Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 11

Others may know little about Li Heng's character, or only have a glimpse of it, but Li Mi, who had served him personally for several years and was extremely astute and well-versed in human nature, surely understood. Therefore, upon hearing only a distant rumor that Li Heng had ascended the throne in Lingwu, he knew it must have been orchestrated by his subordinates, not of his own volition. Li Ji repeatedly inquired about the emperor's temperament from him. At first, Li Mi was vague, but gradually he opened up and revealed the truth to Li Ji in detail.

Li Bi's subtext was: First, the current emperor is a good person, so don't worry about us falling out one day; second, the current emperor is very weak, and without my assistance and support, he probably won't be able to get through this hurdle, so I must go out of the mountains to help him!

Li Ji was also cunning—living up to his nickname "Old Devil"—using the mask of a rough countryman to try and win Li Heng's favor, gradually extracting some benefits for himself. That night at the barbecue, he had successfully tested his skills, so when asked about it tonight, he immediately seized the opportunity, crossing his arms and saying, "Not satisfactory."

Li Heng wasn't offended. He looked at Li Ji and said, "Is it because I haven't bestowed any silk upon you, and you're still wearing hemp clothing, that you're unhappy?"

Li Ji said no, "My elder brother also wears hemp clothes, how dare I, as his younger brother, wear silk? It's just that I am naturally active, but His Majesty only calls my elder brother to go every day, leaving me in the courtyard with nothing to do, which makes me quite depressed."

Li Ji hoped the emperor would issue an order allowing him to continue accompanying Li Bi on the journey out of the city to reward the troops. However, Li Heng smiled and said, "I have important military and state affairs to discuss with Changyuan. Even if you follow, you have no right to object—just like before—wouldn't that be even more frustrating?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "I was just about to interrupt, but did I dare? Would you allow me to interrupt?"

Li Heng turned to Li Fuguo and said, "Give Li Ji a token of authorization, allowing him to move freely within the palace."

Li Fuguo was shocked upon hearing this and hurriedly said, "Everyone, Li Ji is just a commoner. How can he move around in the palace at will? This is illegal... This is unprecedented."

Li Heng said displeasedly, "It is unprecedented for a commoner to reside in the palace. As you say, are you going to expel him and Changyuan together?!"

Li Fuguo hurriedly bowed: "This old servant dares not..."

Li Bi chimed in from the side:

Your Majesty, it is already an honor for me to serve in the palace. My younger brother is young and inexperienced; how can he be allowed to follow suit? What if he causes trouble…”

Li Heng laughed and said, "Li Ji is an honest man, what trouble could he possibly cause? Now that he is an adult, how can he be confined to his small nest like a fledgling bird? You can imagine how bored I was when I was in the 'Ten Kings Palace'." He then said, "Alright, there's no need for him to walk around in the palace. Let him pass through here to leave the palace and wander around the streets."

Will letting him wander the streets cause trouble? Even if he does cause trouble, it won't damage the royal dignity, and I can naturally issue an edict of leniency—Changyuan, you don't need to worry.

However, Li Bi couldn't help but worry, but he wasn't worried about Li Ji—others might not know, but didn't he? That "old devil" was cunning! What he was worried about was—

"Hearing what was just said, the Emperor does not trust Generals Guo and Li, and the two generals also seem to be arrogant because of their favor. As a result, the affairs of the state will be even more troubled..."

He said these words to Li Ji in private after Li Heng left. Li Ji smiled and replied, "Brother, the affairs of the world and the work of the people of the world cannot be shouldered by one person alone. Even if you have the strategies of Yi Yin and Lü Shang, and the talents of Xiao He and Cao Shen, you must guard against the disunity of the people and the obstacles that will hinder you in everything. Even if you are made of iron, how many nails can you hammer? You should have been mentally prepared for this long ago."

Li Bi sighed, "That's true. Perhaps I did oversimplify things before..."

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The next morning, Li Fuguo came to pick up Li Bi again, and handed Li Ji a small waist token. He repeatedly reminded him, "Go east after you leave the courtyard gate. After a few turns and a few loops, you will find a side gate. Go out and wander around as you please, but absolutely do not wander around the palace! If you offend any important person, we will have to use the emperor to clean up your mess—how can you be so shameless?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "What's there to be embarrassed about? It's just that I have absolutely no interest in the palace and the nobles. Even if you asked me to wander around, I probably wouldn't. Now that I can leave the palace, isn't the vast city of Ding'an enough for me to relax?"

As soon as Li Bi left, he couldn't contain his excitement and even stopped his daily morning exercise, which he never missed. He was already planning to go out of the palace for a stroll. Of course, he had to go back to his quarters first to pack his things—he wouldn't make the same mistake as some characters in novels who forget their roots after a few days of good times and go out without even taking any money.

The bundle he carried all the way from Yingyang naturally contained some money, though not much. Fortunately, he hadn't spent much of it along the way. Originally, it contained thirty Kaiyuan Tongbao coins, but now he had twenty-six left. Li Ji had been living in the countryside with Li Bi since he was a minor, and the rural custom was bartering, so he had little concept of currency. Therefore, even now, Li Ji had no idea how much purchasing power these twenty-odd coins actually had…

These coins were originally sent to Li Bi by Li Heng when he was still the Crown Prince in Chang'an. Li Bi mostly refused to accept them, keeping only thirty as a memento, which he took with him on this trip. Therefore, the coins bestowed by the Crown Prince were all in excellent condition, bright yellow and shiny, with wide rims and narrow borders, and clear characters. Theoretically, although they were all worth one qian, due to the imperfect monetary system, coins in good condition often had greater purchasing power. If they were thin coins or even counterfeit coins (privately minted, they could still circulate), they could be worth two or three qian each.

Li Ji had tucked the money away, hung up his waist token, and given instructions to the eunuchs. Just as he was about to leave, Li Shi, who seemed oblivious to everything, ran over again, his eyes fixed on the token at Li Ji's waist, a look of envy on his face. Li Shi then said, "I've heard that the Emperor has bestowed this token, allowing you free access to the palace…would you be willing to take me with you for a stroll?"

He sighed, "Although I am a prince, I cannot swagger out of the palace gates. I am confined to this palace day and night, and my father is busy with state affairs and rarely pays attention to me... It's so suffocating!"

Li Ji casually asked, "Where's your mother? Didn't she come to Ding'an with you? Did she stay in Lingwu?"

Li Shi, if he hadn't listened to these words, would have been fine, but now that he had, his features contorted, his eyes reddened, and he immediately turned away, wiping away tears with his sleeve. Li Ji was startled, thinking, "Is the child's mother dead?" With the medical level of that era, it wasn't uncommon for even members of the imperial family to die young.

He quickly went over and supported Li Shi's shoulder, apologizing, "I was unaware of the situation and misspoke. Your Highness, please forgive me. Don't cry. You're about to come of age and are an adult. How can you shed tears so easily?"

Li Shi didn't turn around, only sobbing as he said, "If my mother were already gone, perhaps I wouldn't be so sad... Actually, she... never mind, there's no need to tell you about family scandals..."

Li Ji guessed that the child's mother had most likely been deposed. Based on his memories of this life, he knew that the Tang people did not value a woman's lifelong fidelity, divorce was common, and the practice of ex-wives was even more prevalent. The retired emperor had even forced his son to divorce, and then took in his son's second wife, so it was highly likely that Li Shi's parents were divorced—he just didn't know whether his mother was originally the principal wife of the Prince of Guangping or a concubine.

Li Shi wiped away his tears for a while and then calmed down—although it was a deep and unforgettable pain, he was still a child and his emotions changed quickly—still with red eyes, he turned back to look at Li Ji with his big eyes, pouting and saying, "My mother is not here, and my father doesn't care about me. I'm so pitiful. Don't you want to take me out of the palace for a stroll?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Stop acting cute! If you were five or six years younger, acting cute would be acceptable, but you're already a high school student. Who would feel sorry for you if you act pitiful and miserable?"

So he made an excuse, saying, "I can manage to travel alone, but if Your Highness were to accompany me... I don't have that much money!"

Even in the smallest county town, there will always be some street vendors, right? Besides, I originally planned to go out and wander around all day, even having lunch outside the palace.

Chapter Twenty-Three: The White-Clad Hermit

Prince Jianning, Li Tan, suddenly arrived at the door and brought up the matter of being appointed marshal the night before. Upon hearing this, Li Ji's heart skipped a beat—could it be that Li Tan, you've come to interrogate me? Or do you want to plead with Li Bi to change his mind and let you be the marshal?

But Li Tan continued, “However, the Prince of Guangping is older and should bear the weight of the world on his shoulders. How could I possibly overstep my bounds? Fortunately, Mr. Changyuan spoke up and made the Emperor abandon this idea and appoint the Prince as the Marshal instead. Mr. Changyuan’s concerns were exactly what I was thinking. He truly understands me! That’s why I rushed here to thank him.”

This was quite unexpected for Li Ji. Although he bowed slightly and lowered his head, he rolled his eyes and carefully observed Li Tan's expression—it didn't seem like he was being sarcastic or putting on airs. He deliberately probed, "I heard from the Prince of Fengjie that..." He first shifted the blame to the boy—"Your Majesty is both learned and skilled in martial arts, and possesses a heroic spirit. You are more suitable than the Prince of Guangping to lead troops and be a marshal. Although there is an order of seniority, for the sake of the country, why doesn't Your Majesty step down?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized that I had spoken in a rather flowery and literary way... Oh well, I'll just consider this a paraphrase of what Li Shi said.

Li Tan, as expected, did not suspect anything, but said solemnly, "Although I am older, in terms of loyalty and compassion, I am far inferior to my brother, the Prince of Guangping. If it is to command an army and fight the enemy in battle, I will certainly strive for this position. However, if it is to serve as marshal, supervising the generals and coordinating military affairs on behalf of the Emperor, then only my brother, the Prince of Guangping, is the best candidate! Moreover, if I become the marshal and achieve merit, then my brother..."

Suddenly realizing that there was no need to talk to a boor like Li Ji about the possibility of ending up in the awkward position of having to fight for the throne, he interrupted and shut his mouth.

Li Ji, his heart filled with restless desire, could not contain himself any longer and reminded the other party, "Your Highness's words were so numerous that I only vaguely understood them and could not possibly relay them. Please find another opportunity to speak to my elder brother in person."

What he meant was, whether you genuinely didn't want to be marshal or were pretending not to care about becoming crown prince, it was all pointless for you to tell me. You should thank Li Bi in public and in person, and hope that your words would reach the ears of the Emperor and the Prince of Guangping.

Upon hearing this, Li Tan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "That is indeed the case." He then nodded slightly to Li Ji and turned to leave.

In fact, Li Shi had already returned by this time. Hearing Uncle Wang's voice from afar, he dared not show himself and hid in the corner of the wall to wait quietly. Only when Li Tan had gone far away did he rush into the courtyard and whisper, "The money is ready, and I have changed into civilian clothes—Li Ji, let's go!"

However, Li Ji seemed not to hear, only staring blankly in the direction Li Tan had left, stroking his short beard, lost in thought...

What was Li Ji thinking? He pondered that this matter was definitely not as simple as it seemed on the surface!

First, the important military and national affairs discussed last night were known only to the Emperor, Li Bi, Li Fuguo, and himself—coincidentally, all four of them shared the surname Li—and theoretically, they shouldn't be revealed to outsiders casually. So how did Cheng Yuanzhen know about them and then tell Li Tan?

Of course, feudal dynasties didn't have such strict secrecy systems. Revealing forbidden secrets to a prince rather than an official wasn't considered an unforgivable crime. Since Cheng Yuanzhen was supposedly Li Fuguo's confidant, he must have obtained the information from Li Fuguo. The question is, did Cheng Yuanzhen leak the information himself while trying to curry favor with Li Tan, or was he instructed by Li Fuguo?

Judging from last night's events, Li Fuguo and Li Tan are not on good terms. If Li Tan were to become marshal and harbor ambitions for the crown prince position, then Li Fuguo's attempt to mend the rift through Cheng Yuanzhen would be understandable. The problem is, Li Tan failed to become marshal because of Li Bi's advice… Is that old servant trying to sow discord between Li Tan and Li Bi? His intentions are despicable!

Then Li Tan came to thank Li Bi, but whether his gratitude was genuine or not is unknown. The key question is—was he truly a step too slow to intercept Li Bi before he went to work, or was he deliberately late? Did he come late because he wanted to convey his gratitude to Li Bi himself and didn't want everyone to know, or did he have some other motive?

Li Shi's call interrupted Li Ji's train of thought, and he could only make up an excuse: "The Prince of Jianning just came to visit..."

“I saw him, and I heard what Uncle Wang said to you.”

"So, I was thinking, I forgot to tell Prince Jianning that there's no need to send lunch today."

As the saying goes: Fitness is valuable, and delicious food is even more precious, but for the sake of freedom, both can be given up!

So he nodded to Li Shi and took a step to walk out of the courtyard, but Li Shi grabbed him and mocked, "You're not suited to leave the palace like this—look at me."

Li Ji looked closely and saw that Li Shi had already removed his princely attire, with a blue turban tied around his head, a white shirt, a cloth belt around his waist, and hemp shoes on his feet—this outfit is not much different from mine, so what did I do wrong?

Li Shi smiled and pointed to his waist: "Your sword is a standard military weapon. If it were elsewhere, it would be fine, but now that the Emperor is staying here, the city is heavily guarded. Wouldn't they check you if they saw you? You're just causing trouble, wasting time, and ruining your leisure time. Why bother?"

Li Ji slapped his forehead: "Your Highness is right, I did indeed misconsider..."

But the matter wasn't over yet. Li Shi continued to instruct, "And this brocade pouch, I originally asked Uncle Jianning for it. You're wearing hemp clothes but carrying a brocade pouch, so in other people's eyes, it must have been stolen if not robbed. Also, the talisman shouldn't be hung on your waist; it's better to put it in your pocket after leaving the palace..."

Li Ji couldn't help but blush. He thought to himself, "I've been holding back for so long, and I'm so eager to leave the palace that I haven't thought things through properly, leaving me full of flaws... I'm not even as good as a child! This Prince Fengjie is indeed clever; it's no wonder his father and grandfather love him so much. Should I pay more attention to this child? I can't be as relaxed and carefree as before."

So he asked Li Shi to wait a moment, then hurried back to the inner chambers, took off his waist knife and replaced it with Li Bi's long sword; he also removed the brocade pouch and put the pellets in a small cloth bag; finally, he took off his waist token and held it in his hand.

Only then did he lead Li Shi out of the courtyard gate, wander around, and leave the temporary palace through a side gate. They encountered no obstacles when leaving the palace; as long as they showed their waist tokens, the guards did not question them and opened the gate to let them through directly.

After leaving the palace, they paused and looked around, pondering which direction to take. Li Shi, however, was more familiar with the city's layout and immediately pointed, "The market is to the south, let's head south."

They hadn't walked far when suddenly a drumbeat sounded in their ears, followed by music, which startled Li Ji. He looked at Li Shi questioningly, and Li Shi laughed, "That's a procession with music, the emperor is leaving the palace—it's quite a spectacle, do you want to see?" Before Li Ji could answer, Li Shi grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the side street ahead.

The streets were effectively sealed off, with guards every three steps and sentries every five, and fully armed imperial guards protecting both sides. Officials and civilians alike were not allowed to overstep the boundaries. At this time, many commoners also poured out of their homes, some kneeling and some standing, gathering behind the imperial guards, craning their necks to look. Li Ji thought to himself, "Doesn't the emperor go out of the palace and city every few days to reward the newly arrived troops? I thought the common people were used to it... It seems that there are so few entertainment options in their daily lives that even if they are familiar with a play, they are willing to watch it two, three, or even countless times."

Li Ji stood in the crowd, also looking up. Before he knew it, Li Shi darted onto a stone block by the roadside—probably used for tethering horses—and placed his right hand on Li Ji's shoulder. Li Ji glanced at the little guy and whispered, "Be careful. If you fall, I might not be able to catch you in time."

Before long, the emperor's entourage arrived in a grand procession. Li Shi pointed out the route and explained to Li Ji, "The first thing is the escort, just clearing the way. There's nothing much to see... Next comes the imperial procession, followed by the cavalry guards, and then the music, including drums, flutes, xiao (vertical flutes), reed pipes, gongs, bili (a type of reed pipe), and so on..."

To be honest, Li Ji looked down on the royal aesthetics of that era. Whether it was the imperial guards, the standard bearers, or the musicians, they were all dressed in brightly colored, flamboyant clothes, which he found cumbersome and did not reflect any dignity at all. But when he looked at the people on both sides of the street, he saw mostly commoners dressed in white, with the occasional few in blue shirts or green robes. Even the girls were mostly dressed in plain colors. He guessed that ordinary people did not usually see many colors, which was why he found them beautiful.

In later generations, this would be criticized as having a rural aesthetic, likened to a wealthy old man marrying off his daughter.

As for the so-called ritual music, it sounded noisy and disruptive to him; the melodies weren't particularly beautiful, just jarring. Lao Tzu said, "The five colors blind the eye, the five sounds deafen the ear." Considering this situation, this statement is indeed true.

Fortunately, according to Li Shi, because it was difficult to prepare all the necessary items for the temporary residence, the ceremony was simplified, saving many flags and musical instruments; otherwise, it might have seemed even more "rustic".

Before long, the emperor finally arrived, but instead of riding in a carriage as per protocol, he rode a tall horse. Before and behind the emperor were more than ten riders, all officials, some in purple robes, some in scarlet robes, but one figure in plain color stood out amidst the vibrant colors—

That, of course, refers to Li Bi and Li Changyuan, who consistently refused official appointments and continued to wear the white robes of a commoner.

Li Ji couldn't help but secretly admire him: If Li Bi had also worn purple and scarlet, he would probably have blended into the crowd and wouldn't have stood out. Now, he was riding alongside the emperor, only a horse's length behind, his white clothes fluttering, and his outstanding appearance made him someone who would definitely be noticed even without looking at the emperor!

Then he heard the voices of the people around him, and one of them pointed and said, "That one in ochre is the sage." Then someone asked, "Who is the one in white?"

"That's a mountain man."

“Where did this hermit come from, that he could accompany the Emperor? I have just arrived here, do not deceive me.”

The man who had spoken earlier chuckled and said, "You can ask others yourself. How could I be lying? If I weren't a country bumpkin, how could I dare not wear official robes in the imperial procession, but instead follow along in white?"

It seemed that even Li Shi had heard these words. He leaned down slightly and whispered in Li Ji's ear, "Master Changyuan is truly dashing and majestic. I would rather not wear purple than be like him, accompanying the sage in white... Could this be what the ancients called the 'uncrowned king'?"

Li Ji glanced at him sideways and asked in a low voice, "If you don't want to wear purple, what about ochre? Would you prefer to wear ochre or white?"

Li Shi's hand on Li Ji's shoulder tightened slightly, and he immediately scolded, "Shut up! I thought you were a good person, but it turns out you're a villain, and you've become quite disrespectful..."

Li Ji couldn't help but curl his lip—your grandfather is the emperor, your father is the designated crown prince, and you are the eldest grandson of the emperor… If nothing unexpected happens, you will have a share of the throne in the future. I don't believe you would be willing to give up that ochre-yellow robe! What are you pretending for? You even said I was "insolent"… You haven't seen my petty side yet!

Of course, he knew that he could say this, but not repeatedly, so after the carriage passed by, neither of them wanted to continue the conversation. Li Shi pulled Li Ji along and headed straight for the market in the south of the city.

In those days, cities generally implemented the "li-fang system," separating residential and commercial areas for ease of management. It is said that both Xijing (Chang'an) and Dongdu (Luoyang) had two separate markets, one in the east and one in the west, while this small city of Ding'an had only one market, meaning almost all commercial activities had to be conducted within the market itself.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Early Autumn in the Military City

Old Guan, who sells buckwheat noodles, looks to be in his early forties, but his hair and beard are already gray. However, he has broad shoulders, a thick back, a straight waist and legs, and is energetic and agile. He can be considered a strong man.

He set up a thatched shed at the street corner, with a cutting board and a stove. As for where guests ate, there were no tables or chairs, only two straw mats and two old long tables.

Guided by the idler, Li Ji and Li Shi arrived at Lao Guan's shop in a few turns. There, they saw a large wok on the stove, with hot soup bubbling inside. The owner was bent over facing the cutting board, kneading a lump of dusty dough with both hands.

Upon seeing this, Li Shi frowned and said, "These noodles are so thick..." He was about to turn and leave when he suddenly sniffed and smelled a delicious aroma, which made his mouth water. He asked Li Ji, "What is this? It smells so good!" Li Ji also sniffed and replied, "It's mutton bone soup."

The mutton of those days was generally more gamey than in later generations, but the aroma emanating from this bone broth was completely free of any unpleasant odor, likely due to the ample and well-balanced use of spices. Li Ji's appetite was immediately whetted, and he pulled Li Shi to sit down at a long table. Li Shi could only lower his voice and say, "A bowl of hot soup would be nice." Then he raised his voice and asked, "How much is a bowl?"

Old Guan didn't even look up, only replying, "Two good coins, three bad coins." Then he slightly tilted his chin to the side and said, "Put it down yourself, each according to your conscience, don't try to cheat me."

Li Ji looked in the direction he pointed and saw a small, rough pottery bowl on the table. So he went over, took out four Kaiyuan Tongbao coins, and dropped them into the bowl with a "clink" sound—"Two bowls first." Old Guan's hands, which were kneading the dough, paused slightly, and then he said, "Your money is good; I haven't seen it in many years—wait a moment."

Li Ji smiled to himself, thinking to himself, "Everyone has their own conscience," but you saw it clearly with your sidelong glance, didn't you?

Although he turned back several times and sat cross-legged, he kept turning his head to watch Old Guan's movements. He saw Old Guan knead the dough, roll it into thin sheets, and then use a palm-sized piece of thin iron to cut the dough into thin strips, put them into the wok, and add a spoonful of water. After the noodles boiled twice, he used a bamboo strainer to scoop them out, put them in an earthenware bowl, added a spoonful of soup, a spoonful of vinegar, and a spoonful of pre-prepared condiments such as scallions, garlic chives, and dogwood.

After two bowls of steaming, fragrant noodles were served, Li Shi did not move for a moment. He watched as Li Ji took bamboo chopsticks from the bamboo tube on the table, picked up a few noodles, blew on them, put them in his mouth, and took a sip of soup. Only then did he ask with a look of anticipation and uncertainty, "How is it? Is it palatable?"

With a "smack," the bamboo strainer struck the edge of the wok, and Old Guan coldly snorted, "If it's inedible, get out! I'll return all your copper coins!"

Li Ji ignored him, but instead took out another pair of chopsticks, stuffed them into Li Shi's hand, and introduced them, saying, "The soup is clear and fresh, the noodles are soft yet chewy, the seasonings are just right, and it's sour and spicy—delicious, I'm not lying to you."

Li Shi then picked up a few strands of noodles, took a small bite, and then exclaimed "Eh!" before slurping up a large mouthful, looking puzzled. "I thought it was coarse noodles mixed with chaff. Although it's a bit coarse and bitter, it has a... refreshing and indescribable texture—what kind of noodles are these?"

Li Ji buried his head in his noodles and casually replied, "Buckwheat noodles."

"Huh?" This time it was Old Guan's turn to be surprised. He immediately turned around and asked, "This buckwheat came from the north and is only grown in a few counties in Pengyuan and Shunhua prefectures, as are those who eat buckwheat noodles. You young man speak with a Gyeonggi accent, and it even has a bit of a Gyeonggi flavor. How can you recognize it?"

Li Ji didn't answer, but instead smiled and asked, "Can the host distinguish accents from different places?"

The basic administrative division of the Tang Dynasty was the prefecture (郡). Later, for military needs, several prefectures were combined into circuits (道). The area around Chang'an, the western capital, was called the Jingji Circuit (京畿道), and the area around Luoyang, the eastern capital, was called the Duji Circuit (都畿道). Although Li Ji was from Zhao County, he learned the official language of Chang'an from his father, who was an official, from a young age. This was the accent of the Jingji Circuit. Later, he followed Li Bi in Yingyang, which was part of the Duji Circuit, so he was naturally influenced by it to some extent.

However, the Tang Dynasty almost equally valued both capitals, and even though the emperors resided in Chang'an for most of the time, they would occasionally travel to Luoyang—it is said that during the reigns of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu, due to famine in Guanzhong, they spent a considerable period in Luoyang—so the accents of the two capitals were mixed and not very different. For example, that idle man on the street earlier assumed that both Lis were from the vicinity of Chang'an, and was able to immediately discern a slight Luoyang accent in Li Ji's speech; this old Guan was quite knowledgeable.

Old Guan didn't hide anything and smiled, saying, "I was originally a recruited soldier, stationed in Xijing for many years. I also went east to defend Luoyang and west to conquer Longyou. If I hadn't been crippled, I wouldn't have returned to my hometown to set up a noodle stall." As he spoke, he showed his right hand. Li Ji looked at it and saw that he only had four fingers, with his middle finger severed at the base.

Old Guan sighed softly: "It was chopped off by Tibetan soldiers... I'm an archer, and I just happened to lose my middle finger. If it had only been my ring or little finger, I wouldn't have had to leave the army. I'd probably be a Zhaowu Colonel by now..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Ji heard someone behind him sneer, "Old man, don't boast. With your archery skills, you'd only ever reach the rank of Senior Commandant of the Seventh Rank. How could you possibly become a Zhaowu?"

He turned around hastily and saw two officials standing behind him, both around thirty years old. One wore a turban with his feet spread out and a light scarlet robe, while the other wore a turban with his feet crossed and a light green robe. The one who had laughed earlier was the scarlet-robed civil official.

Upon seeing this, Lao Guan quickly put down the sieve in his hand, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Greetings, Judge Yan."

The green-robed military officer waved his hand and said, "You old codger, don't you see that Lord Yan is now wearing a scarlet robe and holding a civil post? Recommended by Chancellor Fang, he has now been appointed as a Censor and Assistant Minister of State Affairs."

It is. ”

According to the information Li Ji had obtained from Li Bi, he knew that the position of Supervising Secretary was a high-ranking official of the fifth rank, a significant post in the Secretariat—meaning he had one foot in the ranks of high-ranking officials. Following the etiquette of the time, when an official approached, he quickly put down his chopsticks and made a gesture as if to rise—Li Shi, however, showed no reaction—the Supervising Secretary surnamed Yan raised his hand and pressed it down slightly, meaning: No need for formalities, please eat.

Then he sat down opposite the green-robed military officer at another long table, and the officer announced loudly, "Bring four bowls first, and we'll settle the bill later."

Just then, Li Ji finished his bowl of buckwheat noodles and wasn't full at all, so he asked, "I'll have two more bowls."

Old Guan nodded to the two officials first, then turned to Li Ji and said, "Young man, you need to eat more to have strength. My family's rule is buy five get one free, so why don't you ask for three more bowls, and I'll give you a sixth bowl for free."

Li Ji thought to himself, "This old guy knows how to do business," and nodded with a smile.