Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 39

Therefore, he came here today specifically to bid farewell. Li Chu and Li Tan were both greatly surprised upon hearing this and hurriedly tried to persuade him to stay. Li Tan said, "Master Changyuan is devoted to the Dao of Immortality. Changwei is different from him. In my opinion, his actions are still influenced by worldly interests, and he also has a great sense of compassion. If that's the case, why do you want to go with him? You are still young and have a bright future ahead of you. Wouldn't it be a pity to leave the court like this?"

Li Ji quickly explained that he had only gone to visit Li Bi and would return immediately afterward—in fact, he was still hesitant about whether to come back, wanting to appease the two princes first and then hear Li Bi's opinion.

The two kings then let him go, and gave him three thousand coins and a fine horse. Li Ji thought to himself, "I've been an official for so long, and this is the first time I've ever seen money..."

Because he only held a nominal seventh-rank official title without any real power. In the early Tang Dynasty, salaries were determined by the level of one's nominal rank. Later, as temporary assignments became more common, salaries were based on one's actual position, a system known as "hidden salary." The nominal rank only indicated certain privileges—such as the color of the official robes one could wear, or the size of one's residence. Therefore, Li Ji, while in the temporary capital or the military headquarters, only received publicly funded food, clothing, equipment, and travel expenses, but no salary…

Even though Li Ji was in Luoyang on official business, he pretended to let Chen Fu act as the leader, so the travel expenses were mainly kept and managed by Chen Fu.

The salaries of Tang Dynasty officials were actually not low. Li Ji's honorary title was the seventh-rank lower-ranking deputy commander of Zhiguo. If he were to be given a substantive post, he would be a left or right commander of the guards, or a separate general or chief clerk of the upper government. If converted into rice and official land, his monthly salary would be around two thousand. In times of peace, it could be exchanged for seven or eight bushels or even more of fine rice and flour. Even after deducting expenses such as clothing, travel, and housing, it would be enough to support about ten people, including master and servants.

Of course, this applies to border counties and small towns. In places like the two capitals, rice might not have been expensive before the Tianbao era, but land prices were always frighteningly high. Let alone buying a house, even renting one could easily cost half of one's monthly salary.

Even more critically, without a substantive position, one receives nothing. Furthermore, Li Heng, in his time in Lingwu, Pengyuan, and Fengxiang, indiscriminately bestowed titles and ranks to win popular support, especially honorary titles. Since no salary was provided, he distributed them without restraint, resulting in a proliferation of low-ranking honorary officials, and even mid- to high-ranking ones, becoming as rare as dolphins in the river—though this is certainly not the era two thousand years later when dolphins are endangered. If Li Ji had no connections, even with his best efforts, obtaining a ninth-rank substantive position would be an impossible task.

Li Chu and Li Tan didn't only give him three thousand coins for that reason; they simply considered that more money would be difficult to carry. Besides, if they fattened him up all at once, Li Ji might not come back—although he might not be as devoted to Taoism as Li Bi, his daily behavior showed that he didn't care much about official rank. If he had enough to eat and wear and could buy a few dozen acres of land in the countryside to live out his remaining years, he might have no other aspirations.

So before he left, Li Chu made a promise, saying, "Changwei, go and come back soon. While I am still the commander-in-chief, I will arrange a real position for you, or grant you a post with a salary. Don't worry, you will be at least a seventh-rank official, and you will get your share."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Where were you all this time? I've only just joined the Marshal's Mansion..." He then thanked him and took his leave. But as soon as he stepped out of the mansion, he slapped his forehead. He had been drunk yesterday and forgotten an important matter, so he quickly turned back.

Just then, Li Tan was walking out, and the two bumped into each other. Li Tan asked him why he had returned. Li Ji thought for a moment and realized that Li Chu was a man without much responsibility, and he would probably ignore what he said. So it would be better to talk to Li Tan and ask him for advice.

Then he clasped his hands and said, "I just remembered something—when I escorted Consort Shen out of the Forbidden City, there were hundreds of palace maids and eunuchs with me, all of whom were temporarily lodged at the Shengshan Temple..."

Li Tan smiled and said, "So that's what it was about." He then nodded and said, "That's right, doing good means seeing things through to the end."

He told Li Ji that he didn't need to worry, as Consort Shen had mentioned the matter to the Marshal, and he had already made arrangements—"The old eunuch who delivered the message has been found and brought to the Marshal's residence to be cared for. Once he recovers, he will be put to serve Consort Shen. There are also six or seven palace servants in the kitchen who are on good terms with Consort Shen, who have also been brought here to take care of Consort Shen's daily life."

"As for the others, they have all been sent back to the inner palace to continue their old duties."

Li Ji first expressed his gratitude, saying, "Your Highness's arrangements are very appropriate." Then, he changed the subject and asked, "Has Your Highness seen those palace servants?"

Li Tan shook his head: "How could it be convenient for me to meet them? They must have instructed someone else to handle the specifics. To avoid suspicion, I can't possibly meet them directly."

Palace maids, in theory, are all the emperor's women. Now that I'm an adult and living separately outside the palace, I can no longer casually interact with palace maids.

Li Ji then said, “Yang Sichu, who came in the same carriage as Consort Shen, entered the palace during the Kaiyuan era and now has a full head of white hair… In the inner palace, I have seen many palace women of such advanced age, and many more are around thirty years old, past their marriageable age, yet forced to remain alone in the palace, without a partner. They cannot help but feel sad and resentful, often weeping in a corner and grieving under the moon.”

"When I inquired about the reason, I was told that the Emperor had not visited Luoyang for a long time, causing the Luoyang Palace to become like a cold palace. Those in charge were not concerned, and often only five or six years old would they petition to release a batch of palace servants."

Many people have wasted their youth because of this…

Upon hearing this, Li Tan frowned slightly: "You want me to let them leave the palace? Not to mention that this matter is not something a military commander can comment on, with the two capitals already ravaged by war and people displaced, I'm afraid even if they leave the palace, they will have difficulty finding relatives and friends and will have nowhere to settle down." The key problem is that that would require screening them one by one, and even helping them visit their relatives. Where would I find the time for that? But this last sentence seemed to imply a reluctance to admit the difficulty, so he naturally couldn't say it aloud.

Li Ji smiled and said, "I've been thinking about this matter, and I have a clumsy plan..."

"You said."

"The palace women are all yin and lack yang, while the army is full of yang and lacks yin. Why doesn't Your Highness act as a matchmaker and let those who are in love get married?"

Li Ji's idea was inspired by Chen Fu. Chen Fu often told him about his past experiences fighting against the Western Barbarians while stationed in Lintao County, and occasionally sighed, "These brave soldiers defend their country without hesitation, yet finding a spouse is so difficult..."

While there were indeed many farmers and commoners in the various military towns, overall, they were still not as numerous as those in the inland counties. There were definitely more men than women, and the soldiers in these towns rarely had the opportunity to go out and find wives, resulting in six or seven out of ten soldiers remaining bachelors for life. Chen Fu himself only got married after the age of thirty, and that was all thanks to his rank—even if there were several women of marriageable age, without rank or status, who would be willing to marry you? As for Yi Tiechui, he still had to wait in line, and it wouldn't be his turn until all his predecessors had wives.

Therefore, Li Ji suggested: "Why not marry off the palace women who are past marriageable age to meritorious soldiers? Your Highness can send the soldiers to meet them, and if they are mutually attracted, then you can decide on the bestowal of rewards..."

You say that releasing palace women is not under your jurisdiction, but rewarding soldiers is, right? And there are precedents for distributing palace maids who are past the age of leaving the palace to meritorious soldiers.

Although such marriages, arranged by the government rather than based on personal choice, might create many unhappy couples, there was no such thing as true free love in those days. Besides, since women were past marriageable age, it was better to create a family for them than to let them grow old in the palace or be released and left destitute and homeless.

Furthermore, Li Ji suggested that it would be best to organize a matchmaking event to give them some opportunity to choose their own partners. As for whether Li Tan would adopt this suggestion or simply assign partners by drawing lots to save trouble, Li Ji could not interfere any further.

"In this way, firstly, the grievances in the palace will be resolved; secondly, the soldiers' fatigue will be relieved; thirdly, the population will increase; and fourthly..."

At this point, he suddenly realized that I had said too much and it didn't quite fit my persona... So he pretended to stammer, saying "four can" three times, but couldn't continue.

Li Tan couldn't help but sigh, "Changwei is indeed benevolent; I am far inferior to him."

Li Ji hurriedly replied, "I have only been to the inner palace and often saw palace women shedding tears. Your Highness has not witnessed this in person, so naturally you would not have considered it. How could it be because you are inferior to me?"

Li Tan agreed, saying, "I will report to the Marshal and try to make this happen. Perhaps we can ask Consort Shen to speak on my behalf; I'm sure my brother will agree." He then asked Li Ji, "Do you have anything else to say?"

Li Ji shook his head: "No more—this humble general takes his leave."

Li Tan then asked, "You've only been thinking about others, but have you carefully considered your own future?"

He then sighed deeply and said, "Not only you, Li Changwei, but even my future is uncertain..."

Seeing the blank look in Li Ji's eyes, Li Tan explained, "The military campaign cannot be left indefinitely. Moreover, the two capitals have been recovered, and An Qingxu is like a fish in a pot, about to be beheaded. I do not expect the Emperor to wait until the country is completely settled before abolishing the military campaign. In particular, the Emperor promised that once we return to Chang'an and welcome back the Emperor Emeritus, he will formally appoint my brother as Crown Prince. How can the Crown Prince also be the Commander-in-Chief of the Military Campaign?"

"The staff members of the judicial office naturally have their own destinations. For example, Yang Gongnan was appointed as a Doctor of Yiyang County and Military Advisor to the Marshal. Considering his merits and achievements, after the military campaign is over, he can be recommended to the Ministry of Personnel to be selected for a position as soon as possible. It is not difficult for him to become a principal officer in various departments or even a county magistrate in the capital..."

The so-called "Yiyang County Doctor" was merely a nominal position, much like the Imperial Censor positions held by Helan Jinming and Xu Shuji. Neither of them actually needed to return to the capital to take charge of the Censorate—otherwise, how could there be two chief officials for one censorate? Therefore, after the military campaign was discontinued, it was impossible to send Yang Yan to Yiyang County to be a Doctor; he would have been given another position.

"...But where shall I go? Shall I return to the residence of the Sixteen Kings? Or shall the Sage follow precedent and appoint me to govern a prefecture?" This important general, who once assisted the Marshal and controlled the army of the world, would surely feel a sense of loss if he were to be appointed as a prefect in a local area. Moreover, according to the precedents of the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras, even the position of prefect was not guaranteed.

Li Longji's habit was to appoint princes as military governors, but these were merely nominal titles; the princes remained confined to their residences. It wasn't until he fled to Sichuan that, in order to restrain Li Heng, he granted the princes real positions. However, most of his sons had already become spoiled, and only Li Lin was willing to respond...

Li Tan poured out his grievances, but Li Ji didn't take it to heart; his heart had already flown to Yingyang. He simply continued to play dumb, and after Li Tan finished venting, he took his leave. The next morning, he carried his money and rode away from Luoyang—Yingyang wasn't far from Luoyang, just north of the Ying River, between Mount Ji and Mount Song, only about a hundred li away.

Along the way, fields were trampled, houses were reduced to ruins, and even many graves had been dug up, with bones scattered everywhere… Compared to the peaceful years of his previous life, it all felt like a nightmare. Li Ji thought to himself, "Thank goodness I've transmigrated here; at least I have Li Bi to rely on. If I had transmigrated into the body of an ordinary citizen, I would most likely have inexplicably lost my life in this turmoil that has swept across half of China…"

Even more terrifying is being coerced by rebels or bandits and used as cannon fodder, gradually becoming accustomed to rape and plunder.

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Mist Begins to Disperse

Li Bi built a hermitage in Jishan Mountain, choosing a relatively gentle slope halfway up the mountain. He constructed seven rooms with mud walls and a thatched roof. A bamboo fence surrounded the front of the house, covered with gourd vines; behind the house were some small fields where he grew vegetables and fruits throughout the year; and a clear mountain spring flowed beside the house, providing him with water.

Li Bi did not live alone. Although he was widowed and had no children, he still had to take care of two stepmothers and a young half-brother. In addition, he had generations of servants, two women and one man, plus Li Ji, who came to live with him five years ago.

The mountains were unaffected by heat or cold, and frankly, they weren't too far from densely populated towns. Li Heng also provided occasional assistance, so while life was simple for a scholar, it was still better than that of poor farmers or tenant farmers—it was like paradise—at least there was no worry about food and clothing. This was often the case with the reclusive lives of scholars, like Tao Yuanming who "picked chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, and leisurely gazed at the Southern Mountains." If even basic needs for food and clothing couldn't be met, where would he find the leisure to gaze at the Southern Mountains and compose poetry?

So the four years after Li Ji lost his father were, apart from being a little lonely, closer to his previous life. They were stable and leisurely. Life was not without pressure, but it was not enough to make him grow old prematurely. After all, Li Ji had been a government employee doing research in his previous life and had not been displaced by the tide of commodities.

The original soul's longing for the warmth of home and the transmigrated soul's yearning for a peaceful life were intertwined and swirling, unsure of which came first, or even whether they were truly themselves or someone else. This caused Li Ji to feel a strange warmth welling up in his chest the closer he got to the thatched hut. But the warmth vanished instantly, replaced by a chill that shot from his feet to the top of his head!

Because he saw that although the green vines had withered and the bamboo fence was still there, the seven thatched huts that they surrounded had been reduced to charred ruins, and the flames had not yet been completely extinguished, with gray-black smoke still rising...

Li Ji was stunned. His legs went weak, and he could barely take another step—what had happened? Who had burned down the thatched hut? Where was Li Bi? Where were the rest of the family members? It couldn't be…

Thinking of this, a chill ran down his spine, but it also spurred Li Ji to action. He immediately threw down the reins, picked up his feet, and rushed through the gate, heading straight for the pile of rubble. A quick glance revealed only collapsed yellow earth and charred rafters and pillars, but nothing else—and seemingly no charred corpses either. Still uneasy, he used both hands and feet to pry up a half-charred roof beam.

He couldn't help but scream, "Who? Who set this fire?!"

A soft sigh came from behind: "I started the fire."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was struck dumb and turned around abruptly. Not far behind him, against the mountain ridge, stood a man with bare hair and no hat, wearing a light blue silk robe—it was Li Bi, Li Changyuan.

Li Ji shouted and quickly turned to run towards Li Bi. Despite his strong and agile body, he stumbled and almost fell halfway due to his trembling heart. Li Bi, however, just stared at him expressionlessly.

Rushing to Li Bi, Li Ji clasped his hands together and hugged him tightly—by touch, he could tell that Li Changyuan had lost at least ten pounds since he left home to travel west, his slender frame appearing even more gaunt. Li Bi struggled for a moment but couldn't break free, so he could only scold, "Let go! What kind of behavior is this!"

Li Ji almost cried with joy, thinking to himself, "Brother, you scared me half to death! Did you burn down your house for fun?" After letting go, he still looked Li Bi up and down repeatedly—was this a living person, or a ghost?

"Why did you set the house on fire, brother? And where did Aunt and the others go?"

Li Bi replied calmly, "This place is no longer habitable, so we burned down our old house and moved elsewhere."

"Why not wait for your younger brother to return?"

Li Bi coldly replied, "I heard that the Eastern Capital has been recovered, so I asked my mother and the others to set off first, while I stayed behind and waited for you here for three whole days. Originally, we had planned to burn down the hut three days later and set off to catch up with my mother. If you still refuse to return, then we are destined to part ways, so why should we meet again?"

Li Ji couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "Brother, you don't know. I was impersonating a eunuch in the Imperial Palace in Luoyang, and every day felt like a year. I finally escaped danger and was relieved of my burdens. Can't I even relax for a couple of days before returning home to see you, brother?"

He understood that Li Bi was determined to live in seclusion. If it were the original Li Ji, he would naturally have abandoned everything in the world and returned to follow him. However, Li Ji was dead, and his body had been taken over by him… In Li Bi's eyes, this new Li Ji, although perhaps lacking any grand ambitions, was deeply attached to worldly glory and did not seem like someone willing to diligently cultivate the Tao. He had previously tried to probe him with words, but Li Ji had instead advised him that the world was full of hardships, and that since his brother possessed unparalleled talent, why not serve in the court to purify the corrupt and promote the virtuous, instead of focusing on avoiding the world?

Therefore, Li Bi felt that although he and this old ghost from five hundred years ago could talk to each other, they were ultimately not on the same path and would part ways sooner or later. This time, he resigned from his official post and went into seclusion, but that old ghost was probably still greedy for worldly gains and honors. If his trip to Luoyang went smoothly, he would surely gain Li Chu's trust and most likely would not return.

However, a sliver of hope remained in his heart, so he set himself a deadline, staying behind alone to wait for Li Ji for three days. From Luoyang to Jishan, it was only a day's journey by fast horse, and even if he walked back, three days would be enough. If he still didn't appear, then it was not meant to be. Since it was not meant to be, he might as well let go and let him go on his own, bearing the identity of his younger cousin.

Three days passed in a flash, and Li Bi couldn't help but sigh deeply before setting fire to the thatched hut where he had lived for so long. Logically, he should have turned back immediately to catch up with his family sooner, but he couldn't help finding excuses for himself: Could the hut possibly burn completely down? Having lived here for so many years, how could he not feel a sense of attachment? Perhaps he could take a few more glances at this place…

Leaning against the mountainside, he waited and waited until the thatched hut was almost completely burned down, leaving only wisps of smoke. It was time to leave; what feast doesn't end? Everyone has their own ambitions, and one cannot force others. Just as he was about to lift his robe and step away, he suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves, and then Li Ji appeared in his sight.

Li Bi had already seen Li Ji, but Li Ji was so shocked and terrified by the sight of the burned-down thatched hut that he focused all his attention on the ruins and completely ignored Li Bi, who was standing right next to him.

There was no other way but to take the initiative and greet him...

Li Ji said, "Just wait for me for three days! I've just finished my studies. Can't I relax for a few more days before coming back?" It's like when I went to university in another city in my past life. When winter break came, no matter how much I missed my family and longed to go home, I had worked hard for several months and finally passed the final exams. I had to party with my classmates and roommates for a few days before leaving... Anyway, I've already got the train ticket. What's the rush?

Upon hearing this, Li Bi's initial annoyance immediately subsided—"That makes sense; I was just being too naive."

Even if it wasn't an old ghost from five hundred years ago, but the real Changwei from my family, he was still a young man, with a lively and impulsive nature, unlike me, who had cultivated the Tao for many years and whose heart was as still as water. He would still want to relax for a few days before returning home to be restrained. I misjudged the heart of a commoner with the mind of a Taoist.

But of course, he couldn't apologize to Li Ji, or turn his anger into joy and say, "It's good that you're back..." Li Bi had no choice but to change the subject and ask, "How did things go in Luoyang?"

Li Ji laughed and said, "It's hard to say it will go smoothly, but... it's a long story." He then asked Li Bi, "Brother, where are you going after abandoning your thatched hut? With Tokyo recovered and Henan about to be pacified, I've come here and seen that although the surrounding area is desolate, there's no great danger. Why are you leaving?"

Li Bi sighed softly and replied, "Precisely because this place is too close to the Eastern Capital."

He originally lived in seclusion on Mount Ji, not caring how close it was to Luoyang. Anyway, few people paid attention to him, this nobody—so what if he was a child prodigy? A child prodigy who had returned to the countryside was no threat to anyone.

However, things are different now. Invited by Li Heng, he rose from humble beginnings to become a high-ranking official of the third rank, and then served as the chief secretary to the marshal, advising Li Heng and his son on how to quell the rebellion and secure the country. Li Changyuan's name has now resounded throughout the land—unlike before, when only officials under the Crown Prince's command paid him attention, such as Xue Jingxian, who respected his talent rather than his reputation. Now that he bears such a high reputation, he will surely be valued by all sides. Having once been a third-rank official, if he were to return to officialdom, he would undoubtedly be entrusted with heavy responsibilities.

To be honest, if Li Bi had the will, having already crossed the threshold of the third rank, he could have been appointed as the Grand Councilor and made prime minister at any time!

Given this, while he would be respected, he would inevitably also be envied. On the rebel side, Zhou Zhi, fearing Li Bi's resurgence, would likely send assassins; on the court side, figures like Li Fuguo could not completely ignore the situation. Even assuming no one wanted to harm him, Li Heng and his son might still send envoys to invite him back.

After all, it's just a stone's throw from Luoyang; you can get there in a single step.

That's why Li Bi planned to flee even further, to show that he had no intention of returning to the court—so that his enemies could be a little more at ease, and that the emperor should stop hoping for his return and focus on his own recovery.

He told Li Ji, "I want to go south to Hengshan and stay near the Zhenjun Temple."

Mount Heng is also a famous Taoist mountain, known as "Zhu Ling Cave Heaven". The Temple of the Heavenly King Huo was built in the early Tang Dynasty, and it was expanded and renamed "Nanyue Zhenjun Temple" in the thirteenth year of Kaiyuan.

Li Ji then said, "In that case, I will escort you south to Hengshan."

Li Bi shook his head: "There are no rebels heading south, and I possess the imperial edict and the prime minister's official document, so I can travel freely without hindrance. Why would I need an escort?"

But instead of immediately replying, "So you should just go back to Luoyang," he simply turned and left. Li Ji couldn't help but chuckle: Was this some kind of tsundere? He quickly led his horse over and followed behind Li Bi.

The two followed the familiar mountain path, passing through Jishan Mountain. Along the way, Li Bi first inquired about the events in Suiyang. Li Ji recounted the whole story without any concealment. He thought that through his efforts, he had finally saved Zhang Xun, Xu Yuan, Nan Jiyun, Lei Wanchun, and others, and Li Bi should at least offer some praise. However, to his surprise, Li Bi simply listened quietly and then asked, "After the Suiyang matter was settled, you went to Luoyang. What was that like?" There wasn't a single word of commendation.

Li Ji was somewhat disappointed, but he didn't show it. He simply continued to recount his journey to Luoyang, his infiltration of the inner palace, and his rescue of Consort Shen.

As they talked, it grew dark, but the two had already crossed Jishan Mountain. A dozen miles to the south lay Liang County, the seat of Linru Prefecture. Li Ji urged Li Bi to mount his horse, saying, "Let's hurry so we don't miss our lodging." Li Bi glanced at him, but without any hesitation, he saddled up.

Li Ji led his horse at a brisk pace, continuing to recount the events to Li Bi. When he spoke of his nighttime visit to Consort Shen, during which he was nearly ambushed by a young palace maid named "A Cuo," Li Bi was slightly startled and finally asked, "Who exactly is this woman?"

Li Ji laughed and said, "This woman's background is quite strange... Brother, back in Ding'an City, it was this woman who used the flying sword to cover Zhen Sui's escape... In my humble opinion, the mastermind behind the attack on my brothers on Tanshan Mountain is most likely..."

Just as he was about to say the name "Cui Guangyuan", Li Bi nodded and said, "I already know about this matter—it is Tian Qianzhen."

Li Ji was stunned on the spot—how could Tian Qianzhen be involved in this?

Then Li Bi slowly said, "Not long after you left Fengxiang, Tian Qianzhen came to me to apologize with a bundle of thorns on his back..."

After Tian Qianzhen was captured by Li Ji, Li Chu escorted him to the imperial court and handed him over to the emperor for punishment. However, at the same time, a memorial was also presented, stating that after discussing with Li Bi, it was better to pardon Tian Qianzhen and use him as a bribe to recruit the most treacherous generals among the rebels. Li Heng approved the memorial, not only pardoning Tian Qianzhen but also granting him the title of General of Ningyuan (a minor official rank of fifth grade) and sending him back to Chang'an to serve in the Marshal's office.

However, before leaving, Tian Qianzhen went to see Li Bi and immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying "I deserve to die." Li Bi was somewhat puzzled and quickly helped him up, asking him in detail why.

Tian Qianzhen said, "In the past, this humble official once intended to kidnap the high-ranking official, but fortunately the high-ranking official was wise and your younger brother was brave, which prevented this humble official from making a grave mistake..."

What is going on?

As it turns out, regarding the speculation in the first part of the events of that day, Li Ji was basically right—he was indeed ordered by Li Heng to go to Yingyang to welcome Li Bi, and according to someone's instructions (most likely Li Fuguo), he left notes along the way for support.

So who would provide support? Naturally, it would be Cui Guangyuan, the Prefect of Jingzhao. Li Fuguo and Cui Guangyuan had a prior friendship—hadn't he once asked Cui Guangyuan for Jia Huai and Yu Xiuhe?—and he knew that Cui was not truly a traitor, so he taught Zhen Sui the pre-arranged communication code, hoping that Cui Guangyuan could send someone to assist him.

With both capitals fallen and rebel forces rampaging across the land, relying solely on Zhen Sui to protect Li Bi—and perhaps with Li Ji as well—was not necessarily a safe option.

But who would have thought that just as Zhen Sui was escorting Li Bi to Qingni Post Station, Cui Guangyuan had already plotted to escape from Xijing and go to serve Li Heng. Several days later, Tian Qianzhen was ordered to pacify Chang'an, both to stabilize order and to conduct a city-wide search to capture Cui Guangyuan's remaining followers. He apprehended several people, and under severe torture, they revealed the secret code, saying that someone had recently seen a newly left code near Chang'an, requesting their assistance in protecting someone…

Li Bi relayed Tian Qianzhen's words, and Li Ji suddenly realized, "So that's how it is!" Then many doubts could be explained.

If, as I had previously speculated, Cui Guangyuan was the one who intended to kidnap Li Bi, then Cui Guangyuan, who had extraordinary individuals like Cui Qi under his command, would certainly have deployed them instead of assigning only a few soldiers. Furthermore, Zhen Sui had no intention of betraying Li Bi, which is why he fought bravely on Tanshan Mountain, covering the escape of Li Bi and his brothers…

I wonder how that guy got away later... That night he visited Cui Qi, and Cui Qi seemed to have said, "I saved your life that day..." Could it be that Cui Qi saved him?

Could it be that Zhen Sui, out of gratitude for being saved, took a liking to that little girl? It's hard to say, but it's not unreasonable.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Three Strategies for the Future

Now that Tian Qianzhen had surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he would undoubtedly live in constant fear and humility for a considerable period of time, afraid to offend any powerful figures in the court. He had long heard that Li Bi, also known as Li Changyuan, was deeply trusted by the emperor, directly appointed as a third-rank official and chief clerk of the marshal's army. After being captured, he inquired further and discovered that the young man who had captured him was none other than Li Bi's cousin, Li Ji…

Thus, Tian Qianzhen couldn't help but sigh, "Since the cause has been sown, the result will surely follow. Is this not the will of Heaven?!"

He was afraid that Li Bi already knew about this. Even if he didn't, with his wisdom, having defeated the rebels and entered Chang'an, he would find out sooner or later... After thinking it over repeatedly, he decided to take the initiative to apologize and hoped to be forgiven—after all, in the end, none of you brothers were hurt, right? If he deliberately concealed it, he might incur Li Bi's wrath.

—Tian Qianzhen was unaware that Li Bi had already resigned from his post and planned to return to his hometown to live in seclusion; otherwise, he would have kept his words to himself and would not have taken the initiative to confess.

Li Bi was extremely intelligent, and with just a few words, he got to the bottom of Tian Qianzhen's mind—especially since Tian Qianzhen was already inclined to confess honestly—thus, most of the past mysteries were finally solved.