After Li Ying escorted Cui Xun back to his residence, the Lantern Festival had ended. Wang Ranxi returned home and did not venture out again. When she would next appear in public was unknown. Though Li Ying felt frustrated, she had no regrets. If given another chance, she still wouldn’t have abandoned Cui Xun alone in the plum blossom grove just to uncover the truth.

The next day was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The entire city of Chang’an lit lanterns to honor Buddha. The Empress Dowager ordered all Buddhist temples across the country to light eternal lamps for Li Ying, and hundreds of thousands of monks chanted rebirth prayers for the princess. Though Li Ying had not been reborn, thanks to the offerings of incense and the recitation of Buddhist prayers, she could now appear in daylight without needing an umbrella. However, in the bustling crowds, no one could see her. Even surrounded by noise and activity, she felt utterly alone.

In front of Ximing Temple, Li Ying looked up at the wooden plaque inscribed with the three characters “Ximing Temple.” These characters had been written by her father, but no one knew that they were written by her when she was eight years old.

On that day, her father had been gravely ill, too weak to hold a brush. Yet he didn’t want anyone to know about his illness. As it happened, Ximing Temple had just been renovated, and a memorial requesting his calligraphy had already been submitted. She had always been adept at imitating her father’s handwriting—even high ministers couldn’t tell the difference. So her father had asked her to write the characters, pretending they were his.

She remembered asking her father at the time: “Father is ill, why don’t you want others to know?”

Her father had simply stroked her hair gently and sighed: “There are too many bad people outside, but Father has many things left undone. So Father cannot fall, and especially cannot let those bad people know that Father might fall.”

She had only partially understood then and had asked: “Isn’t Father the Emperor? Why would an Emperor fear bad people? Can’t you just kill all the bad people?”

Her father had replied: “Over several hundred years, through seven or eight dynasties, emperors have changed surnames back and forth, but the bad people have always remained bad people. The last emperor of the previous dynasty wanted to kill the bad people and not be a puppet, but he was killed first.”

She still didn’t understand. Her father had smiled: “My precious pearl doesn’t understand now, but when you grow up, you will.”

But after thinking for a moment, her father had added: “Actually, it’s better if my precious pearl never understands.”

That illness had lasted a full three months. During that time, her mother had cared for him without rest. Sometimes her father was so ill that he wasn’t fully conscious. Her mother would read the memorials, dictating each character one by one, and then have her imitate her father’s handwriting character by character. In this way, they had successfully kept the secret for three months. When her father recovered, her mother collapsed from exhaustion.

She had cried anxiously. The imperial consorts tried to gain favor while her mother was ill, but her father didn’t visit any of them. Holding her sick mother’s hand, he had said to her, “Lingye, you are different from them. Get well soon. I have many matters I still need to discuss with you.”

At that time, she had thought the “many matters” her father mentioned were about how the Empress and consorts bullied her mother. In hindsight, she realized her understanding had been shallow. Her father had let her mother handle official memorials during his illness; what he needed to discuss with her mother were affairs of state.

After giving birth to her, her mother had not conceived again. In the harem’s conflicts and jealousies, her mother rarely participated. Without princes at her knee, and as her beauty gradually faded, many people speculated that she would eventually lose favor. Even Empress Zheng thought so. But her mother’s status had steadily risen, and she had even been exceptionally granted the title of “Noble Consort.” Many couldn’t understand why her father so favored her mother, including Empress Zheng. But if they could see the prosperity of the Great Zhou today, they would understand.

Throughout his life, her father had strived to free the Li imperial clan from the control of the aristocratic families, and her mother had been his best ally. His relationship with her mother had transcended mere romantic affection. How could consorts like Empress Zheng, who only knew how to compete for favor, possibly compete with her?

It was a pity that only thirty years after her death did she understand what her father had meant when he stroked her hair during his illness.

Li Ying gazed at the wooden plaque of Ximing Temple. She missed her mother and her father, too.

Li Ying finally entered Ximing Temple. In the main hall, tablets representing the national fortunes of the Great Zhou were enshrined. Behind these were the tablets of successive emperors of the Great Zhou.

Li Ying immediately recognized her father’s spirit tablet. Her father’s temple name was “Ying” (Heroic). It was said that after her father’s passing, the Vice Minister of the Right, Cui Songqing, had wanted to designate his temple name as “Sheng” (Sage), but this was opposed by the aristocratic families. Because of her, her father had slaughtered many aristocrats, causing the “Taichang Blood Incident.” During his reign, many had died unjustly. Thus, despite her father’s outstanding achievements—establishing the imperial examination system, implementing new policies, selecting talents regardless of background, and laying the foundation for the Great Zhou’s prosperity—under the collective opposition of the aristocrats, his temple name was downgraded from “Sage Emperor” to “Heroic Emperor.” However, the aristocrats could not object to his posthumous title “Ming” (Enlightened), because even they could not deny that her father had indeed been an enlightened ruler.

Li Ying stepped forward, wanting to cross the threshold to get closer to her father’s spirit tablet. But before her foot could step inside, she was pushed back several steps by the golden light emanating from the solemn Buddha statue. Li Ying smiled bitterly. As a lonely soul, even the wish to approach her father’s spirit tablet to pay respects had become a luxury.

On the spirit tablet, it was written that her father had passed away on the fourth day of the sixth month in the thirtieth year of Taichang. Calculating, it had been nearly twenty years.

Li Ying gazed at her father’s spirit tablet. It had already been twenty years. Unlike her, her father’s soul would not be trapped in the mortal realm but should have long since been reincarnated. Perhaps, having left his mark in history, he had ascended to become an immortal.

Unable to enter the main hall, she knelt respectfully at the threshold and bowed three times.

Father, you were the best emperor and the best father.

Your precious pearl misses you.

After paying respects to her father’s tablet, Li Ying rose dejectedly, preparing to leave. The past could not be revisited; she still needed to seek the truth for herself.

Just as she had taken a few steps, she spotted the pipa player whom Cui Xun had rescued the previous night.

The pipa player was holding a bundle and speaking with the abbot of Ximing Temple. She bowed to the abbot, then opened her bundle, which contained five hundred copper coins strung together.

The pipa player, holding these five hundred coins, earnestly said to the abbot: “Master, these are five hundred coins I’ve saved. Though not much, it should be enough to light an eternal lamp for my brother.”

The abbot shook his head: “Female benefactor, the last time you came, this old monk already made it clear: Ximing Temple will not light an eternal lamp for your brother. It’s not a matter of money, but that we cannot.”

“Why can’t you?” The pipa player grew anxious. “Everyone else can have one, why not my brother? Is it because my oil money isn’t enough? I’ve saved enough. Please, Master, light an eternal lamp for my brother so he can be reborn soon.”

The abbot decided to be frank: “Female benefactor, your brother died as a criminal. Ximing Temple cannot light a lamp for him.”

“What criminal? Is losing a battle enough to make one a criminal? Have you never lost once in your life? When my brother was winning, I don’t recall the court calling him a meritorious official!”

The abbot joined his palms together and intoned “Amitabha”: “Female benefactor, this old monk is a Buddhist, not involved in worldly affairs. But the generals of the Tianwei Army lost cities and territories. It was the Emperor’s decree to confiscate their property, forbid the collection of their corpses, and prohibit their burial. This old monk is helpless in this matter. Please don’t press this issue any further.”

The pipa player held the five hundred coins she had painstakingly saved, her eyes reddening, looking pitiful. She fell to her knees with a thud: “Abbot, that incident happened six years ago. Perhaps, perhaps the Emperor has already forgotten… I just… I just want to light a lamp for my brother, to illuminate his path in the underworld…”

The abbot helplessly chanted “Amitabha”: “Female benefactor, if you continue to persist like this, this old monk will have to ask someone to escort you out.”

The pipa player choked with sobs, still pleading desperately. The abbot shook his head, about to call someone to escort her away, when a cold voice suddenly said: “Abbot, please wait.”

Dressed in crimson everyday robes, Cui Xun, radiant as a lotus, approached. He joined his palms together and said to the abbot, “Abbot, she is an acquaintance of mine. Please let me handle this.”

The abbot recognized Cui Xun. He nodded: “In that case, I’ll trouble Deputy Minister Cui.”

After the abbot had departed, Cui Xun glanced at the curious Li Ying nearby but said nothing. Then he went to help the kneeling pipa player up. The pipa player angrily shook him off and staggered to her feet: “Don’t touch me!”

She said coldly: “You disgust me!”

Clutching the bundle containing the five hundred coins, she glared at him: “Cui Xun, why are they all dead while you’re still alive?”

Cui Xun simply looked at her, his eyes calm as a still sea. The pipa player directed all her anger at him. She cried: “In the Battle of Luoyan Ridge, the Tianwei Army had fifty thousand men—a full fifty thousand! They all died in battle, including my brother. The Emperor said they lost cities and territories, that they were criminals of the Great Zhou. But what crime did they commit? They fought fiercely against the Turks, refusing to surrender until death. They should be heroes! But why did they end up with their properties confiscated, their bodies uncollected, their burials forbidden? And you, the only survivor, you who surrendered to the Turks to preserve your life, you are promoted, ennobled, enjoying wealth and honor without end? Heavens above, what kind of world is this? Heaven, are you blind?”

Faced with the pipa player’s accusations, Cui Xun remained silent. The pipa player laughed bitterly: “Cui Xun, my brother is dead, Cao Fifth is dead, they’re all dead. Why are you still alive? Oh, I forgot, you have a handsome face, with the reputation of the ‘Lotus Gentleman.’ The Turkic princess liked you, so she didn’t kill you. The Empress Dowager likes you, so she doesn’t kill you either. Look how capable you are! Just with your face, you’ve conquered the two most powerful women in the world. But I, a powerless musician from the Imperial Academy, find you repulsive!”

Hugging her bundle, she stepped backward: “If Ximing Temple won’t light an eternal lamp for my brother, there will surely be a temple willing to do so. My brother will be peacefully reborn. As for you, don’t appear before me again, lest you taint my eyes and pollute my brother’s path of reincarnation.”

The pipa player staggered away. Cui Xun watched her retreating figure for a long while before turning to Li Ying, who stood silently nearby, and asked: “Seen enough?”

Li Ying hurriedly waved her hands: “I didn’t mean to watch. I just wanted to see my father. I didn’t expect…”

She had intended to say she hadn’t expected to witness the pipa player berating Cui Xun, but felt it was inappropriate. As she was choosing her words, Cui Xun suddenly sighed: “It doesn’t matter. Every time I’m in a predicament, you happen to be there. I’m used to it by now.”

Li Ying was somewhat taken aback. She scratched her head awkwardly. Though Cui Xun’s expression remained unchanged, she felt that being berated by an old acquaintance must have been painful for him. So she said, “Don’t take her words to heart.”

Cui Xun said, “Are you going to say again that those things might not be true?”

Li Ying recalled the scars covering Cui Xun’s body from the previous night. She muttered, “Well, they might not be true.”

Hearing this, Cui Xun smiled gently. His features were already strikingly beautiful, and when he smiled, it was like branches in full bloom. Li Ying looked up at him and suddenly smiled: “Deputy Minister Cui, let me tell you a secret.”

She proudly pointed outside and said, “The wooden plaque of Ximing Temple was written by me.”

“Written by you?”

“Yes, when I was eight years old.”

Cui Xun thought briefly and understood. When Li Ying was eight, it was the twelfth year of Taichang. That year, Emperor Taichang had not attended court for three months, causing widespread discussion among the people. Rumors spread that Emperor Taichang was gravely ill. His birth mother, Empress Dowager Xue, began to stir, rallying the Xue clan of Hedong to depose Emperor Taichang and install a new emperor. However, imperial decrees bearing Emperor Taichang’s seal continued to emerge from Shenlong Hall, where he was recuperating. The Xue clan of Hedong feared that Emperor Taichang might be feigning illness, so they never agreed to Empress Dowager Xue’s plan. Later, when Emperor Taichang resumed attending court, the Xue clan of Hedong even remarked that Emperor Taichang had indeed been pretending. They were relieved they hadn’t agreed to Empress Dowager Xue’s plot for rebellion; otherwise, their entire clan might have been executed.

Little did they know, Emperor Taichang had truly been ill.

Li Ying said, “Everyone thought those characters were written by my father, but in reality, they were written by me. You see, things that everyone believes to be true aren’t necessarily true. Deputy Minister Cui, don’t you agree?”

Cui Xun gazed at her bright, smiling face, feeling something stir in his heart. He neither agreed nor disagreed, but after a long moment, he slightly nodded: “Hmm.”