Chapter 2: The Deceased Princess

**The Deceased Princess** is the second chapter of Chang Ge Xing. The first part was released on June 1, 2011 while the last part was released on June 23, 2011.

## Summary

### 2.1

In the Xiande Hall of the eastern palace, Chancellor Fang Xuanling speaks with Wang and informs him not to tell the emperor the incident at Rong'en temple and instead, turn attention towards resolving arson and theft around the city. The two are interrupted by Chancellor Du Ruhui walking towards them as he questions the events around the incident in Rong'en Temple. Fang Xuanling attempts to joke that such a small incident had the power to reach the ears of the military department, but Du Ruhui observantly responds that the military guards were poisoned without the culprit stealing anything from the temple, hence they cannot be an average thief. He questions if they have found the source of the poison. In response, Fang Xuanling says he forgot to look into it, and asks Wang to bring him the reports so he may personally look into it. Fang Xuanling thanks Du Ruhui for his assistance and leaves along with Wang. As Du Ruhui stands watching the two walk away, a man in black clothes appears kneeling beside him. Du Ruhui instructs the man to guard and protect gates of the city as the culprit could still be within the city walls. The man questions if he knows who the culprit could be, to which he says he a supposition on their identity. Du Ruhui states that it cannot be a thief as the casket of the princess and the consort are untouched and not looted. He remarks that these events are interesting and that he cannot wait to see what sort of snakes comes out if they scour the bushes.

In the Judaical Hall of Chang'an, Wang carrying a heap of papers instructs a court official to bring him a horse as he must immediately get the papers to Chancellor Fang Xuanling. The court official says he has placed the latest reports of Tang on his desk, but Wang replies that he has no time for reports. Meanwhile in Wang's office, Yongning hangs from a ceiling beam as she reads the latest reports. She examines the latest reports, but finds unreliable information as the only reports are about ongoing battle in Shuo Province against the Eastern Turkic Khaganate and a rebellion in the eastern mountains who are likely not any help to her as they have already been defeated and do not have the power to stand against the emperor. Additionally, she realizes because she has been designated as "deceased", she cannot convince her father's former subordinates to rebel with her. Out loud, she tells herself that given the situation, assassination would be the best choice. Two soldiers who hear her voice barge into Wang's office and look around, but brush it off as they thought it was just their imagination. As the two leave, Yongning is seen hiding on an outside beam. She decided to do something about the delivery boy she met earlier as he could expose her.

In the Pinxiangzhai, two employees question where Adou went off to as he has not been seen since yesterday. As one of them leaves the conversation to serve trays, a cloaked figure approaches the counter after slamming the door. The employee looks nervously at the figure.

Getting water splashed on his face, Yongning wakes Adou up. She hurls throwing knives around his head, one scarring his cheek, and points a blade in his mouth. She tells him that she could easily kill him, however resorts to swearing him into secrecy about the recent incident or else he will die. Stunned at first, Adou suddenly pronounces her as his "master" and begs her to take him on as a disciple. She kicks him away and flees on horseback, but Adou runs in pursuit believing that she is just testing him.

### 2.2

While running after Yongning in pursuit, Adou trips and falls. Yongning comes back for him and says she will bring him back to Pinxiangzhai.

Wei Zheng checks into a suite in an inn and meets Fang Xuanling playing Go. As he sits, he tells Fang Xuanling that he has relayed his message to Yonging and shows the broken hair piece as her response. Fang Xuanling remembers her fondly as a smart and capable child who was loved by Li Shimin as if she was his own daughter, and thinks to himself that for a female, she showed great interest in learning about strategies and war. As he remarks that even after her "death" she causes a lot of worrying, the Pinxiangzhai can be seen in the background aflame.

Adou attempt to convince Yonging to take him on as a disciple as the two are walking in the streets of Chang'an back to the Pinxiangzhai. Yongning looks over to the commotion at the city gates where she over hears soldiers receive an order to close the gate in an hour. As the two approach Pinxiangzhai, they stand aghast staring at the sight of the flames consuming the restaurant. On lookers watch on as they exclaim that they feel sorry for all the workers who are lost in the flames.

### 2.3

Adou attempts to approach the site, but is stopped by Yongning who tells him to not looks suspicious as armed soldiers stand on guard. She apologizes to him and says all of this is her fault. Adou questions if the people who want her dead done this, to which she replies no and says that it was done by the people who her to peacefully disappear. The two turn around and walk away from the scene. Yongning asks if he has any family, but Adou reveals that he was a refugee taken in by the Pinxiangzhai and that he has no where to go.

Elsewhere in the city, Du Ruhui and the man in black stand watching the building burn from afar. The man reports to him that Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng were across the restaurant playing Go and apologizes as he could not foresee the events happening. Du Ruhui states that he has an idea on who they're trying to cover for. The man in black questions if he should report this information to the emperor, but Du Ruhui says the emperor does not need to know yet as the other chancellors still hold a lot of power and it will make things more complicated, hence it would be best if they pretended to not know anything. Du Ruhui thinks to himself that the princess has already "died once" and wonders if she could "die again".

The gates of Chang'an close as Yongning and Adou ride away on the back of a hay cart. Yongning states that she plans to travel to Shuo province and she will give him some money to settle down. He wonder if it is to slip into the ongoing battle to create quick money. Adou asks what her motives are, to which she reveals that she plans to bring back an army to Chang'an and kill Li Shimin.

Far away elsewhere, a falcon lands on a Turk horseman's arm with a bloodied sword in the other. He makes an order to kill all leftover soldiers 10 miles ahead on the other side of a mountain.

## Characters in order of appearance

1. Fang Xuanling
2. Wang
3. Du Ruhui
4. Man in black
5. Yongning
6. Adou
7. Wei Zheng
8. Turk leader