HNYWEF -Chapter 112 The Failure of Rationality

Eighth day of the eighth month, in the fourth year of Zhenguan.

Side hall of the Two Instruments Hall.

The morning court session had just ended; this was a routine meeting for Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin).

Li Shimin sat behind the desk, his expression dark. He had not slept all night, dark circles shadowing his eyes, yet his posture remained upright.

On his left stood Fang Xuanling, holding a document and flipping through it. Beside him stood Wei Zheng, his face unreadable. On the right stood Changsun Wuji, head lowered as he looked at his tablet of office.

Cheng Yaojin was pacing back and forth in the center of the room. Yuchi Gong leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed. Qin Qiong stood by the window, gazing outside at the sky.

No one spoke.

Li Shimin broke the silence first.

“Is Zhou Xiong still unconscious?”

A brief stillness filled the room.

Li Shimin raised his head. “What did the imperial physicians say?”

Fang Xuanling replied, “They said it was exhaustion. Combined with emotional strain—he’ll recover once he sleeps it off.”

He paused.

“Zhou Yi’s injuries are being handled by the physicians now. Wound care has been handed over to the Imperial Medical Bureau.”

Cheng Yaojin stopped pacing.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, then swallowed the words back down.

Fang Xuanling handed forward the document in his hand.

“Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites has submitted its report. The matter of those Wa people has been investigated and clarified.”

Li Shimin did not take it.

“Speak.”

Fang Xuanling nodded.

“The three are indeed members of the Wa envoy mission. The chief envoy is Inugami no Sadehito, the vice envoy is Yakushi no Eji, and the one who committed the assault—the guard—his name is… too long for me to remember.”

He paused again.

“The delegation arrived in Chang’an on the twenty-eighth day of the seventh month and was registered by the Honglu Temple. On the eighth day of the eighth month, those three left without informing the chief envoy, went out privately without escort, and visited the Zhou blacksmith shop.”

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes.

“Left without permission?”

Fang Xuanling replied, “Yes. The Ministry of Rites’ supervision was lacking—there were lapses. But regarding the assault…”

He glanced at the document in his hand.

“Only the guard drew his blade. He alone committed the attack. The other two did not act.”

Cheng Yaojin frowned.

“What does that mean? Those two weren’t with him?”

Fang Xuanling said, “They were together. But only one of them acted.”

Suddenly, Changsun Wuji spoke.

“Then this is an individual act.”

Cheng Yaojin turned to stare at him.

Changsun Wuji did not look at him and continued.

“An envoy visit is a matter of diplomacy. An assault committed by a guard is an individual crime. The two must not be conflated.”

He raised his head and looked at Li Shimin.

“Your Majesty, this matter should be handled by the Ministry of Rites—through diplomatic negotiation with the Wa envoy. Demand that the perpetrator be handed over and dealt with according to Tang law. As for the delegation itself, it should not be implicated.”

Cheng Yaojin’s eyes widened.

“What did you say?”

Changsun Wuji looked at him calmly.

“General Cheng, this is diplomacy. The envoy represents the Wa king, not a few wandering rogues. To move against the envoy is to harm diplomatic relations.”

Cheng Yaojin took a step forward.

“Diplomacy? They cut down Zhou Xiong’s son! The future son-in-law of the imperial family! And you’re talking about diplomacy?”

Changsun Wuji frowned slightly.

“Zhou Xiong is imperial kin, and Zhou Yi is a future son-in-law—I know that. But precisely because of this, we must follow procedure.”

He looked directly at Cheng Yaojin.

“If we act on impulse and punish the entire delegation, what will Wa think when word spreads? If the two countries fall into conflict, who will bear the responsibility?”

Cheng Yaojin’s chest rose and fell heavily.

“So what you’re saying is—he got cut down, and we just hand over the culprit and call it settled?”

Changsun Wuji said calmly, “According to procedure, yes.”

Cheng Yaojin stared at him for three breaths.

Then he moved.

Bang!

His fist slammed into Changsun Wuji’s face.

Changsun Wuji was knocked backward, crashing into a chair behind him and falling heavily to the ground with a loud clatter.

The entire room froze.

Fang Xuanling stood there, mouth slightly open.

Wei Zheng’s expression shifted subtly.

Yuchi Gong straightened his body.

Qin Qiong walked over from the window.

Changsun Wuji was lying on the ground, covering his face. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He struggled to get up, glaring at Cheng Yaojin, his eyes red.

“Cheng Zhijie! You—”

“What you ‘you’!”

Cheng Yaojin’s voice was even louder, shaking dust down from the roof.

“Rules, rules—your damn mouth is always just rules! Zhou Xiong’s son is lying there, his arm sliced open so deep, blood all over the floor! Zhou Xiong finished stitching him up and passed out right away—he still hasn’t woken up!”

He stepped forward and pointed right at Changsun Wuji’s nose.

“And now you’re telling me to handle things by the rules? Handle your damn mother!”

Changsun Wuji struggled up from the ground, clutching half his face, his voice breaking.

“Cheng Zhijie! This is the council hall! Not a place for you to run wild!”

Cheng Yaojin was about to rush forward again, but Yuchi Gong grabbed him tightly.

“Old Cheng! Old Cheng!”

Cheng Yaojin struggled twice but couldn’t break free. He panted heavily, glaring at Changsun Wuji.

“I’m running wild? I’m beating exactly people like you—heartless bastards!”

Changsun Wuji’s face turned red and pale in turn. His lips trembled, wanting to speak but unable to get the words out.

Fang Xuanling quickly stepped in to mediate.

“General Cheng, Wuji didn’t mean it that way…”

“Then what did he mean?”

Cheng Yaojin cut him off.

“I heard every word he said clearly! Handle it by the rules? Just compensate someone and it’s over? Then what about Zhou Xiong? His son took a knife for nothing?”

Fang Xuanling opened his mouth but couldn’t respond.

Wei Zheng suddenly spoke.

“General Cheng.”

Cheng Yaojin looked at him.

Wei Zheng said, “Wuji’s words have their reasoning. But so do yours.”

He paused slightly.

“This matter cannot be handled only by rules, nor can it ignore them entirely.”

Cheng Yaojin stared at him.

“Speak like a human being.”

Wei Zheng glanced at him.

“What I mean is—this diplomatic mission must be dealt with, but the method matters. The one who caused the injury must die; that is the bottom line. But the rest of the envoys can be kept alive and sent back to deliver a message.”

He looked toward Li Shimin.

“Let Wa know that the Tang emperor’s son-in-law is not someone they can touch.”

The room fell silent.

Li Shimin had not spoken the entire time.

He sat behind the desk, watching them, his expression unreadable.

After a long moment, he finally spoke.

“Fuji.”

Changsun Wuji lowered his head, still covering his face.

“This minister is here.”

Li Shimin said, “Cheng Yaojin hitting you—you deserved it.”

Changsun Wuji’s body stiffened slightly.

Li Shimin continued, “But what you said earlier was not without reason.”

He stood up.

“The one who caused the injury shall be executed according to Tang law.”

He paused.

“The rest of the envoys—make them kneel outside Zhou’s blacksmith shop for three days. Then send them back.”

He walked toward the door.

At the threshold, he suddenly stopped.

Without turning back, he said:

“Tell their king—if he sends such ignorant people again, I will send troops myself and teach them what ‘rules’ truly mean.”

With that, he pushed the door open and left.

The room fell completely silent.

Cheng Yaojin stood there, still breathing heavily.

Yuchi Gong slowly let go of his grip.

Fang Xuanling lowered his head, lost in thought.

Wei Zheng stood motionless, his expression calm and unreadable.

Qin Qiong walked over and patted Cheng Yaojin’s shoulder.

He said nothing.

Changsun Wuji remained standing there, clutching his face, unable to speak a single word.