LFHYB -Chapter 67 Dare to Take a Trip to the Western Regions

After moving to the villa, Li Xuanba felt much more relaxed.

Li Shimin initially sighed, lamenting and missing his mother and father. But within a month, he experienced the joy of life without parental supervision and stopped mentioning them.

As for Li Zhiyun, he was even happier.

Being close in age to Li Yuanji, he always did everything with him. He had long forgotten what it was like to be a mischievous child, having had to be patient and restrained around Li Yuanji.

Li Zhiyun missed the time when he and Li Yuanji, only three or four years old, were raised separately.

Now, though he had a lot more schoolwork, as long as he didn’t see Li Yuanji, he was content.

Moreover, he could return home every ten days or so, so he didn’t miss his parents much.

The three brothers were like middle and elementary school students living at boarding school, with the ability to go home once every week and a half, making it difficult to feel homesick.

With a spacious villa, Li Shimin could finally invite his friends over.

They went from composing poems and couplets, to hunting in the mountains, to playfully taking on the work of the villa’s farmers—pulling weeds, watering plants, all while reciting Tao Yuanming’s Drinking Poems.

As they recited, someone began a tune, and the cheerful group of young men turned their poetry into a full-blown chorus:

“I built a hut in the human realm, yet no carts or horses disturb me.
I ask you how this can be? A distant heart makes the place secluded.
I pick chrysanthemums by the eastern fence,
Leisurely gazing at the southern hills.
The mountain air is fine at dawn and dusk,
Birds fly together back.
There is true meaning here,
Yet I forget the words to explain it.”

Li Xuanba could not endure the sun’s harsh rays. While everyone else worked in the fields, he lazily hid under the shade of a tree.

Li Shimin brought a qin (zither) over for Li Xuanba. If he wanted to be lazy, the background music could at least be Li Xuanba’s responsibility.

Li Xuanba was speechless.

Truly befitting the Sui-Tang dynasty of singing and dancing—do you even need background music just to plant a field?

Little Li Zhiyun, having spent a bit of time weeding and already out of breath, sat beside his third brother, picked up a small drum, and helped accompany him.

Li Xuanba plucked the strings expressionlessly, Li Zhiyun grinned foolishly while beating the drum, and Li Shimin led a group of friends older than him in singing Drinking Song.

When the piece ended, Li Shimin wasn’t satisfied.

“A-Xuan, the qin is too slow. Let’s switch!” Li Shimin called for a servant to bring a pipa.

Li Xuanba: “…” Seriously?!

He scowled, tuned the pipa, and muttered in a deep, muffled voice, “What am I playing?”

Li Shimin gestured wildly: “Battle Music!”

Although there wasn’t the specific “Qin Wang Po Zhen Yue” (King Qin’s Battle Music) yet, whenever armies marched out, they played “Battle Music,” which was a kind of musical theme. Li Shimin and Li Xuanba had already learned to play the pipa skillfully, and the piece they had practiced the most under their teacher’s guidance was precisely this battle music.

Li Xuanba sighed: “Planting a field like you’re going to war… fine.”

So this is why the sons of Sui-Tang nobles had to learn the pipa!

Li Xuanba held the pipa across his chest, crossed his legs, and fingers flew over the strings.

Li Zhiyun handled both drum and small bells, striking them together with a continuous “clang clang dong dong” and “ding ding dang dang.”

Li Shimin rolled up his sleeves: “Come on, little ones, work hard!”

Du Ruhui chuckled and kicked Li Shimin on the rear, nearly sending him into the field: “Little ones? You’re the littlest one here!”

Li Shimin rubbed his butt and grinned: “Come on, brothers, work hard!”

The sons of Luoyang nobility, who weren’t especially close to Li Shimin but were forced to “play with the kids” because of Li Xuanba and Li Shimin being favored by Yang Guang, couldn’t help but laugh.

“The battle music is sounding, why aren’t you charging yet?”

A group of young men rushed into the field.

The farmers watched anxiously.

The harvest is nearly here—don’t go messing things up!

Li Xuanba plucked the pipa furiously, fingers so fast they left afterimages, using music to vent his frustration.

If anyone damaged the crops, he would make his second brother help replant them.

After all, his second brother had started the chaos.

Fortunately, though this group of pampered youths had never planted crops, they had experience tending flowers and plants. Even weeding and watering, they did fairly well.

Though it was all on a whim, seeing the nearly ripe wheat fields excited them, as if they had planted the whole field themselves.

“Li Er, invite us again at harvest—we’ll handle the harvesting ourselves,” one noble’s son said.

Li Shimin laughed: “Sure. Let’s also see if we can grind the wheat ourselves, make some pastries, and hold a banquet.”

Li Xuanba gave a sarcastic look: “Are you going to start raising chickens and ducks too? And maybe hold a fishing or hunting party?”

Li Shimin gave his brother a thumbs-up: “Makes sense, agreed. Fishing and hunting are mine, raising chickens and ducks is yours and Little Five’s.”

Li Zhiyun beat his chest: “Good! Leave it to us, third brother!”

Li Xuanba facepalmed: “Little Five, you agreed even without helping me.”

Everyone laughed uncontrollably.

Li Shimin, grinning, patted Li Xuanba’s shoulder: “A-Xuan, whatever suggestion you make, you’re responsible for it. I trust you.”

Li Xuanba considered whether it was time to give his second brother a little lesson. Ever since moving to the villa, second brother had really been letting loose.

So, after seeing off the guests, Li Xuanba launched his “deadly triple strike” at his brother:

“Second brother, finished your homework? The deadline is almost here. You don’t want the teacher hitting you with the ruler again, do you?”

Li Shimin’s smile vanished, his whole expression seemingly drained of color.

The innocent Li Zhiyun added insult to injury: “Second brother, you still haven’t finished? Didn’t you teach me that we can’t play before finishing homework?”

Li Zhiyun counted on his fingers, reciting Li Shimin’s own instructions: “You said we must complete a set amount daily to form good habits.”

Li Shimin hung his head and slumped: “I know, I only missed two days… just two days!”

Li Xuanba kindly asked: “Do you want me to write the teacher a letter in your defense? Say you only missed two days.”

Li Shimin stomped angrily: “Don’t say it, tattletale!”

He turned and ran, yelling: “A-Xuan, tattletale! I’m ignoring you!”

Li Zhiyun tugged his third brother’s sleeve, sounding like an old sage: “Second brother is so childish.”

Li Xuanba patted his little brother’s head.

Indeed, second brother was a childish fool.

…

After enduring Li Xuanba’s deadly triple strike, Li Shimin behaved for a while and seriously completed his homework.

When he finished, Li Zhiyun proudly showed off a half-grown rooster: “The chickens we raised are ready to eat, just in time!”

Li Shimin snorted: “Such tiny chickens, not enough for me alone. If you want meat, it’s up to me.”

He stretched his shoulders, happily sent off the homework with Li Xuanba, picked up his long-unused bow and arrows, and went with a few of his most skilled friends to the imperial garden to hunt the emperor’s game for a banquet.

When Yang Guang learned of this, he said to the visiting Crown Prince Yang Zhao: “Li Erlang really doesn’t treat himself as an outsider.”

Yang Zhao replied: “Li Erlang has always been straightforward.”

Yang Guang said: “Li Erlang and Li Sanlang complement each other—one straightforward, one meticulous. They are truly twins. After spending time with them, the Prince of Qi finally feels at ease, so I don’t have to worry too much.”

Yang Zhao happily said: “Second brother has finally matured.”

Yang Guang chuckled: “Not quite mature, just a bit better.”

Father and son chatted about family matters before moving on to business.

This year, Yang Guang had dug the Yongji Canal, repaired the Fenyang Palace, and built the Great Wall—but he still felt it wasn’t enough.

Pei Shiju, Vice Minister of Personnel overseeing the Zhangye trade markets, noticed Yang Guang’s ambitions and sought to please him. He compiled information he had gathered from Western merchants into three volumes titled Records of the Western Regions, lavishly praising the treasures of the West and encouraging Yang Guang to launch a campaign there.

Based on these secondhand reports—without any actual field investigation—Pei Shiju even assured Yang Guang, “Hun and Jue can be defeated; all of Rong and Xia can be unified under our rule, right here!”

Yang Guang, feeling that the grand projects he had undertaken this year were still insufficient to earn the title of a “forever emperor,” felt his ambition was directly struck. He immediately ordered Pei Shiju to oversee the Western Regions campaign.

Originally, Changsun Sheng was responsible for managing the Western Regions and the Turks.

Changsun Sheng opposed the idea of launching a campaign there.

He believed that governing the Western Regions wasn’t about how much land was conquered, but about how much could be assimilated.

With the resources of the Sui Empire, conquering Tuyuhun would be easy. But the country had already repeatedly conscripted people for large projects, leaving insufficient manpower and materials to transform conquered cities into fully integrated territories.

If the local population wasn’t fully assimilated, as soon as the Sui’s strength waned, Tuyuhun would quickly return, and the region would immediately rebel.

In the end, Sui would expend vast human and material resources, gaining only a reputation for “conquering cities and lands,” with no tangible benefits.

Yang Guang considered Changsun Sheng old and overly conservative.

He was not angry at him, still showing respect, but advised: “Minister Changsun, you have long dwelled among the Turks and may not know how strong Sui is now. The manpower I mobilize is but a fraction of Sui’s total capacity—how could we lack the people or resources to assimilate conquered lands? Moreover, Sui’s strength will not falter, leaving Tuyuhun no chance to take advantage.”

Pei Shiju also passionately laid out his strategies for the Western Regions campaign, assuring the emperor he could be trusted.

Seeing that the emperor had made up his mind, and that the generals in court were eager to start the war and gain treasures and glory, Changsun Sheng fell silent.

Yang Guang had summoned the crown prince specifically to assign him the task of supervising the transport of provisions.

Warfare was not only the business of soldiers. Each soldier required at least three to five conscripted laborers to ensure logistics. These laborers were all drawn from the populace through corvée service.

Sui had no shortage of grain; it only lacked laborers to transport it to the battlefield.

This year, during the digging of the Yongji Canal, construction of the Great Wall, and repair of Fenyang Palace, there were already too few laborers, and many women had been conscripted.

Although Yang Guang had announced upon ascending the throne that women and slaves would be exempt from corvée, now that Sui was undertaking grand projects, they had to endure the hardship again.

While there was no explicit imperial order, given that previous major projects had already conscripted women, it was clear that most laborers for the Western campaign would again be women.

Yang Zhao tactfully advised: “I heard from Li Sanlang that the so-called Western treasures are merely ordinary items packaged with fanciful stories by Western merchants—for example, fire pearls are just ordinary crystal balls.”

Yang Guang recalled this as well.

But he quickly defended himself: “My campaign against Tuyuhun aims only to subdue the unyielding, unify north and south, and establish a vast territory like Han Wu—nothing to do with Western treasures.”

Yang Zhao said: “Father’s ambition is known to me. Yet didn’t you begin preparing to campaign against Goguryeo when you first ascended? Why not finish that first before turning to the northwest?”

Yang Guang waved his hand: “Precisely because of the Goguryeo campaign, Tuyuhun must first be punished so that it dares not act while I attack Goguryeo. Crown Prince, you’ve never been on the battlefield—you do not understand strategy. Alas, if I did not distrust Gao Jiong, he would be the most suitable to instruct you.”

Yang Zhao thought: if Lord Gao were here, he would surely oppose this.

This was not a matter of strategy but of the people already being exhausted this year.

Although the Tuyuhun campaign might still be endured, seeing his father’s style in recent years, Yang Zhao worried that in the coming years, if his father continued to exploit the people annually as before, disaster could ensue.

But he knew once his father decided, he would not accept counsel, especially advice to rest the people—it would be impossible. If he continued to advise, it would be as if he were causing disaster himself.

His father most hated anyone claiming the Sui under his rule was weak. Resting the people implied weakness and denied his achievements.

So Yang Zhao relented: “Pei Shiju only received information from Western merchants; General Changsun knows the Western Regions far better.”

Yang Guang said: “That is indeed my thought. Changsun Sheng will surely accompany the army on this expedition.”

Only then did Yang Zhao breathe a sigh of relief and sincerely say: “Father, you are wise!”

With General Changsun accompanying them, victory at least need not be worried about. After defeating Tuyuhun, they could seize more cattle, sheep, and treasures to replenish the treasury, and use that as a pretext to request a one-year tax remission.

After this discussion, Yang Guang recalled what Yang Zhao had said about Li Xuanba being familiar with the Western Regions and said: “Since Li Sanlang is well-versed in the West, he should be sent to learn properly as well. His health has improved lately; he should be able to go to Zhangye.”

Yang Zhao was surprised that his father planned to have Li Xuanba undertake responsibilities already.

Had Li Sanlang done something in Luoyang to please the emperor? Did the emperor truly intend to nurture Li Sanlang like Han Wu groomed Huo Qubing? But even if Sui wanted a Huo Qubing, it should have been for Li Erlang.

Yang Zhao subtly thought, speaking carefully: “I haven’t seen Li Erlang and Li Sanlang for a while; it would be good to visit and gather with them. May I bring this matter up to Li Sanlang? Being young, he may not wish to endure hardship in Zhangye. If you ask directly, he might not refuse.”

Yang Guang laughed: “It seems you treat Li Erlang and Li Sanlang as your own brothers. Very well, ask first. If Li Sanlang agrees, I will issue the order. If he wants to go, Li Erlang certainly won’t stay idle—they will go together.”

Yang Zhao cupped his hands: “Yes, I will visit the Duke Tang Mansion tomorrow.”

Yang Guang’s smile faded: “Li Erlang and Li Sanlang are no longer at the Duke Tang Mansion. The brothers have been sent to live in an estate on the city outskirts. You need not visit the Duke Tang Mansion.”

Yang Zhao was astonished.

Li Erlang and Li Sanlang were so outstanding, yet they could be sent to live in a separate courtyard by Li Yuan? What had happened in the backyard of the Duke of Tang’s residence this time?

Yang Zhao decided to first visit his younger brother Yang Xian that evening and ask about recent events in the Eastern Capital.

Yang Zhao said, “Alright. I’ll visit them directly tomorrow. That’s fine—I’m too lazy to deliver a formal invitation anyway. I’ll just go see what they’re up to.”

Hearing Yang Zhao’s teasing words, Yang Guang smiled again. “Go ahead. I asked Yu Shinan about Li Erlang and Li Sanlang’s progress in their studies. Several times, he said Li Erlang was too obsessed with hunting and would only worry when it was time to submit his work. You might as well ask Li Erlang whether he’s forgotten to do his homework again.”

Yang Zhao chuckled, “Alright.”

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba never expected that just as they had prepared ingredients and were starting a fire in the courtyard to cook their own meal, Yang Zhao and Yang Xian would arrive uninvited.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba greeted them first. Then Li Shimin complained to Yang Xian without holding back: “Second cousin, I invited you before, but you said you didn’t want to come. I didn’t prepare any meat for you.”

Yang Xian had someone bring a fat, well-balanced dairy cow. “No need for you to prepare anything; I brought it myself. Do you think I came here just to go along with your fuss? I’ve never roasted meat on my own! If it weren’t for my elder brother insisting on coming, I wouldn’t have come at all.”

Hunting, fine, he could handle that. But planting, fishing, starting a fire, cooking… how could the mighty Prince of Qi possibly do such things!

Yang Xian shot a resentful glance at his elder brother, the crown prince.

Yang Zhao smiled cheerfully: “I didn’t bring anything. So, Li Erlang and Li Sanlang, are you trying to drive me away?”

Li Shimin patted the cow Yang Xian had brought and laughed happily: “Second cousin’s meat, thanks to you, dear cousin! Eat freely! Eat until you’re full!”

Li Xuanba sighed: “With your cooking skills, are you sure they’ll be full, or will no one be able to eat at all?”

Originally, Fang Qiao and the others were a bit restrained when they saw the crown prince and the Prince of Qi show up uninvited.

Hearing Li Shimin and Li Xuanba joking freely with the Prince of Qi and the crown prince, their nerves relaxed considerably.

Although they still didn’t dare speak loudly, their expressions returned to normal.

Yang Zhao curiously scanned the friends of Li Shimin and Li Xuanba.

Yang Xian knew all of Li Shimin and Li Xuanba’s new friends. Many had been met at Yang Xian’s own gatherings.

Since Li Shimin and Li Xuanba mostly befriended children of modest officials or branch members of noble families—youths of humble backgrounds—they were simply seen as a group of young men gathering for some reckless fun. No one paid much attention.

Yang Zhao himself didn’t mind either. But seeing this group so calm and composed despite his and the Prince of Qi’s uninvited arrival gave him something to think about.

Birds of a feather flock together. Men of talent gather friends of talent. Li Erlang and Li Sanlang were exceptional, so the friends they made must also have their strengths.

Their friends were of lower social status, so when Li Erlang and Li Sanlang entered official positions, they would surely help elevate their friends. These friends were not only companions but potential connections or subordinates in the future.

Though curious about their talents, Yang Zhao had no intention of making friends with them.

As crown prince, he had plenty of capable people around him. There was no need to compete for his cousins’ friends. Besides, if he ascended the throne one day, even Li Erlang and Li Sanlang would be his subordinates—there’d be no reason to care about whom they befriended.

Yang Zhao treated Li Shimin and Li Xuanba’s friends kindly, claiming he was only there as a cousin to sneak a bite, and that they shouldn’t take it seriously. He gave Li Shimin and Li Xuanba face.

Yang Xian, unwilling to perform formalities, leaned on Li Shimin’s shoulder and learned to carve the cow.

“The leg is mine!”

“The leg is hard to cook. What if it doesn’t taste good?”

“Hmm… why not let a cook do it?”

“It wouldn’t be fun if a cook did it. A Xuan! Help your second cousin roast the leg!”

Li Xuanba: “Ah? Oh.”

Fine, among everyone present, only he could barely cook.

Actually, though it seemed they were roasting themselves, other servants assisted, and the barbecue sauce had already been prepared. Li Shimin and Li Xuanba mostly just gave instructions.

After some chaos and commotion, everyone present found the joy of “doing it themselves.” They ate, laughed, and even drank wine.

Li Xuanba hadn’t originally intended to drink, but Li Shimin, having drunk a few times under Li Yuan, had developed a taste for it.

To prevent his elder brother from becoming a drunkard, he guided him to love the Tang Emperor’s favorite grape wine in advance.

Sure enough, his elder brother instantly fell in love with it and had already begun learning how to brew it.

Handmade wine had low alcohol content. Li Xuanba usually drank one cup and passed out; drinking the wine brewed by his elder brother, he could drink three cups. Li Shimin, meanwhile, could drink his fill without getting drunk.

Yang Zhao, who didn’t originally like alcohol, sipped the grape wine Li Erlang had brewed and also fell for its sweet-sour taste.

Yang Xian, however, scorned it: “How is this different from grape juice? Where’s the kick?”

Li Xuanba had someone bring out aged millet wine.

Yang Xian lifted the cloth on the jar and sniffed. Satisfied, he said: “Now this is wine. Brother, fill my cup!”

Yang Zhao: “Ah? I don’t drink… sigh.”

With a frown, Yang Zhao was pulled by Yang Xian to down three bowls of wine and eat ten skewers of meat to suppress the alcohol’s effect.

Seeing Yang Zhao’s appetite, Li Xuanba was shocked.

Now he finally understood why Yang Zhao was so fat. He had always heard Yang Zhao say he was dieting—so this was his method of dieting?

Li Xuanba rubbed his already-full stomach, shook his head, and left.

After eating and drinking their fill, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba’s friends saw that the crown prince and the Prince of Qi were staying overnight, possibly to speak privately with Li Shimin and Li Xuanba. They naturally took their leave.

Li Shimin felt a bit regretful; he had originally planned a nighttime outing.

Li Xuanba first sent someone to bring cold water for the three to wash their faces and sober up, then arranged for them to bathe and change clothes.

After changing into fresh clothes, most of Yang Zhao and Yang Xian’s drunkenness had dissipated.

Yang Xian leaned against a cushion, his legs thrown over the back of the seat lazily, and said, “Let’s get down to serious matters. Dade, Father wants you to go with Pei Shiju to Zhangye.”

Li Shimin’s eyes went wide. “What? His Majesty wants to exile A Xuan to Zhangye? I’m going too! I can’t let A Xuan be exiled alone!”

Yang Xian almost toppled off the seat. “Exile? Did I ever say the word ‘exile’?”

Li Shimin said, “Zhangye is a bitterly cold land in the Western Regions—that’s practically exile, isn’t it?”

Li Xuanba shot his second brother a glance. “Brother, stop joking around.”

Li Shimin put away his shocked expression and made a silly face at Yang Xian.

Yang Xian realized he’d been tricked and grabbed Li Shimin, pressing his head down hard onto the seat.

Yang Zhao spoke slowly, “Second brother, don’t bully Li Erlang. Sanlang, you once said you were interested in the Western Regions and wanted to follow General Changsun’s example to help the Emperor administer the West. Father plans to campaign against Tuyuhun and is sending Pei Shiju to gather intelligence there. Are you willing to go?”

Li Xuanba replied seriously, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, I am brave. I am willing to go.”

Yang Zhao sighed. “Although Zhangye is bustling with merchants, the climate is harsh. You might not be suited to it.”

Li Xuanba said, “I do not fear hardships. I only wish to serve His Majesty.”

Li Shimin struggled to free himself from Yang Xian’s arm, stood on the seat, and jumped up with both hands raised. “I want to go! I want to go too!”

“Oi! Li Erlang, you stepped on me!” Yang Xian shouted in anger.

Yang Zhao and Li Xuanba could no longer maintain their serious expressions and couldn’t help smiling.