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

Chapter 191: A startling turn of events and past palace secrets
The air seemed to freeze at this moment.

The palace servants and eunuchs standing there were all silent, the officials sitting cross-legged instinctively straightened their backs, and even Princess Taiping suddenly covered her mouth, staring in astonishment at Wu Youji, then subconsciously looking at her mother on the throne, and finally at Li Xian, who was bowing his head and remaining silent.

Li Xian's heart was pounding wildly in his chest.

Although it was all planned by him and Liu Jianjun, he still couldn't help but feel anxious when this scene actually happened.

He forced himself to maintain a calm demeanor, but his hands were clenched into fists inside his sleeves, his nails digging deep into his palms, bringing a sharp pain that helped him stay alert.

Now is not the time to relax!
Li Xian gave a timely look of surprise, glancing at Wu Youji, then looking at the Empress, and finally, as if suddenly realizing something, abruptly lowered his head.

in silence.

On the throne, the Martial Emperor's face instantly darkened.

Her eyes were fixed on Wu Youji, her voice not loud, but carrying immense weight: "Wu Youji, do you know what you're saying? Framing the Crown Prince? What evidence do you have for such outrageous words?!"

Li Xian noticed that at this moment, the Empress's eyes were filled with only a cold threat.

"evidence?"

Wu Youji gave a bitter smile, a smile devoid of any warmth, only filled with sorrow and resolve.

"Your Majesty wants evidence? This indenture itself is a link in the chain of evidence! It proves that Zhao Daosheng first entered the then Crown Prince's Palace through my household and certain people! And how did he later implicate the Crown Prince in his 'confession' in prison? Your Majesty... really knew nothing about it?!"

He was reckless, meeting the Empress's cold gaze without fear. His voice suddenly rose as he accused her: "What has my wife done wrong? She is to be put to death to make way for the princess simply because she married me!"
"What has the Crown Prince done wrong?! He is framed for treason and deposed and exiled simply because he is His Majesty's son and the heir apparent on whom the late Emperor placed his hopes..."

"presumptuous!"

The Empress slammed her hand on the imperial desk, interrupting Wu Youji.

She suddenly stood up, and the chilling killing intent emanating from her body caused the temperature in the entire hall to drop several degrees.

"Wu Youji! You've gone mad! Guards!"

The guards outside the palace moved at the sound, and the clanging of their armor was clearly audible.

"Mother Empress!" Princess Taiping exclaimed in shock, instinctively taking a step forward to try and dissuade her.

Li Xian's heart was in his throat, and he almost couldn't help but cry out.

At this critical moment, Wu Youji suddenly slammed the bamboo tube in his hand to the ground!
The bamboo tube shattered with a crack, and the yellowed contract inside rolled out.

He laughed wildly, tears streaming down his face: "Crazy? I am crazy! How can I not go crazy watching my wife, whom I've loved since childhood, die innocently because of this overwhelming power?! How can I not go crazy watching loyal and virtuous people be framed, watching my own flesh and blood turn against each other?!"
"Your Majesty! You are high above, holding the power of life and death, but at night, have you ever heard the cries of wronged souls?! Have you ever dreamt of the blood and tears of your loved ones?!"

Pointing to the contract on the ground, he shouted hoarsely at the entire hall: "This is the evidence! This is just the tip of the iceberg of that conspiracy! Look! Look at this magnificent hall! How much filth and injustice is hidden beneath it!"

"Drag him away!" The Martial Emperor's voice was icy cold and devoid of any emotion. "Throw this arrogant scoundrel into the Heavenly Prison! Keep him under strict guard!"

The fierce guards rushed in and grabbed the seemingly insane Wu Youji.

But at this moment.

"Wait!"

A sudden shout drew everyone's attention.

Li Xian also subconsciously looked at the person who spoke.

At this point, there was still someone who dared to plead for Wu Youji?
Peace.

Li Xian frowned; he didn't understand what Taiping was trying to do.

Even if Princess Taiping is favored, what can she do if she jumps out at this time?

But at this moment, Taiping had already rushed to the center of the main hall. However, she did not stop, but went straight to the contract on the ground. Her brows furrowed slightly, as if she had discovered something strange.

"Peace!" The Emperor's voice carried a warning.

But Taiping seemed not to hear. Her gaze quickly swept over the words on the contract, and a look of surprise and confusion appeared on her face.

Subconsciously, she read it aloud: "The person who made this indenture is Lao Da, originally from... and now voluntarily sells himself into slavery to... the Prince of Pei's mansion..."

This caused another uproar in the otherwise quiet hall.

"The prison chief? Isn't that Zhao Daosheng?"

"Wasn't it supposed to be through Wu Youji's residence? This... why does the contract say it's through the Prince of Pei's residence?"

"Has Wu Youji gone mad?"

The officials exchanged bewildered glances; this sudden turn of events had left everyone stunned.

Wu Youji was also stunned. His struggling movements stopped, and he looked at the contract in Taiping's hand in disbelief, muttering, "Impossible... This is impossible! It's clearly Zhao Daosheng's..."

Only Li Xian, after the initial shock, instantly realized what had happened.

Wu Youji's contract was switched by Liu Jianjun.

At that time, Wu Youji was still considered his enemy. Liu Jianjun stole Zhao Daosheng's contract from him, hoping that one day he could clear his name.

Can……

So much time has passed, and Liu Jianjun still hasn't changed it back?!

At this point, the situation in the hall had completely descended into chaos.

Li Xian hurriedly followed the crowd, feigning surprise, and looked at Wu Youji.

On the throne, a fleeting look of surprise flashed across the Empress's originally cold and angry eyes. Her gaze swept back and forth between Li Xian's "shocked and innocent" face and Wu Youji's bewildered expression.

Things took a completely unexpected turn.

"Silence!" The Emperor shouted, silencing the noise in the hall.

She looked at Taiping and said in a deep voice, "Bring up the contract."

As instructed, Taiping respectfully presented the contract that had caused such a great uproar to Emperor Wu.

Empress Wu carefully examined the contents of the contract. It was indeed a contract for selling oneself into the "Prince Pei's Mansion" in black and white. The signature and seal were complete, and it did not match the "Zhao Daosheng" and "Eastern Palace" mentioned by Wu Youji at all.

Her expression shifted constantly before settling into a deep calm, but beneath that calm lay a complex mix of emotions that were difficult to describe.

She threw the contract onto the imperial desk, her voice regaining its usual majesty, but with a hint of deliberate downplaying: "Absurd! This contract is clearly the indenture of Lao Da, a servant of the Prince of Pei's mansion. What does it have to do with the case of the Crown Prince Xian?"

"Wu Youji!"

With a fierce shout, she looked at Wu Youji, who was being supported by guards and looked completely disoriented, and said in an icy tone: "You are heartbroken over the loss of your wife and have lost your mind. You have gathered inaccurate evidence, yet you dare to speak wildly and slanderously in the court, disturbing the emperor's ears and defaming the prince! It seems you have indeed gone mad!"

"Throw him into the imperial prison and keep him under strict guard. No one is allowed to visit him without my decree!"

She reiterated the order, but this time with a different meaning.

What happened just now might have been a murder to silence witnesses, but now it seems more like a cold, indifferent approach to the matter.

"As for Prince Pei," the Empress Wu turned her gaze to Li Xian, scrutinizing him, "this matter has nothing to do with you. It was caused by Wu Youji's madness. You have been wronged."

She didn't even mention the contract that was so important to Li Xian and the Prince of Pei's mansion.

Li Xian quickly bowed: "Your subject dares not. But Wu Youji... alas, I hope Your Majesty will consider his excessive grief and punish him leniently."

Li Xian was also in a state of confusion.

This suddenly "changed" contract seems to have steered things in a strange direction.

The Emperor waved his hand dismissively: "That's enough for today. Court is adjourned!"

This storm, ignited by Wu Youji with his life and an attempt to reopen old wounds, ultimately came to an abrupt end in such a farcical manner, leaving no trace.

……

Li Xian returned to the Prince of Pei's residence in a state of utter confusion.

He didn't even have time to change out of his court robes before he went straight to Liu Jianjun and told him everything that had happened in the main hall that day.

"what?"

Liu Jianjun also showed a surprised expression. "...Then, the Empress Dowager concluded that Wu Youji had lost his mind and was making baseless accusations, characterizing the matter as a farce, and adjourned the court." After Li Xian finished speaking, he felt his mouth was dry, picked up the tea that had gone cold and drank it all in one gulp.

“No…” Liu Jianjun frowned, “What I mean is… your mother didn’t order Wu Youji to be killed?”

Li Xian was taken aback, even forgetting to put down his teacup, and asked in confusion, "Mother... isn't it a good thing not to kill Wu Youji?"

“I knew it was a good thing, and I was even prepared for him to die, but he didn’t die, so of course I’m happy.” Liu Jianjun paused, then frowned and said, “But… now your mother’s actions are clearly just trying to smooth things over, which is very strange and not in line with her style.”

Li Xian still didn't understand: "What's so strange about that? Perhaps the Empress is considering that he's a member of the Wu clan, or perhaps it's for the sake of peace..."

"Think about yourself!"

Liu Jianjun interrupted Li Xian, looked at him, and said, "Back in Bazhou, if I hadn't shown up, you would have been dead! Qiu Shenji was driving you to your death! And that was after you had already been deposed and were far from the center of power! When has your mother ever been lenient with potential threats, or even threats she perceives?"

"But what did Wu Youji do today? In public, he practically pointed his finger at your mother and cursed her for being cold-hearted, framing her own son, and indiscriminately killing innocent people!"

"He overturned the table related to the treason case from back then! This is a thousand times more serious than your 'well-behaved' behavior in Bazhou! Given your mother's ruthless and decisive nature, in order to maintain the prestige of the Zhou Dynasty she has just established and to prevent any remarks that might shake the foundation of her rule, killing her on the spot, or even secretly executing her afterwards, would be the most normal and logical course of action for her!"
"But what about now?"
"She merely imprisoned Wu Youji. What is that called? That's called raising a heavy hand and then letting it fall gently. Why did she do that? Just because Wu Youji was a member of the Wu family? Because Taiping pleaded for him? Are these considerations enough to offset the 'treasonous' crime he committed?"

Li Xian was stunned for a moment.

He really hadn't thought about it that way.

"Then... in your opinion, why does the Empress..." Li Xian's voice also lowered.

"I do not know."

Liu Jianjun shook his head, his face unusually solemn and uncertain. "Wu Youji is just her nephew, not even her biological nephew. Your mother's tolerance for him is even higher than for you, her own son. This is too strange."

"Could it be because she has already ascended the throne, so she no longer considers Wu Youji a threat? And you were the obstacle on her path to the throne?"

"No...she deposed Xianzi and sent him to Fangzhou, but she didn't kill him, did she?"

Liu Jianjun paced back and forth in the same spot.

Li Xian couldn't help but ask, "Brother Xian... if we hadn't rescued him, wouldn't he be dead too?"

"No! Xianzi won't die!" Liu Jianjun shook his head. "Even if we don't intervene, Xianzi won't die. It's you who will die."

Li Xian didn't know why Liu Jianjun was so certain, so he probed further, "Perhaps... it's because the Empress Dowager thinks that my younger brother is weak-willed and easy to control, while I..."

"That's not the whole reason."

Liu Jianjun interrupted him again. He stopped pacing, turned around, and looked at Li Xian with a sharp gaze that made Li Xian's heart tremble, as if he could see through everything: "Xianzi, have you noticed that your mother treats you brothers very strangely?"

"I remember when we first met, you told me that your mother never liked you, right?"

Li Xian nodded, then asked, "Could it be... because Mother doesn't like me, so she's trying to kill me?"

Liu Jianjun looked at Li Xian with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, and said, "That's not entirely the reason. Your mother is a very rational person, almost absolutely rational. Personal feelings have very little impact on her. She would never deliberately try to kill you just because she doesn't like you."

Li Xian simply stopped talking and looked at Liu Jianjun.

Liu Jianjun seemed to be deep in thought. He rubbed his hands together a few times to warm his palms, and then rubbed his hands on his face a few times.

His tone was heavy, and he spoke in short, halting sentences: "Your mother doesn't like you... She's trying to destroy you... Xianzi is fine... Wu Youji committed such a serious crime but got away with it... And Taiping, she's practically spoiled rotten..."

Liu Jianjun seemed to be connecting these clues, and then suddenly looked at Li Xian and asked, "Xianzi, can I ask you something?"

Li Xian nodded.

"Was your elder brother Li Hong killed by your mother, the Empress?" Liu Jianjun suddenly asked, making a startling question.

"How could that be..." Li Xian instinctively wanted to deny it.

“Don’t rush to deny it, think about it carefully! Your mother could kill you for the throne, so why couldn’t she kill your elder brother?” Liu Jianjun’s tone became more serious, prompting Li Xian to think carefully. “This matter is very important.”

Li Xian fell silent, thought for a moment, and then asked, "Then... shall I simply tell you about my elder brother?"

"also."

Liu Jianjun stood up, walked to the door, peeked out to make sure no one was around, and then turned back.

"You said."

Li Xian pondered for a moment and said, "Then... let's start with the eldest brother's name. Although the eldest brother was the eldest of the Empress's children, he was not the eldest son of the Emperor. In addition, the Empress was not the Empress at that time, so he was not the legitimate son."

"But it was unusual for Father to name his eldest brother 'Li Hong'."

"Li Hong is a Taoist prophecy that says that as long as Laozi descends to the mortal world, a peaceful world will appear, and Laozi's incarnation is called Li Hong."

Liu Jianjun interjected thoughtfully, "So, your father was also very good to your elder brother?"

“He was treated extremely well.” Li Xian affirmed. “In fact, not only the Emperor, but also the Empress Dowager treated him extremely well. The name Li Hong was actually her idea. This name contains her boundless expectations for her elder brother. She hoped that her elder brother could become the emperor in the future.”

Liu Jianjun remarked with a sigh, "So, your mother's personality really hasn't changed at all!"

Li Xian was puzzled.

Liu Jianjun said, "You said she wasn't the empress at the time, right? She wasn't the empress, but she hoped her son would become emperor. Isn't that like Sima Zhao's intentions?"

Li Xian was speechless.

What Liu Jianjun said was indeed true. At the time, everyone thought it was just a mother's most earnest expectation for her child, but now, looking back, it turns out that the empress's desire for power had already shown signs long ago.

Liu Jianjun then said, "Go on."

Li Xian nodded and said, "At that time, Empress Wang and Consort Xiao were fighting fiercely. The birth of my elder brother allowed my mother to maneuver between the two and finally catch her breath."

"I've told you what happened later. Because of the two ministers appointed by our father, Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang, our mother and father united their forces and eventually defeated Empress Wang. Our mother ascended the throne, and our eldest brother officially became the crown prince."

At this point, Li Xian was lost in his memories.

His elder brother Li Hong treated him very well. With Li Hong bearing the pressure, he was just like Li Xian later, spending his days doing nothing but cockfighting and horse racing, a complete playboy.

That was also the most relaxed and carefree time for him.

"My elder brother was quite precocious. When he was just ten years old, he ordered his subordinates in the Crown Prince’s Palace, such as Xu Jingzong and Shangguan Yi, to compile a large collection of five hundred volumes of literature, which he named Yaoshan Yucai, and presented it to our father.

"The Emperor was extremely pleased to see that he had such ambition and talent at such a young age. Xu Jingzong, Shangguan Yi and others also gradually gained the Emperor's favor."

Liu Jianjun interjected, "Shangguan Wan'er's grandfather."

Li Xian nodded and continued, "My elder brother is intelligent and capable. Father and Mother have always placed high hopes on him. Especially since the fifth year of Xianqing, after Father fell ill, my elder brother has begun to frequently oversee the country."

At this point, Li Xian sighed with emotion: "Although my elder brother died young, he had the experience of serving as regent seven times."

"But... my elder brother's health has never been very good."

"He was thoughtful and meticulous, often working late into the night to handle state affairs. During the Xianqing era, his father's illness worsened, and his mother began to participate more in court affairs. His elder brother and mother... gradually developed differences in some political views."

Liu Jianjun's eyes narrowed: "Oh? What exactly is the disagreement?"

Li Xian recalled: "I remember a few things. One was about the labor and taxes for the campaign against Goguryeo. My elder brother believed that the people were exhausted from years of war and that the war should be temporarily suspended to allow them to rest. However, my mother and father believed that we should press on and completely quell the border troubles."

"And... regarding the treatment of Princess Yiyang and Princess Xuancheng, the two daughters of Consort Xiao, my elder brother, pitying them for being imprisoned for so long and nearing the end of their lives, once wrote to the Emperor and Empress Dowager requesting that they be married off."

Liu Jianjun astutely grasped the key point: "This matter has angered your mother, hasn't it?"

Li Xian sighed: "Yes, at that time, the Empress Dowager's face was very unpleasant. She thought that her elder brother was accusing her of mistreating the late emperor's concubines and princesses, which was unfilial and a challenge to her authority. Although the two princesses were eventually betrothed to ordinary guards, the rift between the Empress Dowager and her elder brother seemed to have deepened since then."

"And then what?" Liu Jianjun pressed.

"Later... in the second year of Xianheng, when my elder brother accompanied our father and mother on an inspection tour of Luoyang, the eastern capital, he suddenly passed away in the Qiyun Hall of the Hebi Palace."

Li Xian's voice was tinged with a barely perceptible sob, "At the time, it was announced that his old illness had relapsed, and he passed away at the young age of twenty-three."

A brief silence fell over the study.

After a long silence, Li Xiancai spoke, saying, "Now it seems, perhaps it was my elder brother..."

But Liu Jianjun suddenly said, "No, your elder brother shouldn't have been killed by your mother."

……

(End of this chapter)