In a mountain hollow not far from the Purple Void Monastery within the forbidden garden, by a pool of water, a black-clad man lay motionless on his back, seemingly asleep. A eunuch servant from the monastery went to investigate but stepped on a hidden trap in the grass, immediately falling and crying out in pain.
The others cautiously swept the grass with sticks as they approached, discovering an iron animal trap with coarse black teeth clamped around the eunuch's ankle. Two more traps were set around the black-clad man. After clearing them and helping the injured away, Li Yuangui and Chai Yingluo moved closer to the black-clad figure, crouching down for a closer look.
It was the corpse of a man in his thirties, hands folded over his chest, eyes tightly shut, with a peaceful expression. His rough, tanned skin and large hands and feet indicated a life of outdoor labor. Li Yuangui glanced at Chai Yingluo, and the female Taoist shook her head. "He's not from our monastery."
The body bore two wounds—the fatal one was a clean stab to the heart, so precise that little blood had seeped out. However, there was also a massive gash on the back of his right thigh, still a bloody mess despite being wrapped in several layers of bandages. Li Yuangui drew a small knife from his belt, cutting open the wrappings to reveal the wound—flesh torn open to the bone. The man must have been unable to move that leg while alive.
At the scent of blood, Atun, the hunting leopard held by Chai Yingluo, grew restless again. Li Yuangui ordered the corpse to be stripped and thoroughly examined for any other anomalies. After discussing with Chai Yingluo and Yang Xinzhi, they concluded that the blood droplets Atun had detected likely came from this man's leg wound while he was still alive. The body had not yet stiffened completely, meaning he hadn't died long ago—undoubtedly connected to Bao Nu's disappearance.
The corpse wore a black cloth robe over a thin sheepskin jacket, tied at the waist with a rope belt. His lower half was clad in black trousers, leg wraps, and hemp shoes—all crude, cheap items easily bought in any rural market. Beyond this, he carried nothing else. Normally, anyone traveling would have some personal belongings, but this man was completely devoid of any identifying clues.
As they lingered by the pool, soldiers from the Northern Military Camp arrived, led personally by Right Garrison Guard Grand General Zhang Shigui. After exchanging formalities, Li Yuangui briefed Zhang on the situation. The general, responsible for guarding the forbidden garden, wasted no time and cut straight to the point:
"Does Prince Wu believe this man could be the arsonist who set fire to the Temple of Common Vocation last night?"
A fire in the imperial garden's temple would inevitably bring charges of "negligence in guarding the palace" upon the Garrison Guards. If the arsonist wasn't quickly caught, all blame would fall on the general—hence his urgency. Li Yuangui nodded.
"In my view, this man was involved in last night's arson, but he wasn't acting alone. He was just the unlucky one."
"Oh? I'd like to hear your reasoning, Your Highness."
"Didn't you mention, General, that when the guards at the Temple of Common Vocation's corner tower spotted the fire last night, they fired a volley of crossbow bolts in that direction?" Li Yuangui pointed to the wound on the corpse's right thigh. "This man was hit by one of those bolts."
"Really?" Zhang Shigui looked skeptical. "There's no arrowhead in him, and the wound doesn't look like...""The wound doesn't look like it because there was no arrowhead left," Li Yuangui sighed. "This man initially ran with his companions until he couldn't keep up. His comrades pulled out the crossbow bolt but made the wound worse—even after bandaging, the bleeding wouldn't stop. This hidden pond might have been their hiding spot. After succeeding, they sneaked back to continue hiding."
"Who knew my Atun has such a sharp nose? He caught the scent of blood and led Bao Nu here," Chai Yingluo interjected. "After a scuffle, Bao Nu was captured—no idea if he's alive or dead. That cowardly fatso Atun had his leash cut but ran fast enough back to the temple to warn me."
"I suspect that after realizing their hideout was exposed, the arsonists killed this accomplice to lighten their load," Li Yuangui pointed at the male corpse on the ground. "A quick stab to the heart—painless. After killing him, they took everything that might reveal his identity. Ruthless and decisive—these aren’t ordinary poachers sneaking into the forbidden garden. They seem like a squad of assassins or death warriors."
"Or perhaps this man willingly asked to die to avoid burdening his comrades," Chai Yingluo added. "Look at his peaceful expression—even his corpse was arranged with dignity. Entering the forbidden garden to kill and burn is a crime of high treason. Those who dared participate must have already disregarded life and death."
The uncle and niece took turns analyzing the scene, while Zhang Shigui nodded repeatedly, his expression easing slightly:
"The arsonists were wounded by my Garrison Guards and eventually captured. Though they died from their injuries, justice was served... Hmm..."
So this could count as the Northern Garrison capturing the arsonists, providing at least a preliminary explanation... Li Yuangui and Chai Yingluo exchanged glances, barely suppressing their amusement. Just then, Yang Xinzhi, still kneeling to examine the corpse, exclaimed:
"What’s this?"
The body had been nearly stripped bare, with each piece of clothing shaken out for inspection. Aside from some old scars, there were no unusual marks—except for a few streaks of reddish-brown pigment beneath the collarbone. Rubbing it with a finger left traces, as if some kind of dye had been applied.
Li Yuangui and Zhang Shigui moved closer to inspect. After examining the corpse’s face and the area behind its ears, Li Yuangui concluded:
"This man originally had his face and neck covered in this pigment. After he was killed, his comrades wiped it off hastily, missing spots around the edges. There are still faint traces on his face."
Zhang Shigui let out a startled cry and slapped his thigh. "Now I remember! Left Guard General Qibi He-li once told me that many northwestern tribes have the custom of painting their faces reddish-brown. He only stopped after coming to Chang'an to serve the Son of Heaven! Could these arsonists be... be..."
Li Yuangui guessed he wanted to say "from Qibi He-li’s tribe" but hesitated. Qibi He-li was originally a Tiele chieftain who surrendered to the Tang three years ago. Highly favored by the Son of Heaven, he was appointed Left Guard General and commanded the Northern Gate Imperial Guards—technically Zhang Shigui’s subordinate. Currently, he was on the frontlines in Tuyuhun, leading troops under Dai Guogong Li Jing. If these arsonists were from Qibi He-li’s tribe—or worse, acting under his orders—it would be a terrifying suspicion."These people might be from the northwestern tribes, but they may not be related to General Qibi. There are many tribal groups, and conflicts between them are common. Wasn't the Qibi tribe driven to extinction by the Tuyuhun people, leaving them with nowhere to go, which is why they came to Shazhou..."
Before he could finish, the Hunting Leopard nestled beside Chai Yingluo let out a few more whimpers. Li Yuangui had a sudden thought and asked the female Taoist, "Yingniang, Atun has a keen nose. Can you have it lead us to track where this person's accomplices went? They just fled not long ago, so there should still be plenty of scent left."
"Let me try—Atun, come here, sniff these footprints..."
Unfortunately, the plump leopard raised indoors as a pet was no match for a well-trained hunting dog. No matter how Chai Yingluo pressed its head or whistled commands, Atun just rubbed against her, refusing to move. It sat back on its hind legs, widening its big, watery eyes to look at her innocently, two tear streaks glistening in the sunlight.
Li Yuangui, Yang Xinzhi, and the others burst into laughter, while even the servants of Purple Void Monastery and the Garrison Guards snickered from the sidelines. Zhang Shigui chuckled and ordered someone to "fetch a few Greyhounds from our camp—this beast is useless." Chai Yingluo gave up in frustration, shaking her head.
"If Bao Nu were here, it might have worked. That lad is good at training and handling animals. I don’t have that kind of patience."
"Your Bao Nu?" Li Yuangui pondered. "What’s his background? He seems to have some tribal or foreign features, doesn’t he?"
He hadn’t visited Purple Void Monastery often and had only seen the young leopard keeper once or twice. Given his status, he naturally wouldn’t pay attention to a mere servant. But judging from the current situation, after clashing with the arsonists, it seemed they had captured Bao Nu alive. Considering these criminals were operating in the forbidden garden, they would need to be extremely cautious—killing Bao Nu outright would have been far simpler and safer.
Chai Yingluo thought for a moment and shrugged. "Honestly, I’m not entirely sure either. Four or five years ago, I complained to my father that Atun was getting harder to handle as it grew older. He said a foreign merchant friend had given him a few servants, and among them was a young boy who was particularly skilled at handling birds and dogs. So I took Bao Nu to take care of Atun. Aside from being a bit mischievous and frivolous, he never caused any trouble. Who would bother investigating the background of a mere servant?"
"A merchant friend gave him to your brother-in-law?" That made it even more intriguing. Those foreign merchant caravans traveling the desert routes traded not only in silk, gold, silver, and jewels but also in horses and slaves. With the empire at peace, the extravagance of the imperial relatives and wealthy families had grown, and they loved to buy exotic slaves to show off—blonde, blue-eyed foreign girls, pitch-black Kunlun slaves, dwarves from the southern tribes—all highly sought after. It wasn’t surprising that a foreign merchant would try to curry favor with General Chai Shao by gifting him a few mixed-blood slaves. But tracing the origins of such slaves would be complicated.
Chai Yingluo also mentioned that a few days earlier, Bao Nu and Atun had discovered traces of intruders in this very spot. Li Yuangui and Zhang Shigui discussed it further but couldn’t make sense of it. Zhang Shigui scratched his head and sighed. "It’s all because the Northern Gate Imperial Guards are understaffed. I originally wanted to set up a hidden watch here, but we just couldn’t spare the men. Ah, now that the Crown Prince's Palace has taken over the palace guards, I’m not sure how to report this to His Highness...""The Crown Prince has taken over the palace guards?" Li Yuangui and Chai Yingluo asked in unison. Zhang Shigui glanced at them. "Prince Wu and High Truth Master are unaware? This afternoon, a palace envoy came to my camp with an imperial decree. The guards of the forbidden garden and Great Peace Palace are temporarily placed under the Crown Prince's jurisdiction, with routine matters to be reported to the Crown Prince's Palace."
Both Li Yuangui and Chai Yingluo shook their heads, exchanging a look. Though surprised, Li Yuangui thought the Emperor likely wanted to focus on coordinating the Tuyuhun campaign, and with the Empress in poor health, it made sense to delegate some less critical routine affairs to the Crown Prince. Crown Prince Chengqian had years of experience overseeing state affairs and enjoyed a good reputation both in and out of court. It was only natural for him to share his father's burdens.
Chai Yingluo, however, frowned deeply and pressed Zhang Shigui for more details, confirming he knew nothing further. By then, a large contingent of garrison guards had arrived with hounds, preparing for a full-scale search. Li Yuangui, Chai Yingluo, and the others took their leave and returned to Purple Void Monastery.
Once away from the garrison troops, the female Taoist lowered her voice and said to Li Yuangui, "Fourteenth Uncle, this doesn’t bode well. With the Crown Prince in charge of Great Peace Palace, you should avoid him as much as possible. If you can, stay outside for a while—it’s best not to return to your Prince Wu residence."
"Why?" Li Yuangui asked in shock.
Chai Yingluo sighed deeply, pulling him ahead a few steps to distance themselves from Yang Xinzhi and the others, ensuring no one else could overhear. Then she replied:
"Do you remember that jade ring you found in Yi Niang’s dowry?"
"Of course." That blood jade ring, seemingly for a man, had been swallowed by Yi Niang’s HeBa nursemaid after its discovery. After the fire at Temple of Common Vocation, Li Yuangui had cut open the nursemaid’s corpse and retrieved the crucial evidence from her intestines, handing it over to Empress Zhangsun. The Empress had almost immediately confiscated it and then... ordered him to cease the investigation, concluding Yi Niang’s death as suicide...
Li Yuangui suddenly looked up, seeing a glimmer in Chai Yingluo’s eyes as she nodded slightly at him:
"This matter is tangled in misunderstandings. I have no solid evidence, only fragments of overheard conversations and my own deductions. That jade ring... I fear it may have... made the Empress suspicious of the Crown Prince and provoked her fury. Now that the ring is in the Crown Prince’s hands, he could easily trace its origins from the Hall of Established Governance and vent his anger on you, the one who brought it to light..."
"That jade ring—was it a gift from the Crown Prince to Yi Niang?" Li Yuangui blurted out in shock.
"Quiet!" Chai Yingluo hissed. "As I said, there’s no evidence—just conjecture, and there may be misunderstandings... But the Empress was undoubtedly furious, and her recent illness is tied to this. As for the Crown Prince’s temperament, you and I both know he’s clever, but he’s far from tolerant, magnanimous, or gentle. I fear he might retaliate against you in anger, and now that he controls the forbidden garden and Great Peace Palace, it would be all too easy..."
Li Yuangui’s mind reeled, and he stopped walking, quickly sorting through the sequence of events in his head:
Li Chengqian was born in the second year of WuDe, the eldest legitimate son of Prince Qin Li Shimin. That same year, Crown Prince Li Jian-cheng also welcomed his first post-founding children, the eldest being his daughter Li Wanxi.
Li Chengqian and Li Wanxi, cousins of similar age, often played together under their grandfather’s watch. After the Xuanwu Gate Incident in the ninth year of WuDe, Li Chengqian was named Crown Prince, while Li Wanxi was spared but imprisoned in a secluded temple...In recent years, the Son of Heaven and his consort had frequently been away on imperial tours, leaving the Crown Prince to oversee state affairs. It seemed he had become entangled with his cousin again, even going so far as to give her... a betrothal ring?
The male ring found in Li Wanxi's dowry after her suicide by hanging on her wedding night was discovered by Li Yuangui. After some twists and turns, it eventually reached Empress Zhangsun. Recognizing it as belonging to her own eldest son, the Empress decisively halted the investigation to prevent scandal.
Li Chengqian learned from attendants at the Hall of Established Governance that Li Yuangui had delivered the ring to the Empress. Humiliated and furious, he plotted revenge against his fourteenth uncle... Li Yuangui shook his head. Alright, he had to admit this possibility existed—and was quite likely. Chai Yingluo's deduction was reasonable.
"But..."
If this was the truth behind Yi Niang's death—that the murderer was Crown Prince Li Chengqian or someone acting on his orders—then this case truly "shook the foundations of the state" and indeed shouldn't be pursued further. Yet Emperor Li Shimin clearly remained unaware. Just this morning, His Majesty had tried every means to circumvent his wife's obstruction and ordered his younger brother to continue investigating thoroughly.
That the Empress chose to conceal the truth from the Son of Heaven to protect her own son was unsurprising. But for Li Yuangui, caught between the imperial couple, the situation was more than just awkward—it was perilous...
"Yingniang, I think," Li Yuangui felt his chest tighten and his throat burn, "even if the Emperor is persuaded by the Empress to issue an edict closing the case; even if we uncover the cause of death but cannot reveal it to the world, denying Yi Niang justice; even if doing so means offending the Emperor and Empress, the heir apparent and the chancellor... I... must continue investigating this case."
#####Chapter 5's appendix introduces some common foreign servants in Tang Dynasty Chang'an. For images, please visit the author's Weibo. Search for "Tang Dynasty Time-Travel Guide Forest Deer" on Sina Weibo. Discussions welcome. ????
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