Chapter 54: Flowing Fire (IV)

Before him lay a river as clear and smooth as jade, with a seven-arch stone bridge spanning it. Surrounded by several guards, Li Longji stepped onto the bridge and headed toward the other shore. Yet just as they reached halfway, deafening hoofbeats echoed in the air. Frowning, Li Longji glanced across the river and saw a plume of black smoke rolling toward him.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground trembled, and so did Li Longji’s heart. What was happening? What had appeared?
Straining to look ahead, Li Longji saw many familiar figures emerging from the black smoke—An Lushan, Shi Siming, Gao Xianzhi, Feng Changqing, Geshu Han… They were leading tens of thousands of cavalry riders charging toward him, their faces twisted in cruel smiles.
“Give us your life, you foolish emperor! Give it to us!”
“Haha! Give us your life so we can take your throne!”
No, not this! Li Longji instinctively tried to flee but found himself utterly immobile. Turning back, he saw that his guards had tied his hands and feet. “What are you doing? Release me! Let go of me!”
He screamed frantically, but those holding him remained indifferent.
“I say again, release me!”
“Father, don’t you recognize me?”
The voice sounded so familiar. Li Longji frowned and stared closely at the figure. The blurred face gradually became clear—it was Heng Er. The last person to appear before him was Heng Er.
“You… you…”
Li Longji trembled with anger, too shocked to speak.
“Haha! Haha!”
“Hahaha! Haha!”
“Give me back my life, you foolish emperor!”
“Give me your throne to sit on!”
Cruel laughter filled the air. Li Longji felt dizzy and suddenly jolted awake.
“Huff… huff…”
He gasped for breath, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Your Majesty, you had another nightmare!”
Yang Yuhuan put down the vegetable porridge she was holding and sat beside Li Longji.
“Yuhuan, was it just a dream?”
Li Longji looked at her confusedly, his voice sluggish.
“Pfft!”
Yang Yuhuan couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Of course it was a dream. Perhaps you were too tired from the journey. Your Majesty slept for two whole hours. Look, the vegetable porridge I made for you has gone cold. I’ll warm it up for you again.”
But Li Longji grabbed Yang Yuhuan, who was about to stand up. “Yuhuan, don’t go. Stay here with me.”
Seeing Li Longji’s distraught appearance, Yang Yuhuan couldn’t bear it and burst into tears.

“Your Majesty, what’s wrong? It breaks my heart to see you like this…”
“Nothing, nothing. It was just a bad dream; just a dream.”
Li Longji waved his hand casually and said, “Yuhuan, were you and your third sister digging for wild vegetables in the back mountain just now? Well, among all the people around me, it’s still my Yuhuan who’s the best!”
Yang Yuhuan chuckled lightly. “Is it really just to say this to me that Your Majesty has come?”
“Oh? Then what do you want me to say, Yuhuan? I’ll say whatever you want to hear.”
Li Longji gently pulled Yang Yuhuan into his arms, full of pride.
“Your Majesty once promised me three wishes…”
Yang Yuhuan remained nestled in Li Longji’s arms, about to speak, when she was interrupted by sudden knocking at the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
Knock, knock, knock!
Li Longji, already impatient, snapped, “Who is it?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, it’s your servant!”
Hearing it was Gao Lishi, Li Longji felt slightly relieved.
“Yuan Yi, come in.”
Gao Lishi entered the room after receiving the order, bowed, and saw Yang Yuhuan there as well, so he bowed to her as well.
“Yuan Yi, has something serious happened?”
Li Longji nodded slightly at Gao Lishi. He knew this old man well—unless something serious had occurred, Gao Lishi would never disturb him in the middle of the night.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty…”
“Just speak up if there’s something. Why are you hesitating?”
Li Longji grew annoyed, his tone rising.
“It’s this, Your Majesty… with the Imperial Concubine here…”
Gao Lishi looked hesitant, glanced at Yang Yuhuan, then lowered his head.
“You old fool, what’s wrong with you today?”
Li Longji lost all patience. Seeing Gao Lishi act like this, he gestured to Yang Yuhuan and said, “Yuhuan, you’d better step back for now.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Yuhuan stood up, bowed to Li Longji, and said, “Your Majesty, I’ll take my leave for now.”
Only after Yang Yuhuan left and locked the door did Li Longji ask irritably, “Speak up. You old fool, really. The Imperial Concubine isn’t a stranger—why be so suspicious?”
Gao Lishi stepped beside Li Longji, suddenly knelt down, hugged his legs, and wept bitterly, “Your Majesty, I deserve death! I’m incompetent! I deserve death!”
Li Longji was utterly confused. “What happened?”
Gao Lishi wiped the tears from his eyes and said, “Your Majesty, please don’t get upset. The Crown Prince, along with General Chen Xuanli and the Left and Right Dragon and Tiger Armies along with the six commanders of the Eastern Palace, have come outside your courtyard, demanding that you order the death of the Imperial Concubine!”
Bang!

A huge rock crashed down on Li Longji’s chest, startling the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty so much that he nearly fell to the ground.
“What did you say? What was that? Say it again!”
Gao Lishi repeatedly kowtowed and said, “This humble servant is useless; I couldn’t stop the soldiers. They rebelled!”
“You say that traitor wants me to order the death of the Imperial Concubine?”
Li Longji seemed not to have heard clearly what Gao Lishi had said and asked again.
“Yes, Your Majesty. General Chen Xuanli said that unless the Imperial Concubine dies, the troops’ morale will remain unstable, and the army will not be able to advance further into Shu.”
Though heartbroken, Gao Lishi had no choice but to tell Li Longji the truth.
“What other demands does that traitor have? Speak up!”
As an emperor who had experienced both peaceful times and the chaos caused by Empress Wei, Li Longji calmed down after a brief moment of panic and pressed Gao Lishi for more details.
Gao Lishi paused for a moment before speaking in a sobbing voice, “Your Majesty also said that the soldiers are hungry and exhausted. The failure to advance is entirely due to the treacherous Yang Guozhong. He requests that you order the execution of Yang Guozhong, Censor-in-Chief Wei Fangjin, Minister of Rites Yang Xuan, and others. He also said he would ensure that no more members of the Yang family are appointed to official positions!” (Note 1)
Li Longji took a deep breath and said, “I approve of these two requests. But as for the matter of the Imperial Concubine, I will never agree!”
Gao Lishi paused briefly and said, “Your Majesty, Prime Minister Yang, the Censor-in-Chief, and the Minister of Rites have already been punished for their crimes!”
“What! Does that traitor still have any regard for me as his father? Cough! Cough…”
Furious, Li Longji waved his hand sharply and shouted.
“Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty is acting out of concern for you. Please think carefully.”
Gao Lishi, having no other options, could only urge Li Longji to yield. Though he held the title of General of the Cavalry, he had no military power at all and was powerless in the face of this military rebellion.
“Enough, enough. I’ll approve of these two requests. But as for the Imperial Concubine…”
Li Longji swallowed hard and said with a bitter smile, “If I refuse that request, will he even kill his own emperor and father?”
Hearing this, Gao Lishi only kept kowtowing, saying nothing.
Seeing this, Li Longji shook his head and said bitterly, “I’ve raised such a good son. If I leave the Tang Dynasty to him, I can rest easy!”
“Your Majesty, please give an answer regarding the Imperial Concubine. The entire army is waiting.”
Gao Lishi pleaded earnestly, now utterly overcome with tears.
“Creak!”
The wooden door was suddenly pushed open, and Yang Yuhuan stepped into the room gracefully.
“Yuhuan, how did you get in?”
Clearly embarrassed, Li Longji waved his hand and turned away.

Yang Yuhuan suddenly knelt on the ground and said, “Your Majesty, there’s no need to hide anything from me. I’ve already heard everything.” Seeing Emperor Li Longji’s emaciated and hunched figure, Yang Yuhuan felt her heart ache. She took a breath and said, “Your Majesty needn’t go to such lengths just for me and the soldiers. Do you still remember the three wishes you made to me in the Changsheng Hall on the Qixi Festival? Now, please grant me the third wish… let me die!”
Note 1: Regarding the Massacre at Mawei, the details are that Li Heng and Chen Xuanli led the troops to execute Yang Guozhong, who was killed by chaotic sword strikes, his limbs torn off, and his head displayed outside the post station. Chen Xuanli then requested the execution of Yang Guifei as well. Emperor Xuanzong had no choice but to order Gao Lishi to kill her. Historical records state that Xuanzong “ordered Gao Lishi to lead Yang Guifei to the Buddhist hall and strangle her; her body was placed in the courtyard of the post station, and Chen Xuanli and the others were summoned to see it. Chen Xuanli and the others removed their helmets and armor, bowed their heads in apology. The emperor consoled them and ordered them to inform the soldiers.” This event is known as the Massacre at Mawei.