The imperial edict was lengthy, its words eloquent and commanding. The eunuch who conveyed the decree stood facing south within the chamber. Li Chen knelt solemnly, bracing himself to receive the message. The eunuch's voice was hoarse, yet sharp as a blade; each sentence struck like a hammer upon his heart.
"Zhen once heard of Yan Zi remonstrating with the Lord of Qi, saying: 'A ruler should issue orders that are not defied, ministers should act with unwavering loyalty. A father ought to teach with kindness, a son should be filial and admonitory. An elder brother should love and guide, a younger brother ought to respect and obey. A husband must be harmonious and righteous, a wife gentle and upright. A mother-in-law should be kind and accommodating, a daughter-in-law should be obedient and graceful. These are the virtues extolled by the rites.' Since ascending the throne, Zhen has toiled from dawn till dusk to instill filial piety and brotherly respect among the people, lest I fail the late emperor's trust—a guilt for which a thousand deaths would not suffice. Now, the Second Prince Li Zhang and the Fourth Prince Li Chen have shown heartlessness and disregard, mistreating their kin, and proving themselves unworthy of elderhood or leadership. Considering this is their first offense, they are to transcribe the Book of Rites a hundred times, as a warning to others. Should there be a second transgression, they shall be dealt with as Li Long was."
"Dealt with as Li Long"—such words meant they would face the same fate: stripped of title and condemned to lifelong imprisonment. A few lines, yet it felt as though the emperor himself had descended in wrath. The thunderous fury pierced their souls, sending tremors through the very marrow of their bones.
Yan Shuangxu, who had intended to seek the empress's aid, was struck dumb with fear, nearly collapsing to the ground. Li Chen, faring slightly better, pressed his forehead deeply to the floor, offering thanks for the imperial grace. Be it thunder or rain, all stemmed from the sovereign's benevolence.
The eunuch who delivered the edict did not so much as sip a cup of tea before departing coldly. The palace physician helped Li Chen to his feet. He extended a hand to lift Yan Shuangxu, whispering:
"Stand up. Don't let others see us as a joke."
Timidly, she rose, still at a loss. "His Majesty has never been so furious. What on earth did Your Highness do? Why would he say you are unworthy to be a brother?"
That phrase—unworthy to be a brother—meant unfit for kinship. A note of doubt laced her voice, something that had never occurred before. She once revered and adored Li Chen, never questioning his choices.
Li Chen collapsed onto the bed like a felled tree, lifeless. The flames in his chest were doused by the decree, leaving him numb and disheartened.
"Don't ask," he murmured, eyes closed. "Let me rest."
Only by resting, regaining strength, could he plan the long game. The same decree would reach the Prince of Jin's residence. This time, he and the Prince of Jin were both bloodied, while Li Ce reaped the spoils.
Why? Was it because of Ye Jiao?
Li Chen kept his eyes shut, unable to sleep, tormented with every passing moment.
In contrast, Li Zhang appeared calm and composed upon receiving the decree. Bai Xianyu happened to be present. He had hidden behind a screen during the reading, emerging afterward with a sigh.
"That was quite long. How do they even memorize it?"
"Gao Fu trained them well," replied Li Zhang.
Despite a shoulder injury, he knelt upright by the window, his back straight. He gestured for Bai Xianyu to sit. Cautiously, Bai Xianyu complied.
"His Majesty seems truly enraged. What do you think, Your Highness?"
Li Zhang glanced at the dim light. At once, a servant replaced the lamp with a brighter one. He sat bathed in its glow, his striking features exuding calm resilience.
"It suggests His Majesty has likely guessed what happened at the Round Altar," he said slowly. "But he chose not to pursue it, opting instead for a minor punishment as a major warning."
"He knows?" Bai Xianyu nearly leapt up, but faltered under Li Zhang's tranquil gaze. Cold sweat beaded as he looked toward the window, as though eyes lurked beyond.
"How would he know? I was tight-lipped. The wood was burned. I..."
"Ye Jiao went to the palace," Li Zhang interrupted. "She struck me, then struck Li Chen. Yet His Majesty didn't punish her. Instead, he gave the jade tally to Li Ce. That implies he suspects the roof collapse was linked to us."
He glanced at Bai Xianyu's anxious face, frowning. "What are you afraid of? This is a good thing."
"A good... thing?" Bai Xianyu scratched his head, visibly uneasy.
"A good thing," Li Zhang affirmed. "No need to fear Ye Jiao's accusations now. The matter is closed. No one will bring it up again."
The emperor's gift of the jade tally signaled appeasement. A wise man would not dwell on a closed matter.
Finally enlightened, Bai Xianyu nodded. He rose and saluted. "Then please focus on your recovery, Your Highness. I await your orders."
Li Zhang nodded in satisfaction. Just as Bai Xianyu lifted the curtain to leave, Li Zhang suddenly called out:
"Captain Bai."
There was a curious tone in his voice. "Is Ye Jiao easy to deal with?"
Bai Xianyu stiffened. He turned slowly, carefully choosing his words.
"Your Highness need not deal with her. She is to marry the Prince of Chu, who lacks the strength to oppose you. Among the imperial sons, only Li Chen is a worthy adversary now."
Li Zhang looked up. Candlelight flickered in his long eyes, mysterious and unreadable. After a long silence, a faint smile curled his lips. He brushed the wound on his shoulder and nodded.
"You're right."
As Bai Xianyu was about to leave, he added, "But if Your Highness sees her as an enemy, then she is mine to face as well."
"Go now," Li Zhang said gently. "It's already late."
Indeed, it was late—but Bai Xianyu had no dinner waiting at home. His mother, a devout Buddhist, observed vegetarian fasts and did not eat after noon, so their kitchen remained cold in the evenings.
He used to dine at the Duke of Anguo's residence, often waiting for Ye Jiao after her court duties to walk home together and share supper. Their meals suited his palate. Sometimes, extra dishes were made just for him. Even the peach crisps in the pastry box came in greater number.
But now—now was fine too. Chang'an had countless eateries. As the son of a high-ranking general, could he not afford a simple meal?
He wandered into a restaurant and found a clean table. Just as he looked up, he froze.
Seated across the aisle was his superior, Liu Yan, Prefect of Jingzhao.
Feigning ignorance was no longer an option, for Liu Yan was already looking at him with mild surprise while retrieving something from his sleeve.
"Come and join me," Liu Yan invited.
Bai Xianyu walked over with his knife, only to see that Liu Yan had brought his own food. He carefully extracted pickled mustard greens from a small jar, then sealed it again. Next came a wrapped bundle from the other sleeve—steaming multigrain buns. Five of them.
"My lord," Bai Xianyu couldn't help asking, "You brought your own meal just to use the table?"
Liu Yan smiled unbothered, calling to the waiter, "A bowl of plain rice porridge, please." He then turned to Bai Xianyu. "Order whatever you like."
The waiter looked on expectantly. But Bai Xianyu, watching his superior eating pickles and buns, felt it inappropriate to order lavish dishes.
He swallowed hard, scenting the food from the next table, then said, "I'll… have a bowl of porridge too."
Two bowls arrived quickly—glutinous rice, thick broth, garnished with a few goji berries to warm the stomach and awaken the spirit.
Bai Xianyu casually took a bun from Liu Yan's bundle and asked the waiter for sesame oil. He poured it over the mustard greens, took a bite—salty, crisp, and tangy. Paired with the coarse bun, it was unexpectedly satisfying.
"Tasty?" Liu Yan asked.
"Delicious," Bai Xianyu replied, reaching for another bun. Liu Yan wrapped the last one away and, seeing that the pickles were nearly gone, reluctantly reached into his sleeve again...