Chapter 35: The Beginning of Chaos (1)

Since the Zhongyuan Festival on July 15th, the atmosphere in Chang’an had grown increasingly tense. By September, when the locust flowers were in bloom, Chang’an was put under martial law for the first time in history!
Whether in the mansions of high-ranking officials or the brick-and-tile houses of ordinary people, several pieces of paper were stuck in the gaps of wooden doors. Upon waking up in the morning, the people of Chang’an could notice this strange sight. In fact, each of these papers, made of kraft paper, bore two folk songs written on them without exception.
“Nine additions bring supreme honor; flames spread across Youyan. When the Green Dragon emerges in the southwest, the capital will fall as its arms are seized in the east!”
“The Luo Shu appears—disaster strikes the Central Plains; the Buddha begins his fasting—both capitals fall. Five bushels of rice go to Shambhala; flames spread, and the rivers and mountains change!”
The long-hidden secrets of the Luo Shu and the songs of prophecy appeared at the same time, shocking the entire court!
After receiving a secret report from Cao Luo, the Deputy Minister of Rites, Crown Prince Li Hen immediately set off with Wei Lai, the commander of the Eastern Palace guards, and three hundred bodyguards to Li Mountain to meet the emperor. Under normal circumstances, the crown prince, who held the role of regent, would never act in such a manner. But now he had deliberately exposed himself, giving Prime Minister Yang Guozhong an opportunity—proof of how urgent the situation was.
Emperor Li Sanlang, who was currently spending the summer in Huaqing Palace with his concubine Yu Huan, was first stunned and then furious upon hearing that the crown prince had left Chang’an without permission and gone to Li Mountain.
He was not angry that the crown prince had left Chang’an, but that he had secretly mobilized the troops under the command of the six generals of the Eastern Palace. Although the Tang Dynasty had followed the system of the previous Sui Dynasty since Emperor Gaozu established his rule, assigning six generals to protect the Eastern Palace, this move not only failed to enhance the Eastern Palace’s prestige but also strained the relationship between the crown prince and the emperor.
The reason was that once the Eastern Palace had military power, various ambitions naturally arose. And sometimes, unrealistic ambitions caused the most harm.
That’s why he took back the military power from the Eastern Palace and built ten princes’ residences and a hundred grandsons’ halls in Chang’an. People said he disregarded human relations for the sake of imperial power, but did they realize he was doing it for the good of his descendants? He was protecting them!
With this mindset, Li Longji met with Crown Prince Li Hen. Just as he was about to reprimand Li Hen severely, the crown prince reported to the emperor the news that An Lushan was about to rise in rebellion, along with the folk songs circulating in Chang’an.
Li Longji was shocked!
He had heard many negative things about An Lushan from the crown prince and Yang Guozhong before, but none of them had any evidence, so they were dismissed. Yet now, the news presented by Li Hen was so credible that Li Longji could not help but be alarmed!

The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty sent envoys to Hebei Circuit to summon An Lushan back to Chang’an to report for duty, while ordering Chen Xuanli, the commander of the Longwu Army, to mobilize civilian troops to expand the imperial guards. Little did he know that these two decisions would lead to a disaster that completely altered the fate of the Tang Dynasty!…

After leaving Tongguan and passing through Jinyang, they headed north. The lands of Hebei Circuit were vast and fertile, stretching for thousands of miles!

Counting carefully, it was already the eleventh day. Lu Ji, the Right Vice Minister of Rites, had been gloomy ever since receiving the emperor’s order, even thinking of making up an excuse of illness to avoid it. But since the emperor insisted he must go to Yan region, he had no choice but to “drag his sick body” along with a servant and guard to Fanyang to deliver the imperial decree.

The two rode fast horses, stopping occasionally, and arrived in Fanyang before dusk. Standing at the foot of this famous strong fortress on the northern border of the Tang Dynasty, Lu Ji felt no trace of excitement. At present, rumors of An Lushan planning to rebel were spreading in Hebei Circuit, Hedong Circuit, and even the capital region. Sending him there under imperial orders to urge An Lushan to go to Chang’an to report for duty was nothing short of seeking death!

Lu Ji tried hard to calm his worries, but his forehead grew increasingly painful, and soon he felt dizzy, almost falling off his horse. Since they entered the city at normal hours, they should have been allowed in after some routine checks. But due to the special situation of facing off against the Khitans, the inspections were extremely strict. In the end, it was only when Lu Ji produced the imperial decree drafted by the Secretariat that the city gate officials relented and let them in quickly.

Lu Ji was both amused and exasperated. He had long heard that the people of Yan region were fierce and disregarded etiquette and discipline, but he never expected these military officers to ignore even imperial decrees. Perhaps, in their eyes, the word of the military governor An Lushan carried more weight than the emperor’s decree from thousands of miles away!

Fanyang was the largest city in Hebei Circuit. Like other major cities inland, it had a strong commercial atmosphere. The markets and residential areas were separated and managed by the government, with strict rules regarding opening and closing times.

However, due to the increasingly tense relations with the Khitans, Fanyang was now under full martial law. As a result, on the roads, one could not even see a caravan or a small stall.

The two rode slowly along Dingjiang Road, the main road in Fanyang, and seeing how desolate this once bustling northern border town had become, Lu Ji felt deeply saddened. Most importantly, he strongly suspected that the martial law in Fanyang was related to pressure from the imperial court.

If that was the case… Sigh!

They did not stay on the streets for long and headed straight to the residence of the military governor in the city.

To Lu Ji’s surprise, after checking their identification badges, the two were allowed to enter the governor’s residence through the main gate without much questioning or hindrance. After passing through a corridor, they took a shortcut across the training ground and arrived at the rear courtyard where the high-ranking generals and their families of the governor’s residence lived.

Tian Chengsi led Lu Ji to his three-story mansion. Without saying much, his personal guards came forward to take their bundles. Waving them away, the two entered the hall. Looking around and seeing no one nearby, Tian Chengsi whispered, “Brother Lu, how did you end up in Fanyang City?”

He and Lu Ji were old acquaintances. Years ago, when Tian Chengsi was in distress, it was Lu Ji who took him in and saved his life. After serving as a bodyguard in Lu Ji’s household for a few years, Tian Chengsi firmly declined Lu Ji’s invitation and went to Yanzhou to make a living. He wasn’t the kind of person who could settle for a peaceful life; perhaps a life in the military was the best fate for him. Of course, he always remembered Lu Ji’s kindness in saving his life. Though he hadn’t studied many classics, he understood the most basic principles of human conduct—repaying kindness with kindness and vengeance with vengeance. That was how one should live a fulfilling life!

“Oh, it’s little brother Tian! I never expected you to become a military officer in Fanyang City!”

Lu Ji was delighted to meet an old friend here. He simply smiled and said, “Is Fanyang City usually this deserted? Such strict security measures surely cut off the people’s means of livelihood.”

Tian Chengsi sighed deeply. “Brother Lu, you don’t know the full situation. A stronghold like Fanyang in the northern border cannot be governed like the provinces in the Central Plains. It’s fine when there’s no war, but once war breaks out, troop deployment and supply of provisions are of utmost importance. If we don’t enforce strict security measures and let the people trade freely, it will only complicate military affairs and harm our strategic situation.”

Lu Ji had only been chatting casually, but hearing Tian Chengsi’s words, he adopted an official tone and said, “Little brother Tian is right. But between us, we must fight this war against the Khitans. The Turks have long harbored rebellious intentions. If we allow such wild wolves to lurk at the northern border of our Tang Dynasty, how can we have peace in the land?”

Tian Chengsi shook his head and said with a bitter smile, “Brother Lu, that’s true. But war isn’t about showing temporary bravery. As the old saying goes, provisions must come first before troops are sent. The Khitans have the grasslands behind them, with countless cattle and sheep to sustain them. In dire times, they can even slaughter their horses for food. On the other hand, if we transport provisions from the south, it will take at least ten days. If the war drags on and supplies run out, it will lead to defeat. Our Tang Dynasty cannot afford such a risk.”

Lu Ji still wanted to argue, but Tian Chengsi had already waved his hand and said, “Brother Lu, there’s no need to discuss this further. For now, you should rest well. Once I’ve finished reporting military matters to Marshal An, I’ll introduce you to him. What do you think, Brother Lu?”
Lu Ji was momentarily stunned before nodding and saying, “Let younger brother Tian arrange everything. How could an ignorant brother refuse your orders in your territory?”
Tian Chengsi patted Lu Ji’s shoulder and laughed heartily, “That’s great. I’m sure the marshal will also speak highly of you when he sees you.”
With a slight bow, Tian Chengsi left the hall. Led by his personal guards, Lu Ji went to a chamber prepared for him in the west wing of the mansion.
Upon entering, he found the room exquisitely decorated. Behind an intricately carved screen was a set of tables and chairs made of ash wood. The decorative low stools added a touch of ruggedness to this compact room. After placing his sword on the table, Lu Ji simply lay down on a low bed. Reflecting on the events of the past few days, he felt an indescribable confusion. For some reason, he always sensed that Tian Chengsi was hiding something from him, though he couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Feeling troubled, Lu Ji drank the cup of Gaochang wine on the table in one gulp and let out a long sigh.
Just as he was about to loosen his clothes to take a short rest, there was suddenly a knock at the door.