LFHYB -Chapter 47 Turmoil in Li Xuanba’s Marriage Prospects

Yang Xian left as if he were floating on air.

Li Xuanba felt that he wasn’t just feeling guilty—he looked completely hollowed out.

When Li Shimin came home from class, he happened to run into Prince Qi at the gate.

At a glance, he could tell something was off with Yang Xian, so he immediately ran over to his younger brother to ask whether something interesting had happened.

Li Xuanba: [Oh, it really was interesting.]

He used his mind-voice to briefly recount what had happened today, emphasizing the business about the younger sister-in-law and the elder sister-in-law.

Of course he knew very well that what Yang Xian was secretly involved in was not the younger sister but the elder one—and that this affair would later become the fuse that triggered his house arrest.

Historically, Yang Zhao was supposed to die in the second year of Daye. By all logic, Yang Xian should then have been made crown prince.

At the time, Yang Guang did indeed hand over all of Yang Zhao’s estate—including tens of thousands of officials and guards—to Yang Xian. Everyone in the realm believed that Prince Qi Yang Xian would be named crown prince, and nobles and officials all gathered around him to curry favor.

Right now, Yang Xian lived extravagantly, but he still had some sense of order and was not incompetent in governing his subordinates. His worst habits were all cultivated after the crown prince’s death.

After all, he was only twenty-two. No younger brothers had yet been born. As the emperor’s only son, how could he not be intoxicated by everyone’s flattery? Yang Guang was also the kind of emperor who was never at home—he wouldn’t even return to Daxing City—and had barely disciplined Yang Xian. It was normal that Yang Xian later grew more and more foolish.

What was worse was that Yang Guang gave Yang Xian all the power of a crown prince, yet refused to formally appoint him for ten whole years.

Yang Xian’s mentality shifted from obediently waiting to become crown prince, to being filled with doubt, and later—when Yang Guang’s youngest sons and Yang Zhao’s children gradually grew up—doubt turned into terror.

He began to wonder: Could Father be planning to pass the throne to my elder brother’s son, skipping over my generation entirely?

Not only was he the legitimate son, he also had ability and achievements. If Yang Guang let a grandson inherit instead, Yang Xian wouldn’t just feel humiliated—it would be a matter of life and death.

Very early on, Yang Xian had already begun an affair with his wife’s elder sister, who had married into the Yuan family. He was simply waiting for the Yuan husband to die, so he could bring the widowed Yuan woman into his own prince’s residence.

Anxious yet afraid to take other actions, he spent his days with that Yuan woman hiring monks, Daoists, and so-called masters to curse Yang Zhao’s sons to die young, while also spreading prophetic talk that he himself was destined to become crown prince and emperor—just to comfort himself.

When Yang Guang learned of this, he slapped his thigh and said, “So this brat really is rotten to the core,” then ordered the Yuan woman executed and placed Yang Xian under house arrest.

Li Xuanba: [Many later generations say Yang Xian was ruined by his own stupidity. But in my view, once Yang Guang decided that he had ambitions to seize the throne, Yang Xian might as well really have had them.]

Li Shimin was stunned.

He had only wanted to come back and hear a bit of gossip—this “gossip” was far too heavy.

Covering his mouth, he whispered, “I feel like when he started hiring monks and Daoists to perform curses, his mind was already abnormal. But honestly, if anyone were tormented for ten years, they’d go crazy too.”

Li Xuanba nodded.

After meeting Prince Qi and seeing what Yang Xian was like now, he too felt that by the time Yang Guang discovered his ‘treasonous intentions,’ Yang Xian was already psychologically broken.

Yang Xian had grown up showered with affection from his grandparents and parents, and even Yang Zhao doted on this younger brother. Otherwise, he would never have dared to constantly say foolish things about succession right in front of Yang Zhao.

His entire life had been smooth. Even the crown prince’s death was, in a twisted way, part of that smoothness.

When the eldest legitimate son dies, and the second legitimate son is capable and beloved by his parents, anyone would assume the second son would inherit. Besides, Yang Zhao’s sons were all still very young—it wasn’t even certain they would survive.

Yang Guang did, in fact, hand over all of Yang Zhao’s political resources to Yang Xian.

Who could have imagined that he would stubbornly refuse to grant him the single title of “crown prince”?

Even in the eleventh year of Daye, Yang Xian led troops to defend Yang Guang when he was besieged by the Turks. By then, Yang Xian was already acting as crown prince in everything but name.

Yet Yang Guang still would not appoint him. He feared this son. And in doing so, he ground a fearless, heaven-defying favored child into a paranoid madman.

Li Shimin held his head, tilting it left and right as he tried to understand why the present emperor would do such a thing in the future.

Could it be that he and Yang Xian had some deep hatred?

That didn’t make sense—right now Prince Qi was extremely favored.

“So pitiful,” Li Shimin gave up thinking about it. “Now that you told him to be cautious, will his ending be any better?”

Li Xuanba said, “I don’t know. But at least fewer people will be harmed by those in his household.”

Li Xuanba did not pity Yang Xian.

The crimes committed by the people under Yang Xian were too many and too vile. His fate was karmic retribution. The truly pitiful ones were the commoners harmed by the scum of the Prince of Qi’s household.

So when he advised Yang Xian, besides doing him a favor—and ensuring that after Yang Zhao’s death Yang Xian would continue to act as his ‘protective umbrella’—he also wanted Yang Xian to restrain his people and stop them from ruining so many lives.

At least before the eleventh year of Daye, even though Yang Guang did not name him crown prince, Yang Xian was still one of Yang Guang’s most trusted sons. Whenever Yang Guang went on tour, Yang Xian was often left in charge of the capital or the Eastern Capital.

After the eleventh year of Daye, when Li Yuan was appointed to guard Taiyuan, they would have to begin recruiting troops and preparing for rebellion.

Li Shimin nodded vigorously. “Right! That’s the most important thing!”

After nodding, he slung an arm around his younger brother’s shoulders, waggled his eyebrows, and sighed dramatically. “So he really got involved with someone else’s wife? Seriously? Prince Qi isn’t ugly, you know.”

Li Xuanba shot his second brother a sideways glance.

Well… even elementary-school kids are curious about things like this.

No wonder Li Shimin was so astonished. Yang Xian was only twenty-two, exceptionally handsome, the kind of man who had women throwing him flirtatious looks through their veils whenever he walked down the street. That he would get involved with a married woman from the Yuan clan—one older than him, no less—was truly baffling.

Li Xuanba said, “There’s a preference called ‘liking mature women,’ and there’s also something called the ‘Cao Cao complex.’”

Amazingly, Li Shimin actually understood. He was utterly shocked.

“I still prefer girls my own age!” Li Shimin declared seriously.

Li Xuanba was speechless. “You’re not even nine yet. What are you talking about?”

That said, Emperor Taizong really did favor young girls—this was stamped into the historical record. Li Shimin was extremely stingy when it came to ranking his consorts, and in his later years, the ones who were promoted were all young girls.

The two brothers chattered on about youthful crushes for a while, before the topic turned to Lady Dou’s difficulty in finding a match for Li Xuanba.

Among noble and aristocratic families, most daughters had their engagements arranged by the time they were about nine. When a girl was betrothed, she was usually matched with someone her own age or slightly older.

Li Xuanba was about to turn nine—exactly the age when families began choosing marriage partners.

But among the nobility, there were only so many suitable girls. If Li Xuanba tried to pick someone his own age at nine, then a year later someone one year younger, and so on, it might take several years before a truly suitable candidate appeared.

Li Jiancheng had not been matched until he was thirteen because he was the legitimate eldest son of the Duke of Tang’s household, so his choice of wife had to meet a higher standard.

Back then, Li Yuan held a noble title but no actual office, which made it hard to secure a good match for Li Jiancheng. Only after Li Yuan obtained a real post as a regional official did he begin arranging his eldest son’s marriage.

Li Jiancheng would inherit the Duke of Tang’s title in the future. As long as Li Yuan rose in court rank, the great clans would not care about the age difference between their daughters and Li Jiancheng.

Even if the gap were ten or twenty years—exaggerating a bit—if Lady Dou were to die right now and Li Yuan sought a new wife, plenty of families would happily betroth their ten-year-old daughters to him as a second wife.

Li Xuanba, however, was only the second son of the Duke of Tang. Among the great clans, he simply wasn’t as sought-after.

Moreover, since he might not even live to adulthood, Lady Dou was desperate to have him betrothed early, so that at sixteen he could marry and leave behind an heir. That was why she was so anxious.

After hearing this from his teacher, Li Shimin had rushed to tell Li Xuanba.

He had expected his brother to be shy, but Li Xuanba looked utterly indifferent.

“A-Xuan, aren’t you happy?” Li Shimin asked in confusion. “You’re going to have a wife!”

“Nothing’s been settled yet,” Li Xuanba replied calmly. “What’s there to be happy about?”

Li Shimin sighed. “Well… you really shouldn’t be too happy, because what I’m about to say will definitely make you upset.”

Li Xuanba raised an eyebrow. “What, my marriage can still run into trouble? Father is one of His Majesty’s favorites right now, and I’m also well-liked by the emperor. Who would dare look down on me?”

Resting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, Li Shimin sighed. “I don’t know who spread it, but news that you won’t live past adulthood has gotten out. People in the capital all seem to know now.”

Li Xuanba was slightly taken aback.

He didn’t really care. If it got out, so be it—it was the truth. And he trusted that his mother would never deceive a future in-law; she would certainly tell them in advance that he was frail.

But a secret that everyone knows is still a secret. Who would go around publicizing this? Wasn’t that the same as making an enemy of the Duke of Tang’s household?

To put it bluntly, did the noble clans not already know that his health was poor, that Physician Sun had said he wouldn’t live to adulthood?

Of course they knew. But when choosing a marital alliance, they normally didn’t weigh this factor too heavily.

To marry into the Duke of Tang’s household, they only needed to send over an unfavored daughter or someone from a collateral branch—just enough to establish a connection.

Besides, if a son was born, the wife would certainly live comfortably in the Duke of Tang’s residence, focusing on raising her child. She might end up more at ease than most noblewomen. And if no son was born, widows were not despised nowadays—widows who had married into great families were sometimes even more sought-after than unmarried girls. She could simply return home and remarry.

So as long as Li Xuanba’s demands weren’t too high—if he only cared about the family’s status and not the parents’ personal positions—his marriage would not have been difficult at all.

But once this “open secret” was truly made public, everything changed.

Originally, the great clans wouldn’t have cared. But now that everyone was talking about it, they had to pretend to care. Otherwise, it would look like they were deliberately marrying their daughters to a sickly boy fated to die young—an insult to their own lineage, a self-degrading act.

Unless Li Xuanba were so outstanding that people could say, “Though he is frail, his talent is peerless; my daughter gladly marries him,” he would never be able to obtain a suitable wife.

In ancient times, marriages were arranged blindly, and couples who truly harmonized were exceedingly rare. Li Xuanba had long accepted that he would be betrothed early. Like his second brother, he planned to exchange letters with his future wife before the wedding and do his best to build some affection. He didn’t care about her family background at all.

But the Duke of Tang’s household certainly did.

This was no longer just Li Xuanba’s personal affair. Someone was deliberately targeting the Duke of Tang’s family, slapping Li Yuan and Lady Dou in the face.

Li Xuanba frowned. “Who’s that bored? Is it jealousy?”

“Teacher said that too,” Li Shimin replied. “Sigh—who told them our A-Xuan is just too outstanding.”

Li Xuanba shook his head. “If I were truly outstanding enough, such petty tricks wouldn’t work.”

Resting his chin in his hand, Li Shimin said, “A lot of families had already been contacting Mother, but now they all say they don’t have any suitable daughters. Sigh, your marriage is really full of obstacles.”

“As soon as Father’s official rank rises one more step,” Li Xuanba said calmly, “those families who say they don’t have suitable daughters will suddenly discover one has appeared out of nowhere.”

Li Shimin nodded vigorously. “Exactly. It’s all because Father is too useless—his own son can’t even get a proper engagement.”

Li Yuan was standing just outside the door, his expression absolutely priceless.

Lady Dou stood beside him, covering her mouth with her sleeve to keep herself from laughing out loud.

Grandchildren only had to observe one year of mourning for their grandparents, so Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were about to come out of mourning soon.

Yang Guang remembered the two boys and said he wanted to summon them both to Luoyang.

Taking advantage of this, Li Yuan took leave early, returned home first to celebrate the New Year with his family, and then planned to take Li Shimin and Li Xuanba to Luoyang to have an audience with the emperor.

Li Yuan slipped back home quietly without alerting anyone.

After hearing that Li Shimin had already returned, he crept over on tiptoe, hoping to surprise his second and third sons.

He had not heard what they were saying earlier about Yang Xian. But the moment he reached the doorway, he heard Li Shimin say, “Dad is useless.”

Li Shimin’s voice was extremely loud and booming—so loud that Li Yuan heard it clearly from outside.

Li Yuan stomped his foot in anger. “Li Erlang!”

Lady Dou teased, “Was Erlang wrong? If my lord were a bit more capable, would Sanlang really be unable to find a suitable marriage match?”

Li Yuan’s face flushed bright red. “If you push me, I’ll go beg His Majesty to grant him a marriage!”

Lady Dou said, “You don’t mean you want Sanlang to marry a princess, do you?”

Li Yuan stuck out his neck stubbornly. “Why not? Is my Sanlang not worthy of a princess?”

Lady Dou shot her husband a look of disdain. She knew he was just talking nonsense to save face.

Not to mention there was no princess of suitable age right now—even if there were, the emperor would never bestow one on sickly Sanlang.

Bestowing one on Erlang, on the other hand, would actually be possible. Luckily Erlang had already been engaged early on.

Lady Dou said, “This really is something you should take to heart. Sigh, if Sanlang were a bit less capable, I wouldn’t be so worried—then we could just pick someone of lower standing.”

In fact, many families had approached Lady Dou, willing to arrange an engagement with Third Young Master Li, but she was not satisfied.

Her Sanlang was outstanding in every way—except for his health. And even Physician Sun had said that Sanlang’s body was much better now and that he should live past adulthood. Lady Dou was not willing to choose poorly for him.

Li Yuan nodded. “I’ll go ask around. Worst case, I’ll just drag some colleague out to compete in archery again.”

Lady Dou suppressed a laugh. “What, you won Erlang a little fiancée that way—are you going to win one for Sanlang too?”

Li Yuan said smugly, “You never know.”

With that, he turned and left.

Lady Dou asked in confusion, “You’re not going to see Erlang and Sanlang?”

Li Yuan snorted. “What, so I can go in and beat up that big brat of mine?!”

Lady Dou laughed.

Li Yuan was extremely vexed. Even if it was true that Dad wasn’t capable enough, you still can’t say it out loud like that, Daxiong! How could I have a son like you?!

Although Li Yuan did not go to see Li Shimin and Li Xuanba then, the whole family met at dinner.

Li Shimin still sweetly called out “Dad” and clung to Li Yuan’s neck without letting go.

Li Yuan was both happy and irritated.

If only he had pushed the door open earlier and caught his second son red-handed talking behind his back—he really wanted to see what Erlang’s expression would have been. Now, though, it was awkward to bring up what happened that afternoon.

Li Xuanba, as usual, bowed respectfully to Li Yuan, perfectly playing the role of a courteous and filial son.

He had always been like this in front of Li Yuan—full of manners and obedience. That slight distance in him was something only Li Shimin and Lady Dou could sense; everyone else noticed nothing at all.

In these times, most father–son relationships were reserved. Li Jiancheng was also very respectful toward Li Yuan, while Li Yuanji and Li Zhiyun were somewhat afraid of him. So Li Xuanba’s behavior already counted as relatively close in Li Yuan’s eyes.

A clingy, overly affectionate relationship like Li Shimin and Li Yuan’s—where father and son would cling to each other and weep when Li Yuan went out—was what was truly strange.

Just look now: Li Shimin was sitting in Li Yuan’s arms, playing with his beard, while the younger Li Yuanji and Li Zhiyun ran far away, clearly unwilling to get close to their stern father.

After Li Shimin acted spoiled for a while, Li Yuan forgave him for speaking ill of him behind his back.

He even felt that Erlang hadn’t really been bad-mouthing him, but was instead standing up for him—complaining that his rank and power were not high enough, allowing people to bully the Duke of Tang’s household.

Li Yuan beckoned to Li Xuanba.

Li Xuanba walked over.

Li Yuan rubbed Li Xuanba’s head. “Dade, don’t worry. Your marriage will be decided by your father. Watch me win you a wife as well.”

Li Xuanba said respectfully, “Thank you, Father.”

Li Shimin puffed out his cheeks. “Dad, the way you say that makes you sound like a bandit chief, about to snatch a civilian girl to be A-Xuan’s wife.”

Li Yuan smacked Li Shimin on the head.

Lady Dou reached out and pinched Li Shimin’s lips, squeezing them into a duckbill shape. “Shut up.”

Everyone else couldn’t help laughing. Even Li Xuanba curved his lips slightly.

Indeed, Li Yuan’s words really did sound like something a bandit leader would say.

But Li Yuan wasn’t joking.

After he came back, he went out every day to visit the powerful and noble families in the capital, challenging people to archery competitions to build relationships.

Changsun Sheng also returned from the Turks, having taken leave early to come home for the New Year.

Ever since he discovered that his eldest legitimate son was somewhat unreliable, he had become extremely anxious about his son’s education. His own official career was probably already nearing its end; if his son was useless, the Changsun family, which had only just begun to rise, would decline again.

He had not yet obtained a noble title, and was counting on the next generation of his branch of the Changsun clan to earn one!

So once Yang Guang was done with business, Changsun Sheng hurriedly asked the emperor for leave and rushed home to continue strictly educating his son.

As soon as he returned, he discovered that his son had reverted to his old ways, treating his stepmother and younger half-brother very poorly while he was away.

Changsun Sheng went to his elder brother and sighed. “I worry that after I die, he will bully his stepmother and younger brother.”

His elder brother had little he could say, only telling Changsun Sheng to teach his son well and not worry too much—children and grandchildren have their own fates.

After much thought, Changsun Sheng felt that in the future, his pair of young children might only be able to rely on the Duke of Tang’s household.

If his daughter was already betrothed to Li Shimin, and his son was also Li Shimin’s close friend, then if their families were ever divided in the future, as long as Li Shimin turned out capable enough, he might be able to lead them to a slightly better life.

So Changsun Sheng hauled Li Shimin over to his own house and began to train him harshly in martial arts, while also pouring into him everything he knew about handling and dealing with the Turks.

Li Shimin’s workload became even heavier. By the time he went home every day, his head was spinning and he didn’t even have the energy to fool around.

He and his friends moved their gatherings to the Duke of Tang’s residence instead.

Li Shimin slammed his face onto the desk and groaned weakly, “Changsun Silang, you’re your father’s real son. Can’t you tell him to teach you properly and stop tormenting me? I may be smart, but I can’t learn everything!”

Changsun Wuji said resentfully, “You think I didn’t try? After Father tested me, he just threw me a few books and told me to memorize them before he’d teach me.”

Fang Qiao and Du Ruhui were curious what Changsun Sheng was actually teaching Li Shimin.

Changsun Sheng was extremely famous in this era. Who didn’t admire his experience of going alone into Turkic territory? He was a legendary figure once favored by the Khagan of the still-unified Turks, detained to stay by his side and even accompany him on hunts for several years.

Li Shimin counted on his fingers. “Right now it’s mostly memorizing Turkic lineages. Heaven help me—I’m already forgetting the in-law genealogies of the Duke of Tang’s household. Why do I still have to memorize the Turkic ones too?”

Li Xuanba put down his cup. “My health is almost back now. Next time General Changsun teaches, I’ll go with you.”

Li Shimin immediately perked up and grabbed his brother’s hands. “That’s great! A-Xuan! When Father-in-law quizzes me, you have to help me cheat!”

Li Xuanba sighed. “Brother, can you stop thinking about cheating all the time?”

Was this really his fault? How could Emperor Taizong of Tang be someone who loved cheating?!

Li Shimin wailed, “You think I want to? I also want to rely on my own effort! But there’s just too much—too much—too much! My brain is going to split!”

He grabbed his head and shook it hard. “It’s going to split!”

Fang Qiao asked, puzzled, “Why not tell General Changsun? He doesn’t seem like someone who forces things unnaturally.”

Li Shimin hugged his head. “I’d be too embarrassed.”

Li Xuanba said, “He cares about face. And he really does finish all his assignments every time. So General Changsun just keeps adding more lessons.”

Fang Qiao laughed. “If you won’t show weakness, then there’s nothing that can be done.”

Du Ruhui mocked him. “If Li Er thinks pride is more important, then let him keep working. Li San, you mustn’t help him cheat. Since Li Er can endure it, he should endure it himself.”

Li Xuanba said, “Relax, I definitely won’t—ow!”

Li Shimin grabbed his brother’s head with both hands and shook it furiously. “Are you still my brother?! A-Xuan, how can you treat me like this?!”

Li Xuanba let himself be shaken, but refused to speak.

Fang Qiao, Du Ruhui, and Changsun Wuji were all laughing so hard they bent over, clutching their stomachs.

Li Xuanba not only refused to cheat, he even “tattled” to Changsun Sheng after meeting him.

Changsun Sheng said helplessly, “Li Erlang, if the workload is too heavy, why didn’t you tell me?”

Li Shimin replied, “I can still hold on. I was just joking with my brother.”

Even as he said that, inside his heart he was screaming [AHHHHH!!!], angrily blaming Li Xuanba.

Li Xuanba remained unmoved, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

Changsun Sheng said, “If you really can’t take it, tell me.”

Li Shimin said respectfully, “Yes.”

“Ow!” A small pink bundle rolled out from behind the screen.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba both turned to look.

A little girl in a pink padded dress, with a fluffy white scarf around her neck, was kneeling on the ground, covering her face and speaking in a bright, childish voice: “Can’t see me, can’t see me.”

Li Shimin asked curiously, “And who might this little sister be?”

Changsun Sheng pressed his forehead, gritting his teeth. “Changsun Wuji!”

Changsun Wuji jumped out from behind the screen. “It wasn’t me! I didn’t push her! She slipped on her own!”

Li Xuanba stared wide-eyed at the pink little bundle on the ground.

Li Shimin froze for a moment, then hurried forward and helped her up. “You’re Guanyinbi? Did you fall? Where did you hurt yourself? Changsun Silang, what are you standing around for? Why didn’t you help her?!”

Changsun Sheng and Changsun Wuji were both stunned. They hadn’t expected Li Shimin to act so familiarly.

Li Xuanba’s lips curved upward.

The Changsun little sister stood up, still covering her face.

She peeked at Li Shimin through her fingers.

Li Shimin smiled. “I’m right here. If you want to look, just look—no need to hide.”

Blushing, she lowered her hands, bowed her head, and twisted the edge of her sleeve.

Li Shimin turned to Li Xuanba in amazement. “A-Xuan, how amazing! Even though it’s our first meeting, I feel like this little sister is so familiar, as if I’ve seen her before!”

Li Xuanba almost bit his tongue.

“I feel like I’ve seen this sister before”?!

Who do you think you are, Jia Baoyu?!