Chapter 16: Far from the Imperial Court (Part I)

Zheng Yanqing’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, and his pupils contracted sharply.

Who was Yao Yi? Yanqing really did not know; he had no impression of the name at all. However, since he claimed to be Yao Yi of Taishan, he must be connected to the Yao clan of Jinyang. The Jinyang Yao family was a prominent Southern clan, a branch of the Xiaoshi Yao family. After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, the Yao family, originally from Wuxing, migrated north. The main branch settled in Xiaoshi, hence the name Xiaoshi Yao. There were, however, sub-branches that reached Jinyang and gained some local fame. Having lived in this era for ten years, Yanqing had paid quite a bit of attention to the noble families due to his circumstances.

What truly astonished Yanqing, however, was the tall young man in white: Xue Shou!

According to historical records, Xue Shou was a member of the Fenyin Xue clan, one of the four great families of Hedong. His father was the illustrious Xue Daoheng, the great scholar currently serving as the Secretariat Supervisor, famous for his line, "Empty beams drop swallow mud." It was said that in his youth, Xue Shou had studied under Wang Tong at Bai Niu Creek. But now, Wang Tong’s reputation was somewhat tarnished; having returned home to study in seclusion without interacting with anyone, it was naturally impossible for Xue Shou to become his disciple. History records that after Xue Daoheng’s death, Xue Shou vowed never to serve the Sui. When the Sui fell and the Tang rose, he threw his lot in with Li Yuan, and later, through the recommendation of Fang Xuanling, he served in Li Shimin’s Tiance Prefecture.

There were few surviving records of Xue Shou’s deeds, only that during the campaign to pacify Dou Jiande, he had swayed the decision, urging Li Shimin to strike swiftly and decisively, leading to a single, glorious victory. Later, he played a massive role in quelling the rebellion of Liu Heita. Beyond that, historical accounts focused more on his literary talent. However, Xue Shou died young, in his thirties. Later, when Li Shimin commissioned the portrait of the Eighteen Scholars, he lamented that Xue Shou had passed away too early to be included. Even though Xue Shou was dead, Li Shimin still included his nephew, Xue Yuanjing, among the Eighteen Scholars.

In Yanqing’s view, Xue Shou was much like Guo Jia of the Three Kingdoms period. It was only because of the novel *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* that Guo Jia became a household name; Xue Shou’s talent was no less than Guo Jia’s, but his fame was far lesser.

Pei Xingyan said, "Young Master Xue and Young Master Yao are both studying at the Imperial Academy. Hearing that you and Mai Zijhong had arranged a game of *cuju*, they sought me out, wanting to lend you a hand... Besides, like me, they hold your *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* in high regard. How are things prepared on your end?"

Zheng Yanqing hurriedly expressed his gratitude, "I am deeply grateful for the kindness of you two."

Yao Yi said, "Pardon my presumption, but I shall call you Brother Zheng. That fellow Mai Zijhong has always been arrogant and despotic, often acting as if he were a conqueror himself; I have long found him eyesore. What you said on the main street of Jianguo Gate that day was correct—what virtue or ability does he have to dare call himself a conqueror? If not for his father, General Mai, he should have been dealt with by the law... In any case, Brother, you must not lose to him. Those fellows at the Imperial Academy don't think much of your chances, but Young Master Xue and I are definitely standing on your side."

Yao Yi was a straightforward and outspoken person. Xue Shou, on the other hand, smiled slightly at the side and offered no comment.

Zheng Yanqing had everyone sit and briefed the three of them on his situation. "To be honest, I have no confidence at all. I am not skilled at *cuju*, and my team is incomplete. Even with the three of you assisting, I am still short two players. Dou Biejia mentioned that in a few days, Dou Xiaoxuan, heir to the Duke of Shenwu, might be able to join me. But even counting Young Master Dou, I am still short one person, and it is giving me a headache."

Clearly, Pei Xingyan and the others knew who Dou Xiaoxuan was. Pei Xingyan frowned, "Now that you mention it, Young Master Dou’s *cuju* skills are not bad; if he can join, it will indeed be a great help. But still missing one person is troublesome... Where are we to find one so quickly?"

There were only so many sons of the nobility in Luoyang, and very few were willing to risk offending Mai Tiezhang to help Zheng Yanqing. Even if some noble sons were willing, their parents might not be. Although Yanqing said he was not skilled at *cuju*, Pei Xingyan and the others did not care. In Pei Xingyan’s view, Zheng Yanqing, who could fight him to a draw and was only slightly inferior, was merely being modest. His thoughts, along with those of Xue Shou and Yao Yi, turned to the remaining vacancy.

Xue Shou suddenly said, "I do have a candidate in mind, though I am not sure if I can get him out."

"Who?"

Xue Shou said, "My cousin, Xue Wanche, son of General Xue Shixiong. He is thirteen this year, known for his bravery and strength, and is skilled at *cuju*. He is in Luoyang now; if we could invite him, wouldn't our team be complete?"

Xue Wanche? Yanqing felt the name was very familiar. His father, Xue Shixiong, was indeed quite famous; Yanqing had heard that he had crushed the Tuyuhun earlier that year.

"Young Master Xue, why don't you go back and talk to Old Xue?"

Xue Shou scratched his head and said softly, "If it were earlier, it wouldn't be hard to get him out. But recently... you don't know, three months ago, he injured the grandson of the Duke of Puyang in Chang'an and is currently grounded by General Xue."

"Ah, he injured Yuwen Chengzhi?"

"No, he broke the ribs of Yuwen Chengji and angered his elder brother... General Xue was afraid he would suffer, so he sent him to Luoyang for discipline."

Yanqing really didn't know much about what had happened in Chang'an. If Shen Guang hadn't mentioned it earlier, Zheng Yanqing wouldn't even have known who Yuwen Chengji was. So, when Pei Xingyan, Xue Shou, and Yao Yi were talking, he and Xu Shiji mostly just listened intently.

"Brother Pei, who is Yuwen Chengji’s elder brother?" Zheng Yanqing couldn't help but ask. He could tell that Pei Xingyan and the others seemed quite wary of that "elder brother."

Xue Shou said, "That would be the eldest son of the Yuwen family slave, Yuwen Chengdu."

"Ah?" Yanqing was quite shocked and almost blurted out, *Does this person, Yuwen Chengdu, really exist?*

In historical records, there was no mention of Yuwen Chengdu. However, in folklore and legends, Yuwen Chengdu was incredibly famous. He was the second-ranked hero among the eighteen of the Sui and Tang dynasties. It was said he wielded a phoenix-winged gilded trident and possessed the strength of ten thousand men. To be honest, Yanqing hadn't really believed it before. But now, Pei Yuanqing had appeared, and so had Yuwen Chengdu...

Yanqing was confused: Was this real history or the world of the *Sui Tang Yanyi*? Since Yuwen Chengdu and Pei Yuanqing were both here, should Li Yuanba appear soon, along with Luo Cheng of Youzhou? He subconsciously glanced at Xu Shiji. *Legend has it that the old Taoist Xu Maogong from the novel is this very person!*

"Who is the Yuwen family slave? Is Yuwen Chengdu very powerful?" Xu Shiji, seeing Yanqing looking at him, misunderstood and thought Zheng Yanqing wanted him to speak, so he asked the question.

Yao Yi said, "Don't you know? The Yuwen family slave is Yuwen Huaji... Heh, he accompanied the Emperor on the journey and actually tried to do business with the Turks in Yulin. The Emperor discovered it and he almost lost his life. It was only thanks to Princess Nanyang pleading for him that he was spared. However, death was avoided, but life is hard to endure. The Emperor demoted him to a lowly slave and sold him to the Duke of Puyang..."

*Pfft!* Yanqing spat out his water. *What a piece of work!* Probably only someone like Emperor Yang of Sui could think of such an extraordinary method.

Yao Yi continued, "Yuwen Chengdu studied under General Yu Juluo. He joined the army at thirteen, earned a position in the Thousand Ox Guards at fifteen, and is unmatched in bravery with infinite strength. During the attack on the Tuyuhun earlier this year, he rode into the enemy formation alone and seized the banner of the Tuyuhun Khan, Fuyun, causing the Khan to suffer a crushing defeat. The Emperor granted him the title of General Tianbao, and he is currently guarding Chang'an."

Pei Xingyan snorted, "Pure dumb luck. If I hadn't been grounded at home early this year, it might not have been his turn to take the spotlight." Sure enough, Pei Yuanqing, who was a rival in the legends, was not very convinced by Yuwen Chengdu.

However, Yuwen Chengdu was already over twenty, while Pei Xingyan was only twelve; the gap was significant. Yanqing wasn't very interested in Yuwen Chengdu, as they wouldn't have much interaction. He was more interested in Xue Wanche, so he asked, "Young Master Xue, do you think it's possible to invite your cousin?"

"That... I can ask when I go back."

Doing a quick mental calculation, the manpower seemed sufficient now... As long as Xue Shou could get Xue Wanche out, once Dou Xiaoxuan arrived in Luoyang, everything would be ready. The problem that had plagued him for ten days was suddenly solved. Both Yanqing and Xu Shiji felt much lighter.

It was already late, so practicing was unlikely. The group of youths were of similar ages. The oldest was Xue Shou, sixteen this year; the youngest was Yanqing, ten. As for Xu Shiji, Pei Xingyan, and Yao Yi, the age gaps were even smaller. They sat together and chatted. As the conversation went on, it turned to Yanqing’s *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*. The chapters released so far were not many; Yanqing had intentionally slowed the pace to pique more interest. Xue Shou and the others had seen what was available to the public, while Xu Shiji had already read up to the Battle of Red Cliffs.

Zheng Yanqing didn't say much, so Xu Shiji became the protagonist. He gestured wildly, recounting the subsequent plot, occasionally leaving a cliffhanger that left Pei Xingyan and the others scratching their heads.

"Brother Zheng, do you have so much more written?" Pei Xingyan pulled Zheng Yanqing excitedly, "Hand it over quickly so we can satisfy our craving."

"This... I am still revising it. Once the revisions are complete, I will certainly ask you brothers for your critique." Yanqing was hesitant now because Du Ruhui had written to him earlier, saying that some parts of his book were inappropriate—for example, honoring Liu Bei as the legitimate successor to the Han, or the issue of usurping the throne—all very sensitive topics. If one slip occurred, it could invite disaster. When he wrote it, Yanqing hadn't paid much attention, but Du Ruhui’s reminder made him cautious. He had been hesitating whether to release the subsequent chapters. But since the conversation had turned to the *Three Kingdoms*, Yanqing suddenly had an idea.

"Young Master Xue, you and Young Master Yao study at the Imperial Academy; you are well-informed and have broader knowledge than us. I have a small question I would like your guidance on... I wonder, what do you think of the Rebellion of the Taiping Dao?"

The Taiping Dao rebellion was more commonly known in later generations as the "Yellow Turban Rebellion." This was related to ideology, so Yanqing naturally couldn't use that term. Over these past few days, the Mao couple had officially become disciples of Maitreya, and Mao Xiaonian had joined them. Although the couple hadn't encountered the distribution of talisman water yet, and thus hadn't met Mao Xiaoba, the news Mao Xiaonian brought back suggested that this "White-Robed Maitreya" was already taking shape. According to Mao Xiaonian, there was no shortage of high-ranking officials and nobles involved in Luoyang, and their prestige among the refugees was even higher.

Yanqing felt very uneasy. Especially after re-reading the *Records of the Three Kingdoms* these past few days, he felt more and more that the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the current White-Robed Maitreya were strikingly similar. Neither the *Records* nor the *Romance* had many written records about the Yellow Turban Rebellion, but one could not deny the immense damage it caused to the Han dynasty... If it weren't for the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Han empire might have lasted a while longer. It could be said that the rebellion accelerated the fall of the Han.

A careful comparison revealed the similarities between the Taiping Dao and the White-Robed Maitreya. Both started from the grassroots, especially during times with many refugees; they established a foothold by distributing talisman water and promoting miracles, then infiltrated the upper echelons of society. Now, Emperor Yang of Sui was heavily involved in construction, leading to an increase in refugees. He had heard that traces of banditry had appeared to varying degrees in the Henan and Hebei regions. Historical records stated the chaos of the Sui Dynasty was in the late Daye period, but Yanqing wasn't sure if this chaos could be brought forward.

Xu Shiji was still by his side, and the heroes of Wagang were nowhere to be found. Most of the legendary rebel kings were unknown. He didn't know where Wang Shichong was, and Dou Jiande was likely still farming. As for Li Yuan, he was still loyally serving the Sui, but would the appearance of the White-Robed Maitreya cause the upheaval to start early?

Yanqing couldn't be sure... He needed time, time to accumulate strength and to grow. Therefore, so far, he didn't want the Sui Dynasty to fall into chaos. Furthermore, he hadn't even met the legendary Li Er yet. His own strength was too small, but he could borrow strength. The people before him—whether Xue Shou or Pei Xingyan—were all sons of officials; if push came to shove, he could express this concern through them.

With this idea in mind, Zheng Yanqing suddenly shifted the topic to the Taiping Dao. Since everyone was talking about the *Three Kingdoms*, bringing up the Taiping Dao didn't seem too abrupt or forced.

Xue Shou was startled at the mention. "Taiping Dao? Brother, are you talking about the Zhang brothers?"

"Exactly!"

"That... was the beginning of the decline of the Han, a demonic evil of a chaotic age."

*Ha*, it seemed Xue Shou’s understanding was quite similar to his own. Yanqing immediately assumed a posture of listening intently. "I would like to hear the details."

Xue Shou spoke eloquently, moving from the Taiping Dao rebellion to the Sun En rebellion of the Southern Dynasty. Once he started, Xu Shiji and the others remained silent, nodding occasionally to show their agreement with Xue Shou’s views.

"Brother, why did you suddenly think of this?"

Zheng Yanqing smiled, "Just a sudden thought, hence my inquiry. A few days ago, I heard someone say that there were people distributing talisman water in Luoyang. Since I happened to be reading the *Three Kingdoms* those days, I had some reflections. People often say that reading history can reveal the rise and fall of dynasties; I quite agree. The Taiping Dao was anything but 'taiping' (peaceful)!"

History, in essence, was constantly repeating itself. The forms might differ, but at the root, there was not much change. It was just that the methods were more sophisticated and secretive...

Xue Shou’s expression became serious. "Is there really such a thing? It certainly needs to be monitored."

Pei Xingyan said, "Alright, alright, why bring up the Taiping Dao out of nowhere? The high officials will worry about such things; why should we interfere?"

Yanqing laughed, "To be concerned for the people while in the high temple, and to be concerned for the ruler while far away in the wilderness. As we read the books of the sages, we should be the first to worry about the world’s troubles and the last to enjoy its joys. This is what I have gained from three years in the bamboo garden. Just now, hearing you brothers discuss the *Three Kingdoms*, I had a sudden inspiration and ruined the mood. Brother Pei, please do not blame me."

Pei Xingyan didn't have much of a reaction, but the expressions of Xue Shou, Yao Yi, and even Xu Shiji changed suddenly. Xue Shou stood up abruptly and bowed deeply, "Brother, your talent is great; I am not your equal."