It was already early summer, with lotus buds beginning to bloom in the pond and lush leaves spreading across the water.
Zheng Biyu sat in the cool, shaded corridor to escape the heat, listening to her maid report on the happenings at the princess’s residence. Her willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed slightly. "The princess doesn’t want to marry anymore?"
The maid nodded and said, "The Crown Prince ordered the arrest of the princess’s attendants, subjecting them to harsh interrogation to uncover their dealings with the Yelu Tribe. They found the servant who had incited the princess to associate with the northern tribes—he was a loyal servant of Yiqing Grand Princess. He coaxed and deceived the princess, stirring up trouble with the Yelu Tribe, all to provoke a conflict so he could rescue Yiqing Grand Princess in the chaos."
"That loyal servant claimed he originally intended to help Fukang Princess secure the position of Crown Princess…"
The maid paused.
Zheng Biyu said calmly, "Go on."
The maid complied: "The servant said he wanted to use Fukang Princess’s relationship with the Crown Prince to influence the court, but Fukang Princess proved useless. He had no choice but to take a risky approach, urging Fukang Princess to ally with the northern tribes and deceiving her by promising to help her restore her kingdom. Once she married into the grasslands, the Crown Prince would surely send troops to rescue her, giving him a chance to fish in troubled waters."
"Upon learning the truth, the princess locked herself in her room, refusing to eat or drink."
A flicker of mockery passed through Zheng Biyu’s eyes.
At first, she insisted on marrying; now that she realized she had been deceived, she no longer wanted to go through with it.
In her eyes, matters of state and diplomacy were nothing more than child’s play.
What a pity—the Yelu Tribe was savage and cunning, not so easily dismissed. With various factions now involved, and even Southern Chu stepping in to meddle, it was too late for regrets.
…
At the princess’s residence, Li Xuanzhen finished interrogating Yiqing Grand Princess’s servant, his handsome face clouded with gloom.
A guard asked, "Your Highness, how should we deal with this wretched slave?"
Without a word, Li Xuanzhen drew his sword.
A flash of cold, gleaming steel, and the servant fell silent instantly.
Blood gushed forth, splattering and staining the hem and sleeves of Li Xuanzhen’s robe.
The guards in the room exchanged glances, their faces filled with astonishment.
With a thud, Li Xuanzhen tossed the bloodstained sword aside and went to find Zhu Lvyun.
The guards forced the door open. Zhu Lvyun was huddled on the bed in the inner chamber, knees drawn to her chest, motionless and pale.
Li Xuanzhen approached the bedside, drops of blood from his robe dripping onto the floor.
"You colluded with the northern tribes?" His voice was unnervingly cold. "Yuniang, you are a princess of Great Wei, a descendant of the Zhu clan—how could you collude with the northern tribes?"
Zhu Lvyun had deceived him; she had indeed reached an agreement with the Yelu Tribe.
Back in the day, the Zhu clan had defended Xiao Pass to the death, blocking the powerful northern cavalry from advancing south. How many Zhu sons had shed their blood on the Liupan Mountains?
And she had colluded with the northern tribes!
Zhu Lvyun trembled as she lifted her face. "To restore my kingdom, I would sacrifice anything. Aren’t your Li clan now allying with the northern tribes? Why can’t I cooperate with them?"
Li Xuanzhen’s anger flared even hotter. "Is this an alliance? This is a treacherous plot to betray the state!"
Her stubbornness, willfulness, and extremism—her willingness to do anything for revenge—were one thing, but she should never have promised to hand over Helong to the Yelu Tribe once her kingdom was restored!
Zhu Lvyun’s lips were bloodless. "It was your father who forced me! He sent people to watch my every move—I couldn’t take a step outside Chang’an! Without cooperating with the Yelu Tribe, I had no way to leave Chang’an!"
She let out a cold laugh."My mother wanted to flee to Quanzhou with me back then, but it was your Li family who stopped her. Li Xuanzhen, I am not the Great Wei Princess—I am your Li family's captive slave! I would rather cooperate with the barbarians than be imprisoned by your Li family for a lifetime."
Li Xuanzhen fell silent for a moment, his phoenix eyes lowering slightly: "You also know your mother wanted to flee to Quanzhou—she intended to sail overseas. As a mere woman, why would she attempt such a perilous journey alone unless driven to utter desperation?"
Zhu Lvyun's mother, being an imperial consort, understood better than anyone what fate awaited the last emperor's concubines and children if they fell into malicious hands.
How tragically had the palace women abandoned by the final emperor in Chang'an met their ends?
The Li family had saved her, raised her, and provided her sanctuary. While Li De indeed exploited her, he also granted her royal privileges and never contemplated killing her.
Did she truly believe escape from Chang'an would bring freedom?
What awaited her could only be brutal slaughter.
Zhu Lvyun turned her face away, thin lips pressed tightly together.
Weariness surfaced on Li Xuanzhen's face as he rubbed his temples and turned to leave.
As he reached the doorway, a stifled sob echoed behind him.
"Elder Brother Changsheng..."Zhu Lvyun kept her back to him, wiping her eyes, "I never truly intended to rule west of Xiao Pass with the barbarians—I only wanted to leave Chang'an.".."
Her alliance with the Yelu Tribe was merely expedient. She wished to escape the Li family, rescue her aunt, restore their kingdom. When her attendant advised cooperating with the barbarians, she agreed.
Since she couldn't marry Li Xuanzhen—son of her enemy—what did it matter whom she wedded?
She never imagined her attendant had been deceiving her all along, serving Yiqing Grand Princess while using her as a pawn.
Li Xuanzhen departed without looking back.
In the doorway, Zhu Lvyun's maid threw herself at his feet, weeping: "Your Highness, the princess has been deceived! You must save her! How could someone of her noble breeding and delicate constitution marry into those savage tribes?"
Li Xuanzhen closed his eyes briefly, shook off the maid, and left without a word.
His retinue hurried after him.
Upon returning to the Crown Prince's Palace, they heard arguing from the study as they stepped onto the corridor.
Wei Ming was still debating substitute brides with others.
Li Xuanzhen paced slowly to the latticed window, peering through the gaps.
Five or six confidants filled the room.
Qin Fei stood in the corner, grumbling in his rumbling voice: "Fukang Princess holds esteemed status, and Seventh Princess is also imperial nobility. How can Seventh Princess bear the consequences for Fukang Princess's willfulness?"
Wei Ming shot him an exasperated look: "Seventh Princess is Second Prince's blood sister!"
Qin Fei immediately deflated.
Wei Ming gestured, and a young eunuch approached with a lacquer tray. He first lifted a stack of blank paper, passing it around for inspection.
"This paper is soft yet resilient, uniformly thick, and insect-resistant. Guess the price for one hundred sheets?"
One man ventured: "Such quality—smooth and white, perfect for writing and painting—six hundred coppers per hundred?"
Wei Ming shook his head: "Sixty coppers."
The others gasped in astonishment, even the rough-edged Qin Fei gaping. Though a military man, he knew paper's value—how could premium paper be so cheap?
Wei Ming then lifted several booklets from the tray.
Qin Fei took one, flipping through it casually without comprehension.
The other scholars, however, erupted in amazed exclamations.One person remarked, "I have never seen such exquisite binding techniques."
Another added, "The binding is one thing, but look at the content—how were these illustrations printed? Each one has such clear lines, truly a masterful design."
After marveling for a while, they asked with smiles, "Which great scholar presided over the compilation and printing of these books? How have we never heard of them?"
Printing books was no simple task. Having assisted Zheng Prime Minister in overseeing the printing of the new dynasty's calendar, they were well aware of the hardships involved.
Wei Ming replied expressionlessly, "It was the Seventh Princess."
The group froze in astonishment.
Wei Ming pointed to the papers. "These are just ordinary papers sold by the Xie Family Bookshop. Besides these, there are also expensive Gold-flecked Paper and Peach Blossom Paper, as well as cheaper coarse paper. The most popular among scholars is the affordable Cotton Paper, which the people of Jingnan call Xie Family Paper."
"As for these agricultural and medical books, they were also produced by the Xie family. Their bookshops across the region not only compile, print, and sell books but also allow commoners to borrow volumes and provide paper for copying. The Xie family’s library in Jingnan has already collected ten thousand volumes, with scholars and literati visiting daily to seek books. The Xie family turns no one away, charging only one copper coin per person."
The group’s expressions grew solemn.
Why do noble families thrive for generations, producing talented individuals one after another?
Why is the divide between noble families and common clans so stark?
It is because noble families not only monopolize power and wealth but also completely control knowledge.
Children of noble families begin their education at four or five years old. They have wise elders, learned tutors, extensive libraries, generational legacies, and profound family traditions.
What about the children of common families?
The cost of paper and ink alone could bankrupt a household. Even with the entire clan’s support, it is difficult to nurture many scholars.
Wealthy families may not worry about money, but they lack extensive book collections. Assembling a complete set of the Four Books is a challenge, let alone acquiring works by renowned scholars. After great effort, they might obtain a error-ridden copied version, with no teachers to consult. Reading it a hundred times may still fail to convey its true meaning.
Everyone in the room came from humble backgrounds. They had endured immense hardship, studying tirelessly to reach their current positions. Yet, limited by their origins, they could never attain high ranks and would always remain subordinate to scions of noble families.
In this world, perhaps only they could grasp the profound significance behind Xie Family Paper and the Xie family library.
Making knowledge accessible to the common people, enabling them to afford paper and books, and allowing them to read the Xie family’s entire collection free of charge—
This would benefit millions and achieve merit for eternity!
Unable to conceal their excitement, they asked, "Was this truly the Seventh Princess’s idea?"
Wei Ming nodded. "The main branch of the Xie family has died out. They operate discreetly and avoid publicity. It took me half a year to discover that the one who ordered the library’s opening was the Seventh Princess, and she also oversaw the compilation of the agricultural texts. She established a workshop in Jingnan, where a thousand people daily collect, organize catalogs, and write articles."
The group exchanged stunned glances.
Qin Fei wore a puzzled expression. Since the Chief Administrator knew the Seventh Princess had accomplished so much for the benefit of future generations, why would he still seek to harm her?He scratched his head and said, "The Seventh Princess has a compassionate heart and cares for the world, no less capable than any man. We should not let her take the place in marriage."
The others cast sympathetic glances at him.
Wei Ming ignored him and looked at the others. "Not long ago, at the Chancellor's spring banquet, the Second Prince bought a peony for the Seventh Princess, spending tens of thousands in gold. I deliberately leaked the news, and sure enough, people began criticizing the Second Prince for his extravagance. The Seventh Princess accepted the flower but did not attend the banquet. Instead, she sent the peony to compete for the title of Flower King at the Chancellor's residence. In the end, the peony won, and the Seventh Princess sold it to a wealthy merchant. She used all the proceeds to resettle refugees. The next day, the number of memorials impeaching the Second Prince was halved."
He paused.
"The Seventh Princess may appear delicate and virtuous, but in reality, she is shrewd and cunning, with unparalleled beauty. Every time she leaves the palace, young nobles vie for her attention. How many officials will become her devoted followers in the future?"
Wei Ming's expression turned grave.
"The Seventh Princess is bound to become our greatest threat. As long as she remains by the Second Prince's side, his chances of success increase."
Therefore, since they could kill two birds with one stone by eliminating both the Seventh Princess and the Second Prince, why not let her take the place in marriage?
The group fell silent.
Qin Fei said nothing more.
Wei Ming turned and bowed toward where Li Xuanzhen stood. "Your Highness, this time you must not show mercy again."
Li Xuanzhen remained silent for a long time. In his ears echoed a hoarse plea: "Avenge your mother... Changsheng Nu, avenge your mother..."
A chill swept through his entire body.
Standing in the dimly lit corner, he nodded.
Wei Ming was overjoyed. "I will make the arrangements immediately!"
The Crown Prince had finally hardened his heart against the Seventh Princess.
...
That day, as Yaoying was styling her hair before the mirror, two eunuchs suddenly arrived outside the princely residence.
"Your Highness, His Majesty summons you."
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