The Young Swordsman of Dalu

There's so much to say about Wenxian Pavilion that it would take more than a few words, so let me explain its history in detail.

Back then, Li Chaoyang, the former head of Wenxian Pavilion, and Wen Jun, the former Prince Wen, followed the late emperor in conquering the country. They were both young men full of vigor and ambition.

At that time, the late emperor was just a general leading troops into battle. Li Chaoyang and Wen Jun were his right-hand men. Wen Jun was highly skilled in martial arts and liked to charge into battle. Li Chaoyang was not only highly skilled in martial arts but also good at political maneuvering, and became the late emperor's strategist.

In the twenty-fifth year of the Yuan Dynasty, the court was corrupt and decadent, and the people in various places were suffering. Rebellions broke out. The late emperor was then enfeoffed as the Prince of Lu. The court sent him to suppress the rebels everywhere. Wherever he went, he saw that the people were living in unbearable misery. The so-called rebels were just poor people who had no food and were selling their children. The Prince of Lu felt heartbroken for the court and was in pain. As a subject, he had to be loyal to the emperor, but as a local official, he felt indignant for the people.

Li Chaoyang and Wen Jun witnessed his pain and helplessness. Later, Li Chaoyang advised Prince Lu, who, wherever he went, implemented a policy of appeasement towards the local rebels, spreading his ideals of serving the country and its people. He redistributed land, ensuring that every family, regardless of size, received land. The grain received was given to the family as long as they were well-fed; any surplus belonged to the individual, and they were exempt from grain taxes for three years. Young men could also join the army, receiving monthly pay and additional land from families with young men serving, thus increasing the enthusiasm of young men for military service. Prince Lu's policies not only appeased the people but also won their hearts, leading to fewer peasant uprisings and a growing strength of his army.

At that time, the Yuan emperor, under the influence of treacherous officials, wanted to frame Prince Lu. Fortunately, a young eunuch who had received favors from Prince Lu risked his life to leave the palace and deliver a message, giving Prince Lu a chance to breathe. Li Chaoyang, Wen Jun, and some other generals all advised Prince Lu to take the opportunity to rebel against the court, but Prince Lu was undecided.

Just as King Lu was hesitating, the imperial army arrived at the gates of Yulu City. At this critical moment, King Lu shouted, "Damn it!"

From then on, Li Chaoyang, Wen Jun, and a group of generals wholeheartedly followed Prince Lu in his campaigns across the country. Over the course of ten years, they not only defeated the imperial army but also subdued the rebel armies in various regions. The Great Yuan Kingdom became history, and the era of the Great Lu Kingdom began.

Li Chaoyang was appointed Grand Preceptor of the Great Lu Kingdom and Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, while Wen Jun was appointed a non-royal prince, a title to be inherited by his descendants. The other generals were also rewarded according to their military achievements.

Ten years of war left everyone wounded and scarred. Wen Jun, as the vanguard, always charged into battle, and his injuries became chronic ailments. In the ninth year of the Great Lu Dynasty, Prince Wen Jun, struggling to survive with various medicines, reluctantly passed away. Before his death, he left his son, Wen Tao, alone in his room. No one outside knew what they discussed. After Wen Jun's funeral, Wen Tao went to the palace and returned the Wen family's military power to the emperor. Wen Tao succeeded Wen Jun as the new Prince Wen, and from then on, the emperor held the Wen family in even higher regard.

The loss of his old friend Wen Jun dealt a heavy blow to Li Chaoyang. He and Wen Jun had spent more time together over the past decade than with his family. They had argued and even fought over battle strategies, but none of this had eroded their friendship. They were sworn brothers, inseparable friends he could never forget. During the Battle of Nanshan, his stubbornness had nearly led to the annihilation of his army. In that critical moment, Wen Jun led a group of men into the encirclement and rescued him, sustaining a fatal wound. Every time Li Chaoyang thought of this, his heart ached as if pierced by a thousand arrows. After Wen Jun's death, Li Chaoyang felt it was time for him to leave as well. His two sons were married, and his wife had passed away long ago. He had grown accustomed to being alone for so many years and needed a quiet place to cultivate his mind and spirit. It was time to settle down. Having decided where to go, he went to the palace to resign. The emperor and the crown prince pleaded with him to stay, but Li Chaoyang's mind was made up.

“Your Majesty! The world is now at peace. It is time for me to leave and give the young people a chance. This beautiful land belongs to them,” Li Chaoyang said.

The emperor secretly hoped that Li Chaoyang would leave. Now that he held great power, he didn't want anyone constantly reminding him what he could and couldn't do. He believed he was capable enough to manage the country well, and he felt like he was on steroids, ready to make a big splash. He wanted no one to interfere with his decisions on governing the country.

Li Chaoyang was so clever, how could he not see it? Of course he knew what His Majesty the Emperor was thinking. Li Chaoyang knew that this was the best time for him to leave. He didn't need anyone to drive him away; he could leave obediently on his own, which pleased both others and himself. Why not?

Before leaving, Li Chaoyang requested a place from the emperor: a place called Wangtianya in Xizhou, eight hundred li away from the capital. Li Chaoyang hoped to build a pavilion there to gather talented people from all over the world and hear about world affairs. The emperor immediately agreed and ordered construction to begin, with the court allocating funds. After two years, the pavilion was completed and personally named "Wenxian Pavilion" by the emperor, making Li Chaoyang its master. The emperor set one condition: from then on, Li Chaoyang could only stay in Wenxian Pavilion and was not allowed to set foot in the martial arts world. From then on, Li Chaoyang never left Wenxian Pavilion.

Over the course of fifteen years, everyone who entered the Wenxian Pavilion possessed either extraordinary skills or profound knowledge, and people throughout the land considered it an honor to study there. The Wenxian Pavilion also provided the Great Lu Kingdom with a continuous stream of talented individuals for governing the country, as well as generals capable of fighting on the battlefield to defend the nation.

Although Li Chaoyang was no longer in court, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the country he had once built. The emperor often bestowed royal gifts upon Wenxian Pavilion, firstly to silence public criticism; secondly, Wenxian Pavilion had clearly become a pillar of the Great Lu Kingdom and could not be neglected; thirdly, Li Chaoyang was no ordinary person, he was the spiritual leader of the Great Lu Kingdom, and the people of Great Lu regarded him as a god; and fourthly, the emperor admired Li Chaoyang's ability to not be attached to immediate wealth and glory and his willingness to retire gracefully.

The emperor also knew that it was Li Chaoyang who had suggested that Wenjun relinquish his military power to his son before his death. They had fought together for more than ten years and knew each other well.

With such a perceptive minister as Li Chaoyang, the emperor was both pleased and worried. He was pleased that Li Chaoyang had retired gracefully, but worried that Li Chaoyang could guess what the emperor was thinking. The emperor hoped that Li Chaoyang could live out his days in the Wenxian Pavilion and never have to concern himself with the affairs of the court again.