Chapter 15 Direct Recruitment by the Tang Dynasty "Second Brother, Father also wants to..."
The first year of the Zhenguan era in the Tang Dynasty, a seemingly ordinary day.
Li Shimin sat upright on the dragon throne, surrounded by a pile of memorials. The memorials all reported natural disasters in various places, with corpses littering the ground. This made him wonder if he had incurred Heaven's displeasure, thus incurring divine punishment.
He frowned slightly, pondering to himself: Could it be that my ascension to the throne has truly angered Heaven?
All the civil and military officials stood respectfully in the court, the atmosphere solemn.
Suddenly, a clear, crisp "clang" broke the silence. It was the cry of the phoenix, as recorded in ancient texts. The assembled officials looked up in astonishment and saw a phoenix flying in, its plumage magnificent beyond compare. The phoenix swirled in the sky, creating a dazzling, mesmerizing spectacle of light.
A phoenix flew into the imperial court and spoke in human language: "Emperor Tang."
Auspicious omens descend from heaven.
Li Shimin was overjoyed, a slight smile playing on his lips as he nodded in acknowledgment. Having received permission, the phoenix turned its head. The civil and military officials stood in two rows, many renowned ministers and generals present in the court. Without even glancing at them, it went straight to the point asking, "Where are Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao?"
Upon hearing the phoenix's call, Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, and the rest of the Tang Dynasty were all somewhat bewildered. Shouldn't they be looking for His Highness? Just as they were exchanging glances, Yuchi Jingde looked up, understood immediately, and stepped forward, saying, "I am Yuchi Jingde. May I ask what business the immortal has with me?"
The phoenix's eyes are devoid of emotion, and when it looks directly at someone, people can't help but look away.
It stared intently at Yuchi Jingde, as if it could see through his every move. Yuchi Jingde felt a chill run down his spine under its gaze. Everyone worships gods, but if one actually sees a god, one cannot help but feel fear. So there really are gods, who can easily control people's lives, and even... can overthrow an entire dynasty.
"My master invites you to work." As he spoke, a gleaming golden letter of appointment hung in the sky and slowly descended. Even as Yuchi Jingde reached out to catch it, the golden light remained, and the material of the letter of appointment was as white as snow.
Work? The employment contract clearly stated that Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao were to guard the city gates. As Yuchi Jingde examined the contract, all eyes were on him; no one dared to utter a sound, not even dared to breathe loudly. Why did the immortal only hire Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao? They wanted to work for the immortal too!
Yuchi Jingde dared not look at it again and presented the letter of appointment to Li Shimin.
"If I were to work, what would my salary be?" Qin Shubao was no longer young, and his voice and demeanor had become somber. His question was the one everyone was most curious about, but since the immortal was asking Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao, they wouldn't dare to speak rashly. That would be extremely impolite. No matter how insignificant humans might seem in the eyes of an immortal, mortals always try to maintain their dignity and manners in the presence of an immortal.
The phoenix flapped its wings and proclaimed, "Whether you desire immortality, the power to control the wind and rain, or the ability to foresee the future, these will all be your stipends as long as you satisfy my master."
Immortality. As the phoenix finished speaking, everyone's breathing became heavier, and their eyes reddened as they looked at Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao.
"Press your fingerprint on the appointment letter. Tomorrow at cockcrow, close your eyes. When you open them again, you will have arrived." With that, the phoenix spread its wings and flew back into the sky. In the blink of an eye, it disappeared.
Li Shimin looked at the court officials below him, all of whom were breathing rapidly, their faces flushed, and their eyes were fixed on the letter of appointment in his hand.
"Jingde, Prince Qin, an immortal has come to invite you both to work. This is a great fortune for the Tang Dynasty. Guards, present the two generals with the golden armor from the treasury, to glorify the might of our Great Tang." Li Shimin's voice echoed in the court, carrying an unquestionable majesty.
Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao knelt down and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"The letter of appointment says you two are to guard the city gate, but I think it's more like guarding the South Gate of Heaven." Li Shimin read the letter several times. Although it only mentioned guarding the city gate, it didn't stop him from thinking outside the box. But guarding the South Gate requires rest days? Isn't that too leisurely?
Immortality, the ability to control the wind and rain, and the power to foresee the future—Li Shimin only wanted to avoid these successive natural disasters. He had considered placing his own handprint on the statue, but since the immortals had designated Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao, he couldn't change their minds. He didn't want to experience the consequences of angering the immortals.
His eyes were sharp as he looked at the people in the court. Each person had a different expression, and it was likely that each of them had their own thoughts.
The engagement letter was returned to Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao, but they didn't know how to place their handprints. Qin Shubao bit his finger, a few drops of blood seeping from the tip, and pressed it onto the gleaming gold engagement letter. The moment it touched the letter, it emitted a bright, intense light.
Seeing this, Yuchi Jingde followed suit, biting his finger and pressing it on. As soon as their handprints were pressed, the glittering betrothal certificate transformed into golden light spots and merged into their bodies.
"Truly divine intervention." Someone murmured, astonished by the scene. At this moment, no one blamed him for his rudeness.
Both Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao simultaneously conjured up an image of a marketplace in their minds, filled with a dazzling array of goods, none of which existed in the present-day Tang Dynasty. These items weren't exorbitantly priced; they could be exchanged for wages.
Yuchi Jingde opened his eyes and turned to look at Qin Shubao: "I saw a lot of things."
Qin Shubao smiled and nodded. He had just seen the painkillers, which only cost thirty points. The price was so low that he couldn't refuse. After many battles, his body had accumulated many ailments. Although they weren't fatal, the feeling of his declining health was unbearable for a mighty general, especially on rainy days when his knees and back would ache terribly. Now, with this job, it seemed that all his ailments would soon be gone.
Having heard that an immortal had come to visit, Li Yuan arrived late, looking at Li Shimin with eager eyes: "Second Prince, your father also wishes to..."
Li Shimin looked at his father, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew his father was old and his health was declining, and his desire for immortality was self-evident.
However, the immortals designated Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao, and he could not change that fact.
"Father, the immortals have chosen Jingde and Prince Qin, and we have no choice but to obey," Li Shimin said in a low voice, his tone tinged with helplessness.
Li Yuan sighed, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He nodded and said, "Second Brother is right; the will of the immortals cannot be defied."
The atmosphere in the court became heavy again, with everyone harboring their own plans. Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao, however, were immersed in their upcoming journey to become immortals, their hearts filled with anticipation and trepidation.
The next day, at cockcrow, Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao closed their eyes as instructed by the phoenix.
A note from the author:
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