Volume 1, Chapter 36: The Turbulent Morning Court

The following day, the Great Morning Court convened.

Inside the Taihe Palace, civil and military officials were arrayed on either side, the atmosphere solemn and grave. Emperor Li Chengye sat high upon the dragon throne, his face as still as deep water, radiating an effortless authority.

The court session proceeded according to routine, focusing on mundane matters such as border land reclamation and the dredging of river channels. Li Xuan stood at the head of the officials, his demeanor calm and composed; the turmoil of the previous night seemed to have left no mark upon him. Beside him, Xiao Ning-shuang appeared as cold and detached as ever, though occasionally, a hint of tenderness—imperceptible to others—would soften her gaze when she looked toward Li Xuan.

All appeared calm, yet any seasoned hunter knows that the placid surface of the sea often conceals a lethal whirlpool.

Just as the Secretariat Chief was about to announce the adjournment, a burly figure suddenly strode out from the ranks of the military officials.

"Father! Your son has a petition to submit!"

The voice was like a booming bell, causing the entire hall to vibrate. As everyone turned to look, they saw it was the First Prince, Li Yuan. He was a man of imposing stature with a thick beard, and at this moment, his eyes, wide as copper bells, burned with a rage that seemed ready to erupt.

Emperor Li Chengye frowned slightly. "What is the meaning of this commotion?"

Li Yuan knelt heavily with a thud, pointing at the Crown Prince, Li Xuan, in front of him. "Father! I impeach the Crown Prince! I impeach him for his narrow-mindedness, his intent to frame his own kin, and his disruption of the court's order!"

A gasp rippled through the entire assembly!

Every eye was instantly fixed upon Li Xuan and the First Prince. To impeach the Crown Prince—and for his own elder brother to do so openly during court—was an unprecedented scandal since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Standing among the crowd, the Second Prince, Li Zhan, allowed a faint, imperceptible sneer to touch his lips. It had worked! Wei Yong’s scheme had succeeded. This simple-minded, foolish dragon had been used as a pawn with such ease!

The Third Prince, Li Yi, remained as refined and gentle as always, his eyes lowered, as if the storm unfolding before him had nothing to do with him.

On the dragon throne, Li Chengye’s expression darkened to the point of looming thunder. His icy gaze swept over the furious Li Yuan and settled on Li Xuan, who remained calm, even appearing slightly bewildered. "Li Yuan, one can eat without thinking, but one cannot speak without proof. You claim the Crown Prince is framing you—where is your evidence?"

"Evidence?" Li Yuan laughed as if he had heard a preposterous joke. He pulled a stack of papers from his robes and held them high. "Father, look! These are the rumors circulating through the capital! They say that since the Lantern Festival, the Crown Prince has felt his merit overshadows the throne and now views us brothers as thorns in his side! Some even claim with certainty that the Crown Prince’s next move is to strike at me, his own brother, to seize my command over the Capital Garrison!"

He grew increasingly agitated, spittle flying as he spoke. "Father! The Capital Garrison is the gateway to our Great Zhou; it is a heavy responsibility! I have served diligently and never dared to slacken! Yet the Crown Prince, a mere youth, why should he covet this position? He intends to consolidate all military power into his own hands—his heart is truly wicked!"

The speech was impassioned, but among the officials present, who was not a seasoned player? They whispered among themselves, questioning how such baseless rumors could ever serve as evidence to impeach a Crown Prince. The First Prince was being far too reckless.

Li Xuan remained silent throughout. He first wore a look of disbelief, which then transformed into deep sorrow and disappointment. He looked at Li Yuan, his eyes even shimmering with a faint mist.

"Eldest Imperial Brother..." he finally spoke, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion. "I never imagined that in your heart, I, Li Xuan, could be such a despicable person."

He offered no defense, no rebuttal; this simple display of self-injury was more powerful than any argument.

He turned to Li Chengye on the dragon throne and bowed deeply, his voice tragic. "Father, I am wronged! I know that I am of limited talent and have only attained the position of Crown Prince through your grace. I walk on thin ice every day, fearing I might make a mistake and fail your expectations. I have always held my elder brothers in high respect; how could I ever harbor a shred of disloyalty?"

"As for the command of the Capital Garrison that my brother speaks of, I have never even heard of such a thing! I only know that my Eldest Brother guards the capital with great merit and is the shield of our Great Zhou. As Crown Prince, I am not even capable enough to share his burdens; how could I ever desire to usurp his power? This... this is utter nonsense!"

His performance was impeccable—conveying the grievance of being falsely accused, the heartbreak of a brother’s misunderstanding, and his own reverence for the throne and fraternal bonds.

Li Yuan, however, was relentless. "Stop your hypocritical act! There is no smoke without fire! If you didn't have these designs, why would there be so many rumors in the capital?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xuan did not grow angry. Instead, as if he had suddenly realized something, he lifted his head, his gaze sharp as lightning. He swept his eyes across the hall, finally locking them onto the face of the Second Prince, Li Zhan.

"No smoke without fire?" Li Xuan laughed coldly, the sound filled with desolation. "Eldest Brother, look at us. Here, in the court, before Father and all the officials, we are tearing each other apart. Who do you think is happiest? And who stands to benefit?"

These words landed like a thunderclap in the Taihe Palace!

The First Prince, Li Yuan, was stunned. Though impulsive, he was not a fool. With Li Xuan’s prompt, he instantly understood, and his eyes subconsciously followed Li Xuan’s gaze toward the Second Prince, Li Zhan, who stood there looking "astonished."

Li Zhan’s heart skipped a beat, and he cursed inwardly. He had not expected Li Xuan to be so sharp, to grasp the core of the issue in an instant and deflect the spear toward him!

Li Xuan gave no one a chance to react. He stepped forward, bowed once more to Li Chengye, and spoke with a resonant, powerful voice: "Father! I believe there are villains behind the scenes, sowing discord! Their goal is to make us brothers fight, to cause internal strife within our Li family, so they may reap the profits! Such intentions are truly sinister! Their crimes deserve death!"

"I implore you, Father, to investigate this thoroughly! Clear my name, and grant justice to my Eldest Brother! We must root out the villains lurking in the shadows who wish to see our Great Zhou in chaos, to serve as a warning to all!"

His words were firm and radiated righteousness. He had masterfully elevated a private dispute between brothers to the level of "imperial clan strife" and "treasonous sabotage." He was no longer a victim, but a Crown Prince who held the big picture in his heart and had seen through a conspiracy. He had even packaged the First Prince as a victim, giving him a face-saving way out.

The situation reversed in an instant!

The First Prince stood there, his face flushed, looking from Li Xuan to Li Zhan, his mind in a state of turmoil.

Emperor Li Chengye watched everything from above, his eyes deep and unfathomable. How could he not see the machinations at play? The eldest was reckless, the second was insidious, and the Crown Prince... this son he had once looked down upon now displayed a level of skill and intellect far beyond his expectations.

"Enough!" Li Chengye slammed his hand onto the armrest of the dragon throne, his majestic voice echoing through the hall. "I shall decide this matter myself!"

His icy gaze swept toward the First Prince: "Li Yuan! You listened to rumors and roared accusations against the Crown Prince in the imperial court, showing neither the conduct of an elder brother nor the manners of a subject! You are fined one year’s salary and confined to your estate for three months. Reflect on your actions!"

"Your son... obeys," Li Yuan replied, his spirit crushed.

Then, Li Chengye’s gaze turned to the Second Prince, Li Zhan: "Li Zhan, as an elder brother, you saw your brothers in conflict and did not offer counsel, but instead watched from the sidelines. What is the meaning of this?"

Li Zhan felt a chill in his heart and quickly stepped out to kneel. "Father, please calm your anger! I... I was simply stunned by the sudden situation and did not know how to act."

"Hmph!" Li Chengye snorted, neither confirming nor denying, but he said no more. Yet, that single look made Li Zhan feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He knew his father had become suspicious.

Finally, Li Chengye’s gaze fell upon Li Xuan, his expression carrying a complex, inscrutable emotion. He spoke slowly: "Crown Prince, rise. You have been wronged by this."

"For the harmony of the imperial house and the peace of Great Zhou, a little grievance is nothing," Li Xuan bowed again, his posture humble, which only served to highlight his magnanimity.

The scheme of "diverting the disaster," meticulously planned by the Second Prince, had been easily dismantled by Li Xuan, who had even turned the tables. Li Zhan had attempted to steal a chicken but lost his rice; not only had he failed to harm Li Xuan, but he had also caused the First Prince to be punished and left himself tainted, leaving a terrible impression on the Emperor.

After the court adjourned, Li Zhan walked back to his residence with a dark, gloomy face. The moment he entered his study, he swept everything off his desk in a fit of beast-like rage.

"Li Xuan! Li Xuan!!"

Beside him, Wei Yong was deathly pale. He could not fathom how a guaranteed kill-shot had been so easily neutralized by the Crown Prince.

Meanwhile, in another, more secluded prince’s residence, the Third Prince, Li Yi, was leisurely watering a pot of Cymbidium orchids. He listened to his confidant’s report, a gentle smile always on his face.

"Eldest Brother is still as impulsive as ever, and Second Brother’s tactics are still so unrefined," he said, gently wiping a water droplet from a leaf as if discussing something trivial. "The more they fight, the more Father will tire of them. And I, the son who does not fight or scramble, will only appear all the more valuable."

The confidant whispered, "Your Highness is wise. But the Crown Prince’s influence is growing; I fear he will be difficult to deal with."

"Difficult to deal with makes it all the more interesting, does it not?" Li Yi set down the watering can, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes that was completely at odds with his gentle exterior. "When tigers fight, there is always a moment when both are wounded. We only need to present the sharpest blade at the most critical moment—that will be enough."

He looked up toward the depths of the Imperial Palace.

"It is time... to have Liu’er whisper in Father’s ear."