Whenever Li Zhi’s matters were mentioned, Zhangsun would wipe away tears. In the past year or so, Yun Ye had seen Zhangsun cry more than the previous twenty-some years combined. This was Zhangsun’s final weapon. Her sons were growing up, and it was no longer the time when she could change their minds with a few casual scoldings. Often, when children grew older, they instead made being a parent even more difficult.
“Each of you has your own ideas and your own friends. You know to give warnings during times of danger so you won’t stray from the right path. But poor Zhi’er has been alone since childhood, making all decisions by himself. His subordinates are a useless bunch who can’t help with anything. When he harbored thoughts he shouldn’t have, why didn’t any of you say a word? Now he’s become muddled and confused. After I die, I don’t know if this child will be chopped into mincemeat by you all.”
As Zhangsun cried, she spoke heart-wrenching words that made Li Tai and Yun Ye’s faces turn ashen. Worried that Zhangsun would cry herself sick, Li Tai quickly helped his mother lie down and said gently, “Don’t worry, your health is fine. It’s just a slight cold. Rest for two days and drink more water, and you’ll recover. Since you’ve spoken, no one will dare harm Little Zhi again. My eldest brother won’t, I won’t, and Yun Ye won’t hurt Little Zhi either. As long as we don’t harm Little Zhi, no one under heaven will dare harm him. No matter what happens, the two of us will protect Little Zhi completely and will never let him come to a bad end.”
Zhangsun stopped crying, raised her head, and asked Li Tai and Yun Ye, “Are you telling the truth?”
Yun Ye and Li Tai quickly answered, “Yes, absolutely true.”
This conversation had been repeated countless times. Every time they saw Zhangsun, they would repeat this oath. It had already formed a conditioned reflex in Li Tai and Yun Ye.
“That’s good. Even if I die, I can close my eyes in peace. You are his elder brothers. When your younger brother makes mistakes, don’t just think about crushing him with one blow. If he errs, you also bear responsibility for not fulfilling your duty to guide him. Look at his current state—it’s barely better than death. Even if he was wrong, he has already paid for it. Just let him live out his remaining years in a muddle. If there’s food, give him a piece of flatbread; if there’s clothing, give him a garment. I don’t ask for fine food and delicacies, nor for silk and satin—just don’t let him freeze or starve to death. In the future, even in the underworld, I will thank you.”
What was wrong today? Zhangsun’s words were getting heavier and heavier. Li Tai and Yun Ye immediately knelt down and swore again, vowing that as long as they had a bite to eat, they would never let Li Zhi go without his share.
Zhangsun sighed and said, “I’ve lived a very tiring life. Sometimes I just want to sleep and never wake up. But your imperial father makes me worry, your younger brother makes me worry, and even Chengqian makes me worry. I’ve lived a lifetime with endless worries. Everyone says the Empress enjoys supreme glory, but I, your mother, have lived a difficult and arduous life.”
“When your imperial father was campaigning abroad, I was filled with fear, afraid something would happen to him. When your imperial father returned to Chang’an, I feared he would fall victim to someone’s plot. When Jiancheng’s family drank that cup of wine and vomited three sheng of blood, you know how terrified your mother was then. Once your imperial father was gone, not one of the more than three thousand people in Prince Qin’s household would survive.”
“During the great battle at Xuanwu Gate, Qing Que, do you remember when your mother held Chengqian and you, trembling in the Yin’an Palace? That night, blood and fire soaked Chang’an, heads rolled, and blood flowed like rivers. Your imperial father used all the ferocity he normally reserved for facing enemies entirely against his own brothers.”
“Jiancheng died, and Yuanji was also shot dead by Yuchi Gong with an arrow. The situation was settled, but your imperial father didn’t dare lead troops into the Imperial City. Having no choice, your mother had to don armor and be the first to enter the Imperial City. Only after I personally led troops to clear the Imperial City did Yuchi Gong’s three-step coercion of the Grand Emperor to abdicate occur.”
“The Yan family pitied me as a mere woman and used subtle historical writing to gloss over my actions. But what happened is ultimately fact. Though not recorded in the history books, it will be recorded in people’s hearts. Your imperial father killed all those who knew of my violent acts in the Imperial City, but I remember it all clearly. When you grow old, that’s how it is—you always remember the past. At midnight when I wake from dreams, I can even hear the helpless screams of the late Emperor’s beloved consorts…”
Hearing Zhangsun speak of these things, Yun Ye suddenly stood up and said to the grief-stricken Li Tai, “The Empress should no longer live in the palace. She must move to Yushan. If this continues, the damage to her spirit can never be restored. These vast, empty halls are entirely harmful to her health. Living at Yushan Academy, in your dormitory—though small, it’s extremely cozy.”
Zhangsun watched as Yun Ye and Li Tai loudly summoned palace maids and eunuchs to prepare the imperial carriage, ready to depart immediately for Yushan Academy. Whether viewed from supernatural beliefs or psychological comfort, Yushan Academy was Zhangsun’s ultimate place of spiritual solace.
Children don’t obey their mothers when grown. Zhangsun also felt something wasn’t quite right with herself lately, so she didn’t object. She only had Aunt Mei report to the Emperor that she planned to stay at Yushan Academy for a while to recuperate.
Before long, Li Er rushed over, holding Zhangsun’s hand with a face full of concern.
“Your Majesty, your concubine had a brief moment of disorientation just now. Yun Ye and Qing Que want me to recuperate at Yushan Academy. What do you think?”
Li Er turned directly to Yun Ye and asked, “What’s really wrong with the Empress? Isn’t it just a slight cold?”
Yun Ye bowed and answered, “These past days, the Empress has been mentally unstable. Just now she showed symptoms of losing control. This won’t do. The vast, empty palace isn’t suitable for the Empress to recover. That’s why this subject suggested the Empress recuperate at Yushan Academy for a while. Little Zhi needn’t go along; otherwise, the Empress’s condition will worsen and eventually develop into depression.”
Li Er nodded and said to Zhangsun, “Let Little Zhi stay with me these days. You needn’t worry—just focus on recovering.”
“No! Little Zhi must come with me. If he’s not by my side, I won’t be able to sleep.” On this matter, Zhangsun was extremely stubborn, directly refusing the Emperor’s suggestion for the first time.
Li Er looked at Yun Ye again, wanting to see if he had any solutions.
“Very well then, Little Zhi can accompany the Empress. However, this subject will also go to Yushan Academy. As for the Ministry of War, please Your Majesty appoint someone capable. Anyone but Zhangsun Chong will do.”
Li Er rolled his eyes and snorted, “You’re quite direct, daring to say anything now. Fine, in consideration of your filial devotion, during your absence, let Cheng Yaojin temporarily replace you. Previously when given duties you busily declined, but now you know how to fight for power and position—you’ve truly come of age.”
Yun Ye could only respond with two dry laughs. He had no choice but to fight for power now. If he continued yielding, the Yun family might be fine, but the large group of people following him would become meat on the chopping block, left to be slaughtered. How could Li Er not understand this principle? In the end, Yun Ye’s struggle for power was forced by reality.
Li Tai and Yun Ye escorted Zhangsun’s carriage all the way to Yushan Academy. Zhangsun Wuji hurried over to inquire, but Zhangsun was unwilling to see her own brother. Li Zhi’s affair had disappointed Zhangsun in Zhangsun Wuji to the extreme.
Standing in the cold wind before the palace gates, Zhangsun Wuji, surrounded by swirling yellow leaves, slowly walked into the Imperial City. He couldn’t think too much. The eastbound fleet’s affairs were now complicated, with a thousand threads still untangled. He had far too many matters to attend to. His sister hadn’t seen him for several years, presumably because of Li Zhi’s affair. How could Zhangsun Wuji not know? Thinking of this matter filled his mouth with bitterness. It wasn’t that he had to frame Li Zhi, but the arrow was on the string and had to be released. He had originally planned to fully support Li Zhi and strike against Li Chengqian, eventually gradually forming a situation to force the Emperor to depose the Crown Prince and establish Li Zhi as the new heir. Regardless, the future emperor would be his own nephew, which would be much less harmful to the Empress. Moreover, Li Zhi was far easier to deal with than Chengqian.
Despite all his scheming, he had still underestimated Li Zhi’s patience and ambition. When Li Zhi discovered his own forces were sufficient to overturn imperial power, he hastily launched his move. Li Zhi believed the officers and soldiers of the Sixteen Guards would obey his commands. As the Emperor’s close friend for many years, how could Zhangsun Wuji not know that Li Zhi’s actions had already aroused the Emperor’s suspicion? The Emperor deliberately gave Li Zhi an opportunity, just as he had deliberately given Chengqian opportunities before.
However, Chengqian had single-handedly escorted grain supplies to Liaodong, extricating himself from the vortex, with his position as Crown Prince stable as Mount Tai. But Li Zhi chose direct action. Zhangsun Wuji didn’t want to become another Hou Junji, so he had no choice but to strike first and push Li Zhi into the abyss one step ahead. These bitter sufferings Zhangsun Wuji couldn’t tell others—he could only suppress them in his heart and silently endure.
A cold wind blew, and Zhangsun Wuji felt waves of dizziness. He supported himself against the palace wall and rested for a long while before shuffling toward his great hall. He needed to change clothes quickly. The recent bout of heart palpitations had already soaked his cotton robe with sweat…
The rumbling of wheels, the neighing of horses—though the Empress’s procession had been reduced again and again, the massive entourage of three thousand people was still unavoidable. Zhangsun wore a thick white bear fur coat and lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.
The land was already desolate. Whenever the wind rose, countless red and yellow leaves fell from the trees in the forests. If a small whirlwind occurred, it would gather the leaves like a brilliantly colored dragon dancing through the sky. This place was indeed much more beautiful than the palace.
Zhangsun gently patted the sleeping Li Zhi and smiled at Li Tai, who was watching her worriedly through the window. She felt somewhat pleased with herself. The two smartest people under heaven still had to drink this old woman’s footwash water.
What loss of mental control? This old woman didn’t lose control when His Majesty rebelled, didn’t lose control when Little Zhi rebelled—how could she possibly lose control now? One by one, as they’ve grown older, they’ve stopped listening to this old woman so well. Frighten them a bit to see if their hearts are truly made of iron and stone. Looking at the results now, it worked well. Both their faces turned white with fear. Good that they know fear—this way my Little Zhi can live well in the future.
Entering the academy, Zhangsun was even more satisfied, because students there were reciting the Analects: “I examine myself three times daily: Have I been unfaithful in my service to others? Have I been untrustworthy in my interactions with friends? Have I failed to practice what I’ve been taught?”