Chapter 557: An Encounter in Yun County

In Chang’an, after a autumn rain, the weather grew colder once again. The north wind began to blow, causing the half-dried leaves on the branches to tremble in the wind. Pedestrians on the streets also started wearing padded coats and hurrying along. By mid-September each year, Chang’an entered deep autumn, but this year’s deep autumn was especially frigid. The unstable political situation weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts. In particular, An Lushan’s massacre of over twenty thousand Han civilians in Jingxing had sparked immense public outrage. Chang’an was filled with condemnations, and An Lushan was almost seen as the embodiment of a demon. At that time, Li Qing’an issued a righteous manifesto denouncing An Lushan’s crimes, which won widespread acclaim. Soon, copies of this manifesto spread throughout Chang’an’s streets and alleys. Scholars and poets wrote poems in admiration, and all the common people watched with great interest.

At noon, a freight cart passed through the empty gates of the East Market, restoring silence to the area. Not far away, in the Qingfeng Tavern, Lu Huan sat by the window on the second floor, watching the sparse pedestrians at the East Market entrance. After a while, he drained the wine in his cup, sighed, and said, “Even people’s hearts can kill!”

Pei Zunqing, sitting across from him, smiled and said, “You’ve been pondering all morning. Tell me! Don’t keep it to yourself.”

Lu Huan sneered and said, “Are you pretending to be clueless, or are you protecting your son-in-law?”

“What son-in-law? Are you talking about Li Qing’an?”

“Nonsense! Who in Chang’an isn’t talking about him? Is there anyone else?”

Lu Huan seemed annoyed, but Pei Zunqing remained calm and smiling. “Li Qing’an has a great reputation now. His manifesto against An Lushan was written with great passion. Everyone in Chang’an sees him as the only savior who can subdue that demon, An Lushan. Everyone praises him—why aren’t you happy?”

Lu Huan fell silent. After a long while, he sighed deeply and said, “Perhaps I’m too scheming. It’s just a petty mindset. Forget it. Let’s drink.”

He didn’t want to talk anymore, but Pei Zunqing became interested. He stood up, locked the door, sat back down, and asked in a low voice, “Tell me, what exactly happened?”

Lu Huan stared at his wine cup and shook his head. “I just can’t believe it. Didn’t you see it?”

“What exactly happened? Stop making me guess. Just tell me!”

The secret in his heart, like an unstoppable flood, finally burst forth after Lu Huan hesitated for a moment. “Brother Pei, really, you didn’t realize it? That massacre in Jingxing could have been completely avoided.”

“How is that possible!”

Pei Zunqing shook his head and said, “There are eight passes in the Taihang Mountains, and immigrants are using each of them. Who could have known that An Lushan would suddenly launch an attack and where he would strike? Who could have predicted it in advance?”
“But Li Qing’an should have known. Surely there are his spies in Youzhou City? How could he not be aware of the arrival of the Youzhou Iron Cavalry? Even if he didn’t know which route the attack would take, he could have issued warnings in advance to prepare all the passes and speed up the evacuation of civilians as much as possible. But according to the reports from Tumen Pass, no preparations were made at all. They only realized the threat when the enemy was already thirty li away—utterly hasty and reactive. That’s exactly why I’m suspicious!”
“You mean Li Qing’an knew but did nothing?”
Lu Huan sighed again and said, “Perhaps I’m being too cynical. Li Qing’an didn’t ignore it; he was simply powerless. But after this incident, he became the biggest beneficiary. This makes my unwarranted suspicions suddenly seem plausible. Could it really be a trap set by him?”
Pei Zunqing remained silent. In fact, he was also a bit suspicious. After all, such a major event as the migration of immigrants involved Li Qing’an’s army at all, yet it wasn’t involved at all. Jingxing was under his army’s control. If he had stationed ten thousand troops at Tumen Pass, Shi Siming would never have dared to be so arrogant. Yet there were only five hundred troops there. Sigh… Could Li Qing’an make such a basic mistake?
Though he thought this, Li Qing’an had married his granddaughter after all. He had to defend him. So Pei Zunqing smiled and said, “I think we’ve placed too high expectations on him. So when he fails once, we can’t accept it. Maybe he really didn’t realize it this time, or he didn’t receive any intelligence about the Youzhou Iron Cavalry’s attack. We shouldn’t be too harsh on him.”
“Yes! After all, in the game of politics, who isn’t cunning? Ah! Never mind, let’s stop talking about it.”
Lu Huan still wasn’t convinced by Pei Zunqing’s explanation. Both of them fell silent. After a while, Pei Zunqing smiled and said, “An extraordinary person must do extraordinary things. As long as he can eliminate An Lushan and restore peace to the Tang Dynasty, I will firmly support him.”
“I hope so. Sigh! I hope I’m overthinking it. Come! Let’s keep drinking.”

After issuing a manifesto condemning An Lushan the day before yesterday, Li Qing’an went to inspect the Ziwu Valley. Since Hanzhong was still actually under Li Heng’s control, strategic passages such as the Ziwu Valley and Xiegu Road served as the last line of defense for Chang’an. Therefore, Li Qing’an deployed heavy troops along these routes. As a temporary strategic standoff with An Lushan persisted, Li Qing’an began to consider taking control of Hanzhong—only by doing so could Guanzhong gain further security.

Li Qing’an had completed his inspection and was now on his way back to Chang’an. Nearly a thousand cavalry escorted his carriage as it moved slowly along the official road. He continued to ponder the use of force against Hanzhong. His decision to wage war was already made; now the key question was who should be the commander, a dilemma that greatly troubled him.

Currently, the governor of Hanzhong was Li Huan, appointed by Li Heng when he declared himself emperor in Chang’an. He commanded 30,000 troops and was also a member of the imperial family, known for his bravery—a quality quite rare among them. Although he was appointed as a governor by the Northern Tang, his attitude was ambiguous. He had submitted a report to the Northern Tang’s government, but when Li Heng ascended the throne in Chengdu, he sent congratulations and expressed full support, making him a typical opportunist. The best approach with such a person was to eliminate him completely.

In Li Qing’an’s eyes, Li Huan’s military skills were only of average level, and his 30,000 troops were not elite forces but ordinary troops from Guanzhong, roughly on par with Ji Guangchen’s forces. Thus, Li Qing’an’s initial plan was to have Cui Guangyuan lead an army to pacify Hanzhong, after which Cui could become its governor. However, during his inspection of the Ziwu Valley, he received unexpected news: a month earlier, an Anxi army patrol had clashed with a Hanzhong army patrol in the Ziwu Valley. The two forces engaged in a fierce battle, resulting in mutual losses—18 Anxi soldiers killed and 25 injured, compared to 20 Hanzhong soldiers killed and 28 injured. The casualty numbers were quite similar.

This incident shocked Li Qing’an greatly. He realized that Li Huan’s Hanzhong army was not as weak as he had thought. Sending Cui Guangyuan to recapture Hanzhong might lead to a disastrous defeat. His decision began to waver. To ensure victory in Hanzhong, he had to consider replacing the inexperienced Cui Guangyuan with Li Siyeh, who had just arrived in the capital, to lead the campaign against Li Huan. As he thought through these options, Li Qing’an also formulated a strategy for conquering Hanzhong—this was his usual approach in warfare: conducting strategic analyses before a major battle, taking into account every detail such as timing, geography, and morale.

At this point, the road began to level out, and outside the carriage, there was noise from people coming and going, with vehicles passing by continuously. Li Qing’an temporarily stopped thinking and lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look outside—the carriage had arrived in Huxian County. Huxian County is what is now Huxian County in Shaanxi, close to Chang’an. It is a medium-sized county town. A tributary of the Wei River, the Lao River, flows through the county town. To the north of Huxian is a plain with fertile land and convenient irrigation, producing abundant grain, while to the south are branches of the Zhongnan Mountains, with dense forests and steep peaks, which have long been a popular destination for people from Chang’an to vacation. It was noon, and the county town was especially bustling. However, the arrival of Li Qing’an’s party caused the people on the streets to step aside to make way. Li Qing’an shook his head; he had little control over the itinerary. His men also needed to have lunch, and knowing this, he said nothing and let his guards arrange things as they saw fit. Just as he was about to lower the carriage curtain, he suddenly froze—he seemed to have seen a familiar figure flash by at the street corner… As Li Qing’an’s cavalry slowly entered Huxian County, the busy pedestrians on the street stepped aside. Among them was a young woman who had just bought some baked cakes. At first, she didn’t pay attention to the identity of the cavalry party. Then she suddenly heard people talking. “Sanlang, whose carriage is this? It needs so many cavalry guards—how extraordinary!” “Nonsense! Besides Prince Zhao in Chang’an, who else could afford such a grand display? You’re really stupid.” ‘Li Qing’an!’ The young woman turned around abruptly. Her delicate face revealed the signs of fatigue from the journey. This young woman was Gao Wu, who had been away from home for over half a year. Half a year ago, she left Chengdu for Anxi. She traveled through hardships, visiting Kucha, Shule, and Bahuancheng. She cried in the small inn where she first met Li Qing’an. She then went to Sulou Fortress to search for traces of Li Qing’an from the past and recall their moments together. In the end, Gao Wu didn’t find Li Qing’an in Anxi but learned that he had returned to Chang’an. Exhausted both physically and mentally, she reluctantly bid farewell to Anxi and returned to Chang’an. Coincidentally, she met Wu Yi and Ru Shi, who were also returning to Chang’an, in Dunhuang. At their kind invitation, Gao Wu eventually returned to Chang’an with them. This morning, Wu Yi and Ru Shi went to their own homes in Chang’an, while Gao Wu had no home to return to. She had no choice but to return to Chengdu alone, to her father’s side. Only her father was the one person she could rely on.

She was already tired and ready to return to her father’s side to spend the rest of her life quietly with him. Just then, Li Qing’an, whom she had longed for day and night, suddenly appeared before her, filling her with immense shame. Nearly a decade of longing had worn away her youth, leaving her no longer young; the courage that had driven her to travel thousands of miles to Anxi vanished in an instant. She turned around and silently left the street.

Gao Wu led her jujube-red horse, which had been with her for ten years, to the riverbank. By the river, several girls were washing clothes and playing in the water. They were only fourteen or fifteen years old and no longer focused on their work. They simply sat on the bank, dipping their fair little feet into the water, their laughter as clear as silver bells.

Gao Wu sat down not far from the river. Watching these carefree, innocent girls, she remembered something Wu Yi had told her—Li Qing’an was going to marry Pei Wan’er, who was also only sixteen. Sixteen… such a distant memory. Years of hardships had made her forget what it was like to be sixteen. All she remembered was meeting Li Qing’an, who sold black leopard skins, in a small inn in Ba Huan City when she was sixteen.

Gao Wu managed to take a few bites of the baked cake, but despite her hunger, she could eat no more. She stared blankly at the clear, slow-flowing river. Suddenly, she covered her face and burst into tears. At that moment, she could no longer hold back her sorrow or despair. Years of longing and pain surged forth…

A thousand years later, a great poet described Gao Wu’s sorrow in the simplest terms:

The farthest distance in the world
is not between life and death.
It is when I stand in front of you
and you don’t know I love you.

The farthest distance in the world
is not when I stand in front of you
and you don’t know I love you.
It is when I’m obsessed with you
but can’t say I love you.

The farthest distance in the world
is not that I can’t say I love you.
It is when missing you breaks my heart
but I can only bury it deep inside…

The girls playing in the water stopped and stared in surprise at the lonely young woman beside them. They whispered to each other, not understanding why she was crying. But the swords and bows on the nearby war horses scared them, so they quietly pulled each other aside, gathered their clothes, and left in a hurry.

Gao Wu cried bitterly. Her eyes and face were covered in tears. She reached into her bag to find a handkerchief to wipe them away, only to discover it was in the war horse’s bag, not with her.

Suddenly, a thick cotton handkerchief appeared before her. Gao Wu was startled, but a familiar feeling made her mind wander. A voice that was deeply etched in her memory rang in her ears: “Silly girl, why are you crying here all by yourself?”
Gao Wu slowly turned her head and stared blankly at Li Qing’an’s gentle eyes. Tears once again streamed down her face uncontrollably. Li Qing’an wiped the tears from her face, his smile still bright and full of care.
“I thought I would never see you again! It’s so nice to meet you here!”
Gao Wu clung tightly to Li Qing’an’s arm, as if fearing he might leave her at any moment. She sobbed, resting her face on his arm and crying bitterly, “Qilang…”
Li Qing’an gently stroked her hair, feeling how yellow and dry it had become. His nose also stung slightly. He understood the hardships she had endured these years for him, and a sense of emotion and guilt filled his heart.
“Wuniang, come back to Chang’an with me!”
…
Although the weather was bleak these past two days, Li Qing’an’s residence was bustling with activity. It was the fifth day since he returned to Chang’an from Henan Road. Last night, his family received news that Jiang Wuyi, Li Rushi, and his daughter, who had stayed in Suiye, had finally returned to Chang’an and would be entering the city today.
This was undoubtedly a tremendous joy for the Li family. Early in the morning, the whole family got busy, decorating the house and cleaning the courtyard, creating an atmosphere akin to the approaching New Year. Li Qing’an’s wife, Dugu Mingyue, was already two months pregnant, yet she still led the family in preparing to welcome her sisters back.
At noon, Mingyue felt tired and sat down in a folding chair in the courtyard to rest. At that moment, Ruhua came over with a rosewood tray, smiling and saying, “Elder sister, have you even forgotten lunch?”
Mingyue shook her head. “I really have no appetite. I don’t want to eat.”
“If the elder sister doesn’t want to eat, we can’t let the children go hungry either!”
Ruhua placed the tray on a small table nearby and said with a smile, “It’s simple—just some chicken soup and a dish of vegetables. I know the elder sister avoids greasy food, so I asked the kitchen to make it light. Please eat a little!”
“Okay! Put it there; I’ll eat it later.”
Mingyue sat up and forced herself to eat a little. Then she asked Ruhua, “I remember Dalang is returning today too, right?”
“Yes! It’s today. The bodyguards reported earlier that he might arrive this afternoon.”

Moonlight smiled. “It seems today truly is a good day—everyone in the family is here. We must celebrate properly tonight.” No sooner had she spoken than a maid rushed over, shouting loudly, “Madam! They’re here! They’ve arrived, and Master has returned too!” Moonlight was confused and snapped, “You silly girl! Who exactly has returned?” “It’s the Second Lady and the Third Lady who’ve returned, along with Master.” “I see.” Moonlight guessed that they must have met on the way and returned together. She quickly stood up and said to Ruhua, “Let’s go! We should go out to welcome them.” … As Li Qing’an’s entourage returned, Xingdao Fang became extremely lively. It was said that several concubines of Prince Zhao had come from Anxi, and almost every household in Xingdao Fang came out to see the spectacle. Groups of children ran and jumped alongside the cavalry. Li Qing’an was in high spirits today; he ordered his guards to scatter money among the children. Several guards carried baskets full of copper coins and threw them into the air, causing the children to scramble for them. At that moment, firecrackers exploded loudly in front of the royal mansion. From afar, Moonlight came out with dozens of family members. “Ruhua!” Rushi saw her sister in the carriage and called out to her excitedly. Ruhua was overjoyed as she ran over and said, “Sis, you’re finally here.” “Ruhua!” Wuyi also greeted her with a smile. “Second Sister, was the journey smooth?” “Mm! It was smooth, but the distance was too long. I really couldn’t bear it if I had to go through it again.” While Ruhua was talking, Moonlight met Li Qing’an. Seeing her husband in high spirits, she felt pleased and said with a smile, “How did you happen to meet them on the way?” “I deliberately went after them.” Moonlight was stunned—how could her husband know they were returning today? Doubtful, she glanced around and noticed a guard behind Li Qing’an who looked extremely delicate, clearly disguised as a man. She saw the woman smile and lower her head, then suddenly recognized her. “Wu Niang, is that you?” Gao Wu looked embarrassed and said, “Sis Moonlight, it’s me!” At that moment, Rushi laughed and explained from behind, “Elder Sister, Wu Niang also went to Anxi. We happened to meet her in Dunhuang on our way back.”

With a quick change in thought, Mingyue glanced at her husband again. Seeing him give her a wink, she immediately understood. She hurried forward, took Gao Wu’s hand, and said affectionately, “Today is truly a day of great joy. It’s wonderful that Mother Wu is here too. Come on! Everyone, let’s go inside quickly. We need to celebrate properly tonight.”
She took Mother Wu with her, along with a large group of family members, and entered the mansion. The sound of firecrackers outside grew even louder, “Bang! Bang!” It was as if the New Year had arrived.