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The guests present displayed a myriad of expressions, but confusion was predominant. Li Jing had once been somewhat well-known in his early years, yet now, in his thirties, he had achieved nothing.
Li Jian Cheng's family background and reputation were impeccable, and more importantly, he had the favor of the Crown Prince. It was widely acknowledged that he would undoubtedly become a high-ranking minister in the court; otherwise, the Left Minister would not have allowed him to sit above several department heads.
Such a figure was actually going to publicly take Li Jing as his master; it felt quite off to everyone present.
If Li Jing truly possessed some abilities, he could simply use them to his advantage without needing to go through such lengths.
Li Jian Cheng had naturally considered this thoroughly. After some time, he concluded that his military talent was not particularly high—merely at the level of an ordinary military scion.
Compared to Er Lang, he fell far short. Thus, he needed a steadfast ally who could help him compete with Er Lang on military matters. Looking across the realm, perhaps only Li Jing could fulfill that role.
With this line of thought, Li Jing's political shortcomings became an advantage. A flawless Li Jing would be no different from Er Lang; how could he dare entrust his troops to someone like that? Therefore, mutual dependence between the two seemed to be the best arrangement.
As the saying goes, true friendship is shown in times of need, much like when Han Xin defeated Long Qie and Xiang Yu sent Wu She to persuade Han Xin.
Han Xin replied: "I served under the King of Han but held no higher position than a minor official and wielded no greater authority than a spear-bearer. My words went unheard and my counsel unheeded; thus, I returned to Han after abandoning Chu."
"Han Wang granted me the seal of General and provided me with tens of thousands of troops. He clothed me and fed me, listened to my words and acted upon my plans. That is why I have come this far. To betray him would be ill-fated; even if I die, it would not be easy!"
Li Jian Cheng could certainly provide clothing and food, but he could not yet bestow upon Li Jing the esteemed title of General nor command tens of thousands of troops for him to wield freely across the land. Therefore, his greatest sincerity at present was to honor him as a master.
Li Jing watched as Li Jian Cheng bowed respectfully before him. He felt two paths lay before him: one was to quietly wait for an opportunity to prove himself, though it seemed there was little hope for that at present.
The other path appeared clear; he knew that with a nod from him and Li Jian Cheng's influence, he could soon rise to prominence on the battlefield and fulfill his lifelong aspirations.
However, this required forming a master-disciple bond with the person before him—sharing both glory and misfortune from then on.
Yet there seemed little room for hesitation; he was already thirty-three years old—how many more years could he afford to waste?
Li Jing solemnly nodded and replied with a slightly hoarse voice, "Alright!"
Li Jian Cheng let out a sigh of relief and looked up at Yang Su. "Then there is no reason for my master to sit below while I sit above. Please allow my master to take a seat; Jian Cheng will stand behind."
Yang Su's face twitched slightly; he felt that he should not have overstayed his welcome. Now Li Jian Cheng was like a tiger with wings.
"Very well."
Li Jian Cheng bent down to avoid and invited Li Jing to sit on the sofa, with the Minister of Rites and the Jingzhao Yin on either side. Li Jing never expected to find himself in such a position.
He then waved for a cup of tea to be brought over. After drinking it, Li Jing felt a fiery sensation, like strong liquor, flowing down his throat into his internal organs, causing a dizzying rush that clouded his mind.
Due to the presence of the master and disciple, everyone's attention was focused on them. In hushed whispers, it became clear that the birthday banquet for Yang Su was not as lively and joyous as anticipated, and it ended earlier than expected.
After Li Jian Cheng and Li Jing left, they got into their carriage and headed straight for a quiet tavern that rarely entertained outsiders; it was a place where Li Jian Cheng met with his confidant.
After inviting Li Jing to sit down again, Li Jian Cheng poured him another cup of tea. However, Li Jing did not drink it immediately. "If you only wish to help me a little, then I thank you."
"Does Master feel there is nothing he can teach me?"
"I may have something, but I cannot guarantee I can teach it well."
"Naturally, Jian Cheng understands this."
Li Jing glanced toward the palace direction, looking confused. "I truly do not understand what you hope to gain by treating me this way. With your current actions, even if you are not skilled in military affairs, it will not have much impact."
"Please drink your tea."
Since the decision had been made, Li Jing no longer hesitated. After taking a sip, he gestured for Li Jian Cheng to sit down. The two sat in silence for a moment before Li Jian Cheng spoke again. "Yang Su has always disliked us as a master and disciple. The Crown Prince currently relies more on him, and there are no shortages of generals under the Crown Prince's command. Leading troops into battle requires an opportune moment."
"Therefore, for now, I can only help you elevate your official rank by one or two grades. Which office would you like to go to?"
"Any will do; you decide." Li Jing felt somewhat numb. It had taken him over ten years to rise from the ninth rank to the seventh rank, yet now it seemed he could achieve this with just a cup of tea.
Without saying much more, after a while, he had Li Xiaogong personally escort him back home while Li Jian Cheng headed straight for the Eastern Palace.
On the way, Li Jian Cheng instructed a servant to buy ten pieces of cured meat to send to the Li Mansion as a customary gift; one should never neglect such formalities.
He arrived at the Eastern Palace without any hindrances, but Li Jing found himself nearly unable to return home due to the crowd of carriages blocking the street. Upon inquiry, he discovered they were all there to deliver gifts to his family.
After getting off the carriage, a group of people rushed toward him—many were guests from Yang Residence—calling out warmly: "Congratulations, Li Gong, on acquiring an excellent disciple!"
"Li Gong is indeed an extraordinary person! As soon as the opportunity arises, assistance comes from above; surely you will soar far!"
"Li Gong..."
“Li Gong…”
Fortunately, the Li Family had many Servants. Under the direction of Madam Zhang Clan, they welcomed Li Jing back to the residence before beginning to entertain guests.
Aside from a few sycophants, the Dugu Family, Dou Family, and Xiao Family all presented generous gifts. It had been over a decade since Li Jing's household had seen such liveliness.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Palace, Yang Guang curiously asked, “Is it true that Li Jing possesses such great abilities? You even chose to take him as your master; I must admit, I’m quite curious.”
“My nephew believes he has made no mistake. Uncle, you must not try to steal him away. I hope to learn skills from my master and one day bring glory to our family through Military Merit.”
Since Li Jian Cheng always considered the greater picture for Yang Guang, their uncle-nephew relationship was at its closest. Yang Guang laughed, “Very well, then why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be off learning your skills?”
At this moment, Yang Guang was not particularly concerned about Li Jing. After all, he was merely someone skilled in leading troops into battle. His ranks were never short of warriors; there were always plenty available to take turns leading troops and achieving merit.
Li Jian Cheng did not hold back either and clasped his hands in request, “Uncle, you know very well that my master cannot be relegated to a mere position of palace guard. I hope you can elevate him.”
Yang Guang clearly had no pressing matters today and teased Li Jian Cheng for quite some time before finally agreeing to grant him the title of Deputy General. Although it was a nominal title with little actual authority, it was still classified as a sixth-rank position.
Moreover, Yang Guang hinted that it would not be wise to promote too many people at once to avoid dissent among officials and the public. For now, this arrangement would suffice; further promotions could be considered after military achievements were made in future conflicts.
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