The cold night wind buffeted the palace lanterns hanging in the corridor, as a crescent moon floated above the willow treetops, its light flowing like water.
Thinking of Zhu Lüyun’s assassination plans full of holes, Li Xuanzhen felt a deep weariness well up in his heart.
He rubbed his brow and asked, “Has she recruited more assassins?”
The eunuch shook his head and said, “Recently, Princess Fukang has been having frequent contact with the Hu people who have submitted to the capital.”
Everyone knew Princess Fukang despised the Hu people.
So the princess’s interactions with the Hu people were very suspicious.
The eunuch had obtained information from one of the princess’s maids that during her conversations with the Hu people, she mentioned a name: Princess Yiqing.
Princess Yiqing of the previous dynasty—Zhu Lüyun’s aunt—was married off in a peace alliance at age eighteen to an elderly chieftain of a Western Türkic tribe.
A few years ago, the princess’s attendant had fled back to the Central Plains at the risk of death, carrying her blood-written letter begging the last emperor to bring her back.
By then, the last emperor had already died tragically under the rebels’ blades, and the Guanzhong region was occupied by various military governors, with no one paying attention to the attendant’s plea.
The attendant later managed to meet Zhu Lüyun and told her about Princess Yiqing’s tragic fate.
Only then did Zhu Lüyun learn that the Hu tribes had an extremely barbaric and horrifying custom: when a father dies, the son inherits his stepmother; when an elder brother dies, the younger brother inherits his sister-in-law.
After the old chieftain died, Princess Yiqing became the new chieftain’s wife.
When the new chieftain died too, Princess Yiqing was married to his younger brother.
Soon after, the younger brother died in internal strife, and Princess Yiqing was taken as a concubine by the old chieftain’s grandson.
In just ten years, Princess Yiqing had been married to three generations of men from the same family.
What humiliation this was for a princess of noble birth!
Zhu Lüyun felt deep sympathy for this aunt she had never met and requested Li De to send troops to bring Princess Yiqing back.
Li De did not agree at the time.
The eunuch voiced his speculation: “Your Highness, could the princess be planning to ally with the Hu people, then borrow troops from His Majesty to rescue Princess Yiqing?”
Li Xuanzhen’s lips twisted.
What kind of princess was a princess of the previous dynasty?
Li De considered the costs and benefits before taking any action. He had given Zhu Lüyun her title because keeping her around was useful.
He would not let soldiers die in vain for a former noble lady who held no value.
The Central Plains had just stabilized, while the foreign powers in the northwest were strong. The Northern Rong, who claimed to be descendants of the Divine Wolf, boasted of having 100,000 mounted archers and had swept through the Northern Court.
If not for being blocked by the monk-sovereign of the Buddhist kingdom in the Western Regions, the Northern Rong would have already taken the entire Northern Route of the Western Regions.
The Northern Rong cavalry was unstoppable. Once they moved south, Chang’an would certainly fall.
That was why Li De was using gold, silver, and high positions to win over the Hu tribes while eliminating scattered tribal forces in Guanzhong. His strategy was to first divide the Hu people from within, making them hate each other so they would have no mind to invade the south, thereby reducing pressure on the northwestern military defense while maintaining constant awareness of each tribe’s movements.
At such a time, Zhu Lüyun’s schemes had no chance of success.
Li Xuanzhen paused in his steps, hesitated for a moment, then said, “Prepare horses. I will visit the princess’s residence.”
Yun’niang was stubborn and fixated on revenge. When she went crazy, she cared about nothing else. He had to make the situation clear to her.
The eunuch said with difficulty: “Your Highness, your lady has prepared a welcoming feast…”
For the Crown Prince to run off to see Princess Fukang on his first night back in the capital—what face would that leave for the Crown Princess?
Li Xuanzhen had already turned and walked away: “Tell her not to wait for me.”
The eunuch silently sighed and went to deliver the message.
The courtyard was brilliantly lit with a sumptuous feast laid out. There were rare delicacies and fine wines, tender meat grilled over charcoal gleaming with oil, and a troupe of Kucha musicians waiting in the corridor.
Crown Princess Zheng Biyu was dressed in formal attire, leading the Eastern Palace ladies as they waited for an hour.
The eunuch reported that Li Xuanzhen had gone to the princess’s residence.
Zheng Biyu said nothing.
The noble ladies and concubines immediately dropped their smiles, their faces flashing with irritation, jealousy, and contempt.
They had nothing to say about Princess Fukang and His Highness being well-matched.
If even the Crown Princess didn’t mind, what right did they as concubines have to be jealous?
But Princess Fukang simply refused to marry the Crown Prince, even when the Crown Princess kindly tried to persuade her.
If she wouldn’t marry, then fine—they could only secretly rejoice at that.
But Princess Fukang insisted on maintaining ambiguous ties with Li Xuanzhen.
Servants from the princess’s residence were constantly running to the Eastern Palace: the princess was sick, the princess was crying, the princess was angry and refusing to eat, the princess had quarreled with someone and been humiliated…
No proper status, just an unclear relationship.
It had become fodder for common people’s gossip.
“My Lady, this cannot go on!”
A noble lady couldn’t help but burst out in anger.