That one decisive, tragic battle preserved Chang'an, allowing Zhu shi to occupy the most strategic provinces in the Guanzhong plains.
Afterwards, Zhu shi became the emperor and peace prevailed in Guanzhong. But in other regions, different powers had long ago established themselves as kings, making the situation turbulent.
When the last emperor Zhu shi reigned, the world was in rebellion.
In the midst of the troubled times, the withered Xie family lost the their army. The family was full of widows with no one to rely on, and their power shrank to a mere county.
Reaching Xie Wuliang's generation, in the di lineage, only he and his younger sister, Xie Manyuan, were left to depend on each other.
Xie Wuliang wanted to follow the example of his ancestors to gallop into the frontier and recover the rivers and mountains, but he was prone to sickness since childhood, unable to draw a bow or ride a horse.
And Xie Manyuan was a girl.
Xie Wuliang took a different path and vigorously operated the Xie family properties. Relying on Jingnan's well-developed water system and carrying out trade with all the major powers, it soon helped the Xie family accumulate wealth that could rival the nation. He had also stocked up large quantities of foodstuffs during this period.
At the time, Wei County's General Li who had regained twenty-one cities in thirty battles, entered Xie Wuliang's line of sight.
The Xie family had money, had prestige, had provisions but lacked generals and lacked soldiers.
The Li family had generals, had soldiers but lacked provision, lacked money and lacked prestige.
Connecting the families of Li and Xie by marriage, Li Zhongqian was born.
Xie Wuliang knew his younger sister Xie Manyuan was simple and naive, so he had his nephew Li Zhongqian receive personal upbringing by his side.
The childhood Li Zhongqian was intelligent and resourceful, courteous and considerate. At a young age, his bearing was extraordinarily elegant, literacy was eloquent, martial arts able to raise the hundred pounds gold hammer.
Who in the Li clan did not praise Li Zhongqian?
It was because Li Zhongqian was naturally talented and intelligent, deeply favored by the elders of the Li clan, that there was a struggle for shizi.
At that time, even Li De could not make a choice between Li Xuanzhen and Li Zhongqian, and could only delay the conferring of shizi.
Later, when Tang shi died, Li De appointed Li Xuanzhen as shizi.
Xie Wuliang was so far-sighted that he immediately took away Li Zhongqian's pair of golden hammers, forbidding him from practicing martial arts, telling him to concentrate on his poetry and study. So that, in the future, he could become a wise wang who was loyal to the emperor and an official who loved the people.
"Hu Nu, you must by all means listen to Uncle's words. You have an evil destiny, too heavy in hostility. If you concentrate on studying poetry and books, you may be able to live safely until old age. But once you take up martial arts, you may not live past the age of 30."
"Hu Nu, you remember, do not engage in martial arts!"
Li Zhongqian made a heavy oath.
Three years later, the Xie family was exterminated.
Li Zhongqian followed Xie Wuliang's final wish and continued to painstakingly study hard.
It was not until Li Yaoying was five years old that he had to break the vow he had made in front of his uncle, abandoning literature for martial arts.
Even though he knew the price was to not live past thirty.
The Chief Historian had watched Li Zhongqian grow up.
He watched Li De confer Li Xuanzhen as shizi, seeing the six-year-old erlang smile and let go, burying himself in poetry and books.
Watched the whole Xie family become martyrs, seeing the nine-year-old erlang dry his tears and return to the Li family to personally take care of his young sister Li Yaoying, who could not walk on both legs.
Watched the eleven-year-old erlang with bloodshot eyes, gritting his teeth to smash open the heavy locks, his bloody hands grabbing the pair of golden hammers destined to bring him misfortune.
The world said that Li Zhongqian killed people like flies, without restraint.
He was scorned by the noble families, hated by the people, despised by his fellow soldiers, sneered at by the Crown Prince's men.
The military men who served him were all the unwanted leftovers that could not enter the Crown Prince's eyes.
Even a strategist from a humble background like Du Sinan dared to openly say: "Li family's erlang is a fool, I disdain to be associated with him."
The chief historian hated until his heart ached.
How could they know that the second prince had studied so many books when he was young, brought up personally by Xie Wuliang, whose talent was unrivalled and unparalleled, how could he possibly be a crude person who knew nothing?
Why was the second prince unwilling to reorganize the military?
Why did he indulge in wine and sex?
Why did he completely disregard his reputation?
The night breeze was refreshing, the vast sky was full of stars.
The tall stallion was strolling in the light moonlight. Li Zhongqian's eyes were lowered, patting his mount absent-midedly, without speaking.
The chief historian said bitterly: "Your Highness, although the Xie family's bloodline had been broken, but the bones still exist. Your military Xie family, you cannot tarnish the name of the Xie family!"
Li Zhongqian turned back fiercely.
His eyes were sharp as a sword.
"Don't mention the Xie family before me!"
The chief historian trembled in fear.
"What does Uncle Hu think? What should I do?"
Li Zhongqian's narrow phoenix eyes were filled with violence, but his voice was calm as he spoke.
"Should I do what the Crown Prince did, reorganize the military, recruit capable people, seek out famous and virtuous scholars, respect the wise, treat my troops well, win over the people, and be a virtuous wang that the world praises?"
The chief historian agreed in his heart, but did not dare to speak out.
Li Zhongqian smiled: "Uncle Hu, don't forget, I nearly became shizi."
The chief historian froze.
A moment later, the chief historian reacted, suddenly feeling his blood run cold.
Li Zhongqian said indifferently, "If I really acted like that, I would only die earlier and quicker."
He was so close to becoming shizi, and was the grandson of the Xie family. On these things alone, Li Xuanzhen would not let him, a threat, go.
Not to mention the fact that they were implicated by Tang shi's death.
There was also their father, the emperor who was decisive, unpredictable and objective to the point of being almost ruthless.
If their positions were swapped, so would he.
From the moment the Xie family was destroyed, Li Zhongqian understood that he would not live long.
Why would he fear death?
He was not afraid to die.
Only afraid to die a not heroic enough death.
The crescent moon had hidden among the clouds at some point, and the dim light from the stars shone down.
Li Zhongqian raised his face, the twinkling starlight falling into his eyes.
He remembered the jade box that he gave to Yaoying, the corners of his mouth slowly curled up and he could not help but smile.
There was nothing to live for, so there was no fear of dying.
But if he died, what would happen to little seventh?
Li Zhongqian was afraid.
So he had to find someone who could shelter little seventh before that day came.
Li Zhongqian collected his thoughts and urged his horse to walk faster.
He did not go out of the palace to seek pleasure. Prime Minister Zheng was waiting for him at the Miaoyin Pavilion.
Little seventh's wedding should be settled as soon as possible so that he could go to war without worry.
The chief historian followed closely behind Li Zhongqian, old tears falling.
He had already thought clearly about the key point.
The second prince knew he would surely die, so he stopped trying and gave up caring.
The chief historian was not resigned!
The Xie family has been loyal and sacrificed themselves for generations. Generation after generation of children have shed their blood on the battlefield, sons sacrificing their lives for the country. The last generation of the di bloodline, Xie Wuliang, died defending the city. Before he died, he asked his men to cut off his head to give to the enemy, just to save the people.
Centuries of moral character, worthy of being emperor, worthy of the people under his rule.
More worthy of the Li family!
But in the end, he ended up in this situation.
If the Xie family were still alive, how would the Emperor dare to treat the Noble Consort and the second prince this way?