Chapter 434: Terror in the Imperial Palace (Part 2)

Currently, there are two main military forces stationed in Chang’an, referred to by its people as the Northern Army and the Southern Army. The Northern Army refers to the Yulin Army, comprising 20,000 Yulin soldiers and 100,000 cavalry troops, all under the command of General Changsun Quanxu. They are usually stationed in the imperial city and the Western Inner Gardens, responsible for protecting the safety of the imperial and palace areas.

The Southern Army consists of the Jinguwei and the newly established Guanzhong Army. The Jinguwei has 10,000 soldiers stationed outside the Zhuque Gate, tasked with patrolling the various districts of Chang’an. The Guanzhong Army, with 80,000 soldiers, is stationed in three large camps outside the southern part of Chang’an, hence the name Southern Army. In addition to defending the outer areas of Chang’an, the Southern Army is also in charge of overseeing all the city gates. Since the Guanzhong Army is led by the current Jinguwei General Meng Yun, the Jinguwei has also been incorporated into the Southern Army system.

However, both the Southern Army and the Northern Army are directly under the authority of Emperor Li Yu, who can deploy troops using his orders and imperial tokens.

Just half a day after Li Yu left Chang’an, unrest arose among the Southern Army. 50,000 soldiers left their camps and, under Meng Yun’s leadership, rushed toward Weinan County.

The Guanzhong Army, which originally consisted of 200,000 troops recruited by Li Yu in Guanzhong, saw 80,000 of its soldiers dispatched to Tongguan during the crisis of the past two months, under the command of General Wang Sili. Meng Yun and Luo Zhengyi led 100,000 troops to Hanzhong to confront the Jingzhou Army. However, due to Wang Gong’s tactics of sowing discord, the Jingzhou Army was forced to retreat to Xiangyang. After leaving 20,000 troops to guard key passes such as the Ziwu Valley, Meng Yun and Luo Zhengyi returned to Chang’an with their 80,000 troops to defend the city. It had only been ten days since their return when unrest broke out in the Southern Army again.

Although the Southern Army was stationed outside the city, its departure was generally difficult for ordinary people to notice. Yet for those sensitive to the unfolding situation, their sudden departure raised alarms. With the situation unclear, various speculations arose. One of the most puzzling points was that the emperor was personally guarded by Changsun Quanxu; if more troops were needed for protection, it would make more sense to add more Yulin soldiers. Sending the Southern Army to Weinan seemed unreasonable and unusual.

In Xingqing Palace, Li Longji was also filled with tension and unease. Ever since the Anxi army suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Fanyang army, Li Longji had remained silent. The sudden withdrawal of the Jiannan army back to Hanzhong caught him off guard even more. He was both angry and afraid. He knew that once Li Qing’an entered the capital, he, Li Longji, would surely be trapped in the palace, just like his eldest son, Prince Qing Li Cong, whose fate remained unknown to this day. Almost everyone had forgotten him, and he feared he too would be forgotten. Realizing this, Li Longji began to think of ways to protect himself, and there was only one way: to flee Chang’an.

Currently, there were two thousand soldiers surrounding Xingqing Palace, coming from both the southern and northern armies. Li Yu had intended for them to operate separately and keep an eye on each other, but he never expected that the leaders of both armies had been bribed by Li Longji with high positions and generous rewards. Inside Xingqing Hall, Li Longji was urgently meeting with Wang Fu, a lieutenant general of the southern army.

“Your Majesty, General Meng’s sudden departure has left insufficient troops in the outer city. I will be dispatched to garrison outside the city tonight, and the Yulin Army will take over my defense duties. If Your Majesty wishes to leave Chang’an, tonight is the only chance, the last chance. Please make your decision.”

Li Longji’s mind was in chaos. He no longer cared about why Meng Yun had left suddenly. All he could think about were two options: to go or not to go. Originally, he didn’t want to leave, as every step away from the throne filled him with despair. Yet he also knew that if he stayed, he would be even further from the throne. It was a difficult decision for him.

“When will you leave?”

“I will leave in one hour. If Your Majesty wishes to go, you can put on military uniforms and blend in with the troops to leave the city. It will be safe under the cover of darkness.”

“Very well! Let me think more. Prepare several sets of military uniforms for me.”

“Yes! I’ll go prepare them right away.”

After Lieutenant General Wang Fu left, Li Longji remained troubled. After thinking for a long time without being able to make up his mind, he turned to Gao Lishi, who had remained silent, and asked, “Gao, what do you think? Should I go or not?”

“Your Majesty, this old servant can only give my personal opinion,” Gao Lishi replied slowly.

“I know. Just speak up!” Li Longji said impatiently.

“Your Majesty, this old servant believes you should stay in Chang’an.”

“Stay? Why?”

Gao Lishi’s thoughts were vastly different from Li Longji’s, which shocked him. Gao Lishi slowly said, “The retired emperor is already old. He should spend his time in peace, cultivating his character and seeking ways to live longer, rather than striving for those meaningless powers. If the retired emperor stays in Chang’an and avoids politics, I believe that with Changsun’s kindness, he will surely take good care of him and provide him with the best support. But if he goes to Bashu, I have no idea how Thirteenth Young Master will treat him.”

Gao Lishi’s words were filled with earnestness. He was actually implying to Li Longji that competing for power with Li Ji in Bashu might not yield an advantage—Bashu was a small place; how could one mountain accommodate two tigers? Gao Lishi had good intentions, but they only strengthened Li Longji’s resolve in the opposite direction. If he stayed, he would be completely at Li Yu’s mercy. Li Longji made up his mind firmly: he would go!

“Elder Gao, if I go to Bashu, will you follow?”

Gao Lishi replied calmly, “I have no more attachments in this world. I will die by the retired emperor’s side!”

…

At dusk, Li Yu arrived at the imperial estate according to the original plan. The imperial estate was the management institution for the imperial farm, consisting of a complex of large buildings—over two hundred rooms in total. Scenic elements such as pavilions, towers, bridges, and flowing water could be seen everywhere. Put simply, it was the emperor’s private villa, where he would occasionally stay for a day or two to enjoy a true rural life. Thus, there were no warehouses or grain stores here; however, considering the emperor’s interest in farming, the designers symbolically built a miniature granary and a wheat-drying area within the estate.

Li Yu’s grand entourage left the wide official road and took a narrow path through the fields. His carriage couldn’t fit on this narrow road, so Li Yu switched to riding a horse. Under the strict protection of hundreds of Linglin soldiers, he headed toward the estate several miles away. It was dusk, and the setting sun illuminated the vast wheat fields, turning them into an endless golden sea that rippled in the gentle breeze. Walking through the wheat fields was like sailing through waves—a truly spectacular sight. Li Yu had never seen such a magnificent view and was filled with admiration. Just then, a slight commotion came from ahead, as if someone was shouting. Li Yu frowned and asked those around him, “What happened?”

A guard rushed forward and returned after a moment, reporting, “Your Majesty, it’s a dozen or so old farmers begging.”

“Bring them here!”

Changsun Quanxu, who was nearby, wanted to object, but Li Yu glared at him and said, “Do you want to stop me from understanding the people’s opinions?”

Li Yu put on a large hat, and the others dared not stop him; they could only strengthen their defenses. Soon, more than a dozen elderly farmers were brought before Li Yu. They knelt before him and wept, saying, “Your humble subjects pay their respects to Your Majesty!”
Li Yu nodded gently and said, “Do not be afraid. If you have any grievances, speak to me freely. I will settle them for you.”
One of the oldest farmers said, “Your Majesty, we represent over thirty villages around the imperial estate and nearly eight thousand tenant farmers. We come to ask Your Majesty for permission to harvest the wheat. If we don’t harvest now, it will be too late to plant rice.”
The climate in Guanzhong was mild, allowing for two harvests per year—wheat in May and June, followed by rice. Time was extremely tight. Along the way, Li Yu saw that the wheat in most fields was almost ready for harvest, and many fields had already been flooded to grow rice seedlings. Yet the imperial estate’s wheat fields remained golden and untouched, with no signs of harvesting. Only after being reminded by the farmers did Li Yu realize something was odd. He asked, “Why haven’t you harvested?”
The old farmer kowtowed and said, “We’ve wanted to harvest for a long time, but the officials in charge of the imperial estate refused, saying Your Majesty would be coming for an inspection and that we must not ruin the beauty of the wheat fields. But if we don’t harvest now, it will be too late to grow rice seedlings.”
Li Yu’s expression darkened. Annoyed, he said to Li Yan, “Minister Li, this is your idea, isn’t it?”
It had been Li Yan who arranged for this inspection. Although he had decided just the day before yesterday, Li Yan had been planning this for a while. Confronted by the emperor, Li Yan became panicked. He quickly dismounted and bowed deeply, saying, “Your Majesty, it was indeed I who ordered that Your Majesty would be coming for an inspection. But I never ordered my subordinates to delay farming just to preserve the scenery. I would never make such a decision.”
Li Yan was known for his integrity and honesty, and he would never engage in flattery. Li Yu knew this well. He realized it couldn’t have been Li Yan’s idea—it must have been his subordinates trying to please the emperor at the expense of farmers. He sighed softly and said, “If those above are indulgent, those below will go even further. I did say in spring that I liked to see the lush wheat fields after harvest. I didn’t expect them to go to such extremes just to please me, even at the cost of the farmers. This is my fault! Pass my order: allow the farmers to harvest the wheat immediately. No one shall stop them.”
Changsun Quanxu was shocked and quickly said, “Your Majesty, if too many farmers enter the fields, it could endanger Your safety. It would be better to wait until after You Majesty has left before harvesting.”
Li Yu shook his head firmly and said, “Farming time is as precious as gold. We cannot wait any longer. Pass my order: the farmers may harvest the wheat at any time.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” The old farmers kowtowed repeatedly in excitement. Li Yu smiled slightly and said, “Go and inform the villagers to start harvesting now! I have time tomorrow and would like to talk to you.”

More than a dozen old farmers were taken away. Li Yan sighed, “His Majesty shows mercy to farmers—truly a benevolent ruler!”
Li Yu was also deeply moved. “Farmers are the foundation of a nation. But what I want are not tenant farmers, nor slave farmers. I want independent farmers. Only then can the military system of the Tang Dynasty remain strong, the court have taxes, the people live in peace without resorting to rebellion, and the Tang Dynasty’s rule endure forever. Minister Li, granting land to the people is of great significance!”
At this point, Li Yu no longer had the heart to admire the magnificent view of the wheat fields. Such beauty was built on the anxiety and tears of the farmers, which filled him with guilt. He quickened his pace toward the imperial estate. Half an hour later, a large number of farmers rushed out from various villages—men, women, old, and young—pouring into the wheat fields to harvest the crops overnight.
…
The five hundred men in black, hiding in the woods, had been lurking all day. They had assumed that farmers would come to harvest the wheat during the day and discover them. So they spent an hour blocking the only path leading to the woods, turning it into an island surrounded by a small river. Strangely, despite the entire day passing, they saw not a single farmer. Li Chengning’s intelligence network was not yet sophisticated enough to know that the head administrator of the imperial estate had issued strict orders ten days earlier forbidding anyone from harvesting the wheat, leaving them to work in vain. As night fell, a scout rushed over and reported urgently, “My lord, they have arrived. The target has entered the estate.”
“How many troops are guarding them?”
“Three thousand Imperial Guards. Changsun Quanxu has even come in person.”
“That old fox. Of course he wouldn’t miss such an opportunity to show off.”
Li Chengning sneered and asked again, “How many guards? Any news from Lin Sheng?”
Lin Sheng was the undercover agent hidden among the guards, and he would play a crucial role in this operation.
The scout replied, “Reporting to my lord, there are about a hundred guards. There’s still no news from Lin Sheng. He should appear during the patrol soon.”
“Continue to scout. Don’t be careless in the slightest!”
The scout nodded and left. At that moment, a guard’s voice came from above the tree: “My lord! There’s something going on.”
Li Chengning looked up and asked, “Be clearer. What’s going on?”
“A large number of farmers have appeared in the wheat fields, harvesting the crops.”

Li Chengning was stunned. In a few steps, he leaped up onto the big tree and stared intently at the wheat field. Indeed, in the dim night, figures were moving around everywhere. They were not patrolling soldiers but farmers harvesting wheat. The farmers had started harvesting at night! Li Chengning was overjoyed—this was surely heaven helping him. He couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh and said to his subordinates below, “Get ready everyone; we need to go harvest wheat too.”

……

By the time Li Yu finished settling in the building, it was already late at night. Everything was silent around, with only the sounds of insects and frogs in the distance. Li Yu lived in a courtyard called Peony Tower, located in the center of the building, named after the peonies planted all around it. Peony Tower had three floors, with Li Yu residing on the top floor, while his guards lived below. The layout of his bedroom was almost identical to that in the Daming Palace. Li Yu was frugal in terms of food and clothing and rarely left the palace for inspections, fearing waste. However, he was very particular about his bedroom—no one was allowed to live within three zhang around it to ensure silence. Ever since he ascended the throne, his sleep had been poor, especially during times of financial crisis when he would suffer from insomnia night after night. Therefore, his empress was extremely strict about his sleeping environment—no bright colors, no soft or spacious beds, and she wouldn’t allow Li Yu to spend the night with other concubines. Instead, the concubines were sent to his room and left after their encounters, so as to ensure his quiet sleep.

Many eunuchs had arrived early at this separate residence precisely to prepare Li Yu’s bedroom.

At that moment, Li Yu was sitting by the window, reviewing memorials. Over the past year since his ascension, he had been reviewing memorials until late at night every day, never daring to slack off. He was a diligent emperor who could have created a prosperous era. Unfortunately, right after ascending the throne, he faced the crises accumulated over a century by the Tang Dynasty. He poured all his efforts into balancing the interests of various factions and gaining everyone’s support for his reforms. But harsh reality woke him up. After more than a year on the throne, not only had he failed to resolve the crises, but they had deepened. His concessions not only failed to balance the interests of different factions but also led those factions to exploit his weakness and press harder on him, almost driving him to death. With no other choice, he resorted to the most extreme measure to eliminate the root cause of the crises: land consolidation.

Li Yu was not foolish; he knew he was already isolated from everyone. Aside from a handful of ministers like Li Yan and Pei Min who supported him, the widespread refusal of officials to attend court and the constant military threats were clear proof of this. Yet he regretted nothing. He was determined to completely eliminate the control of interest groups over land and return it to the people, ensuring that those who worked the land owned it. This was his ideal. Even if it meant sacrificing his life, he would leave a revived Tang Dynasty to his successor, allowing it to thrive under their rule—whether that successor was his son or his enemy. As long as they bore the Li surname and were part of the Tang royal family, it would be sufficient.

Lost in thought, Li Yu slowly put down his thoughts and turned to look at the inscription on the wall: “Those who work the land shall own it.” Five bold characters. Tomorrow, he would personally distribute the land of the imperial estates to every farmer. This would be his declaration to the world that the land reform applied to him as well.

At that moment, his gaze fell on a thin eunuch beneath the banner. There were three eunuchs in the room, and the one beneath the banner was named Yao Silang. He had followed Li Yu since the time in the Guangcheng Prince’s mansion. His head was positioned right above the character “land” on the banner, as if this humble figure was meant to bear the burden of all the land in the world. Seeing Li Yu staring at him, Yao Silang quickly smiled obsequiously. Li Yu also smiled, a self-mocking smile. How could he have such an absurd idea, linking all the land in the world to a humble eunuch? He turned back, immersing himself once again in the various matters concerning the realm. Unbeknownst to him, a sinister smile appeared on the face of the eunuch behind him. That sinister, grotesque smile made the character “land” above his head seem distorted as well.

……

The imperial estate was surrounded by endless wheat fields. Under the cover of night, tens of thousands of farmers were working hard to harvest the wheat. Everywhere, groups of farmers bent over to cut the wheat, their silhouettes moving among the fields. Clumps of wheat stalks had already been cut down. The farmers were grateful for the emperor’s kindness. Most of them cut wheat at the edges of the fields, away from the imperial estate, so as not to disturb the emperor’s rest.

But in a wheat field about three hundred steps away from the imperial mansion, there was also a group of people cutting wheat in synchronized movements, as if performing a ritual dance of wheat cutting. While cutting the wheat, they gradually moved closer to the mansion. They were the five hundred warriors led by Li Chengning. The farmers who cut wheat at night had greatly helped them, allowing them to approach the mansion easily without arousing the guards’ suspicion. Now, only two hundred steps away from the tall walls of the mansion, they could clearly see figures moving on the watchtowers. Li Chengning dared not advance any further and lay prone, using the wheat stalks to conceal their presence. At that moment, a scout ran over and reported in a low voice, “My lord, we have obtained the defense map drawn by Lin Sheng.” Li Chengning was overjoyed. He took the rolled-up map and, under the faint moonlight, could barely make out its contents. The Yulin Army was mainly stationed in four corners, but that wasn’t important; once fighting started, they would change positions. The key question was where Li Yu was. Soon he found Li Yu’s location—it was in the middle of the mansion, an eight-sided three-story building surrounded by flowers with the word “peony” written on it. Seeing this, Li Chengning understood immediately—he now had a clear idea of the mansion’s structure. Li Yu was on the Peony Building. The time was ripe. He resolutely ordered, “One last time—everyone, check your weapons.”