Within Ganlu Hall, the civil and military officials of the Zhenguan court were all somewhat busy.
Sun Simiao was recording the harms of alcohol in meticulous detail, from damage to the viscera to the confusion of the spirit and the depletion of essence and qi.
Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui were discussing in low voices whether drinking truly stimulated inspiration, or whether it merely loosened restraint and gave the illusion of brilliance.
Zhangsun Wuji stood to one side, listening attentively as the Yan brothers exchanged opinions regarding the stylistic features in the portraits of the Mongol princes that had appeared earlier on the screen.
Wei Zheng paced slowly behind Chu Suiliang, carefully examining the already transcribed records. From time to time he would point out a character to be corrected, or a phrase to be clarified.
Empress Zhangsun gently scratched beneath the chin of the cat in her arms, the one named Xianchan. The cat purred softly, its contented rumbling distinctly audible in the hall.
Yes, though everyone had something to occupy them, the entire hall was exceedingly quiet. Yet their attention, whether openly or subtly, lingered upon the father and son standing at the center.
Zhangsun Wuji even noticed that Yan Liben did not lower his head at all. His right hand moved steadily across the paper. With only a few strokes he had already outlined the figures before him.
Indeed, the reputation of divine mastery in painting was well deserved.
"Chengqian," Li Shimin said at last, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his bearing imposing, "in your view, how should a Crown Prince of Great Tang conduct himself?"
Li Chengqian instinctively followed his father's words and began to think. But the question was too broad. After a moment's hesitation, he replied:
"As Crown Prince, one should consolidate the foundation of the state, dwell in the rightful center of the realm, reflect upon the difficulty of the imperial enterprise, understand the broad way of guiding men, balance affection and righteousness…"
"Then have you, at present, achieved this?"
Facing his father's inquiry, Li Chengqian almost did not hesitate. He straightened and answered loudly:
"Your son will take this as his constant admonition!"
Li Shimin nodded, satisfaction evident in his eyes.
"Then what doubt remains in your heart?"
Li Chengqian lowered his gaze briefly.
"It is only that the records of later histories…"
At this, Li Shimin's expression changed. A genuine sorrow surfaced.
"The Empress passes away in the tenth year of Zhenguan…"
Before he could say more, Li Chengqian rushed forward like a fledgling swallow returning to its nest and threw himself into his mother's embrace. The imperial cat leapt down in alarm, meowing in protest.
Empress Zhangsun comforted her eldest son in soft tones, while casting her husband a reproachful glance.
Li Shimin could only return a helpless expression.
He had thought that since the screen had already spoken of Song, Yuan, and Ming, it would not circle back to Tang so suddenly. Who could have anticipated such a reversal?
Still, he reflected that it was better to prepare a thorough explanation. The screen stood before them. Sooner or later, Chengqian would learn the full truth.
And since the topic had already extended from Han and Tang because of wine, then perhaps—
---
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[The Song dynasty was even more so, especially the inseparable bond between Zhao Kuangyin and alcohol, which was hardly a secret.
After all, it is widely known that the Chenqiao Mutiny occurred when the pure Zhao Kuangyin, having become drunk, was forcibly wrapped in a yellow robe and compelled to ascend the throne.
In the historical records there are numerous entries of Zhao Kuangyin drinking. He once elegantly praised wine as "Heaven's beautiful stipend."
As for the eternal mystery of the Candlelight and Axe Incident, because there were prior records of drinking that night, some speculate that Zhao Kuangyin also died from excessive drinking, and that Zhao Guangyi merely seized the throne opportunistically rather than personally harming his elder brother.
However, sudden death from excessive drinking often leaves various signs. For example, drunken cerebral hemorrhage can cause facial distortion and paralysis; drunken vomiting leading to suffocation leaves residue. None of these are recorded in the official histories.
The poisoning theory exists largely because Qian Chu and Li Yu both died under suspicious circumstances during Zhao Guangyi's reign. Yet in terms of concrete evidence, there is none.
Thus the Candlelight and Axe Incident is destined to remain an unsolved mystery.
After all, Yongchang Mausoleum suffered organized large-scale tomb robbery. Zhao Kuangyin's remains are unlikely ever to be recovered for examination.]
---
A satisfied smile appeared upon Li Shimin's face.
But in Bianliang, within the Guangzheng Hall of Northern Song, the expressions of those present were far less composed.
"I died under suspicious circumstances?"
This was Qian Chu, who until moments ago had felt both pride and regret at seeing Heaven's Mandate rest with Song.
"What crime have I committed, that I must die alongside this Qian Wende?"
Li Yu cried out. He had previously quarreled with Qian Chu over the Southern Tang campaigns, arguing about whether ignorance of the principle of shared peril had led to ruin. He had not won that argument.
"My uncle inherits the imperial enterprise. Then what of me?"
Zhao Dezhao asked himself in bewilderment, countless possibilities flashing through his mind.
"And my remains… do not survive?"
Zhao Kuangyin spoke slowly, as though uncertain whether he had heard correctly.
The hall erupted like boiling water.
"Ha! The Zhao sovereign replaces Later Zhou, and the Prince of Jin replaces the Zhao sovereign. Remarkable indeed!"
"Does this imply that the Prince of Jin secretly harmed the sovereign, and later persecuted us as well?"
"How can such a crime be tolerated? The sovereign merely stripped him of honorific titles and demoted him to a monastery. Such clemency is Heaven's grace!"
"Heaven's grace? For such a rebel, why spare him at all?"
"If even rulers of extinguished states cannot find refuge under the Prince of Jin, then what of the heir apparent…"
Liu Han diligently transcribed the harms of alcohol and the possible symptoms of fatal intoxication into his prepared booklet. But when he looked up, Guangzheng Hall had descended into chaos.
The sovereign seemed lost in thought. Qian Chu and Li Yu argued fiercely. Qian Chu petitioned for the execution of the Prince of Jin. Li Yu lamented that he was already a fallen ruler; why inflict further violence? Zhao Dezhao stood bewildered, questioning his fate.
And the Prince of Jin?
Liu Han suddenly realized he could no longer see him where he had stood.
Looking up, he spotted Zhao Guangyi retreating step by step toward the hall entrance.
Before Liu Han could fully process the situation, Zhao Pu called out:
"Where does the Prince of Jin go?"
The title was deliberate. Liu Han understood this clearly. The sovereign's personally written ordination certificate had distinguished between Prince of Jin and Dharma Master. Zhao Pu had never erred in such matters.
To use Prince of Jin now—
Zhao Guangyi turned. The hall entrance lay only a dozen steps behind him. On his face was written plainly: my life is finished.
---
[LightScreen]
[Ögedei's case is even simpler. First, he loved drinking excessively. Records describe days and nights of drinking, sleeping, then drinking again. Even a young man would struggle under such indulgence.
Second, the Mongol westward campaigns promoted the exchange of brewing techniques. During the Mongol khanate period, the varieties and strength of alcohol available to the Great Khans increased. The risks of heavy drinking rose accordingly. Death by drinking was unsurprising.
After Ögedei, records of Yuan emperors drinking heavily are numerous. Zhu Yuanzhang may well have taken warning from this and imposed regulation.
The Ming palace produced considerable quantities of imperial wine, but most was distributed as rewards. Records of emperors themselves becoming drunk are rare.
One notable example is the Wanli Emperor. In the eighth year of Wanli, he wandered at night with a sword while intoxicated, cut off a eunuch's hair, and nearly ordered two eunuchs beaten to death.
This enraged his birth mother, Empress Dowager Li, who declared she would summon the court officials to the Ancestral Temple to depose her wayward son.
Ultimately the emperor knelt long outside her palace to beg forgiveness, and the matter subsided.
But if forbidden to drink, then shall I not refine elixirs instead?
Among Ming emperors alone, several are recorded as suffering harm from consuming alchemical medicines. The Lingji Palace talismanic drugs, the Red Pill, the Immortal Formula Spirit Dew Beverage, these were nothing new.
However, that is straying from the topic.
In short, remember this: if wine can be avoided, avoid it. If it must be consumed, do so in moderation.]
---
Within the Ming palace, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression darkened.
"So they do not drink, and instead they swallow pills?"
He gave a short, cold laugh.
Zhu Biao lowered his head, thoughtful. If excess in wine harmed the body, then surely such elixirs, compounded of unknown substances, were even more perilous.
Elsewhere, Li Shimin exhaled slowly.
"Better to govern the self than to seek immortality."
His gaze fell upon his son.
"Chengqian, remember this. A ruler who cannot restrain himself in small matters will not endure long in great ones."
Li Chengqian wiped the lingering moisture from his eyes and bowed solemnly.
"Your son understands."
The cat Xianchan leapt back into Empress Changsun's arms. Its purring resumed, steady and calm.