Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Seeing the blank look in Li Ji's eyes, Li Tan explained, "The military campaign cannot be left indefinitely. Moreover, the two capitals have been recovered, and An Qingxu is like a fish in a pot, about to be beheaded. I do not expect the Emperor to wait until the country is completely settled before abolishing the military campaign. In particular, the Emperor promised that once we return to Chang'an and welcome back the Emperor Emeritus, he will formally appoint my brother as Crown Prince. How can the Crown Prince also be the Commander-in-Chief of the Military Campaign?"

"The staff members of the judicial office naturally have their own destinations. For example, Yang Gongnan was appointed as a Doctor of Yiyang County and Military Advisor to the Marshal. Considering his merits and achievements, after the military campaign is over, he can be recommended to the Ministry of Personnel to be selected for a position as soon as possible. It is not difficult for him to become a principal officer in various departments or even a county magistrate in the capital..."

The so-called "Yiyang County Doctor" was merely a nominal position, much like the Imperial Censor positions held by Helan Jinming and Xu Shuji. Neither of them actually needed to return to the capital to take charge of the Censorate—otherwise, how could there be two chief officials for one censorate? Therefore, after the military campaign was discontinued, it was impossible to send Yang Yan to Yiyang County to be a Doctor; he would have been given another position.

"...But where shall I go? Shall I return to the residence of the Sixteen Kings? Or shall the Sage follow precedent and appoint me to govern a prefecture?" This important general, who once assisted the Marshal and controlled the army of the world, would surely feel a sense of loss if he were to be appointed as a prefect in a local area. Moreover, according to the precedents of the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras, even the position of prefect was not guaranteed.

Li Longji's habit was to appoint princes as military governors, but these were merely nominal titles; the princes remained confined to their residences. It wasn't until he fled to Sichuan that, in order to restrain Li Heng, he granted the princes real positions. However, most of his sons had already become spoiled, and only Li Lin was willing to respond...

Li Tan poured out his grievances, but Li Ji didn't take it to heart; his heart had already flown to Yingyang. He simply continued to play dumb, and after Li Tan finished venting, he took his leave. The next morning, he carried his money and rode away from Luoyang—Yingyang wasn't far from Luoyang, just north of the Ying River, between Mount Ji and Mount Song, only about a hundred li away.

Along the way, fields were trampled, houses were reduced to ruins, and even many graves had been dug up, with bones scattered everywhere… Compared to the peaceful years of his previous life, it all felt like a nightmare. Li Ji thought to himself, "Thank goodness I've transmigrated here; at least I have Li Bi to rely on. If I had transmigrated into the body of an ordinary citizen, I would most likely have inexplicably lost my life in this turmoil that has swept across half of China…"

Even more terrifying is being coerced by rebels or bandits and used as cannon fodder, gradually becoming accustomed to rape and plunder.

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Mist Begins to Disperse

Li Bi built a hermitage in Jishan Mountain, choosing a relatively gentle slope halfway up the mountain. He constructed seven rooms with mud walls and a thatched roof. A bamboo fence surrounded the front of the house, covered with gourd vines; behind the house were some small fields where he grew vegetables and fruits throughout the year; and a clear mountain spring flowed beside the house, providing him with water.

Li Bi did not live alone. Although he was widowed and had no children, he still had to take care of two stepmothers and a young half-brother. In addition, he had generations of servants, two women and one man, plus Li Ji, who came to live with him five years ago.

The mountains were unaffected by heat or cold, and frankly, they weren't too far from densely populated towns. Li Heng also provided occasional assistance, so while life was simple for a scholar, it was still better than that of poor farmers or tenant farmers—it was like paradise—at least there was no worry about food and clothing. This was often the case with the reclusive lives of scholars, like Tao Yuanming who "picked chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, and leisurely gazed at the Southern Mountains." If even basic needs for food and clothing couldn't be met, where would he find the leisure to gaze at the Southern Mountains and compose poetry?

So the four years after Li Ji lost his father were, apart from being a little lonely, closer to his previous life. They were stable and leisurely. Life was not without pressure, but it was not enough to make him grow old prematurely. After all, Li Ji had been a government employee doing research in his previous life and had not been displaced by the tide of commodities.

The original soul's longing for the warmth of home and the transmigrated soul's yearning for a peaceful life were intertwined and swirling, unsure of which came first, or even whether they were truly themselves or someone else. This caused Li Ji to feel a strange warmth welling up in his chest the closer he got to the thatched hut. But the warmth vanished instantly, replaced by a chill that shot from his feet to the top of his head!

Because he saw that although the green vines had withered and the bamboo fence was still there, the seven thatched huts that they surrounded had been reduced to charred ruins, and the flames had not yet been completely extinguished, with gray-black smoke still rising...

Li Ji was stunned. His legs went weak, and he could barely take another step—what had happened? Who had burned down the thatched hut? Where was Li Bi? Where were the rest of the family members? It couldn't be…

Thinking of this, a chill ran down his spine, but it also spurred Li Ji to action. He immediately threw down the reins, picked up his feet, and rushed through the gate, heading straight for the pile of rubble. A quick glance revealed only collapsed yellow earth and charred rafters and pillars, but nothing else—and seemingly no charred corpses either. Still uneasy, he used both hands and feet to pry up a half-charred roof beam.

He couldn't help but scream, "Who? Who set this fire?!"

A soft sigh came from behind: "I started the fire."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was struck dumb and turned around abruptly. Not far behind him, against the mountain ridge, stood a man with bare hair and no hat, wearing a light blue silk robe—it was Li Bi, Li Changyuan.

Li Ji shouted and quickly turned to run towards Li Bi. Despite his strong and agile body, he stumbled and almost fell halfway due to his trembling heart. Li Bi, however, just stared at him expressionlessly.

Rushing to Li Bi, Li Ji clasped his hands together and hugged him tightly—by touch, he could tell that Li Changyuan had lost at least ten pounds since he left home to travel west, his slender frame appearing even more gaunt. Li Bi struggled for a moment but couldn't break free, so he could only scold, "Let go! What kind of behavior is this!"

Li Ji almost cried with joy, thinking to himself, "Brother, you scared me half to death! Did you burn down your house for fun?" After letting go, he still looked Li Bi up and down repeatedly—was this a living person, or a ghost?

"Why did you set the house on fire, brother? And where did Aunt and the others go?"

Li Bi replied calmly, "This place is no longer habitable, so we burned down our old house and moved elsewhere."

"Why not wait for your younger brother to return?"

Li Bi coldly replied, "I heard that the Eastern Capital has been recovered, so I asked my mother and the others to set off first, while I stayed behind and waited for you here for three whole days. Originally, we had planned to burn down the hut three days later and set off to catch up with my mother. If you still refuse to return, then we are destined to part ways, so why should we meet again?"

Li Ji couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "Brother, you don't know. I was impersonating a eunuch in the Imperial Palace in Luoyang, and every day felt like a year. I finally escaped danger and was relieved of my burdens. Can't I even relax for a couple of days before returning home to see you, brother?"

He understood that Li Bi was determined to live in seclusion. If it were the original Li Ji, he would naturally have abandoned everything in the world and returned to follow him. However, Li Ji was dead, and his body had been taken over by him… In Li Bi's eyes, this new Li Ji, although perhaps lacking any grand ambitions, was deeply attached to worldly glory and did not seem like someone willing to diligently cultivate the Tao. He had previously tried to probe him with words, but Li Ji had instead advised him that the world was full of hardships, and that since his brother possessed unparalleled talent, why not serve in the court to purify the corrupt and promote the virtuous, instead of focusing on avoiding the world?

Therefore, Li Bi felt that although he and this old ghost from five hundred years ago could talk to each other, they were ultimately not on the same path and would part ways sooner or later. This time, he resigned from his official post and went into seclusion, but that old ghost was probably still greedy for worldly gains and honors. If his trip to Luoyang went smoothly, he would surely gain Li Chu's trust and most likely would not return.

However, a sliver of hope remained in his heart, so he set himself a deadline, staying behind alone to wait for Li Ji for three days. From Luoyang to Jishan, it was only a day's journey by fast horse, and even if he walked back, three days would be enough. If he still didn't appear, then it was not meant to be. Since it was not meant to be, he might as well let go and let him go on his own, bearing the identity of his younger cousin.

Three days passed in a flash, and Li Bi couldn't help but sigh deeply before setting fire to the thatched hut where he had lived for so long. Logically, he should have turned back immediately to catch up with his family sooner, but he couldn't help finding excuses for himself: Could the hut possibly burn completely down? Having lived here for so many years, how could he not feel a sense of attachment? Perhaps he could take a few more glances at this place…

Leaning against the mountainside, he waited and waited until the thatched hut was almost completely burned down, leaving only wisps of smoke. It was time to leave; what feast doesn't end? Everyone has their own ambitions, and one cannot force others. Just as he was about to lift his robe and step away, he suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves, and then Li Ji appeared in his sight.

Li Bi had already seen Li Ji, but Li Ji was so shocked and terrified by the sight of the burned-down thatched hut that he focused all his attention on the ruins and completely ignored Li Bi, who was standing right next to him.

There was no other way but to take the initiative and greet him...

Li Ji said, "Just wait for me for three days! I've just finished my studies. Can't I relax for a few more days before coming back?" It's like when I went to university in another city in my past life. When winter break came, no matter how much I missed my family and longed to go home, I had worked hard for several months and finally passed the final exams. I had to party with my classmates and roommates for a few days before leaving... Anyway, I've already got the train ticket. What's the rush?

Upon hearing this, Li Bi's initial annoyance immediately subsided—"That makes sense; I was just being too naive."

Even if it wasn't an old ghost from five hundred years ago, but the real Changwei from my family, he was still a young man, with a lively and impulsive nature, unlike me, who had cultivated the Tao for many years and whose heart was as still as water. He would still want to relax for a few days before returning home to be restrained. I misjudged the heart of a commoner with the mind of a Taoist.

But of course, he couldn't apologize to Li Ji, or turn his anger into joy and say, "It's good that you're back..." Li Bi had no choice but to change the subject and ask, "How did things go in Luoyang?"

Li Ji laughed and said, "It's hard to say it will go smoothly, but... it's a long story." He then asked Li Bi, "Brother, where are you going after abandoning your thatched hut? With Tokyo recovered and Henan about to be pacified, I've come here and seen that although the surrounding area is desolate, there's no great danger. Why are you leaving?"

Li Bi sighed softly and replied, "Precisely because this place is too close to the Eastern Capital."

He originally lived in seclusion on Mount Ji, not caring how close it was to Luoyang. Anyway, few people paid attention to him, this nobody—so what if he was a child prodigy? A child prodigy who had returned to the countryside was no threat to anyone.

However, things are different now. Invited by Li Heng, he rose from humble beginnings to become a high-ranking official of the third rank, and then served as the chief secretary to the marshal, advising Li Heng and his son on how to quell the rebellion and secure the country. Li Changyuan's name has now resounded throughout the land—unlike before, when only officials under the Crown Prince's command paid him attention, such as Xue Jingxian, who respected his talent rather than his reputation. Now that he bears such a high reputation, he will surely be valued by all sides. Having once been a third-rank official, if he were to return to officialdom, he would undoubtedly be entrusted with heavy responsibilities.

To be honest, if Li Bi had the will, having already crossed the threshold of the third rank, he could have been appointed as the Grand Councilor and made prime minister at any time!

Given this, while he would be respected, he would inevitably also be envied. On the rebel side, Zhou Zhi, fearing Li Bi's resurgence, would likely send assassins; on the court side, figures like Li Fuguo could not completely ignore the situation. Even assuming no one wanted to harm him, Li Heng and his son might still send envoys to invite him back.

After all, it's just a stone's throw from Luoyang; you can get there in a single step.

That's why Li Bi planned to flee even further, to show that he had no intention of returning to the court—so that his enemies could be a little more at ease, and that the emperor should stop hoping for his return and focus on his own recovery.

He told Li Ji, "I want to go south to Hengshan and stay near the Zhenjun Temple."

Mount Heng is also a famous Taoist mountain, known as "Zhu Ling Cave Heaven". The Temple of the Heavenly King Huo was built in the early Tang Dynasty, and it was expanded and renamed "Nanyue Zhenjun Temple" in the thirteenth year of Kaiyuan.

Li Ji then said, "In that case, I will escort you south to Hengshan."

Li Bi shook his head: "There are no rebels heading south, and I possess the imperial edict and the prime minister's official document, so I can travel freely without hindrance. Why would I need an escort?"

But instead of immediately replying, "So you should just go back to Luoyang," he simply turned and left. Li Ji couldn't help but chuckle: Was this some kind of tsundere? He quickly led his horse over and followed behind Li Bi.

The two followed the familiar mountain path, passing through Jishan Mountain. Along the way, Li Bi first inquired about the events in Suiyang. Li Ji recounted the whole story without any concealment. He thought that through his efforts, he had finally saved Zhang Xun, Xu Yuan, Nan Jiyun, Lei Wanchun, and others, and Li Bi should at least offer some praise. However, to his surprise, Li Bi simply listened quietly and then asked, "After the Suiyang matter was settled, you went to Luoyang. What was that like?" There wasn't a single word of commendation.

Li Ji was somewhat disappointed, but he didn't show it. He simply continued to recount his journey to Luoyang, his infiltration of the inner palace, and his rescue of Consort Shen.

As they talked, it grew dark, but the two had already crossed Jishan Mountain. A dozen miles to the south lay Liang County, the seat of Linru Prefecture. Li Ji urged Li Bi to mount his horse, saying, "Let's hurry so we don't miss our lodging." Li Bi glanced at him, but without any hesitation, he saddled up.

Li Ji led his horse at a brisk pace, continuing to recount the events to Li Bi. When he spoke of his nighttime visit to Consort Shen, during which he was nearly ambushed by a young palace maid named "A Cuo," Li Bi was slightly startled and finally asked, "Who exactly is this woman?"

Li Ji laughed and said, "This woman's background is quite strange... Brother, back in Ding'an City, it was this woman who used the flying sword to cover Zhen Sui's escape... In my humble opinion, the mastermind behind the attack on my brothers on Tanshan Mountain is most likely..."

Just as he was about to say the name "Cui Guangyuan", Li Bi nodded and said, "I already know about this matter—it is Tian Qianzhen."

Li Ji was stunned on the spot—how could Tian Qianzhen be involved in this?

Then Li Bi slowly said, "Not long after you left Fengxiang, Tian Qianzhen came to me to apologize with a bundle of thorns on his back..."

After Tian Qianzhen was captured by Li Ji, Li Chu escorted him to the imperial court and handed him over to the emperor for punishment. However, at the same time, a memorial was also presented, stating that after discussing with Li Bi, it was better to pardon Tian Qianzhen and use him as a bribe to recruit the most treacherous generals among the rebels. Li Heng approved the memorial, not only pardoning Tian Qianzhen but also granting him the title of General of Ningyuan (a minor official rank of fifth grade) and sending him back to Chang'an to serve in the Marshal's office.

However, before leaving, Tian Qianzhen went to see Li Bi and immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying "I deserve to die." Li Bi was somewhat puzzled and quickly helped him up, asking him in detail why.

Tian Qianzhen said, "In the past, this humble official once intended to kidnap the high-ranking official, but fortunately the high-ranking official was wise and your younger brother was brave, which prevented this humble official from making a grave mistake..."

What is going on?

As it turns out, regarding the speculation in the first part of the events of that day, Li Ji was basically right—he was indeed ordered by Li Heng to go to Yingyang to welcome Li Bi, and according to someone's instructions (most likely Li Fuguo), he left notes along the way for support.

So who would provide support? Naturally, it would be Cui Guangyuan, the Prefect of Jingzhao. Li Fuguo and Cui Guangyuan had a prior friendship—hadn't he once asked Cui Guangyuan for Jia Huai and Yu Xiuhe?—and he knew that Cui was not truly a traitor, so he taught Zhen Sui the pre-arranged communication code, hoping that Cui Guangyuan could send someone to assist him.

With both capitals fallen and rebel forces rampaging across the land, relying solely on Zhen Sui to protect Li Bi—and perhaps with Li Ji as well—was not necessarily a safe option.

But who would have thought that just as Zhen Sui was escorting Li Bi to Qingni Post Station, Cui Guangyuan had already plotted to escape from Xijing and go to serve Li Heng. Several days later, Tian Qianzhen was ordered to pacify Chang'an, both to stabilize order and to conduct a city-wide search to capture Cui Guangyuan's remaining followers. He apprehended several people, and under severe torture, they revealed the secret code, saying that someone had recently seen a newly left code near Chang'an, requesting their assistance in protecting someone…

Li Bi relayed Tian Qianzhen's words, and Li Ji suddenly realized, "So that's how it is!" Then many doubts could be explained.

If, as I had previously speculated, Cui Guangyuan was the one who intended to kidnap Li Bi, then Cui Guangyuan, who had extraordinary individuals like Cui Qi under his command, would certainly have deployed them instead of assigning only a few soldiers. Furthermore, Zhen Sui had no intention of betraying Li Bi, which is why he fought bravely on Tanshan Mountain, covering the escape of Li Bi and his brothers…

I wonder how that guy got away later... That night he visited Cui Qi, and Cui Qi seemed to have said, "I saved your life that day..." Could it be that Cui Qi saved him?

Could it be that Zhen Sui, out of gratitude for being saved, took a liking to that little girl? It's hard to say, but it's not unreasonable.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Three Strategies for the Future

Now that Tian Qianzhen had surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he would undoubtedly live in constant fear and humility for a considerable period of time, afraid to offend any powerful figures in the court. He had long heard that Li Bi, also known as Li Changyuan, was deeply trusted by the emperor, directly appointed as a third-rank official and chief clerk of the marshal's army. After being captured, he inquired further and discovered that the young man who had captured him was none other than Li Bi's cousin, Li Ji…

Thus, Tian Qianzhen couldn't help but sigh, "Since the cause has been sown, the result will surely follow. Is this not the will of Heaven?!"

He was afraid that Li Bi already knew about this. Even if he didn't, with his wisdom, having defeated the rebels and entered Chang'an, he would find out sooner or later... After thinking it over repeatedly, he decided to take the initiative to apologize and hoped to be forgiven—after all, in the end, none of you brothers were hurt, right? If he deliberately concealed it, he might incur Li Bi's wrath.

—Tian Qianzhen was unaware that Li Bi had already resigned from his post and planned to return to his hometown to live in seclusion; otherwise, he would have kept his words to himself and would not have taken the initiative to confess.

Li Bi was extremely intelligent, and with just a few words, he got to the bottom of Tian Qianzhen's mind—especially since Tian Qianzhen was already inclined to confess honestly—thus, most of the past mysteries were finally solved.

Li Ji stroked his newly grown beard, lowered his head and pondered for a long time before saying, "If the robbery is indeed unrelated to Zhen Sui... no, it can only be said that it was not his intention, then he only needs to hurry up and catch up with us, and he will be able to clear up the misunderstanding and avoid any misunderstandings..."

Li Bi interjected, "I fear that if things had truly gone as planned, we might not have known that it was he who revealed our whereabouts, which led to the rebels' ambush. Even if they had caught up with us, there would have been no misunderstandings to clear up, and no grudges to be formed."

Li Ji said, "I suspect that Zhen Sui, surrounded by soldiers on Tanshan that day, might not have been able to escape unscathed... Perhaps she was rescued by Cui Qi... that woman who used the pseudonym 'A Cuo,' and then recuperated from her injuries until her brother visited the Emperor in Ding'an before returning home. Perhaps Li Fuguo or Cui Guangyuan, fearing that the matter would implicate them, hid her from view..."

Why wouldn't Zhen Sui meet with Li Heng to clarify the matter? Firstly, Li Fuguo shouldn't have interfered in Li Heng's summons of Li Bi, but he almost ruined the whole thing, so how could he dare to tell Li Heng and Li Bi directly? Secondly, Cui Guangyuan's private keeping of wandering martial arts masters, and Li Fuguo's association with Cui Guangyuan, an official outside the capital, as an eunuch, were things that were inconvenient for the emperor to know.

They weren't like Tian Qianzhen, who had just surrendered, had no relatives or friends, and was walking on eggshells, not daring to conceal any old grudges. In the eyes of people like Li Fuguo and Cui Guangyuan, even if the matter were exposed, it wouldn't be fatal; in fact, keeping it a secret would be more advantageous to them. So, Your Majesty, why do you know so much? Let's stick to the story we told when we first met Li Bi, and insist that Zhou Zhi did it.

"However, Zhen Sui was restless and went to Ding'an City to buy rouge for Cui Qi, and unfortunately I ran into him..." Li Ji continued to ponder, "The next day, an assassin broke into the palace and attacked the marshal, which seemed rather strange..."

He heard Li Bi shout, "Stop! Do you want to trap me in a ravine?!"

Li Ji suddenly snapped out of his reverie, realizing he had been so engrossed in his thoughts that his right foot was already by the roadside, and he almost pulled the horse straight into the drainage ditch...

His train of thought was interrupted, and when he looked up again, Liang County was already in sight. However, it was already dark, and the county town must have closed its four gates, making it difficult to enter. Fortunately, there was still a post station outside the city, so Li Bi used his official document to obtain a superior room. After having dinner with Li Ji, they slept together again.

Li Ji, who was on the couch, explained everything that had happened. Li Bi then asked, "Since the Prince of Guangping wanted you to stay, why did you leave Luoyang?"

"Naturally, I've come to visit my elder brother."

"Although I have destroyed my dwelling and left, my life is safe. However, it is not advisable for you to leave Luoyang at this time. When His Majesty took his leave the other day, the Emperor sent envoys to Shu to welcome the Retired Emperor back to the capital. Once the Retired Emperor arrives, he will surely appoint the Crown Prince, and the end of the military campaign will likely not be far off. If you come with me to Hengyang, traveling thousands of miles, the bright future you have created will probably become overgrown with thorns again."

As Li Chu said before Li Ji left, it would be more convenient to arrange a good position and a good place for Li Ji while he was still the military commander-in-chief—of course, this would have to wait for Li Heng to approve the request for merit first—but if the military campaign was abolished or the commander-in-chief was replaced, he would be a prince in name only, and even if he were the crown prince, he might not be able to directly intervene in the promotion and demotion of officials.

Li Ji only held the title of a seventh-rank official, and according to regulations, he could only submit his application to the Ministry of War for selection—that is, first pass the examination, and then wait for a vacancy to be filled with a substantive post. However, without the help of money or the support of powerful officials, the waiting period for an official position could very well be—ten thousand years.

After the Kaiyuan era, most of the princes and grandsons of the emperor had little presence. Neither the Prince of Guangping nor the Prince of Jianning would likely send a message to the Ministry of War requesting that Li Ji be taken care of. If Li Chu were to be made crown prince, then he would have to avoid suspicion and could not easily interfere in the appointment of officials. Furthermore, Li Bi had already resigned from his post and gone into seclusion, so Li Ji could be said to be all alone and without any support.

On the contrary, Li Fuguo, Yu Chaoen, and others might send a message to the Ministry of War, suggesting that Li Ji be left out of the picture for life.

That's why Li Bi said, "At this critical juncture, for the sake of your own future, you really shouldn't leave the Luoyang Commander's Mansion—"Or let's part ways tomorrow. I'll go to Hengshan, and you can go back to Luoyang."

Li Ji quickly replied, "Now that I'm here, I naturally want to escort you safely to Hengshan before I can be at ease." He paused, then couldn't help but ask, "You just said that the military campaign is about to be discontinued. Does this mean that An Qingxu has fled back to Hebei and is indeed like a fish in a pot or a turtle in a jar, to be captured soon and no longer a threat? However, it seems that your plan for the Emperor is not like that..."

Didn't you say that we shouldn't rush to recover the two capitals, but should first attack Fanyang and seize the rebels' stronghold so that the rebellion could be quelled as soon as possible? The emperor didn't listen to you. Didn't you also lament that the chaos might continue for quite some time?

Li Bi gently shook his head and said, "Times change and circumstances shift, so strategies should also be adjusted. An Qingxu has fled back to Hebei, and the government troops have just recovered the two capitals and pacified Henan. They must be exhausted and unable to pursue him quickly, which may give them the opportunity to regroup and cause trouble again. I have pondered this matter repeatedly and finally came up with a plan, which I will present to Your Majesty before I leave..."