Chapter 40: Kindness (1)

Gao Shi stroked his thick beard gently, staring at the young man with a half-smile.
“If I’m not mistaken, you’ll take the imperial examinations next year. Instead of pursuing such a bright future, you insist on coming to this frigid borderland to serve. You really confuse me, my nephew.”
Li Kuo bowed to Gao Shi and said solemnly, “Uncle Gao, it’s not that I don’t want to achieve fame through the exams. But Elder Brother Nan said that a man of our Tang Dynasty should have a vision that encompasses the world. Besides, fame can be gained on the battlefield—those who come from military backgrounds can certainly become nobles or prime ministers!”
“If that’s how you think, then that’s best. But I can see you’re a filial child. Who will take care of your mother if you leave?”
The young man’s cheeks turned red instantly. He stood there, speechless in front of Gao Shi. How could he have forgotten his mother? After his grandfather died unjustly, it was she who raised him by working as a laborer. With rice so expensive in Chang’an, how many nights of hard work must her efforts have cost her? She toiled day and night, never getting proper rest, yet refused to let him suffer in the slightest. She endured for nearly ten years, her eyes failing and her hair turning white—all for such an unfilial son?
Unable to bear to see the young man blame himself so much, Gao Shi waved his hand and said, “You don’t need to blame yourself too much. If you truly want to go to the border, you can bring your sister-in-law to live in our house in Zigu. After all, we’re family—she’ll have some support there!”
His third brother? For some reason, the young man felt a deep fear at the thought of mentioning him. Perhaps it was because of A Tian’s matter—he deliberately avoided meeting him. He remembered as a child, his brother always liked to hold him in his arms, sitting under the big locust tree in the front yard of their old house in Chongren Fang, telling him about the wars in the north and the clouds over the rivers. But now, the young man smiled bitterly. Does maturity mean absolute obedience to the family? Is the price of growing up willing sacrifice?
“Fortunately, the emperor intends to select men from the capital region to form a Shence Army (Note 1) to be assigned to General Geshu to fight against the Tibetans.”
Gao Shi spoke calmly. “As you know, the Tibetans have always been a major threat to our Tang Dynasty. After the Battle of Dafeichuan (Note 2), the Tibetans have held a dominant position over us in various battlefields. Now that our Tang Dynasty enjoys peace and strength, they dare not act rashly. But the emperor has seen through their true nature. If we don’t reclaim those lands, and if the Central Plains become unstable, the Tibetans will take advantage and threaten Longyou and Hexi.”

Gao Shi stopped speaking here but kept his eyes fixed on the young man. He hinted to him everything he should and shouldn’t say—now it was up to the young man to forge ahead on his own path.
“Do you want me to join the Shence Army?”
The young man quickly regained his composure and thought rapidly. Since the emperor intended to wage war against Tubo, he couldn’t rely solely on the border troops in Hexi and Longyou. After all, it’s easy to find thousands of soldiers but hard to find a great general. For large-scale military operations, generals were clearly more important than ordinary soldiers. Uncle Gao wants me to serve in the Shence Army—probably hoping I can rise to a high-ranking position.
Gao Shi nodded in satisfaction. Though he intended to help Li Kuo, there were limits to what he could do. If the boy lacked the aptitude to understand the implications, even if Gao Shi tried to prop him up, he might still fall hard. But Kuo clearly had a keen sense—something that would be invaluable both in the court and in the army. Gao Shi hadn’t misjudged this boy; his future was bright.
“But since it’s the emperor personally selecting people for the Shence Army, the requirements will be higher than for ordinary soldiers. I…”
Li Kuo looked at Gao Shi, uneasy.
“You were personally appointed as a Xuanjie Xiaowei by the emperor, and you also hold the nominal position of guest of the crown prince. If you’re not qualified to join the Shence Army, few others in the world would have a chance.”
Gao Shi encouraged the young man at just the right time, his gaze filled with kindness.
“Then, where should I report for duty?”
Feeling a bit intimidated by Gao Shi’s gaze, Li Kuo shrugged.
“Come to the Nanya military camp to report tomorrow. The emperor is eager for young men like you to help him reclaim Jiuqu soon.”
Gao Shi gave him kind advice, his face full of warmth.
“Mom, there’s no need for these. It’s still summer!”
Watching his mother pack coarse cloth robes into the bundle, Li Kuo said with a wry smile.
Lady Li Lu hesitantly took out the few washed-out, whitened robes, pondered for a moment, then rolled them up again, hoping to squeeze out a little more space in the bulky bundle.
“You’re going to a military camp, not staying at home!”
Lady Li Lu said stubbornly as she packed and compressed the robes. “The weather in Chang’an is unpredictable. It might be clear one moment and stormy the next. What if it rains and you don’t have warm clothes?”
“It’s only half an hour from home to Nanya. I can still come back to see you.”
The young man stuck out his tongue in defense.

“Can one just leave the military camp at will? Once inside, one must be careful in everything. Avoid conflicts whenever possible. Swords and spears don’t show mercy—never challenge them! You’re at least a colonel now, and even if you progress slowly, it’s faster than ordinary soldiers. There’s no need to risk your life!”
As people get older, they talk more. Lady Li Lu pleaded earnestly, fearing her son might suffer because of his youth.
The young man shrugged indifferently. “As long as I don’t stir up trouble, that’s fine. But if someone provokes me, I won’t be a coward!”
“You have the same stubbornness as your grandfather!”
Lady Li Lu tapped his forehead lightly and sighed.
“Mother, after I leave, go live with my third brother. I’ll have Xiao Liu deliver my monthly salary to you. Buy yourself some decent clothes too!”
Li Kuo took his mother’s hand and persuaded her.
“It doesn’t matter if I wear nice clothes or not. As long as my little Qi is safe, I’ll be happiest.”
Lady Li Lu shook her head, refusing her son’s kindness.
“I heard the young master of the Zhang family is also going to the Shence Army?”
Lady Li Lu held her son’s hand and spoke kindly.
“Yeah, he kept pestering me. I can’t get rid of him!”
Mentioning Zhang Yanji, Li Kuo smiled cheerfully and joked, “I have another friend too. We’ll go to the army together tomorrow.”
Not wanting to ruin his good mood, Lady Li Lu forced a smile and agreed, “That’s good. It’s better for you brothers to have each other’s company.”
After a pause, she stood up, placed the dark-black horn bow that Li Zigu had given Li Kuo on a bundle, tied it tightly with soft rope, and said earnestly, “Kuo, it’s time for you to venture out now that you’ve grown up. With your uncle Gao and Guer by your side, I can rest easy. I know you’re ambitious, but think carefully before doing anything. I don’t expect you to become a noble or prime minister, but remember one thing: those from the Li family of Longxi must never be looked down upon wherever they go!”
Note 1: Shence Army: It was indeed established by Geshu Han to fight against the Tubo. But for narrative needs, I moved its creation forward a bit.
Note 2: Battle of Dafeichuan: Fought from April to August in the third year of the Zongzhang era (the first year of Xianheng, 670), during the war between the Tang and Tubo dynasties, the Tubo army avoided direct confrontation with the Tang’s elite forces, instead cutting off their supplies and using superior numbers to secure victory. From then on, the Tubo held a decisive advantage over the Tang.