Chapter 25
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Once His Majesty and the Eastern Palace had a grudge, the second, third and fourth princes would all have the opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
Wei Ming thought fast and made a decision after a few moments: in any case, they must find a way to calm the Crown Prince down.
He didn’t care who Zhu Luyun married, only fearing that the Crown Prince would make a muddle-headed mistake in a moment of desperation.
Before he had time to plan anything, a few stallions whinnied outside the window. Several Eastern Palace advisors dismounted off their horses and darted into the courtyard.
”Chief Historian, His Highness the Crown Prince has been detained by His Majesty’s close guards!”
Wei Ming’s mind began to buzz and he rushed out of the study.
Something happened so soon?
The advisor, with a panic-stricken face, performed his obeisance and said, “Chief Historian, just now, His Highness wanted to send the princess out of the city walls and was stopped by the Jin Wu Wei at the city gate and sent back to the palace. The Crown Prince and His Majesty clashed, His Majesty was angered and had the close guards tie up the Crown Prince.”
Wei Ming was so anxious that he stamped his feet. He knew something would happen!
”Quickly go and invite Her Highness the Crown Princess!”
Zheng shi was the daughter of a prestigious large family; gentle and virtuous, educated and well-balanced. She had never been jealous of her husband Li Xuanzhen’s love affair with Zhu Luyun, and had always advised him to marry Zhu Luyun as soon as possible, so as not to harm both their reputations.
Wei Ming finished listening to the report of the situation in the palace from the advisor. He knew that the matter was urgent, could not afford to avoid her by taboo, and seeked her out.
Zheng Biyu panicked for a moment, but quickly calmed down and said, “I am a woman of the inner residence. I dare not presumptuously discuss imperial court politics. What does Chief Historian want me to do?”
Wei Ming inwardly commended her. Zheng shi was worthy of being the daughter of a distinguished clan. This calmness was enough to outperform Zhu Luyun.
He sighed and said, “Your Highness, the Crown Prince has impulsively clashed with His Majesty and was temporarily detained in the palace. Only you can persuade the Crown Prince to yield to His Majesty.”
Li De had been angered to death by Zhu Luyun and had not yet worked out a countermeasure. Then hearing that Li Xuanzhen had immediately run away with Zhu Luyun, he was even more furious.
The empire’s heir apparent let his emotions affect him to this extent, was this proper?
He sent people to send Zhu Luyun to the princess’s residence under strict supervision, tied up Li Xuanzhen, forcing him to set a clear boundary with Zhu Luyun. If he didn’t agree, he would be abolished from his position.
Li Xuanzhen refused to yield.
Li De was unable to restrain his anger, taking out the sword suspended in front of the dragon table and moved to cut down Li Xuanzhen. He was finally talked down by his close attendant.
Right now, Li Xuanzhen was imprisoned in the palace. Regardless of who went to persuade, he would ignore them all without exception.
Zheng Biyu had already heard a maid report that Zhu Luyun took the initiative to ask for marriage, and said: “With His Highness’s personality, I’m afraid that he will not easily give in.”
She was Li Xuanzhen’s wife and knew him better than anyone.
He usually looked gentle and calm with impeccable manners, but in fact, he was gloomy, cold, deceptive, suspicious, unpredictable and unfathomable.
Zheng Biyu had been married to him for four years and besides a lingering Zhu Luyun, she had suffered no other grievances.
Li Xuanzhen respected her and she returned the favor, also willing to respect her husband.
But only respect, not intimacy.
After several years of sharing a bed and raising a son, Zheng Biyu found that she still had not entered Li Xuanzhen’s heart.
She did not blame Li Xuanzhen.
He had personally witnessed his mother, who was dependent on him, burn to death before him. The woman who was burned beyond recognition in the blazing inferno clutched his hand firmly before she died, urging him to avenge her.
Zheng Biyu had seen people burned by fire. The horrific and sinister sight, to this day, her blood still ran cold at the thought of it.
Tang shi ended her life using this most tragic method, planting the fire of revenge in her son’s heart that could never be extinguished.
She made Li Xuanzhen.
She also ruined Li Xuanzhen.
For a Li Xuanzhen who was haunted by nightmares all year round, who turned pale at the sight of fire, who often wielded his blade in a craze with red eyes, Zheng Biyu could not hate.
She pitied her husband.
Zhu Luyun did not believe in Li Xuanzhen’s sincerity.
Zheng Biyu believed.
That year, Li Xuanzhen was ordered to find Zhu Luyun and her mother, who were wandering among the people in destitution. He saved the mother and daughter pair from a raging fire.
The former dynasty’s imperial concubine, who had experienced a life of hardships, was burning in a fire. With her last breath, she pleaded with Li Xuanzhen to take good care of Zhu Luyun.
How similar to Tang shi.
Li Xuanzhen sympathized with Zhu Luyun and vowed to the concubine that he would take good care of her, guard her, and protect her at any cost.
No matter how much trouble she made.
Zheng Biyu understood that Li Xuanzhen’s feelings for Zhu Luyun were not just a man’s fondness and pity for a woman, but were also mixed with responsibility, commitment, projecting his past onto her, and a kind of compensation for his lost teenage years that he himself did not even notice.
Such feelings were far more lasting than the love between men and women.
Zheng Biyu let out a long sigh and said, “Chief Historian, unless the Emperor can prevent bestowing the marriage, my going to the palace to persuade His Highness would just be a waste of effort.”
Wei Ming smiled bitterly: “His Majesty was in a fit of anger at the time. Princess Fukang remained stubborn and insisted on marrying. The Yelu tribe united with other barbarians to put pressure on the court, and the imperial edict to give the marriage may have already been written.”
Right now, the situation in court was impossible to stop, with no other choice but to bestow the marriage. Li De also treated Zhu Luyun’s audacity as retribution for her previous actions1. The marriage was irreversible.
Zheng Biyu looked worried: “Then there’s nothing to be done?”
Wei Ming shook his head and lowered his voice: “Since we can’t stop the bestowing of marriage, we can only find another way.”
Zheng Biyu looked at Wei Ming in doubt.
Wei Ming said in a low voice: “Substitute her.”
Zheng Biyu suddenly realized: “Chief Historian’s meaning is to find another noble girl to marry instead of Princess Fukang?”
Wei Ming nodded.
Zheng Biyu pondered for a moment and said, “The Yelu tribe may not agree.”
Zhu Luyun dared to make such big trouble. She had obviously already reached some agreement with the Yelu tribe in private, otherwise the Yelu tribe would not risk falling out with the Great Wei to pester for marriage.
Of the two sides, one was willing to marry, the other was willing to be married. Li De was helpless in this situation, what else could they do?
Wei Ming smiled and said: “Whether the Yelu tribe agrees to replace, that is a matter for later. Your Highness only needs to go to the palace and tell the Crown Prince about this idea, so that he knows there is still a way to turn this around.”
The top priority right now was to calm Li Xuanzhen and avoid the conflict between father and son escalating.
Zheng Biyu mulled it over for a long time, nodded, and ordered the servants to prepare the horse and carriage.
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1 一佛出世，二佛升天: It’s an idiom but I don’t know what it means. I used my best judgment to guess what it implied.