Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

Zheng Tian smiled and waved his hand, then looked at Li Cenji and said:

"Jingzhi, please get up. This apprenticeship ceremony should be held solemnly. However, my health is not good enough to handle it now. In a few days, when I am feeling better, we will choose an auspicious day to hold the ceremony."

As he spoke, he looked at Sun Chu and Wang Chu, and said:

"Gentlemen, Jingzhi is young and probably has little experience with these formalities. I'll trouble you two to take care of the six rites of apprenticeship and all the preparations. Once I'm able to get out of bed, we'll formally perform the apprenticeship ceremony."

Sun Chu quickly cupped his hands and said:

"Don't worry, Lord Zheng. Leave these trivial matters to us. We both like Jingzhi very much, and we are happy to take care of these things for him."

Standing to the side, Li Cenji felt a surge of warmth in his heart as he watched Sun Chu and Wang Chu genuinely happy for him.

He naturally understood that while Sun Chu and Wang Chu's enthusiasm stemmed from their admiration for him, there was another reason behind it as well:

Zheng Tian accepted him as a disciple, and he officially became one of Zheng Tian's "own people".

Sun Chu and Wang Chu were Zheng Tian's trusted advisors, so the three of them were essentially in the same boat.

Supporting each other and helping one another always provides more security.

However, Li Cenji only entertained these thoughts in his mind, showing no sign of them on his face. He simply bowed respectfully to Zheng Tian again and said:

"Thank you very much, my teacher."

When Zheng Tian heard him change his tune, the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out, clearly showing his great satisfaction.

He patted the edge of the bed and said:

"Alright, alright. Jingzhi, you may go now and change your clothes. You're all soaked in sweat; be careful not to catch a cold. I still need to summon everyone for a meeting. You go ahead now, and I'll call you again if anything comes up."

Li Cenji responded and bowed before leaving the bedroom.

Stepping out of the room, a cool breeze from the courtyard made him realize that the sweat on his back had cooled down completely, sticking to his body and feeling chilly.

But his heart was warm.

Zheng Tian taking him as a disciple was truly an unexpected delight.

He thought that his performance at that banquet would at most earn him the evaluation of "commendable loyalty and bravery," and that he would be lucky to receive some money, silk, and official rank as a reward.

Who would have thought that Zheng Tian would directly accept him as a disciple?

As Li Cenji walked towards his residence, he pondered these things in his mind, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up slightly.

Back inside, he changed into clean clothes and splashed his face with cool water, which made him feel much more refreshed.

About half an hour later, all the generals and officials had gathered in Zheng Tian's bedroom.

Li Changyan, Zhao Buying, Sun Chu, Wang Chu, and all the civil and military officials from the two towns, including the military commanders, officers, and judges, filled the bedroom to the brim.

Some of the lower-ranking people couldn't stand any longer, so they waited outside the door on the porch, craning their necks to look inside.

When everyone received the news that Duke Zheng had regained consciousness, was able to get up and speak, they were all both surprised and delighted.

Although in the past few days, Sun Chu, Wang Chu, Li Changyan, and Zhao Buying have been in charge of political and military affairs in the city, it is still not as effective as when Zheng Tian was in power, with orders being strictly enforced and the atmosphere of order between superiors and subordinates being solemn.

Now that they heard that the general had woken up, everyone's hearts, which had been hanging in suspense for days, finally settled down.

Once everyone had arrived, Zheng Tian ordered his servants to lift the bed curtains, and he leaned against the soft pillows, facing the crowd.

When everyone saw that Zheng Tian, ​​though pale and thin, was able to sit up with clear eyes and a sound mind, they were overjoyed and knelt down to offer their congratulations.

"Congratulations on your recovery, General!"

"With the commander awake, Fengxiang will have a pillar of support!"

"May Heaven bless the Tang Dynasty! May Heaven bless the General!"

Zheng Tian waved his hand, signaling everyone to stand up.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces, finally settling on Li Cenji, who stood to the side with his hands at his sides. He nodded slightly and then looked away.

He cleared his throat and began to speak:

"I am fully aware of what has happened these past few days."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions varied.

Those who had tacitly surrendered at the banquet that night now lowered their heads somewhat uncomfortably.

Zheng Tian, ​​however, did not pursue the matter further. He suddenly smiled and said:

"Fortunately, you all have worked together to thwart the conspiracy. I knew all along that the people have not yet turned their backs on the Tang Dynasty. The day when the traitors are beheaded is not far off."

These words were spoken with absolute certainty and conviction.

Upon hearing this, everyone's spirits lifted.

Zheng Tian didn't explain further, but simply ordered someone to bring paper and pen.

The servant quickly brought over a small table, placed it on the bed, spread out fine Shu paper, ground the ink, and handed a wolf-hair brush to Zheng Tian.

Zheng Tian took the pen and composed himself.

His hands were still trembling slightly, but his grip on the pen was very steady.

He took a deep breath, dipped his brush in ink, and then lay down on the table to write, stroke by stroke.

The room was completely silent, except for the soft scratching of pens on paper.

Zheng Tian wrote a memorial to the throne.

He detailed Peng Jingrou's collusion with Huang Chao, his banquet for the rebel envoy, and his attempt to coerce the generals into surrendering the city.

He also truthfully reported on Li Cenji's decisive action in killing the envoy, capturing the traitorous eunuch, and using the "Qin King's Battle Song" to inspire people.

Finally, he expressed the determination of the soldiers of Fengxiang and Longyou to be loyal to the court to the death and never surrender to the rebels, and requested the emperor to issue an edict to order the troops from all directions to join forces in Guanzhong to jointly attack Huang Chao.

After finishing writing, Zheng Tian put down his pen, read the memorial from beginning to end, confirmed that it was correct, folded it up, sealed it in his letter bag, sealed it with sealing wax, and stamped it with his seal.

He raised his head, summoned a trusted servant, and gave the order:

"Take two capable men, carrying my seal, disguise yourself, and take a shortcut to Chengdu. This memorial must be delivered to the Emperor personally. Be careful on the road, and do not let the matter leak out."

The servant accepted the silk pouch with both hands and solemnly replied:

"Rest assured, my lord, I will risk my life to deliver this memorial."

Zheng Tian nodded and waved for him to leave.

After the servant left, Zheng Tian raised his head again, his gaze sweeping over the officers and soldiers in the hall, and slowly spoke:

"Gentlemen, once this memorial is sent out, it will be tantamount to declaring to the world: Fengxiang and the traitor Huang Chao are irreconcilable enemies."

Zheng Tian leaned back on the soft pillows, his gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone present. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an air of authority:

"That scoundrel Huang Chao was nothing more than a desperate salt smuggler who, taking advantage of the chaos, gathered a band of starving peasants and bandits. He managed to capture Chang'an by sheer luck, and then, arrogant and presumptuous, declared himself emperor. But what was his foundation? What virtue did he possess? He only occupied Chang'an for a few days before unleashing his troops to plunder and slaughter the innocent. Those so-called officials of the Great Qi were either sycophants or forced into submission. What kind of power could such a rabble possibly achieve?"

He paused, then raised his voice slightly:

"The Tang Dynasty, since its founding by Emperors Gaozu and Taizong, has lasted for over 280 years. Although there have been rebellions like the An Lushan Rebellion, regional warlordism, and eunuch power struggles, the hearts of the people have ultimately remained with the Tang Dynasty. As long as the people do not turn their backs on the Tang, it will not perish!"

"We are subjects of the Great Tang, consuming the salary and wearing the crown of the Great Tang. At this time of national crisis, it is our duty to step forward, share the burden of the nation, and serve the Emperor faithfully. If we, at this time, are cowardly and surrender to the enemy, the annals of history will record our infamy for ten thousand years!"

These words were spoken with great passion and conviction.

The officers and soldiers in the hall, their blood boiling, all knelt down and shouted:

"I am willing to follow the general and die for my country!"

Zheng Tian looked at the officers kneeling before him, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

He took a deep breath, suddenly stretched out his right hand, brought the tip of his left index finger to his lips, and bit down.

The bite was extremely forceful, and bright red blood immediately seeped from the fingertip.

Everyone was shocked when they saw this.

Sun Chu hurriedly stepped forward and said:

"General! What's wrong with you—"

Zheng Tian ignored him, simply raising his bleeding finger high and saying in a deep voice:

"Bring the wine! Bring the bowl!"

The servant quickly brought over a large bowl and filled it with wine.

Zheng Tian dripped the blood from his fingertip into the bowl. The crimson blood droplet dispersed in the wine, turning into a few faint red threads that quickly disappeared.

He picked up his wine bowl, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said, word by word:

"Today, I swear an oath of brotherhood with you all. From this day forward, we shall be of one heart and one mind, united in our fight against Huang Chao, unto death!"

Having said that, he tilted his head back and drank the bowl of blood wine in one gulp.

The wine dripped down his chin, soaking his clothes.

He put down the wine bowl, wiped his mouth, and handed it to Li Changyan, who was standing beside him, saying:

"Changyan, come here."

Without saying a word, Li Changyan took the wine bowl, bit his fingertip, dripped blood into the wine, and drank it all down.

The wine bowls were passed from one to the next.

Each officer in the hall took turns biting their fingertip, dripping blood into the wine, and drinking the wine that symbolized the blood oath.

Li Cenji was ranked last.

When he took the bowl of wine, the liquid inside already carried a faint smell of blood.

Without hesitation, he bit his fingertip, dripped the blood into the bowl, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

The liquor was spicy and pungent, mixed with a rusty, bloody taste. When it went down his throat, it felt like a fire, making his blood boil.

After everyone had drunk the blood wine, Zheng Tian spoke again, his voice a little hoarse than before, but still clear and strong:

"Although I am still ill, I will do my best in military and political affairs. The first task is to repair the city walls and moats. Fengxiang City has been in disrepair for many years, with many walls crumbling and moats silted up, and they must be repaired as soon as possible. The second task is to repair weapons and equipment. The swords, spears, bows, crossbows, armor, and shields of each battalion should be repaired, patched, or rebuilt as needed. The third task is to intensify the training of soldiers. Those newly recruited soldiers and those veterans who have been out of battle for a long time should all be brought out for rigorous training."

He paused, then said:

"Furthermore, I will gather the defeated soldiers from Guanzhong and secretly contact the neighboring Jingyuan, Binning, Fufang, and Xiasui prefectures to agree on a date for a joint attack on the rebels. Although Huang Chao has occupied Chang'an, he may not be able to swallow Guanzhong whole. As long as we work together and reinforcements from all directions arrive, how can we not drive the rebels out of Tongguan?"

Upon hearing this, everyone clasped their hands in unison and responded with a resounding roar: "We will obey the commander's orders!"

No one raised any objection.

As the generals' responses gradually subsided, Zheng Tian spoke again.

His gaze shifted to Li Cenji, who stood at the back of the crowd with his hands at his sides. A slight smile played on his lips as he said:

"There's one more thing."

Following his gaze, everyone turned to look at Li Cenji.

Li Cenji felt a little uncomfortable under so many gazes, but he still straightened his back and remained expressionless.

Zheng Tian said slowly:

"If Jingzhi hadn't acted decisively that night, Fengxiang City would probably be under a different banner by now. If such merit is not rewarded, I would be unworthy of being the commander of this town."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Zheng Tian then said:

"Li Cenji's talents are not limited to this. Born into the imperial family, he is skilled in both literature and martial arts, resolute and resourceful, and his loyalty and courage are commendable. It would be a waste of such talent to only serve as a guard (commander of the personal guards) of the Jiefu."

He paused, then raised his voice slightly:

"Today I will promote Li Cenji to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Fengxiang Cavalry."

Upon hearing this, a low murmur of discussion immediately arose in the hall.

There wasn't just one commander of the cavalry in a single town. For example, in Fengxiang and Longyou, there were already two commanders of the cavalry and seven commanders of the infantry.

Li Cenji quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Thank you for your guidance, General! I will certainly do my utmost to live up to your high expectations!"

Zheng Tian waved his hand and said again:

"Don't thank me yet. Although I have promoted you to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Cavalry, I currently have a problem: I don't have any cavalrymen available for you."

Li Cenji raised his head and looked at Zheng Tian.

Zheng Tian continued:

"The cavalry in Fengxiang and Longyou each have their own commanders. If I were to forcibly transfer them to you from elsewhere, it would only invite criticism and be detrimental to you."

He paused, then changed the subject:

"However, I will allow you to recruit soldiers yourself."

Li Cenji was taken aback:

"Recruiting soldiers?"

Zheng Tian nodded and said:

"Indeed. The five hundred Imperial Guards under your command are your original troops, and they will remain under your command. Furthermore, I grant you permission to recruit soldiers and expand your forces."

He held up one finger and said:

"In the Guanzhong region, there are quite a few scattered soldiers and outlaws from various armies. These people have lost their command and are wandering in the countryside. Some are government troops scattered by Huang Chao, and some are imperial guards who escaped from Chang'an. I have already ordered people to gather these scattered soldiers, and they will gradually gather in Fengxiang in a few days."

He looked at Li Cenji and said:

"At that time, you may select 1,500 men from among them to fill your cavalry. As for armor, weapons, and horses—"

Zheng Tian turned to look at Wang Chu, the military commander among the subordinate officials, and said:

"These funds will be allocated from the treasury of the military governor's office. Jingzhi's soldiers must have the best armor, the best horses, and the best weapons."

Wang Chu said:

"Rest assured, General, I understand. I witnessed Jingzhi's merit that night firsthand, so allocating him some armor and horses is only right. Although the armory isn't abundant, we can still spare enough for 1,500 men. As for the horses—"

He pondered for a moment and said:

"There are still more than 3,000 warhorses in the horse farms in Fengxiang and Longyou, but they are distributed among various ranches. We can immediately allocate 500 to Jingzhi, which should not be a problem. The rest can be replenished in the future."

Zheng Tian nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Li Cenji and said:

"Jingzhi, did you understand?"

Li Cenji's heart was pounding, but he forced himself to remain calm and said respectfully:

"This humble general understands. Thank you, General, and thank you, Commander Wang."

Zheng Tian smiled slightly and said:

"Get up now. These 1,500 men, plus your 500 Imperial Guards, make a force of 2,000. These 2,000 men are your capital. What kind of soldiers you can lead depends entirely on your own abilities."

Li Cenji stood up and solemnly clasped his hands in greeting:

"Rest assured, Commander, I will certainly not fail in my duty!"