People say there is a country in the east called Daliang.
They say it is rich in resources and its people are bold and fierce.
They say women can marry whenever they want and divorce whenever they want. After a divorce, they can marry again, and after marrying, they can divorce again.
They say the Emperor of Daliang has ten sons, but ordinary people rarely hear news of the third prince or catch a glimpse of his fine features.
They say the Daliang court is full of intrigue and the borders are in turmoil. The entire Wolf Clan was wiped out, and the former empress died in a fire.
They say that after his beloved mother passed away, the third prince was raised by Empress Liu, who treated him no differently from her own flesh and blood.
They say Empress Liu's palace has five things in abundance: high walls, high prices for gold and jade, loud-mouthed matrons, servants who walk with their chins held high, and corpses piled up like mountains.
Rumor has it the former empress and Empress Liu were born enemies, and that the third prince was abused by the empress, so he left and disappeared without a trace.
One day, a swift horse galloped back to the capital. Word spread: the third prince had returned.
Hatred gave rise to every misfortune; the imperial throne was a treacherous sea where all were swept away. The lone star strides beneath the heavens, while Mogu lets her hair fall and mourns the peach blossoms.
The Emperor assigned Xu Duwei, the ruthless commander of the Red Shadow Guards, to investigate the remnants of the fallen Western Liang who were stirring up trouble in the capital. While on the case, he learned that the third prince had returned. One day, they met again.
"The other day, I heard at Hongqingfang that you haven't been there for tea or wine in a long time, Lord Xu. The handsome men there miss you dearly." He held a jade cup and smiled warmly. "Guo Nu of the Miaoyin Tower at Hongqingfang once said that Lord Xu had a wonderful time that day, enjoying the company of beauties and staying up all night."
"I don't remember that. He told me the same thing, but I was asleep by the second watch anyway." Xu Huizhi said, "By the way, didn't you leave your red underwear there later, Prince?"
"I didn't leave any underwear behind," Cheng Qian replied with a smile. "But I heard Lord Xu couldn't handle it and fled in a sorry state, covering his backside with a banana leaf. In the middle of the night, people mistook him for a winged monster, and dogs chased him for three miles."
Tao Qi, standing nearby, silently watched the two of them make things up.
"All these years, I've struggled in the political maelstrom. Looking back, the road has been covered in brambles, and my mind is full of bloodshed, betrayal, and death. You ask what I've gained? I've gained hatred. My friends hate me. My siblings hate me. My supporters have turned against me, and I've had no choice but to remove them one by one from my sight. I had no other choice, because this was a deadly struggle for survival. They would die, or I would. It all began with my mother's death, and yet I wasn't the one who caused it. Those who kill must pay with their lives."
"I, Li Chengqian, am the third son of Emperor Taizong of Liang. My mother was a holy maiden of the Wolf Clan and the former empress. Before my mother was murdered, I was the Emperor's favorite son and the first among the princes to be granted a title. I was born into a family of bells and jade, with the support of thousands. But then I fell into disgrace, and everyone trampled on me. Now I've returned to reclaim everything you took from me. Today, tens of thousands of soldiers stand behind me, and you stand before me. I only want to ask for justice: when will you die?"
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