Chapter Seventeen: The Young Servant and the Little Rhinoceros

Li Er’s handsome face instantly stiffened. He glanced down at his youngest legitimate daughter clinging stubbornly to his beautiful beard with evident affection and asked curiously, “Why does Sizhi say that?”

The little girl pouted her rosy cheeks, blinking her large, round eyes adorably as she said, “Seventeenth Sister must have someone she likes, so she doesn’t want to marry Brother Fang, whom she doesn’t love. If Father insists on marrying her off, she’ll be very sad. I don’t have anyone I like, so it doesn’t matter to me who I marry…”

Princess Gaoyang was greatly embarrassed: “Sizhi is talking nonsense. Sister doesn’t… doesn’t have anyone she likes…”

Emperor Li Er looked shocked, staring at his five-year-old daughter. “Who told you that?”

A five-year-old child couldn’t possibly understand such things. It was clear someone had been whispering to Sizhi—perhaps unintentionally guiding her thoughts—but discussing such impolite matters within the Forbidden Palace was unforgivable!

Sizhi looked innocent. “No one told me. I just thought of it myself when I was secretly watching ‘The Stepping Song Maiden’ a few days ago…”

‘The Stepping Song Maiden’ was a popular folk opera at the time. It told the story of a man surnamed Su from Northern Qi who had no official position and was a drunkard. Whenever he got drunk, he beat his wife. The wife, full of sorrow, complained to the neighbors. The people mocked him by having a man dressed as a woman slowly walk on stage, singing and swaying. After each verse, the audience chanted in unison, “Step and sway, come along! The Stepping Song Maiden, full of sorrow, come along!” The name came from the woman’s swaying steps and her plaintive cries of injustice. When the drunken husband appeared, the play depicted their fights, chasing, and quarrels, stirring the audience’s emotions.

The play was not only popular among the common folk but was occasionally performed at court as well.

Li Er was somewhat helpless; his youngest daughter was indeed clever beyond her years.

He put on a stern face and said, “Those operas are nonsense. Better not to watch them. Besides, how could you not know this is where your father handles state affairs? No one may enter at will; unauthorized entry must be punished.”

He thought this would scare the youngest daughter into realizing her mistake, but the little girl was not frightened at all.

Sizhi blinked her bright eyes, first sneaking a glance at Princess Gaoyang, then said to Li Er, “Girls reach maturity at fifteen, but their bodies aren’t fully developed, so many have difficult births. If parents are considerate, they should wait until a girl is grown and her body… her body…”

She faltered, unable to continue, her large, dark eyes filled with urgency as she kept stealing glances at Gaoyang.

Princess Gaoyang’s face darkened, and she sighed inwardly, thinking, “Little Sizhi, why do you keep looking at me? This is trouble…”

Li Er had been shocked that his five-year-old understood about bodies not being fully developed and difficult childbirth, but as Sizhi stumbled over her words and kept looking at Gaoyang, it was obvious: Gaoyang had coached her. The two daughters, emboldened by their father’s favor, were together trying to dissuade him from marrying Gaoyang to Fang Yiai.

Though clever, Sizhi was still young and didn’t fully understand words like “difficult birth” or “coming of age,” which is why she forgot how to finish her sentence.

After nearly being tricked by his daughters, Li Er did not get angry but rather found it somewhat amusing.

He gently wiped the sweat from Sizhi’s anxious little face and said softly, “Your father knows your sister’s thoughts well. But a ruler’s words must not be taken lightly. Your father’s decree was spoken by himself—how could he break his promise to the world? If that happened, not only would your father’s reputation suffer, but what would Uncle Fang do?”

At last, Li Er felt a twinge of regret about the marriage arrangement but was resolute in not going back on his word.

Sizhi, ever astute, rolled her eyes and said, “If Brother Fang cancels the marriage himself, would that be okay?”

Li Er smiled bitterly. “That would be defying imperial orders—a grave offense. Even if he were spared execution, exile would be certain.”

Sizhi nearly cried in frustration. “This won’t do, that won’t do. Must Sister marry Brother Fang?”

Princess Gaoyang bit her lip, her face pale and miserable. Thinking about spending her life with that rustic, clumsy warrior made her wish for death…

At that moment, Li Er looked at the boy standing properly in the hall and asked, “Young one, do you also intend to deceive your father along with Seventeenth Sister?”

The boy was startled and stammered, “No, no, it’s not like that… How dare a child deceive his father? But… but… Sister and little sister are girls, and I’m a man. If Father is angry and wishes to punish someone, please punish me instead…”

Though he spoke bravely, his eyes were full of panic. He feared Father might say in anger, “Take him out and give him thirty lashes.” A few days ago, five of Li You’s sons had been beaten, and they still lay in bed, too afraid even to turn over…

Li Er shook his head, looking at Sizhi, then at the wronged Gaoyang, and finally at the boy Li Zhi, whose mouth was full of courage but whose heart was terrified. A warm feeling stirred in his chest.

In this imperial family, there was little genuine affection.

Scenes of loving fathers and filial sons, brothers and sisters tenderly caring for one another—these were the things Li Er longed for most in his life.

Yet for self-preservation and the throne, he had destroyed the bonds between father and son, brother and brother. Such love had become a luxury he could never have again.

So he placed his hopes in the next generation, wishing his children to support and love one another.

The older ones had deeply disappointed him.

They fought openly and covertly for the throne, constantly undermining each other, with no boundaries left between them.

Li Er often woke from nightmares in the dead of night, horrified at the thought of the Xuanwu Gate Incident playing out again between his own sons…

He would never allow that to happen!

Fortunately, perhaps because they lacked ambition for the throne, the younger princes and princesses genuinely loved one another.

Especially the Ninth Prince, Li Zhi.

Compared to his wise elder brothers, Li Zhi was indeed lacking—soft in character, indecisive, lacking firmness.

But he had one virtue: he cared for family. Regardless of age, he was capable of sincere, selfless love.

Li Er’s mind wandered, perhaps…