Chapter Twelve: The Two Princes Stir the Capital (Part Two)

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger, please calm your anger. I would never dare to deceive you with falsehoods. Your Majesty, I was not on duty today; I was resting in my quarters. Before noon, my cousin Zhang Che sent someone with an urgent message. I have always been close to him, and since I was free, I hurried to the palace gates. When I arrived, my cousin explained the situation: Prince Lù feared something might go wrong and went ahead to intercept it, instructing me to quickly report everything to Your Majesty, so you may judge the matter."

Seeing the emperor’s fury rising, Zhang Dekai immediately panicked, repeatedly begging for mercy as he stammered out the general course of events.

"Your cousin? Who is he, and how does he know of this matter? Speak!" Hearing the details spoken so convincingly, Li Zhi believed a little, though he still had doubts. He barked the question, pressing for an answer.

"Your Majesty, my cousin is the steward of Prince Lù’s study. Five years ago, we both were castrated together; I was assigned to the palace, while he entered Prince Lù’s service. He has long been trusted by the prince, and his words carry weight—they are unlikely to be false. I dared not neglect his warning, so I rushed here, disturbing Your Majesty’s rest. I am guilty, deserving of death a thousand times." Zhang Dekai, who had risen to the rank of attendant eunuch, was naturally adept at reading faces. Hearing the emperor’s tone soften, he calmed himself and explained in detail.

"Hmph!"

Li Zhi, though flawed in temperament, was no fool. He instantly discerned that the young eunuch was not telling the whole truth, and guessed that Zhang Dekai was likely one of Prince Lù’s informants. The emperor was vexed by his son placing spies under his very nose, and glared coldly at Zhang Dekai, but did not pursue the matter further. He understood that all imperial children acted in this way; back when he was a prince, though uninterested in vying for the throne, he had not forgotten to ingratiate himself with those close to Taizong Li Shimin. Besides, with such a major incident in the Imperial Prison, he had no heart to chase down minor matters like Zhang Dekai acting as Prince Lù’s eyes and ears. After a moment’s contemplation, he hesitantly asked, "Did your cousin say anything further? Has this matter spread to…"

"Your Majesty, my cousin said Prince Lù has found new clues regarding Lord Shangguan’s alleged treason, which may prove the case is unjust. But the matter is grave; Prince Lù dared not act alone or let the news leak. Once the situation is contained, he and Prince Zhou will come to the palace to report, awaiting Your Majesty’s decision." Though Li Zhi’s words were unfinished, Zhang Dekai understood he was asking whether the matter had reached the Empress. Zhang Dekai shook his head in understanding and answered respectfully.

"Oh? Such is the case?" Li Zhi nodded thoughtfully, glancing toward the Yide Hall with a complex expression; his face changed repeatedly as he stood silent for a while before clenching his teeth and forcing out the words, "Attend me! Prepare my robes—escort me to the Grand Palace!"

A royal procession is never a minor affair. At Li Zhi’s command, the Wude Hall erupted into chaos, with countless maids and eunuchs bustling about, organizing everything in a flurry…

It had finally begun! In the rumbling carriage, Li Xian’s small hands clenched into tight fists, his youthful face flushed with excitement, breath coming heavier. Taking advantage of this moment alone, Li Xian silently released his emotions—for now the butterfly’s wings had begun to beat, and as for what result this would bring, he could not yet judge; the variables within were simply too many.

Unpredictable variables! Though all had gone smoothly so far, Li Xian was far from certain of victory, for many things were beyond his control—the Imperial Prison was a symbol of royal authority; such a disturbance, coupled with Li Xian and his brother deliberately spreading the news throughout court and capital, made it impossible to resolve peacefully. This was seizing the moment: capturing Shangguan Fu, there was a chance to overturn the case against Shangguan Yi. This was the trump card. With these in hand, plus the ministers’ cooperation and the emperor’s approval, it should be possible to temporarily suppress the Empress’s ambition, perhaps even deal her faction a heavy blow. Yet problems lay precisely here: first, the ministers had been cowed by the Empress for years, and whether they would dare stand up for Li Xian and his brother now was uncertain; second, whether Li Xian’s men could inform the emperor without alerting the Empress’s faction was unknown; third, whether the emperor agreed with the brothers’ actions remained a mystery; fourth, whether he could keep the matter from the Empress before making a decision was unclear. Beyond these four, what troubled Li Xian most was his inability to predict how the Empress would react. With these five major uncertainties, Li Xian dared not be overly optimistic; everything would only become clear after meeting the emperor in person.

"Your Highness, Your Highness."

Just as Li Xian was lost in thought, Gao Miao’s gentle voice called from outside the carriage, jolting him from his reverie. Instinctively, he lifted a corner of the curtain and saw the carriage had stopped in the small square before the Gate of Heavenly Achievement. He could hear faint conversations—evidently there were many officials gathered. Li Xian dared not delay, quickly rising and, attended by Gao Miao and others, stepped down from the carriage. Ahead, Li Xian saw his brother just alighting from the lead carriage and hurried over, quietly standing half a step behind him.

"We pay our respects to Prince Lù and Prince Zhou."

The Imperial Prison of the Court of Judicial Review was adjacent to the imperial city, not far from the Xihua Gate, barely a stick of incense’s journey from the Gate of Heavenly Achievement. Yet because of slippery roads from the snow, and because the brothers deliberately controlled their speed to allow time for the ministers to arrive, the trip took nearly half an hour. By the time the brothers descended from their carriage, over forty ministers had gathered before the gate. Of the five Grand Ministers, only Xu Jingzong, who was on duty in the palace, was absent; Xu Yushi, Li Anqi, Hao Chujun, and Dai Zhizhi had all arrived, along with the Minister of Justice Lu Chengqing, Minister of Personnel Le Yanwei, and many other high officials. As the two princes arrived, the crowd surged forward, everyone eager to greet them.

"Gentlemen, you need not be so formal. I am late and kept you waiting—this is my fault." Li Xian’s involvement in the Imperial Prison case was meant to build his reputation as a wise prince. Seeing so many high officials present, he was immediately excited, his cheeks turning red, but he kept his composure and politely offered a bow, apologizing humbly.

"Your Highness, please tell us plainly what has happened in the Imperial Prison. This matter is of utmost importance and cannot be treated lightly." As soon as the officials finished their greetings, Right Chancellor Dai Zhizhi impatiently pressed for answers, his tone urgent and barely concealing his reproach. Dai Zhizhi, courtesy name Xingzhi and also Bihu, hailing from Anyang in Xiangzhou, had served as magistrate of Jiangzhou and governor of Tanzhou, Minister of Revenue, and last year replaced the dismissed Li Yifu as Right Chancellor. Righteous and methodical, he never favored personal ties, and would admonish even the emperor if necessary. Today, he was enjoying a holiday at home with his grandchildren when he heard from Prince Lù’s attendants about the disturbance in the Imperial Prison. Shocked, he had rushed to the gate, waited long, and grew anxious when the princes did not appear. Now, seeing Li Xian, he had no patience for ceremony.

"Chancellor Dai’s admonition is just. I was reckless, but truly had no choice—events unfolded suddenly, and by the time I learned villains had forged imperial orders to harm Lord Shangguan, it was already too late. I could not stand by and watch him suffer injustice, so I acted as I must, even if it meant breaking protocol. When all is resolved, I will formally request punishment. But now, the urgent task is to meet Father, clarify the truth, and save Lord Shangguan and his family from disaster. I hope Chancellor Dai and all the ministers will support me!" Li Xian, determined to rise through this case, was not offended by Dai Zhizhi’s bluntness, and after respectfully bowing, spoke stirringly, rallying all present.

"Does Your Highness have any evidence?" Dai Zhizhi had already learned some details from Prince Lù’s attendants, but was unsure of the basis for the brothers’ bold actions. He frowned, solemnly pressing for proof.

"Chancellor Dai, I have already apprehended the lowly servant who framed Lord Shangguan, and found evidence of his slander. It proves the treason charge against Lord Shangguan is utterly baseless. I am here to see Father and seek justice for Lord Shangguan!" With cards in hand, Li Xian was now confident. He smiled and replied firmly.

"Ah…"

"This—how can this be?"

"Is it possible? Preposterous, preposterous!"

…

Li Xian’s words stunned the ministers into silence, then uproar. Some were doubtful, some overjoyed, some shook their heads in sighs. Though none openly declared their support, their words implied most would side with Li Xian when they met the emperor. Li Xian’s face glowed like a red apple, feeling the power of his position.

"The Crown Prince arrives!"

Just as Li Xian was enjoying his triumph, a shrill voice suddenly rang out, disrupting his mood. Turning, he saw a golden carriage slowly pulling up beside the ministers.

The Crown Prince, being half a sovereign himself, commanded utmost respect; everyone quickly arranged themselves by rank, ready to receive him. Li Xian and his brother were no exception. As they lined up, the brothers exchanged a quick glance, seeing in each other’s eyes a hint of displeasure and hesitation…