Chapter 539: Talks in Huashu Township

Before retreating south, Li Heng deployed about 150,000 troops in Henan Circuit and Hedong Circuit. Hedong Circuit was abandoned due to An Lushan’s failures in Guannei Circuit, creating a power vacuum. At that time, Li Qing’an and Li Heng reached an agreement: with Taiyuan as the boundary, the areas north of Taiyuan in Hedong Circuit, including one prefecture and seven states, would be under Li Qing’an’s control, currently defended by General Lei Wanchun with 15,000 troops.

The ten states south of Hedong Circuit were under Li Heng’s Guanzhong Army’s control. Not only the ten states south of Hedong Circuit but also large areas of Dujidi Circuit and Henan Circuit were guarded by Li Heng’s 150,000-strong army. However, when Wang Sili of the Guanzhong Army suddenly seized Tongguan, this army was cut off from retreat. With An Lushan threatening from the north and Li Mao’s troops blocking their path to Hanzhong from the south, these over 100,000 troops found themselves isolated and helpless.

After dealing with Guo Ziyi, Li Qing’an launched a eastern campaign aimed at these 150,000 troops. He wanted to seize control of them before An Lushan could act. With his own forces weak, these troops were especially valuable to him.

Henan Prefecture and Henan Circuit were not the same concept. Henan Circuit covered eastern Henan and parts of Shandong, covering a vast area, while the region west of Kaifeng belonged to Dujidi Circuit, including Henan Prefecture, Zhengzhou, Shanzhou, Ruzhou, Huaizhou, and other places. It was a strategic stronghold for the Tang Dynasty second only to Guanzhong. Henan Prefecture, part of Dujidi Circuit, consisted of Luoyang and its surrounding counties.

Both Dujidi Circuit and Henan Prefecture centered around Luoyang, the Eastern Capital. In ancient Chinese strategic feng shui, Luoyang was considered the key to controlling the Central Plains—those who controlled Luoyang controlled the Central Plains, and those who controlled the Central Plains controlled the whole country. Thus, Luoyang’s strategic importance was evident. Yet its strategic disadvantages were equally prominent: it had no natural defenses, no mountains or deep valleys surrounding it, only the Yellow River to its north. In winter, when the Yellow River froze, Luoyang had no natural barriers and was easily captured by large armies. This was why neither the Sui nor Tang dynasties chose Luoyang as their capital but instead opted for the strategically advantageous Guanzhong region around Chang’an.

At that time, governance in Luoyang was still under imperial control. Yang Shenyu, the governor of the Eastern Capital, was the brother of Yang Shenjin and a direct descendant of Emperor Yang of Sui. Although Yang Shenjin had gone to Chengdu, his brother Yang Shenyu refused to pledge loyalty to Li Longji, thus keeping a backdoor open for their family.

Additionally, Pei Yi of Henan Prefecture was the son of Pei Kuan. These two controlled the administrative system of Henan Prefecture and were accountable to the six ministries and the Political Affairs Hall of the Secretariat. However, the military defense of Luoyang Prefecture was not under the control of the imperial court but was instead under the control of the troops of Ji Guangchen, the military governor of Zhengzhou and Caiyuan.

To seize the Central Plains before An Lushan, Li Qingan personally led an army of 80,000 from Anxi, crossing Tongguan Pass eastward toward Luoyang. As a supporting force, Guo Ziyi also led 80,000 troops across the Yellow River, stationing them in Taiyuan with plans to advance on Puzhou and Jiangzhou. Guo Ziyi’s troops effectively held back Dong Qin’s 20,000 troops, preventing them from sending reinforcements to Ji Guangchen and ensuring Li Qingan’s forces could advance smoothly toward Luoyang.

The distance from Tongguan Pass to Luoyang was about 300 li. This area was characterized by loess hills, with undulating terrain and numerous ravines. Li Qingan did not dare underestimate the enemy. He ordered Li Guangbi to lead 20,000 troops as the vanguard to clear the way ahead, while he himself led the main force of 60,000 troops along the official road, advancing without incident. That morning, the army reached Xin’an County in Henan Prefecture.

A scout rushed over and reported, “General, the county magistrate of Xin’an County has come with the locals to reward the troops—he’s already here!”

Li Qingan looked toward an official road to the north and saw dust rising in the distance, with a convoy approaching. Nodding, he ordered, “The army shall rest here for half an hour!”

The soldiers sat down—some resting, others drinking water and eating rations. Li Qingan looked around again. This was a plain area, with endless fields on both sides of the road. The wheat had already been harvested, and seedling cultivation was complete. Farmers were busy planting rice. In the distance, a small river had several large water wheels by its banks, pumping water into the ditches beside the fields.

Li Qingan dismounted and walked toward an old locust tree not far away. Under the tree sat a dozen elderly farmers. At first, they had fled in fear at the arrival of the army, but seeing that the troops had no hostile intentions, they gradually returned and sat under the tree to cool off.

When the dozen farmers saw a general surrounded by over a hundred soldiers approaching, they stood up in fear, not knowing what to do. His personal officer reassured them, “Don’t be afraid. Our general just wants to talk to you; he has no ill intentions.”

An old man mustered his courage and asked hesitantly, “May I ask who your general is?”

“Our general is Prince Zhao, the military governor of Anxi, and now he holds the rank of Supreme General of Tiance.”

At that moment, Li Qingan walked over and said with a smile, “Why mention so many official titles? Just say it’s Li Qingan.”

Only then did the old farmers realize that the great general before them was none other than the renowned Li Qing’an. They were stunned into silence for a long time before gradually kneeling down and bowing, saying, “We didn’t know it was Your Highness who had arrived. We have offended you greatly. Please forgive us!”
Li Qing’an quickly helped them up, smiling and saying, “Everyone, please get up. There’s no offense at all. Please rise!”
After helping them up, the old farmers saw that Li Qing’an was kind and approachable, without the arrogance of a high-ranking official, nor the fierce appearance described in the rumors. They felt relieved. Someone said, “Your Highness, please sit for a while!”
Li Qing’an gladly sat cross-legged on the ground and waved his hand at them, saying, “Everyone, please sit too!”
The old farmers sat around Li Qing’an. He asked them, “Fellow villagers, what do you think I am like?”
The farmers exchanged glances. One of them bravely said, “It is said that Your Highness is a giant, with a green face and sharp fangs.”
Another said, “It is said that Your Highness likes to eat raw meat—catching a live chicken and tearing it apart to eat right away…”
A slightly younger farmer laughed and said, “Some also say that Your Highness is especially fierce at night…”
Before he could finish, the other farmers turned to glare at him, scaring the young farmer into silence. Li Qing’an laughed and said, “It’s fine. I won’t get angry. Go on, what else have they said?”
An older farmer said with a wry smile, “It is said that Your Highness has extraordinary stamina and can consort with ten women at night.”
Li Qing’an burst into laughter. “I’m not that powerful. That would be like being a demon.”
In fact, Li Qing’an had offended many members of the royal family and powerful nobles. While he had been away from the Central Plains for a long time, these nobles took the opportunity to send people to spread slanderous rumors about him among the people, portraying him as a demon. It was only today that these farmers saw the real Li Qing’an and realized the rumors were not true, expressing their shock at how terrifying such rumors could be.
At that moment, Cui Qu, the magistrate of Xin’an County, arrived with hundreds of carriages loaded with grain and live pigs. His bodyguards led Cui Qu to the old locust tree. The old farmers recognized their magistrate, who was even more important than Li Qing’an. They quickly got up to pay their respects.
In front of Li Qing’an, Cui Qu didn’t dare to act arrogantly. He hurriedly said, “Fellow villagers, there’s no need for formalities. Please sit!”
But he himself didn’t dare to sit. Instead, he bowed to Li Qing’an and said, “Your humble servant pays respects to Your Highness!”

Cui Qu is in his thirties this year and is also a descendant of the Cui family from Boling. Though young, he holds a high position within the Cui clan. He is a cousin of Cui Huan and passed the imperial examinations in the sixth year of the Tianbao era. He first served as a clerk in Wenxi County, Hedong, for a few years before being transferred to Xin’an County as the county magistrate three years ago. He has always held low-ranking positions, giving him a deep understanding of the living conditions of the common people. Li Qingan met with him specifically to learn about the livelihoods of the lower classes in Henan Prefecture.

“County Magistrate Cui, please don’t be restrained. Be casual—sit down! Let’s talk together.”

Cui Qu sat down nervously. Although he considered himself an honest official, his few years in office had seen some questionable actions. He feared that these villagers might speak freely and expose his past mistakes to Li Qingan.

Seeing that no one spoke, Li Qingan smiled and said, “Then let me start the discussion! County Magistrate Cui, I’d like to understand the situation of land consolidation in Xin’an County first.”

Hearing Li Qingan mention land consolidation, Cui Qu felt relieved. Although land consolidation was severe in Xin’an County, it was mainly carried out by powerful officials in the court and had little to do with him. He nodded and pointed to the fields around them. “General, do you see these fields? These are high-quality fields that can yield three dan of rice per mu. But they don’t belong to the farmers who cultivate them. They belong to Prince Rong—four thousand eight hundred hectares in total. The lands several miles eastward also belong to him. This is just a drop in the ocean. Most of the lands in the entire Guizhou region have been seized by the imperial clan and powerful officials. Some were given as rewards, some were bought at low prices during disasters, and some were acquired through force. Take Xin’an County for example. According to the county records, at the beginning of the Kaiyuan era, 60% of the population were self-cultivating farmers, but by now, only 20% remain, and most of them are farmers in arid areas who can only plant once a year. It’s only because the powerful officials don’t care about them that they’ve managed to survive…”

At first, Cui Qu spoke cautiously, afraid of saying anything that might harm him. But as he continued, his enthusiasm grew, and he poured out all the grievances and frustrations he had accumulated over the years. “It’s fine during good years, but we’re afraid of disasters—months with no rain, rivers drying up. Then, disaster victims flock here from everywhere, and the high-ranking officials in Luoyang send them to the lower counties. The streets are filled with hungry people, yet the official granaries have no food. Meanwhile, the granaries of those powerful officials are so full that the grain gets moldy and smelly, yet they refuse to give even a single grain to help them. We’re filled with hatred at such times, but there’s nothing we can do. The hardest-hit are us low-ranking officials—pressed by the powerful above and hated by the people below, trapped between two extremes!”

Seeing that the villagers all lowered their heads, Li Qingan asked them, “Are you all tenant farmers?”

An old farmer said, “Your Highness, we are all tenant farmers. County Magistrate Cui is absolutely right—almost all the land within twenty li around here belongs to King Rong.”
“What about taxes?”
The old farmer sighed and said, “The taxes imposed by the court are barely tolerable. For the summer tax, upper-class fields are taxed at six sheng per mu, while lower-class fields are taxed at four sheng; for the autumn tax, upper-class fields are taxed at five sheng per mu, and lower-class fields at three sheng. In addition, there’s a fee of 300 wen per mu for seedlings. Each household must pay one guan in taxes annually, along with one bolt of silk and one bolt of hemp. Ah! The most troublesome part is the rent—sixty percent of the harvest per mu, regardless of season. It never changes. In times of disaster, it may decrease slightly, but it still has to be at least forty percent of a good harvest. If they can’t pay, they have to borrow grain from their landlords, with interest accumulating over time. Eventually, they either flee or become slaves, with their entire family becoming serfs of the manor—like him…”
The old farmer pointed at the young farmer and said, “He’s a manor slave. He works tirelessly all year long, while his wife has to wash clothes for the manor workers. It’s miserable!”
The young farmer bowed his head so low it almost touched the ground. Li Qing’an nodded silently, then turned to Cui Qu and asked, “I remember Emperor Jingzong’s order to reform land ownership was issued nationwide. Why isn’t there any movement in the capital region?”
Cui Qu smiled bitterly and said, “Emperor Jingzong was widely regarded as a weak ruler. His orders to limit land ownership couldn’t even leave Tongguan. In the Guanzhong region, his troops enforced them, so it was slightly better there. But in the capital region, Henan region, and Hedong region, who would obey his orders to limit land? The officials pretended to comply while actually doing the opposite. They set targets, wrote plans, measured land, and so on—seeming more diligent than anyone else on the surface. But in reality? It took three to five years just to measure the land. By the time it was done, Emperor Jingzong had passed away, and the land reform was abandoned. Later, when the regent ascended the throne, he issued an order to revoke all of Emperor Jingzong’s land reform decrees. As a result, no one dared to offend the powerful. Your Highness, to be honest, all the officials knew the land problem was serious and that it could even lead to the downfall of the Tang Dynasty. But who would bring it up to protect their positions? Even the officials in Chang’an were ambiguous in their attitude, let alone those in the lower-level counties. Everyone just tried to get by day by day. That’s the reality.”
Although Li Qing’an was also aware of the Tang Dynasty’s crises, he hadn’t expected them to be this severe. No wonder so many people rushed to sign up as immigrants to Anxi in the Henan and Guanzhong regions. If it weren’t for the inability to survive, who would be willing to leave their homes and travel thousands of miles to seek a living in Anxi?

At this moment, Li Qing’an felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders to be exceptionally heavy. A sense of urgency that time did not wait burned within him. He slowly said to everyone, “I will address the issue of land consolidation as soon as possible. I know many crises are already imminent and cannot be delayed any longer. That’s why I am leading troops on this eastern campaign—to alleviate the problems of land consolidation in the Duji, Hedong, and Henan regions. First and foremost, it’s the land right before you. I can tell you that Prince Rong has died in Chengdu. So I’ll start with him. All his land is now unclaimed and will be redistributed to farmers. All his grain will be confiscated, and all his serfs will be set free. This is my decision. It will be implemented right away!”

The peasants were stunned. When they came to their senses, they knelt down in excitement, many unable to hold back their tears. “Your Highness, you are like our second parents!”

One young peasant could no longer contain his excitement. He ran along the field ridges, waving his arms and shouting at the farmers in the fields, “Heaven! We have land now! We have land!”

“We’re free…”

Exhausted from shouting, he collapsed on the ridge, covering his face and wailing bitterly. He had been a serf all his life, his wife and children belonging to others, subject to being bought, sold, and abused. Now, at last, he was free.

Li Qing’an sighed inwardly. He had originally planned to deal with land consolidation after the eastern campaign, but what he saw and heard made it impossible for him to wait any longer. He said to Cui Qu, “Prince Rong’s land and serfs can be dealt with immediately. The grain should be taken to the official granaries, and the land returned to the farmers. As for those who have consolidated land in Xin’an County, I believe you know better than anyone. Within three days, prepare a list for me. I’ll send troops to assist you in clearing the land. In two months, an imperial censor will come to review the work. If you do well, this will be the basis for your promotion. But if you dare to feign compliance while acting against my orders, setting false targets and making superficial efforts, I will execute you under military law. Do you understand?”

Cui Qu was filled with awe and bowed, saying, “I will do my utmost to carry out the land clearance in Xin’an County.”

“Good. I’ll wait for your news!”

Li Qing’an stood up and said to the peasants, “It’s time for me to leave. Please be assured that I will carry out Emperor Jingzong’s last wishes and enforce the land limit laws to the end. Wait for good news!”

After saying that, Li Qing’an returned to his troops. He mounted his horse and ordered, “The army sets out! March toward Luoyang!”

The massive army set out once again in great force. By then, Li Qing’an’s order to distribute land had already spread throughout the fields. The farmers working in the fields dropped what they were doing and gathered along the roadsides. They knelt before Li Qing’an, and an old man held up a clump of soil high and shouted at him, “Your Highness, the King of Zhao, you are our savior!”
…
As the main force of the central army, Li Qing’an’s marching speed was not fast. But by this time, Li Guangbi, the vanguard, had already captured Luoyang. Ji Guangchen, the military governor of Zhengzhou and Caizhou, feared the Anxi army greatly. As soon as the Anxi forces crossed Tongguan Pass, he led his troops away from Luoyang and retreated to Zhengzhou to observe the situation. Being a native of Luoyang, he ordered his soldiers not to seize any civilian property, ensuring that Luoyang suffered no damage at all.
Ji Guangchen was in his forties. He had loved military strategies and archery since childhood. In the 23rd year of the Kaiyuan era, he entered official service through military examinations. He served as a military advisor and a military commander in local areas before being transferred to Chang’an as a general in the Eastern Palace’s military force. He was highly regarded by Li Hen. After Li Hen seized the throne by force, he was given important responsibilities, appointed as the military governor of Zhengzhou and Caizhou as well as the defender of the capital region, commanding 30,000 troops.
Deeply grateful for Li Hen’s recognition, Ji Guangchen was extremely loyal to him. When Li Qing’an led his army back from Anxi, Ji Guangchen realized that Li Hen could no longer stay in Chang’an and planned to enter Guanzhong to retreat southward with him. Unexpectedly, Wang Sili suddenly captured Tongguan Pass, ruining his plans.
During the little over month that Li Qing’an ruled Guanzhong, Ji Guangchen remained deeply worried. He considered abandoning the Central Plains and heading to Nanyang then to Hanzhong several times. But Li Mao, as if knowing his intentions, stationed 60,000 troops in Nanyang, preventing him from crossing. It was then that Ji Guangchen received an order from Li Hen to hold firm in the capital region and prepare to attack Xiangyang together with the Southern Tang forces. Ji Guangchen understood Li Hen’s strategy—he did not intend to give up on Luoyang. Instead, he wanted to capture Jingxiang and connect the capital region with Jingxiang, thereby trapping Li Qing’an in Guanzhong.
Yet Li Hen delayed launching an attack on Jingxiang, while Li Qing’an’s army had already reached Luoyang, causing Ji Guangchen great concern about what to do next.
By now, Ji Guangchen had gathered all 30,000 troops scattered across different areas and stationed them outside Xingyang County. Since the Sui dynasty, Xingyang had been a famous granary in the country, with dozens of large official granaries. Most of the grain taxes collected from the Central Plains were stored there. After Li Yu carried out a large-scale purge of the elite in Guanzhong, the imperial grain reserves soared, and there was no longer a need to transport grain from the Central Plains to the capital. Over the past two years, the grain stored in Xingyang’s official granaries had reached 1.5 million dan.

This is an extremely important strategic resource; Ji Guangchen would rather give up Luoyang than easily abandon Xingyang. While he was anxiously waiting for news from Li Hen, soldiers came to report that Li Guangbi, the deputy commander of the Anxi Army, had sent someone to negotiate with him.