Chapter 33: The Arm and the Thigh (I)
Within the Xingqing Palace’s main administrative building, Emperor Li Longji of the Great Tang was seething with rage. Having not played in the Furong Garden for a few days, he had just received a memorial from the Taiyuan Prefect, Pei Xingda, claiming a severe drought in Hedong and requesting imperial relief. (Note 1) «Useless lot, a bunch of good-for-nothings! I didn’t expect to raise such a bunch of good-for-nothings!»
Li Longji grabbed a pile of memorials from the imperial desk and hurled them violently to the floor below.
«Your Majesty, calm down.»
Li Linfu picked up the scattered memorials and advised, «Hedong has suffered a prolonged drought; famine is a natural occurrence. As long as the court timely provides relief, the disaster situation will soon be resolved.»
Li Longji scoffed lightly: «It’s easy for the Grand Councilor to say. Providing relief—with what shall I provide relief? The war in Longyou has already depleted the grain stored in the Imperial Storehouse for years. Not long ago, I also purchased a large amount of rice at a fair price from the Guandang aristocrats to stabilize the grain prices in Chang’an. Now you tell me, what do I use to provide relief!»
Li Linfu sighed lightly: «Your Majesty, Hedong is the land of the Dragon’s Rise, and Jincheng is the northern capital of our dynasty. If the court fails to timely relieve the commoners, disaster may strike.»
«Oh, let the Grand Councilor tell me, how should I provide relief? Is it not to transport the grain from the Imperial Private Storehouse to Hedong, so that Pei Xingda can open the granaries to provide relief?»
Li Longji glared fiercely at Li Linfu, his voice full of anger.
Li Linfu immediately knelt on the ground: «Your Majesty, I dare not. In the old minister’s opinion, the situation has not yet reached the worst state. Why not first issue an order to Pei Xingda to open the grain stores of Jincheng and the various counties in Hedong for emergency use?»
«Absolutely not!»
Before he had finished speaking, Li Longji sternly interrupted Li Linfu’s suggestion: «Does the Grand Councilor not know that Hedong is the major grain-producing region of the Great Tang? Year after year, the salaries of the court officials are paid from the royal grain collected from Hedong. It is now near the end of the year; if all the grain in the treasury is used to relieve the disaster-stricken people, then what will the civil and military officials of the Great Tang eat when the time comes!»
Li Linfu shook his head and smiled wryly: «Your Majesty, providing relief is like putting out a fire. As for the officials on the court’s side, they can first use silk and cloth to replace grain, and wait until the grain from Jianghuai arrives in Chang’an next year before distributing it to the officials.»
Li Longji pondered for a moment and waved his hand: «No, I am the Son of Heaven; how can I not even pay the officials’ salaries? If the barbarians hear of this, where will the prestige of this Emperor-Khan go!»
«Your Majesty!»
Li Linfu bowed slightly to Li Longji and said, «Officials throughout the court have stored grain in their homes. I’m sure we can hold out until next spring. But the people in Hedong Road have empty rice bins. If we don’t provide relief soon, I fear many will starve. When that happens, the land will be filled with corpses, and plague might spread!»
Li Linfu had served Li Longji for over a decade and knew his master’s psychology all too well. Li Longji’s greatest flaw was his love of fame and concern for his image. If the disaster relief wasn’t clearly explained to him, he might not agree to open the granaries to help the people.
Li Longji fell into hesitation. Although he wasn’t particularly afraid of famine and drought—every year some part of the Tang realm suffered from drought—if he worried about every single drought, the emperor’s job would be pointless. He could just become a monk and enjoy a carefree life. But epidemics truly worried him. After great disasters, great plagues inevitably follow, and if the epidemic spread, the affected areas wouldn’t be limited to Hedong.
«Your Majesty, please think thrice. Opening the granaries to distribute grain may only bring temporary relief, but if the disaster develops unchecked, there may be trouble!» Li Linfu bowed low again, pleading with Li Longji to issue the command.
Li Longji suddenly remembered something and gave a cold smile, «Chancellor, I suddenly recalled that Mr. Pei Xundao seems to be your disciple, does it? If you insist on asking me to allow the release of grain, perhaps it’s just to favor your disciple and enhance his reputation for benevolence.»
«Your Majesty, I am terrified, I am terrified!» Upon hearing this, Li Linfu immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed. «I serve the court with all my heart. To Your Majesty and the court, I have devoted myself completely, with not a trace of personal feeling. Mr. Pei is indeed my disciple, but I have not seen him for a long time. I do this for Your Majesty, for the Tang Dynasty!»
Li Linfu’s back was already drenched with sweat. He nodded repeatedly in agreement.
After a long silence, Li Longji laughed heartily. «Look how nervous the Chancellor is. I was just joking with you.»
After saying this, Li Longji descended from the throne and stood beside Li Linfu, virtually supporting him. «Chancellor, Your Majesty knows your loyal heart for me. There is no need to be nervous.»
Li Longji turned around, paused, and changed his tone again.
«However, Mr. Pei Xundao has done no merits in governing Hedong, leading to famine. It’s really not suitable for him to appear in relief efforts. Thinking it over, I believe we should send a high-ranking minister from the court to Hedong to open the granaries and distribute grain. First, this can demonstrate His Majesty’s concern for the disaster. Second, it can supervise Hedong and prevent officials from embezzling relief grain.»
Please translate the following Chinese text into English. Only output the translation result:
Having served this Holy Emperor for over a decade, Li Linfu naturally understood his character. The Emperor was naturally suspicious and never at ease with one person handling major affairs in the provinces. The Pei family was originally a prominent clan from Hedong, and Pei Xingda had indeed risen to the high position of Yin of Taiyuan. It was truly inappropriate for him to attract further attention. Otherwise, the people of Hedong would soon reach a state where they only knew the Pei family and not the Great Tang.
«Your Majesty is sagacious; it is a blessing for the realm and a blessing for the people of Hedong.»
Li Linfu let out a breath, subtly patting Li Longji on the backside.
«As for the appointment…» Li Longji glanced at Li Linfu and said lightly.
«Your servant dare not. Your Majesty is wise and martial, and can personally handle state affairs.»
At this critical juncture, Li Linfu did not want to seek his own discomfort by touching a sore spot, for Li Longji had a strong desire to control power and would never allow anyone to act against his will.
«Very well.»
Li Longji nodded in satisfaction and said: «I think Yang Zao, the Censor-in-Chief, is adept at calculation and is very loyal to me. Why not send him to Hedong to relieve the disaster?»
«This…» Li Linfu simply could not have imagined that the person Li Longji mentioned would be Yang Zao. For a moment, he was at a loss. Yang Zao had already been promoted to Censor-in-Chief, and entering the Hall of State Affairs was just a step away. If at this time he were sent to Hedong to relieve the disaster and gain great popular support, it would undoubtedly greatly enhance the power of the Yang family in the capital. (Note 2) «What is it, Prime Minister? Do you find fault with my arrangement?»
Li Longji glanced at Li Linfu with some displeasure, and his voice suddenly turned cold.
«Your servant dare not. I think Yang Da is both virtuous and talented, and he is the best choice for an envoy to Hedong to relieve the disaster.»
Since the matter had come to this, although Li Linfu had a thousand unwillingness in his heart, he was powerless and could only acknowledge Yang Zao’s appointment as an envoy.
«Then let the edict be drafted.»
Li Longji waved his hand without a trace of emotion and sat back on the desk.
The Chief Clerk, Yan Cangyue, dipped his brush in ink and began drafting the edict.
«Hedong has been suffering from drought for a long time, with no rain from May until the seventh month of autumn. On the day of Yi You, due to the drought, I command the Chancellors, the Tai Temple, and the county magistrates to review and execute prisoners: those sentenced to death shall be executed or transported, those sentenced to exile shall be exiled, and those below the rank of exile shall be pardoned. Additionally, Yang Zao, the Censor-in-Chief, is appointed as the Xing Lue of Hedong, to depart for Taiyuan Prefecture within three days to relieve the disaster, to express the Emperor’s will.» (Note 3)
After brushing the last character, the Chief Clerk Yan Cangyue handed the edict to Li Longji for review. Li Longji scanned it, confirmed there were no errors, and nodded: «Send it to the Ministry of Personnel for review.»
«Your Majesty, I am a bit tired. You may dismiss me first.»
Li Longji felt a wave of fatigue. Irritably, he waved at Li Linfu.
«Please pay attention to Your Majesty’s dragon body, Old Minister takes his leave.»
Li Linfu bowed again to Li Longji, sighed in his heart, and retreated tremblingly from the Hall of Government.
**Note 1:** The Governor of Taiyuan: During the Tang Dynasty, the administrative planning was truly complex. During the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods, the official in charge of Taiyuan Prefecture was called «Yin,» who served as the garrison commander when the Emperor was absent.
**Note 2:** Only the three provincial officials (Zhongshu Ling, Situ, and Shangshu Zuo You Pushe) participated in the Hall of State Affairs meetings; they were the chancellors of the court.
**Note 3:** The Hexi Military Governor: This was a rather empty office. It was first established in important border regions during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (628), and later often served concurrently by military governors, primarily used for patrolling and inspection.