Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Li Bi, being a vegetarian, certainly couldn't have developed such strong muscles and bones. That's why he learned from the local hunters how to trap small birds and animals, then roast them over a fire to eat—of course, the original Li Ji only knew this one cooking method, and his skills were quite poor; two out of three times he burned them, and the other time they were half-cooked…

However, he wasn't worried about Li Bi's wrath—Li Bi didn't require his younger cousin to be vegetarian—he was simply concerned that since there was already little meat, it would be taken by others. It's important to know that the Li brothers weren't the only ones living in seclusion in Yingyang; there were also Li Bi's two stepmothers, a young half-brother, and several generations of servants living together.

Thinking back on it now, it seems that Li Ji was only very close to Li Bi, and was not very filial to his aunt or affectionate to his younger cousin...

After hearing Li Tan's words, Li Shi paused for a moment before asking, "I also heard that last night the Sage came with three of his uncles to dine with Mr. Changyuan. Was it just pears? What was the situation like? Li Ji, tell me about it."

He cast a curious glance at Li Ji, and Li Tan also looked at Li Ji, clearly eager to hear what was happening. Li Ji pondered for a moment, then said, “Last night, it was already dark, and dinner still hadn’t arrived. I was hungry and was about to ask my brother to go out and inquire when I heard footsteps. It turned out to be the Emperor and several princes arriving together…”

He didn't recount the entire story of roasting meat and pears the previous night to Li Tan and his nephew. Regarding the discussions between the emperor and his ministers about Prince Yong, Li Lin, and Chancellor Fang Guan, he pretended he didn't quite understand and glossed over the details. He only said that the emperor roasted pears for his brother, who accepted two. Several princes repeatedly requested more, but the emperor refused. Then, one prince even suggested it, and he composed a poem about it… and that the emperor intended to reward him, but he only asked for meat and water to bathe, having no interest in holding office, and so on.

He spoke rather slowly, seemingly not very talkative, but in reality, he was carefully considering his words, maintaining his current persona and trying not to give himself away. When Li Ji was interacting with the boy Li Shi, he wasn't so scheming; at least 80% of it was a natural performance. But now, facing Li Tan, a grown prince favored by the emperor, who, according to Li Shi, was also brave and intelligent, possessing the same vigor as his grandfather in his prime… he couldn't afford to be any less careful.

This persona is currently quite favorable, making others less wary, which is why the emperor speaks so eloquently, claiming that he is "innocent and carefree, with the heart of a child." If he were a shrewd man like Li Mi, and a commoner meeting the emperor for the first time, do you think the emperor wouldn't have immediately ordered his men to be expelled after discussing Li Lin and Fang Guan, matters involving the imperial family and court officials? Li Mi's intelligence is likely known throughout the court, so having his brothers perceived as uncouth or even foolish would actually make it easier for the emperor to secretly support them.

In crosstalk, the supporting role accounts for 70% of the performance. Since the members of the same family are of varying abilities, it is easier for them to complement each other's shortcomings.

Furthermore, if Li Bi's suggestions prove ineffective in the future, and the emperor discovers that he is all talk and no action—based on the impressions of the past two days, this seems unlikely, but we still can't be complacent—the only way to escape being implicated is to play dumb.

But what he deliberately portrayed was not stupidity, but rather naivety and ignorance of politics, which prevented him from repeating what he had learned.

After finally finishing his explanation, Li Shi took the opportunity to tear off and eat the pigeon breast meat, then stuffed the remaining bones into Li Ji's hands: "There's still some meat left, here you go, don't waste it." His eyes then lit up with longing: "One day when we have barbecue, I'll ask the Sage if he'll be willing to roast pears for me..."

Upon hearing this, Li Tan burst into laughter. He then pulled his own handkerchief from Li Shi's belt, carefully wiped his hands and lips, and then stood up, patting his nephew's head: "The Emperor loves his eldest grandson the most. Whatever you ask, when has the Emperor ever refused? However..."

His expression suddenly turned serious: "We must wait a while, lest the Sage think of the matter of burning pears for Mr. Changyuan, lest he suspect that it was your brother who instigated you to do it—be careful!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ji felt a slight chill run down his spine. Li Shi reacted quickly, immediately bowing his head and saying, "Uncle Wang's admonition is correct; I will remember it."

Li Tan had already devoured the pigeon's head, even chewing almost the entire skull. He didn't covet the remaining meat—there wasn't much left anyway—but turned to look at Li Ji and slowly nodded, saying, "First wrap it in lotus leaves to moisten and enhance its fragrance, then wrap it in dough and roast it. This way, the meat is heated but not burned, its essence is contained within and doesn't dissipate outwards—truly a fine technique, somewhat resembling 'Hollow Sheep Meals in a Hurry.' I will have someone try making it someday."

"Today I have received your flesh and also obtained this wonderful method. I must repay you—Li Ji, tell me, what reward do you want?"

Li Shi chimed in from the side, "Li Ji, just say it. Anyway, you don't want to be an official—except for officialdom, Uncle Wang can grant you anything. Whether you want wealth or beautiful women, Uncle Wang has it all..."

Li Tan couldn't help but glare at him: "Stop talking nonsense! The country is in turmoil now, and we followed the emperor on his northern hunt. Where would we get so much wealth and beautiful women? Besides, you ate Li Ji's flesh and learned the art of roasting birds. What will you use to repay him?"

Li Shi shrank back and chuckled awkwardly, "It's just a small pigeon... a wild bird, how much is it worth? Uncle Wang's reward is enough..."

Li Tan snorted coldly, then turned to Li Ji again: "You speak."

Li Ji thought for a moment, then crossed his hands and pleaded, "The straw man has no great desires, only a full stomach. Could Your Highness please order someone to build a stove in the west wing and provide him with some utensils so that the straw man can cook for himself?"

Li Tan shook his head, rejecting the idea: "No. Although I am in charge of both internal and external defenses and supervise the eunuchs, I cannot overstep my bounds and meddle in these trivial matters, thus encroaching on the authority of Li Fuguo and others. Moreover, Master Changyuan is a friend of the Emperor. If the Emperor were to find out, his entry into the palace would be seen as a violation of his friend's authority."

Chapter Nineteen, The Sudden Death of the Hunyang

According to Li Bi, among the eunuchs in the palace, Li Fuguo is the most favored—although not the highest-ranking—basically equivalent to the "Grand Eunuch." Therefore, if someone were to privately raise carrier pigeons in the palace and receive military reports from the front lines, even if they could deceive the emperor and the princes, they would absolutely not be able to deceive Li Fuguo.

As for Li Tan, although he was ordered to guard the palace and supervise the eunuchs, as an adult prince, he could not truly go deep into the palaces and courtyards—at least he could not set foot in the concubines' residences—so he could not hide his actions from Li Fuguo, while others could hide their actions from him.

Therefore, if the source of these carrier pigeons is indeed in the palace, it can only be that Li Fuguo kept them privately, or that he instructed someone to keep them privately.

"These eunuchs are masters of petty tricks and trying to guess the emperor's intentions, so we don't need to pay them any mind. However, as you said, Prince Jianning is always intelligent, and he may already be suspicious... Perhaps after taking Prince Fengjie away, he will privately interrogate him repeatedly to find out the truth..."

"Will the Prince of Fengjie tell the truth?"

"It's hard to say. Prince Jianning and Prince Guangping are the most loving and respectful of brothers, and Prince Fengjie is also very kind to him, like father and son. Therefore, Prince Fengjie may not take the initiative to tell him the truth, but if questioned..."

Li Ji knew that it was unlikely he would get a definite answer to this question, so he decided to let it go. But after thinking for a moment, he suddenly leaned closer and asked, "Brother, the Emperor has not yet appointed a Crown Prince. In your opinion, who is suitable to be the Crown Prince?"

Li Bi was slightly startled and quickly said, "Shut up! This is not something you or I dare to comment on!"

Li Ji smiled slightly and said, "There shouldn't be anyone eavesdropping outside. When brothers whisper, what comes from the elder brother's mouth will enter the younger brother's ears. It's not unreasonable to make a prediction, is it?"

Li Bi glanced at him, then lowered his voice even further and slowly said, "According to the rites and laws, the eldest son is chosen as heir, and if there is no eldest son, the eldest son is chosen. Only if both the eldest son and the eldest son are truly incompetent should we consider virtue. When I was still a prince, I married Consort Wei and had two sons, but we later divorced, so those two sons are no longer considered heirs. Now that I have ascended the throne, I have not yet appointed an empress, so there is no heir for the time being. The Prince of Guangping is the eldest son of the emperor, upright and honest, and has not committed any misconduct. He should be established as the crown prince..."

"I heard from the Prince of Fengjie that among the princes, the Prince of Jianning is the most virtuous and wise, and that he even has the same charm as the Emperor Emeritus in his prime..."

Li Bi shook his head and said, "Prince Jianning is only the third son of the Sage, and his mother, Lady Zhang, is of lowly status. With his elder brother already here, how could it be his turn?"

"What if Prince Jianning is greatly favored by the emperor and can achieve great merit?"

Upon hearing this, Li Bi was startled and immediately stared at Li Ji: "What exactly are you trying to say?!"

Li Ji smiled and said, "I didn't mean to say anything, but I heard that Prince Jianning is wise and virtuous, and he also bears heavy responsibilities in the palace. I couldn't help but think of what my brother said last night about Prince Yong, Li Lin..."

Li Bi immediately flicked his sleeve: "Don't speak recklessly—how can you generalize like that?!"

In fact, Prince Yong, Li Lin, and Prince Jianning, Li Tan, are quite similar. Both are intelligent and virtuous, receiving unanimous praise from the court and the public, and are favored and heavily relied upon by two emperors. Since Li Lin may threaten the imperial power, Li Tan may also contend for the throne. Li Ji, having thoroughly studied history books in his previous life, is probably naturally more perceptive about such matters than many officials of this era.

Li Bi was equally astute. After being enlightened by Li Ji's words, he added after his reprimand, "I know how to nip problems in the bud, but you must never speak recklessly outside."

"I understand."

"I ordered you to wait quietly in the courtyard, how could you have thought of going to sharpen a slingshot to hunt birds? And now this has happened..."

Li Ji smiled bitterly and said, "I am not a woman confined to my quarters. Living in this secluded courtyard is like being a caged bird. Moreover, I have nothing to say to those eunuchs... I am really feeling stifled. Otherwise, brother, I humbly beg Your Majesty to allow me to accompany you and protect you during the day?"

Li Bi shook his head: "No... Although I am a commoner, I am still a scholar and a former official of the Prince's residence. You are different. How can you follow me and be considered to be by the side of the Sage? Moreover, if I need to be protected by the Sage, what will the Sage think?"

Li Ji had considered this as well. Since his request was denied, he decided to settle for second best: "Although the Sage is in exile, I see that he and the other princes are dressed in new clothes and eating well..." That night, they served quite a lot of roasted meat and several kinds of fruit. "I imagine there must be many books in the palace... and even more so in the city. I humbly request that you ask the Sage to lend them to me. If I have books to read, it might help alleviate my loneliness."

Li Bi frowned slightly and said, "You are a boorish man—everyone in the palace who knows you thinks so—how can you borrow books to read? How should I ask?"

"Just say that your brother wants to read it." Li Ji knew that besides practicing Qi cultivation and immortality, Li Bi loved reading the most. His collection of books in his Yingyang home alone was no less than a hundred volumes, probably more than most officials.

Li Bi pointed to the scrolls he had brought back and placed on his desk, and said, "The sage gave me these documents and ordered me to plan the recovery of the two capitals. Where would I find the time to read?"

“Brother, how can there be no time to read books? Whether on horseback, in bed, or on the toilet, official documents are not for reading, but they are good places for reading!”

He was merely copying the wisdom of his predecessors, but Li Bi found it refreshing and couldn't help but clap his hands in praise, saying, "These words are excellent; only a true lover of calligraphy could utter them." He then glanced sideways at Li Ji and asked, "But why can't you write well?"

Li Ji quickly changed the subject: "Brother, I heard Prince Jianning mention something about 'Hunyang Mohu' during the day. It seems to be a foreign language. I wonder what it means?"

"It was indeed from the Hu region, and it was made by breaking a whole sheep."

The sheep's belly was stuffed with a whole goose, and after cooking, the goose was eaten only, while the sheep was discarded... Such extravagance and wastefulness were extreme! In the past, this practice was prevalent in Chang'an, and as a result, the country became increasingly decadent, its power seemingly full but actually lacking. This dish alone can illustrate this point..."

----------

That night, Li Bi read by candlelight until late into the night, while Li Ji went to bed early.

—Actually, the main function of the couch in those days was not to be a bed, but rather a transitional form between a seat and a bed. Fortunately, the couch was wide and large enough that even two people could barely lie down. Since Li Ji claimed that he did not like sleeping on the floor, Li Bi had no choice but to accompany him.

Early the next morning, Li Bi was summoned away by Li Fuguo again, leaving Li Ji alone once more. However, Li Ji had just finished exercising in the courtyard and ordered Ran Mao'er to fetch a bucket of warm water to wash himself when two other eunuchs carried in a bamboo box, saying it was a book that Master Changyuan wanted to read.

Li Ji was overjoyed and hurriedly told them to move the scrolls into the back chamber. Then he sent Ran Mao'er and the others away and went to rummage through the bamboo box—

What are they? *Sun Tzu's Art of War*, *Wei Liao Zi*, *I Ching*, *Shang Shu*, *Huainanzi*, *Dongguan Hanji*, *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, *Tai Xuan Jing*...

Bah! I know all of this by heart, what use is it to me? Do you really expect me to memorize these texts to prepare for the imperial examinations?!

After much effort, he finally found a copy of the *Wenxuan* (Anthology of Literature), its title unfamiliar. Looking at the preface, he discovered it was a collection of poems and prose compiled by Xiao Tong, the crown prince of the Southern Liang Dynasty—it seemed incomplete, containing only a dozen or so volumes. However, these volumes also included many poems and prose pieces from the Jin Dynasty onwards, allowing Li Ji to compare them with his own timeline.

Ah, so there were once Tao Yuanming and Xie Lingyun in this world... And who is this Bao Mingyuan? His poems are quite good...

The last volume, which wasn't a book, was opened and read: "Respectfully copied from six poems composed by Emperor Gaozong, the Great Sage and Filial Emperor."

Li Ji naturally didn't understand what this "Emperor of Heaven, Great Sage, Great Filial Piety" was all about, but judging from the fresh handwriting, it must have been recorded by someone from that era. Therefore, it must refer to a previous emperor of the current dynasty—if it was a previous emperor, they wouldn't have omitted the dynasty name, would they? There was indeed a Gaozong Emperor in the Tang Dynasty, which Li Ji could recall from his own memory.

The six poems are: "The Crown Prince Takes a Consort, Princess Taiping Arrives," "Passing by Wentang," "The Ninth Day of the Ninth Month," "Visiting Ci'en Temple and Inscribing a Poem for Master Xuanzang," "Staying Up Late on New Year's Eve," and "Visiting the Great Ci'en Temple," all in five-character lines. Li Ji read them carefully and felt that they were all rather plain and steady. Although he had no extraordinary talent, they were passable.

Compared to the famous works of the same period on my own timeline, which are like pearls and jade, these six poems are just glass beads—of course, the ones written by the emperor and princes the night before can be compared to excrement.

In other words, the literary level of the previous Tang emperors was at least passable, so how come their descendants have degenerated to this extent? Of course, it's also possible that Emperor Gaozong of Tang was the best poet among the mediocre, the best among generations of the imperial family, while the current emperor and princes are only at a normal level...

As he flipped through the books, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, it was lunchtime. Huo Xianming announced from outside the door, and then three eunuchs brought in trays of food, eighteen dishes in total. The dishes not only filled the table, but some even had to be placed on the couch, which really startled Li Ji.

Upon closer inspection, there were four courses of dried and fresh fruits, four courses of noodles and snacks, four cold dishes, four hot dishes, plus a main course and a bowl of soup. As for the staple food, it was a large bowl of white rice, accompanied by minced meat soup as a sauce...

"How can there be so many?!"

Huo Xianming said with a fawning smile, "This was sent by the King of Jianning, specifically for Mr. Changwei's consumption."

Oh dear, I've been hearing "Mr. Changyuan" and "Mr. Changyuan" all the time these days, and today I even heard "Mr. Changwei"... Do I also qualify to be a "Mr"?

Huo Xianming and others pointed to each dish and explained its name, origin, and preparation method—supposedly at Li Tan's special instruction: "This is a flat peach from Dali, this is a grape from Hedong, this is dried longan from Guangnan, this is honey-preserved plum from Jingnan..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Do you really think I'm some country bumpkin who's never seen anything before? Do I even need to introduce these fruits?"

But he had never seen the shapes and styles of most of those snacks and dishes before—even in his previous life—so he had to strain his ears to listen carefully to what the eunuchs were saying.

"This is Golden Milk Pastry, this is Mando-style Sandwich... This is Xijiang Sauce, made by mincing Xijiang pork shoulder and steaming it with five flavors; this is Leaping Dragon Gate, made by deboning and slicing cured Yellow River carp, wrapping it in sauce and steaming it... This bowl is Cold Toad Soup, the main ingredient is river clam meat, with tender lotus leaves added..."

However, when it came to the last main dish, they were somewhat vague, only saying, "This thing... this servant doesn't know what it is or how to cook it, but the messenger conveyed the words of the Prince of Jianning, saying that Mr. Changwei will know it as soon as he sees it."

Li Ji looked closely and saw that it was a flat, round dough ball, about the size of a watermelon, baked until golden brown. He immediately picked up a knife and dagger, cut open the dough, and sure enough, inside was a lotus leaf. Lifting the lotus leaf, steam rose, and a wonderful aroma wafted out; inside was a whole chicken…

Oh my, Li Tan really did go back and ordered his men to follow my line of thought and decipher the "Beggar's Chicken" recipe in reverse!

More than ten delicious dishes, each with its own unique color and aroma, made Li Ji's mouth water. He immediately called out to Huo Xianming and the others, "Come and eat with us!"

Huo Xianming said with a fawning smile, "This was specially bestowed upon Mr. Changwei by the King of Jianning. How could we possibly have such a good fortune?"

Chapter Twenty: Housewives

Before the eunuchs could finish cleaning up the leftovers, Prince Li Shi of Fengjie came over for another visit. Upon seeing the food, he asked, "Was this a gift from Uncle Prince Jianning? Li Ji, why didn't you finish it?"

Li Ji quickly got off the bed and bowed, then pouted and said, "So much food, how can we finish it all!" Especially that big bowl of white rice, it must weigh at least three pounds, what big eater could finish it in one meal? Are you trying to feed an elephant?

Li Shi scoffed, “You claim to have a large appetite? I thought you had an even larger one… In the past, Lian Po ate a peck of rice and ten pounds of meat in one meal, that was what you called a large appetite. Your appetite… tsk tsk.”

Li Ji couldn't help but glare at the young prince: "The so-called Lian Po eating a peck of rice and ten pounds of meat in one meal, if not an exaggeration by historians, must be due to the difference in measurement between ancient and modern times, how can it be taken as true?!"

Li Shi was taken aback and said, "What you say makes sense, and I have no way to refute it. But... you actually understand these principles?"

Li Ji quickly distanced himself: "Naturally, my elder brother told me..."

Li Shi was relieved, then turned his head and saw the books that he had temporarily put back in the bamboo box during the meal—"I heard that Mr. Changyuan asked the sage for some books to read. How could you have opened the box without permission? Do you not know how to read?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Look at my face, do I look like a natural illiterate?"

He pretended to raise his head and said, "Of course I can read—I am, after all, Li Changyuan's younger brother, a descendant of the Li family of Zhao County!"

In the early Tang Dynasty, there was a saying of "Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families," representing the seven most prestigious families: the Li of Longxi, the Li of Zhaojun, the Cui of Boling, the Cui of Qinghe, the Lu of Fanyang, the Zheng of Xingyang, and the Wang of Taiyuan. Li Hu's association with the Li of Longxi and Li Bi's with the Li of Zhaojun may have been based on patronage, but these seven families were all distinguished through their scholarship in classical studies, not through military prowess. Conversely, the later-rising Xue family of Hedong, who were primarily known for their military achievements during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, continued to produce renowned generals even after the Tang Dynasty took over.

So you're saying a member of the Li family of Zhao County is illiterate? Are you insulting me?

However, Li Shi didn't believe it and specially took out a scroll and handed it to Li Ji, asking him to read it aloud. Li Ji unfolded it and saw that it was the sixth volume of the Records of the Three Kingdoms. He was familiar with this stuff—"Dong Zhuo, courtesy name Zhongying, was a native of Lintao in Longxi. In his youth, he was fond of chivalry and once traveled to this...Qiang, among the Qiang people, he all made alliances with the...chieftains..."

He deliberately read it haltingly, and Li Shi couldn't help but chuckle and say, "Hmm, you do know a few characters, worthy of being a descendant of the Li family of Zhao County."

Li Ji's mind raced, and he seized the opportunity to complain: "To be honest, my elder brother found these books so that I would read them. Back in Yingyang, he always supervised my studies, but I really don't like these poems and essays, and the classics are even more tedious. Only certain ancient events in historical books seem somewhat interesting. But even though I haven't read the Records of the Grand Historian or the Records of the Three Kingdoms, my elder brother often tells me about what's said in them. Now, reading these again is really tiresome..."