Chapter 104: Gathering of the Elite

Baiyutang Restaurant was the most luxurious restaurant in Jiangdu County, located outside the northern market of the county. It was said to belong to Prince Qing. The restaurant had five floors, and wealthy merchants and high-ranking officials all liked to dine there. Business was booming there all year round, with endless profits.

Liu Changyun’s welcome banquet was held in a luxurious room on the fourth floor—the most opulent room in the entire restaurant. The room was furnished entirely with rosewood furniture, gold cups, and jade bowls. There was a two-zhang-long white jade screen in the room; on the front side was a landscape painting titled “Breaking Ink in Zen Realm” by Wang Wei, while the back side featured a painting in the Northern School style by Li Sixun, with rich and steady colors and magnificent brushwork. These two paintings with vastly different styles gave the room a unique blend of contrasts. But what attracted attention the most were the ten beautiful girls standing by the wall, ready to serve everyone.

Li Qingan entered the room with the others and saw a middle-aged scholar there. He stood up smiling and gave Li Qingan a slight nod.

Liu Changyun introduced him, “This is Mr. Yan, one of my advisors. He has long heard of General Li’s fame.”

Mr. Yan was actually Yan Kai, an advisor from the capital sent by Prince Qing. He currently controlled all of Prince Qing’s resources in Yangzhou. His status in Prince Qing’s court was so high that even Liu Changyun had to show him some respect.

Yan Kai bowed to Li Qingan with a smile and said, “General Li’s battle against Shi Siming in Chang’an was truly remarkable and admirable.”

Li Qingan smiled slightly and asked, “Mr. Yan, did you come from Chang’an?”

“Yes, I returned to Chang’an to visit my family and just got back to Yangzhou half a month ago, so I’m quite familiar with General Li’s situation.”

“Stop standing around talking—please sit down everyone.”

Liu Changyun warmly invited everyone to sit. “Come! General Li, please sit here. General Lifi, please sit over there.”

Liu Changyun arranged everyone accordingly, with Li Qingan sitting between him and Yan Kai. Then Li Qingan said with a smile, “I wonder if anyone has any news from Chang’an—I mean, about the polo tournament.”

At the mention of polo, everyone present became interested. A colonel said cheerfully, “We just received news yesterday—our Yangzhou team defeated the Hongzhou team and made it into the top twenty.”

“What about the Anxi team?” Li Qingan asked quickly.

“The Anxi team is obviously the strongest. I heard they defeated last year’s champions, the Yulin Army, and are in great form. Everyone says they’re the favorites to win.”

Li Qingan was very excited—they had even defeated the Yulin Army! He then asked, “How about Gao Lishi’s Feibao team?”

“That team also has a good record.”

Another colonel smiled and said, “They made it into the top ten, but fell just short of the top six by one point to the Qianniu Guard. I guess they’ll end up seventh or eighth.”
Li Qing’an was very pleased that Gao Lishi’s team had made it into the top ten, but he was more concerned about another major issue. After pondering for a moment, he asked with a smile, “Has anything significant happened in the court?”
Liu Changyun replied with a smile, “General Li must already know that Yang Shenjin and Pei Kuan have been appointed as prime ministers!”
“I already knew that before arriving in the capital. I’m referring to events that happened after the ninth day of the first month of the Yuan calendar. They should be quite uneventful!”
“No! There’s another major event.”
Yan Kai said slowly, “The latest news is that Wang Zhongsì has been convicted of treason and sentenced to death.”
His words shocked everyone present, especially the officers. Wang Zhongsì was like a god in their eyes, yet he was sentenced to death. Immediately, several colonels started cursing, “Damn it! Who presided over the trial? Has their conscience been eaten by dogs? To sentence General Wang to death!”
“It’s said to be Yang Zhao, the censor-in-chief, who presided over it.”
“Idiot!” one colonel shouted angrily. “What kind of nonsense? He got there through connections, and yet he dares to sentence General Wang to death. Do all the soldiers in the world agree to this?”
“What can you do if they don’t agree? Alas! This is General Wang’s fate.”
The table was filled with curses, but Li Qing’an quickly glanced at Yan Kai. When Yan Kai mentioned that Wang Zhongsì had been sentenced to death, even Liu Changyun was surprised. Could he be Liu Changyun’s aide? Where did he get his information? It was faster than the official news, and Liu Changyun’s obsequious behavior when pouring him wine seemed to suggest that Liu Changyun was actually his aide.
Li Qing’an realized that Yan Kai was likely the aide of Prince Qing. At that moment, Liu Changyun raised his wine cup and stood up, laughing, “In such a beautiful day, let’s not talk about state affairs. Today is General Li’s first day in Yangzhou. As hosts, let’s raise a cup to General Li.”
“Let’s raise a cup to General Li!” Everyone stood up.
……
While Li Qing’an was drinking at Baiyu Tang Restaurant, in a tavern run by foreigners in the northern market of Jiangdu County, a foreign merchant rushed in. Foreign merchants were common in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and Yangzhou was no exception. Thousands of them lived here, mostly dealing in gems and goldware.
The merchant entered the tavern, nodded at the foreign owner, who gave him a subtle signal and pointed upstairs. The merchant quickly went up the stairs.
After reaching the third floor, he pushed open a door and entered a room. Prince Yuen En of the Shi Kingdom was standing by the window, gazing at the scenery of the northern market in the distance. A few of his subordinates sat beside him.

Hearing the door open, Yuanen turned and asked, “Has Li Qingan arrived?”
“Your Highness, he just arrived by water. The transport officer of the Tang Dynasty invited him for a drink.”
“He actually took so long to arrive.”
Yuanen snorted disdainfully and turned to ask Huo Yanbai, “Are you sure the gem is still on him?”
Huo Yanbai shook his head. “I’m not sure. But Your Highness wouldn’t go to Prince Qing to get the gem, so we’ll bet that the two thieves stole fake gems.”
He sighed softly again and said, “From the information we’ve gathered, this man is shrewd and cunning. Since he already knows the importance of the gem, he wouldn’t leave it casually in a box. He must have hidden it, and it’s most likely with him. That’s why I suggest Your Highness take this gamble.”
Yuanen asked helplessly, “So what should we do now?”
“Your Highness, don’t rush. There will definitely be an opportunity. We need to wait patiently and not act rashly, lest we alert them.”
……
By the time Li Qingan returned to his lodging, it was almost dark. His temporary residence was arranged at Ting Shui Ju in Jiangdu, which was actually an official guesthouse built for high-ranking officials coming from the capital. The guesthouse was located by the Lihua River in the north of the city. A shallow stream flowed around it, with rows of pear trees on both sides, covered in tiny buds. The sound of the water flowing over the rocks could be heard from inside the guesthouse, hence the name Ting Shui Ju.
Li Qingan drank a few too many drinks and couldn’t ride a horse, so Liu Changyun arranged for a small sedan to take him back. Li Fei Shouyu and several other attendants followed on horseback. Getting out of the sedan, Li Qingan stepped into the gate unevenly.
But as soon as he entered the courtyard, his drunkenness vanished. He stretched and smiled, saying, “If I had known the ladies in the south were so beautiful, I would have ridden a horse. Sitting in a sedan is really uncomfortable.”
Li Fei Shouyu laughed and said, “Seventh Brother, so you were pretending to be drunk on purpose!”
“I wasn’t really pretending. I just didn’t want to listen to Liu Changyun’s nagging. I’m not an envoy; I don’t need to listen to his reports.”
At that moment, a young guesthouse clerk came forward, bowed, and said with a smile, “General Li, your room is ready. Your luggage is already there. I’ll take you there now.”
“Thank you! May I ask your name?”
“I dare not. My surname is Luo.”
“Oh, it’s Clerk Luo. Thank you for your hard work.”
Li Qingan smiled as he followed him to the door of the room. It was a single-room house, quite exquisite, with carved beams and painted rafters, hidden among several old pear trees.
“General Li, let me open the door for you.”

The clerk stepped forward to push the door when Li Qing’an suddenly grabbed him and pulled him back. He also hurriedly stepped back half a pace. In that instant, a string snapped, and an arrow flew out from the left window, skimming past Li Qing’an’s nose before embedding itself in a pear tree with a thud.
“An assassin!” Li Fei Shouyu shouted loudly, drawing his sword and kicking open the door. Li Qing’an also drew his sword and rushed toward the back yard, but it was still too late. A gray figure leaped down from the wall, and with a splash, someone jumped into the river.
Li Qing’an slowly sheathed his sword and let out a heavy sigh. On his first day in Yangzhou, someone already tried to assassinate him—this person truly wanted chaos to reign.
He returned to the front yard. Li Fei Shouyu came out of the room, holding a set of bow and arrows, and said resentfully, “That bastard jumped out the back window and got away.”
“General, the arrow is poisoned,” said a soldier. He carefully removed the arrow from the tree and handed it to Li Qing’an. Li Qing’an glanced at it and indeed saw a blue-green phosphorescent substance on the tip. He raised his eyebrows and stared at the clerk.
The clerk’s face turned pale instantly. He knelt down and said, “General Li, this has nothing to do with me. I really know nothing.”
“Clerk Luo, whether you know or not, you can’t escape this charge of negligence. At the least, you’ll be beaten and dismissed; at the worst, you’ll be imprisoned for interrogation. You must understand that!”
The clerk’s lips trembled as he pleaded again, “Please spare me, General Li! I have an elderly family and children relying on my meager salary. If I go to prison, they won’t have anything to eat.”
“I can spare you, but you must follow my instructions and not reveal a word. Otherwise, I’ll claim you’re an accomplice.”
“Yes! Yes! Whatever General Li says, I’ll do it. I’ll definitely obey you.”
“Good! Go and summon a renowned doctor right away, and also inform Governor Lu.”
He then turned to Li Fei Shouyu and said, “That’s good. This saves me the trouble of going to see him.”
…
Soon, several renowned doctors from Jiangdu County rushed over. After working hard for half a day, they concluded that the arrow hadn’t struck any vital organs. It was just a mental shock, and he would recover after sleeping. They prescribed some medicine to calm his mind and advised him not to overthink it.
As soon as the doctors left, Governor Lu Huan of Yangzhou hurried over.
“It’s my failure in planning that caused General Li to be frightened!” Lu Huan said apologetically from afar.
Li Qing’an smiled slightly. “Governor Lu, there’s no need to blame yourself. The assassin came prepared to kill me. How could Governor Lu prevent that?”

Although Li Qingan spoke casually, Lu Huan felt extremely anxious. Li Qingan was a military envoy sent by the Ministry of War, and if he were truly assassinated in Jiangdu, his position as governor would likely be at risk. After pondering for a moment, he asked, “I wonder if General Li has any enemies in Yangzhou?” Li Qingan shook his head and smiled, “I’m a border general who’s only been in the Central Plains for a little over two months. How could I have any enemies? To be honest, I really know nothing.” “I understand. General Li, please rest assured. As soon as I return, I’ll assign capable people to investigate this matter and ensure the murderer isn’t allowed to escape.” “Thank you, Governor Lu.” Li Qingan smiled and gently changed the subject, saying, “In Chang’an, I captured a fugitive thief from Yangzhou. According to him, he was a close associate of Du Bosheng, a salt smuggler from Yangzhou. I suspect today’s assassination might be related to Du Bosheng. I heard that Du Bosheng is currently at large. Governor Lu, do you need my help?” Lu Huan’s heart skipped a beat. Li Qingan’s meaning was clear. He quickly smiled and said, “I’m just short of manpower. If the military is willing to help, that would be perfect.” “Very well. I’ll do my best to assist Governor Lu in searching for this salt smuggler. I hope you can provide me with his detailed information.” “Of course! I’ll send someone to give it to General Li right away.” After exchanging a few more words, Lu Huan took his leave. Li Fei Shouyu immediately said, “Seventh Brother, do you think An Lushan might be behind this?” Li Qingan shook his head. “If it were really An Lushan’s men, how many chances would they have along the way? Would they need to come all the way to Yangzhou just to assassinate me?” Li Fei Shouyu thought for a while before suddenly realizing, “What Seventh Brother means is…” “Exactly!” Li Qingan smiled faintly. “This person just wants to create chaos in Yangzhou so he can take advantage of the situation.” … Not long after Lu Huan left, Liu Changyun’s high-pitched voice came from the courtyard, “Was General Li assassinated? Take me to see him quickly!” Li Qingan frowned. She came so fast. He quickly lay back on the bed and pulled the blanket over himself. The door opened, and Liu Changyun rushed in, asking anxiously, “General Li, are you hurt?” Li Qingan tried to sit up, but Liu Changyun quickly held him down. “General Li, don’t move! Don’t disturb your wound.” Li Qingan gave a bitter smile. “Thank you for your concern, Lord Liu. It was just a close call. I have some minor cuts, but nothing serious.” “That’s good. I was terrified!” Liu Changyun exhaled dramatically and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

His expression suddenly darkened as he pointed at the steward at the door and cursed, “Useless wretch! How could you let an assassin slip into the hall? What’s the point of keeping you around?”
The steward, terrified, knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly. Li Qing’an waved his hand and said with a smile, “Governor Liu, Steward Luo deserves praise for his efforts. If not for him pulling me away in time, I would have already lost my life.”
Liu Changyun’s expression improved slightly. He stretched out his voice and said, “Since General Li is interceding for you, I’ll spare you this time. But if it happens again, I’ll arrest you to take the blame for the assassination.”
“Thank you, Governor, and thank you, General Li.”
The steward gave Li Qing’an a grateful look before turning and leaving. Now, only Liu Changyun and Li Qing’an were left in the room. Liu Changyun asked, “General Li, do you know who did this?”
Li Qing’an shook his head. “I have no enemies in Yangzhou. I really can’t figure out who could have sent the assassin.”
Liu Changyun narrowed his eyes and smiled. “General Li may not know, but I’m quite clear.”
“Oh? Please enlighten me, Governor Liu.”
“General Li, you probably can’t guess who it is. It’s the person who came to see you just now…”
“You mean Governor Lu?”
“Shh!” Liu Changyun glanced around, then closed the door before lowering his voice. “That’s right, it’s him!”
Li Qing’an frowned. “I have no grudges against him. Why would he kill me?”
“General Li, you’re not aware of this. Two months ago, there was a salt smuggler case in Yangzhou. I had set up a thorough net to capture the smuggler Du Bosheng and his accomplices. But Lu Huan ruined everything. Although he pretended to capture Du Bosheng, he released him on the way to the capital, shifting the blame onto me and even filing a complaint against me. Eventually, the matter was dropped. But General Li’s arrival has introduced new variables…”
“Wait!”
Li Qing’an stopped him. “By your logic, assassinating me would only make his situation worse. Why would he do that?”
“General Li, you don’t know. That Du Bosheng is actually one of his men. He pretended to capture him but hid him instead. Now that General Li has arrived, it’s likely to ruin his plans, so he wants to act first.”
“A flimsy explanation…” Li Qing’an thought to himself. He glanced at this high-ranking official who controlled the flow of goods from the south to the north. He really couldn’t understand how such a person could hold such a high position.
Seeing Li Qing’an silent, Liu Changyun smiled slightly and said slowly, “If General Li is willing to help me capture this Du Bosheng, I guarantee that after your training is over, you will be promoted to the rank of General of the Thousand Ox Guard. This is the promise of Prince Qing.”

“How can I be sure this is a promise from Prince Qing?” Li Qing’an asked calmly.
“General Li, there’s no need to rush. In a few days, Prince Qing’s young prince will also arrive in Yangzhou. At that time, he will personally make a promise to General Li.”
“Alright! I understand. I need some time to think about this.”
……
As the night deepened, Li Qing’an sat at the table, flipping through the documents Lu Huan had given him. The documents were several thick volumes, detailing Du Bosheng’s rise from a rogue to his control over the underground salt trade in Jianghuai, as well as his confessions after capture—covering all the corrupt deals between him and Prince Qing. The loss of tax revenue from the Tang Dynasty was astonishing. Li Qing’an slowly closed the documents and walked over to the window. The lush pear trees in the courtyard stood like towering generals in the darkness. In the distance, silhouettes of secret guards could be seen along the walls, along with the rustling sound of soldiers on patrol.
He smiled to himself. He was gradually realizing that the key to everything now lay with Du Bosheng. Without this witness, all his testimony would be invalid. Both Lu Huan and Liu Changyun were eager to capture him—once captured, the testimony could be turned in their favor. But where exactly was Du Bosheng hiding?
And who were those mysterious people who had rescued him? Were they his accomplices, or someone else?
Also, who exactly had tried to assassinate him, and what was their intention behind stirring up chaos?