Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 5

One man, one man, his lifelong ambition is a good plan.

"Look at the events of a hundred years; once the business is accomplished, a small boat will drift on the five lakes."

Thinking of this poem, Li Ji couldn't help but feel a lot of emotions—not to mention the heavens and earth, if the heavens have feelings, why did they send me through time? Is there some purpose to it? I don't seek to "travel to the capital with my carriage in a resounding jewel," and of course, I have no interest in "abstaining from food and ascending to heaven," but as a proud man, having come into this world, I should at least make a name for myself and leave my mark! I just don't know where my future lies. Can I rely on Li Bi and Li Changyuan to achieve something in politics and military affairs?

As for the struggle for supremacy, let's talk about that after we figure out the current situation.

He listened intently to the conversation between Xue and Li, and learned that although Li Bi had resigned from his official post and gone into seclusion for more than four years, his reputation in the court remained resounding—firstly, because he was intelligent from a young age and had been valued by the emperor and the prime minister; and secondly, because he dared to write poems satirizing the powerful Yang Guozhong and An Lushan. Xue Jingyou had not held an official position, so he had never heard of him—or perhaps he was just a simpleton who hadn't thought of him at the moment—but Xue Jingxian had long admired his name.

So when the old servant went to negotiate, the guards immediately entered the city to report that a convoy of carriages and horses was coming from the west. It was said that the magistrate's brothers were also there, and they brought a scholar, Li Bi, Li Changyuan, from the Li family of Zhao County. Xue Jingyou immediately rode over to recognize him. If it were just his brothers, there would be no need for the elder brother to personally welcome them.

Li Bi then finally revealed his purpose, saying, "I originally lived in seclusion in Yingshang, but I came here because His Highness the Crown Prince summoned me. Unfortunately, I encountered rebel troops on the way and lost contact with the Imperial Guard Zhen Sui, who was tasked with delivering the imperial edict. The Crown Prince's edict is on him..."

Xue Jingxian interrupted Li Bi and asked a strange question: "Sir, you mentioned the Crown Prince? Where did this Crown Prince come from?"

Upon hearing this, Li Bi was completely bewildered and hurriedly asked, "What do you mean, Your Excellency? It is said that the Emperor ordered the Crown Prince to withdraw troops to recover the two capitals and is currently stationed in Pingliang... or some say he has already marched north to Lingwu..."

Xue Jingxian gently shook his head and said, "So you didn't know that, sir." He then released Li Bi's hands, turned to the side, and bowed to the north in a distant gesture—"On the Jiazi day of last month, the Crown Prince went to Lingwu and ascended the throne, changing the era name to 'Zhide'—therefore there is no Crown Prince now, only the Sage in Lingwu... and the Supreme Emperor who went to Shu."

Li Bi was greatly astonished and asked, "Your Majesty... the Emperor Emeritus issued the edict on his way to Shu, abdicating..."

Is it located near His Highness the Crown Prince?

Xue Jingxian shook his head and said, "It is the unanimous support of the Censor-in-Chief Pei Mian, the Acting Governor of Shuofang Du Hongjian, and other officials, soldiers and civilians. They said that the emperor was tired of his duties and moved to Shu, which cut off the way for petitions. The imperial regalia needed to be returned to the emperor, so they requested that the emperor ascend the throne to secure the country. Calculating the time, the memorial may only arrive in Shu by then."

Li Bi frowned deeply and said in a deep voice, "How can this be? Pei Zhangfu and his ilk are hoping to advance their own careers by secretly installing an emperor. Their intentions are despicable! If I were here, I would never allow Your Highness to commit such an unfaithful and disrespectful act!"

Xue Jingxian warned, "Mr. Changyuan, even if your suggestion to ascend the throne is contrary to the right path, the current emperor's ascension to the throne is a foregone conclusion, and this matter is not something we can discuss lightly."

Li Bi was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then bowed his head and said, "Your Excellency is right; I misspoke."

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Later, Li Ji asked Li Bi about this matter: "Brother, do you think the Crown Prince should not ascend the throne and assume the throne?"

He was worried that once Li Bi met the Crown Prince… ah, now he's some kind of "sage"—the Tang emperors really have no shame! If Li Bi were to directly criticize the throne and urge him to ascend, he might offend the powerful officials again. If he said it was presumptuous or disrespectful, the emperor might, in a fit of rage, behead the scholar. After all, he still needed Li Bi's support, and he had promised the remnant soul to protect him. If things really came to that, he might not even be able to protect himself, let alone Li Bi.

Li Bi nodded at first, but then shook his head and said, "Just as Lord Xue said, the Emperor has fled to Sichuan. The mountains and rivers are far away and communication is difficult. It is as if he has abandoned the Central Plains. How can he unite the people and gather troops to fight against the rebels? Since His Highness the Crown Prince has been appointed to lead the military affairs, if he does not ascend the throne, his name will not be legitimate and his words will not be in accordance with the law. It will be difficult to make his subjects serve him wholeheartedly. It is reasonable for him to abdicate and ascend the throne."

"Then why did you just now, brother..."

Li Bi smiled bitterly, "His Majesty has long been weary of his duties, and the affairs of state have been manipulated by Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong, which has led to today's turmoil. Now that he has moved to Shu, it is clear that he is exhausted and has lost all his ambitions. If the Crown Prince sends someone to Shu to persuade him, and the officials earnestly request it, I believe His Majesty will soon issue an edict to abdicate. Whether for the sake of the country or to avoid discord between father and son, His Majesty is wise and will naturally know what to choose..."

"However, if the Emperor Emeritus were to abdicate voluntarily, the ministers would have no merit. Therefore, Pei Mian and others first encouraged the current Emperor to ascend the throne, creating a fait accompli, and then presented a memorial to Shu, forcing the Emperor Emeritus to agree. It is like someone intending to give you this thing, but you are impatient and unwilling to wait, so you take it without informing him, ruining your own virtue and only earning the reputation of a thief."

"Moreover, if this happens, the current emperor's ascension to the throne will be illegitimate, and there will inevitably be unscrupulous people who will seize the opportunity to claim credit, thereby weakening the emperor's authority and shifting power to lower officials—this is not a blessing for the country. That is why I say that Pei Mian, Du Hongjian, and others deserve to be punished!"

Li Ji nodded and reminded him, "Since it has come to this, there is no point in saying more. When you see the Emperor, please do not mention this matter again."

Li Bi rolled his eyes at him: "I know my limits, why do I need your warning?"

Then Li Ji asked again, "Brother, you came west to help the country in its time of crisis. Why did you refuse to work for Lord Xue, who sincerely invited you?"

When they met at the city gate, Xue Jingxian said, "I have come here in armor not to show disrespect to Mr. Changyuan, but to muster troops for an expedition—'intending to head south and capture Yishou...'"

Li Bi advised, “The rebels are currently at their strongest. Although you have defeated them, I believe the rebel reinforcements from Luoyang will soon reach the capital. Meanwhile, the loyalist troops have not yet arrived. You should hold Fufeng and not rush into battle. I speak disrespectfully, but the defenders on the city walls are mostly civilians who are unfamiliar with warfare, and their weapons are incomplete. Retreating to defend might ensure safety, but advancing will likely lead to defeat.”

Xue Jingxian nodded and said, “What you say is absolutely right, sir. However, the reason for this southward march is that the defenses of Yishou County are weak and there are righteous people willing to act as inside agents. I, Jingxian, will surely be able to take it in one fell swoop. If we take Yishou, we can form a pincer movement with Wugong. Then, we can hold Fengtian City to the north and Luogu Pass to the south. Even if the enemy comes in thousands, they will not be able to advance on Fufeng. We can hold our ground and wait for the reinforcements from all directions to come together. Don’t worry, if the enemy has no opportunity to take advantage of, I will never rashly send troops.”

Then he asked Li Bi to come and help him, saying, "The mountains and rivers are far away, so you don't need to go north to Lingwu. Yesterday, an imperial edict arrived, saying that after His Majesty has prepared the troops in Shuofang, he will soon set off south to plan the recovery of the two capitals. Why don't you wait for His Majesty in Fufeng County?"

However, Li Bi declined, but he did not intend to continue his journey. Instead, he said, "My younger brother is injured and may not be able to travel far. Therefore, I request permission from Your Excellency to provide shelter under your umbrella and allow my brother and me to rest in Fengtian City for a few days."

Xue Jingxian agreed and ordered his men to find empty houses in the city to house the two Lis. As for his brother Xue Jingyou, Xue Jingxian let him rest in the city for one night before continuing westward to Yong County, the capital of Fufeng Prefecture—"to temporarily appoint my virtuous brother as the military advisor of Fufeng Prefecture, to stay behind for me."

So when the two Lis settled down and there was no one else around, Li Ji asked Li Bi, "Since you want to serve the country and quell the rebellion, why don't you agree to Xue Jingxian's request to take up a post in his prefecture?"

Li Bi replied, "Having been summoned by the Emperor... how can I return to the service of a mere subject?" He then pursed his lips slightly and said, "If Prefect Xue only seeks assistance and does not mention taking up a post, I might be able to offer some help. However, Fufeng County is but a small ditch; how can it accommodate a giant whale capable of swallowing a boat?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "You're just bragging. I think Xue Jingxian genuinely admires you; his behavior doesn't seem feigned. So if you stay, your position won't be lower than Xue Jingyou's, right? If he's truly focused on serving the emperor, he might have treated you like a treasure when you were the crown prince, but now that you've ascended to the throne, his ego will inevitably rise. Plus, those who urged him to take the throne will surely have already claimed all the good positions. In the end, he might only be able to give you a lowly, insignificant clerk position. Even if you leave..."

Chapter Ten, Leading the Rivers

Li Ji's deceased father once served as the magistrate of Weizhou (later renamed Ji County), and Li Ji was born while he was in office. When Li Ji was three years old, his father was transferred to Donglai County as a registrar, and then served as the assistant magistrate of Jiaoshui County. When his son was twelve years old, he was transferred back to Ji County and promoted to the position of military advisor. He eventually died in office due to illness.

Young Li Ji was then forced to go to Yingyang to live with his cousin Li Bi.

Ban Hong was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) during the Tianbao era. When he was in his twenties and had not yet left home to take the exams, he lived in the same neighborhood as Li Ji. The Li family lived at one end of the street, and the Ban family lived at the other. Of course, Li Ji was still young at that time and could not possibly remember that there was an older brother named Ban on the street, and Ban Hong had never seen the market magistrate, who was still a young master crawling around on the ground.

Although the two came from different backgrounds, they recognized each other as childhood neighbors, and the atmosphere of their conversation quickly warmed up. Ban Hong seized the opportunity to make a request, saying that the magistrate of Fengtian County had joined the rebels and was beheaded after the magistrate captured the city, so Ban Hong had been temporarily appointed to take over the county affairs. Now, the people in the county were not at peace, and more and more people were joining the rebellion. The affairs of state were complicated, and he was all alone without any assistants, so he was really overwhelmed. "I have long heard of Mr. Changyuan's great talent. Could you perhaps lend a hand?"

This time, Li Bi no longer kept people at arm's length and immediately granted permission. He then asked Ban Hong to wait outside for a moment, as he needed to say a few words to his brother.

Firstly, it would dispel Li Ji's doubts, explaining that Ban Hong hadn't offered me a position as county magistrate or county commandant, but merely offered assistance; therefore, for the sake of the city's peace and well-being, I couldn't refuse. Secondly, it would be a good opportunity to thoroughly investigate the recent situation.

Secondly, he reassured Li Ji, saying, "I am in the city, and there is no warning of the rebels attacking. You can rest assured and recover in the house. There is no need to worry about my safety. I have asked Ban Jun to find a massage therapist in the city to treat you. He will be there soon."

Sure enough, not long after he followed Ban Hong, a minor official brought in an elderly doctor with white hair and beard to re-examine Li Ji, changing the splints and bandages. According to the old doctor, Li Bi's previous bone setting was quite skillful, and there was no sign of the broken bone shifting again. As long as he took good care of himself and avoided strenuous exercise, he would definitely heal completely in a month and a half to three months—and wouldn't become a cripple.

Li Ji was feeling quite stifled in the room. He had planned to go for a walk, leaning on his cane, but after hearing the old doctor's advice, he dared not move again and could only wait anxiously for Li Bi's return. At dusk, someone brought him food—a bowl of "tangbing" (a type of noodle soup)—similar to wide noodles in later times—but it was quite plain, with only a few specks of oil and a few chive leaves floating on top. Li Ji almost swallowed it whole, but he didn't feel full. He had to take out some leftover dry biscuits from his bundle to fill his stomach—there wasn't much good food in this county town!

You said An Lushan became the military governor of three towns, was granted the title of prince, and held the highest position among officials. Why did he cause such a mess? In his memories of this life, Chang'an was a first-class prosperous city among all the countries in the world, with plenty of delicious food and fun things to do. In fact, Li Ji had only heard about it and had never been there himself. If there had been no turmoil, he could have followed Li Bi into Chang'an to get food. Even if it was not as delicious as in later times, there must have been some delicacies to enjoy.

Could the Tang Dynasty truly recover both capitals? Even if it did, it would be difficult to restore them to their original state in the short term.

That hateful An Lushan! I, Li Ji, will never let you get away with this!

Finally, as dusk fell, Li Bi returned, carrying a bowl of coarse rice with a pair of chopsticks between his fingers. Li Ji asked, "Brother, haven't you eaten yet?" Then he thought that Li Bi usually fasted and couldn't possibly eat that much. Could it be that he prepared it for him? Feeling slightly touched, he replied, "I've already eaten... of course, I could eat more."

Li Bi glanced at him sideways and said slowly, "If we prepare incense and candles, it might arouse suspicion, so I'll use this instead." As he spoke, he placed the rice bowl on the table, stuck the chopsticks upright in the rice, and then deliberately bolted the door and closed the window.

Li Ji thought to himself, "So sticking chopsticks into the rice bowl is for the spirits of our ancestors. This custom already exists now." He then asked, "Brother, who are you going to offer sacrifices to?"

Li Bi sighed deeply, "Naturally, it's to pay tribute to my brother Changwei."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to tell Li Bi that his brother wasn't quite dead yet, that his soul still lingered... but in the end, he swallowed his words—that guy hadn't shown up for days, maybe he really was dead, and even if he wasn't, he couldn't possibly trust Li Bi.

In Li Bi's mind, his cousin was indeed dead, his body possessed by an old ghost from hundreds of years ago. They had been brothers for four years, sharing a deep and profound bond; how could he not feel sorrow, how could he not miss him? Initially, because of the assassins pursuing him, he was busy escaping and had no time to mourn. But afterwards... his brother's body was still there, able to speak and move. This situation was truly extraordinary, and in a sense, it diluted Li Bi's profound grief.

Once inside Fengtian City and things had calmed down a bit, Li Bi could no longer suppress his grief. So he asked for a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks to use as incense and candles, intending to offer sacrifices to his younger cousin.

Li Ji was also moved and couldn't help but feel sad—but more so embarrassed and helpless. He asked Li Bi, "Should we write a memorial tablet?"

Li Bi glared at him: "Where are we going to find timber?"

Li Ji thought to himself that there was no need to actually make a memorial tablet out of wood. In the past, we were used to just folding paper and writing one, then sticking chopsticks on the rice as a sacrifice to punish those who broke their promises to attend the banquet... But that was just a joke after all, and it was too disrespectful, so he ultimately didn't bring up the bad idea.

Li Bi stood on one side of the table, gesturing for Li Ji to sit on the other side. Li Ji initially didn't understand and did as he was told. Only when he saw Li Bi holding a bowl of rice with chopsticks stuck in it, facing him, did he panic: "Brother, you..."

Are you trying to make me a god? This... this is a terrible omen of sacrificing a living person!

Li Bi coldly replied, "You are a ghost, who is a living person? I am paying my respects to my own brother's body, what business is it of yours?"

Li Ji was speechless... He thought to himself, "Fine, I've already died once, what does it matter if it's auspicious or not? If I hadn't transmigrated, I'd still be a staunch materialist!" He could only sit up straight and let Li Bi kowtow three times, weeping and grieving, muttering to himself, whether he was reminiscing about the past or reciting a eulogy...

Although it was only about fifteen minutes, Li Ji felt it was the longest period of his life... After Li Bi finally stopped crying and turned around to wring out a handkerchief to wipe his face, he mustered up his courage and asked, "Ah, brother, is it alright now?"

Li Bi nodded slightly, put down the towel, and went to get the bowls and chopsticks from the table. After all that commotion—mainly psychological—Li Ji felt hungry again, so he shamelessly pointed to the rice bowl: "Now that the sacrifice is over, can I eat this?"

Li Bi glanced at him, reached out and pulled the chopsticks off the rice, placed them side by side, and then said, "Eat up, don't let my brother get too thin."

Li Ji immediately grabbed his bowl and chopsticks, shoveling mouthfuls of coarse rice into his mouth. Li Bi poured him a cup of water and placed it to his left. In a short while, Li Ji finished eating and drinking, put down his bowl and chopsticks, glanced at Li Bi, and sensing that the atmosphere in the room was still somewhat heavy, he quickly tried to start a conversation, asking, "Brother, what were your impressions of following that man today? Is there anything you can say?"

Li Bi replied, "Ban Jun is very meticulous and diligent, but unfortunately, he is too rigid in his thinking." This means that the man is too inflexible and doesn't know how to adapt.

But Li Ji couldn't understand, and was completely bewildered. Seeing this, Li Bi asked him, "Can you read?" Before the other could answer, he added, "How do you compare to my brother?"

Because Li Ji originally had some education, after all, his father was a minor official in a prefecture and county. After attaching himself to Li Bi, he was forced to read two or three books - less than one book a year on average.

Li Ji simply replied, "I can read."

Is it possible to write it?

"I can write."

So Li Bi took out paper and pen from his bundle, ground the ink, and handed them to Li Ji, asking, "Write a few words for me to see." Li Ji chuckled and said, "Brother, are you still testing me?"

Li Bi said solemnly, “This is not a test. Since you have taken over my brother’s body, we will rely on each other and spend some time together. I need to know what talents you have so that I can cover for you in front of others. Do you expect me to go around shouting that my cousin is an old ghost from five hundred years ago?”

Li Ji thought to himself, "Five hundred years! I think I know when this is..." So he took the paper and pen, dipped them in ink, thought for a moment, and wrote down the sentence: "The Zhou dynasty drew lessons from the two dynasties, how rich and splendid its culture was!"

In his previous life, he could read and write traditional Chinese characters. The reason he chose this particular sentence was because the traditional character "郁" had too many strokes. It is estimated that the original Li Ji could recognize it but not write it. Therefore, he used this to express: I know more characters than your brother.

Then he handed it back to Li Bi, saying, "I'm making a fool of myself."

Upon seeing it, Li Bi couldn't help but frown: "It is indeed very ugly—the structure is acceptable, but as for the brushwork... I dared not show such characters to others when I was three years old."

Li Ji thought to himself, "You're a prodigy! How can I compare to you?" But actually, my penmanship is barely passable, but my brushwork... I only had a few calligraphy classes in elementary school. All those techniques like pauses and turns, the beginning, development, transitions, and shifts, I've long forgotten.

Li Bi then asked, "You've actually read the Analects? What other books have you read?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "I've read a ton of books. Forget your brother, even you couldn't keep up. There's no point in just listing a bunch of books you've never even heard of." He then said, "I've read all five classics; I've also dabbled in the works of Laozi and Zhuangzi; and I've read the *Records of the Grand Historian*, the *Book of Han*, and the *Records of the Three Kingdoms*. But I've only skimmed them; I can't recite ninety percent of them..."

Upon hearing this, Li Bi was secretly startled—this old ghost's origins were indeed a mystery!

Keep in mind that woodblock printing had only just been invented in those days, and it was mainly used to print Buddhist scriptures. Classical texts, historical works, and contemporary essays all had to be handwritten. Not only were they scarce, but they were also extremely expensive. For an average family to possess even one or two classic texts was considered a sign of scholarly refinement. Yet this old devil claimed to have studied all the major classics, histories, and even the works of various schools of thought before the Jin Dynasty. His background couldn't possibly be low! Just a mere military man, a lowly military governor? Are you trying to fool a child?!

However, after observing his handwriting, I realized he didn't seem to be hiding anything or deliberately writing in a crooked and messy way. Besides, he doesn't hold back when it comes to reading, so why would he hold back when it comes to writing? Is there really someone in this world who has read countless books but whose calligraphy is a complete mess?

If you were to test Li Ji on some content from the classics, history, or even the works of various schools of thought, he would answer fluently. He couldn't just recite from memory, but when it came to examining the content and meaning, this intern researcher in the field of history was truly not stumped.

Li Ji relaxed now. Since Li Bi had already become suspicious, there was no point in racking his brains to cover it up anymore. On the contrary, the more unfathomable and inexplicable he appeared in front of this shrewd man, the more inconvenient it would be for Li Bi, and he would even dare not investigate further.

Finally, Li Bi said, "Since you have some knowledge of the classics and history, I can tell you some things."

He had always wanted to carefully cultivate his younger cousin, but unfortunately, Li Ji was hopelessly incompetent, showing far less interest in literature than in martial arts. Even so, Li Mi often shared his thoughts and ideas with his cousin.

Chapter Eleven, Treating the Wise and Talented with Respect

With the help of an inside man, Xue Jingxian successfully recaptured Yishou—later known as Zhouzhi County—and soon news of the victory reached Fengtian. However, after the victory, Xue Jingxian himself returned directly to Yong County, the capital of Fufeng Prefecture, and sent a letter requesting that Li Bi come to Yong County to assist him.

Li Bi declined the offer again, citing his younger cousin's leg injury as an excuse that he was not yet able to travel far.

However, Li Bi has been helping Ban Hong manage the government affairs of Fengtian County these days. It is said that he has made good order both inside and outside the county, and even has made some suggestions on the training of young men. Ban Hong is very grateful for this and often gives him money and silk.

Of course, Li Bi was penniless and only wanted to be full; he would not accept anything else. Unfortunately, Ban Hong knew from the very first day he met him that this Mr. Changyuan was not only a vegetarian but also capable of fasting, so he never thought of sending him any good food... Li Ji did increase the quantity of food through Li Bi's earnest request, but the quality did not improve at all.

Ultimately, the city had taken in too many refugees, and the daily porridge distribution had depleted the city's grain reserves. We had to ask Xue Jingxian to send some more from Fufeng County as an emergency measure. The fact that he was considerate of Li Ji's large appetite and provided him with three liters of rice and flour every day, almost three times that of ordinary soldiers and civilians, was already a great favor. As for vegetables and meat, if Mr. Changyuan wanted to return them, that would be fine; I would search the entire treasury to provide for him. But as for this old neighbor, this young man, you don't help me with anything, so why should I give you special treatment?

Li Ji could only make empty promises to himself: Damn it, once my legs are fully recovered, I'll go out of the city to hunt and pick wild vegetables, and cook for myself. It will definitely taste better than the food cooked by the cooks in this government office!

But... if I want to hunt, being good with my fists and feet isn't enough; I need to learn archery first... As for wild vegetables, I wonder if the wild vegetables of this era are similar to those of later generations, or if they happen to include the kinds I recognize...

But no matter what, the noodles I knead and stretch myself are definitely more delicious than what's called "soup noodles" these days!

However, he would soon find it impossible to leave the city—An Lushan had already dispatched generals An Shouzhong and Li Guiren to defend Chang'an and seek an opportunity to advance. According to scouts, An Shouzhong and his generals quickly stabilized the situation in Chang'an, reorganized the previously defeated troops, and then sent out several small units to patrol and scout westward, even plundering fleeing civilians along the way. To ensure everything was in order, Li Mi suggested closing the four gates of Fengtian and strictly prohibiting entry and exit—as for any more civilians who came to seek refuge, they would have to continue westward to settle in Fufeng County.

Fortunately, the rebels did not intend to launch a major westward advance for the time being. It is said that Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi heard that Tongguan had fallen and were forced to withdraw their troops westward. Soon after, their mobile army defeated several detachments of the rebels that were heading north in Hedong. It seemed that they intended to cross the river to the south and recover the two capitals. An Lushan, An Shouzhong and others did not dare to make any rash moves.

However, Li Mi analyzed for Li Ji: "It is always easier for an army to advance than to retreat. Guo and Li's troops were fighting in Hebei and were forced to return west. Their soldiers must be confused and lack the will to fight. If they are not reorganized, how dare they suddenly go to take back the two capitals? Moreover, how easy is it to cross the Yellow River? I think the army in Hedong must be a feint, in order to protect the flank and prevent the rebels from crossing the river in large numbers."

"So, in your opinion, where will they set up camp?"

"Guo Ziyi's troops are all elites from Shuofang. They will naturally pass through Taiyuan, cross the Yellow River to the west, and return to Shuofang. There, he can easily receive the Emperor's orders, either heading south to Yan'an and Luoyang to deploy troops in the capital region, or crossing east again to guard Hedong. As for Li Guangbi, he will most likely stay in Taiyuan temporarily to await further orders and also to guard against attacks from Shi Siming and others."

He spoke with such confidence and conviction that Li Ji almost believed him... But then he thought, how could you possibly predict the movements of the two generals when they were separated by such a vast distance, without telegrams, telephones, or satellite photography? This is just like the keyboard warriors of later generations!

Of course, he didn't argue. On one hand, he wanted to maintain a seemingly good relationship with Li Bi, and on the other hand... if you can't possibly understand it, then of course I understand even less. What's the point of refutating you? What's the point of just stubbornly insisting that I don't believe you?

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Time flies, and Li Ji's body is indeed tough and resilient. Coupled with his young age, after several splint changes, he felt his bones had fully healed and he was basically recovered. He arrived in Fengtian City in early September, and now it's only the beginning of October—less than a month and a half has passed.

On October 11th, a messenger suddenly arrived from Yong County, informing Li Bi that the Sage had returned south from Lingwu and arrived at Ding'an, the capital of Pengyuan County, and asked Mr. Changyuan to set off quickly to the north to accompany him.

Fengtian County, where they were located, was in the northwest of Jingzhao Prefecture. To the west was Fufeng County, and to the north was Xinping County. North of Xinping was Pengyuan. However, although the emperor had visited Ding'an, he was unaware that Li Bi had arrived in Fengtian. Therefore, he sent a message to Xue Jingxian, who was in Yong County. It was a roundabout way for Li Bi to receive the news.

Now that Li Ji's leg injury had basically healed, Li Bi didn't delay any longer. He bid farewell to Ban Hong, and the two brothers packed their bags and set off. Ban Hong sent three soldiers to escort them, and even squeezed out a horse and a mule for transportation.

Fortunately, they gave him a mule instead, otherwise Li Ji, who had never ridden a horse before, would have been exposed in front of Li Bi... Although mules are not as strong as horses, they are mostly gentle in nature, and the ride on a mule is less bumpy, so it seems like anyone can ride one. Li Ji repeatedly declined, saying that it was unreasonable for his elder brother to ride a mule while his younger brother rode a horse, and that he should take the mule instead, which was how he barely managed to get away with it.

To the north of Fengtian, the landscape stretched as far as the eye could see, all loess plateaus. However, compared to later periods, the vegetation was relatively lush, with no large swathes of barren hills. They first passed through Yongshou and Mating before arriving at...

Xinping County was the seat of Xinping Prefecture. They then continued north along the Jing River Valley, where they unexpectedly encountered a group of soldiers.

Before the main force arrived, the scouts moved first, and several cavalrymen arrived in an instant, half-encircling the two Lis and their companions. Li Ji was somewhat nervous, reaching out to grip the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist, while Li Bi remained calm and composed—because he had been assisting Ban Hong in managing Fengtian County for over a month, and had already thoroughly investigated the surrounding situation, believing that this area should only have government troops, and no rebels.

A knight shouted, "Who are you? Where do you come from? Where are you going?!"

Fortunately, Li Bi had already asked Ban Hong to issue a certificate, and immediately ordered a soldier to present it. The knight did not take it, but glanced at the group of five from his high horseback, and then waved his hand and said, "The army is coming. Quickly move to the side of the road and do not rush."