Chapter Seventy: Prince Li Longji

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In the depths of night, the laws of the Great Tang decree that the city gates must be closed at dusk and may not be opened except for urgent military matters. In reality, this regulation is all but ignored in Laizhou. Situated on the coast and far removed from nomadic tribes, Laizhou never faces border threats. As a result, the gatekeepers hardly pay any mind to the rule; the gates are closed as required, but for the wealthy merchants and officials within the city, a little silver is all it takes to have the gate opened for their needs. Laizhou is a small place—everyone sees each other day in and day out. If you don’t open the gate quickly, what else can you do? Are you really going to let the respected officials sleep under the open sky?

Tonight, the captain on gate duty was in good spirits. He had been sleeping soundly, only to be roused by his subordinates because Sha Tonghai needed to leave the city. The captain was furious, but Sha Tonghai calmed him with five gleaming ingots of silver. Sha Tonghai then departed with several dozen sturdy men. The captain, unable to sleep, began pondering how to divide the silver, growing happier the more he thought about it, his heart filled with excitement.

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves echoed, and dozens of riders approached at speed. The captain shouted, “Who goes there? Do you not know the laws of the Great Tang?! Dismount at once!” One man leapt from his horse and approached, speaking in a low voice, “Sir, my master has urgent matters at home. I hope you’ll do us this favor.” As he spoke, he pressed a heavy object into the captain’s hand.

The captain looked down and saw a thick, golden ingot. Overjoyed, he quickly ordered the gates opened.

Outside Laizhou, Prince Li Longji of Linzi was riding hard when suddenly a dark group of men appeared ahead. His bodyguards whispered, “Be cautious.” The sound of drawn blades rang out.

From the other side, someone called, “Your Highness Prince of Linzi, I am Sha Tonghai, here to protect you!” Li Longji rode forward and saw Sha Tonghai kneeling. He laughed and scolded, “Old Sha, what are you doing here instead of sleeping at home?”

Sha Tonghai replied, “Your Highness has urgent matters, and I am willing to guard you, to brave any danger without hesitation!”

Li Longji’s gaze turned sharp, fixing on Sha Tonghai. His steed pawed the ground, sending dust and grass flying onto Sha Tonghai, who broke out in a cold sweat.

After a moment, Li Longji laughed loudly. “Old Sha, you truly understand! Very well! I appoint you as Captain of the Prince of Linzi’s Household Guard. Remain in Laizhou and await orders!” With that, someone tossed an ivory badge from the Prince’s household before him.

Sha Tonghai, anxious, said, “Your Highness, you won’t take me with you?” Li Longji replied, “Old Sha, it seems this idea wasn’t yours—otherwise, you wouldn’t have asked that.”

Sha Tonghai answered honestly, “It was my adviser, Zhong Xian, who suggested it.”

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Li Longji lightly whipped his horse, and the steed immediately sped away, his guards following in a cloud of dust. In the darkness, Li Longji’s singing voice echoed faintly, “Zhong Xian is a man of rare talent—do not let him down!”

At dawn, Sha Tonghai, sleepless through the night, returned to Laizhou with his men. Zhong Xian was just getting up, washing, and upon seeing Sha Tonghai, was first surprised, then burst out laughing.

Sha Tonghai grumbled, “What are you laughing at? You made me spend a sleepless night, and His Highness never intended to take me with him.”

Zhong Xian laughed, “This is a good thing, sir!” Sha Tonghai glared, “Good thing? Why don’t you try spending a night in the wilderness yourself?” Zhong Xian replied, “Please don’t be angry, sir. I didn’t explain everything yesterday, but your journey would have had one of two outcomes: either His Highness takes you to Chang’an, which means he regards you as a regular subordinate—loyal, but not to be entrusted with great tasks; or he leaves you in Laizhou, which means he sees you as a trusted confidant, capable of independent command. So being left in Laizhou is a sign of His Highness’s favor. I knew you to be forthright and candid, so I withheld these words intentionally.”

Sha Tonghai said, “I wanted to follow him to Chang’an and fight for a new future, but he left me here—what can I accomplish?” Zhong Xian replied, “His Highness sees you as a trusted aide and keeps you in Laizhou for a reason. Now that the realm is peaceful, even if there is a change of power, it will not be a stormy upheaval, but will arise quietly, in the shadows. His Highness wants you to build strength here in secret—not to indulge in revelry and idleness.”

These words were blunt, but Sha Tonghai, with his rough-and-tumble temperament, didn’t mind. Still, he wondered, “He is a prince—doesn’t he have troops? Why does he need us folks from the martial world for such tasks?” Zhong Xian replied, “Though he is a prince, without an imperial decree, he cannot command even a single soldier. He must have his own force. Entrusting this to you shows his high regard.”

Sha Tonghai finally understood, stomping his foot, “Ah, His Highness nearly let a great matter slip! Why didn’t he explain such an important thing?” Zhong Xian unfurled a paper fan, smiling as he gently waved it. “Because His Highness knows you have me by your side!”

Zhong Xian’s prediction proved true—Chang’an was indeed rocked by great events, not just one, but three.

Early in the month, Emperor Zhongzong decreed the marriage of Wu Songxun and Princess Anle. Wu Sansi, though disgraced, became kin to the imperial family, leaving all the world astonished. Soon after, Emperor Zhongzong personally wrote an edict, naming Zhang Jianzhong as Prince of Hanyang, Jing Hui as Prince of Pingyang, Huan Yanfan as Prince of Fuyang, and Cui Xuanwei as Prince of Xuanwei, granting them noble titles and estates. This caused great commotion in the capital and among officials, as these five had played a pivotal role in the recent political upheaval.

Wu Sansi had long awaited outside the court gates, entering immediately to thank the Emperor, his power now greater than in the days of Wu Zhou. By the time Li Longji traveled the long road back to Chang’an, everything had already settled.

Inside the Princess’s residence,

Princess Taiping sat beside her desk, gazing at the candle flame, sighing softly. Xue Chongjian and Li Longji stood nearby.

After a long pause, Princess Taiping said, “Aman, what do you think of this matter?” Li Longji replied, “Aunt, Wu Sansi is petty and vindictive. If he becomes prime minister, those five—Zhang Jianzhong and his companions—may not live long.”

Princess Taiping sneered, “I long ago hinted to Zhang Jianzhong and his group that they should eliminate Wu Sansi early, but they arrogantly claimed Wu Sansi was already a decaying corpse, not worth worrying about—such petty minds are unfit for great tasks. Their own mismanagement led to their downfall, and they deserve no pity. But I do feel sorry for my honest and naive brother, who will henceforth be at the mercy of the Wei clan and Wu Sansi.”

Li Longji said, “Aunt, perhaps we should act before they gain a foothold…” Princess Taiping shook her head, “No, that would not be wise. Don’t forget about Prince Wei. Do you intend to let others reap the rewards?”

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Xue Chongjian said, “Now, the court believes Prince Wei is the candidate for crown prince, and Prince Wei himself likely thinks so. Wu Sansi and the Wei clan, working together, will surely try to install Prince Wen, Li Chongmao, as crown prince. At that point, Prince Wei will step forward, and all we need do is quietly support him.”

Li Longji said, “Aunt, I don’t quite agree. If the Wei clan makes the decision alone, they might appoint Li Chongmao. But with Wu Sansi advising them, things are less certain. Such a move would force Li Chongjun to break with them prematurely. Wu Sansi may be vile, but he is skilled in political maneuvering. He would not make such a blunder. Instead, he will recommend to the emperor that Li Chongjun be made crown prince, thus stabilizing him. No matter how others struggle, Li Chongjun will remain above the fray, calmly acting as crown prince. Once Wu Sansi and the Wei clan have amassed enough power, they will find a way to depose him, and by then, Li Chongjun will be isolated, with no one to rely on, and will have no choice but to accept his fate.”

Princess Taiping nodded approvingly, “Chongjian, you are clever, but when it comes to reading people, you are not as perceptive as Aman. You should learn more from your cousin.”

Xue Chongjian, unconvinced, said, “Cousin, what do you think we should do right now?”

Li Longji laughed, “For now, we must look after ourselves, avoid trouble, and wait patiently—watch and see what happens.” Xue Chongjian said, “So your brilliant strategy is just one word: ‘wait’? Anyone can do that.” Li Longji smiled, “Waiting may be easy, but timing it right is the hardest skill in the world. You can’t be impatient, nor can you become lazy or careless. The proverb goes: ‘When the snipe and the clam struggle, the fisherman profits.’ It’s all about the art of waiting. If the fisherman acts too soon, he scares them away; too late, the snipe devours the clam and flies off, leaving nothing. Only by seizing the perfect moment can the fisherman reap the rewards.”

Xue Chongjian thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled, “So this is what you’re planning…” Princess Taiping smiled without speaking, and Li Longji waved his hand with a laugh, “It mustn’t be said, mustn’t be said.”

In the Empress’s palace chambers, behind embroidered curtains, Wei Shi and her lover indulged in passion, the brocade covers tossed aside. Yet the man holding her was not Li Xian, but Wu Sansi!

Within Wu Sansi’s embrace, Wei Shi panted and sweated. After a while, the two finally calmed.

Wei Shi teased, “So, my dear father-in-law, you’ve dared to seduce your own daughter-in-law!”

Wu Sansi laughed, “My sweet, we’re not just family. Don’t forget, you’re also my cousin’s wife. Now that my cousin is lacking in vigor, it’s only right as a minister to share his burdens.”

With that, the two laughed wildly, casting all propriety aside. Wu Sansi then said, “Today in court, I petitioned His Majesty to appoint Li Chongjun as crown prince.”

Wei Shi, shocked and angry, said, “Why did you do that? I saved your life and restored your position, and you repay me like this!” With that, she kicked Wu Sansi from the bed.

Standing naked before her, Wu Sansi laughed, “What woman treats her lover like this? Wan’er is far gentler than you.”

Wei Shi retorted, “If you prefer her, then go to her!”

Unperturbed, Wu Sansi replied, “I knew you’d be unreasonable, but I did this for your own good.”

Wei Shi sat up angrily, “You hand over the crown prince’s position to another, and claim it’s for my benefit? Shameless!”