Chapter 5 Li Bi’s Visit to Yang Muzhi

　　Emperor Xuanzong greatly agreed and said to Zhang Jiuling, “The filial piety of a son, driven by righteousness and unafraid of death, is commendable. However, to pardon someone for murder would undermine the law. This precedent cannot be set. If such a precedent were established, it might lead to endless private feuds and violence among the people”. Therefore, he issued a decree: “The nation seeks to cease killings. Let each person fulfil their filial duty without resorting to murder! Endless cycles of vengeance have no bounds! Just as Gaoyao acted as a model, the law must be enforced. Zeng Can’s act of murder cannot be pardoned. It is fitting to execute him by caning under the jurisdiction of Henan Prefecture”.

　　The common people all sympathized with these two brothers and composed elegies and lamentations for them, which were hung along the main roads. They also raised funds to bury the two brothers in Beimang. Concerned that the family of Yang Wanqing might desecrate the graves, they constructed several false burial mounds.

　　This incident spread throughout the country. One day, Zhao Yong and Yang Muzhi were chatting casually, discussing how the followers of Moism had disappeared from the rivers and lakes for many years. They wondered where the Zhang brothers had learned the Mo family’s Five Cones Knife technique.

　　Yang Muchi replied, “When I was young, I heard my father mention that during the Jinglong era, there was a young Mo practitioner who achieved a great victory over Tubo warriors outside the capital city”.

　　The elderly military physician who lived in the same courtyard as Yang Muzhi couldn’t help joining the conversation. He poured himself some alcohol from a large gourd and said, “I’ve also heard about this matter”. Then, he began to speak confidently, as if he himself were the young Mo practitioner who had defeated the Tubo warriors back then:

　　In the fourth year of the Jinglong era (710 AD), during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong (Li Xian), the eve of the Lantern Festival fell on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month. Despite the lingering chill in the air of Chang’an, the capital city, the enthusiasm of its people for the Lantern Festival remained unabated. Streets and alleys were adorned with colourful lanterns, and the citizens busied themselves with hanging lanterns, guessing riddles, and making glutinous rice dumplings. It was truly a scene of festivity: “Fire trees and silver flowers are mingled, The starry river ends, the iron-lock opens. Hidden dust follows the horse’s path, The bright moon follows the man. All the travellers are now homeward-bound; The songs of departure fade among the falling plum flowers. The night guards, seeing the late hour, do not forbid The tapping of the jade loops”[ Adopted translation version of Mr. Arthur Waley, 《正月十五夜》.].

　　The patrols of the Imperial Guards, banging their drums, loudly proclaimed, “Three Nights of Lanterns, One Nation in Celebration”. Outside the Anfu Gate of Chang’an, a massive lantern wheel, over a hundred feet tall, hung adorned with colourful silk and decorated with gold and silver. It boasted over two thousand lanterns, their flames dazzling, resembling a celestial palace up close and a display of clouds and rainbows from afar. Thousands of palace maidens, dressed in resplendent attire, were there, playing the zither and singing songs.

　　On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, after Emperor Zhongzong (Li Xian) and Empress Wei finished their evening meal, they changed into casual attire and ventured into the streets and alleys to admire the lanterns. The palace maidens, eager to join in the fun outside the palace, were not stopped by the emperor and empress. Thus, thousands of them left the palace to roam and play. Some went to meet their lovers in secret, some returned to their parents’ homes, and some stayed out all night drinking.

　　On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, within the city of Chang’an, whether commoners or officials, all ventured out of their homes onto the streets to admire the lanterns and guess riddles. They savoured this rare and delightful evening free from curfew restrictions. In addition to enjoying the lanterns, there were also splendid performances to be seen along the streets of Chang’an, such as acrobatics and theatrical plays. After the Lantern Festival, when the palace maidens were counted, it was discovered that many of them had not returned to the palace.

　　On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, outside the Kaiyuan Gate of Chang’an, the crowd was packed tightly, and the noise was incessant. People from all walks of life in Chang’an, young and old, came together in a swarm. There were even women carrying infants who, despite their babies’ cries, insisted on squeezing into the crowd to join in the excitement.

　　On the stage where the acrobatics were performed, a Tibetan man, tall at over six feet (approximately 180 centimetres) in height (a Chinese foot was about 30 centimetres), threw Han Chinese warriors to the ground one by one or directly off the platform. This Tibetan man had a dark complexion, and large red patches covered the skin on both sides of his cheekbones.

　　As he spoke, the Tibetan man had already thrown or toppled seven or eight Han Chinese warriors. He boasted aloud, “The martial arts of Central China are nothing! I, Zhi Gong Niechi, am unbeatable throughout Central China!” Below the stage, the warriors exchanged glances, fearing his might, and dared not challenge him onto the stage.

　　At that moment, a young man emerged from the crowd, his voice still youthful and full of vigour as he shouted, “Zhi Gong Niechi, cease your arrogance!” Before his words had even faded, the young man leapt onto the platform with a swift movement.

　　Zhi Gong Niechi fixed his gaze on the young man. He appeared to be no more than fourteen years old, with a stature of at most five feet, his frame slender and angular. The voice with which the young man had just spoken still carried the tone of adolescence, suggesting that his body had not yet fully developed. He wore a coarse linen shirt and brown shorts, with a pair of straw sandals on his feet.

　　Zhi Gong Niechi laughed heartily, “Where did this little brat come from? Go home and suckle your mother! You dare to come up on this stage with just a few moves of amateurish kung fu!” The young man remained silent, extending his arms and reaching for Zhi Gong Niechi's waist.

　　Just as words were spoken, actions followed swiftly. The young man’s movements resembled lightning in the sky. Zhi Gong Niechi immediately moved to intercept, but the young man suddenly changed his stance, swiftly crouching down and forcing his fists toward Zhi Gong Niechi’s right leg.

　　Zhi Gong Niechi thought to himself, “This little brat wants to attack my lower body. I’ll kick him off the stage with one swift blow.”

　　As Zhi Gong Niechi lifted his left foot to kick the young man, the latter swiftly manoeuvred under his right arm, catching him off guard. Zhi Gong Niechi quickly turned around and reached out with his right hand to grab the young man, but the youth deftly evaded him with agile movements, darting behind him.

　　In his haste, Zhi Gong Niechi’s steps became erratic. He quickly turned and lifted his right foot to kick at the young man, but the youth swiftly darted in from the side, shifting to the left of the large man. With a forceful kick at the big man’s left ankle, the youth demonstrated an inner strength unknown to Zhi Gong Niechi. Though the kick seemed light, Zhi Gong Niechi felt as if a thousand pounds of force had struck his ankle. Unable to stand any longer, he tumbled backwards onto the platform, both his arms and legs flailing in the air.

　　The crowd below erupted into cheers as they witnessed the fall of the big man. At this moment, an elderly man in the crowd admonished the young man, “Mo Zhu! I’ve only been away for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and you’re already causing trouble. Get down from there right now!”

　　The crowd noticed that the old man was dressed similarly in a coarse linen shirt and brown shorts, with straw sandals on his feet. He also carried a large gourd on his back.

　　Zhao Yong observed the old military physician playing with the large gourd in his hand and noticed the Chinese character “墨”(Mo) engraved on it. Taking a sip from the gourd, the old physician continued his story:

　　The young man hurriedly jumped down from the platform and respectfully returned to the old man. The old man addressed him, “How have I taught you normally? If people in this world do not love each other and the strong oppress the weak, then all the calamities and resentments in the world arise from this lack of love! Why did you choose to fight here?”

　　The young man lowered his head and murmured, “I saw that Tibetan man bullying the warriors of Central China, and I couldn’t bear it. I just wanted to step forward and test my skills against him.”

　　The old man reproached him, “Still back-talking! When you return, you will be punished to reflect on your actions in the rear mountains. Without my orders, you are not allowed to leave there. I originally thought you were intelligent and was considering teaching you the Giant’s Swordsmanship of the Mo Family after you returned. You have truly disappointed me. It seems I’ll have to choose someone else to pass on the Giant’s Swordsmanship.”

　　The young man grew anxious and repeatedly apologized, “Master, I am sorry. I won’t dare to do it again. I’ll go back with you and reflect on my actions sincerely.”

　　The old man looked at the young man and said slowly, “Mo Zhu, it’s not that I don’t want to pass on the Giant’s Swordsmanship to you. This skill is our sect’s highest martial art, emphasizing the harmony of firmness and softness, with the most important aspect being internal energy cultivation rather than the sword techniques themselves. Right now, you are filled with youthful vigour and always eager to compete with others. If you were to practice the Giant’s Swordsmanship now, your sword techniques would be forceful but lacking in flexibility. As the saying goes, ‘The strong tree will break.’ If you were to encounter a master swordsman, your life would be in danger. This time, when you return, go to the rear mountains and reflect on your actions. Instead, focus on studying the two chapters of ‘Universal Love’ and ‘Non-violence’.” The young man nodded repeatedly in agreement, and the two of them disappeared into the crowd as they spoke.

　　Zhao Yong had long been impatient, yet the old man continued to drink and talk to himself. Zhao Yong interrupted the old man and said to Yang Muzhi, “This is the master of Zhi Gong Nie Chi, a high-ranking monk from Tubo, with great martial skills. He serves as the prime minister of Tubo and often leads troops to harass our army, causing us great trouble.”

　　Yang Muzhi smiled and said, “I really would like to meet the master and disciple one day and make them taste some bitterness.”

　　Zhao Yong asked, “Do you have any plan, bro?”

　　Yang Muzhi smiled but did not answer, instead, he began to calculate the mysteries of divination on the stone table. While he was engrossed in his calculations, there was a sudden report that Li Bi, an imperial court official from the Eastern Palace, and Peng Guo, an agricultural development officer, had come to seek Yang Muzhi.

　　“Li Bi?” the two men exclaimed in surprise. “The prodigy of the capital, Li Bi? How could this renowned genius suddenly visit the Western Liang army?”

　　After Yang Muzhi brilliantly defeated the Tubo army with his military formations, the soldiers of the Western Liang army greatly admired him. Many soldiers came to seek his advice on military formations and the state of affairs in the world, drawn by his reputation.

　　One day, Peng Guo, an agricultural development officer, went to Li Bi’s residence to seek advice on methods for abundant harvests. Li Bi was exceptionally gifted and quick-witted, earning the reputation of a child prodigy since his youth. At the age of seven, he gained the admiration of Emperor Xuanzong and the renowned statesman Zhang Shuo. Even Zhang Jiuling, another esteemed official, referred to him as “Young Friend”.

　　During Li Bi’s childhood, Emperor Xuanzong once gave the theme “square and round, movement and stillness” to Zhang Shuo and Li Bi, instructing them to each compose a poem. Zhang Shuo pondered for a long time before submitting his poem, while Li Bi effortlessly composed his, which was filled with profound philosophical insights. His poem went as follows: “Square is like acting with righteousness, while round is like applying wisdom; movement is like displaying talent, while stillness is like attaining contentment.”

　　Emperor Xuanzong and Zhang Shuo were full of admiration. Because of his deep appreciation, Li Bi was appointed as an official in the imperial court. Whenever there were doubts among the ministers about state affairs, they all turned to him for consultation.

　　Peng Guo, upon arriving at Li Bi’s residence, addressed him, “Master Li, I am but a humble official, serving as the agricultural promoter. Currently, the grain reserves in Guanzhong are insufficient. His Majesty has no choice but to relocate with the courtiers to the Eastern Capital at the end of each year. I wonder if Master Li has any method to ensure abundant harvests in Guanzhong?”

　　Li Bi furrowed his brow slightly and replied slowly, “To be frank, I have pondered this matter myself, but to no avail. However, I have heard of a talented young man in the Western Liang army named Yang Muzhi. He is said to be a descendant of Yang Hou, grand chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, known for his extensive knowledge and excellent governance skills. Perhaps we should consult him together in the Western Liang, where we may find some answers.”

　　Peng Guo nodded in agreement, saying, “Excellent”. The two men then prepared their belongings and set out for Liangzhou. It took Li Bi and Peng Guo more than ten days to reach Liangzhou, where they were greeted by the sight of leaves swirling in the autumn wind and dust stretching for miles.

　　The two men arrived at the Western Liang army and met Yang Muzhi. Yang Muzhi was in the midst of divining the mysteries of astrology with Zhao Yong. Upon seeing the arrival of the two, he immediately came out to greet them.

　　Yang Muzhi said, “I, humble as I am, did not anticipate the esteemed presence of you two, and thus failed to greet you from afar. Please forgive my oversight. Your Excellencies have endured a long journey to Western Liang, and I am truly honoured by your visit.”

　　Li Bi looked up at Yang Muzhi upside down, noting that he was only a few years older but exuded an elegant demeanour with a calm and composed countenance. Impressed, Li Bi spoke, “Brother Yang, I have heard of your profound knowledge of the classics, your mastery of Yi Jing, and the Taoist arts of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi. I have come specifically to seek your guidance”.

　　Yang Muzhi cupped his hands in salute and said, “Master Li, you are flattering me. Everyone knows that you are a prodigy, with unparalleled knowledge of the classics and history. How dare I display my insignificant skills before such a master?”

　　Standing nearby, Peng Guo said, “You two are both exceptional young talents of our time. Please, quickly come up with a solution on how to ensure sufficient grain supplies in Guanzhong to avert the annual famine”.

　　Zhao Yong interjected, “Since you two have come from afar, I shall arrange dinner at once. The Western Liang army camp cannot be compared with the capital, lacking fine wine and good dishes. I hope you two esteemed gentlemen will forgive us”.

　　To find out what plan Yang Muzhi has, please stay tuned for the next chapter.