Chapter 511: Winds from North and South

News of the tremendous changes in Chang’an reached Youzhou within three days. Almost at the same time, a petition calling on everyone to resist Li Hen, drafted by Pei Min and over nine hundred other officials, also arrived in Hebei.

At the military headquarters in Fanyang, Gao Shang rushed along at full speed. As he turned a corner in a corridor, he nearly collided head-on with An Qingxu.
Startled, An Qingxu quickly supported Gao Shang and asked, “Sir, is there an urgent matter?”
“A joyful event—a truly great joy! Is your father, the commander, here?”
“Yes! He’s in his study, talking with Uncle Shi.”
“Then I’ll go see him.”
Gao Shang sped off, and An Qingxu called after him, “Sir, what kind of joyful event?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
As the sound faded, An Qingxu shook his head and muttered to himself, “He keeps talking about joyous events, but every time he goes to Chang’an, he returns in disarray. What kind of joyous event could he possibly have?”

…

In the study, An Lushan was discussing with Shi Siming how to recruit Khitans and Turks into the army. Since his humiliating return from Chang’an, An Lushan had resolved to rebel. He proclaimed himself King of Yan, shedding all constraints and beginning to recruit troops on a large scale. However, becoming King of Yan came at a high cost. Once his ambitions became apparent, the Han generals and soldiers in Fanyang realized he intended to rebel, and they fled one after another. Within a few months, more than 30,000 of them had left—equivalent in number to his newly recruited troops. But the fugitives were experienced soldiers, while the recruits were novices, making their combat effectiveness vastly different.

Moreover, most of the recruits were ruffians and unemployed vagrants, with few being from honest families. These ruffians joined the army either for a living or to get the recruitment money, with ulterior motives. Once they received the money, many tried to desert. They had no fixed homes, making it difficult to catch them. This posed a serious problem for An Lushan, who realized that Han soldiers and generals were unreliable. He turned his recruitment efforts to the barbarian tribes surrounding Hebei—Khitans, Xis, Turks, and others. These people had no loyalty to the Tang Dynasty and were skilled in horseback combat. As long as he promised them plunder and women, they would make excellent soldiers.

An Lushan resolved to recruit troops on a large scale from these barbarian tribes. He entrusted this task to his trusted subordinate, Shi Siming. Shi Siming lived up to his expectations, recruiting over 20,000 men from various Khitan tribes in just over a month—a remarkable achievement that filled An Lushan with joy.

At this time, they were discussing the recruitment of troops from the Turkic tribes who had submitted to the Tang Dynasty. Since the early Tang period, these Turkic tribes had gradually submitted to the Tang court. The Tang government’s policy was to settle them in the border regions—partly to use them to defend against invasions by northern nomadic tribes, and partly to allow them to maintain their traditional nomadic lifestyle, thereby providing the Tang Dynasty with a steady supply of horses. However, the drawbacks of this ethnic policy were also evident. Living in the border regions for long periods, they found it difficult to assimilate into Han culture and had little sense of loyalty or belonging to the central court. Over time, they developed their own powerful forces. When the central region was strong, they might remain obedient, but once internal strife or weakness arose in the central region, these border tribes would inevitably launch large-scale attacks. The An Lushan Rebellion and the invasions by northern barbarians at the end of the Tang Dynasty stemmed from this situation.

“General, I have dealt with these Turkic tribes for a long time. They only have the general in their hearts, not the court. If we recruit them as frontline soldiers, we will not only get a strong cavalry force but also ensure their absolute loyalty to the general, unlike those Han people who are two-faced. However, they may have high demands; it will cost twice as much in money and food to recruit one soldier.”

An Lushan nodded. He and Shi Siming were both barbarians who had submitted to the Tang Dynasty, so they naturally understood this. He said, “It doesn’t matter if it costs more money and food. The key is to recruit true warriors who can help me capture cities and seize the Tang Dynasty’s lands. I’m willing to spend whatever it takes. Siming, you might as well start with Azali’s tribe. Their five thousand cavalrymen can each fight like ten. It would be a shame not to bring such an army under our control. Doesn’t Azali have a daughter? Go talk to him. I want to form a marital alliance with him.”

At that moment, the sound of running footsteps came from outside. Gao Shang shouted, “General, there’s good news!”

An Lushan chuckled and said, “We can talk about recruitment later. Let’s first hear what the good news is.”

An Lushan had never really trusted the Han people, but he trusted advisor Gao Shang greatly. Although many of Gao Shang’s suggestions had failed, An Lushan believed it wasn’t Gao Shang’s fault but rather the result of the circumstances. Especially after learning that Yan Zhuang wasn’t dead but was working for Li Qing’an, he felt even more convinced of Gao Shang’s loyalty.

Gao Shang rushed into the room, unable to contain his excitement, and said, “General, an opportunity has arisen.”

“Sir, calm down and explain slowly. What good news is it?”

An Lushan personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to Gao Shang. Gao Shang, out of breath from running, took a sip of the tea and said, “Commander, do you have any news from Chang’an?”
“Chang’an? What news from Chang’an?”
An Lushan had been thinking about recruiting troops these past few days and hadn’t paid attention to news from Chang’an. Moreover, after his intelligence network there was damaged again, it had become difficult for him to get updates from Chang’an promptly.
“Commander, the young emperor has passed away, and Li Hen has ascended the throne.”
“What!” An Lushan was also shocked and quickly asked, “Is that true?”
“The news is confirmed. Petain and others’ proclamations have already reached Hebei.”
An Lushan was stunned for a long time before suddenly slapping his forehead and laughing, “I see! That man killed his son and then his grandson. Heh! Truly ruthless. I, An Lushan, am not even his match! And what does it mean that Petain is spreading proclamations?”
“Commander, this is good news. Petain and over nine hundred other officials are calling on all provinces and counties to resist Li Hen and not recognize his reign. Commander, this is your chance!”
Next to him, Shi Siming laughed and said, “Sir, could you explain more clearly why Petain spreading proclamations is good news for the commander?”
Seeing that they didn’t understand, Gao Shang stroked his beard and said with a smile, “Since Petain is calling on everyone to resist Li Hen, the commander can take advantage of this opportunity to respond to his call. At the same time, we can establish a new emperor as the legitimate one. This way, the commander will have a legitimate reason to lead an army across the land.”
An Lushan’s pumpkin-like face split into a wide smile, his mouth barely able to close. “You Han people are so full of schemes. Are you suggesting I make Li Qian, the King of Xiliang, the new emperor?”
Back then, both Li Qian, the King of Bian, and Li Qian, the King of Xiliang, had escaped across the Yellow River but ended up as An Lushan’s captives. After An Lushan’s eldest son, An Qingzong, was assassinated, out of revenge, An Lushan ordered Li Qian, the King of Bian, to be killed, claiming externally that he died of illness. Now he still had Li Qian, the King of Xiliang, in his hands—originally as a hostage, but now he had become an important pawn.
Li Qian was the son of Wu Xianyi, who was now in Southern Tang and held a status equivalent to that of an empress. Making him the emperor would be the most appropriate choice. An Lushan approved of Gao Shang’s plan and laughed loudly, “This is indeed excellent news!”
……

Just three days after Li Heng ascended the throne, An Lushan officially declared his acceptance of the petition from ministers such as Pei Min, refusing to recognize Li Heng as the emperor. At the same time, he sought guidance from heaven and received an order to establish a new ruler on the spot. On the 10th day of the third month, An Lushan proclaimed Li Qian, the King of Xiliang, as the new emperor of the Tang Dynasty in Youzhou. Li Qian officially appointed An Lushan as the King of Yan, Grand Minister of the Secretariat and Right Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty, granting him nine honors and making him the supreme commander of all military forces. An Lushan ordered officials from various counties in Hebei to pay homage to the new emperor, but they were met with cold treatment; only a dozen or so officials from nearby areas were forced to come.

Nevertheless, An Lushan still considered himself the legitimate emperor of Hebei and issued proclamations in the name of the second Grand Minister of the Secretariat since Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, supporting ministers in Chang’an such as Pei Min and calling on all regional lords to attack the puppet emperor Li Heng.

……

Unlike An Lushan, who took the opportunity to stir up chaos, Chengdu remained silent about the major upheavals in Chang’an, as if it had nothing to do with them.

That afternoon, in Nanming Palace, Li Longji lay half-reclined on his bed. He was emaciated, at the end of his strength. It was obvious to everyone that he would not live much longer—perhaps a few months at most.

Yet the closer he was to the end of his life, the more Li Longji valued power. Only when he truly closed his eyes would he relinquish it. Of course, he no longer cared about any political matters; the fate of the people meant nothing to him. He was only concerned about military power and his son who would inherit the throne.

In front of Li Longji lay a personal letter written by Li Heng, the new emperor of Chang’an. Li Longji had read it at least three times already. In the letter, Li Heng did not become arrogant after ascending the throne but continued to speak to him in a humble tone, just as a son should to his father—something that satisfied Li Longji greatly. However, although Li Heng had ascended the throne as he desired, Li Longji was not in a hurry. He wanted to see not only his words but also his actions.

At that moment, Yu Chaoyen hurried in and handed a memorial to Li Longji. “Your Majesty, this is news from Chang’an.”

Li Longji perked up, took the letter, and indeed it was from Li Heng. He struggled to open it and read it slowly, then nodded in satisfaction. Smiling at Gao Lishi, who was sitting beside him, he said, “Gao, my son has lived up to expectations. He has completely abolished the land redemption laws imposed by that traitorous grandson. All lands east of Chang’an will be returned to their original owners. He has not disappointed me.”

Upon saying this, he noticed no response from Gao Lishi and turned to ask curiously, “Are you listening to me?”

By this time, Gao Lishi was clearly aged, with white hair and beard, and his walk had become unsteady. He no longer possessed the efficiency and sharpness of the past. When Li Longji asked him, he gave a bitter smile and said, “This old servant fears that such actions will provoke uprisings among the people.”

Gao Lishi’s words displeased Li Longji, who grew stern and said, “What uprisings could there be? Those lands belong to the imperial family. Only by returning them can he gain their support. Otherwise, how could I trust him with the throne? He isn’t like that foolish traitor who destroyed his own family. The fact that he sees this shows he understands well and shares my thoughts.”

After a pause, Li Longji added, “Elder Gao, I remember you strongly defending him back then, persuading me time and again to spare him. Why do you hold a prejudice against him now? Is it simply because his methods of seizing power were not honorable?”

Gao Lishi knew Li Longji perfectly well. He knew that even though everyone disapproved of Li Heng’s methods, this old emperor would not. Not only would he not disapprove, but he would even relish them—after all, hadn’t he risen to power in the same way? By executing Princess Taiping, forcing his father to abdicate, and forcing his elder brother to step down. In the 25th year of Tianbao, he even mercilessly killed his three sons just because of the crown prince’s complaints. Truly, like father, like son—Li Heng’s act of killing his sons and grandsons was in line with Li Longji’s ways. No wonder, upon hearing about this, Li Longji had smiled and said, “A true man should act in such a manner.”

How could one expect such a person, who was ruthless even toward his own family, to treat the common people kindly? Only over time does one see people’s true nature. It was only then that Gao Lishi truly saw through Li Heng. He had been blind to defend him all those years.

Gao Lishi was utterly disheartened. He had reached the extreme of disgust toward such fratricidal violence. Without saying anything explicit, he simply said, “This old servant suggests that Your Majesty choose someone else. Without the support of the officials, Li Heng’s reign likely won’t last long.”

“Hmph!” Li Longji snorted heavily. “That’s because Li Qing’an provides shelter for those officials. Otherwise, who would dare to attend court? Elder Gao, I think it’s you who’s become foolish. Without someone strong like Heng, the treasures of our Tang Dynasty would have long been stolen by Li Qing’an.”

Yu Chaoyen, who had remained silent until then, felt both hatred and envy toward Gao Lishi. No matter how hard he tried, Li Longji always treated him as a servant, while treating Gao Lishi differently. Seeing Li Longji’s dissatisfaction with Gao Lishi, he secretly rejoiced and interjected, “Your Majesty, this servant has another piece of news.”

“Speak, what news?” Li Longji’s attention was drawn to him.
“Your Majesty, a few days ago, I heard that An Lushan has proclaimed a king of Xiliang in Youzhou.”
This news had indeed arrived two days prior, but Gao Lishi had kept it secret. He didn’t want Li Longji to know, fearing that upon hearing it, Li Longji would lose his temper and take his anger out on those in the palace. He had already killed no less than a hundred maids and eunuchs.
As expected, upon hearing this news, Li Longji flew into a rage. He glared fiercely at Gao Lishi and said, “Why didn’t you tell me this news? Until when do you intend to hide it?”
Gao Lishi shot Yu Chaonan a glare. That damned official was trying to backstab him at such a time. He quickly stood up and said, “Your Majesty, I was worried that Your Majesty’s health wouldn’t withstand it, so I delayed telling you for now.”
“Good! Even you want to hide things from me. You’re used to hiding things. You’ve hidden things from me for over forty years. Do you still plan to keep hiding until I die?”
“I didn’t mean that.”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses, nor do I want to see you again. Get out of here, go away!”
Li Longji’s temples bulged with veins; he had completely lost his sanity. Gao Lishi sighed deeply. The old emperor had become so confused that he couldn’t even see the simplest attempts to sow discord. He shook his head and slowly turned to leave.
Still furious, Li Longji continued, “Whoever dares to let him back into the palace will be executed.”
Yu Chaonan beamed with joy and said obsequiously, “I shall obey your orders!”
“Pass another order of mine—have Gao Xianzhi come to see me.”
……
Gao Xianzhi, the military governor of Jiannan, left his residence and boarded a carriage heading toward Nanming Palace. Inside the carriage, he appeared worried. He had already heard the news from Chang’an: Li Longji’s princes and grandsons were fighting for power for their own gain, pushing the Tang Dynasty toward decline. This filled Gao Xianzhi, who had once witnessed the Tang Dynasty’s glory, with deep sorrow. Yet he was helpless—this helplessness stemmed not only from his powerlessness regarding the Tang Dynasty’s fate but also from his own circumstances.
Since last year, Li Longji had tightened control over the military, especially over Gao Xianzhi’s Jiannan forces and Ge Shuhuan’s forces in the Two Lakes region. He not only sent eunuchs back to oversee the troops but also appointed Prince Rong, Li Wan, as the governor of Yizhou and deputy military governor of Jiannan, greatly weakening Gao Xianzhi’s military power.
These past few days, Gao Xianzhi had been recalled to Chengdu to report on his duties. He understood that, though it was ostensibly a routine report, it was actually a way to undermine him and let Prince Rong, Li Wan, take control of the military, leaving him filled with melancholy.

At that moment, the carriage suddenly slowed down. The voice of his daughter, Wuniang, came from outside: “Is Father in the carriage?” Hearing his daughter’s voice, Gao Xianzhi’s heart grew even heavier. His daughter was already in her early twenties, considered an old maid who would be hard to marry off. Yet recently, she had suddenly become highly sought after, with several men wanting to marry her. One of them was Cui Yuan, who wanted to take Wuniang as his daughter-in-law. His second son, Cui Jin, was the same age as Wuniang—well-educated, kind-hearted, and their birth dates were also compatible. Cui Yuan himself liked Wuniang’s bold and spirited nature. It seemed like a very good marriage arrangement. Even Gao Xianzhi suspected that Wuniang hadn’t married yet because fate had already arranged this marriage for her. Unexpectedly, Wuniang refused outright.

This time, Gao Xianzhi became angry. He forced his daughter to marry into the Cui family and sent her marriage proposal to them. He wanted to make the decision for her. But the stubborn Wuniang donned armor and rode to Cui Yuan’s residence to protest, shooting an arrow at the main gate of Cui Yuan’s house. That arrow also ruined the marriage plans between the Gao and Cui families. That afternoon, Cui Yuan sent back Wuniang’s marriage proposal. A woman who dared to shoot at his family’s gate—how could he dare to marry her?

Before one problem could be resolved, another arose. The news of Wuniang shooting arrows to reject marriage spread throughout Chengdu, the capital of Shu. Even Emperor Li Longji heard about it. He became very interested in Wuniang. It turned out Gao Xianzhi had another daughter who hadn’t married yet, which could be used to win over Gao Xianzhi.

How could Cui Yuan’s second son be worthy of Gao Xianzhi’s only daughter? She should at least become a princess. So Li Longji asked Wu Xianyi to act as a matchmaker and arrange for Wuniang to marry his 25th son, Prince Chen, Li Gui. If Gao Xianzhi agreed, then Gao Wuniang would become the noble Princess Chen.

Li Longji was pushing hard for this marriage, but just then news of drastic changes in Chang’an came, drawing everyone’s attention. Thus, Gao Wuniang managed to avoid this crisis for now.

But Gao Xianzhi knew that he couldn’t avoid it forever. In a few days, Li Longji would surely urge him to prepare for the marriage again. Gao Xianzhi sighed secretly, pulled back the carriage curtain, and saw his daughter riding on horseback, her appearance much thinner, which filled him with heartache. If only he had known Li Longji would get involved, it would have been better to marry her into the Cui family.

At that moment, Gao Xianzhi suddenly noticed a bundle on his daughter’s horseback. He was stunned and asked, “Wuniang, where are you going?”
Wuniang looked gloomy and bowed to her father. “Father, I want to go out for a walk.”
Gao Xianzhi realized his daughter wanted to elope. He sighed. It was fine; he didn’t want her to marry Li Longji’s son either. He asked her, “Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know either. Maybe go to Chang’an, or return to Kucha. I want to see the place where I grew up.” Gao Xianzhi’s nose stung. This silly girl still couldn’t forget after all these years. His eyes turned red. After a while, he took out a golden dagger from his bosom and handed it to his daughter, saying, “Take this! The journey to Anxi is long. If you run out of money, you can use it to get some more funds.” “Dad, I already have some money with me.” “Just take this anyway. It’s from Dad’s heart. Be careful on your journey.” With that, Gao Xianzhi forced a smile and said, “If you encounter danger in Anxi, just say you’re Gao Xianzhi’s daughter. Dad still has some reputation there.” Wu Niang took the dagger. Suddenly, she covered her mouth to stop herself from crying. Tears streamed down her face as she turned her horse and galloped away. From afar, she called out, “Dad, I’m unfilial. Just treat it as if I don’t exist!” Gao Xianzhi watched his daughter go, tears in his eyes. He murmured softly, “Such a silly girl. How could a father abandon his daughter? Do you really think Dad doesn’t know what you’re thinking?”