Outside the city gates, crowds of people surged like waves.

On this warm spring day with gentle breezes, a steady stream of precious carriages and perfumed horses flowed out of the city for sightseeing. Looking out, the mortal world rolled on beneath colorful banners stretching to the heavens.

Along the main road, merchant caravans waiting to enter the city formed a winding line that curved and twisted until its end was lost from sight.

It was a scene of prosperity in an era of great peace.

When Duke Li Zhongqian’s carriage entered the imperial city, commoners recognized the Xie family banner. They stopped their horses and carriages to make way, pausing to watch.

The armed guards riding before and behind the carriage, all wore mourning clothes, their expressions stern.

They were in mourning for Princess Wenzhao.

The common people whispered among themselves: “I heard the Duke of Wei was gravely wounded and lost all his martial arts. He can never go to battle again. His only sister also died in the frontier lands – how pitiful and tragic!”

Amid the murmurs, the carriage curtains remained still, hanging low. The Second Prince, who used to love galloping through the city gates on a tall steed after each victory, now seemed ashamed to show his face, never emerging once.

The people watched the carriage disappear into the distance. Thinking of that once spirited and vigorous Second Prince, they exchanged glances and shook their heads with sighs.

The news quickly reached Taiji Palace. A eunuch entered to report.

Li De frowned and said, “Have the Qianniu Guard watch him.”

The eunuch acknowledged the order. When the imperial decree reached the Qianniu Guard, they were caught off guard. They hastily gathered their men and rushed out of the inner city in confusion to receive him.

An hour later, hundreds of armored guards from the Gate Guard, Left, and Right Qianniu Guard, and Left and Right Xiao Guard stood ready at the Duke of Wei’s mansion gates. Swords glinted in the gateway, and guards were stationed in ambush everywhere from the long street to the square.

Zheng Jing and Xue Wu rushed to answer the summons, waiting at the mansion steps.

The young men who once raced horses chasing the Seventh Princess were now both officials wearing green round-collared robes.

Xue Wu looked nervous, constantly wiping sweat.

Zheng Jing glanced at him. “What are you afraid of?”

Xue Wu shot back a glare: “Zheng San, aren’t you afraid of the Duke of Wei? Who was it that nearly got scared off his horse by him back then?”

Hearing the mention of the past, Zheng Jing froze.

Yes, he had once feared Li Zhongqian too – which noble youth who admired Princess Wenzhao didn’t fear him?

Princess Wenzhao was graceful and refined in her conduct. Though Li Zhongqian was also born of Noble Consort Xie, he was domineering and crude. He acted like he was third only to Heaven and Earth, often shocking society with his behavior, earning public contempt.

In those years, over half the noble young men who sought Princess Wenzhao’s hand were beaten half to death by Li Zhongqian.

To cite a recent example, the Prime Minister’s eighth son Xiao had several beautiful concubines outside and already had three or four children, yet dared to propose marriage to Princess Wenzhao. Li Zhongqian beat him until his head was covered in bumps.

The eldest grandson of the Cui family of Boling swore he had no concubines, no mistresses, and no illegitimate children, but was discovered to prefer male companions. Li Zhongqian flew into a rage and broke Young Master Cui’s leg in front of Emperor Li De and his civil and military officials.

Zheng Jing was present then. Young Master Cui’s screams of agony “lingered in the rafters” for three days. Just thinking about it made Zheng Jing ache for him.

So when Zheng Jing went to the prince’s mansion to propose marriage, his mother wept and pleaded, nearly kneeling before him: everyone knew how much Li Zhongqian loved Princess Wenzhao – how dare he, with no achievements or reputation, propose to the princess? Did he not want to live?

Zheng Jing was naturally refined and never did anything outrageous, but that time he proposed a marriage driven by passion.

He thought he was fearless, but when Li Zhongqian’s phoenix eyes turned coldly upon him, his soul nearly fled his body in terror. He wanted to find a crack in the ground to hide in.

That icy gaze was deeply etched in Zheng Jing’s memory. Even now, thinking of it sent chills down his spine.

Back then, he sincerely sought to marry Princess Wenzhao, and Li Zhongqian’s gaze suggested he wanted to chop off his head right there.

Now, Princess Wenzhao was dead.

She died alone thousands of miles away, having endured who knows what torments before her death.

Could Li Zhongqian who broke Young Master Cui’s leg let this end peacefully?

The court officials all knew the answer: No.

The Taiji Palace and Eastern Palace increased their guards. The prince’s troops were scattered and reassigned to various departments. Li Zhongqian was left with only the Xie family guard. Still not at ease, the officials sent away the Xie family guard too, allowing Li Zhongqian only twenty men to enter the city.

Mere twenty men couldn’t cause much trouble.

Besides, Li Zhongqian was now crippled, unable to even lift the golden hammers he was famous for. Otherwise, how would Li De dare let him return to the capital?

Zheng Jing remained composed, but Xue Wu couldn’t calm down.

He stood on tiptoe looking down the long street, spat, and said in a low voice: “You and I are new to court service, with shallow roots. That’s why we were sent here to receive the Duke of Wei – they did it on purpose! If the Duke casually cuts us down when he arrives, would His Majesty blame him? We’re just here for the Duke to vent his anger on!”

Zheng Jing lowered his eyes in silence.

Xue Wu smiled mockingly and said, “Zheng San, haven’t you heard about He Lan Yang?”

Zheng Jing shook his head.

Xue Wu moved closer and whispered: “Two years ago when His Majesty was fighting Southern Chu for Jingxiang, he suffered a major defeat. The strategist He Lan Yang suggested marrying Princess Wenzhao to gain support from Jingxiang’s powerful families. The Duke of Wei was on the battlefield then. When he heard this, he flew into a rage, led three thousand light cavalry to break through the siege, and saved Jingxiang. Afterward, he charged into the main tent with his blade and killed He Lan Yang in front of His Majesty – one slash and the tent was filled with blood.”

“After that, no one dared advise about Princess Wenzhao’s marriage. Otherwise, how would we have had the chance to propose?”

Xue Wu started trembling again, cold sweat pouring down.

“I’m not trying to scare you, but this time when the Duke returns to the capital, he’ll kill some people to vent his anger. His Majesty feels guilty about Princess Wenzhao and won’t punish him. I’ve offended the Duke before – today I might die under his hammer!”

Just as he finished speaking, the sound of carriage wheels rolling over stone tiles came from the long street. A carriage slowly approached, surrounded by guards in white.

Xue Wu jumped three feet high in fright.

Zheng Jing went forward to meet them.

Xue Wu stared blankly for a moment, cursing Zheng Jing’s fearlessness under his breath. Gritting his teeth, he signaled the hidden guards to stay alert, then followed.

The carriage didn’t stop until it reached the stone steps. The Qianniu Guard captain, with a eunuch holding the imperial decree waiting nearby, stepped forward with his long sword and demanded: “His Majesty’s decree is here, why doesn’t the Duke of Wei descend to receive it?”

The guards remained silent.

The captain frowned deeply and repeated loudly: “His Majesty’s decree is here, will the Duke of Wei not descend to receive it?”

The carriage curtain didn’t move, and the guards still said nothing.

The captain grew angry. He stepped forward and lifted the curtain. Seeing the scene inside, he froze and unconsciously stepped back.

Zheng Jing and Xue Wu followed his gaze.

A weak, emaciated figure descended from the carriage supported by guards. Standing on the ground, his body swayed several times before he raised his head.

Silence fell before the mansion gates.

Zheng Jing’s eyes showed surprise, but Xue Wu’s reaction was stronger – his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

The once brave and mighty Li Zhongqian was not only thin as a skeleton and barely able to stand but his sharp gaze was gone too. His whole person seemed listless and decrepit.

It was as if all his spirit had been drained away, leaving only a walking corpse.

Everyone was shocked speechless, not knowing what to say.

So the rumors were true – the Duke of Wei had been poisoned and become a cripple!

After a while, the Qianniu Guard sheathed their swords.

Xue Wu recovered from his shock and quietly let out a breath: now the Duke of Wei couldn’t kill anyone for vengeance – how could someone who needed support just to walk kill anyone?

He stepped forward and said softly, “Duke of Wei, His Majesty has a decree.”

Li Zhongqian raised his eyes and gave him a cold glance.

“Get lost.”

His voice was weak.

Xue Wu hesitated, not knowing what to say. Li Zhongqian had already walked past him, taking large steps. After just a few paces he was panting heavily. His guards quickly stopped, but he growled at them. The guards dared not make a sound, supporting him as he climbed the stone steps.

The Qianniu Guard watched Li Zhongqian’s trembling figure disappear for a while, then called out loudly: “Duke of Wei, do you mean to defy the imperial decree?”

The eunuch came forward with the decree.

Li Zhongqian’s footsteps paused. He glanced at the guard beside him.

The guard understood, turned and ran down the steps, drew his sword, and slashed at the box holding the decree in the eunuch’s hands.

With two loud crashes, the box split in half and fell to the ground, the decree inside also slashed to pieces.

The eunuch was terrified, screaming as he stumbled backward.

The Qianniu Guard captain raged: “Duke of Wei, you dare show such disrespect to His Majesty!”

Li Zhongqian ignored him and walked into the mansion gates without looking back.

Bang! The gates closed from the inside.

Everyone looked at each other in dismay.

Zheng Jing and Xue Wu exchanged a glance and returned to the palace to report.

Though the Duke of Wei had defied protocol and refused to receive the decree, thankfully no lives were lost.

Xue Wu spoke a few words in Li Zhongqian’s defense.

Their superior frowned and asked: “Has the Duke of Wei truly become a cripple?”

Both men nodded: “Indeed, we saw it with our own eyes.”

Xue Wu clicked his tongue and sighed: “You should have seen him – the Duke has become thin as a bamboo pole! A breeze could knock him over, and he pants like a bellows after walking just a few steps.”

A great general who once rivaled Crown Prince Li Xuanzhen had become a cripple just like that.

The superior nodded and entered the hall to report to Li De.

The next day, in the Eastern Palace.

A maid reported the news she had gathered to Zheng Biyu: “Last night His Majesty sent imperial physicians to examine the Duke of Wei. They all said his martial arts are truly gone – his hands shake constantly even holding chopsticks. His Majesty issued a decree praising the Duke, but he refused to receive it. His guards wounded several eunuchs, and when ministers from the Department of State Affairs went to visit him, his guards drove them away too. Now no one dares go to the Duke’s mansion.”

Zheng Biyu let out a sigh of relief.

If Li Zhongqian hadn’t been injured, he would surely have caused chaos in Chang’an. His current state was better for everyone.

Wei Ming wasn’t satisfied and continued sending people to investigate.

The spies reported that Li Zhongqian flew into a rage whenever palace people came to visit. Several times maids saw him try to lift his golden hammers to smash people, but he collapsed before he could even raise them.

The Eastern Palace officials secretly rejoiced: this fierce god would never again threaten the Crown Prince’s position.

Wei Ming reported this good news to Li Xuanzhen.

Li Xuanzhen’s wounds hadn’t healed. He reclined against an armrest, expressionless, merely grunted in response, and reassigned Wei Ming to teach the Crown Prince’s son.

Wei Ming froze for a moment, then smiled bitterly, bowed to Li Xuanzhen, and withdrew.

Everyone was confused: what was wrong with the Crown Prince? Why would he send away his most trusted Wei Ming?

Some sought out Zheng Biyu, asking her to intercede for Wei Ming.

Zheng Biyu firmly refused, saying she was just a woman of the inner palace and shouldn’t interfere with Eastern Palace affairs.

The others could only comfort Wei Ming: once the Crown Prince’s anger passes, he’ll surely summon you back!

Wei Ming was somewhat discouraged. Before leaving, he instructed everyone: “If there are any changes regarding Princess Wenzhao’s matter, you must let me know!”

Everyone readily agreed, but didn’t take it seriously.

Princess Wenzhao was already dead – what changes could there be?

They were currently worried about another matter: Zhu Lüyun had secretly run away, whereabouts unknown. They had searched everywhere but found no trace of her.

Fortunately, Li Xuanzhen was still severely wounded and mentally confused and hadn’t asked about Zhu Lüyun.

Li Zhongqian’s return to the capital had the entire court on tenterhooks, but now that his martial arts were gone, he hadn’t caused any great disturbance. Everyone relaxed.

The next day, there was a grand palace banquet celebrating the victorious generals.

The feast was held in the western pavilion of Linde Hall, with music and dancing, bright with colored candles.

Li Xuanzhen, who had long avoided public appearances, attended the banquet. His face was pale and gloomy.

Officials raised their cups to chat with him, but he responded coldly, unlike his usual approachability. The officials withdrew awkwardly.

Zheng Jing sat in a corner seat, glanced at Li Xuanzhen several times thoughtfully, and then stood and walked over to him.

“Your Highness.” Zheng Jing raised his cup and looked around. “I remember the night Princess Wenzhao asked for marriage proposals – it was at a banquet just like this. She attended in full formal dress, radiantly beautiful. The envoys from various countries were all asking which princess she was.”

Li Xuanzhen closed his eyes briefly and poured himself a cup of wine.

Zheng Jing smiled meaninglessly and returned to his seat.

The assembled civil and military officials were half drunk when Li De stood up. He dipped his fingernail in wine and flicked it in the air several times. Just as he was about to speak words of encouragement to his generals, a sudden commotion came from outside the hall.

The music stopped abruptly.

The atmosphere instantly became stiff and heavy.

Everyone started, not knowing what had happened, and looked toward the source of the sound.

In the flickering candlelight, a tall figure slowly climbed the stone steps, entering the great hall step by step.

It was Li Zhongqian, stripped of all martial arts.

He wore a snow-white robe, skeleton-thin, standing in the hall. His narrow phoenix eyes swept the room darkly.

Everyone’s hair stood on end, their hearts beating like drums. Their gazes fell to his waist – seeing him in all white, with no swords or daggers on his person, and no sign of those fear-inducing golden hammers, they quietly let out sighs of relief.

A crippled Li Zhongqian was nothing to worry about.