Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

At one point, Li Bi turned his head slightly and gave Li Ji a wink, as if to say: Do you have any ideas on how to stop His Majesty from crying?

Li Ji and the person beside him were already impatient. They thought to themselves, "The emperor came so late at night, I thought he had something important to discuss with Li Bi, but it turns out he just came to cry and pour out his troubles? It's so late! Li Bi still has a mountain of official business to handle. The longer you stay, the later Li Bi will have to sleep. Besides, Li Bi is probably used to staying up late. Since I came into this world, I've gradually gotten used to going to bed around nine or ten o'clock. If you don't leave, I can't sleep either! I'm so sleepy!"

However, given his own public persona, he couldn't very well come up with all sorts of reasons to gently and tactfully persuade others, like Li Bi did. Li Ji scratched his head, pondered for a while, then crossed his arms, bowed, and asked loudly, "Your Majesty... no, I don't understand. So what if Prince Yong plotted a rebellion? Why is Your Majesty so heartbroken?"

The room was small, and it was nighttime with no one around, so when Li Ji opened his mouth, his voice was loud and clear, the echo lingering in the air, immediately startling Li Heng and Li Bi. Li Bi then flicked his sleeve and said, "You are ignorant, how dare you speak such nonsense? Prince Yong is His Majesty's beloved brother, and now that his beloved brother has gone against the grain, how can he not be heartbroken?"

Li Ji replied, “I have heard that the fruit of a tree can be sour or sweet, and that oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet, while those grown north of the Huai River are bitter. If Prince Yong had always been by Your Majesty's side, receiving your teachings every day, it would be understandable that Your Majesty would be saddened by his betrayal. But now that he has come of age and lived separately, people change. Who knows what scoundrel instigated him to do something wrong? It is not surprising.”

Upon hearing this, Li Heng immediately stopped weeping, slammed his hand on the edge of the bed in anger, and said, "It must be that scoundrel Xue Liu who instigated Prince Yong!"

Xue Liu was Prince Yong's chief strategist. It is said that he was the one who suggested sailing east. As for whether this included a surprise attack on Youzhou by sea, or whether he instigated Prince Yong to rebel, that is unclear. Li Ji had heard Li Bi mention that this Xue Liu was the son of Princess Xi, and was a cousin of Li Heng and Li Lin.

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Family Feast at the New Year's Eve Banquet

A few days before New Year's Day, Prince Jianning, Li Tan, visited again to express his gratitude.

Only then did Li Ji learn that Li Bi had advised Prince Guangping, Li Chu, to take advantage of the emperor's slightly better mood and kneel down to beg for Li Tan's release, saying: "The rebellion of Prince Yong was due to a misunderstanding of Your Majesty's intentions. It is truly tragic that brothers quarreled over this. Now, my relationship with Jianning is as close as that of siblings. If Your Majesty were to imprison Prince Yong, then Jianning's imprisonment would originate from me. If he is imprisoned for too long, it is inevitable that he will harbor resentment. How could Your Majesty bear to see this?"

“If Prince Yong can stay by Your Majesty’s side, our relationship will grow stronger and we will not grow distant. Now, I am in the same situation as Jianning. I am willing to accept the punishment and ask that Jianning be released so that he can serve Your Majesty alongside me.”

Li Heng patted his son's shoulder and sighed, "This is a lesson from the past... You will surely be better than me when you become a parent." He then ordered the release of Prince Jianning.

Li Tan then went to thank Li Chu, but Li Chu did not take credit, saying, "I did want to ask the Emperor to forgive my brother, but the timing and words were all taught by Master Changyuan."

Therefore, Li Tan came to thank Li Bi—this matter was aboveboard and would not attract any jealousy, so there was no need to pretend to ask Li Ji to help pass on the message as before.

Li Bi probed, wanting to see if Li Tan harbored any resentment at losing his palace post. Li Tan replied, "The country is in turmoil, and the rebels are in Luoyang and Chang'an, not in this city of Ding'an. Although there were assassins before, if it weren't for the rebellion of the An rebels, how could Zhou Zhi have dared to commit treason? Therefore, I have long wanted to relinquish my palace post and serve the Emperor on the battlefield."

He paused here, then suddenly laughed, "Sir, please don't think I covet the Marshal's position. I know my virtue and prestige are inferior to my brother, the Prince of Guangping, and I am even less capable of commanding generals like Guo and Li. I only wish to lead an army to serve as my brother's vanguard, to enter the Western Capital first, to clean the streets and tidy up the roads, and to await the Emperor's return. Then I can avenge my ancestors and father, and bring peace to the common people. That would be enough for me. However…"

"Now that the affairs of the palace have been entrusted to eunuchs, I cannot rest easy!"

So, why did Li Heng's mood improve? Previously, Li Bi had devised a plan to have Generals Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi lead the Shuofang army eastward. Li Heng was not happy about this, feeling that with the two generals gone, his military strength would be weakened again, and he worried that the rebels would take the opportunity to attack. Li Chu and Li Bi repeatedly reassured him, saying that now that the loyalist troops were gathered in Ding'an, numbering forty to fifty thousand, the rebels would not dare to attack easily. Furthermore, reports indicated that reinforcements from the four garrisons of Anxi would also arrive soon, and they would certainly ensure His Majesty's safety—only then did Li Heng feel somewhat relieved.

The so-called "Four Garrisons of Anxi" refers to the four military garrisons under the Anxi Protectorate established by the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions: Kucha, Khotan, Yanqi, and Shule. Their soldiers had long fought fiercely with the Tibetans and were considered elite troops. Sure enough, not long afterward, the troops dispatched by the four garrisons to come to the aid of the emperor crossed thousands of miles of mountains and finally arrived in Ding'an. The total number was about 20,000, of which a quarter were Khotan Hu soldiers.

—This Khotanese army was not originally under the jurisdiction of the Four Garrisons. Rather, it was led by King Yuchi Sheng of Khotan, who, upon hearing of the turmoil in the Central Plains and the emperor's plight, mobilized all the troops in the kingdom and personally led them to protect the emperor. Li Heng was naturally overjoyed at this and welcomed them with the grand ceremony befitting a vassal king.

Although Yuchi Sheng was the ruler of Khotan, this was a remote and small kingdom, which the Tang Dynasty at most treated as a prefecture. His lord's title was far from that of a true king or marquis. Yuchi Sheng had visited the Tang court during the Tianbao era, and although he was given a woman from the imperial clan as his wife, his official rank was only Right General of the Imperial Guard and Governor of Bisha Prefecture. Later, he was promoted to Grand Master of the Silver Seal and Purple Ribbon—the same rank as Li Bi in the present day.

However, Yuchi Sheng's loyalty in leading troops to the rescue truly moved the entire court. As a result, Li Heng promoted Yuchi Sheng to the rank of Special Envoy of the Second Rank and appointed him as the Palace Attendant.

Upon hearing this joyous news, Li Heng, who had been frowning ever since the news of Li Lin's rebellion arrived, finally smiled again. Seeing this, Li Bi believed the time was ripe and urged Li Chu to speak to Li Tan, requesting his release...

After being released from confinement for several days, Li Tan welcomed the new year—the second year of the Zhide era. According to custom, three days before the festival, all departments would close, and then on New Year's Day, all officials would gather at the Hanyuan Hall to offer New Year's greetings to the emperor. After a banquet, they would disperse, and then enjoy another three days of holiday—a total of seven days including the greetings. However, given the difficult state of affairs, certain important departments, especially the newly established Military Marshal's Office, had absolutely no time for holidays. Li Bi worked continuously until New Year's Eve, and Li Ji, as his bodyguard, had no choice but to work alongside him.

He didn't just escort Li Bi to work every day and then while away the time in the corridors of the general's mansion. Li Bi also frequently assigned him tasks, such as delivering official documents to the palace or the barracks outside the city, summoning certain generals to come and receive orders, and so on. Through this, Li Ji interacted with many officers and soldiers, becoming increasingly familiar with them, and even getting to know many of the palace guards and eunuchs.

While in the army, some brave warriors, having heard of Li Ji's past exploits in battle and his capture of assassins, would request to spar with him. Li Ji was adept at concealing his true abilities; he would never touch anything like long spears, halberds, fierce horses, or powerful bows. Instead, he would compete in hand-to-hand combat and wrestling, and he was virtually unbeatable in every battle, earning the utmost respect from the entire Tang army.

On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, at the hour of Yin, Li Chu suddenly said, "Chief Secretary, you have been working hard for several months. With the New Year approaching, how can you not take a break? The troops and provisions are mostly ready. We are just waiting for the Uyghur army to arrive. Moreover, the news of the victory in Hedong has also arrived. Then we can plan to retake Xijing. The rest is not urgent and can be done in a day or two. Chief Secretary, you should go back to the palace to rest. I should also pay my respects to the Emperor and keep you company on New Year's Eve."

—The Spring Festival is a time for families to reunite and eat New Year's Eve dinner. This custom has been passed down for thousands of years in China.

So Li Bi, under the protection of Li Ji and others, returned to the palace, and then went back to the small courtyard where he was staying with Li Ji.

Tell the eunuchs to prepare some fine wine and food so we can celebrate the New Year together. Although you've been a vegetarian for many years, even fasting, could you perhaps have a drink with me tonight for the New Year's Eve dinner?

Before Li Bi could answer, someone called from outside the door: "The Emperor requests that Mr. Changyuan bring Li Zhiguo to an audience."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Why doesn't he just call me 'Mr. Changwei'? This Cheng Yuanzhen is so clueless."

So the two brothers straightened their clothes and followed Cheng Yuanzhen out of the courtyard. They wandered east and west until they arrived at the courtyard next to the main hall. Upon entering, they saw lanterns and decorations everywhere, drums and music playing under the eaves, and a large area covered with over a dozen carpets, upon which were placed tables and chairs. Li Heng sat in the center, flanked by princes and dukes such as Li Jiao, Li Huang, Li Zi, Li Chu, Li Tan, and Li Shi…

What surprised them most was that there were quite a few women present, some by the emperor's side and some by the princes' side!

Li Bi quickly apologized, saying, "I thought His Majesty had summoned me to discuss state affairs, but I did not expect to intrude into the imperial banquet. I am guilty." As he spoke, he tried to back out the door.

Li Heng quickly raised his hand to beckon: "Changyuan, don't leave. I summoned you here not for state affairs, but to invite you to share the New Year's Eve banquet with me."

Li Bi declined, saying, "This is His Majesty's family banquet. How dare I participate? It would be against the proper etiquette between ruler and subject."

Li Heng stood up, and Li Chu also stepped forward quickly, putting his arm around Li Bi's shoulder. Li Heng said, "Since this is a family banquet, why bother with the formalities between ruler and subject? Although Changyuan and I are nominally ruler and subject, we are actually close friends. It is only reasonable to hold a banquet tonight to celebrate the New Year, inviting friends in addition to our closest relatives. Changyuan, please do not refuse, you can come and sit with me."

Li Bi waved his hands repeatedly, firmly refusing to stay. His son, Li Tan, bowed to his father and suggested, “Your subject believes that since this is a family banquet, regardless of the formalities between ruler and subject, we should not meet in official attire. Your Majesty is wearing ochre, we are wearing purple, and Li Ji is even wearing a green robe. With everyone sitting together, how can Master Changyuan not consider etiquette? It would be better if we all wore official attire and dressed as commoners; that would truly be a family banquet, and I believe Master Changyuan would not refuse.”

Li Heng nodded and said, "You are indeed astute; what you say makes perfect sense." He waved his hand and said, "That's settled then. Cheng Yuanzhen, go and fetch Changyuan and Li Ji's everyday robes. Let's change in the side hall, and we'll all change our clothes as well."

So Li Bi and Li Ji put their white clothes back on. Li Bi tied his hair up with a bamboo crown, while Li Ji wore a cloth turban. When they came out after changing their clothes, they found that everyone had indeed changed—except for the women.

The princes all removed their purple robes and gold crowns, but they also didn't wear white; instead, they wore either blue or cyan, as long as the colors didn't clash with their official robes. Most of them changed into turbans, while a few wore cloth crowns. Li Heng, on the other hand, was dressed entirely in yellow.

—The colors of clothing for commoners in the Tang Dynasty were originally yellow and white. Later, Emperor Gaozong set the emperor's everyday clothes to be ochre yellow, and to prevent commoners from wearing the same colors—in those days, dyeing technology was not up to par, and light yellow could easily be dyed too dark—commoners were forbidden from wearing yellow.

After changing out of the ochre yellow, Li Heng put on a light yellow satin robe. The weaving was excellent and the dyeing technique was superb, making the color extremely bright and vivid. In Li Ji's opinion, it looked a bit like bright yellow.

Immediately, Li Heng personally came over and invited Li Mi to sit to his side. Li Mi declined, saying, "With all the princes present, how dare I sit above them?" Li Heng said displeased, "Now that we have changed our clothes, we are all relatives and friends. Why talk about princes and ministers?"

It is estimated that after Li Tan was released, he racked his brains to regain his father's favor, so he once again tried to please him, clasped his hands and said, "Father is the head of the family, so he should sit in the seat of honor. Mr. Changyuan is a close friend of my family and also a close friend of Father, so he should also sit in the seat of honor so that he can receive the congratulations and greetings from the younger generation."

Li Jiao quickly interjected, “Indeed, my Longxi Li clan and Mr. Changyuan’s Zhaojun Li clan are both descendants of Gao Yao. Although we later separated, during the Western Wei Dynasty, our ancestors were both ranked among the Eight Pillars of State. We have a deep and tacit understanding, and it has been more than two hundred years since then. Your Majesty… my elder brother treats you as a younger brother, and I treat you as an elder brother. Therefore, I should sit in the seat of honor.”

Li Ji curled his lip behind him, thinking to himself, "I guess you're not necessarily younger than Li Bi, yet you say you treat him like an elder brother... How shameless!"

Li Bi had no choice but to say, "Your subject has overstepped his bounds." Li Heng said, "You may use my name, why say 'your subject'?" After thinking for a moment, he said, "I will call you Changyuan, and you can call me Sanlang, is that alright?"

Without allowing Li Bi to refuse, he immediately took his hand and introduced him in a pretentious manner: "These are my younger brothers, Thirteenth Brother (Li Jiao), Twenty-Third Brother (Li Huang), Twenty-Fourth Brother (Li Zi)... These are my sons—Eldest Brother (Li Chu), Second Brother (Prince Zhao, Li Xi), Third Brother (Li Tan), Fifth Brother (Prince Xincheng, Li Jin)... and my grandson, Li Shi."

After introducing the men, he introduced the women, first pointing to the concubine beside him: "This is Zhang Shi—why don't you come and pay your respects to Changyuan?"

Li Ji stood to the side, thinking to himself, "This must be Consort Zhang." He mustered his courage and looked up. Zhang appeared to be in her thirties, with delicate eyebrows, large eyes, a straight nose, and red lips—indeed beautiful, though perhaps a little too plump… The Tang people considered plumpness beautiful; it was said that Yang Guifei, once deeply favored by the Emperor, was a rather plump woman, and was even called a "fat maid" by jealous people. Legend has it that in Lingwu, Consort Zhang rose three days after giving birth to mend clothes for the soldiers, thus gaining even more favor from Emperor Li Heng—it seems unlikely that someone with a slender, willow-like figure could have done such a thing.

Consort Zhang readily bowed to Li Bi upon hearing Li Heng's instructions, showing no sign of reluctance or grievance. Li Bi hurriedly rose to return the bow.

Then Li Heng gave a brief introduction to the other female relatives, who were basically the principal wives of the princes—except for the Prince of Guangping and the Prince of Jianning, who were alone—and finally pointed to a corner: "This is my daughter, Ningguo—don't be shy, come over and greet your Uncle Changyuan."

Li Ji thought to himself that although it was a family banquet and a gathering of relatives and friends, he still couldn't mention the girl's given name, so he could only refer to her by her title.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Emperor is a Bastard

During the royal family's New Year's Eve banquet, Li Shi privately asked Li Ji if he was content being an official.

Li Ji shrugged and replied, "Being an official is so restrictive, what's so pleasant about it? If it weren't for protecting my brother..." Li Shi interrupted him, saying, "A great man should not lack ambition. You should work hard, and when you become a high-ranking official, you won't be so restrictive anymore." He then leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "It's inevitable to be restrictive here, but if you can be sent out to a remote area, even if it's just as a marquis of a hundred li, no one will dare to control you anymore."

Li Ji feigned impetuosity and asked, "Your Highness... is your brother also reserved? Would you be willing to be sent to serve as an official in a remote area?"

Li Shi shrugged his shoulders in imitation of him and replied in a low voice, "It's impossible for me to be sent away..." He paused, as if trying to make amends, "With parents alive, one should not travel far."

Li Ji wanted to reply with "There must be a plan for the trip," but ultimately held back. He thought to himself that no matter what, he was having dinner with his superiors, and even if they said, "Everyone, have a good time and don't be shy," he couldn't take it seriously. Fortunately, these days, the mainstream is still individual dining, so there's no need to sit around a table together, and no need to shield his superiors from drinking... He should just pick up his chopsticks and start enjoying his meal first.

After several rounds of drinks, the princes of Li Heng's generation finally let loose. They first came down to offer toasts a few times, and then Li Huang stared at a dancing palace maid, seemingly drooling. After being reminded by Li Zi, he simply stood up and danced with the palace maid. Li Heng scoffed, "Twenty-Third Prince, you've had too much to drink. Is this what you call dancing?" He pointed at Li Jiao, "Thirteenth Prince has always been good at dancing. You can go down and set an example for him."

So Li Jiao also went to dance a round, which made Yuchi Sheng itchy, so he asked Li Heng, "Heavenly Khan..." Li Heng said with a straight face, "You can call me Sanlang."

"Sanlang, may I also go and dance?"

Li Heng was overjoyed and slapped the table, saying, "Excellent! Excellent! You people from the Western Regions are skilled in singing and dancing. In the past, the Hu girls in the East Market of Chang'an were the most famous. Tonight is the most joyous night. Let us enjoy Mr. Yuchi's dance."

Yuchi Sheng hurriedly said, "If Sanlang likes Hu dance, when I return to my country... I will select some Hu women who are good at dancing and give them to Sanlang to entertain him." Then he stood up with a "whoosh," took two steps into the arena, and began to perform.

Although Li Ji was busy eating and drinking, his ears and eyes were not idle either. He noticed that the Tang Dynasty dance was quite different from the court music and dance he had seen in period dramas in his previous life. The movements were very large and had a somewhat exotic feel. When Yu Chisheng appeared, he danced wildly with leaps and turns, his large body as light and agile as a bird.

Li Ji thought to himself, "I did try street dance for a few days when I was in school, but I've basically forgotten it all, and my sense of rhythm has never been very good... Otherwise, I could show you a completely different kind of dance style from later generations." Just as he was pondering this, he heard Li Heng raise his voice and ask, "Li Ji can eat, drink, and fight, can he dance?"

Li Ji, unwilling to embarrass himself, replied directly, "I only know how to use fists and feet, not how to dance. Besides, with wine and meat in front of me, how can I have time to dance?" This caused the emperor and the princes to burst into laughter.

Before long, even Li Heng jumped up from the stage, raising his hands to the sky and shouting wildly, "What a night this is! What boundless joy this is! I hope that next year on this day, I can experience this joy again in the Daming Palace!"

Li Ji was engrossed in his meal, occasionally exchanging a few words with Li Shi, when suddenly Princess Ningguo gracefully approached, carrying a golden goblet, to offer him a toast. Li Ji quickly stood up, cup in hand, and heard Princess Ningguo give a slight bow and say softly:

"This cup of wine is to thank you for your selfless and courageous fight in the Marshal's Mansion, which saved my brother's life."

Li Ji hurriedly said, "I wouldn't dare." Suddenly, he heard Li Shi beside him exclaim, "Oh!"

Princess Ningguo glared at her nephew: "What are you groaning about? You haven't even thanked Mr. Changwei for saving your father yet, have you? You're the worst of all unfilial sons!"

Li Shi stood up with an awkward smile, and casually picked up the wine pot: "Let me refill your and Aunt's cups. Aunt doesn't know, but Mr. Changwei and I are very compatible. I regard him as an older brother. With such a friendship, why is it necessary to say thank you so easily? Besides, I will remember the great kindness of saving my father and look for an opportunity to repay it. What good is it to just say it?"

Princess Ningguo rebuked, "What do you mean by treating Mr. Changyuan as an elder brother? My grandfather and Mr. Changyuan were equals, while Mr. Changwei was Mr. Changyuan's cousin—you should address him respectfully as 'Sir'."

Judging from Li Shi's expression, he seemed somewhat embarrassed. He pursed his lips and retorted, "If I were to call you 'sir,' then my aunt would also..." Before he could finish speaking, Princess Ningguo first bowed deeply to Li Ji, and at the same time raised her cup to her eyebrows, saying, "Sir, please drink."

Li Ji dared not accept this and quickly stepped aside, saying, "My elder brother and I are far apart in age, and I have always treated him like a father. He should be treated as an equal to the princess..." Upon further reflection, he realized that he was still a generation older than Li Shi. Would the little fellow be happy? He quickly changed his words, saying, "It is clear that there is no need to discuss seniority, but only age." He put his arm around Li Shi's arm and asked, "Does my brother agree?"

Li Shi hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, that's perfect—brother, please drink the toast offered by my aunt, and I'll fill your cups again."

Li Ji tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. When he looked down, he saw a slight look of melancholy on Princess Ningguo's face. She then slowly said, "I forgot to mention, this second cup of wine is to thank Mr. Changwei for protecting Mr. Changyuan and helping my father. When we first left Chang'an, my father and my brother would often embrace and weep. Only after we met Mr. Changyuan did they gradually show joy—this is also thanks to Mr. Changwei."

Li Ji waved his hand and said, "It is my elder brother's skill, and also the skill of the saint."

"...What merit have I made to earn your father's appreciation?"

Li Shi helped the two refill their wine cups, and then Princess Ningguo said, "The third cup of wine is for a request you make to me, sir."

"Please speak."

"I am about to be married off to a distant land, and the only ones I cannot let go of are my father and brothers. I hope that Mr. Changwei can continue to protect my father and brothers so that even in a remote and desolate place, I will remember your kindness and pray to Heaven day and night for your good health and prosperity for generations to come."

“This is Li Ji’s duty; there is no need to plead or pray.”

“Actually,” Princess Ningguo suddenly smiled slightly, lowered her voice even more, and slowly said, “My father and elder brother are protected by our ancestors and will surely turn misfortune into good fortune. My only worry is…” She glanced at Li Shi, who was listening intently beside her, and then looked around to make sure no one else was there before revealing the truth—

"The only one I'm worried about is Jianning... and my third brother. My third brother is the most upright and hates evil as if it were his enemy. Because of this, he inevitably incurs the hatred of petty people. However, he is diligent in planning for the country but clumsy in planning for himself. I heard from Shi'er that my third brother and the teacher are quite compatible. He even gave the teacher wine and food. I hope that the teacher can also protect him and prevent my third brother from encountering any misfortune."

As he spoke, he knelt down deeply again, raising his cup to his brow.

After offering three cups of wine, Princess Ningguo departed. Li Ji watched her retreating figure and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: This princess is dignified and elegant, and beautiful, yet she was born into the royal family. Not only can she not choose her own marriage, but she also has to travel far to the grasslands and deserts to become a concubine for a barbarian chieftain. How pitiful…

Unfortunately, the Tang people did not consider this shameful, and they were powerless to stop it.

As he was pondering, Li Shi gently tugged at his collar. Li Ji turned around and saw the little fellow lean closer, asking in a low voice, "Brother, Aunt has left, yet you gaze at her retreating figure, your mind elsewhere. Could it be that you have developed feelings for her?"

Li Ji immediately widened his eyes: "How could this be?!"

Li Shi laughed and said, "Auntie is naturally beautiful. Although she has been married twice, she is still as beautiful as a virgin. What man wouldn't admire her? Why are you in such a hurry to clear your name..." Before Li Ji could refute, he suddenly changed the subject: "Brother, you are not married yet, are you? Should I inform my father and find you a good marriage? With Mr. Changyuan as your backer, you can even speak to the families of prime ministers."

Li Ji rolled his eyes: "Does that mean your family's affairs can't be discussed?"

Li Shi scratched his head: "I can't guarantee that, I have to ask my father first..." Then he realized: "No, we have the same surname, how can we marry?"

Li Ji thought to himself that although the Li families of Longxi and Zhaojun both claimed to be descended from the ancient sage Gao Yao, the larger the family, the more complex and difficult to trace their origins. This might even extend back to the Spring and Autumn Period, and they might not even have shared the same surname. Furthermore, since the merging of surnames and clan names, who would still adhere to the ancient custom of not marrying someone with the same surname? Mainly because it's difficult to determine—as long as they weren't within the five degrees of kinship, intermarriage was commonplace.

This was a rather profound question, one that his own persona made it absolutely impossible for him to understand, so there was no need to explain it to Li Shi. He simply said, "It was just a joke. My elder brother is still single, so how could I have any intention of getting married?"