Chapter Seventy-Three: The Night Banquet (Part Two)

"Seventh Brother, you’ve come at just the right moment. Ah, I’ve devised a brilliant move—let’s see what you can do this time." Hearing footsteps, Li Xian lifted his head from the chessboard. Seeing that it was Li Xian who had returned, he couldn’t help but smile. Waving him over with a flourish, he pointed proudly at the board, enthusiasm sparkling in his eyes. He made no mention of what Li Xian and Wu Youning had discussed, clearly considering Wu Youning nothing more than a passing extra, not worthy of further attention.

The ignorant are ever fearless, heh, and this fellow’s self-centered nature will likely never change. Even though Li Xian was well accustomed to his brother’s temperament, he couldn’t help but silently grumble at the sight of his excitement. Yet, his face remained bright with a radiant smile as he strode over, knelt gracefully, and, without hesitation, picked a black stone from the box. He glanced at the board and, almost instinctively, placed it at a critical point in the game.

"Ah, Seventh Brother, this is a fierce move indeed—are you intent on mutual destruction?" Li Xian gasped as the stone landed on a strategic spot, muttering his protest under his breath.

"Sixth Brother, our cousin sent an invitation—he wishes us both to attend a banquet tomorrow night," Li Xian replied with a smile, not directly answering his brother’s remark but instead relating Wu Youning’s purpose.

"Not going," Li Xian responded flatly, not even bothering to look up.

"This... might not be wise. Father and Mother will both be there. If we refuse, people will talk." A hint of a wry smile crossed Li Xian’s lips as he shook his head and offered this explanation.

"Oh?" Li Xian raised his head in doubt, frowning as he looked at Li Xian. He gave a soft grunt but did not immediately respond. Li Xian did not press him, merely drew two invitations from his sleeve and placed them on the table.

"Well, since there’s no avoiding it, we’ll go then," Li Xian said, picking up the invitations and flipping through them carelessly. He shook his head with a sigh.

"Very well, then I shall have some gifts prepared to send ahead as tokens of our regard," Li Xian replied with a smile. He called over Gao Miao, who had been waiting nearby, and quietly issued his instructions. Gao Miao then led the servants off to prepare the gifts.

"These mediocrities are all experts at flattery but lack any true talent. Just look at this invitation: gilded and silvered, ostentatious as can be—how much of the people’s fat and blood is wasted on such things? Shameless!" Though Li Xian accepted his brother’s help with the gifts and agreed to attend the banquet, his resentment toward the Wu family had not lessened. He tossed the ornate invitation aside with disdain.

"You are right, Sixth Brother. The court’s atmosphere is worrying indeed. If things do not improve, disaster is certain. But it’s too soon to speak of this now; when you soar to high office, it will not be too late to address it then," said Li Xian. Having lived three lifetimes, he understood the ills of the Tang court far better than Li Xian. He, too, felt a deep sorrow, but he knew these problems could not be solved in haste, nor by mere complaints. Seeing Li Xian’s displeasure, he tried to lighten the mood.

"Enough of that—let’s get back to the game. I am determined to win today!" Li Xian, though proud, understood the importance of priorities. After venting his frustrations, he did not wish to dwell further on the Wu family and turned the conversation back to the chessboard.

"If you have such ambition, I shall gladly accompany you to the end. Only..." Li Xian’s words trailed off, as though he had more to say.

"Hmm?" Li Xian, sensing something amiss, frowned. When Li Xian did not continue, suspicion grew in his heart. Noting his brother’s half-smile, he suddenly realized something and waved at the attendants in the hall. "You all are dismissed!"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Li Xian’s natural authority brooked no delay. At his command, all the servants bowed and withdrew, leaving only the two brothers facing each other in the vast hall.

"Seventh Brother, now that it is quiet, speak plainly. I have no patience for riddles," Li Xian said impatiently once the attendants had gone.

Li Xian did not speak immediately but smiled calmly. "Sixth Brother, there is something that has long troubled me. I cannot let it go. I ask for your guidance."

"Oh? What is it?" Li Xian, unable to guess what his brother was getting at, frowned more deeply and waved his hand in slight annoyance.

"Sixth Brother, do Wu Weiliang and Wu Huaiyun find favor with our mother?"

"This..." Li Xian was caught off guard by what he considered a trivial question. He stared at Li Xian, trying to read his expression but found nothing. Left puzzled, he replied, "Mother has never liked those two. Otherwise, why would she have sent them away as officials in distant regions? I do not know all the details, but as an observer, it is clear enough. Why? Do you suspect something about tomorrow’s banquet?"

"Yes, I do."

For days, Li Xian had been pondering how to deal with Empress Wu’s murderous intent. With no allies at hand, even the best plans seemed futile. Now, with the crisis at hand, he had to drop hints, hoping his brother could offer some help.

"What? Those two would dare rebel? Impossible!" Li Xian exclaimed, eyes wide in shock.

"You misunderstand, Sixth Brother. It’s not that they have such treacherous designs, but that someone means to frame them during the night banquet," Li Xian replied evenly.

"Then... you mean..." Li Xian was no fool; he had seen the palace’s intrigues. Hearing Li Xian’s pointed hint, he suddenly grasped the edge of the truth. Alarmed, he stood abruptly, pointing toward the main palace, but could not finish his sentence. Shock and anger twisted his features.

Li Xian simply nodded, his expression grave.

"No, no, I don’t believe it!" Li Xian was not a cruel man; he could not accept that anyone could be so ruthless. Even with Li Xian’s certainty, he refused to believe it.

Don’t believe it? A fine thing, indeed. In a past life, you never believed that woman could be so vicious, not until the moment you died by her hand—dying for nothing. Li Xian understood his brother’s character all too well: proud, upright, indignant at injustice, talented but lacking cunning, neither thick-skinned nor cold-hearted. As a ruler in peaceful times, he could have been a wise sovereign. But facing someone as ruthless as Empress Wu, without a twist of fate, he would be nothing more than a stepping stone to her throne.

"Have you heard the rumor in the palace, that when Father returns to the capital, he will make Lady Wei his favored consort?" Since he had decided to seek his brother’s help, Li Xian did not conceal his intentions further—though, of course, he would never reveal his personal secrets.

"Yes, I have heard. But what of it?" Li Xian paced the hall, his face clouded.

"The intrigue lies here. Do you remember how Empress Wang and Consort Xiao died?" Li Xian sneered.

"Ah..."

Li Xian had been young when Empress Wang and Consort Xiao died, but he had heard often of the horror of their deaths. The mere thought of the infamous ‘bone intoxication’ sent a shudder through him, a flash of terror in his eyes.

"Sixth Brother, Helan has grown arrogant with favor, constantly using her beauty to captivate our father. That alone is enough to incur Mother’s wrath—how could she possibly survive? The only reason she remains is that the time was not right. Now, with the two Wu brothers present, scapegoats are at hand. The moment has come. Remember what happened in the Renxin Hall when you and I returned to the capital?"

"Renxin Hall? You mean..."

At the mention of Renxin Hall, Li Xian’s eyes flickered, his face darkening as he ground his teeth, uncertainly voicing half a question.

"Even if I don’t say it, you must have guessed. Had we or Helan clashed that day, there would have been no need for the Wu brothers to serve as scapegoats now," Li Xian said with a cold smile, laying his conclusion bare.

"Scapegoats? Scapegoats! So that’s what it is!" Li Xian, sharp-witted by nature, immediately grasped the heart of the matter. His face darkened, jaw clenched, and a tic danced across his cheek. After a long silence, anger mounting, he finally spoke through gritted teeth.

"What do you plan to do, Seventh Brother?" He stalked the hall like a furious lion, pacing in agitation. At last, he stopped, determination set on his face.

What to do? Li Xian had pondered this question countless times. He had devised many strategies, but none were foolproof, nor could he be certain Empress Wu would truly act at the banquet, let alone predict her methods. To come up with the perfect solution was nearly impossible—even a deity could not guarantee success. Facing his resolute brother, Li Xian fell silent, lost in deep thought...