Chapter Twenty-Three: The Son of Heaven’s Wrath

Although history follows a spiral path of ascent, every era brings forth something new.

Decades ago, the notion of the "Two Sages" reigning together would have been considered an act of defiance against the natural order, yet today, it has become the accepted consensus. Even so, this does not mean that everyone is willing to accept it. As loyal subjects of the Li-Tang dynasty, it is only natural to wish to overthrow the "demon empress," assist the rightful Son of Heaven, and carve a soul-stirring chapter into the annals of history.

Their actions, which might appear as petty as children squabbling, were in fact driven by a shrewd and potent objective. Should anyone press the matter, they could simply dismiss it as the rudeness of a mere commoner; for themselves, the worst charge would be a minor lapse in decorum as elders, far removed from the severity of treason.

At the Emperor's command, the palace guards and eunuchs were dispatched immediately. It is said they apprehended the young man the moment he stepped through his own front door, dragging him straight to the palace to face interrogation. As two soldiers escorted Wu An forward, he lifted his head to see two old men standing by the palace gate, wearing smug smiles.

Xue Zhen: (◜◡‾)
Li Yuanjia: ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

Wu An had always considered those villains who defeated the protagonist only to launch into long-winded speeches to be utter fools, but after a certain experience, he realized that it was, in fact, quite satisfying. He did not underestimate the intellect of these high-ranking officials of the Great Tang. If they focused their animosity on him publicly, it meant they were merely "bullying" a nobody, rather than openly challenging the Empress. Even if someone were to scrutinize the matter later, they would find no grave transgression. Conversely, if the Empress were to clash with a group of high-ranking ministers over a person of such low standing, it would be she who appeared unreasonable.

"The Commandant has arrived."

Xue Zhen nodded gently, intentionally looking behind Wu An. "You brought no one else?"

"How could that be?" Li Yuanjia took over, his voice indifferent. "This is the palace; ordinary people rarely set foot here even once in a lifetime. Commandant, do not distract yourself with sightseeing. Someone is specifically tasked with monitoring such things in the palace. I simply offer a reminder, lest you lose your footing on the path ahead."

*Why don't you two go perform crosstalk under a bridge?* Wu An acted as if he didn't see them. A eunuch approached, ordered them to hold their tongues, and led them inside.

Once they had departed, only the palace gate guards remained. Seeing the dignitaries gone, they began to gossip. They first expressed envy for their brothers in the Hundred Riders Corps, who had received generous rewards, before lamenting the fate of the Commandant surnamed Wu—a man who was decent enough, but had offended far too many people.

"I tell you, after this beating, he won't be seen for at least half a year."

"It's a pity. No one can save him this time. Judging by those two, they clearly don't intend to let it rest."

The guards sighed in sympathy, but suddenly, one of them spoke up: "Someone's coming."

A group of palace attendants led a young woman dressed in mourning clothes toward them. After the lead attendant verified her identity, the guards asked, "Who is this?"

Before the attendant could speak, the young woman replied calmly, "Please announce me. Pei, consort of the late Crown Prince, requests an audience with His Majesty."

...

"What is your name?"

The customs of the Tang Dynasty were not overly rigid; as a commissioned officer, Wu An did not need to kneel to hear the Emperor's words. Yet, he knew that the man sitting behind the curtain was the person standing at the very pinnacle of power in the world. With a single edict, he could mobilize an army of one hundred and eighty thousand, sending countless young Tang men to the front lines, one after another.

The Emperor...

Had Wu An been born the Crown Prince upon arriving in this world, he might not have held any resentment toward the man before him. But when he first opened his eyes, all he saw were famine and war. It was common knowledge that the current Son of Heaven cultivated the path of Taoism, not the path of benevolence.

"This subject is the grandson of the late Temple Prefect, Wu Shirang... Fruitful and Valiant Commandant, Wu An."

The Emperor seemed uninterested in his introduction, instead latching onto an insignificant detail.

"No courtesy name?"

"I have practiced martial arts since childhood and am unversed in literature. Furthermore, having grown up without parents or elders to guide me, I have no courtesy name."

"How about I bestow one upon you?"

The man's voice remained calm throughout. From behind the curtain, he continued, "I have thought of two names for you; you may choose."

"The first is Sisun, the second... is Zizhen."

*Wu Sisun, Wu Zizhen?* Wu An scoffed inwardly, thinking them unpleasant. The Emperor's intent was not hard to guess; the two names represented two distinct paths. If the Empress had asked, it would have been understandable. But he and the Emperor were complete strangers—why ask such a heavily suggestive question? Linking this to recent events, a bold guess formed in Wu An's mind. Di Renjie had once said that Li Jingxuan no longer enjoyed the Emperor's favor as he once did. If the Emperor wanted to dismiss Li Jingxuan legitimately, he would surely focus his attention on the case of Hao Chujun.

"This subject chooses Zizhen."

Hearing the young man's choice, the Emperor smiled soundlessly, then said, "You offended my uncle today. I shall punish you later with a flogging. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Before Wu An could speak, he added, "I know the Empress treasures you dearly. Not only did she grant you the residence of the Duke of Zhou, but she has also frequently summoned you to the palace these past few days. All of this is true, is it not?"

Wu An pondered silently, not answering immediately.

"Bring Xue Zhen and the Prince of Han inside."

As the two old men entered, they saw Wu An standing there. The Emperor spoke again from behind the curtain: "Why have you been frequently entering the palace these past few days? What exactly has the Empress instructed you to do? You might as well speak every word clearly so the Chancellor and the Prince of Han can hear."

Before Wu An could speak, the eyes of Xue Zhen and the Prince of Han lit up, realizing their gamble had paid off. *Ah? Is the Emperor using this as a pretext?* As expected of the Son of Heaven, he had effortlessly grasped the weakness the Empress had exposed. It wasn't that they hadn't wanted to smear the Empress before, but having witnessed the tragic ends of so many others, they had been too afraid. However, with the Empress’s temper and methods growing more restrained in recent years, combined with the Emperor's words, they were like sharks catching the scent of blood.

"Speak, Commandant Wu," the Prince of Han, Li Yuanjia, said coldly. "Outside officials are not permitted to enter the palace at will. What exactly have you been doing on your many trips to see the Empress?"

Xue Zhen immediately added, without mercy, "If it is within reason, His Majesty will naturally not punish you. But if... heh, His Majesty will not show leniency."

Listening to them, Wu An remained silent for a moment. He looked up and said slowly:

"Upon returning to Chang'an recently, I was approached by Pei, the consort of the late Crown Prince, who entreated me to bring items belonging to the late Crown Prince into the palace, so that the Empress might mourn her beloved son."

*Clap!*

Behind the curtain, someone stood up abruptly. A moment later, a hand swept the curtain aside, and Wu An finally saw the true face of the Emperor. He wore a yellow robe, yet its style was closer to that of a Taoist vestment. Though middle-aged, he was still handsome, reminiscent of the heroic bearing of Emperor Taizong. In recent years, the Emperor had neglected state affairs, but he remained the son of the great Taizong, with the blood of a decisive warrior flowing through his veins. Moreover, as the Emperor of the Great Tang for many years, his authority spanned the four seas. Whether he rewarded or punished was his divine right—none dared to be disrespectful.

He drew a sharp breath, his eyes filled with murderous intent, fixed firmly upon Wu An. If the ministers wished to attack one another, or if the Empress and her faction wished to vie for power, these were within the Emperor's tolerance. But he would never permit anyone to use his dead son as a tool!

Xue Zhen and the Prince of Han watched the Emperor's expression and felt a sudden chill, yet they lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

"Mourn... my beloved son?" he asked in a hoarse voice, every syllable a prelude to the slaughter to come.

Just then, a eunuch approached with small, quick steps, leaned in, and whispered a few words into his ear. The Emperor froze, his expression shifting several times before finally settling into calm.

"The wind is strong outside. Let her in."

*Who?*

Xue Zhen and the Prince of Han saw the Emperor's fury rapidly fading and were stunned, a sense of foreboding beginning to rise within them.

Soft footsteps echoed from the palace entrance. Even the most rigid eunuchs in the palace were now fawning at the door, wishing they could throw themselves on the ground to serve as a carpet for the young woman to step upon. Even so, these vindictive slaves would have gladly done it.

She was meant to be exalted. Had the late Crown Prince, Li Hong, not died, she might have been the Empress of the Great Tang. A woman of noble lineage, wife of the Imperial house. And these facts, following the Prince's passing, began to take on a deeper, more profound significance. Li Hong was the first son of the Emperor and the Empress, the most esteemed and deeply loved. One could imagine that when the Emperor learned of his eldest son's sudden death years ago, his heart, hardened by years of Taoist practice, had quietly shattered into countless fragments.

The young woman in mourning clothes stepped into the hall. She looked silently at her "father-in-law," then at the two old men in purple official robes with their stiff expressions.

Finally, as the Emperor forced a smile, she took a step forward, walked to Wu An’s side, and knelt before the Emperor.

"Your subject requests your Imperial grace to permit me to be buried with the late Crown Prince."

At these words, the Emperor's expression vanished instantly. He took a deep breath and waved his hand to silence the Prince of Han.

"What are you saying?"

"Wu An is my cousin. It so happened that he returned to the capital, and I begged him to deliver some of the Prince's personal effects to his mother. I did not expect that this would cause Wu An to be targeted by those seeking trouble, who then laid the blame upon him..." The young woman’s lips trembled as she spoke softly to the Emperor. "I am terrified, but I know this is not his fault. It was my own rashness; I did not know that the late Prince's remains could no longer be passed into the palace, and in doing so, I provoked the Chancellors to pursue this so relentlessly. Therefore, I beg Your Majesty... to grant me death, to atone for this sin and put the court at ease."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

The Emperor opened his mouth, unable to utter a word. But looking at the young woman kneeling before him, and then at her mourning clothes, a fire that had been suppressed for a long time began to burn in his eyes.

"Xue Zhen."

"This subject... is here."

"Is Hao Chujun dead yet?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, he is still in prison, not yet..."

The Emperor turned his back, the hem of his yellow robe swaying. He walked slowly behind the dragon throne and sat down, then looked at the two old men in purple.

He said indifferently, "Then you shall die with him."

"Your Majesty..." The Prince of Han, Li Yuanjia, realized the situation had turned dire and tried to intervene, but the Emperor raised his hand and hurled the jade inkstone from his desk at him.

*Crash!*

"As a member of the Imperial clan, you help outsiders scheme against the Imperial family!"

The Emperor’s voice was hoarse and low, yet it inspired even greater terror. In that moment, there were no uncles or nephews—only the cold, absolute hierarchy of sovereign and subject.

"Speak one more word, and you shall be placed under house arrest for eternity!"

"Where is the Fruitful and Valiant Commandant!" he roared.

"This subject is here."

Wu An glanced at the young woman trembling beside him, his mind calculating, and bowed to the Emperor.

"You have done no wrong." The Emperor extended his hand, his fingers trembling slightly. "In my name... confiscate the estates of Hao Chujun and Xue Zhen. Seize everything they have!"