Chapter Twenty: What Followed

In the days that followed, Wang Sizhong did not idle. Seizing the opportunity before An Lushan returned to Youzhou and taking advantage of the momentum brought by the appointment of new officials, he began a sweeping reshuffle of the officers previously appointed by An Lushan. Fortunately, Gao Buyi had made ample preparations for him, dispatching nearly a hundred backup officials from Shuofang, Hedong, and the imperial court to support him locally. Thanks to this, Wang Sizhong was able to carry out the transformation of the entire Fanyang administrative staff in just three days with swift determination.

Some officials did not come to Youzhou but were escorted directly by the Divine Strategy Army to their new posts. By the time An Lushan arrived in Youzhou three days later, the officials he had bought with gold, silver, wine, and meat were already on their way to Chang’an. Gao Buyi intended to reassess them before deciding how they would be employed.

Normally, the journey from Chongzhou to Youzhou would not take three days, but An Lushan, over the years, had deliberately provoked wars with the Turks to demand military provisions and troops from Emperor Xuanzong, a scheme that had repeatedly succeeded. Having tasted the benefits, he was unwilling to let it go.

After returning from Chang’an, he remained uneasy. He decided to repeat his old trick, stirring trouble at the border to attract the emperor’s attention, hoping to be summoned to Chang’an again. Unexpectedly, his subordinates urgently reported that his position as Fanyang military commissioner had been stripped away. Furious, he wanted to mobilize troops to demand justice, but the Turks, whom he had provoked, were not about to let him retreat quietly. As soon as they learned of his withdrawal, they launched a full-scale attack, catching An Lushan off guard—a classic case of hoisting the stone only to crush his own foot.

After a fierce battle, neither side gained the upper hand, and the delay cost him two days. With the battle lost and morale low, he abandoned his plan to raise an army for justice. Moreover, after learning that Wang Sizhong was to replace him, he dared not act rashly; if he were accused of rebellion, Wang Sizhong could easily destroy him. Among the ten great military commissioners of the empire, Wang Sizhong was the strongest, a leader adept in both civil and military affairs.

Yet losing Fanyang so inexplicably, forfeiting over sixty percent of his troops in one stroke, was a humiliation An Lushan could not swallow. He wrote to Yang Guozhong, explaining the gravity of the situation and asking him to seek help from the imperial consort; if great plans were to succeed, Fanyang could not be lost. After pacifying his own forces, he set out for Youzhou.

On his way, he encountered many deserters. Upon questioning them, he learned that Wang Sizhong had used these two days to completely replace his own men. Furious, An Lushan exclaimed, "This is outrageous!"

When An Lushan arrived in Youzhou, Gao Shi did not hinder him. He proceeded directly to the military commissioner’s residence, where incense was burning on the altar in the main hall, beneath the golden imperial dragon token and the imperial decree. At this sight, An Lushan’s eyes blazed green and his molars ground audibly.

What did the emperor mean by this? Wang Sizhong, that upstart, was humiliating him—was this a show of force?

“So, it’s General An Lushan. You’ve come at the perfect time. The imperial command demanded urgency two days ago, and since you were absent, I had no choice but to take charge of Fanyang’s defense. Now that you’ve arrived, we can finally hand over affairs properly,” Wang Sizhong said.

An Lushan narrowed his eyes, forcing a smile as he saluted Wang Sizhong with a fist and palm gesture. There was no choice; this man’s rank exceeded his own and now held the post of Minister of War, wielding the golden token—etiquette was unavoidable.

“Hahaha! General An, you are truly courteous. Come, let us converse in the secondary hall,” Wang Sizhong said, seated in the main hall, graciously receiving An Lushan’s formal salute.

Watching Wang Sizhong’s hearty laughter as he drew him toward the secondary hall, An Lushan was inwardly more irritated than ever. In the past, he feigned drunkenness to avoid bowing even to the crown prince, so what was Wang Sizhong that he should be afforded such respect? Did Wang Sizhong really think himself so important?

Though he was disgruntled, he had to maintain appearances. “I dare not trouble the great commander. Since you have full control of the situation, I shall take my leave; Pinglu has just been raided by the Turks and the situation is tense. I must depart.”

“Oh? These Turks truly know no gratitude. The emperor has ordered a ceasefire at the frontier, yet they disregard the imperial kindness and dare to cause trouble. Do you need me to dispatch troops to assist?”

“No need! No need!” An Lushan thought, “If you sent reinforcements, Pinglu would surely be lost as well.”

“Really, do not worry. I will provide my own provisions.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Commander Wang, but it’s unnecessary. It’s only a small cavalry force—nothing to be concerned about.”

“Very well, I won’t detain you. Take care!”

“Farewell!”

Leaving the military commissioner’s residence, An Lushan mounted his warhorse and rode out of Youzhou without looking back. He wanted to stir up some trouble, but Wang Sizhong had been too thorough; not a single commander left was loyal to him.

“Commander, we’re heading south, but Pinglu is to the north.”

“We’re not returning to Pinglu. We’re going to Chang’an. Notify the staff—have Strategist Yan meet me there.”

“Yes!”

“Let’s go! Hyah!”

In Youzhou, at the military commissioner’s residence, a scout rushed in, “Report! Commander! After leaving Youzhou, An Lushan rode directly toward Chang’an.”

“Understood,” Wang Sizhong replied, waving the scout away. He then penned a letter to Gao Buyi, informing him of An Lushan’s journey to the capital—a great offense for a frontier commander to enter the capital without imperial orders—and gave a detailed account of the situation in Fanyang.

Gao Buyi was very pleased upon receiving Wang Sizhong’s report; the affair had been handled perfectly and efficiently. However, he showed no particular reaction to An Lushan’s trip to Chang’an, merely glancing at the report and tossing it aside.

With Wang Sizhong now installed as the Fanyang military commissioner, immediate worries were set aside. As long as An Lushan did not court disaster by launching large-scale attacks on the Turks, the border should remain stable for some time.

The country was slowly changing, thanks to his clear decree. Now was not the time for further upheaval; after the thunder comes the gentle rain, lest the people be overwhelmed. So, what should be done next?

Gao Buyi had the map of the entire Tang Empire fixed in the Xuanzheng Hall, his imperial study. Whenever he was free, he would gaze at it, pondering the many reforms needed throughout Tang. But now was not the time.

To stabilize the situation and heal the realm, he must use calm to control action. The foundation of the feudal dynasty’s rule lay with the so-called aristocrats, scholars, and great landowners. To truly reverse the Tang’s decline, their interests must be challenged—a matter that would shake the entire order. Gao Buyi was not confident of success.

If he failed, he might become another Yang Guang.

Of course, using calm as strategy did not mean passive waiting. He had to implement measures to win the hearts of the people and scholars alike.

To win the people, they must be fed and clothed, children cared for, and elders supported. After years of war, the northwest was littered with corpses, and even the prosperous south was far from affluent.

For the scholars, their aspiration was to serve the nation and fulfill their ambitions—this was easy to address. Many officials needed replacement in various regions, and they could be employed to fill those gaps.