Changsheng: Peak at the Beginning

Chapter 1844 The Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty 4

Jiang Xinxin listened to the whole thing, but didn't react much to the conversation between Li Xiuning and Li Shimin. She subtly influenced Li Xiuning with her tone and actions, which was also a way of repaying Li Xiuning for her strong "tolerance" just now. As the saying goes, it's not a pleasant feeling to be forced to compromise.

In his teens, Li Shimin was a dashing and handsome young man. Every day, he would ride his horse by, attracting the attention of many girls in Taiyuan. Indeed, he had a grand ambition in his heart to save the world and bring peace to the people, just like his name suggests. Therefore, he had a small reputation in Taiyuan for loving the people like his own children.

It was for this reason that Shi Feixuan approached Li Shimin. It was still the same teahouse, and Jiang Xinxin was still sitting in the same spot. Li Shimin even felt that her tilting her head and supporting her head was no different from before.

There was no storyteller in the teahouse today, but several scholars were talking loudly on the second floor. They were talking about how Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty was immoral and tyrannical, and how the people of the world were suffering terribly and needed someone to stand up for them.

At this moment, Shi Feixuan, dressed as a man, suddenly walked up to Li Shimin and asked, with a slight frown, as if he did not agree with the words of the scholars, "Brother, you seem to disagree with those scholars. Is it that you disagree with the fact that the people are suffering so much, or that you disagree with the emperor's immoral behavior of going south along the Grand Canal to enjoy himself?"

Li Shimin answered in the blink of an eye as he looked at the visitor, “The people are suffering terribly these days. Even the seemingly noble Li clan is actually quite feared by the emperor. Especially at the beginning of the year, someone spread a saying that was almost a proverb: ‘When the willow catkins fall, the plum blossoms will bloom.’ My father is clearly a cousin of the emperor, but the emperor still has to be wary of him.”

"My Li family may seem to have more wealth than ordinary people, but when faced with persecution by the imperial power, we are no different from ordinary people."

"What I disagree with is empty talk."

Shi Feixuan was satisfied with Li Shimin's answer, so she sat down and asked, "Then, according to Your Excellency, how can you resolve the current predicament of the people and yourself?"

Li Shimin became increasingly certain that the person before him was probably Shi Feixuan, the current head of the Cihang Jingzhai sect, who wanted to choose a ruler on behalf of Heaven.

Although the phrase "choosing a ruler on behalf of Heaven" made him feel somewhat uncomfortable, he understood even more the weight of "righteousness for the world." Currently, the Li clan was the weakest among the four major clans, and he himself had some ulterior motives, so he was unwilling to give up any opportunity to get closer to "righteousness for the world."

Li Shimin solemnly said to the visitor, "The common people don't ask for much. They just want three meals a day and four seasons, a few acres of land to support their family, no exorbitant taxes to exploit them, and no worries about being falsely accused and losing their lives the moment they open their eyes..."

Li Shimin's words were so honest, it was clear that he had genuinely cared about the people's livelihood. Shi Feixuan was naturally very satisfied. At least this second son of the Li family, whose name supposedly contained the intention to save the world and bring peace to the people, truly had a heart that loved the people.

Jiang Xinxin was quite satisfied; no wonder fate had favored Li Shimin.

Shi Feixuan left satisfied, and Li Shimin and his men visibly breathed a sigh of relief. His guards finally understood, and, suppressing their excitement, whispered to Li Shimin, "Young Master, could that person just now have been—"

Li Shimin took a deep breath, suppressed all his thoughts, and nodded firmly: "That's right, the man with the mustache just now should be Fei Xuan, the current head of the Cihang Jingzhai sect."

The guard asked again, "I noticed that Miss Shi seems quite satisfied with you, young master. Does that mean you have a high chance of being chosen by Cihang Jingzhai?"

Li Shimin felt somewhat aggrieved upon hearing these words, but he wasn't entirely indifferent. He nodded reservedly, but quickly warned his guards, "We should keep today's events to ourselves and not spread a single word. The current situation is not favorable to me. The He Shi Bi jade has not truly belonged to me yet, and it's all too early."

Having witnessed a good show today, Jiang Xinxin no longer wanted to waste any more time in Taiyuan. So, as she passed by Li Shimin, she specifically reminded him: "Second Young Master Li, while the title of righteousness is important, it is only important to your father. As for you, you should think more about the saying, 'If one's virtue does not match one's position, disaster will surely follow.'"

Jiang Xinxin left the teahouse with a leisurely air, packed her things, and headed towards Sichuan. The road from the north to Sichuan was now truly difficult and arduous, but Jiang Xinxin still had her cultivation to use, which made the journey much easier.

The guards who were left at the teahouse misunderstood Jiang Xinxin's meaning, thinking that their young master had been mocked by her, and they all spoke up to defend Li Shimin.

Li Shimin, of course, understood Jiang Xinxin's good intentions and explained, "Miss Jiang's words may not have sounded pleasant, but they were well-intentioned. She was reminding me to prepare early, because opportunities are only for those who are prepared; she was also reminding me that I should not place too much importance on external things at this time, but should instead strengthen myself, otherwise, if I stand out too early, I might very well be cut short by a severe cold."

The guards were dumbfounded. "Did that Miss Jiang really say all that? Did she really not mean to mock the young master for being unworthy of his position?"

In comparison, Li Shimin trusted Jiang Xinxin more. After all, Shi Feixuan's background was obvious, and Cihang Jingzhai's rise to prominence was only within the last hundred years. Jiang Xinxin, on the other hand, was different. Among the four major clans and both the legitimate and underworld, no one had yet been able to find out her background.

Especially considering that Jiang Xinxin's daily attire is always well-organized, it's clear that the Jiang family behind her has a deep-rooted background. In this chaotic world, the fact that they allow her to go out alone suggests that Jiang Xinxin herself must be quite skilled in martial arts.

It's not that Jiang Xinxin and Shi Feixuan are the same; both have considerable martial arts skills and rely on their sects or families. Why insist on comparing the two? Rather, for Li Shimin, Shi Feixuan's claim of "choosing a master on behalf of Heaven" was something he couldn't accept, even though he and the Li clan did need such a hollow title to maintain appearances.

To put it bluntly, Li Shimin felt that Shi Feixuan's attitude was a bit arrogant, which made him feel offended. Jiang Xinxin's casual remark was a straightforward yet insightful reminder, which he saw as a genuine attempt to build a friendship among peers.

Since the Qin and Han dynasties, Shu has never lacked wealth. However, the Xie family, who occupied Shu, was not a kind family. Jiang Xinxin was targeted by the Xie family almost as soon as she appeared.

Xie Hui, the young master of Xie Family Fort, was a womanizer, even though his wife was a young lady from the Song Clan.

Xie Hui was truly spoiled by the Bashu Alliance. After witnessing Jiang Xinxin's beauty, he immediately sent men to kidnap her.