Major events could be divided into good matters and bad matters. Most of the time they represented bad matters. But Li Chengqian saying with great laughter that a major event had occurred at least indicated this matter was very advantageous to him.
After Li Chengqian said this, he closed his mouth and kept them in suspense, drinking tea in a leisurely manner, wanting Yun Ye to guess for himself. This was a form of enjoyment for him. As Minister of War, the news Yun Ye knew should be more than Li Chengqian’s. If it was political affairs, there might still be a possibility. But if it was military affairs, it should by no means bypass him, the Minister of War.
The rebellion in Hailing County was just a small matter, not enough for Li Chengqian to call it a major event.
“Wang Xuance!” Seeing Yun Ye unable to figure it out despite much thought, Li Chengqian hinted with three characters. Hearing this name, the things Wang Xuance had done these years appeared before his eyes one by one. He was not only the pride of the Great Tang but also the pride of Yushan Academy. The legendary story of one man destroying a nation was performed by Wang Xuance.
In Zhenguan Year Fifteen of Emperor Taizong of Tang, after Xuanzang visited Magadha, whose king was King Harsha, the king sent a letter to the court. Li Er ordered Yun Qiwei Liang Huaijing to respond. King Harsha sent envoys to accompany him to China. In the third month of Zhenguan Year Seventeen, Li Er sent Li Yibiao, Acting Assistant Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, as chief envoy and Wang Xuance as deputy envoy to accompany the Indian envoys on a return visit. In the first month of Zhenguan Year Nineteen, they reached Rajagriha, the royal city of Magadha, and returned the following year. In Zhenguan Year Twenty, Wang Xuance again served as chief envoy and, with deputy envoy Jiang Shiren, went on a mission to India.
“Wang Xuance had always been researching the relationship between the Great Tang and Tubo in the Ministry of Rites. As a result, he discovered that compared to the Great Tang’s influence on Tubo, Tianzhu seemed to have even greater influence on Tubo. So he transferred his interest to this country of Tianzhu, repeatedly consulting Master Xuanzang about Tianzhu’s customs and culture, accumulating very deep learning, and moreover learned Sanskrit. It was precisely because he knew Sanskrit that at such a young age he became our Great Tang’s deputy diplomatic envoy.”
“This time they again went to King Harsha’s territory. As a result, King Harsha had died, and the new king detained them. Wang Xuance escaped alone on horseback, found Songtsen Gampo who had already submitted to the Great Tang, borrowed three thousand troops, destroyed that country, and captured their king. Of course, this battle achievement still cannot be brought to the table to discuss.”
Li Chengqian paused again here and looked at Yun Ye with puzzlement, asking, “Ye Zi, honestly tell me—does a method of immortality truly exist in this world?”
Yun Ye didn’t understand how Wang Xuance had become connected with immortality. Recently, Li Er kept asking him about the jade tablets. He had been annoyed by his questions, so he had Wu She take the jade tablets into the palace to teach Li Er and his wife the way of strengthening the body. Could it be that Wu She had boasted about the jade tablets’ abilities too much, giving the imperial family a false impression?
“There are methods to strengthen the body, but no way to achieve immortality—absolutely none. Whoever says they can achieve immortality, you should immediately cut off their head. You definitely won’t kill the wrong person. This person is one hundred percent a fraud.”
Hearing Yun Ye say this, Li Chengqian seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He said to Yun Ye in a low voice, “The major event I’m talking about is this—Wang Xuance brought back a foreign monk from King Harsha’s territory. It’s said he has lived for over two hundred years, truly over two hundred years, not two hundred years calculated by sixty-year cycles.”
“The old monk claims to have studied the art of immortality for two hundred years and can not only make people immortal but possibly even ascend to heaven in broad daylight. I saw the old fellow today. His appearance is extraordinarily ancient, his noble countenance is solemn, and his actions in sitting, reclining, and walking all have proper method. After conversing a few sentences, the old monk is extremely familiar with the Peacock King Dharma Gate and even has many marvelous explanations. Even Master Xuanzang feels admiration. My imperial father and mother have specially fasted and bathed for seven days in preparation to hear the holy monk preach scriptures. It began at the zi hour today. I heard it’s not just preaching scriptures—the holy monk will also perform rituals for my imperial father and mother. I grew suspicious in my heart, so I’m asking you to verify this.”
“Why haven’t I heard any news about this?” Yun Ye asked Li Chengqian in shock.
“My imperial father said you actually don’t respect ghosts and spirits and don’t believe in Buddhism or Taoism. He just wants to hear Buddhist scriptures and see the great monk’s dharma methods. He doesn’t want to hear your sophistry, so he forbade me and Qingque from telling you. Since you say there’s no such thing, I’m also relieved.”
Yun Ye’s face turned terribly pale. He finally remembered this foreign monk. If he remembered correctly, Li Er had handed over his life into this foreign monk’s hands.
When people became tense, their brains would work very well. He could even remember this foreign monk’s name—Narasimha. That’s right, it should be this name. This was a foreigner’s name destined to appear in Tang history. The only reason he could appear was that he had poisoned Li Er to death with his elixir of immortality…
Thinking of this, Yun Ye’s hands involuntarily trembled. He tried twice to grab his teacup but failed to pick it up. Li Chengqian noticed Yun Ye’s abnormality and also became tense. Could it be that this foreign monk truly had some extraordinary qualities?
After calling Yun Ye’s name twice, he pulled him out of his dazed state. Yun Ye forced a smile onto his face, laughed awkwardly a couple of times, cupped his hands toward Li Chengqian in farewell, and left.
Li Chengqian stood under the corridor pillars with an expression alternating between light and dark. His clenched hands relaxed and opened, then after opening clenched again, as if making some difficult decision. When his gaze touched the thousand-year-old cypress in the courtyard, his expression became indifferent. He walked into the great hall with his hands behind his back. Once the decision was made, there was no need to think further. When matters came to a head, one needed courage—this was a phrase his father often said…
Yun Ye was preoccupied and didn’t return to the Ministry of War. He went directly to the imperial palace but was blocked at the inner palace gate. The guards said the Emperor was listening to an eminent monk preach scriptures. For the next two days, he would see no one, and it was specifically noted—he would not see Yun Ye.
Yun Ye looked up at the sky and sighed deeply. He turned to request an audience with Zhangsun. The answer he received was that the Emperor and Empress were together listening to the holy monk preach scriptures. They had already fasted and bathed and could not be disturbed. In the entire imperial palace, Yun Ye could only request audiences with these two. Seeing the other consorts would be improper. His repeated requests for announcement were sternly refused.
With no alternative, he mounted his horse and hurried back to the Yun home. He needed to properly organize his thoughts and think through the entire matter’s causes and consequences.
This was the darkest thought—unable to see heaven above or touch earth below. So Yun Ye sat on the swing. This was an old habit. Whenever he encountered matters difficult to decide, he would go to that empty room with a swing to meditate. Ever since last time when he sat on the swing for three days, Old Grandmother had specially reserved such a room in the house as the family head’s meditation place.
The Yun family clan was vast, affairs were complicated. Wanting to calculate advantages and disadvantages in a short time was not a simple matter. If he truly wanted to make a comprehensive consideration, three or two days of time was far from enough—the entanglement of interests, the connections of human relationships. If Li Er passed away, how should the Yun family respond? If Li Chengqian smoothly ascended the throne, how should the Yun family respond? If unexpected circumstances occurred, what backup mechanisms should there be? All of this needed to be thought through clearly.
During dynastic changes, a large group of nobles always followed the previous emperor in death. Each emperor had his own ministers—this had been so since ancient times. This was also a principle that held true everywhere. The Emperor wouldn’t see him, and he had no way to prevent this matter from occurring. Then he needed to seek the next best thing—preserve the Yun family first. No matter how good his relationship with Li Chengqian was, if something went wrong at this critical juncture, Li Chengqian probably wouldn’t hesitate at all in dealing with the Yun family, because at that time Li Chengqian’s name would be Son of Heaven.
Within three days, Yun Ye knocked at the palace gate three times but couldn’t enter the inner palace. The nine-day scripture preaching period still had not passed.
Three days was enough time for the Yun family to do very many things. Xinyue dared not ask, but when she saw her husband begin summoning family retainers to discuss matters, she began to feel alarmed. Especially when she saw Old Jiang, who had been ill for a long time, appearing coughing in the council hall, she became even more frightened.
Old Jiang was in charge of the Yun family’s secret passages and mechanisms. Ordinarily, he hid in the wine workshop and rarely went out. Since he had come, it meant the Yun family would very likely use the secret passages.
At sunset, Yun Ye returned home, his expression weary. This time was even more outrageous—not being able to see the Emperor and Empress was one thing, but how could he not even see Li Chengqian? This was the first time he had been turned away at the Eastern Palace.
Without bathing, without eating, Yun Ye lay fully clothed on the bed, trying hard to make himself sleep. But his eyes only opened wider and wider. His entanglements with Li Er appeared before his eyes scene by scene, from the first time he met Li Er and his wife until now. This emotion had already transformed into a sort of chaotic concept. His heart felt as if a large stone pressed upon it. Without realizing it, tears were already streaming down his face.
Xinyue walked in. Seeing her husband’s face covered in tears, she didn’t console him or speak. She only curled her body up in her husband’s embrace. At this time, having a warm body close by was more useful than saying anything.
Yun Ye’s tears flowed for a long time before he unknowingly fell asleep. The third watch drum had just been struck. He didn’t know that at this time the imperial palace had already descended into chaos. Everywhere was the sound of guards’ armor clanking, everywhere were torches, everywhere were lanterns. The Thousand Bull Guards had all climbed onto the palace walls. Countless old eunuchs wearing purple robes tightly guarded the surroundings of Wanmin Palace. Not only that, human figures also appeared on top of Wanmin Palace.
The sound of clashing metal echoed through Taiji Palace. Countless black-clothed figures leaped and tumbled through the crowd, their movements nimble, extremely fierce. Though bathed in blood, they fought on without retreating. Unfortunately, their numbers were few, and they were still driven to the open ground. The Thousand Bull Guards, covered in bright armor, held giant shields. The gaps between the shields bristled with long spears. With each step they shouted, slowly pressing toward the black-clothed figures.
The black-clothed leader cried out wildly, “Loyalty is now!” After this cry, he reversed his horizontal blade and without the slightest hesitation stabbed it into his own ribs, then toppled headfirst to the ground. The other black-clothed figures followed his example. In the space of a few breaths, they died cleanly…
The general summoning drum sounded in the imperial palace. This was the first time in the Zhenguan reign. Countless red-plumed urgent messengers with small flags shot out of the imperial palace and scattered into the pitch-black Chang’an city.