LFHYB -Chapter 128 Liu Heng, a Gentleman of Noble Purity

In June, at the height of summer, Li Xuanba’s temporary residence received visitors from the Liu and Pei clans.

The Liu clan sent Liu Heng, the former magistrate of Wangwu County.

Wangwu County was facing the threat of the Wagang rebel army, and Liu Heng’s family had long wanted him to leave that dangerous place. But Liu Heng had ambitions and was unwilling to go.

Now that the Liu clan was short on people, they told him, “If you don’t come, our Hedong Liu clan will be pressed down by the Hedong Xues.” As a member of a great clan, Liu Heng could only place his personal ambitions aside and sacrifice himself for the family’s interests.

If Liu Heng had firmly refused, the Liu clan would not actually have tied him up and dragged him over. Instead, they would have sent his nephew Liu Shi in his place. Liu Shi was only a few years younger than Liu Heng, was well-educated, and was also considered an outstanding figure among the aristocratic youth.

When Liu Heng arrived reluctantly and saw who the Pei family had sent, his heart lurched and cold sweat broke out over his back.

The Peis’ representative was none other than Pei Xingyan, son of Guanglu Grandee Pei Rengi.

Pei Rengi had originally been a Tiger Guard General. During Emperor Yang Guang’s campaign against the Tuyuhun, he had earned great merit and was promoted repeatedly, becoming one of Yang Guang’s most trusted fierce commanders.

A tiger father begets no dog of a son. Even in his youth, Pei Xingyan had already gained the reputation of being a “match for ten thousand men.” It was said that he had gone to serve under Zhang Xutuo in suppressing popular uprisings.

Just how highly did the Pei clan value the Tang Duke’s household, to summon even Pei Xingyan back?

Liu Heng immediately put away his earlier disdain.

It was a good thing he had come back.

Liu Shi’s abilities were outstanding among aristocratic youths, but compared to Pei Xingyan and the “Three Phoenixes of Hedong,” he was still not enough.

Li Xuanba held freshly pan-roasted loose tea and brewed tea for the newly arrived friends.

A faint, elegant fragrance drifted up as Li Xuanba quietly observed the two men.

Pei Xingyan, though a fierce general, was dressed like a scholar at the moment. His speech was refined, just like an ordinary Confucian gentleman, very elegant indeed.

No one would guess that once this “scholar” rolled up his sleeves and picked up a spear, he was the famed “ten-thousand-man foe.”

Hm—perhaps that was what a true Confucian should really be like?

As for Liu Heng, Li Xuanba could see the complicated emotions in his heart.

He was probably cursing the Hedong Xue clan for “maliciously driving up the price”—as expected of those foreign barbarians.

Among the Guanzhong aristocratic families, the Hedong Xues were an anomaly.

Like Li Xuanba’s own Li and Dou clans, they were former “barbarians” wearing the skin of Han aristocrats. They had just put on that skin earlier, which allowed them to join the ranks of great Han clans during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

The Xue clan had originally been a powerful minority group in Shu. After Shu fell, they migrated to Hedong and became local strongmen there.

During the chaos of Wei and Jin, the great local clans of Hedong—the Lius and the Peis—went south like the other northern aristocrats, leaving behind only a few people to guard their estates. The Xues took advantage of this to swallow up a third of their holdings, and in one leap became a great Han clan recognized by the Northern Dynasties.

By the time the Sui was founded and the Hedong Liu and Pei clans—who had followed the Southern Dynasties—returned, they had gone from being top-tier great clans of Wei and Jin to merely being “Guanzhong commandery clans” on equal footing with the Xues.

Once this historical background was straightened out, even without having Xue Daoheng as his teacher, Li Xuanba would still have chosen the Hedong Xue clan as his point of entry for bringing the Hedong aristocracy under control.

Compared to the Hedong Liu and Pei clans—typical Han gentry who prided themselves on poetry and classical learning—the Hedong Xues still retained the traits of local strongmen: building fortified manors, producing fierce warriors, and acting ruthlessly and domineeringly.

In original history, both Xue Ju, the Western Qin Overlord who would contend with the Li-Tang for the empire, and Xue Rengui, the famous Tang general who later earned the reputation of “three arrows to settle the realm,” came from the Hedong Xue clan.

However, in this generation the Hedong Peis produced an unusual family—Pei Rengi and his son Pei Xingyan—who managed to outshine the Xues in military prestige.

Both father and son were powerful generals who knew how to lead troops and charge into battle.

In original history, they first joined Li Mi, then were captured by Wang Shichong and employed by him. Later they attempted to assassinate Wang Shichong and restore the Prince of Huangtai, Yang Tong, as emperor. When the plot was exposed, their entire three clans were exterminated.

Of course, in those chaotic times, “extermination of three clans” always had loopholes. Pei Rengi left behind a posthumous son, Pei Xingjian.

Pei Xingjian became even more famous than his father and elder brother. He was taught by Su Dingfang and went on to become one of the Tang dynasty’s renowned military strategists.

Even without ever meeting his father and brother, the Pei family still produced three tiger generals in one lineage—truly remarkable.

By the way, where had Su Dingfang run off to? Could it be that he had still gone to join Dou Jiande and gone on to live out a lifetime of backing the wrong side?

While lost in these thoughts, Li Xuanba poured tea for the two new friends and for Xue Yuanjing, who was neither quite new nor quite old as a companion.

Xue Yuanjing blew away the floating tea leaves, took a sip, and did so with great elegance.
“Your tea-pouring skill, Dade, is approaching the Dao—it can truly be called the Way of Tea.”

Pei Xingyan and Liu Heng observed how Li Xuanba and Xue Yuanjing drank, then picked up the custom-made teacups Li Xuanba had prepared and tasted the tea.

Their movements flowed like clouds and water, showing no trace of awkwardness.

Pei Xingyan smiled. “I have never drunk tea so clear and refreshing. If ordinary tea is like a banquet full of singing and dancing, then Young Master Li’s tea is like a few cultured scholars in a bamboo grove, playing the zither and chanting poetry.”

Liu Heng said, “I have long heard that Scholar Li has loved collecting ancient books since childhood and restoring Han-dynasty prescriptions. Is this way of drinking tea also something you learned from old texts?”

The gazes of Xue, Pei, and Liu met briefly in midair, then immediately withdrew.

Li Xuanba smoothed his wide sleeves and set the teapot down, instantly grasping the unspoken meanings behind their words.

Xue Yuanjing was showing that he had known Li Xuanba first and had drunk tea with him many times.

Pei Xingyan was openly praising him to win his favor and show that he understood his tastes.

Liu Heng, by mentioning his childhood research into ancient formulas, was signaling that he had been paying attention to Li Xuanba for a long time—and understood him better than Pei Xingyan did.

Li Xuanba clenched his fist inside his sleeve and pinched his palm to keep himself from laughing.

Why wasn’t Second Brother here? He was about to burst from holding it in! The way aristocratic youths spoke with hidden meanings was just too amusing!

Li Xuanba said to Xue Yuanjing, “What, I sent Uncle Xue Bapao plenty of tea a few years ago—didn’t he give you any? I remember that every time he asked for tea, he was shameless about it, saying there were many people at home and he needed it to give as gifts.”

Xue Yuanjing’s face darkened. “I’ve never received any tea from my uncle!”

Li Xuanba sighed. “That bastard… When he comes back, I’m definitely going to beat him up.”

Xue Yuanjing nodded vigorously. “Together!”

Damn it! So that’s how it is! Does Uncle really not treat me as a friend at all?! Are the bonds of us ‘Three Phoenixes of Hedong’ really this fragile?! Were you planning to go solo long ago?!

Li Xuanba then turned to Pei Xingyan. “Brother Pei, do you know Luo Shixin?”

Pei Xingyan exclaimed in surprise, “You know where Luo Shixin is? That kid told General Zhang he was going home, but when General Zhang passed by his house and went to visit him, he discovered that he hadn’t gone home at all!”

Li Xuanba laughed. “That’s what I thought—such a formidable young man was bound to be famous in the army too. He traveled thousands of miles alone to come to Zhangye and seek refuge with my second brother. He said that my brother was also a young general and wouldn’t look down on him because of his age. My brother let him take a unit of troops and do as he pleased on the grasslands. On his first command, he wiped out a small Eastern Turkic tribe. Truly impressive.”

Pei Xingyan took a deep breath. “What? Luo Shixin has gone to serve General Li?”

Li Xuanba said, “My second brother and I forced him to study. He’s now close friends with my fifth brother, Li Zhiyun. They eat together, live together, and study together… well, they also pull each other’s legs so neither of them can slack off. Now they’ve both come to Hedong Commandery. How about I invite them to dine with us later?”

Pei Xingyan laughed out loud, no longer bothering to hide his true temperament. “Of course! This time when I came to Hedong, I brought a fierce warrior with me as well. He wants me to introduce him to someone. His name is Qin Qiong, and he happens to be Luo Shixin’s good friend. If Third Young Master doesn’t mind, I’ll call him over too?”

Li Xuanba said, “Of course I don’t mind. Shixin has mentioned Qin Qiong before, saying he’d find a way to ‘trick’ his friend into coming over when he returned. Really, what nonsense—how is serving under my second brother ‘being tricked’? Does he look down on my second brother’s battle record?”

Pei Xingyan laughed so hard he nearly spilled his tea. “Who would dare look down on Li Erlang’s exploits? I won’t beat around the bush with you—my father forced me to come this time. I only want to serve under Li Erlang, so don’t assign me anywhere else. And especially don’t make me a civil official—I can’t stand that.”

Li Xuanba smiled. “I see that Brother Pei can’t stand staying here with me even for a single day. Rest for a few days first. After that, I’ll have Shixin take you and Qin Qiong to see my second brother. I can’t keep two great Buddhas like you here.”

Pei Xingyan clasped his fists. “It’s not that I look down on you—there just aren’t any battles to fight here right now, and my hands are itching. Besides, I also want to measure myself against Li Erlang, the Li Shimin known as ‘Unmatched Under Heaven.’”

Li Xuanba clicked his tongue. “What, did my second brother get yet another new nickname?”

Pei Xingyan laughed until he nearly doubled over. “Not new—just too many of them.”

Li Xuanba chuckled. “Looks like I’ll have new nicknames too, if I listen to Brother Pei talk long enough.”

Li Xuanba then looked at Liu Heng, who was standing there dumbfounded.

With a sigh, he asked, “Brother Liu, are you married?”

Liu Heng blinked. “Huh?”

He was utterly confused.

Li Xuanba had been chatting familiarly with Xue Yuanjing and Pei Xingyan—why did the topic take such a strange turn when it came to him?

Li Xuanba said, “Well… sigh, this is actually one of my father’s hobbies. My father is, um, particularly concerned with other people’s looks. My fifth sister’s husband, Zhao Cijing—have you heard of him?”

Liu Heng frowned. “I’ve heard the name.”

Li Xuanba said, “My fifth brother-in-law is extremely handsome. When my father first saw him, he fell in love at first sight. Without even knowing his surname or given name, he grabbed his hands and asked whether he was married.”

Xue Yuanjing and Pei Xingyan immediately caught on. They began staring at Liu Heng in a very frank and very impolite way.

Liu Heng: “……” What are you looking at me like that for?!

Xue Yuanjing said sourly, “Brother Liu truly has an elegant and handsome appearance.”

Pei Xingyan touched the freshly trimmed stubble on his own face. “I lose, I lose.”

Liu Heng gave a bitter smile. “Please don’t mock me.”

Li Xuanba said earnestly, “Brother Liu, does my expression look like I’m joking?”

He even raised a history book as if swearing an oath—he really wasn’t joking about Liu Heng.

In the original timeline, Liu Heng should have been captured by the Wagang rebels. Later, after he followed Li Mi in submitting to Tang, Li Yuan took one look at Liu Heng and, just as when he saw his fifth son-in-law Zhao Cijing, immediately married his own granddaughter of the Dou clan to him.

After Li Yuan became emperor, marrying off daughters was used to bind meritorious nobles, and the slots were extremely precious.

Although Liu Heng was from the Hedong Liu clan, there were already many Hedong Lius serving under Li Yuan. Whether in terms of background or the talent he had shown at the time, Liu Heng did not rank high enough for Li Yuan to personally involve himself in his marriage.

But unfortunately—or fortunately—Liu Heng was simply too handsome. So after much deliberation, Li Yuan ended up marrying his granddaughter to him.

Li Xuanba felt that his father might not be very good at judging people’s talent, but when it came to judging faces, he was frighteningly accurate.

Anyone certified by Tang Gaozu Li Yuan as having “extraordinary beauty” was truly, genuinely handsome.

Zhao Cijing had swordlike brows and starry eyes, the kind of beauty that could be classed as a pretty-boy type. Liu Heng, however, was a more masculine kind of handsome: the kind with chiseled features as if carved by knife and axe, a tall and imposing build, and a righteous aura that made him look every inch a heroic knight of the orthodox path.

After Li Xuanba’s barrage of praise, Liu Heng looked as if he had drunk too much wine, a rosy blush blooming on his cheeks.

Xue Yuanjing and Pei Xingyan both began to tease him.

“I’ve got a belly full of poetry—does that mean I can only compete with Brother Liu in terms of temperament?”

“Does Brother Liu not have a belly full of poetry? Well, at least I should be able to beat him on horseback. I’ll still be unrivaled on the battlefield. Brother Xue, you’ve lost completely.”

“I’m still young. When I grow up, maybe I’ll be even better looking than Brother Liu!”

“That’s something you’re born with. Give it up.”

Xue Yuanjing and Pei Xingyan had shed their earlier restraint and were now mercilessly teasing Liu Heng.

One was a tough warlord’s son wrapped in the skin of a noble scion, the other a fierce general wearing the mask of a scholar. The way they had just behaved earlier was not their true nature at all.

Now the two of them had decided to drag the truly upright and high-minded Liu Heng down into the mud with them.

Looking at the smiles on the three faces before him, Liu Heng snorted and said lazily, “What, Li San, do you still have sisters you can marry off to me?”

Li Xuanba spread his hands. “No more. But I do have nieces and grandnieces.”

Liu Heng laughed and scolded him. “How old are your nieces and grandnieces right now?”

Li Xuanba said, “Wait another five or six years and they’ll be ready for marriage. You can start waiting now.”

Liu Heng snorted in disgust. “Get lost!”

Li Xuanba laughed. “Then you’d better find yourself a wife soon and stop being so picky. You still haven’t started a family. Five or six years from now, my father will definitely marry his granddaughter to you, and then you’ll be a generation junior to me.”

Liu Heng said speechlessly, “If he wants to marry her off, do I have to marry her?”

Li Xuanba replied, “In a few years… maybe you will.”

Liu Heng’s expression stiffened.

Xue Yuanjing and Pei Xingyan also lost their smiles.

Xue Yuanjing said slowly, “Dade, don’t talk nonsense.”

Li Xuanba poured more tea for them. “Did I say anything?”

Pei Xingyan sighed. “You said nothing at all. Come, drink tea.”

He drained his cup in one gulp and sighed. “That’s the only way it really quenches your thirst.”

Xue Yuanjing snorted. “Feeding peonies to a cow.”

Pei Xingyan laughed. “If my family grew peonies, I’d happily feed them to cows and then eat beef that smells of peony blossoms.”

Li Xuanba said, “Then remember to invite me when you do.”

Pei Xingyan sighed with emotion. “Third Young Master, you really are a kindred spirit. I’m more and more eager for the day I finally meet Second Young Master Li.”

Li Xuanba smiled. “You’re welcome to look forward to it—my second brother will definitely exceed your expectations.”

Xue Yuanjing said, “Hearing that, I want to meet him too.”

Li Xuanba said, “I’m actually very curious, Zicheng. Just how much did Bapao tell you about me and my second brother? Aren’t you quite close to him?”

Xue Yuanjing made a miserable face. “He really didn’t say anything! Nothing at all! Damn it—just wait until he comes back…”

He couldn’t hold it in anymore and downed his tea in one gulp, his face twisted with frustration.

Li Xuanba stroked his chin. Could it be that when I joked with Xue Shou about how he’d die early and Xue Yuanjing would take over his position in my second brother’s faction, that petty fellow started guarding against his own nephew?

…No, probably not. Bapao isn’t that kind of person.

Probably. Yes.

Li Xuanba said to Liu Heng, “I was too startled by Brother Liu’s handsome appearance just now and overstepped myself. Please forgive me.”

Liu Heng sighed. “You were praising me—how could that be offensive? Li San, Li San, is this how you usually deal with people? You don’t seem like a scion of a great noble house at all.”

Li Xuanba said, “I’ve spent too long on the frontier. I may have forgotten what a noble is supposed to be like.”

Pei Xingyan nodded. “Isn’t that the truth? I’m the same after being in the army so long. Sigh, it’s really uncomfortable. When are you going back to Zhangye? I’ll go with you. Fighting those ‘rebellious bandits’ is no fun—I always feel like I’m somehow in the wrong. Fighting the Turks and Tuyuhun is much more satisfying.”

Li Xuanba said, “We’ll go back next spring. But I suggest Brother Pei leave earlier—otherwise my father will definitely keep you. Your status isn’t just that of a fierce general.”

Pei Xingyan said irritably, “Because I have a high-ranking father above me, right? Tch, so annoying. It was the same in General Zhang’s army.”

Li Xuanba laughed. “When you get to Zhangye and no one cares about your background anymore, don’t complain. There are quite a few fierce generals under my second brother.”

Pei Xingyan grinned, showing his teeth. “That’s what makes it fun.”

Li Xuanba said to Liu Heng, “Brother Liu can first serve under my father. Later, you can choose freely—follow my father, follow my eldest brother, or come with me and my second brother to Zhangye. But Zhangye is very harsh, and the civil offices already have people in charge. If you go to Zhangye, I don’t know whether you can tolerate being under someone else.”

Liu Heng frowned. “Who?”

Li Xuanba replied, “Fang Qiao—Fang Xuanling. Du Ruhui—Du Keming.”

He had originally wanted to add Changsun Wuji, but remembered that Changsun Wuji was currently doing the work of a military officer.

Xue Yuanjing said, “Aren’t you there too?”

Li Xuanba smiled bitterly. “I’m just a brick—wherever manpower is lacking, I go there. Oh, and there’s another person. He hasn’t shown up yet, but when he does, he’ll certainly rank among the top civil officials under my second brother.”

Xue Yuanjing said grimly, “You mean my uncle, Xue Shou?”

Li Xuanba answered tactfully, “Isn’t it a bit impolite to call him by name?”

Liu Heng finished his tea, twirled the lid, and chuckled. “You’ve really prepared early. Is this the Duke of Tang’s intention, or that of you two brothers?”

Li Xuanba said, “Brother Liu can guess that for himself.”

Liu Heng said, “I’ll go take a look at the Duke of Tang and the Duke of Tang’s heir before deciding. It’s too crowded and cramped over here.”

Xue Yuanjing advised him, “Having many people only proves the abilities of Second Young Master and Third Young Master. Like attracts like—mediocre people gather with mediocre people, and the talented gather with the talented. There are already so many capable people around the two of them. Isn’t that proof enough?”

Liu Heng said, “If they were already the Duke of Tang, or even just had reached adulthood, I wouldn’t be so picky. But they are only Li Erlang and Li Sanlang. In my heart, I’d naturally like to be with kindred spirits. But I represent the Hedong Liu clan, so I have to be cautious.”

After speaking, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Liu Heng hadn’t expected himself to speak so frankly to people he had just met, but since the words were out, he no longer hid anything.

“Even if we all serve the Duke of Tang, we still have to compete for good positions. Duke Xue is your teacher, and Duke Pei has taught you as well. Only we of the Hedong Liu clan are strangers to the two of you.” Liu Heng sighed. “If the Hedong Liu clan throws in with you, we’d be one step behind from the start. I personally wouldn’t mind, but the clan certainly would.”

Li Xuanba said, “Then follow my father. That way we won’t be enemies in the future. I doubt the Hedong Liu clan would want to become enemies with my second brother and me.”

Liu Heng was stunned.

Xue Yuanjing covered his forehead. “Li Dade! The way you put that sounds like—”

Pei Xingyan muttered, “Like you don’t even put your eldest brother in your eyes.”

Li Xuanba lifted his teacup and took a sip, his expression calm. “He’s the legitimate eldest son and nine years older than my second brother and me. When we were still in pigtails, he had already come of age. Look at him now, and look at me and my second brother now—does he deserve to be in our eyes?”

Liu Heng, Xue Yuanjing, and Pei Xingyan all sighed wryly at the same time.

Li Xuanba continued, “Since Brother Liu spoke frankly with me, I’ll return the courtesy. Brother Liu, it’s enough for the Hedong Liu clan to stand firmly on my father’s side. By all means, don’t go over to my eldest brother. Although my second brother is broad-minded and will still employ you if you’re talented, there are already so many outstanding people around him. Fall one step behind, and you’ll be behind at every step.”

Liu Heng said in a low voice, “I understand.”

Li Xuanba smiled again. “That’s enough heavy talk. I think Xiao Wu has already prepared roasted lamb and beef. Let’s go try the flavors of Zhangye. Brother Pei, bring Qin Qiong along too.”

Pei Xingyan laughed. “Alright. He’s mixed in with my guards anyway—no need to call him specially. See that man over there? That’s him.”

Li Xuanba looked at the inconspicuously dressed warrior among Pei Xingyan’s guards and smiled: “Shixin will definitely be very pleased.”

Xue Yuanjing and Pei Xingyan walked briskly, while Liu Heng’s steps were a bit heavy.

One slow step leads to slow steps all around.

Sigh.

Liu Heng couldn’t help but complain a little about the elders. “You keep telling us younger generations to inherit and carry forward the Liud family of Hedong, but why don’t you put in any effort yourselves?”

Look at the elders of the Hedong Xue and Pei families—they had established ties with the Tang Duke’s household early on, and they had already secured the two most outstanding heirs of the Tang Duke’s household.

Although Liu Heng would still follow the original plan to make contact with Li Jiancheng, he had already guessed that he would end up disappointed.

As Li Sanlang had said, Li Jiancheng held the position of eldest legitimate son and was a full nine years older than Li Erlang and Li Sanlang. Now Li Erlang and Li Sanlang were renowned throughout the land, while Li Jiancheng remained obscure. Despite being the son-in-law of the Yingyang Zheng family, he couldn’t even enter the circle of Hedong’s established families and had to wait for Li Xuanba to return from Zhangye to lend a hand.

A person like that, even if slightly talented, was certainly mediocre compared to himself.

With his own abundant talent, should he serve under a mediocrity?

The more Liu Heng thought about it, the more irritated he became.

“Third brother! You’re finally here! If you don’t come, I’ll start sneaking food!”

Li Zhiyun’s voice pulled Liu Heng out of his sulking.

He looked up and saw a young lad, smiling brightly, rushing toward Li Xuanba, who received him affectionately.

Liu Heng’s mind went “boom!”—a sudden flash of inspiration, and everything became clear!

He had thought of a way to turn the situation around!

At Li Wulang’s age, he probably hadn’t been betrothed yet, right?

On such a hot day, Li Zhiyun suddenly shivered, his nose tickled, and he sneezed loudly.

Li Xuanba, concerned, said: “Caught a chill? I told you not to wander around the house shirtless.”

Li Zhiyun coquettishly complained: “Stop, stop! Third brother, you’re so nagging. Even Mother and Auntie aren’t this nagging.”

Li Xuanba pinched Li Zhiyun’s cheek: “Stop misbehaving. Go greet him—I’ll introduce you.”

Li Zhiyun straightened his clothes and smiled: “Alright! …Huh?”

Liu Heng grabbed Li Zhiyun’s hands, eyes sparkling: “Li San, this is your younger brother? Truly a remarkable young man, eloquent and impressive!”

Li Xuanba: “Ah, well…”

Xiao Wu was indeed quite good-looking, but where had his eloquence shown? Was it in saying he was more nagging than their mother and Auntie?

Liu Heng smiled: “I have a niece who isn’t married yet, and she’s around Li Wulang’s age.”

Although the family had intended for her to marry into the Taiyuan Wang family, now that the Taiyuan Wang family only had a name left, if the family wished to align with the Tang Duke, how could they avoid a marriage alliance?

Li Wulang was just perfect!

Li Zhiyun was stunned: “What? Me?”

Li Xuanba pondered for a moment, then smiled: “Perfect timing. Xiao Wu has been asking about his fiancée ever since he saw me and Second Brother get married. Now he’ll get what he wants.”

Xue Yuanjing and Pei Xingyan couldn’t hide their scornful expressions.

They had thought Liu Heng was some refined gentleman, but… where’s your shame?!