Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 29

Because Li Ji was standing, which made it easier for him to move, while Xu Shuji was kneeling behind the table, in his haste, he didn't have time to pull his leg up. With such a large target, how could Li Ji possibly miss? With a loud "bang," the two collided head-on, and Li Ji directly pinned Xu Shuji to the ground. He also kicked the table, causing it to flip over and blocking several guards who rushed to his aid.

But after pinning Xu Shuji to the ground, Li Ji realized—no, I can't be Zhu Hai…

Zhu Hai killed Jin Bi, allowing Lord Xinling to seize control of the Wei army, because Lord Xinling possessed the tiger tally and was in the camp, making it convenient to usurp power. But now, Helan Jinming is still outside the city—he doesn't dare emulate Lord Xinling and personally enter the city—and although he is the military governor of Henan, the Pengcheng army has long followed Xu Shuji and may not obey him. If he were to kill Xu Shuji, he would surely be overwhelmed by Xu's men, hacked to pieces, and the Pengcheng garrison would likely riot and scatter. Forget rescuing Suiyang; the last capable army in Henan would be destroyed.

Not only would my death be pointless, but it would also have the opposite effect... I can't do such a completely unprofitable deal.

I should heed Helan Jinming's advice and become Cao Mo instead of Zhu Hai... But Cao Mo's success was mainly due to Duke Huan of Qi's desire for face; at least Guan Zhong advised him not to "abandon the trust of the feudal lords and lose the support of the world." As for Xu Shuji, does he care about face? If he did, he wouldn't have stayed in Pengcheng for a year or two, not daring to take a single step north!

Even if I manage to force Xu Shuji to agree, the moment I let go, he'll probably turn on me instantly, treating the promise like a worthless piece of paper. Besides, breaking the treaty under duress might not cause him much damage to his reputation or prestige. And if I were to take Xu Shuji hostage and take him out of the city to see Helan Jinming… there are tens of thousands of troops stationed in this city; what are my chances of successfully carrying him out? A single arrow from the shadows would be enough to ruin everything!

Are hostages so easy to take hostage? Even if I had captured Li Fuguo and Yu Chaoen that day, if Li Heng hadn't given me any room for maneuver and had instead intended to kill me, would I still be alive today?

With his mind racing, Li Ji suddenly released one hand, reached into his robes, and pulled out a small porcelain bottle. He then used his thumb to pry open the bottle cap, and with a knee strike to Xu Shuji's stomach, forcing him to open his mouth to scream. Li Ji then grabbed Xu Shuji's chin, pried open his mouth, and poured a pill from the bottle into his mouth.

This pill tastes extremely bitter and has a peculiar fishy smell; it dissolves immediately upon contact with saliva...

As soon as Li Ji released the other man's chin, Xu Shuji asked in a panic, "What did you feed me?!" It certainly wasn't anything good; he had to find out quickly.

Suddenly feeling a relief in his chest and abdomen, Li Ji had already turned over and stood up, saying coldly, "Doctor, don't be alarmed, this poison is not incurable."

Upon hearing the word "poison," Xu Shuji was immediately terrified. He propped himself up on his elbows and sat up abruptly, demanding, "What grudge do I have against you... Could it be that you are an assassin of a traitor?! How can this poison be cured?!"

Li Ji stood right in front of him, his left hand instantly flashing backward to deflect a spear thrust from the guard, saying, "If you kill me, there will be no solution."

Xu Shuji hurriedly shouted, "Everyone, step back!" He then pleaded with Li Ji, "How can this be resolved? If I don't die, you can have anything you want—gold, beautiful women, anything is negotiable."

Li Ji curled his lip and sneered, "The antidote is in the hands of General Helan at Qiliting outside the city. The doctor is rushing to get it; the general will surely not be stingy. If there is any delay, you will surely die with your intestines ruptured and blood flowing from all seven orifices." With that, he turned and walked away.

"If you wish to live, come with me; if you would rather die than submit, then order my execution."

As he walked out, he glared angrily at the guards, shouting, "If you want your lord dead, then come and kill me!"

Xu Shuji hurriedly shouted, "Everyone, step back! Step back!" Then, while struggling to get up, he asked Li Ji, "How long will it take before I die if I don't take the antidote?"

Li Ji didn't even turn his head: "Two quarters of an hour."

Xu Shuji's face turned green. He thought to himself, "It's only been a quarter of an hour. I'm not even sure if I can get to Qiliting." Qiliting, as the name suggests, is located seven miles west of the city. If the poison had taken effect later, he would have had time to think things through and devise a plan. But now that time is so short, he probably has no choice but to hurry and see Helan Jinming.

He had considered the possibility that Li Ji might be bluffing, but firstly, the taste of the pill was indeed unusual, definitely not some hemostatic or wound-healing medicine he carried with him. Secondly... what if Li Ji was telling the truth? Time was of the essence; could he risk his life?!

Helan Jinming, I never expected you to resort to such a vicious scheme!

But upon further reflection, he realized that since he had gone to Qiliting, as long as he quickly bowed his head and admitted defeat, he believed that Helan Jinming couldn't do anything to him, right? Putting aside the fact that they were of similar taste, he wouldn't dare to defy the world and execute him. If he really intended to kill him, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to have a lowly soldier force him to take a poison with an antidote.

So he hurriedly scrambled to his feet, disregarding all decorum, and ran down the steps of the hall. In the blink of an eye, he was beside Li Ji. Li Ji heard the rapid footsteps and, seeing this out of the corner of his eye, immediately quickened his pace, turning a brisk walk into a run, thinking to himself:

The statement that "my legs are infected with rheumatism and I can't walk" is quite self-contradictory.

So the two of them rushed down the steps almost side by side, and Xu Shuji shouted at the top of his lungs, "Marai, Marai!"

Li Ji's horse was tied up below the hall. He immediately untied the reins and mounted. Just as Xu Shuji was about to mount his horse, his son Xu Yu heard the commotion and rushed over, spreading his arms to stop him, saying, "Where are you going, sir?" Xu Shuji was straightforward and didn't hold back. He kicked his son to the ground, then stepped onto the saddle and chased after Li Ji, galloping away.

One after the other, the two riders charged out of the west gate of Pengcheng, heading straight for Qiliting. Inside the camp there, Helan Jinming had specially prepared a simple banquet to welcome Xu Shuji. He was also somewhat uneasy, and after sitting for a while, he simply put his hands behind his back, stepped out of the tent, and paced back and forth, observing. Not long after, a soldier suddenly came to report: "Li Ji has arrived with Doctor Xu!"

Helan Jinming was startled and hurriedly asked, "How many soldiers did you bring?"

The soldier reported, "We can see the two of them in the distance, galloping towards us on horseback."

Helan Jinming was both surprised and delighted, thinking to himself, "This Li Ji is truly capable! How did he manage to persuade Xu Shuji to come alone?" Just as he was about to go out of the gate to greet him, he suddenly saw Li Ji in front and Xu Shuji behind, kicking over the soldiers who were trying to stop them and spurring their horses to charge in...

Xu Shuji didn't wait for his mount to slow down. He pressed down on the saddle and almost rolled to the ground. Then, to everyone's astonishment, he pounced on Helan Jinming and grabbed his arms, shouting, "Lord Helan, save me! Save me!"

Helan Jinming was completely bewildered and didn't know how to respond. Just then, Li Ji dismounted and laughed, "It was a ruse; I gave Doctor Xu poison, and the antidote is with the commander—I haven't failed in my mission!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Shuji felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his ears, and he couldn't help but turn his head and ask, "That...that's poison, isn't it?"

Li Ji's eyes widened: "Of course it's poison!"

Before Xu Shuji's expression could change again, he coldly said, "You'll need to take several pills to die, but one pill and some cold water will cure you."

The substance he forced Xu Shuji to take was naturally obtained from Jia Huai. This medicine was called "Corrosive Intestine Pill," a potent poison that was said to dissolve instantly in water. It was said that taking just five pills would cause the intestines to rot and the person to die, and even a celestial being could not save them. However, if only one pill was taken, the toxicity would gradually dissipate after ten days or half a month, and it would have no effect.

The key is that this medicine has a pungent taste and a foul odor. Let alone taking it directly or dissolving it in water, even adding it to food or wine cannot mask its odor. Therefore, each pill is made so small, and other methods are needed—such as adding it to dishes or using certain spices to cover up its taste—to make people take it slowly. Otherwise, unless forced down, who would be willing to eat it?

Li Ji didn't intend to poison Xu Shuji. Firstly, he needed Xu to give orders to the Pengcheng army. Secondly, under those circumstances, if he had the intention to kill, he could have simply strangled him with his own hands; why go through the trouble of using poison? That's why he only inserted a pill. The reason he chose this "Corrosive Pill" was because of its unique taste. If it were a tasteless medicine—which Jia Huai's poisons truly didn't contain—how could the other party believe it wasn't a tonic?

As for the claim that drinking cold water could relieve the ailment, that was entirely a spur-of-the-moment idea, just a prank on Xu Shuji.

Upon hearing this, Xu Shuji believed it to be true—he dared not disbelieve it—and hurriedly shouted, "Cold water! Is there any cold water?!"

Helan Jinming also ordered, "Bring cool water." He then struggled free, grabbing Xu Shuji's hands behind his back, showing...

Three kneeling statues

During the summer vacation, I took my wife and children to Wuxi for a few days. When we passed by the "Zhang Zhongcheng Temple" in Huishan Ancient Town, it was dedicated to Zhang Xun.

According to the *Old Book of Tang*, Zhang Xun was from Nanyang, Dengzhou, while the *New Book of Tang* records him as from Hedong, Puzhou. It's unclear which is correct, but in any case, he has no connection to Wuxi. It was simply a local official's act of admiring his virtue and erecting a shrine in his honor. Because it was getting late, I couldn't go inside to pay my respects, but I heard that later generations, imitating the precedent of the Yue Fei Temple, cast an iron statue of Helan Jinming, kneeling with his back bound, to worship Zhang Xun.

The fall of Suiyang and the deaths of Zhang Xun, Xu Yuan, and others have always been attributed to Helan Jinming. While Jinming's crimes are indeed unforgivable, it's unclear why Xu Shuji has been overlooked.

The *Old Book of Tang* makes no mention of Xu Shuji's refusal to aid Suiyang, but the *New Book of Tang* records: "The Imperial Censor Helan Jinming, the military governor of Dai (Li) Ju, was stationed at Linhuai. Xu Shuji and Shang Heng were stationed at Pengcheng, both observing and unwilling to offer aid. The Imperial Inspector Ji Yun requested troops from Xu Shuji, but received no response, and instead sent several thousand bolts of cloth. Ji Yun insulted Xu Shuji on horseback, demanding a decisive battle, but Xu Shuji dared not respond... Xu Shuji was under Jinming's command. Fang Guan originally intended to restrain Jinming, and also held the position of Imperial Censor, their power being equal and their troops well-trained. Jinming feared being attacked if he sent troops, and also resented the Imperial Inspector's prestige, fearing success, and initially had no intention of sending troops..."

If the records are true, then Xu Shuji's crimes are far greater than Helan Jinming's. First, Pengcheng is closer to Suiyang than Linhuai, and Xu Shuji is also more "militarily skilled" than Helan Jinming. Therefore, his refusal to provide aid makes him even more despicable than Jinming.

Regarding Helan Jinming's attempt to retain Nan Jiyun, some have criticized him for undermining Zhang Xun's cause, suggesting he knew Suiyang couldn't do without Nan Jiyun, yet still insisted on keeping him… This interpretation of history is somewhat skewed. Since the decision to not rescue Suiyang had already been made, and the judgment was that "Suiyang's fate is sealed, what good would sending troops do?", would Nan Jiyun's return have made any difference? Jinming personally witnessed Nan Jiyun's bravery and was moved by his loyalty, unable to bear seeing him die, hence his attempt to retain him—this is only natural. As for his feelings towards Zhang Xun, perhaps he did harbor jealousy, but perhaps it was simply a case of "seeing the cow but not the sheep."

The key point is that Helan Jinming refused to rescue Suiyang, giving a plausible reason: "The fate of the city is sealed." Although he wanted to retain Nan Jiyun, seeing that he couldn't, he took no further action. In comparison, Xu Shuji's actions were even more despicable. Knowing full well that Suiyang was short of soldiers and food, he still offered thousands of bolts of cloth as a gesture of goodwill... This guy was utterly shameless!

The reason I'm saying this isn't to defend Helan Jinming, but I just feel that if there are four kneeling statues in the Yue Temple, then there should be at least three in the Zhang Xun Shrine—besides Helan Jinming and Xu Shuji, there should also be one for Lü Qiu Xiao.

Both Tang Histories record that Lü Qiu Xiao was the Prefect of Haozhou. Haozhou was then called Zhongli County, belonging to Huainan Circuit. It was located west of Linhuai, but south of the Huai River, possibly even further from Suiyang than Linhuai. It is said that the Tang court appointed Zhang Hao, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery and concurrently the Military Governor of Henan and Commander-in-Chief of Huainan and other circuits, to lead the troops. Knowing that Suiyang was in danger, Zhang Hao doubled his journey and sent a proclamation to Lü Qiu Xiao to go to its aid ahead of time.

The Old Book of Tang states: "(Luqiu Xiao) was inherently stubborn and tyrannical, lacked compassion for his subordinates, and preferred to act unilaterally. When Zhang Hao's letter arrived, he barely followed orders and, fearing defeat and implicating himself, lingered and did not advance..." This resulted in Zhang Hao personally leading a large army to relieve Suiyang, arriving only three days late...

At that time, Chang'an had already fallen, but Luoyang had not. If Zhang Hao wanted to rescue Suiyang, he would certainly have to take a detour from the south, but he wouldn't have gone all the way to the Huai River, nor would he have sent his troops, who were far away in Huainan, to lead the way. Furthermore, the closest troops to Suiyang were those from Pengcheng, so why didn't Zhang Hao order Xu Shuji to go to their aid?

Therefore, I believe that "Haozhou" may be a mistake for "Bozhou". Upon further review of the Zizhi Tongjian, it seems that Sima Guang shared the same idea as me. He directly changed it to "Zhang Hao heard that Suiyang was under siege and doubled his speed to advance. He issued a proclamation to the military governors of Zhejiang East, Zhejiang West, Huainan, and Beihai, as well as Lu Qiu Xiao, the prefect of Qiao County, ordering them to come to its aid." Qiao County is Bozhou.

Pengcheng is today's Xuzhou City, located 150 kilometers to the south of Suiyang (present-day Shangqiu City); Qiao County, the seat of Qiao Commandery, is today's Bozhou City, located 65 kilometers to the east of Suiyang; and given that Zhang Hao came from the west, it is reasonable for him to first send a proclamation to Luqiu Xiao to mobilize the troops of Qiao Commandery to rescue Suiyang.

With the fall of Suiyang, Zhang Xun and thirty-six others died for their cause—plus Xu Yuan, who was later executed in a cage in Luoyang—making a total of thirty-seven—a tragedy that grieved the entire court and the public. However, the Tang court seemed not to severely punish Helan Jinming, Xu Shuji, and others who refused to aid Suiyang. Helan Jinming's fate is unknown; it is said he was once demoted to Sima of Qinzhou, perhaps because of the Suiyang incident. Xu Shuji, on the other hand, was not only innocent but also promoted, becoming the Jiedushi of Huapu the following year when he accompanied Guo Ziyi in the attack on Ye.

Zhang Hao once advised Emperor Suzong that Xu Shuji was "cunning and scheming, and would surely change his ways in times of trouble," and requested that he be recalled to the court. Unfortunately, Emperor Suzong refused to listen. Xu Shuji then guarded Bianzhou, promising Li Guangbi he could hold it for fifteen days. However, before the appointed time arrived, he surrendered to Shi Siming and was subsequently captured by Pugu Huai'en. It is said that he was not executed but released…

Only Luqiu Xiao, because he refused to send troops, led to the fall of Suiyang. Zhang Hao was furious after entering Suiyang and "immediately had him beaten to death," which can be considered as avenging one-third of the city's soldiers and civilians.

Readers are likely familiar with the line, "If friends and relatives in Luoyang ask about me, tell them my heart is as pure as ice in a jade pot." Its author, the great Tang Dynasty poet Wang Changling, was also killed by Lü Qiu Xiao. When the An Lushan Rebellion broke out, Wang Changling was nearly sixty years old. It is said that on his journey home, he passed through Bozhou and was murdered by Lü Qiu Xiao. The specific reasons are unclear in historical records. Therefore, the *Biographies of Tang Dynasty Talented Scholars* records that when Zhang Hao wanted to kill Lü Qiu Xiao, Lü Qiu Xiao pleaded, saying, "I still have elderly parents at home; please forgive me so I can return home to care for them."

Zhang Hao immediately questioned, "To whom does Wang Changling intend to support his parents?!"

Save Suiyang, enlighten Xu Shuji, and kill Lüqiu Xiao

It seems I need to give a proper description of Mr. Zhang Hao and Zhang Congzhou.

Chapter Ten, Not Claiming Success

While drinking cold water, Xu Shuji secretly pondered and weighed the pros and cons.

He was first kidnapped by Li Ji and then deceived. He was already furious. Under these circumstances, let alone Helan Jinming asking him to go to save Suiyang, he would absolutely refuse even if he was just asked to lead troops to circle around Pengcheng. He even planned to submit a memorial to the emperor, accusing Helan Jinming of poisoning ministers!

Upon hearing Helan Jinming's words and learning that Fang Guan had already lost his footing, he couldn't help but feel a chill run from his ankles all the way to the back of his head—this was definitely not caused by drinking cold water.

Before the turmoil, Fang Guan had experienced several rises and falls in rank, eventually rising to the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and being granted the title of Baron of Zhangnan County. Approaching sixty, he enjoyed considerable prestige and seniority, with students and former officials throughout the court and the countryside. Xu Shuji entered Fang Guan's fold when he was the Prefect of Yichun, and through Fang Guan's patronage, rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Prefect of Lingchang.

After the Emperor Emeritus abandoned Chang'an and fled to Sichuan, he appointed Fang Guan as Chancellor, and Fang Guan subsequently requested that Xu Shuji be given a higher position, making him the nominal Grand Censor. Although the Grand Censor in the Tang Dynasty was not as powerful as it had been in the Qin and Han Dynasties, and was often a nominal title, it was still a shortcut for the Council of State – in other words, Xu Shuji could accumulate merit through this route and have a chance to become Chancellor in the future. Therefore, he flattered Fang Guan relentlessly, and everyone in the court knew that Xu was Fang Guan's close ally.

It was assumed that given Fang Guan's prestige and seniority, and the high regard he enjoyed from both the retired emperor and the emperor himself, he would remain in the position of prime minister for several more years—a testament to his reputation, especially considering that after Chen Taoxie's defeat, Fang Guan submitted a memorial to plead guilty, and the emperor not only did not strip him of his post but also offered kind words of comfort. However, unexpectedly, just one year later, Fang Guan was abruptly dismissed from his post without warning…

Was Helan Jinming lying to me? That can't be… If Li Ji had said this, Xu Shuji would have absolutely refused to believe it. But Helan Jinming, as a high-ranking official, shouldn't have fabricated such a lie. And the way he told it made it sound so plausible…

Xu Shuji was well aware that Fang Guan had never been on the same level as Cui Yuan. Therefore, it was entirely reasonable to say that it was Cui Yuan who slandered Fang Guan and caused him to be dismissed from his post as prime minister.

He Lan Jinming's statement was seven parts truth and three parts falsehood, with the truth preceding the falsehood, thus trapping Xu Shuji. He said that Cui Yuan advised Li Heng to severely punish Fang Guan's cronies, which was obviously fabricated, but it was also reasonable—with Fang Guan down, would Cui Yuan and other powerful figures just stand by and watch his cronies continue to hold important positions?

Xu Shuji was naturally worried about this, and Helan Jinming seized the opportunity to point him in the right direction—"Go and save Suiyang. If you go and save Suiyang, and my work in Henan improves, I will naturally repay you by speaking well of you to the Emperor. More importantly, Zhang Xun was promoted by the Emperor for his staunch defense of Suiyang, so his words might carry more weight than mine; if you save Suiyang and Zhang Xun's life, he will certainly protect you too."

Although Xu Shuji's troops were halted at Pengcheng and dared not advance an inch, he frequently sent men to inquire about news from Suiyang, knowing that the rebel army was on its last legs. If the city's defender hadn't been Zhang Xun, whom he had always envied—what qualifications do you have to rise to a rank second only to me?—then if I had been able to hold Lingchang that day, what would my official career have been like—the rebel army wasn't just over 100,000 men, but not much different in number from the Pengcheng army, he would have already marched north.

To be honest, there is a chance of victory if the troops of Pengcheng, who have been rested for a long time, attack the exhausted rebel army. However, it would most likely be a Pyrrhic victory, with heavy losses for our own army, which Xu Shuji is unwilling to bear. Moreover, what if the rebel army gathers a large force and attacks us again?

Now that we hear that Xijing has been recovered and that Prince Li Chu of Guangping is leading a large army to take Dongjing, the rebels will no longer be able to plot to seize Suiyang or even Pengcheng.

The situation was excellent, and with his patron gone, his only option was to achieve merit, even if it meant fighting the rebels to the death. As long as he survived, he could keep his position and perhaps even curry favor with another powerful figure—like the Prince of Guangping. After considering all this, Xu Shuji finally decided—"Alright, I'll listen to you and go save Suiyang."

But there's one thing: I've suffered such a humiliating disgrace today. If I can't avenge it, am I even human? Helan Jinming, you must first kill this petty thief who dared to kidnap and deceive me. Give me a way out, and I will obey your orders!

Upon hearing this, Helan Jinming hesitated—if it were his own subordinate, he would naturally have been ruthless in killing him, but Li Ji was Li Bi's cousin…

Just then, a man beside him suddenly shouted, "If you are not feeling well, Doctor, I am willing to die in Li Ji's place to thank you—I only beg you to save Suiyang!"

The speaker was none other than Chen Ruo, one of Nan Jiyun's subordinates.

Chen Ruo had long harbored the intention to live and die with Suiyang City, and to meet Zhang Xun, Nan Jiyun, and others in the afterlife. On the day he followed Nan Jiyun in breaking through the siege to seek reinforcements, he had thirty riders when he left the city, but only eleven of them successfully reached Linhuai. So many of his comrades had died on the battlefield, dying without regret! Originally, having failed to seek help and returned to Suiyang, he was prepared to die in battle—dying quickly in battle was better than returning to the city to starve with no hope of relief—but who would have thought that Nan Jiyun would send him to be Li Ji's guide.

Chen Ruo initially refused, but Nan Jiyun repeatedly persuaded him, saying that this was the last hope to lift the siege of Suiyang, and that the burden on his shoulders was heavy. Death was easy, but enduring humiliation to save the lives of the soldiers and civilians of a city was difficult—"I will make it easy for you, but I ask you to do the difficult one. Do you dare to agree?"

Chen Ruo hadn't held out much hope that Li Ji could persuade Helan Jinming—even the Southern General couldn't get reinforcements, so how could he? But as soon as Li Ji arrived in Linhuai, Helan Jinming immediately headed north. Although his troops were few, Li Ji managed to trick Xu Shuji into coming to Pengcheng…

Seeing that Suiyang was about to be saved, Zhang Zhong

With the Prime Minister and Prefect Xu saved, and General Nan and General Lei saved, Chen Ruo was so excited that tears almost streamed down her face. Li Ji had performed such a miraculous feat that he was practically the benefactor of the entire city's soldiers and civilians; how could they allow him to die at the hands of Xu Shuji or Helan Jinming?

If a man doesn't repay kindness, is he even human?!

Thinking of this, he immediately spoke, saying, "I am willing to die in Li Ji's place!" He then drew the dagger from his waist and slashed it across his own neck...

Fortunately, Li Ji knew something was wrong as soon as he heard the man speak, and immediately kicked Chen Ruo's arm away—the blade only made a small cut on the side of his neck, not a serious injury. Li Ji immediately cursed, "Mind your own business! Who asked you to die in my place?!"

He then turned to Xu Shuji, crossed his hands, and smiled, saying, "If Li Ji's death could send the Grand Master to save Suiyang, why should I hesitate to risk my life? But I am ordered by the Emperor, entrusted by the Marshal, and pleaded with by the Prince of Fengjie, to go to Luoyang on official business. I cannot die for the time being."

Upon hearing this, Xu Shuji was slightly taken aback. He immediately stood up straight and asked Helan Jinming, "Isn't this person one of your subordinates?"

He Lan Jinming said no—"Li Ji is a general in the Imperial Guards, and also the younger cousin of Li Changyuan, the chief clerk of the Marshal's army." He first mentioned Li Bi's name to show that it wasn't that he was unwilling to kill him, but that even he couldn't kill this man.

Xu Shuji's face was grim as he questioned Li Ji: "Not a single word you've uttered is true. Luoyang is still in the hands of the rebels. What official business could you possibly have in going there?!"

Li Ji took a step forward, startling Xu Shuji, who retreated in surprise. But Xu Shuji's reaction was not as quick as Li Ji's; Li Ji grabbed his arm, whispered something in his ear, then turned his face away slightly, laughing, "Since I bear such a heavy responsibility, how could I dare die here? Do you intend to wait until I've finished my work in Luoyang and return to die before you're willing to go and save Suiyang? Not only will Suiyang surely fall by then, but the day I finish my work will also be the day the Marshal enters Dongjing. One order from him, and I fear your life will be in danger!"

Xu Shuji's face turned ashen, and he could only look up to the sky and sigh, "So be it, so be it, I will go and save Suiyang."

----------

Li Ji stayed in Pengcheng for another day. After seeing Xu Shuji muster his troops and leave the city to join Helan Jinming, and tens of thousands of troops marching north in a grand procession, he then came to bid farewell to Helan Jinming.

Helan Jinming asked in surprise, "Changwei, aren't you coming with me to rescue Suiyang?"

Li Ji replied with his hands clasped: “What I told Doctor Xu yesterday was not a lie. I do indeed have an important mission and must go to Luoyang on official business. Lord Helan will surely achieve great success and be remembered in history. I will not join in the fun and must hurry to Luoyang.”

Helan Jinming was quite curious. This guy, carrying official documents from the Marshal's Office, had come to Henan, and then said his main mission wasn't to save Suiyang, but to go to Luoyang... What was he going to Luoyang for? Was he going to gather intelligence on the rebels beforehand, or to deliver some letter to persuade a traitorous general to become an inside agent? This matter must be kept secret, which is why he only dared to whisper in Xu Shuji's ear, but I really wanted to know too!

However, Li Ji was unwilling to bring it up, and it wasn't convenient for me to ask.

He then sincerely said to Li Ji, "If we can truly save Suiyang, Zhang Zhongcheng and the others will be grateful for your kindness, which will greatly benefit your future standing in the court and the army. Since we are going the same way, why don't we go together?"

Li Ji thought to himself that although it was along the same route, traveling with the main army was too slow. He continued, "I had a sudden idea to investigate the situation in Suiyang, and then, after listening to Nan Jiyun and the others recount their bloody history, I impulsively went to Linhuai and then to Pengcheng… If this delays our important business, will Li Chu and Li Tan forgive me? If you compare the people and soldiers of Suiyang with the Shen family, which side do you think they would abandon?"

My choices are naturally different from theirs, but now that this matter is settled, I should hurry to Luoyang to try and catch both rabbits without losing either. Especially if Shen cannot be saved in the end, I will have no face to go back and see that child Li Shi...

He smiled calmly and said, "One should do one's best, but success does not necessarily have to be attributed to me."

Deep down, he was terrified… no, absolutely terrified. What if reinforcements didn't arrive in time, and Suiyang fell? What if he followed the army, only to see the "Yan" banner flying atop the city walls? How could he face Chen Ruo, who was willing to die for him? All this hard work, if it all came to nothing, it would have been better if he hadn't given Chen Ruo or Nan Jiyun any hope in the first place!

Forget it, I'm not going to Suiyang. Out of sight, out of mind. If I hear bad news later, I can only offer incense and candles as a distant tribute to Nanba.

He then bid farewell to Helan Jinming—without saying goodbye to Xu Shuji—leaving Chen Ruo behind, and set off alone on horseback towards Luoyang. Fearing he would arrive too late, he continued his frantic gallop, just as he had done in previous days—Luoyang was the last stop anyway; if the horse died, so be it…

Upon reaching the vicinity of Xinzheng, the mount, as expected, couldn't keep up and suddenly tipped over sideways, throwing Li Ji off and pinning him beneath it. Li Ji thought to himself, "Luckily, I'm strong. Anyone else, even if their legs weren't broken, would probably have had a hard time pushing away that over 1000-pound weight and freeing their lower body..."

After breaking free, Li Ji repeatedly pulled on the reins and whipped the horse, but it only foamed at the mouth and couldn't get up. Helpless, Li Ji had no choice but to take the clothes, weapons, and other items from the saddlebag and carry them on his back. Then he clasped his hands in prayer to his mount and silently prayed, "If you survive, I hope you will be led to pull a plow and never encounter a rider like me again... If you don't survive, consider it a great deed that you have exchanged your life for the lives of the soldiers and civilians of Suiyang. You may be reborn as a human in your next life... Please bless us and lift the siege of Suiyang!"

Actually, he wasn't superstitious at all, and he would never talk to a horse or ask for its protection. But he rode this horse all the way from Fengxiang to here, and they've been together for over half a month.

Chapter Eleven, Loyalty and Propriety

Whether Lady Yu was truly loyal to the Tang Dynasty or was hedging her bets, no one knew... However, Li Ji was unfamiliar with the area and wanted to visit Consort Shen in Luoyang, so he could only rely on Lady Yu for the time being and dared not act on his own without the help of this local power.

So, at dusk on the day he entered the manor outside the city, he disguised himself as a servant of the Yu family, mingling among a dozen or so people, pretending to be transporting vegetables and ingredients to his own household, and thus sneaked into Luoyang. The rebel guards were already used to him making this trip every few days, and since the Yu family were merchants whom An Lushan and his son had deliberately cultivated, they dared not stop him, nor did they conduct a thorough search. They simply accepted a small, customary bribe from the steward and waved him through.

The Yu family residence was located in Jishanfang, south of Tianjin Bridge. Across the bridge to the north lay the Imperial City, and further north of the Imperial City was the Forbidden City. As soon as Li Ji entered the Yu residence, he saw Chen Fu and Yun Lin accompanying an elder to greet him. Knowing this must be the master of the house, Yu Ling, he immediately clasped his hands in greeting. The over-fifty-year-old Yu Ling quickly returned the greeting: "Li Zhi… Although Mr. Li is young, his status is noble; it is only right that this old man greets him first…"

Judging from his vague words, Li Ji guessed that he was in a dangerous situation and might not even trust his servants. So he didn't reveal any information and just said some polite words like "I've heard so much about you".