Chapter 24: The Imperial Uncle Takes Off His Vest, Scaring the Crown Princess to Death…
Looking around, the courtyard was empty, tidied up spotlessly. There was not a single person, not a single object, only an umbrella placed by the entrance screen.
All was quiet, not a human voice to be heard.
Xuanyan slowly took a few steps, then stopped. Even someone as composed as him seemed to have a trace of bewilderment at this moment, unwilling to take another step forward. He stood ramrod straight in the center of the courtyard, silent for a long, long time.
The Prince of An followed him in, looked around, frowned, and raised his hand to summon his attendants. “Take a good look. Is there anyone here?”
The guards acknowledged the order and immediately went.
Dozens of people moved at once, inside and out, up and down, searching the entire villa, almost turning it upside down. After a long while, they came back to report, “We have searched everywhere. There is no fire in the stove, no clothes in the rooms. It is indeed uninhabited.”
Xuanyan was still holding his cavalry saber, the veins on his hand bulging, but his face was devoid of any expression.
The spring was still bitingly cold, especially at this moment. Suddenly, the surroundings seemed to be covered in frost, as if facing an army. A killing aura pricked one’s brows.
The guards and attendants all lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at him. They were as silent as cicadas in winter, not even daring to breathe loudly.
The Prince of An was horrified. Xuanyan was usually fierce and ruthless in his dealings. Others all said he was heartless and unfeeling. His sudden decision to marry had already surprised the Prince of An. Who would have thought that when the time came, the young lady would have fled with her entire household? It was clearly a sham. With a personality as proud as Xuanyan’s, who knew how he would bear it.
If that young lady were present now, the Prince of An would have to praise her for her courage, for not fearing death. But the culprit had long since fled, leaving behind this awkward situation, which made the Prince of An’s scalp tingle. He didn’t know how to begin and could only look at Qingxuzi for help.
Qingxuzi had long since hidden himself far away. At this moment, he was looking up at the sky, pretending to know nothing.
After a long while, it was the Princess of An who came to smooth things over. She had always been gentle and kind, and with age, her voice was even softer and more delicate. “What an unfortunate coincidence. Why is the master of the house not at home at this time? Perhaps there was some urgent matter, and they had to leave unexpectedly. Fifth Prince, don’t be anxious. Why don’t we come back another day?”
But at this moment, Xuanyan smiled. He turned around, nodded to the Prince of An, his expression calm, showing no sign of displeasure. “I made an appointment with Lady Fu for today and cannot break it. Since she is temporarily out, I will wait here for her myself. I must trouble Imperial Uncle and Aunt to follow Master to Yunlu Temple for a short rest. When Lady Fu returns, I will invite you two elders to come and preside over the matter.”
“This…” The Prince of An was very hesitant and was about to say more.
Qingxuzi grabbed the Prince of An and said with perfect composure, “Alright. The weather is fine today, and we have nothing to do. I invite Your Highness, the Prince of An, to my place for tea first. Come, come, let’s go, let’s go.”
Without another word, he dragged the Prince of An away, and on the way, took all the guards and attendants with him.
Soon, the courtyard was completely empty and quiet again.
Xuanyan brushed his sleeve, slowly walked into the main hall, and sat down in the guest’s seat.
The hall was also very tidy, with no extra furnishings. Only in the corner was an inconspicuous celadon beauty-shoulder vase with a branch of plum blossoms in it, already half-withered.
Xuanyan placed the saber on the table, making a clunk sound that echoed slightly.
It was too quiet. The deep mountains were desolate, as if no one had ever lived here.
He had always liked quiet, but at this moment, he found it somewhat unbearable.
The four-petaled crabapple window lattice was covered with a thin gauze. Sunlight fell in, and the dust motes in the air were faint and elusive, drifting uncertainly.
She will come back, won’t she? Just like on her birthday, he had waited in the snow for a long, long time, and she had finally come at dusk. He was not a very patient person, but only with her, he would be exceptionally tolerant.
Why? Even he himself couldn’t say.
He remembered her kneeling in the snow, looking up at him, her eyes filled with tears. The snow was not heavy that day. The mountains were cold in all four seasons, and in winter, it always snowed. But only that day, it had fallen on his heart.
The wind came from the mountain forest, passing through the hall, empty and vast.
Xuanyan sat there alone, quietly.
The sky gradually darkened, and the shadow of a person was stretched long, even becoming blurry.
The spring mountain was vast. The rising moon startled the mountain birds, and there were a few occasional cries. The night was damp and heavy. The white moonlight fell, making it impossible to tell if it was snowing again.
He waited and waited, but she never came back.
***
The spring was still chilly, but winter was over, after all. The willows by the winding stream were a fresh green. When the swallows returned, the ladies of the households would go out in groups, either for spring outings, or to enjoy tea and recite poetry. They were all very happy. Only Fu Tangli grew more and more sedate, not stepping out of the main gate or the inner gate all day.
Fu Fangxu only thought she was chaste, quiet, respectful, and virtuous, and praised her often, which made Fu Shaoyao grumble a few more times in private.
Fu Tangli pretended not to know and hid in her room, not daring to go anywhere.
In the blink of an eye, it began to rain in early spring. Flowers weighed down the city of Chang’an. Fu Tangli was often woken up by the sound of rain at night.
A scroll of Daoist scripture was pressed under her pillow, with a few talismans tucked inside. When she woke up in a daze, she would always subconsciously reach out to touch it, as if in her dreams she could smell the scent of ebony and white plum blossoms again, with its cold, bitter taste.
The spring night leaked rain, and her mind was not at peace. She tossed and turned, unable to fall back asleep.
…
After some days, the palace dispatched two Shangyi female officials to the Fu residence to teach the future Crown Princess various etiquettes.
Fu Tangli’s virtue, speech, appearance, and work were all excellent. Her bearing was composed and graceful, her movements as proper as a ruler. She treated the two female officials with gentle respect, observing the etiquette of a disciple and addressing them as “teacher.”
No one could dislike such a young lady.
The Shangyi female officials stayed at the Fu residence for a few days and could find no fault. They were very satisfied. They instructed Fu Tangli on some of the palace rules and trivial matters, and considered their job done. When they returned to the palace and reported to Empress Shen, they said that the Second Lady Fu was truly a model of the women’s quarters and needed no further instruction.
Empress Shen was very pleased, feeling that her judgment was quite good. Later, she mentioned this to the Empress Dowager Feng. “The Second Lady Fu was raised by the Old Madam of the Earl of Xining’s residence since she was a child. The Old Madam has a reputation for virtue. As a woman, she maintained the stability of Weizhou for ten years. This child knows that a young lady she raised will surely be capable. Yongjia is of a gentle and kind nature. He needs such a virtuous Crown Princess by his side.”
After hearing this, the Empress Dowager Feng nodded and said, “The one you have chosen is naturally good.”
Because of this mention by Empress Shen, in the second month, for the Empress Dowager Feng’s birthday, she bestowed a grace and ordered Fu Tangli to enter the palace for the banquet.
Emperor Yuanyan was extremely filial to his mother. That night, he held a grand banquet in Penglai Hall to celebrate the Empress Dowager’s birthday.
The lights were brilliant, the fragrance of cosmetics filled the air. Palace servants came and went, serving fine Lanling wine. There were also purple camel hump, roasted swan, golden jade mince, crystal scales, and countless other rare delicacies.
Musicians were as numerous as clouds. Bells, drums, zithers, and lutes played in unison. A hundred beautiful women performed the Feathered Robe Dance in the hall, their postures as graceful as startled swans. Artisans in the courtyard performed a hundred plays for entertainment, with fish and dragons presented.
Fu Tangli still sat properly beside Empress Shen.
Zhao Yongjia came over to toast Empress Shen and deliberately looked at Fu Tangli a few more times. She lowered her eyes and seemed not to notice. Zhao Yongjia was quite disappointed and did not speak to her, returning to his own seat.
Seeing this, Empress Shen said to Fu Tangli, “Why are you growing more and more distant?”
Although her words were gentle, there was a hint of questioning in them.
Fu Tangli pursed her lips and smiled, responding with ease, “In front of so many people, this child should be even more observant of etiquette. His Highness the Crown Prince and this child are of one mind. We are not bound by this moment.”
Only then did Empress Shen let it go.
There were many guests who came to offer their congratulations today. The imperial clan was all present. Led by the Prince of An, they raised their cups to toast the Empress Dowager Feng, their words of praise endless. Among them, the Imperial Son-in-law, Li Huai’en, was the most attentive.
Li Huai’en’s father was originally named Ashina Yan, of the Turkic royal family. Due to a failed power struggle, he had led his tribe to submit to the Great Zhou, changed his surname to “Li,” becoming Li Yan, and was enfeoffed as the Military Governor of Fanyang and concurrently the Military Commissioner of Pinglu, with a strong and powerful army under his command.
To show his intention of appeasement, Emperor Yuanyan had betrothed his eldest daughter, Princess Linchuan, to Li Yan’s eldest son, Li Huai’en.
Li Huai’en and Princess Linchuan had been married for three years, and this was the first time he had been summoned to Chang’an.
He was born with divine strength and had once been hailed as the number one warrior of the Eastern Turks, with a fierce and savage reputation. But at this moment, he was exceptionally docile. He and Princess Linchuan knelt on the ground together, referring to themselves as grandchildren, and called the Empress Dowager “Imperial Grandmother,” presenting treasures as birthday gifts, which was astonishing.
The birthday gift was a celestial palace made of amber, over a foot high, with coral for trees and gems for stars. The Queen Mother was carved from ivory, sitting on a high platform, with various immortals below. When a mechanism was triggered, the immortals would revolve around the Queen Mother, making the sound of tinkling gold and jade. It was extremely exquisite.
This object was novel, and the Empress Dowager Feng was greatly pleased. She laughed and said, “I did not expect a barbarian to have such clever ideas.”
Princess Linchuan was born to an old palace maid of the Crown Prince’s residence and was not favored in the palace. She had always been timid. After getting married, she was still as submissive as ever. At this moment, with a hall full of guests, she became even more timid and could not speak.
On the contrary, Li Huai’en knelt forward two steps and kowtowed repeatedly. “This is a small token of my father’s filial piety. When he learned of Imperial Grandmother’s birthday, he specially sought out skilled craftsmen from the Western Regions and began preparing this birthday gift a year ago. As long as it can bring a smile to Imperial Grandmother’s face, it is worth it.”
Li Huai’en had barbarian blood, a tall and sturdy build, and a fierce appearance like a Vajra. But at this moment, kneeling on the ground, his posture was humble, expressing the Li clan’s submission to the court, which made Emperor Yuanyan feel exceptionally pleased.
Emperor Yuanyan nodded and stroked his beard with a smile. “Your father is loyal and righteous, and you are also most sincere. Very good.”
Only then did Li Huai’en and his wife thank him and withdraw.
Next, the various imperial sons and princesses each presented their birthday gifts, but none could compare to Princess Linchuan’s, and they couldn’t help but look a little embarrassed.
The Crown Prince pointed at Li Huai’en with a smile. “Huai’en, you shouldn’t have. You’ve made it difficult for those who come after.”
Li Huai’en raised his wine cup cheerfully. “It is indeed this humble subject’s fault. I should punish myself with three cups.”
Everyone laughed again, and Penglai Hall was filled with a harmonious atmosphere.
Suddenly, a eunuch announced in a loud voice, “His Highness, the Prince of Huai, has arrived.”
The voices of the people in the hall immediately quieted down.
The Empress Dowager Feng was very pleased, but she feigned displeasure and said to those around her, “That wicked creature. Aijia thought he wasn’t coming.”
Zhao Yuanjia hurriedly stood up and went to greet him, his words eager. “We have been waiting for a long time. Why is Imperial Uncle so late?”
The Prince of Huai commanded a great army, conquered lands in all four directions, and had a record of invincibility. Emperor Yuanyan relied on him as a pillar of the state. His reputation was illustrious. And because of his iron will and iron fist, and his heavy killing aura, when the people of Chang’an mentioned him, they were mostly filled with awe.
Fu Tangli couldn’t help but feel a little curious. She raised her head and glanced in that direction.
With just that one glance, she suddenly felt as if all the blood in her body had frozen.