"What does our lord mean..." Pang Zhen and Liu Zheng both asked in surprise.
"Someone, bring me a brush and ink. I want to write a piece of calligraphy to give to Li Jun as a wedding gift."
Liu Guang dismounted, and guards set out a small table. He paused briefly, his eyes gleaming, and then began to write. With swift, powerful strokes, he penned the characters "天下" (meaning "all under heaven") on the fine Huai River.
"What beautiful calligraphy! It's so powerful and majestic, as if the world is in the palm of your hand," Pang Zhen couldn't help but praise.
"Haha, Mr. Pang is just being modest, so you flatter me." Liu Guang threw the pen aside, drew his sword with a clang, and with the speed of the wind, the sword sliced through the two characters "天下" (all under heaven), splitting the paper in two.
"Mr. Liu, send someone to deliver this 'Xia' character to Li Jun and tell him that the 'Tian' character is with me. He can come and take it when he has the chance." Liu Guang sheathed his sword, mounted his horse, and laughed heartily again.
"Our lord also believes that Li Jun is qualified to compete with him for the throne." Pang Zhen and Liu Zheng understood that Liu Guang was not just sending a gift, but also trying to ignite Li Jun's ambition to conquer the world. Young people often act rashly when their ambition is ignited, and at that time, Liu Guang could take back the title of "competitive ruler."
※※※
At this time, Kuanglan City was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations everywhere, partly because the end of the year was approaching, and partly because of Li Jun's marriage.
For the common people, it was only a matter of time before Li Jun declared himself king. And for a king, having a harem in the land was perfectly normal. Moreover, if Li Jun could marry and have children as soon as possible, it would be extremely beneficial for the smooth continuation of his power.
Therefore, although the wedding date has not yet been set, the atmosphere of welcoming Li Jun's wedding has already permeated the air. In order to avoid shyness and to conform to the ancient rites of Shenzhou, Mo Rong and Ji Su went to the Qionglu Grassland on the third day after Li Jun returned to the city. If Li Jun is to get married, he must lead people to the Qionglu Grassland to welcome his bride.
Originally, Li Jun wanted his marriage to be simple and frugal. However, Yu Sheng disagreed no matter what. As the first person in Yuzhou to support him, Li Jun had to carefully consider Yu Sheng's opinion.
“If it were a marriage to an ordinary woman, the commander could be frugal as he pleases, but now it involves intermarriage between ordinary people, Rong people, and Yue people, so it cannot be too frugal under any circumstances. Moreover, Miss Ji Su and Miss Mo Rong are both virtuous and talented; wouldn't it be unfair to them if it were too frugal?” Yu Sheng was the one who most opposed the relationship between Li Jun and Mo Rong in the past, but now Yu Sheng was strongly urging Li Jun to marry them in the most extravagant way possible. Li Jun, who had lacked education in these matters of etiquette since childhood, had no choice but to agree.
In the aftermath of the great war, Yuzhou desperately needed a celebration to heal the wounds inflicted by the conflict. Although in the past six months, the Peace Army had fought north and west, capturing the Qinggui Plain and the three counties of southern Jiangsu, and defeating Liu Guang who had taken advantage of the situation to invade, it had also suffered losses, killing three thousand men and losing eight hundred of its own. Apart from the more than ten thousand naval troops that had been slain by Tu Long Ziyun, the Peace Army had also suffered some losses.
Congratulatory envoys arrived in droves from all directions, including representatives from the eleven city lords of Yuzhou, as well as messengers from Qinggui Plain and the three prefectures of southern Jiangsu. Among them, besides Dong Cheng and Luo Yi who couldn't leave, Meng Yuan ordered Lü Wubing and Gan Ping to guard Danyuan and Yunyang, while he himself rushed back to Kuanglan City. Initially, he had only come to plead guilty and accept punishment, but on the way, he encountered a messenger bringing good news, realizing that his personal visit was indeed the right one. If he hadn't been present at Li Jun's wedding, it would have been a lifelong regret for both of them.
On the first day of the first month of the second year of the Chen Kingdom's Wude era, King Li Gou of the Su Kingdom issued an edict of self-reproach, changed the era name to Tianyou, and granted a general amnesty. All officials, from Prime Minister Wu Shu down, were fined three months' salary to compensate the soldiers who had perished in the Qinggui battle due to Dong Cheng's breach of the dike. Within the Su Kingdom, a pall of gloom hung in the air. Even in the Qinggui and three southern prefectures under the jurisdiction of the Peace Army, the people were bewildered and disoriented by the upheaval. Fortunately, Dong Cheng was highly respected, and his chief clerk, Huang Xuan, was known for his wisdom and resourcefulness. Their measures were well-organized. Before the New Year, the two, under the name of the Peace Army, opened granaries and distributed rice, wine, and meat to the people. Upon learning of Li Jun's wedding, they sent an envoy, Mo Zidu, to offer congratulations, and simultaneously used this as a pretext to distribute supplies to the people. Thus, the restless populace gradually calmed down.
Meanwhile, Dong Cheng from Xizhou sent Ren Qian, the magistrate of Hunxian County, recommended by his friend Tang Peng, as his envoy to Kuanglan City by sea. For several days, Kuanglan City was busy receiving these guests.
"Commander Li has come to greet us personally today. I wonder who this person is?"
The people at the docks whispered amongst themselves. The Peace Army was free to speak in Kuanglan City; the taverns and inns were free of the taboo against discussing state affairs. The Peace Army's repeated victories provided the city's residents with plenty of fodder for conversation. After all, as Li Jun had once said, the Peace Army was Kuanglan City's Peace Army.
"Here it comes, the ship is here."
A soldier reported to Li Jun. Li Jun, who had changed into a plain silk coat and unusually removed his red dragon helmet, looked radiant in the warm winter sun. He was already quite handsome, but this outfit made him look less dashing and more refined.
He looked into the distance and saw a huge merchant ship slowly docking, escorted by two small naval vessels. The ship was familiar; it was the "Hai Kuo," the very ship that had carried the dragon-slaying Ziyun years ago. Li Jun smiled slightly as he recalled that memory.
After the ship docked, the passengers disembarked. Li Jun called out, "Who is Mr. Ren Qian?"
Ren Qian responded from the crowd, "Here."
Li Jun took a few steps forward, while Feng Jiutian and the others behind him remained smiling and motionless. Ren Qian looked at his face for a while, a slight look of surprise on his face, and asked, "Who are you, young brother, and why do you call me by my name?"
Li Jun bowed deeply to the ground: "I am Li Jun. I heard of your arrival, sir. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly."
Ren Qian hurriedly put down the object in his hand and bowed deeply, saying, "How dare I, a humble man from Hunxian, trouble Commander Li? I was blind and failed to recognize Commander Li. Please forgive me, Commander."
Li Jun grasped his arm, and the two exchanged a glance and smiled slightly.
“I have heard of your brilliant plan to drive out the Japanese pirates. I have been eager to meet you and hear your teachings. Today I am so fortunate to finally meet you,” Li Jun said. “Come, sir, let me introduce you to our friends.”
Hearing Li Jun refer to his subordinate as a "friend," Ren Qian felt a slight warmth in his heart. Li Jun led him to a man and said, "Sir, Mr. Ren must have heard of his great name long ago."
Ren Qian looked at the man and saw that he was of medium height and slightly plump, with an ordinary face, except for his clear, watery eyes. Ren Qian's face lit up with joy, and he said, "No need for the commander's introduction. I guess this brother is Su Bai, whose literary fame is known throughout the land. Am I right?"
"Brother Ren, you have excellent taste!" Su Bai bowed and said, "It must be because I am frivolous and uncouth, and my bad reputation is widespread."
"Brother Su is indeed a madman." Ren Qian laughed, not taking Su Bai's joke at their first meeting to heart. "The Record of Hai Tian Lou has spread throughout the world since its publication. Brother Su's talent is no less than his madness."
After introducing everyone, Li Jun welcomed Ren Qian into the camp. Li Jun's residence had been built in Kuanglan City, but it was largely for show. Li Jun had never spent a night there; he still preferred to sleep on the floor in his military tent.
"It is a pleasure to have you gentlemen here. Although it is customary to discuss matters of the heart and not state affairs at a banquet, I must interrupt your pleasantries and ask for your opinions on the next steps of the Peace Army."
After the guests and hosts had enjoyed themselves, Li Jun noticed that the scholars were mostly discussing poetry, songs, and romantic themes, so he couldn't help but put down his chopsticks and ask a question. Feng Jiutian glanced at him; Li Jun didn't seem relaxed after the victory, but rather his heart seemed even heavier.
“Please, Brother Su Bai, speak first,” Feng Jiutian said. “Brother Wei and I have been by the Commander’s side for a while now, and we have already said everything that needed to be said.”
Su Bai, known for his eccentricities, didn't mince words and said, "To be honest, I came here partly because I was attracted by the grandeur of Kuanglan City, and partly because I wanted to meet Brother Li Jun and his associates."
Hearing him speak so frankly about Li Jun, everyone's eyes involuntarily turned to him. Su Bai stood up, raised his cup, and went to Li Jun's side, saying, "Brother Li, would you like to have a drink with me?"
No one was surprised. The Peace Army was invincible, and Li Jun was famous throughout the world. Everyone addressed him respectfully as "Commander Li." However, Su Bai addressed him as "brother," a term used when discussing equals, which was quite disrespectful.
“Why not?” Li Jun also stood up. “If Brother Su is willing to give me guidance, I would gladly drink an entire jar of wine.” He no longer used honorifics when addressing Su Bai, and naturally called him “brother.”
The two drank their beverages in one gulp. Su Bai laughed heartily, but his face was devoid of a smile, and his expression was rather strange. After a moment, he said, "Brother Li, you have Feng Jiutian to assist you in political strategy, Wei Zhan to plan your military strategy, and few in this world can match your martial prowess. Meng Yuan, Lan Qiao, Fang Fengyi, and others are all renowned for their bravery. Even I, a man from the mountains, have heard of their great names. Now, Brother Ren Qian has struck fear into the hearts of the Japanese pirates in the battle of Hunxian, giving Brother Li another helping hand. In addition, Dong Cheng has won your favor. If I were to say that I could do anything for Brother Li in military matters, that would be overestimating my abilities."
"But there is one thing, I wonder if Brother Li has considered it." At this point, Su Bai's tone changed, and he looked directly at Li Jun: "Brother Li, do you think your talent and strategy can compare to the Khan of the Four Seas? Although you have many assistants, can they compare to the legendary military genius Sun Lou? And can your might of the Pingjun Army compare to the iron cavalry that the Khan of the Four Seas has conquered the world?"
Hearing him bombard them with three questions in quick succession, his words not only rude but also accusatory, everyone's expressions changed slightly. Those who had witnessed Li Jun's wrath before even began to worry about Su Bai's life. Only Feng Jiutian seemed to hear nothing, reaching out with his chopsticks to pick up a peanut, but after two attempts, he couldn't manage to pick it up.
Li Jun's expression changed several times. Over the years, he had read a lot and knew a great deal about the great achievements of the Four Seas Khan. Therefore, he couldn't help but sit down and sighed, "Four Seas Khan... Not to mention that I am far inferior to the Four Seas Khan, even the founding emperor of the Su Kingdom and the restorer of the Lan Kingdom, I can hardly say that I am better than them."
"Haha, Brother Li is right," Su Bai said with a smile. "But at least in one respect, you are no less than these famous rulers, and that is the breadth of your mind."
Li Jun also laughed: "Brother Su first criticized and then praised, I don't know whether to be happy or sad."
“Brother Li, I believe that although the Peace Army has many talented individuals, it is not enough to meet their needs,” Su Bai continued. “You have tried to recruit talented people, but with little success. The reason is simple: many talented people are arrogant and ashamed to be subordinate to others. I, Su Bai, wield my sword and sing wildly, desiring only joy and pleasure, and ashamed of bowing and scraping. If you can even tolerate someone like me, why worry that talented people throughout the world will not flock to your side?”
Everyone then realized that this was part of the reason behind Su Bai's rudeness and arrogance. Li Jun was at a loss for words for a moment. Su Bai continued, "In this way, Brother Li can have the reputation of being eager to learn from talent, while I will bear the infamy of being arrogant and conceited. Brother Li, I, Su Bai, am not a saint, but merely a madman. I must consider whether it is worth doing something that benefits others but harms myself."
"Then how can we make Brother Su feel it's worthwhile?" Li Jun couldn't help but ask.