Tang Dynasty Swordsman

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Upon hearing this, Li Ji was truly at a loss for words: "Does a sage not reflect on his own actions, but instead place his hopes on ghosts and gods? Throughout history, which notorious bandit or thief was cursed to death?"

He never would have imagined that, just a few days later, Shi Siming would actually be cursed to death!

I guess so……

Chapter 10, Vajra Warrior

Shi Siming ultimately followed in An Lushan's footsteps.

Like An Lushan, he disliked his eldest son and favored his younger son, often wanting to depose the eldest and establish the younger one in his place—which is why he did not establish Shi Chaoyi as the crown prince for a long time, but only made him the Prince of Huai.

Previously, Shi Chaoyi was ordered to build the Three Corners City, but after only half a day's delay, Shi Siming personally came to angrily berate Shi Chaoyi and said to his men, "Once I conquer Shanzhou, I will surely kill this traitor!"

Therefore, Shi Chaoyi's generals Luo Yue and Cai Wenjing privately persuaded their lord to rebel, saying, "The Emperor is currently lodging at Luqiao Post Station, with his trusted General Cao guarding him. We request that you summon General Cao to discuss this matter." Shi Chaoyi hesitated, so the two generals threatened to defect to the Tang Dynasty. Only then did Shi Chaoyi feign shedding a few tears, saying, "Gentlemen, do as you see fit, and do not alarm the Emperor..."

Xu Yu, son of Xu Shuji, whose courtesy name was Jichang, was serving under Shi Chaoyi and had also participated in the plot. He volunteered to summon General Cao and force him to obey. That very night, Luo Yue and others led three hundred armored soldiers straight into Shi Siming's quarters. Just then, Shi Siming got up to use the toilet. Hearing the commotion, he jumped over the wall and fled into the stable. He had just mounted his horse when he was shot in the arm by Zhou Zijun, one of Luo Yue's subordinates, and was captured.

Shi Siming asked, "Who started this rebellion?" Luo Yue replied, "We are acting on the orders of Prince Huai." It was too late for Shi Siming to regret his actions. He could only sigh, "My words during the day were inappropriate; I deserve this fate. But they killed me too soon. Why didn't they wait until I had conquered Chang'an? Now our great cause is doomed!"

Luo Yue and others escorted Shi Siming to Liuquan Post Station and reported back to Shi Chaoyi. Shi Chaoyi even asked, "Did we disturb the Emperor?" Luo Yue stared wide-eyed and lied, "No."

When Shi Siming came to supervise the construction, his troops were led by Zhou Zhi and Xu Shuji. Luo Yue sent Xu Yu to inform them. Upon hearing the news, Zhou Zhi collapsed in shock, while Xu Shuji remained calmer—he was used to switching allegiances, and besides, it was his son who came to inform him, so he was sure he would be fine—and ordered his troops to welcome Shi Chaoyi. After Shi Chaoyi entered the army camp, he immediately executed Zhou Zhi. Fearing that morale would be low and further complications might arise, Luo Yue and the others simply had Shi Siming strangled, wrapped his body in a blanket, and carried it back to Luoyang on a camel.

Shi Chaoyi then proclaimed himself emperor in Luoyang, changed the era name to Xiansheng, and secretly sent an envoy to Fanyang, ordering Zhang Tongru to execute his stepmother Xin, his younger brother Shi Chaoqing, and others.

When the news reached Chang'an, the entire Tang court rejoiced, and Li Heng immediately rewarded the monks and Taoist priests who had been summoned to the palace to perform the rituals...

The crisis is resolved.

Because Shi Chaoyi was, in some ways, very similar to An Qingxu—firstly, he had less seniority, and secondly, he had murdered his father and usurped the throne—he naturally couldn't control the veteran generals in the army, leading to suspicion and distrust from above and below. Thus, he could no longer maintain his offensive and had to retreat. With this shift in power, the Tang army seized the opportunity to launch a counter-offensive on all fronts. Although they couldn't shake the rebels' foundation, they did manage to recover quite a few prefectures and counties.

Li Ji was quite annoyed by this—if only he hadn't come back so soon, perhaps if he had delayed a few more days, Li Ding would have been willing to submit a memorial to keep him in Fengxiang... But there was nothing he could do, and he could only return to the life of a corporate slave, clocking in and out from nine to five... no, seven to three...

He wanted to find Cui Qi again, but he was just one step away and missed Cui Guangyuan once more.

After being dismissed from his posts as Prefect of Fengxiang and Military Governor of Fengxiang, Cui Guangyuan returned to Chang'an and resumed his scheming. He was soon transferred to Jiannan Xichuan as Military Governor, just a month before Li Ji was summoned back to Chang'an. Although Li Ji suspected that Cui Qi was nearby and might be spying on him from some corner, he couldn't coax the young girl out.

He wanted to shout it out, but Qingluan was right there... For the sake of family harmony, it's best not to do such a thing.

Previously, when talking with Li Shi, he had mentioned Cui Qi. Li Shi even advised him: "My mother wrote a letter saying that she really likes that Cui maid and that she is a good match for Changwei. Why doesn't Changwei ask Cui Guangyuan for her and take her as a concubine? If Cui Guangyuan does not agree, I can persuade him on his behalf."

Li Ji hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell Li Shi the truth: "I also admire this woman, but unfortunately she refuses to become someone's concubine..."

Li Shi laughed and said, "Given her background, does she really aspire to be the chief wife of the chief guard? Making her a concubine is already an honor for her. As a maid of the Cui family, if Cui Guangyuan gives the order, does she dare to disobey?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "All you do is treat women like objects, giving them away like gifts. Have you ever considered how the other person feels?" Oh, given Li Shi's background, experience, and the limitations of the times, he certainly wouldn't care... But I can't. I genuinely like that girl and hope we can be mutually in love and become a couple. I can't just consider things from my own perspective.

If it makes the little girl unhappy for the rest of her life, then I would rather give up my hopes for her!

But it was inconvenient to say this to Li Shi, as Li Shi certainly wouldn't understand, and might even turn around and laugh at him... So he replied, "I have my own considerations on this matter, Your Highness, please do not interfere."

Li Shi was just saying it casually and didn't really intend to match the two up. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "I've heard that Changwei once said he would only marry a woman from one of the five noble families..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Where did you hear that from? Did I say that?"

"...Now there is an opportunity. The Cui family of Boling, born to my stepmother, is already weakened and fears that the Emperor and the Crown Prince dislike them because of Lady Yang, so they are now trying to curry favor. I can have the Cui family choose a daughter to marry into the Changwei family. Although she may not be from the main branch and may even be born of a concubine, her family reputation will still be intact." He paused, then added, "Yes, we can order Cui Guangyuan to send Cui Qi as part of her dowry, so that she can naturally enter the Changwei family."

Li Ji reiterated his previous statement: "I have my own considerations, and Your Highness need not assist me."

Li Shi smiled and said, "Are you worried that Qi Da is not a suitable match?"

Ultimately, in terms of family reputation, the Li family of Zhao Commandery is inferior to the Cui family of Boling. Besides, Li Ji is currently only a sixth-rank official. Will this noble Cui daughter become arrogant and domineering after marrying into the family? Will she become a hen crowing at dawn? Li Ji, is that what you're worried about? Seeing that Li Ji didn't answer, he took it as a tacit agreement and thought to himself, "Fine, Li Ji is still young anyway. In a few years, I'll find a way to promote him to the fifth rank, and then there won't be any worries about that."

Currently, the Imperial Palace still needs Li Ji, so it's really inconvenient to promote him.

Li Ji felt quite frustrated, and couldn't help but recall the saying, "Good things come to those who wait," and another, "Destined to meet but not to be together"—why did I always seem to miss out on Cui Qi? Before I had any feelings for her, she would often come to my side at Cui Guangyuan's behest, and Cui Guangyuan always stayed in Chang'an; but after I inexplicably became infatuated with the little girl, she stopped showing herself easily, and Cui Guangyuan even sent me to three different posts outside the capital, making it difficult for me to plead with her in person…

Such is the helplessness of life. Should I also go and worship Buddha and seek the Tao, just like Li Heng "cursed" Shi Siming to death?

He only occasionally entertained such thoughts, purely for self-deprecation. His past life experiences made Li Ji utterly devoid of superstition, and he kept his distance from monks and Taoists. Li Heng, however, was different. Previously, facing imminent disaster and at a loss, he was persuaded by Empress Zhang to summon monks and Taoists to the palace to set up altars and perform rituals. Who would have thought that within days, Shi Siming would actually die? Furthermore, Li Heng's health had indeed been poor in recent years. Although not as incapable of managing state affairs as publicly claimed, he frequently caught colds and fevers, and the imperial physicians were all helpless. Therefore, this cowardly emperor could only place his hopes on religious superstition.

The Li Tang royal family originally revered Taoism—claiming themselves direct descendants of Laozi (Li Er) to emulate ancient sages—but Empress Wu Zetian later became a devout Buddhist, and public opinion and social atmosphere gradually shifted towards Buddhism from top to bottom. While the retired Emperor Li Longji was generally a Taoist, Li Heng, influenced by Empress Zhang, completely sided with Buddhism after the "curse" he inflicted on Shi Siming.

As for why the monks and Taoists entered the palace together, why did the lion's share of the credit ultimately go to the monks? It involved secret matters within the palace, which Li Ji was unable to find out.

He thought that perhaps it was because: Wu Zetian's worship of Buddhism was a form of rebellion against the Li Tang dynasty, Li Longji's worship of Taoism was a form of rebellion against Wu Zetian, and Li Heng's worship of Buddhism would naturally be a way of severing ties with his father...

In short, Li Heng then began a series of questionable actions in religious affairs and even in terms of laws and regulations, as if he wanted to make all officials, soldiers and civilians remember that there was an emperor lying ill in the palace without clearly managing state affairs.

In the seventh month of autumn that year, torrential rain fell for more than ten days—it was estimated that the harvest in the Guanzhong region would still be poor—and on the day of Guiwei, a solar eclipse appeared. According to traditional customs, a solar eclipse is the most serious warning from heaven, and the emperor on earth must reflect on his actions. However, when the officials reported this to the palace, Li Heng ignored them all.

On the contrary, ten days later, it is said that a jade lingzhi mushroom grew on the throne in Yanying Hall, with three flowers on one stem. Li Heng immediately composed three poems, which read: "The jade hall is solemn, the lingzhi mushroom is radiant. The flowers bloom in abundance, the leaves divide into buds..." and showed them to his ministers. Was this to show that Heaven was still favoring him? Was it to counteract the adverse effects of the solar eclipse? But it took you a full ten days to come up with this trick. How slow and disgusting!

Li Ji couldn't help but think to himself, "This emperor is acting against the natural order; he doesn't look like he'll live much longer..."

Two months later, on the third day of the ninth lunar month, a day of Jia Shen, Li Heng celebrated his fifty-first birthday, which was called "Tian Cheng Di Ping Festival".

The idea of ​​setting the emperor's birthday as a festival was first created by Li Longji, who designated the fifth day of the eighth lunar month as "Qianqiu Festival" (later renamed "Tianchang Festival"). After Li Heng ascended the throne, he naturally lost his reputation, but because Li Longji was still alive, it was inconvenient to have the same name, so he set his own birthday as "Tiancheng Diping Festival"—which has more characters than his father's birthday.

A month in advance, the palace began various preparations, intending to hold a grand celebration. Indeed, after the crisis at the beginning of the year when the rebel army approached Shanxian County, the court and the public were in dire need of a grand event to boost morale and inspire the people. Eunuchs, palace maids, and officials from the Ministry of Rites came and went in an endless stream every day. Since the Yingwu Army was guarding the inner and middle courts, it was impossible for them to stay out of it.

First, there was a complete change of uniforms—no matter how poor the country was, it couldn't afford to lose face—soldiers and officers all wore brocade armor, with their spear shafts painted bright red. Of course, when guarding the palace, they were not allowed to wear helmets or heavy armor; they only wore brocade robes that imitated the style and patterns of brocade armor.

Li Ji thought to himself, "It's alright. I'm a civil official, I don't have to stand guard, and I don't need to wear such colorful clothes..."

Li Ji entrusted Ma Sui with all the details of the costume changes and the ceremony procedures, especially assigning Ma Xunmei to communicate with the eunuchs and officials from the Ministry of Rites. As for himself, his main responsibility was to arrange the shifts—those on duty on the day of the festival had to be well-looking, have excellent physiques, and be diligent and experienced soldiers; otherwise, if they made a mistake, he and Ma Sui would be implicated.

While he was checking the roster and deliberating repeatedly, Ma Sui entered from outside and asked, "Changwei, has the list of those on duty for the day been finalized?"

Li Ji replied, "A total of 342 people entered the inner court, and 204 people entered the central court. It's just barely completed. Xunmei, would you like to review it again?"

Ma Sui said no need, then hesitated for a moment, his face showing difficulty: "The palace has just sent an order, and the two of us must also go into the inner court to serve, and... we should change into other clothes."

Li Ji frowned: "The ceremony is important, and it is indeed safer for us to join the guards, but... isn't wearing official uniform enough? Are you and I also going to wear two different outfits and pretend to be warriors?"

Ma Sui didn't answer directly, but instead pulled a scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Li Ji: "This is... the style of clothing that day, please take a look, Chief Guard."

Li Ji took it, unfolded it, and couldn't help but smile: "Xunmei has misunderstood. This is a Buddhist painting, not a military uniform design."

Ma Sui hesitated for a moment, then finally said with a bitter face, "No, it's exactly what I want to do, like painting on clothes..."

Li Ji could hardly believe his ears, and immediately glared at him: "Which bastard came up with this terrible idea? Could it be that because the Emperor has recently become fond of Buddhism, he is sacrificing the face of the court and us just to curry favor?!"

Ma Sui quickly reached out and pressed down: "Chang Wei, be careful what you say—this is, this is the will of the Sage, and it has just been issued to the Ministry of Rites..."

It turns out that Li Heng had a sudden inspiration and planned to set up a Taoist temple in the three main halls—Hanyuan, Xuanzheng, and Zichen—so that monks could chant sutras and pray for longevity and blessings for himself. Not only that, he also ordered palace servants to dress up as Bodhisattvas and the Northern Army guards to dress up as Vajra warriors, creating a Buddhist kingdom in cosplay!

Ma Sui leaned closer and pointed to an image on the Buddhist painting: "The Ministry of Rites said that the Emperor summoned the Minister and personally presented this painting to him, saying that Li Changwei should be depicted as Weituo, to protect the Emperor. Is this not appropriate?"

Li Ji lowered his head, his eyes fixed on the guardian deity "Weituo Tian" on one side of the Buddhist painting. He saw that the figure wore a golden crown, had a bare upper body, was surrounded by colorful ribbons, wore a golden battle skirt, was barefoot, and held a huge golden pestle...

Holy crap, how shameful! I absolutely refuse to do it!

He immediately threw the scroll of Buddhist painting on the ground and said, "I am ill and need to take three months' leave!"

Ma Sui smiled wryly, "Since the sage has spoken, I'm afraid the guards can't avoid it... Even I will inevitably have to serve as his deputy..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "So what if I'm the deputy? I saw it myself. The two golden-armored warriors beside Wei Tuotian were both wearing shirts!"

"How can one be naked within the palace walls?! This is outrageous! I must storm the palace and confront the Emperor directly, urging him to rescind this decree!"

Chapter Eleven, The Emperor's Benevolence

Li Ji was ultimately a civil official in the Imperial Guard, not responsible for official duties. Therefore, unless summoned, his movements were limited to the Central Court and he was not allowed to enter the Inner Court. Although the Inner Court guards were all brave and valiant, and were his subordinates, theoretically he could definitely break in, but... whether he could come out alive was another matter.

Therefore, he could only wait outside the Zichen Gate, asking the eunuchs who came in and out to inform Wang Jiahe. A short while later, Wang Jiahe arrived with his hands behind his back and asked him, "Li Ji, is there some important matter in the army?"

Li Ji reported with his hands clasped: "Wang Junrong, the Emperor decreed that on the day of the Heavenly Cultivation and Earthly Peace Festival, the three main halls should be converted into a Taoist temple, with palace maids dressed as Bodhisattvas and Northern Army soldiers dressed as strongmen... Has Wang Junrong heard of this?"

Wang Jiahe nodded: "I just heard about it. Are you worried that there is not enough time to prepare the clothes? It's alright, the Empress has already ordered the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Wardrobe Department to speed up the preparation."

Li Ji smiled bitterly and said, "According to the Ministry of Rites, even the Emperor wants me to dress up as Weituo Tian..." He took out the scroll of Buddhist painting from his sleeve and presented it with both hands: "How can I wear such attire? The censor will surely impeach me. Disrespect before the Emperor is a serious crime—I'm afraid someone is trying to frame me!"

Although he felt it was shameful to do cosplay in the most important political venue in the country, the Three Great Halls, it was the Li family's face that was being disgraced, and the face of that bastard emperor, so what did it have to do with him? As for the emperor's devotion to Buddhism and his distancing himself from Confucianism, there would be court officials to dissuade him, and it was not his place as a sixth-rank civil official in charge of the imperial guards to interfere.

Consider this: in many Western medieval countries, courts frequently gathered nobles for masquerade balls. In contrast, ancient China, deeply influenced by Confucianism, was inevitably more solemn than lively—although, generally speaking, the Tang Dynasty was relatively open. Therefore, in this context, it was perfectly acceptable for the emperor to want to hold a religious cosplay event and even have himself participate, treating it as a way to relax and enjoy the spectacle.

The problem is that the outfit was really embarrassing, especially since fashion was so open these days. Men were still expected to keep their bodies covered in formal settings. Moreover, in recent years, people have become more conservative, and even women are showing less and less of their breasts... If I wore such an outfit, the emperor might be pleased, but it would inevitably lead to impeachment by the censors. Even if the impeachment failed, the Confucian officials would definitely despise me from then on.

It wasn't because he refused to compromise his principles or conform to the world that he incurred the disdain of mediocre court officials, but because he was despised by all scholars for cosplaying—that was hardly worth it... Li Heng, you're really seriously ill, aren't you?!

Wang Jiahe took the Buddhist painting, unfolded it, and glanced at it. A slight twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth… He vaguely felt that Li Ji's concerns were not unreasonable; it was most likely a deliberate attempt to frame him. After all, Li Ji was a pillar of the Yingwu Army, and in a sense, a figure of honor. If Li Ji were impeached because of this, could he, the Military Inspector, remain unscathed? This fire would inevitably burn him sooner or later!

However, if it truly was a Buddhist painting personally bestowed by the emperor with an imperial edict, then it would be inconvenient for Wang to directly remonstrate before the emperor...

He couldn't help but ask Li Ji, "What do you intend to do?"

"Please, Wang Junrong, give your honest advice to the Emperor."

Wang Jiahe shook his head with a wry smile and asked again, "What other plans do you have?"

"Please inform the Emperor, Wang Junrong, that this humble official must speak frankly to His Majesty!"

Wang Jiahe shook his head again and asked, "Is there any other plan?"

Li Ji thought for a moment and replied, "Could Wang Junrong possibly convey this painting and the words of the lower-ranking official to Minister Li?"

The "Minister Li" mentioned refers to Li Fuguo. Just last month, Li Fuguo, an unprecedented eunuch, was appointed Minister of War. Emperor Li Heng even ordered a banquet to celebrate, which all officials below the rank of prime minister were to attend. Li Fuguo also took the opportunity to request, through his advisor Pei Mian and others, to be appointed prime minister in the Council of State Affairs. Unfortunately, Li Heng refused to let him take this final step.

But Li Heng was cunning. He secretly summoned Prime Minister Xiao Hua, who had always been at odds with Li Fuguo, and said, "Fuguo requests to be prime minister. If all the ministers submit petitions, I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to grant it." Xiao Hua then turned around and questioned Pei Mian, declaring, "I would rather cut off my arm than become prime minister!"

To get back to the point, Li Ji felt that someone must have used this opportunity to frame him, but this person was most likely not Li Fuguo, because as things stand, Li Fuguo and the Crown Prince are still in a cooperative relationship; and among the eunuchs, the only one who could directly advise Li Heng on this matter was probably Li Fuguo.

Wang Jiahe then went to Li Fuguo for help, and Li Fuguo couldn't help but laugh and say, "I'd like to see Li Ji's makeup like this..."

He suspected that this trick was mostly the work of Empress Zhang, or one of the "five traitors" around her, who deliberately presented the painting to Li Heng with the aim of expelling Li Ji from the court. Given Li Ji's current reputation and achievements, coupled with the support of Li Yu and his son, Li Heng seemed to value him quite a bit. Even if he were impeached by the censor, it was unlikely that he would be sentenced to death; however, he certainly couldn't stay in the Imperial Guard, or even in Chang'an.

Li Fuguo and Empress Zhang initially maintained a cooperative relationship, but they drifted apart over the issue of choosing an heir. By this point, they had essentially parted ways completely, though they hadn't officially broken off relations yet. Therefore, even though Li Fuguo hadn't become friends with Li Ji, he was determined to thwart the Empress's faction's scheme!

This is what is called a petty person; they do things regardless of right or wrong, only considering whether someone is a friend or foe.

So he comforted Wang Jiahe: "Do not be anxious, and tell Li Ji not to be angry and reckless. This matter rests with me. We will wait for an opportunity and slowly speak to the sage."

Every day, Li Fuguo would handle state affairs in his duty room inside the Right Silver Terrace Gate of the West Garden, which is located north of the Taiji Palace. After finishing his duty at dusk, he would rush to see Li Heng and then assist in coordinating palace affairs. This routine was unwavering. He had to manage both the court and the palace affairs. If he were to falter in either area, he would likely face severe consequences under the condemnation of the people.

So that evening at dinner time, Li Fuguo went to serve Li Heng his meal again. Li Heng smiled and waved his hand at him, saying, "You old codger, go and get some rest. Your eyes are all dark..."

Li Fuguo said with a fawning smile, "With the Emperor's birthday approaching, palace affairs are numerous and busy. How dare this old servant rest? I will ask for leave after the Heavenly Cultivation and Earthly Peace Festival." He then introduced the arrangements for the celebration. Li Heng nodded while eating, "What you have said is in accordance with my wishes. If it is not important, there is no need to ask for instructions."

Taking the opportunity, Li Fuguo asked in a low voice, "On the Emperor's birthday, the palace maids are to be dressed as Bodhisattvas and the Imperial Guards as strongmen. So, shall the Empress and the Empress be dressed as Buddhas of the Three Worlds?"

Li Heng shook his head and said, "Dressing up as a Bodhisattva or a warrior is to show my devotion to Buddhism, but how can I presume to be the Buddha? We should just wear formal attire."

Li Fuguo said with a fawning smile, "In this old servant's heart, everyone is a Buddha."

Li Heng raised his leg and gave a feint kick: "You old geezer, spouting nonsense—get out of here!"

Li Fuguo laughed and said, "Actually, this old servant is also relieved. Most of the Buddhas in the paintings are disheveled, with their chests exposed. How can we dress like that? It would be best if we didn't dress up. Let Li Ji be the only one who is completely naked."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng frowned slightly: "What did you say?"

Li Fuguo then pulled out the scroll of Buddhist painting from his sleeve and unfurled it beside Li Heng: "Look, everyone, the Buddhas in this painting are dressed lightly, and even Weituo Tian is dressed lightly, yet you've ordered Li Ji to impersonate Weituo Tian. It seems you intend to make fun of him in public." He thought to himself, "I've made myself perfectly clear. If Your Majesty still refuses to retract your order, then it means it's you, not just the Empress, who wants to expel Li Ji. So I'll close the tent now and say no more."

Unexpectedly, upon seeing the Buddhist painting, Li Heng frowned and flew into a rage—"Where did you obtain this painting?"

"It was received by the Ministry of Rites from everyone and distributed to the Yingwu Army. The King brought it to this old servant on his crane."

Li Heng slammed down his chopsticks and gritted his teeth, saying, "This painting is not what I bestowed upon the Ministry of Rites!"

Upon hearing this, Li Fuguo understood perfectly, but still pretended to explain, "The Emperor bestowed this painting, but there was only one. I suppose the Ministry of Rites needed it to arrange ceremonies, and the palace needed it to cut clothes and prepare utensils. Therefore, when it was given to the Yingwu Army, it was replaced with another one, just to show the general idea. So there are multiple paintings. It was this old servant who was ignorant and mistakenly thought there was only one. I spoke nonsense and angered everyone. I deserve death."

Li Heng waved his hand, "It's not your fault." After a pause, he added, "Summon Li Ji. On that day, he should simply wear golden helmet and armor, and carry a golden pestle. There's no need to follow any Buddhist paintings!"

He then curled his lip slightly: "He is already my Weituotian, does he need to disguise himself?"

Li Fuguo retreated meekly, but thought to himself: What a pity.

If Li Heng had ordered a thorough investigation, he would have had the opportunity to clean up the palace and eliminate several of the Empress's cronies. However, Li Heng knew perfectly well that someone was behind it, yet he remained completely silent, only hoping things would eventually get back on track, showing no intention of holding anyone accountable. Li Fuguo thought to himself, "Everyone is truly kind… but this kindness is something I'm deeply grateful for when it's applied to me, and when it's applied to my adversaries… I feel extremely uncomfortable!"

So he ordered someone to tell Li Ji, who then breathed a sigh of relief and took a set of golden armor from the treasury. It was ceremonial armor, not meant for serious battle, and could not be painted in such a flashy way. He then modified it slightly according to his own size.

The only problem is the Vajra Pestle. Even without referring to any Buddhist paintings, the statues of Weituo in temples everywhere all hold a huge Vajra Pestle, more than twice as thick as Li Ji's pair of "Blue Lotus Four-Sided Maces"—if it really is that big, it can probably only be used by gods and Buddhas, and no mortal can use it.

Therefore, in the end, they could only ask someone to carve a handle out of wood and then paint it with gold paint. Although it was thick, it was very light. Li Ji could even balance it by supporting one end with his index and middle fingers...

A month passed in the blink of an eye. Li Tan submitted a memorial from Longyou, saying that the Yunfan rebels would surely launch another attack this autumn, and requested the court to provide financial and material support. Li Ding also submitted a memorial from Fengxiang, saying that the Nuci and Dangxiang seemed to be showing signs of internal strife. However, almost all the civil and military officials were preparing for the Tiancheng Diping Festival, and due to Li Fuguo's presiding, national affairs were almost completely suspended.

On the day of the ceremony, Li Ji did not return home the night before, but stayed overnight at the yamen. Before dawn, he was forced to get up, gather more than 500 specially selected brave soldiers, dress them up neatly, and march into the central court.

Along the road, colorful lanterns were hung everywhere. The Shence Army, under the command of a golden-armored general, had divided into squads to occupy key positions and take turns wielding halberds. Among them, those guarding the area near Hanyuan Hall were all dressed as golden-armored deities.

Li Ji happened to meet the eyes of the golden-armored general, they each snorted coldly, and then turned their heads away.

Because that general was none other than Liu Xixian, the commander of the Shence Army, whose old grudges with Li Ji had not been resolved and whose resentment was hard to shake. Although Liu Xixian had not been punished for the Shence Army's previous plundering of wealthy households and even scholars in Chang'an, he had been warned and dared not mention opposing Li Ji again. However, the two often met, but they always acted like strangers and never even greeted each other.