"This! This! This is a war song!" Li Shimin exclaimed excitedly, his lips moving and his eyes gleaming as he listened, feeling as if he were being electrocuted.
Ten war drums were being played, and two of the figures, clad in armor, looked very familiar to Cheng Zhijie. He squinted and focused intently, then grinned and exclaimed, "Haha! Haha! My daughter! That's my daughter!"
Feeling their blood boiling and the urge to fight surge within them, their qi and blood circulated faster. They already knew this was a battle melody. Hearing Cheng Zhijie's arrogant laughter, many felt a pang of envy. Some quick-witted individuals were already wondering whether to arrange a marriage with the Cheng family girl.
Once the war music started playing, no one thought about the issue of going shirtless anymore. Everyone knew that Li Shimin was in a very good mood. A war music meant that the Tang army would gain a lot more fighting power.
"Haha! My beloved ministers, come with me to meet the elite troops of the Tang Dynasty!" Li Shimin laughed loudly as the soldiers completed their drills.
No one objected to Li Shimin's words, and he went to the soldiers who had reorganized their ranks.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Qin Mu also came over, together with Li Chongyi, Cheng Huaimo, and Yuchi Baolin, to welcome the imperial procession.
Looking at the soldiers who stood motionless and unwavering after saluting, Li Shimin was extremely satisfied. Especially striking were the bulging muscles, their veins coiling like earthworms, giving them a powerful presence. In contrast, of the four leaders, only Cheng Huaimo appeared strong. Yuchi Baolin and the other two were only passable, especially Qin Mu, whose body was still developing; even in armor, he looked several sizes smaller than the soldiers.
While secretly lamenting the abundance of wild beast meat, Li Shimin walked past the soldiers with a smile, finally praising them with a beaming smile: "Good! Very good! I am very satisfied. I hope you will continue to work hard for the country, and I will reward you generously."
"Yes!" Qin Mu led the way, clasping his hands in response.
"Yes, sir!" The soldiers followed suit and saluted in unison. Compared to Qin Mu and the others, the soldiers were much more excited about Li Shimin's encouragement.
"Go down! We'll set up camp nearby today and reward you all." Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction. As the emperor, he certainly wouldn't offer official titles to ordinary soldiers; a meal of wine and meat would be the best he could do.
"Everyone, attention! Run!"
"We soldiers! What's so special about us!"
Watching the soldiers march away with a thunderous roar and listening to their singing, many people felt a sense of emotion, especially seeing their somewhat dirty and tattered clothes from training.
"Perhaps these people will give me a pleasant surprise!" A thought crossed Li Shimin's mind. The novel singing style, the new training methods, and the return with war music—Li Shimin was once again grateful for having chosen Qin Mu as his trainer. In his mind, these were all part of the Guigu lineage's heritage.
"My esteemed ministers, these four are the Six Doors patrol officers personally appointed by me. They will be responsible for arresting and investigating criminal cases in Chang'an. What do you think?" Li Shimin introduced proudly.
"Your Majesty is wise! Of course it is!" As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Zhijie stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said with a smile.
"Shameless old hag!" Many people cursed inwardly. Most people would avoid talking about their son, or at least be modest, but he was the one who spoke so highly of his son.
"Your Majesty has a discerning eye! All four of them are outstanding young talents of our Great Tang!" Li Ji said with a smile.
As fellow military officers and close friends, it's natural to clarify the situation to avoid complications, especially since this is a department with real power.
Sure enough, as Li Ji spoke, two people hesitated, then withdrew their steps.
It's not that we didn't want to attack, it's just that we had no excuse. Although these men are young and could be considered inexperienced, their performance today left everyone speechless. The Six Doors are for investigating cases; the presiding judge doesn't necessarily need to be an expert, as long as the subordinate officials are.
Many others rolled their eyes, then smiled. These were all seasoned veterans of the court, not in a hurry. In court intrigue, seizing an opponent's weakness and striking decisively was the proper course of action.
"Your Majesty is wise!" Many people complimented.
Li Shimin was very satisfied to see that no one was causing trouble. In the past, whenever he made a decision, there were always some people who opposed or criticized him. But today, not a single person did, which showed that his prestige had greatly increased.
"Qin Huaidao, I know your poetry is excellent. Do you have any masterpieces today?" Li Shimin was of course aware of Qin Mu's affairs, and the more he read, the more satisfied he became. However, thinking of the news about Qin Mu and Changning County, he felt a little disgusted. Originally, he was satisfied with Princess Changning's taste, but then he realized that, in terms of seniority, he was at a disadvantage.
The main reason was that Qin Mu had taught the two princesses, which earned him Li Shimin's high regard. What did it mean to have taught two little girls so well? It meant that he could teach many more people. Although he didn't know his own daughters well, he basically knew them. Introverted, timid, and as for talent, it hadn't manifested for so many years, yet in just one month, they had both become Confucian scholars. A little rational thought revealed the reason; he wouldn't be misled by Zhai Changsun and others' claims of the princesses' natural talent and the Emperor's excellent teaching.
Li Shimin knew that Qin Mu taught people every night, but he didn't know what he taught. The information that came back was only fragmentary, but Li Shimin had read it and found it completely accurate. He knew many of the stories, though. This was unavoidable; the group sent out this time had too few spies!
At first, I didn't pay attention; there was only one sentence: "Night!" Qin Huaidao gathered the princess, the county princess, and a dozen others to teach them.
"I have recently gained some insights, and I would appreciate your guidance, Your Majesty and the other gentlemen," Qin Mu said after a moment's thought, bowing slightly.
He didn't like being asked to compose poems or lyrics, since it was impossible to always find a suitable one by chance. So he thought, why not just intimidate them a bit? That would probably reduce the trouble.
"Oh! Then I must listen carefully," Li Shimin said with a smile. He had asked Qin Mu to compose a poem, intending to make Qin Mu famous, so that it wouldn't seem strange if it were to spread and be used to teach the princess.
Qin Mu spoke directly, saying, "These are two songs from the frontier:"
Heavenly troops descend upon the northern wilderness, while the barbarian horses yearn to drink in the south.
He fought countless battles, solely out of gratitude for the great favor he received.
I eat my meal on the sea with snow in my hands, and sleep on the sand dunes.
When will we defeat the Yuezhi, then we can finally rest easy?
Secondly:
The flames of war ignite the desert, while the clouds over Ganquan shine brightly.
The Han emperor rose, his hand on his sword, and summoned General Li.
The soldiers' spirits soared to the heavens, and the sound of drums echoed from the bottom of the Long Mountains.
With unbridled courage, we will vanquish the demonic aura in a single battle.
After listening to Qin Mu recite the poems, Li Shimin was even more pleased. Both poems clearly expressed a desire to serve the country and fight on the battlefield. Moreover, Qin Mu had composed two poems on his behalf; his literary talent and thoughtful ideas were exactly what he admired.
"Haha! As I said, you are a master of both poetry and prose. These are truly two excellent poems. It's a pity you don't have much battlefield experience, otherwise, it wouldn't be difficult to invoke the Heavenly Gift." Li Shimin laughed heartily.
"Inspector Qin is indeed a man of great literary talent. Today is the Double Ninth Festival, and many young talents have also composed poems. I wonder if you could compose one and offer some guidance?" A refined middle-aged man with a willow-like beard stroked his beard and smiled.
Although the man appeared to be smiling kindly, Qin Mu sensed his ill intentions. He was outwardly praising Qin Mu, but in reality, he was trying to put him at odds with the others. Considering so many people had come today, asking him to compose poetry and offer guidance was clearly an attempt to incite hostility among the others.
While no one is foolish enough to immediately challenge Qin Mu, the young man, proud and arrogant, would certainly feel uncomfortable. However, Qin Mu wasn't worried. Since he felt he had to show off, he was going to go all the way, and he was just looking for an excuse anyway.
"May I ask who you are?" Qin Mu narrowed his eyes slightly and cupped his hands in greeting.
"This is the Duke of Yongning, Prince Wang Gui of the Wang family of Taiyuan!" Cheng Zhijie introduced with a smile.
Upon hearing the mention of the Wang family of Taiyuan, Qin Mu immediately understood. He gave Cheng Zhijie a grateful look, then cupped his hands and said, "I cannot offer any guidance. We are all of the same age, so let's learn from each other. Hmm, I've got it! Please enlighten me!"
Qin Mu spoke with a double meaning, especially to his peers, who looked at Wang Gui with great seriousness! Many people couldn't help but smile.
Wang Gui's expression changed slightly, but then he resumed his smiling demeanor, seemingly oblivious to what he had heard, or perhaps indifferent.
“The cloud scenery is beautiful today, the water is green and the mountains are bright in autumn.
Carrying a wine jug, I pour wine into the flowing rosy clouds; plucking chrysanthemums, I admire their cold, vibrant beauty.
The land is remote, with ancient pines and rocks, and the wind carries the clear sound of strings and pipes.
Peeking into the wine cup, I see a joyful face; I laugh alone, pouring wine for myself.
My hat fell off, I was drunk under the mountain moon; I sang a song in vain, longing for my friend.
This is yet another poem by Li Bai. It's not that Qin Mu likes classical poetry; it's just that Li Bai was known as the "Immortal of Wine and Sword," so Qin Mu consulted many sources and thus memorized quite a few poems. In contrast, someone like Du Fu only knew some famous works and fragments.
"When autumn comes on the ninth day of the ninth month, my flowers will bloom and all other flowers will wither."
"The fragrance of incense fills Chang'an, the whole city is adorned with golden armor." Qin Mu paused slightly, and yet another famous poem was reproduced.
Two more excellent poems were recited in a row. After listening, many people's expressions immediately turned serious. Qin Mu had said he had some insights earlier, which was understandable as he had some preparation. But this time, it was clearly a spur-of-the-moment thing, and he had produced them in such a short time. Honestly, they knew they couldn't have done it! Not to mention being in a hurry, even their previous works couldn't compare to these poems.
I used to be unconvinced, thinking that being a master of both poetry and prose was just a fluke that inspired divine intervention. Even knowing I couldn't achieve it, I still felt resentful. Now, I no longer have that thought. That's human nature. Seeing friends who were once just as poor as you become rich, you're bound to feel jealous, envious, and resentful, secretly believing that one day you can do it too.
When others achieve far more than you, and you feel a sense of powerlessness, all you can do is look up to them, and you no longer have the desire to compare yourself to them.
"I am a humble student with limited knowledge and no renowned teacher to guide me. I have heard that the Wang family of Taiyuan is a family of scholars and poets. I humbly request Your Excellency to offer some guidance so that I may know my shortcomings and avoid being arrogant." After waiting for a while, Qin Mu sincerely bowed to Wang Gui and said.
"Give me pointers, my foot!" Wang Gui's face stiffened. He never expected Qin Mu to directly confront him. He couldn't help but regret why he had provoked this hothead.
"Heh! As expected of His Majesty's recognition as a master of both poetry and prose, this old man has no good advice to offer in this regard," Wang Gui said with a dry laugh. His meaning was that since you were recognized by His Majesty as a master of both poetry and prose, no one would offer you guidance, because to do so would be to contradict the Emperor's judgment.
Qin Mu secretly pursed his lips and said nothing more. After all, once you've made a splash, you should keep a low profile. There's a saying, "Be high-profile in your work, but low-profile in your personal life."
"Haha! My judgment is never wrong. My dear minister, you have written four excellent poems. Today's poetry gathering has not been in vain. Well, that's all for today. Let's call it a day!" Li Shimin laughed and smoothed things over.
However, Qin Mu still didn't return home and was taken to the palace again. Touching his somewhat hungry stomach, he could only drink the palace tea again and wait patiently for Li Shimin to summon him.
After Li Shimin returned to the palace, the first thing he did was to summon the Cheng sisters to confirm the origin of the war song, and then he bestowed upon them the honorary title of fourth-rank general.
"Pu'an, Dongyang, tell your father how you resolved to become Confucian scholars." After dismissing the Cheng sisters, Li Shimin summoned several trusted ministers and then asked them.
He still had many questions about his daughter becoming a Confucian cultivator. Although he knew it was a good thing, he was also worried that Qin Mu might use some crooked methods, since not many people knew much about the Ghost Valley lineage.
"Your Majesty," Princess Pu'an replied, "the instructor once said that if you have never done anything wrong, you will not be startled by a knock on the door in the middle of the night. I thought that made sense, and so I was confused. Only after I came to my senses did I realize that I had become a Confucian scholar."
"Father, Dongyang believes that if one is upright, no evil can harm one," Princess Dongyang replied.
Seeing his two daughters' calm gazes and composed responses, Li Shimin was very satisfied. He knew that there weren't many people who could meet his eyes normally.
"Yes, good boy! Pu'an, Dongyang, you did very well, and your thinking is correct! Remember this sentence well in the future!" Li Shimin gently instructed.
"Your subject will remember this!"
"Ahem! Princesses, who is this instructor you're talking about?" Kong Yida asked.
"Reporting to Master Kong! The instructor is Instructor Qin Huaidao. In the military camp, everyone calls him Instructor," Princess Pu'an said respectfully, bowing.
"It's not just him. Cheng Huaimo and Yuchi Baolin are also instructors. I heard that they are called instructors because many of them are not their direct subordinates. It means that they are officials who teach," Princess Dongyang explained.
"So what do the instructors teach you on a regular basis?" Kong Yida asked curiously. This was also the reason why Li Shimin had summoned them—to speculate from the sidelines and see if there were any problems.
"The instructors mainly taught us to read, and then explained principles and told stories!"
"We are studying Mencius's 'Teng Wen Gong II,' which teaches that wealth and honor cannot corrupt, poverty and hardship cannot sway, and power and force cannot subdue; we should devote ourselves to the study of the classics, cultivate our own virtue when poor, and benefit all under heaven when successful; I am good at cultivating my noble spirit..."
"The stories include Boyi and Shuqi refusing to eat Zhou grain, Su Wu herding sheep, and Qu Yuan dying for his country..." Princess Dongyang added.
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