Chapter 76 The Wise Men's Game
Inside Qixia Garden, Wu Meiniang was helping Wang Yi organize the draft of the newly compiled medical classic sent from the Imperial Medical Academy. Her movements were skillful and natural, and her cooperation with Wang Yi was seamless, as if she had done this a thousand times before.
But Wang Yi keenly sensed that Wu Meiniang seemed somewhat absent-minded today. Her gaze kept drifting to the window, and her fingers would unconsciously tighten when she was tidying up her books; she even nearly folded a precious prescription page in half once.
"Meiniang, is something on your mind?" Wang Yi put down his pen and asked gently.
Wu Meiniang was taken aback, then laughed and said, "You flatter me, what could possibly be on my mind? It's just that the little elephant was a bit restless last night, and I didn't sleep well."
This was said naturally, but Wang Yi didn't believe it. Wu Meiniang wasn't the type to be distracted by a child's fuss; this woman possessed a resilience and composure far beyond her years.
But Wang Yi didn't press the matter. Everyone has secrets they don't want to talk about, and she respected that privacy.
In reality, Wu Meiniang was indeed preoccupied. In the past few days, Princess Wang of Wei had frequently invited her to various gatherings—flower viewing, tea tasting, and poetry recitals. Ostensibly, these were normal interactions between sisters-in-law, but Wu Meiniang could sense the probing and calculation beneath those gentle smiles.
The conversation always revolved around Wang Yi, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
"Consort Wu and the real person are truly compatible; no wonder His Highness the Crown Prince values you so highly."
"I heard that the Master is particularly concerned about the Crown Prince's affairs, even inquiring about the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace. It's truly remarkable."
"Consort Wu's attire, her mannerisms, remind me of what she looked like when she was young..."
Each sentence seems ordinary, but when strung together, they point to a clear direction—someone is implying that Wu Zetian gained the Crown Prince's favor by imitating Wang Yi, and that the Crown Prince has special feelings for Wang Yi.
Wu Zetian's mind was on high alert. She wasn't afraid of others knowing she was imitating Wang Yi; it was an open secret. But she feared someone might use this to spread rumors that the Crown Prince and Wang Yi were having an affair.
Once such rumors spread, the consequences would be unimaginable. The crown prince might be deposed, Wang Yi might be killed, and Wu Meiniang, as a "stand-in" and "insider," would also be doomed.
So when Lady Wang invited her to the tea party again, Wu Zetian declined, citing that "the baby elephant is unwell." She needed time to think and sort out her thoughts.
Back in the Eastern Palace, Wu Meiniang sat alone in her study, sorting through the recent events one by one.
First, who is spreading this message? Princess Wang, the wife of the Prince of Wei, is clearly the executor, but who is the mastermind behind it? Prince Wei, Li Tai, or... the retired Emperor Li Yuan?
Wu Meiniang recalled hearing palace servants gossip a few days ago, saying that the Emperor Emeritus had summoned people from the five prominent families and seven noble clans. The person who first contacted her and hinted at the relationship between the Crown Prince and Wang Yi was a young man from the Cui family of Qinghe.
This is no coincidence.
Secondly, what is their purpose? If it's the Prince of Wei, it's naturally to overthrow the Crown Prince and seize the throne. But if it's the Emperor Emeritus... Wu Meiniang recalled that Wang Yi had briefly mentioned that the Emperor Emeritus had an old grudge against her. Could it be that the Emperor Emeritus wants to use this opportunity to get revenge on Wang Yi?
In either case, she became a key pawn in this conspiracy—a "witness" who could prove that the Crown Prince had special feelings for Wang Yi.
If she cooperates and accuses the Crown Prince of having an affair with Wang Yi, then the Crown Prince's position as heir apparent will be over. But what benefits would she gain? The wealth and honor promised by the Prince of Wei? Or the protection promised by the Emperor Emeritus?
Wu Meiniang sneered. She didn't believe these promises. In this deep palace, those who betrayed their masters for personal gain never had a good end. Moreover, everything she had was built on the Crown Prince's favor and trust; if the Crown Prince fell, she would fall with him.
More importantly—she didn't want to betray Wang Yi.
That woman taught her, mentored her, and gave her the wisdom and strength to survive in the palace. Although she knew that Wang Yi's kindness to her had an element of calculation, the favor was genuine.
"Therefore, I cannot become their pawn," Wu Meiniang said to herself. "But what should I do? Tell the Crown Prince? Tell the Emperor?"
She hesitated. Telling the Crown Prince would be like breaking the ice, making him realize his feelings for Wang Yi. The consequences were unpredictable—the Crown Prince might feel ashamed, might distance himself from Wang Yi, or might... do something even more irrational.
Tell Wang Yi? Wang Yi is so smart, she probably already noticed, but is just pretending not to know. Bringing it up rashly will only make things awkward for both of them.
Moreover, telling either the Crown Prince or Wang Yi would be tantamount to admitting she knew the secret. How would she then explain how she found out? Would she say it was a hint from the Princess Consort of Wei? That would alert the Prince of Wei and the Emperor Emeritus, letting them know she was aware of the secret and potentially causing them to harm her.
After much deliberation, Wu Meiniang decided to remain silent for the time being, but to be on high alert.
She began to consciously change her words and actions, reducing her imitation of Wang Yi. In terms of clothing, she started wearing bright colors again; in her speech, she deliberately incorporated some of her own style; even when interacting with the Crown Prince, she began to show more of her true self, rather than deliberately imitating Wang Yi's composure.
Li Chengqian quickly noticed this change.
"Meiniang, you seem... a little different lately?" During one evening dinner, Li Chengqian looked at Wu Meiniang's new pale yellow palace dress and said thoughtfully.
Wu Meiniang's heart skipped a beat, but she smiled and said, "Does Your Highness think it looks bad? I just think that spring is here and we should wear some bright colors to add some joy."
"It looks good." Li Chengqian nodded. "I just felt a bit surprised that you used to prefer plain colors and have suddenly changed your style."
“People always change,” Wu Meiniang said softly. “I can’t always imitate others; I have to be myself.”
These words carried a deeper meaning, and Li Chengqian understood the implied message. He remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Are you talking about...the Real Person?"
Wu Meiniang did not answer directly, but said: "The Master is exceptionally wise and has an outstanding demeanor. I learn from her in the hope of becoming someone who can help Your Highness, just like her. But no matter how well I learn, I am still Wu Meiniang, not the Master Wang."
This statement acknowledges imitation, draws a clear line, and expresses its own value—not as a substitute, but as an independent individual.
Li Chengqian looked at her intently, and finally nodded: "You're right. You are you, and you don't need to imitate anyone."
After this conversation, Li Chengqian's affection for Wu Meiniang only increased. He discovered that while the real Wu Meiniang lacked some of Wang Yi's detachment, she possessed a unique vivacity and liveliness. Moreover, her understanding and care for him were genuine, not feigned.
Wu Zetian's transformation thwarted Princess Wang's plans. She had originally hoped to incite Wu Zetian's jealousy and hostility towards Wang Yi, leading her to act irrationally. However, Wu Zetian not only showed no jealousy but also deliberately distanced herself from any similarities with Wang Yi, demonstrating her independent nature.
“This Lady Wu is no simple woman,” Lady Wang said to Li Tai. “She not only sensed our intentions but also devised a countermeasure. Now she has deliberately changed her style, avoiding the embarrassment of becoming a ‘substitute’ while retaining the Crown Prince’s favor. This move is very clever.”
Li Tai frowned: "Then our plan..."
“We need to make adjustments,” Madam Wang said thoughtfully. “Since it’s difficult to break through from Consort Wu, we can try a different approach.”
"Which direction?"
A calculating glint flashed in Wang's eyes: "The Eastern Palace doesn't only have Consort Wu. Although Crown Princess Su is practically sidelined, she still holds the title; Consorts Zheng, Lu, and Xiao, though out of favor, all have powerful family backgrounds. If they knew that the reason they fell out of favor was because the Crown Prince had someone else in his heart, and that 'someone else' was His Majesty's woman... what do you think they would think?"
Li Tai's eyes lit up: "Using someone else to do the dirty work?"
“That’s not all,” Madam Wang continued. “We can use them to ‘naturally’ pass the news to their families, and then through their families to the court. This layered approach is both covert and effective. Moreover, once the families of these concubines get involved, the nature of the matter changes—it’s no longer a struggle between the Prince of Wei’s residence and the Eastern Palace, but a questioning of the Crown Prince’s character by the court officials.”
This plan was indeed more covert and insidious. It exploited the discontent and jealousy within the Eastern Palace, turning the Crown Prince's concubines into tools for spreading rumors and their families into forces exerting pressure.
“Okay.” Li Tai nodded. “You’ll handle this. Be careful not to leave any evidence.”
"I understand."
The new plan was put into practice. Wang began to make contact with several concubines in the Eastern Palace through various channels—not directly, but through their maids, relatives, or mutual acquaintances.
The news, presented in the form of "I heard," "it is said," and "some people speculate," gradually seeped into the Eastern Palace:
"I've heard that His Highness the Crown Prince holds the Protector of the Nation in exceptional respect, even more so than the Empress..."
"It is said that the Protector of the Nation can influence the Crown Prince's decisions and even interfere in the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace..."
These rumors, half true and half false, slowly eroded the hearts of the concubines in the Eastern Palace like poison. The Crown Princess, Lady Su, was already depressed due to her loss of favor, and hearing these rumors was like a knife to her heart; Consorts Zheng and Lu, already jealous of Wu Zetian's favor, were even more indignant upon hearing that the Crown Prince had someone else in his heart; even the gentle Consort Xiao, pregnant, became sensitive and suspicious, and was skeptical of these rumors.
Discontent and suspicion spread within the Eastern Palace. The concubines began to test each other, secretly vying for power, and some even secretly passed messages to their families, seeking support and guidance.
When this news reached the various families, it naturally elicited different reactions. Some families chose to wait and see, some began to investigate secretly, and some... began to consider switching sides.
The political winds at court shifted subtly once again. Although there had been no public impeachment, private discussions about the Crown Prince's character were growing. Some previously neutral officials began to waver, while others who had supported the Crown Prince began to worry.
Wang Yi was aware of all this, but she didn't know the root cause. She only felt that there had been more doubts about her in the court recently, some projects that were originally progressing smoothly had encountered obstacles, and even the compilation of the medical classics by the Imperial Medical Academy had been affected.
What troubled her even more was that there seemed to be problems at the Eastern Palace as well. When Li Chengqian came to see her recently, there was always a hint of undisguised irritation in his expression; Wu Meiniang was still respectful, but there was a hint of worry in her eyes that she wanted to say but couldn't.
"Master, don't you think the atmosphere in the court has been a bit strange lately?" After a meeting, Fang Xuanling deliberately stayed behind to subtly remind him.
Wang Yi nodded: "Indeed. It seems someone is secretly pushing something."
"I've heard," Fang Xuanling said in a low voice, "that there are some unfavorable rumors about the Crown Prince and the True Man."
Wang Yi's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface: "What rumor?"
"They say the Crown Prince relies too much on the Master, that the Master interferes in the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace, and even..." Fang Xuanling hesitated for a moment, "and even that the Crown Prince has improper thoughts about the Master."
These words were so direct that Wang Yi's expression finally changed. She finally understood the root of all the recent anomalies—someone was creating a scandal between her and the Crown Prince, trying to destroy the Crown Prince and her in the most insidious way.
"Does Fang Xiang believe these rumors?" she asked.
Fang Xuanling shook his head: "This humble official naturally does not believe it. But rumors can spread like wildfire. If we allow them to spread, the consequences will be unimaginable."
Wang Yi remained silent. She knew Fang Xuanling was right. In such matters, the truth was not important; what mattered was what people believed. Once rumors gained momentum, even without evidence, they could cause permanent damage to the Crown Prince's and her reputation.
"Thank you for the reminder, Prime Minister Fang," she said solemnly. "I will handle this carefully."
Emerging from the Liangyi Hall, Wang Yi's heart was heavy as iron. She had finally seen the full picture of this conspiracy—someone wanted to destroy everything she cared about using the dirtiest means.
And this person is very likely Li Yuan. Only he had both the motive and the ability, and could use channels like the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families to leave no obvious trace.
"The Emperor Emeritus..." Wang Yi murmured to himself, "Do you really have to be so ruthless?"
She remembered Li Yuan's hateful eyes, and his words about wanting to make her suffer and endure torment. So this was his revenge—not to kill her outright, but to destroy everything she cherished, making her wish she were dead.
But Wang Yi would not sit idly by. Having experienced the storms of public opinion in modern society, she knew well how to deal with rumors—not by making excuses, not by remaining silent, but by letting facts and actions speak for themselves.
She began to adjust her behavior: she reduced her private meetings with the Crown Prince and invited other officials to participate in important meetings; she completely handed over the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace to Wu Meiniang and no longer interfered; even in public, she deliberately kept her distance from the Crown Prince.
At the same time, she accelerated the implementation of various practical projects. Agricultural improvement, water conservancy projects, road construction, maritime trade development... She proved her value with tangible achievements and also diverted people's attention.
More importantly, she began to fight back.
Previously, through Zhou Wei's connections in the modern world, she had commissioned a batch of more sophisticated monitoring equipment, which was installed in Datang. Now it's time for it to come in handy.
She also used her connections in the Imperial Medical Bureau, the Directorate of Works, and the Ministry of Agriculture to secretly investigate the source of the rumors. Although it was difficult to trace the rumors directly to the Emperor Emeritus, she could at least find out who was responsible for carrying them out.
Meanwhile, Wu Meiniang, after noticing Wang Yi's change, realized the seriousness of the situation. Without further hesitation, she found a suitable opportunity to confess her previous discoveries and concerns to Wang Yi.
"Master, I didn't say it before because I was afraid..." Wu Meiniang knelt before Wang Yi, tears welling in her eyes, "I was afraid that saying it would only make things worse. But now it seems that those people have already taken action. Master, please be careful."
Wang Yi helped her up: "I understand your predicament. Thank you for telling me now."
The two had a deep conversation, exchanging information and devising a strategy. Wu Meiniang was responsible for stabilizing the Eastern Palace and preventing the concubines from being manipulated; Wang Yi was responsible for the court and external affairs, investigating the source of the rumors, and diverting attention with political achievements.
A clandestine power struggle unfolds in every corner of Chang'an.
The outcome of this struggle will determine the fate of too many people—the crown prince's position, Wang Yi's life or death, the stability of the Tang Dynasty, and even... the course of history.
The spring flowers outside the window were still in full bloom, but the sky above Chang'an was already covered with dark clouds.
A storm is coming.
This time, Wang Yi was prepared. She would not easily admit defeat, would not let Li Yuan's conspiracy succeed, and would not allow those she cared about to be harmed.
The game has reached its most crucial moment, and she is about to make the decisive move.
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