Chapter 3: Sophora Fragrans (III)

“I, I…”
Zhang Yanji lowered his head and stepped back, saying, “How about you talk to Big Face first while I leave? It’s not that urgent; I can come back later. It would really be a sin to disturb your two’s good time.”
Li Kuo didn’t expect him to be such a slick guy. He kicked him in the backside and scolded laughingly, “You little rascal! You’re already in here—why not finish talking?”
“Ah, ah.”
Zhang Yanji responded while nodding repeatedly. But though he said that, he didn’t explain anything and kept glancing at Ni Xin.
Li Kuo cleared his throat and said, “It’s been years now—still can’t trust Ni Xin? Hurry up and talk! I have many things to do; I don’t have time to waste here with you!”
“Just talk then. It’s not a big deal.”
Zhang Yanji shrugged and said, “It’s still that imperial envoy, Lord Xue. He just finished inspecting the military camp a while ago, and today he suddenly had the idea to go out of the city. If he just wanted to go for a stroll, that’s fine, but he insisted on taking you along. He’s an imperial envoy; I dare not offend him. So, without delaying even a moment, I came to find you right away.”
So it was just such a trivial matter!
Li Kuo shook his head inwardly. “What’s there to worry about? I’m the chief official of Shule. If the imperial envoy doesn’t come to me, who else would he go to? I’ll change into casual clothes and go out with him.”
“That’s great. My task is done; I’ll be leaving now. Well, you two go on!”
Zhang Yanji bowed awkwardly to the two of them and ran out of the room as if fleeing….
Xue Bo invited Li Kuo to go out for a trip incognito. Since it was an incognito outing, there was naturally no grand entourage or pomp. But Lord Xue was an imperial envoy from Chang’an, extremely important, so Li Kuo didn’t dare neglect him in the slightest. The governor of Shule specifically ordered his trusted men to wear casual clothes and guard at a distance of fifty to a hundred steps. This way, it wouldn’t arouse suspicion among the local people, while still ensuring Lord Xue’s safety.
As for Li Kuo himself, he wasn’t worried at all. He had come from the military and mastered martial arts. He had also led his troops to capture enemy chiefs several times, tempering his body with the blood of his enemies.
Ordinary bandits or thieves, even if five of them joined forces, might not be able to approach him. Even if it were a skilled opponent in a one-on-one fight, they wouldn’t stand a chance. Besides, under the young man’s reforms, Shule City had long since transformed into a prosperous place—there were no longer those vagrants or bandits who brought only harm to the people and officials.

“General Li, under your governance, Shule City is now so prosperous that people no longer need to lock their doors at night!”
Xue Bo and Li Kuo came out of the governor’s office and walked all the way to the north gate. Seeing the orderly functioning of the city and the joyful expressions on the people’s faces, they couldn’t help but express their admiration. His words were sincere; at first, he had thought Li Kuo was just a lucky brute who had become a military officer by relying on brute force. But after spending time with him, he realized that the young man was no less talented in literature than in military strategy—truly a learned Confucian general.
Xue Bo preferred dealing with intelligent people; with just a slight hint, they could understand his intentions. Even if they didn’t agree, they would express their refusal politely, avoiding any awkwardness.
“Lord Xue, you flatter me. I merely serve the emperor and share his concerns. As for talent, I truly feel unworthy of such praise,” Li Kuo replied with a slight bow and a smile, showing no arrogance.
Knowing he was holding back his abilities, Xue Bo didn’t argue with him and simply shook his head, saying, “What a remarkable man!”
Shule City wasn’t very large, so it didn’t take long for them to leave. According to Li Kuo’s plan, they would take the imperial envoy to Miwei Mountain, five miles north of the city, to enjoy the chrysanthemums. After discussing it with Xue Bo, the envoy agreed gladly.
After making the arrangements, the group strolled leisurely toward Miwei Mountain. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, it was already past noon. The Frost’s Descent had passed not long ago, and the weather had become much colder, so even at noon, the sun wasn’t particularly intense.
The weather was perfect for an outing—Lord Xue had chosen an excellent time.
“General Li, Miwei Mountain is steep and rugged, with no vegetation. At first glance, it seems to be nothing but rocks—what is there to see?”
Xue Bo’s good mood gradually faded as they walked along the winding stone path. He couldn’t understand why Li Kuo would bring him to such a desolate place. The joy of mountain climbing lay in enjoying flowers and watersports; there were no flowers or water here—how disappointing!
“Lord Xue, don’t worry. Though I may not possess the refinement of a scholar, I’m not so vulgar as to climb mountains just to do labor. Please look over there!”
Seeing his frustrated tone, Li Kuo wasn’t annoyed. He pointed to the ridge on the right side and explained with a laugh.
“What’s over there?”
Xue Bo raised his eyebrows and instinctively stepped forward in the direction Li Kuo indicated. However, the mountain path was covered with scattered stones, and the imperial envoy nearly fell several times. Thanks to Li Kuo’s quick reaction, Xue Bo avoided losing face.
“It’s chrysanthemums!”

Only after crossing the last ridge did Xue Bo’s drooping eyelids suddenly open, and he gazed in awe at the sea of bright yellow chrysanthemums before him.
“Marvelous! Truly marvelous! I never imagined such wonders could hide in such a desolate place. I’ve never seen such a field of wild chrysanthemums even in Chang’an.”
Clapping in admiration, Xue Bo rushed into the sea of chrysanthemums, savoring their fragrance. It was no wonder he was so impressed—the wild chrysanthemums were indeed breathtakingly beautiful. As the autumn wind blew, the countless chrysanthemums swayed like waves of bright yellow, captivating the heart and soul. Dozens of people stepped into the sea of chrysanthemums, fully enjoying the wonderful sensations nature offered.
“I used to hear that Tao Yuanming loved chrysanthemums so much that he was willing to work hard tending them on the hills, living in seclusion in the southern mountains. At first, I didn’t believe it. But seeing such a magnificent sea of chrysanthemums today, I truly understand now.”
Bending down to pick a daisy and sniffing it, Xue Bo sighed, “General Li is truly fortunate. Not only can he serve as an official, but in his free time, he can also cleanse his mind among these flowers. With such a life, what more could he possibly desire?”
At that moment, Xue Bo even began to envy Li Kuo. Although he couldn’t stay in Chang’an, surrounded by beauty and pleasure, he could still spend time in close proximity to the mountains and bamboo, soothing his mind. Most importantly, he had a formidable army at his disposal—wasn’t this exactly what he had been seeking?