Chapter Eight: Cut Loose and Go for It Boldly

The protagonist?

Li Chengqian was somewhat puzzled. Shouldn't the protagonist of the day be Su Chen himself?

Recalling how Su Chen had glanced toward the main entrance while speaking, Li Chengqian instantly grasped his meaning. It turned out he had been waiting for the Emperor or the Empress to arrive.

Connecting this to the way Su Chen had completely changed his demeanor over the past few days, Li Chengqian felt as if he had finally unraveled the entire situation. A smile spread across his face as he looked with genuine admiration at his brother-in-law—a man he had always looked down upon. It turned out he had grown to such an extent!

The outcome was exactly as Su Chen had anticipated. The Emperor did not come, but the Empress did, and that was enough to achieve Su Chen's goal.

Before the eyes of the crowd, Su Chen fitted Niu Jianhu with a prosthetic foot made of bull tendon. Having practiced over the past few days, Niu Jianhu had grown accustomed to the weight on his right leg and, casting aside his crutches, took his first steps.

Replacing Niu Jianhu's foot became a great miracle for the ages, completely reshaping Su Chen's image in the eyes of all present.

As everyone heaped praise upon him, Su Chen felt a sense of genuine joy. It was not mere vanity; he had seen the look of appreciation on the Empress's face.

Although it was only the Empress who had come today, she represented the man on the throne. Her presence meant that Su Chen had firmly entered the Emperor's line of sight.

Su Chen had caused quite a stir in the city with this procedure. Beyond his desire to align himself with the Cheng and Niu families, his primary goal was to capture the Emperor's attention and, in the process, transform his own reputation among the people of Chang'an.

By doing so, he gained a significant advantage in his upcoming struggle against the Zhangsun family a month from now.

Of course, the preparations Su Chen had made went even further than this.

After spending the entire day feasting at the Niu household, Su Chen walked with a slight wobble as he stepped out. Seeing that his brother-in-law had finally amounted to something, Li Chengqian was more pleased than anyone and insisted on taking Su Chen for a stroll through the markets of Chang'an.

"Is this your plan? To drag the Cheng and Niu families into this mess?" Li Chengqian asked, getting straight to the point now that he had figured things out.

Su Chen nodded, then shook his head. "Yes, and no. If it were only the Cheng and Niu families, their strength would still not be enough."

Li Chengqian scoffed, dismissive. "You are truly greedy. The Cheng and Niu families are both of military lineage. With their support, you have gained far more than just a single point of advantage."

Su Chen, feeling tired from walking, found a stone step and sat down with a sigh. "With them, it is still only a marginal advantage. Don't forget, your uncle is also of military background. Though he has transitioned into a civil official, many of his former subordinates remain within the military ranks. Furthermore, he is now practically the foremost among civil ministers. How could I possibly hope to bring down such a figure without making extensive preparations?"

Li Chengqian was shocked. His eyes widened as he asked, "You want to completely topple the Zhangsun family? Don't joke! I allowed you to act only so you could withstand the attacks from Zhangsun Chong!"

Su Chen looked up at Li Chengqian and smiled. "Do you not wish to topple Zhangsun Wuji? But what of His Majesty? If he did not wish for it, why would he be probing the situation?"

Li Chengqian felt a lump in his throat. He wanted to speak but dared not. After a long while, he slumped down like a deflated balloon and whispered, "But he is, after all, my uncle! And Father must consider the feelings of the Empress."

Su Chen tacitly accepted this. In truth, it was precisely to spare the Empress's feelings that Li Er had tolerated Zhangsun Wuji growing so powerful for so long.

It was only later that Zhangsun Wuji became so bloated with ambition that he began to emulate Lü Buwei, first betting on Li Chengqian in hopes of controlling the court after Li Er’s passing. But Li Chengqian’s temperament was volatile, and after his leg injury, he began to rebel, forcing Zhangsun Wuji to change targets and support Li Tai, pitting the two brothers against each other.

Yet, unexpectedly, both Li Tai and Li Chengqian ended in failure, and he then set his sights on Li Zhi. It was not until the appearance of Xu Jingzong that Zhangsun Wuji was stripped of his titles and eventually died in exile.

Ultimately, it was Li Er's indulgence that led to this series of tragedies. But Su Chen's arrival had changed everything. Li Er had chosen the conflict between Su Chen and Zhangsun Chong as a point of entry to test Zhangsun Wuji's reactions.

If Su Chen had offered no resistance, the outcome would have been obvious: Zhangsun Wuji might even have been compensated for this incident, as was Li Er's usual style.

However, Su Chen was not one to suffer in silence. Since the Emperor wanted to test the waters, he might as well make the waves larger—ideally large enough to take down the Zhangsun family in one fell swoop.

As long as Zhangsun Wuji was no longer in the court, Li Chengqian’s position as Crown Prince would be secure, and Li Chengqian’s son—Su Chen’s nephew, Li Jue—would be able to succeed to the throne smoothly. In this way, the Su family could remain prosperous for three generations.

He had always intended to protect Li Chengqian, but his original plan was to move slowly, offering warnings only when Li Chengqian made a mistake. Zhangsun Chong’s sudden provocation, however, forced him to accelerate his plans and escalate the situation to a new height.

Su Chen mentally reviewed his plan once more, and satisfied that there were no flaws, he stood up, brushed off his robes, and prepared to head home.

Li Chengqian rose as well, asking calmly, "I have noticed you have changed a great deal. Judging by your recent actions, you seem very confident in taking down my uncle. I only want to ask one thing: how exactly do you intend to deal with him?"

Su Chen turned back and smiled. "You really want to know?"

Li Chengqian nodded, his face full of curiosity. Only now did Su Chen realize that although this man was the Crown Prince of the Great Tang and his own brother-in-law, he was, in the end, still a sixteen-year-old boy whose thoughts could not be fully hidden.

Su Chen glanced around, signaled for his guards to keep their distance, and pulled a blueprint from his robes. Li Chengqian looked on, bewildered, unable to make sense of what Su Chen had drawn even after staring at it for a long while.

Seeing his confusion, Su Chen smiled with a hint of menace. "This is a new type of weapon I have devised. With it, I can win over every military official in the empire. After that, I fear His Majesty will be too reluctant to let me continue playing these games with Zhangsun Chong."

Li Chengqian frowned. He had not expected Su Chen’s plan to involve winning over the entire military apparatus, or that he would even dare to bypass his own father in the process.

"Are you so certain this will work? How does its power compare to the eight-ox crossbow?"

Su Chen’s expression turned solemn. "A single shot can shatter mountains and split stone. The eight-ox crossbow is nothing by comparison."

Li Chengqian’s face darkened. After a long silence, he said, "So, the master craftsmen you detained from the Ministry of Works... you did it for this?"

Su Chen nodded, having no intention to hide it.

Li Chengqian paced back and forth, deep in thought. After a long moment, he said earnestly, "No, the craftsmen at the Ministry of Works are not reliable. If what you say is true, this is a weapon of national importance and cannot be entrusted to them. When I return to the palace, I will send you some men who are skilled in mechanical arts."

Su Chen had no objections to this. In any case, once the device was created, it would have to be handed over to the royal family. Otherwise, if he were caught hoarding such a weapon, he wouldn't even need the Zhangsun family to act; Li Er would kill him first.

Watching Li Chengqian’s worried expression, Su Chen couldn't help but offer a final reminder. "Li Chengqian, do not forget that you are the Crown Prince, and Zhangsun Wuji is merely your uncle. Do what you must, and do not be swayed by anyone."

Li Chengqian paused, then revealed a cryptic smile. "I truly underestimated you. I know what I am doing."

With that, Li Chengqian prepared to climb into his carriage to return to the palace. As the carriage turned, Su Chen suddenly remembered something. He ran a few steps and called out into the carriage, "I have a way to treat the Empress's asthma. Remember to send someone for the prescription tomorrow."

Without waiting for Li Chengqian's reaction, Su Chen turned into a small alley. He did not want Li Chengqian to know that Empress Zhangsun was also part of his grand plan.

Protecting the Empress was, in fact, a move with only benefits and no drawbacks. Firstly, it would be a tragedy for such a virtuous Empress to pass away at only thirty-six. Secondly, Li Er’s personality changed drastically after her death. Thirdly, as long as she was alive, neither Li Chengqian nor Li Tai could stir up too much trouble.

In this way, he could ensure his long-term plans were carried out.

Thinking of this, Su Chen slowed his pace and looked toward the north, whispering to himself, "Zhangsun Chong, I wonder if, years from now, you will regret your recklessness today!"