Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 35

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, they went out to look for Yu Ling, Chen Fu and others, and finally found Yu Baiwan inside the abbot's quarters.

After the novice monk announced the arrival, he led Li Ji inside. Li Ji glanced up and saw Yu Ling sitting across a table from a foreign monk. Yu Ling then introduced him, saying, "This is the Venerable Amoghavajra."

The Hu monk smiled at Li Ji, gestured for him to sit down, and exclaimed, "I just heard Benefactor Yu mention Benefactor Li's deeds. First, you saved the lives of the people of Suiyang, and last night you saved hundreds of palace women and commoners. Your merits are truly great."

Li Ji returned the greeting with his palms together, then knelt down. He had never been interested in religion, and although he knew that Li Heng was both a devout Taoist and a devout Buddhist, and that monks often visited him during the Ding'an reign, he had never interacted with him, so he didn't know who this foreign monk was. He only learned later, after asking around, that this monk was no ordinary person.

Amoghavajra is his pseudonym, and his Buddhist name is Wisdom Treasury. Li Ji found this quite amusing, thinking to himself that he was a "mentally challenged" monk. He was originally from the Lion Kingdom (Sri Lanka), became a monk at a young age, and came to China with Vajrabodhi at the age of fourteen, where he lived in Luoyang for more than twenty years.

In the twenty-ninth year of the Kaiyuan era, the thirty-seven-year-old Zhizang was ordered to return to his homeland and receive esoteric teachings through an altar. In the fifth year of the Tianbao era, he returned to Chang'an with an envoy from the Lion Kingdom and was ordered to perform initiation ceremonies at Jingying Temple, where he also engaged in translation work. Shortly afterward, he went to Hexi to spread the Dharma. In the fifteenth year of the Tianbao era, the emperor summoned Zhizang back to Chang'an, and then... the emperor fled, becoming the Supreme Emperor in the blink of an eye, leaving Zhizang behind.

Fortunately, many of the rebel generals were Buddhists, so they didn't make things too difficult for the foreign monk. After An Qingxu usurped the throne, he even summoned him to Luoyang to stay at Shengshan Temple. Zhizang's teachings were from the same lineage as those of Shengshan Temple, and he was also renowned. Therefore, the abbot gave up the position of abbot to him and went to share a dormitory with the supervisor.

Yu Ling and the monk Zhizang had a long-standing friendship—the two had known each other in Luoyang before Zhizang returned to China at the end of the Kaiyuan era—which enabled her to persuade Zhizang to allow the families and servants of more than a dozen households, and even the nearby people, to come.

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Woman in the Car

After bidding farewell to Yu Ling and Bukong Sanzang, Li Ji turned around and went to find Shen Shen.

Shengshan Temple covers a large area and has many monks and even more monks' quarters. Due to years of war, nearly 40% of the monks either fled or died, leaving many rooms vacant. However, yesterday during the day, more than a dozen officials and wealthy merchants, along with their families and servants, flocked in, numbering no less than 500 people. Then, people from the surrounding area also came to seek refuge. In the evening, Li Ji brought in several hundred more people. As a result, most of them had to sleep in the open under the eaves.

Along the way, Li Ji saw nothing but men and women seeking refuge. Among them were several familiar palace servants and eunuchs. Upon seeing Li Ji, they intended to greet him and inquire about the outside world—last night, it was thanks to An Zhili's bloody battle that they were rescued, which led to the arrival of Yu Baiwan's family. He must be well-informed. However, as soon as they approached, they all looked astonished and quickly turned away to hide.

Li Ji was surprised. He thought to himself, "I only changed my clothes. Could it be that there's still blood on my face from last night's fighting, making me look so horrifying? No, I washed my face after lunch..."

In the distance, she saw a plump figure, who seemed to be Pang Zhangchu... This time, she didn't need to hide from Li Ji; Li Ji was the one who had to hide from her first. He hurriedly pulled up his sleeve to cover his face and walked past quickly.

According to Yu Ling, Yang Sichu and Consort Shen were staying in the monks' quarters at the other end of the temple. Li Ji hurriedly ran over and saw two servants of the Yu family guarding the door. He stood outside the door and loudly announced his request to see them.

Yang Siyi's slightly aged voice came from inside the room: "Come in."

The servant opened the door and let Li Ji in, then closed the door behind him. The monk's cell was not large; one could see everything at a glance. Yang Sichu was kneeling upright against the wall, while Consort Shen occupied the brightest spot in the room, leaning against the window and gazing out.

Yang Siyi stared at Li Ji with a somewhat surprised expression, but then he seemed relieved and said, "You really aren't a eunuch..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji realized he hadn't shaved. He reached up to touch his chin, finding it a bit rough—oh right, he hadn't shaved after getting up today. No wonder those people outside were looking at him strangely, and when they tried to greet him, they quickly hid. They probably noticed the bluish discoloration under his lips and chin and suspected he was just someone who looked very similar.

So he smiled at Yang Siyi first, then turned to Consort Shen and bowed with his hands clasped. Consort Shen slowly turned her head and raised her hand: "No need for formalities, please sit down—in the inner palace, we dare not speak freely. Now that we have escaped, I have been hoping for your visit to tell me about the situation of Prince Guangping and Prince Fengjie. Where are they now? Are they both still healthy?"

Li Ji took a closer look and noticed that Shen's appearance was quite different from when she was in the kitchen. First, she had changed into clean clothes, and her hair was neatly combed, no longer disheveled. Second, she had washed her face, and the large birthmark on her cheek had disappeared—it couldn't have been just smeared with coal ash, as that would be hard to hide for long; he wondered what secret method she had used—and she had also applied a light layer of makeup.

At this moment, the woman's appearance was slightly haggard, but it did not diminish her former beauty. She did not look very old, probably only in her early thirties at most. Although she was still dressed in simple clothes, her demeanor was extremely elegant. She truly had the air of a noblewoman from a scholarly family who had married into the royal family.

Li Ji didn't stand on ceremony and immediately knelt down. He then reported to Consort Shen: "Both princes are in excellent health. Prince Guangping is the Grand Marshal of the Army, commanding hundreds of thousands of troops. He will enter the city by tomorrow at the latest and will come to meet Your Highness. As for Prince Fengjie, he was still in Yong County when we parted. He has probably already followed the Emperor back to the Western Capital..."

He then began to recount his relationship with Li Shi, how Li Shi missed his mother, how he pleaded with his grandfather Li Heng to send him to Luoyang to find her, and so on... As for whether Li Chu had ever thought about his wife, Li Ji had no idea, so he didn't make anything up.

Hearing him speak of his son's voice and smile, Consort Shen was overcome with sorrow, tears welling in her eyes. She quickly turned away and wiped them with her sleeve. Taking advantage of this moment, Li Ji asked, "Where is A-Cuo? Who sent her here, and how did she come to know Your Highness?"

How exactly did the young girl get in touch with Consort Shen? Li Ji was deeply curious about this.

Consort Shen was overjoyed that Li Ji had saved her life and that she was about to be reunited with her husband and son. She felt a strong affinity for the young man and revealed everything to him, saying, "A-Cuo's real name is Cui Qi..."

Li Ji couldn't help but think to himself: So he really is surnamed Cui!

"...She and I are old acquaintances, but..." He paused slightly, then asked, "The reason for this is quite convoluted and bizarre. Would you like to hear it?"

Li Ji nodded repeatedly: "Please enlighten me, Your Highness."

Consort Shen raised her eyes slightly and began to recall the past: "This matter has to start from the twenty-fifth year of the Kaiyuan era..."

Li Ji did a quick mental calculation. This was the twenty-fifth year of the Kaiyuan era... a full twenty years ago! Could it be? That little girl looks so young, could she actually be older than me?!

"...That autumn, a major incident occurred in Xijing: someone broke into the palace gardens and stole many rare treasures..."

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In the twenty-fifth year of the Kaiyuan era, when Shen was eleven years old and still unmarried, her father, Shen Yizhi, was an official in the Court of Judicial Review. Therefore, he brought his wife and children from Luoyang, the eastern capital, to live in Chang'an.

—Although the Shen family originated from Wuxing, their ancestor Shen Xie had long since fled north to the Central Plains due to the Hou Jing Rebellion. He served as an official under the Zhou and Sui dynasties before finally settling in Luoyang.

In the autumn of that year, the imperial court held a civil service examination to select officials.

Scholars from all over the country gathered in Chang'an, making the city more bustling than ever before. Among them was a young man from Changzhou—now Jinling County—who was well-versed in classical texts and aspired to become a scholar. He was also a close friend of the Shen family. Upon arriving in Chang'an, he immediately presented his visiting card to the Shen family and stayed at their residence.

At the time, Consort Shen was still young, not yet of marriageable age—generally starting at fourteen or fifteen—so her household discipline was lax, and she often had the opportunity to meet this young scholar. It is said that this man was quite handsome, physically strong, both literate and martial, and very learned. Shen Yizhi tested him with classical texts, and he could not find it difficult, thus earning unanimous praise from everyone in the household.

This person also believed that he would surely pass the imperial examination this year.

It's important to understand that from the early years of the Kaiyuan era, the Jinshi examination (进士科) became increasingly prestigious because the emperor valued poetry and prose, while the Mingjing examination (明经科) gradually declined. Coupled with the prevailing trend of extravagance and decadence, the number of scholars vying for the Jinshi examination was overwhelming, while very few applied for the Mingjing examination. But this young man firmly believed that only by thoroughly studying the classics could he govern the country well using the words of the sages, so he devoted himself entirely to the Mingjing examination. Moreover, given his talent and the scarcity of competitors, how could he not succeed?

Furthermore, Shen Yizhi is a third-rank official, a high-ranking official, so his recommendation would provide an extra layer of security.

So Shen Yizhi told the young man to stay in his own residence and study, but the young man ignored him—"Anyway, I'm good enough"—since I've come from the remote southeast to this bustling capital, I should enjoy the local life and atmosphere, so as not to waste this year's long journey north. Therefore, he would sneak out to wander around every few days, ignoring Shen Yizhi's repeated advice.

However, just as the examination period was approaching, the Forbidden City was suddenly attacked by bandits, who stole many rare treasures. The young man did not return home for a full day and night. When he finally returned, he was as if he had lost his soul, his face ashen and his body trembling like a leaf. He immediately packed his bags, bid farewell to Shen Yizhi, and went straight out of the city to return to his hometown. Shen Yizhi questioned him about the reason—why did you decide not to take the imperial examination?—but he remained silent and refused to speak.

And so it ended, with no hope of ever seeing each other again, and Lady Shen gradually put it out of her mind. Who would have thought that nearly fifteen years after she married into the Prince of Guangping's household and gave birth to Li Shi, she would hear news of this young scholar again from her brother, Shen Zhen. It was during a home visit that Shen Zhen casually mentioned, "I recently heard a strange story—Does Your Highness still remember someone?"

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Consort Shen recounted the events to Li Ji, who became increasingly confused. He couldn't understand how this story could be connected to A-Cuo... no, Cui Qi. He seized an opportunity to interject and ask Consort Shen, "Your Highness, can't you tell me the scholar's name?"

What is this person's name? You've explained everything else very clearly, even in great detail, but you refuse to mention this person's name. Why is that?

Consort Shen smiled slightly, but did not answer, and continued speaking to herself—

“My elder brother told me that the other day, Vice Magistrate Cui visited our residence and said that he knew this person and had met him in Shu before…”

Consort Shen didn't explain, but Li Ji guessed that the "Junior Magistrate Cui" she mentioned referred to Cui Guangyuan. That guy had once served as the magistrate of Tang'an County (present-day Shuzhou), where he clung to Yang Guozhong's powerful connections, thus rising through the ranks to become the Junior Magistrate of Jingzhao. Three years ago, when the rebellion broke out, Cui Guangyuan happened to be on a mission to Tibet. Shortly after his return, the Emperor abandoned the capital and fled, promoting Cui Guangyuan to Junior Magistrate of Jingzhao before his departure, leaving him with a mess…

That day, Shen Zhen relayed Cui Guangyuan's words, saying that Cui Guangyuan had always enjoyed associating with extraordinary individuals from the martial arts world. Once, while serving as magistrate of Tang'an, a young man came to him and displayed his skills, able to scale walls and leap across rooftops with the agility of a bird. Cui Guangyuan treated him with great hospitality and kept him in his household. Not long after, a scholar from Wuzhong passed through Shu and was invited to a banquet by Cui Guangyuan along with his peers. During the banquet, Cui Guangyuan asked one of his hired extraordinary individuals to perform for the guests. When it came to the person skilled in light-footed martial arts, the scholar from Wuzhong was greatly astonished and whispered to Cui Guangyuan, "This is a great thief!"

Cui Guangyuan then devised a plan to capture the man, interrogate him thoroughly, and have him confront the scholars of Wu.

When Consort Shen heard her brother mention this, she asked, "The scholar from Wuzhong you mentioned, is he the one who once stayed at my house?"

Shen Zhen smiled and said, "Your Highness is quick-witted—it is indeed someone!"

There was a young man on the east side and a scholar on the west side, none of them saying their names. Li Ji was completely confused and could only give them nicknames in his mind to avoid misunderstanding. The scholar who had once planned to take the Mingjing examination, being a close friend of the Shen family, could be called "So-and-so"; and the one Cui Guangyuan kept who could perform qinggong (light-footed kung fu) could be called "the great thief".

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It turns out that this man, formerly in Chang'an, stayed at the Shen residence while awaiting the imperial examinations. He had no intention of studying any further and spent his days wandering around the various neighborhoods. One day, he saw two young men in the street, dressed in hemp robes, approaching him with bows and very respectful manners. However, upon closer inspection, he couldn't recognize them at all. Upon inquiry, he learned that he had indeed mistaken them for someone else.

Several days later, he encountered the two young men again. They said to him, "We were on duty the other day, and we didn't expect to meet again. It must be fate. Today we are hosting a banquet, but we are short of a guest. Why don't you come with us, sir? It would be a way to express our apologies." After repeated requests, the man had no choice but to go with them. They passed through several neighborhoods and finally arrived at a very secluded and quiet house in the East Market.

Several young men, around twenty years old, were already waiting inside to greet him, just like the previous two. They led him to a seat, where a multitude of delicacies were laid out before him. Afterward, the young men repeatedly went out to look around, as if waiting for a guest, until the afternoon when they finally said, "He's here."

So, escorted by a jeweled carriage, they entered the courtyard and arrived at the hall. A beaded curtain was rolled up, and a woman in white emerged. She appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old, with her hair styled in a married woman's bun. Her figure was extremely graceful, and her appearance was also...

Chapter Twenty-Four: A Close Family Ties

Consort Shen recounted that someone had lent his mount to two young men, which led to a palace theft case. As a result, the scoundrels in Chang'an were staking out outside the Shen residence. Upon seeing the person, they would grab him and say, "You've been caught red-handed. Come with us."

The man was then taken to the Inner Palace for questioning. Upon entering through a small door, the guards shoved him from behind, causing him to fall into a deep pit. Looking up, he saw a roof over two zhang high, with only a small window in the middle through which a sliver of sunlight could be seen. From noon until dusk, no one came to inquire about his whereabouts. Only a bamboo basket containing flatbread and water was lowered down from the skylight via a rope. The man, unable to bear the hunger and thirst, ate it all in a short time, and then the rope was pulled back up.

As the night deepened and all was quiet, with only a faint moonlight streaming through the skylight, casting a hazy, dreamlike glow over the deep pit, a man was overcome with grief. He hadn't expected his great talents to be wasted on such a calamity. Since the matter involved the imperial family, he feared he would never escape imprisonment again… Those two young men, he thought they were good people, but they turned out to be notorious thieves? What grudge did they hold against him? Why did they specifically borrow his horse to frame him?

Just as he was shedding tears, he suddenly felt the moonlight dim. Looking up, he saw someone swirling down like a bird until they landed beside him. Then the person reached out and touched his shoulder, comforting him, "Don't be afraid. Now that I'm here, you have nothing to worry about." Judging from the voice, it was the white-clad woman he had met at the banquet that day, who had arrived by carriage.

Then the woman took out a silk ribbon, tied one end tightly to someone's body, and tied the other end to herself. Then, holding the person, she took off into the air and actually passed through the small window. She then flew out of the palace walls and the city walls, and finally landed dozens of miles away.

After being untied, the woman said to the man, "Sir, you should return to Jianghuai. Your plan to seek officialdom will have to wait for another day."

Even if you've already registered your name with the government, are you still planning to show your face and take the exam? You're courting death! For now, the only option is to return to your hometown, lie low for several years, and wait for the court to hold the imperial examination again—or seek officialdom through other means.

As Consort Shen spoke, Li Ji pondered. He found it strange that she was telling him about that strange event from many years ago, but she refused to mention the names of several key figures.

It is estimated that the "master thief" was one of the young men who lured and entertained someone that day. In addition, the woman in white, whose names are unknown, may not be from first-hand information. This matter was first told to Cui Guangyuan by someone, then Cui Guangyuan relayed it to Shen Zhen, and finally it fell into Shen Fei's ears. It went through three hands.

But what about this person? He was a close friend of the Shen family and had lived in Shen Yizhi's residence. Even if Consort Shen didn't remember his name, she should at least know his surname. Why wouldn't she tell her clearly even when Consort Shen asked?

Could it be that I recognize this person? Or at least know his name and background...?

The whole affair spans a long period of time and geographical area, and can be roughly divided into three parts: The first part is the bizarre encounter of a certain person in Chang'an City twenty years ago. It was probably because he was inadvertently involved in a palace theft case that he was forced to suddenly give up the imperial examination and flee the Shen Mansion shortly before the exam.

The second part describes how this person wandered around and, for reasons unknown, traveled west to Sichuan. He then encountered the "great bandit" again at a banquet hosted by Cui Guangyuan, the magistrate of Tang'an County. This must have been at least several years later, because the case had either been closed or, while not closed, had not been publicly announced with a warrant for the bandit's arrest. Only then did he dare to reveal the whole story to Cui Guangyuan.

In the third part, five years ago, Cui Guangyuan took office as the Vice Magistrate of Jingzhao and came to Chang'an. When he visited Shen Yizhi, he mentioned this past event—probably because he knew that someone was a close relative of the Shen family—and then Consort Shen came to visit her family and heard about it from her brother Shen Zhen.

It's unclear which section is connected to A-Cuo... no, Cui Qi. According to Li Ji's assessment, since it can be roughly determined that Cui Qi was raised by Cui Guangyuan, the first part is probably unrelated to her, but it may soon involve the second and third parts.

Consort Shen was a skilled storyteller. What was already a rather convoluted and bizarre affair wasn't told entirely in chronological order; her narrative jumped between different timelines, much like a cinematic montage. After essentially finishing the first part, Consort Shen wasn't in a hurry to reveal the endings of the second and third parts. Instead, she smiled and asked Li Ji, "What are your thoughts on this matter?"

Li Ji pondered for a moment. Although he still wanted to maintain his persona, he couldn't suppress his curiosity. In the end, he crossed his hands and asked, "May I ask, is the friend of your family surnamed Zhou?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Shen's smile widened, and she immediately turned to Yang Siyi and said, "A-Cuo is right. This boy is indeed insightful and not a boorish person."

Li Ji thought to himself, "I'm doomed. My secrets have been exposed..."

He always deliberately maintained the persona of a roughneck in order to play dumb and outsmart others. Even when he had to be clever in response to circumstances, he would always blame it on Li Bi, saying that it was his elder brother who taught him. Unfortunately, after infiltrating the inner palace, he was almost isolated and helpless. He couldn't find anyone to take the blame for him, and he couldn't pretend to be stupid anymore. As a result, his true nature was somewhat exposed in Cui Qi's eyes.

This little girl is really quick-witted!

Looking back now, Li Ji recalls that day when he delivered food to the Imperial Household Department and encountered the palace's search for fake eunuchs. Cui Qi had pretended to accidentally knock over the basket of cakes to help Li Ji out of the predicament. She had even subtly brushed Li Ji's hand, and afterwards, she took the initiative to warn him not to act rashly. Perhaps before that, in the little girl's eyes, his image hadn't completely collapsed.

Because in Ding'an, Yong County, and even Chang'an, Li Ji's public image was maintained quite well, while Cui Qi...

Having encountered him twice, she naturally had the opportunity to inquire about Li Changwei's character and conduct through various channels—or perhaps Cui Guangyuan told her directly—which is why she was worried that Li Ji might act impulsively and get into trouble.

However, that evening, Li Ji went to Cui Qi to beg her to send a message outside the palace, and at the same time inquire about the origins and current situation of Zhen Sui. During their conversation and planning, it was impossible for him to pretend to be stupid, and the little girl saw right through him...

Moreover, the little girl turned her face away and reported to Consort Shen.

Li Ji surmised that Consort Shen, having safely left the Yeting Palace and entered the Shengshan Temple, must have a lot to say and a thousand questions to ask. He himself was utterly exhausted last night, so he dumped his burden on Yu Ling and went straight to sleep, only to wake up close to noon. It was one thing if it was the dead of night, but wouldn't Consort Shen urgently summon Yu Ling or Chen Fu to question him as soon as dawn broke?

Naturally, they would also ask who Li Ji was. However, the stories about Li Ji that Yu and Chen told them were vastly different from the one Cui Qi had described. Therefore, Consort Shen, halfway through her story, first asked Li Ji what he thought, as a test. Li Ji could have continued to play dumb, but the question of someone's identity was like a chicken bone stuck in his throat—he simply couldn't hold back!

The Shen family was a prominent clan in Jiangnan. Since this person was a close friend of the Shen family, their background couldn't have been low. Even if they weren't prominent today, they must have been a wealthy and powerful family in the past. So, what prominent clans had ever emerged from the Jiangnan region, especially Changzhou, which is also known as Jingling County?

In his previous life, Li Ji was an expert in the history of the late Western Jin Dynasty. After transmigrating, he borrowed many history books from Li Shi to read, and what interested him most was naturally the history of the Eastern Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties—to see how much the timelines diverged. He naturally knew the old saying—"Among the heroes of Jiangdong, none are stronger than Zhou and Shen!"

In Li Ji's original timeline, the Zhou family of Yixing (present-day Jingling County) and the Shen family of Wuxing quickly declined after the unification of the North and South. However, in this timeline, there was Shen Chong in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Shen Yanzhi and Shen Qingzhi in the Liu Song Dynasty, Shen Wenji and Shen Zhaolue in the Xiao Qi Dynasty, Shen Ke in the Xiao Liang Dynasty, and Shen Faxing at the end of the Sui Dynasty. Even after the Tang Dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong, there was Shen Junliang, who was once appointed as Zhengjian Dafu Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi, which is equivalent to prime minister—the Shen family was still very prosperous.

Do you think that ordinary families in Jiangnan could easily become third-rank officials like Dali Zheng without passing the imperial examinations? Do you think that commoner women have the opportunity to become concubines of the emperor's grandson?

In comparison, the Zhou family of Yixing was far inferior, and was once wiped out by the combined forces of Wang Dun and Shen Chong—if the Zhou family were still prosperous, someone coming to Chang'an wouldn't need to go through the Shen family's connections. But after all, they were an old clan from hundreds of years ago, and from the perspective of Shen Chong and Zhou Qi, they were indeed close relatives.

—What's a few hundred years? Kong Rong even discussed matters of the same kind with Li Ying…

The key point was that, apart from the Zhou family of Yixing, Li Ji couldn't think of any other close relatives the Shen family might have. Therefore, he mustered his courage and asked. He immediately heard Consort Shen praise, "This young man is indeed insightful and not a reckless person." That meant he had guessed correctly.

Li Ji couldn't help but gasp.

Regardless of their place of origin, is there anyone in this world with the surname Zhou whom Consort Shen is reluctant to mention and would rather Li Ji guess? Besides, what scholars with the surname Zhou does Li Ji know in this world?

There's only one answer—Zhou Zhi!

Li Ji thought to himself, no wonder. He was asking about Cui Qi's background, and Consort Shen could have simply explained it in a few words, but instead she went around in circles, recounting events from twenty years ago in detail, and even describing someone's appearance.

He couldn't help but recall that he had once met Zhou Zhi by chance in the Yeting Palace. That fellow looked much younger than his actual age, but in terms of appearance, he certainly deserved the description of "good looks and strong physique".

Unexpectedly, this high-ranking official of the false Yan dynasty and a confidant of the An family was connected to Consort Shen! So, the reason Consort Shen was able to remain hidden in the inner palace for two whole years without being detected… Li Ji couldn't help but ask again, “Your Highness, regarding Your Majesty's hiding in the palace, did that person… that person Zhou, know anything about it?”

Consort Shen shook her head gently and said, "I don't know either..." She paused and then said, "However, this person is known for his strategic acumen. If the rumors are true, and he once recruited martial arts experts for the rebel An, it is probably impossible to hide it from him."

In other words, Zhou Zhi may not have been unaware that Consort Shen was hiding in the palace; he was simply pretending not to know—which was, in fact, a form of protection.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Inescapable Catastrophe

Li Ji confirmed his suspicions: the "someone" that Consort Shen mentioned was actually Zhou Zhi, a trusted confidant of the An family!

He thought to himself that since his persona had already collapsed, he might as well stop pretending completely in front of Consort Shen—even though Consort Shen knew, Li Chu would know in a few days, and then Li Shi—it would be a good opportunity to clarify this old case. He immediately crossed his hands and said, "I'm afraid that someone may not be as shrewd as Your Highness thinks. As Your Highness said about the palace theft twenty years ago, he was completely fooled by the other party."

According to Li Ji's analysis, the boys and the woman in white were actually a group, all skilled in light-footed martial arts, capable of scaling walls and rooftops. They were plotting a big heist, stealing from the imperial collection. Somehow, they learned that Zhou Zhi, who had just arrived in Chang'an to prepare for the imperial examinations, was a capable man. Since Zhou Zhi was staying at the Dali Prefecture, they feared for his safety and thus set a trap to implicate him. However, upon meeting and questioning him, they discovered that Zhou Zhi could only walk two or three steps on a wall—nothing special at all.

This put an end to their plan to recruit him, but the problem was that Zhou Zhi had met with them before, and if he were to report them later, it would be difficult for them to escape. That's why they specifically asked Zhou Zhi to borrow a horse and frame him.

Li Ji said to Consort Shen, "Someone was detained by scoundrels in the capital, but instead of being escorted to the capital, he was sent to the Inner Palace. This is truly incomprehensible..."

The "Bad People" were minor officials and soldiers conscripted by the Jingzhao Prefecture with criminal records or bad deeds, serving as semi-unofficial personnel for tasks such as investigation and catching thieves. Therefore, their superior was the Jingzhao Prefect, and they had nothing to do with the Inner Palace Secretariat. Even if the Inner Palace Secretariat were in charge of this matter, with the Jingzhao Prefecture only assisting, the "Bad People," given their status, could not directly deal with the Inner Palace Secretariat; they would have to go to the Jingzhao Prefecture first.

Therefore, Li Ji suspected that the so-called imprisonment in the Inner Palace and subsequent escape from the palace was just a show. In particular, he did not believe that anyone could "fly" dozens of miles in one breath—did they really think there was such a thing as a "sword immortal"? The key point is, since someone was detained, why wasn't he questioned in time? The theft in the palace was a major case, an important case, and an urgent case, and no one dared to delay.

Why detain someone for most of the day, then feed and water them, and then pretend to rescue them? The problem might lie in that basket of food and water!

Jia Huai once told Li Ji about a poison, mostly from fungi, that tastes bland but can cause mental confusion and hallucinations—unfortunately, Jia Huai didn't have any at the time. So, it's quite possible that someone, in a state of terror and fear, had consumed spiked food and water, and with a little deception and guidance, could easily be made to believe they flew out of the palace and traveled dozens of miles to the outskirts of the city.

Moreover, it's estimated that Zhou Zhi was so focused on the woman in white that he was probably confused while being embraced by her—it's understandable that he was a little flustered, considering that the woman in white was indeed as slender and beautiful as described in the story.

Furthermore, if the theft case had not been concluded, since Zhou Zhi intended to take the imperial examination, he must have been registered with the Ministry of Rites. Therefore, his background, resume, and even appearance were all verifiable. Why didn't the court issue an arrest warrant for him, allowing him to dare to show his face in Tang'an County a few years later? Even if the theft case had been concluded, it was a major case involving the imperial court, and there was no reason for Zhou Zhi to completely distance himself from it.