Chapter 94 A Night Visit to Qixia Reveals the Perilous Situation
When the news of Li Xiang's untimely death arrived, Wang Yi was in the herb garden of Qixia Garden, examining several newly transplanted Western Region herbs in the last rays of daylight. As the maidservant, filled with suppressed terror and grief, whispered the devastating news, the small shovel in her hand fell with a clatter to the soft soil.
Li Xiang… that clever and lively eldest grandson of the emperor, who was once held on Li Shimin's lap and teased, and personally educated by Li Chengqian? Dead? He died of poisoning under the heavy guard of the Eastern Palace?
A chill instantly shot from his feet to the top of his head, far more intense than the autumn night's coolness. Wang Yi realized almost immediately that this was no simple domestic squabble, nor ordinary fratricide. This was a blatant, highly provocative political assassination! Its target was not merely the innocent child, but also Li Chengqian's rationality, the fragile and false "alliance" newly established between the Crown Prince and the aristocratic families, Li Shimin's imperial authority, and the face of the entire Tang imperial family!
How will Li Chengqian react? The crown prince, whose heart was already repressed and twisted by the loss of his mother, rumors, and power struggles, will unleash a terrible hatred and madness after losing his eldest son, to whom he poured out his true paternal love and hopes for the future? Will he disregard everything and vent his anger on all the noble families he believes may be involved in this matter, completely tearing off the mask of civility and launching a life-or-death purge?
As for Li Tai… Wang Yi could almost picture that trapped beast, driven to desperation, driven by a mad rage to the brink of annihilation. His move was utterly ruthless. Not only was he taking revenge on Li Chengqian, but he was also dragging him into a full-scale war with the aristocratic families. Li Tai himself was already finished, but he was determined to take Li Chengqian and those aristocratic families who had “betrayed” him down with him!
"A noble family... Li Yuan... What a vicious scheme." Wang Yi muttered to herself, her fingers unconsciously tightening. Before his death, Li Yuan entrusted this poisoned dagger to Li Tai. Whether the original target was Li Shimin or her, Wang Yi, Li Tai had now used it in a way that would most hurt Li Chengqian and disrupt the overall situation.
She couldn't wait any longer. Although staying out of it and protecting herself had always been her strategy, and although getting involved in the affairs of the Eastern Palace at this time was extremely risky, she had promised Empress Zhangsun to look after them... Now, Li Chengqian was clearly being dragged to the brink of destruction, and this destruction could very well plunge the entire empire into unpredictable turmoil.
She had to do something, at least to awaken one person—Wu Zetian.
The mother who has lost her son and is currently immersed in endless grief and hatred is perhaps the only person who can still emotionally move Li Chengqian and influence his decision. If even Wu Meiniang is completely consumed by hatred or falls into despair, then there will be no rational restraint around Li Chengqian.
That night, the small gate of Qixia Garden quietly opened, and a small carriage with no markings drove out. Under the cover of darkness, it bypassed the main palace road and silently headed towards the side gate of the East Palace. Wang Yi, unusually, changed into a simple dark dress and did not bring any attendants, only his most trusted coachman driving the carriage.
At the side gate of the East Palace, Wu Meiniang's trusted female official was already anxiously waiting. Upon seeing Wang Yi's carriage, the official was as if she had seen a savior. She quickly led her, avoiding any paths that might be taken by others, and hurried towards the secluded and quiet warm pavilion where Wu Meiniang was now.
Inside the warm pavilion, only a single lamp burned, casting a dim light. Wu Meiniang sat alone by the window, draped only in a plain outer robe. Her once full cheeks were deeply sunken, her eyes were red and swollen, and her gaze was frighteningly empty, like a beautiful shell whose soul had been ripped from her body. The air was thick with the smell of medicine and a deathly sadness.
Hearing footsteps, Wu Meiniang slowly turned her head. When she saw Wang Yi, a faint flicker of emotion seemed to flash in her eyes, but it quickly returned to its deathly stillness. "Master...why have you come here?" Her voice was dry and hoarse, like sandpaper being rubbed together.
Wang Yi walked up to her, offering no empty words of comfort, but simply looking at her calmly, his gaze carrying a penetrating power. "Consort, I have not come here to offer comfort. The pain of losing a child is excruciating; any words would seem inadequate."
Wu Meiniang's lips twitched slightly, a look that was both crying and laughing.
“But I must come,” Wang Yi’s voice remained steady, yet carried an undeniable clarity, “because someone wants you to fall, wants His Highness the Crown Prince to be completely consumed by grief and hatred, wants the Eastern Palace and the aristocratic families… to fight to the death.”
Wu Meiniang's empty eyes finally focused for a moment as she looked at Wang Yi.
"Li Xiang's death was a vicious scheme, and even more so, a provocation," Wang Yi continued, his words slow and deliberate, each one striking a chord deep within. "Prince Wei, Li Tai, was already at his wit's end. His actions were not for the throne, but for revenge, for mutual destruction. He knew that His Highness cherished this son, and he also knew the delicate relationship between His Highness and the aristocratic families. What he wanted was to enrage His Highness, to make His Highness, in a fit of rage, disregard everything and launch a retaliatory attack against the aristocratic families."
"At that time, regardless of whether Your Highness can truly find the culprit, you will inevitably break completely with the entire aristocratic class. The court will be in turmoil, the foundation will be shaken, and it may even... give others an opportunity to take advantage of the situation." Wang Yi did not explicitly say who the "others" were, but Wu Meiniang understood—those forces that had been suppressed by the Eastern Palace for a long time, those potential opponents, and even... perhaps including the emperor on the dragon throne whose attitude remained unpredictable.
"The King of Wei's heart is so insidious. He wants to drag His Highness, the Crown Prince, and even this court that has only recently begun to stabilize down, all to be buried with him!" Wang Yi's tone became more serious. "Consort, if you are now immersed in grief and unable to extricate yourself, wouldn't that be playing right into his hands? You and His Highness have been together for many years, and you even have... Li Xiang. You know better than anyone how much pain and rage His Highness is in right now. If no one tries to dissuade him, if no one tries to wake him up, what might he do?"
Wu Meiniang's body began to tremble slightly, and a spark gradually ignited in her lifeless eyes. It was hatred, but also the reason and fear that had finally been awakened.
“Li Tai… he did it on purpose…” she murmured, her voice still hoarse, but with a hint of life in it, “He’s trying to drive His Highness mad… he’s trying to destroy the Eastern Palace…”
“That’s right.” Wang Yi nodded. “So, Consort, you must pull yourself together now. Not to forget the pain of losing your son—that pain will stay with you for the rest of your life—but to prevent the murderer who killed Li Xiang from truly succeeding, to prevent His Highness from falling into the trap carefully laid by Li Tai, and to prevent the Crown Prince and you from…losing even more.”
She stepped forward, gently pressing Wu Meiniang's cold, trembling hand, her gaze fixed on her: "You are the mother, and also Consort Wu of the Eastern Palace. Li Xiang needs you to seek justice for him, but not by destroying everything. His Highness needs you now, needs your clarity, your rationality, needs you to remind him who the real enemy is, where the real battlefield is, and... how to truly avenge Li Xiang, instead of being blinded by hatred and falling into the abyss."
Wu Meiniang gripped Wang Yi's hand tightly, so hard that her knuckles turned white. Tears finally welled up again, but this time, they were not the tears of utter despair, but rather a mixture of endless grief, overwhelming hatred, and a forcibly awakened resilience and sharpness that belonged to Wu Meiniang herself.
"Real person... I... what should I do?" She sobbed uncontrollably, but finally managed to ask this question.
Wang Yi felt somewhat reassured, knowing that Wu Meiniang's rationality was beginning to return. She lowered her voice and quickened her pace: "First, take care of yourself. You are a concubine of the Crown Prince and Li Xiang's birth mother. Your attitude is crucial; you cannot afford to collapse first. Second, when you go to see His Highness, don't cry and complain, but calmly analyze the pros and cons and point out Li Tai's sinister intentions. Remind His Highness that thoroughly investigating the real culprit is important, but it must be done with reason and evidence, step by step, without being driven by anger and giving others a handle against you. Especially... be careful not to push all the noble families to the opposite side; that's exactly what Li Tai wants to see."
“Third,” Wang Yi said with a deep gaze, “the real culprit may not be just Li Tai. The poison left by the retired emperor, the machinations of powerful families—this matter is extremely complicated. I advise Your Highness to use His Majesty’s power to conduct a thorough investigation, both overt and covert, to find the true mastermind, rather than… shifting blame and generalizing.”
Wu Meiniang nodded vigorously, engraving every word Wang Yi said into her heart. She knew that Wang Yi had risked coming tonight, and that his words were invaluable advice, her only guiding light at this moment.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master." Wu Meiniang wiped away her tears. Although her face was still haggard, her eyes had regained their strength. "I know what to do now."
Wang Yi nodded, said no more, and quietly left, just as silently as he had come.
Inside the warm pavilion, Wu Meiniang stood alone for a long time, gazing at the dark night sky outside the window. The pain of losing her son was still agonizing, but a stronger flame, mixed with hatred and a sense of responsibility, was burning fiercely in her heart.
Li Tai, you want to drive my husband insane and destroy my family? Dream on!
She straightened her clothes and summoned her trusted maid: "Prepare yourself, I'm going to see His Highness the Crown Prince."
As night deepened, the study in the Eastern Palace was brightly lit, suppressing a storm. A faint yet resolute light of reason attempted to pierce through the heavy hatred and grief, slightly correcting the course of this volatile ship about to spiral out of control. Wang Yi's nighttime visit was like a calm stone thrown into a volcano about to erupt; though it was uncertain whether it could change the course of the lava, it at least stirred up a different kind of ripple.
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