Li Tai was thoroughly disappointed with Li Zhi. How could such an innocent and kind child from childhood have become like that in just five short years? For the sake of that chair, he wanted to kill everyone, and even put it into action.

A heart torn with wounds everywhere—only at the very end did he discover that only the physics he loved could bring a trace of comfort to his wounded heart.

The thatched cottage wasn’t built yet, so he squeezed into one room with Yun Ye to sleep. Listening to the insect chirping outside and Yun Ye sleeping soundly on the other bed, fury suddenly surged up from the soles of his feet. He jumped barefoot from the bed, grabbed the sleepy-eyed Yun Ye and demanded: “Why?”

Yun Ye yawned hugely: “What else could it be? The better a person is, the easier it is to be hurt. Killers all live without heart or lungs, so naturally they don’t feel these pains. However, we two brothers are good people, so there’s no need to push ourselves to death. They can live freely, and so can we.”

“I understand this principle, but I just can’t sleep!”

“If you can’t sleep, why are you looking for me? Hippatia is next door. Otherwise, should I call Xiao Miao back and you go find Hippatia?”

“No interest!”

“That’s rather heartless and ungrateful of you to say.”

“It’s not that—I’m just not in the mood now!”

Yun Ye pricked up his ears to listen to the insect chirping outside for a while, then suddenly had an idea. He put on his clothes, slipped on his shoes, picked up a lantern and a ceramic bowl with a lid, and left the room. Li Tai also followed curiously.

Yun Ye opened a small opening at the top of the lantern he was carrying, and immediately a rather strong beam of light shot out. He took down the small net Xiao Miao used for catching butterflies from the outer wall and tiptoed toward the nearby pile of rocks.

The insect chirping gradually stopped. Yun Ye inserted a grass stalk where there had just been insect calls. Li Tai immediately understood what Yun Ye wanted to do. He also pricked up his ears to listen while marking key locations. When Yun Ye felt it was about right, he had Li Tai hold the lantern while he held the net in one hand and lifted a stone with the other. Sure enough, a bright green cricket was underneath. Taking advantage of the insect’s stiffness from being illuminated by the lamplight, Yun Ye suddenly covered it with the net. He smiled proudly at Li Tai and put that cricket into a small bamboo tube.

Li Tai found it very interesting. He handed the lantern to Yun Ye and also lay on the ground to slowly catch insects. Each time they caught one, both were very happy and couldn’t help laughing out loud.

“Your Majesty, Qing Que and Marquis Yun can’t sleep and are playing at catching insects.” Mei Gu said softly to Zhangsun lying in the gauze canopy.

“One is the Empire’s First Prince, the other is the Empire’s great general who intimidates the four barbarians. At such a critical moment full of danger, instead of managing their fiefs or summoning their great armies, these two are here catching insects. Mei Gu, don’t you taste even a bit of tragic meaning in this?”

“It’s not that they can’t join the torrent outside—they’re unwilling to. Qing Que has fiefs in thirteen provinces. Yun Ye has countless old friends and relatives. With just one command, either could form a new powerful faction at court. Yet these two children are catching insects. Being with them, I can finally sleep well without worrying about suddenly hearing the clashing of swords…”

As Zhangsun slowly spoke, she indeed fell into slumber. Mei Gu lit a burner of calming sandalwood incense, tucked in Zhangsun’s bed curtains, and also lay down on her small bed to sleep.

When daylight came, the two finally returned with satisfaction, covered all over with bamboo tubes, completely like great generals returning victorious. Without time to finish eating properly, each swallowed two large bowls of thin porridge, mouths stuffed with buns, and set up the battlefield.

Yun Ye tucked a mane hair plucked from Wang Cai’s neck behind his ear, placed one leg on a stool, looked at Li Tai contemptuously, then took out a bamboo tube from the side and poured a fat-headed cricket from inside into a flat-bottomed ceramic basin.

“Iron Armor Great General—dare I ask who approaches!”

“Iron Armor Great General? Clearly a wine sack and rice bag! Watch my Red Robe Little General go forth—I’ll surely strike this thief down!” Li Tai tore off his outer robe, wearing only his inner garment, and also released a cricket.

Unexpectedly, these two fellows were wary of strangers and wouldn’t fight in the ceramic basin. No matter how Yun Ye teased with the horse mane hair, the Great General just wouldn’t enter battle. Li Tai also held a mane hair urging the Red Robe Little General, but that fellow also wouldn’t take the bait.

“Cricket fighting isn’t played like this! The ceramic basin isn’t good—yours even has glaze and colored patterns. That won’t do. The Great General’s legs slip on it, and this basin reflects light. You should switch to earthenware basins. The earthenware basins should also be buried underground for half a year to remove the fire essence. I see that earthenware basin for holding water on the windowsill looks quite good.”

These words clearly came from an expert. How could one not heed an expert’s words? Zhangsun very skillfully lifted Li Tai’s jar, only opening a small crack to squint and look inside. After one glance she said: “Crickets from Guanzhong can’t compare to those from Shandong—that’s where the good insects come from. Authentic Blues come from there. This insect—its head, neck, wings, and legs are all green, with a general’s bearing. This is a cricket king. If the blue-brown is mixed with yellow-brown markings, that’s called Crab Shell Blue—fierce fighter with immense strength, but no good after the dew falls. Red Sand Blue has head, neck, and wings of deep blue with blood-tooth red showing through, yellow neck with blue bumpy flowers. Fighting Red is also red, and raised until deep autumn, full wings develop red sand. This insect’s fighting nature is extremely fierce and vicious—also a cricket king. The ones you caught are just very ordinary insects. Well, it’s enough for playing around.”

Seeing Yun Ye had brought the earthenware basin, Zhangsun covered the ceramic basin with black cloth, poured the two crickets into the earthenware basin, plucked a hair from her head and twisted it into two strands with a slight fork in the middle, and gently teased the two insects in the basin. The two insects immediately entangled fiercely together.

Yun Ye discovered he seemed to have made a strategic error. He only paid attention to thick legs and large jaws but didn’t notice the cricket’s agility. The opponent’s Red Robe Little General jumped on its back and bit its antennae tightly without letting go. Before long, one antenna fell off, and it fled in disarray around the fighting basin. The little red cricket spread its wings and chirped incessantly, declaring ownership of this fighting basin.

Li Tai was overjoyed. He laughed arrogantly toward the sky and even hugged Hippatia. Yun Ye clenched his teeth and pulled out a huge gold ingot from his bosom and placed it in Li Tai’s hand.

They say this trend mustn’t grow, but from then on, the small valley was filled all day with either laughter or dejected cursing. Unknowingly, everyone forgot about the blood-soaked Chang’an.

Li Er’s complexion showed an abnormal flushed red color. Sun Simiao sat beside him taking his pulse. After a while, he said to Li Er: “You should stop taking those tiger and wolf medicines. Although they can make Your Majesty display great masculine prowess for a time, they will unknowingly drain Your Majesty’s essence and marrow. What you most need right now is to clear your heart and reduce desires, not add fuel to raging fire.”

Li Er nodded: “The Master’s words are naturally golden and jade counsel. Unfortunately, recently I’ve made everyone dislike me. The Empress went to the mountains, Qing Que also went to the mountains. Yun Ye took his wife and children claiming to recuperate from illness. Zizi cries all day hiding in Consort Yang’s greenhouse. If this continues, I’m very worried about her health. Now the only one left who can chat without restraint is the Daoist Master.”

Sun Simiao shook his head: “When conversing with a monk, if you have no intention of becoming a monk, it’s best not to discuss deeply, because we’re fundamentally people from two different worlds. Your Majesty is in a low emotional state right now and easily susceptible to bewitchment. As for worldly confusion, I believe Your Majesty certainly has methods to resolve it. There’s no need for this humble Daoist to say more.”

Li Er watched Sun Simiao walk out of Liangyi Hall, then turned back to ask Duan Hong: “Is it that no one is willing to talk much with me now?”

Duan Hong, holding his whisk, said: “Everyone in the world is waiting for Your Majesty to speak. Whether you whisper softly or hold forth at length, they listen attentively.”

Li Er nodded and asked again: “What is the Empress doing in that valley?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, the Empress spends all day with Yun Xin Shi, Hippatia, Madam Feng, and Princess Yanrong playing with crickets. Marquis Yun and His Highness Prince Wei are also playing with crickets. However, the Yun family’s two sons study diligently all day long.”

“Cricket fighting! The Empress learned to play with crickets from me. I wonder if she’s had any good catches there.”

Just as master and servant were chatting, the eunuch outside the great hall reported that Zhangsun Wuji requested an audience.

Li Er frowned slightly, not knowing what Zhangsun Wuji had come for at this time.

It was said Zhangsun Wuji requested an audience, but Zhangsun Chong also came in together. Duan Hong was about to question this when Li Er’s look stopped him. Zhangsun Wuji stepped forward to pay respects: “Your Majesty, this humble minister impeaches Yun Ye for neglecting royal affairs. More than half a year has passed, yet the firearms he promised have still not appeared on a large scale. Now Shuofang and Hebei both face supply shortages, already endangering the Empire’s border defenses. This humble minister petitions Your Majesty to replace the general.”

Li Er’s expression stiffened slightly. He asked impassively: “Whom does my beloved minister think can shoulder this great responsibility?”

“In recommending relatives, one doesn’t avoid nepotism. Zhangsun Chong is experienced in human affairs, shrewd and capable, very proficient in firearms, and serves as Left Vice Minister of War—sufficient to shoulder great responsibility.”

Seeing his father had already recommended him to the Emperor, Zhangsun Chong knelt and said loudly: “This humble minister will certainly do his utmost to ensure the Empire’s great army has abundant supplies with no more shortages.”

Li Er nodded and asked: “What are the regulations of the Central Secretariat and Chancellery? What is Yun Ye’s attitude? Does my beloved minister know?”

Hearing these words, Zhangsun Wuji couldn’t help frowning. He himself was the Chancellor of the Chancellery. The Central Secretariat was now controlled by just a few old ministers. His opinion should pass quite easily. Why would the Emperor ask this way, and specifically inquire about Yun Ye’s views? What was the reason?

“Oh? You haven’t discussed with them? Then go discuss it and we’ll deliberate afterward.” Seeing Zhangsun Wuji didn’t answer, Li Er responded very casually.

Since the Emperor had spoken thus, the Zhangsun father and son could only withdraw. Seeing Zhangsun Wuji walk out of the great hall, Li Er softly instructed: “Have that eunuch who just announced them beaten to death with rods!”

After receiving the Emperor’s command, Duan Hong hurried out…