Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 41

They were all concubines of Li Bi's father, Li Chengxiu, and of relatively low status. Although they were elders to Li Bi, and he addressed them respectfully as "Mother, Mother" every day, they ultimately had no say in Li Bi's future or marriage. They had often advised Li Bi to remarry, even suggesting he wait until he had a child before retreating to the mountains to cultivate Taoism. They said that then they would have someone to rely on in life, and could face his father and mother in the afterlife with dignity. However, Li Bi firmly refused. So, around the time Li Ji came to join him, they had given up hope and stopped trying to persuade him.

They then focused their attacks on Li Ji.

Although Li Bi had a younger half-brother, he was still young and frail, often falling ill. No one could predict what would become of him. It would be better to place their hopes on Li Ji. Look how strong and healthy he is! If he could marry, he would surely have a healthy son. In the future, they could adopt one of them for Li Bi, and perhaps he could even take care of his half-brother.

Li Ji was incredibly frustrated. In his previous life, his parents died young, and he never experienced the pressure of being forced into marriage. He never expected that after transmigrating here, he would still be unable to escape it... He couldn't help but smile bitterly as he turned to look at Li Bi, thinking to himself, "If I had known, I wouldn't have come along..."

Li Bi gestured with his eyes: Go ahead and leave, I told you to leave a long time ago.

But in the end, Li Bi stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Changwei has always been benevolent and filial, which is why he rushed here. He would never leave if he could not see his mother settled. If he were to retire with me, would he seek out woodcutter girls and village women in the deep mountains as his spouse? My family is, after all, the Li family of Zhao County! Once we reach Hengshan and everything is settled, Changwei can return to his official post and marry a young lady from an official family. He will not waste his youth—Mother, there is no need to urge him."

The area south of Henan Road had experienced little warfare—only Li Lin's uprising and a few battles, all near Guangling—so the people along the route were relatively peaceful, and the local governments maintained their existing functions. The Li family traveled along the main roads, and Li Mi had imperial edicts and a prime minister's decree to clear the way, allowing him to stay at post stations, so the journey was relatively peaceful.

Even if there were hooligans causing trouble or petty officials extorting money, Li Bi often didn't need to step in; Li Ji simply brandishing his standard military sword was enough.

So they crossed the Yangtze River, entered Jiangnan West Road, and finally arrived at Hengshan in early February of the following year.

Just this month, Li Heng changed the era name to "Qian Yuan" and abolished all the meaningless name changes made by the former emperor, restoring the old names—for example, restoring the prefectures to states, the prefects to governors, the Ministry of Civil Affairs to the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Military Affairs to the Ministry of War, and so on.

This naturally includes the second year of Zhide, which is then called the first year of Qianyuan.

However, this news has not yet reached Hengzhou, where it is still referred to as Hengyang Prefecture.

Hengyang Prefecture was located in Hengzhou County, south of Mount Heng and bordering Xiangtan County to the north. Most of the peaks of Mount Heng are within Xiangtan's territory. Li Bi and his party traveled south along the Xiang River, first entering Xiangtan County, where they temporarily rented several rooms to settle their families. After resting for one night, Li Bi, accompanied only by Li Ji, left the city for Mount Heng, visiting the Nanyue Zhenjun Temple on the southern slope of the main peak.

Along the way, he gave Li Ji a detailed account of Hengshan's history as a Taoist blessed land and grotto-heaven: Located in the Chu region, the mountain had long had a shrine to Zhurong, and Zhang Daoling, at the end of the Han Dynasty, visited and worshipped Zhurong there. During the Jin Dynasty, two Taoists, Wang Gushen and Pi Yuan, built the Qizhen Temple on Qulong Peak, practicing embryonic breathing and returning to their original state. After several years, they attained Taoism. Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, then bestowed upon Wang Gushen the title of "Master Taiwei" and upon Pi Yuan the title of "Master Taisu."

"Are you from the Jin Dynasty aware of this matter?"

Li Ji shook his head blankly—no matter how well I study the history of the Western Jin Dynasty, it's unlikely that I would pay attention to two southern Taoist priests who have no influence on the political situation.

Li Bi continued his explanation: It was from the time of Wang and Pi that Hengshan gradually became a Taoist sanctuary for quiet cultivation. Many famous Taoists, such as Xu Lingqi, Deng Yuzhi, and Zhang Tan, came here to practice, building hermitages among the peaks. Until the Tang Dynasty, a "Master Zhengyi," Sima Chengzhen, appeared…

In the second year of the Jingyun era, Emperor Ruizong summoned Master Zhengyi to the palace and inquired about Yin-Yang numerology. Master Zhengyi replied, "So-called numerology is nothing but a heretical and trivial skill. The fundamental principle of governing a country is 'non-action'."

Li Ji listened and nodded repeatedly, saying, "What this gentleman says is very true." He certainly seems to be a learned religious figure, rather than a charlatan who only engages in superstitious activities.

"In the fifteenth year of the Kaiyuan era, the Emperor summoned Master Zhengyi to the palace again and, following his advice, built a Zhenjun Temple in each of the Five Sacred Mountains. This Zhenjun Temple in the Southern Sacred Mountain was expanded from the Temple of the Astronomical King Huo at that time."

Li Ji understood that Li Bi had brought him into the mountains today primarily to find a suitable place to build a hermitage, and it was clear that the vicinity of the Zhenjun Temple was definitely unsuitable. The temple was located on the sunny side of the mountain, directly connected to the main road leading to Hengzhou, a spacious area with convenient transportation, which resulted in its immense popularity among worshippers. Even though it wasn't a festival, the temple grounds were packed with people coming to burn incense. Li Ji listened intently; the furthest worshipper had come from Wenyang County—that was already in what would later become Vietnam!

It's an official shrine, after all. Every now and then, nearby officials might come to offer sacrifices. With crowds thronging and noise everywhere, how could one possibly find peace to live in seclusion and cultivate oneself? Setting up an incense and candle stall or a fortune-telling stall next to the shrine would probably do quite well…

Of course, these businesses are monopolized by the Taoist priests in the temple, and outsiders cannot get involved.

Li Bi first entered the Temple of the True Lord of Mount Heng, merely to pay his respects as usual—since he had come to Mount Heng, how could he not pay homage to the True Lord? After offering incense and kowtowing, he naturally took his leave, without needing to greet the Taoist priests in the temple. Li Ji felt that Li Bi might have looked down on these Taoist priests who had long resided in official temples and were semi-civil servants, while the Taoist priests seemed to look down on him as well—because Li Bi hadn't spent much money on incense offerings.

One Taoist priest even directly called out, "This gentleman has extraordinary bones and an impressive appearance. Come before the True Lord and draw a fortune stick; it will surely guide you to a bright future." Li Bi smiled and waved his hand, ignoring him as he walked away. Li Ji, however, clearly felt the disdainful gaze of the Taoist priest behind him...

After leaving the Zhenjun Temple, they headed west along the mountain until they reached the foot of Huagai Peak. There was another Taoist temple there, but because of its remote location and narrow roads, there were very few worshippers. Li Ji looked up and saw a wooden plaque hanging in front of the gate with the three large characters "Lingxu Palace" written on it.

A young Taoist boy greeted him at the door, and Li Bi immediately announced, "I am Li Bi from Jingzhao, and I request an audience with the Immortal Master Jichang."

The young Taoist boy went inside to report, and Li Bi stood upright at the door to wait. At the same time, he introduced Li Ji, saying, "Master Ji Chang's surname is Xue, and he is a distinguished disciple of Master Zhengyi..."

Sima Chengzhen ascended to heaven in the twenty-third year of the Kaiyuan era. Emperor Li Longji then ordered the expansion of his former residence in Nanyue, building the "Jiangzhen Temple," and appointing his disciple Xue Jichang as its presiding officer. In the twelfth year of the Tianbao era, an imperial edict was issued to further expand the Jiangzhen Temple and rename it "Lingxu Palace."

As they were speaking, a veiled female Taoist priest slowly walked out, nodded to Li Bi, and said, "Changyuan, why are you so late?"

Li Bi quickly approached and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Master." Li Ji had no choice but to follow behind him, bowing with his hands clasped in front of him. After finishing the ceremony, he looked up and examined her closely. He saw that the female Taoist priest had her hair in a high bun, wore a plain robe, and covered her face with a silk handkerchief. Judging from her eyebrows, she didn't have many wrinkles and seemed to be quite young, but her temples were already as white as frost.

The female Taoist priest glanced at Li Ji and asked Li Bi, "This young man has an unusual appearance; he is not a servant. Who is he?"

“My younger cousin, Li Ji.”

The female Taoist priest nodded upon hearing this: "So it's Li Changwei, who saved the Suanni by catching the fish. No wonder..."

The "holding the fish" she mentioned obviously refers to Li Ji holding Yu Chaoen hostage. As for the "Suanni," it is a dragon's son, so it must be referring to Li Tan... Li Ji was taken aback: "Does the Immortal Master also know Li Ji?"

The female Taoist priest gently shook the veil on her face, seemingly smiling, and replied, "Although Hengshan is remote, it is not a barbaric and foreign land where people are not informed."

This one sentence made Li Ji feel very good about her—she was a religious person, not a charlatan. Look at her, she didn't say anything like "I know so many years in the past and so many years in the future, I can calculate with my fingers, so of course I know all your nonsense."

Religion is a cultural phenomenon that inevitably arises as humanity explores nature and attempts to escape worldly suffering. True religious figures often take the search for truth or the salvation of all beings as their mission. Even if they occasionally engage in superstitious activities, it is a means of guidance, not a selfish act of swindling money. Therefore, Li Ji dislikes charlatans and keeps his distance from religious figures, unwilling to have much contact with them, but not necessarily dislikes them.

As for religious figures who speak honestly, they mostly possess a certain level of knowledge and insight that transcends contemporary common sense, and they are still worthy of respect.

The female Taoist priest then led Li Bi and his brother into the palace, saying, "Brother Xue's time of ascension is not far off, and he does not wish to see many outsiders. The matter of Changyuan finding a place to live in seclusion here has been entrusted to me." Li Bi was somewhat disappointed to hear that he could not pay his respects to Xue Jichang in person. The female Taoist priest, however, said, "The inaccessibility of the Tao is also due to Heaven; so what is there to regret about the inability of people to be seen? Changyuan ultimately failed to transcend the mortal world, just like I was twenty or thirty years ago..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "What? Twenty or thirty years ago? Then you must be at least forty years old. No wonder you have gray hair—but look at your eyebrows and figure, you've maintained yourself very well."

After being led into the inner room, the female Taoist priest prepared tea for him and discussed matters of spiritual practice with Li Bi. In the Tang Dynasty, people drank tea by first crushing the tea leaves, drying them, and making tea cakes. When needed, a piece was cut off, roasted, ground again, and then boiled in water. They often added cheese, pepper, cinnamon, and other spices, as well as salt… the process was extremely complicated. Li Ji had never tried this before. When he took a sip—and this wasn't the milk tea of ​​later generations—the flavor was so rich it was almost unpalatable…

Then the female Taoist priest surnamed Xie asked, "I have found a good site for Changyuan, between Huagai Peak and Lianhua Peak. I have already ordered people to clear the land and lay the foundation. Would Changyuan like to go and take a look?"

Li Bi cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Master. I wonder how far it is? Will it still be possible to visit in time?"

The female Taoist priest said, "Let's set off then. It's alright to take a look and come back—you two can stay in the palace tonight. However..." She paused, looked at Li Bi, and slowly said, "I'll be frank, judging from Changyuan's complexion, he hasn't shed his worldly ties. I'm afraid he'll have to return to the world again..." Then she turned her gaze to Li Ji: "Moreover, your younger brother doesn't have the aptitude for Taoism. Why should he follow Changyuan into seclusion? To put it bluntly, Li Changwei's pursuit of Taoism is like trying to catch fish by climbing a tree."

Li Ji thought to himself, "That's right, I have absolutely no intention of cultivating Taoism."

Li Bi replied, “I am still unable to grasp the path to the Great Dao and transcend the mundane world, so I will naturally be burdened by worldly affairs. This is fate, so what more can be said? As for my younger brother, he is just here to see where I live in seclusion. Once I have settled down, he will naturally have to go back.”

“What a pity, what a pity,” the female Taoist priest said. “Although your brother has no aptitude for cultivation, I’m afraid he will be deeply mired in the mire of the mortal world from now on, and his innocent heart will be hard to maintain for long.”

Li Ji thought to himself, "Do I really have the heart of a child? I don't think so. Sometimes I do things that even I hate myself..."

After the tea was served, the female Taoist priest led Li Bi and his brother out of the back gate of Lingxu Palace and took a shortcut northward. The road was narrow and rugged, but the female Taoist priest walked very quickly, almost too fast for Li Ji to keep up with... After traveling two or three miles, they came to a valley between two peaks, where a piece of land had clearly been leveled and several wooden stakes had been driven in. The female Taoist priest asked Li Bi, "Is the space enough?" Li Bi replied that it was enough—it was more than twice as spacious as his residence on Mount Ji.

The female Taoist priest said, "Changyuan is trusted by the Sage, so he should be able to request the Sage to issue an edict ordering the prefectures and counties to build palaces and temples. Why did he come to my Lingxu Palace so quietly?" Before Li Bi could answer, she said directly, "If the Sage invites Changyuan to enter the world again, even mountains and rivers cannot prevent the imperial decree. He cannot escape it in the end. Unless Changyuan is trying to avoid someone other than the Sage..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Ji suddenly heard a "whoosh" behind his head. He quickly ducked and then leaped up, tackling Li Bi to the ground.

He rolled over and straightened up, only to see a gleaming dart stuck in the ground where he had just stood!

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Mysterious and Unpredictable

Li Ji was accompanying Li Bi, scouting out a future residence site in Hengshan, when they were suddenly attacked. Fortunately, although his eyesight was poor, his hearing was excellent. Hearing a whistling sound behind him, he instinctively lunged forward and tackled Li Bi to the ground. Turning around, he realized the dart was aimed at him!

The shape and texture of this dart look quite familiar. Could it be that strange hero from Yan, "Jingjing'er," who once participated in the assassination attempt on Li Chu?

Before he could even process it, two more darts flew towards him. One was aimed at Li Ji, while the other was aimed straight at Li Bi's throat. The darts came so fast that Li Ji might be able to dodge them by himself, but he certainly wouldn't have time to save Li Bi... Without thinking, his instinctive reaction was to roll over again and lie on top of Li Bi.

I'll take this dart for you with my back.

This wasn't the first time he'd clashed with an assassin wielding darts, and he knew the darts were incredibly powerful—even more so than the flying swords Cui Qi had thrown. He was unarmored, and he estimated that if struck by one, it would surely penetrate deep into his flesh, possibly even damaging his bones. If internal organs were injured, given the medical capabilities of the time, and being deep in the mountains, he might be doomed… He was even more afraid that the dart might be poisoned!

Hopefully not. Hopefully it won't be like in martial arts novels, where everyone knows how to use poison—people like Jia Huai can be kept as extraordinary individuals. There shouldn't be too many people who understand poison.

He couldn't help but close his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the dart, when suddenly he heard the female Taoist priest shout, "You beast, how dare you!" Opening his eyes and turning around, he saw that the female Taoist priest, who had been a few steps away, was now behind him, her right hand raised, a dart held between her index and middle fingers...

Li Ji was naturally taken aback: Holy crap, this is a martial arts world! A female Taoist priest who is not young can actually catch a dart with her bare hands!

Suddenly, the female Taoist priest flicked her wrist, sending the dart flying back the way it came. At the same time, she twisted her waist, leaping into the air and lunging towards the nearby bushes, her speed no less than that of the dart. A distant cry of surprise, followed by the sound of grass and trees parting, quickly faded into the distance.

Li Ji thought to himself that he probably really scared that Jingjing. When they encountered him at the Marshal's Mansion, he was elusive and never made a sound.

He hurriedly got up and helped Li Bi up as well. While helping him brush the dust off his clothes, he listened and glanced sideways, keeping an eye on the direction the female Taoist priest had darted off to. These two might not be a match for me if they faced each other head-on and fought hand-to-hand, but I couldn't catch up with their speed and height. I shouldn't cause any trouble for now.

In a flash, the female Taoist priestess darted back. Li Ji finally understood what it meant to be "still as a virgin, swift as a rabbit." When this woman darted around, she was incredibly fast, almost leaving afterimages! But once she turned back, she stood firmly still, without moving an inch, with only her veil and the wide sleeves of her Taoist robe fluttering slightly in the wind.

"Changyuan has indeed gone into hiding in the deep mountains to avoid trouble."

Li Bi quickly bowed and thanked him, saying, "I am truly grateful for your rescue, Master." He then looked at Li Ji and asked him with his eyes. Li Ji nodded, "It should be that 'Jingjing'er' who once sneaked into the Marshal's Mansion and attempted to assassinate the Prince of Guangping."

Li Bi frowned: "So, this was Zhou Zhi's scheme..."

Li Ji couldn't help but think of Cui Qi from this little girl, and then of Cui Qi's master... He immediately clicked his tongue, turned around and bowed to the female Taoist priest: "There's something I want to ask you, but I don't know if I should."

"Just ask."

"Does the Immortal Master know a name—Jiao Jingzhen?"

Jiao Jingzhen might be Jingjing'er's master or grandmaster, their skills passed down through generations; and this female Taoist priest surnamed Xie not only caught the darts bare-handed, but also leaped and chased after Jingjing'er. Although Li Ji knew nothing about so-called lightness skills, he felt—it seemed so. Could there be some connection between them? He couldn't help but ask.

The female Taoist priest replied nonchalantly, "Jiao Jingzhen is Xie Ziran, and Xie Ziran is Jiao Jingzhen."

Both Lis were stunned upon hearing this. Li Ji glanced at Li Bi, who gestured with his eyes: "That's right, this Master Xie's real name is Xie Ziran... So she's Jiao Jingzhen, the one who stole from the Chang'an Palace back then? Jiao Jingzhen is indeed not dead!"

Xie Ziran narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he were smiling: "I have abandoned the name Jiao Jingzhen for more than twenty years. I wonder where you brothers heard of her?"

Li Ji took a small step forward, shielding Li Bi—this was a notorious thief who had escaped the net. In those days, there was no statute of limitations, and besides, this involved the imperial family. A wanted criminal would always be a wanted criminal. Now that we had seen through the wanted criminal's whereabouts, would she consider killing him to silence him? This guy moved like the wind. I might not be able to defeat him, but if he attacked Li Bi, I probably wouldn't be able to stop him!

What should I do?

Feeling a tap on his shoulder from Li Bi, Li Bi stepped forward to stand beside Li Ji. Although they weren't exactly on the same wavelength, Li Ji understood from that tap Li Bi's meaning: Don't worry, Master Xie will not harm me.

Li Bi then briefly recounted what he had heard from Li Ji about Jiao Jingzhen: "It is said that Zhou Zhi once met Cui Guangyuan in Shu, and during the banquet, he saw a man who claimed to be a disciple of Jiao Jingzhen, and he spoke of the past events..."

Xie Ziran nodded: "So they are still in the world..." He then started walking back the way he came: "It's getting late. If I don't hurry back, the mountain road will be difficult to walk after dark."

At this moment, Li Ji finally understood. If Xie Ziran or Jiao Jingzhen truly harbored ill intentions, the most convenient time to strike Li Bi would be under the cover of darkness in the deep mountains. To be honest, if the moon were pale and the stars were few tonight, and the surroundings were dim, he probably wouldn't have been able to escape her clutches either. After all, she was Cui Qi's grandmaster! Since she turned back to Lingxu Palace and wasn't afraid of him revealing his past in front of others, she probably didn't have any malicious intentions.

Does this mean that one can truly "lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot"?

Upon further reflection, even a master thief might not be a good killer. Back then, Jiao Jingzhen preferred to use schemes and traps to force Zhou Zhi to flee rather than use the simplest method of stabbing him to silence him. Perhaps she was still kind-hearted at heart.

He immediately took out a handkerchief from his pocket, used it as a pad to pick up the two darts that were still stuck in the ground, wrapped them up, put them in his pocket, and then followed behind Xie Ziran with Li Bi.

After walking a short distance, Xie naturally didn't look back, seemingly talking to himself:

"I was born into an official family, and in my youth I moved to Sichuan with my father. The mountains of Sichuan are deep and secluded, and many swordsmen live there. By chance, I met an extraordinary person who taught me the art of lightness and the method of flying swords. However, influenced by my father, I became obsessed with cultivating the Tao. Lightness and leaping are ultimately not the same as flying on clouds. Such minor techniques are not even as good as Yin-Yang magic. How can they be close to the Great Tao?"

"After my parents passed away, and I was unwilling to marry, I traveled the world seeking out renowned teachers. I heard that Master Zhengyi was cultivating immortality on Yuxiao Peak of Tiantai Mountain, so I went to seek his guidance. I lived in the mountains gathering firewood and cooked for him for three years before I was finally taught the secret methods of Shangqing..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "What year was that? Was it before or after you raided the palace? Please be more specific." Of course, he didn't dare to interrupt and ask rashly.

Xie Ziran continued, “However, the master said that I had not severed my mortal body and could not inherit his Taoist teachings. After teaching me for three months, he sent me away. In the twenty-first year of Kaiyuan, Guanzhong suffered from prolonged rain and famine. I visited wealthy and powerful people to request relief, and thus took in eight orphans as my disciples, teaching them the art of lightness and the method of flying swords…”

Li Ji secretly calculated that Jiao Jingzhen's theft of the palace occurred in the spring of the twenty-fifth year of the Kaiyuan era, which means that it was four years before that, when she took in those eight white-clad youths.

"In the twenty-third year of the Kaiyuan era, my late master passed away at Yangtai Palace on Mount Wangwu. I rushed there upon hearing the news, but was unable to see him one last time... When my late master's younger brother, Mr. Chengyi, saw me, he showed me my late master's last letter, saying that I had not yet severed my ties to this world and should be in Chang'an, and that I should go there to sever them..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "What? Did Sima Chengzhen send you to steal from the palace?"

Then Xie Ziran changed the subject and brought up Zhou Zhi: "Those eight disciples have followed me for several years. They can all fly over rooftops and shoot birds with their swords, but they are obsessed with trivial skills and have no Daoist heart. In the twenty-fifth year of Kaiyuan, I was in Chang'an and happened to see Zhou Zhi, a scholar from Jingling. He had an extraordinary appearance and a lofty ambition to transcend the world. Perhaps I could lead him into the Dao. So I set up a scheme to test him."

"However, after our conversation, it became clear that this man possessed great potential but lacked the means to uphold the Dao..." Xie Ziran then turned his head slightly to glance at the two Lis behind him, "He was almost on par with Changyuan, yet he was obsessed with profit and fame, not a person fit to uphold the Dao, so I let him go. But a few days later, I decided to sneak into the palace at night, fearing that I would not be able to escape afterward—especially with my eight disciples, who might be pursued by the authorities—so I borrowed his mount and, afterwards, used illusion magic to deceive him, forcing him to leave..."

Li Ji couldn't hold back any longer and interrupted, asking, "But what exactly was the purpose of Master Xie's nighttime intrusion into the palace?" Don't tell me you weren't there to steal something.

"As you have probably heard, I stole a great deal of wealth from the palace. Although it was supposedly a prosperous era, the country was already riddled with problems. The rich and powerful indulged in extravagance while the common people struggled to make ends meet. I once considered taking from them to help those in need, but alas—I am not a swordsman, but merely a Taoist priest..."

The implication is that I do indeed have the ability to steal treasures from the palace and use them to help the poor, but I did not do so because I disdain using such a trivial skill to engage in the petty deeds of a swordsman.

"Changyuan, the decline of the Tang Dynasty, actually began between the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth years of Kaiyuan. Do you remember what happened in those two years?"

Li Bi pondered for a moment before replying, "In the twenty-fourth year, Zhang Jiuling and Pei Yaoqing were dismissed from their positions as administrators, and Li Linfu and Niu Xianke were appointed to replace them... In the twenty-fifth year, Li Linfu slandered Li Ying, Prince E Li Yao, and Prince Guang Li Ju, demoting them to commoners and subsequently ordering their execution..."

Xie Ziran added, “In the twenty-fourth year, Li Linfu became the Grand Chancellor, in charge of government affairs, and summoned the remonstrating officials to refrain from speaking too much. In the twenty-fifth year, Cui Xiyi, the military governor of Hexi, received a forged imperial edict from the eunuch Zhao Huicong and attacked the Tubo west of Qinghai. The Tang and Tubo had ceased hostilities for five years, but now war resumed.” He paused, then continued, “Therefore, in the spring of the twenty-fifth year, I secretly entered the palace and sent a letter to the emperor, fully presenting the people’s suffering and Linfu’s evil deeds, requesting the emperor to revitalize the country and restore the old policies of the early Kaiyuan era. I don’t know whether the theft was the emperor’s intention, or Li Linfu’s, or Gao Lishi’s…”

Li Ji was stunned—Holy crap, this is a Rashomon-like situation…

"Afterwards, I forced Zhou Zhi to leave, not only because I was afraid he would reveal our whereabouts—I had no fear of that myself, but I was afraid of implicating my disciples—my original intention was to cut off Zhou Zhi's path to officialdom, so that after several years of wandering, he might develop a sense of world-weariness and a desire to cultivate Taoism. However... he eventually went to join An Lushan. Such is his nature, and it is not easy to change it."

“My eighth disciple is greedy for wealth and fame and obsessed with minor skills. He is not worthy of inheriting my mantle. Now that they are all adults, how can I keep them by my side? It would not only hinder their future but also damage my Dao heart. Therefore, I will take this opportunity to dissolve my body and escape, thus severing Jiao Jingzhen and reborn as Xie Ziran. Is this what my late master meant when he said that I should sever my old body in Chang'an?”

As they spoke, the three of them returned to the back gate of Lingxu Palace. Xie Ziran turned around, raised his hand to invite the two Lis inside, and said with a smile, "If we don't sever our old selves and sever our worldly ties, I'm afraid Senior Brother Xue won't be willing to acknowledge me as his junior sister."

Li Bi cupped his hands and said, "I see. Thank you for your explanation, Master."

Xie Ziran shook his head: "These old stories have nothing to do with Changyuan, so how can they be answered? You should answer your own questions." He then looked at Li Ji: "Changwei, are you going to report me?"

Li Ji replied, "This has nothing to do with me, so why should I report it?" Even if Xie Ziran's words were all nonsense and pretense, as long as she didn't intend to kill him to silence him, why should he bother? After all, the other party hadn't committed murder or arson, so she wasn't a major villain. At most, she had only stolen some royal wealth. The emperor was rich beyond measure, so what was wrong with stealing a little from him? If it were truly a case of robbing the rich to help the poor, Li Ji would even give her a thumbs up.

I just want to ask a few more questions: "I wonder if the little imp who just ambushed us was one of Master Xie's eight former disciples?"

Xie Ziran said, "So he is now called Jingjing'er? Although I was unable to catch up, his movements seem to be the same." He then turned to Li Bi and said, "With me here, I don't think he will dare to come again, but... Changyuan, you should not build a hut and live in seclusion in this place again."

There's never a thousand days of protection against thieves. Since the secluded place Xie Ziran had arranged for Li Bi had already been discovered by Jingjing'er, even if that fellow was afraid of his old teacher and dared not come again, Zhou Zhi might send someone else. If the news leaked out, some guys in the Tang court might also secretly harbor murderous intentions... That's why Xie Ziran told Li Bi, "You should find another place."

Upon entering Lingxu Palace, a young Taoist boy served vegetarian food. Xie Ziran and Li Bi each ate only a bite or two before putting down their chopsticks, leaving only Li Ji to feast with the others beside him.

Xie Ziran suggested to Li Bi, "Why don't you bring your whole family to Lingxu Palace and settle them there temporarily? When you have time, I'll take you to explore all the peaks and find a secluded and uninhabited place to live in seclusion. But even if you do live in seclusion, it's best if you go alone, with only a corner of your thatched hut visible under the green shade on the cliff. Only in this way will it be difficult to expose your whereabouts."

Li Bi clasped his hands and said, "I will leave everything to Master Xie's arrangements." Afterwards, he instructed Li Ji, "Bring Mother and the others here tomorrow. We are safe in Lingxu Palace with Master Xie's protection. You should hurry back to Chang'an."

The reason Li Ji was asked to return to Chang'an instead of Luoyang was because news had already arrived en route that Li Heng had not only brought his father, Li Longji, from Shu, but had also recalled Li Chu and Li Tan, and subsequently bestowed upon Li Chu the title of Prince of Chu. Li Bi hoped that Li Ji would find an opportunity to transfer to a civil post, and this could only be accomplished through Li Chu. If he returned to Luoyang and had to deal with military figures like Guo Ziyi and Pugu Huai'en, it would likely be hopeless.

Li Ji thought for a moment and then agreed. He then turned to Xie Ziran and asked, "I wonder if Master Xie would be willing to teach those minor skills to others?" He thought to himself, "If I could also leap high and low and run like the wind, I would be confident in capturing someone like Jingjing'er. Besides, Cui Qi has nothing to be proud of in front of me."

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Success Through People

Li Ji wanted to learn lightness skills and throwing techniques like darts and swords from Xie Ziran, but Xie Ziran refused outright, saying, "Changwei's physique is suited to long spears and broadswords, not lightness skills like leaping and swordsmanship. Besides... even though they are minor skills, they must be learned when one's body is still weak and immature. If you had met me twenty years earlier, perhaps I could teach you."