Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Outcome

Lady Rongguo knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her aged face. She longed to explain herself, but stammered, unable to find the words.

Wu Zetian stood in the center of the great hall, her expression dark, silent as she locked eyes with her kneeling mother.

Fulai and Xiao He stood with heads bowed, not daring to speak, resigned to await their fate. Li Yuechen’s plea on their behalf had come as a relief—Xiao He managed to remain composed, but Fulai felt truly wronged, not even knowing what had happened in detail.

From their exchanges, Li Yuechen had pieced together the entire sequence of events in her mind, her heart churning tumultuously. Was Helan Minzhi truly witless, to dare such a thing against a royal princess?

“Meniang, I do not know how to explain myself, but I beg you to spare his life! For the rest, I submit to your judgment.” Lady Rongguo lowered her head, no longer meeting her daughter’s eyes, and murmured, “If a life must be taken, then let it be mine...”

“Enough!” Wu Zetian cut her off, refusing to let her finish.

With a wave of her hand she commanded, “Xiao He, take Chen’er to the rear hall.”

“At once,” Xiao He replied, moving to Li Yuechen’s side and whispering, “Come, Your Highness.”

Li Yuechen wanted to speak, but in the end said nothing, bowing deeply to Wu Zetian before following Xiao He out. Whatever she said now was useless; Wu Zetian had already made up her mind.

In the rear hall, Xiao He was about to offer her a seat when Li Yuechen motioned for silence, slipped off her wooden clogs, and padded barefoot back toward the main hall, eager to overhear how the matter would be resolved.

“Your Highness...” Xiao He whispered anxiously.

Li Yuechen simply waved her off, moving noiselessly to a corridor leading to the front, eavesdropping in secret.

Once her daughter had left, Wu Zetian took a deep breath and said, “Mother, please rise.”

Lady Rongguo lifted her head tremulously, hope flickering in her eyes. “Meniang, will you spare him?”

Wu Zetian paused for two seconds. “Since Chen’er is unharmed, he may be spared death, but not punishment. Exile him to Lingnan.”

“Yes, yes...” Lady Rongguo raised her sleeve to wipe her tears, relief flooding her face. “So long as he lives, so long as he lives...”

She grasped her walking stick and struggled to her feet; Fulai, ever perceptive, hurried over to help her.

“Meniang, you—”

Wu Zetian waved her hand. “Mother, you may go. The matter is settled. If His Majesty learns of this, it will not end so easily!”

Lady Rongguo nodded repeatedly. “Do not worry, I will not speak a word of this! It’s enough that he lives...”

Seeing Wu Zetian’s expression was still dark, Lady Rongguo turned and left, the eunuchs outside naturally escorting her away.

Wu Zetian remained silent, standing in place for nearly a minute. Then she turned and called, “Fulai!”

“Your servant is here!”

“You have cared for the princess since her childhood. What is your view of this matter?” Wu Zetian asked.

Fulai hesitated for a few seconds, cautiously looking up as if trying to decipher her intent.

Seeing Wu Zetian’s face still clouded, Fulai gritted his teeth and replied, “Your servant wishes nothing more than to kill the villain with my own hands!”

Half of this answer was to align with Wu Zetian’s mood, the other half was sincere. As eunuchs, they were often held in contempt; only this princess had never looked down on them, holding great esteem in their hearts.

Wu Zetian glanced at him, then sat down. “But I have already promised my mother not to kill. If I go back on my word, would I not be known as faithless?”

Fulai realized he had chosen wisely, and bowed. “Your Majesty, the journey to Lingnan is long and treacherous, beset by bandits. If any mishap should befall him on the way, it would be only natural!”

Wu Zetian nodded slightly, a look of admiration in her eyes. “Then why are you still here? Waiting for a reward?”

“Understood! Your servant takes his leave.”

Bowling low, Fulai retreated several steps and exited.

Wu Zetian, sitting on the bed, suddenly called out, “Chen’er, come out.”

...

Li Yuechen, hiding nearby, froze, then sheepishly emerged. “Mother, how did you know I was eavesdropping?”

“Don’t forget whose womb you crawled out of,” Wu Zetian replied, expressionless.

But in her heart she mused: I only guessed, but she really was listening in!

Immediately, Li Yuechen switched to her most adorable smile. “No one knows a daughter better than her mother. You’re amazing, Mother!”

Wu Zetian had not entirely calmed yet, her sternness still lingering as she snorted, “You have some nerve, daring to deceive me in such matters!”

---

“I truly did not want to worry you and Father!” Li Yuechen ran to her, resting her head on Wu Zetian’s knees. “Besides, nothing happened to me, did it?”

“If something had happened, it would have been too late!” Wu Zetian tapped her on the head with a finger.

Li Yuechen laughed, climbed onto the bed beside her, and knelt at her side. “I know you only want what’s best for me. But don’t be angry anymore—it’s all over now.”

Seeing her like this, Wu Zetian couldn’t help but smile. “Are you satisfied with how I handled things?”

“Very satisfied!” Li Yuechen grinned, rising to hug her neck. “I know you always have my best interests at heart!”

The last traces of Wu Zetian’s anger faded, her face breaking into a smile. “You’re good at cheering me up!”

Li Yuechen giggled. “Because I know you’d never let me suffer any grievance!”

Wu Zetian nodded inwardly. She had thought her daughter’s kindness would spare Helan Minzhi, but now saw that though gentle, she was not naive—no wonder Zhinu favored her so. She was truly a talent worth nurturing!

Catching that approving look, Li Yuechen knew her mother was finally appeased, and pecked her on the cheek.

“Naughty girl! Stop that!” Wu Zetian pushed her away. “You’re not off the hook for deceiving me!”

“I know I was wrong. Please don’t be angry this time,” Li Yuechen replied, grinning as she snuggled close again.

Wu Zetian glanced down and noticed something. “Where have you been, you rascal? Look at all these dirty footprints!”

Li Yuechen looked and saw that the golden silk of the bed was covered with dark marks. She’d run barefoot from the Taichang Temple, leaving her clogs behind, and hadn’t washed her feet before coming.

Yet at this moment, Wu Zetian seemed more a mother than an empress.

“Let me go wash up, Mother,” Li Yuechen said quickly, hopping off and preparing to leave.

“Come back!” Wu Zetian called her back.

Li Yuechen turned. “Is there anything else, Mother?”

“This must not reach your father’s ears. Since you’re content with the outcome, there’s no need to tell him.”

“Yes, I understand,” Li Yuechen replied with a bow before leaving.

Watching her skip away, Wu Zetian finally broke into a broad smile and shook her head. Once she had composed herself, she returned to Yan Ying Hall to resume reading memorials.

...

Li Yuechen, back at Chengxiang Hall, asked Xiao He to fetch water for her to wash her feet. She was quite satisfied with Wu Zetian’s handling of matters, and it was clear how dearly she was cherished.

As for Helan Minzhi—he was a depraved wretch and deserved death. She felt no remorse.

Upon hearing Li Yuechen had returned, Shangguan Wan’er came running in her wooden clogs, padding briskly to the desk, where she knelt and asked, “Your Highness, when will you write the next chapter?”

“Tomorrow,” Li Yuechen smiled. “I’m tired today. Let’s just chat for now.”

“Alright!” Shangguan Wan’er nodded, keeping Li Yuechen company while she washed her feet.

As for “chatting,” it was mostly Li Yuechen telling stories while Shangguan Wan’er listened enthralled.

“Later, someone found a young woman frozen to death in a corner, still smiling, clutching a fire striker in her hand...”

“Your Highness, why did she die?” asked Shangguan Wan’er.

“Because of poverty,” Li Yuechen replied, swinging her pale, soaked feet. “If her family had had food, maybe things would have ended differently.”

“Do such things happen in our Tang Empire?” Shangguan Wan’er asked.

Li Yuechen looked around—no one else was present—then smiled. “I hope not.”

Shangguan Wan’er nodded, seeming to grasp her meaning, though perhaps not fully. Most of her emotions were still lost in the story.

...

After Lady Rongguo fell ill, Li Yuechen continued to visit her every few days. She did not blame the old woman for wanting to spare Helan Minzhi’s life, and treated it as if nothing had happened.

Lady Rongguo, however, felt deeply apologetic. Seeing Li Yuechen still come to visit, she wept like a child—though well over ninety. Li Yuechen, moved by pity, assured her that Helan Minzhi had already been punished, and she no longer bore any anger.

With Helan Minzhi gone, Li Yuechen was the only one left who would visit her.

---

Though the household lacked for nothing, and servants were always in attendance, Li Yuechen could sense the old woman’s loneliness. Helan Minzhi would never survive the journey to Lingnan; Lady Rongguo’s last hope had been in vain. Or perhaps she knew the truth, but still chose to believe her grandson yet lived.

Li Yuechen’s life soon returned to normal, though now she practiced her martial arts indoors rather than outside.

In this era without air conditioning, summers were unbearably hot. From time to time, Li Zhi would have ice sent over to cool her, his love for his daughter evident.

Fulai was gone for about ten days, and returned all smiles.

“Your Highness, your servant has returned and greets you.”

Li Yuechen, pausing in her exercises, looked up after a moment’s silence. “Is it done?”

Fulai bowed. “He who harbors evil intent toward Your Highness shall meet a miserable end!”

Li Yuechen nodded, then, resuming her usual adorable smile, said, “Good. Go report to my mother.”

“At once!”

Leaving Chengxiang Hall, Fulai glanced back. That small figure was already practicing again, her movements flawless, as if nothing had happened.

Fulai thought to himself, Given time, this princess will surely become someone remarkable!

My own prospects seem bright as well!

With that thought, he broke into a grin and hurried off to report to Wu Zetian.

Xiao He had grown even closer to the princess, touched that Li Yuechen had pleaded on her behalf and treated her as a friend. It left a deep impression.

Li Yuechen herself was pondering how to cultivate followers truly loyal to her alone.

But for now, she dared not act—she was still a child, and any suspicion would bring dire consequences.

She could only hope to grow up quickly. Not to rebel, but so she could handle matters on her own when the time came.

There was no rushing such things, so she remained patient, practicing diligently each day.

...

Summer arrived, and the flowers by Taiye Lake bloomed in a riot of color.

But the court was shrouded in sorrow: Zhao Renben had fallen gravely ill. Li Zhi visited him, bestowing medicines in hopes of a swift recovery.

Li Yuechen did not pry into court affairs. She merely stayed by Li Zhi’s side, comforting him so he would not fret over state matters.

With her company, Li Zhi’s mood was good. He would sit in his chair, rolling a health ball in his left hand, a folding fan in his right, chatting with her in contentment.

Seeing how he fidgeted in his chair, Li Yuechen went to the artisans’ bureau and had a craftsman make him a rocking lounge chair. Reclining in it, gently swaying back and forth, became Li Zhi’s favorite pastime.

Relieved at his improved spirits, Li Yuechen made a point of visiting often.

Spending more time at his side, she inevitably overheard matters of state.

As the heat of June approached, a piece of good news arrived, brightening Li Zhi’s mood even more.

At the Andong Protectorate, Jian Moucheng had set up An Shun as king and rebelled. But with no support, they were besieged in Anshi City by the garrison’s deputy.

The deputy, Zhang Peng, had hoped to storm the city and capture the ringleaders for great merit, but lacked the numbers. Though the enemy could not break them, neither could he take the city.

Soon the new Protector, Gao Kan, arrived. After two days’ rest, he led a direct assault on Anshi City.

An Shun’s followers were no match for the Tang troops, and sensing defeat, An Shun tried to surrender. Jian Moucheng forbade it, and in front of him, killed the envoy sent to negotiate.

Realizing surrender was futile, An Shun killed Jian Moucheng himself and fled to Silla with fewer than thirty guards.

This news made Li Zhi laugh aloud, and he heaped praise on Li Yuechen.

Li Yuechen continued to feign innocence, acting as though she had nothing to do with it, and did her best to keep him cheerful.