Chapter 706: Strange Phenomena in Chuzhou

As night fell, a carriage left the Daming Palace. Dozens of guards waiting outside rushed forward to greet it. The carriage was spacious and luxurious, with a lantern hanging above the door. Under its orange-red light, the three black characters “Chancellor Zhang” stood out vividly.

It was Chancellor Zhang Yun’s carriage. He had just left court and was heading back to his residence. After a day of hard work, Zhang Yun appeared tired. He closed his eyes and leaned against the carriage wall to rest. As the carriage turned onto Zhuque Street, he suddenly remembered something and ordered, “Don’t go back to my residence yet. Head to Vice Minister Pei’s house.”

Vice Minister Pei was Pei Min, who also served as the tutor to the crown prince. Although he entered the position of chancellor as a vice minister, his status among the seven chancellors was second only to Zhang Yun. In the past, he had been the right chancellor, and when the court faced crisis, he took charge of the situation, earning widespread praise from the court. Even Zhang Yun sometimes envied his influence.

But today, he went to Pei Min’s house to discuss an important matter. That afternoon, Pei Min had fallen ill and returned home early. Shortly after he arrived, Cui Ke, the governor of Chuzhou, came to the capital to present treasures—thirteen precious jades, including the national treasure, the Xuanyan Tianfu. These jades were discovered by an old nun from the Dinghui Temple in Chuzhou while drawing water from a well. All thirteen were extremely rare treasures.

What was even more astonishing was that the second jade, shaped like a chicken, bore an inscription: “When the jade appears, the world will be stabilized.” The third jade, shaped like a grain bowl, also had an inscription: “When the jade emerges, a sage will appear.” The handwriting was ancient, clearly over a hundred years old. This incident immediately caused a sensation in the court. It was not like the fake omens of some time ago. Li Bai, a grand scholar and doctor of the Imperial Academy, recognized these thirteen jades as the private treasures of Zhang Lihua, a noble consort of the Chen dynasty in the early Sui period, known as the “Thirteen Auspicious Jades.”

After the Sui generals He Ruobi and Han Qinhu conquered the Chen dynasty, Zhang Lihua and the last emperor of Chen were captured. Yet these thirteen treasures disappeared without a trace. More than a hundred years later, they appeared in a well at a nun’s temple in Chuzhou. The ministers deduced that since Chuzhou was not far from the Chen dynasty’s capital, Jinling, it must have been a palace maid or another concubine who stole these treasures during the fall of the city, took refuge as a nun at the Dinghui Temple, and left the jades there. Now, after a hundred years, they had finally come to light.

As for the inscriptions on the jades, they were likely carved at that time to symbolize Emperor Wen of Sui’s efforts to stabilize the world. But for some reason, these thirteen jades did not appear at that time, yet now they had surfaced, astonishing all the officials in the court, who believed they foretold something significant.

Everyone knows what this actually signifies—it is something everyone hopes for. The Tang Dynasty has lacked a great ruler for a long time. Li Qing is capable and talented, and if he ascends to the throne, it will ensure the revival of the Tang Dynasty. This is in line with the trends and the inevitable course of events.

Right now, Zhang Yun is focused on how to help Li Qing ascend to the throne smoothly. As a way to repay Li Qing for his trust in him, the appearance of the precious jade in Chuzhou is undoubtedly the best opportunity. This way, he can mobilize both the court and the public to create favorable public opinion for Li Qing’s accession.

Today is Zhang Yun’s last day handling government affairs. Tomorrow it will be Pei Min’s turn. He went to Pei Min’s residence today not only to hand over unfinished matters but also to discuss the matter of the jade’s appearance with him.

The carriage entered Chongren Fang and stopped in front of Pei Min’s house. Zhang Yun got out of the carriage. Pei Min’s family had already gone to inform him, and he came out to greet him.

“It is an honor to have Prime Minister Zhang visit my humble home!”

“Oh! Master Pei, you’re making me feel ashamed!” Zhang Yun smiled bitterly and then said concernfully, “Since you’re not feeling well, you shouldn’t go out.”

“I took a short nap and feel much better now.”

Pei Min warmly invited Zhang Yun inside. The two sat down in the study, and a maid brought them tea. Zhang Yun said with a smile, “Tomorrow it’s your turn to handle government affairs. I came today to discuss a few matters.”

Pei Min was somewhat surprised. Usually, such handovers were done in the government hall. Why was it happening at his home? Though puzzled, he didn’t show it on his face. He smiled slightly and asked, “Is there anything important?”

“Master Pei, you probably don’t know about the precious jade that appeared in Chuzhou yet!” Zhang Yun said, staring at him.

Pei Min had been unwell and had gone back to sleep as soon as he arrived. He had just woken up and still didn’t know about this. He asked in surprise, “A precious jade in Chuzhou? What’s going on?”

Zhang Yun then explained in detail the matter of the jade in Chuzhou and concluded, “This news has already spread throughout the court and the public. It will soon cause a great stir in the city. Next month, it will be your turn to handle government affairs. You’d better be prepared!”

Only then did Pei Min learn about the jade. Wasn’t this a good omen for Li Qing? A genuine sign of good fortune. Pei Min understood Zhang Yun’s intention—to use this opportunity to leverage public opinion in favor of Li Qing. In fact, Pei Min also hoped that Li Qing would ascend to the throne. Both of them agreed that if Li Qing became emperor, he would be comparable to Emperor Taizong.

The chaos during the mid-Tang period was largely due to the loss of control over military power. Now that the imperial clan has been greatly weakened, no matter which member of the clan ascends to the throne, they will be unable to control the army. Only Li Qing’an can firmly keep the army under control at the heart of the government. With the army protecting the country and clear governance, the revival of the Tang Dynasty is just around the corner.

However, Pei Min had a small personal desire—he hoped to have another serious talk with Li Qing’an, even a negotiation. He wanted the Political Council to negotiate with him, hoping that Li Qing’an would clarify the boundaries between imperial power and ministerial power and maintain the current power structure of the Political Council. Once an agreement was reached, the Political Council would fully support his ascension to power.

Pei Min’s idea received support from Yan Zhenqing and Guo Ziyi. But last night, when he discussed it with Cui Ning, Cui Ning poured cold water on his hopes, saying he was too idealistic. How could he possibly bargain with Li Qing’an? If that were the case, the only outcome would be the dissolution of the Political Council.

Last night, Pei Min thought all night. Although he knew that the Political Council was actually arranged by Li Qing’an and that they had no right to bargain with him, he truly hoped that the Tang Dynasty would not experience another period of imperial dictatorship, as that would only lead to its further decline.

The prosperous era during the Kaiyuan period rapidly declined during the Tianbao era. What was the reason? There were many reasons—the collapse of the military recruitment system, severe land consolidation—but these were just surface symptoms. The real cause was the breakdown of the system: Li Longji weakened the power of the ministers over time, allowing imperial power to dominate everything, leading to dictatorship!

Because of this, the power of the three departments became nominal. Without oversight or restraint, under Li Longji’s orders, Li Linfu began to orchestrate one shocking scandal after another. Political struggles intensified, governance deteriorated, and various issues that were not originally serious quickly worsened. The entire Tang Dynasty began to rot from within, its whole structure decaying. That’s why Du Fu lamented, “In the rich homes, meat and wine rot, while on the roads, people freeze to death.”

Using past mistakes as lessons for the present, Pei Min reflected deeply. He hoped that after Li Qing’an ascended to the throne, he would clarify the boundaries between imperial power and ministerial power. Then, even at great cost, he would support Li Qing’an’s reign.

At that moment, when Zhang Yun subtly suggested using the discovery of treasures in Chuzhou to create public support for Li Qing’an’s ascension, Pei Min hesitated for a while. He wanted to wait until Li Qing’an returned before discussing it thoroughly together.

“Prime Minister Zhang, let’s wait until His Highness returns first!”

“Why?” Zhang Yun was surprised. “Major Pei, don’t you support His Highness’s ascension?”

“I’m not against it; I just hope the Political Council can talk to him again to clarify the council’s powers in the future.”
Zhang Yun understood. It seemed he had also heard that Pei Min and Yan Zhenqing had discussed this privately, and it would be best if the Political Council could hold negotiations with Li Qing’an.
A mocking smile appeared on Zhang Yun’s lips. “What if the Political Council can’t reach an agreement with him? Will Master Pei then stop supporting his ascension and instead support someone else? If so, who does Master Pei plan to support?”
“Well…” Pei Min was left speechless by the question.
Zhang Yun continued, “Master Pei, please forgive my bluntness. If it weren’t for Prince Zhao supporting the Tang Dynasty, it would have long fallen apart. An Lushan would have long invaded Guanzhong and declared himself emperor. The barbarians would have roamed the Central Plains, and the Han people would have suffered greatly. You and I would have long become bones buried in the yellow earth, or we would be bowing before An Lushan. In that case, what sense would there be for the Political Council to discuss military and state affairs? Master Pei, have you ever thought about this? A country cannot exist without a ruler—that’s the way of heaven. Yet the Tang Dynasty has been without a ruler for so long, yet it still functions smoothly. That’s because Prince Zhao has long taken on the responsibilities of a monarch, hasn’t he? He is already the de facto emperor, only without the official title. What we need to do today is to give him a legitimate title.”
“But the Tang Dynasty still has an emperor and an empress dowager—how can you say it’s been without a ruler for so long?”
Pei Min admitted that Li Qing’an was the pillar of the Tang Dynasty, but he disagreed with Zhang Yun’s claim that there was no ruler. The existence of the Tang emperor couldn’t be denied just because of Li Qing’an’s role.
“That two-year-old brat? Hmph! I heard he still wets the bed.”
Zhang Yun’s tone was filled with contempt for the young emperor. “Master Pei, I’m afraid you’re the only one in the court who considers him an emperor. Among the three departments, six ministries, nine temples, five supervisory agencies, and one board, along with thousands of officials, who truly supports a two-year-old child as emperor? Can he save the Tang Dynasty from peril? Can he lead the officials to restore its glory? Master Pei, I advise you to be realistic! If we can do our best to keep his life safe, that’s already fulfilling our duty as subjects.”
“Then what do you plan to do? Just say it!” Pei Min realized there was no common ground between him and Zhang Yun, and he decided not to discuss this further.

Zhang Yun also didn’t quite like Pei Min’s scholarly temperament. In fact, he hoped Li Qing’an could continue to hold the current power in the Political Council. On this point, his initial intention was the same as Pei Min’s, but their approaches differed. Pei Min was more scholarly, preferring to first sign a sovereign-subject agreement to bind Li Qing’an’s future imperial power with rules, while Zhang Yun was more pragmatic. He believed there was no room for negotiation with Li Qing’an and that they could only gradually persuade him in the future.

Of course, Li Qing’an was doing well right now, and he might not change the current power structure.

“Master Pei, since the precious jade has appeared in Chu Zhou, it must be the will of heaven. I hope our Political Council can use this auspicious sign for extensive promotion, so that all people in the land understand that Prince Zhao’s ascension to the throne is also the will of heaven!”

After a pause, Zhang Yun glanced at Pei Min’s expression before tentatively adding, “If Master Pei still has doubts, he might as well feign illness for ten days.”

In fact, this was Zhang Yun’s real purpose for visiting Pei Min. If Pei Min feigned illness for ten days, then Zhang Yun could take charge of the Political Council for another ten days. This way, he would claim the main credit for orchestrating this auspicious event and shaping public opinion.

Pei Min pondered for a long time. He understood Zhang Yun’s intention. Although he had always hoped to talk to Li Qing’an, he ultimately agreed to let Zhang Yun govern for another ten days. He knew that Li Qing’an’s ascension was an inevitable trend—he couldn’t stop it, and certainly didn’t want to.

……

In the following two days, the news of the precious jade appearing in Chu Zhou spread throughout Chang’an. This time, it was authenticated by the world-famous poet Li Bai as a relic from the early Sui dynasty. A treasure that should have appeared in the early Sui or Tang periods reappeared after a hundred years. While some considered it mere coincidence, most believed it was the will of heaven. Soon, markets, barracks, and homes across Chang’an were discussing the event, with almost every tavern and tea house filled with talk about this divine sign.

“The appearance of the precious jade brings stability to the world; its emergence signals the rise of a sage.”

The rebellions led by Shi Siming and An Lushan had been quelled, and the Northern and Southern Tang dynasties had been unified. The kings of Jingzhou and Jianghuai, who had controlled those regions, had disappeared. The world was at peace, strongly indicating the emergence of a new emperor for the Tang dynasty and the beginning of its revival.

At the Tai Bai Wine House in Chang’an’s East Market, business was booming. People came and went in a steady stream, and the second-floor hall was equally lively. Over a hundred patrons drank wine while listening to a merchant recount his experiences, all absorbed in his story.

The merchant was from Luoyang. A year ago, he had taken a thousand bolts of silk to Xinde on a trade mission and had just returned, looking very wealthy.

“You can’t even imagine it! I actually saw the dragon flag of our Tang Dynasty at sea—it’s simply incredible…”
“How can there be a flag at sea? Did it emerge from the water?” someone interjected.
“The sea is so vast—where exactly?” another asked.
“No! No! It was in the Malacca Strait. I saw construction of a city on the north side of the strait from my ship. Our Tang Dynasty’s dragon flag was flying there, along with Tang troops. You have no idea—tears streamed down my face from excitement at that moment!”
“Where is the Malacca Strait? Is it far from here?”
“Very far, south of Annam. It’s thousands of miles away from Annam. It’s a very important strait. I never expected that the Tang Dynasty would also build a city there.”
“Heavens! How large is our Tang Dynasty’s territory now?” someone exclaimed. “Is it tens of thousands of miles?”
“More than that!”
The merchant shouted, “Our Tang Dynasty’s territory spans far beyond tens of thousands of miles—east to the sea, west to the Amu Darya River, south to the Malacca Strait, and north to Bohai State…”
At that moment, someone who knew the situation interrupted him, “It seems even further north than Bohai State! I heard that the Shiwei people north of Bohai State have also surrendered to General Li Baozhen. It’s said that further north lies the Arctic tundra. Moreover, His Royal Highness the Prince of Zhao is leading 300,000 Tang troops and Uyghurs to fight for the steppes. I believe good news of victory will come soon.”
The hall fell silent. Such a vast empire left everyone in awe. Though some felt a bit proud, many didn’t quite understand what such a large territory meant for them.
“Has everyone heard about the treasure found in Chuzhou?” someone shifted the topic to the hottest news in Chang’an.
“I have. It’s said to be a treasure from the Chen Dynasty, called Ruyi Shisanlang, which has been hidden for over a hundred years.”
An old man sighed deeply, “This is a sign of divine prosperity! With the treasure reappearing and a sage emerging, our Tang Dynasty will once again produce an emperor like Emperor Taizong who can stabilize the country.”
“Elder, you mean His Royal Highness the Prince of Zhao, right?”
The old man nodded. “A wise ruler brings prosperity for decades, while a foolish one leads to decades of decline. Everyone suffers as a result. All I hope now is that His Royal Highness the Prince of Zhao can live a long life, so that my sons and grandchildren can enjoy peaceful times for decades.”
“I have no other demands. I only hope that His Royal Highness the Prince of Zhao can keep the price of each dou of rice from exceeding 100 coins. Then I will wholeheartedly support his ascension to the throne.”
“Zhao San, you’re talking in your sleep! What good is it whether you support him or not?”

“You know nothing! Justice in the world lies with the hearts of the people. Those powerful officials constantly portray a prosperous and peaceful nation, but that’s just self-deception. The strength of the Tang Dynasty depends on the people, on us commoners. The world is like a balance scale, and the hearts of the people are the weights. Only with our support can Prince Zhao ascend to the throne and hold it firmly, and continue to reign. Do you understand?”
As the crowd continued to argue, a servant rushed over, blocking the stairway, and shouted, “Everyone, look outside! There’s a procession of scholars!”
The crowd immediately became excited and rushed to the windows. Some tried to go downstairs, but were blocked by the servant. They had no choice but to crowd around the windows, where they saw a massive procession heading toward the Eastern Market, carrying large flags and banners. Scholars from seven institutions under the Imperial Academy—such as the Imperial College, the Great School, the Guangwen Academy, the Four Gates Academy, the Law Academy, the Literature Academy, and the Mathematics Academy—were all part of the procession, numbering over a hundred thousand scholars.
This was all planned by Zhang Yun, the leader of the literary world in the Tang Dynasty. Han Zemu, the head of the Imperial Academy, had been recommended by him. Zhang Yun could mobilize the scholars of the Tang Dynasty to support Li Qing’an.
A hundred thousand scholars marched through the city, with Han Zemu at the forefront, followed by hundreds of professors and assistants. In the massive procession, various flags and slogans were displayed:
“As long as the valiant general is there, the barbarian horses shall never cross the Yin Mountains!”
……
“Support the northern expedition and crush the Turks!”
“Support Prince Zhao’s ascension and restore the Tang Dynasty!”
“Put down our pens and take up arms to serve our country!”
……
The enthusiasm and passion of the young people, their desire for a prosperous nation, and their longing for the revival of the Tang Dynasty were all reflected on their faces, filled with zeal and hope.
They truly supported Li Qing’an from the bottom of their hearts to become the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. It was the legend of a common soldier who rose from a humble position to become a pillar in saving the Tang Dynasty from peril—a dream shared by every scholar from humble backgrounds.
The hundred thousand scholars would spend a day marching through the city, ensuring that everyone could feel their support for Li Qing’an and their desire for a better life. They passed around signature books, writing their names in ink.
The grand procession attracted everyone in the city. Nearly a million people in Chang’an lined the streets to welcome them, applauding enthusiastically and cheering for the young scholars. Even more Tang citizens were inspired by their passion and joined the procession.

They walked until dusk, and finally, 200,000 scholars and soldiers from Chang’an reached their destination—the Zhuque Gate of Chang’an. Seven scholars delivered dozens of signature books, each weighing over a hundred pounds, to the seven prime ministers of the Tang Dynasty who had been waiting there for a long time, expressing their support for Li Qing’an to ascend the throne. Coincidentally, on the afternoon of the scholars’ grand parade, nearly a thousand court officials, ranging from the right prime minister to low-ranking clerks, gathered in front of the Daming Palace. These officials petitioned the empress dowager to issue an order to establish a new emperor. That night, Empress Dowager Shen issued an edict from the Daming Palace: “Heaven sends auspicious signs, the people’s will is strong, and all officials agree—this is the inevitable trend. I must follow the will of the people and the officials. The Tang Dynasty must establish a new emperor. I hereby order the Council of State to select a new emperor through public nomination. Once the new emperor is chosen, the young emperor shall formally abdicate.”