Chapter Thirty-Seven: Preparations to Stir the Waters

Regarding the political situation in Chang’an, Yuan Lüqian, being far away in Youzhou, naturally knew little and could only inquire about the reasons. Yan Gaoqing sighed, “Our Great Tang has such a figure as Princess Taiping—whether this is a blessing or a curse is hard to say. If not for Princess Taiping, Empress Wu would not have so easily returned the throne to the Tang; without her wisdom and decisive governance, Empress Wei and Princess Anle would have long since thrown the court into chaos. Had she not aided the new emperor in executing Empress Wei, eradicating the Wei and Wu factions would not have proceeded so smoothly. Yet, as times change, Princess Taiping now regards the new emperor as a thorn in her side. Before the crown prince’s succession was secure, she even dared to ride in her carriage and block the path of the chancellors at the Guangfan Gate of Xuanzheng Hall, hinting they should depose the current sovereign and install the crown prince instead. The chancellors present were terrified, breaking out in cold sweat.”

Yuan Lüqian, both angry and shocked, exclaimed, “Princess Taiping is so brazen? The new emperor has rendered great service to the realm and is the rightful heir. It is only natural!”

Yan Gaoqing nodded, “Fortunately, His Majesty’s brothers are close and affectionate, with no desire to contend for the throne—otherwise, the situation would be even more worrying.”

Yuan Lüqian voiced his concern, “Since His Majesty has ascended the throne and holds power, why does he not support trusted followers to counter Princess Taiping? No matter how domineering she is, she cannot withstand the emperor’s power.”

Pei Min replied, “Princess Taiping’s cunning and political acumen are no less than her mother, Empress Wu. The logic you and I can see, she certainly understands as well. The fact that the Retired Emperor’s faction remains the most powerful is telling. If the Retired Emperor were truly content to abdicate, he would not maintain his power. There must be some intrigue—likely Princess Taiping does not allow the Retired Emperor to relinquish authority to His Majesty. The real power remains with the Retired Emperor, limiting the emperor’s influence.”

Yan Gaoqing regarded Pei Min thoughtfully and said, “Brother Pei, you are truly perceptive. After experiencing so much upheaval at the hands of Empress Wu, the Retired Emperor has long since lost his appetite for power, and passed the throne to the current emperor under the pretext of omens. Yet Princess Taiping entered the palace that very night; whatever she said, though she did not change his mind about the succession, she persuaded the Retired Emperor to retain the right to appoint officials of third rank and above as well as rule on major criminal cases. Thus, although His Majesty is emperor in name, he lacks real authority. Princess Taiping, leveraging the Retired Emperor’s power, dominates the court. The real authority is still with the Retired Emperor; the emperor and Princess Taiping’s factions are distinctly opposed, with only a few neutral officials wavering in between. Both sides are secretly consolidating power and recruiting talent. The imperial examination, a way to promote new talents and enhance one’s own power, is certainly coveted by both His Majesty and Princess Taiping. No doubt, they have already selected the top scholars—they are merely waiting for the spring exams next year.” He paused to look at Pei Min and added, “Brother Pei, do not take offense—I do not mean to dampen your ambition, but reality is this cruel. Your odds of ranking first in the examination are almost zero…”

Pei Min narrowed his eyes with a smile and said, “I understand. But ‘almost zero’ is not the same as ‘zero.’ Besides, I know my own abilities—I do not have the power to change the great course of events or to make the emperor or the princess heed me, but I do understand how to go with the flow, seize the moment, and use opportunities to rise.”

Yan Gaoqing smiled knowingly. “So Brother Pei already has a plan in mind.”

“I would not call it a plan,” Pei Min replied with a gentle smile. “But I am not a naive fool, rashly plunging into the whirlpool. If I want to fish in troubled waters, at least I must be prepared for the turbulence.”

Yan Gaoqing turned to Yuan Lüqian and said, “To be smooth and deliberate at every step is the way to survive in officialdom. Yuan, if you, like Brother Pei, are already prepared to stir up the waters in Chang’an and engage with His Majesty and Princess Taiping, I will not stop you. But if you are not ready, it is best not to get too deeply involved.”

Yuan Lüqian pondered for a moment, then smiled frankly. “What you say makes sense, Brother Xin and Brother Pei. I shall not join the mêlée in Chang’an. In terms of wit and adaptability, I am no match for Brother Pei. Here’s wishing you success in the examination, Brother Pei.”

Pei Min smiled his thanks. Seeing that it was getting late, Yuan Lüqian suggested they continue their conversation over dinner and asked the old steward if supper was ready.

The old steward replied, “Young Master Pei bought many ingredients, and the donkey meat is already simmering in the pot. As for the beef, I am not sure how you’d like it prepared. Would you prefer it boiled, stir-fried, or roasted?”

Even though Yan Gaoqing came from an official family, beef was a rare delicacy for him—mutton was far more common. Hearing that there was beef, he laughed, “We’ve come at just the right time for a treat.”

Yuan Lüqian was also surprised. “Brother Pei, what is this about?”

The old steward replied, “You may not know, sir, but Young Master Pei assisted Commander Xue in capturing traitors among the Xi and Khitan, and was rewarded for his service. He bought a great deal of food and drink to celebrate with you.”

By now, news of Pei Min aiding Xue Na in capturing Li Wuyi had spread through Ji City. However, Yuan Lüqian had gone early to study at Yanyun Academy, which was semi-closed off from outside information. Before class was even dismissed, Yan Gaoqing had come by and the two returned together to the Yuan residence, so he had not yet heard of the matter.

Yuan Lüqian and Yan Gaoqing exchanged a look. Yuan Lüqian spoke first, “Brother Pei, you certainly kept this well hidden.” Yan Gaoqing added, “Then I’ll gladly share in your good fortune.”

“Since Brother Pei bought the ingredients, let him decide,” Yuan Lüqian said, waving his hand and passing the choice to Pei Min.

Pei Min thought for a moment. “Why not roast it? Let’s light a fire in the backyard, wait for the moon to rise while we drink. That would be a fine thing.”

In this era, people observed the custom of separate servings; if dining indoors, there would not be a large table with everyone eating together. Only in the outdoors were such formalities set aside, allowing everyone to eat and drink freely together.

Since separate servings felt somewhat distant, Pei Min opted for roasting—the ancient equivalent of a barbecue.

“Excellent, excellent!” Yuan Lüqian and Yan Gaoqing exclaimed in unison.

Yuan Lüqian said, “So that’s why you’ve been behaving oddly these past days, Brother Pei. It turns out you were up to something big. Let’s move to the backyard, and you must tell us in detail how you caught those traitors.”

The three of them, in high spirits, carried the dining table to the backyard, pulled out some mats from the couches, spread them on the ground, and sat down together.

This time, they dispensed with formalities. No longer did they sit upright and respectful—each chose a posture that suited him, sprawling comfortably on the mats.

Yan Gaoqing sat cross-legged in meditation; Yuan Lüqian crossed one leg and let the other dangle; Pei Min simply sat with his legs stretched out.

In ancient times, etiquette was highly valued. Their casual postures now signaled acceptance of one another, treating each other no longer as outsiders.

They toasted each other with wine, and Pei Min shared freely the story of Li Wuyi. Both men, upon hearing that a man famed for his brotherhood and loyalty was in fact a foreign spy, could not help but sigh and repeatedly toasted Pei Min, thanking him for removing a great threat from the Tang.

While the donkey meat still simmered and the beef roasted over the fire, the first dish to be served was raw fish slices—sashimi.