Chapter 195

Two Hundred and Two: Duke Zheng Defeated Duan at Yan

"Ru Shixiong, I still don't understand—why would the Empress Wei do this?"

"Originally, she herself deposed the emperor, then demoted the former Emperor's family, the Prince of Prince Xunyang, to commoner status—her stance was so resolute, she even told her court attendants that mother and son were severed, never to meet again."

"The Empress Wei despised the deposed emperor's family most of all; for over a decade, she ignored them completely—everyone knows this."

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang, her face full of doubt, didn't care whether these words, spoken aloud, might offend certain ears; she looked at Magistrate Ouyang Rong with a complex expression.

"But why, when it comes to you, Ru Shixiong, does it become some meticulously planned backup move, even granting the deposed Prince of Prince Xunyang the position of imperial heir?"

"This sudden reversal is too absurd—even setting aside personal feelings, to openly break one's own vow, wouldn't the Empress Wei lose her dignity and face?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who had been about to leave, saw his junior sister's reaction, smiled faintly, and sat back down. "Why don't you ask Master instead?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong picked up his teacup, took a small sip, frowned slightly, and glanced at the tea. "Let me, Ru Shixiong."

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang immediately stepped forward, her voice soft as she took the teacup; she stood gracefully before Magistrate Ouyang Rong, carefully pouring tea, then sat opposite him, her fair palm propping her chin, eyes fixed on him without blinking.

"I still want to hear it from you, Ru Shixiong. Besides, Father might not understand either—your words are truly shocking."

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang paused, her brows faintly furrowed like distant mountains; she tilted her head and offered the tea to Magistrate Ouyang Rong, her voice clear.

"Ru Shixiong, others have thought before that the deposed emperor's family might still have a chance; others have tried warming cold hearths—but then the Empress Wei's attitude, and over a decade of complete neglect, stripped them of any claim to succession."

"No cold hearth has ever been warmed so absurdly—even the Wei family, who best understood the Empress's mind, stopped paying attention to the former Prince of Prince Xunyang's household; only the most conservative, nostalgic ministers among the Protect-Li faction occasionally showed them kindness, sealing their complete political irrelevance."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong suddenly pointed to a bookshelf lined with countless historical texts. "Have you been reading history lately, Xiao Shimei?"

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang blinked, then answered honestly: "I read often at Bai Lu Cave, but not much anymore."

"You should read more—not just when studying. History isn't meant to be read once; it's meant to be read a lifetime." Magistrate Ouyang Rong lifted his teacup but didn't drink, his eyes fixed on the bookshelf as he spoke calmly.

"Lately, with nothing else to do, I've been reading history often. I opened the Zuo Zuo Zhuan and found one passage particularly intriguing—I couldn't stop reading it."

Qi Refining originated in the Pre-Qin era; during that time, Qi Refiners were not prominent, so the history of the Pre-Qin period—including the flourishing of the Hundred Schools of Thought—remained largely unchanged from Magistrate Ouyang Rong's memory.

The Zuo Zuo Zhuan remained a Confucian classic; as a Confucian reader, Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang had certainly read it.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong hadn't lied to his junior sister: since awakening from the underground chamber months ago, he had indeed frequently read historical texts, seeking to understand the differences between the two worlds—but he'd also encountered many familiar histories.

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang asked curiously: "Oh? Which passage could make such a busy Ru Shixiong keep returning to it?" Magistrate Ouyang Rong whispered: "Duke Zheng Defeated Duan at Yan."

"Duke Zheng Defeated Duan at Yan?" Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang laughed. "Isn't that the very first passage of the Zuo Zuo Zhuan? Ru Shixiong, have you been reading it over and over, always flipping straight to the first page because you're distracted?"

"You really do understand me, Xiao Shimei."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled, but then his expression turned grave, his tone sharply shifting.

"Lady Jiang favored her younger son, Duke Duan, and despised her elder son, Duke Zhuang; she wanted to replace Duke Zhuang. When Duke Zhuang ascended, he repeatedly indulged him, luring Duan to grow bolder and more arrogant, until public outrage forced Duke Zhuang to launch an army and defeat him at Yan, forcing him into exile."

"After quelling the rebellion, Duke Zhuang exiled Lady Jiang to Cheng Ying and swore, 'Until we meet beneath the yellow springs, we shall never see each other again.' Soon after, he regretted it—but feared breaking his vow and being mocked, so he dug a tunnel down to the spring, reaching the yellow springs."

"He built a house inside the tunnel, sent for Lady Jiang, and the mother and son met, embraced, wept bitterly, and restored their bond as before." Magistrate Ouyang Rong chuckled, then turned to say:

"In just seven hundred characters, it tells a story of a brother who wasn't a brother, a son who wasn't a son, a mother who wasn't a mother, a ruler who wasn't a ruler, a minister who wasn't a minister—and yet it's titled 'Duke Zheng Defeated Duan at Yan.' Between flesh and blood, they use the word 'defeated.' What a brilliant Spring and Autumn style, what profound subtlety."

"The historians' pen was truly painstaking; later Confucian disciples, obsessed with loyalty, filial piety, and ritual, must have found this passage in the annals a headache."

When Magistrate Ouyang Rong finished speaking, silence fell—throughout the outer and inner rooms, not a sound could be heard.

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang blinked, stunned: "Ru Shixiong, why suddenly tell me this? Is it… an analogy? Duke Zhuang represents whom, Duan represents whom, Lady Jiang represents whom…"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head.

"It doesn't matter who you map them to. What matters is, Xiao Shimei, haven't you understood yet? Duke Zhuang was a hegemon of the Spring and Autumn period, flawless in imperial statecraft—but how did he treat his own flesh and blood?"

"If you truly understood 'Duke Zheng Defeated Duan at Yan,' you wouldn't have asked me that question just now. This was already a royal family drama a thousand years ago—hmm."

Instantly, Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang's expression turned solemn.

"Now that you say it, Ru Shixiong, I realize this passage is precisely worded, worthy of careful study."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong smiled and asked: "This passage has one line that's most vivid and evocative—I love it most. Do you know which one?"

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang furrowed her brows, no longer asking foolishly; she walked to the bookshelf, pulled out a copy of the Zuo Zuo Zhuan, and returned to her seat.

She scanned two lines quickly; she was sharp-witted and had an eidetic memory. Moments later, she picked up her brush and wrote one line on paper, then pushed it across the table with two fingers.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, sleeves draped, lowered his gaze and glanced once: "Many unjust acts inevitably lead to self-destruction—wait and see."

This was what Duke Zhuang said to his attendants after his strategy of feigned indulgence, just before launching his army against his younger brother Duan, whom the people and gods alike had condemned.

"Ru Shixiong?" Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang looked at Magistrate Ouyang Rong with bright, searching eyes. "This line is brilliant too—Duke Zhuang's hidden intentions are laid bare… but it's not this one."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong gently shook his head, then reached out and took the brush from Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang's hand; she obediently and eagerly ground ink and spread paper for him.

The brush still carried the faint warmth of her palm's sweat; Magistrate Ouyang Rong paid it no mind and silently wrote one phrase, then set down the brush and drank tea. Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang leaned close, her delicate brows curved, her white teeth parting slightly.

"So it became… mother and son as before?" she murmured, lifting her head in confusion.

"Why this final line? Doesn't it just say the mother and son, after all that chaos, reconciled? It's a normal ending—do you like this kind of sentimental royal family warmth, Ru Shixiong?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong's smile didn't change. "As before? What was the original nature of Duke Zhuang's feelings toward his mother, Lady Jiang?"

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang's pink lips froze open, speechless. After a long moment, she stared blankly.

"What a brilliant use of the word 'before'—if not for Ru Shixiong's reminder, I'd have missed it entirely." Magistrate Ouyang Rong sipped tea slowly; Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang bit her lip, lowering her gaze, pondering.

The senior and junior siblings sat in silence for a long while.

"Ru Shixiong, I believe the Wei Empress could do such a thing; the so-called mother-son rift and permanent separation is no obstacle in imperial families—there are always ways around it, as long as she achieves her goal, even legal principles can be exploited, so what does it matter if she's of common birth?"

"Ru Shixiong, I now believe the Empress Wei could do such a thing. 'Mother and son severed, never to meet again'—in the imperial family, that's no obstacle. There are countless ways to circumvent it, as long as her goal is achieved—even law can be twisted; what does commoner status matter?"

She couldn't help but sigh—she, who had always been innocent and pure, was beginning to understand the rules of this power game. Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded.

"Actually, these things should be taught to you by Master."

"It's fine—Ru Shixiong is the same." Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang suddenly looked up, then lowered her eyes, whispering softly: "Besides… I listen better to you."

So Father's words are hard to hear, huh… Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head silently, his smile gentle as he sipped tea and asked: "Do you have any other questions, Xiao Shimei?"

"No, Ru Shixiong, please continue—I… I like listening."

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang bowed respectfully, pouring tea for Magistrate Ouyang Rong with lowered eyes and a soft voice. Magistrate Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly:

"Since you now understand that the current Emperor and Duke Zhuang are the same kind of ruler—that you grasp her ambition for power—what follows becomes easy to explain."

"Let me briefly summarize."

"The Wei family were the crucial pillars supporting the Empress's founding of the Great Zhou; for years, they've done all the dirty, grueling work."

"But in the Empress's eyes, the Wei family cannot be allowed to dominate alone. Following imperial strategy, she must establish a balancing force in court—so the Wei family becomes more devoted, yet easier to control. That's why the Empress chose to keep Prince Li Yunmeng Jian in the deep palace of the Divine Capital."

"For years, the ministers who protected Li's cause have defended Prince Li Yunmeng Jian, the one who voluntarily abdicated; the ones competing with the two Wei princes for the imperial heirship have been Prince Li Yunmeng Jian, now bearing the Wei surname."

"To the Empress, Prince Li Yunmeng Jian not only obediently changed his surname to Wei, but also has the precedent of voluntary abdication—he's easier to control. He can be used to rein in the civil officials who still resent the Empress, while silencing public gossip."

"For over a decade, these two factions have clashed without breaking apart—but recently, the situation has intensified…"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong glanced at Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang. In truth, her father, Master Chenjun Xie Xun, and she herself belonged to this latter group—they had always sympathized with Prince Li Yunmeng Jian; their stance needed no explanation.

Indeed, Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang sighed:

"I knew this, but I never realized it was all within the Empress Wei's calculations." Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head.

"But even the gentlest lamb can become a tiger."

"You yourself said earlier—the rebellion in Yingzhou damaged the Empress's prestige. The direct culprits were the Wei family. After this incident, absent a major upheaval, the Wei family has lost the ability to help the Empress preserve her power, let alone aspire to the throne."

"In other words, preserving the Great Zhou's succession can no longer rely on the Wei family. Prince Wei Wei Jisi seems unable to inherit the heirship. Why did this great lord of the Wei family choose the name 'Wei Jisi'? Now look—he gets precisely what he doesn't want."

He gave a light laugh, his voice echoing through the study. Since Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang was present, no one could easily approach to eavesdrop; Magistrate Ouyang Rong had loosened his restraint, daring to speak boldly, no longer pretending ignorance or speaking in riddles today!

Behind him, a curtain of beads swayed slightly, stirred by a faint breeze leaking through an unsealed window. Magistrate Ouyang Rong paid no attention to such trivial details, his tone calm:

"But the Empress is now elderly, and Prince Li Yunmeng Jian, along with his Protect-Li faction, increasingly threaten to unite boldly against her, endangering her power—and even forcing her from the throne."

"Didn't Emperor Taizong himself demonstrate this very thing at Xuanwu Gate? A younger brother killing his elder, forcing his father to abdicate—how long ago was that? Could the Empress possibly forget?"

"Ru Shixiong, this…"

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang listened, heart pounding, leaning back slightly; Magistrate Ouyang Rong spoke louder, leaning forward, his gaze direct.

"That's why I say—the Empress must activate that idle piece, begin laying the groundwork, and bring the deposed Prince of Prince Xunyang's family back to the capital."

"Prince Prince Xunyang Li Su Xian has a purer legal lineage than Prince Li Lun's family! Because the late Emperor Gao Zong's chosen heir was Li Su Xian!"

"Once Li Su Xian's family returns to the capital, their pure legal lineage will draw a portion of the Protect-Li faction toward them, splitting them; while Li Lun, having resided in the capital for years, already has a group of supporters who've bet on him. Thus, the powerful Protect-Li faction is successfully divided!"

"Li Su Xian's family can serve as a powerful check against Prince Li Lun's household. Li Su Xian is the elder brother; Prince Li Lun can only smile and accept, with no recourse—this is the suppression of legal legitimacy."

"And since they were brought back by the Empress's own grace, Li Su Xian's family can only be grateful and actively defend her. Moreover, having been exiled for over a decade, they are utterly unknown in court and countryside—perfectly controllable and moldable for the Empress, serving as a lever to restore her grip on court politics."

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang lowered her head, sipping tea repeatedly to mask her startled expression.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong suddenly asked: "Xiao Shimei, if the deposed emperor's family returns to Shenjing Luoyang, how will you and Master choose?"

Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang remained silent for a long while. "As long as they are Emperor Taizong's descendants, we naturally support them. And the Wei family must be exterminated—blood for blood!"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong laughed and shook his head. "What are you laughing at, Ru Shixiong?"

"You're still a bit naive."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong said coldly: "As the losing side in the succession struggle, the Wei family indeed faces the risk of total purge—but they remain a vital pillar supporting the Empress's throne…"

"The Empress won't let them fall easily. Bringing back Li Su Xian's family also helps ease the Li-Wei conflict, since Li Su Xian's family has little grievance with the Wei family—there's even a chance of reconciliation…"

"How can this be! Isn't it all for nothing?!" Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang slammed the table.

"That's why I said—it's not about which side, Li or Wei, wins. It's about whether the Empress wins big, wins medium, or wins small."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head. "And when that time comes, the Empress will almost certainly begin preparing her next move."

"Next move? What will she do next?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong drank tea in silence, refusing to speak further. "Ru Shixiong, tell me—how can the Wei family be destroyed?"

"I can only tell you this much. What follows may not be accurate. These directions are enough for you to avoid risk." Magistrate Ouyang Rong silently shook his head.

【97】 Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang grew increasingly anxious, pressing for answers; from behind, the inner room seemed to emit another rush of wind. Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned his head; Chenjun Xie Xie Lingjiang instantly tensed…