The attendant emerged from the corner and stepped forward to help Zheng Jing up: "Third Young Master, are you hurt?"
Zheng Jing coughed until tears streamed down his face. He shook his head with a bitter smile, stood up, and gazed in the direction where Li Yaoying had departed.
The heat in his face slowly faded, but his heart continued to pound rapidly.
Every encounter with her left him flustered and embarrassed.
She didn’t remember him.
For a moment, he felt relieved.
Running into her in such a place of pleasure and not being recognized was sheer luck.
He had fled in panic through the window precisely because he feared being seen by her.
Yet, at the same time, he felt a pang of disappointment.
When the servant reported that the Seventh Princess had arrived, he was stunned and panicked, instinctively turning to flee.
Deep down, a secret thrill had surged within him.
He had thought she came for him.
But she hadn’t.
The Seventh Princess had not come for him.
Yet it was because of her that he had yielded to his friends’ urging and visited Pingkang Ward to see the renowned Tàozhī dance that had taken the capital by storm.
With weighted waist adorned in tinkling ornaments and a veiled face turning like snow under golden bells.
The Tàozhī beauties were indeed enchanting.
But no matter how skillfully the foreign dancers performed, compared to her, they ultimately lacked that noble, radiant charm that stirred the soul.
…
The Wei army maintained strict discipline and had always enjoyed the people’s support.
Li Yaoying galloped swiftly and arrived at the city gate, where the official road was already densely packed with crowds of men, women, and children who had spontaneously gathered to welcome the troops.
Officials from the Ministry of Rites, having received the news earlier, had prepared wine and sweet beverages.
A triumphant army should not normally enter through the southern gate.
To display military might and reassure the people, Li De always ordered Li Xuanzhen to lead the Flying Cavalry through the main gate after each victory.
The Flying Cavalry was an elite guard selected from the three armies, personally dedicated to the emperor. Each member was chosen from thousands—tall, imposing, and formidable. Three hundred and eighty robust young men in their prime rode majestic steeds, holding long spears and carrying curved bows at their waists, all clad in uniform black helmets and armor, advancing in a grand procession with thundering hoofbeats.
Their heroic bearing and overwhelming momentum were awe-inspiring.
This was an almost invincible force.
The people watched the majestic Flying Cavalry with tear-filled eyes.
Young men out for spring outings couldn’t help but cheer at the well-ordered troops, while young women laughingly tossed flowers, willow branches, and scented pouches their way.
A gentle breeze swept through, as if showering the scene with a rain of blossoms.
As the procession passed by row after row, Yaoying lifted her veil hat, craning her neck in anticipation. Spotting the familiar character "Qín" fluttering on a banner in the distance, she broke into a radiant smile.
Second Brother had finally returned.
Amid the noisy cheers and laughter, a cold gaze swept over her.
Sensing it, Yaoying turned her eyes and met the other’s stare.
A row of Flying Cavalry riders slowly passed before her. Among them was one wearing a princely golden crown, clad in silver armor, with a snow-white cloak draped over his shoulders. He was robust and upright, with refined features that made him seem less like a battlefield commander and more like a strategist adept at planning from a command tent.
Officials from the Ministry of Rites approached with smiles, greeting him warmly.
He reined in his horse, exchanging pleasantries with the officials, his calm eyes—seemingly intentional, yet seemingly casual—resting on Yaoying. His gaze was indifferent, cold as the edge of a blade.
Yaoying lowered her eyelids slightly, her peripheral vision catching the man’s tightly clenched hands on the reins. A chill ran through her.
Those hands were lean, covered in scars on both the palms and backs, with prominent knuckles and strong, icy, rough fingers. When they had gripped her neck, the coarse calluses had felt as though they could slice her throat.
She had been powerless to struggle.
That time, Yaoying had truly believed Li Xuanzhen would kill her.
He was capable of it.
Today’s Li Xuanzhen was both scholarly and martial, wise and courageous, praised by all as the virtuous and illustrious Crown Prince.No one believed he would secretly harm Li Zhongqian and Xie Guifei.
Even Yaoying didn't believe it at first, thinking her eldest brother was merely venting his anger temporarily. She believed that if they interacted well, he would surely let go of his hatred.
Later, she finally understood that Li Xuanzhen could not let it go.
He cared deeply for the realm, possessed great vision, understood the sufferings of the common people, cherished his subjects, cared for his subordinates, accepted advice readily, and kept his promises to allies... Such a Crown Prince, whom countless heroes were willing to bow and follow, was ironically trapped in his own stubborn obsession, unable to release his mother's grudge.
Years later, he would lead troops to besiege the Taiji Palace.
By then, Li De had already been sidelined by him. Lying on his sickbed, Li De calmly asked, "Why has my son come?"
Li Xuanzhen answered word by word: "I have come to avenge my mother."
He forced Li De to abdicate, executed Li clan relatives, disregarded the world's criticism, and dug up the ancestral graves of his own paternal lineage.
He wanted everyone to be buried alongside Tang Shi.
What exactly happened back then?
Yaoying stared blankly, lost in thought.
Li Xuanzhen had already averted his gaze and entered the city with the Ministry of Rites officials.
Yaoying collected herself, watching the approaching Qin Wang banners, the corners of her lips curling upward.
Li Zhongqian's personal guards did not belong to the Flying Cavalry. Clad in golden armor, their dazzling brilliance shimmered from afar.
Yaoying couldn't help but chuckle softly. Watching her blood brother riding toward her surrounded by his guards, a warm current rose in her heart, dispelling the chill brought by Li Xuanzhen.
She snatched off her veil hat and urged her horse forward.
Li Zhongqian was six years older than Yaoying—tall, broad-shouldered, and powerfully built. Beneath his heavy, ornate armor, muscles bulged. His features were regular, and at first glance, bore some resemblance to Li Xuanzhen.
Both brothers took after Li De, with sharp contours and naturally narrow, phoenix-like eyes.
Li Xuanzhen was calm and reserved, his phoenix eyes commanding authority even without anger.
Li Zhongqian had more pronounced edges, his brow perpetually shadowed by an untamable ferocity. Moody and brooding, he rode lazily on his horse, glancing carelessly behind him with a slight lift at the corner of his eyes—his gaze sharp as a blade.
The young maidens by the roadside, preparing to toss petals at his armor, shrank back in fear.
As Yaoying drew closer, the guards made way for her.
She leaned over, smiling, and reached out toward Li Zhongqian's mount.
"Elder Brother!"
Hearing his sister's voice, Li Zhongqian whirled around, surprised and delighted, instantly radiating vigor. His expression softened into a tenderness rarely seen by others. "What are you doing here?"
As he spoke, he slowed his pace and reached out to steady her arm, just as he had when teaching her to ride in her childhood, preventing her from falling. He smiled while carefully studying her.
Yaoying had been raised by him. He taught her to read and write, to ride and draw a bow. The first book she read, the first copybook she practiced, the first small bow she drew—all were personally chosen by him.
Had she not been in poor health, he wouldn't have left her in Chang'an.
The realm was not yet pacified; he was often away on campaigns. Yaoying was at an age of rapid growth, and with each reunion, the young maiden had changed more noticeably.
The little Seventh Lady who used to follow him around had grown up in the blink of an eye.
In a few more years, she would be married.
Before his campaign, he had just discussed this matter with Zheng Prime Minister.
The smile in Li Zhongqian's eyes dimmed slightly.
Yaoying was also watching Li Zhongqian.She had been frail and sickly since childhood, unable to walk until she was three years old. Xie Guifei grew increasingly confused year by year. One time, while feeding her medicine, Xie Guifei accidentally spilled a cup of scalding hot tea on her. Afraid of frightening Xie Guifei, she didn’t dare cry out, waiting until a maid entered the room to help clean up.
Later, a scar remained on her leg.
When Li Zhongqian found out, he brought her to his side and took care of her personally.
At that time, Li Zhongqian was still a child himself—careless and seemingly frivolous—yet he meticulously supervised her daily medication, carried her to the courtyard every day to practice the Five Animal Frolics, forced her to drink those strangely flavored tonics, and added layers to her clothing when the sky turned overcast. He acted as both father and mother, like a little old man.
As Yaoying slowly grew older, her health improved a little, and she could finally walk. In front of him, she became unrestrained and lively, bouncing around without a care. Only then did he begin to relax, gradually showing the demeanor of a young man.
Then he went off to the battlefield.
With the Xie family exterminated and Xie Guifei mentally unstable, her nine-year-old brother shouldered all the pressure with his tender shoulders, sheltering her under a clear sky, allowing her to grow up carefree and without worries.
Two years later, for her sake, her eleven-year-old brother unhesitatingly abandoned scholarly pursuits for martial ones, picking up the pair of Drum-Shattering Golden Hammers he had once sworn never to touch.
Her brother was so good to her.
She couldn’t stand by and watch him be killed by Li Xuanzhen.
Her brother had never harmed anyone.
Recalling what she had seen in her dream, Yaoying felt a sharp pang of sorrow and gently wrapped her arm around Li Zhongqian’s.
Li Zhongqian was taken aback, then smiled.
…
When Yaoying was little, she often clung to Li Zhongqian like this, acting spoiled.
When he first brought her to his side, she was quiet and well-behaved, silent and unobtrusive, only blinking her big eyes at him when she was hungry or thirsty.
When he finally noticed her, she would cautiously call out, "Brother."
Her voice was soft and sweet, unconsciously carrying a hint of ingratiation, afraid of disturbing him or earning his displeasure.
If he didn’t respond, she would simply watch him quietly, waiting for him to speak to her.
She was only three years old, yet already so well-behaved.
Li Zhongqian knew that Yaoying understood everything.
Her father, Li De, had never once looked at her. Her mother, Xie Guifei, was sometimes mad, sometimes lucid. Frail and sickly, she learned from a young age to restrain herself so as not to trouble others. She could spend an entire day alone, leaning by the window and gazing at the garden.
She knew she couldn’t walk, yet she never cried or made a fuss. Whatever medicine she was given, she drank it obediently, never once complaining about the bitterness.
Li Zhongqian didn’t want his sister to spend her life confined indoors, nursing her illnesses. He sought out renowned physicians far and wide to help restore her health.
Since Yaoying couldn’t go outside, he taught her to read and write so she could pass the time alone at home.
Because she couldn’t walk, he ordered the servants to lay felt mats all along the corridors and courtyards. He would carry her outside to bask in the sun, rolling and tumbling with her on the mats, from one end of the corridor to the other, until they were both covered in apricot blossom petals.
Yaoying’s smiles grew more frequent, and her eyes grew brighter.
Gradually, she grew bold enough to act spoiled with him, deliberately drawing out her calls: "Bro—ther—"
Bossing him around, making him do this and that.
When she wanted to go out, she would widen her eyes, stare at him, and stretch out her arms: "Brother, carry me."
By the time she could walk without assistance, her temper had grown even bolder. While he sat cross-legged reading at his desk, she would rush over and shake him: "Brother, I want to ride a horse! A beautiful, obedient Wusun horse!"
If he ignored her, she would keep shaking his arm.Exhausted from shaking, she lay down on his lap, using his thigh as a pillow, legs crossed, and boldly negotiated terms with him: "Even a small foal will do, I'll just ride it once around the courtyard."
"Half a lap?"
"Fine, I won't ride it. I'll raise a beautiful horse first... and ride it when I grow up..."
Soon, she fell asleep curled against his leg, turning over in her sleep and drooling all over his sleeve.
When Li Zhongqian finished reading the scroll and looked down, he saw Yaoying tightly clutching his sleeve, fast asleep in a deep slumber.
He chuckled softly.
The next day, he took her to the stables to pick a horse. She was quite sensible and indeed chose a small foal.
A few years earlier, when Li Zhongqian attacked Jin City, he had captured a batch of fine horses from the Western Regions.
He picked the most beautiful Wusun horse as Yaoying's mount.
He remembered everything she wanted.
...
Yaoying held onto Li Zhongqian, refusing to let go.
"I happened to leave the palace today and heard the drum sounds, so I came over."
Li Zhongqian took the reins for her and said gently, "Little Seven has grown thinner."
His voice carried a warm, affectionate laughter.
He was not a patient man, but he was always patient with her.
Yaoying put away her melancholy expression, released his hand, and straightened her chest: "I've also grown taller!"
All the Li siblings were tall and slender. She had been taking medicine since birth and started walking late, only beginning to shoot up in height at the end of the year before last.
Li Zhongqian chuckled lightly: "This elder brother can't tell. Let's measure you when we get back."
Yaoying smiled and rolled her eyes at him.
Upon entering the imperial city, they parted ways with the Flying Cavalry led by Li Xuanzhen and returned directly to the prince's residence.
Yaoying asked, "Elder Brother, don't you need to go to the Ministry of War first?"
According to protocol, he should have gone to the Ministry of War with Li Xuanzhen.
Li Zhongqian said indifferently, "No need to mind them. Let's go back first—I have some treasures to show you."
Yaoying understood and leaned over to look at the leather pouch hanging by his saddle, lowering her voice: "Elder Brother, what precious things have you seized this time?"
When Li Zhongqian went to war, he cared little for military merits or reputation, seeking only practical gains: gold, silver, jewels, rare pearls and jades, famous paintings and calligraphy... in short, anything valuable and easy to carry.
The siblings were well aware that their future was uncertain and had long begun accumulating valuables and fine belongings for their eventual escape.
From south to north, they had already hidden away quite a few valuable items.
Li Zhongqian smiled and ruffled Yaoying's hair: "We'll talk when we get back."
Yaoying raised an eyebrow.
Perfect timing—she wanted to ask him about Li De marrying Xie Guifei. He had been raised by his maternal uncle Xie Wuliang in his childhood and must have heard Xie Wuliang speak of those days.
...
Dusk deepened.
By the time Li Xuanzhen left the Ministry of War, it was already dark.
Attendants carried lanterns to light his way. He climbed the stone steps and took the documents sent by Wei Ming, the Chief Steward of the Crown Prince's Palace, quickly flipping through them by the dim lamplight.
The eunuch left in charge of Chang'an followed closely behind him, reporting one by one all the major and minor events that had occurred recently in the imperial city.
Finally, after a pause, he said, "Your Highness... there have been some unusual movements recently at Fukang Princess's residence."
Everyone in the Crown Prince's Palace, from the Crown Princess Zheng down to the lowliest errand runners, wished to avoid mentioning Fukang Princess.
But there was no choice—the Crown Prince had a soft spot for beauties in distress and was always eager to rescue noble ladies in trouble. If they kept it from him now and Fukang Princess caused a major incident, the Crown Prince would still have to step in and clean up the mess!
Li Xuanzhen frowned slightly.
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