The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 197 A strange combination of circumstances
"That's true." Li Heng did not deny it. "So we must be extremely cautious in our actions. The iron hoof of conquest is fleeting, but the call of civilization is eternal."

Yang Yuhuan smiled and said, "My dear, are you thinking of setting up a school?"

Li Ying said: "No matter what I say, you can always understand what I mean the first time."

Yang Yuhuan said: "In recent years, Wang Zhihuan and Meng Haoran have been working hard on government affairs and have not neglected their poetry creation. Many people want to come to Anxi North Court to make achievements and experience the literary talent here."

Many people came here because of his success in Anxi and also because after Li Linfu came to power, the court vigorously excluded talents. Those knowledgeable people had no choice but to either join Li Linfu and become corrupt or take the risk and secretly become Li Heng's disciples. Those who didn't want to choose either of them could only run to the local areas.

Li Heng has been fighting wars in the past few years and has not had time to select talents. Now that he has some free time, he can make some selection.

Li Ying pondered for a while and suddenly remembered that according to history, Meng Haoran and Wang Zhihuan should have reached the end of their lives.

Li Heng quickly asked, "How are Wang Zhihuan and Meng Haoran doing?"

"Not bad." Yang Yuhuan replied.

"I'll go see them." Li Ying said as he stood up, thought for a moment, and said, "Do you want to go with me?"

If she were in Chang'an, it would not be convenient for the princess to meet outsiders. However, there are many ethnic groups in Anxi, and the etiquette is not as strict as that in Chang'an. Moreover, Li Heng has been fighting outside for many years. Yang Yuhuan has been responsible for all the affairs of the palace in Anxi alone. Sometimes people would ask her for advice on official matters, so she did not care about meeting outsiders.

"Okay."

Yang Yuhuan was already accustomed to showing up in public, and since she and Li Heng were rarely together, she cherished the time spent with them even more, so she did not refuse.

Yang Yuhuan took the initiative to take Li Heng's arm, and the two went to the Protectorate Office together.

In the government office, Wang Zhihuan and Meng Haoran were having a pleasant conversation with another man, and then Li Heng and Yang Yuhuan suddenly walked in.

The three of them quickly stood up and saluted Li Heng and Yang Yuhuan. Wang Zhihuan then introduced them, "Your Highness, this is Zhang Xu Zhang Bogao."

"It turns out to be Zhang Bogao!" Li Ying smiled heartily, asked the three to sit down, and said, "I have long wanted to see Zhang Bogao. Seeing him today is a great comfort to me."

Li Bai's poetry, Zhang Xu's cursive script, and Pei Min's sword dance are collectively known as the three wonders of the Tang Dynasty.

Zhang Xu heard Li Heng's praise and said hurriedly, "Your Highness, you are too kind. I only write freely on paper, while Your Highness is galloping on the battlefield. I have admired Your Highness for a long time, but I was busy with official duties before and never had the opportunity. Now that I have returned to the countryside, I have the opportunity to come and visit Your Highness."

Zhang Xu's return to the countryside did not necessarily mean he resigned from his official position. He could also have been marginalized or had a normal appointment.

Officials in the Tang Dynasty did not have a iron rice bowl. Most of them moved up and down, and only a very small number could remain in office forever.

Li Heng did not dwell on this. He exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhang Xu and then asked Wang Zhihuan and Meng Haoran, "How are the two soldiers doing?"

Wang Zhihuan said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am still in good health. I have been sick a few times, and the Princess and Lady Zhang asked your Highness's medical officer to treat me. They also taught me some ways to maintain my health."

Wang Zhihuan bowed to Li Heng and Yang Yuhuan and said, "I have been looking for an opportunity to thank Your Highness, the Princess, and Lady Zhang, but Your Highness has been away fighting in the past few years and I have never had the opportunity to thank you in person."

"You don't have to be polite, General Wang. This is what we should do." Li Ying said politely to Wang Zhihuan, turned his head to look at Yang Yuhuan, and gave Yang Yuhuan an affirmative look, indicating that Yang Yuhuan did a good job.

Yang Yuhuan understood what Li Heng meant and smiled back.

Meng Haoran said, "My health is a little worse. I had a sore some time ago. Fortunately, the princess and Mrs. Zhang sent the prince's doctor to treat me, and I am getting better."

Historically, both Wang Zhihuan and Meng Haoran had unsuccessful careers and died of illness.

Li Heng facilitated their official careers, and because he claimed to be ill, Li Longji set up a medical department specifically for him and gathered a group of famous doctors under him. These famous doctors could not cure his fake illness, but by accident they gave convenience to the officials under him.

Li Heng sighed and said, "You two must take care of yourselves, if not for yourselves, then for the people!"

"Yes." The two answered in unison and sat down. Wang Zhihuan continued, "Brother Haoran dared not to let His Highness down. In order to recover from his illness, he almost gave up drinking."

Li Ying was startled, then smiled and said, "After quitting drinking, do you still have inspiration for poetry?"

Meng Haoran smiled and said, "I am not like Li Bai. I don't need wine to accompany my poetry."

"That's right. You all have your own affinity with poetry." Li Ying smiled slightly, chatted with a few people, discussed some political affairs, and then left.

Wang Zhihuan and the other two saw Li Ying off. As they watched Li Ying walk away, Zhang Xu said, "I didn't expect His Royal Highness the Prince of Shou to be so courteous and come all the way to take care of your health."

"Prince Shou is a rare and wise king." Wang Zhihuan followed up with praise, "If Bo Gao wants to serve as an official in Anxi and Beiting, I can advise His Highness, so that we can be reunited again."

Zhang Xu thought about it, nodded, and said, "Okay."

……

After Li Heng and Yang Yuhuan left the Protectorate Office, they walked side by side.

"You have done a lot for me in Anxi over the years. Thank you for your hard work." Li Ying said sincerely.

Yang Yuhuan smiled and said, "Your Highness has hired your men. I am only doing a little favor."

"No." Li Heng shook his head, "If you hadn't been in charge of the situation in Anxi, these people wouldn't be so united."

Yang Yuhuan said: "My dear, I will be satisfied if you don't blame me for my presumptuous behavior."

"You did a great job, I should reward you." Li Heng said with a smile.

Yang Yuhuan smiled and said, "Then how should we reward you? The same as before?"

"This one……"

Just as Li Ying was about to speak, Zhang Guangsheng came towards him in a hurry.

Zhang Guangsheng came up to Li Ying, bowed to him, handed him the letter, and said, "Your Highness, Hongyue has sent a message."

Li Heng took the letter and took a look at it.

The letter mentioned two things. The first was that the Nanzhao King Piloge was seriously ill, so he wrote to the Tang Dynasty, requesting to exchange other people for Ge Luofeng, the Nanzhao hostage left in Chang'an. The court approved the request.

The second thing was that after An Lushan took over as the Jiedushi of Fanyang, he adopted many sons and carried out a series of religious activities in Zoroastrianism.

After reading these two things, Li Ying couldn't help but sigh.

Yang Yuhuan saw Li Heng sighing and asked in confusion, "What happened?"

Li Ying gave the letter to Yang Yuhuan, who took a look at it and didn't notice anything wrong.

Li Heng did not explain. After thinking for a while, he said to Zhang Guangsheng, "Have you selected the soldiers for my guard?"

"Half of them have been selected." Zhang Guangsheng smiled bitterly. "When the Anxi Xiting soldiers heard that Your Highness was going to select guards, they all rushed to apply. I screened them strictly and selected many experienced soldiers. But... there are also some problems."

"What's the problem?" Li Ying asked.

(End of this chapter)