HNYWEF -Chapter 44 Stubbornly Fixating on a Dead End

The seventh day of the seventh lunar month, in the first year of Zhenguan.

Qixi Festival.

Inside the palace, colorful silks were hung and fruit platters were arranged. All the customary formalities were in place, nothing missing. But when Li Shimin returned from outside, his expression was off.

Empress Zhangsun was drinking tea.

When she saw him enter, she set down her teacup, just about to speak, when he cut in first.

“I’ve figured it out.”

The Empress waited for him to continue.

Li Shimin sat down across from her.

“What Zhou Xiong meant when he said ‘it won’t work’ wasn’t about Zhou Yi and Lichang. He meant Wuji.”

The Empress’s brow twitched slightly.

She nodded.

“Zhi-jie already told me,” she said.

Cheng Yaojin had already spoken to her.

Li Shimin looked at her.

“Then do you know what I’ve been thinking these past few days?”

The Empress said nothing.

Li Shimin continued:

“I was thinking—if he doesn’t like Wuji, then I’ll just change the in-laws.”

The Empress paused slightly.

“Change the in-laws?”

She lifted her teacup and took a sip.

Li Shimin nodded.

“I’ll have him marry a princess.”

She still didn’t speak.

She looked at him with an expression that was… hard to describe.

Li Shimin went on:

“Not Lichang. A princess of higher rank. Father had many daughters—there must be someone suitable. Right age, proper status. A second marriage for him would be appropriate.”

“Pfft.”

Li Shimin froze.

The Empress spat out her tea, then quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and looked at him.

That gaze—

Li Shimin had seen it before.

A few days ago, Zhou Xiong had looked at him exactly like that.

Eyes narrowed.

Scanning from head to toe.

Like he was looking at… something hard to define.

Li Shimin felt slightly uncomfortable.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.

The Empress said nothing.

Just kept looking.

Three breaths passed.

Five breaths.

Li Shimin began to feel uneasy under her stare.

“Er-lang, what exactly—”

The Empress finally spoke.

Her voice was very soft.

“Is this marriage alliance… something you absolutely must make?”

Li Shimin opened his mouth.

She waited.

But no words came out.

He just sat there, looking at her.

And she looked back at him.

Silence stretched between them.

Outside the window, insects chirped—shrilly, endlessly.

Li Shimin suddenly realized he had no answer.

He tried to speak, but nothing formed.

Because suddenly he remembered—

Why was he insisting on forming a marriage alliance with Zhou Xiong?

For gratitude? Zhou Xiong didn’t need it.

For talent? Zhou Xiong didn’t care.

For connection? Zhou Xiong didn’t accept it.

Then what was it for?

To ease something… right. To ease something.

But what exactly?

He sat there for a long time.

Still unable to figure it out.

The Empress looked at him and suddenly smiled.

A faint smile.

She stood up, walked to his side, and patted his hand.

“Alright. Stop thinking about it.”

Li Shimin looked up at her.

She said:

“You’ve been overthinking this. You’re stuck in a dead end.”

Li Shimin said nothing.

The Empress turned and walked toward the door.

At the threshold, she paused.

Without turning back, she said:

“Forget this ever crossed your mind.”

Then she pushed the door open and left.

Li Shimin remained seated, motionless.

Outside, the insects kept chirping.

Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.

He sat there for a long time.

Then suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Very light.

After laughing, he stood up and walked to the window.

Outside, the sky had darkened. The moon had just risen, hanging faintly on the horizon.

He looked at it.

Stared for a while.

And still felt—this idea… might actually work.