Chapter 37: The Beginning of Chaos (III)

For years, An Lushan had been preparing his troops and strengthening defenses, aiming to rise in rebellion against the Tang Dynasty someday. Shi Siming was aware of all this, but he still found An Lushan’s methods unacceptable. Though he was of Turkic descent from Ningyi Prefecture, years of living under Tang rule had made him see himself as a Tangman. As a Tangman, he ought to live up to Tang values. Even though he disapproved of the Tang royal family’s extravagant ways, he would never seek cooperation with the Khitans—what right did they have to demand anything from him!

In his view, no matter where the war spread across the Central Plains, foreign forces should not be brought in to lend strength. On this point, An Lushan and he had significant differences. The more Shi Siming thought about it, the angrier he became. In frustration, he threw a celadon teapot, shattering it on impact.

“Damn it!”
Shi Siming exhaled sharply and slowly closed his eyes.

Hah! Even if he was angry or opposed, what good was it? After all, the command over 200,000 troops in the three garrisons of Yan region was in An Lushan’s hands. Though he held the title of deputy general, without An Lushan’s permission, he couldn’t even move a single soldier!

Perhaps this was fate—Shi Siming was destined to be labeled a traitor in this life!

Just as he was concentrating, the wooden door suddenly opened. Shi Siming snapped his eyes open and instinctively reached for the sword on the table with his right hand.

“Who are you?”
Seeing a handsome, slender middle-aged man standing outside, Shi Siming raised his eyebrows warily and demanded to know.

“General Shi, please calm down! Don’t get agitated!”
The man saw Shi Siming about to draw his sword and quickly waved his hands to show he meant no harm.

“I am Lu Ji, an assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites sent by the imperial court to deliver an edict in Fanyang. I arrived here today and was just settled by Marshal An. Well, I actually know General Tian Chengsi from before.”
Lu Ji bowed slightly to Shi Siming as a gesture of respect and said solemnly, “I had nothing much to do, so I went out for a walk. Hearing that General Shi lived here, I came to pay a visit specifically.”

Shi Siming snorted inwardly. This man looked slick and polished—clearly a weak scholar with no fighting skills. Such people were common in the capital Chang’an, but rare in the northern Fanyang. Why was he helping Tian Chengsi? Didn’t he know they were mortal enemies?

“Oh, so it’s Assistant Minister Lu. As an imperial envoy, you should be going to find the marshal. Why did you start chatting with me?”
Shi Siming crossed his arms and asked in a provocative tone.

“As you say, as you say. It’s true that Lu is entrusted with an imperial order, but isn’t Marshal An very busy? Anyway, with no other things to do, it might be better to have a good talk with General Shi and become friends.” Having spent time in the official circles of Chang’an, Lu Ji might not have many other skills, but his ability to flatter and talk smoothly was top-notch. Seeing Shi Siming’s tone soften, he took advantage of the opportunity to outmaneuver him. “Well, very well.” Shi Siming was left at a loss by Lu Ji’s words and simply shook his head, saying, “But let me make things clear from the start. If it’s just a personal relationship, that’s fine, but I won’t say anything regarding military matters.” “No problem, no problem! I just love General Shi’s straightforwardness!” Seeing Shi Siming agree, Lu Ji was overjoyed. He pulled Shi Siming’s robe sleeve and led him to sit down at the desk. “Come, General Shi, I brought some Green Ant wine from Chang’an. One portion is for Marshal An, and the other is for you!” With that, Lu Ji handed Shi Siming a jar of fine wine sealed with spring mud, his face beaming with joy. “Oh, then I’ll have no choice but to accept. Come, let’s drink!” Coming from a military background, Shi Siming naturally disliked the circumlocutions common among scholars. Seeing Lu Ji’s sincere attitude, he simply opened the jar, divided the wine into two jars, and pushed one toward Lu Ji. “Let’s drink! Let’s drink!” Lu Ji’s eyes narrowed as he took the cup and drank it in one gulp. “Delicious!” Shi Siming laughed heartily. On impulse, he even stepped forward and patted Lu Ji’s arm. “Ouch!” Unexpecting such strength from Shi Siming, Lu Ji felt pain and gasped. “Today, I’ll risk everything to accompany General Shi and get thoroughly drunk together!” Enduring the pain in his shoulder, Lu Ji forced a smile and replied, “In that case, let’s drink!” “Let’s drink!”… The moon hung upside down, and the sky was as dark as dusk. In a secret room within the governor’s residence, An Lushan listened with a furrowed brow to someone’s analysis. “The current situation is extremely dangerous for the marshal. At first, it was only the treacherous Yang Guozhong and the ignorant crown prince who distrusted you, but somehow, a prophecy song has spread throughout Hebei, Hedong, and even the capital region. Since its emergence, even that foolish emperor, who never attends court early, has become uneasy.”

The man speaking was dressed in a dark gray straight-sleeved robe, with a three-inch short beard on his chin. From a distance, he appeared handsome and distinguished. If he had also carried a feather fan, he might truly have been comparable to the famous statesman Zhuge Kongming, who devised the Longzhong Plan.

This man was Yan Zhuang, the chief military advisor under An Lushan. (Note 1) An Lushan, who was usually extremely cruel toward his subordinates, treated him with great respect, merely nodding and saying, “I already know all of what Mr. Yan has said. But the Khitan horses haven’t been delivered yet. If I rashly launch an uprising, what are my chances of success?”

An Lushan, who was usually decisive in battle, hesitated at the thought of rebelling. In his view, now was not the best time to rise in revolt. Although he had been planning this for nearly a decade, the most crucial element—warhorses—was still lacking, making an immediate uprising somewhat hasty.

Yan Zhuang waved his hand and said with a smile, “My lord need not worry. The Khitans are just trying to take advantage of the situation for their own gain. They know they’re no match for you. If you’re truly pushed to the brink, with just one order from you, wouldn’t 200,000 elite troops in Youzhou trample their Khitan royal camp to pieces?”

“Hmm, that’s true!”

Hearing this, An Lushan felt somewhat reassured. Yan Zhuang was right—the Khitans didn’t yet have the strength to openly challenge him. These nomadic tribes had no sense of morality and naturally wouldn’t side with the Tang court; all they wanted were tangible benefits.

“So, within seven days at most, the Khitans will surely deliver the warhorses to Fanyang.”

Yan Zhuang nodded slightly and smiled, “As for the chances of success, four out of ten of the world’s military forces are in your hands. Li Sanlang probably controls less than 20% of the forces, and even those are mostly weak and defeated soldiers. With your bravery, what are your chances?”

“Haha, well said! Very well said!”

An Lushan slapped his thigh and laughed, “Indeed! They say Li Sanlang is a wise ruler as great as Yao and Shun, but in my opinion, he’s nothing but a complete fool! Half of the Tang army is in my hands, yet he only realizes something’s wrong now. Haha, it’s too late!”

Yan Zhuang nodded, “Exactly. The emperor’s position is like a tomb of complacency—those who stay there too long, no matter how wise they were at first, will end up foolish. But my lord, there’s one problem. The crown prince is currently in Chang’an. If you rise up against the Tang, it will be difficult for him to escape.”

An Lushan frowned upon hearing this and said, “Qingzong is indeed in some trouble. I shouldn’t have listened to that old emperor and sent Qingzong to Chang’an as a hostage. Now that things have come to this, there’s no other way. If I were to call Qingzong back to Fanyang now, wouldn’t it arouse the suspicions of that foolish emperor?”
Yan Zhuang’s heart sank as he said, “In that case, the crown prince is likely in greater danger than safety.”
An Lushan, already impatient, waved his hand and said, “Since An Qingzong is my son, he should bear this responsibility. When I rise in arms, it would be best if he can escape from Chang’an. If not…”
An Lushan paused briefly, then gritted his teeth and said, “If he can’t escape, it’s his fate. But when I capture Chang’an, I will surely avenge him by wiping out the entire Li Tang royal family!”
An Lushan’s gaze was icy cold, and his tone was filled with hostility. Even Yan Zhuang, who was used to his presence, shuddered inexplicably and said with a bitter smile, “Those who achieve great things don’t care about trivial matters. With such determination, General, you will surely seize the throne.”
After a short pause, Yan Zhuang continued, “Since General has made up your mind, you should plan ahead. In my opinion, it would be better to dispatch elite troops south under the pretext of a troop rotation.”
“Hmm, I thought the same.”
An Lushan nodded and tapped his fingers, “As for that imperial envoy…”
“That imperial envoy, Lu Ji, is a lackey of the treacherous prime minister Yang Guozhong. Yang Guozhong has corrupted the emperor and disrupted the court order. General is acting in accordance with the will of heaven by rising up to remove him—so of course, that envoy must be killed!”
Yan Zhuang raised his right hand and made a beheading gesture at his neck before adding coldly, “Since Li Longji is heartless, don’t blame me, An Lushan, for being unjust! I simply don’t believe that the throne should belong to the Li family forever. It should go to those who are more capable!”
An Lushan clenched his fists tightly, his face as cold as ice.
Note 1: Yan Zhuang: An Lushan’s military advisor during the Tang Dynasty. At the beginning of the first month in 757, Yan Zhuang, the vice minister of the Secretariat of the Yan regime, colluded with An Lushan’s son An Qingxu and the eunuch Li Zhuer to assassinate An Lushan. After An Qingxu ascended the throne, Yan Zhuang became prime minister and seized absolute power. Later, he defected to the Tang Dynasty and served as the minister of agriculture.