Volume One, Chapter 13: Illiterate?
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Li Feiyu hurried to speak.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Li Chengqian gestured for him to stop. “Don’t rush. The three of you, sit apart and each tell me separately. You sit to the east, you to the west, and you to the north. All three of you, face away from me.”
The three men dared not disobey Li Chengqian’s orders.
Once their backs were turned to him, Li Chengqian took the paper and brush from the table and handed out a sheet to each. “Write the nobleman’s name on the paper.”
Sizheng Qi quickly said, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, I… I can’t read or write.”
“Can’t write?” Li Chengqian pinched his chin thoughtfully, then chuckled softly, “If you can’t write, then you’re useless. I might as well just behead you.”
He raised the knife in his hand, threatening to strike.
“Ah! Crown Prince, spare me! Though I can’t write, I can speak. I’ll tell you once I leave. Please, Your Highness, spare my life!”
Li Chengqian had no intention of really killing him. Smiling, he put the knife away. “That’s better. I’ll wait to hear from you.”
At first, the three had indeed planned to shift the blame. After all, from what they heard from Chengxin, Li Chengqian was just a frivolous, unlearned plaything who favored male companions—a worthless crown prince.
What great skill could such a prince possibly have?
But unexpectedly, this crown prince was difficult to deal with.
Their lives were at stake—no one dared lie to Li Chengqian.
After a moment, Li Chengqian asked Yang Tai and the others with a smile, “Finished writing?”
“W-well… yes.”
They set down their brushes. Li Chengqian first walked over to Yang Tai and saw three characters written on the paper: “Li Yuanchang.”
His brow knit slightly, then he moved to Li Feiyu.
The paper before Li Feiyu bore the same three characters: “Li Yuanchang.”
“Come with me,” Li Chengqian called Sizheng Qi outside the door. “Speak.”
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, it’s… Han Wang Li Yuanchang,” Sizheng Qi said trembling, then suddenly knelt with a thud. “Your Highness, please spare me this once.”
Li Chengqian’s expression stiffened somewhat.
Li Yuanchang was his half-brother by the same father, a royal who indulged in extravagance and lust. Chengxin had been introduced to him by Li Yuanchang.
To be honest, Li Yuanchang was a pure wastrel, so Emperor Li Er never regarded him as an important figure in the dynasty.
His presence in the Great Tang Dynasty was minimal.
Li Chengqian remembered that the reason his father’s impression of him soured was because of Li Yuanchang.
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Looking down at Sizheng Qi prostrate at his feet, Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes. “He introduced me to Chengxin, then ordered you all to get close to Chengxin, drinking and making merry, learning how I favored him, and then reported this to the Emperor. Is that right?”
Sizheng Qi trembled and said, “Your Highness, we were only responsible for getting close to Chengxin and passing information to Han Wang. Beyond that, I truly do not know anything. Please spare me.”
Under such circumstances, Sizheng Qi dared not lie.
So the one who betrayed him must be Han Wang.
Li Chengqian had always considered him a brother.
But no wonder. Han Wang Li Yuanchang hid his ambitions the deepest, never showing any desire for power, spending his days in debauchery among women.
Li Chengqian recalled the last time he saw Li Yuanchang—he was utterly drunk, lying naked in the arms of several women, unconscious. Upon Li Chengqian’s entrance, Li Yuanchang vomited all over a woman’s face.
Little did he know it was all an act.
Li Chengqian continued, “So he not only sent people to get close to me but also to Li Tai?”
Sizheng Qi hastily shook his head. “I don’t know.”
He was just a lackey; Li Yuanchang would never confide such matters to him.
Since they had already sold out Li Yuanchang, there was no need to lie about this.
Therefore, Li Chengqian believed him.
“Stand up.”
Li Chengqian helped him to his feet. “Today I’ll spare your lives, but what happened today…”
“Huh? What happened? I don’t remember anything.”
This fellow was quick on the uptake.
Li Chengqian smiled and nodded, “Smart enough. Take your two brothers and leave.”
The three no longer showed the arrogance they had before, nearly terrified out of their wits.
Li Chengqian let them go, and they fled trembling.
As for how they left after exiting the door, Fu Shaojing had surely arranged it.
Now, to counter Li Tai and the deeply concealed Li Yuanchang, they could only wait for the meeting with the English envoy three days from now.
He would discuss matters after Chan’er returned tonight.
Li Chengqian intended to thoroughly understand this English envoy, though it would trouble Chan’er once again.
…
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In the Wude Hall, Prince Wei Li Tai was anxiously awaiting news.
He had already heard about Su Kui going to Li Chengqian’s residence, and Su Kui petitioning at the palace, and the emperor’s furious reaction.
That was why he sent Fu Shaojing to handle the matter.
Fu Shaojing had now entered the palace and would likely report back soon.
Fu Shaojing was his man—this time, Li Chengqian was surely doomed.
“Prince Wei, please rest a bit. I will wait here,” Su Xu saw Li Tai pacing relentlessly in the courtyard and urged him. “The Crown Prince will certainly be deposed this time.”
Li Tai heard this and laughed with delight, “You’re right. I’ll rest a while. Good things take time; there’s no rush.”
With that, he turned to enter the building.
“Report!”
At that moment, an official hurriedly ran in.
Li Tai’s joy soared as he rushed over. “Well? What’s the emperor’s order? Has Fu Shaojing returned?”
“Prince Wei… the emperor has not issued any orders. Fu Shaojing returned to the Court of Judicial Review shortly after entering the palace. He has not come to your residence. I sent people to investigate, but they said… said…”
Li Tai’s eyes widened fiercely, his smile frozen in place, murderous rage boiling over. “Said what? Speak!”
“They said Fu Shaojing found no fault. It seems someone made a false accusation.”
“Ugh!”
Li Tai’s veins bulged instantly, dizziness overwhelming him, nearly fainting.
Su Xu was shocked and quickly caught him, shouting, “Imperial doctor! Imperial doctor!”
He had thought the emperor would issue a decree to depose Li Chengqian tonight in a rage, and since Fu Shaojing was his man, he would surely fan the flames. But he never imagined Li Chengqian could turn things around!
How was this possible?
Why Li Chengqian? Why?
“Su Xu, why? Tell me! I want Fu Shaojing dead! That bastard takes my salary but does no work! I want to tear him limb from limb!”
Unexpectedly, Su Xu hurried to counsel, “Prince Wei, absolutely not!”
At this moment, killing Fu Shaojing would be like handing the razor they just sharpened straight to Li Chengqian to stab them with.