Fen Dui also mentioned that Mi Wei was worried Kang Su-mi's rebellious plans might be exposed, leading to punishment that could implicate everyone—especially her own child. She hoped Li Yuangui could persuade Kang Sabao to act more cautiously. These were reasonable concerns. Li Yuangui vaguely agreed and reminded Fen Dui to keep it confidential, not to speak of it to anyone else. However, before he could decide when or how to broach the subject with Kang Su-mi, misfortune sought him out again.
This time, it was Crown Prince Li Chengqian who came looking for him.
A servant from the Crown Prince's Palace arrived at Prince Wu's residence with a summons: "The Crown Prince awaits Prince Wu at the polo grounds behind Purple Void Monastery." Li Yuangui vaguely recalled that he might have indeed made a polo appointment with Li Chengqian before. But now, during the national mourning period for the Supreme Emperor, with their father and grandfather's remains still lying in state at the Supreme Polarity Hall, unburied—wouldn't they be roundly condemned if they indulged in games and amusement at such a time?
So… they had to go discreetly. Plain mourning attire, leather belts, lacquered saddles wrapped in hemp, and the Moon Staff for polo tucked away in a cloth bag—nothing ostentatious. They would only take it out once they reached the field.
Under the blazing early autumn sun, the heat rose in waves from the yellow-earth polo grounds. Though tall buildings and trees shaded the edges, the center of the field was fully exposed. Li Chengqian must have ordered the ground watered recently—the damp marks crisscrossed the loose topsoil—but from Li Yuangui’s own experience, this was practically useless. By the end of a match, everyone would be rolling in the mud like monkeys.
A few guards were already on the field, testing their horses and swings. The Crown Prince himself sat mounted at the edge, idly swinging his Moon Staff with a gloomy expression. Li Yuangui approached to pay his respects, but Li Chengqian wasted no words, motioning for him to rise and mount up. The uncle and nephew drew their heads closer, whispering amid the shouts and hoofbeats.
"The old plaque from the Literary Academy?" Li Yuangui was momentarily baffled. "Your Highness, forgive me—I’ve only just returned to the capital and know nothing of this matter."
Li Chengqian sighed. "Never mind. It’s not important anyway. Now that Prince Yue’s book-compiling Literary Academy has been officially established, what difference does it make whether the plaque is a relic from the WuDe Era? The Emperor favors him—that’s all that matters."
Li Yuangui sorted through his thoughts and roughly grasped the situation. The Son of Heaven had ordered his fourth son, Prince Yue Li Tai, to follow his own precedent from the WuDe Era by gathering renowned scholars into a "Literary Academy" to compile books. Li Yuangui was aware of this—in fact, he had been present when the proposal was first raised and had witnessed it firsthand. Li Chengqian and several ministers, including Fang Xuanling, had also been there at the time, visibly uncomfortable. Later, he heard that Li Tai had indeed secured a location, recruited scholars, and established this new dynasty’s "Literary Academy"—naturally, with the support of his father, the current Emperor.
The Prince of Qin's Literary Academy during the WuDe Era had gathered great Confucian scholars like the "Eighteen Scholars" and was widely regarded as Prince Qin Shimin’s strategist circle in his bid for succession. Now, with the Crown Prince in place, the Emperor had ordered another beloved son to establish a "Literary Academy"—what was the implication here?
Great Peace Palace had been the site of Prince Qin's Manor during the WuDe Era, and the old "Literary Academy" was located in what was now the Seventeenth Prince's Residence. According to Li Chengqian, some junior uncle, eager to curry favor with the Emperor and Prince Yue, had dug up the old plaque inscribed by Yu Shi Nan, polished it clean, and sent it to Prince Yue’s residence. Li Tai, after reporting to the Emperor, had boldly hung the plaque, positioning himself as the rightful successor to his father’s scholarly legacy.Li Chengqian remained silent on horseback, his gaze fixed on the soaring eaves of the watchtower. To the south of the polo field lay the rear wall of the Purple Void Monastery, its gate now locked. Behind the wall stood another watchtower, where faint figures could be glimpsed moving between the latticed windows. Having heard from Wei Shufen about Li Chengqian's illicit affair with Chai Yingluo—a romance also born from polo matches—Li Yuangui understood the Crown Prince's profound melancholy upon revisiting this place where his beloved had since been banished.
"I heard you declined the chance to marry your sweetheart, the young lady of the Wei family," Li Chengqian asked slowly. "Are you so eager to become a consort in Gaochang? Or do you consider a man's pursuit of fame and fortune more important than any woman?"
The barb struck true.
"Would Your Highness not know?" Li Yuangui took a deep breath before countering, "Born into the imperial family, one already possesses everything if they can live peacefully. What need is there to chase glory?"
The words slipped out effortlessly yet rang hollow. If mere peaceful survival was the goal, why had he volunteered for Gaochang? As Li Yuangui struggled to justify himself, one glance at the Crown Prince's expression told him the effort was wasted. His nephew wasn't listening at all.
Li Chengqian's gaze stretched far beyond—piercing through the monastery's high walls and watchtowers, beyond the Fragrant Forest Gate and the bustling streets of Chang'an—to where his beloved now resided. A mist veiled his dark pupils, within which danced the faint silhouette of a graceful figure. Time bloomed like spring flowers only to wither like autumn leaves, flowing eastward to the sea never to return.
"If Your Highness remains devoted to this affection... why not plead with Their Majesties to sanction this union?" The question escaped Li Yuangui before he recognized its impropriety. To his surprise, the Crown Prince didn't rebuke him. After a dazed silence came the reply:
"Useless... I begged repeatedly. None would consent. None care about my joy or suffering. From birth, I owed my parents a filial son, my ministers a paragon, and the Tang Dynasty a worthy heir. Indebted to all, bound by their rules—none heed what I truly desire."
With his cherished romance cruelly shattered and his father openly favoring his younger brother—undermining the Crown Prince's position—Li Chengqian's despondency was understandable. For the first time, Li Yuangui felt genuine sympathy for this nephew two years his senior. Yet words of comfort eluded him.
Knowing his ineptitude at inspirational speeches—where missteps came easily—he parted his lips only to close them wisely. Suddenly, Li Chengqian's focus returned, his chilling smile directed at his uncle:
"Fourteenth Uncle, I have a plan. One that spares you the hardships of western frontiers, nullifies your Gaochang betrothal, and—after brief respite—lets you properly wed your Wei maiden as Princess Consort Wu before retiring together to your fiefdom for life. Care to hear?"
Li Yuangui stiffened. "I'm all ears.""Hmm..." Li Chengqian hesitated again, pondering for a moment before saying, "Actually, you don't need to know too much, nor do much. The day after tomorrow is the Supreme Emperor's Funeral Ceremony, and the inner court is short-handed. Bring a familiar person as your attendant to blend into the eunuch group—that's all you need to do. After it's done, I'll handle everything."
"A familiar person?" Li Yuangui thought for a moment, then changed his question: "What will he do after blending into the eunuchs?"
"Didn't I say? Don't ask so much." The Crown Prince's lips curled slightly as he smiled again. "He'll just pour a libation, nothing more."
Li Yuangui gazed deeply into the Crown Prince's eyes.
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