Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Yan Zhuang defected and surrendered, and was appointed Minister of Agriculture. Based on the clues Li Ji had gathered from various sources these past few days, it seemed this fellow had always kept to himself, rarely interacting with people outside of official business, behaving very cautiously and honestly. Could it be that this schemer, used to his ways, has finally lost his temper and is ready to stir up trouble again?

To be honest, he didn't have a good impression of Yan Zhuang, because An Lushan's rebellion was largely instigated by Yan Zhuang. In Li Ji's view, An Lushan's three chief strategists—Gao Shang, Yan Zhuang, and Zhou Zhi—were all treacherous advisors who brought chaos to the world, just like Jia Xu and Jia Wenhe of the Later Han Dynasty.

Of course, whether those three guys had Jia Xu's abilities is another matter.

The key issue is Jia Xu's rebellion. From instigating Li Jue, Guo Si, and other military leaders in Guanzhong to rise in rebellion, to encouraging Zhang Xiu to surrender and then rebel again in Wancheng, his intentions are clear: he was essentially acting out of self-preservation, resorting to a desperate measure—as long as he could survive, the fate of the nation and the people was unimportant. Gao Shang, Yan Zhuang, and others, on the other hand, had no life-threatening danger, yet they instigated An Lushan solely to gain personal wealth and power; their character was even more despicable than Jia Wenhe's.

Furthermore, after Jia Xu joined Cao Cao, he remained honest and unassuming. "Considering he was not a former minister of Emperor Taizu (Cao Cao), yet possessed profound strategies, he feared arousing suspicion, so he kept to himself, avoided private relationships, and refrained from marrying into wealthy or powerful families. Thus, all those who discussed wisdom and strategy in the world flocked to him." If you, Yan Zhuang, truly regret your past actions—mainly misjudging An Lushan and believing him to be a worthy ruler—and sincerely serve the Tang Dynasty to atone for your past transgressions, then that would be fine. But now you dare to jump out and cause trouble? With me, Li Er, here, I will absolutely not let you have your way!

Just as I was pondering whether I should play dumb again to lull this guy into a false sense of security and find an opportunity to investigate his conspiracy, I heard Yan Zhuang say, "I've heard that Erlang once infiltrated the Luoyang Imperial Palace alone and rescued the Crown Prince's concubine, Shen, amidst the chaos. It's a pity we didn't get to meet that day. Today, however, he doesn't live up to his reputation. I never imagined Erlang would grow such a thick beard, making him seem like a brave warrior rather than a shrewd lone hero."

Li Ji thought to himself, "You're ruthless!"

It was obvious that their feigned ignorance had failed to fool Cui Qi, who naturally reported it to Cui Guangyuan, who had probably already spoken to Yan Zhuang—it was unclear what the relationship between the two was. Now, Yan Zhuang cut to the chase, setting the tone for the meeting: "I know you're not stupid, let's have a smart conversation."

Helpless, he could only manage a wry smile: "What do you mean by meticulous? Yan... Eleven Lang is too kind." Although it was just a usual polite remark, it was tantamount to his admission.

Because there's no point in denying it. Li Ji had met Cui Guangyuan once and knew that this man was very cunning and not easily fooled; as for Yan Zhuang, who was able to instigate An Lushan's rebellion and then assist An Qingxu in murdering his father, could he be a simple person? Since his own true colors had already been revealed, how could he possibly pretend in front of them?

Besides, he is currently just a guest at the banquet, and he doesn't know exactly why Cui Guangyuan and Yan Zhuang sought him out. Unless he becomes their confidant or henchman, he can't get any information by just pretending to be stupid.

Alright then, if you want smart people to have a conversation with smart people, then let's do it.

Just as he was about to ask and seize the initiative, he heard Lü Miaozhen's voice from outside the door: "Now that all the guests are here, shall we serve the dishes?"

Cui Guangyuan instructed, "Serve the dishes, and call your daughter over to play the zither to entertain the guests."

Lü Miaozhen agreed, and soon after, maids brought exquisite food and wine, arranging them in a flowing manner before the three of them. Once the three tables were almost full, the maids withdrew, and then a beautiful woman carrying a zither gracefully entered.

The woman wore her hair in a high bun, adorned with hairpins and a tortoiseshell comb in the front—one wondered if it was tiring to carry so many ornaments on her head. She wore a five-colored silk blouse with silver embroidery, a single-layered red silk shawl with silver embroidery, and an eight-panel yellow silk skirt with silver embroidery, exuding an air of wealth and elegance. Her face was a full moon, perfectly conforming to the aesthetics of the time, with delicately drawn eyebrows, bright red lips, and gold and yellow floral decorations… To be honest, Li Ji didn't find it appealing. The only redeeming feature on her round face was her pair of bright, clear, and lively eyes.

This must be Su Su, the prostitute listed at Lü Miaozhen's house. Li Ji thought to himself, "Last time I came, I didn't even get a glimpse of her face. But oh well, even if I did see her, I wouldn't want to stay here overnight."

After Su Su entered, she first curtsied to the three men. Cui Guangyuan beckoned to her, "Sit down next to Erlang." Then he asked, "Do you know this Li Erlang?"

Su Su shook her head slightly: "We've never met."

Cui Guangyuan laughed and said, "If I hadn't stopped you that day, Erlang would have been your lover too, hahaha." Yan Zhuang, who was standing next to him, also said, "Now Erlang is famous all over the world, but you missed out on this good match back then."

Su Su's beautiful eyes swept over Li Ji, her face showing surprise and delight: "Could it be that you are Li Erlang, who defeated the barbarians in Longyou?"

Cui Guangyuan said, "If it weren't for him, how could he be my honored guest?"

Su Su's eyes lit up, but unfortunately, her face was covered with too much makeup, so it was impossible to tell how surprised she was... She immediately wanted to sit down next to Li Ji, but Li Ji quickly waved his hand: "I was just about to listen to Miss Su Su's wonderful voice. If you are next to me, I can't see the finger movements clearly..." He raised his hand: "Please sit next to Wu Lang instead."

“Alright,” Cui Guangyuan observed Li Ji’s expression and then patted the person next to him, “Susu, come sit down. From here, you can get a good look at Li Erlang’s demeanor.”

The banquet began, and the three toasted each other, enjoying the delicacies. Su Su placed her zither on her lap and played to keep him company. To be honest, although Li Ji wasn't musically illiterate, he couldn't appreciate the zither music at all—it was too refined, and he didn't understand the meaning of the tinkling sounds. He preferred the more common, folksy kind of music. He simply ate his fill, indulging in the rich and greasy food, while chatting idly with Cui Guangyuan and Yan Zhuang.

Because it's a serious matter, you can't just chat with a prostitute like that—I bet Cui Guangyuan and the others need to have a few rounds of drinks first to create a warm atmosphere before getting down to business.

Naturally, the conversation turned to the matter of defending Longyou against the barbarians, and Li Ji gave a brief and essential account. Cui Guangyuan then said, "I heard some good news yesterday."

Before Li Ji could ask any questions, he immediately explained: "It is said that when the Prince of Fengjie entered the palace to respectfully inquire about the Emperor's health, he earnestly requested the Emperor to promote him and appoint Hun Shizhi as the Deputy Military Governor of Longyou."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji felt a slight surge of joy.

He knew that Hun Shizhi was originally a Tiele person who joined the Shuofang Army at a young age and rose through the ranks to become a third-rank military officer, highly regarded by Guo Ziyi. Although he didn't know the specifics of Hun Shizhi's deeds or what victories he had won, he was, after all, a veteran general of Shuofang, and surely more reliable than Gao Sheng, right? With such an assistant, Li Tan's chances of winning against the barbarians would definitely be much greater.

So they inquired about Hun Shizhi, but to their surprise, neither Cui Guangyuan nor Yan Zhuang knew much about him. Cui Guangyuan, however, quickly shifted the conversation to Hun Shizhi's son—"His son, Rijin, was only eleven years old in the fifth year of the Tianbao era. He accompanied his father on autumn defense duty. At that time, Zhang Qiqiu, the military governor of Shuofang, jokingly asked, 'Did you come with your wet nurse?' However, the following year, Hun Rijin distinguished himself with great merit, again participating in the army's defeat of the Helu tribe, the Battle of Shibao City, and the recapture of Longju Island, displaying unparalleled bravery. Later, he was ordered by An Sishun to lead a detachment deep into the Karluk territory, where he decisively defeated Abusi…"

"This year, he was only twenty-five years old, yet he had already risen to the rank of Grand Master of the Palace, standing shoulder to shoulder with his father. Among the young heroes of our Tang Dynasty, this son is truly the best... Hehe, only Erlang in Longyou managed to slightly overshadow him."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Wow, that's impressive... The Minister of the Imperial Stud is a third-rank official. 'Inspector' originally meant acting in a position, but now most officials have become honorary or honorary titles, one or two ranks lower than the regular position. But even so, he's still far superior to my own eighth-rank official! Come to think of it, that guy is only three or four years older than me..."

There was nothing he could do. The man came from a military family and had been on the battlefield with his father since he was eleven, while he, Li Erlang, was still playing in the mud with his father in Ji County when he was eleven...

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Su Su played three pieces on her zither and then asked the guests to compose poems. Li Ji panicked and hurriedly said, "I am a rough man and cannot write poetry!"

Yan Zhuang chuckled and said, "Li Erlang, who says 'every grain is hard-earned,' how come he can't write poetry?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Even you've heard about this... I'll definitely find that guy who's spreading it around and give him a good beating when I have the chance!" He waved his hand and said, "It's just a rhyming phrase, vulgar words, not poetry..."

“How can it not be called poetry?” Yan Zhuang said solemnly. “Although those twenty characters are simple and unadorned, they have the charm of the Han Dynasty folk song ‘Green, green are the sunflowers in the garden’, and they are quite satirical and have a strong sense of irony. In my opinion, they are a rare masterpiece of our time!”

Li Ji remained modest—of course he had to be modest, after all, it wasn't his own work, it was plagiarism—and finally Cui Guangyuan said, "Never mind, actually neither Shiyilang nor I are particularly skilled in poetry." He then sighed, "When we were young, we could still compose poems, but since entering officialdom, our poetic inspiration has gradually faded, and we only manage two or three lines of fragments throughout the whole year." He smiled and said to Susu, "According to your family's rules, if there is no poetry, it can be compensated with money. So, in addition to today's banquet expenses, I will contribute ten bolts of brocade."

Su Su repeatedly said she dared not. She was used to dealing with such situations and was adept at reading people's expressions. She knew that the guests had gone too far in their conversation and that she could no longer eavesdrop. So, she excused herself to touch up her makeup and left. Immediately, Cui Guangyuan waved his hand, dismissed the serving maids, and ordered the door to be closed.

Before Li Ji could speak, Yan Zhuang asked, "Second Brother, do you foresee that the barbarian bandits will invade again this autumn?"

Li Ji nodded: "If there are no major setbacks, it's likely to be seven or eight out of ten."

"Then, is His Highness Prince Qi in Longyou able to defend himself?"

Li Ji remained silent—in fact, silence was the best expression of his opinion.

Cui Guangyuan sighed, "In the end, we are outnumbered and weak... It's a pity that the Ministry of War requested the return of the Longyou army temporarily stationed in Shaanxi the other day, but the Emperor refused..."

Li Ji cursed Li Heng inwardly, but said aloud, "With Minister Guo still in Luoyang, how could the capital possibly be in danger? What use are those western troops stationed in Shanxian?"

Yan Zhuang smiled and said, "I'm afraid that Minister Guo's time to defend Luoyang is also running out."

"What do you mean by that, Eleventh Brother?"

"Do you know that Yu Chaoen led the Shence Army into Wei and has already passed Weinan?"

Li Ji nodded: "I have heard of that."

The fact that Yu Chaoen led the Shence Army into the capital has been the main topic of conversation in the Left and Right Heroic Army Offices in recent days. This is because the Heroic Army was originally the most powerful force in the Imperial Guards, but with the return of the Shence Army, the Heroic Army would surely have to give way. It is said that the Shence Army entering the capital numbered four thousand, twice the size of the Left and Right Heroic Army. Furthermore, Yu Chaoen, as the Left General of the Imperial Guards, in charge of the Inner Palace Affairs Bureau, and concurrently the Military Commissioner for Inspection and Pacification, far surpasses Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming in terms of favor, rank, and power.

Dou and Huo, the two eunuchs, were quite anxious about this, but it was clear that even Li Fuguo couldn't bring down Yu Chaoen, so what good ideas could they possibly have? Li Ji was naturally also very uncomfortable about this, but being of low rank and position, he had no way to do anything, so he immediately pricked up his ears to hear what Yan Zhuang had to say.

Yan Zhuang continued, "Someone must take responsibility for the defeat at Xiangzhou..." Li Ji thought to himself, "There's someone here who should take responsibility, but he's still doing well as the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince."

“If Yu Chaoen returns to court, he will surely slander Minister Guo, and Minister Guo will likely have no choice but to abdicate,” Yan Zhuang said, then suddenly leaned forward slightly and looked at Li Ji. “Furthermore, with the Shence Army entering the Imperial Guard, the Yingwu Army will be unable to control the Forbidden City. Doesn’t Your Highness have any worries about this?”

Li Ji instinctively feigned ignorance, saying, "The Yingwu Army is merely protecting the Emperor and guarding the Forbidden City. How can you say they control it? And why should I have any worries or fears?"

Yan Zhuang pointed at him and said, "Second Brother, this kind of talk is boring. I have a plan that can make the Yingwu Army and the Shence Army fight each other. If you are interested, I will offer it to you; if you do not want to hear it, I don't care."

Li Ji thought for a moment, then asked in return, "May I ask, Eleventh Brother, what is your purpose in summoning me today?"

Yan Zhuang smiled and said, "Nothing much, I just want to ask you in person what exactly the Emperor said when he summoned Erlang to the imperial carriage the other day when he moved the palace."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Could I just casually mention those things to anyone? If it weren't for the eunuchs and palace servants from Xingqing Palace nearby that day—who knows if one of them has good ears or might be someone else's spy—I wouldn't have been able to give Li Shi a rough report that night. Otherwise, I would have had to keep it from even Li Shi!" He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Yan Zhuang: "Eleventh Prince is a man of wisdom. So, what do you think the Emperor Emeritus would say to me?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Zhuang exchanged a brief glance with Cui Guangyuan, then turned to Li Ji and said in a low voice, "How could I possibly guess what the Emperor was saying? But I imagine it's nothing more than some kind of 'karmic retribution'..."

Chapter Four: Personal Interests and Public Duties

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When Yan Zhuang uttered the words "retribution," even Li Ji, who was quite shrewd, couldn't help but be slightly startled, and the muscles on his face immediately stiffened.

Yan and Cui both stared intently at his expression, and nodded in agreement. Yan Zhuang said, "I suppose so..." He paused, then said in a low voice, "Second Brother, we can see many things clearly from the outer court. Do you think you can't see them from the inner court? The Emperor's words, once spoken by him, enter your ears. Even if someone else overheard them, they wouldn't dare to spread them. But we've been pondering his thoughts for a long time. How could we not know them? You heard them with your own ears; surely you have no thoughts about them?"

Li Ji immediately retorted, "So what if I have ideas? What ideas does Eleventh Brother want from me? What benefit would this matter bring to Eleventh Brother?"

Yan Zhuang sighed deeply, leaned back slightly, and said slowly, "I know, I know. I once aided and abetted evil, which is why Erlang doesn't trust me. But times have changed. Back then, there was indeed an opportunity, which is why I assisted the An family. Now it seems... it was all in vain. Would I still act as a spy for the An family? Or would I, like Zhou Zhi, place my hopes on Shi Siming? Those barbarian thieves are ultimately beyond saving!"

"The Tang family's fate is not yet over. I abandoned my sinking ship and returned. Would I really put another hole in this old ship, the only one I can rely on? If the infighting in the inner court, as the Emperor Emeritus said, leads to some kind of karmic retribution, then I, with my past transgressions, will most likely be the first to suffer. Can't I use my wisdom and strategy to save the collapsing empire and leave myself a way out?"

At this point, he turned his attention to Cui Guangyuan. Cui Guangyuan understood and slowly said, "My Cui family of Boling was once among the five noble families and seven prominent clans, and we were once filled with officials in the court, but now we have fallen into ruin..." He gritted his teeth as he spoke, "Back then, we shouldn't have tried to curry favor with the Yang family of Hongnong!"

The Yang family was once extremely powerful because of Yang Guifei. All of Yang Guifei's sisters married into prestigious families: the eldest, Lady of Han, married the Cui family of Boling; the second, Lady of Guo, married the Pei family of Wenxi; and the third, Lady of Qin, married the Liu family of Hedong. However, with the downfall of the Yang family, all their in-laws were implicated. Emperor Li Heng's dislike of the Cui family was well-known in the court and among the people, and Emperor Li Yu was even more cold and indifferent to his principal wife, Lady Cui, refusing to visit her even when she was seriously ill and dying.

Therefore, Cui Guangyuan's anxiety was entirely understandable—"Now, among the Cui family of Boling, only my son Yisun (Cui Youfu) and I can still serve in the court..."

Previously, the Cui family of Boling had produced many prime ministers, such as Cui Dunli during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, Cui Xuanwei and Cui Shi during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong, and Cui Riyong during the reign of Emperor Ruizong. In addition, officials of the fifth rank and above were scattered throughout the court. However, after the return to the capital, first Cui Huan was dismissed from his post as prime minister (excluding Cui Yuan, who was from the Qinghe Cui clan), then Cui Guangyuan failed to obtain the position of prime minister and was instead sent to a military governorship, and then only given the honorary title of Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince. The Cui family of Boling gradually declined. Now, perhaps only Cui Youfu, the Assistant Minister of Personnel, remains a hope.

Cui Guangyuan stopped mid-sentence, believing that Li Ji would understand his intentions.

Now, the Cui family of Boling has placed its bets on Li Shi, and Li Shi has also revealed that Cui Youfu served in the Prince Cheng's palace before Li Yu was made crown prince. So it is clear that the Cui family's hope for a revival lies in keeping the succession system of Li Heng-Li Yu-Li Shi unchanged. As far as the palace is concerned, maintaining the status quo is most advantageous for them.

Li Ji listened to their conversation, remaining silent for a long time, deep in thought. Clearly, the two were drawing up their positions and making their stances clear. Yan Zhuang, for self-preservation, wanted to gamble on Li Yu and his son—because Empress Zhang was extremely powerful, and he couldn't possibly get involved. Furthermore, Empress Zhang's eldest son, Li Zhao, had died last year, and her second son, Li Dong, was still young; Yan Zhuang couldn't place his hopes on such an unsettled child. Cui Guangyuan, on the other hand, was already bound to Li Shi for the sake of the entire Boling Cui clan.

However, despite their intelligence, the two were helpless in the face of potential changes in the inner court. Yan Zhuang, as a surrendered official, was bound by many taboos, while Cui Guangyuan had been sidelined and was probably less influential than his cousin Cui Youfu. Therefore, they thought of befriending Li Ji to gather information about the inner court.

Especially since Li Ji is also a confidant of Li Shi, and it has recently been heard that Li Fuguo is no longer planning to deal with him. So, through Li Ji, could we try to gradually steer the situation in the inner court in a direction that is favorable to ourselves? After all, Li Ji is not a foolish person—if so, we dare not use him as a pawn, because once it is leaked, there will be endless troubles—there is a possibility of a deal or even cooperation between the two sides.

Of course, Li Ji only listened to three-tenths of what the two men said. If they claimed that Yan Zhuang was wholeheartedly trying to maintain political stability—at least within the inner court—and that Cui Guangyuan was not seeking to become prime minister for his own family but only protecting his clan, Li Ji would never believe it, even if he beat them to death. Moreover, although Li Ji understood that the situation within the inner court directly affected the outer court, the fact that they, as court officials, did not think about fulfilling their duties and serving the emperor wholeheartedly, but instead focused on currying favor with the successor, revealed their despicable character.

But since the two had already gone this far, Li Ji temporarily suppressed the several probing questions he had prepared. He picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and slowly said, "How can we possibly interfere in the affairs of the Emperor's family? Besides, Prince Ding is still young; he will be more than ten years old when he comes of age..."

The implication is that if Li Heng were to issue an edict to change the heir apparent, he shouldn't expect Li Heng to stage a military coup for Li Yu—it's not entirely impossible, but he currently has neither the intention nor the power to do so. Furthermore, Consort Zhang's son, Prince Ding, Li Tong, is still very young. Li Heng's desire to depose the eldest son and install the younger one would likely face strong opposition from the court officials; the crisis would probably only arise when Li Tong is older.

Yan Zhuang smiled and reminded him, "Didn't the Emperor Emeritus say, 'What goes around comes around'? I'm afraid the same thing will happen again during the Jinglong era."

In the fourth year of the Jinglong era, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, died suddenly, supposedly poisoned by Empress Wei and Princess Anle. Whether this was true or not, no one knows, but Empress Wei immediately forged an imperial edict, deposed Emperor Taizong Li Dan (later Emperor Ruizong of Tang), and enthroned Prince Wen, Li Chongmao, as emperor, changing the era name to Tanglong, thus triggering the "Tanglong Coup".

Yan Zhuang said this because he was worried that Empress Zhang might follow Empress Wei's example and not necessarily commit regicide, but she might forge an imperial edict to depose Li Yu from his position as crown prince.

Li Ji said, “The country has its own system, how can it be done recklessly by one or two people? If a rebellion breaks out, the inner court and the outer court, civil and military officials alike, will jointly suppress it!” He first stated his position, and then asked, “Does Yu Chaoen have any disloyal intentions?” Are you worried that he will lead the Shence Army into Wei, but then side with Empress Zhang?

Cui Guangyuan said, "Human hearts are unpredictable. After all, Yu Chaoen and the Crown Prince have a long-standing feud..."

Li Ji thought to himself that Li Fuguo and Li Yu had fought before, but now they had made peace. However, he was not at ease with Yu Chaoen. If Yu Chaoen was in league with Empress Zhang, the four thousand Shence Army would be far more than the two thousand Yingwu Army could handle.

"Then Shiyilang just said that he has a plan to counter Yu Chaoen. Please tell me."

Yan Zhuang smiled slightly, thinking to himself that the fish had finally taken the bait. He then leaned forward again and lowered his voice, saying, "Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming are both too inexperienced. How can they possibly stand against Yu Chaoen? The Yingwu Army is currently without generals, so we should select loyal and honest men to serve as generals."

"Which general is on Eleven Lang's mind?"

Yan Zhuang slowly shook his head and said, "How can an outside general command the valiant army?" Li Heng wouldn't trust a legitimate general; he only trusts eunuchs, wouldn't he?

"Then only Li Fuguo can subdue Yu Chaoen."

Yan Zhuang shook his head again: "The Emperor will absolutely not allow Li Fuguo to actually command the Imperial Guards."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji nodded slightly. It seemed that Yan Zhuang also understood clearly that Li Fuguo was merely a tool used by Li Heng to control the outer court, and his own power was limited. So how could Li Heng allow someone, even his most trusted eunuch, to not only control the outer court officials but also to control the intelligence agency and thus hold military power? Even if he didn't strip Li Fuguo of his title of "Military Commander," it would only give Li Fuguo some influence over the outer army, but he would never be allowed to interfere in the affairs of the Imperial Guard.

If Li Heng were willing to let Li Fuguo lead the Imperial Guards, why would he hand over the Yingwu Army to Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming, who were not under Li Fuguo's command? And why would he specifically summon Yu Chaoen to lead the Shence Army to guard the capital?

"Then who should be chosen is someone we hope Eleventh Brother will tell us."

Yan Zhuang then revealed his trump card: "No one can control Yu Chaoen now, but we can slightly hinder him and divide his power. I am not very familiar with the eunuchs and my knowledge is limited—one is Cheng Yuanzhen, and the other is Sun Changkai."

Li Ji thought to himself, "What a coincidence! Sun Changkai is my neighbor."

In fact, neither of the two eunuchs Yan Zhuang mentioned were currently powerful figures in the palace, but they both maintained a certain distance from Li Fuguo—if they were clearly Li Fuguo's cronies, they would have no chance of taking command of the Yingwu Army. Among them, through the information revealed by Li Shi, Li Ji knew that Cheng Yuanzhen seemed to be part of Li Yu and his son's faction, and Sun Changkai… might be too! Therefore, Yan Zhuang recommended these two.

He certainly didn't want Li Ji to offer advice to Li Shi, or even to go through other channels to recommend the two eunuchs. He wanted Li Ji to pass on a message to Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming. He figured the two eunuchs, Dou and Huo, must be terrified by Yu Chaoen's return of favor and desperately need a powerful patron, or at least someone influential to protect them. As things stood, Li Ji was probably the only one who could reach the two eunuchs and deliver their message.

Li Ji tapped the table lightly with his finger, thinking to himself, "This must be the theme of your banquet today: minimizing the potential impact of Yu Chaoen's entry into the Imperial Guard and maintaining stability within the inner court... or at least a balance." After a moment's thought, he bowed to Yan Zhuang, saying, "I've learned much. But is there anything else you two need my help with?"