Tang Dynasty Swordsman

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So she could only follow closely behind Li Ji, unable to offer any help. Although she held a flying sword, ready to hurl it at any enemy soldier approaching Li Ji, the problem was that Li Ji rode like the wind, his every shot hitting its mark, making it virtually impossible for any stragglers to get within thirty paces of him…

Therefore, when Li Ji temporarily stepped down from the front line, he said to Cui Qi, "This battle is dangerous. Why don't you retreat back to the fortress first?" He certainly had the right to send one or two soldiers back, for example, to report military intelligence or to ask for arrows. However, Cui Qi always shook his head and said, "Wherever you are, I will be there. Just fight with peace of mind. There is no need to take care of me."

Li Ji asked Cui Qijian two or three times, but Cui Qijian refused to go, leaving Li Ji with no other choice. Moreover, Li Ji really didn't have much energy to focus on the little girl. Although he was caught in the middle of the battle, he still instinctively looked around, hoping to see the direction of the battle so that he could make timely responses.

Moreover, as a commander, he was essentially a cavalry battalion commander in later generations, yet he was simultaneously acting like a corps commander or even a general—even though he knew it was useless, it was still a great learning opportunity, wasn't it?

I had initially thought the rebels were a rabble, but today, amidst the carnage, I realized I was so wrong. While there were indeed many mercenaries from foreign tribes such as the Khitan, Turks, Tongluo, and Xi among the rebels, the majority were Han Chinese soldiers from the Northeast and Hebei regions, whose quality was not much different from my own Shence Army and Pugu Huaien's Shuofang Army.

Previously, the "keyboard warrior" had not changed his old habits and had spoken arrogantly in front of Li Mi, belittling the organization and training of the Tang army to nothing. This made Li Mi puzzled: Could it be that the Jin army back then was ten or a hundred times stronger than my Tang army? Then how was it defeated by the Hu people? Was it purely Sima Yue and Wang Yan's mess?

In reality, Li Ji was applying the standards of a later-era national defense army to a feudal-era army armed with cold weapons. To be fair, in his view, the Tang army, in terms of organization, training, hierarchical structure, formation deployment, and troop coordination, could be considered to have reached the pinnacle of the cold weapon era, truly recreating the former might of the Han Dynasty.

Compared to most officials and generals of that era, Li Ji had a significant advantage: through Li Shi, he had access to a considerable amount of historical material from the current dynasty. While it's true that those writing about their own dynasty's events inevitably embellish, Li Ji, a formally trained historian, naturally knew how to discern and selectively interpret historical materials. From this, he concluded that the Tang army originated from a powerful border defense force of the Sui dynasty (the Jinyang Army), and during the unification process, it absorbed elements from various factions. Thus, with the unification of the empire and improved economic conditions, it instantly rose to become the strongest army in the world, and indeed, the entire world!

Back in the day, Emperor Taizong of Tang, who was also once known as "Li Erlang," ascended the throne and soon after, he ordered an army of tens of thousands to launch a northern expedition, which decisively defeated the Eastern Turkic Empire, which dominated the grasslands. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, the Western Turkic Khaganate was destroyed, almost completely eliminating border threats in the north and northwest. At its peak, the Tang Dynasty's power extended north to the Gobi Desert and west beyond the Pamir Mountains, its territory even larger than that of the powerful Han Dynasty—and then again, during the Han Dynasty, there was no powerful force on the plateau that could threaten the Central Plains.

This only shows that while the Chinese people are growing, other ethnic groups are growing as well...

Although the militia system had collapsed and the conscription system was prevalent, the Tang army of today was not very similar to the Tang army of the reigns of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong. However, being under the same regime, military technology, science and technology, and organizational structure could all be fully inherited. This was true for the Tang army that Li Ji was currently in, as well as for the rebel troops on the other side, the so-called Yan army.

Such a formidable army, which should have been used to protect the country and its people, strengthen national defense, drive out invaders, and even pursue and kill those who dared to invade, is now divided into two camps, with brothers and kin fighting each other with swords and spears. This is truly a heartbreaking and tragic situation! That is why Li Ji had previously only wanted to go to Longyou to defend against the barbarians and was unwilling to get involved in the suppression of the rebellion on the eastern front.

But there was no way around it; the situation changed in an instant. Hebei was in chaos, Henan was unstable, and as long as the suppression of the rebellion was not over, the crisis in Longyou could not be resolved...

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Chapter Twenty-Eight: Fierce Battle at Beilei

The Tang and Yan armies fought fiercely at the Heyang ferry crossing, battling from dawn until noon, advancing and retreating repeatedly, with the outcome uncertain.

Overall, it was no easy feat for the Tang army to achieve such a situation, given that the Yan army was smaller than the Tang army.

First, Li Guangbi's command was excellent; his tactical skills were far superior to those of An Taiqing and his ilk. Second, every soldier in the Tang army fought bravely and risked their lives—because there was no way out!

If they were defeated, the northern fortress would be indefensible, and subsequently the southern fortress would also fall, leaving them no choice but to retreat to Heyang City. Heyang City was small and low-lying, and it was unlikely that reinforcements would arrive in the short term, so the entire army would most likely be wiped out. In fact, most generals of Li Ji's rank would still have the opportunity to defect to the rebels, but Li Guangbi, Pugu Huai'en, Li Feiyuanli, and others would most likely not have a good ending.

Unlike the rebels, who ultimately had a large number of soldiers and generals, and whose retreat was unobstructed, even if they were defeated, they could still hope to withdraw from Henan and escape back to Hebei.

During the battle, three commanders of the Shuofang army were killed in succession, causing a significant drop in morale. They retreated slightly, and Li Ji and Pugu Yang were also forced to shrink their battle lines. He couldn't help but look anxiously at the central infantry formation, only to see a rider carrying a large banner coming from the main formation. After exchanging a few words with Pugu Huai'en, Pugu Huai'en immediately raised his arms and shouted, urging his soldiers to turn back and fight back.

Old Jing happened to come over to relieve Li Ji and saw this scene as well. He couldn't help but sneer, "Could it be that the deputy commander is going to enforce military law and execute General Pugu?"

Li Ji nodded: "That's probably true..."

Li Guangbi was extremely strict in managing his subordinates and had a ruthless military law. He always loved to execute generals—both enemy and his own. But you know what? His fearsome reputation made this tactic quite effective.

For example, a few days ago, when the rebel army attacked the sandbar on the river, Li Guangbi ordered Li Feiyuanli to defend it. During the fierce battle, the Tang army broke out of the camp and advanced several hundred paces, but seeing that the enemy's forces were still well-organized and difficult to shake, they took the initiative to retreat. Li Guangbi immediately sent someone to summon Li Feiyuanli, intending to execute him to uphold military law. Li Feiyuanli replied, "The battle is urgent, why summon me?!" After resting in the camp for a while, he went out to fight the enemy again and finally achieved a great victory.

Therefore, it is quite possible that Li Guangbi sent someone to threaten Pugu Huai'en with execution because the vanguard was slightly delayed.

Later, it was confirmed that this was indeed the case, and Hao Tingyu had also narrowly escaped death. Hao Tingyu had been ordered to attack the northwest corner of the enemy's formation, but after a short battle, he led his troops back. Li Guangbi, seeing this from afar, was greatly alarmed and exclaimed, "With Tingyu retreating, our army is in grave danger!" He immediately sent men to retrieve Hao Tingyu's head. Hao Tingyu reported back, "I was not defeated, nor would I dare retreat; my horse was struck by an arrow." He quickly changed horses and charged into the enemy lines again.

Thus, the Tang generals, driven by a will to die in battle—better than be beheaded by Li Guangbi on the battlefield—gradually gained the upper hand on the main battlefield. Seeing this, Li Guangbi immediately seized this fleeting opportunity, ordering his generals to wave their banners three times rapidly, bringing them to a halt. The various Tang armies roared and charged forward fearlessly, while Hao Tingyu and Lun Weizhen also took the opportunity to break through the two strongest corners of the enemy formation.

Li Ji, naturally unwilling to lag behind, immediately put away his riding bow, brandished his spear, and charged straight into a gap in the enemy formation. Rebel cavalry attempted to block him, sending several arrows flying, but Li Ji easily deflected them all. Then, wherever his spear went, none could withstand his onslaught.

Thus began close combat, and Cui Qi was finally able to make her move. She immediately raised her slender hand and shot at the approaching enemy cavalry. Her technique was very cunning; she could often slip through the gaps in their armor to shoot them in the face or throat, and those hit would invariably spit blood and fall from their horses.

The rebel army was routed, and An Taiqing fled in disarray with several hundred cavalry. Li Ji, who had been eyeing An Taiqing's banner all along, ignored everything and gave chase. Of course, any enemy soldiers who encountered an obstacle were all picked off with a spear.

However, after chasing for a short distance, he saw a horseman blocking his way. Li Ji casually swung his spear, but the horseman deflected the attack, and the force returning to his hand... This guy is strong! Upon closer inspection, he realized it was his old rival—Yu Wenjing.

Li Ji thought to himself that it was fortunate that the enemy's mace wound on his shoulder had not yet healed. Otherwise, if he had rushed to pursue the enemy and hastily thrust his spear, Yu Wenjing, with his skill, would have immediately seized the opportunity and countered with a swift thrust. Even if he did not die, he would certainly be injured! He had no choice but to give up the pursuit of An Taiqing, concentrate his mind, and thrust his spear at Yu Wenjing again.

Yu Wenjing raised his sword to parry, and the moment their weapons clashed, he suddenly shouted, "So it's you—wait!"

Li Ji demanded, "You defeated opponent, what else do you have to say?"

Yu Wenjing immediately gritted his teeth and asked, "Where is Gao Tinghui?"

Li Ji sneered: "They have already surrendered to the Tang Dynasty."

"Would the Tang court be willing to hire me, and what position would they offer?"

Li Ji glanced at him suspiciously. Although he felt uncomfortable just thinking about it, he still answered honestly, "Right Martial Guard General".

Such a high position was completely unexpected for Yu Wenjing, who was stunned for a moment. Seeing that his opponent had made a mistake, Li Ji swiftly thrust his spear forward. Yu Wenjing hurriedly dodged, shouting, "Stop! I surrender!"

Li Ji asked in astonishment, "You're offering to surrender on the eve of battle? Are you trying to trick me?"

Yu Wenjing said with a wry smile, "My old wounds have not yet healed, I am no match for you, and your horse is not good... Why don't I surrender?"

Of course, this is only one aspect of the reason; although he was known as "the best of ten thousand men" in the rebel army, he was ultimately just a mid-level general. As a result, after Gao Tinghui, who was of similar status to him, surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he went straight to the third rank... One path was a dead end, while the other not only saved his life but also led to a smooth and glorious road. Why bother to choose?

Even if it's just a nominal title, even if I'm relegated to a lowly position and no longer allowed to command troops, cutting off my path to advancement, how many military men can actually reach the third rank? At least I'll have enough to eat and wear, and my descendants can hope to benefit from my legacy. What more could I ask for in life?

Therefore, we request to surrender.

In this great battle, the Tang army beheaded over a thousand and captured five or six hundred. In addition, over a thousand rebel soldiers, in their panic, threw themselves into the river and died. Li Guangbi then drove the prisoners to the riverbank to show them to Shi Siming, who then realized that An Taiqing had been defeated... He hastily lifted the siege of Nanlei and retreated in disarray.

After the war, Hao Tingyu captured the traitorous general Xu Huangyu alive, and Pugu Huaien captured the traitorous general Li Qinshou alive and presented him to the emperor. Li Ji also brought Yu Wenjing into custody—however, unlike the previous two, Yu Wenjing surrendered voluntarily, so he was not bound. Li Guangbi was overjoyed and immediately ordered the execution of Xu Huangyu and Li Qinshou, but treated Yu Wenjing as an honored guest.

Also, Xu and Li were both high-ranking generals with their own stances. Since they refused to surrender after being questioned once, Li Guangbi didn't bother asking a second time and simply beheaded them, presenting their heads to Chang'an. As for Yu Wenjing, he was merely a sharp blade. While it was certainly a concern if in the enemy's hands, now that he was in his own, even with the handle in hand, the blade wouldn't readily spring into action.

He then ordered Wei Sun, the military judge, to draft reports of victory and requests for commendation. All the generals recounted their achievements, but Wei Sun only looked at Li Guangbi. As long as Li Guangbi nodded, he would record exactly what he said; but if Li Guangbi shook his head slightly, he would make a deal: if what he said was too exaggerated, the court might not believe it, so how about we only record 70%?

Only Li Ji stood silently to the side. Li Guangbi felt somewhat guilty and called him over, gently comforting him, "Changwei first defended Yeshuidu and gained Gao Tinghui's help. Now he is fighting under General Pugu and has gained Yu Wenjing's help. His merits are considerable. How can we not reward him? Let Judge Wei also make a note of it, what do you say?"

Li Ji replied with his hands clasped: "I am not under the command of the Minister of Works. I came here only to kill the traitors and have no intention of making merit. Moreover, I have neglected my duties. If the court does not ask about it, so be it. But if the Minister of Works reports it, I am afraid that it will cause trouble and be detrimental to both Li Ji and the Minister of Works."

He had considered the matter carefully: "Do you think my contributions are insignificant? Gao Tinghui has no merit whatsoever; he merely came to us in dire straits, yet he has already been granted the rank of a third-grade general. Compared to my contributions in Longyou, if I had followed the military path, I should have become a military commander long ago, at least no lower than Guo Xin or Li Yuanzhong. So why should I care about these two achievements in Henan?"

One concern was that if the report were submitted, the censor would find fault—"You're not doing your proper work, but instead taking leave to go to the army in Henan. Isn't that inappropriate?" And Li Guangbi, did you report to the court before appointing Li Ji? You're only the deputy commander-in-chief; you can't manage the personnel transfers of the Imperial Guards.

Secondly, if the Tang court doesn't value his achievements and doesn't reward him, then reporting it is useless; but if they do reward him, promote him, and increase his salary, then the Left Heroic Army might not be able to accommodate him. He does hope to take this opportunity to escape the quagmire of the Forbidden City and be sent out to fight properly, but if this ruins Li Shi's overall plan, it will not only hurt his friendship, but he will also certainly not go far in the future.

Therefore, he politely declined Li Guangbi's offer.

Li Guangbi exclaimed, "Changwei has the demeanor of an ancient gentleman." After a pause, he continued, "Today we have dealt a great blow to the enemy's forces. I believe Shi Siming will not dare to launch another strong attack on Heyang. The situation in Henan is now largely stable. Changwei has been away for quite some time now. Why don't you return? I will remember your contributions and repay you when the opportunity arises."

Li Ji smiled and said, "I originally said I would stay under your command for a month, but there are still ten days left. Why is the Minister of Works in such a hurry to send me back? Although I am magnanimous, I will not be able to empty the army's food reserves in ten days."

He planned to wait a few more days to observe the situation and return to Chang'an only after he was completely at ease, so as not to worry about it.

Li Guangbi is right. Although the overall casualties in today's battle were not high, they have severely damaged the morale of the rebels. Including those who may have fled or died from their wounds, An Taiqing has lost more than 20% of his troops. In the era of cold weapons, a unit could only afford to lose 30% of its troops, and it would be unlikely to be brought back to the battlefield without one or two months of reorganization.

If the Tang army's morale and fighting spirit were further boosted by this, then Shi Siming would indeed not dare to launch a strong attack on the Tang camp in Heyang until he found a new and excellent opportunity.

Moreover, military rations from Huaizhou and Luzhou have been arriving in recent days. Although the quantity is insufficient and ordinary Tang soldiers can only drink thin gruel, as long as Heqing is not lost, the grain from Hedong will soon reach the front line. For the time being, there is no fear of a prolonged stalemate with Shi Siming.

Li Ji was worried that Shi Siming, seeing that Heyang was difficult to capture and that Li Guangbi, due to his small army and limited supplies, would not dare to launch a counterattack, would therefore transfer his main force westward to attack the Luoyang palace. If Zhang Xun's situation became critical, he also planned to feign leading Lao Jing and the other Shence troops back to Shanzhou, while actually heading to Luoyang to test the waters.

He then returned to the army to rest. That evening, Pugu Yang secretly brought some wine to drink with Li Ji. The two discussed the current situation, and Li Ji took the opportunity to suggest, "Why don't we offer the general a plan to send a detachment of troops eastward to cut off the rebels' rear?"

Now that Tang's camp is built across the river, while Shi Siming's main force is in Henan, we can head straight east along the north bank of the Yellow River.

Pugu Yang laughed and said, "Great minds think alike."

But then he told Li Ji that he had actually mentioned this to the old man, and the old man had given him a good scolding. Firstly, given the unusual nature of this tactic, Shi Siming, a seasoned general, couldn't possibly be unprepared—look at Tian Shenggong fighting in Chaoshan, does Shi Siming even care? His rear must already be heavily fortified.

Secondly, our troops are too few, especially the cavalry, which, when combined with the cavalry, number only around three thousand—and even my father's Shuofang Army has less than a thousand—if we send too few surprise troops, they simply won't be effective. If we send too many, we fear that our frontal defenses will be exposed…

Li Ji couldn't help but sigh, "This is what they mean by 'even a clever housewife can't cook without rice'... My understanding of my own army is really still shallow, unlike General Pugu who has a comprehensive view of the overall situation."

Pugu Yang scoffed, "So what if my father can see the big picture? In the end, Li Sikong's tactics are not suited to our Shuofang army... He only knows how to kill his own generals to establish his authority. If it were Lord Guo here, or if my father were leading the troops, he would have defeated Shi Siming long ago and recovered the entire Henan region!"

Li Ji lowered his head and drank his wine, smiling but saying nothing. He did not agree with Pugu Yang's words. Although Li Guangbi had been parachuted in and had established his authority with ruthless measures, he was still incompatible with the Shuofang Army and difficult to control completely. This problem certainly existed. But even if Guo Ziyi were there, or if Pugu Huai'en were the commander-in-chief, the situation would only be slightly better. The shortage of food and fodder could not be raised instantly, and the disparity in troop strength between the two sides was too great to change.

If someone could actually defeat 100,000 with only 20,000, regardless of who their commander was, Shi Siming would have to be completely incompetent. But based on Li Ji's observation, while Shi Siming was somewhat muddle-headed in personnel management and governance, he was still an excellent commander in terms of military strategy and tactics. Defeating him wouldn't be so easy.

Ultimately, this is not Longyou, and the terrain does not provide a significant advantage for the defenders. Moreover, the quality of the rebel army, as seen today, is far superior to that of the Tibetan army.

The next morning, after getting up and washing up, Li Ji was about to gather his cavalry and go out of the camp to take on the responsibility of scouting and guarding when someone suddenly came to summon him: "The deputy commander requests that Li Ji come over."

Li Ji led Cui Qi to the front of Li Guangbi's temporary command post at the northern fortress of Heyang. He dismounted, announced his arrival, and asked to enter. A guard came over and gestured at him, but Li Ji paid no attention. He immediately took off his double maces, handed them to Cui Qi, and told her to wait outside before stepping into the tent.

Upon entering, the tent was empty except for one person standing with his back to him, hands clasped behind his back. This person was dressed in a green robe, so it was definitely not Li Guangbi. Judging from his build, he should be Li Guangbi's confidant, the military judge Wei Sun.

Li Ji cupped his hands and asked, "Have you seen Judge Wei? Where is Sikong?"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly heard faint breathing sounds coming from all directions, not just from one person—especially from Judge Wei in front of him. Li Ji realized something was wrong. Wei Sun suddenly twisted his waist, turned around, and shouted, "Take him down!"

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Chapter Twenty-Nine: Defection from the Tang Camp

At Wei Sun's command, more than a dozen strong men immediately sprang out from behind the curtains and screens and rushed toward Li Ji.

Although it was called a large tent, it was actually only fifty or sixty square meters. One step from one end was enough to reach the other in two leaps. Moreover, Li Ji's position was basically in the very center of the tent... Therefore, when caught off guard, he did not have time to dodge and was swarmed by the strong and brave men and knocked to the ground.

Li Ji was still struggling, but he also realized that those who rushed out were all brave warriors from the army, each with immense strength. If it were a head-on confrontation, Li Ji dared to say that he could take on four or five at once. If it were just a contest of strength, he could easily take on two at once. However, with attacks coming from all directions, blocking all his escape routes, and there were more than a dozen of them at once, how could he possibly get away?

If Li Ji could fight a dozen strong men by himself, then he must not be a natural person; he must be a bio-engineered human!

He struggled twice, but couldn't break free. Instead, his arms were twisted behind his back, and a thick hemp rope was put around his neck. Li Ji couldn't help but shout, "Where is the Minister of Works? This humble official is innocent!"

He really couldn't understand it. Li Guangbi was all smiles yesterday, saying he would submit a memorial to the emperor requesting a reward for him, and today he was bound and gagged... What on earth happened? He hadn't done anything wrong, and even if Li Guangbi wanted to kill a general to establish his authority, he couldn't possibly kill him.

Could it be that it wasn't Li Guangbi's intention, but rather Wei Sun's...? Who exactly is he?

Li Ji had a general idea of ​​Wei Sun's background. He was a descendant of an old and powerful family in Jingzhao. There was a saying in Guanzhong during the Eastern Han Dynasty: "The Wei and Du families south of the city are only a foot and a half from heaven." This family had produced many prime ministers after entering the Tang Dynasty, such as Wei Anshi, Wei Juyuan, and Wei Sili during the reigns of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu, and Wei Jiansu, who had just been dismissed from his post. Of course, this also included Wei Wen, the cousin of Empress Wei, who was killed in the "Tanglong Coup"...

In terms of family name, the Li family of Zhao County was slightly better than the Wei family of Jingzhao, but in terms of prestige and power in the court, the former could not even come close to the latter.

Wei Sun was not from the main branch of the Wei family, but his father and grandfather had both served as prefects. He was born into the family and rose through the ranks from a lowly official to become a trusted confidant of Li Guangbi, where he was highly valued.

Li Ji thought to himself, "We have no past grievances or recent feuds, so why are you doing this to me?"

Seeing that Li Ji was bound, Wei Sun waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to release Li Ji temporarily and step back. Then he bowed deeply to Li Ji, who was kneeling on the ground: "Changwei, please do not resent Sikong, this is also unavoidable."

Li Ji's eyes widened as he glared angrily at Wei Sun: "What do you mean by this? Li Ji is innocent!"

Wei Sun sighed softly and said, "Whether you are guilty or not is not up to you to decide. Even the Minister of Works... To tell you the truth, Yu Junrong sent an envoy from Shanzhou saying that you have abandoned your post without authorization, a crime that cannot be escaped, and that the Minister of Works should execute you on the battlefield..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was greatly surprised: "Yu Chaoen? How could he possibly be in charge of the army's march?"

"You are unaware of the truth, but the Emperor has already issued an edict ordering Yu Junrong to oversee the army again, hence the departure from the capital to Shaanxi..." As he said this, Wei Sun's eyes revealed a deep sense of helplessness.

Li Ji thought to himself, "This is outrageous! That damned emperor has made another foolish move..." Li Shi had previously revealed that Yu Chaoen was leading the Shence Army to guard the palace. Empress Zhang had repeatedly tried to win him over, but he always avoided her, refusing to give a clear answer. Therefore, Empress Zhang suggested that Li Heng release Yu Chaoen to supervise the outer armies again, while entrusting the Shence Army within the palace to someone else. Li Ji immediately said, "I'd rather Yu Chaoen stay in Chang'an than have him go out and harm people again, causing chaos and ruin to the country!"

Who would have thought that Li Heng would ultimately listen to Empress Zhang and unleash that vicious dog Yu Chaoen... and still order him to supervise the march, completely ignoring the previous defeat. Li Ji just couldn't understand it. Li Heng, were you really so foolish as to believe that Yu Chaoen bore no responsibility whatsoever for the defeat at Xiangzhou?

Although he was in charge of supervising the march, Yu Chaoen naturally dared not come to the front lines in Heyang. Instead, he remained in Shanzhou. It's likely that Yu Chaoen found out my whereabouts in Shanzhou and guessed that I was not under Zhang Xun's command but must be under Li Guangbi's. That's why he sent an envoy to issue the order. If I had stayed in Chang'an and remained with the Yingwu Army, Yu Chaoen wouldn't have been able to do anything. Even if I left the capital, if Yu Chaoen still commanded the Imperial Guards, his reach wouldn't have extended to me. But since both of them were away, Yu Chaoen had finally seized the opportunity to deal with me!

Since the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras, the palace has often sent eunuchs to supervise the troops outside the capital. Moreover, those supervising eunuchs have repeatedly slandered the generals, causing the deaths of high-ranking officials such as Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing, and forcing Geshu Han to leave Tongguan to fight the enemy, resulting in his capture. Therefore, nowadays, no one among the generals outside the capital, including Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi, dares to offend this scoundrel. As a result, Yu Chaoen sent a note, and Li Guangbi had no choice but to obey and take action against himself.

It's likely that Li Guangbi was too ashamed to face him, which is why he sent Wei Sun to do it. Wei Sun was a scoundrel; fearing that he would resist and not be captured, he secretly set up an ambush in the commander's tent!

I came here full of excitement, thinking I had some special mission to be assigned to me. Who would have thought there was a trap or an ambush here?

Li Ji's mind worked quickly. He immediately sneered and said to Wei Sun, "I'm afraid the Commander-in-Chief can't kill me. I am the Military Advisor of the Left Heroic Army, while the Commander-in-Chief is the Deputy Commander-in-Chief and has no authority over the Imperial Guards!"

Two systems, belonging to different departments. Even if you are the top two leaders of Department A, you don't have the right to kill a civil servant of Department B, right? Unless I committed some heinous crime that is not pardonable—for example, secretly colluding with the rebels—you would inevitably have to deal with a legal battle with Department B afterwards. Now it's just a crime of "absenteeism." At most, you can arrest me, but you would never execute me.

Well, I reckon Yu Chaoen couldn't devise a more serious charge in his haste, otherwise, if he really framed me for colluding with Shi Siming, Li Guangbi would have a reason to kill me on the battlefield.

Even so, if he were really escorted to Shanzhou and handed over to Yu Chaoen for judgment, he probably wouldn't be able to save his life...

Guo Tingwei said, "Sikong naturally has no right to kill you, he can only send you to Shanzhou in prison, where Yu Junrong can decide your fate... What a pity, how did you offend Yu Junrong?"

Now that things had come to this, Li Ji neither dodged nor pleaded—among this army of ten thousand men, I certainly couldn't escape. I could only make plans during the escort or after I saw Yu Chaoen—and immediately gave a cold smile: "It's nothing more than when I chased after Yu Chaoen with my sword in the imperial court, forcing him to cling to the emperor's leg and beg for his life."

Upon hearing this, Wei Sun was speechless with astonishment—he wanted to disbelieve it, but who could come up with such an unreliable reason so easily? Just as he was about to explain a few more words, hoping that Li Ji wouldn't resent Li Sikong—Sikong was in a difficult position too—he suddenly saw a figure flash to his side, followed by a cold light aimed straight at his neck!

Li Ji shouted, "Don't hurt anyone, just capture him!"

Li Ji hadn't forgotten that Cui Qi was outside the tent, but he hadn't expected the little girl to be so perceptive, able to sense his perilous situation and sneak in quietly—probably from those shouts earlier; his voice was indeed loud. Catching a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye, Li Ji knew it was Cui Qi. Seeing him head straight for Wei Sun, he immediately offered guidance.

The little girl is clever; she knows it's impossible to escape while surrounded by soldiers. The only way is to eliminate Wei Sun first—but you mustn't kill him. If you kill Wei Sun, I'll be guilty even if I'm innocent. Do you think the two of us can fight our way out of the Tang camp? It's better to subdue Wei Sun first and take him hostage.

Cui Qi coldly said, "No need for orders." His shield knife was already pressed against Wei Sun's neck. Wei Sun was so startled that he tilted his head back, but Cui Qi grabbed him from behind with his other hand, rendering him unable to move.

The soldiers were shocked and wanted to rush to his aid, but they hesitated, fearing they might hurt Judge Wei.

Li Ji coldly stared at Wei Sun: "Excuse me, but when it comes to life and death, I like to have someone to take me down with me, so I won't be lonely in the underworld. I wonder if Yu Chaoen sends a letter requesting that the Minister of Works execute Judge Wei, would the Minister of Works obey?"

Wei Sun cried out repeatedly, "Let go! I haven't finished speaking..."

Li Ji, with his hands behind his back, struggled to get up, then took a step forward, less than three feet away from Wei Sun—at this distance, even if Cui Qi let go, I could just headbutt you to death, believe it or not.

Wei Sun quickly said, "How could the Minister of Works bear to harm Military Advisor Li?" He looked around and gestured to the soldiers, "Quickly, quickly, untie Military Advisor Li—the Minister of Works intends to treat it as if Military Advisor Li had already resigned before Yu Junrong's letter arrived. The grudges between the two parties need not go through the Minister of Works; let them be settled privately."

The soldiers were completely bewildered, but they had no choice but to come forward and untie him. Li Ji rubbed his slightly sore wrists and sneered, "So that's how it is. But I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the roads, so it would be best if Judge Wei escorted me for a while."