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

Chapter 93 Liu Jianjun's Backup Plan
Liu Jianjun brags all the time.

This time, Li Xian didn't have to wait long before Shangguan Wan'er tidied herself up and left Liu Jianjun's courtyard. Her face returned to its usual cool and calm demeanor, but in the flicker of her eyes, one could still vaguely see a trace of lingering springtime passion.

Their eyes met, and there was a subtle awkwardness between them.

Li Xian coughed lightly: "The entourage has been waiting for a long time. Take care on your journey, Miss Wan'er."

Shangguan Wan'er curtsied and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. I will take my leave now. Your Highness need not worry too much about the Empress Dowager. Please rest assured."

Watching Shangguan Wan'er's figure disappear, Li Xian turned around and walked back to the courtyard.

Liu Jianjun was sitting at the stone table with his legs crossed, looking quite lazy.

Li Xian said irritably, "Why didn't you even see them off?"

Liu Jianjun rolled his eyes and retorted, "Then you two can be all lovey-dovey in front of the honor guard and have them pass on the message to Empress Wu?"

Liu Jianjun is indeed always good at arguing and sophistry.

But upon closer examination, it becomes impossible to refute.

Before Li Xian could speak, Liu Jianjun suddenly asked again, "Xianzi, what kind of person is Danzi?"

Seeing Liu Jianjun's serious expression, Li Xian knew that this was serious business again. After thinking for a while, he replied, "My fourth brother is the youngest and is the most favored by our mother among us brothers."

"He was enfeoffed as the King of Yin at birth, and was appointed Grand Protector of the Shanyu at the age of three. Because he had never been separated from his father and mother since childhood, he was gentle, quiet, humble, and kind, and loved learning calligraphy and painting..."

Before Li Xian could finish speaking, Liu Jianjun interrupted, "Don't just use the positive words. Does that mean he's even more timid than you and Xianzi, but a little smarter? And younger, so easier to manipulate?"

Li Xian's voice faltered.

But then he reluctantly nodded in agreement.

“No wonder…” Liu Jianjun murmured, then frowned and pondered for a while without speaking again.

Li Xian asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

“No, if Danzi had that kind of personality, he might actually be living a more comfortable life…” Liu Jianjun paused, then said, “At least he would be better off than Xianzi.”

Li Xian choked for a moment, his expression somewhat worried: "Brother Xian... has he really been demoted to Fangzhou?"

"Otherwise what? Would Shangguan Wan'er joke about something like this?" Liu Jianjun smirked and asked, "What, feeling sorry for her?"

Li Xian was silent for a moment, then sighed: "I just feel... it's too fast, and Fangzhou is such a place..."

Fangzhou was a remote and harsh place, historically a place for exiled members of the imperial family. Li Xian, who had suddenly fallen from the throne, was exiled there, and one can imagine his desolation.

"A swift and decisive approach is more in line with your mother's style. As for Fangzhou..." Liu Jianjun shrugged, "At least he survived. At this stage, being alive is a victory."

Li Xian was taken aback; he understood the implication in Liu Jianjun's words.

"To live...is to win?"

"Your mother supported Danzi to the throne with the ultimate goal of making up for her unstable foundation and seizing power. Therefore, she will continue to follow your father's approach, suppress aristocratic families, promote the imperial examination system, win over commoners, and cultivate a force that is loyal only to her."

"On the other hand, she will set out to eliminate any potential threats that could endanger her future."

At this point, Liu Jianjun stared intently at Li Xian: "The first to be affected are your Li clan, especially your father's sons, because theoretically, they all have a slight chance of inheriting the Li Tang dynasty."

"Especially those princes who were dismissed or enfeoffed in remote areas, even if they died, they wouldn't cause any trouble."

“But if they live, it will cause your mother worry.”

Li Xian instantly felt a chill rise up his spine.

Liu Jianjun is right. Survival is victory, and this is the most realistic and bloodiest goal in this increasingly brutal game of power.

He had already experienced this cruelty firsthand.

If he hadn't come to Chang'an under the guise of auspicious omens, he might have become the first potential threat to be eliminated by the Empress Dowager.

All of this is because of Liu Jianjun. "However, for now, you are not in any danger. As a useless prince who is only thinking about clearing his name, and in Chang'an under the public eye, the cost of killing you is too high and not proportional to the benefits. Your mother will not touch you," Liu Jianjun added.

"This is the effect we have always been pursuing."

Li Xian was slightly relieved, then asked, "You told Miss Shangguan before that a rebellion was about to break out. Was it because your fourth brother was too young to command respect?"

"No."

Liu Jianjun decisively shook his head in denial.

"It's against your mother."

Li Xian was taken aback and said, "Then why did you ask Miss Shangguan to offer advice to the Empress Dowager?"

Li Xian was puzzled. Since the rebellion was against the Empress Dowager, and the principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" was upheld, why would Liu Jianjun help the Empress Dowager?

“Because I instigated it,” Liu Jianjun said, making a startling statement.

Li Xian's eyes widened instantly.

"Well... it's not quite right to say that I instigated him. To be precise, Pei Yan had been harboring wicked intentions for a long time, and I just fanned the flames."

"The two of them fighting like dogs is good for us."

Li Xian was stunned again: "Pei Yan? He's not the Empress Dowager's man..."

At this point, Li Xian paused, remembering what Liu Jianjun had said about Pei Yan and the Empress Dowager having a cooperative relationship, so he changed his words: "Isn't he an ally of the Empress Dowager?"

"This is too complicated, you wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you now."

Li Xian choked again.

Liu Jianjun's words are infuriating.

He then asked, "So how did you fan the flames?"

Liu Jianjun replied, "Do you remember the nursery rhyme I taught those kids last time? That nursery rhyme, plus Wang Bo and Luo Binwang, is it."

Li Xian still couldn't figure it out. Just as he was about to ask more questions, Liu Jianjun said, "If you can figure it out, then you can. If you can't, I'll explain it to you next time."

Then, he shut his mouth.

……

The Imperial Guards' ban on the Prince of Pei's residence did not last long, presumably because the Empress Dowager had already brought the situation in the court under control.

On the third day, Prince Pei's residence was finally opened to free movement.

The first thing Liu Jianjun said was, "Let's go out for a walk."

Li Xian was both amused and exasperated, but he knew that Liu Jianjun was just bored in the palace. Since he had nothing else to do, he went out with Liu Jianjun.

As soon as Li Xian left the Prince of Pei's residence, he noticed something different about Chang'an.

The former prosperity and hustle and bustle seem to have been largely drained away.

Many grand mansions had few carriages or horses in front of them, and some even had their gates tightly closed, with seals or notices announcing that the owners had left.

Although the East and West markets were still open, the flow of customers was noticeably sparse. Many shops were deserted, and shopkeepers and clerks leaned against the doorframes, looking at the desolate streets with worried expressions. Even the number of pedestrians on the road had decreased significantly, and the whole city was filled with a sense of abandonment and desolation.

In contrast, the Prince of Pei's mansion was like a deserted island in a silent, dead sea.

Clearly, news of Empress Wu's relocation of the capital to Luoyang had already spread.

……

(End of this chapter)