Chapter 260: An Encounter with the Imperial Concubine at Night

After dinner, Li Longji, now old and frail after a day of dealing with Li Qingan’s affairs, felt quite tired and went to rest early. Yang Yuhuan and her sisters also returned to their own chambers to discuss matters. As an external official, Li Qingan could not stay in the inner palace for long, so an eunuch led him to his sleeping quarters.

Li Qingan’s sleeping place was located on the edge of the inner palace, called Yangxing Hall. As the name suggested, it was meant for officials to stay temporarily while gazing at Li Longji with reverence. Put simply, it was like a guest room in Huaqing Palace. Although it was within the inner palace, it was still some distance from Li Longji’s bedroom and not directly connected, separated by a high wall.

Living on the edge of the inner palace of Huaqing Palace meant sleeping close to Li Longji’s bed—a privilege not everyone could enjoy, and it could be considered a great honor. Yet only the person themselves knew whether it was comfortable or not.

Li Qingan’s bedroom was in a side hall of Yangxing Hall. Not long ago, Yang Yuhuan’s second sister, Lady Han, had stayed here for nearly a month. After she returned to the capital, the entire hall seemed empty, with no lanterns lit, pitch black. Only faint light came from the side hall, where several maids were busy preparing Li Qingan’s bed.

After waiting in the hall for a while and finding it dull, Li Qingan strolled outside into the courtyard. The courtyard was filled with lush flowers and plants, shimmering with a silver glow under the bright moon. Several wintersweet plants were in full bloom, releasing a gentle fragrance into the air. Since Jingzhe had passed, the chirping of various nocturnal insects filled the silence, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Only guards were patrolling back and forth near the distant wall.

After admiring the wintersweet for a while, Li Qingan continued walking. Passing through a grove of green bamboo, he suddenly saw a small recreational area ahead. The ground was flat, surrounded by flowers and bamboo, covering an area of about three to four mu. There were several swings, a small single-player cuju goal, and even two golden pots, along with a special arrow stand for throwing them, containing over a dozen golden arrowheads.

Two maids were swinging on the swings, whispering to each other. Suddenly, they saw a strange man appear and were so frightened that they jumped off the swings and ran away.

“You…” Li Qingan called out, but too late. He could only watch them run away. The area was now empty, with no one around. As he turned to leave, his gaze fell on the golden pots—standard arrow-throwing pots, about half a person’s height, with smooth mouths and high-quality craftsmanship.

It had been almost two years since he last tried this kind of archery, and Li Qing’an grew somewhat interested. He looked around; the area was deserted, with no one in sight. He took three heavy gold arrows, stepped back five zhang beyond the red line, and tested his sense of distance. His hand trembled as he shot an arrow, which with a crisp “bang” bounced off the rim of the pot and fell in with a dull thud.

Li Qing’an shook his head. It had been over two years since he last thrown an arrow, and his skill had clearly declined. Back in the day, he could hit targets from ten zhang away during battles against Shi Siming, but now even five zhang was challenging for him. He bit his lip and shot another arrow, which this time hit the pot with a “thud.” A sense of competitiveness slowly arose in him. He stepped back another ten zhang, where there was no red line anymore. Relying solely on intuition to gauge distance, with the gentle breeze and bright moonlight, he thought he could achieve the best results.

He took a deep breath, envisioning an accurate parabola in his mind—considering force, direction, feel, and the weight of the arrow. He quickly found his optimal state. At the moment the night breeze ceased, the gold arrow flew out, following the parabola he had imagined, and with a “ding,” it pierced the golden pot with perfect accuracy.

“Amazing!”

Suddenly, there were exclamations and applause behind him. Startled, Li Qing’an turned to see over a dozen palace maids surrounding Yang Yuhuan, dressed in splendid attire, standing behind him.

Li Qing’an was taken aback. Without time to think, he quickly bowed and said, “Your Majesty, I had no idea you were here. I deserve death!”

“General Li, you’re overreacting. There’s no need for such extreme punishment. It’s me who disturbed you while you were shooting arrows.”

Yang Yuhuan smiled and said, “I came to swing on the swing. I didn’t expect General Li to be here too.”

“Then I shall retire.”

Li Qing’an bowed slightly and stepped back.

“General Li!” Yang Yuhuan suddenly called out to him.

“Is there anything else you command, Your Majesty?”

A slightly embarrassed smile appeared on Yang Yuhuan’s face. “I’d like to shoot a gold arrow. Could General Li give me some guidance? Over the past few years, I’ve been able to shoot arrows from three zhang away.”

Li Qing’an hesitated for a moment. It would be fine during the day, but it was night now. Guiding Yang Yuhuan in archery might be too ambiguous. Any slight overstep could put his life at risk.

As if sensing his hesitation, Yang Yuhuan picked up a gold arrow and said with a smile, “General, you were once my teacher. I’ve made great progress in these two years. I just want to show it to my teacher. Please, don’t feel pressured.”

In the distance, guards were patrolling, and there were also large groups of palace maids nearby. Li Qing’an smiled and turned around, saying, “Very well! Please, Your Majesty.”

Yang Yuhuan stood thirty feet away, the smile on her face disappearing as she frowned, trying to recall the feeling of shooting arrows. Her delicate hips swayed slightly as she stretched out her slender hand; a golden arrow flew from her hand, bounced off the rim of the pot, and fell inside.

Yang Yuhuan clapped her hands in delight. “I hit it!”

Li Qing’an nodded with a smile. “Your Majesty has indeed made great progress!”

“General Li, you flatter me. From thirty feet away, I usually only manage to hit one out of three arrows. Today, I hit it on the first try, and it was even at night. It must be because of you by my side.”

Yang Yuhuan was excited. After thinking for a moment, she said with a smile, “Since General Li is here, how about I shoot one arrow from fifty feet away? Will you teach me?”

Under the moonlight, Yang Yuhuan’s gaze was clear and bright, her eyes shimmering, making her appear noble and stunningly beautiful, which also stirred Li Qing’an’s heart.

He smiled and said, “It would be fine during the day, or even indoors. But in the open fields at night, Your Majesty won’t be able to hit a target from fifty feet away. Ordinary people don’t have such sharp eyesight. If you don’t believe me, stand fifty feet away and see for yourself.”

Yang Yuhuan was skeptical. She stepped back a few times until she reached the fifty-foot mark, then looked toward the golden pot. Indeed, it was very blurry, completely different from when it was thirty feet away. Only then did she reluctantly put the golden arrow back on the stand and said to Li Qing’an with a smile, “Very well! When we return to Chang’an, you teach me, and I’ll call you master.”

“If it’s Your Majesty’s order, I’m willing to teach you anytime. It’s already late, so I’ll take my leave first.”

“It’s cold outside. I should return to the palace too. Let’s go together!”

Surrounded by a dozen palace maids, Yang Yuhuan headed toward the inner palace, with Li Qing’an following closely behind.

“General Li, do you feel any changes since returning to Chang’an this time?”

Li Qing’an shook his head. “I arrived in Chang’an this morning and haven’t entered the city yet, so I can’t sense any changes for now. But once I entered Guanzhong, I found the scenery to be extremely beautiful, breathtaking.”

“Is that so? I don’t see anything special about it. To me, Chang’an is just ordinary.”

Li Qing’an smiled gently. “That’s because Your Majesty has lived in Chang’an all her life and sees it every day. As for me, I’ve spent most of my time in the Western Regions and am not very familiar with Chang’an. That’s what they call ‘distance creates beauty’.”

A glint appeared in Yang Yuhuan’s eyes as she murmured to herself, “Distance creates beauty!”

Suddenly, she turned to Li Qing’an with a smile and said, “General Li, you’re absolutely right!”

Li Qing’an smiled faintly and said, “Actually, it’s the same with people. If you see them every day, you’ll eventually grow tired of them. That’s why a short separation makes things feel fresh again.”
Yang Yuhuan nodded. Li Qing’an’s words made perfect sense—indeed, that was exactly how it was. Passing by the wintersweet tree, a delicate fragrance wafted toward them. Yang Yuhuan wanted to pick a branch, but it was too high for her to reach. Li Qing’an leaped up, picked one for her, and handed it to her. “Your Majesty, here!”
Yang Yuhuan smiled gracefully, her eyes sparkling with charm that captivated hearts.
“Thank you!”
She took the wintersweet, sniffed it near her lips, then glanced secretly at Li Qing’an. Years ago, there had been a young man who had picked wintersweet for her as well. Memories of the past faded like smoke, and a hint of melancholy crossed her face as she let out a soft sigh.
Li Qing’an didn’t dare ask further and silently followed her forward. The Yangxing Hall was just ahead. Yang Yuhuan intended to take a side path back. At that moment, she slowed down, hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, “General Li, when I asked you to marry Mingyue soon during dinner, it was for a reason. Follow my advice—marry Mingyue quickly and take her to Anxi.”
Without looking back, she quickened her pace and headed toward the inner palace, gradually disappearing among the flowers. Li Qing’an watched her retreating figure, pondering the deeper meaning behind her words.
…
Li Qing’an returned to the capital to report on his duties. For most people, this had little direct impact. Although the Anxi army’s victory over the Arabs in the State of Shi brought some morale boost and conversation material for the court and the public, people didn’t sense any changes that affected their own interests. However, the fact that most Sogdians from Anxi used silver coins was a novelty, and it quickly became a hot topic among merchants in the Eastern and Western markets.
Merchants were concerned about silver coins, but those competing for power were more interested in the implications of Li Qing’an’s return. After all, Li Qing’an was a staunch supporter of the former crown prince, Li Heng. What changes might his return bring to the struggle for the throne?
In the afternoon, Li Qiu returned from Xianyang to the Prince Qing’s mansion. Although he had secretly sided with Li Heng, on the surface he was still the son of the Prince Qing and lived in the grand mansion there.
Li Qiu rode his horse to the front of the mansion, dismounted, handed the reins to his attendant, and strode toward the steps. Just then, the butler came out.
“The young master has returned!” the butler quickly bowed to him.
“How is my father? Has his illness improved?”

Seeing no one around, the butler leaned in and whispered to Li Qiu, “The imperial physicians were here just now. They said the prince’s illness is due to excessive indulgence in wine and women. He needs to rest quietly for several months, avoid women altogether, and refrain from drinking alcohol, or else his life will be at risk.”
Li Qiu disdained this notion but didn’t show it on his face. He said, “Go back to your duties! Don’t spread word of this, understand?”
“Yes! I wouldn’t dare.”
The butler hurried away. Li Qiu shook his head. His foster father had been severely reprimanded by the emperor after the incidents involving the former crown prince and the assassination attempt on Li Qing’an. The emperor personally ordered twenty lashes and mandated a year of reflection in seclusion. Those twenty lashes shattered Li Cong’s ambitions, leaving him listless, indulging in wine and women, growing fatter, and suffering from various illnesses.
Li Qiu entered the mansion, which was very quiet. Since Li Cong was confined to his residence, most of his family members had been sent to various estates. Fewer than 30% of the original servants remained. He passed through a side door and headed toward his own courtyard.
Li Qiu had gotten married last year, taking Cui Yu, the eldest daughter of Cui Ning, the chief secretary of the Jiannan Military Governorship. He also had two concubines. Currently, he lived with his wife and concubines in the east courtyard. His wife, Cui Yu, was already six months pregnant. Upon entering the courtyard, he saw her sweeping the ground with a broom and was stunned. He rushed over, snatched the broom, and complained, “Why are you sweeping? Is this really something you should do?”
Cui Yu quickly smiled and said, “The midwife said that since I’m slender, I need to move around more for the good of the fetus. So whenever I see something to do, I try it. I happened to see the maids sweeping, so I thought I’d give it a try.”
“Ah! If you want to move around, just walk around the mansion. Go to the back garden. You’re a princess after all—how can you do menial work like sweeping? People might slander you if they see you doing this.”
He then snapped at the maids nearby, “If you dare let the princess sweep again, I’ll beat you to death.”
The maids were terrified and didn’t dare say a word. Cui Yu laughed and said, “It’s okay, dear. Don’t get angry. I won’t do it again. By the way, Mr. Yan came to see you just now. I told him you went hunting yesterday and didn’t return all night. He said to ask you to visit him when you get back.”
“I know. I’ll go see him now. I haven’t had lunch yet! Prepare some dishes for me; I’ll eat when I return.”
With that, Li Qiu headed toward the west courtyard.

Mr. Yan was actually Yan Kai, who used to be Li Cong’s aide. After Li Cong became listless, Yan Kai also had nothing to do. He tried several times to resign and return to his hometown, but Li Qiu kept him around. Currently, he lived in a guest room in the western courtyard, spending his days reading and writing with nothing to do.

When Li Qiu entered the courtyard where he lived, he saw Yan Kai sitting by the well fishing. He couldn’t help but laugh and say, “Sir, why are you fishing in the well?”

Seeing Li Qiu arrive, Yan Kai put down his fishing rod and laughed. “Last year, I raised dozens of carp in the well. Thinking they must be plump by now, I wanted to catch them to have with my wine. When did you return, young prince?”

“I just returned. I heard from the servants that you were looking for me, so I came right over.”

Suddenly remembering something, Li Qiu waved his hand and said with a smile, “Let’s be honest first—your request to resign is not acceptable to me.”

Yan Kai smiled bitterly. “Living on money without working all day makes me uncomfortable too. I do want to leave, but I came to see you today to discuss something.”

The two entered the house, and Yan Kai’s wife served them tea. After taking a sip, Li Qiu said with a smile, “What has Mr. Yan come up with? Why did you rush to call me?”

Yan Kai pondered for a moment before saying, “Young prince, do you still remember the three charges the emperor imposed on you?”

Li Qiu nodded. “Of course I do. The first was occupying too much land, which led to peasant uprisings; the second was conspiring in the Eastern Palace; and the third was attempting to assassinate Li Qing’an, the then governor of Henan, in Weishi County.”

“Young prince, there’s no doubt about the first two cases. But the assassination attempt on Li Qing’an in Weishi County seems highly suspicious. It’s clearly not your doing—how could it be blamed on you?”

Li Qiu also found it strange. He had nothing to do with it at all. He had asked Li Cong at the time, and Li Cong said it was his doing. Since Li Cong hated Li Qing’an enough to want to kill him himself, Li Qiu thought it must have been his father who did it in secret. But now, recalling that his father had only said it in anger and it wasn’t really his father’s doing, he also found it suspicious. It was clearly a frame-up.

“Did you discover something, sir?”

Yan Kai nodded. “Luo, the county magistrate of Wannian County, was my classmate back then. I was drinking with him yesterday when he suddenly brought up that suspicious case from two years ago. He said that Li Qing’an had sent two assassins to the capital at that time.”

“Wait!” Li Qiu interrupted him. “Are you talking about those two assassins who suddenly died in the Dali Temple?”

“Yes! Those two people.”

Yan Kai took a sip of tea and continued, “County Magistrate Luo said he had seen those two assassins before. They were originally notorious bandits known as the Two Monsters of Jinzhou, locked up in the heavily guarded prison of Wannian County. Later, they were freed by someone who paid to have others take their place as scapegoats.”
“Who freed them?”
“County Magistrate Luo said it was a middle-aged man who called himself Mr. Fair-faced, who paid six hundred guan to do so. This is a common practice in prisons—paying to release prisoners. He doesn’t know who this man’s background is.”
“Doesn’t know?” Li Qiu laughed. “Then what’s the point of talking about this? With no witnesses or evidence, how can the case be reversed? Even if there were evidence, what would it matter? Does His Majesty still have any hope of regaining control of the Eastern Palace?”
Yan Kai shook his head. “It’s not about whether His Majesty can be reinstated, but rather about our ability to uncover the truth behind that assassination attempt.”
“Oh! How so?”
Yan Kai slowly explained, “County Magistrate Luo said that a few days ago, he accidentally saw that Mr. Fair-faced again—the man who freed the prisoners. It turned out to be Han Baiyan, one of Prince Di’s advisors.”
“Prince Di?” Li Qiu suddenly understood. He clapped his hands together in anger and said, “What a clever scheme to frame Jiangdong!”
“Young Prince, I wonder if this information might be useful to you?”
Li Qiu was stunned. He looked up at Yan Kai, who was smiling mysteriously. After a moment, he realized that Yan Kai had already guessed quite a bit about him.
After thinking for a while, Li Qiu smiled and said, “Of course this information is useful. But you can tell Li Qing’an directly.”
Yan Kai hesitated. “May I meet Li Qing’an?”
Li Qiu smiled slightly. “Sure. Haven’t you always wanted to leave? I can write you a letter; you can go see Li Qing’an directly!”
Only then did Yan Kai realize that Li Qiu had met Li Qing’an the day before—they were already in contact. But would Li Qing’an believe him?
As if understanding Yan Kai’s thoughts, Li Qiu smiled and said, “Go ahead without worry! With your talents and Li Qing’an’s generosity, he will surely give you another chance.”