Chapter 87 Qixia's Admonition
In the study of Qixia Garden, the chilled fruits in the ice basin emitted a slight coolness, but it couldn't suppress the growing anxiety in Wang Yi's heart. Outside the window, the cicadas chirped incessantly, much like the various rumors and gossips circulating in the court targeting the Crown Prince.
She put down the Tang Dynasty excerpts from the water conservancy section of the *Tiangong Kaiwu* (The Exploitation of the Works of Nature), which she had just finished organizing, and her knuckles unconsciously tapped the smooth tabletop. In her eyes, Li Chengqian's recent actions were tantamount to self-destruction. With the Empress recently deceased, the Eastern Palace was already walking on thin ice; instead of showing restraint and protecting himself, he was launching a large-scale investigation into powerful families, which was tantamount to putting himself on the line. The backlash from these families was faster, more subtle, and more deadly than she had anticipated. Prince Wei, Li Tai, was seizing the opportunity to stir up trouble, his prestige growing daily. With this shift in power, the Eastern Palace was in grave danger.
She had promised Empress Zhangsun that she would not only offer comfort to Li Shimin when he needed it, but also "look after them." This "they" naturally included Li Chengqian. The Empress's painstaking arrangements before her death, whether out of maternal love or political calculation, were intended to protect her son. But now, Li Chengqian seems to be heading step by step towards the very situation his mother least wanted to see.
She could no longer stand idly by. Although she herself had to tread carefully, and although any involvement with the Crown Prince could reignite those dangerous rumors, a promise was a promise. Moreover, it was not her wish to watch a crown prince who might have been capable of great things fall into ruin, or even drag the empire into deeper turmoil.
Go directly to Li Chengqian? Absolutely not. A secret letter? The risks remain, but it might be manageable, especially since a reliable intermediary is needed.
Wu Zetian.
The name came to mind. She was a concubine in the Eastern Palace, the mother of the eldest son, and her position was relatively secure. She was intelligent enough, understood Li Chengqian's current situation, and had a history of cooperation with him. Most importantly, Wang Yi believed that Wu Meiniang also did not want to see the Crown Prince fall, nor did she want to see the Eastern Palace collapse—that would mean her and her child's future would also be uncertain.
"Go to the East Palace and invite Consort Wu over for a chat. Tell her... I've recently acquired a rare medical classic from the previous dynasty, and I have some questions I'd like to discuss with her," Wang Yi instructed her most trusted maid, her tone calm, as if it were just a routine academic exchange. This was one of the few safe pretexts they had agreed upon beforehand.
An hour later, Wu Meiniang arrived as promised. She was dressed in simple summer clothes, her brows furrowed with lingering worry, but the moment she stepped into the study of Qixia Garden and saw Wang Yi, a faint glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes. She knew that Wang Zhenren's summons at this time was definitely not merely for medical books.
After dismissing everyone around him, Wang Yi didn't exchange many pleasantries and directly pushed a tightly folded, unsealed envelope towards Wu Meiniang.
"Consort, please forward this letter to His Highness the Crown Prince." Wang Yi's voice was deep and clear. "Be sure to deliver it personally and ensure that it is destroyed after reading."
Wu Meiniang's heart skipped a beat. She took the thin envelope with both hands, feeling its weight as heavy as a thousand pounds. "Master..."
"I have heard of the recent predicament of the Eastern Palace," Wang Yi interrupted her, his gaze calm yet sharp. "Your Highness is troubled by the Empress's passing, and it is understandable that your actions may be somewhat extreme. However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease. Your adversaries have laid an inescapable trap, pressing forward step by step. If Your Highness continues as you are today, directly confronting their attack, I fear that not only will you fail to defend the Empress, but you will also place yourself and the Eastern Palace in a state of utter ruin."
Wu Meiniang nodded vigorously; this was precisely what she had been worrying about day and night.
Wang Yi continued, “The letter contains some of my humble opinions. These powerful families have been established for thousands of years and are deeply entrenched; they cannot be shaken in a day. Rather than confronting them head-on, it would be better to use their strength against them and divide and weaken them. What Your Highness is doing now is pushing all the powerful families to the opposite side, allowing the Prince of Wei to reap the benefits.”
"Using their strength against them?" A glint flashed in Wu Meiniang's eyes.
“The powerful families are not monolithic,” Wang Yi said calmly. “Among the five surnames and seven clans, there are also those who are close to one another, those who are distant from one another, those who are entangled in interests, and even those who have been enemies for generations. The Princess Consort of Wei comes from the Wang clan of Taiyuan. If the King of Wei gains power, the Wang clan will naturally rise in status. However, do the other families all want to see the Wang clan become dominant and overshadow them? Especially those clans that are not on good terms with the Wang clan, or those that have conflicts of interest with the King of Wei and his related families.”
Wu Meiniang was a smart woman, and she immediately understood the key point, her breathing becoming slightly rapid.
“The Crown Prince’s Palace needs new supporters, or rather, it needs to break the current situation where the powerful families are either overwhelmingly in favor of or observing from the sidelines.” Wang Yi tapped the table lightly with his finger. “Marriage alliances have always been one of the most direct and effective methods. But the target must be chosen carefully—not all powerful families, but those whose interests conflict with those of the King of Wei and the Wang family, or at least those who have doubts about them. We don’t expect them to give their all, but we do expect them to remain neutral at crucial moments, and even to echo the Crown Prince’s sentiments on certain issues.”
"The concubine may offer a suggestion to His Highness," Wang Yi said, looking at Wu Meiniang, enunciating each word clearly, "that she may spread the word, or directly request His Majesty's decree, to select concubines and ladies-in-waiting for the Crown Prince. The candidates should be chosen from among the daughters of collateral branches of aristocratic families who are at odds with the Wang family of Taiyuan, or those who have grudges against the Zheng family of Xingyang and the Cui family of Boling who support the Prince of Wei. The attitude should be humble, and the words should be sincere, indicating that the Crown Prince is willing to co-govern with the gentry of the world, has no intention of being an enemy of the entire aristocratic clan, and what he seeks is nothing more than 'fairness' and 'balance'."
"This plan," Wang Yi summarized, "has several advantages: First, it can temporarily ease tensions with some powerful families, demonstrating goodwill and creating division; second, it can muddy the waters, causing internal divisions among these families due to the redistribution of interests, making it difficult for them to unite against the Crown Prince; third, it can showcase His Highness's ability to consider the overall situation and his maturity and composure to His Majesty, alleviating His Majesty's concerns about His Highness's recent 'extreme' actions; fourth... in the long run, if His Highness... these 'allies' temporarily united by interests could become a buffer or aid in the future implementation of new policies and the gradual weakening of powerful families. In the past, Qin had the strategy of 'befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones,' and today the Crown Prince can also emulate this."
Wu Meiniang was deeply moved, her eyes shining brightly. This approach was far superior to her previous thoughts of simply offering advice or confronting the problem head-on! Master Wang was indeed insightful, grasping the crux of the issue and the direction to break the deadlock in one fell swoop!
"Your Majesty's wisdom and foresight are truly admirable!" Wu Meiniang said sincerely, clutching the letter tightly. "I will certainly deliver this letter safely to Your Highness!"
"Furthermore," Wang Yi said, his tone softening slightly but becoming even more solemn, "the letter also contains a few words of advice from this humble servant to Your Highness. I hope Your Highness can understand the Empress's dying wish, take care of yourself, and not ruin long-term plans because of momentary anger. The responsibility of the Crown Prince lies in the stability of the nation and the well-being of the people. Some things must be planned slowly, and some hatred must be endured for the time being. I hope Your Highness... will think it over carefully."
Wu Meiniang solemnly agreed, carefully put the letter away, and then whispered a few words with Wang Yi about the details of the delivery and possible responses before hurriedly taking her leave.
The Eastern Palace, the study.
Li Chengqian sat alone under the dim lamplight, the memorial laid out before him untouched for a long time. Wu Meiniang quietly entered, dismissed the servants, and presented the letter, which carried the unique, elegant ink fragrance of Qixia Garden, with both hands.
"Your Highness, Master Wang... has a letter for you."
Li Chengqian looked up abruptly, his eyes flashing with an astonishing light—a complex mix of surprise, longing, and disbelief. He practically snatched the letter, his fingertips trembling slightly.
He took a deep breath before carefully unfolding the letter. Wang Yi's handwriting was clear and strong, just like her.
The letter began with a calm and objective analysis, directly addressing the predicament the Crown Prince was currently facing due to his investigation of the powerful clans. It dissected the clans' insidious counterattacks and their long-term harm, and pointed out the danger of the Prince of Wei seizing the opportunity to grow too powerful. Every sentence hit the nail on the head, making Li Chengqian sweat profusely. He admired the letter's sharp insight, but also felt a pang of fear for his previous rashness.
Next came the strategy of "divide and conquer through marriage." It detailed why a powerful family opposing the Prince of Wei's camp should be chosen, how to implement it, the potential effects, and the long-term political implications. The strategy was clear, the steps well-defined, and its feasibility extremely high. Li Chengqian's gaze lingered on these words, as if a sliver of light had been torn open in the gloom in his heart.
Finally, there was admonition. The words were earnest, yet each carried immense weight. He spoke of the Empress's "good intentions," of "the stability of the nation," and of "planning gradually" and "enduring for now." There was no condescending preaching, only a calm, as if objectively observing, reminder and expectation.
Li Chengqian read the letter several times, each word seemingly savored in his mind. The realization that Master Wang was watching him, planning for him, and advising him stirred up intense, indescribable waves in his long-suppressed heart. There was excitement, there was bitterness, and even a painful clarity.
After a long while, under Wu Meiniang's tense gaze, he finally looked away and brought the letter close to the candlelight. The orange flame swallowed the clear handwriting, turning it to ashes.
"...Do as the Master says." Li Chengqian's voice was a little hoarse, but more composed than usual. "Contact...the branches of the Zhao County Li clan and the Longxi Li clan that have a long-standing feud with the Taiyuan Wang clan, and...the branch of the Qinghe Cui clan that is at odds with the Boling Cui clan. Spread the word that the Crown Prince is willing to take in virtuous women, regardless of whether they are legitimate or illegitimate, as long as they are wise and virtuous. Be humble...and draft a plan for how to proceed."
"Yes! I understand!" Wu Meiniang felt a great weight lifted from her heart and quickly agreed.
In the days that followed, the winds of change subtly shifted within the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince no longer focused on the "evidence" of wrongdoing by the powerful families; instead, through intermediaries, he extended "goodwill" to several specific clans. Initially, these families were suspicious, but soon, calculations of self-interest replaced their doubts. Families at odds with the Wei Princess's family were unwilling to see the Wang clan become too powerful after the Wei Prince gained power; some collateral branches of powerful families who had not received sufficient benefits from the Wei Prince's court or had been marginalized also saw new opportunities. The olive branch extended by the Eastern Palace, though seemingly a "minor matter" like taking in concubines or concubines, was a clear political signal: the Crown Prince was willing to cooperate, willing to share a portion of the potential future power pie, and this was directed at their common "potential rival."
Soon, the attitudes of several parties softened. Although they did not publicly express their support for the Crown Prince, the attacks on the Eastern Palace decreased significantly, and they even began to show some tacit understanding on some trivial matters.
Li Shimin quickly noticed the change in the Crown Prince's strategy. He summoned Li Chengqian and questioned him carefully. Li Chengqian had already prepared his explanation, pleading with his father to allow him to marry several "virtuous and gentle ladies" to enrich the Crown Prince's palace and show goodwill to the powerful families, citing his "reflection on his past mistakes, willingness to make peace with the aristocratic families in order to achieve harmony in the court and live up to his mother's expectations."
Seeing his son, though still thin, but with a more composed and "sensible" look in his eyes, and hearing his less extreme and more considerate requests, Li Shimin felt his pent-up disappointment and worry ease somewhat. Perhaps the pain of losing his mother and the hurt from the rumors had truly made Chengqian mature? He had begun to understand forbearance and strategy.
"I am very pleased that you think this way." Li Shimin finally nodded. "The selection of the person must be done carefully, so as not to cause trouble. This matter... shall be handled by the Ministry of Rites and your uncle (Changsun Wuji) as appropriate."
"Your subject thanks Your Majesty!" Li Chengqian kowtowed, a complex emotion flashing in his lowered eyes. He knew that this first step had been the right one. And what guided him to take this step was that letter, now turned to ashes, and the aloof and wise figure behind it.
What seemed like an ordinary concubine selection controversy stirred unexpected ripples in the turbulent political arena of Chang'an. The "alliance" temporarily forged among the powerful families in their common opposition to the Crown Prince began to show subtle cracks. Prince Wei, Li Tai, keenly sensed this change, his heart filled with a mixture of shock and anger, yet he was unable to immediately unravel this "open conspiracy"—could he possibly prevent other powerful families from arranging marriages with the Crown Prince? That would only isolate him.
In Qixia Garden, Wang Yi breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing the news that the Crown Prince had begun contacting specific aristocratic families. The first step had finally been taken. The strategy of sowing discord was beginning to take shape, and Li Chengqian had temporarily stabilized his position.
However, she felt little relief. This was merely a temporary measure. The fundamental conflict between the powerful families and the imperial power remained unresolved, and Li Chengqian's deep-seated resentment and wounds were far from healed. The road ahead was still fraught with difficulties.
She walked to the window and looked towards the East Palace. The summer night sky was dazzling with stars, yet it couldn't illuminate the hidden reefs deep within people's hearts. This long game was far from over. And she, a "bystander" bound by her promise, might be drawn into an even deeper and more dangerous vortex.
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