Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 76

He beckoned to Cui Qi with his other hand: "Come here and take a look. Isn't this Li Ji, the guard?"

Chapter 53, A Dialogue Between Souls

That evening, Li Ji returned to his residence with a stern face. Qingluan greeted him, helped him change into his home clothes, and then served him a meal.

Tang Dynasty officials' salaries were mainly divided into four parts: annual rice stipends, monthly allowances, official land grants, and corvée labor. However, by the mid-Tang period, official land grants and corvée labor were mostly converted into monthly allowances. Li Ji entered the capital in the spring and did not receive the previous year's annual rice stipends. Although he received monthly allowances, the high price of rice in Chang'an prevented him from spending as lavishly on his daily meals as he had in Longyou—moreover, Qingluan was a thrifty person who was used to careful budgeting.

As a result, the quality of their diet plummeted, with a significant drop in the proportion of meat. Qingluan was forced to pull out all the stops, not only studying cooking techniques day and night with the cook, but also frequently visiting neighbors to learn about various dishes, striving to satisfy her husband. Today, she painstakingly prepared four dishes and a soup, along with half a dozen sesame cakes. However, seeing Li Ji silently enjoying his meal without praising or commenting, she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

After dinner, Li Ji instructed, "I will sleep in my study tonight."

Qingluan panicked and immediately knelt down: "I have always failed to serve you properly, causing you to be so worried..."

Li Ji then realized what was happening and quickly grabbed Qingluan, pulling her into his arms. He comforted her, saying, "It's not your fault. It's just that some things in the palace lately have been worrying me. I want to be alone and think things through."

Qingluan said, “In the past, when we were in Shanzhou, even when the barbarian bandits were pressing on the border, I never saw my husband worry, and I felt at ease. Who would have thought that now that we’re in the capital, after three days of official business, I’ve been bored for two of them… We might as well go back to Longyou.”

Li Ji asked him with a smile, "If you were to return to Longyou, I would have to resign from my official post and live a simple life from now on. Would you be willing to do that?"

Qingluan remained silent. With the mindset of a young girl, she only wanted to live a peaceful life with her husband, but if Li Ji stopped being an official, she feared that he would lack food and clothing, find it difficult to find housing, and might even be bullied... Having come from a background as a courtesan, she knew the benefits of being an official, so how could she be willing to give it up so easily?

Li Ji said he wanted to be alone, but that wasn't his true feeling. To be honest, he had a lot on his mind that he wanted to talk to and discuss with someone, but unfortunately, many things were simply impossible to express aloud—not even to Li Shi. Helpless, he could only lie alone in his study, longing for Li Mi.

Brother, if you were here, I would dare to tell you anything, and you would surely be able to help me clear my thoughts and guide me through my confusion. In a daze, it was as if Li Bi, in his scholar's robe and Taoist hat, had indeed appeared before him—Li Ji split his heart in two, and pretended one half to be Li Bi, speaking quietly to him.

Li Ji naturally spoke first: "Brother, the affairs of the court and the palace are unpredictable and treacherous. I see them clearly, but I can't exert any effort, and I have no one to talk to. When will you finally give up those unrealistic fantasies and return to the capital?"

Li Bi laughed and said, "There are no such complicated twists and turns. It's just the Emperor and the Emperor Emeritus playing chess. In my opinion, the Emperor has gained the upper hand in this game, and the Emperor Emeritus should naturally concede defeat."

Li Ji shook his head: "It's not that simple. I suspect the Emperor has already made the first move..."

"What do you mean by 'first move'?"

“Brother, you don’t know, those dead eunuchs—that is, palace eunuchs—have become special gossips ever since they had their penises cut off. They gossip about everything in the palace. These days, while I’m on duty in the palace, my ears are filled with all sorts of secrets.”

"For example, I just learned that Empress Zhang's background is not simple either. Her grandmother, Lady Dou, was the Emperor Emeritus's aunt. The Emperor Emeritus lost his mother at a young age and was raised by Lady Dou. Moreover, Empress Zhang's entry into the Eastern Palace was originally arranged by the Emperor Emeritus... Do you think the Emperor Emeritus might have known all along that his daughter-in-law, who is also his cousin's niece, had great ambitions and would try to emulate Empress Wu and Empress Wei of the past?"

Li Bi shook his head: "Even if the Emperor is extremely skilled in chess, how could he possibly predict what will happen a hundred moves ahead?"

"It's hard to say. Who knows if that old man deliberately planted a time bomb next to his son's pillow? Li Heng originally had Consort Wei, who was doing well as the wife of the Prince of Zhong. But shortly after Li Heng was made crown prince, Consort Wei's brother, Wei Jian, was framed and killed by Li Linfu. That coward Li Heng was forced to divorce his wife, which allowed Lady Zhang to come to power. What if this was a pawn that the Emperor Emeritus had laid out beforehand..."

"Anymore?"

"Yes, Li Heng doesn't trust the Six Armies of the Northern Army, so he established the Yingwu Army. I overheard that Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming, who came from Li Shi's household, were appointed as the left and right chief clerks of the Yingwu Army, and that old man had some influence over them. You didn't hear what the old man told me today..."

"The so-called 'the cycle of karma, retribution is inevitable'?"

"Yes, yes. Forty-eight years ago, Empress Wei usurped power and poisoned Emperor Zhongzong. Li Longji then secretly colluded with the imperial guards to launch a surprise attack on the palace, eliminating Empress Wei and installing his father, Emperor Ruizong, on the throne. He then became the crown prince without any trouble. If we compare Empress Zhang to Empress Wei, Li Heng to Emperor Zhongzong, Li Yu to Emperor Ruizong, and Li Shi to the old man himself... this is the cycle, this is retribution!"

"And who are you among them, and to whom can you be compared?"

"The old man himself said, 'I don't know if there is still a Chen Xuanli in the world'—he wants me to be Chen Xuanli!"

Chen Xuanli was originally a cavalry general who assisted Li Longji in launching a coup and suppressing the Wei faction, thus gaining their trust. However, he spent his entire life in the Imperial Guard and was never sent out to other posts, eventually rising to the rank of Grand General of the Dragon Martial Army. Even though he was unable to prevent the Imperial Guard's mutiny at Mawei Post Station—and there are rumors that Li Heng, Li Fuguo, and Chen Xuanli were the ones who orchestrated the "Mawei Incident"—he still enjoyed the Emperor's favor.

Li Bi smiled and said, "Empress Zhang can become Empress Wei, the Crown Prince can become Emperor Ruizong, and the Prince of Fengjie can become the Emperor Emeritus, but I'm afraid the current emperor is not Emperor Zhongzong."

"Why?"

"You've heard, haven't you? The Emperor not only recalled Yu Chaoen, but also ordered him to bring half of the Shence Army stationed in Shaanxi into the capital. This is naturally to counterbalance the Yingwu Army. Previously, there was unrest in the capital, which the Prefect of Jingzhao could not control. Li Fuguo requested that the Imperial Guards patrol the streets, but this was blocked by Li Sheren's advice. Li Kui, who is full of 'fathers,' how could he dare to go against Li Fuguo's wishes? It was just a charade to make the court and the public aware that the Imperial Guards were not strong enough, so it would be natural for the Emperor to recall the Shence Army."

"You saw it when you reviewed the documents at the Yingwu Army Headquarters. Since Ma Sui was in charge, he has repeatedly petitioned to increase the number of troops and expand the Yingwu Army, but the Emperor has always refused. This was also a preliminary preparation for the Shence Army to enter the capital. The Northern Army originally had six armies, so how can we allow the left and right Yingwu to become too powerful now?"

"The Imperial Guards can only guard against external traitors, not internal traitors. Empress Wei, who didn't have the support of the Imperial Guards, still poisoned Emperor Zhongzong..."

"That's because Li Fuguo wasn't in the palace before—so what is Li Fuguo's intention in ordering you to escort the Emperor to move the palace today? Have you figured it out?"

Li Ji nodded and said, "Those people like Dou and Huo, though cunning, don't have the self-awareness of eunuchs. Unlike Li Fuguo, they cling to the title of 'slave,' which is why they enjoy lasting favor—maybe they learned it from Gao Lishi. Dou and Huo think Li Fuguo is trying to show off and intimidate me—look, even the retired emperor is imprisoned by me. With such overwhelming power, how dare you disobey me, Li Er?"

"But in my opinion, Li Fuguo was telling me that he had a very accurate grasp of his own position. He was a lackey of the royal family, a sharp blade in Li Heng's hand. He seemed arrogant, but in fact, all his actions were at Li Heng's behest. When Li Heng was in the Prince's residence and in the Eastern Palace, he dared not associate with outside officials because of the old man's suspicion. When he fled north to Lingwu, he had few capable ministers by his side. Therefore, he really did not trust those court officials who had once followed the old man to Shu."

"The reason why eunuchs have interfered in politics has always been because the emperor distrusts his ministers or wants to seize the power of the prime minister for himself!"

"Was the 'Chashi Hall' a tool for Li Fuguo to abuse his power? He himself said it was 'the will of the sage,' and I think that might not be a lie; Li Heng at least tacitly approved of it. Moreover, the old man's relocation of the palace, including Gao Lishi's demotion and Chen Xuanli's retirement, and later Princess Yuzhen and that Ruxianyuan, most of them will likely not fare well either. Could all of this have been done by Li Fuguo forging imperial edicts?"

"When the old man was in the Southern Palace, he often went up to Changqing Tower, and the elders of Chang'an would often go to watch and shout 'Long live the Emperor!' The old man would even give them wine... Although Guo Yingyi was only a nominal General of the Imperial Guard, the old man also invited him to the tower for a banquet; when the official from Jiannan passed by, the old man had Princess Yuzhen and Lady Ruxian host the reception—did he still treat Shu as his private domain? If Li Fuguo reported such things to Li Heng, how could Li Heng not feel resentful?"

"So I'm wondering, did Li Fuguo dare to act recklessly because Li Heng was sick, or did Li Heng fall ill in order to allow Li Fuguo to act recklessly?"

Li Bi said, "The sage is physically weak and often catches colds; he must not be faking it."

"But when his illness improved slightly, he did not meet with the court officials or manage the country. It was as if he had handed over all power to Li Fuguo. If Li Fuguo really had such great power, how could he not control the Yingwu Army? I think that, given Ma Sui's character, he may have given gifts to Li Fuguo in order to secure his position, but he was by no means Li Fuguo's personal confidant."

"Moreover, perhaps Cheng Yuanzhen is Li Fuguo's man. We've discussed this before, but Yu Chaoen is definitely not! Li Fuguo and Yu Chaoen are like Zhang Rang and Jian Shuo in the 'Ten Attendants,' used by the emperor to control the outer court and the army, respectively. I once advised Li Fuguo to get rid of Yu Chaoen, but Li Fuguo didn't answer... In fact, he probably doesn't have the ability to do so. His power comes purely from Li Heng, and Li Heng doesn't want to see any eunuch become too powerful."

Li Bi remained silent in thought.

"Therefore, Li Fuguo sent me to guard the palace not to show how powerful he was, but to show that he was just a servant of the royal family, whose life, death, honor and disgrace were all in the hands of Li Heng. All his reckless actions were backed by the emperor!"

Li Bi scoffed, "Even if he knows you're shrewd, does he really need to go out of his way to show it to you? You're taking yourself too seriously."

Li Ji shook his head and smiled: "He certainly wasn't showing this to me, but rather hoping to use me to report the relevant situation to Li Shi, letting the little guy use his brain. Li Fuguo hopes that Li Yu and his son won't see him as a powerful minister. If he is a powerful minister, he can make the current emperor a puppet, and naturally he can also make the successor emperor a puppet. If he is just a servant, then today he is following the emperor's orders, I will take the blame, and the emperor will reap the benefits. In the future, when someone else becomes emperor, they will still be happy to use him."

"It seems that Li Fuguo had some unpleasantness with Li Yu because of Li Tan's matter in the past. He is afraid that Li Yu is just being perfunctory and actually suspects him, so he is rushing to curry favor with Li Shi. He even puts aside his revenge for the time I kidnapped him and wants to find me a teacher to teach me mace techniques. I don't believe he is really that magnanimous. He is not a real prime minister yet; he can't hold back his anger."

"I just don't understand why the Emperor Emeritus stopped his carriage to summon me today and said some veiled things. Did Li Fuguo know about this beforehand? Is he happy to see this? Li Shi is probably happy to see it. He might even come back later. I need to prepare my words to report to him first..."

At this point, he couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly: "Brother, you've misjudged him. The current emperor is not kind at all; he inherited his father's mean-spirited nature one hundred percent!"

Li Bi pondered for a moment, then slowly asked, "In that case, if you want me to return to court, will it be of any use?"

"How is it useless?" Li Ji hurriedly said, "The position of prime minister has never been established to control the inner court, but to control the emperor! The struggle between the emperor and the prime minister has remained unchanged for generations. If there is no prime minister to lead the court officials, and the emperor makes all the decisions, or manipulates power through eunuchs, then the country will be completely finished! You don't want the Tang Dynasty to end so quickly, do you?"

"If there are no external threats, let the chaos continue, let it end. Maybe your brother and I will even have a chance to rise up amidst the chaos! But I'm really worried about Tibet, and the Uyghurs... Moreover, the common people are suffering too much. An Lushan's rebellion has left the land desolate, and at the same time, the Li family has failed to cultivate virtue. The father and son have impoverished the family and their army, and all the expenses will ultimately be passed on to the common people. Anyway, I can't bear to see the people suffer a second time..."

Li Bi said, "I'm afraid I can't become prime minister, or at least not prime minister, and I can't fulfill your wish to restrain imperial power—after all, I didn't come from the imperial examination system. Actually, there is still an opportunity in front of you..."

Li Ji smiled bitterly, "Brother, please stop trying to persuade me to take the imperial examination. I've never been in the top three in any exam since I was little—not the top three in the whole country, but in the top three in my grade! And if I have to study hard for ten years, become a Jinshi, and then struggle for another ten years to enter the central government, Li Heng will probably have already completely ruined the country. I'm just hoping he dies now. If Li Yu ascends the throne, maybe things will be better... who knows? Like begets like, and most emperors' sons are scoundrels!"

"Even with Li Tan, I gradually saw through his selfish motives, even if it was just seeking fame and achievements..."

Li Bi said, "Li Fuguo is right. Who can be without selfish desires? As long as one does not harm the affairs of the country because of selfish desires, then one's integrity is not compromised. Do you, Li Changwei and Li Erlang, truly care only for the country and its people, without any selfish desires?"

Li Ji remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Never mind, let's wait and see—Li Shi should be here soon."

Just then, the sound of drums signaling the quiet of the street rose from the watchtower, and Li Bi's image quietly faded from the depths of Li Ji's heart...

(End of Volume 3, "Mo Ma Longdui Moonlit Camp")

Chapter 1, A Country Woman

Chang'an City has 108 wards, and there is a saying that "the east is noble, the west is rich, and the south is poor and lowly" - of course, there is no north, because the north is the palace city and the imperial city - the area with the highest land prices and housing prices is in the northeast corner of the city, the twelve wards divided into north and south with Tonghua Street as the center - excluding the priceless sixteen royal residences and Xingqing Palace.

This area was conveniently located, bordering the Imperial City and Taiji Palace to the west and overlooking the Daming Palace to the north. Whether traveling west to one's official post (most government offices were located within the Imperial City south of Taiji Palace) or north to attend court assemblies, the distance was not far. Furthermore, to the south, across Chunming Street, lay Pingkangfang and the East Market, making it convenient for purchasing goods and enjoying daily entertainment. Hence, it was called "Eastern Noble," and most officials in Beijing built their residences or rented houses in this area.

Guanghuafang is located in the center of this area.

Guanghua Ward was originally named Anxing Ward. It was only recently renamed, and official documents have already adopted the new name, but the common people still prefer to call it by the old name. The reason for the name change is probably because An Lushan and his son caused chaos, so the emperor avoided the character "An"—for example, the Right Feathered Forest General An Chongzhang was given the surname Li and renamed Li Baoyu.

Guanghua Ward was in a very good location. It was bordered by Tonghua Street to the north, and to the west, it was only separated from the Imperial City by Yongxing Ward. To the south, it was only separated from Chunming Street and the East Market by Shengye Ward. Therefore, there were many nobles in the ward, but some officials of the fifth rank and below lived near the ward wall.

This is because within a ward, the closer to the central crossroads, the more convenient the transportation. Residents closer to the ward wall, however, had to take a detour through side streets to reach the main street before entering or leaving through the ward gate, making their location relatively less desirable. Especially after the fall and subsequent recapture of Zhongjing (the capital), although the population plummeted, the government's control also collapsed, leading to a proliferation of criminals. Therefore, homes near the ward wall were generally less safe.

Specifically, in the northeast corner of Guanghua Ward, close to the ward wall, along the north side of the street, there were eight or nine households, and Li Ji was among them. Although she had only lived there for two short months, Qingluan had already become familiar with her neighbors. She often went to her neighbors to ask for cooking skills in the style of the capital, and the local natives who loved novelty also learned a lot of Longxi cuisine from her.

For example, dumplings.

Traditional crescent-shaped wontons are essentially just wontons; eaten dry after being scooped from the soup, they inevitably taste bland. However, the dumplings Li Ji taught Qingluan were not only generously filled and large, but also less likely to break. After cooking, they were dipped in vinegar and eaten, resulting in a flavor completely different from wontons. Qingluan occasionally made extra and shared them with her neighbors, thus winning unanimous praise.

On this day, the neighbor came to invite Qingluan again, hoping that she would teach him how to make dumplings. When Qingluan went over to take a look, she found that "all the wise men had gathered". The wives and concubines of four or five neighboring families had all gathered together. It was said that the master of this family had been promoted to an official position and wanted to hold a banquet to celebrate. However, the family was short of manpower, so he asked the neighbors for help.

Seven or eight women gathered together, rolling out dough, mixing fillings, and wrapping dumplings. Their hands never stopped, and their mouths never stopped talking either, naturally gossiping about everyday matters. But what everyone was most interested in was the newly moved-in Li Ji family. Every time they met, they would repeatedly ask Qingluan about Li Erlang's situation, how he had single-handedly stormed into the enemy camp in Longyou and managed to kill generals and capture flags.

Actually, women aren't really interested in war. The problem is that Li Erlang's reputation has spread throughout the capital, so they want to find out more details so they can brag to their relatives and friends. Therefore, their main questions are not about Li Ji's military strategies or his bravery in breaking through enemy lines, but rather—what kind of armor does Li Erlang wear? What weapon does he use, and what fine steed does he ride? He is valued by His Highness Prince Qi; has His Highness bestowed any treasures upon him? And so on.

To be honest, since Qingluan joined Li Ji, she had basically never left the house while in Shancheng, except to collect grain from the official granary and buy vegetables at the market. Li Ji also rarely returned home in armor or carrying weapons... Therefore, there were many things she didn't know, but she didn't want to be ridiculed for being ignorant, so she could only let her imagination run wild and make things up—and perhaps she played a part in the gradual distortion of Li Ji's image in the music hall...

While making dumplings that day, the conversation turned to Li Ji again. The hostess asked, "Sister, your second son escorted the Emperor to the new palace the other day. I heard that the Emperor summoned him to the imperial carriage to praise and encourage him. Is that true? What did the Emperor say to your second son?"

Qingluan smiled and said, "It is true, but Li Lang did not tell me exactly what he said—it was just some words of praise, and it seemed that he also said that Tang would not mistreat meritorious officials."

The woman said, "That's natural—but Erlang has already made great contributions in Longyou, and now he has been commended by the Emperor. How come he is still just a minor eighth-rank official? When will the court promote him?"

Before Qingluan could answer, another woman glared at her and scolded, "Shut up! How can a woman like you interfere with the court's promotions and demotions? Besides, Li Erlang has only been in the Yingwu Army for a short time, and he hasn't even settled in yet. How can he be promoted so quickly? If he is promoted, he will become a chief clerk. What will happen to Chief Clerk Dou then? Will he be promoted to general?"

She verbally reprimanded others for meddling in matters of official appointment, but in reality, she talked even more enthusiastically. However, no one dared to contradict her, because this woman, due to her husband's noble family, was implicitly the leader of the women in the area.

—This woman herself was also a concubine, her husband's surname was Sun, and her husband, Sun Changkai, was a low-ranking eunuch of the fifth rank in the Inner Palace Attendants Bureau—yes, he was a dead eunuch—while the husbands of the other women, including Qingluan, were at most sixth-rank civil officials.

Another woman said, "Li Erlang will naturally be promoted sooner or later. Now that he's a civil official, he might even be in charge of the Ministry of War in the future. Qingluan, Erlang is almost thirty, isn't he? Why doesn't he marry a proper wife?"

Qingluan smiled somewhat awkwardly: "Li Lang just has a thick beard, he's actually only in his early twenties."

"He's around twenty, he should be getting married by now..."

Then the concubine of the Sun family interjected, "How could a hero like Li Erlang marry a village woman? That's why he won't marry in Longyou. He must be looking for a wife in the official family in Chang'an..." She glanced at Qingluan and saw that she seemed a little embarrassed when she heard the words "village woman." She smiled and comforted her, "Besides, Sister Qingluan is beautiful and cooks well. If she didn't come from a wealthy and noble family, what virtue or ability would she have to be above her? I think Li Erlang will most likely marry a woman from a noble family."

Someone nearby asked in confusion, "It seems that Li Erlang is from the Li family of Zhao County, which is also a prominent family, but according to the law, the five surnames cannot intermarry..."

Concubine Sun curled her lip: "That's ancient history! Who cares about that now!"

Qingluan boldly said, "Li Lang once told me that the five surnames and seven clans seem to... not all of them are forbidden from intermarrying. His branch of the family is not among those forbidden."

Sun's concubine said, "I knew it. With Erlang's character and promising future, only someone surnamed Cui, Zheng, Lu, or Wang is worthy of him."

A person nearby stammered, "I was originally thinking of trying to talk about He Erlang and my cousin..."

Sun's concubine immediately spat, "What is your cousin's status? She's just a member of the Cen family in Nanyang. Although her ancestors were prime ministers, they have fallen into decline and are now from a collateral branch... Otherwise, the Cen family wouldn't have married your aunt. You're really delusional!"

The conversation was quite pleasant, but when the dumplings were almost finished, the women took their leave one by one—they had to go home to prepare dinner—Qingluan also left, and the remaining few, still led by Sun's concubine, spoke in a completely different tone.

Sun's concubine first looked at Qingluan's back and said with a sneer, "She's a country bumpkin. Her accent is strange, and she's not good-looking either. Is Li Erlang blind? How could he have taken a liking to her?"

The hostess laughed and said, "Sister, as you just said, Li Erlang is in Longyou, and all you see are these kinds of village women. Where can you find someone to choose from? This woman may not be beautiful, but she is still decent-looking. Most likely, Li Erlang hired her as a cook, and then, after a while, they..." She couldn't help but cover her mouth with her sleeve and laugh halfway through her sentence.

Sun's concubine nodded and said, "That's right, all men are like this—even my old man, without his virginity, is still a man in nature—how can he bear the loneliness of the bedchamber for even a day? Now that Li Erlang has returned to Chang'an, even if he can't marry a noble wife for a while, he will always want to take a few beautiful concubines—the women of Chang'an, whether in appearance, dressing, or speech and behavior, are far superior to those country women."

She glanced sideways at the woman she had spat at earlier: "If your cousin doesn't mind being a concubine, she could be introduced to Li Erlang—after all, he is the great-great-granddaughter of Cen Denggong (Cen Changqian), which wouldn't disgrace the Zhao County Li family. Your uncle is now just a minor official, with no future prospects. It's one thing if he's in a foreign land, but since he's in Chang'an, does he really expect his daughter to be the principal wife of a noble family? Unless she's one of those merchants and commoners in the west..."

A woman said, "Li Erlang is only an eighth-rank official after all, with a limited salary. I'm afraid he can't take more concubines, can he?"

Upon hearing this, Sun's concubine curled her lip: "If you can't afford more, then just divorce that country bumpkin first, wouldn't that make room for her?" She paused, then continued: "Besides, Li Erlang once saved Prince Qi's life in battle in Longyou, just like Yuchi Jingde saved Emperor Taizong back then. Didn't Prince Qi reward him? Don't underestimate that country bumpkin just because she's plain-looking and naturally rustic. No matter how much she dresses up, how pretty can she be? Li Erlang will naturally hide the money so she won't know..."

The mistress of the house asked with a smile, "Does Attendant Sun also hide money? Do you know, elder sister?"

Sun's concubine spat again: "That old bastard dares to do that!"

----------

Qingluan was naturally unaware of what those women were saying about her behind her back. She simply hurried home to prepare another delicious meal for Li Ji. But as soon as she entered the house, the doorman said, "A noble family has sent someone to invite you to a banquet."

Sure enough, a person stood in the courtyard with hands clasped, waiting quietly. Qingluan covered her face with her sleeve and avoided him—although Li Ji had put her in charge of the household, she was ultimately a concubine, not a wife, and it was not her place to interfere in matters of dealing with outsiders—she secretly glanced at the person from time to time.

The person was short and somewhat thin, wearing a black turban without legs, a white, narrow-sleeved short-sleeved shirt, and leather boots. Her clothes were quite neat, and she certainly looked like a servant of a wealthy family. But as soon as she glanced at him, the person seemed to sense it and immediately turned his head, and their eyes met.

Qingluan caught a glimpse of a pretty face, who looked very young and had no beard. After all, she was not a young lady from a wealthy family who came from a noble household. She was originally a courtesan and had seen many people... and even more men. She immediately realized: This is actually a woman, isn't it?

What household would send a maidservant disguised as a man to invite an important guest? Could it be that she was sent by a brothel in Pingkang Ward?!

A pang of sadness welled up in her heart, so she simply lowered her sleeves, clasped her hands together, and slightly curtsied, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

The man immediately returned the greeting and inquired, "Who is the lady...?" It was indeed a woman's voice.

"I am Li Lang, who followed me in Longyou..." Qingluan first stated her identity, then asked, "I intended to prepare a meal for Li Lang, but I heard that a distinguished guest has invited me—may I ask who your master is..."

The other party paused for a moment, then replied, "He is a colleague of Military Advisor Li. He will know when Military Advisor Li returns." He did not mention any specific name, which made Qingluan even more suspicious.

So he continued to inquire, "May I ask which neighborhood your esteemed master resides in?"

"The banquet was not held at home, but at a house in Pingkangfang."

Qingluan thought to herself, "So it really is Pingkang Lane... Hmm, it seems that when we were in Shancheng, that Manager Du often came over to freeload meals and mentioned that when Li Lang was in Chang'an, he often visited a brothel named Lü in Pingkang Lane. Has he run into his old flame again? Or does that old flame want to rekindle their old flame and has specially sent someone to invite him?"

It's understandable that a hero like Li Lang would have a courtesan's interest... but this isn't an official courtesan, and it's in Chang'an city. I wonder how much a single meal would cost? I recently lent 15,000 coins to a merchant to earn interest, and I really don't have much spare cash left at home...

It was impossible for Qingluan not to feel a pang of jealousy, but she also knew that she couldn't stop this from happening, and it was the prevailing trend in officialdom... What worried her even more was that she wouldn't be able to afford enough to reward the prostitutes, causing her husband to lose face.

He pondered to himself, what else could he possibly have at home to make up the difference? If it were tomorrow night, there might still be time to pawn it temporarily... Speaking of which, the other day, Li Lang gave away a thousand coins for a pair of maces. He really doesn't care about the cost of rice in Chang'an!

Startled, the woman opposite him was puzzled. She bowed slightly and said, "Please go ahead with your business, my lady. I'll wait here for Military Advisor Li."

Qingluan hurriedly said, "How can I make you wait here? Since you're here, please sit on the porch and I'll go boil some hot water."

So she led the woman dressed as a man to the veranda, and Qingluan went to the kitchen to boil water, poured a bowl, and handed it to her. She took the opportunity to sit down next to her and chat casually. Anyway, Li Lang was going out to eat in the evening, so there was no need to spend time and effort preparing dinner. As for her own and the servants' meals, the cook could take care of them. Besides, the other person was not a man...