Chapter 21: A Father's Love Like a Mountain

During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, the initial heir apparent, Li Zhong, was deposed amidst court infighting. Subsequently, Emperor Gaozong named Li Hong, his eldest son with Empress Wu, as the crown prince. Several years ago, Crown Prince Li Hong died suddenly of unknown causes, and his younger brother, Li Xian, was appointed as the new heir; the entire court praised him for his virtue.

The Crown Princess, Lady Pei, hailed from the Pei clan of Hedong. Since her father held a position of some standing in the court, she did not become a nun. Instead, her father brought her home to live in seclusion, away from the eyes of outsiders.

Few people lived in the Pei residence. Aside from the head of the house, Pei Judao, who had to attend his duties every few days or wear his official robes for morning court on important occasions, the family spent most of their time together in harmony. Thanks to the Pei family’s benevolent reputation and kind management, the servants and maids were all diligent in their work.

In the garden stood a young woman with a rather voluptuous figure. Fortunately, her thick winter attire held the fullness of her chest and lower back firmly in place, while the sash at her waist emphasized her slender frame. As she walked, a delicate, melancholic air—that of a widow—seemed to emanate from her. She did not wear the simple attire of a noble Tang lady; over her white hempen garments, she wore a white hempen band across her forehead, which wrapped around to the back of her head, disappearing into her thick, raven-black hair. Her hair was styled high in the back in what was known as a "mourning bun."

The lady took a few steps forward, gazing silently at the withered branches in the courtyard. Her eyes swept across the garden until they landed on a cluster of vibrant red plum blossoms hidden in a corner, and a faint joy appeared in her eyes.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway. The young woman instinctively looked over and softly called out, "Father."

Though the position of General of the Left Jinwu Guard was not a particularly illustrious military post, Pei Judao carried himself with the refined elegance of a scholar. As he approached, he said with a hint of heartache, "I bought you some storybooks from the West Market a few days ago; if you feel restless, you might read them. It is cold outside; don't catch a chill."

"I am not cold, Father." The young woman asked softly, "Did your official duties go smoothly today?"

"I was merely going through the motions, though today was indeed quite twisty and rather interesting. I shall tell you about it later." Pei Judao recalled the black-armored youth’s piercing gaze and sharp tone from the streets earlier that day. He had been stunned at the time, but now he found it somewhat amusing. Setting aside the nature of the event, the youth’s personality was truly decisive and fierce—a man of talent.

The Pei family had produced a Crown Princess, giving them a unique status—the most unique aspect being that the Crown Prince had died prematurely. Thus, the Pei family enjoyed the privileges granted by the imperial household without having to bear any obligations. The storms of the outside world could not reach them, so they had no need to worry about certain taboos. If the opportunity arose, Pei Judao would truly like to meet that young commander surnamed Wu.

Pei Judao collected his thoughts and looked at her attire, sighing, "The Crown Prince has been gone for three or four years. Our Pei clan is not a humble family, nor do we need you to maintain this connection to the imperial house. Even if you were observing mourning, the time has long since passed. Why persist in this?"

The Crown Prince had been dead for years, yet his daughter insisted on wearing mourning clothes. Others might think he, Pei Judao, was forcing her. While remaining a widow for the late prince could be considered a noble virtue, the people of the Tang were known for their unrestrained and liberal spirit. The Pei family, being a house of high standing, did not need to curry favor with the throne in such a manner. If the daughter were to remarry in the future, it would be perfectly natural. Pei Judao certainly did not want his daughter to remain a widow for the rest of her life.

The young woman stared blankly at the red plum blossoms standing proudly against the wind, saying nothing in response to her father. Just then, a maid walked in and whispered a few words into Pei Judao’s ear.

"Surnamed Wu... someone from the Empress’s family?"

Pei Judao frowned, taking the calling card from the maid. Seeing the handwriting—seemingly delicate but actually powerful—his eyes lit up. "This Wu An writes quite well. It might be worth seeing him." He glanced at his daughter with concern and instructed the maid, "Keep an eye on the young mistress. Let her stay a bit longer, then take her back to her room. Do not let her catch cold."

*Sigh...* If only he could make his daughter happy again, he, as a father, would do anything. Pei Judao stood there in silence for a moment, the cold wind blowing against his face until he sneezed, then he turned and left.

...

"Nephew Wu, your calligraphy is truly excellent." Pei Judao was examining the black-armored youth standing before him, and just as he was about to exchange pleasantries, his brow furrowed.

A man, black armor, handsome. *Hiss...* The scene from outside the Hao residence earlier seemed to replay in his mind. The ferocity with which the youth had drawn his blade felt as if it were rushing toward him again, only this time, the person on the receiving end was himself, not Prince Han, Li Yuanjia.

"Commander Wu?"

Having changed from his armor into casual robes, Pei Judao saw that Wu An did not seem to recognize him, so he took the initiative to explain. Wu An had previously grabbed a middle-aged man to ask if he had heard his orders—and that man had been none other than Pei Judao.

Upon hearing this, Wu An was momentarily speechless. Who would have expected that the loafer he had grabbed at random would be the man before him?

"I offer my humblest apologies, General Pei. Please forgive my offense."

"No offense taken, no offense at all." Pei Judao did not know much about Wu An, but since the man was the Empress’s own nephew, it was best to be polite on the surface.

Both parties took their seats. Before Pei Judao could ask, Wu An produced a gift list and presented it with both hands. "I have always admired your talent, General, and have longed to meet you. These are but a few modest gifts for a first meeting; I hope you will accept them."

Pei Judao took the list, his expression tightening slightly, and he forced a smile. "This gift is far too generous."

"You flatter me, General," Wu An said without pretense. "My uncle’s daughter was once the Crown Princess, and since the Crown Prince was the Empress’s eldest son, by extension, your daughter is my elder sister-in-law. To be frank, I have come to ask for a favor, hoping you might consider this family connection."

Technically, the relationship was more distant, but by calling her "sister-in-law," Wu An had subtly bridged the gap. Pei Judao’s first impression of him was not bad. Although he noticed the tactic, he did not correct him. Instead, after a moment of thought, he handed the list back.

"Since we are kin, we shall interact in the future, so there is no need for such formalities; it would only invite ridicule. Besides, the favor you ask of me cannot be a small matter, can it?"

"I have heard that you hold a high and powerful position in court, General. If it were a trivial matter, I would not dare waste your time. It is truly out of desperation that I have come to swallow my pride and ask you to show mercy." Wu An did not take back the list, adding calmly, "These goods are merely to facilitate your affairs; even if I were ignorant of etiquette, I would never dare to use them to sully your reputation."

Wu An’s flattering approach was effective; Pei Judao felt a smile creeping onto his face, and he waved the list aside. "There is no such thing as being 'high and powerful'; that is just what people say to be polite. Even within the Jinwu Guard, my words carry little weight."

"But if your words were spoken in the palace, they would be worth their weight in gold," Wu An replied instantly, laying on the flattery. In just a few words, he had tested that while Pei Judao was a military man, his temperament was more like that of a scholar—he responded to soft persuasion rather than force.

"You have said so much, but what exactly do you want me to do for you?" Pei Judao asked slowly.

"To be honest, I offended Prince Han today. He has gone to the Emperor to demand that I be punished."

*With the reckless way you acted today, it would be hard not to offend someone...* Pei Judao chuckled inwardly, though he put on a thoughtful, hesitant expression. There was indeed a certain amount of lingering favor between his daughter and the imperial household. Though Pei Judao looked down on such leverage, it had been bought with his daughter’s years of bitter mourning and widowhood. Moreover, it was the Emperor’s favor—precious and finite. Why should he use it for this man?

"As for..." He gently set down the calling card and the gift list, about to refuse.

"I have one more thing to ask," Wu An said. "I once received a great favor from my aunt, the Empress, who bestowed upon me a lost work of Wang Xizhi from the Jin Dynasty. I heard you appreciate calligraphy and painting, so I brought it along. I hope you might take a look and tell me whether this relic is genuine or a forgery."

The relic was genuine, and it had indeed been a gift from the Empress. Wu An had not wanted to use it here, but it seemed he had no choice.

*A lost work of Wang Xizhi...* Pei Judao gasped and immediately said, "This is no small matter! Bring it here quickly, lest you be deceived by a fake!"

"And the previous matter?"

Pei Judao looked at him coldly. Wu An raised his eyebrows, thinking he had said the wrong thing, only to hear Pei Judao shout to the maid outside:

"Go quickly and call the young mistress here! Being cooped up in her room for too long is not good for her."

Then, rubbing his hands together, he added sheepishly, "Nephew, hurry and bring over the work of the Great Master Wang."