Volume Three: The Tempest of the Black Tortoise Gate Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Overbearing Changsun

The guards brought by Lady Changsun had all followed Li Shimin onto the battlefield, blooded and hardened men whose prowess far surpassed those pampered lackeys of the aristocratic families. It took little effort for them to subdue the group of unruly retainers, and the spoiled youths were seized and brought before Lady Changsun as easily as one might carry a clutch of chicks.

Lady Changsun regarded the young scoundrels, recalling the venomous words she had overheard, her face frosted with displeasure. She rebuked them sternly, "You are all young men, and it is natural for tempers to flare and fists to fly, but you have gone too far! To utter threats of murder and disgrace the women of one's family—such reckless speech brings shame upon your households!"

Despite his foolish appearance, Du Gujie was not entirely lacking in wit. Observing the attire and bearing of Lady Changsun, and the formidable guards at her side, he quickly surmised that these were no ordinary folk. He sized her up, feeling a faint sense of familiarity, as if he had seen her somewhere before, though the memory eluded him. He stared at Lady Changsun with wild, dog-like eyes.

Lady Changsun, already repulsed by their vile words, grew even more annoyed as this youth leered at her so rudely. Her delicate brows arched in irritation. "You insolent brat! Is this how you stare at the womenfolk of your elders? Guards—teach him a lesson!"

At her command, the guards swung their broad hands, raining blows upon Du Gujie and his companions. Their powerful slaps left the young men battered, blood streaming from their mouths, their cries echoing with pain.

Lady Changsun, of noble status, had no reason to stoop to quarrel with these blind and ignorant youths. She was angered for two reasons: first, they had insulted Mingyu's female kin, and Mingyu addressed her as aunt, so she herself was affronted. Second, the strict hierarchy of elders and juniors was the bedrock of society; as the Princess Consort of the Prince of Qin, she ranked above all other royal consorts in the empire, second only to the Empress and Crown Princess. Whenever she visited a noble household, the mistress of the house must receive her in person, as an equal, regardless of age, to show respect. These scions, by rank, were all her juniors.

Du Gujie, despite looking respectable, was a frequent patron of taverns and brothels, a seasoned rake. When he looked at women, especially beauties, his gaze always carried a hint of lewdness, whether he intended it or not, lingering on certain sensitive features.

Lady Changsun was sharp enough to recognize this, and her anger flared, hence her order for discipline.

Watching the scoundrels suffer under the blows, their faces swollen and bruised, Lady Changsun decided the lesson was sufficient. She waved her hand and declared, "Enough! You are young and ignorant, so this mild punishment will suffice. Reflect well upon your conduct—if you continue to speak so recklessly, I will personally visit your families and ask your mothers how they raised you!"

With that, she took Mingyu's hand, leading him into the carriage.

Just before boarding, Li Mingyu grinned at the miserable youths. "My aunt is magnanimous today—she spared you. If any of you are dissatisfied, come find me at the Prince of Qin's residence. If you so much as frown, you are no man! Xiao Hei, let's go home!"

The misfortune of the young rakes had reached its peak: first beaten by Mingyu, then had their ears cut, nearly devoured by a tiger, and finally slapped senseless.

Only at the end did they realize they had run afoul of someone untouchable. Seeing Mingyu's plain dress, they had mistaken him for a commoner, unaware he belonged to the Prince of Qin's household.

Du Gujie, upon hearing mention of the Prince of Qin, suddenly recalled that the woman was Lady Changsun, the Princess Consort. Years ago, when the Prince of Qin returned victorious, he had visited the palace with his elders.

The scoundrels, hearing the name of the Prince of Qin, grew dejected, recognizing the prince's power. Their hopes for revenge were dashed, and they began to bicker among themselves.

"Shut up, all of you! Why quarrel among ourselves? Is the Prince of Qin's residence so impressive? Bah! Like locusts after autumn—he won't be jumping for long!" Du Gujie, seeing their argument escalate, scolded them harshly.

The Du Gu family was the most influential among the Guanzhong nobility, and the rakes always followed Du Gujie’s lead. Hearing his words, they fell silent. One, curious, asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Du Gujie grinned wickedly, lowering his voice, "Hush! My grandfather says so, and he never speaks without reason. Let’s wait and see. The Prince of Qin may protect him for now, but not forever. Will he never leave the palace? We'll have someone watch him, and as soon as he steps out, we'll be notified. Chang'an is our domain—when the time comes, we’ll bring as many men as we want and teach him a lesson!"

The others listened eagerly. Du Gujie's grandfather, Du Guwu, was the head of their family—a formidable figure in Chang’an. His words carried weight. Even fools knew that if the Prince of Qin failed in his bid for succession, his fall would be absolute. When the nest is overturned, none of the eggs survive.

Du Gujie’s reasoning was sound. As long as Mingyu couldn't resist the urge to leave the palace, they could deal with him as they pleased. Their dreams of revenge rekindled, and they began to discuss how best to punish him: some proposed slicing him to pieces and devouring him raw; others suggested castrating him and sending him to the lowest brothel, to live as a male concubine, abused day and night.

The more they plotted, the more excited they became, as if vengeance was already theirs. Hou Mochenhui suddenly remembered something and gritted his teeth. "We can't touch the Prince of Qin’s house for now, but there’s another who made us lose face—a doddering old man! Let’s vent our anger on him first."

This reminded the group of the original cause of the confrontation—a stubborn old man whose ox cart had blocked the road.

They turned to look for the old fellow and saw him, aided by a few kindly bystanders, finally managing to move his cart and attempting to slip away unnoticed.

The scoundrels, faces twisted with malice, snarled, "You old fool! Almost let you escape!" They moved to seize him, but just then, the Prince of Qin's carriage stopped again, and Mingyu leapt out, striding boldly toward them.

The rakes were startled—could he truly have such acute hearing, sensing their intentions from afar? Though the downfall of the Prince of Qin might lie in the future, at present, they dared not provoke him. Du Gujie retreated several steps, feigning bravado, "You—what do you want now?"

Yet Li Mingyu ignored them entirely, walking past to stand before the old man. He held out a purse and said, "Elder, wait a moment. In my excitement at seeing my aunt, I almost forgot. Here is some silver; take it to see a doctor and get some medicine to restore your health. The rest should cover your expenses for some time."

The old man shook his head, refusing, "No, no, young master! You saved my life—how could I accept your money?"

Mingyu smiled, pressing the purse into the old man's hands, and whispered, "Don't argue, elder—leave this place quickly! The silver is enough to buy a few acres of land and a pair of oxen, enough to make a living. These men bear grudges—they cannot harm me, but I fear they may vent their anger on you. It’s best you leave Chang’an for now—seek out any relatives you have."

The old man, hearing this, grew anxious. The common wisdom was never to contend with officials. He thanked Mingyu profusely, took the silver, and hurried away to his kin.

Li Mingyu watched the old man depart, then turned to the rakes with a contemptuous smile. "Rest assured, I am a man of my word. If I promised to spare you today, then you are spared. But in the future… should I catch you bullying the innocent or acting lawlessly, beware my fists!"

With that, he boarded the carriage and rode away.