Chapter 115: Turmoil at the City Gates

The air already carried a hint of summer; the peak of spring was gradually coming to an end. Vast expanse of green replaced the once colorful landscape, and the wheat fields in Guanzhong had turned yellow. Everywhere was a scene of thriving vitality—early summer of the seventh year of Tianbao had arrived.

That morning, a group of cavalry soldiers marched along the official road east of Chang’an. Leading them was Li Qing’an, who had just returned from Yangzhou. According to the plan, he had spent half a year training in Jiangdu, including two months in the capital for inspections. It was time for him to return to the capital. Not only him but all twenty-four border generals would soon lead their troops back to the capital to be inspected by Emperor Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty.

His army could not enter the city and had to camp outside. He first led a few attendants into the capital. Those who came to greet him were Changsun Quanxu, a lieutenant general of the Ten Thousand Cavalry Camp.

“It’s been over four months—General Li seems even darker and thinner than before. I thought the fertile soil in the south would make him fairer and fatter.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth. Shooting arrows and riding horses every day is even more exhausting than fighting in Anxi.”

Li Qing’an shook his head with a smile and asked, “Have the others from Anxi returned? I mean Li Siyeh and the rest?”

“Li Siyeh and Li Fei Yuanli arrived yesterday. Tian Zhen hasn’t returned yet; he should be here in a couple of days.”

“Over four months passed in the blink of an eye, yet it feels like years have gone by.”

Li Qing’an gazed at the majestic city of Chang’an, filled with deep emotions. No matter how prosperous the south was, he still longed for this city, rich in treasures and magnificent in beauty.

After walking for a while, they saw Mingde Gate in the distance. Not far ahead was a fork in the road, with the other path leading directly to the Tang Dynasty’s territories in the Western Regions.

At that moment, over twenty cavalry soldiers came along the official road from the west. All of them were tall and strong, clad in armor, looking imposing.

Changsun Quanxu suddenly waved and called out, “Brother Geshu, please stop!”

The soldiers ahead halted their horses and turned to look. The leading general immediately recognized Changsun Quanxu and laughed as he approached. “It’s you, dear brother Changsun! Long time no see.”

The two dismounted and hugged each other warmly. Changsun Quanxu punched him lightly and asked with a smile, “Brother Geshu, why are you coming to the capital this time?”

“The emperor summoned me, saying there are important matters to discuss.”

“Could it be that war is about to break out in Longyou?” Changsun Quanxu asked excitedly.

“Perhaps, but it’s not certain yet.”

The general glanced at Li Qing’an and asked, “Who is this?”

“Come! Let me introduce them to you.”

Changsun Quanxu pulled Li Qingan over and introduced him with a smile, “General Li, this is the new Governor of Longyou, General Geshu Han.” When Changsun Quanxu had called out General Geshu earlier, Li Qingan had already guessed his identity—it was indeed Geshu Han. “The Big Dipper shines high; Geshu carries a sword at night.” In his youth, Geshu Han was a reckless and adventurous man, but as he grew older, he reformed himself, joined the army in Longyou, and gained a renowned reputation after fighting in dozens of battles. At the end of last year, Wang Zhongsì was convicted and sentenced to death, so Geshu Han temporarily took over as governor. At the request of the generals in Longyou, he went to the capital to plead for him. Kneeling behind Li Longji, he spoke passionately, tears in his eyes. By then, Li Longji had already decided to appoint Geshu Han as governor of Longyou. To win over the hearts of the local generals, he granted them a favor by commuting Wang Zhongsì’s death sentence to exile as the governor of Hanyang. Thus, Geshu Han earned a reputation for loyalty and righteousness. Li Qingan had heard of Geshu Han’s fame since his youth, so he took a close look at this famous general of the mid-Tang Dynasty. He saw that Geshu Han was tall and strong, with particularly broad shoulders, a large copper-colored face, a full forehead, and piercing eyes beneath thick brows, giving the impression that he had endless strength. Li Qingan smiled slightly and bowed, saying, “I am Li Qingan from Anxi. I have long heard of General Geshu Han’s fame.” “So you are the best archer in Anxi, Li Qingan.” Geshu Han quickly returned the greeting, “I have also heard much about General Li’s skills in horseback riding and archery. I’ve long wanted to meet you!” He glanced around, then put his arm around Li Qingan’s shoulders and said in a low voice with a smile, “It’s truly satisfying to hear that General Li defeated An Lushan twice!” “No! It’s not because I’m strong; it’s because they were simply not good enough.” “Well said!” Geshu Han laughed heartily. “Let’s go! We’ll enter the capital together. I must treat you to a drink.” The group joined forces and entered Mingde Gate. It was busy morning, with many people coming and going at the gate, so everyone slowed down their horses. “General Li, how was your trip to Yangzhou to train the troops?” “It was fine. I discovered some talented people who were previously overlooked.” “General Li is right!” Geshu Han also expressed his feelings, “The reason why there are so many heroes in the border troops, but few talents in the central army, is that the central army selects people not through warfare, but through flattery and bribery. That’s why true talents are often buried.”

The two walked and talked as they entered the city gate. It was even more crowded inside, and the guards had to inspect each person before allowing them in, so progress was extremely slow. Seven or eight carriages were lined up in the middle of the gate, with pedestrians passing by on both sides.

Li Qing’an suddenly saw the character “Pei” written on the flag of the lead carriage and asked Changsun Quanxu, “Is that carriage belonging to Prime Minister Pei’s household?”

Changsun Quanxu took a look and smiled, “Exactly! It must be Lady Pei returning from a temple visit outside the city.”

He then pointed to a young man on horseback beside the carriage and said, “That’s Changsun, Pei Kuan’s son.”

Seeing a string of prayer beads hanging on the carriage window, Li Qing’an nodded with a smile. It seemed the Pei family didn’t put on airs and entered the city like ordinary people.

Suddenly, screams came from afar. Several carriages rushed toward the city gate at high speed, accompanied by a large group of mounted guards. Several burly men used whips to clear a path.

“Move aside! Get out of the way!”

The commoners and small vendors fled in panic to either side. Those who were slightly slower were whipped, leaving bloodstains on their bodies. The soldiers also recognized these carriages and didn’t dare to block them, stepping aside instead.

Geshu Han frowned and asked Changsun Quanxu, “Who are these people? How dare they be so domineering in the capital?”

Li Qing’an had already seen the triangular apricot-yellow flag on the carriages, with gold edges, a black background, and the character “Yang” written in white. He suddenly remembered what Dugu Mingzhu had said and asked, “Could they be the Five Yangs?”

“That’s right!” Changsun Quanxu nodded. “Judging from the appearance of those two lead carriages, they must be Yang Xian and Yang Qi. One is the head of the Guanglu Temple, and the other is the head of the Sinong Temple. Both are incompetent fools who only know how to indulge in horse racing and dog fights.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Yang family’s carriages rushed into the gate, making it even more congested. The carriages already inside could neither move forward nor backward, getting stuck in a pile.

“Make way! Give way, you bastards!”

The burly men leading the way were extremely fierce, using their whips to strike the carriage drivers. Pei Kuan’s grandson, who was next to them, wanted to step forward, but his old steward pulled him back. “Young master, let me handle this.”

The old steward stepped forward, bowed, and said with a smile, “Please calm down, gentlemen. We are members of Prime Minister Pei’s household. We didn’t intend to block the way; we really can’t move back…”

Before he could finish speaking, there was a sharp “snap!” sound, and a bloodstain appeared on the old steward’s face. He screamed in pain, covered his eyes, and fell to the ground.

The people around them became agitated and stepped back in fear. Li Qing’an, who was behind, saw everything clearly and flew into a rage. During the polo match earlier, Pei Kuan had done him a great favor. How could he stand by while the Pei family was humiliated today?

He spurred his horse to move forward, but Changsun Quanxu grabbed him tightly in fear, saying, “General Li, you must not interfere. The Wu Yang family holds immense power in Chang’an—even princes and princesses dare not provoke them.”

Geshu Han also narrowed his eyes and cursed, “Damn it, they’re just a bunch of servants. How dare they be so arrogant?”

“They’re dogs! Without their masters backing them, would they dare?” an ordinary merchant beside them snapped in anger.

Li Qing’an held back his anger and watched the situation unfold coldly. The old steward of the Pei family fell to the ground after being whipped. The young master of the Pei family tried to step forward to argue, but his attendants held him back fiercely.

“Young master, you can’t go forward.”

“Let go of me, you bastards!”

“Yu, don’t speak rudely!”

The door of the carriage opened, and an elderly lady dressed in second-rank brocade clothing stepped out. She glared at her grandson, who stood with his hands at his sides, resentfully saying, “Grandmother, the old steward went to talk to them peacefully, but they attacked him.”

“I know. You all step back!”

The elderly lady stepped forward to check on the old steward’s injuries. His left eye was smashed, covered in blood and flesh, and completely ruined. Her eyes burned with anger as she suddenly turned around and shouted at the Wu Yang family, “There’s always a order in going somewhere. We’re about to enter the city, yet you block our path and even attack people. Do you really not respect the laws of the Tang Dynasty?”

The burly men who were clearing the path, seeing the noble bearing of the elderly lady and her second-rank attire, did not dare be too bold. They turned to ask the person in the carriage, “Master, it seems to be Secretary Pei’s wife.”

A snort came from inside the carriage, followed by Yang Xiang’s hoarse voice, “So what if she’s a first-rank princess?”

The men understood immediately. They raised their whips and cursed at the elderly lady, “Old witch! If you dare talk big again, I’ll whip you to death!”

The elderly lady had never been insulted like this before. She trembled with rage, pointed at them, and suddenly fainted from shock and anger.

“Elderly lady! Elderly lady!”

The maids cried out in panic. Pei Kuan’s grandson, Pei Yu, was furious. He drew his sword and charged at the man who had insulted his grandmother. Before he could get close, several men surrounded him, grabbed him by the waist and legs, threw him against the wall, and pulled his hair while kicking and beating him mercilessly.

The others were also furious and wanted to take revenge on the Pei family’s members. A few maids from the Pei family, terrified, helped the unconscious elderly lady up and ran away.

Just as the family from the Pei household stepped out of the carriage, a shaft arrow shot past with a whoosh, piercing through the thick tail of the pulling horse. The arrow’s force was immense, sinking all the way into the horse’s anus. The pulling horse let out a loud scream, lifted its front legs, and kicked the two men holding the reins violently. One man had his neck broken and died on the spot, while the other suffered broken ribs and crashed hard against the wall.

In agony, the pulling horse dragged the carriage and charged wildly at the carriage across from it. The attendants around Yang Xian’s carriage screamed and stepped back to avoid being hit. With a loud crash, the pulling horse struck the carriage wall, causing it to shake violently. Terrified screams from Yang Xian and the two women could be heard inside.

The pulling horse went berserk and charged forward again. Another loud crash followed as Yang Xian’s carriage was overturned. Dozens of soldiers guarding the city gate, seeing the critical situation, attacked the horse with swords and spears. In moments, the frenzied horse lay dead in a pool of blood, and its dragged carriage also overturned. Chaos ensued at the city gate, and Yang Xian’s guards rushed to rescue him from the carriage.

Ge Shu Han turned to look at Li Qingan in surprise. Li Qingan simply shrugged his shoulders, indicating it had nothing to do with him. Ge Shu Han smiled, gave him a thumbs up, and waved his hand, saying, “Let’s go!”

The group passed through the city gate along the wall. When they passed by Pei Yu, Li Qingan leaned in, pulled the collapsed Pei Yu onto the horse, spurred it on, and rushed out of the city gate with Ge Shu Han, heading down Zhuque Street.

When they reached a corner, Li Qingan dismounted Pei Yu and said with a smile, “Young Master Pei, it’s hard to fight against four people with just two fists. Don’t fight them head-on.”

Pei Yu recognized Li Qingan. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he bowed and said, “Thank you, General Li, for saving me.”

“No need. Please convey my regards to Prime Minister Pei.”

Li Qingan bowed and spurred his horse to chase after Ge Shu Han.

…

When they reached Zhuque Gate, Ge Shu Han said to Li Qingan with a smile, “General Li, we part here. I’ll come to see you for drinks in a day or two.”

Li Qingan bowed and replied, “Good! I look forward to meeting General Ge Shu Han.”

“Very well! See you another day.”

Ge Shu Han waved his hand and left with his attendants.

While Li Qingan was secretly shooting with a small crossbow, Changsun Quanxu was right beside him. He saw everything clearly and said worriedly, “General Li, if the Yang family finds out you shot that horse, they won’t let you go.”

Li Qingan smiled disdainfully and said, “General Changsun, a true man should act with a clear conscience. Since I, Li Qingan, dared to take action, why should I fear their revenge? Thank you, General Changsun, for coming to pick me up today. Goodbye.”

He clasped his fists and spurred his horse toward Gao Lishi’s residence. Changsun Quanxu watched his retreating figure and shook his head worriedly.
A moment later, the group arrived at Gao Lishi’s estate just as butler Luo stepped out. Li Qing’an called out loudly, “Butler Luo, long time no see!”
“Oh! It’s General Li.”
Butler Luo was overjoyed. “When did General Li return?”
“I just arrived in Chang’an. I’m here to ask if my three sisters are living here.”
“Yes! They are all here and doing well!”
Li Qing’an pointed to his subordinates and said to Butler Luo, “These are my men. Please arrange something for them.”
“No problem, General Li. Don’t worry!”
He stepped forward and said to the soldiers, “Follow me. First, take a bath and change, then I’ll take you all for dinner.”
Li Qing’an dismounted and ran toward the inner courtyard. Not having seen them in four months, he was extremely anxious. He rushed to the Furong Courtyard and faintly heard the sound of a zither coming from inside. As he reached the courtyard gate, Ru Hua stepped out.
Ru Hua was stunned. Suddenly, she was filled with wild joy, as if she had made an incredible discovery unknown to the whole world. Her heart swelled with excitement, and her veins seemed to surge violently.
“Oh my god! It’s my elder brother!” she cried out excitedly. “Sis, come and see who’s back!”
Li Qing’an laughed heartily, lifted her onto his shoulder, and strode into the courtyard.
“Elder brother, put me down!” Ru Hua giggled as she tapped his back.
Upon entering the courtyard, Li Qing’an awkwardly set Ru Hua down. Under the apricot tree in the courtyard stood a zither, with two young women sitting beside it. Both were equally beautiful—one was his Ru Shi, while the other was not Xiao Lian but Wu Yi.
“Elder brother!”
Ru Shi slowly stood up. Sudden waves of sobs and joy overwhelmed her, so intense that she trembled throughout her body and couldn’t speak a word.
Wu Yi also stood up. After four months, she had become even more beautiful—her skin was fair and pure, she wore a white dress, and her black hair, like a waterfall, cascaded over her shoulders. Her elegant and refined demeanor remained intact. When she suddenly saw Li Qing’an, a faint glimmer appeared in her deep eyes.