Taiji Palace, within Lizheng Palace where the Empress resided, was empty and desolate, no longer possessing the vitality it once had. All the maids served on the outside corridors, and inside the hall was only a man dressed in yellow silk with wide-sleeved robes. He sat on the edge of a soft couch, thin brocade scattered about. His hair and beard were tinged with frost, and the occasional drops of water from the tips of his hair fell on it, blooming like small flowers.
In front of him lay the neatly folded twelve-tailed robes of Empress Zhangsun.
Gazing at the patterns, he didn’t know how much time had passed when he reached out to gently touch them, wanting to say something, but his throat seized up.
After a moment, it turned into a sigh, "Guanyin, in the blink of an eye you’ve been gone for more than two years. I still vividly remember your departure, no different from twenty years ago. These two years, however, my temples have already whitened. You spoke of growing old together; in the end, I’m the only one who aged."
"We placed too much hope on Chengqian, believing his gentle nature couldn’t bear the weight of our expectations, that the kingdom of Great Tang was too burdensome for him to carry. But Guanyin, in the past, he was merely paying lip service; now, he dares to abuse and kill courtiers!"
Li Shimin’s voice contained little anger but was filled with deep sorrow.
"Ke’er and Qing Que are both far superior to him; I have been carefully balancing everything. I deprived Qing Que of the chance to engage in politics and control the military, but I could still indulge and spoil him. Yet Ke’er is too much like me; fearing the repetition of history, I could only treat him coldly."
Killing brothers and a father’s distress—Li Shimin lived in deep pain and guilt these years. One tragedy had concluded, and he didn’t want to watch his sons killing each other over that position again.
"Guanyin, if one day I lay hands on Chengqian, please don’t blame me. After a hundred years, I will come to seek your forgiveness," he said.
"Guanyin, since you left, there have been so many words I have nowhere to say..."
His voice choked up towards the end. More water blossoms bloomed on the yellow silk.
In the past, there would have been a gentle hand, a soft voice to comfort him. However, now the vast hall was utterly silent.
The eunuch Zhong Rui stood respectfully at the entrance, constantly glancing back at the tightly closed doors. Roughly an hour later, he heard a deep voice from inside the hall, as usual, "Zhong Rui."
"This slave is here." Zhong Rui’s heart relaxed, and he hurriedly opened the door, "Has the Emperor woken from his noon nap?"
"Hmm." Li Shimin personally placed the robes back into a chest, stepped down from the couch, "Change clothes."
"Yes!" Zhong Rui responded promptly, turning to call out, "Attend to the Emperor’s dressing!"
Maids bearing clothes and washing utensils filed in, and four maids in orange ru skirts stepped forward to help him into everyday garments.
"Zhong Rui, after lunch, summon the officials from the three departments," Li Shimin ordered.
Zhong Rui tensed, bowing in response.
The important officials to be summoned from the three departments totaled eight. From the Imperial Censorate: one Imperial Censor, two Deputy Imperial Censors; from the Ministry of Justice: one Minister of Justice, two Junior Ministers of Justice; from the Ministry of Criminal Justice: one Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and one Assistant Minister of Ministry of Justice.
This clearly indicated a retrial of the case!
Zhong Rui bowed slightly and asked, "Emperor, where shall the noon meal be served?"
Li Shimin was silent for a moment, "Let it be in Ganlu Hall."
Almost every day at noon, Li Shimin would come to Lizheng Palace to nap, but he never dined there. There was no other reason, just the thought of days gone by made him lose all taste for food.
Today he very much wanted to have a meal in Lizheng Palace, but he couldn’t. Once he made any slightly different move, those astute ministers would immediately guess the reasons.
Li Shimin walked out of Lizheng Palace, and a large crowd of eunuchs and maids followed him out, leaving the great hall suddenly empty.
The midday sun of summer was harsh on the eyes; everywhere seemed like a steaming basket, emanating intense heat.
Upon returning home, Ran Yan immediately bathed with pelargonium and medicinal herbs. Just as she finished, she heard Wan Lu saying, "Lady, you should quickly check on the young lady; she hasn’t eaten anything all morning."
Ran Yan’s heart tightened, and she hurried to the bedroom.
Bursting into the inner chamber, Ran Yan saw Xiao Song cradling Ruoruo, coaxing her to eat an egg yolk. Ruoruo’s eyes were red, and she was clutching Xiao Song’s sleeve but obediently eating.
"My lord has returned!" Wan Lu exclaimed in surprise.
When Ruoruo saw Ran Yan, her eyes immediately swelled with tears, and she pouted as if about to cry, mumbling like a kitten, "Nana... Nana..."
She wasn’t calling for someone; she wanted to eat. Ruoruo was born later but spoke meaningful words earlier than her two older brothers, who still babbled, following Ruoruo’s lead in calling "Nana," not even pronouncing it right. One said "Lailai," the other said "Nian Nian."