Chapter 100: Transferring Generals to Yangzhou

As night fell, the lights in the Military Ministry’s office in the imperial city were faintly lit. Figures could be seen moving in the various departments that were usually on leave. Today was the first day of the military examinations, and the results for over a thousand candidates taking the exams had already come in. Officials from several departments were busy organizing documents, with pens scratching loudly as they determined the fates of each candidate.

At that moment, Luo Duan, a mid-level official in the Military Ministry, hurried into Deputy Minister Li Lin’s office, holding a document. “Deputy Minister Li, we’ve prepared the list—this is the preliminary plan.”

Luo Duan gently placed the list on Li Lin’s desk. Li Lin quickly took it and examined it carefully. This list was Chen Xilié’s proposal: to transfer capable frontier generals from the capital to serve as military trainers in the Jianghuai region for half a year.

Chen Xilié had proposed this idea at noon and demanded that the Military Ministry draft a plan overnight, saying it was urgent and could not be delayed.

After reviewing it for a while, Li Lin nodded and rushed to the minister’s office. The minister was nominally the head of the ministry, but actual power lay with the deputy ministers. The minister did not handle day-to-day affairs; instead, they served as members of the council, participating in discussions on military and state affairs. Thus, although Chen Xilié was nominally the Minister of War and had an office in the Military Ministry, he rarely went there to oversee matters.

But today was an exception—since it was his proposal to transfer the frontier generals, he had to give the final approval.

Inside the minister’s office, the lights were dim. Chen Xilié was sitting there reading, waiting for the plan to be submitted.

“Prime Minister, it’s ready,” came the voice of Deputy Minister Li Lin from the door. Chen Xilié quickly put down his book and said, “Come in!”

The door opened, and Li Lin stepped in quickly, placing a plan document in front of him. “Please review it, Minister.”

Chen Xilié took the draft and examined it carefully. Li Lin explained, “Following the Prime Minister’s advice, we’ve chosen fifteen military districts in the Jiangnan and Huainan regions as pilot areas. Thirty skilled frontier generals from the capital will be assigned to these areas for half a year. Each district will have a chief and deputy military trainer, acting as temporary commanders…”

Chen Xilié went through each name one by one: Fan Yang’s Shi Siming was assigned as the military trainer for Shengzhou Jiangning, with Li Fei Shouyu as his deputy; Shuofang’s Guo Ziyi was assigned as the military trainer for Suzhou Changzhou, with Li Guochen as his deputy; Longyou’s Li Guangbi was assigned as the military trainer for Changzhou Wujin, with Geshu Yao as his deputy; Anxi’s Li Siyeh was assigned as the military trainer for Yangzhou Jiangdu, with Li Fei Yuanli as his deputy…

He quickly found Li Qing’an—group eight: “Anxi’s Li Qing’an was assigned as the military trainer for Shouzhou Shouchun, with Li Fei Shouyu as his deputy.”

Chen Xilié frowned slightly and pointed at Li Qing’an, saying, “Swap him with Li Siyeh. Let Li Qing’an be the commander of the Jiangdu militia in Yangzhou; keep the assignments in other provinces unchanged. We can now draft the official plan.”
“I understand. I’ll go make the changes right away.”
Li Lin left in a hurry. Chen Xilié placed his pen on the table and let out a long sigh, feeling relieved after completing the task.
Half an hour later, a carriage escorted by dozens of men entered Pingkang Fang and stopped in front of Li Linfu’s residence as prime minister. Holding a document with the plan, Chen Xilié hurriedly stepped down from the carriage.
…
Li Qing’an’s second match took place on the afternoon of the sixth day in the horseball field of Anren Fang. It was a match between the third-place team from last year, the Anxi team, and the Jiannan team. Although Jiannan was one of the border regions of the Tang Dynasty, its horseball skills were far inferior to those of the stronger northern teams, roughly on par with a mid-tier provincial team. This was due to its geographical conditions—the Bashu region was narrow and mountainous, resulting in weaker cavalry.
Even though their opponent was weaker, the Anxi team did not underestimate them. They still sent their strongest lineup, with ten top horseball players representing Anxi’s highest level, including Bai Yuanguang, Li Qing’an, Duan Xiushi, Li Fei Shouyu, He Lou Yurun, and others.
It was a match without any suspense. The Anxi team dominated the Jiannan team in terms of both individual skills and overall coordination. They played flawlessly, scoring stunning goals time and again—Bai Yuanguang’s backshot, He Lou Yurun’s “retrieving the moon from the sea,” and Li Qing’an’s “70-step decisive goal” all left a deep impression on everyone. The final score was the largest margin ever seen since the competition began: 12 to 1. The Jiannan team was eliminated in humiliation, while the Anxi team showed true- King of Kings demeanor demeanor.
The Anxi team instantly became the favorite to win the championship, with many people betting on them. However, in the afternoon, a shocking news broke in the court: the emperor decided to appoint thirty border generals based in the capital as militia commanders to train in Jianghuai for half a year, set to depart in three days.
The list was quickly posted on the bulletin board next to Zhuque Gate. Among these thirty border generals, twenty were key players from various horseball teams, such as Shi Siming and Cai Xide from Fanyang; Li Qing’an and Li Fei Shouyu from Anxi; Ge Shu Yao and Tang Zhan from Longyou; and Li Guochen from Shuofang. Suddenly, the situation changed dramatically, making the horseball competition of the seventh year of Tianbao even more uncertain. Meanwhile, none of the top players from last year’s champion team, the Yulin Army horseball team, were reassigned, so their strength remained intact, making them the new favorites to win the title.

Upon hearing this news, the various border military cavalry teams held emergency meetings overnight to discuss countermeasures. Inside the Anxi Reporting Hall, over twenty Anxi soldiers were also discussing how to respond.
“This troop reassignment affects not only our Anxi forces but almost all border armies. So in terms of strength, everyone has effectively been demoted by one level, and the impact on the balance of power isn’t significant.”
The speaker was Duan Xiushi, the leader of the Anxi cavalry team. He was responsible for all strategic deployments. This sudden reassignment of troops to Jianghuai caught him off guard, but fortunately, among the five Anxi soldiers sent away, Li Siyeh, Li Fei Yuanli, and Tian Zhen were not part of the cavalry team. Only Li Qing’an and Li Fei Shouyu were affected. The worst-hit was the Fanyang team, as all four of its members who were sent away were core members of the cavalry team.
Bai Yuanguang slammed his fist on the table in frustration and said, “Sigh! Sending away our two best soldiers leaves us feeling resentful!”
At that moment, Duan Xiushi glanced at Li Qing’an and, seeing his thoughtful expression, asked with a smile, “What are you thinking about, Seventh Brother?”
Li Qing’an was very puzzled. He had been assigned to Yangzhou. How coincidental—exactly Yangzhou! Could it really just be a coincidence? He thought it must be a coincidence. Sending border troops to Jianghuai for training was a major matter; they wouldn’t use such an important opportunity to deliberately assign him to Yangzhou.
“Seventh Brother, what do you think?” Bai Yuanguang reminded him as he seemed distracted.
Only then did Li Qing’an realize what was happening. He smiled and said, “I was thinking that maybe I’ll get a chance to fight against the Fanyang army.”
“That’s impossible!” Bai Yuanguang immediately dismissed his idea.
“The announcement clearly states that you’ll set off on the ninth day of the first lunar month, which happens to be the day of the match against the Fanyang army. You’ll also need to go to the Ministry of War to complete some procedures in the morning—there’s no time to participate in the match.”
At that point, Li Siyeh interjected with a smile, “Maybe it’s possible after all. Anyway, we’re leaving on the ninth day, and there’s no specific time specified. Leaving at night also complies with the Ministry of War’s rules. As for handling the procedures at the Ministry of War, I can help Seventh Brother take care of it.”
Hearing Li Siyeh’s words, everyone’s eyes lit up. If they could eliminate the Fanyang team before leaving, they might encounter the Yulin army in the final battle.
“Siyeh is right!”

Duan Xiushi smiled and said, “As long as we eliminate the Fanyang Army, our biggest opponent, things will be much easier from here on. As for the Yulin Army, to be honest, I’m not optimistic about them. Their victory last time doesn’t mean they’re strong. I’m 70% confident in winning against them. The key is the Fanyang Army. I guess they’ll send all their troops too—this will be the toughest battle of all.”
“Everyone, go rest early! We have another match against the Jinzhou Army tomorrow morning. Though they’re weak, we can’t take them lightly.”
The crowd stood up and dispersed. Li Qing’an talked a few more words with Li Siye before leaving. He needed to rush to Gao Lishi’s residence to comfort his three poor wives.
Just as Li Qing’an led his horse out of the palace gates, he heard someone calling him, “General Li, wait a moment.”
When the person approached, Li Qing’an recognized him as Chen Zhong, Li Linfu’s personal bodyguard. A highly skilled young man, he had originally been a monk at Shaolin Temple before becoming Li Linfu’s bodyguard after leaving monastic life. After Li Linfu left court, he would follow closely behind him like a shadow, being one of Li Linfu’s most trusted men.
“Bodyguard Chen, do you need something from me?”
“Prime Minister Li has a note for you. Return it to me after you’ve read it.”
With that, Chen Zhong handed Li Qing’an a piece of paper. Surprised, Li Qing’an opened it and glanced at it in the dim light from the lantern by the door. It indeed bore Li Linfu’s handwriting, with just one short sentence: ‘Help the governor of Yangzhou investigate the case.’
……
Li Qing’an returned to Gao Lishi’s residence with heavy thoughts. Though he thought his assignment to Yangzhou for training wasn’t deliberately arranged by Li Linfu, the note overturned all his assumptions. Training was a cover; the real task was investigation—likely a deliberate arrangement by Li Linfu.
Why? Was it really necessary to make such a fuss just to send him to Yangzhou? What exactly did Li Linfu want him to do?
Li Qing’an could already sense Li Linfu’s deeper intentions. Seeing Gao Lishi’s house in the distance, he smiled faintly. Whether it was investigating cases or training, he, Li Qing’an, would never be a pawn at someone else’s disposal.
As he neared Gao Lishi’s residence, the drums signaling the closing of the city gates began to thunder. Li Qing’an sped up and rode straight to Gao Lishi’s mansion.
As soon as he entered, butler Luo rushed over and said, “General Li, the master is waiting for you in the study. Please go see him immediately.”

These days, Gao Lishi has been in high spirits. His polo team took the lead by defeating the powerful Jinwu Guard, setting off an excellent start. However, the turmoil that occurred yesterday at the Youwu Guard training ground dampened his enthusiasm. Sending brave soldiers to Jianghuai for training meant that Li Qing’an would also be transferred away. Sure enough, today he saw the official list, and Li Qing’an’s name was on it. To Gao Lishi’s surprise, Li Qing’an was being sent to Yangzhou, which gave him new thoughts.

“Master, Li Qing’an has arrived,” the butler reported softly at the door.

“Ask him in.”

Gao Lishi put down the book in his hands.

Li Qing’an stepped in quickly and bowed, saying, “Elder Gao!”

“Qilang, sit down.”

Gao Lishi waved his hand with a chuckle. A maid stepped forward and laid out a cushion. After Li Qing’an sat down, Gao Lishi said again, “Qilang, thanks to you for defeating the Jinwu Guard.”

“Elder Gao, you flatter me. It was the effort of everyone. Even if I were the best alone, it wouldn’t have worked. Especially that last shot—Lu Ping’s powerful shot from thirty steps away shows just how skilled he is.”

At this, Li Qing’an said apologetically, “Elder Gao, I might not be able to play for you in the upcoming matches.”

“It doesn’t matter. By defeating the Jinwu Guard, I’m confident I can make it into the top fifteen. More importantly, you’ve greatly improved my polo players; I’m now confident we can reach the top ten.”

“Elder Gao, since I’m going to Yangzhou, I can’t take my three concubines with me. I hope you can take care of them.”

“Hehe! Don’t worry!”

“Thank you, Elder Gao.”

After a moment of thought, Li Qing’an asked, “Is there anything you need me to do on my way to Yangzhou?”

“A smart man!” Gao Lishi smiled, narrowing his eyes. He liked smart people.

“Hmm! There is one thing I need your help with. It involves the crown prince.”

……

In the darkness, a carriage rushed into Wubenfang and stopped in front of a huge mansion. A bearded man in his thirties got out of the carriage and quickly climbed the steps. He looked up at the plaque on the door, which read “Diwang Mansion.” He knocked on the door. The side door opened slightly, and the man immediately asked, “Butler Qin, is the prince here?”

“He is. He’s been waiting for your message. Please come with me!”

“No, I just used this as an excuse to come out. I need to return to the palace immediately. Here’s a letter from Eunuch Wang for the prince.”

The man took out a wax ball, handed it to the butler, and left in a hurry.

Li Yan, the Prince of Di, was the fourth son of Li Longji. Tall and stout with a stern appearance, a renowned Taoist priest from Zhongnan Mountain once said he had the bearing of a dragon and a phoenix. He was appointed as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, as well as Governor of Wuwei and Commander-in-Chief of the military forces in Hexi and Longyou. Since the Xuanwu Gate Incident, the Tang Dynasty had never seen the eldest son ascend to the throne. As a result, for centuries, conflicts among imperial brothers persisted, with everyone eyeing the throne in Hanyuan Hall. The same was true during Li Longji’s reign—he seized military power and forced his father to abdicate. Fearing his power, the eldest son, Li Xian, voluntarily offered to yield the throne to his third brother, Li Longji. After ascending the throne, Li Longji built ten residences for his brothers, keeping them together under close surveillance. To conceal his true intentions, he had large beds, covers, and pillows prepared so that his brothers could share these with him, while spreading the rumor among the people to portray deep brotherly affection. If the foundation is flawed, the structure will surely be crooked. Li Longji’s sons were all ambitious, and rumors of deposing the crown prince kept emerging in the palace, keeping his sons awake at night. At that moment, Li Yan was pacing back and forth in his study with his hands behind his back, occasionally looking anxiously out the window. Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside. The butler reported at the door, “Your Highness, Eunuch Wang has sent a message.” “Ah! Bring it in quickly.” The butler rushed into the room, placed the wax pellet on the table, and stepped back. Li Yan crushed the wax pellet and unfolded a small piece of plain silk, on which was written just one sentence: “It has been determined that Wang Zhongsi is plotting rebellion; Imperial Censor Yang Zhao has been ordered to investigate him.” “As I expected!” Li Yan sighed deeply. His father was indeed trying to deal with the supporters of the crown prince. With Wang Zhongsi accused of rebellion, the crown prince’s position must be in danger. Li Yan’s eyes gradually lit up as his gaze fell on a notice on the table—a list of brave generals from the border regions being summoned to Jianghuai for training.