Chapter 5 What should have come didn't, and what shouldn't have come did.
Li Shimin's personal guards were extremely efficient; within two days, preliminary intelligence on "Wang Yi" was presented to him.
"Your Highness, we've found her. A woman named Wang Yi is currently staying at the Xuandu Temple in the west of the city. She checked in about ten days ago, claiming to be from Penglai overseas, a disciple of the Taoist Laiwei, and that she came to Tang to visit old friends and study Taoist practices. The head Taoist priest of Xuandu Temple, Shushi Weng, has granted her permission to stay. This woman is very beautiful, has an extraordinary bearing, and her clothing is unique, seemingly untouched by worldly dust. Many of the Taoist priests in the temple regard her as a person of high moral character. Furthermore..." The guard paused, then whispered, "On the very day we began our investigation, it seems that the Eastern Palace also received word of it. Someone saw officials from the Eastern Palace entering Xuandu Temple."
Li Shimin's gaze sharpened: "The Crown Prince? Li Jiancheng?" He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, making a soft, rhythmic sound. He had just received that astonishing "gift of gratitude," and now the Crown Prince was already targeting the person who sent it? Was it a coincidence, or had someone in his inner circle or the Prince of Qin's residence leaked the information? Or perhaps... Wang Yi himself was problematic, and might even be connected to the Crown Prince?
This thought set off alarm bells in his mind. The shock and a hint of secret hope brought by the map and warning were now overshadowed by intense doubt. If Wang Yi was a spy sent by the Crown Prince, deliberately offering valuable treasures to gain his trust while harboring malicious intentions, or even if the warning was misleading or a test... Thinking of this, Li Shimin's eyes suddenly sharpened like knives.
"Continue to monitor Xuandu Temple, focusing on Wang Yi's every move and whether she has any secret contact with the Crown Prince. But remember, do not alert her, and especially avoid the Crown Prince's spies," Li Shimin ordered in a deep voice. He needed more information to determine whether this sudden "visitor from Penglai" was a divine encounter, a trap, or something else entirely.
"Yes!" The guard acknowledged the order and withdrew.
Li Shimin unfolded that magical map once more. A clear, flowing light shone through it, and the entire world seemed to be contained within his grasp. But this sense of control was now tinged with unease. He stared at the dot of light representing Chang'an on the map, as if he could see through the buildings and into the misty woman within the Xuandu Temple.
"Wang Yi... whose side are you on?"
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Xuandu Temple, Guest Courtyard.
Wang Yi's days seemed peaceful and regular. Every morning she would meditate (actually organizing modern business plans and historical materials in her mind), peruse the Taoist scriptures in the temple (and incidentally learn the language and common sense of this era), and occasionally exchange a few words with Taoist priests who came to discuss Taoism. Her words were concise, and her occasional mentions of "overseas experiences" or views on the principles of nature, though few, always seemed profound to her listeners, further solidifying her image as a "recluse living abroad."
She naturally noticed the subtle changes in the atmosphere within the temple. There were more unfamiliar faces who appeared to be worshippers, but whose eyes darted around, carefully observing their surroundings. She also noticed the occasional young Taoist disciple or low-ranking Taoist priest, seemingly observing her room from the shadows. She knew perfectly well that either Li Shimin's men had arrived, or her presence had attracted the attention of other forces, or both.
She wasn't flustered; this was all expected. It would be strange if that "grand gift" disappeared without a trace. What she needed was patience, to wait for the first person who couldn't contain themselves to come knocking. But she hadn't expected that the first to come knocking wouldn't be Li Shimin.
That afternoon, Wang Yi was sitting quietly under an ancient tree in the courtyard (actually, he was listening to recordings of modern business courses through invisible Bluetooth earphones) when the Taoist priest Shushi Weng, who was in charge of receiving guests, entered with two unfamiliar men. Although the two men were dressed as ordinary scholars, they walked with steady steps, and their eyes exuded an air of authority that came from long-standing superiority. The older man in the lead, in particular, had a dignified face and a graceful demeanor, but there was a hint of gloom and scrutiny between his brows.
“Fellow Daoist Wang,” Shushi Weng said with a more solemn tone than usual, “this is a distinguished guest from the Eastern Palace. Hearing that you come from an overseas immortal mountain and are well-versed in profound principles, he has come to seek your guidance.”
The Eastern Palace? Crown Prince Li Jiancheng?
Wang Yi instantly understood. She slowly rose, performed a Taoist salute, and said calmly, "May you be blessed with good fortune. I am a wild man from overseas, with only a rudimentary understanding of the basics, and dare not claim to be an expert. Please feel free to ask me any questions, esteemed guest."
The leader was none other than Crown Prince Li Jiancheng. He did not reveal his identity, referring to himself only as "Master Li." He looked Wang Yi up and down, his gaze lingering for a moment on her spotless "Taoist robe" and stunningly beautiful face, a hint of amazement and suspicion flashing in his eyes.
"I've heard you come from Penglai Immortal Island, but where in the vast East Sea is this island? And what kind of wondrous methods of immortality do the immortals on the island cultivate?" Li Jiancheng asked casually, but his tone was actually laced with sarcasm. He had recently heard that his second brother, Li Shimin, seemed to be secretly searching for a woman named Wang Yi, and his subordinates had reported that a woman of extraordinary bearing, a "female Taoist priest from Penglai," had arrived at Xuandu Temple. He immediately became suspicious, suspecting that she was an extraordinary person secretly recruited by Li Shimin, and thus came to investigate in person.
Wang Yi sneered inwardly, but his face remained calm and composed: "Penglai is ethereal and fleeting, hidden by the waves, and one cannot enter without the right fate. As for cultivation, it is nothing more than following nature, harmonizing yin and yang, and cultivating one's character. Immortality is not what I seek; the cause and effect of the mortal world is where one tempers one's Dao heart."
This answer was watertight, maintaining an air of mystery while adhering to basic Taoist principles. Li Jiancheng frowned slightly and asked again, "Fellow Daoist, you have come to Tang this time to seek out an old friend. I wonder where that friend is? Can you offer any assistance?" He was trying to find out Wang Yi's purpose and any possible connection between him and Li Shimin.
"The whereabouts of old friends are guided by fate. If the time is not right, forcing it will be useless. Thank you for your kind offer, esteemed guest." Wang Yi gently changed the subject again.
Li Jiancheng probed her several times, but Wang Yi's answers were all cryptic and vague, leaving him feeling like he was punching cotton. His suspicions deepened; this woman was definitely not simple. If she truly was Li Shimin's person, keeping her at Xuandu Temple would be a hidden danger.
He glanced at Abbot Shushi. Abbot Shushi had already been secretly won over by the Crown Prince, and upon seeing this, he nodded slightly.
Li Jiancheng suddenly changed the subject, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority: "Since you are staying in Chang'an, you must abide by the laws of our Great Tang Dynasty. Recently, there have been rumors of spies in the capital. To ensure your safety and to clear up any unnecessary suspicions, I'm afraid we must ask you to move to another place temporarily so that we can investigate further."
This meant he was to be placed under house arrest. Wang Yi's eyes flickered slightly, but she did not show any panic. Instead, she smiled faintly and said, "Oh? May I ask what status you hold, esteemed guest, that you would 'invite' me to move? Xuandu Temple is a place of quiet cultivation. Does the Daoist priest also agree with this method of 'invitation'?" Her last sentence was directed at Shushi Weng, and her tone was calm, yet it caused a hint of embarrassment to flash across Shushi Weng's face.
Li Jiancheng's expression darkened slightly: "This matter concerns the safety of the capital, and the Daoist Master is naturally well aware of the greater good. It would be best if you cooperated, so as not to damage our harmony."
As they were talking, several men in tight-fitting clothes quietly appeared outside the courtyard gate. Although they were not carrying any weapons, their aura was sharp and they were clearly well-trained guards, blocking their way.
Wang Yi knew that resisting at this moment was pointless; she was outnumbered and outmatched, while her opponent was clearly well-prepared. She secretly assessed the situation: being controlled by the Crown Prince had deviated from the original plan, but it wasn't necessarily all bad. At least it proved that her appearance had attracted the attention of the highest levels of power, and the Crown Prince's urgency demonstrated his fear of Li Shimin, indirectly confirming that her "gift" and "warning" might have already touched a nerve with Li Shimin.
“Since this matter is of great importance,” Wang Yi slowly rose, dusting off non-existent dust, his demeanor still elegant and composed, “then let us follow the host’s lead. I just hope that we will not disturb the tranquility of Xuandu Temple.”
Seeing her so calm and cooperative, Li Jiancheng's suspicion deepened, but he was temporarily relieved. He waved his hand, and two guards stepped forward, their attitude relatively polite, but their eyes wary: "Fellow Daoist, please."
Wang Yi said no more, nodded slightly to Shushi Weng, and then, "accompanied" by his guards, left the guest courtyard and boarded an inconspicuous blue-canopied carriage that had been waiting outside the temple. The carriage did not head towards the imperial city or the Eastern Palace, but instead circled around several times before finally entering a secluded but deeply enclosed residence within Chang'an. This was clearly a little-known annex of the Eastern Palace.
The mansion was guarded both inside and out. Wang Yi was placed in an exquisitely furnished but enclosed side room, with the windows reinforced from the outside and guards at the door. His movements were restricted, but he was not lacking in food and clothing.
Li Jiancheng did not immediately interrogate her again, seemingly intending to handle the situation calmly for the time being, while sending people to keep a close watch on her and intensifying the investigation into her background and any possible connections with Li Shimin.
Sitting in the unfamiliar room, looking at the sky outside the window, which was divided into squares by the eaves, Wang Yi was not frustrated at all; instead, a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
“Li Jiancheng… is more impatient than I imagined. Locking me up here, is it to prevent me from contacting Li Shimin? Too bad, you can lock up my body, but you can’t lock up my ‘information’.” She muttered to herself, her fingers unconsciously stroking a seemingly ancient jade bracelet on her wrist (in reality, it was a high-tech disguised multi-functional communicator, but in this era it had no signal and only basic storage and recording functions).
She chose Xuandu Temple for two reasons: firstly, because Taoist temples are relatively aloof, and secondly, because she knew Xuandu Temple had ties to the Eastern Palace (a vague piece of information she gleaned from later historical accounts and research). Placing herself in a position that might attract the Eastern Palace's attention was part of her plan—a path fraught with both risk and opportunity. Now, the risk has manifested as house arrest, while the opportunity…
She needed to let Li Shimin know that she was there and under the control of the Crown Prince. More importantly, she needed to convince Li Shimin that she was not part of the Crown Prince's faction, and that she might have even angered the Crown Prince by "presenting treasures" or "offering warnings."
How could she deliver this message? Running away directly or forcibly contacting him was too risky. She needed an opportunity, a chance for the message to naturally reach Li Shimin's ears.
She thought of the guards from the Eastern Palace who were monitoring her, the servants who must exist in this mansion, and Li Jiancheng's suspicious yet fame-seeking nature, which made him unwilling to easily give away any evidence against him.
"Perhaps... I could start with 'treating the illness'?" Wang Yi pondered. She remembered historical records indicating that Li Jiancheng seemed to suffer from some kind of chronic ailment (such as headaches or eye problems). Before her transmigration, due to her own and her family's health management, she had considerable knowledge of modern medicine and health care, and even carried some over-the-counter modern drugs and health products (disguised as elixirs) in her bag. If she could "accidentally" reveal some "medical skills," especially targeting Li Jiancheng or important figures around him...
This requires patience and precise timing. Wang Yi took a deep breath, suppressing the impatience typical of a modern female CEO, and began to adjust her mindset, preparing to play the role of a mysterious and composed "overseas cultivator" in a perilous situation. The cage has been lowered, but who the real hunter is remains to be seen.
At the very least, she successfully made herself another conspicuous pawn in the power struggle between the Crown Prince and the King of Qin, a pawn whose intentions were to escape the game.
On the other side, at the Qin Prince's Mansion.
"Your Highness, breaking news. Wang Yi has been taken away from Xuandu Temple by the Crown Prince's men and secretly placed in a detached courtyard of the East Palace in Chongren Ward, under tight guard. Our men cannot get close, and there is no sign that the Crown Prince will interrogate or hand him over to the authorities. It seems to be... house arrest," the guard reported in a low voice.
Li Shimin stood by the window, his back straight as a pine tree, and his fingers tightened slightly upon hearing this.
House arrest... Why was Li Jiancheng so eager to control Wang Yi? Was it because of the gift and the warning? Or was there something wrong with Wang Yi himself, and the Crown Prince had discovered the truth? Or was this all a trap set by the Crown Prince, using Wang Yi and that "generous gift" to lure him?
There are too many possibilities, and the fog of uncertainty is thick. But one thing is certain: Wang Yi, and what she brought with her, has become a delicate and dangerous focal point between the Eastern Palace and the Prince of Qin's residence.
“Continue to monitor the movements of the villa. Report immediately any personnel entering or leaving, or any unusual situations. Also…” Li Shimin turned around, his eyes flashing coldly, “Investigate how the Crown Prince knew Wang Yi was at Xuandu Temple. Was it our people, or Xuandu Temple itself?”
"yes!"
Li Shimin returned to his desk, his gaze once again falling upon the radiant map of the world. The moonlight illuminated his stern profile.
“Wang Yi…are you now a prisoner in the Crown Prince’s hands, or…a lure to ensnare me?” he muttered to himself. “Whichever side you are on, now that this pool has been stirred up, it is no longer up to you or him.”
The vague plan in his mind became clearer and more urgent because of Wang Yi's sudden "disappearance" and imprisonment. The shadow of Xuanwu Gate seemed to be spreading more rapidly because of this variable from "overseas".
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