Chapter 45: Raising the Banner (II)

The misty light shimmered on the tiled roofs; the clear eaves were stirred by the wind, with willow flowers drifting like snow.
Gazing at the zither lying across the bed, she sighed; weary, she stepped out of the rhinoceros-hair curtains—there were proud horses belonging to noblemen.
The cold moon rose, and the cuckoos emitted their fragrant calls. Outside the headquarters of the Governor of Longyou, there was already a bustling stream of carriages and horses.
Tonight, a grand banquet would be held in the governor’s residence, bringing together all the distinguished people, young and old. Administrative officials from various provinces in Longyou, as well as local gentry and notable figures—anyone with some influence was making their way to the mansion, hoping to win the favor of General Ge Shu Han.
Zhang Shouyu, General Ge Shu Han’s trusted aide, was naturally at the main gate, greeting guests with smiles and bows. Everyone present held him in high regard—given his high military rank and the general’s favor, it was remarkable that he remained humble and free from the arrogance typical of high-ranking officers.
“Elder Han, why have you come? If the general finds out, he will be overjoyed.”
Seeing an elderly man dressed in a light yellow qilin-patterned silk robe slowly approaching with the help of servants, Zhang Shouyu hurried forward to greet him.
“Shouyu? Last time I saw you, you were still a child; now you’ve grown into a man. Good, good, I’m delighted.”
The elderly Han smiled faintly upon seeing Zhang Shouyu.
Recognizing that the elder was putting on a respectful demeanor, Zhang Shouyu replied, “Even if the general sees you, he must address you as ‘uncle.’ For this banquet, it’s sufficient for someone younger from your family to come; how could we dare ask such an esteemed person to make the effort?”
The elderly Han waved his hand and said, “Over the past year or two since General Ge Shu Han took office, he has strengthened the border defenses and fought against the Tubo, ensuring peace in Longyou. How could I not come and show my support?”
Zhang Shouyu agreed eagerly and quickly summoned the gatekeeper to escort the elderly Han inside.
No sooner had the elderly Han left than a middle-aged man in a white robe with light fish-patterned Suzhou silk approached the mansion, surrounded by his entourage.
“Lord Wei, if you could attend this banquet, my father would be extremely happy.”
Realizing that the visitor was the current head of the Wei family in Longyou, Zhang Shouyu hurried forward to greet him.
The head of the Wei family smiled gently and said, “Shouyu, I’ve had a long friendship with our general. How could I miss his banquet?”
Zhang Shouyu bowed in gratitude, and a butler rushed over to guide the Wei family head inside.
The Wei family of Longyou was well-known throughout Shanzhou City and even the entire region of Longyou. Despite the frequent changes in power during the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the continuous wars in the Central Plains during the earlier Sui Dynasty, these prominent families had managed to thrive through the rise and fall of dynasties.

Since the decline of the powerful Wang and Xie families during the Wei and Jin dynasties, seven most prominent families emerged. They were the Cui family of Qinghe, the Cui family of Boling, the Pei family of Hedong, the Zheng family of Xingyang, the Lu family of Fanyang, the Wei family of Longyou, and the Li family of Longxi. Although the Wei family ranked lower among these seven elite families, its wealth and talent could not be underestimated.

To speak disrespectfully, even established families like the Li family of Longxi, which rose to power through military achievements, paled in comparison to the Wei family. If it weren’t for Emperor Taizong’s reordering of family rankings, the Li family would have been firmly at the bottom of the list. In the eyes of these elite families, the so-called newly risen military nobles were nothing but upstarts willing to serve foreign invaders in exchange for power. Although the earlier Sui dynasty abolished the nine-rank system prevalent during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the concept of aristocratic clans had already taken deep root in people’s minds. After our dynasty was established, although the court tried hard to suppress the power of these elite families, in the eyes of their sons, commoners were nothing but insignificant. Having received a good education and been influenced by their family cultures since childhood, they all aspired to great things and saw it as their duty to serve the country. Although the dynasty held imperial examinations, they were held only once every three years, and the total number of successful candidates across the entire Tang dynasty never exceeded a few hundred.

To run such a large state as the Tang dynasty, relying solely on these scholars was clearly insufficient. Thus, a large portion of officials in the court still came from these elite families. With extensive connections within the court, these elite sons looked down on local governors even more. For officials without any backing, offending these elite families was tantamount to sentencing themselves to failure in their careers.

Worse still, to some extent, the prosperity of these elite families even threatened imperial authority. Since the first year of Xianqing, high-ranking positions in the court had been monopolized by these elite families. By the time of Tianbao, their influence had reached a point where it had to be curbed. The emperor attempted bold reforms, but with little success, and there even appeared signs of backlash.

Li Kuo entered the palace through a side entrance, accompanied only by Zhang Yanji and Dou Qing. Firstly, he did not want to draw too much attention. Secondly, the main entrance was already crowded beyond capacity—why bother joining that crowd?

The governor’s mansion was built in the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties, with a five-section layout that gave it a grand appearance. The first section served as the governor’s office, where he would sometimes entertain high-ranking officials. Passing through a gilded wooden door led to the back courtyard, a three-section space large enough for General Ge Shu Han and his family to live comfortably; even the servants had their own rooms. The most exquisite part of the entire mansion was the back garden, modeled after the gardens of Suzhou in the Jiangnan region. General Ge Shu Han particularly loved this garden; after handling official duties, he would often spend time here with his family enjoying the spring scenery.

Inside the main hall of the governor’s mansion, all the distinguished guests had gathered, young and old alike. The hall was bustling with activity. Despite accommodating nearly a hundred people, it still didn’t seem crowded at all.

General Ge Shu Han sat at the head of the table, glanced around, and declared loudly, “Ladies and gentlemen, listen to me for a moment. I held this banquet today because of your kindness in giving me the honor of your presence. On such a celebratory occasion, we shouldn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, but military affairs cannot be delayed. Today, I will expose the traitor who is colluding with Tubo right here at this birthday banquet!”

At these words, everyone was shocked. They looked at each other, at a loss for what to do. Why did Ge Shu Han have to bring up a traitor during a banquet when he could just enjoy food and drinks?

Ge Shu Han clapped his hands lightly, and Zhang Shouyu stepped forward slowly, carrying a black wooden box to the center of the hall.

“Shouyu, read to everyone the letters this traitor sent to Tubo.”

Zhang Shouyu nodded and began to read, “I humbly request that King Trisong Detsen of Tubo allow me, Chen Yike, to serve as the deputy defender of Shanzhou. Now that I have the honor of the king’s favor, I am willing to let the imperial troops march to Shanzhou in Longyou, and I will open the northern gates to surrender the city. I am filled with fear but hope to soon see the king’s face in Shanzhou…”

“That’s enough. Everyone has heard it. Chen Yike, as the deputy defender of Shanzhou and a recipient of the emperor’s grace, has conspired with Tubo in an attempt to rebel. As the governor of Longyou, it is my duty to eliminate such traitors and restore peace to the Tang Dynasty!”

Upon hearing this, Chen Yike stood up and cursed, “You wretched thief, Ge Shu! It’s clearly you using your position for personal gain and avenging yourself! You’re lying! Do you think you can silence everyone’s talk?”

But Ge Shu Han seemed unfazed. He ordered his subordinates in a calm voice, “Chen Yike, the deputy defender of Shanzhou, has colluded with Tubo in an attempt to rebel. With solid evidence now, lock him up and execute him at three o’clock tomorrow noon as a warning to the entire army.”

How could Chen Yike simply surrender? Drawing his sword, he charged at Geshu Han. At that moment, Zhang Shouyu shouted, “This traitor attempts to assassinate the commander—no mercy!” Suddenly, a line of archers appeared behind the screen, drawing their bows and aiming at Chen Yike. In an instant, arrows flew through the air, piercing Chen Yike’s body as he rushed forward. Pointing his right hand angrily at Geshu Han, he collapsed to the ground. Li Kuo, who was sitting in the lower left corner drinking wine, was shocked by this scene. As he pondered what to do next, he saw a familiar figure rushing toward Geshu Han’s position. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Gao Shi…
Note 1: Wang and Xie refer to Wang Dao and Xie An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, prominent families who played key roles in government affairs.
Note 2: The “Five Surnames and Seven Families” – There are various classifications among historians, and no definitive consensus exists. Here, Liuyun adopts a more mainstream view by including the Wei family of Longyou.
Note 3: Xianqing was the era name of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi. Since Emperor Gaozong’s reign, the Li Tang dynasty had suppressed the powerful families of Shandong. After the Wu Zhou dynasty took power, they tried hard to appoint commoners to important positions, but with little success. Powerful families have existed throughout history, controlling the fate of nations.