Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 24

However, Prince Yehu's sword failed to strike, as Chen Fu knelt down, raised his hands to support his arms, and cried out, "Spare his life!" At the same time, Li Chu also called out, "Brother, wait!"

The Crown Prince struggled, but couldn't break free... His mind suddenly shifted, and he went from anger to laughter, throwing the knife away. Chen Fu then released his grip, and the Crown Prince took the opportunity to pat Li Ji on the shoulder and say a few words.

Li Chengcai looked somewhat embarrassed, but seeing Li Chu staring at him, he had no choice but to translate: "The Crown Prince said that Li Ji is indeed a brave warrior... He said that he himself is also a brave warrior and should not act like a merchant. His so-called taking the women of Chang'an is to receive the Emperor's reward, not to take money... I'm afraid this is a mistranslation."

Li Chu hurriedly said, "It's all a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding." He then ordered Li Ji, "Why haven't you kowtowed to the Crown Prince and apologized yet?"

However, Li Ji still stubbornly glared at the Crown Prince Yehu: "Unless he doesn't abduct women from Chang'an!"

The Crown Prince ignored him, turned to Li Chu, knelt down, and asked, "The Emperor has promised that I may take a woman from the city. Is there anything wrong with that?"

He didn't see anything wrong with it. The nomadic peoples of the grasslands might not have viewed women with more contempt than the peoples of the Central Plains. But the problem was that nomadic rulers treated all their people equally; they were all their private property. Even if Yaoluoge was from the same clan, no one would dare object if he wanted to give her away. So why did the Tang people react so strongly?

He had no idea how much turmoil Li Heng's chaotic order might cause in the court and among the people. His reason for ordering his troops to enter the city first was purely out of good intentions. He knew that although the captured women were women, they also had families, and not all of them would obediently hand over their captives. Conflicts might arise, and a few Tang people might even be killed. If Li Chu entered the city first, he would lose face; if they waited until he had captured the women, they could pretend they knew nothing.

Therefore, Li Chu's dismounting and kneeling was certainly unexpected for the Crown Prince of Yehu, and Li Ji's sudden attack was even more perplexing. He had indeed intended to kill Li Ji, but firstly, the nomadic peoples of the grasslands valued warriors above all else; just now, Li Ji had been riding on his back and throwing punches, and he hadn't been able to break free… and worst of all, he had even cried out! He had truly lost face today! Only by respecting Li Ji as a warrior, and recognizing his superior strength, could he endure the shame and not be looked down upon by his people—after all, Li Ji was a Tang person, and he posed no threat to his family's position, right?

Secondly, maintaining good relations with the Tang Dynasty is the fundamental national policy of the Uyghurs, especially since the Khan seems to be disliking me lately, while favoring my youngest son, Yidijian... If I kill Li Ji, causing discord between the Tang and the Uyghurs, will the Khan use this as an excuse to depose me as crown prince? This expedition was originally intended to establish merit and consolidate favor, so I must not create any unforeseen complications.

Third, Li Ji was a brave warrior of the Tang army, and it was said that he had even saved the life of the Prince of Guangping. Although the Tang army pulled him away, judging from their actions and expressions, they did not seem to harbor any resentment towards Li Ji... Who knew if someone would jump out to avenge Li Ji after I swung my sword? The Tang army and its other Hu troops numbered over 100,000, while my own forces numbered only 4,000 cavalry and were trapped in the Tang camp... Oh well, oh well, this punch I took today was just for nothing!

The Crown Prince Yehu was also a shrewd and ambitious man. After weighing the pros and cons, he immediately made his choice. He not only spared Li Ji, but also immediately knelt down before Li Chu—you have already paid your respects, and I must return the favor—and asked why he could not take a woman from Chang'an.

Li Chu quickly reached out and pulled him up, pleading, "We have only just captured Xijing. If we rush into plundering, we risk losing the hearts of the people. The people of Dongjing will then be loyal to the rebels and it will be difficult to retake it. I wish to go to Dongjing and keep our agreement. What do you think, my brother?"

Li Ji was forced to the side, cursing inwardly: This good-for-nothing bastard, does he even want to betray the people of Luoyang?!

Li Chu was indeed weak-willed by nature, only seeking to avoid the immediate predicament—perhaps once the Emperor returned to Xijing, he would appoint me as Crown Prince. At that time, as Crown Prince, I would no longer be able to personally lead the troops, so the attack on Luoyang might not be my command, and I could leave the headache to someone else—therefore, I had already prepared these words when I dismounted and knelt down. After Li Ji's commotion, he originally had the opportunity to speak more forcefully, but... he didn't react at all, sticking to his original prepared statement.

Taking advantage of the situation, Prince Yabghu quickly said, "Since it is your wish, brother, how could I dare not comply? I will go and take Tokyo for you!"

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Li Ji ultimately did not apologize to the Crown Prince of Yehu, who acted as if nothing had happened, ordering the Uyghur troops to be forbidden from entering the city to plunder, and then rode alongside Li Chu into Chunming Gate. Upon hearing this, the people of the city all knelt and bowed, weeping, "King Guangping is truly a sage, a ruler of the barbarians! He has saved us from a great calamity!"

Chapter 53, Everyone, Save Me!

Li Ji was mentally prepared for the possibility that the emperor might order him to be bound and taken to the capital.

He knew that he had beaten the Crown Prince of Yabghu in public, and this matter could not be left unresolved. Even if the Crown Prince of Yabghu dared not blame him, and Li Chu was weak and ambiguous, there was still Li Heng above him. In order to obtain reinforcements from the Uyghurs, Li Heng first sent his daughter and then commoners. On the surface, it was a generous gift from the emperor, but in his heart, he was obsequious. How could he let him off easily?

Otherwise, why would he summon me and Li Bi back to Fengxiang?

If Wei Boyu had brought his troops over and said that the emperor had ordered him to be bound and brought up to plead guilty, that would have been fine. But who would have thought that the other side would be so cunning and had even laid so many soldiers in advance... Upon seeing this, Li Ji couldn't help but feel angry.

Although he was annoyed, he didn't show it on his face. He put his hands behind his back again, coldly surveyed the crowd, and finally fixed his gaze on Wei Boyu, curling his lip: "General Wei thinks highly of me, doesn't he? You tricked me out of my weapons first, and then had my soldiers surround me. Is that why you dare to bind me?"

Wei Boyu couldn't help but feel ashamed, and stammered, "I was ordered to do this, Li..."

Li Ji glared at him: "Oh, it's an order from above, not a decree from the emperor?"

Seeing that Wei Boyu did not answer, he glanced around and noticed that there seemed to be someone hiding outside the courtyard gate. He immediately sneered and shouted, "Does Master Yu not dare to show his face to see me?!"

Actually, "imperial decree" could also be considered "imperial order." Li Ji had deliberately picked on Wei Boyu's grammatical errors—keyboard warriors are all familiar with nitpicking and fabricating charges—and asked this casually, but Wei Boyu couldn't answer. He immediately realized that while the emperor's summons was likely genuine, ordering him to be bound and brought before him, and even using a knife and ambushes, was probably orchestrated by someone else.

It must be Yu Chaoen if it's not Li Fuguo!

So he let out a loud shout towards the courtyard, which indeed frightened the person in question out. Yu Chaoen peeked out from outside the door, but dared not look Li Ji in the eye, and only ordered, "Why aren't you binding him yet? What are you waiting for?"

Li Ji frequently entered and exited the Forbidden City and knew many of the Imperial Guards. He was especially close to his former comrades in the Shence Army, such as Jing Jiang, Chen Fu, and Yi Tiechui. His reputation for bravery had already spread throughout the region, so although the Imperial Guards surrounded him, they dared not make a move. They initially thought it was just a formality; the Emperor had ordered Li Ji bound and brought before him, how could he dare disobey? However, Li Ji showed no intention of surrendering, and the military commander, Yu Chaoen, even urged him repeatedly from behind…

Two guards accompanying Wei Boyu, carrying ropes, dared not rush forward. They glanced at their comrades for help. Several guards, emboldened, slowly approached Li Ji, spears in hand. Li Ji sneered, "Are you so timid and fearful when facing the Tibetans?" Suddenly, he leaped forward, grabbed two spears, and shoved them forcefully to the left and right. The spear-wielding soldiers, thrown off balance by his force, stumbled and fell, knocking over their two comrades on the outer sides as well.

Wei Boyu shouted helplessly, "Li Ji, how dare you resort to violence within the palace walls?!"

Li Ji snatched the two spears into his hands, without switching them, with the spear blades facing backward and the spear tips facing forward. He slightly raised them at Wei Boyu and said, "Since the sage has summoned you, then lead the way. If you want to bind me and take me there... hehe, you'll have to get past the weapons in my hands first!"

A guard peered out, trying to approach from behind, but Li Ji seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Suddenly, he turned around and with a "whoosh," lashed out with the shaft of his spear, knocking the ignorant fellow to the ground.

Wei Boyu looked back at Yu Chaoen, only to see Yu Chaoen glaring and gesturing at him. Helpless, he handed Li Ji's sword to his subordinate, exchanged it for a spear, and prepared to charge forward. Suddenly, he heard someone behind him shout, "General, wait! This Li Ji is very powerful; only I can defeat him!"

Li Ji stared intently and saw a burly man, lifting the hem of his robe, rushing towards him. It was none other than Old Jing. Old Jing reached him, took the spear from Wei Boyu, and, assuming a fighting stance, shouted, "We've only sparred in fists before; today I'll test your spear skills!"

Li Ji thought to himself, "You're such a bastard! You're the one who taught me spear techniques!"

In his previous life, he only knew how to box and had never handled weapons. In this life, Li Ji was trained in folk martial arts and stick fighting. He could swing a sword or a knife a few times, but he had never been exposed to bows, crossbows, or long weapons before arriving in Ding'an. So after Li Ji became close with Lao Jing and other Shence Army generals, he secretly asked them to teach him martial arts—all while keeping it a secret from Li Bi.

He learned archery from Chen Fu, horsemanship from Yi Tiechui, and spearmanship from Lao Jing.

So, you're my master in spear fighting, and you've only taught me for less than two or three months—everyone's busy, so the actual teaching time was even shorter—yet you dare to challenge me?! Have you no shame?!

Although he was inwardly grumbling, he didn't show it on his face. He simply tossed aside one spear and gripped the other firmly with both hands—one spear against one spear, I can't take advantage of you, besides, I can't use two spears—facing Lao Jing: "Alright, come on."

Old Jing raised his eyebrows, immediately thrusting his long spear straight at Li Ji's center with the grace of a dragon. Li Ji dodged to the side, but instead of turning the spear shaft, he gripped one end with both hands, raising it high and bringing it down with the force of a mountain crashing down. Old Jing ducked, parrying with his spear, but before Li Ji could fully execute his move, he twisted his wrist, and the spear shaft swept sideways towards Old Jing's waist and hips.

Old Jing was forced to take a step back, his face showing anger: "This is not right!"

That's not right. He was using a spear, while Li Ji was actually using a stick...

Li Ji thought to himself, "How can I possibly compete in spear fighting?"

Who could possibly be your match? All I'm good at are sticks and clubs; I might as well use the spear shaft as a club.

However, the wooden sticks commonly used by civilians were mostly eyebrow-length, about six or seven feet long, while the shortest spears used in the army were over twelve feet long, a difference of two times. It was only because Li Ji was strong that he could use such a long spear shaft as a stick; anyone else would definitely not have been able to handle it.

Enraged, Lao Jing unleashed his full power, thrusting his spear repeatedly towards Li Ji's chest and abdomen. Li Ji, in turn, swung his spear in wide, sweeping motions, parrying back with equal force. The fight created a dense forest of spear shadows and a gust of wind like knives within a radius of two or three zhang (approximately 6-6 meters). Even Wei Boyu and the others were forced to retreat hastily, daring not to approach any closer.

Yu Chaoen was so anxious that he stamped his feet repeatedly at the courtyard gate: "Why aren't you all going up? Why aren't you all going up?! Why aren't you taking down Li Ji right now?!"

Ultimately, Old Jing was a seasoned warrior, and accustomed to wielding a spear. Li Ji, using a spear instead of a staff, found it less comfortable. Furthermore, the spear primarily relies on thrusting, a point attack, while the staff requires sweeping and striking, a surface attack. Comparatively, the staff made it easier to expose weaknesses on the front. After several more exchanges, Old Jing seized the opportunity when Li Ji's spear shaft missed its mark, swinging it to the outside, exposing an opening in his chest. He immediately thrust his spear straight at Li Ji.

However, the spear tip only aimed at Li Ji's chest and did not thrust forward any further. Old Jing himself, on the contrary, was like a fish swimming—it was hard to believe that such a muscular body could be so agile—his body followed the spear forward. Originally, his left hand was holding the middle of the spear and his right hand was holding the near-cap. In an instant, he fell down, his right hand close to the spear tassel, and his huge body crashed into Li Ji's arms.

Li Ji swung his spear back, but missed. He reacted quickly, immediately releasing his right hand and blocking in front of his chest, only to have his wrist firmly grabbed by Lao Jing.

As the two drew near, Old Jing lowered his voice and advised, "While you've forced the soldiers away, you should run away!"

Li Ji simply threw down his spear, grabbed Lao Jing's wrist with his left hand, and twisted his knuckles, while whispering, "Why should I run away?"

Old Jing also dropped his spear, and the two of them, with their hands entangled, wrestled together—"You struck the Crown Prince Yehu, and the Emperor may kill you, which is why he sent the Imperial Guards to bind you—only by escaping can you survive!"

He was so anxious, thinking to himself, "I pretended to fight you, but actually I was giving you a chance to escape. We've come this far, how can you not understand? Have you lost your mind, or is there shit in your head?!"

In the rush, he was caught off guard and tripped by Li Ji's outstretched leg, immediately falling to the side. Li Ji then freed his hands, grabbed his neck and supported his waist, and hurled Old Jing's nearly 300-pound body towards the courtyard gate. Fortunately, because the area of ​​the spear exchange was too large, the guards holding the spears retreated and even stood them upright; if they had been held at an angle as before, Old Jing would probably have been pierced with several transparent holes on the spot…

Li Ji used the old thorn to force the crowd aside, then seized the opportunity to run wildly towards the courtyard gate. Yu Chaoen was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he instinctively turned and fled.

I thought Li Ji wanted to break out of the encirclement and escape from the palace—just what I wanted! But to my surprise, when he dodged to the left, Li Ji chased him to the left; when he circled to the right, Li Ji chased him to the right, shouting, "Didn't you want to bind me, Lord Yu? Then come and bind me yourself!"

Yu Chaoen thought to himself, "Damn it, why is this guy specifically coming for me? Did I misjudge him before? Is he really just a reckless brute... or does this guy know that he can't leave the palace alone, so he wants to take someone down with him before he dies?"

No! I've made all the arrangements, just hoping you'll escape! But I can't say this to Li Ji directly, and besides—I don't have a chance to say it! That guy may not have a knife, but he's incredibly strong; he could probably kill someone with his bare hands—I've already experienced that firsthand—if he catches up to me, a couple of punches to the face might be the end of me!

Let's run away quickly... Oh right, let's go ask the sage for help!

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Li Ji's prediction was correct; Li Heng indeed did not order him to be bound and brought before him.

The emperor, believing himself to be the most powerful and respected by all, was completely unaware that Li Ji had once harbored rebellious intentions—in fact, one could argue that he had indeed committed such an act, but Li Heng was too drunk that night to remember clearly—so he summoned Li Ji to question him, ready to beat or kill him at will. Surrounded by imperial guards in the main hall, how could he possibly resist? Why bind him?

Moreover, Li Bi is right there. If his brother is guilty, he can be publicly announced and punished. If he is brought here bound hand and foot, it will not look good for Changyuan.

Li Heng summoned Li Bi back to Fengxiang not only to inquire about the battle situation and the ceremony of his return to the capital, but also to properly thank his old friend—because of your assistance, I was able to return to Chang'an. Furthermore, the recent military expenditures have been too great, and several prime ministers are overwhelmed and clearly unable to manage them. Now that Changyuan has rendered meritorious service in the recapture of the capital, would you be willing to serve as prime minister? The three provinces' chief and deputy ministers are at your disposal.

As for Li Ji striking the Crown Prince of Yehu, Li Heng originally did not intend to punish him—it was a rather troublesome matter, and it was inconvenient to announce his promise to the Crown Prince of Yehu to the public. So, if the Uyghurs harbored resentment, let Li Chu handle it; I will pretend I did not hear about it.

It was Li Fuguo who repeatedly advised that Li Ji's actions, on the surface, were out of resentment towards the Crown Prince Yehu, but in reality, they were a sign of disrespect for His Majesty's authority. Even if he wasn't killed, he should be summoned back and severely punished to demonstrate the Emperor's might and prevent the child from becoming arrogant because of his achievements. Only then did Li Heng summon Li Ji at the same time as Li Bi.

In truth, Li Fuguo very much wanted to take this opportunity to kill Li Ji, but his previous attempt to murder Li Tan had ended in failure, so he was inevitably extremely cautious about doing anything wicked again—especially since Li Ji's fierce glare at him in the palace that day still lingered in his mind, making him restless and unable to eat or sleep. He realized that Li Heng had not executed Li...

Chapter 54, A Parent in Trouble

Li Ji never even considered escaping.

—If I wanted to escape, I would have bid farewell to Li Bi and fled on the way. Why would I come back to Yong County? Why would I join this business and walk into their trap?

His reason for returning so calmly was twofold. First, he felt I had acted uprightly and honestly, so he feared only hidden attacks, not open ones. Since he had prevented the Uyghur soldiers from abducting women from Chang'an, if the scoundrel emperor dared to use this crime to kill me, it would only confirm his treasonous act. Second, he needed to protect Li Bi and didn't want Li Bi to be implicated because of his escape. He also hoped that Li Bi would plead for his life, as Li Bi had promised.

Although the emperor is a scoundrel, whether it's reform or revolution, with my current abilities, I have to continue to infiltrate the system and wait for a better opportunity. If I run away, all my previous efforts—perhaps some—will be in vain. Could I really go and surrender to Luoyang? As for that patricide-like beast An Qingxu, I'd rather be a Tang ghost than a Yan subject!

So the Imperial Guards surrounded him, intending to capture or bind him. Li Ji initially planned to grit his teeth and endure it, waiting to see Li Heng and then see how Li Bi would plead for him. However, first Wei Boyu played tricks, infuriating him, and then he discovered that the one leading the troops was not the deputy Wei Boyu, but the head officer Yu Chaoen…

How could I possibly be bound by eunuchs?!

He had a grudge against Yu Chaoen, and knowing Yu's petty nature, he believed Yu wouldn't obediently tie him up and take him to Li Heng; he would definitely try some tricks—just like the evil deeds Yu had committed when he captured Li Tan. If it was merely verbal provocation, Li Ji thought, "No problem, I'm shrewd enough not to be fooled like Li Tan." But if Yu Chaoen realized he couldn't provoke him, would he let it go? Heaven knows what other wicked schemes he might devise!

So I won't run away. Even if Lao Jing risked his life to give me a chance, I can't escape—once I leave the palace, I can forget about coming back in, and even Li Bi's pleas for mercy might be in vain—at the same time, I can't be bound. So after throwing Lao Jing away, he immediately set off at full speed, dodging the soldiers, heading straight for Yu Chaoen.

At first, he wanted to use the same trick again, and take a hostage first. But Li Fuguo was not there, so he had to settle for second best and let Yu Chaoen fill in for him. But he saw Yu Chaoen dodging and weaving and running straight towards the main hall. Li Ji thought to himself that this was interesting, so he deliberately kept two steps away and did not exert any force, but just followed closely behind that guy.

Yu Chaoen, thinking Li Ji intended to kill him, panicked and sought Li Heng's help. He was responsible for guarding the palace, and as a palace eunuch rather than an ordinary official, the guards dared not stop him. They watched helplessly as he rushed into the hall, shouting and yelling, and immediately knelt down, sliding forward to grab Li Heng's leg…

Then, Li Ji followed him in.

Li Ji kept Yu Chaoen hanging on, and only when Yu Chaoen stepped over the threshold of the main hall with one leg did he suddenly accelerate. Before the guards could react, he rushed into the main hall as well. He glanced at Li Bi, knelt down, and grabbed Yu Chaoen's ankle with a forceful pull—"Come back!" Yu Chaoen's right middle finger had already touched Li Heng's trousers, but it was pulled back.

Everyone in the hall was shocked. The first to ask was Li Bi: "Li Ji, what are you doing now?!"

—Wait, why did I say "again"?

Before Li Ji could answer, Yu Chaoen screamed like a pig being slaughtered, "Help! Li Ji is going to kill me!"

He was immediately dragged back by Li Ji and pressed down beside him. Li Ji gently advised him, "Lord Yu, you must bow when entering the palace, you cannot slide around. Moreover, you were shouting and yelling. This is disrespectful before His Majesty. What kind of behavior is this?"

He reached out and patted Yu Chaoen on the back of the neck. Yu Chaoen immediately trembled and dared not speak again. He just kept kowtowing to Li Heng.

—This guy is usually quite tough, but when Li Ji stormed the palace last time, he almost kicked down his defenses. He finally understood why the assassin Zhu Fei, who was initially unwilling to confess, broke down the moment he saw Li Ji…

Li Heng slammed his hand on the table: "Li Ji, why did you pursue and kill Yu Chaoen?!"

Li Ji slightly raised his head, his face full of innocence: "When did I ever pursue and kill Lord Yu? Lord Yu and I served in the same court and had no grudges against each other. Why would I want to kill him? And do I have the guts of a leopard to dare to kill someone in the palace?"

Li Fuguo thought to himself, "Not bad, kid. You're even better at lying through your teeth than I am..."

Li Ji then explained: "Lord Yu came to deliver the imperial edict, saying that he wanted to bind me and bring me before His Majesty. I felt I was innocent and did not know why I needed to be bound... Although I am of low rank and position, my brother is His Majesty's favorite minister. I was unwilling to be bound by some lowly soldiers, so I asked Lord Yu, since you are of noble status, to bind me. But as soon as I approached, Lord Yu turned around and ran away as if he had seen a ghost. I followed him all the way to the palace."

"I truly had no intention of killing anyone, and I don't know what evil spirit has befallen you, Lord Yu. Could it be that I fought fiercely with the rebels under the walls of Chang'an a few days ago, and my battle aura carried the killing intent of battle, thus frightening you, Lord Yu?"

He casually patted Yu Chaoen on the back of the neck: "Lord Yu, with such a small amount of courage, how can you shoulder the heavy responsibility of guarding the palace?"

His explanation made everyone in the hall understand.

Li Heng thought to himself, "I didn't have Yu Chaoen bring Li Ji here bound. This eunuch must have been presumptuous in his understanding of the Emperor's will, taking the opportunity to act arrogantly. As a result, he angered Li Ji, who then pretended to hit him, which is why Li Ji was so frightened that he fled to me... That's true, Li Ji is too audacious. He even dared to beat up the Uyghur Crown Prince. Would he take a mere eunuch seriously? This kid is really a headache when he gets reckless..."

Li Fuguo glared at Yu Chaoen, his eyes flashing with anger, thinking to himself, "If Li Ji refuses to be bound and charges straight at you, you'll be so scared you'll turn and run away."

You could say—if it were me, I would definitely run away too—but why didn't you take the opportunity to lure him out of the palace gates? Why did you have to come up to the palace? Putting aside ruining our plans, aren't you ashamed of yourself?!

Yu Chaoen didn't need to look up to know what Li Fuguo was thinking, but unfortunately, there was no way to explain for the time being—leading Li Ji out of the palace? Are you kidding me? Walking through the deep courtyards and winding roads, I barely managed to avoid being caught by him. Once outside the palace gates, there would be a main road. With that young man's speed, how could I possibly escape?!

Then Li Heng slammed his hand on the table again and shouted, "You worthless servant, get out of here!"

Li Heng wasn't angry with Li Ji, because Li Ji's image as a reckless person was already deeply ingrained in his mind. So as long as he didn't offend him or pursue him, he could tolerate it... no, it's that His Majesty is magnanimous and will pardon him. Besides, even though Li Ji barged into the palace, wasn't his attitude towards him still extremely respectful?

He was furious with Yu Chaoen. "You know perfectly well that I favor Li Bi, yet you dare to act arrogantly in front of his cousin. Is this servant out of his mind? Especially since Li Ji's words make sense. You claim to be knowledgeable in military affairs, and I thought you were not only loyal but also brave. That's why I entrusted the Imperial Guard to you. I hoped you would lead the Imperial Guard to protect me, but instead you came here asking me for protection!"

Get out of here right now, don't offend my eyes!

Yu Chaoen was filled with fear, grievance, and a touch of regret—"I shouldn't have listened to Li Fuguo's instigation! That bastard Li Fuguo only offers advice when things go wrong, but he always pushes others to the top. Why didn't I learn my lesson?" But he dared not retort to the emperor, so he could only kowtow again and retreat to the outside of the hall with a mournful face.

Li Heng deliberately glared at Li Ji and demanded, "Li Ji, do you know your crime?"

Li Ji looked bewildered, yet innocent: "Your Majesty, I know no guilt... Your Majesty has only rendered meritorious service by capturing Tian Qianzhen alive."

"Did you really beat the Uyghur prince without cause?"

Li Ji nodded and said yes, but—"It wasn't without reason. Those barbarians instigated their subordinates to rush into Xijing and plunder. The marshal condescended to kneel and beg for mercy, but he dared not dismount! Your Majesty, the marshal is Your Majesty's own son, so if the marshal is humiliated, it is Your Majesty's humiliation. If Your Majesty is humiliated, how dare I turn a blind eye?"

In fact, Crown Prince Yehu wanted to dismount and pay his respects to Li Chu, but he had just shifted his leg when Li Ji pulled him to the ground... Even if you witnessed such a sudden incident, no one could guarantee that Crown Prince Yehu had no intention of being impolite—are you a mind reader? Therefore, whether Li Ji's punch was justified or appropriate is impossible to determine without video replay.

Moreover, Li Ji was cunning. He didn't mention that he beat the Crown Prince of Yehu because of the emperor's chaotic orders—he didn't say a word about the matter—he only said that the Crown Prince of Yehu had insulted Li Chu, which was tantamount to giving the emperor a way out. Li Heng couldn't help but glance sideways at Li Bi, as if to say: Changyuan, did you teach this?

Li Bi lowered his head and remained silent, thinking to himself: It really isn't that...

Li Heng then glanced at Li Fuguo. At this point, Li Fuguo could only shake his head at the emperor with a wry smile. Li Heng then said, “Regardless, beating the Uyghur crown prince is a serious crime—what if it damages the friendship between the Tang and Uyghurs? Your capture of Tian Qianzhen is enough to offset the crime. Guangping submitted a memorial requesting a promotion for you, but I will not allow it!”

Forget it, I was just being unreasonable to listen to Li Fuguo and call you here. You and Changyuan are like blood relatives. Do you think he would just stand by and watch you suffer? He would definitely devise a plan to get you out of trouble—for example, teaching you how to defend yourself in front of the emperor—and I am grateful for Changyuan's merits and virtues, so how could I not let him have his way?

So he flicked his sleeve, intending to end it there—"Li Ji, step back..."

Before the words were finished, a pitiful cry of "Your Majesty..." was heard, and another figure rushed straight into the hall.

Li Heng was furious. What was wrong with these people today? What did they think this place was, that they could just walk right in? Even in the main hall of an ordinary official's house, let alone the palace, they wouldn't be so unruly!