Chapter 254: Each with Their Own Concerns

In the Damascus palace, Abu Muslim knelt upright on the ground. Any excuse now seemed futile; he had lost—severely. Out of his original army of 130,000, only a little over 10,000 remained. He could offer no explanation to the caliph, and it seemed only death could atone for his failures. Yet Muslim did not wish to die, so instead of committing suicide, he went alone to the Damascus palace, determined to take a gamble—hoping that Abbas would not dare kill him, not for the sake of Khorasan.

Muslim had been kneeling for a long time, but Abbas remained silent. His entire army of 130,000 had been annihilated, and the lands along the river had also been lost. This was his first crushing defeat since ascending to power. His fury had already been vented days earlier, with bloodstains from slain palace servants still on the palace steps. Now, his anger had subsided somewhat. The defeat was irreversible, and he was considering his next steps, including what to do with Abu Muslim.

Next to Abbas, Mansur’s eyes burned with rage, ready to devour Muslim. His 30,000 Syrian troops had also been wiped out. He longed to kill Muslim with his own sword. When he had entrusted his troops to Muslim, Abu Muslim had promised to return them intact, along with 10,000 Tang prisoners of war. But now? There was not a trace of those Tang prisoners, while his Syrian troops had become prisoners instead. Though Mansur’s anger was almost uncontrollable, he had to restrain it in front of the caliph.

“What about the soldiers captured by the Tang?”
Abbas finally spoke, his voice hoarse and filled with deep exhaustion. “And General Ziyad, the governor of Khorasan—have you thought of a plan?”
“Your Majesty, I propose using the Tang prisoners captured last time as bargaining chips.”
“Do you think that will work?”
Abbas’s gaze grew stern. Last time, only over 1,200 Tang soldiers were captured, while this time, the Islamic army had lost more than 20,000 men. Would the Tang agree to exchange 20 of their soldiers for 1 of ours?
“Your Majesty, exchanging with their commander might not work, but if we approach their emperor, offering flattery, giving them face, and showing their civil officials letters from wives and daughters longing for their husbands, I believe, morally speaking, their emperor and officials should agree.”

Abbas’s expression eased slightly. He also thought what the Muslim had said made some sense. The Tang people prided themselves on morality, and perhaps they would indeed release the prisoners out of face. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Although victory and defeat are common in warfare, your failure this time has greatly weakened our strength, and we’ve even lost the region of Khwarazm. All of this is your responsibility. However, given your great contributions in eliminating the Umayyad dynasty, I intend to give you another chance. Return to Khwarazm and prepare well! I hope to hear good news of your successful recovery of Khwarazm in the near future.”

The Muslim felt relieved. Abbas hadn’t killed him. Although he wasn’t responsible for losing Khwarazm—the real reason was Abbas’s failure to deal with the Zoroastrian priestess, which had led to the Sogdian uprising—Abbas was now shifting the blame onto him. Yet the Muslim didn’t protest. He bowed deeply and left. Abbas was right; nothing he said now mattered. Only by recovering Khwarazm soon could he regain his influence.

The Muslim withdrew, and silence filled the hall. Abbas glanced at Mansur and smiled faintly. “Why are you silent? Are you wondering why I didn’t take the chance to kill him?”

Mansur nodded. “I thought this was an opportunity.”

“Do you think I don’t want to kill him?”

Abbas sighed softly. “Declaring war on the Tang was my biggest mistake. The empire was just established, internally unstable, and the wars in Egypt were still ongoing. I rushed to make enemies, resulting in the disastrous Battle of Talas and the loss of Khwarazm. If I don’t learn from this lesson and kill the Muslim again, it’s possible that Khwarazm will rebel as well. So I can only endure and deal with him once the situation settles.”

“If the Caliph has no intention of being at war with the Tang anymore, then why does he still want the Muslim to recover Khwarazm?”

“Times change. Back then, the Tang forces only controlled Suyab and Tashkent, so I could endure. But now that they’ve taken Samarkand, if I keep enduring, they will eventually attack Sindh. Besides, weakening Khwarazm through the Tang forces will make it easier for me to deal with the Muslim later. Do you understand?”

Mansur finally understood. Using the Tang forces to weaken Khwarazm was indeed a clever strategy. He bowed deeply and praised, “Your Majesty the Caliph’s far-sightedness is far beyond mine.”

Abbas smiled and continued, “But what the Muslim said also makes sense. To get back the prisoners, going to Chang’an might be more effective than going to Suyab. Mansur, you’ll have to make the trip to Chang’an, meet their emperor, and bring me a letter. Be humble and try to satisfy their vanity as much as possible.”

“I understand, my lord. I will surely handle this matter well. Additionally, I suggest releasing some of their prisoners as a show of good faith.”
“Agreed. Leave this task to you. Moreover, if satisfying their vanity isn’t enough, you may act as you see fit and agree to some of their conditions—only with one goal in mind: to retrieve our captured soldiers as soon as possible.”
Mansur agreed and was about to leave when Abbas suddenly remembered something important and called him back, saying coldly, “Also, you must find a way to obtain that secret weapon of the Tang army—do whatever it takes to get it for me.”
……
In Chang’an, as the first rays of dawn broke through the clouds on a winter morning, the loud sound of horse hooves disrupted the quiet streets. Teams of the Imperial Guards rushed back and forth on Zhuque Street, forcing passersby to wait aside; the street was completely closed off. Not only were there pedestrians, but it was also crowded with onlookers who were buzzing with speculation. Some said it was the Anxi army returning in triumph, preparing for a grand entry ceremony into the city, but this theory was quickly dismissed. It would take at least two months to travel from Suiye to Chang’an—how could the army return so quickly? Soon, people guessed the truth: just like last year, the emperor and the imperial concubine were going to the Hot Spring Palace to spend the winter. Sure enough, it was the Imperial Guards who were deployed, and this theory was soon confirmed when officials from Jingzhao Prefecture and Chang’an and Wannian counties revealed the truth while maintaining order—the emperor and the concubine were going to Huaqing Palace, just as last year.
When this news spread, the crowd became excited and rushed to the front. Many people had benefited last year—there was money scattered everywhere, along with gold rings and jade hairpins from the Yang family, all of top quality. Finding just one could be worth dozens of guan. The streets were noisy and chaotic.
At that moment, the sound of drums and music came from the direction of Zhuque Gate, along with the ringing of gongs. It was the Imperial Guards’ advance party. Teams of them rushed forward, shouting loudly, “Make way along the route! No noise!”

The bustling streets gradually calmed down as everyone looked up, awaiting the arrival of the emperor’s procession. As the imperial guards grew denser and the sounds of drums and music grew louder, the eunuch procession appeared—groups of neatly dressed eunuchs of all sizes, holding various utensils, walking solemnly. There were thousands of them. Behind them came the magnificent procession of palace maids, also a striking sight: their colorful and luxurious garments resembled the blossoms of spring, vibrant and beautiful, with delicate features and graceful postures. Their embroidered robes shone even in the depths of winter, adorned with gold peacocks and silver unicorns. What could be seen on their heads? Green leaves hanging from their hair. What could be seen behind them? Pearls strung around their waists, perfectly fitting their figures.

The splendor of the palace maids’ procession drew cheers from the streets, with continuous drumbeats and shouts. The courtly attire set the trend in Chang’an—today it was gold feathers, tomorrow the whole country wore net-like garments; this year it was leopard-skin coats, next year all beasts seemed to wail in imitation.

After the palace maids’ procession passed, came the procession of princesses and princes. But what truly caught everyone’s attention was the Yang family’s procession. The three wives of the Yang family and their sons were at the core of the main procession. The men rode fine horses with golden saddles, dressed in splendid and bright clothes, while the women were gorgeously adorned with pearls and jewels, their fragrances drifting in the wind for miles. The carriages of the three wives of the Yang family were especially luxurious, made of pure gold and inlaid with gems and jewels, shining brilliantly with every step. The Yang family stood right in front of Emperor Li Longji’s imperial carriage, showing their noble status, even surpassing that of the royal family.

Behind the carriages of the three imperial wives, Emperor Li Longji and Yang Guifei’s imperial carriage finally appeared. Pullled by hundreds of strong men, it was covered in gold and jade, towering and magnificent. In terms of luxury, it was not as impressive as the carriages of the three imperial wives, but its majestic and noble presence overshadowed everything else. The carriage was covered by thick curtains, hiding the figures of Emperor Li Longji and Yang Guifei. On both sides stood personal eunuchs and palace maids, while on either side of the carriage were thousands of armed guards and cavalry, ensuring the safety of the emperor and his consort.

On the dragon carriage, Li Longji was in an especially good mood. Three days earlier, he had received battle reports from distant regions, reporting that the Tang army had inflicted a crushing defeat on the Abbasid forces at Talas in the Shi Kingdom. They then advanced into the nine Sogdian kingdoms, driving the Abbasids back west of the Wuhu River. This was the greatest victory for the Tang Dynasty since the Tianbao era. Although Li Qingan had downplayed it in his urgent messages, saying that this battle was just the beginning of the conflict between the Tang and Abbasids, Li Longji knew from the comparison of troop numbers that it was a decisive victory—the Tang army had defeated 100,000 Abbasid soldiers with only 50,000 of its own. Li Qingan’s merits were comparable to those of Geshu Han.

After feeling relieved, Li Longji was soon troubled again—how should he reward Li Qingan? He had been pondering this issue for days without being able to decide. It wasn’t that Li Qingan’s merits couldn’t be rewarded; treating him equally to Geshu Han would suffice. The problem was that Li Qingan had been a loyal supporter of the former crown prince. He had never taken a stance on the matter of Li Heng being stripped of his position as crown prince, nor did he show any sign of repentance during his interrogation after being imprisoned. This matter remained like a stone lodged in Li Longji’s heart. If he hadn’t cared much about it before, he no longer could—after all, the former crown prince Li Heng had also been one of his candidates for crown prince. Li Longji now knew the truth; Li Heng had confessed to him that he had been framed by Li Cong. But family secrets should not be exposed, so Li Longji harbored resentment in silence without revealing it.

Out of a sense of guilt, Li Longji thought of all the good qualities of the former crown prince and considered restoring Li Heng’s position as crown prince. But it was merely an idea. Among his candidates, Li Heng ranked last, while the top candidate was Li Chu, the emperor’s eldest grandson—a choice Li Longji had considered long ago.

He was dissatisfied with all his sons. Only Changsun Yuliang was profound, broad-minded, and decisive, which won Li Longji’s deep affection. This was also the real reason why Li Longji couldn’t decide on a crown prince for so long.

“What are you thinking, Third Brother?”
Yang Guifei, who was beside him, noticed Li Longji sometimes laughing heartily and sometimes frowning deeply, so she asked concerningly, “If there’s something urgent at court, let’s delay our trip to Huaqing Palace for a few days.”
“No need. There’s actually nothing serious. I’m just struggling with how to reward Li Qingan.”
Yang Guifei thought for a moment and suggested, “How about giving his fiancée fertile land and a beautiful house, as we did last time? Or perhaps the Third Brother could personally oversee his wedding to honor him.”
“I can oversee the wedding, but there’s no need to give his fiancée land and a house.”

Li Longji shook his head with a smile and said, “This time is different from last time. Last time, we recovered Suiye; it was merely a matter of merit, so we could rely on his wife. But this time, we defeated the Abbasid army, reclaimed the Nine Kingdoms of Sogdiana, and achieved a strategic victory. This is a great contribution to the nation, so I must formally reward him personally. The soldiers too must be rewarded equally. I’m really stuck!”
Yang Guifei smiled and said, “I think Third Brother is overthinking it. Li Qing’an hasn’t returned yet. Once he comes back and submits a formal report, Third Brother can discuss it with the ministers—won’t that solve it?”
Li Longji chuckled. “My wife is right. I indeed am overthinking it. Let’s go to the Hot Spring Palace and take a good hot bath.”
The large convoy set off. Once the Imperial Guards relaxed their control, the crowds on both sides rushed forward, competing for the gold hairpins and jewelry left on the streets, as well as the copper coins scattered by the eunuchs. Zhuque Street became a complete mess.
…
That evening, Li Qing’an and his group of several thousand people finally entered Yumen Pass. This time, Li Qing’an returned to the capital with a thousand cavalrymen, along with Sogdian merchants—less than three thousand in total. Yet, there were nearly ten thousand camels carrying supplies for them. Even the forage provided by the various provinces along the way caused great trouble for the officials.
In the Battle of Talas, Li Qing’an seized a large amount of supplies from the Abbasids, including many valuable items: various textiles, rubies, lapis lazuli, bronze mirrors, beads, spices, high-quality woolen tents, and over thirty fine Arabian horses. Li Qing’an planned to present these luxuries to Li Longji. There was also another generous gift: two hundred thousand pounds of silver ingots.
As dusk fell, the group set up camp by the Mingshui River. Li Qing’an was focused on writing his report in the main tent. On the other side of the tent, the Poetic Sisters were busy packing their belongings. Wuyi sat by the zither, resting her chin on it and gazing at Li Qing’an, looking somewhat restless. What was on her mind?
This time, the three of them were returning to Chang’an with Li Qing’an. On one hand, they had been away from Chang’an for too long and wanted to go back. On the other hand, they wanted to meet Dugu Mingyue so that she could officially welcome them into the Li family.
“Third Brother, could you accompany me for a ride?”
Wuyi sat down next to Li Qing’an and pleaded softly, “It’s stuffy inside the tent. Please go out with me!”
“Okay! Wait until I finish writing these few words.”
Li Qing’an quickly finished writing a section, put down his pen, stood up, and said with a smile, “Let’s go!”

Wuyi’s face lit up with joy. She quickly said to the two busy women, “It’s so picturesque. Li Lang and I will go for a walk and be back soon.”
Rushi nodded, but Ruhua laughed and said, “Sis Wuyi, don’t go too far. Be careful, or you might get eaten by wolves.”
Li Qing’an chuckled and said, “Be careful yourself. Wolves might come for you tonight!”
Ruhua gave him a flirtatious glance. “Is that so? Then let them try. I actually want to hunt a wolf tonight and taste some game.”
“Enough! Stop being cheesy,” Rushi said playfully. “You two are really something. Flirting like this in front of everyone—what do you think of me and Sis Wuyi? That we’re wood?”
Li Qing’an laughed and took Wuyi’s hand, leading her away. As soon as they left, Rushi’s smile disappeared, and she sighed softly.
“Sis, what’s wrong?” Ruhua asked curiously. “Why are you sighing?”
Rushi shook her head. “Nothing. Don’t ask.”
“What’s the matter? Everyone’s worried—Sis Wuyi too, and you too. You’ve been gloomy all the way, like you’re going to execution. Is it that serious?”
Ruhua was upset. “I don’t understand what you’re worried about. It’s our eldest brother who makes the decisions here. Who do you think he is? The grand Anxi Military Governor, commanding thousands of troops. Even if she’s a fallen royal, or even a princess, she still has to obey him. I don’t believe that after all these years with him, he’d be heartless to us.”
Rushi sighed again. “That’s true, but after all, she’s the head of the household. If she dislikes us, she has the right to drive us out. Our eldest brother isn’t at home every day. By the time he returns, things will already be settled, and he won’t be able to do anything.”
“If she drives us out, so be it. We can just become merchants. I run a tea shop in Beiting that makes a fortune every day. To be honest, I really want to be free. Sis, stop worrying. We’re not those helpless orphans anymore. Are we afraid we can’t support ourselves?”
Although her sister was optimistic, Rushi still couldn’t let go. Her only wish in life was to stay with her eldest brother forever. Other than that, she didn’t want to go anywhere else.
“Never mind. Let’s not talk about it. I think Sister Mingyue is a sensible woman. She should be able to accept us. As for Sis Wuyi… sigh!”
…
Under the setting sun, Wuyi rode her horse side by side with Li Qing’an. Looking at the blood-red sunset, she seemed sad. She whispered, “Li Lang, I’ve made up my mind. I still want to live alone for the rest of my life.”
“Are you leaving me?” Li Qing’an asked unhappily.

Wuyi gently shook her head. “No, I’ll be by your side, but I don’t want to marry you.”
“Why?”
“How should I put it? Before meeting you, I spent over a decade living under others’ roofs, enduring their disdain. It’s enough—I refuse to live in fear of others’ opinions anymore.”
Li Qing’an glanced at her and said, “Are you referring to Mingyue?”
“Who else could it be?” Wuyi smiled bitterly. “Yes, she’s from a noble family and will become your legitimate wife. What am I? Just a concubine to fetch tea and water?”
Li Qing’an fell silent for a moment before saying, “You’ll be my equal wife. You’ll have the same status at home. If you don’t want to see her, I can keep you apart—live separately without interfering with each other.”
“Is that possible? Can two spoons in one bowl not collide?”
Gazing at the sunset, Wuyi said sadly, “Actually, I’m a very selfish woman. I can never accept having another woman in my husband’s life. It’s just that I’m weak—I can’t break free from the shackles of the Cui family’s name. I have no choice but to accept it, to treat Rushi like my sister. I pray every day to heaven that my husband won’t marry another woman. I’ll serve you well for life, but heaven has no pity for me. I’m really foolish—how could you possibly not get married?”
“So now you don’t want to marry me!” Li Qing’an’s tone turned annoyed.
“It’s not that I don’t want to marry you. I just don’t want to share my husband with another woman. I refuse to live in fear of others’ opinions anymore. No! I absolutely refuse.”
“Hmph!” Li Qing’an snorted heavily. “So you want to marry someone else as your legitimate wife? Who is it?”
“Lord Li!”
Tears welled up in Wuyi’s beautiful eyes as she said in a trembling voice, “I, Jiang Wuyi, swear by heaven that in this life, I’ll belong to you in life and as a ghost after death. My body and my heart are yours—only… only I don’t want to marry you.”
Li Qing’an stared at the sunset and let out a deep sigh. He was from a future era—how could he not understand Wuyi’s feelings?
Suddenly, he grabbed Wuyi’s waist, roughly lifted her onto his horse, bent down to kiss her lips, and began to touch and caress her body unrestrainedly. He pulled open her skirt and slipped his hand inside her robe. Wuyi let out a soft sound, her body gradually softening, and soon she was lost in his stormy passion.