In Chang’an, at the Taiji Palace.

Twilight approached, the light growing dim. A eunuch held short candles, lighting one by one the candles on the gilt candelabra, moving them to the imperial desk. The lion-shaped incense burner exhaled waves of faint green cardamom fragrance.

Li De lowered his head to review memorials, just reaching the surrender document presented by Western Shu’s Meng clan when the pearl curtain rustled and hurried footsteps sounded beyond the screen.

“Your Majesty!”

A eunuch, face pale and covered in sweat, ran into the inner chamber, his knees giving way as he slid into a kneeling position before the imperial desk.

“The Crown Prince has returned!”

Li De started, frowning slightly as he put down the surrender document: “Why has he returned early?”

The eunuch trembled all over, speaking incoherently: “Your Majesty… the Right Guard of the Imperial Guards said to ask you to temporarily withdraw to the rear hall. The Crown Prince… His Highness…”

Li De’s face darkened: “What about the Crown Prince?”

The eunuch, bloodless-faced, prostrated himself, carefully choosing his words as his voice trembled: “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince entered the palace without an edict. The Imperial Guards dared not let him enter the hall – the Crown Prince forced his way in!”

Li De froze, his face stern as he stood up. The eunuch hurried forward to support him to the rear hall but was pushed away.

The eunuch fell to the ground, not daring to make a sound, then scrambled up and staggeringly followed Li De.

Candlelight flickered, and shadows loomed before the hall doors amidst a clamor of voices. The Imperial Guards held long sabers, standing guard at the steps, loudly rebuking someone as footsteps scattered in chaos.

Li De walked out of the inner chamber. The Imperial Guards at the door were terrified, kneeling to say: “Your Majesty, please temporarily withdraw…”

Before the sentence was finished, Li De had already walked past them.

The Imperial Guards were alarmed, cold sweat covering their foreheads. They exchanged glances and helplessly followed.

Li De stood in the corridor, hands behind his back.

Below the steps, a tall figure moved against the flow of people, climbing the terrace step by step, wearing black clothes, cold as a blade, carrying a sword.

One glance was enough for Li De to recognize his son’s silhouette.

Li Xuanzhen came alone – though this was an offense, it wasn’t a capital crime. The Imperial Guards knew Li De’s regard for him and dared not harm him, only surrounding him heavily to prevent him from suddenly attacking anyone.

The Imperial Guards pleaded with Li De: “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince appears to be in a state of madness. Please withdraw temporarily!”

Li De’s gaze was dark.

“Seize him, but do not harm him.”

With these orders, the Imperial Guards gained some courage. They saluted, abandoned their sabers for long spears, and leaped forward, first trying to knock away Li Xuanzhen’s sword.

Li Xuanzhen’s expression remained calm, his phoenix eyes fixed on Li De beyond the crowd as he swung his sword to break the spears, continuing forward.

The sword light danced – he didn’t harm anyone, but his defense was like an iron wall, impenetrable to wind or rain as he approached the corridor step by step.

The Imperial Guards had no choice. They made a gesture, and guards from the front and back of the hall received the order, gritting their teeth as they charged forward. Like a tide, they surged toward Li Xuanzhen. Amidst the silver flash of the sword, more than a dozen large hands simultaneously grabbed for his arms and legs.

Li Xuanzhen couldn’t move. With a clang, the sword fell.

The Imperial Guards were overjoyed, quickly kicking away the sword and twisting his arms.

Li Xuanzhen still wore a calm expression, standing on the steps, staring at Li De in the corridor.

“Your Majesty…” the Commander cautiously asked, “the Crown Prince has behaved improperly. How should he be dealt with?”

Li De’s face was clouded as he turned to enter the hall: “Bring him in!”

Everyone exchanged glances, not daring to speak.

Li Xuanzhen’s expression was very different from usual, his eyes overflowing with fierce killing intent. The Imperial Guards were uneasy, fearing something might happen. They bound his hands behind his back and carefully checked him for other weapons before sending him to the inner hall.

Li De stood before the imperial desk, his face full of anger as he waved for others to withdraw.

The Commander was inwardly distressed but saluted and withdrew.

After the footsteps faded away, Li De walked to Li Xuanzhen and, with a crack, delivered a heavy slap to his son’s face.

He was a warrior, and this slap held no restraint in its force. Li Xuanzhen was knocked over onto the gold brick floor, blood seeping from his lips.

“Of all people to emulate, you choose Li Zhongqian?”

Li De’s voice was ice-cold. “I am the emperor, and the palace guards are strict – did you think you could force your way in alone to kill me? If I hadn’t gone out to stop the Imperial Guards, they could have killed you! As heir to the nation, drawing your sword to force entry to the palace in public – how will you command respect when this spreads? How will you intimidate the officials? I can establish you as heir, and I can depose you!”

“Where has all your usual scheming patience gone?”

Li De knew Li Xuanzhen wanted to kill him, but he hadn’t expected his son to be so reckless, so impulsive! Before his wings were fully grown, he dared to storm the palace single-handed!

He said coldly: “Zhangnuu, if you truly wanted to kill me, you should have been patient and hidden your intentions, gathered forces, and bought loyalty. Even if you couldn’t make it perfect, you should at least ensure I had no power to counterattack, ensure the court officials dared not speak up, ensure the other princes couldn’t find weakness in you!”

“Your actions today – how foolish!”

Li Xuanzhen raised his face, blood crimson at his lips, appearing mad: “I was indeed foolish. If I had learned from Li Zhongqian earlier, how could things have become like this?”

Li De looked at his swollen face, suppressing his anger as his voice softened somewhat: “Zhangnuu, you are your father’s most beloved son. Did Li Zhongqian’s attempts to drive a wedge between us as father and son succeed so easily?”

Li Xuanzhen remained unmoved, his gaze holding only disgust for Li De.

“What need is there for others to drive a wedge between us as father and son?”

“Li De, I should have killed you long ago… when Mother died, I should have acted then.”

Li De was the Great General of Wei Commandery, a military leader constantly surrounded by tiger generals. When Central Plains was divided and unstable, he neither had confidence in killing Li De nor understood that killing Li De would certainly throw the world into chaos. He lacked the power to clean up the aftermath which would only cause more people to become displaced. So he continued to play the dutiful son to Li De’s loving father, led the Wei army in charges and attacks, pacified chaos, and assisted Li De in establishing Great Wei.

When the day came that the realm was unified, that would be when he struck Li De down.

He always remembered Tang’s dying instructions, living this life for revenge. He could wait.

But now he couldn’t wait any longer.

He was tired and sought release.

“Mother told me to kill you, to kill the Xie clan members. Whatever Mother said, I would obey… I’ve failed Mother…”

Tears glinted in Li Xuanzhen’s eyes.

Li De looked at his son and sighed, wearily waving his hand.

“I will handle today’s matter. Go back first and cool down to reflect.”

Li Xuanzhen laughed coldly: “How does Your Majesty plan to handle it?”

Li De rubbed his brow, “I will cover for you.”

Li Zhongqian was unruly, his reputation was already ruined. Having lost his sister, he attempted assassination in public, but court officials weren’t surprised – many pleaded for mercy on his behalf.

Li Xuanzhen was different – he was the heir to the nation. Today’s events absolutely could not spread!

The few eunuchs in the corner trembled, a chill creeping from their feet throughout their bodies.

The Crown Prince had publicly forced his way into the palace, openly breaking with His Majesty – everyone present today, without exception, couldn’t escape!

The Head Eunuch closed his eyes in despair – serving the emperor was like serving a tiger.

In the oppressive silence came several mocking laughs as Li Xuanzhen’s lips curved: “Your Majesty need not trouble yourself for me. The matter between us two need not involve others.”

He could gather troops to attack the Taiji Palace, but the timing wasn’t right – he didn’t yet have the strength to contend with Li De. Forcing a coup would only implicate more innocents.

He didn’t want to wait anymore.

Li De’s brow suddenly jumped: “What have you done?”

Li Xuanzhen laughed coldly: “What I should have done long ago.”

As his words fell, from beyond the curtain came a eunuch’s terrified, trembling shriek: “Your Majesty! The Prince of Han’s heir has arrived!”

Li De started. The pearl curtain shook violently as a figure stumbled into the great hall, falling to the ground, shaking all over, and bursting into loud sobs.

A strong smell of blood struck their faces.

Li De looked down. The Prince of Han’s heir was his nephew – the heir’s father had followed him in campaigns north and south, being enfeoffed as Prince of Han for his merits.

The heir knelt before his feet, hair disheveled, shaking like a sieve, crying with snot and tears, his robes in disarray and emitting a terrible stench. Blood dripped steadily from his sleeves and hem onto the ground, leaving a long trail on the gold brick floor.

Li De looked at Li Xuanzhen: “What have you done?”

Before Li Xuanzhen could speak, the heir wailed even louder, knocking his forehead against the ground with loud thuds.

“Your Majesty! The Crown Prince has gone mad! The Crown Prince killed my father! Killed my third uncle, killed my fourth uncle… six people, six living people! All died by the Crown Prince’s sword! All the guests in the residence witnessed it! The Crown Prince must be mad! He murdered his kin, even able to strike down his uncles!”

“Your Majesty! My father followed Your Majesty in battle, serving faithfully before and behind the saddle, loyal to the core, and contributing to the state. He should have been enjoying his elder years, but instead met a cruel death by the Crown Prince’s sword – how unjust!”

“The Crown Prince is violent and cruel, ruthless and vicious, killing his uncles. How can such a murderer be fit to be heir?! As a son, I cannot sit quietly while my father is unjustly slain. If Your Majesty doesn’t give me and other Li clan members an explanation, even at the cost of my life, I must seek justice for my father!”

The hall was silent, no one making a sound except for the heir’s loud sobbing echoing in every corner of the inner hall.

Through his broken narrative, everyone understood what had happened.

Today the Prince of Han’s residence held a grand feast, with all seats filled by Li clan relatives. At the height of the drinking, Li Xuanzhen suddenly appeared. Everyone was surprised and delighted, about to ask about the frontier campaign when he suddenly drew his sword and killed the Prince of Han.

Chaos immediately erupted.

The residence guards immediately drew swords to meet him but were no match for Li Xuanzhen. With one person and one sword, he killed his way from the main hall to the inner courtyard, personally killing six Li clan members, bathed in blood, his eyes red, like a demon crawled up from the underworld.

Now the residence was filled with crying – the heir’s mother had fainted three times.

Li De’s aged face twitched slightly as he looked at Li Xuanzhen, his whole body trembling. After a long silence, he suddenly gave a muffled grunt and fell backward.

“Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty!”

The eunuchs rushed forward to support Li De.

Li De pushed away the eunuchs, gave a cry, and vomited a mouthful of blood, his finger pointing at Li Xuanzhen: “Wicked creature! Wicked creature!”

He had publicly murdered clan relatives – how could this situation possibly be contained?

Li Xuanzhen’s long phoenix eyes lifted slightly as he glanced at the sobbing heir, fierce killing intent flashing in their depths.

The heir had witnessed six relatives being killed and was already terrified of Li Xuanzhen. Seeing him still so fierce and murderous before Li De, he felt his hair stand on end and turned to crawl away: “The Crown Prince wants to silence witnesses!”

Li Xuanzhen ignored him. Taking advantage of everyone’s attention being on the heir, his figure suddenly erupted into motion, leaping toward the imperial desk. With a clang, he drew the sword from beside it, pointing the tip at Li De.

Everyone was shocked, rushing forward to intervene.

Li Xuanzhen swept aside the approaching eunuchs with one palm, the sword tip piercing inch by inch into Li De’s right shoulder.

Li De didn’t dodge.

Everyone’s legs trembled: they could unhesitatingly shoot Li Zhongqian, but now the assassin was the Crown Prince – without Li De’s word, who dared truly strike to kill Li Xuanzhen?

Li Xuanzhen gripped Li De’s shoulder, continuing to apply force: “Father, do you know why I killed the Li clan members?”

Li De erupted in fury, striking out with a palm carrying substantial force.

Li Xuanzhen’s sword was knocked from his hand, but he continued lunging forward as if uncaring for his life.

Li De was greatly alarmed, fearing to harm his son. Gritting his teeth, he withdrew his palms, flipping his wrist to strike Li Xuanzhen with the back of his hand instead. Li Xuanzhen fell before the imperial desk.

The eunuchs tremblingly came forward to treat Li De’s wound, but Li De pushed them away, pulling the sword from his shoulder.

The pearl curtain swayed as the Imperial Guards rushed over.

Li De barked: “All withdraw!”

The Imperial Guards exchanged glances and withdrew beyond the screen with bitter smiles.

Li De threw down the sword. “Why did you kill your uncles?”

Li Xuanzhen looked at him, laughing coldly: “That year when rebel troops attacked Wei Commandery… everyone else escaped, only my mother and I were trapped in the city. You think this was a coincidence?”

Li De’s pupils suddenly dilated.

Li Xuanzhen stood up, continuing: “The rebels were deliberately let into the city because they wanted to kill my mother and me. At that time, weren’t you already discussing marriage with other noble families?”

Li De’s expression was grave.

Li Xuanzhen coldly looked at his father: “You were the Great General, everyone said you would become a regional hegemon. Mother wasn’t worthy of you – they wanted a matriarch who could bring benefit to the Li family. The Prince of Han was commanding troops defending Wei Commandery then. Though he knew Mother and I were trapped, he deliberately refused to send rescue forces, delaying…”

He closed his eyes briefly.

“That night they locked the gates from outside and set fires, wanting to burn us to death. Mother and I escaped, but rebels were everywhere. I was scared and crying loudly. Mother comforted me, saying Father was a great hero – if we could just find Father, no one would dare bully us.”

He opened his eyes, his phoenix eyes desolate.

“Li De, there was chaos everywhere. My mother was just a woman who couldn’t even tie up a chicken, with a child in tow. Do you know what she suffered?”

Li De’s eyes suddenly widened, his hands trembling.

Li Xuanzhen’s face was expressionless.

Li De stepped forward, tightly gripping Li Xuanzhen’s collar, his aged face twisted grotesquely, no longer showing his usual composure.

“You’ve gone mad, to slander your mother so!”

Li Xuanzhen looked back at him: “You’ll never know how much suffering Mother and I endured.”

Li De’s face turned ashen, almost ghostlike, his teeth chattering as he released his grip and staggered backward.

Li Xuanzhen stared directly at him: “Mother went through so much, believing everything would be fine if she found you. Later, we did find you… you were marrying the Xie woman, and before my mother’s face, you told the Xie woman you would never fail her.”

“Never fail her” – these were the very words Li De had sworn on the night he married Tang Ying.

Li De lost his balance, crashing down before the imperial desk with a clang, knocking over the lion incense burner, his face contorted: “Why didn’t she tell me? Why?!”

“Tell you?” Li Xuanzhen’s gaze was icy. “Tell you while you were marrying another woman, only to be abandoned by you again?”

Tang Ying had already lost faith in Li De. She stayed by his side only because she recognized reality.

So when she argued with Li clan members and Xie family servants, hearing the Li clan members’ veiled remarks that she wasn’t worthy to be the wife, she was shocked and angry, suspecting the Xie family knew what had happened to her during her flight.

Li Xuanzhen enunciated each word: “Mother was just an ordinary woman without much experience. She was too frightened and lost the child – it was born without breath.”

Li De’s face was ghastly pale, his lips trembling, unable to speak a word.

Ying’niang had miscarried?

“Mother had already made her decision then, having the child buried. Later the wet nurse told me that if everyone knew Mother had miscarried, they would only think she took her own life from grief and depression. How then would you remember her forever? So she made the wet nurse keep it secret, and on the day you returned home, she set fire to the courtyard. Only this way could she leave an indelible mark on you, make you feel guilty for life.”

She died, preserving her reputation and securing the position of heir for Li Xuanzhen.

Li De would never forget her.

Li Xuanzhen picked up the fallen sword: “Mother got what she wanted… but Mother never asked me if I wanted to be the heir.”

In those chaotic times, he had no other wishes – he just wanted to live well with Mother. He urged Tang Ying not to contend with the Xie clan, his only hope being to end the chaos soon so everyone could live peaceful, stable lives.

When he learned Mother was pregnant again, he was overjoyed.

As the elder brother, he would love and protect his siblings well, shield them, and let them grow up without worries.

His sister died at birth, never getting to grow up.

Mother also died, deranged and demanding vengeance in her final moments.

Li Xuanzhen knelt before his mother, tearfully making his vow.

He hated Li De, hated this chaotic world, hated everyone – he would make everyone accompany his mother in death.

Guilt toward his mother made him lose reason and made him mercurial.

He knew Li Yaoying was innocent, softening repeatedly, yet repeatedly hardening his heart when remembering his mother.

“I’ve investigated everything. The person who ordered servants to lock the courtyard gates that night has died by my sword. When you were marrying the Xie woman, those who prevented Mother and me from attending weren’t Xie family members but Li clan members.”

“I’ve killed them all.”

“I cannot fulfill all Mother’s dying wishes. I’ve failed Mother. When I reach the Nine Springs below, I’ll apologize to her.”

Li Xuanzhen turned, walking toward the imperial desk, swinging his sword down.

“Crown Prince, stop!”

A whistling sound split the air as an arrow pierced through, embedding deeply in Li Xuanzhen’s shoulder.

Li Xuanzhen didn’t even sway, his sword continuing toward Li De.

The Imperial Guards’ eyes bulged as they leaped forward, blocking this mighty strike, rolling several times while holding Li De.

Others continued shooting arrows.

Li Xuanzhen’s expression was numb as he raised the sword again.

He had nightmares every night, neither human nor ghost, finding brief peace only during those days at Red Cliff when nightmares no longer haunted him.

Yueer, who had brought him that moment of peace, had been sent by his hand to her doom.

He had brought this on himself.

A faint smile appeared on Li Xuanzhen’s face.

Arrows fell like a spider’s web around him.

He fell with a smile on his lips.

“No!”

Li De pushed away the Imperial Guards, scrambling up: “Everyone stops for me!”

The Imperial Guards hurriedly put away their bows and arrows.

Li De stepped through the scattered arrows, rushing to Li Xuanzhen’s side, and lifting him.

Li Xuanzhen was covered in blood but struggled to grab an arrow, trying to stab Li De.

Li De knocked away his hand: “Zhangnuu, you’ve gone mad!”

Was he trying to force him to order the Imperial Guards to kill him? He was the Crown Prince, the future emperor – the whole world would be his inheritance, why did he scorn it?

Li Xuanzhen grinned, his teeth stained red with blood: “Li De, either you die or I perish…”

Only this way could he find release.

He wanted to be Mother’s eternal servant, not hold the position of heir bought with Mother’s life!

Li De’s eyes bulged.

…

Half an hour later, news spread from the Taiji Palace that Crown Prince Li Xuanzhen had gone mad with drink, accidentally killing the Prince of Han and others. Li De was furious and ordered him imprisoned in the dungeon.

The world was shocked.

The Li clan relatives were very dissatisfied. Several princesses donned mourning clothes, kneeling before the palace gates weeping. Court officials submitted memorials of impeachment, all suppressed by Li De with thunderous force. Days later, the Court of Judicial Review uncovered dozens of crimes by the Prince of Han – wanton killing, kidnapping commoners, accepting bribes, seizing farmland, and more. The Prince’s heir was also implicated and imprisoned for his crimes.

Li De executed several nobles but didn’t stop there, continuing to investigate the imperial clan. Everyone feared for themselves. He took the opportunity to exile several princes, striking ruthlessly without mercy. Court officials were silent as cicadas in winter.

During this time, Li De repeatedly sent people to persuade Li Xuanzhen, but Li Xuanzhen remained silent.

Two days later, Crown Princess Zheng Biyu entered the palace and saw her husband in the dungeon.

“Dalang…” she handed over a wax-sealed parchment scroll, “This came from Yizhou.”

Li Xuanzhen didn’t move.

Zheng Biyu said softly: “Princess Wenzhao is still alive.”

Li Xuanzhen’s body stiffened as his eyes suddenly opened.

“What did you say?”

He asked hoarsely.

Zheng Biyu said: “When you sent people to escort Zhu Lvyun to Yizhou, they accidentally heard the news that Princess Wenzhao is still in this world – she was taken by Haidu Aling.”

Zhu Lvyun had vanished without a trace, and Li Xuanzhen hadn’t asked or inquired about it. Zheng Biyu couldn’t understand why until Du Sinan brought this parchment scroll.

It turned out Li Xuanzhen had sent her away. Zhu Lvyun wanted to reunite with her aunt, and he granted her wish, taking the opportunity to have his guards infiltrate her escort to investigate Northern Rong’s eyes and ears in Great Wei. His previous pretense of not knowing Zhu Lvyun’s whereabouts was just to mislead the Northern Rong.

This man had arranged everything for everyone.

He had prepared himself for death.

Zheng Biyu looked into Li Xuanzhen’s eyes, speaking in a whisper: “Dalang, you still can’t kill His Majesty now… You still have attachments. Princess Wenzhao is your heart’s knot. She’s still alive – go find her. You sent her away back then, now you should be the one to bring her back.”

“This is what you owe her.”

Li Xuanzhen lowered his head, gripping the parchment scroll tightly, the veins standing out on the back of his hand.