Chapter 25: Xue Li, Xue Rengui

A squad leader of the Jinwu Guard stood in the middle of the street, gripping his broadsword as he barked, "You scoundrel! You wound people in broad daylight and dare to resist arrest? Do you not know we are the Jinwu Guard? We have the authority to strike you down right here for resisting us. I suggest you surrender and come with us to the Jingzhao Prefecture Office. Perhaps you might be treated with leniency."

The man’s eyes flickered with fear. Despite his remarkable martial arts skills, he dared not defy the authorities. Such was the nature of this feudal society. Most men could charge into battle without a hint of fear, fighting tooth and nail to protect their wives and children, yet they were utterly terrified when facing even a minor local official. This was the result of the mindset instilled since childhood in a feudal society. Even during the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance, commoners fought with such desperate ferocity that the scenes were gruesome, yet once the local officials were held hostage and scolded, the people would simply accept their fate and stand down.

With a look of indignation, the man said to the squad leader, "General, these people are bullying me too far. I only intended to do some manual labor in the East Market to earn enough money to return to my hometown in Hedong Circuit."

"But these people claimed I did not follow their 'rules.' They said this area is under their jurisdiction and demanded I pay them fifty percent of my earnings. When I refused, they tried to intimidate me right here. If I hadn't possessed some skill, I would have been crippled by them. I beg you, General, to see the truth."

"Hmph, spare me your excuses," the squad leader replied. "That is merely your side of the story. The East Market is where nobles and high officials reside; how could there be any thugs bullying the market as you claim?" He then turned to the men groaning on the ground behind him and asked, "Did you hear what he said? Is it true?"

"My lord, he is lying!"
"General Zhang, do not listen to his nonsense!"

Hearing the squad leader’s inquiry, the group clamored, insisting it was all a lie.

"You see? They say you are lying," the squad leader said to the man. "Does the testimony of so many people not outweigh your word alone? Come with us to the county office."

"General," the man replied, "though I, Xue Li, have fallen on hard times, I am still the descendant of a noble family. I would never speak a falsehood."

"Whether it is true or false will be decided by the Prefect at the office. Let’s go. Do not make us use force. Despite your skills, you won't be walking out of this capital." He then reached out to apply shackles to the man.

*Xue Li? Could it be Xue Rengui?* Li Shen recalled the legends of Xue Rengui. Xue Li was indeed destitute, only entering the army to make a name for himself after the age of thirty. After watching for a moment, Li Shen understood the situation.

These men were clearly no good, lying on the ground and feigning injury. Li Shen guessed they were a local gang of thugs in the East Market, monopolizing the manual labor trade and extorting protection money. Xue Li had refused to pay, they had tried to teach him a lesson, and after being beaten by him, they had summoned the Jinwu Guard.

Li Shen even suspected that the Jinwu Guard had dealings with these thugs, but he did not care about that. What mattered to him was whether this man was truly Xue Rengui. Even if he wasn't, such a burly man with decent martial arts would make for a reassuring bodyguard.

Before they could drag Xue Li away, Li Shen shouted, "Wait!"

The Jinwu Guard turned to look at Li Shen. They did not recognize him, but seeing his fine robes and the maids and guards surrounding him, they knew he was a noble. The squad leader asked politely, "May I ask what business you have, young master?"

Li Shen, not wanting to create unnecessary trouble, whispered a word to his servant, Shitou, and handed him a token to handle the matter. He then turned and left with his guards and maids, heading straight for the Cui Family Restaurant. The squad leader was stunned, wondering what was happening. He had thought the young man was just shouting, but then he noticed a young boy, about eleven or twelve years old, left behind. Shitou walked up to the squad leader and, without a word, discreetly revealed Li Shen’s token.

"Ji..." The squad leader saw the large character "Prince of Ji" on the token and was about to speak.

"Shh! Keep your voice down," little Shitou warned.

"May I ask what the Prince of Ji requires?" the squad leader asked in a hushed tone.

"His Highness says he does not care about whatever dirty business you are involved in. He only wants this man, Xue Li. He will not interfere in anything else," Shitou whispered.

The squad leader understood immediately. The Prince was indifferent to their dealings with the gang; he only wanted them to release Xue Li.

"Understood. This subordinate will obey the Prince’s command. I hope the little brother will tell the Prince that this was all a misunderstanding," the squad leader said, trying to slip a hundred coins into Shitou’s hand.

Shitou refused the money, knowing well what could and could not be accepted. "General, there is no need for this. Just release the man. The Prince only wants the person; he has no interest in anything else."

Seeing that Shitou would not take the bribe, the squad leader did not press the issue. Knowing that the Prince of Ji had taken an interest in Xue Li and would not hold him accountable later, he ordered his men to release the prisoner immediately.

Once released, Xue Li stretched his limbs and bowed deeply to Shitou. "My thanks to you for saving me, young master. May I ask your name?"

"It was our Prince who saved you. Come, he wishes to see you." Shitou gestured to the squad leader and led Xue Li toward the Cui Family Restaurant.

Li Shen was already waiting on the second floor of the restaurant, known as the Yunlai Restaurant, which implied that guests arrived like clouds. After a short wait, Shitou brought Xue Li into the private room.

"I pay my respects to the Prince of Ji. Thank you for your intervention," Xue Li said, having learned of Li Shen’s identity on the way.

"No need for such formalities. Sit. Tell me, where are you from, and how did you come to be in such a state?" Li Shen asked.

"Your Highness, my name is Xue Li, courtesy name Rengui. I am from Xiu Village, Longmen County, Jiang Prefecture, in the Hedong Circuit. My family is poor, so I came to Chang'an seeking a future, hoping to earn enough to support my wife and children. But upon arriving, I found no opportunity. My travel funds were exhausted, so I intended to earn enough to return home. But then... sigh..." Thinking of his wife suffering at home, he felt a wave of sadness.

Hearing this, Li Shen was overjoyed. It truly was the legendary Xue Rengui, the man who "settled Tianshan with three arrows." Having heard stories about him in his youth, he was delighted and ordered, "Shitou, go and have them bring the finest dishes and the best wine."

"As you command, Your Highness."

"Master Xue, what are your plans for the future?" Li Shen asked, testing the waters.

"To be honest, Your Highness, I was planning to try my luck at the West Market, earn some money for food, and return to Hedong to continue farming. My wife is waiting for me at home." Xue Rengui said helplessly. He had visited several generals' manors, only to be dismissed by the stewards. He had considered joining the army, but thinking of his wife, he decided it was better to go home and farm.

"Master Xue, with your extraordinary martial arts, it would be a waste to go home and farm. With your talent, you are more than capable of being a general," Li Shen praised.

"Your Highness, please just call me Rengui. Although I wish to join the army, there are no wars now, and I have no way to distinguish myself. I can only wait, and with my wife alone at home, I cannot rest easy," Xue Rengui replied.

"Rengui, I will be frank with you. I admire your talent greatly. Would you be willing to join my household? If the opportunity arises, I will certainly recommend you for a military career to achieve great things." Li Shen did not hide his intentions.

Xue Rengui was overjoyed. Although he had not heard much of the Prince of Ji, a prince was still a prince. Serving under a prince was far better than being a common soldier. While a soldier could earn titles through merit, it required surviving first; in a charge of thousands, one could die at any moment regardless of skill.

Hearing that the Prince wanted to take him in, Xue Rengui immediately knelt on one knee—the gesture of pledging loyalty.

"Since Your Highness thinks so highly of me, I am willing to serve you for the rest of my life. Through fire and water, I shall remain loyal to the Prince of Ji."

"Good, stand up and sit down. Let us eat first," Li Shen said, helping him up.

Soon, the food and wine were served. Li Shen insisted that everyone sit and eat together. They initially refused, but under Li Shen's insistence, they finally took their seats.

*(Note: Historical records state that Xue Rengui’s family had fallen on hard times and he was indeed destitute. To change his luck, he even considered moving his ancestral graves. Later, his wife urged him to join the army; he was thirty years old when he finally did so.)*