Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 126

However, recent public opinion in the court was unfavorable to Li Fuguo, and with the powerful prime minister Yuan Zai kicking him while he was down, the final word proposed was "ugly". The Ministry of Rites submitted a memorial, which Li Yu rejected, and the Ministry of Rites submitted another memorial... This happened three times, and Li Yu could no longer stop it. Finally, the matter was settled, and Li Fuguo became the "Ugly King of Bolu".

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One day in mid-August, Li Ji was still on duty at the Yingwu Army headquarters when he suddenly received an imperial edict from the palace. In recognition of the Yingwu Army's past service in protecting the emperor and its role in establishing a new foundation for Baoying, the army was bestowed the title "Baoying Army." Li Ji was then granted permission to enter the inner court to express his gratitude in person, which is why he left work a little later than usual.

At the same time, someone knocked on the gate of his residence in Pingkangfang. The gate was opened a crack, and a glimpse revealed a man standing outside. He had a white face, a long beard, and a thin, refined appearance. He wore a plain Taoist robe, a bamboo crown on his head, and had his hands behind his back, leading a gray donkey.

The gatekeeper then asked, "Who is knocking on the door?"

"Can Li Ji stay here?"

"My second son is still on duty. If you have a name card, please hand it in. If not, please come back another day."

The other person smiled and said, "How could a country bumpkin like me have thorns? I heard that your second son has already married. Go and inform your wife that Li Bi has returned to the capital."

Upon hearing this, the doorman was startled but couldn't tell if it was true or not. He quickly closed the door and ran to report to Cui Cuo. Being quite old, he arrived at Cui Cuo's house panting heavily before stammering, "There's...there's a hermit outside the door, who claims to be...to be Li Bi..."

Cui Cuo was greatly surprised and hurriedly straightened his clothes before going into the courtyard to greet him. He first ordered someone to open the gate and then called out, "Is that Mr. Changyuan of Jingzhao outside?"

"I am Li Bi, is it possible for me to go in?"

"Please come in, please come in. Brother, please accept my bow—my husband longs for your return as a parched man awaits the arrival of rain!"

Li Bi then led the donkey into the house, and immediately reached out to help Cui Cuo up: "No need for such formalities—you must be Cui, the new bride of Changwei?"

“My sister-in-law’s maiden name is indeed Cui.”

When Li Bi resigned from his official post and went into seclusion, Emperor Li Heng personally bestowed upon him the robes of a hermit. Later, upon hearing that Li Bi was living in seclusion in Hengshan Mountain, where he had built a thatched hut for refuge, Emperor Li Heng ordered the local government to build a residence for him at the foot of Xianxia Peak, using his remaining third-rank salary to support Li Bi. However, fearing assassination attempts, Li Bi only showed himself once when the residence was completed, and afterwards disappeared into the deep mountains, never to be seen again.

It wasn't until Li Heng died and Li Yu succeeded to the throne that Li Mi returned to his secluded residence. Not long after, an imperial envoy came to deliver an imperial edict—people at the time said that Master Changyuan was indeed a deity, able to foresee the future!

Actually, while others might not know Li Bi's whereabouts, Li Ji certainly did, as he frequently sent messengers to deliver messages to him. Therefore, during the transition between the old and new dynasties, Li Ji informed Li Bi of the situation at court immediately, which was far faster than Li Yu sending someone to summon him after ascending the throne.

The imperial envoy, Sun Changkai, had once served Li Yu and was also acquainted with Li Mi. Upon meeting, they couldn't help but hold hands and weep. Li Mi felt more at ease and finally abandoned his previous reserve, bathed and changed his clothes, and accepted the imperial edict. They traveled in silence until they entered Chang'an. Li Mi then said to Sun Changkai, "I am merely a hermit in the mountains, and I should await His Majesty's summons outside the palace—I'll stay at my younger brother's house temporarily—Minister Sun, please go and report to His Majesty first."

And so, the man and the donkey drifted into Li Ji's residence.

Actually, Li Bi hadn't had time to inform Li Ji about his marriage yet, but he had mentioned in his previous letter that he was already engaged. Li Bi only learned about it from a neighbor when he was asking for directions; Li Erlang had officially married and moved in two months ago.

To be honest, Li Bi had a rather prejudiced view of Cui Guangyuan, feeling that he was too cunning and unwilling to follow the right path—especially since Li Ji had not said much good about his future father-in-law, who caused chaos wherever he went, in their previous correspondence—he felt that his brother would be easily led astray if he married into this family.

Upon further reflection, did I really consider him my own brother? He's an ancient ghost, his heart unfathomable. It's hard to say who will be corrupted by whom... Besides, the Cui family of Boling is of high standing. To be able to form such a marriage alliance is an honor for my family, so it's inconvenient for me to ask Li Ji to decline.

Upon entering the Li residence, Cui Cuo was greeted, and Li Bi asked her to rise, giving her a quick look around, which reassured her.

Why? Because Cui Cuo was plain-looking… It's clear that Li Ji married her mostly to take advantage of the Cui family's power, rather than being seduced by her beauty. Beauty can easily corrupt the mind; if it were merely a matter of mutual benefit, Li Ji, with his intelligence, shouldn't have been more than willing to be betrayed.

Cui Cuo ushered Li Bi into the main hall and ordered someone to prepare a quiet room for Li Bi. At the same time, he sent servants to inquire outside the palace—it was already past midnight, why hadn't the young master returned yet? He wasn't one to work overtime.

Li Bi had never met Cui Cuo before, nor did he have anything to say to his sister-in-law. He only learned that Cui Guangyuan had passed away after noticing that Cui Cuo was wearing mourning clothes and asking why. Could it be that Li Ji wanted to take advantage of the situation to seize the Cui family's property? He would have to talk to him about it later. One should not stray from the right path in one's conduct, and one should not go too far.

Fortunately, it wasn't long before Li Ji rode back to his residence at full speed. As soon as he dismounted, he ran to the main hall. He had barely taken off his shoes when he leaped and bounded to Li Bi, grabbed his hand, and shouted, "Brother, you've finally returned to Chang'an!"

Li Ji's feelings for Li Bi were purely sincere, but this had nothing to do with the remaining memories of the original body's inhabitants. It was entirely because he had transmigrated here, without relatives, friends, or acquaintances, and the first person he saw when he opened his eyes that day was Li Bi... Perhaps he truly had the so-called "chicken mentality." Moreover, only in front of Li Bi did Li Ji dare to completely tear off his disguise and be completely honest with him—after all, the other party knew that he was not the real Li Changwei of this world.

Furthermore, Li Ji deeply admired Li Mi's talent, believing that among people of his time, only Li Mi, without relying on power or the prevailing circumstances, could intellectually surpass him, while he could only contend with him using the knowledge accumulated in his previous life. The rest of the officials in the court were mediocre and not worth mentioning…

Chapter 41, The Grand Feast for Diligent Governance

On his way back to Chang'an, Li Bi repeatedly reminded himself: "That's not your brother, but just an old ghost. All the so-called brotherhood is fake. Don't get caught up in it." But when he met Li Ji again, observing his words and actions, his dependence and closeness seemed completely genuine. He couldn't help but recall the times they supported each other on Tanshan Mountain and talked on the same bed in Ding'an. All sorts of memories came flooding back to him.

Li Bi felt a lump in his throat and quickly circulated his breath to calm his mind. He then smiled and said, "I missed Changwei very much while I was in Hengshan. I never expected that we would meet again."

Li Ji shook Li Bi's hands repeatedly, his face beaming with joy, and said, "Finally, I can spend the whole night with my brother, talking hand in hand..." I have so much to tell you. He then instructed Cui Cuo, "Tonight I will sleep with my brother."

Following instructions, Cui Cuo ordered bedding to be laid out in the study. After dinner, Li Ji invited Li Bi into the study and began by saying, "His Majesty received a report from Sun Changkai that my elder brother had returned to Chang'an and wanted to summon him immediately. However, I, your humble brother, advised that it was too late to summon an official to the palace at night. Therefore, His Majesty ordered a grand feast to be held at the Qin Zheng Tower after court the next day to welcome my elder brother back."

Li Bi nodded and said, "You did the right thing."

Li Ji smiled and said, "Actually, I don't care about what's appropriate or improper, or what's proper etiquette. I just want to discuss the current domestic and international situation with you before you go to see the Emperor..."

He had already recounted many past events in his letters to Hengshan, so he began by describing the situation in the two months since Li Yu ascended the throne. Only then did Li Mi learn that Li Fuguo had hanged himself—

"Li Fuguo may not have had the fear of slander and ridicule, so what was the cause of his death?"

Li Ji couldn't help but clap his hands in admiration, saying, "Brother, you are far away in Hengshan, yet you have a keen eye for the hearts of people in Chang'an—to tell you the truth, he was driven to his death by your younger brother."

So he revealed without reservation why Li Fuguo had fallen, why Li Shi had hinted at assassination, his concerns and thoughts, and how he eventually went to Li's residence to confront and guide Li Fuguo. He explained all the causes and effects in detail.

Li Bi couldn't help but sigh, "Changwei's understanding of human nature far surpasses that of his foolish brother..." He then patted Li Ji on the shoulder, "You did the right thing. The foundation of human society is the social order, and the order of the country lies in the law. The law must not be disrupted, for disruption will surely ruin the state..." He then curled his lip, "For example, if Wu Liao abdicated and Zhuan Zhu drew his dagger, or if Xia Lei was dismissed as prime minister and Nie Zheng assassinated him, or if Jing Ke threw Lady Xu at an old man, they would only be laughed at by all generations!"

Li Ji laughed and said, "It's a pity that the imperial family doesn't understand this principle. They think they can be above the law and arbitrarily decide life and death." Then he added, "However, the Prince of Lu was probably misled by his attendants, which is why he almost made a big mistake."

Li Bi shook his head: "You don't need to whitewash the Prince of Lu. Who is without fault? The faults of a gentleman are like eclipses of the sun and moon. 'When he errs, everyone sees it; when he corrects it, everyone admires him.' It is your responsibility as ministers to correct the abuses of the times and rectify the mistakes of the ruler."

Li Ji blinked: "Could it be that my brother has returned not to serve as a subject?"

“‘Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king.’” Li Mi quoted an ancient saying, which means: Since we are subjects of the Tang Dynasty, who is not a subject except for the emperor? But I am different from you. I do not intend to serve as a proper official in court.

He then changed the subject and asked Li Ji, "Now that Li Fuguo is dead, you are expected to be appointed to a post? Since the Prince of Lu is the commander, he must have discussed things with you in detail. What are your plans for the war to quell the rebellion?"

Li Ji waved his hand: "This is easy."

Seeing the reproachful look on Li Bi's face, he quickly explained, "The Tang dynasty did not last long, and the people's hearts were with the dynasty; the An and Shi families killed each other, and their generals and ministers were treated like enemies. These petty villains are not actually difficult to quell. Consider the two defeats of the government army before, which ruined a great situation in one day. In fact, it was not because the soldiers were not good or the food was insufficient..."

At this point, he couldn't help but scratch the back of his head—"Oh, in terms of provisions, there's a slight shortage, but the rebels are even more strapped for cash. The defeat at Xiangzhou was due to the late emperor dismissing the current emperor's commander-in-chief, and although Li Xi was appointed, he was only in a nominal position, which resulted in the eleven military governors being out of command and thus defeated by Shi Siming in successive battles. The defeat at Luoyang was because the timing and location were both unfavorable, yet he insisted on launching an expedition, which led to the loss of Heyang."

"At its root, it's all due to the late emperor's reckless actions and Yu Chaoen's deception. But if these two evils are eliminated, Shi Chaoyi will be beheaded soon!"

Li Bi hurriedly stopped him, saying, "You must not speak recklessly about the late emperor's policies!" He then looked at Li Ji and asked, "Then how will these two problems be eliminated?"

Li Ji pulled Li Bi to sit down at the table and lowered his voice, saying, "Emperor Xuanzong became senile in his old age, and Emperor Suzong... probably ascended the throne illegitimately, and therefore was very wary of officials outside the capital. Li Linfu, Li Fuguo, and others rose to power because of this, and the country fell into chaos. The current emperor has just ascended the throne, and I dare not speak rashly about his character, however..."

After a pause, he finally spoke frankly: "He has been confined to the Eastern Palace for many years and is quite estranged from the court officials. That is why he went to Li Fuguo and trusted Cheng Yuanzhen. If this continues, he will probably become another Emperor Suzong... However, the current emperor values ​​my brother very much. My brother can use this to his advantage, advise the emperor to be close to virtuous ministers and keep away from sycophants, manage internal affairs and care for the people, and ensure that there are no obstacles for the soldiers on the front lines. Then one problem can be eliminated."

Li Bi shook his head: "You think too highly of your elder brother."

Li Ji spread his hands: "If Your Majesty is not Cao Cao, then I, your subject, must emulate Zhuge Liang. Moreover, in terms of talent, virtue, and even more so in terms of familiarity and closeness, apart from you, brother, no one can shoulder this heavy responsibility. Can you bear to see the Tang dynasty fall and the people suffer?"

Li Bi remained silent in thought.

Li Ji continued, “I have persuaded the Prince of Lu that once we leave the capital, we must first eliminate Yu Chaoen. In this way, both evils can be eliminated, and the Guandong region can be pacified—but my concern is not in the Guandong region, but in the western border…”

Li Bi nodded: "I know you once followed the King of Qi and fiercely resisted the barbarian bandits in Longyou. However..." He stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced around the room—"One must eat one bite at a time, and one's long-standing illness should be treated slowly. If the Guandong region is not at peace, the state cannot be secure; if the state is not secure, the western barbarians cannot be defended. It has been seven years since An Lushan launched his rebellion in Fanyang. My reason for agreeing to come out of seclusion this time is to quell this calamity for the country—as for other matters, let us leave them to wise men, for they are beyond my ability."

"Aside from my elder brother, I can't think of any other wise man in this world!"

Li Bi smiled and said, "How dare I underestimate the people of the world? As Changwei said in his letter, in terms of breaking through enemy lines, I am not as good as Guo Situ or Li Taiwei; in terms of strategizing and planning, I am not as good as Liu Shi'an or Yang Gongnan; in terms of assisting the court, I am not as good as Zhang Congzhou (Zhang Hao) or Xiao Lanling (Xiao Hua); in terms of upholding justice and leading the way, I am not as good as Yang Gongquan (Yang Wan) or Cui Yisun (Cui Youfu)—how can you say that there are no virtuous men in the world?"

"Han Xin can break through enemy lines, Xiao He can devise strategies, Chen Ping can assist the court, and Zhu Jian can uphold justice and lead the way," Li Ji pointed, "but only my elder brother is the Zhang Liang of our time!"

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That night, the two talked until very late before finally falling asleep together.

Following Li Yu's instructions, Li Ji was exempt from duty the next day, so he slept in late, a rare treat, until the sun was high in the sky. Li Bi, on the other hand, opened his eyes as soon as it was light. Seeing that Li Ji was fast asleep, he tiptoed out of bed, dressed, and strolled into the courtyard. He took in the fresh air and practiced his boxing for a while.

He had learned some swordsmanship in his youth, but only for self-defense. As for fist and foot techniques, he had never practiced them before. It was during his seclusion in Hengshan in the last two years that Xie Ziran personally taught him a set of fist techniques, saying, "This fist technique comes from Xu Xian. The other day when you visited Jishan, Xu Xian said that your worldly desires were still strong and the time was not right, so he would not teach you. But he instructed me to teach you when we meet again."

There was a highly accomplished Taoist hermit in Jishan, who was said to have lived during the reign of Emperor Gaozong and was already over a hundred years old. Li Mi told Li Ji that he was a "celestial being surnamed Xu," but his real name was Xu Xuanping. When he was living in seclusion in Yingyang, Li Mi once took Li Ji to visit him. Xu Xuanping explained the art of guiding qi to him, but did not teach him anything else. Instead, seeing that Li Ji was "naive and innocent," he taught the young man a set of boxing techniques.

After his soul transmigrated, the new Li Ji practiced this set of boxing techniques again and felt a strong connection to later internal martial arts—perhaps even the origin of them. As for the boxing method Xu Xuanping passed on to Li Bi through Xie Ziran, it was actually very similar to the one he taught Li Ji, except that each move was coordinated not with natural breathing, but with the circulation of internal energy. Li Bi practiced this set of boxing techniques every morning, at an extremely slow and deliberate pace, solely to stretch his bones and muscles and aid in the exchange of old and new energy.

If Li Ji had gotten up a little earlier and seen this style of boxing, he would most likely have thought, "Hey, this looks a lot like Tai Chi... especially the Yang style Tai Chi, which is primarily for health and secondarily for fighting..."

Cui Cuo came over upon hearing the sound and stood aside to wait quietly until Li Bi stopped his posture. Only then did he step forward to bow and say, "I will go and tell the kitchen to bring breakfast for my brother."

Li Bi smiled and waved his hand: "No need, I have been fasting for many years and eat very little - I never eat breakfast."

He then sat cross-legged on the veranda, closed his eyes, and began to circulate his qi.

Nearly two hours passed in the blink of an eye, and Li Ji finally got up lazily. He had just finished washing up and eating breakfast when a messenger came at the door: "The palace has sent a carriage to pick you up."

So they put Li Bi in a carriage, and Li Ji followed on horseback. The group left Pingkangfang, passed Chunming Street, and headed straight for Xingqing Palace in the South Inner Palace.

Today, Li Yu is holding a grand banquet at the Qin Zheng Lou in Xingqing Palace, summoning all his officials, specifically to welcome Li Bi back.

Since the sixteenth year of the Kaiyuan era, Emperor Xuanzong (Li Longji) had left the Daming Palace and resided permanently in the Xingqing Palace. The main building of the Xingqing Palace was a two-story structure, one named "The Building of Diligent Governance" and the other "The Building of Flowery Echeveria." It is said that Li Longji handled state affairs daily in the Diligent Governance Building and then went to the Flowery Echeveria Building to meet with Yang Guifei…

Therefore, in the later years of Emperor Xuanzong's reign, the Daming Palace, like the Taiji Palace, became a mere shell, neglected for a long time. In contrast, the Xingqing Palace was constantly being renovated and expanded, until the old man fled Chang'an. The three main halls of the Daming Palace—Hanyuan, Xuanzheng, and Zichen—and even the main halls such as Yanying and Linde, were now all dilapidated, merely having been superficially painted with new paint. It was impossible to hold a grand banquet there, which is why Li Yu decided to hold the feast in the Qinzheng Tower of the Xingqing Palace.

As soon as the carriage entered the southern palace, Cheng Yuanzhen ran over in small steps and blocked the way. As soon as the carriage stopped, he went around to the side, his face full of smiles, and bowed to ask, "Has Mr. Changyuan arrived? His Majesty has been waiting for a long time."

Li Ji dismounted from the carriage and, upon hearing Cheng Yuanzhen's question, his brows furrowed slightly—he felt as if time had reversed, recalling how Li Tan had greeted Li Bi at the gates of Ding'an City and accompanied him into the imperial palace, and how Li Fuguo's actions, expressions, and even words were strikingly similar to Cheng Yuanzhen's today…

The carriage doors opened immediately, and Li Bi jumped down, bowing to Cheng Yuanzhen and saying, "How dare I trouble Your Majesty to wait so long? Please, Lord Cheng, lead the way for me."

Cheng Yuanzhen, with his back hunched, raised his hand and said, "Of course, Mr. Changyuan, please come with me." He then glanced at Li Ji and added, "Second Brother, come too."

Li Yu held a grand banquet at the Qin Zheng Tower. After the court session, he led all the officials there and waited until the imperial carriage entered Xingqing Palace before sending someone to fetch Li Bi. Therefore, when the Li brothers entered the tower, the main officials of the court, led by Prince Lu Li Shi, Minister Guo Ziyi, and Prime Minister Yuan Zai, had already been sitting behind the dining table, craning their necks and waiting for a long time.

Upon hearing that Li Bi had entered the palace, Li Yu immediately stood up from behind his desk to greet him at the front of the building. Yuan Zai and others hurriedly stood up to dissuade him, but Li Shi said, "Your Majesty, please sit still. If there is anything to do, I will take care of it." Only then did Li Yu look at Li Shi and nod slightly.

Li Shi strode out of the building and met Li Bi and his brother. He bowed deeply from afar. Li Bi hurriedly stepped forward to return the greeting: "How dare I trouble Your Majesty to come out and greet me?" Li Shi grabbed Li Bi's hand: "When I first met you, sir, I was still a child and could not personally receive your teachings, which is a lifelong regret. Fortunately, you have returned to the court. This time, you must teach me well."

He turned around, smiled at Li Ji as a greeting, then pulled Li Bi along and stepped into the building.

All the officials stood respectfully awaiting—since the emperor was still standing, who dared to sit? Li Bi couldn't help but bow repeatedly, nodding to everyone he knew and didn't recognize. Li Shi pulled Li Bi over to Li Yu's side, who smiled broadly, opened his arms, and said, "Sir, you've finally returned to court to instruct me." He patted his seat and said, "Come quickly, sit with me."

Li Mi waved his hand and declined, saying, "Only the Sage can sit on the throne, how can there be a place for a hermit like me..." Li Shi wanted to give the second seat to Li Mi, but Li Mi still refused. After a long time of back and forth, Li Ji, who was following behind, became anxious. Finally, Li Mi agreed to sit in the third seat—that is, below the throne, with Li Shi on the right and Li Mi on the left.

Given Li Ji's taste, he could only look towards the back. Yang Wan called out, "Waiter, may I sit next to you?" Li Ji repeatedly declined, but the person below Yang Wan moved back to make room for Li Ji.

Li Ji's rank was indeed not high, having only just stepped into the high rank, but he was a great contributor to the current emperor's ascension to the throne, and he was also a close friend of Prince Lu, as well as the cousin of Li Bi, the host and guest of the day. Who would dare to treat him with disrespect? To be honest, even if Li Ji swaggered up to sit in the upper seat, as long as he did not surpass Guo Ziyi and the prime minister, no one would dare to question him.

He had barely settled behind the desk when he heard Li Yu say, "Gentlemen, please sit down." He then ordered, "Music, rise!"

Chapter 42, Between Advance and Retreat

Li Yu hosted a banquet at the Qinwuzhengben Building to welcome Li Bi and ordered the actors of the Pear Garden to display a variety of performances, including stilt dancing, long-stilt dancing, throwing dance, sword dancing, high-flying dance, and sword swallowing dance, all kinds of exquisite performances.

Even though Li Ji was a soul transmigrated from the future, he couldn't help but be dazzled and excited. The key is that entertainment activities are too scarce these days. If it were in his previous life, as long as he had a mobile phone to use, who would have the patience to watch a full-fledged acrobatic performance?

As for the food, it was quite exquisite. Li Ji kept waving his hands and chewing his teeth, eating until he was completely satisfied, but he was still regretting in his heart: I should have skipped breakfast and come here on an empty stomach...

I had assumed that such a grand banquet, with its focus on socializing, would offer little opportunity for unrestrained eating and drinking. However, a quick glance upwards revealed that Li Yu and Li Bi were engaged in lively conversation, while Li Shi listened intently. As for Guo Ziyi and the others, some were toasting each other or engaging in earnest discussions, but none dared to be unrestrained or raise their voices because the emperor was present. Consequently, many other officials, like myself, simply buried themselves in their food and drink.

Li Ji only had a brief conversation with Grand Secretary Yang Wan. The officials below him, whom he was not familiar with, exchanged only a few pleasantries. Yang Wan ate very little and soon put down his chopsticks to chat with others, leaving Li Ji behind him to eat and drink heartily without regard for etiquette.

After all, it was a grand feast. Even if there were imperial censors sitting in the corner of the room, coldly surveying and looking around, as long as they didn't shout, throw cups, or spill food, they generally wouldn't be accused of being disrespectful or disrespectful to the emperor.

While Li Ji was eating with his head down, Yang Wan suddenly patted him on the shoulder. Li Ji hurriedly looked up, and Yang Wan gestured with her mouth: "The Emperor summons you." Li Ji quickly picked up his cup, took a sip of wine, swallowed the food in his mouth, and then got up and approached the Emperor.

Li Yu pointed at Li Ji and asked with a smile, "I heard that Mr. Changyuan slept in the study with Changwei yesterday?"

Li Ji nodded and said, "Yes—we have been separated for a long time, and I wanted to stay up all night to talk with my brother, so I slept in the study."

“That’s fine,” Li Yu smiled. “You won’t need to prepare a room for Mr. Changyuan anymore.” He then turned to Li Bi and said, “I have already prepared a quiet room for you next to the Penglai Palace. Please move in so that you can receive my teachings from me day and night.”

Li Bi was taken aback upon hearing this and hurriedly waved his hand, saying, "I am a man from the mountains and fields; how could I possibly reside in the palace?"

Li Yu laughed and said, "When you were in Ding'an, didn't you also live in the Forbidden City? Does that mean you would accept what the late emperor bestowed upon you, but not what I bestow upon you?"

Before Li Bi could take his leave again, he asked Li Ji, "Would the Imperial Guard like to come and stay in the palace?"

Li Ji's mouth twitched, and he was about to speak when Li Shi smiled and came to his rescue: "Today is different from the past. Has the Sage forgotten that Li Ji is already married and has a concubine? If he goes to the palace to accompany Master Changyuan, does he expect his wife and concubine to be left alone in their empty rooms?"

Li Yu laughed heartily: "Then it's settled. After the banquet, Mr. Changyuan will return to the Daming Palace with me, and Changwei will go back to his home to be with his wives and concubines." He then looked at Li Bi: "Since you are fond of cultivating Taoism, you should accompany the Penglai Palace to the Taiye Pond, as if I have invited a celestial being from heaven to descend to earth!"

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After the banquet, the officials took their leave. Among them, Yuan Zai, the Minister of Revenue and concurrently the Chancellor, lived near the residence of Wang Jin, the Vice Minister of Justice, and so they rode side by side. After walking for a while, seeing that there were only his own servants and no other people around, Wang Jin lowered his voice and asked Yuan Zai, "Prime Minister Yuan, do you think His Majesty intends to appoint Li Changyuan as Prime Minister?"

Yuan Zai smiled wryly: "How dare we, as ministers, presume to know the Emperor's intentions? But does Minister Xia hope that Li Changyuan will become Prime Minister, or does he not?"

Wang Jin, courtesy name Xiaqing, was a renowned calligrapher of his time and the younger brother of Wang Wei, the "Poet-Buddha." After the recapture of Chang'an, Wang Wei, having previously served under a false regime, should have been severely punished. Wang Jin petitioned to have his own official position revoked to atone for his brother's sins, thus gaining widespread fame and acclaim among scholars. Emperor Suzong, moved by his brotherly virtue, not only spared his post but also promoted him to Vice Minister of Justice.

Wang Jin had long aspired to the position of Prime Minister, believing his family's ranking to be relatively high. He figured any senior official in the Council of State Affairs who resigned would likely still be on their way back to court, with Liu Yan, soon to be reinstated as Vice Minister of Revenue, being the most likely candidate. If a second senior official resigned, it would be Wang Jin's turn. However, Li Bi suddenly returned from Hengshan, and seeing the Emperor's high regard for him, even hosting a banquet for him with all the officials, Wang Jin wondered if Li Bi would try to cut in line. Wouldn't that make his chance of becoming Prime Minister seem even more distant?

This led to a probing question about Yuan Zai. Yuan Zai understood the question but refused to give a direct answer.

Wang Jin then said, “Li Changyuan was a teacher and friend of the late emperor. He was originally just a Hanlin scholar and a court attendant in the Eastern Palace, and he has already resigned. When he met the emperor, the late emperor put a purple robe on him and appointed him as the chief secretary of the Marshal’s Office. Now that he has returned to court, it seems that the emperor still wants to give him an important position. Therefore, it is only reasonable for him to be given a third-rank title and enter the Hall of State Affairs.”

Yuan Zai shook his head: "Didn't you see that the Emperor built a quiet room in the palace to welcome Mr. Changyuan to live there? If he were a court official, how could he receive such an honor?" It's one thing for a mountain man to live there, but during the reign of Emperor Gaozong there was Ye Fashan, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong there was Zhang Guo, and during the reign of Emperor Suzong there was Shen Taizhi, who was beheaded not long ago; all of them had lived in the palace. But let alone a prime minister, what kind of court official could enter the palace and live next door to the emperor?

Wang Jin hurriedly said, "The late emperor was able to wear a purple robe in the past, how could we know that the current emperor... Moreover, he has been living in the palace for a long time, and the emperor consults him on political affairs day and night. I am afraid that, like Li Fuguo in the past, the power of the Council of State Affairs will definitely shift inward - Prime Minister Yuan must not fail to worry!"

Yuan Zai glanced at Wang Jin and couldn't help but frown slightly.

His thoughts differed somewhat from Wang Jin's. While he also didn't want Li Bi to enter the Council of State Affairs and diminish his family's power, given his earlier appointment as prime minister and the influence of his faction throughout the court, he wasn't certain he couldn't suppress the recluse. However, allowing Li Bi to reside permanently in the palace, where he could exert influence on the emperor at any time, and without being able to constantly monitor him, would be far too disadvantageous.

No, we have to find a way to expel Li Bi from the palace and reassign him to a court official position. Moreover, by then, whether or not he becomes prime minister won't be a decision solely made by the emperor; the opinions of all officials, especially the prime minister, must be considered. Yuan Zai has just helped Li Shi overthrow Li Fuguo, and is therefore quite confident in his own political acumen. If he can bring Li Bi into the system, he's not worried about dealing with him; but if Li Bi remains outside the system, then he'll be in a difficult position.

So, while secretly making plans, he smiled at Wang Jin and said, "Mr. Changyuan is truly a man of great talent. If the sage consults him on matters of state, he will surely be able to make up for our shortcomings. Isn't that wonderful?" Before Wang Jin could say anything more, he spurred his mount and rode ahead.