Chapter 91: The Case of Witchcraft and Voodoo

"Xiao Yan left in a great hurry." Yang Lian narrowed his eyes, observing Xiao Yan's carriage from a distance.

"Do you think he managed to get those things?" Zeng Yiling asked with a smile.

"Given Xiao Yan's personality, it is highly likely. If he hadn't obtained something, why would he have left the Han estate in such a rush?" Yang Lian seemed quite certain. He had done his part and left the rest to fate; having put in the effort, that was enough.

Zeng Yiling withdrew her gaze and asked, "What shall we do next?"

Yang Lian shook his head. "At this moment, we need do nothing. The things we want to see happen will naturally be carried out by others."

"By whom?" Zeng Yiling asked.

"Song Qiqiu!" Yang Lian replied concisely.

Zeng Yiling was slightly taken aback, but she quickly grasped Yang Lian's meaning. Recently, the Han faction had been powerful, using the military defeats of Feng Yanlu and Chen Jue to ruthlessly suppress the Song faction. To save the lives of Feng Yanlu and Chen Jue, Feng Yanisi, a member of the Song faction, had been forced to resign from his post as chancellor, leaving the Song faction in a temporary slump.

Within the Han faction, although Han Xizai had not gained directly, Sun Sheng had been promoted to chancellor and Chang Mengxi had been appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, indirectly expanding the faction's influence. With the Song faction weakened by this shift in power, and now that a great fire had broken out at Han Xizai's estate—leaving nearly forty people dead or injured—how could Song Qiqiu miss this opportunity to kick a man while he was down, especially right under the Emperor's nose?

As Zeng Yiling stood lost in thought, Yang Lian turned back to her and said, "Song Qiqiu is surely unaware of the witchcraft matter. How that information reaches his ears is up to you, Miss Zeng."

Zeng Yiling’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled. "Leave that to me."

A faint fragrance wafted by. Yang Lian tilted his head, took a deep breath, and said, "The Prince of Qi must not be implicated in this. I am going to the Prince of Qi’s mansion now." Without waiting for her response, he hurried away.

Life for Li Jingsui, the Prince of Qi, had not been very smooth lately. Although Yang Lian had been promoted, the forced resignation or demotion of Feng Yanisi, Chen Jue, and others had greatly weakened the Prince's influence in the imperial court. Even though he had been appointed Governor-General of the Empire’s Armed Forces, the military was a place that valued seniority, and mobilizing troops was no simple matter.

As Li Jingsui was pacing in his mansion, he heard that Yang Lian had arrived and hurried out to greet him personally. Yang Lian was his only supporter in the military; despite his relatively low rank, he represented hope, and Li Jingsui was eager to win him over. Meeting him at the door, Li Jingsui took Yang Lian’s hand warmly and laughed, "General Yang, you have come at just the right time. I have something good for you."

"Something good?" Yang Lian was momentarily stunned.

"Haha, it is like this: the Khitan have sent people with some ginseng, hoping to form an alliance with the Great Tang. It is said that their envoy is already on the way," Li Jingsui explained.

"The Khitan want to ally with the Great Tang?" Yang Lian squinted slightly, immediately understanding the Khitan's motives. Yelü Deguang’s invasion of the Central Plains had been marked by atrocities that triggered a revolt among the people. With Yelü Deguang dying on his way back to Khitan, the nation was naturally in a state of panic; it was no surprise they sought an alliance with the Tang to help counter the Central Plains regime.

"Why, do you object, General Yang?" Li Jingsui asked.

Yang Lian pondered for a moment before smiling. "The Khitan are foreigners, it is true, but they seek to woo the Tang only because their monarch has recently died and their country is in turmoil. They wish to use the Tang to share the pressure exerted by the Han dynasty. Since it is a relationship of mutual exploitation, we might as well cooperate with them on the surface."

"What do you mean by 'on the surface'?" Li Jingsui asked as the two walked from the main hall along a man-made stream in the mansion's garden.

"The Khitan possess excellent grazing lands for horses, while the Tang has always lacked warhorses, making it difficult to compete with the regimes of the Central Plains," Yang Lian explained. Even if he could defeat the infantry of the Central Plains with his own, they would only be routed. If the enemy remained organized, their cavalry’s mobility would make the infantry’s advantage negligible.

Cavalry was essential—they could pursue, harass, and at the very least, provide superior reconnaissance. By exploiting the Khitan, the Tang could acquire quality horses. As for whether the Khitan would invade the south later or require Tang support, those were concerns for another day. The Tang could simply go through the motions, feigning agreement with the Khitan’s requests while in reality remaining still.

Li Jingsui agreed with this line of reasoning. After talking for a long time, he felt much more at ease.

Yang Lian subtly reminded the Prince that this was a critical moment in the struggle for the succession. Although Li Hongji appeared aggressive, the situation was far from irreversible. As long as the Prince remained calm, waited for the right opportunity, avoided party strife, and remained impartial, he would naturally win the Emperor’s favor.

After these few points, Li Jingsui trusted Yang Lian deeply. In particular, regarding the demotion of Feng Yanisi, Yang Lian had advised him several times, and the outcome had unfolded exactly as Yang Lian had predicted. Li Jingsui nodded and agreed.

When Yang Lian left the mansion, the sun was already setting. He returned home, and soon after, news arrived that Zeng Yiling had successfully informed Song Qiqiu of the details regarding the Han estate. Within half an hour, Yang Lian received word that Song Qiqiu had departed for the Imperial City. Yang Lian touched his forehead; half the battle was won. Now, it remained to be seen how Song Qiqiu would play his hand.

Inside the imperial palace, Li Jing’s face was dark. He could not have imagined that Han Xizai would be involved in witchcraft. Li Jing believed in such Taoist practices—he himself, like the late Emperor, had been experimenting with elixirs in hopes of attaining immortality. It was precisely because he believed that he was so furious.

Xiao Yan was an upright man who avoided party politics, so Li Jing trusted his investigation completely. Yet, Li Jing found something strange: according to the reports, Han Xizai supported the Duke of Dongping as the heir apparent. Why, then, would he curse the Prince of Qi, and in doing so, curse the Duke of Dongping and even the Sixth Prince, Li Congjia, as well?

It was true that Li Jing favored Han Xizai, but if Han dared to abuse that favor to curse the royal family, Li Jing could not tolerate it. Was he trying to bring ruin upon the Li Tang bloodline? Even with his cultivation, Li Jing could not suppress his imperial rage.

Xiao Yan stood to the side, trembling. Although he knew the Emperor's anger had nothing to do with him, the aura of the imperial wrath was terrifying.

"I only spent an hour at the Han estate and found such horrific things. What other secrets are hidden there?" Li Jing asked, seething.

Xiao Yan thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, perhaps someone is framing him. After all, the fire at the Han estate last night was very suspicious, and I have heard..."

"Heard what?" Li Jing, dissatisfied with Xiao Yan’s hesitation, pressed him.

"I have heard that Han is close to the Duke of Dongping. If he were under the Duke's influence, perhaps cursing the Prince of Qi is possible, but why would he curse the Duke of Dongping himself?" Xiao Yan replied.

Li Jing nodded; he had thought of this as well. Just then, a eunuch announced from afar, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Wei requests an audience."

"Why has he come at this hour?" Li Jing wondered. After a moment, he waved his hand. "You may withdraw. Do not speak of this to anyone. Furthermore, I authorize you to investigate the origin of the fire at the Han estate in secret. I give you three days."

"As you command." Xiao Yan retreated.

Li Jing stood up and walked to the window, watching the setting sun. Dappled light filtered through the leaves, bathing the courtyard in gold. After taking a few deep breaths, his mood began to settle. There had been too many chaotic events lately—first the attack at Huairou, then this. It seemed someone was manipulating everything. Who could it be?

Returning to his couch, Li Jing breathed steadily and ordered the eunuch, "Show the Duke of Wei in."

Song Qiqiu, the Duke of Wei, held the titles of Grand Tutor and Chancellor of the Secretariat, and was honored as an Elder of the State, reflecting his status in the Tang court. Back when Xu Wen was alive, Song Qiqiu had been his strategist; later, he served the late Emperor, providing much counsel. Though he had been demoted and lived in seclusion on Mount Jiuhua for a time, he had eventually returned to Jinling.

Li Jing favored Song Qiqiu, though this favor was born of respect for his competence rather than personal trust. In administration, Song Qiqiu was a master whom Li Jing could not do without. It was precisely because Song Qiqiu could consistently generate tax revenue that Li Jing turned a blind eye to some of his actions—though Li Jing had his limits.

"This old servant greets Your Majesty," Song Qiqiu said, bowing upon entering.

Li Jing nodded. "Elder, there is no need for such formality. Someone, bring a seat."

Song Qiqiu thanked him and sat down. A eunuch served him tea and withdrew. Seeing Li Jing’s calm expression, Song Qiqiu felt uncertain—how much did the Emperor know about the Han estate?

As he hesitated, Li Jing smiled. "Elder, the sweltering summer is coming to an end. How time flies."

Song Qiqiu didn't quite understand the intent behind these words, so he nodded and replied, "Time makes old men of us all. In the blink of an eye, I have grown old, and I fear the days I have left to serve the state are few."

Li Jing said sternly, "You are a pillar of the state; the Tang cannot do without you. Besides, I see you are still as vigorous as ever, comparable to Lian Po. You are not old, not old at all."

Song Qiqiu chuckled twice and seized the opening. "Your Majesty, a nation must have laws. A ruler is a ruler, and a subject is a subject; that is the foundation of decorum. Yet, I have heard that some do not abide by the rules and are practicing witchcraft throughout the realm. It is truly an unforgivable crime."

Li Jing paused slightly. "Elder, what do you mean?"

Song Qiqiu took a deep breath. "The Han estate was burned, and the circumstances are highly suspicious. I sent men to inquire, and I heard that the fire was caused by someone’s reliance on witchcraft."

Li Jing’s eyebrows arched slightly. This Song Qiqiu had finally gotten to the point.