Chapter 287: A Messenger from Afar

The court meeting on February 11th was destined to become a major event in the mid-Tang Dynasty. Not only were two princes enfeoffed during this meeting, and was the position of prime minister expanded, but more importantly, the Eastern Palace, which had remained vacant for two years, finally had a new ruler. Li Chu, the eldest grandson of the emperor, was officially appointed as the crown prince, renamed Li Yu, and became the heir to the Tang Dynasty. His father, the former crown prince Li Heng, was also reappointed as the Prince of Yong and allowed to enter the Eastern Palace to teach the crown prince how to handle state affairs.

In the morning, as the grand court meeting came to an end, one after another significant news stories spread like wings through the streets and alleys of Chang’an, causing a sensation throughout the court and becoming the main topic of discussion in the taverns and teahouses there.

The Du Gu family’s residence in Wu Ben Fang was filled with joy. Bright lights adorned the entrance, not only to celebrate their master’s promotion to Minister of Agriculture but also to mark the fact that their son-in-law would be elevated to the rank of prince. Below the steps outside the residence, a dozen servants lit a fire, while others cut long bamboo poles into sections about a foot long—preparing firecrackers. Although Li Qingan had already used gunpowder in warfare, his family chose to celebrate in the most traditional way.

Murong Mingzhu, who loved excitement, was not forgotten. She already had five or six firecracker tubes in her hands and waited anxiously.

“Butler Liu, have you sent anyone? Is there any news yet?”

“Second young lady, don’t worry. I’ve already sent people. The court meeting should be over by now.”

Murong Mingzhu was extremely anxious. Whether Li Qingan could be promoted to prince was more important to her than anything else. If he became a prince, he would no longer be just an ordinary minister. If her sister could become a queen, couldn’t he have concubines as well?

“He’s here! He’s here!”

Someone shouted from afar. Several servants rushed over, waving their arms and shouting, “He’s been promoted! He’s been promoted!”

Murong Mingzhu jumped for joy and threw all the bamboo tubes into the fire. Soon, with a loud “pop!” they exploded, sending sparks into the sky.

The messenger, out of breath, rushed over and said, “Not only has the son-in-law been appointed Prince of Anxi, but it seems he’s also become prime minister.”

The butler and the servants were stunned. Wow! The son-in-law had even become prime minister—this was truly unexpected! Murong Mingzhu’s eyes widened suddenly. After a moment, she let out a loud “Ah!” and ran back into the residence, shouting, “Sister! No! Queen! No! Lady Prime Minister…”

“Second young lady, your uncle has also been promoted to Vice Minister of War,” the messenger added hurriedly.

“Mother, uncle has been promoted too!”

The servants laughed uncontrollably.

At noon, a convoy of hundreds of camels slowly entered Mingde Gate in Chang’an. The people of Chang’an watched curiously at this group dressed in strange attire—each wearing black robes and large headscarves, quite different from the foreigners they were used to seeing. This group of foreigners was the special envoy delegation from the Abbasid Empire, who had traveled thousands of miles from Damascus to Chang’an. Leading them was Mansur, the second most powerful figure in the Abbasid Empire. He set out from Damascus, crossed the Amu Darya River, and instead of passing through the Sogdian region, he traveled through Turkestan to reach the Pamir Mountains. He originally had three thousand cavalry guards, but the Tang army refused to allow them to enter. With no other choice, Mansur ordered his guards to stay in Turkestan, while he, under the escort of the Tang army, crossed Anxi and the Hexi Corridor. After nearly three months, he finally arrived in Chang’an, the capital of the Tang Empire. The grandeur and splendor of Chang’an left a deep impression on him. Upon entering the city, he marveled at this city hailed as the greatest in the world—the prosperous scenes, the wide and straight Zhuque Street, and the bustling crowds all had a strong impact on him. Mansur silently observed everything around him. Along the way eastward, he had already seen the wealth and prosperity of the Tang Empire in Longyou, and the lush landscapes had left a deep impression on him. The magnificence of Chang’an further stirred his emotions. Years later, when Mansur became caliph, his first act was to build a great city comparable to Chang’an. Under his leadership, Baghdad was created. Yet, to Mansur’s regret, neither Byzantium’s Constantinople nor Baghdad by the Tigris River could compare to Chang’an. While Mansur was still in the Hexi region, the Honglu Temple, responsible for receiving foreign envoys, received news of his arrival. However, no one knew Mansur’s status in the Abbasid Empire, nor did they realize that the Abbasid Empire was a nation far superior to small Sogdian states like Kang and Shi. Apart from high-ranking officials at the borders, the Tang people generally did not regard the Abbasid Empire highly, seeing it as a nation roughly on par with Tubo. Even tribes as vast as the Turks and Uyghurs required the Tang Empire to confer titles on their khans, let alone a distant and mysterious western nation.

When Mansur arrived in Xianyang, it was Yang Wang, the head of the Guests’ Affairs Office in the Honglu Temple, who came to greet him. This form of reception could be considered rather modest—similar to a department head from a foreign ministry going to the airport to welcome the vice president of a major country. Yet Mansur showed no sign of displeasure; he quickly realized that this was not out of rudeness on the part of the Tang Dynasty, but rather a manifestation of their sense of superiority. In Yang Wang’s words, sending someone to greet him was already a sign of high regard. If the kings of the Sogdian states came to the capital, there would be no such reception at all.

But this was exactly what Mansur wanted. He had come to Chang’an not for friendly exchanges between great powers that required equal treatment. He had a specific goal: to rescue over 20,000 Arab soldiers captured by the Anxi Army and to learn the most advanced technologies of the Tang Dynasty—papermaking, armor-making, bow-making, and even the secrets of Tang military explosives. Therefore, maintaining a low profile would be highly advantageous for him.

Yang Wang was an enthusiasticreception officer officer. Of course, he had previously been eager to guide Luo Duo in obtaining the “Bright Moon.” His enthusiasm had earned him several hundred strings of silver, making him realize that being enthusiastic could also be an effective means of networking.

Thus, when he heard that Mansur had casually given a tea house singer 300 taels of silver in Fengxiang, his enthusiasm for Mansur grew even more. During the short journey from Xianyang to Chang’an, he enthusiastically introduced the wonders of the Tang Dynasty. When Mansur discreetly inquired about how paper was made, Yang Wang even more eagerly explained three ways to acquire papermaking skills: sending envoys to the Tang Dynasty like Japan and Silla, hiring papermakers at great expense from Arabia, or obtaining blueprints from papermaking workshops. The same methods could be used for armor-making and bow-making as well. Yang Wang even swore on his chest that he could act as a guide.

Yang Wang’s enthusiasm once again paid off. Upon entering the city gates of Chang’an, he found two heavy gold ingots in his pocket, each weighing 100 taels—though this was only half of what he would receive. As a condition, he would take a few Arab craftsmen home and arrange for them to learn papermaking. Yang Wang was overjoyed. Wasn’t learning papermaking simple? There were at least a hundred government-run and private papermaking workshops in Chang’an—where couldn’t they learn?

As for armor-making and bowcraft, Yang Wang was somewhat hesitant. He knew these were military secrets that couldn’t be disclosed casually like papermaking techniques. If reported, he, Yang Wang, would risk losing his head. Thus, he never dared to agree to Mansur’s requests for these two skills. Mansur didn’t press further, knowing some things required time. He could see that this official surnamed Yang was actually interested but just couldn’t agree right away. With patience and generous rewards, he believed Yang would eventually yield.

Thinking this, Mansur smiled slightly and asked, “Will your emperor receive us today?”

Of course, Mansur couldn’t communicate directly with Yang Wang, so he brought a Sogdian who understood both Chinese and Arabic as an interpreter.

The Sogdian translated Mansur’s words to Yang Wang, who replied with a smile, “You’ve come at a bad time. Our court is holding a meeting today, and the emperor likely can’t receive you yet. But I can arrange for you to stay temporarily. You can take the time to explore Chang’an.”

After hearing the translation, Mansur nodded and said, “Very well! Let’s find a place to have lunch first.”

As soon as he finished speaking, urgent horsebeats came from ahead. People stepped aside as over a hundred cavalry rushed forward, surrounding a carriage.

The carriage stopped in front of the Arabs. Yang Wang was about to step forward to ask when the door opened, and Li Qing’an stepped out. Yang Wang stepped back in fear. Li Qing’an was like a natural enemy to the Yang family—every member of the Yang family feared him, especially Yang Wang, who had taken 200 taels of gold from the Arabs, making him even more uneasy.

Li Qing’an spotted Mansur at a glance. It was a man in his late thirties or early forties, handsome and noble in appearance, exuding an air of royalty in every gesture. Though they had never met before, they seemed to be old friends.

He stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said in Turkic, “Are you Prince Mansur al-Amir?”

Mansur, who was fluent in Turkic, was stunned. He hadn’t revealed his identity when he came to Chang’an—he hadn’t even told the Tang officials who welcomed him his name. How could this man know his name and status, and even know he was an emir? He glanced at the Tang officer—about thirty years old, tall and imposing, with a long scar on his forehead that stood out. His eyes, with pupils like those of a wolf at night, seemed to pierce through hearts, filling Mansur with awe.

“I am Mansur. Does this general know me?”

Li Qing’an smiled and said, “Prince Mansur, how could you not know me? You passed through Anxi—haven’t my subordinates told you that I’ve also come to Chang’an?”
“You are… Li Qing’an!”
Mansur stepped back and stared at Li Qing’an in astonishment. Was this his opponent? Was this the Tang general who had defeated the Muslims and seized the lands along the river? He was so young.
Yang Wang swallowed hard. Throughout the journey, he had talked with Mansur and felt that this man was as unfathomable as the sea, with no trace of emotion in his eyes, which made him instinctively feel awe toward Mansur.
But now he suddenly saw a hint of panic, even fear, in Mansur’s eyes, and his fear of Li Qing’an grew even more. He timidly stepped forward and bowed, saying, “General, I am Yang Wang, head of the Protocol Office of the Ministry of Rites. I’ve been ordered to welcome the envoys from Persia.”
Li Qing’an glanced at him. He knew that this Yang Wang was the son of Yang Xiang. Mu Shi Han had told him that it was this very Yang Wang who had introduced them to Yang Huahua, in order to compete for her hand in marriage and carry out the assassination attempt on Luoduo. He was a highly corrupt scoundrel.
Li Qing’an said indifferently, “Prince Mansur is the successor to the Caliph. He cannot be welcomed by a mere minor official like you. Go! From now on, I will be the one to receive the envoys from Persia.”
Yang Wang did not dare say more. He bowed and left in a hurry, not even daring to glance at Mansur. By then, Mansur had gradually recovered from his shock. Although he had been surprised at first upon meeting Li Qing’an, he was after all the second most important figure in Persia and would not lose his composure because of this.
He placed his hand on his chest, bowed to Li Qing’an in return, and said with a slight smile, “So you are General Li. We should be old friends. Before I left, His Majesty the Caliph asked me to convey his respect to you.”
“Likewise. I also hold great respect for His Majesty Abbas. To be able to establish an empire shows he is by no means an ordinary person. The same goes for Prince Mansur. I believe you will lead the Abbasid Empire to glory. Additionally, I am very eager to meet the Muslim general. He is a worthy opponent.”
Li Qing’an’s familiarity with his own country gave Mansur the illusion that he was not facing a Tang general but rather a fellow countryman. Mansur’s mood lightened, and he said with a smile, “Our Abbasid Empire has no intention of being enemies with the Tang Dynasty. That’s why I’ve been sent here to establish good relations with your country. I hope this mission will be a complete success.”

“As long as your country is sincere, I believe Your Highness will be able to succeed on this mission. But if Your Highness comes for some ulterior purpose, I’m afraid you’ll return disappointed.”
“Haha! General Li is joking. I’ve come all this way—how could I not be sincere?”
“Very well! I wish Your Highness a successful visit.”
Li Qing’an glanced at the sky and smiled, “It’s already noon. I suppose Your Highness and your entourage haven’t eaten yet! I know a place that can prepare delicious dishes that respect your beliefs. Please follow me!”
For Mansur, who had traveled all the way from the east, food was the biggest concern. Islam had not yet spread to the interior of the Tang Dynasty, and most of the Sogdians who came to do business there practiced Zoroastrianism. Thus, having a proper meal in the Tang Dynasty was their greatest hope. Unfortunately, they had had to cook for themselves so far and had never tasted Tang Dynasty delicacies.
Hearing that there was a place that catered to Islamic dietary practices, Mansur was overjoyed. He bowed in accordance with Tang Dynasty etiquette and said, “Thank you, General Li!”
……
The place Li Qing’an took him to was naturally Rehaiju. Rehaiju had a chef who had spent a few years in Kufa and could prepare dishes in line with Islamic teachings.
With Li Qing’an leading a large group of guests, Rehaiju became bustling instantly. Hundreds of camels blocked the narrow streets. Chang Jin came out to greet them, bowed to Li Qing’an, and said, “Congratulations, General, on your promotion to prince! Today, Rehaiju will treat you to a feast to celebrate!”
“Some other time!”
Li Qing’an pointed to Mansur and his entourage behind him and said with a smile, “These aren’t my friends. They’re here to spend money at your place.”
Chang Jin glanced at the group of guests in black robes and his expression changed. “People from Persia!”
“It’s not just that. The person behind me is the second most important figure in Persia.”
Li Qing’an turned around and introduced Mansur, “This is my friend. He’s also been to Persia and can speak a little Arabic.”
Hearing that Chang Jin had been to Persia, Mansur laughed and asked, “May I ask which part of Persia you’ve been to?”
Chang Jin didn’t have a good impression of Persia, but out of respect for Li Qing’an, he reluctantly spoke in broken Arabic, “I’ve been to Merv.”
“Oh! So you’ve been to Khorasan. We’re also from Khorasan.”
Chang Jin nodded. “Please come in! Our shop will make you feel like at home.”

A few men helped take care of the camels, while Mansur’s hundred attendants flooded into the hall, each finding a spot to sit cross-legged. Knowing their dietary habits, Chang Jin loudly ordered, “Prepare new tableware. No wine— they can’t drink alcohol. Serve them tea, bring plenty of fruits, and also prepare roasted sheep.”

Chang Jin used Turkic to address the maids, who moved about like butterflies, bringing large plates of fruits and vegetables and pouring them tea. Seeing that he truly understood their dietary preferences, Mansur felt relieved and smiled at Chang Jin, saying, “From today onward, your shop need not serve any other guests. I’ll reserve it for ten days and give you generous payment.”

He turned to one of his subordinates and ordered, “Give them five hundred taels of silver first!”

At that moment, Li Qing’an gave Chang Jin a subtle signal. Understanding, Chang Jin stepped forward and happily accepted the silver, saying repeatedly, “Honorable guest, please come upstairs!”

Li Qing’an and Mansur went upstairs and sat in a elegant room. Li Qing’an poured him a cup of tea and said with a smile, “I know that according to your beliefs, you can’t drink alcohol. So let’s use tea instead. Please, Your Highness, don’t hesitate.”

“Thank you!”

Mansur carefully took a sip of the tea and praised, “Our dynasty also has tea from the Tang Dynasty, but it’s quite rough and nowhere near as fresh and pleasant as what I tasted there. When I return, I must bring more tea.”

Li Qing’an smiled and said, “When Your Highness leaves, I’ll prepare some tea as a gift for you. But if you want to enjoy such tea year-round, it seems you’ll need to establish closer trade relations with the Tang Dynasty.”

Realizing there was more to Li Qing’an’s words, Mansur smiled slightly and said, “Isn’t trade doing well now? The Sogdians are natural merchants. With them traveling along the Silk Road, aren’t they a bridge between our two countries?”

Li Qing’an shook his head and said, “I think it’s not enough.”

“Then what does General Li think is necessary to achieve closer ties?”

Li Qing’an took a sip of tea and replied slowly, “We can’t rely solely on Sogdian merchants as a bridge. I hope Han merchants from the Tang Dynasty can also form groups to go to the Abbasid Empire. In the future, there will also be maritime trade. Similarly, I welcome Arab merchants to the Tang Dynasty— at least Anxi will welcome them. Additionally, I hope official representatives from the Tang Dynasty and your country can establish trade relations. If Your Highness can reach an agreement with me, I’ll organize a trade caravan of five thousand camels to your country this year. What do you think?”

Mansur felt a hint of bitterness. The five thousand camels mentioned by Li Qing’an must be the spoils from the Battle of Talas! He forced a smile and said, “When Arabs come to the Tang Dynasty, aren’t you afraid they might learn your papermaking technique, as well as your bowmaking and armor-making skills?”
“We Han people are a nation with an open mind. If you’re willing to learn our culture, I personally won’t object and will even strongly support it. I’ll also send young people to learn from the advanced culture of the Arabs. Papermaking isn’t some state secret; papermaking workshops can be found throughout the Tang Dynasty. If you’re determined to learn it, it’s actually quite easy. Countries like Japan and Silla learned papermaking from the Tang Dynasty. It’s just that papermaking isn’t easy—there’s not enough in the Tang Dynasty itself, so they have to import it from Silla. It’s not profitable for merchants to transport expensive paper to the Arab world, so the court doesn’t support paper exports. But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn papermaking. If your country is truly interested, you can formally submit this request to our Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. I believe the Emperor will consider your request.”
At this point, Li Qing’an’s voice grew stricter. “But the Tang Dynasty’s openness isn’t without principles. There are things that the Tang Dynasty strictly prohibits from being exported, such as pig iron, weapons, and the bowmaking and armor-making skills you mentioned earlier. The Tang Dynasty strictly forbids the spread of these. If I discover any merchants violating Tang laws, whether they’re Han, Sogdian, or Arab, I will execute them without hesitation. Please remember this well, Your Highness.”
……
In Xingqing Palace, Li Longji had returned to the imperial study in Daxiong Hall. He took a short nap, regaining some energy. Though he was extremely tired today, he still had many matters to handle. He had to summon his strength to deal with some urgent issues.
The most urgent matter was talking to Huang Changsun. Today, he officially announced that Huang Changsun would succeed him as emperor, but he still hadn’t discussed this with him yet.
Li Longji leaned back on the dragon throne, slowly sipping a bowl of ginseng tea. Before him stood Huang Changsun, Li Chu—now called Li Yu, as he had officially changed his name. Li Yu stood with his hands hanging at his sides, listening to his grandfather’s teachings.

Li Yu is already 27 this year. With a short beard under his jaw, he appears much more mature than before. Especially after his father was deposed as crown prince, it dealt him a heavy blow. Over the past few years, he has become very quiet, changing from his previous habit of appearing at various social gatherings. He spends his days studying in his room. It was precisely because of this that he gained Li Longji’s approval and was ultimately chosen as the heir to the throne, something he never expected.

Li Yu had already heard from his father that he would be moving into the Eastern Palace. Although the excitement had faded, being officially recognized now still filled him with great enthusiasm.

“Can your grandson visit your father often?” Li Longji finally spoke up.