Chapter 185: Prince Gehuo

In the Dadao Hall of Xingqing Palace in Chang’an, the eldest prince of the Geluo tribe, Mousi Laodu, and the second prince, Mousi Sihan, knelt before the emperor, accepting rewards and titles bestowed upon them by Emperor Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty.
“The leader of the Geluo tribe, Mousi Heishan, is granted the title of General Guidede; his eldest son, Mousi Laodu, is appointed as a Senior Light Chariot Commander, and his younger son, Mousi Sihan, as a Light Chariot Commander. They are also given five thousand bolts of silk and three thousand taels of silver.”
Mousi Sihan bowed deeply and said, “I thank Your Majesty. The Geluo tribe will remain loyal to the Tang Dynasty and to the Heavenly Khan. Generation after generation, we will guard the borders for the Tang Dynasty. Our loyalty and filial piety are as weighty as Mount Tai and as profound as the Yangtze River—let heaven and the sun bear witness!”
His words were passionate and emotional, with tears in his eyes. Even Li Longji, who had been listless on his throne, was somewhat surprised and took a closer look at the second prince.
The two men kneeling on the marble steps were brothers, but they looked completely different. The eldest prince was tall and strong, with a full beard, clearly of Turkic appearance and unable to understand a word of Chinese. The second prince, on the other hand, was tall and thin, with features somewhat resembling those of a Han Chinese, and he spoke Chinese fluently. Realizing something, Li Longji asked with a smile, “Do you have Han blood in your veins?”
Mousi Sihan was overjoyed that the emperor had finally noticed him. He quickly replied, “My mother was the daughter of a military family. Unfortunately, she was captured by the northern tribes and gave birth to me. Though I was born there, my heart belongs to the Tang Dynasty. My Han name is Yan Sihan—‘Sihan’ meaning ‘longing for the Han lands.’ I always remember that the Tang Dynasty is my true home. After my mother passed away, my greatest wish was to bury her in our hometown of Chang’an.”
Touched by his sincere devotion, Li Longji nodded and said, “I approve of you using the Han name Yan Sihan. I hope you can serve as a bridge between the Tang Dynasty and the Geluo tribe, ensuring that they remain loyal to our dynasty for generations to come.”
In his words, Li Longji implied his intention to make Yan Sihan the leader of the Geluo tribe. He smiled slightly and said, “Take some time these next days to explore the wonders of my Tang Dynasty. I hope that when we meet again, the Geluo tribe will have achieved great feats for the Tang Dynasty.”
After saying this, he stood up and walked toward the back of the hall. The court official shouted loudly, “Your Majesty, please leave. The Geluo envoys wish to express their gratitude!”
“I thank Your Majesty for his kindness!”
With tears in his eyes, Mousi Sihan bowed deeply twice. Li Longji gave him a meaningful glance before smiling and leaving.
Outside the hall, Mousi Laodu asked unhappily, “What did you say to the Tang emperor?”
He hadn’t understood a single word throughout. Mousi Sihan quickly replied with a humble smile, “The emperor said he had heard that I once killed a bear alone and asked if I was the greatest warrior of the Geluo tribe. How did you answer?”

“I said that the Göktürks established their nation through bravery, and their greatest warrior is the crown prince—this is recognized by the entire tribe.”
Mouci Luo laughed. “That’s about right. What did the emperor say?”
“He said he hopes the greatest warrior of the Göktürks can achieve extraordinary feats for the Tang Dynasty. Next time we meet, he will offer his daughter in marriage.”
Mouci Luo was overjoyed and patted his brother’s shoulder firmly. “You’re not bad either; you’ve been very respectful to me along the way.”
“Whereas! My elder brother will become the ruler of the Göktürks. I’m just serving Ye Hu in advance.”
At that moment, a young man approached, bowed, and said with a smile, “Princes, I am Yang Wang, the head of the Guests’ Department of the Honglu Temple. I’ve been ordered by the emperor to accompany you on a tour of Chang’an.”
Yang Wang was the son of Yang Xian. After Yang Xian was dismissed due to the Dong Yanguang incident, he remained resentful. Li Longji appointed him as an assistant governor of Huazhou and promoted his son to head the Guests’ Department of the Honglu Temple as a way to appease the Yang family.
Yang Wang smiled and asked, “I wonder where the princes would like to go?”
Mouci Sihan quickly replied, “We’re not familiar with Chang’an. We’ll follow the host’s lead.”
“Very well! Then let’s travel together.”
The three got into a carriage and set off to explore Chang’an in high spirits.
…
These days, Du Gu Shi, the general of the Jinyiwei, had fallen ill due to old age. His condition worsened day by day, causing panic among his family. Early in the morning, Du Gu Shi’s wife, Lady Zhang, went to Cien Temple with their two granddaughters to make a wish for his speedy recovery.
It happened to be a day off, so many pilgrims came to Cien Temple to burn incense and make wishes, filling the square with carriages.
“Grandma, don’t worry. Since we’ve made a wish before the Buddha today, he will surely bless Grandpa,” said Mingzhu. She had come to worship the Buddha and, unusually, hadn’t put on makeup. Mingzhu and Lady Zhang were called grandmother and granddaughter but were actually close friends of different ages. She took her grandmother’s arm and comforted her softly.
“I know your grandfather will be fine. Hey! Where’s Mingyue?”
They had just finished making their wish and were coming out. There was a huge crowd in front of Cien Temple. Mingyue had been with them just moments ago but disappeared suddenly. Mingzhu quickly searched around.
“Sis, where are you?”
“I’m right here!” Mingyue came out from behind them, smiling. “Grandma, there are too many people. Let’s wait a bit before leaving!”
Lady Zhang glanced at her and said with a smile, “Mingyue, do you want to make a wish for a marriage match before the Buddha? If so, we’ll go with you.”
Mingyue’s secret was revealed. Her face turned red as she said, “I didn’t!”

Mingzhu leaned in close to her face and studied it for a long time before suddenly blinking and saying with a smile, “Sis’s face is three parts peachy pink and seven parts crimson. The peachy pink is because it’s too hot with so many people around, while the crimson is because our ancestor guessed what’s on your mind.”
“Go away! You little brat! If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll ask Mom to marry you off!”
“Hehe! Three sentences and still the word ‘marry’ keeps coming up. Oh! ‘The bright moon rises over Tian Shan; we share this moment across the world.’ I seem to have seen these two lines on someone’s desk last night.”
Mingyue was both embarrassed and anxious. She reached out to pinch her mouth. “You little brat! How dare you peek at what I wrote!”
Mingzhu darted behind Lady Zhang, pulled a face, and continued laughing, “If you’re the clouds in the sky, I’m the bird among them, staying close to each other; if you’re the water in the lake, I’m the flower at its heart, loving each other deeply. I wish to stay with you forever, not just like a fleeting flower. Ugh! It’s so cheesy!”
Mingyue was so angry she almost cried. She stamped her foot and said, “Ancestor, please stop this little brat!”
Lady Zhang laughed, pulled Mingzhu out, tapped her hand, and scolded her, “Remember, you’re not allowed to peek at Sis’s letters anymore.”
Then she winked at Mingzhu and whispered with a smile, “What else did she write? Recite it to your ancestor.”
“You two…”
Mingyue turned away in anger. “I’m going back to the carriage. I won’t pay you any attention.”
When Lady Zhang saw Mingyue walking away, she quickly asked, “Hurry up and tell me! What else did she write?”
Mingzhu burst into laughter, covered her mouth, and said excitedly, “Since you left, I no longer care about these trivial things. I miss you like the full moon, whose brightness fades night by night. But I think she’s actually gotten fatter.”
Lady Zhang almost laughed but held back, thinking it wasn’t appropriate. She said, “Don’t peek at Sis’s letters anymore. She’s quite pitiful too.”
“I know! I just saw them by accident yesterday.”
…
Mingyue, still embarrassed and anxious, hurried toward the carriage. They had arrived early, and the carriage was parked by the roadside. Just as she reached it, she suddenly heard someone shouting, “Young lady, you’re so beautiful!”
The voice was very awkward. When she turned around, she saw three people standing in front of a carriage. A barbarian with a huge snout was winking at her and jumping around like a monkey. Her face darkened, and she quickened her pace toward her own carriage.

These three were Yang Wang and two Göktürk princes. Yang Wang took them to see the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda at Cien Temple. Unexpectedly, Mousi Luo Duo had no interest in the temple and only wanted to see women. By chance, he spotted Mingyue, and his eyes were instantly captivated—this woman was as radiant as the moon. Even the most beautiful Göktürk women paled in comparison to her, like common chickens next to a phoenix.

A fierce fire burned in Mousi Luo Duo’s chest. If they were on the grasslands, he would have seized her at once, but in Chang’an, he dared not. As Mingyue walked away, he could hold back no longer and jumped up to chase after her. But Mousi Sihan grabbed him tightly. “Elder brother, don’t cause trouble!”

Mousi Luo Duo was so anxious that his eyes turned red. “Leave me alone! I must have that woman.”

Although Yang Wang didn’t understand Turkic, he understood Mousi Luo Duo’s meaning and said with a smile, “You can’t afford to provoke that woman. She’s the wife of Li Qing’an, the governor of Beiting.”

Mousi Sihan was stunned. Without hesitation, he pulled his elder brother back and whispered, “Don’t be foolish. That’s Li Qing’an’s wife.”

Mousi Luo Duo was also stunned. Li Qing’an—the man the Göktürks feared the most—was indeed someone he couldn’t provoke. He watched helplessly as Mingyue got into the carriage, lowering his head like a defeated rooster.

Mousi Sihan regretted pulling his elder brother back. He should have encouraged Mousi Luo Duo to provoke that woman. He had missed a golden opportunity.

“Actually, it’s not impossible to marry that woman,” Yang Wang suddenly said. Hope dawned in Mousi Sihan’s eyes, and he quickly asked, “How can we do that?”

Yang Wang glanced at the sky—it was already noon—and said with a smile, “Let’s go eat! We can talk while drinking.”

……

In a tavern near Cien Temple, as soon as Mousi Luo Duo sat down, he eagerly asked his brother, “Hurry and ask him if there’s any way.”

“Elder brother, don’t rush. We should first ask who that woman is and what her name is.”

Mousi Sihan bowed to Yang Wang with a smile and said, “We’d like to ask more about that woman first.”

Yang Wang poured them each a cup of wine and said with a smile, “Her name is Dugu Mingyue. She’s the eldest granddaughter of the Dugu family. Everyone in Chang’an knows that Li Qing’an is infatuated with her, but they’re not yet engaged. If you’re not afraid of Li Qing’an, you have a chance.”

Mousi Sihan then said to his confused elder brother, “Yang the magistrate said her name is Mingyue. She was originally engaged to Li Qing’an, but the engagement has been broken off now. You can definitely marry her.”

Mousi Luo Duo scratched his head in frustration. “Hurry and ask! How can I win this moon in the sky?”

Mouci Sihan turned back and smiled, saying, “My elder brother said he’s never feared Li Qing’an at all; he only wants that woman.”
“If you want to marry that woman, there’s only one person in Chang’an who can do it.”
Yang Wang drained the wine in his cup and lowered his voice, saying, “I have an aunt, the famous Lady of Guo State. It’s she who decides all marriages within the Tang royal family. Although this Du Gu Mingyue isn’t part of the royal family, she’s the daughter of nobles. Ask my aunt for help—if she agrees, your wish will be fulfilled.”
Mouci Sihan translated Yang Wang’s words to his elder brother. Mouci Luoduo said nothing, gulping down the wine from his pot with loud noises before slamming the bowl down and saying, “Let’s go!”
“Wait!” Mouci Sihan grabbed his elder brother. “I’ll do my best to help with this. Don’t be reckless.”
He stood up and bowed to Yang Wang, saying, “Magistrate Yang, I earnestly ask you to introduce us to Lady of Guo State. If this succeeds, I will surely reward you generously!”
Yang Wang smiled with narrowed eyes. “Actually, it’s quite simple. Didn’t you receive a reward from the emperor? Just give her those items as a gift, with a clear price—fair for everyone.”
……
These days, Yang Huahua had been quite busy. Although she was scolded by Li Longji after the incident in the study, he secretly sent his trusted eunuch to comfort her that night, granting her 20,000 strings of coins. He also gave her the huge mansion once owned by the former minister Wu Sansi, covering 500 mu of land, and promised to fulfill any of her requests except those related to military and state affairs. Full of pride, Yang Huahua found Wu Sansi’s old house too old, so she ordered it demolished and rebuilt. These days, she had been busy with the construction.
In the afternoon, just as she was about to go out to check on the progress of the new house, a messenger came to report that her nephew Yang Wang wanted to see her, bringing two Göktürk foreigners with him. Yang Huahua disliked foreigners. She wanted to refuse outright but also wanted to save face for her nephew, so she ordered, “Bring Yang Wang in. The two foreigners can wait outside.”
A moment later, Yang Wang entered, smiling and bowing. “I have a business deal to introduce to my aunt.”
Hearing it was a business deal, Yang Huahua became energetic and smiled, saying, “You little monkey, with your sly looks—just tell me what it is.”
“It’s this: Today, by the emperor’s order, I’m showing two Göktürk princes around Chang’an. Unexpectedly, the elder prince took a fancy to a woman.”
Yang Huahua picked up her teacup and took a sip, then said slowly, “You should know that I usually don’t act as a matchmaker for foreigners, unless they offer a price…”
“Uncle, there’s no need to say more. Those two foreign princes have received 5,000 bolts of silk and 3,000 strings of silver as rewards today, and they’re willing to give it all to my aunt.”
“5,000 bolts of silk, 3,000 strings of silver.”

Yang Huahua thought for a moment and said, “This price isn’t enough to marry a member of the imperial family!”
“Auntie, it’s not a member of the imperial family—it’s Dugu Mingyue, the eldest granddaughter of the Dugu family, the very woman Li Qing’an likes.”
“Oh, so it’s her. Hmph!”
Yang Huahua’s eyes gradually narrowed as she snapped, “Go tell them that I’m taking on this deal.”