Chapter 103: First Arrival in Yangzhou

The south of the Yangtze is wonderful—its scenery is familiar from long ago. At sunrise, the flowers by the river are redder than fire; in spring, the river water is as green as blue. How can one not remember the south?

In February of the seventh year of the Tianbao era, the spring breeze had already turned the banks of the Cao River green. Flocks of egrets flew over the river, creating misty ripples as white vapor rolled across the surface. In the distance, meltwater from cliffs could be seen flowing down to form babbling streams that joined the Cao River. Branches dried by the spring breeze sometimes cracked and fell into the river, while twisted old tree roots hung in the air. The wind blew from the east, causing the branches to sway westward, with the sounds of spring echoing through the air.

On the Cao River, fleets of ships laden with goods and passengers sailed southward along the Tongji Canal. Passengers often stepped onto the decks to discuss in hushed tones the distant mountains. On one passenger ship, Li Qing’an stood with his hands behind his back, admiring the enchanting spring scenery of the south.

He had officially left the capital on the ninth day of the first month, rode a horse to Bianzhou, and then took a boat southward. By this day, he had reached Gaoyou County in Yangzhou, just dozens of miles away from his final destination, Jiangdu. In total, it had taken him a full month to travel there. In fact, if he had rushed, he could have reached Yangzhou in just half a month. The reason was that he wanted to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Tang Dynasty and was unwilling to hurry. Moreover, the Ministry of War had not set a deadline for his arrival.

At that moment, a fishing boat passed by him. At the stern, a delicate young woman was busy cooking, her fair hands peeling bamboo shoots. Li Qing’an felt very pleased and began to recite, “The woman by the stove is like the moon; her wrists are as white as frost and snow.”

He then laughed and asked loudly, “Young lady, may I know your name? Are you married?”

The girl glared at him sharply, lifted the curtain, and went inside the cabin. Her father, standing at the bow, laughed and said, “Sir, my daughter is already engaged. I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

Li Qing’an smiled and bowed, saying, “Sir, I was merely admiring the most beautiful scenery by the river. I had no other intentions.”

The old fisherman also smiled kindly, waved at him, and pushed the boat away with a pole.

“Qilang, you seem in high spirits!” Li Fei Shouyu said, coming out of the cabin with a smile.

“Of course! After seeing so much desert sand, coming here to this serene and beautiful riverside makes me forget about Anxi altogether.”

Li Qing’an recited enthusiastically, “Everyone says the south is wonderful; travelers should stay there forever. The spring water is bluer than the sky; one can sleep in a painted boat while listening to the rain.”

“What beautiful lines!” someone nearby praised.

A man in thin green robes came walking from the other end of the deck. He bowed to Li Qing’an and said, “I never expected someone from the military to possess such literary talent. I’m Li Qinglian from Bashu. I’ve traveled throughout the lands of the Tang Dynasty. By chance, I heard your wonderful poems. My apologies for intruding.”

Li Qing’an wasn’t particularly interested in him. If a beautiful woman from the south had approached, he might have recited something like “The great river flows east, washing away all sorrows” to win her heart. But it was just an ordinary-looking middle-aged man who came over.

“Hehe! I’m Li Qing’an from Anxi. I’m on business in Yangzhou. Bored, I composed a few mediocre poems. Please forgive my clumsiness.”

The man was surprised. “Are you Li Qing’an, the hero of the Battle of Xiao Boli? The best archer in Anxi, appointed as a lieutenant general?”

Li Qing’an was taken aback. He didn’t expect anyone in Yangzhou, thousands of miles away, to know about him. Given the poor transportation and isolated information in the Tang Dynasty, it was remarkable that this man knew about events that had happened just two months ago. Seeing the man’s astonished expression, Li Qing’an felt a slight sense of vanity satisfied, and he immediately developed a bit of goodwill toward him.

“As the saying goes, people meet everywhere in life. I have a jar of Jiahe wine. Please, Brother Qinglian, have a drink.”

For some reason, he felt he had heard the name Qinglian somewhere before but couldn’t recall where.

“Well said. People meet everywhere in life. I’ll drink General Li’s wine.”

The man’s eyes lit up at the mention of Jiahe wine.

…

The three of them sat around a table and drank several large cups of wine in a row. The middle-aged man kept saying it was wonderful. “What fine wine! Jiahe produces excellent wine. The grapes make it sweet. I haven’t had it in six or seven years.”

Seeing him drink more and more, becoming increasingly erratic, Li Qing’an smiled slightly and filled his cup again. “Brother Qinglian, you don’t seem like an ordinary person. Why do you look so down-and-out?”

The middle-aged man didn’t answer. He raised his cup and after a long pause, sighed softly. “Those who have left me, the days of yesterday, cannot be retained; those who disturb my heart, the days of today, bring only worries.”

He drank the wine in one gulp and then laughed loudly, saying, “Drawing a sword to cut water only makes it flow more; raising a cup to dispel sorrow only deepens it. If life isn’t as desired, tomorrow I’ll let my hair loose and row a small boat.”

Li Qing’an was shocked. He suddenly realized who this man was. The hermit Qinglian—wasn’t that Li Bai?

“Brother Li, could it be you the one who exchanged a sword for fine wine…”

“That’s right! I’m the dissolute Li who was rewarded with gold by the emperor. Today, thanks to General Li’s fine wine, Li Bai thanks you.”

In the first year of Tianbao, Li Bai went to the capital, where his fame spread quickly. Emperor Li Longji invited him to serve as a Hanlin scholar. However, due to the rivalry among scholars, Li Bai’s boldness aroused the jealousy of Zhang Jie, a powerful literary figure in Chang’an. Zhang Jie was the second son of former prime minister Zhang Shuo and the brother of Minister of Revenue Zhang Yun. He was also a Hanlin scholar. Taking advantage of Li Bai’s unrestrained personality, he framed him several times in front of Emperor Li Longji. Eventually, Li Bai was given gold and sent back to his hometown. From then on, he traveled throughout the Tang Dynasty, indulging in wine and pleasure, spending his wealth freely until his funds ran out. This time, he came to Yangzhou to seek employment from Governor Lu Huan and happened to meet Li Qingan on a boat.

Li Qingan, the legendary “Poet Immortal” of history, was very interested in him. He sized Li Bai up carefully. Li Bai was of medium to tall stature with long, thin eyebrows. Due to years of excessive drinking, his nose appeared somewhat swollen, and there was an indescribable air of desolation in his expression.

Suddenly, Li Qingan smiled slightly and said, “When I was young, I was beaten severely by my father for failing to recite ‘The Moonlight Before My Bed’ by Brother Taibai. Back then, I thought I must beat this poet up someday to vent my anger. Today, my wish has come true.”

Li Bai was stunned. “General Li, do you intend to beat me?”

“I’ll replace fists with wine—getting Brother Taibai completely drunk will also relieve my anger.”

Li Bai laughed heartily. “Great! I’ll make your wish come true today—no stopping until I’m drunk!”

……

The boat gradually docked at the wharf in Jiangdu County. Jiangdu County was the administrative center of Yangzhou, with a circumference of dozens of miles and a population of over 300,000. It was the second-largest city in the empire after Chang’an and Luoyang. With a large number of merchants, abundant resources, and convenient water and land transportation, its commerce was highly developed, and its overseas trade was also very prosperous. Its economic strength even surpassed that of the capital, Chang’an.

Yangzhou was not only the economic center of the Tang Dynasty but also a major military stronghold, one of the five grand military governorates. The military headquarters of the Yangzhou Grand Military Governorate was located in Jiangdu County. However, after a century of stability, the Yangzhou Grand Military Governorate had gradually become a mere symbol, an honorary position. Dozens of military units in the Huainan region were directly under the control of the Ministry of War and not under the jurisdiction of the grand military governorate.

This time, Li Qingan was dispatched by the Ministry of War to train the five military units stationed in Jiangdu County. His full title was “Inspector of Military Training in Jiangdu and Imperial Censor,” which carried several meanings: it was a temporary position, he was in charge of the five military units in Jiangdu County, and he also held the title of imperial censor, allowing him to impeach or suspend local officers. In simpler terms, he was the highest-ranking military commander in Yangzhou with real power.

As the ship slowly approached the dock, Liu Changyun, the Transport Commissioner for Jianghuai, was already waiting there. In Yangzhou, aside from military and administrative affairs, there was another important position—the Transport Commissioner, one of the three key offices that held significant power in the Tang Dynasty. This role involved ensuring a steady supply of rich resources, grain, and copper coins from the Jiangnan region to the capital. Those holding this position were usually high-ranking officials. For example, Pei Yaoqing, who served as Minister of the Palace in the 21st year of the Kaiyuan era, also held the position of Transport Commissioner for Jianghuai. During his three-year tenure, he transported 7 million dan of grain via waterways, saving 300,000 guan in land transport costs.

Although Liu Changyun was not a prime minister, he was still a high-ranking official in the Tang Dynasty, having served as tutor to Prince Qing with a rank of third grade. The Transport Commission he headed directly controlled the economic lifeline of the Tang Dynasty.

Half a month earlier, Liu Changyun had received news from Prince Qing: Li Qing’an, the General of Anxi, would be appointed as the Military Training Commissioner for Jiangdu. He would train troops for half a year and take direct control of the military forces there. This was undoubtedly good news for Liu Changyun, who was currently at odds with Governor Lu Huan.

What set the Military Training Commissioner apart from a regular military officer was his authority to deploy troops. Regular officers had no such power; any deployment of more than ten soldiers required approval from the Ministry of War. In contrast, the Military Training Commissioner acted on behalf of the Ministry and had some authority to deploy troops—this was precisely what Liu Changyun saw as advantageous.

Thus, even before Li Qing’an’s ship reached Gaoyou, Liu Changyun had received the news and rushed to the dock to greet him. Accompanying him were five military officers and ten other officers. However, Governor Lu Huan of Yangzhou did not show up.

As Li Qing’an’s ship gradually neared the shore, Liu Changyun waved his hand, and immediately drums and gongs were beaten on the shore. A lion dance troupe performed joyfully, while dozens of musicians hired from the music troupe played the pipa in formation. Dozens of officials from the Transport Commission waved large sticks to drive away idle boats at the dock.

“Important guests are arriving—move aside quickly!”

Several small boats hurriedly rowed away, clearing space on the dock. The guest ship docked, and over twenty passengers disembarked. Finally, Li Qing’an and his four companions stepped ashore.

Li Bai was so drunk that he lay unconscious on the ship. Li Qing’an had to leave one of his subordinates to take care of him.

At first glance, Liu Changyun saw Li Qing’an in his military uniform. With a beaming smile, he stepped forward and said, “General Li, thank you for your hard journey. I am Liu Changyun, the Transport Commissioner for Jianghuai. On behalf of the five hundred thousand people of Yangzhou, I welcome General Li to our city.”

“So you are Lord Liu. I’ve long heard of you! Truly!” Li Qing’an said with a smile as he bowed. He took a quick glance at Liu Changyun, who appeared to be in his forties, in excellent health with delicate skin and a slender waist. From behind, he resembled a woman quite closely. Moreover, Liu Changyun’s gaze at him was intensely passionate, almost melting one’s heart, causing Li Qing’an to feel goosebumps on his back.

At that moment, five Zhechong Duwei stepped forward and bowed, saying, “Welcome, General Li.”

The five Zhechong bureaus in Jiangdu were all part of the upper military command, with their commanders holding the fourth rank at the upper level. In contrast, Li Qing’an’s position as a Middle General of the Qianniu Guard was at the lower level of the fourth rank, half a rank below them. To ensure he could command these officers, the imperial court also granted him the title of Imperial Censor, giving him oversight powers and making the military commanders in Jiangdu fear him.

Li Qing’an replied with a smile, “There’s no need for such formalities among us. From today onward, we are colleagues, to spend half a year together. I hope we can all work well together.”

The five Zhechong Duwei were delighted by Li Qing’an’s polite demeanor and praised him as young and promising with a bright future. Liu Changyun quickly added, “This isn’t the place to talk. I’ve reserved two tables at Baiyu Tanglou to welcome General Li. Let’s go there together!”

Li Qing’an chuckled and said, “I’d rather follow your advice. Then let’s head to Baiyu Tanglou.”

The group surrounded Li Qing’an, and they rode into the city together in a grand procession.

……

Inside the prefectural office, Yangzhou’s governor, Lu Huan, was reviewing documents. A descendant of the prestigious Lu family of the Tang Dynasty and originally from Chang’an, Lu Huan was in his forties, elegant in manner, sharp-witted, and capable. He had passed the imperial examinations during the Kaiyuan era. In his youth, he had studied alongside Crown Prince Li Hen and had a close friendship with him. He had served as a court advisor to the crown prince and later rose to become the Deputy Minister of Rites. The year before last, he was appointed governor of Yangzhou. He could be considered one of the core members of the crown prince’s faction.

Yangzhou was a key economic and financial center of the Tang Dynasty, so the position of governor was extremely prestigious, on par with the highest officials of the five temples and nine supervisory agencies, both holding the third rank. In a sense, Lu Huan was just one step away from becoming prime minister.

Over two months ago, Lu Huan captured the notorious salt smuggler Du Bosheng. Unexpectedly, this led to several major smuggling cases involving Prince Qing. He immediately realized this was a perfect opportunity to bring down Prince Qing. Unfortunately, the news leaked, and it was ruined by Liu Changyun, the transport commissioner. Du Bosheng was rescued by unknown individuals, and his whereabouts remain unknown to this day.

Lu Huan also received news that Li Qing’an had been appointed as the military commander of Jiangdu, taking control of the military forces there. He was further informed that Gao Lishi was backing Li Qing’an, and Gao Lishi also showed great favoritism toward the crown prince.

He had just finished reviewing a document when a court official rushed in and reported, “Sir, General Li, the military commander, has arrived at the dock, but he was taken away by Transport Commissioner Liu. He is hosting a banquet for General Li at the Baiyu Hall restaurant.”

Lu Huan was stunned. A bitter smile slowly appeared on his lips. Liu Changyun was really quick to act—it seemed he too wanted to win over this military commander with power in his hands.

He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. At that moment, his advisor Fang Wuzhen said with a smile, “Sir, don’t worry. One meal won’t change anything. We still have a chance.”

Lu Huan sighed softly. Of course, he knew a single banquet meant little, but Liu Changyun’s eagerness to win him over indicated that he was about to take action soon.

Just then, another court official rushed in and said, “Sir, there’s someone outside the yamen. It’s one of General Li’s subordinates who brought in a drunk scholar, saying this scholar is an old acquaintance of yours.”

Lu Huan was taken aback. He quickly headed outside the yamen. Li Qing’an had actually sent someone to bring him an old acquaintance—who could it be?

Outside, an officer was supporting the drunk Li Bai. Lu Huan recognized Li Bai at once and stepped forward quickly, saying, “Brother Taibai, how did you get drunk again?”

Li Bai remained unconscious in his drunken stupor. The officer laughed and said, “Poet Li lost a drinking contest with my general, and that’s how it happened.”

Lu Huan quickly ordered several court officials to help carry Li Bai inside. He then bowed to the officer and said with a smile, “I am Lu Huan, the governor of Yangzhou. May I ask your name, sir?”

The officer replied with a smile, “I am He Yanming, a military officer from Anxi. When General Li was still in charge of the fortress, I was just a low-ranking soldier under him.”