The hour was growing late, and with the Imperial Deceased’s coffin just departing, it would be inappropriate to make merry with polo games and shouting. After consulting with several trusted ministers, the Emperor decided to hold the polo match tomorrow, choosing a suitable location that wouldn’t cause too much disturbance while still allowing interested tribal chiefs and foreign envoys to attend.
The spotted white horse chosen by Prince Zun was taken with him to the Sifang Pavilion of the External Bureau of the Secretariat, kept under guard together “to prevent any claims about the horse being switched,” as the official said, leading both the horse and the young Tuyuhun man southward. Li Yuangui still had some questions and wanted to inquire with Prince Zun, but just as he moved to follow, he heard someone calling from behind.
It was Yang Xinzhi’s mother and son, along with Wei Shubin who had been standing beside them, now surrounded by several officials discussing something unknown. The loud “Fourteenth Lord” cry came from Yang Xinzhi. Li Yuangui hurried over asking “What’s happening?” His eyes unconsciously went to Wei Shubin first, and when their gazes met, both quickly looked away.
“That Tuyuhun criminal’s wine vessel that was used to poison His Majesty,” an official pointed at Wei Shubin, “this young lady has taken possession of it and refuses to hand it over to us. This won’t do! Plotting against the state is an unforgivable crime among the Ten Abominations. This is a major case, not child’s play! Please, Prince of Wu, reason with her.”
The three officials who had gathered were all wearing ceremonial caps and sacrificial robes. Li Yuangui couldn’t recall their names but vaguely remembered they were functionaries from either the Palace Administration, the Court of Judicial Review, or the Ministry of Justice. Wei Shubin had kept Prince Zun’s poisoned wine vessel and wouldn’t give it to them? He looked questioningly at Prime Minister Wei’s eldest daughter.
Wei Shubin didn’t deny it, but carefully handed over a silk package—wrapped in her scarf—to Li Yuangui: “Prince of Wu, please look.”
Her tone was very cold and distant, making Li Yuangui’s heart sink, though he could do nothing about it. Unwrapping the scarf layer by layer, a gilt wine vessel with a long spout, slender neck, and large belly stood in his palm.
This wine vessel… looked extremely familiar.
The gold vessel’s surface had delicate patterns with flowing engravings, the entire design depicting a strange beast with a dragon’s head and horse’s body, its four hooves galloping through clouds and mist, its bearing proud and vivid. Li Yuangui removed the lid to look inside; some wine remained. The interior was divided into two compartments by a thin copper plate, with the wine in each compartment completely separate from the other.
Li Yuangui instinctively looked at the dragon-shaped handle, easily finding two small holes under the dragon’s neck scales. When Prince Zun had poured wine earlier, pressing one hole with his thumb released ordinary wine from one compartment, which the food taster drank without incident. When pouring for the Emperor, pressing the other hole released poisoned wine from the other compartment, with no one able to detect the deception. With such an intricate wine vessel in hand, he must have felt confident in carrying out the plan.
The investigating officials gathered to look as Li Yuangui demonstrated how the poisoned wine vessel worked. They all exclaimed in surprise, cursing the “Tuyuhun traitor” as venomous, cunning, and depraved. Li Yuangui suddenly remembered something else and tilted the vessel to examine the engravings on its bottom.
“Your Highness!” A hand reached out to grab the wine vessel, “Careful, don’t spill the poisoned wine! This is crucial evidence!”
The hand had considerable strength, gripping the vessel and refusing to let go, almost attempting to seize it. Li Yuangui looked at the man, remembering he was an official from the Court of Judicial Review, and frowned:
“Evidence? What more evidence is needed? The former Crown Prince of Tuyuhun attempted to harm His Majesty in public view, and he confessed to his crime. What more needs investigating?”
“While that’s true, you must know Judge Sun’s temperament,” the man grimaced with a bitter smile. “Whether reasonable or not, regardless of imperial wishes or necessity for investigation, once a case is filed for conviction, it requires complete confessions and evidence, able to withstand scrutiny at any time without wrongful conviction. The Tuyuhun traitor attempted to assassinate the Emperor with poisoned wine, so this poisoned wine must be brought to the Court as evidence, verified by coroners, and then sealed in storage… Please don’t make things difficult for this humble official.”
As he spoke, he increased his grip, trying to take it. Li Yuangui naturally refused to let go, but the man’s strength was considerable. As they struggled for a moment, a hand as large as a fan descended from above, gripping the vessel’s neck and easily pulling it away to Li Yuangui.
“How dare you!”
It was Yang Xinzhi who had intervened, his huge eyes glaring at the Court official, his tone and manner still that of his accustomed role as Prince of Wu’s warehouse supervisor. Li Yuangui first smiled at this, then felt a pang of sadness.
“Listen, sir,” Wei Shubin interjected from the side, “your intention to take the poisoned wine back to the Court as evidence is impossible.”
What did she mean? All the men present turned to look at her. Prime Minister Wei’s eldest daughter’s face reddened slightly as she removed the lid from the golden vessel in Li Yuangui’s hands, turned it over, and gestured to Li Yuangui: “Prince of Wu, please pour some of the poisoned wine for me.”
Her delicate fingertips were like spring onions, her hands holding the vessel lid like a blooming flower…
Li Yuangui steadied himself and carefully examined the vessel, pouring some liquid from one compartment into Wei Shubin’s lid. The liquid was dark green and looked frightening, forming obvious bubbles when poured—anyone would think it was poisoned wine.
Wei Shubin watched Li Yuangui finish pouring, raised her long lashes, gave him a sad smile, and drank the green liquid in one gulp.
“Shubin!”
Everyone cried out in alarm. Li Yuangui’s mind exploded as he rushed forward to embrace the slender young woman, thinking only “I won’t live either.”
Unexpectedly, Wei Shubin bent her arms and forcefully pushed against his chest, both embarrassed and angry as she scolded: “What are you doing… I told you, this isn’t poison!”
Not… not poison?
“This is the green algae nitrate water we women use in spring for treating tinea versicolor. Sister Ying… the True Master’s new formula from these past two years looks frightening but is gentle and harmless, both relieving itching and whitening skin. I’ve used it quite a bit this year and am familiar with its smell. As soon as I got the vessel, I recognized it. Who would have thought someone would use it to impersonate poison…”
Impersonate poison… Of course, Li Yuangui suddenly understood.
Although Kang Sumi and Li Chengjian had planned meticulously to ensure nothing could go wrong, having an enemy assassin approach the Tang Emperor with a vessel of poison was still too risky, and the act itself was a capital crime whether successful or not. How could that crafty old fox Kang Sumi bring such risk upon himself? So even the “poison” in Prince Zun’s vessel was fake—after all, Prince Zun wouldn’t taste it himself to check…
“How did Ying Niang’s cosmetic formula end up with Kang Sumi?” he asked Wei Shubin. The young woman thought for a moment:
“Ah yes, early spring in the Weibei vegetable garden… That court dancer at your residence had tinea and was suffering terribly. I told her about this formula, and she must have remembered it and passed it on to her old companions at the Sabao mansion…”
Wei Shubin was already blushing, and at the mention of “early spring Weibei garden,” her eyes darted away. Li Yuangui also remembered the days they had spent there together, his face growing hot with both sweet and bitter memories.
“Even if it’s not poison, this golden vessel is still—”
“I’m keeping this vessel!” Li Yuangui cut off the Court official’s words, “I have the Emperor’s special decree to investigate two confidential cases, and this vessel is key evidence. If Judge Sun wants to examine it, tell him to come find me directly.”
Using the term “I” [reserved for royalty], Li Yuangui suddenly felt his status as the Emperor’s brother was finally truly useful… While not good for much else, it worked well for intimidating middle and lower-ranking officials. The official stared at him in frustration for a moment before yielding, but requested “Your Highness to write and seal a receipt for this official to report back.” Fortunately, they were close to the External Bureau of the Secretariat and other offices, so borrowing paper and brush to write a receipt wasn’t troublesome.
While this was happening, there was another commotion around Yang Xinzhi. His mother, Princess Suidehui, who had been standing quietly observing for so long, finally collapsed from exhaustion. Yang Xinzhi and Wei Shubin busied themselves with supporting her and calling for a palanquin. Amid the chaos, Li Yuangui only managed to hurriedly tell Wei Shubin a few words, unsure if she even heard:
“Return to Zixu Temple… find that box, find that vessel!”