Chapter 139 Part 1

Yuwen Zhi said coldly: “Is this what the princess wants to say by sending you thousands of miles to me?”

His face was flushed, his eyes were red, and he smelled strongly of alcohol. It was obvious that he had drunk a lot and came to see him drunk.

Lan Tai smiled and waved his hand: “It’s been a long time since we last met. I didn’t expect that when we meet again, everything has changed. You are now the County Prince, and I am the Princess’s envoy. Just now I suddenly remembered the scene of the grand archery ceremony in the past, and I was touched for a moment. It was just a joke between you and me. How could the Princess say this to me?”

Yuwen Zhi slowly leaned on a soft cushion behind his back, looked sideways, his red eyes still full of indifference: “Why did the Princess send you here?”

Lan Tai stopped joking and turned serious. He took off the letter box he had been carrying, opened it, took out a scroll that looked like a calligraphy or painting, held it respectfully with both hands, and placed it on the table nearby.

“This is the purpose of my visit. The Princess asked me to pass the painting to County Prince. This painting was painted by the Princess herself, and she asked me to hand it over to you.”

Yuwen Zhi’s eyes fell on the scroll lying quietly on the desk. He stared at it for a moment, then raised his eyes, the corner of his lips twitched slightly, “How could I be so worthy of receiving such a kindness from the Princess?” He didn’t even seem interested in opening it and take a look.

Lantai continued speaking as if to himself: “A little over two months ago, Eunuch Yang suddenly came to me and said the Princess had summoned me. He led me over. At the time, the Princess must have been near her due date—she had not appeared publicly for quite a few days. I didn’t know what she wanted with me just then, so I followed Eunuch Yang in a hurry. Do you know where the Princess was at the time, County Prince?”

Yuwen Zhi’s expression remained stony, and gave no reply. Lan Tai, seeing that, simply fell silent. After a brief pause, Yuwen Zhi shifted slightly in his seat, then finally broke the silence. His voice was cold, and his expression grew darker: “If you have something to say, then speak. If not, I’ll see you out. This is not a place you should linger.”

Lan Tai glanced at him and continued, “I never thought that the Princess was in a blessing room at the foot of the mountain behind Ci’en Temple. When I arrived, she was inside, copying a wall painting. The autumn air was already quite chilly, and she was wrapped in a heavy cloak that fully covered her body—yet even so, it was obvious she was far along in her pregnancy and moved with difficulty. For her to come there personally and paint at such a time… I was deeply surprised. Who could compel her to do that?

“When I entered, she was nearly finished with her copy. She must have been working for a long time—her face looked tired, and I didn’t dare interrupt, so I stood quietly aside and watched her paint. There was a small jade vial on the table—about as tall as a finger—just like the kind women keep in their boudoirs for rouge or powder. Placed here, it must have held pigment. When she was done, only the eyes of the Upasika were left to paint. I saw her open the vial, take out a pinch of powder, mix it with pigment, and use that for the finishing touch. I had never seen that powder before, and couldn’t help but ask her what it was.”

As he spoke, the cruel and cold look on Yuwen Zhi’s face faded slightly. When he heard this, his eyes moved secretly, as if he suddenly remembered something that happened a long time ago, which even he himself might have forgotten long ago. There was a trace of confusion and doubt in his eyes.

Lan Tai continued, “The Princess told me that this thing is a wall fish. I suddenly realized it.

“Shizi is not a painter, so you probably don’t know what a wall fish is. That was a matter from decades ago. It was once widely circulated among artists that the figures painted by Ye Zhongli were so lifelike, so vividly expressive, that their eyes seemed to follow the viewer. They said it was thanks to this thing. So for a while, everyone scrambled to obtain it, and it became so rare that even a thousand gold coins couldn’t buy it.

“That being said, I’ve never believed in such superstition. Ye’s paintings were divine because his skill was divine—what would that have to do with some mere bookworm or insect? I never expected that the Princess would believe in it. Because we’d once bonded slightly over painting, I couldn’t help overstepping a little and asked her about it. Do you know how she answered me?”

Without waiting for Yuwen Zhi to speak, he continued, “The Princess painted the eyes of Upasika and said that while the benefits of this item are indeed widely exaggerated, what truly matters is the care and sentiment of the one who spent years gathering enough to fill that little bottle, all for the sake of a gift. Although the wall fish may not have the mystical effects people claim, but it’s not entirely worthless either. When used in paintings, it can stabilize the pigments and keep them bright, so the paintings are not easy to fade. Some time ago, due to a stroke of luck, the Princess once found a discarded bottle of wall fish in the grass and kept it. It’s perfect to use it in the painting this time.”

Yuwen Zhi was stunned for a moment.

“After the princess finished her painting, she waited for it to dry before handing it to me. She ordered me to come here and pass the painting to Shizi. She asked me to tell you this: ever since the rebellion in Jiannan was quelled, the whole nation has been uplifted. She believes that news of this will inspire and hearten the soldiers still fighting in the north. Shizi has made an indelible contribution, and the court will surely recognize your merits in due time. But beyond what the court can grant, the Princess also wanted to offer something of her own. After much thought, she knew that Shizi is a filial son, so she copied the original mural painted for the late County Princess Consort here on paper and gave it to you. Although the painting is ordinary, it is her heartfelt gift.”

Yuwen Zhi was stunned for a long time. Suddenly, he got down from his seat, staggered to the table with drunken steps, picked up the scroll and opened it.

A familiar picture suddenly appeared before his eyes. It was the picture of a Upasaka ascending to paradise that she had painted for his mother before.

She reproduced the mural from the Blessing Room in its original form—scaled down and meticulously copied onto this silk paper.

He gazed at it, his eyes finally coming to rest on the pair of Upasika’s eyes in the painting, remaining unmoving for a long time.

Lan Tai looked at his back, waited for a moment, then took out another letter from his pocket, and said, “This is the letter that the Princess asked me to pass on to you.”

He went closer and put the letter next to the painting.

Yuwen Zhi picked it up slowly.

“Shizi, may this letter be as if spoken face-to-face.” Xuyu said.

“Lantai was sent by me to deliver this painting to you. I still remember when news of victory reached us—court and country alike erupted in celebration. For the world and its people, it was indeed a triumph to rejoice in. Yet I alone could not bring myself to offer Shizi congratulations. This painting was not created to commend Shizi’s military success. For a father and son to cross blades—there is no sorrow in the world more bitter than this. And for a son, what joy could there be in such a thing? The only solace is that Shizi is not at fault. Therefore, through this painting, on behalf of me, the people of Jiannan, and the people of the world, I respectfully thank Shizi for your righteousness. Please take care of yourself, and do not let grief consume you.

“However, if Shizi is reading this letter, it also means that Shizi has repeated the mistakes of the late County Prince. This is the worst possibility that I do not want to see. I do not intend to speculate too much on your thoughts, nor dare I judge you lightly. But allow me this bold conjecture: if you truly have strayed, perhaps the cause lies not only in your long-unavenged grief for your elder brother, but also in me. With no proof to hold you back, I nonetheless forbade your return to the west, calling it a precaution, when in truth it was little different from imprisonment.

“My understanding with the late County Prince was when I followed Grandfather to Jiannan several years ago. On the way out, Grandfather once lamented to me that the County Prince was not a painter and never showed him any interest to him during their time in Chang’an—just a few casual meetings, nothing more. Yet years later, he honored him as a guest of high esteem, even going so far as to insist he stay. Such reversal of conduct must have a reason. And when those in power seek out men of talent, what is their purpose, if not to use them? Added to this were my firsthand observations during our journey deep into Jiannan. Though Grandfather never said it plainly, I sensed his unease. When the late County Prince later sent an envoy to propose a marriage on your behalf, I recalled Grandfather’s words and my suspicions deepened. Thus, not long after the Grand Archery Ceremony, I found an excuse to detain you and reported to His Majesty. We dispatched spies—and indeed, uncovered the late County Prince’s secret ties with Li Yan. Alas, Jiannan is remote, and your father had ruled there for many years. To uproot such deep foundations is no easy feat. In the end, this calamity proved inevitable.

“During Shizi’s confinement, I heard that you had grown dispirited and spent your days drunk. I tried several times to send word, hoping to meet with you face to face, but you refused each request. With no other recourse, I sought out General Li instead. I know that Shizi is full of pride. If you truly saw your imprisonment as a deep humiliation, and your anger has remained unresolved, that is only human. On a personal level, I do regret how things unfolded—but even so, I stand by my decision. I acted with full consideration, and my conscience is clear. Yet in matters of the world, I still have one last thing to say: I hope Shizi will weigh right and wrong carefully, and not, for the sake of one moment of bitterness, take a misstep that leads you down the same path as the late County Prince.

“Shizi once spoke to me in front of the Remembrance Mural about your late mother. I have not forgotten the sorrow you showed that day. I also hope that you yourself have not forgotten her death. Your elder brother’s killer—perhaps that vengeance lies with others. But the one who stole your mother’s life is no other than the very enemy our nation now faces in this war. Which is more important, I believe that you can judge for yourself.

“I hope that the next time we meet, Shizi will not be one of the rebels waiting to be executed at the captive offering ceremony, but as County Prince Xiping who has made a positive contribution and can benefit the region in the future.

“One last word. No matter what choice Shizi makes, the late County Princess Consort’s blessing room in Chang’an will be preserved as long as I am here. This is a reward for Shizi’s self-injury during the Grand Archery Ceremony.”

Yuwen Zhi’s back was stiff, and he kept his head down, looking at the pieces of letter paper in his hand, as if he was in a trance.

“Brother Yuwen!”

At this moment, Lan Tai suddenly spoke, calling him by the old name he used when they were in Chang’an.

“When the Princess handed me the painting, she specifically instructed that after I arrived, if you seem fine, then I was only to hand over the painting and convey her sentiment. No letter was necessary. At the time, I didn’t quite believe it—I thought she was being overly cautious. But I never imagined it would come to this!

“The Princess foresaw your rebellion long before it happened. Whatever was in your heart—she saw through it clearly. And yet you never understood her at all. Not even as well as me. How could you be qualified to compete with Pei Er?”

Yuwen Zhi’s eyes suddenly flashed with ferocity, and he suddenly raised his head and turned around.

Lan Tai sneered, “Why, did I hit the nail on the head? You want to kill me too? I know you and Pei Er have an old enmity for killing your brother, and there is also hatred for stealing your love. You and I are both the ones who proposed marriage that day, do you need to hide what you think in your heart? I have no personal relationship with the Princess, but in the past year, I’ve been fortunate enough to accompany her from time to time. In addition to her beauty and demeanor that impressed me at the beginning and the closeness from the painting, I now have a better understanding of her. If you think that you can get revenge by doing this, you are wrong.

“I left the capital the day after receiving the painting. I learned that the Princess had given birth to a baby after returning to the palace the night before. During that period, although there was good news in the southwest, the situation in the north became increasingly tense. There were also restless people in the court. You can imagine how much pressure she was under. But when she saw me that day, apart from a bit of fatigue, I didn’t see anything unusual about her. She was still talking and laughing, and didn’t look depressed at all.

“You disobeyed orders this time and refused to send troops to cooperate. If Pei Er really died because of this, what would happen? Will your elder brother return from the grave? Will that give you comfort? Will that win you the Princess?

“As for the princess, I believe she certainly hopes Pei Er is safe. But if he were truly to die in battle, she would grieve, yes—but she would also accept it with calm resolve. Pei is simply fulfilling his duty. Were it her in his place, I have no doubt—should the need arise—Princess Shouchang would give her life without hesitation.

“Brother Yuwen, if you are truly set on becoming a traitor, then there is only one path left to you: war. The Princess sent me here—for peace, if you would accept it. I was to be her envoy bearing a gift. If you insist on doing this reckless path, then I stand before you not as a messenger of goodwill, but as the Court’s appointed overseer of war. Xue Mian understands what’s at stake. Once the full army arrives tomorrow, he will stop at nothing to bring you down. If you still refuse to act, then even if he is the last man standing, he will march in your place to join forces with He Du and take Zhongdu, to lift the siege on Dache—with or without you!

“The painting has been delivered. I’m leaving now.”

After walking a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and turned around and said, “Oh, right, I was asking for directions outside the city this morning and I ran into an elderly traveler on the roadside. We chatted for a while and he seemed to be an old acquaintance of yours. He knew I was going to see you and asked me to tell you that he was the craftsman who had straightened your mother’s pagoda in the past. He is waiting for you in the pagoda. If you are willing, you can go and see him.”

Lan Tai bowed to Yuwen Zhi and turned away.

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