Chapter 67: A Clash in the Imperial Court

Li Shimin returned to the Palace of Serene Tranquility in low spirits. Changsun asked him gently, “Your Majesty, what’s wrong? Weren’t you going to confiscate the Crown Prince’s money? Why do you look so downhearted? Did that rascal Cai Cong anger you again?”

“What money? It’s a blessing I didn’t end up paying out of my own pocket,” Li Shimin forced a smile for Changsun and recounted the events.

“I can’t help but feel Cai Cong’s words are a bit alarmist,” she said. “He even predicted there would be a severe drought in Guanzhong next year, and the following year a plague of locusts. It all sounds so unlikely.”

“I wish it were so,” Li Shimin sighed, “but the drought he spoke of in Henan and Hebei has already come true. Not a drop of rain has fallen in three months; the land is split with dryness. Had I not prepared in advance, the bodies would be lying everywhere by now. My dear Consort, tell me, is this not Heaven’s punishment for me?”

He spoke with fear, recalling the brothers he had killed and the father he had forced to abdicate. Now, Cai Cong had appeared out of nowhere like a prophet, predicting one disaster after another, which left him deeply unsettled.

“That can’t be. Cai Cong said it himself—it’s a natural phenomenon at the end of an ice age, something like the cycle of Heaven. It’s not just Great Tang. Foreign lands are suffering too, and even the Turks are faring no better,” Changsun hurriedly replied. She knew her husband too well; only nightmares of those two brothers could wake him in the night.

“I hope you’re right. But I must make preparations. If these disasters truly come, the noble clans will certainly seize the chance to stir up trouble. Go rest early, I still have matters to consider.”

A cold glint flashed in Li Shimin’s eyes. He was not one to wallow in fear and confusion. Since the threat was real, he would prepare ahead of time.

The next morning at court, Li Shimin appeared full of vigor, with no trace of last night’s turmoil. After the chorus of “Long live the emperor,” Wei Zheng stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, I impeach the Marquis of Chang’an for abusing his authority. To collect gambling debts, he led two hundred Left Guard soldiers to rampage through Chang’an, driving six gambling house owners to their deaths.”

Before Li Shimin could speak, Wei Zheng continued, “I must also impeach the Crown Prince and Prince Jia for colluding with the Marquis of Chang’an. They both knew of yesterday’s deeds, yet did not restrain him. Instead, they demanded a share of the spoils. This is absurd in the extreme.”

Zhang Liang and the others were delighted. They had intended to impeach Cai Cong for driving people to their deaths, but knew the reasoning was flimsy. They hadn’t expected the stubborn Wei Zheng to step forward.

“If that’s so, summon the Crown Prince and the others to the hall,” Li Shimin said calmly, glancing at Zhang Liang and his cohort as if by chance.

“Your sons and ministers pay their respects, Your Majesty.”

“Cai Cong, the Left Vice Minister of the Secretariat has impeached you for abusing your authority yesterday, leading soldiers through the wards of Chang’an to collect gambling debts. Is this true?” Li Shimin asked, his tone even, but his eyes flicked to Zhang Liang and his party.

“I’m wronged, Your Majesty! Yesterday was merely a coincidence—I did not abuse my authority. Those soldiers were collecting debts of their own; I merely happened to join them. If you don’t believe me, I have their betting receipts right here,” Cai Cong protested, producing a stack of slips from his robe for the eunuch to pass on.

“Let Lord Wei take a look,” Li Shimin ordered, and the eunuch handed the slips to Wei Zheng. After reading them, Wei Zheng’s face changed color. He hadn’t expected Cai Cong to be so crafty; the total debts amounted to no more than a hundred taels.

“Even so, why did people die?” Wei Zheng pressed.

“I don’t understand your question, Lord Wei. In ordinary times, when these gambling houses force others to sell their sons and daughters, where are your concerns then? Yesterday, they owed me tens of thousands of silver taels and, unable to repay, poisoned themselves to escape their debts. I’ve also heard that the gambling house owners are connected to powerful courtiers. If that’s true, would they care to ransom the wives and children of the deceased? It’s not expensive—fifty thousand taels per family should suffice,” Cai Cong replied with biting sarcasm. Wei Zheng’s face flushed with embarrassment; the gambling house owners held promissory notes, and even if this went to court, they would win the case.

Zhang Liang and the others were beside themselves with rage. Were it not for the setting, they might have attacked Cai Cong then and there. With his words, Cai Cong was forcing them into a corner. If they didn’t pay up, they’d be mocked by the court.

“Hmph! Such conduct is beneath a gentleman. You are young, yet show not an ounce of compassion. Do you not know to repay evil with virtue? Your Majesty, the Marquis of Chang’an is without virtue, obsessed with gold and silver, corrupting the Crown Prince and his brothers. I suggest he be stripped of his command and distanced from the Eastern Palace,” Wei Zheng said, heartbroken, as the courtiers shot him odd looks. Wei Zheng had been imprisoned during the Turkic invasion, then sent to negotiate with the Shandong clans—he knew nothing of Cai Cong’s affairs.

“Lord Wei, I must disagree,” Li Chengqian, the Crown Prince, stepped forward with composure. Though only eight years old, he already carried his father’s bearing before the court.

“What do you mean, Your Highness? Were you and Prince Jia not in the Eastern Palace last night, watching the gold pile up with the Marquis of Chang’an?” Wei Zheng retorted, ignoring Princess Changle entirely—what mattered was the Crown Prince.

“It was indeed myself and my brother Tai, but the Marquis was discussing disaster relief with us. Are we such men without virtue?” Li Chengqian stood tall in the center of the hall, proudly answering. The elder ministers stroked their beards in approval—here was a true heir.

“Disaster relief?”

“Exactly. What use have we for so much money? Henan and Hebei suffer from drought. At dawn, we’d already sent people south to purchase grain to send for the relief of the afflicted,” Li Chengqian replied, lips curling in satisfaction. Cai Cong hadn’t been wrong—doing good was indeed uplifting, especially seeing the ministers’ approving looks.

With the Crown Prince saying so openly, no one doubted him. All at once, congratulations poured in for Li Shimin—he had worthy sons, a proper heir, and a bright future. Li Shimin was so elated he nearly burst out laughing, though he restrained himself, demurring that the heir still needed guidance from the senior ministers.

Wei Zheng hurriedly bowed and pleaded, “I beg forgiveness, Your Majesty. I reported before investigating thoroughly and nearly wronged the Crown Prince and Prince Jia.”

Seeing Wei Zheng bow his head, Li Shimin felt as if he’d drunk iced water in June—cooling him through and through. Since Wei Zheng’s submission, he’d offered minor rebukes every three days, major ones every five. Even if Li Shimin ate a little more, Wei Zheng would warn him not to indulge himself.

And he could never talk back—if he did, Wei Zheng would stiffen his neck and say, “Honest words offend the ear. If Your Majesty prefers pleasing falsehoods, permit me to retire to the fields.”

This was the first time Li Shimin had seen Wei Zheng bow his head, so he magnanimously declared, “Lord Wei, you were merely zealous for the state. How could I blame you? Do not let this dishearten you. Speak your mind freely—what I want is honest ministers, not sycophants.”

Wei Zheng, deeply moved, knelt and said, “Your Majesty, rest assured. I will fulfill my duty with absolute loyalty. I will never shy from speaking up for fear of a single incident, and I only hope Your Majesty will not resent me then.”

Li Shimin’s smile froze. Suddenly, he felt as if he had hoisted a rock to smash his own foot. Why had he spoken so rashly? That old fox would be even more unrestrained from now on.

When the court adjourned, Cai Cong made his way out with the crowd, but Wei Zheng called from behind, “Marquis of Chang’an, please stay a moment!”

(End of this chapter)