Chapter 56: The Lamp of the Buddha

Li Chengqian limped and staggered into the Hall of Governance. Prince Wei, Li Tai, had not yet arrived; Empress Zhangsun was accompanied only by Li Shimin and the eight-year-old Prince Jin, Li Zhi. Several imperial physicians from the Medical Bureau were gathered nearby, discussing possible remedies for Empress Zhangsun's illness.

Li Chengqian hurried to Li Shimin's side, knelt, and bowed. "Your son pays his respects, Father. Father, how is Mother...?"

"Rise," Li Shimin said, waving his hand weakly. "Sit, sit beside your mother. She has always doted on you; stay with her now while you can."

"Thank you, Father." Li Chengqian stood and sat next to young Li Zhi. He gazed at Empress Zhangsun lying pale upon the bed, and tears streamed down his face. Grasping her cold hand, he choked out, "Mother! Mother! Please wake up, it's your son, Chengqian. Mother, open your eyes and look at me, please!"

Li Shimin saw his son's anguished weeping and felt a deep sorrow himself. Zhangsun had married him at thirteen, twenty-three years ago. Most of those years had been spent in turmoil and unrest. Even when she gave birth to Li Chengqian, he was away at war and could not be by her side.

He felt deep remorse for his wife of so many years.

Li Shimin gently patted Li Chengqian's shoulder. "Don't grieve so, Chengqian. Your mother has always been strong. If she saw you crying like this, she would not be pleased. Don't let her be sad again..."

Having witnessed countless farewells and deaths on the battlefield, Li Shimin had learned to face mortality with detachment. But toward Zhangsun, he felt a profound reluctance to let go.

Li Chengqian wiped his tears and asked, "Father, what do the physicians say? Is Mother truly...?"

"It's hard to say whether she can pull through. The physicians are still discussing treatments. They are the experts in healing, and even if we wish to help, we are powerless." Li Shimin sighed, gazing at Zhangsun's serene face. He remembered their first meeting twenty-three years ago—she was then a lively, healthy, courteous young girl. How had she become like this in the blink of an eye?

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

"Father!"

"Hmm, what is it?" Li Shimin, startled from his reverie by Li Chengqian, asked.

Li Chengqian quietly replied, "Father, Wang Zikui from the Medical Bureau has something to report."

"Oh?" Li Shimin turned to Wang Zikui, who stood nearby. "Physician Wang, have you found anything?"

Wang Zikui stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, the Empress's illness was caused by a previous cold, which triggered old ailments. The yang energy in her lungs, spleen, and kidneys has weakened, while the yin chill within her body is strong and the yang insufficient. Moreover, the Empress has always been frail and sensitive to cold, leading to persistent cough, chest tightness, and shortness of breath, culminating in her current unconscious state. For medication, we must..."

"Wang," Li Shimin interrupted, unwilling to listen to the lengthy medical jargon. "I only wish to know—can you cure her?"

Wang Zikui fell to his knees and knocked his head to the ground. "Your Majesty, we are powerless! The Empress's illness can only be alleviated, not cured. Please punish us!"

Liu Yitiao, unable to escape Liu Ertiao's pestering, sat up and said, "Ertiao, you're a scholar now. After this year, you'll be of age, an adult. You must learn to handle things yourself. Poetry is the business of scholars; how can you ask a farmer like me? If word gets out, won't you be laughed at?"

"Big brother, I understand," Liu Ertiao nodded in apology, then defended himself, "But you are so well-read and knowledgeable, far beyond ordinary farmers! Even the teachers at our private school can't compare. So I don't think it's improper to ask you for advice."

"You really..." Liu Yitiao, pleased by Ertiao's flattery, felt his mood improve and most of his sleepiness fade. He straightened up and smiled. "Alright, tell me. What kind of problem could possibly stump the second son of the Liu family?"

"Brother, it's like this." Seeing his brother agree to help, Liu Ertiao eagerly explained, "It's a strange upper couplet. An odd old lantern vendor posed the riddle: 'Four waters, Jiang is first; four seasons, Xia is second; this old man lives in Jiangxia; who is first, who is second?'"

"'Four waters, Jiang is first; four seasons, Xia is second; this old man lives in Jiangxia; who is first, who is second?' Jiang, Xia, Jiangxia... Interesting." Liu Yitiao pondered for a moment, then asked, "What did the old man look like? Why did he give you such a riddle? Surely he had a reason?"

"That's why I say he's odd. The old man dressed as a lantern peddler, but his lanterns couldn't be bought with silver. You had to match each lantern with a corresponding poem, verse, or couplet to obtain it."

"Oh? Then his lanterns must be quite unique, if they've lured you away from the bustle of the lantern market to come home early and wait for me." Liu Yitiao's curiosity was piqued. He guessed that anyone who devised such a method of selling lanterns must be a refined gentleman, far superior to those who seek fame like Du Zigui.

The lantern was a peculiar Buddhist lamp, shaped as a Buddha seated cross-legged, hands in greeting, smiling serenely. "Mother would surely love it," Liu Ertiao said, his eyes shining as he spoke of the lantern, clearly longing to bring it home.

"You are thoughtful, thinking of your mother even while playing," Liu Yitiao comforted him with a smile. Lady Liu was devout, revering and honoring Buddha. If Ertiao gifted her such a unique Buddhist lamp, she would be very pleased.

At the same time, Liu Yitiao thought of a possible lower couplet for the old lantern vendor's riddle, inspired by the meaning of the Buddhist lamp.

Buddhism was one of the Three Teachings, second to Confucianism and above Daoism. Before the monk returned from the West, Confucianism was first.

Liu Yitiao considered for a moment, then smiled at Ertiao. "I've thought of the lower couplet. Fetch pen and ink, and write it down to exchange for the lantern."

"I knew this wouldn't stump you, big brother!" Ertiao replied, bounding out the door.

When he returned with paper and brush, Liu Yitiao wrote without hesitation: "Among the Three Teachings, Confucianism comes first; among the Three Talents, Man comes last. I am but a Confucian, how dare I claim first, how dare I claim last?"

He blew gently on the wet ink, handed the paper to Ertiao, and said, "Here, take it. Once you're done, don't bother me while I'm sleeping."

"'Four waters, Jiang is first; four seasons, Xia is second; this old man lives in Jiangxia; who is first, who is second? Among the Three Teachings, Confucianism comes first; among the Three Talents, Man comes last. I am but a Confucian, how dare I claim first, how dare I claim last?'" Ertiao read the couplets carefully, and suddenly understood. He praised, "Wonderful! Brilliant! Big brother, you're amazing! I admire you!"