Chapter Four: First Meeting with Yang Yuhuan

“That makes some sense.” Yang Guozhong nodded slightly.

Seeing that Yang Guozhong accepted his reasoning, Yang Xi stopped walking and said in a very soft voice, “Father, when I pleaded for the generals at Tong Pass before the Emperor today, I was acting from the same intention. I wanted to use that chance to speak for them, to gain their support and win their loyalty. If those commanders, men with distinguished military achievements, are willing to back me with all their strength, then you need have no further worries.”

“Mm, your father understands.” Yang Guozhong nodded.

“Father, I hope you will strongly support me in continuing to command the troops at Tong Pass and in taking part in the campaigns to crush the rebellion afterward. I will certainly not disappoint you. I will bring you a surprise, and I will bring honor to our Yang family’s ancestors.”

By the time he finished speaking, the father and son had already arrived outside Emperor Xuanzong’s sleeping chamber, where a eunuch stepped forward to pay his respects and lead the way, so the conversation came to a stop. The leading eunuch went forward first and bowed to Xuanzong, who was reclining on the couch. “Your Majesty, Prime Minister Yang and Marshal Yang have arrived.”

“I have paid respects to Your Majesty.” Yang Xi and Yang Guozhong each stepped forward and bowed to Xuanzong, who had only just opened his eyes.

With Tong Pass no longer in danger and no fear that the rebel army would reach Chang’an, the burden on Xuanzong’s mind had eased somewhat. Over the past few days he had been sleeping a little better and had even taken an interest in listening to song and dance performances. He looked a little more spirited, but the marks of time were still heavy on his face. The faint age spots that showed through clearly told everyone that this was an old man nearing the end of his life.

“Guozhong and Fourth Son have come. Sit down over there.” Xuanzong raised a hand to indicate that Yang Guozhong and Yang Xi need not stand on ceremony and could take seats at the side.

Gao Lishi, who stood attentively beside Xuanzong, came over with great consideration, placed several cushions behind the emperor, and helped him sit up.

With Gao Lishi’s support, Xuanzong leaned back against the cushions and settled into a half-reclining posture.

“Guozhong, Fourth Son, I want to hear your opinions. How do you think the coming battles should be arranged?” Xuanzong asked first.

“Your Majesty, perhaps it would be better to hear Fourth Son’s opinion first. After all, he has been at Tong Pass these past few days and has directly commanded the defense there. No one knows the situation at Tong Pass better than he does.”

“Mm. Fourth Son, then you speak first.” Xuanzong’s eyes fell on Yang Xi, signaling him to begin. “Fourth Son, you may say whatever thoughts or ideas you have. I will consider them carefully.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” In Yang Xi’s eyes, the Xuanzong before him carried little imperial威严 now; he was merely a venerable old man. With his father beside him, he felt no fear at all. He cleared his throat and began to explain his view. “Your Majesty, I believe the crisis at Tong Pass still exists. Compared with before, the situation has not improved much. What we must do now is still to spare no effort in holding Tong Pass, the gateway to Chang’an, and to ensure that it does not fall. It is flood season now, so the rebels cannot bypass Tong Pass by crossing the Yellow River or the Wei River to attack Chang’an from another direction. They can only come through Tong Pass. As long as the court concentrates all its strength on holding it, the rebels will not be able to reach Chang’an. Armies gathered from all over the realm to aid the throne are being formed one after another or are already marching toward Chang’an. If we continue to hold the rebels at Tong Pass, more and more reinforcements will arrive in Chang’an.”

“Guo Ziyi, Li Guangbi, Li Siye, Cheng Qianli, Yan Zhenqing, and the others are leading their men in attacks from the north. The rebels cannot look both ahead and behind. What they most desire is to capture Tong Pass. Once Tong Pass is taken, the gateway to Chang’an will be wide open, and the rebels will be able to break into the capital without much effort. Then the empire of Great Tang will be secure.”

“Although there are now one hundred thousand troops stationed at Tong Pass, part of them are routed soldiers, and most of the rest are newly recruited men. Less than half are truly combat-capable. If we speak of elite troops, scarcely one in ten can be called such. With such an army defending the city, perhaps we can win by relying on Tong Pass’s natural defenses, but if we go out of the pass to fight, even against rebels who are numerically inferior, we will gain no advantage. Let alone the fact that the rebels outside the pass outnumber the garrison at Tong Pass. We should now make use of what we do best and defend by relying on the pass’s natural fortifications. We must not overestimate ourselves and go out to fight, or else the disastrous defeat at Lingbao will happen again.”

As Yang Xi spoke, he stood and respectfully bowed to Xuanzong. “I beg Your Majesty to consider this carefully and not lightly order the army to leave the pass and fight.”

After Yang Xi finished, Yang Guozhong also spoke in support. “Your Majesty, I think Fourth Son speaks with excellent reason. A mistake has already been made once before; the same mistake must not be repeated a second time. Geshu Han originally had two hundred thousand men, but when he encountered the rebel army, only a little over ten thousand survived. Right now there are only one hundred thousand troops inside Tong Pass. If these one hundred thousand are lost as well, then there will be no force left to rescue us, and Tong Pass will be left undefended. The rebels exhausted their full strength and still failed to take it, and in the end they had no choice but to withdraw and hold Shaan Prefecture. I believe the court should now follow Fourth Son’s advice and order the Tong Pass troops to defend the pass’s dangerous terrain, holding fast without battle. In time, the rebels will surely be driven off.”

Hearing both Yang Xi and Yang Guozhong say the same thing, Xuanzong hesitated only briefly before nodding at once and agreeing to the father and son’s request. “Mm. Guozhong, Fourth Son, what you say is reasonable. The disastrous defeat at Lingbao must not happen again. I will follow your advice and order the troops at Tong Pass to defend only and not go out to fight, until the situation changes further.”

Seeing that Xuanzong had accepted his suggestion, Yang Xi let out a quiet breath and immediately pressed on. “Your Majesty, I am willing to continue commanding at Tong Pass, to stand with the soldiers under my command against the rebel army, and to lead the troops out through the pass and into battle when the time is right, joining the other armies that have come to aid the throne in annihilating the rebels together, restoring the order of Great Tang, and returning peace to the people. I beg Your Majesty to allow me to continue leading the forces at Tong Pass.”

Xuanzong was not surprised that Yang Xi would make such a request. After glancing at him for a moment, he said nothing and instead turned his gaze to Yang Guozhong.

Yang Guozhong understood the meaning behind Xuanzong’s look and replied at once, “Your Majesty, I also support allowing Yang Xi to continue as commander over the generals and to hold Tong Pass with the other commanders in resisting the rebels. Under Yang Xi’s efforts, the situation at Tong Pass has already begun to stabilize, and the generals are willing to obey him. I also feel that replacing a commander at the front line is unwise. After careful thought, I still intend to advise Your Majesty to let Yang Xi continue leading the army as marshal, so as to prevent disorder. I ask for Your Majesty’s approval. Although Yang Xi is young, as long as he has a few capable assistants, there should be no problem.”

Hearing Yang Guozhong say this, Yang Xi immediately made another plea. “Your Majesty, I am willing to swear a solemn military oath. I will lead the soldiers under my command to defeat any attempt by the rebels to storm the city and will firmly hold Tong Pass. If I should suffer defeat, I am willing to submit to whatever punishment Your Majesty decrees, and I am also willing to die for my country. If the city stands, I live; if the city falls, I die.”

Xuanzong did not answer immediately. He merely fell silent in thought.

At that moment, the sound of jade pendants tinkling drew near from afar, followed by the soft tread of footsteps.

“Your Majesty, Her Imperial Consort has arrived.”

Along with Gao Lishi’s announcement came a faint fragrance. Then, in Yang Xi’s field of vision, a magnificently dressed woman of extraordinary beauty appeared.

“Ah, Imperial Consort Yang, Yang Yuhuan.” Yang Xi murmured to himself, immediately recognizing who had arrived.

Among the four classical expressions once used to describe a great beauty, this woman embodied one of them. Yang Yuhuan, a beauty whose charm could shame flowers into closing, was someone Yang Xi, after his rebirth, was seeing for the first time.