Tang Dynasty Swordsman

To be honest, he hadn't really liked buckwheat noodles in his previous life—they were too coarse and a bit harsh on the throat—and these past few days, having been able to feast on the Prince's lavish meals in the palace, he no longer felt the same way he did at the beginning of his transmigration, his mouth always feeling bland and yearning for delicious food. However, the meals in the palace had to be cooked in the kitchen and then delivered by Li Tan, so apart from the "beggar's chicken" on the first day, most of the food was lukewarm, and although the five flavors were balanced, they were too neutral and bland, leaving him feeling unsatisfied.

To give an analogy, the food served in the palace was like those mild tonics, neither spicy nor bitter, at most enough to prolong life, but unlikely to cure serious illnesses—at least not enough to cure Li Ji's slanderousness.

Ultimately, Li Ji's soul came from a later era of great material abundance. What flavors could he not have tasted in this era? Especially for middle-class and above families in the later era, who could be satiated with rich food and taste all kinds of flavors, their palates became more and more discerning, and they would seek greater stimulation for their taste buds—for example, eating spicy food, and being unable to live without it. In fact, "spicy" is just a special kind of pain.

So, the unexpected "buckwheat noodles" he tasted this time were not only chewy and flavorful, but more importantly, they were freshly cooked, steaming hot, and had a slightly excessive amount of vinegar, scallions, and evodia, making them both sour and spicy, extremely appetizing. Li Ji, therefore, kept gesturing with his hands and chewing with his teeth, and in no time ate four bowls, sweating profusely, feeling incredibly satisfied. Only a slight regret lingered in his heart:

It's still not perfect. If you replaced the dogwood with chili peppers, it would be almost perfect...

While eating his noodles, he also leaned over to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two officials. At first, it was just casual conversation, but soon the green-robed officer mentioned the defeat of Fang Guan and Chen Tao at Xie—it seemed that this had just been reported to all mid-level and higher-ranking officers in the army—

“I knew Fang Xiang was incapable of fighting, but I never expected to suffer such a crushing defeat… Fortunately, my Longyou army did not go south and was assigned to Fang Xiang's command, otherwise…”

The official surnamed Yan couldn't help but sigh: "After this defeat, the Emperor's favor with Fang Xiang will surely decline... Although the Emperor is not questioning it for the time being, he is probably worried that the defeated army will be difficult to reorganize. Once the three cities of Fengtian and others are abandoned, there will be no guarantee for the army in the south. When Guo and Li arrive with the elite troops of Shuofang, they will surely recall Fang Xiang and may punish him severely."

The green-robed military officer leaned forward slightly and asked in a lower voice, "It was only because of Fang Xiang's recommendation that Lord Yan was able to transfer to a civil post and become a Censor. If Fang Xiang loses power, your position will be..."

The official surnamed Yan waved his hand and said, "It's irrelevant. I was able to transfer to a civil post because of my late father's influence. If the emperor had not been mindful of my father, even if the chancellor had recommended me, he would have placed me under someone else's patron and not kept me in the capital."

“Lord Yan,” the green-robed military officer cautioned, “I fear the Emperor’s intention is not to honor our late father, but rather… to seize military power in Longyou. Since the General was transferred to Hexi, our Longyou army has been leaderless, and only a handful of men like Lord Yan have the support of the people. We have longed for the General’s return, but he was defeated at Tongguan… It is said that the General was forced to surrender to the rebels, so the Emperor must be distrustful of the Longyou army, which is why he transferred Lord Yan to a civil post…”

Li Ji didn't understand at first, but later realized that the so-called "military governor" mentioned by this person should refer to Geshu Han—who served as the military governor of Hexi, suffered a defeat at Tongguan, and then surrendered to the rebels. Could there be a second general? Oh, it turns out that Geshu Han was originally the military governor of Longyou. These two officials must have been his subordinates.

Then Yan, the supervising secretary, rebuked him, saying, "Stop talking nonsense! The Emperor's transfer of me to a civil post is a great favor from Heaven, and I will repay it with my life—how dare you presume to know the Emperor's thoughts?" He then changed the subject, saying, "What a pity! If I had followed Chancellor Fang south and helped him plan things, perhaps we wouldn't have suffered such a crushing defeat, almost losing our lives!"

The green-robed military officer curled his lip and said, "Prime Minister Fang only trusts scholars like Li Yi and Liu Zhi. Even if Lord Yan were by his side, he probably wouldn't listen to your advice. Fortunately, Lord Yan was transferred to a civil post and couldn't go south with him, thus avoiding a great disaster and being implicated by him."

"Fang Xiang is still my benefactor, how can I say I'm implicated?" At this moment, the noodles were served. Yan, the censor, picked up his chopsticks and sighed, "The disaster started in Youyan, and the country was almost destroyed. At this time, a true man should be riding a horse and brandishing a spear to serve the royal family. But I was ordered to transfer to a civil post... Even if it is a blessing rather than a curse, it is not what I hoped for."

"When I first arrived in Lingwu the other day and paid homage to the sage, I saw that the loyalist troops were gathered from all sides, and all the soldiers were filled with resentment and discontent. I thought that once the army arrived, the rebellion would surely disintegrate, the rebels would be wiped out, and peace would be restored. So I wrote the poem 'Early Autumn in the Military City'..."

"Does Lord Yan have such a new work? I have never heard of it before. I humbly request that you recite it."

The official surnamed Yan immediately tapped the rim of the bowl with his chopsticks, making a crisp sound as a rhythm, and then recited in a long, melodious voice:

"Last night, the autumn wind swept into the Han Pass, and the northern clouds and the border moon filled the western mountains. Urge our swift generals to pursue the arrogant enemy, lest a single horse return from the battlefield!"

Chapter Twenty-Five: Retreating Three Steps

These days, Li Ji has been holed up in the palace, not only exercising and reading, or perfunctorily entertaining Li Shi who comes to visit and listening to Li Shi tell stories... He also repeatedly recalls some of his poems from later generations on his original timeline, planning to gradually release them when the time is right, and try to make a name for himself by copying poems.

Especially after calculation, it turns out that we are only in the mid-8th century AD, so even those famous works from the late 8th to the early 9th century can be used. I still remember at least ten of Han Yu's works, and a hundred years later, there is also the great poet Bai Juyi!

Even on this timeline, there are counterparts of these great poets. I plagiarized first, so in the future you will only be able to give up your pens in disappointment.

The plan was all set out perfectly—although the specifics of how to implement it were still unclear—but who would have thought that while strolling around outside the palace today, I would hear such a song, "Early Autumn in the Military City," at a street stall!

Based on Li Ji's ability to appreciate poetry, this poem wouldn't be considered excellent. If poetry were ranked in nine grades, it would at most be a mid-to-high fourth grade—the poems by Emperor Gaozong of Tang that I had read were a mid-to-low sixth grade, and even the poem about burning pears that night was only a low ninth grade out of respect for the emperor. However, this poem is simple in language and clear in rhythm, not like the result of repeated refinement, but rather an impromptu composition… If someone can casually write a fourth-grade poem, their actual skill level must be at least a third grade or higher, right?

Even if the Tang Dynasty was not a flourishing center of culture and education, it wouldn't be surprising if there were one or two learned scholars or genius poets whose works reached the highest level. The problem is that this guy was clearly a military man who had only recently been transferred to a civil post! In those days, most military officers were illiterate or semi-literate, so how low were the chances of a great poet emerging from a group of military men?

Even if I were to produce a masterpiece for posterity, I might not gain much advantage if such a person were present. Furthermore, if our skill levels were similar, we would inevitably engage in discussions about poetry and prose, and I, being merely a confiscator, would hardly be able to have a proper conversation with him.

Li Ji immediately felt half of his body turn cold, and even swallowing the steaming hot buckwheat noodles in front of him couldn't warm him up...

The two officials didn't exchange many more words after that, except for the green-robed military officer who mentioned Li Mi once, saying, "The Emperor has recently placed all his trust in that hermit, even taking him with him when inspecting the troops. If this man is like Chancellor Fang, ignorant of military affairs and fond of boasting, I'm afraid..."

The conversation was interrupted by the official surnamed Yan: "Mr. Changyuan's talent is probably beyond our comprehension—let's eat noodles. I only have time to chat with old friends occasionally, as I have official business to attend to later."

So they quickly finished their two bowls of noodles and left side by side. Li Shi, being a child, didn't have a big appetite and only ate one bowl of noodles. After that, he kept staring at Li Ji. Li Ji was in a mess and felt like he was being pricked. So he swallowed four bowls of noodles. By the fifth bowl, he couldn't eat much anymore. He just drank two mouthfuls of soup and put down his chopsticks.

The two paid the remaining money and left the thatched hut. After walking a few steps, seeing that no one was around and that Old Guan behind them could no longer hear them, they spoke at the same time. One asked, "That official..." and the other replied directly, "Yan Wu, courtesy name Jiying..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "So you were going to answer even though I didn't ask? Is this little guy showing off how many people he knows?" He then stopped talking and listened to Li Shi continue his introduction:

"...He is the son of Yan Tingzhi, the former Vice Minister of the Chancellery. He initially served as a judge in Geshu Han's army in Longyou. This time, he led the Shence Army to defend the emperor. Due to Fang Guan's recommendation, the emperor appointed him as a Palace Attendant."

Li Ji secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that he was the son of an important official, and his family must have a strong scholarly tradition, so it was not surprising that he was so talented in poetry.

"Is this Yan Wu a renowned poet?"

Li Shi shook his head: "I've never heard of him being a poet." Then he smiled and said: "What he recited just now was not bad. He is indeed from a family of officials and is quite learned. — Oh, could it be that you, Li Ji, also like poetry?"

Li Ji replied perfunctorily, "I just felt quite excited when I heard the song 'Early Autumn in the Military City'."

Li Shi laughed and said, "These kinds of poems about military life and the frontier are indeed to your liking. Li Ji, have you ever considered joining the army and making a name for yourself that is no less than that of Mr. Changyuan through your fists?"

Although Li Ji was considering vying for supremacy, he had no intention of joining the Tang army yet, so he waved his hand and said, "How dare I compare to my elder brother? Besides, the army doesn't rely on fists and feet. I'm not good at spears, broadswords, bows, or arrows, and I don't know anything about military strategy. I can only swing my fists and use a slingshot to fend off a few assassins for my brother. If I were in the midst of a battle, surrounded by swords and spears, I'm afraid..."

Li Shi suddenly frowned slightly, interrupting him and questioning, "Didn't you say you killed two rebel soldiers on Tanshan Mountain? How can you say they were assassins?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "This little guy is so perceptive!" He quickly shifted the blame: "It was my elder brother who said it. Later, Li Fuguo also said that we had nothing of value, yet those rebel soldiers were relentlessly pursuing us. Moreover, one of them, when facing my elder brother, uttered the word 'Li'... I'm afraid they are not ordinary rebel soldiers; their intention is specifically to assassinate my elder brother!"

Li Shi, with his hands behind his back, pondered, "An assassin? Why would the traitor An send an assassin to harm Master Changyuan? If he had such intentions, he would have already marched on Yingyang..."

Li Ji was afraid that Yan Wu was thinking too deeply or had other questions that would be difficult for him to answer, so he quickly changed the subject and asked, "In our Tang Dynasty, who is the best poet?" In fact, there is no first in literature and no second in martial arts. Li Shi probably couldn't say who was the best poet either. Li Ji just wanted to inquire and estimate whether Yan Wu's level could be ranked in the top five.

To everyone's surprise, Li Shi answered without hesitation: "Naturally, it's Mr. Taibai."

"

Li Ji cupped his hands in greeting: "May I ask your guidance?"

Li Shi mocked, "You don't even know Li Bai?" Li Ji shook his head blankly, "I don't know." Li Mi often lectured on classics and history to that master, but he never taught poetry, let alone mentioned contemporary poets.

"Li Bai, courtesy name Taibai, was a native of Chengji in Longxi. He was renowned for his poetry from a young age and traveled extensively with his sword. Later, he went to the capital to seek an audience with the emperor through his poetry and prose. He Zhizhang was greatly astonished upon seeing him, calling him a 'banished immortal' and recommending him to the retired emperor. The retired emperor then appointed him as a Hanlin scholar, bestowing upon him unparalleled favor. However, due to the slander of Yang Guozhong—or some say Gao Lishi—he was alienated and resigned..."

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At this point, Li Shi couldn't help but sigh: "Now that the country is in turmoil, I wonder where Mr. Li Bai is, and whether he is safe and sound?"

Li Ji pleaded, "Your Highness... Brother, do you still remember Mr. Li Bai's masterpieces? Could you recite a few for us to hear?"

Li Shi casually recited: "The bright moonlight shines before my bed, I wonder if it is frost on the ground. I raise my head to gaze at the bright moon, I lower my head to think of my hometown."

Li Ji curled his lip: "It's not getting any better..."

The reason it's considered bad is because it's almost plain language, merely rhyming. Although it seems like an impromptu composition, like a rough gem uncarved, it may contain profound meaning, but—you can't judge a poet's true skill based solely on this kind of short piece.

Li Shi said unhappily, "You can't even write poetry, so how dare you say that Mr. Li Bai is bad?"

Li Ji retorted unreasonably, "When did I ever say that Mr. Li Bai was bad? I just said that this kind of poetry isn't particularly good, and I could write it too." Then, under Li Shi's watchful gaze, which was three parts expectant and seven parts amused, he deliberately dragged out the words, reciting, "A flock of geese comes to the bank, a stick drives them into the river..."

Li Shi laughed so hard he almost fell over. After finally catching his breath, he asked, "What's next?"

"Below?" Li Ji teased him deliberately, "Below is like... the cat in my courtyard, gone."

Li Shi collapsed again with a "plop".

Li Ji wasn't deliberately pretending to be a simpleton or a comical person. It was just that although Li Shi was young, he was still over ten years old and could barely be considered a man. And among men, vulgar jokes were always the easiest way to build rapport and create a harmonious atmosphere.

Taking the opportunity, he pressed on, "I know you were afraid I wouldn't understand, so you recited some of Li Bai's simple works. Regardless of whether I can understand them or not, please recite one or two of the better ones to cleanse my ears and enlighten me, how about that?"

Li Shi thought for a moment and then said, "Mr. Li Bai has many excellent works, too numerous to mention, but in my opinion, those three 'Qingping Diao' poems must be on the list. I recall that the Emperor Emeritus and Consort Yang were having a joyous banquet, but lacking new lyrics, he urgently summoned Mr. Li Bai, who found them in the marketplace of Chang'an. At that time, Mr. Li Bai was drinking with friends and was already completely drunk. The Emperor Emeritus gave him soup to sober him up and even ordered Gao Lishi to remove his boots. Then, with his eyes still blurry from drinking, Mr. Li Bai picked up his brush and wrote them in one stroke. Everyone present who recited them was amazed—would you like to hear them?"

Li Ji bowed repeatedly: "Stop keeping me in suspense, tell me quickly, tell me quickly."

What does "keeping people in suspense" mean?

"This is my local dialect, meaning to whet people's appetite, and there's no end to it—please recite it, please recite it."

Li Shi then smiled and recited three poems from the "Qingping Tune" style, which were—

First: Clouds yearn for her garments, flowers for her face; the spring breeze caresses the balustrade, heavy with dew. If not seen atop Mount Qunyu, she will surely be met beneath the moon on the Jade Terrace.

Secondly: A single red blossom, glistening with dew and fragrant, makes the clouds and rain of Wushan seem futile, causing heartbreak. Who in the Han palace could compare? Pity the poor Flying Swallow, adorned in her new finery.

Thirdly: A beautiful flower and a captivating beauty, both pleasing to the eye, gazing upon the smiling emperor. Yet, she expresses boundless sorrow in the spring breeze, leaning against the balustrade north of the Agarwood Pavilion.

Li Ji was completely dumbfounded this time.

Actually, these three poems, while ornate and beautiful, aren't particularly high-brow; it's likely that this is the kind of work one would produce for the emperor. However, their technique is skillful, employing various rhetorical devices, and they are elegant and fluent, with a lasting charm. In terms of language, almost every word is a gem, without a single flaw. It's like a woman whose private life may be dissolute, but who is not only stunningly beautiful but also possesses dignified bearing and proper manners in public, displaying the grace of a noble lady—can you say she isn't a "goddess"? At the very least, she must be a "goddess," right?

No wonder Li Shi said that this Mr. Li Bai's poetic talent was the best of his time. Even if we place him in Li Ji's timeline, he would not be inferior to the great poets of all dynasties. If he had written more than just these perfunctory works, and had one or two excellent poems with lofty ideas and heartfelt sentiments, he could have easily joined the ranks of the first-class or even the super-first-class!

According to Li Shi, this gentleman might still be alive… If he is, what reason would I have to copy poems? Would I be courting death?! And if the level of the top figures is so high, then the next tier wouldn't be too bad either—like that Yan Wu. It seems it's not that the Tang Dynasty lacked culture and education, or that the level of poetry and prose was low; it's simply that those few incompetent officials in the imperial court were even more incompetent—those incompetents have misled me!

Enough, enough. I'll retreat, retreat. The thought of copying poems is completely abandoned. So much time wasted; I'll just continue being my rough, uncultured warrior...

Feeling disheartened, she tugged at Li Shi's sleeve and said, "That's enough, let's go back." Li Shi was reluctant and pouted, "We've only been out for half a day, how can we go back already? Besides, we haven't even explored the entire market yet."

Li Ji shrugged and asked in return, "Brother, when do you think the government troops will be able to win, and when will His Majesty arrive?"

Chapter Twenty-Six: An Unexpected Disaster

In the early Tang Dynasty, the Fubing system was implemented, and the Imperial Guard was divided into sixteen guards, including the Left and Right Thousand Ox Guards. Then the Fubing system gradually collapsed, and recruited soldiers were used. The three northeastern towns and the Shuofang and Longyou armies in the northwest were mainly recruited soldiers. As a result, the sixteen Imperial Guards declined and their scale shrank day by day.

The Thousand Ox Guards were in charge of guarding the palace and supplying weapons to the emperor. Their chief officers were generals and lieutenant generals, and their soldiers included the left and right Thousand Ox Guards and the left and right Imperial Guards, collectively known as the Thousand Ox Guards. They were all ranked, ranging from the sixth-rank Senior Zhenwei Colonel to the eighth-rank Junior Yuwu Deputy Colonel.

The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace was naturally guarded by a thousand guards. Zhen Sui, who claimed to be a guard of the Eastern Palace, held the rank of Deputy Commandant of the Lower Seventh Grade. It is said that when the Emperor and Crown Prince fled Chang'an in disarray, a mutiny occurred at Mawei Post Station. The Emperor left the Crown Prince behind to address the people. The people blocked the road, weeping and pleading with the Crown Prince to return to Chang'an. Upon hearing this, the Emperor exclaimed, "This is a divine revelation!" and immediately issued an edict to the Crown Prince:

"You must do your job well. The people have high hopes for you, so do not disobey them."

However, at that time, Crown Prince Li Heng only had the Eastern Palace guards, the two princes of Guangping and Jianning, and four generals with a total of more than two thousand soldiers. When they reached Bianqiao, the bridge broke and the water rose. After finally crossing the river, they encountered defeated soldiers from Tongguan, who mistook them for bandits. They fought each other and suffered heavy losses. So they dared not return to Chang'an and turned to Fengtian and Yongshou. In the end, they fled to Pingliang.

Li Heng, having been in Pingliang for several days, was at a loss as to where to go. He then thought of Li Mi and issued an edict to summon him to discuss important matters. At that time, the number of Eastern Palace guards around him had dwindled to almost nothing, and he was uneasy about the generals and soldiers who had come to pledge allegiance. Li Mi then claimed that when he was in the Eastern Palace, he had been highly regarded by the Crown Prince, who considered him strong and capable of fighting a hundred men, and also loyal and alert—making him suitable for important tasks—and thus he had been sent out.

Li Ji, who had transmigrated to this world, had never truly met this Qianniu bodyguard. However, searching through his remnant soul's memories, the former Li Ji had quite a good impression of Zhen Sui. Firstly, this big guy was indeed a formidable fighter; Li Ji had once exchanged a few blows with him, but only had a slight advantage. If it were a real fight, Zhen Sui, being a soldier by training, would likely be a match for the untrained Li Ji, given his battlefield skills.

Secondly, although Zhen Sui had a rough appearance, he was actually quite shrewd. Since he had protected Li Bi on the road, he had never lost his way, whether he was walking or stopping, and had rarely encountered danger. He had also arranged food and lodging for the Li brothers along the way quite well.

Therefore, Li Ji felt that this older brother was quite similar to himself...

Zhen Sui, on Mount Tan, blocked the assassins, fighting against overwhelming odds. The Li brothers believed his chances of survival were slim. But since his body was never found, even the smallest possibility couldn't be ruled out. Furthermore, after much deliberation, the time traveler began to have some doubts about him—if no one had secretly informed him, how could those assassins have intercepted him so accurately? Was the battle on Mount Tan truly not just a staged performance?

When they parted, Zhen Sui said, "Quickly protect Mr. Chang Yuan and leave. I will cover your retreat. If Heaven protects us and we can both escape alive, we will meet again in Pingliang!"

However, the former crown prince, now the emperor, was no longer in Pingliang County. Instead, he had made a detour to Lingwu and then settled in Ding'an, Pengyuan County. If Zhen Sui had miraculously survived—regardless of whether he was a traitor or not—it had been almost two months; by now, he should have found out the news and followed them to Ding'an, right? Therefore, what Li Ji occasionally caught a glimpse of might indeed be the living, breathing Zhen Sui!

But if Zhen Sui were to arrive, he would surely have to meet the Emperor, and the Emperor, knowing he was not dead, would certainly inform Li Bi—at least Mr. Changyuan, you wouldn't need to feel guilty about this. However, Li Ji hadn't heard Li Bi mention this matter. Did he misjudge the person? Was it that Zhen Sui, though arriving in Ding'an, dared not reveal his identity? Or did he only arrive today… and it just happened to be such a coincidence?

Li Ji couldn't help but feel suspicious, so he told his brother, "Don't move here, I'll be right back!" He then took off running and chased after the street corner where the person who seemed to be Zhen Sui had turned.

He was very fast on his feet, and in less than three seconds he had darted out of the market and turned into a side alley. However, the alley was empty except for two children playing. There was no one else in sight.

Judging by its appearance, this alley is several dozen meters long with no forks. Even if "Zhen Sui" were a sprint champion, he couldn't have vanished without a trace, could he? Looking left and right, there's a gate on each side. Could he have entered one of the neighborhoods? Each neighborhood has at least dozens of households. How am I supposed to find him...?

So he bent down and asked the two children, "Did you see a big guy come to this street just now? Which neighborhood did he go into?" The two children bit their fingers, looked up at Li Ji with a rather timid expression. Li Ji immediately took out a Kaiyuan Tongbao coin from his pocket—"Whoever can tell me for sure, I will give him this coin."

One of the children's eyes lit up, and he immediately raised his hand: "Me..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Ji suddenly felt something was wrong. He instinctively turned his body slightly to the side and saw a flash of silver light pass by his side!

He didn't think at all; it was pure instinct. In an instant, he leaped forward, shielding the two children beneath his body. With a soft "snap," a glint of cold light flashed as a two-inch-long fine steel dagger struck the wall. The trajectory of the dagger instantly flashed through his mind—thankfully, it wasn't aimed at the two children; the attacker's target was only him, and there was no intention to kill the children to silence them.

He quickly shoved the two children forward, shouting, "Go home!" At the same time, Li Ji looked up and turned around, only to see a figure rushing towards where he had come from.

In the blink of an eye, we had already turned the corner.

Li Ji turned around and ran after him, encountering Li Shi on the way—Li Shi wouldn't listen and wait in place; he was bound to come and see what was going on—Li Ji didn't have time to explain, he just pointed and said, "Don't move here!" He then turned the corner and returned to the main street at the entrance of the market.

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This was a main thoroughfare, unlike the alleyway where they had just been attacked. It was bustling with people, though not particularly prosperous or lively, and not something one could see at a glance. Li Ji estimated that the guy couldn't have gone far, so he slowed his pace and cautiously looked around—the pedestrians on the street all seemed very calm, and no one showed any signs of panicking or hiding.

The fleeting glimpse replayed in his mind—the one who wielded the short sword was definitely not Zhen Sui; he was short, at least a head and a half shorter than both Zhen Sui and himself. It was a pity that the person escaped too quickly, and he, in order to protect the two children, turned around a second too late, and failed to see clearly whether it was a man or a woman, or what kind of clothes they were wearing.