Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

As soon as Li Ji took off his boots and stepped onto the corridor, Li Fuguo grabbed him and said earnestly, "Since I left the palace, all those who came to greet me the other day have scattered like birds, and even my friends are unwilling to come to my door easily. On the contrary, Erlang is willing to come to see me—Erlang is truly a righteous man."

Li Ji curled his lip: "Who knows if I came here not to gloat, or even to kick someone when they're down?"

Li Fuguo laughed and said, "At least Erlang still remembers me—come in quickly, please sit down and have a chat."

After the two men took their seats in the hall, Li Ji asked, "I thought that after a lifetime of hard work, Lord Li would finally be able to rest and look a little better, but I didn't expect you to still be so thin..."

Li Fuguo sighed softly, "I'm getting old, plagued by all sorts of illnesses, with a weak spleen and stomach, and I have no appetite all day long. How can I possibly gain weight?"

"Oh, right, I haven't had a chance to congratulate Lord Li on his promotion to Prince."

Li Fuguo shook his head repeatedly: "What's there to celebrate in such an empty reputation?"

"Throughout history, there have been many eunuchs, but Li Gong is truly the second person to be granted the title of king—do you know who the first one was?"

Upon hearing this, Li Fuguo's expression darkened slightly: "Second Brother, are you referring to Zong Ai? Although I am not very well-read, I still know about Zong Ai... However, I have not committed any of Zong Ai's evil deeds, so I shouldn't be beheaded, right?"

Li Ji smiled and shook his head: "Lord Li, are you only worried about losing your head, but not about being infamous for eternity?"

Li Fuguo finally put on a stern face and said, "I have rendered great service to the country! Without me, the late emperor would not have been able to ascend the throne smoothly, and the current emperor would have been harmed by the deposed empress. Even if he were granted a princely title, he would feel ashamed, but he would not have been infamous—historical records will be glorious and will surely give me justice!"

"Lord Li, is the pen of history in the hands of scholar-officials or eunuchs?"

Li Fuguo slightly turned his body away from Li Ji and said in a deep voice, "Second Brother, please speak plainly if you have something to say."

"Lord Li, news of Gao Lishi's death arrived a few days ago..."

Gao Lishi was framed by Li Fuguo two years prior and exiled to Qianzhong Road. It is said that when he reached Wuzhou, he lamented his fate and wrote a poem titled "Shepherd's Purse"—"Sold by the pound in the two capitals, no one picks it in the Five Streams. Though the barbarians and the Chinese are different, its flavor remains unchanged." When Li Heng died, before Li Yu ascended the throne, a general amnesty was issued, and Gao Lishi was released. However, when he reached Langzhou, he heard that Li Longji had passed away. He looked north and wailed, then vomited blood and died.

Upon hearing Li Ji speak of Gao Lishi, Li Fuguo couldn't help but sigh, "It's my fault—I was able to serve the late emperor entirely because of Gao Gong's selection; I shouldn't have exiled him to such a remote place..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Perhaps in the future, I will be like Lord Gao."

Despite his death, Gao Lishi enjoyed considerable honors. Li Yu recognized his past merits and posthumously awarded him the title of Grand General of Yangzhou, and allowed him to be buried alongside Li Longji in the Tai Mausoleum.

Hearing Li Fuguo's words, Li Ji couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, realizing that Li Fuguo actually hoped to leave behind a less infamous reputation like Gao Lishi. He said, "If Lord Li compares himself to Gao Lishi, he probably thinks that the current situation is nothing more than a new emperor bringing a new court?"

“Isn’t that so?” Li Fuguo turned his head and stared at Li Ji. “It’s the so-called ‘when the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked.’”

Li Ji waved his hand: "Lord Li is indeed uneducated and has misused the allusion. Who do you think is the 'cunning rabbit'? Is the deposed empress the cunning rabbit? If so, it won't just be Lord Li who is boiled alive; I will also be facing Lord Li as a prisoner of Chu."

He then said seriously, “The world is in chaos. The traitor Shi is rampaging in the east, and the barbarian bandits are invading in the west. Not only cunning rabbits, but even jackals and tigers dare to roam the streets in broad daylight. If they were good dogs, who would have the heart to cook them? This can only mean that you, Lord Li, are not a good dog!”

Upon hearing this, Li Fuguo not only did not get angry, but instead curled his lips as if he were laughing: "Second Brother, do you want to scold me? I can accept it frankly - yes, I am just an old dog of the imperial family, and I can never work together with you scholars and officials, which is why I have ended up in this state today."

"Don't worry, Erlang. You are different from me. I predict that in the future, you will be like Guo Fenyan today. Even if you sit idly at home, you will not be deserted."

Guo Ziyi had recently returned to the capital from Hedong. Previously, there had been a military rebellion in Hedong, and Guo Ziyi had been ordered to suppress it. After Wang Yuanzhen murdered Li Guozhen, he considered himself a great hero for welcoming Guo Ziyi back and became even more arrogant and lawless. Guo Ziyi rebuked him to his face, saying, “While we were confronting the rebels, you plotted to murder your commander. If the rebels take advantage of this situation and invade, Jiangzhou will be in danger! As the prime minister of the state, how can I accept the personal favor of even a single soldier?!”

Wang Yuanzhen and more than forty of his accomplices were arrested and beheaded. Upon hearing of this, Xin Yunjing, the military governor of Hedong, also executed all the soldiers who had plotted against Deng Jingshan that day. This not only rectified military law but also stabilized the situation in Hedong.

In fact, Li Heng sent Guo Ziyi to Hedong to pacify the rebellious troops. However, the old Minister of Works was usually all smiles and very lenient with his subordinates, unlike Li Guangbi who always had a stern look on his face and used executions to coerce his generals. But on such matters of principle, he was absolutely unambiguous. If this trend of insubordination and plotting against the commander-in-chief is not stopped with swift and decisive measures, how will I lead troops and fight battles in the future?

Immediately afterward, Li Heng died, and Li Yu ascended the throne. He immediately appointed Guo Ziyi as the commander-in-chief of the military camps of Shuofang, Hedong, Beiting, Lu, Yi, Ze, Qin, Chen, and Zheng, as well as the deputy marshal of Xingping and other armies. Guo Ziyi returned to the capital to receive his orders, but although Li Fuguo was dismissed, Cheng Yuanzhen slandered him greatly before Li Yu, thus causing Li Yu to detain Guo Ziyi instead of sending him away.

In other words, after stabilizing the situation in Hedong, the old Minister of Works returned to Chang'an to sit on the sidelines—he was no longer like Li Fuguo in his prime, able to dictate to the Prime Minister as one of the Three Dukes. However, unlike Li Fuguo, the Prince of Fenyang's residence was bustling with activity. Not only did his students and former officials come to pay their respects, but many upright court officials also came to meet Guo Ziyi, saying that the Minister of Works was a pillar of the state, how could he not be allowed to lead troops to fight the rebels? We must jointly submit a memorial, earnestly requesting the Emperor to allow the Minister of Works to return to the front lines.

Therefore, comparing the two, Li Fuguo was actually quite jealous. Today, he took the opportunity to mention to Li Ji that he would most likely not end up like him. Even if the emperor was wary of him and kept him in the capital, he would be more like Guo Ziyi today.

Li Ji smiled and said, "It would be my wish to be like Master Guo..." Then he suddenly changed the subject: "In fact, Master Li, and even Master Gao, did not necessarily have to fall into their current situation."

"Oh," Li Fuguo said, showing some interest. "Erlang, teach me."

Li Ji bluntly said, "Lord Li admits to being the emperor's dog, and that is absolutely true—if you are not willing to be a dog, even the late emperor would not tolerate you!"

Li Fuguo nodded repeatedly: "Second Brother understands me."

"However," Li Ji then made a turn, "dogs are kept to guard the gate and catch rabbits. But if they can't guard the gate or catch rabbits, perhaps the owner will still cherish the long-standing companionship and not have the heart to cook them. But what will happen when the owner passes away and the heir takes over the household?"

Li Fuguo said with a wry smile, "Even if there was no merit, there must have been some effort..."

"Humans can boast of their hard work, but how can dogs boast of their hard work?" Li Ji said solemnly. "Let me be frank: if you, Lord Li, were wholeheartedly devoted to the country and could have assisted the late emperor in quelling the chaos, even if the current emperor ascended the throne, he would not have been able to touch you. Although you may not have the honor of being a prime minister or be granted a royal title, surely you wouldn't be left with 'a deserted gate and few horses and carriages'?"

"How can chaos be easily quelled? Those are decisions made by sages..."

"Given Gao Gong's past reputation and his close relationship with Emperor Xuanzong, if he had advised against treacherous officials and accepted good advice, how could Li Linfu have acted recklessly, and how could An Lushan have rebelled? Given Li Gong's past reputation and his close relationship with the late emperor, if he had trusted Minister Guo and had not hindered Grand Commandant Li, this turmoil would have been quelled long ago."

Li Fuguo quickly retorted, "It was Yu Chaoen who slandered Guo and Li!"

Li Ji raised his eyebrows: "If Lord Li hadn't colluded with Yu Chaoen, would he dare?!"

Li Fuguo was discouraged and remained silent.

Li Jifu sneered, "When you were in court, everyone flattered you as 'Five Fathers,' and no one dared to speak recklessly. Now that you've fallen from grace, you can go around the court and ask around to find out what your reputation really is. Can you still bury your head in the sand? You actually dare to hope that the historian will write something good—you should worry about when you'll be boiled alive!"

Li Fuguo was horrified: "Could it be that the Sage intends to kill me?!"

Li Ji slowed his speech and said slowly, "The Sage may not necessarily want to kill Lord Li, but he is condemned by thousands. Lord Li, ask yourself, can all your past actions be proven by heaven? They will be gradually brought to light. When that time comes, you will probably be punished like Zong Ai, and your whole family will be executed."

Li Fuguo's expression instantly turned extremely ugly.

"Even if the sage could not bear to punish him, he might, like Gao Gong, be exiled to a remote, miasma-ridden place in his old age..."

Li Fuguo said with a sob in his voice, "This is retribution. The day before yesterday I slandered Lord Gao, and the day after tomorrow Cheng Yuanzhen will most likely not let me off the hook either..."

Li Ji continued, "If it weren't for the late Emperor's support, I doubt Lord Li would have dared to travel so far to Gao Gong's residence; so who will support Cheng Yuanzhen in the future? As the saying goes, 'If you don't kill a snake, it will surely bite back.' I ask you, Lord Li, you know Cheng Yuanzhen well, how does his magnanimity compare to yours? The late Emperor was benevolent..."

He actually said those four words with a pinched nose: "The current emperor is the same, but the successor may not be."

The implication is that you think Li Shi is easy to deal with? He's been dealing with you for a long time and knows your character and abilities better than anyone. Do you think he'd let you off the hook?

"Furthermore, it is said that when the King of Qi returned to the capital, he brought with him many brave warriors from Guanzhong..."

And Li Tan, he wishes you were dead too!

Li Fuguo couldn't help but sigh, "I've been thinking about this matter recently, but I don't have Erlang's clear analysis and insight..." He then leaned forward slightly and asked Li Ji, "Erlang, you didn't come here just to say these things, did you? Or do you have something to teach me?"

Li Ji smiled slightly: "Gao Gong is still lucky. People only receive posthumous honors."

Li Fuguo's body suddenly stiffened: "You want me to die?!"

"The time is now excellent; there's no need to wait for the King of Qin to send a letter to Lü Buwei to force him. Moreover, Li Gong already holds the title of Prince, which can be passed on to his sons..."

In the Tang Dynasty, princes of different surnames could not inherit their titles, but their successors could be granted the title of duke, with the rank decreasing with each generation. Li Fuguo, being a eunuch, naturally had no biological sons, but he had long ago adopted two distant nephews to inherit his vast estate. Therefore, if Li Fuguo's title of Prince of Bolu was not stripped or he died, his nephews had a chance of becoming dukes.

"Anyway, Lord Li is already very old and his days are numbered. Rather than being stripped of his title and executed, or even having his entire clan implicated, or being beheaded by some strongman from Guanzhong..." Li Ji deliberately glanced around, "I have fought under the command of the Prince of Qi. Ten thousand barbarian bandits are like an easy road to the brave men of Longyou, let alone this small courtyard..."

Chapter 40, The Hermit Returns

After leaving Li Fuguo's residence, Li Ji went to the East Market and visited the Yaxuan Tea House.

As soon as he registered, Shopkeeper Peng came out to greet him. Li Ji asked him, "Do you have any Mengding stone flowers, or small squares, or loose teeth in your shop?"

The teas he reported were all famous teas produced in Jiannan Road, and Lizhou belonged to Jiannan Road (Western Road). Since the tea cakes here were all transported from Sichuan with the help of Cui Gan, the governor of Lizhou, they should not lack these famous products.

Shopkeeper Peng hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the doctor, seventy percent of the tea cakes my family obtained from Sichuan were sold to other shops at a fair price—I have already informed my wife of this, and she said that from now on we can operate freely and no longer need to sell them outside. However, in such a hurry... we only have a dozen or so small square tea cakes left for now..."

Tea drinking was very popular in the Tang Dynasty—of course, it was all compressed tea, often with salt, spices, and cheese added. In a famous city like Chang'an, even ordinary people could afford tea, though it was all of inferior quality and had no special name. The truly famous compressed teas were mostly presented directly to the palace or the homes of nobles, so it's understandable that shops didn't keep many.

Li Ji nodded and said, "That's enough. Find some nice utensils to present it to the nobleman."

Shopkeeper Peng acknowledged the order, then took out a brocade box containing twelve small squares of dough, and instructed his shop assistant to hand it to Li Ji with both hands.

Li Ji took it with one hand, then comforted and encouraged Shopkeeper Peng with a few words, meaning that he should run the business well and that with him in charge, no one would dare to covet it. He then left the shop, checked the sky, and went to the neighboring shop for a quick lunch before heading to the Prince of Lu's residence.

Upon meeting Li Shi, he presented the brocade box. Li Shi smiled enigmatically and asked, "What Changwei has acquired is more than just a teahouse, isn't it?" Old Hu Kang couldn't possibly leave his son only this much property!

Li Ji replied, "Unfortunately, there's no wine to drink these days, so I can only drink tea." The implication was clear: "Who told you to cut off my tribute from the tavern?"

Li Shi feigned surprise: "That was my oversight..." Li Ji thought to himself, "Keep pretending. I originally thought that all of Kang Laohu's property had fallen into Li Fuguo's hands. But after hearing what you said, it turns out that you're the one who's been living a life of luxury. I don't believe that without your permission, the tavern would dare to stop sending me money!"

It's not exactly a case of "when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away," but you're being really dishonest. At least you should have informed me first.

However, he wouldn't dwell on Li Shi over this issue, so he immediately changed the subject and requested, "Your Highness could persuade the court officials to submit a memorial impeaching Li Fuguo."

Li Shi frowned slightly: "I already said that this move is pointless..."

Li Ji said bluntly, "This move certainly cannot take Li Fuguo's life, but it can kill him... in a less ugly way."

Li Shi looked at Li Ji with suspicion: "So Changwei really has a plan? How much more time will it take?"

Li Ji held up one finger: "Ten days. If Li Fuguo submits a memorial requesting the establishment of an heir, then the matter will be settled. Otherwise... well, it will just have to be ugly."

"Very well, then I will grant Changwei's request and await good news from him here."

Sure enough, two days later, officials began to submit memorials, some accusing Li Fuguo of numerous illegal acts during his tenure, others merely offering empty accusations against the old eunuch, pleading with the emperor not only to strip Li Fuguo of his princely title but also to send him to the Secretariat for stern interrogation. Li Yu did not reply to any of them.

At the same time, Li Fuguo submitted a memorial requesting that his nephew's status as the official successor be confirmed, which Li Yu immediately granted.

Upon hearing this news, Li Ji breathed a sigh of relief.

Several days later, the playing of instruments increased—previously it was Li Shi who instigated it, but now even Prime Minister Yuan Zai jumped in, wanting to kick a man when he's down. Suddenly one day, an urgent report reached the palace, saying that Li Fuguo, fearing slander and ridicule, had hanged himself that morning.

Before Li Fuguo hanged himself, he wrote a final memorial and ordered it to be presented to the palace. As for the contents of the memorial, Li Yu told Li Shi, who then relayed it to Li Ji. In essence, the old eunuch spent nearly a thousand words reviewing his life, emphasizing his unwavering loyalty and boasting of his achievements; only at the end did he say:

"Although I have done nothing to wrong the late Emperor or to shame the state, I was entrusted with the heavy responsibility of guarding the Ministry of War. I failed to rectify the court and bring peace to the people, nor could I quell rebellions or defend against the western bandits. Despite my best efforts, I have accomplished nothing. I have heard that some have impeached me, saying that I have failed in my duties and have accepted a royal title. I ask myself, and I have no face to face the current emperor. As I write this, tears stream down my face, and I know not what to say. I have no choice but to die to follow the late Emperor in the afterlife."

To put it bluntly, I have made contributions and have virtues, but unfortunately I am not worthy of my position, and therefore I am ashamed beyond measure. Since you no longer need me, I might as well be dead.

After Li Shi relayed the contents of the memorial, he asked Li Ji, "What exactly did Changwei say to that old traitor when he went to his residence the day before yesterday?"

Li Ji laughed and said, "It's just a matter of criticizing their actions and denouncing their hypocrisy..."

"That old thief isn't one to care about saving face..."

"Furthermore, I have also threatened the old thief that if he does not commit suicide, he will surely die without a burial place in the future—even if the Emperor is reluctant to kill him, there is still Your Highness, there is still Prince Qi, and even Cheng Yuanzhen."

Li Shi shook his head: "It's a pity that we can't show our killings." He paused, then added: "Never mind, it's fine this way."

In fact, Li Ji also wanted to punish Li Fuguo according to the law as a warning to future generations. However, judging from the tone revealed by Li Shi, this was quite difficult—at least it was probably impossible while Li Yu was still on the throne. Li Ji only opposed non-punitive punishment, and even sent assassins to assassinate the old eunuch, because resorting to assassination in political struggles was too despicable, especially since setting such a precedent would have endless consequences.

That's why he tried to persuade Li Fuguo, the old man, that he might as well commit suicide, which would be better for him and for everyone else. As for whether he could persuade Li Fuguo with his silver tongue, Li Ji wasn't really sure, which is why he ordered Yin Shen to prepare for assassination. If the old man stubbornly refused to die, then there would be no other way but to resort to the worst possible strategy.

This problem must be resolved before Li Bi returns to court, which will also clear the way for his future.

Looking back now, Li Fuguo's biggest worry wasn't Emperor Li Yu, nor even Li Shi and Li Tan, but his former protégé Cheng Yuanzhen—because the old eunuch himself knew all too well how unruly and shameless eunuchs could be. Just as he had exiled Gao Lishi, Cheng Yuanzhen might do even more ruthless things in the future.

Li Fuguo must be regretting it too. Li Longji's power is waning, while Li Heng's position is becoming increasingly secure. Moreover, although Gao Lishi once held great power, he was much more honest than himself and rarely interfered in the affairs of the outer court. Why did he have to kick a man when he was down? He's setting a bad example for future generations, and there's even a chance that the consequences will fall on him...

Before meeting Li Fuguo, Li Ji had already prepared his speech in advance, but Cheng Yuanzhen was not originally included in his remarks... It was Li Fuguo who reminded him, so he quietly said to Li Shi, "We must be careful that Cheng Yuanzhen does not become the second Li Fuguo."

Li Shi seemed unconcerned, merely smiling slightly: "Let's take them one at a time." His implication was that Yu Chaoen needed to be eliminated first!

After Li Ji returned home from his official duties, he instructed Cui Cuo to inform Yin Shen that the order from the previous day was off, and that he should burn all the relevant documents and not divulge a single word. Yin Shen felt quite regretful—firstly, everyone hated Li Fuguo, and even he himself might not have been unwilling to plan an assassination; secondly, the first task assigned by his new master had come to nothing, and he wondered how he could demonstrate his talents to Li Erlang.

Upon Li Fuguo's death, Li Yu expressed deep sorrow and immediately issued an edict posthumously granting Li Fuguo the title of Grand Tutor. However, unlike Gao Lishi, he did not allow Li Fuguo to be buried in the late emperor's mausoleum. Subsequently, he ordered his ministers to devise a posthumous title for Li Fuguo—it was extremely rare for a eunuch to receive a posthumous title.