Chapter 468: Internal Strife in Guanzhong

Before dawn the next day, the drums signaling the opening of the city gates began to sound over Chang’an. The gates of Chang’an slowly opened to the rhythm of the drums. As soon as the Chunming Gate opened, a horse rushed in from outside. The rider was Cui Ping, who was in charge of resettling immigrants from Huazhou.

His face was filled with urgency as he spurred his horse straight into the gate. The soldiers on either side, seeing his fierce momentum, shouted, “Stop!” But Cui Ping, consumed by panic, not only didn’t slow down but also whipped his horse again, shouting, “Urgent military news!”

Frightened, the soldiers stepped aside, allowing the horse to rush into the city and vanish in an instant.

“Damn it, who is this? An urgent military message delivered in robes?”

“It seems to be Cui Ping, the former official from the Ministry of Works. Could something serious have happened?”

“I doubt it. Such officials are usually calm. His haste suggests there must be trouble.”

The soldiers speculated wildly, unsure of what had happened.

Cui Ping was extremely anxious. He had come from Xinfeng County. After sending the first batch of over nine thousand immigrant families to Fengxiang, he rushed back to Tongguan to welcome the second batch from Henan, about twelve thousand families. Everything had gone smoothly along the way, but last night something happened in Xinfeng County. A group of immigrants who arrived late camped in the woods and were attacked by the Guanzhong troops stationed there. More than two hundred people were killed or injured, and nearly a hundred women were captured and taken to the Guanzhong troops’ camp, their fates unknown.

Upon learning of this, Cui Ping went to demand an explanation, but Chen Lu, the commander of the Guanzhong troops in Xinfeng, firmly denied it. After several unsuccessful attempts to negotiate, Cui Ping had no choice but to rush back to Chang’an and seek help from Li Qing’an.

Unluckily, Li Qing’an was not at the military camp outside the city last night but was staying in the camp of the Qianniu Guard, preventing Cui Ping from reaching him in time.

Cui Ping spurred his horse at full speed, racing down the empty Chunming Street toward the imperial palace. The Qianniu Guard’s camp was inside the palace. Just as he reached the Zhuque Gate, he saw Li Qing’an’s carriage coming out. Excited, Cui Ping shouted, “General! General!”

The carriage stopped. One of the bodyguards recognized Cui Ping and reported to Li Qing’an, “General, it’s Cui Ping, Minister Cui.”

The window was slowly raised, revealing Li Qing’an’s slightly tired face. He had held a banquet for envoys from various countries in Anxi the previous night and had enjoyed himself so much that he drank a bit too much. His head still ached.

Seeing Cui Ping’s extremely anxious expression, he was slightly surprised. Could something serious have happened?

Cui Ping dismounted and rushed forward, reporting immediately, “General, a group of immigrants were attacked by the Guanzhong army last night in Xinfeng County. Over 200 people were killed or injured, and nearly a hundred women were taken captive by them to the military camp; their fate is unknown.”
“What!”
Li Qing’an flew into a rage and immediately ordered, “Go to the Guanzhong army’s headquarters!”
The Guanzhong army’s headquarters was located in Xingdao Fang, opposite the imperial city. When Li Qing’an’s carriage and hundreds of bodyguards stopped at the steps in front of the headquarters, several guards, sensing the seriousness of the situation, rushed inside to report.
Moments later, Wang Sili stepped out quickly from the headquarters, bowed to Li Qing’an, and said, “General, you’ve come early in the morning. What brings you here?”
During the defense battle at Tongguan, Li Qing’an had saved Wang Sili’s life, and Wang Sili was deeply grateful to him, which made him especially respectful toward Li Qing’an. By now, Li Qing’an had also calmed down. As a commander, one must remain rational and composed at all times, especially during such a critical time of power struggles. Any carelessness could lead to being exploited by others. Along the way, he had questioned Cui Ping again, sensing something suspicious. These immigrants were victims of disasters from Henan Province; they likely didn’t have much money. If it were for wealth, the Guanzhong army would have targeted merchants instead.
If it were for women, they could have simply found prostitutes in Xinfeng County—there was no need to kill and abduct people. Since they clearly knew these immigrants were from Anxi, committing such atrocities meant they were targeting him specifically. If there was a purpose, it must be premeditated. Was it really that simple as just killing and stealing?
“General Wang, something serious happened last night in Xinfeng County. You must be aware of it!”
Wang Sili was stunned. After a long while, he bowed and said, “General, what happened last night? I truly don’t know.”
Li Qing’an looked into Wang Sili’s eyes. There was no panic in them, only confusion and bewilderment. Perhaps he really didn’t know. So he gave Cui Ping a signal. Cui Ping stepped forward and bowed to Wang Sili, saying, “General Wang, at the first watch last night, about a thousand immigrants from Henan Province were attacked by the Xinfeng County Guanzhong army by the Xishui River near Lingkou Town. 158 people were killed, over 100 were injured, and 84 women were taken away by the Guanzhong army…”
“Wait!” Wang Sili interrupted him. He could hardly believe his ears. Was this really the work of the Guanzhong army?
“Are you sure it was the Guanzhong army?”
“Yes! Two young immigrants followed them and saw them enter the military camp with their own eyes. I went to negotiate twice last night, but the commander refused to admit it.”

Wang Sili’s eyes burned with anger. Knowing that some within the Guanzhong Army did not submit to him, he had orchestrated this incident to embarrass him. He said to Li Qingan with hatred, “Please rest assured, General. If this truly is the work of the Guanzhong Army, I will surely give you an explanation.” He turned around and shouted, “Get the horses ready! Head to Xinfeng County!” Wang Sili’s personal guards mounted their horses and rode away with him toward the east, the loud sound of their hooves fading into the distance. Li Qingan did not follow them. After pondering for a moment, he took out a gold plaque and handed it to the officer in charge of his guards, saying, “Return immediately to the military camp outside the city. Order Jiang Xiaonian to assemble three thousand troops and prepare for emergency combat.” “As ordered!” The officer took the gold plaque and led a group of men off at full speed. Li Qingan felt a sense of unease—he feared this might be a test from Li Heng.

……

Xinfeng County was located 80 li east of Chang’an. It was established in the early Han Dynasty. Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, had it built especially for his father, who missed his hometown of Feng County, hence the name Xinfeng County. Half an hour later, Li Qingan led three thousand cavalry to Xinfeng County. Instead of entering the county town, he went straight to the Guanzhong Army’s camp, about ten li south of Xinfeng County. Xinfeng County was an important military base for the Guanzhong Army, housing 10,000 troops under the command of General Chen Lu. The camp covered a vast area, surrounded by high walls, with watchtowers around it for strict surveillance.

Li Qingan’s army stopped three li away instead of approaching further. He spurred his horse forward, raised the curtain, and looked toward the camp’s main gate. Dozens of warhorses were parked in front of the gate, guarded by two soldiers, while the rest of the troops were inside. “The troops shall stay put and wait for orders!” At that moment, several officials responsible for resettling immigrants who had stayed in Xinfeng County rushed over with over a hundred immigrant representatives. These officials were civilian staff from the Anxi Army with extensive experience in resettling immigrants. They had brought more than 10,000 families from Henan Province, with smooth progress along the way, only to encounter trouble in Xinfeng County.

The officials stepped forward and bowed to Li Qingan, saying, “We humble servants pay our respects to the General.” Li Qingan nodded and asked, “You’ve worked hard. How are the immigrants’ emotions now?” One of the leading officials shook his head and said, “Their emotions are very unstable. They’re all terrified. Many refuse to go to Anxi and insist on returning to their hometowns.” Then, the over a hundred immigrant representatives stepped forward together, knelt down, and pleaded with Li Qingan, “General, please let us return to our hometowns! We no longer want to go to Anxi.”

Li Qing’an felt a surge of anger. These people had come here through great hardships—how could they just go back? If they did, who would dare to go to Anxi in the future? His plan for immigration would be in danger. He dismounted, quickly helped the elderly up, and said to everyone, “Dear fellow villagers, please trust me. I will ensure everyone’s safety on the journey. From now on, no one will dare to harass you again. I will rescue those who have been taken away, and I will deal with every murderer. I will give you an explanation.” With Li Qing’an’s promise and the reassurance of the immigration officials, the fear in the hearts of these immigration representatives finally subsided, and they no longer mentioned returning to their hometowns. At that moment, Li Qing’an’s gaze once again turned toward the Guanzhong Army camp. He began to suspect that this might be a premeditated attempt to sabotage his immigration plan. If handled improperly, his plan would indeed be at risk. …

The Guanzhong Army stationed in Xinfeng County numbered 11,000 troops, a elite force under Guanzhong Army. They had once followed Meng Yun to besiege Huangzhuang. After Meng Yun’s death, this army fell under Chen Xuanli’s control. Nominalmente, Wang Sili was the commander-in-chief of Guanzhong Army, while Chen Xuanli was the deputy commander. But in reality, Chen Xuanli held power independently and was not under Wang Sili’s authority. Li Heng also tolerated this division of power, believing that conflicts among his subordinates made it easier to control them. The commander of the Guanzhong Army in Xinfeng County was Chen Luxian, Chen Xuanli’s cousin, who completely dismissed Wang Sili.

Inside the main tent, Wang Sili’s personal guards and Chen Luxian’s troops glared at each other, the atmosphere tense and charged with hostility. Wang Sili placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and shouted fiercely, “Chen Luxian, I’ll say it one more time—release those people, and I’ll spare you this time. I’ll go explain to the Anxi Army. If you persist in your stubbornness, be careful your life isn’t lost!” Chen Luxian, around forty years old and a man with a sardonic demeanor, sneered and said, “Commander Wang, I’ve said I didn’t capture anyone. If you force me to release them, what do I have to release them with?” “Nonsense! Your subordinates have already admitted it. Why are you still denying it? Do you dare me to search?” “If you want to search my camp, fine! Show me General Chen’s order. If you can produce it, I’ll allow you to search. If not, sorry, you can’t take a single step around here!” Wang Sili’s eyes seemed to sprout fire, and his teeth gritted in anger. “I’m the commander-in-chief of Guanzhong Army! How dare you ignore my orders?” Chen Luxian replied arrogantly, “It’s true you’re the commander-in-chief of Guanzhong Army, but I only obey General Chen’s orders!” “What if I force my way into your camp?”

“I can’t guarantee your life, Marshal Wang. If you’re sensible, leave this matter alone—it has nothing to do with you. But if you insist on getting involved, let me tell you: you won’t walk out of this camp alive!”
Wang Sili couldn’t bear the humiliation and snapped, “How dare you!”
Chen Luxian glared coldly at Wang Sili. With a wave of his hand, groups of soldiers appeared around the tent, each holding a crossbow with the string drawn, their icy arrows aimed at Wang Sili and his guards.
Just then, alarms sounded outside the tent—the guards of the Guanzhong Army had spotted the arrival of the Anxi Army. The shrill sound of bells echoed throughout the camp.
Chen Luxian gave Wang Sili a fierce look before turning and leaving the camp. As he walked away, he ordered, “Arbalestiers, take defensive positions! Anyone who enters within a hundred steps shall be shot on sight!”
Inside the tent, Wang Sili sighed deeply and said to his guards, “This isn’t something we can handle. Let’s go!”
They led their guards out of the tent. At that moment, chaos arose in the Guanzhong Army’s camp. Soldiers rushed to the camp fences, drawing their bows, loading their crossbows, and staring anxiously at the Guanzhong Army three miles away.
Soon, the camp gates opened, and Wang Sili along with his guards rushed out angrily. From afar, he saw Li Qing’an’s army and gritted his teeth, saying, “Get on your horses! Follow me!”
In no time, over a hundred people rushed toward the Anxi Army. Wang Sili mounted his horse, bowed deeply, and shouted, “General, may I have a word with you?”
Li Qing’an spurred his horse forward and asked, “Have you figured out what’s going on?”
Wang Sili sighed. He dismounted, sat down on a large rock, his eyes filled with anger and helplessness. Li Qing’an also dismounted and sat across from him, asking, “What happened?”
“That damned bastard!”
Wang Sili cursed under his breath, “He dared to act arrogantly in front of me. I must kill him.”
Li Qing’an glanced at him and sneered, “General Wang is the commander of the Guanzhong Army, yet he’s driven out of his own tent by his subordinates?”
Wang Sili wasn’t angry. After a long while, he said helplessly, “General, you don’t know the whole story. I’m only the nominal commander of the Guanzhong Army. In reality, it’s divided into two halves—half is under my command, while the other half is in Chen Xuanli’s hands. It was the Prince Regent’s deliberate arrangement.”
“You mean the Guanzhong Army in Xinfeng County isn’t under your control?”
Wang Sili nodded. “Do you know who this Chen Luxian is?”
“He can’t be someone related to Chen Xuanli, can he?”

“It was his cousin. When I asked him for those people, he firmly denied it. I said I wanted to search, and he said that without Chen Xuanli’s order, no one was allowed to search the camp, otherwise he would turn against us.”
Wang Sili’s eyes blazed with anger. “That bastard actually drew his sword and confronted my personal guards. If not for the general arriving, a fight would have really broken out.”
Li Qing’an glanced at Wang Sili skeptically, somewhat unconvinced. “Is this man really that arrogant?”
“If he weren’t arrogant, would he dare attack the immigrants from Anxi? I’m sure this was Chen Xuanli’s orders. That Lin Jian who broke into Pei’s mansion last time became a scapegoat and was beaten by the regent a hundred times, breaking his legs. Chen Xuanli holds a grudge, and this is his revenge.”
“Very well!”
Li Qing’an stood up and said coldly, “Since General Wang can’t handle this, I’ll use the methods of Anxi to resolve it.”
He immediately turned around and ordered, “Send pigeons to convey my orders. Within an hour, the Anxi army outside Chang’an must arrive at Xinfeng County!”
Wang Sili was terrified and quickly said, “General, this… this isn’t that serious, is it?”
“For you, it may be a trivial matter, but for Anxi, it’s a huge issue. If we don’t give an explanation to the immigrants, I can forget about the remaining 30,000 immigrants.”
Li Qing’an ignored Wang Sili further. He mounted his horse and returned to the army. Wang Sili stared at Li Qing’an in shock. After a long while, he stomped his foot angrily. “Go and cause trouble! What does it have to do with me?”