Chapter 97 A Secret Conspiracy, A Viper Bares Its Teeth
The secluded chambers of the Imperial Clan Court were even colder and more deathly silent than ordinary prisons. There were no cries or curses of ordinary prisoners here; only thick stone walls blocked out all light and sound. The only light that pierced through was a small vent high up in the wall, letting in a sliver of pale daylight, and the heavy scraping sound of the iron gate opening when meals were delivered each day.
Li Tai was imprisoned in solitary confinement in the deepest cell. There were no shackles, and even his daily meals were relatively clean, but he knew this was merely a last shred of pretense to maintain the dignity of the imperial family. He was finished. From the moment Li Xiang was poisoned, or rather, from the moment he decided to use the last means left by his grandfather, he knew he had no chance of recovery. He wasn't gambling on his own survival, but on the destruction of Li Chengqian.
In the past few days, he has been unusually "cooperative." Facing the officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and even the elite cavalrymen secretly sent by the emperor, he confessed without reservation how he obtained rare poisons through certain "remnants of the previous dynasty" who had already been eliminated (he pushed out some low-ranking palace servants or wandering sorcerers who might have had ties with Li Yuan but had already been dealt with) how he bribed the lowest-ranking servants in the Eastern Palace (who also confessed to several scapegoats who had already been secretly dealt with), and how he planned the poisoning process. The details were so clear and the logic so distinct that it was chilling.
He confessed to all the crimes of harming the imperial heirs, his attitude almost eerily "sincere," repeatedly emphasizing only one point: the matter was his own doing; due to his failure in the succession struggle, he harbored resentment and thus took the risk to avenge the crown prince. As for the specific source of the poison? It was a "relic" he had obtained by chance from a deceased Western Region merchant many years ago; the merchant was dead, and there was no way to verify it. Were there other masterminds or accomplices behind this? Absolutely not; it was all due to Li Tai's madness and desperate gamble.
His confession was almost flawless, firmly pinning all the blame on himself and cutting off any obvious leads for further investigation. Although the officials in charge of the interrogation suspected there might be something fishy going on, especially given the suspicious source of the poison, they were unable to make a breakthrough for the time being, given Li Tai's unwavering stance and the seemingly complete "chain of evidence" he provided.
However, the real clashes take place in the shadows where the sunlight doesn't reach.
On the third night after Li Tai's "confession," in the most secluded underground chamber of the Imperial Clan Court, a dim light flickered. The chamber was exceptionally soundproof, with lead-lined walls, and was specifically designed for interrogating certain individuals. Li Chengqian did not come in person; instead, he was represented by a middle-aged scholar with an ordinary face but eyes as sharp as a hawk's, and two silent, composed elite cavalrymen.
When Li Tai was secretly led into the dark room, he was still wearing his princely robes. However, days of imprisonment had left him haggard, his eyes sunken, but the madness and mockery in his gaze had not faded. Seeing the commotion in the room, he sneered, "What? Has my Crown Prince finally decided to send someone to see a dying man like me? Or do you think what I said in the Ministry of Justice hall…wasn't clear enough?"
The middle-aged scholar, expressionless, gestured for a skilled officer from the Hundred Cavalry Division to place a thin dossier before Li Tai. "Your Highness, let's not beat around the bush. The confessions from the Ministry of Justice might fool outsiders, but does Your Highness truly believe that a few dead 'remnants' and 'foreign merchants' could obtain such a rare and potent poison, unrecognizable even to the Imperial Medical Bureau? That they could so easily breach the Crown Prince's heavy defenses and precisely poison the eldest prince?"
Li Tai didn't even lift his eyelids: "Believe it or not. I am already a dying man, why waste my breath?"
"Your Highness may not be afraid of death," the scholar said calmly, yet with a penetrating quality, "but has Your Highness ever considered that you are so eager to take all the blame, even going so far as to fabricate a flawed 'source,' what is the person you truly want to protect, or... what is the purpose you wish to achieve?"
Li Tai's lips twitched, but he did not answer.
The scholar continued, "Your Highness has been fighting the Crown Prince for many years. Even though the outcome is certain, given Your Highness's character, are you truly willing to admit defeat and silently face death? Don't you want to leave the Crown Prince with something... an unforgettable 'memorial' for life? For example, to make him completely turn against those noble families who were just connected by blood? To make him suspicious of everyone around him from now on, unable to trust anyone? To make him live forever in fear of betrayal and assassination even after he ascends the throne?"
Li Tai's breathing quickened almost imperceptibly for a moment.
"Your Highness's move is indeed ruthless." The scholar stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "But has Your Highness considered that those 'aristocratic families' you're desperately trying to drag down might... turn on you? When they believe that Your Highness, this 'discarded pawn,' knows too much, and might even have left evidence detrimental to them, what will they do? Will they sit idly by and watch you take all your secrets to your grave, or... is it safer to keep you silent forever?"
Li Tai suddenly looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly masked by madness: "Nonsense! What business do I have with any aristocratic families? Stop trying to sow discord here!"
"Sowing discord?" the scholar sneered. "Your Highness, do not forget that in his later years, although the Emperor Emeritus lived in seclusion in the Da'an Palace, he never lost contact with certain old friends and students. Especially... those families skilled in medicine, or adept at mechanical ingenuity, and with secret lineages. During those days when Your Highness went to the Da'an Palace to 'pay respects,' were you really just listening to his teachings? The Emperor Emeritus probably entrusted Your Highness with more than just a few dying words, didn't he?"
Li Tai's expression finally changed. Although he still tried to remain calm, the panic in his eyes was hard to hide. The other party knew far more than he had imagined!
“Your Highness,” the scholar’s voice lowered, laced with seduction and threat, “His Highness the Crown Prince wants more than just your life, Li Tai. He wants the blood of everyone involved in this affair, everyone who harmed the imperial heir. Your current insistence on ‘one person’s doing’ may seem tough, but it’s foolish. You’re drawing all the hatred onto yourself, allowing the real venomous snakes behind you to hide, giving them a chance to escape, and even… a chance to bite His Highness the Crown Prince again in the future. And what about you? You’re nothing but a pawn to be used and discarded. Even in death, you’ll bear all the infamy, implicating your wife, children, and clan (though they may have already been controlled or dealt with). Is it worth it?”
“How about,” the scholar changed his tone, his voice now carrying a hint of “sincerity,” “that you cooperate with us. Reveal the true source of the poison, point out which powerful families were involved, through what channels, and what kind of assistance they provided. His Highness can guarantee that only the ringleaders will be punished, and His Highness’s innocent family members will not be implicated. Perhaps… we can even give His Highness a relatively ‘decent’ ending. Otherwise…”
He didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear. Two elite cavalrymen stepped forward at the opportune moment, an invisible pressure spreading out.
Fine beads of cold sweat trickled down Li Tai's forehead as he struggled internally. His opponent had struck at his weak point. He was indeed unwilling to accept defeat, and he did want to drag the powerful families down with him, but he feared death even more—the complete annihilation of his family after his death, the fading of his family's power, and the possibility that, as his opponent claimed, they would force him to "commit suicide" or "die suddenly" in order to protect themselves. Moreover, his opponent seemed to genuinely possess some clues…
"Can you... guarantee that?" Li Tai's voice was dry, carrying the last trace of doubt and struggle.
“His Highness the Crown Prince always keeps his word,” the scholar said confidently. “At least, he is more trustworthy than those ‘allies’ lurking in the shadows who could silence His Highness at any moment, isn’t he?”
A long silence followed. The only sound in the dark room was the occasional soft popping of the lamp flame.
Finally, as if all his strength had been drained, Li Tai slumped onto the cold stone bench, his voice hoarse as he said, "...It's...a branch of the Li family of Longxi...Some of their ancestors were experts in the Gu poisons and rare medicines of the Southern Frontier...The poison...the poison is called 'Qianji Yin,' colorless and odorless. A small amount mixed into everyday moisturizing cream can accumulate and damage the internal organs and foundation, but on the surface it appears as an acute illness...The prescription and the finished product were...obtained by the late Emperor Emeritus in his early years and kept in secret...before he left...he gave them to me..."
"Who is the contact person? How is the message delivered?" the scribe pressed.
"It was... a manager from a collateral branch of the Li family, named Li Qiao... who was connected through... an old eunuch from the Da'an Palace who had long been dismissed but was still secretly controlled by the retired emperor... in... the backyard of a seemingly ordinary spice shop in the West Market..."
Li Tai spoke haltingly, recounting several names, locations, and methods of handover. Some might have already been dealt with, others might still be around. But regardless, this hidden viper had finally revealed a hint of its fangs—the Longxi Li clan! Not the branch that had previously married into the Eastern Palace and given birth to the weak prince, but another, more secretive family with a longer-standing relationship with the royal family (especially the retired emperor), and more adept at "unorthodox" methods!
The scholar quickly took notes, exchanging a glance with the two elite riders. The information was incomplete, but the message was clear enough.
“Very good.” The scholar put away his paper and pen. “Your Highness, please rest assured for now. Once the matter is verified, His Highness the Crown Prince will fulfill his promise.”
Li Tai smiled bitterly, knowing that his value had been completely exhausted and that his life and death were no longer in his own hands. He lay there, silent, as if he had truly become an empty shell.
The door to the secret room closed again, isolating the inside from the outside. The middle-aged scholar and the elite cavalryman hurriedly left, carrying the crucial confession obtained through threats and bribes, to return to the Eastern Palace to report.
The news quickly reached Li Chengqian's ears. He was in his study, with a detailed map of the Tang Dynasty spread out in front of him, on which several locations were circled in red ink—prefectures and counties closely related to the Li family of Longxi.
“The Li family of Longxi…” Li Chengqian pressed his finger heavily on the mark on the map that represented the ancestral home of the Li family, his eyes flashing with an icy light, “As expected… it is you.”
Not all the powerful families, not even the most vocal ones, but this seemingly low-key but actually deeply connected to the Li Tang imperial family and with the most immeasurable resources—a behemoth! The maternal clan of the retired Emperor Li Yuan had countless connections with the Longxi Li clan, so it's no surprise that he was able to leave behind such a contingency plan.
Li Chengqian did not immediately make a public announcement, nor did he present the confession directly to his father, the Emperor. He knew that Li Tai's testimony alone was insufficient to shake the mighty Longxi Li clan. He needed more evidence and a more meticulous plan.
"Continue to investigate Li Qiao's line, as well as that spice shop, the old eunuch in Da'an Palace... keep all related people under secret control and interrogate them carefully, but don't alert them," Li Chengqian ordered his confidant. "At the same time, secretly investigate the recent activities of the Longxi Li family, especially their industries and personnel related to medicine, magic, and mining (some poisons require special minerals for extraction). Be careful to keep it secret."
“Furthermore,” he added, his tone chilling, “strengthen the protection of the remaining princes, especially… Consort Wu. Although Li Tai has confessed, there’s no guarantee there aren’t other spies. Continue the internal purge of the Eastern Palace; better to be wrong than to miss one.”
"yes!"
A more covert and deadly investigation and counterattack targeting a specific branch of a powerful family quietly unfolded on the blood of Li Xiang's untimely death. The hatred in Li Chengqian's heart did not lessen with the discovery of some clues; instead, it grew colder and more concrete. He knew that the real battle had only just begun. And this time, he would give his opponents no chance.
The hidden branch of the Li family in Longxi was unaware that their carefully concealed venomous fangs had been bitten by a dying beast, and even less aware that the crown prince, who had lost his beloved son, was aiming his vengeful gaze at their most vulnerable spot like the most accurate arrow.
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