Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

His mind raced, but his expression remained unchanged. He simply nodded and said:

"Understood. Go back first and tell them I'll be there immediately."

The imperial guard responded and turned to leave.

Li Cenji slowed his pace, pondering as he walked.

He had no close relationship with Li Changyan. At the apprenticeship banquet last night, although the military commander of Fengxiang came to toast him, it was just a formality, and his words conveyed a sense of distance.

As for Li Changfu, he did say a few heartfelt words last night, even saying he wanted to be friends with me. But how much of what's said at the dinner table can be taken seriously?

The more Li Cenji thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed, and he slowed his pace even further.

Upon reaching the camp gate, he took a deep breath, straightened his armor, and put on a nonchalant smile before striding inside.

Inside the central command tent, the brothers Li Changyan and Li Changfu were sitting and waiting.

Li Changyan was dressed in plain clothes, his expression indifferent. There was a cup of tea beside him, but he didn't seem to have taken more than a few sips.

Li Changfu sat to the left of his elder brother, his face somewhat tense, his hands resting on his knees, his knuckles unconsciously gripping the hem of his robe, as if he were nervous about something.

Seeing Li Cenji lift the curtain and enter, Li Changyan stood up first, cupped his hands and smiled:

"Jingzhi, I apologize for the intrusion and trouble you may cause. I hope you will not take offense."

Li Changfu also stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, but did not speak.

Li Cenji quickly returned the greeting and smiled:

"General Li, what are you saying? Your presence is an honor to our humble abode. I am more than happy to welcome you, let alone cause you any trouble. Please, have a seat."

The three sat down again. Li Cenji ordered his personal guards to bring fresh tea before asking:

"I wonder what brings General Li Zhen to my door today?"

Li Changyan smiled, turned to look at Li Changfu, and said:

"Second brother, you tell me yourself."

Upon hearing this, Li Changfu took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

He raised his head, looked at Li Cenji, and said:

"Jingzhi, I have come today because I have a favor to ask of you."

Li Cenji was slightly taken aback, and said:

"Lieutenant Li, please speak."

Li Changfu gritted his teeth and said:

"I want to leave the garrison and join your ranks. Not as a guest general, but as your soldier. I'll do anything you ask—captain, brigade commander, squad leader, or even just an ordinary soldier. I'm willing to do it all."

Upon hearing this, the tent immediately fell silent.

Li Cenji remained outwardly calm, but his heart was in turmoil.

Li Changfu is Li Changyan's younger brother. He gave up his comfortable position as a captain in the garrison system and ran to join Li Changyan's newly established cavalry army.

Who would believe that?

He didn't rush to answer, but instead picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.

The tea was slightly bitter; it rolled around on the tip of my tongue before I slowly swallowed it.

With this action, he suppressed the shock he had felt just moments before, and his mind raced.

Why did Li Changyan send his younger brother to seek refuge with him?

Is he trying to plant a spy in his new army?

Or is there another picture?

He put down his teacup, a slight smile appearing on his face, and looked at Li Changfu, asking in a calm tone:

"Brother Changfu, we only spoke for the first time last night. You said you wanted to be friends with me, and I am very grateful. But joining the army is not like making friends over drinks; it is a serious matter. You are doing well as a captain in the garrison, and with your brother's support, your future is limitless. Why do you suddenly have this idea?"

He paused, his eyes flickering slightly:

"Could you explain the reasons behind this to me in detail?"

Li Changfu opened his mouth, but did not speak immediately.

He turned to look at his elder brother, but Li Changyan simply held his teacup, his expression indifferent, and did not speak up for him.

Li Changfu then turned his head back to look at Li Cenji, a bitter smile on his face.

"Jingzhi, I was indeed drinking when I said those things to you last night. But surely you should believe that people speak the truth when they're drunk?"

He paused, his voice lowering.

"I truly admire you. I, Li Changfu, admit that I cannot do what you have in terms of courage and decisiveness."

He raised his head, his eyes filled with sincerity and candor:

"But I, Li Changfu, am not the kind of good-for-nothing who is content to be subservient to others and just wait to die. I have practiced martial arts since childhood, I am skilled in archery and horsemanship, and I have also read a few books on military strategy. Why should others always say 'This is Li Changyan's younger brother' when they mention me? Why should I be looked up to wherever I go in the garrison, not because of my ability, but because of my elder brother's reputation? Even Jingzhi, you addressed me as 'General Li the Second' yesterday."

As he spoke, his voice became somewhat agitated, as if his emotions were genuinely flowing:

"I want to earn my own future through my own abilities, and I don't want to live in my brother's shadow for the rest of my life. But in the garrison system, that's impossible. As long as I'm still in the garrison, others will treat me well because of my brother. If I make a contribution, others will only say, 'That's Li Changyan's brother, what's so special about him?' I, Li Changfu, don't want that."

He spoke these words quickly and urgently, as if he had been holding them in for a long time and was finally pouring them out all at once.

After he finished speaking, he looked straight at Li Cenji, waiting for his reply.

Upon hearing this, Li Cenji's expression remained unchanged, but his mind was racing with calculations.

Li Changfu's words do make some sense.

Living in the shadow of their fathers and brothers, and wanting to make a name for themselves through their own abilities, is indeed a deep-seated concern for many sons of military families.

Li Cenji had seen many similar examples when he studied history in his previous life. But the question is, were these words Li Changfu's true feelings, or were they something Li Changyan instructed him to say?

If it's the truth, then that's fine.

If this is Li Changyan's intention, then there's a lot more to this than meets the eye.

Li Cenji's gaze swept over Li Changyan's face without making a sound.

The military commander of Fengxiang remained silent throughout, simply holding his teacup and listening to his younger brother speak with a complex expression.

This attitude only made Li Cenji more uncertain.

He hesitated for a moment, then decided not to respond to the conversation for the time being.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Li Changyan and smiled:

"General Li, what do you think of your brother's words?"

Li Changyan put down his teacup, glanced at Li Cenji, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

That smile carried a hint of helplessness and indulgence, truly resembling that of an older brother who couldn't do anything about his younger brother.

"Jingzhi, to be honest, this isn't the first time this brat has caused such a scene."

Li Changyan shook his head, his tone tinged with disappointment.

"I'm more than ten years older than him, and I've always spoiled him. A few years ago, he kept saying he wanted to leave Fengxiang and go to Shuofang to join Tang Hongfu. I stopped him. Last year, he said he wanted to go to Jingyuan to join Cheng Zongchu, and I stopped him again. This time, he's set his sights on your new army, and I can't stop him."

He paused, looked at Li Cenji, and his expression became more serious:

"You asked me what I meant earlier, so I'll be frank. I don't want him to leave the garrison. Although the garrison isn't as elite as your Imperial Guard, it's still one I personally trained, with deep roots. Even if he just wants to gain seniority there, he can still make a name for himself. But he insists on causing trouble, and as his elder brother, I can't control him forever."

He turned to look at Li Changfu, his tone becoming sterner:

"You chose this path yourself, so don't regret it later. And don't come back to me crying."

Li Changfu felt somewhat embarrassed by his elder brother's words, but he still stubbornly replied:

"Who would want to come back for you! I'd rather die on the battlefield than come back and disgrace myself!"

Li Changyan shook his head, then looked at Li Cenji and said:

"Jingzhi, I've already said this. This kid is my younger brother, and naturally I want the best for him. But if he joins your ranks, he'll be your soldier. You can punish him as you see fit, without considering my feelings. If he's disobedient, just tell me, and I'll deal with him."

Those words were spoken quite frankly.

However, Li Cenji still did not completely lower his guard after hearing this.

If Li Changfu were to join his ranks, he would be a thorn in Li Changyan's side.

Normally it would be fine, but the two brothers were not together.

But when it comes to crucial moments, it's uncertain who Li Changfu will listen to.

With this in mind, Li Cenji made a plan.

He looked at Li Changfu, no longer addressing him as "Brother Changfu," but simply said:

"If that's the case, then let me ask you one more question. Lieutenant Li, you already hold the rank of captain under your brother, with several hundred men under your command. If you were to join me, all four of my captain positions would already be filled. Even if you came, you would only be able to start as a brigade commander, with no more than a hundred men under your command. Are you truly willing to do this?"

Li Changfu opened his mouth, a hint of hesitation on his face.

He originally thought that with his abilities and years of military experience, Li Cenji should at least give him a position as a captain.

Unexpectedly, Li Cenji's first words were only for the brigade commander.

Demoting from a colonel to a brigade commander, a rank reduction, must have been a significant psychological blow.

Li Changyan listened from the side, and the smile on his face faded a bit.

He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and said calmly:

"Jingzhi, I know Changfu's abilities. Isn't it a bit of a waste of his talents to make him a brigade commander under your command?"

Li Cenji smiled and said neither humbly nor arrogantly:

"General Li is right. I certainly trust Lieutenant Li's abilities. However, these four captains under my command are all old brothers who have followed me from the Imperial Guard all the way from the capital to now. Through thick and thin, they have always been there for me. If I were to parachute a captain into Lieutenant Li's service just because he is the General's brother, what would those old brothers think? If morale were to collapse, how could we possibly fight this battle?"

These words were perfectly worded, both praising Li Changyan and silencing him.

Li Changyan was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said:

"Jingzhi is right. The worst thing for an army is a lack of morale. How could I not understand this principle, Changfu?"

Li Changfu quickly replied:

"Brother."

Li Changyan looked at him and said:

"You heard what Jingzhi said. Are you willing to start as a brigade commander?"

Seeing that Li Cenji actually dared to disregard his elder brother's feelings, Li Changfu immediately knew he had come to the right place. His initial displeasure vanished instantly, and he quickly said:

"I'm willing! Forget brigade commander, I'll even take on the role of squad leader! I, Li Changfu, am not afraid to start from scratch!"

Looking at his appearance, Li Cenji nodded inwardly.

Regardless of what the two brothers were planning, Li Changfu's enthusiasm didn't seem to be feigned.

He pondered for a moment and said:

"Alright. Since Lieutenant Li has said so, I'll accept it with a thick skin. But there's one thing I must clarify beforehand. Under my command, there is no younger brother of General Li, only Brigade Commander Li Changfu. Drill when it's time to drill, charge when it's time to charge, punish when it's time to punish, and reward when it's time to reward. If Lieutenant Li can't accept this, he can back out now."

Li Changfu straightened his chest and said loudly:

"Rest assured, Commander! Now that I, Li Changfu, am here, I have no intention of receiving any special treatment!"

Li Changyan also stood up, reached out and patted Li Changfu hard on the shoulder, and said:

"Alright. Changfu, you will work hard under Jingzhi's guidance. Don't disgrace the Li family."

Having said that, he turned to Li Cenji, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said:

"Jingzhi, I'm entrusting Changfu to you. If he does anything wrong, just discipline him without worrying about me."

Li Cenji returned the greeting with clasped hands, saying:

"General Li, rest assured, I will treat everyone equally."

Li Changyan nodded, and without lingering, he gave Li Changfu a few more instructions before taking his leave.

Li Cenji escorted Li Changyan to the camp gate, watched him mount his horse, and rode away with a few personal guards.

After the group had walked away, he turned around and looked at Li Changfu, who was standing behind him, looking somewhat at a loss.

"Li, the brigade commander."

Li Changfu jolted, instinctively straightening his back, and said:

"Your humble servant is here!"

Li Cenji said:

"You shall report to Commander Zhou today. He will assign you a barracks and provide you with armor, weapons, and soldiers. Tomorrow morning, you will participate in drills with your unit."

Li Changfu shouted loudly:

"Yes, sir!"

After saying this, he clasped his hands in a salute to Li Cenji before turning and walking back into the camp.

Li Cenji watched his retreating figure, his eyes flickering slightly.

Regardless of Li Changyan's intentions, at least for now, he has no choice but to accept this thorn in his side.

Now that we've received it, we should make good use of it.

Although Li Changfu was arrogant, he was a man of principle in his actions.

If they can be genuinely subdued, they might be of some use.

As for what will happen in the future, let's wait and see.

……

The next morning, before dawn, the sound of drums resounded throughout the camp.

The drumbeats came a full half an hour earlier than usual. A commotion broke out in the barracks. Some soldiers who were fast asleep were woken up by their comrades. They opened their eyes groggily, muttering, "Why so early?" but their hands did not dare to be slow, groping for their armor at the head of the bed.

Those who got up quickly had already put on their lamellar armor, and ran outside while tying their leather sashes, not even having time to put on their boots, their footsteps making a thud on the ground.

Torches flickered on the drill ground, casting an uncertain glow in the pre-dawn darkness.

A chilly morning breeze swept down from the direction of Qishan, making people's skin sting.

Li Cenji was already standing on the command platform.

Today he was not wearing his signature gleaming armor, but only a common soldier's lamellar armor, the plates of which were polished to a gleaming shine, reflecting the torchlight and gleaming with a faint iron color.

With a sword hanging at his waist and a long spear in his hand, the spear's end resting on the table, he resembled an iron-cast statue.

Zhou Ping and Chen An stood on the left and right respectively, their expressions somewhat subtle.

Last night, Li Cenji summoned the two of them and told them that he had obtained medicine and meat, and that they could start extra training today.