Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 104

Immediately, Li Heng personally drafted an edict, transferring Li Ding to the position of Imperial Censor, granting him the title of Grand Master of the Palace, and appointing him as the Prefect of Fengxiang Prefecture, concurrently serving as the Military Governor and Inspector of the five prefectures of Qin, Long, Xing, Feng, and Cheng.

Qinzhou and Chengzhou originally belonged to Longyou Circuit, but Qin and Long have always been one. Therefore, Wei Lun was previously appointed as the Qin and Long Defense Commissioner. Now, Chengzhou is handed over to Li Ding, which is equivalent to reducing Li Tan's defense area again. As for Xingzhou and Fengzhou, they belong to Shannan West Circuit. As Li Ding requested, they are assigned to the same military region. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, it will be convenient to mobilize troops from the two prefectures to go north to reinforce Fengxiang Prefecture.

The imperial edict recalling Cui Guangyuan and Wei Lun arrived in Fengxiang first, forcing the two to pack their belongings, seal the treasury, and leave in dejection. Li Ji wandered around Longzhou for more than half a month, and only after joining up with the victorious Fuyan army and returning to Fengxiang Prefecture did he learn that Cui Guangyuan had set off for the capital half a day earlier.

He then asked a former official of the shogunate, "Does Lord Cui have any words for me?"

The answer was: "Never."

Li Ji was secretly furious. He thought to himself, "I was planning to discuss Cui Qi's matter with you properly when I got back. Have you completely forgotten about it? Damn it, when I return to Chang'an, I will definitely go to your door and demand it back!"

Unexpectedly, Li Ding arrived a few days later and immediately issued an order: the armies of Fuyan and Weiyuan surrendered on their own; Li Ji, you are not to leave, but to stay and temporarily serve as my judge...

(End of Volume Four, "The Divine Edge Emerges from the Feathered Forest Staff")

Chapter 1: The Visitor from Shanzhou

In mid-June of the first year of the Shangyuan era, in Shanzhou.

Shanzhou is roughly located between the Guanzhong Basin and the Yiluo Basin, bordered by the Yellow River to the north and overlooking the Xiaohan Pass to the south. The surrounding terrain is quite treacherous, and since the Zhou Dynasty, it has served as the boundary between Hao and Luo. It was once said that "east of Shanzhou, the Zhou princess ruled; west of Shanzhou, the Zhao princess ruled."

Although the Tang army had previously recovered the two capitals, An Qingxu was still in Xiangzhou and Shi Siming was stationed in Fanyang, and they could make a comeback at any time. The defense situation around Luoyang was not stable. Therefore, a large number of troops were stationed in Shanzhou to prevent the loss of Luoyang and to serve as a shield for Guanzhong.

The initial force stationed in Shaanxi was the Shence Army led by Military Commissioner Wei Boyu. After the defeat at Xiangzhou, they gathered other remnants of the Western Army, bringing the total number to over 30,000. Later, Yu Chaoen led 4,000 Shence soldiers into the capital. The former Shence territory at Mohuanchuan outside Taozhou was abandoned to avoid Tibetan invasions. From then on, the name Shence was exclusively used for the Imperial Guards, and the troops stationed in Shaanxi were renamed the Shaanxi-Guo Military Governor's Garrison.

Lai Zhen was initially appointed as the military governor of Shan and Guo. A few months earlier, he was transferred to be the military governor of Shannan East Circuit to quell the second rebellion in Jing and Xiang. He was then promoted to military governor of Wei Boyu, who was in charge of the military and civil affairs of the three prefectures of Shan, Guo, and Hua. At this time, Shi Siming had already captured Luoyang, so troops from all sides converged on Shan Prefecture. In Shan County, the prefectural capital, banners fluttered outside the city, and camps were densely set up. Even inside the city, half of the houses were occupied by soldiers, and most of those coming and going on the streets were soldiers in full armor.

At noon that day, another team entered Shanxian County.

However, this group was very strange. They numbered no more than two thousand, all dressed in short shirts and turbans, neither wearing armor nor carrying weapons—at least not outwardly. Every soldier, regardless of rank, wore a white cloth wrapped around their turban and a plain belt around their waist, seemingly in mourning. The group was arranged very neatly, with a burly man with a thick beard at the head, holding a black lacquered nanmu wood memorial tablet to his chest, his face extremely gloomy and cold.

Patrolling soldiers stepped forward to stop them: "Who are you, and where are you going?"

Although they wore helmets and armor, and wielded long spears and broadswords, these soldiers were still relatively polite in their questioning. Having fought countless battles, they could easily discern whether their opponents were of the same ilk and their likely backgrounds. The two thousand soldiers in mourning, each with bloodshot eyes and an aura of murderous intent, clearly had just returned from the battlefield, and not just defeated.

It wasn't just murderous intent, but also a palpable rage that enveloped the two thousand people, making them seem like a primordial beast ready to pounce and devour them at any moment. So, although the patrolmen tried to stop them, they dared not be too harsh.

The burly man at the head of the group glared angrily and gritted his teeth as he replied, "We have come to the governor's office to request an audience." He then slightly raised the memorial tablet he was carrying: "Who dares to stop us? Get out of here at once!"

The patrolling soldier examined the memorial tablet closely, but couldn't understand it—he was illiterate. Just as he was about to ask, a scholar who had been watching the spectacle began to recite aloud:

"The position of Zhang Gong, former Imperial Censor, Acting Prefect of Tokyo, and Duke of Yuancheng County."

He then shouted, "It's Lord Zhang, who once defended Suiyang with great difficulty!" He immediately lifted his robe and bowed deeply. Upon hearing this, the nearby people also knelt down and kowtowed to the memorial tablet like pounding garlic, and many of them sobbed.

Upon hearing this, the patrolling soldiers were all greatly alarmed and dared not stop them any longer. They hurriedly moved to the side of the road, allowing the two thousand soldiers carrying the memorial tablet to pass. However, they naturally had to rush to report to their superiors, so not long after, seeing that the memorial tablet was approaching the governor's office, another military officer led a team to block the road.

But the military officer was even more respectful, bowing deeply to the memorial tablet of the late emperor and saying, "Because I am in armor, I cannot kneel. Please forgive me." He then asked, "What is the purpose of your journey to the military governor's office?"

The burly man holding the memorial tablet replied, "Naturally, I request an audience with Commander Wei."

The military officer smiled and said, "It's really unfortunate. The commander is out inspecting the camp and is not in the city. Gentlemen, please leave for now."

"Then I request an audience with Yu Junrong!"

The military officer quickly pointed and said, "Yu Junrong is in a large house on the next street. You may go there yourself."

The so-called "Yu Junrong" naturally refers to Yu Chaoen, the military commander in charge of military affairs. A trusted eunuch had already inquired about this and rushed back to report to him. Yu Chaoen was furious and said, "Wei Boyu was still handling affairs in the yamen this morning. How could he have avoided it? This is a scheme to harm one's neighbor!"

Originally, Zhang Xun led his troops out of Luoyang Palace and retreated to Shanxian. Yu Chaoen and Wei Boyu were discussing how to capture this army as well. Zhang Xun's rank was only above Wei Boyu's, and he had never been as good as Yu Chaoen. With Zhang Xun here, "among the three dukes of the country, who can I follow?" They had to find a way to unify military and political orders.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Xun died just a few days later... Yu Chaoen was overjoyed and ordered Wei Boyu to disperse Zhang Xun's former troops and assign them to various armies. He thought it was just a minor matter, but unexpectedly, it provoked Zhang Xun's former troops, led by generals such as Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun, to directly carry Zhang Xun's memorial tablet and storm into Shanxian County to demand an explanation.

This remnant force numbered no more than two thousand, while Shanxian County alone had a garrison of five thousand. Moreover, the enemy dared not wear armor or carry weapons. In Yu Chaoen's view, they would be crushed in a heartbeat—or at least wouldn't be able to even step through the city gates. Unexpectedly, no one stopped them along the way; they advanced unimpeded, approaching the military governor's office, then turned and headed straight for him…

This was certainly partly due to the garrison's fear of Nan Jiyun and others who had returned from a bloody battle, or perhaps their sympathy for the troops. But without Wei Boyu's secret instructions, how could they possibly have let them come to him?

Wei Boyu, his heart is despicable!

Actually, this was all Yu Chaoen's own doing.

Previously, in Ding'an and Fengxiang, he had succeeded Li Tan in guarding the palace alongside Wei Boyu, and they had worked together for quite some time, their relationship being relatively harmonious. However, Yu Chaoen had been secretly sabotaging Wei Boyu, trying to bring him down—firstly, because he coveted Wei Boyu's elite Shence Army, and secondly—

Wei Boyu witnessed firsthand how Li Ji had driven him to the brink of despair, leaving him with nowhere to run. Li Ji had seen and remembered his embarrassing state, so how could they possibly continue their cooperation?

After the defeat at Xiangzhou, Yu Chaoen retreated to Shanxian County, where he used every trick in the book to win over Liu Xixian and others, attempting to sideline Wei Boyu. Then, under the pretext of an imperial decree, he gathered almost all of the Shence Army's elite troops and brought them to Wei. However, his return to the palace was short-lived; he offended Empress Zhang and was once again released from the capital…

After Yu Chaoen returned to Shaanxi, he deliberately sowed discord between Lai Zhen and Wei Boyu. Previously, when Li Guiren led 5,000 troops to attack Shaanxi, Lai Zhen ordered Wei Boyu to intercept them with only a few hundred cavalry at Jiangzi Slope southeast of Shanxian County. Yu Chaoen was involved in this. However, Yu Chaoen did not expect that Wei Boyu would win the battle against overwhelming odds.

Then Zhen was transferred to Shannan East Circuit, and Wei Boyu actually became the governor of Shaanxi and Guo after ten years of hard work. This was mainly because Li Heng had a very good impression of him when he was guarding the palace. As a result, Yu Chaoen's entire plan came to naught.

Wei Boyu wasn't stupid. He had seen and remembered all of Yu Chaoen's schemes, so when he had the chance to embarrass Yu Chaoen, he seized the opportunity and seized it—you eunuch, you came up with the idea, so you have to bear the consequences. I'm not going to be a scapegoat!

Nan Jiyun and his men, carrying Zhang Xun's memorial tablet, immediately surrounded Yu Chaoen's residence and knocked on the door to request an audience. Yu Chaoen, having just received the news, tried to hide, but was a step too slow; before he could even leave, he was blocked back—thanks to the military officer who had shown him the way earlier. He then ordered his men to climb the wall, falsely claiming he wasn't home. Nan Jiyun and his men, however, refused to give up, saying they would wait there for Yu Chaoen to return.

Yu Chaoen was extremely anxious. The key was that he had led troops and fought on the battlefield before. Although he hadn't personally captured generals, drawn flags, or beaten drums, he had seen countless armies from all over the land and could easily discern the murderous aura and fury in the eyes of Nan Jiyun and his men… He worried that if he truly angered these soldiers who had just returned from the battlefield, they might break down the gate and storm in. Even if they were unarmed, they could tear him to pieces with their bare hands!

What should I do?

----------

Several days after Nan Jiyun and his entourage, holding Zhang Xun's memorial tablet and demanding an explanation, a situation that resembled a military coup, a fast horse galloped into Chang'an. The rider was none other than Chen Ruo, a trusted general under Nan Jiyun.

However, Chen Ruo's visit was not to deliver news of Zhang Xun's death. The matter of reporting Zhang Xun's passing to the court required the intervention of Yu Chaoen or Wei Boyu; it was not up to his subordinates to deal directly with the court. As for informing his family, Zhang Xun's hometown was in Puzhou, Hedong.

Chen Ruo was ordered to ride quickly to Chang'an, but in reality, he was there to find Li Ji.

Upon entering Chang'an, the country boy was immediately dumbfounded, his eyes glazed over, and he almost fainted completely... Fortunately, he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders and was not there for sightseeing. He quickly calmed himself down and asked around to find out where Li Erlang, the military registrar of the Yingwu Army, lived.

The residents of Chang'an have always looked down on "country bumpkins" from other places. When they saw Chen Ruo looking travel-worn and heard him speaking in a thick Northeastern dialect, they were unwilling to pay him any attention. But when they heard that he was looking for Li Ji... Ah, this is the pride of our Chang'an! What's wrong with giving you some pointers?

— Li Ji's ancestral home was in Xiangping, Liaodong. He grew up in Ji County and later moved to Yingyang. However, his branch of the family had moved to Chang'an during the time of Li Bi, which is why he called himself "Li Erlang of Jingzhao". Although his speech still had a bit of an Eastern accent, the natives of Chang'an treated him as one of their own.

"That man, the Li military advisor you asked about, is he the Li Erlang who once defeated the barbarians in Longyou, wielding double maces and killing so many barbarian children that they dared not cry at night?"

"Exactly."

"Let me tell you, Li Erlang is no longer a mere registrar or military advisor; he has been promoted to Chief Secretary of the Yingwu Army, a sixth-rank official. In the future, he will surely be promoted even higher... I have met Li Erlang several times, and his wife is quite familiar with my wife as well..."

Someone nearby laughed and said, "So, you mean you've only met him a few times? You must have seen Li Erlang from afar, right? Your wife and Li Erlang's concubine are quite familiar with each other; they probably bought vegetables from the same stall before?"

After much persuasion, Chen Ruo finally found Li Ji's house in Guanghua Lane. He knocked on the door, and an aged voice came from inside: "Whom are you looking for?"

“My name is Chen Ruo, and I am an old friend of Li Can… I have come to visit you on important business.”

The person inside the door replied, "My husband is not at home. If you have any thorns, please leave them and come back another day."

Chen Ruoyang pleaded, "I suppose Chief Secretary Li is still in the palace and hasn't finished his duties yet. I've come all the way from Shanzhou and am exhausted. Please let me in so I can have a drink of water and wait for Chief Secretary Li to return."

To everyone's surprise, the reply was: "My husband is not in the capital; he has gone to Fengxiang on official business..."

Chen Ruo was taken aback: "When will you return?"

"As for official business, who can say for sure? Perhaps I will return tomorrow, or perhaps it will take several months—you should go now. There are only women at home, so it is really inconvenient to open the door to welcome you in."

Chen Ruo stamped her feet anxiously: "If it's tomorrow, that's fine, but if it's several months, how... how can we possibly wait that long?!"

He had thought that once he arrived in Chang'an, he would surely find Li Ji, and once he did, Li Ji would surely grant his request—mainly to Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun—or at least point him in the right direction. General Nan and the others had high hopes for his journey, but unfortunately, Li Ji had gone to Fengxiang!

What should I do? Should I hurry back to Fengxiang to find someone, or turn back to Shanxian? Chen Ruo hesitated for a long time, at a loss for what to do—the key was that he was not someone with the power to change things—he had no choice but to mount his horse, loosen the reins, and head out of the street.

In this vast capital, I don't know anyone except Li Ji, unless I go to find Master Xu... But I know Master Xu, yet he doesn't know me. Would he believe me? Maybe I should find an inn to stay the night; perhaps Li Ji will return tomorrow...

Just as Chen Ruo was feeling lost and helpless, a little child suddenly darted out from the street and grabbed Chen Ruo's reins. Chen Ruo quickly reined in his horse—so as not to hit the child—and then bent down to ask, "You little brat, why are you blocking my way?"

The child looked Chen Ruo up and down, then sniffled and replied, "Don't go! Someone gave me a penny to keep you here."

Chen Ruo frowned: "Why keep me here?"

"Didn't you come looking for Li Erlang? Erlang has indeed led his troops to Fengxiang. His gatekeeper didn't lie to you, and who knows when he'll return. He said an old friend of yours will come after a short rest, probably to invite you for drinks. Don't go yet."

Chen Ruo was even more puzzled, thinking to herself, "Besides Li Ji, who else in Chang'an do I have any old friends?" Not knowing what to do, she dismounted and patted the child's head, saying, "Alright, I'll wait here for a while and see what old friends come." This child seemed quite honest and didn't seem to be lying to her. Besides, what would be the point of him lying to her?

After about the time it takes to eat a meal, Chen Ruo was getting impatient when he suddenly heard someone call out from behind him, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Brother Chen."

The voice seemed somewhat familiar, but Chen Ruo couldn't quite place it. She quickly turned her head and saw that the speaker was a scholar, not very tall, wearing a turban, a plain-colored robe, a silk sash around his waist, and sturdy boots. He was playing with a round fan in his left hand as he gracefully approached.

Chen Ruo paused for a moment, then finally remembered, and hurriedly loosened the reins, cupping his hands in greeting from afar, saying, "So it's Brother Cui. It's been a long time since we last met in Luoyang—Chen Ruo greets you."

The other party smiled calmly and stepped forward to return the greeting, saying, "Cui Cuo is very polite. I heard that Brother Chen came from Shaanxi. I suppose Lord Zhang, General Nan, and the others have all safely withdrawn from the Luoyang Palace. Erlang is always concerned about you all. He will surely be pleased to hear this news."

Chapter Two: The Martyrs' Deaths

Li Ji longed to see Cui Qi again, but could not find a way in. He also did not know whether the little girl had been sent out of the capital by Cui Guangyuan again.

Little did he know that after Cui Guangyuan left Chang'an, the orders he left for Cui Qi were twofold: first, to protect his son Cui Ju; and second, to keep a close watch on Li Ji's movements...

If Li Ji were in the capital, these two orders would not contradict each other. Cui Qi often monitored the Li family in the wards, either personally or by sending someone from his household. However, since Li Ji had led troops to Fengxiang, Cui Qi could not go with him and had to stay in the city to wait for his return. Just a few days ago, he heard that the battle of Fengxiang had ended and that Cui Guangyuan had issued a proclamation announcing the victory. Cui Qi guessed that Li Ji might be returning in triumph soon, so he sent someone to the vicinity to observe.

That's how she discovered Chen Ruo.

The reason why Chen Ruo had to wait a while before Cui Qi showed up was twofold: firstly, to communicate with each other, and secondly, because she needed time to disguise herself as a man... She was dressed as a man when she met Nan Jiyun, Chen Ruo, and others in Luoyang. If she were to meet them in her true form now, who knows whether they would recognize her or not.

The watcher said the visitor identified himself as Chen Ruo and seemed quite anxious. Cui Qi knew that Li Ji was very concerned about Nan Jiyun and the others, and cared about the war in Luoyang. So why would he suddenly send Chen Ruo to Chang'an to find him, and with such an anxious expression... Could something have happened in Luoyang or Shanxian? I need to show myself quickly and find out more details.

Upon meeting Chen Ruo, he gave the child a coin to send him away and then invited Chen Ruo to a nearby restaurant for a meal. Chen Ruo smiled wryly and said, "I have no appetite for wine if I can't see Chief Secretary Li... I ate some dry rations before entering the city, so I'm not hungry."

Cui Qi frowned and said, "Second Brother is not in the capital, and we don't know when he will return. Brother Chen seems to be in a difficult situation. Would you be willing to tell me? I am a native of Chang'an, and I may be able to give you some guidance."

Chen Ruo hesitated for a moment, then finally recounted the whole story. Cui Qi was taken aback, her expression changing slightly. She held her round fan, waved it a few times, and spun around twice before looking at Chen Ruo again: "Brother Chen, this matter is quite important. Why did you think of seeking out Li Erlang? Erlang is ultimately of low rank and position. Even in Chang'an, I'm afraid he cannot fulfill your wishes!"

"After all, he is the Chief Clerk of the Imperial Guards. Perhaps he has a way to meet the Emperor and plead our case?"

Cui Qi curled his lip: "Do you all think that a mere chief clerk can see the sages all the time?"

Chen Ruomo remained silent—he, along with Nan Jiyun, Lei Wanchun, and others, were ultimately foreign military commanders with relatively limited experience, and they genuinely believed this…

Cui Qi thought for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "I might have a way to get Brother Chen an audience with a distinguished person..."

"What noble person?"

Cui Qi whispered a name in Chen Ruo's ear, then stepped back and said seriously, "But Brother Chen must obey my orders, and I dare not guarantee whether that noble person will truly agree to meet you or grant your request."

Chen Ruo hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "If I can meet you, everyone will be grateful for Brother Cui's kindness. Man proposes, God disposes. Even if it doesn't work out in the end, I will never blame Brother Cui. I will naturally follow your instructions."

Cui Qi agreed and hurried to a nearby fortune-telling stall. She tossed down two coins, asked for paper and pen, and wrote a note. After returning, she smiled at Chen Ruo and said, "I'm going to bother that young lady from the Li family again."

So he led Chen Ruo to Li Ji's house and knocked on the door. The old doorman asked, and Cui Qi replied, "There's a thorn in your hand."

Because the master was not home, and only a concubine remained, the old gatekeeper was reluctant to open the gate and let anyone in. However, he couldn't refuse to accept the visiting card on behalf of his master—besides, it was broad daylight, and he wasn't afraid of some thief coming to rob him. So he removed the bolt, opened the door a crack, and said, "My master is not home, please pass on the visiting card first..."

Before she could finish speaking, Cui Qi suddenly pushed him away—she was strong, and the old gatekeeper couldn't withstand it, staggering backward. Then Cui Qi slipped inside, and before the gatekeeper could cry out in surprise, she grabbed his wrist.

Cui Qi smiled at him: "I visited Erlang at your residence the other day, don't you recognize me?" He then stuffed the note into the servant's palm and said in a low voice: "Quickly pass this on to Prince Fengjie, and we will wait for the Prince's arrival at your residence."

The gatekeeper looked alarmed, so Cui Qi added, "If His Highness the Prince refuses to see you, that's fine; but this matter is of great importance, and if we don't deliver it quickly, you might suffer a terrible punishment!"

He then let go of her hand, gestured behind him, and led Chen Ruo straight into the courtyard.

Upon hearing the sound, Qingluan came out of the house, and Cui Qi bowed to her from a distance: "Greetings, young lady. Do you still remember me?"

Upon hearing this address, Qingluan was not pleased. When she looked at the person who had come, she frowned deeply.

"Niangzi" was originally a term for unmarried women, but it gradually spread to include married women—the origin of which is probably that Emperor Li Longji ordered everyone in the palace to call Yang Guifei "Niangzi"—but why do you have to add the word "Xiao" in front of it? Since you've come to visit, you should be polite. My husband doesn't have a wife, so what's wrong with calling him "Madam"?

So it was this vixen! Uh... she's nothing like the legendary, graceful and alluring vixen; she's more like a raccoon spirit. Your husband isn't home, so what are you trying to do barging in?

Surely they're not here to confront me, are they...?

If this were in Longxi, or if Qingluan were the legal wife, she would dare to confront the other woman on the spot, berate her, and expel her from the house—otherwise, she would report her to the authorities! The problem was, she was merely a concubine, and in this capital city where everyone was dressed in purple and white, and even those in blue or green robes weren't considered officials, she didn't know what the other woman's backing was. Therefore, she dared not be rash and could only softly say, "My husband is not at home..."

Cui Qi smiled and said, "I know." He took two steps forward and pointed to Chen Ruo behind him, who was at a loss and didn't even dare to raise her head. "This is Erlang's old friend. He is borrowing your house tonight to meet an important person. I hope you can do him a favor."

Upon hearing this, Qingluan was greatly surprised.

She knew perfectly well who the "noble person" the other party was referring to, and dared not refuse them in the slightest. If she chased them away, and His Highness the Prince came looking for them that night and couldn't find them, she would be in deep trouble, and it might even implicate her husband! She felt even more unable to see through this woman dressed as a man, and could only reluctantly clasp her hands in greeting: "In that case, please come inside and sit down."

Cui Qi laughed and said, "No need, we'll wait on the veranda." He casually took off his boots, stepped onto the veranda, and pointed at Chen Ruo, "Brother Chen, please sit down too." Then he turned to Qingluan and said, "Brother Chen, please make sure you're settled in, young lady."

Qingluan ordered Aqi to come over and lead Chen Ruo's horse to the stable—Li Ji's family naturally had a stable—then went to the kitchen to boil two bowls of water, personally carrying them on a plate, and returned to the front yard.

The woman dressed as a man had her fan tucked into her waistband and was sitting cross-legged on the veranda, her hands clasped behind her knees, leisurely looking around. The other man, whose beard was not very thick, sat obediently with his legs hanging down and his hands on his knees. As soon as he saw Qingluan coming, he quickly lowered his head and dared not look directly at her.

Qingluan served hot water, and Cui Qi held a bowl in each hand, then handed it to Chen Ruo. Chen Ruo murmured, "Thank you, madam." Cui Qi replied, "Thank you for your trouble, young lady."

Qingluan always felt that the word "small" in the other person's mouth was deliberately added, and the pronunciation was exceptionally clear.

Now that she could tell the other person was a woman, she didn't need to avoid suspicion. She immediately took the tray, knelt down next to Cui Qi, leaned closer, and asked in a low voice, "Tell me the truth, who exactly are you? And... how should I address you?"

With a somewhat insincere smile, Cui Qi replied in a low voice, "My surname is Cui, and I am an acquaintance of Erlang. As for my background, young lady, you don't need to know... but I am definitely not from any of those families in Pingkang Ward, so you can rest assured about that, right?"

Qingluan smiled awkwardly, then stepped back and sat down to keep him company. She had countless questions she wanted to ask, but the other person's single sentence had shut her down, leaving her speechless. She occasionally glanced sideways at Cui Qi, thinking that while this woman looked quite elegant in men's clothing, if she changed back into women's attire… surely her husband wouldn't like such a childlike figure?

Meanwhile, Cui Qi was also sizing up Qingluan, but her gaze was much more unrestrained. She first looked at her face, then her chest, and then her waist and hips, feeling somewhat ashamed of herself. She thought to herself, if I had agreed to Li Ji's request that day, perhaps we would be sisters—I would definitely be the younger sister, regardless of age, just by looking at her appearance!