Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 121

For Li Ji, who had studied the Zhou rites, this was indeed a novel idea. He couldn't help but hide in the shadows and observe the entire process of setting up the room. He had nothing to do today, but tomorrow, as the protagonist of the wedding, he certainly wouldn't have such leisure time.

The following day, during the daytime ancestral worship ceremony, in the late afternoon, Li Ji rode his horse away from Pingkang Ward and headed towards Chongyi Ward. He was accompanied by servants and folk musicians hired by Yuan Jing'an, all dressed in colorful costumes. However, although they were musicians, the national mourning period had not been long, so they dared not play recklessly. They merely lightly touched the gong with the mallet and touched the mouthpiece to their lips, quietly making a show of it.

Li Ji thought to himself, if that's the case, there's really no need to hire musicians. His own servants can fill the role, saving a lot of money... Hmm, is it because Qingluan has been so meticulous lately, constantly nagging in his ear about how much the wedding costs, that he's been influenced by her without realizing it?

Actually, even with the cost of today's ceremony, the value of the betrothal gifts is far less than that of the dowry. In short, I've made several times more money than I thought.

As for the best man, Li Ji invited Li Sheng.

Originally, Li Ji had his eye on Ma Sui, but Ma Xunmei was still reorganizing the Shence Army and simply couldn't spare the time. In particular, Ma Sui's blue robe was not as splendid as Li Sheng's purple robe—Li Ji wasn't worried about the best man stealing his thunder. Although Li Sheng held a high position, he was younger and more handsome than Li Sheng…right?

Along the way, crowds of onlookers gathered, all saying, "Li Erlang is getting married." Some even clapped and cheered, "Erlang has finally married a woman from one of the five noble families!"

Upon arriving at the Cui residence, Li Sheng dismounted first and knocked on the door to invite him in. The gates opened wide, and as Li Ji stepped inside, a woman's voice asked, "What brings you here, sir? What talent are you from? Your spirit is upright; what brings you here?"

Li Ji had long since memorized this whole process, and immediately cupped his hands in a respectful reply: "I am a gentleman from Jingzhao, a loyal and courageous minister, and now, having attained the rank of fifth grade, I have come to your esteemed home."

The other party then asked, "Since you are a gentleman from a distinguished family, and your status surpasses that of many outstanding individuals, may I ask what your purpose is?"

Li Ji replied, "Having heard your eloquent words, I have come to visit you. A beautiful and virtuous lady is the object of a gentleman's affections."

The entire poem is in rhyme, which shows how popular Tang Dynasty poetry was. Li Ji recalled that he had once tried to make a name for himself by copying poems, and he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

Then the other party asked again: "Erlang's demeanor, adorned with gold and vermilion, a hero of our time, is he not to be feared?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Here it comes..." and quickly replied, "There are thousands of barbarian bandits, bound at the palace gates. Now that we've entered your high gates, why should we fear being beaten or scolded?"

Then a voice said, "It's good that you're not afraid." Suddenly, a large number of women appeared out of nowhere, each holding a stick, and started hitting Li Ji on the body and legs.

This is a unique folk custom passed down from the Northern Dynasties, called "Xia Xu," which means giving the groom a show of force before the wedding. It is said that there have been instances where grooms were actually beaten to a pulp... However, Yuan Jing'an said before he came: "The old custom of Xia Xu is now just for show. It won't really involve any real force, so don't be afraid, sir." Li Ji laughed at the time: "They are just some women. Even if they came with spears and knives, I wouldn't be afraid. Let alone some sticks."

Li Ji could always defend himself against swords and spears, and fight back. As for the "son-in-law," he couldn't very well be ruthless towards the women of the Cui family. So he could only dodge and evade, while continuing to move forward. If he didn't break through the blockade quickly, the fight might never end. Did he really want to exhaust those women?

Therefore, some carelessness was inevitable, and he actually took a few hits, one of which was quite painful. Li Ji thought to himself that these women should not be underestimated; some of them were quite strong... But why did you hit so hard? Is it because, like Cui Ju in the past, you are not actually satisfied with this marriage?

Just as another stick was about to strike, Li Ji took a deep breath, raised his arm, and forcefully blocked it. With a "crack," the stick snapped in two. The woman holding the stick cried out, staggered back six or seven steps, and then fell to the ground with a thud, unable to get up for a long time...

The women scattered in fright, and Li Ji quickly strode to the front of the hall.

Li Sheng hurried over and bowed to the hall with Li Ji. Looking up again, he saw a row of screens in the center of the hall, completely obscuring what was behind them. Yuan Jing'an stepped forward and handed a large goose wrapped in red silk and bound with colorful silk threads to Li Sheng, who then passed it to Li Ji.

This was the "Giveaway Goose" ceremony. The bride was supposed to sit on a saddle behind a screen, and the groom would throw a goose into the screen, which the bride's family would then reach out to retrieve. The groom's family would then have to pay to redeem the goose and release it. However, Yuan Jing'an said, "Now that everything is expensive, the groom's family often sells the goose back to the market. There are now people who specialize in raising geese and renting them out, which can save a lot of money." Qingluan advised Li Ji to do the same, and so they rented the goose at the market.

Having lived two lives, this was his first proper marriage, especially given the elaborate wedding customs of the Tang Dynasty. Li Ji couldn't help but feel flustered. In a moment of carelessness, he threw the goose too high, watching helplessly as it headed straight for the roof beam, where it would most likely crash into it hard, leaving him half-dead and probably never to return...

Just as he was about to cry out in surprise, a colorful silk ribbon suddenly swung up from behind the screen, deftly and skillfully catching the wild goose. Then, the ribbon was quickly put away, and the goose landed behind the tent.

Li Ji breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, "Luckily, I chose a capable bride; otherwise, I would have definitely made a fool of myself today." Li Sheng had never met Cui Qi before and was surprised. He glanced at Li Ji sideways, as if to say, "The bride? No way... Is there such a remarkable woman among the women of the Cui family?"

It was already dark by then, but fortunately, the hall was filled with candles and lamps, and the area below was brightly lit, making it as bright as day. After Li Ji finished offering sacrifices to the wild geese, he and Li Sheng turned and retreated to the area below the hall. Logically, they should have danced for a while... but of course, he couldn't, so Li Sheng had to do it.

Unexpectedly, Li Liangqi, who appeared rough and unrefined, was actually quite skilled at dancing. When they were looking for a best man, Li Ji had asked him about it. Li Sheng said that he could dance but not write poetry. Li Ji said that poetry could be prepared in advance and memorized on the spot, but dancing had to be done on the spot, so everything was left to Liangqi.

The poem recited at this moment is called "The Poem Urging the Bride to Get Ready," meaning to urge the bride to quickly get dressed and leave the hall to join us on our journey. "The Poem Urging the Bride to Get Ready" is usually written by the groom himself or by the best man, but since Li Sheng couldn't compose poetry, the responsibility fell to Li Ji.

He could certainly buy a collection of commonly used poems at the market and pick any one, but Li Ji thought to himself, "Since I can't dance, if I don't compose a poem, it would seem like my intention to marry is insincere..." He chewed on his pen and racked his brains for two nights, finally managing to put together a poem. Li Sheng then recited it, saying:

"Alone in the capital, the moon shines cold, and I long for the peonies blooming in Luoyang. I wish to move my purple silk to my humble abode, but my thirst for beauty cannot be quenched by my urgent desire to adorn myself."

Upon hearing this, the women of the Cui family naturally whispered among themselves, saying, "Who knew Li Erlang could write poetry!"

In the general public's impression, Li Ji, though holding a civil official position, was actually a military man, which was the main reason why many of Cui's relatives were dissatisfied with this marriage. Several women, upon hearing this, scoffed and said, "Is this something copied? He's in Chang'an now, how can he be talking about Luoyang?"

A self-proclaimed clever man, Dai Liji, explained, "This uses Luoyang as a metaphor for Guandong..." Because Cui's ancestral home was Boling, which belonged to the broader Guandong region—"He said that Guandong had a famous peony, which he longed for and yearned to transplant to the capital, so he asked his new bride to hurry up and do her hair. The poem wasn't excellent, but it was passable." But then he laughed, saying, "Erlang originally lived in Guanghua Ward, which could be considered a poor and humble dwelling. Now that he has acquired a house in Pingkang Ward, how can he be poor?"

Actually, the reason Li Ji mentioned Luoyang was because his first meeting with Cui Qi took place in the inner palace of Luoyang. He was thinking that since I was composing a poem about my "bridal makeup removal," it needed to have a personal touch and couldn't just be empty rhetoric that anyone else could use. So, he decided to start with Luoyang. Luoyang's famous product was, of course, the peony, and he used the peony to symbolize his new bride. The reason he said "silk purple" was because he had heard that the most precious Luoyang peony at the time was a black variety called "military purple," and that purple robes were the most valuable among officials. The implied meaning was: My wife is the queen of flowers, unmatched by anyone!

He thought Cui Qi should be able to understand.

As Li Sheng danced, he sang the poem urging the bride to get ready three times in a row. Finally, the screen was opened and the bride appeared. This was in Chang'an, where the security was tight. They couldn't delay until the drums of the quiet street sounded, making it difficult for the newlyweds to return home. In the countryside or remote towns, it is said that the bride might not come out until dawn.

The bride, dressed in white with a six-panel gold-embroidered skirt, concealed her face with a round fan embroidered with mandarin ducks. Graceful and slender, she followed Li Ji, Li Sheng, and the others out of the mansion and into the carriage. Li Ji thought to himself that with Cui Qi's personality, walking with such small, delicate steps must be incredibly stifling for him...

The decorated float was led to Pingkangfang, but after traveling a short distance, it was stopped in the street by people demanding money—a custom known as "blocking the float." Yuan Jing'an was prepared and distributed the money and silk he had prepared beforehand to the crowd.

Yang Wan once recounted an incident from the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. When Pei Weiyue was acting governor of Aizhou, the local chieftain was getting married. Weiyue blocked the road and demanded a thousand bolts of silk to cover the carriage. Since he only received eight hundred, he seized the bride on the spot and tormented her for three days before releasing her. Upon hearing this, Li Ji was furious: "Who dares to seize my bride?! Are they out of their minds?! And I don't even need to lift a finger; my wife could poke holes in you!"

Yang Wan laughed and said, "Pei Weiyue's actions were not really about money, but about humiliating the barbarian chieftain. Who else would dare to do that? Even so, the money spent on blocking the carriages often amounted to tens of thousands of coins. That's why, during the reign of Emperor Ruizong, Tang Shao, the Left Secretary, petitioned to ban this custom. However, it was a common practice among the people and could not be stopped immediately. Fortunately, it was within the city of Chang'an..."

There is a curfew in Chang'an. Unless you specifically choose to get married during a festival when the Imperial Guards do not enforce the curfew, it is impossible for people to block you for too long.

Li Ji clapped his hands in admiration, exclaiming, "I never imagined that a curfew could have such benefits!"

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Ugly Woman's Beautiful Dream

Just as the drums of the quiet street were about to sound, the wedding procession finally returned to the Li family home. The gates opened wide, and maids came out carrying felt rugs, spreading them layer by layer from the gate to the tent, so that the bride could enter the tent without stepping on the ground—this was called "passing the felt rug."

Inside the tent, a bed had already been laid out. The crowd escorted the newlyweds into the tent, and after they sat on the bed, the tent was to be "scattered" and a "prayer" was to be recited. According to custom, there was also a "teasing the bride" ceremony, probably as revenge against the "inferior son-in-law." However, since the Li family had no relatives, this part was omitted when planning the ceremony.

But to everyone's surprise, as soon as he entered the tent, several women suddenly rushed out and forced the bride to kneel before the groom. Li Ji thought to himself, "This is unbelievable! Who is so bold?" Upon closer inspection, he couldn't help but gasp in shock.

These women were all dressed in very expensive clothes, adorned with jewels and silks. He definitely recognized the two leading women—holy crap, weren't they Princess Ningguo and Princess Hezheng?!

Oh no, nowadays she should be respectfully addressed as "Princess"...

He hurriedly clasped his hands in a gesture of respect. Princess Ningguo laughed and said, "Why didn't you inform us before Erlang got married? Fortunately, Shi'er told us." She then pressed Li Ji down to sit and said, "Your surname is Li, and so are ours. Tonight, we will count our family members and have the bride pay her respects to you."

Princess Hezheng also said, "Now that you have a son-in-law, how can you not have a bride? If the yin and yang are not in harmony, I'm afraid the Cui family will rise above you in the future, damaging the Li family's reputation. Besides, we haven't seen the bride yet, so what kind of beauty does she have?" As she spoke, she leaned her head closer to Cui Qi.

Clearly, Cui Qi was so nervous that her body stiffened. She gripped the fan tightly with both hands, obscuring her face, and needed the support of her maids on either side to barely kneel down. She had barely finished bowing when Li Ji reached out and pulled her up, wanting her to bow to the princesses as well. Princess Hezheng laughed, "We are not your parents-in-law, why should we bow to you?" She directed her maids to lead the newlyweds, instructing them to bow to each other.

Then there were other elaborate designs such as tying mirror buttons together and hanging ropes to adorn hairpins. The bride was then led out to worship the stove god. Basically, it was all Princess Hezheng's plan. Li Ji felt that compared to when they first met in Xuanzheng Hall, this princess was much more lively tonight, as if she had been holding back for a long time and had finally found some fun to play with.

He urged repeatedly, "The streets are about to quiet down, Princess, you should go back now."

Princess Hezheng immediately glared at him: "Where we are to be placed is none of your concern, Erlang." Do you think we'll be captured by the patrolling soldiers?

The commotion continued until curfew. Li Ji felt even more exhausted than when he was charging into battle. Only then did he finally enter the last stage: the newlyweds drank the nuptial wine, and everyone retreated outside the tent, where the tent was cleared and incantations were recited. Nearly half an hour later, the area outside the tent gradually quieted down.

Li Ji let out a long breath, reached out and gently touched the bride's shoulder, causing Cui Qi's entire body to tremble. Li Ji smiled and said, "There's no one else here now, you can remove the screen."

Cui Qi then slowly lowered his fan, and Li Ji stared intently under the lamplight—wait, it looks like a ghost…

Newlyweds naturally wear heavy makeup, but Li Ji really couldn't stand this Tang Dynasty style of makeup—the face was snow-white, like a ghost; the lips were bright red, as if they were filled with blood; in addition, there were two big red patches on the cheeks and yellow flowers pasted on the forehead. If the lighting were a little dim, it would be enough to frighten a child into not crying at night!

He instinctively frowned, and Cui Qi also frowned, saying in a low voice, "Am I that ugly?"

Li Ji quickly explained, "You're not ugly... how could you be ugly? It's just that this makeup looks a bit strange."

Cui Qi said, "I spent a whole hour applying the makeup, and even looking in the mirror, I still felt it wasn't my own face... If that's the case, why bother? Why not just paint a mask and wear it?"

Li Ji nodded in agreement, then brought over the pre-prepared hot water to help the bride remove her makeup. Cui Qi wiped her face clean, then breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much lighter. She then cautiously asked Li Ji, "The wig is too heavy, can it be removed as well?"

Li Ji said, "Of course, all those external things should be discarded—I only love you, what do you need all that nonsense for? Besides, your hair isn't short, why would you need a wig?"

To be honest, Cui Qi's hair wasn't in very good condition, it was a little dry and yellow; but even if it was bad, it was still his wife's hair, and as for that fake hairpiece, who knows whose hair it was cut from, or even whose horse's mane it was, Li Ji really didn't want to touch it.

After Cui Qi removed her wig and let her long hair fall loose, Li Ji took her hand and said softly, "I never thought this day would come. My dream has finally come true." Cui Qi turned her head away, not daring to look at him, and said, "So marrying an ugly woman can be considered a dream."

Li Ji said seriously, "Why do you always have that word on your lips? I don't mind, so why do you have to feel disgusted with yourself?"

Cui Qi nodded and said, "I really am ugly, you just don't mind..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Here we go again. Can't you speak properly?" Knowing that this was the time to express affection rather than reason, he reached out and put his arm around the bride's waist, teasingly saying, "Now that you are my wife, how about I call you my abandoned child in the boudoir?"

Cui Qi shook his head and said, "I've already said I don't like that word... I'd rather still call you Cui Cuo."

"Then I'll call you Cuo'er... It's late, and the good time is almost over, why not go to sleep early?"

----------

The next day, Qingluan led the servants to pay their respects. Cui Qi... from now on should be called Cui Cuo. She was quite amiable and dignified, not putting on airs like a first wife.

However, she had already mentioned last night that Cui had specially assigned three older female relatives to teach her for ten whole days how to be a wife, how to manage a household, and how to treat concubines and servants. She was overwhelmed and felt it was even more difficult than learning kung fu.

"If I am ever impolite in the future, please forgive me, my lord."

Li Ji laughed and said, "Just be yourself, why listen to the words of those ignorant women?"

Two maids accompanied Cui Cuo to the Li family last night, each carrying a brocade box filled with jewels and jewelry. Cui Cuo took out two gold hairpins and gave them to Qingluan, saying, "I've troubled you to look after my young master before. From now on, we should address each other as sisters and serve each other together. Please don't hesitate to tell me about my young master's habits and preferences."

Qingluan was initially quite afraid that the new wife—a woman from the Cui family of Boling—would belittle or even persecute her. However, seeing Cui Cuo's amiable demeanor, she felt somewhat relieved. Especially since Li Ji had already explained that the one who saved her from her predicament was a member of the Cui family, personally directed by the future wife, Qingluan felt some gratitude and closeness towards Cui Cuo.

So she handed over all the household valuables, account books, and other belongings to the first wife, which Cui Cuo accepted. Originally, she was too lazy to manage money, but before her marriage, the Cui women earnestly advised her that after she arrived at the Li family, she must first take control of the finances and never give them to anyone else—whether it be a concubine, a servant, or even Li Lang.

What does Li Erlang possess? All of that is the wealth of the Cui family, your dowry!

Li Ji left before noon. He had already booked a banquet at Lü Miaozhen's house to entertain his guests and friends—similar to a wedding banquet, he would have to invite several people over. Most of those returning this time were mid- to high-ranking officials, led by Li Shi, who had just been granted the title of Prince of Lu. Yang Wan sat in the second seat, followed by the brothers Li Zuan and Li Zhen, as well as Li Sheng, Ma Sui, and others. Li Laopeng and Li Guayan, being relatives, were also allowed to attend, but they had to sit at the very end.

Li Tan didn't come; he still has to continue his mourning period.

During the banquet, news was received that Xiao Hua, who had originally been at odds with Li Fuguo, had finally been expelled from the capital and demoted to the position of Sima of Xia Prefecture.

In front of so many people, Li Ji couldn't speak frankly. He could only look at Li Shi, spread his hands, and smile bitterly, as if to say: You've been trying to flatter Li Fuguo, but that old eunuch isn't someone to be trifled with. He'll surely become arrogant with the slightest bit of praise, and he's probably not so easy to control!

As expected, after Xiao Hua left, no one in the court dared to defy Li Fuguo. The court officials submitted memorials one after another, arguing that given Minister Li's merit in protecting the emperor, merely granting him the empty title of "Grand Tutor" was not enough; he should also be promoted. Left with no other choice, Emperor Li Yu issued an edict promoting Li Fuguo to Minister of Works and concurrently Grand Secretary.

The most prestigious officials in the Tang Dynasty were the Three Masters and the Three Dukes. The Three Masters held only prestigious titles, while the Three Dukes (Grand Commandant, Minister of Works, and Minister of Agriculture) assisted the emperor, governing the yin and yang, and overseeing all affairs. Currently, the Grand Commandant is Li Guangbi, and the Minister of Works is Guo Ziyi, both serving in provincial posts. Only the Minister of Agriculture, Li Fuguo, who also serves as the head of the Secretariat, is in the capital. Although he doesn't participate in the administration of state affairs, he is effectively the prime minister—clearly, the new emperor, Li Yu, is unstoppable.

Li Ji had no choice but to continue commanding the Yingwu Army and guarding the Forbidden City in case of any unforeseen events.

He really wanted to be transferred to a post outside the capital, but as Li Shi said, the new emperor had just ascended the throne and the court was unstable. Even without Li Fuguo watching him closely, he probably wouldn't be able to leave. Li Yu still needed him to protect him for a while longer. In particular, Li Yu had already sent someone to Hengshan to recall Li Bi. Li Ji hoped to wait for his elder brother to return so they could meet before discussing the matter of being sent to a post outside the capital with Li Shi.

Li Ji returned to the palace to return from his leave on the seventh day after the wedding. He could have spent a few more days with his bride, but the Cui family summoned him, saying that Cui Guangyuan's illness was worsening and they hoped to bring his wife back to serve him. Although Cui Cuo was reluctant and complained to Li Ji, "When he was nearing the end of his life, did he finally treat me like a daughter?" she had no choice but to obey due to the constraints of etiquette.

With Cui Cuo gone, Li Ji simply went to work early—although there wasn't much to do at work, after all, there weren't many entertainment activities these days, and staying at home was even more boring.

On the third day after starting work, rumors spread that Emperor Li Yu was ill. The following day, a eunuch came to the Yingwu Army headquarters to request an audience. Li Ji summoned him in and recognized him as Ran Mao'er, an acquaintance.

Since it was Ran Mao'er who came, it was clear that it wasn't Li Yu who summoned him to the palace, but rather Li Shi who invited him to the newly renovated Lu Prince's residence. Li Ji often met with Li Shi, but this was the first time he had been summoned through proper channels in broad daylight and under the watchful eyes of everyone. He couldn't help but ask, "What does Your Highness wish to do with me?"

Ran Mao'er replied, "It is to discuss the war in the east, so I have invited all of you doctors to come for a meeting."

Li Ji was taken aback upon hearing this: "All the doctors? Who else is there?"

The basic structure of the Ministry of War consisted of one Minister as the chief official and two Vice Ministers as assistants. It was divided into four departments: the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry of Revenue. The Ministry of War had two Directors and two Assistant Directors, while the Ministry of Personnel had one Director and one Assistant Director in each of its subordinate departments. In other words, the entire Ministry of War actually had five people holding the official title of Fifth-Rank Director.

But now there are six, and Li Ji's position as a secretary in the Ministry of War is merely nominal; he doesn't actually manage anything. According to Ran Mao'er, Li Shi summoned Li Ji, along with the secretary of the Ministry of War's clerk and the secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, to the Prince of Lu's residence to discuss military matters.

The order was rather strange, but Li Ji could not refuse. He had no choice but to hand over the affairs of the yamen to his assistant and follow Ran Mao'er out of the palace, riding his horse to the Lu Prince's residence.

Before long, the other two physicians arrived as well. Li Shi then invited them into his study and asked, "Are you aware of the Battle of Songzhou?" Except for Li Ji, the other two bowed and said, "We only received the news of the victory yesterday." Li Shi waved his hand and said, "Tell Changwei about it briefly first."

—The latest battle reports must be sent to the Ministry of War first, so it is understandable that Li Ji, who never goes to work at the Ministry of War, is slightly delayed in receiving the news.

After Li Guangbi's failed attempt to retake Luoyang last year, he retreated to Hedong and soon went to the capital to plead guilty. It seems that Li Heng was not as wary of Li Guangbi as he was of Guo Ziyi. He not only retained Li Guangbi's title of Deputy Marshal of Henan, but also added the title of Grand Commandant and concurrently appointed him as Attendant-in-Ordinary. He also ordered him to command the eight military campaigns in Henan, Huainan East and West, Shannan East, Jingnan, Jiangnan West, and Zhejiang East and West, and granted him permission to leave the capital at an early date.

This is tantamount to entrusting all the wars south of the Yellow River to them.

However, due to his previous defeat, Li Guangbi had no place to stand in Henan—unless he went to Shanzhou to compete with Yu Chaoen for command—so he had no choice but to lead his troops eastward to Sizhou and set up camp in Linhuai.

This was also because of the Liu Zhan Rebellion in Jiangnan. Although it was quelled, the original peaceful and stable situation was broken. Mutinous soldiers and bandits ran rampant. Li Guangbi was worried that Shi Chaoyi would take the opportunity to advance into the Jianghuai region, so he went to the southeast to garrison.

At that time, although Tian Shenggong, the military governor of Yanzhou and Yunzhou, had defeated Liu Zhan, he lingered near Yangzhou and refused to return to his post. Shang Heng, the tutor of the crown prince, and Yin Zhongqing, the general of the Left Feathered Forest Army, were also fighting each other in Yanzhou and Yunzhou. After Li Guangbi arrived, he sent an envoy to summon Tian Shenggong. Overwhelmed by his prestige, Tian Shenggong returned to Henan, and Shang and Yin went to court one after another.

Shortly before Li Heng's death, Shi Chaoyi besieged Songzhou for several months. The city ran out of food and nearly fell. Li Guangbi, stationed in Linhuai, was told by his generals that the rebels were powerful and would surely attack after capturing Songzhou, and they requested permission to defend Yangzhou to the south. Li Guangbi retorted sharply, "The court relies on me for its safety. If I retreat, what hope will the court have? Moreover, I will strike unexpectedly; how will the rebels know our strength?" He then led his troops straight to Xuzhou, ordering Tian Shenggong to advance first and ambush the rebels. Shi Chaoyi, caught off guard by the sudden arrival of the Tang army, suffered a crushing defeat and fled—thus, the siege of Songzhou was lifted.

The two physicians briefly recounted the victory report. Li Ji nodded in understanding and then turned his gaze to Li Shi. Li Shi said, "I have been appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces. Once all military preparations are complete and sufficient personnel are available, I will leave the capital to suppress the rebels. Given the current situation, how to procure and allocate provisions and supplies requires the advice of the two physicians." He paused, then added, "Having been in the capital for a long time, this is my first time leading troops, and I am not very familiar with military affairs. Therefore, I have requested Physician Li's assistance."

Li Ji, after all, held the title of Assistant Minister of War. So, while consulting with the official Assistant Minister, asking him to come and offer advice would not violate the court's regulations and would not risk leaking secrets.

The two physicians bowed together and said, "Your Highness, if you have any questions, we will answer them in detail." They then bowed to Li Ji, who quickly returned the bow.

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Old Servant's Punishment

Li Shi was nominally the Grand Marshal of the Army, but in reality, he was only responsible for suppressing the rebellion of Shi Chaoyi in the east. He could intervene in other areas, such as Longyou and Jiannan, but he feared that if he did, he would incur the emperor's wrath—"Do you really want to control all the troops in the world? What are you trying to do?"

Regarding the related eastern wars, at present, the Tang Dynasty has three major armies: the first is the Shaanxi-Guo army led by Yu Chaoen and Wei Boyu, which is blocking the capital; the second is the Henan and Jianghuai army led by Li Guangbi, which is located in the south; and the third is the Hedong army led by Guo Ziyi, which is located in the north.

Li Shi was only a theorist; his initial strategy was simple: three armies would support each other, launch a pincer attack, and march straight for Luoyang, aiming to eliminate the main rebel force in Henan before launching a counterattack on Hebei. He wanted to first determine the necessary supplies, the routes for transporting them, and the final assembly point.

Li Ji thought to himself, "Aren't you being a bit too hasty? Shi Chaoyi has just suffered a defeat at Songzhou, and it's unlikely he'll be able to invade again anytime soon. As for the various Tang armies, apart from the Shaanxi-Guo army which suffered slightly fewer losses last year, they've all been severely weakened and need to recuperate. Considering both the timing and the people involved, a full-scale offensive can only be launched after autumn at the latest."

If everything goes smoothly, Li Bi should be back from Hengshan before August. When that happens, you can just consult my brother about how to deploy troops and how to attack. Just like when your father was a marshal, you can delegate all authority to my brother. It would save you a lot of trouble and prevent any major problems from arising.

But young people, once they hold great power, are bound to be excited and eager to prove themselves, which is understandable. Li Ji thought to himself, "Alright, I'll help you plan things out. But I must advise you not to act rashly. It's best to wait until my brother returns and refines the plan."

The four men discussed the matter for two full hours, during which Li Shi even treated them to lunch. Around noon, they finally finished their discussion, and the two physicians took their leave. Li Shi kept Li Ji behind, saying, "There are still some things I don't quite understand. Changwei, please explain them to me again."

But after the two left, Li Ji returned to the table, holding the map, about to ask: Is there anything you don't understand? Li Shi took two steps back, sat on the couch, and then waved his hand, ordering all the serving eunuchs to leave.

Li Ji understood. "You summoned me today for something else. The talk of discussing strategies to suppress the bandits is just an excuse." He guessed Li Shi had something to attend to and didn't want to wait until evening, so he was eager to speak privately with Li Ji—besides, Li Ji had to be on duty tonight and couldn't possibly leave the Daming Palace—hence the extra two physicians he summoned as a cover. After all, summoning a commander of the Imperial Guard like Li Ji to his residence in broad daylight required a plausible reason.

Therefore, after all the eunuchs had left, Li Ji approached Li Shi and asked in a low voice, "Why is this necessary? Is it a tradition in your family for fathers and sons to be jealous of each other?"