“There’s actually such a thing. Do you know why he wanted to do this?” Faced with Li Shimin’s question, Zhou Xing shook his head: “I asked, but he wouldn’t say. And today, I originally planned to go to another street to beg for food, but when I came out I met him, and he insisted I come to East Main Street. I was afraid he would report me to the authorities, so I could only agree.”
Li Shimin said suspiciously: “You’re saying that my encounter with you today was also arranged by him?”
“This humble person doesn’t dare to be certain, but thinking about it calmly, it’s quite possible. Otherwise, why would he insist that this humble person go to East Main Street? It’s just that this humble person doesn’t know how he predicted that Second Young Master would pass through East Main Street.”
Li Shimin nodded slightly: “Do you know what his name is?”
“I don’t know, but every time I see him, he holds a gold-painted fan with several bamboo stalks painted on it along with some characters, though this humble person can’t read. He’s about thirty years old, and he looks…” His words were interrupted halfway by a sudden voice: “Are you talking about me?”
Zhou Xing hurriedly turned around to look, only to see a middle-aged man with a short beard on his chin, smiling at them while waving a gold-painted fan. On the fan’s surface were painted exactly the bamboo stalks Zhou Xing had just mentioned.
Zhou Xing pointed at the man, saying urgently: “Second Young Master, it’s him!”
The man walked in waving his fan: “When Second Young Master enforces the law strictly while also considering human compassion, not letting Zhou Xing’s family be destroyed, it truly commands my admiration.”
“This is what I should do.” Li Shimin responded coolly, staring at him: “But this gentleman here, why did you incite Zhou Xing to steal my money pouch and deliberately arrange today’s encounter?”
The man smiled and bowed to Li Shimin: “I am Liu Hongji. I greet Second Young Master!”
Li Shimin was stunned. Liu Hongji? Wasn’t this the person his father had always wanted to recruit? When Big Brother came to Hedong, he had specifically instructed to find this person and recruit him under their banner. Unfortunately, Liu Hongji was quite arrogant. Although Big Brother had sought him out several times, he consistently refused to surrender, and later disappeared without a trace, obviously intentionally avoiding them. Why this time again…
“I know what Second Young Master is thinking.” Liu Hongji’s gaze swept over Zhou Xing and the others: “How about we go outside to talk?”
Li Shimin nodded. When they reached a secluded place, Liu Hongji said: “That’s right. When First Young Master tried to recruit me last year, I did indeed refuse him. Because what I saw in First Young Master was the arrogance of being a Governor’s son. His so-called treating wise men with courtesy was merely following the Governor’s orders, something he had to do. Such a person won’t treat others with sincerity, and naturally isn’t worth following.”
He spoke these words without any courtesy. Li Shimin frowned: “Big Brother may have some arrogance, but he’s not as you describe.”
“What about Zhou Xing’s matter then? After First Young Master discovered Zhou Xing stealing the money pouch, with one sentence ‘wrong is wrong, cannot be forgiven,’ he determined Zhou Xing’s guilt, not asking at all whether he had any hardships. If that day Zhou Xing had been thrown into prison by First Young Master, his sick wife and two young daughters would all have died.”
Although Li Shimin also felt Li Jiancheng was too harsh, hearing Liu Hongji say this still made him somewhat uncomfortable, and he argued: “Big Brother didn’t know Zhou Xing had such hardships. Big Brother’s intention was only to uphold the law strictly, there was nothing wrong with that.”
“Perhaps.” Liu Hongji said with a half-smile: “But I see in Second Young Master a balance between law and human compassion. In this regard, you do much better than First Young Master.”
Li Shimin stared at him: “You deliberately arranged this whole act – what exactly do you want?”
Liu Hongji closed his fan and raised his eyebrows: “What if I said I want to serve under Duke of Tang? Would this reason be acceptable?”
Li Shimin looked at him suspiciously. Li Yuan had always wanted to recruit him. If he truly wanted to serve, he need only go to the Governor’s Office and give his name, and would naturally be treated as an honored guest. Why do all these things?
After pondering for a long while, he shook his head: “Forgive my directness, but this reason is too forced. If Mr. Liu truly wishes to serve under my father, please tell me honestly.”
Liu Hongji wasn’t angry either, smiling: “It’s very simple. There are countless rebels throughout the realm, but many who rebel today are pacified by the court tomorrow, or destroyed by internal strife. Such rebel armies are useless except for leaving heads scattered on the ground. Liu naturally wants to achieve something, so I must choose the most suitable rebel army. Previously, First Young Master’s actions couldn’t satisfy Liu, but now, they can.”
“Just because I treated Zhou Xing’s wife?” After Liu Hongji nodded, Li Shimin said: “Sir, isn’t this approach too frivolous?”
Liu Hongji laughed: “Whether it’s frivolous or not, we’ll know in the future. For now, please have Second Young Master take me to see Duke of Tang.”
Regardless, Liu Hongji’s willingness to serve them was ultimately a good thing. After Chuyi brought people from Ji Garden to properly settle Zhou Xing’s family, he brought Liu Hongji to the Governor’s Office. Li Yuan was overjoyed to learn that Liu Hongji had voluntarily come to serve, personally coming out to welcome him. They talked for a long time, and when asked why he had refused recruitment before but now actively came with Li Shimin, Liu Hongji gave a few evasive answers without telling the truth.
This matter naturally also reached Li Jiancheng’s ears. He immediately asked Li Shimin what was going on, and the latter recounted Liu Hongji’s deliberate arrangement of having Zhou Xing steal the money pouch and the subsequent arranged encounter. Of course, the words Liu Hongji had said to him privately were not mentioned to avoid Li Jiancheng overthinking.
After he finished speaking, Li Jiancheng said grimly: “This Liu Hongji is truly a strange person. Previously, no matter how we invited him, he wouldn’t come, but now he comes on his own initiative, and even arranged such a meaningless theatrical performance. If Father didn’t value him, I wouldn’t bother with him.”
“Anyone with talent inevitably has some eccentric temperament. Big Brother shouldn’t hold it against him. Now that he’s serving Father, our chances of pacifying Mu Duan’er’s rebellion will be greater.”
Li Jiancheng snorted coldly: “Ridiculous! Without him, can’t I still deal with Mu Duan’er?”
Li Shimin knew he was proud and arrogant, so he didn’t say more, instead asking: “How are things with Mu Duan’er?”
“According to messages from there, people have been fleeing continuously, and Mu Duan’er has begun to feel uneasy. He often sends his soldiers to patrol near Longmen, and once they discover people intending to flee, they kill them by cruel means.” Speaking of this, Li Jiancheng smiled coldly: “Unfortunately, he doesn’t know that the more he does this, the more those people will remember Father’s kindness and try every means to escape here. By my estimation, within a month, Mu Duan’er will definitely make a move.”
Li Shimin nodded: “Yes, I’ll intensify the training of soldiers to strike down Mu Duan’er’s rebel army in one blow.”
After discussing military affairs further, Li Shimin walked out. After he left, Li Jiancheng’s brows furrowed slightly as he bent down to rub his left leg.