Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 216

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Where is Kunlun?

Li Bi knelt and bowed deeply to Li Ji, leaving Li Ji completely bewildered. He hurriedly reached out to help him up, asking, "Brother, what is the meaning of this?"

Li Bi raised his head and said sincerely, "Your Majesty used my younger brother's body to establish such great achievements and attain the highest position among ministers. Although my younger brother is dead, he is still alive—if his body and soul were still united, he would not have reached this point today. This is on behalf of my younger brother and my uncle to express our gratitude to Your Majesty."

Li Ji used to be afraid that Li Bi would bring up this matter, as it would seem like he didn't treat him as family. However, as time went on, he gradually got used to it. The fact that his soul had been possessed was ultimately unchangeable. Let alone Li Bi, could he really forget everything from his past life and truly consider himself a distant relative of the Zhao County Li family in the Tang Dynasty?

As for Li Bi, looking at his own face, he might occasionally feel a little confused during casual conversations, as if this were his real cousin. But most of the time, he couldn't possibly confuse who he was facing, so why bother burying his head in the sand?

So Li Ji sincerely said to Li Bi, "I have unexpectedly gained your brother's body, and I should cherish it and use it to accomplish something great, so as not to fail your brother's spirit in heaven. This is something I owe your family, which I can never repay in this lifetime, so why do you need to thank me, brother?"

Li Bi said, "For a man to establish himself in the world, the most important thing is to achieve fame and bring honor to his family. You have done this for my younger brother, how can I not thank you?"

Li Ji smiled and deliberately changed the subject: "So, brother, do you also value fame and family reputation in this world? Didn't you want to abandon everything and live in seclusion to cultivate yourself?"

Li Bi smiled bitterly and said, "Everyone has their own ambitions, and I am already deeply mired in this quagmire. All the past events are like fleeting clouds." He then took Li Ji's hand, stared into the other's eyes, and said, word by word, "I only hope that you can finish this well and not let my younger brother's body be harmed, nor let my younger brother's reputation be tarnished."

Li Ji thought to himself, "This must be your main purpose in coming here." He immediately put on a stern face: "Brother, call me 'Changwei' again—between brothers, we should speak frankly, why all the pretense?"

A slight look of shame appeared on Li Bi's face. He then clapped his hands and sighed softly, "The Emperor has summoned me back to the capital for the Yan Ying Dialogue, which is to inquire about the matter of Chang Wei. In fact, I don't need to say anything; Chang Wei already understands the situation perfectly well..."

As if to ease the somewhat awkward atmosphere, he then asked, "I seem to recall you mentioning that you were able to stay here unexpectedly because you share the same name as my younger brother. We have been together for more than ten years, but I have never asked you what your courtesy name is."

Li Ji didn't intend to make up a lie, and answered him directly: "Actually, there are no words."

"Your talent, insight, and even learning are far beyond the reach of ordinary people. How can you not have written down your words?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Yes, these days, anyone who has attended school for even a few days, regardless of gender, will have someone give them a courtesy name. In daily life and social interactions, the courtesy name is even used more frequently than the given name. But in my future life, this custom has long been abandoned." So he sighed softly, "A courtesy name is meant to express virtue. I had no virtue in my previous life, so why should I have a courtesy name?"

I don't intend to continue this discussion, so let's get straight to the point: "What did the Sage ask my elder brother to ask me?"

Li Bi nodded first, then leaned back slightly, straightened his clothes, and asked solemnly, "With tens of thousands of troops under Changwei's command, facing the fierce enemy forces head-on, His Majesty cannot help but have concerns. Therefore, he asked me to inquire of Changwei, what are the chances of success in recovering the Western Regions?"

Li Ji replied, "The day before yesterday, I clearly presented my plans and arrangements for the future to His Majesty before the Emperor. The Crown Prince and Prince Zheng were also present at the time. Everything I said that day was true and I was not exaggerating or deceiving the Emperor."

"But now Changwei is to guard Hexi and Zhenxi, and Li Sheng and others are to guard Longyou. Our Tang army is divided into two routes, while the Tubo can combine their forces to attack one of them. Isn't this dangerous?"

Li Ji smiled and said, “But if there is no more chaos in the East, our Tang elite troops will gather in Guanzhong, and the barbarian bandits will have no opportunity to take advantage of us. The key is that from Chang'an to Longyou, there are 600 li of roads, making marching and transportation easy; while from Lhasa to the Western Sea, across Menggu and Chiling, there is a distance of 2,000 li, and there are no thoroughfares that have been painstakingly repaired over dozens of generations. Therefore, in the struggle between Tang and Tibet for Longyou, Tibet will have to exert twice the effort to have any hope of victory.”

"And what about Hexi?"

"Whether Hexi is in danger or not actually depends on Longyou. That is why I advised the Emperor not to make peace with the Tubo for the time being, but to first recover Lanzhou and Shanzhou. If Lanzhou and Shanzhou are recovered, Liangzhou will be safe from the rear. As for Gansu, Guazhou, and Shazhou, they are protected by the Qilian Mountains, Daxue Mountains, and Altun Mountains to the south, with narrow routes, making them easy to defend but difficult to attack. Last year, no troops were mobilized in Longyou, so Li Sheng was able to rest. Starting next year, if the Tubo invaders launch a full-scale attack on Hexi and Zhenxi, the country can try to recover Lanzhou and Shanzhou; if the Tubo invaders launch a full-scale attack on Longyou, I will take Dunhuang directly, and then feign an attack on Dangjin Pass. The Tubo will surely retreat upon hearing the news."

After a pause, Li Ji continued, "Moreover, the Tibetans have already expressed their intention to make peace, as their power is waning and they can hardly hold on any longer..." He then recounted to Li Bi the entire conversation he had with Ma Chongying at the foot of Zhang San City that day.

Li Bi lowered his head and pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "If it could be as Changwei said, and the two families could revert to using Hexi, Zhenxi South Mountain, Menggu, and Chiling as the borders, restoring the pre-Tianbao borders and shaking hands in peace, that would be the best outcome." He then raised his head and looked at Li Ji: "Brother, do you want to take Zhenxi and defend it?"

Li Ji nodded: "I have already spoken to my elder brother about this matter. Did you not inform the Emperor?"

Li Bi did not answer, but asked: "Since Heba Yansi, the various military governors of Hexi have served a maximum of six years, and are usually replaced every two or three years; the same is true for Anxi and Beiting. So how many years does Changwei intend to remain in Hexi and Zhenxi?"

Li Ji frowned and asked in return, "How many years did An Lushan hold out in Lulong and Fanyang?"

Li Bi's expression changed slightly: "Why must you compare yourself to a traitor?!"

"If he doesn't rebel, he might stay in power for much longer! Moreover, everyone in the court says that Xue Song is loyal. He has been appointed as Grand General of the Palace Attendants, Right Vice Minister, and Imperial Censor, and enfeoffed as Prince of Pingyang. But I wonder when the court plans to change the military governor of Zhaoyi Army? It's not too late to ask me after Xue leaves Hebei!"

As soon as he spoke, Li Ji realized he had gone too far, so he sighed softly and softened his tone: "Brother, I have already explained to you very clearly why I requested to lead the Western Garrison, and the reasons why I sought to establish a long-term garrison for the sake of the country and myself. How can the garrisons before the Zhide era be compared with the garrisons of today?"

Li Bi tapped the table and slowly asked, "Of course I trust Chang Wei. His actions are for the country and the people—even a sage wouldn't doubt them. But I fear what will happen after Chang Wei..."

Li Ji curled his lip: "I am still in my prime, and I promised my elder brother that I would take good care of my life and your younger brother's reputation. I will not die before I am twenty. After I die, if the court is no longer as weak as it is today, a single edict can be issued to appoint new envoys; if the court is still as it is today... even if we offer Hexi and Zhenxi with both hands, I'm afraid we will not be able to accept them."

Li Bi nodded: "I understand." But then his eyebrows furrowed: "However, I am acting in the emperor's best interests. Zhenxi can be granted, but it is inconvenient to also take over Hexi!"

Li Ji did not show any surprise at his words—it was within his expectations. If the entire Western Regions and the Hexi Corridor were to be in his hands, especially since Liangzhou was not too far from Chang'an, the Li Tang emperor and his ministers would certainly be worried.

Li Bi continued, "In our last conversation, Changwei compared himself to the Zhang family of the Former Liang dynasty. The Zhang family's territory reached its zenith during the reign of Zhang Chonghua, encompassing Longyou and the Western Regions, establishing its capital at Guzang, and dominating the western frontier. After Chonghua's death, his brother Zhang Zuo usurped the throne and declared himself emperor..."

Li Ji interjected: "Zhang Zuo reigned as emperor for only three years before being killed by his subordinates and his body left to rot in the wilderness. Zhang Xuanjing then relinquished his imperial title and even dared not claim the title of king..."

Taking the opportunity, Li Bi questioned, "Then is Zhang's style acceptable?"

Li Ji smiled and said, "Brother, Zhang Zuo's ascension to the throne marked the decline of the Later Zhao dynasty; his death was due to Huan Wen's entry into Guanzhong, which put pressure on the western border, causing him to act rashly. Therefore, as long as China is strong, the western border will not be a threat—what else is there for you to worry about, brother?"

“The worries are for future generations,” Li Bi sighed. “Although Changwei has no son, he still needs a son, even if it’s through adoption from the same clan. Now, all the towns in Hebei are seeking succession by sons after fathers die and brothers after brothers die. I fear that if Changwei settles down in Hexi and Zhenxi, his subordinates will support his son after he passes away. If he becomes arrogant and rebellious, he will inevitably suffer the same fate as Zhang Zuo…”

Li Ji laughed and said, "Brother, the blessings of a virtuous man have always lasted for five generations. Why think so far ahead about the affairs of our children and grandchildren? Can someone like Lord Guo, who lives a secluded life in Chang'an, guarantee the eternal prosperity of his children and grandchildren? I heard that Guo Ai and Princess Shengping fought, and the princess complained to the Emperor, but the Emperor did not punish them—that's because Lord Guo was still alive and his influence had not diminished. If Lord Guo had passed away, let's see how the Emperor deals with that wicked son-in-law!"

But Li Mi remained adamant, insisting that Li Ji cede Hexi—if he was determined to defend the Western Regions. Li Ji pleaded, “Brother, the Silk Road begins in Liangzhou, with Hexi as the key, connecting to the Western Regions. This is the foundation upon which I have volunteered to defend the Western Regions. Once trade ceases, how many soldiers can those remote and desolate places like Anxi and Beiting support with only the produce of their fields and pastures? Not only will it be difficult to defend against the Tibetans, but we will also have to be wary of the Uyghurs.”

Li Bi pointed at him and said, "That's precisely why we can't hold your hand. Merchants from the west don't necessarily need to go to Chang'an or Luoyang; they can obtain Chinese silk and porcelain as soon as they reach Guzang. Our Tang merchants can also start their journey from Guzang. If the Silk Road is half controlled by you, even if it causes discord with the court, you can still reap the benefits alone, and the court can't stop you. You should stand in the position of a court official, or even a prime minister, and think carefully: who can tolerate such a powerful regional governor in the western border?"

Li Ji paused for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "I went to great lengths in Guzang, using the Silk Road as bait to lure many wealthy merchants into contributing money and goods to aid the western expedition. But once they leave, the campaign will cease, and those who come after will not even recognize my contracts, betraying my integrity and breaking my promises. The Western Regions will truly become an isolated town..."

Li Bi said, "Don't worry, I've already mentioned this to the Emperor. You are the Grand Commandant of the current dynasty and the former Military Governor of Hexi. Your successor should take over the contracts you issued and follow the established rules. For at least ten years, the old policies will remain unchanged. Moreover, Hexi has been incorporated into the central government, and the court hopes that Liangzhou will prosper and become wealthy, which will benefit the national treasury."

"Then who will continue to guard Hexi? Does the sage have a plan in mind?"

Li Bi replied, "It's highly likely that Vice Envoy Wu will succeed him—what do you think of this man, Changwei?"

Li Ji thought for a moment: "Vice Envoy Wu is an honest and cautious man. With him guarding Liangzhou, I believe he won't drastically change my laws. However, although he holds the title of Grand General, he is not knowledgeable in military affairs..."

"How about having Ma Xunmei assist him?"

Actually, this was a conclusion reached by Li Mi and Li Yu after repeated discussions—Ma Sui and you, Li Ji, have a good relationship, so you should be able to rest assured that he will not deliberately hinder you, at least subjectively. At the same time, Ma Sui is also a member of the Imperial Guard and a meritorious official who supported Li Yu during the palace coup. Li Yu also trusts him.

Li Ji nodded slowly: "If it is indeed good, then Liangzhou's military affairs can indeed be entrusted to it..." But then he waved his hand: "Forget it, then I will return Liangzhou to the court. However, the roads to Gansu and other prefectures are dangerous and long. Whether it is trade or military supplies, they all need to be connected to the Central Plains and the Western Regions through these prefectures. I must keep it in my own hands in order to be at ease!"

“Dunhuang, in particular, is the eastern gateway to the Western Regions. After I capture it, I will carefully plan and build fortifications and appoint generals to defend it. I really do not trust anyone else to do it—not even Ma Xunmei.”

Thus began the bargaining. Li Bi's idea was that Shazhou could be placed under the jurisdiction of Anxi, but the area west of Yumen Pass had to be returned to the court. "Changwei is stationed in the Western Regions, thousands of miles away, and cannot coordinate with the war in Longxi. However, Liang, Gan, and Su prefectures can be used to harass the barbarian bandits from the side, so as to launch a pincer attack on Lan and Shan. This matter must be taken into account."

Li Ji simply stated that the Hexi Corridor was too long and narrow. If the barbarian bandits launched a surprise attack, or the Uyghurs broke their alliance and marched south to cut it off, then China would be in a very passive position in the Western Regions. He was not comfortable letting others guard it and had to do it himself.

After much negotiation, the final decision was made to divide Suzhou in two, with the western part belonging to Zhenxi and the eastern part remaining under the jurisdiction of Hexi. Li Ji wanted the cut to be made east of Jiuquan, but Li Bi insisted on making it west of Jiuquan—"Thirty li west of Jiuquan is acceptable."

Li Ji frowned slightly and looked at Li Bi: "Brother, do you mean to take Jiayu as the boundary?"

Li Bi smiled slightly: "Indeed."

Li Ji knew that the area around Jiayu was bordered by mountains to the south and desert to the north, with treacherous and narrow roads. If a fortress were built along the way, it would be difficult for an army of ten thousand to pass. He recalled that Mang Re had once camped there, and Li Ji had personally surveyed the area. He thought to himself, "Luckily! If that fellow hadn't rashly sent cavalry to harass me and been captured by Nan Jiyun, and had retreated to this fortified position, it would have been very difficult for me to defeat him..."

However, Li Ji also pointed out to Mang Re that building a fortification here would actually be more effective in defending against enemies coming from the west—because Jiuquan City is not far to the east, with a relatively open terrain and a relatively dense population, making it convenient for a large army to encamp; while to the west, it would be more than 200 li away to Yumen Army, but that is ultimately a military town, not a county town, so its self-supply capacity is limited. In other words, the army would lack a sufficiently good forward base to attack Jiayu from the west to the east.

The name Jia Yu was not found on most maps of that era, and Li Bi had never traveled west, so he couldn't possibly have known it. But there was no need to ask; it must have been Mang Re who told the Tang emperor and his officials after arriving in Chang'an... He somewhat regretted bringing this guy along as a prisoner.

In the end, both sides compromised, neither crossing their bottom line. Li Ji felt it was barely acceptable, and Li Bi could return calmly to report to Li Yu. But then Li Bi sighed, "Chang Wei is going thousands of miles away, and I'm afraid he will never return to the Central Court... You and I, brothers, will part ways here and never see each other again."

Li Ji suddenly had a whimsical idea: "Brother, do you still intend to retire and cultivate Taoism? Why not come to the Western Regions, where Kunlun Mountain is the former residence of the Yellow Emperor..." Of course, he himself did not believe in the Yellow Emperor myth, which was clearly influenced by the Five Elements theory and was only recorded after the Eastern Zhou Dynasty—"If you can visit his old sites, perhaps you will have hope of ascending to immortality."

Li Bi smiled and waved his hand: "I thought that Changwei was more knowledgeable about Western affairs than anyone else, and even knew the inner workings of the Abbasid Caliphate, but he didn't know where Kunlun was, thinking it was far away in the Western Regions..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Isn't that right? South of the Taklamakan Desert, east of the Pamir Mountains, and west of the Bayan Har Mountains, the Kunlun Mountains are destined to become the boundary between the Tang and Tibetan territories."

Then Li Bi pointed out: "The Classic of Mountains and Seas says: 'South of the Western Sea, on the shore of the Flowing Sands, after the Red River and before the Black River, there is a great mountain called the Hill of Kunlun... The Hill of Kunlun is indeed the capital of the Emperor.' So the Black River mentioned in ancient times is the Zhangye River of today; the Red River mentioned in ancient times may be the Ming River of today; as for the Flowing Sands, it is north and east of Jiuquan, where yellow sand stretches endlessly. Therefore, the Kunlun of the Yellow Emperor is south of Jiuquan, bordering the Dongting Mountains to the north and the Qilian Mountains to the south..."

Li Ji asked in astonishment, "So, it's east of Jiayuguan?" He thought to himself that it made sense. He hadn't studied the Classic of Mountains and Seas or geography before the Zhou Dynasty in detail, but based on the knowledge of the people of the Central Plains in ancient times, he estimated that they couldn't have reached the distant Western Regions...

Li Bi nodded and said, "The Kunlun Mountains of the Yellow Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West should both be near Qilian. Therefore, even if I went to seek Kunlun, I would not be able to set foot in Zhenxi and meet Changwei again." Then his face darkened and he said, "We brothers, on the Double Ninth Festival, let us each climb to a high place and visit each other from afar..."

(End of Volume 8, "The Morning Feathers Ride Across the Frozen River")

Author's Note: The main text of this book is now basically complete. As usual, there will be no update tomorrow, and the ending will be released the day after tomorrow.

Chapter 1: The Secrets of the Turks

In July of the thirteenth year of the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty, in the office of the Zhenxi Jiedushi (military governor) in Dunhuang City.

When the guard reported that "Military Advisor Du requests an audience," Li Ji was in the courtyard, lighting a stove, placing an iron rack on it, his sleeves rolled up, grilling and eating meat skewers with great enjoyment. Upon hearing the report, he casually waved his hand and said, "Please let him in."

Before long, an official in a green robe entered with his hands clasped in front of him, and frowned slightly upon seeing the scene. He first bowed to Li Ji, then turned to Yan Zhuang, who was leaning against the couch beside him: "Lord Yan." Finally, he addressed the busy ladies: "Greetings, ladies."

—Qingluan divides the sheep and cuts the meat, Cuicuo slices bamboo and strings the meat together, and Hongxian fans the fire.

After the ceremony, the official's expression turned solemn. He bowed deeply to Li Ji and advised, "The Grand Commandant's hand, which holds the mace, should not be used to put meat on the fire; and Madam Xue's hand, which holds the pen, should not be used to use a fan as a stove."

Li Ji chuckled: "You have traveled ten thousand miles, which is better than reading ten thousand books. Why bother with those pedantic scholars who say that a gentleman should not personally cook, and that officials should maintain the dignity of the court? Even Emperor Suzong once personally roasted pears for my brother Yuan." He then ordered: "Bring another couch and invite Military Advisor Du to sit down. I will roast some meat to serve you."

The official waved his hand repeatedly, saying, "I dare not." He quickly got to the point: "This humble official has come to report to the Grand Commandant that the Arab envoy has entered the city and settled in the post station. He humbly requests that we come to pay our respects to the Grand Commandant tomorrow. Is that alright?"

Li Ji sprinkled more cumin on the freshly grilled, golden-brown, and juicy mutton skewers, turned them over the fire a few times, then divided them into two portions, handing one half to Yan Zhuang and the other half to the green-robed official. The official had no choice but to accept them with both hands. Li Ji gestured for him not to be so polite and to enjoy them, then asked, "Was this envoy sent by the Caliph of Baghdad or the Governor-General of Khorasan in Merv?"

"He was actually sent by the Governor of Khorasan to inform him of the passing of King Mumen and the succession of his son, Prince Mehdi..."

Li Ji nodded slightly, muttering to himself as he replaced the names of the people the other party had reported with his own familiar translations: "Mansur is dead... Mahdi succeeds as Caliph..." He paused, then asked the official, "Did Zemur send an envoy specifically to see me, or is he going to Chang'an to pay homage to the Holy One? Is it merely to announce the national mourning, or is there some other purpose?"

"His envoy said that after meeting with the Grand Commandant, he would go to Chang'an to pay homage. Moreover, judging from the words of the lower-ranking official, he was probably there for Tibet and hoped that Tang would send troops to help him."

Li Ji smiled and said, "Our Tang Dynasty has already made peace with the Tibetans, so the idea of ​​attacking Tibet together with the Abbasid Caliphate is pure wishful thinking."

Yan Zhuang, who was leaning against the couch next to him, had just finished eating the roasted meat in his hand. He casually tossed the skewer aside, took a towel to wipe his beard, and took the opportunity to interject: "The court has finally recovered the lost territory and made peace with the barbarians. They will certainly not want to start another war. Whether to ally with Tibet to attack the Abbasid Caliphate or ally with the Abbasid Caliphate to attack Tibet is entirely up to the Grand Commandant's personal opinion."

Li Ji turned his head and looked at Yan Zhuang: "Ma Chongying also sent an envoy last month, hoping that I could send troops across the Pamir Mountains—in your opinion, Lord Yan, whose wish would be better?"

Yan Zhuang smiled and said, "The Pamir Mountains are too high to cross, as are the Kunlun Mountains. But speaking of the land, I've heard that Persia, now called Khorasan, is much richer than Tibet. So rather than taking the barren places like Qiangtang and Greater and Lesser Bolu, it would be better to go and take Persia. But does the Grand Commandant have the confidence to kill his way to Lhasa in one go?"

Li Ji shrugged: "I also can't possibly march all the way to Baghdad in one go. Unless there is internal strife in Tibet and the Abbasid Caliphate, I shouldn't rashly resort to force. Otherwise, the war will drag on for decades."

He then turned to the official and waved his hand, saying, "Du Jun, you can talk to the Arab envoy more and find out more about him. As for meeting him—let him enter the government office first thing tomorrow morning."

The official clasped his hands in greeting, about to take his leave. At that moment, the couch prepared for him was moved over, so Yan Zhuang waved his hand: "Military Advisor Du, there's no need to rush off. It's a rare treat for the lady to cook, and the Grand Commandant has roasted meat. Please sit down and have a good meal. I still have some questions to ask Military Advisor Du."

"I dare not, Lord Yan, please speak."

"Du, the military advisor, once traveled as far as Byzantium and is fluent in the languages ​​of many Western countries..."

This official in green robes, known as "Military Advisor Du," was actually named Du Huan. Li Ji had heard of him two years prior and sent someone to summon him from Guanzhong. A direct descendant of the Du clan of Jingzhao, he joined the army at a young age. In the tenth year of the Tianbao era, he followed Gao Xianzhi on an expedition to Talas. After the defeat, he was captured by the Arab army and taken to Kufa, where he was treated well and allowed to travel freely. Du Huan then traveled to many places in Central and West Asia, reaching as far as the Black Kingdom of Shunai—Li Ji suspected it was Somalia—where he accompanied its envoy on a three-month voyage to Jiaozhi (Vietnam). Finally, via Guangzhou, he traveled north by land to return to Chang'an.

That happened in the early years of the Baoying era.

Emperor Li Yu was naturally pleased with the tribute from distant lands, but he did not value Du Huan highly, merely granting him the rank of eighth-grade official with a nominal salary. Several years later, Du Huan wrote a book titled "Travels and Journeys," recounting his experiences and observations during his travels. The newly appointed official in charge of reporting to the emperor in the west, Jia Dan, happened to meet him and, knowing that Li Ji was in the Western Regions and might be dealing with the Abbasid Caliphate, wrote a letter recommending him. Li Ji immediately dispatched a messenger to summon Du Huan to Dunhuang with a generous reward of a sixth-grade official salary and a monthly income of 300,000 taels of silver. After a heartfelt meeting, Li Ji considered Du Huan a priceless treasure.

As for Yan Zhuang, he was summoned by imperial decree shortly after Li Ji took control of Zhenxi and appointed as the Left Vice-Minister to the Crown Prince, a fourth-rank official. This was merely a sinecure, and Yan Zhuang knew that his career had come to an end, with no hope of further advancement. Even if Crown Prince Li Shi successfully ascended the throne, he would not consider him a loyal subject who had followed the emperor. Therefore, he only stayed in Chang'an for a year before submitting a petition to retire and return to his hometown.

However, Yan Zhuang only briefly returned to his hometown in Hebei before heading west to Dunhuang to join Li Ji's staff—mainly because he was worried about having too many enemies and that it would be unsafe for him to stay in the Central Plains.

Yan Zhuang then invited Du Huan to sit down, and Li Ji handed him half a skewer of grilled meat. Yan Zhuang then asked, "The laws and etiquette of the Abbasid Caliphate are very different from those of China. Moreover, those barbarians are not very familiar with the systems of our Tang Dynasty. Is this really the case?"

"That's absolutely right."

"I wonder what kind of status and prestige the Grand Commandant holds in the eyes of the Arabs? Could you, Military Advisor Du, try to explain it to me in their barbarian language, without any embellishment or translation?"

Upon hearing this request, Du Huan frowned slightly and hesitated. Li Ji smiled and said, "This is not a big deal. I just want to make Lord Yan laugh. Besides, I would like to hear how the Abbasid Caliphate would criticize me when there is no Grand Commandant, no Prince, and no Military Governor. Lord Du, please do not worry and speak frankly."

Li Ji's current title is Grand Commandant of the Tang Dynasty, Prince of Dunhuang, Military Governor of the five prefectures of Gua, Sha, Yi, Xi and Ting (the area west of Jiayu was merged into Gua Prefecture), Observation and Disposal, and Commissioner of the Western Regions, concurrently serving as the Grand Protector of the Anxi Protectorate, governing the five towns of Yanqi, Kucha, Shule, Khotan and Suyab, as well as the Grand Protectorate of the four protectorates of Anxi, Kunling, Yingsuo and Jieshan.

He himself felt that this long list of titles was comparable to that of many monarchs of major European powers in later generations.

The Arabs, of course, didn't understand this, so how would they refer to him as Li Changwei?

Du Huan thought for a moment and replied, "According to the Arab envoy, the Grand Commandant is called Da Yimi..."

Yan Zhuang looked puzzled, and Li Ji helped explain: "Emir is a military commander. The Grand Emir is the highest military commander in the country—well, it is appropriate to refer to the Grand Commandant as such."

The title of Grand Commandant was one of the Three Dukes in the Tang Dynasty. It was an honorary title without any real power. However, the title originated in the Qin Dynasty and came from the State Commandant. In the early days, it did refer to the Commander-in-Chief of the national armed forces. The real Commander-in-Chief of the Tang Dynasty was actually the Marshal of the Army and the People's Liberation Army, which was usually held by a prince. Ministers like Guo Ziyi and Li Ji could at most become deputy marshals.

Yan Zhuang smiled and said, "But merely describing the Grand Commandant as a large... small worm is not enough. Is there any other way to describe him?"

Du Huan replied, "And it is said that the Grand Commandant is a Yimi from the Turkic lands." Before Li Ji could speak, he explained in detail, "The Arabs believe that China refers only to the area east of Yumen Pass and south of the Gobi Desert, while the west and north were formerly occupied by the Turks, hence the name Turkic lands. The Arab state often divides its territory into provinces based on its former allies. For example, the area around the Yaksha River and the Uhu River is called Transoxiana; the area south of Transoxiana, Tokharistan, is called Transoxiana; and the area west of Transoxiana is Persia. Now, all of these are unified into one large province, Khorasan, and Yimi is appointed to guard it."

"Below the rank of Da Yimi, many Yimi were appointed, or sent to govern a prefecture. This was their official post. Some were given honors and titles, equivalent to noble ranks, while others were granted stipends. The distinctions were not always the same. Previously, the Grand Commandant translated the Yimi he was sent to govern as Governor-General, which the lower-ranking officials found appropriate."

In fact, Du Huan did not agree with some of Li Ji's translation methods. For example, he called "Halifo" as Caliph, "Yimi" as Emir, "Woqier" as Vizier, "Mumen" as Mansur, and "Mahaidi" as Mahdi. He always felt that the Grand Commandant had heard these translations from some ethnic group and that they had been passed down through several generations, resulting in pronunciations that were far off. However, Du Huan used his own authentic Arabic pronunciation to compare with the Chinese pronunciation, but the Grand Commandant refused to adopt it.

As for translating Yimi as "Governor-General," Du Huan thinks it would be better to translate it as "Military Governor-General," which would be easier for Chinese people to understand. Because China has never had the title "Governor-General," only "Commander-in-Chief" or "Grand Commander-in-Chief," so where would this "Commander-in-Chief" come from? While it's true that the territory of Khorasan Yimi was quite vast, far exceeding any single regional military command in the Tang Dynasty, there's no need to create a new term to refer to it.

He was dissatisfied, but dared not contradict him out loud. Instead, he said, "This humble official thinks it is appropriate"—who told you to be a high-ranking official?

Yan Zhuang then asked, "Is that all? Is there anything else to say about the Grand Commandant's talent and achievements?"

Du Huan hesitated for a moment, glanced at Li Ji, and seeing the encouraging look on the other's face, replied: "They also said that the Grand Commandant was originally a general of the Chinese emperor's personal army, who was deeply favored and held the key to the palace gates for the emperor. He also led troops to defeat the Tubo and recover the Turkic lands. Therefore, he was appointed to guard Da Yimi."

Yan Zhuang looked at Li Ji and said with a smile, "Is the so-called 'holding the key to the palace gates' just a misinterpretation of the 'keyboard knight'?"

The Chinese character “键” has multiple meanings. Its original meaning refers to a long metal strip inserted on the outside of a wheel axle to prevent the wheel from slipping. Perhaps because of its similar shape, it has also come to mean a door latch – a wooden one is called “关” (guan), and a metal one is called “键” (jian) – and has two meanings: a key and a bolt.

However, Li Ji thought to himself, "Who knows, maybe this character will be used to form a word in the future..."

The reason he was called "Key Hero" by Li Yu was because he once fought with an iron door latch, captured King Li Xi of Yue, and ultimately allowed Li Yu to escape. However, most households used wooden bolts rather than iron keys to fasten doors, so the first reaction to "key" is usually to refer to a key. But "Key Hero" is really confusing and hard to understand, so it was probably misinterpreted as "the one who holds the key to the palace gates".

However, the keys to the Tang Dynasty palace were never in the hands of imperial guards like Li Ji—nor were they the Mamluks of the late Abbasid Caliphate—but were always held by court officials, including powerful eunuchs like Li Fuguo and Cheng Yuanzhen, and occasionally by Hanlin scholars like Li Bi.

Li Ji smiled and said, "Although the Abbasid Caliphate also uses eunuchs, they are only used for cleaning and sweeping and are rarely given any real power. The keys to their palace gates are mostly held by close officials. Perhaps this is why there is a misunderstanding."