“Only three hundred eleven heads are complete, all hanging up there now. As you can see, not only did all the murderers die, but the monks of Tianfu Temple also suffered misfortune. Zhang Liang killed until his eyes were red, pinning a charge of harboring criminals on the monks and wiping them all out. If I hadn’t had His Majesty’s arrow, the old fellow would have wanted to kill me too. Now he’s taken his remaining forces and pursued down along the canal—looks like he still wants to kill Gae Suwen.”
“He won’t catch up to Gae Suwen. Even if he does catch up, if they leave Great Tang’s borders, Zhang Liang might suffer greatly. That’s not something we need to consider. He’s a duke—his head is big enough. Does he need us two brothers teaching him how to do things? It’s just that these heads will stink after hanging for half a day. Look at those big green blowflies—are they going to let people enter Chang’an City or not?”
He Tianshang carefully wrapped the food box in his outer robe, looked with disgust at the heads on the city gate, and said, “They’ll only hang until this evening. Tomorrow they’ll be gone. Attracting flies means attracting plague. You go to the palace, I’m going home. Pastries taste better when they’re fresh—my mother has been looking forward to them for a long time.” After speaking, without waiting for Yun Ye to say more, he slapped his horse’s neck and galloped away along the city wall in a puff of smoke.
This wasn’t the first time Yun Ye had experienced He Tianshang’s mysterious ways. Seeing him make excuses and flee, he himself had no interest in staying here to look at heads either. Covering his nose, he quickly passed through the city gate without delay and headed straight for Vermilion Bird Gate.
Li Er had no interest in seeing Yun Ye. He was busy discussing matters with other ministers. Many important officials stood beside the crimson rhinoceros horn at Wanmin Palace, all waiting for an audience. Strangely, Takayama Yoko was also there. Seeing this woman made him angry—killing her own people to pave the way for other Japanese students, this move could be called stable, precise, and ruthless all at once. One dead, two envoys to Tang injured—this could open the path forward for the other envoys to Tang. A shrewdly conducted business transaction, guaranteed profit without loss. The Imperial Academy had now opened its doors to Japanese students—this had to be called Takayama Yoko’s great achievement.
Takayama Yoko was speaking very humbly with Cen Wenben. Seeing Yun Ye looking at her with that ambiguous smile, she forcibly suppressed her inner discomfort, begged Cen Wenben’s pardon, and slowly came before Yun Ye to bow, saying, “It’s been many days since I’ve seen Marquis Yun. Seeing you today, your radiance is as before—truly gratifying.”
“If you people would kill a few fewer people in Chang’an, my spirits would be even more vigorous. Perhaps I’d go watch your singing and dancing again. I dare not promise anything else, but reward money would definitely be there.”
Takayama Yoko’s complexion changed dramatically. Just as she was about to defend herself, Cen Wenben took up the conversation, saying, “Marquis Yun, you’re also an important minister of our dynasty. Speaking recklessly without any regard for the nation’s dignity—is that acceptable?”
Yun Ye turned to Cen Wenben and said, “You don’t know anything yet babble nonsense. Just because people saved you once, you insist they’re all good people. Someday you’ll be too ashamed to rest peacefully at the bottom of the Nine Springs. I’m a State-Founding Marquis, you’re only a fourth-rank official. Are you qualified to tell me about propriety?”
“Marquis Yun harbors such hatred toward the Japanese—could it be the assassins who came to my residence are connected to you?”
This was a prelude to completely tearing off all pretense. For someone who always couldn’t see the road ahead clearly and charged forward relying on an upright character, Yun Ye truly didn’t have much to say to him. Seeing him connect himself with assassins, fury erupted in his heart.
“Outrageous! Where has your sense of hierarchical propriety gone? A few days ago, rumors said I killed the entire household of Duke Yun. Now the murderers’ heads are already hanging at the city gate. I heard you submitted a ten-thousand-word memorial to His Majesty, confirming I was a traitor to the state. Now that the truth is clear to the world, do you feel no shame for casually slandering and attacking colleagues? Everyone says you, Cen Wenben, are upright—tell me, where has your upright character gone? Now you bite me again. If I solve the case again and find ironclad evidence of who plotted to assassinate you, Cen Wenben, how will you conduct yourself? Commit suicide on the spot? Forget it. A muddle-headed fool like you should just muddle through your entire life. Don’t jump out and embarrass our Great Tang.”
“Marquis Yun, gentlemen don’t speak of others’ evil. As an elder, why must you speak such heart-piercing words? We’re all colleagues—what’s wrong with yielding a step?” Du Ruhui couldn’t listen anymore. Everyone had witnessed the miserable state of the gray-bearded Cen Wenben being reprimanded by Yun Ye yet unable to retort. As the chief of civil officials, feeling sympathy, he still had to come out to preserve the dignity of the scholar-officials.
“Takayama Yoko, from now on I’ll watch you closely. You Japanese people in Great Tang had better not even touch a mare’s backside, otherwise I’ll definitely handle you according to charges of offending public morals. Last time was my oversight, letting you succeed. Yeon Gaesomun’s subordinates took all the blame upon themselves—otherwise, you’d have been devoured alive by Duke Yun. Conduct yourself well.”
Yun Ye saw Zhangsun’s personal maid emerge from the great hall and knew he’d definitely been redirected by the Emperor to the Empress again. How embarrassing. Having no time to waste chatting with them, he went forward, following the palace maid around Wanmin Palace, hurrying toward the newly repaired Liangyi Palace, leaving behind a large group of officials staring at each other. Cen Wenben’s face was ashen, and the very perceptive Takayama Yoko burst into sobs.
Inside Liangyi Palace, Li Tai lay on the carpet very boredly eating grapes. This fellow was becoming increasingly unconscious of being a subject. Since establishing his grand ambition, in front of the Emperor and Empress he maintained the state of a youngest son. It was precisely this rogue-like appearance that earned the Emperor’s praise: “My fourth son has the ancient virtue of entertaining parents in colorful garments.” This was honestly recorded in the court annals by the Yan family. For this single sentence, Li Er rewarded the Yan family with fifty bolts of silk, which were promptly returned. Yan Zhitui declared that if they accepted the silk, that sentence would have to be deleted—Prince Wei truly achieved entertaining parents in colorful garments, no question about it.
Li Er later praised, “The Yan family can be teachers for ten thousand generations.” Drawing closer, Yun Ye discovered his three-year-old brother Li Zhi was hugging his legs, exerting himself trying to fold his older brother’s two legs together. With great difficulty folding them, Li Tai would put them back down, then Li Zhi would continue. It looked like they’d been doing this for quite a while. Li Zhi’s little face was flushed red, his appearance adorable.
Zhangsun reclined on a soft couch reading. Yun Ye couldn’t see the book’s title clearly. She probably didn’t like this book—she kept frowning, putting it down then picking it up again. Seeing Yun Ye enter, she smiled and said, “Not bad. I knew you’d have a solution. Resolving matters so civilly and elegantly—how nice. Use blood feuds less in the future. Every time there’s a blood feud, this palace’s heart feels like it’s being cut with knives. All are Great Tang subjects—killing until corpses lie everywhere over private matters is not good at all.”
“Mother Empress, many people died this time too. When this son entered the city this morning, I saw a long row of heads hanging at the city gate, the bloody smell overwhelming. Many hung just like pig heads in Western Market butcher shops.”
Zhangsun sighed, put down her book, stood up, and said to Yun Ye, “What Qing Que says is also true. These past years, I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, but my heart truly dislikes endless slaughter. However, these are the duties of you subjects. Women shouldn’t interfere in governance. This palace always wishes for the world to be harmonious everywhere, prosperous and flourishing, with common people living and working in peace—that would be ancestral blessings. Let bloody times be less if possible.”
“Your Majesty, this subject came to return the imperial commission. The extermination case of the Zhang household has concluded. This subject’s assignment should be relinquished. I must immediately prepare for Qing Que’s experiment—this is a major Academy matter that cannot be delayed. This subject still needs to go to the Ministry of War to retrieve the seal. Without His Majesty giving the word, if this subject goes to request it, they won’t give it.”
Zhangsun seemed to have just been preparing some words to say, but Yun Ye’s few sentences pushed them back. She lost her mood for expressing feelings and simply took an official document from the desk and handed it to Yun Ye.
Seeing Li Er’s large seal on it, Yun Ye smiled happily, preparing to withdraw. These past years, Zhangsun might have participated too much in Li Er’s governmental affairs. Now she was unconsciously beginning to worry about state matters. This wasn’t good. Li Er had always been very solitary, especially regarding power—he maintained high vigilance toward everyone. This could be seen from Li Chengqian. He didn’t plan to let others share his power. For Zhangsun to do this short-term was fine, but long-term, it was hard to say.
“Yun Ye, why are you now like everyone else, also planning to keep this palace at a respectful distance?” Zhangsun’s voice carried some sadness. It seemed she herself had detected something. Very good—still the shrewd Zhangsun, unchanged.
“Your Majesty, this subject is busy returning to clean out Qing Que’s room at the Academy and making preparations. Your complexion hasn’t been good lately—why not stay at the Academy for a few days? Qing Que and this subject have both been at the Academy recently. You could bring little Zhi, Jinyang, and Jincheng along too. The Qinling Mountains in autumn are clothed in red and green, beautiful beyond compare. Viewing white snow covering high mountains from afar, hearing pine waves on mountain cliffs nearby, brewing tea and finding pleasure beside waterfalls—wouldn’t that be wonderful? First, it would cultivate heart and nature. Second, this subject would like to ask Master Sun to adjust Your Majesty’s health. Two birds with one stone. When autumn winds rise strongly, returning to the palace for quiet recuperation won’t be late.”
Yun Ye’s words immediately received Li Tai’s full support. The last time the Empress stayed at the Academy was four years ago. Going again now would certainly bring even more joy. Holding Li Zhi, he added encouragingly, “Mother Empress, after you go, you can properly see how this son schemes to swindle money from family elders. With you there, this son will definitely swindle even more money. In your leisure, just arrange wooden tiles—the kind of chain-reaction domino tiles this son told you about last time. Very interesting.”
Seeing both Yun Ye and Li Tai very much hoped she’d go to the Academy, but there was still a pile of palace matters unfinished, Zhangsun was about to refuse when she inadvertently noticed anxious urgency in Yun Ye’s eyes. Thinking it over, she found it somewhat amusing. With her ice-and-snow intelligence, how could she not understand what thoughts Yun Ye harbored? Beyond amusement, her heart filled with joy. Nodding, she said, “Very well. Going to the Academy to relax is good. Little Zhi, Jinyang, and Jincheng can be left to His Majesty. This palace will set aside worries and thoroughly enjoy a few days.”
Hearing Zhangsun’s words, Yun Ye completely relaxed. By leaving the children behind for the Emperor, Zhangsun was clearly telling Yun Ye: worrying unnecessarily!