Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
As Princess Jinyang and Caesar reunited after a brief separation, their bond was as close as that of newlyweds. The spring moonlight streamed through the window, candles extinguished, and garments were shed. With smiles behind the curtains, the fragrance of orchids filled the air. This wild night saw the bedcovers tossed aside, peach blossoms rolled in waves, and they intertwined in a passionate embrace. One was drenched in sweat, unable to look back while the other sang sweetly, their desires intensifying after months of longing. Tonight was finally the culmination of their feelings, and they plucked several branches of joy from their shared intimacy.
The night showed no signs of ending; both were still reluctant to part. They embraced and whispered tender words, expressing an unending yearning.
It wasn't until dawn broke that Caesar finally rose. Feeling languid, his complexion resembled a ripe peach glistening with dew, leaving him feeling soft all over with weak limbs. He cast a charming glance at Princess Jinyang, his heart filled with utmost satisfaction.
After assisting Princess Jinyang with her morning routine, they had a light breakfast and were contemplating going out for some fun when news arrived that Miss Shuyi had arrived. Just as Princess Jinyang was about to get up, Li Mingda entered confidently.
"Brother Xu, today Li Zhi is hosting a banquet and specifically requested you to come along. You mustn't make it difficult for your sister!"
Li Mingda was carefree and did not observe any formalities in front of Princess Jinyang. She boldly sat down between them. While Princess Jinyang looked helplessly at the situation, Caesar merely smiled knowingly and stole a glance at her.
Noticing something unusual in their eyes, Li Mingda scrutinized them closely and discovered numerous peach blossom marks on Princess Jinyang's neck. Unfamiliar with romantic matters, she mistakenly thought that Princess Jinyang had caught a cold and exclaimed, "Brother, why do you look so worn out? You’ve developed spots from being too weak! We should have the maid brew some soup to help you recover!"
Upon hearing "worn out," Caesar couldn't help but cover his mouth to stifle a laugh. Princess Jinyang could only hold her forehead in exasperation, unsure how to explain herself to the young girl. After some evasive conversation, they followed Li Mingda to Li Zhi's residence.
Li Mingda was familiar with Jin Wangfu and did not need an announcement. Seeing Princess Jinyang arrive—a prominent figure—made the servants envious. Although Li Mingda appeared as Xu Sier, Princess Jinyang's sister, everyone in the Inner Palace knew that Xu Sier was none other than the favorite of the current Sage.
At this moment, Li Mingda felt somewhat dissatisfied and pouted in complaint: "Li Zhi is really something else; he promised to let me bring Brother Xu along but didn’t even come to greet us..."
Princess Jinyang reassured her that it was no trouble; she had no intention of getting involved with Li Zhi anyway. She only came due to Li Mingda's insistence and thought it would be better if Li Zhi didn't show up at all—she could sit for a while and then find an excuse to leave.
However, Li Mingda was quite stubborn and insisted on dragging Princess Jinyang into the reception hall to see what important guests Li Zhi was entertaining, completely disregarding Brother Xu.
Princess Jinyang felt this was inappropriate but couldn’t resist Li Mingda’s persistence. They slipped inside together and hid behind a screen. Through a gap, Princess Jinyang witnessed an unbelievable scene unfold before her eyes.
Murong Hanzhu unexpectedly arrived with Changsun Wuji and engaged in a lively conversation with Li Zhi!
"What does he want to do?" Xu Zhenxin felt a surge of intense unease. Ever since their first encounter during the Tuguhun, he sensed that Murong Hanzhu was no ordinary person. He never expected that he would involve Changsun Wuji in his schemes!
Hearing Murong Hanzhu speak calmly, he said, "I have heard that King Wei has summoned envoys from various nations to witness the grand marriage bestowed by the Sage to Tuguhun, intending to showcase the might of our heavenly kingdom. In doing so, he has taken the lead over the king. Given this situation, if the king acts contrary to expectations, it will surely yield remarkable results!"
Li Zhi was already a person without strong opinions. He had long heard from Changsun Wuji that King Wei placed great importance on etiquette and education. In this battle against Tuguhun, neither of them had achieved any military merit, but during the commendation of those who had contributed, they each sought to recruit and recommend military personnel, resulting in a stalemate where both gained something.
However, King Wei was sharp-minded and intellectually superior. He had always presided over cultural and ceremonial matters and maintained a close relationship with the Minister of Rites, who belonged to King Wei's faction. Although they had defeated Tuguhun, since Tuguhun had already surrendered, the Sage naturally granted a marriage to appease them and conferred noble titles, incorporating Tuguhun into the Tang Dynasty's sphere of influence.
With this in mind, after discussions with the Minister of Rites, King Wei decided to hold a grand marriage ceremony and invited civil and military officials as well as numerous foreign envoys to witness the event, showcasing and promoting the prestige of our Tang Dynasty. This move received strong approval from the Sage, further increasing King Wei's favor!
Li Zhi had just suffered another defeat and felt depressed. At that moment, Changsun Wuji brought Murong Hanzhu, who was known as Cui Hanzhu from the Cui Clan and served as the Deputy Envoy for this Tuguhun delegation. As a close aide to Qizong Nongsan, he naturally had strategies to offer. Li Zhi was delighted and quickly asked, "What advice do you have for me?"
Murong Hanzhu appeared relaxed and then slowly said, "At this time, many suitors from vassal states have gathered in Chang'an. It is better to share joy than to enjoy it alone. Perhaps we could hold a Marriage Trial where all envoys can participate; the winner would receive a marriage grant. This would demonstrate our heavenly kingdom's might and teach these small nations that a princess cannot be won easily. All countries will surely exert their utmost efforts to curry favor, which will greatly enhance our national prestige!"
"This plan is excellent!"
Li Zhi clapped his hands in approval and laughed heartily. However, behind the screen, Xu Zhen felt a tightness in her heart. Historical records often mentioned that Emperor Taizong married Wencheng after six trials of marriage envoys; now it seemed this idea originated from Murong Hanzhu!
Yet Xu Zhen was also puzzled. Even so, why was Murong Hanzhu not recorded in Historical Records? Was there some strange twist behind this?
Once Murong Hanzhu's plan was adopted, it would undoubtedly enter Li Zhi's inner circle and conspire with Changsun Wuji. One Changsun Wuji was already cunning enough; now adding Murong Hanzhu meant not only did King Wei Li Tai have no chance of winning, but even Li Zhi's position could be threatened. If these two supported Li Zhi's rise to power, wouldn't the Tang Dynasty Court be at their mercy?
Seeing Li Zhi delighted, Changsun Wuji and Murong Hanzhu exchanged knowing smiles; they clearly had plotted this beforehand. Changsun Wuji then offered another suggestion: "Although this plan is good, it inevitably risks appearing confrontational towards King Wei or displeasing the Sovereign. The king could present this plan to the Sage while praising King Wei’s talents and suggesting that King Wei execute it. The Sage will surely appreciate your benevolence and harmony and commend you; this is a strategy of retreating to advance!"
Upon hearing these words, Murong Hanzhu and Li Zhi were genuinely impressed; indeed, experience brings wisdom and insight!
"Lord Changsun's plan is excellent. I feel ashamed to be a Deputy Envoy of Tuguhun. Although Lu Dongzan is not an incompetent person, he lacks the moral authority of the sage. The exam questions can be chosen to exploit his weaknesses. If Tuguhun fails to win first place, the princess will have to marry someone from another country, which would contradict the Sovereign's previous promise of marriage. In this case, the Sage will surely blame King Wei, and the king will have won another round!"
With such a thorough analysis from Murong Hanzhu, Li Zhi felt enlightened and ordered his servants to bring gold, jade, and silk to reward Murong Hanzhu, treating him almost like an honored guest.
Seizing the opportunity, Li Zhi asked about the future trends. Murong Hanzhu spoke eloquently and logically, leaving no gaps in reasoning, demonstrating a foresight that even an old statesman like Changsun Wuji could not help but secretly admire: "The Cui Clan truly has a wealth of talent!"
Murong Hanzhu was also cunning; with just a few words, he managed to steer the conversation towards the Xu Zhen: "Your Majesty, this small scheme is merely a literary contest. The Sage is about to lead an expedition to Liaodong. If he gains the support of the military, he can achieve his goals smoothly. During ordinary times, it would be wise to interact more with military seniors and comfort various generals. We should win them over and not let King Wei get ahead."
Li Zhi had heard that King Wei was starting to win over military confidants and was at a loss for strategies. Hearing Murong Hanzhu's words hit the nail on the head, he immediately asked for advice.
"Sir, where do you think we should start?"
Murong Hanzhu glanced at Changsun Wuji with some difficulty before gritting his teeth and replying: "I believe that Loyal Martial General Xu Zhen is a good candidate. She is young and accomplished, has military achievements, and has gained favor from Li Jing and Li Jue. Moreover, she enjoys great favor from the Sage. If we can secure her support, great things can be accomplished!"
It was no wonder he first glanced at Changsun Wuji; this Changsun Wuji had always viewed Xu Zhen as a thorn in his side and had instructed Niu Jinda to find opportunities to undermine her. Now that Murong Hanzhu had just gained recognition from Li Zhi, suggesting support for Xu Zhen would surely undermine Changsun Wuji's position.
However, Xu Zhen was well aware of Murong Hanzhu’s character and intentions; she would be more than happy to see him fail rather than risk becoming an enemy of Changsun Wuji and jeopardizing her bright future by elevating Xu Zhen.
Li Zhi sighed lightly and candidly admitted: "I have long known that Brother Xu possesses both literary and martial talents. I previously tried to persuade him but found that his ambitions lie elsewhere; he only seeks achievements in the military and does not wish to engage in court politics. Perhaps that is why he has gained recognition from the Sage..."
Murong Hanzhu sneered coldly, exchanged glances with Changsun Wuji, then suggested: "Your Majesty, if he lacks true intentions, then so be it. But if he turns towards King Wei's side, he will become a formidable opponent. It would be better to prepare in advance by suppressing him first—promote him only after keeping him down—using both kindness and severity might truly bring him over!"
Li Zhi was also worried that Xu Zhen might lean towards King Wei Li Tai. Hearing Murong Hanzhu's plan, he quickly inquired further. After pondering for a moment, Murong Hanzhu finally spoke up.
"Someone heard that the Xu Zhen has long been in a chaotic palace. If this matter gets out, it would be a huge blow to him, damaging the Sage's reputation, and the Sage would definitely be displeased. The Xu Zhen holds significant weight in the Sage's heart, so her standing would naturally be greatly diminished..."
Li Mingda listened to Murong Hanzhu and felt a chill in her heart. Although the Sage appreciated the Xu Zhen, every time she summoned her, it was done privately. After all, she was still an unmarried princess, and if this were to spread, it would harm her reputation.
If the Sage truly disapproved of the Xu Zhen, she would never allow Li Mingda to meet with her again; that would be tantamount to putting Li Mingda's life at risk!
"The Zhi Brother knows my intentions and surely will not accept this villain's scheme!" Li Mingda clenched her delicate fists and looked at her brother with conviction.
As expected, Li Zhi showed a troubled expression and hesitated before saying, "While this could indeed reduce the Xu Zhen's influence, it would harm Sister Si's reputation, which I cannot bear to do..."
Li Mingda breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed her brother had not forgotten their bond due to the struggle for power. He was still that caring Zhi Brother...
However, Changsun Wuji interjected, "Your Majesty must not be indecisive. The identity of Sister Si as a princess is unknown to outsiders, and those within the Inner Palace are well aware of her pure nature. At most, they would blame the Xu Zhen; how could it tarnish the princess's status? If there is hesitation, the Xu Zhen will only grow stronger, making it even more difficult to win her over!"
Murong Hanzhu and Changsun Wuji were indeed well-prepared, complementing each other’s arguments. Finally, aside from Li Zhi's concerns, the latter gritted his teeth and resolutely said, "If that's the case, let us proceed as you both suggest!"
Li Mingda's fists made cracking sounds as she never expected that her Zhi Brother was still deeply immersed in the power struggle, completely forgetting their innocent sibling bond. In a fit of anger, she was about to rush out from behind the screen to confront her brother!
Comment 0 Comment Count