Chapter 68: Li Shimin’s Regret

Two carriages came to a slow halt outside the main gates of the Zheng family residence.

Soon after, in the main hall of the Zheng estate, members of the Zheng clan sat behind rows of wooden tables.

"Jiancheng, Shimin! Our Zheng family must offer our congratulations to your Li family. Your father has led troops to defeat the rebel leaders Jing Pantuo and Chai Baochang in Jiangjun, pacified tens of thousands of insurgents, and won the emperor’s deep favor!” Zheng Yuanxu addressed Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, who sat opposite him in the main hall.

Li Jiancheng, who had married Zheng Guanyin of the Zheng family, was Zheng’s son-in-law. For this reason, the Zheng family regarded the Li patriarch and his sons as kin.

“We owe it all to the people of Hedong,” replied the twenty-six-year-old Li Jiancheng, raising his hand to salute Zheng Yuanxu. His bearing and tone were both humble and courteous.

“I heard that a few months ago, Shimin also visited Yanmen?” As his mother and elder brother conversed with Jiancheng, Zheng Yuanli turned his gaze to Li Shimin, who was younger than Li Jiancheng.

“Yes, Uncle Shanyuan, I did go to Yanmen! In those days…” Li Shimin’s speech was much more forthright than his brother’s, revealing a man of decisiveness and strength, unburdened by trivialities.

Zheng Yuanli, courtesy name Shanyuan, unlike Zheng Shanjia and Zheng Shanguo who were often addressed by their courtesy names, was usually referred to by his given name except among close relations.

Although Li Jiancheng was Zheng’s son-in-law, Zheng Yuanli favored Li Shimin a bit more.

As the conversation drifted to Li Shimin’s experiences with the Tujue at Yanmen, and as Shimin sighed that the emperor should not break faith with those who defend the borders, Zheng Yuanli suddenly recalled the youth he met the day before, Fu Zihou.

“It’s a pity, Shimin, had you arrived yesterday, you would have met a remarkable young man from the Fu family!” Zheng Yuanli smiled at the resigned Li Shimin. With time to spare, he recounted his meeting with Fu Zihou to the puzzled Shimin.

Upon hearing that a youth even younger than himself had been granted a sixth-rank official title and the honorary rank of Martial Guard Officer, not only did Li Shimin’s demeanor turn serious, but even Li Jiancheng, who had been speaking with the matriarch and others, turned his gaze over.

So, under the attentive stares of the Li brothers, Zheng Yuanli began to recount how Fu Zihou once saved Qinghe County.

“Uncle! Where is this man?” Li Shimin’s face was alight with excitement after hearing the tale. His eyes pleaded with Zheng Yuanli, and the slight tremor in his body revealed his eagerness to meet Fu Zihou.

“You’ve come a little late, nephew. By now, he and his uncle have likely left Yingyang for Hu County,” Zheng Yuanxu replied with a smile. Recalling the youth from the previous day, Zheng Yuanxu could not help but sigh.

“It’s a shame! If that young man from the Fu family were not already betrothed to the Li family, I would have gladly sought a suitable girl from a branch of the Zheng clan for him.” Zheng Yuanxu remembered the courteous and modest young man, and his fondness was genuine.

Though of humble birth, that did not lessen Zheng Yuanxu’s appreciation for the youth. If there were no existing engagement, he would have considered marrying him into a branch of the Zhengs.

At these words, the other Zheng clan members in the main hall fell silent. Compared to Zheng Yuanxu, they remained much more reserved. Though the youth was talented, courageous, and handsome, his lowly background could not be overlooked.

Now that he was already engaged, Zheng Yuanxu’s remark was just an idle thought, so the others kept their silence.

“Shimin! If there is another chance, you may visit him. Our Li family has no prior connection; seeking him out uninvited would be presumptuous, especially since we do not know his temperament or preferences…”

As the elder brother, Li Jiancheng knelt behind the wooden table and glanced at Li Shimin. He could read what was in his brother’s heart behind his silent expression and offered a gentle word of advice.

Their father was now plotting great things, and as the eldest son, Li Jiancheng also wished to seek out worthy allies and capable commanders. But this was no easy matter. As far as the Fu Zihou mentioned by Uncle Zheng was concerned, his character remained unknown, his youth uncertain, and, most of all, he had no ties to the Li family.

In Jiancheng’s eyes, it was wiser to invest effort in cultivating the Zheng family connections.

“I understand, brother,” Li Shimin replied quietly to Jiancheng.

Seeing his brother nod and return to his conversation with the elders, Li Shimin knelt behind the wooden table, feeling a faint sense of regret.

He knew that the young man had just left Yingyang; if he did not catch up today, it would be difficult to meet him again. But as his brother said, to pursue him without an established connection would be improper.

Li Shimin knew his brother valued noble birth, preferring to befriend the sons of powerful families like Wei Ting of the Weishi of Jingzhao. It was the support of great clans that would be crucial in achieving great ambitions.

Yet, in Shimin’s heart, those with ability and talent were just as important as well-born nobles. If lineage alone could pacify the chaos in the realm, the world would not be in its current state.

That youth from the Fu family, who had dared to lead prisoners in Qinghe County, lay an ambush, and strike at the rebel Zhang Jincheng—such a man, Shimin longed to know.

But the youth had already departed Yingyang!

He thought of the imperial edict directing that the youth, upon receiving the official seal, should proceed at once to the Eagle Corps in Taiyuan. Shimin could only sigh.

...

Hu County.

The new year’s snow was beginning to melt away; frost hung from the branches, and a chill lingered under the eaves.

In an ancient, unadorned courtyard, led by an old servant, Fu Zihou followed his uncle Li Jingjie through the yard, past the house, and into the bamboo rooms of the rear garden.

There they found an old man whose hair was nearly all silver.

“Father!” Li Jingjie saluted the elder, and Fu Zihou followed suit.

“Fu Zihou greets Grandfather Li,” he declared, kneeling respectfully.

Fu Zihou was both a descendant of the Fu family and a grandson-in-law to the Li family.

“Rise.” Nearly seventy years of age, Li Gang turned his head only upon hearing Fu Zihou’s name, glanced at his second son Li Jingjie, and regarded the youth.

“How is your grandfather?” Li Gang asked, his voice even and expressionless, devoid of warmth—so different from the matriarch’s.

“He is well, only concerned for Grandfather Li, and bid me bring greetings. He awaits you in Tiao County with wine prepared,” Fu Zihou replied, raising his hand.

In Li Gang’s presence, Fu Zihou felt more nervous than he ever had under his teacher, Liu Zhiyuan, not daring to make any extraneous movements for fear of displeasing the old man.

At first, Fu Zihou expected Li Gang to respond to his grandfather’s message, but after several moments, the old man remained impassive, as if he hadn’t heard.

“Father!” Seeing this, Fu Zihou finally understood why his uncle Li Jingjie, a learned man, grew so anxious when speaking of his father.

After the servants had withdrawn, Li Jingjie recounted in detail how Fu Zihou had brought back the murderer of his third brother, Xie Yan of the Xie family, and lifted the siege of Qinghe County.

When Li Gang had finished listening, he did not betray any emotion at the vengeance exacted for his third son. Instead, he considered for a moment and then turned to Fu Zihou.

“In the future, you must not act so rashly again. If not for the power of the Cui family of Qinghe, the Xie family would never have let you leave alive that day,” the old man admonished.

Having spent years in officialdom, Li Gang’s insight far surpassed his son Li Jingjie’s. Even from the bare facts, he could see how Fu Zihou’s initial plan had nearly brought him to ruin.

“Yes, I will remember your words,” Fu Zihou replied solemnly.

Since meeting the Zhengs of Yingyang, Fu Zihou had learned that without enough strength of his own, one was a mere speck before a great clan.

“Taiyuan is filled with powerful families, and officials and generals form factions for their own gain. Without support, it is difficult to stand. I am an old friend of the Wen family of Taiyuan. The three sons of my friend—Wen Daya, Wen Dalin, and Wen Dayou—are all men of great esteem. When you head north tomorrow, take my letter and visit the Wen family first,” Li Gang instructed, rising and moving to a side table where writing implements were set out.

“My thanks, Grandfather Li,” Fu Zihou said.

Watching the aged Li Gang kneel at the table to write, Fu Zihou could sense his concern.

He had not expected Li Gang to be an old friend of the Taiyuan Wen family.

In the eyes of countless scholars, the most esteemed clans for learning and education were the Yan and Wen families, known throughout the realm as the “Three Yans and Three Wens.”

The Yan family were the three sons of Yan Zhitui; the Wen family, as Li Gang referred to, were Wen Daya, Wen Dalin, and Wen Dayou.

“Zihou, though Taiyuan lies near the north, with Mayi to its north, there should be no danger. But remember, act with caution in Taiyuan; if anything seems amiss, safeguard your own life first,” Li Jingjie advised.

He had not expected that in taking Fu Zihou out, he would not be able to bring him back again.

Had he known, he would have allowed Fu Zihou to remain longer in Tiao County.

Now that Fu Zihou had been appointed Martial Guard Captain and would serve in Taiyuan’s Eagle Corps, it might be a long time before he could return—perhaps not until next New Year.

“I will remember,” Fu Zihou promised, nodding in response to his uncle’s advice.

When he heard there should be no problems, Fu Zihou could not help but feel a pang of bitterness.

Still, he could only take things one step at a time, and if things grew dire, as his uncle said, he would have to prioritize survival.

Fortunately, he had already entrusted everything to his father for the New Year.

With the matriarch at home, and the care of Cui Yuzhe and his sister Cui Wenjin, there would be no worries in Tiao County.

Wen Dayou was born into the scholarly Wen family of Taiyuan. His father, Wen Junyou, had served as an Academician at the Wenlin Academy of Northern Qi and as a Commandant in Sui’s Sizhou. In such an environment, Wen Dayou and his two brothers, Wen Daya and Wen Yanbo, were all gifted from a young age. Even in their youth, their father’s friends, Xue Daoheng and Li Gang, declared that the three brothers were all prime-minister material.