LFHYB -Chapter 203 Quarreling Here, Dancing There

Li Xuanba had stayed outside the city for several days when his mother sent someone to summon him back to the palace, saying Li Yuan was seriously ill.

Since it was his mother sending a trusted person, Li Xuanba believed Li Yuan was truly sick.

He returned to the palace to pay his respects and check on Li Yuan. Li Yuan had been looking for him previously, but now refused to see him.

So Li Xuanba lingered daily at the palace gates to show his filial piety.

Dou Huiming came to check once, sighed, and told Li Xuanba to return to his own palace, warning him not to anger Li Yuan and bring the name of unfilial conduct upon himself.

Dou Huiming asked, “What did you say to him? He actually got sick from anger?”

Li Xuanba said, “I didn’t say much, just told him he was useless. He can’t be emperor himself and still wants to steal Second Brother’s throne. Later generations won’t recognize him. Maybe they’ll even remove him from the imperial ancestral temple.”

Dou Huiming twitched at the corner of her mouth. “You really know how to talk… But there’s no need for him to get angry over a hypothetical. Sigh, he’s old, and his tolerance is small now.”

Since Li Xuanba maintained his dignity outwardly, Dou Huiming didn’t demand anything further.

She reminded Li Xuanba that if Li Yuan calmed down and wanted to see him, he should wait for her to go first before meeting Li Yuan.

Although Li Yuan had never hit Li Xuanba before, he was no longer the father who tenderly cared for his children. Dou Huiming worried that Li Xuanba’s frail health could not withstand Li Yuan’s reprimands.

After agreeing, Li Xuanba handled state affairs while continuing to supervise the construction of the gardens.

After another ten days, when Li Xuanba had imprisoned half of those he deemed guilty, the noble families involved finally believed he really wouldn’t show them favoritism and submitted one by one.

Each implicated noble family first put forward a ringleader.

Li Xuanba insisted on “justice.” Even though the nobles had softened, those directly involved still needed to be punished.

He reasoned that “Second Brother is merciful. At the beginning of the state, he didn’t want to stir up trouble.” Aside from executing those who supplied weapons or contacted the Turks, the rest of the families were exiled and had their properties confiscated.

He had already kept a close eye on their estates and accounted for their ledgers early on, preventing them from transferring property to relatives.

When the families saw Li Xuanba leading people to confiscate estates, their eyes turned red with anger.

Those implicated also had to pay “atonement money.”

Li Xuanba did not take gold or silver; he focused on the land. The noble families had seized prime irrigated fields, and Li Xuanba confiscated nearly one-fifth of it.

He redistributed these lands under the equal-field system to farmers living along the riverbanks.

Because the nobles had occupied almost all irrigated land, although the Sui had distributed fields under the equal-field system, those lands were hard to irrigate and cultivate.

The riverbank lands, exposed during dry seasons, were well irrigated, but summer and autumn floods would devastate the houses and fields of these farmers.

Moreover, their fields encroached on the river channels, causing sediment to accumulate, making floods stronger and river channels narrower each year.

Even if the court wanted to construct waterworks to clear the channels, the land suitable for construction was occupied by commoners. The law couldn’t punish the masses, making relocation nearly impossible.

Even if the court ignored the lives of the people and forcibly relocated them, the displaced might become bandits or sell themselves to nobles as tenant farmers, affecting both public order and tax revenue.

A normal court would not want peasant uprisings.

Now, Li Xuanba used the prime irrigated lands to exchange with the riverbank peasants. Even if he used a one-for-two or one-for-three exchange, the peasants crowded eagerly to trade.

By the time he had two-thirds of the lands he needed, he had secured all the land necessary to dredge the rivers.

“The good lands of the entire Guanzhong Plain are probably in the hands of the nobles,” Fang Qiao sighed. “No wonder the Guanzhong Plain couldn’t feed the Western Capital of Sui. Those people are truly hopeless.”

Li Xuanba nudged Du Ruhui of the Jingzhao Du clan with his elbow. “Xuanling is scolding you.”

Du Ruhui rolled his eyes. “Should we check our lands? I think he’s scolding you. You, Prince of Jin, aren’t the biggest noble in the capital?”

Li Xuanba said, “Then we’ll wait for Second Brother to return and scold him. That emperor of ours is the largest landowner in the world.”

Li Xuanba habitually babbled with Du Ruhui and Fang Qiao. Nearby, Wei Zheng, who had just risen to head the Secretariat, slammed his brush on the table. “Are you all working or not? Who said these documents must be issued today?!”

Fang Qiao clasped his hands. “Even if busy, there’s always time for a few words.”

Du Ruhui nodded. “Why be so irritable? Do you act like this in front of your lord? That’s disrespect.”

Li Xuanba said sternly, “The court is a place where seniority matters. As a newcomer, you should speak less and show respect to your elders and superiors.”

Wei Zheng: “……” Although Li Sanlang was his benefactor, sometimes he really wanted to give him a few swipes with a sword scabbard.

Fang Qiao, Du Ruhui, and Li Xuanba all chimed in, “bullying” Wei Zheng, and pushed all the most tedious tasks onto him, claiming it was to cultivate the next generation of court officials.

Wei Zheng hurried to enlist the support of the brothers Xue Yuanjing and Xue Deyin to oppose the three of them.

Unfortunately, Xue Shou had just returned to Chang’an and immediately went with Li Shimin to the grasslands; otherwise, it would have been a four-on-three.

Li Jing returned to attend Li Shimin’s enthronement ceremony and report on his duties.

Since in the Tang dynasty civil and military affairs were inseparable and the court was extremely busy, Li Xuanba also roped Li Jing into this.

Unfortunately, Changsun Wuji hadn’t even returned to Chang’an and went straight to the grasslands in search of Li Shimin; otherwise, he would have been another reliable worker.

Seeing the treacherous nature of court politics, Li Jing was scared and quickly claimed illness.

He had fought for half of Jiangnan, worked so hard, and now he couldn’t take a little sick leave?

Li Xuanba approved Li Jing’s leave, then a group of them brought official documents to Li Jing’s residence to handle affairs, continuing to quarrel, bully, and engage in factional disputes.

Li Jing: “……”

No wonder Wei Zheng always scolded His Highness the Prince of Jin—he really is a poison in the court!

Not only did Li Xuanba make Li Jing do hard labor, but he also made the teachers work hard.

Especially the disheartened Pei Shiju.

He didn’t know how much longer Master Gao and the others could live, but he did know Pei Shiju’s lifespan. If he didn’t put Pei Shiju to use now, it would be such a regret in the future.

Although Pei Shiju’s strategies on the grasslands were mostly borrowed from Changsun Sheng and privately ridiculed by Changsun Sheng as “trying to draw a tiger but ending up with a dog,” his understanding of court politics and familiarity with regulations made him one of the most capable officials.

Master Gao and the others had been retired for many years and were somewhat rusty in administration. Pei Shiju, however, was the kind of talent who could handle matters smoothly even amidst the mess created by Emperor Yang of Sui.

In fact, most scheming officials and flatterers around tyrants or incompetent rulers are highly capable; otherwise, they couldn’t keep the ruler comfortable while advancing themselves.

So, some ministers are seen as treacherous under a tyrant but become virtuous under a wise ruler.

Pei Shiju was one such man.

Li Xuanba repeatedly praised him as “Master Pei,” and Pei Shiju sighed, returned to the court, rolled up his sleeves, and became the vanguard against the Sui officials trying to rely on their seniority.

Because Li Shimin pacified the realm so quickly, Su Wei didn’t join too many people but, after being ignored for candid advice by Yang Guang, directly became a Tang official.

He was very proud, believing that as a veteran Sui minister, he should at least be given a position equivalent to a Three Excellencies.

Gao Jiong was still thinking about how to rein in this old friend, who became proud at the slightest recognition, lest Su Wei’s later reputation suffer, leaving Pei Shiju to handle the mess.

Both had been favored ministers of Emperor Yang of Sui and knew each other’s dark pasts. When Pei Shiju and Su Wei quarreled in court, the remaining Sui officials dared not speak, because in exposing each other’s histories, they inadvertently exposed the old ministers’ own scandals.

It is well known that tyrants love to collect gossip about their ministers and are extremely suspicious. Pei Shiju and Su Wei once had first-hand information under Emperor Yang of Sui.

Although these were not fatal, they were embarrassing.

Previously, ministers deliberately used these humiliating stories to divert Yang Guang’s attention, preventing him from discovering something truly dangerous.

Now, in the safety of a new dynasty, they did not want their past embarrassments exposed.

When Pei Shiju and Su Wei quarreled, the Sui officials who had relied on seniority in the past were inadvertently “hit” by their ruthless tactics during the Wude era and ended up rolling up their sleeves to “gang up” on the two.

Li Yuan was ill, so Li Xuanba acted as regent. To make the court appear more formal, Li Xuanba even invited his mother to attend behind the curtain.

Dou Huiming, supporting her forehead behind the screen, said, “Isn’t the court too chaotic?”

Li Xuanba smiled: “A little liveliness is better. When Second Brother sees such a vibrant court, he’ll be delighted.”

Dou Huiming flicked Li Xuanba on the forehead with her finger: “You’re truly devious.”

Li Xuanba shook his head to defend himself: “It has nothing to do with me; it’s Master Pei’s idea. He learned from the Turks that to divide them, you should support the weak to suppress the strong. So he’s testing it in the court first.”

Dou Huiming laughed and sighed: “So you’re making sure the court isn’t rigid, so Second Brother can act more freely?”

Li Xuanba nodded: “Master Pei is really remarkable. I suspect his strategies against the Turks weren’t really due to ignorance; it’s just that Yang Guang wanted immediate results, so he acted hastily.”

Master Changsun’s plan was only to divide the Turks into several factions—they still existed. Yang Guang wanted complete annihilation. Therefore, Pei Shiju chose to provoke the stronger Turks to eliminate the weaker ones, achieving Yang Guang’s desired “nation-destroying success.”

In fact, this ultimately helped unify the Turks, but publicly, Yang Guang destroyed a Turkic tribe, and the Turkic khan came to Luoyang to watch performances with him, gaining face.

Before the court reached any meaningful results, they quarreled over trivial matters.

Letting them quarrel was part of Li Xuanba’s plan to reform the court. He told his mother about the grassland situation.

The grasslands are barren, and people must move according to water and pasture. The central dynasty cannot easily build cities there or directly rule as in the Central Plains.

Since the Shang dynasty, central plains dynasties employed the jimi system for areas they couldn’t directly govern—allowing local autonomy while requiring the local leaders to submit to the emperor and fight alongside the central army.

Although Dou Huiming hadn’t considered political affairs in many years, she was intelligent and understood immediately when her son explained.

She sighed: “No wonder you told Erlang to kill those who submitted to the Turks. The Central Plains dynasties submit to the Turks, meaning the Turks were under our rule.”

Li Xuanba nodded. “That’s right. For many people, it doesn’t matter who they kneel before, as long as they themselves can become emperor. But for a dynasty, if the founding emperor is too weak when establishing the state, it may not be good for the people.”

Dou Huiming smiled. “Who cares what others think? You and Erlang are the strongest. Whatever you decide goes.”

Li Xuanba laughed as well. “Mother is right.”

Dou Huiming sighed. “Hearing you talk about the grasslands reminds me that my uncle once said he would take me horseback riding there.”

Li Xuanba said, “That’s simple. When Second Brother returns, have him take Mother to the grasslands for a ride. Maybe he can even invite a few Turkic khans to dance for her.”

Dou Huiming nearly laughed out loud, quickly covering her mouth.

Li Xuanba wasn’t joking. If Mother wanted to go to the grasslands, why not? Moreover, after Master Changsun sowed discord among the Turks once, they would likely be particularly cautious of envoys from the Central Plains dynasty. Future diplomacy on the grasslands would likely still rely on the women of the court.

Marriage alliances were unavoidable for feudal dynasties. To avoid such “marital diplomacy” while keeping frontier regions closely connected to the central government—well, that would have to wait for modern times.

Even among marital alliances, there were distinctions.

Some, like the princesses of the powerful Sui Dynasty or Qing Dynasty, could influence the rule of the tribes they married into; others were merely gifts, sending royal women away with no real political leverage.

These matters would have to wait until Second Brother had subdued the Turks before thinking about controlling the grasslands.

But when it came to the women of the court, Mother knew the inner palace better than Li Xuanba or Second Brother, and would surely have better advice.

While Li Xuanba and Dou Huiming were talking about the grasslands, the Turkic khans were indeed dancing.

However, it wasn’t Li Shimin watching the khans dance. Rather, Li Shimin and several khans were dancing around the fire together—among them was Shi Bi Khan, one of Li Shimin’s defeated former opponents.

In actual history, Shi Bi Khan was supposed to die that same year.

But life in the Central Plains suited him; he and the brother of the former ruler, Ashina Silifu, had remained healthy, and Yang Guang had even fattened him up.

When the two returned to the steppe, the current Eastern Turkic khan, Jie Li Khan, naturally refused to return the khanate to his elder brother.

Shi Bi Khan and Ashina Silifu found themselves in a very awkward position.

At that moment, Li Shimin arrived just in time, saying, “I’m the one who brought you back to the steppe. I’m a man of loyalty; I’ll take care of your affairs,” patting his chest and promising to help Shi Bi Khan and Ashina Silifu reclaim some of their herds and tribes, to reestablish a khanate in the fertile grasslands.

“The steppe is vast. Jie Li Khan can’t occupy it all. A few more khans won’t hurt. You’re all Ashina by name, members of the ‘Khan family.’ There’s enough khanate for everyone. Don’t fight for power—watch me, Li Shimin, ‘loyal to the heavens,’ divide the spoils for you!”

At this point, Li Shimin abandoned the “invincible general” persona and returned as the loyal, larger-than-life Li Shimin. Everyone he passed would give him face.

Shi Bi Khan understood that Li Shimin’s ultimate goal was to weaken the steppe, but he didn’t care.

People are selfish. If he died, it wouldn’t matter which brother became khan, as long as the Turks remained strong. If his son lacked talent, he could take whatever herds and tribes remained and become a minor khan elsewhere. But as long as he lived, he wouldn’t submit to anyone.

As for Turkic unification, judging by Duobi’s demeanor, he was not a man capable of unifying the Turks.

Since unification was impossible, what’s wrong with thinking of oneself first?

Ashina Silifu was even more proactive than Shi Bi Khan.

Shi Bi Khan’s residual influence was still strong, so Jie Li Khan couldn’t push too hard and ended up giving Shi Bi Khan some herds and tribes.

After Ashina Duobi became khan, Shi Bi Khan’s two sons, Ashina Shibobi and Ashina Jieshe, though still young, received significant herds and tribes from Jie Li Khan to show his favor toward his nephew. These all reverted to Shi Bi Khan.

Although Shi Bi Khan did not regain the Eastern Turkic khanate, after consolidating the influence of his two sons, he became a relatively strong leader among the Eastern Turkic tribes.

Jie Li Khan regretted it bitterly. Had he known Shi Bi Khan would return, he wouldn’t have given his nephew so much.

Silifu also had a son. After being captured, since he was only a minor khan, Jie Li Khan blamed him for failing to protect the Turkic royal tent, and coupled with his son’s weakness, most of his herds and tribes were seized. His son lived a meager life, waiting for him to return for relief.

Silifu decisively pledged allegiance to Li Shimin. If he couldn’t establish a foothold on the steppe, he would rather submit to the Tang, fight under Li Shimin, and serve as a general at court.

Li Shimin commanded many former “barbarians.” Not only Turks and remnants of Tuyuhun, but even Koreans who appeared from nowhere were treated equally. Merit was rewarded fairly.

Being a rare, cultured Turk, surviving in the Tang bureaucracy should be fairly easy.

If he couldn’t assert power on the steppe, it was better to live cautiously under the Tang. The steppe was harsh; why not enjoy life in the Tang?

Seeing his two sons struggling, Silifu’s morale collapsed.

Jie Li Khan was hot-tempered and ambitious. His two older brothers had been captured by Li Shimin, and he himself had been frightened at the Yellow River by Li Xuanba. Having suffered losses to the two brothers, he sought to make up for them elsewhere.

He waged campaigns under the banner of unifying the Eastern and Western Turks, gifting horses and weapons to rebel kings in the Central Plains to flaunt his strength.

Like the Central Plains dynasties, the Turks also needed heavy taxation and levies to fund their wars.

The smaller tribes under Eastern Turkic rule could not bear the burden and complained about Jie Li Khan. After Shi Bi Khan and Silifu returned to the steppe, they used the bait of “friendship with the Tang,” “future peace,” and “border trade with the Tang” to attract many tribal leaders to secretly pay respects to the future Tang emperor.

According to Silifu, a rare cultured man of the steppe, if one did not curry favor with Li Shimin now, it would be difficult later once he became emperor. Now, under Li Shimin’s banner, they were “Yuan Cong”—achieving merit by following the dragon. In the future, they could enjoy endless wealth and honors, and if they couldn’t remain on the steppe in their old age, they could return to the Central Plains and receive a pension.

After they paid their respects to Li Shimin, he smiled and said, “When you obeyed Qieli Khagan, wasn’t it only in wartime that you followed his orders? How is that different from submitting to the Tang? Qieli Khagan can only exploit you, but my Tang is strong, the Central Plains are prosperous—you’ve all heard of it. What he can give you, I can give you, and what I can give, even he himself cannot enjoy. If you want a great khagan to shelter you, it’s better to recognize me as that great khagan.”

In actual history, the scholar Silifuze, who had been devoted to restoring the Sui Dynasty, completely turned into Li Shimin’s lapdog just to ensure that he and his son had enough food and wouldn’t starve. Whenever Li Shimin spoke, he would echo him immediately.

“That’s right. This time I went to Jiangnan and witnessed the wealth and prosperity of the Central Plains. I realized this khagan isn’t anything special. It’s better to fight for the Tang.”

“Silks to wear at will, fruits to eat freely—even fresh fruits in winter. Surprised, aren’t you?”

Shibi Khagan couldn’t bear it any longer and urged his younger brother to be more restrained.

Silifuze sighed and said, “After being captured by my lord, Choubi took my wives for himself and drove my son away. It’s not that I don’t want to be restrained, but now I have to feed my two sons. Brother, if Choubi gave me a way to survive, could I act like this?”

Shibi Khagan sighed.

When he became khagan, his brothers had gotten along quite well. But once the throne was at stake, brothers no longer seemed like brothers.

Shibi Khagan confided in Li Shimin about the pain of fraternal discord.

Li Shimin sighed, “It’s always like this. Li Jiancheng, at worst, was just overestimating himself and wanted to take my kingdom, so he clashed with me militarily. I once had a brother named Li Yuanji—he never provoked anyone, yet he insisted on attacking us. I even wondered if some demon possessed him. Every family has its own problems—I understand you.”

Shibi Khagan and Li Shimin talked late into the night, sleeping with their feet touching. The next morning, he held Li Shimin’s hand and refused to let go, lamenting that they had met too late.

That evening, as the campfires were lit, another group of minor khagans came to pay respects to Li Shimin.

Changsun Wuji and Pei Xingyan sat on a stone, watching Li Shimin and the Turks sing and dance, their expressions completely blank.

Xue Shou asked in puzzlement, “Why aren’t you joining in? You can’t leave all the work to your lord alone. Otherwise, why bring you here?”

Pei Xingyan said blankly, “Weren’t we brought here for war?”

Changsun Wuji said, “Shouldn’t I be standing in Li Erlang’s position, facing the Turks directly?”

Xue Shou sighed, “It doesn’t seem like facing them head-on. They are all disgruntled people who couldn’t get along under Qieli Khagan, so they came to seek Tang’s protection. You should help your lord, not loaf here.”

Pei Xingyan closed his eyes. “I am a high-ranking noble of two dynasties. How can I hold hands and dance with the Turks?”

Changsun Wuji nodded vigorously.

Xue Shou said, “But General Changsun, didn’t you hunt and dance with the Turks back in the day? Pei Shoujing is one thing, but you, Changsun, truly don’t act like your former self.”

He pointed to another side where Changsun Kangning was singing and drinking with the Turk women.

“Your sister really resembles your father. Aren’t you ashamed, brother?” Xue Shou said disdainfully.

Changsun Wuji: “……”

He silently stood up, ran to the campfire, grabbed Li Shimin’s hand, and began to dance.

Li Shimin: “???” What are you doing?

Trying to compete with me in dance? Fine, I won’t lose!

Li Shimin shouted, “Bring my pipa! Wuji, don’t get cocky! Let’s have a pipa duel!”

Changsun Wuji: “???” Why am I dueling you on the pipa?

Changsun Kangning grabbed Yuwen Zhu, who had completely forgotten who Li Xuanba was, and said, “Yes, yes! Brother, you must win!”

Changsun Wuji: “……” Fine, if we duel, we duel. Who’s afraid? I will not disgrace my father’s name!