Chapter Thirty-Four: Divine Power, Awe-Inspiring

Li Yide had only recently come to Ji City to make a living when he met Li Wuyi. With Li Wuyi’s help, he managed to establish himself on South Street and settled down there. Over the years, Li Yide witnessed Li Wuyi’s chivalrous character: aiding the distressed, upholding justice, keeping promises, and displaying unwavering loyalty. He was truly a first-rate hero, and Li Yide revered him as a giant among men, serving him without question and refusing to tolerate even the slightest disrespect from others toward him.

He simply could not believe the accusations—that Li Wuyi was a traitor, a lackey of the Xi or Khitan, the culprit responsible for the deaths of a hundred thousand Tang soldiers. He longed to step forward and demand the truth, but the wall of soldiers blocking the way was impenetrable. Even if men of the rivers and lakes scorned the law, and even if Li Yide was simple and forthright, he dared not cause a disturbance in front of nearly a thousand armed troops. Spotting Pei Min behind the soldiers, his face lit up with wild delight and he called out, “Young master, young master, let me through, let me through!”

Pei Min saw Li Yide waving his arms and calling out to him, and a thought occurred to him: “Grand Commander, why not use this opportunity to explain the details to the heroes gathered here, lest some with ulterior motives seize upon the matter. Li Yide respects Li Wuyi greatly, but he is not one of his men and is not cunning. He could be useful.”

Xue Ne nodded slightly and signaled the soldiers to let Li Yide in, murmuring, “He does have a fine name.”

Zhang Fei, also called Zhang Yide, was a legendary hero from their own Youzhou. In this land, who did not know of the peerless tiger general who shook the Three Kingdoms?

Li Yide hurried forward, unable to restrain himself: “Grand Commander, Lord Wu is no Xi or Khitan spy! I know his character; it’s not true, it can’t be true…” He was not a man of words and struggled to explain, only able to repeat himself in anxious emphasis.

Xue Ne said, “Young man, do not be hasty. I understand your feelings. At first, I too could not believe Li Wuyi was such a person, but the facts are plain and irrefutable. Do you think I would wrong a good man without cause? Is my word not to be trusted?”

Pei Min and Xue Ne dared to speak so boldly without presenting evidence only because of Xue Ne’s years of prestige as the commander of Youzhou. Since the era of Empress Wu, he had governed Youzhou, overseeing its military and civil affairs, even serving as Protector-General of Andong at one time. His integrity was well known: not only did he protect the region from external threats and uphold strict discipline, but he also repeatedly mobilized troops to build bridges, roads, and canals, bringing great benefit to the people and earning universal praise. Even after transferring to Bingzhou, the people of Youzhou remembered his good deeds. Now that he had returned to Youzhou, the whole city celebrated his appointment.

Li Wuyi’s reputation was rooted in both the lawful and the outlawed realms, but Xue Ne’s reputation encompassed all of Youzhou. His word carried more weight than Li Wuyi’s.

Li Yide was left speechless by Xue Ne’s question.

Xue Ne beckoned and took from Xue Yinglong a piece of evidence, drawing out one of the letters. “This is one piece of evidence against Li Wuyi. The other evidence concerns military secrets and cannot be shown, but this letter can. It explains everything: Li Wuyi asks his associates to steal the Great Tang’s smelting techniques, hoping their country will be able to produce arms and armor equal to ours.”

Li Yide was barely literate, recognizing only a few simple characters. He could not read the letter, but having known Li Wuyi for years and having delivered letters for him, he knew his handwriting.

Pei Min said, “Do you remember how we discussed sword-making today? I mentioned that Tang’s smelting techniques are unrivaled. It is precisely because of these advanced skills that our weapons and armor surpass those of our enemies and give us an advantage. Should these techniques fall into the hands of traitors, who can say how many of our soldiers would perish on the battlefield in the future?”

Li Yide’s expression twisted, his image of a great hero crumbling. In his fury, he began to shiver uncontrollably. He handed the letter back to Xue Ne and glanced up at the plaque over the Li residence. It did not bear the words “Li Residence,” but instead “Righteousness Piercing the Clouds.”

This plaque had been inscribed by a famous calligrapher of Youzhou, celebrating Li Wuyi’s slaying of an infamous villain who had assaulted eleven respectable women.

How could a traitor, the cause of a hundred thousand Tang deaths, be worthy of such words?

In a fit of rage, the more Li Yide looked at the four characters, the more they stung his eyes. Striding to the stone lion at the entrance, he grabbed the lion’s leg with one hand and pressed down on its head with the other. With a roar, he heaved the stone lion above his head.

“Heavens!” Pei Min was nearly dumbfounded. He had heard from Gongsun Xi, who had sparred with Li Yide, that Li Yide’s strength was immense, but he never imagined it was so great: the lion, weighing over five hundred catties, was hoisted up as if it were nothing.

Xue Ne, too, was momentarily stunned, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes.

Li Yide, holding the stone lion aloft, bent his knees and summoned all his strength, hurling the lion like a cannonball at the plaque that read “Righteousness Piercing the Clouds”…

But the Li residence’s threshold was high, and even with Li Yide’s prodigious strength, he could not throw a five-hundred-catty stone lion over a distance of more than ten feet. The lion missed its target, crashed to the ground, and shattered into several pieces.

Li Yide’s attempt failed, but no one mocked him. To lift a stone lion overhead was already a feat beyond most men—what grounds were there for reproach?

A hush fell over the crowd.

One of the lion’s legs landed near Li Yide. He caught his breath, picked it up, and with a furious cry, hurled it at the plaque. “Damn you!”

The lion’s leg smashed into the plaque, shattering it at once.

Xue Ne murmured, “Who is this man? With such strength, he’s material for a fierce general—he’s worth cultivating.”

Pei Min replied, “I don’t know him well, but it’s clear he’s straightforward and honest, admires Zhang Fei, and dreams of joining the army. He just doesn’t want to be a local garrison soldier. If you think he’s suitable, Grand Commander, I can speak to him on your behalf.”

Xue Ne did not hesitate. “Of course. A warrior like him, used as a spearhead to break enemy lines, can decide the outcome of local battles, and those can determine the tide of war. In the days of old, the Tang had so many fierce generals charging into battle, but now, in Youzhou—the land of heroes—there are so few worthy warriors. It’s frustrating. You must persuade him for me. I will train him well. With his current strength, if he can endure hardship, within a few years he will be an exceptional warrior. If you should join my command one day, you may even have him serve under you. But first, make sure to win him over for me.”

“Consider it done! I’ll speak to him soon!” Pei Min had not expected Li Yide to catch Xue Ne’s eye so quickly. Though he did not know Li Yide well, he genuinely admired his simplicity and honesty, and was happy for him.

Li Yide idolized Zhang Fei, and joining the army was his dream. Convincing him would be a simple matter.