Chapter 31: Wei Zheng, he is truly a mirror for all mankind.

"Is that Young Master Wen?"

The servant from the Prince of Qin’s mansion had clearly been waiting for some time. Wen He nodded, not at all surprised that his return was known. Li Shimin had undoubtedly sent word ahead.

"Lord Fang and Lord Du request your presence in the study. They have urgent matters to discuss with you," the servant said, bowing and gesturing for him to follow.

"But I would like to see my sister first." Wen He was worried about Wen Rou.

The servant seemed to have anticipated this. He bowed again and said, "Please set your mind at ease, Young Master. Your sister is currently in the back courtyard with the Princess. She knows nothing of the events at the front gate and is currently playing with the Princess's daughter."

Someone must have coached him to say that; a mere servant would rarely be so articulate. Wen He narrowed his eyes and studied him for a long moment.

*What exactly do Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui want with me? Why the hurry? And I wonder what Li Shimin told them in advance.*

Seeing that he could not go to the back courtyard, Wen He conceded and allowed the servant to lead him toward the study. As they walked, the sight of the carnage faded behind them. It seemed Li Shimin had left plenty of contingencies in the mansion; despite the surprise attack by Wei Zheng and Xie Shufang, they hadn't even managed to breach the main gate. Even if Qin Qiong hadn't returned, they wouldn't have been able to take the mansion.

Passing a pavilion over a lotus pond, they arrived at the middle gate of the front courtyard. Just as he approached, he saw Qin Qiong, his face etched with a stern, killing intent.

"Greetings, Duke of Yi."

Wen He respected Qin Qiong greatly, though it was a pity that such a fierce warrior would no longer be able to take the battlefield in the future. On a stone bench outside the study where Qin Qiong sat, a bowl of warm medicine rested nearby. Having just finished it, Qin Qiong heard Wen He’s voice; he set the bowl down, looked up, and upon recognizing him, offered a kindly smile. His complexion was pale, and there was a trace of bitterness in his expression.

Not wishing to disturb his rest, Wen He bowed respectfully and continued toward the study. He hadn't gone far when he heard a fit of violent coughing behind him. Between his battle against Xue Wanche at Xuanwu Gate and his rapid ride back to defend the mansion, his already ailing body was surely pushed to its limits. Yet, even so, he remained at his post, dutiful and diligent.

*I don't know what illness he suffers from. If I have the chance, I must see if I can help.* It pained Wen He to think that such a brave general would be relegated to wasting away his days in his manor.

If only Qin Qiong could return to the front lines, his future achievements might well rival those of Yuchi Gong. Wen He was still mulling this over as he entered the study. Hearing a soft cough, he snapped back to reality and looked up to find Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui staring at him with furrowed brows.

"Greetings, Lord Fang, Lord Du." Wen He performed a proper junior’s salute, which caused the expressions of the two men to soften slightly.

"Young Master Wen seemed lost in deep thought just now. Might I ask what you were pondering? Is there some future upheaval we should be aware of?" Although Du Ruhui remained skeptical of Wen He’s origins, since the Prince of Qin trusted him, he was willing to entertain it for now.

"I was thinking of the Duke of Yi. According to history, after His Highness ascends the throne, the Duke will live in seclusion until he passes away in the twelfth year of the Zhenguan era. He eventually ranks last among the twenty-four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion. I merely felt a sense of regret." Had Qin Qiong been able to join the campaigns against the Turks, the Xueyantuo, and Goguryeo, his record would never have placed him at the bottom.

Wen He sighed. Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui stood frozen.

"The twelfth year of the Zhenguan era—is that His Highness’s reign title?" Fang Xuanling stroked his beard and asked.

Wen He nodded. "Yes. His Highness ascends the throne this August, and next year the reign title will be changed to Zhenguan."

Seeing the two men sitting on the floor in the kneeling position, he found a spot beside them and sat down as well.

"Zhenguan... The *I Ching* says: 'The way of heaven and earth is the Zhenguan.' A noble title indeed. His Highness is truly sagely," Du Ruhui said with a smile, flattering Li Shimin as he handed a stool to Wen He.

Wen He thanked him, suddenly finding Du Ruhui a bit more agreeable.

Fang Xuanling smiled and nodded. "His Highness has always intended to let the people rest and recover. Since the end of the Sui, the world has withered, and the common folk have suffered greatly. With such turmoil in the world, we must work day and night without rest."

"Xuanling speaks truly."

The two men exchanged a glance and shared a laugh. Wen He watched them, unsure of how to react.

"Um, honored sirs, you called me here in such a rush—surely it wasn't just to ask me about this?" Wen He said, feeling a bit speechless.

"Young man, do not be impatient. I haven't yet asked you what this 'Lingyan Pavilion' is. I have never heard of such a structure." Fang Xuanling squinted, his face wreathed in a smile. He was asking a question he already knew the answer to. He couldn't possibly know of the pavilion's existence, but since Wen He had mentioned the "twenty-four meritorious officials," and with the precedent of Liu Xiu’s twenty-eight generals at Yuntai, a scholar of Fang Xuanling's caliber could easily deduce its purpose.

"The Lingyan Pavilion is a structure built by His Highness in the seventeenth year of Zhenguan to commemorate his meritorious officials. Twenty-four people were chosen, and both of you honored sirs are among them." Wen He played dumb as well, though he deliberately stopped mid-sentence.

The two men, who had been waiting to hear the rest, were stunned, staring at him blankly. *Go on, then!* Where do we rank? What titles will we hold? If it had been Yuchi Gong or Cheng Zhijie, they would have been badgering him for details already. But Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui valued their reputation too much to appear like men who craved hollow fame.

"Lord Fang, Lord Du, it is getting late, and I am worried about my sister. Shall we discuss the urgent business now?" Wen He abruptly changed the subject.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui looked as uncomfortable as if they had swallowed a fly.

"It is not a matter of great importance," Fang Xuanling said, his expression cooling. "It is just that His Highness suddenly recalled the matter of Wei Zheng and wished us to ask you: can he be of use to His Highness in the future?"

As a man of Li Jiancheng, Wei Zheng was currently leading troops to attack the mansion. If this were a public matter, he would undoubtedly be executed, perhaps even with his entire clan. However, the Prince of Qin valued talent, and there were many within the mansion who had deep ties to Wei Zheng. Moreover, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui believed that keeping and employing Wei Zheng would help consolidate the people's hearts.

"As for that, historical judgment on Wei Zheng is mixed, but one thing is universally acknowledged: he is loyal and upright. He loves to offer blunt counsel, urging His Highness to listen to both sides to gain clarity and to be wary of bias. He taught that one should be mindful of danger in times of peace and practice frugality. Part of the credit for His Highness becoming a sagely monarch belongs to him."

"Furthermore, the *Old Book of Tang*'s 'Biography of Wei Zheng' and the *Zhenguan Zhengyao* both record His Highness’s assessment of him: 'Use copper as a mirror to adjust one's attire; use history as a mirror to understand the rise and fall of dynasties; use people as a mirror to understand one's own gains and losses. I have always kept these three mirrors to prevent my own faults.'"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui nodded in approval. They knew more about Wei Zheng than Wen He did, but they had feared Wei Zheng would refuse to serve the Prince of Qin. Now, it seemed, the future Wei Zheng would remain true to his principles.

"Looking back at history, there really aren't many like him," Wen He said, feeling a sense of nostalgia as he warmed to the topic. "He seems to be the only one who was appreciated by his king while alive, only to have his tombstone toppled after death. But that was because his judgment of character was flawed—he recommended Hou Junji and Du Zhenglun, both of whom participated in Li Chengqian's rebellion. One can hardly blame Li Shimin for being angry."

Wen He sighed, feeling a quiet sense of melancholy.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui looked at each other and offered bitter smiles. *What is this boy thinking? Why is he so conflicted?* They shook their heads silently, deciding not to press him further. Some things were better left unknown.

"Uh, why are you two looking at me like that?" Wen He snapped back to his senses, leaning back as he realized they were staring at him.

Fang Xuanling rolled his eyes and was about to speak when a series of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the room.