Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Yang Wan raised his two white eyebrows: "If he doesn't come, summon him again. If he doesn't come after the second summons, summon him a third time. If he doesn't come after the third summons, his unreasonable behavior is even worse than that of Lai Tian in the past. His intentions are beyond words. The court can make preparations in advance!"

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, thinking to themselves, "Sir, did you really have to be so blunt? How embarrassing!"

Who would have thought that Yang Gongquan was upright and outspoken, and he always disliked underhanded tactics. He dared to speak his mind directly to Li Yu, and then launched into another long speech:

"Recently, many local inspectors and military governors have refused to come to court, which has caused Your Majesty concern. However, the reasons for not coming to court vary. Some are too remote to travel to, some the court does not want them to be absent from their duties, and some harbor rebellious intentions. Among the latter, only Zibo, Qingzhou, Youzhou, and Chengde are exceptions. Those places have long been under the control of the false Yan state, and the people have received little favor from the court. Their staff are mostly local people who have established their own power, so they dare not come to court. Is Hexi any different?"

"The fall of Hexi to the barbarian rebels was only a few years ago. Everyone was hoping that the royal army would march west. Most of the soldiers were former troops from Guanzhong and Shuofang. Even Li Ji's staff were mostly officials from the central court or former Jinshi graduates. So, in terms of theory, how could Li Ji dare to be outside the court? Furthermore, in terms of personal feelings, I have a gentlemanly friendship with Li Ji. I even acted as a matchmaker for him. I know that he is loyal and devoted to the country. He would never do what Li Baochen, Li Zhengji, and others did!"

“A benevolent emperor should not be wary of virtuous ministers, and we, as prime ministers, should not stand between the emperor and his ministers, causing them to doubt each other—this is not what a gentleman should do!”

After a series of public pronouncements, everyone was left speechless.

Chapter Sixty-Six, Yan Ying's Questions and Answers

The eunuch arrived in Guzang City with an imperial edict, which was read aloud to the public. The eunuch ordered Li Ji to return to the capital to present the captives, and also requested the emperor to consult on the war against the barbarians this autumn.

Li Jigong received the imperial decree and hosted a banquet for the envoy, but said that he had just returned from defeating the barbarians and was too busy with military and political affairs to travel immediately. However, he did not refuse and asked the envoy to stay in the city for a few more days to await his news.

Turning to his officers, Li Ji asked, "Should I go back?" Gao Ying replied, "Although Shang Jiexi has retreated, he may return this autumn. However, our troops are few, and we are divided among four prefectures. We have just recovered the armies of Yumen and Moli, and we will inevitably be stretched thin. Since the Emperor has summoned you, Grand Commandant, you must return. But please do not linger and return to Hexi as soon as possible."

Nan Jiyun also said, "The Grand Commandant should go and return as soon as possible." Everyone agreed.

Li Ji stared at Yan Zhuang, who narrowed his eyes and gave him a meaningful look, as if to say: Let's talk privately later.

After the meeting, Li Ji invited Yan Zhuang into his study, dismissed everyone else, and asked for his opinion. Yan Zhuang said, "I know that the Grand Commandant intends to stay in Hexi and guard the west for a long time. Although the barbarian bandits have retreated, their strength still remains. The western border really cannot do without the Grand Commandant. Is the Grand Commandant afraid that if he goes to Chang'an, he will not return, and his efforts will be in vain? Actually, there is no need to worry."

Li Ji didn't speak, he just stared at him.

Yan Zhuang said, "In my opinion, the current emperor is more sensible than the late emperor in knowing when to advance and retreat. Moreover, when he first ascended the throne, he lured and killed Lai Zhen, which caused chaos in Jingzhou and Xiangyang. Subsequently, Liang Chongyi seized control of Shannan East Circuit, and the regional warlords distrusted the central government. The emperor deeply regretted this and must have taken it as a warning. Even Guo Linggong's resignation as deputy marshal was during the late emperor's reign. If it were the current emperor, he would not have done such a thing..."

Li Ji curled his lip slightly and said with audacity, "In terms of methods, the current emperor is far inferior to the late emperor, and in terms of courage, he is even further behind."

Yan Zhuang was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and instinctively looked around. Hmm, there was no one there, and there was no screen either... Then he smiled and said, "The late emperor certainly had the means and the courage—he blamed Guo Linggong for the loss of Luoyang, and blamed Li Fuguo for the demotion of loyal ministers. He thought he was unscathed, but everyone knew the truth but kept quiet. It was just self-deception."

Li Ji snorted coldly: "Hmm, if you want to kill his own son, you can use being drunk as an excuse, and blame it on Empress Zhang." He paused, then asked in return: "Does Mr. Yan mean that His Majesty dares not let me become a second Guo Linggong, so I can return to Chang'an with peace of mind?"

Yan Zhuang nodded and said, “The situation today is different from the past. Zibo, Qingzhou, and Chengde refuse to pay tribute, and the state can do nothing about it. If the Grand Commandant returns to the court and is instead allowed to stay, I fear the world will be in turmoil, and no one will respect the court anymore. Moreover, the Hexi region was personally recovered by the Grand Commandant; generals and officials such as Wei Chengwu and Gao Chongwen were all selected by the Grand Commandant; provisions and supplies do not need to be provided by the court, as the Grand Commandant provides them himself; soldiers and civilians all regard the Grand Commandant as a god… If someone else were replaced, who could keep the people at peace and defend the region? What would we do if the barbarian bandits came again?”

"Moreover, since the reign of the late Emperor Zhide, the Secretariat and the Chancellery have been blessed with a rare gathering of wise men—of course, Wang Xiaqing (Wang Jin) was merely there to make up the numbers—Yang Gongquan set an example by his own conduct, Li Zhenyi was upright and incorruptible, and Cui Youfu was lenient and discerning. Even if the emperor issued a chaotic decree, how could they not offer advice? Who would blindly follow it? Therefore, the Grand Commandant's return to court was merely to save face for the court—if the Grand Commandant did not attend court, how would he be any different from Li Baochen and Li Zhengji?"

Li Ji smiled and said, "Yes, even Xue Song, Zhu Ci, and Liang Chongyi have paid homage. Am I not as good as those guys?"

Yan Zhuang then advised, "Look at the court today. No one spoke up to stop the Grand Commandant from returning to the capital. This shows that the people's hearts are with the central government. The Grand Commandant should not go against the tide."

Li Ji was also considering this question, so he asked Yan Zhuang, "When you were under An Lushan's command, what were the views of the officers and soldiers towards the central government?"

Yan Zhuang smiled wryly and said, "Most of them are barbarians. They only know Prince An, but who knows the Tang Emperor? Only Gao Shang, Zhou Zhi, and I can be considered scholars, but we have never taken the imperial examinations or entered officialdom. We only recognize the traitor An as our master..."

"And how are you now, sir?"

Yan Zhuang smiled slyly: "To tell you the truth, if Hexi can become independent, wouldn't I want to be the prime minister again?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Yes, I made it very clear to Li Bi that since the time of Weibo, all the way to Shuofang and Hexi, my staff has been recruited from all over the Central Plains, and many of them are scholars who are loyal to the central government. This is completely different from An Lushan in the past, and from Youzhou, Chengde and Zhaoyi Army in the present."

The reasons are quite simple. First, when I first took control of Weibo, I was essentially parachuted in, with no one under my command. I had to beg and plead with friends in the court for recommendations. Second, scholars were happy to use their positions as subordinates in regional military governorships as stepping stones to accumulate merit and then directly enter the central government. This trend only became prevalent after the An Lushan Rebellion; An Lushan did not have this advantage before.

As for Xue Song, Li Baochen, and others, they essentially inherited the legacy of the An Lushan Rebellion, including territory, army, and staff, leaving no room for scholars from other regions.

Therefore, my relationship with the imperial court is unbreakable. It's one thing to hold military power and be self-reliant, but if I intend to carve out a territory, or even divide the land and raise the banner of rebellion, few under my command would be willing to follow me—at least Nan Jiyun, who always remembered Zhang Xun's dying wish, would absolutely refuse. Only in this way can I, under the premise of ensuring that the country does not split and the nation does not suffer calamity, attempt to exploit the loopholes in the system of regional military governors to pursue my own career and the peace and well-being of my family.

Otherwise, Li Bi wouldn't have helped me gain control of Hexi; and I myself couldn't overcome a certain hurdle in my heart.

It's a pity this isn't the future; otherwise, if someone had just recorded the scene of the generals and officials in the hall asking me to return to the capital by imperial decree, created a small account, and posted it online, it would have been very likely to dispel Li Yu and the prime ministers' unnecessary concerns.

So he bowed to Yan Zhuang and said, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. Would you be willing to come with me on this trip back to the capital?"

Yan Zhuang shook his head: "If I don't return today, the court will summon me sooner or later; if I return today, the court will no longer remember me..."

----------

In early March, Li Ji, along with his staff Lu Lun and Lü Xiqian, led 500 elite soldiers and escorted Mang Re and more than 40 captured Tibetan generals on their journey south. When passing through Jingyuan and Binning, they held banquets and drank merrily with the military commanders and officers of the region, staying for several days to make a great show of their power.

— He didn't leave Fengxiang because he had a past feud with Gao Sheng, the prefect and military governor, and they didn't get along well.

After nearly two months of travel, they finally arrived near Chang'an a few days before the Dragon Boat Festival. Li Yu ordered Prince Zheng, Li Miao, and Chancellor Li Qiyun to prepare a grand procession and personally greet them at the Golden Light Gate. Immediately afterwards, the captives were presented in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. The citizens of Chang'an lined the streets to watch, and Li Ji deliberately had his troops shout: "Thanks to the might of the Sage, Grand Commandant Li has driven the barbarians back! This battle has opened up the Western Regions, and soon we will see exotic goods from far and wide, filling the markets and the imperial treasury. The soldiers of the capital region will all enjoy peace and prosperity—are you not happy?!"

The people all bowed and exclaimed, "The sage is virtuous, the Grand Commandant is brave, he has restored peace, and all are happy!"

Li Qiyun lowered her voice and said to Li Ji, "Isn't this a bit too ostentatious?"

Li Ji smiled and said, "This might boost our popularity, making us stronger than a million soldiers."

At the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the captives were presented. Emperor Li Yu, Crown Prince Li Shi, and others, all dressed in ceremonial robes, received congratulations and salutations from Li Ji and other officials, as well as the captives prostrating themselves in obeisance. Immediately afterwards, Li Yu issued an edict pardoning all the barbarian tribes, especially rewarding Mang Re for his meritorious service in reporting the situation of the barbarians, and granting him a residence in Chongrenli.

Next, the prime ministers hosted a banquet to welcome the soldiers who had traveled from afar. Li Ji had only drunk a few cups of wine when a eunuch came running up to him, urging him to enter the palace to receive the emperor's questions.

Li Ji thought to himself, "Li Yu, you're really in a hurry." He pretended to tidy his clothes, bid farewell to the officials, and headed straight for the Daming Palace. As soon as he entered the Mingfeng Gate, two eunuchs in red robes came forward, clasped their hands, and bowed deeply: "Greetings, Grand Commandant."

Li Ji looked closely and recognized them all. Weren't they Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming? He quickly returned the greeting and said, "We are all old friends, there's no need for such a grand ceremony—but you two have led the Imperial Guards for many years, surely you should wear a purple robe?"

Huo Xianming said with a fawning smile, "How dare I wear the same clothes as the Grand Commandant?" Dou Wenchang said, "But since the Emperor favors us, it doesn't matter what we wear." Li Ji thought to himself, "Don't talk nonsense. You two are both obsessed with official positions. Back in the day, you often drooled over the backs of Li Fuguo, Cheng Yuanzhen, and Yu Chaoen. Do you think I didn't know?"

Two eunuchs led Li Ji into the Xuanzheng Gate, where a purple-robed eunuch was already inside, bowing to greet him—it was naturally Wang Jiahe. Li Ji bowed and asked, "Where does the Emperor see me?" Wang Jiahe replied with a beaming smile, "Yanying Hall."

Li Ji laughed and said, "But I am not old."

Yanying Hall was located inside Yanying Gate, separated from the inner court by only a wall. During the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang, because Chancellor Miao Jinqing was old and had difficulty moving around, whenever he needed to consult with the emperor, he was not allowed to go deep into the inner court to Penglai, Jinluan, or Linde Hall, but instead waited for him at Yanying Hall—the Yanying audience became a well-known story. Li Ji then jokingly said, "I'm not old, I can still walk, why should the emperor have to come to Yanying Hall to wait for me?"

Wang Jiahe explained, "In recent years, the prime minister's audiences with the emperor, or the emperor's inquiries, have all taken place in the Yan Ying Hall." Li Ji felt a slight chill, thinking, "Li Yu, what do you mean? Is this merely a show of closeness, or do you intend to keep me in the Secretariat-Chancellery? I won't go to the Council of State Affairs; my abilities are limited, I can't manage the entire Tang Dynasty, and most importantly, I can't make all the decisions myself..."

Li Yu summoned Li Ji to the Yan Ying Hall. Unusually, not only was Prince Zheng, Li Miao, present, but also Crown Prince Li Shi, each sitting on either side of him. After the meeting, he inquired about the war at the front and the current situation in Hexi and the Western Regions. Li Yu then got to the point: "The Tibetans have sent an envoy to Chang'an to request peace. What do you think? Should we grant it?"

Li Ji clasped his hands and asked, "What kind of method of requesting peace is this?"

Li Shi interjected from the side: "The envoy from the barbarian tribe requests that the current border be designated as the permanent border, and also requests that our Tang Dynasty send another princess to us so that the two families can renew their kinship."

Li Ji immediately declared: "Absolutely not!"

He immediately explained, “Lanzhou and Shanzhou are still in the hands of the rebels, and Shazhou has not been recovered either. How can we talk about peace? If the Tibetans really intend to build cities, then we should retreat, and the two sides should still take Menggu, Chiling, Qilian Mountain and Altun Mountain as the boundary.”

Li Yu sighed and said, "Years of war have exhausted our soldiers and displaced our people. I cannot bear it... Why not grant them permission for now and wait until we have accumulated enough resources before making further plans? What do you think?"

Li Ji shook his head directly: "No. Please speak of Longyou first. If Lanzhou is lost, Liangzhou will be attacked from both sides, and Qin and Wei will have no natural defenses. Once the barbarian rebels break their alliance and launch a large-scale invasion, our Tang will probably have to retreat to the Liupanshan line, just a stone's throw away from Fengxiang. Then speak of Shazhou, which controls the Dangjin Pass. If we get it, we can block the barbarian rebels' way north. The Western Regions will be at peace. If the barbarians occupy it, they can threaten Gua and Su in the east and harass Anxi in the west. This is a strategic location that military strategists must fight for. We cannot allow it to fall into enemy hands for long."

"The barbarian invaders have occupied Longyou and Hexi in just a few years. The Tang people, including the Hu people, all hate the barbarians and look eastward every day, yearning for the rescue of the royal army. If the country agrees to peace, with the Tao River as the boundary and Shazhou not to be recovered, the people will be disappointed and think that the country has abandoned them. They will then willingly submit to the barbarians, and it will be a hundred times more difficult to recover in the future! Moreover, the Tibetans are barbarians and have no integrity. How can our Tang Dynasty, the Celestial Empire, break its promise and plot against them after making an alliance? Your Majesty's virtuous character will be tarnished. I urge you to think twice."

Li Yu frowned slightly: "After a hundred battles, does my Tang Dynasty still have the strength to recover lost territory?"

Li Ji said, "The Tibetan envoy's request for peace is merely a delaying tactic..." He wasn't sure if Ma Chongying had already overthrown Shang Jiexi or persuaded the Tibetan king to change his strategy towards Tang; but he knew that even if they genuinely sought peace, the land they had already occupied wouldn't be so easily returned.

"Since the enemy's plans are slow, we must act quickly to avoid falling into their trap. My original intention was to attack Shazhou this autumn, hoping to recover it. The troops in Longxi can temporarily maintain a defensive posture. If the barbarian bandits launch a large-scale attack, we should defeat them under the cover of strong walls and then try to counterattack. If the barbarian bandits do not come, we can take one fort today and one city tomorrow, slowly. The key is to let the barbarians know that we have no intention of making an alliance in a hurry, and to let the people know that the country will not abandon them and that they are willing to respond."

He paused, then continued, “Is Your Majesty perhaps worried that the nation’s strength is still insufficient and that funds and provisions are lacking? I have already recovered Guazhou, which borders Beiting and Anxi. After recovering Shazhou and blocking the northward route of the barbarian bandits, I will go west to subdue the Karluks and Turgesh—these are all cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong, and are indecisive and easily defeated. Thus, the Silk Road will be open. Within three years at most, Western merchants will be carrying exotic goods across the Pamir Mountains, through the Western Regions, to Liangzhou, and even to Chang’an. Our Tang merchants will also be trading silk and porcelain in the far west.”

"With the flow of goods and trade continuing uninterrupted, the market in Chang'an will surely prosper, the state will collect market taxes, and the treasury will be full; furthermore, money and silk will be used to settle the refugees, allowing them to cultivate the land in Guanzhong with peace of mind, and the granaries will also be full. At that time, Your Majesty can issue an edict, and the armies in Guanzhong will be well-fed and clothed and will surely be able to recover Longyou! In the meantime, we should just hold our ground. With the abilities of generals like Li Sheng and Ma Sui, and with me holding them back on the northern front, there will be no fear of defeat. As for the foreign envoys, we can deal with them temporarily, but we must never grant them permission."

"In your opinion, how many years will it take for Longyou and the Western Regions to be fully recovered by the time of the Tianbao era?"

Li Jixian shook his head: "The country is still poor and weak, and I am afraid it will be difficult to restore the old borders before and after the fifteenth year of Tianbao. I think that in the Western Regions, we should only go as far as the Pamir Mountains, and in Longyou, we should only go as far as Menggu and Chiling. We can then form an alliance with the Tibetans. This can be done within ten years. If we want to go deeper and even destroy the Tibetans, we can only hope for the future."

Li Yu looked at Li Ji and slowly asked, "So, are you going to stay in Hexi for another ten years?" He then added to his words, "I really miss you and hope to see you day and night to ease my longing."

Chapter Sixty-Seven: A Thousand Miles of Sorrowful Autumn

Li Ji left the Forbidden City and returned to the Hexi Jinzouyuan—the former residence of the Cui family in Pingkangfang.

The area in front of the Imperial Secretariat was packed with people. Upon seeing the Grand Commandant's procession arrive, they hurriedly parted to the left and right, bowing in respect. Li Ji glanced around and knew that most of them were scholars in white robes, with a few minor officials in blue and green robes, probably waiting for the selection process.

It's obvious without asking that they've come to pay their respects and request a recommendation—they don't necessarily want to serve under the military governor of Hexi and endure the hardships of the frontier.

Formal court officials would not come to pay their respects in person as soon as Li Jifu returned to the capital. Under normal circumstances, they would first send a servant to deliver a visiting card, arrange a date for the meeting, and then visit him on time.

Li Ji paid little attention to the people at the gate, merely nodding slightly in acknowledgment, and the carriage proceeded directly into the audience hall. This wasn't because he was putting on airs, but rather—he simply couldn't attend to so many people. It was better to have his subordinates receive them first, quickly selecting a few who needed to be met before inviting them into the hall.

The generals and officials who had returned earlier, as well as the staff of the Imperial Secretariat, all bowed to greet him inside the gate. Li Ji dismounted and met with those who remained behind, offering them words of encouragement and comfort. Immediately, Pei Xiang, the Imperial Secretariat official, handed over several sheets of paper, saying, "We have already drafted the list of officials to be invited to the banquet in the coming days. Once the Grand Commandant has made his decision, we will send out the invitations."

Li Ji had many relatives and friends in Chang'an, so now that he was back, he naturally wanted to see them and catch up. He had already instructed his staff to consult with Pei Xiang and finalize the guest list and the location of the banquet.

There were many relatives and friends of varying statuses, so it was impossible to gather them all together. They had to be invited to separate banquets. The guests were basically divided into three groups: first, former advisors such as Lu Qi and Han Hui, plus some friends from his humble beginnings, with Lu Lun assisting Pei Xiang in selecting the participants; second, high-ranking officials and scions of prominent families in the court, with Lü Xiqian assisting in the selection; and third, military officers and generals in the Imperial Guards, with Yuan Jing'an assisting in the selection.

This does not include Guo Ziyi and several familiar prime ministers—although Li Ji was the Grand Commandant, he was ultimately inexperienced and young, so he should have personally visited the mansion.

Pei Xiang handed over the list, which Li Ji casually took. He then instructed Lü Xiqian and the others, "You must be tired from traveling with me all this way. Please rest first. If any of you have families in the capital, please come with us." Then he called to Pei Xiang, "You may come with me."

On the one hand, he needed to review and confirm the banquet guest list; on the other hand, Li Ji also needed to personally question Pei Xiang about the situation in the capital.

As he walked towards the study in the backyard, he flipped through three lists in his hands, with Pei Xiang following behind. Li Ji asked, "Where are the three grand banquets scheduled?"

Pei Xiang replied, "The banquet for old friends and the banquet for the Northern Office will naturally be held at Lü Miaozhen's house in Zhongqu; the banquet for important officials will be held at Zhang Cailuan's house in Dingnanqu..."

Originally, Lü Miaozhen's house was known for its excellent cuisine, which led Li Ji to book the entire venue multiple times to entertain friends and relatives. Gradually, it became a regular reception and social venue for the Jinzouyuan in Beijing, representing the Weibo, Shuofang, and Hexi regions. However, since her house was ultimately located in the Central Music Bureau, although its brand was well-known, its status was not high. Therefore, when entertaining important officials of the court, she could only choose suitable entertainers from the Southern Music Bureau.

But after reporting the location of the banquet, Pei Xiang added with a smile, "The Grand Commandant is in Hexi, and I'm afraid that with the Lady and the 'Inner Secretary' by his side, there are some things that I, as a humble official, cannot conveniently include in the report..."

Li Ji turned around in surprise: "What is it?"

Pei Xiang laughed and said, "Because when the Grand Commandant was in the capital, he often visited Lü Miaozhen's house. Later, when the Imperial Secretariat held banquets, they were all held at his house. So there were rumors in the capital that the Grand Commandant was very fond of Miss Yunrong..."

Li Ji asked in astonishment, "Yun Rong, who is that?"

"She is Lü Miaozhen's daughter. She just came of age last year and began to meet guests. She is skilled at playing the flute."

Li Ji scoffed, "I haven't been in the capital since last year. This must be Lü Miaozhen deliberately spreading rumors to elevate her own status as a fake daughter and solicit more gifts." He paused, then asked, "After Susu got married, I remember Lü Miaozhen promoted two more fake daughters, neither of whom seemed to be named Yunrong... What became of them?"

Pei Xiang replied, "One of them married a failed scholar, and the other, like Su Su, became a concubine to a merchant—she is Yu Ling's eldest grandson. Last year, he hosted a banquet for her, and unexpectedly took a liking to her, spending two hundred thousand coins to redeem her from her servitude..."

Li Ji laughed and said, "The Yu family still has spare money." Then he sighed, "More than ten years have passed since I first went to Lü Miaozhen's house. Even the most popular courtesans have changed three times over—truly, time flies!"

He had just returned to Chang'an, and after a day of presenting captives and attending banquets, as well as going to Yan Ying for questioning, he was indeed quite exhausted. Therefore, he used this as an excuse not to see any guests that evening. Of course, if Li Shi had come, it would have been inconvenient to stop him... However, since Li Shi did not come, Li Ji opened a side door for another person and invited him in.

The visitor was Han Hui, who was originally on the banquet guest list—since he was a former official, it was only right that they meet.

Last year, Pei Xiang replaced Han Hui as the official in charge of reporting to the emperor in Hexi. Li Ji originally intended to summon Han Hui to Guzang to handle some paperwork, but Han Hui politely declined. His reason was that his father, Han Zhongqing, was seriously ill and feared he would not recover, so he could not leave Chang'an at this critical juncture.

Sure enough, not long after, Han Zhongqing passed away. Pei Xiang, understanding Li Ji's thoughts, specially prepared a condolence gift on his behalf and sent it to Han's residence. Han Zhongqing was originally a secretary, but because of his excellent political reputation, the court posthumously awarded him the title of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and he received considerable posthumous honors.

Upon his father's death, Han Hui was obliged to observe mourning, but for the sake of his family and personal future, he escorted the coffin back to his hometown of Heyang for burial and soon returned to Chang'an to study behind closed doors, hoping to pass the three-year mourning period. Hearing that Li Ji had returned to the capital, Han Hui naturally came to pay his respects, bringing with him a young man and a little boy.

Li Ji had heard of the young man before; he was Han Jie, the younger brother of Han Hui, who was still a young man in his twenties and had not yet taken office. As for the boy, he looked to be only two or three years old. He was not afraid of people, and his big eyes were very lively, darting back and forth across Li Ji's face and body.

Li Ji asked with a smile, "Is this your son? What is his name?"

Han Hui shook his head: "No, this is my younger brother. Because my father was already ill when he was born, he was named 'Yu' (meaning 'heal')."