Chapter 88: Chang’an Plot

Chapter 88: The Chang'an Incident

That day, the Emperor of Liang was discussing important matters with his ministers in the Hall of Governance when the rapid sound of galloping horses echoed from beyond the long steps.

Horseback riding was forbidden within the palace grounds—except in cases of urgent military reports.

"Urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch!"

The courier, gripping a dispatch flag, bore down like the wind, yanking the reins hard at the base of the jade steps before leaping down from his horse. Without pausing, he bounded up the steps, shouting at the top of his lungs:

"Urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch! Urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch!"

His voice reverberated through the palace halls.

Upon entering the hall, the courier dropped to his knees, unfastened the cylindrical case from his chest, and presented it with both hands.

"Your Majesty, an urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch from the northern frontier!"

Hearing the commotion, the ministers instinctively turned to look. The courier was soaked in sweat, gasping for breath as if on the verge of collapse.

A ripple of dread passed through the ministers.

A palace attendant swiftly took the case, opened it, and handed the silk dispatch to the Emperor of Liang, while two other attendants escorted the exhausted courier away.

After reading the contents, the Emperor’s face turned grim.

"Your Majesty, what urgent military news has arrived?" Sima Wei spoke up first.

Instead of answering immediately, the Emperor glowered at the dispatch for a long moment before gesturing for Attendant Guo to pass it around for the ministers to read.

Sima Wei hurriedly took it, and several ministers gathered around. Their eyes froze as they read the words.

No fools stood in this hall—they instantly understood why the Emperor looked so troubled.

"This..."

"The Prince of Mobei is mobilizing his forces, bent on wiping out the Jie."

"What should we do?"

...

Tuo Baxiao's attack on the Jie may seem irrelevant to Liang, but in reality, it spelled grave danger for them.

Between the Xianbei and Liang lay the Jie, with only a small stretch of Ji Province as a shared border. The two nations had lived in peace, keeping to themselves. But if the Jie were conquered, Tuo Baxiao could march south at any moment.

His demand for vast quantities of iron during their alliance negotiations had already revealed his ambitions. If he deployed his forces along Liang State's borders, how could the Emperor sleep soundly?

"Having read this, what are your thoughts?" the Emperor asked solemnly.

The hall fell dead silent, thick with tension.

What could they say?

Tuo Baxiao was attacking the Jie, not Liang. Were they to send troops?

At a loss, the ministers could only offer half-hearted proposals like "strengthening northern border defenses to prevent Tuo Baxiao from capitalizing to strike south."

Seething but out of options, the Emperor had no choice but to accept their counsel. He deployed fifty thousand more troops to the northern frontier, ordering them to stand ready.

...

A few more days passed, and the Liang State unexpectedly received a plea for aid from the Jie King Wudushi.

The Emperor of Liang once again summoned his ministers for discussion.

"My lords, do you think We should send troops to aid the Jie?"

"Your Majesty, by no means! The Jie harass our borders year after year, slaughtering our people. How can We now assist them?"

"Marshal Gao, your words are ill-considered. The Xianbei are powerful, and now we share a fate as close as lips and teeth with the Jie—if the Jie fall, won't Tuo Baxiao be able to march straight into our Liang State in the future?"

Marshal Gao was momentarily at a loss for words.

The two sides argued back and forth over whether to send troops, each holding their own reasoning, and for a time, no conclusion could be reached.

The Emperor of Liang's expression grew increasingly grim. Finally, he brought his fist down hard on the dragon table. "Minister Cui, you've remained silent all this while. Speak now—should We send troops or not?"

Named directly, Minister Cui had no choice but to step forward before the assembly.

He bowed to the Emperor of Liang, then raised his head and spoke without mincing words: "I believe I should not."

The Emperor of Liang's eyes widened slightly, and he leaned forward. "Tell Us, why not?"

The ministers also waited for his reasoning, all eyes fixed on him alone.

Cui Wang remained unperturbed. "Has Your Majesty considered why the Prince of Mobei is attacking the Jie? It is to avenge the ambush at Guyuan."

"The Prince of Mobei is heaven's favored son, young and hot-blooded. Having suffered such provocation, how could he not seek retribution? Thus, after returning to his royal court, mobilizing troops to attack the Jie is only to be expected."

"But if the Jie cease to exist, our Liang State will also be in peril. Does Minister Cui not understand this?" Sima Wei also stepped to the front, loudly refuting him.

Cui Wang did not respond immediately. Instead, he turned his head slightly to look at him, his tone suddenly stern. "Do you recall that our alliance with the Xianbei has only just been formed?"

"Uh..."

"The Prince of Mobei's willingness to ally with Liang State shows he has no intention of marching south against us in the short term. The Xiongnu in the northwest are still watching with hungry eyes—how can our Liang State be compared to a minor tribe like the Jie? If he dares to wage war against Liang, the conflict will drag on, and even the Xianbei royal court would not be able to secure itself. How could the Prince of Mobei fail to see this?"

"The Prince of Mobei originally had no intention of antagonizing Liang State. If you send troops to aid the Jie, breaking the alliance and provoking his wrath, deliberately making yourselves his enemy, even if he had no prior intention of attacking Liang, such provocation would be intolerable. Only then would Liang truly be in peril."

"Or perhaps you believe that aiding the Jie with troops could seize the opportunity to defeat the Prince of Mobei? If that is your thinking, then I have nothing more to say."

Having spoken, Cui Wang withdrew to stand apart, closing his eyes in contemplation.

Minister Cui's words were well-reasoned. The Jie had always been their enemy—how could they now betray their ally to aid their foe?

Of course, the most crucial point was this: if the Prince of Mobei were enraged and marched south without restraint, what then?

When all was said and done, most agreed that Minister Cui's argument was more cogent and counseled the Emperor of Liang against sending troops, though they did recommend strengthening their border defenses as a precaution.

Sima Wei added, "Why not assemble rich gifts of gold, silver, and silk and send envoys to the Xiongnu royal court to persuade them to attack the Xianbei at this time? The Prince of Mobei might then be too preoccupied to trouble us."

"No! If the Prince of Mobei were to learn of this, wouldn't he similarly turn his wrath upon Liang State?"

Sima Wei replied, "Naturally, it would be done in secret."

The Emperor of Liang did not immediately agree.

After the ministers dispersed, Sima Wei purposely remained until the end. After waiting a while, Shizhong Guo sure enough came to summon him, saying the Emperor was summoning him.

——

The 11th of July, a lucky day for weddings.

Everyone in Chang'an knew that Huan Qilang was marrying the Sixth Princess of the emperor.

A day earlier, Huan Jun arrived at a quiet courtyard in the western district’s residential area.

This was a neighborhood where minor officials lived—modest homes, tightly packed courtyards, not particularly wealthy, but homey and welcoming. The residents here were mostly families with minor official ties, so the neighborhood was safe enough, and the neighbors got along well.

Huan Jun knocked on a small black-lacquered door.

"Who is it?" A woman’s voice called from inside.

"It's me," Huan Jun replied.

She recognized his voice but did not open the door. Instead, she said, "If that Huan family boy shows up again, don’t let him in."

She sounded annoyed—it seemed even this maid held a grudge against him.

Huan Jun gave a dry laugh. "I already explained everything to Sanniang. Is she still angry with me?"

The maid scowled, thinking to herself: *You’re getting married, yet here you are pestering my lady. Is my lady some lowly woman who must cling to you?*

When no answer came, Huan Jun had no choice but to say, "If you refuse to open the door, I’ll stay right here. I’m pretty well-known in Chang'an. If someone recognizes me and gathers to watch..."

Before he could finish, the door flew open with a *bang*, revealing the maid’s furious round face.

"Young master, you’ve got no shame! This is blackmail, plain and simple!"

Ignoring the maid’s complaints, Huan Jun flicked her head with his fan and stepped past her into the courtyard.

"Hey—!"

When he reached the corridor, he tried to push open the door but found it bolted from the inside.

Huan Jun sighed softly and gave up trying to force his way in. Instead, he moved to the window.

"Yunniang," he called.

His voice was smooth as silk, pleasant to the ear—especially when he deliberately softened it to call someone’s name. Few could resist that charm. Unfortunately, the lady inside remained silent.

Unbothered, Huan Jun leaned against the wall, gazing at the sky, his folding fan tapping idly against his palm.

"Yunniang."

"Yunniang..."

It seemed he didn’t care whether she responded. He simply wanted to say her name, to be near her like this, quietly. Just being here with her brought him a sense of peace.

But Lu Yun grew irritated by his calls and finally moved to the window, cutting him off coldly, "Why have you come again today?"

Hearing her voice, Huan Jun’s lips curled into a smile. He turned toward her. "Open the window, and I’ll tell you."

Lu Yun did not move, so Huan Jun simply watched her through the window.

It was still late summer, not yet cold, and the window was covered with the same green bamboo gauze from the summer months. Through the thin green fabric, they could vaguely make out each other’s silhouettes.

After a long silence, Lu Yun finally gave in and lifted the window.

At last seeing her, Huan Jun smiled.

Lu Yun looked to be about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a plain white narrow-sleeved top under a long green overcoat, both made of simple silk with minimal embroidery. But her graceful poise and elegant demeanor gave the simple clothes a refined charm.

Her looks were only slightly above average—delicate yet dignified—but she carried an undeniable bookish charm, a quality that added to her gentle beauty.

Yet at this moment, the normally gentle young woman now wore a frosty look.

"Yunniang, my heart for you has never wavered," Huan Jun said.

Lu Yun remained silent.

Huan Jun continued, "I’ve already explained the truth to you. My marriage to the Sixth Princess is merely a transaction. I have no feelings for her. Even if she enters my household in the future, I will treat her like nothing more than a friend’s little sister. Moreover..." He paused here, his voice tinged with helplessness, "Even if I were unwilling, my family is already preparing for my marriage. I worry they’ll force my hand. By taking the initiative in this arrangement, I can at least gain some advantage from my family."

"Yunniang, you understand my dreams."

Lu Yun lowered her gaze. She knew of his aspirations to serve the world and bring order to chaos.

In the years before the Lu family’s misfortunes, the two had often met, spending long hours in conversation. Beyond the trivialities of daily life, they discussed the books they had read and his ambitions. She, too, had hoped he would fully realize his talents, leaving his mark on history.

He had visited her last month, telling her about the sham marriage. She also knew he had devised some scheme with Princess You'an.

"I’ve never questioned your love for me," Lu Yun said, lifting her head to meet Huan Jun’s gaze earnestly. "All these years, how you’ve treated me—I know it well."

Yet it was precisely because of this that she could not respond to him, couldn’t let him cut himself off from his family just for her and lose the chance to spread his wings. He needed the Huan family as his foundation to advance in the imperial court.

Over the years, he had not refrained from proposing they marry outright, but she could not agree.

"If that’s the case, why do you still avoid me?" Huan Jun asked, puzzled.

Lu Yun replied, "You say your marriage to the Sixth Princess is false, but in the eyes of others, it will always be real. If you treat her coldly, how will others view her? How will she survive in the Huan family? Does she deserve such suffering?"

"And if I continue to entangle myself with you, where does that leave me? Some homewrecker?"

"Because of you, two women suffer. Do you feel no guilt?"

Huan Jun was momentarily speechless, his fan halting mid-swing.

He’d believed his plan was the best of both worlds—betraying neither her nor his family’s demands. Yet her cutting words exposed his selfishness.

He was too greedy, too selfish. Unable to marry her, yet unwilling to let her go, he clung to her. But he truly could not abandon his family’s status or his ambitions.

After a long silence, Huan Jun said, "Yunniang, I’m leaving the capital."

Lu Yun’s lashes trembled slightly.

"I’ll be gone for at least three to five years. I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to return to Chang’an in between. I just hope you’ll be well."

He had originally wanted to ask, *Will you wait for me in Chang’an?* But now, the words stuck in his throat.

As she had said, over the years, their relationship had been ambiguous. Though they had never crossed propriety, in others’ eyes, they’d already crossed the line. She had long urged him not to throw his life away on her, but he had been unable to comply.

He had clung to her, unwilling to sever their bond. He knew, too, that she was not truly heartless. And so, the past few years had passed in this muddled manner—until his family’s pressure forced the conflict into the open, leaving him no room to evade it.

"Yunniang, I’m leaving. If you have other intentions, go ahead. I won’t stop you anymore." With these words, Huan Jun finally turned and walked away, his footsteps dragging.

Lu Yun stood by the window, staring at his retreating back, rooted to the spot. After a long while, she suddenly snapped out of her daze, pulled the door bolt, and rushed out after him. But the moment she stepped beyond the small courtyard, she halted—the streets outside were already empty of his presence.

Leaning against the gate, she stood there until a neighbor returning from the market greeted her, "Madam Lu, expecting someone?"

Lu Yun came back to herself. "No, no." She had just bid farewell to an old friend, someone she might not see again for years.

She forgot to say to him, "Take care!"

The next day, the Huan family held the wedding.

The estate glittered with red lanterns and festive banners, and the halls overflowed with guests.

Huan Jun hadn't wanted an elaborate ceremony, but the Huans were a prominent aristocratic clan, and he was marrying a princess. A modest affair would slight the emperor, so Huan Jun had no choice but to compromise.

Whether simple or lavish, it mattered little to him—or perhaps, a more elaborate event might even be a good thing for the Sixth Princess.

After the lively wedding, night fell, and the bridal courtyard fell into uncharacteristic silence.

The Sixth Princess sat silently on the bed in her red wedding attire until she heard footsteps outside, followed by the creak of the wooden door being pushed open. Her pulse quickened, and she instinctively turned to look.

She was in the inner chamber, while the others were outside. Jiang Yuer only heard a low, commanding voice order, "All of you, leave." Then came the sound of people withdrawing, and finally, another creak as the door closed.

Now, only the two of them remained in the room.

Jiang Yuer's hands curled into nervous fists.

Huan Jun stepped past the sandalwood screen divider and appeared before her. All he saw was a small figure sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at him with timid eyes.

"Sixth Princess, there’s no need to be nervous," Huan Jun said with measured calm, then lifted the hem of his robe and sat on the stool opposite the bed, nearly ten feet away (one zhang).

Jiang Yuer didn’t know what to say and kept looking at him, like a pupil awaiting direction.

Seeing her like this, Huan Jun sighed inwardly. He thought that if it were the princess, she would probably face him with composure, discussing how to navigate their days in the Huan residence. He wouldn’t have to worry about her struggling to find her place.

Yunniang's words from yesterday rang true—even if the marriage was a sham, to others, it was real. At the very least, he had to ensure the Sixth Princess could maintain dignity in the household.

So, Huan Jun explained his arrangements to her. "Princess, tonight I will rest in the outer chamber. You need not worry. To minimize gossip in the future, I will visit every three to five days, though I apologize for the disturbance."

This surprised her genuinely. She had assumed Huan Jun would simply leave her alone in the courtyard, yet he was willing to help her save face.

Huan Jun then gave her a brief overview of the household. Old Master Huan had four sons and three daughters, and Huan Jun’s father was the eldest.

Huan Jun originally had an older brother, but he had passed away in childhood. Many years later, his mother bore him, followed by his younger brother, Huan Yan, the eleventh child in the family, who was only fourteen and still attending the family academy.

"...There are too many people in the household for you to remember them all at once, but don’t worry. Each household branch tends to its own matters. You only need to familiarize yourself with the main branch, and then there’s Eleventh Brother. He's young and still finding his way, so he might be a bit impulsive—please be patient with him."

Jiang Yuer nodded eagerly like a little bird, carefully memorizing his words.

After finishing his explanations, Huan Jun said, "Princess, rest well," and went to the outer chamber.

Jiang Yuer sat on the bed for a long time, mentally reviewing every word he'd said to ensure she hadn’t missed anything before finally relaxing a little.

Judging by his words, it seemed he would give her face in the future, ensuring her comfort.

This was already very good.

After washing up, Jiang Yuer carefully lay back on the bed.

The unfamiliar surroundings, the unfamiliar bed, the unfamiliar identity—her thoughts wouldn't still. Remembering Huan Jun was in the outer chamber, she didn’t dare make a sound and could only gaze vacantly at the embroidered canopy above.

Suddenly, she thought of her elder sister again. She had said she would write letters from the Xianbei lands, and Jiang Yuer would receive them once she left the palace.

What would Big Sister write to her? Was she doing well in Xianbei? She had no idea when they’d see each other again.

Jiang Yuer hugged her arms, curling up under the blankets like a small animal. After a long stretch of jumbled thoughts, she finally drifted into a hazy sleep.

...

The next day, Huan Jun took her to meet the family.

She just gave polite bows to the male elders, as she wouldn’t see them often in the inner household. However, she needed to familiarize herself with Huan’s mom and the wives and sisters-in-law of each branch.

Huan’s mom was pretty warm. Seventh Brother’s marriage had been eating at her. Though she didn’t understand why he had married the Sixth Princess, at least she was a princess—she had good breeding, she was cute, and though her temperament seemed a bit soft, it wasn’t a major issue. She was still far better than the Fifth Princess.

Eleventh Brother Huan Yan’s attitude, however, was somewhat odd. He looked at her as if she had stolen his sister-in-law’s place. He didn’t say anything outright rude, but it still made Jiang Yuer nervous. Huan Jun gave him a quiet warning before he finally averted his gaze, though he still refused to call her “sister-in-law.” Jiang Yuer didn’t mind.

Now, she’d be living in the Huan household.

——

Tuo Baxiao’s army arrived at Yanmen in mid-July, where the Jie’s Grand General had fifty thousand troops waiting.

The Jie forces held the natural stronghold of Yanmen, and the general was confident that even Tuo Baxiao, for all his military prowess, would get crushed. Yet Tuo Baxiao ordered a surprise attack from the rear. The Jie general fell for the ruse and led his troops to reinforce the rear, only for Tuo Baxiao to ambush him from both front and back. Fortunately, the Third Prince arrived in time to just barely hold the pass, though they still lost thousands of soldiers.

In their first clash, the Jie suffered a crushing defeat. The troops’ morale tanked, and fear of Tuo Baxiao deepened. The Third Prince had to sternly reprimand them several times to scrape together some morale.

In contrast, the Xianbei army was in high spirits.

Seizing the moment, Tuo Baxiao rewarded his officers and soldiers, even breaking protocol to allow wine—though only for that night. Even so, the Xianbei camp was raucous with celebration, their voices carrying all the way to the Jie’s side.

Someone suggested launching a night raid while the enemy was relaxed, but the Third Prince vetoed the idea. A cunning man like Tuo Baxiao would never be unprepared—this might well be another trap, waiting for them to walk right in.

Amid the jubilant atmosphere, Tuo Baxiao made a brief appearance, downing two bowls of wine with his generals before returning to his tent.

He had A Long set out paper and brush, then picked up the pen to begin writing.

But after dipping the brush in ink, he paused.

What should he write?