Chapter 48: A Hundred Flavors Melt Away in the Small Cauldron (Part I)

Was Li Ke's death unjust or not?
Fabricated charges, a grief with nowhere to vent, and the chilling reality of an imperial prince whose life was treated as mere grass—it was indeed unjust.
Yet, in Fang Jun's view, it was perhaps not entirely unjustified.
Wealth makes people lose their way, and power drives people mad. Once entangled with these two, a man loses his reason, casting loyalty, filial piety, righteousness, human affection, and integrity completely aside.
Even ordinary wealthy families will turn father against son and brother against brother for the sake of wealth and power, let alone the household of the Son of Heaven.
Born into the imperial family, while enjoying the privileges brought by supreme power, one should realize that a double-edged sword brings immense benefits alongside immense hazards. Long ago, one should have prepared for the unpredictable outcomes once dragged into the whirlpool of power struggles.
This required both psychological preparation and strategic preparation.
Without a doubt, Li Ke possessed neither psychological nor strategic preparation.
Like a fish on a chopping board, no matter how much it flailed, was it not still at the mercy of others?
Li Ke was the third son of Emperor Li Er. Nineteen years of age this year, he stood tall and slender, with a face like jade, red lips and white teeth. He was delicate without being effeminate, and handsome without a trace of powder, making Fang Jun feel somewhat inferior...
He wore a deep blue brocade robe embroidered with hidden longevity patterns, and a white jade belt adorned with pearls, exuding extraordinary luxury. The whole person was dashing, elegant, and full of vigor.
Last year, Li Ke had his title changed from Prince of Shu to Prince of Wu, and was appointed as the Commandant of Anzhou, overseeing military affairs across the five prefectures of An, Sui, Wen, Mian, and Fu, as well as serving as the Prefect of Anzhou, heading to Hubei to take up his post.
At the end of last year, he was impeached by the Censor Liu Fan for excessive hunting and damaging crops. Consequently, he was relieved of his post as Commandant of Anzhou, and his taxable households were reduced by three hundred.
Regarding this dismissal of Li Ke, an inspiring anecdote remained.
Emperor Li Er, partial to Li Ke, said to the complaining Liu Fan: "Quan Wanji assisted my son yet failed to correct his faults. The guilt is his, and he deserves death."
Liu Fan remonstrated: "Fang Xuanling assists Your Majesty, yet he cannot prevent Your Majesty from hunting. How can Your Majesty alone blame Quan Wanji?"
Emperor Li Er flew into a rage, flicked his sleeves, and withdrew into the inner hall. After a long while, he summoned Liu Fan alone and asked: "Why did you brave your face to rebuke me?"
Liu Fan replied: "I have heard that a sovereign should be wise and ministers upright. Your Majesty is benevolent and wise, and I dared not withhold my foolish uprightness."
Only then did Emperor Li Er dispel his anger.

Looking at the strikingly handsome Third Prince before him, Fang Jun felt a deep sense of emotion.
In truth, Li Ke was not without a chance to lay his hands upon the supreme imperial authority; he had once infinitely approached that very seat.
According to the *Essentials of Government of the Zhenguan Era*, in the seventeenth year of Zhenguan (643), due to the counter-accusations of Gejian Chenglong—who was implicated in the rebellion case of Li You, Prince of Qi—Crown Prince Li Chengqian's conspiracy to rebel was exposed, and he was deposed. Emperor Taizhou promised to make Li Tai, Prince of Wei, the Crown Prince, but Changsun Wuji insisted on petitioning for Li Zhi, Prince of Jin, to be named Crown Prince. Taizong personally interrogated Li Chengqian, who accused Li Tai of plotting for the succession. Taizong thereupon placed Li Tai under house arrest at the Directorate of Construction and appointed Li Zhi, Prince of Jin, as Crown Prince.
Shortly thereafter, Taizong suspected that Prince Li Zhi was benevolent yet weak, and said to Changsun Wuji: "You persuaded me to make Zhinu Crown Prince, but Zhinu is cowardly and I fear he cannot guard the state. What should be done? Prince Wu Li Ke is heroic, martial, and decisive, much like me. I wish to make him Crown Prince. What do you think?"
Changsun Wuji adamantly resisted, arguing that it could not be done.
Taizong said: "Is it because Prince Wu is not your nephew that you oppose this?"
Changsun Wuji replied: "The Crown Prince is benevolent and generous, a sovereign capable of preserving what has been established. How can the position of the Crown Prince, being so vital, be altered lightly? I hope Your Majesty will ponder this deeply."
Only then did Taizong dismiss the notion.
From this, it was evident that had it not been for the obstruction of Changsun Wuji, perhaps Li Er might genuinely have made Li Ke the Crown Prince. Had history permitted an "if," the Great Tang Dynasty under Emperor Li Er might have embarked upon a vastly different path...

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Fang Jun bowed to Li Ke and said, "Unaware that Your Highness would arrive in person, I failed to welcome you from afar. Forgive my discourtesy, forgive my discourtesy."
Li Siwen also hurried over to pay his respects. As for Li Yulong, that lass had slipped away to goodness knows where in the blink of an eye.
Li Ke raised a hand from a distance, halting his bow, a subtle, ambiguous smile playing across his handsome features: "Erlang, spare the formalities. With two of the illustrious 'Four Young Masters of Chang'an' gracing Xinfeng County, how could this Prince dare not pay a visit? If I lacked courtesy, who knows when I might have been on the receiving end of a sneak punch from Erlang."
Fang Jun rarely blushed, feeling somewhat awkward at Li Ke's teasing. He steered the conversation elsewhere and asked, "Why is Your Highness here in the desolate wilderness instead of enjoying the romance and festivities within Chang'an City?"
Cen Wenshu, the Magistrate of Xinfeng County who stood upright to the side, said, "Erlang does not know, but the day before yesterday, His Majesty ordered various imperial princes to tour and comfort the counties of Guanzhong on behalf of the Emperor. His Highness was assigned to Xinfeng County."
Fang Jun nodded: "So that is how it is. It is freezing cold. May Your Highness and Magistrate Cen please step inside for a small gathering, drink a cup of warmed wine to chase away the chill, and later sample some new culinary creations I have devised."
Although inwardly he felt rather displeased with the two uninvited guests who had barged in, he still had to be polite and exchange pleasantries.
Hearing that a member of the Fang family had settled into the estate, it was only natural for the Xinfeng County Magistrate to pay a visit. After all, Fang Xuanling was a venerable chancellor of the court, and a subordinate showing a bit of flattery was inevitable—after all, excessive politeness never offended anyone.
As for Li Wu, the Prince of Wu, that was a matter of bestowing favor.
Given his exalted status as a true imperial prince, had Fang Jun known in advance that Li Ke was in Xinfeng County, he certainly would have had to go pay his respects personally. Now that Li Ke had turned the tables and come to him, it showed Li Ke's respect for Fang Xuanling, not putting on airs because of his status—even if you, Fang Xuanling's son, have come, this Prince will personally visit to show warmth and closeness. This was known as enduring family friendship.

Though form outweighed substance, for an imperial prince to go to such lengths was no small feat.
Of course, putting it another way, given Fang Xuanling's standing in the court and his weight in Emperor Li Er's heart, which imperial prince would dare not show respect?
Hearing this, Li Ke glanced toward the kitchen and asked with a smile, "Was Erlang just now preparing food in the kitchen?"
"Indeed. Later on, I must beg Your Highness to offer your critiques."
Li Ke laughed heartily: "In that case, this Prince shall play the role of an uninvited guest and taste what makes the food prepared by Erlang's own hands so different! Magistrate Cen, please lead the way?"
The magistrate also laughed, saying, "They say 'a gentleman keeps away from the kitchen.' Now that Fang Erlang discards the name of a gentleman to personally cook broth, how could I dare not give face? Your Highness, please go first!"
Fang Jun rolled his eyes speechlessly. How utterly pretentious...
Yet this Cen Wenshu was no ordinary figure either. Although his official rank was merely that of a small county magistrate, he had a brother who was a towering deity—Cen Wenten, the Secretariat Drafter, whose hands penned imperial decrees and drafts concerning major military and state affairs. He was a genuine confidant and intimate minister of the Son of Heaven.
Guiding Li Ke, Cen Wenshu, and Li Siwen into the main hall, Fang Jun casually and politely said, "Please sit, please sit..."
Yet the moment the words left his mouth, awkwardness struck.
Surveying the surroundings, in this massive main hall, there was not a single chair, stool, or anything of the sort. Where were they supposed to sit?
Habit was second nature to him. When he said "sit," naturally he meant sitting on a chair or a stool. He was entirely unaccustomed to the "couch" of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Ke and Cen Wenshu showed no hesitation either. They walked casually into the main hall, kicked off their shoes, and sat upon the couch, making no distinction between host and guest.
With no other choice, Fang Jun followed them in, removed his shoes, walked onto the hall in his socks, approached the seating couch, offered conventional modest declinations, and then knelt down on both knees, pressing his buttocks against his calves and ankles, sitting up straight—oh my lord, this was truly agonizing...
Glancing back, Li Siwen, usually so carefree, also wore an expression as if he were terribly constipated...