Chapter 627: An Lushan’s Quirks

In March of the second year of Qingping, the delayed spring breeze finally reached Hebei Province. The Yellow River had thawed, spring rain brought moisture, and streams flowed gently. Forests were covered in green, bringing vitality to the land of Hebei.

Several months had passed since the ceasefire, and the defenses in Youzhou gradually relaxed. Merchants traveling to and from Youzhou were no longer inspected, and the dozen or so checkpoints along the official roads became virtually useless. Although soldiers were still stationed there, they only monitored passing armies and armed groups like escort services, ignoring the entry and exit of merchants.

Since Li Qing’an’s scouts had not burned the grain warehouses, Youzhou’s New Year was as lively as ever. With the arrival of spring, the people of Youzhou seemed to have forgotten the shadow of war and became more active as the season progressed.

Hongyun Restaurant in Youzhou was one of the city’s famous eateries. It was always crowded with customers, and many well-informed people would dine there, occasionally sharing their insights on current events or revealing exclusive secrets. As a result, many interested individuals deliberately came here, making the restaurant’s business extremely prosperous.

That noon, Hongyun Restaurant was as bustling as usual, especially on the second floor, which was packed with customers and filled with laughter. In a corner by the window sat a young man with a childlike face—Ji Sheng, the leader of the Anxi Army’s scouts. Ji Sheng came from Tangxing County. Over the course of one winter, An Lushan launched three attacks on the rebels hiding in Baiyangdian, deploying 30,000 troops each time. Although he failed to completely eliminate Zhang Xun’s rebel forces, he inflicted heavy losses on Zhang Xun’s followers. Coupled with the harsh winter and food shortages, many people could no longer survive—some died, while others left. Now, only about 400 people remained under Zhang Xun’s command. Ji Sheng also lost a brother to illness. This time, he had brought three brothers disguised as merchants to Youzhou, mainly to buy medical supplies and gather information about An Lushan.

As he drank, he pricked up his ears to listen to the various rumors circulating in the restaurant.

The second-floor hall was extremely lively. Nearly a hundred customers gathered around, eagerly listening to a man reveal An Lushan’s private affairs. In Youzhou, discussing An Lushan had become a popular pastime. His scandals and gossip spread through various channels and in many ways among the local people. Perhaps due to the presence of barbarians, An Lushan didn’t care much about how the common people spoke of him. In fact, he couldn’t control it either—so long as people didn’t discuss the secrets of his army, he let them talk about him however they wanted.

In the crowd sat a smug middle-aged man. He seemed like an ordinary lazy loafer from the streets, but what he said was something ordinary people couldn’t possibly know. It made one suspect he might have relatives who were An Lushan’s confidants. His topics of conversation were of interest to all men.
“…The Prince of Yan has a great taste for women. He needs at least ten women by his side every night. He prefers plump and fair-skinned women. How indulgent and lively he is every night! He’s also brave and skilled in battle—oh, you can’t even imagine it.”
“What’s there to imagine? He just lies there while those women take turns sitting on him?”
“Idiot! Do you have any idea who the Prince of Yan is? He conquers the world—everything must be under his control. How could he tolerate a woman sitting on him?”
“He’s so fat—how would that even work? You’re just bluffing!”
“You’re too ignorant!”
The middle-aged man sneered. “How could I not know? My nephew is one of his closest confidants. He told me himself—how could it be a lie?”
His words piqued everyone’s curiosity, and they started shouting, “Go on! Tell us! How exactly does it work?”
The man wore an ambiguous smile and whispered to them, “He makes ten women take off their clothes and kneel naked on a low couch. Then his two trusted guards hold him from the sides, while another pushes him from behind. Back and forth, one after another—how delightful must that be?”
His revelation sparked bursts of laughter. Some joked, “Old Li, was your nephew the one holding him or pushing him?”
The man chuckled but refused to answer. He asked them instead, “Why do you think the Prince of Yan likes fair and plump women?”
“What’s hard about that? I like them too!”
They laughed again. Many quickly figured it out. “Could it be because of Yang Guifei?”
Everyone suddenly understood. The hall was filled with murmurs. It was well-known that An Lushan loved Yang Guifei. He himself had said she wasn’t dead but was hiding somewhere. Everyone believed this—how could such a beautiful woman die so easily?
“That’s right! It’s because of Yang Guifei. The Prince of Yan is obsessed with her. He’s tried many times to find her but hasn’t succeeded. So, he has to find women like her to ease his longing. I heard he even offered a reward of 100,000 strings of coins to anyone who helps him find her!”

A reward of 100,000 guan was offered, sparking more gasps of astonishment. At that moment, the restaurant owner pushed his way in and scolded jokingly, “Old Li, you’re ruining my business again!”
The middle-aged informant immediately raised his hand and said with a smile, “The owner has spoken—let’s all go eat! That’s enough for today. Next time, I’ll tell you even more exciting stories.”
Everyone laughed and returned to their seats. Ji Sheng, however, was quite interested in this middle-aged man surnamed Li. He pointed at Old Li with his chopsticks and asked his tablemate, “He must be joking, right?”
The tablemate shook his head. “It’s probably true. His nephew is Li Zhū’er, An Lushan’s trusted bodyguard. He’s the only relative Li Zhū’er has; he raised him since childhood. Li Zhū’er regards him as a father, so he knows all of An Lushan’s secrets.”
“I see. Since he’s revealing An Lushan’s private matters so openly, isn’t he afraid An Lushan will capture him?”
The tablemate glanced at Ji Sheng in surprise and said, “You’re not from Youzhou, are you?”
“I’m from Zhaozhou. I’m here in Youzhou for business.”
“No wonder. You don’t know—An Lushan never cares about such matters of love between men and women. He even openly says he longs for Yang Guifei but can’t have her. But remember: don’t mention the army or Li Qing’an. Those are his two biggest taboos. You can say anything else.”
Ji Sheng nodded. He glanced again at the middle-aged man surnamed Li. Seeing that he had finished eating and was getting up to leave, Ji Sheng suddenly sensed something—someone was watching that man.
Sure enough, as soon as the middle-aged man went downstairs, two young men sitting diagonally across from him also threw a handful of copper coins on the table and followed him downstairs.
From the decisive manner in which those two men left, Ji Sheng quickly deduced that they were soldiers—top-tier scouts. With a quick decision, he took out a silver coin, placed it on the table, waved at the restaurant staff, and followed them downstairs as well.
…
The informant’s surname was Li, and his name was Li Zui. He was originally a lazy street thug. His nephew was Li Zhū’er, An Lushan’s trusted bodyguard. Last year, through his nephew’s connections, he got a job guarding the army’s warehouse. He slept during night shifts and spent his days idling away, eating, drinking, and tea. For the more sensational secrets about An Lushan he heard from his nephew, well, there were always those willing to pay him, so he lived a carefree life.

After lunch, as per his daily routine, he should have gone to a small teahouse nearby to drink tea, staying there until afternoon before returning home. The teahouse wasn’t far—just a short walk through an alley. Li Zui hummed a tune as he slowly made his way into the alley toward the teahouse. But less than ten steps in, two men quickly approached from behind, slapping Li Zui hard on the shoulder. When he turned around, he saw a huge fist coming toward his face. Before he could even shout, he was knocked unconscious. At that moment, a carriage stopped abruptly at the entrance of the alley. Ji Sheng was fifty steps away, watching helplessly as the two men knocked Li Zui to the ground. Once the carriage left, the alley was empty, as if nothing had happened. Ji Sheng’s horse was kept at the inn, so he couldn’t catch up with the carriage and could only sigh as it disappeared into the distance. Yet he found it strange—who could have captured this man? It surely wasn’t An Lushan; An Lushan’s men would have shown some respect for his nephew. Then who could it be? Ji Sheng had thought Youzhou would be under An Lushan’s strict control, but now he realized that even in a seemingly calm situation, hidden currents were still at work! At that moment, one of Ji Sheng’s subordinates rushed over from behind and whispered something in his ear. Ji Sheng was overjoyed. “We’ve got the medicine!” The subordinate nodded. “We’ve obtained quite a lot—top-quality wound medicine. But the seller asked a high price.” “It doesn’t matter if it’s expensive. As long as the medicine is real. Also, keep an eye on the seller—who is he?” “He’s a military doctor from An Lushan’s camp. He only cares about money, not people.” “A military doctor?” Ji Sheng’s mind stirred. Could there be an opportunity here? After pondering for a moment, he immediately said, “Take me to see this doctor right away. I want to talk to him properly.” … In a large mansion outside Youzhou City, Li Zui woke up, groaning in pain. He found himself lying on a soft bed, with several blurred figures beside it. Gradually, the figures became clearer. Li Zui was shocked—standing in front of him was Shi Siming, the second most powerful man in Youzhou. Yet Shi Siming’s smiling expression calmed him slightly. Li Zui quickly tried to get up, but Shi Siming held him back, smiling gently. “You have an injury on your head. Don’t move around!” Only then did Li Zui feel a severe headache. Touching his head, he discovered it was wrapped in bandages. He was stunned—he had only been punched once, so how could this be…

Shi Siming spoke to him softly, “The one who wanted to capture you was Li Huaixian. My men happened to discover them. They tried to kill you to silence you, but my men intervened. I’m sorry, but you were still stabbed in the head.”
Li Zui was a bit confused. Li Huaixian, the third most powerful figure in Youzhou—why would Shi Siming and he turn against each other over him? When had he become so valuable?
“General Shi, I don’t quite understand.”
“It’s actually quite simple. Li Huaixian is after Li Zhuer. You are Li Zhuer’s only relative. Obviously, he wants to use you to threaten Li Zhuer and achieve his goals.”
“But…”
Li Zui didn’t know what to ask next. Then why was Shi Siming competing for him?
Shi Siming patted his shoulder, seemingly unwilling to explain further. Smiling, he said, “Rest here and recover from your injuries. Anyway, I won’t let Li Huaixian find you. This is crucial for the fate of the Yan army.”
With that, Shi Siming clapped his hands, and four charming women entered immediately. He instructed them, “Take good care of Lord Li. If he’s not satisfied in the slightest, I’ll take your lives.”
“Yes!”
The four beautiful women immediately sat around Li Zui, massaging his legs and chest. Their sweet chatter made Li Zui feel as if he were in a dream. When had he ever enjoyed such pleasures in his life? He couldn’t resist touching the prettiest one of them.
Seeing his lustful nature exposed, Shi Siming sneered inwardly, comforted him a few words, and then left.
In the courtyard, Shi Siming ordered his guards, “Give him whatever he wants. Keep him indulged in pleasure until he’s completely devoted to working for me. Remember that?”
“Yes! We understand.”
Shi Siming quickly left the courtyard. His trusted advisor, Geng Renzhi, came up to report, “General Shi, Pugu Aduosi has arrived and is waiting in the study.”
Shi Siming was overjoyed. He had been waiting for almost half a month. Impatiently, he headed to the east courtyard.
Pugu Aduosi was the eldest son of Pugule, the chief of the Pugu tribe in the northern deserts. After Puguhuai’en died, the Pugu tribe split into two. Some continued to follow the Uyghurs northward, while others elected Pugule as their new chief and moved south to ally with An Lushan. An Lushan settled them on the grasslands north of Youzhou.
Pugule defected to An Lushan mainly because of Shi Siming. Shi Siming was also a Turk and had a very close personal relationship with Pugule. It was he who sent a message to Pugule, inviting him to join them in the south.

If An Lushan enjoyed great prestige among the Khitans and Xixia, who called him “the Second Sage,” then Shi Siming held even higher prestige among the Turks, who privately referred to him as the Emperor of the Great Tang. This time, after Shi Siming was defeated at Hengzhou, An Lushan intended to punish him severely. However, Shi Siming obtained eight hundred thousand loads of dry grass from the Turks, solving An Lushan’s urgent problem. As a result, An Lushan not only spared Shi Siming but also replenished his troops, giving him eighty thousand elite soldiers, including ten thousand elite cavalry from Youzhou, which delighted him greatly.

Shi Siming entered the study, where a young Turk stood up and bowed, saying, “I pay my respects to Uncle Shi.” The young Turk’s name was Puguo Adosi; he was twenty-eight years old and the heir to the chieftain of the Puguo tribe. He was not tall but extremely strong, with silver hammers on his back—though these were merely for decoration. In reality, he used iron hammers, each weighing eighty pounds, earning him the title of the bravest warrior in the Puguo tribe.

Shi Siming smiled and invited him to sit, then poured him a cup of hot tea and said, “Have you received the gift I sent for your father?”
“Thank you, Uncle Shi. We have already received three thousand pounds of tea. My father is extremely grateful.”
“It’s nothing!”
Shi Siming waved his hand and said with a smile, “We’re all brothers; there’s no need to thank me. It’s a pity that Hebei doesn’t produce tea, and the Northern Tang army has blocked trade. I went through great trouble to get some tea from merchants from Jianghuai.”

Puguo Adosi had come to Youzhou for another reason. After a moment of thought, he said, “Uncle Shi wants to borrow troops from our Puguo tribe. My father wants to know how many troops you plan to borrow. Also, since the Khitans and Xixia have reaped great benefits, while we haven’t gained anything at all and even had to spend eight hundred thousand loads of dry grass, our people are dissatisfied. Therefore, my father hopes you can give us a clear answer.”

Puguo Adosi mentioned two things: first, agreeing to lend troops, and second, setting conditions—troops couldn’t be lent for free. This was also in line with An Lushan’s policy of granting authority to his generals, allowing them to recruit troops privately, who would then become part of their own forces. Since Shi Siming believed the newly recruited soldiers lacked combat capability, he thought of borrowing troops from the Puguo tribe.

The Puguo tribe had everyone ready for battle; they could instantly assemble 50,000 skilled horse archers from the steppes. They also showed An Lushan some respect by sending 5,000 cavalry to join his army. During the attack on Xiangzhou last year, the Puguo cavalry participated in the siege but did not engage in combat. As a result, when distributing the spoils of Xiangzhou, An Lushan gave the Puguo people almost nothing, which sparked strong resentment among them. Although they borrowed 800,000 loads of forage out of respect for Shi Siming, they still intended to settle accounts with him thoroughly.

Shi Siming understood that there was no such thing as a free lunch. After some thought, he said, “I want to borrow 30,000 cavalry for three years. In return, I will pay the Puguo tribe 30,000 loads of tea and 200,000 bolts of silk within a year.” With that, he took three arrows from his quiver, broke them in half, and swore, “I swear by my honor that if I break my promise, may I be like these arrows.”

Aduosi of the Puguo tribe trusted his promise. Nodding, he said, “Then it’s settled. I’ll go back and gather my troops right away.”

After Aduosi left, Shi Siming slowly sat down, trying to control his excitement. Borrowing troops from the Puguo tribe was a crucial part of his plan. With that, he would have 110,000 troops, enough to carry out his ambitions.

At that moment, a messenger came in and reported, “General Shi, Prince Yan requests your presence immediately—there’s an important matter.”

Shi Siming smiled. Even if An Lushan didn’t summon him, he would have gone to see him anyway. He put on light armor and set off for Prince Yan’s mansion.

……

Although An Lushan had not officially declared himself emperor, his lifestyle was already that of an emperor. His harem alone consisted of over 300 concubines. He didn’t have a favorite concubine either. As Li Zui said in the tavern, he would choose ten women to accompany him each night, rotating them every 30 days. That winter, An Lushan spent it in extreme debauchery.

Besides his 300+ concubines, An Lushan was constantly thinking of Yang Guifei. A few months earlier, Yang Huahua, the former Lady of Guo, approached him, hoping to do business in Hebei. Of course, as a condition, in addition to paying taxes, she agreed to help him find Yang Guifei. She told him that Yang Guifei was not in Li Qing’an’s hands but was living in seclusion somewhere in Hedong. She claimed she could use her connections within the Yang family to help An Lushan locate her.

An Lushan believed Yang Huahua’s flattery wholeheartedly. It was also a hope he harbored. He not only exempted her from all taxes but also granted her privileges as a military merchant. All he wanted was for her to find Yang Guifei as soon as possible.

Yesterday, news came that Yang Guifei was hiding in Taiyuan Prefecture. An Lushan was thrilled; it was spring, with flowers in bloom, the perfect time to send troops to Hedong. The Yellow River had thawed, and Li Guangbi’s army retreated to Henan due to concerns about insufficient supplies. Entire Hebei was under An Lushan’s control. He had achieved his first strategic goal of occupying all of Hebei, and his next target was Hedong. Just then, news of Yang Guifei arrived, and for both personal and political reasons, An Lushan could wait no longer.