Chapter 127: An Lushan Enters the Capital

Zhen Qian found that Li Cui always managed to produce things that surprised him. Who would have expected that among the prince's retinue items for his return to the capital was a massive tent? When pitched in the courtyard, it covered over a dozen square meters. One really had to wonder if these people had nothing better to do with their time!

That said, sitting in the tent roasting a lamb leg with the three of them had a certain charm, reminiscent of an outing in the wild.

A fire blazed, and the floor was covered with a carpet brought all the way from the Abbasid Caliphate, so plush that their feet sank into it. The three sat cross-legged on the carpet before small individual tables, watching Zhen Qian prepare the meal.

Zhen Qian had belittled the royal mansion's chefs, scoffing at their culinary skills, which had greatly annoyed Li Cui.

The two lamb legs before them had been soaked in water to draw out the blood. Zhen Qian had made several incisions in the meat and poured hot oil—infused with scallions, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and Chinese sumac—over them, causing a sizzling sound. In another large bowl sat a mixture of Chinese sumac, honey, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, and bay leaves, all blended with scallion oil.

Once the lamb legs were prepared, Zhen Qian rubbed them with the seasoning and placed them over the charcoal. He turned them continuously while basting them with more spices. This was a lengthy process, usually taking three to four hours, until the skin turned a golden brown.

Outside the tent, the heavy snow had ceased. The entire county was shrouded in a vast expanse of white. A few sparrows fluttered down onto the snow, searching for food buried beneath.

Some refugees, their eyes glinting with greed at the sight of the sparrows, quietly circled them. One, stripping off his last piece of warm clothing, suddenly flung it into the air. Like a dark cloud, it descended, pinning a sparrow beneath. A cry of wild ecstasy erupted; a refugee lunged forward, snatched the struggling bird from under the cloth, and devoured it in a few frantic gulps. Nearby, the slower refugees watched with envious eyes; at least that man had bought himself one more day of life.

The refugees gathered outside the county had gone two days without food. Wealthy households had taken the opportunity to buy up the young and able-bodied, leaving behind mostly the elderly. If they could not find food soon, they would all starve within days.

There was talk that Sendai Village, not far from the county, was recruiting refugees, but many did not believe it was real. In these times, who would be so kind? Why not recruit outside the county walls? It had to be a trap, a lie waiting for them to walk into a snare.

Hunger spread among the refugees. Some were so desperate they would jump into a pit of fire if it meant getting one full meal before they died.

Early that morning, a few more families of refugees had departed. The yamen runners had found several corpses among the refugees outside the city; some said they died of hunger, others of freezing. Regardless, those who had perished would never have to worry about hunger or cold again.

The refugees huddled in small groups, searching for anything edible. Suddenly, someone looked toward the north. In the distance, where the earth met the sky, the mountains, rivers, and trees were cloaked in silver. Tiny black specks appeared, jarring against the white backdrop. The specks slowly merged into a line, then into a dark, rolling cloud upon the earth.

Banners fluttered, and the sound of thundering hooves grew closer. "Run! The imperial soldiers are coming!"

Someone shouted, and the refugees scattered like birds and beasts, disappearing from the main road and leaving behind a chaotic mess of footprints.

A troop of cavalry galloped from the distance, their warhorses neighing. The riders were all burly men clad in iron armor, with *hengdao* swords at their waists, giant bows on their backs, and horse lances hooked to their saddles—clearly elite soldiers.

The lead rider wore bright, polished armor. His eyes, visible behind his helmet, were cold and fierce as he scanned the surroundings. He spotted a refugee who, in his panic, had run in the wrong direction, straight toward the horse troop.

*Whoosh!* An arrow pierced the refugee's mouth and exited through the back of his skull.

"General Shi, excellent aim!" his men chimed in, showering him with flattery.

The general was Shi Chaoqing. He pushed up his face mask and exhaled a puff of white air. There was not a trace of remorse on his face; instead, he looked smug. With a slight smirk, he said coldly, "Mere lowly peasants, no better than grass. If they dare obstruct my path, they deserve to die."

"General Shi, it is getting late, and Luquan County is just ahead. Why not stay in the county for the night?"

Shi Chaoqing looked at the sky. They were escorting An Lushan to the capital for an audience with Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Because they were carrying a vast amount of gifts, they could not travel quickly. With the Lantern Festival less than two weeks away and only a third of the journey covered, he began to feel anxious.

"We shall head to Luquan County first, order the transport train behind us to pick up the pace, and consult the Commander's wishes."

An Lushan was fifty this year, and his body had grown increasingly obese. Even in the Tang Dynasty, which favored the plump, he was considered bloated. Yet, his weight did not hinder his agility; whether dancing the *Huxuan* or mounting his horse with a blade in hand, he was as light as a swallow. However, as the Jiedushi of three frontier garrisons, he rarely charged into battle himself anymore. Weighing over three hundred and thirty pounds, no ordinary horse could carry him, and it was only after a Sogdian gifted him a magnificent Dayuan stallion that he felt the joy of riding once more.

He lay on soft cushions, undisturbed by the rocking of the carriage, standing tall like a mountain. His eyes were half-closed, yet they flashed with the sharpness of an eagle as he thought quickly: "My greatest opponent in the capital this time is not Xuanzong, but the newly risen Yang Guozhong. They say he is greedy and lustful, and he has whispered many slanders in the Emperor's ear..."

An Lushan originally had no surname; his birth name was Zaluoshan. His mother, of the Ashide clan, was a Turkic shamaness who made her living by divination. The Turkic word for "war" is *Zaluoshan*, hence his name. He lost his father young and lived among the Turkic tribes with his mother until the brother of General An Bozhi, An Yanyan, married her.

During the early years of the Kaiyuan era, An Lushan fled the Turkic tribes with the son of General An Daomai. An Daomai’s second son, An Zhenjie, then the Bieja of Lanzhou, captured them both. By his teens, An Lushan was ashamed of living with his brother and stepfather, An Yanyan. He pledged brotherhood with An Sishun and others, adopting the surname "An." As an adult, he mastered six languages and became a middleman who negotiated prices for merchants.

In the twentieth year of Kaiyuan, when Zhang Shougui was the Jiedushi of Youzhou, An Lushan was caught stealing sheep. Zhang Shougui interrogated him and prepared to beat him to death, but An Lushan shouted, "Does the Excellency not wish to destroy the two barbarian tribes? Why must you beat me to death?" Seeing that he was fair-skinned, plump, and had a bold way of speaking, Zhang Shougui spared him. He ordered An Lushan to capture prisoners alongside his fellow villager Shi Siming. They always returned with captives on time, and Zhang Shougui promoted An Lushan to a minor general. Zhang Shougui often chided An Lushan for his obesity, and as the man was always intimidating, An Lushan lived in fear and dared not eat too much. Famed for his bravery, An Lushan was eventually adopted by Zhang Shougui as a foster son.

His subsequent path was smooth and meteoric. In the twenty-eighth year of Kaiyuan, he was appointed Military Commissioner of Pinglu. In the first year of Tianbao, Emperor Xuanzong established the Pinglu Jiedushi and appointed An Lushan as acting Censor-in-Chief and Pinglu Jiedushi. In the third year of Tianbao, An Lushan succeeded Pei Kuan as the Jiedushi of Fanyang, Inspector of Hebei, and commander of the Pinglu forces.

Later, An Lushan requested to be the foster son of Consort Yang. Whenever he entered the palace to see Xuanzong, he would first pay respects to Consort Yang. When the Emperor asked why, An Lushan replied, "In my culture, we put the mother first and the father second." Xuanzong was delighted and ordered the Yang family siblings, starting with Yang Xian, to treat An Lushan as a brother.

If there was one person An Lushan feared in his life, it was Li Linfu. In the sixth year of Tianbao, An Lushan was promoted to Grand Master. He frequently sent Liu Luogu into the palace to report on government affairs. When Li Linfu was Chancellor, no courtier dared violate palace etiquette. Relying on Xuanzong's favor, An Lushan often did not bow deeply. Li Linfu ordered Wang Xu to show proper respect; Wang Xu stepped forward and bowed with great reverence, which terrified An Lushan so much that he gasped for air and slowly bent his waist. Whenever he spoke with Li Linfu, the Chancellor would anticipate his thoughts and voice them first, making An Lushan feel as if he were a god who knew everything. Every time he met Li Linfu, even in the dead of winter, he would be drenched in sweat from fear. Li Linfu would receive him with gentle words, seat him in the Chancellery, and drape his own cloak over him, which An Lushan would accept without hesitation, calling Li Linfu "Tenth Brother." When Liu Luogu returned from the palace, An Lushan would ask, "What did Tenth Brother say?" If it was good news, he would leap for joy; if the message was "The Grand Master must investigate thoroughly," he would brace his hands against the bed and groan, "Alas, I am a dead man!"

With Li Linfu in power, An Lushan dared not harbor the slightest resentment. Although he frequently provoked conflicts on the frontier—often baiting the Xi and Khitan people with feasts only to drug their wine with *langdangzi* and bury them alive in pre-dug pits, slaughtering thousands at a time—Li Linfu turned a blind eye and continued to trust him, frequently writing to the Emperor to defend him.

Now that Li Linfu was dead and replaced by the incompetent and short-sighted Yang Guozhong, who picked fights with him at every turn and acted with arrogance due to his familial ties to Consort Yang, An Lushan seethed with hatred.

Yang Guozhong repeatedly slandered An Lushan, accusing him of treason. An Lushan was forced to profess his loyalty to Xuanzong time and again. This trip to the capital for the New Year's audience was meant to demonstrate his lack of rebellious intent. Fortunately, Xuanzong did not believe the slanders, considering An Lushan a loyal and valiant pillar of the state. He not only showered him with beauties and mansions but also intended to marry Princess Rongyi to An Lushan’s son, An Qingzong. The favor remained undiminished!