Chapter 106: Take As Much As You Can (Part 1)

“Seventh brother, have you come up with a plan?”

Since the incident at the Self-Exile Prison, Li Xian had profited considerably by relying on Li Xian’s clever calculations. He had long regarded Li Xian as his strategist. As soon as Li Xian’s expression shifted slightly, Li Xian noticed immediately, his heart leaping with joy, and hurriedly asked.

“A plan? It’s not quite a plan yet,” Li Xian thought to himself. The best he could come up with was a rather simple, even crude judgment: since there was no choice, then simply don’t choose and go all in. Try to delay Empress Wu’s direct rule as long as possible; if that failed, then just seize the opportunity to gain what we can. How to proceed exactly—Li Xian only had some immature ideas for now and intended to take it step by step.

“Sixth brother, Mother is about to rule in person.”

Though Li Xian had already formed a strategy in his mind, he did not intend to reveal it immediately. Instead, he took a deep breath and spoke cautiously.

“Hm? Where did you hear that?”

Li Xian was taken aback by the serious and somewhat alarming conclusion that came from Li Xian after a long silence. His face turned pale, and with a doubtful look, he questioned, unable to believe what he heard.

“Sixth brother, in my view, this matter was orchestrated by Mother behind the scenes. She intends to take advantage of Father’s grave illness, during which he cannot govern, to act as arbiter in the Liu Xiangdao case. Regardless of the outcome, once Mother openly takes charge of governance, the future will be fraught with endless troubles,” Li Xian said with a bitter smile, shaking his head and explaining at length.

“This…”

Li Xian was also clever and immediately understood. The Crown Prince currently held the power to oversee the state, so in principle, all affairs should be handled by him. However, Xu Jingzong had submitted a memorial to Emperor Gaozong, impeaching the Crown Prince’s close confidant. No matter how one looked at it, this matter could not be managed by the Crown Prince. Moreover, Gaozong was ill and unable to govern, so Empress Wu naturally gained legitimate authority to preside over this case. Besides, Empress Wu controlled the imperial guards and could easily forge imperial edicts. Gaozong was known to fear his wife greatly; once she spoke, how could he refuse? Clearly, no one could stop Empress Wu from intervening. Thinking of all the past grievances with her, Li Xian could not help but feel anxious.

“Seventh brother, what you say makes sense, but the one who should be most worried is not me, but the one in the Eastern Palace. If so, why not take advantage of the situation?”

Though anxious about Empress Wu’s direct rule, Li Xian quickly thought of turning the conflict to their benefit, smiling coldly and feigning indifference as he said sharply.

That fellow’s greed was evident. Didn’t he know that negotiating with a tiger would only cost him his life? Such shortsightedness! Li Xian, clever as he was, understood Li Xian’s hidden intentions perfectly. He wanted to rebuke him loudly to sober him up but couldn’t bring himself to say it. Besides, even if he did, Li Xian might not believe him. After all, no one in history had been as cold-blooded and ruthless as Empress Wu. Even the notoriously infamous Empress Lü of the early Han dynasty paled in comparison to her cruelty and ambition.

“Sixth brother, whom do you intend to recommend for Minister of Personnel?”

Seeing that direct persuasion was ineffective, Li Xian resorted to a more roundabout approach, ignoring Li Xian’s expectant gaze and coolly asking.

“Heh, good question, seventh brother. Deputy Minister of Works Yang Wu has served through three reigns, is diligent, capable, and sufficiently experienced. He should be the right candidate. If you would lend me your support, I believe we can make a strong case.”

Hearing Li Xian’s question, Li Xian mistakenly thought he agreed with his view and smiled proudly, revealing the candidate he intended to recommend.

Yang Wu? Ha, that’s far from suitable! Li Xian had expected Li Xian would propose Yang Wu, but hearing it directly still made him want to sneer. Yang Wu was indeed a veteran of three reigns, but merely mediocre—he had reached Deputy Minister of Works by seniority rather than talent. It was almost impossible for him to climb any higher. If not, he wouldn’t have been recruited by Li Xian. His hope was simply to rise further through Li Xian’s influence.

“Sixth brother, forgive my frankness. Though Deputy Minister Yang has seniority, there are many above him. Even with our combined efforts, it would be difficult to secure the prestigious Minister of Personnel post for him. I urge you to reconsider.”

Li Xian did not want to leave Li Xian with any illusions and spoke bluntly.

“Well… what you say is known to me, but how would we know unless we try?”

Upon hearing Li Xian’s casual attitude, Li Xian flushed with embarrassment and answered helplessly.

Try? Treating such a serious matter as a trial run? Ridiculous. You’re asking for a bloody defeat. The worse the uproar, the more it benefits Empress Wu! Hearing Li Xian speak so lightly, Li Xian rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.

“Sixth brother, some matters can be tried; others cannot. The current court situation is treacherous and demands utmost caution. A single misstep will not only doom the imperial examinations but may send both of us into exile.”

“Ah, well, that… that…” Hearing such serious consequences, Li Xian grew flustered, stammering before finally suppressing his racing thoughts and sighing. “Seventh brother, if you have a plan, just speak. I have my own ideas.”

A plan? You have no plan! Li Xian could tell Li Xian was merely pretending to be calm, empty-handed with no calculations. Though inwardly cursing, he maintained a sincere expression and said:

“Sixth brother, understand that Liu Xiangdao is the Crown Prince’s closest confidant. He certainly won’t tolerate any mistake from Minister Liu. This trial in court is inevitable. But from my view, the Crown Prince’s brother stands no chance—defeat is certain. If so, Liu Xiangdao will be demoted, and the Minister of Personnel post will likely fall to Empress Wu’s faction. Such a result harms not only the Crown Prince but also brings inconvenience to us. I am unwilling to see this happen and will strive to prevent it. I ask for your support.”

“What is your plan of action? Please tell me first.”

Now that Li Xian had said this much, Li Xian could not remain indifferent, but the matter was too grave. Without knowing Li Xian’s full plan, he dared not commit, only vaguely asking.

“Sixth brother, throughout history, a rooster heralding dawn has often been a root cause of calamity for the state—so in the Han dynasty, so in the early Sui, and so it remains today. This custom must be broken. Empress Wu’s direct rule is inevitable, but in my view, its impact can be reduced to a bearable level. The key word is two characters—‘retreat’!”

Li Xian spoke gravely, but before he could finish, Li Xian raised his hand to stop him.

“Seventh brother, how exactly do you mean by ‘retreat’? Please explain clearly.”

Before Li Xian could finish, Li Xian impatiently interjected.

“To clarify for you, sixth brother, this retreat is not just our withdrawal; the Crown Prince’s brother must also yield. The key lies in mutual cooperation. We do not compete for the Minister of Personnel post; the Crown Prince’s brother must relinquish his defense of Liu Xiangdao and support another candidate instead. With our backing, the matter can be settled swiftly, avoiding prolonged conflict. Of course, we will not support the Crown Prince without compensation. I hope you will help make this happen.”

“Well, since you insist so firmly, I won’t argue. But I have a question—since we are now a thorn in his side, I doubt he will trust us even if we want to help. What then?”

Fundamentally, Li Xian was reluctant to aid the Crown Prince in his plight. He preferred to seize power amid the chaos. Though uneasy about Empress Wu’s direct rule, his concern did not match Li Xian’s. But out of respect, he reluctantly agreed, though still unwilling, and posed a difficult question.

Gaining the Crown Prince’s trust was indeed vexing. Even Li Xian, brilliant as he was, found it challenging. But at this point, there was no turning back. He feigned utmost confidence and said, “Sixth brother, rest assured, I know what I am doing. Our timely help will be appreciated by the Crown Prince. If we can place more of our men in court through this opportunity, it will be beneficial. If you can trust me, leave everything to me.”

“Very well, seventh brother. We’ll wait and see his reaction before deciding.”

Li Xian had always respected Li Xian’s abilities and trusted he would not betray him. Also, since he lacked confidence about the Minister of Personnel contest, after some hesitation, he accepted Li Xian’s proposal, though his resentment remained.

“Thank you, sixth brother. Time is of the essence—I will go see the Crown Prince immediately.”

Hearing Li Xian’s acceptance, Li Xian’s heavy heart lifted slightly. Though concerned about the matter’s gravity and fearing Li Xian’s wavering, he stood and took his leave.

“Go ahead, seventh brother. I will wait here for your news.”

Li Xian did not try to detain him, only nodding calmly as he watched Li Xian stride out of the study. His face then twisted into a series of changing expressions…