Chapter 7: South of the City (7)

Li Kuo frowned slightly and strode outside. Right in front of him, the Lanyue Tower was already surrounded by a huge crowd, bustling with activity.
A middle-aged man dressed in a short, coarse linen robe stood at the center of the crowd, flanked by several border soldiers. He spoke angrily about the restaurant’s discriminatory treatment of guests, seemingly determined to protest in front of the Lanyue Tower all day if the restaurant failed to give an explanation.
The restaurant owner was already sweating profusely. Despite the aggressive behavior of the man surnamed Gao, he dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction. No matter what the man said, the owner could only bow his head and smile meekly. One of the border soldiers, seeing the owner’s lack of backbone, glanced at him disdainfully and said to the man surnamed Gao, “Secretary Gao, I think this man is just a cowardly commoner who fears power. There’s no need for you to get upset over him. Since someone else has reserved the place, we can’t say much. Besides, our task for the marshal isn’t finished yet. It would be better if we went to another restaurant, had some food and drink, and met with the Right Prime Minister sooner.”
Secretary Gao raised his eyebrows and bowed in the northwest direction. “Lieutenant Wang, you needn’t say more. The marshal’s task certainly can’t be delayed. But I simply can’t stand injustice in the world. Since I happened to encounter this matter today, I can’t ignore it. If the Lanyue Tower refuses to serve customers, I wouldn’t mind writing a poem and posting it on this brick wall.”
The border soldier, aware of Secretary Gao’s temperament, could only sigh bitterly and say nothing more.
The crowd was already in an uproar, as lively as a market.
“Hei, Old He, who is this Gao guy anyway? How dare he criticize things in front of the Lanyue Tower? This is the property of Lady Guo. Either he’s gone mad or he’s just bored! Why is Manager Chen being so polite to him? If I were him, I’d have the guards throw him out right away. How can he afford to be so rude?”
A middle-aged man in a dark brown round-collared robe rubbed his hands and asked his friend beside him.
His friend, disdainful of his lack of insight, curled his lips and said, “Brother Wang, look at your ignorance. You don’t even know Secretary Gao, the most favored official under Marshal Ge Shuhan. And yet you still dare to talk about your nephew working in the Hexi army. It’s really hilarious.”
At these words, the man surnamed Wang’s face turned red instantly. After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down, he humbly asked, “Could he be Gao Shi, the poet who wrote, ‘I worry about having no friends ahead; yet who in the world doesn’t know you?’”

The man surnamed He didn’t want to press his old friend too hard, so after considering things for a while, he said, “Who else but him could be Secretary Gao? Everyone says he’s highly regarded by Marshal Ge Shu Han in the Hexi army, and officers at all levels respect him greatly. But this man has a very stubborn temper; once he decides on something, nothing can make him change his mind. Now this is interesting—I really want to see how Manager Chen, who usually acts as if he’s above everyone, will handle this situation.”
It seemed that Manager Chen had often acted arrogantly thanks to the backing he had, so everyone was even happier to see him suffer a setback than if he’d gained a few more Kaiyuan coins.
But Gao Shi seemed unaware of these things and pressed on, “Why won’t Manager Chen let the person who rented out the building step forward to explain? Could it be that no one actually rented the building, and Manager Chen is looking down on Gao, hence humiliating me like this?”
Hearing this, Old Manager Chen quickly apologized with a smile, “What are you saying, Secretary Gao? I’ve always respected those military generals who defend our country’s borders. Without their daily battles against the barbarians to keep our Tang borders peaceful, how could I and the people of Chang’an live such a carefree life? If I looked down on a hero like you, Secretary Gao, wouldn’t I be cursed by my neighbors?”
Seeing that Gao Shi remained unmoved, Old Manager Chen said with a wry smile, “It’s just that I dare not offend the person who rented out the building. If Secretary Gao wants to go in and have a drink, I can convey his request on his behalf. I’m sure he admires Secretary Gao’s character and would be willing to invite him to a banquet.”
Seeing that he hesitated and avoided revealing the name of the person who rented out the building, Gao Shi felt uneasy—this person must have an extraordinary background. Although he was highly favored by Marshal Ge Shu Han in the Hexi army, it wasn’t certain that anyone in the powerful city of Chang’an would respect him. But he wasn’t the kind to fear the powerful. Determined, Gao Shi smiled brightly, bowed to Old Manager Chen, and said, “Then please go ahead and convey my request. I really want to meet this important person. I was rude just now; please accept my apologies.”
After saying that, he bowed deeply to Old Manager Chen in apology.
Old Manager Chen didn’t dare accept such a formal bow and quickly held onto Gao Shi’s arm, saying with a wry smile, “Secretary Gao, you’re too kind. I’ll go convey your request right away.”
With that, he turned and entered the restaurant.
The onlookers around immediately became excited. Some said Gao Shi understood human relations well and was good at socializing, while others scoffed, saying he was just all talk and afraid of the power of the elite. Opinions ranged widely, and the crowd was filled with fervent discussion.

Standing on the periphery of the crowd, Li Kuo wore a faint smile on his lips. He had always admired Gao Shi’s character and knew well that he was not the kind of person who sought fame for its own sake. Yet he wasn’t worried about Gao Shi at all, for he had already deduced the identity of the person who rented the building from the light gray, gold-trimmed curtains of the luxurious carriage in front of Lanyue Tower and the Qiankun Bagua patterns painted on them. The Tang Dynasty court highly esteemed Taoism, and the Qiankun Bagua patterns, as symbols of Taoism, undoubtedly revealed the owner’s beliefs. Moreover, the Tang Dynasty had strict regulations regarding carriage colors—gold was reserved exclusively for members of the royal family. Among the Tang royal family, who else, besides Princess Yuzhen, was a devout Taoist and held significant power at the time?

Although Princess Yuzhen wore her hair long and lived as a lay Buddhist, claiming the title of Yuzhen Jushi, she had not cut off all ties with the secular world. In recent years, which famous scholars or poets hadn’t attended her banquets? Princess Yuzhen always respected talented individuals, and Gao Shi was renowned for his talent. Given her nature, she surely wouldn’t blame him.

At this thought, Li Kuo’s eyes lit up. His mother had told him that his grandfather had once had a close friendship with Gao Shi. If he went to see him as the son of an old friend and thus established a connection with Princess Yuzhen, he believed Dezi could be released soon without charge. After all, the word of such powerful figures was more valuable than gold or any other wealth, and it could help secure favors. But after some reflection, his eyes dimmed, and he smiled self-mockingly. As the saying goes, “When the person leaves, the tea cools.” Although Gao Shi wasn’t the kind to abandon others in trouble, he had left Chang’an to seek his fortune in Hexi when Li Kuo was still a child. It was uncertain whether Gao Shi even remembered him. Relying on his connection to save his friend seemed rather unrealistic.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, someone pressed a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Zhang Yanji smiling at him and saying softly, “Brother Kuo, do you want to use Secretary Gao to save Dezi? If you don’t try, how will you know it’s impossible? I may not have other skills, but I can at least help boost your credibility.”

Li Kuo felt warmth in his heart. Since his grandfather had been framed by villains, his former students and friends had all avoided him, fearing that staying too long might make them seen as his accomplices and ruin their own futures. With his father’s warnings, those wealthy sons and noble youths naturally had no reason to associate with a poor boy like him. Only Zhang Yanji, who had played with him since childhood, remained by his side, allowing him, who had seen much of the world’s harshness, to retain a final bit of trust in human nature. As the saying goes, “One only knows the warmth or coldness of water when they have drunk it themselves.” Only by experiencing it firsthand can one appreciate the true value of friendship.

“With Zhang Yanji’s word backing me, what am I still afraid of? I’m already in such a desperate situation that I have nothing more to lose.” Self-mocking, Li Kuo strode forward. With Zhang Yanji, the son of a high-ranking official, vouching for him, Gao Shi would surely remember him. Then he could openly address him as uncle, and from there, he could intercede on Princess Yuzhen’s behalf, allowing Dezi to be released honorably. At this thought, a smile appeared on Li Kuo’s lips. Pushing through the crowded crowd, amid expressions of confusion or understanding from those around him, he stepped in front of Gao Shi and bowed deeply, saying, “Your humble nephew Li Kuo pays his respects to Uncle Gao. I hope Uncle Gao will grace me with a conversation.”

Gao Shi, who had been waiting, never expected to meet another “nephew” here. Turning around, he looked at Li Kuo with confusion and said, “Sir, it seems I have no prior acquaintance with you. Please forgive my rudeness, but could you tell me your father’s name?”

Thinking of his deceased father, Li Kuo felt a sting in his nose but forced back his tears. He stood straight and said, “My father is Li Shizhi, the Left Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty.”

His voice was loud and unreserved, shocking everyone. Although nearly ten years had passed since Li Shizhi was suppressed, demoted, and exiled by the Right Chancellor, the sensitivity surrounding him had not faded over time. During the Tianbao era, when the Right Chancellor held absolute power, no one dared to speak of Li Shizhi in public for fear of angering him. Some began to worry about Gao Shi—after all, the Right Chancellor was not known for his fairness or tolerance. Now, someone claiming to be Li Shizhi’s son had appeared and called himself Gao Shi’s nephew. No matter how Gao Shi handled this, the label of Li Shizhi’s close friend would surely stick firmly to him.

Clearly, everyone had underestimated Gao Shi. Hearing the young man mention his old friend, Gao Shi was almost moved to tears. “Are you… are you Chang’s son? Are you Li Kuo, Chang’s only son?”

Li Kuo shrugged, his lips curling into a smile. “Yes, Uncle Gao. I am indeed my father’s only son, Li Kuo!”

His voice was firm and confident, free from any hesitation, filled with pride for his father and a glimmer of hope. It echoed far and wide, reaching even the heavens!…
Note 1: Gao Shiju: A military officer in charge of records. Gao Shi and the protagonist are uncle and nephew—how awesome is that?
Note 2: Lady of Guo State: Yang Yuyao, the sister of Yang Guifei. Should we take this beauty home?
Note 3: Li Shizhi: The Left Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty, once highly trusted by Emperor Li Longji. Later, he was framed and killed by Li Linfu. I think you’ll like this background setting.