Chapter Eighty-One: Everyone Has Secrets

The military defeats at Suzhou and Changzhou might have brought a sense of grim satisfaction to Han Xizai, but it was Sun Sheng who stood to gain the most. With Feng Yansi forced to resign from his position as chancellor, Sun Sheng was appointed to the post, placing him in charge of state secrets. This left Sun Sheng feeling triumphant. Ever since the first year of the Baoda era, when the Crown Prince ascended the throne and Li Jingsui began working against him—leading to Sun Sheng’s demotion to Jiedushi of Shuzhou—he had harbored a deep resentment toward the Prince of Qi, Li Jingsui.

Consequently, Sun Sheng was a staunch supporter of Li Hongji, the Duke of Dongping. Given Li Jingsui’s attitude toward him, if that prince were to become the heir apparent or even the Emperor, what kind of future would Sun Sheng have? With Han Xizai’s recent great victory, the faction led by Feng Yansi had seen its members demoted or forced into resignation, and the chancellorship had been surrendered. Only the old fox, Song Qiqiu, remained, struggling to hold his ground.

Sun Sheng felt it was time to press the advantage, secure further victories, and reap more benefits to pave the way for the Duke of Dongping’s succession. He had already formed some ideas but needed to consult with Li Hongji, so he hurried to the Duke’s residence. However, upon arrival, Li Hongji was nowhere to be found.

Sun Sheng pondered for a moment before deciding to wait in the side hall. As a frequent visitor to the Duke’s estate, he was well-known to the staff, who allowed him to make himself at home. A servant brought tea, and a steward stayed behind to keep him company. They exchanged idle pleasantries until Li Hongji finally arrived, a smile gracing his face.

"The Duke of Dongping seems to be in high spirits. Is there some good news?" Sun Sheng asked with a laugh, stroking his graying beard.

Seeing the tea on the side table, Li Hongji quickly took a cup and downed it in one gulp before saying, "That Zeng Yiling at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion truly is suspicious."

Sun Sheng was stunned. "Suspicious in what way? I’ve heard rumors that the Duke has some interest in her. Is there any truth to that?"

"I do have an interest in her, but not in the way you might think," Li Hongji replied with a strange, enigmatic smile—a far cry from his demeanor just an hour ago. Seeing Sun Sheng’s confusion, he continued, "I suspect that Zeng Yiling has ties to the remnants of the previous dynasty."

"The remnants of the previous dynasty?" Sun Sheng asked.

"Precisely," Li Hongji repeated, his voice turning somber. "Three years ago, I received intelligence that there was a secret meeting place for these remnants within the city. They refused to accept their defeat and were plotting to overthrow the court. I gathered my men and moved in, but the rebels were tipped off and escaped, leaving my efforts in vain. For years, I have been searching for their trail, and now, it seems highly likely that Zeng Yiling is one of them."

Sun Sheng gasped. These revelations from Li Hongji were shocking; not only was he unaware of these events, but it was unlikely anyone else knew either.

"Zeng Yiling’s origins are unclear. Like that Yang Lian, there is very little information about her. She appeared in Jinling out of nowhere, and her behavior is suspicious—how can one not be on guard?" Li Hongji added.

Sun Sheng narrowed his eyes, stroking his beard as he pondered how to defeat the Prince of Qi, Li Jingsui.

Li Hongji continued, "Not long ago, I saw Zeng Yiling and Yang Lian at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, conspiring about something. It seems they share some unspeakable secret."

Sun Sheng was moved. "Does the Duke mean that this Yang Lian is the former crown prince, Yang Lian?"

"His appearance is different from that man's, so perhaps not," Li Hongji said, though he was not entirely certain. "Even if he is not, there is one point to note: not only does he know Zeng Yiling, but he is also deeply connected with the Prince of Qi."

Sun Sheng nodded. "I understand the Duke’s intent. Striking at Yang Lian is equivalent to breaking the Prince of Qi’s right hand, leaving him unable to spread his wings. Since Yang Lian and Zeng Yiling seem to be in league, we can start with her."

Li Hongji nodded. "Exactly. Chancellor Sun, do you have any suggestions?"

Sun Sheng thought for a moment. "On the surface, Zeng Yiling is merely a courtesan at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. If we were to seize her, it might force others to reveal themselves."

Li Hongji pursed his lips in thought. Sun Sheng’s proposal was feasible, but who would execute it? While Li Hongji had some standing in the military, using military forces for this plan would expose his true strength, which was unwise. Furthermore, if the person assigned to the task lacked sufficient rank, they might be unable to suppress Yang Lian or the forces backing Zeng Yiling.

After hesitating for a moment, Li Hongji shook his head and dismissed the idea. "That might force those behind Zeng Yiling to surface, but for now, it offers me little benefit."

Sun Sheng was persistent. "Duke, one must be ruthless to be a great man. You must be decisive and not hesitate!"

Li Hongji nodded. "I already have a plan for this matter; it should happen within the next few days."

Just then, Han Xizai hurried in. Seeing Sun Sheng, he was taken aback. "Chancellor Sun, have you received the news as well?"

Sun Sheng frowned. "What news?"

Han Xizai stroked his beard, his expression grave. "It seems His Majesty has made up his mind."

Li Hongji asked curiously, "What exactly is the news?"

Han Xizai steadied himself. "An hour ago, His Majesty summoned me to discuss the succession."

Sun Sheng’s smile vanished, and Li Hongji’s face turned somber. The succession—those two simple words made both their hearts race. Hadn't everything they done been in pursuit of the throne?

Both men stared at Han Xizai, hoping for good news.

Han Xizai shook his head. "His Majesty intends to name the Prince of Qi as the Imperial Younger Brother and asked for my opinion."

"How did you answer?" Sun Sheng asked anxiously. Li Hongji’s breathing grew shallow.

Han Xizai waved a hand. "What else could I say? His Majesty’s mind has been set for some time. I simply replied that His Majesty and the Prince of Qi are of similar age, and given the Prince’s gentle nature, he is not suited to be the heir in these chaotic times."

Sun Sheng clapped his hands and laughed. "A good answer! It neither outright defied His Majesty nor suppressed your own opinion."

Li Hongji, most concerned with his father’s decision, asked hurriedly, "How did Father respond?" If his father had heeded Han Xizai’s advice, then Han Xizai would undoubtedly be the greatest contributor to his cause.

"His Majesty did not speak. But judging by his expression, he seemed to be swayed," Han Xizai said with a faint smile, though he felt no certainty in his heart and could only use these words to comfort himself.

Li Hongji clenched his fists. There was hope. Where there was hope, there must be effort. The struggle for the throne would be won. When his father eventually passed, he would become the supreme ruler, leading the armies of the Great Tang to conquer and unify the realm. He would be a figure like Emperor Taizong of the Tang, his name immortalized in the history books as a legendary, sagely monarch.

***

Yang Lian walked slowly, still shaken by Zeng Yiling’s performance. How did she know his identity? Although he had not admitted it, she seemed to truly recognize him and had even mentioned Princess Yongxing!

Though he had denied it and she had not pressed further, he could not help but worry about the crisis she posed. How could he eliminate this threat?

Before he knew it, he had reached the banks of the Qinhuai River. The river surged, boats shuttled back and forth, and Yang Lian stood by the water, staring at the layers of waves rolling forward. They were like the wheels of history—one generation of heroes gradually growing old, while the next stepped onto the stage. The new replaces the old!

"Oh, isn't this Master Yang?" a familiar voice called out from behind.

Yang Lian turned and froze. Zhou Ehuang was dressed in men’s clothing; though her chest was bound, it could not hide her graceful figure. With red lips, white teeth, and a slender frame, she stood there like a lotus flower untouched by the mud.

"So, it is Master Zhou," Yang Lian said with a smile. Since Zhou Ehuang was dressed as a man, he would not expose her.

Zhou Ehuang looked at Yang Lian with delight. "His Majesty held a competition during the hunt at Mount Zhong, and you truly won the championship as you wished. It is truly heartening."

Yang Lian smiled, took a piece of jade from around his neck, and placed it in his palm. "This was all thanks to Master Zhou’s good fortune."

Zhou Ehuang’s face flushed slightly as she explained, "That day, you saved my father and me, and I was deeply grateful. That jade is a lucky charm. I hope it brings you a bright future."

"Thanks to your jade, I have been smooth sailing and managed to win the crown," Yang Lian laughed.

Zhou Ehuang chuckled. "At the time of the competition, not many were optimistic about you. Even after you advanced from the preliminaries, many said others had let you win."

Yang Lian put the jade away. "Thanks to them, I won quite a bit of money this time."

"Won quite a bit of money?" Zhou Ehuang’s watery eyes widened, her long lashes fluttering.

Hearing a man speak with such a delicate tone, and seeing his somewhat effeminate appearance, tourists along the Qinhuai River hurried to avoid him, fearing bad luck.

Yang Lian smiled faintly and told her how the others in the military had looked down on him and how he had secretly placed bets and won a fortune.

Zhou Ehuang laughed, her eyes curving like crescent moons, incomparably beautiful. Yang Lian was momentarily stunned. Desire is human nature; he was a normal man, and how could he not feel something when seeing such a delicate and blooming beauty? Yang Lian was, after all, a man, and even if he knew his true purpose, he could not help but be drawn into the moment.

Seeing Yang Lian’s bright eyes, Zhou Ehuang lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper. "Why are you... looking at me like that?"

Yang Lian laughed. "Your face is smudged."

"Ah?!" Zhou Ehuang lifted her hands and vigorously scrubbed her face with her sleeves. A young girl, after all, values her beauty; how could she not be anxious about being dirty? Besides, she had a gathering with her friends later.

Watching her anxious expression, Yang Lian laughed. "It’s clean now. No need to scrub anymore, or your face will turn red."

Zhou Ehuang stopped and looked at Yang Lian, asking earnestly, "Is it really clean?"

Yang Lian nodded firmly. "It is truly clean."

Zhou Ehuang looked at her clean sleeve and suddenly realized something. Her face turned as red as a sunset, and for a moment, she was breathtakingly beautiful.