Chapter 66: The Diplomat's Daughter's Bloodline Awakens, Hirokami's Nightmare...
Yang Guang began to recount his past incessantly.
"Back then, Tang Gong, Huai En, Xiao Yu, A Jun, and I were always hunting falcons and hounds near Zhongnan Mountain, unwilling to return to Chang'an even after dark. That coward Changsun Xiuming would always spoil the fun, kneeling before my horse and begging me to return home..."
The two cousins smiled knowingly, and everyone else joined in.
When Yang Guang noticed that Li Yuan's daughter-in-law's cheeks flushed when he mentioned Changsun Xiuming, he asked kindly, like an elder, "Lady Changsun, do you perhaps also know Changsun Chang, the Junior Supervisor of the Palace?"
Changsun Qingjing bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, the Junior Supervisor of the Palace is my uncle. My father had four brothers, and Uncle Xiuming was the youngest."
"I see, I almost forgot. Ji Sheng has a younger brother." Yang Guang nodded, then pretended to be serious and said, "Lady Changsun, you must not tell him about what I said behind your uncle's back about him being a coward; you must also not tell him about what I and Lord Tang said about him being too cautious in his youth!"
Changsun Qingjing pursed her lips and said, "I obey the order. I fear that my uncle will be saddened, so I dare not tell him."
Yang Guang seemed to be merely putting on a show of remembrance for his deceased ministers in front of everyone. Without waiting for Changsun Qingjing's reply, he began to tell the two imperial sons-in-law about how Changsun Sheng's eldest son, Xingbu, had died in battle resisting the rebel army of Prince Yang Liang of Han, and how his second son, Heng'an, had perished in the northern desert. His face was full of emotion and regret.
Li Shimin sneered inwardly, "Warmth fades as people depart, leaving only frost marks on the mat. Such affectation! Those unaware of the situation might mistakenly believe that the emperor still cherishes his trusted ministers and treats the heir of the Changsun clan with great kindness."
"I happened to meet Anye, the third son of the Right Valiant Guard General, a few days ago..." Yuwen Xiao racked his brains tonight and finally came up with a topic he could handle, so he quickly followed his father-in-law's lead, "His family is also in Luoyang for the New Year."
“Changsun Sanlang is eloquent and quite like his father.” Princess Hanoi looked at Changsun Qingjing and pretended to be puzzled. “His wife, Lady Du, is also a talkative person. However, I did not hear about the marriage between Lady Li and Lady Changsun when we traveled together.”
Princess Nanyang scoffed, "What respectable young man would constantly talk about his married, happily married sister in front of strangers?"
Changsun Qingjing was quite certain that the Emperor, Empress, Princess, and Prince Consort before him were unaware of, and had no intention of finding out, the estrangement among their family members after Changsun Sheng's death. He simply went along with it, saying, "Father established a rule when he was alive: the third brother, being the eldest, should follow His Majesty; Mother suffers from a rheumatism and is unable to move around easily, so the fourth brother takes care of her year-round at the Daxing family home; as for the fifth brother, he just needs to avoid following the spoiled brats. My third brother and I had a small gathering at his home in Xiushanfang a few days ago, and as soon as we met, he questioned why I hadn't sent anyone to Luoyang to deliver a message." He informed me of the Lady's passing, inquired whether my fourth brother had performed the proper rituals when attending the funeral on my behalf, and instructed me to stay home and observe the mourning period, and to be careful not to be pushed into the water by the throngs of worshippers when I went to Yique to pay my respects to Buddha… He also mentioned the magnificent scenery of Ziwei Palace and the fireflies in Jinyang Palace in summer, which rivaled the stars and moon. My third brother, much older than me, always treated me like a child, giving me detailed and meticulous advice. Strangely enough, although he told me everything that happened in Luoyang in great detail, I never heard him mention meeting the princess and her consort… He must have forgotten in his haste.”
Princess Hanoi's lips trembled several times, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.
Li Shimin found it quite remarkable that Changsun Qingjing could describe a situation that had never existed in such a serious manner. It was as if the heartbreaking experiences of intrigue and betrayal after Changsun Sheng's death had never happened, and as if the family had always been preparing for the eventual destiny set by their deceased father, each fulfilling their duties in an orderly manner, ensuring the family's continued prosperity.
This colossal lie made Li Shimin break out in a cold sweat, fearing that Changsun Qingjing might slip up and burst into tears.
Of course, he seriously underestimated Changsun Qingjing. This girl was far stronger than Li Shimin had imagined.
After listening to Changsun Qingjing's self-consistent lie, Yang Guang nodded knowingly. He was merely expressing a slight concern for the descendants of a deceased high-ranking official due to a fortuitous coincidence. As for the chaos in the inner court after Changsun Sheng's death, the abandonment of his children, and the fact that the person raising the abandoned children happened to be on good terms with Xue Daoheng and Husi Zheng, these were all outside the scope of the emperor's investigation.
Yang Guang's polite inquiries to the descendants of Changsun Sheng and the entire Changsun clan came to an end. He was once again deeply immersed in reminiscing about his youth.
Li Yuan seized the opportunity to offer his services: "Your Majesty, I am willing to play the zither for you!"
"Excellent!" Yang Guang placed the Penglai Cup on the table, let out a long whistle, and was suddenly inspired to write poetry. "You all applaud for the two of us!"
Li Yuan took the five-stringed pipa from Changsun Qingjing, tuned the strings, closed his eyes slightly, and used string twisting and finger tremolo to simulate the rise and fall of river waves. Amidst the surging strings, Yang Guang couldn't help but recite his own poems.
Seeing that the emperor was getting into the mood, Li Yuan played the strings and subtly adjusted the pitch. The Shang mode of the Kucha style suddenly transformed into the Wu and Yue modes, using vibrato to imitate the swaying of flower shadows. The magnificent Southern Dynasty sounds, with their rapid and plucked tones, perfectly suited Yang Guang's preference for intricate music, immersing him in the wonderful world of his encounter with the courtesans.
Suddenly the song ceased, the strings fell silent, yet the lingering sound remained. Li Yuan, holding his instrument, remained still, a profound melody within his heart. Yang Guang, his song entering a state of deep meditation, was moved to tears. Before his eyes, only the zither's blue hue floated, ethereal and melancholic.
The group looked at each other, unsure of how to respond.
"Xiangling plays the zither, and the singer weeps. The spirit and the scene are in perfect harmony! Wonderful! Wonderful!" Yu Shiji led the applause, and the crowd echoed.
Li Shimin couldn't help but feel disgusted by Yang Guang's chaotic and restless behavior, especially by watching the emperor's pretentious and self-important performance in his mother's favorite room.
Perhaps his disgust was too obvious, so he did not join in Yang Guang's chanting or shed tears with the others.
This reluctant cover-up at least evaded the shrewish senses of the Hanoi princess.
Hidden beneath the white pipa sleeves, Li Shimin gently grasped Changsun Qingjing's sweaty hand, facing the unknown and uncertainty together. Before them stood a mysterious, elusive barbarian sheep. They wondered to themselves: Would Yang Guang launch further tests?
As the song "Spring River Flower Moon Night" came to an end, Yang Guang, having exhausted his thoughts and energy, slowly returned to his temporary throne, closed his eyes, and drifted into a state between sleep and wakefulness.
Empress Xiao leaned closer to Yang Guang and called his name softly a few times, but Yang Guang did not respond. He mumbled incoherently from time to time, or his hands and feet twitched due to inexplicable fear.
Changsun Qingjing lowered the curtains wrapped around the beams to shield his father from the cold, and Princess Nanyang took a fox fur coat and draped it over him. After Xiaohou sat on the throne, she gently massaged her husband's shoulders and neck, trying to make the emperor more comfortable during his nap.
The crowd then retreated outside the curtain and knelt down, waiting for the emperor to wake up.
Changsun Qingjing guessed that Yang Guang's apparent sleep was not restless; on the edge of reality and illusion, some elusive images and sounds were tormenting his sleep. Empress Xiao had no choice but to soothe this man in his forties as if patting a sleeping baby.
"Yingzhao? Luwu? Yayu? Don't come any closer!" Yang Guang, struggling in a nightmare, had unfocused eyes. He covered his head with one hand and struggled in the void with the other, searching for a knife or a torch. He then waved the non-existent weapon and light to drive away the monster in his mouth.
He seemed to be trapped in a cave by a group of wild beasts and unable to escape.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, wake up!" Empress Xiao and Princess Nanyang did their best, patting Yang Guang's back and massaging his chest, trying to help him break free from his nightmare and calm down.
"General of the Right Valiant Guard, General of the Right Valiant Guard, save me, save me!" Yang Guang cried out incoherently. In his nightmare, he was being chased and intercepted by a pack of hungry wild beasts.
Li Yuan lifted the low-hanging curtain and strode forward: "Your Majesty, I am here."
"Where is Changsun Sheng? Where did Changsun Sheng go? I clearly told him to guard the gates of Renshou Palace." Yang Guang squeezed out the most shrill and terrified scream, "Father, elder brother, fourth brother, fifth brother... don't come over, don't come over."
He finally saw the scene before him clearly, but his consciousness remained in a state of confusion. Yang Guang struggled to sit up from his throne, grabbed Li Yuan's shoulders and shook him, shouting, "Summon Changsun Sheng to protect me!"
At the Empress's prompting glances, the two imperial sons-in-law restrained the emperor, who was having a hysterical episode, from behind. The Empress then forced a cup of agarwood drink into Yang Guang's mouth.
"Your Majesty, General Changsun Jisheng of the Right Valiant Guard has been dead for six years." Empress Xiao attempted to awaken Yang Guang with reality.
“He’s dead… he’s dead…” Yang Guang cried out in anguish, pressing his hand to his forehead, trying to distinguish between reality and illusion. “I clearly saw him outside the cave, drawing his bow and shooting those filthy monsters!”
The tentacles of nightmare were still chasing Yang Guang: "The cave suddenly brightened up, as if it had transformed into Renshou Palace. I heard the sound of the late emperor beating his coffin, and the sound of Prince Fangling calling for help outside the palace..."
Li Yuan and Yu Shiji knelt on the ground, unable to listen any further.
Changsun Qingjing strongly resisted the rumor that her father had been a participant in the Renshou Palace Coup. She firmly believed that what terrified Yang Guang was only a nightmare, not the torment of conscience and the truth.
Li Shimin watched with great interest as Emperor Yang Guang suffered a hysterical episode, feeling that this charlatan had finally played his true self, a performance a hundred times more entertaining than all his mimicry and coquettish acts that night.
Empress Xiao finally disregarded the emperor's dignity and directly covered her mouth, saying loudly, "Your Majesty, the supreme ruler should not imitate the vulgar tunes of street performers."
Heaving, trembling breaths were forced back into his throat, shrinking into the shadows of viscous memories along with boundless fear.
Yang Guang broke free from his wife and son-in-law's grasp, suddenly grabbed Li Yuan's collar, and asked, "Shude, did you hear the noise outside the door?"
"Your Majesty, is that music coming from the other side of the wall?" Li Yuan grasped Yang Guang's hand, which was still searching for something to defend himself in the void.
“No, it’s the sound of wild beasts gnawing on the stone steps… or maybe not wild beasts, but people, half-human, half-beast…” Yang Guang listened intently and said hesitantly, “Heaven knows what it is, I clearly heard the sound of rows of steel teeth sawing through the stone, and smelled the blood mixed with stone powder… Uncle De, can’t you hear it, can’t you smell it?”
Li Shimin and Changsun Qingjing felt as if their hearts were pounding in their throats and they were trapped like beasts struggling to swallow. For a moment, they did not know how their father should respond to satisfy Yang Guang.
Author's note: Old Li's shining moment is over!
Can someone knowledgeable about the pipa give me some pointers? [Let me see]
Guangshen will make his exit in the next chapter.
Then the young couple went shopping.
Watch a movie (rap, dance, and teasing)
Then we went to the Ferris wheel by the canal (oh, wrong, it's the giant lantern wheel for the Lantern Festival) to countdown and, incidentally, cause some trouble.
Let's heal everyone! [doge emoji with rose in hand]
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