vncnus Page 163
Page 163
"Those are the techniques your wife learned."
"That was a technique I used when I was a layman. Now that I have converted to Taoism, why should I teach others some minor skills?"
Xie Ziran sighed, "Alas, my worldly ties are not yet severed, and I cannot break free from illusions to attain the Dao. The root of this lies in these trivial arts. Therefore, I have been searching in various prefectures, hoping to find someone with similar bones to me to teach me the arts, and at the same time sever my worldly ties. Unfortunately, I have not seen anything since I traveled from Hengshan. I originally wanted to see if your wife could teach me—although she is a bit older, she has studied before. However, I had only just entered Yuancheng and had not yet learned of your wife's difficult childbirth when I saw that girl from the Nie family."
He bowed deeply to Li Ji and said, “I beg your help, General. I do not want the Nie family’s daughter to leave the secular world and join the Taoist sect. I only ask that you take her away when she is seven or eight years old and let her return home.”
Li Ji had no choice—the key was that Xie Ziran had saved his wife's life, and he couldn't help but do everything in his power to fulfill her wish—so he summoned Nie Feng and tried to reason with him. Nie Feng initially refused, but after Li Ji explained the reasons and repeatedly pleaded, even disregarding social hierarchy and nearly kneeling to kowtow, Nie Feng finally asked:
"If that woman only agreed to rescue Madam by threatening my daughter, then so be it; but since Madam is already safe, why did the commander grant her request?"
Li Ji said solemnly, “Master Xie saved people first and then made demands. His integrity is admirable. Since I have received his kindness, if I cannot fulfill his wishes, although it would not be considered a breach of trust, it would still be against the principles of being a human being. Although I have failed you, I should repay you in some way.”
Nie Feng sighed, "So be it. I'll only be raised by someone for a few years, and eventually I'll return home. The General has done me a great favor, so why should I begrudge a woman?"
Li Ji thought to himself, "Your attitude is wrong. Doesn't your daughter matter?" But then he realized that he was being hypocritical, and his face turned red with shame—luckily, his face was dark, so it wasn't too noticeable.
A few days later, Xie Ziran led Nie Yinniang away, while Li Ji bestowed upon Nie Feng the title of Military Commander and added the position of Commander-in-Chief. He also intended to submit a memorial recommending Nie Feng for the rank of Fifth-Rank, Lower-Rank Imperial Guard, but Nie Feng only accepted the title, not the rank, saying, "I'm not selling my daughter..."
----------
Time flies, and soon it was the second year of Yongtai.
In February, Zhang Xiancheng led his troops into Sichuan and fought a major battle with Cui Gan at Zizhou. To everyone's surprise, Cui Gan defeated the government army with a smaller force, and Zhang Xiancheng barely escaped with his life. Even the imperial insignia was seized by Cui Gan.
Soon after, Du Hongjian entered Sichuan and, upon hearing of Zhang Xiancheng's defeat, was filled with fear. He sent someone to negotiate with Cui Gan, promising to plead for Du's life on his behalf to the court. Cui Gan, with humble words and generous bribes, respectfully welcomed Du Hongjian into Chengdu, and the two sides had a very pleasant conversation…
Of course, Chengdu and the surrounding counties remained under Cui Gan's control. Du Hongjian entrusted him with all the affairs of the prefecture and government, while he himself merely did nothing. Furthermore, he kept his promise and submitted a memorial to the court recommending Cui Gan and requesting that the position of Jiedushi (military governor) of Jiannan Xichuan be given to Cui Gan.
Li Ji, who was in Weibo, only heard about this in June. He was initially surprised: "Indeed, he is a famous general who defends against the barbarians. This Cui Gan is so capable in battle!" But then he sighed: "Lord Du's ambition has been worn down to this extent..."
Du Hongjian was originally the military governor of Shuofang and a great contributor to Li Heng's ascension to the throne. Could someone who was favored by Guo Ziyi and entrusted with the important task of military governor be incompetent? However, after being transferred from the outer garrison to the central government, Du Hongjian became increasingly decadent. Li Ji had heard in Chang'an that he spent his days chanting Buddhist scriptures and neglecting political affairs. Otherwise, Yuan Zai would not have been willing to introduce him to the Hall of State Affairs to help him become a figurehead. It was precisely because of this that Du Hongjian was thinking of returning to Chang'an to enjoy a peaceful life. Who would have the patience to deal with the mess in Shu?
Li Ji went to find Cui Cuo, who was still recovering and recuperating. The first thing he said to him was, "Your seventh brother has done a great thing!"
Cui Gan was thus saved from danger. Furthermore, Li Shi, at Li Ji's request, intervened on his behalf, leaving Li Yu with no choice but to appoint Cui Gan as the Prefect of Chengdu and Military Advisor of Xichuan. Other generals in Shu, such as Bai Zhenjie, Yang Zilin, and Li Changkui, were also appointed as governors of their respective prefectures. Only Han Cheng, the governor of Puzhou, the murderer of Guo Yingyi, was dismissed.
The rebellion in Shu was thus quelled—on the premise that the court took the initiative to compromise—but Li Yu still refused to allow Du Hongjian to return to the capital, saying, "Even if you are just a figurehead, you should stay in Chengdu for a few more years."
The news was then reported to Weibo through the official in charge of reporting to the emperor. Li Ji felt that the time was ripe, so he submitted another memorial, impeaching Tian Chengsi and pleading with the court to issue an edict to punish him.
Because when the memorial was submitted last year, Li Yu ignored it, merely replacing the military supervisor of Tianxiong Army and ordering him to persuade Tian Chengsi to demolish the ancestral hall of An and his four sons. However, Tian Chengsi, relying on the fact that the emperor was far away, remained unmoved.
Li Ji was also worried that if Tian Chengsi bowed down, he would not be able to persuade the court to launch a full-scale attack. Fortunately, the scoundrel was extremely arrogant and dared to stubbornly bear such a huge crime and stir up hatred.
When the memorial reached Chang'an, following the precedent of the previous year, Lu Qi again failed to report it to the Ministry of War and the Council of State Affairs, instead using Wang Jiahe to present the impeachment directly to Emperor Li Yu. At that time, Emperor Li Yu was entertaining the monk Zhizang at the Penglai Palace…
While the Tang Dynasty nominally adopted Taoism as its state religion, influenced by the Northern Dynasties, Buddhism consistently and comprehensively overshadowed Taoism. Especially after the An Lushan Rebellion, officials and common people endured immense hardship, even losing hope in this life. Naturally, they turned to Buddhism, which promoted the afterlife, leading to a surge in Buddhist activity in Chang'an. From the prime minister to ordinary citizens, the city was teeming with worshippers. Notably, Prime Minister Yuan Zai, along with Du Hongjian, who served as prime minister in Xichuan, and Wang Jin, who served in Huainan, were all devout Buddhists. Influenced by this, Li Yu gradually aligned himself with the prevailing trend, treating the foreign monk Amoghavajra (Zhizang) as an honored guest, even bestowing upon him the title of Duke.
Upon reading Li Ji's memorial, Li Yu's brows furrowed slightly, unsure of what to do. Zhizang clasped his hands together and asked, "What troubles Your Majesty? If it is not related to state affairs, perhaps this old monk can offer some guidance."
Li Yu, however, did not hide anything from him, and shook the memorial in his hand: "Tian Chengsi, the military commander of Tianxiong Army, has acted illegally. Li Ji of Weibo has submitted memorials many times, requesting that he be punished. What is the Master's opinion on this matter?"
Zhizang said solemnly, “Your Majesty should not ask me about such matters. In the eyes of Buddha, there is only worldly law, not national law. Weapons are instruments of violence, and it is best not to use them if possible.” He paused, then smiled and said, “However, I can only advise Your Majesty to use Buddhist teachings to guide the masses, but I cannot use Buddhist laws to govern the country. Since it concerns military matters, it is better to discuss it with the prime ministers.”
Li Yu pressed further, "Does the Master know Li Ji? Is he overly ambitious for fame and fortune?"
Zhizang replied, “This old monk has indeed met Benefactor Li several times, and I have seen that his eyes are clear and bright, and his heart must be pure as well. Moreover, what young man does not aspire to achieve great things? If the sage finds his temperament impatient and his proposals hasty, why not consult an experienced person?”
Li Yu adopted Zhizang's suggestion, and thus temporarily withheld notification from the Council of State Affairs, instead summoning Guo Ziyi, the Grand Minister of Works and Chancellor, to the palace to inquire about his opinion on the matter. Guo Ziyi initially declined, saying, "This old minister is in Guanzhong and is not very familiar with matters in the East. Your Majesty is asking a blind man for advice."
Li Yu urged, "My father-in-law is a general of the state and a pillar of the nation. Since it concerns military affairs, how can I not ask? And how can you not answer?"
Emperors Li Heng and Li Yu, two successive emperors, were quite wary of Guo Ziyi, because of his high prestige and strong abilities. They feared that if he raised an army, half the country would rebel—in a sense, the domineering An Lushan was far less terrifying than the loyal and prudent Guo Ziyi. But precisely because of this, while Yang Guozhong dared to advise Emperor Xuanzong to kill An Lushan, none of the ministers of Emperors Li Heng and Li Yu dared to lay a finger on Guo Ziyi. Especially since the old man was also quick-witted and adaptable, immediately returning to court upon imperial summons, comfortably sitting on the sidelines, there was even less reason to harm him.
Although Li Yu was wary of Guo Ziyi, he was generally at ease as long as the old Grand Tutor was kept under house arrest in Chang'an. Moreover, he was willing to consult with Guo Ziyi on important matters—as long as he wasn't allowed to escape his control. Ultimately, the old Grand Tutor was like a pillar of the Tang Dynasty, and after Li Guangbi's death, all the glory was focused on him; no court official disrespected him, and no foreign vassal dared to defy him—Li Ji was far from being comparable.
Moreover, in the eyes of most people at the time, Guo Ziyi was the only true commander-in-chief, while Li Ji was merely a fierce general.
Therefore, Li Yu both feared and valued Guo Ziyi, and tried his best to win him over. He not only bestowed upon him the title of prince and appointed him as Minister of Works and Grand Secretary, but also once wanted to grant Guo Ziyi the position of Grand Secretary, which was only occasionally held by the crown prince after Emperor Taizong. Guo Ziyi declined.
Last year, Li Yu married his sixteen-year-old fourth daughter (or second daughter if we exclude the prematurely deceased Princess Lingxian and Princess Zhending) Princess Shengping to Guo Ziyi's sixth son, Guo Ai. The two families formed a marriage alliance, and from then on, when they met in private, he only referred to Guo Ziyi as "father-in-law" and did not call him by name.
Li Yu insisted that Guo Ziyi express his opinion. After pondering for a long time, the old Minister of Works slowly asked, "I wonder what the military supervisors of the various towns in Hebei think about the current situation?"
Chapter Eleven, The Wise Man Returns to Court
Guo Ziyi inquired about the political situation in Hebei from Li Yu, the most important thing being the opinions of the military supervisors.
Li Yu understood and immediately summoned Wang Jiahe, ordering him to retrieve the memorials submitted by the military supervisors of various towns in Hebei over the past year and hand them over to Guo Ziyi for review.
—Now, the most favored person in the palace is Wang Jiahe, but his power is immeasurably less than that of Li Fuguo, Cheng Yuanzhen, and Yu Chaoen in the past. He only leads the Inner Palace Attendants Bureau and has no official position in the outer court, nor can he interfere in the affairs of the Imperial Guards. Li Yu handed over the Baoying, Shence, and Weiyuan Armies to three other eunuchs—Huo Xianming, Dou Wenchang, and Zhang Shangjin—to share Wang Jiahe's power.
Li Yu has learned his lesson... he's learned his lesson three times over.
Furthermore, after the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty established military supervisory offices in all the regions under the jurisdiction of military governors and regional military commissioners, appointing eunuchs as military supervisors. The primary function of the military supervisors was to relay imperial edicts to the various vassal states and report their movements to the central court. Their rank was often comparable to that of the military governors and regional military commissioners, and they commanded their own troops, sometimes even exceeding the number of soldiers under the regional military commissioners…
However, under normal circumstances, the military supervisor would not interfere with the military and political affairs of the regional military governors. The reason is simple: those regional generals who still cared about the prestige of the imperial court would certainly bribe the military supervisor to hope that the supervisor would speak directly to the emperor and say good things about them; as for those regional generals who did not care about the prestige of the imperial court, they were not even afraid of the imperial court, so why would they be afraid of the military supervisor who represented the imperial court? It would be easy for them to sideline or even isolate the military supervisor.
The military supervisor was not a single person; his subordinates, including deputies, judges, and junior officials, formed a complete system. When Li Ji entered Wei Bo, the military supervisor Jiao Xiwang's staff outnumbered his own men—facilitating the investigation of internal and external affairs and reporting to the court. Of course, this was ultimately a legitimate supervisory department, not a secret service, making it difficult to uncover the hidden affairs of the observers and military governors. However, the general civil administration, military, and financial situation within the town was difficult to conceal from the military supervisor.
Guo Ziyi quickly read through the memorials submitted by the military supervisors. After finishing, he handed the thick stack of documents back to Wang Jiahe, and then slowly said to Li Yu: "According to the memorials submitted by the military supervisors, there are currently 40,000 troops in Weibo, 30,000 in Wushun, 60,000 in Zhaoyi, 50,000 in Chengde, and 80,000 in Youzhou—and the Tianxiong Army also has 80,000 troops."
"Based on their population, only the garrisons of Zhaoyi and Chengde have an indiscriminate number of soldiers based on their household count—Youzhou needs to be guarded against the Eastern Barbarians, so we can disregard that for now. Therefore, it is clear that Xue Zhaoyi only seeks to stabilize the region for Your Majesty and has no arrogant intentions; although Li Chengde's troops are not indiscriminate, he has nearly 20,000 horses and is confident that he can defeat many..."
Li Yu nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself, "Impressive! They were able to glean so much intelligence from the memorial. I've already seen it, but I'm still completely clueless about the situation in Hebei..."
"If the military supervisor's report is correct, then Wei Bo's financial strategy is the best, and it is reasonable for Li Wei Bo to raise 40,000 soldiers..." As for Li Ji swindling 300,000 strings of cash from me, let's not mention that.
"Tianxiong Army recruits soldiers in the most indiscriminate way. In my opinion, its financial resources may not be sufficient to provide for them. Only about six or seven out of ten of them are capable of fighting. Therefore, if we send the three towns of Weibo, Wushun, and Zhaoyi to attack, we can use three forces against one enemy. In terms of overall situation, we still have a good chance of winning."
At this point, the old Minister frowned again: "However, apart from Tian Chengsi being truly arrogant and lawless, the reports submitted by the military supervisors of the various towns can only predict the size of their troops and finances, but not the hearts of the people. Li Weibo recommends Qin Wushun as usable, but I do not know why; Li Chengde and Li Youzhou are of unclear allegiance. If they collude with Tian Chengsi, their numbers will be comparable to the government troops, and the outcome will be unpredictable."
Li Yu couldn't help but frown: "Then what if we also issue an edict ordering Li Baochen and Li Huaixian to jointly attack Tian Chengsi? What do you think, father-in-law?"
Guo Ziyi shook his head and said, "This is not appropriate. The court is forcing them to openly declare their allegiance, which may easily lead to their rebellion. My suggestion is to secretly summon Xin Hedong to secretly observe Chengde's movements. In the past, when Li Baochen was under the command of the traitor Shi, it was Xin Hedong who led the troops out of Jingxing and forced him to surrender—this method can still be used."
Li Yu hesitated for a moment: "In the past, Xin Yunjing and Pugu Huai'en had a falling out and impeached each other. Although I changed the commander of Shuofang, I did not severely punish Pugu and his son. Therefore, Xin Yunjing cannot be doubted... What if he refuses to obey?"
Guo Ziyi smiled and said, “Xin Hedong is resolute and fearless of powerful forces. The real reason for his feud with Pugu lies with Pugu. In order to maintain local peace, the court has restrained Pugu and his son. Xin Hedong will surely understand the intention and will not be suspicious. As long as Pugu and his son do not lead troops out, I guarantee that Xin Hedong will not betray the court. Your Majesty need not worry.”
Li Yu nodded, then asked, "And what about Lulong?"
Guo Ziyi sighed: "Lulong is too far away to be of any use; we can only leave it to fate. In short, considering only Hebei, Li Weibo's suggestion to attack Tian Chengsi has a 70% chance of success..."
"What does it mean that my father-in-law is only referring to Hebei?"
"The funds and provisions of all the garrisons are generally insufficient. If a large army is to be mobilized, it will be necessary to obtain supplies from other garrisons. I wonder if the national treasury can support this?"
Li Yu pondered for a moment and then said, "I should consult Wu Qi and Liu Yan again."
Guo Ziyi said, “According to Li Ji’s report, this autumn the barbarian bandits will continue to invade Guazhou and will not attack Longshang. If his prediction is correct, the court should be able to raise an army in Hebei, but it cannot be done for long. If we cannot advance directly into the region, then we should not talk about sweeping away the enemy, but severely punish Tian Chengsi and force him to submit. However, if the barbarian bandits attack Longshang, I am afraid the court should not issue an edict to conquer Tianxiong Army. It is a pity that the two places are far apart. If we wait until this autumn to find out the movements of the barbarian bandits before issuing an edict to Hebei, it will probably be too late.”
"This is merely my humble opinion, and Your Majesty shall decide."
Just as they were talking, a young eunuch came to report something. Wang Jiahe went over to listen in, then hurriedly returned to report: "A report has been submitted from Chengdu..."
Upon hearing this, Li Yu was taken aback: "Could it be that chaos has resurfaced in Shu?!"
Wang Jiahe laughed and said, "Look at my face, does it look like I'm here to deliver bad news? It is Du Zhongshu (Du Hongjian) who reported that Mr. Changyuan has returned from Nanzhao and is now heading north through Chengdu."
Upon hearing this, Li Yu was overjoyed and hurriedly asked, "When can we arrive in the capital?"
"In my estimation, it will take no more than ten days."
Li Yu said, "Whether or not we should follow Li Ji's suggestion to attack Tian Chengsi, let's wait until Mr. Changyuan returns and then I will consult him."
Li Bi arrived in Chang'an seven days later. Upon hearing the news, Li Yu wanted to go out of the palace to personally welcome him, but was stopped by Wang Jiahe. Wang Jiahe said, "In the past, when Mr. Changyuan was a man from the mountains and did not receive a salary from the court, everyone could personally welcome him to show respect for his virtue; now that he has become a Hanlin Academician and the relationship between ruler and subject has been established, it is not appropriate for everyone to show excessive closeness, and Mr. Changyuan would not be able to accept it." Li Yu agreed and ordered Wang Jiahe to summon Li Bi to the palace.
Upon arriving at the Linde Hall, Li Yu impatiently asked, "Sir, how was your mission to Nanzhao this time?"
Li Bi smiled and bowed with his hands clasped: "Your Majesty, I stayed in Dahe City, the capital of Nanzhao, for more than a month, but was eventually expelled by Geluofeng..."
Li Yu wasn't stupid either. He said, "Sir, don't try to deceive me. If I were to be driven away, would you still be able to show a happy face and return to Chang'an to report back?"
Li Bi then bowed deeply: "Your Majesty's virtue is a blessing to China. Geluofeng is willing to sever ties with Tibet and return to our Tang Dynasty. The reason for expelling me is to deceive the Tibetans."
Only then did he present Geluofeng with a letter of apology and report to Li Yu in detail about his mission.
The prior reports from all sides were indeed accurate. King Geluofeng of Nanzhao deeply regretted going to war with the Tang Dynasty and secretly resented that although the Tibetans nominally treated Nanzhao like brothers, they actually treated him like a servant. He had long harbored the desire to return to the Tang Dynasty. In particular, Li Bi's mission to Nanzhao was aided by two important figures, and he finally persuaded Geluofeng to sever ties with the Tibetans.
An important figure was Feng Jiayi, the crown prince of Geluofeng, who, according to the Nanzhao Kingdom's system, was addressed as "Deputy King." Feng Jiayi had been sent to Chang'an as a hostage during the reign of his grandfather, Piluoge, and gained the favor of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, who appointed him as Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and married him to a woman from the imperial clan. Later, Yanggua Prefecture was established in Mengshechuan, and Feng Jiayi was appointed its prefect. Therefore, emotionally, this "Deputy King" was inclined towards the Tang Dynasty.
Another was Manli, one of the six "Qingping officials" (prime ministers) of Nanzhao. His original name was Zheng Hui, a Tang dynasty scholar who served as magistrate of Xilu County in Xizhou. At the end of the Tianbao era, Nanzhao troops captured the city and took him to Dahe City. Geluofeng valued Zheng Hui's scholarship, entrusted him with important responsibilities, and appointed him as the tutor of Crown Prince Feng Jiayi, granting him the authority to discipline Feng Jiayi. Zheng Hui repeatedly urged Geluofeng to sever ties with the Nanzhao and return to Tang, but Geluofeng remained hesitant due to the unfavorable timing.
Li Bi arrived in Dahe City and, through Feng Jiayi and Zheng Hui, repeatedly persuaded Geluofeng. Geluofeng asked, "We are located in the southwest and are unaware of the situation in the Central Plains. We have heard that the border generals rebelled and the Emperor fled to Shu. We do not know if the rebellion has been quelled yet. If we cut off the barbarians, they will surely attack us. Will the Tang Dynasty have the resources to help us defend against them?"
Li Mi gave Geluofeng a general account of the situation in the Central Plains without any concealment, and then said: "Nanzhao previously severed ties with Tang and allied with the barbarians. If Tang is powerful, it will surely launch a major attack. Even if Your Majesty wins, the war will continue and Nanzhao will not be safe; if you lose, you will be captured and sent back to Chang'an. Why bother Li Mi to tell you this? Now that our Tang has just established a stable empire, we are about to mobilize our troops to defend against the barbarians. If Your Majesty surrenders now, you will surely be valued by the Emperor, and your past mistakes will be forgiven."
"Our Tang Dynasty is fighting the barbarian bandits on the western frontier. Tang is plotting to retake Longyou, while the barbarians intend to invade Gansu and Suzhou from the north, each amassing heavy troops thousands of miles away. If Your Majesty were to sever ties with the barbarians at this time, they would be powerless to invade. Furthermore, Tang would offer Your Majesty generous gifts—Heaven has bestowed this excellent opportunity upon Nanzhao. Your Majesty must not miss it!"
Geluofeng gladly accepted the order and immediately wrote a letter of apology, along with tribute, asking Li Bi to take it back to Chang'an. The amount of tribute was not high, mainly consisting of gold and cinnabar. Geluofeng said, "The gold I offer is to symbolize my intention to go north, which is as precious as gold; the cinnabar is to show my loyal heart."
However, he was still worried about Tibetan incursions, especially since many Tibetan armies occupied key locations in Nanzhao, making it difficult to expel them all at once. So he pretended to disagree and expelled Li Bi from Dahe City, while secretly promising that since the Tibetans often invaded Tang in the autumn and winter, he would wait until the following autumn—the autumn of the year Li Bi returned to Chang'an—when the main force of the Tibetan army left Lhasa, before he could take action.
Li Yu, still somewhat skeptical after hearing Li Bi's report, asked, "Can you guarantee that Geluofeng will keep his promise? If we fight the barbarians this autumn, and Nanzhao does not quell the barbarians' rebellion, what will we do?"
Li Bi, being quick-witted, immediately sensed there must be more to the story. He then asked, "Nanzhao has long been allied with the barbarians, so why is Your Majesty only now considering this? Could it be that this autumn, during our war with the barbarians, there will be some major action?"
Li Yu then ordered Li Ji's memorial to be handed to Li Bi, and asked him: "Your brother requests to attack Tian Chengsi. If Nanzhao is indeed cut off from the barbarians, the barbarian bandits will not dare to linger in Tang territory for long, and I can safely wage war in Hebei; if they are not cut off, there may be a fierce battle this autumn, and with the national resources, we cannot do as your brother wishes."
After carefully reading Li Ji's memorial, Li Bi replied to Li Yu: "I can assure you that when Geluofeng left Dahe City, his desire to return to Tang was genuine and very strong; however, they are ultimately separated by thousands of miles, and no one can predict whether any further setbacks will occur within a few months. But nothing in this world is ever perfect; if we wait for perfection, everything will be delayed..."
"Does the gentleman mean that we can attack the Tian family this year?"
Li Bi shook his head: "In my opinion, my younger brother's proposal seems hasty. However, I have been away from Zhongzhou for more than a year and am not clear about many things, so it is difficult for me to make a conclusion. Please allow me to return to the academy, check the official documents, and then make a plan for Your Majesty."
Li Yu said, "Alright, there's no rush. You don't need to go back to the Hanlin Academy. You've come a long way and must be tired. Why don't you go home and rest for a few days first?"
As Li Bi took his leave, Li Yu watched his departing figure and muttered to himself, "Now that Changyuan has returned, I wonder if he will be willing to serve as prime minister?" Wang Jiahe quickly chimed in from the side, "It all depends on Your Majesty's will—Master Changyuan initially said he did not wish to be an official, and then said he wanted to return to the mountains to cultivate Taoism. Wasn't he moved by Your Majesty's wishes?"
Li Yu glanced at him: "How could a mere servant understand my thoughts?" Then he sighed: "It's a pity that my sister Hezheng is no longer here!"
After Li Bi left the palace, he returned to his home in Pingkang Ward. Lady Lu greeted him, prepared a fragrant bath for him, and ordered the kitchen to prepare food and wine. Li Bi said it wasn't necessary, as he had already eaten on the way. Lady Lu, however, did not believe him: "My lord is clearly much thinner than when he left. He must not have eaten properly on the journey. Now that you are home, how can you not eat? You have certainly been a vegetarian for over a year. We have been husband and wife for more than a day or two; do you think I don't know you?"
Li Bi thought for a moment and then said, "Very well, let's prepare some good food and wine and invite your younger brother over..."
The "younger brother" he was referring to was naturally his cousin Lu Qi. Li Bi wanted to ask him about the situation in Weibo Town and—what exactly were his brother's plans? Had he informed him?
Li Ji could not possibly tell Lu Qi, who was thousands of miles away, all of his plans. But Lu Qi was always shrewd and could not possibly be completely unaware. So, during the banquet, he explained to Li Bi, "Your brother requested to attack Tianxiong Army because Tian Chengsi is draining the pond to catch fish and is indiscriminately recruiting soldiers. I fear that if this drags on, it will become even more difficult to control."
Li Bi smiled and said, "Chang Wei is preoccupied with matters in the west. He is probably getting impatient staying in the east and wants to first attack Tian Chengsi to warn the other vassal states between Yan and Zhao, so that they will reduce their troops and pay tribute, thus relieving the court of any worries. Then he can request to move to the western border." Then his expression turned serious: "But I wonder what his chances of success are?"
Lu Qi replied, "I am not knowledgeable in military affairs, but I have heard that your younger brother attacked and killed Zhou Zhiguang last summer. He is both intelligent and brave, so he should not have done something reckless, right?"
Li Bi asked, "Regarding the killing of Zhou Zhiguang, I would like to ask General Ziliang to tell me everything you know..."
Chapter Twelve: Dramatic Changes in the Political Situation
In the following two days, Li Bi visited several prime ministers, as well as relatives and friends such as Li Qiyun, to get a general understanding of the internal and external situation during his year away from the central government. Only then did he enter the palace to take up his post and request an audience again.
He was a Hanlin Academician, and his office was located in the palace, next to the Linde Hall. Therefore, Li Yu summoned him again to the Linde Hall. Li Bi first asked, "I wonder how much grain and money the court has stored this autumn?"
Li Yu said, "I have already questioned Wu Qi and Liu Yan..."
Fifth Qi was able to return to the capital through Yu Chaoen's connections. He initially served as the Prefect of Jingzhao and concurrently as the Grand Censor. Later, because Liu Yan was burdened with financial and economic affairs, holding the empty title of Prime Minister but unable to actually govern the government, and also at odds with his main assistant Yang Yan, Yu Chaoen requested that Fifth Qi be appointed to share the burden. Thus, the previous year, the court appointed Liu Yan, the Minister of Revenue, as the Transport Commissioner, Granary Commissioner, Coinage Commissioner, and Salt and Iron Commissioner of the Capital Region, Henan Region, Huainan Region, Jiangnan Region, Hunan Region, Jingnan Region, and Shannan East Region, and appointed Fifth Qi as the Vice Minister of Revenue, as the Transport Commissioner of the Capital Region, Guannei Region, Hedong Region, Jiannan Region, and Shannan West Region.
In other words, during the Tang Dynasty, the finances of the western half of the country were the responsibility of Fifth Qi, while the finances of the eastern half were the responsibility of Liu Yan.
Li Yu consulted with two ministers of the Ministry of Revenue about the state's financial situation. Wu Qi seized the opportunity to submit a memorial requesting the cessation of all affairs of the Tax and Labor Commissioner, and the dispatch of only one judge and two inspectors to collect taxes, with a levy of one mu of the harvest for every ten mu of land—"this is the ancient method of tithe." He said that if this policy were feasible, the capital region, Guanzhong region, Hedong region, and other areas could collect 1.5 million shi of grain this autumn, which would be enough for the court's needs and for the gathering of hundreds of thousands of troops for autumn defense.
When asked again, Liu Yan strongly argued that the tithe tax system was unacceptable—"Yan Hui and Mencius both said that a tithe tax was in accordance with the ways of Yao and Shun. However, the state has always levied taxes and levies, and to suddenly change to a new system would leave officials at a loss and the people inconvenienced. Moreover, the so-called tithe tax should be levied on each household's autumn grain, but now the household registration has not been verified for a long time, and the land has not been measured for a long time. If we simply levy one mu's worth of income for every ten mu, it will inevitably lead to large households evading the tax, and the tax will fall on small farmers."
"Furthermore, if the country desires stability, it must first achieve equality. This is why I have established salt officials, grain transport officials, and ever-normal grain officials. Now, the Fifth Vice Minister wants to implement new policies, but says that it can be done by entrusting only one judge and two inspectors. This will inevitably lead to great oversights and abuses—I firmly believe that this is unacceptable."
Regarding the state's financial situation, Liu Yan said he was not clear about the Guanzhong region, but as for the Guandong, Huainan, and Jiangnan regions, as long as there were no major natural disasters, they could still supply the capital with 400,000 shi of rice and 1 million strings of cash and silk in the autumn, just as before.
Li Yu relayed all the reports submitted by the two men to Li Bi. After a quick mental calculation, Li Bi said, "I believe that the fifth Yu Gui's one-tenth tax is feasible. However, as Liu Shi'an has suggested, it should not be implemented hastily, lest it harm small farmers. We should establish a special office to conduct a trial run in one area first and observe its effectiveness. If this autumn's harvest is equal to last year's, we can send 80,000 troops from Guanzhong for autumn defense, and there will be no shortage of supplies. As for the grain from Huainan and Jiangnan, if it is transported to Hebei, it will be convenient because it is close to the capital. 700,000 shi and 150 strings of cash can be easily supplied."
Li Yu asked, "Isn't 80,000 troops too few to defend against the autumn harvest?"
Li Bi smiled and said, "I still think it's too much. Now that the passes of Dazhen and Longshan have been repaired, even if the barbarian bandits launch a large-scale attack, the Jingyuan Army alone can hold out for more than a month. If things don't go well, it's not too late to transfer other troops. Even if Nanzhao refuses to sever ties with the barbarians, I believe that the main force of the barbarian bandits will still head north to plot against Gua and Sha. We should order the Shuofang Army to go west of the Yellow River to contain them. If we only supply the Jingyuan and Shuofang armies, the state's reserves are more than enough."
"The time is ripe to launch a campaign against Tian Chengsi this autumn. I dare not guarantee victory, but there should be no risk of defeat. If we can force Tian to submit, not only will Yan and Zhao be terrified, but all the military governors in the land will not dare to underestimate the court. They will surely come to pay tribute one after another—just as Liang Chongyi was frightened after Zhou Zhiguang was killed. If we wait until the barbarian bandits have taken Guazhou and Shazhou, and Anxi and Beiting are left isolated, we can deal with them slowly. Or they may send a large army to invade Longxi, at which point the court will be too busy to deal with them."
Li Yu smiled slightly: "Sir, you seem to trust your younger brother quite a bit."
Li Bi said solemnly, “It is not that I trust Li Ji, but that Your Majesty trusts Li Ji. Otherwise, why would you have appointed him to guard Weibo? However, Li Ji is ultimately young and inexperienced, and cannot command all the garrisons. My only concern is that if only the troops of Weibo are willing to fight, while the other garrisons linger and wait, then the situation in Guandong will be hopeless. Therefore, I earnestly request that the money and grain transported to the capital in the southeast be used to supply Hebei, benefiting all the garrisons. Perhaps they will then be willing to serve.”
Li Yu hesitated for a moment, then asked, "I previously discussed this with Minister Guo, and he was quite worried about Chengde and Youzhou..."
Li Bi suggested, "Why not order a contingent of the Hedong army to cross the Taihang Mountains, pass through Chengde Town, and flank the Tianxiong army? Then Li Baochen will certainly not dare to collude with the Tian family. As for Youzhou... Your Majesty can send someone to appease its military commander Zhu Xicai and deputy military commissioner Zhu Ci. According to the report of the supervising envoy, the two generals are quite popular in the army, and may be able to stop Li Huaixian from resisting the imperial order."
Li Yu was delighted upon hearing this: "It is all thanks to your planning, sir." He paused, leaned forward slightly, and asked: "Now that you have returned, you have spoken of your merit in eliminating the barbarians from Nanzhao. I wonder if you would be willing to grant my wish and make me prime minister?"