Chapter Forty: Yang Lian’s Suggestion
As a faint fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, Yang Lian could not quite discern the reason why Prince Qi had summoned him. Judging from Princess Huairou’s expression, it was clear Prince Qi was aware of the events of the previous night. How would he view it? Although the discord between Prince Qi, Li Jingsui, and Duke Dongping, Li Hongji, was well known, the gravity of this matter made it impossible to predict Prince Qi’s response.
Princess Huairou watched Yang Lian, resting her delicate chin in her hand, and asked with hopeful anticipation, “The piece you played last night—could you play it for me again?”
Yang Lian was momentarily stunned. How did she know about that?
Princess Huairou giggled triumphantly. “Surprised? Yesterday, my father and I were also at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion.”
Yang Lian blurted out, “Prince Qi was there as well?”
“My father was indeed there. He saw everything that happened last night. Who would have thought Brother Hongji would act in such a way?” Princess Huairou raised her elegant brows and added, “No wonder Uncle the Emperor doesn’t favor him—there’s good reason for it.”
Yang Lian smiled faintly, thinking that explained why Li Hongji, though the emperor’s eldest son, held only the title of duke. So that was the underlying cause. As for Li Jing, his literary talent rivaled Li Yu’s, but since he was not the last ruler of a fallen state, and his wives were not as renowned as the Empresses Zhou, his fame suffered by comparison.
An emperor fond of chess, music, painting, and calligraphy was, by nature, likely to be gentle and perhaps a bit weak. Given Li Jing’s temperament, it was entirely possible he would dislike Li Hongji. As Yang Lian sank into thought, Princess Huairou called out, “Hey, you blockhead, what are you thinking about?”
“I was pondering what the Son of Heaven would think if he knew of this,” Yang Lian replied with a smile.
“What could he think? Uncle the Emperor has visited brothels himself. At most, he’ll scold him a little.” Princess Huairou’s tone was dismissive.
Yang Lian rolled his eyes, thinking, indeed, like father, like son. Li Jing loved visiting brothels, and his sons were not to be outdone. The waves on the Yangtze grow ever higher, each generation bolder than the last.
Seeing Yang Lian’s expression, Princess Huairou smiled wryly. Though she disapproved of her father frequenting such places, what man in this world did not love beauty? The fact that her father had yet to formally take a consort already made him a rare and upstanding man.
As they conversed, almost without realizing it, they arrived at Prince Qi’s residence. Princess Huairou led Yang Lian inside, their passage unobstructed at every turn.
Prince Qi, Li Jingsui, was reclining on a soft divan, sipping tea and lost in contemplation. Upon seeing Yang Lian enter, his eyes narrowed in assessment. This was a man who could surprise him: a warrior, yet skilled in music—could he truly be someone gifted in both civil and martial arts? Had Heaven sent him such a man?
“Yu Hou of the Divine Martial Army, Yang Lian, pays his respects to Prince Qi!” Yang Lian saluted with cupped hands.
“No need for such formalities, Yang Lian. Come, sit here,” Prince Qi waved him over with a smile, inwardly wondering at Yang Lian’s scholarly rigidity.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Yang Lian replied, took off his boots, and sat cross-legged nearby.
“How have things been in the Divine Martial Army these days? Has anyone bullied you?” Prince Qi inquired with concern.
From the side, Princess Huairou interjected, “Who would dare bully him? I think it’s enough if he doesn’t bully others.”
Yang Lian smiled slightly, thinking she certainly understood him well.
Prince Qi’s brows knit. “Enough. I have matters to discuss with Yang Lian. You may withdraw.”
Though usually willful, Princess Huairou knew when to be serious. She bowed and said, “Father, your daughter takes her leave.”
No sooner had she exited than several eunuchs arrived with tea and refreshments, setting them upon the table.
“Please, Yang Lian, have something to eat. We can discuss matters at leisure,” Prince Qi said.
Yang Lian nodded and, without ceremony, took up his tea. “The Divine Martial Army is indeed the elite among the imperial guard, but in my view, a soldier who has not seen battle is not a true soldier. In recent years, though the Great Tang has recuperated and its strength revived, the realm is now beset by chaos. To the north, tensions between Jin and the Khitan threaten war at any moment. In the south, the Kingdom of Wuyue is our greatest foe, interfering with our campaign against Min. With both external threats and internal unrest, without a powerful army, how can the nation be defended?”
Prince Qi made a sound of acknowledgment, watching Yang Lian intently. “Though there are external threats, for now they pose little immediate danger to the Great Tang. But what internal unrest do you speak of?”
Yang Lian smiled. “Does Your Highness not see? Factional strife.”
“Factional strife?” Prince Qi repeated.
“Precisely. Your Highness, has there been a decision regarding the expedition against Wuyue?” Yang Lian asked.
Prince Qi shook his head. “At present, Song Qiqiu, Feng Yansi, and others advocate military action, deeming Wuyue insolent and in need of chastisement. Lin Zaixi, Xu Xuan, and Sun Sheng oppose war, arguing that the world has long suffered from turmoil and should not be plunged into further conflict.”
“What is Your Highness’s view?” Yang Lian inquired.
Li Jingsui replied, “While rash warfare is undesirable, surrounded as we are by enemies, can we afford to sit and await destruction?”
Yang Lian glanced at Li Jingsui in mild surprise. Though gentle in manner, at least he was not stubborn; he understood the situation. “Your Highness speaks wisely. The Great Tang’s decision to go to war is not wrong in itself—only, the direction is mistaken.”
Prince Qi asked, “How so?”
“First, Min is mountainous and barren. Even if the Great Tang occupies it, apart from the strategic encirclement of Wuyue, there is little gain. Second, ‘when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold.’ To resist the Great Tang, Wuyue has always maintained good relations with the central dynasty. Even Chu and Nanping have ties with them. The Great Tang is in greater peril than it seems,” Yang Lian analyzed.
Li Jingsui, having experienced these very issues, nodded in agreement.
Yang Lian continued, “If Min falls to the Great Tang, Wuyue will surely respond. Though Jin, preoccupied with the Khitan, cannot spare troops, Wuyue can easily persuade Chu, Han, and Nanping to join in attacking the Tang. Even with its might, if the borders are aflame, the strain on the nation’s strength will be immense.”
Prince Qi assented, viewing Yang Lian with newfound respect. These were sound arguments. The court had debated them, yet no better plan had emerged. He asked, “Then, Yang Lian, what is your counsel?”
“If the Great Tang still had generals like Li Shenfu, An Renyi, or Zhou Ben, subduing Min would not be difficult. But as the Min campaign drags on, the Tang has paid a heavy price, even handing Wuyue a pretext to mire us in endless war. Min has become a chicken’s rib—tasteless to eat, yet a pity to discard.”
“Your Highness, I am of little consequence, but my opinion is this: withdraw from the Min campaign and focus on training the army. When Jin and the Khitan go to war and the dust settles, dispatch a great general to recover the central plains and unify the realm.”
Yang Lian’s words took Li Jingsui by surprise. In truth, he opposed Duke Dongping as a matter of principle. Since Sun Sheng and Han Xizai—close to Li Hongji—advocated peace, Prince Qi felt compelled to support war and push for action.
He believed that Min’s resistance, though fierce, was at its last gasp; a strong general with fifty or sixty thousand troops could recapture Min and crush the rebels. But Yang Lian’s opposition to war left him disappointed.
Yang Lian understood Prince Qi’s thinking. But the best chance for the Great Tang to recover the central plains was when the Khitan invaded and destroyed Later Jin. If they waited until the Later Han was established and Guo Wei took power, circumstances would be quite different. Though Yang Lian had his own motives, he did not wish for the foreign threat to grow and make things harder in the future.
Yet Prince Qi’s expression already showed his displeasure, and Yang Lian sighed inwardly. “If Your Highness truly wishes to press for war, I suggest you not involve yourself directly, but leave the matter to others to present at court.”
“Very well,” Prince Qi replied, though his heart was unmoved.
Yang Lian said no more, turning his attention to the refreshments before him. He had offered his advice; whether it was heeded was up to Prince Qi.
After a brief silence, they conversed a while longer. Prince Qi assured him that, despite the altercation with Duke Dongping at Xiaoxiang Pavilion, he was willing to mediate. Although Yang Lian’s answer had disappointed him, his analysis was sound, and Prince Qi still hoped Yang Lian would serve him in the future.
Seeing it was late, Yang Lian rose to take his leave. Li Jingsui offered to send someone to escort him, but Yang Lian declined. Once outside Prince Qi’s residence, Yang Lian let out a long sigh. No wonder history recorded Li Jingsui’s death at Li Hongji’s hands; the man was simply not decisive enough. But such men were easier to control—unlike Li Hongji, who brooked no manipulation.
When Yang Lian returned to the inn, night had fallen. Xiao Erhei was busy within. After surveying and measurement, the carpenters were ready; work would begin the next day. Yang Lian inspected their preparations, praised Xiao Erhei for his efficiency, and retired to rest.
The following days were busy and fulfilling. Each day, Yang Lian drilled the troops, then checked the progress of the inn and tavern renovations. To his surprise, Li Hongji made no trouble for him.
Ten days passed swiftly. As the renovations neared completion, Yang Lian received word that, after much debate at court, a decision had finally been reached.
With the support of Chancellor Feng Yansi and founding elder Song Qiqiu, the emperor Li Jing resolved to dispatch Feng Yanlu, Wang Chongwen, and Wei Cen to lead troops to Fuzhou and support Chen Jue, determined to capture the city and encircle Wuyue.
Upon hearing the news, Yang Lian sighed. His butterfly wings were still too fragile to stir great currents.
Yet, in the midst of this misfortune, there was a silver lining. Prince Qi, Li Jingsui, had still heeded Yang Lian’s advice: while publicly pressing for war, he secretly advised Li Jing to withdraw from Min, build up strength, and await changes in the central plains before marching north to restore unity. Though Li Jing ultimately decided on war, Yang Lian had achieved half his aim. As long as Li Jing’s favor for Li Jingsui persisted, and Li Jingsui ascended to the position of imperial heir, Yang Lian’s chances of success would increase.