Chapter 56: Yu Chao'en!

“If I hadn’t met you, Assistant Commander, I fear I would have frozen to death today. I am forever indebted to you for saving my life!”

“Enough, it was no trouble at all. Take this as a lesson: from now on, conduct yourself properly in both words and deeds. Don’t sully your hands again. I might save you this time, but I cannot promise the next time will be so lucky.”

“Wuwu… I didn’t mean to steal, I was truly forced; that’s why I took a few things from the palace against my will.”

The young eunuch, still stiff from the cold, knelt deeply to express his gratitude, bowing his head repeatedly like a bird pecking at scattered grains.

Li Zhao spoke kindly to soothe him and made some casual conversation, soon piecing together the whole story. It was clear that the little eunuch shouldn’t be blamed too harshly.

His name was Yu Xiaoliu, a native of Luzhou in the Jiannan Circuit. Born into a poor family, he had suffered greatly since childhood. There were nine members in his family, all living by tending a few acres of meager farmland, barely scraping by year after year.

Ten years ago, Luzhou was struck by a severe drought that ruined the crops, making survival impossible. With no other options, his parents sent Yu Xiaoliu to serve as a eunuch in the palace, hoping at least he would have something to eat.

The palace was a harsh place with strict hierarchies; Yu Xiaoliu was often beaten and scolded—details that need no further elaboration.

A few days ago, news arrived from home: his parents had fallen ill from overwork and poverty, with no money for medicine. Their lives were in grave danger.

Yu Xiaoliu was filial and wished to send money home to save them, but his stipend was meager and frequently docked by the senior eunuchs. After a decade of service, he had saved nothing.

Desperate, he stole some valuable porcelain from the imperial kitchen while washing dishes, intending to sell it and send the proceeds home. Unfortunately, the supervising eunuch caught him, and he was punished by kneeling in the snow, nearly freezing to death.

Li Zhao was a compassionate man. After hearing Yu Xiaoliu’s tragic story, he sighed deeply. Reaching into his pouch, he found a large gold ingot and several taels of silver.

After some thought, Li Zhao decided not to give the gold ingot but instead handed over all the silver coins to Yu Xiaoliu.

Some might ask why he gave silver and not gold—was he reluctant to part with the gold?

Not at all!

Giving Yu Xiaoliu a large gold ingot would attract the covetous eyes of the senior eunuchs, endangering both the gold and Yu Xiaoliu’s life. The imperial palace was a dark and dangerous place.

In contrast, giving him just silver was truly beneficial and safer for him—Li Zhao had thought this through carefully.

“Wuwu… Thank you, Assistant Commander. You are my great benefactor, the savior of my entire family. If one day I, Yu Chaoren, manage to make a better life, I will repay your immense kindness tenfold, a hundredfold. If I break this oath, may heaven and earth punish me!”

“Heh, it’s a small matter, no need to swear such an oath… Wait, you said your name is Yu Chaoren?”

“Indeed. Xiaoliu is my childhood name, Yu Chaoren is my formal name. Is there something wrong with that?”

“Heh, nothing wrong at all. That’s quite a good name—Yu Chaoren, from Luzhou, fifteen years old this year… heh.”

Li Zhao’s smile remained unchanged, but inside, it felt as if a hammer struck his chest. His gaze fixed intently on Yu Xiaoliu, and an impulse surged to reclaim the silver and throw the boy back into the snow to freeze to death.

The New Book of Tang—Biography of the Eunuchs—records that after Gao Lishi, the Tang Dynasty produced three notorious eunuchs:

The arrogant and overbearing Li Fuguo, who usurped imperial authority;
The vicious and greedy Cheng Yuanzhen;
And the cold-hearted, ruthless, and treacherous Yu Chaoren.

Among these, Li Fuguo was the most famous, but in terms of harm to the Tang realm, Yu Chaoren was even more devastating.

For example, during the suppression of the An Lushan Rebellion, which could have been swiftly resolved, Yu Chaoren served as the supervising military eunuch despite lacking military knowledge. His reckless interference led to two disastrous defeats for the Tang army, causing countless casualties.

The rebellion dragged on for eight years, severely draining the empire’s strength and sowing the seeds for future regional warlords to rise.

At the height of his power, Yu Chaoren held the title of Military Inspector of the Realm and commanded the capital’s elite Shen Ce Army, meddling in politics, intimidating officials, and even disregarding the emperor. He once boldly declared before the court, “Is not all affairs of the realm governed by me?” Such was his arrogance and tyranny.

It was hard to believe that this future powerful eunuch, who wielded influence over the entire court, was once a wretched boy, bullied every day and nearly frozen to death in the snow.

Even more unbelievable was that Li Zhao had unwittingly saved a “poisonous snake.”

Had he known this, he might have left the boy to perish in the snow.

Li Zhao was deeply troubled, half tempted to slap himself and haunted by a vivid vision: years later, in a bright classroom, a beautiful bespectacled teacher was telling children three fables—the story of “Mr. Dongguo and the Wolf,” “The Farmer and the Snake,” and “Li Zhao and Yu Chaoren.”

What should he do? Should he eliminate this menace to the Tang Dynasty ahead of time?

Staring at Yu Chaoren’s neck, Li Zhao clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly, struggling to summon the resolve to kill, but in the end, he could not bring himself to do it.

Though history records Yu Chaoren as a villain, the boy before him was harmless and filial. To kill him now would be unjust.

More importantly, Li Zhao believed that with his own rise, he could change the fate of the Tang Empire—and that of many others, including Yu Xiaoliu.

“Observe quietly, stay vigilant. If he remains harmless, that is best. Should he show signs of corruption, then kill him to protect the realm. As for Li Fuguo and Cheng Yuanzhen… if possible, find them too and see if they need to be dealt with early.”

After careful consideration, Li Zhao made up his mind, comforted Yu Xiaoliu, and let him rest.

Soon after, a young eunuch arrived with an imperial summons: “His Majesty has risen and commands Assistant Commander Li Zhao to appear immediately at the Nánxūn Palace.”

The Xingqing Palace complex contained many halls, each with its own purpose: Xingqing Hall was the main hall for grand audiences; the Qinzhen Wuben Tower was where the emperor handled daily affairs; Datong Hall was for literary gatherings; and Nánxūn Palace was the emperor’s private residence for rest, where he seldom summoned ministers—thus, being summoned there was a great honor.

Shortly afterward, in the resplendent Nánxūn Palace, Li Zhao met the Son of Heaven, Emperor Li Longji. The emperor wore a winged crown and a bright yellow five-clawed dragon robe, sitting casually on a soft couch, yet his every movement radiated supreme authority.

The True Dragon Son of Heaven lived up to his title.

Consort Mei and Gao Lishi were also present, along with a dozen palace maids and young eunuchs attending.

Li Zhao dared not be disrespectful; he bowed deeply, performing three kneels and nine kowtows: “Assistant Commander Li Zhao, by imperial decree, pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live the emperor, long live, long long live!”

“Rise, no need for ceremony,” Li Longji said.

Meanwhile, the emperor regarded Li Zhao with a complex gaze.

Since their last meeting at Qujiang Pool, Li Longji had recognized Li Zhao as a prodigy—a rare talent capable of aiding rulers and comforting the people, governing the realm wisely.

He had planned to assign him to a low-level post to gain experience before gradually promoting him.

But he had underestimated him. A prodigy was like the blazing sun; wherever placed, he shone brilliantly.

Within months as a low-ranking commander, Li Zhao had transformed a disorderly band into a disciplined force, solving major cases and becoming renowned throughout Chang’an.

He had also helped the Left Chancellor’s faction quell a financial crisis, stabilizing prices in Guanzhong and allowing the people to live peacefully.

Moreover, flourishing banks, fragrant tea, and an engaging board game called "Land Battle Chess" were all said to be Li Zhao’s inventions.

Such talent could not remain at the grassroots level.

Thus, Li Longji personally bestowed upon Li Zhao the title of Assistant Commander, placing this prodigy by his side to nurture him as a trusted minister and pillar of the Tang Empire.

At Li Zhao’s age, he was destined to serve three or four generations of emperors.

“Your Majesty, the imperial meal is ready.”

“Good, serve it. Bring a portion for Yu Lang as well, so he may dine with me.”

“As you command!”

“Your humble servant thanks the gracious favor!”

The imperial feast arrived swiftly: longevity porridge, crab roe rolls, imperial red pastries in various flavors, golden milk crisps, and bright shrimp roasts—all delicacies crafted by the imperial chefs.

Two identical sets were prepared; one for Li Longji and Consort Mei, the other for Li Zhao alone.

Li Zhao, a gourmand by nature, could hardly restrain himself upon encountering such palace delicacies. He stuffed his cheeks, crushing the food with his molars and swiftly devoured everything on the table. His hearty appetite astonished all around.

Consort Mei, always poised and elegant, covered her face with her sleeve and chuckled softly. Li Longji laughed heartily, nearly tossing his bowl.

He had worried that palace life might make Li Zhao timid and dull, but now he realized he had been overly cautious. The boy was free-spirited and genuine—a true man of character.

With such a companion nearby, the palace would surely be filled with many joys. Ha ha!