Chapter Ninety-Six: Yanbo’s Secret Bite — The Six-Month Agreement

“Your Highness, what does the phrase ‘ducks and mandarin ducks fly, caught in nets and snares’ mean? What exactly is meant by ‘caught’?”

“Well, originally ‘caught’ referred to the small long-handled nets used in hunting. See this line here? ‘Geese and swans gather at Kuaiji… caught in the hunting nets.’ Because once something is caught in the net, its fate is sealed, so later the term came to signify an ending or completion,” Li Wei answered offhandedly, holding a book.

Having already had some proficiency in classical texts, and now focusing diligently, both Shangguan Wan’er and he were making progress.

“So it means they are caught in small nets and snares?”

“Exactly.”

“Then why does the next line say, ‘May the gentleman live ten thousand years, with blessings and prosperity’?”

Ah, this little girl’s questions were getting tougher. Li Wei had to put the book down and think for a moment before answering, “These are a pair of mandarin ducks flying, caught in a net. Yet even facing life and death, they don’t abandon each other. This steadfast devotion can bring blessings and prosperity to a gentleman. The following lines mention horses in the stable, being fed and prepared, symbolizing the preparations for a wedding and the groom’s welcome ceremony. So ‘caught in nets’ doesn’t mean separation. The first line expresses a heartfelt wish, the second depicts the left wing folded, the beak nestled into the partner’s left wing—a harmonious life. This is the groom’s reverie. It’s concise, so it’s not explicitly stated but easily imagined.”

But was it really like that? Li Wei wasn’t certain. That phrase ‘caught in nets’ felt abrupt and out of place. No matter how you looked at it, being caught in a net did not align with the joyful mood of an impending grand wedding.

“Mandarin ducks only come in pairs?” she asked.

“Yes,” Li Wei answered casually. Actually, that was incorrect—mandarin duck relationships are complicated, and pairing is just an illusion. But people at the time believed so, so why argue?

“Then why aren’t people paired off like that?”

“Uh,” Li Wei choked. Of course, there is an explanation: men live strenuous lives and have shorter lifespans. Add to that the wars, which killed many soldiers, skewing the gender ratio. At one point, to encourage childbirth, Emperor Taizong decreed in the Tang Code that men had to marry by twenty, women by fifteen, or face legal consequences. If they couldn’t afford marriage, the government would support them. Marriage was mandatory—no exceptions. The idea of leftover bachelors or spinsters was unthinkable. But laws weren’t taken too seriously; otherwise, the two princesses in Xuancheng wouldn’t have remained unmarried into their twenties until the crown prince petitioned for their marriages. Would they arrest Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu? Or forbid intermarriage among clans? People ignored such edicts. Still, this meant marriages happened early. Men often had one wife and multiple concubines—quite normal.

But even this explanation doesn’t fully hold. There were many bachelors, yet little government support appeared.

Well, progress was made in another regulation: widows and widowers had to remarry; remaining chaste was illegal—unlike the inhumane practices of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Bi’er gently tapped Shangguan Wan’er’s head and said, “Wan’er, some things you just shouldn’t ask about. Understand?”

Monogamy? Even you, Shangguan Wan’er, shouldn’t wait for the crown prince’s favor; even Bi’er herself would be implicated!

“Yes, humans are different from beasts,” Shangguan Wan’er suddenly realized.

But why did that sound so awkward? Or was it that humans were worse than beasts?

Just then, a guard entered and reported, “Xu She’er was caught sneaking meat.”

The blessing ceremony had ended, but the fasting had not. Li Wei said he would fast for another month on behalf of the emperor, surely enough to show sincerity. After all, it was just a way to buy time—whether at Guangcheng Marsh or Mount Song. In terms of scenery, Mount Song was no worse than Guangcheng Marsh or Mount Kongtong. Reading books or taking a stroll daily, especially breathing in the fresh air, felt like being in an oxygen bar. These days were truly carefree.

Some guards craved food, but the benevolent crown prince’s filial piety left no complaints. Several ministers, though holding low offices, were personally selected by Emperor Gaozong for their character. Li Wei probably couldn’t match their virtues and had no grievances.

The one suffering most was Xu Yanbo.

Spoiled from birth, he couldn’t endure the hardship, so he secretly bought a piece of roasted meat on the mountain, brought it into the temple, and sneaked off into the woods to eat it. Unexpectedly, the guards caught him.

Li Wei walked over to see Xu Yanbo crouched by a pine tree, with a piece of cooked beef wrapped in a lotus leaf at his feet, his face pale. This incident wasn’t huge—if concealed, it would pass. But if exposed, it was serious, especially during a ceremony praying for the emperor.

Would the crown prince hide this for him?

Sure enough, Li Wei’s first words were, “A beast in human form!”

“Your Highness, you are deliberately tormenting me. I want to return to the Eastern Capital.”

Enduring Li Wei’s temper and even the little princess’s occasional jabs, Xu Yanbo had a miserable time lately.

“When have I tormented you? This pilgrimage is meant to avoid troubling the people. Yes, it’s tough, but without enduring hardship, how can you appreciate sweetness? This is a valuable growth experience for me and all of you.”

“Exactly,” several ministers solemnly agreed. Dressed in plain clothes, they had witnessed and learned much. Even the little princess’s teasing was mild. The crown prince gave no special treatment to Xu Yanbo, just like everyone else. His delicate constitution made it hard for him, but in terms of birth and status, did he rank above the crown prince? The crown prince made no exceptions—so what grievances could he have?

Perhaps there was a feud between Xu Yanbo and the crown prince. If this opportunity was seized, it could be the best chance to settle old scores.

Not only the ministers thought this way; Empress Wu held the same view. Surely Xu Yanbo wasn’t foolish enough to miss the underlying meanings?

But their thoughts were wrong. After talking with Li Wei, Xu Jingzong sensed his hostility. Xu Jingzong’s previous memorial also made Li Wei feel threatened. These two were locked in a deadly rivalry.

“Return to the Eastern Capital? Do you think the empire truly belongs to your family? Come if you want, go if you want! Guards, slap his greedy, treasonous face a hundred times!”

After a hundred slaps, Xu Yanbo’s cheeks swelled like two huge watermelons. The guards held back out of respect for his grandfather; otherwise, they might have broken half his teeth. That was the lesser issue—Li Wei forbade him from returning to Luoyang, kept him confined in Shaolin Temple, where he had to stealthily sneak food, a humiliating sight. Locked in a meditation chamber, he did not emerge.

But the matter was not over. The crown prince would certainly report to court. If the emperor saw it, what would he think? Praying to heaven and earth was one thing, but this time the prayer was for the emperor himself!

Li Wei was indeed preparing a memorial.

His parents had raised two fierce watchdogs; Li Yifu had become disrespectful to his master and was exiled. The remaining dog was even more precious. To bring down this dog would take gradual effort, building a tower from grains of sand. This was an opportunity to gather sand.

At that moment, a report came: Di Renjie had arrived.

Li Wei greeted him happily, “Lord Di, why have you returned?”

“I hurried back to spend the Dragon Boat Festival with Your Highness.”

“Most welcome.”

They laughed heartily and invited Di Renjie to sit. Di Renjie recounted the events.

“Congratulations, congratulations,” Wei Yuanzhong and two others who had rushed over immediately offered their praises.

Like Wei Yuanzhong’s rank, their official posts were low but their power substantial. The Court of Justice handled major cases; the chief judges rarely appeared, leaving the deputies to manage. Wei Yuanzhong was one. In the capital or near the crown prince, his power was limited, but in the provinces, he was a formidable figure who could summon even governors of the fourth or fifth rank to behave politely.

Li Wei said to Wei Yuanzhong, “Congratulations.”

Ultimately, they owed their success to the crown prince’s influence. After years of hardship, they finally saw a glimmer of hope.

Glancing at the memorial on the table, Wei Yuanzhong remarked, “Your Highness has beautiful handwriting.”

“Heh,” Li Wei chuckled. Though he claimed the poems as his own—none disputed that—he felt somewhat insecure. But this calligraphy was his pride. In Luoyang, his mother Empress Wu had specially asked him to write a scroll. After finishing, she studied it and said, “Good handwriting. Though not fully skilled, it shows the promise of a master.”

But then Di Renjie frowned as he looked at the memorial, asking, “What’s going on here?”

Li Wei explained the situation.

Di Renjie sighed, “Regardless of Xu Shaoshi’s character, he at least somewhat considers the emperor and empress. But that scoundrel… while perhaps not truly treasonous, has no respect for the ‘Two Saints’ (the emperor and empress).”

A fair assessment.

Then he shifted tone, “But you shouldn’t submit this memorial to the Eastern Capital. Leave Xu Shaoshi’s matter to me.”

The crown prince, along with Wei Yuanzhong, had underestimated Xu Jingzong’s determination and audacity to eliminate the crown prince. And this man was cunning beyond imagination. Merely sneaking a bite would not kill Xu Jingzong; he might even retaliate fiercely if cornered.

It would be disastrous for the crown prince to perish alongside such a foe.

Wei Yuanzhong said, “Lord Di, you are clever, but against Xu Shaoshi…”

The implication was clear: don’t think your promotion to deputy judge gives you an advantage over Xu Jingzong.

“Not necessarily; wait and see, Lord Wei.” Di Renjie thought to himself, it was true—there was little chance before. Xu Jingzong was a headache. But now things were different: he was assigned to the capital, coincidentally as a deputy judge! And although known as the crown prince’s advisor, people still underestimated him.

He continued, “Your Highness, put away the memorial. Trust me; give me six months. If the emperor and Your Highness return to the Western Capital, I will accompany you. Three months is the limit. This mountain called Xu Shaoshi will be moved. But for now, don’t push him too hard. And there are things Your Highness must endure…”

“Six months?” Wei Yuanzhong was even more skeptical. Unless the old fellow died, three years might not be enough to move him.

“That’s enough! I might accompany Your Highness for a month or two, otherwise no need for six months. Your Highness, I can give you a military pledge.”

Even Li Wei doubted it—six months to defeat Xu Jingzong? Even with Di Renjie’s skills, it seemed impossible. Yet Di Renjie was not one for empty boasts. Why then such a bold claim?