Chapter Two: There Is Still Room for Reprieve

The Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace was already in a state of panic.

Ever since the Crown Prince, Li Chengqian, had injured his leg and begun to limp, many people had found themselves in the Eastern Palace in body, but in the Prince of Wei’s residence in heart.

The master of that residence, the Prince of Wei, Li Tai, now outshone Li Chengqian in every respect.

Whether in food, clothing, daily luxuries, or the rewards he received, Li Tai’s standing in the Prince of Wei’s residence was far above Li Chengqian’s.

Li Chengqian’s threat also came precisely from Li Tai; this was the very crux of all the trouble at present.

After crossing into this world, Li Chengqian understood that his position as crown prince was not in immediate danger.

So long as he did not rebel, his bargain-bin father, the emperor Taizong, would not casually strip him of his title.

Now he had to take the initiative and could not sit back and wait for doom. Since Li Tai knew how to curry favor with their father, he could do the same.

Besides, when it came to resources, he had far more than Li Tai.

He possessed twenty-first-century knowledge and a modern mind, and at the same time he had the resources and connections of the Tang dynasty’s crown prince.

Before long, a marvelous scheme appeared in Li Chengqian’s mind.

It was March of the seventeenth year of Zhenguan. According to the original course of events, in less than a month he would be stripped of his title and exiled to Qianzhou for plotting rebellion.

By then, everything would be over.

The situation was urgent, and Li Chengqian had to make a decision quickly.

Just after entering the Eastern Palace, the Crown Princess, Su Yuyan, came forward to greet him.

“Your Highness, you are back,” Su Yuyan said, coming before Li Chengqian and bowing gracefully.

At that moment, Li Chengqian lifted his head and looked closely at her. Su Yuyan’s lips were red and her teeth white; her chest rose and fell softly, and she seemed very nervous.

Her slender fingers were like pale spring onions, her arms like lustrous white jade, her waist narrow, her legs long and graceful.

A sensation of delicious temptation was instantly etched into Li Chengqian’s mind.

At first glance, he nearly felt breathless.

Even the Li Chengqian of later generations, who had sifted through countless heavenly beauties and female stars via video apps on his phone, found it hard to resist the heat surging deep within him at the sight of Su Yuyan.

Such a beautiful crown princess, and the former Li Chengqian had treated her like mere waste, even taking up with Chongxin...

Li Chengqian cursed his former self in his heart for allowing the crown princess to suffer such treatment.

At that thought, he stepped forward, took Su Yuyan’s hand, and led her inside.

“Your Highness, your face...” Su Yuyan said anxiously, her heart aching as she saw the streak of blood on his cheek.

“The wound on my face is nothing... the imperial physician has already applied medicine. In a while, it should be fine...” Li Chengqian said. Once they were inside, he drew Su Yuyan into his arms.

“Your Highness... it’s still broad daylight...” Su Yuyan’s pretty face flushed bright red, and in the dim light within the room she looked even more enchanting.

“Prepare a meal for me at once. I will dine here with you tonight. Send word to the kitchen office and have the dishes brought to your quarters,” Li Chengqian said softly as he released her. His tone was exceedingly gentle.

This scene made Su Yuyan overjoyed.

Ever since Li Chengqian had taken up with Chongxin, he had hardly come to her chambers for years.

Even when he came by occasionally, he would say only a few perfunctory words before leaving again.

Let alone dining together; even getting a glimpse of him had become a luxury.

Today the sun had truly risen in the west.

Su Yuyan could hardly believe her ears. Though she had longed and hoped for this in her heart, she had never dared to imagine it.

Now happiness had arrived so suddenly. Though late, it had still come.

For an instant, Su Yuyan felt as though she were dreaming, rubbing her hands back and forth in confusion.

She pinched her own arm hard. A piercing stab of pain nearly made her cry out.

“What is it, my dear?” Li Chengqian asked gently, taking her hand.

“Your Highness... is this... is this real? Am I not dreaming?” Su Yuyan’s expressive eyes were like a pool of clear water, untouched by the slightest worldly taint, as though an angel had descended from heaven.

“My dear, this is no dream. I am right here before you,” Li Chengqian said, pinching her tender little cheek and kissing her on the forehead. “From today on, I shall live in your quarters every day. You are my crown princess, and the woman I value most.”

A tingling sweetness, carried by Li Chengqian’s soft kiss, instantly sank into the very heart of Su Yuyan.

She slowly closed her eyes, savoring this hard-won happiness, and before she knew it, tears had welled at the corners of her eyes.

“What’s wrong, my dear? Before, I was at fault. I neglected you...” Li Chengqian had not even finished speaking when Su Yuyan suddenly rushed into his arms and began to cry softly.

He opened his arms wide and let her cry and beat at his chest.

At that moment, all Li Chengqian could do was comfort her in a low voice, patting her back again and again and gently stroking her hair, soothing the heart that had grown faintly cold from so long without solace.

At that very moment, he truly wanted to slap himself several times.

How shameful. The crown princess was so good, and he had gone off to seek Chongxin?

Could Chongxin really bring him satisfaction?

In this age of feudal rites and moral codes, was Chongxin truly necessary?

One question after another would not leave Li Chengqian’s mind.

“Very well, my dear. I still have important matters to attend to. I will definitely come tonight,” Li Chengqian said, rising slowly and leaving Su Yuyan behind.

By then, Su Yuyan’s spirits had instantly lifted.

This was like a long drought meeting sweet rain. She had not seen the crown prince for so long, let alone enjoyed such tender conjugal closeness. Even in dreams, she had scarcely dared imagine it.

Yet now it had become real.

Humming a little tune, Su Yuyan ordered the servants to prepare the evening meal. For the sake of her beloved crown prince, she even resolved to go personally to the kitchen office and cook for him herself.

Li Chengqian quickly returned to his own quarters, the place where they usually discussed affairs.

By now, Du He, Hou Junji, Zhao Jie, Li Yuanchang, Li Anyan, and the others were all waiting anxiously.

“Your Highness, you are back at last. Please make up your mind quickly. The Prince of Wei has been quite arrogant lately. If we do not seize this chance to get rid of him, the consequences will be unthinkable,” said the King of Han, Li Yuanchang, with the greatest eagerness.

“Your Highness, send Heqian Chengji and Zhang Sizheng to kill the Prince of Wei, Li Tai, and the chancellor, Yu Zhining,” Du He hurriedly suggested.

The moment Li Chengqian heard this, his head nearly split.

“Good thing I arrived in time. If this had been carried out, who knows what kind of disaster it would have caused?

And that Heqian Chengji—he is a beast, disloyal and treacherous. On the surface he is my man, but in truth he is one of Prince Qi Li You’s death warriors. How could I ever use someone like that?”

Thinking this, Li Chengqian already felt sweat breaking out on his forehead. He was grateful that it was still not too late, that everything could still be saved.

“My lords, when did I ever say I wanted to assassinate Chancellor Yu Zhining? And let alone assassinate the Prince of Wei, Li Tai. That would be a capital crime. Li Tai and I are full brothers, after all,” Li Chengqian said, waving a hand and denying everything outright.

Hiss...

Everyone present instantly felt as though the air had been let out of them. They could not understand what Li Chengqian was thinking today.

They did not understand why, after all their earlier careful discussion, Li Chengqian would suddenly change his mind.

Could it be that Li Chengqian had thought of a better way?

With formidable enemies on every side, Li Tai harboring sinister intent and boundless ambition, there seemed to be no better course than assassination.

“Your Highness, does this mean tonight’s operation is to be canceled as well?” Du He asked in bewilderment, staring wide-eyed at Li Chengqian.

Looking over, everyone saw that Li Chengqian had simply narrowed his eyes as if he had not heard a thing. Sitting in his chair, his hands rested carelessly on the table, his whole manner one of absent-minded distraction.

At this moment, no one could make sense of him anymore.

The Li Chengqian who had once been full of vigor, treating Li Tai as a thorn in his side and a dagger in his flesh, had somehow become so composed all at once.