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The Xu Zhen pretended to use divination through "Shooting the Cover" to play tricks on the supernatural, secretly obtaining confidential information from Tubo. Tubo knew that if such a significant matter were to be exposed, it would lead to dire consequences, and a murderous intent spread in his eyes, startling the young girl Li Mingda.
Although she was aware that her brother was secretly communicating with the Turkic faction, she did not know the details behind it, nor did she realize that her brother was planning a rebellion against the palace. She only thought that her brother's increased interactions with foreigners might provoke the Sage's displeasure, jeopardizing their hold on the Eastern Palace throne. Upon seeing Xu Zhen's deductions, she realized that Xu Zhen had indeed grasped her brother's concerns.
Tubo had always been kind and benevolent, never showing any malice towards others. He was known for being approachable and understanding, but now his face revealed a fierce demeanor that truly frightened Li Mingda.
However, he was not an impulsive person. He understood that Xu Zhen was currently in a position of power. Even if he could defeat her in a fight, killing her in Shuyi Palace would be an unexplainable crime. He immediately reined in his murderous intent and replaced it with a smiling expression, casually waving his hand.
"Dear brother, do not frighten yourself unnecessarily. Although your elder brother is not exemplary, he would not commit such a heinous act that would incite public outrage. Please do not overthink this; our playful banter should not reach others' ears, or it could lead to a great disaster!"
Xu Zhen was also sweating profusely and hurriedly apologized, saying, "I have been reckless; I will follow your Highness's orders. This matter is crucial, and I am someone who understands discretion. Please rest assured."
Seeing Xu Zhen soften her tone eased Tubo's mind somewhat. However, he still had to consider Xu Zhen's special status; thus, the communication regarding the Turkic faction's rebellion would have to be postponed for a while.
Xu Zhen was no ordinary person; she pursued princesses in the streets and protected them from afar while fighting in the military and inventing various extraordinary weapons of war. She achieved remarkable military accomplishments and received special promotion from the Sage. She had risen to great heights and enjoyed unparalleled success. Now she even had special permission to carry a weapon freely within Shuyi Palace.
Given such privileges, Xu Zhen would not dare take risks by exposing the crown prince's secrets. After all, His Majesty still favored Tubo greatly. Despite many officials criticizing him, he loved his son as before without any regret. If this were investigated further, Xu Zhen would bear full responsibility for her actions, which was hardly worth it.
Li Mingda understood her brother's character well; even a slight lie could be detected from his demeanor. At this moment, she confirmed that Tubo harbored rebellious intentions and felt pained by the coldness of the imperial family. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Tubo felt guilty and did not want to linger but found it inappropriate to take the Turkic Wolf Tooth token in front of them. He immediately asked Xu Zhen, "Dear sister, can you clarify what is concealed within this tea box?"
Xu Zhen pretended to grit her teeth and replied with difficulty, "It is neither metal nor plant; it exudes a fierce aura indicative of something sinister—likely related to bones or teeth. If there are no discrepancies, it must be Fangs of Tigers and Wolves; this cannot conceal its rebellious nature..."
After speaking, she sighed deeply with regret in her eyes and sincerely advised the crown prince: "Your Highness, may I say something? I have greatly benefited from imperial grace and regard Sister Si as my own sister. I truly cannot bear to see kin turn against each other or brothers fall apart. I shamelessly consider you as my brother; if you do not trust me, you may find some capable individuals to kill me within the palace instead. But please do not entertain any wicked thoughts..."
Tubo spoke sincerely to Xu Zhen, feeling regretful inside. After taking the Wolf Tooth, he covered his face and left, but before departing, he opened his heart to Xu Zhen and said, "Brother, you are indeed a person of true feelings. However, many matters in this world are beyond one's control, especially within the imperial courtyard. If I must act out of necessity, I only ask you to take good care of Sister Si. I thank you in advance!"
Seeing Tubo's heartfelt expression and noticing Li Mingda's restless eyes, Xu Zhen felt her heart soften. She gently stroked Li Mingda's hair and solemnly promised, "I have gone through life and death with Sister Si; we are as close as flesh and blood. If there is danger, I will fight to protect her. I only ask that Your Highness think carefully before acting."
With Xu Zhen expressing herself so openly, Tubo felt a sense of relief. After leaving Shuyi Palace, he looked up at the sky, which was shrouded in dark clouds like a blanket soaked in ink, weighing heavily on his heart and making it hard to breathe. Gripping the Wolf Tooth tightly in his hand, he gazed towards Tai Chi Hall, his emotions swirling like a tempest. He hurried back to the palace to seek someone for secret discussions about plans.
After sending off the Crown Prince, Xu Zhen comforted Li Mingda again. She speculated that after this incident, the Crown Prince would be cautious and not act hastily, thus easing the crisis.
However, as the Crown Prince had said, when one is not in control of their own fate and knows that something cannot be done yet must do it anyway, fundamentally resolving this crisis seemed quite unfeasible.
It was likely that there were many criticisms against the Crown Prince among the civil and military officials in court; impeachment actions had never ceased. Even if the Crown Prince could ascend to power, he would still fear being unable to suppress these old ministers. The Sage was wise enough not to overlook such concerns.
It seemed that the matter of succession was indeed imperative. Aside from the intelligent and decisive Crown Prince Li Chengqian, King Wei Li Tai was favored and skilled in literature and painting but was more of a civil governance type. Although Prince Li Zhi was timid and weak, he was known for his benevolence and filial piety. Among the three sons, King Wu Li Ke had the best reputation; he excelled in horsemanship and archery and was well-versed in literature and history—truly a man of both civil and military talents with a high reputation throughout his tenure.
Even the Sage often remarked that these three sons were "worthy successors." However, Li Ke's birth mother was Consort Yang, a daughter of Sui Yangdi from the previous dynasty. This made him a figure of concern for the court; thus King Wu had early on been granted fiefs in Yi, Qi, Anzhou, Liang, and other four states.
Such significant matters were naturally beyond Xu Zhen's reach. Although she had assistance from Historical Records and gained some foresight from it, she worried that it might disrupt the course of events in this world. After calming Li Mingda down, she returned to Yamen feeling troubled.
Just as she sat down, a Guard entered to report that General Wei Chi Jing De had summoned Five Houses Guards for a meeting. Xu Zhen hurriedly followed him.
As it turned out, with the New Year approaching, the Sovereign wished to host a night banquet for all officials. Many princes and important ministers from border regions were also returning to Chang'an. Consequently, maintaining order in Chang'an became a top priority for Thousand Cattle Guards and Imperial Guards.
Xu Zhen served as Deputy General under Yifu and bore a heavy responsibility on her shoulders. When Wei Chi Jing De handed down the list of returning princes and ministers from Beijing, she did not dare be careless; she carefully reviewed it but paused at one name.
Han Wang Li Yuanchang!
This person is the seventh son of Gaozu Li Yuan, initially titled the King of Lu and later renamed Han Wang. His calligraphy was deeply influenced by Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi. Even in childhood, he had already mastered the essence of brushwork, excelling in running script and adept at painting horses, with exquisite handwriting and a collection of renowned works that filled his library.
However, what attracted Xu Zhen was not Han Wang Li Yuanchang's talents but rather his close friendship with Tubo, as they were of similar age. Initially, he had no conflicts with others, but later became embroiled in the Tubo Rebellion case and was reported by He Gan Chengji, resulting in his execution.
According to Historical Records, Han Wang Li Yuanchang was part of Crown Prince Li Chengqian's faction. His return to Chang'an for pilgrimage might stir up some commotion.
Xu Zhen did not have a clear memory of Historical Records but vaguely recalled that after Li Yuanchang returned to the capital, he often stayed overnight at the Eastern Palace, conspiring with Tubo and secretly engaging in blood oath rituals. It was likely that this would lead to the current situation.
Although she knew that Han Wang Li Yuanchang and Tubo were plotting something, Xu Zhen could not express her concerns to Wei Chi Jing De, feeling anxious and distracted.
Wei Chi Jing De had arranged many secretive matters before it was Xu Zhen's turn. The Sovereign would host a banquet at Daming Palace by Taiye Pool for civil and military officials as well as various princes, accompanied by songs and performances that required significant manpower for maintenance and vigilance.
Many external princes and important ministers would take this opportunity to present gifts to the Sovereign, which could include rare treasures or performances praising him. This aspect was also a focus for the Three Guards and Imperial Guards' precautions.
Although Xu Zhen's Yiyi Mansion could not compare to the personal guards and honor guards, it still needed to share the heavy burden of defense. It was uncertain whether Wei Chi Jing De intentionally made Xu Zhen and her subordinates pay attention to the situation during the performances.
This segment was particularly chaotic; although there were strict checks before entering the palace, if anyone dared to plot something sinister, the best opportunity would undoubtedly be during the gift presentations and performances.
After carefully listening to her mission details, Xu Zhen returned to her residence but could not settle her mind. Just as she was about to seek Zhang Jiunian for discussion, her steward hurriedly came to report that a concubine had killed someone in public. Steward Zhang had already gone to communicate with the Wannian County Office.
Hearing this news was like a bolt from the blue for Xu Zhen. This was a tumultuous time; she was rising rapidly in status and was under scrutiny from various factions engaged in both open and covert struggles. During this period of calmness, she believed no one would covet her position. Who could have imagined that someone would dare to reach for Caesar?
At this moment, Caesar was like a close family member to Xu Zhen; he was Xu Zhenzhi's Achilles' heel. This incident had undoubtedly crossed Xu Zhenzhi's bottom line!
Caesar had a strong and cold personality; he would never harm others unless provoked. It seemed clear that his assailant had come with malicious intent. Xu Zhen wanted to remain calm but felt utterly chaotic inside. She hurried to Wannian County Office and saw Zhang Jiunian coming out from within, quickly asking about the relevant details.
Zhang Jiunian sighed lightly, realizing that the murder was a serious crime, and the identity of the victim was significant. The county magistrate could not handle it alone and had already reported it to the Chang'an Magistrate, who also dared not make decisions unilaterally. The case was submitted to the Supreme Court, requesting the Three Supervisors to jointly investigate.
Xu Zhen quickly asked Zhang Jiunian if Caesar had really killed someone and who the victim was. After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Jiunian replied, "The deceased is Du Huan, the son of Du Chuke, Chief Historian of the Wei Wang Mansion!"
"What! It’s actually someone from King Wei's family?" Xu Zhen frowned. She had just advised Crown Prince Li Chengqian against getting involved, and now they were entangled with King Wei Li Tai, making it impossible for her to withdraw from this conflict.
Du Chuke was the younger brother of the late Duke Du Ruhui and was known for his authority and integrity in managing affairs in Wei Wangfu. His family had strict upbringing; how could his son cause trouble on the street with Caesar?
Zhang Jiunian understood Xu Zhen's confusion and explained that Du Huan had seen Mistress Caesar alone on the street and mistook her for a loose woman, thus he made lewd remarks. After being sternly reprimanded by Caesar, he became furious and ordered his servants and vicious dogs to forcefully take her. In the ensuing altercation, three were killed and three severely injured by Caesar, resulting in Du Huan's immediate death.
Additionally, Zhang Jiunian had learned some insider information. It was said that Du Huan had a close relationship with his cousin, Duke of the Right Guard Du He. It was possible that Du He had long plotted to slander Caesar as an immoral woman and incited Du Huan to provoke her.
He must have known Caesar's temperament; once a conflict arose, Xu Zhen would become hostile towards Du Chuke, effectively severing King Wei's chances of winning over Xu Zhen!
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