Chapter Seventeen: What a Pity

Yang Xi, having said little, followed Yang Guozhong out of Li Longji’s bedchamber. Father and son walked through the palace in silence until they reached a secluded spot, where they finally came to a halt.

"Father, does the Emperor truly intend to abdicate?" Yang Xi asked in a low voice.

Yang Guozhong pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "The Emperor certainly does not truly wish to abdicate. He is merely advanced in years and weary of coping with the current situation, which is why he spoke in such a fit of pique. However, I fear the 'what if'—if the Emperor truly decides to pass the throne to the Crown Prince, our Yang family will be doomed. Therefore, whether the Emperor is sincere or not, we must find a way to prevent it."

"I understand, Father!"

Seeing that no one was nearby, Yang Guozhong steeled himself and lowered his voice. "Xi’er, you must know that your father and the Crown Prince are at great odds, and the conflict between us is severe. I have never spoken to you about the details, but I can no longer hide them from you; I will certainly explain them in full. However, today the time is short, so we cannot go into detail now. When an opportunity arises, I will speak with you at length!"

"Yes, Father. I will be sure to listen carefully to your teachings when the time comes," Yang Xi replied softly.

Yang Guozhong nodded, said no more, and gestured for Yang Xi to leave the palace with him. After exiting the palace, Yang Guozhong gave a few more instructions, telling Yang Xi to return home to rest while he himself remained at the Secretariat to attend to state affairs.

Yang Xi returned to his residence. After exchanging a few words with his mother, Pei Rou, he retreated to his own small courtyard, intending to rest for a while. Ping’er came to serve him with great thoughtfulness. After exchanging a few playful remarks with her, Yang Xi fell into a peaceful sleep under the girl’s gentle kneading.

Upon waking, Yang Xi felt invigorated and in high spirits. It was at this time that the imperial decree of rewards arrived at his residence.

Li Longji had bestowed upon Yang Xi substantial rewards: he was granted the title of Baron of Weinan, with a fiefdom of three hundred households, along with a new residence and a wealth of gold, silver, and silk.

Such rewards were by no means light, though there was no promotion in rank. As Yang Xi had been newly appointed as a General of the Longwu Guard and Deputy Marshal of the army, his position could not be elevated further under the current circumstances; that would have to wait for the future.

Yang Xi was quite satisfied with this. With the gift of a new residence, it meant he could now establish his own household and become independent, no longer needing to live with his parents—something he had longed for.

Everyone hopes to establish their own family and career, and Yang Xi was no exception. Having his own residence and his own achievements was the beginning of that journey.

The defeat at Lingbao had led to the total annihilation of two hundred thousand Tang troops by An Lushan’s rebel forces. Geshu Han, who had been in charge of military affairs at Tongguan, bore heavy responsibility, and following Yang Xi’s appointment as the Military Commissioner of Tongguan, Geshu Han had been stripped of his position and forced to serve as a common soldier.

However, after returning to the capital with Yang Xi, the imperial court had not immediately announced further punishment. Yang Xi had heard no news regarding him, and those who went to his residence to pay visits were turned away at the door. It was as if this veteran general had vanished from the face of the earth upon his return. Yang Xi had intended to pay him a visit before returning to Tongguan, but decided against it.

While visiting might have been the right thing to do in terms of sentiment, it was inappropriate under the circumstances. Due to his father, Yang Guozhong, it was better that he refrain from visiting for the time being.

***

After comforting his mother, Pei Rou, who was reluctant to see him leave, and accompanying his father, Yang Guozhong, into the palace to report to Emperor Li Longji, Yang Xi set off on his return journey to Tongguan just as dusk fell.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the evening breeze began to stir, a spirited Yang Xi, accompanied by dozens of personal guards and retainers, galloped along the imperial highway toward Tongguan.

The moonlight was bright during the first half of the night, allowing them to travel quickly without torches. However, as the moon set at midnight, they were forced to light torches to continue. It was nearly dawn when Yang Xi’s party finally arrived at the city of Tongguan.

Gao Shi, Wang Sili, Pang Zhong, Li Chengguang, and Li Fude—the key generals who had received word in advance—had all come out to the west gate to meet him.

Yang Xi was the commander-in-chief of the Tongguan garrison, so it was natural for his subordinates to welcome him back. Yet, each of these generals had their own underlying motives.

Many of them had participated in the Battle of Lingbao and bore the burden of the defeat. Before leaving for Chang’an, Yang Xi had promised them that he would plead their case before the Emperor, hoping to have their punishments reduced or their crimes pardoned. Now that Yang Xi had returned, he would certainly bring the Emperor’s decision, and everyone was eager to hear the final outcome from him immediately.

Yang Xi could not, of course, fully fathom their thoughts, but the sight of so many generals coming out to meet him at the west gate still brought him a pleasant surprise. He interpreted their actions as a sign of further recognition of his authority as the supreme commander.

He was naturally pleased to be treated with such respect by his subordinates.

Yang Xi immediately inquired about the situation near Tongguan. From the successive reports of his generals, he grasped the latest developments regarding the enemy.

After An Qingxu and Cui Qianyou failed to capture the city and retreated to defend Shan Prefecture, they had sent no further troops toward Tongguan. Instead, they had fortified the line at Shan Prefecture and massed heavy forces near Lingbao to guard against any potential assault from Tongguan. The situation had essentially returned to the state it was in before the defeat at Lingbao, with both sides standing in a standoff at a distance. According to scouts, An Lushan had returned to Luoyang, and An Qingxu had taken a portion of the troops with him to Luoyang as well. The rebel forces stationed near Shan Prefecture, numbering over one hundred thousand, were now entirely under the command of Cui Qianyou.

"Marshal Yang, I suspect that the rebels must be facing a shortage of supplies; otherwise, they would not have retreated entirely to the Shan Prefecture area," Gao Shi said after finishing his report. "Logically, the rebels have not suffered a crushing defeat, and they have the capacity to attack the city again. I suspect they have encountered significant difficulties, or else they would still be encamped beneath the walls of Tongguan."

"I agree with General Gao’s assessment," said Yang Xi, laughing as he rode into the city with the other officers. "The supplies required by the rebels are all transported from the direction of Luoyang. Feeding over one hundred thousand men is no small matter; ensuring a sufficient supply is by no means an easy task! It is only a pity that the strength of the one hundred thousand men at Tongguan is insufficient, and nearly half have not undergone systematic training, otherwise we might have other plans."

Upon hearing this, the generals fell silent. It was a fact—though they possessed an army of one hundred thousand, they lacked the strength for a counterattack. Even if the rebels were struggling, it was impossible for their side to seize the opportunity to strike, which was truly regrettable.

The generals all knew that holding Tongguan did not actually require one hundred thousand men; even against an assault by three hundred thousand rebels, fifty or sixty thousand troops would be enough to hold the city. But that premise relied on them being elite soldiers. If the garrison at Tongguan consisted entirely of elite troops, fifty or sixty thousand would be sufficient, allowing nearly half of the force to sally out and strike while the enemy was weak.

What a pity!

"Strengthen the training and improve the combat effectiveness of these one hundred thousand men as quickly as possible!" This was Yang Xi’s final order after hearing the reports from the various generals.