Qiankun Bag
"What! Elder Lin is seriously ill?" Li Yunyu had never attended court and was completely out of touch with the times. He was utterly unaware of the affairs of the previous dynasty. He had been chatting with Yunlan in the palace when he heard Tang Feng had arrived. Knowing that Tang Feng's status prevented him from coming to Wulin Garden, he bid farewell to Yunlan and returned to his own quarters alone. He had just sat down when Tang Feng told him that General Lin was seriously ill and wanted to see him, causing him considerable anxiety. Tang Feng, seeing Li Yunyu's flustered expression, sighed. He knew that telling him would lead to this reaction, which only made him feel more weary. "Your Highness, please sit down," Tang Feng tapped Li Yunyu's shoulder with the bone of his fan, trying to calm him down. Seeing that Li Yunyu didn't move, Tang Feng frowned and unconsciously tightened his grip. "Sit down!!"
Seeing Tang Feng's unhurried demeanor, Li Yunyu assumed he already had a plan, so he sat down and asked, "Sir, do you have any brilliant ideas?" "I wouldn't call them brilliant ideas... but I do have a method, though it's somewhat risky, and we'll need His Highness's cooperation." Li Yunyu didn't understand; General Lin was only seriously ill, so why would he take such a risk? "Sir, I don't quite understand. Perhaps Old Master Lin is getting old and his health isn't good. If he's seriously ill, I can simply take the imperial physician with me. Why..."
"Why? Why mobilize so many people and take such a risk?" Seeing Li Yunyu nod, Tang Feng explained, "I know the Lin family has a deep relationship with the Crown Prince, but given the current situation, I have no choice but to protect as many as possible. Your third brother has put the Lin family in the eye of the storm today, putting us in a dilemma and putting us in a very dangerous situation. General Lin has a son named Siwen, and he wants to see you, probably to entrust him to you. Three generations of loyal ministers in the Lin family have come to this end. Tomorrow, you will leave the palace and stay overnight at the military camp. Come out again late at night, and I will take you to the General's Mansion." Tang Feng did not tell Li Yunyu everything, fearing that he would overthink things. The most urgent matter now is to resolve the Lin family's situation. He originally did not intend to protect Lin City. For them now, protecting Lin Siwen is already a great achievement. "I understand what you mean, sir."
Tang Feng originally didn't want to go, fearing that Li Yunye and Li Yunheng had laid an ambush at the General's Mansion and wiped them out, which would be a loss if it ended up with Emperor Yun. However, after thinking it over, he was somewhat curious about the Lin family, and now that he was going to do it, he might as well make it big.
The following midnight, Li Yunyu arrived as promised. Just as he saw the General's Mansion in front of him, someone suddenly pulled him aside and dragged him into a narrow alley. Li Yunyu immediately tensed up, turning around sharply to protect himself, only to see Zhou Ziliang. "Your Highness, please come with me through the back door. Xiao Feng is already waiting for you inside." Li Yunyu breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest. "Sir, did you send me here to be so suspicious and frighten me?" "I had no choice. There are probably spies everywhere here; we have to be careful. By the way, Your Highness, Xiao Feng said that you should pay your respects to Consort Yun another day. Although Your Highness is busy with important matters, please don't neglect Consort Yun." Li Yunyu followed behind Zhou Ziliang, lowering his voice to ask, "Has Sir already gone in?"
“Go inside. After all, Xiao Feng doesn’t know martial arts and would be easily exposed. The room is the safest place. Your Highness, please.” Zhou Ziliang knocked on the door, and when the maid opened it, he invited Li Yunyu inside. The two candles in the hall flickered in the wind. Although there were people sitting in the room, it was as quiet as still water, and no sound could be heard. Li Yunyu walked forward and saw Lin Cheng being supported by Madam Lin, sitting in the seat of honor, while Tang Feng sat in the lower seat, deep in thought. “Uncle Lin!”
"Ninth Prince..." Lin Cheng saw Li Yunyu and slowly stood up, about to kneel, but Li Yunyu pulled him up. "Uncle Lin, please don't perform such a grand ceremony, please rise!"
"Your Highness, I, Lin, have a favor to ask of you. The Eastern Palace case has resulted in the Crown Prince's wrongful death, implicating dozens of officials, both high and low. I thought the Emperor was wise and knew of the Lin family's generations of loyalty, but I never expected him to listen to slander. Now, I can no longer protect myself; I only wish to save my son in prison. Please grant my request, Your Highness!" "This..." Li Yunyu, supporting Lin Cheng, looked at Tang Feng, who hadn't spoken since entering, "Sir..." Li Yunyu knew that although he had provided disaster relief and received praise from his father... However, that doesn't mean he holds a top position in his heart. Besides, the Lin family's murder this time was premeditated by Li Yunye. He really has no clue how to help Lin Cheng. "Elder Lin, please get up," Tang Feng stood up and helped Lin Cheng up, then said softly, "The Lin family has been generals for three generations, loyal and virtuous. Tang Feng truly admires them. However, regarding this matter, I must say a few words that may not be pleasant to hear. If you want to protect the young general, that's possible, but I believe you also know that the Lin family's honor and disgrace are linked to the Crown Prince case. The Lin family will not be able to recover in the short term."
Lin Cheng gave a bitter smile, pushed away Madam Lin's hand that was supporting him, and said, "How could I not know? As the old saying goes, 'Where there's life, there's hope.' I'm already so old and have reached this point, what use is face to me? Let me explain my sins to my ancestors in the underworld! It's just that of my four children, this is my only son left. I hope the Grand Tutor will trouble himself to think of a way."
After leaving the Lin family residence, Li Yunyu intended to get into Tang Feng's carriage, but Tang Feng stopped her. "Your Highness, please be careful of your surroundings. You should return to the military camp tonight. I will speak with you in the palace tomorrow. Please remain calm." "This..." Li Yunyu didn't necessarily want to return with Tang Feng, but she was anxious to know what Tang Feng's plan was to avoid Emperor Yun's punishment while also escaping Li Yunye's ambush. After all, in Li Yunyu's eyes, Tang Feng had taken too much risk this time. The Lin family did indeed have a very good relationship with her elder brother, but rescuing Lin Siwen at this critical juncture seemed somewhat risky.
Seeing that Li Yunyu didn't move, Tang Feng sighed, "Your Highness, why are you so impatient? I will tell you tomorrow. It's the middle of the night, so please let me go home. If I fall ill tomorrow, I'll have to trouble you to come see me..." Li Yunyu looked at Tang Feng's pale lips and smiled awkwardly, "Then, sir, please go back and rest early..." He then released the carriage curtain, scratched his head, and walked towards the military camp. "Sigh..." Tang Feng sighed, "When will Your Highness grow up? Was Li Yunrui like this before?" Zhou Ziliang warmed Tang Feng's hands and then softly replied, "I don't know, but you should be content! At least Your Highness is starting to worry about this plan. In the past, whoever was sabotaging it, I would have just saved them."
"Huh?! Li Yunye's knife is practically at his throat, and if he still doesn't feel scared, then I really have no choice. All my months of hard work have been for nothing." Tang Feng rubbed his aching temples and then said, "Are there any opera composers in Xiling? Find me some in the next few days." "Want to hear some opera?" "Huh? Do I look like someone who's that idle?" Tang Feng got up from the carriage when he saw the Tang residence, then turned to Zhou Ziliang and said, "Could you talk to Sister Jiu about making some good food for me... Plain porridge and chicken soup every day? Even a good person can get sick from that. I need to use my brain in a few days." Zhou Ziliang looked up and saw Qin Jiujiu who had come out to greet them. She didn't dare to reply for a moment, glancing at Tang Feng and quickly comforting him, "Sister is only doing this for your own good, let's go home first." But Tang Feng, with his back to Qin Jiujiu, had no idea she was right behind him. He kept muttering to himself. When he turned around again, he saw Qin Jiujiu with her hands on her hips, looking displeased, and saying in a sarcastic tone, "What's wrong with plain porridge and chicken soup? I was trying to help you recover, and now it's my fault? Grand Tutor, you have quite the airs. Well then, Grand Tutor Tang, you'll have to deal with this yourself tomorrow!" Tang Feng hadn't expected to make a mistake like this, and quickly grabbed Qin Jiujiu, saying, "Sister, sister, please calm down. I've been delirious these past few days because of my illness. I know you're doing this for my own good. In a few days, I'll invite you to see a play!"
"Listening to opera? When did you develop this hobby?" Qin Jiujiu frowned, following Tang Feng into the house. After having someone close the door, she continued, "Didn't you used to dislike listening to opera? What happened?" She then turned to Zhou Ziliang, but Zhou Ziliang was also unsure of the situation. Helpless, he said, "Perhaps it's just for fun. Sister, please agree! It's getting late, I'll take Xiaofeng to rest first." "Huh!?" Before Qin Jiujiu could react, she saw Zhou Ziliang pulling Tang Feng away. "There's no need to be in such a hurry!"
Tang Feng returned to his room but didn't rest. He went to the study and told Zhou Ziliang, "Tomorrow morning, help me find the opera performers in Xiling City. I have something to discuss with them when I return from the palace." He then took out a new sheet of Xuan paper, laid it out, and began grinding ink. "And then..."
"Xiao Feng, it's already very late, aren't you going to rest?" Zhou Ziliang frowned when he saw Tang Feng looking like he was planning to stay up all night. "Ziliang, this is about saving lives, I don't have time to rest, today... I have to finish it." After staring into Tang Feng's eyes for a long time, Zhou Ziliang gave in. "Alright, alright, I can't argue with you, I'll keep you company today." After saying that, Zhou Ziliang took the ink stick from Tang Feng's hand and helped grind the ink. Seeing that Zhou Ziliang had agreed, Tang Feng calmed down and began to write and draw on the paper.
The next morning, Tang Feng rubbed his aching shoulders and instructed Liu Yiwan to prepare a carriage for him. "Young Master... you're up so early? Your schedule has changed since you became an official..." Tang Feng, exhausted from a night's work, had no energy left to argue with Liu Yiwan. He straightened his court robes, tucked his official tablet into his sleeve, and said, "Stop with the nonsense. Hurry up and prepare the carriage. I have urgent business at the palace." Liu Yiwan, hearing this, didn't delay any longer and turned to leave, but Tang Feng stopped him. "Wait, cough cough cough, after you call the carriage, go outside and find me a few people who know how to play the gongs and drums."
"Oh? Oh! I've already called a carriage and I'll go."
Liu Yiwan was quick on his feet and soon brought the carriage over. Zhou Ziliang leaned against the door and sighed as he looked at Tang Feng, "Are you trying to make yourself sick? I'll take you!"
"No need, no need," Tang Feng turned to Zhou Ziliang, who was filled with worry, and felt a little embarrassed. "You worked hard yesterday too." After saying that, he glanced around to make sure no one was around, then lightly pecked Zhou Ziliang's lips. After finishing, he didn't forget to remind him, "My opera teacher, don't forget! That's the Lin family's life-saving skill." Then, without waiting for Zhou Ziliang to hear him clearly, he hurriedly got into the carriage.
When they arrived at Li Yunyu's place, Tang Feng handed her what he had written the night before and said, "The Dragon Boat Festival is in a few days. I heard that the palace is going to hold a grand banquet. Have you made any preparations?"
"What... what do I need to prepare? Didn't the master say he was going to tell me how to save Lin Siwen? Why are you talking about the Dragon Boat Festival banquet now?"
Li Yunyu looked down at the paper Tang Feng handed him, and read it carefully. "This is... a script?"
"That's right. This opera tells the story of a young general who killed a member of the imperial family, and the princess, to plead for his life, singing a story about a wise king who pardoned his subjects." After hearing Tang Feng's explanation, Li Yunyu understood his meaning, but she still couldn't help but worry. "But... will Father really release Lin Siwen because of this opera?" Tang Feng hesitated for a moment but nodded. "On the Dragon Boat Festival, all the civil and military officials will be there with their families. After the opera, it will depend on your performance. If you speak well, His Majesty will give you face." "This..." "...Seeing Li Yunyu's worry, Tang Feng quickly reassured her, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will teach you how to speak. If anyone else tries to cause trouble, I will help you. These next few days, just go and invite the opera troupe in a grand manner, everything... cough cough cough... I'll arrange it." Tang Feng coughed again at the end. Li Yunyu, fearing Tang Feng would repeat his mistake last time, quickly poured him a glass of water. "Sir, you should go back and rest first! This script must have been written all night! Don't ruin your health."
"It's already like this, how much worse can it get?" Tang Feng put away the script, stood up, and instructed, "Prepare well. The fate of the Lin family depends on this one move."
"I'll do whatever you say, sir."
On his way back, Tang Feng looked at the script in his hand. He had heard his grandmother play this play, "The Universe Bag," when he was in college. He was surprised that he had memorized the script after only hearing it a few times. Tang Feng sighed, closed his eyes to rest, and prayed that Emperor Yun would accept it. Looking at the development of Yan Yun, Emperor Yun's achievements were undeniable, but he was also prone to extremes. Perhaps this was a common problem for every emperor. Lost in thought, Tang Feng fell asleep in the carriage. When he woke up, he was already in the manor. Zhou Ziliang was sitting by the bed. Seeing that Tang Feng was awake, he helped him sit up. "You scared the coachman to death! He thought something had happened to you! He ran to the manor like a madman. But when everyone saw you, you were just asleep. Here, have some water, take it easy." Tang Feng was clearly still half asleep, resting his chin on Zhou Ziliang's neck, mumbling, "Today we're rehearsing the script, composing the opera, and the opera troupe is coming the day after tomorrow. I can make it, I can make it..." Zhou Ziliang hugged Tang Feng and gently patted his back, saying, "If you're still not awake, sleep a little longer! You've been too tired lately."
"Hmm~ No!" Just as Tang Feng was about to fall asleep in Zhou Ziliang's arms, reason prevailed over sleepiness. Tang Feng suddenly opened his eyes, rolled out of bed, grabbed his clothes, and said, "My old gentleman..."
"Please come in."
"The gong and drum chant..."
"They were invited too."
"Great, great, where is it?"
"In the study... Xiao Feng, slow down."
Tang Feng got the answer he wanted and hurriedly went to the study. After meeting the several elderly gentlemen, Tang Feng didn't try to hide anything. "Gentlemen, I won't hide it from you. In a few days, the palace will be holding a grand banquet for the Mid-Autumn Festival. His Highness the Ninth Prince is commendable for his filial piety and has handwritten a play script, but it's missing the music. I wonder if you gentlemen could..." The elderly men looked at each other, knowing they had been given a difficult task. Naturally, they knew that discretion was the better part of valor and quickly said, "Grand Tutor, there's no need to be so polite. It's a blessing from generations past that we can compose music for the prince's play script." Even if Li Yunyu wasn't famous, they all knew Tang Feng! His deeds had been known throughout Xiling for years. Who would dare not give him face? Moreover, this was for the Emperor's audience. No matter how unwilling they were, they dared not refuse. If they made a mistake, they could lose their heads. The men took the play script and looked at it, then gasped. This... The Ninth Prince seems to be implying something! The script in the play reads:
Not a monarch with a vast amount of resources
How can a young general protect the imperial court?
The affairs of past and present dynasties are all the same.
My late father, I hope Your Majesty will consider this carefully.
If you're going to kill someone today, then kill your son.
Leave Qin Ying to protect the Tang Dynasty
"Grand Tutor... this..." One of the elders mustered his courage and walked up to Tang Feng, pointing to the script, but hesitated to speak for a long time. "You don't need to worry, just focus on composing the music. His Highness will reward you." Tang Feng knew what the elders were worried about, so he reassured them for a few moments before turning around and sitting down. He wasn't in a hurry to leave. Although the elders were supposed to compose the music, Tang Feng mostly hummed the tunes while they wrote down the score. Finally, the gongs and drums were played, and the "Qiankun Bag" piece was completed. Tang Feng looked at the work with satisfaction, smiled, and said, "Thank you, gentlemen."
"Grand Tutor, what are you saying... We are doing this for the court, like dogs and horses."
The opera troupe that Li Yunyu had found was ready and went to the Tang residence to audition for Tang Feng. Qin Jiujiu and Liu Yiwan naturally listened with great interest, but Li Yunyu was somewhat uneasy. "Sir... isn't the script a bit too obvious?"
"If it's not obvious, how can all the civil and military officials understand? Only if they understand will His Majesty spare the Lin family." Li Yunyu didn't quite understand Tang Feng's words. This opera was sung entirely for Emperor Yun, so why... why did it need to be understood by all the civil and military officials? “As the supreme ruler, His Majesty’s every word and action is remembered. This opera is indeed sung for His Majesty, but if only he were to hear it, he would not only not let the Lin family off the hook, but would also become enraged, implicating even more people. However, on the Dragon Boat Festival, His Majesty will be surrounded by admirers, with hundreds watching his every move. If, after this much of the opera has been performed, we still don’t let the Lin family off the hook, it would be somewhat unjust and immoral.” Li Yunyu nodded, continuing to listen to the opera without asking further questions. Tang Feng, however, knew in his heart that things would definitely not go smoothly on the Dragon Boat Festival. Li Yunye and Li Yunheng would inevitably interfere. Yunlan couldn’t meddle too much in court affairs; everything depended on Li Yunyu’s words. But Tang Feng couldn’t worry about that now; he would have to see how things went. Tang Feng straightened his aching back, stood up, and left Li Yunyu and the others in the Tang residence's study. He went out and saw Zhou Ziliang sitting in the corridor enjoying the cool air. Tang Feng followed him. "What? Doesn't the young marquis like my play?" Tang Feng knew Zhou Ziliang didn't like joining in the fun, but he couldn't help teasing him. Zhou Ziliang wasn't annoyed. He pulled Tang Feng to sit beside him and asked, "Listen, can't you hear it too?" Tang Feng listened intently for a while, but the sound was intermittent. He then punched Zhou Ziliang's chest and laughed, "Oh! You dare tease me? You think I don't know kung fu and that my hearing isn't good?" After the two joked around for a while, Tang Feng sat up and said, "I'm going to Mo Bai's place now. If His Highness comes out, can you see him off for me?"
"Mo Bai?"
"Hmm... The Dragon Boat Festival ceremony is the day after tomorrow. There need to be a few people in the hall who will speak up for me!"
“Even if you don’t go, Mo Bai will help you,” Zhou Ziliang said, but he didn’t stop Tang Feng. After all, Tang Feng and Zhang Mo Bai had been friends for many years, and it would be good for Tang Feng to see Zhang Mo Bai. He told Tang Feng to come back early and then saw him to the door. Zhang Mo Bai used to climb over the backyard wall every time, but now that he’s older, he no longer does. Tang Feng rarely visited the Bai residence; most of the time, it was Zhang Mobai who came to see him. Tang Feng walked to the backyard and saw Zhang Mobai watching the nanny teach Li Lin'an to walk. Hearing the noise, Zhang Mobai looked up and exclaimed, "Little brother? Come, come, sit down! You're such a busy man, yet you remembered to look for me. Is something the matter?" Tang Feng smiled but didn't answer. He simply walked straight to Li Lin'an, opened his arms, and said gently, "Little Lin'an, come, come, let Uncle hold you." Although Li Lin'an was young, he often saw Tang Feng and wasn't shy. Using the nanny's strength, he snuggled into Tang Feng's arms. Tang Feng picked up Li Lin'an and weighed him in his hand. "Have you gotten fat? If you get any heavier, I won't be able to carry you anymore." Li Lin'an was amused by Tang Feng and let out a melodious laugh.
Zhang Mobai stood up and waved to the nanny, "You can go now! I'll call you if I need anything." Then he walked to Tang Feng's side and said, "Is there something important you need me for?"
"It's nothing major," Tang Feng replied to Zhang Mobai while teasing Li Lin'an in his arms. "I asked the Ninth Prince to hire an opera troupe to perform for His Majesty at the Dragon Boat Festival in a few days." "That's a good thing, a performance without any ulterior motive, His Majesty likes it best." Zhang Mobai's words were followed by a long silence from Tang Feng, who still hadn't responded. A bad feeling crept into his heart. "You wouldn't... Brother, this is the Dragon Boat Festival, all the civil and military officials and their families are here, don't you dare cause trouble!"
"Don't worry! I have my own plans. Just keep an eye on things for me," Tang Feng chuckled, knowing he needed Zhang Mobai's help, and thus became somewhat humble. Zhang Mobai frowned, seemingly with a hint of disdain. "Keep an eye on things? You wouldn't contact me unless it was something serious. Fine, fine, I'll listen to you! I'm only doing this because you're not feeling well right now. Otherwise, who would care about you? Who exactly are you doing this for, Ninth Prince?"
"For the Lin family!" Seeing Zhang Mobai's eyes widen, Tang Feng quickly explained, "I don't want to protect the entire Lin family; I only want to protect Lin Siwen. The Lin family army is loyal only to the Lin family, and General Lin is already old. Now, the only one who can inherit the family business is Lin Siwen. If His Majesty executes Lin Siwen, I'm afraid Mu Xi will stage a mutiny."
"So His Majesty is only detaining Lin Siwen and hasn't executed him yet?"
"Hmm... I'm thinking, perhaps His Majesty was already wary of the Lin family, and then Li Yunye spouted nonsense about the Lin family sending Lin Siwen to Muxi, so he must have been blinded by anger. Although His Majesty didn't touch Lin Siwen, he's still in prison. I need to find a way to get him out, because I need him to owe me a favor, and I need the Lin family to owe me a favor..."
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, although it was still daytime, the outside was already bustling with activity. Street vendors hawked their pre-wrapped zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), and some shops even hired lion dance troupes to perform at their entrances to attract customers. In the palace, civil and military officials sat on one side, while concubines and noblewomen sat on the other. Emperor Yun, seated on his dragon throne, rose, raised his wine cup, and said, "May Heaven bless my Yan Yun, bringing favorable weather, abundant harvests, and peace to the nation." Everyone else rose as well, raising their cups in a toast to Heaven and Earth. Then, songs and dances filled the air. Emperor Yun waved his hand, gesturing for everyone to sit down, "Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, everyone please make yourselves at home." With everyone seated, the banquet began.
"Your Highness, what are you looking at?" Tang Feng put down his chopsticks and followed Li Yunyu's gaze, then couldn't help but smile. "Are you afraid you won't succeed today?"
"Huh? Sir... what did you say?"
"Hey, why are you trembling for no reason?" Tang Feng filled Li Yunyu's cup with wine. "After you finish drinking, go! Your Highness, rest assured, whether you succeed or not, I am willing to share your glory and disgrace." Li Yunyu picked up the cup and drank it all in one gulp, then stood up, stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, "Father, I recently found a theatrical troupe and acquired a new play. Thinking that today is a festive occasion, I would like to present it to Father." Emperor Yun couldn't help but smile. "Then let them come up! You've been very thoughtful." Li Yunheng looked at Li Yunyu as he walked back to his seat, frowned, and leaned slightly closer to Li Yunye. "When did this Ninth Prince become so good at flattery?"
Li Yunye quietly pointed to Tang Feng next to Li Yunyu, "Then naturally we should ask his newly appointed Grand Tutor."
Accompanied by the sounds of gongs, drums, and the sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument), the opera singers began to sing along with the lyrics:
It is not that I, your humble servant, have offended Your Majesty.
An ancient person also used this analogy.
King Zhuang of Chu was virtuous and practiced benevolent governance.
The four borders are peaceful and the frontier is secure.
He Gongchen hosted a banquet to celebrate peace.
The emperor and his ministers celebrated by drinking fine wine.
Until the evening stars and moon descend
The candlelight illuminates the hall.
The first few sentences didn't seem to bother Emperor Yun much; he simply tapped the dragon throne in rhythm. Li Yunyu stared intently at Emperor Yun's expression, cold sweat soaking his back, his fingers gripping the hem of his robe tightly, barely daring to breathe.
Lady Xu, Lady Xu, offering a toast on the stage
Suddenly a strong wind blew out the candlelight.
Young player Tang Jiao drank too much alcohol.
He casually pulled up his sleeve, letting loose his frivolous manner.
He casually pulled up his sleeve, letting loose his frivolous manner.
Lady Xu removes the tassel, startling the young general.
She then proceeded to speak softly to King Zhuang.
King Zhuang ordered his officials to remove the tassels from their hats.
First drink the wine in your cup, then light the candle.
He released the young general at the tassel-removing ceremony.
His heart as a national hero remained unharmed.
After a few lines of the opera, some of the ministers below the stage began to discern the underlying meaning and started whispering amongst themselves. Some of the bolder military officers secretly glanced at Emperor Yun's expression, only to find that the emperor's expression remained unchanged, his gaze fixed on Li Yunyu. The ministers all felt a chill run down their spines for Li Yunyu, thinking that the Ninth Prince was doomed. The line "The heart of a patriot remains unharmed" was a veiled reference to the Lin family, warning Emperor Yun not to drive them to their doom! But little did they know that Emperor Yun wasn't looking at Li Yunyu, but at Tang Feng. Compared to Li Yunyu's tense, sweat-drenched state, Tang Feng appeared calm and unperturbed, as if it were none of his business. Emperor Yun naturally understood the meaning of the opera's lyrics, but for Li Yunyu to so brazenly write them so openly, it was clear that Tang Feng was behind it all. Li Yunheng, standing to the side, also understood that Li Yunyu was trying to plead for the Lin family. Remembering what Li Yunye had told him—that whoever helped the Lin family would have compassion for the throne—he was somewhat surprised. The audience below the stage were lost in their own thoughts, and the performance on stage was nearing its end.
Later, King Zhuang led his troops westward to attack Zheng.
Tang Jiao risked his life to protect Xingyang.
Not a monarch with a vast amount of resources
How can a young general protect the imperial court?
The affairs of past and present dynasties are all the same.
My late father, I hope Your Majesty will consider this carefully.
If you're going to kill someone today, then kill your son.
Leave Qin Ying to protect the Tang Dynasty
After the last line was sung, Xu Chang'an, who was following behind Li Yunheng, exchanged a glance with Li Yunheng and then slowly stood up, saying, "Your Highness, although your opera is melodious and pleasant to listen to, there seems to be a hidden meaning in the lyrics." Li Yunyu did not retort, but instead knelt down before Emperor Yun, cupping his hands and saying, "Father... I know you have your own plans for the Lin family's fate, but I would like to advise you to reconsider this matter." Tang Feng, with his hands on his knees, appeared calm on the surface, but was somewhat anxious inside. After hearing Li Yunyu's words, Emperor Yun did not react, but simply asked, "Why?"
"The Lin family has been loyal and virtuous for three generations, rendering great service to Yanyun. They command a large army, yet they only dutifully guard the border. Tell me, who else in the court and the countryside is willing to go and guard Muxi!" Muxi is the border between Puyuan and Yanyun. Puyuan has been restless since its defeat, and besides, the extreme temperature difference there makes it unsuitable for ordinary people to live in for long. Therefore, few people would want to go there. Seeing that Emperor Yun's eyes didn't seem angry, Tang Feng slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Your Highness, that was then, wasn’t it?” Xu Chang’an stepped forward and knelt down, saying, “Your Majesty, not only is the Lin family involved in the Eastern Palace case, but Lin Cheng even wants to send Lin Siwen to Muxi. A powerful enemy can be dealt with, but a traitor within the family is hard to guard against!” At this moment, Tang Feng also stood up and pointed at Xu Chang’an, saying, “If Yan Yun is full of people like Lord Xu, where are the loyal ministers?” Then he stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, Lin Cheng, as a veteran general, has followed you for over thirty years. If he truly had the intention to rebel, he should have protected his daughter and forced the emperor to abdicate as soon as the Eastern Palace case began, leading the Lin family army all the way back to Xiling. Why wait for his two sons to die in prison and for him to be ostracized by the court before sending Lin Siwen to Muxi?”
"Grand Tutor Tang, are you determined to exonerate the former Crown Prince's traitors? Oh dear, I almost forgot, Grand Tutor, you were once a subordinate of the late Crown Prince!" Xu Chang'an spouted nonsense in the court, but Li Yunheng did not rise. Consort Rong, standing some distance away, shook her head at him, signaling him not to act impulsively. Rong Ji did not want to escalate the conflict between Tang Feng and Li Yunyu too much.
Upon hearing this, the officials began to whisper among themselves and point at Tang Feng. However, Tang Feng remained unmoved and said to Xu Chang'an, "I had already resigned from my post more than two years before the Eastern Palace case. My reappointment was by His Majesty's grace. How can I allow you to speak so arrogantly?"
"Enough!" Emperor Yun put down his wine cup and continued, "Grand Tutor Tang, putting everything else aside, Lin Cheng is indeed going to send Lin Siwen to Mu Xi, and the Lin family army is not insubordinate to the court's control. How can I not be on guard?"
“Your Majesty, even if General Lin truly intended to send his son to Muxi in order to rebel, why would he bother to reveal this to the Third Prince?” Tang Feng couldn’t help but look at Li Yunye. Emperor Yun also looked at Li Yunye along with Tang Feng. Just as Li Yunye was about to stand up and defend himself, Shen Qinghang came out and pressed his shoulder. “What the Prince reported is indeed true. The Lin family intends to send Lin Siwen to Muxi, but they did not say they intended to raise an army in rebellion. On the contrary, it is the Fourth Prince who is confusing the public and misleading Your Majesty’s judgment.”
"Your Majesty, whether the Third Prince misheard or the Fourth Prince misjudged, I still hope Your Majesty will consider the Ninth Prince's opinion and reconsider the punishment of the Lin family."
"The Lin family's strength should not be underestimated. What if they really raise an army and rebel?"
"Your Majesty, why don't you continue to seal off the General's Mansion, release Lin Siwen, and let him stay in Xiling to find another job? As for the Lin family army, since they obey the Lin family, why not have General Lin write a letter every day, which the court will review before sending to Mu Xi, thus calming the army's morale?"
Seeing Emperor Yun's hesitation, Zhang Mobai stood up and said, "Your Majesty, regardless of the Lin family's merits or demerits, their position on Mu Xi's side remains unshakable. Grand Tutor Tang did not pardon the entire Lin family, only releasing Lin Siwen to serve Yan Yun. This decision must have been weighed for a long time, just like in the plays. A magnanimous ruler will safeguard the court. Your Majesty has always valued talent, and I believe you have already made your decision."
Emperor Yun looked at his three sons below, each with a different expression, then at the civil and military officials and the concubines of the palace, and asked, "What does Grand Tutor Tang mean? Does anyone have anything else to say?"
The officials, who had never wanted to get involved, all echoed the sentiment. Xu Chang'an knew this wasn't the time to confront Tang Feng; if he acted impulsively, he might harm Li Yunheng. So he had no choice but to follow suit.
"If no one objects... let's proceed according to Grand Tutor Tang's wishes for now! Alright, alright, let's continue the banquet!"
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