flstandardbreds Chapter 1014 Trip to Yunmeng Mountain (4)
Chapter 1014 Trip to Yunmeng Mountain (4)
If it were any other official, upon hearing that the emperor was secretly planning to deal with the aristocratic families and Confucian scholars, they would probably have been terrified out of their wits.
But Zhang Qian came from humble origins and only cared about the common people. He always regarded the powerful families who leeched off the people as aristocratic clans and the Confucianists who monopolized knowledge as academic cliques.
His expression instantly turned serious, and he said solemnly, "So that's how it is. It was my rashness that prevented me from understanding Your Majesty's mind!"
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will provide excellent cover for you at Mount Li and ensure that no one notices anything amiss."
Seeing that he was so reasonable, Li Che patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction: "Good! With a pillar of the court like you, I can travel with peace of mind. I entrust the affairs of Lishan to you!"
"Your Majesty, please be extremely careful. Your subject awaits good news from Mount Li!"
It's night, the moon and stars are sparse.
Li Che changed out of his conspicuous dragon robe and into a neat black military uniform. Surrounded by Qiu Bai, Hu Qiang, and a hundred night watchmen, he quietly left the camp where the main force was stationed.
Qiu Bai looked at the emperor in full military uniform beside him, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up, a hint of nostalgia flashing across his face.
Li Che glanced at him and chuckled in a low voice, "You little rascal, what are you secretly laughing about? Your mouth is stretched like a lotus flower."
Hearing His Majesty's teasing reminiscent of military life, Qiu Bai laughed even harder.
He lowered his voice and replied, "Your Majesty, I was just thinking about those days when Your Majesty led us in the same way, galloping across the border and fighting the enemy."
Upon hearing this, Li Che's heart stirred slightly, but he laughed and scolded, "Nonsense! From what you're saying, you think I'm no longer as brave as I used to be?"
“Let me tell you, I was still young then, but I was able to go into battle and kill the enemy.”
"Now I am in my prime, with strong bones and muscles. If I were to go to war again, I would slay even more enemies!"
Qiu Bai quickly smiled and agreed, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. It was I who misspoke!"
"Alright, enough chit-chat." Li Che's smile faded as he gazed at the distant, rolling mountains visible in the night. "Let's speed up our journey and make sure we reach Yunmeng Mountain before sunset tomorrow!"
The next morning, as dawn broke, the group finally arrived at the foot of Yunmeng Mountain.
Looking at the mountains that were faintly visible in the morning mist, Li Che became even more excited.
He reined in the black wind beneath him, looked up, and saw the desolate Ghost Valley with its steep mountains.
A clear stream meanders through the valley, with peaks on both sides like swords piercing the sky. The peaks are high and the sky is narrow, and the streams flow through countless valleys.
This is Yunmeng Mountain, known as the first ancient military academy in China and the military arsenal of the Warring States period!
Li Che took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air and spurred his horse.
Black Wind quickened its pace, accelerating along the mountain path.
Soon, we arrived at the only road leading into the mountains.
Sure enough, at the foot of the mountain stood a restaurant, which was specially set up by Li Che to facilitate Xu Jiezi's meals.
From a distance, two guests, one old and one young, were already sitting at a wooden table outside the restaurant, slurping down some kind of soup.
A slight smile appeared on Li Che's lips as he dismounted.
Qiu Bai, Hu Qiang, and the others immediately tried to follow, but Li Che raised his hand and firmly stopped them: "You will wait here. No one is allowed to approach without my order."
The group exchanged bewildered glances, but could only respond in hushed tones.
Li Che walked slowly towards the restaurant alone.
As they got closer, the young guest seemed to sense something.
Looking up, his expression changed drastically. He hurriedly tried to get up and bow, but Li Che stopped him with a look.
With a gentle smile, Li Che walked straight to the table of the white-haired old man, his gaze falling on the richly colored soup in the old man's bowl. He asked with a smile:
"What kind of soup is the old man drinking? It looks so delicious and tempting."
The old man raised his head upon hearing the sound, revealing a gaunt face.
Those peculiar double pupils caused Li Che to momentarily lose his composure.
When the old man saw Li Che, he smiled and replied, "This is a spicy soup, a specialty of Henan Province. It's spicy and appetizing. Would you like to try it, young man?"
Li Che readily agreed and nodded, saying, "Of course I have to try this authentic flavor. Shopkeeper, give me a bowl too!"
He then looked at the old man and asked in a natural tone, "Sir, this place is quite spacious. Would you mind sharing a table with me?"
The old man nodded with delight: "Very good. It's rather lonely here with only my master and me. It would be more lively if we shared a table."
Li Che cupped his hands in greeting and then swaggered down on the bench opposite the old man.
Lin Qingyuan, who was standing to the side, looked at his master and then at the emperor, completely bewildered and not understanding what the two of them were up to.
But he knew he had no right to speak at this moment, so he could only stand behind his master, feeling extremely uncomfortable, and dare not even breathe loudly.
Li Che watched the elderly man with double pupils across from him slowly sipping his spicy soup, but he didn't rush to interrupt. Instead, he turned his gaze to the misty Yunmeng Mountain in front of him.
After a while, the old man put down his soup spoon, wiped his mouth with a cloth, and slowly said, "A little disappointed, aren't you? The magnificent Yunmeng Mountain, the legendary place where Guiguzi went into seclusion, is nothing special in person."
"The mountains are not high, the valleys are not deep, and apart from the mist that lingers all year round, there seems to be no otherworldly atmosphere."
Indeed, as a spur of the Taihang Mountains, Yunmeng Mountain's main peak is only a little over 600 meters above sea level.
To those accustomed to famous mountains and rivers, it certainly doesn't seem majestic.
Upon hearing this, Li Che slowly shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the clouds and mist in the mountains, and slowly recited: "A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the immortals who dwell there."
The old man's eyes lit up immediately, and he clapped his hands in praise: "What a wonderful 'Mountains are not famous for their height, but for the immortals dwelling there'! Your Majesty truly has poetic talent!"
Li Che couldn't help but laugh: "How did you see through me so quickly, sir? The reason I came so lightly dressed is that I did not wish to meet you as the emperor."
Upon hearing this, Xu Jiezi's smile faded slightly, and he sighed, saying, "Your Majesty, if I only regarded you as the supreme ruler among mortals, I would not be waiting here today, much less inviting you up the mountain for a chat."
Li Che nodded slightly, and the last trace of doubt in his heart dissipated.
By this point, he had lost all interest in the code and decided to get straight to the point:
"Sir... are we 'acquaintances'?"
Xu Jiezi was slightly taken aback, but then he understood the deeper meaning behind Li Che's words.
But he slowly shook his head: "Your Majesty, I was born and raised here, and have spent over a hundred years in these mountains. Before today, I had no connection with Your Majesty."
Li Che's eyes dimmed, and a sense of loss welled up in his heart.
However, Xu Jiezi changed the subject and continued, "But my teacher... may be the one destined for Your Majesty."
Li Che's eyes lit up instantly, and he eagerly asked, "Is your master still in the mountains?"