Du Ruhui

Du Ruhui (杜如晦) is the imperial chancellor to Li Shimin in the Tang Imperial Court.

Introduction arc
Du Ruhui greets Chancellor Fang Xuanling who has entered the throne room to request an audience with the emperor. Fang Xuanling informs the emperor that he may rest with ease, as all of the families of the former princes have been put to their deaths. Du Ruhui remarks that they must not let their guard down for the sake of Tang and they must weed out any possible dissidents. Fang Xuanling then reveals that princess Yongning fell to her death in a canyon and her body was carried away by the river's rapids. Du Ruhui says it is unlike of General Yuchi Jingde to not be able to find a body, but Fang Xuanling responds that it could not be helped given the circumstances. Du Ruhui suggests retrieving her body to confirm her death, however the emperor tells them it would be unnecessary and to hold a funeral for the princess and her mother at Rong'en temple. He then thanks his chancellors and dismisses them.

Du Ruhui interrupts a conversation between Fang Xuanling and Wang as he overhears them talk about the recent incident at Rong'en Temple. Fang Xuanling jokes that such a small incident has reached 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 the source of the poison has been found. 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, a man in black clothes appears kneeling beside him. Du Ruhui instructs the man to guard and to 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 says 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.

Later, elsewhere in the city, Du Ruhui and the man in black stand watching the Pingxiangzhai restaurant burn from afar. The man reports to him that Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng were across the restaurant playing Go and apologizes as for not being able to 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".

Trivia

 * Du Ruhui is based on the real life Du Ruhui. He was a Chinese official who served as a chancellor under Emperor Taizong in the early Tang dynasty. He lived from 585 to 630.