The next morning, Xie Qing reported to Li Yaoying: "Your Highness, the ward guards of Yining Ward mentioned that the Fukang Princess has been frequently visiting there recently—three times in the past half month."
Yaoying had just finished her morning toilette. Holding up a mirror, she traced the emerald gold foil floral decoration between her brows with her fingertip and asked, "What is she doing in Yining Ward?"
Xie Qing stood rigidly straight outside the twelve-panel standing screen and replied, "I heard she goes to the Zoroastrian temple to watch the Sài Xiān rituals."
Most Hu merchants practiced Zoroastrianism, and Yining Ward housed a Zoroastrian temple where Hu people regularly held sacrificial ceremonies.
Yaoying set down the sunflower-patterned mother-of-pearl inlaid bronze mirror, her suspicions deepening.
Zhu Lvyun was single-mindedly focused on revenge—she wouldn’t idly visit the temple just to watch Zoroastrians breathe fire and wield broadswords.
The Sài Xiān rituals were merely a cover.
Why had she suddenly lowered herself to associate with Hu people?
Could she be planning to bribe Hu assassins to kill Li De?
In the book, Zhu Lvyun attempted assassinations multiple times, failing each time.
Initially, she thought Li Xuanzhen was secretly thwarting her revenge plans, but she later realized Li De had known all along about her assassination attempts.
Li De pretended ignorance and kept her close to round up all the remnants of the previous dynasty.
Yaoying instructed Xie Qing to continue having Zhu Lvyun followed.
She wasn’t worried about Li De’s safety but feared Xie Guifei and Li Zhongqian might be implicated.
Xie Qing withdrew.
The maid Chunru entered with a smile, presenting an indigo floral-and-bird embroidered tie-dye shawl.
Li Yaoying took it and draped it over her arm. The shawl was adorned with silver-dusted stars that shimmered in the sunlight, making the birds and flowers appear to flow within a galaxy—vivid and resplendent.
Chunru chuckled, "At next month’s Spring Appreciation Banquet, Your Highness will surely outshine everyone in the capital."
The banquet traditionally featured peony competitions, but everyone knew the real contest was about the people.
The Seventh Princess, with her peerless elegance, complemented by exquisite brocade garments and the peony king—purchased by the Second Prince for tens of thousands in gold from Luoyang—would be unmatched in beauty, attire, and blossoms. Who could possibly rival the Princess?
Yaoying adjusted her shawl. "Don’t bother with all that. I’m not attending the Spring Appreciation Banquet this year."
She had promised Li Zhongqian to go horseback riding by the Qujiang River for spring outings.
Chunru stared blankly, her face full of regret. "The Prime Minister’s wife’s maid has been telling everyone you’ll definitely attend this year’s banquet. The young men of the Capital Prefecture are so excited they’re hopping about. I heard they’re all busy tailoring new clothes—the brocade in the East and West Markets was nearly sold out, and the prices of face powder and gemstones for jade belts have risen. The Hu merchants made a fortune."
The Seventh Princess was as beautiful as a celestial being and of noble status. The scions of capital families had long admired her but struggled to find opportunities to get close.
Upon hearing she would attend the Prime Minister’s Spring Appreciation Banquet, the threshold of his residence was nearly worn down by those seeking invitations.
The young men were so thrilled they began preparations half a month ago—perfuming, bathing, and applying cosmetics—vowing to outshine their rivals at the banquet.
If the Seventh Princess didn’t attend, half the banquet would likely be filled with disappointed souls.
Listening to Chunru’s vivid description of how the capital’s elite young men applied makeup, Li Yaoying couldn’t help but laugh: men nowadays considered powdering their faces fashionable, but she simply couldn’t appreciate it.
"What a pity if Your Highness doesn’t go…"
Chunru’s eyes sparkled as she recalled something.
"I heard the Third Young Master of the Zheng family will also attend the banquet and compete in poetry with the scions of the Wang, Cui, and Lu families!"
Yaoying raised an eyebrow.
…Zheng Jing, the third son of the Zheng family, was the designated candidate for imperial consort.
Everyone knew Zheng Jing was the legitimate eldest son of the main branch of the Zheng family, yet his abilities fell far short of his elder half-brother, Zheng Dalang.
Li De had repeatedly praised Zheng Dalang in public.
Rumors in the capital suggested that Zheng Dalang would eventually inherit his father’s official position, while the mediocre Zheng Jing would remain within the clan to manage family affairs.
Only Li Yaoying knew that Zheng Jing possessed hidden brilliance. Though he appeared unremarkable now, he would later rise meteorically to the position of chancellor.
In his middle age, Li Xuanzhen grew muddleheaded and irritable, and his repeated military campaigns nearly brought the Great Wei dynasty to its knees. After his death, the court experienced several upheavals, and it was only due to Zheng Jing’s seasoned and steady leadership that stability was restored.
Zheng Jing served three generations of emperors throughout his life, wielding immense power at court and even influencing the appointment and deposition of monarchs at one point.
Zheng Jing’s father had once arranged a marriage for him.
Years earlier, the family of his betrothed had tragically perished in the chaos of war.
According to the records, Zheng Jing erected a tomb for his fiancée and never took a principal wife for the rest of his life. However, he took many concubines, and his children came one after another, forcing him to expand the rear courtyard as there was no longer enough space.
…
Li Yaoying had met Zheng Jing a few times but had no particular impression of him.
Now, as Chunru mentioned him, she still couldn’t recall his features clearly, only vaguely remembering him as tall, slender, and refined—no different from other scions of noble families.
In recent years, Yaoying had been anxiously guarding against Li Xuanzhen and, being young, had never given much thought to marriage.
This match with the Zheng family had been arranged by Li Zhongqian without her knowledge. Before leaving for battle, he had made a verbal agreement with Zheng Jing’s father.
The matter had not been kept secret from Li De, and the news had leaked from Li De’s close attendants.
Thinking of this, Yaoying couldn’t help but let out a soft snort.
Her second brother had quietly arranged a husband for her without saying a word!
When he returned, she would have to give him a good thumping first!
Chunru sighed inwardly.
She had deliberately brought up the third son of the Zheng family, but the princess remained unmoved. It seemed this year’s spring banquet would indeed benefit someone else.
…
The weather grew brighter day by day. The cherries in the villa ripened and fell, deepening the sense of spring. The palace gardens were shaded by green willows, and apricot blossoms fell like snow.
Xie Qing reported Zhu Lvyun’s movements to Li Yaoying daily.
Zhu Lvyun seemed to have lost interest in the Sai Xian festival. Since that day, she had not left her residence.
Yet her servants traveled back and forth between the princess’s residence and Yining Ward daily, delivering messages with secretive movements.
Yaoying thought to herself: Zhu Lvyun might truly be preparing an assassination plot.
While instructing Xie Qing to continue monitoring Zhu Lvyun, she grew increasingly anxious, hoping for Li Zhongqian’s safe and early return.
Military reports arrived stating that Li De had led the imperial troops to victory but encountered some unforeseen events on the return journey, making the date of their return uncertain.
Yaoying waited eagerly, repeatedly sending people to gather information.
It was initially said they would return to the capital by the end of the month, but by mid-April, Li Zhongqian still had not come back.
One early morning, Yaoying finished a bowl of sugarcane milk with cherries and reclined on a felt mat in the corridor, leaning against a cushion as she reviewed account books sent from various places.
A gentle breeze stirred, and petals drifted down in front of the corridor.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from the depths of the hallway.
A maid from Xie Guifei’s palace rushed over in a panic.
“Your Highness, the lady has fallen ill again!”
Yaoying immediately set aside the account books, slipped into her wooden clogs, and hurried down the corridor to the main bedchamber.
Just as she passed through the winding corridor, she heard chaotic voices ahead. A disheveled, haggard middle-aged woman stumbled toward her, swaying unsteadily.
Seven or eight palace maids surrounded her, wanting to support the woman but afraid of startling her.Yaoying quickly stepped forward, her brows slightly furrowed, and said softly, "Mother, it's me."
Her voice was like a spring breeze, so gentle it could drip with flower dew.
Xie Guifei randomly wiped her disheveled hair, her eyes dazed and expression bewildered: "Bright Moon Slave... where is Second Brother? He said he would come see me today..."
Yaoying gently held her arm, her voice soft: "Mother, Elder Brother wrote back saying he was delayed on the road and won't be able to return for another couple of days."
Xie Guifei froze, cautiously asking: "Really?"
Yaoying helped her mother walk back, patiently coaxing: "Really, Elder Brother will return in a couple of days."
Xie Guifei's eyes wandered aimlessly, her mouth still repeating over and over: Second Brother, come back.
Yaoying tirelessly assured her: "Second Brother will return."
Through coaxing and persuasion, she escorted Xie Guifei back to her bedchamber.
A palace maid brought the freshly brewed medicinal soup.
Yaoying washed her hands, took the comb and began styling Xie Guifei's long hair, helping her freshen up, then personally fed her the medicine.
The medicine contained added sour plums, making it sweet.
Xie Guifei obediently drank the medicine, suddenly reaching out to touch Yaoying's cold wrist.
The weather was gradually warming, and Yaoying feared heat. Today she wore a pomegranate-red gown with scattered small floral patterns and a low neckline, with wide sleeves as light as wings, covered by a brocade-edged half-sleeve jacket. When she lifted her hand, her sleeve slipped down, revealing a fair wrist like congealed frost.
Xie Guifei asked lovingly: "Bright Moon Slave, are you cold?"
As she spoke, she casually grabbed the shawl by the couch and draped it over her daughter's shoulders.
Repeatedly reminding: "Don't catch cold... Bright Moon Slave mustn't get chilled... must take medicine every day..."
Gentle and loving, just like before.
Yaoying felt a slight ache in her heart, shaking her head: "Mother, I'm not cold." She continued feeding Xie Guifei the medicine.
Even in dementia and madness, Mother still remembered to care for her.
...
Back when Xie Guifei and Tang Shi were rivals, Tang Shi died, and Li De blamed her. She lost all hope and fell ill.
Not long after, the Xie family defended an empty city to cover civilians crossing the river, the entire family dying heroically.
Xie Guifei painfully lost her blood relatives and also her only support. Li De's attitude toward her grew colder, and she became mad and foolish from then on.
She had never intended harm toward Tang Shi, yet ended up like this. Li Xuanzhen still felt it wasn't enough retribution.
Even after she swallowed gold to end her life, he still told those around him: "That poisonous woman deserved to die!"
...
Li Yaoying watched as Xie Guifei fell asleep, then walked out of the bedchamber, her brows lightly furrowed.
In recent years, Xie Guifei's condition fluctuated. She had sought out famous physicians across the land to treat Xie Guifei, and while there was some improvement, her illness was ultimately a matter of the heart.
Many years ago, relying on her elder brother Uncle Xie's affection, Xie Guifei insisted on marrying down to Li De.
Uncle Xie had no choice but to see her married, exhausting the entire clan's resources to support her husband.
In the end, it cost the entire Xie family.
What they received in return was Li De's cold indifference.
Yaoying sometimes thought that Xie Guifei's mental confusion might not necessarily be a bad thing.
Li Zhongqian thought so too.
The siblings never mentioned Uncle Xie, who had long died defending the city, in front of Xie Guifei. Xie Guifei believed the Xie family still lived in this world, merely unwilling to associate with her.
The imperial physician hurried over to check Xie Guifei's pulse and prescribed a new formula.
A palace maid fanned the stove to brew tea. Yaoying invited the imperial physician to the corridor for tea and a brief rest.
Amid the curling tea fragrance, the imperial physician gazed at the snow-white tea foam in the glass cup, pondered for a moment, and said to Yaoying: "Your Highness, my abilities are limited and shallow. I have failed to live up to Your Highness's expectations."Yaoying smiled, straightened up, and bowed solemnly to the imperial physician: "You flatter me, Sir. My mother's illness is truly a matter of the heart. Over these years, we have relied on your compassionate care as a healer tending to my mother. My elder brother and I have yet to express our gratitude to you."
The imperial physician was overwhelmed by the unexpected honor and dared not accept Yaoying's bow, remaining prostrate on the ground until she had finished paying her respects before he ventured to resume his seat.
After discussing Consort Zheng's condition for a while, the physician recalled something: "The renowned physician from the Land of Brahma whom you previously asked me to inquire about has arrived in the capital. He is currently lodging at the Daci'en Temple in Jinchang Ward."
Yaoying's face lit up with joy.
During the tumultuous final years of the previous dynasty, to escape the ravages of war, monks from the Central Plains had fled to the relatively peaceful region of Shu.
After Li De ascended the throne, he dispatched envoys to persuade eminent monks in Shu to return to the capital.
Among them was a revered monk from the Land of Brahma, reputed not only for his profound understanding of Buddhist principles but also as a highly skilled master of medicine. He had traveled by sea from the Land of Brahma to Guangzhou, journeyed through much of the Central Plains, and eventually made his way to Shu. This time, he would return to Chang'an along with other eminent monks from the Central Plains.
Yaoying had long heard of this eminent monk's reputation and had been eagerly anticipating his early arrival in the capital.
The physician added: "If you wish to invite him to examine the Consort's pulse, it would be best to act quickly. I heard he is eager to depart for the Western Regions and has come to Chang'an primarily to pay homage to the Buddha's Sarira enshrined in the Daci'en Temple."
Yaoying pondered for a moment, then saw the physician out and ordered servants to prepare a carriage, deciding to leave the palace immediately.
The Daci'en Temple was commissioned by Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, in memory of his mother Empress Zhangsun. The eminent monk Xuanzang had once presided over temple affairs here, organizing the translation of Scriptures and promoting the Buddhist Dharma. Xuanzang and his disciples established the Consciousness-Only school of Chinese Buddhism, making Daci'en Temple regarded as the ancestral courtyard of the school.
In preparation for welcoming the returning northern monks, Daci'en Temple had been completely renovated. The temple complex was magnificent, with majestic halls, and the reconstructed Great Wild Goose Tower stood solemnly by the Qujiang River, emanating dignity and grandeur.
With the first group of monks from Shu arriving, the temple was bustling with activity.
The superintendent, who hadn't slept all night and was constantly on the move, frowned slightly when he saw the guest-prefect monk enter the room.
The guest-prefect presented a name card. The superintendent took it, glanced at it, and immediately set aside his current tasks, stepping out of the main hall.
Just as he crossed the threshold, soft footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Several guards in narrow-sleeved robes escorted a strikingly beautiful young woman forward. With bright eyes and white teeth, her celestial grace and jade-like complexion, draped in flowing light gauze with fluttering sleeves, she resembled a living manifestation of the dignified and elegant female deities depicted in the temple's wind-swept robes murals.
Wherever she passed, young novices couldn't help but look up, only to be glared at by elder Bhiksus nearby, prompting them to quickly lower their heads and silently recite Scriptures.
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