Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 97

With a little force applied, Liu Xixian didn't fall. Li Ji thought to himself, "Not bad, he's got some skills."

Liu Xixian was indeed a handsome man, standing at least six feet tall, or over 1.8 meters, with a square face, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a thick beard... He looked like a very tall and imposing man. If Li Ji hadn't heard that he had been promoted by currying favor with Yu Chaoen, he would have thought he was a good friend to befriend upon first meeting him.

After months of contact with the Shence Army generals, Li Ji had heard that although Liu Xixian had risen to power by clinging to the coattails of a powerful eunuch, he was no fool. He possessed superb martial arts skills, was proficient in archery and horsemanship, and was adept at commanding troops. However, because it was their first encounter, and in such a sensitive place as the Forbidden City, Li Ji did not dare to use his full strength right away. The press he made was only half his strength, but he was able to withstand it steadily, which showed that Liu Xixian was quite strong.

Just as he was about to exert himself further, a sharp shout suddenly rang out beside him: "Within the palace, in this vital area of ​​the nation, how dare you fight so insolently? Are you trying to rebel?!"

Chapter Thirty-Nine, The Emperor's Appearance at the Golden Palace

Li Ji and Liu Xixian were fighting in the palace. They had only exchanged one blow and were still undecided when they heard someone shout sternly beside them: "The palace is a sacred place of the state. How dare you fight so disrespectfully? Are you trying to rebel?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ji instinctively released his grip, and Liu Xixian similarly stepped back, moving aside. Almost simultaneously, the two looked towards the source of the voice. They saw a civil official, dressed in a purple robe with a dark, goose-shaped pattern, a thirteen-tassel gold and jade belt, a tablet tucked into one side of his waist, and a gold fish-shaped pouch hanging from the other. This man was around fifty years old, with a long, horse-like face, a dark complexion, and a thick, wiry beard. He was glaring angrily at them.

Seeing that the man was a high-ranking official of the third rank or above—although many had recently been granted purple robes, this must have been at least a fourth-rank official—Li and Liu were both forced to clasp their hands and bow in respect. The man snorted coldly, “As expected, the Imperial Guards are arrogant and domineering, just like the Mawei Incident of the past—now they have appointed eunuchs as commanders, yet they remain incorrigible!” As he spoke, he glared fiercely at Liu Xixian again before striding off proudly northward.

Liu Xixian was very annoyed—we were fighting, why were you just glaring at me?

The reason is actually quite simple: although Li Ji's rank was clearly lower than Liu Xixian's, and he was suspected of being disrespectful, he was ultimately a civil official...

Li and Liu exchanged a glance and almost simultaneously asked, "Who is this?"

The Yingwu and Shence armies were guarding the imperial palace, and court officials were coming and going, almost all of whom were familiar faces—even those they had seen from afar—but none of them recognized this person. Could it be that he had just been summoned back from afar? Who could this be?

The two glared at each other again, but Liu Xixian dared not make a move, and Li Ji did not intend to fight him—given Liu Xixian's abilities, he estimated that he might not be able to win without using his full strength, and if he did use his full strength… if something serious happened, things would get out of hand. Then Liu Xixian said fiercely, "Would you be willing to come with me outside the palace to find a place to settle this?"

Li Ji snorted coldly: "Lord Liu, whoever that big shot is, he must have been summoned by the Emperor to enter the palace. Do you think he would keep quiet about what he just saw in front of the Emperor?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xixian felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water. His expression changed drastically, and his momentum immediately deflated. However, he stubbornly maintained his composure and pointed at Li Ji, saying, "I will not let this matter rest until it is resolved!" He then turned around hastily and ran towards the Shence Army headquarters.

Li Ji hurried back to the Yingwu Army headquarters, only to bump into Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming as they were leaving. Seeing the two eunuchs' expressions—three parts astonishment and seven parts panic—he immediately scolded them, "Chief Guard, you've been reckless this time..."

Li Ji waved his hand: "Whether it's reckless or not, let's talk about that later. Shouldn't you two hurry to the palace to find Wang Junrong? The truth of this matter, and the outcome, all depend on whether it's Wang Junrong or Dan Tingyao who should go and lodge a complaint with the Emperor first!"

Dou and Huo hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, you're right." They then tried to rush out of the yamen. Ma Sui then stepped out from behind them and said in a deep voice to Li Ji, "Those people are all being held in the courtroom for now. We need to get their confessions quickly..."

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Emperor Li Heng of the Tang Dynasty sat alone in the Golden Palace.

The Golden Palace is located in the western part of the inner court of Daming Palace, north of Yanying Hall and on the southwest bank of Taiye Pond. In the past, when Taiye Pond was excavated, earth was piled up on its southwest side to form a hill called "Golden Palace Slope". At the top of the slope is Linde Hall, the largest detached palace complex in the palace. The Golden Palace is located halfway up the slope, and there are no other buildings to its northeast. From this high vantage point, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the magnificent scenery of Taiye Pond.

However, at this moment, Li Heng had no interest in appreciating the beauty of Taiye Lake. He wore an ochre-yellow casual robe, his black gauze turban just removed and tossed aside. He sat on the couch, one leg extended horizontally, the other knee propped up, and spread dozens of sheets of paper on the couch and his knee—

This is the stack of Li Bai's poems that Li Ji presented to him through Wang Jiahe.

Many of these poems and essays were ones that Li Heng had not only read but could also recite, and some he was only seeing today. He recalled that when he was still the Crown Prince, the current Emperor Emeritus, the former Emperor Kaiyuan, appointed Li Bai as a Hanlin Academician and frequently summoned him to his presence to compose poems on assigned topics. At that time, the Emperor Emeritus was already very old, and his daily companions were either Yang Guifei or Gao Lishi; he rarely wanted the Crown Prince to accompany him. However, whenever Li Bai composed a poem or essay, Li Heng would lavishly bribe eunuchs like Gao Lishi to request copies for his recitation.

In Li Bai's writings, besides occasional works like "Qingping Diao," there are also descriptions of the magnificent landscapes of the Tang Dynasty, the surging Yellow River, the vast Yangtze River, the perilous Shu Road, the breathtaking beauty of Mount Lu, the Phoenix Terrace, the Yellow Crane Tower... This makes Li Heng, who was confined to the Sixteen Princes' Residence like a caged bird, seem to have sprouted wings of imagination and can soar freely in the clear sky...

During those lonely and anxious days, there was very little solace, and Li Bai's poems and prose accounted for a considerable portion of that.

I certainly couldn't have imagined back then that things would turn out so drastically, and that I would finally be able to enter the Daming Palace after going through so many hardships and struggles, but I will never see Li Bai again.

Li Heng naturally knew Li Bai's whereabouts. That talented man, known as the "banished immortal," was ambitious beyond measure, yet oblivious to the prevailing trend. At the outset of the rebellion, instead of serving Li Heng in Lingwu or following the Emperor to Shu, he went to attach himself to Prince Yong, Li Lin, ultimately leading to his imprisonment. When Li Heng received the petition from Song Ruosi, the Prefect of Xuancheng and Inspector of Jiangnan West Circuit, requesting Li Bai's pardon, he was extremely furious. He felt an indescribable humiliation, as if betrayed by his idol. He immediately decreed that Li Bai's crime not be pardoned and, according to the law, exiled him to Yelang.

—You've been to many places. While I was imprisoned in the imperial court, you were able to roam freely with your sword, traveling the world at will... But you haven't been to the miasma-ridden southwest, have you? Why don't you go and see if you leave behind any special poems?

However, Li Bai ultimately failed to reach Yelang County—last year, Guanzhong suffered a severe drought, and Henan was plagued by bandits. Emperor Li Heng issued a general amnesty, commuting death sentences to exile and pardoning those already sentenced to exile. It is said that Li Bai was pardoned halfway through his journey, and thus traveled down the river, turning back to Xuancheng… In Song Ruosi's previous memorial, he also copied Li Bai's new work—"Departing from Baidi City at Dawn":

"In the midst of the colorful clouds of the White Emperor, thousands of miles of rivers and mountains are returned in one day. The apes on both sides of the bank can't stop crying, and the light boat has passed the Ten Thousand Mountains."

The world has turned upside down, and the world has changed, yet he remains, and his literary talent endures… Perhaps Mr. Li Bai is approaching sixty this year? It's truly hard to reconcile those vibrant and unrestrained masterpieces with the image of an aging man. Should we summon him back to court, to rejoin the Hanlin Academy, so that I may once again be close to his esteemed presence? Otherwise, I fear it will leave a lasting regret…

Li Heng fell into deep thought, a faint sense of self-reproach rising in his heart. However, his thoughts, mainly a rare and inexplicable sadness, were interrupted by the announcement of a eunuch: "Please inform the court that Dan Tingyao is outside requesting an audience."

Li Heng angrily shook the poem in his hand: "I won't see it! Send it back to reflect on its actions!"

The eunuch repeatedly agreed and was about to leave when Li Heng stopped him again: "Summon Li Ji to see me. Also, go to the Ministry of Rites and ask Yao Ziyan if there are any candidates who passed the imperial examinations this spring..."

He lowered his head, rummaged through the manuscript, and quickly found the passage: "Hao's original name was Wan, then Yan. On the day of Wan, he did not travel far to Jiangdong to visit Bai... Hao was self-confident all his life, and some people thought him crazy. Bai met him and they got along well. Bai gave him a poem, saying, 'You will surely make a great name for yourself in the future. Do not forget this old man and Mingyue Nu.' So he showed him all his writings and asked Hao to compile them..."

"...Is there a man named Wei Hao? Has he been selected? Report back to me immediately."

The eunuch obeyed and left. Before long, he reported that Li Ji was requesting an audience outside the palace. Li Heng casually gathered the poems together and placed them on the table. He then picked up his turban, straightened it, and put it on his head before ordering, "Let him in."

Li Ji, dressed in his official robes—naturally without his double maces—entered with a bow and knelt in greeting. Li Heng slightly raised his right hand: "Rise, and sit down." A eunuch then brought over a futon and placed it beside the imperial couch.

As soon as Li Ji sat down, Li Heng asked, "Since the time when Ding An was in power, you moved out of the Forbidden City with Chang Yuan. It has been three years now, hasn't it?"

"It has been less than three years, only two years and seven months, and I have not yet been able to pay my respects to the Emperor."

Li Heng smiled slightly: "It's been quite a while. I'm busy with state affairs and often unwell. Although I know you serve the Yingwu Army, I haven't had time to summon you for a chat. Do you still correspond with Changyuan? Has he made any progress in his cultivation?"

Li Heng was sizing up Li Ji, and Li Ji was also glancing at Li Heng out of the corner of his eye. He felt that the emperor was even fatter than he had been in Ding'an, but it was obvious that the extra weight was just excess fat; although his complexion was ruddy, the weather was still cold, and there was no stove lit in the Golden Palace, so Li Heng's flushed cheeks were quite abnormal...

It seems that the rumors circulating outside that the emperor is unwell, suffering from fevers every few days, and has therefore entrusted all state affairs to Li Fuguo—there's no smoke without fire.

Upon hearing Li Heng inquire about Li Bi, Li Ji clasped his hands and replied, "There was indeed correspondence, but the distance was vast, making communication difficult. In the past two years, I have only received two replies from my elder brother. The letters were brief, mostly describing the recent situation of family members, but with little mention of himself. I wonder what stage his cultivation has reached..."

Each letter from Li Ji was lengthy and detailed, meticulously recording his experiences, the political climate at court, and his victories and defeats on the battlefield, hoping Li Bi could offer some advice. Although the journey was long and it would take at least half a year to receive a reply, even if Li Ji could truly know the three kingdoms of the world from his humble abode, his suggestions would be too delayed to be of much use. But at least they could still serve as a reference, right?

To everyone's surprise, Li Bi's reply was very simple, focusing mainly on his family's situation and completely omitting any mention of politics or military affairs, offering only a few words of encouragement to Li Ji at most. As for his own health and cultivation level, he didn't mention them at all.

Hearing Li Ji's words, Li Heng couldn't help but sigh: "I have wronged Changyuan... In the past, Changyuan resolutely resigned because he thought the war would be over and the country would be safe. He was afraid of rumors and did not want to stand in the court again. Who would have thought that two years would pass so quickly? Although An Qingxu is dead, Shi Siming rebelled again, and the government army suffered repeated defeats... If Changyuan were still alive, how could things have come to this?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Forget it. Your attitude towards Li Mi is good, but it's far from being one of complete obedience. Especially during the fall of the two capitals and the hardships of exile, you were panicked and at least willing to listen to some advice. But once the two capitals are recovered and the Ming Dynasty is firmly established, will you still be able to distinguish between good and bad advice? The principles of being close to the virtuous and keeping away from the petty, accepting advice and rejecting slander, are two closely linked ends. It's impossible for a monarch to employ treacherous officials like Li Fuguo and Yu Chaoen while simultaneously trusting virtuous ministers like Li Mi. Putting aside other matters, are you willing to unwaveringly trust Guo Ziyi and Zhang Hao? If you could, there would be no need for Li Mi; the country would have been largely stable long ago!"

But he only dared to grumble in his heart, and it was inconvenient for him to say these words out loud. In fact, Li Ji deeply hated Li Heng. When he was thousands of miles away and heard that the bastard emperor had made another foolish move, he would often think: I might as well just stab that guy to death! However, when he faced Li Heng face to face, and the distance was no more than five steps, even if he didn't have any weapons, given Li Heng's unfortunate appearance and weak physique, he could probably strangle him to death if he pounced on him, so Li Ji didn't dare to make a move.

Firstly, I felt it wasn't worth it for a fine man like myself to perish alongside a scoundrel emperor; secondly, the chaos hadn't subsided, and any major upheaval in the palace could trigger even greater turmoil. Putting aside everything else, if the news reached the front lines, the Tang army would surely collapse, and Nan Jiyun, Lei Wanchun, and others might very well be killed because of me…

Furthermore, Empress Zhang is still in the Daming Palace, while Li Yu is far away in the Taiji Palace and Li Shi is in the Baisun Residence. If Li Heng were killed now, the only one who could secretly laugh and seize power would be Empress Zhang!

However, Li Ji had no intention of echoing Li Heng's lies, and could only listen quietly with his head down, offering no response. Li Heng paused for a moment, then asked, "I also ordered the Hengzhou government to build a Taoist temple for Changyuan on Mount Heng to help him cultivate in seclusion, but upon receiving the reward, he refused to live in the temple and wanted to go deep into the mountains. I wonder why? Does he have a grudge against me?"

This time, Li Ji could no longer ignore it and hurriedly explained, "I once escorted my elder brother to Hengshan, but we were attacked by assassins. I have already reported this to the Crown Prince and the Prince of Fengjie. As a result, my elder brother dares not reside in the official Taoist temple, lest his whereabouts become known..."

Li Heng leaned forward slightly and asked, "I also ordered the prefectures and counties to investigate this matter and arrest the assassin, but unfortunately it was unsuccessful. You were by Changyuan's side that day, do you know who sent the assassin? An Qingxu or Shi Siming?"

Li Ji thought to himself that Zhou Zhi might have already surrendered to Shi Siming at that time, but considering the time and distance, it was also possible that it was an order issued when he was still serving An Qingxu. I can't be sure. However, after thinking for a while, he replied: "The rebels certainly hate my elder brother, but there may also be jealous people in the court. This is why my elder brother was unwilling to stay for long."

Li Bi, who "embraced the bones of the immortals at night and donned the robes of a first-rank official in the morning," entered the court alone, without any connections or allies. How could those former officials possibly tolerate him? Even when he was still in the capital, numerous impeachment memorials were sent to the palace, some questioning his abilities, others his conduct, and most advising the emperor not to bypass the normal promotion channels and easily appoint those who had risen through the ranks by chance... Including Li Fuguo and Yu Chaoen, who addressed him respectfully as "Master Changyuan" to his face, secretly hoping for Li Bi's downfall.

A key reason why Li Heng trusted Li Mi was that Li Mi had no power base or faction in the court, making him easier to control—in short, the same mentality he had towards heavily relying on eunuchs. And precisely because of this, Li Mi had no choice but to leave; otherwise, he would inevitably be slandered by petty people and face a terrible end.

Furthermore, Li Ji surmised that Li Bi had gradually come to understand Li Heng's character, realizing that he was no longer the loyal and kind Crown Prince confined to the Eastern Palace. Past relationships couldn't be relied upon for long. Therefore, taking advantage of the recovery of the two capitals and the improved situation, he decided to make his escape quickly…

Chapter 40, Turning a Major Issue into a Minor One

When Li Heng inquired about the assassination attempt on Mount Heng, Li Ji said it was hard to say who sent the assassin; perhaps it was a traitor, or maybe someone from the court…

He was also resentful, hence his words, intended to provoke Li Heng. Li Heng was no fool; upon hearing this, he was speechless. Just then, a eunuch peered out from the doorway, and Li Heng seized the opportunity to change the subject, beckoning and asking, "What is it?"

The eunuch bowed and reported: "This servant has just returned from the Ministry of Rites. The examiner Yao Sheren reported that among this year's candidates, there is indeed a man named Wei Hao from Liaocheng who has passed the exam and ranked fourth in the second class."

Li Heng curled his lip slightly and said, "Since Li Bai said that he 'will surely become famous throughout the world,' how can he only be ranked fourth?" He casually picked up paper and pen from the table, wrote a few words, and handed them to the eunuch serving by the bedside to pass on.

Upon hearing the name 'Wei Hao', Li Ji seized the opportunity to pull out two pieces of paper from his pocket and presented them with both hands: "Regarding the scholar Wei Hao, I have already questioned him and obtained the truth. His confession is here."

This was the confession of the prisoners that he and Ma Sui had just collected after working for half a day. It was also the evidence of the Shence Army's crimes. He hadn't had time to hand it over to Wang Jiahe yet, but since he happened to have it with him, he presented it directly to Li Heng.

The matter concerning Wei Hao was now completely clear. Wei Hao was wealthy, and although he had come to Chang'an to take the imperial examinations and was staying at an inn, he was known for his extravagant spending, frequently hosting banquets for friends or frequenting brothels. This attracted the attention of Jia Mingguan and his associates. So today, they broke into the inn, fabricated charges, arrested Wei Hao, and planned to seize his money.

Wei Hao naturally protested his innocence. During the argument, the Shence soldiers tried to seize his bundle. His servant, knowing it contained Li Bai's poems, which his master valued more than his life, hastily grabbed it and fled. It's likely that Jia Mingguan mistakenly believed the bundle was full of money and wealth, and led his troops in hot pursuit, only to unexpectedly run into Li Ji…

The confession was presented, but after Li Heng took it from the eunuch, he didn't look at it, casually tossing it aside and only pressing it with his right hand. He asked Li Ji, "Could you perhaps ask Chang Yuan to come out of seclusion again to assist me?"

Li Ji replied, "I have often said the same thing, but my elder brother has never responded. If we are to ask my elder brother to come out of seclusion, His Majesty will have to issue an imperial edict."

Li Heng said "Oh," and after a moment of silence, he said, "Your merits have been reported by Prince Qi, Wang Jiahe, and others, and Shi'er has mentioned them from time to time. Don't worry, I remember them all. Just focus on your duties and lead the Imperial Guards well for me. I have already failed Changyuan, and I will never fail you, Li Changwei." With a wave of his hand, he ordered Li Ji to leave.

Li Ji rose, bowed, and backed out of the hall. Turning his head, he saw Wang Jiahe huddled behind a pillar by the door, peeking out. Upon seeing him emerge, Wang Jiahe waved repeatedly. Li Ji went over and bowed, saying, "General Wang."

Wang Jiahe frowned and said to Li Ji, "I know you, Li Erlang, must be someone who hates evil as if it were your enemy, but in this capital, there are some things that are better left unseen... Fortunately, I brought Tingyao to meet the Emperor first today, otherwise I'm afraid it would have been difficult to get through this..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "You were able to see Li Heng first, it must not be because you were lucky, but because I reacted quickly and planned well. In addition, I have two eunuchs in my Yingwu Army office, unlike Liu Xixian, who had to go through several procedures to notify Dan Tingyao in the inner court in time."

Besides, both the central and inner courts are under the control of my valiant army. It would be easy to delay the messenger sent by Liu Xixian.

However, he still clasped his hands in thanks to Wang Jiahe: "Thank you for today's matter, General Wang. I didn't intend to make a big fuss, but the Shence Army is too arrogant. They actually kidnapped this year's candidates, and I just heard from the Emperor that the Ministry of Rites has already selected them... Moreover, during the interrogation, it was discovered that this kind of evil deed is not an isolated incident. Liu Xixian and his gang often frame wealthy people in the city, falsely accusing them of illegal acts, torturing and extorting them for ransom. Even candidates with a little wealth, staying at inns, cannot escape being killed. After all, the Yingwu and Shence Armed Forces are both from the Northern Army, guarding the east and west. If their affairs are exposed, we may also be implicated. It's better for me to start a fight first..."

Wang Jiahe interrupted him, stretching out his hand: "Where is the confession?"

Li Ji said, "It will be presented to the sage."

Wang Jiahe was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then shook his head: "Changwei, you know very little about the affairs of the palace... That confession should have been given to me first, and then I would have observed the Emperor's expression of joy or anger before presenting it to him at an opportune moment..."

His point was that reporting the whole story to the emperor now might not be the best time, and the effect might not be very good.

Sure enough, an imperial edict was issued the following day, dismissing Dan Tingyao from his post as the military inspector of the Shence Army and replacing him with Chen Xianfu—who was still the Empress's man. Furthermore, not a single word was mentioned about Dan Tingyao's misdeeds, as if they had never happened; it was simply that the Emperor was dissatisfied with his performance, hence the replacement.

As for Liu Xixian, they didn't ask at all—at most, they would give him a verbal warning in private.

Li Ji was prepared for this. Although, as Wang Jiahe said, the timing of his submission was not ideal, he thought, "I can tolerate making a big deal out of a small one, but I absolutely cannot allow a small deal to disappear. Isn't this a great opportunity to strike at the Shence Army? How could I not have a countermeasure?"

In fact, he had already secretly conspired with Ma Sui to spread the whole story in the hopes of arousing the righteous indignation of the literati—or, in other words, to evoke a sense of shared sorrow among the common people.

Because the Shence Army colluded with some minor officials in the Jingzhao Prefecture, they not only took advantage of the city patrols to torture and plunder wealthy households, but also brutally attacked scholars—if it weren't for the latter, this matter would probably have been completely suppressed—the victims were not just Wei Hao alone.

By this time, the Tang Dynasty had largely changed the situation since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, where powerful clans held sway and monopolized high-ranking positions, and commoners also had opportunities to rise in rank. However, powerful and influential families still wielded considerable prestige and influence in the court. Furthermore, the imperial examination system, especially the Jinshi examination, did not solely rely on written answers but also considered reputation and connections. This led to candidates currying favor with officials, and officials protecting candidates, making it easy to form a community of shared interests.

Even though Wei Hao was not famous and could only stay in an inn when he came to Chang'an, he was not without connections. It is said that Wei Zhigu, the prime minister in the early Kaiyuan era, was related to him through various connections.

The scholar class fears only imperial power, and is not afraid of, and even despises, military men. Now, these military men dare to trample on scholars. This is one thing if it happens in other places, but to do such a heinous act right under the emperor's nose is intolerable! Scholars are the pillars of the nation and the backbone of the court. How can they be bullied by military men? If I remain silent today when you arrest scholars, you might directly target officials tomorrow!

Especially considering that the Imperial Guards are backed by eunuchs, we could tolerate Li Fuguo and Yu Chaoen—because we couldn't fight them—but now that Yu Chaoen is away, what are people like Dan Tingyao?!

Two days later, Lü Yin, Vice Minister of War, Li Qijun, Imperial Censor, and Cui Youfu, Attendant-in-Waiting, submitted memorials requesting the reorganization of the Northern Garrison and the Jingzhao Prefecture.

The court ordered Guo Ziyi, the Grand Tutor and Military Governor of Binning and Fufang, to handle this matter together with Lü Yin.

—Binning originally belonged to Shuofang. Based on his distrust of the generals in charge of the provinces and his concerns about the excessive military power of the regional military governors, Li Heng last year separated nine prefectures, including Binning, and established separate regional military governors. He then further separated the four prefectures north of the Wei River from Binning and established the Fufang regional military governorship. Previously, Guo Ziyi had relinquished his position as marshal and returned to Chang'an. Li Heng immediately appointed him as the regional military governor of both Binning and Fufang, but did not allow him to take office, keeping him in the capital.

After receiving the imperial edict, Guo Ziyi first consulted with Lü Yin, saying, "We should seek the opinion of those in power." Lü Yin replied, "I believe the Emperor's intention is not to escalate the matter, but merely to punish them slightly to silence public opinion. Now, the Prime Minister certainly dares not disobey the Emperor, so why bother asking?"

Guo Ziyi frowned and asked, "How could Lord Lü and I possibly discern the Emperor's intentions? We should inquire with those close to the Emperor..."

This made his point very clear. Lü Yin said angrily, "If you want to ask, then go and ask yourself. I will never associate with eunuchs!"

Guo Ziyi smiled and said, "Lord Lü's upright character is admirable—then I will go and ask him."

So he took the initiative to find Li Fuguo and ask for his opinion on the matter. Li Fuguo advised, "The evil deeds were truly the work of Shen Ce. Why should the Northern Army be reformed? Besides, Lord Guo has also commanded troops and knows that soldiers don't have many thoughts; they only know how to obey orders. Now that Dan Tingyao has been dismissed, Liu Xixian was promoted by Yu Junrong and is just being driven by others. He shouldn't be blamed too much. As for the Jingzhao Prefecture, it does indeed need a thorough overhaul."

Guo Ziyi then asked, "Li Ji of the Yingwu Army was the one who caused this incident. I wonder how the Emperor views him?"

Li Fuguo smiled and said, "The Sage summoned Li Ji that day, but did not mention this matter. Instead, he only inquired about the recent situation of Mr. Changyuan..."

Guo Ziyi understood, so he and Lü Yin first went to the Yingwu Army headquarters to inquire in detail about the events of that day from Li Ji. Then they went to the Shence Army headquarters, allowing Liu Xixian to pin all the blame on Dan Tingyao and several low-ranking officers, including Xu Yu. Guo and Lü then jointly submitted a memorial proposing the appropriate handling of the Imperial Guards.

First, most of the armies in the Northern Army are merely shells; only the Yingwu and Shence armies, along with the Weiyuan Battalion, have a relatively substantial number of troops. It is recommended to merge the Left and Right Yulin, Left and Right Longwu, Left and Right Shenwu, and Left and Right Yingwu armies, and expand the Weiyuan Battalion into a full army, which, along with the Shence and others, would still constitute the six armies.

This was mainly Guo Ziyi's opinion, based on his intuition as a military commander.

Second, since the Shence Army has already been ordered to enter the garrison, it is not appropriate to establish it again in Lintao West Pass, Mohuanchuan, and Shanzhou. This title should belong solely to the Northern Army.

Thirdly, it has been found that some of the Shence Army soldiers, taking advantage of their city patrols, extorted money from wealthy households and scholars. This was all due to the inducement of minor officials in the Jingzhao Prefecture. Dan Tingyao bears the responsibility for lax supervision, but since he has already been dismissed, Liu Xixian and others were unaware of this and should not be punished. Xu Yu and six other generals, although they acted illegally, were in fact deceived. They should be expelled from the Imperial Guard and released to the outside world, awaiting punishment and meritorious service.

—This is actually where Guo Ziyi's benevolence lies. Originally, Liu Xixian had pushed Xu Yu and others to take the blame. According to Lü Yin's idea, they should all be exiled. However, Guo Ziyi knew that these lower-ranking military officers often had no choice in the matter. Out of his love for talent, he made an exception for them.

Fourth, Li Ji and others of the Yingwu Army have committed wicked acts and should be commended.

As for the Jingzhao Prefecture, and the two counties of Chang'an and Wannian, the punishment was much harsher. The Jingzhao Prefect Zheng Shuqing and the magistrates of the two counties were all dismissed from their posts, and fourteen arresting officials, including Jia Mingguan, were all sentenced to exile.

After the memorial was submitted, Li Fuguo gave his approval, and the Council of State Affairs passed it. The Left and Right Heroic Armies were thus merged into one, with Dou Wenchang appointed as the Chief Military Commander and Huo Xianming as the Chief Military Advisor—both were commissioner positions, and their ranks remained unchanged. Secondly, Li Ji was promoted to Chief Secretary of the Heroic Armies, his rank and position were combined, and he was promoted to the sixth rank, upper grade. Ma Sui remained as the Registrar and Military Advisor, and his rank was promoted by one grade.

Ma Sui then sighed to Li Ji, "I'm afraid the Yingwu and Shence armies will become bitter enemies." Li Ji smiled and comforted him, "It won't come to that." That evening, he hosted another banquet at Lü Miaozhen's house to entertain more than a dozen Shence army generals, including Xu Yu and the other six who had been expelled.

Xu Yu and the others were naturally frowning, but Li Ji raised his cup to congratulate them. Xu Yu said with a bitter face, "Second Brother, please don't make fun of us. We have been punished, what is there to congratulate us on?" He paused, but quickly clarified, "Of course, we will not resent Second Brother. It's all because... Liu Xixian is despicable! He was the one who offered the plan to Dan Junrong, but he pushed us to take the blame."

Li Ji laughed and said, "As the saying goes, 'misfortune may be a blessing in disguise,' so drink this cup of wine, and I have a generous gift to offer you."

Xu Yu and the others were forced to drink their cups. Then Li Ji took out a letter from his pocket and slowly said, "A man should fight on the battlefield and earn his place with swords and spears. How can you be a mere halberd bearer for long? Besides, you are all from Longyou. The barbarian bandits have been invading for years. Even if you live in Chang'an, you must not feel at ease. This letter recommends that you go to the Qi King's staff in Longyou. I believe you will be useful. Isn't that better than suffering the wrath of Liu Xixian here?"

Then, however, his face hardened, and he said, "If you still cherish the peace and tranquility of the capital and do not wish to take any more risks, I will burn this book and find you another safe place to go."

He pretended to bring the letter closer to the candlelight, startling Xu Yu, who quickly snatched it away with both hands, saying, "We should accept your kind offer, Erlang. But living in Chang'an is not easy. It's not just about enduring Liu Xixian's wrath. The locals often see us as peasants, and our soldiers are always ridiculed when they go out. Extorting wealthy households and scholars before was probably to vent our anger. Why not return to Longyou, serve under the King of Qi, and earn a title and a place for our wives and children with our swords and spears?"

Li Ji smiled, then handed the letter to Xu Yu, and took out two strings of cash to give them as travel expenses.

However, Li Ji also warned the other Shence Army generals, saying, "This matter is both an opportunity and a lesson. Do not have any illusions. As long as you commit evil and are punished, you can return to Longyou. If such a thing happens again, it may not just be expulsion, and I will no longer plan for you."

All the generals bowed in unison: "We will remember your kindness, Second Master; we will never dare to disobey your teachings."

Li Ji did not stay overnight in Pingkangfang that day. Before the street drum sounded, he rode back home. Qingluan greeted him and told him, "A guest will be visiting at dusk."