“Sister Ying… what’s the story with Prince Wu’s Fourteenth Son and Yang Family’s Eldest Son?”

After departing from Lizheng Hall, Chai Yinglu mentioned she was tired and requested a double-windowed carriage with a curved canopy. She brought Wei Shubin inside as they headed toward the East Gate to leave the palace. Seeing they were alone in the carriage, Wei Shubin couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked.

In Lizheng Hall, when the Emperor had mentioned Yang Xinzhi and Li Yuangui’s “robust appetite,” it sounded quite amusing, though the meaning wasn’t clear. Those two young men, so different in appearance yet inseparable, always looked comical together whenever she saw them as if they were there purely to perform in comic plays… Hearing the question, Chai Yinglu looked up at her with a slight smile:

“Oh? Which one of these two has caught your eye?”

“Sister Ying!”

Seeing her blush, Chai Yinglu laughed even more heartily: “I’m not just teasing you. Since you’d rather die than follow your parents’ arranged marriage, why not find a suitable young man of your choosing and have his family propose? I can persuade the Emperor and Empress to grant the marriage. That would be better than marrying General Cheng, wouldn’t it? These two young lords are both quite good catches. You already know about my Fourteenth Uncle – his status is noble, I won’t say more. As for Elder Yang, he’s my cousin…”

“Actually?” Wei Shubin questioned.

She vaguely recalled hearing someone mention “Prince Consort Yang,” and if they were referring to Yang Xinzhi’s father, it must be… considering the age, it could only be Yang Shidao, the Prince Consort, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and husband of the Emperor’s Fifth Sister, Princess Guiyang.

In that case, Yang Xinzhi’s mother Princess Guiyang was Chai Yinglu’s Fifth Aunt, making them proper cousins through marriage.

“Elder Yang is my Fifth Uncle’s eldest son – actually his legitimate eldest son – but he wasn’t born to my Fifth Aunt. Ah, this is quite a long story. Where should I begin…”

Chai Yinglu rested her head on her hand, leaning against the carriage window. After thinking for a moment, she spoke in a lazy tone:

“It seems all these complications started from last year’s Double Ninth Festival…”

On the ninth day of the ninth month of the eighth year of Zhenguan, the Double Ninth Festival.

Emperor Emeritus Li Yuan had just recovered from a long illness and was in high spirits. He held a banquet on the hillside of Da’an Palace, inviting the Emperor’s consorts, princes, and princesses to join in the festivities.

Chrysanthemums bloomed brilliantly across the hillside, dotted with cornus fruits, creating a pleasing vista. The Emperor Emeritus insisted on walking rather than riding a palanquin, saying he wanted to “stretch his muscles.” Thus, the Emperor personally supported his elderly father as they walked up the gentle slope, with guards standing at attention on both sides and carpets laid out on the ground. Being over seventy years old, the Emperor Emeritus walked with frequent stops to catch his breath. During one such pause, his gaze fell upon a guard who stood a head taller than his companions:

“What a strong young man! Whose son is this?”

Those who could serve as armed guards near Their Majesties were usually sons or grandsons of noble families or high officials from the Three Guards. Hearing the Emperor Emeritus’s question, the tall guard prostrated himself and replied nervously:

“My father is the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Prince Consort, Duke of Ande County, your subject Yang Shidao.”

When addressing the emperor in person rather than writing memorials or co-signing edicts, such a formal listing of official titles was rarely seen and showed obvious inexperience, which made both the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor laugh. The Emperor Emeritus stroked his beard and said with a smile:

“Oh, A-Wu and Yang Qilang’s son? When did I get such a fine grandson? I must be getting senile, I don’t recall ever seeing him before…”

In truth, he hadn’t seen him before. Nor was the young man his real grandson.

Yang Shidao, the youngest son of the Sui Dynasty’s Prince Guan Yang Xiong, had already married and had a son during the Sui Dynasty. During the chaos at the end of Sui, Yang Shidao’s family took refuge in Luoyang. At that time, the ruling powers like Wang Shichong held officials’ families hostage in the palace as leverage. When Yang’s wife and son were captured, she told Yang Shidao, “I shall die here, do not worry about me.” Later, Yang Shidao escaped alone to Chang’an and eventually received news that his wife and child had died. Emperor Li Yuan then arranged for his widowed Fifth Princess to marry him.

In the fourth year of Wude, when Prince Qin Shimin led the Tang army to pacify Luoyang, large numbers of people were released from the siege. Yang Shidao’s first wife miraculously appeared at his home in Chang’an, saying she had stayed alive all this time for their son’s sake – in times of chaos, false news was common. Yang Shidao, now the Fifth Prince Consort, was naturally in a difficult position. His first wife, who had endured such mental and physical torment, didn’t fight for anything but requested to become a nun, hoping only to return their son to his father for proper upbringing according to their ancestry.

This incident had caused quite a stir at the time. Yang Shidao submitted a memorial confessing to “the crime of deceiving the emperor.” Upon hearing the whole story, the Emperor merely sighed at fate’s tricks and comforted his daughter and son-in-law, letting the matter rest.

It should be noted that the Fifth Princess wasn’t in her first marriage either. She had previously married Zhao Cijing and had two sons and a daughter. After becoming a widow, she married Yang Shidao, bringing her three Zhao children to live in the Princess’s mansion. Yang Shidao had been a kind stepfather to these three children and shared a loving relationship with the Princess. Now with this unexpected situation of his first wife’s son returning to claim his father, the Fifth Princess couldn’t openly refuse him entry. Over the years, the family managed to live together reasonably well, at least without any major conflicts.

The Emperor Emeritus, being old and forgetful, only remembered this incident from over a decade ago when he saw Yang Xinzhi standing a head taller than the other guards at the Double Ninth Festival of Zhenguan’s eighth year. After exclaiming how “that boy who escaped death has grown so strong,” he beckoned this honorary grandson to help him climb the slope to his seat. Seeing his Fifth Daughter Princess Guiyang’s expression at the banquet, he even joked, “A-Wu, you mustn’t act like those petty stepmothers. Our family has enough to provide for Xinzhi too.”

In short… the old man was simply pleased to see a handsome young grandson.

Yang Xinzhi spent that banquet day standing behind the Emperor Emeritus, serving him. But let’s set that aside. After enjoying the chrysanthemum wine and festival cakes, according to Zhou Dynasty customs, it was time for the Grand Archery ceremony.

Da’an Palace had its training grounds, where not only could they hold stationary archery contests in front of the hall, but they could also watch mounted archery on the field below the slope. The Emperor Emeritus commanded his younger sons, princes over twelve years old, and grandsons, nephews, and such to participate in the competition.

On such occasions, members of the imperial clan and those from outside families naturally served as supporting players – the real competition was between the Emperor Emeritus’s sons and grandsons, the two generations of young princes.

In the stationary archery contest, Emperor Emeritus’s fourteenth son, Prince Wu Yuan Gui, took first place. When they moved to the mounted archery field, this unremarkable-looking, thin young prince in the middle of the age range again showed his skill, shooting arrows from both sides while galloping like the wind. The Emperor Emeritus watched from afar and couldn’t help turning to the Emperor seated beside him, saying jestingly:

“That boy quite reminds me of your horseback style in those days.”

“Is that so?” the Emperor replied, stroking his chin. “When I was young… I wasn’t quite that thin, was I?”

Everyone at the banquet burst into laughter. The Emperor Emeritus was broad-shouldered and stout, and most of his twenty-two sons had inherited their father’s build – even the youngest, Yuan Ying, only six years old, was already a chubby little fellow. But his second son – the former Prince of Qin who had conquered more than half of the Great Tang’s territory and was now the Emperor – had been rather thin in his youth, flexible on horseback and precise in archery. Now another slim young prince had appeared, naturally reminding people of the young Prince of Qin’s elegant and dashing days.

After the archery ceremony, Prince Wu Yuan Gui came up to receive his awards. Besides the predetermined prizes, the Emperor personally poured a large cup of wine from a golden vessel and, noticing the tall guard standing behind the Emperor Emeritus, specifically ordered him to deliver it to Prince Wu.

When Yang Xinzhi stood next to Li Yuan Gui, the entire hall erupted in laughter.

Though they were close in age – Yang Xinzhi being seventeen or eighteen, and Li Yuangui sixteen or seventeen – and their heights weren’t drastically different, the contrast in their build was striking. It would take four Li Yuanguis bound together to match Yang Xinzhi’s muscular frame.

The Emperor Emeritus laughed so hard his beard shook, choking on his wine. Chai Yinglu, dressed in Daoist robes, came to attend to her grandfather, and took the opportunity to add to the merriment:

“To celebrate Fourteenth Uncle Prince Wu’s victory, I, Yinglu, humbly present a small poem for the Emperor Emeritus’s entertainment.”

“A poem? Wonderful, wonderful! Let’s hear it quickly.”

The Daoist priestess smiled gracefully and, under the watchful eyes of the imperial relatives, royal consorts, and princesses, recited in a melodious voice:

“King Liao meets Zixu,

Their mutual displeasure shows.

A monkey climbs ancient wood,

Iron tower beside banner glows.”

The poem wasn’t particularly sophisticated, merely fitting the occasion. It referenced the tale from “Wu-Yue Chronicles” about King Liao meeting Wu Zixu, with the final two lines drawing such a vivid comparison of the fat and thin figures that not only did the Emperor Emeritus and Emperor break into hearty laughter, but even the usually dignified Empress Zhangsun showed a radiant smile. She beckoned Chai Yinglu over and personally removed her waist ornament as a reward for her quick wit. From then on, Yang Xinzhi gained the nickname “Yang Iron Tower” in the Three Guards, which later evolved into “Yang Meat Tower,” while Li Yuangui was secretly called “Fourteenth Banner Pole” by some loose-tongued individuals – but that’s a story for later.

At the Double Ninth Festival banquet, after having his fill of laughter, the Emperor Emeritus asked Yang Xinzhi directly:

“Little Fourteenth’s frame is truly concerning. Why can’t we fatten him up? Child, what do you usually eat?”

“In reply to Your Majesty,” Yang Xinzhi answered with complete earnestness, “I… eat whatever is available…”

“And how much do you eat at each meal?” the Emperor asked amusedly from the side.

“In reply to Your Majesty, I… eat as much as I’m given…”

The whole gathering burst into laughter again. The Emperor slapped the wine table and issued an imperial decree:

“Yang Xinzhi, son of Prince Consort Yang Shidao, has served the Emperor Emeritus well. He is hereby appointed as Treasury Keeper of Prince Wu’s household. And you have just one duty – to accompany Prince Wu at meals every day. Listen carefully: whatever you eat, he eats; however much you eat, he eats the same. Let’s see if we can fatten up my Fourteenth Brother after a year of this…”

“Treasury Keeper” was a highly honorable sinecure position. Yang Xinzhi’s parents, Yang Shidao and Princess Guiyang, immediately left their seats to express their gratitude, while others at the banquet offered congratulations to this “family of three.” The banquet that day was filled with joy and harmony, with Emperor Emeritus Li Yuan particularly spirited.

Taking advantage of the old man’s good mood, the Emperor and Empress brought up that Crown Prince Chengqian should also take a consort – “his younger brother Qingque’s son is already running around” – the Emperor Emeritus nodded repeatedly: “This is indeed important. You’ve chosen the young lady from the Su family of Wugong? Good, good, I trust your judgment completely…”

From the Crown Prince’s marriage, the conversation moved to his siblings and younger aunts and uncles who were also of marriageable age, then to the eleven granddaughters in Ganye Temple, the eldest of whom, Wanxi, was the same age as Chengqian and had long been betrothed – she too should be married. They discussed how, since the officials were already preparing ceremonial arrangements, they could handle these marriages in sequence after the Eastern Palace’s grand ceremony.

Mentioning the “eleven granddaughters in Ganye Temple,” the Emperor Emeritus squinted, trying hard to remember the circumstances, and stroked his beard pensively:

“First Miss… who was she betrothed to again? Second or Third…”

“How could Grandfather remember such small matters?” Chai Yinglu, still by his side, laughed lightly. “She’s betrothed to my elder brother Zhewei! The engagement was set in the eighth year of Wude…”

“Ah yes, strengthening family ties by matching with your Chai family,” the Emperor Emeritus chuckled, slapping his forehead. “My memory… I remember we had the Eastern Palace host a celebratory feast then, gathering all the imperial clans and consorts. At that banquet… um…”

Having passed seventy, the old man’s mind wasn’t what it used to be – forgetting things he shouldn’t and remembering things he should forget at inappropriate times. Speaking of that banquet in Wude’s eighth year celebrating Li Yiniang’s betrothal to Chai Zhewei, words nearly escaped his lips when the Emperor Emeritus suddenly caught himself – his aged eyes beneath snow-white brows darted unnaturally toward the Emperor.

The Emperor had already turned his face away, pretending not to see or hear anything. Empress Zhangsun, seated to the side, timely changed the subject, speaking of plans to take Chancellor Fang Xuanling’s daughter as Prince Han Yuan Jia’s consort, former Sui Dynasty clan woman Lady Yang as Third Son Prince Shu Ke’s consort, and Chief Architect Yan Lide’s daughter as Fourth Son Prince Yue Tai’s consort. The Emperor Emeritus approved each match, and the day’s feast concluded in joy.

During that period, the Emperor Emeritus was in exceptionally high spirits. Two days later, accompanied by the Emperor, he went to the western city to inspect the Sixteen Guards’ military drills and receive foreign envoys and surrendered captive kings. But being elderly and frail, he caught a cold and fell ill just days after the Double Ninth Festival.

Thereafter, the palace grew unsettled, with the Emperor Emeritus’s condition fluctuating between consciousness and unconsciousness, better and worse. After the new year, even when the newly married Crown Prince Chengqian and Lady Su came to pay respects to their grandfather, the Emperor Emeritus couldn’t stay awake on his sickbed to see his granddaughter-in-law.

In the curtained carriage of early spring in the second month, Chai Yinglu slowly explained to Wei Shubin the related events around last year’s Double Ninth Festival. After listening, Wei Shubin asked, “Shouldn’t this be considered good fortune for Elder Yang, meeting such a benefactor? Sister Ying, why do you call it trouble?”

“Elder Yang indeed had good fortune, but the trouble was for the Fourteenth Prince,” Chai Yinglu sighed softly. “At the Double Ninth Festival, Fourteenth Uncle’s prominence angered someone.”

“Who was angered?”

“Well,” Chai Yinglu asked slowly, “You were too young during the Wude years, but having accompanied your mother in social circles these past two years, you must have heard about how my First and Second Uncles were at odds during late Wude, and the two consorts who were Second Uncle’s deepest enemies – one was Consort Zhang, the other was Consort Yin De?”

“…Yes.” These two women were indeed too famous for Wei Shubin to pretend ignorance. According to official accounts, the Xuanwu Gate Incident was triggered by these two consorts’ adultery with Jiancheng and Yuanji.

“Later, when the current Emperor ascended the throne, the Emperor Emeritus moved to Da’an Palace with his consorts and young children. Given my Second Uncle and Aunt’s magnanimity, they naturally wouldn’t trouble those women and children. Consort Zhang died soon after, while Consort Yin De had a son – my Eighth Uncle Yuan Heng was her child. In recent years, for her son’s sake, she became much more careful and submissive. Everything was fine until the sixth year of Zhenguan when Eighth Uncle fell ill and died on his way to take up an official post…”

“Ah.” Wei Shubin was stunned. “Consort Yin De’s only son died?”

“Yes, he was her only hope for the latter half of her life,” Chai Yinglu sighed. “Consort Yin De was already a favored consort, and after that, the Emperor Emeritus showed her even more pity. These past few years, with his poor health, he stayed in Consort Yin’s chambers almost day and night, letting her care for him and relay messages. Consort Yin wielded the Emperor’s authority to command others, quietly becoming the true master of Da’an Palace. Though my Second Uncle and Aunt knew this wasn’t right, they were forced to tolerate it, unable to do anything for the time being.”

“When Sister Ying said the Fourteenth Prince’s prominence angered someone, that someone was Consort Yin De?” Wei Shubin asked.

Chai Yinglu nodded: “Correct. Her son had died, leaving her with nothing but a life of monastic austerity ahead, so seeing others’ sons receiving favor and rewards naturally bred jealousy and hatred. Fourteenth Uncle usually lived in the Seventeen Princes’ Residence along the outer wall of Da’an Palace, beyond her reach, so she started tormenting his birth mother, Beauty Zhang. Beauty Zhang was no match for her, and before long, was driven to hang herself…”

“Oh my,” Wei Shubin exclaimed again, “How tragic! So Fourteenth Prince’s mourning… came about this way?”

“Fourteenth Uncle’s situation was indeed tragic. He practically witnessed his mother’s suicide but couldn’t save her in time. Then Consort Yin De sent word saying the Emperor Emeritus was gravely ill and couldn’t bear to hear news of death and misfortune. Even the Emperor and Empress were helpless – they issued an edict temporarily withholding Beauty Zhang’s funeral arrangements, forbidding anyone from discussing the matter, and even her children weren’t allowed to wear mourning clothes or hold memorial services…”

“So that’s why Prince Wu had to conceal his mourning,” Wei Shubin understood, then remembered what happened next. “And later, when First Miss was getting married, it was also Consort Yin De who falsely conveyed the Emperor Emeritus’s wishes, forcing Prince Wu to serve as the primary male attendant while he was still in mourning?”

“What else could it be?” Chai Yinglu sighed. “And that wasn’t all. After Beauty Zhang’s death, her birth daughter, the Seventeenth Princess who was only twelve years old, was taken in by Consort Yin De to live in her quarters. For Fourteenth Uncle, it was as if Consort Yin held his younger sister hostage – how could he dare show any defiance? Ah, it’s truly pitiful.”

“Would Consort Yin… mistreat the Seventeenth Princess?” Wei Shubin felt her heart constricting. No wonder Li Yuangui always wore such a gloomy expression, as if the whole world owed him money, and spoke with such bitter sarcasm – his temperament had its reasons.

“Not necessarily physical mistreatment – that woman might not need to beat or scold the young girl,” Chai Yinglu gave a cold laugh. “These malicious noble ladies have their subtle methods and schemes, quite different from common shrews…”

Before she could finish, the carriage suddenly shook violently, throwing both of them against the walls. Chai Yinglu stopped speaking and looked out the window, smiling: “We’re about to leave the palace.”

Wei Shubin also peered through the curtains and indeed saw they had arrived at a tall palace gate, with their serving women verifying passes nearby. Within the palace, carriages were pulled by manpower; outside the gate, they could harness oxen or mules for faster travel.

Chai Yinglu was familiar with palace procedures, making passage easy. They remained in the carriage while the guards exchanged a few words through the curtains, then waved them through. The servants were lifting the carriage over the threshold and preparing to harness the draft animals when suddenly they heard hoofbeats and the sound of someone dismounting, followed by Wei Shubin’s father Wei Zheng’s voice outside the carriage:

“Please wait a moment, Venerable Master.”

Wei Shubin’s soul nearly left her body in fright.

**Vol 1 – Chapter 12 Notes:**

1. In Chai Yinglu’s simple verse, the allusion “King Liao meets Zixu, their mutual displeasure shows” comes from Zhao Ye’s “Wu-Yue Chronicles, Biography of King Liao Sending Prince Guang” from the Han Dynasty: “The market official then brought Zixu to see the king. King Liao was amazed by his extraordinary appearance – he was ten chi tall, with a waist ten spans around, and the space between his eyebrows measured one chi.” This was an exaggerated description of Wu Zixu’s tall and powerful build, here used to describe the physical contrast between Li Yuangui (who, coincidentally, was also a “Prince Wu”) and Yang Xinzhi. The subsequent line “monkey climbs ancient wood” is self-explanatory, while “iron tower” remains commonly used today. The “banner pole” was a familiar sight in those times – essentially a long bamboo pole with a long rectangular banner at its top, commonly seen as decorative elements beside temple pagodas.

An online photo was found – though the era and architecture don’t match, it gives a rough idea of the “iron tower beside banner pole” effect. The photo can be found on the author’s Weibo.

2. The line “even his younger brother Qingque’s son is already running around” – here, “Qingque” was the childhood name of Li Tai, the second son born to Empress Zhangsun and the younger brother of Crown Prince Li Chengqian. In the Tang Dynasty, only sons predetermined to inherit the family business were openly called “legitimate sons” or “legitimate births.” Other children born to the principal wife were usually referred to as “the Crown (legitimate) Prince’s same-mother brother/sister” or directly as “born to the Empress (principal wife),” with the term “legitimate” used more cautiously.

Li Tai’s family tomb cluster was discovered in modern times in Yunxian, Hubei Province. The excavation revealed tomb inscriptions for Li Tai, his wife Yan Wan, his eldest son Li Xin, and his second son Li Hui. From there, we learned that around the sixth year of Zhenguan, when Li Tai was about 13 years old, he had already fathered his first son Li Xin with a serving maid. His legitimate wife Yan Wan was the daughter of master engineer Yan Lide (and niece of the great painter Yan Liben) and was only eleven years old when she married him. Li Xin was later taken into the palace to be raised under Empress Zhangsun’s care.