Chapter 111: Eldest Brother Regrets
March 26, 2022mich
The first half of a month passed in a flash. Li Xuanzhen’s injuries were getting better and better by the day, but he was getting thinner and thinner as time passed.
Zheng Biyu sent Zhu Luyun to his side.
When Li Xuanzhen was defending Liangzhou, Du Sinan and Zheng Jing, from the information sent back by Li Yaoying, interrogated every servant around Zhu Luyun and thoroughly investigated her collusion with Southern Chu, Western Shu, and Northern Rong. According to the account from the Princess’s guards, Grand Princess Yiqing’s loyal servant who died under Li Xuanzhen’s sword was only one of the many inner circle servants sent back to the Central Plains by the Grand Princess. There were more servants loyal to her scattered all over Western Shu and Southern Chu.
Their real purpose was not to request that the Central Plains empire send troops to rescue Grand Princess Yiqing, but to use her identity as Zhu clan’s daughter to stir up people’s hearts, to gather information for the Northern Rong, to incite the nations in the Central Plains to conquer each other and weaken their military strength. When the Central Plains descended into chaos, the Northern Rong could drive straight in without resistance.
This time, the Northern Rong’s raid was just a test for Haidu Aling.
After reading the confession, Li De and the courtiers had palpitations, their cold sweat overflowing.
Zheng Jing also found out another thing that the ministers had been puzzled by for a long time: why did Southern Chu ambush Li Zhongqian?
The spy truthfully explained the reasoning: Southern Chu’s influential clans numbered many. The royal power was weakened, and each and every major family were openly and covertly fighting to succeed the throne. Haidu Aling’s inner circle took advantage of the opportunity to persuade the Eldest Prince to launch an attack on Li Zhongqian, provoking a war with the Great Wei.
That sneak attack team was made up of the elites of Southern Chu. If Li Yaoying had not made a deal with Li Xuanzhen to save Li Zhongqian, Li Zhongqian would have surely died.
Du Sinan wrote an earnest yet sharp letter, informing his old friends in Southern Chu of Haidu Aling’s plan. Those old friends were in high positions in the Southern Chu court, and after confirming that there were spies around the Eldest Prince, they joined forces to bring down the Eldest Prince: although they were like fire and water with Great Wei, without the lips, the teeth were cold. If Northern Rong seized the Central Plains, would Southern Chu be left untouched?
The Eldest Prince and Western Shu were both asking the tiger for its skin1!
Southern Chu changed its crown thereafter.
Zheng Jing presented a memorial, proposing to arrest Zhu Luyun for treason. The court ministers had a heated debate, but because Zhu Luyun had no knowledge of Haidu Aling’s plan, she was finally exonerated and all her servants were killed.
When Zhu Luyun saw Li Xuanzhen return with serious injuries, she felt guilty and heartbroken.
Li Xuanzhen was no longer as warm and comforting as before, all day muddled. He and Zhu Luyun had a big fight.
Zhu Luyun cried and said she wanted to leave Chang’an.
Zheng Biyu was so annoyed that she ordered someone to send Zhu Luyun back to her room.
A few days later, Li Xuanzhen inadvertently saw the letter that should have been delivered to him months ago.
He shuddered, vomited blood, and found Zheng Biyu, his bloodshot eyes staring at her unblinkingly, accusing her like a malicious ghost: “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why?!”
Zheng Biyu sighed and said indifferently, “Your Highness, when I learned of it, you had already sent Princess Wenzhao to the Yelu tribe.”
Li Xuanzhen could barely control his expression. His teeth gritted together, he staggered back a few steps and laughed skyward.
“Yes! I sent her away!
“I sent her to her death with my own hands!
“Why?! Why did she want to save Li Zhongqian? Why didn’t she want to break off her relationship with Li Zhongqian?
“As long as she broke off her relationship with Xie clan’s mother and son… As long as she nodded… I didn’t have to hate her…
“Why doesn’t she call me Changsheng gege anymore?”
He suddenly stopped, his face twisted: “I want to avenge Aniang… to avenge Aniang… Li De is still alive, Xie shi is not dead… I’m sorry Aniang… I’m sorry Aniang!”
Zheng Biyu looked at her frenzied husband with pity in her eyes.
He ruined himself and ruined the Seventh Princess.
…
The day after the frenzy, Li Xuanzhen eerily calmed down and began to investigate whether what Concubine Rong said was true or not.
He sent someone to make inquiries around the Xie residence in Jingnan. He also asked Commander-in-Chief Pei to write a letter and had a messenger send it to the Pei family’s ancestral residence.
The Pei family and the Xie family did not interact with each other. Duke Pei might know something that was meant to be kept secret, which may be the reason why he came from such a long distance to Chang’an to stand up for Li Yaoying.
Now, this letter was in Zheng Biyu’s hands.
Duke Pei said in the letter that Li Yaoying was indeed not Noble Consort Xie’s daughter.
That year Tang shi died by self-immolation, Li De left his army to rush back to Wei County. The army was disorganized, the front line lost. Xie Wuliang and Duke Pei led troops to meet the enemy. After the battle, when cleaning up the battlefield, they inadvertently saw an abandoned baby.
The child in swaddling clothes was too small and weak, a tiny ball, not making a single sound.
A soldier thought the child was dead and was ready to bury it on the spot, but Xie Wuliang climbed off his horse and took the swaddling clothes. Feeling the child’s pulse, he said, “Still alive.”
Duke Pei swept a glance at the child and said coldly: “This child is blue. She will not live for a few days even if she is picked up. It would be better to allow her to die a quick death and be born in a good family in the next life.”
Xie Wuliang smiled, brushing the dust off the child’s face with his fingertips: “In any case, it is a human life. When I was born, I was about the same size as her. I could survive; she might be able to as well.”
Duke Pei thought: This Wuliang Gongzi really has a tender heart, but unfortunately he did so only in vain. That abandoned baby will not live for a few more months.
Later, the child survived. Although her body was sick and weak, unable to walk on the ground, she still survived.
Xie Wuliang wrote a letter to Duke Pei, and in the letter was a poem.
White lotus grows, three hundred stalks of lotus blossoms. The sunlight shines brightly, the fragrance dispersing by the fresh winds. The faintly sweet silver purse breaks and the jade tray overflowes with dew. I am ashamed to see such an exquisite and precious flower2 with these dusty eyes.
Duke Pei only replied with a sentence: The name is very good.
Zheng Biyu put down the letter, releasing a long sigh.
The sound of footsteps came from outside the window, and a servant girl hurriedly walked into the room, whispering: “Your Highness, Princess Fukang is missing.”
Zheng Biyu frowned lightly, glanced at the drowsy Li Xuanzhen, and said, “Send people to look for her. She always wants to leave these days. Just wait at the city gate.”
The maid saluted in response and went out. A short while later, another maid trotted into the room.
Zheng Biyu frowned and asked, “Have you found Zhu Niangzi?”
The maid shook her head with a frightened look on her face: “Your Highness, the Second Prince… no, Grand Duke Wei is back!”
Zheng Biyu’s heart thudded.
Li Zhongqian knew about Li Yaoying’s death.
1 Asking a tiger for its skin: Originating from an ancient poem, the basic premise is asking someone to sacrifice themself for your sake will not succeed.
2 Translated literally: precious jade (Yao) and flower/blossom (ying).