Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 79

Yu Chaoen nodded repeatedly, then asked, "I heard that Li Ji, while serving in the Yingwu Army, often carries double maces in and out of the Forbidden City... Why doesn't Fifth Brother punish him?"

Li Fuguo shook his head: "He has never entered the inner court. Who said that the outer court cannot carry a mace?" He paused, then said: "Don't move yet. I still have a use for this man."

As they spoke, they arrived at Penglai Palace, south of Taiye Pond, where Li Heng had been staying recently—the emperor's sleeping quarters, commonly known as the "Hall of Longevity." Li Fuguo took his leave, and Yu Chaoen announced her arrival and entered. She immediately lowered her head and crawled on her knees to the bedside. When she raised her head again, her face was covered in tears: "Your Majesty, I've missed you all so much!"

Li Heng, wrapped in a brocade quilt, sat on the couch, surrounded by books and memorials. He actually looked quite well. He smiled and gently stroked Yu Chaoen's cheek: "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back..."

After a long audience, Yu Chaoen finally took his leave. He had barely stepped out of the palace gate when a red-robed eunuch with a fawning smile came up to him: "Lord Yu has just returned to Chang'an, and before he has even washed away the dust of his journey, he has come to pay his respects. His sincere loyalty is truly a model for us all."

Yu Chaoen puffed out his chest, tilted his head back, and glanced at the man with slightly lowered eyes: "Oh, it's Ma Yingjun. You're wearing a red robe now too? What's your job?"

"I am a humble servant in the inner palace, mainly serving in the Qingning Palace..."

Upon hearing this, Yu Chaoen's expression immediately changed, and his chest shrank slightly. He smiled and said, "So you've really made something of yourself by serving the Empress. Well then, your arrival..."

"The Queen summons the Fishman."

Yu Chaoen smiled bitterly to himself: It really was unavoidable.

So he followed Ma Yingjun to Qingning Palace to pay respects to Empress Zhang. Empress Zhang first comforted him gently, then the topic turned to Li Yu—"Your Majesty's health is not very good, and the Crown Prince is unable to share Your Majesty's burdens... So what use is that Crown Prince?!"

Then she launched into a long, rambling rant about Li Yu, to which Yu Chaoen could only offer perfunctory "humphs" and "hahs." Finally, Empress Zhang paused for a moment, and he quickly interjected, "The Crown Prince is loyal and mature, but I fear he lacks responsibility. While I was away, I heard that the Prince of Fengjie is wise and virtuous, and some even say he has the same charm as the Emperor Emeritus in his youth..."

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhang's face darkened, and she let out a cold snort.

Taking the opportunity, Yu Chaoen said, "I have also heard that Prince Fengjie often secretly associates with court officials and gives them many gifts. There is also Li Ji, the military registrar of the Left Yingwu Army, whose residence in Anxing... no, Guanghua Ward was given to him by Prince Fengjie."

Empress Zhang's expression changed slightly: "You mean that 'Li Erlang who defends the barbarians'?"

"Yes, the Empress has met him before, even in the past..."

Empress Zhang said, "It was my oversight. How could this person have entered the Yingwu Army? Is it possible to let him go?"

Yu Chaoen lowered her voice and said, "Li Ji is unruly and arrogant. This servant begs to get rid of him for the Empress!"

I thought I had specifically reminded Empress Zhang, remembering how Li Ji stormed the palace to save Li Tan back in Ding'an, which had frightened you quite a bit, hadn't it? So Empress Zhang would naturally be happy to see me devise a plan to get rid of Li Ji. But to my surprise, Empress Zhang pondered for a moment and then said, "Think of a way to drive him out of the capital."

"Is the Empress concerned about his relationship with the Prince of Fengjie and His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Empress Zhang sneered, "What concerns do I have? It's just that... Li Ji is a brave general, well-known in the court and the public, and Li Bi is also a prime minister, no less than Di Wenhui. In the future, he may be able to assist the emperor and safeguard the country. How can we kill him at will and harm the affairs of the state?" She deliberately emphasized the word "future".

Yu Chaoen understood. Empress Zhang hated Li Tan, Li Yu, and Li Shi, but she didn't necessarily hate Li Ji that much—because Li Ji had only argued with her a few times and hadn't chased her around the palace. In Empress Zhang's eyes, Li Ji was just an ant, and without Li Bi's support, he couldn't enter the inner court. What chance did he have of ruining her affairs? Why bother trying to crush him, only to provoke the hatred and vigilance of Li Yu and his son?

However, Li Ji's reputation for bravery has recently soared, and his elder brother Li Bi is also a talented man. If they could be temporarily sidelined and then brought back to assist their sons after they ascend the throne, they would likely prove useful. Especially since she actually compared Li Bi to Di Renjie… Yu Chaoen thought to herself, "Do you want to be Empress Wu Zetian?!"

Left with no other choice, they had to continue to give perfunctory answers.

After Yu Chaoen left, Ma Yingjun, the Inner Attendant, and Duan Hengjun, the Inner Attendant, flanked him and said, "It seems that Yu Chaoen is not of one mind with the Empress. Not a single word he said just now has been put into practice."

Empress Zhang nodded coldly and said, "He must not be allowed to take charge of the Divine Strategy again. Let's just kick him out and send him to command the outer troops!" She glanced to the left and right and asked, "Who do you think can take over the Divine Strategy in his place?"

Ma Yingjun said, "Zhu Guanghui, who is in charge of the Inner Palace Affairs Bureau, is acceptable."

Empress Zhang shook her head: "Zhu Guanghui is in charge of provincial affairs and is opposing Li Fuguo. He cannot be touched."

"What does the Empress think of Dan Tingyao and Chen Xianfu?"

Empress Zhang nodded: "Summon the two of them here, so I can test them..."

----------

Meanwhile, Yu Chaoen spent a long time in the inner court, visiting friends and inquiring about the current personnel and factional situation of the Inner Palace Secretariat. Only then did he retreat to Yanzheng Gate at dusk. His confidant Liu Xixian quickly went up to him and reported, "Everything has been arranged. The government offices have been set up and are being swept and tidied. There is no need to worry about the military appearance."

Yu Chaoen nodded: "Thank you for your trouble. I trust you to handle things."

Liu Xixian continued, "In accordance with the military's orders, the soldiers who have been stationed outside for a long time and have just entered the capital, except for those on duty, will all be given three days' leave and can move freely within Chang'an City..."

Yu Chaoen hummed in agreement: "'A balance of tension and relaxation is the way of both civil and military affairs,' as long as they don't cause any trouble—where are they all going to play? Could it be Pingkangfang?"

Liu Xixian laughed and said, "Junrong is truly a brilliant strategist. Just now someone came to invite him, and most of the generals have gone to Pingkangfang for a banquet."

"Oh, you've only just arrived in the capital, and someone's already hosting a banquet? Who is it?"

"It is Ma Sui, the registrar of the Yingwu Army, and Li Ji..."

Upon hearing this, Yu Chaoen's eyes narrowed immediately, and he felt a surge of anger rising in his chest.

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Chapter Six, Don't Use the Mace

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Inviting the officers and soldiers of the Shence Army who were relatively familiar with each other—even if they had only met once before in the capital—was originally Li Ji's idea. It immediately received applause and praise from Dou Wenchang, Huo Xianming and others, and also got Wang Jiahe's approval: Good idea!

Although they were now divided into the Inner Court and the Outer Court, they were actually jointly guarding the Forbidden City. It was only natural for them to engage in friendly exchanges and strengthen their bonds. Therefore, it was perfectly reasonable for the officers and soldiers of the Yingwu Army to host a banquet, and no one could find fault with it. Of course, going a step further, it was for the lower-ranking officers of both armies to first establish contact, gain understanding, and avoid unnecessary friction in the future. At the deepest level, Wang Jiahe hoped to gradually extend his influence into the Shence Army and sideline Yu Chaoen.

Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming did not appear—the matter between the eunuchs was to be resolved within the inner court—the invitation was signed by Ma Sui and Li Ji; the reserved banquet venue was a house in the winding alley of Pingkangfang.

While the brothels along the walls were indeed the lowest class among the brothels in Pingkangfang, even a third-class household in the capital, in terms of quality and style, was more than enough to crush the first-class brothels in other counties and prefectures. Moreover, the men they hired were mostly military men. If they were taken to Lü Miaozhen's house, or to the more upscale brothels of Nanqu, where the prostitutes would first play a few tunes on the zither and pipa, and then ask them to compose poems, even if people didn't see it as a deliberate display of status, discrimination against outsiders, or a trap to make things difficult for them, they would certainly feel uncomfortable.

Furthermore, a banquet for dozens of people, if held in the Southern or Central regions, would probably be impossible to pay even if Ma Sui and Li Ji sold their possessions, and it's impossible for the entire bill to be paid by the public treasury...

This banquet was arranged in advance with the head of the brothels in Xunqiangqu, who summoned girls from several surrounding brothels to accompany the guests. Even the brothels in Xunqiangqu were not large brothels with a large number of courtesans. Generally, each brothel had one top courtesan and six or seven maids who could also accompany the guests, and that was about it. This ensured that every guest had someone to serve him.

The Shence Army had served as guards of the palace during the imperial rebellion, so many of them were acquaintances of Li Ji. Even though they later expanded their forces when they were stationed in Shanxian, diluting their numbers somewhat, and calling on friends and acquaintances, they eventually numbered more than twenty people, mostly mid- to low-ranking officers above the rank of squad leader (commanding fifty cavalry). The hosts were Ma Sui, Li Ji, and five other military generals including Qin Huan.

Because there were so many people, the banquet stretched from inside the house all the way to the corridor. As Li Ji instructed, the dishes did not need to be exquisite, but they had to be large pieces of meat and seasonal fruits and vegetables. The flavors were to be slightly stronger, in accordance with the customs of Longyou. The wine did not need to be good or of any particular brand, as long as it was strong enough.

Of course, there was no distilled spirits back then. So-called strong liquor was at most around 20 degrees.

Li Ji had served in the army in Longyou and was used to dealing with warriors. Although Ma Sui was a scholar, he was not intimidated by such a scene. Only Qin Huan, seeing the Shence Army generals shouting and yelling at the banquet, disregarding rank, or even groping prostitutes in public, couldn't help but show a look of disdain. However, since his superior was present, it was not his place to reprimand them. He could only hold his wine cup, step aside, and watch coldly.

As soon as the banquet began, the Shence Army generals, passing Ma Sui, toasted Li Ji, saying, "We have heard in Shaanxi that Erlang is braver than the rest of the army, breaking through enemy lines and defeating the barbarians. He is truly a hero of our time. In fact, not all those who have come to this gathering today are Erlang's old acquaintances. Those who have not met Erlang in the imperial palace have also come here because they admire Erlang's reputation and have specially asked us to bring them along."

An unfamiliar-looking military officer quickly said, "That's right, that's right. I was originally scheduled to be on duty, but I paid my colleague to take my place so that I could see Li Erlang's demeanor."

Some people said, "Our ancestral home is mostly in Longyou. Even if we are not from Shence Army, we are from Zhenxi or Hechuan. We have been away from home for a long time and do not know how our parents, wives and children are doing... It is thanks to Erlang's valiant fight against the barbarians that Longyou was able to be preserved. Erlang is our great benefactor and should be invited by us. How come Erlang is the host?"

Li Ji smiled and said, "Since you are new to Chang'an, it is only natural that Military Advisor Ma and I will be your hosts. In the future, we will guard the Forbidden City together, and there will be many opportunities to drink together. Let's wait until you are familiar with Pingkang Ward before you treat me to a meal."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a glance out of the corner of his eye caught sight of a man leaning on a table, head bowed, his face filled with sorrow. Li Ji quickly picked up his wine cup and asked, "Although this gentleman is a stranger, from now on we are friends. Is there anything I have done wrong in our hospitality?"

Upon hearing this, the general quickly offered a toast in return, saying, "It has nothing to do with Erlang. My hometown is in Jintian Army. Hearing what you all said reminded me that my hometown has fallen to the enemy. Although I received a letter from home last year that my parents are still alive, many of my relatives have been killed or captured by the enemy. That makes me a little sad..."

He then clinked his wine cup with Li Ji's, downed it in one gulp, raised his eyebrows, and glared at Li Ji, saying, "May I ask, Second Brother, how did you defend against the barbarian bandits in Longyou? How many did you kill in total? Did you avenge the deep hatred of the people of Longyou?"

The other Shence Army generals also said, "That's right, that's right. The rumors from all sides are not entirely true. We really want to hear Erlang's own account of how the Battle of Longyou was fought, what the results were, and whether they match the military reports."

Because everyone knows that military reports always exaggerate victories and downplay defeats. They exaggerate the number of enemy casualties as much as possible, while trying to minimize their own losses.

Li Ji put down his wine cup, stood up, and pressed his hand down slightly. The noisy chatter in the room and corridor immediately ceased. Then, he clasped his hands in a circle and said solemnly, "Li Ji is truly ashamed before you all. Although I fought valiantly in Longyou, my troops were few and my supplies insufficient, so I could not inflict heavy casualties on the barbarian bandits. I could only watch helplessly as Ma Chongying fled in disarray... If you had had your four thousand cavalry that day, I, Li Ji, would have surely killed Ma Chongying and ensured that not a single horse returned. Within three to five years, the barbarian bandits would not dare to look directly at Longyou!"

He then recounted the Battle of Shancheng in its entirety. He was naturally eloquent, and since he was in the presence of knowledgeable people, he dared not embellish the main points, only exaggerating the details slightly. He spoke with exaggerated gestures for half an hour, leaving everyone, from generals to prostitutes, mesmerized and deeply impressed.

Even Ma Sui and Qin Huan were hearing Li Ji's detailed explanation of the battle for the first time. Ma Sui couldn't help but think to himself: Even if five parts of what he said is true, it's still quite astonishing. It's a pity that I can only stay here in the palace and can't actually lead troops to the front lines to kill the enemy... Was it a mistake to go directly to the imperial court instead of joining a certain shogunate?

As soon as Li Ji finished speaking, someone on the spot exclaimed, "Li Erlang, you are truly a divine being!"

An officer sitting on the veranda asked, "When we entered just now, we saw Erlang with two maces hanging from his waist. Did he use those maces to fight the thieves?"

Li Ji smiled and shook his head: "When I was in Longyou, I only used a broadsword and a spear. These maces were only made after I entered the capital."

"It looks quite heavy; could a lowly clerk possibly weigh it?"

The man was not an old friend of Li Ji, nor did he know of Li Ji's exploits in storming the palace, capturing assassins, and chasing Yu Chaoen. Listening to Li Ji recount the Longyou campaign and his boastful descriptions of his own bravery, the man was somewhat skeptical. He then asked for the double maces, grasped them, weighed them in his hands, leaped onto the corridor, struck a pose, and swung them a couple of times before finally admitting, "They weigh thirty-six jin... even a lowly clerk like me couldn't wield them much—Erlang is truly a divine being!"

Li Ji thought to himself, "You guessed right." He smiled and pointed at Qin Huan: "To tell you the truth, I learned my mace technique from Commandant Qin. Commandant Qin's family has a tradition of mace techniques; he is the great-great-grandson of Hu Zhuanggong, the founding emperor of the dynasty."

Several officers immediately exclaimed, "Oh my! So it's Uncle...a descendant of Duke Qin! Please forgive our poor eyesight. Of all the founding heroes, Duke Qin and Duke Yuchi are the ones we have always admired the most!" They all stepped forward to toast Qin Huan.

Qin Huan then smiled slightly and drank with his guests, but in his heart he thought: You admire my ancestor? You know nothing! You've only heard about my ancestor's deeds from street gossip and courtesan songs, most of which are just legends and shouldn't be taken seriously...

Ma Sui suddenly smiled and said to everyone, "I once heard a joke about Duke Hu of Qin and Duke E of Yuchi. Would you like to hear it?"

Everyone said, "We'd like to hear it, please tell us, Military Advisor Ma." Only Qin Huan was displeased: A joke about my ancestors? Military Advisor Ma, you look like a mature old man, how can you be so tactless?

Ma Sui slowly said, "Actually, this joke has nothing to do with the two dukes themselves; it was all embellished by later generations. There was once a governor who loved steamed buns and hired a cook to make them for him. One night, while reviewing official documents, he suddenly felt hungry and woke the cook to steam some buns for him, but instructed him: 'In the past, I used too much alkali when making the buns; tonight, be careful not to use any more.'"

"Although the cook agreed, he was still groggy from being awakened from his dream, and as a result, when making the cakes, he mistakenly added too much alkali. When the cakes were steamed and served, the governor saw that they were yellow in color and was displeased, but because he had always respected this cook, he could not reprimand him, so he said: 'Let me tell you a story.'"

"What story is it? It is said that in those days, Duke Hu of Qin was skilled with a pair of iron maces, and was invincible against ten thousand men. Duke E of Yuchi was skilled with a steel whip, and was also unmatched. One day, Duke E of Yuchi challenged Duke Hu of Qin to a duel, saying: 'Today we will only fight with horse spears. You will not use your maces, and I will not use my whip.' Duke Hu of Qin agreed."

"However, in the ensuing contest, Duke Hu of Qin, being older and weaker, gradually became no match for Duke E of Yuchi. Seeing that he was about to lose, he instinctively drew his mace from his back and struck Duke E of Yuchi on the shoulder. Duke E of Yuchi was furious..."

At this point, Ma Sui deliberately paused, looked around at everyone, and then dropped the bombshell: "We agreed not to use the mace (alkali), so why did you use it again?!"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this, then burst into laughter. Qin Huan, upon hearing this, felt relieved—this wasn't considered slander against my ancestors, so it was fine.

As the laughter subsided, Ma Sui stroked his beard and said, "Gentlemen, please don't be impatient; there's more to this joke."

After attracting everyone's attention again, he continued, "The governor told this story to the cook and reprimanded him for using alkali. The cook, partly angry at being woken up in the middle of the night and partly arrogant due to his favor, said, 'I also know about this matter, Your Excellency, and it's not over yet. Let me tell you about it.'"

"Then Qin Hu Gong had a son named Li, courtesy name Huaidao, later enfeoffed as Duke of Licheng County. Hearing that his father was dueling with Yuchi E Gong, he thought to himself, 'My father is old and his strength is waning; I hope nothing bad will happen to him.' So he hurried to watch the battle. He saw two horses circling back and forth, two spears rising and falling in a flurry of motion, dazzling the eyes and making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe. Helpless, he returned to report to his mother, who asked, 'Who had the upper hand during the duel?' The Duke of Licheng County replied, 'I only saw spears flying, but no figures; I truly cannot tell which one is my father.' His mother was furious and scolded him…"

He paused briefly, keeping everyone in suspense, before finally revealing the punchline: "You child, don't you even recognize your own father? Remember this well, the one who wields the mace (alkali) is your father!"

Because of the preceding setup, the moment this was said, everyone immediately realized what was happening and burst into laughter again. Even Qin Huan couldn't help but chuckle, saying, "This cook is definitely still half asleep, daring to claim he's the magistrate's father. He'll probably get a beating..."

Li Ji laughed beside him, but inwardly he couldn't help but admire Ma Sui: "I thought you were just a scholar with a smattering of military strategy and an interest in military affairs, but it turns out you also know how to get along with warriors. And just now, I gave a long speech and stole the limelight, but you used a joke to bring everyone's attention back to you... Your social skills are truly superb."

Seeing that it was still early, and intending to find some more topics to talk about, he glanced around and saw a general sitting under the eaves. His appearance seemed familiar, so he picked up his wine cup, walked closer, and asked, "You seem to be an old friend... Back when I was in the imperial camp, you were with General Wei when he came to arrest me. Were you perhaps one of them?"

The general quickly picked up his wine cup and stood up, laughing, "Second Brother has a good memory. I thought I had never spoken to you before, so you probably wouldn't recognize me—that's right, I was with General Wei that day and saw you sparring with Commandant Jing. Your skills were truly superb. From that day on, I admired you."

Someone nearby exclaimed, "It's a pity that Old Jing has been sent to a post outside the capital, otherwise we could have invited him to drink with us." Another person whispered, "General Wei, why are you arresting Erlang?" It was clear that the person was a member of the Shence Army who had joined later and had never guarded the palace before.

Li Ji deliberately waved his hand: "Old matters should not be discussed, should not be discussed, lest it damage the harmony."

If he hadn't said those words, everyone would probably have quietly shared their knowledge. But as soon as he said them, a general who was already drunk and bleary-eyed jumped up and said, "What's wrong with saying this? Do you all know that Yu Junrong was once chased by Erlang to the point of having nowhere to go, and could only cry out for help from the Emperor!"

Li Ji slowly returned to his seat, put down his wine cup, and let the man recount the past. He thought to himself that this was true; it showed that Yu Chaoen had not truly won over the hearts of the Shence Army, and there were many who were dissatisfied with him.

That makes sense. How could a cowardly eunuch like Yu Chaoen, all bluster and no substance, possibly understand military command? He certainly couldn't possibly connect with the soldiers and win their hearts. Besides, he had just overseen a major defeat for the various military governors in Xiangzhou. Even if he were to blame, and even if it were the fault of Guo Ziyi or Li Guangbi, the ordinary soldiers would bypass those two and blame the supervising eunuch…

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Chapter Seven, Keyboard Politics

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Meanwhile, when Shi Siming defeated the Tang army in Xiangzhou, An Qingxu took the opportunity to collect the abandoned grain and fodder of the Tang army, obtaining 60,000 to 70,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), which slightly alleviated the famine in the city. He then discussed with Sun Xiaozhe, Cui Qianyou, and others to close the city gates tightly and resist Shi Siming.

Shi Siming neither pursued the Tang army far nor withdrew his troops. Instead, he returned to his camp on the southern outskirts of Ye City, where he slaughtered cattle daily to feast his soldiers, thus pressuring An Qingxu. An Qingxu, left with no other option, sent An Taiqing with a memorial to the emperor, expressing his willingness to submit to Shi Siming, but requesting the retention of Xiangzhou. Shi Siming laughed and said, "Why such a thing? I wish to be a brotherly state, a bulwark of support, and a worthy partner of the Tang dynasty. I dare not accept such a gesture of submission." He then sealed the memorial and returned it.

An Qingxu believed it to be true and led three hundred cavalrymen out of the city to pay homage to Shi Siming, intending to swear a blood oath. Shi Siming seized the opportunity to capture An Qingxu, along with Gao Shang, Sun Xiaozhe, Cui Qianyou, and others, and executed them all. Zhang Tongru, Li Tingwang, and others were pardoned and brought into his service. He then entered Ye City and gathered the remaining troops of the An clan.

Shi Siming originally intended to take advantage of the situation to advance westward, but as Li Ji had predicted, he was worried that his base was not yet secure and that the Tang army would cut off his rear. In addition, the summer was approaching and his troops, mostly from the border regions of Yan and Zhao, could not tolerate the heat. Therefore, he left his son Shi Chaoyi to guard Xiangzhou and led the main army back to Fanyang.

In the fourth month of summer, Shi Siming proclaimed himself Emperor of the Great Yan in Fanyang, changed the era name to Shuntian, made his wife Xin his empress, his eldest son Shi Chaoyi the Prince of Huai, appointed Zhou Zhi as prime minister and Li Guiren as general, and prepared his troops for a major campaign in the autumn.

Meanwhile, in the Tang Dynasty, before Yu Chaoen had even returned to the capital, Guo Ziyi was appointed Marshal of the Eastern Capital, Shandong, and Hedong Circuits, and Zhang Xun was appointed Acting Governor of the Eastern Capital. At the same time, Lai Zhen was appointed Acting Prefect of Shanzhou and concurrently Military Governor of the three prefectures of Shan, Guo, and Hua—all three prefectures located east of Chang'an, along the Wei River, arranged in an east-west line. Undoubtedly, this unification of military power was intended to protect the capital region and prevent the rebel army from defeating the Henan forces and then advancing directly into Chang'an.

This shows that the Tang court was fully prepared for Shi Siming's inevitable invasion in the autumn, but at the same time, it was short of troops and supplies and had no countermeasures, so it could only passively defend and hope that the enemy would retreat on its own...

Li Ji and Ma Sui discussed the situation privately. Ma Xunmei was indeed a man of military knowledge, but the eunuchs Wang Jiahe, Dou Wenchang, Huo Xianming, and others had neither the ability to use troops nor any concern for the foreign army. Therefore, Li Ji could only talk about military strategy with Ma Sui on paper when he had nothing else to do. He was not too worried about the eastern front.

They all trusted Guo Ziyi and Zhang Xun, believing that with these two generals and several months to gather and prepare, a purely defensive posture wouldn't be unable to stop Shi Siming.

Ma Sui said, "The defeats of Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing in the past were due to their inferior troops. Although the Flying Cavalry and the Swift Cavalry they led were called the Imperial Guards, they were mostly ruffians from the streets who had taken up unauthorized labor. In addition, they had just recruited 50,000 new troops from the Guanzhong region, who had not been trained. How could they fight? After their defeat, they retreated to Tongguan. The people's hearts were somewhat at ease and the situation was somewhat stable, but unfortunately, they were slandered by Bian Lingcheng and died unjustly..."

At this point, he couldn't help but sigh, paused, and then continued: "Now, Lai Zhen commands the troops of the three prefectures. Most of the Western soldiers who were routed under the walls of Xiangzhou are under his command, numbering around 40,000 to 50,000. With just a little reorganization and training, they will not repeat the mistakes of Gao and Feng. At worst, they can retreat to Tongguan, where the rebel army will find it difficult to cross the natural barrier."

Li Ji asked him, "Do you know who Lai Zhen is?"

Ma Sui nodded and introduced, "Lai Zhen is the son of Lai Yao, the Deputy Protector-General of Anxi, the Military Governor of Qixi, and the Right General of the Imperial Guard. He comes from a military family and followed his father to guard the western frontier in his youth. At the end of the Tianbao era, he was promoted to Left Assistant Grand Master, Palace Attendant Censor, and Military Commander of Yixi and Beiting..."

Hearing that Lai Zhen came from the Western Army, Li Ji instinctively felt a slight advantage over him for some reason.

"...When the rebel An rebelled, it happened that Lai Zhen was observing the mourning period for his mother. However, due to the recommendation of Zhang Ji, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, he was appointed as the Prefect of Yingchuan despite the mourning period. When the rebels attacked Yingchuan, Lai Zhen personally took up a strong bow on the city wall and shot arrows. Every arrow hit its mark and the enemy was killed. He killed many rebels, so the rebels all called him 'Lai the Iron Chewer'..."

Li Ji thought to himself that the nickname was quite interesting—but Zhang Xun only chewed his teeth, so how could Lai Zhen dare to say that he could chew iron?

"...Later, he was transferred to the position of military governor of Huainan West Circuit, where he helped quell the rebellion of Prince Yong. He then followed Zhang Congzhou (Zhang Hao) to recover Henan and returned to the capital as the Palace Attendant..." At this point, Ma Sui lowered his voice slightly and said to Li Ji, "It is said that the court originally proposed to appoint Yi Zhen as the deputy envoy of Longyou to replace Gao Sheng, or as the deputy envoy of Hexi to replace Zhou Ben. However, due to the defeat at Xiangzhou, he was not sent and was instead placed in Shaanxi."

Li Ji nodded and said, "In that case, he is not a fool, and being from the Western Army, he might be able to command the soldiers of Hexi and Longyou..." But he couldn't help but want to argue, "However, I have heard that Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing were also famous generals who once routed the barbarian bandits. How could they not know the principle that quality is more important than quantity in warfare? Why did they only lead tens of thousands of street ruffians into battle in the past, resulting in defeat?"

When Ma Sui realized that Ma Sui truly didn't understand, he patiently explained: "In the past, we focused on internal strength while neglecting external ones. The number of troops available in the Central Plains was indeed limited. Temporary recruitment was a last resort... Moreover, this is not something that the two generals can decide on their own."

Li Ji smiled slightly: "Are you saying that the Emperor Emeritus and the supervising eunuch hindered the two generals?"

Ma Sui nodded.

Li Ji then said, "How can we know that 'Come and Chew Iron' won't repeat the mistakes of the other two?"