Chapter 82 Phoenix's Death and Entrustment
The peach blossoms in Qixia Garden have bloomed and faded, and early summer has arrived in the blink of an eye. Chang'an City is struggling forward amidst the solemnity of national mourning and the oppressive undercurrents. The war in the northwest is at a stalemate, and the dark clouds of rumors about the succession and the throne have not yet dissipated in the court. Inside Ganlu Palace, the life candle of Empress Zhangsun flickers like a candle in the wind, yet stubbornly refuses to be extinguished completely.
She spent most of her time in a coma, occasionally regaining consciousness, but her gaze was unfocused, her breath weak, and she lacked even the strength to speak. The imperial physicians exhausted all methods, sending ginseng, lingzhi mushrooms, and even rare medicinal herbs from foreign lands into the Ganlu Palace in a continuous stream, but they could only barely keep her alive. Li Shimin suspended court for many days, staying by her bedside day and night, looking haggard with bloodshot eyes. Princes and princesses took turns attending to her, and the palace was filled with suppressed sobs and chanting day and night.
After that fierce confrontation with Li Shimin, Wang Yi completely isolated herself from the turmoil. She no longer concerned herself with any matters related to the Eastern Palace or court politics, even delegating the routine reports from the Imperial Medical Bureau to her deputy. Only in the dead of night, or when she was certain that Li Shimin and the princes were not in the Ganlu Hall, would she quietly go there, take a look from afar, or inquire about the Empress's latest pulse through a female official, leaving behind some nourishing prescriptions that she had carefully adjusted (for use by trusted imperial physicians), and then silently leave. She knew that her presence was now extremely sensitive, and any approach could become a new trigger.
That day, afternoon sunlight streamed through the window lattices, casting dappled shadows into the Ganlu Palace. Empress Zhangsun suddenly opened her eyes from her long slumber. This time, her gaze was no longer unfocused, but possessed an unusual clarity, even a kind of final, radiant glow. She slightly turned her head, looking at Li Shimin, who was dozing beside her, his forehead propped up by his hand, and her withered fingers twitched.
The slightest noise startled Li Shimin from his light sleep. He looked up abruptly and met his wife's unusually clear eyes, which even held a hint of gentle smile.
"Your Majesty..." Empress Zhangsun's voice was weak, yet clearly audible.
"Guanyinbi! You're awake?" Li Shimin was both surprised and delighted. He quickly grasped her hand, but it was still ice-cold to the touch.
"Your Majesty... I wish to speak with you." Empress Zhangsun looked at his haggard face, her eyes filled with heartache. "But I... have no strength left. Your Majesty... could you perhaps have the imperial physician... administer a dose of 'Restoring Yang Decoction' to me?"
The joy on Li Shimin's face instantly froze, turning deathly pale. "The Rejuvenating Soup"... that was a secret, potent medicine passed down in the palace. It could temporarily revitalize a patient, making them appear as if they were still alive, but once the effects wore off, they would be utterly exhausted, beyond even the help of a miracle. It was meant for the dying to make their final arrangements!
“No… Guanyinbi, no…” Li Shimin’s voice trembled as he held her hand tightly. “You will get better, I won’t allow it…”
"Your Majesty," Empress Zhangsun gently shook her head, her gaze firm yet pleading, "I know my own body. Holding on to this life will only increase my suffering and cause Your Majesty and the children worry day and night. Please allow me... to be lucid... to say goodbye to you, to say what needs to be said... please... I beg you..."
Tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto Li Shimin's hand, burning hot.
Looking into his wife's eyes, filled with unwavering resolve and deep reluctance, Li Shimin felt a pang of anguish. He knew she was right. This agonizing existence was torture for her, and agonizing for all of them. Letting her leave this world conscious was perhaps... her final act of dignity and wish.
After a long while, he closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes were red and his voice was hoarse: "...Summon... Physician Liu."
Half an hour later, a bowl of thick, black, and pungent medicinal soup was brought to the table. Li Shimin took it personally and, with trembling hands, fed it to Empress Zhangsun. The medicine worked extremely quickly; in less than a quarter of an hour, an unnatural blush appeared on Empress Zhangsun's pale face, her eyes became brighter, and she was even able to sit up slightly, leaning against the soft pillows.
She knew this was the final deadline given by Death.
“Go…call all the children here,” she said to Li Shimin, adding, “And…Master Wang. Ask her to come here as well.”
Li Shimin's throat tightened, but he nodded.
Soon, Li Chengqian, Li Tai, Li Zhi, Chengyang, Jinyang, and other princes and princesses, as well as Wang Yi who had rushed over after being summoned, gathered in the inner chamber of Ganlu Palace. The children were initially overjoyed to see their mother suddenly "improving," but when they saw their father's pale expression, their mother's unusually bright eyes, and the heavy smell of medicine in the air, they instantly understood what was happening. One by one, they knelt before the bed, weeping uncontrollably.
Empress Zhangsun's loving gaze swept over her children, finally settling on Li Chengqian and Li Tai, who were kneeling with their heads bowed at the front.
“Godson, Tai’er,” her voice was stronger than before, yet it carried a power that pierced the heart, “Come…to Mother’s side.”
Li Chengqian and Li Tai crawled forward on their knees and took their mother's outstretched hands, one on each side.
"Mother...I'm afraid she's about to leave us." Empress Zhangsun looked at her two sons, her eyes filled with endless longing and deep worry. "In my whole life, the thing I've worried about the most is you brothers. You...are my own flesh and blood, connected by blood."
Li Chengqian burst into tears: "Mother! Please don't say anymore, you will get better!"
Li Tai choked up and said, "Mother, I know I was wrong. I will never make you angry again!"
"It's good that you know you're wrong." Empress Zhangsun took a breath, her gaze turning serious. "I don't want you to admit your mistakes, I want you to... swear an oath."
She looked at Li Shimin, then at all the children before her, and said clearly, word by word, "Before your father, before heaven and earth and our ancestors, I swear! In this life, you brothers and sisters will never harm each other! No matter what happens in the future, no matter... who sits on that throne," her gaze lingered for a moment between Li Chengqian and Li Tai, "you must ensure that your other brothers and sisters live a peaceful and happy life, free from worries about food and clothing! Promise me!"
This almost blatantly foresaw a possible future struggle for succession and established an inviolable bloodline pact.
Li Chengqian and Li Tai were jolted, their hearts filled with a complex mix of emotions. They knew their mother's words were a direct attack on their recent power struggles. Under their mother's pleading gaze as she lay dying, any selfish thoughts seemed utterly despicable. They exchanged a glance, both seeing a complex mix of emotions in each other's eyes—guilt, struggle, and a certain obsession forced to be relinquished in the face of death.
"Your subject Li Chengqian swears to Heaven that he will never harm his own brothers! If he breaks this oath, may Heaven condemn him and Earth forsake him!" Li Chengqian kowtowed first, his voice hoarse but firm.
"Your subject Li Tai swears to Heaven that he will never harm his own brothers! He will ensure the safety of his brothers and sisters! If he breaks this oath, may he be condemned by both gods and men and die a horrible death!" Li Tai kowtowed heavily.
The other princes and princesses also took their oaths, and the hall was filled with sobs and vows.
Empress Zhangsun listened, her eyes filled with tears, yet a relieved smile appeared on her face. She gently patted her two sons' hands, then looked at Wang Yi, who had been standing quietly by her side.
“Master Wang…” she gestured for Wang Yi to come closer.
Wang Yi stepped forward as instructed and knelt before the bed, saying, "Your Majesty."
Empress Zhangsun carefully observed Wang Yi. This woman still possessed a beautiful face, an ethereal air, and calm, insightful eyes. She had once been wary of her, and she had also admired her; now, at the end of her life, she saw many things more clearly.
"Your Excellency," Empress Zhangsun's voice was very soft, only those nearby could hear it clearly, "I... have a few questions I would like to ask you privately."
Li Shimin understood. Although he was uneasy, he waved to signal the eunuchs and others to retreat to the outer room, leaving only him and Wang Yi at the bedside.
"Your Majesty, please ask." Wang Yi calmly met Empress Zhangsun's gaze.
"Chengqian...to you," Empress Zhangsun asked directly, her gaze as sharp as ever, "besides the relationship between teacher and student, and ruler and subject, does he...have any other feelings that he shouldn't have? And what is the Master's attitude towards him?"
This issue has finally been brought to the forefront at this moment of life and death.
Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Yi's gaze was clear and open: "Your Majesty, His Highness's feelings for me are respect, trust, and the filial devotion of a young man to an elder. Perhaps there were moments of confusion, but after His Majesty's guidance, His Highness has long understood the proper boundaries and adhered to the etiquette between ruler and subject. As for my feelings for His Highness," she paused, her tone utterly certain, "I can only fulfill my duty as a subject, doing my utmost to assist the Crown Prince, to repay the kindness of His Majesty and Your Majesty, and to ensure the stability of the Tang Dynasty. There is absolutely no personal affection whatsoever, not in the past, not now, and never in the future. My heart is as clear as the sun and moon."
Her answer was crisp and clear, without any ambiguity or prevarication. She acknowledged Li Chengqian's past emotional fluctuations (but characterized them as "confusion"), clearly drew a line in her own heart, and expressed her pure loyalty to the emperor and her country.
Empress Zhangsun scrutinized her eyes. Those eyes were so clear, so resolute, without the slightest flicker or concealment. She believed her. This woman might truly only see all of this as a "game" or "task" that needed to be managed well, but her promise was far more reliable than the vows of many people filled with selfish motives.
"Alright... I believe you." Empress Zhangsun let out a long breath, as if the last heavy weight had been lifted from her heart. Then, she looked at Li Shimin, her eyes filled with endless reluctance and entrustment.
“Your Majesty,” she grasped Li Shimin’s hand and then extended her hand to Wang Yi.
Li Shimin quickly grasped one of her hands, and Wang Yi hesitated for a moment before gently grasping her other cold hand as well.
"Your Majesty... I'm afraid I can no longer... stay with you, Your Majesty." Empress Zhangsun's tears finally rolled down her cheeks. "In the long years to come... Your Majesty's burdens will grow heavier, and your heart will bear even more bitterness. The previous dynasty had Chancellor Fang and Chancellor Du, who could advise Your Majesty and assist you in governing. But this deep palace is so lonely, and in the stillness of the night... there is no one who can truly soothe the loneliness and vulnerability in Your Majesty's heart..."
Her gaze turned to Wang Yi, filled with pleading and boundless trust: "...Only the real person remains."
Wang Yi was shocked. She hadn't expected that what Empress Zhangsun entrusted to her on her deathbed was this. Not the empire, not her children, but... the most vulnerable and unknown corner of Li Shimin's heart.
"You are truly wise and insightful, and even more remarkable is your... clear-headedness and lack of ambition for power." Empress Zhangsun's breathing was slightly unsteady, but she persisted in speaking, "His Majesty trusts you, and my godson... also respects you. After I leave, I hope you can... as before, assist His Majesty and advise the Crown Prince. When His Majesty... needs you, talk to him and ease his worries. Consider it... looking after them a little more on my behalf."
“Your Majesty…” Wang Yi’s throat tightened. Facing this woman who was about to pass away, a woman of virtue who had been caught up in the storm all her life, and facing this heavy yet pure entrustment, even though she considered herself a “passerby” in this era, she could not remain unmoved.
"Promise me, okay?" Empress Zhangsun's eyes were filled with her last hope.
Wang Yi raised her eyes and looked at Li Shimin, whose face was streaked with tears and whose eyes were filled with vulnerability and expectation. Then she looked at Empress Zhangsun, who was lying on the bed, barely breathing but with a burning gaze. She slowly and solemnly nodded.
"Your Majesty, I will obey your decree. I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations."
There were no grand vows, yet every word carried immense weight.
Empress Zhangsun finally revealed a truly relaxed and relieved smile, as if she had finally put aside the last and most important matter in her life. She released their hands, seemingly using her last bit of strength, and said softly to Li Shimin, "Your Majesty... please let my adopted son in. I... have some things I'd like to say to him alone."
Li Shimin knew that this was his wife's last private conversation with their eldest son. He suppressed his grief, nodded, got up and went to the outer room. He whispered to Li Chengqian, whose eyes were red and who was filled with anxiety, "Your mother... is calling you."
Li Chengqian took a deep breath, wiped away his tears, straightened his clothes, and walked heavily into the inner room alone.
The heavy curtains fell, separating the inside from the outside.
Li Shimin leaned against a pillar in the outer room, tilting his head back and desperately trying to hold back the tears that were about to spill from his eyes. He knew that the effects of his wife's "reviving soup" were almost over.
Wang Yi silently retreated to the shadows in the corner, watching the vulnerable figure of this great emperor who seemed to have lost all his armor. The turmoil in his heart caused by Empress Zhangsun entrusting her son to him remained unsettled for a long time.
Li Yuan's treacherous scheme ultimately failed to achieve its full purpose. He did not directly cause Empress Zhangsun's death, but he hastened her passing, leaving behind a deeper rift and a heavier responsibility. In the final moments of her life, Empress Zhangsun, with her wisdom and maternal love, attempted to mend the rift, arrange her affairs, and entrust a trust and responsibility that transcended personal feelings to the woman she had once harbored reservations about.
From inside the room, one could faintly hear Li Chengqian's suppressed sobs and Empress Zhangsun's weak, intermittent admonitions.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window lattices, dyeing the Ganlu Palace a poignant golden-red hue.
The phoenix's cry has faded, but its lingering melody still resonates. The future of the Tang Dynasty, after losing this virtuous empress, is destined to embark on an even more unpredictable journey. The heavy burden of entrusting the young emperor has fallen.
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