Chapter Five: A Fine Young Man

Guo Yuanzhen explained, "Princess Taiping wields immense influence within the court, perhaps even surpassing that of the Emperor himself. However, her grasp of military affairs is weak, which has led to her desire to meddle in them."

Xue Ne frowned, a sense of revulsion rising within him. For someone ignorant of military strategy to interfere in it has always been a grave taboo among commanders. This was not aimed solely at the Princess; even the Emperors of the Li Tang dynasty were prone to it. Countless battles that were certain to be won ended in disastrous defeat due to the meddlesome interference of imperial observers, yet when failure occurred, it was never the fault of the observer—the commander had to shoulder the blame alone. During the reign of Wu Zetian, this restriction on frontline generals reached its zenith, leaving them feeling as if they were fighting with their hands and feet bound. Xue Ne laughed disdainfully, "With such precedents, who would willingly tie their own hands?" Most of the high-ranking frontier generals were veterans who had survived the era of Wu Zetian and understood the harm all too well. Fearing that the hard-won relaxation of these controls would revert to the old ways, few were willing to cater to Princess Taiping, often paying her lip service while acting in defiance.

Guo Yuanzhen, understanding the reasons, smiled. "That is precisely why the Princess decided to promote up-and-coming talents. Cui Xuandao of the Boling Cui clan, Li Sijing of the Longxi Li clan, and confidants like Cui Shi and Li Qin—these are the individuals the Princess has set her sights on. As long as they achieve great merit, they will rise to the heavens and soar in their careers. That is why they were unwilling to see you, brother, claim all the glory through your strategies; they wanted to seize the chance themselves. They never expected you to cut them down. Can you blame the Princess for being angry? Even though you recaptured the lost territory, you were still punished."

Xue Ne suddenly understood. He should have been angry, but recalling the analysis Pei Min had provided that day, he smiled faintly, "It is for the best. It allows me to escape the quagmire of the Northeast."

Guo Yuanzhen looked at Xue Ne with surprise, feeling as if he were seeing a different man.

As Xue Ne detailed Pei Min's analysis, Guo Yuanzhen sat stunned for a long while before sighing with regret, "I repent not having listened to your advice back then to properly train my body. Now, I am plagued by illness. Otherwise, I would certainly compete with you for this assignment in the Northwest."

Xue Ne knew that if Guo Yuanzhen truly competed, he might not win—not due to a lack of ability, but because the Northwest was Guo Yuanzhen’s true domain. Since gaining favor, Guo had neutralized a Tibetan military genius, constructed the Herong City, established the Boting Army, and expanded the reach of Liangzhou—which previously spanned only four hundred miles—by a full fifteen hundred miles. He was eventually promoted to Grand Protector of Anxi, overseeing the military and political affairs of the Western Regions. It was only due to his failing health that he was recalled to the capital to head the Ministry of War. Regarding the lands of Liangzhou, Longyou, and the Western Regions, no one in the court was more knowledgeable than Guo Yuanzhen.

Xue Ne said with a hint of pride, "Just rest easy and recover in Chang'an. Leave the matters of the Northwest to me. I have at least ten years of campaigning left in me."

Guo Yuanzhen felt a touch of bitterness, but more so admiration. He found it strange: he knew Xue Ne’s prowess well. In terms of formation, training, commanding thousands, battlefield tactics, and even leading a charge, Xue Ne surpassed him significantly. Aside from the raw ferocity of a charge, perhaps no one in the Tang Empire could rival the "Tiger Cub" who had been personally schooled in strategy by Xue Rengui. Yet, even the best have flaws; Xue Ne’s strategic vision was limited, and he was too rigid, lacking the cunning of a master tactician—areas where Guo excelled. That Xue Ne could shift his focus from the Northeast to the Northwest truly caught him off guard. He probed, "Brother, have you mellowed your temper and broadened your vision?"

Xue Ne did not take the credit, waving his hand. "It wasn't my idea. At the time, I thought that if I were punished, the worst that would happen was that my merits would cancel out my faults—at least I had reclaimed Liaodong and Liaoxi, so I wouldn't lose out. I never expected to be stripped of my rank entirely, which infuriated me. My grandsons would flee at the sight of me, and the youngest, Xue Song, would cry whenever I came near. Being stuck in Hedong was stifling, so I came to Chang'an for a breath of fresh air and to see old and young friends. I never expected that young lad Pei Min to open my eyes and show me that this punishment might not be a bad thing after all."

Guo Yuanzhen was stunned. He had suspected that someone was advising his old friend, but he never imagined it would be the young Pei Min.

Xue Ne said with a smug smile, "You wouldn't believe it. To be honest, that boy is something else. Not only does he possess terrifying swordsmanship, but his grasp of the grand situation is exceptionally clear. Every time he speaks, his insights are refreshing and novel. He predicted that future conflicts would center around the Longyou and Liangzhou line, and that the main battles would unfold there..."

*Clap!*

The small wine cup in Guo Yuanzhen’s hand fell to the floor, spilling wine across the table.

Xue Ne watched him, bewildered.

Guo Yuanzhen quickly wiped away the wine and sighed, "Is that boy the reincarnation of Duke Yaoshi [Li Jing], or has the spirit of the Pei family ancestor, the Duke of Wenxi, manifested?" The Tang Dynasty had produced many famous generals—Li Jing, Li Ji, Hou Junji, Pei Xingjian, Su Dingfang, Xue Rengui—one could count thirty or forty of them. But the ones Guo Yuanzhen admired most were Li Jing and Pei Xingjian, for they possessed superior strategic vision. Li Jing could secure victory from a thousand miles away, and Pei Xingjian was a master of grand strategy; they were his ideals.

Xue Ne looked at Guo Yuanzhen and laughed even more heartily. "So, you're saying he thinks just like you?"

Guo Yuanzhen nodded, mocking himself, "From my first mission to Tibet in the first year of the Wansuitongtian era until I left my post in the first year of the Jingyun era and returned to Chang'an, I spent fifteen years sparring with the Tibetans, the Türgesh, and the Turks. I was confident that no one knew the situation in the Northwest better than I. The Tibetans don't truly covet an inch of our Longyou or Liangzhou territory; their intent is to collude with the Turks to sever our connection to the Western Regions. What they seek are the Four Garrisons of Anxi—the entire Western Regions. But our Tang Empire has managed the West well. While I won't say we have won every heart, we have earned their trust. For the Tibetans to succeed, they must first cut our link to the West, causing chaos so they can exploit it. Thus, Longyou and Liangzhou are destined to become a battlefield. You truly have a place to prove your worth in the West. This youth, without my experience, could still see this—he is truly extraordinary. If he is loyal, he will be a rare commander for our Tang Empire; if he falls into the wrong hands, he will be an endless calamity."

Xue Ne asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean by that?"

Guo Yuanzhen caught the hint of indignation in his tone and gave a bitter smile. "Do not be offended, brother. I do not speak out of turn; I come to you today on imperial orders..."

Seeing Guo Yuanzhen address him as "brother" with such uncharacteristic seriousness, Xue Ne sat upright and listened intently.

Guo Yuanzhen truthfully revealed the plot they had devised against Princess Taiping.

Xue Ne had not realized the court situation had become so perilous, to the point of looming armed conflict. He thought for a long while before saying, "I cannot give you a definitive answer, nor can I make promises on Pei Min's behalf. But I can tell you one thing for certain: while Pei Min may employ some clever tricks, his character is beyond reproach. At the very least, in my eyes, he is a man of true integrity."

Guo Yuanzhen rose and bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, brother Xue."