"What is it?" The Emperor's tone was somewhat impatient, but having just said, "Speak your mind freely," he couldn't immediately stop someone from "voicing their thoughts." He could only frown and listen.
"My father, Imperial Attendant Wei, deeply follows the ways of ancient sages, practicing diligence and frugality throughout his life, never daring to indulge in extravagance or waste..."
Wei Shufen knelt on the carpet and spoke eloquently, first describing the modest daily life of her family and how her parents had painstakingly saved tens of thousands of bolts of silk for their children's marriage arrangements. Then she recounted the suspicious fire at their estate north of the Wei River the previous month, which had burned down their granary and silk stores. Overcome with anger, she forgot her fear, straightened her back, and looked directly at the Son of Heaven. Sure enough, she saw the Emperor stroking his mustache, unable to suppress a smile as he turned his face away to hide his amusement.
This was practically an admission that he had ordered the burning of her family's granary... Wei Shufen gritted her teeth in frustration, silently thinking, "The Zhenguan Code states that assassinating a king or attacking the imperial carriage is not a crime—I might as well act now." For a moment, she didn't consider that even if she did act, how could a frail young girl like her possibly overpower a battle-hardened emperor?
From the destruction of their granary, she moved on to the topic of selling a daughter for dowry, then mentioned how the Son of Heaven had personally promised her father, "Once the truth behind Princess Linfen's case is uncovered, I will grant you thirty thousand bolts of silk to assist with the dowry." The Emperor didn't deny this, only summarizing in surprise:
"After all this long speech, what you're saying is that you, a young lady, will take your father's place to investigate Yi Niang's case, and once it's solved, I'll reward you with thirty thousand bolts of silk?"
"The thirty thousand bolts of silk reward was what Your Majesty promised my father. Your Majesty's word is as good as gold, and I trust you won't go back on it," Wei Shufen replied promptly. "Our family's granary unfortunately caught fire, causing severe losses. The benevolent and virtuous Sage Ruler, in his boundless mercy, might graciously compensate us with another twenty thousand bolts of silk, for which my entire family would be deeply grateful."
Thirty thousand plus twenty thousand—fifty thousand bolts of silk would be just enough to repay Kang Su-mi and redeem Li Yuangui's freedom. Wei Shufen felt her calculations were precise and justified, kneeling upright and staring expectantly at the Emperor for his response. Instead, she saw the Son of Heaven of the Great Tang shake his head and laugh for a while before composing himself and replying sternly:
"No wonder people say Wei Xuancheng's eldest daughter has some mental disorder, speaking incoherently and acting erratically. At first glance, you seemed fine, young lady, but the longer you speak, the more absurd and outrageous you become! How dare you come before me with such impertinent words! Investigate Princess Linfen's case? You, an unmarried daughter of a chancellor, should be at home serving your parents, studying, and cultivating propriety. What business do you have investigating cases? If I were to assign you such a task, even I would be considered mentally unsound, and the scholars of the realm and future historians would laugh us to scorn!"
This response wasn't entirely unexpected, but Wei Shufen still grew anxious and blurted out:
"In the case of Princess Linfen, I already understand eighty to ninety percent of it! With Your Majesty's permission, I only need to question one last person to uncover the full truth!"
"Oh? Is that so?" The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "Who is this last person?"
"It's—"
Wei Shufen suddenly choked, her mouth agape, unable to speak.
What she had just presented was the speech she had prepared before coming to Eternal Peace Palace. At that time, she still believed that Consort Yang, Princess of Hailing, was carrying the child of Crown Prince Chengqian and had poisoned Li Wanxi to cover up her scandal. Recalling the events of that night, everything seemed to fit this conclusion. But now, Yang Buyao's secret had been exposed prematurely—the one she had been involved with wasn't Li Chengqian, but the Son of Heaven himself, Li Shimin, who stood before her.If one were to delve deeper, the identity of the father of Yang Bu-yao's unborn child did not affect her motive for committing murder—she remained the most likely suspect in the case of Princess Linfen. But to voice this judgment directly to her actual lover... it felt as though she had walked straight into a trap herself.
"Ask whom?" The Emperor grew impatient and pressed again. Wei Shufen's mind was in turmoil, and in her desperation, she grasped for words to stall:
"This humble one and my companions have risked life and limb to investigate Princess Linfen's case, enduring countless hardships, only to gradually approach the truth. If Your Majesty does not first promise to assign the task and grant the reward, I cannot easily reveal—"
"Outrageous!" The Son of Heaven was furious. "Do you truly believe this is some marketplace haggling, where you can bargain as you please? Did your elders never teach you the proper decorum for addressing the throne? Were it not for your father's sake, I would not tolerate such insolence from a mere woman, lest it shame loyal subjects and delight petty minds! There are limits to ignorance—answer me properly!"
The wrath of a ruler carried an awe-inspiring weight. Wei Shufen shrank back, at a loss, and could only force out a reply:
"On the night Princess Linfen was strangled, the... the Princess Consort of Hailing was nearby, and everything... became clear. We have verified that Lady Yangshi is deeply implicated in this case. If only we could be granted an edict to question her—"
Her voice grew fainter as she spoke, for the Emperor's expression shifted ominously—first startled at the mention of "the Princess Consort of Hailing," then furrowing his brows in anger, a mix of indignation and shame, before finally settling into an icy, unreadable mask. His face was like frost, utterly devoid of emotion.
This was very bad.
During idle chats at the Purple Void Monastery, Wei Shufen had heard Chai Yingluo describe the temperament of her imperial uncle:
"...Raised as a noble scion of a lofty house, one might praise him as heroic and chivalrous, or less kindly, as willful and hot-tempered—unable to hide his thoughts, prone to irrational outbursts. Those around him grew accustomed over time; his anger flares quickly but fades just as fast, for his mind remains sharp and reasonable. What we truly fear is when he doesn't lose his temper—when he coldly scrutinizes you from head to toe, until your scalp prickles and your limbs go weak, like a deer frozen under the gaze of a tiger. You know then, with absolute clarity, that escape is impossible..."
At this moment, Wei Shufen found herself under the cold, measured gaze of the Tang Emperor, and indeed, a chilling sense of terror and helplessness welled up within her.
This was the Heavenly Strategies General who, from his youth, had faced armies, discerned the weaknesses of enemy formations, commanded with precision, and conquered all under heaven. Every great adversary who had ever been subjected to such scrutiny—Xue Renguo, Song Jingang, Liu Wuzhou, Dou Jiande, Wang Shi-chong, Jieli Khan Ashina Duobi—had met their end on the battlefield, their kingdoms shattered, their lives extinguished, paving the way for a unified empire and the peace of millions. What right did a lone, powerless woman like her have to withstand such solemn attention from the Son of Heaven?
The Emperor closed his eyes, exhaled sharply, as if realizing he had overreacted, and struggled to suppress his temper. He merely called out, "Attendants."
A response came from beyond the tent entrance, and several eunuch guards entered. The Emperor commanded:
"Escort this Wei woman back to her home in Yongxing Ward and deliver her to her father, Wei Zheng, for strict discipline. If she acts or speaks wildly along the way, deal with it as you see fit."
"No—"Wei Shufen screamed. The guards rushed forward to drag her away, but she refused to go quietly, kicking and struggling with all her might. Suddenly, another dark figure darted through the tent entrance, shouting, "Stop!"
A pair of strong arms pushed the guards aside and half-embraced Wei Shufen as they retreated. The eldest daughter of Chancellor Wei had struggled and cried herself nearly unconscious, her world spinning, when suddenly she heard the voice she had longed for day and night whisper in her ear:
"If Your Majesty wishes to harm her, you must kill Yuan Gui first!"
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