The Seventh Princess possessed a graceful and radiant beauty, bright as spring blossoms.
Young nobles of Chang'an vied for her hand in marriage, while scions of the seven clans and five great families—who normally disdained imperial princesses—fought and brawled recklessly for her favor.
Had such a beauty taken the initiative to visit anyone else, they would surely have been overjoyed.
Yet Du Sinan felt not an ounce of delight.
Not only was he unpleased, but he was also seething with suppressed fury.
He stared at the smiling Seventh Princess, Li Yaoying, standing at his doorstep, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
...
In these times, the distinction between nobility and commoners remained strict. Despite years of continuous warfare, the status of great aristocratic families remained unshaken, with a clear divide maintained between the gentry and those of humble origins.
Though many talented individuals from common backgrounds had emerged in recent years, once peace was restored, it would still be the great families who controlled the court and shaped the empire's destiny.
Du Sinan, a native of Southern Chu, was proud of his talents and had aspired since childhood to achieve great deeds. Unfortunately, his humble origins hindered him. Hearing that Li De, the Prince of Wei in the north, and his eldest son Li Xuanzhen treated scholars with respect and valued ability over pedigree, he packed his belongings and journeyed to seek his fortune with them.
He had believed that winning Li Xuanzhen's favor would pave his way to success and the fulfillment of his ambitions. Little did he expect that the Seventh Princess of the Li family would suddenly appear and completely disrupt his plans.
While traveling north to join Li Xuanzhen's Wei army, Du Sinan learned that the crown prince already had trusted advisors and talents in his service. Unwilling to be underestimated, Du Sinan deliberately arrived in Guanzhong ahead of the Wei forces. There, he befriended local scholars and built his reputation, waiting for Li Xuanzhen to seek him out repeatedly, as in the fable of the Three Visits.
He thought he could wait at ease, but before Li Xuanzhen took the bait, his fishing rod was yanked into the water by Li Yaoying.
At that time, the Wei army had not yet entered the Guanzhong Plain. Du Sinan spent his days studying behind closed doors, occasionally venturing out to visit friends. Suddenly, he was ambushed by a band of rogue bandits, kidnapped into the deep mountains, and fortunately rescued by a passing merchant caravan, escaping unharmed.
The caravan leader claimed to be a servant of the Li family of Wei Commandery. He comforted Du Sinan kindly, sent people to check on him every three days, and even assigned maids and servants to attend to his daily needs.
Du Sinan, eager to learn more about the Li family, interacted with the caravan leader for some time.
It was only when he discovered that the caravan leader was actually Li Yaoying's servant that he immediately cut off contact.
At the time, he thought Li Yaoying was merely a twelve- or thirteen-year-old maiden secluded in the inner chambers, assuming it was all a coincidence and paying it no mind.
Who could have guessed that Li Yaoying was so cunning? Each time she sent servants to visit him, they would carry palanquins draped with red silk, parading ostentatiously through the streets. When curious onlookers inquired, the servants would reply that they were Li Zhongqian's attendants.
Before Du Sinan could react, rumors had already spread throughout Guanzhong that he had joined Li Zhongqian's camp.
Thus, by the time the Wei army stationed itself in Guanzhong and Li Xuanzhen began recruiting local scholars, Du Sinan was already regarded as Li Zhongqian's man.
Du Sinan waited and waited, but Li Xuanzhen never came. He realized that Li Xuanzhen must have grown suspicious of him and had no intention of recruiting such a questionable figure as an advisor.
In the eyes of the world, Li Zhongqian had saved his life and held him in high regard, showering his household with a steady stream of gold, silver, and silks, inquiring after his well-being with meticulous care.
If Du Sinan were to switch his allegiance to Li Xuanzhen, regardless of whether Li Xuanzhen trusted his loyalty, he would first bear the stigma of "ingratitude"!
Du Sinan, flexible in adversity, understood the situation and decided to settle for the next best option: he would take the initiative to seek out Li Xuanzhen and declare his intentions.
He arrived in Chang'an full of enthusiasm.
And at this very moment, Li Yaoying emerged once again, personally paying a visit to Du Sinan.Even when he avoided seeing her, she would still occasionally linger at his doorstep, each time flaunting her presence ostentatiously, surrounded by a grand entourage of dozens of armored guards and burly servants, parading through half of Chang'an City.
The seventh daughter of the Li family, with her peerless beauty that outshone the Central Plains, would attract young noblemen from the five mausoleum districts of Chang'an to ride after her carriage whenever she left the palace, just to catch a glimpse of her.
Her deliberate visits to Du Sinan quickly became the talk of the town within days.
Du Sinan was so furious he could vomit blood: now Li Xuanzhen's suspicions of him would only deepen!
What infuriated Du Sinan even more was that Li Yaoying had ruined his path to success, yet from start to finish, she showed no intention of recruiting him for Li Zhongqian.
She simply looked down on him, standing casually at his doorstep, smiling as she exchanged a few words before turning to leave without any genuine sincerity in seeking talent.
To others, however, it appeared as though the noble seventh princess had recognized the talent of the young master of the Du family, condescending to seek his advice with humility.
Du Sinan could not voice his grievances and had to endure the envy, mockery, and ridicule of the idle young nobles in the capital.
...
Two years of pent-up frustration and bitterness surged in his heart, and Du Sinan gritted his teeth until they creaked.
Li Yaoying smiled and signaled to her sturdy servant.
The servant carried several large loads of firewood, rice, mutton, vegetables, and other provisions into the courtyard.
Du Sinan sneered, "I have done no meritorious service and do not deserve such rewards."
Yaoying chuckled lightly, "Young Master Du, with your great talent, you are worthy of it."
Du Sinan's chest heaved violently; he felt like spitting blood right into the seventh princess's face.
"Young Master Du, you look unwell and should rest in bed to recuperate. I won't disturb you any further."
As always, as soon as the servant set down the loads, Yaoying took her leave, idly tapping her soft whip against her palm, clearly distracted.
Yet her face still wore a floating smile, her eyes filled with apparent concern.
At such a young age, she already possessed such cunning and such beauty—she was bound to become a formidable threat in the future.
Du Sinan's face turned ashen.
Yaoying turned and descended the stone steps.
Her guard, Xie Qing, led her horse forward and asked in a deep voice, "Your Highness, are we returning to the palace?"
Yaoying mounted her horse and turned its head, "Let's stroll through the West Market. Second Brother is returning soon, and I want to pick out a new saddle for him."
Not long after Li De ascended the throne, he set out on a campaign with the Crown Prince Li Xuanzhen and his second son, Li Zhongqian. Recently, news of their victory had arrived, and based on their pace, the army would return to Chang'an in five or six days.
Xie Qing acknowledged the order, glanced back at Du Sinan, and spurred his horse to follow behind Yaoying.
Yaoying knew Xie Qing must be curious about her peculiar attitude toward Du Sinan—neither employing him nor simply eliminating him to avoid future troubles.
She could not touch Du Sinan.
He was destined to be the chief strategist under Li Xuanzhen's command, and causing him trouble would only bring her discomfort as well.
She had to find another way to prevent him from pledging his allegiance to Li Xuanzhen.
So far, this method seemed effective—Second Brother had successfully avoided Du Sinan's harm.
As for recruiting Du Sinan and making him serve her...
Yaoying shook her head.
...
Du Sinan had a sharp eye and was adept at judging character. While still in Southern Chu, he had once assessed Li De in four words: "A ruler of great ambition."
His evaluation of Li Xuanzhen was also four words: "A ruler of talent."
But when it came to Li Zhongqian, he used eight words: "Courageous but lacking strategy, unlikely to achieve greatness."
Du Sinan had grand ambitions and far-sighted goals, stopping at nothing to achieve them. He would never be satisfied with serving as a strategist under Li Zhongqian. Even if forced to submit, he would not sincerely offer counsel to Li Zhongqian and might even secretly collude with Li Xuanzhen.
Keeping such a person by one's side would be no different from cutting off one's own retreat.Therefore, Yaoying could not use Du Sinan.
Since he couldn't be killed nor utilized, keeping him under close surveillance wasn't a bad arrangement.
Li Xuanzhen admired Du Sinan's talents and was unwilling to let such a capable person slip away, so he had him constantly monitored.
Every time Yaoying visited Du Sinan, the Crown Prince's Palace would receive reports.
The most trusted strategist in the Crown Prince's Palace at this time was Wei Ming from Hedong. Petty and vindictive by nature, Wei Ming was jealous of talented individuals. Having heard of Du Sinan's early fame, he viewed him with considerable apprehension.
When these reports reached Wei Ming, Yaoying believed he would seize the opportunity to slander Du Sinan and obstruct Li Xuanzhen from employing him.
Hence, every time she left the palace, Yaoying would make a point of stopping by Du Sinan's residence.
After all, she had nothing better to do.
Today's visit was merely because it was on her way to the West Market.
...
It was the busiest time of day in the market district, with crowds jostling shoulder to shoulder in the bustling streets.
After Li De ascended the throne, he issued decrees reestablishing market offices to manage trade in the East and West Markets. Due to efficient administration and extremely low taxes, merchants from all directions flocked to the capital.
Shops lined the streets, their hawkers' cries rising and falling in succession. Southerners, northerners, Tocharians, people from the Land of Brahma, and Hu merchants bargained in broken official dialect.
Li Yaoying put on her veil hat, dismissed the boisterous servants, and took only a few sturdy attendants with her to a saddlery shop where she selected a horse saddle.
The shopkeeper boasted that all the saddles in his shop came from the Northern Protectorate—not only lightweight and durable but also treated with mutton fat to prevent rot from rain and horse sweat.
While the Central Plains were in turmoil, the Western Regions were also unstable. Over several decades, dozens of tribes large and small had declared themselves kings, carving up the northern and southern routes of the Western Regions. The Silk Road had been severed for decades. Merchant caravans from the Northern Protectorate attempting to trade with the Central Plains were often looted by tribes along the way shortly after setting out, causing the once-frequent caravans between the Western Regions and the Central Plains to nearly vanish.
Scarcity drives up value. The shopkeeper happened to acquire a batch of Northern Protectorate horse gear rarely seen on the market and was quite proud of it.
Yaoying asked a few questions about the Western Regions.
Though she concealed her identity and wore a veil hat to hide her face, her refined demeanor and distinguished bearing stood out.
The shopkeeper guessed she must be nobility traveling incognito and, eager to show off, openly shared everything he knew.
Leaving the saddlery shop, Yaoying frowned slightly.
Northern tribes frequently invaded southward, and vast territories north of Chang'an remained unrecovered.
Li De intended to use Hu people to control Hu people, relying on subjugated Hu tribes to reclaim the Hexi Corridor. For this purpose, he sent large sums of gold and silver treasures. Several Tujue tribes had agreed to submit, and their chieftains and princes had already arrived in Chang'an.
Before long, Li De might dispatch Li Zhongqian to lead troops and pacify the unrest in the Western Regions.
The Western Regions had been beyond Central Plains control for decades. According to the shopkeeper, while the Central Plains were gradually stabilizing, the Western Regions remained embroiled in constant warfare. Moreover, several powerful tribes had risen successively, with two particularly strong ones showing potential to sweep through the entire region. How could recovery be easy?
In the book, Li Zhongqian died precisely in the vast desert of the Western Regions.
Reckless and impulsive by nature, he was deceived by spies sent by Li Xuanzhen and Du Sinan, leading his troops deep into enemy territory where they were surrounded. He fought to his last breath and fell in battle.
Li Xuanzhen forbade soldiers from retrieving his body, leaving it to be pecked by vultures.
After nearly a decade of military campaigns and having made monumental contributions to the founding of Great Wei, the Second Prince ended with not even a skeleton remaining.
...
The nightmare that had haunted Li Yaoying for years was the scene of Li Zhongqian's tragic death in the desert.
Yaoying rode her horse out of the West Market gate.The one who truly wants to kill Li Zhongqian is Li Xuanzhen. Without Du Sinan, there will always be others to scheme for Li Xuanzhen.
Her elder brother would never let the three of them—mother and sons—off the hook.
When Second Brother returns, she must have a serious talk with him.
The Wusun horse rounded the street corner when suddenly, ahead, came the loud shouts of servants clearing the way.
Pedestrians scattered to avoid the commotion.
Yaoying snapped out of her thoughts and followed the sound with her gaze.
Several sturdy servants, riding tall horses, pushed through the crowded street, escorting an ornate canopy carriage heading toward Yining Quarter in the northwest corner.
A spring breeze swept past, lifting the soft curtain of the carriage, revealing a fleeting glimpse of a tense, delicate face.
Xie Qing, with his keen eyesight, stared at the carriage for a moment before urging his horse half a length forward and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, it’s the Fukang Princess."
Yaoying frowned slightly.
...
Zhu Lvyun, the Fukang Princess, was the daughter of the last emperor of the previous dynasty and the female lead in The Great Wei’s Li Xuanzhen—a woman destined to be entangled with Li Xuanzhen for half a lifetime.
Years ago, to win over public sentiment, Li De sent people to find Zhu Lvyun, the former dynasty’s princess, raised her as his own, and immediately conferred upon her the title of Fukang Princess after ascending the throne.
Li De treated Zhu Lvyun as if she were his own daughter.
Zhu Lvyun, however, believed that Li De had deliberately delayed sending reinforcements back then, causing her father’s death. Pretending to align with Li De, she had been secretly plotting revenge all along.
The men of the Li family were ruthless and decisive, having slain countless enemies on the battlefield. They were fierce and courageous, nearly all of them valiant and skilled generals, but they shared one flaw: they were prone to stumbling over women.
Li Xuanzhen’s weakness in this regard was especially severe.
He and Zhu Lvyun were locked in a turbulent love-hate relationship, entangled for decades—today she stabs him, tomorrow he strikes her—breaking up and reconciling repeatedly, tormenting each other for half a lifetime. In the end, the two lived peacefully into old age, but those close to them had died or been injured because of their strife, and still had to congratulate the couple for finally resolving their families’ enmity and uniting in marriage.
In short, wherever Zhu Lvyun went, chaos ensued—chickens flying and dogs leaping, people and horses thrown into disarray.
The Crown Prince’s consort, Lady Zheng, was often ill, frequently confined to her sickbed—half the time, it was due to the distress caused by Li Xuanzhen and Zhu Lvyun.
...
Zhu Lvyun, who prided herself on her status—why would she go to Yining Quarter?
Yining Quarter was a district inhabited by Hu people.
Zhu Lvyun had always looked down on the Hu people, disdaining any interaction with them.
A thought struck Yaoying, and she instructed Xie Qing, "Send someone to follow them and see."
Xie Qing acknowledged the order and signaled to his subordinate.
The sturdy servant leaped down from his horse and melted into the bustling crowd.
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