Chapter 79: Empress Wu Takes a Life; Yuan Zhong Guides the Way (Part One)

The crescent moon climbed onto the branches, pouring out a silent stream of silvery light. Heaven and earth were hushed, the palaces blurred, and the mist from the Luo River rose layer upon layer, shrouding the imperial city until it seemed no longer part of the mortal realm.

No one was in the mood to appreciate the beauty. Wu Zetian stood before an artificial rockery; the light was dim, and any trace of wrinkles vanished from her face. Her figure remained slender and graceful. At that moment, if Li Wei stood beside her, they would truly seem like a pair of siblings.

"Your Majesty," the old eunuch reported, "I did not see clearly, but it seems the Crown Prince is somewhat afraid of you."

"Hmph! Useless lot," Wu Zetian snorted.

The old eunuch felt a surge of indignation. It was not uselessness, but the severity of her suppression. He hesitated, then added, "There is more, Your Majesty..."

He had served Wu Zetian for many years, one of her most trusted attendants, often tasked by her to handle important matters.

"What else?" she asked.

He dared not say it directly. From his vantage point, he had observed the Crown Prince gazing at the Empress with a certain lasciviousness. This was odd. One could not claim the Crown Prince was a rake; his health had improved recently, but he did not seem the type. Besides, when he looked at the maidservant Bi'er, his brows tightened and his gait showed the chastity of a maiden. Moreover, the Empress was his mother, and the Crown Prince was well-read in the classics.

Perhaps he had misread, so he revised his words: "The Crown Prince seems quite enamored of Your Majesty."

Even enamored was not quite accurate, and lascivious was certainly incorrect. As someone from a later era, to witness Wu Zetian in person was not disappointing; despite her age, her beauty lingered, and there were always thoughts and ideas swirling within.

But the old eunuch's use of 'enamored' was clever; even Wu Zetian did not catch its deeper meaning. She assumed it was the affection of a son for his mother and asked, after some hesitation, "Do you think, after his recent illness, the Crown Prince has truly become enlightened, or is he simply afraid of me and guarding against me?"

"Your Majesty, I believe it is the former. When he wrote letters to you and His Majesty, neither Di Renjie nor Wei Yuanzhong had met with the Crown Prince. The Eastern Palace remains unchanged. And that paper made from bamboo..."

"Enough about that. Who knows where he heard such a remedy, trying to curry favor with me and the Emperor. Can bamboo really be used to make paper? If it fails, both I and His Majesty will be shamed."

"Indeed, throughout history, there have been many materials for papermaking, but never bamboo. Shall I issue an edict to ban it?"

Li Wei had deliberately spoken about this openly; the news had already reached Luoyang. After hearing it, Li Zhi grunted and said nothing. Whatever he thought, he did not believe in the outcome.

"Let it be. He acts out of filial piety, and whether it succeeds or fails, it costs little. His intent deserves praise and should not dampen his enthusiasm. If this is truly his own idea, then I..." She paused and let out a desolate laugh.

Her mood was not good.

Her mother had been a second wife, and from childhood she suffered bullying from her half-brothers, even her cousins joined in. Then, upon entering the palace, she tried to win Emperor Taizong’s favor and curry favor with Lady Xu Hui, but always received lukewarm responses. Fortunately, she did win the Emperor’s affection, yet from palace to court, there were countless who sought to overthrow her. Even His Majesty had entertained thoughts of deposing her several times. She had drawn her elder sister’s family to her side, but even then, that little niece was cunning and ambitious, plotting against her. Helan Minzhi was even more deranged. As for her sons, each treated her as venomous. Especially her eldest, who time and again humiliated her.

If only he truly changed.

Perhaps he really had changed, but such a change could not be spoken aloud. With this in mind, she said, "Tomorrow, I shall persuade His Majesty to let him change his name to Li Wei."

"Ah, a change of name is a good omen," the eunuch agreed.

Wu Zetian remained silent. Whether it was so or not, they had arrived in Luoyang, and she would have a proper talk with him soon. This son was straightforward; even if he now grasped some cunning, he could hardly hope to deceive her.

She then asked, "And the young princess?"

"Your Majesty, the princess was reading for a while."

"Oh, she chose to read on her own?"

"Yes, indeed."

"Hm, Hong’er did well this time."

"Yes, and..." the eunuch hesitated.

"And what else?"

"I saw the princess reading the Book of Songs. I was delighted—not only did she read, she asked me about unfamiliar characters and inquired about their meanings. She even asked if mastering the Book of Songs would enable her to compose poetry like the Crown Prince."

"That is not easy," Wu Zetian laughed. Over Helan Minzhi, she and her husband had quarreled, and once she even recited 'Scaling the Heights' to mock Li Zhi, saying he lacked their son’s ambition. She knew this poem had angered her husband.

If you’ve reached the summit, what am I to do?

Thus, she had to resolve Li Zhi’s inner conflict. Of course, it was temporary. If her son continued to misbehave, as before, secretly humiliating her, such things could become deadly poison.

Yet she knew in her heart it was an innocent poem, merely describing the height of the mountain. He was about to ascend, but perhaps lacked the courage. Still, the poem was excellent; she, fond of poetry, had recited it many times.

"It is not easy to create such poems, but I dare not say so. With the princess's talent, if she studies diligently, she will surely compose fine verses in the future."

"That is well said."

"I dare not accept Your Majesty’s praise. Being with you daily, I have learned much," the old eunuch said sincerely. He continued, "After reading, the princess fell asleep. Yet soon she had nightmares, frightening me. The maids soothed her for a long time before she settled. Through conversation, it is clear the Crown Prince’s influence is the main reason she strives to learn. There is another person who sparked her competitive spirit."

"Who is that?"

The eunuch hesitated, finally replying, "A young palace maid."

"A palace maid?" Wu Zetian asked, surprised. Her daughter feared nothing, and if not for her eldest son constantly telling her stories, even words might not have sway. Could a palace maid have such influence?

"She is the granddaughter of Shangguan Yi. Because of her mother, she was sent to the Women's Palace for menial work. But this maid is very gifted; I hear she can recite many poems. When the Crown Prince presided over the weddings of the Yiyang princesses, he accidentally met her and appreciated her talent, bringing her to the Eastern Palace. Somehow, he brought her to the Eastern Capital as well. Along the way, the princess competed with her in talent, suffered some losses, and so began to study hard."

Whether she would continue to study hard was uncertain; she was somewhat agitated these days, but would likely forget soon enough. Yet what could be done? The Empress adored her daughter and thus praised the princess.

He watched Wu Zetian’s expression. Upon hearing this, he felt uneasy; he had just submitted a memorial exposing the affairs of the Yiyang and Xuancheng princesses, and now the Crown Prince brought Shangguan Yi’s granddaughter to the Eastern Capital. How would the Empress respond?

"Shangguan Yi’s granddaughter?" Wu Zetian murmured, then suddenly laughed. "Has my son truly become enlightened?"

"Enlightened?"

"A mere palace maid. Besides, at the time of that matter, she was just born; what grudges could there be? Bringing her to the Eastern Capital was to let me know. If he hid her in the Western Capital, it would raise suspicions."

"I see."

"But this palace maid truly has talent?" Wu Zetian mused.

"I do not know for certain, but the princess says she can recite many poems from the Book of Songs, as well as many essays—she can recite Left Si’s 'Rhapsody of the Three Capitals' in its entirety."

"She is eight years old, isn’t she?"

The case of Shangguan Yi was sensational, far more than Helan Minzhi’s. The old eunuch was well aware, so he replied, "Yes."

"Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Eastern Palace," Wu Zetian said, curious. If Li Wei or Li Xian could recite the 'Rhapsody of the Three Capitals,' it would not be strange, but for an eight-year-old girl—that would be remarkable. In modern reckoning, she would be seven, or just six years old. It was extraordinary, though learning then relied on rote memorization.

If she truly possessed such ability, it made sense her son would keep her close.

After pacing a few steps, Wu Zetian asked, "Have you investigated Helan Minzhi as I ordered?"

"I was about to report, Your Majesty."

"Speak."

"The Western Capital acted quickly, immediately escorting Helan Minzhi away. However, the officials on the road, fearing the imperial family might change their minds, treated Helan Minzhi with great courtesy, moved slowly, and repeatedly summoned physicians to treat his injuries." He watched Wu Zetian’s expression, seeing anger cloud her face, and hurriedly added, "Those worthless officials presume to guess the imperial intentions. It’s unfair to the princess; fortunately, the Crown Prince rescued her in time. Such evil—the Duke of Zhou is simply..."

He intended to say 'beast,' but restrained himself. To curse Helan Minzhi as a beast would implicate the Empress.

"This scoundrel dared lay hands on my son and daughter! And still seeks to escape justice! If I ignore it, how many in the world will think me weak and easily bullied? Immediately arrange for men—if there are rivers or mountains along the way, have Helan Minzhi, his servants, wives, and concubines all executed."

"Yes!" The eunuch was about to depart when Wu Zetian stopped him. "Wait, do it a bit farther out, after passing Chenzhou."

"Yes!"

He answered, but the icy tone of Wu Zetian’s words sent an inexplicable chill through him.

A gust of wind swept a mass of dark clouds, swallowing the moon. The world plunged into gloom; the night deepened, and thick mist curled through the darkness, carried by the wind, bringing with it an ominous, murderous chill.

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