Chapter Sixty-Four: First Encounter with Empress Zhangsun

Li Yi followed the guards and palace maids into this place of revelry, step by step. The ladies, engrossed in gossip, were startled to see a man enter their midst; it was as if a gorilla had appeared among them. One after another, their eyes fell upon Li Yi, and thus, he found himself the object of much attention. At first, Li Yi felt shy, but then he reconsidered—who was he, after all? He was one of the ten outstanding youths of the Great Tang, a future paragon of Confucian commerce. How could he allow himself to appear so awkward? Straightening his back, he swept his gaze around the room; whoever looked at him, he returned the look. In just a short while, the ladies themselves became bashful under his scrutiny. This curious turn of events left even the guards and palace maids speechless, marveling that such a shameless man could exist in this world.

One of the palace maids glanced at the self-satisfied Li Yi and whispered, “You are about to meet Her Majesty the Empress. Mind your manners.”

“Thank you for the reminder, elder sister. Please set your mind at ease,” Li Yi replied.

Led by the guards and maids, Li Yi walked up to Empress Changsun. The empress had noticed him approaching, though at first she didn’t know who he was. Then, hearing Li Xueyan exclaim, “Brother Yi!” she realized this was the very Li Yi who had recently stirred up such commotion in Chang’an, rendering her daughter restless with thoughts. Lately, Emperor Li Er had been talking endlessly about this Li Yi—how talented, how clever, how incorrigible. Thus, Empress Changsun was curious; but upon her first glance, she felt a pang of disappointment. Was this the so-called talent? He seemed like a scoundrel, sneaking about. Yet, as she watched Li Yi’s demeanor transform—fresh, handsome, composed, and dignified, though his eyes betrayed a certain shamelessness—her interest was piqued. At least, her first impression was not so terrible after all.

“Li Wen Yong, commoner Li Yi, pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress!” Li Yi came before Empress Changsun, noticing she sat upon the very reclining chair he had invented. It seemed Bingyu had already delivered the gift to Li Er. Glancing at Li Xueyan, Chang Le, and the others nearby, Li Yi composed himself and saluted the empress.

Looking at the handsome, poised youth before her, Empress Changsun smiled gently. “You are Li Wen Yong, aren’t you?”

Li Yi held his breath and answered solemnly, “In reply to Your Majesty, I am indeed Li Wen Yong.”

Empress Changsun took a sip of tea and asked, “I have heard you are one who disregards propriety—yet you seem rather restrained before me.”

Li Yi was momentarily stunned, thinking the empress disliked him. But seeing her sip tea and smile at him, he understood—she was teasing him.

“In reply to Your Majesty, it is because I have always admired you, and thus dare not act disrespectfully in your presence.”

Empress Changsun was taken aback. “Admire? I’ve heard you admire General Cheng Yaojin instead!”

“Ah, Your Majesty, that is mere rumor.”

“All right, let’s get to the point. Tell me why you have come here.”

“In reply to Your Majesty, your nephew came merely to secretly pay homage to the greatest empress, only to be discovered by you!”

“How sweet-tongued you are. But was that secretive? It was blatantly obvious!” Empress Changsun laughed, then her demeanor turned stern. “Since you have seen what you came to see, you may leave now.”

“Ah—Your Majesty, I do have a small matter.”

Empress Changsun raised her voice. “Didn’t you say you had nothing? Do you think I am easily fooled, or that you can come and go here as you please?”

Li Yi was startled and immediately admitted his fault. “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Your nephew was wrong. Indeed, I came to see Princess Chang Le.”

She smiled again, her sternness melting away. “Very well, since you’ve admitted your mistake, I’ll forgive you this once for your youth. But let this not happen again. Now, tell me what business you have with Chang Le and Xueyan.”

Her earlier severity was intended to remind Li Yi that the Great Tang was not a place where he could do as he pleased; it was also out of appreciation for his talent. Many gifted people had suffered punishment for being too unruly. Youthful arrogance is common, but discipline is essential.

Li Yi, meanwhile, broke into a cold sweat. Even a brief rebuke from the empress had made it clear—this was not the new age, but an empire where imperial authority ruled supreme. No matter how much he understood before, nothing made it clearer than that single rebuke. It marked the beginning of his transformation—no more careless actions. He understood that the Great Tang was the best of times, but also the most dangerous.

Regaining his composure, Li Yi replied, “Your Majesty, I came to discuss matters of charity with them.”

Empress Changsun’s expression grew serious. “Charity? His Majesty has mentioned it to me; it is a matter of great benefit to the nation and its people. Your idea is excellent, but how is it connected to Chang Le?”

“May I approach and speak, Your Majesty?”

Empress Changsun immediately understood his intent and dismissed the attendants, inviting Li Yi forward.

“Speak,” she commanded.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I wish to ask Princess Chang Le to serve as president of the Golden Cauldron Charity Foundation.”

Empress Changsun was startled. “What? You want Chang Le to be president? She is a woman. Have you considered the consequences? This is sheer nonsense!”

Li Yi smiled serenely. “Your Majesty, there is a reason I wish Princess Chang Le to lead the charity. First, as a member of the royal family, she can represent the imperial house. Second, the foundation’s principle is to distance itself from politics and reject political interference; thus, it needs someone of royal blood who does not participate in government affairs, making the princess the ideal choice. Third, charity is about doing good; it requires not only management and planning skills, but most importantly, attention to detail, compassion, and innate kindness. In these respects, women are best suited. Fourth, the foundation must not only know how to spend money, but also how to earn it. Though its current funding comes from the Golden Cauldron Merchant Alliance, ultimately the charity must break away from that alliance and establish its own commercial base. Among businesses that can earn money without affecting the national economy, I can think only of those that cater to women—perfume, clothing, and so forth. These industries can generate profit without posing a threat to the economy, making them perfect for the foundation. Thus, the person in charge should be a woman. After all, it would hardly do for a group of men to be selling women’s underwear!”

Empress Changsun smiled faintly. “You rascal, don’t be absurd. What do you mean by ‘posing a threat to the national economy’?”