Chapter 106: Saving Princess Changle

"Hurry up!"

No sooner had Mo Dun stepped out of the Taiji Palace than he was intercepted by Li Chengqian, who had been waiting for a long time. The Crown Prince grabbed Mo Dun and hurried toward the Eastern Palace.

"Slow down, slow down! People are going to get the wrong idea, thinking we’re up to something," Mo Dun complained, stumbling as he was dragged along.

"Get lost!"

Li Chengqian was frantic, his usual refined composure completely shattered. He was burning with anxiety, yet this fellow Mo Dun still had the mood to tease him.

Inside the Crown Prince’s study at the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian slammed a stack of xuan paper onto the desk in front of Mo Dun. The paper was snow-white and brand new, clearly used for a recent report.

"Look at this! It’s nothing short of reckless disregard for human life!" Li Chengqian’s face was twisted in a frightening expression.

Mo Dun didn't say a word; he flipped through the pages rapidly, his expression growing increasingly heavy as he read. Unlike the cold, abstract statistics provided by Elder Hua, Li Chengqian had been incredibly thorough. He had documented the addresses and family relationships of these close-kin unions in detail. The more he read, the more cruel it felt—this wasn't just one or two families; it involved tens of thousands.

"Mo Dun, tell me, what should I do? I don’t want my own sister to walk down this tragic path," Li Chengqian said through gritted teeth.

"Then what are you waiting for? You have the evidence right here, all documented! Why don't you just submit it to the Emperor?" Mo Dun asked, looking at him with confusion.

"You don't understand how far-reaching this is! What I’ve compiled here is just from ordinary families in the Chang'an area, and even that is this serious. If I were to bring this forward, it would cause massive unrest," Li Chengqian explained in a low voice.

Mo Dun pondered this. It was true—even the Emperor favored "marrying within the family to strengthen ties," to say nothing of the rest of the nobility. Moreover, Li Chengqian’s position as Crown Prince made his involvement far too sensitive.

"Plus, my father cares deeply about his reputation. As far as I know, he has already personally given his word on this matter. If I intervene rashly, I will cause my father and my uncle, Zhangsun Wuji, to lose face, which will likely backfire."

Zhangsun Chong had already sent gifts into the palace. Without Li Shimin’s tacit approval, that would have been impossible; this was exactly what Li Chengqian feared.

"Then what do you propose?" Mo Dun spread his hands. You want to save your sister, but you don't want to take any risks.

"That’s exactly why I came to you!" Li Chengqian looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"No way!"

Mo Dun nearly jumped up. Are you kidding me? You’re afraid of Li Shimin—do you think I’m not?

"Mo Dun, she is my own sister! I refuse to let her jump into a pit of fire while I stand by and do nothing," Li Chengqian said firmly.

Mo Dun opened his mouth, but looking at Li Chengqian's resolute face, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. He, too, had seen that sprite-like girl and knew of her tragic destiny. If he remained indifferent, he would only be letting history repeat its tragedy.

"Fine! But we must plan this carefully," Mo Dun conceded, resigning himself to the task. Who told him he was too soft-hearted?

The two of them racked their brains for a long time, scratching their heads in frustration. The matter was incredibly thorny; they needed to save Princess Changle while protecting the Emperor’s pride. How could they achieve both?

"What if we blow this matter up?" Mo Dun said, steeling his resolve.

Li Chengqian’s heart skipped a beat. He knew this would be the outcome; whenever Mo Dun started making moves, it was guaranteed to cause a sensation throughout the city. But for Changle’s sake, Li Chengqian gritted his teeth and said, "Do whatever you think is best. I’ll take the blame if anything goes wrong."

"First step: You must have Princess Changle explicitly reject Zhangsun Chong. The firmer her attitude, the better, and the more people who know, the better. That way, when we break this big news later, they’ll have a face-saving way to back down," Mo Dun suggested. It was the only way—as long as the parties involved were unwilling, there was room for maneuver.

"Good, I will handle that," Li Chengqian agreed. Changle had always been reluctant, but her personality was soft, and she hadn't made a clear refusal. If he gave her a push, it would certainly work.

"The Mo Family Village plans to launch a bi-weekly journal covering news from the Guanzhong region. The first issue is already in preparation. If we print these findings as the lead story and distribute it across the entire Guanzhong region, it will create an established fact that no one can change," Mo Dun said, waving his hand decisively. This time, he wasn't just saving Princess Changle; he was aiming to change an age-old, harmful custom.

Li Chengqian’s eyes brightened. If it spread from the common people up to the imperial court, no one would link it to Changle’s marriage.

"But the person who compiles the data on close-kin marriages must be neutral, someone who won't arouse suspicion," Mo Dun added worriedly.

"Elder Hua!"

"Elder Hua!"

They said the name simultaneously.

"Exactly! Elder Hua is a physician, and he has conducted such statistics before. He has also strictly enforced the belief against close-kin marriage within Mo Family Village. If he comes forward, it will be perfectly natural, and no one will suspect we are doing this for Changle," Li Chengqian said excitedly.

Mo Dun nodded. Elder Hua had always been an active advocate against such unions; if he were to publish his findings in the journal, he would certainly be willing.

"Good! You handle Changle, and I’ll handle Elder Hua. We’ll attack from both sides!" Mo Dun declared.

"Mo Dun, thank you," Li Chengqian said sincerely. He knew that while it seemed like a two-pronged attack, his side was the safest, while Mo Dun was putting his own people, Mo San and Elder Hua, on the front lines.

Mo Dun paused as he left, waving his hand over his shoulder without looking back.

Shortly after Mo Dun left the Eastern Palace, a bombshell hit the imperial palace: the gentle Princess Changle had returned all the gifts sent by her future husband, Zhangsun Chong. The most luxurious marriage in the Tang Dynasty was likely falling apart.

The news shocked Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun, who both rushed to persuade her, but Princess Changle remained unyielding, closing her doors to everyone.

At the Mo Estate, Mo Dun explained the pros and cons to Mo San and Elder Hua.

"Young Master, rest assured. Abolishing close-kin marriage has been my lifelong wish; I am duty-bound to do this," Elder Hua said firmly. For him, this was the best opportunity. If he let Changle and Zhangsun Chong marry, the issue would likely be buried by time, and no one would ever dare speak of it again.

As for Mo San, he had no objections whatsoever. This was the kind of sensational news that would make his bi-weekly journal an overnight success—he couldn't possibly refuse.