your horse and follow me to chase your general. I want to make your general my general.”
In a daze, Yue Ning mounted his warhorse, and as the Arabian horse galloped, carrying the wind, hundreds of them rushed eastward.
……