Insufficient balance

  Since the early "Song of the Frontier" ended, Floating Clouds galloped away, and with a flourish, he emerged from his armor. Moreover, relying on the Emperor's anger, he again relied on the General's bravery.

  Ten thousand drums shake the earth, a thousand flags ignite the wind. The sun's wheel halts on frosty hills, the moon's ghost hangs from carved bows.

  The Qinghai army surrounds, black mountain soldiers' morale is high. The battle rages on Tai Bai's heights, after the battle, the commander's tent is empty.

  Ten thousand miles without regretting death, one morning to achieve success. Painting a picture of Qilin Pavilion, entering the Ming Guang Palace.

  Laughing at Wen Shi, what is there to be tired of? The ancients were ignorant of this way and often became old men.

  With an air of pride, to the "Handan Youth Song" Handan City South tour knight, self-proclaimed born and raised in Handan. Thousands of times gambled still rich, several times avenged but not dead. In the mansion, songs and laughter filled every day, outside the door, carriages and horses were always like clouds.

  The unknown liver and gallbladder belong to whom, but people still remember the gentleman of Pingyuan. Don't you see that nowadays people's relationships are superficial, and even when they spend all their money, they still keep a distance. With this feeling, I sigh and bid farewell to my old friends, and from now on, I have no more desires for worldly affairs.

  And with young men drink fine wine, go back and forth shooting and hunting on the west mountain head.

  Talented but not meeting the right opportunity, feeling emotional about worldly affairs, motivating oneself to strive forward.

  To "Jiǔ Qū" Xu Guo has always been thorough in the temple hall, never on the battlefield for years.

  The general's seal is in heaven, and the king of a different surname is on the imperial historian's platform.

  Ten thousand riders sing of willow spring, a thousand arenas dance with embroidered horses.

  Everywhere I meet with joy and success, looking at each other is always a peaceful person.

  Iron cavalry gallops across Iron Ridge, looking west to capture and enfeoff.

  Qinghai is now drinking horse water, and the Yellow River does not need to guard against autumn floods.

  Deep and solemn, magnificent and generous.

  "Great laughter echoes towards Wen Shi, once what is enough to be exhausted. The ancients were ignorant of this way, often becoming old men." That kind of youthful vigor in joining the army, eager to establish achievements and receive recognition, the heroic passion that bursts forth, makes me, a later generation, have a YY moment.

  At the moment, I was lost in thought, shaking my head and savoring the intoxication. General Gao Shi, who had been busy with military affairs for days, his face slightly darkened by the sun, was led into the tent by Yu Hou. At that time, I didn't notice anything unusual, fortunately, they were used to my unconventional behavior, so they didn't think much of it. As a military man, what matters most is actual achievement and merit, as well as relationships and origins. As for those rumors about me, half praise and half criticism, they didn't have much impact on them.

  However, upon hearing that I was reciting one of his early masterpieces, he was momentarily taken aback and surprised, inviting me to sit down and offering tea.

  "The General's seal is conferred from heaven, and the royal surname is bestowed on the Imperial Censor's desk."

  "Lao Gao, you have great ambitions!"

  He was familiar with my temperament and didn't beat around the bush, so he sat down with a big smile. After taking a sip of tea, he let out two sighs and said, "Good tea, refreshing!" Although he seemed moved, he remained calm and didn't say much else. Only when it came to this line of poetry did he have a story to tell: During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, there was an imperial historian named Zhang Renyuan who, as a civil official, followed General Ban Chao on his military campaigns. He became the commander-in-chief of the Shaofang army and led the troops to victory against the Turks, setting up three cities to accept their surrender. The defeated barbarians were filled with grief and resentment, which was known as "Zhang Renyuan's grudge." He was promoted to the rank of king for his achievements. Although he came from a literary background, he had a strong interest in military affairs and even ran away to join the army at the border to offer his services. This was a common practice among many Tang people, and it also subtly revealed his inner voice.

  In fact, the Tang Dynasty had no clear boundaries between literature and martial arts, nor did it suppress the status of martial artists like the Song Dynasty. Many officials were both literary and martially capable, able to serve as generals or prime ministers, and many prime ministers also rose from the position of jiedushi (military governor). Martial arts was also an important criterion for evaluating officials, even a small county magistrate was required to have skills in archery, horsemanship, swordsmanship, or at least one of them. Because it couldn't be guaranteed when they would be sent to remote border states and counties, some military strategy was needed to defend the borders and pacify the people.

  "I have no other intention," I said with a smile "I just had some thoughts and wanted to ask for your advice."

  He also knew I wasn't a good person to get involved in his affairs, so he said.

  "In my early years, I was clumsy and couldn't get it right, recklessly arrogant and frivolous, to the point of being ridiculed by my superiors." The words convey humility, but also a sense of desolation and nostalgia for the passing of time.

  "This is self-deprecation, in your early years you were famous for poetry in the border towns and overseas it was also widely spread"

  "You're overpraising me..." He pressed down, about to rise and show humility. "Why must you and I pretend to be polite"

  He couldn't help but think to himself, "At that time, although I was young, I couldn't help but admire him. Everyone said he was extraordinary and majestic, with a heroic bearing and an air of grandeur. What would his appearance and demeanor be like? Now, here he is under my command. It's truly the mysterious workings of fate, and it fills me with emotion." Upon hearing my praise, his old face actually flushed slightly red.

  I have read a lot of research materials about his poetry and life. Gao Shi is a straightforward and outspoken person, with a bit of an unyielding and offending tone, but he is not someone who doesn't understand reason. Speaking directly to him is actually the best approach, and it's also easier to gain respect from him.

  I recited a few more of his early masterpieces, and after plagiarizing some critiques and comments from later generations, I talked about the subtle points, which were quite engaging. As we chatted enthusiastically, it seemed like we had known each other for a long time, and there was a sense of regret that we hadn't met earlier. It's as if we were kindred spirits separated by vast distances, yet connected by an unspoken understanding. I have admired him from afar for a long time, and this wasn't entirely just a pose.

  Having said what he wanted to say, he suddenly remembered his purpose in looking for him. Now that he knew it was Gao Shi, there were some things he might as well ask him.

  "I said Old Gao, I heard you and Du Fu are very close, now I can see what's going on." This is a person I care about. His experience is something I sigh about.

  "Li Xian and Du Sheng, also people I admire, please come as my guest."

  He smiled at the corner of his mouth, and it was clear that he also took pride in this. He said calmly, "Before the rebel entered Guanzhong, I heard that Shaoling had taken his family to Xizhou's Qiang Village, so he should be safe."

  "But if the military wants to summon him" He frowned "Now I'm afraid it's too late to cut off the enemy"

  "What a pity"

  I'm somewhat disappointed, but I won't give up "What about that Cen Can?"

  Cen Shen (715? —770) was also a well-known figure. His courtesy name is unknown, and he was the 27th in his family line. His ancestral home was Xinye, Nanyang (now Henan), but he moved to Jiangling, Jingzhou (now Hubei). Orphaned at a young age, he studied with his older brother and aspired to learn. In the third year of Tianbao (744), he passed the imperial examination and was appointed as a military officer in the Right Inner Rate Fu. During the Tianbao period, he went beyond the Great Wall twice, entering the Anxi Four Towns Military Governor's office under Gao Xianzhi, where he served as a secretary, and later entered the Anxi Beiting Military Governor's office under Feng Changqing, serving as a judge. He was known for his poetry, which often reflected on the Anshi Rebellion, lamented his life circumstances, described landscapes, and wrote poems in response to others. His border town poems were particularly famous. His poetic forms were diverse, with seven-character quatrains and seven-character regulated verse being his strong suits. Most of his poems dealt with current events, had rich imagination, grand momentum, intense emotions, unique style, clear language, and beautiful imagery.

  Yin Lun's "River and Mountain Spirit Collection" commented on his poetry as "language is strange, style is steep, meaning is also ingenious"; Lu You said "After Taibai and Zimei, there is only one person" (Postscript to Cen Jiazhou's Collection). His poems were widely circulated at that time. Du Que's "Preface to Cen Jiazhou's Poetry Collection" says: "Every time a poem is finished, everyone will copy it by hand, even the villagers and the barbarians, no one does not recite and practice it."

  Cen Shen's poetry is characterized by its heroic spirit of dedicating oneself to the country and optimistic attitude towards hardships, which is consistent with Gao Shi. The difference lies in his more vivid depiction of life on the border, whereas Gao Shi's poems show more sympathy for soldiers. This is mainly due to Cen Shen's different background and early experiences from Gao Shi.

  He didn't seem too surprised though.

  "General Shang is indeed a kind-hearted person. He was in the Anxi army, and I often visited him when he was under the command of General Feng Changqing. We had been together for some time before Du Shaoling fled, but after Generals Gao and Feng were executed, he became disheartened and went into hiding... Now that the Emperor has escaped, I wanted to invite him to flee with me, but his house is empty, and I don't know if he managed to escape or not." Some words are unspoken, yet they express my endless sighs for an old friend.

  After asking a few more people, the answers were roughly the same. It's clear that this old emperor ran thoroughly, and these people didn't have enough weight or status, almost all of them were left in Chang'an.

  Since it's like this, I think some things can also be shared with him now.

  Although I have a mind to stay away from war and live a comfortable life of "sleeping until natural wake-up, making money until hand cramps", I also have the self-awareness that war may not necessarily keep me at bay, so I still made some arrangements for the future.

  Among the first batch of supporters for the guerrilla army, there were hundreds of volunteers I recruited. These so-called volunteers were all carefully selected from among the refugees and common people who were familiar with the geography of Guanzhong and the capital area. After undergoing rapid training in reconnaissance and raiding, they would be sent as scouts to operate deep within enemy territory for extended periods. Although they were only primary-level scouts, at least we could get some information about the enemy situation, which was better than relying solely on rumors and unreliable reports from some military states along the front lines.

  When necessary, it can also mobilize and call on local forces to assist the guerrilla army's activities. I have also reported this section to His Majesty the Emperor, vaguely saying that I want to send someone deep into the enemy's rear to gather intelligence, and he roughly agreed. In order to keep it secret, very few people know about it, so I can properly establish a special budget and personnel with the number of the 7th Regiment of Zhonglei.

  Although it was clear that this trip was extremely perilous and they might never return, there was no shortage of volunteers, because I could guarantee them that even if they died, they would be counted as a soldier and their family would receive a stipend to live on.

  In addition, some of them have an extra task that I entrusted to them, a list, which is to investigate the whereabouts of famous people like Wang Wei and Du Fu who are trapped behind enemy lines, and if conditions permit, coordinate with the guerrilla army to bring them out.

  At the same time, a special task was also given to Luo Xian's guerrilla army, which required the guerrilla army to use its extensive connections with the rebel army and the gaps that had not yet been closed to send people disguised as enemy-occupied areas to contact the righteous armies and government armies in Hebei and Henan. Because I vaguely remember that at this time in history, there should have been some resistance forces holding out in Hebei. Zhang Xun, who was notorious for eating humans, also emerged this year.

  At the moment, they discussed some matters about entering Jinzhou and contacting and coordinating with Luo Xian's guerrilla army. They handed over part of the list and password to him. He only said that he couldn't bear to see these people who were determined to serve their country fall into enemy hands, which made him very surprised and moved. "Rong Ruo has entrusted me with his most trusted men, how can I not exert my strength to repay him with death? I will thank the military on behalf of you all first." He stood up solemnly and bowed his head, unable to be stopped...

  "It's too serious, what died, you're also too exaggerated." Just as I was about to help him up with a swift motion, I secretly thought that this ancient person was also too...

  Simple and honest, just like this, who can go against it?

  Settle the front and then deal with the back.

  I deliberately created a relaxed atmosphere and smiled saying "However, Old Gao, with you leaving like this, I've lost an assistant for nothing, can you compensate me?"

  "He also laughed and said, 'What's there for you to look at, old man?'"

  "However," he said with a serious expression, "one of my subordinates has an old friend who has just arrived to offer his services in Taiyuan Prefecture. He once served as a judge under General Gesu Yuan and has some experience and ambitions. I would like to recommend him to Your Excellency."

  "Very good, bring me to see him." With his great reputation and steady and cautious style, I don't have to worry that the person he recommends will be bad.

  Yu Hou was immediately summoned and brought in.

  This man is nearly thirty years old, wearing a green robe of the sixth rank of military officer, with a face full of dust but a spirited and majestic appearance. His every move shows signs of being a seasoned soldier. His face is slightly heroic, and with his thick beard, he has some heroic and chivalrous air about him, leaving a deep impression on people.

  "Qiu Ying", Gao Shi hugged the other person, patted his back and laughed loudly with a familiar tone. He turned around and introduced in a loud voice: "This is my friend Qiu Ying, from Huaxian, Huazhou. He has been appointed as a military officer in Taiyuan Prefecture. The other day, he followed his colleagues to come here and was received by the army."

  Although he saw that I was so young and somewhat unusual, everything remained normal. He bowed his head and said: "Taiyuan Prefecture's Military Counselor Yan Jiqing pays respects to the Supreme Commander." It's a good name, strong and powerful.

  Having learned from Gao Shi and Gao Da's lessons, I should be careful to ask about his full name and family background.

  "Zheng Shidao 'Bing jun shang, zhu xia Yan xing, dan zi Wu, zi Ji Ying, jia fu hui Ting zhi...'"

  Translation:

  "Zheng Shidao said, 'Above is the military commander, below belongs to the surname Yan, single character Wu, style name Jiying, family father taboo name Tingzhi...'"

  I'm going crazy with excitement, and it's another wave of madness. It's really him, I've hit the jackpot again! What day is today? Is this my lucky day? I almost want to grab hold of Gao Shi's not-so-adorable old face and give him a big kiss. One future general has just been sent out, and another one is being delivered right to my doorstep!

  This is Yan Wu, a famous general of the Tang Dynasty, one of the pillars of the mid-Tang period. Throughout his life, he served as the governor of Chengdu, the military governor of Jianmen, and was appointed as the mayor of the capital city, enfeoffed as the Duke of Zhengguo. He was promoted to the position of Huangmen Shilang and concurrently held the position of Vice Minister of Personnel. For many years, he led troops on the borders, and once led an expedition to the west. He defeated 70,000 Tibetan troops at the city of Danggou, recovering the territories of Yanzi and others that had been occupied by Tibet during the Anshi Rebellion. At the same time, he dispatched Han Chuan, the governor of Hanzhou, to pursue the Tibetans in the western mountains, expanding the territory by several hundred miles. He coordinated with Guo Ziyi's main force in the Qinlong region, thwarting the Tibetan invasion and defending the southwestern border. He was a pillar of the late Tang Dynasty, following in the footsteps of Guo Ziyi and Li Guangpi, who had fought countless battles to revive the dynasty.

  According to historical records, he was born into a prestigious family. His father, Yan Tingzhi, was a famous minister of the Kaiyuan era. From a young age, he was bold and straightforward, with a strong spirit and quick wit. Because his mother, Pei, was not favored by his father, who instead doted on his concubine, Ying, Wu Zong angrily took an iron hammer to Ying's bedchamber when he was eight years old and smashed her head. The servants were shocked and reported it to Yan Tingzhi, saying "The young master has killed Ying in jest!" Wu Zong retorted, "How can a great minister favor his concubine over his wife? I killed her on purpose, not in jest!" His father was astonished and said, "He is truly the son of Yan Tingzhi!" However, he repeatedly warned and instructed him. He was known for his strong personality, which could be described as bold and a bit frightening. From a young age, he was a typical example of someone who dared to take action and use violence. After killing his father's favorite concubine, he still spoke with righteous indignation, and even his father did not dare to severely reprimand him, only locking him up for a few days. According to records, Yan Wu had a broad education but did not delve deeply into the meaning of things, and had a bold and chivalrous personality. He was good friends with Du Fu and Gao Shi, and they frequently exchanged poetry. He affectionately called Du Fu "Du Er".

  I came to know that there was such a person, also because I read Tang poetry and Du Fu's biography. As a good friend who was repeatedly invited to enter the government, he was repeatedly praised in his works, such as "The flat boat is not alone like Zhang Han, the black hat should be like Guan Ning." In "Yan Zhongchen's False Carriage", "Far away, sending from now on, the green mountain is empty and affectionate" in the farewell poem "Fengji Yi Chong Song Yan Gong Si Yun". After his death, Du Fu also personally wrote a eulogy for him, praising him as "Yan Hui was short-lived, Jia Yi was only loyal and chaste. Zhuge Liang loved Shu people, Wen Weng became Confucianized. You came to the snowy mountain heavily, you left the snowy mountain lightly". The evaluation of being comparable to Guan Ning and Zhang Han in virtue, and comparable to Zhuge Liang and Jia Yi in talent, Du Fu's high morale and integrity throughout his life, rarely praised someone so highly, although somewhat exaggerated, but also shows his talent.

  However, for the time being, he is only serving as a father's adjutant in Taiyuan Prefecture. He has not yet made a name for himself. Coincidentally, it was during the imperial examination that he got stuck in Chang'an. Now, he followed his friend to join the emperor on an expedition and arrived after going through countless hardships.

  No matter how delighted I was in my heart, my face remained as calm as ever. "Very well, would you like to be a servant of our household?"

  Gorky said: Let the storm come more fiercely, the cat said: Let the saliva come more fiercely, and everyone will say that I'm padding the word count again.