Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 22

Fortunately, nothing happened that night, and the next day both armies broke camp simultaneously and returned to Yong County. The Uyghur army was stationed outside the city, while Li Chu and others accompanied the Crown Prince of Yabghu into the city to pay homage to Emperor Li Heng. From then on, Li Heng hosted a small banquet every three days and a large banquet every five days to entertain the Crown Prince of Yabghu, and the Uyghur army's provisions were also more generous than those of other soldiers. The Crown Prince of Yabghu felt somewhat apologetic and asked, "The country is in great trouble. I have come to help fight the rebels; how can I indulge in food and drink? When will we raise an army to recapture Chang'an?"

Finally, in the intercalary eighth month, Li Heng summoned all the generals to plan an attack on Chang'an. Li Heng said to Guo Ziyi, "Success or failure depends on this campaign." Guo Ziyi prostrated himself and kowtowed, vowing, "If this campaign fails, I will die!" He then led the Shuofang army eastward and successfully recaptured Wugong.

Immediately, Marshal Li Chu, along with his Chief Clerk Li Bi, Military Advisor Li Tan, and others, bid farewell to the emperor and set off to join Guo Ziyi. The assembled Tang army, including the Uyghurs and troops from the Western Regions, numbered 150,000, though claimed to be 200,000, and marched in a mighty force towards Chang'an. Li Ji naturally followed in the army. As he rode, he saw Tang army banners everywhere—before and behind him, south and north of the mountains and rivers—like unstoppable torrents.

What a grand spectacle! In later generations, even if the national population and armed forces were ten times larger than they are now, it would be difficult to put on such a grand display. You wouldn't even see such a magnificent scene on television—how many troops marched through the square during the National Day parade that year?

Oh, if we include the spectators and the marchers, perhaps that would be enough...

In short, Li Ji felt a surge of excitement, as if he were living in a great era. Even his breathing became slightly uneven, and his cheeks flushed. For some reason, for a moment, he felt proud to have transmigrated into a Tang Dynasty person, hoping that this battle would be a swift success, that the two capitals would be recovered, and that a new golden age would be rebuilt.

But thinking about it before going to sleep that night, I realized it was probably just the atmosphere that had ignited a fire within me, fueled by a sense of collective consciousness. Leaving aside the so-called "golden age" of feudal times, which was merely a superficial phenomenon of scholar-officials indulging in leisure and pleasure, with such a foolish ruler on the throne, even without loyal advice, winning battles would be a blessing from our ancestors. What possibility was there of universal peace? And even if we could quickly quell An Qingxu's rebellion, there was still Tibet behind us…

Li Ji initially didn't think much of Prince Guangping, Li Chu, feeling that his only redeeming quality was "loyalty and honesty," and that in terms of talent and ambition, he was incomparably inferior to his younger brother, Li Tan—perhaps in a few years, Li Shi would grow up and surpass his father. However, comparing him to Li Heng... at least Li Chu had been diligently working at the Marshal's Mansion these past few months; regardless of his achievements or efficiency, his hard work was commendable. Li Heng, on the other hand, spent his days in the deep palace, listening to the opinions of women and eunuchs, leaving most political affairs to the prime minister and military matters to the Generalissimo's Office...

Moreover, if he really "ruled by doing nothing," that would be fine, but he also frequently interfered in military affairs. Without his orders, Li Chu would never dare to lead his troops into battle... This bastard would have been better off dying sooner and Li Chu becoming emperor. At least so far, Li Chu has not rejected Li Bi's suggestions.

However, it's hard to say. Perhaps once a person becomes a tyrant and holds absolute power, he will change. Who knows what will happen after Li Chu ascends the throne? The drawbacks of the monarchy are deeply ingrained and truly incurable. Yet, given today's social productivity, China's traditional monarchy is one of the most advanced systems.

Only Li Ji's soul, coming from a later era, could see through its flaws; someone from that era would certainly not have been able to see it clearly.

Chapter 48, The Battle of Xiangji

Within a few days, the army advanced to the southern suburbs of Chang'an and arrayed itself north of Xiangji Temple, east of the Feng River. The rebel army also mobilized its troops and went out of the city to meet them in battle, numbering 100,000, and arrayed itself to the north of the city.

Xiangji Temple is located west of Shenhe Plain, on relatively high ground, so Li Chu placed his commander's banner inside the temple. Li Tan requested to personally lead an army as the vanguard, but Li Chu immediately refused—"War is dangerous and perilous. My brother, your status is too high. You should not go forward. You can stay and sit beside me."

Seeing the discontent on Li Tan's face, Li Bi tried to persuade him, saying, "The Marshal has already entrusted the heavy responsibility of leading the troops to the Vice Marshal (Guo Ziyi), and the Vice Marshal has also sworn an oath before His Majesty that if we fail in this battle, we will die. Your Majesty is a member of the imperial family and it is inappropriate for you to be subordinate to him. If you were to take command of the troops in his place, what would he think? If he feels ashamed and resentful and refuses to fight, it could lead to defeat—this is something we must be concerned about."

"Your Majesty is now the military commander, assisting the marshal and residing in the central command. You must not go forward to brave arrows and stones or engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. If Your Majesty were to encounter danger, the marshal would surely be worried. If Your Majesty were to personally go to the rescue, it might shake the central army. Your Majesty, please consider the marshal's situation more carefully."

Li Tan had nothing to say, so he could only plead, "I wish to leave the temple and stand on a high mound to observe the military situation for the Marshal and respond to any changes." Li Chu then agreed and immediately pointed, "Li Ji, you will escort Prince Jianning out of the temple."

So Li Ji led the fifty valiant Shence Army soldiers he had been commanding for some time, protecting Li Tan, as they left the temple, mounted their horses, and climbed a nearby hill. Some time ago, taking advantage of a patrol in Yong County, he had secretly sought advice from his subordinates on horseback riding and archery—since he called himself a general of Jin, he had to quickly improve these two weaknesses. Having finally escaped Li Bi's sight for a while, when else would he practice if not now?

All the troops gathered in Fengxiang. Although they hadn't advanced for months, they all knew a formidable enemy lay ahead, and most dared not slacken their training. Li Ji was no exception. After practicing for some time, he felt that his horsemanship and archery skills had greatly improved. He wouldn't say he was an expert, but he had at least grasped the basics. However, while marching on foot was fine before, today Li Tan was impatient. As soon as he left the temple gate, he saddled his horse and immediately galloped away. Li Ji almost couldn't catch up with him…

This Prince Jianning is indeed skilled in archery and horsemanship; he is a capable man.

If Li Tan had disobeyed orders and charged straight to the front lines, Li Ji certainly wouldn't have been able to stop him—he could only hope that the Shence Army soldiers not only possessed martial skills but also enough courage. Fortunately, Li Tan didn't go far, stopping only after reaching a high mound, so Li Ji's weakness wasn't apparent. To outsiders, it seemed normal for the king to lead and for Li Ji and the others to follow behind, but only Li Ji himself knew the truth—his skills were lacking, causing him to start the "fire" late.

Although it was called a high mound, it was actually only about ten meters higher than flat ground. Looking into the distance, the field of vision was still quite limited. Basically, one could only see the rear guard and central army of the Tang army. As for the front line and even the rebel army, one could only occasionally catch a glimpse of the colors of their flags through gaps. Li Tan observed for a while, then turned his head slightly and saw Li Ji simply stand up upright in the stirrups, craning his neck to look into the distance. A mischievous thought arose in Li Tan's mind, and he immediately raised his whip and cracked it in front of Li Ji's mount with a "snap".

The horse was startled, shook its head, and stomped a few steps, causing Li Ji to lose his balance and fall back onto the saddle. Li Tan couldn't help but laugh, "Changwei, although you are incredibly strong and unmatched in sumo wrestling, your horsemanship is still not proficient enough. Do you intend to be a bodyguard for the rest of your life? Don't you want to go into battle yourself, fight with sword and spear, and make a name for yourself in history? If you want to join the army, you should practice your archery and horsemanship diligently."

Li Ji thought to himself, "I can't hide it from you after all..." He casually replied, "I am Benshezi. My elder brother lives in seclusion. We don't even have a donkey at home, so where would I find a horse to ride? I only learned horsemanship after becoming a military officer, so I am not very skilled. Your Highness, please forgive my ignorance."

Li Tan frowned slightly: "Oh, Mr. Changyuan, are you so stingy with your offerings?" But that was all he said; with the great battle about to begin, his main focus was still on the front lines. He immediately pointed with his whip: "Changwei, can you even see the various army flags?"

Li Ji shook his head: "My eyesight is poor, I can't see clearly."

Li Tan laughed and said, "Actually, I can't see it clearly either—it's too far away. But yesterday, Guo Ziyi presented the battle formation diagram, so I know—" He then pointed with his riding whip, "The vanguard is Li Siye, the rearguard is Wang Sili, and Guo Ziyi himself will lead the central army. As for the rebel army, An Shouzhong is the commander-in-chief, and Li Guiren is the vanguard."

Li Ji understood his meaning. The battle hadn't even started yet, and just sitting here watching in silence would be too boring. So he wanted to find someone to talk to and analyze the situation. Therefore, he cupped his hands and asked, "I heard that Li Siye once fought alongside Gao Xianzhi against the Tubo, repeatedly serving as the vanguard. He was skilled with the Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) and possessed extraordinary strength, earning him the title of 'General of Divine Power.' Is that true?"

Li Tan nodded and said, "That's right..." He then introduced Li Siye's resume to Li Ji, including the battles he had participated in and the merits he had made.

But before he could finish his introduction, the sound of drums and shouts could be heard from afar. Li Tan immediately stopped talking and stared intently at the battlefield. Li Ji also watched intently, but... how could they possibly understand from so far away? In those days, there weren't even telegrams. Even if the front lines were defeated, the news probably wouldn't get back quickly.

However, given the atmosphere and Li Tan's complete silence, Li Ji felt it inappropriate to speak again and could only pretend to keep watching. He was mainly focused on Guo Ziyi's deputy marshal's banner, thinking that as long as the banner didn't retreat, it meant they hadn't lost; if the banner moved forward, then there was hope of victory.

Faintly visible, the banners of the vanguard clashed, suggesting a fierce battle was underway, but the central army's banner remained unmoved. About fifteen minutes later, a messenger arrived with news: "The rebel general Li Guiren has gone out to challenge them, and General Li (Li Siye) has led his troops in pursuit."

They pressed straight towards the enemy's formation.

Li Tan nodded and said, "Understood, inform the Marshal immediately."

After some time, the second group of knights arrived to report on the battle situation. They crossed their arms on horseback and said, "We are closing in, but the enemy is advancing with their elite troops. The government troops retreated slightly, which allowed the enemy to take advantage of the situation, causing panic and chaos..."

Upon hearing this, Li Tan frowned, glanced around, and then waved his hand, saying, "Let's stop here for now. There's no need to inform the Marshal."

As if to explain to Li Ji, or perhaps to himself, he quickly added, "On the battlefield, advances and retreats are common occurrences..."

Li Ji chuckled inwardly: You're afraid of scaring your brother and causing that mediocre talent to panic, aren't you?

The third report stated: "Our army retreated slightly, and our supplies were left on the ground. The enemy scrambled to seize them, causing chaos in our formation. Li, the General of the Cavalry, said: 'If we don't sacrifice ourselves to the enemy today, our army will be wiped out!' He then bared his chest, took up a long sword, and charged forward on horseback. Those who faced his sword were killed, both man and horse, and dozens of people were killed before the government troops were finally brought to order."

Li Ji couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Going shirtless? Do you think you're Xu Chu... Xu Chu was ultimately defeated by Ma Chao!" Li Tan, however, breathed a sigh of relief and immediately ordered: "Report this to the Marshal immediately."

Li Siye fought desperately and finally reversed the defeat, gradually pushing the battle lines forward. At this critical juncture, it is said that even Wang Nan, who had previously been cowardly and refused to rescue Guo Yingyi, and was almost wiped out by Li Chu, became anxious. In order to save his subordinate, he was shot in the eyebrow by an arrow, and the skin on his eyebrow was obscured. He actually pulled out the arrow with his own hands, tore off the skin from his eyebrow, and fought fiercely without retreating, even with blood streaming down his face.

An Shouzhong secretly ambushed elite cavalry to the east of the formation, letting Li Siye's vanguard pass, intending to outflank them from the rear. However, Guo Ziyi sent scouts to discover this, and ordered Pugu Huai'en, the commander of the left wing of the Shuofang army, to lead Uyghur troops in a swift attack, scattering them almost entirely. The rebel army was thus demoralized, and Li Siye seized the opportunity to coordinate with the Uyghur army, advancing directly to the rear of the formation—

The battle raged from noon until dusk. An Shouzhong fought tenaciously, holding out until twilight fell before leading his central army in a hasty retreat back into the city. Guo Ziyi ordered the execution of all the captured rebel soldiers. That evening, he reported that 60,000 had been beheaded—more than half of the rebels who had left the city were gone. Theoretically, this force had been completely crippled.

Guo Ziyi argued that Chang'an's walls were high and heavily fortified, and the rebel army still numbered in the tens of thousands. It was unwise to attack the city that night; instead, they should rest outside the city for the night, regroup, and attack again the next day. Li Chu agreed. Although alcohol was forbidden in the army, that evening Li Chu ordered four cups of wine to be heated. He summoned not only Li Tan and Li Bi, but also Li Ji, saying to them, "Now that the rebels have suffered a major defeat, their morale is surely low. At most half a month, Xijing can be recovered. Come, let us drink this cup to celebrate today's victory and to congratulate His Majesty on his imminent return to the capital!"

Li Tan downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, his heart pounding with emotion, and said, "It's a pity I couldn't be on the front lines... but I'm very gratified that I contributed to the Marshal's recapture of Xijing." Li Bi still refused to drink, only lightly touching his lips to the wine as a gesture, and then pushed it to Li Ji.

But just as they finished drinking and were having their meal, a guard suddenly came to report: "Pugu Huai'en, the military commander of the left wing of Shuofang, has an urgent matter to report!"

----------

Pugu is the same as Pugu, originally from the Gaoche, and of the same origin as the Uyghurs. Pugu Huaien came from the Pugu tribe and took the tribe name as his surname.

He inherited the title of Commander of Jinwei and later joined the Shuofang Army, following Guo Ziyi in his campaigns across the north and south, where he made great contributions and was highly regarded. Now that he had come in the dead of night, Li Chu was worried that something had changed in the situation below the city, so he quickly ordered: "He may enter."

Li Bi gave Li Ji a wink, and Li Ji understood. He immediately stood up, placed his hand on his sword, and stood to Li Chu's side.

After all, he was just a minor seventh-rank military officer. To be honest, it was against etiquette for him to dine with the marshal, chief secretary, and military commander. Li Chu and Li Tan regarded Li Ji as their benefactor who had saved their lives, so they made an exception and invited him as well. But such a thing was not suitable for outsiders to see, and it was difficult to explain.

Li Ji had barely settled in when Pugu Huai'en immediately registered and entered. Li Ji examined him closely and saw that the man seemed to have Caucasian ancestry, similar to the Uyghurs, but his skin color resembled that of a Black person. Moreover, his face was deeply lined with wrinkles and scars, and with his gray beard, it was impossible to determine his age—he could be in his thirties, or even forty or fifty.

To guess any higher would be incorrect, since this person has a straight back and shows no signs of hunching or aging.

After Pugu Huai'en entered the tent, he greeted Li Chu and the other two. Li Chu asked him, "Did the Deputy Marshal send you? What military intelligence do you have to report?"

Pugu Huaien said no—"The deputy marshal has just gone out to inspect the camp. I was afraid that I would not be able to find him in time and would delay the military operation, so I came here quickly to ask the marshal for instructions."

"Oh, what military intelligence is it?"

Pugu Huaien said, “I was observing the situation in the city from below. Since the hour of You (5-7 PM), there has been constant commotion. I suspect that the enemy knows the city is indefensible and has already abandoned it. I request to lead two hundred cavalry to pursue them and capture An Shouzhong, Li Guiren, and others.”

Li Chu smiled and said, "I see. During the daytime battle, General, you must be exhausted from your bravery. Rest now and we'll plan for tomorrow."

Pugu Huaien earnestly pleaded, “Li Guiren and An Shouzhong are both valiant generals of the rebels. Today’s defeat is a gift from heaven to our Tang Dynasty. How can we let them go? If they escape unscathed and gather their remaining troops, they will become a threat to the country again. At that time, it will be too late to regret! In battle, we must plan swiftly. How can we wait until tomorrow? I urge the Marshal to make a decision quickly.”

Li Chu frowned and said, "They still have fortified cities to rely on, why would they flee at night? Even if they do flee at night, they will surely have brave warriors to follow them, but our army is exhausted from fierce fighting, how can we pursue them? If we suffer a setback, wouldn't that be adding insult to injury? General, you should rest." He forcefully kicked Pugu Huai'en out the door.

After finishing, he told Li Ji, "You can sit down and continue eating." His eyes flickered, but...

Chapter 49, Light Cavalry Pursuit of the Bandits

Li Tan pulled Li Ji out the door and asked him in a low voice, "How is it?" Li Ji knew what was going on, but pretended not to understand and asked in return, "How is what?"

Li Tan lowered his voice and said, "I want to go after Pugu Huaien and go with him to capture Li Guiren, An Shouzhong and others. Changwei, are you willing to come?"

Li Ji also whispered, "But the Marshal won't allow it..."

Li Tan said, “I am the military commander and a guard of the general’s mansion. I can be mobilized at will without the marshal’s order. I am afraid that if this gets out, the marshal will find out early and send men to chase after us. Therefore, I am only taking fifty riders under your command—do you dare to go?”

Li Ji had long anticipated this turn of events, and to be honest, he was somewhat eager to try it out himself—such a massive battle, and he was always just watching from afar; how boring! If the rebels hadn't fled in the night, he could treat it as a night out to ride horses and enjoy the breeze—it was still the intercalary eighth month, the days were quite warm, but the evenings were a bit chilly, quite pleasant to the touch—but what if he really encountered the rebel army? How much fighting power could those guys, busy fleeing for their lives, possibly have?

However, he couldn't bring it up before, as he had to maintain his persona... Now that Li Tan had brought it up, he even asked, "Do you dare to go?" Li Ji didn't even think about it anymore, and followed his persona's first reaction—"Why wouldn't I dare?!" He then said, "These Shence Army soldiers in the Guard Command are all eager to go into battle. I only need to go and say a word, and I can get three to five hundred cavalry immediately."

Li Tan said it was better not to, because mobilizing too many troops would cause a great disturbance, and the marshal had not yet rested. If he became aware of the situation, it would be difficult to escape. "Quickly bring your fifty riders. I will wait for you in front of the temple."

As a result, Li Ji not only summoned his fifty riders, but also secretly informed Chen Fu and Yi Tiechui. He didn't waste any words, neither explaining the situation nor conveying the orders of the military commander, but simply said: "Do you want to fight? If so, come with me quietly. If you dare to leak this out, we are no longer friends!"

Yi Tiechui responded immediately, but Chen Fu hesitated and said, "We are ordered to protect the marshal, how can we move lightly? Where are we going?"

Li Ji glared at him and said, "Go to sleep, it's none of your business." He then grabbed Yi Tiechui and turned to leave.

But Chen Fu eventually followed, along with his men and comrades, totaling nearly a hundred riders. They donned their armor, carried their weapons, and pretended to patrol the surrounding area. They led their horses out of the temple gate to meet up with Li Tan.

After the hundred or so people quietly left Xiangji Temple and traveled about two arrow-lengths away, they lit torches, spurred their horses, and galloped away. Before long, they could see figures in the distance ahead. Li Tan waved and called out, "General Pugu, slow down."

In the dead of night, with the battle just over, only Pugu Huai'en and his entourage were still on the road. Hearing the call, they turned to look and saw a troop of cavalry approaching in a long procession, torches held high. In the torchlight, they could clearly see that the leader was none other than the Marshal's Chief of Staff, Prince Jianning, Li Tan. Pugu Huai'en was both surprised and delighted. He quickly dismounted, clasped his hands in respect, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness." He then asked eagerly, "Has the Marshal granted my request and specially ordered Your Highness to summon... or to deliver a command?"

Li Tan approached, reined in his horse with a "whoosh," and without dismounting, simply leaned down slightly and extended his hand to Pugu Huai'en: "General's plan is extremely risky, and the Marshal is truly unwilling to allow it. I have come here only to wish to accompany you in pursuing the enemy. Does General dare?"

Pugu Huai'en had just grasped Li Tan's hand when he heard this and was taken aback: "So the Marshal still forbids it... then there is no imperial decree..."

Li Tan suddenly raised his eyebrows and angrily shouted, "Since you have this intention and this plan, why did you not report it to the Deputy Marshal, but instead come to Xiangji Temple to ask the Marshal for orders? Although the Marshal has not agreed, if the enemy does escape in the night, the blame will fall entirely on you, General!"

Pugu Huaien himself said that it was because Guo Ziyi was on patrol outside and difficult to find for a while, and he was afraid of delaying military operations, so he came to Xiangji Temple to offer advice to Li Chu. This was obviously an excuse! It was more than ten miles from the Tang camp under the city to Xiangji Temple, and it was dark. Could he fly over there? Wasn't he afraid of delaying military operations?

Pugu Huaien was worried that if he suggested the plan to Guo Ziyi, Guo Ziyi might send another general to pursue the defeated enemy, making it difficult for him to achieve complete success. However, if he suggested it to Li Chu, it would be different. Xiangji Temple had soldiers but no generals, so he could only give orders to himself. Surely he wouldn't send the Chief Clerk or the Military Advisor to risk their lives to pursue the enemy.

Pugu Huai'en had assumed Li Chu would be pleased with the plan, but to his surprise, Li Chu refused. Pugu Huai'en was filled with regret, and now he was in a difficult position – the Marshal had already rejected it, and even if he sought out Vice Marshal Guo Ziyi, the latter wouldn't dare make a decision. That's why he repeatedly pleaded with Li Chu, seeking an audience twice – he was truly unwilling to give up.

However, Li Tan's arrival revealed Pugu Huai'en's selfish motives in a single sentence, causing Pugu Huai'en's expression to change drastically and his heart to pound with unease. Seeing this, Li Tan slightly tightened his grip on Pugu Huai'en's hand and then soothed him with kind words: "Now that I am the Marshal's Chief Clerk, I have disobeyed orders to go out at night. If I achieve any merit, I will share the spoils with you, General; if I commit any crime, I will bear the consequences alone, and you will have no part in it. Does the General have any intention of doing this?"

Seeing that Pugu Huai'en was still hesitating, Li Tan's expression changed quickly. He immediately released his grip, straightened his back, and said coldly, "If the general dares not go, so be it. I will personally lead these hundred brave cavalrymen to pursue the enemy general—if anything goes wrong on this mission, it will all be the general's fault for offering advice!"

Pugu Huai'en was nearly scared to death upon hearing this...

The marshal's chief clerk is one thing, but this man before me is the Prince of Jianning, the emperor's own son! If anything happens to him, do you think the emperor will forgive him? Do you think the marshal will forgive him? Look at you, you've stirred up trouble for no reason, coming up with this terrible idea!

What should we do then? Should we advise Prince Jianning to return? Judging from the other party's expression, it's quite obvious...

There was no way to back down; there was no way he could persuade the prince. Should he rush to the marshal to report the defection? Prince Jianning was surely long gone; in the dead of night, there was nowhere to look for him. If something happened to Prince Jianning, the marshal wouldn't forgive him; if he ruined Prince Jianning's plans, the marshal certainly wouldn't forgive him either!

There was no other way but to board this pirate ship... Pugu Huai'en was quite confident in his martial arts skills, thinking that at least with me by his side, nothing serious should happen, right? If we were to encounter danger, I would rather die with Prince Jianning!

Of course, it would be best not to die with him. Even if I were to die, if I could ensure the safety of Prince Jianning, then it would be considered a death in the line of duty. Your Majesty should take good care of my family, right? My Pugu family has already died more than twenty people for the country. We cannot have any more die, especially not in a dishonorable way.

His mind raced, and he immediately clasped his hands and said, "However, without the Marshal's order, I dare not ask the Deputy Marshal for more. So, all I can command are these few brave men who are traveling with me..." He had originally requested two hundred cavalry, but that wasn't enough, because he was afraid that if he asked for more men, the Marshal would not agree. But now, looking at Prince Jianning's side, there were only about a hundred men, while he himself only had four retainers—I can't provide any more men. Your Majesty, do you still dare to go?

Li Tan smiled slightly, then turned his face and addressed the soldiers behind him: "I suspect the thief has fled in the night. Li Guiren and An Shouzhong are here. Capture or kill either one, and the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households will be yours! I intend to lead a hundred of you cavalry to pursue him—do you dare to go?!"

Although he spoke to the crowd, his gaze remained fixed on Li Ji. Li Ji understood and immediately patted his chest: "Even Your Majesty, a woman of noble birth, dares to take risks, what do we have to fear?" He then looked at Chen Fu and Yi Tiechui: "The red handkerchiefs on your headscarves were once stained with the blood of the Tibetans, and now, with the army gathered, you have fought fiercely with the enemy for half a day, yet you have achieved nothing—are you willing to follow Your Majesty and fight for the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Tan couldn't help but secretly applaud, and his opinion of Li Ji rose even higher—the saying goes, "One is influenced by one's company," and as Changyuan's cousin, having spent several years with him, even if he was naturally intelligent, he must have picked up some of his eloquence. Hmm, when he held Li Fuguo hostage in the palace that day, he wasn't just quick-witted…

Upon hearing this, all the generals and soldiers were overjoyed.

These men were all elites of the Shence Army, having fought fiercely against the Tibetans on the western front for years. They were all incredibly bold, fearing only that they wouldn't have the chance to fight and achieve merit. When would they ever take the enemy seriously? Especially since they were all low-ranking officers—once they entered the commander's guard, each promotion brought rank—they only knew how to obey orders and fight. They wouldn't proactively consider the battle situation. So, how many of the fleeing rebels there were, whether they could be caught in the dead of night, and whether they could defeat them after catching up... those were questions for the generals to consider. Why should we worry about them?

And who is the general now? It is Prince Jianning, the Marshal's Chief Military Advisor. His status must be extremely noble. How could we dare to disobey his orders? Besides, as the saying goes, "A son of a thousand pieces of gold will not sit under a dangerous roof." Since Prince Jianning dares to lead us to pursue him, there must not be much risk involved.

Li Tan then discussed this with Pugu Huai'en, saying, "I am quite familiar with the roads to the east of the capital. Now that the rebel generals Feng Yi and Huayin have also gathered in the west of the capital, the only place we can defend this time is Shaanxi. We will have to pass through Changlepo, Baqiao Station, and Huichang, and travel along the main road. We may rest at Xinfeng or water our horses at Weinan, and wait until dawn to head out of Tongguan towards Shaanxi."

If we follow the main road, we'll have a great chance of catching up.

From Changlepo at the west gate of Chang'an to Xinfeng County, it's about sixty li (approximately 30 kilometers). If they reach Weinan, it's over a hundred li (approximately 50 kilometers). At full gallop, it shouldn't take two to four hours. But the problem is, it's pitch black. Even with torches, visibility is extremely limited, making it impossible to gallop at full speed. So, it'll probably take most of the night, and then they'll have to find a place to rest. Escaping Tongguan in one go is impossible; even if the men could endure it, the horses couldn't.

Therefore, Li Tan suggested that we should only pursue them this far. If we find nothing, we should turn back and return home at daybreak. We can then apologize to the Marshal. Don't worry, I will apologize, and General Pugu, you will not be punished.

With the plan settled, they set off immediately. The thunderous hooves of more than four hundred horses created a rather frightening spectacle. Pugu Huaien naturally galloped in front, Li Tan in the middle, with Chen Fu and Yi Tiechui flanking him on either side; as for Li Ji, his riding skills were not very good, so he could only bring up the rear.

After running for a while, news came from ahead: "General Pugu saw fresh hoof prints, there must be thieves escaping!" Upon hearing this, Li Ji was secretly delighted—even if he couldn't catch up in the end, this trip wouldn't be a waste. Even if he was punished when he returned, he wouldn't be ridiculed.

After running for a while, they saw the firelight gather in one place ahead and stopped. Li Ji quickly spurred his horse forward and asked Chen Fu, "Why have you stopped?" Chen Fu replied, "The road forks. Going south leads to Xinfeng, while continuing forward leads to Weinan. Your Highness is hesitating. Which way should you go?"

Perhaps the traitor intended to settle in Xinfeng County, but there was a possibility that he hadn't been able to enter the city yet—even outside of wartime, the county town's four gates were always locked at night, so checking identities, reporting to superiors, and then opening the gates would take some time—wouldn't it be a pity if we continued to pursue them while An Shouzhong and the others took the opportunity to enter Xinfeng City? Therefore, Li Tan ordered Pugu Huai'en and the others to dismount and examine the hoofprints to determine the next direction.

Li Ji thought to himself, "I'm slow, so I'd better start first. I'm not willing to be left behind." So he spurred his horse forward and stood by the fork in the road—he had to avoid the hoofprints of the people in front of him so that his own horse wouldn't trample them.

Just then, a sharp "snap" sounded in his ear, as if something had struck his saddle. Li Ji, holding a torch in his left hand, bent down to shine the light on his head and was greatly surprised—

On the wooden-covered saddle, there was a short sword, forged from fine steel, about two feet long.

If someone else were suddenly attacked, they would be terrified and would immediately report to Li Tan, and seek help from the police.

Chapter 50, Immersed in Immortal Aura

Regarding the encounter with someone who resembled Zhen Sui in Ding'an City that day, and the subsequent thwarting by a "flying sword" from a martial arts master, Li Ji, Li Bi, and Li Shi all made analyses and speculations afterward.

Based on his own fighting experience, Li Ji carefully studied the trajectory of the "flying sword" and concluded that it had no intention of harming anyone; it was purely intended to distract him.

Although he was skilled in combat and had sharp reflexes, dodging such an elusive "flying sword" when caught off guard was no easy task. The next day, when defending the commander's mansion, even though he had anticipated the hidden assassin's darts aimed at the guards and was on guard, he still narrowly escaped being hit each time. So, when he was unexpectedly attacked in the streets, could he have dodged that sword in time?

Honestly, I'd say there's an 80-90% chance I couldn't do it.

Especially after studying the trajectory of the "flying sword" afterward, the target was neither himself nor the two children, but only the wall beside him.

Considering that none of the seven assassins who subsequently attacked the Marshal's Mansion fired the "flying sword," Li Ji concluded that they were most likely not from the same group.

The person who released the "flying sword" was only trying to cover Zhen Sui's escape, without intending to harm anyone. From this, it can be inferred that they were either not one of Zhou Zhi's "Divine Machine Guards," or even a rebel. Li Ji suspected that this was a secret subordinate of some high-ranking official in the court, or a powerful eunuch in the palace.

As for his appearance on the street yesterday and the subsequent attack on the Marshal's Mansion by assassins, it may have been purely coincidental and the two were unrelated; or perhaps it was because Li Shi told Li Chu about it that night, and Li Chu then reported it to Li Heng, who then ordered a city-wide search, thus forcing "Mr. Guo" to launch his attack prematurely.