Chapter 44: An Unexpected Turn

"This..." Li Longji hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

"Your Majesty, Si Lang has been so diligent in his duties, yet there are those who maliciously slander him. This is truly unconscionable," Yang Yuhuan continued, disregarding the Emperor’s discomfort. "Si Lang saved the Great Tang in its hour of peril. Not yet twenty, he led the army in a desperate dash to Tong Pass, ensuring the pass remained secure and Chang’an stayed safe. His achievements are worthy of being inscribed in the Lingyan Pavilion. Now, he is exhausting himself to the point of being unrecognizable in preparation for a counterattack. If Your Majesty were to listen to such slanders and punish him, it would chill the hearts of all our soldiers. Your Majesty, you must not blame Si Lang!"

"Yuhuan is absolutely right, haha!" Li Longji found himself helpless in the face of her insistence. Surrendering, he revealed his hand: "Si Lang has indeed performed meritorious service. I should reward him handsomely; under no circumstances should he be punished!"

He was, of course, aware that Li Heng was using these ambiguous incidents to "frame" Yang Xi, hoping to insert Li Fuguo into the affairs of Tong Pass to expand his own influence. However, he had secretly hoped someone would step forward to challenge Yang Guozhong.

Li Longji knew that Yang Guozhong’s greatest weakness lay in the military. He had clashed with many generals, particularly with An Lushan, whose rivalry was a matter of life and death, as well as with illustrious commanders like Gao Xianzhi, Feng Changqing, and Geshu Han.

These high-ranking generals, who had risen through military merit, looked down on Yang Guozhong’s origins and resented his manipulation of power. Li Longji had hoped to see internal friction, which he could then use to maintain a balance of power at court. Now, the prestige Yang Xi had established at Tong Pass—where many generals were willing to follow his command—had inadvertently bolstered Yang Guozhong’s strength, removing the military as a weak point.

Li Longji did not wish to see this. He hadn't rebuked Li Heng for his deliberate suppression; rather, he had intended to use the opportunity to keep both Yang Guozhong and Yang Xi in check, ensuring they wouldn't harbor any audacious ambitions. Li Heng likely understood this, which was why he dared to make such accusations in front of Yang Guozhong.

But after Yang Xi’s defense and Yang Yuhuan’s intervention, Li Longji found his heart softening, and he had no choice but to show his hand.

He knew well that after such accomplishments, Yang Xi could not be punished—at least not now, and certainly not before the rebellion was quelled. Otherwise, the troops would lose heart, and the number of soldiers defecting to the rebels in the face of unfavorable conditions would only increase.

He had originally intended to intimidate Yang Guozhong and Yang Xi before offering his "magnanimous" pardon, hoping to make the father and son feel a sense of fear mixed with gratitude for his grace. Thanks to Yang Yuhuan’s interference, that objective was no longer possible.

He could never be hard-hearted toward her, and it was difficult to refuse her "reasonable" requests. He was equally defenseless against the coquettish pleas of Lady Guo, and many of his plans had been altered by the "tender entreaties" of the Yang sisters.

Li Longji knew that Yang Yuhuan had spoken up only after being prompted by the father and son. He was certain that Yang Guozhong had also approached Lady Guo, and he expected she would soon appear to echo Yang Yuhuan’s words. In front of them, he could not afford to lose face by being harsh, nor had he ever truly intended to punish Yang Xi.

He had no choice but to go with the flow and grant his beloved consort her wish.

***

Hearing Li Longji’s words, Yang Guozhong and Yang Xi immediately stepped forward and bowed in unison: "We thank Your Majesty for your grace! We are deeply grateful!"

Li Longji waved his hand, signaling them to dispense with the formalities. After taking Yang Yuhuan’s arm and returning to his throne, he continued, "Guozhong, Si Lang, I trust you understand that Si Lang’s immense merit and unprecedented prestige at Tong Pass have drawn the envious gaze of many. I hope you will act with more discretion in the future, lest you make my position difficult."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yang Guozhong and Yang Xi replied in unison. This was Li Longji’s thinly veiled warning.

"Si Lang, you have rushed back to Chang’an and must be exhausted. Return home to rest. Tomorrow, I shall summon you to the palace to discuss the counterattack on Shaan Commandery," Li Longji said in a detached tone. "The rebels are currently weakening, their morale is shaken, and their supplies are insufficient. Meanwhile, our forces at Tong Pass have grown. Your suggestion to send a detachment to join the other loyalist armies to seize Shaan Commandery and quell the rebellion as soon as possible is sound. I intend to discuss this thoroughly. Guozhong, stay behind and speak with me for a moment; Si Lang, you may go."

With Yang Yuhuan’s arrival, Li Longji’s attitude had shifted, and the threat of punishment had vanished. Yang Xi felt a sense of relief. He paid no mind to the potential impropriety of being dismissed while his father remained to discuss military strategy. He bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. This subject will take his leave."

"Si Lang, go out of the garden and wait for me. I will come to find you shortly," Yang Guozhong whispered as Yang Xi passed him.

"Yes," Yang Xi replied softly, not breaking his stride as he walked toward the exit.

Stepping out of the Ziyun Pavilion, Yang Xi let out a long breath. *Sigh, politics is truly not a game for someone as straightforward as me. What is all this? I was doing just fine at Tong Pass, only to be inexplicably 'framed' by Li Heng and Li Fuguo, forcing me to run all the way back here to explain myself. Thank goodness for my father, the Chancellor, and my 'Aunt,' who enjoys the Emperor’s favor—otherwise, I could never have talked my way out of this.*

He picked up a stone and threw it hard into the lake in front of the pavilion. Watching the ripples spread, he calmed himself and began to walk toward the garden gate.

Since Yang Guozhong had instructed him to wait outside the Tang Paradise, Yang Xi obeyed. However, after waiting for a while, he grew bored. Knowing that the famous Qujiang Pool was nearby, he decided to take a stroll.

Since his arrival in the Tang Dynasty, he had lived as a playboy but had never had the chance to enjoy himself like the protagonists in his novels. He had barely visited any of the famous spots in Chang’an. Even the Tang Paradise was only a destination because of his duty to the Emperor. He had never been to the legendary Qujiang Pool. He might as well take a walk while waiting for his father.

Having made up his mind, he left his servants at the garden gate and took only a few personal guards, telling them to send word if Yang Guozhong emerged.

He set off for Qujiang Pool. The weather was pleasant—neither cold nor hot—and the autumn scenery was vibrant. The pool was crowded with visitors. Yang Xi was glad he had changed into casual attire before entering the city, sparing him from unwanted attention. Had he been in his military uniform, he would have been far too conspicuous to wander about so freely.

He took only four attendants, led by Yang Zheng, a man of his own age.

***

How could one truly enjoy oneself in a crowd?

Yang Xi had never liked bustling places, neither before his crossing nor now. Once inside the Qujiang area, he sought out the quieter paths, stopping to admire the scenery or read the inscriptions on stone tablets. To his surprise, he saw poems by famous figures like Li Bai, Du Fu, and Wang Wei, though most were works he had never encountered before.

After enjoying the sights and the poetry, his mood improved as he continued deeper into the grounds.

Though he chose less-traveled paths, he still frequently crossed paths with others.

Just as he was passing through a cloister and heading toward a moon gate to rest at a pavilion by the water, a woman running from the garden on the other side with a cheerful laugh nearly collided with him. Fortunately, he was agile and dodged in time.

The woman, realizing she had been too careless, apologized profusely.

But as they looked at each other’s faces, both were stunned.

"It’s you!"

"Ah, it’s actually you!"