Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 186 Man-Made "Auspicious Omens": Taiping's Brief Visit - Liu Jianjun's Ugly Daughter-in-Law Meets Her In-Laws (A Long Chapter of 10,000 Words)

The next day, early in the morning, at the Prince of Pei's residence in Luoyang.

Although the mansion had not been occupied for a long time, after Li Xian moved in, the entire mansion was like a water-powered spinning wheel that had suddenly been connected to water power, and began to operate in an orderly manner.

Li Xian had just woken up in the morning when a maidservant was waiting outside the door with a bowl of milk porridge. Li Xian called out to her, and she entered the room respectfully with the porridge, put it down, bowed, and withdrew.

Everything was done in accordance with etiquette, but Li Xian felt a little uncomfortable.

He recalled his time at the Prince of Pei's residence in Chang'an and realized where this feeling of unease came from.

The servants in the Prince's mansion had been trained by Liu Jianjun to be unruly, and they always wore friendly smiles when they saw him, the prince.

But here, everyone is serious and doesn't smile.

Li Xian picked up the milk porridge and took a sip. A mouthful of aroma, a mixture of the fishy smell of goat milk and the fragrance of millet, wafted into his nose.

Ok,
I found it somewhat difficult to get used to.

If possible, Li Xian would like to eat some egg pancakes or jianbing guozi from the Prince of Pei's mansion in Chang'an.

Li Xian was secretly annoyed.

Liu Jianjun has also developed a picky palate.

I hastily drank the porridge, but it only filled me up to about three-tenths full.

Thinking about what Liu Jianjun had said yesterday, Li Xian headed towards Liu Jianjun's room. Along the way, there were busy servants from the Prince's Mansion. Since Li Xian had suddenly moved in today, the servants of the Prince's Mansion were extremely busy. The desolation that he had seen in the courtyard yesterday was gone. Servants were moving around, hoeing away weeds and revealing clean bluestone slabs.

Upon seeing Li Xian, they all respectfully stopped what they were doing and prostrated themselves in worship.

Li Xian then thought of the scene inside the Prince Pei's mansion in Chang'an.

Liu Jianjun, the chief steward of the Prince's mansion, instructed the servants of the mansion as follows: "When you are working, whether you see me or His Highness Prince Pei, you only need to greet him verbally, and then continue with your work!"

Li Xian thought this was a good idea.

Li Xian nodded casually to the servants, then walked through the corridor to Liu Jianjun's door.

Liu Jianjun had already gotten up and was talking to Wang Deshun, the Sima of the Prince of Pei's Mansion in Luoyang, outside the door. Wang Deshun was respectful, but it was only the respect of a subordinate official to a superior official.

Li Xian heard Liu Jianjun's voice coming from inside: "Why are you so stubborn? I just want some honey, and you insist on..."

At this point, Liu Jianjun saw himself and quickly called out, "Xianzi, quick, talk to this man! You know, this man, I am the Chief Secretary of the Prince of Pei's Mansion, and when I ask my subordinates for some honey, he insists that you nod in agreement!"

"Your Highness Prince Pei!" Wang Deshun hurriedly bowed to him.

But there was nothing more to say.

They neither defended themselves in response to Liu Jianjun's accusations nor showed any intention of making an exception.

Li Xian nodded and asked, "What happened?"

Wang Deshun then spoke up: "Your Highness, the honey needed by Chief Secretary Liu is indeed part of the royal rations. However, according to regulations, any use of the treasury, regardless of its size, requires Your Highness's approval. This is an ironclad rule of the royal treasury, and I dare not act on my own."

"Besides... the share that Chief Secretary Liu needs is a bit too much..."

"How is that too much? Ten pounds of honey is considered too much?" Liu Jianjun interjected.

Li Xian suppressed a laugh and said, "Alright, Wang Sima is doing his duty well. Since it is what Chief Clerk Liu needs, then according to the rules, I will issue you a note later."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Wang Deshun bowed again, his face still expressionless, but his movements were noticeably more relaxed. He then turned and retreated to prepare the documents.

Seeing that the person had left, Liu Jianjun immediately came over and chuckled in a low voice: "This person must be your mother's spy."

Li Xian suddenly realized.

Liu Jianjun deliberately provoked this person.

Li Xian looked around and, seeing no one else, couldn't help but ask curiously, "There's no one else here, why are you being so cautious..."

Liu Jianjun's expression froze.

"It's better to be safe than sorry. Walls have ears, and what if your mother sets up a bugging device or something..."

Before Li Xian could ask what the bugging device was, Liu Jianjun coughed lightly and forcefully changed the subject: "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Later, you do this... like this, understand?"

Li Xian's eyes widened: "This is what you call an auspicious omen?"

"This is much better than your mother's Luotu Songwen. The cost is only ten catties of honey, what's that!" Liu Jianjun suddenly gestured behind Li Xian with his chin: "Here it comes, according to plan."

Li Xian turned his head.

Wang Deshun had already returned quickly, carrying the documents and writing materials.

Li Xian suppressed his sense of absurdity, took the pen, and neatly wrote a note on the document.

"Thank you for your trouble, Commander Wang." Li Xian handed the note back, his expression calm.

"This is my duty." Wang Deshun accepted the document with both hands, carefully examined the imperial edict, and then turned to leave, his steps still steady, showing no sign of anything amiss.

"Come on, Xianzi, let's go to the warehouse to pick up the goods!" Liu Jianjun grinned and pulled Li Xian along.

The warehouse was located on the west side of the Prince's Palace and was under strict management.

Wang Deshun personally supervised the process, instructing the warehouse clerk to weigh out ten jin of the finest honey and pack it into a large earthenware jar. Liu Jianjun happily picked up the jar.

"Your Highness, Chief Secretary Liu, if there is nothing else, I shall take my leave." Wang Deshun cupped his hands, his gaze lingering for a moment on the honey jar in Liu Jianjun's arms, his expression still unreadable.

"Go ahead, go ahead, thank you for your hard work, Wang Sima." Liu Jianjun waved his hand casually.

Once Wang Deshun was out of sight, Liu Jianjun immediately lowered his voice and said, "Come on, Xianzi, let's find a quiet place and get to work!"

The two arrived at a small courtyard behind Liu Jianjun's room. It was indeed secluded, with only a few clumps of half-withered bamboo.

Liu Jianjun put down the honey jar, rubbed his hands together, and looked excited.

Li Xian looked around and saw only two servants sweeping up withered bamboo and fallen leaves a little distance away.

Liu Jianjun called out to the two servants, "Hey, you two, go sweep other places!"

The servant dared not argue with Liu Jianjun anymore. He bowed and prepared to leave, but Liu Jianjun then noticed the broom in their hands and shouted, "Hey you over there, leave the broom here!"

Although the two servants were puzzled, they obediently left the brooms in their hands.

Then, Li Xian saw Liu Jianjun stick a broom into the honey jar, think for a while, and then have someone bring a wooden bucket full of water. He then stuck the broom, which was covered in honey, into the bucket and stirred it. He did not hide from anyone during the whole process.

Li Xian simply watched as well.

After a while, Liu Jianjun seemed to think that the honey on the broom was thick enough, so he picked up the broom and used it as a pen to write the first character on the wall of the yard: "Holy".

The adjusted honey quickly seeped into the wall, and at least from the outside, only some water stains remained where the broom had swept.

Liu Jianjun was very satisfied and then prepared to write more.

Li Xian probably knew what he was going to do, and asked, "Your handwriting...would you like me to write it for you?"

Liu Jianjun's handwriting is terrible.

No sooner had Li Xian finished speaking than Liu Jianjun angrily retorted, "You can't write it! Your handwriting is easily recognizable!"

As he spoke, Liu Jianjun wrote the second character in a flourish: "mother".

"See this? This is what I call 'perfectly natural'!" After saying that, Liu Jianjun ignored Li Xian and quickly wrote down the following words: "Linren Yongchang Diye" (meaning "May the Emperor's Mandate Be Prosperous Forever").

Li Xian seemed to be thinking: "So... you want people to be unable to recognize who wrote this?"

"Not entirely. There are only so many people in this palace. Even a pig would know it was us who did it, but we still have to put on a show. We can't look too stupid. Too much of a good thing is bad."

Li Xian roughly understood.

Liu Jianjun clapped his hands, a hint of regret on his face: "Alright, this auspicious omen should appear in about half a day! It's a pity that this thing can only last for a while, but it doesn't matter. We just plan to use this thing to express our feelings to your mother."

The two did not linger, as if they had just completed a trivial matter, and turned to leave the courtyard.

The two servants who had been sent away didn't dare to return for a while and continued cleaning. Their eyes swept over the wall with only faint water stains. Although they felt strange, they didn't dare to ask any questions and silently cleaned up the few traces of honey that had dripped on the ground.

……

In this palace, Li Xian felt surrounded by spies, and time seemed to pass extremely slowly.

After reading a book for a long time, some gentle sunlight shone on Li Xian's desk, and he realized that it was noon.

I was just about to get up and stretch when I suddenly heard a commotion outside.

"It's an ant..."

"Ants formed a character!"

"Look, it says... The Holy Mother descends upon humanity, and the imperial dynasty will be forever prosperous!"

"Heaven blesses the Tang Dynasty! This is an auspicious omen!"

Li Xian thought to himself, Liu Jianjun's plan had indeed worked.

Li Xian stood up and walked out of the study. He saw that a number of servants who had rushed over after hearing the news had gathered in the direction of the secluded courtyard. Everyone looked surprised and whispered among themselves, pointing at the wall.

He understood perfectly, but his face displayed just the right amount of surprise and confusion.

Then, feigning ignorance, he asked, "What's all the commotion about?"

The crowd immediately parted to make way, and everyone bowed in respect.

A slightly bolder servant pointed to the wall, his voice trembling: "Your Highness! Look! Words have suddenly appeared on the wall! They're made of ants!"

Li Xian stared intently and saw eight large characters on the gray-white wall that Liu Jianjun had tampered with: "The Holy Mother descends upon the people, and the imperial enterprise will be prosperous forever."

Countless dark brown ants gathered closely together, wriggling along the traces of the characters, clearly outlining the strokes. However, the sheer number of ants was so great that looking at them for too long could cause a feeling of dizziness.

Li Xian forced his gaze away, faced the crowd, and frowned: "Ants... can actually form characters? Is this truly an auspicious sign?"

His whispers were overheard by the surrounding servants, and their expressions of awe deepened, their gazes toward the eight characters now resembling those of a divine being.

"Your Highness!" Wang Deshun's urgent voice came from behind the crowd.

He had clearly run all the way here; sweat beaded on his forehead, and his official robes were slightly disheveled.

He squeezed into the crowd, and when his eyes fell on the word "ant" on the wall, his pupils suddenly contracted, and a look of shock appeared on his face, but he quickly concealed it.

He strode to Li Xian's side and lowered his voice: "Your Highness, this matter... is too suspicious! We must immediately order the courtyard to be sealed off and strictly prohibit any outside information!"

His gaze swept over the silent servants around him, carrying a clear warning.

Li Xian sneered inwardly. His behavior seemed to be for his own good, and if it were him back then, he probably would have been foolish enough to believe it. But now, especially after Liu Jianjun revealed the man's identity, Li Xian easily saw through his intentions.

Wang Deshun's idea was to control and cover it up.

He would nip any uncontrollable factors in the bud and ensure that information could only be filtered by him before being reported to Empress Wu, thus earning credit in return.

"My God! What...what is this?!"

Just then, Liu Jianjun's loud voice rang out. He squeezed through the crowd, rushed to the wall, pointed at the eight characters, and his face showed exaggerated shock: "Ants wrote?! And it says... The Holy Mother descends upon the people, the imperial enterprise will be prosperous forever?! Your Highness... this, this is Heaven itself urging you to ascend the throne?! This is even more bizarre than the Luo River map emerging!"

His shout was heard by all the servants in the courtyard.

The four words "Heaven urges me to ascend the throne" struck like a thunderbolt, leaving the servants in the courtyard bewildered, their eyes instantly transforming from awe into something fiery.

Wang Deshun's face turned ashen instantly. He turned sharply to glare at Liu Jianjun, his eyes practically spitting fire.

He suppressed his anger and pressed Li Xian again, his tone more urgent: "Your Highness! Chief Secretary Liu is spouting nonsense and inciting unrest! If such words were to spread, does Your Highness know what kind of disaster it would bring upon yourself? You must act immediately..."

Li Xian raised his hand, stopping him from speaking.

“Wang Sima,” Li Xian’s voice became steady, with an unquestionable tone: “I understand your concerns. That is precisely why this matter cannot be concealed or left unreported, nor can it be handled by me in private.”

He looked calmly at Wang Deshun and said, word by word, "The will of Heaven has been revealed to the Prince of Pei's residence, in full view of everyone. How can it be concealed? If it is forcibly covered up, and it is revealed in the future, wouldn't I be guilty of deceiving Heaven and concealing auspicious omens? At that time, I would truly be unable to defend myself and would bring disaster upon myself."

Wang Deshun's eyes flickered for a moment.

Li Xian could tell he was feeling guilty.

Wang Deshun was clearly acting on the Empress Dowager's orders to monitor him, but he was still a prince, someone the Empress Dowager dared not easily provoke.

Li Xian didn't give him time to think it over, and continued, "Therefore, I am determined that this matter must be reported to the Emperor immediately and truthfully!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the courtyard, and spoke in a clear voice, addressing not only Wang Deshun but also all those around him, "You, Wang Sima, now take my name card to the palace and meet His Majesty the Emperor. Report to His Majesty the entire story of the auspicious ant-like writing that suddenly appeared in the Prince of Pei's residence, word for word, without any omissions!"

He particularly emphasized that it was "exactly as it was, word for word".

With everyone watching, it was certain that Wang Deshun wouldn't dare to do anything more.

“Speak,” Li Xian took a slight breath, his face displaying a perfectly timed mix of fear and obsequiousness, “Your subject Li Xian, upon suddenly witnessing the celestial phenomenon, was deeply shaken and bewildered. This auspicious omen is of great importance, and no subject dares to discuss it privately. I humbly request Your Majesty to make the sole decision; your subject will respectfully comply!”

Wang Deshun's body trembled slightly, and he lowered his head.

"Your subject... obeys! He will certainly convey Your Highness's intentions in detail to Your Majesty!"

He said no more, turned and walked away quickly, his steps even more hurried than when he arrived.

Liu Jianjun sidled up to Li Xian, gazing in the direction Wang Deshun had disappeared. He grinned and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Hey, that old rascal, he runs faster than a rabbit. He's probably in a hurry to tell your mother the good news. We've delivered our good wishes."

Li Xian did not respond; he simply turned his gaze back to the wall.

After a long while, he waved his hand and instructed the servants around him: "Disperse, everyone. Go about your duties and do not make any more comments. We shall await His Majesty's decision."

……

About an hour after Wang Deshun left, a considerable commotion was heard outside the Prince of Pei's residence.

The sounds of horses' hooves, footsteps, and the clatter of armor grew louder as they approached. A gatekeeper rushed in, flustered, to report: "Your Highness! People from the palace have arrived! It's...it's the Duke of Zhou himself, accompanied by officials from the Directorate of Ceremonial and palace guards!"

Li Xian and Liu Jianjun exchanged a glance, neither of them showing any surprise. Empress Wu was indeed taking it very seriously, not only sending Wu Chengsi but also mobilizing the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Liu Jianjun shook his head, stood up, and walked towards the front hall: "Xianzi, let's go, let's continue the opera."

Li Xian straightened his robes and followed.

……

In the front courtyard, Wu Chengsi, dressed in a purple robe and jade belt, stood with his hands behind his back. Behind him stood several officials from the ceremonial platform, dressed in dark official robes, and further behind were two squads of imperial guards carrying halberds.

Liu Jianjun leaned closer and whispered, "This old guy seems much more mature now."

Li Xian nodded.

Now he can understand Wu Chengsi's changes.

If his mother were to truly ascend the throne, he would certainly want to seize the position of Crown Prince; it wouldn't do for him to remain as arrogant as before.

Li Xian nodded slightly, walked towards Wu Chengsi, and said, "I was unaware of the Duke of Zhou's presence. I am deeply sorry for not welcoming you properly."

Although the prince held a prestigious position, the other party had come on imperial orders, so Li Xian maintained the necessary courtesy.

Wu Chengsi nodded slightly in return, his voice loud but distant: "Your Highness Prince Pei, there is no need for such formalities. I have come here on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor to investigate the auspicious omens reported by your esteemed residence. This matter concerns the will of Heaven, and I dare not be negligent. If there is any disturbance, please forgive me, Your Highness."

His gaze bypassed Li Xian and swept directly into the depths of the mansion.

“The Duke of Zhou has come on imperial orders, how can I be disturbing him?” Li Xian stepped aside to make way. “Auspicious omens have appeared in the backyard, please follow me.”

The group silently walked through the corridor and arrived at the secluded courtyard.

On the wall, the eight ant characters "Holy Mother Descends, Emperor's Cause Will Be Prosperous Forever" are still clearly visible. The dark ant colony slowly crawls in the sunlight. The servants around have long been cleared away, and only a few guards are guarding the courtyard gate.

Wu Chengsi strode to the wall and carefully examined every word. His gaze was extremely focused, and he even bent down to observe the ants' gathering and the marks on the wall.

The officials in charge of ceremonies were gathered around the wall, exchanging opinions in hushed tones, with some taking out paper and pen to quickly record and sketch.

Liu Jianjun also joined the group of ceremonial officials, seemingly looking at something.

After a long while, Wu Chengsi straightened up, turned to Li Xian, his face revealing nothing, but his tone was clearly scrutinizing: "Your Highness Prince Pei, this matter... is truly astonishing. I wonder when this ant-shaped script appeared? Were there any unusual signs before it appeared?"

Li Xian had already prepared his explanation and calmly replied, "Around noon today, the servants in the manor were the first to discover it. Before it appeared... I was reading in my study and did not notice anything unusual. I only heard a commotion outside and came out to see this scene."

He subtly revealed a hint of bewilderment, saying, "Even now, thinking about it, I still find it unbelievable."

"Oh? Around noon?" Wu Chengsi's eyes flashed, and his tone suddenly became sharp. "As far as I know, yesterday, your esteemed Chief Clerk Liu seemed to have taken ten catties of honey from the storeroom? I wonder what his purpose was? And, of all things, it happened to be near this wall?"

He indeed seized upon the clue of honey.

Li Xian felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that Wang Deshun must have reported everything in detail. At this moment, Liu Jianjun interjected, "Hmm... Duke's question is strange. When the Luo Tu appeared, Duke didn't inquire about it. When the Song Shu appeared, Duke still didn't inquire about it. Why is it that when the Ant Shu appeared, Duke is now asking about the reason?"

"Could it be that the auspicious omens of the Prince of Pei's mansion are not auspicious omens? Are the auspicious omens of the Prince of Pei's mansion different from other auspicious omens?"
"Or perhaps... the Duke is also adept at interpreting the will of Heaven?"

Wu Chengsi was taken aback; he couldn't very well just say, "I suspect you're using honey to lure ants and fake it."

He glared at Liu Jianjun and snapped, "How dare you! I'm speaking with the Prince of Pei, when did it become your place to interrupt!"

This is using power to intimidate others.

Li Xian stepped forward directly, his tone slightly heavy, tinged with anger: "Liu Changshi is my right-hand man, and his words represent my will."

Li Xian stepped forward, blocking Liu Jianjun, and calmly looked directly at Wu Chengsi, "If the Duke of Zhou has any questions, he may ask me directly."

He paused, his tone carrying just the right amount of sternness: "As for the honey, it was indeed granted to Chief Secretary Liu by me. Chief Secretary Liu is well-versed in the art of cooking and wishes to concoct some novel drinks. Does this matter also require reporting to the Duke of Zhou? Or does the Duke of Zhou believe that I and Chief Secretary Liu would use this mere honey to fabricate auspicious omens, deceive the Empress Dowager, and deceive the world?"

Seeing Li Xian's hardening attitude, Wu Chengsi's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty.

He couldn't definitively say it was fake because he lacked conclusive evidence, and more importantly, because the content of this "auspicious omen" was politically "correct."

He turned to Li Xian, his tone softening: "Your Highness, you misunderstand. I am not questioning the auspicious omen itself, but this matter is of great importance and we must be cautious. Your Highness is always intelligent and well-read. I wonder what your views are on this divine will?"

Li Xian sneered inwardly, facing the direction of the Luoyang Palace, and slightly cupped his hands: "The Duke asks for my opinion? My knowledge is shallow, how dare I presume to predict the will of Heaven? I only have eight words to say: the will of Heaven is unpredictable, and the Emperor's mind is the sole arbiter."

He paused, then continued, "When this auspicious sign appeared in my residence, I was initially filled with fear. However, upon careful consideration of the words, I felt that it was Heaven's recognition of my mother's merits in assisting the government. As for other matters... it is not something a son or a subject would dare to presume to discuss."

"Everything awaits the Empress Dowager's decision."

He deliberately emphasized the words "Empress Dowager".

As expected, Wu Chengsi's face turned slightly ashen.

Li Xian could probably guess what was on his mind.

If we were to use Liu Jianjun's tone, Wu Chengsi would definitely be thinking: "Damn it, you're just Empress Wu's son, what's so great about you?"

Thinking of this, a mocking smile appeared on Li Xian's lips, but it quickly disappeared.

Having studied with Liu Jianjun for so long, Li Xian has mastered quite a bit of the skill of keeping his emotions hidden.

After a long pause, Wu Chengsi finally spoke, yielding, "Your Highness Prince Pei has always upheld the proper etiquette of a subject, and your loyalty is evident. I will certainly report Your Highness's words and what I have seen today in detail to His Majesty. This auspicious omen concerns the will of Heaven, and the final decision will be made solely by His Majesty's divine will."

He took one last deep look at the wall, then turned and led the group away.

Once they disappeared, Liu Jianjun immediately waved to the servants who were watching, shooing them away: "Alright, go do what you're supposed to do, stop crowding around here!"

Then, he came over, nudged Li Xian with his shoulder, and said with a smile, "Not bad, Xianzi, you're not afraid to go head-to-head with this old guy!"

Li Xian laughed irritably, "I've known Wu Chengsi since childhood and know his temperament well, so I'm naturally not afraid of him. But what about you? If he had really made a move just now, I wonder what you would have done?"

"Isn't this because I trust you to be there?"

Liu Jianjun chuckled, put his arm around Li Xian's shoulder, and said, "Alright, we've made our stance clear about your mother. Now, let's see what happens at the investiture ceremony the day after tomorrow."

……

Li Xian had thought he would stay peacefully at the Prince of Pei's residence until the day of the receiving ceremony.

But as it turned out, just the next day, someone who surprised Li Xian appeared at the Prince of Pei's residence.

Peace.

Taiping came with Shangguan Wan'er, who supported her, but Taiping's eyes still couldn't hide her grief. The moment she saw Li Xian, she couldn't help but burst into tears and rushed forward: "Second brother..."

Li Xian felt a pang of pain in his heart and quickly helped her up.

Although Xue Shao's death was due to his involvement in a rebellion within the imperial clan, Li Xian still felt a deep sense of pity seeing his beloved younger sister so grieving.

He gently patted Taiping's back and said softly, "It's alright, Taiping, don't cry anymore, it's all over now..."

Taiping sobbed on his shoulder for a while before calming down a little with Shangguan Wan'er's comforting words.

She raised her tearful eyes and looked at Li Xian: "Second brother, I... I'm heartbroken, and Mother is busy dealing with Luo Tu's affairs. I heard you came to Luoyang, so I wanted to talk to you..."

Li Xian nodded and led her inside to sit down.

Liu Jianjun and Shangguan Wan'er followed behind. Before entering the room, Liu Jianjun deliberately locked the door from the inside and then stood silently to the side.

"Second brother," Taiping wiped away her tears, her voice still choked with sobs, "They all say that Xue Shao brought this upon himself, implicating me and almost implicating Mother... But, but we were husband and wife, even if he had a thousand faults, now that he's gone, I..."

As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes again.

Li Xian sighed and handed over a handkerchief: "She is gone, there's no point in thinking about her now. What you need to do now is take care of yourself and not let your mother worry about you."

He paused, then added meaningfully, "The political situation in the court is currently very volatile, so you need to be even more careful with your words and actions and live a peaceful life."

Taiping understood his unspoken meaning, raised her tearful eyes, and said with a hint of confusion and fear, "I know, I know what Mother wants..."

Taiping didn't say the words "ascend the throne." She paused, then her voice became sorrowful again: "But... but why is she so determined to kill Xue Shao?"

“Establish authority.” Liu Jianjun suddenly interjected, “Xue Shao’s involvement in the rebellion of the imperial clan is irrefutable. Your mother wants to kill him for two reasons: first, to eliminate the rebels; and second, and most importantly, to cut off any possibility that certain people might influence or even threaten her future through you or the Xue family.”

"This is to establish authority, and also... to clear the area."

Liu Jianjun's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

Taiping's body jolted, her face turned pale, and she instinctively clenched the handkerchief in her hand. Her lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't utter a word of rebuttal.

Li Xian could tell that she wasn't ignorant, but rather unwilling or afraid to think about it deeply.

My younger sister has always been exceptionally intelligent.

Li Xian took a deep breath and continued, "Taiping, Liu Jianjun's words were blunt, but... they are indeed true. The Empress Dowager's intentions are clear. In the current situation, those who follow the trend will prosper. Xue Shao... he has run into a dangerous situation. You... take heart and look forward."

Taiping lowered her head, tears silently streaming down her face again. But this time, her sobs contained less pure sorrow and more of a bitter resignation and coldness.

After a long while, Taiping wiped her face hard with a handkerchief, raised her head, and although her eyes were red and swollen, there was an unusual determination in her eyes.

She looked at Li Xian, then suddenly lowered her voice: "Second brother, besides wanting to see you, I have another matter to discuss with you today..."

She paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully, her gaze unconsciously sweeping over the closed door.

Li Xian understood and leaned forward slightly: "Go ahead."

Taiping's voice was even lower, almost as soft as a mosquito's whisper: "Mother...Mother summoned me to the palace yesterday and asked about you."

Li Xian's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive: "Oh? What did Mother ask?"

"Mother asked... asked how Second Brother's health and spirits were lately, and... she also specifically asked about Liu Jianjun." Taiping's eyes quickly glanced at Liu Jianjun. "Mother said that this person is unconventional and does not follow etiquette, but seems to have... quite a few whimsical ideas."

Li Xian and Liu Jianjun exchanged a glance.

Empress Wu indeed paid more attention to the Prince of Pei's residence, especially to Liu Jianjun.

"How did you report back to the Empress Dowager?" Li Xian asked.

“I will naturally say that my second brother is in good health. As for Liu Jianjun…” Taiping paused, “I will say that although he seems unruly, he is loyal to my second brother and often has some unexpected ideas, such as… such as that hot pot, which I really like.”

Li Xian nodded.

As expected, Taiping was indeed as intelligent as he had thought.

Her words were clever; she neither over-praised Liu Jianjun to avoid arousing her mother's suspicion, nor did she use the harmless matter of hot pot to indirectly confirm Liu Jianjun's "ingenious idea," which was in line with her mother's evaluation.

Li Xian nodded slightly: "You answered very well."

Taiping hesitated for a moment, then said, "After hearing this, Mother just hummed and didn't ask any more questions, but I feel... she doesn't seem to be as wary of you as she is of my third and fourth brothers."

Li Xian nodded.

This is exactly what he and Liu Jianjun wanted to see.

Li Xian rubbed Taiping's head, thus ending the topic: "I am already very grateful that you came to tell me all this. After you go back, rest well at home and do not think too much about sad things."

Li Xian did not want Taiping to get too involved at this time.

Taiping nodded, the sorrow on her face replaced by a complex weariness.

She sat for a while longer, chatting idly, but her mood remained low.

Shangguan Wan'er reminded her that it was getting late, so Taiping got up to take her leave.

Li Xian personally escorted them out of the palace gate.

Watching Princess Taiping's carriage slowly depart amidst the imperial guards, disappearing at the end of Luoyang's wide streets, Li Xian stood at the door, motionless for a long time.

Liu Jianjun appeared beside him at some point, followed his gaze, and clicked his tongue: "Your sister is a smart person, but she's just not very lucky."

Li Xian was silent for a moment, then sighed softly: "In this city of Luoyang, who dares to say they have a good life?"

He turned and walked back, the setting sun casting a long shadow over him.

"Tomorrow is the ceremony to receive the mandate of heaven." Liu Jianjun followed in his footsteps, his tone tinged with a hint of desolation. "An even bigger show is about to begin. Fortunately, this time, our seats are relatively safe."

Li Xian nodded.

He knew that Liu Jianjun was referring to the fact that his mother trusted him even more.

This news has just been confirmed by Taiping.

Li Xian didn't reply, but simply looked up at the Luoyang sky, which seemed to be divided by palace walls.

As dusk settled, the clouds hung low, like eyelids about to close.

……

The next day.

Grand Ceremony for Receiving the Image.

The Prince of Pei's residence was bustling with activity early on. Li Xian changed into his royal court attire, a black robe with a crimson skirt, adorned with nine-patterned ornaments and a gold and jade belt hook, heavy yet magnificent.

But at this moment, he wasn't particularly nervous.

Because Liu Jianjun said yesterday, "Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws eventually. Since your mother has already taken the initiative to ask me about her, I have to go and meet her, right? Besides... I really want to see her."

When Liu Jianjun said this, his eyes were filled with a complex expression, a rare moment when Li Xian couldn't decipher his gaze.

"Tsk, these clothes are so tight," Liu Jianjun muttered from the side.

Liu Jianjun also changed into a relatively formal dark crimson official robe, but it looked a bit awkward on him, not as comfortable as his usual casual attire.

Li Xian was fastening his final sash when he heard this. He glanced at him and said calmly, "Today's ceremony is the focus of everyone's attention. The proper etiquette cannot be disregarded. You should be patient."

He was worried that Liu Jianjun would be too carefree and irresponsible at the ceremony, and if someone caught him doing something wrong, he wouldn't be able to protect him.

"I know, I know, we'll go all the way with the acting." Liu Jianjun waved his hand dismissively.

Li Xian frowned, about to say something, when Liu Jianjun suddenly said formally, "Don't worry, I won't joke around with our lives."

Li Xian was relieved.

That's true. When has Liu Jianjun ever made a mistake on important matters?
But small things are different.

Li Xian paused for a moment while looking at Liu Jianjun, but finally stepped forward and straightened the ceremonial hat on Liu's head.

Once everything was ready, the two boarded the prince's carriage and, surrounded by guards, headed towards the palace.

The closer you get to the palace, the more solemn the atmosphere becomes.

The wide main street had already been cleared and placed under martial law by the Imperial Guards. There was a guard every five steps and a sentry every ten steps. Their armor was gleaming and their weapons were cold. Even the horses pulling the carriages seemed to feel the pressure, and their hooves pounded much softer.

Upon arriving at Yingtian Gate, high-ranking civil and military officials lined up in order of rank and title, awaiting entry into the palace. Everyone was dressed in solemn ceremonial robes, their faces grave, and they rarely spoke to each other, with only the low tinkling of jade pendants and suppressed coughs.

As the Prince of Pei, Li Xian held a rather prominent position.

Wu Chengsi, Wu Sansi, and other members of the Wu clan were positioned on the other side of the imperial clan's procession, each exuding confidence and high spirits. Wu Chengsi, in particular, although he tried his best to maintain a dignified demeanor, the smugness between his brows was almost overflowing.

As the chief secretary of the Prince's Palace, Liu Jianjun was of low rank and could only be ranked in the back of the official line. He gave Li Xian a wink and then silently retreated, blending into the sea of ​​dark official robes.

At the exact hour of Chen (7-9 AM), the palace gates slowly opened.

As the master of ceremonies announced the start of the ceremony, the procession began to move slowly in order, passing through palace gates and heading towards the heart of today's grand ceremony, the Wanxiang Divine Palace... also known as the Mingtang, the "Mingtang" where the emperor sits.

In front of the Wanshang Shrine, the square was spacious. Li Xian was positioned at the front of the royal family, and he could clearly see the towering shrine, its magnificent halls and flying eaves shimmering with golden light in the morning sun.

It's unknown how much manpower and resources were spent.

Time passed slowly, and the sunlight grew increasingly intense, shining on the heavy court robes. Even in this winter, it was somewhat stuffy and unbearable. However, among the thousands of people in the square, not one dared to make the slightest movement, and they even deliberately kept their breathing quiet.

After an unknown amount of time, suddenly, bells and chimes rang out, and elegant music began to play.

"His Majesty the Divine Emperor has arrived!"

The master of ceremonies' drawn-out voice echoed throughout the square.

Everyone, including Li Xian, bowed and paid their respects.

Li Xian glanced at it out of the corner of his eye.

Empress Wu slowly ascended the high platform in front of the Divine Palace and stood in the center, followed closely by Emperor Li Dan with a complex expression, as well as the prime ministers and important officials with different expressions.

The music stopped.

The entire Vientiane Shrine Square was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

The Master of Ceremonies began to loudly recite the prayer in parallel prose, the content of which was nothing more than praising Empress Wu's merits in assisting the government, her virtue matching heaven and earth, her ability to attract auspicious omens, and the birth of Luotu as the mandate of heaven, and so on.

Li Xian listened quietly, but his thoughts drifted away.

He recalled Liu Jianjun's complaints about these articles being "long and tedious, making people fall asleep," and a slight twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth, but he quickly suppressed it.

After the congratulatory message was finished, the next step was the core part – “presenting the map”.

A palace eunuch, carrying a jade plate covered with bright yellow silk, bowed and stepped forward, kneeling to present it before the emperor.

Empress Wu reached out and personally unveiled the silk.

Even from some distance, Li Xian could see that in the jade plate was a piece of tortoise shell with an ancient color and faint patterns, or rather, a jade or stone artifact in the shape of a tortoise shell.

That is the so-called "Luoshu".

Empress Wu picked up the "Luoshu" (a type of ancient Chinese writing system), held it high, and displayed it to the audience.

In an instant, a deafening roar of "Long live the Emperor!" swept across the entire square!

"Long live!"

"Long live!"

"Long live!"

The cheers rose higher and higher, deafening everyone. Whether genuine or feigned, at this moment, everyone had to show the most fervent support.

Li Xian bowed and shouted along with the others, but his gaze involuntarily fell on the figure on the high platform.

Amidst the deafening shouts of "Long live the Emperor!", she stood as firm as a mountain, holding the "divine gift from heaven." The tassels of her crown swayed slightly, obscuring her gaze. However, Li Xian could sense that her eyes seemed to pierce through the crowd and lingered in his direction for a moment.

It was a very brief moment, so fast it felt like an illusion.

But Li Xian knew that it wasn't an illusion.

She received the message of "Auspicious Ant Script," and she also saw her own respectful and obedient attitude today.

Is that enough?
Li Xian didn't know.

All he knew was that amidst the deafening shouts of "Long live the Emperor!", an era was slowly unfolding with an unstoppable momentum, and he, Prince Pei, Li Xian, had to find his place in this new era and carefully walk forward.

Li Xian quietly turned his head and looked towards the back of the group.

There, the dark-faced youth looked at the figure on the high platform with a mocking expression.

Li Xian suddenly felt relieved.

……

(End of this chapter)