Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 2 Liu Jianjun

"It means building a strong army. I hope our Great Tang Dynasty will be full of martial virtue and deter foreign countries. I have no intention of rebelling!"

"Young man," Liu Jianjun added.

Li Xian chuckled: "Our Tang Dynasty is open-minded and doesn't have so many taboos."

Liu Jianjun nodded and squatted down next to Li Xian, acting somewhat indifferent, as if someone hanging themselves in front of him was no big deal.

For a moment, Li Xian didn't know what to say.

He had been in Liujiazhuang for so long, yet he knew less about Liu Jianjun than he had in just this short time. He couldn't think of any topics to continue the conversation, and after a moment's thought, he realized that he could only start with the name.

Li Xian asked, "Did your grandfather name you that?"

Liu Jianjun shook his head: "My grandfather left me a dog's name, which I chose myself."

Li Xian was a little surprised and said, "You can read?"

Liujiazhuang was truly a poor and remote place; otherwise, I wouldn't have been exiled here. It was rarer to find a literate person in this place than to find gold in the sand.

"Of course, a long time ago there was an official from Chang'an who was demoted here, and I studied under him for a few years."

"Oh? Who is it?"

“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. That man died not long after he arrived, saying he couldn’t get used to the poverty here…” Liu Jianjun paused, then poked the jujube tree behind Li Xian with his chin and said, “Weren’t you almost dead just now?”

Li Xian felt a little embarrassed. When that suffocating feeling surged into his mind, he actually regretted it, but he was too embarrassed to say it.

Liu Jianjun was clearly curious about the reason for his suicide attempt, and leaned closer, looking like he was determined to get to the bottom of it: "Why would you want to commit suicide?"

Li Xian gave a bitter smile: "If you were kicked out of your home by your parents, and your former servants kept coming to humiliate you, wouldn't you think about committing suicide?"

"will not."

"Why?"

Li Xian was curious about why Liu Jianjun had such an open-minded attitude, just like the little tune he had just sung.

“My grandparents died long ago!” Liu Jianjun said matter-of-factly.

Li Xian: "..."

Seeing that Li Xian remained silent, Liu Jianjun asked curiously, "From what you just said, your house must be quite large, and you even have servants?"

When asked about his identity, Li Xian gave a vague answer: "Well, my family was very wealthy. I was the eldest son and was supposed to inherit the family fortune, but... because of some things, I was expelled from my family and sent to Liujiazhuang. Now I've not only lost everything... but I've also dragged my wife and children down with me."

Li Xian became very depressed when he said this.

He felt he had wronged the embroiderer the most.

He also had his concubines, three sons, and a daughter.

"Did you really do those things?"

Liu Jianjun's sudden words caught Li Xian off guard. After realizing what had happened, Li Xian hurriedly denied it, saying, "No! How could that be! I don't even know how those things happened!"

Even though he was demoted, Li Xian did not want to be branded as a traitor.

A large part of the reason he considered suicide was that he wanted to preserve his innocent reputation.

But Liu Jianjun's questions came one after another: "You didn't do it, why don't you go back and explain it clearly? What will happen to your wife and children if you die?"

"You think I don't want to, but this matter... never mind, it's not something I can explain to a little kid like you!"

Li Xian was distraught and felt foolish. How could this country bumpkin possibly understand the intricacies of the royal family? Besides, he was just a young boy.

“I’m already a grown man! I’ll be coming of age in a few years! I’m not a little kid!” Liu Jianjun seemed quite averse to Li Xian calling him a little kid, muttering, “Besides, a man’s age should be judged psychologically. I’m older than you!”

Li Xian was very interested in this novel idea: "What kind of psychology?"

"It means being mature. Someone like me wouldn't throw a tantrum over a trivial matter!"

When his sore spot was touched, Li Xian retorted in shame and anger, "I... I have never cried or made a fuss!"

Liu Jianjun turned his head away dismissively and gestured towards the jujube tree with his chin: "So what are you planning to do now? Hang it up again after I leave?"

Li Xian looked completely bewildered.

Yes, even if I don't die this time, what about next time?
Could he really tolerate Qiu Shenji's despicable methods?
As if he could read minds, Liu Jianjun spoke up again: "Why don't you give it a try? Try to see if you can clear up the misunderstanding with your grandfather."

"My grandfather is gone, that's why there's nothing I can do. But from what you're saying, it sounds like your grandfather is still alive. If you really wait until the day he passes away, it will be difficult for you to clear up the misunderstanding!"

Li Xian wanted to rebuke Liu Jianjun for his treasonous words, but then he thought that Liu Jianjun didn't know that his grandfather was the current sage, so he had to give up.

Furthermore, Liu Jianjun's suggestion lingered in Li Xian's mind.

Yes, when I left Chang'an, my father's health was already very poor, and my mother could only handle the affairs of state. If this misunderstanding is not cleared up, my father will think I am a traitor until the day he passes away.

only……

What reason do I have to see my father?
As a commoner, it would be incredibly difficult for me to meet a sage, let alone with Qiu Shenji harassing me every day.

"You don't have some concerns, do you?" Liu Jianjun noticed Li Xian's worry again.

Li Xian nodded with a wry smile: "Do you still remember the servant I mentioned earlier? I had a grudge against him in the past, and now that I have been... driven to Bazhou and lost power, he has been relentlessly pursuing me like a vicious dog. If I were to try to clear up the misunderstanding with my father, he would definitely be the first to stop me."

After hearing Li Xian's words, Liu Jianjun paused, then revealed a meaningful expression: "Didn't you ever consider that there might be another reason for the misunderstanding between you and your grandfather?"

Li Xian frowned, looking at Liu Jianjun with a puzzled expression.

Liu Jianjun waved his hand, his face displaying a wisdom that seemed out of place for a young man: "Forget it, let's put other things aside. So, your biggest problem right now is your servant, right?"

Li Xian hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, that servant's methods were despicable. When you entered the courtyard just now, did you see the excrement on the wall? That was what that servant had someone do. And the snakes and insects in front of the door, and the broken window..."

Li Xian pointed to the devastated courtyard and recounted Qiu Shenji's terrible deeds one by one.

Liu Jianjun nodded in deep agreement: "That's a bit inhumane... Look! I have a way to help you deal with him, are you in?"

When Liu Jianjun said this, he had a bandit-like air about him, and for no reason, Li Xian thought of the stories about Wagangzhai in the imperial archives of Emperor Taizong.

It's a pity that although Li Xian held Emperor Taizong in high esteem, Emperor Taizong had already passed away six years before Li Xian was born.

If Emperor Taizong were still alive, there certainly wouldn't be so many troubles.

A hint of hesitation appeared on Li Xian's face.

Having gone through so much, Li Xian was already wary of such sudden acts of kindness.

Just like Qiu Shenji, did he really only harass me because we had a falling out before?
Li Xian was not unaware of the anomaly, but he was unwilling and dared not think about it deeply.

After a brief hesitation, Li Xian stared intently at Liu Jianjun and asked what he considered the most important question: "Why did you help me?"

……

(End of this chapter)