Chapter 23 Return as a Captive Minister

  In the first year of Zhiyuan, in October, Li Zhe suddenly attacked Jianye, relying on the power of treachery. On that night, he broke into Jianye and captured all officials. On the same day, Princess Changle returned to the palace, but all her guards were killed. That night, Li Zhe secretly went to Cangyun Villa, where Xu Zhe was staying. He offered Xu a high position and wealth, but Xu refused. The next day, the ruler of the country arrived, and Li Zhe looted Jianye with military orders. After several days, the loyalist army approached Jianye, and Li Zhe retreated. As he left, he took all members of the Southern Chu royal family and officials, including Xu Zhe, who had already retired at that time.

  The Book of Southern Chu · Biography of Jiang Suiyun

  After settling down Princess Chang Le, Li Zhi brought his full stomach of doubts and hastily arrived at Cangyun Villa in the northern suburbs of Jianye. This time, he didn't bring any advisors, and the pain of having no one to discuss with made him more eager to meet his heart's desire, Zi Fang. When he arrived at Cangyun Villa, Li Zhi's mood calmed down, and he carefully thought about how to get Jiang Zhe under his command. Along the way, he had been thinking about this problem, but no matter what method he came up with, he couldn't grasp it firmly. Jiang Zhe was a rare person who had no weaknesses to exploit. In the end, Li Zhi made up his mind that no matter what, he must bring Jiang Zhe away, otherwise, he would have come to Jianye in vain.

  After calming down, Li Zai walked into Cangyun Villa. Following his orders, Yong Jun did not disturb the owner of Cangyun Villa but had already taken control of everyone in the villa. Under Sima Xiong's lead, Li Zai headed towards Quixiang Garden at the back of the garden, where Jiang Zhe often lingered. There, Li Zai could see the brave warriors of Yong Jun hiding in various parts of the garden. Li Zai looked at Sima Xiong with some concern and asked, "Is Mr. Jiang not dissatisfied?" Sima Xiong replied in a low voice, "Mr. Jiang seems to be ignoring us. There are very few servants in the villa, except for one named Li Shun, only four young servants, but their names are quite strange - Chi Ji, Dao Su, Hua Liu, and Lü Er. These servants are all very obedient and haven't caused any trouble. However, that Li Shun is somewhat suspicious; he's a eunuch."

  Li Zai's footsteps paused for a moment, and he said: "Chi Ji is one of the names of Mu Wang Ba Jun. It seems that Mr. Jiang indeed has a remarkable literary talent. As for Li Shun, I vaguely know this person. Our spies in the Southern Chu army once mentioned that there was an imperial eunuch under the surveillance official who had a very close relationship with Jiang Zhe. I originally thought it was just a personal friendship, but now it seems that his relationship with Mr. Jiang is extraordinary. However, let's forget about it. He's just an imperial eunuch; we don't need to make things difficult for him, lest we offend Mr. Jiang."

  Simayou said in a low voice: "That Li Shun, I always feel that he is not ordinary. When I see him, I feel a chill in my heart." Lǐ Zǐ looked at him and said lightly: "Oh, since that's the case, just be more careful." As they spoke, the two of them arrived at Quanxiangyuan. At the gate of the garden, Chi Jī and Dào Yáng were sitting on the corridor in front of the gate, talking and laughing in low voices. When they saw Lǐ Zǐ and his companion approaching, the two men stood up and bowed with their hands clasped together.

  Li Zai smiled and asked: "Is Mr. Jiang inside?" Chi Ji replied respectfully: "The young master is not feeling well today, he had dinner and rested after using it."

  Simarong heard this and his anger surged up. He said in a low voice, "Your Highness, I have already informed the subordinate that you would be visiting tonight. This person is truly too impolite."

  Li Zai waved his hand to stop him from continuing to speak and smiled: "So Mr. has rested, why is Mr.'s body not very good?"

  Chi Jing replied respectfully: "The young master has been bedridden with illness since returning from Shu, and had recently shown signs of recovery. However, the sudden passing of King De and the demotion of the young master's memorial led to a relapse of his old illness. If Your Highness has any instructions, I will summon General Li to receive them."

  Simayou's hand pressed against the hilt of his sword, glaring furiously at Chiji, but Chiji was respectful and courteous, with a smile on his face, showing no fear.

  Li Zai thought for a moment, then said: "Alright, I'll see Li the General Manager." After speaking, Li Zai sat down in a small pavilion not far from the hall, looking at the lush bamboo garden, feeling carefree and content. Tou Rui and Chi Ji brought tea and snacks, which were very considerate. Before long, a young boy in green clothes, Xiao Shunzi, came over, bowed deeply to pay respects to the prince, and said: "I am Li Shun, your humble servant. My master is ill and unable to come to serve you, please forgive him."

  Li Zai looked up and saw that Li Shun's appearance was indeed extraordinary. Although he had seen many eunuchs in the imperial court, they all shared a common trait - the self-abasement in their eyes. However, Li Shun's eyes were clear and cold, his demeanor humble but with an air of pride that seemed to command life and death. Li Zai remembered seeing such eyes before, when he first met Feng Yimen's master during his father's military campaigns. The master's eyes had been warm and compassionate, yet also radiated a sense of supremacy. Li Zai recalled how Feng Yimen's master had helped him defeat Yang Laosheng, and the aura of invincibility that had emanated from him in that moment. Seeing Li Shun's demeanor, Li Zai suddenly realized that this man must be an exceptional expert, one who could potentially rival Feng Yimen's master.

  Thinking of this, Li Ze warmly said: "I have heard some things about General Li before. If I'm not mistaken, didn't General Li also participate in the great war in Shu?"

  Li Shun looked at Li Ze in surprise and said, "Your Highness actually knows about a humble servant's affairs. This servant has known the young master for many years and has been fortunate enough to receive his care. Now that Jianye is in chaos, I might as well abandon those false honors and live off the young master's charity. If Your Highness wants to punish this servant or anyone else in the palace, this servant will naturally not dare resist."

  Li Zai waved his hand and smiled: "The two countries are at war, what does it have to do with you poor people? Moreover, now that General Li is by Mr. Jiang's side, I will still need General Li to put in a good word for me later, it seems that Mr. Jiang is very angry?"

  Li Shun's eyes flashed with a hint of kindness, and he said: "Although the young master was forced to retire, after all, he has served Southern Chu for many years. Now that the country is on the brink of collapse, if the young master is actually pleased about it, it would be unconvincing no matter where he goes. Moreover, this time Your Highness's intention in going to battle is unclear, and my young master cannot figure it out. If Your Highness is willing to tell me, I will pass it on to him, perhaps it can bring a smile to his face."

  Li Zhe's heart moved, and he thought that Jiang Zhe might not be entirely rejecting him, so he spoke frankly: "This time attacking Jianye, if in Mr. Jiang's opinion, it seems like Li Zhe is making a fuss, but actually, it's a case of 'disaster arising from within the walls'. Li Zhe has been living on thin ice every day, and if he can't get Mr. Jiang's support, he fears for his life. Please, General Li, convey my sincere intentions to Mr. Jiang. This time, no matter what, I must invite Mr. Jiang to join me in the next grand gathering. If Mr. Jiang is unwilling to take notice of me, I fear that Li Zhe will be unlucky and won't be able to pay his respects and receive guidance again."

  Li Shun stepped forward and said: "Your Highness values the young master so much, I'll thank you on his behalf. May I ask, Your Highness, my young master only loves the beauty of mountains and rivers, he has no desire to benefit the world or achieve great things. I don't know why you want him to work so hard, but I'm afraid it will only end in a tragic outcome like 'the birds die when the bow is stored away' and 'the rabbit dies when the dog is cooked'."

  Li Zai stood up and said sincerely: "I don't dare say that we can definitely get along as monarch and minister, but Li Zai is not a person who is jealous of others' talents or abilities. He is also not the king of Yue who can only share hardships but not wealth and glory. The king knows that Mr. Jiang does not love wealth, honor, or establishing achievements, but if the world is in chaos, I'm afraid even Mr. Jiang cannot live in peace. Now, our internal troubles are right before us, and the southern Chu region will soon fall into chaos without a leader. Although Northern Han is still stable, they value military power over scholars, and the people of Shu may have more vengeful intentions than respectful ones if they hear Mr. Jiang's name. This is not the king's threatening words, but if our kingdom cannot unify the world, I'm afraid there will be no peaceful land in this chaotic world. If Mr. Jiang is willing to lend me a helping hand, I can guarantee that in the future, you can live and work in peace in our kingdom, and we can share glory together."

  Li Shun thought for a moment, then said: "Your Highness's words are sincere and heartfelt. I will report back to the young master without missing a single word." After speaking, Li Shun bowed and took his leave. Li Zai sat in the pavilion, his heart filled with hope. From Li Shun's words, he could sense that Jiang Zhe was not entirely unwilling, but rather had many concerns.

  After a while, Li Shun returned and said: "The young master asks me to inform Your Highness that the matter of surrendering is related to the young master's life-long honor and cannot be decided lightly. At present, Your Highness has many military tasks, please return to the camp quickly. The young master says that Your Highness has captured Shang Weijun, the father of Empress Shang, and he should not be treated lightly. Now the Crown Prince and Empress Shang are still on the run, if Your Highness wants to make it easier to conquer Chu in the future, it's better not to pursue them too much. If the ruler flees, it would be best if Your Highness has already caught them."

  Li Shun glanced at King Yong and Li Zhi nodded: "Tomorrow Zhao Jia will be sent to Jianye."

  Li Shun continued: "The ruler is mediocre and ignorant of slander, now trapped in prison, the country is not safe, the world despises him, even if he stays in Southern Chu, it's useless. If he is brought back to Da Yong, his life will be over in a few years, I'm afraid it will be difficult to survive. The people of Southern Chu will deeply resent Da Yong for this. In the past, King Huai of Chu died in Qin State, and the people of Chu hated him greatly, there was once a saying 'Even if Chu has only three households, Qin will surely perish at the hands of Chu'. Later, Great Qin indeed perished at the hands of the people of Chu."

  Li Zai worriedly said: "But this time I raised troops and established a base, if I can't capture Zhao Jia and the officials, how can I report back to the Emperor?"

  Li Shun said calmly, "The prince also knows that the palace is in a difficult situation, so he said that if there is no other choice, we must bring the king back to Dayong, and cannot easily harm him. We should immediately withdraw our troops and stop fighting, and negotiate with South Chu. Let the new ruler cede territory and surrender, and redeem the captured king and ministers. This can reduce the national strength of South Chu and avoid making an irreconcilable deep feud with them."

  Li Zai thought for a long time before saying, "Thank you, Mr. Jiang, for your kind words. Regardless of whether or not you agree to help me, I am eternally grateful to you."

  Looking at Li Ze's back, Li Shun revealed a hint of a smile. This was my intention to let him take the place of welcoming Prince Yong, letting him see with his own eyes whether Li Ze was worth following or not. His answer was, he is.

  Listening to Xiaoshunzi's detailed report, I put down the book in my hand and said lightly: "It seems that Li Zai is determined to get me."

  "Xiao Shunzi said: 'Young master, what's your opinion?'"

  I said calmly: "The King of Yong has one sentence that really moved me, if the world is in chaos, where can I settle down?"

  Xiao Shunzi said: "Moreover, there is also the Crown Prince Li An. If that person is really Li An, Young Master will have to borrow the power of King Yong to avenge him."

  I sighed and said, "Yes, killing Li An may not be difficult, but the aftermath would be troublesome. However, I don't want to follow Li Zai so easily either. In the past, I had wanted to do my best for King De, but Rong Yuan made me give up. Li Zai is a wise ruler, and I still want to see if there are any virtuous ministers by his side. Let's just put it this way, I won't agree to serve him for now, let's just drag it out like this. I think we should go to Da Ying as captives."

  Xiao Shunzi said with a bitter face: "This is too humiliating, the young master actually wants to go and become a prisoner of war. A guest at the table doesn't want to do it, but wants to be a prisoner under the stairs."

  I smiled and said: "But I'm afraid that now that I've become a guest of honor, in the future I won't even be able to become a prisoner."

  The next day, Zhao Jia was taken back to Jianye by the Yong army. As soon as he saw King Yong, Zhao Jia repeatedly begged: "I have never had any intention of rebelling against the great Yong, I hope that Your Majesty will spare my life for the sake of Queen Wang."

  Li Zhe just gently advised, saying that the Emperor missed his daughter and son-in-law and wanted to bring them together in Yongdu. Zhao Jia begged bitterly, finally tearfully agreeing, but then asked to see Princess Changle, only to be told by Li Zhe that Princess Changle had been frightened and it was not convenient for her to meet him.

  After several more days, Li Zai thoroughly searched the upper and lower reaches of Jianye, taking away the ruler, royal family members, consorts, and officials. On that day, the ruler and ministers of Southern Chu wept bitterly and loudly, while the common people who came to see them off also shed tears, but in front of the iron cavalry of Yong's army, they could only choke back their sobs. Li Zai sat on his horse, looking at the icy gazes around him, and sighed: "It seems that the hearts of the Southern Chu people have not been lost yet."

  Simarong, who was standing beside him, said: "Yes, but they don't have the courage to resist. Otherwise, with only 20,000 of us, if each of them came to chop one knife, we would be finished."

  Li Zai said calmly, "Southerners are gentle and weak, but we can't underestimate their strength. If we push them too hard, they might fight us to the death. They're good at plotting, and if that happens, we'll be in a thorny situation."

  Simaxiong heard the four words "Southern people are cunning" and couldn't help but sneer: "The Southern people are indeed deep in thought, Your Highness treated that Jiang Zhe with such courtesy, yet he still refuses to surrender. Now that Your Highness is taking him back as a prisoner, let's see how arrogant he'll be then!"

  Li Zai couldn't help but smile wryly, he didn't expect that after that day, he went to see Jiang Zhe several times, but Jiang Zhe either pretended to be ill or hastily met with him and then left, never willing to have a deep conversation with him. He repeatedly asked Li Shun about Jiang Zhe's intentions, but Li Shun was also evasive, only vaguely saying that Jiang Zhe didn't want to go to Dayong as an official. In the end, Li Zai had no choice but to forcibly put Jiang Zhe on the list of prisoners and take him back to Dayong. He personally went to apologize to Jiang Zhe, but Jiang Zhe just smiled faintly, seemingly not angry at all. When it was time to leave, Jiang Zhe only brought Li Shun with him, and the other attendants were dismissed after being given some silver. He arrived at the prisoner-of-war camp, where he knew many officials, although their relationship wasn't deep, they could still talk to each other. He was calm and composed, which actually improved the mood of many worried officials. Li Zai was very worried that he had thoroughly offended Jiang Zhe, these past few days were really sleepless nights for him, but the Southern Chu army's troops were desperately attacking Jianye, and the Yong army was already struggling to resist, so he had to leave Jianye as soon as possible.

  Chang Le Gongzhu also returned north with the army, although she had received a shock. However, as soon as Chang Le Gongzhu thought about returning to Da Yong, her mood brightened up a lot. It was just that in these few days before leaving Da Yong, Li Zhi felt that Chang Le Gongzhu always seemed to be on the verge of speaking but hesitated, and there was some distraction in her expression. Li Zhi asked her several times, but was brushed off by Chang Le Gongzhu each time. However, since Li Zhi saw that Chang Le Gongzhu wasn't concerned about Zhao Jia, he didn't overthink it either. Anyway, after returning, Empress Changsun would advise her. As for the crazy Liang Yu, she seemed to have become like a child, crying and throwing tantrums every day, or playing around. Since there were no skilled hands from Fengyi Gate in Li Zhi's army, he could only order people to strictly guard her and sent some more palace maids to take care of her.

  Li Zhe thought about the things he had encountered, and it was really hard to say. Had his trip to attack Jianye been a wrong move? At least the gains he saw in front of him might all become the unsolvable poison that he would take himself in the future.

  Among the crowd watching Yong Jun leave Jianye, Chen Yin and Han Wuji coldly watched Yong Jun's iron cavalry. Han Wuji said in a low voice: "Actually, rescuing the young master is not a difficult task, but the young master just doesn't want to."

  Chen Yin said faintly, "You don't know, the young master and King Yong have always been in contact. Although it's for the sake of Southern Chu, I think the young master still holds King Yong in high regard. This time, King Yong is eager to recruit talents, and according to the news brought by Chi Jue, he has made it clear that he is coming for the young master. How can the young master not be grateful for his esteem? It's just that the young master still remembers Duke Deqin and has some lingering feelings for Southern Chu, so he would rather be taken as a prisoner of war."

  Han Wuji said coldly, "Actually, young master's heart is too soft. In the past, when you were devoted to Southern Chu with all your might, if it weren't for you, our Shu country wouldn't have lost so easily. That Deqin Wang didn't fully trust you either, but you just couldn't let go. You even personally went to Xiangyang to rescue Deqin Wang back then. Unfortunately, the ruler of Southern Chu was incompetent and forced Deqin Wang to his death, causing young master to be heartbroken and disappointed."

  Chen Yin sighed: "Yes, since returning from Xiangyang, the young master almost had a relapse of his old illness. It was only after Mr. Li's repeated consolation that the young master stopped being heartbroken."

  Han Wuji said bitterly: "You, as a noble son in Southern Chu, and we in Shu Kingdom, are all equally heartbroken. Although you often claim to be aloof and emotionless, I don't believe you have no attachment to Shu Kingdom."

  Chen Yin fell silent for a moment, then said: "Shu Guo treated me thinly and with little kindness. Now that I think about it, I also feel some nostalgia. Nan Chu treated you relatively well, so it's no wonder you couldn't bear to give up."