Chapter 22 Wang Yi: Seeking Only Companionship, Not Offspring
Only a few hours had passed since the "abortion scandal." On the bed, Wang Yi lay pale and weak, his pulse still appearing "slippery and weak, a sign of severe damage to his vital energy" to the imperial physicians. Li Shimin, having just reluctantly left due to important state affairs at the urging of Empress Zhangsun, was left in Chengqing Palace with only his trusted palace servants and imperial physicians carefully tending to him.
In this quiet yet tense atmosphere, Wang Yi, lying on the couch, suddenly felt her eyelashes tremble almost imperceptibly. Then, her breathing, which had been so faint as to be barely perceptible, seemed to... completely stop for a moment.
In the next instant, her figure rippled like water, flashing indistinctly in place—if one weren't watching closely, one would almost think it was an illusion caused by the flickering candlelight. In reality, in that imperceptible moment, she completed her return to her Tang Dynasty body. The months of pregnancy, childbirth, further education, and preparation in the modern world were nothing more than a blink of an eye for her Tang Dynasty body.
Upon her return, Wang Yi seamlessly transitioned from her "coma and severe injuries" state. However, subtle differences had emerged: thanks to meticulous postpartum care in modern times, her actual physical condition was far better than the imperial physicians had diagnosed; it was merely being forcibly suppressed and disguised by the special medication (prescribed by a renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctor, perfectly mimicking the pulse signs of miscarriage and serious illness). Furthermore, her consciousness, honed through months of modern-day intensive training, was clear, sharp, and full of control.
She remained in a coma, yet with astonishingly subtle control, she began to adjust her pulse, breathing, and body temperature extremely slowly from "critical" to "extremely weak but stable." At the same time, she quietly relaxed the tension in some muscles, allowing her limbs to exhibit a subtle sense of relaxation, like that of someone who has been bedridden for a long time due to illness, rather than the stiffness of someone severely injured.
About half an hour later, the palace maid who was waiting was pleasantly surprised to find that the lady's eyelids seemed to move! She quickly moved closer and saw that Wang Yi's long eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings. Then, her tightly closed eyes slowly and laboriously opened. At first, her eyes were unfocused, filled with the confusion and pain of someone just waking up from a serious injury. After a while, they gradually regained focus, but they were still dim and lifeless, as if covered by a layer of lingering sorrow and exhaustion.
"Madam?! Madam is awake! Quickly, quickly inform His Majesty and the Empress! Summon the imperial physician!" The palace servants' exclamations broke the silence in the hall.
The news spread like wildfire, reaching both the inner palace and the imperial court. Upon hearing it, Li Shimin practically abandoned everything and rushed back. When he burst into the inner chamber and saw the woman leaning against the pillow, her face ashen, her eyes slightly open, staring blankly into the distance, an overwhelming surge of joy and a profound pity gripped him simultaneously. He strode forward, but abruptly stopped at the bedside. His throat tightened, a thousand words stuck in his chest, finally escaping only as a hoarse whisper: "Wang Yi...?"
Wang Yi seemed startled by the sound, her eyes slowly turning to Li Shimin's face. Her pupils contracted slightly, as if struggling to recognize him, or perhaps stung by a painful memory. After a long while, her chapped lips moved, her breath barely audible, "...child...son..." The two words seemed to drain her strength, and a single tear rolled down her cheek, disappearing into her temple.
These two words, like the sharpest dagger, pierced Li Shimin's heart. He abruptly knelt on one knee before the bed, tightly grasping her cold hand, his voice choked with emotion: "Gone... our child is gone... but you're still alive, Wang Yi, it's good that you're alive... I'm here, from now on I'll protect you, no one can force you anymore..."
The imperial physician was summoned again for an emergency pulse diagnosis. This time, the pulse indicated a confirmed miscarriage, and the deficiency of both qi and blood remained severe. However, surprisingly, the faint, deathly feeling had subsided, and the pulse, though weak, had regained its strength—a glimmer of hope stubbornly emerging! The physician was both astonished and doubtful, attributing it solely to the timely administration of medication and the possibility that "the lady's constitution may possess some unique characteristics." He reported, "Your Majesty, the lady has indeed awakened, which is an auspicious sign. However, the uterus has been severely damaged, and in the future… it may be difficult for her to conceive again. Furthermore, her body is extremely weak and requires long-term rest; she must absolutely avoid any strenuous activity."
The verdict of "infertility" rang out again, and Li Shimin felt a sharp pain in his heart as he looked at Wang Yi. She, however, seemed not to have heard the last part of the imperial physician's words. She just stared blankly at the top of the tent, tears streaming silently down her face. The kind of calm that was more sorrowful than death was more heartbreaking than any cry.
"Use the best medicine! Whatever you need, just get it from the Imperial Treasury! Make sure the True Man recovers well!" Li Shimin ordered in a deep voice, automatically using the honorific title "True Man," indicating that in his mind, Wang Yi had transcended the category of a concubine.
Wang Yi remained bedridden for several days in a state of "weakness." Under the combined effects of medication and acting skills, her "condition" stabilized, but she remained pale and frail, speaking weakly and selectively "forgetting" and avoiding the details before and after the "abortion." Mentioning it would turn her face deathly pale and cause her to breathe rapidly, as if overwhelmed by the burden. This, in turn, made Li Shimin and those around him even more cautious, refusing to mention the past and simply allowing her to rest and recuperate.
When he was able to sit up, Wang Yi requested an audience with Empress Zhangsun, claiming that he felt guilty and wanted to apologize to the Empress.
Although Li Shimin was surprised, he thought that Wang Yi was now "pure, kind and gentle" (in his view), and that Empress Zhangsun was always kind and benevolent, so he arranged this meeting.
The location remained in the side hall of Chengqing Palace. Empress Zhangsun arrived with dignified bearing, exuding the grace of the empress and a hint of barely perceptible caution. When she saw the woman on the bed, so thin she seemed to be nothing but skin and bones, her face pale and translucent, her eyes dull and lifeless, she felt a chill run down her spine. The aloofness and mysterious radiance that had once intimidated her had completely vanished, leaving only a profound sickness and sorrow.
After dismissing everyone around him, Wang Yi did not rise. Instead, he leaned against the pillow and, in a weak but clear voice, looked directly at Empress Zhangsun, his eyes filled with earnestness and a kind of almost desperate acceptance:
"Your Majesty, I know that waking up now is unnecessary. I shouldn't... have asked to see Your Majesty again, lest I offend Your Majesty's eyes."
Empress Zhangsun frowned slightly: "Why do you say that, Your Excellency? His Majesty has ordered you to rest and recuperate, and not to think too much."
Wang Yi gently shook her head, tears silently streaming down her face: "Your Majesty, I was given a second chance at life. I know better than anyone what I am like now... a frail body, unable to bear children and frail with illness. Living in this world is nothing but a burden to His Majesty, and it also makes Your Majesty... uneasy."
She paused to catch her breath, then continued, "I have come to see Your Majesty today only to speak a few words from my heart. I... truly love Your Majesty. I do not know when this love began, perhaps... it is truly a karmic debt from a past life." Her voice ethereal as she mentioned "past life," she continued, "but what I have sought has never been titles, power, or the continuation of my lineage. I am a person beyond worldly concerns, and should naturally sever all worldly desires. This relationship with Your Majesty... is both a calamity and a debt."
“Now, the child is gone, and my body… can no longer conceive. Perhaps this is Heaven’s punishment for my vain desires.” Her tears flowed even more rapidly, but she forced herself not to cry out, letting the tears flow silently. “I have no other request, I only beg Your Majesty… to consider that I have already suffered this retribution and my days are numbered, and to allow me… in this broken body, to remain where I can see Your Majesty.”
She struggled, seemingly wanting to get out of bed to pay her respects, but was too weak to move. She could only plead with her eyes: "Your Majesty is His Majesty's first wife, the mistress of this harem, and the mother of the future crown prince. Your position shines like the sun and moon, unmatched by anyone. I... a childless, sickly woman destined for an early death, pose no threat to Your Majesty or the princes. I only ask for a quiet corner where I can occasionally hear of His Majesty's well-being, and that will be enough for me. If Your Majesty grants my request, I am willing to live as the 'Guardian of the Nation,' spending my days in quiet contemplation, praying for His Majesty, Your Majesty, and the Tang Dynasty until my dying day. I will never again consider myself a concubine, and I will never again meddle in the affairs of the harem."
These words showed an utterly humble attitude. He explained the predestined relationship as "karmic debt from a past life" and "divine punishment," belittled himself as being utterly harmless by being "childless, sickly, and dying young," expressed his determination to live a peaceful and contented life by "living a life of quiet contemplation and praying for a peaceful old age," and finally handed over the decision-making power entirely to Empress Zhangsun, honoring her as the "mistress of the harem."
Empress Zhangsun listened quietly, scrutinizing Wang Yi. The woman's pitiful helplessness was so genuine; the despair and sorrow born of losing her child and health seemed unfeigned. More importantly, the conditions she proposed—to relinquish her status as a concubine and exist as a Taoist immortal, detached from the inner palace—virtually eliminated all of Empress Zhangsun's core concerns. A woman without official status, unable to bear children, and actively distancing herself from the power circles of the inner palace was indeed unlikely to pose a real threat. On the contrary, if she showed leniency, she could not only appease the emperor (she was well aware of Li Shimin's obsession with Wang Yi), but also gain a reputation for virtue and magnanimity, and place Wang Yi in a controllable, marginalized position.
After a long silence, Empress Zhangsun sighed softly, picked up a silk handkerchief, and personally wiped away the tears on Wang Yi's face. Her voice softened slightly: "True man, there is no need to torment yourself like this. You and His Majesty... have a connection, and you have suffered such a great calamity. I am not a heartless person. Since you have seen through it all, and wish to use your Taoist cultivation to pray for the country, that is also a meritorious act. As long as you can keep to your duty and rest peacefully, I... will naturally not hinder your cultivation."
She paused, then gave a more specific promise: "As for your identity and whereabouts, I will discuss it with His Majesty. In any case, I will make sure you have a peaceful place to stay so that you will not be forced to wander. Since you call me 'Your Majesty,' if you encounter any difficulties in this palace in the future, you can send someone to inform me."
This constitutes an agreement, and even implies a guarantee that assistance will be provided in resettlement.
Wang Yi immediately showed a look of deep gratitude, and said in a weak voice, "Thank you, Your Majesty... for your magnanimity... I will pray for Your Majesty day and night, wishing you good health and lasting blessings..."
Empress Zhangsun offered a few more words of comfort before rising to leave. As she walked out of Chengqing Palace, her heart was filled with complex emotions. Wang Yi's pitiful appearance and humble pleas had indeed stirred a trace of pity in her. More importantly, the "solution" that Wang Yi had offered almost perfectly aligned with her interests—eliminating the potential threat, enhancing her reputation for virtue, and appeasing the emperor.
Afterwards, Empress Zhangsun indeed fulfilled her promise. She first had a deep conversation with Li Shimin, expressing her views on the matter: Wang Yi was pitiful, and had already requested to become a nun to pray for blessings, no longer considering herself a concubine. This did not seriously violate etiquette and would instead demonstrate the benevolence of the imperial family. Forcibly expelling a "recluse" who had just experienced the pain of losing a son and was seriously ill would damage Your Majesty's benevolence. It would be better to respect his wishes and provide him with a suitable place, which would both satisfy Your Majesty's sentimentality and demonstrate harmony in the harem.
Next, she persuaded her brother, Changsun Wuji. Upon hearing that Wang Yi had "confirmed her infertility" and "voluntarily become a nun," Changsun Wuji realized that the threat had been minimized. Seeing his sister's clear stance, he weighed the options and decided not to strongly oppose her anymore, only reminding her to continue to pay appropriate attention.
With Empress Zhangsun's approval and Zhangsun Wuji's tacit consent, the controversy in the court and harem regarding how to deal with Wang Yi quickly subsided. Li Shimin, feeling both pity for Wang Yi's "understanding of the bigger picture" and "sacrifice," and gratitude for Empress Zhangsun's "magnanimity" and "support," quickly issued an edict: bestowing upon Wang Yi the title of "Protector of the Nation" (a second-rank official title), and granting her a secluded and elegant residence—Qixia Garden—within the Qingsi Temple, a royal Taoist temple west of the Taiji Palace. Nominally, she was a nominal Protector of the Nation at Qingsi Temple, praying for the country's well-being; in reality, Qixia Garden offered a tranquil and elegant environment, with provisions comparable to those of a high-ranking official. Furthermore, due to her "Protector of the Nation" status, while Li Shimin still needed to be mindful of the impact of his visits, it was more convenient than for a concubine. This granted Wang Yi a transcendent status and relative freedom, while placing her within a controllable sphere on the edge of the palace, and also considering the dignity of all parties involved.
Only Emperor Emeritus Li Yuan, who had retired to Da'an Palace, was enraged upon hearing the news. He cursed the "rebellious son" as "absurd," the "adulterous woman" as "cunning," and the "defilement of this pure place of cultivation." However, he was powerless to intervene and could only suffer in resentment.
Thus, Wang Yi, under the identity of "Protector of the Nation," bearing the labels of "sick and weak" and "infertile," quietly yet formally returned to Li Shimin's social circle, residing in the Qixia Garden, a semi-palace. With her superb acting skills, precise psychological control, and the posture of "voluntary relinquishment," she won the superficial acceptance of Empress Zhangsun, the tacit approval of the court, and Li Shimin's increasingly deep affection and desire for compensation.
Inside Qixia Garden, Wang Yi dismissed the palace servants and stood alone by the window. A spring breeze swept across her face, and the sorrow and fragility that had etched a mark of vulnerability faded, replaced by a profound, serene composure. She gently stroked her lower abdomen, which was flat and firm; the traces of her past life had been perfectly erased by modern technology and meticulous care.
“First step, to gain a firm foothold,” she murmured to herself, a sharp glint in her eyes. “Next, I should focus on ‘recovering from my illness,’ and incidentally… wait for the right opportunity to meet that future ‘colleague.’” Her new life in the Tang Palace, under a low-key, harmless, and even slightly tragic facade, officially began. But in the harem and court of the Zhenguan era, who could have foreseen what kind of timeless ambitions and plans this seemingly indifferent, self-sufficient “Guardian of the Nation” was brewing within her heart?
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