Chapter 2067: Taizong Chronicles 9: An Incident on Yankang Avenue

Entering the first year of Yongxi, especially on the day of the Lantern Festival, a grand celebration was held within the imperial city. The new emperor issued an edict, soldiers and civilians rejoiced together, and the whole realm celebrated. Only then did the scholars and common folk of Luoyang finally confirm that the national mourning had truly come to an end, and that their lives could finally return to normal.

Yankang Avenue was located in the northern city and was one of the main thoroughfares leading directly to the imperial city, as well as the most prosperous commercial street in the northern city. Since the Winter Solstice of last year, Yankang Avenue had already begun to recover and reopen for business—shops opened their doors, taverns resumed operations, carriages and horses flowed endlessly, and crowds of people moved like a woven tapestry.

By now, it had fully restored its former prosperity, and even surpassed it. The longer the suppression lasted, the more violent the eruption. The scene on Yankang Avenue since the Lantern Festival fully reflected this.

The scholars and common folk of Luoyang city and the entire Great Han Empire were almost engaging in a frenzy of retaliatory consumption. In the streets and alleys, from day to night, from evening to dawn, the clamor never ceased and the excitement never ended.

At least within the past month, the two grand ceremonies of the enthronement and the Lantern Festival, combined with the popular sentiment and consumer atmosphere of the entire capital, had allowed all merchants operating taverns, brothels, teahouses, restaurants, as well as those dealing in wine, meat, melons, fruits, grain, and other commodities, to rake in money hand over fist.

On the straight and broad Yankang Avenue, two riders came slowly from the middle, riding side by side. The one on the right was somewhat older, his skin slightly rough, but his eyes exceptionally sharp; the one on the left was younger, his face bearing the marks of wind and frost, his gaze almost entirely unruffled.

But neither of the two was clearly an ordinary person—not only because of the two squads of retainers following behind them who were obviously of military origin, but also because of their special bearing, that kind of natural, matter-of-course confidence.

They were none other than Liu Yang, Prince of Kangju of the Great Han, and Liu Xin, Prince of Raole. Over the past half year and more, the imperial clansmen of the Great Han, especially the feudal princes enfeoffed by Emperor Shizu, had all gradually arrived in the capital to attend the mourning. Those who were near and early had managed to make it for the funeral; those who were far and late had yet to return—referring to Qi Prince Liu Yun.

As for those like Wei Prince Liu Min and Duke of Liangguo Liu Yang, although Anxi was far away, it was ultimately solid land. Braving wind and rain without hindrance, riding at full gallop the whole way, they had managed to arrive in time for the burial period.

By now, nearly three months had passed since Emperor Shizu was interred. They had witnessed the new emperor's enthronement ceremony with their own eyes and personally participated in the Lantern Festival imperial banquet. Yet these feudal princes still lingered in the capital without returning to their fiefs. Clearly, there were reasons for this, and they were not simple or straightforward ones.

At this moment, Liu Yang sat astride his great Anxi horse, head slightly raised, facing the spring sun directly, basking in the brilliant spring light with an expression of utter contentment.

Strolling along the bustling Yankang Avenue, listening to the moving clamor around him, Liu Yang wore a smile and let out a deep sigh of emotion: "Luoyang is truly wonderful! Lively, familiar—even this turbid air is so intoxicating!"

Beside him, Prince of Raole Liu Xin could not help but laugh: "Thirteenth Brother, you've been back in the capital for nearly three months now. Haven't you had your fill of Luoyang's air yet?"

"Though I was not born here, I was after all raised here. This feeling is always different!" said Liu Yang.

Hearing this, Liu Xin said softly: "Today's Luoyang is still prosperous and brilliant as ever, but for people like us, it is vastly different!"

Liu Yang clearly understood the meaning behind Liu Xin's words. He sighed and said in a low voice: "The heavens of the Great Han have changed, and we are men of the imperial house. Naturally, things are vastly different!"

The two brothers Liu Yang and Liu Xin had been close since childhood. Even during Liu Yang's years of military service in the northwest, their connection had never been severed. Now that so many years had passed, their relationship had not grown distant; if anything, it had aged like fine wine. At the same time, with the growth of their knowledge, experience, and worldly wisdom, the brothers had even more to talk about.

Earlier, because of Emperor Shizu's funeral, the two brothers had been relatively restrained, meeting mostly on formal occasions. But since the beginning of spring, as all things revived and the political activities of the Great Han court gradually returned to normal, the brothers' activities had become more frequent. At various gatherings, including official business involving their fiefs, they came and went together.

"The horse is spooked!" Just as the two princes were casually chatting, several cries of alarm rang out.

Looking up, they saw that the once peaceful and orderly Yankang Avenue had fallen into chaos. People scattered like birds, shouts of alarm continuous. In the distance, a jet-black steed was galloping wildly toward them, having already knocked down and injured many people and objects.

Seeing this, Liu Yang's brows furrowed slightly. Instinctively, he reached for the ornate carved bow hanging from his saddle, but after a moment's thought, in the urgency he drew a sharp long blade instead, leaped off his horse, and strode directly toward the runaway horse.

"Thirteenth Brother, be careful!"

Behind him, Liu Xin only had time to shout a warning, then watched helplessly as Liu Yang displayed his fierce valor. A horse so powerful and running at such speed was actually cut down by Liu Yang. Its neck was slashed, its front hooves severed, and its belly was pierced through by the long blade. Blood splattered everywhere in an instant. The sturdy horse seemed to finally recover from its wild frenzy, but as its life force ebbed away, it lay on the ground twitching in convulsive struggle, its whimpers and mournful cries carrying a note of sorrow.

Compared to the chaos caused by the runaway horse, it was this bloody scene that terrified the people on the street even more. The screams grew louder, and among them, a miserable shriek quickly "stood out from the crowd."

A middle-aged man in silk clothing with a futou hat on his head and a somewhat plump build came running up to the horse, panting heavily and stumbling. Seeing the pool of blood and the gruesome sight, he fell to his knees directly, wailing inconsolably, crying out "dead" and "dead" repeatedly. Behind him, two men dressed as household servants followed, and seeing this, their faces collapsed as well, wearing expressions like mourners at a funeral.

"Who did this?" The middle-aged man quickly wiped his tears, stood up, and screamed hoarsely at those around him: "Who did this!"

His gaze quickly fell upon Liu Yang. Seeing the way Liu Yang was leisurely wiping the blood off himself, his anger surged even more. He pointed at him, his finger trembling: "You have quite the nerve! How dare you kill my young lord's horse?"

"Your young lord? Which young lord's household is that?" Seeing the man's bluster, Liu Yang cast a contemptuous glance at him and asked slowly. However, if one looked closely, one could see a hint of sharpness in his eyes.

"Our young lord is the son of Governor Liu of Kaifeng!" One of the household servants said with great pride.

Before he could boast further, the middle-aged man stared coldly at Liu Yang, his eyes red with fury: "This was a horse gifted by the King of Goryeo!"

"Oh?" Liu Yang said with amusement: "Quite an impressive pedigree! No wonder it was wild and untamable. It deserved to be killed. What do you intend to do about it?"

The middle-aged man was clearly somewhat panicked, but obviously not because of Liu Yang before him—rather because of that so-called "young lord." He shouted angrily at Liu Yang: "Whoever you are, you killed my young lord's horse. You'll pay with your life!"

At these words, not to mention Liu Yang, even Liu Xin who had come up from behind and the group of guards all exchanged bewildered looks. Liu Yang was also stunned for a moment. He looked the man over carefully, then turned to Liu Xin and said: "Fourteenth Brother, what has happened to Luoyang, that there are such arrogant and absurd people? Is this world still the Great Han, still the Liu family's realm?"

In truth, the middle-aged man had already realized something was wrong when he saw the guards. But before he could think of a way out, Liu Yang had already begun to act. With a cold, ruthless expression, he asked his guard commander: "Zhou Sun, this fellow has threatened to take my life. What crime is that?"

"A capital crime!" The guard Zhou Sun said without a trace of emotion.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Yes!"

A flash of blade light, and the arrogant middle-aged man, who had no time to react, let out a scream and collapsed to the ground, his neck half severed. Clearly, he would not live.

At this, the previously clamorous Yankang Avenue seemed to have a mute button pressed. This was the capital, under the very feet of the Son of Heaven! Killing someone in broad daylight, in public—how many years had it been since something like this had happened? And who had such audacity!

"Your Highness, should the two accomplices be dealt with as well?" Zhou Sun's next words nearly scared the two household servants out of their wits.

It was at this moment that the patrolling constables finally arrived.