Chapter 281: Geshu’s Concerns

The Du Gu family’s banquet ended after an hour. The wedding was officially set for February 18th, and today was the tenth day of the first lunar month—only eight days remained. The Du Gu family was about to face its busiest time.

At the banquet, Du Gu Haoran was in a gloomy mood and got thoroughly drunk. Lady Pei was the only one who saw off the guests as they left. The Du Gu residence was in intense activity as carriage after carriage departed under the escort of their attendants.

Li Qing’an had drunk half his amount, and Mingyue escorted him out of the house. Although his father had finally approved the marriage, Mingyue remained worried. She feared more complications might arise. Having gone through so much hardship in the past two years, she was now on high alert at the slightest sign of trouble.

“I’ll have Wuyi and Rushi Ruhua keep you company these days. Don’t worry—nothing will happen,” Li Qing’an reassured her softly. “I’m no longer the weak officer I used to be. I believe I have enough strength to protect you.”

“I know. You need to be careful too.”

“Alright, I’m leaving now. Look forward to the day we meet!”

Li Qing’an mounted his horse, gave Mingyue a slight nod. She smiled enchantingly, gazing after him as he rode away. Lady Pei came over, took her daughter’s arm, and said with a smile, “What, reluctant to part?”

“Mother, I’m very worried about him. He offended the emperor—what should we do?” Mingyue sighed softly.

“Don’t worry. Men’s matters aren’t as simple as you think. Trust your husband to handle it.”

“I hope so too!”

Mingyue smiled sweetly and said to her mother, “Mother, let’s go back.”

As all the guests left, the Du Gu residence quickly became quiet.

Protected by over fifty bodyguards, Li Qing’an headed toward the city gate. Upon reaching it, he saw a carriage parked by the road from afar. A soldier approached and saluted.

“General Li, our commander wants to see you!”

“Is it Commander Geshu?” Li Qing’an recognized the officer as Zuo Che, Geshu Han’s personal attendant and a fierce warrior as well.

“Yes! The commander asks you to come to the carriage for a chat.”

“Then I’ll disturb them.”

Li Qing’an rode over to the carriage. Geshu Han had already opened the door and was waiting. He laughed and said, “General Li, are you drunk?”

Li Qing’an also laughed. “Alcohol isn’t a problem. It’s the beautiful ladies who intoxicate me.”

Geshu Han clapped his hands and laughed. “My dear brother truly understands the ways of the world. Please come aboard.”

Li Qing’an got off and boarded his own carriage. Ge Shuhan’s carriage was surprisingly spacious, almost like a small house, with thick carpets and luxurious furnishings. There were fixed candlesticks, providing bright lighting. Inside, there was a separate small room with a low table in the center, covered with a map, along with numerous books piled beside it.
“Indeed impressive!” Li Qing’an nodded in approval. Over the past couple of days, he had also considered switching to a carriage—not for comfort, but mainly to work on the road more easily and to avoid assassination attempts. His status had become increasingly important; not only did he have political rivals like Yang Guozhong, but also hostile nations such as the Arabs and Tibetans hated him deeply. Riding a horse through the streets made him too easy a target, making it difficult to prevent assassinations. Ge Shuhan’s carriage reinforced his desire to do so.
He sat down. At that moment, the door to the inner room opened, and out came a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a very seductive manner. She knelt on the carpet, holding a tea tray, and placed two steaming teacups on the small table. Li Qing’an glanced into the inner room and saw a bed, with a woman lying half-reclined on it, dressed very revealingly. He smiled ambiguously and said, “The marshal really knows how to enjoy life!”
Ge Shuhan smiled cheerfully and replied, “These two women are my favored concubines. If there were no wars, I couldn’t stay away from women for even a moment, so I bring them with me.”
He then said to the concubine who brought the tea, “I have important matters to discuss with General Li. Please do not disturb us.”
“Yes!” The woman nodded and returned to the inner room, closing the door behind her.
Li Qing’an slowly took a sip of tea, his gaze fixed on the map before him. He then realized it was made up of two maps—one showing the area west of Qinghai, and the other, the region of Anxi, both bordering Tibet.
Li Qing’an began to understand. Ge Shuhan likely wanted to discuss matters related to Tibet with him. He remembered Li Linfu once telling him that Li Longji would not reduce his troops for now and suggested he consult Ge Shuhan. It seemed the same advice applied here.
He said nothing, merely sipping his tea quietly, waiting for Ge Shuhan to speak first.
“I intend to launch a full-scale war against Tibet at the turn of summer and autumn!” Ge Shuhan was straightforward, stating his plan without hesitation.
Seeing that Li Qing’an remained silent, he continued, “Tibet’s new king is young, and there is fierce competition for power among the Rong family, Ma Chongying, and Shangxi Dongzan factions, leaving Tibet in a state of weakness. This is a once-in-a-century opportunity for us, and I believe we must not miss it.”

“General Geshu means that Anxi should also join the battle, launching large-scale campaigns on both the eastern and western fronts.”
“That’s exactly it!” Geshu Han nodded with a smile. “If battles start simultaneously on both fronts, the Tubo will be unable to focus on either side. I believe that after this battle, our Tang army will seize Jiuqu and Dafeichuan, eliminating the Tubo’s supply bases. This will allow the Tang to shift from a strategic defensive position to an offensive one, gaining the upper hand for the first time and ensuring at least fifty years of peace in Longyou.”
Li Qing’an understood Geshu Han’s intention—this battle would primarily focus on Longyou with Anxi as a supporting force to assist the troops there. Yet it was also crucial for Anxi. In Li Qing’an’s plan, he intended to launch a campaign against Toharistan to drive the Abbasid forces out, but the Tubo posed a hidden threat, likely to strike suddenly while the Tang and Abbasid armies were engaged, either attacking Daboli or Yutian, putting the Tang army in a difficult position fighting on two fronts. Additionally, the Uyghurs could also launch a surprise attack on Beiting, resulting in a three-front war where the Tang army would surely be defeated.
Geshu Han’s suggestion came at just the right time—it would allow the Anxi army to eliminate the Tubo threat before launching the campaign against Toharistan, enabling them to focus fully on that battle. On the other hand, it would make it difficult for Li Longji to take action against him, making it a win-win solution both militarily and politically.
However, the drawback of launching the campaign against the Tubo first was obvious—it would give the Abbasids a chance to recover. By the time the battle against the Tubo ended, the Abbasids’ campaign in Africa would also be over, allowing them to deploy more troops to fight against the Tang in Toharistan, making the campaign even more difficult.
But everything has its pros and cons. If the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, it’s a viable option. Although Li Qing’an had made up his mind, he didn’t want to make things too easy for Geshu Han. If Geshu Han got too much too easily, he would lose leverage in negotiations. At the same time, this could force Geshu Han to pressure Li Longji, prompting Li Longji to negotiate with him.
Thinking this, Li Qing’an smiled faintly and said, “I wonder if the marshal has reported this plan to the emperor?”

It should be said that Ge Shuhan had been considering this plan for two full years. After capturing Shibao City, he continued to advance westward, attempting to seize areas such as Dafei Chuan and Jiuqu in order to completely eliminate the Tibetans’ logistical stronghold. However, his several military campaigns failed due to his fear of the Tibetans’ 60,000-strong reinforcements in the west, which prevented him from advancing further. He stopped after achieving a minor victory by capturing Tibet’s Shudun City. This was also why the Tibetan army did not launch a counterattack while Li Qingan was fighting against the Arabs in the western regions—Ge Shuhan’s military actions in Longyou effectively held back the Tibetan forces in the west.

At the beginning of last year, Ge Shuhan had considered joining forces with the Anxi Army to fight together, using the Anxi Army to hold off the Tibetan forces in the west so that he could go all out in his own campaign. But at that time, Li Qingan was engaged in the fierce Battle of Talas against the Arabs and had no time to deal with the Tibetans. So Ge Shuhan did not bring this up again. Now that Li Qingan had achieved remarkable success in defeating the Arab army in the western regions, the Anxi Army had become the strongest among all the regional forces, both in terms of troop strength and territory.

Meanwhile, Gao Xianzhi also achieved a great victory in the south, displaying his military prowess. Additionally, An Lushan was granted the title of Prince of Dongping after defeating the Khitans.

Ge Shuhan could no longer remain idle. He was determined to secure a decisive victory over the Tibetans to establish himself among the top three figures in the Tang Dynasty. Just as Li Qingan ended the Battle of Talas, Ge Shuhan’s plan, which he had been considering for two years, could finally be put into action.

He had already convinced Li Longji, who was willing to devote the entire resources of the state to this campaign. Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong also expressed their support. Now, the key was Li Qingan’s attitude. Ge Shuhan knew that relying on Li Longji to pressure Li Qingan would not work—Li Qingan could easily refuse, for example by immediately starting a war on the Arab border, leaving the Anxi Army unable to act effectively.

He needed Li Qingan’s sincere support. Of course, Ge Shuhan did have other options; with enough troops, he could fight independently on both the east and west fronts. He had considered inviting the Shuofang Army to assist, but after sending someone to express this wish to An Sishun, he was firmly rejected. His relationship with the An brothers was extremely poor, so it was within his expectations that An Sishun would not help him.

Another option was to deploy troops from the interior to fight in Longyou. This plan was feasible, but all the relatively capable troops from Guanzhong had already been sent to Jiannan under Gao Xianzhi; what remained were weak troops whose combat strength was insufficient to cope with harsh conditions. They might not only fail to help him but also lead to his complete defeat. In that case, his brother Ge Shu Han would gain no credit and still bear responsibility. After careful consideration, the safest and most effective solution was to have the Anxi army fight against the Tibetans from the west.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to assist Li Qingan, Ge Shu Han cautiously presented his request. He knew that this campaign would also benefit Li Qingan, but the key lay in whether Li Qingan would agree to help him. Fortunately, Li Qingan did not refuse, which kindled hope in Ge Shu Han’s heart. He quickly said with a smile, “I have naturally already reported this plan to the emperor, who has agreed in principle. However, this campaign involves a wide area, and it cannot be fought solely by the troops of Longyou; your Anxi army must also participate.”

Li Qingan nodded and smiled, saying, “Since Brother Ge Shu is acting for the country, how could I not assist? But this matter is of great significance. I was also planning to launch a campaign against Toharistan while the Arabs were occupied in their western campaigns and unable to focus on the east. I’m indeed a bit conflicted, but…”

Ge Shu Han’s heart sank momentarily, but then he heard a turn in Li Qingan’s words. His heart seemed to drop into a quagmire before rising again, so he quickly asked, “But what?”

Li Qingan smiled slightly and said, “The key still lies with the court, depending on the emperor. With continuous warfare on the borders, the domestic population bears a heavy burden, and the nation’s strength is exhausted. If Brother Ge Shu can fully convince the emperor, I think he won’t need to come to me anymore—the emperor will come to discuss it with me.”

Ge Shu Han fell silent in thought. He somewhat understood Li Qingan’s intention—Li Qingan wanted to bargain with Li Longji. He also understood Li Qingan’s situation. On the surface, he seemed to be in a favorable position, but in reality, he faced hidden crises. Due to Yang Guozhong’s instigation and the growing power of the Anxi region, Li Longji had sent princes to govern Anxi while leaving Fanyang and Longyou unattended. If Li Longji truly trusted Li Qingan, would he do such a thing?

Li Qingan wanted to use this opportunity to assist Longyou by sending troops from the west to gain some benefits from Li Longji—this was only human. As for the exhausted national strength, Ge Shu Han didn’t care.

Ge Shu Han nodded and said, “I understand what you mean. If I give you something, you should give me something in return. I will also lend you a hand.”

Seeing that Ge Shu Han had understood his meaning, Li Qingan smiled and said, “Since Brother Ge Shu has a request of me, how can I not show some consideration first?”
Ge Shu Han was taken aback and quickly replied, “Tell me what you desire, and I’ll give it to you!”
He pointed to the interior of the carriage and said with a suggestive smile, “Do you want these two women? I’ll give them to you.”
Li Qingan shook his head and laughed, “A gentleman does not take what belongs to others. Brother Ge Shu has already honored me with three cups of ox horn wine; how could I take your women? But this carriage is quite good—I really like it.”
Ge Shu Han laughed heartily. “Good! Since you like it, I’ll give it to you.”
……
In Xingqing Palace, Yang Yuhuan hurried toward the Datong Hall surrounded by dozens of palace maids. She had just received news that the emperor was furious and had executed three eunuchs—those very three who she had sent to deliver congratulatory gifts to the Du Gu family.
Li Longji’s reason for executing them was that they had left the palace secretly at night. Yang Yuhuan naturally understood where the emperor’s anger came from—Du Gu Haoran had announced the wedding date between Li Qingan and Du Gu Mingyue, which had enraged him.
When Yang Yuhuan reached the entrance to the Datong Hall, she was about to enter when several guards stopped her.
“Your Majesty, the emperor has ordered that no one may disturb him.”
“Not even me?” Yang Yuhuan asked with a dark expression.
The guards looked uneasy and stammered, “That’s what the emperor ordered. Please understand, Your Majesty!”
Yang Yuhuan remained silent for a long time. She knew the emperor must have explicitly forbidden her from entering; otherwise, the guards would not have dared to stop her. It seemed the emperor was also angry that she had sent someone to pressure Du Gu Haoran. She sighed inwardly.
Last year, on her birthday, her third son took a liking to the dazzling Du Gu Mingyue and subtly hinted that he wanted her to enter the palace that very night. As the emperor who ruled the land, it was only natural for him to want a woman in the palace. She, Yang Yuhuan, would not and could not obstruct him out of jealousy. But she would never allow Du Gu Mingyue to enter the palace, as she knew full well that Du Gu Mingyue was already engaged. Everyone in Chang’an was aware of this. She didn’t want her son to hurt a high-ranking official over a woman, nor did she want him to bear the reputation of taking a man’s wife.
On the other hand, Mingyue was Li Qingan’s fiancée. Yang Yuhuan had always liked Li Qingan and didn’t want him to be humiliated or suffer the loss of his wife. Of course, as a woman herself, she was somewhat uneasy about Mingyue’s extraordinary beauty. She was already in her early thirties, while Mingyue was only twenty. Once Mingyue entered the palace, it would threaten her position.

For both public and personal reasons, Yang Yuhuan was absolutely unwilling for Mingyue to enter the palace. She had tried several times to stop Li Longji, and today she finally angered him by having the eunuchs she sent executed—essentially as a threat to her. There was still a court meeting the next day. Yang Yuhuan had originally intended to persuade Li Longji to calm down and rest early, but now she couldn’t even enter the palace hall. She gazed at the Datong Hall for a long time before finally sighing and turning back to her own bedroom. In the Datong Hall, Li Longji was seething with rage; he was almost losing his sanity. As an emperor, he couldn’t even have the woman he favored—what was the point of being emperor? And that jealous woman—did she really think she could be the only one he doted on? She dared to send eunuchs secretly to pressure Dugu Haoran. Who did she think he was—some ordinary commoner? “Dare you!” Li Longji swung the inkstone and smashed it violently on the ground, shattering it into pieces. The eunuchs around him, like Yu Chaoyen, were terrified. They had never seen the emperor lose his temper so badly. Under normal circumstances, they would have rushed to clean up the shards, but now no one dared approach—anyone who did would die. After venting his anger, Li Longji’s fury subsided slightly. Then he glanced at a brocade box on the table. It contained the “Love-Enhancing Flower Seeds” that An Lushan had presented to him the year before last. These seeds, the size of glutinous rice and red in color, could be taken before bed to boost desire and energy. He called them “Han’s Careful Adhesive.” They had cured his secret ailment, so he had rewarded An Lushan generously, even granting him the title of prince. But later he found their side effects too severe—after using them, he would feel exhausted the next day and have a foggy head for several days. He hadn’t used them in nearly a year. Today he had brought them out specifically, hoping that tonight Dugu Haoran would secretly bring Dugu Mingyue into the palace so he could enjoy himself all night. But the plan failed, only fueling his desire even more. With unquenchable lust in his heart and anger toward Yang Yuhuan, he didn’t want to go look for her. Overwhelmed with confusion, he suddenly remembered Concubine Mei—the delicate, graceful, and exquisitely beautiful woman. She was equally stunning and never defied him. He had doted on her for several years. It seemed it had been seven or eight years since he last saw her. She lived alone in the Taiji Palace—what was her situation now? A sudden longing arose in Li Longji’s heart, and he waved at Yu Chaoyen. Yu Chaoyen quickly stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, please give your orders!” Li Longji whispered to him, “Take my imperial token and go to the Taiji Palace. Secretly bring Concubine Mei here to the Datong Hall. Do you understand?”

Yu Chaoyen was stunned. How could the Emperor suddenly think of Jiang Caiping? So many years had passed. He quickly nodded and said, “Your Majesty, rest assured. I’ll go right away and bring her to you at once.”
If Yang Yuhuan was rich and fatty food, then Jiang Caiping was a fresh and delicious side dish. One eventually gets tired of rich and fatty food too.
At the thought of Concubine Mei arriving, Li Longji’s anger finally subsided. He gradually regained his senses and then remembered there was still one important matter left unfinished. There would be a court meeting the next day, and he had a few words he had forgotten to instruct Yang Guozhong about.
Li Longji immediately ordered a eunuch, “Go, call Yang Guozhong here to me at once!”