Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 207 Palace Secrets and Pulanbi
"Liu Jianjun, I..."

Li Xian found it difficult to speak.

How can I describe this feeling...?

It's like a polo match where your teammates overcome numerous obstacles to pass you the ball, keeping all the opposing players out of the field. No one interferes with you, and all you have to do is swing your club and hit the ball to secure a point.

However, he failed to score.

“Liu Jianjun, Mother Empress…it seems…” Li Xian hesitated for a long time.

"Is the crown prince she favors Xianzi?" Liu Jianjun shrugged, interrupting Li Xian.

"You already knew?"

Li Xian wasn't surprised that Liu Jianjun could see this; his expression was too dejected, and Liu Jianjun knew him too well.

"I wouldn't call it that. I just said I had already prepared for the worst."

"worst plans?"

Li Xian felt a mixture of curiosity and guilt.

Because of himself, Liu Jianjun made the worst-case scenario plan.

But Liu Jianjun gave a surprising explanation: "Well, you're not that old woman's biological son."

Li Xian's mouth dropped open instantly.

But Liu Jianjun grabbed him without saying a word and dragged him toward his small courtyard.

This time, Li Xian was dragged directly into Liu Jianjun's study and forced to sit at the desk.

Then Liu Jianjun turned around, took a thick book from the bookshelf next to him, and threw it in front of Li Xian.

Li Xian looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"what is this?"

The book had only a black leather cover with no title on it. From the side, you could see the yellowed paper, which was about three fingers thick.

"Some of the things I copied down include palace secrets brought out by Wan'er, news gleaned from Taiping, and rumors circulating in the markets and among the people."

Upon hearing this, Li Xian picked up the book out of curiosity. The leather book felt heavy in his hand, carrying the smell of old paper and ink.

Open.

Liu Jianjun's "unique" handwriting came into view.

In the second year of the Yifeng era, he was more capable than the Crown Prince in overseeing the state, and his decisive actions earned him the nickname "Little Taizong." However, Empress Wu Zetian once secretly told her close attendants, "This son is too intelligent; it is not a blessing for the nation."

In the first year of the Tiaolu era, scholars gathered to annotate the *Book of the Later Han* and presented it to the Emperor and Empress. Emperor Gaozong was delighted and bestowed generous rewards upon them. Empress Wu Zetian, however, showed no joy and merely said, "The Crown Prince should be focused on state affairs; such trivial skills are not worth boasting about."

In the first year of the Yonglong reign, Emperor Gaozong's illness worsened...

Li Xian glanced at the records quickly; they were almost all about Empress Wu's bad attitude towards him. These records were not secrets to Li Xian, since he was one of the people involved.

"Why did you need to go through Taiping and the others to find these things? You could have just asked me."

Li Xian temporarily put the leather book aside and looked at Liu Jianjun with annoyance.

“It’s different. You’re too close to the situation to see clearly, and…” Liu Jianjun shook his head, leaned forward, flipped through several pages of the leather-bound book, and then pointed to a line of text, saying, “Start reading from here.”

Li Xianshun looked over.

In the twelfth month of the fifth year of the Yonghui era, Emperor Gaozong and Empress Dowager Cixi, accompanied by their entourage, visited the Zhaoling Mausoleum. While en route, Empress Dowager Cixi suddenly went into labor and gave birth to a prince within the imperial carriage; this prince was named Xian.

This describes the circumstances surrounding my birth.

Li Xian asked, puzzled, "What's wrong now?"

"Why are you so impatient? Just keep reading!" Liu Jianjun rolled his eyes.

Li Xian glared at him irritably, then continued reading.

The next line reads the birthdate of his elder brother, Li Hong: December of the third year of Yonghui.

He didn't understand the connection between them, and after flipping through the pages, he found more seemingly insignificant gossip.

Li Xian couldn't understand it at all, so he could only look at Liu Jianjun again.

Liu Jianjun came over, closed the leather-bound book, tossed it aside, and asked, "You and your eldest brother are exactly two years apart, right?"

Li Xian nodded blankly.

Liu Jianjun then said, "You also have an older sister, right?"

Li Xian was taken aback and said, "If it's a son born out of wedlock..."

“He’s either an illegitimate child or the son of that old woman Wu Zetian,” Liu Jianjun interrupted directly.

Li Xian's pupils suddenly contracted, and he said, "How...how did you know?"

"Never mind how I know, there is such an older sister, right?"

Li Xian nodded bitterly.

In fact, what Liu Jianjun was talking about was another palace secret, and even the kind of palace secret that couldn't be brought to light.

Li Xian does indeed have an older sister.

But that older sister died while still in swaddling clothes.

The reason for its premature death...

Some say he died suddenly, others say he died of illness, and still others say he was killed by Wu Zetian or Empress Wang.

“My elder sister was named Princess Anding… Of course, this title was posthumously conferred upon her by the Empress Mother. At that time, it was a critical period when the Empress Mother and Empress Wang were vying for power. Because… because… my elder sister’s early death was blamed on Empress Wang, so Empress Wang gradually fell out of favor and the Empress Mother took her place.”

Li Xian gave a vague answer.

But Liu Jianjun scoffed, "What motive would Empress Wang have for killing someone? She could have just played it safe back then, why would she risk killing your sister? Could it be that your sister, Princess Anding, is very favored?"
"Even if we were to take a step back and kill someone, shouldn't we kill your elder brother, Li Hong? A prince is more important than a princess, isn't he?"

Li Xian pursed his lips and remained silent.

Because what Liu Jianjun said was true.

At that time, the Empress was at a complete disadvantage, and Empress Wang had no motive to kill Princess Anding.

On the contrary, the Empress Dowager had a very good motive for killing Princess Anding.

No one would believe that a mother would kill her own daughter. If Princess An Ding was indeed killed by the Empress, she could easily frame Empress Wang, causing Empress Wang to fall out of favor and thus threatening the Empress's position.

Subsequent events proved this to be true.

As for the claim that Princess Anding died suddenly or from illness, that is utter nonsense.

As the eldest princess born to the Empress, she could not be left unattended for long periods of time. Whenever any abnormality occurred, the Imperial Medical Bureau would be there to take care of her.

Moreover, the Empress Dowager also had the opportunity to kill Princess Anding.

Although the palace maids who looked after Princess Anding were wary of outsiders, they were absolutely not wary of her. To deal with an infant still in swaddling clothes, she only needed a pillow to kill her in a few breaths and then leave as if nothing had happened.

"But...so what?"

Li Xian still couldn't understand why Liu Jianjun was saying all this.

They wanted to use the fact that the Empress Dowager had killed Princess Anding to prove how ruthless the Empress Dowager was.

This is totally unnecessary.

Because Li Xian had already experienced her ruthlessness, if it weren't for Liu Jianjun, he would have already committed suicide in Bazhou.

"You really..."

Liu Jianjun glared at him as if he were disappointed in him, and said, "I'm asking you, Princess Anding is your sister, what is her relationship with your elder brother?"

Li Xian was taken aback: "Then naturally she is... my elder brother's sister."

"Then let me ask you another question: you and Prince Hong are two years apart in age, could there have been Princess Anding in between?"

At this point in Liu Jianjun's speech, Li Xian suddenly froze.

yes……

How come I've never thought about this question before?

Giving birth to three children in two years is not impossible, but it is extremely taxing on the pregnant woman's body. This is because it means that after giving birth to her eldest brother Li Hong, the Empress would immediately become pregnant with Princess Anding, and after giving birth to Princess Anding, she would immediately become pregnant with herself.

If this is delayed by even a few months, it will be absolutely impossible to achieve.

Not to mention that getting pregnant isn't something you can just do whenever you want. Back then, Li Xian had to work hard for more than half a month to conceive a child with the embroiderer in response to Liu Jianjun's "quota." Finally, the embroiderer got pregnant.

Surely Father and Mother wouldn't be in such a hurry, would they?

and so……

Having three children in two years is possible, but the probability is extremely low.

While Li Xian was stunned, Liu Jianjun continued to ramble on: "With our current medical conditions, let's not even talk about whether that old woman's body can handle it, let's just talk about her postpartum recovery. These days there are no C-sections, and girls are all loose and flabby after giving birth. It takes them several months to recover. Would your father be interested in seeing that?"

"That's too obscene," Li Xian glared at him angrily.

Liu Jianjun chuckled: "I was talking about the belly, what were you thinking?"

Li Xian didn't want to argue with him, but was curious about the term Liu Jianjun used, and asked, "Cesarean section? Cutting open a woman's belly to take out the baby? Isn't that a bit too cruel?"

"Pretty much. After we're done, we'll sew up the wound again, just like I did with your arm last time..." Liu Jianjun paused and said, "Last time, that musician surnamed An, his intestines were spilling out. The people from the Imperial Medical Bureau sewed up his stomach, and he's still alive and well, isn't he?"

Li Xian suddenly realized, and seemed to be deep in thought. "Of course, it's possible that your mother was exceptionally gifted, and your father truly loved her deeply, so he forced her to become pregnant with you... But, what do you think are the chances of that happening?"

Li Xian fell silent.

That's probably...very unlikely.

Let's set aside the issues Liu Jianjun raised.

Judging solely from the timing at the time, it's highly unlikely.

At that time, the Empress Dowager was vying for power with Empress Wang, and she did not have the extra energy.

and,

Looking back now, the place where I was born is also quite strange.

She was born on the way to Zhaoling by her father and mother, but... if that's true, what are the people in the Imperial Medical Bureau for?

It was the dead of winter. Why would an empress about to give birth go to Zhaoling? She should have stayed in the palace.

If something really goes wrong, even if all the people in the Imperial Medical Bureau were to be chopped off, they still wouldn't be able to fill the gap!
What is the only explanation?

Only if the mother gives birth unexpectedly during the journey can the process of childbirth be omitted.

He is now starting to accept the idea that he is not Wu Zetian's biological son.

Only by knowing that he was not Wu Zetian's biological son could Wu Zetian's attitude towards him over the years have a reasonable explanation.

Li Xian was in a state of utter confusion. He looked at Liu Jianjun, feeling helpless and bewildered, and asked, "If... I really wasn't born of the Empress, then... who gave birth to me?"

Liu Jianjun shook his head and said, "It doesn't matter who gave birth to you. You must be Emperor Gaozong's son. And... we can't let this get out."

As Liu Jianjun spoke, he stood up and threw the leather-bound book into the brazier beside him.

Flames roared up.

Li Xian gazed at the brazier, the flames dancing in his eyes.

“We even have to keep this a secret, because…”

"Official status," Li Xian blurted out, bewildered.

He understood Liu Jianjun's meaning: Wu Zetian was the empress appointed by his father, and was the legitimate ruler. He had to be her son to be "rightfully legitimate."

"That's part of the reason."

"Part of it?"

“Well, there’s another part…” Liu Jianjun lowered his voice as if by subconscious, and leaned closer to Li Xian, asking, “Have you ever thought about it? If you really aren’t that old woman’s biological son, do you think… we can still make it this far?”

Li Xian was stunned, then his face turned deathly pale.

Yup!

If he really wasn't Wu Zetian's biological son, even if he were to be at odds with the entire court, Wu Zetian probably wouldn't have made him the crown prince, right?
He asked instinctively, "Then... what should we do?"

"What should we do? Shall we turn back and go home? You can stay and be a carefree prince, and I'll just be the chief steward of the prince's residence."

"what?"

Li Xian was taken aback and turned to look at Liu Jianjun, only to find that Liu Jianjun rolled his eyes at him in an annoyed manner.

Li Xian was stunned, and then realized that Liu Jianjun was joking with him.

Then, Li Xian smiled apologetically and said, "I was a little distracted."

Since entering the Prince's Mansion, Liu Jianjun has brought him so much information that Li Xian is still a little overwhelmed.

Suddenly, he realized he was no longer his mother's biological son. Suddenly, all the efforts he and Liu Jianjun had made were useless. The huge change was hard for Li Xian to accept.

"Since we can't turn back, of course we have to keep moving forward."

Liu Jianjun shrugged and said, "Therefore, we must implement the Pulanbi policy."

“Pranbi?”

"Well... that means the backup plan. My original idea was that if everything went smoothly, we would unite Di Renjie, Li Zhaode, and others to help you secure the position of Crown Prince, and then gradually gain power, especially the power to mobilize the Imperial Guards, and finally force your mother, the Empress Dowager, to abdicate."

"But now... the plan needs to be adjusted a little."

"Adjustment?"

“There’s no need for our people to show their faces. Since you’re not that old woman’s biological son, even if the entire court of officials were to advise her to make you the crown prince, I doubt she would agree.”

Li Xian nodded.

Liu Jianjun continued, "Therefore, having Di Renjie and the others step forward at this time will not only expose our power and arouse your mother's vigilance, but will also bring no benefit whatsoever."

"That……?"

“Let them keep hiding, and you… step forward.” Liu Jianjun stared intently at Li Xian.

"Should I step forward?"

"Yes, let's go and snatch it from Xianzi!"

Li Xian was puzzled.

If the entire court is incompetent, how can you manage on your own?

As if reading Li Xian's mind, Liu Jianjun said, "Precisely because it's impossible, you have to go and steal it!"
"Think about it, if a prince who is hardworking, obedient, and even holds the title of eldest son, but in the end loses to the prince who is unwilling to be the crown prince but is forced into it, how would he feel?"

Li Xian tentatively asked, "Will you feel resentful?"

"More than that! The resentment was practically soaring to the heavens!" Liu Jianjun exclaimed dramatically, then added, "At this point, the prince, disheartened, requested to distance himself from the court. What would that old woman Wu Zetian think?"

"how to think?"

"She'd love for you to leave as soon as possible! If you were really her son, she might feel sorry for you, but since you're not, she'd love to get you as far away as possible so she can avoid seeing you and getting annoyed!"

Li Xian pondered for a moment and said, "Then...where should I go? Back to Chang'an?"

Chang'an was Liu Jianjun's base of operations, which he had cultivated for a long time. Although it would be somewhat stifling to make progress slowly in Chang'an, Li Xian could barely accept it.

After all, having lost the identity of being Wu Zetian's biological son, he was naturally at a disadvantage.

"No, go to the northern frontier."

Liu Jianjun suddenly looked intently at Li Xian, "We're going to do something big next. We're going to go somewhere your mother's reach is limited. Chang'an won't do; it's too dangerous."

"What big business are you going to do?" Li Xian asked instinctively.

But Liu Jianjun didn't answer. Instead, he suddenly changed his tone and asked, "Xianzi, let me ask you something."

"Ok?"

"If... I mean if, Wu Zetian really isn't your mother, would you... be soft-hearted towards her?"

Li Xian's heart tightened, and he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"No."

Liu Jianjun suddenly waved his hand and then laughed, "I never expected that what I planted unintentionally would turn out so well."

A very clumsy way of changing the subject.

But Li Xian didn't dare to think too deeply about the question Liu Jianjun had just raised, so he could only take the opportunity to say, "How could it be an unintentional act?"

“The cotton textile factory, didn’t Xue Ne ask us for a large batch of cotton cloth back then? Later, I simply transferred Lao Wang there and had him build a new cotton branch factory there. That place can now be used as our new base.”

Li Xian nodded in agreement.

Liu Jianjun continued, "We need a reason to go to the northern frontier, right? We can't just have Wu Zetian elect Xianzi and then immediately throw up our hands, crying and shouting 'I won't do it! I won't do it!' and then tell that old woman that you're angry and you're going to the northern frontier, right?"

Li Xian glared at him angrily.

When Liu Jianjun said this, his tone and expression were both smug.

When have I ever acted like you?

"I was just using an analogy, wasn't I?"

Liu Jianjun, with an expression that said, "What can you do to me?", continued, "So, if an urgent report happens to come from the northern frontier at this time, and you casually bring it up, wouldn't the whole thing seem much more natural?"

"You're trying to... give false intelligence?!" Li Xian's eyes widened.

"Don't be so serious." Liu Jianjun waved his hand dismissively. "We don't necessarily have to lie. Anyway, there are frequent battles in the northern border. Whether to report or not depends on the judgment of the soldiers guarding the border. At worst, we can just have Xue Ne pick some minor battles to report."

Li Xian thought to himself: That makes sense.

But at this moment, Liu Jianjun suddenly frowned.

Li Xian was taken aback: "What's wrong?"

"Can you smell that? What's that smell? It smells really nice..."

"Hmm?" Li Xian sniffed. There did seem to be a burnt aroma, somewhat like... the smell of roasted beef?
"I rely on!"

Liu Jianjun suddenly grabbed the brazier next to him.

Inside, the cover of the previous leather book was charred, emitting a fragrant smell.

……

(End of this chapter)