How did you, a prisoner on death row, become an important weapon of the country? Yecheng Gao Weiming

General Li Junxian of the Left Guard?

Who is this person?

That's incredible.

Li Junxian, whose courtesy name was Zunli, was one of the founders of Wagangzhai and was originally a subordinate of Li Mi.

In the 14th year of Daye, Li Mi was defeated in the battle with Wang Shichong, and most of his generals were captured by Wang Shichong.

People like Qin Shubao, Cheng Yaojin, Shan Xiongxin all followed Wang Shichong, and Li Junxian was no exception.

But later he became disgusted with Wang Shichong and defected to Li Yuan who was stationed in Taiyuan.

This time of refuge can be said to have changed Li Junxian's life.

Li Yuan was a latent dragon in the abyss at that time, and it was time for him to take off.

After Li Junxian surrendered, he was immediately classified as a subordinate of Li Shimin. He fought bravely with Li Shimin and made many contributions on the battlefield.

After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, he continued to fight with Li Shimin in all directions. In the third year of Wude, he defeated Song Jingang and was named General of Cavalry.

In the fourth year of Wude, he conquered Wang Shichong again, captured Wang Shichong's son Wang Xuanying, defeated Dou Jiande and Liu Heita, and made great contributions.

In the first year of Zhenguan, after Li Shimin ascended the throne, he immediately appointed Li Junxian as the General of the Left Guard.

In the same year, the grassland bandit Jie Li Khan saw that the Tang Dynasty was in turmoil and led his troops to attack. His army was only forty miles away from Chang'an City.

After Li Shimin learned about this, he discovered that there were no soldiers available in Chang'an City and it was extremely empty.

In panic, he immediately led Li Junxian, Yuchi Jingde, Gao Shilian, Fang Xuanling and six others, and rushed to the bank of the Wei River alone, confronting Jie Li Khan across the river.

Li Junxian and Yuchi Jingde stood on the left and right sides of Li Shimin with knives in hand to give him courage and authority.

Li Shimin was also a hero of his time. He angrily denounced Jie Li Khan for his betrayal and asked why he tore up the treaty.

Seeing that the few men remained calm, Jie Li Khan was confused about the strength of the Tang army and did not dare to send troops rashly.

A few days later, the army gathered and Jie Li Khan lost the opportunity to send troops, so he begged for peace.

Li Shimin then killed a white horse on the banks of the Wei River and made an alliance with the other side again, finally resolving the worry of annihilation in the early years of Zhenguan.

After this incident, Li Shimin praised it in front of all civil and military officials.

"Jun Xian is so brave, why should we worry about the strong captives?"

He was appointed General of the Left Wuwei Guard, in charge of the Xuanwu Gate guard, and was also appointed Duke of Wulian County. It can be said that he handed over his life and property to the other party with confidence.

For more than twenty years thereafter, Li Junxian worked diligently and conscientiously, and it can be said that he devoted his entire life to the Tang Dynasty.

To put it bluntly, this person lacks ability, otherwise he would have become Li Shimin's right-hand man and would have been able to enter the Lingyan Pavilion.

But even so, Li Shimin trusted him very much and even called him brother in private.

The two are eight or nine years apart in age, so calling him brother is not surprising.

At this moment, seeing that it was Li Junxian who answered the question, Li Shimin also became excited.

"Wow! Fifth brother, it's actually my fifth brother who answered the question!"

Li Shimin looked at Li Junxian in the audience excitedly and said with a smile: "Fifth brother, if you win, I will reward you. If you lose, how about I drink three cups with you?"

The audience burst into laughter.

Li Junxian touched his sparse hair, his face full of pride.

Look, this is how old officials and old brothers are treated.

When Li Shimin was still a nobleman from Taiyuan, he always called his brother "Fifth Brother", and he still calls him that today.

Who else in the world has the honor of being called the fifth brother by the emperor?

He smiled naively and said, "Your Majesty, please stop calling me Fifth Brother. It makes me so ashamed..."

Li Shimin smiled and signaled Wu Meiniang to ask questions quickly.

When Wu Mei saw that the musician stopped beating the drum at Li Junxian's place, she was very nervous, but there was no expression on her face.

She smiled and said, "Okay, okay! Look, my Lords, your Majesty is so anxious. I'm going to give you some difficult questions to test General Li. Try your best to get your Majesty and General Li to drink three cups!"

The crowd laughed again.

Wu Mei pointed at the cover on the plate and said.

"An old crow with a bare beak and two legs in a circle. It doesn't eat rice or flour, but only cotton yarn! General Li, please guess what this is?"

Ok?

The bare-mouthed crow only eats cotton yarn...

Everyone in the audience was lost in thought, but some smart people smiled and guessed what was on the plate.

But in order not to spoil the emperor and Li Junxian's interest, they all kept silent.

Although Li Junxian is honest and simple, he is not an idiot.

Otherwise, he would not have been able to join Li Yuan and achieve glory in his life.

No rice or flour, only cotton yarn...

Just thinking about it carefully, he already had the answer in his mind.

But Li Junxian didn't say it. Instead, he scratched his head and smiled.

"Oh, Mr. Wu's question is so difficult! I, your humble servant, really can't guess it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shimin on the stage started laughing and cursing.

"Fifth brother, my Fifth Brother! Have you drunk too much and become stupid? You can't even guess such an easy question. Isn't this just a pair of scissors? You've made me drink three more cups with you!"

When the maid lifted the cover, there was indeed a pair of scissors inside.

Hahahaha!

Everyone laughed so hard that they fell over.

Li Junxian was even more ashamed and said while covering his old face.

"It's over, it's over. I have completely lost face..."

"If you are embarrassed, I will be embarrassed too."

Li Shimin laughed and cursed.

In fact, everyone knows it, and I'm afraid Li Shimin also knows it well.

Rewards are not important; being able to drink three cups of wine with the emperor is the greatest honor.

Li Junxian smiled and raised his glass, drinking with the emperor.

Gurgling, gurgling, gurgling...

After three glasses of liquor, the atmosphere in the venue really reached its peak.

Unexpectedly, just when Li Junxian finished drinking and was about to sit down.

Wu Mei, who was standing on the stage, suddenly spoke.

Taking advantage of the emperor's happiness, she also asked with a smile.

"Your Majesty, I am a little confused! Why do you call General Li Fifth Brother?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the place fell silent.

Yes.

No one understood why Li Er called Li Junxian "fifth brother".

Are there four sworn brothers above?

Li Shimin had just drunk three glasses of strong liquor, and although he was drunk, he was still in high spirits.

Seeing Wu Meiniang asking the question, he smiled.

"It's a long story... When the late emperor started his army in Taiyuan, he ordered me to travel around the country and recruit heroes from all over the world."

"It just so happened that my fifth brother came to Taiyuan at this time, and he and the late emperor hit it off right away. The late emperor entrusted me to my fifth brother and ordered him to protect my safety at all costs."

"After that, in countless life-and-death battles, Fifth Brother always stood behind me, fighting for his life with the enemy, and was injured and covered with scars all over his body."

"To be frank, if it weren't for my fifth brother... I probably wouldn't be alive today."

"So I called you brother back then, and I have been calling you that until now."

"As for why he is called Fifth Brother, it is because there are five brothers in his family. When the fifth son was born, his mother was anxious and asked why I couldn't give birth to a daughter for the Li family?"

"In a hurry, I gave Fifth Brother a nickname... [Fifth Lady]! He was raised as a girl since he was young. Don't you think it's funny?"

"I have never mentioned this to anyone, so don't tell anyone else. Wait... all the civil and military officials are here. It's over! Fifth brother, I didn't mean to expose you..."

Hahahaha!

Everyone laughed, and only then did they know Fifth Brother's nickname and why Li Er called him Fifth Brother.

But two people didn't laugh.

One is Li Er Li Shimin, and the other is the fifth brother Li Junxian.

When talking about the past, they both recalled their brotherhood at the same time.

With the alcohol in his head, his eyes gradually turned red.

"His Majesty……"

Li Junxian raised his glass of liquor without saying a word.

"Without your majesty, there would be no Li Junxian today. Your majesty, please drink this cup to the full!"

Li Shimin was also moved and raised the wine cup in his hand.

"Without my fifth brother, there would be no Li Shimin today! My fifth brother, drink this cup to the full!"

After that, the two of them drank again.

Everyone watched silently, feeling the brotherhood between the two, and sighed.

But at this moment...

Wu Mei spoke again.

She said, covering her mouth in surprise.

"Ah, what a coincidence!"

Li Shimin put down the wine bottle and subconsciously asked: "Hmm? Mei Niang, what's the coincidence?"

Wu Mei smiled.

"Of course it's a coincidence that it's in the word five."

"General Li's nickname was Wu Niangzi. His official title was General of the Left Guard. His title was Duke of Wulian County. His jurisdiction was Wu'an County. He was also in charge of the Xuanwu Gate Guards."

"Oh my, the general's life is inseparable from the word martial arts..."

boom!

As soon as Wu Mei finished speaking.

The place was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.