Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 28

After being told off like that, Li Ji calmed down a bit. After a moment's thought, he said, "You are sending three thousand men to break through the enemy lines. The chances of success are slim... I'm afraid less than half will be able to enter the city. Moreover, even if we enter Suiyang, we will lack food and supplies, and we will still be unable to defend it. To be honest, our army has just recaptured Xijing and needs to rest and recuperate before we can attack Dongjing. I'm afraid Suiyang will not be able to wait until then..."

Nan Jiyun blew his nose, flicked it onto the ground, and his expression softened slightly. He sighed, "It was expected. Knowing that Xijing has been recaptured and Dongjing will soon be taken, even if Nan Ba ​​dies, he can rest in peace—our arduous defense of Suiyang was not in vain! It's just a pity that we have no chance to meet again, and I can't have another proper duel with Li Zhiguo..."

Li Ji encouraged him, saying, "A true man should not be discouraged until he has reached the end of his rope... Even if he has reached the end of his rope, he should still look for any chance he might have. I will go to Linhuai now and try to persuade General Helan to change his mind and send reinforcements..."

Lian Tan sneered, "I think the commander is determined not to send troops, so what use would it be for you to go? Even if you have the official documents from the commander's office, you can't control the regional officials. Do you think Helan Jinming will listen to you?"

Li Ji said, "It is not certain... To be honest, I and the military commander are old acquaintances."

"Oh, could it be the son of an old friend of the military governor?"

Li Ji shook his head and said no—"My cousin and the military governor are quite close, and I also met him once through my cousin."

"May I ask who your brother is?"

"Marshal's Chief of Staff, Li Bi".

Nan Jiyun's large, copper-bell-like eyes widened even more: "Could it be Mr. Li Changyuan?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Wow, Li Bi's reputation has spread quite far." He immediately nodded and said, "Before the military commander took office, my elder brother told him about the Suiyang incident, hoping he could save the day. I will use my elder brother's words to rebuke him. Perhaps the military commander will feel ashamed and repent..."

Although Li Bi claimed he wanted to resign, the news hadn't yet reached him. He remained the chief military secretary to the marshal, Li Chu's right-hand man, and deeply trusted by Emperor Li Heng. Li Ji thought to himself, "If I use Li Bi's words to shut up Helan Jinming, perhaps he won't dare disobey. But if I offend Li Bi, or even Li Chu, and he says a few words to the emperor, will my career still have any hope?"

Of course, Li Bi might not speak ill of Helan Jinming—especially since he's considering resigning—and Li Chu would be even less likely to cause trouble, but I can use that to intimidate him. Whether it succeeds or fails is hard to say… perhaps there's only a 50% chance, but even if the hope is slim, as I just said, I must strive for it, I must fight for it.

Furthermore, faced with Nan Jiyun's deep grief and indignation, and hearing of the tragic scene of starvation and cannibalism in Suiyang City, I would find it hard to forgive myself if I did not do something for them! They did not shy away from death, yet I dare not go with them to face the national crisis. Do I not even have the courage to defy Helan Jinming?

I should have known better than to come to Suiyang. Now that I'm here, and now that I've seen and heard it, how can I just ignore it?

He immediately stood up, patted his chest, and pleaded, "I wish to have a guide to lead me south to Linhuai to persuade the military governor. If it succeeds, Suiyang may be saved; if it fails, I will fulfill General Nan's long-cherished wish and assassinate Helan Jinming to appease the world!"

Nan Jiyun stammered, "There's no need for that..." I was just extremely angry that day, and that's all I said... Then I raised my voice, "If Suiyang can be saved, you will be our great benefactor. If Nan Ba ​​lives, I will serve you like a cow or a horse; if he dies, I will repay your kindness with my life! If not, in the future, kill a few more traitorous generals on the battlefield, and that will be enough to appease us. A true man should not die as an assassin!"

Chapter Seven, The Insolence of a General

Li Ji asked Nan Jiyun to assign him a guide who was skilled in riding and familiar with the roads to lead him to Linhuai—because the military situation was urgent and he was not very familiar with the roads heading south, it would be terrible if he got lost along the way… As for Jia Huai, his riding skills were not as good as Li Ji’s, so he did not plan to bring him along.

He instructed Jia Huai to go to Luoyang ahead of time to meet up with Chen Fu and the others, or to find a place to hide near Suiyang and wait for his return.

However, Jia Huai resolutely refused to agree.

Jia Huai thought to himself, "What if something happens to you, like if you really go and try to assassinate Helan Jinming—of course, that's probably just something you said in anger, don't take it seriously—then I'll be all alone on my way to Luoyang, and I won't be able to explain myself no matter what. As for the area around Suiyang, it's a battlefield, with hundreds of thousands of rebel troops gathered there. Where do you think I can hide? Even if I hide well, you won't be able to find me when you come back."

Therefore, after agreeing on the route south, he asked to follow behind Li Ji. He said, "I may not be able to catch up with you, but as long as we don't lose our way, we will naturally meet again when you return." Li Ji agreed.

The man Nan Jiyun assigned to Li Ji was named Chen Ruo, one of the thirty riders he had brought from Suiyang City—now only eleven remained. Originally from Ye County, his family had modest wealth, but due to the rebels' looting, his entire family was wiped out. He then went to join Yan Gaoqing, the prefect of Changshan. After Yan Gaoqing's defeat, he fled south across the river and joined Zhang Xun's forces—his hatred for the rebels was truly blood-soaked.

Without resting or waiting for dawn, Li Ji lit a torch and set off alongside Chen Ruo; Jia Huai had no choice but to follow behind. Nan Jiyun, Lian Tan, and the others watched the three gradually disappear into the darkness, and Lian Tan asked, "General, do you think Li Ji can persuade the commander-in-chief on this trip?"

Nan Jiyun shook his head: "He has to do his best; we can only leave it to fate. Chen Ruo has been with me for a long time, a survivor of countless battles, and is still young. If he can escape death because of this, he can avenge us in the future... That's good, that's good." He then ordered everyone to rest immediately. Tomorrow at dawn, we will attack the rebel army and try to break through the siege and return to the city!

The route Li Ji and his men had planned was actually quite simple: they would head southeast along the south bank of the Bian River—frankly, they didn't need a guide. Nan Jiyun had led thirty riders in a breakout that day, and now only eleven remained with him. He had pleaded with them, saying they didn't need to return to the city to their deaths, but none of the riders were willing to leave… So, when Li Ji asked for a guide, he feigned entrusting Chen Ruo with the important tasks of leading the way and protecting him, hoping to save even one of his men's lives…

Meanwhile, Li Ji and Chen Ruo traveled day and night, galloping at full speed. By the early morning of the second day, when they turned back, Jia Huai was nowhere to be seen—the difference in riding skills was obvious. In truth, Li Ji's riding skills were only average, but he was ultimately stronger and had better stamina. He gritted his teeth, squeezed his horse's flanks tightly, and endured the discomfort in his chest and abdomen caused by the jolting, barely managing to keep up with Chen Ruo's pace. As for whether Chen Ruo deliberately slowed down to wait for him, that's unclear…

Probably not, because Chen Ruo's mount is far less magnificent than Li Ji's fine horse from Guanzhong.

They had been running for half a day and a night, even eating and drinking on horseback at a slightly slower pace. By afternoon, probably past Linhuan, Chen Ruo's mount finally couldn't take it anymore and almost stumbled, throwing him off. He had no choice but to slowly rein in the horse and slow down, turning to Li Ji with a wry smile, "No, if we don't rest and let the horse eat some fodder, it might break down..."

Li Ji agreed to rest for a while, but his lower body was almost completely numb, and he nearly couldn't dismount. Chen Ruo had to help him. The two let the horses graze, while they walked around by the roadside to loosen their muscles. Li Ji looked at the Bian River not far away and asked Chen Ruo, "Would it be faster to take a boat?"

Chen Ruo shook his head: "It's not as fast as a galloping horse, but it can at least provide a rest... However, I heard that all the ships have been transferred to transport grain by an official surnamed Third or Fifth, so they are not easy to find."

Li Ji thought to himself, "That must be referring to Fifth Qi, the governor of Henan and other five circuits and the salt, iron and coin casting commissioner of all circuits. I heard that he was originally a subordinate of Helan Jinming."

After a short rest, they mounted their horses again and galloped until evening, when they were forced to rest once more. After nearly a day and a night of riding, Li Ji's anger subsided somewhat, and he was no longer so impulsive. He said to Chen Ruo, "Let's find a place to camp for the night. Even if people can endure it, horses can't go without rest. Besides, riding at night is too inefficient. It's better to conserve our energy and strength and wait until dawn to continue."

They finally arrived in Linhuai at the beginning of the third day. As soon as they reached the city gate, they presented the official document from the military headquarters, and a general quickly led them to see Helan Jinming. Presumably finding the county office too cramped, this Helan military commander resided in a large temple in the west of the city. Li Ji followed them into the temple, deliberately craning his neck and staring intently at the pagoda, searching for the arrow that Nan Jiyun had shot that day—he couldn't find it; it had probably been removed long ago.

When Helan Jinming heard that the Marshal had sent someone all the way to Linhuai, he wondered what important matter it was for and naturally dared not neglect him, so he immediately summoned him. Upon seeing him, he recognized him immediately – wasn't this Li Bi's cousin? He asked, "Li Ji, why have you come from so far? What are your orders, Marshal?"

He found it strange. Logically speaking, when a military commander issues an order to a regional governor like him, a formal document is required. Why hasn't it been presented? Could it be some confidential matter, so Li Ji intends to deliver it in person? Let's wait and see.

Li Ji clasped his hands in greeting and replied, “The Marshal sent me on official business to Guandong. Before I left, my elder brother asked me to take the opportunity to observe the situation in Suiyang. Now Suiyang is in imminent danger, yet you, as the military governor of Henan, are stationed far away in Linhuai and unwilling to go to its aid. I wonder what your intentions are? I must find out the truth before I return to Chang'an to report to my elder brother.”

Helan Jinmingwen

Yan paused for a moment, then beamed with joy: "Changyuan is in Chang'an? Does that mean Xijing has already been recovered?" Li Ji and his men set off eastward only two days after the recapture of Chang'an. With their fast horses, the messenger who came to Linhuai to report the military situation hadn't even arrived before him.

Li Ji nodded: "The Western Capital was recovered on the day of Guimao. The Marshal is currently residing at his old residence. We respectfully request that Your Majesty return to the capital..."

Helan Jinming leaned forward slightly, interrupting him, and asked with a smile, "Were you by the Marshal's side that day? How was the battle fought, and what were the results? Tell me about it."

Li Ji frowned slightly and replied, "Detailed reports on the battle to retake the capital should arrive soon. The military situation is urgent; Suiyang has been besieged for half a year. Why haven't you sent reinforcements, Doctor?"

Helan Jinming said angrily, "This is not something you can understand. I have my reasons for not rescuing Suiyang. Who are you to dare to question me?"

Li Ji's attitude remained respectful, but his tone gradually became more intense: "On the day you took your leave, my elder brother asked you to keep an eye on Suiyang, but unexpectedly you stayed in Linhuai, observing without advancing. I was sent by my elder brother to ask you what happened..."

"I will personally submit letters to the Marshal and Changyuan; you don't need to ask me!"

Li Ji pressed on relentlessly, saying, “Your Excellency is mistaken. If Your Excellency is facing any difficulties, I, Li Ji, though unworthy, may be able to help you. But if we wait until the letter is presented to the Marshal, the thousands of soldiers and civilians of Suiyang will all turn to dust! If Your Excellency raises troops to aid us today, you can not only save a city but also win the hearts of the people throughout Henan. If we delay, how will we explain this to the Marshal and my elder brother in the future?!” As he spoke, he took a step forward.

"I will explain myself, no need for you to worry—get out of here!" Helan Jinming's face was already very ugly. To be honest, if Li Ji hadn't been Li Bi's cousin, and if they hadn't met once at the imperial camp, he would have ordered his men to beat him out with sticks long ago—how dare you, a mere seventh-rank military officer, question a third-rank censor like me? Does this country have no hierarchy?!

Instead of retreating, Li Ji advanced and continued, "My elder brother once said that you, sir, are knowledgeable in military affairs and possess great integrity. Compared to Prince Guo (Li Ju), you are worlds apart. Prince Guo is like a firefly in rotten grass, while you, sir, are like the bright moon in the sky..." Before Helan Jinming's expression could soften, he stepped forward again and loudly questioned, "With your knowledge, sir, surely you know that if Suiyang falls, the Huai River will be in grave danger. Yet you stand here refusing to save it. Are you jealous of Vice Minister Zhang (Zhang Xun was originally the Censor-in-Chief) and happy to see him die?!"

Upon hearing this, Helan Jinming flew into a rage. He was about to slam his fist on the table and order Li Ji to be thrown out when he suddenly realized that Li Ji was less than three steps away from him... and why was this young man's right hand on the hilt of his knife?

Li Bi had once introduced him to his younger cousin, saying that he was incredibly strong and brave, but his temper was a bit bad; he would get angry at the drop of a hat and pick fights... At that time, Helan Jinming casually said, "We can put him in the army so that he can know the ruthlessness of military law and perhaps temper his character." He even jokingly asked if he should bring him to Henan with him.

Damn, this kid's expression is hostile, and his tone is aggressive. Could he be planning to attack me? Besides, Li Bi said he was a rough man, but he spoke very logically today. Could Li Bi have taught him that? What is this kid's true purpose in coming to Linhuai today?

He was actually half right. Li Ji couldn't possibly be truly interested in assassinating Helan Jinming to avenge Nan Jiyun and the people of Suiyang—besides, even if he killed this man, would he be able to protect Suiyang? But he had originally planned to reason with this military commander and use the names of Li Chu and Li Bi to put pressure on him. Unexpectedly, the other party was unmoved, and Li Ji's anger flared up again.

Over the past year, he had repeatedly succeeded in abducting people by force—first, he captured Li Fuguo in Ding'an to persuade Li Heng, then he captured Tian Qianzhen alive near Weinan, then he beat up the Crown Prince of Yehu outside the East Gate of Chang'an, and finally he chased Yu Chaoen in Yong County—so he instinctively thought, why don't I capture Helan Jinming and force him to send troops to save Suiyang!

Unexpectedly, Helan Jinming was also very perceptive. Noticing Li Ji's unusual expression and unfriendly demeanor, he glanced at him and guessed that something serious had happened and the guards couldn't arrive in time to help... His expression immediately changed, his anger vanished, replaced by sorrow, and his tone softened as he said, "Don't talk nonsense. How could I be jealous of Zhang Xun? Changwei, you don't know, I truly have my reasons for not being able to save Suiyang..."

Chapter Eight, Willing to be Zhu Hai

He Lan Jinming's refusal to rescue Suiyang was indeed due to his own difficulties; it was neither simply out of cowardice at the sight of the enemy, nor out of jealousy towards Zhang Xun.

However, these predicaments were not something he could openly discuss. He figured only a few of his trusted advisors knew the truth, but even they were powerless to help. When Nan Jiyun came seeking help that day, Helan Jinming had wanted to pour out his troubles, but in front of so many people, he simply couldn't bring himself to say it…

If Li Ji hadn't relentlessly pressured him today—Nan Jiyun didn't have the guts to do so, and could only offer advice before daring to shoot at the tower to vent his anger—Helan Jinming wouldn't have brought up this predicament, especially since he suspected Li Bi was behind Li Ji. So, while he was ostensibly telling Li Ji, he actually wanted him to go back and privately inform Li Bi.

So he dismissed everyone around him—since it was probably only this distance, and if Li Ji really wanted to use force, they wouldn't have time to save me—and said to Li Ji in a low voice, "I will not save Suiyang, not because I don't want to, but because I cannot..."

The former military governor of Henan, Li Ju, the Prince of Guo, was appointed by the retired emperor. He was somewhat invigorated when he first took office, but when he heard that Xijing had fallen and the emperor had fled to Shu, he became disheartened and gave up on making any progress. Therefore, Li Heng changed the appointment to Helan Jinming. However, when Helan Jinming arrived in Henan, he found the situation to be very bad. Although half of the counties were still in the hands of the government troops, they could only defend the cities and could not spare any mobile troops.

Left with no other choice, he had to go to Linhuai to try to gather troops from Huainan—wasn't it said that the rebellion of Prince Yong had been quelled? Shouldn't the troops in Huainan and even Jiangnan be idle?

Unfortunately, neither Huainan Circuit nor Jiangnan East Circuit was under his jurisdiction, so no one was obligated to send troops to help him, and they wouldn't even supply him with provisions for free. Helan Jinming could only exchange official documents, trying to build relationships and explain the advantages and disadvantages, which took a long time, and he could only raise less than 10,000 men and enough provisions for half a year.

With such a small number of soldiers and provisions, even if he were truly loyal and concerned about the country, he wouldn't dare to go to the rescue of Suiyang and confront Yin Ziqi's 100,000-strong rebel army head-on!

Of course, Lian Tan, with fewer than three thousand soldiers, was willing to go to Suiyang to die with Nan Jiyun. In comparison, Helan Jinming was still a coward and a scoundrel. But the higher one's rank, the more one cherishes their life; he certainly didn't want to die.

As for Zhang Xun, I already sent him an official document saying that if he can defend Suiyang, then he should; if he can't, then he should leave—if he doesn't leave and wants to die, then it's not my fault...

Helan Jinming poured out his grievances to Li Ji, who was puzzled and asked, "I've heard that Pengcheng has tens of thousands of troops stationed there. How can you say there are no soldiers?"

Upon hearing this, Helan Jinming's expression grew even more bitter: "How can I possibly command the troops of Pengcheng?!"

After abandoning Lingchang, Xu Shuji went south to gather the defeated troops from all sides and gradually amassed tens of thousands of soldiers. He was originally from Runan, came from a prominent family, and had powerful backers in the court. With such a prestigious reputation, people from Henan were often willing to serve him. When Helan Jin arrived in Henan at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, he also wanted to recruit this army, but Xu Shuji bluntly rejected him.

"If I could obtain the soldiers of Pengcheng, why would I need to come to Linhuai? Besides, I previously ordered Xu Shuji to relieve Suiyang, but he remained inactive..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji became even more confused: "Isn't the Grand Master the Military Governor of Henan? Xu Shuji is merely the Prefect of Lingchang. Why would he dare to disobey the Grand Master's orders?"

Helan Jinming smiled bitterly and said, "Although the positions are different, the official rank is the same. How could he possibly obey my orders?"

The "official post" he referred to was the official position of a government official, while the positions of Henan Jiedushi (military governor) and Lingchang Taishou (prefect of Lingchang) were merely concurrent posts.

Xu Shuji concurrently served as the Prefect of Lingchang. Lingchang was a prestigious prefecture, and the Prefect was a third-rank official. Of course, compared to officials of the same rank, officials outside the capital were ranked lower than those in the capital. Helan Jinming concurrently served as the Military Governor of Henan. Military Governors did not have a rank; their specific rank depended on their official position. They could be as high as the first rank or as low as the fifth rank.

Therefore, the only comparison between their ranks is their respective official positions. Helan Jinming and Xu Shuji were both Imperial Censors, a third-rank official, of equal rank. So, since they were on equal footing, why should I listen to you? Especially since the military governor was in charge of military affairs, while the prefect had both military and political power, they weren't entirely in the same system.

Let alone Helan Jinming, even back when Li Ju was still alive, he couldn't really command Xu Shuji much...

Moreover, Xu Shuji also has powerful backers in the imperial court.

He Lan Jinming, finally able to vent his frustrations, explained to Li Ji in detail: "Behind Xu Shuji is Fang Xiang... Fang Xiang has his protégés and former officials spread throughout the provinces, controlling government affairs and even manipulating military power to consolidate his influence. Moreover, Xu Shuji is aware of my long-standing animosity towards Fang Xiang..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "No wonder. This is why you spoke ill of Fang Guan to Li Heng that day... It turns out that not only did Fang Guan form cliques for personal gain, but you also had a personal grudge against each other!"

It must be for this reason that Xu Shuji particularly disliked Helan Jinming and resolutely refused to obey his orders… What bad luck! I originally thought that coming to Linhuai would give me a chance to relieve the siege of Suiyang, but I didn't expect the real problem to be in Pengcheng. Pengcheng is almost exactly halfway between Suiyang and Linhuai. If I had known, I would have gone to Pengcheng instead; it would have covered almost half the distance and saved a lot of time…

Li Ji was now very close, separated from Helan Jinming only by a small table, but he no longer intended to use force to coerce him—even if Helan Jinming were forced to send out his entire army, reportedly only a little over ten thousand men, lacking clothing and food, how could they possibly lift the siege of Suiyang?—Instead, he was acting like a military advisor strategizing for the general, helping Helan Jinming come up with ideas. He said, "Your Excellency is appointed by the Emperor to oversee military affairs in Henan; how can you be controlled by Xu Shuji? So what if he has powerful backers? Wasn't Fang Guan already dismissed as prime minister?"

贺兰

Upon hearing this, Jinming's eyes flickered slightly: "Oh? I haven't received any news yet..."

Li Ji said that not long ago, Li Heng demoted Fang Guan to Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, which was a completely sinecure and tantamount to stripping him of his power as prime minister. "What you said to His Majesty the other day was penetrating to the bone. How can Fang Guan remain prime minister in peace? With Fang Guan down, Xu Shuji is no longer a threat!"

In fact, Fang Guan's downfall was not the result of Helan Jinming alone, but rather the result of the collective efforts of many people—especially Cui Yuan, who had always been despised by Fang Guan. Therefore, he clung to Li Fuguo's coattails and, through Li Fuguo, spoke ill of Fang Guan to Li Heng every day. As a result, Cui Yuan's power grew day by day, almost equivalent to that of the prime minister, while Fang Guan had no choice but to step aside.

Li Ji had prepared a lengthy speech on the way, but he hadn't even finished half of it. He felt a lump in his throat, and felt compelled to speak. Taking advantage of Helan Jinming's joy at Fang Guan's downfall, he continued his persuasion: "Now that the army has recaptured Xijing and killed over 60,000 rebel soldiers, the enemy forces inside and outside Tongguan are virtually wiped out. After a short rest, we will continue eastward to recapture Luoyang. If we capture Luoyang, Henan can be pacified. Yet you, sir, have received an imperial decree to manage Henan on behalf of the King of Guo, but you are confined to a corner of Linhuai, achieving nothing—the Emperor will surely be disappointed in you."

"Furthermore, since Zhang Zhongcheng raised troops at Zhenyuan to fight against the rebels, and then defended Suiyang for over a year, he was originally just a minor county magistrate. Yet His Majesty promoted him exceptionally, making his rank second only to the Grand Master. This shows the depth of His Majesty's expectations and the height of His Majesty's praise. If Suiyang falls and the Zhongcheng perishes, it will be due to the Grand Master's failure to send troops to the rescue. His Majesty will not blame Xu Shuji, but will certainly be furious with the Grand Master. The court and the public will inevitably misunderstand that the Grand Master is jealous of Zhang Zhongcheng. Doesn't the Grand Master see what happened to Wang Chengye?"

Wang Chengye was originally the military governor of Hedong. Back then, when Yan Gaoqing was defending Hebei against rebels, he lured and beheaded the traitorous general Li Qincou, and captured Gao Miao and He Qiannian. Yan Gaoqing then sent his son Yan Quanming and others to Taiyuan with the heads and prisoners, but Wang Chengye detained Yan Quanming and the others, claiming the credit for himself. At that time, the retired emperor was still in Chang'an. Upon receiving the news, he was overjoyed and richly rewarded Wang Chengye. However, not long afterward, he heard that the credit had actually gone to Yan Gaoqing, and thus issued an edict reprimanding him.

Perhaps for this reason, when Yan Gaoqing was besieged by a large rebel force, he repeatedly sent messengers to plead for help, but Wang Chengye, harboring resentment, refused to send a single soldier. This ultimately led to Yan Gaoqing's capture, where he cursed the rebels and died. As a result, Wang Chengye was hated by everyone in the court and the public. After Li Heng ascended the throne in Lingwu, he sent the Imperial Censor Cui Zhong to Taiyuan, first seizing Wang Chengye's troops, and then issuing an edict to execute him.

Wang Chengye's death was due to his failure to save Yan Gaoqing; now, Helan Jinming, if you do not save Zhang Xun, what will become of you? You should think about it carefully.

Upon hearing this, Helan Jinming was startled and hurriedly said, "I have been discussing with my subordinates every day how to seize Pengcheng's army, but they have many soldiers while we have few. Xu Shuji is also determined not to obey orders. What should we do?!"

Li Ji, your words are clear and logical, and you have a keen understanding of the situation. You must have been taught by Li Bi. Did Li Bi teach you a way to break the deadlock?

Li Ji thought for a moment and then said, “Xu Shuji is in Pengcheng, while you are in Linhuai, hundreds of miles apart. It’s easy for him to refuse official business. I hope you will immediately move your troops north to Pengcheng and invite Xu Shuji to come for a meeting. I’m sure he won’t dare not come. When you meet, tell him about Fang Guan’s dismissal as prime minister and ask him to send troops to rescue Suiyang. If he agrees, that would be best; if he doesn’t…”

At this point, a murderous glint appeared in the young man's eyes, and he said viciously, "Then please let the doctor be Lord Xinling, and Li Ji will be Zhu Hai!"

Upon hearing this, Helan Jinming couldn't help but shudder inwardly—thankfully, I reacted quickly enough. You wanted me to become Lord Xinling; if I had been careless just now, I might have become Jin Bi first! He hurriedly waved his hand: "No, killing the governor of a prefecture without authorization will surely incur the wrath of the Emperor!" With my authority, I cannot rashly take Xu Shuji's life. After a pause, he asked, "What if he makes excuses and refuses to come to the meeting?"

Li Ji said, "If the Grand Master were near Pengcheng, and summoned Xu Shuji but he did not come, and ordered him to rescue Suiyang but he did not act, then in the future, the doubts between the court and the public could be dispelled, and the Sage would surely blame Xu Shuji instead of the Grand Master..." You are hundreds of miles away, and Xu Shuji can find all sorts of reasons to clear himself of the blame afterward. But if you were nearby, what could he possibly say? You wouldn't have to take the blame for him.

"If Suiyang is in grave danger, the doctor should immediately lead troops north to make a rescue attempt. If there is any delay, it will be difficult to explain yourself—it would be best to leave today!"

Helan Jinming pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "Our troops are just gathering, but our supplies are insufficient. Even if we march north to Pengcheng, I'm afraid it will be... somewhat difficult."

Li Ji hurriedly said, "Does Your Excellency not even have a thousand or two elite troops under your command? As long as Your Excellency is near Pengcheng, even if you are alone, you can still blame Xu Shuji—are you afraid that he will send troops to cause trouble?"

Helan Jinming was indeed somewhat afraid that Xu Shuji might be pushed to the brink. If he were to switch sides and join the rebels, leading his troops to attack, his small force would be hardly enough to resist. However, upon further reflection, Li Ji's words made sense. He had only approached Pengcheng and invited Xu Shuji for a meeting; they hadn't even met yet. Xu Shuji shouldn't be so desperate as to act rashly. As for what would happen after they met… Li Ji didn't need to be like Zhu Hai; he could simply emulate Cao Mo.

After much deliberation, it seems this is the only way to break the deadlock—as long as I can get to the vicinity of Pengcheng before Suiyang falls, it will be easier to shift the blame in the future!

Since Helan Jinming could be friends with Li Bi and even dared to criticize Fang Guan in front of Li Heng, he must have some talent and courage. If Zhang Xun and Nan Jiyun were as bold as eggs, Helan Jinming's courage was at least no less than that of ordinary people. After much deliberation, he finally decided: "Then let's follow Changwei's advice."

He immediately mustered five hundred elite cavalry, and in the afternoon they left Linhuai, galloping towards Pengcheng under Li Ji's protection. The distance from Linhuai to Pengcheng was over four hundred li.

Chapter Nine, Intestinal Poison

Xu Shuji, of course, refused to leave the city to see Helan Jinming.

He thought to himself, "I've never gotten along with you. If I only take a few followers, I'll inevitably be controlled by you. But what if I lead a large army out? This isn't a battle between two armies. If you do something bad and run away as soon as you see my flag, and then report that I'm attacking a friendly army from the enemy, even if you can't bring me down, it'll still be disgusting, won't it?"

So, if you wish to see me, please come into the city. We're both Imperial Censors of the third rank, of similar status, so it's not impolite for either of us to bow to the other.

He immediately slammed the official document shut and ordered Li Ji to leave. Li Ji, of course, refused to go—they'd promised to lure him out of the city; if they failed, how could he face Helan Jinming? Oh, you're full of empty talk, saying you'd be like Zhu Hai, but you've returned empty-handed…

Besides, I finally managed to bring Helan Jinming here. If I can control Xu Shuji, Suiyang might be able to escape the siege—we're just one step away from victory. How can we give up now and fail at the last minute? I'm not the national football team…

So he stepped forward hastily and shouted, "Wait!"

This startled Xu Shuji, who asked, "What do you have to say?"

Li Ji clasped his hands and said, “Suiyang is in imminent danger, but the military commander’s troops are insufficient to come to its aid. Therefore, I have come to ask for your help, Doctor Xu. If Suiyang falls, the rebels will advance south, and Pengcheng will likely be in grave danger as well. Do you not consider the principle of ‘if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold’?

Xu Shuji sneered, "National affairs are none of your concern—call Helan Gong into the city, and I will speak with him myself." Before Li Ji could speak again, he ordered his guards, "This man is rude; throw him out immediately!"

Li Ji originally had a plan in mind, a whole set of arguments, including that Fang Guan had already lost power, and what would happen to Wang Chengye if he didn't save Yan Gaoqing, etc. But Xu Shuji refused to listen at all and directly ordered him to be kicked out of the house.

Li Ji was truly anxious. He caught a glimpse of several guards approaching him out of the corner of his eye, and his anger surged to his head. He roared, "Who dares?!"

He was known for his loud voice, and this shout shook the entire house. Everyone, including Xu Shuji and the guards, was startled and slowed their movements. Taking advantage of the moment, Li Ji suddenly leaped forward, clearing the table, and pounced on Xu Shuji—"You forced me to become Zhu Hai!"

Xu Shuji was taken aback and instinctively leaned back, but—he couldn't dodge it.