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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 121: Nature
The concubines attending the emperor naturally did not know the childhood nickname of the emperor's niece, and Yang Guang did not ask anyone else; he had already convinced himself it was him.
His father and ancestors were all prominent figures. After his father, Li Chong, died on the battlefield, he was raised in the palace by the Predecessor Emperor, who later married the only daughter of Princess Le Ping, Yang Lihua, Yuwen Eying.
The Yuwen Family and the Li Family—Yang Guang's expression was cold. He knew well that such matters were not to be trusted, but since he was already disturbed to the point of being unable to sleep, it felt like a path to death had opened before him.
In the Duke Tang's Residence, Li Yan and Li Jian Cheng did not mention this matter to their family, as it would only add to their worries. However, neither of them could fall asleep for a while.
They understood well how capricious the emperor could be; they had followed him as loyal subjects during the struggle for succession. Li Jian Cheng silently calculated his chances of escaping if something were to happen.
They were very low. If the emperor were absent, he would have an eighty percent chance of escape; with the emperor stationed in the capital, he had less than a twenty percent chance.
Many arrangements made under imperial authority seemed particularly fragile. Fortunately, as long as they could endure this period, Yang Guang would soon lead another campaign against Goguryeo.
“Jian Cheng, what do you think of His Majesty?”
Li Jian Cheng sensed his father's implication and shook his head. “The Li family is a prominent clan; the court is not solely comprised of us. Moreover, both of us currently hold no official positions. His Majesty would not suspect us first.”
“Even if he suspects us first, it means he will eventually suspect our family.”
“If the campaign against Goguryeo goes smoothly, this matter will pass. If it does not go well, His Majesty will continue to harbor suspicions. This is also the fault of our child; if it weren't for these years spent forging connections everywhere…”
Li Yan waved his hand dismissively. “You have done well; our family has thrived because of it. We just need to think of a way.”
“The child already has an idea and will make arrangements once the storm passes.”
In matters like this, regaining trust through performance was impossible; one could only use magic to defeat magic—using nursery rhymes against nursery rhymes and prophecies against prophecies.
The rules of mourning were numerous; one could not remove the mourning attire until the designated period had passed. Music, dance, and games were strictly forbidden, and it was even prohibited to conceive a child during this time.
Thus, the four brothers of Li Jian Cheng found it rare to gather together every day. The youngest, Li Yuanji, was already eleven years old, making them all quite grown up.
Although Li Yuanji was the youngest, his martial prowess was only slightly inferior to that of Li Jian Cheng. The latter's victories were mainly due to his age and the fact that he had never slackened in his practice of horseback riding and archery, which made him physically stronger than his younger siblings who had yet to fully mature.
However, it seemed that in just a few years, he would be surpassed by the Fourth Son. As for Li Shimin, his skills were nearly on par with those of Li Jian Cheng back in the day; once he matured, there would not be much difference in their physical capabilities.
Li Xuanba, on the other hand, was at the bottom in terms of skill. He had been frail since childhood and possessed a gentle nature. He did not enjoy riding horses or hunting outside the city, let alone engaging in battlefield tactics.
“Yuanji!”
Li Yuanji's stick came to rest on Li Shimin's shoulder. Had their eldest brother not intervened, he would have undoubtedly struck down with it.
Since childhood, the second brother had taken advantage of their parents' affection to bully him. But now, he was no longer a match for Li Yuanji.
Li Yan treated all his sons equally, but perhaps because Dou Family nearly lost their lives during Li Yuanji's birth, they had never shown much affection for this youngest son and favored the second and third instead.
Li Yuanji looked down on weak and sickly Li Xuanba but held nothing back in his blatant rivalry with Li Shimin; he wanted to compete with him in everything.
Li Shimin deflected the stick hanging from his shoulder with a grim expression. Being defeated by a younger brother several years his junior left the usually proud Li Shimin feeling quite dissatisfied—mostly with himself.
Li Yuanji withdrew his stick and turned to leave when Li Jian Cheng softly asked, “Where are you going?”
Li Yuanji still felt some respect for his elder brother but stubbornly did not turn back; he merely paused in his steps. “I’m going to shoot a few arrows.”
"You are already skilled in riding and archery at your age. You should focus on addressing your shortcomings. Even if you don't enjoy literature and classical texts, you should read more military treatises. Otherwise, you'll only rely on brute strength, and how can you achieve great things that way?"
Li Yuanji remained silent, clearly believing that as long as he was brave enough, he could win any fight. However, he did not dare to defy his elder brother and reluctantly agreed to go.
Li Jian Cheng treated all three younger brothers equally whenever he returned. While this may seem trivial to others, to Li Yuanji, it represented great fairness and kindness.
Li Shimin patted the coarse cloth of his clothes and was about to leave without a word when Li Jian Cheng helplessly asked, "Where are you going again?"
"I'm going to find the instructor to practice my spear skills."
"Fool! Yuanji is three or four years younger than you, yet his strength surpasses yours by quite a bit. This shows that he is naturally stronger than most. How can you expect to compete with him here?"
Li Xuanba also advised, "Second Brother excels in military strategy; no one in the capital can compare to him in discussing formations and tactics. This is a realm where Fourth Brother cannot match him."
Li Shimin was unconvinced: "Then shouldn't I work on my weaknesses?"
"Yuanji may be strong, but he is far from being superhuman. Continuing to wield weapons will only make him another Shen Guang. If he were to study military strategy and tactics, combining civil and military skills, he might lead an army."
Li Shimin couldn't help but boast, "Military strategy isn't something just anyone can master. With his brain, even reading it a hundred times wouldn't help him grasp the essentials. He'll just be reciting from memory, and on the battlefield, he'll undoubtedly fail."
Li Jian Cheng tapped his forehead: "Beware of arrogance and impatience. If you don't settle down, you'll only be a paper strategist like Zhao Kuo."
"Not at all! I will definitely be like Zhuge Wuhou!"
Li Jian Cheng initially thought that at Li Shimin's age, he would admire Champion Marquis Huo Qubing more. To his surprise, this kid was completely devoted to Zhuge Liang.
But it wasn't just Li Shimin; even Li Jing and Li Xiaogong shared the same admiration.
The Emperor summoned Li Min, as Li Yan and his son had returned to the capital without revealing a single hint of their intentions. Only a few high-ranking officials close to the Emperor had managed to gather some information.
Li Min held a high position as the Left Right General of the Imperial Guard, Chief Architect, and Grand Minister of Ceremonies. After inheriting the fief from his mother, Yang Lihua, he was granted five thousand households.
It is worth noting that even the Duke of Chu, Yang Su, who was at the pinnacle of ministerial ranks, only managed three thousand households.
His rank was undeniably high, and his wealth substantial; however, his influence was limited. He had never been assigned to govern a region and only performed duties within the Court, which left him bewildered as he approached the Emperor.
Yang Guang first inquired about his recent activities before candidly sharing the nursery rhyme and dream with Li Min. The revelation shocked Li Min so much that he bled from his forehead.
The Emperor smiled and ordered someone to help him up. "There is no need for such alarm. Since I have informed you, return and change your name. From now on, do not allow anyone to call you that."
"Yes, yes! I will change my name upon returning and will no longer be called Li Min; I shall be named Zhong!"
(End of Chapter)
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