Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Then, a series of loud bangs were heard, the door shook violently, and even the iron ring holding the wooden key trembled as if it were about to open...

People in the Tang Dynasty customarily sat on the floor and did not have beds, so furniture was generally small. Especially in poor places like Sichu, even Yang Sichu did not have a couch to rest on... The few tables and shelves were nowhere near enough to block the courtyard gate. Li Ji was anxious, so he quickly walked to the side of the outer courtyard, lowered his body, hugged a large water vat with both arms, exhaled and shouted "Rise!"

The vat, about half a foot off the ground, wobbled slightly before crashing heavily to the ground with a loud thud...

The earthenware jar was nearly a meter high and in diameter, and when filled with water, it must have weighed more than half a ton. Fortunately, it wasn't full, otherwise even with Li Ji's superhuman strength, he wouldn't have been able to lift it. But he could only lift a small portion of it; he couldn't possibly move it.

Upon seeing this, A-Cuo quickly called for help—but she was used to playing dumb, so she only gestured—to help Li Ji push the water vat forcefully to the door. Li Ji reached out and pushed aside the useless tables and chairs, firmly securing the water vat against the door.

Just as he caught his breath, a eunuch grabbed a wooden stool and, with a mighty effort, hurled it over the wall. A cry of "Ouch!" was heard, followed by a shout: "How dare you resist! Go and get some fire, burn this door down!"

Upon hearing this, the palace servants were filled with fear and wailed. They had initially thought that the soldiers who stormed into the palace were Tang troops and wouldn't dare to set fires so boldly. Who would have thought that it was rebels looting before their escape? These guys had completely lost their command and were completely unrestrained, having no qualms about burning the palace! Several palace servants went to beat up the eunuch—who told you to meddle!

Li Ji quickly reached out to stop him, saying, "If he doesn't throw the stool, won't the mutinous soldiers be tempted to burn down the door? We must work together and not fight amongst ourselves!"

Actually, he wasn't too worried about the rebels burning down the door, because such a large door, made of solid wood and painted—although much of it had peeled off—wouldn't be easy to set on fire unless firewood was piled up or oil was poured on it. But how could these rebels, who were eager to rob and then escape, possibly have enough patience?

His fear was that the rebels would throw torches into the courtyard, or even launch rockets. Now, wooden furniture lay scattered around the doorway, and further on was the kitchen, piled high with firewood, and tinderboxes everywhere! And especially, there was flour…

Li Ji thought to himself that this wouldn't work; a purely defensive approach would likely be insufficient to repel the enemy.

He planned to first set up a ladder to climb over the wall, assess the situation, and then jump down to fight to the death. The alleyways near Si Chu were extremely narrow, only wide enough for one person to pass at a time; two people would have to squeeze sideways. This meant that every time he delivered food, he had to empty the cart, lift one wheel off the ground, and turn sideways… truly a place where “one man can hold the pass against ten thousand!”

Otherwise, those rebels would probably have brought out big rams to beat the door long ago, instead of wasting their time banging it on their shoulders.

However, the outside was full of armed soldiers, while he was empty-handed. It's not easy to kill someone with just your fists, let alone force the enemy to retreat.

So he sidled up to A-Cuo and asked her in a low voice, "Do you have any weapons?"

A-Cuo glanced at him, then looked down and flipped her hand upwards. Li Ji stared intently and saw that she was holding a two-inch-long fine steel short sword in her palm, which was blue and looked very sharp.

Li Ji clicked his tongue and said, "Forget it..." How can this thing hurt someone at close range? Unless you use it as a fist dagger between your fingers, but I don't know how to use that...

Suddenly, A-Cuo closed her thumb, gripping the short sword. Then, with a flick of her wrist and a whoosh, a gust of wind grazed past Li Ji's ear. Caught off guard, Li Ji instinctively tilted his head back, then turned to see a rebel soldier, sword in hand, scaling the courtyard wall—

A-Cuo's sword shot was incredibly accurate, striking the rebel soldier squarely in the throat. The soldier shuddered and fell backward.

Li Ji was overjoyed; it was as if someone had delivered exactly what he needed! He leaped forward, pinned down the rebel soldier who was not yet completely dead, and snatched the sword from his hand.

He immediately summoned a ladder, grabbed a horizontal sword, and swiftly climbed up.

Just then, another rebel soldier climbed onto the wall. Before he could even regain his footing, Li Ji slashed him hard with his sword, striking him squarely in the abdomen. The body fell over the wall. Taking advantage of the moment, Li Ji peeked out and saw that the narrow, long alleyway was densely packed with at least forty or fifty rebel soldiers.

However, Li Ji was not afraid at all; on the contrary, he was very pleased.

Most of these rebels were originally guards of the palace, and many were patrolling the various neighborhoods or assisting in guarding the city gates. Logically, they should not wear armor—under the emperor's nose, the people they were dealing with were mostly traitors, not enemy soldiers, so why would they wear armor? It's like the armed police of later generations, who are generally not equipped with heavy weapons.

Especially since the Tang army had not yet truly reached the city walls, even the defending soldiers were mostly unarmored, wearing only short robes and turbans, offering very little protection. In addition, the narrow alleyways made it impossible to wield long spears and halberds, so most of them carried horizontal swords, and some even carried shorter shield swords.

Li Ji had witnessed firsthand the carnage of thousands of troops, and had even followed Li Tan in a night chase after a rebel general, clashing with Tian Qianzhen's men. He knew that individual martial prowess had limited effectiveness in military formations. His ability to capture Tian Qianzhen alive was purely due to catching him off guard and taking advantage of the situation. If Tian Qianzhen had been prepared, with a hundred or so men surrounding him, even if Nan Ba ​​were present, it wouldn't have been so easy for him to break through.

The claim of being "a match for ten thousand men" is pure exaggeration. Killing seven men with a single slap is boasting, let alone facing thousands. As for the saying "taking the head of a general from among ten thousand soldiers is as easy as taking something from a bag," there's no rule stating that one must charge into enemy lines alone. Therefore, although Li Ji was strong and his martial arts were quite formidable, if the chaotic army outside the wall were all fully armored, armed with spears and halberds, he would probably just glance at them and instinctively pull his head back in…

However, seeing that most of the enemy soldiers were unarmored and unable to wield long weapons, Li Ji felt much more at ease. He then turned to A-Cuo and winked – "I'll go out and fight; you take care of the courtyard." With a leap, he vaulted over the wall, and before he even landed, he swung his sword down, cleaving a rebel soldier who was about to rush in and ram the door in two, shoulder to back!

The long, narrow, and straight-edged broadsword was not actually suitable for forceful slashing, and it couldn't compare to the so-called "ghost-head broadsword" of later generations. However, Li Ji was naturally strong, and with the momentum of his downward lunge, he unleashed the power of the broadsword without even realizing it. Seeing his comrades bleeding profusely and dying so horribly, the rebel soldiers were all terrified and retreated hastily.

Li Ji thought to himself, "I'm just trying to scare you all away, otherwise I won't have anywhere to stand. Especially since the alleyways are all connected and the courtyard gate is in the middle, I'm surrounded by enemies. If you don't make way first, even if I land, I'll be caught in a pincer movement."

He steadied himself, paused briefly, then swung his sword and charged in one direction. A traitorous soldier parried with his own sword, the two blades clashing...

Chapter Twenty: The Cliff of Life and Death

"This spineless bastard can fight—get the spear, attack from both sides, and pierce him through!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ji couldn't help but secretly realize that things were going badly.

He was now covered in blood—mostly the enemy's blood, of course, as he only had a few small scratches on his own body. Nearly a whole squad had fallen in front of and behind him. He had thought that those rabble soldiers were only after money and would have no guts. Even if they were driven by lust, they should have retreated after being cut down six or seven of them.

Some wanted to flee, but there were also many who, despite their comrades, still rushed forward.

Li Ji guessed that there must be a military general nearby directing the retreat, using his prestige to halt the retreat.

Sure enough, they heard someone shout to bring out a long spear.

The spear is a variant of the lance, and it has only recently become popular. It is generally shorter than a lance, only about two meters long. Of course, in narrow alleys, a long spear is simply not practical, but why bother? You can just hold it level and thrust it straight forward.

Li Ji might not take a single spear thrust seriously, but what if he were attacked from both sides? If a line of soldiers, each wielding a spear, had spears thrusting out from the side of the person in front, and five or six spearheads were thrusting at him all at once?

Cold sweat immediately poured down Li Ji's back...

He was still thinking of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand cannot break through," but first there must be a "pass," and the pass walls must be protected by bows and arrows—did he really think that one person alone could hold the fortress? Li Ji thought to himself, I might as well not seal off the courtyard and block the gate with myself. Even if you shorten your spears to stab me, you won't have enough force or distance to charge. Now I'm in the middle of the alley. If two groups of people charge at me with spears in front and behind, unless I can really fly or disappear into the ground, I'm doomed!

The only way now is to capture the leader, find out who is in command, and take him down... But looking around, there are so many people, I can't see far at all. Who knows where the general is hiding? I probably won't be able to find him by sound alone.

After the general shouted, the rebels retreated slightly, allowing Li Ji to catch his breath. But then spears came flying at him; sure enough, several spears were held by different men, four or five spearheads pointing at him from the north and south. Li Ji thought to himself, "It's over. Not only am I going to die here today, but after I die, I doubt even A-Cuo and the others can hold Si-Chi for long… Once the rebels storm Si-Chi, A-Cuo, Consort Shen, and the others will all be doomed!"

Why is the weather so nice today? The sun has set, but it hasn't gotten completely dark yet. If it were dark, even if the rebels lit torches to fight, they probably wouldn't be able to see far. We can use the darkness to prolong our lives a little longer...

I really can't rely too much on my own strength. I must remember that only numbers truly bring power… Today's events have taught me a lesson. I shouldn't have come out; I should have firmly guarded the gate. Even if the gate were breached, I could have fought my way through. But I guess I'll have to take this lesson with me to the afterlife…

Seeing five or six spearheads rapidly advancing towards him from both sides, Li Ji couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing he was doomed. There was no use in regretting it now; he might as well kill one to make it worthwhile, or kill two to make a profit!

Actually, I've already made quite a bit of money, but when it comes to killing enemies, is there ever too much?

Ignoring the gunfire from the north, he charged straight towards the south with his sword drawn. He had barely taken a step when he heard a scream behind him. Glancing back briefly, he saw a rebel soldier at the forefront, his throat pierced by a sword, falling backward. His fall threw the four or five men behind him into disarray, halting their charge.

Li Ji turned his head and looked up at the top of the courtyard gate, and sure enough, he saw A-Cuo's little head flash by and disappear.

He thought to himself, "Well done!" But his strides grew longer and longer, and in an instant he met several spearheads coming from the south. The rebel soldiers were charging forward in a straight line, so only the one at the very front had a wide enough field of vision and could move relatively more nimbly. Li Ji immediately reached out and grabbed the back of the spearhead, then thrust it forward with all his might.

The traitor fell backward as if struck by A-Cuo's flying sword, causing his comrades behind him to stumble as well. Taking advantage of the situation, Li Ji swung his sword down, severing several spearheads at once.

But he was still holding a gun barrel in his left hand. He flipped back and forth and threw it. It was only half a meter away. His opponent had no way to avoid it. It hit him right in the chest and he went limp on the spot.

Seeing that things were not going well, the remaining rebel soldiers turned and fled. Li Ji chased after them, stepping over the corpses, but only managed to kill one more person.

But then he heard a whoosh behind him. He quickly turned his head and saw a feathered arrow whizz past his ear, knocking a fleeing rebel to the ground. Li Ji was terrified—they'd actually remembered to fire arrows! Could it be that A-Ce's flying sword had alerted the enemy instead?

I realized I was wrong. I should have ignored the enemy on the south side and left it to A-Cuo to deal with, and then charged north myself, because the general who was speaking was clearly somewhere on the north side!

He hurriedly turned around and charged back, but the alleyway was blocked again in an instant, making it difficult for him to break through further and find the general.

After fighting for so long, Li Ji's strength began to wane, and his sword was chipped in several places and no longer sharp. Taking advantage of the rebels' fear and reluctance to close in, he crouched down, picked up another sword, switched it with his own, and then glared and shouted, "The palace is in full swing, why do you all come here to seek your deaths?!"

With a "whoosh," another arrow flew in, but Li Ji reacted quickly and cleaved it down with his sword.

Soon, the enemy...

The rebels surged forward, this time with greater discipline. One man wielded a shield knife in front, solely for self-defense, while four or five spearheads emerged from his side, advancing swiftly. Simultaneously, more rebels scaled the walls on both sides, long spears in hand, kneeling low, slowly approaching—clearly intending to get close to Li Ji before thrusting their spears down.

Li Ji thought to himself, "I'm doomed. This time, I'm not just being attacked from both sides, I'm completely surrounded..."

He seemed to see Death grinning as it approached him step by step. In his despair, countless heroic figures flashed through his mind... but actually, none of them. His mind was basically blank; he only wanted to kill one more person so he could die with fewer regrets! Just like before, he didn't wait for the enemy troops on the north and south to approach simultaneously before charging north. Halfway there, he heard screams of agony as the rebel soldiers who had climbed the wall fell to the ground one after another—it must have been A-Cuo reaching out to help again.

I wonder just how many flying swords that little girl is carrying? Theoretically, it shouldn't be too many...

Li Ji's eyes widened in fury, his teeth clenched as if about to shatter, and he lunged forward, swiftly slashing down at the enemy at the front wielding a shield-like blade. Knowing his strength, the enemy merely gripped the blade with both hands in defense, unwilling to easily retaliate. With a series of clangs, the two exchanged four blows in an instant.

But then the enemy soldiers behind him began to thrust and stab relentlessly, forcing Li Ji to twist his waist and dodge, retreating with his feet. With each step he took back, the enemy wielding the shield-knife advanced like a shadow. For every three steps Li Ji retreated, the enemy followed three steps forward. Li Ji inwardly cursed, for the rapid footsteps behind him were clearly getting closer, and he, busy dodging the spear thrusts, didn't even have time to turn his head.

I never imagined that after transmigrating to this world, I would die in this inexplicable place before accomplishing almost nothing... Li Shi, I died to save your mother, will you be grateful? Or will you scold me for misjudging Li Changwei, saying he's a useless piece of trash, completely unfit for any important task, since Consort Shen will ultimately meet her demise...?

Just then, a voice was heard shouting from afar: "The Tang army is entering the city! The Tang army is coming!"

Those rebel soldiers only came to plunder some valuables and rape a few palace maids. They never intended to fight a bloody battle with the women of the inner palace. It was only because Li Ji was too brave and killed several people in an instant that the general in charge of the troops was really embarrassed. If I can't dismember this spineless bastard, I won't be able to vent my hatred. Moreover, if I meet my colleagues in the future and talk about this, how shameful I will be.

The general hid behind the army, confident that he was safe, which is why he was willing to drive his soldiers to fight to the death and surround Li Ji. He didn't care how many soldiers died, because he wouldn't get hurt. Sooner or later, he would turn that eunuch into a hedgehog.

However, upon hearing that the Tang army had already entered the city, the general couldn't help but panic. He knew that many rebel soldiers had already looted and fled the palace or even the city before nightfall, while he, preoccupied with arguing with a eunuch, had delayed until now. If the Tang army entered the city, with their massive numbers, not only would he be unable to defeat them, but he probably wouldn't even be able to escape far!

We need to leave quickly; we can't stay any longer.

He immediately turned around, ignoring his own soldiers, and ran north.

Soon, shouts of "Tang army enters the city!" rang out again, not just from one person, but from many shouting in unison. Even the most oblivious rebels heard the news and were filled with fear. Coupled with the fact that their commander had left, they lost all will to fight and fled, abandoning their weapons.

It was only inches away. Seeing that Li Ji had nowhere to avoid it, several spear tips were about to pierce him at the same time. He almost closed his eyes and waited for death, but the spear tips were withdrawn... Then the rebels ran away frantically from both ends of the alley, leaving Li Ji alone, holding his sword, standing in the pile of corpses in a daze.

—Am I really that lucky? It's already dark, how could the Tang army have attacked the city so hastily and managed to break through so easily?

While Li Ji was in a daze—mainly because one foot had already stepped off the precipice of life and death, but was suddenly pulled back by someone, which felt unreal and his brain short-circuited for a moment—he heard someone on the wall call out, "Come up quickly!" Li Ji looked up and saw A Cuo with half of his body sticking out of the wall, his right hand hanging down as if to catch him.

He then took a deep breath and said, "No need, since the Tang army has already entered the city..."

Unexpectedly, the little girl glared and shouted, "People say the Tang army entered the city, but did the Tang army really enter the city? Even if the Tang army entered the city, there would definitely be a riot when they first entered the palace. Do you think they would kill or not kill a Yan eunuch covered in blood and holding a knife? You have such a smart face, yet you are so stupid!"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Hmm, do I look that smart?" He knew the little girl was right, but he still refused to reach out and take her hand—"I'm too weak, you can't pull me up. Let's put the ladder down..."

Before he could finish speaking, he heard footsteps again and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a streak of fire rushing towards him from the south through the pitch-black night. Li Ji's heart jumped into his throat again. He quickly gripped his sword and assumed a fighting stance.

He had just breathed a sigh of relief when he suddenly felt a soreness in his arm muscles. He had no idea whether he could still fight Jia Yuyong in a fierce battle, or how many he could kill this time...

As the flames drew closer, the man in the lead called out, "Is that An Zhili, the eunuch, up ahead?"

Li Ji's rising confidence immediately deflated, and he couldn't help but curse, "You're the eunuch! Your whole family are eunuchs!"

Chapter 21, Holy and Good Temple

Li Ji cursed loudly, "You're the eunuch! Your whole family are eunuchs!" Although he couldn't see the person's face clearly yet, the voice sounded familiar. Who else could it be but Chen Fu?

Meanwhile, Chen Fu led his men, torches in hand, to provide backup. Hearing Li Ji's curses, he couldn't help but chuckle. But then he saw the ground littered with corpses, and in the torchlight, he saw Li Ji covered in blood, and he gasped in horror.

"Changwei, are you alright?"

"What's so good about it? If you had arrived any later, you would have been collecting my corpse—has the Tang army really already entered the city?"

Chen Fu came over and grabbed Li Ji's arms, looking him up and down. He said, "The Tang army is still encamped at Xin'an... Hearing that the rebel army was looting the palace, we rushed to their aid. Fearing we were outnumbered and unable to reach Sichu, we lied and said the Tang army had entered the city to intimidate them." He then glanced at the wall, as if to ask, "Shen..."

Li Ji reached out and covered his mouth, then whispered a warning: "Since the Tang army has not yet entered the city, we must be wary of the rebels nearby. We must not leak the news yet—yes, that person is in the courtyard."

Then he looked up at the wall and saw that A-Cuo had half his head sticking out, looking out hesitantly. Li Ji said, "He's a friend—the rebels have retreated, you can open the door and let him in."

But A-Cuo shook his head: "It can't be opened... I'll just put the ladder down."

The problem is that the door is blocked by two large water vats. These things, with the water inside, weigh about half a thousand pounds. Everyone can barely push them together, but they can't pull them—there are no levers, so there's no way to exert any force. If Li Ji were still here, it might be possible, but the problem is that Li Ji is outside the courtyard.

Fortunately, the ladder was quickly lowered, and Li Ji, Chen Fu, and the others climbed up and jumped into the courtyard one after another.

Li Ji had already inquired and learned that Chen Fu had brought twenty servants from the Yu family this time—and although they were called servants, they were actually used as guards and bodyguards. They were divided into two teams, one led by Chen Fu and the other under Yun Lin's command. They had come separately but had not yet arrived.