Chapter 70: The State (II)

For some reason, in the end, Li Longji actually entrusted the task of recruiting soldiers for the long march to Li Kuo. Having been the sage emperor for forty years, he certainly knew that the young man’s experience and skills were far inferior to those of the old hands who had been in officialdom for decades. Yet he still chose to trust the young man, to believe in the hope brought by the youth. Those powerful nobles and officials made him feel a sense of corruption and a conservative, cautious attitude. With the imperial court filled by such people, how could there be any talk of innovation or change?
The court urgently needed fresh blood to revitalize its long-dormant vitality. Li Longji himself also needed to assert his youthfulness. Look at those so-called key ministers—whose family interests came first in every case! Phrases like “devoted to the country” and “relieving the emperor’s worries” were nothing but lies! In their eyes, the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers were not as important as a single official position for their own families!
Didn’t they pride themselves on their noble origins? Didn’t they discriminate against the young man for lacking a powerful backing? Then Li Longji would be that backing—let’s see whether the noble bloodlines of those aristocratic families were greater or his own as the emperor of Tang!
“Your Majesty, still troubled by state affairs?”
Yang Yuhuan’s clear and enchanting voice rang in Li Longji’s ears, instantly dispelling his worries.
Li Longji smiled and waved his hand. “It’s just the matter of increasing troops in Anxi. It’s not a big deal.”
Yang Yuhuan usually didn’t interfere in state affairs, so Li Longji was somewhat surprised by her sudden question.
“Oh, then does Your Majesty have a plan in mind?”
Leaning against Li Longji, Yang Yuhuan spoke in a sweet voice.
“Hmm, the ministers in the council did propose a few plans, each with its advantages and disadvantages. In the end, I assigned this task to your master, allowing him to recruit soldiers in Guanlong and send them to Anxi.”
Li Longji casually explained his decision to Yang Yuhuan, with a hint of mockery in his tone.
“Hmm, it seems that all the outstanding generals in the Tang army are related to you, Yuhuan. An Lushan, at the peak of his strength, is your adopted son with a bright future. Li Kuo, one of the best young officers, is your master. In that case, by having you by my side, doesn’t it mean I already possess a magnificent empire?”
“Your Majesty!”
Hearing Li Longji speak so boldly, Yang Yuhuan protested playfully, “Tang is invincible—thanks to the sacrifices of its soldiers. What does it have to do with me?”

Whenever the name An Lushan came up, Yang Yuhuan felt nauseous. That barbarian was so shameless—clearly much older than her yet still insisting on making her his godmother. Sanlang was really foolish to agree to it. Once word of this spread outside the palace, how would the princes react? How would the ministers view it? And what would the people of the world think?

As for Li Kuo, Little Lord Li, she was truly delighted. She always felt drawn to a special aura about him, though she wasn’t quite sure what that aura entailed.

“Oh, am I wrong?”
Li Longji gently stroked Yang Yuhuan’s cheek, feeling his heart swell with affection as all his resentment vanished.
“Your Majesty speaks; how dare I comment rashly?”
Yet Yang Yuhuan acted spoiled: “Your Majesty is the emperor. I cannot bear your anger.”
“Are you really angry?”
Li Longji pulled her close, smiling, “If even you dare not provoke me, who else would? Over the years, which member of the Yang family hasn’t been given a substantive position starting from the sixth rank as soon as they entered officialdom?”
This was indeed true. The Yang family’s status had risen significantly thanks to Yang Yuhuan’s favor. Since Li Linfu fell ill, the Yang family had become the most prominent in Chang’an. Most of their members were born into privilege. Needless to say, they received honorary titles and low-ranking positions effortlessly. Even lucrative posts in Jingzhao were offered to them at a mere gesture. In their eyes, the Yang family’s influence was likely to endure for another ten or twenty years—so why not seize the opportunity to ally with them now?

“Sanlang!”
Yang Yuhuan sighed and reverted to her affectionate address: “How could I forget Sanlang’s kindness to me? But not all men in my family are suited for office. It might be fine if they’re given trivial positions, but if they hold important roles, won’t they eventually undermine the court’s affairs?”
Li Longji hadn’t expected Yang Yuhuan not only to lack gratitude but also to show resentment. His expression immediately darkened.
“So, you think I’m using office for personal gain?”
Yang Yuhuan paused briefly, then covered her mouth and laughed, “The whole world belongs to Your Majesty—where’s there any distinction between public and private? But I often hear people say that when water overflows or the moon wanes, it’s not a good sign. A family with too much power isn’t a good thing.”
“Hmm, there’s some truth to that. Very well, I promise you—I’ll assign positions based on each Yang family member’s abilities. If they’re truly unqualified, I’ll give them more minor titles and more gold and silver. Does that satisfy you?”

Li Longji nodded and came up with a solution that satisfied both sides. As an emperor, how could he not know the art of balance? But since he was now supporting the Yang family to replace Li Linfu, he inevitably went a bit too far.
“In that case, I, Yu Huan, thank Your Majesty.”
Yang Yu Huan sent Li Longji a flirtatious glance as a way to express her gratitude.
“I really don’t know what to do with you!”
Li Longji gently tickled Yang Yu Huan’s nose, his voice filled with tenderness.
“By the way, Third Brother, do you think my master will know how to recruit soldiers for the long march? Guanlong is one of the wealthiest regions in the Tang Dynasty. With any other opportunity available, who would send their children to engage in such dangerous work?”
Yang Yu Huan suddenly became curious about the boy’s task and asked in a soft voice.
“Well, I’m not sure either. But since he seems so confident, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
“Third Brother, may I watch how the recruitment takes place?”
“That might not be appropriate. The recruitment site is full of unpredictable people, and I can’t guarantee Yu Huan’s safety. How about this? I’ll have Yuan Yi send someone to keep an eye on that boy. They’ll report any progress to you right away, okay?”
Of course, Li Longji couldn’t let Yang Yu Huan go to the recruitment site in person, so he made this decision.
“I see.”
“Are you unhappy, Yu Huan?”
“How could I be?”
Yang Yu Huan’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “Just being able to see how my master recruits soldiers is enough for me.”