Chapter 80: Recruiting Luo Shixin

“Brother Chen, are you feeling better?”
Luo Shixin appeared with his honest smile, carrying a jar of medicinal wine for injuries, and arrived at Chen Ying’s residence. Scratching his head, Luo Shixin looked rather embarrassed. “I’m really sorry. I drank too much the other night and couldn’t control myself—my blows were too heavy! I hope you won’t hold it against me, Brother Chen.”

“Brother Luo, what are you saying?” Upon hearing this, Chen Ying’s face turned slightly red. “I’m a man standing seven feet tall; if I’m not as skilled as others, how can I blame fate? Lan’er, go prepare some food and wine. Today, we won’t leave until we’re drunk with Brother Luo!”

In truth, Luo Shixin hadn’t become addicted to drinking with Chen Ying; Wei Zheng had sent him to sound out Chen Ying’s intentions.

Wei Zheng, carrying out Li Mi’s orders, had come to Chang’an and sought out Li Mi’s son-in-law, Liu Wenjing, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty. Because Chen Ying had revealed, in a single sentence, Li Mi’s defeat by Wang Shichong and his request to surrender to the Tang.

At that moment, Wei Zheng became suspicious and, speaking circuitously to Liu Wenjing, tried to probe Tang’s attitude toward Li Mi. Liu Wenjing assured Wei Zheng, pounding his chest, that as long as Li Mi was willing to submit to Tang, he’d guarantee Li Mi would hold a rank of third grade or above and be ennobled as a Duke. Li Mi’s generals—Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Shan Xiongxin, Wang Bodang—would at least be appointed as Loyal Martial Generals of fourth grade.

Wei Zheng was greatly astonished by Liu Wenjing’s words.

Did Liu Wenjing not know Li Mi had been defeated? Did he not know that Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Shan Xiongxin, and others had already been captured by Wang Shichong and had switched allegiance to him?

In terms of nobility, Chen Ying held a fourth grade rank as Founding Count, while Liu Wenjing was a first grade Founding Duke—a difference of five levels. In official positions, Chen Ying was merely a fifth grade Pacifying General and Commander, while Liu Wenjing was the second grade Deputy Prime Minister.

Logically, there was no reason Chen Ying would know something Liu Wenjing did not.

Both in reason and sentiment, nothing made sense. With this doubt in his mind, Wei Zheng instructed Luo Shixin to use the pretext of drinking to probe Chen Ying.

Chen Ying’s exuberance left Luo Shixin at a loss, but Luo Shixin was not one for cunning schemes—unlike Wei Zheng. As a jar of wine poured down his throat, Luo Shixin suddenly looked at Chen Ying, his eyes shining with a fierce light.

Chen Ying stared at Luo Shixin’s eyes, feeling a deep unfamiliarity—this was not a human gaze, but like a lone wolf from the wilds.

No, it was a hungry wolf.

A lone wolf is not terrifying; the most frightening thing is a lone hungry wolf on the wild plains.

“Brother Chen, I have a question for you!”

Luo Shixin’s expression grew solemn, his tone thick with murderous intent.

Chen Ying instinctively shivered. “Brother Luo, say whatever’s on your mind!”

Although Luo Shixin’s martial skills were excellent, making him the best candidate to seize an enemy general amidst thousands, he was not a good spy. Luo Shixin, just like his family spear, charged straight through the center—direct and unyielding. “Brother Chen, how did you know Lord Wei was defeated?”

...

“This—” Chen Ying was startled, and countered, “Are you saying no one else knows of Lord Wei’s defeat?”

“That’s right. At least for now, no one in Guanzhong knows this news!”

Chen Ying’s mind raced. Li Mi’s surrender to Tang was a tale written in the romances; in the end, Li Yuan still feared Li Mi and seized the opportunity to kill him.

In truth, Chen Ying did not fully understand Li Mi’s character. Li Mi was deeply scheming and extraordinarily clever; even now, facing a dead end, he was calculating benefits for himself. Most of Li Mi’s followers had deserted him, leaving only the old Wagang Army veterans—Zhang Liang, Wang Bodang, and Li Maogong—with fewer than twenty thousand men combined.

Yet Li Mi quickly devised a clever plan: he ordered Zhang Liang to lead his troops under Li Mi’s banner toward Guanzhong. When Zhang Liang’s force reached Tongguan, he feigned an attack, crossed the Yellow River by night, escaped to Hedong, and joined Li Maogong to seize Liyang.

At that time, Wang Xuanying, unaware of the scheme, led tens of thousands of troops close to Tongguan, startling Li Yuan three times in a single day.

In short, Li Mi, though intent on surrendering to Tang, used Wang Xuanying’s army to cleverly cut off communication between Guanzhong and the east.

From Luo Shixin’s words, Chen Ying finally understood the whole affair.

Although Luo Shixin glared at Chen Ying with wolfish eyes, as if ready to tear him apart at any moment,

Chen Ying was not easily intimidated. He calmly told Luo Shixin, “If you wish to learn this secret, let Wei Zheng come himself.”

“The Master has no time for you!”

“He’ll find the time, because Lord Wei—Li Mi—doesn’t have time to dawdle in Chang’an.”

“You—”

Luo Shixin was never one for verbal sparring, unable to out-argue Chen Ying, so he left in a huff.

No sooner had Luo Shixin stepped out of Chen’s residence than he saw Wei Zheng waving to him from the crowd.

Wei Zheng asked, “What did he say?”

Luo Shixin replied, “He said he wants to talk to you!”

Wei Zheng’s face stiffened, frozen in place.

Upon realizing that Li Mi had blocked the news, intending to sell what remained of the Wagang Army to Li Yuan for a good price, Chen Ying immediately saw an opportunity he could exploit.

...

Although Li Mi had little left to offer, he had his eye on Luo Shixin.

Unlike other Wagang Army members, Luo Shixin was neither Li Mi’s old subordinate nor his confidant. Luo Shixin had joined Li Mi along with Qin Qiong after Zhang Xutuo’s defeat and death. Moreover, Luo Shixin was not as cunning as Cheng Yaojin or Qin Qiong—he was the kind of man with only one thought in his head.

Yet undeniably, Luo Shixin was an exceptional fighter—a true warrior among warriors, a superlative champion.

As for what would ultimately happen between Li Mi and Li Yuan, Chen Ying had no interest, nor did he care. But he wished to use Li Mi’s plan to draw Luo Shixin to his own side.

With a gold-medal fighter like Luo Shixin at his side, Chen Ying would at least not have to fear ambushes or assassins from the shadows.

Chen Ying waited in his residence for less than a quarter of an hour before Wei Zheng returned with Luo Shixin.

However, Luo Shixin did not enter the hall; only Wei Zheng came in alone.

“Please, Mr. Wei, take a seat!” Chen Ying greeted Wei Zheng courteously.

Wei Zheng gently stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “I wonder, Lord Chen, what you wish to discuss with Xuancheng?”

“It’s quite simple,” Chen Ying replied. “I’d like to make a deal with Mr. Wei.”

“Oh?” Wei Zheng said. “So Lord Chen does business as well?”

Chen Ying nodded. “I know what Mr. Wei came to Chang’an for, and Mr. Wei knows it too.”

Wei Zheng nodded.

Chen Ying continued, “Lord Wei wishes to surrender to the Tang. I can lend a hand, at least helping Lord Wei through his present crisis.”

“And then?”

“And then, I want Luo Shixin to follow me.”

“A wise bird chooses its tree, a worthy minister his lord.” Wei Zheng smiled at Chen Ying. “What virtue or ability does Lord Chen possess that would make a warrior as valiant as Shixin pledge his loyalty?”