Chapter 243: Undercurrents Stir

Yang Guozhong never imagined that Chen Xilié would come to visit him at such a time. Who was Chen Xilié? One of Li Linfu’s most loyal confidants. He had served as left chancellor since the fifth year of the Tianbao era—five years already—and had always followed Li Linfu closely, to the point where the Ministry of State Affairs became virtually ineffective. During his five years as minister, the ministry had hardly ever rejected any of Li Linfu’s decrees. Yet now, this very loyal confidant of Li Linfu came to visit Yang Guozhong at such a delicate moment. Overjoyed, Yang Guozhong immediately ordered the gates to be opened to welcome Chancellor Chen.

As Yang Guozhong was surprised, Chen Xilié indeed was Li Linfu’s man. He would not take such a step unless absolutely necessary. In recent years, Li Longji had begun to suppress Li Linfu, gradually stripping him of power and shifting it to the rising Yang Guozhong. Despite these clear signs, Chen Xilié had never considered betraying Li Linfu to side with Yang Guozhong.

It wasn’t until Li Li Qingan launched an uprising in Henan, dealing a heavy blow to Yang Guozhong and allowing Li Linfu’s power to recover, that Chen Xilié took his first step toward betrayal. It was because he sensed Li Linfu’s grave illness. The previous day, Li Linfu had vomited blood and fainted again—this was the third time this month. Li Linfu had concealed the truth from everyone, claiming he was just suffering from autumn colds, even from Chen Xilié. It wasn’t until today that Chen Xilié accidentally learned the truth from Zhang, the renowned doctor treating Li Linfu. Only then did he realize how serious Li Linfu’s condition really was.

It was raining lightly that night, and the air was bitterly cold. There wasn’t a soul on the streets. Chen Xilié took advantage of the rain to sneak into Yang Guozhong’s residence, hoping to secretly communicate with Yang Guozhong without anyone knowing. Unexpectedly, Yang Guozhong welcomed him with great fanfare, as if to make sure everyone knew, leaving Chen Xilié quite embarrassed. He immediately ordered the young page in the carriage, “Go tell Minister Yang that I’ll enter through the side gate.”

The page nodded and jumped out of the carriage. Chen Xilié’s carriage quickly left, disappearing into the misty rain.

Yang Guozhong stepped out of the gate full of confidence, only to find Chen Xilié’s carriage gone. He was momentarily stunned. Chen Xilié’s page hurried over and said, “Minister Yang, our chancellor said it’s not appropriate to make too much of a fuss and hopes to enter through the side gate.”

“Enter through the side gate?” Yang Guozhong stroked his short beard and laughed. That old fox really was destined to be a concubine.

After several years of experience in the bureaucracy, Yang Guozhong was no longer the naive young man who once mistook a feather for an imperial edict. Under Li Longji’s careful guidance, he gradually understood the true essence of being an official—knowing what role to play and how to behave. This art of performance was a profound discipline: one had to show humility before superiors, authority before subordinates, and servility before the emperor. The balance had to be struck precisely; too much or too little would displease the superiors, shame the subordinates, and anger the emperor.

It was by understanding this principle that Yang Guozhong had seen gradual improvement in his career over the past two years. He no longer cared too much about gains and losses. For example, when Cui Qiao was dismissed last year, he also lost his position as Minister of War, and his faction suffered a heavy blow. Yet Yang Guozhong managed to retain his most important position as Minister of Personnel. In the first half of the year, Gao Xianzhi faced obstacles from local officials led by Cui Yuan, the governor of Yizhou, while preparing for battle in Jiannan. Just as Li Linfu was about to exploit this situation, Yang Guozhong acted swiftly by recommending to the emperor the dismissal of Luo Benqing, the governor of Jiazhou. His decisive stance brought order to the bureaucracy in Bashu, and Gao Xianzhi’s preparations improved immediately. This earned him high praise from Li Longji.

Even toward his old rival Li Qingan, Yang Guozhong changed his hostile attitude and stopped picking fights recklessly. After Li Qingan captured the State of Shi, Yang Guozhong even proposed adding more troops from Anxi to support Li Qingan’s strategy against the Arabs, showing the tolerance befitting a prime minister.

These changes won Li Longji’s admiration, deepening the emperor’s favor for Yang Guozhong. In the past two months, he had also taken on two powerful positions: Director of the Imperial Treasury and Minister of Revenue. It was obvious to everyone that it was only a matter of time before Yang Guozhong replaced Li Linfu.

Yang Guozhong ordered the side door to be opened. Soon, the butler brought Chen Xilié, still looking embarrassed, to the door of the study.

“Master, Prime Minister Chen has arrived!”

“Prime Minister Chen, what a distinguished guest!”

Yang Guozhong rushed out of the room, his warm smile almost melting Chen Xilié. He patted Chen Xilié’s arm firmly and complained, “I opened the main gate to welcome you—why won’t you give me some face?”

Chen Xilié smiled bitterly. “If I enter through Minister Yang’s main gate, everyone in the court and the public will likely know about it by tomorrow, except one person.”

“Oh? Who is that?” Yang Guozhong asked curiously.

“Prime Minister Li. I heard he fainted from vomiting blood last night and probably won’t be able to attend court tomorrow.”

Chen Xiliè subtly revealed the truth about Li Linfu’s serious illness. Yang Guozhong was stunned, a look of extreme joy appearing in his eyes before it vanished quickly. He said solemnly, “Prime Minister Li being ill is a misfortune for the court. Alas! I must go see him tomorrow.”
“I’ve always heard that Minister Yang has a broad mind. Seeing it firsthand today, I confirm he truly has the stature of a prime minister. I admire him and feel ashamed at the same time. Compared to Minister Yang, how could I even be worthy of the title of prime minister?”
Chen Xiliè’s self-deprecation made Yang Guozhong very pleased. He chuckled and quickly waved his hand, saying, “Prime Minister Chen is being too modest. Please, come inside and sit!”
The two entered and sat down. Yang Guozhong ordered his concubine to bring two cups of fine tea. He picked up his cup, took a sip of the hot tea, and said with a smile, “With Prime Minister Chen’s visit, when the ministers hear about it tomorrow, they’ll spread rumors that Prime Minister Chen is joining Yang’s faction. I’ll have to step in to refute them. This shows just how high Prime Minister Chen’s status is. Even a simple visit has a great impact, haha!”
Chen Xiliè smiled awkwardly. “It’s not that serious. I came to visit Minister Yang just to exchange ideas as colleagues and discuss some major court affairs. It has nothing to do with factional struggles. Why bother with those trivial gossipers?”
“Good! Prime Minister Chen truly has an open mind.”
Yang Guozhong clapped his hands and exclaimed, “With so many factions in the court, decisions can’t be made properly. This isn’t the way of a prosperous era. Everyone says I, Yang Guozhong, am forming factions for personal gain, but that’s not true. I’m determined to change this chaotic situation, and the emperor also supports my ideas. I wonder, Prime Minister Chen…”
At this point, Yang Guozhong glanced at Chen Xiliè tentatively. What he implied was that he, Yang Guozhong, should take control of the court affairs and end the strife among the three factions, depending on whether Chen Xiliè was willing to follow him.
Chen Xiliè certainly understood Yang Guozhong’s intention, but discussing this now seemed a bit hasty. He had only come today to gauge the situation and give Yang Guozhong a hint. Even when a couple gets married, there are six rituals to go through—requesting the marriage, asking for the bride’s name, seeking auspiciousness, presenting gifts, fixing the wedding date, and the actual wedding ceremony. There’s no such thing as going straight to bed right after meeting.
He took a sip of tea and said, “I’m here today to ask Minister Yang two questions.”
Seeing that he wasn’t willing to follow his line of thought, Yang Guozhong felt somewhat disappointed. But he also understood that this matter couldn’t be rushed, so he temporarily set aside the idea of winning over Chen Xiliè and said indifferently, “Prime Minister Chen, please go ahead. What are the two questions?”

Chen Xili bowed slightly and said, “First, Zhang, the brother of Wang Gong, the governor of Jingzhao, is arrogant and domineering, associating with dangerous people. I once advised Wang Gong earnestly, but he said he needed to stay away from this matter. I was confused—since he is the governor, if he avoids it, who else will take care of it? Minister Yang, as the former governor of Jingzhao, should know how to handle it!”
Yang Guozhong was overjoyed. Chen Xili wasn’t here to seek his advice; rather, he was handing Wang Gong’s weaknesses to him. Wang Gong was Li Linfu’s top lieutenant, having risen to the positions of Censor-in-Chief and governor of Jingzhao, and had long controlled the Censorate. He was not only Li Linfu’s sharpest spear but also his strongest shield. If this spear could be broken and this shield shattered, it would be equivalent to crippling Li Linfu. This was Chen Xili’s gift for allying himself with him!
Although Chen Xili had only given a brief overview, he had already pointed out the direction. All Yang Guozhong needed to do was investigate further, and Wang Gong would be in his grasp. Controlling his excitement, Yang Guozhong asked, “Please tell me what the second matter is, Chancellor Chen.”
Seeing that Yang Guozhong understood, Chen Xili stroked his beard gently and said, “As for the second matter, it concerns Li Qing’an in Anxi.”
Yang Guozhong’s eyes narrowed. Wang Gong was Li Linfu’s left arm, while Li Qing’an was his right arm. If both arms were severed, Li Linfu would be finished. This Chen Xili was truly remarkable.
“Chancellor Chen, please go on. What about Li Qing’an in Anxi?”
“Yesterday, I heard Minister Yang propose to relocate another 30,000 military households to Anxi. I think this proposal is somewhat inappropriate.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“I wonder if Minister Yang has calculated that the total military strength in Anxi’s Western Region is already 42,000. In the eighth year of Tianbao, each group was allowed to expand by 10,000, bringing the total to 64,000. Last year, another 30,000 troops from the Tianwei Army were sent to Suiye, raising the total to 94,000. Now, Minister Yang proposes to relocate another 30,000 military households. Assuming each household provides 1.5 soldiers, that’s 45,000. Plus the Hu and Fan troops, as well as any extra military households, Anxi’s total military strength will likely exceed 150,000. If Li Qing’an dares to recruit more troops privately in Hezhong, I think 200,000 might be possible. 200,000 troops! It reminds me of Dong Zhuo in Xiliang.”
Yang Guozhong gasped. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. Reacting quickly, he understood Chen Xili’s meaning and asked tentatively, “Chancellor Chen, are you saying that Li Qing’an might have rebellious intentions?”

Seeing that Yang Guozhong still hadn’t grasped his meaning, Chen Xilie smiled slightly and hinted further, “I don’t know if Li Qing’an has any disloyal intentions, but as subjects, it is our duty to warn the emperor to be cautious.”
Only then did Yang Guozhong realize the plan—to use this incident to bring down Li Qing’an! He pondered for a moment before suddenly laughing and saying, “So, it turns out that my advice to the emperor to send another 30,000 troops to Anxi was actually a stroke of luck.”
“By no means! I am deeply impressed by Chancellor Yang’s vision.”
The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter together.
……
In Xicao Country, Li Qing’an led 10,000 troops of the rear army across the Yaoshā River and slowly advanced toward the capital of Xicao. When they were fifty li away from the city, he halted. Li Guangbi had been facing off against the Arab army for five days without any fighting. Li Guangbi did not attempt to besiege the city either; instead, he set up camp ten li away and patiently waited for the Arab army to attack.
Li Qing’an did not interfere with Li Guangbi’s tactics. At first, he was worried that Li Guangbi might not be mature enough, but Li Guangbi’s outstanding performance in the Battle of Baishui dispelled his concerns. This was still the Li Guangbi from history, so in the battle of Xicao, he decided to let Li Guangbi take charge.
Inside the command tent, Li Qing’an was discussing the upcoming battle with several generals over a map. It could be said that they were taking the initiative by crossing the Yaoshā River and extending their front line into enemy territory, giving them control of the situation.
But this also posed a problem for them: the safety of their rear. Could the Arab army bypass them and attack their supply lines or surprise their cities?
The answer was yes. Their skill in using surprise tactics could be seen from their attack on Suire City during the battle against Gao Xianzhi. Therefore, protecting their supply lines was a crucial task for the Tang army. Currently, the Tang army’s main supply depot was at Juzhanti, where there was enough food to sustain them for three months, guarded by 6,000 troops.
But this problem also troubled the Arabs. Their own front line was equally long, and defending the Sogdian states and ensuring the safety of the Bosphorus silver mines posed similar challenges. However, they still had the 60,000 Syrian troops brought by Mansur, which reduced the pressure on them compared to the Tang army.

Li Qing’an pointed at the Silver City in the Bosi Mountains with a wooden stick and said to everyone, “Gentlemen, according to the information I’ve received, due to the internal wars in the Abbasid Empire, Samarkand has not received silver from the Silver City for three years. In other words, this city likely holds three years’ worth of silver stored there. If we can seize this silver, it will greatly enhance Anxi’s status within the Tang Dynasty. What I propose is to send troops to attack the Silver City and take that stored silver. I’ve already sent scouts to investigate the situation. However, the timing is critical; if we wait for more information before acting, it might be too late. What do you all think?”

At this moment, Li Siye stepped forward and said, “The general’s plan is indeed good, but several key points remain unclear. First, how many troops should we send to attack the Silver City? Too few may not be effective, while too many could weaken our rear forces and increase the pressure on Li Guangbi. Second, how many soldiers are stationed in the Silver City? If a battle breaks out, what impact will the slaves there have? Will it be favorable or unfavorable for us? General, if these issues aren’t clarified, I think it’s better not to send troops.”

Li Qing’an had actually thought about this for a long time. If he waited until he defeated the Abbasid forces and captured prisoners to work in the mines, it would take at least two to three years before he could accumulate any resources, during which time he would be unable to do many things. If he could obtain those silver ingots from the Abbasids, he could achieve rapid development and lay a solid foundation in just two to three years.

Although he wasn’t sure whether the An Lushan Rebellion would break out four years later as in history, at least An Lushan was still in power. He had been in Fanyang for over a decade, and it wouldn’t be easy to remove him. Therefore, he had to prepare for the worst—perhaps the rebellion would break out as scheduled or even earlier.

He couldn’t openly discuss this with the generals, so it was understandable that Li Siye and the others didn’t understand his urgency regarding the Silver City.

Thinking of this, Li Qing’an nodded and said, “Siye’s concerns are valid. I plan to have Li Fei Yuanli from the Juzhan Ti lead an attack on the Silver City. It can start as a probing attack, and if it fails, they can retreat. As for the defense of the Juzhan Ti, the Shi State troops can take over immediately.”

After saying this, he glanced at everyone. Seeing that no one objected, he firmly ordered, “Pass my command: Li Fei Yuanli must lead 5,000 troops to the Silver City right away, and the Shi State troops must quickly take over the defense of the Juzhan Ti.”

Li Qing’an nodded in agreement and said, “Siye’s concerns are valid. I plan to send Li Feiyuan from the Ministry of Rites under Juzhan Ti to attack Yin City. They can launch a probing attack first; if it doesn’t work, they can retreat. As for Juzhan Ti’s defense, the Shi state’s troops can take over.” Just as the order was sent, urgent running sounds came from outside the tent. A soldier reported loudly, “General, the Abbasid army has emerged from the city to engage in battle!”
…
The gates of the Western Capital City were wide open, with the thunderous sound of drums shaking the heavens. Qi Yade left three thousand troops to defend the city, while he personally led 27,000 mixed troops into battle.
By mixed troops, he meant soldiers from various Sogdian states in addition to those from Khorasan. Of the 30,000 troops he brought this time, 20,000 were Khorasan soldiers and 10,000 were Samarkand soldiers. However, there were no Macedonian pike troops—those elite forces were still in Samarkand, under the personal command of their commander, Abu Muslim.
In fact, engaging in battle today was not Qi Yade’s original plan. He wanted to wear down the Tang army’s fighting spirit and morale by delaying the battle for several months, causing supply problems for them. But his strategy was rejected by their commander, Muslim.
The power struggles among the Abbasid elite eventually affected this war. Mansur took advantage of the opportunity to suppress Sogdian beliefs to send his troops to various cities. By occupying these cities, he aimed to firmly control the Transoxian states.
At least half of the Sogdian states were no longer under Abu Muslim’s control, putting Muslim in a very difficult position. To reverse this unfavorable situation, he had to end this battle as soon as possible to force Mansur to retreat to Damascus.
Therefore, he would never agree to Qi Yade’s strategy of defending the city for three months to exhaust the Tang army. Three months without fighting wouldn’t weaken the Tang army—it would weaken him instead. Instead of waiting three months, they had to start fighting immediately. So he set a deadline for Qi Yade: within ten days, drive the Tang army across the Yao Sha River.
Groups of Abbasid troops emerged from the Western Capital City. They carried long swords at their waists, spears and iron shields in their hands, wore leather boots and armor. Some troops also wore white cloaks and wrapped white cloth around their heads. There were both cavalry and infantry units, marching in neat formations with firm steps.

Abbasid forces built upon the military reforms carried out by Marwan III of the Umayyad dynasty. Abandoning the Byzantine mixed combat formation of vanguard, rear guard, center, left wing, and right wing, they adopted a large-unit system known as qurduс, which was essentially an independent legion system. Each legion consisted of 10,000 men, with each legion further divided into 10 units of 1,000 men each, and each unit into 10 companies of 100 men, along with 20 squads and 5 groups, resulting in a total of five levels, with each legion operating independently.

Of course, the purpose of this system was not to fight effectively against the enemy but to better control vast territories.

As the drumbeats intensified, the commander Ziyad left the city. He adjusted his helmet and stared coldly at the faintly visible Tang army camp in the distance. This battle would be a test, revealing the strength comparison between the Tang and Abbasid armies.

He slowly drew the long sword at his waist, pointed at the Tang army camp, and shouted loudly, “Charge!”

27,000 soldiers formed into five formations and marched steadily toward the Tang army ten miles away, resembling a huge black carpet rolling across the land.

“Uuh—” A deep horn sound echoed across the gloomy sky.

……

(Note: According to Chambers’ maps, the main silver mines of the Abbasid dynasty were located in northern Bactria, actually a considerable distance from the Mount Boshan. Here, for narrative purposes, the silver-producing areas have been moved further north.)