The Li residence was located less than eighty li from the new city of Chang'an, north of the old Sanyuan County town. During the Northern Zhou dynasty, the area was renamed Huachi County, but the locals still referred to themselves as "Sanyuan people." In the spring of the third year of the Kaihuang era, Huachi County was abolished, and the name Sanyuan County was restored. When Han Qinhu arrived on horseback at the Li residence, the family had just finished their breakfast.
The Li estate in Sanyuan appeared somewhat aged, having been expanded by Li Jing's grandfather, Li Chongyi, during his tenure as the governor of Yinzhou in the Northern Qi dynasty. Over thirty years had passed since then, and if one traced its history further back, the estate was already over a century old. The compound consisted of seven courtyards, with over a hundred rooms of varying sizes nestled among towering trees. The old mute gatekeeper, upon seeing Han Qinhu, hurried inside to announce his arrival. Shortly after, Li Quan emerged, accompanied by his second son Li Zhuang, fourth son Li Ai, fifth son Li Keshi, and his wife Lady Han, who was holding their three-year-old son Li Zhengming. Li Quan, in his forties, had a fair complexion, a long beard, and a tall, slender frame. Dressed in simple cloth garments, he appeared at first glance to be a refined country scholar, but upon closer inspection, one could detect a martial air about him.
Han Qinhu was pleased to see Li Quan looking calm and composed, and his nephews full of vitality. However, his sister Lady Han appeared pale, and though she forced a smile, it was clear that she was unwell.
After exchanging greetings, Li Quan had his children pay their respects and then said with a smile, "General, your sudden visit has caught me off guard. Please, come in."
Han Qinhu returned the courtesy and said, "Brother-in-law, there's no need for formalities. We are family. Standing on ceremony would only create distance." With that, he handed his horse to the mute gatekeeper, bypassed the screen wall, and walked through the pavilions into the main hall, where they took their seats as host and guest.
Han Qinhu picked up Li Keshi and laughed, "Keshi must be seven years old now, right? He's grown so strong. He'll surely become a great general in the future."
Lady Han frowned and said, "Brother, all you ever talk about is warfare and battles. My eldest son has already joined the military and is now on the frontier dealing with the Turks. I worry day and night. My second and fourth sons enjoy reading poetry and literature, but Keshi is obsessed with swords and martial arts. As a mother, I fear all this fighting and killing..." Though she didn't mention her third son Li Jing directly, Han Qinhu was filled with guilt and didn't know how to broach the subject.
Li Quan quickly interjected, "It's quite peculiar that among our six sons, the odd-numbered ones are drawn to martial arts while the even-numbered ones prefer scholarly pursuits. Zhengming isn't even three yet, but he already recognizes over a thousand characters. Keshi, not yet seven, can already hold his own for ten moves against the mute gatekeeper and has made some progress in archery. But he dislikes studying and spends his days shooting birds—did you hear any birds singing when you entered the courtyard? They've all been scared away by Keshi."
Han Qinhu laughed heartily and then reached out to grab a handful of roasted soybeans from the table. He had a particular fondness for them. Lady Han noticed and softly said, "Brother, I've already had someone prepare some roasted beans for you. They'll be here shortly."
Han Qinhu felt a bit embarrassed and chuckled, "At home, there's no need for such formalities. Children, go out and play for a while, so you don't compete with your uncle when the beans arrive."
Li Zhuang, the second son, was already fifteen and quite sensible. He took his youngest brother from his mother's arms and led the other children outside.
With only the three of them left in the hall, Han Qinhu coughed lightly, stood up, and knelt before Li Quan. "Brother-in-law, I must apologize—Li Jing has gotten into trouble because of me, and his fate remains unknown... If you're angry, feel free to take it out on me..."
Li Quan quickly stood up to help Han Qinhu to his feet, but Han Qinhu, being tall and strong, couldn't be easily moved. Li Quan had no choice but to kneel as well. "Brother, why say such things? I already know about Li Jing's situation, but how can I blame you? Please, get up."
Seeing her brother and husband at an impasse, Lady Han said, "Brother, there's no need to blame yourself. Even if Li Jing hadn't gone to Shu, my husband's dismissal and the troubles our family has faced were inevitable."
Han Qinhu was taken aback and stood up, asking, "What do you mean?"
Li Quan also stood, sat down, and slowly explained, "The Great Sui dynasty has only been established for three years, but factional struggles have already begun. Brother, you came from Chang'an—have you met the Crown Prince?"
Han Qinhu recounted his meeting with the emperor. After listening, Li Quan stroked his beard and said, "That explains it. Previously, the Crown Prince had secretly sent people to win over officials from various provinces. I was foolish enough to send a reply, which caught the attention of the Prince of Jin. The Prince of Jin's office is in Jinyang, and he also holds the titles of Minister of the Hebei Circuit and General of the Left Martial Guard. He not only has jurisdiction over the northern provinces but can also intervene in the capital's defenses at any time. Any governor suspected of having ties to the Crown Prince has been dismissed, and the Emperor has praised this. I have no interest in officialdom anymore. I just want to live out my remaining years in the countryside, teaching the children and living off the modest land left by our ancestors."
Han Qinhu had intended to persuade his brother-in-law, but given Li Jing's situation, he didn't dare bring it up. Instead, he coughed lightly and said, "Even if you wish to retire, your children may have grand ambitions. I observe that our current ruler is a man of great talent and vision, fair in rewards and punishments, and not one to be trifled with. Li Jing has met with misfortune, but he's always been clever and alert. He might yet escape this calamity..."
Hearing this, Lady Han struggled to hold back her tears, but they flowed nonetheless.
Li Quan forced a smile and said, "According to the newly enacted 'Great Sui Code,' Li Jing may not escape this fate. It's said that General He Ruo has sent his trusted subordinate, General Lai Hu'er, to temporarily take charge of military affairs in Luzhou. If Li Jing returns to camp, he will surely be arrested. The key issue is that General Lai seems to have been sent by the Prince of Jin to oversee General He Ruo. The Prince of Jin dislikes Li Jing, and General He Ruo is at odds with you, brother. My fear is that if Li Jing is imprisoned for too long, something terrible might happen..."
Han Qinhu immediately understood. "The Emperor has ordered me to return to Luzhou and resume my duties. I'll set off at once. Once I'm back in the army, Li Jing will be safe! Even if the Emperor reprimands me, I will ensure his safety."
Li Quan pondered and said, "This matter may not be so urgent. If Lai Hu'er intends to execute Li Jing, even if we're close by, we may not be able to save him. Since the Emperor has secretly summoned you, brother, he must have something important to discuss..."
Han Qinhu's face flushed, and he quickly recounted how Yang Jian had asked him to investigate whether the Li family possessed the "Secret Manual of Tunnel Warfare."
Li Quan frowned and said, "What the Emperor said is not entirely baseless. The fact that he ordered you to investigate privately shows that he has shown some consideration for our family. How could I dare to hide anything? In fact, the 'Secret Manual of Tunnel Warfare' is just one of the secret manuals of the Mohist school."
Han Qinhu was startled. Though they were in-laws, Li Quan had never mentioned this before. He listened intently.
Li Quan continued, "After the decline of the Mohist school, the surviving texts were collected by successive imperial courts, but those were not considered secret. Among them, the two major manuals on offense and defense were the 'Secret Manual of Offense' and the 'Secret Manual of Tunnel Warfare.' The whereabouts of the latter are unknown, but the former is indeed in the possession of our Li family. What the Emperor said is half true."
Han Qinhu had only asked casually. Even if Li Quan had the manual and refused to admit it, he would have fulfilled the Emperor's orders. He hadn't expected Li Quan to be so forthcoming, leaving him at a loss for words.
Li Quan went on, "In fact, our Li family originally hails from Di County in Longxi. After Emperor Guangwu of Han pacified the empire, we moved to Sanyuan. Our ancestors were part of the Mohist school and assisted the Qin dynasty in unifying China. However, due to the excessive bloodshed, although some members of our family have served in government over the generations, we have grown weary of killing. We have only passed down the sword techniques of the Mohist tradition, abandoning the methods of攻城掠地 (attacking cities and seizing territories). It's not that the 'Secret Manual of Offense' is outdated, but after the turmoil of the Three Kingdoms period and the chaos of the Eight Princes, followed by the upheavals caused by the Five Barbarians in the north, the general trend was such that we could only bide our time. The current Emperor, a descendant of the Yang family of Hongnong in Huayin, seeks to pacify the empire and restore the glory of the Han dynasty. It is the will of heaven. Brother, as you prepare to attack Chen, this manual will be of great use. I will retrieve it and present it to you." With that, he stood and went to the back hall.
Han Qinhu sat in stunned silence, absentmindedly eating the roasted soybeans brought by the Li family servants. The Li family's secret manual, passed down through generations, had endured countless hardships. Now, his brother-in-law had suddenly decided to give it to him, completely catching him off guard.
Before long, Li Quan returned with an oil-paper package. Unwrapping it, he revealed a scroll made of sheepskin. Despite its age, the sheepskin remained soft and supple, though slightly yellowed. The diagrams and seal script on it were still clearly visible, some lines finer than a strand of hair. Even more astonishing was that when Li Quan unrolled the scroll, which was about a foot wide, it extended to over seven feet in length without any visible seams.
As he unrolled the scroll, Li Quan explained, "This scroll was drawn during the Qin dynasty and includes methods for crafting weapons,攻城 (attacking cities), and破阵 (breaking formations). In the late Eastern Han dynasty, one of our ancestors, a wandering Taoist, was saved by the renowned scholar Huang Chengyan of Mianyang. Grateful for his kindness, our ancestor imparted some weapon-crafting techniques to Huang Chengyan from memory. Later, Huang Chengyan passed these techniques to his son-in-law, Zhuge Liang. Thus, the methods for creating wooden oxen and gliding horses, as well as repeating crossbows, all originated from the 'Secret Manual of Offense.' General Han, your goal is to destroy Chen and reunify China. It is time for this scroll to see the light of day once more. Today, I present it to you, and I hope you will not refuse."
Han Qinhu had no choice but to accept it, stammering, "Brother-in-law... this is a secret passed down through your family. How can I take such a treasure..."
Li Quan said solemnly, "Your second uncle Zengshou, third uncle Han Hong, and eldest nephew Duan'er are all defending the northern borders against powerful enemies. Although I have retired from official service, I am still a descendant of China and a subject of the Great Sui. It is my duty to serve the country. Brother, you are a pillar of the state. With this secret manual, you will be like a tiger with wings, enabling you to achieve great deeds sooner."
After some more casual conversation and a meal, Han Qinhu, worried about Li Jing's safety in prison, galloped back to Luzhou.
After Han Qinhu left, Lady Han asked Li Quan, "Husband, by presenting our family's treasure to my brother, aren't you going against our ancestors' wishes? Even if the current Emperor suspects that our family possesses the secret scroll, as long as you remain tight-lipped, nothing should happen. Moreover, once my brother obtains it, he will likely present it to the Emperor. A secret passed down for over eight hundred years—how can you bear to part with it so easily?"
Li Quan sighed and said, "My dear wife, how could I not understand what you're saying? But what I said earlier came from the heart—the empire will surely be unified, and the Great Sui will surely prosper. In such times, even if the ruler is harsh, a subject must still devote himself to serving the country. Besides, with Changsun Sheng gathering all the empire's spies, their eyes and noses reach everywhere. If our family continues to hide this scroll, it will surely bring disaster. By giving it to my brother, not only will it aid General Han in his campaign against Chen, but Li Jing, who is following his uncle, will eventually inherit it anyway."
Lady Han nodded and said, "What you say makes sense. However, I still worry that the Emperor will demand the scroll from my brother."
Li Quan smiled and said, "The Emperor has already promised General Han that if he finds the secret manual, he may keep it for his own use. How could he go back on his word? Moreover, no matter how great General Han's military achievements are, they are still granted by the Emperor's favor. How could the Son of Heaven compete with his subjects over such things?"
Lady Han sighed softly, "I only hope that my brother's possession of this scroll will help in rescuing Li Jing..."
When Han Qinhu returned to Luzhou and learned that his nephew had escaped, he felt somewhat relieved. After handing over his duties to Lai Hu'er, he focused on maintaining military discipline and training the troops while secretly sending people to gather information. In the eleventh month of that year, he finally received news that Li Jing was taking refuge on Mount Sikong.
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Mount Sikong in Shuzhou, within a stone cave amidst the clouds.
After finishing his meditation, Li Jing scooped up a handful of spring water to drink. The clear, sweet spring water dripped from a crevice in the cave wall and never ran dry. Drinking it refreshed his spirit and cleared his mind. Through the thin mist, Li Jing gazed at the endless mountains, their towering peaks like a natural barrier. On the cave wall was inscribed a poem:
Leaping across the three Xiangs and seven lakes,
Carrying the moon on my shoulders, I ascend to Sikong.
Mending my torn robe with clouds,
Filling my empty stomach with snow when hungry.
This was the感悟 (insight) left by the Chan master Huike years ago when he passed through the cave while escorting Buddhist scriptures to the south. After Huike returned to Mount Shaoshi, Master Sengcan built a stone chamber in front of the cave for meditation. When Li Jing was brought here by Zhen Shicheng, Sengcan was not on the mountain. His disciples said that the master had gone to Lingnan to spread the Dharma but had instructed them to take care of Li Jing before leaving.
After this ordeal, Li Jing's spirits were low, and he couldn't sleep for several days. The mountain monastery was simple, with plain food and tea. The monks performed their daily rituals, but though they said they would "take care" of him, Li Jing had to manage everything himself. Out of sheer boredom, he began practicing the martial arts taught by the Li and Han families, as well as those imparted by Gu Musheng and the Yuan brothers.
Since meeting Nie Yunfeng, Li Jing had secretly resolved to become a wandering hero like him. Mei Niang was now a royal consort, and he himself was a fugitive, unable to return home or seek refuge in his country. It seemed that wandering the rivers and lakes was his only option. But though the world was vast, how could he make a living? Could he really follow Nie Yunfeng's path of robbing the rich to help the poor? Li Jing knew he couldn't do that. For now, the best he could do was hone his martial skills, which might prove useful someday.
One day, after finishing his practice, Li Jing was called to the guest hall by the middle-aged monk who managed the monastery's daily affairs. There, he saw two men in military attire standing in the hall. Li Jing recognized one of them as Mao Fu, a former lieutenant of the strong crossbow battalion and a subordinate of Han Chong. The other man was tall, in his thirties, and unfamiliar.
Upon seeing Li Jing, Mao Fu bowed and said, "Young master, we are relieved to see you well. The situation has calmed down now, and the Grand Commander has sent us to bring you back to the estate. This is Lieutenant Xu." Lieutenant Xu also bowed.
Li Jing quickly returned their greetings. Mao Fu had always been Han Chong's subordinate and held Han Qinhu in high regard, so Li Jing trusted him. Nevertheless, Mao Fu presented a letter from Han Qinhu, which stated: "Your uncle has returned to the army and fears for your safety. Returning to Luzhou is the safest option."
Thus, Li Jing followed Mao Fu and Lieutenant Xu down Mount Sikong and headed for Luzhou. Mao Fu and Lieutenant Xu rode fast horses, while Li Jing shared a horse with Mao Fu. They galloped until nightfall, when they reached the southern shores of Lake Chaohu in Luzhou. A heavy rain began to fall. Thinking of reuniting with his uncle, Li Jing felt a surge of excitement. Mao Fu found a small inn called "Chaoxi" for them to stay the night and said to Li Jing, "This is the ancient battlefield of the Battle of Feishui. With the heavy rain tonight, it's not safe to travel. We'll return to camp tomorrow. Please rest well, young master."
During his time in the Luzhou military camp, all the officers knew that Li Jing was treated like the Grand Commander's own son and referred to him as "young master." Han Qinhu was a strict disciplinarian who rarely smiled, and his subordinates respected the "young master" accordingly. Li Jing didn't say much and entered his room. Shortly after, Mao Fu brought in a steaming bowl of mutton soup and two flatbreads, bowing as he said, "The weather has turned chilly, and you've been living austerely on Mount Sikong for months, likely without any meat. I had the innkeeper prepare some mutton soup for you. Please enjoy."
Li Jing accepted the food and placed it on the table, saying, "I haven't been able to bathe properly in the mountains. After getting drenched in the rain today, it would be best if I could bathe here."
Mao Fu replied, "That's easy. The room next door has a bathing area. Please eat first, and I'll have the innkeeper prepare hot water."
After Mao Fu left, Li Jing picked up the bowl of mutton soup. The strong smell of mutton made his throat tighten, and he nearly vomited. After months of drinking spring water and eating vegetarian meals, his stomach was no longer accustomed to meat. However, he didn't want to offend Mao Fu's kindness. So he opened the window and poured the soup outside. He then ate a piece of flatbread.
The innkeeper brought in a bucket of hot water and took away the food tray. After bathing and changing into clean clothes, Li Jing lay down on the bed, which was covered with a mosquito net. The inn was near the water, and the night was filled with the buzzing of mosquitoes. Li Jing fell into a deep sleep amidst the sound of rain and mosquitoes. After some time, he was awakened by a cold, stern voice: "...If you don't leave his body intact, you'll have to kill me first!"
It was Mao Fu's voice.