Late Tang Dynasty: Descendants of the Imperial Clan

After about half an hour, several people around him had fallen to the ground, some crooked and sprawled out.

The bearded soldier was the first to slide under the table, snoring loudly.

Two younger captains, supporting each other, went outside and vomited twice.

Li Cenji's face was only slightly flushed, with a few beads of sweat on his forehead, but his eyes remained clear as ever.

His only discomfort was a slight urge to urinate, so he got up to relieve himself and then returned to sit upright.

Now all the officers and soldiers in the hall were convinced.

Cheng Zongchu, holding a wine bowl, gazed at him from afar, stroking his beard and laughing heartily:

"Jingzhi, I thought you were only skilled in horsemanship, but I didn't expect your drinking capacity to be so first-rate! I'll drink one bowl with you, just one bowl, any more and I won't be able to handle it!"

Li Cenji smiled and clinked bowls with him.

After finishing his drink, Cheng Zongchu wiped his mouth and said to Qiu Gongyu beside him:

"That kid is a monster."

Qiu Gongyu also showed a rare smile and nodded, saying:

"He is exceptionally brave and has an extraordinary capacity for alcohol; it seems like he was born to be a soldier."

That's how friendships between roughnecks and warriors are; they get along well over drinks.

The officers who had been somewhat polite and distant before now felt closer to Li Cenji because of his forthright and unpretentious manner.

Some patted him on the shoulder and called him brother, some pulled him aside to make plans to go hunting together another day, and some, emboldened by alcohol, wanted to introduce their sisters to him.

Li Cenji dealt with each question with a smile on his face, but he was always preoccupied with something on his mind.

While the people on the other side of the wall were still suffering from hunger and cold, the abundance of delicacies and fine wine in the hall felt like a lump in the throat, impossible to swallow.

It's truly a case of the rich feasting on meat and wine while the poor freeze to death on the streets!

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The banquet ended late at night.

The officers and soldiers from various towns helped each other out of the county government office. Some staggered and sang military songs, some lay on their horses snoring loudly, and a few who couldn't climb onto their horses were simply carried onto the supply wagons by their personal guards.

Tang Hongfu stood at the entrance of the yamen to see everyone off, his face flushed, reeking of alcohol, and his voice even louder than usual.

Li Cenji followed Zheng Tian out of the county government office. The night wind blew in their faces, dispelling some of the lingering effects of the alcohol.

His face was slightly flushed, and his feet were a little unsteady, but he still managed to flip himself onto the horse and sit steadily in the saddle.

Wang Lu, however, had drunk too much. His old face turned bright red, and he was carried out of the house by two soldiers. He tried three or four times but could not climb onto the horse's back and almost fell headfirst under the horse's hooves.

Upon seeing this, Zheng Tian ordered someone to help Wang Lu to sit on the shaft of his carriage and asked the driver to keep a close eye on him.

Wang Lu leaned against the coachman, feeling dizzy and mumbling incoherently, saying things that were no one could understand.

The convoy rumbled down the long street.

Mei County was already silent, with the doors and windows of the houses along the street tightly shut. Occasionally, a few barks of dogs could be heard from the depths of an alley, only to be swallowed up by the night.

The crescent moon hung above the eaves of the city tower, casting a thin, watery silver light.

The light fell on the white banners on both sides of the street, swaying in the night wind, near and far, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, like countless pale hands silently waving.

Li Cenji rode on his horse, his gaze sweeping over the white banners one by one.

The evening breeze rushed into his collar, and a chill crept up his spine, but the gloom in his heart grew even heavier than before.

During the banquet, he could suppress his drunkenness with the smell of alcohol, but as the effects of the alcohol dissipated, the events he had witnessed during the day resurfaced in his mind and he couldn't shake them off.

He looked up at Zheng Tian's carriage ahead.

A dim, yellow light shone from inside the carriage. Zheng Tian had not yet rested and was reading by candlelight.

The old gentleman at the banquet had also drunk a few cups, and his face was slightly tipsy.

Without further hesitation, Li Cenji spurred his horse forward and arrived at the carriage.

On the carriage shaft, Wang Lu was leaning against the driver's shoulder, snoring loudly.

Li Cenji reached out and nudged the old soldier, calling out twice. Wang Lu only gave a vague reply, tilting his head to the other side to make way for Li Cenji, but showed no intention of opening his eyes.

Li Cenji ignored him, dismounted, tossed the reins to the guards behind him, climbed into the carriage, lifted the curtain, and slipped inside.

Inside the carriage, Zheng Tian was leaning against a low table, holding a copy of the Book of Han in his hand, slowly turning the pages by the candlelight on the corner of the table.

He still had a slight flush of alcohol on his face, and a speck of alcohol stained his white beard, but his expression was unusually relaxed.

Seeing Li Cenji lift the curtain and enter, he put down his book, stroked his beard, and smiled:

"What, you're drunk too? Want a ride back to camp in my old man's car?"

Li Cenji sat down to the left of his mentor, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Master, I've been thinking about this all the way here. I have an idea about the matter concerning Commander Tang."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Tian raised an eyebrow slightly, placed the book on the table, sat up a bit straighter, and said:

"explain."

Li Cenji composed himself and slowly recited the draft he had prepared in his mind:

"Master, I believe that Commander Tang was different from the other commanders. Commanders Cheng, Qiu, and Li were all officially appointed military governors by the court, wielding real power, and their troops were all veterans from their respective garrisons. Although Tuoba Gong was a self-appointed governor of Youzhou (I had some issues with the information I found earlier; Tuoba Sigong became the military governor of Xiazhou in April 881. Before that, he was a self-appointed governor of Youzhou. After Huang Chao entered Chang'an, Tuoba Sigong gathered more than 4 troops from both Han and non-Han ethnic groups and, together with Li Xiaochang, the military governor of Fuyan, rushed to the aid of Chang'an and wrote to Zheng Tian expressing his willingness to serve—therefore, I have revised the previous text), he..." With the support of powerful Dangxiang clans, and the brave and skilled cavalry of the barbarian tribes, they were a force to be reckoned with. Tang Jieshuai, however, was different. He had long been dismissed from his post, and his title of Shuofang Jiedushi was merely an old one. The few thousand Shuofang soldiers under his command, though nominally local troops, were in reality just militia he had recruited himself. The other Jieshuai respected his seniority and seniority, and saw his willingness to stand up and form an alliance during the Tang Dynasty's turbulent times, which was why they addressed him as Jieshuai. In reality, in terms of strength and background, he was the weakest among the Jieshuai. That's why, in the Battle of Longweipo, his mentor had him stationed in the rear, rather than at the forefront like Cheng and Qiu Jieshuai.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Tian showed no expression, but simply picked up the cup of strong tea on the corner of the table, took a sip, and said calmly:

"What do you mean by all this?"

Li Cenji took a deep breath and said seriously:

"This disciple can represent my master and go straight into General Tang's camp to confront him directly."

There was a brief moment of silence in the carriage after those words were spoken.

The candlelight flickered, casting the shadows of the master and his disciple onto the carriage wall, where they swayed twice.

Li Cenji continued:

"If Commander Tang is willing to uphold military discipline, sincerely admit his mistakes, and provide funds and provisions to compensate the victimized people, then this matter can be considered closed. Although I despise the act of letting my troops plunder, I understand... that Commander Tang's life is indeed much more precious than that of ordinary people. This is not a matter of fairness, but rather a consequence of the current situation. With a major battle imminent, if Commander Tang is severely punished for this matter, the other commanders will inevitably become suspicious, feeling that their master intends to use this opportunity to weaken their power, and will experience the same panic that Commanders Cheng and Qiu felt before. The allied forces have just won a victory and cannot afford such suspicion."

Zheng Tian put down his teacup, and the candlelight reflected two deep points of light in his old eyes.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly asked:

"What if Tang Hongfu doesn't admit his mistake?"

Li Cenji raised his eyes, his gaze calm as still water, but his tone turned cold, showing no sign of softening despite Tang Hongfu's kindness and praise towards him today:

"I will enter the camp in armor, a sword at my waist, and stand no more than three or five steps away from Commander Tang. If he refuses, I will seize him on the spot, use him as a hostage to quell the Shuofang army, and then take him back to the Fengxiang army to strip him of his military command. His Shuofang soldiers will be distributed among Commanders Cheng, Qiu, and Li to appease them and show that our master has no intention of weakening the power of the regional commanders. At the same time, I will publicly announce Commander Tang's crimes. Although it is an unspoken custom for various garrisons to allow their troops to plunder cities, once it is made public, it becomes an undeniable crime. At that time—"

Before he could finish speaking, a muffled thud came from outside the carriage, followed by a cry of pain and the driver's scream:

"Commander Wang!"

The master and apprentice in the carriage fell silent at the same time.

Zheng Tian lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked out. He saw Wang Lu lying sprawled on the dusty road, struggling to get up, but his legs were still weak. He climbed halfway up and then fell back down.

The driver hurriedly jumped off the cart to help him.

Li Cenji frowned slightly as he watched this scene.

Wang Lu was sound asleep on the carriage shaft, snoring loudly. How did he suddenly fall off?

Zheng Tian had obviously thought of this as well.

He lowered the carriage curtain, glanced at Li Cenji, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips, and said in a low voice:

"That old fox."

Li Cenji understood after a moment's thought.

Wang Lu's drunken state just now was not completely fatal, otherwise he would not have taken the initiative to make way for Li Cenji.

He had probably heard himself say as he got into the carriage, "I have an idea about the matter concerning Commander Tang," so he pricked up his ears, wanting to hear what this audacious young commander would say.

As she listened, she became increasingly alarmed.

This isn't offering advice; it's clearly an attempt to arrest someone!

Old Wang Lu had served in the army for over thirty years and knew all too well that such words should not be heard.

If this gets out, it's either him or him who leaked the information, and he'll have no way to explain himself no matter how hard he tries.

He wanted to sneak off the car before hearing anything more serious, and pretend he hadn't heard anything.

Unexpectedly, his legs wouldn't obey him, and he tumbled off the cart shaft.

Zheng Tian called out from outside the curtain:

"Commander Wang, it's chilly outside, come in and let's talk."

There was a moment of silence outside, then the carriage curtain was lifted, and Wang Lu's old face, flushed red and pale, peeked in.

He was no longer drunk at all.

Cold sweat poured down his forehead, wetting the gray hair at his temples.

He cautiously climbed into the carriage, glancing at Zheng Tian and then at Li Cenji, his eyes like those of an old goat cornered against a wall.

This veteran, who had fought most of his life, didn't even know where to put his hands. He could only clasp his hands and bow, his voice hoarse:

"General, I just dozed off on the carriage shaft and didn't hear anything."

Zheng Tian chuckled and gestured for him to sit down.

Wang Lu could only sit huddled in the corner, never daring to glance at Li Cenji.

He was genuinely frightened by this young man.

This fellow not only kills generals and seizes flags in the midst of a vast army as easily as taking something out of a bag, but now he speaks of going straight into the central army and taking the commander-in-chief of an army as if it were his own backyard.

What's even more terrifying is that everything he said made perfect sense. From analyzing Tang Hongfu's strength to how to appease the other military commanders after taking him down, and then to how to announce the crimes to the outside world, everything was interconnected and watertight.

This is hardly a rash remark made in a moment of anger.

It was clearly the result of careful consideration.

Wang Lu thought about it more and more and felt that this young man was fierce and ruthless. He wondered if he would be silenced after hearing these words.

No, I think I told Li Cenji before the banquet that I had also given the order "Don't sheath your sword after breaking through the stronghold".

Thinking about this, I couldn't help but shudder again.

Zheng Tian watched Wang Lu's old face turn red and then pale with embarrassment, and then glanced at his own disciple's calm and oblivious face. Finally, he couldn't help but shake his head.

He pointed a finger at Li Cenji, his tone carrying a hint of exasperation and reproach:

"Wishful thinking."

Li Cenji was slightly taken aback and was about to speak when Zheng Tian didn't give him a chance and began to scold him harshly:

"Take him down face to face? What do you take Tang Hongfu's camp for? Although the Shuofang soldiers aren't elite, they still number several thousand. You think you can just go in and take down their commander all by yourself? Did you really think you were Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu, after charging into battle a few times at Longwei Slope?"

He grew increasingly angry as he spoke, and his voice rose several decibels:

"Furthermore, what happens after you arrest them? Do you think outsiders will believe you just because you've announced their crimes? The world is full of malicious speculations; do you think you're the only smart person there?"

He paused abruptly, his gaze sweeping over Wang Lu's face. Seeing the old soldier cowering in the corner, barely daring to breathe, he turned to Li Cenji, his tone softening slightly, though his face remained stern:

"Your words are only meant to be spoken in my carriage. If even a single word gets out, do you know what the consequences will be? It's good for young people to have courage, but courage taken too far becomes recklessness."

These last two sentences were not only addressed to Li Cenji, but also served as a warning to Wang Lu.

Li Cenji was given a thorough scolding, but he showed no displeasure whatsoever. He simply listened with his hands at his sides until the end, then clasped his hands in a fist salute and said:

"This disciple knows his mistake."

Zheng Tian snorted, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and stopped lecturing.

Although he kept a stern expression, anyone who had been by his side for so long could tell that there wasn't much real anger in his reprimand.

On the contrary, a barely perceptible sense of satisfaction shone through those old eyes.

It's like a craftsman discovering that the jade blank he polished with his own hands has unexpectedly revealed a brilliance. Although he may scold, "How could you be so reckless?", he is secretly praising it in his heart.

Is Li Cenji's method feasible?

Of course it can be used. After taking Tang Hongfu hostage and making the Shuofang soldiers hesitant to act, the Fengxiang army can then enter the camp to provide support.

As for the accusations that no one believes...

Haha, at worst we'll just organize the people of Mei County to make a few umbrellas for the masses.

Zheng Tian, ​​a former prime minister, would not hesitate to use any means to kill an old man who had been dismissed from his post and had no official position.

It's just that, for the sake of the bigger picture, it's inconvenient to completely break off relations.

What is the big picture?

Even though Zheng Tian felt pity for the common people, he had to admit that the people of Mei County alone did not represent the bigger picture.

He put down his teacup, waved his hand, and said:

"Everyone, leave. I have my own plans regarding Tang Hongfu's matter. I'll arrange a private chat with him later. There's no need to make things awkward. Just give him a few words of advice to let him know that I'm aware of the situation, and he'll naturally understand what to do."

Li Cenji responded, stood up, clasped his hands in farewell, and took his leave.

Wang Lu felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He practically scrambled to his feet, bowed, and squeezed out of the carriage before Li Cenji could.

The two got off the car one after the other. The night breeze brushed against their faces, and Wang Lu couldn't help but shiver. In the short time it took to drink a cup of tea in the carriage, the sweat on his back had soaked through his undergarment.

Li Cenji stopped, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and nodded to him as a farewell.

Wang Lu forced a smile and returned the greeting, but involuntarily took half a step to the side, increasing the distance between himself and Li Cenji.

He truly didn't want to have anything to do with this young man anymore. It was bad enough that Shang Rang was killed amidst a vast army, but now he was even willing to take away a military commander. Getting too close to such a person might lead him into some deadly vortex one day.

Old Wang Lu maintained a composed demeanor on the surface, but inwardly he was making a vow:

From now on, he will not listen to a single word about Li Cenji's affairs, nor will he ask a single question about them; he will stay as far away from him as possible.