In the Taiji Palace’s Liangyi Hall, the imperial buildings had changed hands several times over mere decades. The palace buildings and pavilions had long fallen into disrepair and suffered multiple burnings, no longer maintaining their original grandeur. The palace walls were mottled, and burn marks could be seen everywhere between the corridor pillars.

Li Xuanzhen followed the young eunuch, slowly ascending the long steps. The early morning light filtered through thin clouds, pouring between the empty corridors and halls. The vermillion brackets, painted eaves, and jade-colored glazed tiles glimmered with scattered light.

Li De was in the inner hall, engaged in intense discussion with high officials from the Policy Court. During these imperial discussions, the attendants all withdrew to the outer hall’s corridor. More than a dozen people had been standing by the window frames for a long time, without even a cough being heard.

After Li Xuanzhen waited a while, heavy footsteps emerged from the inner hall. Before anyone appeared, Commander Pei’s booming voice came first: “His Majesty risked attacking the Alun clan to intimidate the other nine tribes with military might, not to send a princess for marriage! If she wants to marry, let her! The further away she marries, the better! Three thousand Wei soldiers were buried by the frozen river just to gain a chance to negotiate with those barbarians, and she’s ruined it all!”

Several elderly, gentle voices interrupted Commander Pei’s complaints, quietly urging him to calm down.

Then, several elderly officials in purple robes emerged, each wearing grave expressions. Leading them was Prime Minister Zheng Yu.

Seeing Li Xuanzhen with dark circles under his eyes, he sighed, stopped, and gestured for the others to go ahead.

Commander Pei stomped across the threshold, grumbling. His peripheral vision caught Li Xuanzhen, noting his haggard appearance and wrinkled clothes, knowing he had just been released after being confined overnight because of Zhu Lvyun. His mouth opened.

“Young Master, you—”

Just as he was about to scold him, others guessed his intention and immediately grabbed his arm, pulling him away.

Prime Minister Zheng stood in the corridor. After Commander Pei’s group had gone far enough, he looked at Li Xuanzhen with gentle, profound eyes.

“Your Highness, Princess Fukang is spoiled and capricious, constantly changing her mind. As heir apparent, you should avoid any further entanglement with her.”

His tone was casual, as if making small talk, yet carried an inherent gravity born of years of experience.

Li Xuanzhen remained silent.

Prime Minister Zheng shook his head with an ambiguous smile and unhurriedly descended the steps.

The attendant invited Li Xuanzhen to enter the hall.

Brilliant sunlight streamed through the half-open cyan-colored lattice windows into the inner hall, casting half-light, half-shadow through the light silk curtains. A gilt incense burner with xiezhi beast heads crouched before the dragon desk, breathing clouds of fragrant smoke. A faint scent of green-threaded turmeric permeated the air.

Li Xuanzhen entered and walked to the dragon desk.

Documents and memorials were piled like mountains on the desk. Vermillion brushes, ink stones, brush holders, paperweights, and water vessels were crowded messily in the corners, with document boxes haphazardly stacked, creating a scene of chaos.

Li De held a memorial, reading. The minister’s handwriting was delicate and orderly but tiny, forcing him to squint and lean close to read, crow’s feet creasing at his eyes.

A beam of light cut diagonally across his weather-beaten face, his temples snow-white beneath the black official headwear.

At first glance, the founding emperor of Great Wei looked like an ordinary elderly man, gentle and kind, advanced in years.

When he finished reading the memorial and slowly raised his gaze, for just a moment, all the floating light in the inner hall seemed to concentrate on him.

He sat there, silently watching Li Xuanzhen, saying nothing. His phoenix eyes, black and bottomless, contained a surging radiance that made one unable to meet his gaze.

Li Xuanzhen looked at his father, involuntarily recalling the stories his mother often recounted.

Li De was a concubine’s son of the Li family, born to a servant mother, experiencing hardship in his youth. However, he was blessed with an exceptionally handsome face, with picturesque features exuding refined charm.

People of the time had a saying: “The young master Li of Wei County is unmatched in the world.”

When Li De was twenty-four, he accompanied his elder clan members to a banquet, wearing ordinary white robes. On others, such clothes would appear poor and plain, but on him they made him look like a jade tree in a forest of gems, clear and elegant.

Lady Tang happened to be at the feast. One glance at Li De, and she couldn’t look away.

Years later, when Li De’s forces were utterly defeated and he sought refuge at the Xie family’s door, riding past the plank bridge below Jingnan City in worn plain clothes, disheveled and gaunt, he could still make the Xie family’s legitimate daughter fall in love at first sight.

Both Li Xuanzhen and Li Zhongqian inherited Li De’s phoenix eyes, but in terms of bearing, neither could match the young Li De.

Li De’s cousin once said that while both nephews’ features resembled Li De’s, Li Xuanzhen was too reserved and gloomy, lacking Li De’s commanding presence, while Li Zhongqian was too mercurial and violent, missing Li De’s underlying grace and composure.

She also said that among the Li family children, only Li Yaoying didn’t have phoenix eyes and looked least like a Li, yet her natural beauty most resembled Li De’s youth—that devastating charm that could enter anyone with a single glance.

The young Li De had countless noble ladies admiring him.

Time flew swiftly, and nearly twenty years passed. The years left traces of weathering on his face but didn’t diminish his looks, only polishing him to become more gentle and refined.

Born with features that made it impossible for others to hate him, he was the most cold-hearted and detached.

Father and son gazed at each other for a moment.

Li De asked: “Have you come to your senses?”

Instead of answering, Li Xuanzhen asked: “Has Your Majesty already issued the marriage decree?”

Li De’s eyes flashed with disappointment as he lowered his head to unfurl another scroll: “We cannot break faith with the world. Since Zhu Lvyun insists on marrying, We shall grant her wish.”

Li Xuanzhen clenched his fists: “What if I don’t agree?”

Without looking up, Li De said: “Zhangnü, this concerns state affairs. Don’t be willful.”

Li Xuanzhen said: “It’s both state affairs and family matters.”

Li De raised his head, his phoenix eyes deep, his gaze containing reproach: “State affairs, family matters, matters of the world—which weighs more? Which weighs less? Is a mere woman worth all this?”

Li Xuanzhen was silent for a moment before a bitter smile appeared on his face.

“A mere woman,” he repeated, each word bleeding.

Li De shifted his gaze away.

Years ago, when Li De was keeping his promise to marry Xie Manyan, Tang Ying suddenly appeared and disrupted the wedding.

Li De, dressed in military attire, looked at the resolute Tang Ying, then at his loyal followers in the courtyard, showing hesitation.

His military advisor appeared beside him, whispering: “General, the alliance between the Li and Xie families is already settled.”

Li De closed his eyes briefly, thinking of the tens of thousands of Wei soldiers who died because of his rash actions, of his cousin who died under the blade while helping him break through enemy lines, of his starving soldiers and the Xie family’s warehouses full of grain.

“A mere woman,” he muttered, turning to take Xie Manyan’s hand.

The young Li De had been proud, thinking he could handle domestic entanglements.

In the past, Emperor Xuan of Han, Liu Xun, had remained devoted to an old love, offending Huo Guang. His wife Xu Pingjun died tragically at the hands of Lady Huo. Although he later secured his throne and avenged Xu Pingjun, he could never bring back the wife who had shared his hardships.

Li De was confident he wouldn’t become Liu Xun.

And Tang Ying could never become another Xu Pingjun.

He believed he could both use the noble families to build his power and protect his wife and son, gradually weakening those families until, by the time he ascended the throne, Tang Ying would be his empress.

For an official, one should aspire to be Commander of the Imperial Guards; for a wife, one should seek a Yin Lihua.

Yin Lihua waited seventeen years to become the empress mother of the realm.

But Tang Ying didn’t live to see Li De ascend the throne, dying in a great fire.

She left behind a final letter, each character sharp and forceful, penetrating the paper: “My lord, I bow three times before you. Today I part from you forever. May we never meet again, in this life or the next, in heaven or hell!”

Before the beast-headed incense burner, blue smoke coiled, the fragrance pure and fresh.

Li De slowly unfolded a memorial, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

The heart-wrenching pain he felt upon reading that final letter surfaced once again.

He should have known—how could someone as fierce-spirited as Tang Ying be like Yin Lihua, understanding and patient enough to endure with him for over a decade?

When she discovered his marriage to Lady Xie, she wanted to leave him immediately. She only stayed, swallowing her pride, for Li Xuanzhen’s sake.

And it was also for Li Xuanzhen that she burned herself to death, burning the child in her womb as well.

Mother and child, two lives in one body.

Li De emerged from his reverie. “Zhangnü, state affairs come first. You are the heir apparent—remember your position.”

Li Xuanzhen remained unmoved, laughing coldly: “Your Majesty, you adopted Yun’niang, indulged her, used her. Her ruining your plans is the fruit of your actions.”

Li De smiled slightly. Though his hair was white, his smile still carried his former grace: “We have never mistreated her. Whatever she wanted, We gave. Now she wants to marry into the Yelu tribe, We agree.”

Li Xuanzhen’s expression remained calm.

The trouble was indeed caused by Zhu Lvyun—the fault lay with her.

He was at fault too. He had thought Zhu Lvyun was merely jealous recently and had lowered his guard, never imagining she would become entangled with the barbarians.

Now, as the Crown Princess suggested, since they couldn’t prevent the marriage alliance, they had to find a way to protect Zhu Lvyun.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Li Xuanzhen said: “Your Majesty, haven’t you wondered why the Yelu tribe insists on marrying Yun’niang?”

Li De’s expression darkened slightly.

Li Xuanzhen continued: “Your Majesty won over the Yelu chieftain with gold and treasure, which is why he brought his sons to pay respects at court. But now the Yelu chieftain deliberately pressures you for Yun’niang’s hand, inciting other tribes to pressure the court. What does Yun’niang possess that makes the Yelu tribe willing to take such a risk?”

Li De remained silent, his eyes flashing with sharp intelligence.

Li Xuanzhen knew he had achieved his goal.

“Letting Yun’niang marry into the Yelu tribe is too dangerous. If Yun’niang joins forces with the Yelu tribe to attack Chang’an, can Chang’an hold? Or if the Yelu tribe recruits soldiers under the banner of the Zhu family’s son-in-law, how would Your Majesty handle that?”

Li De frowned.

Li Xuanzhen continued steadily: “Before understanding the Yelu chieftain’s true intentions, Your Majesty would do better to choose another bride for the alliance. As for Yun’niang, she indeed doesn’t know her place. I will discipline her properly and ensure she never appears before Your Majesty again.”

After pondering for a moment, Li De waved his hand, dismissing Li Xuanzhen.

Leaving Liangyi Hall, Li Xuanzhen immediately went to the Princess’s mansion to see Zhu Lvyun, who was under house arrest.

The Chief Secretary had been waiting outside the palace gates for a long time and came forward to meet him.

Before he could speak, Li Xuanzhen had already cracked his horsewhip and galloped away, leaving only dust.

The Chief Secretary heaved a long sigh.

…

The Princess’s mansion was heavily guarded, with the Imperial Guards stationed in layers both inside and out, even soldiers posted throughout the inner courtyard.

As Li Xuanzhen walked in, he observed his surroundings, completely abandoning any thought of smuggling Zhu Lvyun away secretly.

The sentries were too densely posted.

Zhu Lvyun sat with her hair loose, hugging her knees. She had been sitting like that all night, crying until both eyes were swollen.

Li Xuanzhen strode into the inner chamber, grabbed Zhu Lvyun’s hand, pulled her to her feet, and demanded harshly: “Who incited you to do this?”

Zhu Lvyun stumbled, raised her face, and smiled through tears: “No one incited me! I want to go through with the marriage alliance! I don’t want to be entangled with you anymore! I’ll marry far away, go find my aunt—she’s my only relative in this world. From then on you can be free of me. I wish you and the Crown Princess happiness until old age.”

Li Xuanzhen helplessly released her hand and rubbed his brow: “Yun’niang, tell me honestly, what did you exchange with the Yelu tribe? Why do they want to marry you?”

Without someone arranging it, how could she possibly know people from the Yelu tribe?

Li Xuanzhen didn’t know the Yelu tribe’s purpose, but he was certain of one thing: Zhu Lvyun was being used again.

For years she had been a pawn in Li De’s hands. Now, trying to escape that fate, she had thrown herself into another web.

He had to stop her. Otherwise, with her temperament, without his protection, how much would she suffer?

Zhu Lvyun wiped her eyes: “My affairs are none of your concern!”

A vein throbbed at Li Xuanzhen’s temple: “You want to marry into a nomadic tribe? Do you know the Yelu chieftain is over sixty? They are barbarians with savage customs—when the father dies, the son inherits everything, including all women except his birth mother! They follow water and grasslands, with no fixed home. They barely eat enough when pastures are rich, and when food is scarce they raid the Central Plains, plundering the common people. Do you know where their women live? What do they eat? What do they wear?”

He had never lost his temper with Zhu Lvyun before. Faced with this barrage of questions, she had no response. In a fit of pique, she turned and threw herself before the bed, covering her face and sobbing.

Between sobs, she said brokenly: “Don’t care about me, don’t care about me! From today on, I, Zhu Lvyun, cut all ties with you Li family people! Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you!”

Li Xuanzhen looked at Zhu Lvyun, deep weariness washing over him.

He remembered her mother, that pitiful woman, clutching him desperately, her burned face full of pleading.

“If I don’t look after you, who will?”

Li Xuanzhen sighed and turned to leave.

The Chief Secretary had huffed and puffed his way to the Princess’s mansion. “Your Highness, what did His Majesty say?”

Li Xuanzhen mounted his horse, his face stern: “His Majesty suspects the Yelu tribe now. He will agree to a substitute.”

The Chief Secretary exhaled deeply.

With His Majesty’s tacit approval, the next challenge was the Yelu tribe.

Who could they send as a substitute bride that would tempt the Yelu chieftain?