The Wei army’s commander for this expedition was the veteran general Zhao Tong. Second Prince Li Zhongqian was in charge of transporting supplies, while the Third and Fourth Princes each led supporting forces of two thousand men. Crown Prince Li Xuanzhen remained in the capital.

Li Yaoying, fearing the Eastern Palace might secretly harm Li Zhongqian, had people monitoring its activities. For several days, there were no suspicious movements from the Eastern Palace. Their insider-only sent one piece of intelligence: Princess Fukang’s interactions with the newly submitted Yelu tribe had become more frequent, possibly plotting to rescue Princess Yiqing.

Yaoying frowned. For some reason, Zhu Lvyun was even more troublesome in this life than in her previous one. Last year, she had secretly colluded with Southern Chu spies, causing the Wei army to lose several cities. Li De punished her with house arrest, and remarkably, the former dynasty’s old ministers, led by Prime Minister Zheng, didn’t plead for leniency on her behalf.

To atone for Zhu Lvyun’s crimes, Li Xuanzhen voluntarily requested to lead troops to recapture Jiang County. He returned gravely wounded, having barely escaped death. Zhu Lvyun was both moved and guilt-ridden, caring for Li Xuanzhen without rest. Crown Princess Zheng Biyu, thinking they had reconciled, consulted the Imperial Astronomers and prepared to set a wedding date.

The wedding pavilion had already been set up when they had another fierce argument, and the marriage plans fell through. Yaoying had no interest in Li Xuanzhen and Zhu Lvyun’s on-again-off-again relationship, but she worried that Zhu Lvyun might cause uncontrollable chaos that would affect others.

Her concerns were soon proven right. Two days later, as Yaoying sat by the window writing a letter to Li Zhongqian in the distance, sudden hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor.

Birds pecking at the fruit on the steps scattered in alarm, beating their wings as they flew toward the lush flower beds, creating a chorus of chirping.

“My Lady!” Xie Qing strode quickly through the door, stopping outside the screen, and bowed: “Something has happened.”

Yaoying’s heart skipped a beat. Her purple writing brush paused on the paper, causing an ink drop to fall and spread into a light brown stain.

She put down her brush, rose from the study, and asked: “What happened?”

Xie Qing lowered his gaze and said: “Today at the palace banquet, His Majesty received foreign envoys at Linde Hall to watch a polo match. Princess Fukang also attended. When the Yelu tribe’s warriors won, His Majesty praised them. The warriors said they admired the Central Plains dynasty and wished to submit to Great Wei, requesting His Majesty bestow a noble lady from the Central Plains as their chieftain’s wife.”

He paused briefly.

“Before His Majesty could respond, Princess Fukang stepped forward from the crowd, saying she was willing to go to the grasslands for the marriage alliance, and publicly accepted the Yelu chieftain’s proposal.”

Yaoying was stunned for a long while, unable to believe her ears: “How is this possible?”

How could a marriage alliance be decided so casually? Had Zhu Lvyun gone mad?

Xie Qing’s face was expressionless as he continued: “My Lady, the news is true. Princess Fukang agreed too quickly—the ministers of the Policy Court had no chance to stop her. The foreign envoys present all offered their congratulations. With so many eyes watching, His Majesty couldn’t say anything. Prime Minister Zheng was so angry he smashed his wine cup. Commander Pei drew his sword. The Ministry of Rites tried to smooth things over, but the Yelu tribe seemed prepared and completely ignored the Ministry’s hints. They pressured His Majesty to issue the marriage decree. Princess Fukang also knelt and begged His Majesty to issue the edict, even accepting the Yelu tribe’s betrothal gift in public.”

Yaoying paced back and forth, taking a long time to process this.

She knew Zhu Lvyun was willful and would stop at nothing for revenge, but she hadn’t imagined this former dynasty princess would be selfish enough to treat matters of state as child’s play!

Among all the princesses, only Zhu Lvyun held an honorary title, and she was also a descendant of the former dynasty. Her status was extraordinary. Her rash acceptance of the proposal not only put herself in danger but directly undermined Li De’s strategy.

Li De had painstakingly worked to win over and divide the nomadic peoples, aiming to gradually defeat the barbarian tribes occupying the northwest, recover Hetao and the Western Regions, and eliminate the northwestern border threat. This would allow the people of Guanzhong to live in peace and give Great Wei room to breathe, rather than being caught between enemies, forced to repeatedly humble themselves and buy off the barbarians with gold, silver, and beauties to prevent their iron hooves from heading south.

He did want to win over the Yelu tribe, but Great Wei didn’t need to send a genuine royal princess for a marriage alliance.

With the barbarians, both military deterrence and conciliatory measures were needed.

The reason Li De led troops to battle right after ascending the throne was to show the barbarians how valiant the Great Wei army was.

First make them fear Wei’s military might, then negotiate cooperation—at which point Great Wei would hold the initiative.

Zhu Lvyun’s interference made Li De lose all advantage and put him in a passive position. To appease the barbarians and dispel other tribes’ suspicions of Great Wei, he could only choose to let Zhu Lvyun marry into the tribe!

Yaoying could almost imagine how furious Li De must be right now.

The Li family had been officials under the Zhu dynasty, and half the current court ministers had also served the Zhus. When the last emperor was assassinated, Li De had indeed deliberately delayed sending troops, watching him die.

That’s why Li De adopted Zhu Lvyun, titled her Princess, and showed her endless tolerance.

First, this washed away accusations of the Li family’s disloyalty.

Second, it demonstrated the Li family’s magnanimity to the world, pacifying the former dynasty’s old ministers and currying favor with the great clans.

Third, it legitimized the Li family’s succession to the throne.

Fourth, it used Zhu Lvyun to monitor court factions sympathetic to the last emperor, balancing power in court.

Li De never made losing deals. Several times Zhu Lvyun had attempted assassination, and each time he found evidence but let her off lightly, never harming a hair on her head. This was both to continue using her and to exhaust the court ministers’ last remnants of sympathy and loyalty to the former Zhu dynasty, making them wholly devoted to the new dynasty.

He certainly never imagined that when Zhu Lvyun went mad, she could create such an enormous mess.

Diplomatic relations were never trivial matters.

With the new dynasty recently established, this was precisely the time to win hearts, build prestige, and awe foreign lands. Zhu Lvyun’s public acceptance of marriage and the Yelu tribe’s opportunistic pressure meant that if Great Wei couldn’t handle this properly, the previous battles would have been fought in vain.

This was a loss Li De had to swallow whether he liked it or not.

…

Meanwhile, Wei Ming, the Chief Secretary of the Eastern Palace, had the same reaction as Li Yaoying, wearing an expression of disbelieving shock.

“Has Princess Fukang gone mad?” His voice cracked with anxiety, “She wants to go through with the marriage alliance?”

The messenger was Commander Qin Fei, a subordinate of Crown Prince Li Xuanzhen. Wiping sweat from his brow, he asked: “Chief Secretary, what should we do?”

Wei Ming trembled with rage: “Ignorant woman! Ignorant woman! Our Great Wei soldiers fight valiantly abroad to make the barbarians submit, His Majesty painstakingly orchestrates everything, waiting for the barbarians to surrender and form alliances—and this fool ruins His Majesty’s grand plan with a few careless words!”

As a daughter of the Zhu family, she had publicly accepted the betrothal gift, leaving His Majesty no room to maneuver—truly the height of stupidity!

Qin Fei grimaced, steadying Wei Ming: “Chief Secretary, now is not the time for anger!”

He waggled his finger.

“The Crown Prince will never let Princess Fukang go through with this marriage alliance.”

Wei Ming had thought of this too. His teeth grinding audibly, he closed his eyes to compose himself, suppressing his anger to ask calmly: “Did the Crown Prince maintain decorum in public?”

Qin Fei stamped his foot and sighed: “You know how much the Crown Prince values Princess Fukang. When the Yelu tribe made their proposal, the Crown Prince had just left the polo field and gone to the rear hall to change. Someone delayed him somehow, and by the time he returned and learned Princess Fukang was to marry into the Yelu tribe, his expression immediately changed. Without waiting for His Majesty to speak, he pulled Princess Fukang away.”

As Li Xuanzhen led Zhu Lvyun away, Li De’s face darkened. The Yelu tribe pressed their advantage, the Ministry of Rites officials were furious, and the banquet ended in discord.

The Eastern Palace officials were at their wits’ end and could only send Qin Fei back to urgently consult Wei Ming. Wei Ming was simultaneously angry, resentful, and anxious, with a metallic taste rising in his jaw.

His Majesty was resolute in his decisions and wouldn’t want to miss this chance to ally with the barbarians. No matter how annoyed he was, he would send Zhu Lvyun to marry. The Crown Prince and Zhu Lvyun had been entangled for years—he certainly wouldn’t stand by and watch her marry into the grasslands. Even if she did marry, the Crown Prince would lead troops to take her back.

No one could stop the Crown Prince.

When that happened, the Crown Prince would inevitably clash with His Majesty! Once there was discord between His Majesty and the Eastern Palace, the Second, Third, and Fourth Princes would have their chance to take advantage.

Wei Ming thought rapidly and made a decision within moments: no matter what, they had to find a way to stabilize the Crown Prince. He didn’t care who Zhu Lvyun married but feared the Crown Prince would act rashly in his emotional state.

Before he could devise any plans, horses whinnied outside the window, and several Eastern Palace guards tumbled from their mounts, running into the courtyard.

“Chief Secretary, His Highness the Crown Prince has been detained by His Majesty’s guards!”

Wei Ming’s mind buzzed as he rushed out of the study.

Things had escalated so quickly?

The guard looked panicked as he saluted: “Chief Secretary, earlier when His Highness tried to escort the Princess out of the city, the gate guards stopped them and sent them back to the palace. The Crown Prince clashed with His Majesty, who became furious and ordered his guards to bind the Crown Prince.”

Wei Ming stamped his feet anxiously—he knew something like this would happen!

“Quick, go request an audience with Her Highness the Crown Princess!”

Zheng was the daughter of a prestigious family, gentle and virtuous, cultured and reasonable. Though her husband Li Xuanzhen and Zhu Lvyun remained entangled, she never showed jealousy, always urging Li Xuanzhen to marry Zhu Lvyun soon to protect both their reputations.

After hearing the guard’s report about what happened in the palace, Wei Ming knew the situation was urgent. Setting aside formalities, he sought her help.

Zheng Biyu was startled for a moment before quickly composing herself: “I am but a woman of the inner palace, I dare not discuss matters of state. What does the Chief Secretary wish me to do?”

Wei Ming privately approved—as expected of a daughter of a noble family, this composure alone made her superior to Zhu Lvyun.

He sighed and said: “Your Highness, the Crown Prince acted rashly and clashed with His Majesty. He’s temporarily detained in the palace. Only you can persuade him to yield to His Majesty now.”

Li De was already half-dead with anger at Zhu Lvyun and hadn’t yet devised a strategy when he heard Li Xuanzhen had directly fled with her, which infuriated him even more.

How could the heir apparent of a nation act so impulsively? What dignity was there in this?!

He had people escort Zhu Lvyun back to the Princess’s mansion under strict guard, bound Li Xuanzhen, and demanded he completely sever ties with Zhu Lvyun—if he didn’t agree, he would be stripped of his position.

Li Xuanzhen refused to yield.

Li De was beside himself with rage. He drew the sword hanging by the dragon throne, making it as if to strike Li Xuanzhen, but was barely talked down by his attendants.

Now Li Xuanzhen remained confined in the palace, refusing to acknowledge anyone who came to persuade him.

Zheng Biyu had already heard from her maids about Zhu Lvyun volunteering for the marriage alliance. She said: “Given His Highness’s character, I’m afraid he won’t easily back down.”

As Li Xuanzhen’s wife, she understood him better than others.

Though he appeared gentle and composed in public, maintaining proper conduct, he was gloomy, melancholic, sensitive, suspicious, mercurial, and unpredictable.

In their four years of marriage, Zheng Biyu had suffered no grievances except for the lingering presence of Zhu Lvyun.

Li Xuanzhen respected her, and she reciprocated that respect for her husband.

But respect was all there was, no intimacy.

Despite sharing a bed for years and bearing him a son, Zheng Biyu found she still hadn’t penetrated Li Xuanzhen’s inner world.

She had never blamed Li Xuanzhen.

He had witnessed his mother, his only family, burn to death before his eyes. That woman, her face destroyed by the fierce flames, had clutched his hand in her final moments, imploring him to avenge her.

Zheng Biyu had seen burn victims—the horrifying sight still made her shudder to this day.

Lady Tang had ended her life most tragically, planting an indelible seed of vengeance in her son’s heart.

She had made Li Xuanzhen.

She had also destroyed him.

Zheng Biyu couldn’t bring herself to hate a Li Xuanzhen who was perpetually haunted by nightmares, who turned pale at the sight of flames, who often wielded his sword in manic episodes with bloodshot eyes.

She pitied her husband.

Zhu Lvyun didn’t believe in Li Xuanzhen’s sincerity.

Zheng Biyu did.

That year, when Li Xuanzhen was ordered to find Zhu Lvyun and her mother who had fled to live among common people, he saved the mother and daughter from a fire.

That former imperial consort, who had endured such hardships, was burned in the fire. On her deathbed, she begged Li Xuanzhen to take good care of Zhu Lvyun.

How similar it was to Lady Tang.

Li Xuanzhen sympathized with Zhu Lvyun and swore to the dying consort that he would care for Zhu Lvyun, guard her, and protect her at any cost.

No matter what trouble she caused.

Zheng Biyu understood that Li Xuanzhen’s feelings for Zhu Lvyun weren’t simply a man’s affection and pity for a woman—they were mixed with responsibility, promises shared in tragic circumstances, and a kind of compensation for his younger self that he hadn’t even noticed.

Such feelings were far more enduring than romantic love.

Zheng Biyu heaved a long sigh and said: “Chief Secretary unless we can prevent His Majesty from decreeing the marriage, it would be futile for me to go persuade His Highness.”

Wei Ming smiled bitterly: “His Majesty is still furious, Princess Fukang is adamant about marrying, and the Yelu tribe has joined with other barbarian tribes to pressure the court. The marriage decree may already be written.”

The court was now in an impossible position and could only proceed with the marriage. Li De was doubly enraged by Zhu Lvyun’s audacious behavior, making the alliance irreversible.

Zheng Biyu’s face showed concern: “Then is there truly no solution?”

Wei Ming shook his head and lowered his voice: “Since we cannot prevent the marriage decree, we must find another path.”

Zheng Biyu looked at Wei Ming questioningly.

Wei Ming whispered: “A substitute.”

Zheng Biyu suddenly understood: “Chief Secretary means to find another noble lady to marry in Princess Fukang’s place?”

Wei Ming nodded.

Zheng Biyu pondered for a moment before saying: “The Yelu tribe may not agree.”

For Zhu Lvyun to dare cause such trouble, she must have already reached some private arrangement with the Yelu tribe. Otherwise, they wouldn’t risk antagonizing Great Wei with such unreasonable demands.

With both sides willing—one to marry and one to wed—even Li De was helpless. What could they do?

Wei Ming smiled and said: “Whether the Yelu tribe agrees to a substitution is a matter for later. Your Highness need only go to the palace and tell the Crown Prince this idea, so he knows there’s still room for maneuver.”

The urgent matter now was to stabilize Li Xuanzhen and prevent greater conflict between father and son.

After long contemplation, Zheng Biyu nodded and ordered her servants to prepare a carriage.