Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

What Li Ji referred to was a famous work by Jia Zhi, which led to a beautiful anecdote about poetry. When Jia Zhi served as a drafter in the Imperial Secretariat during the reign of Emperor Suzong, he wrote the poem "Early Morning at the Daming Palace," which reads: "Silver candles illuminate the long purple road to the heavens, the spring colors of the Forbidden City are shrouded in the pale dawn. A thousand slender willows droop over the green gates, a hundred warbling orioles circle the Jianzhang Palace. The sound of swords and jade pendants follows each step on the jade steps, the robes and hats are imbued with the fragrance of the imperial incense burner. Together we bathe in the imperial grace at the Phoenix Pond, morning after morning we serve the emperor with our brushes."

On that day in Longyou, Du Fu mentioned this poem to Li Ji. Li Ji's first reaction was: the first three couplets are excellent, but the last couplet has a servile and pedantic feel to it. What a pity.

At the time, many famous figures responded to Jia Zhi's poem, most notably Du Fu, Cen Shen, and Wang Wei. Du Fu's poem reads: "The water clock drips through the five nights, urging the dawn; the spring colors of the ninefold palace intoxicate the immortal peaches. Banners flutter in the warm sun, like dragons and snakes; a gentle breeze blows through the palace, where swallows and sparrows soar high. After court, incense smoke fills my sleeves; poems, like pearls and jade, are written with a flourish. If you wish to know the beauty of those who hold the reins of power, look to the phoenix feathers that now grace the pond." Li Ji felt that Du Zimei, a man of such high standing, was not suited to write such a perfunctory poem; it was clearly not as skillful as Jia Zhi's original poem—and the final couplet contained a hint of flattery, making it somewhat low in style.

Cen Shen's poem reads: "The rooster crows in the cold dawn on the purple road, the oriole sings in the imperial city as spring fades. The golden palace bell tolls at dawn, opening ten thousand households, the jade steps are filled with a thousand officials. Flowers greet the swords and pendants as the stars begin to fall, willows brush the banners as the dew is not yet dry. Only the guest on the Phoenix Pond finds it difficult to harmonize with the song of spring."

Li Ji quite liked Cen Shen's poems—excluding this one—after returning to Chang'an and the Tibetan army retreating, he heard that Cen Shen had returned to the court and even went to visit him through Du Fu, but he felt that seeing him in person was better than hearing about him… Although he was only forty years old, this Cen Kaogong (then serving as the Assistant Minister of Personnel) looked sickly and listless, completely unlike the heroic spirit he had when he was in Feng Changqing's staff, reciting "Smoke and dust fly in the west of Jinshan, the Han general leads his army westward."

Among the poems, Li Ji particularly admired Wang Wei's work, which reads: "The rooster in crimson turban crows at dawn, the imperial robes are presented in emerald cloud furs. The palace gates open to the heavens, and officials from all nations bow before the emperor. The sun's rays just touch the immortal's palm, and incense smoke rises beside the dragon robe. After court, the five-colored edict must be drafted, and the sound of jade pendants returns to the Phoenix Pool." When Du Fu mentioned this matter and recited this poem, Li Ji bluntly pointed out: "But the couplet 'the palace gates open to the heavens' surpasses all your works!" Du Fu nodded repeatedly: "The masterpiece of the predecessor is a towering mountain, which we naturally cannot match."

Overall, Li Ji didn't particularly like Wang Wei's poetry—although he acknowledged that Wang Wei's level was unparalleled in his time and could rival Li Bai's—but the lines "The palace gates open to the heavens, and the officials of all nations bow before the emperor" truly moved him.

Li Ji wasn't a fan of the monarchical system, but he had to admit that in this era, only the combination of Eastern-style monarchy and bureaucracy, when compared horizontally, was the most advanced and practical system. So, regardless of the individual monarch, if he were simply regarded as the representative of the nation, and could truly enhance China's prestige and bring all nations to pay tribute, what an exciting sight that would be!

It's a pity that if I wanted to travel back to the Tang Dynasty, why couldn't I have gone a hundred years earlier and traveled to the era of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin? Although that emperor's private morality was laughable, as a political figure, he was undoubtedly successful and worthy of respect. The era he ruled was prosperous and progressive.

Of course, the Tang Dynasty's golden age was actually during the Kaiyuan era, when Li Longji (Emperor Xuanzong) seemed as valiant as his ancestor. But Li Ji considered that if he were to travel back to the Kaiyuan era, he would be too old to ride a horse or lift a spear, only to be caught in the An Lushan Rebellion... He would be utterly miserable!

The officials first assembled in front of the Mingfeng Gate of the Daming Palace, then followed the officials of the Secretariat and Chancellery in order of rank, proceeding directly to the East Upper Gate (Zichen Hall) to present a memorial of congratulations. Cheng Yuanzhen stepped out of the hall to respond on behalf of the emperor, followed by Guo Ziyi, representing all the officials—both due to his high rank and advanced age—who slowly stepped forward, opened the memorial, placed it on the table, and knelt to read it aloud. Then the gatekeeper received the memorial and went inside…

The entire set of ceremonies was carried out from dawn until the sun was high in the sky. Li Ji, kneeling among the ranks, found himself feeling drowsy. Afterwards, he heard that Li Yu, listening to Guo Ziyi read the congratulatory memorial in the palace, blurted out, "Will I be able to see the Grand Commandant next year?"

The Grand Commandant was Li Guangbi, the head of the Three Dukes—although the Grand Commandant, Minister of Works, and Minister of Agriculture were of equal rank, there was still a distinction between them. If only rank was considered, he should have been allowed to read the memorial in place of Guo Ziyi. However, Li Guangbi held troops in Xuzhou, and Li Yu issued several edicts ordering him... no, requesting him to return to the capital and be appointed as the Governor of Luoyang. Li Guangbi made excuses and refused to comply.

Li Ji understood that this was another consequence of Lai Zhen's death... He really hoped that Li Guangbi would remain in Luoyang, ready to provide support to Hebei at any time, which would be like building a reliable wall behind him. As for Guo Yingyi, the current governor of Tokyo, Li Ji had basically no hope for him.

He had made up his mind to set off back to Weibo after New Year's Day, and this time he would take his wife and children with him. After all, the distance between husband and wife, father and daughter was vast, and he truly missed them. Moreover, Li Zhang was already a year old and should be able to accompany him on the journey. He discussed it with Cui Cuo, who then asked, "If we all go east with you, who will manage our house and property in Chang'an? Should we sell them?"

Li Ji shook his head repeatedly: "It cannot be sold." The Yaxuan Tea House was one thing, but this mansion he acquired from the Cui family was truly precious. Land in Chang'an was incredibly valuable, and if such a mansion in such a prime location were sold off easily, it would be impossible to buy it again in the future. He didn't plan to stay in Hebei for the rest of his life. After he had quelled the rebellion of Tian Chengsi, Qin Rui, and others, he would definitely return to the capital and then go to the western frontier to defend against the barbarians.

Besides, even if he doesn't stay in Chang'an for long, there will always be a time when he is summoned back to pay his respects. If he sells the mansion, where will he stay? At his brother Li Bi's house?

After much deliberation, Li Ji finally went to find Li Qiyun, who had just returned from Fengxiang, and said, "I plan to establish a new staff position called 'Shangdu Liuhou Shi' (Imperial Envoy of the Capital), to stay in the capital to facilitate my communication with the court. What do you think, Uncle?" Li Qiyun thought for a moment and said, "Now the military garrisons are allowed to recruit their own staff, but the envoys to the court from various prefectures have not been appointed for a long time, which makes it difficult for the court to understand local affairs. I personally believe that establishing a Liuhou Shi in Chang'an is in accordance with the law and convenient for the affairs of the court. It is feasible."

Taking the opportunity, Li Ji earnestly requested, "Then, elder brother, could you perhaps serve as my regent?"

The "elder brother" mentioned here does not refer to Li Bi, but to Li Qiyun's eldest son, Li Laopeng. However, Li Qiyun shook his head and said, "Laopeng has already been granted an official position through hereditary privilege and cannot serve as a staff member again." Li Ji thought to himself, "What a pity, I was just a step too late..." He then asked, "What about Han Hui?" Li Qiyun still shook his head: "Han Hui, with his literary talent and reputation, has already caught the eye of Prime Minister Yuan and will soon be appointed to a high-ranking position..." He has already latched onto Yuan Zai's coattails, how could he possibly join your staff?

Left with no other choice, Li Ji could only spread his hands and say, "I hope my uncle can recommend someone for me."

The only person he could place his hopes on was Li Qiyun. As for Li Bi and Yang Wan, they were always independent and unaffiliated, like lone ministers, and he estimated that they would not produce any outstanding talents for him.

Li Qijun considered it carefully for a while, then suddenly slapped his thigh: "Changwei has relatives by marriage in Chang'an, so he is suitable to be the acting envoy. Why don't you understand?"

Li Ji was completely bewildered: "In-laws? Uncle, are you referring to the sons of the Cui family?" The only ones who could be considered his in-laws were Cui Cuo's two "brothers," namely Cui Guangyuan's two sons. But let's not even talk about the fact that the two of them haven't finished their mourning period. Cui Ju and Cui Gou are both mediocre in ability. Can they shoulder this heavy responsibility?

Li Qijun smiled and said, "The person I'm referring to is the son of the Lu family."

Chapter 42, The Blue-Faced Ghost Appears

Li Yu arranged a marriage for Li Bi, who married a woman from the Lu family. This woman was the granddaughter of Lu Huaizhen, a prime minister during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. He had a cousin named Lu Qi, whose courtesy name was Ziliang.

Several years ago, Lu Qi had served in the Shuofang army as Pugu Huai'en's chief secretary. Li Ji had heard of him but had never met him properly. Moreover, the previous year, when the Tang court appointed Pugu Huai'en as the deputy marshal of Hebei to quell the An Lushan Rebellion, Lu Qi's father had just passed away, and he was at home observing mourning, so he missed that crucial battle. Li Ji, on the other hand, went west with the army and thus missed the opportunity to meet him.

According to Li Qiyun, Lu Qi returned to Chang'an last summer and autumn as a candidate for the Ministry of Personnel, seeking reinstatement. Since his cousin-in-law was a Hanlin Academician, Lu Qi naturally visited Li Bi as well. However, Li Bi was unwilling to easily rely on his in-laws, so he wrote a letter of recommendation, asking Lu Qi to visit Li Qiyun instead. Li Qiyun spoke with Lu Qi and found him to be insightful, eloquent, and quite frugal. He then asked, "Does Ziliang wish to seek a court official position or an outside post?"

Lu Qi replied, “I am still young…”—he was only thirty years old—and not a Jinshi graduate, I am afraid I will not be able to obtain an important position in the court. It would be better for me to serve in a local post for a few years, get close to the people and manage the affairs of the people, and then return to the court.” At the same time, he also said, “If Li Jishi can serve in a local post again, I request to join his staff and obey his orders.”

Since the An Lushan Rebellion, scholars had first entered the staff of military governors and regional inspectors. After accumulating experience and prestige, they were then recommended by their superiors to enter the imperial court. This was considered a shortcut—at least for those with ability and ambition, it was much easier than crossing the single-plank bridge of the imperial examinations. Lu Qi had once served in the staff of Pugu Huai'en. He could have returned home, but upon hearing that Pugu Huai'en held troops in Fenzhou and was disobedient, he felt that returning to the Shuofang Army would harm his future. Therefore, he returned directly to Chang'an to serve as a candidate. However, he was very familiar with the affairs of the staff, and thus felt that if he could serve in another staff for a few years, his future prospects might be much brighter than being appointed as a county magistrate or a military advisor.

However, Li Qijun had no intention of returning to his post in another region. He still planned to climb the ranks from the prestigious position of Supervising Secretary until he could become Prime Minister. So he gave Lu Qi a few perfunctory words, asking him to wait a little longer and see if there would be an opportunity. Soon after, Li Qijun was ordered to go south to Shangzhou to gather the defeated troops and to aid Fengxiang in the west, and he forgot about Lu Qijun.

Now that he suddenly remembered, he recommended him to Li Ji. Li Ji immediately said, "Then I will go and see this Lu Ziliang..." Li Qiyun shook his head and said, "Changwei is now a military governor of a town. Although he is related to Lu Qi, it is not appropriate for him to go and inquire in person. I will write a letter and ask him to come to your residence to pay his respects."

Sure enough, the next day, Lu Qi first went to Li Bi's residence to meet his cousin, and then, through Madam Lu, requested an audience with Li Ji. Li Ji invited him into the main hall, and upon closer inspection, he exclaimed, "Hey, the rumors are true! This really is a 'blue-faced ghost'!"

The Lu family of Fanyang, a prominent clan for half a century, theoretically couldn't have had bad genetic factors—for example, Lady Lu had a round face, broad cheeks, big eyes, and a small mouth, which perfectly matched the beauty standards of that era—but Lu Qi, in terms of appearance, was almost a deformity, and looked extremely ugly.

Actually, if we only consider facial features, Lu Qi does resemble his cousin by about three points. But it's one thing for a grown man to have a round face and broad cheeks, but he also has a small mouth, and his eyes are uneven, with one eye bigger than the other and his pupils crooked, giving him a squinty look... Most importantly, he has a large bluish-green birthmark on his left cheek, shaped like a turtle...

Of course, Li Ji also knew that in those days, the term "turtle" didn't have a bad reputation. On the contrary, turtles and tortoises were symbols of longevity. Perhaps others would even think that the birthmark on Lu Qi's face was a good omen.

Ultimately, appearances can be deceiving. Li Ji did not show any disgust because of Lu Qi's appearance. On the contrary, he warmly invited him to sit down and exchanged pleasantries with him. After a conversation, he felt that Li Qiyun's assessment was basically correct. This person had limited knowledge, but he was quick-witted, answered fluently, and had excellent speaking skills. He seemed to be a qualified candidate for the director of the Beijing Liaison Office.

Lu Qi, in particular, was dignified and composed, neither arrogant nor humble, and his words were quite infectious. After talking for a while, the birthmark on his face seemed less noticeable. As the saying goes, everyone is different. Some people are handsome and dignified, inspiring envy from afar, but becoming repulsive up close; while others, though not good-looking, or even ugly, feel approachable after a little contact.

So after chatting for more than half an hour, Li Ji finally got to the point and bluntly stated his intentions, saying that there was a vacancy in the Weibo Jiedushi's office and wondered if Ziliang would be willing to take it.

Lu Qi was overjoyed upon hearing this: "I am willing to obey Commander Li's orders." This position is excellent. I can serve as a guest in the inner circle to build my seniority, and I don't have to travel far away. I can stay in Chang'an and deal with various government offices and powerful figures to enhance my reputation. It's practically a job tailor-made for me.

Li Ji then asked, "After the establishment of this military governorship as the acting governor of Shangdu, it was also initiated by me. Although it imitates the imperial envoys of various prefectures in the past, it is not entirely the same. So, in your opinion, what does it require to do in this position?"

Lu Qi answered without hesitation: "In my humble opinion, the duties of the acting governor of Shangdu are five. First, to repair the residence and provide a place for grooming..."

The so-called "grooming" refers to tidying up one's appearance. If the imperial court issues an edict ordering a regional military governor to return to the capital, he cannot possibly go to see the emperor and prime minister covered in dust and looking exhausted. He must first find a place to settle down, wash his face, and change his clothes. Therefore, Lu Qi said, "My primary duty is to look after your residence in Chang'an, in preparation for your occasional return."

"Secondly, as before, this residence will serve as a place for officials of this town to stay and make contact when they go to the capital; thirdly, it will be used to report on the affairs of this town, transmit the memorials of the military governor, and provide guidance and information; fourthly, it will be used to investigate the movements of the imperial court and other towns, report to the military governor, and transmit imperial edicts and documents; fifthly, it will be used to pay tribute and perform other miscellaneous duties."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Impressive! I've only just mentioned the title of 'Imperial Envoy of Shangdu,' and haven't even gone into detail yet, and you've already explained the duties and tasks of this newly appointed staff member so clearly and thoroughly—to be honest, even I haven't grasped it so deeply. It seems that although this person's knowledge is limited, his talent is limitless."

Of the five matters Ziliang mentioned, which is the most important?

"Naturally, the third and fourth matters are the most important. When a general commands troops in the field, the court cannot be without doubt. When a military commander is thousands of miles away, he cannot discern the emperor's and prime minister's preferences, let alone understand the court's strategies. Thus, the superiors are suspicious and the inferiors are confused, and disaster will surely follow. Therefore, Qi requests to remain in the capital to dispel the court's doubts and resolve the local confusion for Commander Li, so that peace can be maintained both near and far, and the position can be maintained for a long time."

Li Ji couldn't help but reach out and pat Lu Qi on the shoulder, laughing loudly, "With Ziliang here, I have no worries."

Taking advantage of Li Ji's good mood, Lu Qi cautiously inquired, "I wonder what rank this position belongs to?"

"What rank is Ziliang now?"

"Lower seventh rank"

Li Ji said, "Sure, I'll recommend you for a civil service position of the sixth rank."

Lu Qi immediately bowed deeply in gratitude. Li Ji then explained the affairs of his household in detail to him: "With my whole family leaving, this large mansion and some of the servants will be left to you. From now on, it will no longer be a private residence, but rather a semi-public, semi-private one. You should tidy up the front yard to make it convenient for receiving guests. As for the small gate between the front yard and my elder brother's residence, you should seal it up for now."

In addition, I have another business in the capital, the Yaxuan Tea House in the East Market. Please keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't go bankrupt. However, since I'm going to Hebei, I won't need to drink tea from Sichuan anymore. I'll buy tea from Huainan and Jiangnan—the distance is short and transportation is convenient. So the main purpose of this tea house is twofold: first, to generate profit to maintain the needs of the mansion; and second, to contact Cui Gan and investigate the situation in Sichuan.

Li Ji was quite concerned about Jiannan Circuit. Firstly, the Tibetan invasion from the east also disturbed Jiannan; secondly, Sichuan was rich, but due to the Tibetan invasion and internal turmoil, most of the food and supplies were only enough for internal consumption and could no longer be supplied to Guanzhong.

In other words, if Jiannan is secured, Guanzhong can be secured; if Jiannan falls into chaos, Guanzhong is in danger. Currently, Yan Wu is stationed in western Jiannan, and Zhang Yi in eastern Jiannan. Li Ji doesn't know much about the latter, but he greatly admires the former—Yan Wu, who replaced Gao Shi in guarding western Jiannan, has indeed prevented the invasion of the Tibetans. He hopes that the two regions will be stable, both to curb the eastward expansion of the Tibetans and to allow for the transport of large quantities of grain and supplies to Guanzhong, as was done during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras.

Currently, the Guanzhong Plain cannot even meet its own grain needs, and most of it must be transported from the Jianghuai region. A year ago, Liu Yanfang, the Minister of Revenue, petitioned to dredge the Bian River to improve transportation. According to his estimates, once the waterway is open, the area around Chang'an could barely have enough food. However, even with the significant cost savings from water transport over thousands of miles, a single shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain transported to Chang'an would yield at most five dou (another unit of dry measure). In the long run, this would only be sufficient to maintain the basic needs, not to achieve the goal of accumulating grain reserves.

Only if Sichuan can also supply grain to the north can we hope that after several years, the grain reserves in various parts of the capital region will be enough to support a large-scale, or even long-term, war against the barbarians.

After recruiting Lu Qi, Li Ji took the opportunity to visit the crossbow workshop outside Anhua Gate. He claimed that the pair of "blue lotus four-sided maces" he had forged there were indeed very useful. When he used them in battle, they could penetrate enemy armor as easily as piercing bamboo paper and strike down bandit leaders as easily as splitting a melon. He had made many meritorious contributions and hoped to see the craftsman who made the maces again—that is, the barbarian Huang Tiexuan from Duanzhou, known as "Old Huang"—to express his gratitude in person.

However, upon seeing Lao Huang, Li Ji deliberately dismissed the others and asked in a low voice, "You used to make iron pots for me, but rice was expensive in Yundu, and we couldn't eat our fill. So, in your spare time, you and your disciples made some cooking utensils to sell—I wonder how things are now?"

Old Huang smiled wryly and said, "Naturally, it's still the same as before... These are all domestic grain prices, they never seem to drop."

"How many people do you support with your salary?"

Old Huang replied, "I have no parents, children, or grandchildren, only a wife and a concubine... My wife and concubine have to do sewing and washing work to make ends meet."

Li Ji thought to himself, "You really can't judge a book by its cover! You're just a dark-skinned, ugly blacksmith, barely able to feed yourself, yet you're taking a concubine? So lecherous! Oh, wait, Old Huang's preferences are none of my business. The question I should be considering is—how can this renowned master craftsman in the crossbow workshop not even be able to support a family of three? Is it because the court is too harsh, the salary too meager, or is it due to his superiors' embezzlement and exploitation?"

Do you want to get rich?

Old Huang hurriedly replied, "Of course I want to get rich. Second... if Commander Li wants any more weapons or tools made, he doesn't need to go through the crossbow workshop manager; he can just order me directly. If I can also get a few hundred or a thousand coins as a reward, I can save them up and hopefully take another concubine in the future..."

Li Ji was somewhat speechless... Upon further reflection, he realized that Old Huang's claim of having no children or grandchildren and thus wanting to take more concubines might not be due to lust or promiscuity, but rather to the desire to have offspring. While this was quite laughable, it also aligned with the common desires of men in those times, so it wasn't surprising.

"If you are willing to come with me to Weibo and forge military weapons for me, I will pay you a monthly salary of one thousand coins... no, two thousand coins, how about it?"

A monthly salary of two thousand coins was already the average salary of a sixth or seventh-rank official, which should have been enough to tempt Old Huang. However, Old Huang said with a bitter face, "I am a national craftsman, making military weapons for the court. I'm afraid the Crossbow Workshop will not let me leave Chang'an..." Craftsmen like him were like government slaves, with no freedom to change their status. And if it were other professions, it would be fine, but as a military craftsman, the court would definitely keep him firmly in its grasp. Even if Li Ji was the emperor's favorite general, it probably wouldn't be so easy to mobilize him.

Li Ji thought to himself, "Of course I understand this principle. Otherwise, I would have directly inquired with the head of the crossbow workshop, or even pleaded with powerful figures like Li Shi. There's no need for me to come to see you in person."

"As the saying goes, 'a forced melon is not sweet.' If you are not interested, I will take you to Weibo and offer you a high salary, but you may not be willing to work for me wholeheartedly. If you are interested, I will have my own ways to take you out of Chang'an. Give me a definite answer as to whether you stay or go."

Old Huang bowed and said, "I am grateful for General Li's favor. If I can be provided with enough to eat and wear, and even have more concubines, I am willing to go to Hebei with General Li. I will serve you wholeheartedly. Whatever weapons or tools General Li needs, I will make them. I will absolutely not steal iron ingots to do private work again..."

Li Ji instructed, "This matter is between you and me, and you must not tell a third person, not even your wives or concubines!" He raised his eyebrows and glared, threatening, "If you do not, I will kill you as easily as killing a dog!"

The Wei and Bo prefectures did not produce good iron, so their forging technology was also quite backward. Items with more refined craftsmanship, such as weapons, basically had to be dispatched by the imperial court or imported from other prefectures. Iron ore had to be obtained from elsewhere—nearestly Ye County, Linlu, and Zhaoyi within the Zhaoyi Army's jurisdiction—but there was no other way. If even weapon manufacturing was controlled by others, it would be tantamount to having one's throat strangled.

Moreover, Li Ji hoped to use his knowledge from his previous life to slightly improve the weapons of this era, but he had spent several months in Weibo and had not found any capable and qualified craftsmen to help him, so he turned his attention to Lao Huang.

Li Ji inherited Cui Guangyuan's group of martial arts masters, so "stealing" a craftsman from the crossbow workshop was naturally not difficult. So a few days later, he took his family and led his newly recruited advisors Yun Lin, Jia Huai, Ma Meng, Xu Yu, and others. After the emperor took his leave, the carriages rumbled and left Chang'an. In the procession, there was a carriage that was completely covered up; that was Old Huang and his family of three.

However, Li Ji had also given instructions that even though the household registration system was not strict in those days—compared to later generations vertically, but compared to other countries of the same era horizontally, it was already one of the best—you could no longer openly appear in Hebei. You should simply change your name, remove the character "Tie" (iron), and call yourself Huang Xuan.

Chapter 43, Rumors and Gossip

Prior to this, on a day early in winter, two thousand miles away in Weibo Town, in the 13th Battalion of the Left Wing of the "Weizhou Garrison Commander Jian" west of Yuancheng City, Lieutenant Yang Shigu was reprimanding his cousin Yang Shiyan—

“Previously, I advised my sixth uncle to give me a small portion of his land—even if it was just temporarily registered under his name—but he firmly refused. As a result, he ended up paying nearly a thousand bushels of ‘autumn storage tax’ and dozens of strings of ‘military funds’ in the fall. I said that if you gave me some money and silk, I could try to plead with Magistrate Yan for a reduction, but he not only refused to listen, but also instigated the tenants to beat up the grain collection official, which resulted in both of my sons being imprisoned. Now, why do you still come to beg me?”

Li Ji had just left Weizhou when Yan Zhenqing ordered his subordinates to go to the countryside to measure the fields. He also spread the word that in the autumn, "autumn grain" and "military money" would be levied based on the actual number of acres of land. You big households, either return some of the land you have seized from others, or wait for the tax collectors to come knocking on your door!

Yang Shigu and Yang Shiyan were both from Pingyi Township, Changle County, south of Yuancheng. According to the social class classification of later generations, they belonged to the middle peasants. However, the Yang family was also a large clan in the area, with more than sixty households. Among them, there were one or two landlords, such as the "Sixth Uncle" mentioned by Yang Shigu, who seized more than a hundred hectares of land from villagers and even his own clan over several decades!

Yang Shigu was quite shrewd and kept a close eye on the various policies of Jiezhen. When he heard that Yan Zhenqing intended to increase taxes by the mu (unit of land area), he went to discuss it with his sixth uncle, saying that he should allocate one-tenth of the land to his nephew, so that he could pay much less tax.

Yang Shigu's official rank was roughly equivalent to that of a Chief Clerk or Deputy General of the Upper Prefecture, and he was entitled to 300 mu of official land. In addition, he was granted the honorary title of Light Cavalry Commandant, which entitled him to 7 qing of meritorious land, totaling 10 qing. He knew that although official land and meritorious land had not been granted for a long time, many officials in the prefecture were planning to jointly petition Yan Sima to reduce or exempt their personal land from taxes by classifying it as official land or meritorious land.

Normally, prefectural and county officials were appointed by the imperial court from other regions, while their subordinates were mostly local natives. However, during the An Lushan Rebellion, the puppet state of Yan even loosened its restrictions on prefectural and county officials, allowing local people to take up their posts—partly because its own talent pool was limited, and partly because utilizing local gentry could help stabilize the situation in the prefectures and counties more quickly. Therefore, more than half of the officials in Weizhou were locals, or, although they had been appointed from other regions, they had taken advantage of the turmoil to purchase considerable amounts of land within the prefecture. These people jointly petitioned, and it was estimated that Yan Sima would not be able to resist.

However, Weizhou has a vast area of ​​arable land. Even if all the land owned by officials is reduced or exempted according to their official land and merit land, it would only account for one or two tenths. The bulk of it would still be there, at the mercy of the government. It's unlikely that Yan Sima would have any reason to resist. Moreover, if he truly angered the public, aside from anything else, if the officials refused to seriously verify the land area, his tax policy might fall through.

Yang Shigu asked his sixth uncle to register one-tenth of his farmland under his name, seemingly just a formality to avoid taxes. But in reality—if he actually registered it under his name, would he still expect to reclaim the annual harvest? No way! Yang Shigu had privately told his cousin Yang Shiyan, with whom he had always been on good terms, "Now that I am highly regarded by Commander Li and have been given command of a battalion of soldiers, if I only receive a salary and do not own a thousand acres of fertile land, how can I be considered a proper general of a town?"

It's unclear whether Sixth Uncle saw through Yang Shigu's scheme to take advantage of the situation or was simply a miser by nature, but he refused to change the name of even a single acre of land. After the land was measured and verified, tax officials came and, in the name of the governor, levied additional "autumn storage tax" and "military funds."

Yan Zhenqing originally hoped to thoroughly verify the amount of land and the owners of the land in Weizhou before the autumn harvest, but that was a huge project, and not everyone was as hardworking and tireless as the old man himself. In the end, he did not get his wish; however, the six counties in central Weizhou, including Changle, were basically completed.

Taking advantage of the situation, Yang Shigu went to persuade his sixth uncle again, saying that this year's tax increase in the town meant the amount he had to pay would be considerable. He suggested that he give him some money and goods, and he would help him smooth things over so that perhaps some reduction could be achieved. Unexpectedly, his sixth uncle refused and even clashed with the tax officials, instigating his tenants to fight and injuring two of them. Yan Zhenqing, upon hearing the news, was furious. Without even sending a messenger to Changle County, he directly dispatched a garrison to arrest Yang's sixth uncle's two sons and imprison them—because the old man was too old, and fearing someone might die, he used his sons as scapegoats.

Uncle Liu panicked and asked Yang Shiyan to come to the Yuancheng military camp to beg Yang Shigu: "I am willing to pay the additional tax as required. Please help me find a way to get your two cousins ​​out of prison!"

Yang Shigu thought to himself, "Why didn't you do this sooner? You stingy bastard, you won't even take care of your own relatives..." Now he regrets it, but it's too late!

He also rebuked Yang Shiyan, saying that although they shared the same grandfather, and that old man had to be addressed as "Sixth Uncle," they were actually quite distant by blood. How could you be so biased towards outsiders? If I benefited, would I skimp on you? What good did you get from him that you came here today to beg me for Sixth Uncle's sake?

Yang Shiyan hurriedly lowered his voice and said, "Brother, you've misunderstood me... Sixth Uncle is a miser, he never spends a penny. He asked me to come to you to plead for him, but he wouldn't even pay for my transportation. He only treated me to a meal, and there was only one meat dish..."

"If that's the case, you should have just kicked down his door. Why are you still coming to me?"

"In my humble opinion, Uncle Liu only has two sons, and his grandchildren are still young. If... I mean, if my two cousins ​​were to unfortunately die in prison, to whom could his vast fortune be passed on? Brother, do you not have any intention of doing so?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Shigu stroked his beard and pondered for a long time before finally saying, "After all, no one was killed, so he may not necessarily be sentenced to death..."