LFHYB – Chapter 4 Suffering a Verbal Loss, Gaining Instead

Li Shimin burst into loud sobs, Li Jiancheng’s face was dark and gloomy, and everyone else looked awkward.

Very quickly, Lady Dou hurried over. Even Old Madam Dugu was alarmed and sent her trusted maidservants to inquire about the situation.

The physician retained by the Duke of Tang’s residence rushed over and gave Li Xuanba several acupuncture needles, finally stopping the vomiting.

The vomit on the floor had already been cleaned up, but the smell had not yet dispersed.

Li Xuanba was moved to another room. Holding a bowl of bitter medicinal decoction, his face was full of world-weary melancholy.

Bitter—truly bitter.

He had only just been about to break his record of going nearly a month without taking medicine, and now he had to keep company with herbal soup again.

The surrounding adults all dispersed. Lady Dou went to comfort the frightened companions of Li Jiancheng. Only Li Xuanba and Li Shimin, who sat by the bed wiping away tears, remained in the room.

While drinking the medicine, Li Xuanba said silently to Li Shimin in his heart: [Brother, stop crying. Your eyes are all swollen.]

Li Shimin sniffed and muttered, “Why didn’t Mother scold Eldest Brother? Mother is biased!”

Li Xuanba sighed. How was he supposed to explain this…

The fact that Li Jiancheng’s visit to check on him had made him vomit—it really wasn’t something that could be punished.

Because this was simply what hygiene was like for feudal men at the time.

Ancient China originally placed great importance on cleanliness. The Book of Rites says, “At the crowing of the rooster at dawn, all wash and cleanse.” Daily grooming and cleanliness had already risen to the level of ritual propriety.

But the smell of a hangover couldn’t be removed by merely washing one’s face and rinsing one’s mouth—especially when, at this time, there was no toothpaste or mouthwash to freshen breath, only green salt.

As for bathing, people had long hair and no hair dryers. If they didn’t keep warm afterward, it was easy to get headaches, so some people, following so-called health-preserving principles, disliked bathing.

Others were simply lazy.

Society did not demand very high standards of personal hygiene from scholar-officials.

For example, Bai Juyi once wrote of himself, “For years I did not bathe; dust and grime covered my skin.” Su Shi also wrote, “My thinning hair has not yet reached my ears, yet I still need only one bath a month.”

If one says these were merely poets exaggerating for emotional expression, then Wang Anshi’s case—“clothes never washed, face never cleaned”—is recorded in the History of Song. His face was so filthy that his students thought he had contracted a fatal illness and invited a famous doctor to see him. The doctor prescribed, “Wash your face and you’ll be fine.”

Not to mention that this era had only just emerged from the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Aristocratic youths admired the style of Wei-Jin scholars; “scratching lice while discoursing” was considered a noble attitude toward life.

The hangover stench that Li Xuanba couldn’t stand was, in the eyes of others, a kind of refined scholar’s “fragrance.”

Wasn’t the aroma of wine brewed overnight pleasant? It even saved the trouble of burning incense—a hormonal scent that could make courtesans blush.

So when Li Jiancheng, still reeking of a hangover, brought his friends to visit his sick younger brother, Li Xuanba really couldn’t bluntly say that he had vomited because of their hangover stench.

That would not only offend Li Jiancheng and his companions, but also be a rebellious act against the spirit of the age, inviting mockery and censure from many people. They wouldn’t care that he was just a child.

Li Xuanba didn’t particularly mind such external judgments. He knew that in the future he would cling to his second brother and become a prince; reputation over such trivial matters was completely unimportant. But his mother and grandmother wouldn’t think that way.

[As a second son who cannot inherit the title, if one is to serve as an official outside the family, reputation is crucial. Since the Han dynasty, aristocratic families have cultivated prestige starting from childhood. If bad rumors spread when one is young, it becomes very hard to recover later.]

[With this body, I can’t go to the battlefield to win merit. I can only rely on patronage and the imperial examinations. Advancement through patronage requires recommendations; the examinations also require recommendations to enter school, aren’t anonymous, and evaluators consider an examinee’s reputation.]

After hearing his younger brother’s words, Li Shimin angrily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and said, “It’s clearly their fault. Why should your reputation be damaged?”

Li Xuanba finally finished the bitter medicine. Li Shimin took the empty bowl and stuffed a piece of sugar into Li Xuanba’s mouth.

Sucking on the sugar, Li Xuanba continued: [This era is just like this.]

Li Shimin pouted. “Even if one must act this way toward outsiders, behind closed doors shouldn’t Eldest Brother be scolded? Why did you still have to apologize to him, saying it was your poor health that caused him to lose face?”

This was what hurt Li Shimin the most.

The one who suffered was clearly A-Xuan—so why did A-Xuan still have to endure the discomfort and apologize to Li Jiancheng?!

Li Xuanba asked Li Shimin for some water.

Li Shimin quickly handed him warm water. After Li Xuanba finished drinking, Li Shimin placed the cup back on the small table beside the bed.

[Mother did it for my own good. Because in the future, I’ll have to rely on Eldest Brother to get by. If I take the initiative to admit fault now, Mother will definitely compensate me privately afterward. Mother is very good to us—don’t resent her.]

Second Brother was still young. Li Xuanba hadn’t wanted to talk to him about these things. But although his second brother loved to cry, his temper was also quite violent. He was worried that because of this incident, Second Brother might clash with Li Jiancheng too early.

Second Brother was a full ten years younger than Li Jiancheng. Li Jiancheng had already obtained a leisurely official post through patronage, while Second Brother was still a child who had only just begun his studies. If Second Brother made trouble now, it would only earn him a reputation for being unruly.

Regarding angering Li Jiancheng, Li Xuanba was truly innocent—and helpless.

He really hadn’t intended to provoke Li Jiancheng. On the contrary, he had previously tried to curry favor with him.

Li Xuanba knew his own limits. He couldn’t change the future of brothers turning on each other.

With Second Brother’s age as it was, the founding emperor was bound to be Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang.

Anyone with even a little historical knowledge knew that the Xuanwu Gate Incident did not depend on the personal will of Li Jiancheng or Li Shimin. The struggle between them was always a contest between Li Yuan and Second Brother.

As long as Li Yuan was emperor, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin were destined to become enemies.

But before the brothers turned on each other, if he could successfully live past sixteen, then sixteen-year-old Li Shimin would follow Li Yuan into battle. Sickly as he was, Li Xuanba couldn’t travel around and would certainly have to rely on Li Jiancheng, who stayed behind to guard the rear.

By the time the Tang dynasty was established, he would be twenty-one. In other words, he would have to live under Li Jiancheng’s protection for a full five years.

For the sake of making those five years a bit easier, Li Xuanba—ever the pragmatist—naturally wanted to draw a little closer to Li Jiancheng.

But what he hadn’t expected was that Li Jiancheng had originally only been emotionally indifferent toward him. After he deliberately tried to get close a few times, Li Jiancheng actually began to feel somewhat repulsed by him.

After several attempts to test the waters, Li Xuanba figured out what Li Jiancheng was thinking.

It wasn’t that Li Jiancheng was bad by nature.

First of all, Li Jiancheng had been an only son for ten years. Suddenly, he gained two younger brothers who were greatly favored—anyone would feel uncomfortable about that.

Even in modern times, conflicts between the first child and the second child are common.

What’s more, he and Second Brother were not only sons born after the Duke Tang’s household had waited ten years, but also a pair of prodigious twins regarded as auspicious omens. Originally, Li Jiancheng had been the center of attention in the Duke Tang’s residence. Now that focus had shifted to him and Second Brother. Anyone would feel awkward for a while.

Second, Li Jiancheng was a full ten years older than him.

In modern terms, that would be like a sixteen-year-old high school student being constantly pestered by a six-year-old preschool kid—his whole heart and face would be filled with the word “annoyed.” The more he was clung to, the more annoyed he became.

Moreover, both he and Second Brother were overly smart. They wouldn’t just listen to whatever Li Jiancheng said and shout with starry eyes, “Big Brother is amazing!” Instead, they’d look puzzled, as if asking, “That’s it?”

Clever little kids are even more annoying. Who has the patience to coax children?! So annoying!!

If he and Second Brother were a bit younger—say, around Fourth Brother’s current age—they might have gotten along better with Li Jiancheng.

Taking all this together, Li Jiancheng treated the two-year-old Li Yuanji fairly well, treated Li Shimin—who didn’t like to bother him—so-so, but felt rather annoyed toward him, who kept disturbing him.

Besides that, as the legitimate eldest son, Li Jiancheng was raised by their grandmother, who was still relatively healthy at the time, following the customs of great families. He and Second Brother, on the other hand, were closer to their mother.

Whenever there was friction between grandmother and mother, he relied on the fact that he was young and often ill—knowing grandmother wouldn’t get angry—and often sided with his mother. Li Jiancheng likely felt that he was not filial enough toward grandmother and found it hard to stomach.

With both factors combined, Li Jiancheng disliked him even more as a “little hellion.”

However, these small conflicts would fade as they grew older. Those awkward childhood emotions would be washed away by interests and reason.

During the Wei and Jin periods, China once again entered an era of aristocratic politics. Aside from the imperial family—where brothers often fought among themselves—the status of the legitimate eldest son in ordinary aristocratic clans was unshakable.

This wasn’t the so-called “difference between legitimate and concubine-born children” hyped up by modern marketing accounts.

The “legitimate vs. concubine-born” trope in inner-courtyard intrigue novels borrows from Korean and European systems, where a child’s status follows the mother’s status. In China, however, the system honored the “father.” As long as one was entered into the clan registry, aside from the legitimate eldest son enjoying a transcendent status, the gap among the other sons was not large. Compared with concubine-born sons, a legitimate second son might at most receive a bit more inheritance; in terms of political resources invested by the family, they were actually quite similar.

It wasn’t until after the Song dynasty, when officialdom relied mainly on the imperial examinations, that the gap between the legitimate eldest son and the other children truly narrowed.

Under current conditions, the imperial examinations had only just begun and very few entered officialdom through them. The court was still dominated by aristocratic politics. As the legitimate eldest son, Li Jiancheng could inherit the title, giving him a naturally much higher status than his brothers, who would need to make their own way.

Thus, at this time, “legitimate and concubine-born” meant that only the legitimate eldest son was “legitimate,” while all other sons—including full brothers of the same mother—were considered “secondary.”

No matter how many younger brothers Li Jiancheng had, none of them posed any threat to his position.

Furthermore, according to “filial piety,” families could not be divided while the parents were still alive. No matter how capable the younger brothers were, they still had to live obediently under Li Jiancheng. Even after establishing their own households, they would merely become the Duke Tang residence’s “Second Branch,” “Third Branch,” or “such-and-such Branch.” The more capable they were, the more they would become Li Jiancheng’s support.

All things considered, to put it bluntly: no matter how poorly Li Jiancheng treated him now, once he grew up, he would still have to obediently go to his elder brother to mend relations—otherwise, life in the future would not be easy.

Even if Lady Dou and Lady Dugu knew that Li Xuanba’s discomfort was Li Jiancheng’s fault, they couldn’t punish Li Jiancheng over such a minor matter. Otherwise, the one who would suffer in the future would be Li Xuanba.

After all, only Li Xuanba himself knew that his future standing would not depend on Li Jiancheng, but on his second brother, who would become emperor.

Li Xuanba explained his situation and the difference between “legitimate and secondary” in simple terms to Li Shimin, preventing him from going to pick a fight with Li Jiancheng.

After picking a fight, they would only suffer more. It was better to accept this grievance, let Mother and Grandmother feel more pity, and ask for some tangible benefits.

“So complicated.” Li Shimin nudged Li Xuanba inward, kicked off his shoes, squeezed onto the bed, and lay down shoulder to shoulder with him.

Li Xuanba: [Don’t understand?]

Li Shimin: “What you mean, A-Xuan, is that in the future you’ll have to rely on him to live, so you can’t offend him.”

Li Xuanba: [That’s about it.]

Li Shimin turned his head to look at his younger brother. On his small face, still chubby with baby fat, was a seriousness rarely seen in children. “I’m healthy. I’ll go achieve merit and build a career, and earn a title of nobility myself. Once I’m ennobled, we can split off the family early without violating filial piety.”

Li Xuanba: [Huh?]

Li Shimin said seriously, “After I receive a title, I’ll take you away. Big Brother will raise you. We won’t rely on Li Jiancheng to support us. You won’t need to curry favor with him.”

Li Xuanba was stunned for a moment, then laughed. “Alright.”

Li Shimin smiled again and stretched out his hand. “Come on, let’s seal it with a high-five. I’ll definitely achieve merit as soon as possible and take you away.”

He paused, then added, “And take Mother with us too!”

“Pfft…” Li Xuanba laughed. “Alright.”

“Ah, I’m sleepy. Move in a bit more.” Li Shimin pushed Li Xuanba further inside the bed, sprawled out in a big ‘starfish,’ and said, “Good afternoon, A-Xuan.”

Li Xuanba muttered, “We only just got up…”

Even so, he was a little sleepy too.

The two children rested their heads against each other and quickly fell asleep in the gentle, cool breeze drifting in from the courtyard.

Lady Dou stood by the window, wiping away her tears again and again.

She knew that the spiritual connection between Third Son and Second Son was far stronger than outsiders imagined.

Even without speaking, Third Son could “talk” to Second Son. Second Son could hear Third Son’s thoughts, but unlike Third Son, he couldn’t speak in his mind. So when the two children conversed, it often looked as though Second Son was merely “talking to himself.”

Although Lady Dou couldn’t hear what Sanlang said to Erlang, she could guess a fair bit from Erlang’s reply.

“Erlang and Sanlang are far too precocious,” Third Lady Li sighed as she wiped Lady Dou’s tears.

She had originally been closing her door to embroider the pieces she would need to present to her future in-laws after her marriage next year. Hearing that something had happened on her younger brothers’ side, she hurried over to help her mother.

Coincidentally, among the people who had been fooling around with Li Jiancheng was her future husband, Chai Shao. She needed to give Chai Shao a warning—not to spread matters of the Duke Tang’s household outside indiscriminately.

As a daughter, Third Lady Li had grown up at Lady Dou’s knee. And Li Xuanba was a well-behaved, considerate child who often brought Li Shimin to play with her, so her feelings toward Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were deeper.

Having overheard the two brothers’ conversation, Third Lady Li naturally sided with her two younger brothers and felt rather uncomfortable inside.

She couldn’t help muttering, “Li Jiancheng is already grown—how can he still bicker with children? Doesn’t he know Sanlang is frail? Bringing a whole group of outsiders reeking of alcohol when visiting the sick—how does that look anything like a proper visit?”

“Third Lady Li, hush!” Lady Dou said sternly.

Third Lady Li sighed. “Yes, yes, yes. After I’m married, I’ll still need my natal family’s support. I’ll have to flatter him, this future Duke of Tang.”

She felt extremely stifled in her heart.

Third Lady Li had practiced swordplay and spear work since childhood and read and wrote essays, believing herself no different from men.

It was only when she was about to be married that she finally understood the vast gulf between women and men.

Her mother, who had always indulged and spoiled her, took away her weapons and books, making her hurriedly learn embroidery, household management, and… service and endurance.

A daughter might be cherished no matter what in her own home, but once married, things were different.

No matter how good the in-laws were, they could never be as close as one’s own parents. She was not marrying Chai Shao out of mutual affection, but rather as the Duke of Tang’s daughter marrying into the household of the Duke of Julu. There were far too many things that required caution.

“I’ll add more to your dowry. You’re more capable than your mother. Chai Shao is considerate, and his mother is also kind—you’ll certainly live better than I have,” Lady Dou said gently, patting her daughter’s hand. She put away the softness on her face. “After you’re married, if… if you have the strength, then on the premise that you yourself are living well, help support Sanlang a little.”

Third Lady Li smiled. “My brothers in my natal family are my true support. Even if you didn’t say it, Mother, I would still do so.”

What’s more, among her brothers, Sanlang treated her the best. When she was confined to the courtyard embroidering, Sanlang would often secretly bring her military texts and geographical gazetteers to relieve her boredom.

Though in this life she had no chance to fulfill her childhood dream of becoming a great general, being able to read books and dream a little longer was still nice.

Lady Dou nodded. “But what matters most is that you live well. If you don’t live well, and you want to help Sanlang, with that child’s temperament, he wouldn’t accept it either.”

Third Lady Li covered her mouth. “I know, I know. Mother, don’t worry—I’ll definitely live well. Shall we go back in and take another look at them?”

Lady Dou hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “Let’s not disturb their midday nap.”

“Just got up and already sleeping again—two little piglets,” Third Lady Li whispered with a laugh as she supported her weary mother away. “Oh right, Mother—Sanlang mentioned some time ago that he wanted to take over a shop to practice. You said he was too young and should wait a few years. I think that though he’s young, he’s quite clear with accounts. Why not give it to him now? Let him have a bit more pocket money—he’d feel happier too.”

Lady Dou hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “Alright.”

The entire Duke Tang’s household belonged to the eldest son anyway. Aside from the portion she would give her daughter as dowry, she should keep more for the other children.

Lady Dou suddenly thought of her fourth son, and her heart clenched painfully.

Disgust, guilt, avoidance, and anger intertwined, making her brow furrow unconsciously.

“Come with Mother to see Silang as well,” Lady Dou said softly.

Third Lady Li’s expression collapsed at once. “Ah… alright.”

Lady Dou gently squeezed the hand with which her daughter was supporting her and said, “Silang is still a child. Being a bit naughty now is normal—he’ll be better once he grows up.”

Third Lady Li replied, “Oh. Heh.”

Inside, Third Lady Li rolled her eyes.

He’ll be better once he grows up? That only works if he’s taught. With how indulged Silang is now, he’ll probably only get worse in the future.

Grandmother clearly no longer had the energy to raise a child, yet refused to return Silang to Mother. Who knew what Silang would turn into later?

Lady Dou saw through what Third Lady Li was thinking and said, “The fault lies with me, not with Silang or Mother.”

If she hadn’t suffered from a bout of delirium after giving birth, her mother-in-law wouldn’t have forbidden her from raising Silang.

Third Lady Li said, “Alright, Mother—if you dawdle any longer, we won’t make it in time to see Silang. I think Grandmother is about to summon you again to attend to her illness. Let’s go!”

She tugged Lady Dou along, quickening their pace.

“Hey, slow down. Why are you as impatient as Erlang?” Lady Dou said helplessly.

Third Lady Li laughed. “What do you mean I’m like Erlang? I’m older than him—he’s the one who’s like me.”

Lady Dou laughed. “Alright, alright—Erlang is like you.”

Sleeping soundly, Erlang: “Achoo… mm… huff, huff…”

Sanlang was curled up beside him, and even in his sleep instinctively stretched out his hands and feet, refusing to let his brother use him as a cooling pillow.

……

“Sanlang is a sensible child,” Old Madam Dugu said leisurely after learning of how Li Xuanba had taken all the responsibility upon himself. “Harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things. Dalang will inherit the Duke of Tang’s title in the future—he’s the pillar of the household. He should be more tolerant.”

Madam Zhang was one of the dowry maids Old Madam Dugu had brought with her. She never married, wore her hair in a matron’s style, and was Old Madam Dugu’s most trusted confidante.

As Granny Zhang kneaded Old Madam Dugu’s legs, stiff from lying down too long, she sighed. “It’s just that Third Young Master is only six years old. To be so precocious—it’s truly a bit heartbreaking.”

Old Madam Dugu let out a long sigh. “Dalang has only just become engaged and is still a child himself. His temperament is a bit immature. Once he marries and has children of his own, he’ll know how to be considerate toward his younger brothers.”

Granny Zhang said, “Of course. Eldest Young Master is the kindest by nature—he’s just a bit rash in his actions and didn’t think things through, which is why outsiders ended up offending Third Young Master.”

Old Madam Dugu said, “Exactly. And those people too—really! Dalang invited them along to visit his younger brother merely out of politeness. How could they actually come? Haven’t their families taught them the etiquette of visiting the sick? Especially that Chai Shao—I can tell at a glance he’s not a good one!”

Old Madam Dugu was extremely displeased with the grandson-in-law Lady Dou had chosen. Old Madam Dugu was the elder sister of the late emperor’s mother, Empress Wenxian Dugu Jialuo. She had originally wanted to marry her granddaughter to her younger sister’s grandson—now the emperor’s second son, Yang Jian—making it a match of close kin.

Although Yang Jian had not yet been enfeoffed as a prince, he and the Crown Prince were both sons of the Empress; becoming a prince was only a matter of time. Yang Jian’s first wife had died young, and his inner household had no mistress. With her status, Third Lady Li would securely take the position of Yang Jian’s successor wife—she would be a princess consort in the future!

Moreover, the Crown Prince appeared to be in poor health. If the Crown Prince were to die early and Yang Jian became Crown Prince, then Third Lady Li would become Crown Princess—and Empress!

Such a clear path to soaring success, yet Lady Dou refused to take it and even persuaded her son against it.

What was a mere Commandery Duke worth? How could that compare to being a princess consort?

Thinking that her own son would oppose her decision for Lady Dou’s sake made Old Madam Dugu feel deeply aggrieved.

Granny Zhang knew that Old Madam Dugu disliked Chai Shao, so she casually cursed Chai Shao a few times as well, pushing all of today’s matter onto him. Her words made it sound as though Chai Shao had instigated Li Jiancheng to act as he did.

After venting a bit, the anger in Old Madam Dugu’s heart finally eased.

As for the two children, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, Old Madam Dugu naturally liked them.

Thinking of Li Xuanba’s frail body and how it would be difficult for him to make a name for himself in the future, Old Madam Dugu felt intense pity.

With Granny Zhang subtly fanning the flames, Old Madam Dugu made the same decision as Lady Dou.

“Didn’t Sanlang want to take a shop to play around with? He likes reading—then give him a bookshop first,” Old Madam Dugu decided. “Dalang will be capable in the future and won’t think much of my little dowry. Give Sanlang a bit more private funds; Dalang will understand.”

Granny Zhang said, “Eldest young master has lofty ambitions—he certainly won’t begrudge this.”

Old Madam Dugu smiled. “Naturally.”

Seeing her goal achieved, Granny Zhang was very pleased.

In her mind flashed the image of Third Young Master smiling and saying to her, “Thank you for the clothes you embroidered, Granny Zhang.”

As Old Madam Dugu’s trusted confidante, all the young masters and young ladies in the residence were very polite and respectful toward her.

But only that one sentence from Sanlang truly entered her heart.

All the embroidered items Old Madam Dugu gave to her grandsons and granddaughters were made by Granny Zhang’s own hands. Everyone else thanked Old Madam Dugu—but only Sanlang additionally thanked her.

From then on, whenever she sent embroidered items to Sanlang, it felt as though it was no longer just the old madam giving gifts to her grandson; it was as if she herself had gained a grandson too.

Even knowing it was merely an illusion, the lonely Granny Zhang still paid even more attention to Li Xuanba.

If not for Granny Zhang’s help, Li Xuanba would not have been able, time and again, to pretend to be ill so as to keep Lady Dou by his side to rest.

…

When Li Xuanba woke up from a nap, there were suddenly two shops under his name: one selling rouge and cosmetics, the other selling books.

Li Shimin said with an air of premature world-weariness, “So this is what A-Xuan meant—if you suffer a loss with elder brother, Mother and Grandmother will privately compensate you? Not bad. A-Xuan, go provoke elder brother one more time, and I can live off you.”

“Get lost!” Li Xuanba kicked Li Shimin.

You were saying earlier you’d build merit and support me yourself—where’s that ambition gone? How did it turn into me supporting you!