Master Du shook his head without speaking. Regardless of anything else, this matter was finally temporarily suppressed. At least for a year, Madam Du would not bring it up again.
Though Wang Xianyue did not know their conversation, she understood that after today, she could have peace and would not need to constantly worry about concubines entering the household. The one who brought her this peace was the person before her.
“Your Ladyship’s kindness—Xianyue will never forget it as long as I live.” Facing her thanks, Yunyi helped her up. “Given our friendship, such words seem rather distant.”
Wang Xianyue smiled slightly. “If it were only today’s visit, there would be no need for such formality. But Your Ladyship even brought out Consort Lin’s name for my sake—this alone is enough for Xianyue to offer such courtesy.”
The corners of Yunyi’s eyes lifted slightly as she said with a half-smile, “So you guessed?”
“When the Wang family was at its peak, though I didn’t concern myself much with affairs outside the residence, I knew that the Wang family had no close past relationships, and certainly no dealings with Consort Lin. How could she specifically bestow gifts and give such instructions? However…” Her face showed worry. “Is it all right for Your Ladyship to use Consort Lin’s name to protect me like this? If word reaches Consort Lin’s ears, I fear she might be displeased.”
Yunyi smiled. “That’s precisely why you’ll accompany me into the palace tomorrow. First, to apologize to Consort Lin, and second… to make the false become true.”
“Make the false become true?” Wang Xianyue asked puzzledly. “What does that mean?”
“Consort Lin is kindhearted. If she knows your situation, and with my words from the side, she might truly offer you protection. With Consort Lin’s backing, though Madam Du is unreasonable, she wouldn’t dare oppose a first-rank consort of the current dynasty.”
Wang Xianyue hadn’t expected her to plan so thoroughly on her behalf, and felt even more grateful. “For Your Ladyship to consider so much for Xianyue—I truly don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
“You and I have known each other since childhood and are the closest of friends. I always hope for your well-being. Moreover, I personally arranged this marriage, so if you suffer grievances, how could my conscience be at ease?”
Wang Xianyue quickly said, “Your Ladyship must not think this way. True, my acquaintance with my husband was through Your Ladyship’s introduction, but marrying him was my own decision. Whether in joy or sorrow, it concerns no one else.” After a pause, she added, “Though some troubles have arisen recently, I don’t regret my past decision. My husband… is someone worthy of my lifelong trust.”
Yunyi patted her hand. “It’s good that you think this way. In any case, if anything happens, just come to me, and I’ll certainly do everything in my power to help.”
The next day, the carriage arrived as scheduled to take Wang Xianyue to the palace. When Consort Lin learned that Yunyi had used her name to pressure Madam Du into not daring to arrange a concubine for Du Ruhui, not only did she show no displeasure, but she also asked Xianyue several questions with a pleasant expression. When they parted, she even gave Xianyue a jade pendant. Though she didn’t say so explicitly, both Yunyi and Xianyue understood that she was tacitly agreeing to protect Xianyue. The jade pendant was like a protective talisman, enough to ensure Xianyue’s peace for quite some time.
Li Jiancheng and the others’ defeat had long been known throughout Chang’an, but besides the defeat itself, the marketplace was discussing another matter—Li Jiancheng’s refusal to open the city gates when he saw Great Tang soldiers being tortured and killed by Xue Ju.
Though Li Jiancheng’s action wasn’t exactly wrong, thousands of lives had been brutally murdered, which inevitably caused controversy. For a time, both the common people in the city and soldiers in the army were discussing this matter extensively.
If things had continued this way, after some discussion, the matter would have gradually faded, and even if dissatisfaction remained, it could only be suppressed in people’s hearts.
But just at this time, the situation suddenly took a turn. After Li Jiancheng was defeated by Xue Ju, Li Yuan confined him for three days. When the three days were up, he immediately went to the Ministry of War and obtained the roster of the several thousand people who had been tortured and killed by Xue Ju. For all those in Chang’an or nearby, he visited household by household. At each place, he personally apologized to the family, showing great remorse, and then presented compensation money.
He would visit dozens of households each day like this. For those not nearby, he had money sent to them—not missing a single one. Each household received compensation of at least ten strings of cash, and those in particularly difficult circumstances received even more. When tallied up, the total came to over fifty thousand strings. Though the Eastern Palace was wealthy, it couldn’t produce so much money at once and had to sell several gardens and properties to gather the sum.
Soon this matter spread throughout Chang’an. The soldiers and common people who had previously criticized him saw Li Jiancheng’s sincere attitude—not only personally visiting to apologize but also selling land and gardens to privately compensate victims—and greatly praised him. Public opinion suddenly turned in Li Jiancheng’s favor, and even the previous dissatisfaction and resentment among the military toward Li Jiancheng diminished considerably. Just as Jirong had said, this was the method Li Jiancheng least liked but the most effective.
While Li Jiancheng was visiting households to apologize one by one, stunning news came from Gaocheng—Xue Ju had died suddenly!
Though he had let Li Jiancheng escape, Gaocheng had been truly captured by them, bringing them one step closer to advancing on Chang’an. Therefore, Xue Ju ordered a victory celebration.
During this victory banquet, Xue Ju, who was drinking heartily with his ministers, suddenly died, creating extreme chaos at the scene. Initially thinking the wine was poisoned, they discovered after examination by numerous physicians that there was no poison in the wine, nor had Xue Ju died of poisoning. To be precise, no one knew why he had died.
Sudden death—sudden death without any apparent cause!
Naturally, Xue Rengao was unsatisfied with this result, but there was nothing he could do. After burying Xue Ju, he inherited both the imperial throne and the ambition to capture Chang’an.
Xue Ju had killed countless people in his lifetime, bearing innumerable blood debts, yet in the end, during his prime years, he died suddenly without illness. Perhaps… this was the way of Heaven, the very way of Heaven he had never believed in throughout his life!
Regardless, for Li Yuan, this was the best possible news. Though Xue Rengao remained and was also quite capable in warfare, leading hundreds of thousands of troops and governing an empire required far more than just “military prowess.”
Xue Ju had been cruel enough, but Xue Rengao exceeded even his father, completely contrary to the character for “benevolence” in his name.
Xue Rengao had once placed a living person over a fire to roast, then after cooking him, dismembered him and distributed the pieces to his subordinates to eat. He employed various other cruel tortures that were utterly horrifying.
Most importantly, though Xue Ju had been cruel during his lifetime, he maintained clear rewards and punishments, never being stingy with rewards for those who achieved merit. Xue Rengao was different—he was extremely miserly. Defeat would naturally bring punishment, but victory brought no rewards. On the very day he ascended the throne, he took back the money and silk that Xue Ju had originally planned to distribute to the generals. When some soldiers couldn’t stand it and spoke a few words, he became so angry that he actually killed them. Of course, given Xue Rengao’s nature, those soldiers suffered considerable torture before death.
Under such circumstances, the generals and soldiers who had been somewhat loyal to the Xue father and son naturally became alienated in wave after wave, their hearts turning away. Yet Xue Rengao remained completely unaware, still believing he commanded hundreds of thousands of troops as a regional overlord.
After learning of Xue Ju’s death, Li Yuan immediately summoned Li Shimin and others throughout the night to discuss seizing this opportunity to completely annihilate Western Qin!