The Empress’s Gambit: I’m the Fierce One 2

Li Longji personally led a hundred eunuchs, representing male animals; Yang Yuhuan led a hundred palace maids, representing female animals. The two teams faced each other, standing in rows, with colorful banners tied to poles. A few eunuchs and palace maids were selected as judges, beating drums and gongs below the steps to signal the advance and retreat of the two formations.

When the drums sounded, both teams rushed forward, fighting one-on-one.

High Li Shi was out of options. A good man doesn’t fight with a woman – although High Li Shi couldn’t be considered a complete man, he at least had fifty percent of male characteristics and should have some gentlemanly demeanor. High Li Shi changed his strategy, casting a pitiful glance at Li Long Ji and pleading with a friendship card: “Your Majesty, this servant…”

Li Long Ji couldn’t help but laugh. Yang Yu Huan was mischievous enough, and High Li Shi was originally a hypocrite. But ultimately, it was for his own good. Li Long Ji said: “My beloved concubine, let him go.”

Unexpectedly, Yang Yu Huan refused: “This palace will not let him go! This palace wants High Li Shi to play together!

High Li Shi was so scared he almost soiled his pants, his voice trembling: “Your Majesty, this servant—”

Li Long Ji looked at High Li Shi with a half-smile. Perhaps he was thinking that as an emperor, he could lower himself to play with little eunuchs and palace maids.

High Li Shi was furious. This emperor had no loyalty. Forgetting friends for beauty. After serving him for so many years, he showed no consideration. What if he accidentally fell and broke his old bones?

Yang Yu Huan, clever as she was, guessed High Li Shi’s thoughts.

High Li Shi had no choice but to kneel, crying: “Your Highness, spare me!”

Yang Yu Huan said: “I won’t spare you.”

High Li Shi kowtowed repeatedly, saying: “Your Highness, please be merciful and spare this servant.”

Yang Yu Huan looked at him with a cunning expression: “I’ll spare you, but you must agree to one condition.”

High Li Shi immediately agreed. Yang Yu Huan turned to Li Long Ji, laughing: “Your Majesty, you’ll be the witness.”

High Li Shi was terrified once again.

Li Longji never expected Yang Yuehuan to have such a move.

He opened his mouth, wanting to stop her. High Gonggong was his loyal dog; how could he be beaten randomly? But seeing Yang Yuehuan’s darkened expression, looking furious, he swallowed the words he was about to say and remained silent.

Li Longji was heartbroken for High Gonggong. But Li Longji loved Yang Yuehuan even more.

Several eunuchs rushed up and pressed High Gonggong to the ground, then began to beat him. Of course, one hundred slaps and a thousand hits on the buttocks would certainly not be enough, and even reducing the number by a zero would not suffice. Because Li Longji was desperately signaling with his eyes, who would dare to go all out?

Yang Yuehuan also knew that the eunuchs were slacking off. But Yang Yuehuan didn’t take it seriously. However, High Gonggong was still tortured to the point of crying and beaten until bloody.

High Gonggong was no ordinary person, with high intelligence, and he understood in his heart that Yang Yuehuan would not make a fuss without reason. When Yang Yuehuan was forced to enter the imperial palace after leaving her husband, engaging in that unspeakable “cuckoldry” with her father-in-law Li Longji, Yang Yuehuan, no matter how naive, could guess that High Gonggong was definitely behind it, acting as a pimp.

Yang Yuehuan couldn’t bear to see him in such pain.

If time could flow backwards, if she had a choice, Yang Yuehuan would undoubtedly choose to be with Li Longji without hesitation. Her wealth and glory, her luxurious life, her carefree and romantic existence, her success – only Li Longji could provide these, and only Li Longji could satisfy her. As for the Prince of Shou, he was just a small prince; how could he be compared with the current emperor who could command the winds and rains?

Though without regret, there was resentment.

After all, they didn’t consult her opinion back then, leaving no room for discussion. Moreover, they forcibly separated her from her young son, never to recognize each other again. Sometimes when Yang Yuehuan thought about it, she felt a deep-seated hatred, as if fallen into a trap.

Since she couldn’t hate Li Longji, Yang Yuehuan could only take it out on High Gonggong, embarrassing him and relieving her inner resentment.

It was a few eunuchs who carried him into the palace.

Li Bai was a poetry immortal but after all, not a divine immortal. He did not know the emperor wanted to summon him, and even less that the enchanting beauty Yang Yuhuan was interested in him.

Li Bai was with a group of poetry enthusiasts, leaning on the railing of the Drunk Moon Tower, composing poetry and drinking himself into a stupor. Li Bai loved wine, just as he was famous for his poetry.

“Are you Li Bai?” Gao Lishi walked up and asked.

Li Bai squinted his drunken, hazy eyes: “Of course I am Li Bai. Who are you?”

Gao Lishi said proudly: “I am Gao Lishi.”

People nearby were stunned when they heard this. Someone tugged at Li Bai’s sleeve, whispering: “Gao Gongong is someone close to the emperor.”

Li Bai either didn’t hear or was still drunk, drawling: “Oh—”

Gao Lishi frowned and scolded: “How did you get so drunk?”

Li Bai poured a full cup of wine, tilted his head back, drank it all, and then looked at Gao Lishi, glaring and scolding: “I like it this way.”

Gao Lishi was displeased.

After all, he was a prominent figure. He was the emperor Li Longji’s confidant, and officials like Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong, and Gao Xianzhi all curried favor with him. The Crown Prince Li Heng respectfully called him “Second Brother,” and princes and princesses called him “Grandfather.” What was this Li Bai? How could he use such an attitude toward him?

Li Bai is a literary giant and a true scholar with profound knowledge. With a pen dipped in ink, he created an immortal verse: “Clouds like her dress, flowers like her face, spring breeze caressing the railing with heavy dew. If not seen on the jade mountain, we might meet beneath the moon at the heavenly terrace.”

Yang Yuhuan was instantly delighted. This Li Bai, his reputation was well-deserved.

Yang Yuhuan looked triumphantly at Li Longji, as if to say: Look, her effort in grinding ink for Li Bai was not in vain. Li Longji couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration of Li Bai’s talent. What a genius!

Li Bai was indeed a genius, known to everyone. Among the Tang Dynasty poets, he stood alone in composing five and seven-character quatrains to the highest level.

However, those with exceptional talent tend to be arrogant. Li Bai was no exception.

Yang Yuhuan met An Lushan in the second year of Tianbao (743) in the first month. Before this, she had only heard of him.

It was said that An Lushan’s father was from a nomadic tribe, and his mother was a Turkic witch.

After years of infertility, she prayed to Zhaluo Mountain, and miraculously became pregnant, giving birth to An Lushan on the first day of the lunar new year. An Lushan spoke seven ethnic languages and was an exceptional warrior, routing enemies wherever he went. Li Longji greatly valued him, repeatedly promoting him from the original Pinglu Military Commissioner to Yingzhou Governor, and later to Pinglu Jiedushi – the first such position in the Tang Dynasty. This Pinglu Jiedushi was a powerful role controlling military, civil, and financial power in the northern border.

Hearing that An Lushan was coming to Beijing to meet Li Longji, Yang Yuhuan, driven by curiosity, insisted on seeing this legendary figure, wanting to know what he was really like.

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