Chapter 284: The Debate at the Morning Assembly (Part 1)

With a dull toll of a bell, the Danfeng Gate of Daming Palace slowly opened. Hundreds of officials who had arrived early poured in like a tide. The Hanyuan Hall, where the grand morning assembly was to take place, had not yet been opened, so most officials gathered in the Danfeng Gate square, chatting in small groups. This had become a tradition—an important way for court officials to interact outside the hall. It was highly beneficial for building consensus, resolving differences, and securing political support. Although Li Longji had not attended morning assemblies for a long time, the tradition persisted, and many officials arrived early.

Yang Guozhong also arrived at the Danfeng Gate square early. He first went to Geshu Han’s residence but learned that he had already left. In a hurry, he rushed to Daming Palace. In the square, court officials gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves. After searching around, Yang Guozhong finally found Geshu Han near the Longwei Road. Geshu Han was discussing the issue of insufficient military funds with Sun Qiyi, the General of the Left Guard, and Wang Sizhong, the General of the Right Guard.

“Ultimately, it’s because the court doesn’t pay enough attention to our border troops. Especially the upper-class families and royal nobles look down on the military. They favor scholars over soldiers, claiming that those who use their minds should rule while those who use their strength are ruled by others. This is clearly a way to belittle soldiers. It’s bad enough that they look down on us, but they also make things difficult with food and funds. I have to urge them repeatedly before they reluctantly allocate a little. Don’t they realize that without soldiers fighting bravely, if the Tubo invade the capital, they’ll be the first to suffer?”

Geshu Han spoke loudly, actually addressing the few officials from the Ministry of Revenue nearby. Lately, many court officials had been complaining that the funds allocated to the border troops were too much, affecting their own salaries and annual pay. Geshu Han was furious. The troops in Longyou simply didn’t have enough food and had to rely on their own military farms to solve the problem. Although the emperor had given him the power to mint coins, it was just empty talk—where was he supposed to find copper mines? In reality, it was still the court that didn’t want to bear the military expenses. Geshu Han was filled with resentment. As Gao Lishi had said, civil officials complained that the border troops took all the funds, reducing their salaries and making their lives difficult, while the border troops complained about insufficient funds and civil officials’ contempt for them. This created a vicious cycle of mutual disdain, rooted ultimately in the reduction of taxes by the court.

Geshu Han’s extreme views angered the officials from the Ministry of Revenue. They snorted indignantly and walked away one after another.
“General Geshu!”

Yang Guozhong called out from a distance and strode toward him quickly. The two generals who were talking with Geshu Han saw Yang Guozhong approaching and tactfully left. Yang Guozhong stepped forward, bowed, and said with a smile, “General Geshu, I went to your residence early in the morning only to find out you had left, forcing me to chase after you with great effort.”

To be precise, the relationship between Geshu Han and Yang Guozhong was not bad. Geshu Han belonged to the imperial faction, being part of Li Longji’s direct circle. Among the various factions in the court, Geshu Han had no connections with any of them and was always highly trusted by Li Longji, which allowed him to hold the position of governor of Longyou, the region closest to Chang’an. Although their relationship was not hostile, it was not particularly good either. The key issue was that Geshu Han’s political rivals, the An brothers, were supporters of Yang Guozhong, and the two were very close. This made Geshu Han uncomfortable, and thus he kept a certain distance from Yang Guozhong as well.

Geshu Han had been in the capital for over a month yet had never spoken alone with Yang Guozhong. Now, Yang Guozhong suddenly came to find him, claiming to have been at his residence. This made Geshu Han somewhat suspicious—what did Yang Guozhong want from him?

“Is Secretary Yang perhaps inviting me for a drink?”

Geshu Han used his unique laughter to show his openness and close relationship with Yang Guozhong. This laughter was mostly a form of diplomatic rhetoric—elegant but impractical. It neither deterred anyone nor influenced the parties involved; it could only serve to impress outsiders by making them believe their relationship was close. It was like a fancy curtain, covering up the superficial harmony between Geshu Han and Yang Guozhong.

Still, Geshu Han’s laughter served as a bit of lubricant, easing Yang Guozhong’s slightly tense mood. How should he bring up the matter of the prince title to Geshu Han? In fact, Yang Guozhong had already understood the intent behind Li Longji’s instructions: to sow discord between Geshu Han and Li Qing’an, preventing them from getting too close. After all, if the two governors in charge of Anxi Northwest Region and Longyou Hexi Region joined forces, half of the Tang Dynasty’s territory would be in extreme danger. Under no circumstances could Li Qing’an and Geshu Han be too close. That way, even if Li Qing’an rebelled, he wouldn’t be able to reach Longyou and Guanzhong through Hexi. Moreover, keeping subordinates at odds was also an art of leadership. Introducing some discord into the alliance between the two governors, who were about to engage in separate battles, was something Li Longji was happy to do.

Li Longji intended to introduce some conflict between Li Qing’an and Geshu Han, but not too much. However, it was Yang Guozhong who was tasked with carrying out this plan. Since Yang Guozhong held the power to decide how it would be executed, if Li Longji was the recipe maker, then Yang Guozhong was the head chef. The same dish—“the battle between dragon and tiger”—could have a completely different flavor depending on the chef. Yang Guozhong preferred a stronger flavor; he felt it necessary to add not only more salt but also more spice to the relationship between Li Qing’an and Geshu Han, aiming to maximize their conflict, which would serve his own interests.

“Marshal, please come this way. The Emperor has asked me to convey a message to you.”

The smile vanished from Geshu Han’s face. Why couldn’t the Emperor speak to him directly? Why did he have to send Yang Guozhong as an intermediary? Even before Yang Guozhong spoke, Geshu Han felt uneasy. He and Yang Guozhong were both high-ranking officials of equal status. Having Yang Guozhong deliver the message implicitly elevated Yang Guozhong above him. He remained motionless, his face cold, and said, “If Minister Yang has something to say, just say it outright! I, Geshu Han, don’t like sneaky dealings.”

His indifferent attitude frustrated Yang Guozhong, who looked embarrassed. He chuckled awkwardly and said, “It’s about the matter of being appointed as a prince. The Emperor wants me to inform you.”

He hesitated, still trying to draw Geshu Han’s attention. Geshu Han’s eyes narrowed slowly—this was indeed something he cared deeply about. He had already heard that he would be appointed as the Prince of Xiping. He had long desired this title. An Lushan had received it two years earlier, yet he had still heard no news. What annoyed him the most was An Lushan, who used the Khitans to manipulate politics. Whenever the court wanted to recall him to the capital, he would incite the Khitans to rebel. Last time, when the court tried to send him to the capital, he provoked the Khitans and the Xi to rebel, even killing two Tang princesses. Then he stepped in to suppress the Khitans, ruining the court’s plan and making the Emperor believe that only he could control them. In reality, this man was mediocre and incompetent, with no outstanding talents or heroic achievements. Yet he was still appointed as the Prince of Dongping—proof that heaven was blind. Geshu Han had long resented An Lushan. Now, at last, he had the chance to be made a prince, which would give him some relief. But Yang Guozhong’s regretful tone made Geshu Han’s heart sink again.

“What message did the Emperor send through you? Does he not plan to appoint me as a prince today?”

“No! The prince will still be conferred the title today, but the emperor said it’s inappropriate to confer it on three people at once, so only two are to be honored.”
“Who are those two? Li Qing’an and Gao Xianzhi?”
Ge Shuhan’s face could no longer conceal his displeasure. He understood Yang Guozhong’s meaning—there was no place for him as a prince; he, Ge Shuhan, wasn’t qualified. That was it. Anger burned within him. He was dissatisfied and unwilling to accept it. He had been fighting against the Tibetans, the Tang Dynasty’s greatest enemy, not some barbaric and backward Khitans or a small, sparsely populated Nanzhao. He had captured Shibao City from the Tibetans—a task even Wang Zhongsì thought impossible—but despite such great achievements, he wasn’t included when the princes were appointed. They kept claiming he was part of the emperor’s direct lineage. Was this what belonging to the imperial family meant?
The anger in Ge Shuhan’s heart grew stronger. He detested Yang Guozhong, who had risen through nepotism, and the smug look in Yang’s eyes reminded him of An Lushan’s mocking expressions. He wished he could punch Yang Guozhong in the face.
“I, Ge Shuhan, am of humble origin and unworthy of being made a prince. I must take my leave!”
With an angry snort, Ge Shuhan turned and left. Yang Guozhong watched his retreating figure and smiled triumphantly. This was exactly what he wanted—to make Ge Shuhan furious and set him at odds with Li Qing’an. As for Li Longji’s request for him to explain things to Ge Shuhan, that would wait until after the battles this autumn.
…
Li Qing’an arrived at Daming Palace at just the right time. Carriages were not allowed inside the palace, so he waited outside with his bodyguards. He got out of the carriage and strode into Danfeng Gate.
Li Qing’an looked around, trying to find Li Linfu, but after searching thoroughly, he saw no sign of him. Had he not arrived yet? He hurried to Danfeng Gate. A Jinwu Guard officer saw him approaching and quickly stepped forward to greet him, “Does the general have any business?”
“Has Prime Minister Li arrived?”
“He’s already here. I saw him just now.”
“I see him!” From a distance, Li Qing’an spotted Li Linfu standing with several court officials, chatting.
He hurried over, but suddenly, a figure flashed by—Ge Shuhan was passing right in front of him.
“Brother Ge Shuhan!”
Li Qing’an called out to him with a smile. He wanted to thank Ge Shuhan for the comfortable carriage he had provided. Unexpectedly, Ge Shuhan glanced at him, gave a forced smile, and headed toward the palace gate without even saying goodbye.

Li Qing’an was stunned. Ge Shu Han shouldn’t be treating him like this! Last night, he had even asked for Li Qing’an’s help, offering him a carriage to ensure his cooperation in battle. But what had changed now? There was clearly resentment and dissatisfaction in his gaze—what exactly had happened?

“General Li!” Li Linfu saw him and called out to him.

Li Qing’an turned around in confusion, then glanced back at Ge Shu Han. Ge Shu Han had already left Danfeng Gate. With deep doubts, Li Qing’an approached Li Linfu and bowed, saying, “I pay my respects to the Prime Minister!”

“General Li, what’s going on with General Ge Shu Han?”

Li Linfu had also noticed Ge Shu Han’s unusual behavior and was somewhat surprised. Did Ge Shu Han have some kind of trigger?

Li Qing’an shook his head. “I don’t know either. He was fine last night—how did things suddenly change like this?”

“I seem to have seen Minister Yang talking to General Ge Shu Han just now. General Ge Shu Han seemed very angry,” an official added cautiously.

“Yang Guozhong?”

Li Linfu knew that Emperor Li Longji had suddenly summoned Yang Guozhong last night. He pondered for a moment and muttered to himself, “Could it be related to the matter of conferring a title of prince?”

Li Qing’an was also stunned. “Are you saying that the issue of conferring a title on Ge Shu Han has caused trouble?”

“That’s likely! Otherwise, Ge Shu Han wouldn’t behave so abnormally. But what does the emperor mean by this?”

Li Linfu glanced at Li Qing’an thoughtfully.

Li Qing’an also began to understand a bit, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He said to Li Linfu, “Prime Minister, there’s something I need your help with!”

“Come! Let’s talk here.”

Li Linfu took Li Qing’an to a quiet corner and asked, “Go ahead! What is it?”

“I just received news that Mansur, the envoy of the Arab princes, has arrived in Xianyang. He’s likely to enter Chang’an this afternoon. If I’m not mistaken, he’s here to exchange for Arab prisoners of war.”

“How many Arab prisoners of war do you have?”

“About 22,000. I plan to use them to operate mines. The Arabs know they can’t leave if they’re in my hands, so they came to Chang’an. This Mansur isn’t an ordinary person—he’s likely to become the next Arab caliph. I hope the Prime Minister can persuade the emperor to let me handle the negotiations with the Arabs entirely.”

“It might not be realistic to let you handle it entirely. It would be fine in Anxi, but here in Chang’an, the final decision still lies with the emperor. It won’t be just you who negotiates. However, I can promise to let you participate in the negotiations. Also, I’ll prevent Yang Guozhong from getting involved.”

Li Qing’an also knew that since Mansur had come to Chang’an, many factors were beyond his control. When it came to dealing with prisoners of war, it wasn’t up to him to decide—Li Longji would make that call. He nodded and said, “Thank you, Prime Minister, for your support!”
At that moment, deep bell sounds came from the Hanyuan Hall—it was time for the court session. The civil and military officials in Dafengmen Square gathered in front of the Dragon Tail Path, forming two long queues.
Li Linfu patted Li Qing’an’s shoulder and said with a smile, “The court session has begun. Let’s go!”
…
The official presiding over today’s court session was Cui Ping, the Junior Supervisor of the Palace. He was the nephew of Cui Qiao, the man who had invited Li Qing’an to dinner back then. After the Yangzhou salt scandal, he was promoted to governor of Sizhou and served as governor for three years. Last November, he was transferred back to Chang’an to become the Junior Supervisor of the Palace. Although his rank had dropped by half, the power of an official in the capital far exceeded that of a local official. Moreover, after four years in office, he had made a fortune, buying a large mansion covering ten acres in the city, taking a concubine, and acquiring more than a dozen maids and servants—considering his achievements as an official, he had done well.
Cui Ping’s role as Junior Supervisor of the Palace was also temporary. In April this year, Luo Chengxuan, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, was about to retire. At that time, Cui Ping would take over his position as Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, officially entering the ranks of high-ranking officials in the court. He was a Jinshi from the first year of the Tianbao era and had served for eleven years. Reaching the position of vice minister was no small feat—of course, this was inseparable from his Cui family background.
“The time has come. All officials, enter the hall!”
With a loud shout from Cui Ping, thousands of civil and military officials marched into the Hanyuan Hall along the Dragon Tail Path.
The Hanyuan Hall was extremely spacious; even with thousands of people inside, it didn’t feel crowded. The officials stood according to their ranks, with those of rank three or higher having seats. Princes, dukes, the Three Teachers and Three Dukes, the Nine Ministries, Six Departments, Nine Temples, Five Supervisory Agencies, as well as the Twelve Guards, the Eastern Palace’s various departments, officials from Jingzhao Prefecture and other regions in the capital, and various officials without official powers—all lined up on both sides of the Hanyuan Hall.
Four of the Tang Dynasty’s seven military governors were present today: An Lushan, the governor of Fanyang and Pinglu; Li Qing’an, the governor of Anxi and Beiting; Geshu Han, the governor of Longyou and Hexi; and Gao Xianzhi, the governor of Jiannan and governor-general of Annam. The four of them stood two on each side. Interestingly, Geshu Han and Gao Xianzhi stood together, while Li Qing’an stood with An Lushan.
Li Longji had not arrived yet, and the hall was filled with whispers.
“General Li, congratulations on this!” An Lushan said softly from beside him with a smile.

This time, when Li Qing’an returned to Chang’an, it was his first encounter with An Lushan. After several years apart, he hardly seemed to have changed—still with that pumpkin-like face and plump body, his eyes even smaller, with a glimmer of light visible between them.

Li Qing’an smiled slightly and said, “General An was promoted to Prince of Dongping the year before last. I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you yet. Allow me to extend my congratulations as well!”

“Whereas! Whereas! That’s all due to the emperor’s grace. What merits or abilities do I, An Lushan, possess? How could I compare to a great general who defeated the Arab armies? I’m truly ashamed!”

The two exchanged a few polite words before talking about the polo matches from years ago. They both felt as though time had passed in the blink of an eye—four years had already gone by. An Lushan sighed and said, “General Li achieved great feats in the Battle of Xiao Boli and was promoted to Lieutenant General. In just a few years, he was then appointed as the governor of Anxi. Truly, success comes early for some. I often use General Li as an example to inspire my sons.”

“Actually, General An is quite remarkable too. I remember you joined the Tang army in the 20th year of the Kaiyuan era. In just eight years, you became a governor. That’s no small feat! Moreover, I heard that the court plans to recall you to the capital as a prime minister—going from general to prime minister, that’s the ideal path for a man!”

An Lushan’s narrowed eyes suddenly widened in shock. He exclaimed in astonishment, “What are you saying? I’m to go to the capital as prime minister? Who told you that?”

Li Qing’an noticed An Lushan’s shock and smiled calmly, saying, “General An, don’t worry about who told me. Anyway, it’s good news. I wonder who will take over as the governors of Fanyang and Pinglu after you go to the capital. I think it’s likely to be Fu Menglingcha and Cheng Qianli. What do you think?”

An Lushan’s expression changed drastically. He began to doubt whether what Li Qing’an said was true. He hadn’t received any such news at all, but Li Qing’an spoke so convincingly that it made him uneasy. After all, he had secretly recruited 30,000 troops. If he were transferred away from Fanyang, the secret of his private army would be exposed, and he would surely die.

“His Majesty has arrived!”

A loud shout echoed in the hall as Li Longji entered the Hanyuan Hall, surrounded by hundreds of guards, maids, and eunuchs.