Chapter 109: The Schemes of All Parties (Part One)

"Your Highness."

Shortly after Li Xian departed, Yan and Liu emerged from the side chamber. They were greeted by the sight of Li Hong sitting behind a small table, his complexion shifting between shades of green and red. It was clear that his internal struggle was intense, and the two men dared not disturb him. They waited silently until Li Hong looked up, at which point they hurried forward, bowing and calling out to him.

"Hmm, you both heard it, I presume? Tell me your thoughts," Li Hong said, nodding indifferently, his tone flat.

"Your Highness, if I may be so bold, this matter may not be as perilous as Prince Zhou suggests. His Majesty is merely unwell, and it is acceptable for the Empress to handle the court affairs on his behalf. His Majesty’s ailment is minor, and he shall recover in a few days. There is no risk of the world being turned upside down. In my humble opinion, Prince Zhou’s actions are heavily motivated by a desire to profit from this crisis. Your Highness should be cautious." Yan Liben had always detested Empress Wu’s interference in court matters, but he did not believe she possessed the stature to achieve anything significant. To him, she was merely relying on the Emperor’s favor within the inner palace. While she might enjoy a moment of triumph, she would ultimately fail to achieve anything of consequence. Li Xian, the enigmatic prince, was far more concerning. Having heard Li Hong’s account, Yan Liben did not hold back his analysis.

"Hmm." Li Hong did not immediately express his stance, offering only a non-committal grunt. Frowning slightly, he looked at Liu Xiangdao, who remained silent with his head bowed. "Does Minister Liu have any counsel to offer?"

"Your Highness, I deserve to die for bringing such trouble upon you..." Liu Xiangdao’s body trembled, and he bowed even lower. He rattled off a string of useless apologies, causing Li Hong’s brow to furrow even deeper.

"Enough. What is done is done; what is the point of saying such things? Tell me, how should I respond to this situation?" Irritated and impatient with Liu’s empty words, Li Hong waved his hand dismissively before the man could finish, his voice cold.

"Your Highness, I should bear the consequences of my own errors. I shall submit a petition to resign; I beg for your indulgence," Liu Xiangdao replied, his head still bowed. Though both he and Yan Liben were key officials in the Crown Prince's faction, their situations differed. Liu had not been with the Crown Prince for long and did not trust that Li Hong would exhaust his resources to protect him. Furthermore, as one of the lead investigators during the trial of Li Yifu, he had deeply offended the Empress. He knew that falling into her hands meant the end of his career, and he had no desire to endure the humiliation of a court trial.

"Brother Tongshou, do not give up so easily," Yan Liben interjected before Li Hong could speak. Although he did not say it explicitly, he was clearly unwilling to cooperate with Li Xian. "In my view, there is still much that can be done. Even if you submit your resignation now, the Empress can simply use the pretext of selecting a successor to gather the officials. Not only would you suffer injustice in vain, but His Highness would be forced into a fierce confrontation with those petty villains in court. Where is the gain in that?"

"Hmm, Yan is correct. We must fight. How can I sit by and watch these villains run rampant? If things do not work out, I shall petition my father to preside over justice. I will not allow Minister Liu to suffer such an injustice." Li Hong pondered this and felt that giving up on Liu Xiangdao without a fight would be a grave error. Beyond the risk of demoralizing his officials, regaining control of the Ministry of Personnel would be no easy feat. Li Hong did not believe Li Xian would cooperate so docilely.

"Your Highness is wise!" Yan Liben had long suffered under the Empress’s faction and had been eager to engage with them. Hearing Li Hong’s resolve, he felt greatly encouraged and hurried to praise him.

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Your Highness. However, the current political landscape is treacherous and unclear. You must be prepared. If my departure is inevitable, I hope you will decide quickly," Liu Xiangdao said, still wary.

"Hmm, would Zhao Renben be capable?" Li Hong’s original intention was to follow the middle path suggested by Li Xian, though he did not want to state it explicitly in front of Liu. Since Liu had brought it up himself, Li Hong seized the opportunity.

"Vice Minister Zhao is steady and experienced; he would be the best candidate."

Zhao Renben was the current Vice Minister of Rites and Liu Xiangdao’s deputy. They had always had a good relationship, and it was Liu’s original intention to recommend him. Upon hearing Li Hong suggest it, he naturally had no objections.

"That will do."

Although the ministers of the various departments were of equal rank, the Ministry of Personnel was the most prominent. Yan Liben had originally intended to suggest himself, but since Li Hong had already spoken, he could only echo the sentiment.

"Very well, it is settled. When the court meets, I need you all to exert your efforts together. Inform the others; I do not want any mistakes in this battle!" Seeing that his two key officials had no objections, Li Hong breathed a sigh of relief and spoke with determination.

"We shall obey. Your Highness, rest assured, we stand against those villains to the end!"

"We take our leave."

Yan Liben left with confidence, while Liu Xiangdao, still pessimistic about the upcoming struggle, bowed out without further comment. They departed to mobilize the officials loyal to the Crown Prince.

"Sigh..."

After they left, Li Hong sat in silence for a long time. Finally, he let out a long sigh and rose to leave the study, his steps noticeably heavier and his posture more hunched than usual.

***

The Penglai Palace, originally named the Yongan Palace, was located on the Dragon Head Plain in the northeast of Chang’an. Construction began in the eighth year of the Zhenguan era as a summer retreat built by Li Shimin for his father, the Retired Emperor Li Yuan. Before it was completed, Li Yuan passed away in the Da’an Palace, and construction ceased. In the first month of the ninth year of Zhenguan, it was renamed the Daming Palace. Later, in the second year of the Longshuo era, Emperor Gaozong renamed it the Penglai Palace and expanded it significantly, making it more than twice the size of the Taiji Palace. Whenever Gaozong suffered from his recurring ailments, he would retreat there to recuperate. The Penglai Hall, adjacent to the Penglai Pool, was his most frequent residence.

At this moment, Gaozong lay in a sealed room within the Penglai Palace. Despite the intense heat, he was covered in thick blankets, and a hot towel was pressed to his forehead. Even so, he shivered violently, his face as pale as paper. He alternated between shivering with cold and breaking into profuse sweats, throwing the attending eunuchs and palace maids into a state of panic.

"All of you, withdraw."

As the attendants scrambled, Empress Wu, dressed in full regalia, entered from behind the screen. With a wave of her hand, Yan Desheng, the chief eunuch of the Yide Hall who followed behind her, barked an order. The attendants dared not hesitate; they bowed and retreated from the room, leaving their tasks behind.

"Your Majesty, Chancellor Xu has submitted a memorial impeaching Minister of Personnel Liu Xiangdao for speaking recklessly and disparaging the princes—a crime of great disrespect. Upon hearing this, I felt the matter was too grave to decide on my own, so I have come to ask Your Majesty to preside over the situation." After the others had left, Empress Wu walked gracefully to the bedside. She produced a white silk handkerchief from her sleeve and began to tenderly wipe the sweat from Gaozong’s face, speaking in a low voice.

"Empress, you... handle it... as you see fit. I... I cannot concern myself... with such matters," Gaozong muttered, his voice trembling with impatience and physical distress.

"Your Majesty, this concerns a high-ranking official. If I were to handle it lightly, it might be inappropriate. Shall we discuss it at the court session before making a decision?" Empress Wu persisted, continuing to wipe his forehead.

"Whatever the Empress decides... is fine. I have... no objections." Gaozong, who had always been intimidated by his wife and was suffering from a splitting headache, had no energy to manage court affairs and agreed to whatever she proposed.

"If that is the case, I shall do my best. However, without your decree, it would be improper for me to conduct a court session. I ask that you provide me with an edict so I may act with authority." Her voice grew even softer, filled with feigned submissiveness.

"Fine, fine, fine. I will give it to you! Just go and work out the details with Chancellor Xu." Gaozong shouted in frustration, only to choke, falling into a violent coughing fit that turned his face a deep, purplish hue.

"Someone, quickly! Send for the imperial physicians!"

With the imperial decree in hand, Empress Wu felt a flicker of joy, but seeing Gaozong’s distress, she panicked and shouted for help. The eunuchs and maids waiting outside rushed in, followed by a group of elderly physicians with white beards. After much frantic effort, they managed to stabilize Gaozong’s breathing. He gasped heavily, like a pair of bellows, for nearly half an hour before finally drifting into a fitful sleep.

"Physician Wang, how is His Majesty’s condition?"

Exhausted, Empress Wu did not stop to rest, immediately summoning the head physician, Wang Qi, to her side, her expression grave.

"His Majesty is suffering from a minor ailment and will recover after a few days of rest. We have already prepared the prescription; please examine it, Your Majesty." Wang Qi was a veteran physician and knew well that Gaozong’s condition was chronic and recurring, but he dared not speak plainly in front of the Empress, opting to downplay the severity.

"That is good. I leave him in your care; you must ensure His Majesty’s health. Pass on my order: without my personal seal, no one is to disturb the Imperial Presence. Do you all understand?" Once she learned there was no immediate danger to his life, her tension eased. She did not take the prescription from Wang Qi but instead adopted a stern expression and issued her decree.

"We obey your command, Empress."

In the inner palace, Empress Wu’s word was law. Despite the suspicions many harbored regarding this decree, none dared to voice their dissent, and they all bowed in submission.