Chapter 222: The Eve of Departure

Half an hour later, Li Qing’an bathed and changed in Li Linfu’s residence. Guided by a maid, he arrived at Li Linfu’s castle study built on an isolated island. The servants had already prepared a table of food and drinks, with Li Linfu’s two concubines serving at his side.

“Come! Sit anywhere. Feel at home here.”

Li Linfu had changed into loose Zen robes and wore a flat-brimmed hat, looking very casual. He smiled and pulled Li Qing’an to sit down, then said to the concubines, “Haven’t you poured wine for General Li yet?”

Li Linfu’s concubine was exceptionally beautiful. She stretched out her delicate hands and poured a cup of wine for Li Qing’an, saying with a sweet smile, “Please, General Li!”

Li Qing’an bowed and replied, “Thank you.”

Li Linfu glanced at him and pointed at the concubine, “Her name is Duonu. I’ll give her to General Li. What do you think?”

The concubine’s face turned red, and she seemed weak with emotion. Li Qing’an took a sip of wine and said with a smile, “The wine is like poetry, and the beauty is like jade. Such things are meant for refined scholars to enjoy. As a warrior who endures hardships, I don’t deserve such blessings. I appreciate your kindness, Prime Minister.”

Li Linfu laughed heartily and waved his hand, “You two may leave.”

The two women stood up and slowly retreated. The one named Duonu stared at Li Qing’an longingly. Li Qing’an raised his cup and smiled at her, shaking his head apologetically.

Li Linfu watched him for a while before sighing slightly and saying, “Truly, a man who aspires to great things isn’t swayed by beauty. Yang Guozhong, on the other hand, was corrupted by lust. He accepted two beautiful women from Nanzhao, which led to Nanzhao’s current misfortunes. Lust can ruin a nation!”

Li Qing’an was stunned and quickly asked, “Does the Emperor know about this?”

“What if he does? As you’ve seen, Nanzhao was defeated, yet Xianyu Zhongtong was blamed instead. What’s there to say?”

With that, Li Linfu raised his cup again and asked Li Qing’an, “How are Wu Yi and the others in Beiting?”

“I received a letter from home half a month ago. Everyone is fine. Wu Yi and the others want to return to Chang’an, but I’ve told them not to come here. I said I might return soon myself.”

“Oh! Could it be that Seventh Brother knew this would happen?”

Li Qing’an narrowed his eyes and smiled. “What do you think, Prime Minister?”

Li Linfu chuckled dryly twice before changing the subject. “It’s been half a year since the former crown prince was deposed. The Eastern Palace remains empty. Who do you think will end up there in the end, Seventh Brother?”

Li Qing’an took a sip of wine and pondered for a moment before saying, “Have you noticed, Prime Minister? The Emperor already has age spots on his back.”

“I noticed it only today too. The Emperor’s health isn’t what it used to be.”

Li Linfu let out a sigh, but his gaze remained fixed on Li Qingan’s expression. Seeing that Li Qingan hadn’t spoken for a long time, he asked again, “Qilang still hasn’t answered my question. Who do you think will become the crown prince?”
Li Qingan stared at his wine cup and replied calmly, “It’s a complex situation with hidden currents at play; anyone could be the candidate. Why should the prime minister care too much about who will become the crown prince?”
This time, Li Linfu shook his head stubbornly and said, “The crown prince is the foundation of the country. How can I not care? With the emperor approaching old age, the issue of the crown prince has become even more urgent. Qilang, I’m asking you sincerely. I really want to hear your opinion. If you were my son, which prince would you advise me to support?”
“The prime minister should ask an intermediary to get an impartial recommendation. As a former key member of the crown prince’s faction, I would naturally advise the prime minister to support the former crown prince.”
“Li Heng?”
Li Linfu’s eyes narrowed slowly as he stared at Li Qingan and asked, “Why him?”
Li Qingan smiled and said, “Perhaps it’s true that enemies should be resolved rather than kept as enemies!”
……
The news of Li Qingan’s official promotion to Anxi Jiedushi spread throughout Chang’an in just half a day. The people of Chang’an were overjoyed. Their dissatisfaction with Li Longji for appointing Yang Guozhong turned into admiration for him for choosing Li Qingan. At night, every household discussed the matter, filled with expectations for Li Qingan, hoping he would achieve further feats and reclaim Suiye for the Tang Dynasty.
The Du Gu family was no exception. The news of Li Qingan’s promotion made the whole family feel as if it were a festival. Everyone was in high spirits. Whenever they saw Mingyue, they would say with a smile, “Congratulations, young lady.”
Mingzhu was even more ecstatic. She took out some of her savings and distributed them as gifts. Knowing that the third young lady was generous when inspired, the maids rushed to ask for rewards. In no time, they had taken all of Mingzhu’s savings.
With no money left, she became upset and went to Mingyue to demand compensation.
“Sis, I spent that money for you. I know you’re embarrassed, so I gave the gifts instead. But you should understand social norms! You still have to pay for it—it’s your own celebration. Right, sis?”
Mingzhu stretched out her hand and said shamelessly, “It’s not that much anyway—just fifty guan. Give it back to me!”
Mingyue tapped her hand and laughed, “That was money you spent on your own whim. What does it have to do with me? I don’t have any money to give you.”

“Ah! How stingy you are. Your husband is very wealthy—won’t all his gold and silver eventually belong to you? Fifty guan is just a drop in the ocean for you. Sister, please give it to me as a favor!”
Mingzhu coquettishly clung to her sister’s arm and pleaded, “Please, Sister, the Third-Rank Lady of the County!”
Mingyue smiled, plucked a strand of hair, and placed it in her hand. “Alright! I’ll give it to you.”
“You stingy wretch!” Mingzhu stamped her foot in anger and pouted. “If you won’t give it, I’ll go find Brother Li!”
At that moment, a maid came in from the door and said, “Eldest Miss, someone is looking for you in the Guest Hall. The lady is not here, so the butler asks you to go over.”
“Alright, I’ll go take a look. I’ll settle accounts with you later—maybe I’ll even cover half of the cost.”
Mingyue left the embroidery room and hurried toward the Guest Hall.
Du Gu Hao Ran was initially demoted to the magistrate of Xunyang County, but soon Emperor Li Longji, considering his imperial lineage, reassigned him as the governor of Huzhou. Du Gu Hao Ran took up his new post, leaving the household entirely in the hands of his wife, Lady Pei. However, Lady Pei was out on business that day and not at home.
In the Guest Hall was an important guest—Princess Di. Her given name was Wei Qiyu, and she was the daughter of Grand Tutor Wei Tao. Her sister was married to Lady Pei’s brother, Pei Min, the former deputy head of the Judicial Bureau, making them indirectly related.
But today, she wasn’t there to see Lady Pei—she was there to see Mingyue. She had been sent by her husband, King Di, to build a relationship with Mingyue.
As Mingyue entered quickly from outside the hall, Princess Di stood up and smiled. “Mingyue, do you still remember me?”
“Oh! It’s Princess Di.”
Mingyue hurried forward and bowed gracefully. “Mingyue pays her respects to Princess Di.”
Princess Di waved her hand and smiled. “Don’t call me Princess Di. Just call me Aunt Wei, as before.”
“Yes! Aunt Wei.”
Princess Di glanced at Mingyue from head to toe and said with a smile, “Not bad! Not bad! Truly a beauty. No wonder Li Qingan chopped through the wine table for you. If I were a man, I’d be crazy for you.”
Mingyue’s cheeks turned slightly red as she asked, “The butler said Aunt Wei came to see me. Is there something?”
“Actually, there’s nothing special. I just wanted to see you. We’re all relatives, but we don’t see each other much these days, so we’ve grown a bit distant. When you were little, I often played with you. So many years have passed—ah! I’ve grown old.”

Moonlight didn’t understand what Princess Di meant by those words. She smiled without saying anything. Suddenly, she saw her sister waving at her at the door, looking very anxious. She quickly apologized to Princess Di, saying, “Aunt Wei, please wait a moment. I’ll be back right away.”
She hurried out of the guest room. Mingzhu rushed over, grabbed her arm, and said, “Sis, come with me quickly.”
“Oh! I’m talking to Princess Di. What happened?”
“Sis! No matter how important it is, we have to put it aside now.”
Mingzhu leaned in and whispered, “Brother Li is here. He’s waiting for you in the small guest room!”
Moonlight’s heart pounded. She glanced back at Princess Di, who was drinking tea inside, feeling conflicted. Then she said, “You go talk to him first. Tell him to wait a bit. I’ll be there soon.”
“Okay! Hurry up.”
Mingzhu ran off. Moonlight calmed herself down and returned to the guest room, saying with a smile, “I’m sorry for making Aunt Wei wait.”
Princess Di glanced at her and asked with a smile, “Moonlight, is something wrong?”
“Nothing. A friend of mine came, and she asked me to go talk to her. It’s nothing serious.”
Moonlight forced a smile, but was actually very anxious inside.
“Oh! I see.”
Princess Di took a sip of tea and asked concerningly, “Moonlight, have you set a date for your marriage yet?”
…
In the small guest room, Mingzhu was complaining to Li Qing’an, “Brother Li, now that you’ve become the governor of Anxi, all our family members have come to congratulate my sister. You know, she’s a bit shy. I had to step in to handle them. Do you know? I gave all my savings to the servants. I thought my sister would give it back to me, but she’s also extremely poor. Ah! Brother Li, what should I do?”
“You little trickster. If you want me to pay, just say so directly. Why do you ask me what to do?”
Li Qing’an teased her with a smile before asking, “So, how much did you spend?”
Mingzhu’s eyes sparkled as she quickly replied with a smile, “Not much! Not much! I spent a total of 200 guan on my sister.”
“Hehe! 200 guan, that’s 1,200 jin. I really don’t know where you keep that money!”
Li Qing’an laughed and took out a diamond the size of a longan from his pocket. It had been given to him by Erweitelü, the khan of theSuiye Tuqi Shi tribe. He handed it to Mingzhu and said, “This diamond is worth at least 3,000 guan. Consider it a reward for you traveling all the way to Beiting to deliver the news last time.”
Mingzhu jumped for joy. She grabbed the diamond, its brilliant light blinding her eyes.
“Brother, is this really for me?”

Although Mingzhu was the daughter of a wealthy family, the Du Gu family had strict discipline. It was her first time receiving such an expensive gem, and her eyes lit up with joy.
“Mingzhu, are you asking Brother Li for money?”
Suddenly, Mingyue’s voice came from the door. Mingzhu was startled and quickly hid the diamond in her sleeve, saying playfully, “Sis, what are you saying? Brother Li is my friend. Can’t I congratulate him?”
Mingyue walked in, feeling nervous. She bowed to Li Qing’an and said with a smile, “Brother Li, first of all, congratulations on being promoted to Governor of Anxi.”
“It’s nothing!”
Li Qing’an waved his hand and said with a wry smile, “Actually, it’s a tough task. The emperor has assigned me to deal with the Arabs.”
At that moment, Mingzhu said, “You two go on chatting. I won’t disturb you.”
Holding the diamond, she dashed away.
Only Li Qing’an and Mingyue were left in the room. They felt a bit awkward. Mingyue sat down and said with a smile, “Just now, Princess Di came and insisted on seeing me. I could only talk to her for a while.”
“Princess Di, Li Yan?” Li Qing’an was momentarily stunned and asked, “What did she say to you?”
“Nothing much. Just some casual talk. She hopes I’ll visit her often. She’s holding a banquet at her residence tomorrow and has invited me.”
“Are you close?”
“No. She’s my aunt’s sister. We haven’t been in touch for years. She suddenly came to see me today.”
At this, Mingyue said softly, “Brother Li, don’t worry! I know what she means. I’ve already declined. I won’t do anything that would put you in a difficult position.”
Li Qing’an hesitated for a moment and asked, “Do you really understand what she means?”
Mingyue nodded. “She kept mentioning you, so I guessed it.”
Li Qing’an smiled. After a brief pause, he added, “Mingyue, today the emperor officially recognized our relationship. Do you know what that means?”
Mingyue’s face turned red. She lowered her head and nodded shyly.
“In fact, you’re my hostage in Chang’an. It’s an imperial custom—the legal wife isn’t allowed to accompany me, so I have to ask you to bear this burden.”
With that, Li Qing’an took out an ivory jade plaque and handed it to Mingyue. “This is my reward for recapturing Suiye: 10,000 taels of silver and 5,000 bolts of silk, all stored at Wang Baoji’s bank in the capital. There’s also 5,000 taels of silver left from before. Plus, the prince gave me a manor in Gaoling County, which can be retrieved with this plaque. I’m entrusting all this money and property to you. In the future, any invitations related to court affairs might come to you. Could you take care of them for me?”

Moonlight silently took the jade token and asked in a low voice, “Then when will you return?”
“I don’t know either.”
Li Qing’an felt immense guilt. Logically, he should have left after marrying Moonlight, but the situation along the river was changing rapidly, and he had to rush back to Beiting immediately. Once again, he had to burden her.
A hint of sadness flashed in Moonlight’s eyes, but she quickly concealed it, forcing a smile and saying, “I hope you can recover Suiye soon. That way, I’ll be proud of you too.”
Li Qing’an nodded and stood up. “Then I must take my leave. I came today just to say goodbye. Tomorrow I have to handle various procedures and am very busy—no time available. I’ll leave early the day after tomorrow.”
Moonlight also stood up and said softly, “Then let me see you off.”
Side by side, they slowly walked toward the gate. Along the way, neither of them spoke. They had so much to say but didn’t know where to begin.
When they reached outside the gate, in the darkness, Li Qing’an’s horse was just twenty steps away. Li Qing’an stopped, lowered his head, and said, “I’m leaving now!”
“Be careful on your journey.”
Li Qing’an turned and walked away. Watching his retreating figure, an unbearable sadness suddenly overwhelmed Moonlight. Something struck her heart unexpectedly, causing intense pain, as if a piece of her had been torn away. It felt like she was dying. Once the pain subsided, tears poured from her beautiful eyes like an unstoppable flood. She could no longer hold back her sorrow. She took a few quick steps forward and cried out, “Li Lang!”
Li Qing’an suddenly turned around. Seeing that Moonlight was sobbing uncontrollably, he gently wrapped his arms around her slender shoulders. Moonlight suddenly threw herself into his arms and burst into tears.
A few servants standing at the gate hurried inside, leaving them some final moments together. Li Qing’an gently lifted Moonlight’s face. Looking at her beauty, reminiscent of a peony, he finally mustered the courage to lower his head and kiss her lips. Moonlight trembled. She tried to push him away, but his passionate gaze melted her. Her beautiful eyes slowly closed.
Li Qing’an held her tightly, leaving behind the sorrow of separation and the passionate kiss of lovers on her lips.
Volume 8: Tarros