Chapter Fifteen: The Outcome Uncertain

A master swordsman often makes a move with an air of casual indifference, yet always manages to strike precisely at his opponent’s weakest spot—a single blow suffices to seal the throat, revealing true skill amid apparent ordinariness. In the arena of political struggle, Wu Meiniang was such a peerless expert; with every move she made, the outcome was already foreordained. Convincing, even controlling, the emperor was to secure the greater advantage—transforming what could have become a storm in the imperial court into a mere family discussion, thereby shaping the situation. As for seizing the moment to question the happenings at the imperial prison, that was the sword that draws blood and seals the throat, the one aspect that could neither be fabricated nor evaded. Yet for Empress Wu, this too had infinite leverage.

Wu’s political acumen was so subtle that few could comprehend it. At the very least, neither the emperor nor his two sons famed for their wisdom and ability, Li Hong and Li Xian, grasped the intricacies at play. But all of this could not escape Li Xian, who carried the memories of three lifetimes. The problem was that seeing through it was one thing; finding a countermeasure was quite another. Precisely because Li Xian saw so clearly, he felt all the more vexed. But no matter how troubled he was, he could only grit his teeth and recount in detail all that had transpired in the imperial prison.

“Well done! My son, to perceive the subtle and the obvious, and to act bravely in the face of righteousness—this is the fortune of the nation and the court!” No sooner had Li Xian finished speaking than Empress Wu clapped her hands and smiled, heaping praise upon him. Then, turning to Li Zhi with an expression of utmost sincerity, she said, “Your Majesty, all your sons are outstanding: Xian is brave, Hong is able to see the bigger picture, and Xian is wise. Now that they have solved this important case, they should be commended as an example to all officials.”

“Ah, yes, yes—reward them, reward them generously! Meiniang’s words are exactly my thoughts—yes, splendid! Hahaha…”

Listening to Li Xian’s long-winded account, the emperor’s face had long since turned dark and gloomy. Though he never interrupted, his nerves were taut, for he feared Wu Meiniang would take action against their three sons. The emperor knew very well that Cui Xuanche’s report was in fact Wu’s command, and that the actions of Li Xian and his brothers were tantamount to snatching food from a tiger’s mouth. Should Wu Meiniang truly lose her temper, the emperor knew he had no courage to oppose her. Yet, unexpectedly, Wu was not angry, but instead asked for merit on behalf of her sons. This sudden shift caught the emperor completely off-guard, and he could not help but laugh with relief.

“Father, what I did was merely fulfilling my duty; I dare not claim any special credit.”

Li Xian, too, was rattled by Wu Meiniang’s words. Seeing his father so openly praising him, he immediately relaxed, hastened forward, and bowed with humility. Though his words were modest, the barely disguised delight on his face betrayed his inner joy.

“Fulfilling your duty—that is good! The most difficult thing is to know one’s duty. If you understand this, you will surely become a pillar of the state. Xian, you must learn from your sixth brother.” Wu Meiniang waved her hand, once again praising Li Xian, yet her words contained a subtle admonition aimed at Crown Prince Li Hong, whose expression stiffened slightly.

“Mother is right. Sixth Brother understands the urgency of the court’s needs. I am deeply impressed—he is indeed a worthy prince.”

Both parents had praised Li Xian; even if Li Hong was dissatisfied, he dared not reveal it now. On the contrary, he had to join in with praise, though the bitterness in his heart was palpable.

It’s over—the momentum is lost! Fools, all of them—dazed by a few words of praise! Truly, children are not to be entrusted with great plans! Watching his father and brothers fall into Wu Meiniang’s snare, Li Xian’s face remained plastered with a foolish smile, but his heart sank to the depths. The reason Li Xian had forced his way forward was not only dissatisfaction with Wu Meiniang, but also a desire for a legitimate foothold in court politics—a fact Wu Meiniang had seen through completely. After a taste of victory, Li Xian would be satisfied, and in the coming discussion, he would surely compromise. Without Li Xian playing the lead, how could this palace coup drama continue? Worse still, Wu’s words had subtly sown discord between Li Hong and Li Xian, and with a rift between the brothers, internal strife was inevitable, leaving both as mere puppets in Wu Meiniang’s hands.

“Your Majesty, the imperial prison case concerns the court’s dignity and is no trivial matter. Cui Xuanche is but a lowly eighth-rank official—how could he dare to forge an imperial edict? There must be more to this than meets the eye; it must be investigated at once.” Just as Li Xian predicted, after a brief family interlude, Wu Meiniang steered the conversation back to the main issue.

“Investigate, yes, of course we must investigate. Meiniang is right—there are too many suspicious points. If we don’t investigate, how can we convince the court? But…” The emperor, only just having relaxed, was thrown into confusion by Wu’s proposal. He could not fathom her true intention and found himself momentarily tongue-tied.

“Your Majesty is wise. The Chief Justice Hou Shanye has always been upright and diligent, rarely at fault. According to Xian, his actions this time were the result of being deceived by villains. Though he erred, no great harm was done. I believe we should give him a chance to atone for his mistakes. What does Your Majesty think?” Seeing the emperor’s hesitation, Wu Meiniang immediately let out a gentle laugh and, in a slightly coquettish tone, offered a solution.

“Ah, this…” The emperor frowned, wanting to object but lacking the courage. After stammering for a while without saying anything meaningful, he noticed Wu Meiniang’s face darkening, and, deflated, he conceded, “Very well, let it be as Meiniang suggests.”

Letting a thief investigate a thief—what a ridiculous farce! Not only was the emperor dumbfounded, but Li Hong and Li Xian were also left speechless with astonishment. Li Hong, at least, was not too concerned, since he had only joined the fray hoping to snatch some credit, and so long as the ambitious Li Xian did not win, that would suffice for him. Thus, though he disagreed with Wu’s plan, he did not wish to oppose her openly. As for Li Xian, having just received Wu’s favor, he could not break with her now. Besides, he feared her political skill and saw no need to clash with her at this moment. So, after a few changes of expression, he ultimately remained silent.

Damn it! To be saddled with such a useless father is truly infuriating! Seeing his plans about to collapse, Li Xian was deeply vexed, feeling as if he had swallowed a live fly. But with his father and brothers having already compromised, there was little he could do but settle for second best. Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward and said, “Father, your wisdom is unparalleled. I agree that it is best for Lord Hou to handle the Qiao edict case, but the case of Lord Shangguan is of a different nature, and it seems inappropriate to combine them. This is my humble opinion, and I await your judgment.”

“Yes, yes, that makes sense. Xian’s words are exactly my thoughts. Hmm… Meiniang, do you have any views on this?” After so many twists and turns, the emperor was thoroughly befuddled, completely forgetting his original intent to save Shangguan Yi. Reminded by Li Xian, he quickly agreed, but seeing Wu Meiniang’s face darken, he immediately shrank back and deferred to her.

“Hmm.” This time, Wu Meiniang did not make a hasty decision, but only made a noncommittal sound, casting a complex gaze at Li Xian, full of suspicion and astonishment. Though she had previously seemed to value his account of events, in her mind, Li Xian was nothing but a weak and incompetent boy, unworthy of note. Yet, this inconspicuous youth had seen through her strategy at a glance, leaving Wu Meiniang understandably suspicious.

Trouble is brewing! Li Xian was no longer the useless fool of the past; his mind was now mature beyond measure. The moment his eyes met Wu Meiniang’s, he immediately guessed her thoughts, and a chill ran down his spine. Yet, he did not intend to back down. At this point, if he could not save Shangguan Yi’s life, his entire plan would collapse, and after that, it would be impossible to stop Wu Meiniang from ruling in her own name.

From the outset, Li Xian’s plan had been to exploit Li Xian’s eagerness to establish himself in court, rally the officials, and, while Wu was recovering from childbirth, launch a surprise attack. He did not hope to destroy Wu’s faction completely, but taking down a few of her allies was achievable—especially Xu Jingzong, who had impeached Shangguan Yi and was Li Xian’s main target. Unfortunately, Wu’s decisive intervention had rendered this plan futile. Now, Li Xian’s only option was to insist on saving Shangguan Yi, to preserve the court’s spirit and prevent all ministers from succumbing to Wu Meiniang’s tyranny. After all, everyone in the court knew that Shangguan Yi’s real crime was drafting the edict to depose the empress. If even someone who had so offended Wu Meiniang could be spared, it would be a powerful encouragement to the other leading officials. Thus, no matter how difficult, Li Xian had to press on.

The pressure—immense pressure! Wu Meiniang remained silent for a long time, not moving in the least, yet the pressure she exerted on Li Xian grew ever heavier, to the point where he could scarcely breathe. Not only him, but even the emperor seated beside her shifted uneasily, while Li Hong and Li Xian both turned pale, their breathing grown labored…