Chapter 38 Seeking an Audience with Yang Yuhuan

Yang Xi set out in the dead of night.

After bidding farewell to the generals who had come to see him off, and without the knowledge of the majority of the troops stationed within Tongguan, Yang Xi arrived at the special training camp. Following a final lecture to the soldiers of the special operations unit, he led them out of the base.

Tonight, he intended to drill the soldiers in night marching, offensive maneuvers, and infiltration techniques. While they had undergone significant training in these areas recently, tonight’s session was a step further, designed with realistic combat scenarios in mind. Yang Xi also imparted many of his most closely guarded skills to the men.

The night passed with various exercises and several simulated skirmishes. The results were highly satisfactory, and the training concluded only as dawn approached. After summarizing the session, Yang Xi ordered Li Han and Chen Feng to continue the training over the coming days. They were instructed to advance southeast, cross the Wei and Yellow Rivers, and reach the vicinity of Shan Commandery, where they would use live combat exercises to hone their special operations capabilities.

Yang Xi had already formulated a detailed and meticulous plan for the subsequent training. He had handed this plan to the unit’s leaders, Li Han and Chen Feng, engaging in extensive discussions with them and outlining all necessary precautions.

Yang Xi hoped that these upcoming combat-oriented exercises would yield great achievements, though he felt a pang of regret that he could not lead them in person. He believed that without his direct guidance, the results might be less than satisfactory, and they might even face setbacks or casualties. However, as the commanding marshal, he could not personally lead a small unit of a few hundred men on such missions, even if he possessed the time and ability to do so.

He could not personally oversee their training, and many techniques that could only be mastered through real combat were difficult to teach. Yet, Yang Xi remained confident. These soldiers were not raw recruits who had never seen blood; the vast majority had experienced countless life-and-death struggles and possessed rich combat experience. As long as the commanders provided proper leadership, they would perform well both in training and in actual combat.

The combat effectiveness of the special unit could only be improved through constant engagement. To reach a truly terrifying level of proficiency and become a genuine special operations force, they would inevitably have to pay a steep price, perhaps even in the lives of many soldiers.

Yang Xi parted ways with the special unit at Weinan. He continued westward, traveling rapidly by post horse toward Chang'an, while the unit, led by Li Han and Chen Feng, turned northeast.

Watching the dust kicked up by the departing soldiers and listening to the crisp sound of horseshoes striking the earth, Yang Xi heaved a long sigh. He silently prayed that the men would return safely to Tongguan and bring back detailed intelligence on the enemy in Shan Commandery. He had already petitioned the imperial court for an opportunity to attack the commandery, and understanding the situation there was a crucial task for the special unit.

The horses of the special unit had been equipped with iron horseshoes, and the rest of the Tongguan troops were being equipped in succession. Although the horseshoes were not overly complex to manufacture, the lack of prior iron-cast designs meant it had taken time to produce versions that were durable, easy to nail on, would not injure the horse, and would not fall off. Since they could not be mass-produced immediately, they were still in the process of refinement as they observed the performance of the initial batch.

Equipping a portion of the Tongguan garrison was, in effect, a field observation. Once the improvements were finalized, the Directorate of Imperial Armories would ramp up production. Judging from the initial results, horses with horseshoes were less prone to injury; however, on the mountain trails outside Tongguan, they were less convenient than those without, as the iron shoes could be slippery. Nevertheless, the soldiers understood that horses wearing these "boots" would see a significant decrease in attrition rates.

Previously, most horse injuries occurred at the hooves. Once a hoof was injured, a horse could no longer run and thus could not serve the soldiers in battle. Sometimes, after a major conflict, the attrition rate for horses reached fifty percent or even higher. It was hoped that once the army was widely equipped with these horseshoes, this rate would drop significantly.

After parting from the special unit, Yang Xi had a sound sleep at the Weinan relay station to recover his strength. He caught up with Li Heng’s entourage near Baling. Upon learning that Li Heng was just ahead, he slowed his pace and took another restful sleep at the final station near Baqiao, changing into clean, orderly clothes to replace his dust-covered armor.

He intended to see Emperor Li Longji upon entering Chang'an, and appearing disheveled would be disrespectful. Through intelligence, he knew the Emperor was currently not in the imperial palace, but vacationing at the Datang Furong Garden.

The Datang Furong Garden was located at the southern edge of Chang'an. After passing through the Mingde Gate and turning right, one would arrive there shortly. Since he did not want to miss the chance to see the Emperor by stopping at his own mansion to bathe, he had prepared ahead of time to avoid appearing travel-worn before the sovereign.

It was already afternoon when he entered the city. Learning that Li Heng had already arrived at the garden to report to Li Longji, Yang Xi did not intend to preempt him. He would present his report only after Li Heng had finished, as doing otherwise would be too transparent and contrary to court etiquette.

Yang Xi knew that his father, Yang Guozhong, would be waiting for him at the garden, and they would go to see the Emperor together. When Yang Xi arrived, his father was waiting. They found a secluded spot within the gardens to converse in detail.

Upon learning of the Crown Prince Li Heng’s actions after arriving at Tongguan, Yang Guozhong cursed his "despicability." He knew the generals at Tongguan held deep prejudices against him. While Yang Xi’s efforts had yielded results, the generals' attitudes toward the Chancellor had not softened much, and Li Heng’s maneuver had effectively undone months of Yang Xi’s hard work, which infuriated him.

Because Yang Xi had detailed the situation in previous secret letters, Yang Guozhong was already well aware of the state of affairs at Tongguan and the shift in the generals' attitudes following Li Heng’s arrival. Hearing it from Yang Xi simply provided more clarity. He had already been contemplating countermeasures and was prepared to present them to the Emperor alongside his son that day. Naturally, he would need the help of his cousin, Consort Yang Yuhuan, and the Lady of Guo; their influence over Li Longji would be far more effective than his own earnest pleading.

"Xi’er, the Crown Prince is currently discussing Tongguan affairs with His Majesty. We should not disturb them for now. Let us go to the Consort’s quarters and explain the situation to her first," Yang Guozhong said, motioning for Yang Xi to follow. He lowered his voice, adding, "The Consort strained her back two days ago and has been confined to her couch. You must be careful with your words and not provoke her."

"Yes, Father, I understand," Yang Xi replied immediately.

As they reached the exterior of Yang Yuhuan’s residence, Yang Guozhong paused and whispered, "I have already spoken with the Lady of Guo, and she has promised to speak on our behalf before the Emperor. With the Consort feeling unwell, I hesitated to bring this up, but the Crown Prince’s actions have put us in a difficult position. We must trouble the Consort today."

"Rest assured, Father, I will certainly assist you in persuading her."