LFHYB -Chapter 65 Taking the Opportunity to Move to Another Estate

Originally it was just a fight between two children, but now the incident had escalated significantly.

Lady Wan was relentless, while Lady Zheng firmly denied the accusations.

Li Yuan could not help blaming Lady Dou for failing to manage the rear courtyard, which left her chest tight and aching with frustration.

Though the situation seemed complicated, it really wasn’t. Lady Dou’s control over the rear courtyard was strong, and she quickly discovered the truth.

Concubine Zheng, being Li Jiancheng’s concubine, naturally had no reason to speak ill of one younger brother to another.

On the journey to Luoyang with Li Jiancheng and Concubine Zheng, Li Yuanji had grown quite fond of his gentle and generous sister-in-law. Once in Luoyang, he often visited Li Jiancheng’s residence to play.

Li Yuanji was still young, so distinctions between genders didn’t matter much to him. Besides, with an elder brother’s wife treated like a mother, Concubine Zheng often received Li Yuanji alongside Li Jiancheng.

Li Yuanji’s studies lagged far behind Li Zhiyun’s. Feeling wronged, he frequently came to Li Jiancheng and Concubine Zheng to complain.

Li Jiancheng would always tell him that Li Zhiyun was merely a child of a concubine, different in status from Li Yuanji, and there was no need to pay him much attention. The children of the Tang Duke’s household would have plenty of opportunities to serve in government in the future, so scholarly knowledge was not so important—it was better to focus on martial skills and earn merits on the battlefield.

Concubine Zheng would only offer a few agreeing words.

But once the story reached Li Yuanji’s ears, it became distorted: Concubine Zheng was supposedly saying Li Zhiyun’s birth was inferior, adding many insulting remarks about Lady Wan.

Li Jiancheng insisted he had never spoken ill of Lady Wan. Even if Lady Wan was a concubine, she was his father’s concubine; he had to address her respectfully as “Aunt.” He might make a few idle comments about Li Zhiyun, but how could he possibly slander Lady Wan?

Li Yuanji, however, was adamant that it was Concubine Zheng who taught him, even giving precise times and places.

Concubine Zheng felt helpless and could only swear by her family’s values.

Li Yuan hated Concubine Zheng’s swearing.

Concubine Zheng often invoked her family’s principles, boasting of her noble lineage, endlessly praising her natal family—which effectively belittled the Tang Duke’s household.

Li Jiancheng, too, had grown tired of her swearing.

The first time Concubine Zheng swore, Li Jiancheng felt pity for her and even defied the Old Lady Dugu on her behalf.

But when it happened again, he no longer felt pity—only annoyance. He even brought up past grievances with her: “You said the same thing before, and I defied grandmother for you. You’re nothing but trouble!”

Concubine Zheng, both angry and frustrated, cried until she could not speak.

How could the Old Lady’s actions be her fault? She was completely innocent; it was the Old Lady trying to secure benefits for Li Jiancheng, using her name to seize the younger brother’s property!

This time was no different. Fearing gossip, she had even softened her agreement when she echoed Li Jiancheng about Li Zhiyun being of concubine birth, carefully saying “you and the young master share the same mother” instead of explicitly using the word “concubine.”

She herself was a concubine—how could she look down on one of her elders? If she insulted Lady Wan, all the backlash would come back on her.

But Li Jiancheng had never insulted Lady Wan, and Li Yuanji was just a child. Who else could be responsible for sowing discord between Li Yuanji and Li Zhiyun if not Concubine Zheng?

Lady Dou tried to persuade Lady Wan to step back.

But Lady Wan gave her no room, sneering: “I don’t know who insulted me and Little Fifth, but this time, I must make a scene and make someone pay, or Little Fifth will continue to hear such idle talk! If my husband and madam are displeased, you can drive me and Little Fifth away; I’ll return to my family and won’t endure this insult!”

By saying she would return to her natal home, Lady Wan made it clear that Lady Dou could not smooth things over.

Lady Dou realized that Lady Wan surely knew Concubine Zheng was innocent.

Her suspicion was directed at Li Jiancheng. But unable to act against him, she could only target Concubine Zheng, using her as an example to restrain Li Jiancheng.

Lady Dou wanted to reason with Lady Wan, pointing out that Li Jiancheng might have little to do with this, but she didn’t know how to convince her.

Instinctively, Lady Dou suspected Li Yuanji was at fault, that he had lied.

Indeed, Li Yuanji could recount in great detail how Concubine Zheng taught him to insult Li Zhiyun and Lady Wan—but the problem was that his “memories” were far too precise.

Li Yuanji struggled even to memorize his lessons; how could he have the memory to recall Concubine Zheng’s daily gossip, down to the exact hour? Were they keeping track of time while she spoke idle words?

Lady Dou could only keep her suspicions to herself—not even telling Li Yuan.

She had once tried to discard Li Yuanji, so any action she took would seem biased in the eyes of outsiders. Now, suspecting Li Yuanji without reason would not only go unbelieved but also earn her rebuke for being unkind.

She didn’t want to hurt the innocent, but the one who had to take responsibility was Concubine Zheng.

She first placed Concubine Zheng under house arrest, then delayed further action, hoping the matter would pass.

Li Yuan argued with her over this, accusing her of favoring the concubines around Li Jiancheng—was she also going to emulate the Old Lady and spoil Li Jiancheng?

Lady Dou was so frustrated she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Li Xuanba and Li Shimin were outside this whirlwind, but the household turmoil inevitably disturbed them.

Since then, Li Zhiyun had grown sullen, often locking himself in his room, no longer coming to play with Li Xuanba and Li Shimin.

Li Shimin held a brush between his nose and lips, pouting as he complained: “Little Fifth won’t blame us just because we share the same mother with Little Fourth, will he? If he does, I won’t have this brother anymore.”

Li Xuanba said, “Maybe he’s worried we’ll despise him like Li Yuanji does.”

Li Shimin fiddled with the brush on his lips: “If he is maliciously suspecting us, that’s his fault—I still won’t have this brother.”

Li Xuanba asked, “You really won’t?”

Li Shimin persisted for a long time, but the brush eventually fell from his lips.

He tossed it into the brush holder and said, “This house is just too noisy. I wish it were quiet. We might as well take Little Fifth back to Daxing with us.”

Li Xuanba said, “Father won’t let us leave Luoyang. Even if someone leaves, it will be the elder brother, already of age, staying behind in Daxing. We, the young ones, follow our parents.”

Li Shimin said, “Then kick the elder brother out!”

Li Xuanba glanced at him: “I think it’s you who’ll get kicked out.”

Li Shimin complained, “Can’t we do anything? Must we listen to all this fuss every day? Mother punished Concubine Zheng, gave Lady Wan an explanation—wouldn’t that suffice? Why protect Concubine Zheng and make Lady Wan unhappy?”

Li Xuanba said, “Because Mother thinks Concubine Zheng is innocent.”

Li Shimin said, “Concubine Zheng is innocent, and our elder brother doesn’t seem the type to gossip to Lady Wan. Could it be that Li Yuanji is lying?”

Li Xuanba said, “Why couldn’t he be?”

Li Shimin pinched his soft chin. “Children lie?”

Li Xuanba was speechless. “Have I ever lied to you?”

Li Shimin chuckled. “Oh, you’ve told plenty of lies.”

Who says children don’t lie? Their ability to seek advantage and avoid harm is actually quite strong. If Li Shimin and Li Xuanba couldn’t lie, how could they have gained the Emperor’s favor?

Even putting aside the Emperor, Li Shimin often lied just to get treats or play, and was frequently caught and punished by Lady Dou.

As for Li Xuanba, he always had a mouth full of lies.

Li Shimin speculated, “The cause of this might be that Li Yuanji’s studies aren’t as good as Xiao Wu’s, so he felt jealous and resentful. When elder brother comforted Li Yuanji by saying Xiao Wu came from a less prestigious background, Li Yuanji took it to heart. When he fought with Xiao Wu, he added a little… hmm, a little foul language himself. To shift the blame, he claimed that Concubine Zheng taught him.”

Li Xuanba said, “Don’t underestimate Li Yuanji. His studies may be poor, but he’s cunning—he instinctively knows who he can provoke and who he can’t.”

Li Xuanba had placed a spy in Concubine Zheng’s backyard. He likely knew even more than Lady Dou, who never used secret methods.

At the very least, Lady Dou didn’t know about Concubine Zheng secretly crying and scolding Li Yuanji.

Li Yuanji instinctively knew that Li Jiancheng was his backing, so when he made up his story, he left Li Jiancheng completely out of it.

When Li Jiancheng comforted Li Yuanji by telling him that Li Zhiyun was born of a concubine, he did so without knowing what Li Yuanji had said; it was Lady Dou who asked, and Li Yuanji didn’t include Li Jiancheng in his tale at all.

Li Shimin laughed. “Exactly. He knows who he can provoke and who he can’t. For example, he still refuses to call you ‘elder brother’ when he sees you.”

Li Xuanba nodded cheerfully. “Yeah, he looks down on me, thinks he can mess with me.”

Li Shimin put away his smile. “If this happened to you, I’d beat him until he couldn’t function.”

Li Xuanba said, “Same here. Let’s go; Xiao Wu should be calmer now. We should visit him.”

Li Shimin jumped down from the couch, putting on his shoes. “Finally, you gave in.”

Li Xuanba said, “Li Yuanji is our full brother. If he fights with Xiao Wu, we can’t just side with Xiao Wu.”

Li Shimin snorted coldly, clearly harboring no affection for this brother.

Lady Dou handled the situation with skill. Her tactic of “delaying” worked perfectly this time.

Concubine Zheng had been confined for half a month; Lady Wan’s anger had cooled, and seeing Lady Dou’s determination not to harm the innocent, she stepped back and only required Concubine Zheng to apologize.

Concubine Zheng had originally stubbornly refused to admit fault, but after half a month of confinement, she softened, tearfully apologizing to Lady Wan, saying she had no ill intent—she’d just spoken carelessly while comforting Li Yuanji.

With both Concubine Zheng and Lady Wan making concessions, the incident was superficially resolved, and Li Shimin and Li Xuanba could visit Li Zhiyun.

When they reached Li Zhiyun’s courtyard, from a distance they saw his little head hanging out of the window frame, his tiny nose twitching, golden beads constantly dropping.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba exchanged glances and quickened their pace.

Li Zhiyun climbed out of the window and threw himself into Li Shimin’s arms, crying loudly.

Li Shimin laughed. “Why are you hugging me this time, instead of your favorite Third Brother?”

Li Zhiyun sobbed, “Third Brother isn’t well; I’m afraid I’d knock him down.”

Li Shimin deliberately put on a stern face and elongated his tone. “Oh? So you only care about your Third Brother. Xuan, I don’t want this brother; he’s yours.”

Li Shimin pushed Li Zhiyun into Li Xuanba’s arms.

Li Xuanba helped wipe Li Zhiyun’s tears and runny nose, saying, “Xiao Wu is upset now. Be careful; he might take your words seriously and really think you don’t want him.”

Li Shimin crossed his arms. “If Xiao Wu is that foolish, then indeed, I can’t keep this brother.”

Li Zhiyun’s crying intensified.

Li Shimin patted Li Zhiyun’s head. “Alright, don’t cry. Second Brother knows you’ve been wronged; it’s been hard on you.”

Li Zhiyun buried himself in Li Xuanba’s arms, shaking his head, unable to speak through his sobs.

The first time he realized his birth mother wasn’t Lady Dou, he had felt anxious. Later, both his birth mother and Lady Dou treated him well, and he let go of his worries.

Li Yuanji’s scolding tore open old wounds, forcing him to confront that he was the “odd one” in the family.

Their father had five sons; four were Lady Dou’s, only he was born of a concubine.

Li Zhiyun felt scared and lonely.

Even knowing that his Second and Third Brothers cared deeply for him, he remembered Li Yuanji’s words and dared not approach them, afraid they would dislike him too.

Li Zhiyun cried for a long time. Li Shimin couldn’t bear it and lifted him up. “The sun’s so strong; you’re not afraid, but Xuan still is. Let’s go inside first.”

Li Shimin held the younger Li Zhiyun securely.

Li Zhiyun shyly said, “I can walk.”

Li Shimin set him down. Li Xuanba had the servants bring water, and the three brothers tidied themselves before continuing the main discussion.

Li Xuanba said, “I plan to tell Father that Second Brother and I want to move to a villa on the outskirts of the city. If you want, we’d like you to come with us. But if you live with us, you’ll have to leave Lady Wan.”

Li Zhiyun was surprised. “Move out? Why?”

Li Xuanba said, “More of our friends are coming over. It’s not suitable for idle people to constantly enter the Tang Duke’s mansion.”

Li Shimin crossed his arms and sighed. “Yes, idle people.”

This plan was Li Xuanba’s idea, taking advantage of the Concubine Zheng–Lady Wan incident.

As Li Shimin and Li Xuanba’s circle of friends grew, so did the things they wanted to do. Staying in the small, secluded Tang Duke’s mansion became too restrictive.

Taking advantage of the commotion in the back courtyard, Li Xuanba suggested to Li Yuan that they move to a separate residence, in order to avoid displeasing their elder brother.

Although Li Yuan had constantly reprimanded Concubine Zheng, in his heart he could not help but wonder whether what he had heard was actually something Li Jiancheng had said. After all, it was typical of Li Jiancheng to look down on his two younger brothers, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, as well as to disdain Li Zhiyun and Lady Wan.

But as the head of the family, Li Yuan could only stand on Li Jiancheng’s side and could not allow Li Jiancheng to take the blame for the recent quarrel in the back courtyard.

Li Xuanba, using a bit of strategy, heightened Li Yuan’s suspicion of Li Jiancheng and framed the situation as “because Wulang and Erlang and Sanlang were too close,” suggesting that Li Jiancheng feared that he and the second brother were forming alliances in the Tang Duke’s residence to oppose him.

To put Li Jiancheng at ease, they would move into a separate residence. On the surface, it would be to find a quiet place to study, but in reality, by living elsewhere, they would signal that they had no inheritance claims on the Tang Duke’s residence.

Many noble and prestigious families would have their younger sons move out of the main residence to study in separate villas. Apart from the fact that villas were quieter and less disrupted by household traffic—allowing for better focus on studies—it also reinforced the prestige of the legitimate eldest son, who remained in the main residence while the younger sons moved out.

Li Yuan had hoped that his sons would be friendly and harmonious with one another, even wishing they could live in the same courtyard.

But since Li Jiancheng had taken Concubine Zheng as a concubine and now had female attendants, it was no longer appropriate for him to live under the same roof as his younger brothers.

Li Yuan had never thought of moving Li Shimin and Li Xuanba out of the main residence. Yet if this matter truly arose from Li Jiancheng’s dissatisfaction with Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, separating the sons would reduce potential conflicts.

This, however, caused some hardship for Li Shimin and Li Xuanba.

Even while remaining in Luoyang, Lady Dou could care for both sons, and whenever Li Yuan was off duty, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba would return to the main residence to reunite with their parents. But they could not see their parents daily, and Li Yuan still felt that he was neglecting these two young boys.

Li Yuan hesitated, but Concubine Zheng added another factor into the mix.

Concubine Zheng was pregnant again.

After her confinement was lifted, Lady Dou had a physician examine Concubine Zheng, concerned that she might have fallen ill from depression during her restriction. They found that Concubine Zheng was about a month pregnant, but the fetus was very fragile.

For the sake of the child in Concubine Zheng’s womb, there could be no further disturbances in the back courtyard.

When Li Xuanba made the decision, he first consulted Li Shimin.

Though Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were “conspiring” together, Li Shimin’s feelings were conflicted. On one hand, he felt stifled staying in the main residence—every action was restrained, and even small gatherings with friends at home felt limited—so moving out was a good thing. On the other hand, he hoped his father would reject the proposal and allow him to stay in the main residence.

Li Shimin was genuinely pleased when Li Yuan hesitated.

But now, with Concubine Zheng pregnant, Li Shimin could only comfort himself: the unborn nephews and nieces were more important, and he should yield.

Li Xuanba noticed that Li Zhiyun had become very depressed over the situation and refused to attend classes with Li Yuanji. Feeling for his younger brother, who had always clung to him, he wanted to take Li Zhiyun along.

Li Shimin, of course, agreed.

Both of his younger brothers were frequently bullied by that little demon Li Yuanji; they deserved to stay far away from him.

Li Shimin truly could not understand how someone could be so detestable from such a young age. Just seeing Li Yuanji’s face made him want to pin him to the ground and give him a good beating.

Li Zhiyun was eager to leave with his two older brothers.

At the thought of staying under the same roof as Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, he couldn’t help but curl up, hugging his knees.

But with his birth mother still here, he did not want to leave her, enduring scolding alone.

Li Xuanba said, “Discuss it carefully with Lady Wan. Even if you don’t live with us, you can still come visit often.”

Li Xuanba did not bring it up further, reducing the psychological burden on Li Zhiyun.

He had intended to ask Li Zhiyun about the schoolwork he had fallen behind on, but Li Shimin pushed him aside and told him to be quiet. Li Shimin took Li Zhiyun out into the courtyard to play, leaving Li Xuanba to study alone.

Li Xuanba shook his head, glanced at the scorching sunlight outside with disdain, and quietly resumed reading.

Li Shimin and Li Zhiyun played cuju in the sun, their laughter carrying through the window, prompting Li Xuanba to stuff paper into his ears.

“On such a hot day, it’s really noisy.”

…

Li Zhiyun told Lady Wan about Li Shimin and Li Xuanba inviting him to live with them.

Lady Wan could not help but hold Li Zhiyun and cry.

“You must go. Go with your second and third brothers,” Lady Wan said, stroking Li Zhiyun’s head. “They are genuinely good to you. They are talented, more capable than the teachers your father hired. They also have many powerful friends, each of whom could be your teacher.”

Li Zhiyun nestled in Lady Wan’s arms. “But Mother, I can’t bear to leave you. What if you get bullied?”

Lady Wan tapped Li Zhiyun’s nose. “I am, after all, your father’s only concubine of rank. I have my title and status; no one can bully me.”

Li Zhiyun muttered, “But this time, we got bullied.”

Lady Wan snorted. “Only Li Jiancheng could bully the two of us. He hasn’t even officially become the Tang Duke yet, and he already acts like one. He can bully the second and third brothers, and Lady Dou can’t control him—what can the two of us do? Better to avoid him.”

Lady Wan gently stroked Li Zhiyun’s face. “If you avoid him, he won’t bully you. You won’t be in the residence, so that young man won’t have much contact with your mother, and she won’t suffer either. Only you will endure the hardship of leaving your mother at such a young age.”

Li Zhiyun hugged Lady Wan’s neck, shaking his head. “It’s not a hardship.”

Lady Wan carefully instructed him, “Though your second and third brothers love you very much, they are still young and may not be very attentive. If there’s anything you’re dissatisfied with, don’t be timid—tell them directly. They won’t blame you.”

“Mother will arrange loyal and honest servants for you. Make sure to instruct them to obey you, not to cause trouble for your brothers, and not to bring misfortune upon yourself.”

“You must not only learn archery and riding from Second Brother, and reading and study from Third Brother, but also observe how they conduct themselves in daily life. Second Brother is cheerful; everyone he befriends truly likes him. Third Brother is a bit more reserved, but he is meticulous and very attentive to others’ feelings. These are all qualities you should strive to emulate.”

“Even though you are still young, as long as you stay close to virtuous people and imitate their behavior, you will surely become even better than before.”

“It is your good fortune that Second and Third Brothers are willing to take you under their wing. You must listen to them obediently…”

Lady Wan continued chattering on. As she spoke, Li Zhiyun reached out and gently stroked his mother’s face.

“Mother, please don’t cry. I will be obedient, I promise,” Li Zhiyun said, choking back tears.

Lady Wan lowered her head and rubbed the top of Li Zhiyun’s head. “Hmm… don’t cry. Mother won’t cry either.”

She would not cry.

For the sake of her child, she would never cry again.

…

Lady Dou strongly opposed the idea of letting Li Shimin, Li Xuanba, and Li Zhiyun move to a separate estate.

Li Xuanba, however, persuaded their mother using the emperor’s authority.

“His Majesty has entrusted me with many tasks in private. They are not exactly state secrets, but with so many people in the Tang Duke’s household, if the word gets out, the emperor might be displeased,” Li Xuanba said, lowering his voice. “Moreover, the courtyard where Second Brother and I live is too small for guests. If we move to another estate, it will be much more convenient to host friends. I can also leave the city to inspect the family’s farms and manage business more effectively.”

Lady Dou looked deeply at her third son.

After a long pause, she sighed heavily and choked back tears. “It is Mother’s failing… Mother has been useless… Very well, go then. You three will be more comfortable there.”

She lifted Li Zhiyun and rubbed his cheek. “Fifth Son, Mother has wronged you.”

Li Zhiyun shook his head and returned the gesture, pressing his cheek against hers. “Mother treats Fifth Son well. Fifth Son knows this. Please don’t be sad.”

It was not Lady Dou’s fault. Li Zhiyun understood this clearly.

Finally, the three boys successfully moved to the separate estate.

Lady Dou stayed there for ten days, making sure everything was settled before reluctantly leaving.

Lady Wan did not intervene at all, as if the child moving away was not her own.

Even with three children gone, the Tang Duke’s household remained lively and unchanged.

The only difference was that Lady Dou persuaded Li Yuan to bring Li Yuanji—who already had his own courtyard—back to live with them, so that he could be strictly educated.