Footsteps echoed through the long corridor as a palace attendant presented a gilded invitation: "Your Highness, the Chief Secretary mentioned that General Zhao and the others have reserved Miaoyin Pavilion and are awaiting your arrival!"
Li Zhongqian snapped out of his thoughts and accepted the invitation.
Yaoying curled her lips.
Li Zhongqian was a man who lived for the moment—frequenting pleasure quarters, spending fortunes on laughter, and as he had yet to take a principal consort, he often feasted and drank through the night with his subordinates when not away on campaigns.
The men of the Li family were all brimming with vigor.
With the army's triumphant return, Li Zhongqian was bound to face a whirlwind of social engagements.
Yaoying reminded her brother, "Elder Brother, don’t drink on an empty stomach. Have some Soup Noodles before you start, and go easy on the wine—too much harms the body."
He drank like a fish, often until he was completely drunk.
Hearing her admonition, Li Zhongqian curled his fingers and playfully tapped the tip of her nose.
"Noted, little busybody."
Yaoying walked him out.
Li Zhongqian nudged her back toward the inner hall. "Don’t worry about me. You’ve had a long day—rest early. Tomorrow, I’ll bring you your favorite lamb Sesame Flatbread from Chongren Ward."
Yaoying’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she seized the opportunity, leaning on his shoulder and cooing, "And I want the thousand-layer pastry made by Granny Zhang from the fruit shop across the street."
Without hesitation, Li Zhongqian agreed, "Fine."
Yaoying’s voice grew even sweeter and more pleading. "Elder Brother, could you also buy me a jug of Green Ant Wine? I just love unfiltered wine."
Li Zhongqian raised an eyebrow.
Yaoying tugged at his sleeve, dragging out her words, "Elder Brother, please?"
He leaned down and pinched her nose. "Not a chance!"
Yaoying pouted.
Li Zhongqian indulged her in every way, granting her every wish—except on this one matter. He was strict, even warning the guards to keep a close eye on her and prevent her from touching alcohol.
The last time she had tasted wine was over a year ago.
Carpe diem—who knew how long any of them would live? What harm was there in enjoying a good drink?
He drank wine like water yet forbade her from even a sip.
Annoyed, Yaoying released his sleeve and turned to go inside.
But after just two steps, a soft chuckle sounded beside her. Li Zhongqian’s sturdy arm hooked around her waist, pulling her gently back.
Accustomed to wielding twin hammers, he was as strong as an ox. Yaoying spun around effortlessly, her head bumping against the thin armor on his chest.
Steadying her, Li Zhongqian patted the small head nestled against him.
"You’ve really grown taller."
Before, she only reached the height of the tiger head carved on his breastplate; now, she was nearly up to his shoulder.
Yaoying’s displeasure instantly melted into delight.
The Li family of Wei Commandery were a military lineage—their sons tall and robust, their daughters statuesque and strong.
Her brother Li Zhongqian stood eight feet tall, and Li Xuanzhen was equally agile. Ever since her growth spurt began, Yaoying had hoped to grow even taller. Each time Li Zhongqian returned from campaign, she would eagerly measure herself against him.
She raised a hand to compare the top of her head to his breastplate, a satisfied smile gracing her lips as she stood on tiptoe to measure higher. "I can still grow more."
Amused, Li Zhongqian waggled two fingers before her eyes, then pressed down on her shoulders to make her stand properly.
"If you want to grow taller, listen to the imperial physician—take your medicine on time and stay away from wine."
Yaoying waved a hand airily. "Fine, no wine then."
She knew he only had her best interests at heart.
With a fond smile, Li Zhongqian watched her go inside before turning to leave the palace.
It was already curfew. Myriad lights glimmered under the hazy night sky, the silent streets bathed in silvery moonlight. Beyond the grand, tiered palace roofs and walls stretched an endless expanse of darkness.
Stars twinkled like countless silver scales scattered across the heavens.The Chief Steward had long been waiting outside the palace gates. Hearing urgent hoofbeats and horse neighs suddenly pierce through the desolate night watch drums, he urged his horse forward to meet them.
Li Zhongqian emerged at a gallop, a white cloak draped over his shoulders, riding alone.
The Chief Steward caught up with him and reported several important matters. "Your Highness, Xu Biao sought an audience earlier. This old servant dismissed him."
In the darkness, Li Zhongqian’s sharply defined face appeared as if carved by blades and axes. "What did he want to see me for?"
Yaoying had already told him about the day’s events.
The Chief Steward replied, "He came to bear thorns and plead guilty."
Li Zhongqian let out a cold laugh. "Plead guilty for what?"
The Chief Steward answered, "Xu Biao said he knowingly broke the law by seizing commoners’ daughters—that’s the first offense. Secondly, he frightened the princess."
The Seventh Princess could not bear the sight of blood.
A faint smirk tugged at Li Zhongqian’s lips. "He lost two fingers—did he voice any resentment?"
The Chief Steward chuckled in response. "None. After Xu Biao sobered up, not only did he refrain from complaints, but he also laughed heartily several times, saying the Seventh Princess truly lives up to being your blood sister. He is utterly convinced. Xu Biao had previously signed a military pledge—had the princess not shown mercy, it wouldn’t have been his fingers but his head that was severed. Though he is a rough man, he still understands propriety."
Li Zhongqian gave a noncommittal grunt. "He knows what’s good for him."
The Chief Steward understood: Xu Biao’s life was spared.
Had Xu Biao complained about the princess after losing two fingers, Li Zhongqian would never have allowed such a troublemaker to live.
A few guards trailed at a distance with lanterns, while faint strains of music and laughter drifted from the depths of the dark neighborhood walls.
The Chief Steward continued, "Your Highness, the abducted women have been returned to their homes. The princess has also ordered a thorough investigation into whether any officers in the princely residence or the army have violated prohibitions by harassing civilians…"
He paused, hesitating to speak further.
Li Zhongqian said impatiently, "Out with it."
The Chief Steward sighed and spoke earnestly, "Your Highness, subordinates like Xu Biao, Lü Heng, and Sun Ziyi under your command are all uneducated ruffians—arrogant, untamed, and brutish. They frequently flout prohibitions openly, tarnishing your reputation. Why not take this opportunity to enforce military discipline? Use Xu Biao’s case to intimidate them and make them rein in their behavior?"
These were words the Chief Steward had long wished to say.
…
The Xie family had governed Jingnan for generations, producing three high ministers over four eras, establishing themselves as an illustrious and powerful clan. Their lineage brimmed with talent; each scion was like an orchid or jade tree—refined in both civil and martial arts. They served as chancellors at court and generals in the field, excelling in both domains.
By the previous dynasty, regional warlords had fragmented the land, with various powers rising and the empire splintering. Chang’an changed hands repeatedly, and the Guanzhong Plain suffered devastation.
To drive the fierce and brutal foreign tribes out of the Central Plains, several major Central Plains forces formed a temporary alliance.
Though Jingnan was secure at the time, the Xie family patriarch, prioritizing the greater good, resolutely led the clan’s sons north to resist the enemy.
Back then, three generations of the Xie family—elders, adults, and youths—all marched to the battlefield without hesitation, including young boys not yet of age.
For generations, the Xie descendants had always been this way.
They valued both civil and martial training, studying classics and practicing martial arts from childhood. By eleven or twelve, they followed fathers and brothers into battle, defending their homeland and country, one generation after another.
The Xie family’s prestige was not built on political machinations but earned through the sacrifices of each generation—countless Xie sons who fought on battlefields and returned wrapped in horsehide.
In times of peace, the Xie family retreated to Jingnan, guarding its people.
When chaos reigned, the Xie men rushed to the battlefield without a second thought.
Not an inch of their magnificent rivers and mountains would they yield!
When the old Xie patriarch departed, he took with him all the clan’s outstanding sons and elite troops, leaving only family guards to defend Jingnan.
One hundred thousand men.From the Old Master, the Great General, and the Eldest Young Master, down to the eleven-year-old Xie Shiba Langjun; from battle-hardened veterans to newly enlisted soldiers.
They never returned.
A hundred thousand heroic souls, buried in foreign lands.
That brutal decisive battle preserved Chang'an, allowing the Zhu clan to seize the most strategically vital prefectures in the Guanzhong region.
After the Zhu clan proclaimed themselves emperor, peace settled over Guanzhong, but other regional powers had already declared themselves kings, plunging the land into turmoil.
By the time the last Zhu emperor ascended the throne, the empire was in chaos.
Amidst the turmoil, the declining Xie family lost military support. With a household full of widows and no one to rely on, their influence shrank to a single county.
By Xie Wuliang's generation, the main lineage consisted only of him and his younger sister Xie Manyuan, relying on each other for survival.
Xie Wuliang dreamed of emulating his ancestors, galloping across battlefields to reclaim the lost territories. However, he had been frail and sickly since childhood, unable to draw a bow or ride a horse.
As for Xie Manyuan, she was but a woman.
Xie Wuliang took an alternative path, vigorously managing the Xie family's enterprises. Leveraging the well-developed and accessible waterways of Jingnan, he engaged in trade with various powerful factions, rapidly accumulating wealth that rivaled the state's treasury. He also stockpiled vast quantities of grain during these turbulent times.
It was then that General Li from Wei Commandery, who had captured twenty-one cities in thirty battles, caught Xie Wuliang's attention.
The Xie family had wealth, prestige, and grain, but lacked generals and soldiers.
The Li family had generals and soldiers, but lacked grain, funds, and prestige.
The marriage alliance between the Li and Xie families produced Li Zhongqian.
Knowing his sister Xie Manyuan was naive and innocent, Xie Wuliang took his nephew Li Zhongqian under his wing to raise personally.
As a child, Li Zhongqian was intelligent and clever, impeccably mannered, displaying extraordinary grace from a young age. He could compose poetry effortlessly and wield a hundred-pound golden hammer with ease.
Which member of the Li clan didn't praise Li Zhongqian?
It was precisely because of Li Zhongqian's exceptional talent and deep affection from the Li elders that the dispute over the heir apparent arose.
At that time, even Li De couldn't decide between Li Xuanzhen and Li Zhongqian, postponing the appointment of the heir.
Later, after Tang Shi's death, Li De designated Li Xuanzhen as the heir.
Foreseeing the future, Xie Wuliang immediately confiscated Li Zhongqian's pair of golden hammers, forbidding him from further martial training and insisting he devote himself entirely to studying classics, to become a virtuous official loyal to the sovereign and caring for the people.
"Hunu, remember your uncle's words: you are fated with misfortune, your temperament too fierce. If you focus on studying the classics, you might live to old age in peace. But if you take up arms, I fear you won't live past thirty."
"Hunu, remember this: you must not pursue martial arts!"
Li Zhongqian made a solemn vow.
Three years later, the Xie family was exterminated.
Following Xie Wuliang's dying wish, Li Zhongqian continued to diligently study texts.
Until Li Yaoying turned five, when he was forced to break the vow made before his uncle, abandoning literature for martial arts.
Even though he knew the cost would be not living past thirty.
...
The Chief Administrator watched Li Zhongqian grow up.
He witnessed Li De appoint Li Xuanzhen as heir, and the six-year-old Second Young Master merely smiled faintly before burying himself in classical texts.
He saw the nine-year-old Second Young Master wipe away his tears after the heroic demise of the Xie family, return to the Li household, and personally care for his young sister Li Yaoying, who couldn't walk.
He watched the eleven-year-old Second Young Master, eyes bloodshot, grit his teeth to smash open heavy locks, his hands torn and bloody as he seized the pair of golden hammers destined to bring him misfortune.
The world says Li Zhongqian kills without blinking and leads a dissipated life.
He was scorned by noble families, despised by commoners, looked down upon by comrades, and mocked by the Crown Prince's subordinates.
The soldiers who followed him were all the dregs that the Crown Prince disdained.Even low-born strategists like Du Sinan dared to openly declare: "The second son of the Li family is a fool. I disdain to associate with him."
The Chief Secretary felt a stabbing pain in his heart.
How could they understand? The Second Prince had read countless books in his childhood and was personally tutored by the peerlessly talented Xie Wuliang—how could he possibly be an ignorant, uncouth man?
Why was the Second Prince unwilling to reorganize military affairs?
Why did he indulge in wine and women?
Why did he completely disregard his reputation?
The night breeze was cool, with a sky full of twinkling stars.
A tall steed moved slowly under the faint moonlight. Li Zhongqian lowered his gaze, patted his mount absently, and remained silent.
The Chief Secretary said sorrowfully, "Your Highness, although the Xie family line has been severed, their integrity remains. You were taught by the Xie family—you must not tarnish their name!"
Li Zhongqian suddenly turned his head.
His gaze was sharp as a blade.
"Don't mention the Xie family in front of me!"
The Chief Secretary trembled in fear.
"Hu Bo, what do you think I should do?"
Li Zhongqian's narrow phoenix eyes were filled with ferocity, but his voice was calm.
"Should I be like the Crown Prince—reorganizing military affairs, recruiting talented individuals, seeking out renowned scholars, treating subordinates with respect, showing kindness to my followers, and winning people's hearts—to become a virtuous prince praised by all?"
The Chief Secretary agreed inwardly but dared not speak.
Li Zhongqian laughed. "Hu Bo, don't forget—I almost became the heir."
The Chief Secretary froze.
A moment later, he understood and felt a chill run down his spine.
Li Zhongqian said indifferently, "If I truly did those things, I would only die sooner and faster."
He had almost become the heir and was also a grandson of the Xie family. For that reason alone, Li Xuanzhen would never let him live as a threat.
Moreover, there was also the matter of Tang Shi's death between them.
And their father—the decisive, unpredictable emperor, rational to the point of ruthlessness.
If their roles were reversed, he would do the same.
From the moment the Xie family fell, Li Zhongqian knew his days were numbered.
What was there to fear in death?
He was not afraid of death.
Only afraid of not dying heroically.
The crescent moon had hidden behind the clouds at some point, leaving only faint starlight gently enveloping the earth.
Li Zhongqian lifted his face, and the shimmering starlight fell into his eyes.
He thought of the jade box he had given to Yaoying, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved upward as he couldn't help but smile.
With nothing to live for, there was nothing to fear in death.
But if he died, what would happen to Little Seven?
Li Zhongqian was afraid.
So before that day came, he needed to find someone who could protect Little Seven.
Li Zhongqian collected his thoughts and urged his horse to go faster.
He hadn't left the palace for pleasure—Zheng Prime Minister was waiting for him at Miaoyin Pavilion.
Only by securing Little Seven's marriage quickly could he set out on the campaign with peace of mind.
The Chief Secretary followed closely behind Li Zhongqian, tears streaming down his aged face.
He had finally understood the crux of the matter.
The Second Prince knew he was doomed, which was why he acted so recklessly and abandoned himself to despair.
The Chief Secretary could not accept it!
The Xie family had been loyal for generations, with each generation shedding blood on the battlefield. Their sons had died for their country, and the last direct descendant, Xie Wuliang, died defending the city—ordering his subordinates to behead him and deliver his head to the enemy, all to protect the people.
For a century, their integrity had been beyond reproach to the emperor and the people they governed.
And beyond reproach to the Li family!
Yet they had ended up like that.
If the Xie family were still around, how would the Emperor dare treat the Noble Consort and the Second Prince this way?
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