Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Li Shi said, "That's right, I was just about to ask that—'Mr. Changyuan is over thirty, is he still unmarried?'"

Li Ji pulled Li Shi back to sit at the table and explained to him simply: "When my elder brother was young, he also married a woman at the behest of his elders. It is said that she passed away from illness after only two years in the household. After that, my uncle and aunt (referring to Li Bi's biological parents) passed away, and my elder brother became devoted to cultivating Taoism, so he never had the intention of marrying again."

Li Shi asked, "Cultivating Taoism and getting married are not contradictory, are they? Even the Taoist patriarch (Lao Tzu) had a wife and children..."

Li Ji asked in surprise, "The Dao Ancestor also had a wife and children? I didn't know that—I don't know which book mentioned it?"

Li Shi glared at him: "If the Dao Ancestor has no descendants, where would we come from?!"

Li Ji suddenly realized—after the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the emperor claimed to be a descendant of Laozi, attaching himself to the ancient sages. Emperor Gaozong of Tang first posthumously conferred upon Laozi the title of "Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Origin." The current emperor had also posthumously conferred upon him the temple name "Great Sage Ancestor," and successively bestowed upon him the honorific titles of "Sage Ancestor, Great Dao, Mysterious Origin Emperor" and "Great Sage Ancestor, High and Great, Vast Dao, Golden Palace, Mysterious Origin Heavenly Emperor"... So, how could Laozi not have a wife?

—Speaking of which, Li Ji only recently learned this knowledge after "reading extensively" these past few days...

He didn't want to continue discussing with a child whether his father had married, whether Li Bi could marry, or whether he himself should marry. So he changed the subject and asked, "Just now, your aunt asked me to protect Jian... your third uncle. But according to what you said the other day, they are not from the same mother. Why are they so close?"

Li Shi replied, “My father and my third uncle are not from the same mother, yet they are so close. So what is so strange about my aunt’s attitude?” He then introduced his maternal grandmother, saying that her surname was Wu. After my grandfather gave birth to one son and two daughters, she passed away. The son was Prince Li Chu of Guangping, and the two daughters were Princess Ningguo and Princess Hezheng.

"Hezheng...where is your aunt?"

Li Shi said, "My aunt married the Crown Prince's tutor, Liu Tan. When she left Xijing, she abandoned her three sons and carried her eldest... aunt..." In fact, Princess Ningguo was the second among her sisters, and Princess Hezheng was the fourth, and not the youngest, so Li Shi's description was somewhat vague—"She carried her in a carriage, and then walked with Liu Tan, managing to catch up with our grandfather. Because of this merit and virtue, the Emperor Emeritus sent an edict from Shu to bestow upon her the title of princess..." Based on this, Li Ji estimated that Princess Hezheng was previously only a county or prefectural princess.

"She and Liu Tan both stayed in Lingwu—Ding'an is close to the front line, not..."

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Struggle for the Crown Prince and Vice-Chancellor

Li Tan said he had three things to thank Li Ji for. The first was naturally that Li Ji saved his brother Li Chu. The second probably referred to teaching his cook how to make "Beggar's Chicken". So what was the third thing?

Li Tan, with his back to everyone, quietly lifted his robe and showed Li Ji what was tucked into his belt, then quickly covered it up and smiled.

Li Ji saw it clearly and couldn't help but think to himself, "Damn it, Li Tan really did manage to copy this futuristic slingshot..."

He immediately glanced at Li Shi, who quickly explained, "Brother, a few days ago I was hunting birds in the yard when my third uncle saw me and started interrogating me about the reason and method... I had no choice but to comply."

Li Ji, of course, couldn't discuss patent issues with these uncle and nephew, so he casually asked, "Did you manage to shoot the bird?"

Before Li Shi could answer, Li Tan smiled and pointed at him, saying, "Shi'er, you didn't even manage to shoot down a single sparrow, let alone pigeons. You've wasted so many of my bullets."

Li Ji asked cryptically, "And you, sir? Did you manage to catch the pigeon?"

Li Tan seemed genuinely unaware of the meaning behind his words, and simply shook his head: "No, I only caught two sparrows, they were too small to eat, only fit to feed the dogs."

Li Ji then asked, "Why did you bring this item to the banquet today?"

Li Tan said solemnly, "Why be so formal, addressing me as 'Your Excellency'? We are family friends, so please call me Sanlang... Third Brother." He and Li Heng were both the third sons, but the habitual address of "Sanlang" had already been taken by Li Heng, so to avoid confusion, he had to avoid mentioning it. He then lowered his voice and said, "We must always be on guard against assassins infiltrating the palace again."

Looking around and seeing that no one seemed to be paying attention, Li Tan leaned closer to Li Ji and said slowly, "When I was ordered to guard the palace, I was always cautious and careful, as if walking on thin ice, and dared not slack off in the slightest. Yet, I still fell victim to thieves. Now, with Yu Chaoen... I am really worried about him."

Li Ji comforted him, saying, "Now that the Shence Army has entered the palace, the area is under tight security, like an iron barrel. I don't believe those assassins would dare to come." He then raised his cup and said, "I envy my third brother. You are a prince, living a life of luxury and ease. Why worry so much?"

Li Tan observed Li Ji's expression and shook his head slightly: "Changwei, you have followed Master Changyuan for a long time, have you also picked up the Taoist escapist habits? Even if a great man does not seek to make meritorious achievements, he should still do his part for the stability of the world. How can he be idle all day long and indulge in fine clothes and delicacies?" As he spoke, he patted Li Ji's shoulder: "Now that you have entered the officialdom, do not be lazy. Read more books and study archery and horsemanship so that you can earn a title and a place for your wife and children on the battlefield in the future."

Li Ji smiled wryly, pretending he hadn't heard a word of it.

In truth, he had been pondering his future day and night, yet he still couldn't find a direction. When he first transmigrated to this world, he had harbored ambitions of dominating, but through these days of observation and understanding, he had basically dispelled that delusion.

As an ancient feudal dynasty, the Tang Dynasty at this time was relatively prosperous and flourishing. Based on Li Ji's historical knowledge from his previous life, it might even rank first in the world in terms of historical comparison. But most importantly, the Tang Dynasty had been established for a long time and was deeply rooted. Its economic and military strength reached its peak twenty years earlier—during the Kaiyuan era—and only began to decline after the Tianbao era. As the saying goes, "Even a centipede with a hundred legs doesn't fall down when dead," how could it possibly collapse completely in just a few years or a decade? This doesn't conform to the general laws of historical development.

An Lushan's rebellion, though seemingly fierce, was ultimately unsuccessful after numerous earnest discussions with Li Mi. It was merely a matter of how long the rebellion would last. If the turmoil could be completely quelled within two or three years, as Li Mi predicted, the Tang Dynasty might have a chance to recover and reach new heights. If it dragged on longer, while the Tang Dynasty would certainly lack the strength to recover, theoretically it wouldn't collapse quickly.

The subsequent political situation was likely similar to King Ping of Zhou's eastward relocation or the chaotic rule of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling of Han. However, from the time King Ping of Zhou ascended the throne to the time Duke Zhuang of Zheng achieved minor hegemony, there was still a gap of more than fifty years. Moreover, the Li Tang dynasty did not actually enfeoff princes, and the royal power was far greater than that of the Zhou dynasty. The reigns of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling of Han lasted for more than forty years, and even after Dong Zhuo entered the capital, the dynasty lingered on for another thirty years...

So how could I possibly vie for supremacy? Why would I? It's impossible to overthrow the old dynasty and rebuild it in the short term; the more fervent my ambition, the more devastating the war and disasters I would inflict on the common people. Having finally traveled through time, I can do nothing, but I absolutely cannot become a sinner against history!

So why bother supporting the Tang dynasty? With Li Bi around, when will it be my turn?

After months of contact, Li Ji had to admit that Li Bi indeed possessed extraordinary talent and the ability to govern the country. Even if he couldn't compare to Zhou Gong, Lü Wang, Yi Yin, or Zhuge Liang, he was probably not far off. More importantly, he was highly regarded by the emperor, and even if that was just a facade, it was enough for him to achieve great things. Despite his nightly earnest discussions with Li Bi, some of which even surprised the latter, he knew only himself; it was all just theoretical talk, fueled by years of experience as a keyboard warrior in his previous life…

Putting everything else aside, Li Bi handles official business every night, big and small. His control over general affairs and many details is something I probably couldn't catch up to even after ten more years of practice!

Unfortunately, Li Mi was highly regarded by the emperor and even by three generations of his family, such as being invited to the royal New Year's Eve banquet tonight. Li Mi was a good man, and if the emperor treated him as a national hero, he would repay him as a national hero. It was impossible for me to undermine him—even if the matter of his soul being transferred to another person was not discovered.

With Li Bi as a formidable obstacle in their path...

What can I do? Perhaps all I can do is keep my promise and try my best to ensure his lifelong safety. I always worry that Li Mi will become Chao Cuo, and Li Heng will become King Jing of Han, or that Li Mi will become Shang Yang, and Li Chu will one day emulate King Huiwen of Qin…

So for now, all I can do is observe, learn, and think, trying my best to improve my skills and expand my network. As for the future, I can only wait and see.

Especially during his time living in the palace, which gave him direct access to members of the royal family and powerful eunuchs, Li Ji deeply felt that the murky waters of the palace were unfathomable… Although Li Heng appeared to value Li Mi highly, displaying an unprecedentedly close relationship between ruler and subject, the emperor himself was mediocre and easily swayed. Zhuge Liang needed to meet Liu Bei to become a renowned prime minister, while Li Heng, at best, was no better than Liu Biao.

Liu Biao had once dominated Jingzhou and Xiangyang, enjoying great power and prestige. Kongming, on the other hand, came from a family with a family history of holding high-ranking official positions and was related to Liu Biao. If Kongming had gone to serve him, how could Liu Biao not have offered him a position? However, Kongming preferred to farm and wait for his opportunity, resolutely refusing to join the Xiangyang government. He understood very well that being accepted and being given important responsibilities were two different things, and being given important responsibilities and being trusted were even more different things...

If Li Bi only sought to achieve merit and establish a career, he absolutely should not have come out of seclusion at this time. His intention in coming out of seclusion was purely to quell the chaos and support the country, even claiming that after pacifying the rebels and suppressing the rebellion, he would return to the mountains to live in seclusion. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have dared to interfere in royal affairs and try his best to mend the rift between father and son, and brothers, otherwise he would surely have been killed! This is precisely what Li Ji had to worry about for him, and he had to continue to maintain his rough-and-tumble persona to facilitate his charade with Li Bi...

Li Ji didn't have a good impression of Emperor Li Heng, nor did he have a good impression of Prince Li Chu of Guangping—mediocrity wasn't a mistake, but mediocrity wielding power and ruling the world was a crime! In comparison, Li Ji sometimes felt that perhaps Li Tan was more suitable to be the emperor in this chaotic situation… Li Tan's personality was indeed too strong and outspoken. As his sister, Princess Ningguo, said, he was diligent in planning for the country but inept at planning for himself. If he were a monarch, with capable ministers to assist him, he wouldn't necessarily suffer disaster. But as a minister, and in a position of suspicion, his future was unlikely to be bright…

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Therefore, he also felt some pity for Li Tan, especially after the assassination incident, which essentially cleared Li Tan of suspicion for secretly kidnapping Li Bi and privately raising carrier pigeons in order to seize the throne. In Li Ji's view, those things were mostly related to eunuchs like Li Fuguo, so he instinctively couldn't feel any ill will towards Li Tan, who was at odds with eunuchs.

Unfortunately, he couldn't let his rough-and-tumble persona crumble. He had no way to persuade Li Tan, only feeling that the guy had regained his high spirits after being released from confinement, completely unaware that he had already stepped onto the edge of a precipice... Especially after the rebellion of Prince Yong, Li Lin, it was hard to guarantee that Li Chu wouldn't become wary—Li Lin and Li Tan were just too similar in terms of their abilities and positions.

Therefore, he couldn't help but talk to Li Tan a few more times and drink a few more cups of wine. Li Tan's ambitions and words were actually quite to Li Ji's liking, but he pretended to be ignorant and didn't understand two out of three sentences, and he didn't care about the remaining one... It's because you have desires, while I have no desires, so I can be carefree.

After eating and drinking his fill—he really didn't dare get drunk in front of the emperor—he got up and took a walk in the courtyard, looking up at the brilliant stars. Suddenly, he heard the sound of drums from the watchtower in the distance, and then Li Huang shouted, "It's midnight! It's already the second year of the Zhide era!"

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On what appeared to be the eve of the Lunar New Year, Li Tan's obsequious behavior successfully won back the favor of his father, Li Heng. Therefore, less than five days after the New Year, Li Heng summoned Li Bi to court and asked him: "Jianning deeply regrets his past actions and is unwilling to remain idle. He repeatedly requests to lead an army to retake Chang'an for me. His ambition is commendable, and his heart is pitiful. I wish to appoint him, but I fear it would diminish Guangping's power—why not establish Guangping as the Crown Prince?"

That evening, the two brothers discussed the matter, and Li Ji immediately shook his head: "No. If the Prince of Guangping is made crown prince, then the Guoyu says: 'When the emperor travels, the crown prince resides to oversee the country; when the emperor travels, the crown prince follows to pacify the army.' How can there be a reason for the crown prince to lead an army on a distant expedition while the emperor is in Ding'an? Even if military power is temporarily divided, it will eventually fall entirely into the hands of the Prince of Jianning!"

Before Li Bi could respond, he suddenly frowned, leaned closer, and asked in a low voice, "Regarding the position of Crown Prince, which one does my elder brother favor?"

His point was that even if Li Chu was made crown prince, the situation could still be reversed if military power fell into Li Tan's hands. I recently heard Li Shi tell stories of the early Tang Dynasty; wasn't that how Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, became crown prince? When vying for power, Shimin, with his military and political talents, commanded all the armies and controlled a region—that was unavoidable. But once the regime was basically stable, and Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan had made his eldest son, Jiancheng, crown prince, he should have gradually stripped his second son, Shimin, of his military power. However, Li Yuan decided to divide the empire in two, leaving Shimin to guard Luoyang… This caused the two brothers to turn against each other, ultimately leading to the "Xuanwu Gate Incident."

Li Shi naturally claimed that Crown Prince Jiancheng was a scoundrel, at least instigated by Prince Qi Yuanji to plot against his younger brother, while Emperor Taizong was a pure and innocent figure who only retaliated when pushed to the limit… Li Ji, having read many historical texts, possessed his own value judgments and analytical methods, and naturally wouldn't believe him. The saying goes, "With a sharp blade in hand, the will to kill arises." Given the Qin family's growing power, it was impossible for Li Shimin to remain completely unemotional. Official historical records, and the education of later generations, have undoubtedly crammed countless biased narratives into them, whitewashing Li Shimin while simultaneously smearing Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji.

So even if he believed that Li Tan had no intention of seizing the throne for the time being, as Li Bi had said to Li Heng before, what if he were to gain military power and even surpass his elder brother? Would he change his mind?

Chapter Thirty-Nine, Chang Hong Transforms into Jade

Not long after Li Ji entered the palace, he was suddenly informed by Princess Ningguo that Li Heng wanted to kill Li Tan. He was greatly alarmed.

He blurted out, "No! Just a few days ago, the Emperor wanted to appoint Prince Jianning as commander and placed great trust in him. How could he suddenly have murderous intentions? What did Prince Jianning do?"

Princess Ningguo, panting, said, "His Majesty was troubled by wine, and Consort Zhang and Li Fuguo took the opportunity to slander him, saying that Prince Jianning wanted to seize the throne and intended to harm Prince Guangping. His Majesty was furious... The reasons for this are too numerous to recount. I think the only ones who can save Prince Jianning are my brother Prince Guangping and Mr. Changyuan. I was just about to go and inform them... I just happened to meet Changwei. Why don't you make this trip for me?"

Li Ji's eyes darted around, and he shook his head, saying, "No. I have just been ordered to submit a memorial to the emperor, so it is inconvenient... No, how can I explain such an important matter? It would be better for the princess to go in person."

This is truly baffling. Who knows where Princess Ningguo got this information? Did she hear the emperor's order firsthand, or was it relayed by someone else? Perhaps she even had a nightmare and took it literally… If I help her with this and nothing happens, I'll be in grave danger! What is this called? Spreading palace rumors and sowing discord within the imperial family…

Besides, even if this were true, I'd need Li Chu to believe me—but I don't really believe it myself, so how could I expect Li Chu and Li Bi to understand? Especially when it comes to the emperor's family affairs, the waters run too deep. As a lowly seventh-rank military officer, it's best for me to stay out of it if possible.

To show that he wasn't just being perfunctory, Li Ji immediately took off his waist token for entering and leaving the palace: "Princess, you can take this token and quickly report to the Marshal and the Chief Secretary..." The princess doesn't know everyone, and besides, it's the middle of the night. Even if the princess wanted to leave the palace, she couldn't just leave the palace or enter the Marshal's mansion whenever she wanted. She needed proof. "I'll go to the front of the palace first to observe the situation and wait for reinforcements to arrive."

The two parted hastily, and Li Ji quickened his pace to the palace where Li Heng resided, requesting an audience. Li Fuguo came out and asked him what was the matter. Li Ji explained his purpose, and Li Fuguo smiled and said, "It gets dark early. Why are the Marshal and Chief Secretary still busy and unwilling to rest? His Majesty has been working hard for days and is having his evening meal. He is also quite tipsy and cannot see you—please bring the memorial here, and I will present it to him on his behalf."

Given Li Ji's rank, it was impossible for him to see the emperor whenever he wanted—in fact, even someone of a higher rank wouldn't be able to; probably only Li Chu and Li Bi had that privilege. It was common practice for eunuchs to present memorials on his behalf. So Li Ji took out the memorial from his robes and presented it with both hands. Li Fuguo also respectfully accepted it with both hands, then smiled and said, "Please tell the Marshal and Chief Secretary to make arrangements as soon as possible and not to overwork themselves." Seeing that Li Ji hadn't left, he asked, "Why aren't you leaving? Is the Marshal urgently awaiting orders?"

Judging from Li Fuguo's words, Li Heng was probably a bit drunk—Princess Ningguo's words were indeed true—and he might not see this memorial until he sobered up tomorrow.

Li Chu hadn't actually asked Li Ji to bring the imperial decree back, and he didn't dare to make something up. He could only clasp his hands and say, "Lord Li, please go first, then I will go." Li Fuguo's features relaxed slightly, and he seemed quite pleased. He said repeatedly, "Thank you for your courtesy, thank you for your courtesy." He turned and walked into the hall.

Li Ji didn't dare ask about the execution of Prince Jianning. He wanted to stay in front of the palace a little longer to observe the situation, but although Li Fuguo had left, the palace guards were still staring at him with wide eyes, so he couldn't linger at the foot of the steps. He could only make a perfunctory gesture, cup his hands to the guards, say thank you for your hard work, and then slowly walk out of the courtyard.

Just as he reached the courtyard gate, he suddenly heard a commotion and looked up to see a large trail of firelight approaching. Li Ji quickly stepped aside, hiding behind the wall, and listened intently. Sure enough, he heard the voice of Prince Jianning, Li Tan: "Who is slandering me, saying that I am plotting to harm my brother, Prince Guangping? Yu Chaoen, could it be you, you eunuch?!"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Wow, what Princess Ningguo said is actually true!"

The voice that rang out immediately was also familiar to Li Ji; it was the eunuch Yu Chaoen—"It has nothing to do with this servant. This servant was merely acting on the Emperor's orders to capture the King. However, even if this servant spoke out, since it is true, it cannot be called slander."

"How can you say it's true? How could I possibly plot against my brother, the Prince of Guangping?!"

Yu Chaoen replied ambiguously, “This servant cannot say for sure about such matters—the supreme position is the most precious in the world, does Your Majesty not covet it? Back at Bianqiao, it was Your Majesty and Lord Li who persuaded the Emperor to go north to reclaim the Shuofang army and recover the two capitals. The Emperor ascended the throne in Lingwu, and Your Majesty was the first among them. Your Majesty has become arrogant because of this, thinking that the position of heir apparent is within your grasp. However, the Emperor favors the Prince of Guangping, and Your Majesty has developed resentment…”

Li Tan roared, interrupting Yu Chaoen: "How dare this eunuch spew such slander?!"

Yu Chaoen, however, showed no fear. After Li Tan finished shouting, he continued, "If Your Majesty has no intention of becoming the heir apparent, then you should avoid suspicion. You can stay in Lingwu. Why follow the Emperor south? If you go south, you can enjoy poetry and wine like the Prince of Ying and the Prince of Xin. Why ask to take charge of the palace guards? Isn't it because you intend to incite the imperial guards to murder the Prince of Guangping, or even coerce the Emperor to make you his heir?"

"How were those assassins able to bypass the palace and assassinate the Prince of Guangping at the Marshal's residence? Is Your Majesty incompetent and negligent in your duties, or did you harbor treacherous intentions and secretly collude with Zhou Zhi?"

This was a difficult question to answer. Li Ji, who was not far away, could hear Li Tan panting heavily, indicating that he was extremely angry.

"If Your Majesty is foolish and has already been punished and imprisoned by the Sage, you should repent and no longer concern yourself with military and political affairs. Only when your treacherous schemes fail will you be so eager to please the Sage again and request to lead troops to divide the power of the Prince of Guangping. This servant is of limited knowledge and originally thought..."

"Without understanding the king's heart, one cannot explain these principles, but with everyone in the court and the public discussing this matter, and with everyone pointing fingers, the wicked will naturally have nowhere to hide."

"You eunuchs are the real villains!"

“This servant is utterly loyal and devoted to protecting His Majesty. There’s no need to say more. Is Lord Li a villain? Moreover, it’s not just Lord Li who has exposed the King’s true colors, but also Consort Zhang. Is she a villain? Very well, Lord Li and Consort Zhang are right before Your Majesty. Your Majesty can go and confront them. This has nothing to do with this servant. This servant was merely following orders.”

Li Ji became increasingly confused as he listened. What on earth was Yu Chaoen thinking? He kept saying "it has nothing to do with me," as if to absolve himself, but in between, he deliberately attacked Li Tan with baseless accusations. Was he relaying Li Fuguo's slander? Was he trying to sow discord between Li Fuguo and Yu Chaoen?

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Hearing Li Tan's incessant cursing, Yu Chaoen, after finishing his words, ordered his soldiers to continue escorting Li Tan to see Li Heng. The group entered the courtyard, and Li Ji quickly hid in the shadows. Looking closer, he saw a dozen or so imperial guards, all with red headscarves. Leading them was his old acquaintance, Jing Jiang, who followed closely behind Yu Chaoen. As for Li Tan, he was bound hand and foot and being pushed along.