Chapter 115: Beyond the Long Pavilion

Page 1/3

At Xingqing Palace, incense coils rose in delicate spirals, and the sound of drums and music echoed throughout Chang’an. The annual Qianqiu Festival had begun. Within the majestic imperial city, the bell tolled nine times, its reverberations soaring into the heavens, as if attempting to summon the celestial immortals to join this grand celebration.

Among the ministers, the two chancellors stood foremost. Li Shizhi, drunk and hazy, was encouraged—whether intentionally or not—by Li Linfu to seize this grand occasion to petition His Majesty: the gold mines of Mount Hua should be exploited.

This proposal played perfectly into Li Linfu’s hands, and thus a venomous plot was born.

After submitting his petition, Li Shizhi collapsed in a drunken stupor within the Jade Pool Hall of Xingqing Palace. Seizing the opportunity, Li Linfu stepped forward again, this time threatening Chen Liexi with his eyes to jointly denounce Li Shizhi’s misstep, driving the matter to an extreme.

Mount Hua was the dragon vein of His Majesty, the mountain of Tang’s destiny. To mine its gold was to sever the dragon vein and dissipate the fortune of the realm—a truly harmful act to the nation.

Upon hearing this, the sovereign, who had been celebratory for his birthday, could not help but feel heavy-hearted. Though he did not act immediately, the next day he dismissed the Left Chancellor and demoted him, reinstating Censor Chen Liexi as Left Chancellor. From then on, Chen Liexi was nominally the Left Chancellor, the foremost minister, but the real power subtly slipped into Li Linfu’s hands, who thus quietly approached the pinnacle of authority.

Outside Chang’an, at a long pavilion, a group gathered to host a farewell banquet.

“Left Chancellor Li!” Wu Yueling stood with fists clasped, her cloak tousled in the wind. Having only recently shared drinks with the Eight Immortals, she now faced a parting. “I’ve heard about the Jade Pool Hall incident. It was indeed improper to speak recklessly while drunk! Afterwards, I even sought my foster mother’s insight, and the sovereign remains resentful! Moreover, I suspect there is something amiss in this matter. Given the Left Chancellor’s temperament, he shouldn’t have behaved so!”

“Hahaha! Ah, life is ever-changing and unpredictable. I thank the princess for her concern. I am no longer the Left Chancellor; the court’s conflicts no longer concern me. Years in high office have been wearying to both heart and body. Well then, it’s best to seize this chance to slip away!” The old man with a ruddy nose spoke cheerfully. Seeing the princess’s worried expression, he finally confided, “Actually, it was all the scheming of that Li Linfu. To be honest, I plotted against others when I was in office too, so it’s only natural that I am now being plotted against!”

“That man again!” Wu Yueling’s gaze darkened in thought. The current Left Chancellor was not him—so why act this way?

“Princess, sometimes it’s better to stand outside the fray. Chang’an’s situation is far more complicated than it seems. If anything goes awry, it is better to follow Princess Yuzhen’s example and live abroad long-term. At least then you can secure your safety.”

The old man’s serious tone bore the weight of a chancellor’s wisdom. Hearing his advice, Wu Yueling smiled faintly. Perhaps so. It seemed her place to settle and make a life was indeed at Qujiang Pool in Chang’an. This was home, and she feared she could not leave.

“Thank you for your counsel, Left Chancellor.”

Page 2/3

“I told you, I’m no longer the Left Chancellor…”

Within the pavilion, He Lao, Zhang Xu, Li Bai, and the rest of the Eight Immortals had all gathered. No one had expected that the first to leave Chang’an would be Li Shizhi.

Beyond sorrow, Li Bai, drunk, raved wildly—constantly casting veiled criticisms. He declared the sovereign had grown senile and allowed treacherous ministers to dominate. With the Left Chancellor gone, the power dynamics in Chang’an’s court would surely be reshuffled.

Bidding farewell under the willow trees, each friend presented Li Shizhi with a poem, expressing their reluctance to part.

Wu Yueling stood outside the pavilion, watching the departing carriage and the sinking sun, silent on the long ancient road. A tinge of melancholy stirred within, but only briefly. Perhaps, as Li Shizhi said, leaving Chang’an was truly his best refuge.

By the time she returned to the princess’s residence, night had fully fallen.

Seated quietly in the garden, caressing the white tiger under the flickering amber lamp, Du Fu came to visit, speaking bluntly at once.

“Princess, I have observed their commerce for several days. It is, as described in books, merely a pursuit of profit—engaging in unfair dealings and earning low prices. There is nothing admirable in this. I find it hard to accept your arrangement and hope you will reconsider.”

Stroking the tiger’s ears, already aware of Du Fu’s reaction, she calmly met his gaze and said, “Farming and raising livestock are also about seeking profit.”

“Princess, it cannot be explained that way!” Du Fu widened his eyes slightly in response.

“Humans extract resources from nature for survival—that is a form of exchange. Then they use those resources to trade for greater benefits. There is nothing wrong with this. Officials are no different: they draw salaries from the people, while serving their welfare—good officials seek benefit for the people. The starting point is always profit. Thus, profit is quite normal. The world is composed of various interests. What do you think? Is there a problem?”

“This…”

Du Fu was speechless. Indeed, to live is to survive, and even friendship is a kind of benefit. He could neither oppose nor fully accept the princess’s words.

Page 3/3

“Of course, from a merchant’s perspective, the profits they seek can be good or bad. But they do drive development. If everyone became a merchant to improve ordinary lives, then merchants would spur economic growth. At that point, you might not understand,” she added.

“I truly cannot understand that merchants drive economic development. With my years of experience, I remain unconvinced,” Du Fu admitted, sensing the gleam of wisdom in the princess’s eyes.

“Small-scale, unregulated commerce won’t work. Large-scale, guided commerce will. Merchants are the cornerstone of national strength. Your objection is really to farming. If everyone were merchants, who would farm and feed the people? Actually, everyone can farm and also engage in commerce. This way, they can break free from the oppression of wealthy landowners. You know why there are so many refugees? Because they lack land. Unable to sustain themselves, they wander. This is the conclusion I reached through study and observation.”

“I think I understand. Without land or food, people starve or become vagrants. But what does this have to do with commerce?” Du Fu’s mind settled somewhat. If only land reform occurred.

“That’s because farming is the foundation of commerce. If you can’t feed yourself, what do you sell? Only through trade and exchange can one truly survive. Eating dried fruits from Lingnan in winter is thanks to merchants! Farming secures basic needs; commerce fosters development—a higher quality of life beyond mere sustenance. Only when the people live in peace and prosperity will the nation be strong.”

“I believe I grasp the cause and effect now. But if the princess were to propose this to His Majesty…”

“The Left Chancellor has been dismissed!”

Du Fu stood far off, respectfully watching the princess’s departing figure. Pondering her words, he understood that she had long intended this. Only the dismissal of the Left Chancellor, one of the Eight Immortals, had prevented its implementation. Realizing this, Du Fu resolved to visit the Journey to the West Tavern again, hoping to find the key she mentioned—and an answer to his brother Li Bai’s concerns.

Meanwhile, in Chang’an, the underworld agents scoured the city relentlessly, nearly turning it upside down. The commander of the underworld and his two fellow leaders had not slept for nights. They could not find the missing Qing Yu and Le Meng, who had vanished within the city itself. Zhang Heng realized the gravity of the Manichaean sect’s methods.

Two dark forces—the underworld agents and the Manichaean cult—clashed fiercely beneath Chang’an’s night sky. Which side truly ruled the city’s shadows?

Read the latest chapters first at “Steamed Tang Claw Bookstore,” free as they release.