Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 215

On the one hand, he needed to review and confirm the banquet guest list; on the other hand, Li Ji also needed to personally question Pei Xiang about the situation in the capital.

As he walked towards the study in the backyard, he flipped through three lists in his hands, with Pei Xiang following behind. Li Ji asked, "Where are the three grand banquets scheduled?"

Pei Xiang replied, "The banquet for old friends and the banquet for the Northern Office will naturally be held at Lü Miaozhen's house in Zhongqu; the banquet for important officials will be held at Zhang Cailuan's house in Dingnanqu..."

Originally, Lü Miaozhen's house was known for its excellent cuisine, which led Li Ji to book the entire venue multiple times to entertain friends and relatives. Gradually, it became a regular reception and social venue for the Jinzouyuan in Beijing, representing the Weibo, Shuofang, and Hexi regions. However, since her house was ultimately located in the Central Music Bureau, although its brand was well-known, its status was not high. Therefore, when entertaining important officials of the court, she could only choose suitable entertainers from the Southern Music Bureau.

But after reporting the location of the banquet, Pei Xiang added with a smile, "The Grand Commandant is in Hexi, and I'm afraid that with the Lady and the 'Inner Secretary' by his side, there are some things that I, as a humble official, cannot conveniently include in the report..."

Li Ji turned around in surprise: "What is it?"

Pei Xiang laughed and said, "Because when the Grand Commandant was in the capital, he often visited Lü Miaozhen's house. Later, when the Imperial Secretariat held banquets, they were all held at his house. So there were rumors in the capital that the Grand Commandant was very fond of Miss Yunrong..."

Li Ji asked in astonishment, "Yun Rong, who is that?"

"She is Lü Miaozhen's daughter. She just came of age last year and began to meet guests. She is skilled at playing the flute."

Li Ji scoffed, "I haven't been in the capital since last year. This must be Lü Miaozhen deliberately spreading rumors to elevate her own status as a fake daughter and solicit more gifts." He paused, then asked, "After Susu got married, I remember Lü Miaozhen promoted two more fake daughters, neither of whom seemed to be named Yunrong... What became of them?"

Pei Xiang replied, "One of them married a failed scholar, and the other, like Su Su, became a concubine to a merchant—she is Yu Ling's eldest grandson. Last year, he hosted a banquet for her, and unexpectedly took a liking to her, spending two hundred thousand coins to redeem her from her servitude..."

Li Ji laughed and said, "The Yu family still has spare money." Then he sighed, "More than ten years have passed since I first went to Lü Miaozhen's house. Even the most popular courtesans have changed three times over—truly, time flies!"

He had just returned to Chang'an, and after a day of presenting captives and attending banquets, as well as going to Yan Ying for questioning, he was indeed quite exhausted. Therefore, he used this as an excuse not to see any guests that evening. Of course, if Li Shi had come, it would have been inconvenient to stop him... However, since Li Shi did not come, Li Ji opened a side door for another person and invited him in.

The visitor was Han Hui, who was originally on the banquet guest list—since he was a former official, it was only right that they meet.

Last year, Pei Xiang replaced Han Hui as the official in charge of reporting to the emperor in Hexi. Li Ji originally intended to summon Han Hui to Guzang to handle some paperwork, but Han Hui politely declined. His reason was that his father, Han Zhongqing, was seriously ill and feared he would not recover, so he could not leave Chang'an at this critical juncture.

Sure enough, not long after, Han Zhongqing passed away. Pei Xiang, understanding Li Ji's thoughts, specially prepared a condolence gift on his behalf and sent it to Han's residence. Han Zhongqing was originally a secretary, but because of his excellent political reputation, the court posthumously awarded him the title of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and he received considerable posthumous honors.

Upon his father's death, Han Hui was obliged to observe mourning, but for the sake of his family and personal future, he escorted the coffin back to his hometown of Heyang for burial and soon returned to Chang'an to study behind closed doors, hoping to pass the three-year mourning period. Hearing that Li Ji had returned to the capital, Han Hui naturally came to pay his respects, bringing with him a young man and a little boy.

Li Ji had heard of the young man before; he was Han Jie, the younger brother of Han Hui, who was still a young man in his twenties and had not yet taken office. As for the boy, he looked to be only two or three years old. He was not afraid of people, and his big eyes were very lively, darting back and forth across Li Ji's face and body.

Li Ji asked with a smile, "Is this your son? What is his name?"

Han Hui shook his head: "No, this is my younger brother. Because my father was already ill when he was born, he was named 'Yu' (meaning 'heal')."

“Han Yu,” Li Ji stroked his beard and smiled, “is a good name. I hope he can carry on the aspirations of his ancestors and live up to the kindness of his elder brother in raising him.” He then patted Han Hui on the shoulder: “As the saying goes, ‘the eldest brother is like a father.’ You have to raise such a young brother to adulthood. It must have been hard for you.”

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Han Hui met again two days later at Lü Miaozhen's house.

The main guest of honor at the banquet that day was Lu Qi, also known as Lu Ziliang, who was currently the Left Assistant Minister and a close confidant of the Crown Prince. Everyone in the court said that he was expected to enter the Council of State Affairs in the future. Below Lu Qi were Ban Hong, Du Fu, Han Hui, Han Hong, Li Duan, Li Laopeng, and so on... as well as Li Laopeng's youngest brother, Li Jifu, who was only fourteen years old.

Ban Hong and Li Ji were practically from the same hometown. Li Bi and his brother first met them when they arrived in Fengtian after descending from Tanshan, establishing a long-standing friendship. At their initial meeting, Ban Hong was a secretary under Xue Jingxian, later becoming an imperial censor under Gao Shi, the military governor of Jiannan. When Guo Yingyi succeeded Gao Shi as governor of Jiannan, he appointed Ban Hong as a secretary and magistrate of Luo County. However, Ban Hong fled back to Chang'an due to the Cui Ning Rebellion. After Li Yu ascended the throne, Ban Hong was given important positions, currently serving as a court attendant and concurrently as a secretary in charge of imperial documents.

Han Hong, courtesy name Junping, was a native of Nanyang. He passed the imperial examination in the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era and served under Hou Xiyi, the military governor of Ziqing. Several years earlier, Hou Xiyi was expelled by his subordinate Li Zhengji, and Han Hong fled back to Chang'an with him, where he lived in seclusion and did not serve in office. He had a good relationship with Du Fu and was also an old acquaintance of Lu Lun. Li Ji had met him several times before.

Li Duan, courtesy name Zhengyi, came from the eastern branch of the Li clan of Zhao County, and was a cousin of Li Ji. He came to Chang'an five years ago, partly by leveraging the influence of Li Qiyun, and partly by using his poetry and prose to curry favor with powerful figures, gaining considerable fame. Finally, last year, he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. Li Ji hosted a banquet for the Li brothers, and Li Laopeng said, "We brothers still have one member in Chang'an; how can we not see him?" He requested that Li Duan's name be added to the banquet. However, upon entering the banquet, it was discovered that Li Duan also had close relationships with Du Fu and Han Hong.

Li Ji arrived with Pei Xiang, Lu Lun, and others. After exchanging greetings with the guests, he immediately noticed Lu Qi. They shared the same sentiment and both smiled wryly. What were they smiling about? Because they hadn't realized it before, but once they entered the banquet, they discovered that there were so many poets present—Du Fu, Han Hong, Li Duan, Lu Lun… Even Ban Hong, Han Hui, and Li Laopeng were all considered literary figures, capable of writing a few poems.

In terms of literature, especially the literature of this era, Li Ji considers himself a roughneck, so there's no need to elaborate; Lu Qi excels in practical matters but has little skill or achievement in writing, and after entering the central court, he is often ridiculed as "unlearned." Today, with one host and one guest sandwiched among this group of scholars, I'm afraid this banquet won't be very enjoyable.

Sure enough, after taking their seats and reminiscing about their past, they inquired about the current situation of their old friends, such as Xue Jingxian, Yang Yan, Xue Yong, Yuan Xiu, and Li Guayan—most of whom were living in other prefectures. When the wine was flowing freely, the girl Yunrong, who was rumored to have had an affair with Grand Commandant Li, finished her song and suddenly knelt down and begged the talented gentlemen to compose poems to express their aspirations.

Yun Rong's main target was not Du Fu—Du Zimei's previous poems were mostly unconventional and difficult for courtesans to appreciate, and he hadn't produced any new works in recent years; moreover, Du Fu had just been punished for his words and was about to be banished to Shannan East Circuit to serve as a minor Sima, and his legend would soon be erased from Chang'an...

Yunrong values ​​the old poet Han Hong, who is good at expressing the feelings of parting, and the young poet Li Duan, who has become famous in Chang'an in recent years. These two are rarely seen, but they have both come to my house today. How can I let them go easily? If I could get one of them to write a poem, preferably about me or my flute music, my reputation would surely be a hundred times greater!

However, both Han Hong and Li Hong were superior to Du Fu—the courtesan dared to look down on Du Zimei, but the two of them dared not, for he was their senior! Although Han Hong was fifty years old, in a true sense, he was a poet who gained fame after the An Lushan Rebellion, and was of the same generation as Li Duan and Lu Lun; while Du Fu belonged to the generation before the An Lushan Rebellion, and was on par with Li Bai, Wang Wei, and Wang Changling. In his time, only Jia Zhi and Jia Youlin could discuss poetry and literature with him.

Du Fu had just been demoted and was in low spirits. Upon entering the banquet, he said, "The journey ahead is fraught with peril, and I am old and frail. I fear I may never return… Fortunately, Changwei, you have returned to court, allowing us to meet one last time and bid farewell." Li Ji then invited Du Fu to join the Hexi military headquarters, but the old man replied, "Forget it. If I were ten years younger, I would definitely have gone with you. Now, I fear I cannot endure the hardships of the northern winds and frosts…"

This stirred his thoughts, and he slowly said, "I'm going to take up my post in Kuizhou. I once traveled there in my youth. It's ancient Badong, with its swift-flowing river, treacherous Wushan Mountains, and fierce people. I'm reminded of those past visits, and I've composed a new poem, perfect to accompany this wine." He then picked up a chopstick, tapping it on the rim of his cup for rhythm, and recited in a long, melodious voice:

"The wind is strong and the sky is high, the monkeys are howling sadly, the sand is clear and the white birds are flying back. The endless fallen leaves are rustling down, the endless Yangtze River is rolling in. I am often a guest in the sad autumn thousands of miles away, and I am alone on the stage for a hundred years due to illness. The hardship and hatred have made my hair white, and I have just stopped drinking muddy wine in my poverty."

After the poem was recited, the room fell completely silent.

Li Ji savored the poem's meaning, feeling a pang of sadness. He turned to Lu Lun and asked, "I think this poem is superb. What do you think, Yunyan?" He had read most of Du Fu's previous seven-character regulated poems, but none of them seemed as brilliant and melancholic as this one, as if a sharp blade were probing his heart, ready to tear apart his internal organs. However, his appreciation of poetry was ultimately limited, so he asked the contemporary poet Lu Lun what he thought.

Lu Lun clapped his hands and exclaimed, "In my opinion, this poem surpasses all seven-character poems written since the founding of our dynasty. With just this one poem, Du Fu can be immortalized!"

Everyone nodded, but Han Hong immediately said, "Du Jun has been drinking too much." Li Taiwei has hosted a banquet, a joyous occasion where everyone should be enjoying themselves, yet you've produced such a somber and dejected piece. This is rather inappropriate...

He was a renowned poet, and not much older than Du Fu, so only he could offer such indirect advice to Du Fu.

Du Fu smiled wryly and clasped his hands in a gesture toward Li Ji: "It was my fault for disturbing the grand banquet. Please forgive me, Chief Guard..." He then turned to Li Duan and Lu Lun: "When people get old, they are plagued by illnesses and inevitably become dejected. It is better for you young people to compose new works to sweep away the decadent atmosphere."

Lu Lun was hanging his head, deep in thought, when Li Duan asked him unexpectedly, "Brother, could I borrow that poem you sent me the other day to recite?" He was taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly waved his hand, "No, no!"

Li Ji found it strange. Ever since Lu Lun joined his staff and followed him on the western expedition, he often found himself inspired to write poetry, and he would always present his creations to Li Ji promptly. For example, during the battle on the eastern bank of the Ming River, a general who was acquainted with Lu Lun was severely wounded and forced to retire. Lu Lun then wrote a poem to bid him farewell:

"With cup in hand, I play the flute urgently, as sandstorms rage before my eyes. Snow blankets the desert mountains, while wildflowers bloom along the Great Wall. Our strategy must be ashamed of war, for the enemy is in Moyan's home. I too am one who seeks glory, so how can I part ways with Zuo Che?"

This poem is excellent in both its style and meaning. After reciting it repeatedly, I felt a lingering fragrance on my tongue, and immediately rewarded Lu Lun handsomely. So, at today's banquet, which of his old works did Li Duan want to recite? Why did Lu Lun refuse? Has he recently retreated to writing those pointless, sentimental pieces for social occasions? But today is a social gathering; what harm is there in chatting and laughing?

Li Ji was already a little tipsy, so he laughed and said, "What poem can't be recited? It's fine, you can recite it for me to hear."

Li Duan stood up, said "Yes, sir," then bowed deeply to Lu Lun, who seemed somewhat apprehensive, before reciting in a long voice:

"At twenty, I was in the border town, where I gained a reputation for bravery in the army. I rolled up the flags and gathered the defeated horses, and occupied the desert with the remaining troops. The kites rose up and the burning mountains made the grass and trees bright. In the quiet of the frontier, I thought of hunting far away, and the army was tired of dividing into camps. There were no traces of people on the snowy mountains, and only the sound of wild geese on the icy river. Li Ling was willing to die here, while the Han officials were saddened."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji frowned slightly, glanced at Lu Lun, and saw that the guy's head was hanging very low, as if he wanted to shrink into his arms; then he looked at Lu Qi and they met eyes. Lu Ziliang shook his head slightly and then nodded in the direction of Li Duan.

Li Ji thought to himself, "My younger cousin has powerful backers!"

Chapter Sixty-Eight, Five-Character Verse on Leaving the Frontier

This was indeed the first time Li Ji had heard Lu Lun's work.

The poem was quite good; compared to the six "Frontier Ballads" that had been presented and accepted, its technique was more refined and its meaning more profound. However, although Lu Lun was moved by the poem, he only sent it to his friends in Chang'an, such as Li Duan, for their appreciation, and dared not present it to Li Ji. Why was this?

Perhaps it's because the meaning of the poem doesn't quite align with Li Ji's line of thought.

The preceding text describes the conditions on the northwestern battlefield—how freezing cold and how perilous it was—which is fine, but the concluding sentence brings to mind Li Ling of the Former Han Dynasty, who was defeated and forced to surrender to the Xiongnu, and mentions "the sorrow of the Han officials." On a superficial level, those two lines are extremely ominous; on a deeper level, they reveal a resentment towards continuing the war.

Emperor Wu of Han was notorious for his aggressive and militaristic policies, not because he sent generals like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing to the north to conquer the Xiongnu and cripple the nomadic steppe nation, but because even when the nation's finances were strained, he refused to adopt a defensive posture and repeatedly waged war on the northwest and northern borders, where the threat had already subsided. After the deaths of renowned generals like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, Emperor Wu appointed General Li Guangli to conquer Dayuan and fight against the Xiongnu, but these campaigns resulted in more defeats than victories, nearly depleting the last vestiges of the Han Dynasty's resources—ultimately leading to the "Edict of Repentance at Luntai."

The defeat of Li Ling occurred during the northern expedition led by Li Guangli in the second year of the Tianhan era. It is said that in this battle, 30,000 Han soldiers went out of the pass, and more than 50% of them were lost.

Lu Lun was, after all, a scholar, and young at that, physically weak, incomparable to the poets of his predecessors, such as Gao Shi and Cen Shen. Such scholars, fearing hardship and danger, worrying about death and appreciating life, would often, after experiencing arduous warfare and witnessing the horrific scenes of the battlefield, unprincipledly slip into the quagmire of pacifism—this was entirely understandable. After composing this poem, he knew it was inappropriate and dared not present it to Li Ji; but frankly, even if he had, Li Ji would likely not have been angry after reading it, but would have simply laughed it off.

Therefore, it's understandable that Li Duan wanted to recite the poem on the spot, but Lu Lun objected. The problem is that Li Duan's actions seemed designed to sow discord between Lu Lun, given the lack of any known animosity between them. So, what was Li Duan's true intention in risking offending Lu Lun by reciting the poem?

Don't say Li Duan couldn't have thought of this. He was a famous poet who had been currying favor with powerful figures in Chang'an for several years. Surely he hadn't lacked this much literary understanding and political sensitivity?

The only explanation is that Li Duan wanted to use Lu Lun's poem to express his meaning to Li Ji—the court is in dire straits, and the harsh northwest only exacerbates the danger and ferocity of war. It would be best to stop the war, otherwise Li Ji might become like Li Ling or even Li Guangli, and the court officials would only feel sad and melancholy…

The key question is, was this Li Zhengyi's own idea, or was he being instructed by someone behind the scenes? Was he relaying a message on behalf of someone else?

If it were Du Fu, firstly, he was not very politically astute—as evidenced by his petition to plead for Fang Guan in the past—and secondly, he was used to satirizing current events in his poems. Li Ji would certainly believe that this was his own idea. Even if it were Han Hong, who had been living in seclusion in the capital for a long time, it was impossible for him to be acting on someone's orders and take this opportunity to indirectly advise Li Ji.

As for Li Duan, he had just passed the imperial examination and was currently waiting for his chance to advance his career. His past works, filled with fresh and bright expressions of gratitude and farewell, revealed his character. It was unlikely he would risk offending Lu Lun, and more importantly, Li Ji, by deliberately using poetry to offer satirical advice. Unless his purpose was to win the favor of another powerful figure—perhaps Li Qiyun?

Li Ji has already submitted his calling card and plans to formally visit the Council of State tomorrow to pay a visit to several prime ministers. To avoid suspicion, even if he has a good relationship with Yang Wan and Li Qiyun, it is not convenient for them to meet in private. Is Li Qiyun planning to have Li Duan sound out his intentions before meeting him?

Actually, Li Ji hadn't thought that far ahead at first. He just glanced at Lu Qi almost instinctively, but when he saw Lu Ziliang shake his head slightly and then nod at Li Duan, Li Ji knew that this guy's political sensitivity was off the charts. So he deliberately made this little gesture. His intention was definitely not that Li Zheng had done it all by himself and no one had instructed him.

Is there any dissatisfaction in the court regarding my opposition to making peace with Tibet and my insistence on continuing the war?

Li Ji thought to himself, "I know, it's difficult for the prime ministers too... But since the war has started, it can't be stopped easily. If we can't achieve complete success, it will be like traveling a hundred miles and only going halfway, leaving endless troubles behind."

Thinking of this, he smiled slightly and looked at Lu Lun: "Yunyan's poem is excellent. Why didn't you let me read it sooner?"

Lu Lun was covered in sweat and quickly knelt down, saying, "Grand Commandant, please forgive me!"

Du Fu hurriedly advised, "The preceding text is indeed quite good, but the concluding sentence is not quite appropriate. Perhaps it is best to leave it to Zhengji. Please revise and polish it before presenting it to Changwei for his perusal..."

Li Ji shook his head: "There's nothing wrong with it. In fact, the meaning of the concluding sentence is the same as what Brother Zimei said in 'The Sixth Chapter of the First Chapter of the Frontier': 'Killing is also limited. Each state has its own borders. If we can control aggression, why should we kill more?' But since we know that each state has its own borders, and the old borders have not been recovered, who dares to say that war should be stopped? Yunyan's insight is far inferior to Brother Zimei's."

Despite saying this, he reached out and pulled Lu Lun to his feet, then patted him on the shoulder, indicating that he wouldn't blame him. But Li Ji, already feeling the effects of the wine and his heart pounding, simply stood up, cup in hand, and bowed to everyone, saying, "Today's banquet has been a pleasure for everyone, and you have all composed excellent works. Although I am not one to imitate, I'm afraid I can't escape writing them myself—and running away in the face of battle is not my nature. You have all read Lu Yunyan's six 'Frontier Songs,' haven't you? Why don't you imitate him and casually compose a few lines..."

Old Li Peng laughed and said, "Ever since 'Hoeing the fields at noon,' I haven't heard of any poems by Changwei. I never expected to hear them today. Excellent, excellent!"

To ease the awkward atmosphere of the first two poems, the others clapped and cheered. Li Ji thought to himself, "I can't really write poetry, but these days classical Chinese isn't that far from vernacular. Whether it's 'bright moonlight before my bed' or 'hoeing the fields at noon,' they all seem like everyday speech, or even rhymes from later generations. So, I can still manage to piece together a few five-character lines that rhyme."

The key is to use poetry to express one's aspirations, to silence some people, and to dispel the doubts of others.

So he left the table and, starting with Lu Qi, began toasting everyone one by one, all the while racking his brains. He would take three to five steps, toasting each person, and get a reply, starting with—

"The Weak Water stretches for three thousand miles, the Qilian Mountains are filled with ten thousand crows, the Hexi Corridor is engulfed in flames, and iron cavalry stand guard against the frost."

Five-character four-line poems are his limit. As for seven-character poems or regulated poems, which require consideration of parallelism, he naturally cannot handle them—unless it is a simple couplet like "three thousand weak waters" or "ten thousand Qilian Mountains".

After walking another ten or so steps, the second poem slowly emerged—

"The western sea is shrouded in frozen clouds, and we lead our troops out of the Jade Gate. Ten years have passed since I honed my sword, and my ambition is to pacify the barbarians."

The poem expresses the following meaning: My ambition is to drive out the Tibetans and restore my homeland. This matter is not over yet, and no one can stop me!

Then came the third song—

"The bright moon shines on the Tianshan Mountains, I hold my spear across the cold dawn. Who would hesitate to sacrifice my life to ensure the well-being of the people?"

First, let me clarify that my target is the area north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, the vast Western Regions; then, I express my heartfelt wish that the Chinese people may be spared from the ravages of war and live in peace and prosperity. To achieve this goal, I will absolutely not disregard my own safety.

The last and fourth song—

"Born with a heart for my country, I die with a heart as light as a feather. When the world is restored, I will return to wash my battle robes."

As long as the borders are repaired and the territory is restored, I will lay down my arms and disarm my troops. I will never recklessly continue to penetrate deeper into enemy territory and engage in militaristic and wasteful practices.

After reciting the four poems, Li Ji had already toasted twice. Then, in high spirits, he threw his empty wine cup on the ground and laughed loudly, "Haha, I'm so happy today, I'm drunk!"

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Li Ji's four five-character poems quickly spread throughout Chang'an. Because the language was not archaic and was quite easy to recite, even illiterate people and young children could memorize them. Moreover, the common people gave them a very concise and common title: "Leaving the Frontier".

This was naturally not the work of Lu Lun, Li Duan, or others, but rather the work of the legendary and Bianwen "master" Lü Xiqian, who was instructed by Li Ji.

The common people's thoughts have always been simple and straightforward, and they do not consider too many trivial matters—especially those that are far removed from their own interests. Because the Tibetan army had once penetrated deep into the vicinity of Fengxiang, which was only a stone's throw from Chang'an, and many people from Longyou and Hexi had fled to Guanzhong, everyone hated the Tibetans. Therefore, they were quite happy to recite Li Ji's poems expressing his feelings of resisting the Tibetans.

Furthermore, if the front lines suffered repeated defeats and urgent dispatches flew back and forth daily, the people might become afraid of war. However, in recent years, several major victories had been won in the western frontier, and Li Ji was the protagonist of more than half of these victories. Because of the former, the people were not afraid to speak of war—after all, Grand Commandant Li would not conscript the young men of Chang'an into the army; because of the latter, and because Li Ji was known for his love for the people—mainly not for the two instances of saving the people of Luoyang, but for the false propaganda of Lü Xiqian—and because of his handsome and robust appearance, the people admired him and unconsciously adopted Li Ji's ambition as their own.

The citizens of Chang'an, who were relatively well-off in terms of food and clothing and had some cultural and entertainment activities, generally valued appearance. If it were the white-haired and disheveled Guo Ziyi who wrote these four poems, he probably wouldn't have been so enthusiastic about spreading them around.

As a result, no one dared to directly advise Li Ji or lightly suggest making peace with Tibet. When Li Ji hosted banquets for court officials or visited the prime minister, they would only ask specific questions about the battle itself: How far do you plan to fight? How confident are you? Do you need the court's support and the cooperation of other garrisons?

Upon returning to the capital, Li Ji visited many friends, but notably avoided seeing Li Shi and Li Tan. Knowing he was still under suspicion, he felt it inappropriate to remain too close to the princes or even the crown prince. He had expected Li Shi to secretly visit him late at night, but only Lu Qi arrived—well, given Lu Qi's past relationship with Li Ji and the extent of Li Shi's trust in him, it was most appropriate for him to deliver the message.

However, Lu Qi did not discuss state affairs, but only family matters, hoping that Li Ji could say a few good words for the Crown Prince during his next audience with the Emperor before leaving the capital—the words need not be many, just enough to make the Emperor realize that you are still willing to support Li Shi.

Li Ji asked Lu Qi, "Does the sage still trust and respect King Zheng?"

Lu Qi nodded: "He is often kept in the palace and brought along to instruct me."

Li Ji shook his head and said, "King Zheng is old and should not stay in the palace for long—why don't the prime ministers advise the emperor against it?"

Lu Qi said with a wry smile, "The prime minister often speaks his mind, but the emperor never listens..."

Li Ji smiled and said, "It's good that the prime ministers have something to say. I will be returning to Hexi soon, a thousand miles away. What use are my words compared to those of the prime ministers?"

Lu Qi reminded him, "The Grand Commandant commands a large army and faces a powerful enemy directly; even a sage wouldn't dare to dismiss him lightly. The Prime Minister is different; once he leaves office, what good are his words?" He paused, then added, "Furthermore, Prime Minister Yang and Prime Minister Wang are already old; I fear they cannot remain in the Secretariat for long. I wonder which side the next replacement will stand on..."

Li Ji glanced at him sideways: "Does Ziliang have any hope of being accepted into the inner circle?"

Lu Qi chuckled dryly: "It will take five or six years, or even ten years, and Chang Yifu (Chang Gun) will be ahead of me."

Li Ji nodded: "If Chang Yifu and Ziliang can replace Prime Minister Yang and Prime Minister Wang, the Crown Prince will have nothing to worry about—this is much more useful than my idle words." He paused, then added: "The Crown Prince should also be careful in his words and deeds, but if there are no faults, how dare the Emperor lightly suggest changing the heir?" Li Yu was much less daring than his father, and even his father dared not, or did not have time to change the heir, let alone Li Yu? To be honest, Li Ji himself was not very worried.

But perhaps because they were outsiders, they didn't feel the same pressure as Li Shi.

Several days later, Li Ji felt that I had been back in the capital for almost half a month, and that we would be going on a western expedition this autumn, so I had to hurry back to handle military affairs. Just as he was about to submit a memorial requesting permission to resign and return to my post, he suddenly received a report that Li Bi had been summoned back to Chang'an.

Li Ji was overjoyed and hurriedly ordered someone to inquire about Li Mi's whereabouts—it was said that he had just returned to Chang'an and had not yet been able to go home before being summoned to the Yan Ying Palace for questioning. It wasn't until dusk that day that Li Mi left the palace. Li Ji quickly ran to the street corner to wait for him. When he saw Li Mi riding alone from afar, he rushed forward, bowed, and then reached out his hand to lead Li Mi's horse.

Li Bi hurriedly replied, "I dare not accept such praise," dismounted, returned the greeting, and then, with his hands behind his back, took the reins and walked alongside Li Ji. Li Ji laughed and said, "Between brothers, there's nothing to be ashamed of. A banquet has been prepared in the Imperial Secretariat, waiting for my brother's return so we can reminisce about our separation."

Li Bi shook his head: "I don't drink alcohol and I eat little, so why would I hold a banquet? But there are some things I do need to ask you."

Li Ji understood—the emperor specifically summoned you back to the capital because there are some things he can't say to my face—given Li Yu's personality, he might not even dare to say them to my face—therefore, I'm asking you to act as a middleman and help relay the message.

My dear brother, you've practically implicated me in a red thread connecting me to the Li Tang royal family... no, to the Central Plains and the Northern and Southern Dynasties!

Li Bi's residence was next to the Hexi Jinzouyuan (a government office in Hebei Province). It was originally a gift from Li Yu, but Li Bi returned it directly to the imperial family after he was transferred to a post outside the capital. When Li Bi was transferred from Zhejiang to Shaanxi and Guo, which was only four hundred li (about 200 kilometers) from Chang'an and could be reached by fast horse in three to five days, Li Yu returned the residence to him, saying that the emperor might frequently summon Changyuan (Li Bi's courtesy name) to court for audiences and to inquire about matters, so it would be more convenient for him to have a home in the capital.

However, to this day, this is the first time Li Bi has returned after receiving an imperial edict.

Li Bi's wife and children accompanied him to his post, leaving him with no family in the capital. Therefore, he didn't bother staying at the residence there and went directly into the Hexi Jinzouyuan with Li Ji. They then turned towards the inner quarters and entered the study. Li Ji ordered tea to be brewed and served, while simultaneously preparing dinner—"Brother, you're getting increasingly thin. It's best not to reduce your three meals a day."

Once all the servants had left and only the two of them remained in the study, Li Bi suddenly stood up, bowed deeply to Li Ji, and then knelt down, saying, "Please accept my bow first!"