In the corridor leading to Ganlu Palace, three people shuffled forward slowly. Crown Prince Li Chengqian wore an exquisite small cangue leading the way, seeming somewhat excited. Yun Ye wore another cangue walking in the middle, still holding a scroll of documents in his hands. Fat He wore a real cangue walking at the rear with a worried, bitter face.
It was early morning. The morning court assembly had just concluded—the busiest time in the imperial palace. Many eunuchs and palace maids came and went in the corridor. Seeing the three approach, they all bowed in salute, unable to conceal the astonishment in their eyes.
The three paid them no mind at all, still walking with complete ease. Seeing they were about to reach Ganlu Palace, He Shao clung to the brick cracks and refused to go forward anymore. With a tearful voice he said: “My two lords, you’re asking for my life! One of you is the Crown Prince, one is a Marquis. Only I am a small Viscount, and a merchant at that. If His Majesty flies into a rage, he can behead me without even needing the Three審議. Your lordships are magnanimous—please spare me.”
The Crown Prince stopped and turned to ask Yun Ye: “Do you think this method will work? We three won’t be punished by Father Emperor? Even if my Father Emperor doesn’t care, you know my Mother Empress’s temper. Regardless of the outcome, a beating definitely can’t be escaped. Think clearly.”
Before Yun Ye could speak, the Crown Prince’s words gave Old He tremendous courage: “Your Highness, you’re saying at most we three will get a beating? We won’t be beheaded?”
“Behead what head? This matter must be dealt with quickly, otherwise later it will develop to an uncontrollable stage. Those sons of bitches have already tasted sweetness. While it’s only showing signs, quickly use heavy hands to snuff it out. Right now it’s just the licking blood stage. If we wait until the drinking blood stage, no matter how many heads His Majesty chops, he won’t be able to reverse things. This is the inertia of capital—it devours people.”
Yun Ye impatiently stopped talking to the two. When coming, Li Chengqian had said that for a few coal mines and cement workshops, one trip from him would be enough to make those demons and monsters vanish like smoke—no need to escalate to accusing the Emperor so seriously.
The result was Yun Ye greatly mocking him. Those were all palace servants who did this for their master’s benefit, massively lowering costs for the master household, bringing even more abundant profits. From a capitalist’s standpoint, they should only receive rewards, not punishment. You, the son of a capitalist—what excuse or reason will you use to punish them? Aren’t you afraid of hurting people’s hearts?
“If the oppressed were foreign captives, Crown Prince, I would only reward those stewards for such matters and wouldn’t interfere. But what they’re abusing now are our own people—this won’t do. The people are fundamental. If we want to steadily and securely enjoy glory and wealth forever, we need to treat them well, let them all have meat to eat and clothes to wear. Then they’ll always support our shameless wealth. Even if you marry eight hundred wives, at most they’ll call you a lecher—they won’t pick up weapons desperately wanting to kill you. When you prepare to bully other foreigners, they might even desperately help you. The Great Tang’s common people are the best subjects under Heaven. Not treating them well—that’s a head kicked by a donkey.”
“That is true. Father Emperor said some time ago that the people are water, the imperial family is a boat. Water can carry a boat but can also capsize it. He also told me I cannot take lightly the suffering of the common people—I must put their interests first. Only then can the Li family’s realm be eternally secure. Yezi, this beating I’ll accompany you two in taking.”
Li Chengqian’s speaking level had improved considerably now. At the drop of a hat he quoted classics, using his father’s words as a front. He did this with practiced ease. The entire court’s civil and military officials praised the Crown Prince’s brilliance, saying he already had the magnificent bearing of the nation’s heir apparent. All due to His Majesty’s excellent guidance.
In Yun Ye’s view, these were all empty nonsense without half a bit of substance. But in the eyes of ministers, this was the best imperial heir. These years the Crown Prince hadn’t shown the slightest bad tendency. Sincere to people, brave toward enemies, decisive in handling affairs, tolerant toward ministers—simply a replica of His Majesty, far from being comparable to a hypocrite like Emperor Yang of Sui.
“You just pick nice things to say. You think these matters have nothing to do with you? The Empress just finished giving birth, adding a younger sister for you. I haven’t seen her, but I heard she’s extremely adorable—just her body is a bit weak. After she grows a few more years, I’ll bring the Princess to the Academy and ask Daoist Sun to regulate her body from childhood. Then she’ll definitely grow up strong and healthy.”
“Didn’t His Majesty name her Zizi precisely because he wants her to grow sturdy? The atmosphere in the imperial palace isn’t good. To grow sturdy and robust, one must look to the Academy. The Empress worries about the little Princess and has no time to manage those small matters. You as her son—if you don’t take the blame, who will?”
“Yezi, stop talking. Many things shouldn’t be said. You dare say them but I don’t dare listen. As long as there’s no beheading, a beating is trivial. Big brother will accompany you.”
He Shao finally understood. Yun Ye never planned to expose this matter to the imperial court at all. Sneaking over to find the Emperor to ask for policy—thinking that the principal offender was the Emperor, the Empress was the number one accomplice, the Crown Prince was also an accomplice, and himself as the lowest-ranking accomplice immediately became grand and tall. Being able to commit crimes together with the Emperor—his ancestral grave was probably already billowing with thick smoke.
In Ganlu Palace, Li Er was drinking congee. The lotus leaf congee prescribed by Sun Simiao he’d never stopped drinking. It seemed very effective—his headache ailment hadn’t struck for quite a while, and his big belly had also shrunk considerably, making him extremely happy. Hearing the attendant report that the Crown Prince, Marquis Lantian, and Viscount Zhengxian had come for an audience, Li Er continued drinking his congee. He merely raised his hand to allow them to enter. Yun Ye—if nothing was wrong, you couldn’t beat him to death to come to the imperial palace. Today he actually threw himself into the tiger’s mouth—what was the reason? He just hadn’t seen the attendant’s strange expression.
The three men’s attire still startled Li Er. Since entering, the three prostrated on the ground and didn’t rise—an appearance of pleading guilty. The Crown Prince and Yun Ye were fine, but He Shao’s face pressed against the ground, his whole body trembling—the standard look of having done something guilty.
“What bad things have you three done that you wear cangues yourselves? Speak. Zhen will order the authorities to investigate and judge.”
“This child, being heir apparent, saw evil matters but didn’t report them. This is dereliction of duty. I beg Father Emperor to impose punishment.”
Li Chengqian’s every move he knew incomparably clearly. These days he’d been especially diligent. The disaster relief assignment was also handled properly. He hadn’t heard of any mistakes. Seeing evil but not reporting—hmph, it must be that fat merchant who did the good deed. Yun Ye wouldn’t commit such errors. The Crown Prince, looking at Yun Ye’s face, found it difficult to act. Yun Ye perversely did the opposite—uncovering the lid himself, wanting to seek pardon. It must be so. But, boy, Zhen is worried about not catching your tail. Now delivering yourself to the door—perfect to clean you up together.
Thinking this, Li Er happily revealed his front teeth. He didn’t believe Yun Ye would commit any principled errors. At most it was a crime of negligent oversight. Now pleading guilty himself, he must have done the cleanup well. This boy’s cleanup work was always done well. But still, beat him first then talk.
Thinking this, he happily commanded: “Someone! Drag Yun Ye and He Shao out and severely beat them thirty heavy strokes of the rod. The Crown Prince returns to the palace to reflect—confined for three days to observe future behavior.”
The Crown Prince was dumbfounded. Yun Ye was dumbfounded. He Shao was also stunned. The Emperor, not asking right from wrong, came up and ordered beatings—showing how strong the Emperor’s desire to beat people was.
“This subject naturally accepts His Majesty’s punishment. But we three are only accomplices. Allowing the principal offender to get away scot-free—isn’t that going too far?”
“There’s also a principal offender? Speak quickly. Zhen will deal with them together, making you accept your beating wholeheartedly.”
Yun Ye quickly presented the documents. The attendant took them and spread them on Li Er’s desk. Just looking at the memorial’s title, he froze. In his heart he vaguely felt something was wrong. Looking at the content again, each matter listed clearly and plainly, he couldn’t help but develop a headache.
Behind the curtain, Zhangsun might have just finished nursing little Zizi. Hearing the attendant’s report and thinking there was excitement to watch, she carried her daughter to the front hall. Seeing three kneeling on the ground and Li Er frowning without speaking, she asked: “Why does Your Majesty frown with worry? What great matter could these three have to trouble you? Just punish them once—not worth expending mental effort.”
She thought the same as Li Er—not believing any great matter would occur.
“Empress, you’ve come just in time. Three accomplices kneel on this ground, but two criminals haven’t been brought. Zhen is troubled by this matter.” Hearing it seemed to involve state affairs, Zhangsun immediately fell silent and prepared to withdraw behind the curtain. She never spoke on major state affairs.
“Empress, wait. Don’t you want to hear who committed crimes together with these three scoundrels?” Li Er turned to ask the Empress.
“This consort is master of the inner palace. Court matters shouldn’t be inquired about, much less should I speak out of turn.” Though her mouth spoke nicely, her feet stopped. She pricked up her ears preparing to hear who exactly had the ability to make the Crown Prince an accomplice.
“Hmph hmph. According to Yun Ye’s memorial, the principal offender is Zhen. Empress, you are the number one accomplice. Listen to these lines: ‘This subject has heard that when superior virtue is not cultivated, inferiors will certainly emulate it. Now atop Coal Mountain, ghosts wail shrilly. Below the nine earths, wronged souls do not disperse—separated from hell by only a few feet. Cement is poisonous—flying particles fill the chest. Within two years, robust men will no longer have the strength to bind a chicken. Human cruelty—what could be worse?’ The writing is still passable—it’s just that the matters memorialized are debatable. Reporting superiors from below—first there is guilt. Someone! Drag these three out and severely beat them twenty strokes, then discuss other matters.”
Zhangsun’s eyebrows stood up. She viciously swept her gaze over the three and said to the attendants: “Drag them down and beat them hard.”
Li Chengqian very much wanted to say he was innocent, but the words reached his mouth then were swallowed back. He understood this beating was taken on behalf of his mother. Yun Ye’s face was as bitter as a cucumber. Li Er seemed very much to want to beat him. Last time he’d threatened verbally—unexpectedly this time it became reality. He’d given the memorial directly to the Emperor without going through the Three Bureaus—this already considered the imperial family’s face. Moreover, he and He Shao pleading guilty meant already preparing to bear the consequences—just wanting an edict, letting himself come forward to reorganize the coal mines, making them operate orderly and normally. Even the scapegoat was prepared—it could be said to be very thorough already. Who knew a beating still couldn’t be escaped.
He Shao grinned secretly. This was the He family’s glory! Returning home he could boast to wives and concubines that he, together with the Crown Prince and Marquis, were all beaten by His Majesty. The reason was memorializing about His Majesty and the Empress’s wrongs. Which family had such courage? Besides the He family, there was no one! Of course, the Yun family would be glossed over by him with Spring and Autumn writing techniques. He waited excitedly for the beating.
Watching the three dragged out by guards, Zhangsun was about to plead guilty. She knew Yun Ye—this person didn’t speak without evidence. If he said such matters existed, they definitely existed.
“You were pregnant ten months and just gave birth to a child. How could you have energy to manage inner palace affairs? If there’s guilt, it’s Zhen’s—what does it have to do with you? Yun Ye handled this matter very well, directly giving the memorial to us, letting us have room to maneuver. He himself is even willing to be the scapegoat. Rare indeed. Empress, your instruction ultimately still worked.”