Chapter 27: The Initial Clash

Yang Xi did not venture outside the city to welcome Li Jingzhong; instead, he received the newly appointed supervisor at the commander-in-chief’s headquarters in Tongguan.

He orchestrated a grand display, requiring all officers of the rank of general and above to join him in the reception. His goal was to establish dominance immediately, ensuring Li Jingzhong felt the pressure the moment he arrived. By showing that all the commanders at Tongguan obeyed his orders and held him in exclusive esteem, he hoped to make the new supervisor feel constrained and cautious in his future actions.

As Li Jingzhong entered the headquarters with a few personal guards, he saw Yang Xi sitting upright in the seat of honor, dressed in full military regalia. The other generals stood in rows, their faces devoid of expression and radiating authority. Li felt the invisible weight of the atmosphere, and his pace slowed. He understood exactly why Yang Xi had staged such a reception, but having anticipated this treatment, he braced himself against the cold stares of the officers. He walked into the hall, bowed respectfully to Yang Xi, and announced, "Your subordinate, the newly appointed Tongguan supervisor, Li Fuguo, pays respects to Marshal Yang!"

"What? Li Fuguo?" Yang Xi was taken aback, unable to suppress a low exclamation. The imperial dispatch had named the new supervisor as Li Jingzhong; how had he suddenly become Li Fuguo? The name was all too familiar—familiar enough that Yang Xi could not hide his shock. Li Fuguo was an even more notorious eunuch than Yu Zhaosi. How had he ended up at Tongguan?

Why had he received no notification of the change in personnel? And why had his father, with his all-encompassing influence, not sent word?

Li Jingzhong took pride in the shock he had caused in Yang Xi and the confusion among the generals. He quickly explained, "Marshal, His Highness the Crown Prince bestowed the name 'Fuguo' upon me, signifying his hope that I might serve the country with a single heart and never disappoint His Majesty. I have naturally discarded my former name, Jingzhong. From this day forward, there is no Li Jingzhong, only Li Fuguo, who serves the state with loyalty. The Crown Prince granted me this name just before my departure, so it was not mentioned in the imperial decree. I apologize for the surprise, Marshal."

"I see," Yang Xi said, composing himself and nodding slightly. "So, General Li was granted this name by the Crown Prince. It seems you enjoy his deep trust. I trust you will work diligently upon taking up your post and not fail the Crown Prince’s great expectations."

Yang Xi deliberately emphasized that Li Fuguo was merely a confidant of Crown Prince Li Heng, pointedly omitting any mention of the Emperor. He wanted the generals to understand that this new supervisor was the Crown Prince's man, not a favorite of the Emperor, and was entirely different from the previous supervisor, Bian Lingcheng. He wanted them to know that this man need not be taken too seriously. Though his tone remained calm, ripples of concern stirred within him.

He knew that anyone who left a mark on history was no ordinary individual; they possessed exceptional qualities. If Li Fuguo could wield such power in his time, he must be highly capable. Such a person would not be easy to handle. His arrival at Tongguan was destined to bring trouble.

As a confidant of the Crown Prince, Li Fuguo was, according to the accounts in the book *The An Lushan Rebellion* that Yang Xi had read before his arrival in this era, one of the key figures—along with Gao Lishi and the imperial guard commander Chen Xuanli—who had helped the Crown Prince purge the Yang Guozhong family and force Yang Yuhuan to commit suicide. Given the enmity between Yang Guozhong and Li Heng, Li Fuguo and Yang Guozhong were natural enemies.

Li Fuguo’s arrival would bring no favors, only complications. Yang Xi decided he would immediately inform his father, Yang Guozhong, and insist he find a way to have Li Fuguo replaced. He had no desire to work alongside a man who, historically, held the Emperor in contempt.

Though young and having inherited some memories of his predecessor, Yang Xi lacked experience in the power struggles of this era. Having served in the military before his arrival, he was no match for these historical giants when it came to schemes and intrigue. In this silent confrontation, he felt he had gained no real advantage and had failed to intimidate the "old fox" standing before him.

While history recorded Yang Guozhong as a great villain, he was perhaps marginally better than Li Fuguo. In terms of ruthlessness and political maneuvering, the current Prime Minister was surely several levels above the yet-to-be-fully-formed Li Fuguo. Letting his villainous father deal with Li Fuguo seemed like a sound plan. "Even if it’s dogs biting dogs, Li Fuguo is certainly no match for Yang Guozhong."

Yang Xi’s words clarified the situation for many of the generals. He had already briefed them that Li Jingzhong was not favored by the Emperor, but had only been recommended by the Crown Prince and supported by the Emperor’s personal eunuch, Gao Lishi. With this added revelation, many of the officers began to view Li Fuguo with open disdain.

In truth, no general had any fondness for eunuch supervisors, who were there only to spy on them. Furthermore, these "rootless" men were looked down upon from the start. They were only tolerated because they were dangerous figures no one dared to ignore. But Yang Xi was the son of Prime Minister Yang Guozhong, and he had even dared to execute the Emperor’s trusted eunuch, Bian Lingcheng. They realized they had no reason to fear a man like Li Fuguo, who lacked the Emperor's favor.

Li Fuguo understood the implication of Yang Xi’s words, but he had no room to argue. He could only reiterate that, upon taking his post in Tongguan, he would assist Yang Xi in managing military affairs with the utmost diligence.

Seeing that he had successfully suppressed Li Fuguo’s spirit, Yang Xi relaxed slightly. "General Li, as you are new to Tongguan, you must be unfamiliar with our affairs. I will speak with you in detail later. You have traveled a long way and must be exhausted. Why not go and rest? My officers and I are currently busy with troop training; there is no need for you to interfere in these matters. As there is no active warfare, you may as well take a few months of rest."

Before leaving for Tongguan, Li Fuguo had been granted the title of Acting Right Supervisor of the Palace Gate Guard. It was customary for eunuch supervisors to be given military titles to facilitate their work, but Yang Xi ignored this. He seized the opportunity to assert his authority, bluntly telling Li Fuguo to stay out of the ongoing training—a command delivered with little courtesy.

The generals were surprised; Yang Xi really did not care for this supervisor at all. They felt a sense of relief, hoping they would not have to suffer under Li Fuguo as they had under Bian Lingcheng. Even Geshu Han had not dared to disregard Bian Lingcheng, yet Yang Xi did so without hesitation. It was truly refreshing.

Li Fuguo understood the message clearly. He longed to retort, but the coldness in Yang Xi’s eyes and the menacing stares of the generals forced him to swallow his words.

Even the Crown Prince did not dare provoke Yang Guozhong; for now, he could not afford to provoke the Vice Marshal, Yang Xi. Everything would have to be handled slowly.