Chapter 7 The Tragedy of Chess Players
In the last moment before Changsun Wuji closed his eyes, what flashed before him was not the faces of his wife and children, nor the splendor of the golden palace, nor even the gentle yet sorrowful eyes of his sister, Empress Changsun.
It is a chessboard of black and white lines.
His entire life was a game of chess. Fighting against heaven, against earth, against man—was it endlessly enjoyable? No, it was something he had to do, something he walked on thin ice for, something he poured his heart and soul into.
He was a descendant of the Guanzhong aristocracy. During the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Lady Changsun made the right bet, marrying her younger sister to the ambitious and brilliant second son of the Li family. From then on, his fate was inextricably linked with the Li Tang imperial family, especially with his sister Linglong and brother-in-law Shimin. He witnessed the resolute uprising in Jinyang, participated in the conspiracy at Xuanwu Gate, and assisted his brother-in-law in ascending the blood-stained throne. He was no ordinary imperial brother-in-law; he was a meritorious official who helped the dynasty rise to power, and one of the co-architects of the prosperous Zhenguan era.
At the outset of the game, he was his brother-in-law's most trusted strategist and right-hand man. Together, they made moves, eliminating the influence of Jiancheng and Yuanji, pacifying the realm, implementing new policies, suppressing powerful clans (including those that had once rivaled the Changsun family), and promoting scholars from humble backgrounds. At that time, he had no regrets about his moves, sharing the same vision as his brother-in-law, and together they created an unprecedentedly enlightened era. He enjoyed the prestige that power brought, and even more so, the sense of accomplishment from participating in shaping history. His sister's stable position as Empress, her reputation for virtue spreading throughout the land, filled him, her elder brother, with even greater pride.
However, the power dynamics on the chessboard are never static. Although the powerful clans were suppressed, they remained like dormant centipedes, not dying but still deeply entrenched through marriage alliances, scholarship, and economics. New forces from humble backgrounds rose with the support of the emperor, but their foundations were still shallow. Within the imperial family, as princes like Chengqian, Li Tai, and Li Zhi grew up, new variables began to emerge.
My brother-in-law is getting old. This was the first change Changsun Wuji noticed. Not physically (it wasn't obvious then), but in his mindset. The once ambitious and unconventional General Tian Ce, after consolidating his power and especially after witnessing the increasingly obvious discord between Crown Prince Chengqian and Prince Wei, Li Tai, began to become somewhat... hesitant, somewhat inclined towards "balance," and somewhat nostalgic. He showed more warmth and tolerance towards his old ministers and the noble families who had followed him in conquering and governing the country. Changsun Wuji understood this warmth, and to some extent, he was even a beneficiary. But as a top strategist, he keenly sensed the risk—the absolute authority of the emperor was beginning to show a subtle, almost imperceptible, loosening beneath the veil of warmth. The powerful families and noble families seemed to have found room to breathe, or even to launch a counterattack.
He had to think about the future for the Changsun family and for the empire he had helped create.
The passing of his younger sister, Linglong, was a heavy blow on the chessboard, shaking him to his core. His sister was the warmest and most resilient bond connecting him to the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Her virtue and wisdom were crucial in balancing the various factions and easing tensions. With her gone, the most intimate emotional connection between the Changsun family and the imperial family was severed. Crown Prince Chengqian, after losing his mother, seemed to harden his heart, his desire for control over the court intensified, and his hostility towards the aristocratic families became more undisguised.
Chengqian was a good crown prince, decisive and resourceful, even more adept at using power politics and consolidating imperial authority than his brother-in-law had been in his youth. But this was precisely what Changsun Wuji feared most. Chengqian's "consolidation" meant he had to eliminate all possible obstacles, including those long-established powerful families, and... even the powerful clans like the Changsun family, who were both relatives of the emperor and had intricate connections with established families, deeply rooted in the court. The way Chengqian looked at him was no longer the affection and trust he had shown his uncle in childhood, but rather scrutiny and weighing of options.
Changsun Wuji seemed to see a future game unfold: under Chengqian's absolute imperial power, the Changsun family would either become completely subservient, losing their independence and influence, or... be gradually marginalized or even eliminated because of some "inappropriate" actions or simply because they were "an eyesore." Chengqian's ruthlessness towards Li Tai (even though Li Tai had brought it upon himself) terrified him even more; it was a ruthless imperial strategy that showed no mercy to potential threats.
He couldn't just sit and wait to die. The Changsun family's centuries-old legacy couldn't be destroyed in his hands. He had to find a new way for the family to survive.
Therefore, he turned his attention to Zhinu—Prince Li Zhi of Jin. This youngest son, whom his younger sister loved most, was gentle and kind, and had always been close to his uncle. More importantly, Zhinu's philosophy seemed to lean more towards "maintaining the status quo" and "benevolence," which contrasted sharply with Chengqian's "ambition" and "strictness." If... if he could put Zhinu on the throne, then, by virtue of his role in supporting the emperor and his status as the uncle, the Changsun family could not only preserve their wealth and status, but might even usher in a new era of glory. Zhinu's "benevolence" also resonated with the desire for "stability" among most aristocratic families, nobles, and even some court officials, and could garner wider support.
This move was risky, but he believed it was worth the gamble. He began meticulously planning, using the guise of "teaching the classics" and "discussing the way of governing the country" to instill his ideas in the young prince, build his prestige, secretly connect with forces dissatisfied with Chengqian, and accumulate power. He placed himself in a position to contend with the crown prince, betting on the prince's malleability, on the emperor's lingering attachment to "balance" and "warmth" in his later years, and on whether the fear of their own fate would outweigh their reverence for imperial power among the aristocratic families.
He was almost successful. Zhi Nu's "turnaround" provided the opposition with a perfect banner, and the court was in turmoil. He even persuaded veteran generals like Cheng Zhijie and Hou Junji, gaining crucial support. The game seemed to be in his favor.
However, he underestimated Zhi Nu. He thought that the gentle boy would be an obedient and grateful pawn. But he never expected that Zhi Nu, who also had the blood of Li Shimin and Zhangsun Linglong flowing in his veins, possessed wisdom and decisiveness no less than his brother's, and even... knew better how to be patient and plan before acting.
He never imagined that his brother-in-law, Li Shimin, the seemingly ailing and troubled old emperor, would, at the last moment, join forces with Zhinu to orchestrate such a shocking scheme! He thought he was the hunter, but unknowingly became the prey lured into the trap. The bright lights and glint of swords at Xuanwu Gate that night revealed the utter failure of his lifelong plan, and also the deepest fear in his heart and… a chilling despair of being betrayed by his closest relatives.
As the burning sensation of the poisoned wine reached his throat, Changsun Wuji's thoughts were unusually clear. He felt little regret; in the game of chess, the victor is king and the loser is villain, as has been the case since ancient times. He had already foreseen all possible outcomes when he made his move. He only felt a deep weariness and a trace of indescribable sorrow.
Throughout his life, he devoted himself to his family, his sister, his brother-in-law, and the empire, meticulously planning and strategizing every step. He won countless games, but ultimately lost the most crucial one. He thought he was maintaining a "balance" and the "right path," but perhaps, in the eyes of Chengqian and Zhinu, and even in the eyes of later generations, he was merely protecting vested interests and hindering the wheels of history.
Who is right? Who is wrong?
On the chessboard, there may be no absolute right or wrong, only different positions and the outcome of the power struggle.
The venom spread rapidly, and darkness swallowed the last glimmer of light. The crisscrossing chessboard finally crumbled and vanished before our eyes.
From that moment on, the Changsun family mansion in Chang'an fell into utter desolation. One of the most outstanding strategists of an era, along with his ambition, his strategies, and his dream of family glory, vanished in the chilling autumn winds of the first year of the Yonghui era. All that remains is the cold verdict in the meticulously written history books: "Reaching the pinnacle of power, he plotted treason and ultimately met his demise," and the endless sighs and speculations of later generations regarding this breathtaking power struggle.
The chess player is gone, but the game remains forever.
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