Prince Consort Yang.
Yang Xinzhi's biological father, Prince Consort Commandant, Duke of Ande Commandery, and Secretariat Director Yang Shidao.
It was actually him—who came to take away Consort Yang, Princess of Hailing, his niece and her family—before the forbidden temple caught fire.
Li Yuangui had always thought—well, to be honest, he had "secretly hoped"—that the one who took Consort Yang and her family away was someone sent by Consort Yin from the Great Peace Palace. Following this lead, he might even uncover that the murderer of Yi Niang was indeed Consort Yang, acting under Consort Yin's orders... With such a charge, he could openly petition for the punishment of that vile woman and avenge his mother and sister.
But it turned out to be Yang Shidao, his fifth sister's husband, Prince Consort to Princess Guiyang.
Yang Shidao was famously mild-tempered and cautious, and currently held in high esteem, acting as Secretariat Director—the head of the Secretariat Chancellery, constantly attending the Son of Heaven to draft imperial edicts. The idea that Consort Yin could have the means to bribe him was something even Li Yuangui couldn't believe.
Yet, according to palace gossip, Yang Shidao and his wife were also the sworn enemies of Consort Yang, Princess of Hailing, for the death of her son. Although he had raised Yangshi, after the sixth month of the WuDe Era, the two sides should have been bitter enemies, never to interact again. So why did he come to take Consort Yang away? Or, conversely, why would Consort Yang willingly leave the Temple of Common Vocation with her two remaining children in secret, following the murderer of her son?
He puzzled over it all night, and even as he took Yang Xinzhi to Princess Pingyang's mansion in Guangde Ward the next morning, his head ached from the futile effort. Unable to reach any plausible conclusion, he decided to drop the matter and focus on a more pressing challenge—
How to "prostrate himself with a rod" and apologize to Chai Yingluo.
"Fourteenth Young Master, you need the High Truth Master's help," Wei Shufen stood in the woods, earnestly advising him, the setting sun casting a soft honeyed glow over her. "The case of Yi Niang involves the inner palace at every turn. As a young man, investigating alone is too inconvenient. There are many places you cannot enter and many people you cannot meet..."
Li Yuangui recalled his visit to Empress Xiao of the former Sui dynasty and had to admit Wei Shufen's words made sense.
Her words naturally made sense.
Yesterday evening, he had escorted the young lady of Household Secretary Wei's family back to the Purple Void Monastery on foot, completely forgetting that his horse was still left at the barracks. Along the way, they discussed many things, but both deliberately avoided the topic that had made them so uncomfortable. Li Yuangui tried hard to ignore the fact that Wei Shufen was a young maiden—and a beautiful one at that, whom he had once sought to marry unsuccessfully—and instead thought of her as a companion like Yang Xinzhi, someone trustworthy to confide in. He found himself enjoying such companionship.
If only Wei Shufen could accompany him in his investigations—the thought flashed through his mind, but he knew it was wishful thinking. She was an unmarried young lady, still doing her best to hide from her parents to avoid being dragged home. How could she follow him around, exposing herself to public scrutiny? In fact, her initiative to speak with him and spend time alone together already took immense courage.
So the only female ally he could rely on was Chai Yingluo.
"Since you say so, I’ll go apologize to Yingniang and make amends"—he nearly blurted this out to Wei Shufen but held back at the last moment. By all accounts, he should apologize to his niece, and it had nothing to do with Wei Shufen. Nor did he have the right to use it as a favor to her.That day at the Purple Void Monastery, Li Yuangui regretted his argument with Chai Yingluo almost immediately. Though unwilling to admit it aloud, he knew his frustration over recent setbacks had made him take out his princely temper on his niece—much like how the Emperor later vented his anger on the Crown Prince, who in turn took it out on Li Yuangui and his sister. It seemed this flaw of passing down temper through the Li family bloodline ran deep...
Having resolved to personally apologize at the Chai residence, he dressed simply in a black robe and rode into the city with only Yang Xinzhi as his attendant. After half a day's ride through snow-mired streets, they entered Guangde Ward. Just past the crossroads, the gates of Princess Pingyang's estate came into view when Yang Xinzhi suddenly gasped. Li Yuangui too sensed something amiss.
Dismounting in the gatehouse courtyard, they encountered a handful of departing mourners—all poorly dressed strangers shaking their heads and muttering. Glancing toward the main hall beyond the gates, Li Yuangui muttered "So few people" before striding briskly inside.
Li Wanxi lay in state at Princess Pingyang's estate with full honors as the "Principal Wife of the Duke of Qiao's Household and General Who Guards the Army." Chai Zhewei, eldest son of Chai Shao, stood vigil in the coarse hemp mourning robes befitting a bereaved husband. Everything appeared properly arranged to show respect for Yi Niang. The spirit tablet inscribed "Spirit Seat of Lady Li of Chai Clan, Princess Linfen" and the coffin rested beneath the main hall's eaves, with ritual implements lining the path from the steps to the courtyard gates. Both sides of the central walkway displayed numerous condolence gifts, creating an impressive expanse of white—yet conspicuously few mourners attended beyond the Chai family servants in hemp mourning clothes. For an official lying-in-state, this was undeniably peculiar.
After paying respects before the coffin, Li Yuangui and Yang Xinzhi were led to Chai Yingluo. They found the Taoist nun sitting beneath the western corridor with her father, who wore mourning robes of lesser hemp. The General and Imperial Son-in-law Chai Shao fumed angrily:
"Look what the Court of State Ceremonial sent as condolence gifts! This is beyond insulting!"
"What's wrong with them?" Li Yuangui asked. "As a second-rank princess, she's entitled to 150 bolts of fabric and 150 dan of grain. Surely the Ministry of Rites wouldn't dare shortchange—"
"Shortchange? They wouldn't dare, but—" Chai Shao's drunken belch nearly knocked Li Yuangui backward with its stench, "...Fourteenth Young Master, see for yourself..."
Returning to the grain and cloth displayed nearest the mourning seat, Li Yuangui was assaulted by a moldy stench before even approaching.
The 150 dan of millet formed a small mountain in sacks and baskets, their contents visibly green with mold—some sprouts half an inch long. Grain this spoiled couldn't even feed livestock. Forty-five bolts of silk showed years of moth damage, forty-five of hemp cloth shed fibers like dust, while sixty bundles of silk floss had congealed into an inseparable mass—impossible to verify the count.
Most infuriatingly, these rotten stockroom remnants bore the label "Condolence Gifts from the Son of Heaven," requiring prominent display by protocol with no option to conceal them. Any attempt to secretly substitute fresh goods? Impossible—every sack and bundle bore yellow-sealed clay tablets stamped with treasury seals at their fastenings, designed to shatter if tampered with, preventing any substitution of quality goods."It was delivered yesterday afternoon, escorted personally by the Deputy Minister of Court Ceremonial, Wen Seventeen," Chai Yingluo sneered at Li Yuangui. "That Wen Seventeen offered apologies with his mouth, saying something about how the court had too many ceremonies recently and the treasury was exhausted, begging the Duke to understand—but the smug, malicious look on his face, did he think we wouldn’t notice? It’s just because my late mother passed early, and Yi Niang’s father offended the court, so they’re certain our family can only swallow this humiliation in silence."
Chai Shao was panting heavily, his square face flushed red from drunkenness. Li Yuangui shook his head at the father and daughter:
"In my opinion, this is because news of the Empress ordering Yi Niang’s case to be closed as suicide has leaked. The Wen family already had grievances with Third Brother-in-law, and now they think Yi Niang’s death has deeply offended the inner palace. By humiliating her, they believe they’re currying favor with the Empress—even the Son of Heaven. Seizing this opportunity, how could they resist taking revenge?"
"The Wen family has a feud with Third Uncle’s family?" Yang Xinzhi asked. The Deputy Minister of Court Ceremonial, Wen, was a nephew of the three Wen brothers, who were meritorious officials from the Taiyuan uprising. Who would have thought he was such a petty man?
"It wasn’t any serious conflict, just a matter of taking sides," Chai Yingluo explained with a frown. "In the fourth year of Zhenguan, Dai Guogong Li Jing ambushed and annihilated Jieli Khan of the Turks, nearly costing the Minister of Court Ceremonial, Tang Jian, his life. There’s been quiet resentment between them ever since. The Wen family has a life-and-death bond with the Tangs spanning two generations, while Father was a comrade of Dai Guogong, with a strong working relationship. That aside, last summer, Father heard rumors of foreign envoys plotting rebellion while at Jiucheng Palace and reported it in the middle of the night, alarming the Son of Heaven. After a thorough investigation, Tang Jian was dismissed, and officials below the rank of Deputy Minister were reprimanded or had their salaries docked—Wen Seventeen was no exception..."
"So that Wen bastard holds a grudge against me!" Chai Shao slurred angrily, slapping his thigh. "Yesterday morning... there were still quite a few mourners coming to pay respects... but by afternoon... once the funeral gifts arrived... it was..."
"Once the gifts were placed before the spirit tablet, everyone who saw them shook their heads," his daughter continued. "All those opportunistic snakes, thinking they were interpreting the Emperor’s will—some barely bowed before turning to flee, others didn’t even step through the gate. The news spread slowly, and now, look—"
She gestured toward the main hall, where the desolate scene spoke for itself.
Li Yuangui frowned in thought. He hadn’t expected Yi Niang’s case to deal such a heavy blow to the Chai family from this angle. Third Brother-in-law Chai Shao had once been the highest-ranking general of the Twelve Guards, the "Left Guard Grand General," and had led troops into battle multiple times to defend the borders, enjoying boundless prestige. But in recent years, as he aged and fell ill, he held only nominal titles, gradually drifting away from the court’s decision-making center—a fact that had drawn much criticism. He must have been struggling with it himself. Now, with this incident on top of it, and still in mourning, he had drowned himself in alcohol in broad daylight...
"If... if your mother were still here," Chai Shao gasped at his daughter, "your mother were still here, your Second Uncle would definitely—ugh—"
The nearly fifty-year-old former imperial son-in-law couldn’t hold back any longer, vomiting heavily toward the corridor. Chai Yingluo directed the servants and her younger brother Chai Ling-wu to help their father back to his bedroom, while Li Yuangui and Yang Xinzhi also lent a hand, hauling the Grand General onto his bed and fetching water and towels to clean him up.
Amid the commotion inside, another matter arose outside, and a servant came to summon Chai Yingluo to deal with it. Li Yuangui sat by his brother-in-law’s bedside, murmuring words of comfort, but Chai Shao only groaned, his face crimson, occasionally retching—who knew how much he had drunk since early morning?"Ling-wu...where's Ling-wu?" The drunken man on the bed opened his eyes, straining to recognize Li Yuangui before confirming this wasn't his youngest son. Dissatisfied, he closed his eyes again. "That little bastard...killed his parents...never learns anything good..."
Chai Ling-wu, not yet thirteen this year, was a mischievous child. The moment his elder sister left, he'd slipped out unnoticed, showing no intention of staying to care for his father. His absence might be for the best. Li Yuangui sighed sympathetically—knowing the three Chai siblings well, the youngest had always been more of a liability than an asset.
The little rascal was practically his third sister's "posthumous child." Twelve years ago, Princess Pingyang had died from postpartum hemorrhage while giving birth to him, though the child survived. Perhaps because of this, his father, sister, and brother treated the youngest with awkwardness, and Chai Ling-wu himself grew increasingly estranged from everyone. Now, with the family facing major affairs, his eldest brother Chai Zhewei, as the deceased's husband and chief mourner, had to guard the coffin and receive condolences. His elder sister had been managing household affairs tirelessly these past days, while he himself wandered about as if nothing had happened.
"Wife...my wife..." Chai Shao muttered under his breath on the bed. "You were right...I shouldn't have...shouldn't have stayed in the capital...your brothers are no good...I should go to war...go to war..."
Li Yuangui looked at his third brother-in-law with pity, unoffended by the indirect insult. Chai Shao was half-conscious, speaking to his deceased wife. The "your brothers" he mentioned certainly didn't refer to Li Yuangui—when his legendary third sister was still alive, Li Yuangui was at most two years old. How could a husband and wife's private conversation involve him?
In the sixth year of WuDe, Princess Pingyang passed away. The court specially honored her with the posthumous title "Zhao" and buried her with extraordinary rites surpassing protocol. Yet Chai Shao didn't complete the mourning period before leading troops against the Tuyuhun. At the time, people assumed it was due to urgent military matters requiring immediate service despite mourning attire. But judging by Chai Shao's unconscious ramblings, it seemed his wife had left some instructions before her death.
"My brothers"—which one, or all three?—"are no good?" "Don't stay in the capital?" "Go to war?"
By the end of WuDe, Chai Shao had indeed spent most of his time away at war, thus avoiding the escalating pressure in the capital to take sides in the conflict between the Crown Prince and Prince Qin. Had this too been due to Princess Pingyang's foresight?
"Your second brother, my wife..." Chai Shao's face flushed greenish-red, a sign he was about to vomit again. "He...your second brother...he killed you...wasn't that enough...now he humiliates my family..."
With a retch, vomit spewed from the Grand General and Imperial Son-in-Law's mouth, splattering the face and clothes of the servant kneeling by the bed holding the basin, even splashing onto the hem of Li Yuangui's robe. But he didn't flinch. Compared to the thunderbolt that had just struck overhead, this was nothing.
Princess Pingyang's second brother...the current Son of Heaven, Li Shimin..."He killed you"?
Maitreya preserve him—had he just heard a royal secret grave enough to warrant his silencing?
Li Yuangui turned in confusion to Yang Xinzhi standing behind him, hoping he might have misheard. But Yang Rou-ta's tightly pressed lips and solemn expression confirmed he'd heard it too.
The Imperial guard reached out to pull his lord up, saying, "Third Uncle is unwell. Let the servants tend to him so he can rest properly."The implication was clear: Li Yuangui shouldn't stay here any longer, lest the drunkard blurt out more treasonous words. Just then, the door opened again, and Chai Yingluo entered, followed by a maidservant carrying a medicine bowl.
"Yingniang!" Li Yuangui sighed in relief. He first let the female Taoist direct the servants in helping his father finish the medicinal broth before pulling her aside. Dispensing with formalities, he came straight to the point:
"Your father said your mother was killed by her second brother... What's going on?"
"What?" Chai Yingluo looked at her young uncle as if he were a monkey.
Li Yuangui lowered his voice and briefly recounted Chai Shao's drunken ramblings. Before he could finish, Chai Yingluo was already massaging her temples:
"Fourteenth Uncle, Father had too much to drink! Haven't you seen how drunkards behave? You're taking his words seriously?"
"So... it's false? Just my brother-in-law's drunken nonsense?" Li Yuangui hoped so.
The female Taoist sighed. "It's not that Father fabricated this to slander His Majesty out of thin air... How should I put it? My late mother did pass away shortly after childbirth, and it did have some connection with Second Uncle. She was trying to mediate between Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle when she argued with Second Uncle. At the time, she was nine months pregnant and wasn't careful enough—the agitation caused complications... Ah, later Second Uncle and his wife were heartbroken with guilt. But to say Second Uncle killed my mother? That's absolutely Father's drunken nonsense. Fourteenth Uncle, you've always been clear-headed—don't spread these words around."
"Don't worry, Yingniang." Having clarified the truth, a weight lifted from Li Yuangui's heart. Only then did he remember why he had come to the Chai residence today. The funeral gifts were unexpected but could unintentionally aid his cause.
"Ultimately, Brother-in-law's displeasure today stems from the court's neglect of Yi Niang's funeral arrangements," Li Yuangui gently analyzed for Chai Yingluo. "Yi Niang's death remains unexplained—that's unreasonable. The more it's suppressed, the more likely the Empress and Crown Prince will take further action. While His Majesty still tacitly permits my investigation, let's redouble our efforts together to uncover the truth as soon as possible?"
Unusually, the female Taoist didn't refute him. Her beautiful face flickered with changing emotions before she finally looked at her father on the bed, sighed, and nodded:
"You're right... Yi Niang's reputation affects both the Chai family's standing and Zhewei's future career. We can't just let this slide."
"I'll spare no effort in pursuing the truth," Li Yuangui quickly said. "I hope you'll set aside past grievances and continue assisting me."
This was as close to an "apology" as he could manage. The female Taoist looked at her young uncle, smiled charmingly, lightly flicked her horsetail whisk, and slowly parted her vermilion lips:
"Fourteenth Uncle, did you sneak off to Purple Void Monastery to meet with the Wei family's young lady in secret?" #####This chapter's annotations discuss the historical performances of officials like Li Jing and Tang Jian during the Tang dynasty's defeat of the Eastern Turks in the fourth year of Zhenguan. For the full annotations, please visit the author's Weibo. Search for ID "Tang Dynasty Guide Forest Deer" on Sina Weibo—exchanges are welcome. ????
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