Chapter Seventeen: A Day of Busyness

Although Lishi had received many imperial edicts from the emperor after leaving the palace, his opportunities to meet with the emperor had grown fewer and fewer, which left him deeply uneasy. Thus, upon hearing that Gao Buyi summoned him to the palace, he immediately spurred his horse towards the imperial city.

When he arrived at the palace gates, he was stopped by the imperial guards. “Eunuch Gao, what brings you in such haste?” The speaker was Yan Wu, who was on duty that day.

Yan Wu recognized Lishi, but Lishi did not know Yan Wu. “General, your face is unfamiliar. His Majesty has summoned me, and I dare not delay.”

“Of course, please proceed.”

Lishi hurriedly entered the Hall of Proclamation and Governance, where he found Gao Buyi bent over the dragon desk, sketching and drawing. Shangguan Peihui already held a stack of finished drawings, indicating that Gao Buyi had been at it for some time.

“Rise and come closer to see,” the emperor commanded.

Lishi, hearing the order, immediately bowed and approached. He saw that the things Gao Buyi had drawn were oddly shaped and he could not understand them. Gao Buyi, however, explained as he drew, “There are no outsiders here. I have a few questions for you; answer honestly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do you have command over the secret guards?”

“Your Majesty, I command five or six hundred men of the Lijing Gate, but most of them are not fit for important duties.”

“Why is that? Wasn’t the Lijing Gate established during the reign of Taizong?”

“Yes, but after numerous wars, the ranks have thinned. The requirements to join are extremely strict, and new talent has never been replenished. Now, there’s a shortage of capable men, and as a result, their combat strength is almost nonexistent.”

“Where are these men stationed?”

“Most are in Chang’an, with only a few scattered elsewhere.”

“Good. Issue orders for all of them to return to Chang’an and report within a month. Those who fail to return need not come back at all. Once they return, they will be handed over to Hui’er for management. You will assist Hui’er in assessing them; those who are useful will be retained, the rest dismissed on the spot.”

“Yes!” Lishi replied promptly.

“At present, there are few I can trust within or outside the court. You are one. Look here, these are some tools. I need you to find reliable men to make them. This is called a petroleum distiller, relatively simple to construct. This one is called a steam engine. See, it’s like a large teapot. I’ve marked all the dimensions; just follow them in manufacturing. If there’s anything unclear, ask me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. What is this bent rod?”

“That is not a rod; it’s called a coupling.”

“And this…”

After some time, Lishi finally gained a rough understanding of the two devices.

“As for the petroleum, I have already sent edicts to Gao Xianzhi, Feng Changqing, and An Lushan, instructing them to purchase it widely. Once it is transported back, have someone find a secret place in the Qinling Mountains to store it. This substance will be of great use in the future.”

“Yes, I obey, Your Majesty.”

“Good, you may go.”

After Lishi departed, Gao Buyi turned to Shangguan Peihui. “Hui’er, once all the men of the Lijing Gate have arrived in Chang’an, except for a select few who will be retained, send the rest back to their hometowns. Warn them that should they dare reveal a single word of what they know, death will be their punishment. Furthermore, on this basis, with you as the leader, form a new Peilong Guard of one to two thousand men, tasked solely with intelligence gathering and transmission. Divide them into three levels, employ collective responsibility, and have them report directly to me. Their intelligence should cover everyone from princes to commoners, including foreign lands.”

“Do you understand what I mean?”

“I do, Your Majesty.”

“Hui’er, do ancient factions like the Mohists still exist?”

“How did Your Majesty know?” Shangguan Peihui asked in astonishment.

Gao Buyi only smiled without answering.

Shangguan Peihui quickly continued, “Your Majesty, they do still exist. I am, in fact, a member of the Mohist school. But these ancient factions have all but disappeared, now passing their teachings down within families, and very few remain. I know of the Gongshu family; they, too, have always wished to serve the court but have found no opportunity, as they refuse to flatter and curry favor.”

“I guessed as much. These noble families have long and deep lineages and their own pride. Introduce them to me—I will make good use of their talents.”

“Your Majesty is willing to employ them?” Shangguan Peihui asked joyfully.

“Why would I turn away talent? Whether from the Mohist school or others, as long as there are those willing to serve, bring them to me.”

“Yes, I will contact them at once.”

“Will they listen to you? Shall I send a senior minister with you to show my sincerity?”

Shangguan Peihui paused. “Your Majesty, in truth, I am the head of the Mohist school in this generation. I did not mean to conceal it, and I beg Your Majesty’s pardon.”

“Oh? Then why reveal it to me now?”

Ah—what a sly one, a thief of hearts, indeed hateful!

Seeing Shangguan Peihui’s hesitant expression, Gao Buyi laughed heartily. “Even if you hadn’t said it, I’d have known. Go quickly and gather talent—I’ll record a great merit for you.”

“Yes!” At last, these ancient factions would be recognized by the emperor. Shangguan Peihui was elated—now she could face the emperor openly and honorably. The emperor was even entrusting her to form the secret guard—a monumental trust.

The reason Gao Buyi was in such a hurry to summon Lishi and order him to manufacture the petroleum distiller was because he intended to build roads. Although, since the Qin Dynasty, there had been the Straight Road of Qin, and successive dynasties had maintained and repaired it, there had been virtually no new construction of such highways due to the prohibitive cost.

Therefore, Gao Buyi planned to produce asphalt, which would significantly reduce costs. The current state of land transportation was so backward that, in the vast regions of Tingzhou and Anxi, only fifty thousand troops could be stationed—the maximum the roads could supply. If a new Straight Road could be built to Yizhou (present-day Hami), the situation would greatly improve.

Road construction would also help solve one of the court’s biggest challenges: the problem of refugees. The number of displaced people across the country had reached as many as four hundred thousand—a staggering figure. No wonder there were frequent rebellions during Emperor Xuanzong’s reign. But these were all laborers who could be put to use.

As for building the steam engine, it was much simpler than an internal combustion engine. Once constructed, it could be used to make tractors to replace oxen in plowing and sowing, or to create road rollers and trucks to speed up road construction—accomplishing several goals at once.

He also considered establishing a modern university, but with the nation in such turmoil, it could only be achieved step by step—one cannot become fat in a single bite.

After pondering for a long while, Gao Buyi went to the Secretariat, where Pei An and the officials were busy drafting improved plans for streamlining government, recruiting talent, and restoring people’s livelihoods. The previous drafts were already quite good, but Gao Buyi, to prevent any errors, had them review everything once more with care.

Leaving the Secretariat, he found outside that another night had fallen, the moon bright and stars sparse. There, standing respectfully at the door, was Shangguan Peihui. Gao Buyi smiled. “Why not come in, now that you’re back?”

“This is where ministers deliberate on state affairs, Your Majesty. I am but a woman; without a summons, I dare not enter.”