Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

After making the arrangements, Li Cenji turned around and took out a well-fitting robe from the cabinet, changing out of his armor.

The robe had a dark blue round collar. The material wasn't particularly expensive, but the cut was quite flattering, and wearing it made the wearer look much more energetic.

He then pulled out a short blade from under his pillow. The blade was no more than seven inches long, but it was exceptionally sharp and was an heirloom of the original owner of the body.

Li Cenji concealed the short blade inside his robe, tightened it with his belt, and after testing it, he felt relieved to find that it did not hinder his movement.

With everything settled, Li Cenji, along with Xu Tai and the twenty brothers who had changed into civilian clothes, left the military governor's mansion and headed straight for the military supervisor's residence.

Fengxiang was not very large; the distance between the military governor's mansion and the military supervisor's mansion was only two streets.

By this time, it was completely dark, and the streets were deserted, with not a single person in sight. Only a few lanterns swayed in the wind, their light flickering and casting spots of light on the bluestone slabs, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

Li Cenji walked ahead at a leisurely pace, but his eyes kept scanning his surroundings, revealing a hint of vigilance.

Xu Tai followed behind, lowering his voice:

"Captain, will the fighting begin tonight?"

Li Cenji didn't turn his head and said:

"I don't know. It would be better if we didn't take action, but I'm not afraid if we do, since we're prepared."

Xu Tai chuckled and said:

"Don't worry, Captain, the brothers have all their gear. If it really comes to a fight, those useless bastards will be in deep trouble."

Li Cenji turned around and glared at him, then hissed:

"Silence! Once we arrive at the military supervisor's residence, we must not utter any nonsense."

Xu Tai shrank back, not daring to utter another word.

As they spoke, the group arrived at the gate of the military governor's mansion.

This military governor's residence was originally the mansion of a wealthy merchant in the city. After it was requisitioned by Peng Jingrou, it was expanded again and now it has quite an imposing presence.

The vermilion gate was wide open, and two rows of soldiers stood in front of it, armed with guns and swords, looking imposing.

Several large red lanterns hung above the door, illuminating the area in front of the door.

Just as Li Cenji was about to step inside, he suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves behind him.

He looked back and saw a group of people coming this way.

The man at the front rode a tall horse, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, looking imposing. He appeared to be around forty years old, with a square face, large ears, thick eyebrows, and fierce eyes. He also had a neatly trimmed short mustache.

This man was none other than Li Changyan, the military commissioner of Fengxiang, Zheng Tian's top general, and most of the garrison troops in Fengxiang were under his command.

Li Changyan was followed by two bodyguards with swords, and a young man who bore a striking resemblance to him, his younger brother Li Changfu.

If Li Changyan is a general like Guan Yu who can stand alone, then Li Cenji is only a personal bodyguard captain like Chen Dao. The two are not comparable in importance.

However, Li Cenji did not underestimate himself, knowing that his strengths lay not in charging into battle, but in the knowledge and strategies he had acquired in the future.

Li Changyan dismounted and immediately spotted Li Cenji standing in front of the door. He nodded slightly as a greeting.

According to the rules of officialdom, Li Cenji's rank was lower than Li Changyan's, so he should have taken the initiative to step forward and pay his respects.

Li Changyan was waiting for him to come over and pay his respects when his gaze swept over the group and he caught sight of the twenty men in short-sleeved, tight-fitting clothes behind Li Cenji. He was slightly taken aback.

These people were all strong and capable.

Looking behind him, he saw only two personal guards and his younger brother Li Changfu, a total of four people.

Li Changyan couldn't help but laugh:

"Lieutenant Li, are you here for a banquet or to fight? Why did you bring so many people?"

Li Cenji had already prepared his words in his mind. He calmly clasped his hands in a salute and smiled, saying:

"General Li, you flatter me. My men have been on duty at the manor for two days and have worked very hard. Since we are changing shifts tomorrow, I took them out to relax and have a good meal as a reward."

He spoke naturally and laughed sincerely, as if he were not faking it.

Li Changyan, upon hearing this, didn't take it seriously, laughed heartily, and said:

"Well done, Li Cenji, you know how to do favors. Very well, the military supervisor is hosting a banquet, a few more people won't hurt. Come on, let's go in together."

Having said that, he strode into the mansion.

Li Cenji was about to follow when a soldier at the gate stopped him.

The soldier looked troubled, glanced at the twenty men behind Li Cenji, and said:

"Commander Li, you brought so many people... I really don't know how to explain this. Please wait a moment while I go in and inform them."

Li Cenji wanted to say that he would only bring two people in and leave the rest outside, but before he could finish speaking, the soldier had already dashed inside.

A short while later, he ran out again, a look of disbelief on his face, and said:

"Captain, the military supervisor has instructed that since you are all Captain Li's brothers, you are all one of us. Please come in. However, there is not enough room in the main hall, so please make yourselves in the side hall and sit with the servants. I wonder..."

Li Cenji was taken aback when he heard this.

He had thought he could bring at most two people inside, but Peng Jingrou's generosity surprised him.

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said:

"It's alright, as long as there's something to eat, that's fine. Thank you for your kindness, Commander."

Having said that, he led Xu Tai and his twenty brothers in single file into the house.

Upon entering the military supervisor's residence, Li Cenji looked around and saw that the courtyard was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and servants were shuttling back and forth, carrying plates of dishes to the main hall and side halls.

The main hall was brightly lit and already occupied by many people, all of whom were officers and generals from Fengxiang City.

Li Changyan was already seated in the seat of honor, chatting and laughing with several people beside him.

Li Cenji ordered someone to lead the twenty brothers to the side hall, while he himself only took Xu Tai and headed towards the main hall.

Xu Tai followed behind and whispered:

"Captain, why is Supervisor Peng being so generous? Could this be a trap?"

Li Cenji's lips curled slightly as he said:

"So what if it was the Feast at Hongmen? Xiang Yu invited Liu Bang, and Liu Bang went anyway, didn't he?"

Xu Tai scratched his head and said:

"But Liu Bang almost got killed by Xiang Yu."

Li Cenji smiled, did not reply, and stepped into the main hall.

------

Meanwhile, in the military supervisor's residence, the main hall was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and servants were busy arranging tables and utensils, creating a lively scene.

There was a side room next to the main hall. Since the guests had not yet arrived, Peng Jingrou, as the host, could not sit in the main hall first, so he rested in the side room for the time being.

He was sitting in a chair, holding a cup of tea in his hand. The tea was emerald green and steaming.

Just now, the guards came to report that Lieutenant Li was bringing twenty elite Imperial Guards to the mansion for a banquet. Peng Jingrou thought for a moment and then waved for the guards to let them pass.

The soldiers, having received their orders, turned and went back to report, and the side room fell silent again.

Peng Jingrou picked up the teacup, used the lid to skim off the foam, and was about to take a sip when she suddenly heard a soft laugh coming from behind the screen behind her.

Then came a series of light footsteps from behind the screen, unhurried and with a hint of nonchalance, as if the host was strolling leisurely.

Peng Jingrou frowned slightly, but did not turn around. He simply put the teacup back on the table.

A person emerged from behind the screen. This person was about thirty years old, with an unremarkable appearance, neither ugly nor handsome, the kind of person you would easily lose in a crowd.

However, he was wearing a magnificent brocade robe made of top-quality Shu brocade, embroidered with floral patterns, which shimmered softly in the candlelight, making it clear at a glance that it was very valuable.

He wore a jade crown on his head, a jade-inlaid leather belt around his waist, and black leather boots. He was dressed neatly from head to toe, as if he were going to some grand celebration.

The person still carried a faint scent of soap, indicating that they had just bathed; their hair was still damp, yet neatly combed.

He came out, glanced around the room, and without bowing to Peng Jingrou or saying hello, went straight to the table, pulled up a chair, and sat down casually next to Peng Jingrou.

His posture and expression made it seem as if the house belonged to him, making the host, Peng Jingrou, look like a mere guest.

A hint of displeasure flashed in Peng Jingrou's eyes.

Since he entered the palace as a eunuch and served as a military supervisor in various places for many years, even though he was a eunuch, in the local areas, even the military governors would greet him with respect and call him "Lord Peng". No one had ever dared to be so rude in front of him.

Moreover, this man before him was merely a student who had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations. He only obtained the post of envoy by joining Huang Chao's forces, yet he dared to be so presumptuous.

But this hint of displeasure only flashed in Peng Jingrou's eyes for a moment before he forcefully suppressed it.

He put on a smile, picked up his teacup, and slowly took a sip, seemingly unconcerned about the man's rudeness.

The envoy, however, seemed oblivious, or perhaps he simply didn't care. He crossed his legs, glanced sideways at Peng Jingrou, and began to speak:

"Lord Peng, there is something I don't understand, and I would like to ask you about it."

Peng Jingrou put down his teacup and said with a smile, "Please speak, Your Excellency."

The messenger extended a finger and pointed towards the main hall, saying:

"Just now, that... Captain, brought twenty men into the manor. Not only did Lord Peng not stop them, but he also opened the door wide and let them all in. I would like to ask, what is the meaning of this?"

Peng Jing Judo:

"Your Excellency may not know this, but that man's surname is Li, and his given name is Cenji. He is the Imperial Guard's Commandant of the Vanguard, and he is in charge of protecting Zheng Tian. The twenty men he brought are all his subordinates. He said he was taking his brothers out for a relaxing trip and a good meal. If I refuse, it would make me, the supervising officer, seem stingy."

The envoy sneered and said:

"A little relaxation? A good meal? Mr. Peng, do you believe that?"

Peng Jingrou's smile remained unchanged as she said:

"What does it matter whether you believe it or not? They are only twenty men, unarmored and without long weapons. Even if each of them had a short knife hidden at their waist, what trouble could they cause? In my manor, there are more than a hundred armored soldiers, each with a bowstring and a sword drawn. If things really get out of hand, those twenty men wouldn't even be enough to fill the teeth of my soldiers."

The envoy's expression softened slightly upon hearing this, but he was still somewhat uneasy and added:

"Lord Peng, it's not that I don't trust you. But think about it: Zheng Tian suffered a stroke and fell into a coma this morning, and you held a grand banquet for your officers and generals this afternoon. The timing is a bit too coincidental. What about that Li... Li Cenji? What if he becomes suspicious—"

Peng Jingrou waved her hand, interrupting him:

"Your Excellency can rest assured. It's inevitable that he will become suspicious."

The envoy was taken aback and said:

"Since you knew he was suspicious, you still let him bring twenty men in?"

Peng Jingrou smiled and said:

"What is he suspicious of? He suspects nothing more than that I, Peng Jingrou, am going to take advantage of Zheng Tian's serious illness to seize military power and take control of the government for myself. This kind of thing is not uncommon in the Tang Dynasty. Qiu Shiliang in the past, and Tian Lingzi now, aren't they all doing the same thing? Those civil and military officials have seen too much of this kind of thing, so naturally they will think of this."

He picked up his teacup, took another sip, and continued unhurriedly:

"But he wouldn't have imagined that what I wanted to do was not to seize power, but to surrender the city. He also wouldn't have imagined that your esteemed envoy is currently in my residence. Since your esteemed envoy has not shown himself since entering the city, he was directly brought into the supervisor's residence by me. No one else has even seen your esteemed envoy, so why would he have any suspicions?"

The envoy listened, pondered for a moment, and then slowly nodded.

Peng Jingrou added:

"Consider this, Your Excellency: if I had not allowed him to bring his men in today, what would he have thought? He already suspects that I am plotting to seize power. If I had stopped his men from entering the mansion, wouldn't he have become even more certain? If he were to become angry and return to the military governor's mansion, leading those five hundred imperial guards to defend the residence, and then seek help from all sides in Zheng Tian's name, that would have been truly troublesome."

He put down his teacup, sighed, and a self-deprecating look appeared on his face. He said:

"In the end, it's all the fault of those who cut down trees before them, and those who follow suffer the consequences. Back then, Qiu Shiliang seized power and controlled the court, frightening the civil and military officials so much that they treated the supervising officer like an enemy. Now, Tian Lingzi is even worse, having made the emperor a puppet in his hands. With these precedents laid out before us, how could those officers not be wary? I, Peng Jingrou, did nothing, yet I've taken the blame for them. Thinking about it, it's truly unjust."

Upon hearing this, the envoy's suspicion gradually faded, replaced by a look of realization.

Seeing that his expression relaxed, Peng Jingrou continued:

"If I let him bring his men in, he'll think I'm all honest and upright, with nothing to hide. If he wants to be wary of me, so be it. They're just twenty unarmored soldiers; what trouble can they cause in my residence? Later at the banquet, I'll explain my intention to surrender to the officers and generals. As long as Li Changyan and the others agree, can a mere junior captain like him defy these garrison commanders?"

The envoy pondered for a moment, then finally nodded and said:

"Peng Gong's thinking is very thorough; I was overthinking it."

When he said this, his tone was still somewhat arrogant, but much better than before.

Seeing that he was no longer pressing her, Peng Jingrou secretly breathed a sigh of relief, her smile widening as she said:

"Your Excellency, there's no need for such formalities. We are both working for His Majesty's cause and for the people of Fengxiang; we should certainly cooperate wholeheartedly."

When he uttered the word "Your Majesty," he felt a wave of disgust, but his face showed a sincere smile, as if Huang Chao were truly his devoted master.

Upon hearing this, Huang Chao's envoy finally smiled, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip like Peng Jingrou, and said:

"Rest assured, Lord Peng, once I return and report to His Majesty, His Majesty will surely reward you handsomely for your pioneering role in the Guiyi movement."

Peng Jingrou quickly cupped his hands and said:

"No, no, it's all thanks to your kind words, sir."

As the two were talking, they suddenly heard a commotion outside, as if someone else had arrived.

Peng Jingrou listened intently, then stood up, straightened his clothes, and said to the envoy:

"Please have a seat here for a moment, Your Excellency. I will go to the main hall to greet you. Once all the officers and soldiers have arrived, I will send someone to invite you back."

The envoy nodded, but did not rise. He simply waved his hand and said:

"Peng Gong, please go and attend to your business."

Seeing his imperious manner, Peng Jingrou felt a surge of displeasure, but she couldn't show it.

The shadow in his eyes lingered for a moment before being replaced by a kind smile.

He strode into the main hall, cupped his hands in greeting to the assembled officers and soldiers, and said with a smile:

"Gentlemen, I apologize for keeping you waiting. I was preoccupied with some trivial matters and have been negligent. Someone, bring wine for you all!"