Chapter 94: The Agarwood Night Banquet

Like ordinary people in Chang’an, the Tang Emperor Li Longji also held a grand New Year’s Eve banquet in Xingqing Palace. Nearly a hundred people, including his princes, grandsons, and their wives, attended this royal family feast. Additionally, Yang Guifei’s three sisters, along with her uncles Yang Xian and Yang Qi, were specially invited to the banquet.

The banquet was held at the Agarwood Pavilion, which was entirely constructed from precious agarwood, exuding a delicate fragrance. Though called a pavilion, it was quite large, resembling a small palace. All around it were planted various rare flowers and plants such as peonies, roses, and sobering herbs. The windows inside the pavilion were sealed, and thirty-six huge night pearls hung in the center, illuminating the banquet as if it were day.

The royal family banquet differed from ordinary ones in that it had complex rituals and strict rules. Everyone’s seating arrangement was determined by the Imperial Clan Office based on their status. During the banquet, it was forbidden to make loud noises, to change seats while toasting, to overeat or drink excessively, or to act inappropriately due to drunkenness. In short, anything that might reflect poorly on one’s status was prohibited.

All those present were Li Longji’s descendants. In front of their emperor and ancestors, the princes and grandsons were extremely cautious, afraid of saying or doing something wrong and attracting their father’s attention. They remained silent, not even daring to lift their heads.

However, some people were not bound by these rules. Yang Huahua raised her cup and toasted around, with laughter filling the air.

“Your Majesty, today is a special New Year’s Eve. I offer you a drink, wishing you such days every year and peace throughout the years.”

“Hehe! My third sister is so straightforward. I’ll drink this cup.”

Li Longji raised his cup and drank the wine in one gulp. Then he looked at Yang Guifei, whose cheeks were rosy, and smiled, “You’ve only had a few drinks already. Are you already drunk, my dear?”

Yang Guifei had drunk a bit more that night, making her look even more delicate and charming. Leaning against Li Longji, she said softly, “Third brother, you know I can’t drink. You still made me drink three cups. If I get drunk tonight, you must carry me back to the palace.”

“Alright! Keep drinking. If you get drunk, I’ll carry you back.”

Li Longji was in high spirits. He raised his cup again and said to everyone, “Tonight, we’re all family. Feel free to drink as you like. Don’t be too restrained.”

Although he kept urging them to drink, none of his descendants dared to agree. Even the crown prince, Li Heng, remained silent. Li Longji felt slightly displeased. At that moment, Yang Huahua said with a smile, “Your Majesty, how can there be a banquet with wine but no music? Why not summon a troupe of musicians and dancers to liven things up?”

Her words reminded Li Longji. He quickly smiled and said, “I was careless. Hurry, summon the musicians and dancers!”

After a moment, melodious music filled the Incense Pavilion, and a group of dancers entered gracefully, gradually easing the tense atmosphere in the hall. With the accompaniment of the music and the dancers’ long sleeves covering them, the princes began to whisper among themselves.

As the eldest son, Prince Qing Li Cong sat in second place only to the crown prince. Though he was less than five feet away from Li Heng, he never spoke a word to him throughout the time, as if Li Heng were his archenemy. Their relationship had indeed become strained recently, not due to a struggle for the throne—though that was a serious issue—it wasn’t serious enough to make Li Cong show open hostility, at least not on the surface.

However, events in Yangzhou shattered the thin veneer covering their relationship. With old grudges and new offenses, they no longer even exchanged basic pleasantries.

Li Longji drank wine while observing his sons discreetly. The eldest, Prince Qing Li Cong, was whispering with the fourth son, Prince Di Li Yan. Over the past two years, it was said that the eldest son had become quite restrained, with few rumors of his indulgent behavior. He was no longer as obese as before, looking radiant and strong.

Li Longji glanced at the crown prince again. Li Heng, on the other hand, appeared haggard and weak, keeping his head down and silent since entering. There was no trace of the confidence he once had as crown prince.

Li Longji sighed softly. He knew it was he who had pushed the crown prince to this state—cases like Wei Jian’s and Du Youlin’s forced the crown prince to divorce his two wives, especially his crown princess, with whom he had a deep bond. These cases dealt severe psychological and physical blows to him, causing him to grow weaker day by day.

In fact, which dynasty’s crown prince doesn’t have his own influence? Ascending the throne with nothing would be detrimental to the stability of the state. Li Longji was well aware of this. The key was for the crown prince not to get involved in military affairs. If it weren’t for his close relationships with Huangfu Weiming and Wang Zhongsi, Li Longji wouldn’t have pressured him so much.

Though Li Longji’s heart was as cold as iron, on New Year’s Eve, during this family reunion, a hint of paternal warmth arose in his heart—after all, they were his own sons.

“Heng, if you’re not feeling well, drink less wine,” Li Longji said gently.

Li Heng had never heard his father show such sincere concern for him before. His nose stung, and he was moved to the point of tears.

He quickly replied, trembling, “Thank you, Father, for your concern. I will drink in moderation. Please take care of yourself too.”

Li Longji recalled Gao Lishi’s advice to him and nodded with a smile. “Your Majesty originally wanted you to move to Xingqing Palace as well, but it’s too small, and it wouldn’t be convenient for you to live there. How about this? You can move to the Eastern Palace and take good care of your health. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Li Heng was stunned for a moment before feeling overwhelming joy—could he really move to the Eastern Palace? He had been longing for this day since the 26th year of the Kaiyuan era, and never expected it to come true on New Year’s Eve of the 6th year of the Tianbao era. He struggled to contain his excitement and thanked his father, saying, “Your Majesty’s grace will be etched in my heart forever.”

Li Longji smiled and then said to Prince Qing, Li Cong, “Cong, I hear you’ve made great progress. This fills me with great satisfaction.”

Li Cong hurriedly replied, “Your Majesty, I once associated with bad company out of ignorance. It was only in the past two years that I realized my mistake and decided to turn over a new leaf, so as not to disappoint you.”

“I allow you to make friends, but you must choose wise people. You should associate with the talented individuals who can support the Tang Dynasty. Only then will you avoid going down the wrong path. As the eldest son, you must set an example. Do you understand?”

Realizing that his father seemed to allow him to gather talented people around him, Li Cong was overjoyed and quickly said, “I will keep your teachings firmly in mind.”

At that moment, Gao Lishi rushed in through a side door and whispered something in Li Longji’s ear. Li Longji looked puzzled and asked, “How many casualties?”

“I’m not sure either.”

“Summon Li Linfu and the governor of Jingzhao, Xiao Jing, to the palace immediately to report on this matter.”

“As you command!”

Gao Lishi left in a hurry. Li Longji no longer had the heart to continue the banquet. A fire breaking out on New Year’s Eve was by no means an omen, and he needed to find out what had happened right away.

He turned to Yang Guifei and said, “Yuhuan, I have matters to attend to. Would you like to continue or return to the palace to rest?”

“I’m not strong enough to handle alcohol and would like to go back to the palace to rest.”

“Very well! Come with me.”

Li Longji gave a few more instructions to the crown prince before ordering the carriage to head back to his palace. He first sent Yang Guifei back to the harem, then rushed to the Datong Hall.

……

The fire in the Eastern Market was extinguished in less than an hour, and the cause was identified: someone had set off a sky lantern, causing the fire. Although the culprit could not be found, those who helped put out the fire in time deserved recognition.

That very night, Governor Xiao Jing prepared a detailed report, listing the causes of the fire and the process of putting it out, with special emphasis on Yang Zhao’s heroic deeds. As soon as he finished writing, eunuchs from the palace came to urge him to go inside.

Xiao Jing hurried to Xingqing Palace. At that moment, Li Linfu’s carriage arrived as well. Xiao Jing quickly shouted, “Prime Minister, wait!”
Li Linfu turned and seeing it was Xiao Jing, smiled and said, “Lord Xiao, has the Emperor also summoned you to the palace?”
“That’s right!”
Xiao Jing promptly took out a document and handed it to Li Linfu, saying, “This contains details about the large fire in the East Market tonight. Please take a look, Prime Minister.”
Li Linfu took the document, flipped through it, and returned it to Xiao Jing, saying, “Tonight we only gave an oral reply to the Emperor’s questions. I already know the real cause—it’s not as simple as what you’ve written. Moreover, your report must go through various levels of approval before it can be submitted to the Emperor. Don’t bring it out tonight.”
“I shall obey the order!”
Xiao Jing put away the document, and the two of them entered the Datong Hall one after another. After waiting briefly at the door, an eunuch came out and said, “Prime Minister, the Emperor has summoned you in.”
The two entered the imperial study. There, Li Longji stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing in the direction of the East Market. The flames had gone out, with only faint black smoke rising.
“Your servant Li Linfu pays his respects to Your Majesty!”
“Your servant Xiao Jing pays his respects to Your Majesty!”
Li Longji slowly turned around and asked, “Has the fire in the East Market been extinguished?”
“Your Majesty, the fire has been put out!” replied Li Linfu.
“Oh! What about the losses? How many people were injured or killed?”
Li Linfu gave Xiao Jing a subtle glance, and Xiao Jing immediately stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, the fire was caused by someone releasing a sky lantern, which set fire to the market office. But County Magistrate Yang of Wannian County arrived promptly with his officials. Thanks to their diligent efforts, only one corner of the market office was damaged, and thirteen houses were affected. Not a single shop was burned, and there were no casualties. Only some account books were destroyed.”
“Yang Zhao?”
A faint smile appeared on Li Longji’s lips. At that moment, Li Linfu stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, on New Year’s Eve, officials and commoners rest, but County Magistrate Yang still went out to inspect the streets, showing great dedication, which is truly admirable. Your servant believes that the fire in the East Market serves as a mirror, showing us County Magistrate Yang’s commitment to his duties. It was his timely arrival and effective leadership, along with the full efforts of his officials and soldiers, that prevented a disaster that could have destroyed the entire East Market. The fact that there were no casualties is truly incredible. This also shows how eager County Magistrate Yang was to save lives and property. Your servant suggests rewarding Wannian County and giving County Magistrate Yang a generous reward.”
Li Longji nodded. “I understand. After the New Year, submit a formal report, and I will issue an order.”
“I shall obey the order!”
Li Longji glanced at Li Linfu, sensing he had something to say, and smiled, “Prime Minister, please speak.”

“Your Majesty, since there was a fire in the Eastern Market, there must be both rewards and punishments. I have determined that the sky lanterns were set off by a group of children, and it is now impossible to identify the culprits. Yet the patrol camp was right next door but failed to stop them. Moreover, the patrol camp also noticed the fire in the Eastern Market but did not take action to extinguish it, allowing the fire to spread. They are guilty of dereliction of duty. I suggest that Li Qing’an, the patrol commander, be removed from his position immediately!”
At this moment, Gao Lishi was shocked—why was it Li Qing’an who ended up taking the blame? Had Li Qing’an offended Li Linfu in some way?
He was filled with doubts, and Li Longji was also stunned. After a long pause, he said, “Even if the patrol camp occasionally fails in its duties, it shouldn’t be blamed on Li Qing’an. After all, this army belongs to me, and he has only taken charge for a short time. Isn’t it unfair to hold him accountable?”
“Your Majesty, since the patrol camp is at fault, the soldiers certainly shouldn’t bear the blame. Li Qing’an is the patrol commander. Whether he knew about it or not, as long as he holds the position, he must take responsibility. If he doesn’t take responsibility, how can we reward Yang Zhao?”
Li Longji remained silent for a while before saying, “Since the Prime Minister insists, then so be it. His role as patrol commander is temporary, so he can be removed from it. Otherwise, his other positions will remain unaffected.”
“Your Majesty is truly wise!”
Li Longji smiled faintly and then said to Xiao Jing, “Lord Xiao, you may retire first. I have something to discuss with the Prime Minister.”
Xiao Jing left, and Gao Lishi also went down to prepare dinner. Only Li Longji and Li Linfu remained in the imperial study. Neither of them spoke, creating an awkward atmosphere. After a while, Gao Lishi brought a bowl of bird’s nest soup and placed it on the desk. “Your Majesty, please eat something first!”
“Good! Bring a bowl for the Prime Minister as well.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
A moment later, an eunuch brought another bowl of bird’s nest soup. Li Longji smiled and said, “Tonight is New Year’s Eve, yet I’ve called the Prime Minister here to seek advice. All I can do is offer him a bowl of bird’s nest soup as an apology.”
Li Linfu also smiled and said, “Then I won’t refuse.”
The two sat down and slowly savored the bird’s nest soup. After finishing, Li Longji took a wet towel to wipe his mouth and rinsed his mouth in the golden basin before saying with a smile, “These past few days, I’ve been considering new candidates for the positions of Minister of Works and Minister of Rites. I’ve come up with a plan and would like to ask the Prime Minister to review it together.”
Li Linfu’s heart sank. In just a few days, had Li Longji already finalized a plan? He realized that Li Longji had actually thought it through long ago, even before Xi Yu and Lu Jingrong retired. It was just that Li Linfu hadn’t expected the answer to be revealed at the last moment of the sixth year of Tianbao.

What kind of plan could it be? Li Linfu’s mind raced like lightning, considering various possibilities. It was beyond doubt that the Minister of Works would be Yang Shenjin. Wang Gong’s failed impeachment already indicated that Yang Shenjin’s appointment as prime minister was inevitable. The key question was who would become the Minister of Rites.

Li Linfu knew well that this person surely wouldn’t be one of his own. He had decided this as soon as he recommended Chen Xilie as left prime minister. Emperor Li Longji’s tactics as ruler ensured that he wouldn’t let anyone monopolize power in the court. Could it be someone from the middle faction? That was the only outcome Li Linfu hoped for. With Yang Shenjin as Minister of Works, he already had an enemy—would the emperor create two enemies for him? That seemed unlikely.

“I firmly support Your Majesty’s decision,” Li Linfu said, having no other choice at that moment.

Li Longji smiled. “I knew it. The prime minister always supports my ideas.”

After a moment of thought, he said, “I plan to appoint Yang Shenjin, the vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, as Minister of Works. Does the prime minister have any objections?”

“Vice Minister Yang comes from a distinguished family with an excellent reputation; he is fully qualified. I have no objections. At the same time, I would like to recommend Yang Zhao, the magistrate of Wannian County, to take up the position of vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue.”

“Yang Zhao?” Li Longji shook his head. “The position of vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue is extremely important. His time in office is too short for him to be competent for this role. Moreover, Wei Jiansu has also been serving as left vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue for only a short time and lacks experience. Therefore, I am considering transferring Cui Qiao, the right vice minister, to become right vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, so that his extensive experience can shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the ministry. What does the prime minister think?”

This was unexpected for Li Linfu. He had thought Li Longji would take the opportunity to promote Yang Zhao to vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but instead, Cui Qiao was being transferred. Cui Qiao was the son-in-law of the Prince of Ning and belonged to the faction that followed the emperor closely. This was likely Li Longji’s strategy to maintain balance.

However, what concerned Li Linfu was the position of Minister of Rites—this was the core issue of the night.

“Cui Qiao has long been in politics; his experience is sufficient for the position of vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue. I have no objections.”

Li Linfu deliberately brought up the issue of experience, signaling to Li Longji that experience was of utmost importance for the Minister of Rites.

Li Longji smiled slightly. “The prime minister mentions experience, and I fully agree. That’s why, when considering candidates for Minister of Rites, experience was my top priority. After much deliberation, I have decided to appoint Pei Kuan, the former minister of the Ministry of Personnel, as Minister of Rites.”

It was as if thunder had struck Li Linfu. He was stunned. He wondered if he had heard wrong. Pei Kuan—his greatest rival, the sole survivor of the Wei Jian case, someone he had tormented relentlessly until he knelt before the cruel official Luo Xishi begging for mercy—was now back in power.

At that moment, Li Linfu suddenly remembered what Li Qingan had said: “Yang Zhao is far from being a match for the Prime Minister in terms of strength and connections, which is why the Emperor will use Yang Shenjin and even two new ministers as shields against Yang Zhao.” Those words revealed the truth behind the scenes.
……
Li Linfu withdrew, while Li Longji sat on the dragon throne in silence for a long time, seemingly lost in thought. Then Gao Lishi whispered, “Your Majesty, it’s late. Let’s return to the palace!”
“Very well! I’m tired too.”
Li Longji stood up with a smile. He glanced at Gao Lishi and said casually, “Li Qingan actually offended the Prime Minister. What a pity!”
……
The carriage raced through the darkness. Li Linfu looked extremely exhausted. He felt a sense of sorrowful gratitude—over the years, he had served Li Longji loyally, eliminating one after another of the crown prince’s supporters. But now, as soon as Wang Zhongsì was imprisoned, Li Longji eagerly began to undermine him and strip him of power, laying the groundwork for Yang Zhao to rise to power. Serving a king was like serving a tiger; the ancients were indeed wise!
“Stop the carriage!” Li Linfu suddenly ordered.
The carriage came to a halt. The guard stepped forward and bowed, “Please give your orders, Prime Minister!”
“Go! Find Li Qingan.”
“As you command!” Just as the guard was about to leave, Li Linfu called him back.
He sighed and waved his hand weakly. “Forget it. Let’s return to the mansion.”
……
(Note: In history, Yang Shenjin was indeed eliminated by Li Linfu at the end of the sixth year of the Tianbao era due to a weakness he was exploited. This book alters history with the arrival of the protagonist; moreover, Pei Kuan assumes the position of Minister of Rites slightly earlier.)