Chapter 656: Setting a Trap to Fish

There was no response. The deployment of the imperial guards was strictly regulated—written requests from the Political Affairs Hall were required, followed by a draft order for troop deployment prepared by the chief secretary of the general’s office. Only after obtaining Li Qing’an’s approval could the imperial guards be dispatched. If it were within Chang’an City, Hu Peiyun could seek help from the Thousand Ox Guards, but since Hu Peiyun intended to carry out the mission in the counties under Jingzhao Prefecture, things became more complicated.

However, there were exceptions. As it was a time of crisis and Li Qing’an was often away from Chang’an, an alternative was provided: in case of an emergency, he could dispatch troops first and complete the formalities later. As for what constituted an emergency, it was up to him to decide.

Seeing that Qin Haiyang remained silent, Hu Peiyun understood his difficulties and grew anxious. He said, “General Qin, the enemy must have planned this long ago. Abnormal signs will surely appear in clusters; it’s just a matter of when they’re detected. I suspect someone will discover something again early tomorrow. The situation is urgent. I hope the imperial guards can be sent out overnight to control the situation in the various counties.”

With that, he stood up and bowed deeply. “I rely on you, General Qin!”

“Very well!”

Qin Haiyang finally agreed. “Then I’ll send troops out overnight to the counties under Jingzhao Prefecture. Also, early tomorrow, I’d like to go see the princess together with General Hu.”

Hu Peiyun was overjoyed. He quickly replied, “No problem. I’ll come to see you right at dawn tomorrow to go see the princess together. Please dispatch the troops right away.”

“I’ll arrange it right now!”

Qin Haiyang bowed and left. Hu Peiyun felt a bit more reassured. He sat down and examined the documents again, muttering to himself, “Who exactly is this official surnamed Qi?”

Just then, a clerk came in carrying several scrolls. “General, I’ve found it!”

…

Half an hour later, five thousand imperial guards were divided into fifty teams and sent out overnight to the counties under Jingzhao Prefecture…

Dawn had just broken when Princess Zhao, Du Gu Mingyue, got up. As the head of the royal household, she had to take care of all matters within the palace when Li Qing’an was not in Chang’an. She was extremely busy every day—not only with numerous household chores but also with various social engagements. Almost every day, wives and relatives of officials would come to visit, including those from both the imperial court and local officials. With the intense battles in Hedong at that time, she also had to urge the women of Chang’an to sew shoes, socks, and clothes for the soldiers at the front lines, as well as comfort the wives, children, and parents of the fallen soldiers. On top of that, she had to take care of her own two sons. Thus, she was almost constantly busy.

These days, Mingyue has been troubled by some concerns. The sensational omens spreading in Chang’an have filled her with worry. At first, when the thousand-year-old turtle with engraved inscriptions appeared, she thought it must be her husband’s doing behind the scenes, so she didn’t pay much attention. Instead, she sent people to taverns and teahouses every day to gauge public opinion.

The results were mixed—half opposition, half support, with many remaining undecided. She felt that her husband was acting too hastily and too eager for quick success. But yesterday afternoon, two more omens appeared in Xinfeng and Lantian, brought to her by local officials with great fanfare. Public opinion quickly shifted; many who had supported him before fell silent, and complaints and resentment began to emerge.

Mingyue also grew uneasy. Omens were originally signs from heaven, appearing occasionally as expressions of divine will. But three consecutive omens clearly indicated deliberate action, which could backfire. She usually didn’t interfere in her husband’s affairs, but this time she couldn’t help herself. She wanted to warn Hu Peiyun.

Just as Mingyue came out of her son’s room, a maid reported, “General Hu from the Intelligence Bureau and General Qin from the Imperial Guard have arrived and are waiting in the guest hall!”

“Ask them to wait a moment. I’ll be there soon.”

Mingyue returned to her room to change into another set of clothes before heading to the guest hall.

Inside, Hu Peiyun and Qin Haiyang were patiently waiting for the princess’s summons. For them, an audience with Princess Zhao was far more important than one with the Empress Dowager.

Both were uneasy. Hu Peiyun was worried because the Intelligence Bureau’s failure to detect these issues had led to growing problems and negative consequences, a sense of dereliction of duty. Qin Haiyang, on the other hand, was anxious because he had sent five thousand troops to the counties of Jingzhao without Li Qing’an’s approval last night to control the situation, a violation of his authority.

Outside the guest hall, the sound of jewelry jingled, and a pleasant fragrance wafted in as Princess Zhao, Du Gu Mingyue, entered accompanied by over a dozen maids.

The two men quickly stood up and bowed together. “Your humble servants, Hu Peiyun and Qin Haiyang, pay their respects to Princess Zhao!”

“Please, generals, rise.”

Mingyue waved her hand gently and said, “Please sit.”

“Thank you, Princess!”

Though they expressed gratitude, they did not sit down. In the guest hall, unlike Li Qing’an’s study where there was a clear hierarchy, sitting down would mean being on equal footing with the princess. Although Mingyue usually allowed officials’ families to sit casually when receiving them—wives of fifth- and sixth-rank officials could sit side by side with her like sisters, without any distinction in rank—subordinates were not allowed to do so.

Moonlight also understood this relationship; she didn’t force anything, just smiled and sat down. The two stood with their hands at their sides, waiting for the princess’s question.
“Both generals are very busy people. I had no choice but to summon you here—please forgive me for that.”
Moonlight’s tone remained gentle. Although she had only invited Hu Peiyun, since Qin Haiyang came uninvited, she treated it as if she had invited both, showing no hint of suspicion toward Qin Haiyang.
“I believe both generals know why I called you here!”
The princess’s gentle tone made Hu Peiyun feel ashamed. If he had realized this earlier and taken precautions, the princess wouldn’t have had to worry. Though she didn’t show concern, the fact that she summoned them was in itself a sign of worry.
“I understand. It’s the frequent good omens that have worried the princess,” Hu Peiyun said.
Moonlight smiled and tried to persuade them gently, “Actually, I know you’re acting under the general’s orders. Most of the time, our general is very calm, but sometimes his temper flares, and when that happens, he often ignores consequences and sticks to his own opinions. I’m not afraid of you laughing at me—he sometimes gets furious at me over trivial family matters, and then I give in. Later, when he calms down, he blames me for not standing by my principles. What I mean is, our general is actually very magnanimous and won’t hold grudges. Often, he’ll even be grateful for your advice. Do you understand what I mean?”
Hu Peiyun and Qin Haiyang exchanged glances. It turned out the princess thought it was the general’s order. Her tactfulness and self-reproach moved them deeply. Hu Peiyun quickly said, “I’m deeply grateful for the princess’s kindness, but this time it really wasn’t the general’s idea.”
Moonlight was puzzled. “I’m not quite sure what General Hu means?”
Qin Haiyang stepped in, “This has nothing to do with us at all. The general didn’t give any orders, and we didn’t act on our own. This is a conspiracy—someone is deliberately trying to slander the general.”
“There’s such a thing? No wonder!”
Only then did Moonlight realize. She asked urgently, “So… have you identified the mastermind behind this?”
Hu Peiyun replied, “I’ve found some clues and am continuing to investigate. I believe we’ll make progress in a few days.”
“Thank you both for your hard work. But I suggest that while investigating the mastermind, you also prevent any more good omens from appearing. There are already malicious remarks circulating outside. Although they might be deliberate slander, frequent good omens do have a negative impact.”

The princess’s advice was exactly what Qin Haiyang had hoped for. He quickly said, “I also understand that such incidents must not happen again. That’s why I sent troops to the various counties in Jingzhao last night to reinforce defenses. Yesterday, General Hu successfully prevented another occurrence of the omens related to the white jade stele in Gaoling County. Otherwise, it would have been four omens in total. We all agree that if we don’t stop this, there will be a fifth, sixth, and even tenth omen.”

Hu Peiyun added, “As for the rumors, I’ve already sent capable people to investigate in the markets. If anyone deliberately spreads rumors, I will arrest them immediately.”

Mingyue nodded. “Both generals are the general’s most trusted confidants and outstanding talents. I won’t say much. I only hope that no innocent people will be wrongly arrested, as that would further damage the general’s reputation.”

“I understand. I definitely won’t harm any innocents!”

Although Hu Peiyun promised this to the princess, he knew in his heart that Li Qingan would never be so lenient. Sometimes, harsh measures are necessary to solve problems.

Seeing that they had plans in place, Mingyue felt relieved. She smiled and said, “Then I won’t keep you two from your duties. When the general returns, I will definitely tell him truthfully about the efforts you’ve made.”

…

At the Xishi Guiqu Lai Xi tavern, business was booming. There were endless streams of customers every day. Taverns and teahouses were often the centers of discussion among drinkers, where many rumors spread quickly.

It was gradually approaching noon, and more and more people came to the tavern for meals. The second floor was already full of guests, with loud chatter and great excitement. A middle-aged man, having drunk a few too many drinks, lost control of himself. He stood up and shouted, “There are many shameless people in this world, but none more shameless than that man.”

Someone asked jokingly, “Sir, who are you referring to?”

“Who else? That man from Anxi! He’s crazy about becoming emperor. He doesn’t hesitate to create omens and fake signs of divine will. Who does he think he is, thinking he can cover up the sky with his hands? Does he think we commoners are idiots? It’s not his turn to be emperor!”

Some people didn’t like what the middle-aged man said. An old man interjected, “Why can’t he be emperor? He’s also part of the royal family. Besides, he’s done well—both in governance and military affairs. Everyone can see that.”

“Nonsense!”

The middle-aged man, drunk, pointed at the old man and cursed, “You old scoundrel, all nonsense! The legitimate emperor of our Tang Dynasty is in Chengdu. Remember that— the emperor is in Chengdu, not in Chang’an. What does he even count for? Hmph! How dare he claim to be emperor? I wonder which barbarian fathered him…” Before he could finish, two burly young men stood up beside him and knocked him to the ground with punches. “Bang! Bang! Bang!” Several tables were overturned, dishes shattered on the floor, and chaos ensued in the tavern. The patrons scrambled to get up and back away. The middle-aged man lost two teeth; he covered his mouth and cursed indistinctly. The two men stepped forward, slapped him several times until his face swelled, one grabbed his hair, the other his ankles, and dragged him out of the tavern. At the stairs, they met the tavern owner who had rushed up upon hearing the commotion. Just as he tried to stop them, one of the men showed him a copper plaque. The owner’s face turned pale; he stood there helplessly, trembling with fear, as he watched the middle-aged man being dragged out of the tavern and thrown into a carriage, which then left. The owner went upstairs and pleaded with the crowd, “Gentlemen, I beg you— stop spreading nonsense and just eat and drink peacefully. Those two were from the Imperial Intelligence Bureau!” But the old man slowly raised his wine cup and said, “Talk is one thing, but cursing those in power in public as being born of barbarians is seeking death! I think this man is almost certainly a spy sent by the Southern Tang.” At the Jingyang Tea House in the Eastern Market, something similar happened—a merchant publicly accused Li Qing’an of using any means necessary to rise to power and fabricating omens, and he was immediately arrested by the Intelligence Bureau… To curb the negative impact, the Intelligence Bureau, the Imperial Guards, and the Qianniu Guards deployed large numbers of troops. Within a single morning, over 300 people were arrested for spreading the rumor that Li Qing’an had deliberately created omens, creating a strong deterrent. Soon, no one mentioned the incident anymore… …A carriage entered Taiping Fang in Chang’an, traveled along Linyin Fang Road for a mile, turned, and entered a dead end blocked by a large mansion. The carriage stopped in front of it. An old man dressed in a white brocade robe got out. He was in his sixties, tall and fat, with squinting eyes as if he could never wake up. He walked to the mansion gate, glanced at the plaque on the wall that read “Li’s Residence,” which belonged to Li Kaifu, the vice minister of the Ministry of Works. “Bang! Bang!” The old man knocked on the door forcefully.

“Who is it?” someone asked from inside the door.
“It’s me, Lord Qi!”
The door opened, and a doorman smiled as he said, “It’s Lord Qi! Please come in.”
“Is your master at home?”
“Yes! He’s in the study!”
“Hmm! Go tell him I’ve arrived and want to see him.”
“Lord Qi, just a moment. I’ll go right away.”
The heavy door closed with a creak. At that moment, a man on horseback appeared at a small crossroad about ten steps away from the main gate. He glanced at the carriage parked in front of Li Kaifu’s residence, then disappeared casually from the alley. Finding a secluded spot, he quickly wrote something down in a small notebook, dismounted, and leaned against a large tree, patiently waiting for the carriage to leave.
This elderly man surnamed Qi was named Qi Xun. He had once served as the deputy head of the Judicial Department and was Wang Gong’s confidant. Two years ago, he defected to Southern Tang, and thanks to Wang Gong, he once became the head of the Judicial Department there. He had arrived in Chang’an just two months ago.
……