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Chapter 176: The Dispute at Wagang
"Li Mi has arrived at Wagang," Li Jian Cheng said as he set down the letter. "The winds of change are rising."
"Brother, we must be cautious of Li Mi; he is not to be underestimated, especially regarding the matter of seizing power."
Wagang was no ordinary force now; they were already attacking Rongyang County and were locked in a stalemate with Zhang Suduo.
Zhai Rang had also made a name for himself, and the only ones who could stand alongside him were Dou Jiande from Hebei and Du Fuwei from Jianghuai, along with others like Li Shanfei from Taiyuan and Zhao Wanhai from Gaoyang.
However, it was after Li Mi's arrival that Zhai Rang truly began to stand out. Everyone knew the caliber of the person Li Mi had previously assisted, and many believed that Zhai Rang was a tyrant akin to Yang Xuangan.
Li Jian Cheng shook his head. "Every move Li Mi makes is within my grasp. Zhai Rang may not be his match, but with Xu Shijie added to the mix, they can balance him out."
"I cannot personally lead Wagang; Zhai Rang and Xu Shijie's actions are too slow. If they cannot resolve the situation with Zhang Suduo quickly, we still need Li Mi."
Li Xiaogong chose not to say more; he would only offer reminders without interfering.
"Brother, the troops from Liaodong City have already set out."
"Good. Let them camp at Zhuojun for now."
The next day, Li Jian Cheng informed Shibi Khan that he intended to go to Wuchuan to pay respects to his ancestors. After much hesitation, Ashina Tuoji finally agreed.
As soon as Li Jian Cheng returned home to pack, Ashina Anar rushed in, looking at him for a long moment before speaking. "Everyone is saying you plan to escape back to the Central Plains."
Li Jian Cheng took her hand. "Of course, I wish to return."
"Isn't it good here?"
"Very well, but this is not my home."
"Are you really going to escape?"
"No," Li Jian Cheng laughed, "I haven't married you yet, so how could I leave? If I were to go, it would naturally be with you."
"Then I will follow you this time."
"Alright."
Shibi Khan dispatched many guards, not only to protect them but also to keep an eye on Li Jian Cheng. It was clear that there was no intention of concealment.
However, Li Jian Cheng paid no mind to it. Every day he joked and hunted closely with Ashina Anar, making their way to Wuchuan, which had long been abandoned and could even be considered a territory of the Turkic people.
But that did not stop Li Jian Cheng from first paying homage to the ancestors of the Li Clan. Here lay the remains of his Great Ancestor, Li Xi, along with many of his descendants.
He then honored several other families as well; after hundreds of years of coexistence, they were all blood relatives.
News of Li Jian Cheng's appearance at the Wuchuan ceremony quickly spread from north to south. Those nearby even rushed over before he returned to Dali City. Some came out of curiosity, while others hoped for a chance to rescue him.
If successful, it would be a timely favor; given Li Langjun's rumored character, it would surely lead to great wealth and prosperity for his family.
Unfortunately, the Turkic guards were strict. Although they exchanged a few words with Li Langjun, they were powerless to help him escape and could only watch him depart with regret.
Thus, rumors about Li Jian Cheng once again spread throughout the Central Plains. The scholars and common folk expressed their sympathy, while the Wuchuan nobles who learned that Li Jian Cheng had also helped honor their ancestors sighed in admiration.
After all, he was still one of their own. Even in such difficult times, he had not forgotten his manners. What a good Lord he was.
In the Wagang Stronghold, upon hearing the news, Zhai Rang trembled three times. This had become a habit; ever since that day, he would involuntarily shudder whenever he heard that name.
“Mao Gong, is Lord really alright?”
Xu Shijie sneered, “What, do you want to try again?”
Zhai Rang awkwardly waved his hand, “Of course not. My life was saved by Lord; I’ve never had such thoughts. Don’t say nonsense.”
Xu Shijie frowned, “You don’t need to worry about Lord. What we should be concerned about now is Li Mi. His reputation is too high. The people who joined later, like Wang Dangren, Jiyang Wang Bodang, Wei Cheng Zhou Wenju, and Yongqiu Li Gongyi, all came because of Li Mi.
If you don’t get your act together, our family business will end up with the surname Li!”
Zhai Rang muttered, “It was originally a surname Li; it has never been a surname Zhai.”
Seeing Xu Shijie glare at him, Zhai Rang felt helpless. After being seen in such a disgraceful state by this kid, he could no longer maintain any respect.
He could only quickly say, “What can I do about Li Mi? I can only do my best to protect our troops. As for Lord, letting such a fierce wolf either kill or establish himself is fine; why bother coming to my shallow waters?”
At that moment, Li Mi sent someone to invite him, saying that another hero was leading troops to join them and wanted him as the Wagang leader to welcome them.
Zhai Rang and Xu Shijie had no choice but to rise. Li Mi was able to establish himself so quickly because he strictly adhered to the rules and made sure everything went through Zhai Rang.
Upon arriving in the main hall, everyone stood up and bowed to Zhai Rang, allowing him to take the main seat before letting others in. They were all heroes from nearby counties; some led hundreds of men while others brought two or three thousand to seek refuge with Wagang.
Zhai Rang could handle these matters well enough, and at this time, Li Mi would not interrupt until one of the Taoist priests stepped forward and addressed Li Mi: “This person represents the Sui Family!”
The hall fell silent, not out of reverence for the emperor—after all, they had already rebelled—there was nothing left to fear. On ordinary days, they would curse the emperor more than anything else; they dared to speak even the most vulgar insults.
Everyone turned their gaze to Zhai Rang, who smiled gently and said, "As you say, Lord Pushan should stand on his own; why would he rely on me?"
The Taoist, Solemnly, after bowing to Li Mi, turned to Zhai Rang and said, "There are reasons for everything. The general's surname is Zhai. Zhai means marsh; without a marsh, the bulrush cannot grow. Therefore, he needs to come to you first. You two complement each other and should work together for the Great Undertaking."
Xu Shijie asked, "Then why do you say Lord Pushan can replace Sui?"
The Taoist stroked his beard and smiled, "Peach and Plum, Queen wandering in Yangzhou, gracefully in the garden. Do not speak recklessly; who dares to allow it!
Ha ha, the so-called Peach and Plum refers to the son of the fleeing Li Clan. The emperor and the empress are both lords. In the garden, it means that the emperor has no return day in Jiangdu; he will turn towards the ravines. Do not speak recklessly; who dares to allow it is a secret."
Before Xu Shijie could speak, Wang Bodang, who had always admired Li Mi, immediately responded loudly, "Indeed, it should be so. Li Gong is a noble son of high status; his lofty ambitions have long seen through the tyrant's face. Thus, he joined forces with Yang Gong to rebel. I have heard that Destiny favors the king who does not die. Li Gong has faced danger several times and survived; is this not a sign of heaven's favor!"
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but nod. Yang Xuangan was dead, yet Li Mi was alive and well; this was indeed great fortune. As the Peach and Plum Chapter spread throughout the world, many felt that the Li Clan was destined to produce an emperor.
At that moment, Li Mi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke: "I am a person of little fortune and dare not take on such a role. Today is a day of fleeing for my life and difficult times. I am grateful for Duke Zhai's rescue and protection; how could I have any second thoughts? I hope you all will not fall into secrecy and injustice!"
……………
(End of Chapter)
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