The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 550: Life is full of crossroads

As autumn arrives, the rice paddies along the official road turn a pale golden yellow. The distant mountains are layered, and although emerald green is still the dominant color, one can already glimpse a few strokes of early-ripening pale yellow and ochre red, slowly spreading out.

A large, four-wheeled carriage, accompanied by several well-dressed attendants in plain clothes, traveled slowly along the wide official road.

With the carriage curtain half-rolled up, the early autumn breeze from Jiangnan, carrying the cool scent of grass and trees, filled the carriage, dispelling the slight stuffiness of the afternoon.

The carriage was elegantly decorated. Xiao Yan was comfortably resting his head on Chi Meng's lap, enjoying the gentle breeze and the sweet, youthful scent emanating from the girl. He was quite comfortable.

Chi Meng sat cross-legged on the cushion, busy peeling a tangerine she had bought from Quzhou City. The golden peel was torn into pieces, and the juice slightly dampened her slender white fingers.

"Oh dear, this skin is so hard to peel," she muttered to herself, finally managing to peel off a small portion, revealing the plump flesh inside. She broke off a segment, popped it into her mouth without even looking at it, chewed it a couple of times with her cheeks puffed out, and then her eyes lit up.

"So sweet!"

After tasting it herself, she remembered that there was still someone resting on her lap, so she quickly broke off a piece and carefully offered it to Xiao Yan's lips.

Xiao Yan closed his eyes, but a slight smile played on his lips as he opened his mouth to receive the drink. A refreshing citrus scent then gently filled the carriage, soothing and pleasant.

Seeing that he had eaten, Chi Meng chuckled, her mood becoming even more cheerful. She then broke off the obviously larger half and leaned forward to offer it to the Empress and Ji Ruxue opposite her: "Sister Yunji, Sister Xue'er, you should try some too, it's so sweet!"

The Empress had just put down the memorial she was reviewing, and gave Xiao Yan a slightly reproachful look before taking the few segments of orange flesh, putting them to her lips, and savoring them. A hint of surprise flashed in her phoenix eyes, and she nodded slightly: "Indeed sweet and juicy."

Ji Ruxue sat on the other side by the window, taking in the Empress's helpless yet indulgent expression. She found it somewhat amusing. Her gaze swept over Xiao Yan, and she accepted the orange Chi Meng offered. She chatted with her for a few moments, then looked out at the ever-changing scenery. Occasionally, she could see women washing clothes and children playing in the water by the river.

Her eyebrows unconsciously curved upwards, as if she were lost in thought.

Chi Meng ate another segment herself, continuing her struggle with the stubborn orange peel, while her mouth didn't stop either: "Little pot, how long do we still have to walk to Kuozhou? I heard that the people living in the mountains there wear brightly colored clothes, a bit like our Raojiang!"

As she spoke, her body swayed slightly involuntarily with joy, causing Xiao Yan's head to rise and fall gently as well.

Xiao Yan opened his eyes, but his vision was blocked, and he couldn't see Chi Meng's face. He could only smile helplessly, close his eyes again, and lazily replied, "Soon. At our current pace, we'll arrive in two more days. I've heard that the She ethnic customs in Kuozhou are indeed unique. I'll make sure you get your fill of them, and maybe you can even find someone to spar with in Gu techniques."

"Really?" Chi Meng became excited, and without noticing, her fingernails pinched the orange flesh, and a little bit of juice splashed onto Xiao Yan's chest. She cried out "Ouch!" and hurriedly reached over to wipe it with her sleeve, pressing down on him and almost suffocating him.

Just then, a rapid, rhythmic sound of hooves came from behind, growing louder as it approached. Someone had caught up with the caravan and deftly reined in their horse beside the carriage. Seeing this, Zhong Xiao Kui, who was driving, also gently tightened the reins, causing the carriage to slow down slightly.

"Your Majesty," Shi Yao's voice came through, "urgent reports from Quanzhou and Fuzhou."

Xiao Yan's lazy smile vanished instantly. He opened his eyes, his gaze clearing again. He patted Chi Meng's hand, signaling her to stop wiping, and then sat up. Chi Meng also realized they had important business to attend to, and obediently sat down, still holding the half-peeled orange in her hand.

"Bring it in."

Shi Yao bowed and entered the carriage, then knelt respectfully, holding a scroll of documents high in her hands. This posture made her unconsciously tense her back, making the curves of her waist and hips appear particularly clear and bulging under the tight-fitting clothes.

Xiao Yan took the letter, unfolded it, and quickly began to read it, his brows furrowing slightly.

The Empress and Ji Ruxue both focused their attention on him, and Chi Meng stopped peeling the orange and blinked at him.

A moment later, Xiao Yan finished reading the letter again, gently put the letter down, and seemed to only then notice that Shi Yao was still kneeling.

Xiao Yan handed the letter to the Empress, then glanced at Shi Yao. His tone was unreadable, and he casually said, "It's just delivering a military report. Why do you need to make the trip yourself? Just have someone bring it. If you have to do everything yourself, people will think that I have a problem with you, Shi Yao, and that I'm deliberately humiliating you."

Shi Yao knelt there, startled at first, then slightly pursing her lips. But in front of the Empress and the two concubines, she had no way to express her bitterness, especially when she noticed the Empress's meaningful gaze sweeping over her. Thinking that her posture just now might have been somewhat inappropriate, her cheeks flushed slightly, and a strange sense of embarrassment and grievance welled up in her heart, but she had no way to explain herself. She couldn't very well say that it was because her figure was too plump, could she?

So she could only whisper, "Yes... Your Majesty understands. Thank you for your understanding."

"Go down, follow outside."

"Yes," Shi Yao replied, maintaining a respectful posture as she bowed and exited the carriage.

As she stepped off, she keenly noticed that Zhong Xiaokui, seemingly oblivious to her presence on the carriage shaft, glanced at her very quickly. A surge of inexplicable embarrassment and anger welled up within her, but she ultimately just silently mounted her horse and followed behind the carriage. The autumn wind ruffled her hair, but it couldn't dispel the faint blush on her face or the pent-up frustration in her heart.

The Empress quickly scanned the letter, then glanced at Xiao Yan. After receiving his approval, she handed the letter to Chi Meng, who was already unable to contain her curiosity. Chi Meng immediately moved closer to Ji Ruxue, and the two heads leaned intimately together as they read it in a low voice.

The letter described nothing more than the Quanzhou massacre and the surrender of the entire Fujian region.

However, the letter detailed how the fake Li risked breaking into the governor's mansion at night, persuaded Wang Yanbin, and then inadvertently exposed his identity, which led to a mutiny and attack by Xu Wen's dead soldiers. Fortunately, Li Xingyun arrived in time, stood back to back with the fake Li, and cooperated with the Imperial Guards to fight through the chaotic army, barely managing to stabilize the situation. They then waited for the state troops mobilized by Wang Yanbin to arrive and wipe out Xu Wen's henchmen.

"That was close..." The Empress looked at the ambiguous smile on Xiao Yan's face, and knew that he was quite satisfied with the result. So she went along with his wishes and said gently, "If it weren't for their quick thinking and decisiveness, Quanzhou would have been burned to the ground, and the losses would have been incalculable. Wang Shenzhi would probably have had a hard time making a decision."

Xiao Yan then chuckled and said:

"Li Yi was able to set aside his past obsessions, foresight, and risk his life to persuade Wang Yanbin, which is 'understanding the big picture'; Li Xingyun was able to consider the overall situation, disregard old grudges, lend a helping hand in time, and fight to the death alongside his brothers, which is 'knowing when to advance and retreat'; in times of crisis, the two were able to put aside past grievances, join forces to fight the enemy, protect Quanzhou, and pacify the local area, which is 'having a sense of responsibility'... These two have truly impressed me this time."

After saying that, he raised his voice slightly and called out, "Shi Yao."

"Your subject is here," came Shi Yao's immediate reply from outside the carriage.

"I hereby convey my oral decree to Li Xingyun and Li Yi. It concerns the nine words: 'Understand the general trend, know when to advance and retreat, and be responsible.' I am very pleased with them." Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, then added, "Also, inform them that there is no need to rush the matter of the Twelve Caves of Raojiang. Li Yi needs to take good care of his injuries and wait until he is fully recovered before making further considerations."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take care of it immediately," Shi Yao replied from outside the carriage. Soon after, the sound of horses' hooves rang out and faded into the distance, clearly indicating that they were going to arrange the delivery of the imperial edict.

Xiao Yan then looked at the Empress again and said, "The Fujian region has just been pacified, and there are countless things to manage. Wang Shenzhi has moved his entire clan to Bianjing, so he should be given a house and allowed to live a peaceful life. As for his civil and military officials, apart from the ringleaders and the stubborn ones, the rest can be retained as appropriate to appease the people. As for the selection of the first Provincial Governor of Fujian..."

He squinted and tapped his knee. "Wang Yanbin's decisive action in quelling the chaos in Quanzhou and protecting the port is commendable. He is also familiar with the local conditions in Fujian. Let him temporarily assume the post of Provincial Treasurer, allowing him to atone for his crimes and implement new policies as soon as possible to stabilize the region. What do you think?"

The Empress nodded slightly: "Ninth Prince's considerations are thorough. Wang Yanbin is indeed talented and has a good reputation in Quanzhou. Using him to stabilize Fujian is a relatively safe choice at present. However, it is still necessary to select capable officials to assist him and keep him in check."

“That’s natural.” Xiao Yan nodded. “As for the specific candidates, let Feng Dao and Jing Xiang consider them and draft a list. Quanzhou Port will be established as a Maritime Trade Office, directly under the central government. My brother’s people should be arriving soon, and maritime trade can gradually be put on the agenda…”

……

A few days later, the aroma of herbs filled a secluded courtyard in Quanzhou.

Li Xingyun watched the Imperial Guard who had come to deliver the imperial edict leave, then went inside. Holding the verbal decree with only a few words written on it, he scratched his head. "That's it? This imperial brother is truly… sparing with words. I thought there would at least be some reward…"

The fake Li was sitting on the couch with soft pillows behind him. Both of his arms were wrapped in thick white cloth, especially his left arm, which was fixed with a wooden board. His face was still a little pale.

Hearing Li Xingyun's mutterings, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as if he wanted to mock him, but the movement aggravated his wound, so he just snorted, "A reward? Li Xingyun, when did you become so pragmatic?"

He paused, then said, "Given our past identities and our current awkward situation, the nine words 'Emperor' are already a tremendous reward. It means that the past is over, and from now on... we can at least do things according to our own will." Li Xingyun touched his nose and smiled, "Indeed. To receive his words of 'deep comfort' is indeed more valuable than any reward."

He walked to the bedside, dragged over a stool, and sat down. His tone became serious. "Let's get down to business. Your injury won't heal completely for at least three to five months. We were in such a rush to catch you that we had to temporarily house Shangrao and Yong'an at the Celestial Master's Mansion. Now that you're recovering, I plan to head north to pick them up first, and then we'll head to Raojiang. You... do you want to come along? That way, we can look after each other. Once you're better, we'll go find that senior. As for who can get him out, we'll see who can do it then, how about that?"

Fake Li listened quietly, then turned to look at the swaying tree shadows outside the window, and remained silent for a moment.

“You and I are different, Li Xingyun. You have a wife and daughter, that is where you belong. But I can’t even see the direction of my own path… But I’ve thought it through, I don’t want to follow in anyone’s footsteps anymore.”

He turned to look at Li Xingyun, his eyes devoid of hostility or resentment, and calmly said, "The Emperor has given me a chance. So I want to try and see how far I can go and what I can accomplish with just the name 'Li Yi'. I will go to the Twelve Caves. But let's... go our separate ways."

Li Xingyun opened his mouth, wanting to say something—words of comfort, explanation, or the concern that should exist between brothers—but in an instant, they all choked in his throat.

So, he simply smiled and said, "...In that case, take care."

Surprisingly, even the fake Li smiled at him, which could be considered a response.

However, after a moment's hesitation, Li Xingyun suddenly stood up, walked to the table, picked up the Longquan sword placed on it, and handed it, along with its case, to the fake Li.

"Since you are determined to go to Raojiang first, take this with you."

Li Xingyun said, "Leaving aside the fact that it is a token specifically given to me by the Emperor, which may be useful in the Twelve Caves, the world is now under the rule of the Tang Dynasty. However, the mountains are high and the roads are long, and there are bound to be some ignorant villains or checkpoints. You are not as good as me in combat. If there is an emergency, drawing this sword may save a lot of trouble."

Fake Li was slightly taken aback, but upon hearing Li Xingyun's words, "I can fight better than you," he smirked and said, "Li Xingyun, if you give me this sword, how will you get into the Twelve Caves if you take your wife and daughters there in the future? Are you going to shamelessly ask the Emperor for a second token?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xingyun was not annoyed at all. Instead, he chuckled and casually placed the Longquan Sword beside the fake Li's couch: "If I can't get it, that's fine too. What if by then you, Brother Li Yi, have already made a name for yourself in the Twelve Caves and become some kind of remarkable figure? In that case... I'll just wait outside the caves for you, this important person, to come out and take me in. Wouldn't that be more prestigious?"

Looking at his lazy appearance, Fake Li couldn't help but chuckle, shook his head, and didn't refuse anymore.

"Alright, I'll accept the sword. As for whether I'll take you back, that depends on your performance in the future."

"You're getting all worked up just because I called you fat..."

Just then, some rustling sounds came from outside the courtyard gate, as if people were gathering. Li Xingyun frowned, got up, walked to the gate, and pushed open the slightly ajar gate.

Chen Wu and his gang of local bullies were standing nervously outside the courtyard.

Their injuries hadn't fully healed yet; some had their arms in slings, others had their heads wrapped in bandages, but they all stood inexplicably straight, their faces devoid of the slickness of their usual street thugs, instead displaying an expression that was a mixture of fear, awe, and a certain excitement.

Upon seeing Li Xingyun emerge, Chen Wu and the others were initially startled, then hurriedly bowed in unison.

"Second...Second Master," Chen Wu's voice was very nervous and he stammered, "Oh no, it's...Your Highness..."

He was clearly not fully accustomed to the huge change in status of these two elder brothers suddenly becoming the emperor's younger brothers, and his tongue was even a little tied.

Looking at their expressions, Li Xingyun felt a mix of amusement and emotion. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, Chen Wu, just call me that like before. It sounds nicer."

Chen Wu and the others relaxed a little, but their backs were still slightly hunched.

Chen Wu licked his slightly chapped lips and said cautiously, "Second Master, we... we've all heard about it. You and the Boss... we brothers were blind to your greatness before and offended you greatly. Please forgive us..."

Li Xingyun interrupted him: "There's no need to talk about these things anymore. You came to see me, is there something you need?"

Chen Wu quickly replied, "Yes...it's about the boss."

He was somewhat uneasy, and as he organized his thoughts, he said...
"We heard that our leader will be staying in Quanzhou for a while longer. We brothers don't mean anything by it, we just thought... our leader needs someone to run errands, prepare medicine, and take care of him. We're a few of us, but we have sisters and wives at home, and we're all quite capable and know how to take care of people... If our leader doesn't mind, we'd like them to come and help out. We wouldn't dare to have any intention of clinging to him or bothering him; we just want to repay the two leaders for their help back then and for protecting Quanzhou. If... it's not necessary, we'll leave immediately, we wouldn't dare to trouble our leader!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xingyun glanced back at the room, pondered for a moment, and said to Chen Wu, "It's good that you have this intention. However, he has to agree to it himself."

"Yes, yes, yes, we'll do as you two sirs command!" Chen Wu and the others quickly replied.

Li Xingyun turned around and went back into the house, where he relayed Chen Wu and the others' message to the fake Li.

After listening, Fake Li remained silent for a while, seemingly somewhat moved, and finally nodded, saying, "...Let them come along."

"Okay." Li Xingyun agreed, hesitated for a moment, then stood in front of the bed and said, "I'm leaving."

The fake Li nodded without saying anything more, only replying, "Take care."

A few days later, Li Xingyun had packed his bags and was preparing to head north to the Celestial Master's Mansion. Wanting to say goodbye to the imposter Li one last time, he returned to the small courtyard.

The courtyard gate was ajar, and he pushed it open and went inside. The courtyard was quiet, except for one of Chen Wu's distant cousins, who was gently sweeping fallen leaves from the stone steps. Upon seeing Li Xingyun enter, the girl quickly stopped what she was doing and curtsied slightly.

"Second Master," she called softly.

Li Xingyun nodded, glanced at the room, and asked, "Where's Li Yi? Does he look any better today?"

The girl hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Second Master, the First Master is not in the room."

Li Xingyun was taken aback: "Not here? Where did you go? Did you go out for some fresh air?"

The girl shook her head, put down the broom, took out an unsigned letter from her bosom, and handed it to Li Xingyun with both hands: "Grandpa had Brother Chen and the others escort him away a day ago. Before he left, he only left this, saying that if Second Master came, he would give it to you."

Li Xingyun took the letter; the envelope was light and flimsy, containing what appeared to be only a thin sheet of paper. He opened it and saw only a few words on it:

"The injury is minor, do not seek further. Take care of yourselves."

Li Xingyun held the letter for a while, put it in his pocket, left some money for the girl, shook his head and smiled, then turned and strode away.

He led his horse out of the alley and couldn't help but look back one last time.

The courtyard gates were tightly shut, and it lay silent in the setting sun.

He recalled the two "take care"s they exchanged that day. He should have understood then that one was heading north, eager to return home; the other was heading west, pursuing a distant journey. Why then was there a need for another farewell?

Life is a journey with many paths, from north to south. Who can know when, where, or what our next meeting will be like?

Li Xingyun smiled and exhaled, then mounted his horse without looking back. With a flick of the reins, his figure disappeared into the rising sunset and cooking smoke of Quanzhou, heading north and further away.

(End of this chapter)