Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Li Heng issued an edict to seek Li Guangbi's opinion, to which Li Guangbi replied, "The enemy's advance is still sharp; we must not advance rashly." Li Heng was not satisfied and bypassed Li Guangbi to seek the opinion of Pugu Huai'en, who instead said that Luoyang could be taken.

From Chang'an to Heyang, eunuchs carrying imperial edicts were constantly on the road, issuing multiple decrees urging Li Guangbi to launch a counterattack. Left with no other choice, Li Guangbi could only leave Li Baoyu, the military governor of Zheng and Chen, to defend Heyang, while he himself led a large army to Mangshan.

Li Guangbi ordered his troops to form a defensive line on the terrain, intending to wait for the Shaanxi-Guo army to attack from the east. However, Pugu Huai'en believed that a decisive victory could be achieved on the plains, so he led the Shuofang army to set up a line on flat ground. Li Guangbi repeatedly issued orders, but Pugu Huai'en simply ignored them.

At this critical moment, the disastrous consequences of the discord among the Tang army's generals in Heyang finally came to light.

In order to quickly gain control of the Shuofang Army, Li Guangbi used force and coercion to suppress his troops. Upon arriving at the front line, he killed Zhang Yongji. On the battlefield, he repeatedly threatened to kill generals to control his troops. As a result, the Shuofang Army generals below Pugu Huaien were only outwardly respectful of Li Guangbi, but inwardly resentful of his power and not his virtue.

Especially since their former superior, Guo Ziyi, was completely the opposite of Li Guangbi, the Shuofang army generals naturally felt even more disgusted with Li Guangbi when they thought of Guo Ziyi.

Previously, after conquering Huaizhou and capturing An Taiqing, Pugu Yang noticed that An Taiqing's wife was quite beautiful, so he abducted her to his own camp. Li Guangbi ordered his men to demand her return—An Taiqing was a high-ranking general among the rebels, and might be pardoned after being taken to Chang'an as a "princeling," how could you take his wife first?—Pugu Yang ignored him completely and even ordered his soldiers to surround his tent for protection.

Li Guangbi personally led his troops to the scene, killing seven Shuofang soldiers before finally rescuing An Taiqing's wife. Pugu Huai'en was furious and confronted Li Guangbi, saying, "Lord Li, you actually killed government soldiers for the sake of a rebel?!"

From then on, he opposed Li Guangbi in everything. Li Guangbi said it was not the right time to recapture Luoyang, but Pugu Huaien insisted on submitting a memorial saying it was possible. Li Guangbi ordered that troops be deployed in strategic locations, but Pugu Huaien insisted on deploying his troops on the plains.

Taking advantage of the Tang army's hesitation and incomplete formation, Shi Siming launched a surprise attack, resulting in a major defeat for the Tang army. Thousands were killed or wounded, and military supplies and equipment were scattered all over the ground. Li Guangbi and Pugu Huai'en fled in disarray to Wenxi, and Li Baoyu was also forced to abandon Heyang. The rebel army thus captured Heyang and Huaizhou.

Then, taking advantage of their victory, they attacked the Shaanxi-Guo army again, forcing Yu Chaoen and Wei Boyu to withdraw their troops back to Shanzhou.

Upon receiving the report, Li Heng was greatly alarmed and hastily ordered troops from all directions to reinforce Shanzhou in order to strengthen the defense of the eastern part of the capital. At the same time, he also ordered Li Ji to be summoned back from Fengxiang immediately!

Li Ji may not be a great general, but he is a fierce one. If Shanzhou falls and we have to abandon Chang'an and go on the western hunt, I will feel more at ease with Li Ji by my side...

After receiving the imperial edict, Li Ji hurriedly bid farewell to Li Ding and rode alone to Chang'an.

Along the way, he couldn't help but let his mind wander, wondering if the past would really repeat itself...

While Wei Boyu was undoubtedly a capable general, and the Shaanxi-Guo army was based on the Shence and other Longxi armies, having fought countless battles over the years, they could not be considered a weak force. However, Li Guangbi's defeat and the loss of Heyang had dealt a severe blow to morale. Given the organizational capabilities of armies in those days, even if Shi Siming were to launch a full-scale attack, victory would not be guaranteed. Moreover, Yu Chaoen was still in Shanzhou; who knew what trouble that eunuch traitor might cause?

Once the Shaanxi-Guo army is defeated and Shanzhou falls, Tongguan Pass will be next. However, Tongguan Pass has never been fully repaired since it was captured by An Lushan, and it may not be able to hold off the rebels for long. Perhaps the fall of the two capitals will be no more than a year away, forcing Li Heng to follow in his father's footsteps and embark on another western hunt…

Otherwise, why would he be in such a hurry to call me back? Does he expect me to protect him? What a pipe dream!

The Imperial Guards of today, mainly composed of the Yingwu, Shence, and Weiyuan divisions, should be far more powerful than they were five years ago. However, given Li Heng's weak character, he likely wouldn't dare rely on the Imperial Guards to defend Chang'an to the death. At the same time, the Imperial Guards are even more arrogant than before—and Liu Xixian is still at large—they might even stage another coup after leaving Chang'an and reaching some post station.

Please kill Empress Zhang and her cronies who have brought chaos to the country!

To save his own life, Li Heng would undoubtedly sacrifice his wife, then set off in a weeping and wailing manner, with the elders of the capital blocking the road and weeping. He would then be forced to leave his son, Crown Prince Li Yu, to cover their retreat and hold off the pursuing troops. This would allow Li Yu to rush to Lingwu, where, at his son's urging, he would ascend the throne and, from afar, honor Li Heng as the Retired Emperor…

"Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise." Perhaps, in the long run, this outcome is not so bad.

Wait, no... Li Yu might not be able to go to Lingwu, because Li Heng will most likely go...

When the retired emperor fled west to Shu, although Li Heng replaced most of the officials in Shu over the next few years after returning to the capital, the old emperor's influence still remained. The old man is not dead yet. If he were to travel to Shu with Li Heng, would Li Heng feel at ease? Moreover, the barbarian bandits have been invading Jiannan for years... Li Heng will most likely not go west, but will head directly north to Shuofang, his former place of origin.

Especially since the Uyghurs had a new master, the Wuyi Chenggong Khan (Dunmohedagan) was even more submissive than the previous Yingwu Weiyuan Khan, and often sent envoys to Chang'an to inquire about Li Heng's well-being. Therefore, it was highly likely that Li Heng would flee to Lingwu, where he could either borrow troops from the Uyghurs again or rely on them for protection.

If Li Heng went to Lingwu, where could Li Yu go? To Shu?

The roads to Shu are difficult to traverse. If he were to actually go to Jiannan, it would be much more difficult for him to get ahead of his father. He would need to settle down somewhere closer to his father to have any hope of acting arbitrarily or even seizing the throne.

Perhaps he could only flee to Longyou, where his brothers were after all. The problem was that Longyou had just been invaded by barbarian tribes, and Shanzhou had fallen. If Li Tan raised an army to help Li Yu recapture Chang'an, Longyou might very well fall completely…

Forget it, don't run away. Li Heng, you'd better grit your teeth and not follow your father's example!

After entering Chang'an through the Golden Gate, Li Ji noticed that the number of people on the streets had decreased significantly since he left, and the city was desolate, its former prosperity gone. He understood that many officials and wealthy families had gradually sent their members outside the city to prevent any unforeseen events from causing them to be unable to escape in time.

Although the rebels are still far away, back in the day, when Geshu Han went out to fight, it only took three days for Tongguan to fall, and only four days for Li Longji to abandon the city and flee... Especially since that bastard emperor ran away without a word, without telling anyone. Back then, An Lushan was cautious and stopped his troops at Tongguan for a full ten days, only entering the city after finding out that Li Longji had fled. Now, it's hard to say what will happen with Shi Siming.

Therefore, without prior preparation, in the event of an emergency, the entire family might not be able to escape. Or, as happened five years ago, the emperor's hasty "western hunt" left Chang'an without a ruler, leading to rampant banditry and widespread looting by soldiers and civilians...

Seeing this, Li Ji felt somewhat disheartened.

But he didn’t go home immediately. Instead, he went to the West Market first and finally found a meat stall that was still open. He spent three hundred coins to buy two catties of lamb leg meat. When he got home, he called to Qingluan: “Cook a pot of fragrant and tender lamb soup for me to eat.”

Previously, in the Fengxiang army, the mutton soup with little salt, no wine, and no spices had disgusted him to no end, but the soldiers who rarely ate meat on a daily basis ate it with great relish. In order to show that he shared weal and woe with his soldiers, Li Ji could only grit his teeth and swallow it down...

Qingluan was overjoyed to receive Li Ji, but she couldn't help but complain, "Why didn't you send someone to inform us first, so I could have made preparations..."

Li Ji smiled wryly and said, "You must know about the war in Henan, right? The city is in such chaos and the market is so desolate, how could I dare to delay? Having received the imperial edict, I naturally rushed back without stopping."

Qingluan asked, "Shall we go to the palace immediately?"

Li Ji shook his head: "I rushed back because I was worried about you. As for official business... Shi Siming will not fly to Chang'an."

Qingluan was deeply moved by these words and hurriedly tugged at Li Ji's sleeve, saying, "With you here, my lord, I feel at peace. Please, my lord, do not abandon me!"

Li Ji put his arm around Qingluan, offered a few comforting words, and then said, "Go to the kitchen and make some soup. I'll go visit some friends first to ask about the recent situation so I can respond accordingly."

There was nothing urgent, so it wasn't convenient for Li Ji to visit Li Shi during the day. Instead, Li Ji went to Li Qijun's residence. After Li Qijun was stationed in Shangzhou, he had written to Li Ji, saying, "Don't worry, I will take care of Nan Jiyun, Lei Wanchun, and others—since they are your friends, they are like my own nephews and nieces." He also told Li Ji that he had left his wife, children, and Li Guayan in Chang'an, and asked him to look after them if he returned from Fengxiang.

Upon arriving at the Li residence, Li Laopeng and Li Guayan greeted him, and Li Ji inquired about the latest news from the east. Although neither of his sons had entered officialdom, Li Qiyun had served as an official in Chang'an for many years and had many relatives and friends. It was certain that these two officials would be keen to inquire about such matters concerning their lives and fortunes, and they must have had their own channels of information.

Li Laopeng then explained: "After defeating the government army, Shi Chaoyi wanted to take advantage of the victory and enter Guanzhong. He sent his son Shi Chaoyi as the vanguard to attack Shaanxi from the north, while he himself led the main army from the south. Wei Boyu of Shanzhou sent troops to counterattack. In three days and five battles, he defeated Shi Chaoyi in succession. As a result, Shi Chaoyi did not dare to advance alone and temporarily retreated to Yongning."

He paused for a moment, then said, "This news came three days ago."

Li Ji asked them, "Why don't you all go outside the city first?"

Li Laopeng and Li Guayan exchanged a glance before sighing, "To be honest, we have already sent my mother and younger brother to Shangzhou to live with my father. However, the recent imperial decree strictly forbids officials' wives and children from leaving Chang'an without permission. Therefore, if we delay even a step, we will be unable to leave."

Li Ji patted his chest and said, "If there is any emergency, come to my humble abode, and I will escort you out of the city."

In truth, he felt much more at ease. After all, the Shaanxi-Guo army was no pushover. If the rebels, riding the wave of victory, were to surge forward, he might not be able to withstand them. But since Wei Boyu had already defeated Shi Chaoyi repeatedly and forced Shi Siming to retreat to Yongning, it meant that the rebels had lost their momentum. The Shaanxi-Guo army, taking advantage of their terrain, should be able to hold out for a considerable period of time.

Of course, the current situation in Shanzhou is somewhat similar to that of Tongguan in the past. Holding the city might ensure its safety, but if a large-scale offensive is launched to engage the enemy in open battle, the outcome is unpredictable. Hopefully, Li Heng will not follow his father Li Longji's example and force Wei Boyu to fight like Geshu Han.

However, his previous repeated urging of Li Guangbi to recapture Luoyang was almost a replica of the Battle of Tongguan... You know, although the father and son are now at odds, with Li Heng finding all sorts of excuses to avoid seeing his father and Li Longji hoping that his son would also be overthrown in a coup, when it comes to their personalities, especially when it comes to the things that go wrong, the father and son are really cut from the same cloth...

Li Ji wondered, "Should I hurry to the palace to report for duty?"

If I'm not in a hurry to enter the palace, and news of a defeat arrives from the front lines, causing Li Heng to flee in disarray, then I won't be able to protect him. But is it necessary for me to protect him? It would be better to protect Qingluan, Li Guayan, and other relatives and friends, and fight my way out of the city, perhaps even heading west to join Li Ding, or even Li Tan.

But I have an imperial decree to carry out, and I can't delay for too long, otherwise I'll be guilty of disobeying the imperial order... Oh well, I've already worked so hard for so long, I might as well sleep all day tomorrow, rest and recuperate, and go to the palace the day after tomorrow.

He had a beautiful plan, but his every move was actually being monitored by others. That evening, after Li Ji had eaten and drunk his fill, he was about to create an ambiguous atmosphere and go to sleep with Qingluan when he was informed that Li Shi had come to visit.

Li Shi was naturally more informed about news from the front lines. He told Li Ji, "The traitor Shi has ordered his son Chaoyi to build Sanyu City west of Xiaoshan Mountain to store military supplies and provisions. It seems that he plans to launch a major attack on Shaanxi after making preparations, hoping to open the gateway to Jingdong."

In truth, Li Shi had considerable confidence in Wei Boyu and the Shaanxi-Guo army, but he couldn't help but worry about his mother—Consort Shen was still in Shanzhou. In this chaotic world, what would happen if something were to happen to her? He said, "I also sent a letter to Shanzhou, asking my mother not to move elsewhere, but I haven't heard from her yet..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "You're not planning to make me make a trip to Shanzhou again to fetch my mother, are you? I might as well become the Crown Prince's concubine's bodyguard." He waited for Li Shi to speak, but Li Shi seemed a little embarrassed, especially since he hadn't received his mother's reply yet. Therefore, he only left it as a prelude and didn't intend to ask Li Ji to set off immediately.

After waiting for a while, Li Ji saw that Li Shi remained silent, and then asked, "What countermeasures does the court have?"

Li Shi smiled bitterly and said, "We can only send more troops to aid Shaanxi. What other plan do we have?" He paused, then pursed his lips slightly and said, "By the way, yesterday the Emperor summoned monks and Taoists to the palace to build an altar and perform rituals to curse Shi Siming and ask him to die quickly."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was truly at a loss for words: "Does a sage not reflect on his own actions, but instead place his hopes on ghosts and gods? Throughout history, which notorious bandit or thief was cursed to death?"

He never would have imagined that, just a few days later, Shi Siming would actually be cursed to death!

I guess so……

Chapter 10, Vajra Warrior

Shi Siming ultimately followed in An Lushan's footsteps.

Like An Lushan, he disliked his eldest son and favored his younger son, often wanting to depose the eldest and establish the younger one in his place—which is why he did not establish Shi Chaoyi as the crown prince for a long time, but only made him the Prince of Huai.

Previously, Shi Chaoyi was ordered to build the Three Corners City, but after only half a day's delay, Shi Siming personally came to angrily berate Shi Chaoyi and said to his men, "Once I conquer Shanzhou, I will surely kill this traitor!"

Therefore, Shi Chaoyi's generals Luo Yue and Cai Wenjing privately persuaded their lord to rebel, saying, "The Emperor is currently lodging at Luqiao Post Station, with his trusted General Cao guarding him. We request that you summon General Cao to discuss this matter." Shi Chaoyi hesitated, so the two generals threatened to defect to the Tang Dynasty. Only then did Shi Chaoyi feign shedding a few tears, saying, "Gentlemen, do as you see fit, and do not alarm the Emperor..."

Xu Yu, son of Xu Shuji, whose courtesy name was Jichang, was serving under Shi Chaoyi and had also participated in the plot. He volunteered to summon General Cao and force him to obey. That very night, Luo Yue and others led three hundred armored soldiers straight into Shi Siming's quarters. Just then, Shi Siming got up to use the toilet. Hearing the commotion, he jumped over the wall and fled into the stable. He had just mounted his horse when he was shot in the arm by Zhou Zijun, one of Luo Yue's subordinates, and was captured.

Shi Siming asked, "Who started this rebellion?" Luo Yue replied, "We are acting on the orders of Prince Huai." It was too late for Shi Siming to regret his actions. He could only sigh, "My words during the day were inappropriate; I deserve this fate. But they killed me too soon. Why didn't they wait until I had conquered Chang'an? Now our great cause is doomed!"

Luo Yue and others escorted Shi Siming to Liuquan Post Station and reported back to Shi Chaoyi. Shi Chaoyi even asked, "Did we disturb the Emperor?" Luo Yue stared wide-eyed and lied, "No."

When Shi Siming came to supervise the construction, his troops were led by Zhou Zhi and Xu Shuji. Luo Yue sent Xu Yu to inform them. Upon hearing the news, Zhou Zhi collapsed in shock, while Xu Shuji remained calmer—he was used to switching allegiances, and besides, it was his son who came to inform him, so he was sure he would be fine—and ordered his troops to welcome Shi Chaoyi. After Shi Chaoyi entered the army camp, he immediately executed Zhou Zhi. Fearing that morale would be low and further complications might arise, Luo Yue and the others simply had Shi Siming strangled, wrapped his body in a blanket, and carried it back to Luoyang on a camel.

Shi Chaoyi then proclaimed himself emperor in Luoyang, changed the era name to Xiansheng, and secretly sent an envoy to Fanyang, ordering Zhang Tongru to execute his stepmother Xin, his younger brother Shi Chaoqing, and others.

When the news reached Chang'an, the entire Tang court rejoiced, and Li Heng immediately rewarded the monks and Taoist priests who had been summoned to the palace to perform the rituals...

The crisis was thus averted.

Because Shi Chaoyi was, in some ways, very similar to An Qingxu—firstly, he had less seniority, and secondly, he had murdered his father and usurped the throne—he naturally couldn't control the veteran generals in the army, leading to suspicion and distrust from above and below. Thus, he could no longer maintain his offensive and had to retreat. With this shift in power, the Tang army seized the opportunity to launch a counter-offensive on all fronts. Although they couldn't shake the rebels' foundation, they did manage to recover quite a few prefectures and counties.

Li Ji was quite annoyed by this—if only he hadn't come back so soon, perhaps if he had delayed a few more days, Li Ding would have been willing to submit a memorial to keep him in Fengxiang... But there was nothing he could do, and he could only return to the life of a corporate slave, clocking in and out from nine to five... no, seven to three...

He wanted to find Cui Qi again, but he was just one step away and missed Cui Guangyuan once more.

After being dismissed from his posts as Prefect of Fengxiang and Military Governor of Fengxiang, Cui Guangyuan returned to Chang'an and resumed his scheming. He was soon transferred to Jiannan Xichuan as Military Governor, just a month before Li Ji was summoned back to Chang'an. Although Li Ji suspected that Cui Qi was nearby and might be spying on him from some corner, he couldn't coax the young girl out.

He wanted to shout it out, but Qingluan was right there... For the sake of family harmony, it's best not to do such a thing.

Previously, when talking with Li Shi, he had mentioned Cui Qi. Li Shi even advised him: "My mother wrote a letter saying that she really likes that Cui maid and that she is a good match for Changwei. Why doesn't Changwei ask Cui Guangyuan for her and take her as a concubine? If Cui Guangyuan does not agree, I can persuade him on his behalf."

Li Ji hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell Li Shi the truth: "I also admire this woman, but unfortunately she refuses to become someone's concubine..."

Li Shi laughed and said, "Given her background, does she really aspire to be the chief wife of the chief guard? Making her a concubine is already an honor for her. As a maid of the Cui family, if Cui Guangyuan gives the order, does she dare to disobey?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "All you do is treat women like objects, giving them away like gifts. Have you ever considered how the other person feels?" Oh, given Li Shi's background, experience, and the limitations of the times, he certainly wouldn't care... But I can't. I genuinely like that girl and hope we can be mutually in love and become a couple. I can't just consider things from my own perspective.

If it makes the little girl unhappy for the rest of her life, then I would rather give up my hopes for her!

But it was inconvenient to say this to Li Shi, as Li Shi certainly wouldn't understand, and might even turn around and laugh at him... So he replied, "I have my own considerations on this matter, Your Highness, please do not interfere."

Li Shi was just saying it casually and didn't really intend to match the two up. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "I've heard that Changwei once said he would only marry a woman from one of the five noble families..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Where did you hear that from? Did I say that?"

"...Now there is an opportunity. The Cui family of Boling, born to my stepmother, is already weakened and fears that the Emperor and the Crown Prince dislike them because of Lady Yang, so they are now trying to curry favor. I can have the Cui family choose a daughter to marry into the Changwei family. Although she may not be from the main branch and may even be born of a concubine, her family reputation will still be intact." He paused, then added, "Yes, we can order Cui Guangyuan to send Cui Qi as part of her dowry, so that she can naturally enter the Changwei family."

Li Ji reiterated his previous statement: "I have my own considerations, and Your Highness need not assist me."

Li Shi smiled and said, "Are you worried that Qi Da is not a suitable match?"

Ultimately, in terms of family reputation, the Li family of Zhao Commandery is inferior to the Cui family of Boling. Besides, Li Ji is currently only a sixth-rank official. Will this noble Cui daughter become arrogant and domineering after marrying into the family? Will she become a hen crowing at dawn? Li Ji, is that what you're worried about? Seeing that Li Ji didn't answer, he took it as a tacit agreement and thought to himself, "Fine, Li Ji is still young anyway. In a few years, I'll find a way to promote him to the fifth rank, and then there won't be any worries about that."

Currently, the Imperial Palace still needs Li Ji, so it's really inconvenient to promote him.

Li Ji felt quite frustrated, and couldn't help but recall the saying, "Good things come to those who wait," and another, "Destined to meet but not to be together"—why did I always seem to miss out on Cui Qi? Before I had any feelings for her, she would often come to my side at Cui Guangyuan's behest, and Cui Guangyuan always stayed in Chang'an; but after I inexplicably became infatuated with the little girl, she stopped showing herself easily, and Cui Guangyuan even sent me to three different posts outside the capital, making it difficult for me to plead with her in person…

Such is the helplessness of life. Should I also go and worship Buddha and seek the Tao, just like Li Heng "cursed" Shi Siming to death?

He only occasionally entertained such thoughts, purely for self-deprecation. His past life experiences made Li Ji utterly devoid of superstition, and he kept his distance from monks and Taoists. Li Heng, however, was different. Previously, facing imminent disaster and at a loss, he was persuaded by Empress Zhang to summon monks and Taoists to the palace to set up altars and perform rituals. Who would have thought that within days, Shi Siming would actually die? Furthermore, Li Heng's health had indeed been poor in recent years. Although not as incapable of managing state affairs as publicly claimed, he frequently caught colds and fevers, and the imperial physicians were all helpless. Therefore, this cowardly emperor could only place his hopes on religious superstition.

The Li Tang royal family originally revered Taoism—claiming themselves direct descendants of Laozi (Li Er) to emulate ancient sages—but Empress Wu Zetian later became a devout Buddhist, and public opinion and social atmosphere gradually shifted towards Buddhism from top to bottom. While the retired Emperor Li Longji was generally a Taoist, Li Heng, influenced by Empress Zhang, completely sided with Buddhism after the "curse" he inflicted on Shi Siming.

As for why the monks and Taoists entered the palace together, why did the lion's share of the credit ultimately go to the monks? It involved secret matters within the palace, which Li Ji was unable to find out.

He thought that perhaps it was because: Wu Zetian's worship of Buddhism was a form of rebellion against the Li Tang dynasty, Li Longji's worship of Taoism was a form of rebellion against Wu Zetian, and Li Heng's worship of Buddhism would naturally be a way of severing ties with his father...