HNYWEF -Chapter 111 Another Debt

The Imperial Palace

Dinner had just been set.

Emperor Taizong of Tang sat at the table, with Empress Zhangsun beside him. Below them were Li Chengqian, Li Tai, and Princess Changle (Li Lizhi), seated in order.

They hadn’t even taken a few bites when Li Shimin was asking Li Chengqian about his studies.

At that moment, a young eunuch hurried in from outside. He approached the emperor, bent low, and whispered a few words.

Li Shimin’s chopsticks froze in mid-air.

He listened. Said nothing.

Then he suddenly flung the chopsticks away.

They hit the table, bounced to the floor, and snapped in two with a sharp crack.

Everyone froze.

Empress Zhangsun was stunned.

Li Chengqian looked up.

Li Tai put his chopsticks down.

Li Lizhi stared at her father, confused about what had happened.

Li Shimin’s face showed no expression.

But his eyes—

Those were battlefield eyes.

Then he spoke.

Not loud, but every word was forced out through clenched teeth.

“Where did these Wa people come from?”

The eunuch kept his head down.

“It is said… they are envoys from the Wa state.”

“Envoys?”

Li Shimin gave a cold laugh.

“How long have they been in Chang’an?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty… according to the Ministry of Rites, about seven or eight days.”

Li Shimin nodded slowly.

“Seven or eight days. I wasn’t informed. The Honglu Temple didn’t report. The Ministry of Rites didn’t report either. And now they’re causing trouble at the Zhou family blacksmith shop, and they’ve injured Zhou Xiong’s son?”

He paused.

Then suddenly roared:

“They injured the man who is to become my son-in-law?!”

With a bang, Li Chengqian slammed his hand on the table and stood up, knocking the dishes.

Li Tai also stood up, his chair falling over with a crash.

To them, Zhou Yi had already become family.

“Father! Let me kill them!”

“I’ll go too!”

Li Shimin glanced at them.

That look froze both of them in place.

Then he continued, voice still low but cutting like a blade:

“So the Honglu Temple can’t even track when foreign envoys enter! The Ministry of Rites can’t even register a delegation properly! The Imperial Guards did go—but they arrived only after Zhou Yi had already been cut down right under their noses!”

He stood up.

“I keep these useless officials so that they can come tell me—after my future son-in-law has been injured—that something has happened?”

Empress Zhangsun covered her mouth.

Li Lizhi’s face went pale.

“Brother Zhou Yi…”

She didn’t finish. Tears spilled out, and she collapsed into her mother’s arms, trembling.

Li Shimin turned and walked toward the exit.

Li Chengqian followed.

Li Tai followed as well.

At the doorway, Empress Zhangsun spoke:

“Stop.”

Li Shimin halted, but did not turn around.

She gently placed Li Lizhi back onto her seat, then walked to stand in front of him.

Looking straight at him, she asked:

“Second brother, what will you achieve by going there now?”

Li Shimin said nothing.

She continued:

“Zhou Xiong is there. Cheng Yaojin is there. Niu Jinda is there. They don’t lack one more man standing and watching.”

Then she added firmly:

“What matters now is sending imperial physicians. What matters is informing the right people. What matters is making sure those Wa envoys cannot escape.”

She turned and shouted outside:

“Someone!”

A eunuch rushed in.

“Go to the Imperial Medical Academy. Bring the best external-injury physician to the Zhou family blacksmith shop. Immediately!”

The eunuch hurried away.

Li Shimin stood still, unmoving.

Empress Zhangsun returned to him, took his hand.

It was trembling.

She said nothing.

Just held it.

After a long silence, Li Shimin finally spoke, voice almost inaudible:

“How many times… has he saved me?”

Empress Zhangsun did not answer.

“He even arranged marriage between his son and Lizhi… I personally approved it. I pulled his son into this muddy water.”

He looked at her.

“And now his son has been cut down in Chang’an…”

His eyes were red.

“I owe him… another debt.”

No one spoke.

Li Chengqian suddenly said from behind:

“Father, I will go to the Honglu Temple. I will find out where those people are being held.”

Li Shimin did not turn.

Li Tai added:

“I will go to the Ministry of Rites. I’ll find out how those Wa envoys got in.”

Still, no response.

After a long pause, Li Shimin finally nodded.

“Go.”

The two princes turned and left.

Li Shimin stood there, staring into the night outside.

The moon had just risen, faint and pale, hanging at the edge of the sky.

He looked at it for a long time.

Then he whispered, so softly it was almost lost:

“How do I repay this debt?”

Empress Zhangsun stood beside him, silent.

Just holding his hand.

It was still trembling.