Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Royal Family’s Greatest Scandal

Chen Ying had expected Su Hu to erupt in fury, but he had underestimated Su Hu’s composure and cunning. Su Hu’s aged face betrayed no emotion, his expression solemn. “You are right to admonish me, Master Chen,” he replied.

Su Hu’s calm demeanor left Chen Ying feeling as if his punch had landed on cotton. Yet Chen Ying was not about to let Su Hu off so easily; after all, the Princess of Pingyang’s authority was not something to be dismissed lightly.

“Lord Su, there is still a debt between us to settle,” Chen Ying said.

“Master Chen,” Su Hu stammered, “we should leave room for future encounters.”

“Is that a threat?” Chen Ying pressed.

“I wouldn’t dare!” Su Hu protested.

“You cost me a thousand strings of cash,” Chen Ying said with a faint smile. “Lord Su, you are an astute man. They say a gentleman waits ten years to avenge a wrong, but I never let my grudges last overnight. You know what to do.”

Su Hu replied, “There’s no point in further words. I take my leave.”

“I won’t see you out,” Chen Ying said.

Turning away, Chen Ying saw Li Xiuning lying comfortably on the soft bed in the room, while Hongxiu and Lvzhu quietly attended her. Chen Ying couldn’t tell whether it was Lvzhu or Hongxiu kneeling gracefully at the table, brewing tea with dignified poise, while the other gently massaged Li Xiuning’s shoulders, eliciting a look of deep satisfaction from her.

Witnessing this scene, Chen Ying’s resolve grew even stronger: a true man must never be powerless for even a day.

Without power or influence, calamity would strike regardless of how humbly one behaved. The wolf eats the sheep, never considering the sheep’s feelings, always finding countless noble excuses. Chen Ying silently vowed to be a wolf that devours sheep, not one that is slaughtered.

He did not enter the room, but rushed into the courtyard, knelt beside Lan’er who lay on the ground, and checked her breathing. Her breath was faint, barely perceptible. Chen Ying picked up the unconscious Lan’er and shouted to Chen Huairen, “Huairen, come quickly, save her!”

Zhao Yuanqiao and Li Chuyi hurried to the front chambers to fetch Chen Huairen’s medicine chest and acupuncture kit.

Chen Ying gently placed Lan’er on the bed and stepped aside to let Chen Huairen treat her.

Chen Huairen rested his hand on Lan’er’s pulse, closed his eyes in contemplation, and after a long moment, sighed deeply.

Chen Ying’s heart tightened. “How is she?” he asked urgently.

Chen Huairen replied, “Her life is not in danger, but the ordeal has harmed her vital energy.”

What worried Chen Ying most was Lan’er’s hands—those slender, delicate fingers were twisted into strange angles. Even without medical knowledge, he could see her finger bones were broken. For a young woman, crippled hands meant a bleak future.

Chen Huairen said, “All we can do now is our utmost and leave the rest to fate.”

Chen Ying knew he could not demand the impossible. In later times, injuries like Lan’er’s would not be as worrisome; even broken fingers could be set and healed. But now, the resources simply didn’t exist.

“Treat her as best you can. Use whatever medicines you need—don’t worry about the cost,” Chen Ying said, his heart wrung with pain.

A soft knocking sounded at the door.

Chen Ying turned to see Liang Zan. “His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived, sir. You must greet him at once!”

Chen Ying hurried with Liang Zan to the central gate, which stood wide open. Several dozen servants of the Chen residence knelt in orderly rows. At the threshold, Chen Ying hesitated.

“To kneel or not to kneel?” he pondered.

In his later life, Chen Ying had only ever knelt to his parents and elders during New Year’s. Never to anyone else. But the Crown Prince was heir to the realm, second only to the emperor; even princes had to kneel before him.

At the military camps of the Right Command Guard and the two merit houses, Chen Ying could mimic the old wisdom of Zhou Yafu in the Willow Camp and get by. But now, he truly had no choice.

As he hesitated, the Crown Prince’s carriage appeared in sight.

The attendant of the Eastern Palace called out loudly, “His Highness the Crown Prince arrives! General Ningyuan, Commander of the Right Command Guard and the Two Merit Houses, Chen Ying, present to greet His Highness!”

Reluctantly, Chen Ying lifted his robe and knelt on one knee. Emulating Ah Q in his heart, he thought: “A son kneels to his father.”

“Your subject, Ying, welcomes Your Highness and wishes you peace!” he declared.

Li Jiancheng descended slowly from the carriage, smiled gently at Chen Ying, and extended his hand in a gesture of encouragement. “Rise, my valued friend. No need for formalities.”

Chen Ying rose eagerly. “Your Highness honors my humble abode. My house shines with your presence.”

Li Jiancheng stepped forward and gently took Chen Ying’s hand.

Chen Ying knew that hand-holding was a mark of favor in this era, signifying the Crown Prince’s esteem. Yet he instinctively felt a chill. If a beautiful woman had taken his hand, he would have been delighted. But for a man—even one as handsome as Li Jiancheng—Chen Ying felt an involuntary discomfort.

Li Jiancheng seemed not to notice the ill will and dissatisfaction in Chen Ying’s gaze. Instead, he looked around the residence with keen interest. “This seems to be the former mansion of Xu Shanxin, the Assistant Minister of Rites under the Sui dynasty, isn’t it?”

“Your Highness’s insight is unparalleled! This house indeed belonged to Assistant Minister Xu,” Chen Ying replied.

Li Jiancheng nodded indifferently. Suddenly, he noticed the Princess of Pingyang’s guards stationed around the rear courtyard.

“Is Pingyang here?” he asked in surprise.

Chen Ying stammered, “To report to Your Highness, the Princess arrived half an hour ago.”

He quickly led Li Jiancheng to the main hall.

The Eastern Palace guards dutifully searched the guest hall, which measured nearly three hundred square yards, from inside out.

Li Jiancheng sat in the chief seat, seemingly forgetting his original purpose. His mind was entirely occupied by the Princess of Pingyang. She was clearly at Chen Ying’s residence, yet did not come to greet him—this defied both custom and reason. Though it was his first visit to the Chen mansion, the layout was typical for the era. The area guarded by the princess’s attendants was likely the sleeping quarters and bath.

Even as Crown Prince, Li Jiancheng would not casually enter a minister’s private quarters. Yet the Princess had gone into Chen Ying’s back yard, which inevitably led Li Jiancheng to suspect an intimate relationship between her and Chen Ying.

Li Jiancheng scrutinized Chen Ying. His fair skin glowed with a gentle luster like mutton fat jade, his nose was high and straight, his deep and hesitant gaze caused Li Jiancheng to lose focus for a moment.

Chen Ying’s appearance not only captivated women, but even men could be drawn to him.

An absurd thought suddenly flashed through Li Jiancheng’s mind.

He recalled how Li Xiuning had tirelessly recommended Chen Ying to him, and his heart was instantly thrown into turmoil.

“Could it be…?”

It was the early Tang period; society was not yet as open as it would become in the mid-Tang. Affairs between princesses and noblewomen with handsome companions or secret lovers were rare at this time.

Li Jiancheng’s gaze toward Chen Ying grew darker.

If his suspicions were true, it would be the greatest scandal ever to befall the royal family.

PS: Many thanks to Sanqian Wolf for the generous reward. A familiar face, and finally the first tip for this book.