Chapter 27: Sending Off the Soul (5)

Yan Xu couldn’t help frowning upon hearing this.
An Lushan had always been popular in the Hebei and Hedong regions, thanks in large part to his remarkable ability to disguise himself. Whether you agreed or not, An Lushan was truly good at handling people—otherwise, the emperor wouldn’t trust him so much.
Although An Lushan had recently replaced many generals in the Pinglu, Fanyang, and Hedong armies and adjusted troop deployments across the regions, he hadn’t crossed the limits the imperial court could tolerate. Moreover, these actions were carried out in complete secrecy, far beyond the knowledge of ordinary people.
Could it be…
“Isn’t that right? Right now, Tang’s most capable troops are concentrated in Anxi and Fanyang. If An Lushan really rises in rebellion and marches south, it won’t be long before Hedong is in ruins!”
The speaker was a middle-aged man in a gray-green robe. As he popped fried peanuts into his mouth, he continued vividly, “The imperial troops in the Central Plains have long been a mere formality. Look around—over 60% of the troops in a camp have fled, with the rest being old and weak. Meanwhile, An Lushan commands two hundred thousand elite cavalry, giving him a combat strength far surpassing ours.”
The middle-aged man wasn’t shy about being overheard and continued passionately, “I heard he also selected more than eight thousand strong men from those who defected from the Tongluo, Xi, and Khitan tribes, forming what’s called the ‘Yeluo Army.’ He also has over a hundred household servants, all brave and skilled in battle, charging forward fearlessly in combat! On top of that, this fat man owns tens of thousands of warhorses, amasses vast amounts of weapons, and sends merchants to various places to sell them, earning millions in valuables each year. He also secretly produces tens of thousands of purple robes and satchels for future use! Tsk tsk, everything is ready—only the right opportunity is missing!”
“And… what’s that right opportunity?” asked a younger merchant, shrinking his neck.
“Ah, why are you so stubborn? I’m not An Lushan—how would I know what he’s thinking?” The middle-aged man glared at his companion before taking a sip ofshochu. “But most people think carefully before acting. Although An Lushan is decisive in battle, he must still weigh things carefully in such a major matter. In my opinion, he’s waiting for the right opportunity.”
“A reasonable opportunity to rise in rebellion?”

“Of course. Since ancient times, rebels have feared most being labeled as traitors. In our Central Plains, we value legitimate succession from heaven. Look at history—how many rebels have won the hearts of the people? Ordinary folks just want enough food to eat; unless pushed to the brink, who would want to join them in such a deadly venture?”
Picking up a fried peanut with his chopsticks, the middle-aged man said, “Of course, our current emperor is wise and mighty, and our Tang Dynasty is in its golden age. It’s impossible for An Lushan to find a flawless excuse, but it’s because of the villains in the court.”
He dipped his finger in wine and wrote the character ‘Yang’ on the wooden table before swallowing his saliva.
“Ah!”
The younger man exclaimed in surprise, “Are you saying he plans to rebel under the pretext of punishing the Yang family?”
The middle-aged man spat out phlegm and rolled his eyes. “Tch! I’m just saying it’s possible—who can guarantee anything? Don’t spread rumors, or you’ll get into trouble. Eat your noodles quickly; we still need to keep moving.” Just as Yan Xu stepped forward to ask more, Yao Si grabbed his arm.
“Let’s talk somewhere private.” ……
“Xiao Si, why did you pull me aside? I want to ask that man why he’s spouting nonsense and where he heard such things.”
Yan Xu frowned and asked in a low voice, clearly displeased.
It wasn’t entirely his fault—after all, whether An Lushan actually planned something was one thing, but whether the news spread and how it spread was another. Controlling the people’s mouths was even harder than controlling rivers; if rumors spread, they might even incite An Lushan to rebel earlier.
Yao Si shrugged. “Brother Yan, calm down and let me explain. Think about it—given their status as mere merchants, how could they know such confidential information? Even if they somehow learned of it secretly, why would they discuss it openly in places like inns and taverns, where people gather? That’s like inviting the local authorities to arrest them.”
Yan Xu agreed that Yao Si made sense. It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered this; he was just too anxious to think rationally.
“Then you think they were sent by someone?”
Yan Xu clenched his fist and said coldly.
“That’s right. With their status, they certainly don’t have the courage or reason to spread rumors. Someone must be behind this.”
Yao Si nodded in agreement.
“Who is that person?”
“Of course, the one who benefits the most!”
They narrowed their eyes slightly and said in unison. “The one who benefits the most…”

Yan Xu murmured to himself. After a long while, a sharp glint appeared in his eyes: “You mean, it’s the crown prince!”
Yao Si clapped his hands and said, “Brother Yan is truly clever! Indeed, the crown prince’s position as heir apparent is now in jeopardy, and he urgently needs to prove his abilities to the emperor. But with the country at peace, where can he show his skills? That’s why he needs someone to stage a rebellion to draw the emperor’s attention. From this perspective, An Lushan is undoubtedly the best choice.”
After a brief pause, Yao Si continued, “Not to mention that An Lushan already harbors rebellious thoughts. Even if he didn’t want to rebel, from the crown prince’s point of view, rebellion is necessary! Only by rebelling can the crown prince get a chance to prove himself!”
“And the crown prince has a poor relationship with Prime Minister Yang Guozhong. By spreading rumors about An Lushan’s rebellion, he’s showing his disapproval of the Yang family’s arrogance and dominance, aiming to remove them from power. This way, he can prove his foresight and also suppress Yang Guozhong to some extent—killing two birds with one stone!”
Yan Xu also understood the implications and gasped. “In that case, there must be many of the crown prince’s people spreading rumors in Hedong. I believe within half a month, news of An Lushan rising in rebellion to overthrow the emperor will spread throughout Hedong, and likely, Chang’an will respond as well.”
“Exactly. Yang Guozhong once advised the emperor that An Lushan would rebel, but the emperor didn’t believe him. So it’s only natural for An Lushan to hold grudges against Yang Guozhong. Spreading such rumors makes sense—this move by the crown prince is truly ruthless.”
“Hmph, but this might force An Lushan to rebel prematurely. That crown prince is really a useless traitor!”
Yan Xu scoffed dismissively. “Even if An Lushan rebels, his current preparations aren’t enough for him to launch an attack right away. But if he spreads rumors of an uprising, no matter what the court says, the emperor will surely be wary and take away An Lushan’s military power. Tell me, if you were An Lushan, would you rebel or not?”
“That’s why a lack of virtue in the crown prince is a great disaster for the country!”
Yao Si sighed deeply. “We must go to the capital immediately. News of An Lushan’s rebellion will eventually reach the capital. What we need to do is warn the emperor not to act rashly!”