Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 15

Li Jizhen never expected that an assassin would come to commit murder the day after the Marshal's Mansion was built. Fortunately, he discovered it relatively early and was standing under the corridor, so he was able to get out of there quickly. If he had been sitting there eating, he would have had to throw down his bowl and chopsticks first, and he probably wouldn't have made it in time, as the assassin would have already entered the main hall.

Li Ji wasn't particularly concerned about the five assassins who had appeared. Although the hall was empty, there were still many guards inside and outside the courtyard gates. He figured as long as he could hold off the assassins for a minute or two, he could easily defeat them once the rest of the army had assembled. One against five was difficult to defeat, but delaying them wouldn't be hard, especially since he had Old Jing behind him.

His only worry was that the assassin who had used the hidden weapon was not among the five, but was still lurking in the shadows. As he ascended the steps, he glanced over and saw a fallen guard lying on the ground, his throat a bloody mess... He guessed that a flying sword had pierced his throat, which was why he couldn't make a sound and had collapsed.

The area in front of the hall was open, and even the nearest large tree that could hide someone was more than ten meters away. If you add the height of the tree, the distance would be even greater. Within a dozen meters, four people were killed, each with a sword aimed straight for the throat. The accuracy was terrifying. Li Ji thought to himself, "If I were using a rifle, I probably couldn't shoot that accurately either."

If this "strange person" suddenly shoots a sword at me while I am fighting with my enemy, will I be able to dodge it?

Therefore, he only focused three-tenths of his energy on the hammer-wielding and knife-wielding assassins fighting him, two-tenths of his energy on the other three assassins, and half of his attention on his hearing, to guard against the sudden sound of a golden blade piercing the air and heading towards his throat.

Unexpectedly, the assassins who appeared were all highly skilled. One wielded a copper hammer with a whistling sound and unpredictable trajectory, while another could even reverse his sword and use the hilt to injure his opponent… Perhaps this was a trick to force the enemy to drop their weapons; that fellow had mastered it so well that Li Ji couldn't dodge it. Moreover, although Li Ji had strong wrists and didn't immediately drop his weapon, before he could even recover, he was forced to parry the sudden copper hammer. He finally couldn't withstand it any longer, and his sword flew out of his hand.

Damn it... I've never learned how to catch a blade barehanded!

Li Ji couldn't help but call out in his heart to the original owner of this body: Are you still alive? My life is at stake, come out quickly!

Now it's not a matter of saving Li Bi or Li Chu anymore; one wrong move and my second phase of life will come to an end!

The thought suddenly changed, but Li Ji did not stop. He waited for his true self to reappear. Seeing that the assassin opposite him missed with his backhand slash, his right arm was outstretched and the knife was on the outside, leaving his chest and abdomen wide open, he immediately lowered his head, bent his waist and kicked his legs, and directly crashed into the other party's arms.

The impact caused the opponent to stumble and lose his balance. Li Ji seized the opportunity to grab the opponent's waist tightly with both hands and lift him up, sending his feet off the ground. He had originally intended to weaken the opponent's lower body first and then simply perform a side slam, but he hadn't expected his strength to be so great that he had lifted the guy up... So, he twisted his waist, turning him 180 degrees on the spot, and positioned the opponent's back facing the whistling copper hammer.

With a "whoosh," the copper hammer, fearing the consequences, was forced to retract.

After several lightning-fast exchanges, Li Ji had roughly figured out how to use the copper hammer. Its attack range was about two meters, almost comparable to a spear, but it relied on centrifugal force to injure the enemy. Therefore, while its trajectory was unpredictable, it was far less agile than a spear. Once the hammer was retracted, it would take at least a second before it could strike again.

In that split second, Li Ji tilted his head slightly and glanced around. He saw Lao Jing holding a sword and fighting a knife-wielding assassin. The other two assassins were rushing towards the courtyard gate, presumably to block the Imperial Guards who would come after hearing the commotion. So, as long as he could defeat the one he was holding, he would only have one person wielding a copper hammer in front of him.

The man in his arms felt two arms as hard as steel gripping his waist, and a human head pressing against his chest and abdomen, making it almost impossible to breathe. After a brief moment of fear and shock, he suddenly felt a release under his chest—Li Ji had turned his head to observe the situation—and before he could struggle, another shoulder suddenly lifted him up—

Li Ji used the same trick again, using his shoulder to throw the huge man out, which landed right in front of the wire-carrying copper hammer. With a "crack," it was estimated that he was hit in the back.

After abandoning the enemy, Li Ji bent down and went to pick up his knife from the ground.

But then a white light flashed a dozen meters to his left, and Li Ji almost instinctively squinted his left eye. He braced himself with one hand on the ground, flattened his body, twisted his waist, and used the momentum to roll over, leaping directly over the threshold into the main hall. Then he heard a soft "snap," as if something had been nailed to the threshold.

Li Ji was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. He leaped up, kicked a door panel with his back leg, and then jumped to the other side, closing the other door as well.

Only then did he have the chance to observe the hall. He saw Li Chu leaning against the couch, his face pale, holding a sword in his hand, while Li Bi spread his arms, blocking Li Chu's way.

Seeing that it was Li Ji who rushed into the hall, Li Bi calmed down a little and hurriedly called out, "Guards, protect the marshal!"

Li Chu then said, "Protect Chief Secretary Li!"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Not bad, even now he's still thinking about Li Bi. This marshal can be protected." He quickly waved his hand: "Everyone hide in the corner, don't face the door!"

I don't have time to bolt the door, I don't even know where the latch is... If the door opens and the assassin shoots in with a flying sword, you'll be in a death trap.

Li Bi did as he was told, pulling Li Chu aside to hide in a corner. Li Ji regained his composure, then moved to the other side, staring at the door, feeling a pang of regret—if only he had brought his slingshot, he wouldn't be left empty-handed and helpless against his enemy.

With a loud "bang," the door shook slightly and then swung open to the left and right—it must have been smashed open by that guy with a copper hammer.

The moment the door opened, a cold glint of light shone directly onto the couch where Li Chu had just been leaning. Li Ji looked closely—wait, it was a dart, not a flying sword.

He waited for the assassin to enter, whether he came in personally or struck first with a hammer, he would have a chance to seize the opportunity and grab him. In close combat, those who used hidden weapons would be hesitant to use them, thus reducing the risk.

What's that good-for-nothing Lao Jing doing? Hurry up and defeat the enemy, then search for this guy who can throw darts!

With a "whoosh," the copper hammer indeed shot in. Li Ji was about to pounce and grab the rope attached to the hammer when, amidst the various noises inside and outside, he suddenly heard a peculiar soft sound. Without thinking, reacting purely on instinct, he ignored the hammer and rushed straight to the corner of the room where Li Bi and Li Chu were.

With a "crack," a back window shattered, sending splinters flying, and a small, thin figure leaped in from outside.

The assassin, who had been lying in ambush outside the window, had only seen Li Bi and Li Chu approaching from the window. Overjoyed, he immediately punched through the window and leaped inside. But to his surprise, he had barely passed through the window when he saw a third person... and then this third person's left hand shot out like lightning, grabbing his neck in one swift motion!

The assassin was relatively small, only a little over 1.6 meters tall and weighing about 100 jin (in modern terms). With Li Ji's strength, he could not only lift him by the neck but also swing him around like a weapon. At this moment, the assassin wielding the copper hammer first tested the waters with his weapon. Seeing that no one was stopping him, he also rushed into the hall. The copper hammer made a "whooshing" sound as it struck Li Ji. Li Ji immediately switched his left hand to his right, his forehand to his backhand, and used the assassin's stance in his hand to return the attack, forcing his opponent to withdraw.

Once the copper hammer was retracted, it would take at least half a circle to swing it again. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Li Ji took two steps closer and swung the assassin's weapon down at the opponent's head. The opponent was forced to retreat and dodge, but Li Ji was relentless. Missing his first swing, he twisted his wrist and struck back from the left. The opponent was forced to retreat again, and then—his heel tripped on the threshold, and he fell backward.

Using a 100-pound man as a club, Li Ji was starting to feel a bit sore and weak. He wrapped his left hand around the assassin's shoulder to help hold him down, and with a powerful "Mount Tai crashing down," he slammed the weapon down towards the door. The man wielding the copper hammer had just fallen and hadn't even gotten up when he was struck by his companion's blow, instantly losing his fighting ability. But Li Ji wasn't finished. After the first blow, he mustered his strength and swung the weapon down a second time.

But a thought flashed through his mind: There's someone who can throw darts!

So, following the momentum of the second strike, he almost instinctively bent his knees and ducked his head. With a soft "snap," the dart struck the turban squarely, thankfully at the top, just barely piercing the hair bun, without going through the head.

Li Ji shuddered in fright, immediately letting go of the assassin in his hand and dodging back into the hall—what a close call! If I hadn't ducked down a bit, that dart would have hit my throat!

Do you think that guy habitually aims for a fatal blow? I'm such a big target, why didn't he shoot me in the chest or stomach? If he knew how to be more flexible, I'd probably be done for.

He kept a close eye on the door and windows to prevent any more assassins from breaking in, but... there was no further movement for a long time.

It probably wasn't too long, but in Li Ji's mind, it felt like several hours had passed. His right arm was a little sore and numb, and his left hand felt weak. His whole body was soaked with sweat from both the exertion and the shock. Fortunately, what finally came was a cacophony of voices and a cacophony of questions: "Is the Marshal alright?"

The group of useless soldiers finally rushed to the hall. Li Ji let out a long breath and felt his bones go weak and his muscles go numb. He almost collapsed on his buttocks. Not to mention his soul in his previous life, even the real Li Ji in this life, although he had fought many battles, had never fought so fiercely in an instant!

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There were not five assassins, but seven. Besides those who appeared in front of the hall and those who attacked from the back window, there was another assassin hiding in a tree throwing darts, who never showed himself. Of these assassins, three were severely wounded by Li Ji. One of them—who was the first to be grabbed and thrown out, had his spine broken by his companion's copper hammer—died on the spot. The other two were seriously injured and captured by the swarming soldiers.

The two assassins who went to block the door were killed; one was hacked to pieces, and the other fled in panic. The one who fought Lao Jing with a knife and the one who threw darts also ran away. The soldiers followed the trail but found nothing for the time being.

Old Jing was rather unlucky. According to him afterwards, he could have defeated the knife-wielding assassin, but in the midst of the fierce battle, a dart suddenly struck his shoulder, penetrating to the bone, and he was defeated. The other party even took the opportunity to slash him with a knife. Fortunately, Old Jing was thick-skinned and had a big belly, so he did not die from the attack, but he was bedridden for more than half a month before he could get up.

Li Ji guessed that it was probably while he was fighting the assassins wielding knives and hammers in the hall that the dart thrower thought he couldn't lose against two against one, so he turned to deal with Lao Jing; he waited until he had defeated Lao Jing before throwing a dart that hit the threshold right there. Li Ji thought to himself that Lao Jing had probably saved him from disaster, and he would definitely repay this kindness—next time he wouldn't fight with him for food!

Li Chu was naturally furious. He slammed his fist on the table and berated the imperial guards, asking how so many men guarding the courtyard could have let the assassins in. Moreover, how could they, outnumbered, fail to annihilate them?

Chapter Thirty-Two: Who Benefits?

The assassination attempt on the Marshal of the Army shocked the entire court and the country, and Emperor Li Heng was naturally furious. Fortunately, both Li Chu and Li Bi escaped unharmed. Although they lost nine guards and two others were seriously injured—including Lao Jing—they also killed two assassins and captured two others alive, so the court did not lose face completely.

Of course, compared to the fall of the two capitals, this is nothing at all.

Aside from the guards who died or were wounded in battle, the most unfortunate were Prince Jianning, Li Tan, and the eunuch Li Fuguo. Li Heng berated them mercilessly, and they could only kowtow repeatedly, begging for severe punishment.

The reason Li Heng reprimanded Li Tan was because, according to Li Chu's report, the assassin had sneaked into the Marshal's residence through the back gate of the palace. Upon hearing this, Li Heng was immediately terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. He scolded Li Tan, saying, "You repeatedly pleaded with me, and I entrusted you with the responsibility of guarding the palace because I thought you were capable of such a great task. And yet, this has happened!"

"You scoundrel! The two capitals have not yet been recovered, and you've already been attacked by assassins within the palace. How can I possibly trust you again?!"

If the assassins had broken into the commander's mansion directly, or had been apprehended by the guards while passing through the forbidden area, or at least dispersed, there would have been some explanation. But they actually managed to pass through the forbidden area and enter the commander's mansion without any warning, and you had to wait for your brother to come and tell me... Are you just a freeloader? Fortunately, I listened to Mr. Changyuan's advice and didn't hand over all the loyalist troops to you!

Li Heng was so ashamed and angry that he almost drew his sword to kill his unworthy son. Fortunately, Li Chu, Li Bi and others repeatedly persuaded him, and finally he ordered that Li Tan be stripped of all his duties and ordered him to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors. The responsibility of guarding the palace was temporarily handed over to his deputy, Yu Chaoen.

As for scolding Li Fuguo, it was mainly because Li Heng had originally entrusted the task of capturing the assassin to Li Fuguo.

Last night, after Li Shi returned to the palace, he learned that he had encountered a strange person in Ding'an City who could shoot flying swords. This was a serious matter and could not be concealed—especially since he had secretly followed Li Ji out of the palace. Now that he had run into his aunt, he certainly couldn't hide it from his father either. So he honestly told Li Chu everything. Li Chu then reported to Li Heng, who immediately ordered Li Fuguo to thoroughly investigate the matter.

"You said the other day that Zhou Zhi was raising strange people from the Jianghu to assassinate those who refused to submit to the rebels. Could it be that Zhou Zhi sent these people as well? Fang Cilu was defeated, the Shuofang army has not yet arrived, and the rebels' movements are unclear. So what are these villains plotting to sneak into Ding'an? Quickly send people to investigate and arrest them, and report back to me."

This morning, Li Fuguo reported to Li Heng that he had sent men to investigate the assassins, but there were many vagrants and people of mixed character in Ding'an City, so it would probably take a long time to get results. He suggested that, to prevent these assassins from infiltrating the palace and plotting treason, it would be safer to deploy more troops to protect the Emperor.

Li Heng agreed, so Li Fuguo ordered someone to convey the decree, transferring more than half of the guards from in front of the commander's mansion...

For this, Li Heng reprimanded Li Fuguo, who dared not argue and could only kowtow to beg for forgiveness. Then a woman's voice came from behind the screen, saying, "Everyone is mistaken. Li Fuguo was only given the order last night, and it has only been half a day. What could he possibly have found out? Moreover, if it weren't for Li Fuguo's advice to strengthen the palace guards, it would probably be you who were in danger—those assassins must have seen that there was no opportunity to attack, so they turned to attack Prince Guangping. In that case, Li Fuguo is not only without fault, but is actually a meritorious official."

At that time, Li Ji was also summoned into the palace and heard these words very clearly. Later, when he had a chance, he asked Li Bi who the woman behind the screen was. Li Bi replied, "Zhang Liangdi."

She then explained, “It is said that she has recently been promoted to Consort Shu. She was originally given to His Majesty by the Emperor Emeritus when His Majesty was still a prince, and therefore she is deeply favored. She gave birth to His Majesty’s thirteenth son, Li Tong, in Lingwu, but despite her postpartum exhaustion, she insisted on going south with His Majesty—now, she is the only concubine by His Majesty’s side.”

Li Ji thought to himself: "Alas, not only are eunuchs in power in the Tang Dynasty, but now the empress dowagers are interfering in politics. It seems the dynasty is doomed..." However, unlike many scholar-officials of the time, who, mindful of Empress Wu's fate, resolutely opposed women's involvement in politics, Li Ji actually respected women with ambition who were unwilling to be mere ornaments in the empress dowager. Moreover, Consort Zhang's words in defending Li Fuguo were indeed quite reasonable.

Li Heng seemed to listen to Consort Zhang's words. He slammed his hand on the table in anger, then sighed deeply, waved for Li Fuguo to rise, and ordered, "Since the assassin was able to sneak into the palace, I suspect there must be a traitor working within. Go and assist Yu Chaoen to interrogate the captured assassin thoroughly and search the palace to eliminate this internal threat!"

Li Fuguo readily agreed and seized the opportunity to speak, saying, "Previously in Xijing, we were protected by sixteen imperial guards, but now most of them have followed the Emperor to Sichuan and are even more scattered, numbering less than five hundred. Not only is the defense of the palace weak and prone to oversights, but the officials of the court are also gathering in the city one after another, and they should also be protected. The General's Mansion is right next to the palace, so there are a few more guards there. If it were far away, what happened today would be unbearable to talk about."

Li Heng nodded in agreement, then turned to Li Chu and asked, "You submitted a memorial this morning, saying that you wanted to select the strongest soldiers from the Shence Army to strengthen the defense of the General's Mansion—why did you specifically choose the Shence Army?"

Li Chu clasped his hands and replied, “The Shence Army in Hexi and Longyou is an elite force, and its commander, Wei Boyu, is known for his loyalty and diligence, making him capable of undertaking important tasks. I previously consulted Yan Wu, the Supervising Secretary, asking who among the Longyou army generals was the most loyal and brave, and Yan Wu immediately recommended Wei Boyu.”

Li Heng then asked, "How many soldiers does the Shence Army have now?"

"More than two thousand soldiers."

Li Heng nodded and said, "In that case, Wei Boyu can be ordered to cull the old and weak and join another army. He himself will lead a thousand men into the city to assist Yu Chaoen in guarding the palace and the Marshal's Mansion—his official rank will be promoted one level."

As for Li Ji

Because of his meritorious service in protecting Li Chu and Li Bi, he was commended by Li Heng and promoted three ranks—from Senior Colonel of the Eighth Rank to Deputy Colonel of the Seventh Rank. Li Ji knelt down to express his gratitude, thinking to himself, "Well, I've only worn my dark blue robe for half a day, and now I have to change to light green—it seems I'm on par with Old Jing."

However, he had many things he couldn't understand about what had happened today, but he also had many unique observations of his own. So that evening, he grabbed Li Bi to discuss it and asked, "Brother, it seems that Li Fuguo and Prince Jianning are not on good terms. What is the reason for this?"

Li Bi thought for a moment and replied, "When I was in the Eastern Palace, I did not see this... Recently, I have heard some rumors, I do not know if they are true or false. It is said that Prince Jianning was not on good terms with Yu Chaoen, and then repeatedly advised the Emperor that he should not let eunuchs command troops... He even seemed to be pointing his sword at Li Fuguo, saying that when the Emperor was still a prince, he was deceived by Gao Lishi. Has he not learned his lesson?"

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Prince Jianning has always been known for his hatred of evil and his outspokenness. I believe that most of these rumors are indeed true. This also shows that Prince Jianning is not actually coveting the throne—if he wanted to win the Emperor's favor, why wouldn't he cultivate a good relationship with the Grand Eunuch?"

Li Ji's words strayed from the topic. Leaving aside what Prince Jianning thought for now—"In my opinion, regarding today's assassination attempt, the one most affected is only Prince Jianning—he's been dismissed and confined. Furthermore, since you've said he's not on good terms with Yu Chaoen, and given that Yu Chaoen, after taking command of the Imperial Guards, has been ordered to eliminate traitors, he'll surely purge Prince Jianning's faction within the army..."

Li Bi glanced at him with slight surprise: "I thought you were going to say that Prince Jianning might not be able to escape responsibility for this matter..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was slightly taken aback, then pursed his lips and said, "Does my brother think I have a grudge against the Prince of Jianning?"

In any mysterious case, the biggest beneficiary is most likely the mastermind. So, if the assassins succeed in murdering Li Chu today, who will be the biggest beneficiary? It won't be An Lushan, but definitely Prince Jianning, Li Tan!

Li Tan's talent was superior to Li Chu's, and before today, his favor among the princes was second only to Li Chu. Therefore, if Li Chu were to die, or merely be seriously injured and unable to govern, Li Heng would most likely appoint Li Tan as the Grand Marshal of the Army. The rebels would certainly face far more trouble with Li Tan than with Li Chu—if the rebels were shrewd enough, they would understand this—while Li Tan would have the opportunity to seize control of the loyalist forces and ultimately contend for the throne!

Thinking about it this way, the assassins had clearly already penetrated deep into the palace, yet they didn't assassinate Li Heng, but instead went far away to assassinate Li Chu... Li Tan probably couldn't clear himself of this suspicion.

The other day, when the two brothers were mentioned, Li Bi insisted that Li Tan was unlikely to have any intention of coveting the throne, but Li Ji seemed to disagree. So today, Li Bi hinted: I thought you would suspect that Li Tan had designs on his brother and secretly planned this assassination.

Li Ji said no, I have no grudge against Prince Jianning, and besides—"Brother, think about it, Prince Jianning is in charge of the imperial guards, yet the assassin managed to pass through the palace. If Prince Guangping were murdered, he would surely be implicated. Brother, you always say Prince Jianning is shrewd, how could such a shrewd person do something like this?" Therefore, I don't doubt Li Tan, but rather those eunuchs who benefited the most from the failed assassination attempt!

Li Bi slowly shook his head and said, "If it weren't for your valiant defense today, I'm afraid neither the Marshal nor I would have survived. If the Marshal were killed, what good would it do for Li Fuguo and the others?" Even if Li Tan still suffered the consequences and couldn't become the Marshal of the Army, it was impossible for him to hand over the military power to Li Fuguo or Yu Chaoen. Just to obtain a position in charge of the palace, would they really kill off the Crown Prince Li Chu, with whom they had always had a good relationship, and replace him with a new heir apparent of unknown origin, one who would be unable to control the situation? Although the eunuchs below were gone, their minds were still intact.

This was indeed a powerful rebuttal, and Li Ji had nothing to say. But he immediately raised a major point of doubt: "Brother, I suspect that those who plotted to assassinate the marshal today are not accomplices of the ones I encountered in the market yesterday. Such assassination plots are always unpredictable, requiring all forces to be concentrated and leaving no room for retreat—if it fails the first time, the Emperor will surely strengthen the defenses, and there will be no second chance. At the very least, all the capable soldiers must be brought out."

"But let's not even talk about Zhen Sui, or those who seem to be Zhen Sui, being among them. Just consider the person who fired the flying sword at me yesterday; he wasn't involved either. Why is that?"

The guy hiding in the tree throwing projectiles today was clearly throwing darts, not swords. Although Li Ji realized their methods were different, it was ultimately just a personal feeling and couldn't be used as evidence to convince Li Bi. But it's obvious, does an assassin really need to carry two kinds of projectiles? Oh, and why throw swords on odd-numbered days and darts on even-numbered days? It's not like they're driving around town…

Moreover, the weights of these two weapons are not the same, and the techniques for using them are bound to be different. Becoming proficient in one will likely affect the other. How could one possibly master both and use whichever one one wants?

Li Bi tapped the table with his hand, pondered for a long time, but could not figure it out. Finally, he could only say, "Let's wait until Li Fuguo and the others interrogate the assassin and get a definite confession before we speculate..."

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Assassin's Confession

Wei Boyu was indeed capable. After receiving the emperor's urgent edict, he organized the troops overnight, and the next morning, he led a thousand men to occupy the palace and the marshal's mansion. Therefore, when Li Ji escorted Li Bi out of the palace, he mostly saw Shence Army soldiers with red headscarves.

Compared to the Imperial Guards who used to protect the palace, these foreign soldiers were less disciplined, standing less upright and their eyes often wandered. However, their fierce and ruthless aura, honed from countless battles, could be felt from a distance. Anyone with a weak heart would probably not dare to approach within five steps of them.

Since Lao Jing was seriously injured and could no longer perform his duties, Li Chu ordered Wei Boyu to select two strong and capable Shence Army generals to wait in front of the palace gate. As soon as Li Bi came out, they immediately surrounded him and formed a triangular guard with Li Ji until they escorted Li Bi into the main hall of the commander's mansion.

In front of the main hall, there were not just four guards with halberds, but one person every two meters, forming a whole circle in front and behind. Even in the left and right corridors, there were several soldiers patrolling and guarding.

After Li Bi entered the main hall, Li Ji, just like yesterday, slowly strolled to a side corridor. The two Shence Army generals, being new to the area and unfamiliar with the rules, naturally followed. Li Ji sat cross-legged on the corridor floor, and the two men, somewhat confused, immediately asked with their hands clasped, "Li Zhiguo, are we not required to stand guard in front of the hall?"

Upon meeting, they learned from each other's names that both were seventh-rank deputy lieutenants of the Yihui Army. Although they wore the same clothes, they were two ranks lower than Li Ji. The one who looked more mature was named Chen Fu, and the other was named Yi Tiechui.

Li Ji pointed towards the hall: "Yesterday, four soldiers stood guard there, but they were all killed instantly by assassins who used hidden weapons. Old Jing and I were sitting under the eaves and were able to provide timely support, finally forcing the assassins to retreat—does your army not have any hidden sentries?"

The two suddenly realized, "I see. Li Zhiguo's considerations are indeed thorough."

Chen Fu immediately asked, "The 'Old Jing' that Li Zhiguo mentioned, could it be referring to Jing Jiang?"

It turned out that Chen Fu and Lao Jing had been comrades-in-arms and fought side by side, so they had a good relationship. He then asked Li Ji, "I heard that there were assassins yesterday and Jing Jiang was injured. I wonder what happened and what the details were?" Li Zhiguo replied, "Since you said you helped repel the assassins, if it doesn't involve any secrets, could you tell us about it?"

Li Ji had nothing to hide—if he were to conceal anything, it would be his private analysis with Li Bi—so he recounted the events of the previous day in detail, leaving the two generals speechless. However, judging from their expressions, they clearly didn't quite believe that this young man, whose beard hadn't even fully grown on his chin, could actually kill an assassin and defeat two others…and mostly through brute force!

However, Li Ji's rank is higher than theirs, and they know he is Li Changshi's cousin, so let the child boast a little. Why expose him to his face? Although we can act with impunity in the counties of Longyou and Hexi, this is under the emperor's nose. It's better to be more restrained when facing someone with powerful backing.

After chatting for a while, Chen Fu and Yi Tiechui realized that the young man was not pretentious and seemed to have no ulterior motives. He even told them not to mention his official title and to address him by his name. Chen Fu and Yi Tiechui's tense nerves gradually relaxed.

As noon approached, Li Chu sent someone to summon him, and Li Ji left the corridor and entered the main hall. There were more people in the hall than yesterday—probably because the system of the marshal's office was gradually being perfected and was no longer just an empty shell with a marshal and a chief secretary. Li Chu sat at the table, and Li Bi sat to the side next to him. The two were closest to each other, and they could almost talk in hushed tones by simply stretching their necks.

Li Bi first explained the situation to Li Ji: "The two assassins you captured yesterday were both seriously injured. One of them couldn't withstand the torture and died before dawn. The other one was also very tight-lipped. Eunuchs Li and Yu interrogated him all night but couldn't get a confession." He then turned to Li Chu and bowed: "The Marshal's intention is that you injured the man. You can go and see if you can get any clues out of him."

Li Ji smiled wryly and said, "Brother... Chief Secretary, I don't know anything about judging cases."

Li Bi said it was alright, he had some methods he could teach him. So he got up and pulled Li Ji aside, whispering in his ear, "You are indeed intelligent, no need to deny it. The key is—if what you say is true, Li Fuguo or Yu Chaoen may be involved, and they might have ordered the killing of the man to cover up the confession. Go and see if there are any clues."

Li Ji understood that the truth about the assassination plot lay with the two prisoners, but the eunuchs not only couldn't get a confession from them, they had even killed one of them... and the second one might be next. Li Chu and Li Bi were understandably anxious upon hearing the news of one of their deaths, but given their positions, it was inconvenient for them to attend the trial in person—after all, the restoration of the capital was a matter of utmost importance, how could they abandon their duties to interfere with others' work?—so they decided to send Li Ji to investigate.

Li Ji thought about it for a moment and then agreed. The key issue was that the two prisoners were already half-dead when they were captured. If they were tortured to death, the eunuchs might shift half the blame onto him—"Who told you to be so ruthless?" I didn't want to take the blame for that. I had to see for myself.

So he asked Li Chu for an official document, and then entered the palace through the back gate. With the guidance of the guards and the help of the token that allowed him to freely enter and exit the palace, he found the place where the prisoners were interrogated.

It was a small, secluded courtyard within the Forbidden City. Li Fuguo was absent, and Yu Chaoen was personally overseeing the interrogation, employing severe torture. This was the first time Li Ji had seen Yu Chaoen. He noticed that this eunuch was dressed in military attire, with a fish-shaped pouch hanging from one side of his waist and a horizontal sword on the other. He appeared to be around forty years old, with a fleshy face and a rather ferocious look. Li Ji couldn't help but think to himself, "Li Fuguo looks like that, but this Yu Chaoen..."

Hmm, and he looks like this again... Does the emperor just like ugly servants? Luckily, the three servants assigned to my brothers, Huo, Dou, and Ran, are at least somewhat normal-looking.

Yu Chaoen seemed rather familiar. After seeing Li Chu's official documents, he immediately grabbed Li Ji's hand and bombarded him with questions, inquiring about the battle against the assassins the previous day and praising Li Ji's youthful bravery. The eunuch's hands were warm and moist, and Li Ji couldn't easily shake them off, but he felt really uncomfortable... After a few perfunctory words, he said, "I'm here on the Marshal's orders to see the assassins—Lord Yu, please let me in first."

Yu Chaoen leaned forward and asked, "Changwei, are you brave?" Before he could answer, he laughed and said, "I asked the wrong question. How could Li Changwei, who dares to face assassins head-on and fight against many outnumbered people, not be brave? However... the situation inside the room is quite bloody and filthy, so you should be prepared."

Only then did he take Li Ji's hand and walk side by side into the interrogation room.