Chapter 22: Prince of Wei, Li Tai

The residence of the Prince of Wei.

The study was in utter disarray. Fine Yue ware porcelain tea sets, as white and smooth as ice and snow, lay in crystalline shards. An antique rosewood desk had been overturned, a precious purple inkstone was shattered atop a bronze incense burner, and books were scattered everywhere.

Li Tai, the Prince of Wei, sat on a stool, breathing heavily. The veins on his forehead pulsed like small, writhing green snakes, a testament to the intensity of his rage. Though only eighteen, Li Tai was broad-waisted and portly; the excess flesh on his face distorted his naturally delicate features, crowding his eyes, nose, and mouth into a comical expression, leaving only his piercing, glittering eyes to betray his keen intellect.

"Cen Wenben, I could eat your flesh!" Li Tai cursed viciously, his frustration boiling over.

It had been such a perfect opportunity! To be commissioned to inspect the counties of Guanzhong on behalf of the Crown Prince would have effectively placed him on equal footing with the heir—or even positioned him to supplant him. With a little manipulation of public opinion, the support of key court officials, and his father the Emperor’s favor, the grand ambition could have been realized!

And yet?

It had all been ruined by that old fool, Cen Wenben!

While he still held the chance to inspect the counties, he was now forced to share the task with his brothers—Prince Wu, Li Ke; Prince Qi, Li You; and Prince Shu, Li Yin. To share the spoils was a far cry from securing the prize alone.

The more Li Tai thought about it, the angrier he became. The pent-up fury left his face looking increasingly ferocious.

Liu Lei, the Right Assistant to the Minister of the Secretariat, watched the Prince throw things. Knowing that any attempt to console such a temper was useless, he moved his seat toward the door to avoid becoming collateral damage. It would be quite unfortunate to be struck by a stray vase or bowl.

Liu Lei was proud of his own machinations, though he maintained a look of deep, bitter grievance, sighing repeatedly every time Li Tai shattered an object. He had every right to be proud; as a Right Assistant with little real power, he had pushed his influence to the absolute limit. Success had been within reach, only to be thwarted by that old fox, Cen Wenben. It was not that his own side was incompetent, but rather that the opponent was simply too cunning.

He felt his efforts were enough to ensure the Prince would remember his loyalty, though he found Li Tai’s current tantrum somewhat shallow. Did the Prince really think changing the succession was as simple as buying cabbage? True change required long-term planning and patience; one could not be overly concerned with the loss of a single city or territory. Of course, he dared not say this aloud. If he spoke, the only remaining intact celadon vase on the shelf might very well end up hitting his own head.

The clatter of breaking objects soon drew attention. A moment later, a woman dressed in dark purple palace robes, her hair styled with phoenix pins, stepped into the room.

She was elegant and poised. While not possessing a beauty that would topple kingdoms, she carried an air of quiet, natural grace. Her skin was fair, her figure slender, and a faint, gentle smile played upon her lips.

Liu Lei quickly stood and bowed. "My respects to the Princess."

The Princess returned the gesture with a smile. "His Highness is in a foul mood and has been quite discourteous. I hope you will forgive him, sir."

Liu Lei was flattered and hurried to reply, "I would not dare, Princess. Such words from you are too kind; I am unworthy of such honor." This was no mere flattery; in this era, the title of "sir" was not used lightly—it was reserved for one's mentors. By using it, she was signaling that she regarded him as a trusted confidant.

The Princess of Wei was a lady of the Yan clan, named Wan. She hailed from the distinguished Yan family of Guanzhong, the daughter of Yan Lide, the Minister of Works. She had an uncle famous to future generations: the renowned painter Yan Liben, author of the *Portraits of Emperors Through the Ages*.

The Princess lived up to her name—gentle and refined. She had been chosen as Li Tai’s consort in the sixth year of the Zhenguan era, when she was only eleven. With her noble upbringing and wide worldly knowledge, such small gestures of winning over subordinates came naturally to her.

After soothing Liu Lei, the Princess walked over to Li Tai and signaled the maidservants behind her. "Clean this up. Tell the kitchen to prepare a feast; the Censor will be dining with us tonight."

Liu Lei quickly interjected, "I would not dare trouble the Princess, I—"

Li Tai looked up and barked at him, "If she says you stay, you stay! Does the Princess’s word mean nothing to you?"

"Er..." Liu Lei was left gasping for air, sweating profusely. "I would not dare, I would not dare..."

The Princess shot her husband a look, her face flushing with a hint of annoyance. "You are truly boorish. To think that rumors outside claim the Prince of Wei is the reincarnation of the Star of Literature, a man of profound talent and strategy—I think it is all nonsense."

As the saying goes, every force has its master. Before the Princess, the arrogant Prince of Wei looked slightly embarrassed. "Even if Cao Zijian were resurrected, he couldn't speak in classical prose every waking moment, could he? One should be relaxed in one's own home. Don't you agree, Old Liu?"

Liu Lei thought to himself, *You two are flirting, why use me as a prop?* But he dared not show it. "His Highness is correct. This is the true essence of simplicity; it is the mark of a true gentleman."

Li Tai laughed heartily. "Well said! Old Liu, your talent for flattery far exceeds your talent for governance."

Liu Lei broke into a cold sweat, speechless.

Seeing Li Tai’s mood improve, the Princess smiled faintly and waved her hand. The maidservants busied themselves, their faces tight with caution, not daring to glance at the Prince. They cleaned the study with swift, practiced movements.

The Princess smiled at Liu Lei and said, "Censor Liu, please keep His Highness company for a while." With that, she led the maids away.

Liu Lei waited until she had disappeared through the moon gate before sitting back down.

"Old Liu, tell me, is there any room for maneuver in this matter?" Li Tai asked, his focus shifting back to business now that his anger had subsided.

Liu Lei sighed. "I fear the matter is settled. The Emperor’s word is law; how could it be changed so easily?"

Li Tai knew this, but he remained deeply unsatisfied. He gritted his teeth and hissed, "It’s infuriating! That waste of a Crown Prince—does he still have people protecting him? And that old bastard Cen Wenben! He is absolutely determined to protect the Third Prince. I don’t know what kind of spell that hypocrite Li Ke has cast on him, but it is maddening!"

Liu Lei dared not touch that topic. Criticizing the Crown Prince was a crime punishable by the extermination of one's nine clans, even within the Prince of Wei’s own home. He steered the conversation away, acting mysterious. "However, while the decision cannot be changed, there is still room to maneuver..."

Li Tai’s eyes lit up. "What is your plan?"

Liu Lei smiled. "After court today, the Emperor kept me behind and tasked me with overseeing the inspection of the Guanzhong counties by the princes."

Li Tai stood up abruptly. "And you are the one responsible for assigning the regions to each prince?"

Liu Lei chuckled. "Indeed. I have chosen a place for Your Highness... and a different one for the Prince of Wu."

Li Tai was an intelligent man; he understood the implication instantly.

"Lantian is near the capital and wealthy, with the least flood damage. If Your Highness makes an appeal, the local gentry and merchants will surely donate generously. Xinfeng, on the other hand, lies at the foot of Mount Li by the Wei River. While wealthy, it is a hub of docks and laborers, and a melting pot of merchants from across the country. Though the Prince of Wu has a reputation for virtue, extracting wealth from the pockets of merchants is no easy feat," Liu Lei explained smugly.

Li Tai nodded. "The Emperor’s commission is not merely for show; we must solve problems. And how does one solve problems? By calling on the gentry and merchants to donate. Whoever achieves the best results will gain the upper hand!"

Liu Lei smiled. "Exactly. Does Your Highness still harbor any anger?"

Li Tai laughed out loud. "Anger? It’s gone! This time, I will not only defeat the Third Prince, but I will make him, the Emperor, and the entire court realize that I, Li Tai, am the most capable and the only one worthy of the throne!"

Liu Lei chimed in, "Your Highness has the favor of heaven, the advantage of the land, and the support of the people. Success is inevitable."

Excited, Li Tai stood up. "I’m in a good mood today. Let’s go out and drink."

Liu Lei hesitated. "But the Princess just ordered me to stay..."

Li Tai glared. "Is she in charge, or am I?"

Liu Lei sighed in resignation. "Of course, you are, Your Highness..."

"Then you do as I say."

Liu Lei felt conflicted, praying that the Princess wouldn't think he was the one leading the Prince astray. To be hated by a Princess—who might very well become the Empress—would be a disastrous outcome.

As Li Tai headed for the door, he suddenly asked, "You heard about the incident a few days ago, where the Fifth Prince was beaten by the second son of the Fang family, right?"

Liu Lei replied, "Of course. It reached the Emperor’s ears; the whole city is talking about it."

"What was the name of that tavern?" Li Tai asked.

Liu Lei, struggling to keep up with the Prince’s train of thought, paused. "I believe it was called... the Drunken Immortal Pavilion?"

Li Tai slapped his thigh. "That’s it! We’re going there today! They say they were fighting over a courtesan. If she could make the arrogant Fifth Prince and that blockhead Fang Er come to blows, she must be something special. Let’s go see for ourselves!"

Could Liu Lei say no? He could not. He could only mutter to himself: *Princess, this was all his idea, please don't blame me...*