Chapter Forty-Eight: Barbecue

When the Emperor personally gives an order, the execution is naturally swift and efficient.

Soon, swift horses galloped along every national highway, delivering the imperial edict to all prefectures and counties. Outside the imperial city, public notices were posted, drawing crowds of curious citizens. Most were illiterate, but some who could read helped by reciting the notice aloud, explaining its meaning.

Upon hearing the proclamation, a wave of shock swept through the people. None had expected such consequences for marriages between blood relatives. The news spread quickly throughout the Eastern Capital, carried from mouth to mouth.

The Emperor’s decree was clear: engagements between blood relatives that had not yet resulted in a wedding were to be cancelled immediately, with betrothal gifts returned. For those already wed, divorce was permitted; if they chose not to separate, it was recommended they take a concubine to bear children.

This outcome delighted Li Yuechen. She had originally intended to bring up the issue with Li Zhi when the opportunity arose, but now, prompted by the investigation into hereditary diseases, it had surfaced of its own accord—a stroke of luck.

Liu Shenwei’s investigation had been exceptionally thorough. Li Yuechen decided she would praise him when next they met.

...

Inside Anfu Hall, Li Yuechen set down her brush and stretched her arms.

Suddenly, Shangguan Wan’er turned her head and asked, “Does Your Highness remember the promise you made to me last year?”

Li Yuechen paused, then smiled, “Of course I remember! No need to worry!”

Hearing her reply, Shangguan Wan’er nodded with a smile and skipped out of the hall.

Li Yuechen beckoned for Xiao He, “What did I promise her?”

Xiao He looked uncertain, “How could I know what Your Highness promised?”

Li Yuechen slapped her forehead, pondering what she might have agreed to.

Seeing her confusion, Xiao He ventured, “Your Highness, if there’s nothing else, may I go prepare bamboo for the rice dumplings?”

“Rice dumplings?” Li Yuechen was startled, “Is it almost the fifth day of the fifth month?”

“Yes, today is already the second,” Xiao He replied.

Li Yuechen waved her off, “Go ahead!”

She recalled now—last year, she had promised Shangguan Wan’er that, come Dragon Boat Festival, she would make her the Queen of Wild Herbs.

Stepping outside Anfu Hall, Li Yuechen saw Shangguan Wan’er foraging for grass stems, her fair little hands smudged with dirt, unfazed.

Li Yuechen beckoned, “Wan’er, come here! Today I’ll teach you the secret to invincible wild herb battles!”

Wan’er hurried over, “Your Highness, let’s discuss this inside; we can’t let others overhear.”

“No worries, there’s no one around!” Li Yuechen laughed, reaching out to pull Wan’er close by the neck.

Wan’er was taken aback, standing still as Li Yuechen drew her in.

Li Yuechen whispered in her ear, “It’s simple—soak the grass stems in water overnight!”

Wan’er, blushing from the unexpected gesture, lifted her gaze and asked, “Is it really that simple?”

Li Yuechen nodded with a smile, “Many secrets are so simple once uncovered.”

...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. That morning, after practicing yoga with Wan’er and her two sisters, Li Yuechen ate a casual breakfast.

She instructed Xiao He to request the Craftsmen’s Bureau to make her a barbecue grill, then prepared to train outside.

No sooner had she stepped out, ready to begin, than Chief Steward Zhang Chengxin arrived, “Your Highness, His Majesty has decreed we all watch the dragon boat races from the city tower today.”

“Alright, I’ll be right there,” Li Yuechen replied, calling Xiao He to help with her hair.

At Xiao He’s insistence, her hair was styled into a tall bun topped with intricate ornaments, and she dressed in elaborate formal attire. It wouldn’t do for the princess to appear dishevelled before the city’s eyes.

Li Yuechen didn’t want to embarrass Li Zhi, so she yielded.

She arrived at the city gate early. Her brothers were already waiting. Seeing her second brother Li Xian with his back turned, Li Yuechen signaled the others to be silent, then ran up and jumped onto his back, “Second Brother!”

“Whoa!” Li Xian was startled, but quickly reached back to steady his sister.

“You little rascal, you nearly scared me to death!” he laughed.

Li Yuechen slid down, grinning, “I just wanted to surprise you!”

“Yuechen, behave yourself today. If the people of the Eastern Capital see the princess behaving like this, our royal family will be disgraced,” Li Hong said sternly.

Fourth Brother Li Lun smiled, “No need to worry, Yuechen knows propriety.”

Third Brother chimed in, “She won’t cause trouble today.”

Li Hong laughed, “Now you’re all lecturing me?”

“Not at all...” Li Yuechen replied, feigning solemnity.

But as she bowed, several hair ornaments loosened from her earlier antics and clattered to the ground.

Her siblings laughed, covering their mouths.

Xiao He rushed to help reattach the ornaments.

When Li Zhi and Empress Wu arrived, they found the children playing and teasing each other, and couldn’t help but smile.

For Li Zhi especially, whose siblings had nearly all passed away, witnessing his children’s joy was deeply moving.

The children straightened and saluted as their parents approached. Li Yuechen joined in with exaggerated seriousness, then made a heart gesture above her head, making Li Zhi’s smile deepen, his beard twitching.

“Very well, since we’re all here, let’s ascend together and watch the dragon boat races!” Li Zhi announced.

A contingent of palace guards climbed the city wall first, followed by Li Zhi and his family.

From the Duan Gate, they saw crowds lining the opposite bank of the Luo River, while the side nearest the palace was filled with court officials and their families.

Nine dragon boats, long and slender, were lined up beneath Tianjin Bridge.

The competitors, bare-chested and muscular, displayed their tattoos—meant to intimidate river monsters, according to Xiao He’s earlier explanation.

When the Emperor appeared atop the tower, both officials and citizens on either side of the river bowed and cheered.

Li Zhi waved them to rise.

The dragon boat races were a folk event, not a royal one, so the Emperor simply came to enjoy the spectacle with his children.

To most citizens, it was about the excitement; few could actually see the Emperor’s face—only a man in yellow-orange robes with peony patterns and a black hat.

Li Zhi had inherited much of his father Li Shimin’s character, eschewing cumbersome ceremonial attire whenever possible. Even in Renshou Hall, he often wore only a gold hairpin.

Perhaps because the Emperor was present, the boatmen flexed their muscles, one even spitting into his palms.

Along the riverbank, drums were spaced out, each manned by sturdy drummers.

As the host tossed rice dumplings into the river, the drums thundered in turn, and the dragon boats surged forward, oars slicing through the water.

Keeping pace with the drums, the boats sped ahead, and cheers erupted from both banks.

Li Yuechen glanced at Li Zhi, who spun his health balls and smiled, seemingly pleased with his people.

Turning to look through the crenellations at the cheering crowd below, she thought wistfully: if only such peace could last forever.

She knew little of history, but even she had heard of the term “An Shi Rebellion.” She didn’t know the details, only that it occurred late in Emperor Ming’s reign, led by An Lushan.

The scene before her might one day become a living hell. Li Yuechen sighed, but consoled herself that the fateful events were still years away—she had time to prevent them.

Now, she resolved to grow up happily and peacefully first.

With this thought, she raised her fist and cheered on the competitors below.

...

The morning slipped away amidst the excitement of the dragon boat races. Li Zhi, in good spirits, rewarded the winning team with silk, which served as currency in Tang times—no different than giving money.

At noon, Li Zhi hosted a family banquet in Renshou Hall, serving flatbread and lamb soup instead of hotpot.

He had grown accustomed to eating with his family at a single table, and today was no exception.

In the afternoon, Li Yuechen and her sisters returned to Renshou Hall, where they found Shangguan Wan’er battling wild herbs with the other palace maids.

With Li Yuechen’s secret technique, Wan’er was invincible, crowned Queen of Wild Herbs.

Seeing Li Yuechen leaning against the pillar of Linbo Pavilion, Wan’er ran over, “Your Highness, I had no rivals today!”

“Impressive!” Li Yuechen smiled.

Wan’er blushed and ducked her head.

Just then, Xiao He arrived with two eunuchs, carrying the barbecue grill, “The item Your Highness requested has been completed.”

Li Yuechen nodded, “Set it down. Tonight, I’ll treat you all to meat!”

Taking advantage of the good afternoon light, Li Yuechen read and practiced calligraphy, while the Culinary Bureau prepared skewers of lamb—half fat, half lean.

After years of practice, Li Yuechen’s calligraphy had become quite accomplished, with a unique style.

However, her script, resembling the slender gold style, was somewhat out of place in this era. It was undoubtedly beautiful, and even Wan’er wished to learn it, but Zheng discouraged her.

In Zheng’s opinion, Li Yuechen, as a princess, could write as she pleased, but Wan’er would be better off mastering the rounded script popular in their time.

Yet children of this age were prone to rebelliousness, and Wan’er sometimes practiced secretly when Zheng wasn’t looking.

Li Yuechen’s script wasn’t truly slender gold, being adapted from hard-tipped penmanship. Perhaps the blend of hard and soft styles made her strokes more striking and structured.

As dusk approached, Li Yuechen set down her brush, stretched, and prepared to begin grilling.

After sunset, lanterns were lit outside the hall and in Linbo Pavilion. The moonlight was especially bright, making visibility excellent.

Li Yuechen laid charcoal in the grill and sent Xiao He to fetch the prepared ingredients from the Culinary Bureau.

Tonight’s fare included not only lamb skewers, but also chicken legs, wings, and fish.

What kind of fish? Who knew! The meat was sliced, skewered, and mixed with the lamb.

Seeing Li Yuechen about to grill personally, Xiao He worried, “Your Highness, perhaps you should let—”

“Enough, just wait!” Li Yuechen waved her off and began lighting the fire.

Seated on a stool, she fanned the flames swiftly. Smoke billowed as the charcoal ignited, glowing red.

Satisfied with the heat, she placed the lamb skewers on the grill.

Wan’er crouched beside her, “Why grill it yourself, Your Highness?”

“Because no one else can get the flavor I want!” Li Yuechen smiled, continuing to fan.

Meanwhile, in Renshou Hall, Li Zhi was about to invite Empress Wu to dinner when Zhang Chengxin rushed in.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness! There’s a great deal of smoke rising from Anfu Hall—it’s unclear what’s happened!”

“What?” Li Zhi sprang up, and Empress Wu looked alarmed, “Is there a fire?”

“It doesn’t seem so,” Zhang replied, “No visible flames, but—”

Li Zhi cut him off, “Enough, come with me at once!”