Su Cen’s claim that killing Tian Pingzhi was not the former emperor’s original intention wasn’t baseless speculation or an attempt to save himself, but because in his view, the former emperor was indeed not a person inclined to killing.
Among those involved in this case, Liu Cheng hadn’t died, Zhang He hadn’t died, Chen Guanglu who had advocated for the investigation hadn’t died, and even Little Six, such a key witness, had merely been sent by the former emperor to guard the imperial tomb.
Moreover, during the former emperor’s eight-year reign, although there were no major political achievements, he had indeed been lenient in sentencing, and there were fewer death row prisoners executed in autumn. Compared to the thick stack of criminal case files from the Yonglong years, the Tianshou years had only a thin volume, not even as many as the criminals executed in a single year during the early Yonglong period.
All of this proved that the former emperor was not a cruel person and was most likely being manipulated.
Lu Xun, who had slaughtered over two hundred lives in Lu Family Village to win over Song Yi, and who had disregarded tens of thousands of people in Xuzhou for personal gain, was exactly the type of person who was naturally violent and skilled at manipulating others.
Su Cen looked coldly at Lu Xun: “All these years, the Secret Door has hidden in the shadows, with tentacles reaching into commerce, military affairs, and even the court, manipulating private salt, colluding with the Turks, placing spies in court, and assassinating court officials. I believe several of you present have either been recruited or sabotaged by them.”
Several officials in attendance had faces that alternated between pale and flushed, clearly the people Su Cen was referring to.
Some who considered themselves upright spoke up: “According to what you’re saying, how could such treasonous rebels go undetected? Why hasn’t anyone sent troops to suppress them?”
Before Su Cen could respond, Lu Xun behind him laughed first: “Rebels? Do you know that the so-called rebels you speak of were personally cultivated by your exalted former emperor?”
Su Cen pressed his lips together. He had actually suspected this for some time—the Secret Door’s scale and financial resources, their ability to infiltrate the Great Zhou court so pervasively, must have had powerful backing. Li Shi’s years of opposition to the Secret Door without bringing it into the open was probably also to preserve the imperial family’s reputation.
“You’re lying!” The person who had spoken earlier was already somewhat pale but still argued: “How could the former emperor collude with someone like you?!”
Su Cen lowered his gaze slightly: “Yes, why would the former emperor trust you so much? Even discussing succession matters with you, knowing he was nurturing a tiger yet keeping you by his side. I couldn’t understand it before, but yesterday it suddenly became clear.”
Lu Xun smiled: “Qu Ling’er told you everything.”
“You previously hunted Ling’er, forcing him to jump off a cliff to save himself. Later, Ling’er found his way to me by chance, and you and I clashed several times. You couldn’t have been unaware that Ling’er was by my side. The reason you stopped hunting him wasn’t because you wanted to use his mouth to tell me, was it?” Su Cen shifted his gaze from Lu Xun to look at the court full of ministers, asking: “Previously when I called him Li Sheng, everyone seemed to have no reaction, but if I mention Crown Prince Chongde, I wonder if you still remember?”
Everyone gasped.
The so-called Crown Prince Chongde was actually the Great Zhou dynasty’s first legitimate crown prince. Since then, the Great Zhou had never established another crown prince. Even the young emperor had been directly placed on the throne after the former emperor’s sudden death.
Emperor Taizu was brilliant and strategic, spending his life in warfare, quelling the chaos of the previous dynasty and unifying the Central Plains. In his later years, perhaps feeling he had been too harsh in his killings, and with the Great Zhou needing a leader to guide recovery and restore people’s livelihood, he established his gentle-natured eldest son as heir. Crown Prince Chongde lived up to his name—approachable and virtuous. The generals who had followed Emperor Taizu in his early campaigns were mostly of humble origins, and after achieving merit, many became arrogant, flaunting their past achievements. This aroused Emperor Taizu’s suspicion, and it was precisely Crown Prince Chongde’s mediation that saved many of them. Therefore, Crown Prince Chongde’s succession could be said to be what everyone hoped for. Even while Emperor Taizu was still alive, Crown Prince Chongde already had his own team, with those seeking to serve him breaking down his door daily.
But in the 26th year of Wude, Crown Prince Chongde suddenly fell seriously ill and died before Emperor Taizu.
Of course, this was the official account. The more widely circulated private version was that Emperor Taizong Li Yu had staged a palace coup during Emperor Taizu’s critical illness, poisoning Crown Prince Chongde, holding Emperor Taizu hostage, and confining the royal family members in the Sanqing Hall. By the time these people were released, he had already ascended the throne in Hanyuan Hall.
This is also why in the early years of Yonglong, Emperor Taizong greatly expanded the prison system, arresting those who had followed Crown Prince Chongde back then, as well as anyone who questioned the legitimacy of his throne. From former court ministers to common people, none were spared.
The four words “Crown Prince Chongde” thus became forbidden.
Most of the court ministers present today had not experienced that palace coup, but they still spoke of it with terror, their faces pale as paper. The boldest among them only dared to murmur: “You mean…”
Su Cen turned back to look at Lu Xun, saying word by word: “This person is the only blood relative of Crown Prince Chongde who survived that palace coup—Crown Prince Chongde’s son, Li Sheng.”
Everyone froze in place, stunned into silence. Even Cui Hao, who had been struggling fiercely while being held down, paused.
Su Cen looked at Lu Xun, or rather Li Sheng, and said: “Previously at Lu Family Village, I noticed the layout of your grand residence—it was built in imitation of Taiji Palace. Taiji Palace was once used as the main palace of the previous dynasty, so at first I thought you were from the previous dynasty. But I forgot that Taiji Palace was also where the Eastern Palace was located, Crown Prince Chongde’s former chambers. How long did you live there? Five years? Or six years?”
“Eight years and seven months,” Li Sheng raised his head slightly, as if recalling the circumstances of those days, and sighed softly. “When Father was designated as crown prince, our entire family moved from Prince Yu’s residence into Taiji Palace. What a glorious and magnificent place it was, so vast you could never reach the end. In my eyes at the time, it was the finest place in all the world.”
Li Sheng looked up at Li Shi sitting in the hall and smiled gently: “Do you still remember? I used to play with you all back then. Ah Luan loved following behind me like a little tail, calling ‘Imperial Brother, Imperial Brother’ until it was annoying. But you were always duplicitous from childhood—clearly wanting to play with us, yet insisting on pretending not to care, holding a book and putting on airs.”
Ah Luan was the former emperor’s childhood name, which explained why the former emperor trusted him so much—this was his big brother, someone with blood ties to him.
Li Shi calmly shook his head: “I don’t remember.”
Su Cen pressed his lips lightly. Although Li Shi was also of royal blood, his mother had died early, and he wasn’t a child who knew how to flatter. Naturally, he wasn’t favored by Emperor Taizong. The royal children excluding him and not letting him play was probably commonplace. After being hurt too many times, he naturally stopped trying to join in. This was how he developed his temperament of not showing his emotions.
“Still so contrary,” Li Sheng dismissed Li Shi’s answer with a laugh, then continued: “During the palace coup, I was playing hide-and-seek with Ah Luan in the imperial garden. The palace people searched everywhere but couldn’t find me. How could they have imagined that the new master they were about to serve had hidden me away? Li Yu killed my father, yet his son saved me. Don’t you think this is what they call ‘karmic retribution’? Hahaha…”
Li Sheng’s laughter echoed throughout the great hall, making everyone’s hearts grow colder. Li Sheng asked with a laugh: “Why don’t you guess who was waiting outside the palace to receive me when I was sent out?”
Su Cen said gravely: “It was Imperial Tutor Ning.”
“Exactly! Your esteemed and virtuous Imperial Tutor!” Li Sheng laughed heartily. “Back then, Ning Yi was just a minor compiler at the Hanlin Academy. When he made an error in page numbering and was scolded by a scholar, it was my father who interceded for him and suppressed the matter. Later, during the Yonglong palace coup, Ning Yi was overlooked because his position was too insignificant and thus escaped disaster. Remembering my father’s kindness, he took me in, and when the situation calmed down, he sent me out of the city.”
Legend had it that Emperor Taizong was extremely secretive about this descendant of Crown Prince Chongde, conducting several secret manhunts and even pursuing leads beyond the borders. Little did anyone know the person had been right under his nose all along.
Su Cen completed Li Sheng’s account: “After leaving the city, you maintained contact with the former emperor. When Emperor Taizong’s end was near, you took the opportunity to incite the former emperor to compete for succession, but in reality, you were secretly organizing your own forces, plotting rebellion!”
“I was right not to kill you back then,” Li Sheng smiled. “You truly are very clever and very bold. But the Secret Door wasn’t plotting rebellion. The Secret Door was founded by the former emperor and only obeyed his commands, never harboring any disloyalty. After the former emperor’s death, we originally intended to continue serving His Majesty, but the emperor is too young, and the Prince dominates the court, pursuing and attacking the Secret Door relentlessly. Everything we’ve done has been merely for self-preservation.”
Su Cen gritted his teeth hatefully. This Li Sheng was using such a sinister move—these words were meant to pit Li Shi against the former emperor, creating the false impression that Li Shi harbored resentment after losing the succession struggle and was now manipulating the emperor to command the nobles. He said coldly: “So your collusion with the Turks was also for self-preservation? Controlling the official salt trade was for self-preservation? Stealing official silver and causing tens of thousands of people in Xuzhou to become displaced was also for self-preservation?!”
Li Sheng nodded without changing expression: “Yes.”
Su Cen ground his teeth and swallowed his anger. He had never seen such shamelessness. He was about to say more when someone interrupted.
“Continue with your account,” Li Shi said. “Five murderers—there’s still one more.”
Su Cen came to his senses and looked up at the hall. Meeting those unfathomably deep eyes for several moments, he said softly: “This final murderer is you, Your Highness.”
##
