Chapter 276: Two Prongs of Attack

The next day was a day off from court duties. The Tang Dynasty did not use a seven-day week system; instead, it used a ten-day cycle, with each ten-day period being a day off. On this day, all officials took a break from court work, and all governmental affairs ceased. After nine days of hard work, the officials were exhausted and stayed at home to enjoy this rare day of leisure.

But for Emperor Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty, these ten-day cycles meant little. He spent almost every day in leisure, only stepping in to resolve issues in special circumstances. Today was such a special day. At noon, he received a memorial submitted by his eldest son, Li Cong—more precisely, a petition demanding justice. He wanted to overturn a wrongful case that had occurred two years earlier. Two years ago, Li Qing’an, the then governor of Henan Province, was assassinated in Yuchi County, with over fifty assassins killed. The evidence left at the scene clearly indicated that Prince Qing, Li Cong, had orchestrated the assassination. At the same time, Li Cong was involved in a land annexation scandal in Bianzhou. To quell public outrage, Li Longji did not investigate the assassination thoroughly and instead blamed it on Li Cong. As a result, Li Cong was stripped of all his positions and forced to reflect at home for a year.

Two years had passed, and Li Longji had almost forgotten about the matter. But just a few days after the assassination of Prince Di, Prince Qing, Li Cong, suddenly submitted a request to reopen the case, which surprised Li Longji. His surprise wasn’t due to the case itself but rather the highly strategic timing—three days after the conflict between Yang Guozhong and Li Qing’an in Xingqing Palace.

What did the conflict between Yang Guozhong and Li Qing’an mean? It suggested that the assassination of Prince Di was likely a fabrication. At least Li Longji had guessed as much. At this critical moment, Prince Qing suddenly sought to reopen the case, forcing Li Longji to acknowledge his skill in choosing the right timing.

Two years had passed, and Li Longji could no longer recall everything clearly. He ordered the reports from that time to be brought forth, and gradually, he began to remember the events.

When he received the investigation report, he had already suspected something was wrong—how could assassins bring the identities of their masterminds to the scene? The identification badges from Prince Qing’s palace, the handles of the knives inscribed with Prince Qing’s name—these pieces of evidence were utterly absurd. Moreover, the two captured assassins were silenced without further explanation. It was all done to serve as a warning and to calm public anger, using his eldest son, Li Cong, as a scapegoat. The case had lain dormant for two years, and now it had been revived. Li Longji fell deep into thought.

Had the eldest son endured silently for two years, waiting for an opportunity? It seemed so. Li Cong pointed out in his memorial that it was Prince Di who framed him, and he even had evidence—the two assassins whose identities could be confirmed were bought out of prison by Prince Di’s aides, with a contract left behind.

Li Longji slowly flipped through the memorial, his expression growing darker. He knew his eldest son was likely being wronged, but he hadn’t expected it to be Prince Di again—he had already plotted assassinations twice.

“Bang!” With a loud thud, Li Longji slammed his fist on the table and cursed under his breath, “How dare he be so audacious!”

He put away the memorial and immediately issued an order, “Announce my decree—summon Prince Qing and Prince Di to the palace at once.”

Half an hour later, Prince Qing and Prince Di arrived at Xingqing Hall one after another. Li Cong had prepared meticulously for this meeting. He knew it might be a turning point in his life. His father hadn’t seen him in two years. If he didn’t make his presence known now, he would never have another chance in the Tang Dynasty’s political landscape.

Over those two years, Li Cong had become extremely obese. But to hide his weight from his father, he spent an entire hour dressing up—using cool-colored rouge to cover the greasy look on his face, wearing a dark veil hat, and donning a loose robe, which made him appear slightly thinner, at least less terrifyingly obese.

But walking became a problem. He could no longer walk on his own; his legs couldn’t bear his weight, and he needed support—something he couldn’t conceal.

Two eunuchs helped Li Cong in. As soon as he entered the hall, he collapsed to the ground and wailed, “Father, I’ve finally seen you again.”

He crawled to Li Longji’s feet and kowtowed desperately, “I’ve missed you every day these past two years!”

Though his emotional display was somewhat exaggerated, it covered up his inability to walk and gave Li Longji the first impression not of obesity, but of filial devotion.

Looking at his eldest son, Li Longji felt a slight pang in his heart. He had never really liked this eldest son since childhood. His abilities were mediocre, unable to meet Li Longji’s high expectations. He was gluttonous and fond of play, standing out in contrast to his second son, Ying, who was intelligent and eager to learn. Thus, he was destined not to become the heir to the Tang Empire.

But if all political factors were set aside, Li Longji still recognized the lovable qualities in his sons. The second son, Ying, was intelligent but lacked filial feelings; the third son, Heng, was cowardly yet harbored ambitions; while the eldest son, Cong, was dull but possessed the affection a son should have for his father. It was only in his later years that Li Longji gradually understood the importance of family affection.

If not viewed from the perspective of the crown prince, the eldest son Cong was still a good son. Thinking of how he had wronged him two years earlier, Li Longji felt a sense of guilt. Of course, he knew his son’s fondness for delicious food and that being a bit overweight wasn’t a big deal—after all, which parent would dislike their child being plump?

“Cong, get up!”

Li Longji gave a signal to the eunuchs nearby, and two of them immediately helped Li Cong to his feet. He then ordered that a soft cushion be brought for him to sit on. Seeing his son’s face covered in tears and snot, his heart softened even more, and he said with a smile, “How have you been these past two years in the palace?”

“Father, I am well aware of my grave sins. I have spent these two years in seclusion at home, too ashamed to step outside.”

Li Longji nodded. “Merely reflecting on one’s mistakes isn’t enough; action is key. I’ve heard that you distributed the lands in Henan and Jianghuai to landless poor farmers. I’m pleased—finally, you’ve learned not to exploit resources to the point of depletion.”

Li Cong was stunned. When had he given away the lands? How could that be possible? How could he give back the lands he had worked so hard to acquire? Then it struck him—he must have been his son Li Qiu who had done it secretly. Last year, Li Qiu had advised him to give up some of the lands, and he had beaten him severely. It had to be him; only he could distribute his lands.

Li Cong cursed inwardly, but he dared not show it in front of his father. He quickly said, “This is the result of my reflection. My fault lies in greed. Even as a child, whenever Father would divide pears, I would take two more. This habit persisted until now, turning into a greed for land. Since Father scolded me, I’ve reflected deeply and finally understood the principle that the state depends on its people. I am willing to donate more grain to alleviate disasters in various regions.”

When it came to land acquisition, Li Cong wasn’t foolish. Fearing that his father would ask him to donate more land, he took matters into his own hands by offering to donate grain instead of land.

Li Longji, clearly not seeing through his son’s petty tactics, smiled approvingly and said, “My son has truly grown.”

At this moment, Prince Di Li Yan also entered the grand hall, feeling uneasy. He didn’t know what had happened. A few days earlier, he had been in a state of turmoil when Yang Guozhong’s attempt to capture Xing Si failed unexpectedly, putting his assassination plot at risk of exposure. Although Yang Guozhong swore he hadn’t betrayed him, Li Yan still felt that his father the emperor must already know the truth; otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken away his chance to inherit the Eastern Palace and instead sent him to Anxi. At first, the idea of going to Anxi filled him with despair, but his advisors advised him that it was a golden opportunity to build his own power. Li Yan began to consider it—Anxi was vast, its size comparable to that of the Tang Dynasty. If he could gather hundreds of thousands of troops, he could invade as soon as chaos arose in the Central Plains, and there might be a chance to regain the throne. Thus, he started scheming on how to drive Li Qingan away and have his own man take over as the governor of Anxi—this would be the first step to truly controlling Anxi. Over the past two days, he had been discussing this with his advisors when, unexpectedly, Li Longji summoned him to the palace. Nervous, he guessed that it might be an official appointment as the pacification envoy for the regions of Longyou. As Li Yan entered the grand hall, he immediately saw Prince Qing Li Cong. He was stunned—he hadn’t seen him in two years. How had he reappeared? Without thinking further, he hurried forward and knelt before his father. “Your humble son pays his respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live forever!” “Do you truly wish for me to live a long life?” Li Longji asked coldly. Li Yan shuddered in fear and hurriedly replied, “Why would Your Majesty ask such a thing? How could your humble son not wish for you to live a long life? That is my only wish.” “Hypocritical! Utterly hypocritical!” Li Longji was furious, increasingly unable to control his anger. He thought of how this son had resorted to such despicable assassination tactics just to take control of the Eastern Palace. If he had succeeded, would he have staged a coup to overthrow him? It was very likely—he dared even attempt an assassination in front of him! This son, so handsome and imposing, had such a vicious heart! Li Yan, terrified, said with a trembling voice, “Your Majesty… how… where should I start?” “Where to start?” Li Longji threw Han Baiyan’s secret agreement at him. “Take a look for yourself! Your good deeds!” Li Yan quickly picked up the paper. His head spun—the incident from two years ago had been exposed. Sweat rolled down his forehead as he glanced secretly at Li Cong, who looked furious. Suddenly, he gritted his teeth, bowed, and said, “This was done by my subordinates without my knowledge. I truly had no idea.”

Seeing that Li Yan still tried to deny it at this moment, Li Longji grew even angrier. He had come to the Xingqing Hall, a private palace, to handle this matter precisely to avoid exposing family scandals. If Li Yan had kowtowed and admitted his fault, he could have punished him and that would have been that. But instead, this son insisted that he had nothing to do with it, which left Li Longji utterly furious.

In his rage, he laughed bitterly. “Good! Good! So you claim you know nothing, brushing it all off with just one sentence. Yes! I lack evidence against you, so I can’t convict you, but I have family laws. With family laws, I don’t need evidence. Bring him here!”

Immediately, dozens of guards rushed forward. Li Longji pointed at Li Yan and ordered angrily, “Drag this traitor down and flog him fifty times. Let’s see if he still dares to deny it!”

The guards dragged Li Yan away like wolves and tigers. Terrified, Li Yan shouted, “Father, I know I’m wrong. Please spare me!”

“Flog him hard! Don’t show mercy! Anyone who shows mercy will be killed!” Li Longji roared.

At that moment, Li Cong quickly said, “Father, please let me intercede for my fourth brother. Perhaps he really has nothing to do with this.”

“What do you mean he has nothing to do with it? It’s clearly his doing! Still trying to deny it? How could I have such a son?”

Still furious, Li Longji ordered, “Call eunuch Zhang Fengen!”

Li Cong’s heart skipped a beat. As expected, he had arrived.

Zhang Fengen, having received a large bribe from Li Cong and knowing he would be called in today, had been waiting outside Xingqing Palace early. As soon as Li Longji summoned him, he entered immediately.

“Your humble servant Zhang Fengen pays his respects to the emperor!”

“Zhang Fengen, do you acknowledge your guilt?”

“Your humble servant once advised Prince Di not to dote too much on his concubines. He didn’t listen, and that’s why he faced this disaster. Your humble servant is indeed guilty.”

Li Longji was stunned. “What are you talking about?”

Zhang Fengen was also surprised and quickly said, “Didn’t Your Majesty punish Prince Di for witchcraft?”

“Wait a moment!”

Li Longji suddenly realized something. He leaned forward and asked, “Explain clearly to me. What witchcraft? I know nothing about it.”

“It seems Your Majesty is unaware. Your humble servant was just about to report it to you.”

“Speak!”

Li Longji pressed his belt to control his anger. He realized now that his son was extremely guilty.

“Your Majesty, Your humble servant was neglected by Prince Di. He knows nothing about matters outside his residence, but he overheard a few things about what goes on inside. He was said to be superstitious about witchcraft and practicing sorcery all the time.”

Li Cong beside him was stunned. He had thought Zhang Fengen would mention the concubines competing for favor and resorting to witchcraft, but Zhang Fengen didn’t even mention them at all. His target was directly Prince Di, and he was even more ruthless than himself.

Li Longji suppressed his fierce anger and asked, “Do you have any evidence for what you say?”
“If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, you can take a look inside his boots.”
“Someone! Bring this traitor back to me.”
Fifty lashes had already been dealt. Li Yan was covered in wounds, his pants soaked with blood. He was carried in, lying on the soft couch, too injured to speak.
“Father, I acknowledge my fault!” he said in a weak voice.
But Li Longji showed no intention of stopping. He immediately ordered, “Remove his boots and see what’s inside.”
A few eunuchs stepped forward and took off Li Yan’s black leather boots. Suddenly, one eunuch shouted, “Your Majesty, there’s a witch’s talisman in the boots!”
“Bring it to me!”
Li Longji stared at the talisman covered in spells on the plate, trembling with rage. Ever since the witchcraft incident in the Eastern Palace two years ago, he had harbored deep hatred for witchcraft. He had strictly banned it and ordered that any member of the royal family involved in witchcraft would be punished severely. Despite his repeated warnings, he never expected to find such a thing in his other son’s boots.
“Great! My good son, you brought a witch’s talisman into the palace. I really didn’t expect my son to be so ‘filial’.”
Li Longji’s voice was low, and a murderous intent arose in his heart.
Seeing a witch’s talisman in his own boots, Li Yan was terrified. He knew what it meant—he knew he was finished. Sibling strife might have been forgivable with a beating, but witchcraft meant his father would never forgive him.
Desperate, he shed tears and said, “Father, please allow me to say one thing before I die.”
“Speak!”
“I fell out with Concubine Wei and favored the other two concubines. They constantly competed for favor, probably trying to ingratiate themselves. I really had no knowledge of it. By the heavens, if I’m lying even slightly, let lightning strike me to death.”
“Hmph!” Li Longji snorted. “I knew it. You’re definitely unaware again. After all, you’re unaware of everything—either it was done by subordinates or by concubines competing for favor. It has nothing to do with you. So I can’t punish you. You just keep scheming to seize the Eastern Palace, right?”
Li Yan lowered his head, too afraid to speak. What more could he say? Even his oaths were not believed by his father. What could he explain? His heart was filled with sorrow. All his ambitions vanished at that moment as he quietly waited for his final moment.
At that time, Li Cong knelt down and cried, “I am willing to share half of the blame with my brother. Brothers are like hands and feet—once severed, they can’t be reconnected. Please spare his life, Father!”

Li Longji stared at him for a long time before sighing and saying, “Very well! Out of consideration for you, I will spare his life.” He pointed at Li Yan and ordered, “Lock him up in Yinggou Fang—he shall never be allowed to leave!” “Thank the Emperor for sparing my life! Thank my elder brother for interceding!” Li Yan was carried away amidst loud sobs. At that moment, Li Longji glanced at Li Cong and nodded in approval, saying, “You’re good—truly worthy of being the eldest brother. Though slow-witted, you have the breadth of mind of an elder brother. I indeed wronged you last time.” Li Cong felt a pang of sorrow; sobbing, he said, “Your servant only wishes to share the Emperor’s burdens, but I’m too fat.” Li Longji smiled gently and said, “Your obesity is due to a lack of horseback riding and archery practice. I will give you a chance to engage in those activities.” After pondering for a while, he originally planned to send Li Yan to Anxi, but now that Li Yan had committed a crime, that plan had to be canceled. The fact that his eldest son could act in such a critical moment showed he wasn’t entirely foolish—perhaps it was the advice of his subordinates, but it also indicated his ability to listen to advice, which was a virtue. Sending him to Anxi would be perfect. With the eldest son in the capital, it wouldn’t be conducive to Changsun ascending to the throne. By transferring the eldest son away, conditions could be created for Changsun to enter the Eastern Palace. With these thoughts in mind, he slowly said, “In the fourth year of Kaiyuan, you will serve as the governor of Anxi from afar, concurrently acting as the envoy to pacify the tribes in Longyou. In the fifteenth year of Kaiyuan, you will serve as the governor of Liangzhou from afar, also acting as the commander of the troops in Hexi. Now that all these positions have been revoked, I intend to appoint you once again as the envoy to pacify the tribes in Longyou, to take up duty in Kucha. Would you be willing to go?” Li Cong hadn’t expected this outcome. He was stunned for a long time; with no other choice, he knelt down and thanked the Emperor, saying, “Your servant thanks the Emperor for his trust and is willing to share his burdens!” “Very good. At tomorrow’s court meeting, I will officially appoint you to your new position. Cong, do not underestimate Anxi. I have made a series of plans for it, and you will know them tomorrow.” …