Chapter 81 Li Yuan's Death and Empress Zhangsun's Critical Illness
Li Yuan ultimately could not survive that somber spring night. The death knell of the Da'an Palace tolled, announcing the passing of the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty and ushering in a new era of chaos. The sorrow of national mourning quickly enveloped Chang'an, white replaced all other colors, and the sounds of weeping and chanting never ceased day or night.
However, beneath this solemn facade of national mourning and universal white mourning, a more insidious and blazing undercurrent was rapidly spreading towards the core of the empire, following the fuse carefully laid by Li Yuan before his death.
First is the Eastern Palace.
During the national mourning period, Li Chengqian behaved with self-discipline and adherence to rituals, showing extraordinary grief and filial piety, which was beyond reproach. However, one night after the seventh day memorial service for Li Yuan, a secret letter sealed with sealing wax and without any signature was quietly slipped under the door of the Eastern Palace study.
Li Chengqian returned wearily to his study and found it. Inside, there was only a thin sheet of paper with a few lines of crooked, illegible writing in his left hand:
"King Wei secretly met with the elders of the Zheng family of Xingyang and the Cui family of Boling at a secluded residence in Zhongnan Mountain, saying: 'The Crown Prince is morally flawed and has committed incestuous affairs, making him unfit to be the heir apparent. If we can gain the support of the people, after the matter is accomplished, we will restore the Zhou rites, value family lineage, and jointly govern the world.' Attached was a painting of a woman presented by the Zheng family, whose appearance resembled a real person. The King (referring to King Wei) was pleased and accepted her. The struggle for the heir apparent was no longer an undercurrent."
These few words, however, were like a poisoned dagger, piercing Li Chengqian's already tense nerves due to the rumors and the funeral!
"Li Tai! How dare you!" Li Chengqian's eyes were bloodshot as he crumpled the secret letter! His worst fears had come true! Li Tai not only failed to restrain himself after the death of the Emperor Emeritus, but instead became even more brazen, colluding with powerful families and even openly attacking him with accusations of "incestuous relationships." He even... even took a woman who looked remarkably like him as a concubine?!
This is the most vicious insult and provocation against him! It's like tearing open those rumors that were finally suppressed, and labeling them with "brothers fighting each other for the throne"! Li Tai's ambition is no longer concealed!
Anger, humiliation, panic, and a sting of betrayal (after all, Li Tai was his own brother) instantly overwhelmed Li Chengqian's reason. He could no longer maintain his composure and that very night summoned his trusted advisors to the Eastern Palace to discuss countermeasures in a stern tone. His words revealed his deep hatred for the Prince of Wei's residence and his undisguised intention to strike. Within the Eastern Palace, the pro-war and pro-defense factions argued fiercely. The Crown Prince's obvious shift in attitude created a tense atmosphere, bordering on a complete breakdown.
Almost simultaneously, an anonymous letter with similar content but more inflammatory details (even “depicting” how the Crown Prince still “gazes at” the Protector of the Nation before the coffin) and a vague copy of the so-called “covenant between the King of Wei and the aristocratic families” appeared on the desk of Empress Zhangsun, who was ill and exhausted, through some secret channel.
Despite her illness, Empress Zhangsun felt dizzy and her chest felt suffocated upon seeing this "evidence."
Chengqian…and the real person? She had her doubts, but always chose to believe in her son's character and the real person's integrity. But the details in this letter were so "detailed," even mentioning that Li Chengqian had dismissed everyone for half an hour during a meeting with Wang Yi! And Li Tai…was already so impatient, colluding with foreign officials, even resorting to such despicable means to attack his elder brother!
Brothers killing each other! This was the scene she feared most and least wanted to see! Now, with the Emperor Emeritus's body still warm, it was beginning in such an ugly and vicious way! And she, as a mother and an empress, seemed powerless to stop it, and even... because of these unsavory rumors and conspiracies, her illness worsened.
"Your Majesty! What's wrong? Quickly summon the imperial physician!" The female official was terrified when she saw the Empress's pale face and swaying figure.
Empress Zhangsun waved her hand, indicating that it was unnecessary. She gripped the few pages of paper tightly, her nails digging into her palms, but she felt no pain, only sharp, stabbing pains in her chest and an endless chill.
That's not enough.
The following day, in the imperial court, during the discussion of the funeral arrangements for the retired emperor, Wang Gui, the remonstrating official who always considered himself a "pure minister" and rarely got involved in factional struggles, suddenly stepped forward and presented a joint memorial with a somber expression.
"Your Majesty, we have recently heard rumors circulating about His Highness the Crown Prince and the Protector of the Nation. These rumors have not only failed to subside due to the national mourning, but have instead intensified. Furthermore, some have even implicated His Highness the Prince of Wei, making offensive statements about the succession struggle. Such rumors are confusing the people, tarnishing the imperial family, and shaking the foundations of the nation! We earnestly request Your Majesty, to safeguard the reputation of the royal family and the stability of the state, to thoroughly investigate the source of these rumors and severely punish those who spread them! And… we beseech Your Majesty to provide clear instructions to reassure the hearts of all subjects!"
This memorial was signed by more than a dozen mid- to low-ranking officials. Although there were no high-ranking ministers, they came from different factions and regions, giving the impression of "public opinion surging." They linked the "crown prince's affair with the emperor" and the "King Wei's struggle for the throne" together. On the surface, they were requesting the emperor to quell the rumors, but in reality, they were exposing the biggest scandal of the royal family once again in the most public setting—the court!
Moreover, the timing was too toxic—it was during a time of national mourning, when both the emperor and the crown prince were in mourning, and any strong reaction could be accused of being "unfilial" or "guilty"!
Li Shimin's face instantly turned ashen. He looked at Wang Gui, then swept his gaze over the officials who had signed the petition, his eyes like icy blades. How could he not see that someone was manipulating things behind the scenes? Wang Gui? He didn't have the guts or the power! This was clearly the remnants of Li Yuan's faction or certain opportunists taking advantage of their last chance to stir up trouble after Li Yuan's death!
"Minister Wang," Li Shimin's voice was so cold it could drop ice crystals, "The Emperor Emeritus has just passed away, and the whole country is grieving. Instead of focusing on the mourning, you are making baseless accusations and gossiping about the private affairs of the imperial family. What are your intentions? Rumors stop with the wise, and even more so with the court's clear and just punishment! Your so-called 'thorough investigation' is just an attempt to make me and the Crown Prince defend our innocence before the world? How absurd!"
He slammed the memorial to the ground: "I have my own plan for this matter! If anyone dares to frame the Crown Prince, slander meritorious officials, or disrupt the funeral arrangements in court with rumors, it will be considered treason and they will be severely punished! Court adjourned!"
His thunderous wrath silenced the entire court. Wang Gui and the others turned pale and knelt to beg for forgiveness.
However, the emperor's forceful suppression failed to extinguish the raging fire. This scene in the court, along with the contents of the secret letters previously received by the Crown Prince and Empress, were cleverly manipulated and rapidly disseminated. The versions became increasingly bizarre, the details increasingly "realistic":
"I heard His Majesty flew into a rage in court, throwing the memorial demanding an investigation into the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Emperor on the ground! What else could this be but a guilty conscience?"
"The King of Wei secretly took a concubine who looked just like the real person. When the Crown Prince found out, he almost started a war in the Eastern Palace!"
"Her Majesty the Empress has fallen ill from anger, all because of her two unworthy sons! One is morally corrupt, and the other covets the throne, alas..."
"Was the retired emperor driven to his death by these scandalous affairs? What a tragedy!"
Rumors, like a plague, spread with unprecedented speed and breadth across all levels of society in Chang'an, taking advantage of the ease of travel during the national mourning period. This time, they were no longer merely ambiguous hints, but directly pointed to specific "crimes" (affairs, succession struggles) and "consequences" (angering the empress to illness, causing the death of the retired emperor?), their destructive power increasing exponentially.
Inside the Ganlu Palace, Empress Zhangsun's condition deteriorated rapidly.
The imperial physicians were at a loss. The Empress's pulse was erratic, her heart was stagnant, and her liver fire was raging. The medicine she was given was like a stone sinking into the sea. She often fell into a deep sleep, and when she woke up, she would look at the top of the tent and silently shed tears. Occasionally, she would grab the hand of Li Shimin or Li Chengqian, who rushed over, as if she wanted to say something, but her breath was weak, and she could not speak coherently. Her eyes were filled with deep pain and despair.
Throughout her life, she was virtuous, managing the inner palace, assisting her husband, and cherishing her children; she never committed any immoral act. Now, as her life may be drawing to a close, she must watch helplessly as her two most beloved sons, driven to the abyss of fratricide by the most vile rumors and ambitions; watch as the royal reputation she has upheld her entire life is tarnished and trampled upon; watch as the enlightened political order she and His Majesty have worked together to build is shrouded in scandal and intrigue…
This kind of immense mental blow and extreme heartache and anxiety can destroy a person's vitality far more than any disease.
"Guanyinbi, you must hold on, for me, for the children..." Li Shimin held his wife's withered hand, his voice choked with emotion, his eyes bloodshot. He had used all his power to investigate, to suppress, to clarify, but rumors were like the wind, infiltrating everywhere. Li Yuan's final move was too vicious! He didn't kill him directly, but attacked his spirit! He used the most insidious method to sow discord between his son, to make his wife sick with anger, and to destroy the family harmony and court stability he had worked so hard to maintain!
“Father… Your son did not… Your son and the real person are completely innocent…” Li Chengqian knelt before his mother’s bed, tears streaming down his face. Seeing his mother so ill because of him, his heart was breaking. His hatred for Li Tai, who spread rumors and especially used this incident to attack him, reached its peak.
Meanwhile, upon learning of the turmoil in the court and the Empress's serious illness, Li Tai was initially panicked. However, persuaded by his advisors, he also developed resentment and even greater ambition. He believed that the Crown Prince's side had deliberately leaked the information to frame him, and saw this as a golden opportunity to bring down the Crown Prince (despite the enormous risks). The estrangement and hostility between the two sides, fueled by these rumors and conspiracies of dubious veracity, became completely public and intense.
Wang Yi, residing in Qixia Garden, naturally heard the rumors. She kept the garden gates tightly shut, ignoring everything outside, even feigning illness to suspend all official duties. She knew that at this moment, any action she took would be magnified and distorted, becoming a new weapon to attack the Crown Prince and provoke the Empress. Li Yuan's "posthumous arrangements" had pushed everyone to the brink, especially her.
She frowned as she looked at the analysis report, delivered through secret channels, detailing the key points of the rumor's spread and some suspicious individuals. Li Yuan's remnants, certain aristocratic families, and possibly even some within the palace who harbored disloyal intentions… multiple forces were skillfully manipulated and manipulated, weaving this deadly trap together. And to break this deadlock, conventional methods were too late. The Empress's illness could not be delayed.
She walked to the window and looked up at the overcast sky. Li Yuan was dead, but the poisonous flames he had ignited were burning the hearts of many and scorching the very foundations of the Tang Dynasty. This battle, driven by hatred and transcending life and death, had finally reached its most brutal and desperate moment.
Every step that follows will determine the life or death of Empress Zhangsun, the fate of the Crown Prince and the Prince of Wei, and even the direction of the entire court.
The poisonous flames have been ignited and can only be extinguished by extraordinary means.
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