In the ninth month of the 775th year of the Baicang calendar, the inherent complexity of this incident and the attitudes of various factions toward it destined it to become the greatest unsolved case in later times. Historians offered diverse opinions, even forming different schools of thought, spending their lives poring over records in an attempt to brush away the dust and mist of history to uncover the ultimate truth.
However, such aspirations were destined to be unrealistic, for even at the time, few could truly comprehend everything. Even those in power at the center of the vortex were merely drifting with the tide, observing and probing. Yet, no one could deny that the events of that day marked the beginning of the Crown Prince of Bian Tang's grand wedding, which was soon followed by a storm of bloodshed that ravaged the ancient Tang Capital City. Like a farce, this chaotic turn of events dragged the long-peaceful people of Jiangnan into the grand drama unfolding across the land of Ximeng.
Long afterward, the Ximeng Chronicles recorded these blood-stained, tear-soaked words:
"On the third day of the ninth month, the Eighth Princess of Daxia, Zhao Chun, was violated within her palace chambers outside the main palace. Before her death, the victim loudly shouted the slogan of Yanbei's Great Unity. Both Daxia and Tang were thrown into an uproar, and for a time, cries to annihilate Yanbei resounded across the land, sweeping through the entire continent."
The spacious Imperial Academy Hall was filled with civil and military officials of Bian Tang. The Tang Emperor, Li Yizhou, sat high within the shadows of his resplendent golden throne. The emperor, past fifty, displayed a weariness beyond his years, with graying hair and beard, deep wrinkles, and narrow eyes that had long lost the sharpness and ferocity of youth, reflecting instead like an ancient, bottomless well, darkly mirroring all inquisitive gazes from without.
A seventy-year-old Confucian official knelt prostrate on the ground, lamenting loudly, "The northern barbarians are audacious beyond measure, disregarding the heavenly majesty of our Great Tang! With their mere speck of land, they deliberately provoke the orthodox authority of the Eastern Continent. If we do not teach them a lesson with thunderous force, where will our Great Tang's national prestige lie? Where will the might of our Tang Army stand? How can our Great Tang hold its head high in Ximeng or among the three nations?"
His words sparked a chorus of agreement, but then a young official stepped forward and spoke earnestly, "Daxia is currently at war with Yanbei. I believe our nation should not rashly involve itself."
The elderly Confucian official flew into a rage, thundering, "Xue Changling! You keep insisting we should not send troops—what ulterior motives do you harbor? Our Bian Tang has stood for a thousand years; when have we ever suffered such a humiliation? Once this spreads across the continent, how will our nation maintain its standing? How will we face ourselves? By shielding Yanbei at every turn, are you secretly colluding with them in some unspeakable dealings?"
"Your Majesty!" A wail erupted as another white-bearded elder cried out sorrowfully, "Such a humiliation is unprecedented since ancient times! Our ancestors founded this state a millennium ago, establishing it with virtuous governance, ruling with filial piety and integrity, pacifying the world with Confucian principles, and subduing the four quarters with enlightenment. We have been hailed as the foremost among the three nations—when have we ever been so provoked? If this precedent is set, our Great Tang will be utterly disgraced, shamed before our allies, and our national honor will be stained with disgrace!"
Xue Changling stepped forward, agitated, and declared, "Your Majesty, the case of the Daxia princess's violation is riddled with doubts! We cannot commit our entire nation's strength to another country's internal strife based solely on the one-sided accounts of Daxia officials!""Audacious treacherous villain! How dare you spout nonsense in the Imperial Academy Hall? A princess's reputation is of utmost importance! The court matrons have already verified her purity. The Eighth Princess of Daxia has just signed a marriage contract with our Great Tang, yet now she has been violated within our borders, even within the capital itself! How can we escape responsibility? If we don't give Daxia a proper explanation, how will this end? Are we to rely solely on your glib tongue, Xue Changling, and your so-called numerous doubts?"
"Minister Luo! This humble official never said we shouldn't punish this matter. I merely fear we might act too hastily and fall into a trap set by schemers!"
"Trap?" General Qi sneered, "What trap? The trap is that Yanbei fears our alliance with Daxia through marriage and attempts to sabotage it!"
"I don't rule out that possibility, but we cannot eliminate other possibilities either. If it truly were Yanbei's doing, why would they shout to reveal their identity before dying? What benefit would Yanbei gain from such self-incriminating provocation against Biantang?"
Minister Luo snorted coldly, "The death warriors of Datong have always been fanatical in their actions. How can we judge them by normal standards?"
A lieutenant general beside General Qi said, "Perhaps they meant to confuse us, to make us suspect it was a frame-up. Look, Lord Xue has already fallen for it, hasn't he?"
Xue Changling angrily retorted, "In matters of military and state, we must consider all aspects carefully. How can we reach conclusions based solely on 'not judging by normal standards'? As an official serving the court and receiving imperial salary, it's my duty to thoroughly consider all possibilities!"
"Is that so? This official thinks Lord Xue has considered enough. If you consider any further, Daxia's border troops might be marching upon us!"
"General Xu, you!"
"Your Majesty! Thirty thousand troops of the Central Army stand ready, willing to fight for the nation!"
"Your Majesty! Blood debts must be repaid with blood! Give the order! Having not fought for years, this old general's blade has grown rusty!"
"Your Majesty! We officials pledge our lives to request battle!"
The entire hall was densely packed with kneeling Biantang officials, with only Xue Changling standing alone. The young official's face flushed deep purple, his lips trembling with rage, yet he couldn't speak.
Just then, a casual, mocking laughter came from outside the hall. Everyone immediately turned to look. They saw Li Ce dressed in cyan-green luxurious robes, wearing a Golden Crown and jade belt around his waist. His narrow eyes resembled those of a fox as he laughed while walking into the hall, nonchalantly saying, "What a full gathering today! Even Minister Liu is here. Is there something new? What is it? Did the Western Regions send fine horses? Or did Nanqiu present more beauties as tribute?"
The crowd parted like water receding. Li Ce, followed by Sun Di, strode proudly through the crowd, then knelt at the lower end of the hall, saying, "Your son woke late. Greetings to Father Emperor."
"Hmm," a somewhat aged voice sounded from above as the Tang Emperor said calmly, "Are you aware of what's happening here?"
"Here? Oh!" Li Ce suddenly understood, his expression immediately turning furious. He stood up and angrily declared, "This is simply intolerable bullying! Your son came precisely because of this matter!"
The civil and military officials, who had been worried this unconventional Crown Prince might have some new eccentric idea, were overjoyed upon hearing his words and quickly chimed in, "Indeed! Simply intolerable bullying! The Crown Prince speaks wisely!"Li Ce nodded angrily and said, "Daxia has sent two princesses in a row—the first lacked feminine virtue, and the second was unchaste, giving me a huge cuckold's hat. How outrageous! Father, I believe Daxia has no sincerity in this marriage alliance. We should send their princesses back. I think Huai Song's eldest princess is quite suitable, and I heard she has a younger sister who is also a beauty..."
The entire court was stunned. The seventy-year-old Minister Liu let out a sorrowful cry, stepped forward, and knelt, saying, "Crown Prince, this must not happen!"
Li Ce turned around, frowned, and asked, "Oh? Why not?"
"Daxia has sent princesses twice for marriage alliance, showing their sincerity. Now that a Daxia princess has suffered such humiliation within our borders, if we do not hold Yanbei accountable, we will be condemned by thousands, scorned by all, and despised by the eight directions. The fault lies with the Yanbei rebels, not the Daxia princess. I beg Your Highness to see this clearly."
Li Ce raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Oh? What you say makes sense."
Minister Liu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. "Your Highness is wise."
Li Ce said indignantly, "In that case, Father, my future consort has been insulted by Yanbei. Though I may be untalented, I cannot stand by and watch my woman be bullied. I request that you dispatch troops to Yanbei. I am willing to lead the army myself and vow to annihilate Yanbei with my blade!"
At these words, the entire hall rejoiced. Everyone looked at each other with excitement, their eyes filled with immense joy.
The Crown Prince had been wayward for so many years, yet at this critical moment, he displayed the bearing of a true ruler. The great nation of Biantang ought to show such momentum!
"Additionally, Father, I have one small request."
The Tang Emperor frowned slightly but said nothing, gesturing for him to continue.
Li Ce spoke confidently, dressed in splendid robes, standing tall in the hall with his sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, handsome and dashing. He declared loudly, "Since the Eighth Princess and I have already signed the marriage contract, she is now a subject of Biantang. I hope to reject Daxia's request for joint military action. Yanbei is nothing but a tiny territory. With just 100,000 elite troops, I can capture Yan Xun and eradicate the Yanbei remnants without fail."
Everyone was stunned, but before they could speak, Li Ce dropped one bombshell after another.
"Moreover, to march from our country to Yanbei, we must pass through Daxia's territory for thousands of miles. I recall our army once reached as far as Zhenhuang, mobilizing 300,000 troops and 2 million laborers. Though our current forces are less than half that number, the journey is much longer. Therefore, I request the Ministry of Revenue to requisition 3 million laborers, 200,000 warhorses, 200,000 sets of weapons and armor, cold-weather clothing, accompanying medical officers, medicines, and fodder for the horses. The Ministry of Provisions must gather 300,000 dan of provisions for the northern expedition."
Minister of Revenue Qiu Shihai immediately felt his head swell as if burned by fire. He leaped forward and hastily said, "Your Highness, in my humble opinion, Yanbei is a rebel of Daxia, and the cause of this conflict is a Daxia princess. Daxia should take the lead in providing military assistance. Though we are sending troops, we should only play a supporting role, and Daxia should also supply us with provisions and military supplies."Li Ce turned with a smile, blinking his narrow eyes as he said, "Oh? Minister Qiu was just loudly proclaiming national integrity and Biantang's prestige, weren't you? What, should the Crown Prince of Great Tang rely on others to avenge him when he's been cuckolded? Minister Liu put it quite rightly earlier - our Biantang has stood for a thousand years and never suffered such humiliation before. Things like being driven back to Jiangnan by Daxia while cowering in fear, ceding territory, paying reparations, and offering tribute are trivial matters. The eighteen prefectures of Hongchuan need not be taken seriously either. Those northern bandits have grown too arrogant lately - if we don't teach them a lesson, they'll forget who rules this continent. I believe all you generals share my view, that you wouldn't verbally advocate attacking Yanbei while secretly hoping to follow behind Daxia waving flags and shouting - such a cowardly notion. Besides, Daxia just emerged from a major war and can barely feed themselves, yet they still need to purchase provisions from us. How do you suppose they would manage our grain supplies?"
Li Ce stood smiling in the grand hall, while the previously confident generals and commanders turned pale, glancing at each other and making noncommittal noises, yet none could muster a response.
"I've heard Yanbei boasts abundant troops and capable generals, with Yan Xun possessing extraordinary talent. He alone managed to turn the Southwest Garrison Commander to his side, breached Zhenhuang City that our three hundred thousand troops couldn't take in a century, forced Daxia to relocate their capital northward for the first time in three hundred years - nearly destroying their nation - then fought his way back to Yanbei, with none of the northwestern frontier armies or local princes and governors able to stop his advance, earning him the title of the new Lion King of Yanbei. Meanwhile, our Biantang has seen no major conflicts for years. Apart from the few border troops that can't be withdrawn from the south, most battle-hardened soldiers are in their fifties or sixties, our military organization is incomplete, and our armories are mostly rusted. But I believe if we unite with one heart and one mind, we could potentially cross all of Daxia's territory, trek thousands of miles, and cut down those who dare offend Biantang."
Li Ce paced around the hall as he spoke, growing more animated with each word, his eyebrows dancing with excitement as he continued:"After all, as everyone has seen, our soldiers march in perfect formation during annual military parades, their shouts are resounding, and even if they haven't killed anyone, most have slaughtered chickens. Moreover, they excel at brawling over courtesans in brothels, possessing considerable practical combat experience. The young generals from our military academy are all promising talents, and most of your sons and grandsons are among them—they are the empire's treasures. Although these lads have never set foot on a battlefield and probably haven't even killed a chicken, I believe they possess immense fighting spirit and shout their daily slogans with great vigor. I think I can take them under my wing; with some battlefield experience, they will surely become an invincible elite force! Furthermore, we possess many treasures that Yanbei lacks. Recently, I've heard that commanders like Bai Cang, Xi Rui, and Wu Daoya are quite capable, leading three to five thousand Datong warriors to massacre tens of thousands of troops and retreat unscathed. But we in Biantang are not afraid. How old are they? Too young! Among our commanders, we have many seasoned veterans like General Dou and General Bai, whose life experiences and combat skills are unmatched. As long as they command the battlefield, victory is assured, and the enemy will flee at the mere sight of them. By the way, General Dou, I saw your dentures at the entrance earlier. I heard you recently suffered a stroke and have trouble speaking clearly. Don't worry, I'll have someone make you a new set from agate right away."
The faces of the civil and military officials turned ashen, and they were nearly speechless. Yet, Li Ce's enthusiasm only grew. Strolling about, he spoke eloquently and passionately, his demeanor heroic and his words righteous: "Moreover, Yanbei is a barbaric land, devoid of culture and morality, its people ignorant and unenlightened. Our Great Tang has countless scholars of profound learning. If the people of Yanbei dare to aid the rebels, we can dispatch hundreds of erudite censors from our censorate to enlighten them with righteousness. I believe they will surely submit to the sages' teachings, feel ashamed of their actions, and turn to embrace us. Although I've heard that Emperor Xia spent eight years trying to assimilate the Yanbei people and secure their loyalty to the empire, they still attacked imperial troops and newly appointed officials like locusts, without pause for eight years. But everyone, do not fear—how can Daxia compare to us? When we were receiving the sages' teachings, the ancestors of Daxia were still roaming the grasslands without pants, haha!"
"And there's more, one most crucial point," Li Ce said with a smile, turning around and suddenly kneeling before the Tang Emperor. "Father, this matter is of utmost importance, vital to the prosperity of our Great Tang's national fortune, and must not be neglected."
A faint smile played on the Tang Emperor's lips as he looked at his son. "Speak."
Li Ce raised his head, speaking with great solemnity. "Your son boldly requests the relocation of the capital."
"What?"
At these words, the entire court could no longer hold back, erupting in shock and dismay."Ah," Li Ce sighed deeply and said helplessly, "There's no other choice. To uphold the dignity of our Great Tang, this war must be fought. But what comes after? Although we know we will surely win, the losses will likely be substantial. Troops, finances, provisions, weapons, personnel, laborers—countless resources. More importantly, this war will be protracted and drain our national strength. Our army will penetrate deep into Daxia's territory—who can guarantee Emperor Xia won't harbor treacherous intentions? Even if Emperor Xia is as righteous as everyone believes, after we suffer heavy losses, won't Huai Song seize the opportunity? Let's not forget, we are currently at war with Huai Song. Everyone must prepare mentally: soon, our Biantang will face the historic situation of fighting on two fronts simultaneously. The outcome is unpredictable, the future uncertain. Therefore, I propose we immediately relocate the capital to the barren lands of the southern frontier, burn the imperial city to ashes. Even if we are pursued by Daxia or breached by Huai Song, they will gain nothing. We'll hide in the southern jungles where no one can find us—we'll infuriate them to death, haha!"
By now, everyone's expressions had turned as grim as possible, but Li Ce suddenly became excited again: "Moreover, this just gave me a brilliant idea! If we miraculously survive this war and maintain our Great Tang's supreme glory and dignity, afterward we can send a royal maiden to Daxia for a marriage alliance, accompanied by numerous eloquent officials. Once in Daxia, we'll adapt to circumstances: claim the princess was insulted by Huai Song spies, then capitalize on the public outrage by sending our officials with substantial wealth to bribe Daxia's censors. Haha! This will force Daxia to declare war on Huai Song! Then we can sit back and watch them fight, reaping the spoils when both sides are weakened. What do you think of my plan?"
The assembly remained silent, the entire Imperial Academy Hall deathly still. Suddenly, a snort of laughter broke the silence.
Everyone immediately turned to glare at the offender.
Xue Changling shook his robes, stepped forward, and knelt loudly declaring: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is most wise! This humble official is utterly convinced. I was blind earlier—now I deeply believe this war must proceed. If Your Highness doesn't reject me, I vow to follow you through fire and water, serving with the loyalty of a dog or horse."
"Easily said. I'll remember you."
Li Ce laughed, then suddenly turned and knelt with a thud: "Father Emperor, give the order! Your son's mind is made up—I swear not to return human if Yanbei remains unconquered! Even facing certain death, I'll perish together with Yanbei to preserve our Great Tang's prestige. The ministers' words earlier stirred my blood—I request to bring those who spoke most vehemently with me, granting these lords an opportunity to achieve merit and eternal fame. I beg Father Emperor's permission!"
After speaking, he kowtowed deeply until his forehead touched the floor.
The Tang Emperor pondered briefly, about to speak, when someone suddenly shouted "Your Majesty!" and knelt with a thud.
Senior Minister Liu suddenly spoke with grave expression: "Your Majesty, this old minister suddenly finds Minister Xue's words quite reasonable. Mobilizing against Yanbei based solely on Princess Daxia's one-sided account seems too rash. We should conduct further investigations before deciding this matter.""Oh?" The Tang Emperor raised his voice, "Didn't Minister Liu just say Minister Xue was a treacherous villain whose words couldn't be trusted?"
Minister Liu wiped cold sweat from his forehead, forcing himself to appear composed: "This... this old minister was not thorough in my consideration. Thinking about it now, Minister Xue's words... well, they do hold some merit."
The Tang Emperor turned to the old general, General Qi: "What do you think, Minister Qi?"
"This old minister also believes Minister Liu's words are correct. Deploying troops is a matter of national military importance, we should... we should indeed proceed with caution."
The Minister of Revenue spoke up first: "Your subject also believes that dispatching troops now would be unwise. The Ministry of Revenue's provisions are insufficient to support such a large-scale military mobilization. We should discuss this more thoroughly."
"Yes, yes," another official chimed in, "The Ministry of War cannot deploy cavalry to the northern border overnight. Moreover, our country has known no war for many years. Even if we must fight, we need to make more preparations."
Li Ce frowned angrily: "What do you gentlemen mean? Are we to accept such humiliation without retaliation? If we follow your advice, where would Biantang's dignity be? Even if we must die, we should drag Yanbei down with us."
"Crown Prince," Minister Luo said anxiously, "What is Yanbei worth that we should sacrifice our lives for them? This matter should be postponed."
"That won't do," Li Ce said resolutely, "My consort has been insulted - this is no small matter. As the crown prince of a nation, I cannot tolerate others humiliating my country. As a man, I cannot bear others bullying my woman. If I remain silent, wouldn't I become the laughingstock of the entire nation, a joke throughout the land?"
Minister Liu quickly interjected: "Please calm your anger, Crown Prince. If you can restrain your righteous indignation today, it would be a sacrifice for the people of Great Tang. You would be preserving the lives of thousands of soldiers who would otherwise die on the battlefield. No one would speak ill of you - they would only feel gratitude and admiration."
"Exactly. Besides, the Daxia princess hasn't formally married into Biantang yet. While we bear some responsibility for this incident, their own guards cannot escape blame. Moreover, Yanbei is Daxia's sworn enemy—what does that have to do with our Biantang? At worst, we can just replace her with another princess—Emperor Xia has plenty of daughters anyway."
"Right! They caused such a scandal within our imperial capital, and we haven't even held them accountable. If they dare make endless noise about it, we should demand an explanation from Emperor Xia himself."
Li Ce frowned with apparent difficulty and said slowly, "But can you esteemed ministers endure such humiliation? You are all pillars of the state—aren't you afraid future history books will record this incident prominently against your names?"
"No problem!"
The officials shook their heads collectively: "For Biantang's sake, what does such minor humiliation matter?"
"Ah," Li Ce sighed while shaking his head, "Seeing how deeply principled you all are, I feel ashamed in my heart. Since everyone can remain so composed, what more can I say? Secretary, draft a letter to console the Daxia princess, then send her back."
Soon, the morning court concluded, and the officials withdrew in succession. After giving Li Ce a few instructions, the Tang Emperor returned to the inner palace.
Sun Di followed behind Li Ce and secretly gave him a thumbs-up, saying, "Your Highness's diplomatic maneuvering grows increasingly masterful."
Li Ce snorted contemptuously and laughed, "Just a bunch of useless old fools."
"But sometimes these useless old fools can play quite important roles."
Li Ce sneered, then said, "That Xue Changling shows promise. Keep an eye on him—we can't use him yet, let's observe him further."
"Yes." Sun Di nodded and asked, "Your Highness, what should we do next?"
Li Ce extended his slender fingers to massage his temples and said, "I haven't decided yet. Zhao Chun'er truly caught me off guard—I never expected she'd be so ruthless as to sacrifice her own reputation to stir up war between Biantang and Yanbei. Did you meet with the court matron who examined her? Was her chastity truly violated? And who witnessed that self-proclaimed Datong warrior?"
"There were three court matrons, all senior palace matrons. Their testimonies align, so it appears genuine. As for the Datong warrior, witnesses say he had just gotten out of the princess's bed when the imperial guards stormed the residence. He shouted 'Yanbei Datong!' before killing himself."
Li Ce shook his head and sighed, "Emperor Xia is truly willing to stake everything on such a gamble!"
"Your Highness, are we really sending Zhao Chun'er back to Daxia?"
"What else should we do? Keep her here as a dependent?" Li Ce snorted coldly, "By returning Zhao Chun'er, Emperor Xia will understand his conspiracy has been exposed. He still relies on Biantang and won't dare break with me openly. As long as we control the officials, Daxia won't be able to stir up any significant trouble."
Sun Di nodded, "Exactly. No matter how fierce the storm, we remain unshaken."
Just then, a guard suddenly came running from nearby, footsteps chaotic and breathless, drenched in sweat with his lapel mostly soaked, shouting as he approached, "Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!"
Li Ce's brow furrowed as he swiftly stepped forward and asked gravely, "What happened?"
The man dropped to his knees with a thud, face panic-stricken, and reported, "The Daxia princess has dashed her head against the ground in suicide at the Rose Plaza in the imperial city's center!""What?"
Sun Di exclaimed in shock, but the guard quickly added, "Fortunately, she only suffered a head injury and is not seriously hurt. It's just that the local citizens crowded around, causing a minor disturbance."
Li Ce snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "A self-inflicted injury scheme? Playing the sympathy card to stir up the people of Tang Capital to build momentum for her?"
Sun Di frowned and asked, "Why are you so panicked over such a trivial matter? Whose subordinate are you?"
"Your Highness, that's not the main issue," the guard replied, his face flushed with urgency as he gasped for breath. "The key point is, just moments ago, the Central Army was drilling at their central camp near Rose Plaza. Those soldiers witnessed the entire incident, and the junior officers couldn't control the young noble-born troops. Now, thirty thousand Central Army soldiers have gathered on Central Avenue, demanding to attack Yanbei. They are already marching toward the palace gates!"
"What did you say?"
At this point, not only Sun Di but even Li Ce changed expressions. Just then, another guard galloped from afar on horseback, disregarding all court etiquette, shouting as he rode, "Urgent report! Urgent report!"
"What is it?"
Li Ce's face turned icy, all traces of playfulness gone.
"Your Highness," the man tumbled off his horse, his clothes stained with blood.
Sun Di roared, "Has the Central Army gone mad? Attacking their own comrades over a foreign princess?"
The man knelt on the ground and reported loudly, "Your Highness, the Central Army did not attack the imperial guards, but they surrounded Lord Tie You's carriage. Thirty thousand Central Army soldiers have gone insane. According to officials from Daxia, the mastermind behind this incident—a rebel from Yanbei—is inside the carriage. Over twenty of our vanguard battalion brothers have already died, mostly at the hands of Daxia attendants. But now that the Central Army has seen blood, they’ve become even harder to control."
Li Ce's face turned pale, his eyes narrowing slowly like a fox's, gleaming with a bloodthirsty chill. After a long silence, he let out a cold, soft snort and said, "What a magnificent Daxia! What a magnificent Zhao Chun'er!"
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